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Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the contribution of Fetha Negest to the development of Ethiopia’s legal system and to evaluate the present judges’ appointment law of Ethiopia in line with indigenous sources. It focuses particularly on Fetha Negest, which had a significant impact on Ethiopia’s judicial system until the early 1940s. To this effect, the research for this paper discovered chapter 43 of the Fetha Negest and the federal judicial administration proclamation No. 1233/2021 through critical review. The paper thus finds that the current laws do not confirm Fetha Negest as their source and instead opt to transplant legal ideas from other countries. Due to this, the laws have been repeatedly amended and lack acceptance. Moreover, these transplanted laws face the issue of compatibility with the local culture. Legislators and concerned bodies should thus turn to indigenous sources before adopting external ideas.
Abstract
Neo-Prophetic churches in Ghana are the fastest growing churches and have been highly criticised, but little is known about their teachings and potential impacts on adolescent congregants. The present study explored the content and impacts of the teachings of a Neo-Prophetic church on the well-being and character development of adolescent congregants. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 adolescents aged between thirteen to nineteen years in a Neo-Prophetic church in Accra, Ghana. Following thematic analysis, the findings suggest that although the Neo-Prophetic church’s teachings have positive content that equipped adolescents with virtues, survival and leadership skills, and support for career development, there are negative elements that may cause adolescents to develop depression and low self-esteem, lack of reasoning and discernment skills, and potentially negative attitudes toward women. The implications of the findings are discussed.
Abstract
The missionaries’ engagement with science and technology in colonial Kenya (1887–1963) is evidentially seen through the use of the post-industrial revolution’s breakthroughs of the eighteenth century, which included: advancement in science and mass production, steam engines, and the rise of digital technology. The tendency to rely heavily on post-industrial innovations and inventions were critical in fast-tracking their missiological discourses, which included scriptural translations, publishing, and the use of printing machines. These were critical in generating instructional materials and especially the Bible, which was produced in the local indigenous languages by 1952, and by encouraging technical-science education after primary school, among other methods. Although the concept of science and technology is largely attributed to the scientific breakthroughs of the twenty-first century, we argue that this concept was also evident in both the African indigenous society and in the missionary era. The widespread use of the phrase ‘science and technology’ is further seen in the missionary enterprises since they founded or supported the establishment of technical schools that offered electrical engineering, plumbing, carpentry, masonry, mechanical engineering, and training in medicine and the establishment of dispensaries and hospitals, among other relevant activities. Methodologically, the research article endeavours to review the European missionary societies, especially the Protestant wing, in its aim to understand their engagement with science and technology, and to determine if there conflict between Western science and the indigenous systems. The data was gathered through a review of existing literature, archival sources, unpublished materials and other oral sources.
Abstract
This article discusses the possibility and consequences of the idea, concept, and discourses of freedom and free choice in apostasy. The issue is explored from theoretical perspectives of discrepancy, rational choice, and free will and grounded with examples from original research on Finnish ex-Pentecostals and comparison to previous research on apostasy. The article claims that even though our choices are influenced and our freedom is limited by our personal attributes, personal and social environments, and backgrounds, the subjective assertion, belief, and experience of freedom is essential to apostates’ wellbeing and new identity.
Abstract
Croatian society is traditionally and dominantly religious (Catholic), and there are few organizations that gather together nonreligious people and atheists. Starting from three theoretical perspectives on organized nonreligiosity (identity theory, cultural approach to social movements theory, and mediatization theory) this article’s aim is to analyze various strategies these organizations employ in the context of their online activities. The observed strategies function inwardly (forming identity and strengthening the intragroup solidarity) and outwardly (trying to attract new members and sympathizers and to ‘demystify’ nonreligiosity and atheism). The study is based on the content analysis (deductive and inductive) that included materials posted on web pages and official Facebook pages of nonreligious and atheistic organizations in Croatia. In the first phase materials were analyzed with respect to four predetermined strategies (competitiveness/ cooperation, minority discourse, religious mimicry, exposing religion), while in the second phase inductive analysis revealed three additional strategies (inversion, reclaiming patriotism, and reclaiming spirituality).
Abstract
Since the turn of the millennium, the Orthodox Church of Finland has welcomed up to 1,000 new members annually, excluding infant baptisms. This is over 1.5 percent of the church’s current total membership. In this study, I investigate Finnish cultural workers’ transitions to Orthodox Christianity, based on interviews of twenty-nine people. As a theoretical framework, I use Henri Gooren’s conversion career approach. My interlocutors’ narratives demonstrate how the appeal of Orthodoxy is constructed vis-à-vis the Lutheran-dominated religious and cultural landscape. Another key finding is the overlapping influence of life crises, social networks, and character traits on processes of individual religious change.