Religious perspective

Do religious beliefs contribute to social polarization? (2023). Cauriensia (Spain, Q1)
One of the most pressing and worrying issues today is the rise of polarized and increasingly radical positions among citizens. These attitudes may be related to different variables, and perhaps one of the most interesting to analyze is whether or not there is a link between religious feelings and the ways in which people adhere to or reject different political organizations, depending on how close they are to their own beliefs. The conclusion is that there is indeed an affective and emotional polarization linked to the existence or absence of religious beliefs, and that practicing Catholics are the segment that is most emotionally motivated and therefore the one that shows the highest degree of polarization.

Dialogues between theology and technology: symbolic systems in the digital (2023). Cauriensia (Spain, Q1)
This article reflects on the impact that the digital world has on people's daily lives, seeking to identify ways to promote the ability to live wisely, think deeply, and love generously (cf. Laudato Si', 47). It starts from an epistemological reflection that allows this issue to be addressed from a theological perspective, looking at the extent to which religious discourse can contribute to a sustainable ecology. The answer to this challenge is possible thanks to the symbolic approach of the digital media library, reflected in the thinking of Marshall McLuhan and Roland Barthes, where the “medium” and the “myth” are considered the support of communication.

Eco-ethics in the face of the evil of ecocide (2023). Teología y vida (Chile, Q2)
This article analyzes how various currents of ecological ethics, or eco-ethics, have conceptualized environmental degradation and biodiversity loss, arguing that its most dramatic expression—ecocide—is an evil. In dialogue with theological ecoethics, it argues—in the face of the danger of moral monism that often permeates the ethical debate on sustainability—for the adoption of a pluralistic vision in which different modes of ethical reasoning converge to denounce the evil of ecocide.

Theology on the Move and New Public Spaces (2023). Veritas (Chile, Q2)
This work revisits the discussion about the relevance of theology in the public sphere, which has been called into question by modernity due to theology's link to religion. Religion, if it were to endure, would have to be restricted to the private sphere or to the conscience in increasingly secularized and pluralistic societies. However, the article not only refers to the creative persistence of religions and theology in the public sphere, but also to the need for a return of spiritualities and religions, and the discourses associated with them, in those societies that are worn down and lacking in meaning. Above all, however, it focuses on the emergence and growing development of new public spaces: digital platforms and highways, social networks, and all the possibilities offered by “cyberspace.” This is where an unavoidable challenge for theology arises: it is not simply a matter of using these new spaces to disseminate one's own knowledge and findings, or of reflecting from the perspective of faith on these new environments; it is, above all, a matter of practicing theology in these spaces, paying attention to the cultural coordinates that are taking shape there. From the encounter between the Gospel and digital culture, new ways of being Church, new ways of doing theology, and undoubtedly new and even unprecedented content of the faith will emerge.

Social representations and narratives about religious education in schools (2022). Theological perspective (Brazil, Q3)
This article aims to investigate the social representations that are woven around school religious education (SRE). To this end, qualitative research was used, based on a hermeneutic perspective and a narrative method developed through natural semantic networks and content analysis. The fieldwork was carried out with a population of students from two private educational institutions in the city of Popayán. The analysis identified the contributions of RSE to the subjects studied, described synonyms associated with RSE, and identified some issues that should be addressed in this area. These findings made it possible to analyze the variations and trends that enable inferences to be made about its connection with the spiritual dimension.

The dimensions of decoloniality, plurality, and ecumenicity in theological thought: the critical-liberating potential of religions in Latin America (2023) Perspectiva teológica (Brazil, Q3)
The article aims to highlight the importance of the dimensions of decoloniality, plurality, and ecumenicity for the process of deepening Latin American theology, from a liberating perspective, with a view to developing the critical-liberating potential of religions and spiritualities in Latin America. Using qualitative analysis of the literature on these topics, the study begins with a presentation of the categories of decoloniality, plurality, and ecumenicity, followed by a descriptive and summarized approach to religious diversity in Latin America and its relationship to sociocultural issues on the continent, in an analysis of the Latin American religious question in the current context of globalization. Then, from a hermeneutical perspective, it explores aspects of Latin American theology that promote the decolonial, pluralist, and ecumenical dimensions. The research concludes that the dimensions of decoloniality, plurality, and ecumenicity are fundamental to the processes of affirmation of the sociocultural and religious identity of the Latin American peoples, giving new meaning to the content of their beliefs and explaining their contextual specificities. This empowers the religions of the continent to take action that builds social justice, promotes human life, and defends creation, and opens up new challenges for Latin American theology.

Latin American feminist theology: new subjects and new epistemological positions (2023). Perspectiva teológica (Brasil, Q3)
Latin American feminist theological production initially developed from women's experiences, especially their experiences of invisibility, exploitation, exclusion, and impoverishment, and was situated within the horizon of liberation theology. The objectives were broadened, as sensitivity and attention to everyday life confront sexism, racism, fundamentalism, and conservatism. The aim of this article is to highlight the epistemological changes that characterize theological production by women in this context, as well as to identify the characteristics of this production and its contribution to the prominence of women in the field of theology. Their participation in theology has helped to highlight the need for gender social justice and strengthen the fight against forms of discrimination and oppression present in religious practices and society in general. Women as subjects of theological production, in the context of Latin America, have expanded their method in the face of the challenges generated by new experiential contours.

The grassroots community as an experience of resilience: Testimony of parishioners from a Catholic parish in Lima during the COVID-19 pandemic (2023). Theological Issues (Colombia, Q3)
This study is based on a constructive-interpretive epistemological vision that integrates psychology with theological reflection. It analyzes significant experiences within a Catholic parish in a low-income neighborhood of Lima, Peru, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing particularly on the absence of God or the religious community experience. These experiences are examined through the construct of ambiguous loss, which explains situations characterized by the inability to verify the loss of the beloved. Based on a series of semi-structured interviews with a representative group from this parish and in line with the qualitative intention of this research, four moments in the experiences are identified through a hermeneutic analysis (Creswell, 2013). While the first two moments emphasize the emotional suffering caused by the pandemic at a level of desolation, uncertainty, and frustration guided by the apparent absence of God, the last two demonstrate a continued identification and spiritual search in non-traditional forms of God's presence. In other words, these four stages reveal a path from the painful experience of absence to the consolation brought by resurrection and new possibilities of presence. This process illustrates the resilience of the grassroots church community and its capacity to reconfigure God's presence through the redefinition of traditional religious and sacramental mediations. At the same time, it reveals the growth of the spiritual agency of the laity.

The lay vocation: from the conciliar awakening to missionary and social ecclesial leadership (2023). Theological issues. (Colombia, Q3)
The Second Vatican Council marked a turning point in the history of the Church, standing out for its dialogical, pastoral, and proactive role. The lay vocation is a concept that helps to understand the Council's proposal to involve the Church in dialogue with the world. From this perspective, the research aims to reflect on the collaboration of the vocation of the laity in dialogue with the world and their mission to bear witness to the faith in the various structures in which they live. In view of this, the question that arises is: What attitudes are required of lay Christians in the context of the new evangelization? The objective is to highlight the common dignity of all believers from baptism onwards. In addition, we seek to list and characterize the mode of Christian collaboration between lay men and women in the ecclesial community and in society in general. The research, which is documentary and bibliographic in nature, focuses on the central theme of vocation and baptismal dignity. The ecclesial renewal highlighted by the Second Vatican Council implies a commitment to fidelity to the threefold role already lived by Jesus Christ and inherited in baptism. The results are proposed in terms of practical application for the ongoing formation of lay men and women as subjects in the Church and in the world, outlined in pastoral notes for those responsible for the follow-up of the lay vocation in communities and dioceses.

Relationship between spiritual practices and psychological well-being (2023) Society and Religion (Argentina, Latindex, Redalyc).
The objective of this study is to examine spiritual well-being and its effect on psychological distress in devout religious practitioners. A probabilistic sample of 181 young adults of both sexes from the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires and Greater Buenos Aires was administered a six-question sociodemographic questionnaire, the Spiritual Well-being Scale, and the Symptom Assessment Questionnaire (SA-45). The results show that devotees experience greater spiritual well-being compared to a group of believers. In addition, meditative practices show a tendency to improve the spiritual well-being of religious practitioners, and religious activity proved to be a factor that significantly reduces symptoms of psychological and emotional distress. Finally, although differences were found between the frequency of religious activity in devotees compared to a control group, the intensity of spirituality produced greater spiritual well-being in both groups, and there was no decrease in psychological distress in either group.

The importance of collective support, resistance processes, and their psychosocial factors in the faith of the LGBTQ+ community. The case of the Teresa de Cepeda y Ahumada Collective (2023). Sociology and Religion (Argentina, Latindex, Redalyc)
The objective of this research is to address the existing problems between religiosity and sexually diverse communities, taking as a case study the Teresa de Cepeda y Ahumada Collective, a group made up of people from the LGBTQ+ community who practice the Catholic faith from new perspectives and models. In this sense, the research seeks to describe the theological model proposed by the Collective based on the problems they experience, and to explore the tensions, debates, and problems they have had to resolve and face in order to arrive at its construction, as well as the meaning it has for the community. To carry out the research, various techniques were used, such as field observation, semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and observation of their digital communities. The results obtained reflect the important role and presence that the Collective has in Latin American society, as well as the activities and social work they carry out in person and online. In addition, the tensions, debates, and problems that the Collective faces from the “conservative” religious community and other sexual diversity groups that disagree with it were also evident. In conclusion, the Teresa de Cepeda y Ahumada Collective represents an alternative way of living Catholicism for LGBTQ+ people, in which discrimination has no place.

School religious education from a liberating perspective (2024) Civilizar Ciencias Sociales y Humanas (Colombia, Scielo)
Religious education in Colombia, according to Law 115 of 1994, is a fundamental area of education. However, its purpose of promoting the religious dimension of human beings and understanding the role of religion in culture is far from being achieved because, in practice, it is considered a secondary area, is disconnected from the curriculum, and still functions as the “religion class” of the past. What can be done about this? Is there another way of thinking about religious education? We believe that, since the assumptions and motivations of both liberation theology and liberating pedagogy are still valid today, they can provide some clues. Consequently, this paper not only provides a detailed analysis of this reality in some official educational institutions in Colombia but also offers insights into how school religious education (ERE) can be liberating.

Contributions of religious education in schools to the cultivation of human spirituality (2019). Education and educators (Colombia, Scielo)
This article is the result of an inter-institutional research project conducted using a qualitative approach and narrative methods in eight major cities in Colombia, with the aim of investigating the nature and teaching practices of teachers of Religious Education in Schools (ERE), an area considered fundamental and compulsory by the General Education Law. The teachers' accounts revealed diverse perspectives on the identity and practice of ERE, but within these approaches, the researchers were interested in an emerging perspective on its development as a quest for the cultivation of the spiritual dimension of the human being. This led to the objective of this paper, which is to highlight some of the contributions that School Religious Education can make to the cultivation of human spirituality, as it became clear that SRE built from this perspective not only promotes religious pluralism and avoids any type of exclusion based on the dynamics of majority religious systems, but also provides an opportunity to shape it as a contribution to comprehensive education by promoting educational settings that enable the search for, construction, and cultivation of the meaning of human life.

Thinking about the object of study of religious education in schools (2019). Electronic Journal of Religious Education, Didactics, and Teacher Training (Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso)
The disciplinary nature of religious education in schools (ERE) requires us to think about its object of study as a constituent element of its epistemological status. From our perspective, RSE can have as its object of study the religious fact, the religious phenomenon, the religious experience, and the religious dimension. A responsible choice of one or more of these requires reviewing the contributions made by the disciplines that support them (religious studies, phenomenology of religion, spiritual and interreligious theology, and religious psychology, among others) in order to then establish its purpose, content, and teaching methods. There is no doubt that any of these subjects of study is enormously rich because, although they approach religion from a particular perspective and emphasize either its objectification or its subjectification, they recognize that religion is an inherent part of humanity.

Synodality and the laity. Co-responsibility and participation of the laity in the synodal vocation of the Church (2019). IUS CANONICUM Magazine (Spain, Q1)
In the pontificate of Francis, synodality appears as a key criterion in the very conception of the Church and in the exercise of ecclesial governance. This study contains a reflection on the synodal vocation of the People of God and of the laity in particular, through an in-depth examination of the consequences of the ecclesial recognition of the fundamental rights of the faithful and their participation in the triple munus of Christ. Current canonical regulations open up broad fields of action for the laity, overcoming, through legislation and practice, doctrinal discussions concerning the link between the sacred order and the exercise of governing power. Likewise, the regulation of lay ministries in canon 230 is analyzed, assessing its consistency with the underlying ecclesiological assumptions.

Catechetical preaching enriches ecclesial dimensions and synodality (2023). Revista de Educación Religiosa (Chile)
The process of evangelization takes place in stages that advance in a spiral, giving preaching a cross-cutting dynamism. Therefore, just as there is kerygmatic preaching, there is also catechetical preaching and homiletic preaching. At this moment, we intend to reflect on catechetical preaching and how it contributes to the enrichment of ecclesial dimensions, especially in times of synodality. We draw on the contributions of the Centro Fuego Nuevo of UNIMINUTO and the Laboratorio de Catequesis of CELAM for their contributions to evangelization and catechesis, as well as those of Domenico Grasso and William Suárez Moreno for their relevance in the field of the theology of preaching. Considering Spanish and Latin American authors, this article conducts research focused on the content and didactics of catechetical preaching that can enrich the building of the Church in its synodal development to foster passion and emphasis on witness in catechesis. The contributions of kerygmatic preaching are not presented, and although homiletic preaching is mentioned, it is not explored in depth. Conclusions are drawn with a view to enriching catechetical preaching, as this will contribute to ecclesial progress and the development that is taking place in the synodal dialogue.

Synodality and openness to all young people. The challenge of inhabiting everyone's territory (2020). Theology and Catechesis (Spain)
The article takes up two fundamental requests from the Synod on young people: synodality and the desire to reach all young people. The two requests are linked by the Synod itself, when it speaks of “missionary synodality,” and by Pope Francis, when he speaks of “synodal pastoral care” and “popular youth ministry.” Here, further reflection is proposed with the aim of ensuring that the Church's journey is truly with all young people: the need to “inhabit the land of all” is emphasized, and it is suggested that the Church's educational and pastoral commitment be placed not only in the wake of Evangelii Gaudium, but also in that of Laudato si', which addresses the question of our common home, walking the path with everyone.

Synodality and new relationships between men and women: a view from missiology (2019). Yachay Magazine (Bolivia)
This text proposes living synodality based on the new relationships woven between men and women. Synodality is a relatively new term that invites us to “walk together” in communion, fostering harmonious, orderly, and inclusive relationships; testimonial relationships that involve our Christian-Catholic being (so that the world will believe that we are sent); relationships lived in the small details and everyday spaces, which value each person for who they are and for what they contribute to the common good; which lead to listening to and respecting the words of others; in themselves, relationships as adequate and mutual help, based on the divine principle of creation. From a missiological perspective, this “walking together,” along with encouraging relationships between humans and with God, also calls us to enter into communion with those who are different, with those beyond socio-ecclesial and geographical boundaries, and even with the cosmos. Therefore, here we approach synodality as an awareness of the eco-us, where safeguarding and caring for life is one of the fundamental principles.

Solidarity and Synodality in the Context of the Social Doctrine of the Church: Parish Community of Communities (2023). Pesquisas em Teologia (Brazil)
The exercise of solidarity and synodality, in the context of the Social Doctrine of the Church, constitute and articulate unity in the diversity of pastoral activities. It is therefore important to describe how solidarity and synodality influence the pastoral work of the parish of San Bernardino de Siena, Patzún, a “community of communities,” with the aim of forming those who are part of each of the parish's pastoral groups in solidarity and synodality. This research welcomes the proposal of Pope Francis, who at the beginning and throughout these ten years of his pontificate has emphasized the need and importance of cultivating synodality in the Church. This implies a great call for restoration and deepening of the constitutive roots of the Church as the people of God, followers participating in the mission, communion, and way of Jesus Christ. This research seeks to define solidarity and its relationship with faith and unity, synodality and its characteristics, and the parish as a “community of communities” of evangelization and communion. The research used the guidelines of the Latin American method: see, judge, and act, in light of the Word of God. In the sample taken, it was found that solidarity and synodality do have an impact and must be present in pastoral activities. Therefore, it is important to form and live them. This research hopes to raise awareness of the implications of solidarity and synodality in pastoral groups.