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Religions ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 65
Author(s):  
Logan Knight ◽  
Njeri Kagotho

There is a lack of contributions in sex trafficking the academic literature from Christian evangelical leaders despite their prominence in global counter-trafficking activism. Given that the academic literature influences professional and pedagogical discourse, the lack of evangelical Christian representation could diminish the complexity of trafficking discourses, limit balanced views of the flaws and strengths of evangelical counter-trafficking, and limit the opportunities for academia to understand and address problematic areas in evangelical counter-trafficking through an emic understanding of evangelical paradigms. Using a phenomenological lens to engage evangelical Christian pastors (n = 17) in the midwestern United States, this study examined the meaning faith leaders attach to counter-trafficking initiatives. Four themes emerged: (1) God cares about survivors of sex trafficking, giving Christians a moral obligation to intervene; (2) God, the Christian, and the survivor all have essential roles in tackling sex trafficking as part of helping humanity; (3) congregations’ faith-inspired but imperfect efforts to help an imperfect and complex world create many complexities; and (4) managing complexity involves applying the truths that underpin the Christian worldview, namely that God is good and people are valuable. These findings underscore the need to create an inclusive knowledge-producing forum that allows for a pragmatic exchange of ideas to expand the discourse between multiple counter trafficking actors.


2022 ◽  
pp. 002190962110696
Author(s):  
Uchechukwu M. Agbo ◽  
George C. Nche

Public trust in government can significantly determine the outcome of health policies in any society. Hence, studies have been gauging peoples’ level of trust in their governments’ commitment and capacity to win the fight against COVID-19. However, these studies have omitted religious leaders. This is despite the fact that religious leaders play key roles in the area of health in many societies. The present study, therefore, explored the opinions church leaders have about the credibility of the COVID-19 statistics and other government responses in Nigeria. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 18 church leaders drawn from Anglican, Catholic, and Pentecostal churches in Nigeria. A descriptive narrative approach was employed in the thematic organization and analysis of data. Findings show that only one participant expressed confidence in the credibility of the COVID-19 statistics and other government’s responses. The rest, with the exception of one participant who was uncertain, was distributed between those who believe the statistics and other government efforts are exaggerated and those who believe they are false. The study also found that denominational affiliation mattered with respect to the perceptions about the credibility of the COVID-19 statistics and other government responses. Implications of findings for policy and research are discussed.


2022 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Pieter-Jan Bezemer ◽  
Sten Langmann ◽  
Paul Vlaar

Christian churches in many Western countries have been confronted with a general decline in church membership and participation due to significant, society-wide shifts. This study seeks to better understand how church leaders at the local level work through the challenges posed by these external developments. Using a combination of semi-structured interviews and panel sessions conducted in The Netherlands, our analysis reveals a wide variety of change responses by local church leaders, even within church traditions. Based on these differences, we develop a process model of how and why local church leaders will differently engage with external change, thus opening up the debate around the contingencies and activities that may support local churches and their leaders in reversing local church decline. Our research also highlights the importance of local level processes and dynamics in understanding how Christian churches interact with their external contexts.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 120-132
Author(s):  
Oki Hermawati ◽  
Amirrudin Zalukhu ◽  
Wylen Djap ◽  
Erwin Santoso ◽  
Dylmoon Hidayat

The pandemic presents various struggles, including among church leaders and the clergy who serve specifically within the Synod of Gereja Kristus. The research conducted on the clergy looked at the two sides of leadership, i.e. transformational and servant leadership, where both leaders were associated with perceived organizational support, job satisfaction and life satisfaction factors for personal calling in serving as clergy. The results showed a positive and significant effect of transformational leadership on perceived organizational support and life satisfaction. Job satisfaction as a mediating variable also has a significant and positive effect on life satisfaction.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-198
Author(s):  
Sabrina Müller ◽  
Patrick Todjeras

Abstract The present research project addresses the question of how the theological literacy and agency of volunteer church leaders can be fostered so that cooperative church leadership can be achieved. The Protestant Churches of the Canton of St. Gallen (Switzerland) and Austria, together with the Centre for Church Development of the University of Zurich, designed a participatory research process. The aim was to increase the communicative and participative competence of volunteers. Together, through a creative and discursive process, the foundations, educational processes and tools necessary for theological empowerment were developed with the volunteer church leaders. The cooperative project combines research and practice in the sense that practitioners were actively involved in generating, evaluating and discussing the data. In addition, in this project we found ways to continue participatory research – for example through online discourse formats – and thus not lose the essence of such research in times of covid-19.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 165-184
Author(s):  
Jon Marlow ◽  
Sarah Dunlop

Abstract This article reports the findings of a practical Theological Action Research project in a Church of England diocese in the UK, using photo elicitation. This image-based approach resulted in findings that echoed existing diocesan strategies, but also highlighted other issues that may otherwise have remained implicit, specifically the mode of mission and concerns regarding growth and survival. The visual data itself is analysed, revealing that the images do not always function as direct signifiers, but instead were generating creative, intuited responses. From the data, four mirrors were developed to reflect back to the groups their responses. This approach enabled local strategies to emerge from within espoused theologies, but also to make explicit their coherence or departure from the normative missiologies of the diocese. Finally, the authors suggest that the exposure of church leaders within training to qualitative research methodologies is releasing a new kind of leadership to emerge.


2021 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel F. O'Kennedy

The kingdom of God in the Old Testament: A brief survey. The kingdom of God is a central concept in the teaching of Jesus, but the question posed by this article is the following: What does the Old Testament say about the kingdom of God? Several Old Testament terms convey the concept of kingdom, kingship and rule of God. This article focuses on the Hebrew and Aramaic ‘technical’ terms for kingdom: mamlākâ, malkût, mělûkâ and malkû. One finds only a few Old Testament references where these terms are directly connected to God, most of them in the post-exilic literature: 1 Chronicles 17:14; 28:5; 29:11; 2 Chronicles 13:8; Psalm 22:29; 103:19; 145:11–13; Daniel 2:44; 3:33 (4:3); 4:31 (4:34); 6:27; 7:14, 18, 27; Obadiah 21. A brief study of these specific references leads to a few preliminary conclusions: The kingdom of God refers to a realm and the reign of God, the God of the kingdom is depicted in different ways, God’s kingdom is eternal and incomparable with earthly kingdoms, the scope of the kingdom is particularistic and universalistic, the Old Testament testifies about a kingdom that is and one that is yet to come, et cetera. It seems that there is no real difference when comparing the ‘kingdom of God’ with the ‘God is King’ passages. One cannot unequivocally declare that ‘kingdom of God’ is the central concept in the Old Testament. However, we must acknowledge that Jesus’s teaching about the kingdom of God did not evolve in a vacuum. His followers probably knew about the Old Testament perspective on the kingdom of God.Contribution: The concept ‘kingdom of God’ is relevant for the church in South Africa, especially congregations who strive to be missional. Unfortunately, the Old Testament perspective was neglected in the past. The purpose of this brief survey is to stimulate academics and church leaders in their further reflection on the kingdom of God.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 49-64
Author(s):  
Agung Gunawan

ABSTRACTABSTRACTThis article will discuss how to deal with difficult people in the church. Church leaders should not antagonize or even remove them from the church. Difficult people in the church should not be avoided but must be dealt with properly and correctly.In dealing with them the church leaders did not contradict them. Church leaders have a duty to provide pastoral care for them. In this article, we will first discuss the types of difficult people in the church. Next will be described the ministry of important principles in pastoral care needed by difficult people in the church. The hypothesis of this article is that through appropriate pastoral care, difficult people in the church can be transformed into good individuals and support church ministry.Keyword:. Pastoral Care, difficult people, in the church


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 464-465
Author(s):  
Fayron Epps ◽  
Yiran Ge ◽  
Mayra Sainz ◽  
Janelle Gore

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored systemic disparities and laid its effects on the Black community. Often overlooked is how health disparities heighten stress and affect the emotional well-being of Black American caregivers. The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of COVID-19 on church engagement for Black families affected by dementia. A qualitative design was employed to collect data from current caregivers, faith/church leaders, and persons with cognitive impairment. Participants (n = 17) were predominantly female, all identified as Black. During semi-structured interviews, participants were asked how COVID-19 has impacted their participation in faith practices. The following themes emerged: (a) ability to continue faith practices, (b) increased church engagement, (c) new normal, (d) importance of fellowship, and (e) role of technology. Participants believed COVID-19 did not impact their faith practice partly due to the ability to continue with faith traditions in a virtual format. Online worship services enabled more families affected by dementia to participate. Many church leaders expressed the intent of continuing to provide online worship services post-pandemic. Families highlighted their need to have fellowship with other parishioners. Technology was perceived as a double-edged sword that serves as both a motivator and a barrier to religious engagement. These findings will support faith leaders and churches in understanding the needs of their congregation during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically, it will allow families living with dementia to continue engaging in religious activity and living in meaningful ways.


Author(s):  
А.С. Усачев

В работе рассматриваются особенности самоидентификации ряда русских служилых землевладельцев знатного происхождения XV–XVI вв. после принятия пострига. По-казано, что некоторых из них (Вассиана (Патрикеева), ростовского архиепископа Иоасафа (Оболенского), Иосифа Волоцкого) отличала «картина мира», характерная для представителей знати. Однако это были исключения. Как правило, в ходе длительного периода подготовки руководителей Церкви (не менее 2–3 десятилетий) их связь со «своей» социальной средой ослабевала и, соответственно, говорить о непосредственной связи между их статусом в миру и в Церкви вряд ли возможно. The article deals with the peculiarities of the Russian landed gentry’s self-identification in the 15-16th centuries after taking of monastic vows. The author shows that some of them (Vassian (Patrikeev), the Rostov archbishop Iosaf (Obolensky), Iosif Volocky) shared the worldview typical for the nobility. But in these cases, we face with the exception to the general rule. The long period of the church leaders’ preparation (no less than 2-3 decades) usually had impact on weakening the ties with their social environment. That’s why it is impossible to speak about the connection between their status in the world and in the Church.


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