Religion Commons^™

Short-Term Missions And Their Ethical Shortcomings, Breanna Watson

Scholars Day Conference

I wrote on "Short-Term Missions..." for my Christian Ethics class last semester. Short-Term Missions (STMs), while aiming to fulfill the Great Commission, often prioritize quick results over genuine relationship-building, diverting significant financial resources from sustainable solutions. They perpetuate power imbalances and fail to foster mutual understanding between "goers" and "receivers." STMs lack the long-term, selfless, culturally adaptive nature of true mission work, exemplified by early missionaries like Paul the Apostle. To mitigate their damaging effects, prospective participants should engage in informed cultural study, prioritize relational connections over task completion, and reconsider the economic impact of their involvement, seeking more ethical …

Spare The Rod, Spoil The Child?: The Christian Ethics Of Corporal Punishment, Brooke Wright

Scholars Day Conference

This paper seeks to answer the question of whether or not Christians should spank their children according to what the Bible and research says about a parent's duty to their children, the long term effects of spanking, and the efficacy of the practice.

Black Liberation Theology In The Civil Rights Movement: Contextualizing The Works Of James H. Cone, Ella Cox

Scholars Day Conference

These slides are meant to provide a visual aid for the presentation given on my thesis, "Black Liberation Theology in the Civil Rights Movement: Contextualizing the Works of James H. Cone."

Under The Sun: Songs From Ecclesiastes, Emma Kay Smith

Scholars Day Conference

Historically, artists in all spaces have gleaned inspiration from the text of the Bible in order to communicate meaningful stories. The book of Ecclesiastes is particularly rich in its images and themes, and it warrants profound creative contemplation. This project documents the process of crafting 1960s-style folk songs based on this often confounding and ever-beautiful text. This process included close, meditative listening to the works of great songwriters from the 1960s folk era such as Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen and culminated in the live recording of four folk songs, compiled in the demo-EP Under the Sun: Songs from Ecclesiastes. …

Exploring The Medieval Frontier: The Reconquista, Alex Wolfe

Scholar Week 2016 - present

This project focuses on material history, the study of objects and their role in history, and deriving meaning from artifacts in order to synthesize an applied historical thesis.

The objects studied in this research project are of particular importance to the study of the Reconquista, a unique frontier conflict in the Iberian Peninsula between Christians and Muslims that lasted from the eighth through fifteenth centuries.

The artifacts brought together in this digital exhibit bring into material focus the visible exchanges and borrowings between Christians and Muslims across the frontier of the Reconquista. In their material relationship, they demonstrate the unique …

From Proposal To Implementation: The Founding Of The Center For Faith And Family, Leon Blanchette Edd, Mark Frisius Phd, Lindsey Bush

Scholar Week 2016 - present

This panel will discuss the process involved in the formation of the Center for Faith and Family at Olivet. The concept of the Center originated in Spring of 2022 when Lilly Endowment invited Olivet to submit a grant proposal. The purpose of the grant was to establish a unique approach to providing resources that assist parents and caregivers to pass their faith to their children. In this panel discussion, the presenters will discuss the process of submitting the grant proposal, the steps taken to research and launch the Center, and the current initiatives of the Center.