1949-1982 Yılları Arasında Din Psikolojisi Alanında Yazılan Eserlerin Doküman Analizi Nitel Bir Değerlendirme

Author(s): Beyazıt Yaşar Seyhan / Language(s): Turkish Issue: 13/2021

It has been tried to do document analysis together with content analysis about some terms in the works written between 1949 and 1982, which is assumed to be the first period of the psychology of religion. The terms researched are “şuur (consciousness)” and its derivatives in Ottoman, and “consciousness”, “subconscious”, “unconscious” terms which is the modern usage of the term “şuur” and “adolescent, puberty” terms of Western origin which correspond to the meanings of “ergen ve argenlik”. The frequency of the use of these terms in the books was determined and it was examined whether there was a change in time, and the scientific language in using the terms of the psychology of religion was tried to be understood in line with the qualitative method. As a result, the psychology of religion changes some of these terms over time, while others still use them. By examining whether the purposes and bibliographies of the early psychology books were similar or different, it was understood that these terms used in the books of the early psychology of religion kept pace with the language and psychology science language of that period and their changes over time. In addition, it is understood that the works written by theology-based religious psychologists do not only serve the science of psychology of religion, but also they have an individual, educational, political and social goals.

A Social Psychology of Religion with a Phenomenological Case Study

Author(s): Krynauw du Toit,Stephen David Edwards / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2022

This article defines religion in terms of some of its major characteristics. Special attention is paid to how religion is attuned to the structure of a prevailing social order. Religion renders valuable functions within the psyche of individuals and renders justification to the integrity of a community. A brief qualitative investigation utilizing interviews challenges Freud’s viewpoint about religion being a neurosis. It also illustrates that religion can be studied phenomenologically without having to bracket the concept, of God. Finally, people can live comfortably with paradoxes in their interpretations of reality. The awareness of personal limitations and the need for a sacred, embodied, immanent and transcendental world ensures the future of religion.

Are religions growing or declining? Self-reported religion and personality

Author(s): Ibrahim Senay / Language(s): English,Serbian Issue: 4/2022

It is not clear whether religions are on the rise or fall today. The present study investigated whether personality trait factors can predict the combined growth of religious affiliations and non-affiliations (i.e., the number of people who self-identify with a religion or do not identify with any religion) across socio-cultural contexts through an analysis of online survey data collected from 111 countries and 4,270 individuals. In a multiple-discriminant analysis, religion self-reports constituted three independent dimensions. Religious affiliations and nonaffiliations (whether a person identifies as a member of a specific religion or identifies him/ herself as an atheist or agnostic) formed separate clusters along one axis, while on the other two, they did not. Across countries, religions’ growth rates significantly predicted the trait factor configuration classifying religious affiliations (seeing oneself as a member of a specific religion) differently from non-affiliations (seeing oneself as an atheist or an agnostic). The personality profile grouping affiliations together with non-affiliations had a non-significant relationship with religions’ growth rates. In sum, although self-identifying with no religion (i.e., agnosticism and atheism) might not replace affiliating with a religion in the short run, it can show a non-significant trend toward competing with adhering to most popular religions. The results may have implications for understanding the impact of religious pluralism on religions’ growth rates and the different growth trends associated with the complexity of religious affiliations.

Basic Dimensions of Religiousness and Dispositional Forgiveness: The Mediating Role of Religiously Motivated Forgiveness

Author(s): Marcin Moroń / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2022

Forgiveness could be regarded as one of the most important moral imperatives across various religions. Although numerous studies have confirmed the hypothesis that religious people tend to be more forgiving, there is still an open question as to which dimensions of religiosity are responsible for this tendency and whether religious people equally tend to forgive others, but also themselves, and feel being forgiven by God. The present study investigated the associations between religiosity and dispositional forgiveness using the basic dimensions of religiousness model (including cognitive, emotional, moral, and social dimensions of religiosity) and multifaceted measurement of forgiveness (self-forgiveness, forgiveness of others, divine forgiveness, and religiously motivated forgiveness). The study involved 427 individuals who identified themselves as religious (71% women). The results showed weak positive correlations between dimensions of religiousness and dispositional selfforgiveness, moderate associations with dispositional forgiveness of others and religiously motivated forgiveness, and strong associations with dispositional divine forgiveness. Structural equation modeling demonstrated that when controlled for covariations between dimensions of religiousness and dimensions of forgiveness, the behaving (morality) dimension of forgiveness predicted dispositional forgiveness of others and divine forgiveness. Religiously motivated forgiveness mediated between the believing (meaning) and behaving dimensions of religiousness, and dispositional forgiveness.

Blessings of Mahāguru Prayer – Understanding of the True Nature of Mind

Author(s): Tashi Gelek / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

The Mahāguru Prayer was a prayer by Yeshe Tsogyal to Guru Padmasambhava when he was about to leave Tibet. Later she concealed it as a treasure teaching which Saint Pema Lingpa from Bhutan revealed for the benefit of sentient beings. It explains the suffering of samsara, blessings of prayers, the practice of offerings, Buddhist view, meditation, virtuous activities, Bodhicitta, reincarnation, the three kayas of Dzogchen, and dedication. Although this is a prayer liturgy, it lucidly expounds the essence of Buddhism: the true nature of mind. In particular, this prayer provides precious guidance and clear insights to Buddhist practitioners that the Mahaguru is not only represented by an outer guru but, more importantly, the primordially pure inner guru of our mind— Buddhanature.

Cierpienie w doświadczeniu chrześcijańskim

Author(s): Robert Więckowski / Language(s): Polish Issue: 1/2004

CONDIȚIA OMULUI PRIN LUPA FICȚIUNII

Author(s): Mirela Beatris Munteanu / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 2/2021

În lucrarea de față ne propunem să iscodim, dar să și înțelegem concepte legate de condiția omului din perspectivă ficțională, formulând întrebări și răspunsuri pentru problemele cu care ne confruntăm în viața reală. Nu ne dorim să fim didactici, ci să învățăm să ne punem întrebări și poate să și reușim să răspundem unora dintre ele prin exercițiul lecturii. Poate asta înseamnă a face un pas în spate și a reflecta asupra unor viziuni diferite, luând o gură de aer în afara concepțiilor noastre. Noțiuni ce țin de condiția omului, precum adevăr, păcat, suflet, cunoaștere, virtute, Divinitate, păcat ș.a., pe careunii le consideră importante, pot fi simple închipuiri.

CONFESSING FAITH BEYOND THE COMMUNIST BARS

Author(s): Anton Savelovici / Language(s): English Issue: 15/2022

The confrontation between good and evil, in the 20th century, had frightening proportions. Through a twisted logic, ideologically and “scientifically” reasoned,there have been destroyed spiritually, morally, socially and economically the destinies of many people, ethnicities and countries. For some people the psychical and physical salvation from the terror of the materialistic-atheist utopia was assuming a spiritual life

Contribuţia creștinismului ortodox în dezvoltarea programelor de asistenţă socială pentru copiii abandonaţi

Author(s): Viorel Valache / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 10/2021

Since the beginnings of Christianity, social work took the form of religious actions. Until the 16th century, most actions undertaken to help the various categories of the disabled were carried out in monasteries and religious congregations. The beginnings of social work in our country had at a strong religious character, materializing, for centuries, around the monasteries. In recent years, priests and lay people of the Romanian Orthodox Church have formed various associations and foundations, many of them with having charity as executive objective. Abandoned children are one of their main concerns.

Covid-19 Sürecinde Yaşanılan Olumsuz Duygularda Dini Başa Çıkma’nın Rolü

Author(s): Nesrullah Okan,Aytaç Ören / Language(s): Turkish Issue: 56/2021

This study was carried out to determine the negative emotions that arise during the Covid-19 process, to determine what kind of coping styles people use against the negative psychological factors, and to see how religion affects coping. In the research, answers were sought to three basic questions: In the first question, what kind of adverse psychological problems people experienced with the pandemic; in the second question, what type of coping styles are developed against the negative psychological situations they encounter; In the third question, an answer was sought on the position of negative coping among individuals' coping styles. For this purpose, data were obtained from 19 male and 41 female participants studying at the undergraduate level in different faculties, who themselves or someone from their close circles had Covid-19 experiences. The data obtained within the scope of the research were converted into text and analyzed with the help of Maxqda 20 Package Program. As a result of the analysis, various codes, sub-themes, and themes were reached. When the effects are examined, it is seen that individuals generally experience many negative emotions such as anxiety, fear, hopelessness, stress, fatigue, and depression. However, it has been concluded that individuals use religious coping the most against these adverse situations.

CRISIS MANAGEMENT AND MORAL DISCOMFORT: THE CASE OF A CATHOLIC CLERK

Author(s): Tünde Komáromi / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2021

The paper presents the case of a Hungarian Catholic clerk, an 81 year old lady from the Transylvanian countryside. Her daughter has sent her a bigger amount of money, but she understood soon that the post officer, a women herself, has stolen a significant part of it. A procedure of reclamation followed, but the case remained unsolved. The director of the post-office and the local policemen did not help. Then she turned to the Romanian Orthodox priest for help and offered some money in change. Although it is quite widespread among the local Hungarians of different religious affiliation (but almost never Orthodox) to ask Romanian Orthodox priests for help in times of personal crisis (or the crisis of a family member), this is a highly contradictory solution for a pious Catholic clerk. She’s never been before to any Orthodox priest, but she was aware of similar help seeking activities among the local Hungarian, Romanian or Roma. The same is true for the use of magic during her long lifetime. But using magic is regarded less sinful by the old clerk, than going to the Orthodox priest for the solution of a legal case. She senses God’s intention behind her failure!

Dindarlığın Psikolojik İyi Oluş Üzerine Etkisi: Meta-Analitik Bir Çalışma

Author(s): Mehmet Çınar / Language(s): Turkish Issue: 2/2021

The aim of this study is to analyse the effect of religiosity on psychological well-being via meta-analytical method. In addition, the presence of moderator variables that may cause the influence quantity which was calculated as a result of meta-analytical process, is analysed. For these aims, studies that are suitable for the criterion of choice were identified. Within this context, without applying a criterion for date, the influence quantity of 10 thesis studies were calculated, which analyse the correlation between religiosity and psychological well-being, and which include the number of samples used in meta-analysis and the number of pearson correlation coefficient (r) valu. Regarding the theses included in this study, 3 (30%) of them doctoral theses and 7(70%) of them are master’s theses. The number of people in samples is 5.914, 3.848 (65,06%) of which are from doctoral, and 2.066 (34,94%) of which are from master’s theses. For the analysis of the data, CMA (Comprehensive Meta-Analysis 2.0) statistical package program was used. The publication bias of the researches covered in this study was analysed via “Funnel Plot Graphic”, “Classic fail-safe N”, “Begg and Mazumdar rank correlations” and “Egger’s regression test” statistics methods. As a result of these statistical analyses, no evidence of publication bias has been found. Heterogeneity test was conducted to identify which model is to be used in measuring the influence quantity of the researches included in the study. The Q(sd=9) statistical value for its heterogeneity was measured as 114,90 (p<.01). If the obtained Q value read from the chi-square table (sd=9, χ2(0,05)16,919) exceeds 9 degree of freedom and .05confidence level values, it means that the data is heterogeneous. Another method used to determine heterogeneity is to measure I2 percentage value. The I2 value calculated through the obtained data is 92,167%. In the literature, the reference points for this value are respectively 25%, 50%, 75% as low, medium and high. In this sense, it is seen that the influence quantity distributions are highly-heterogeneous with a value of I2=92,167. According to the heterogeneity test results, there are two models, via which we can find the average influence quantity in meta-analysis namely, fixed effects model and random effects model. The fixed effects model depends on the assumption that all the compiled researches predict exactly the same influence. The fixed effect models assume that the variance between the results of researches stem from the data connected to one another of the researches. Random effects model, however, projects that it is better to make an analysis considering the variance inside and between the researches. It is assumed, in random effects model, that there are differences in terms of influence quantity between all researches. Since this study is heterogeneous, random effects model was used in meta-analysis process. According to the data included in meta-analysis, the influence quantity was calculated as positive .143. The lower limit for this influence quantity was calculated as .042, and the upper limit was calculated as .243. It was concluded that this influence quantity was in a low level. Scientific publication types and sample group were considered as moderator variables which can influence the relation between religiosity and psychological well-being. In this context, the average influence quantity of the studies covered in meta-analysis according to the mixed effects model for the subsample group in Fisher’s z is respectively .203 for families of martyrs, .148 for students, .233 for teachers, -.097 for the elderly, .098 for funeral service workers and .165 for mixed sample group. The average influence quantity for these subsample groups was not considered to be statistically significant (QB=1,577; p>0,05). According to this, it was concluded that the sample groups in the studies covered in the meta-analysis did not have a moderator role in the relationship between religiosity and psychological well-being. In addition, the average influence quantity for scientific publication types in Fisher’s z is respectively .193 for PhD, and .118 for master’s degree. The average influence quantity for these subsample groups was not considered to be statistically significant (QB=0,384; p>0,05), either. In other words, the type of publication does not play a moderator role in the relationship between religiosity and psychological well-being.

Dini İnancın Temellerinin Bilimsel ve Teolojik Değerlendirmesi: Nöroteoloji

Author(s): Mustafa Köylü,Cemil Oruç / Language(s): Turkish Issue: 2/2021

A great deal of research has been done on the origin of belief and its effects on human beings. In recent years, these researches are not only limited to the theological field, but also continued by various branches of science. Scientific disciplines that investigate different dimensions of belief have made some explanations about the origins of belief under titles such as cognitive science, mental science, evolutionary theory and genetics, but these results have been someti-mes discussed and criticized. Studies on this subject have not yet achieved a general consis-tency so far. In the last century, there has been a great increase in the number of such studies. Before the 1970s, there was an understanding that tried to explain the issue from an evolutio-nary perspective. The interest in the source of human belief started especially in the field of biology and has been supported by many systematic scientific studies. These types of studies tried to understand and explain the biological origins of belief, but did not go beyond labora-tory experiences. These studies associated belief with certain diseases, attempted to explain biologically different versions of belief, tried to explain the relationship between brain mobi-lity and religious experience, and searched for a separate God Gene and God Field. This article focuses on the psychological basis of the subject, and then the biological basis of the subject. Studies on consciousness, unconsciousness, death, diseases, and many psychological disorders handled in different ways the relation with belief. Such basic human processes are tried to be explained in relation to many areas such as health, spirituality and culture. Socio-biology, evo-lutionary psychology, and contemporary cognitive sciences have carried out a series of studies on this subject, especially looking for the foundations of belief. Since the 1970s, there have been some attempts in biology, especially depending on the developments in science and tech-nology. These studies mostly claim that “the ability to believe” is innate in humans and is parti-ally supported by some scientific discussions. Scientists who seek the source of belief directly in biology follow the hypothesis that the temporal lobe of the brain is the source of religious and mystical experience. Neurologists have focused on the prefrontal cortex of the brain and suggested that this region of the brain may be related to religion and belief. These studies are the continuation of other research that started earlier and searched for belief, spirituality, and God in a certain region of the brain. In these studies, conceptualizations such as “the God spot” and “the God module” have been made instead of the concept of the “God gene.” As a result, studies on religion and brain will increasingly come to the fore. Studies on this subject have opened a new door in terms of showing the relationship between religious belief, attitudes and behaviors and the brain. However, more studies are needed in this area in order to understand more accurately and fully the relationship between religious beliefs or experiences and physi-cal processes because most of the studies on this subject have focused on Christians and Budd-hists. Although a serious relationship has not been established between religion and biology until now, it is likely that these issues will come to the fore more frequently from now on. These studies which investigate whether there is a relationship between believing and the brain are called neurotheology. In this study, the developmental process of neurotheology as a science and the studies in this field were examined by literature and document review. Studies conducted in the last hundred years were systematically examined and the current situation was discussed.

Dlaczego zostałem apostatą?

Opowieść Michała Rogalskiego

Author(s): Michał Rogalski / Language(s): Polish Issue: 805/2022

Educația copiilor, în era digitală (I)

Author(s): Ioan C. Teșu / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 1-4 Suppl./2022

Technology has entered intrusively into human existence, into society and into the modern family, where we live or work, and even into our minds and souls. It is widely used today in all of its variants, thus making us addicted, to one degree or another, on its means of presentation. These days, babies are welcomed into this world with cameras, in order for the family to have this memory forever. Then, when they get home from the hospital, children get in contact with screens, first, in an indirect way, through their parents and their activities in the digital field, and secondly, by using technology by themselves, later on. Thus, devices become digital nannies, a comforting entourage, replacing, most of the times, the way too busy parents. When in school, students are stimulated to use digital devices and to benefit from the many advantages they offer. Nevertheless, the findings of professional studies in the field should not be forgotten. These treatise state the fact that even if, on a surface level, there seem to be a lot of advantages and bright aspects of technology, there are, as well, many risks and drawback shidden between the lines. The inconveniences regard the minds and souls of the children, their focusing abilities and the empathy level. This study has the purpose of presenting some of the implications of digital technology in the act of learning, being, in the same time, a warning regarding the perception and insight parents and educators should use in the process of guiding children grow into responsible and well-balanced adults.

Erken Rönesans Döneminde Panteistik Temalı Bir Tanrı Tasavvuru -Nicholas of Cusa’da Tanrı-Âlem İlişkisi

Author(s): Fatih Topaloğlu / Language(s): Turkish Issue: 1/2022

This study is focused on the understanding of being, which would be considered original for Nicholas of Cusa's age, who is one of the important characters of the 15th century's philosophy, and on the concept of God comprising pantheistic themes. This concept harboring the fundamental effects of the Platonic philosophy tradition is reflected in the works of Cusa, which he created during his academic life and under Papa's protectorate, and affected the religious comprehension of his age. Considering his philosophic and theological ideas, Cusa played an important role in the differentiation of the scientific and philosophic approach, which was under the dominance of the Scholastic view. His conception of God can be considered as an effort to consider God, man and the universe from a shared perspective. In this perspective, there are three elements, which are conceived in divine unity. These three elements can be expressed as follows: God, as an absolute being and the active part in this relationship; the universe, as the place and space of the divine appearance, and Jesus, who makes the relationship between God-universe and man possible with his personality, which is the only one of its kind. The dialectical method, which gave the characteristics to the thoughts of Cusa, reveals itself clearly in his views about the Maximum (el Máximo) and Minimum (el Mínimo) concepts, which he used for the definition of God. These concepts, which are used to serve as an infrastructure for all intellectual efforts realized about God, are handled in a kind of unity in the sense of potential and formal comprehension of Maximum and Minimum. Cusa was for a middle way based on a absolving approach attributed to God for the explanation of his relationship with the universe. That is, Cusa, who views these attributes as necessary in terms of the reality of religious life, always gives a sense of the sensitivity of knowing the attributes as a limited activity that can only take place on the basis of created things. If affirmative names are to be attributed to God, they must be made in terms of His relationship to creatures. In Cusa's cosmology, the universe is understood as containing an infinite multitude of infinitely different motions, each revolving at its center and bound both by its relation to a common cause and by its participation in the universal order. Thus, Cusa based its cosmology on a metaphysical doctrine instead of physics and in this way adopted not a world-centered but a God-centered view of the universe. In this system, God is accepted as an essence penetrating the universe and virtually dispersing into it, and therefore, it is emphasized that there is no relationship of superiority between the elements comprising the universe because they get their origin and existence from a divine essence. On the other hand, the question of how everything can be understood as a manifestation of a single infinite Form, despite the existence of different levels of possibility, finds the answer in the fact that infinite Form can only be achieved finitely. In this respect, although the universe is limitless in one sense and infinite in its unique kind, it can be defined as neither finite nor infinite. Consequently, the universe is both finite and infinite, as it enters the field of being about the infinity of God, and thus to His infinity, which encapsulates the whole possibility of existence and does not hold this possibility in itself. In this way, each created one compromises a finite infinity or created divinity in respect of its existing status. In Cusa's philosophy, Jesus Christ has a very critical function in respect of the foundation of the system in a correct way. The ontological connection between God, who is the Absolute Maximum, and the universe, which is the Contracted Maximum is established through him. Spontaneously, the structure composed of the opposites, which are compromised by the Absolute Maximum and revealed in the universe, comes to the front as a principle of harmony and equality. Such a conceptualization of the being brings with it the idea of a need for a being, which compromises the past and the last without being tied to temporal processes and provides the order and stability of the universe that is not suitable for unity and simplicity by its nature. So, Jesus takes his place in this system as the medium of the relationship between God and the realm. In this article, we attempted to evaluate the ideas of Nicholas Cusa on the God-universe relationship based on the literature, which he created through his almost 25-year-long academic carrier, with a descriptive approach. The main objective of this study is our conviction that the comparisons made between different views developed in belief circles, which have to face particularly this problem about the Godrealm relation, which is one of the main topics of the theological thought system, may reveal meaningful outcomes about the nature of the religious thought and belief. Here we will attempt to trace this effect through the thought of Cusa, which brings a new interpretation to the philosophical tradition to which it adheres, with philosophical and mystical implications.

EUTHANASIA BETWEEN THE RIGHT TO LIVE AND THE FREEDOM TO DIE

Author(s): Ciprian Corneliu Ciurea / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2021

Following a brief introduction, this article provides some definitions of euthanasia,while aiming to bring to the reader’s attention the way in which the concept has emerged and developed throughout history. Subsequently, we shall present some criteria for the classification of euthanasia, but some pros and cons also, which tension the ethical, medical, legal, and religious debates about the legalization of euthanasia. Towards the end, we shall visit a few dilemmas gravitating on the subject, and also present some biblical principles,which should be the perspective from which the issue of euthanasia is to be considered. The worst thing, when we talk about euthanasia, is that the whole system of values, which was seen as a good one from the very beginning, is now overthrown. The battle for life, the supreme value that gave birth to Hippocrates’ medicine, is substituted for the battle for death.

EXPLORING THE RELIGIOSITY OF ROMANIAN EMERGING ADULTS: PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEMOGRAPHICAL CORRELATES

Author(s): Carina Matei,Daniela Dumulescu,Adrian Opre / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2022

Studies examining religiosity/spirituality (R/S), gender, parental education level and psychological well-being report divergent findings, most of them being on North American populations. This research aimed to explore the relationship between R/S and psychological well-being of Romanian emerging adults. The relationship between R/S and demographical variables such as gender and parents’ educational level was investigated. We explored these relationships in a sample of Romanian emerging adults, (N=468 female, 54.2%; Mage=24; Sd=8.68), 57.9% from theological faculties of various denominations and 42,1 % non-theological. Our findings show that R/S is higher as parents’ educational level is lower, with male emerging adults being more religious than female ones and theology students being more religious than non-theology ones. Moreover, the results revealed a significant relationship between R/S and some facets of psychological well-being. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed, with emphasis on the particularities relevant for the Romanian socio-cultural context.

FENOMENUL DIVORȚIALITĂȚII ÎN CONTEXTUL NATURII UMANE – SCURTE CONSIDERAȚII SOCIOLOGICE DIN PERSPECTIVĂ CREȘTINĂ

Author(s): Ion–Lucian Răcilă / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 2/2021

When we talk about human nature and its origin, we start at the same time with the concept of family. The living history of humanity, under its biological, psychological, socio-cultural, economic and political dimensions, belongs to the family, the coexistence of man and woman, the relations between them, the relations with children. The family has proven to be one of the oldest and most stable forms of human community, the one that ensures the perpetuation of the human species, the evolution and continuity of social life, and the history of family evolution is nothing but the history of development and changes in marital roles. Family dissolution or divorce is a complex psychosocial phenomenon that in its final form results in the dissolution of marriages. This can break when immature people want to run away from responsibility, but sometimes separated and divorced are attempts to escape from a destructive and painful relationship. The Christian vision on this subject requires a careful, deep and complex approach, given the biological, social, psychological and spiritual implications.

HUMAN DIGNITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Author(s): Elisei Rusu / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2021

In a world marked by turmoil and social unrest, the definition of human dignity and human rights is a valid question. However, both dignity and human rights have a solid foundation and come with responsibilities in order to be enjoyed. The foundation for human dignity and human rights is the relationship between man and his Creator. The responsibilities that come from human dignity and human rights are the relationships of people with their Creator and with others. In this article both aspects, the foundation and the relationships, will be covered from a Christian perspective.