Asian Journal of Religious Studies September-October 2020 65/5 Contents Editorial: Priority to the Person 3 Women Who Made a Difference in the Hebrew Bible 7 Thomas Karimundackal, SJ Do Not Let Us Fall into Temptation: A New Understanding of the Lord’s Prayer 14 Soroj Mullick, SDB In and Through Reason to Religion: An Exploration into the Relationship between Science and Religion 22 Kuruvilla Pandikattu, SJ Finding Solace amidst Pandemic 30 Thomas Karimundackal, SJ A Critique on Writing of Yuval Noah Harari on Justice: Our Sense of Justice Might Be Out of Date 38 J. Charles Davis AJRS 65/5 Sept-Oct 2020 1 FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION ONLY Asian Journal of Religious Studies (formerly AUC or Apostolic Union for Clergy) is a peer-reviewed pastoral journal for Christian leaders. It is a bimonthly published from the Papal Seminary, Pune 411014. Inspiring and brief pastoral and academic articles beneficial for Christian leaders are welcome. Editor: Kuruvilla Pandikattu SJ Ass Editor T. Karimundackal SJ Circulation: Stephen Jayard Section Editors: Pastoral Theology: Stephen Jayard Christology: Francis Gonsalves SJ Scripture: Mariapushpam Paulraj Homiletics, Liturgy: VM Jose SJ Moral Theology: Nishant Irudayadasan Counselling: V.Crasta & G. Cordeiro Indian Religions: Sebastian Vazhapilly SJ Spirituality: Patras Kujur SJ Administration: Dinesh Braganza Management: Vincent Crasta Finance: VM Jose SJ Printed at: Kunal Offset, Pune Typeset at: Papal Seminary Centenary Computer Centre Donations are accepted either by M.O. or D.D. If sent by cheque, please add Rs. 15 as bank commission. Suggested amount: Rs. 300 (in India); Cheques and DD in favour of APOSTOLIC UNION Address all correspondence (incl. DD) to: The Editor, AUC, Papal Seminary, Pune 411014, India Email: [email protected] or [email protected] Site: punejournal.co.in DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4016538 2 AJRS 65/5 Sept-Oct 2020, ISSN 2249-1503 3-6 DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4016510 Editorial Priority to the Person When Pope Francis addresses the U.N. General Assembly on Sept. 15, 2020 he is expected to speak about the opportunity to rethink economic, political and environmental policies in a way that will benefit humanity and the earth, reports CatholicPhylly. Since the corona pandemic began in early March, the pope has been urging individuals, organizations and governments to recognize the inequalities the pandemic has highlighted in economics and access to health care and education, as well as the ways current patterns of production and consumption have damaged the environment. It may be remembered that Pope Francis began a series of general audience talks on Aug. 5, 2020 about the principles of Catholic social teaching that can help the world move forward in a way that is better for human beings and for the environment. He spoke about transforming “the roots of our physical, spiritual and social infirmities and the destructive practices that separate us from each other, threatening the human family and our planet.” AJRS 65/5 Sept-Oct 2020 3 During a news conference on August 26, 2020 in Rieti, Italy, to launch a celebration marking events in the life of St. Francis of Assisi, Bishop Domenico Pompili hinted that “human fraternity,” a phrase used for a document on interreligious dialogue and cooperation signed in 2019 by Pope Francis and Sheikh Ahmad el-Tayeb, grand imam of al-Azhar. According to CatholicPhylly it would make sense that a social encyclical on a post-COVID vision would build upon an affirmation that all human beings were created by God with equal dignity and that solutions to the world’s most pressing problems must be found together and must benefit all. In an interview to Carlo di Cicco, former assistant editor of the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, said that “The priority is not the economy as such, but the human person”. He added that “COVID-19 not only provoked a health crisis but impacted multiple aspects of human life: the family, politics, labour, businesses, commerce, tourism, etc.” He noted further:. “The broad and interconnected character of the pandemic constantly reminds us of the observation of Pope Francis that ‘everything is connected.'” The cardinal affirmed that the idea “economy is not everything” is the only explanation for why so many national and local governments ordered lockdowns to prevent the spread of the coronavirus; “It shows that the priority isn’t the economy but the person.” He added for the Catholic Church it is not enough to be concerned about a person’s physical health. “The integrity of the human person must be cared for,” which means 4 AUC: Asian Journal of Religious Studies 65/5 caring for the person’s spiritual, political and economic health as well, he said. Cardinal Parolin said, Catholic social teaching has emphasized the interdependence of nations, especially after St. John XXIII’s 1963 encyclical Pacem in terris ("Peace on Earth"), which argued that there is a need for disarmament and that nuclear weapons. The pandemic revealed “our common weakness, our shared fragility,” he said. “However, instead of fostering cooperation for the universal common good, we see more and more walls rising around us, exalting borders as a guarantee of security and practicing systematic violations of the law, maintaining a situation of permanent global conflict. “As Pope Francis recalled in Nagasaki (in November 2019), arms spending reached its peak in 2019, and now there is a serious risk that, after a period of decline, including due to pandemic-related restrictions, it will continue to increase,” he said. But, he said, the pandemic demonstrates that what is needed is “friendship and benevolence rather than hatred and fear.” Catholic social teaching, the cardinal said, has firm biblical, theological and anthropological foundations and can be “continually updated” to respond to new needs and situations. When speaking about the economy, he mentioned two most recent papal social encyclicals are key: Pope Benedict XVI’s 2009 “Caritas in Veritate” (“Charity in Truth”) and Pope Francis’ 2015 “Laudato Si’, On Care for Our Common Home.” “Benedict spoke of an economy in which room must be made for the logic of gift, the principle of gratuitousness, which expresses not only solidarity, but even more deeply human AJRS 65/5 Sept-Oct 2020 5 fraternity,” the cardinal said. “Francis relaunched the theme of integral human development in the context of an ‘integral ecology,’ one that is environmental, economic, social, cultural, spiritual.” “Today the pandemic is giving a tremendous shock to the entire economic and social system and its supposed certainties at all levels. The problems of unemployment are and will be dramatic; the problems of public health require the revolution of entire health and education systems; and the role of states and relations between nations are changing,” Cardinal Parolin said. “The church feels called to accompany the complicated journey that lies before us all as a human family,” he said. “She must do so with humility and wisdom, but also with creativity,” reports CatholicPhylly. He added, “there are solid principles of reference, but today courageous creativity is more urgent than ever so that the dramatic crisis of the pandemic does not end in a terrible tragedy, but opens spaces for the human and ecological conversion that humanity needs.” May we learn from this pandemic our “our common weakness, our shared fragility,” and move forward. May we foster cooperation for the universal common good. May we learn to respect the dignity of each person! The Editor 6 AUC: Asian Journal of Religious Studies 65/5 AJRS 65/5 Sept-Oct 2020, ISSN 2249-1503 7-14 DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4016516 Women Who Made a Difference in the Hebrew Bible Thomas Karimundackal, SJ Papal Seminary, Pune 411014 Abstract: The Hebrew Bible discloses women who are leaders, prophets, queens, midwives, harlots, mothers, widows etc. The author argues that they could be brave and risk their lives for others. Be they leaders of the community, judges, prophetesses, queens, wise women, mothers, widows etc. they all played a vital role in the history of Israel. Frequently, it is a woman who emerges in a time of crisis to lead and preserve Israel. Some are known while others are unknown; some are powerful, while others are powerless. But no matter what their individual personalities and contributions, their stories are often crucial to understand the history of Israel. It is true that they have not enjoyed a uniform status in the society; however, the Hebrew Bible does not neglect their importance and influence, and the invaluable contribution they have made. It is unfortunate to consider them as shadowy, subordinate figures in the society. Instead they were all protagonists in their own Sitz im Leben. Keywords: Women in the Bible, Hebrew Bible, Prophetesses, Unnamed Women. The Hebrew Bible presents many women characters, named and unnamed, who played a vital role in the history of Israel. No matter what their individual personalities and contributions, their life and vocation have been permanently influential both in the religious and AJRS 65/5 Sept-Oct 2020 7 communitarian life. Most of the women characters in the Hebrew Most of the women Bible are portrayed as characters in the enterprising, resourceful, and Hebrew Bible are courageous. They are engaged in portrayed as vital tasks and roles that enterprising, benefitted God’s people. The resourceful, and Hebrew Bible discloses women courageous. who are leaders, prophets, queens, midwives, harlots, mothers, widows etc. There are also women whose names are not included in the biblical narratives but whose stories live on to teach, guide, and instruct us in life. The Hebrew Bible also reveals symbolic women as examples of what to be or what not to be. From the myriad of women characters presented in the Hebrew Bible, readers will find a message from days gone by that, named or unnamed, women played a vital role in the history of Israel, as they continue today.