نشریه معرفت ادیان
سال پنجم شماره 4 (پیاپی 20، پاییز 1393)

The belief in the promised redeemer and appearance of the promised savior is one of the topics which has been the special concern of many people over the history. The violence-based thought of the expected and promised one has tempted some people to assume the post of being the savior by making use of people's ignorance. About a century ago, Mirza Gholam Ahmad Qadiyani came out with such an approach in India. He claimed that he was the promised Mahdi and, relying on some narrations, the expected Messiah. Also, he assumed prophecy by his interpretation of Seal (Khatam) and establishment of a new kind of prophecy called shadow prophecy. Finally, by changing some of the religious injunctions in Islam he adduced grounds for abandoning his religion. This paper elaborates on Gholam Ahmad Qadiyani's assumption of being the savior and his role in developing Qadiyani (Ahmadiyyeh) sect.

Ahlah Haq is an Iranian group who has its own beliefs, tendencies, and religious texts and who has followers among the Lur, Kurd and Turk speaking tribes. The founder of this group is a spiritual guider named Sultan Ishaq originally, this group appeared in Shahrezur, a town near Sirvan (Dialah) in Iraq, and its influence spread to the other areas. This group is also named (Ali-e-Allahi) because of their extremist views about Ali (a). They consist of main groups. The sevenfold manifestations of God are the main principles of the faith of the People of Truth'(Ahlah Haq). They believe in metempsychosis and they are among those waiting for the Lord of the Age. They have special rites and an eclectic religion. The aim of this paper is to expound, investigate and criticize the beliefs of the People of Truth'(Ahlah Haq), and referring to different sources, it analyzes the main features of this sect.

One of the main beliefs of the Christians is the doctrine of the original sin which signifies Adam and Eve's disobedience and taint of their descendants. This doctrine not only contributed to the Christianity but also brought about fundamental changes to the anthropology of Christianity. Paul, one of the outstanding figures in the Christian world, in the frame of introduces his anthropology the doctrine of original sin, which is unique and worth considering. Due to the high status which Paul enjoys in the Christian world, investigating his view about anthropological questions and recognizing the factors behind the views adopted by him maybe considered necessary and important.

Although the origin of Judaism was not in the Arab Land, the events were behind the Israelites, dispersal. One of the places to which the Jewish migrated was the Arabia Peninsula. This historical research investigates the Jew's presence, activities their influence and other's influence on them among the Arabs in the pre-Islamic period of ignorance until the advent of Islam. In discussing the question of geography of religions and evacuation of a religion its original place, sometimes the evacuation is optional; for example, when the followers of that religion intend to spread their religion (doctrine) among the people of other countries and attract new followers, and sometimes the evacuation is not attributed to optional factors. The evacuation of Judaism from its original land is considered of the first kind; because after Moses, Judaism gradually turned to tribalism, and so the main concern of the followers of this faith was something other than propagation and extension of their beliefs. Therefore, the factors of their existence among the Arabs in the Pre-Islamic period of ignorance are involuntary. This existence had its effects on Arabs and was also liable to be influenced by them. This paper investigates this issue using a historical approach.

In Christianity, some doctrines, rites and manner of practicing religion have been influenced by the mysterious religions and schools of ancient Greece. Among the influences they were exposed to is monasticism in Christianity. The Christian concept of monasticism might have its roots in Gnosticism. Many of the ideas of Saint Antony, who is known as the father of Christian monasticism, and who criticizes gnosticism have been influenced by Gnosticism. Such aspects, like: dissociation oneself from this world, self-discipline and austerity, solitude and self-denial, which characterize Antony's monasticism, have a sense of Gnosticism. Antony's theology also about epistemology, universalogy, anthropology and knowing salvation is influenced by gnosticism.

Investigating the universal Catholic Church's council proves this claim that throughout the history approach of this church to none Christian religions especially Islam has not been flexible. The view of this church to the other religions in refusal of the universal Councils of the first millennium was the silence literature. As in universal councils of the Middle Ages, their literature turned to invasion and obviously Islam and other religions were anathema to them. But nowadays in their new approach and because of multiple political, social, cultural and scientific factors of the church they have changed position on their anti Islamic approach and the second Vatican's Council has become an assembly for reconsideration of the church's functions. Using a descriptive-analysis method this paper seeks to investigate the change of church's approach in the historical periods of universal councils, specially the second Vatican's Council and shows that how the church in the second Vatican has reformed its doctrinal and social basis about Islam and the other religions.

This paper deals with liberation theology as a new theological system. Liberation theology is a political movement in Roman Catholic theology which interpret the teachings of Jesus Christ in relation to a liberation from unjust economic, political and social conditions. The main features of this movement have tried to explain new concepts such as praxis, structural sin, poor’s suffering, new function of church today and other sociopolitical issues in the light of Marxist perspective. The very aim of this theology is to support the poors and to change the unjust sociopolitical conditions of Latin American societies.

Throughout the history religion and its studies have been among interesting and controversial subjects. During the human life no society can be found without religion or worship. Therefore, to study religions, different approaches in the various scientific areas have been appeared such as; psychology of religion, sociology of religion, anthropology of religion, phenomenology of religion, theology, philosophy of religion, religions studies, Islamic theology and new theology. Indeed what is the nature of religion? What is the general interpretation derived from pure divine knowledge? In different religious findings what are the components of Marxian interpretation of religion. Meanwhile, as a social thinker what approach did Dr, Shariti adopt in religion interpretation? Moreover, what has been the first step of human religion, Unity or polytheism?This paper with analysis and documental approach deals with the investigation, comparison and critique of religious theory of Shariti and Marks. Therefore, in religion interpretation, Shariti approached the Marxian theory and considered the primary of human's religion as polytheism and the prophets and divine messengers are sent to human for calling unto people to unity and monotheism. This consideration and religious theory of shariti is wrong and disagree with current interpretation in pure knowledge of the Household (a).