Pharos Journal of Theology
May 1, 2025
Z. Kieliszek
7 citations
Catholic theology treats religious experience as an integral part of faith, merging the subjective dimension of spiritual life with the objective foundation of church teaching. This experience extends beyond inner mysticism to include liturgical practice, sacraments, and personal prayer, enabling direct contact with God. Analysis of biblical texts shows that such experience shapes a person's worldview, behavior, and life mission. Faith not only establishes moral guidelines but also alters cognitive processes, reshaping perception of reality so that the material and transcendent are seen as a unified whole. It also helps believers adapt to hardship by interpreting trials as part of God's plan and spiritual growth.
Pharos Journal of Theology
May 29, 2025
Philip Suciadi Chia
1 citation
Belief in malevolent entities such as the devil and evil spirits remains influential in modern Indonesia, where spirit possession is reported and addressed through Christian healing rituals. Drawing on sacred scriptures and contemporary cases, the article argues that these supernatural beliefs shape individuals' experiences and interactions with the spiritual realm. Christian healing rituals, rooted in local religious customs, are employed to counteract malevolent forces and restore spiritual and physical health. The research uses a mixed-method framework combining qualitative and quantitative analyses of real-life case studies and spiritual practices, offering a nuanced view of the interplay between occultism, religion, and healing in contemporary Indonesian society.
Pharos Journal of Theology
February 14, 2026
Manat Kanagatov, Tatyana Seryozhkina, Zukhra Ismagambetova et al.
In Turkic Kazakh culture, altered states of consciousness (ASC) were a normal, regulated way of interacting with a multi-layered reality, functioning as tools for diagnosis, sacred knowledge, and social order. Shamans acted as mediators between sacred and social realms, integrating personal experience with collective knowledge. Ritual spaces and objects held stable, myth-based symbolism. Under modern conditions, the shamanic tradition has shifted toward individualized psycho-spiritual practice while keeping its core symbolic codes. Archetypal shamanic structures persist in Kazakh folklore, cultural memory, and identity. The study synthesizes philosophy, ethnology, archaeology, and symbolic analysis to interpret these sacred practices and their contemporary transformations.
Pharos Journal of Theology
January 1, 2026
M. Nawa Syarif Fajar Sakti, Bagus Haziratul Qodsiyah, Muh Nur'Afwan et al.
Three Abrahamic mystical traditions—Sufism, Kabbalah, and Christian mysticism—treat nature as a form of non-verbal revelation, offering a spiritual foundation for ecological ethics. Sufism sees nature as tajallī (manifestation) guiding seekers toward divine love; Kabbalah frames nature within the myth of shevirat ha-kelim and the task of tikkun olam; Christian mysticism emphasizes creation's sacramentality and Christological icon of God's presence. While converging on the cosmos as a medium for encountering the Divine, they differ theologically. These perspectives reframe the environmental crisis as a religious calling, not merely a scientific or political issue, providing transformative insights for ecological justice and sustainability.
Pharos Journal of Theology
January 1, 2026
I. G. Suwantana, N. Perni, I. Agung et al.
Advaita Vedānta teachings in Balinese Hindu philosophy are not a mere copy of Indian thought but a localized expression of non-dualism. Through a hermeneutic analysis of Tattwa manuscripts like Tattwa Jñāna, Bhuwana Kosa, and Tuturan Bhatāra Rsi Agastya, the principle of unity between Ātman and Brahman appears strongly, though conveyed through symbolic and culturally distinct Balinese language. The Advaita concept shapes ethical and ecological consciousness in Balinese society, reflected in principles such as rwa bhineda, Tri Hita Karana, and the sekala–niskala balance. Interpretation is a dialogical, contextual process that discloses symbolic meanings negotiated within socio-cultural realities.