https://rerc-journal.tsd.ac.uk/index.php/religiousexp/issue/feedJournal for the Study of Religious Experience2022-08-15T21:05:45+00:00Bettina SchmidtRERC@uwtsd.ac.ukOpen Journal Systems<p>The <strong>Journal for the Study of Religious Experience (JSRE) </strong>is promoted by the Alister Hardy Religious Experience Research Centre (RERC). It publishes original papers promoting theoretical, methodological and ethnographical developments in the research on spiritual or religious experience.</p>https://rerc-journal.tsd.ac.uk/index.php/religiousexp/article/view/123Editorial2022-08-15T21:05:45+00:00Bettina Schmidtb.schmidt@uwtsd.ac.ukJack Hunterjack.hunter@uwtsd.ac.uk<p>Editorial.</p>2022-08-15T12:09:06+00:00Copyright (c) 2022 Journal for the Study of Religious Experiencehttps://rerc-journal.tsd.ac.uk/index.php/religiousexp/article/view/84Reflections on Nothingness and Oneness2022-08-15T20:59:24+00:00Aaron Murlyaaron.murly@gmail.com2022-08-11T00:00:00+00:00Copyright (c) 2022 Journal for the Study of Religious Experiencehttps://rerc-journal.tsd.ac.uk/index.php/religiousexp/article/view/115This Discrete Charm of Shunyata (Emptiness) and Zen in the Art of Basketball2022-08-15T20:59:24+00:00Stefan Sencerzstefan.sencerz@tamucc.edu<p>The concept of <em>shunyata</em>-emptiness plays a central role in Mahayana Buddhism. It is also one of the most difficult concepts to grasp, both by the Westerners and the Easterners (including Buddhists themselves). On the flip side, the game of basketball and the rituals surrounding it are sometimes hard to appreciate by those who are not already the game’s aficionados. Somehow, they tend to miss on the philosophical, spiritual and even mystical aspects of the game (and generally sports).</p> <p>I argue in this paper that the language and rituals surrounding the game of basketball provide ‘windows’ on what Buddhists call <em>shunyata</em>. Thus, they help us to understand metaphysics and epistemology developed in the context of Mahayana Buddhism (especially Zen Buddhism). In turn, the language and rituals developed within the tradition of Zen help us to understand what sometimes happens on the basketball court.</p> <p> </p> <p>Key terms: <br>Mahayana Buddhism, basketball, <em>shunyata</em>-emptiness, <em>samadhi</em>, awakening.</p> <p>Word count: @13450</p> <p> </p>2022-08-11T15:52:05+00:00Copyright (c) 2022 Journal for the Study of Religious Experiencehttps://rerc-journal.tsd.ac.uk/index.php/religiousexp/article/view/121Conversion and relationship with God: study of gendered experience within Christianity2022-08-15T20:59:24+00:00Anne Morgantwmpath@hotmail.co.uk<p>There is a long tradition of the academic study of religious experience, in relation to conversion, specifically within Christianity. Research devising a variety of models to study conversion have focused on reasons for change and associated motivation. This study aims to identify whether women experience conversion differently to men. Methodology includes a mix of field work and contributions from the Religious Experience Research Centre (RERC) at Lampeter University. The field work is conducted using semi structured interviews with a small number of individuals all with connections to evangelism.</p> <p> </p> <p>Analysis of the evidence shows that the participants interviewed relate their experiences closely to the New Testament, asserting that one’s relationship with God is foremost. Subtle differences are identified in use of language between women and men. Women’s relationship with God is distinctive to that of men. These factors were present in both RERC database contributors and interviewed participants. Further research is needed to confirm the results as the study is limited to the experiences of those interviewed and the RERC database.</p> <p> </p> <p>Keywords: conversion, gender, Christianity, evangelism</p> <p> </p>2022-08-12T15:33:51+00:00Copyright (c) 2022 Journal for the Study of Religious Experiencehttps://rerc-journal.tsd.ac.uk/index.php/religiousexp/article/view/122The Rainbow Bridge: Imagining ‘Animal Heaven’2022-08-15T20:59:24+00:00Andrew Deanandrew.dean@sunderland.ac.uk<p>The increased integration of animals into family life has raised acute eschatological concerns about what future, if any, awaits pets in the afterlife. With little known about this religious issue, this ethnographic study explores pet communities mitigating bereavement through embracing eschatological innovation and imagining ‘animal heaven’, i.e., the Rainbow Bridge. Although imagination is often considered unreal, this study ruminates on imagination being a supernatural sense, allowing the bereaved to perceive their deceased pets in the afterlife. Key findings show that the Rainbow Bridge has three core functions, including, (1) providing a temporary pet paradise, (2) preparing pets for the real Heaven, and (3) reducing human bereavement. Finally, as an emerging religion, the Rainbow Bridge is a mixture of semi-systematised beliefs, being further imagined each day.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>2022-08-15T12:01:31+00:00Copyright (c) 2022 Journal for the Study of Religious Experience