This study examines the doctrinal and metaphysical role of Sufism in shaping religious consciousness in Central Asia, with particular attention to its Qur’anic, prophetic, and regional textual foundations. The research is based on a qualitative analysis of a purposively selected corpus of 13 sacred, theological, and Sufi sources, including Qur’anic translations, hadith collections, and major...
The aim of the study was to determine the characteristics of the transformation of the mystical tradition in Central Asia. A mixed-methods approach combining a survey of 210 respondents with textual analysis and regional monitoring reports revealed the current state of the movement. Around 32.8% of the believers surveyed in the region practice the tenets of tasawwuf. Furthermore, 52.2% of those...
The present study investigates Mohammad Iqbal’s articulation of panentheism by articulating its reciprocal relations among the Divine, the human ego, and the condition of freedom. A hermeneutical, qualitative methodology is employed to reconstruct the locus of Iqbal’s vision by concentrating upon his magnum opus, The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam, and supplementing this with...
Pharos Journal of TheologyJuly 17, 2026M. Nawa Syarif Fajar Sakti, M. Azfa Nashirul Hikam, M. Ikram Idris et al.
This article examines the epistemological limitations of modern religious pluralism in comparative theology and proposes perennial philosophy as a metaphysical alternative. While pluralism has contributed to reducing interreligious conflict through ethical convergence and epistemic egalitarianism, it often suspends ontological questions concerning the nature of ultimate reality. This study...
The study revealed theoretical and practical aspects of the influence of religious and psychological concepts of S. Freud, C.G. Jung, and V.E. Frankl on the psychological well-being of students in the education system of South Korea. S. Freud’s understanding of religion as a defence mechanism has been found to explain its ability to reduce anxiety and help students to cope with learning stress,...
Modern life, characterised by the dominance of rationalism and materialism, has given rise to a profound spiritual crisis, manifesting itself in the form of alienation, anxiety, and a loss of meaning. This research article examines the theology of divinity in the Sufi tradition as a potential framework for addressing these contemporary issues. Focusing on two main metaphysical doctrines—Wahdat...
The paper discusses some controversial religious ideas brought forth by Freud, Jung, and Frankl respectively in their works. By presenting their writings in their entirety, this study elucidates the historical conditions under which their views and arguments acquired interpretive weight, particularly during a period in which they perceived contemporary society as bereft of relevance or...
Pharos Journal of TheologyFebruary 14, 2026Manat Kanagatov, Tatyana Seryozhkina, Zukhra Ismagambetova et al.
The purpose of this study was to identify the ontological and cultural foundations of the shamanic tradition in the Turkic culture of Kazakhstan through the concept of altered states of consciousness (ASC). The research focused on how ASC structured the shamanic worldview, shaped ritual practices, and transformed under post-traditional social conditions. The methodological framework combined...
Pharos Journal of Theology2026M. Nawa Syarif Fajar Sakti, Bagus Haziratul Qodsiyah, Muh Nur'Afwan et al.
This article explores the ecotheological dimensions of three Abrahamic mystical traditions (Sufism, Kabbalah, and Christian mysticism) by viewing nature as a form of non-verbal revelation. Through a comparative theological approach, this study highlights both the convergences and divergences in how these traditions understand the relationship between humanity, the cosmos, and God. All three...
This study aims to examine the traces of Advaita Vedānta teachings in Hindu theo-philosophy in Bali through a hermeneutic approach. The non-dualistic doctrine rooted in Śaṅkara’s thought has undergone transformation and adaptation within the Balinese local discourse, both textually and in religious practice. Tattwa manuscripts such as Tattwa Jñāna, Bhuwana Kosa, and Tuturan Bhatāra Rsi Agastya...
This study engages the potential of artificial consciousness with theological reflection, targeting debates over sentience, the soul, and defined personhood. Employing a qualitative literature synthesis, the investigation charts congruences and tensions between doctrinal and empirical discourses, centring upon the Imago Dei, claims of human singularity, and the so-called "hard problem of...
Pharos Journal of TheologyJuly 28, 2025Ivan Th. J. Weismann, Johana Betris Tumbol, Randy Frank Rouw et al.
Postmodern society faces challenges such as collective aggression and value fragmentation. Carl Gustav Jung’s theory of individuation, which emphasizes self-integration through archetypes (collective unconscious images), is relevant for examination through the lens of the sociology of religion to understand potential solutions to these issues. This study aims to analyze the sociological...
This article explores the domain of occultism, with a particular emphasis on the occurrences of spirit possession and the associated Christian healing rituals observed in modern Indonesia. The research posits that malevolent entities, including the devil and evil spirits, are integral to religious belief systems and significantly impact individuals' lives. To substantiate this claim, the study...
In modern philosophical and theological discourse, religious experience is increasingly seen as altering human subjectivity and perception of reality. The purpose of the study was to identify the peculiarities of the Catholic understanding of religious experience, analyse its theological and phenomenological aspects, and determine the impact of faith on worldview orientations and cognitive...
This Article probes into the profound intricacies of ego, a multifaceted paradigm of self-centric consciousness that has garnered significant scholarly interest across various disciplines, with a specific focus on its conceptualization within the cultural contexts of the religions of Hinduism and Buddhism. By drawing on philosophical and psychological theories, this rigorous exploration aims to...
In this essay I show developments in Aisthetics of Religion, a new discipline of Science of Religion, towards the inclusion of the body, and the senses, departing from an approach of naturalistic reductionism towards the integration of the category or dimension of the transcendent”. Here, recourse is taken to the philosophical aesthetics of German Idealism, that integrates ‘body’ and ‘soul, by...
The genesis of Hesychasm is still quite unresolved. In this article, the assumption that its origins lie in late Greco-Egyptian Antiquity, in the eastern Mediterranean, and that Yoga contributed to it, remain in the background. The normative form of Hesychasm, referred to here, is that described briefly by St. Gregory Palamas. In this article, two constituents, presented by him as essential,...