Soraj Hongladarom et al., "Philosophies of Appropriated Religions: Perspectives from Southeast Asia" (Springer, 2024)
Sep 21, 2024
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Soraj Hongladarom, an editor focused on Southeast Asian traditions, along with Jeremiah Joven Joaquin and Frank J. Hoffman, delve into the rich interplay of philosophy and religion in the region. They discuss topics like the blending of indigenous beliefs with world religions, exploring profound themes such as the problem of evil and the afterlife. The conversation highlights unique cultural practices like the Black Nazarene celebration and the philosophical ties between Buddhism and Spinoza. Engaging with feminist perspectives and AI ethics also broadens the dialogue on religious identity and diversity.
The book explores how major world religions in Southeast Asia, like Buddhism and Islam, adapt to and intertwine with local indigenous beliefs and cultural practices.
Philosophical inquiries in Southeast Asia highlight an interdisciplinary approach that merges philosophical analysis with sociological and cultural frameworks to enrich the study of religion.
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Southeast Asian Religious Appropriation
The book discussed aims to explore the unique perspectives of Southeast Asian religions, particularly focusing on the concept of appropriated religions. It investigates how major world religions like Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity have been adapted and assimilated within local cultural contexts, creating distinct religious practices that reflect indigenous beliefs. A key aspect of this exploration includes examining traditional philosophical problems, such as evil and free will, through the lens of local religious experiences and practices. This approach underscores the complexity and diversity of religious thought in Southeast Asia and its significance in the broader field of philosophy of religion.
Interdisciplinarity in Southeast Asian Philosophy
The dialogue highlights the inherent interdisciplinarity in the study of philosophy of religion within Southeast Asia, where philosophical inquiry often overlaps with sociology, theology, and cultural studies. Philosophers in the region combine rigorous philosophical reasoning with local cultural practices, facilitating a more comprehensive understanding of religious phenomena. For instance, the influence of the Black Nazarene in Filipino culture exemplifies how local beliefs can be philosophically analyzed within an interdisciplinary framework. This rich tapestry of academic inquiry not only broadens the scope of philosophical discussion but also challenges traditional Western-centric philosophical boundaries.
Indigeneity and Religious Syncretism
The discussion elaborates on the idea of religious syncretism, reflecting how indigenous beliefs and practices have blended with major world religions in Southeast Asia. This blending creates unique cultural expressions of spirituality, where individuals may worship local gods alongside practicing Christianity, Buddhism, or Islam. The phenomenon illustrates a rejection of strict categorization, emphasizing that for many Southeast Asians, spirituality transcends conventional boundaries between religion and non-religion. Consequently, this syncretism informs the philosophical discourse by illustrating that religious identities are fluid and deeply interwoven with local cultural contexts.
The open-access edited volume Philosophies of Appropriated Religions: Perspectives from Southeast Asia (Springer, 2023) collects philosophical approaches to Southeast Asian traditions of philosophy and religion. The editors, Soraj Hongladarom, Jeremiah Joven Joaquin, and Frank J. Hoffman, have produced a volume that treats traditional topics in philosophy of religion, such as the problem of evil and afterlife, as well as religious identity, beliefs, practices, and diversity. Contributions vary in methodology; some focus on empirical data and modern culture, while others engage with philosophical texts. Essays focus on a range of religions: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and indigenous practices. Despite this variety, the volume's editors present the collection as having a kind of unity, both in the specificity of how Southeast Asia "appropriates" religions and the philosophical nature of the essays included.