The Ecology of Religious Knowledges

Different religious traditions, beliefs, and experiences claim to have epistemic contact with the ultimate source of reality. However, this epistemic claim has encountered one of its most significant obstacles in the initial incompatibility of its multiple accounts. I argue that from the ecology of knowledges, the idea that intentions, body, and physical and social environments are constitutive elements of our experience and knowledge, we can understand both the veridical, as embodied and extended, and pluralistic, as essentially limited, nature of religious experiences and knowledges. I characterize the mystical religious experience as a state of consciousness that (allegedly) allows direct epistemic contact with the supreme reality, articulating its essentially non-ordinary nature on the basis of the radical otherness of the sacred realm, namely, its character of being eternal, infinite, and with supreme ontological, ethical, and aesthetic value. According to this proposal, the different religious perspectives are understood as different epistemic approaches dealing with these numinous features in a gradual continuum from their most impersonal to their most personal specifications. I conclude that the cognitive relevance of any religious knowledge implies explanations and interventions that, although compatible with, go beyond those of both other religious knowledges and the knowledges of the non-sacred domains.

Religious perspectives on Vaccination: Mandatory Covid-19 vaccine for SA Churches

In public health history, vaccinations have been seen as very helpful as they help protect societies from preventable diseases and save many lives around the world. Despite the fact that few religious groups oppose vaccination for a variety of reasons, almost all major religions in the world support vaccination as long as it complies with religious precepts for the preservation, protection, or well-being of livelihoods. However, during the surge of Covid-19 outbreak in South Africa and elsewhere, governments witnessed unprecedented hesitancy and opposition to the Covid-19 vaccination by the general public. Those who opposed the Covid-19 vaccine cited multiple concerns or reasons, ranging from possible side effects, adverse events, vaccine safety, vaccine effectiveness, conspiracy theories, and religious or cultural reasons. Based on a literature search, this paper attempts to discuss various religious views on the subject of vaccination in general and subsequently make use of such perspectives to support calls for a compulsory Covid-19 vaccination, especially for South African churches. This is a timely topic of central concern as it seeks to politely dispel religious misunderstandings and confusion that could arise as a result of debates on mandatory vaccines for Covid-19. Health and religion will be brought together to shape the ongoing discussions about the moral urgency of a mandatory Covid-19 vaccination in South Africa.

An Ecolinguistic Perspective on Framing of Animals in Quranic Discourse

Whether animals are of lower rank compared to humans or not is a debatable issue among scholars of various disciplines. However, there is no denying that they play a significant part in sustaining ecological balance on earth. The discourses in this regard play a considerable function in presenting animals in either beneficial or destructive roles. Such studies can contribute to spreading awareness regarding animals’ prominence from religious perspectives. The present study aims to examine the religious discourse concerning the ways animals are framed linguistically. For the said purpose, the Quran (the Holy book for followers of Islam) is chosen to analyze the framing technique used to portray animals concerning target words/ phrases. The identified frames are further described with reference to the ecological perspective. The content analysis technique is used to identify target words that are later used to recognize frames. The findings reveal that animals are most importantly presented in four significant frames: as beings, as benefactors, as ornaments, and as celestial signs. These frames further reflect how animals are represented in various roles, from food sources to valuable possession and from war tools to Godly signs. The beneficial story of animals’ existence as narrated in the Quran provides a comprehensive overview of their role in bio-network.

Religious Perspectives on Precision Medicine in Singapore

Precision medicine (PM) aims to revolutionise healthcare, but little is known about the role religion and spirituality might play in the ethical discourse about PM. This Perspective reports the outcomes of a knowledge exchange fora with religious authorities in Singapore about data sharing for PM. While the exchange did not identify any foundational religious objections to PM, ethical concerns were raised about the possibility for private industry to profiteer from social resources and the potential for genetic discrimination by private health insurers. According to religious authorities in Singapore, sharing PM data with private industry will require a clear public benefit and robust data governance that incorporates principles of transparency, accountability and oversight.

An Ecolinguistic Perspective on Framing of Animals in Quranic Discourse

Whether animals are of lower rank compared to humans or not is a debatable issue among scholars of various disciplines. However, there is no denying that they play a significant part in sustaining ecological balance on earth. The discourses in this regard play a considerable function in presenting animals in either beneficial or destructive roles. Such studies can contribute to spreading awareness regarding animals’ prominence from religious perspectives. The present study aims to examine the religious discourse concerning the ways animals are framed linguistically. For the said purpose, the Quran (the Holy book for followers of Islam) is chosen to analyze the framing technique used to portray animals concerning target words/ phrases. The identified frames are further described with reference to the ecological perspective. The content analysis technique is used to identify target words that are later used to recognize frames. The findings reveal that animals are most importantly presented in four significant frames: as beings, as benefactors, as ornaments, and as celestial signs. These frames further reflect how animals are represented in various roles, from food sources to valuable possession and from war tools to Godly signs. The beneficial story of animals’ existence as narrated in the Quran provides a comprehensive overview of their role in bio-network.

Kisah Exodus Bani Israil sebagai Titik Temu Terhadap Perspektif Umat Beragama untuk Jalan Damai

It is undeniable that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has the potential to create chaos in relations between Christians and Muslims at the grassroots level. The perspective from a religious point of view often complicates the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It must be realized, however, that from a religious perspective there is a meeting point between Islam and Christianity so as to prevent conflict among religious communities. The meeting point of the Islamic and Christian viewpoints can be based on the story of the exodus or the release of the Israelites or the Hebrews from slavery in the land of Egypt which is written in the Bible and the Koran. Exodus (the liberation of the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt) can be a meeting point for Christians and Muslims in Indonesia to establish a dialogue that respects and appreciates each other in good relations between the two religious communities, and further provides an understanding that religious perspectives can be combined with the principles of international relations to achieve peace between Israel and Palestine within the framework of a two-state solution as championed by the Indonesian government internationally.

Covid 19 Pandemic, Vaccination—Rural, Urban and Religious Perspectives

The purpose of this paper is to understand the ideologies, intent, and reasoning which prompt the millennials to take or shun the vaccine. The study incubates Rural, Urban and Religious sentiments that affect the preferences of inoculation, modify our decision-making process toward mass immunizations, and contribute to vaccine waste in many areas. We hope to convey the fear of not getting the vaccine as well as the elements that encourage folks to immunize themselves for the greater good in this study. Rural approach to vaccine hesitancy is fuelled by rumors, myths—whilst driven by limited access to the outside world. Urban vaccine hesitancy is driven by the abundance of information—giving rise to conspiracy theorists. Religious reluctance to vaccination is driven by notional norms opposing cure by modern treatment.