Religion Commons^™

The Black Church : Responding To The Drug-Related Mass Incarceration Of Young Black Males : "If You Had Been Here My Brother Would Not Have Died!", Sharon E. Moore, A. Christson Adedoyin, Michael A. Robinson, Daniel A. Boamah

Sharon E. Moore

The mass incarceration of young Black males for drug-related offences is a social issue that has broad implications. Some scholars have described this as a new form of racism that needs to be addressed through the concerted effort of various institutions, including the Black Church. In this paper the authors will elucidate the past and current roles of the Black Church, discuss the utilization of the social work Theory of Empowerment and Black Church theology to address the disproportionality of drug-related mass incarceration of young Black males, focus on initiatives undertaken by the Black Church to address this issue and …

Not So Private: A Political Theology Of Church And Family, Jana Marguerite Bennett

Jana M. Bennett

The words used to describe that relationship are public and private, words that frequently appear in both secular and Christian conversations about marriage and family. We name "family" and "church" as private matters, parts of life that are necessarily held distinctly from public matters, as in political life. At the same time, because Christians rightly understand family as a place where people learn discipleship and a place where formation and evangelization happen,3 we care very much about how to think about families in relation to church and state. There is a relationship between these three entities, American Christians insist, and …

Cowboys, Angels, And Demons: American Exceptionalism And The Frontier Myth In The Cw's 'Supernatural', Joesph M. Valenzano

Joseph M. Valenzano III

The CW network series Supernatural (2005–) draws its text from the horror and fantasy genres as well as religious mythology. Concurrently, it transmits a core “American” mythos. As its protagonists keep watch along a supernatural frontier and eradicate threats to the American way of life, this program both reinforces and alters aspects of the frontier myth and the myth of American exceptionalism by depicting its main characters as representations of America writ large whose mission has grown from an appointment by God to being equals to God. In this manner, Supernatural forwards a new American exceptionalism through the notion that …

Contested Moralities: Animals And Moral Value In The Dear/Symanski Debate, William S. Lynn

William S. Lynn, PhD

Geography is experiencing a ‘moral turn’ in its research interests and practices. There is also a flourishing interest in animal geographies that intersects this turn, and is concurrent with wider scholarly efforts to reincorporate animals and nature into our ethical and social theories. This article intervenes in a dispute between Michael Dear and Richard Symanski. The dispute is over the culling of wild horses in Australia, and I intervene to explore how geography deepens our moral understanding of the animal/human dialectic. I begin by situating the inquiry into ethics and animals in geography. Next, I provide a synopsis of Dear …

Religion And Core Values : A Reformulation Of The Funnel Of Causality., Jason Gainous, Bill Radunovich

Jason Gainous

This study reformulates the classic funnel of causality proposed in The American Voter. Where The American Voter suggests that group affiliation and values are equally influential in candidate choice, the foundational sociological literature suggest that values are derived from group affiliation, and therefore The American Voter has misconceptualized the ordering of these influences. We concur with the sociological literature, which suggests that values are more proximate to that decision than is group affiliation. Examining data from a 2002 statewide survey of Florida residents, and using religious affiliation as a measure of group affiliation, we explore the effects of political core …

Faith And Foreign Policy In India: Legal Ambiguity, Selective Xenophobia, And Anti-Minority Violence, Chad M. Bauman

Chad M. Bauman

Bibliography Of Books On Muslims And Islam In The United States (1970-2015), Sahar Aziz, Cynthia Burress

Cynthia Burress

Using Poetry As An Aid To Life Review, James J. Magee

James J. Magee

Growing numbers of gerontological settings have discovered that poetry is a readily accessible resource to prompt and enrich life review among groups of older adults. Participants can sample poems at their leisure, reflecting upon them and the memories they evoke from their own lives. Many older adults find poetry replete with images and themes that express the meaning of events and relationships that surface in their life review. References to these images and themes are especially helpful in easing the participation of introverted or troubled older adults.

Spirituality: Integral To The Assessment Of The Life Satisfaction Of Retired Sisters, James J. Magee

James J. Magee

No abstract provided.

Shame, Mystical Writers, And A Spirituality Of Self, James J. Magee

James J. Magee

No abstract provided.

Using Older Adults' Life Review In Marriage Preparation: Report From A Pilot Project, James J. Magee

James J. Magee

This article examines how four guidelines for sharing reminiscences with kin soon to be married enhanced the self-understanding of older adults while helping kin to recognize patterns they are bringing into the marriage. The first guideline is to tape record or videotape the meeting with kin. The second is that the kin be physically present to question and elaborate upon the reviewers' memories. The third is that the reviewers avoid discussions about relationships involving generations younger than their own. The final guideline is that the reviewers have facilitators reconvene the original groups to hear their accounts of the meeting with …

The Relevance Of Life Review To The Vowed Life, James J. Magee

James J. Magee

No abstract provided.

Using Poetic Paradox To Enhance The Self-Esteem Of Shame-Driven Older Adults, James J. Magee

James J. Magee

The article first identifies the characteristics of shamedriven reminiscences. It then explains how poetic paradox can draw troubled members from relentless self-criticism toward increasing self-acceptance of their life remembered. Finally, it concludes with illustrations of poetic paradox and the enabling responses that occur among the group participants.

Mysticism And Reframing Memories In Life Review Groups, James J. Magee

James J. Magee

This article presents a pilot project in which reminiscence group members read mystics from several religious traditions to select imagery about the mystical theme of an unconditionally accepted "Core Self." The perspective from "Core Self," in turn, reframes unforgiving judgments some members have made about their personal history, ameliorates meager levels of self-esteem through which they have reviewed their life, and draws from their reminiscences more functional ways of managing current issues. The article concludes with examples of members offering additional insights into the life review of three colleagues that enhance the benefits of the project.

Early Church Models Of Some Elderly Ministries, James J. Magee

James J. Magee

No abstract provided.

Metaphysical Self In Other Mystical Traditions, James J. Magee

James J. Magee

No abstract provided.

Life Review: A Spiritual Way For Older Adults, James J. Magee

James J. Magee

This paper presents an integrative model of life review as a readily accessible resource for the spiritual well-being of older adults. The model contains a sequence of three interdependent, developmental components. The first component examines the family context within which life review occurs and the pervasive influence of this context throughout the life cycle. The second component explains the role of designated groups or confidants in facilitating the sharing of memories, emotions, and self-assessment evoked in life review. The final component explores the ways in which this companionate life review elicits and affirms for older adults new, more gratifying images …

Older Sisters Know What They Need To Keep Up Their Morale, James J. Magee

James J. Magee

No abstract provided.

Empowering Themselves: A Spiritual Path For Shame Bound Older Adults, James J. Magee

James J. Magee

This article describes how older adults with life long deficiencies in self-esteem can draw upon their spiritual life as an ancillary source of self-empowerment in the counseling process. It explains how insight into the spiritual dimensions of five age related changes facilitates transcending shame as an older adult. It concludes by noting five stages through which older adults proceed as they find the source of their self-esteem first in God and gradually in themselves.

Determining The Predictors Of Life Satisfaction Among Retired Nuns: Report From A Pilot Project, James J. Magee

James J. Magee

No abstract provided.

Life Review, Paradox, And Self-Esteem, James J. Magee

James J. Magee

No abstract provided.

Life Review, Families, And Older Religious, James J. Magee

James J. Magee

No abstract provided.

A Spiritual Approach To Reframing Memories In Life Review Groups: Report From A Pilot Project, James J. Magee

James J. Magee

This article presents a pilot project in which reminiscence group members read mystics from several religious traditions to select imagery about the mystical theme of an unconditionally accepted "Core Self." The perspective from "Core Self," in turn, reframes unforgiving judgments some members have made about their personal history, ameliorates meager levels of self-esteem through which they have reviewed their lives, and draws from their reminiscences more functional ways of managing current issues. The article concludes with examples of members offering additional insights into the life review of three colleagues that enhance the benefits of the project.

A Paradoxical Model Empowering Reminiscence Group Members To Transcend Physical Impediements To Participation, James J. Magee

James J. Magee

This article presents a pilot project with physically impaired members of four reminiscence groups in an assisted living residence. The members had already attended literary discussion groups which primed them for the project. First, they selected authors or characters described as living "once removed from their body." Then, participants filled this space with a homonym term associated with their physical condition. Finally, they reflected on their conditions from the perspective of the other homonym term. Bemused detachment replaced obsessiveness about their health and eased the interaction and candidness among group members.

A Model For The Congregational Assessment Of The Life Satisfaction Of Retired Sisters, James J. Magee

James J. Magee

No abstract provided.

Assessing A Community's Financial Situation: An Agenda For Discussions Among Community Members, James J. Magee

James J. Magee

No abstract provided.

A Participatory Residential Model Addressing The Needs Of Retired Priests, James J. Magee

James J. Magee

Diocesan clergy bring several impediments to successful retirement that arise from the celibate, pyramidal, and task focused structure of their lifestyle. This is also the first generation of priests to retire from their parishes because of age. To assist them, many dioceses are providing group residences. Involvement of the retirees in designing and carrying out a participatory model for management of the residence can minimize the impediments to life satisfaction. Involvement promotes experiences in community building, advocacy on behalf of group needs, and candid exchanges about meaning and purpose that the residents want their retirement to provide.

Confidants Help Older Religious With Life Review, James J. Magee

James J. Magee

No abstract provided.

They Fell Silent When We Stopped Listening: Apophatic Theology And 'Asking The Beasts', Eric D. Meyer

Eric Meyer

The Catholic Enlightenment. The Forgotten History Of A Global Movement, Ulrich Lehner

Ulrich L. Lehner

No abstract provided.