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Showing papers on "Faith published in 2022"


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Character education can be characterized by a whole-souled, wholesome, moral, and disposition education at rendering good decisions, maintaining what is good, and wholeheartedly displaying goodness in daily life as discussed by the authors .
Abstract: Character education can be characterized by a whole-souled, wholesome, moral, and disposition education at rendering good decisions, maintaining what is good, and wholeheartedly displaying goodness in daily life. The prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was the messenger of god and the educator. He got disciplined directly from his Lord so as to have the most perfect character on the face of this earth, so as to become a great man with the testimony of god enshrined in his word: “and how virtuous you truly are” the great testimony of god of the prophet (peace) is evidence that his moral character is great and glorious since the creation of it. He was renowned among his kind as honest and trustworthy. As a majestic being, he had the glorious duty of the supreme being, the edifying and perfecting of men, as the prophecy says: “that I was sent forth to perfect men.” He succeeded in carrying out a great commission by turning the evil community into a society of faith and civility, while printing out noble characters

29 citations


Book ChapterDOI
08 Mar 2022
TL;DR: The authors explored several unique features of the journey towards justice, safety, healing and wholeness for a religious victim, or perpetrator, of domestic violence, and found that building bridges between the steeple and the shelter is central to responding compassionately, and with best practices, to domestic violence.
Abstract: Many religious men, women, teens and children look to their faith community for guidance and practical assistance in the aftermath of domestic violence. Looking at the interface between religion and abuse from a variety of perspectives, this article explores several unique features of the journey towards justice, safety, healing and wholeness for a religious victim, or perpetrator, of domestic violence. Whether someone is helped first by their congregation or a community-based agency, those who respond need to understand both the issue of domestic violence and the nature of religious faith. Building bridges between the steeple and the shelter—or congregations and their communities—is central to responding compassionately, and with best practices, to domestic violence.

22 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors examined the relationship between populist attitudes and beliefs in unsubstantiated epistemic claims, and found that these findings were mediated by increased faith in intuition and increased credulity of obscure and politically neutral news items, receptivity to bullshit statements and supernatural beliefs.
Abstract: The present research examines the relationship between populist attitudes—that construe society as a struggle between the “corrupt elites” versus the “noble people”—and beliefs in unsubstantiated epistemic claims. We specifically sought to assess the often assumed link between conspiracy beliefs and populist attitudes; moreover, we examined if populist attitudes predict conspiracy beliefs in particular, or rather, credulity of unsubstantiated epistemic claims in general. Study 1 revealed that populist attitudes are robustly associated with conspiracy mentality in a large multination study, drawing samples from 13 European Union (EU) countries. Studies 2 and 3 revealed that besides conspiracy beliefs, populist attitudes also predict increased credulity of obscure and politically neutral news items (regardless of whether they were broadcasted by mainstream or alternative news sources), receptivity to bullshit statements, and supernatural beliefs. Furthermore, Study 3 revealed that these findings were mediated by increased faith in intuition. These studies support the notion of populist gullibility: An increased tendency of people who score high on populist attitudes to accept obscure or unsubstantiated epistemic claims as true, including nonpolitical ones.

18 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: For instance, von Weyhe as discussed by the authors describes the arch-conservative Catholic milieu into which Galen was born in December 1879, at a time when that milieu seemed under siege by the forces of change, and traces his development through the four epochs that define recent German history: the Second Empire through the end of World War I, the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich and the German Federal Republic.
Abstract: Franz Graf von Galen cut a remarkable figure in the annals of German Catholicism. A year younger than his far more famous brother, Cardinal Clemens August Graf von Galen, Franz led an event-filled life of his own as he negotiated the competing demands of his faith, his social class and his nation at a time when all three were confronting profound challenges in the rapidly changing word in which he lived. The constant throughout all of this, as Josephine von Weyhe stresses in her superb biography of Franz von Galen, was his undying commitment to what he saw as the eternal truths of the Catholic faith. Von Weyhe’s study of Franz von Galen is in every sense of the word an inspired biography that is fully consistent with the highest standards of historical scholarship. Drawing upon an authoritative command of the primary sources and secondary literature, von Weyhe begins by describing the arch-conservative Catholic milieu into which Galen was born in December 1879, at a time when that milieu seemed under siege by the forces of change, and traces his development through the four epochs that define recent German history: the Second Empire through the end of World War I, the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich and the German Federal Republic. From childhood on, Galen’s worldview bore the indelible imprint of three institutions—the Catholic Church, the Westphalian nobility and the German nation—and he found himself obliged to demonstrate his fidelity to all three even though they frequently found themselves at odds with one another during the course of his life. Initially, the German Centre Party (Deutsche Zentrumspartei) functioned as the vehicle through which the tensions that surfaced between these institutions were effectively mediated. But its ability to do so was severely compromised by the rise towards the end of the nineteenth century of the Catholic workers’ movement, which openly challenged the social and political hegemony of the aristocracy within Germany’s Catholic milieu.

16 citations


Proceedings ArticleDOI
27 Apr 2022
TL;DR: The perceptions around AI systems in India are investigated by drawing upon 32 interviews and 459 survey respondents in India to find a case of AI authority—AI has a legitimized power to influence human actions, without requiring adequate evidence about the capabilities of the system.
Abstract: Most prior work on human-AI interaction is set in communities that indicate skepticism towards AI, but we know less about contexts where AI is viewed as aspirational. We investigated the perceptions around AI systems by drawing upon 32 interviews and 459 survey respondents in India. Not only do Indian users accept AI decisions (79.2% respondents indicate acceptance), we find a case of AI authority—AI has a legitimized power to influence human actions, without requiring adequate evidence about the capabilities of the system. AI authority manifested into four user attitudes of vulnerability: faith, forgiveness, self-blame, and gratitude, pointing to higher tolerance for system misfires, and introducing potential for irreversible individual and societal harm. We urgently call for calibrating AI authority, reconsidering success metrics and responsible AI approaches and present methodological suggestions for research and deployments in India.

15 citations



Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Live Well by Faith (LWBF) as mentioned in this paper acted as a trusted information source for COVID-19 resources for the African American community, enrolling community members for vaccines, negotiating vaccine provision to and facilitating the establishment of vaccine clinics at AA churches, and connecting community members to healthcare providers.
Abstract: African Americans (AAs) are disproportionately affected by structural and social determinants of health, resulting in greater risks of exposure to and deaths from COVID-19. Structural and social determinants of health feed vaccine hesitancy and worsen health disparities.The present study aims to explore vaccine attitudes and intentions among program participants, understand the role of an African American faith-based wellness program in COVID-19 awareness and vaccine uptake, and solicit potential solutions for this deep-rooted public health problem.Data were collected through 21 in-depth interviews among individuals involved within a community-based wellness program. Sixteen phone and five in-person interviews were conducted with church leaders, lifestyle coaches, and program participants. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and inductively and thematically analyzed by three researchers.Live Well by Faith (LWBF) acted as a trusted information source for COVID-19 resources for the AA community. Services provided by Live Well by Faith included enrolling community members for vaccines, negotiating vaccine provision to and facilitating the establishment of vaccine clinics at AA churches, and connecting community members to healthcare providers. Despite the role Live Well by Faith played, VH was a significant concern due, in part, to historical mistrust of government and pharmaceutical companies conducting unethical healthcare research among Black populations. Other factors included uncertainty about vaccination (vaccines' safety, efficacy, and necessity), social media misinformation, and political affiliation. Participants expressed the need for government to commit resources towards addressing historical factors and building trust with minority populations.Resource targeting programs such as Live Well by Faith that engage faith and community leaders in co-designed shared and culturally grounded interventions can help restore and strengthen trust in vaccines and governments and reduce vaccine hesitancy.

11 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors sketch a theory of faith that features resilience in the face of challenges to relying on those in whom you have faith and argue that it handles a variety of both religious and secular faith-data, e.g., the value of faith in relationships of mutual faith and faithfulness.
Abstract: In this short essay, we sketch a theory of faith that features resilience in the face of challenges to relying on those in whom you have faith. We argue that it handles a variety of both religious and secular faith-data, e.g., the value of faith in relationships of mutual faith and faithfulness, how the Christian and Hebrew scriptures portray pístis and ʾĕmûnāh, and the character of faith as it is often expressed in popular secular venues.

11 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The earliest Christian communities no sooner formed than they found themselves under the threat of criminal proceedings as discussed by the authors , and the Roman emperor Trajan, corresponding with Pliny the Younger, an imperial magistrate, addressed proper procedure for the trials of Christians.
Abstract: The Christian faith was birthed in a milieu of criminal law. The Romans crucified Jesus after trial for causing public unrest. Only a few decades later, the apostle Paul was tried before the Roman governor Festus for disturbing settled order. According to tradition, Paul was later beheaded at Rome. The earliest Christian communities no sooner formed than they found themselves under the threat of criminal proceedings. The Roman emperor Trajan, corresponding with Pliny the Younger, an imperial magistrate, addressed proper procedure for the trials of Christians. Other emperors put considerable numbers of Christians to death. With the legitimation of Christianity under Constantine in the fourth century, the character of the newly unburdened faith’s relationship with secular law shifted radically. Church tribunals adapted many aspects of prevailing Roman structures and procedures, while also encountering the challenge of drawing jurisdictional lines between secular and ecclesiastical authorities. That was just the beginning. By...

10 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors sketch a theory of faith that features resilience in the face of challenges to relying on those in whom you have faith and argue that it handles a variety of both religious and secular faith-data, e.g., the value of faith in relationships of mutual faith and faithfulness.
Abstract: In this short essay, we sketch a theory of faith that features resilience in the face of challenges to relying on those in whom you have faith. We argue that it handles a variety of both religious and secular faith-data, e.g., the value of faith in relationships of mutual faith and faithfulness, how the Christian and Hebrew scriptures portray pístis and ʾĕmûnāh, and the character of faith as it is often expressed in popular secular venues.

10 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
23 Jun 2022
TL;DR: Basrowi as discussed by the authors stated that the success of youth development as quality human resources and having competitive advantage is one of the keys to open opportunities for success in various sectors including education.
Abstract: The young generation is a valuable asset of a nation, so we must direct, guide and protect it as well as possible. The younger generation as well as the nation's cadres have a very big role in determining the progress and decline of a nation, even the independence of Indonesia cannot be separated from the role of the younger generation. The success of youth development as quality human resources and having competitive advantage is one of the keys to open opportunities for success in various sectors including education. While the long-term success is to build a developed nation. As stated by Basrowi that the success of youth development as quality human resources and having competitive advantage is one of the keys to opening opportunities for success in various other education sectors. In Islam itself, it not only teaches about prayer, fasting, and zakat, but also requires its adherents to be strong physically and spiritually. Islamic education not only teaches about faith, worship, morals, intellectuals but also teaches things related to health and physical strength, namely physical education. In fact, Allah loves the strong believer over the weak.

BookDOI
17 Mar 2022
TL;DR: Not by faith alone as mentioned in this paper is the first attempt to integrate research on the place of religion in adolescent development and to discuss the relevance of that research for policies and laws which regulate adolescents' religious rights and needs.
Abstract: Teens are often seen as challenging social mores. They are frequently perceived to engage in activities considered by adults to be immoral, including sexual behavior, delinquent activities, and low-level forms of violence. Yet the vast majority report surprisingly high levels of religiosity. Ninety-five percent of American teens aged 13-17 believe in God or a universal spirit, and 76% believe that God observes their actions and rewards or punishes them. Nearly half engage in religious practices, such as praying alone or attending church or synagogue services. Adolescents' religious beliefs are clearly important to them. Yet, the law does not know how to approach adolescents' religious rights and needs. In Not by Faith Alone , Roger J. R. Levesque argues that teens' search for meaning does not always serve adolescents or society well. Religious doctrines and institutions are not all "good," with violence linked to religious beliefs, for example—particularly racial/ethnic and sexual orientation harassment—becoming an increasing concern. Not by Faith Alone is the first attempt to integrate research on the place of religion in adolescent development and to discuss the relevance of that research for policies and laws which regulate religion in their lives. Levesque asks how religion, broadly defined, influences the development of teens' inner moral compasses, and how we can ensure that religion and the apparent need for "religious" activity lead to positive outcomes for individual adolescents and for society.

Journal ArticleDOI
29 Apr 2022-Vaccines
TL;DR: Vaccine hesitancy in Kenya, even though much lower than reported in other countries, remains a dynamic problem and Mitigating strategies specific to Africa need to be developed to help address vaccine hesitancies in this part of the continent.
Abstract: Background: Vaccine hesitancy, as defined by the WHO, is the reluctance or refusal to vaccinate despite the availability of vaccines and is one of the ten threats to global health in 2019. Vaccine hesitancy remains a complex matter influenced by multiple factors, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study between November 2021 and January 2022 among the general adult public seeking care at six different healthcare facilities in Kenya. The survey, in English, consisted of questions based on demographics, knowledge, and attitudes, including hesitancy towards the COVID-19 vaccine. Results: Of the 3996 surveys collected, 55.1% were from private, 19.5% from faith-based and 25.3% from government facilities., Approximately 81.0% of all the participants reported it was important to get a vaccine to protect other people from COVID-19, 79.9% reported they would take a vaccine to protect against COVID-19, yet 40.5% reported being hesitant to take the vaccine primarily due to side effects. Most of the variables were associated with receiving a vaccine. Only 52.1% of those seeking care from the government facility and 54.5% of those seeking care from the faith-based facility were vaccinated, compared to 81.5% seeking care from the private facilities (p < 0.001). More participants from private facilities felt that vaccines are safe as compared to those at the faith-based and government facilities (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Vaccine hesitancy in Kenya, even though much lower than reported in other countries, remains a dynamic problem. Mitigating strategies specific to Africa need to be developed to help address vaccine hesitancy in this part of the continent.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper , the authors found that people relied on their faith as one resource in order to cope during the COVID-19 pandemic, and that the sharp increase in corona-related stressors was associated with a decline of wellbeing and a continuing loss of faith.
Abstract: Many people relied on their faith as one resource in order to cope during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Germany, between the eighteen months from June 2020 to November 2021, different participants at different times were assessed during different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. The total sample of this continuous cross-sectional survey consisted of 4,693 participants. Analyses revealed that with the 2nd wave of the infection and its 2nd lockdown, trust in a Higher Source, along with praying and meditation decreased. Also, the sharp increase in corona-related stressors was associated with a decline of wellbeing and a continuing loss of faith. These developments were observed in both Catholics and Protestants, and in both younger and older persons. In addition, the long phases of insecurity and social isolation lacking the significant support usually given by religious communities may have likewise challenged the religious-coping capacities of religious/spiritual people themselves.

BookDOI
17 Feb 2022
TL;DR: Vivekananda is best understood as a cosmopolitan Vedanta who developed novel philosophical positions through creative dialectical engagement with both Indian and Western thinkers as mentioned in this paper , and his philosophy has too often been interpreted through reductive hermeneutic lenses.
Abstract: Swami Vivekananda, the nineteenth-century Hindu monk who introduced Vedānta to the West, is undoubtedly one of modern India’s most influential philosophers. Unfortunately, his philosophy has too often been interpreted through reductive hermeneutic lenses. Typically, scholars have viewed him either as a modern-day exponent of Śaṅkara’s Advaita Vedānta or as a “Neo-Vedāntin” influenced more by Western ideas than indigenous Indian traditions. Swami Vivekananda’s Vedāntic Cosmopolitanism rejects both of these prevailing approaches to offer a new interpretation of Vivekananda’s philosophy, highlighting its originality, contemporary relevance, and cross-cultural significance. Vivekananda, the book argues, is best understood as a cosmopolitan Vedāntin who developed novel philosophical positions through creative dialectical engagement with both Indian and Western thinkers. Inspired by his guru Sri Ramakrishna, Vivekananda reconceived Advaita Vedānta as a nonsectarian, life-affirming philosophy that provides an ontological basis for religious cosmopolitanism and a spiritual ethics of social service. He defended the scientific credentials of religion while criticizing the climate of scientism beginning to develop in the late nineteenth century. He was also one of the first philosophers to defend the evidential value of supersensuous perception on the basis of general epistemic principles. Finally, he adopted innovative cosmopolitan approaches to long-standing philosophical problems. Bringing him into dialogue with a galaxy of contemporary philosophers, the book demonstrates the sophistication and enduring value of Vivekananda’s views on the limits of reason, the dynamics of religious faith, and the hard problem of consciousness.

Journal ArticleDOI
03 Feb 2022-PLOS ONE
TL;DR: Text analysis of public documents shows alignment of the interests of public health and religious bodies, which can be discerned for the benefit of communities if parties are trusted and religious messages are consistent with public health communications.
Abstract: Religious responses to COVID-19 as portrayed in a major news source raise the issue of conflict or cooperation between religious bodies and public health authorities. We compared articles in the New York Times relating to religion and COVID-19 with the COVID-19 statements posted on 63 faith-based organizations’ web sites, and with the guidance documents published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) specifically for religious bodies. We used computational text analysis to identify and compare sentiments and topics in the three bodies of text. Sentiment analysis showed consistent positive values for faith-based organizations’ texts throughout the period. The initial negative sentiment of religion—COVID-19 coverage in the New York Times rose over the period and eventually converged with the consistently positive sentiment of faith-based documents. In our topic modelling analysis, rank order and regression analysis showed that topic prevalence was similar in the faith-based and public health sources, and both showed statistically significant differences from the New York Times. We conclude that there is evidence of both narratives and counter-narratives, and that these showed demonstrable shifts over time. Text analysis of public documents shows alignment of the interests of public health and religious bodies, which can be discerned for the benefit of communities if parties are trusted and religious messages are consistent with public health communications.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors explored perceptions of self-harm in the context of evangelical Christian faith communities using the qualitative story completion task and found that the stories represented the need for relational support, within a spiritually syntonic framework, for recovery from mental illness highlighting the limitations of a dichotomised approach to pastoral care.
Abstract: Abstract Mental illness within evangelical Christian communities is frequently stigmatised, with many attributing it exclusively to demonic possession, lack of faith, personal sin, or other negative spiritual influences. This study explores perceptions of self-harm in the context of evangelical Christian faith communities using the novel qualitative story completion task. A convenience sample of 101 UK-based evangelical Christians completed a third-person fictional story stem featuring a devout female Christian who self-harms. A contextualist informed thematic analysis was carried out focusing on perceptions of cause, cure, and treatment. Most stories positioned spiritual causes of mental illness (that is, demonic possession or personal sin) as harmful to the individual by rendering individuals as stigmatised objects or as socially displaced. The stories also provided insight into negative perceptions of females experiencing mental illness within evangelical communities. The stories suggested that these views often led to stigma and shame, which ultimately exacerbated illness and led to reduced help-seeking. Conversely, stories depicting the integration of relational care alongside spiritual resources frequently led to recovery. That the stories represented the need for relational support, within a spiritually syntonic framework, for recovery from mental illness highlights the limitations of a dichotomised approach to pastoral care. Methodologically, the study demonstrates the usefulness of a seldom-used tool within the pastoral psychology context – the story completion task – for accessing sociocultural discourses and wider representations surrounding stigmatised topics or populations.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors explored the extent to which perceived changes in religiosity from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic are associated with flourishing and found that self-reported decreases in each dimension of religiosity were associated with lower overall flourishing.
Abstract: This study explored the extent to which perceived changes in religiosity from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic are associated with flourishing. Participants from a diverse set of faith communities in two United States metropolitan regions (N = 1,480) completed an online survey between October and December 2020. The survey included items capturing perceived changes in four dimensions of religiosity (i.e., importance of religion, frequency of prayer, frequency of religious service attendance, and sense of connectedness to one’s faith community) and a multidimensional measure of flourishing. Based on multilevel regressions, results indicated that self-reported decreases in each dimension of religiosity were associated with lower overall flourishing. This pattern of findings was largely similar for the domains of flourishing, with some variation in the strength of associations that emerged. An increase in frequency of religious service attendance was associated with lower overall flourishing and lower scores on selected domains of flourishing (e.g., mental and physical health), indicating possible evidence of religious coping. Faith communities might have to find ways of supporting members during the challenging COVID-19 period to prevent long-term declines in flourishing.

MonographDOI
07 Feb 2022
TL;DR: The authors examines diverse aspects of monotheism in the Hebrew Bible and their implications to others or race relations and investigates monotheistic faith in the New Testament writings and its impact on race relations, including the work of Jesus and Paul's apostolic mission.
Abstract: In the Hebrew Bible, various aspects of theism exist though monotheistic faith stands out, and the New Testament largely continues with Jewish monotheism. This Element examines diverse aspects of monotheism in the Hebrew Bible and their implications to others or race relations. Also, it investigates monotheistic faith in the New Testament writings and its impact on race relations, including the work of Jesus and Paul's apostolic mission. While inclusive monotheism fosters race relations, exclusive monotheism harms race relations. This Element also engages contemporary biblical interpretations about the Bible, monotheistic faith, and race/ethnicity.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is argued that church communities and psychotherapeutic practitioners should support movement from a position of dichotomizing psychological suffering towards a spiritually syntonic frame, which contextualizes distress in terms of the whole person.
Abstract: Evidence suggests that faith communities can support psychological wellbeing but can also potentially diminish wellbeing through stigma, imposed spiritualization, and marginalization. In particular, for evangelical Christianity, whose theological praxis typically accentuates literalist spiritual onto-etiologies, including the belief that mental distress can be treated solely through spiritual intervention (prayer, fasting, and deliverance), there may be negative implications for Christians with mental distress. The current qualitative survey examined the responses of 293 self-identified evangelical Christians, concerning their experiences of mental distress in relation to their church community. An inductive thematic analysis revealed five themes: 1) Tensions between Faith and Suffering; 2) Cautions about a Reductive Spiritualization; 3) Feeling Othered and Disconnected; 4) Faith as Alleviating Distress; and 5) Inviting an Integrationist Position. Findings reveal stigma and the totalizing spiritualization of mental distress can be experienced as both dismissive and invalidating and can problematize secular help-seeking. This lends support to previous research which has suggested that evangelical Christian communities tend to link mental distress to spiritual deficiencies, which can hold potentially negative consequences for their wellbeing. Nevertheless, a degree of complexity and nuance emerged whereby spiritual explanations and interventions were also experienced as sometimes helpful in alleviating suffering. Overall, findings suggest evangelical communities are increasingly adopting integrationist understandings of mental distress, whereby spiritual narratives are assimilated alongside the biopsychosocial. We argue that church communities and psychotherapeutic practitioners should support movement from a position of dichotomizing psychological suffering (e.g., spiritual vs. biopsychosocial) towards a spiritually syntonic frame, which contextualizes distress in terms of the whole person. Considerations for psychotherapeutic practice and further research are made.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article , the authors investigated the reasons why many members of the Romanian Orthodox Church supported the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) in the 2020 legislative elections and found that traditionalist priests felt cornered by the existing anti-clerical attitudes in Romanian society, declared themselves disappointed by the mainstream parties for abandoning the Church, and perceived the EU as a threat to the traditional Romanian values and way of life.
Abstract: ABSTRACT The intensity and nature of ties between the Church and political parties was covered by a rich literature. However, we know relatively little about why the Church would support a newly emerged political party formed in a competitive space, in which other parties had in the past enjoyed the Church’s support. This article aims to explain why many members of the Romanian Orthodox Church campaigned for the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) in the 2020 legislative elections. Our analysis relies on 18 semi-structured interviews conducted with Orthodox priests from different parts of the country. The findings illustrate that the traditionalist priests supported the party. These priests felt cornered by the existing anti-clerical attitudes in Romanian society, declared themselves disappointed by the mainstream parties for abandoning the Church, and perceived the EU as a threat to the traditional Romanian values and way of life.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The CIVIC Project as discussed by the authors aimed to engage caregivers, community health workers and key stakeholders, particularly, faith leaders in co-designing interventions to address vaccine hesitancy in Mewat.
Abstract: Introduction Religious faith is a key marker of identity and shapes community perspectives and trust. Faith leader involvement in vaccine campaigns in India have been beneficial to counter misinformation regarding infectious diseases such as polio. Faith leaders are influential stakeholders who bear potential to enhance public confidence in vaccine campaigns. Context While vaccine coverage has been increasing in India, inequities abound, especially in populations with historically low vaccine confidence. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to major disruptions in delivery of routine immunization services for children. To address these challenges, we co-designed interventions aimed at contextual communication strategies and peer support. Engaging faith leaders was an important part of this intervention. In this report we describe our experience and highlight the perspectives of faith leaders and their expectations of the outcomes for this intervention. Programmatic elements The CIVIC Project, conducted from January to December 2021 aimed to engage caregivers, community health workers and key stakeholders, particularly, faith leaders in co-designing interventions to address vaccine hesitancy in Mewat. The project, deeply rooted in community based participatory research, used a three-E approach (Exploration of community perspectives, Establishment of vaccine trust and awareness, Engagement in vaccine promotion activities) to successfully engage faith leaders in the design and dissemination of media messages advocating for vaccine acceptance and uptake. Lessons learned The involvement of faith leaders in the intervention benefited the community in two ways. First, faith leaders were spotlighted via videos, often disseminating advice and personal anecdotes about vaccines, thus reassuring caregivers and community members who previously expressed distrust in vaccines. Second, involvement of trusted faith leaders provided a platform for a two-way dialogue for the community to openly discuss and address myths and misconceptions regarding vaccines. This project provided the learning that co-creating interventions with faith leaders who are often gatekeepers of close-knit communities can lead to the development of vaccine positive messaging that community members relate with, motivating increased vaccine confidence.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper , the authors analyzed the perceptions of pilgrims persevering in their faith during the 2020 Matsu pilgrimage and found that the resilience developed and restoration perceived from attending the pilgrimage were found to have significant direct effects on attendees' wellbeing.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors found that if leaders offered a more progressive religious interpretation of gender roles during premarital counseling courses, emphasizing the need for men to improve their relationships by balancing power and decision-making with their spouses, violence would reduce.
Abstract: Significance In most societies, religious leaders play an influential role in the construction of gender norms. One setting in which they exert their influence is the premarital or couples counseling course. We hypothesized that if leaders offered a more progressive religious interpretation of gender roles during these courses, emphasizing the need for men to improve their relationships by balancing power and decision-making with their spouses, violence would reduce. We find that when Christian leaders in Uganda offered these types of courses, power shifted from men to women, and intimate partner violence decreased by five percentage points a year later. Given the ubiquity of premarital counseling within churches, the intervention has the potential to reach a massive audience.

Proceedings ArticleDOI
27 Apr 2022
TL;DR: In this article , the authors proposed a workshop to bring together HCI scholars and practitioners, whose work is associated with various faiths, religions, and spiritual practices to start this important conversation, with a focus on three questions: (a) does secularization in computing marginalize faith-based values? and if so, how? (b) how can HCI design address the unique needs and values of faithbased communities? and (c) how could scholarship and practice in HCI benefit from the integration of faith, religion, and spirituality?
Abstract: HCI scholarship has not yet fully engaged with faith, religion, and spirituality, even though billions of people around the world are associated with such traditions and belief systems. While a few papers and workshops at CHI have focused on particular religions, broader discussions around religion, interfaith relationships, and computing have been absent from mainstream HCI design concerns. In this workshop, we propose to bring together HCI scholars and practitioners, whose work is associated with various faiths, religions, and spiritual practices to start this important conversation, with a focus on three questions: (a) does secularization in computing marginalize faith-based values? and if so, how? (b) how can HCI design address the unique needs and values of faith-based communities? and (c) how can scholarship and practice in HCI benefit from the integration of faith, religion, and spirituality? We hope to form an HCI community of scholars and practitioners focused on the intersection of faith/spirituality/religion and computing.


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper , the authors discuss initial field work carried out in preparation for the development of an Erasmus Plus educational intervention, entitled from Cure to Care Digital Education and Spiritual Assistance in Healthcare, which will support nurses to respond to patients' spiritual needs in the hospital setting, using digital means.
Abstract: Historically, there has be a close relationship between the nursing services and spiritual care provision to patients, arising due to the evolvement of many hospitals and nursing programmes from faith-based institutions and religious order nursing. With increasing secularism, these relationships are less entwined. Nonetheless, as nurses typically encounter patients at critical life events, such as receiving bad news or dying, nurses frequently understand the need and requirement for both spiritual support and religious for patients and families during these times. Yet there are uncertainties, and nurses can feel ill-equipped to deal with patients' spiritual needs. Little education or preparation is provided to these nurses, and they often report a lack of confidence within this area. The development of this confidence and the required competencies is important, especially so with increasingly multicultural societies with diverse spiritual and religious needs. In this manuscript, we discuss initial field work carried out in preparation for the development of an Erasmus Plus educational intervention, entitled from Cure to Care Digital Education and Spiritual Assistance in Healthcare. Referring specifically to post-COVID spirituality needs, this development will support nurses to respond to patients' spiritual needs in the hospital setting, using digital means. This preliminary study revealed that while nurses are actively supporting patients' spiritual needs, their education and training are limited, non-standardised and heterogeneous. Additionally, most spiritual support occurs within the context of a Judeo-Christian framework that may not be suitable for diverse faith and non-faith populations. Educational preparation for nurses to provide spiritual care is therefore urgently required.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper , the authors explore the experiences of female leaders considering the interplay of gender, religion, and culture, and examine perceptions regarding the role of religion and cultural norms in women's ascension into leadership positions in Jordan.
Abstract: Abstract This paper aims to explore the experiences of female leaders considering the interplay of gender, religion, and culture. Drawing on an inductive-qualitative study, the paper examines perceptions regarding the role of religion and cultural norms in women’s ascension into leadership positions in Jordan. The results indicated that Jordanian women leaders adopted an Islamic feminist worldview and did not embrace a liberal nor a socialist/Marxist feminist worldview. Women leaders seemed wanting to claim their religion back from those forces that are reportedly holding their aspirations hostage to monolithic interpretations of religious texts. By constantly referring to their religion, female leaders wanted to be granted spaces of trust and responsibility in leadership positions that they did not see contradictory to the way they understood their faith. The paper provides insights into how women leaders understand prejudicial stereotypes and discrimination in their society, explaining how those are linked to patriarchal socio-cultural traditions emphasizing male control.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article , the authors examine how and when narcissism and faith in humanity simultaneously influence product reuse and find that while narcissism has a negative effect on product reuse, faith in humans has a positive effect on the product reuse.
Abstract: The aim of this study is to examine how and when narcissism and faith in humanity simultaneously influence product reuse. Despite its critical role in promoting sustainability, scholars have paid scant attention to product reuse as a reliable aspect of sustainable consumer behavior. Moreover, research on personality traits as drivers of sustainable consumption has mostly focused on the Big Five personality traits. We posit that the effects of consumers' narcissism and faith in humanity on product reuse are explained by social exclusion and are conditional on subjective norms. We test our hypotheses using two experiments and three cross-sectional surveys. We find that while narcissism has a negative effect on product reuse, faith in humanity has a positive effect on product reuse. We also observe that social exclusion mediates the effects of narcissism and faith in humanity, and that subjective norms positively moderate the relationships between narcissism and product reuse. This study highlights the importance of product reuse as a key indicator of sustainable consumption and offers novel insights into the how and when consumers engage in product reuse.

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TL;DR: The authors explored the perceptions of depression and mental health help-seeking in evangelical Christianity by using a novel qualitative story completion task and found that the disclosure of depression was represented as eliciting negative social reactions, potentially rendering individuals with depression as socially dislocated.
Abstract: Some Christian communities may understand mental illness as the result of spiritual causes, such as sin, demons, or a lack of faith. Such perceptions are likely to influence how Christian individuals conceptualise and experience their mental health and enact help-seeking behaviours. This study explores perceptions of depression and mental health help-seeking in evangelical Christianity by using a novel qualitative story completion task. A convenience sample of 110 Christian participants from the United Kingdom completed a third-person, fictional story stem featuring a male with depression who entered his local church. A contextualist-informed thematic analysis illustrated how the disclosure of depression was represented as eliciting negative social reactions, potentially rendering individuals with depression as socially dislocated. Stories suggested that, increasingly, evangelical Christians may perceive a spiritualisation of mental illness, which negates reference to psychological, social, and biomedical representations, as unhelpful. Findings reveal the risks of a solely spiritual aetiology of depression and highlight how existing mental ill-health can be exacerbated if fundamentalist beliefs and approaches to therapeutic care are prioritised over holistic models of care. Methodologically, this study demonstrates the value of a rarely-used tool in psychology—the story completion task—for examining socio-cultural discourses and dominant meanings surrounding stigmatised topics or populations.