However, such denunciation alone cannot spur change in group-oriented societies such as Laos and can often escalate religious repression of Christians. The Lao perceive Christian minorities as threatening becaus
Also known as the shankha shell or the chank shell, the conch shell represents the power of faith and is commonly used in religious rituals. The sound made by blowing into a conch shell is said to ward off evil spirits and is believed to represent life. ...
Religious activities encompass a wide range of rituals and practices, including rites of passage, daily worship, and private prayer. These activities can be formal or informal, collective or individual, reflecting both continuity and change in religious practices over time. ...
Most Christian groups do not have regular dietary restrictions, although some groups eat fish on Friday and give up certain food for Lent. In addition, Mormons are urged not to consume alcohol, tea or coffee. Buddhism and Hinduism do not always require a specific diet; however, devout Buddhist...
Enthusiastic disciples of either a well-known world religion such as Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Islam and Taoism or an arcane regional faith such as Santería often seek greater understanding of their beliefs, traditions and rituals. Some desire clarity about how...
Starting to study Christianity, we discover a world of fascinating images, paradoxical beliefs, mysterious rituals, a world full of endless questions. Acquaintance with it is especially important for the people of the West, since for them Christianity is both an element of their familiar cultural ...
In Christianity, prayer is a crucial element of faith, and it is an effective way to guard against evil and temptation. Christians use the Lord’s Prayer as a model for prayer, and it includes asking for daily bread, forgiveness of sins, and protection from temptation. They also recite Psa...
Conventional histories of late antique Christianity tell the story of a public institution - the Christian Church. In this book, Kim Bowes relates another history, that of the Christian private. Using textual and archaeological evidence, she examines the Christian rituals of home and rural estate, ...
Islam and the Kumbh Mela bathe gathering in Hinduism to the Camino de Santiago in Christianity. Grasp the transformative impact these pilgrimages have on the lives of those who embark upon them. The Power of Prayer:The Many Forms and Functions of Communication with the Divine ...
A procession in Christianity, is an organized body of people advancing in formal or ceremonial manner as an element of Christian ritual or as a less official expression of popular piety.