religion and theology call for papers

religion and theology call for papers

The Role of Faith in Modern Society

1. The Importance of Religion and Theology in Today’s World

Given the broad scope of theology’s implications for international relations, it is likely to remain a topic of importance for political scientists into the foreseeable future. The social sciences are areas in which there is a subtle yet pronounced effect from religion. Anthropology, while in some cases at odds with Christian missionary activity, has been influenced by Christian theological reflection on human nature. This too relates to work in sociology and psychology in which understandings of human nature and the causes of many social issues are addressed. In the cases of each of these aforementioned disciplines, the influence of religion and theology is a significant yet controversial issue and one which has arguably provided as much fuel for criticism as it has for advancement. This influence is an example of the considerable importance of religion and theology in defining the nature of culture and intellectual work.

It is, however, in the handy work of various intellectual disciplines that this influence is most apparent. In a similar manner to culture, religion and theology have an ever-present role in affecting the outcomes of many, if not all, intellectual disciplines and areas of study. In the case of the humanities, religion has served as both a creative and destructive force on the history of the disciplines. Theology played a considerable role in developing the writings that create the foundation of a large portion of philosophy today and also soiled the pages of history with instances of censorship and the destruction of intellectual work. These patterns continue in the present with religiously motivated attempts to support or destroy the work of humanists. The effect of theology on political science presented in history has been quite significant, always it seems for better or worse. Global events of the previous century have caused theologians to discuss international ethics and the implications of globalization for Christian ethics.

The role of faith in modern society consists of a multitude of intricate instances of religion’s place in a complex global societal framework, much of which is underpinned by the ingrained importance of religion and theology on every level of society and social interaction through its impact on culture. Religion and theology have a profound influence on culture. This fact is evident in our language, the arts, calendars, and customs.

2. Examining the Relationship Between Religion and Science

It is said that religion is in conflict with science. Throughout history, this has been apparent through the two constantly clashing. Many theories have been used to explain the discrepancy between the two, including the concept that religion is replaced by science with the increase in technology. However, this leads to the question of whether it is religion that is in conflict with science or science in conflict with religion. If religion is decreasing the scope of the world, surely this has an effect on science, deflecting its curiosity and eventually causing an increase in conflict between the two. Whether or not religion has a vast effect on science, the conflict between the two is undeniable. This is due to science going beyond religion’s expectations; an act that religion always reacts negatively to. An example of this is the theory of evolution, a theory that contradicts the creation theory of religions and has caused much debate in Darwin’s time and still today. The conflict between science and religion has been unavoidable. The attempt to change religious ideas has long been the aim of science. In recent years, there is still the idea that religion and science both can arrive at a common understanding. This may be through religion accepting the increase in scope of the world due to scientific ventures or through science acknowledging the limits to its curiosity. If the two ever arrive at a common understanding, it will be because religion no longer sees conflict as a detrimental battle but as a means to increase religious purity. During the interview, Wright expressed an idealistic view, believing that a common understanding may have a positive outcome, although he was forced to admit that it would be a long time coming. Any improvement in the relationship between religion and science is something that modern society is still aiming to achieve, and with the increase in secularization, faith’s influence on science may someday be minimal.

3. Addressing Controversial Topics in Religion and Theology

Finally, there are those religious academics who say that while intermingling traditions have indeed led to strife and a greater understanding is needed, the critics have an arrogance in trying to force all religious traditions into a universal context, and that attempts to understand traditions in an academic environment are often a disingenuous attempt to reform them in an image that is more pleasing to different schools of thought or the modern ‘politically correct’ agenda. These individuals often feel the best way to resolve religious differences is through a quiet dialogue and by demonstrating the result of a living faith in their own lives.

Traditionally, the religious response to criticism has often been volatile and repressive, becoming an elimination of the critics and their ideas, or in the best-case scenario, to isolate its members from outside influences to keep the community from falling into more ‘worldly’ doctrines. This method will no longer work in a world with such a degree of intermingling traditions and ideas, and it will often further alienate youths or those who have already become accustomed to worldly ideas. As a result, religious bodies and religious individuals often themselves to try and understand the outside criticism and reconcile it with their own beliefs in an intelligent manner. This often leads to religious individuals taking up courses of study in fields like theology or religious history and attempting to apply the same methodologies of their critics in an internal study of their own traditions.

It is to this end that many fields of intellectual inquiry such as history, psychology, philosophy, and anthropology have sought to apply their own methodologies and criticisms to religion in an attempt to put it under the same universal microscope that has been applied in these other disciplines. The aim is to create a better understanding so that cultural and religious differences need not lead to strife and discrimination, or in the best-case scenario, to prove that such traditions are not the result of differing natures, but rather the result of different environments and experiences. While the intent is noble, it comes as no surprise that many within religious traditions would find fault with an outsider telling them that they do not understand their own traditions. This often leads to further misunderstanding and animosity back on the parts of the critics who feel that the religious are acting irrationally or are too rooted in their own traditions to see the larger picture.

Religion and theology have undergone a battery of intellectual criticism and soul-searching throughout the last few centuries. However, never before has the degree of criticism been at such a fevered pitch as it is today. The reason for this modern, yet still controversial, form of inquiry into religious matters is largely due to the fact that with each generation, the world becomes ‘smaller’, more interconnected, and more understanding of other cultures. As a result, cultures, traditions, religions, and philosophies often find themselves intermingling even when they are at direct odds. This intermingling, of course, leads to friction and strife, and often this friction has led to an attempt to critically examine religious traditions in a universal context with the aim of understanding its doctrines, history, and cultural implications.

4. Exploring the Role of Faith in Social Justice Movements

At a theoretical level, social justice is equated with the eradication of unjust forms of social, economic or political structures. This recalls a number of events such as the Israelites’ release from Egypt and Babylon captivity, prophets speaking out against corrupt kings, or Jesus criticizing the Pharisees. In all instances, it is the deliverance from a nasty or unbearable situation, something which faith communities still relate to. The concepts of the religious and secular world may be different, but the understanding that justice is goodness and injustice is evil are reminiscent of Christian tradition that holds justice to be a virtue and the act of justice to be always divine. The role and attributes of justice are no better defined than in this. The word justice on the lips of Plato and the Gospels means for the first time nothing other than political integrity. A number of justice or rights-based movements can be seen as an attempt to bring God’s kingdom to the earth, which is in fact a reconstitution of sweetness and light, and a return to paradise.

Exploring the role of faith in social justice movements starts with the concept of justice, then moves to the concept of social justice. In response to the concept of justice, which often seems to be little more than avenging the wrongs by taking an eye for an eye, it is necessary to explore this concept of eventuating. Many western Christians confine their idea of justice to punishing wrongdoers, something which can be seen in individual, local or international law. The justice is in individual distributive and commutative, which is often aimed towards persons of influence. Involvement in social movements is the pursuit of just societies and the common good. It is taking place all over the world where people work to give life to the United Nations pledge to practice equality, and to serve the poor by attempting to empower them. It is also taking place in international agencies and among policy experts who seek to influence global policies and structures.

5. The Future of Religion and Theology in a Changing World

A final difficulty for religions in the face of globalization is its demands for social justice. As globalization is often linked to increases in inequitable economic systems and the destruction of traditional ways of life, many religions will feel further away from their ideals and more estranged in a world that is still in so many ways a wilderness.

In the field of theology, a more theological approach from within religious traditions to other religions will be required, and the very notion of a religion having a theology might be subject to change.

In a world where the trend is towards at least the perception of democratic ideals, traditional religious and priestly authority will be challenged, especially within their own cultural traditions. This entails both positives and negatives, but will in any case lead to a more conscious articulation of the role of religion in shaping human culture, and a critical self-examination that the traditions and value systems of religion are worth preserving.

Globalization has other implications for religion, especially in the West. As societies open up to a greater diversity of peoples, the sacred can be manifested in ways that may be alien to the traditional cultures of these societies, and ironically it is often the immigrants of these cultures that are the vanguards of this change. This will lead to a deeper understanding and acceptance of different religions and cultures in the West, and eventually a shift in the center of gravity of these religions to the West.

The very process of globalization, by definition, involves a breaking down of boundaries, and this will lead to the decline of religion as a definable and identifiable cultural system. Instead, the continuation of globalization will blur the lines between different religions and cultures, and the younger generations of the future will adopt more pluralistic worldviews. This increased pluralism will present a challenge to many religions, but also an opportunity. The Christian doctrine of religious pluralism, for example, will be tested and re-elaborated, and religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism that are historically more tolerant of other religions will gain more following.

The communications revolution will make people more aware of the value systems of others and how these differ from the value systems of their own. Therefore, religion, which so heavily relies on inculcating its doctrines and values, will incur a new sense of competition with religions different from the ones held by a particular group of people.

As the modern age continues to move forward, it is inevitable that religion and theology will encounter new challenges and changes. The future of religion will be influenced by globalization and the opening up of more diverse societies. Advances in technology and means of communication will popularize different ways of life and cultures, and it is expected that religion will be a major candidate in this process.