Journal of the Philosophy and Religion Society of Thailand

บทวิจารณ์หนังสือ ‘จุดประกายความคิดสร้างสรรค์: นวัตกรรมและการออกแบบที่สร้างสรรค์จากการเล่นและอารมณ์ขัน’โดยแบร์รี่ คูโดรวิทซ์

2024-10-15T12:05:47+07:00

ในบทวิจารณ์นี้ ผู้วิจารณ์ขอนำเสนอเป็น 2 ส่วนคือ การแนะนำหนังสือ และการวิจารณ์หนังสือ

From Buddhist Constitutionalism to the State Religion

2025-09-04T10:28:11+07:00

Thailand has historically maintained a profound and enduring connection with Buddhism, wherein Buddhist principles have long constituted the dominant moral and cultural framework of Thai society for many centuries. Even the nation has undergone significant transformation from the modernization reform of the 19th century to the Democratic Revolution of 1932, Buddhism has still played the enduring role in shaping political legitimacy, national identity, and even legal system. Buddhism was not only linked to the legal system in ancient times, but recent decades, Thai Buddhism has become increasingly intertwined with constitutional practice

This article is to examine the notion of “Buddhist constitutionalism” within Thai political society, encompassing the influence of Buddhism on the legal framework and political sphere—including the proposal to designate Buddhism as the state religion. Furthermore, it argues that Buddhist values and doctrines have permeated the constitutional context, while simultaneously circumscribing the role of secular values—such as rights, liberties, and social justice—that ought to hold the prominence in the public sphere and political community, especially in the modern democratic state.

Erazim Kohák’s Justification and Reclamation of Humanity: A Reflection of Man’s Direct Duty to Nature

2025-08-28T15:08:03+07:00

This paper examines Erazim Kohák’s stance in his work A Human’s Place in Nature in The Embers and the Stars, focusing on the justification and reclamation of humanity in the natural world. This inquiry begins by discussing and synthesizing ideas from various philosophers who raise the concern for humans to acknowledge and embody their ability to look back and forward. Such provides a context for Kohák’s idea of the three orders— the order of being, the order of time, and the order of eternity. Then, the paper explores and confronts the problem regarding the duty of humans toward nature. This issue peaked during the history of modern philosophy and persists until contemporary times. This paper employs textual analysis, looks closely at Kohák’s ideas, and argues that his way of bringing humanity back into the natural world shows that we have a direct responsibility to care for nature. The insights from this study add to the ongoing conversation about the moral relationship between people and the environment.

Interreligious Dialogue Skills Training for Peaceful Coexistence: A Buddhist Contribution

2025-08-27T16:04:19+07:00

Interreligious dialogue (ID) has been recognized as an important tool for peacebuilding in multi-religious communities. However, its practice has faced many problems and challenges due to various factors. The lack of dialogue skills is one of them. The paper proposes that ID competency training should be part of general education at school and university level to prepare young people’s capacity for building a peaceful multireligious society. In Canada, this type of education was actualized in 2008 through the Quebec education program “Ethics and Religious Culture” to develop dialogue skills for school students. Such a subject has not been found in general educational systems in Asia. This study applies the Quebec framework to study the Buddha’s dialogue skills in the Buddhist scripture – the Sutta Pitaka through a qualitative content analysis method. There are various skill sets to be developed according to the Quebec model. However, this paper will focus on the skill of how to examine a point of view including 4 types view: judgment of preference, judgment of prescription, judgment of reality and judgment of value. The study found that while the Quebec framework gives some guidelines on how to examine each type of view, it does not provide concrete standards for judging it. In contrast, the Buddhist framework provides concrete standards and frameworks for examining and evaluating different religious views. The study argues that Buddhist resources can enrich the Quebec framework and function as one of valuable resources for ID competency education.

Article PAUL AND WOMEN LEADERSHIP IN THE EARLY CHURCH: RECLAIMING THE APOSTLE’S VISION FOR GENDER INCLUSIVENESS IN CONTEMPORARY NIGERIA CHURCHES

2025-10-09T10:20:40+07:00

This paper critically examines the Apostle Paul’s vision for women’s leadership in the early church and its implications for fostering gender inclusiveness in contemporary Nigerian churches. While Paul has often been misrepresented as a proponent of patriarchal ecclesiology, a closer exegetical and contextual reading of his writings reveals a more inclusive and liberative theological stance. Key texts such as Romans 16, Galatians 3:28, 1 Corinthians 11, and Philippians 4:2–3 demonstrate Paul’s recognition and commendation of women like Phoebe, Junia, Priscilla, and Euodia, who held significant leadership roles in the early Christian movement. This study argues that Paul’s ecclesiology, rooted in the new creation inaugurated by Christ, transcended rigid gender boundaries and affirmed the active participation of women in ministry. Using a literary-historical and contextual theological methodology, supported by feminist hermeneutics and socio-rhetorical criticism, the paper reclaims Paul’s inclusive vision as a theological foundation for gender-equitable leadership in Nigerian churches. It challenges both theological misinterpretations and cultural barriers that hinder women’s full participation in church leadership. By revisiting Paul through a contextual African lens, the study offers a transformative framework for reimagining leadership structures that reflect the inclusive spirit of the early church.