Arts and Humanities Commons^™

The Struggle For Acceptance: Continued Resistance To Female Ministers In Rural Holston Conference., Thelma June Neal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted to determine if ordained women clergy experience resistance or lack of receptivity to their appointments. If so, does the resistance more readily occur with churches in a rural area? The focus of the study was women clergy of the Holston Conference of the United Methodist Church. My study reveals there are Methodist women clergy who continue to have churches outright refuse their projected appointments. My study also reveals that this problem is more often found with churches in rural areas where the culture is connected to long-standing scriptural interpretations and traditions that do not theologically and …

Women's Ordination- A Litmus Test For Antinomianism, Joseph Omolo

Master of Art Theology Thesis

When the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya (ELCK), to which I belong, established a deaconess college at the beginning of this century to train young women for parish work, it was not clear which kind of education they were going to be offered. Many observers, both from within and without, saw this as a signal that the church was moving towards the ordination of women. When the first crop of deaconesses graduated and were deployed into the parishes, a great confusion reigned among the members, both clergy and ordinary Christians, regarding the role of these new workers. To compound the …

The Rhetoric Of The Frontier And The Frontier Of Rhetoric, Carly Kay Paul

Theses and Dissertations

The definition of rhetoric has recently been expanded to include elements of experience, particularly the experiences that landscape provides. One landscape that has rhetorical significance is the American frontier, both in Colonial times and in the nineteenth century. The frontier had a rhetorical impact on women, in particular, giving them freedom to change their roles and achieve economic, political, and social success. Because of the tremendous significance of the frontier in women's lives, a new definition of frontiers emphasizes conditions such as opportunity for change, a dangerous and uncertain atmosphere, a freedom of thought and action, and an ability to …

"Woman Arise!": Political Work In The Writings Of Lu Dalton, Sheree Maxwell Bench

Theses and Dissertations

In 1872, Mormon plural wife, educator, and suffragist Lucinda Lee Dalton began writing fiery political essays and insightful poetry for the Woman's Exponent from her small community in southern Utah. Through her writings Dalton endeavors to shape the opinions of Exponent readers by working within public discourse toward the goal of equality for women. At times both optimistic and troubled, she uses the rhetorical strategies of humor, irony, reason, identification, and persuasion to educate men and women on disparities and to encourage women to participate actively in their own emancipation. She often engages in a dialogical process with other writers …

"And Well She Can Persuade": The Power And Presence Of Women In The Book Of Mormon, Wendy Hamilton Christian

Theses and Dissertations

This work is the first of its kind on women in the Book of Mormon. It (1) is an exhaustive treatment of the book's female characters, (2) analyzes how women function in the text, and (3) delineates the text's female-inclusive language. This thesis contains a complete list and discussion of the identifiable women in the Book of Mormon (Chapter 1); provides a compilation and treatment of the book's gender-inclusive language—comprising over 200 words and more than 5,000 references to them—and its bearing on the doctrines and depictions of women in the narrative (Chapter 2); and illustrates the significant influence individual …

Faith, Femininity, And The Frontier: The Life Of Martha Jane Knowlton Coray, Amy Reynolds Billings

Theses and Dissertations

Through examining the life of Martha Jane Knowlton Coray, a nineteenth-century Mormon woman, this thesis establishes an analytical framework for studying the lives of Mormon women in territorial Utah. Their faith, femininity, and the frontier form the boundaries in which their lives are studied. Their faith was primarily defined by the doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, such as a belief in a restored gospel and priesthood, temples, and polygamy. These unique beliefs also fostered an identity as a chosen people and contributed to hostile feelings from their neighbors. Persecution followed and the Latter-day Saint community …

Scriptural Archeology: Excavating The Presence Of Women In The Torah, Vanessa Tess Sibley

Honors Theses

Women's roles in religious history have been traditionally described in terms of their relation and value to men. The normative religious texts provide an androcentric perspective on the gender relationships within the early community, the growth of Judaism in "Jacob's House" and the monotheistic worship of God. Yet these literary representations omit an entire half of the experience of the Jewish community: the perspective and participation of women. As Judith Plaskow argues extensively in Standing Again at Sinai, women are defined not in her own terms or in her own voice, but by her relationship and value to men through …

Because Of Thy Exceeding Faith: A Choreographic Portrayal Of Women In The Book Of Mormon, Wendy L. Bone

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a choreographic exploration that illuminates and defines moments in the lives of women who are mentioned in the Book of Mormon. These women are Sariah; the wife of King Lamoni and Abish, her servant; and the Ammonite mothers of Helaman's two thousand stripling warriors. It is through these stories that their faith was evident. By understanding the roles these women played in the history of the Book of Mormon, we can use their example to strengthen our own testimonies.
It was discovered through this process that, although one can read about the life of another, a deeper …

"Give It All Up And Follow Your Lord": Mormon Female Religiosity, 1831-1843, Janiece L. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Since the 1750s American women have flocked to churches. Women have consistently been the majority in church populations. Religion was the central motivation of the female life experience. Likewise, women comprised a significant portion of the membership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in its first decade. There exists little historical analysis of the contribution and experience of these women as a whole. As a result of this lack of research some historians have made erroneous assumptions of patriarchal oppression and a lack of commitment on the part of early Mormon women. This project closely examines the …

Addressing Mormon Female Communities: Working Towards A Woman's Capacity, Alyssa Snow Larson

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis project explores the discourse in Mormon culture addressing Mormon female communities. The discussion is sociological rather than theological and examines the functional characteristics of discourse found in the tradition regarding women. It sets out to review a paradox in the discourse addressing Mormon women that has been documented over time. I examine how this paradox in Mormon discourse establishes and limits women's roles; to do so, I use personal examples and the experience provided by thirteen women whom I interviewed.

The thesis is divided into three main discussions: Community, Discursive Action and Cooperation. My methodology involves a theoretical …

The American Board's Single Missionary Women In American Indian Missions, 1810–1860, Lisa Jacqueline Travis

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Between 1810 and 1860 in American Indian missions, single missionary women comprised half of the female workforce in the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM). Because the ABCFM operated as a business for converting and assimilating American Indians, it hired single women to perform vital and various tasks. Missionary couples requested that the ABCFM appoint single women to teach, perform domestic work, and care for mission children. Biographically, they resembled each other, but their reasons for becoming missionaries varied. Some single women became missionaries after lifelong dreams, but others because the suggestion was made. As workers, some were …

Marriage Beyond Hierarchy-How To Keep Building A Better Partnership Marriage, George Zoebl

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

The debate over the statue of women represents a large clash between venerable religious beliefs and social movements that have affected the understanding of what a "true Biblical marriage” should be. This paper explores "Marriage Beyond Hierarchy...How To Keep Building a Partnership Marriage."

Chapter one deals with an exegetical study of Ephesians 6:22-33, I Peter 3:1-7, I Corinthians 7 and looks at the Lutheran Confessions and what they say about marriage, roles, responsibilities, submission and headship. Chapter two examines the "chain of command" model of marriage in comparison with the "equal partnership" model. Finally, chapter throe presents a method for …

Marriage And The Image Of God As It Is Reflected In Paul's Understanding Of Women And The Ministry In Four Passages: 1 Cor. 11:2-16; 14:33b-36; Eph. 5:22-33; 1 Tim. 2:11-15, Lane Burgland

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

This study proposes to examine the Pauline texts which bear most directly upon the subject of women and their involvement in the ministry of word and sacrament. Several evangelical feminist6writers will be engaged in the study at specific points in the interpretation. The primary goal of this paper, however, is to produce an exegesis of these four passages which identifies the basis of Paul's comments and demonstrates their unity. This work is intended to answer the question: "how does what Paul's says about women in four passages reflect his understanding of the image of God and Christology?"

The contribution this …

Active Latter-Day Saint Working Mothers: Their Effect On Their Daughters' Future Plans, Nissa C. Bengtson Allred

Theses and Dissertations

This research looks at the effect employed active LDS mothers have on their daughters' future plans for education, career, marriage, and children. Mothers' educational level, type of employment, and daughters' attachment to the LDS church were taken into consideration. It was found that a majority of daughters are definite in their plans for education, career, marriage, and children regardless of the employment status of their mother. Daughters of employed LDS mothers are more definite in their plans for a career than daughters of unemployed LDS mothers. No effect was found for mothers' employment on daughters' future plans for college, marriage, …

Saturday's Women: Female Characters As Angels And Monsters In Saturday's Warrior And Reunion, Nola Diane Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Using theories of feminist criticism as explained by Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar, the study concludes that both Saturday's Warrior, a "home literature" style play, and Reunion, a more artistically challenging play, reflect repressive cultural images of women. Both plays cast female characters into the roles of passive Angel, domestic Angel/Monster, and active Monster.

The Role And Place Of Women In The Evangelical Lutheran Church In Tanzania--Mbulu Synod In The Light Of The New Testament, Daniel Daudi

Master of Art Theology Thesis

As noted at the outset, the main purpose of this research is to relieve the confusion in the ELCT—Mbulu Synod about the role and place of women. However, in order to give a broad overview of the place of, it is important that materials on women be presented both in their positive and negative details, because the ELCT Mbulu Synod has emphasized negative examples and passages from the Bible concerning women rather than positive examples which do exist. It is accepted that the Bible is the written Word of God worthy of the closest attention and which demands our obedience. …

An Investigation Of Contemporary Feminist Arguments On Paul's Teaching On The Role Of Women In The Church, Hershel House Wayne

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

As may be readily seen, mass confusion pervades this problem. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the various approaches interpreters have used to understand the apostle Paul's teaching on the role of women in the church and to offer alternative ways to view the Pauline texts. Not only will I interact with the feminists on their specific perspectives of the pertinent Pauline texts, but I will examine the hermeneutical presuppositions of these writers and also attempt to discern their perspective of Scripture and how that affects the exegetical fruit they produce.

Women Homesteaders In Utah, 1869-1934, Jill Thorley Warnick

Theses and Dissertations

Much of Utah's history is the story of the relationship of humans and the land. Human perceptions of Utah's land have changed over time and affected the way it has been used. The homestead movement was an important phase in the use of Utah's land. Through federal settlement acts many Utahns obtained title to public land. This study is an attempt to learn more about the relationship between women and the land and about the lives of women in Utah.
The study is based on Utah land records from 1869-1934. Most homesteading activity in Utah took place during this period. …

Utah's Anti-Polygamy Society, 1878-1884, Barbara Hayward

Theses and Dissertations

The Anti-Polygamy Society was established in 1878 to try to encourage Congress to abolish the practice of plural marriage tn Utah Territory. In the brief time that it existed, the women of this Utah-based group sent petitions, circulars, and letters to Congress and many leaders of the country urging that laws be passed to end polygamy. Much of their work was also carried out in the society's newspaper, the Anti-polygamy Standard.

By the time that laws were passed that restricted polygamy, the Anti-polygamy Society no longer existed. Nonetheless, the society was important in the anti-polygamy crusade because it was …

The Lord's Definition Of Woman's Role As He Has Revealed It To His Prophets Of The Latter Day, Mildred Chandler Austin

Theses and Dissertations

The Lord has not left women to wonder how to perform during mortality. The teachings of the ten presidents of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have given very satisfying answers to most questions, and have invited women to ask God for inspiration of their own for further, personalized direction.

The counsel of the prophets gives women directions concerning whom, when, and where to marry. However, if the proper opportunities for a Church-recommended marriage don't present themselves, women are told to be patient and to spend their time giving one of the several services for which they are …

A Study Of The Executive Board Of The Arkansas Baptist State Convention 1900-1965, Carl Wesley Kluck Sr.

OBU Graduate Theses

In this study an analysis had been made of the Executive Board of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention. The investigation was limited to eight specific problems. The problems discussed are: (1) composition of the Board, (2) requisites for membership on the Board, (3) women on the Board, (4) personnel of the Board, (5) organization of the Board, (6) meetings of the Board, (7) duties of the Board, and (8) report of the Board.

In the examination of these problems an attempt was made to discover and to present relevant factual information derived from available primary sources.

Due to the nature …

Woman Suffrage In Utah As An Issue In The Mormon And Non-Mormon Press Of The Territory 1870-1887, Ralph Lorenzo Jack

Theses and Dissertations

Early Utah history was characterized in part by a period of journalistic controversy and abuse that clearly reflected the differences between the Latter-day Saint and Gentile populations of the Territory. This thesis is a study of the differences between the Mormon and Gentile presses concerning the subject of woman suffrage.