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Religion, AIDS and Africa

Date:01 December 2012
Author:Kim Knibbe
December 12th, AIDS activist and religious leader rev canon Gideon Byamugisha will give a public lecture in Groningen, starting off the conference “Biographies in Times of Crisis:Exploring Religious Narratives of AIDS in Africa and the African Diaspora”.

Moving Beyond Reason vs Faith: Part Two

Date:30 November 2012
Author:Religion Factor

Today’s post features the second instalment from Erin Wilson on the place of religion in the climate change debate. 

Moving Beyond Reason vs Faith: Part One

Date:29 November 2012
Author:Religion Factor
Following on from Lea Schulte-Droesch’s piece on the interconnections between culture and environment at the local level, Erin Wilson offers some reflections on the role of religion in the global climate change discussions and suggests that maybe we need to stop seeing science and faith as diametrically opposed.

On similarities and differences in cultural perceptions of the environment

Date:27 November 2012
Author:Tim Swanger
This week, The Religion Factor holds a theme week on Religion and Climate Change, to pay attention to the 18th conference of the parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Doha, Qatar. Today’s contribution is by Lea Schulte-Droesch.

Religion, Conflict and Globalisation

Date:26 November 2012
Author:Tyler Tully

This week, The Religion Factor will offer some attention to the Master Programs in Religious Studies that are offered at our faculty. After Eemera Matthews’ reflection on the Concealed Knowledge programme, today Carmen Fleurke addresses the Religion,...

Change the language, change the story? Part Two

Date:23 November 2012
Author:Religion Factor
In today’s post, Erin Wilson continues her reflections on shifting the way we think and talk about conflict and peace. In part one, I outlined some ways in which contemporary discussion on peace and conflict analysis is affected and arguably limited by thinking in narrow either/or terms and the language we use to talk about conflict. Here I want to offer a few possibilities for rethinking some of these issues.

Change the language, change the story? Part One

Date:22 November 2012
Author:Religion Factor
Following last night’s ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, Erin Wilson considers whether the chances for lasting peace might be increased by changing how we think and talk about conflict and peace.

Concealed Knowledge: Gnosticism, Esoterism, Mysticism

Date:20 November 2012
Author:Tyler Tully
This week, The Religion Factor will offer some attention to the Master Programs in Religious Studies that are offered at our faculty. The Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies in Groningen offers six unique Master’s degree programmes that concentrate on the dynamic interrelationship between religion and culture. Emeera Matthews, from the United States, is the first to share her experiences with us.

Where is the line between atheism and secularism?

Date:13 November 2012
Author:Religion Factor
In the lead-up to his seminar at the University of Groningen next week, guest contributor Terrell Carver from the University of Bristol explores the tensions between atheism, secularism and religious freedom. Until recently atheism seemed to be a relatively lonely, unprovocative and unorganised ‘private’ activity.

Gay Rights, the Devil and the End Times: Part Two

Date:11 November 2012
Author:Tim Swanger

In Part One of this post, Adriaan van Klinken described the Zambian case of how Ban Ki-moon’s recent call to recognise the human rights of homosexuals was interpreted according to a millennialist worldview, characteristic for Zambian Christianity. In this...