Theory of Religion

In der Philosophie hat das Interesse an Wilhelm Dilthey in jüngster Zeit wieder merklich zugenommen. Man könnte geradezu von einer kleinen Dilthey-Renaissance sprechen. In der Theologie indes beginnt man sich erst langsam wieder auf sein Werk zu besinnen. Dabei hält es auch für sie wichtige Einsichten bereit. Dilthey ist vor allem deshalb interessant, weil es ihm gelingt, die Religionsthematik konsequent auf dem Boden eines interpretativen Kulturmodells zu entwickeln.

Fundamental to the growth, development, and unity of the Bahá’í Faith is its Administrative Order. This chapter begins with an overview of the Administrative Order followed by an outline of the various institutions of which it is comprised and some of their duties. It then considers the nature of the relationships among these institutions, the individual, and the community, and the approach to power and authority that distinguishes Bahá’í administration from other forms of governance. The chapter concludes with a discussion of some of the essential features of institutional functioning that make this approach to power and authority possible. These features include a unique electoral process, consultation as a mode of decision-making, the emphasis the institutions place on collaboration, and the disposition and qualities of those elected and appointed.

At a crucial point in his arguments about the definition of religion in 1912 in The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life  (The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life, and earlier in “On the Definition of Religious Phenomena,”  (1899) Durkheim famously asserted both that Buddhism was a “religion” and an “atheistic” one at that. Why he did do so, and so emphatically, are questions long-considered answered. Of two possible answers, one is commonplace, obvious and uninteresting, while the other is uncommon, remarkable and far-reaching in its implications.  In the present essay, I shall attempt to explicate what I take to be Durkheim’s uncommon, remarkable and far-reaching, but overlooked, reasons for declaring atheistic Buddhism a “religion.” In seeking these reasons, I argue further that Durkheim’s efforts to define Buddhism as a religion required him to depart from his better-known definition of religion. Buddhism simply did not fit this better-known definition of religion as being a source of dynamogenic force, engendering feelings of dependence in its devotees.  Durkheim solved this dilemma by offering a secondary definition of religion that would accommodate atheistic religions, like Buddhism, Jainism and so on.  He, in effect, expanded his definition of religion to accommodate one fitting atheistic religions. As it happens, Durkheim’s secondary definition of religion conforms more to South Asian notions of religion as dharma, as a ritually-bound forms of meaningful life.

Na producao do socialmente notavel, isto e, do acontecimento, ha o envolvimento de uma dimensao colectiva irrefutavel.Com efeito, o acontecimento e algo que se posta do lado do extraordinario e do socialmente pertinente assumindo contornos imediatamente publicos. E a sociedade estabelece-se a partir da sua encenacao em acontecimentos publicos – na dupla articulacao de ocorrencias tornadas comuns e ocorrencias fazedoras de mais publicidade. Ha, pois, uma relacao estreita entre a realizacao eventiva das sociedades e a realizacao publica, isto e, entre o acontecer e o fazer acontecer da sociedade. O acontecimento e uma construcao em continuidade, sempre inconclusiva porque sempre irrepetivel, especie de acontecimento singular tornado regra que a sociedade se obriga a recuperar atraves do seu principio publico. Deste ponto de vista, o acontecimento, enquanto categoria generica de recorte publico dos eventos, e um acontecimento-rito, uma pratica que as sociedades cultivam como metodo pri...

The final instalment of The Original Astronist Lecture Series emerges as the Total Immersion into Astronism as based on the concept of immersion in Astronism. This presentation provides a comprehensive understanding of the Astronist belief system as it stands here at the end of the Founding era. At over 1,000 slides long categorised into 20 sections and hundreds of subsections, the content within this presentation is vast. From a full exposition on the Astrosoteriology and Astroeschatology to exploring the cosmology of Astronism to many other disciplines, this presentation embodies a suitable way of commemorating the end of the Founding era and commencing the beginning of the Establishment era.

This fourth instalment of The Original Astronist Lecture Series explores the intersections between religion and science fiction in popular culture and how this has contributed to the development of space religions, UFO religions, and the incorporation of belief in extraterrestrial life into belief systems. The lecture also re-analyses the origins and features of the Astronic tradition from its prehistoric origins through to its ancient manifestations. This presentation was used as part of Cometan's lecture to a cohort of students on the course Religion, Culture & Society at the University of Central Lancashire on Thursday 4th March 2021.

This first instalment in The Original Astronist Lecture Series focuses on a basic delineation of Astronist tenets and principles by means of the explanation of the Astronic tradition, the tradition of religion from which Astronism derives its lineage. The second half of the presentation centres on the question of the future of religion and places in the minds of viewers the notion that Astronism represents a new approach to traditional religious beliefs and ideas through a cosmocentric view of the world. The question of religion's future is regarded as answered through The Founding of Astronism, a notion that is strengthened furthermore by Astronism's connections to the origins of religion during the Upper Palaeolithic with the Astronic tradition.

The concept of cultural hybridity seems ordinary now due to the daily usages of the term in a global context, but it covers a lengthy scholarly discourse. In the Winter Semester 2020/21, the discussion of Pnina Werbner's article on the dialectics of hybridity during a Research Area 6 meeting captivated the members' interest. What novel ideas does hybridity bring to different cultural environments, and how? Possible answers were that cultural shifts between the local and the global are involved, as well as encounters and reformulation of identities. The concept helps reflect on the interaction processes between identities and cultures by considering the emergence of new realities. The interdisciplinary and international conference "Cultural Identities in a Global World: Reframing Cultural Hybridity," from 23 to 25 June, aimed to shed light on the dynamics and social practices engaging hybridity as a tool of cultural analysis and formation. The experimental format of the laboratory conference aimed to inspire a reformulation of this concept and to bind everyday reality with academic knowledge during the keynote lecture, the two workshops, the eight panels, and the final laboratory debate.

The Institutional Dictionary of Astronism is the cumulation of receptions between Cometan and the astronomical world during the Founding era (2013-2021). The publication of this very first full-length Institutional Dictionary of Astronism represents eight years of the development of Astronism from its inception to how it stands today in 2021. The publication of this dictionary also encapsulates Astronism exactly as it exists now and how Cometan conceives it by the end of the Founding era. This dictionary and its contents capture what Astronism is now for posterity to look back on how this astronomical belief system will change as time progresses. Many of the words and definitions of this dictionary will alter as we enter the Establishment era and Astronism continues its progression in becoming world religion. However, what will not ever change is Cometan’s absolute devotion to the stars of the night sky and his discovery of their secrets through his receptions, personal inspirations, and his overall relationship with The Great Cosmos.

Covering all the major Astronist beliefs, practices, cultural elements, theories, branches of study, and historical events, A Dictionary of Astronism, also known as the Institutional Dictionary of Astronism, is published by the Astronist Institution through its subsidiary, Astral Publishing, to commemorate the end of the era of The Founding of Astronism.

The Founding of Astronism began exactly eight years on 1st July 2013 which sparked Cometan's ideations and indrucies and which afforded him the insight, knowledge, and vision to found a new religious movement, philosophy, spirituality and political ideology. As The Founding of Astronism, also simply known as the Founding era, comes to an end, the Astronist Institution wants to acknowledge the fundamental importance of this year period of the history of Astronism and to the wider history of religion, philosophy and spirituality as a whole.

The Dictionary of Astronism immortalises that commemorative spirit by providing thousands of definition entries of Astronist terms that have been authorised by Astronist Institution scholars for dissemination worldwide. This dictionary captures the most up-to-date understanding of what Astronism is and how it as a whole and its component parts should be defined. Enjoy this dictionary that emblematises Astronism and how this new religion has so far developed.

In Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature (1902) William James examines the role of mysticism in the development of religion. James argues that the root of all religions is precisely the experience of mystical states of consciousness. As we shall see, although James himself admits that his own psychological constitution shuts him out from these experiences, the acknowledgement of practical developments of mysticism within institutionalized religions illustrates the reality of these states of consciousness, a stance supported by James' pragmatism. Thus, the paper not only examines the nature of mysticism but presents James' pragmatist view of religion.

본 발표는 한국의 병역거부권 인정의 제도화 과정을 통해 양심적 병역거부의 성격을 특정 교단의 종교적 특성에 국한하여 사고하는 인식이 지배적인 자리를 잡게 된 과정을 역사적으로 살펴 본다. 특히 양심적 병역거부권이 인정되어 제도화가 이루어진 과정을 국제인권규범의 형성, 국내 사법부와 입법부의 제도화 등의 국면으로 나누어 살펴보고, 이 과정에서 양심적 병역거부의 인정 범위를 특정 교단의 종교적 특성으로 한정하는 통념이 어떻게 형성되었는지에 관해 다루고자 한다. 또한 미국에서 양심적 병역거부의 인정 범위가 확대되어온 역사적 과정을 비교 사례로 제시하여, 종교의 자유를 강조해온 전통적인 입장에서 양심적 병역거부의 인정 범위를 ‘종교적 신념’으로 국한하려던 시도가 어떠한 사회적 논란에 직면 하게 되었는지에 관해 살펴보고자 한다. 미국의 사례는 양심적 병역거부의 인정 범위와 관련하여 ‘종교적 신념’이라는 개념의 자의성을 보여주는 비교 사례가 될 것이다.