Majelis Ulama Indonesia and pluralism in Indonesia

2015 ◽  
Vol 41 (4-5) ◽  
pp. 487-495 ◽  
Author(s):  
Syafiq Hasyim
Keyword(s):  
Religious Freedom ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Religious Diversity ◽  
The State ◽  
Muslim Communities ◽  
Islamic Belief

This article highlights the role of Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI, the Council of Indonesian Ulama) in making anti-pluralism discourse and practice which are evident in its fatwa on belief (Arabic: ‘aqīda). It begins with the explanation of MUI which in the first three decades of its establishment was a fatwa body that supported pluralism, but since the downfall of the authoritarian Suharto regime in 1998, has changed its position from supporter to detractor of pluralism. This article argues that the institutionalization of anti- pluralism discourse through the MUI fatwa creates complexity especially because Indonesia contains the idea of pluralism (respecting cultural and religious diversity) in its constitution. The situation becomes more complex when the state and also Muslim organizations strengthen the position of MUI in monopolizing fatwa-making on ‘aqīda issues. The monopolization of fatwa on Islamic belief issues creates such a negative impact for religious freedom in Indonesia due to its fundamental characteristics that allow only a single judgment for the Muslim communities in understanding and interpreting their Islamic belief. Finally this article concludes the importance of Indonesia for protecting pluralism for maintaining the diversity of cultures and religions in this country.

scholarly journals Doing Justice to Religious Diversity: Theological Foundations for “Principled Pluralism”

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 79
Author(s):  
JONATHAN CHAPLIN
Keyword(s):  
Religious Freedom ◽  
Religious Diversity ◽  
The State ◽  
Critical Dialogue ◽  
Public Square ◽  
Role Of The State ◽  
Theological Foundations ◽  
Christian Nation ◽  
Central Claim

This article argues a theological case for “principled pluralism,” a particular stance regarding the proper attitude of the state towards the plural religious affiliations of its citizens. Its central claim is that the role of the state is both to defend the religious freedom of adherents to all faiths and to maintain a public square equally open to contributions from all faiths without publicly privileging any faith, even Christianity. It develops the argument in critical dialogue with a “Christian nation” position, according to which nations can exercise corporate religious agency, should be formed where possible according to Christian principles, and in which Christian citizens should call their governments to support the nation’s Christian character. KEYWORDS: Principled pluralism, religious diversity, state, Christian nation, public square

Freedom in Religion, Freedom in the State

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-44
Author(s):  
Mirjam Künkler
Keyword(s):  
Natural Law ◽  
Catholic Church ◽  
Religious Freedom ◽  
The State ◽  
Intellectual Biography ◽  
Second Vatican Council ◽  
Vatican Council ◽  
Role Of Religion

This article provides an overview of Böckenförde’s writings on issues of religion, ethos, and the Catholic Church in relation to law, democracy, and the state. It presents Böckenförde as an inner-Catholic critic, who attempted to persuade Catholicism that one’s own freedom can be defended only as part of the general freedom. This was finally achieved, at least dogmatically according to Böckenförde, with the Declaration of Religious Freedom at the end of the Second Vatican Council. The article lays out how Böckenförde sees the role of religion and natural law in secular democracy, namely as one informing the citizens’ ethos. Democracy cannot survive in the long term unless it is carried out by people who consider themselves part of the same demos and work towards a shared democratic culture. The article includes information on his intellectual biography, a periodization of his academic writings in seven phases from 1957 to 2012, a discussion of some of his core arguments as an inner-Catholic critic, a reflection on the cover images he chose for the two volumes, and closes with concluding remarks on Böckenförde’s view of religion in democracy compared to other theorists of democracy and secularism.

scholarly journals The state, sectarian violence, and freedom of association in a secular context: the case of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
pp. 271-300
Author(s):  
Abiodun Akeem Oladiti
Keyword(s):  
Religious Freedom ◽  
The State ◽  
Faith Communities ◽  
Freedom Of Association ◽  
Islamic Movement ◽  
Sectarian Violence ◽  
Role Of The State ◽  
Religious Associations ◽  
Group Movements

This paper examines the interrelationship between the State, freedom of association and sectarian violence among faith communities in Nigeria. It specifically discusses the role of the State in maintaining peace, and the government’s official response to sectarian violence among religious associations. In modern African states, sectarian violence has been prevalent and deadly among religious group movements. It is deployed as the most preferred means of attracting recognition, affirming feasibility and proclaiming existence among other religious associations in the State. This trend is associated with the Islamic Movement of Nigeria. It is against this background that this paper historicises sectarian violence, the myth and reality of religious freedom, the interrelationship between religious freedom, the State and secularism in Nigeria while discussing the constitutional provisions of religious freedom and religious associations in Nigeria. The paper concludes that religious freedom and freedom of association are integral features of the Nigerian Constitution and, therefore, all religious associations are permitted to live in peaceful coexistence.

scholarly journals Religious dietary rules and the protection of religious freedom: some evidence from practice in Italy

2015 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 181-200
Author(s):  
Miriam Abu Salem
Keyword(s):  
Religious Beliefs ◽  
Religious Freedom ◽  
The State ◽  
Social Spaces ◽  
The Real ◽  
Food And Beverages ◽  
Muslim Communities

In the Italian system freedom of worship provided by the Constitution is safeguarded by unilateral and contractual norms, sanctioned for minority confessions by an agreement, named intesa, that also concerns dietary issues. Muslim communities, however, as they have no intesa with the Italian state, are always compelled to negotiate in respect of their religious norms. Religious freedom concerns- not only ritual acts, but also behaviours including dietary ones, which are based on religious beliefs. The aim of this paper is to critically reconstruct how Italy takes charge of religiously-motivated needs concerning food and beverages, both for those confessions holding an intesa (such as Hebraism) and for those not (Islam), in order to trace the real degree to which freedom of worship is guaranteed in Italy. The analysis will be focused on the bargaining for religious dietary rules in schools and in constraining institutes, as they are main social spaces of confrontation between believers and the state. 

scholarly journals NEW ROLE OF RELIGIONS IN THE PANDEMIC CONTEXT

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberta Santoro ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Religious Freedom ◽  
Social Role ◽  
Community Integration ◽  
The State ◽  
European Context ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Building Community ◽  
The Common ◽  
Specific Interests

The global pandemic produces rules that impose suffering on religions, which must reconsider their social role now. This entails the need to examine the rules of coexistence within societies, where Coronavirus phenomenon raises existential and religious questions. We need to look at the condition of the state of religious freedom – in the European context – referring to globalization in a climate of restriction of personal, social, and religious freedom. Complexity has undermined the role of states, the delimitation of competences regarding relations with religions. For them, building community and associations relations where religious freedom is expressed is fundamental. Believers are therefore bearers of specific interests. This particular situation calls for a new function for religions, focused on the value of the person who can lead to the common identity and guarantee «those values of social and community integration that seem particularly discovered today».

scholarly journals Role of bad road season in the formation of surface sediment runoff in urban environment

2020 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 81-89
Author(s):  
Aleksandr Fedorovich TETERIN ◽  
◽  
Andrian Anatol’evich SELEZNEV ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Urban Environment ◽  
Surface Sediment ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Meteorological Conditions ◽  
The State ◽  
Sediment Runoff

Problem Statement. The relevance of the research is caused by the need to study the processes of contemporary sedimentation in urban area, which reduce the quality of urban environment and have negative impact on the environmental state. The objective of the study is to determine the role of bad road periods in fall, spring, and summer. The material for the study is represented by the meteorological data for the period from fall 2005 to summer 2019. Meteorological conditions were analyzed in the context of formation of surface sediment runoff in bad road periods. The study was conducted on the example of Ekaterinburg (Russia). The following meteorological conditions were analyzed: time of the start, end and duration of bad road period, the thermal regime, precipitation, and the state of soil surface. Results. It was found that the climate changes in winter and spring led to a change in the regime of thawing. Spring thaw begins earlier relative to average start dates. The duration of bad road period in fall has increased by a month, it began to start earlier and end later relative to average dates. Excess atmospheric precipitations and low temperature contribute to an increase in the bad road period. In summer bad road period, the air temperature decreases and the amount of precipitation increases. For the beginning and middle of the spring, the end of autumn bad road period, the state of the surface of soils is characterized by snow cover. At the end of spring and at the beginning of autumn thaw, the moist state of the soil surface prevails. In spring thaw, the soil moisturizing was noted more often than in fall. In the spring and autumn thaw, the maximum overmoistening of soils takes place, the maximum amount of dirt is formed in Ekaterinburg. The results can be used in planning the measures to improve the environmental situation in the urban areas.

Diplomacy, the State Department, and National Security

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
John A. Cloud ◽  
Damian Leader
Keyword(s):  
Career Paths ◽  
Public Diplomacy ◽  
Religious Freedom ◽  
State Department ◽  
The United States ◽  
The State ◽  
Limited Resources ◽  
Foreign Service ◽  
Multilateral Diplomacy

This chapter explains the history and role of diplomacy in advancing U.S. interests. The State Department is discussed as the primary actor in American diplomacy. The rise of multilateral diplomacy in the 20th century is examined along with the continued applicability of bilateral approaches. The State Department’s role in forming and implementing policy, in coordination with other government agencies, is outlined as well as its role in development assistance, consular affairs, and public diplomacy. The increased role of transnational issues, including human rights, religious freedom, arms control, and nonproliferation is outlined. The structure, funding and career paths of Foreign Service officers is examined, and the increasing use of diplomats alongside the U.S. military in combat zones in recent decades. The chapter highlights the limited resources that the United States commits to diplomacy when compared with military activities.

scholarly journals The Incorporation of Cultural and Religious Diversity in LGBT Policies: Experiences of Queer Migrants from Muslim Backgrounds in Catalonia, Spain

Religions ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 36
Author(s):  
Gerard Coll-Planas ◽  
Gloria García-Romeral ◽  
Belén Masi
Keyword(s):  
Religious Diversity ◽  
Public Policies ◽  
Gender Diversity ◽  
The State ◽  
Role Of The State ◽  
And Gender

This article reflects on the biases in sexual and gender diversity policies in relation to the axis of cultural and religious diversity in Catalonia (Spain), where these policies have experienced an enormous boost since 2014. The paper aims to analyse the articulation between the experiences of queer migrants from Muslim backgrounds living in Catalonia and the LGBT and intercultural policies. Based on interviews both with queer migrants and people involved in developing public policies, we analyse how these two axes intersect. The approach of policies is mainly monofocal and assimilationist, failing to acknowledge the hybridity of queer migrant experiences. However, we also find examples of policy programmes that adopt an intersectional perspective and embrace hybridity by advancing more inclusive LGBT equality policies. The conclusions highlight two axes of tensions that have emerged in the analysis of the policies: the construction of the figure of the queer person from a Muslim background and the role of the state regarding sexual and gender diversity.

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