This paper seeks to explore theological resources from a pastoral care perspective to enhance family well-being. The paper also aims to interpret the situation through the lens of lived faith, Scripture, church social teachings, and other valuable resources within the Christian tradition. The paper envisions an ideal reality grounded in theological and ethical principles that foster the spiritual and holistic well-being of families. Drawing from biblical teaching, historical doctrine, and the church’s enduring moral vision, the paper offers a critical comparison between the current impacts of teachings and the authentic demands of Christian faith: justice, compassion, integrity, and the nurturing of family life in God’s grace and truth. Contextual theology requires that faith engage with contemporary cultural and social realities, rather than merely repeating inherited doctrines in isolation. From this perspective, theology must be oriented towards the lived experience of families and refrain from distorting this experience through consumerist interpretations of faith.
The Septuagint (LXX), as one of the ancient texts, is marked by many intriguing aspects that prompted the society of the time to adopt certain practices centred on protecting the well-being and functionality of their society. One such intrigue was the development of a medical procedure to help separate people from one another in the event of a disease outbreak. Using social historical hermeneutics as a method of interpretation, it is observed that social distancing became a medical norm in the social, cultural, and economic contexts. The ancient Israelites, as shown in the LXX, had daily routines that did not hinder their ability to distance themselves from one another during disease outbreaks. Stipulations regarding distancing were known to everyone in their society. This article therefore examines how the concept of social distancing began in the LXX and why. It will also discuss the implications of understanding the Gospel of Luke, as Luke employs words similar to those found in the LXX. These lessons will be particularly relevant to present-day society, especially in public health.
This article develops an Islamic theological approach to sustainable consumption by examining the Manggadong tradition as a culturally embedded practice of moral sufficiency in Batak society. The problem addressed in this study concerns the tendency to understand sustainable consumption primarily through technical, environmental, or policy-oriented frameworks, while overlooking the role of religious ethics, local food traditions, and communicative value transmission in shaping everyday consumption behaviour. This study argues that sustainable consumption requires not only behavioural adjustment, but also theological reflection, cultural enculturation, and participatory communication. A descriptive qualitative design was employed through literature-based inquiry by analysing Qur’anic verses, prophetic teachings, Islamic exegetical sources, cultural documentation on Manggadong, and scholarly works on sustainable consumption, local wisdom, and the Information, Education, and Communication framework. The textual analysis show that Islamic theology provides a moral grammar of consumption through moderation, gratitude, barakah, restraint, distributive responsibility, and social care. Manggadong embodies these values through the practice of consuming cassava before rice, which functions as an intergenerational lesson in sufficiency, respect for local food, and disciplined consumption. The IEC framework further enables these theological and cultural meanings to be translated into sustainable consumption literacy through household education, community dialogue, religious communication, school-based cultural learning, and digital media. This study concludes that Manggadong can be positioned as a theological-cultural practice through which Islamic ethical values and Batak local wisdom jointly contribute to the formation of responsible and sustainable consumption in contemporary society.
In recent decades, Central Asia has experienced significant changes in religious education and the formation of religious identity. The independence of regional states, social transformations, and globalization have created new challenges and opportunities for the development of Islamic education. This study aims to analyze contemporary trends, practices, and policy mechanisms regulating religious learning in Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. A qualitative comparative document-based approach was employed, combining comparative analysis of curricula, thematic analysis of academic publications and legal documents, and assessment of the influence of state religious policies on educational institutions. Findings indicate that countries in the region actively balance the preservation of traditional Islamic education with the integration of secular educational standards. State initiatives play a crucial role in regulating religious instruction, implementing courses on secularism and ethics, and preparing qualified religious educators. At the same time, there is a notable increase in youth religious engagement, influenced by migration, international education programs, and exposure to global religious ideas. The study contributes to the literature by providing a comparative regional analysis of religious education across the five Central Asian republics and by offering a theological interpretation of the relationship between religious education, state regulation, and social development. The findings demonstrate that religious education functions not only as a mechanism for transmitting religious knowledge but also as a means of preserving cultural identity, strengthening social cohesion, and promoting ethical formation. The study further proposes policy and educational recommendations aimed at harmonizing religious and secular education, enhancing religious literacy, and supporting interfaith dialogue in the region. The results have practical implications for educators, researchers, policymakers, and international organizations engaged in religious education and social integration.
Religion behaves as a powerful theological, moral, and social force capable of advancing both social cohesion and social conflict. Orthodox Christianity, deeply rooted in patristic theology, sacramental life, and deep historical continuity, characterizes this paradox with unique clarity. While Orthodox theology emphasizes agape, peace, humility, and reconciliation, Orthodox Christian communities have also been implicated in social division, exclusion, and political conflict, especially where religious identity intersects with ethnicity, nationalism, and state power. This article critically examines these apparent contradictions through the lens of social capital theory, integrating Orthodox theological reflection with African and Global South perspectives. It argues that Orthodox Christianity generates strong bonding social capital that fosters moral formation and communal solidarity, yet according to some, this same capital may, when not balanced by bridging social capital, contribute to social fragmentation and strife. Irrespective of the really miniscule negative assertions, the Orthodox Church is doing great work in its global mission, and of course in Africa, organizing Divine Liturgies, baptisms, sacraments, catechesis, and dedicated pastoral care across many African nations, helping communities grow spiritually and finding true meaning through the Orthodox faith. The article concludes by proposing a theologically grounded rebalancing of social capital within Orthodoxy, drawing on patristic ethics, ecclesiology, and contemporary African theological insights. By rebalancing association and connecting social capital in light of agape, communion, and human dignity, Orthodox Christianity can, despite its monumental historical strides, more fully attain its vocation as a major mediator of peace in what is progressively a fragmented world. This study has several limitations that should be acknowledged. First, it is primarily a conceptual and theological inquiry rather than an empirical investigation. Its conclusions are derived from theological reflection, social capital theory, and existing scholarly literature rather than from fieldwork, surveys, interviews, or quantitative analyses of Orthodox Christian communities including Greek and Romanians. Second, the study applies social capital theory as its principal analytical framework. Although this perspective provides valuable insights into the relationship between ecclesial identity and social cohesion, it does not fully capture the complexity of historical, political, economic, and cultural factors that also shape religious communities and social conflict. Finally, the study focuses primarily on the constructive role of Orthodox theology in promoting social cohesion and peace. A possible avenue for future research emerging from this study is that empirical investigations employing qualitative and quantitative methods could examine how bonding, bridging, and linking social capital function within Orthodox Christian communities across different cultural and national contexts. Comparative studies involving Orthodox communities in Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and the diaspora would provide valuable evidence for assessing the applicability of the proposed theoretical framework.
