Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Reclaiming Privation Theory For The Contemporary World, William Joshua Shrader-Perry

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Assisted Death: Historical, Moral And Theological Perspectives Of End Of Life Options, Catherine Bando

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

The paper explores historical positions on suicide and philosophical, theological, and moral positions on physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia. In 1900, most people died from infectious diseases, which have relatively short periods of morbid decline. With advances in the biomedical sciences, people are living longer, and most people die from chronic diseases, which are usually accompanied by prolonged periods of morbid decline. In addition to living longer, people today are generally more individualist and seek methods to control many aspects of life. While assisted death is rarely used, it represents a means to control end-of-life suffering. The paper demonstrates that there …

Rediscovering The Theology Of Lay Ministry And Presenting A Pastoral Plan: “The Integral Christian Formation Of Lay Leaders” For The Catholic Church In Tamil Nadu, India, Bernard Joseph Viagappan

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

Even after the Vatican II has categorically revealed the role and the place of the laity in the Church, there is so much of resistance and cynicism prevailing among the clergy and the people in the Indian Church about this clarion call of the Council. Around 90% of Catholics keep themselves passive in their faith practice. As we delay the promotion of active and full use of the lay potential, the greater the chance and number of the lay faithful losing their faith. A strong feeling of insecurity in the clergy leads to distrust of lay talents and charisms and …

Visualizing The Transition Out Of High-Demand Religions, Summer Anne Myers

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

This research uses a questionnaire and a bridge drawing directive to explore the lived experience of transitioning out of a high-demand religion. Subjects include disaffiliated Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Fundamentalist Protestants who were recruited through a dedicated website via limited promotion in online communities for disaffiliates. Visual and textual responses are analyzed through qualitative coding, with additional analysis performed on the artwork using Hays and Lyons’ (1981) bridge drawing criteria. Results reveal the psychological, social, behavioral, identity, and existential effects of disaffiliation. Results also produce seven emergent themes: ambivalence; embracing uncertainty; social justice; simultaneous transitions; freedom and constraint; growth; and …

From Guest To Host: Cultural And Language Conflict In The Korean American Catholic Parish, Irene H. Park

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

Pastoral ministry in the context of Korean American Catholic parishes brings many challenges, including that of cultural conflict. Frequent miscommunications occur between the Korean speaking and English speaking groups who coexist in these parishes. Considering some of the socio-cultural and theological factors of this issue, which are explored in this paper, a pastoral plan utilizing social media is proposed.

Hand Mudrās As A Practice Of Connecting To The Divine, Ana Maria Galarraga (Rydell)

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Forming And Supporting Lay Catholic Elementary School Principals As Spiritual Leaders, Erin C.O. Barisano

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

The role of a Catholic school principal is complex and includes promoting Catholic faith and spirituality throughout the school community. The additional job requirements of spiritual leadership are intentional formation for prospective and novice principals and efforts to sustain spirituality for experienced principals. This qualitative study explored the perceptions held by experienced lay elementary principals of their role as spiritual leader as well as how prepared they felt to serve in this role. Additionally, the study explored suggestions for sustaining principals in their role as spiritual leader. Participants were six lay Catholic elementary principals working in the Archdiocese of Los …

Is Jesus’ Death On The Cross A Satisfaction For The Sins Of Humanity Or A Demonstration Of God’S Love? A Theological Understanding Of Atonement In Relation To The Sacrament Of Reconciliation?, Raja Selvam

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

The concept of “atonement” in the doctrine of salvation is one of the most fascinating and challenging areas of theology. There are so many theories in the historical development of the doctrine of salvation. Those theories are varied with some mutually compatible and others not. They offered many different interpretations on the death of Christ. Besides all these, there raises a question, what is the real purpose of the death of Christ? Undoubtedly, there is a hidden rich theological meaning behind the suffering and death of Jesus. Why did Jesus have to die on the Cross? This is a perennial …

Educating The Whole Being: Yoga & Mindfulness In Schools, Trang Huynh

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Redemption From Darkness: A Study Of Form And Function, Sacred And Secular, Within The Genre Of Apocalypse, Margaret R. Butterfield

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

The genre of apocalypse has an irresistible draw. The concepts of beginning and end to humankind as well as the cosmos situate themselves in our daily stories, microcosmic narratives that repeat through time, placing the footprint of humankind a little more firmly into the earth, a place we have called our home from beginning and, naturally, to the end. In a world that constantly pushes forward to the next piece of technological equipment, reducing mass pandemics to mere over the counter solutions, and extending its hand into the abyss of the unknown universe, humanity craves the elusive next chapter in …

Restorative Justice As Intrinsic To The Church’S Mission, Catholic Theology And Sacramental Ethics, Yesica A. Jiménez

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Catholic School Principal And Inclusive Leadership: A Quantitative Study, Jayne M. Quinn

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

The Holy See (2008) and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (1995) stated that all students, including those with disabilities, have the right to a quality education and special attention should be given to those who are disenfranchised by having a disability (National Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1972). Based on a literature review of characteristics that embrace inclusive Catholic school leadership in elementary schools in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the following research question was developed and used as the focus for this study: How prepared do Catholic elementary school principals see themselves in carrying out the responsibilities of …

Preferential Options And Palimpsests: Transferring The Founders’ Catholic Charism From Vowed Religious Educators To Lay Educators, Patrick Paschal Lynch

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

A decline in the number of vowed religious who teach and administer in Catholic high schools has placed the responsibility for transferring the founders’ Charism, the traditional mission and identity of the schools, in the hands of lay educators. This study examined how one Catholic independent single-sex high school established programs and methods to transfer the founders’ Charism to its lay educators and students in the areas of social justice, diversity, and social and political awareness.

The researcher collected data about Charism transference by interviewing five adults selected as a purposive sample and conducting focus groups with 15 students selected …

Financial Models In Catholic Education, Richard Kruska

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

Catholic education is at a crossroads in the United States, as rising tuition costs present significant challenges to many families’ financial resources. At the very least, affording a Catholic education calls for a reprioritization of expenses. However, in many cases, high tuition costs leave parents with no recourse but to remove their children from Catholic schools. As costs and tuition climb, only those with significant financial resources will be able to attend Catholic schools. Hence, maintaining the foundational mission of Catholic education, namely to provide access to education for the poor and oppressed, threatens to become impossible due to the …

A Place To Belong: Critical Queer Pedagogy For Social Justice In Catholic Education, Roydavid Villanueva Quinto

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

A growing number of gay and lesbian children attend Catholic schools throughout the United States; and an untold number of gay and lesbian children in Catholic schools are experiencing harassment, violence, and prejudice because of their sexual orientation or gender non-conformity. Whether due to their size, strong sense of community, or making special considerations for vulnerable students, Catholic schools seem to be the best equipped to address these issues, but all of the research points to such schools enacting policies of silence and suppression. This study specifically explores why Catholic teachings on sexuality and social justice have may have been …

Bhakti Yoga: Understanding Bhakti Through Rasa Sentiment, Johanna Bennett

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

For the purposes of this essay and in the effort to articulate a particular expression of bhakti, the focus will be on emotional bhakti through the lens of a form of Kṛṣṇa Bhakti that draws upon conventions found in aesthetic theory in order to communicate the loving devotion towards God. While there are many expressions of bhakti traditions depending on the deity of worship, the ontology subscribed or the way and goal taken asunder, I will explore the role of rasa in the discourses of Kṛṣṇa bhakti expressed in influential form in the Bhāgavata Purāṇa, and the Gītagovinda of Jayadeva …

T.S. Eliot: A Never-Ending Exploration, Kristina Krupilnitskaya

Honors Thesis

The following thesis explores the work of T.S. Eliot before and after his conversion to the Anglican Church. While the paper explores the stylistic qualities of Eliot's poetry, the main focus of the essay lies in bridging the pre and post conversion works together in order to show that both of the periods were significant in the poet's life. While many critics viewed Eliot's early poetry as a lot more exploratory and challenging, calling his later poetry banal and bland, my essay aims to show that even though the poetry had shifted in its content, its significance, complexity, and experimentality …

Speak English, Pray In Spanish: Forming Cultural Bridges Between Hispanic Teens And Parents, Dulce Flores

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

Within Hispanic families there is a growing gap – a disconnection between Hispanic immigrants and their U.S. born and raised children. The cultural gap formed between these two groups has caused many U.S. Hispanic teens to disconnect from “Catholic” as a marker of identity. In order to help Hispanic teens establish a Catholic identity, the local church community needs to help families bridge the gap between teens, parents, and the Church itself. Through the exploration of mestizaje and the incorporation of lo cotidiano and accompaniment in catequesis familiar, parents in conjunction with the Church community can help engage teens in …

To Speak The Word Of God With Our Hands For Those Who Hear With Their Eyes, Miriam Nancy Lopez

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

Deaf people often have been outsiders in a hearing Church. Ninety-five percent of Deaf people are born to hearing parents. This is a Community that is doubly marginalized for they are Latino/as and Deaf. Therefore, I will present the needs of Deaf Latino/a Catholics in order for the Church to recognize them as a Community of faith. First, I present how language impacts the development of culture and identity. Second, how this community of Deaf Latino/as is trying to make sense of their identity as they are being raised in the United States. Finally, I present a plan to bridge …

Catequesis Familiar: A Program Of New Evangelization And Life-Long Catechesis For The Family And Through The Family, Alexander David Fontes

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Response To Poverty, Colleen R. Murray

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

Current social norms support statistics that reflect the uneven distribution of economic resources within the United States. Local Catholic parishes, including its parishioners, have a responsibility to address the needs of the poor by participating in outreach to others. This is true within upper-income parishes where access to a variety of resources could provide support to those with far fewer resources. Church tradition provides the means for understanding why care for the poor is a priority and responsibility in the life of a parish. The belief of “imago Dei” forms a basis of establishing that human life has …

Jesus And The Ethic Of Love: A Critical Examination Of A New Covenant, Jeffrey Stephen Sabol

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Prayer In A Time Of Sin: A Comparative Analysis Of Christian, Buddhist, And Kashmiri Shaiva Doctrines, Viresh Hughes

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Truth And Conflict In The Catholic Church: Catholic Jewish Dialogue, Nadia Pandolfo

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

A dispute between Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and Walter Kasper beginning in the 1960s reveals two competing worldviews within the contemporary Roman Catholic Church with regard to Catholic-Jewish relations: An ontological approach, represented by Ratzinger, which understands the truth to be eternal, unchanging and handed down from above, and a historicalphenomenological approach, represented by Kasper, which understands human experience as dynamically shaping conceptions of the truth. These competing worldviews hold further theological implications (anthropological, Christological, soteriological, ecclesiological, and missiological) in terms of how Catholics approach and understand their relationship with Judaism. This thesis will argue that because Kasper’s worldview is more …

Response To 1 Timothy 2:11-12 Or Its Parallel, 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 By Three Sixteenth-Century Protestant Women Theologians: Argula Von Grumbach, Marie Dentiére, And Anne Askew, Katharine German Hall

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

The Protestant women who engaged in theology and biblical scholarship throughout the sixteenth century faced numerous barriers entering into and being heard within their Protestant movements. Because Protestants recognize Scripture as the primary authority on matters of faith, 1 Timothy 2:11-12, along with its parallel in 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, provided a unique impediment to sixteenth-century Protestant women theologians. These women faced the burden of both affirming the authority of Scripture and simultaneously contravening the biblical prohibition against women teaching. Many women theologians of the time; including Argula von Grumbach, Marie Dentiére, and Anne Askew; addressed this issue in their writings. …

Envisioning Queer Culture: Toward A Theological Framework For Reimagining Sexuality And Sexual Orientation, Danielle Dempsey

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, I argue that the both the Church and the Queer Community will benefit from a reexamination of Church teachings on sexuality. I argue that Church’s current position on sexuality does not uphold its own teaching on the importance human dignity, because a sexual ethic that opposes homosexuality contributes to the marginalization of members of the Queer Community. I then argue that Michael Lawler’s and Todd Salzman’s The Sexual Person: Toward a Renewed Catholic Anthropology provides a revisionist theory on sexual ethics that is inclusive of same-sex couples while also paying deference to the fundamental elements of the …

The Call To Love: A Catholic’S Guide To New Understandings Of Homosexual Inclusivity, Eddie-Joe Vieyra

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

The issue of homosexual inclusivity within the Catholic Church has been and continues to be at the center of much debate. This thesis analyzes the issue by engaging the document ,“The Pastoral Care of the Homosexual Person” written by Joseph Ratzinger. New exegetical interpretations of both Old and New Testament texts are placed in dialogue with interpretations utilized by Ratzinger in his letter. These interpretations serve to provide an alternative and liberating reading of seminal texts that have been used to oppress and exclude the Queer community from the Catholic Church. Queer theology is then used to draw connections between …

Sewing New Theological Cloth On An Old Liturgical Cloak: New Theological Expressions & Tensions Created By The Liturgical Reforms Of Vatican Ii In The Liturgy Of The Hours, Stephen J. Picard

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

“...And He Was Known In The Breaking Of The Bread.”, Michele Volz

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Fidelity, Conscience, And Dissent: Engaging The Lcwr And Charles Curran On The Issue Of Dissent In A Roman Catholic Context, Dennis Albert Pangindian

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

This thesis critically examines the cases of Vatican intervention with the Leadership Conference for Women Religious (LCWR) and Charles Curran to explore the question of whether legitimate dissent is possible as an act of conscience. The Doctrinal Assessment of the Leadership Conference for Women Religious released by the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, as well as the exchange between Sr. Pat Farrell, then-president of the LCWR, and Bishop Blair, the one who conducted the investigation on the LCWR, on “Fresh Air,” a radio show on National Public Radio raise questions about how the Church is to understand truth, obedience, …