# ISSN 0967-8948 ### ##### ####### ######### ####### D I S K U S ##### ### # The on-disk journal of international Religious Studies Vol. 4 No. 1 1996 Special Issue: 'AUTHORITY IN RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS' PART 2 If you know how to use DISKUS, please go to CONTENTS/4#1. If you are new to DISKUS, please read on... ===========================================================* HELP FOR READERS OF DISKUS Welcome to Vol.4, no.1 of DISKUS. We hope you enjoy it. You can print out the contents of DISKUS or read DISKUS on-screen. If you haven't already looked at the file called !WHAT_TO.DO, please read that file before proceeding any further. It may save you a lot of time! In a conventional printed journal, page numbers are used to find items. There are no page numbers in DISKUS. Instead, each item in DISKUS - an article, an announcement, etc. - is given a simple code to help you find it immediately using your wordprocessor's 'FIND' or 'SEARCH' function. 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If you have any queries, comments or suggestions for improvements to DISKUS, please write to one of the editors, whose names and addresses are at the end of this file (at code INFO/4#1) You are now ready to move on to the Contents page for this issue, which is coded CONTENTS (followed by /4#1). HELP ===========================================================* DISKUS Volume 4 No.1 1996 Contents of Vol. 4 No. 1 EDITORIAL ............................................EDIT/4#1 ARTICLES .........................................ARTICLES/4#1 Peggy MORGAN The Authority of Believers in The Study of Religions........................................MORGAN/4#1 Simonetta CALDERINI Cosmology and Authority in Medieval Ismailism.....CALDERIN/4#1 A. D. BREAR The Authority of Pramukh Swami within the Swaminarayan Hindu Mission...........................BREAR/4#1 Graham HARVEY The Authority of Intimacy in Paganism and Goddess Spirituality................................HARVEY/4#1 George D CHRYSSIDES The Seat of Authority in Unitarianism.............CHRYSSI2/4#1 Paul BADHAM Sources of Authority in Christian Ethics............BADHAM/4#1 ===========================================================* CONFERENCES....................................CONFERENCES/4#1 1-4 April 1996 British Sociological Association 'RELIGION, CULTURE and IDEOLOGY'.......................BSA/4#1 9-13 April 1996 NATURE RELIGION TODAY: Western Paganism, Shamanism and Esotericism in the 1990's.......................NATURE/4#1 11 May 1996 MAGIC AND SCIENCE in CONTEMPORARY & NEW AGE RELIGION IN THE BRITISH ISLES........................BATH/4#1 16-19 September 1996 RELIGION AND MEDIA: BASR (British Association for the Study of Religions) 42nd ANNUAL CONFERENCE..............................BASR96/4#1 8 July 1996 UK BUDDHIST STUDIES ASSOCIATION: INAUGURAL MEETING....................................UKBSA/4#1 Organisations BASR (British Association for the Study of Religions)......BASR/4#1 ABOUT DISKUS..........................................INFO/4#1 DISKUS SUBSCRIPTION FORM...........................SUBFORM/4#1 GUIDELINES FOR CONTRIBUTORS..........................GUIDE/4#1 COPYRIGHT NOTICE.................................COPYRIGHT/4#1 ===========================================================* Editorial Volume 4, No.1 of DISKUS is, as previously announced, devoted to Part Two of the collection of papers on 'Authority and Religious Traditions' initially presented at the 41st Annual Conference of the British Association for the Study of Religions, at the University of Wolverhampton in September 1995. This issue of DISKUS begins with a reflective paper by Peggy Morgan on issues relating to the believer's authority in the study of religions. Simonetta Calderini explores hierarchical structures within the cosmology of Medieval Ismailism and Doug Brear addresses both the role and the perceived qualities of Pramukh Swami, charismatic head of the Swaminarayan Hindu Mission, whose new temple in Neasden, North London was opened recently, attracting substantial public and media interest. The name of Martin Luther is not normally associated with contemporary paganism but as Graham Harvey suggests, pagans do not accept traditional 'religious' sources of authority and instead may see themselves as 'a priesthood of all believers'. George Chryssides' discussion of the work of James Martineau pinpoints a watershed in the development of Unitarian thought, when the yardstick of scriptural authority gave way to reason, and Paul Badham's examination of the changing sources of authority in Christian ethics develops from exactly the kind of issue that might have troubled Martineau; 'Christians ought to feel uneasy when their moral code differs from that of an informed and ethically aware non-Christian'. Part One of the 'Authority' collection, presented in DISKUS Vol.3, No.2, contained papers dealing with authority in the Mormon church (Douglas Davies), in contemporary Malaysia (Theodore Gabriel), at the New Age centre of Findhorn (Steven Sutcliffe), among Sikhs both in India and abroad (Sewa Singh Kalsi) and among British Buddhists following a Tibetan tradition (Helen Waterhouse) and Sai Baba devotees in Leeds (Bob Exon). We hope that you enjoy this issue of DISKUS. THE EDITORS ------------------------------------------------------------ Note: Contributions for DISKUS should be sent to Brian Bocking at Bath. The full address and contributors' guidelines can be found at the end of this DISKUS file at GUIDE/4#1. ===========================================================* ABSTRACTS of ARTICLES Please refer to the Contents page above (CONTENTS/4#1) to see a full list of items to be found in this issue of the journal. -------------------------------------------------------------- Peggy Morgan The Authority of Believers in The Study of Religions The paper deals with the relationship between scholars' accounts and believers' understandings in the phenomenological study of religion. The discussion draws on the writings of Kristensen and other theorists with examples of interactions between scholars' and believers' understandings, each in their own way authoritative, encountered in Religious Studies teaching and research. The full paper is found in DISKUS file MORGAN.4#1 -------------------------------------------------------------- Simonetta Calderini Cosmology and authority in medieval Ismailism Though it is widely assumed that Sunni Islam does not have an equivalent to the Christian ecclesiastical hierarchy, Shii groups such as the Medieval Ismailis did have an organised teaching, spiritual, and temporal hierarchy. Evidence gathered from primary sources shows that this Ismaili 'ecclesiastical' hierarchy is strictly intertwined with the Ismaili interpretation of Neoplatonic cosmology as well as with the political authority of prominent medieval Ismaili dynasties. The full paper is found in DISKUS file CALDERIN.4#1 -------------------------------------------------------------- A. D. Brear The Authority of Pramukh Swami within the Swaminarayan Hindu Mission Pramukh Swami is the spiritual head of a dynamic branch of the Swaminarayan tradition within Hinduism. After a brief introduction to the history of the movement, a description is given of the nature of Pramukh Swami's authority, he being both the incarnation of an eternal principle and the practical administrative head. The full paper is found in DISKUS file BREAR.4#1 ------------------------------------------------------------- Graham Harvey The Authority of Intimacy in Paganism and Goddess Spirituality Contemporary Paganism and Goddess Spirituality are most distinctive in celebrating nature (inclusive of the earth and the body) rather than denigrating it in favour of 'spirit'. They are also distinctive in their positive valuation of women, females and the feminine. This paper situates their sources and expressions of authority in intimacy (relationship or neighbourliness) with the various realities and experiences of embodied life. Supernatural and hierarchical claims to authority are refused. The full paper is found in DISKUS file HARVEY.4#1 -------------------------------------------------------------- George D Chryssides The Seat of Authority in Unitarianism The paper deals with the influence on the Unitarian movement of the radical ideas of James Martineau, who in 'The Seat of Authority in Religion' (1890) rejected the Church, scripture and the figure of Jesus (except as examplar) as sources of authority, arguing that reason alone is the arbiter of truth. After Martineau the necessity for Biblical exegesis to vindicate Unitarian teachings disappeared, opening Unitarianism to freedom of thought, reason and conscience. The full paper is found in DISKUS file CHRYSSI2.4#1 ------------------------------------------------------------- Paul Badham Sources of Authority in Christian Ethics Given belief in creation Christians ought to feel uneasy when their moral code differs from that of an informed and ethically aware non-Christian. Examining the sources for Christian ethics makes it hard to justify the current differences in attitude on issues like in-vitro fertilisation or euthanasia. The empiricism of the 18th. century Bishop Butler or the Agape code of Jesus offer a way towards reconciliation. The full paper is found in DISKUS file BADHAM.4#1 ------------------------------------------------------------- ===========================================================* CONFERENCES/4#1 BSA/4#1 British Sociological Association (BSA) Sociology of Religion Study Group 21st Annual Conference, St Mary's University College, Twickenham Monday 1st April to Thursday 4th April 1996 "RELIGION, CULTURE AND IDEOLOGY" in conjunction with the Religion Group of the Political Studies Association and the Sociology of Early Christianity Workshop. Enquries to: Dr Sarah Potter Chichester Institute of HE Bishop Otter College College Lane Chichester West Sussex PO19 4PE Tel: 01243-787911 Fax: 01243-536011 Key sessions will include papers from Ken Thompson, Anthony Blasi, Richard Fenn and Kieran Flanagan. A number of day bursaries for postgraduate students are available on application. Author Meets Critic sessions are planned on four major recent books in the field. Conference Costs will be a non-returnable deposit of UK25 pounds and full bed and board from UK106.50 pounds. ===========================================================* [DISKUS tip: to view 'ASCII-art' like the tree below correctly, use a non-proportionally spaced font such as Courier] NATURE/4#1 ^ ^^^ ^o^o^ ^^^|^^^ ^^^^-^^^^ ^^^^| |^^^^ | | NATURE RELIGION TODAY: Western Paganism, Shamanism and Esotericism in the 1990's Date: 9-13 April 1996 Venue: Lake District Campus of Lancaster University (Charlotte Mason College, Ambleside) The conference will look at religious movements centred around such themes as respect for the environment, reverence for the earth as a living organism and belief in the inherent divinity of all living beings, ideas which have had a long and contested history in world religions and have come to prominence again in modern Western society in conjunction with the growth of the women's movement, environmental consciousness and reaction to the perceived excesses of technological and industrial society. Pagan, shamanic and esoteric ideas are becoming an important resource for the rethinking of Western religion in its new global context. Themes of the conference: 1. Perennialism and Diversity 2. Goddess spirituality 3. Religion as transformational practice 4. The Use of myth 5. Religion and the politics of Nature 6. Globalisation/Localisation Conference Fee: (waged) 60 pounds, (unwaged) 25 pounds Conference fee may be reduced or waived in case of financial hardship. Accommodation including all meals (Charlotte Mason College) Standard rooms, shared (to Saturday morning) 109.40 pounds (to Friday afternoon) 87.45 pounds. Single rooms 3 pounds per night extra. Ensuite singles 10 pounds per night extra (The conference will finish on Friday evening) A variety of other accommodation is available but early booking is advisable. Facilities for camping are available. For further information please call Joanne Pearson (01256-881121) or Geoffrey Samuel (01524-592424) ============================================================* BATH/4#1 ************************************************************* ******* ******** ****** CONTEMPORARY & NEW AGE ******* ***** RELIGIONS IN THE BRITISH ISLES ****** **** ***** *** FOURTH ANNUAL ONE-DAY CONFERENCE **** ** *** * hosted by ** * STUDY OF RELIGIONS DEPT. * * BATH COLLEGE OF HIGHER EDUCATION * * * * SATURDAY 11 MAY 1996 * * * * CONFERENCE THEME: "MAGIC AND SCIENCE" * ** ** *** *** ************************************************************* For further details and offers of papers contact: Brian Bocking or Marion Bowman, Bath College of Higher Education, Newton Park, BATH BA2 9BN. 01225-873701 x368/404. [exxbb@bath.ac.uk or exxmib@bath.ac.uk] NOTE: Papers from the 1995 Bath Conference on 'Healing' in contemporary and New Age religion will be published by Hisarlik Press in 1996. ===========================================================* BASR96/4#1 British Association for the Study of Religions (BASR) *****************42nd ANNUAL CONFERENCE******************* >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>> <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>> Theme: RELIGION and MEDIA <<<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>> <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Date: 16-19th September 1996 Venue: The University College of St. Martin, Lancaster Conference Organiser: Peggy Morgan, Westminster College, Oxford OX2 9AT From whom details of the conference may be obtained. PAPERS Offers of papers on the conference theme should be sent immediately to Peggy Morgan (address above). The conference theme is to be interpreted in the widest sense to include not only mass media but all forms of expression and communication. Papers not related to the theme will be considered for inclusion but will not have priority. APPLICATIONS To register for the conference write to: Alan Rogers, 4 Fossett Way, Wyke Regis, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 9HD. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - BOOKING FORM BASR St. Martin Conference 1996 Name & Title of Applicant................................ Institution.............................................. Indicate here if applicant is a doctoral student......... Contact Address:......................................... ......................................................... I enclose the non-returnable conference fee of 15 pounds.[ ] I require accommodation and enclose deposit of 15 pounds.[ ] Signed:.............................. Date................ [Cheques payable to "British Association for the Study of Religions"] ===========================================================* UKBSA/4#1 UK BUDDHIST STUDIES ASSOCIATION: INAUGURAL MEETING Date: Monday July 8th 1996 Venue: School of Oriental & African Studies, London Programme: 10.30 Registration & Coffee 10.45 Professor Richard Gombrich: The Buddhist Attitude to Thaumaturgical Healing Rituals 12.15 Lunch 1.30 Discussion of the Aims and Activities of the Association 3.00 Professor David Seyfort Ruegg: The Inner Asian yon mchod relation and its Indian Precedents: the socio-religious and politico-religious link between a spiritual counsellor and his royal or princely donor. 4.30 Finish The Association is being formed to act as a focus for Buddhist Studies in the UK. It is open to academics, postgraduates and unaffiliated Buddhist scholars or interested Buddhist practitioners. It will seek to foster communication among those working in various fields. Those interested should contact Dr Peter Harvey Reader in Buddhist Studies School of Social and International Studies University of Sunderland Forster Building, Chester Road Sunderland,Tyne and Wear, UK email: peter.harvey@sunderland.ac.uk giving your name, postal address and telephone number at your institution (or, if this is not relevant, home), and e-mail number. Please also indicate if you would NOT want this information made public. Please include also information on your area of work and research interests. Please also bring this to the notice of any postgraduate students who may be interested. (Co-organiser:) Dr Ian Harris Reader in Buddhist Studies University College of St. Martin Lancaster email: i.harris@lancaster.ac.uk ===========================================================* Organisations BASR/4#1 British Association for the Study of Religions The British Association for the Study of Religions is a registered charity (no.801567) affiliated to the International Association for the History of Religions (IAHR) whose object is the promotion of the academic study of religions through the international collaboration of all scholars whose research has a bearing on the subject. The BASR pursues these aims within the United Kingdom through conferences, publications and an Annual General Meeting. Membership of the BASR is open to scholars whose work has a bearing on the academic study of religions and who are normally resident in the U.K. Those interested in membership should write to the Hon. Secretary, Dr Kim Knott, Dept. of Theology and Religious Studies, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT. Annual subscription to BASR is 12 pounds. For postgraduates etc. the subscription is 6 pounds. Overseas scholars may receive the BASR Bulletin (4 per year) for 10 pounds. ===========================================================* ABOUT DISKUS..... DISKUS subscription: 1 year (2 issues) œ5 pounds (UK) or $15 dollars/ œ10 pounds overseas (airmail) Cheques/orders payable to "Bath College of Higher Education" Please specify disk size/type when ordering (PC 3.5" or Apple Mac 3.5") For a subscription form go to SUBFORM below. -------------------------------------------------------------   ISSN 0967-8948   D I S K U S   The on-disk journal of international Religious Studies DISKUS is the first disk-based journal of Religious Studies. Each issue is published and distributed on computer disk only, in a simple format easily accessible by your word-processing program. DISKUS features: - an emphasis on contemporary religions, and contemporary issues in Religious Studies. - a mix of religious traditions in each issue of the journal - a broadly phenomenological approach, by which we mean articles about religion rather than articles written from a religious standpoint. - articles written in a lucid style, accessible to an international readership of researchers, students and educators in Religious Studies. DISKUS is cheaper than standard printed journals. You can study, scan and even index the contents of DISKUS in your own wordprocessing program, and print off part or whole as required. Academic papers (of any reasonable length), notices, reports, letters, books for review, and other short contributions submitted for publication in DISKUS should be addressed to: Dr Gavin Flood DISKUS, Dept. of Theology & Religious Studies University of Wales, Lampeter Lampeter, SA48 7ED, UK Tel: 01570-422351 x 315 e-mail floodg@lampeter.ac.uk - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SUBFORM/4#1 Subscription Form: Please send me DISKUS (each volume comprises two issues) Please tick volumes required: Vol 1, 1993 __ Vol 2, 1994 __ Vol 3, 1995 __ Vol 4, 1996 __ Individual issues (single disks) may be ordered at 3 pounds per disk. Please specify the issue(s) you require. UK & Europe: I enclose 5 pounds per volume (2 issues) (UK Cheques payable to 'Bath College of H.E.) Overseas (Airmail) subscriptions or payment by Eurocheque: I enclose 15 USdollars, or 10 UKpounds. 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CONTENTS GUIDELINES DISKUS features: - an emphasis on contemporary religions, and contemporary issues in Religious Studies. - a mix of religious traditions in each issue of the journal - a broadly phenomenological approach, by which we mean articles about religion rather than articles written from a religious standpoint. - articles written in a lucid style, accessible to an international readership of researchers, students and educators in Religious Studies. Style Guide: Papers intended for publication in DISKUS should be submitted initially IN PRINTED FORM ONLY, two copies, double spaced and page-numbered. Short announcements, letters etc. may be submitted on paper, or on paper and disk. Referencing: Referencing may be done with numbered endnotes e.g. <3> or in the author-date style e.g. (BROOKS, 1979:23). Some writers may wish to number paragraphs in order to refer backwards and forwards in their paper. Sub-headings are often useful. Bear in mind that that readers don't like scrolling backwards and forwards looking for endnotes, so incorporate as much as possible in the main text. Special characters: Remember that DISKUS cannot handle bold text, italics, diacritics, underlining etc.. If diacritics are necessary a special list suitable for DISKUS may be useful. See file FREEMAN.2#2 for an example. Authors may wish to use the diacritical conventions used for e-mail but remember that many DISKUS readers not on the internet may be unfamiliar with those conventions. Bibliography: use single quote marks for title of articles, e.g: Brown, A. 'Religion and Reason Reconsidered', CORPUS. Vol.5, no.1, 1993, pp.3-25. For book titles, separate the title from preceding text and place a full stop at the end, before the publisher information, e.g: Smith, J. (1990) The Nature of Nature. London, Common Press. Joint Editors of DISKUS: Prof. Brian Bocking Dr Gavin Flood Study of Religions Dept. Dept. of Theology Bath College of Higher Education & Religious Studies Newton Park Univ. of Wales, Lampeter Bath BA2 9BN Lampeter, Dyfed SA48 7AR Tel: 0225-873701 x 368 Tel: 0570-422351 x 315 Fax: 0225-874457 Fax: 0570-423641 e-mail: exxbb@bath.ac.uk floodg@lampeter.ac.uk ===========================================================*