The Sacred Kingdom and the Royal Wedding of 2011

Despite secularisation and increased religious diversity the UK state and the monarchy are religiously legitimated institutions which have their origins in protestant/catholic divisions over three hundred years ago but which remain strong enough to survive in the current era. The Church of England acts not only as the established church of England but as a church for the UK with respect to events such as the coronation and the royal wedding of 2011. Ecumenical and interfaith initiatives have been attempted by the government and the monarchy and were evident in attendance at the wedding but it demonstrated the ritual supremacy of the state church and the inevitable difficulties of seeking to achieve formal representation for religious diversity in the state. Attempts at more formally inclusive religious involvement in state institutions conflict with other goals such as gender equity and suggest that secular state institutions might be fairer to all religions, denominations and those with no beliefs.     

Cameron's Conservatism: Why God,Why Now?

In recent months David Cameron has emphasised both his personal religious faith and the ongoing importance of Christianity and religion in Britain. This article seeks to explain why Cameron has made increasing reference to religious themes, and examines the extent to which they have been reflected in the approach of the current Coalition government. It is argued that Cameron's references to religion have been indicative of still tentative attempts to reaffirm, and in respects redefine, the role of Christianity and faith in British public life in response to the pressures of greater secularisation, religious pluralism and vocal challenges to religious privilege.     

The Belarusian Orthodox Church in the Shadow of the State

The Orthodox Church in Belarus tries to speak out in support of the state and at the same time uphold its own values. It can be effective in upholding its own values only if it participates in public dialogue.     

西方传教士眼中的羌族神灵信仰

19世纪晚期到20世纪初期,基督教在羌族中的传播可谓基督教在华传播事业中的一颗流星。它留给人们的思考是多方面的。其中,基督福音的“圣灵”与羌族原始宗教的“神灵”相遇。于是,福音传播者捧着福音书,按照各自的宗教文化价值取向和经验认知,对羌族原始宗教的神灵信仰做出不同的阐释。     

Jewish and Christian Sanctity under Israeli Sovereignty: Mount Zion,King David's Tomb and the Last Supper Room (1948–1967)

Abstract

The article discusses the status of the Room of the Last Supper and King David's tomb – the two central holy sites located on Mount Zion, south of the old city of Jerusalem – in the period between 1948 and 1967. The purpose of the article is to examine the way the State of Israel treated those sites: a Jewish holy site and a Christian holy site located one above the other. The status of these holy sites during this period has wider implications for the broader picture of the Jewish and Christian holy sites developed and controlled by Israel during these years. It raises questions about the Israeli attitude towards Christian holy sites in Israel in general and in Western Jerusalem in particular.     

Church–state conflict in Moldova: the Bessarabian Metropolitanate

The article’s main focus is the relationship between the re-established Bessarabian Orthodox Metropolitanate and the government of the post-Soviet Republic of Moldova. The article demonstrates that the Moldovan government refused recognition to the nascent church until 2002 primarily for two reasons: first and foremost, the Moscow Patriarchate opposed the idea of another Orthodox Christian church in Moldova outside of its jurisdiction; second, the government feared that the newly independent Republic of Moldova would fall under the influence of neighboring Romania, whose Orthodox Church offered patronage to the Bessarabian Metropolitanate. After a historical overview of the Orthodox Church in the Republic of Moldova, the article first presents and analyzes the history of the conflict between the Bessarabian Metropolitanate and the post-Soviet Moldovan government, and second, the European Court of Human Rights verdict ordering the government to recognize the Metropolitanate, before verdict’s implementation, and reactions to it. All these are done with an eye on intra-national relations among Moldova, Romania, and Russia, as well as those between the Romanian Orthodox Church and the Russian Orthodox Church in connection with this conflict.     

苏北农村基督教发展现状及其原因分析

８０年代中期到９０年代末基督教（新教）在江苏北部地区农村取得了迅速地发展,目前它已成为苏北地区五大宗教之一。造成这种现状的原因包括：基督教在此地区有历史基础;政策的开放和民众观念的开放;基督教自身的本土化;基督教在农村有其发展的心理土壤。在基督教发展中存在着一些不容忽视的问题,我们应当加以注意并采取一些必要的对策     

Markets at sacred sites: the globalized mobility and informality of the Armenian religious fairs

ABSTRACT

Along with other globalizing forces such as migration and proselytism, religious markets have played a key role in the transformation of religious practices in Armenia. This article focuses on the intersection of mobility and markets through mobile fairs, which are temporarily organized at shrines on pilgrimage days. Market vendors tend to travel from shrine to shrine across Armenia throughout the year, each following his or her own trajectory. In this article I examine how such markets are organized, how and by whom they are run and controlled, how small-scale mono-confessional markets become part of transnational globalization processes, and how the marketplace is embedded in the pilgrimage ritual, changing and modernizing its traditional meanings and structure.     

乡村基督教的实践形态:嵌入与疏离——以关中地区南村基督教会历史变迁为例

从对关中地区南村基督教会的历史变迁过程的观察可以看出，农民参加基督教会，其原因还在于当前农村中的正式制度和组织难以满足农民的复杂而多样化的需求。乡村基督教信徒由最初认同的“基督教会”转变为“家庭教会”，基本不再受基层国家权力的直接约束和管制．因而具有一定的“自治”和“自组织”色彩。在社会功能方面，南村基督教与国家乡村治理作用呈现嵌入关系，而在社会整合和规范方面，则与国家呈现出疏离关系。嵌入与疏离混合构成了当前乡村基督教的实践形态。基于此，国家需要以制度的完善去容纳、培育和引导乡村基督教与现代社会的良性发展相一致。     

俄国现代化艰难启动的文化因素探析

从彼得一世改革到1861年的废除农奴制改革,俄国的现代化努力足足用了一个半世纪的时间。俄国现代化的艰难启动有其深刻的文化因素;非东非西的文化特征使俄国历史上的任何改革往往陷入一种困难的境地;东正教伦理是专制王权强有力的精神支柱,其中缺少利于资本主义发展的因素;村社传统抑制了个人主义、自由主义因素和竞争意识的增长;现代化努力过程中的社会政治思想是滞后的,脱离社会现实的。