Religion Commons^™

My Mother On Dream Interpretation And The Lack Of Finality In Death, Liz Johnston

Comparative Woman

This is an interview with my mother, a dream interpreter. Here, we explore her practice of reading dreams and discuss her experiences in communicating with spirits.

‘Love-Jihad’ And Bollywood: Constructing Muslims As ‘Other’, Nadira Khatun

Journal of Religion & Film

In the postcolonial nation state that is India, cinema has become an important tool for propagating the idea of nationalism. In recent times, one of the most controversial components of Hindu nationalism has been the hate campaign against what is termed as ‘love-jihad’, which is deployed as a weapon to mobilize, polarize, and communalize citizens. The Indian Hindi-language film industry, popularly known as Bollywood, has also become a controversial site. In this paper, I argue that if ‘Indian nationalism’ is to be represented as ‘Hindu nationalism’ and ‘Indian culture’ as ‘Hindu culture,’ it logically follows that this majoritarian construction needs …

Representations Of Nineteenth Century Mormonism In A Mormon Maid: A Cinematic Analysis, Elisabeth Weagel

Journal of Religion & Film

During the first quarter of the 20th century there was a trend in Hollywood to make films about Mormons. Practices such as polygamy created just the kind of sensationalism that attracted filmmakers (even Thomas Edison contributed with his 1902 film A Trip to Salt Lake). Many of these were B-pictures, but the 1917 film A Mormon Maid stands out because it was produced by a major production company (Paramount) and was backed by top director Cecil B. DeMille. It is often given passing reference, but very little genuine scholarship has been done on the film. A hundred years …

Ask The Beasts Of The Southern Wild: Exploring Human Identity As Beast, Being And Beholder In Ask The Beasts: Darwin And The God Of Love And Beasts Of The Southern Wild, Stephanie Cherpak Clary

Journal of Religion & Film

Anthropocentrism and hierarchical dualism together encourage a dangerous anthropology where human primacy among creation and the prioritization of certain humans leads to destruction for all. During a time when suffering caused by climate change continues to intensify, it is increasingly important to find compelling ways to share the stories of those who suffer most. I will explore how Beasts of the Southern Wild (Zeitlin, 2012) contextualizes the ecofeminist theology found in Johnson’s Ask the Beasts: Darwin and the God of Love (2014), specifically the idea of humans identifying as beasts, beings and beholders. Furthermore, I will discuss how the representation …

Guardians Of Virtue, Tamsen Maloy, Tasia Jensen

Capstones

Guardians of Virtue is a short documentary following Tamsen Maloy as she explores how the church of her upbringing--the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon church)--handles sexual assault. It is quickly revealed that the church does not have adequate resources for sexual assault survivors. On the contrary, the culture and system of the church enables assault and encourages survivors to feel they are to blame.

Link to capstone: https://tantproductions.wordpress.com/

Paper: An Ecowomanist View On The Dakota Access Pipeline, Ariana Raya

Womanist Ethics

This paper examines the Dakota Access Pipeline using ecofeminist and ecowomanist philosophies, provides a brief historical background of African American and Native American communities, explains the dangers of the pipeline to the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, and offers constructive alternatives.

Religious Motivation, Priming And Their Effects On Sexist Language, Bridget Bard, Hank Rothgerber

Undergraduate Theses

This experiment delves into the potential effects of sexist language used in the Christian religious context on increased use of sexist language, and endorsement of sexism on an individual level. In order to demonstrate a relationship between these two variables, an experiment was designed. Participants were exposed to either a religious or neutral priming session and were then immediately asked to complete several scales and measures of sexist language, sexism, and their level of intrinsic religious motivation. The hypothesis was that participants who ranked lower on intrinsic religious motivation, and who received a religious prime, would generate increased sexist language …

Perpetua And Felicity: The Unofficial Lesbian Saints, Mari Tonsfeldt

Essential Studies UNDergraduate Showcase

The concept of homosexuality did not exist prior to the nineteenth century. In literature, this made lesbians a rarity. With the absence of women writers and even fewer lesbian writers, the question for historians became how to find our queer ancestors. Defining anyone in the Medieval Age as homosexual is anachronistic at but modern lesbians could hardly be the first.

Saints Perpetua and Felicity are commonly regarded among the LGBTQ community and members of the Catholic Church as the Patron Saints of Same-Sex Relationships but in St. Perpetua’s self-penned diary and martyr story, the two women have only one direct …

Some Characteristics Of Interethnic Contacts Of Women In A Post-War Divided City – Kosovo Case, Ivana Milovanović

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This paper is a result of perennial theoretical and methodological studies and empirical research of the impact of social changes on the daily life of women in a post-conflict social environment. Keeping in mind that this paper is part of a more extensive field research, it focuses on some characteristics of interethnic contacts, which at the same time, are interreligious contacts between Orthodox and Muslim women (Serbian, Albanian and Bosnian). Characteristics of interethnic contacts of women in a daily life contextual framework are described and explained within the Kosovar post-war divided city Mitrovica/Kosovska Mitrovica, with special emphasis on the grassroots …

Pearcey's "Love Thy Body: Answering Hard Questions About Life And Sexuality" (Critical Book Review), Joseph Baumstarck Jr.

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

International Playgroup: Friendship Support For International Women Mothers/Parents In Greater Lafayette, Pamela K. Sari

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

Pamela K. Sari is a PhD candidate in the American studies program at Purdue University with a graduate concentration/certificate in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies. Inspired by the Archival Theory and Practice class taught by Professors Susan Curtis and Kristina Bross at Purdue University, her career aspirations are to teach in higher education settings using service-learning as pedagogical and activism tools. This article reflects on her service-learning experience with International Playgroup, a community organization in Greater Lafayette that helps international mothers of preschoolers in their parenting journey by giving advice, providing monthly play activities, and providing swap activities of baby …

Jane Eyre: The Bridge Between Christianity And Folklore, Teagan Lewis

Student Publications

Charlotte Brontё’s acclaimed novel, Jane Eyre, was first marketed as an autobiography. The story, told from the point of view of a poor orphan girl, takes on a narrative similar to that of a fairytale. In this way, a reader may find difficulty in believing this novel to be a work of nonfiction. Charlotte Brontё employs aspects of both Christianity and fantasy in her novel not to discourage her readers from believing its validity but rather to emphasize how even poor orphan girls like Jane have forces of good guiding them. Jane Eyre is fictional, yet the hardships she …

Harmony, Dissonance, Or Harm? The Psychological And Spiritual Promises And Perils Of Gay Christian Celibacy, Darren Jay Freeman-Coppadge

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Identity conflicts between sexuality and spirituality faced by religious lesbian and gay people have been described in literature, along with various methods to resolve such conflicts, including sexual orientation change efforts and identity integration. But a dearth of literature exists regarding celibacy as a means of resolving identity conflict. This study employed grounded theory to investigate the psychological and spiritual wellbeing of 12 current and former gay Christian celibates (GCCs). Results revealed how celibacy could harmonize sexuality and Christian spirituality, benefiting some celibates by providing them peace, satisfaction, and spiritual vibrancy. However, for many others, celibacy instigated dissonance between their …

Best Integrated Writing 2018 - Complete Edition

Best Integrated Writing

Best Integrated Writing includes excellent student writing from Integrated Writing courses taught at Wright State University. The journal is published annually by the Wright State University Department of English Language and Literatures.

How The Catholic Church Came To Oppose Birth Control, Lisa Mcclain

History Faculty Publications and Presentations

This month marks the 50th anniversary of the landmark “Humanae Vitae,” Pope Paul VI’s strict prohibition against artificial contraception, issued in the aftermath of the development of the birth control pill. At the time, the decision shocked many Catholic priests and laypeople. Conservative Catholics, however, praised the pope for what they saw as a confirmation of traditional teachings.

On The (Male) Fringes: How Early Religious Women Remain “Subordinate” In World History Textbooks, Erica M. Southworth

Faculty Creative and Scholarly Works

Second Wave feminist researchers identified male-dominated curriculum formats in late twentieth century curriculum materials. This study builds off their work and advances the conversation of women’s inclusion by current United States secondary world history textbook content via a feminist lens to determine the extent of women’s agency in the accounts of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The purpose was to determine if textbooks portrayed these patriarchal religions as exclusively male, thereby presenting inaccurate portrayals of the religions and the agents involved, which directly violates NCSS Standards. This study used critical discourse analysis to identify patterns of female marginalization and omission, indicating …

Of Queens, Incubi, And Whispers From Hell: Joan Of Arc And The Battle Between Orthopraxy And Theoretical Doctrine In Fifteenth Century France, Helen W. Tschurr

Honors Program Theses

This project focuses on examining the nuances of fifteenth century religious gender theory through an exploration of the Trial of Condemnation (unduly maligned in the historiography) against Joan of Arc. Employing a lens of the theological concept of the “Bride of Christ,” (as defined by Dylan Elliot, Johanne Chamberlyne, Gilbert of Hoyland, and Peter Abelard) in studying this text, as well as the contemporary pro-Joan propaganda texts of Christine de Pizan, Jacques Gelu, and Jean Gerson,suggest a departure from current historiographical positions on medieval perceptions of gender and sex identity. Both Joan (in the trial) and her popular supporters understood …

Towards A Destructive, Unmonumental, Queer Hagiography: FéLix GonzáLez Torres And The Spiritual- Activist Potential Of Destruction, Daniel Santiago SáEnz Tabares

Conexión Queer: Revista Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Teologías Queer

This article presents an examination of two artworks by the late Cuban- American artist Félix González Torres, focusing primarily on the destructive strategies and theological potential of his work. After describing the activist and counter-monumental dimensions of «Untitled» (Portrait of Ross in L.A.) (1991) and «Untitled» (Lover Boys) (1991), the author examines these two pieces, as well as the artist’s life more generally, through the lens of queer martyrdom and queer theology to postulate a hagiographic take on González Torres’ life and oeuvre. Far from a definitive biographical study, this analysis is the result of interdisciplinary research mixed with …

¿Se Puede Conjugar Activismo Queer Con TeologíA En La Rioja, Argentina?: Indecentando La TeologíA Latinoamericana De La LiberacióN, Damián Nicolás De La Puente

Conexión Queer: Revista Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Teologías Queer

This article analyzes the impact of Latin American Liberation Theology (TLL) on the political militancy of the 1970s as a precedent for the movements of sexual diversity in La Rioja, Argentina. Currently, the militancy of queer movements in the province criticizes the Roman Catholic Church. Therefore, the aim is to analyze whether the Indecent Theology of Marcella Althaus-Reid can become an ally of the militancy of sexual diversity.

La Realidad De La Carne: Nuevos Discursos TeolóGicos Y PráCticas Pastorales Queer En El Sur Global, Hugo Córdova Quero, Jorge A. Aquino Ph.D., Gloria Careaga, André Sidnei Musskopf, Saúl Serna Segura

Conexión Queer: Revista Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Teologías Queer

No abstract provided.

«NãO Há Lugar Para Mim
 Na Casa De Deus?»: Identidade E Espiritualidade De LéSbicas Brasileiras Na RegiãO Kanto, JapãO, Nilta Dias

Conexión Queer: Revista Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Teologías Queer

Many Japanese Brazilian immigrants in Japan question their own ethnic, cultural and national identity. Considering the sexual diversity, many queer Brazilian immigrants add to this dilemma the question of sexuality. Living in the diaspora, many people —especially in times of difficulty— usually turn to friends or take refuge in religion. How do society and religious institutions in Japan —both Christian and non-Christian— treat queer people, especially women, and their spirituality? The purpose of this article is analyze the social and religious reality that —directly or indirectly— influences the life of queer Brazilian women in the Kanto region of Japan.

Feeling Of / Feeling For
 Queer Community: The Social Activism Of The San Francisco Sisters Of Perpetual Indulgence, Jason B. Crawford

Conexión Queer: Revista Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Teologías Queer

This interdisciplinary article explores the queer social activism of the San Francisco Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Based on over ten years of participant observation and archival research, I examine their rituals and public performances in order to illuminate the complex ways in which queer community is identified, felt, thought and lived out in response to social injustices rooted in religion. Using a theoretically informed lens, I alternate between academic and liturgical styles of writing to convey the feelings for, and feelings of, community that motivate and inspire the Sisters’ unique sacred clown aesthetic inspired by a desire to queer and …

Facultamiento Transgresivo: Queerificando Las Espiritualidades
 De Las Mak Nyahs De La FundacióN Pt
 En Kuala Lumpur, Malasia, Joseph N. Goh

Conexión Queer: Revista Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Teologías Queer

The article explores the transgressive empowerment of mak nyahs —male-to- female transsexuals— by queering their spiritualities to reveal the multiple, migratory movements of gender identities. The essay seeks to expose the heterosexist persecution of mak nyahs that assume monolithic forms of Islamic religiosity. In so doing, it argues that the interminable resistance and transgression of oppressive sexual and gender normativities form a migratory praxis of power shifts that generate empowerment for the mak nyahs. The objective of such an exploration is to reveal and name in a more articulate fashion the passion and alacrity with which mak nyahs live and …

El Sujeto Sexual En Las TeologíAs Queer: ¿Implicaciones Para Una TeologíA Queer Latinoamericana De La LiberacióN?, Beatriz Febus PéRez

Conexión Queer: Revista Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Teologías Queer

The subject of human sexuality has always been the subject of various discourses that have generated different debates throughout human history and Christianity. Today more than in the past arises the discussion from the sexual marginality and it is queer theory that tries to give voice to these margins, and identities questioning the heteropatriarcal gender and the sexuality. In this way, the present article discusses the various aspects that queer theory brings with its beginning and then how this sexual subject produces queer theologies. Finally, some implications of queer theologies with Latin American Liberation Theology are discussed.

Liberating The Imago Dei: An Examination Of Jewish And Christian Feminist Biblical Anthropology, Carissa S. Wyant

Doctor of Philosophy Theses

This study provides a comparative analysis of the work of Roman Catholic feminist theologian Elizabeth Johnson and that of Jewish feminist theologian Judith Plaskow, who have both sought to reconstruct the Imago Dei (“image of God”) within their respective traditions. By way of this analysis, it makes a methodological and a substantive contribution. Methodologically, it expands on Elizabeth Schüssler-Fiorenza’s feminist critical approach to reading Scripture by relating it to Francis Clooney’s comparative theological approach to reading texts in religious traditions other than one’s own. Although there have been attempts at comparisons of various religious traditions from a feminist perspective, this …

Radical Social Ecology As Deep Pragmatism: A Call To The Abolition Of Systemic Dissonance And The Minimization Of Entropic Chaos, Arielle Brender

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper aims to shed light on the dissonance caused by the superimposition of Dominant Human Systems on Natural Systems. I highlight the synthetic nature of Dominant Human Systems as egoic and linguistic phenomenon manufactured by a mere portion of the human population, which renders them inherently oppressive unto peoples and landscapes whose wisdom were barred from the design process. In pursuing a radical pragmatic approach to mending the simultaneous oppression and destruction of the human being and the earth, I highlight the necessity of minimizing entropic chaos caused by excess energy expenditure, an essential feature of systems that aim …

“Unwanted In My Own Country”: Testimonies Of Identity And Belonging-Negotiations In A Post-Trump America, Nadia Naghedi Baradaran Hajjar

Master's Theses

This research investigates the impact of Donald Trump’s campaign during the 2016 presidential elections and the so-called, “Muslim” Travel Ban presidential executive orders, on communities of first and second-generation Middle Eastern, Muslim immigrant women in the Los Angeles area, and it is framed within the context of post 9/11-biases and racial discrimination. The ethnographic-like methodology for this research has been conducted with the use of 11 semi-structured in-depth interviews from 2017 that have been transcribed and coded. Findings from the interview data shows that there is a varied amount of responses from the 2016 Presidential Elections and travel ban, however, …

The Gendered Image Of Sun Bu’Er In Yuan Hagiographies, Tali D. Hershkovitz

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research examines the gendered image of the Song dynasty (960-1279) Daoist matriarch Sun Bu’er (1119-1182) based on four hagiographies dedicated to her in four different anthologies from the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368). Building on Sun’s representation in these hagiographies, previous scholarship argued that Sun Bu’er’s Daoist identity is more significant than her gender identity. However, a close study of these hagiographic narratives reveals that as the only female disciple among the Seven Perfected Sun Bu’er was chronicled differently than the six male disciples, with emphasis on her gender. This is evident in the Daoist designation given to her by the …

Shiju's " Indian Christian Women Pioneers & Leaders Revealed: An Exploration Of Overlooked Women Voices In Socio-Cultural & Religious Framework" (Book Review), Rachel Perry Hanses

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

On The Politics And Conceptualization Of Gender Non-Conformity : Exploring Thailand’S Kathoey Population., Macey E. Mayes

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the politics and conceptualization of gender in Thailand, drawing specifically on the Thai understanding of sex and gender with regard to the kathoey population. This work considers the solidification of a third-gender category and looks to the ways this solidification can inhibit the fluidity of gender and sexuality. It also analyzes the dangers of transnational advocacy and the superimposition of Western queer advocacy and theory on Thai gender identities. I approach this issue from an interdisciplinary framework that seeks to include historical, cultural, and theoretical perspectives. In examining anthropological research, critiques of …