Author Archive for kathryn

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Call for Journal Editor

Published on August 30, 2011 in Headline, Journal and Newsletter. 0 Comments

The International Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Society seeks an editor, or team of editors, for a one-year term. This is an opportunity to make a significant contribution to what we believe will become one of the leading journals in its field, the journal’s associated conference and, more broadly, the knowledge-community which the journal and conference seek to serve.

The roles of the editor are to:

write an introduction for the Journal volume which would be included in the first issue for the year, and possibly on the website, the newsletter and other appropriate places or for the purposes of marketing and promotion.
collate papers addressing a theme of the editor’s choosing into a book, to be launched at the conference at the completion of the editor’s term. The chapters may be drawn from submissions to the journal during this or recent years, and other material as considered appropriate.
actively solicit manuscripts for the Journal from well-known and notable members of the community—these would could be refereed if the author wished, or regarded as ‘invited papers’.
assist the Commissioning Editor with suggestions of supplementary peer reviewers for specific papers (and this will never be burdensome – note that the Commissioning Editor of the Journal finalizes a majority of the peer reviewer requirements based on thematic matching and ‘mutual obligation’ principles in which all author requested to review up to three other papers).
promote the journal throughout their network and other associated networks.
maintain regular communications with the community via periodical blog posts to the community website (which feeds automatically to our email newsletter, Facebook and Twitter).

The editor will be offered a complimentary electronic subscription to the Journal, free copies of the book which they edit, an electronic subscription to the book series as well as complimentary registrations to attend the conferences at the beginning and end of their term.

Qualifications

The Editor of the Journal must possess the following attributes:

They will have successfully obtained higher degree, and have academic teaching and scholarly research experience in an area related to the subject matter of the Journal.
They will have published in this or other comparable scholarly journals.

Applicants are asked to send:

a cover letter outlining their interest and relevant experience, and the ways in which you would propose to enhance the profile of the journal
a curriculum vitae
a special theme outline: a title with paragraph explanation.

Please send applications and supporting documentation to journals@religioninsociety.com.

The deadline for applications is 26 September 2011.

Faith, Belief, and Scripture: Anglicanism and Homosexuality

Published on August 2, 2011 in Book, Headline and Newsletter. 0 Comments

Faith, Belief, and Scripture: Anglicanism and Homosexuality by Rob James is now available as part of the Religion in Society series.

The Anglican Communion has been tearing itself apart over the issue of homosexuality since the Lambeth Conference in 1998 and rumblings of discontent stretch back years before that. Most Anglican debate on homosexuality focuses the argument on the Bible. Does the Bible allow homosexuality or not? This book begins by taking one step back from the argument. It looks at what it means to approach a text as scripture, from the standpoint of faith. It then examines why the Bible is used to claim such radically different positions and why those who argue for either position can legitimately claim to find their argument supported by reading the Bible. Anglicans (and others) who disagree about what their scriptures claim need to understand why there is a disagreement. It is only by stepping back from the argument and trying to understand why it exists hat any sort of resolution can ever be found.

Rob James began his studies of religion at the University of Kent at Canterbury, gaining a first class degree in 2001. He then studied Eastern Christianity at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London and then at Cambridge. He then returned to SOAS to write his PhD on modern African Christianity. Rob teaches undergraduates as a visiting lecturer at the University of Wales, Newport and is a member of the part-time tutor panel of Oxford University.

The Promotion of Devotion

Published on June 17, 2011 in Book, Headline and Newsletter. 0 Comments

The Promotion of Devotion: Saints, Celebrities and Shrines by Donn James Tilson is now available as part of the Religion in Society series.

What do St. Francis, Oskar Schindler, Princess Diana and Smokey Bear have in common? Religion, communication and devotion form an inseparable trinity of being, interwoven strands of a tapestry that has enveloped all faiths through the ages. A closer examination of ancient-to-modern-day culture, including such “folk-hero-saints” as St. Francis and others, suggests that religion and devotion – oftentimes coated with a layer of promotion – lie at the heart of much of the history of communication and of civilization itself.

Written in a lively yet informative style, The Promotion of Devotion is the first comprehensive analysis of the convergence of religion and promotional communication from historical origins to modern times. Ten chapters take the reader on a journey through unexplored territory from an introduction to sainthood across faith traditions, the interplay of religion and communication in the making of saints – religious and secular (and animal) – discussions of town and vestment partnerships, road tours of the sacred, the use of the arts to promote devotion, to heavenly endorsements, lost shrines and re-animation. A concluding chapter reflects on the implications of the intersection of devotion and communication. Chapters provide a look at the sacred across a wide spectrum of faith traditions, illustrated with a selection of intriguing photos.