Other Religion Commons^™

The Influence Of Religion On The Criminal Behavior Of Emerging Adults, Christopher Salvatore, Gabriel Rubin

Gabriel Rubin

Recent generations of young adults are experiencing a new life course stage: emerging adulthood. During this ‘new’ stage of the life course, traditional social bonds and turning points may not be present, may be delayed, or may not operate in the same manner as they have for prior generations. One such bond, religion, is examined here. Focusing on the United States, emerging adulthood is investigated as a distinct stage of the life course. The criminality of emerging adults is presented, a theoretical examination of the relationship between religion and crime is provided, the role of religion in emerging adults’ lives …

The Significance Of John S. Mbiti's Works In The Study Of Pan-African Literature, Babacar Mbaye

Babacar Mbaye

No abstract provided.

Reactions, Reflections, And Responsibility: A Responsive Evaluation Of An Emerging Blended E-Learning Subject, Peter W. Kilgour, Phil Fitzsimmons

Peter Kilgour

In the decade since Schrum and Hong’s comment that “online learning has rapidly become a popular method of edu - cation for traditional and non-traditional students,” this approach to tertiary learning has morphed through several generational forms and platforms to the point where it has become firmly entrenched in the Australian tertiary landscape. As a broad generalization, e-learning, online, or flexible learning in many universities represents a spectrum of “information communications technology” (hereafter referred to as ICT) usage that ranges from little or no actual real-time interaction or “face-to-face” contact with associated viewing linkages such as YouTube through to teaching …

Whosoever Will: A Review Essay, C. Fred Smith

Fred O. Smith Jr.

No abstract provided.

The Epistemology Of Esoteric Culture: Spiritual Claim-Making Within The American Neopagan Community, Marty Laubach

Marty Laubach

Non-institutionalised religious communities within western esotericism, such as New Age or Neopagan subcultures, are dynamic marketplaces for knowledge construction that may appear to be chaotic and governed only by the rule of caveat emptor. However, a close examination reveals authorization processes developing along similar lines as those followed by scientific empiricism during the seventeenth century. Claims of esoteric knowledge are developed from psychism experiences, and are authenticated by examining the claimant’s social standing, the narrative structure of the claim and the interests of the claimant and the judge. Such claims are authorized by incorporation into collective action, publications, workshops and …

A Yoderian Appraisal Of Latin American Liberation Theology, Daniel Castelo

Daniel Castelo

No abstract provided.

The Heart Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Health Message, John Skrzypaszek

John Skrzypaszek

The article explores the circumstances relating to the historical emergence of the Seventh-day Adventist Health Message. The author raises the question whether the vision given to Ellen White, during her opening Sabbath prayer on Friday evening, June 5, 1863, was simply a matter of coincidence? Or, in view of the prevailing views and practices was God’s choice to communicate at such a specific point of time, intentional? In this context, the author explores the heart of the heath message suggesting that the “Otsego Health” vision drew attention to what matters to God most, namely spiritual health. Secondly, it prompted an …

Cross-Cultural Sharing Of Spirituality, John Skrzypaszek

John Skrzypaszek

This paper explores the nature of the Australian Aborigine and Christian spirituality. It demonstrates that the indigenous spirituality shows a strong tie between the spiritual realm and life's journey. The cultural symbolism, which reflects cosmology, shows that the mystical nature of the spiritual journey is deeply immersed in the totality of the Aboriginal life and consciousness. The study recognizes that the Aboriginal and Christian worldviews are distinctly different. However, it argues that the Aboriginal Christian spirituality may be enhanced by the qualities embedded in its indigenous roots. The study demonstrates that, at the point where propositional creed-based structure of the …

A Search For New Meaning: Virtual Landscapes, Identity And The Cross-Cultural Nature Of Intangible Heritage, John Skrzypaszek

John Skrzypaszek

This paper explores the role virtual landscapes play in the formation of the cross-cultural quality of the intangible heritage. Research suggests that the highly poignant global blending of cultures generates a field of new forms of expressions and gives birth to new contrasting cultural identities. The variety of cultural backgrounds immersed in the framework of globalized varieties reflects the “multiple dimensions that compose it” (Salzman & Matathia, 2006,134). Besides, the avalanche of technological advancements and the age of digitized communication transitions cultural expressions away from the accepted forms of the new unexplored landscapes. It also argues that the virtual spaces …

Cultural Heritage: Transformational And Inspiriational Framework For Future Education, John Skrzypaszek

John Skrzypaszek

This paper explores the connection between cultural heritage and its pedagogical value for future generations. Research unfolds a plethora of discussions being designed to demonstrate the close connection between cultural heritage and its significance in contemporary life. The attempts to connect the past with the present underline the need for contextualized meanings. Concurrently, it unfolds the challenges associated with the adaptation of cultural heritage to the progressive spread of globalization and advancement in technology. The demands for contextualized adaptability in the framework of universality create what this study refers to as a pathway of cultural progress with a misplaced focus. …

To Thrash The Offending Adam Out Of Them: The Theology Of Violence In The Writings Of Great War Anzacs, Daniel Reynaud, Jane L. Fernandez-Goldborough

Daniel Reynaud

The Anzac legend is often acclaimed as Australia’s unifying secular faith. However, there are significant connections between Christianity and Anzac. While the responses of the churches at home during the Great War have been well studied, this chapter examines the variety of the responses of Christian soldiers and chaplains at the front. In this context, this study engages Girard’s theory of sacralised violence as a framework for defining and critiquing religious responses to the war of fighting men. Was the war a crusade, a civilising mission, a just war, a necessary evil or something other?

A Balancing Act: Reading 'Amoris Laetitia', Peter Steinfels, Paige E. Hochschild, William L. Portier, Sandra A. Yocum, Dennis O'Brien

William L. Portier

Five religious scholars provide commentary on Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love), Pope Francis's 2016 apostolic exhortation on love in the family.

A Modus Vivendi? Sex, Marriage & The Church, William L. Portier, Nancy Dallavalle, Christopher C. Roberts, Tina Beattie, R. R. Reno, Patricia Hampl, Luke Timothy Johnson, Leslie Woodcock Tentler, Paul Baumann

William L. Portier

During the 1960s, nearly 80 percent of adult Americans were married. A recent analysis of U.S. census data reported that only 52 percent of adult Americans were married in 2009. That is the lowest percentage reported in the 100 years the Census Bureau has collected such information. The reasons for this dramatic cultural shift are well known: high rates of divorce; changing attitudes toward premarital sex; social acceptability of cohabitation; the weakening of the stigma surrounding out-of-wedlock births and single parenting; the postponement of marriage and children for academic or professional reasons.

Among those with only a high-school education or …

Here Come The Nones! Pluralism And Evangelization After Denominationalism And Americanism, William L. Portier

William L. Portier

This essay begins with a four-part overview of American Catholic history focused on the building and dissolution of an immigrant Catholic subculture. The final period, “Catholics and the Dynamics of Pluralism (1968-present)” leads naturally into a discussion of the demography of Catholics in the United States. Particular attention is given to the trend to disaffiliation among millennials and how best to interpret it. Pastoral and theological reflections on the demography of disaffiliation emphasize the need for the church in the United States to take on an evangelical form more suited to a pluralism that is post-denominational and post-Americanist, and how …

Righting America At The Creation Museum, Susan L. Trollinger, William Vance Trollinger

William Vance Trollinger Jr.

On May 28, 2007, the Creation Museum opened in Petersburg, Kentucky. Aimed at scientifically demonstrating that the universe was created less than ten thousand years ago by a Judeo-Christian god, the museum is hugely popular, attracting millions of visitors over the past eight years. Surrounded by themed topiary gardens and a petting zoo with camel rides, the site conjures up images of a religious Disneyland. Inside, visitors are met by dinosaurs at every turn and by a replica of the Garden of Eden that features the Tree of Life, the serpent, and Adam and Eve.

In Righting America at the …

Righting America At The Creation Museum, Susan L. Trollinger, William Vance Trollinger

Susan L. Trollinger

On May 28, 2007, the Creation Museum opened in Petersburg, Kentucky. Aimed at scientifically demonstrating that the universe was created less than ten thousand years ago by a Judeo-Christian god, the museum is hugely popular, attracting millions of visitors over the past eight years. Surrounded by themed topiary gardens and a petting zoo with camel rides, the site conjures up images of a religious Disneyland. Inside, visitors are met by dinosaurs at every turn and by a replica of the Garden of Eden that features the Tree of Life, the serpent, and Adam and Eve. In Righting America at the …

The Visible Church In A Visual Culture, Susan Trollinger

Susan L. Trollinger

We live in a visual culture. To say that is to say, in the most obvious sense, that we live in a culture that is saturated by images. They are everywhere. We see them in the expected places: on our television and computer screens, in newspapers and magazines, on billboards, in our scrapbooks and photo albums, in picture frames and coffee table books. Increasingly, we see them in unexpected places. They show up on the floors of grocery stores, the backs of ATM receipts, the sides of tractor trailers and school buses, and even on the otherwise bare stomachs of …

Seeking The Rhetoric Of Jesus, Susan L. Trollinger

Susan L. Trollinger

I come to the questions posed by this volume from a somewhat different background than one might expect. Whereas one might anticipate that I was an Anabaptist first and a scholar second, just the opposite was the case. I Before beginning my graduate studies I had never heard of Anabaptism. Indeed, I was poring over Aristotle's Rhetoric before I was even a Christian. I thus went through much of my graduate studies (not to mention all of college, high school, and elementary school) without giving a thought to how my studies were impacting my faith-never mind how my faith might …

Selling The Amish: The Tourism Of Nostalgia, Susan L. Trollinger

Susan L. Trollinger

In this book, I address these and related question. Although I talk about the Amish, my primary goal is not to describe them. Many others have offered excellent accounts of the Amish, and references to their books and articles can be found in this book's bibliography. Instead, my purpose is to understand Amish Country tourism and, specifically, how it attracts and sustains the interest of millions of visitors each year. The purveyors of Amish Country tourism use a variety of strategies to draw tourists in and give them pleasure during their stay, and I explore those techniques. I focus especially …

Anabaptists And Postmodernity, Susan L. Trollinger, Gerald Biesecker-Mast

Susan L. Trollinger

The title of this book was intended simply to bring together two concerns: Anabaptist identity on the one hand and our postmodern cultural moment on the other. Thus the purpose of the book was to inquire about the relationship between the two. The aim was to seek answers to such questions as what it means to be an Anabaptist today, the extent to which postmodernity presents problems and possibilities for Anabaptists, and how Anabaptists ought to live out their faith in the contemporary context.

From Reading To Revering The Good Book, Or How The Word Became Fossil At The Creation Museum, Susan L. Trollinger

Susan L. Trollinger

Given the complexity of this sacred text and the intensity with which Protestants have sought to glean its truths from it, it is not surprising that Luther’s “dangerous idea” yielded countless splits, schisms, and sects. Whereas once there was the Church, Protestants dedication to reading the Scripture for themselves has brought an endless variety of theologies, practices, and fellowships with no end in sight. While every one of these groups claims (whether explicitly or implicitly) that they alone have the true word of God, none has been able to arrest the flow of interpretations. With everyone free to read the …

Heritage Versus History: Amish Tourism In Two Ohio Towns, Susan L. Trollinger

Susan L. Trollinger

Judging from the relative number of tourists who visit these two sorts of towns, tourists appear to prefer views of the Amish that are provided by more rather than less touristy venues. In this essay, I compare the views of Amish offered by two towns in Ohio's Amish Country. One town, Walnut Creek, is very popular among tourists; the other town, Mount Hope, is significantly less popular. Ultimately, I argue that Mount Hope is less popular than Walnut Creek largely because its representation of the Amish constitutes the tourist in ways that are less reassuring for middle Americans. But before …

Lord, Behold, He Whom You Love Is Sick., Davis Mcguirt

Davis McGuirt

Jewish, Christian – Or What? Questions Of Self-Designation In The 'Ascension Of Isaiah', Meghan Henning, Tobias Nicklas

Meghan Henning

The Question of the “Parting of the Ways” between Jews and Christians has become a matter of debate again: is it really appropriate to speak about two more or less coherent groups going two different ways from a certain point in history – perhaps after Paul’s mission, after the destruction of the Second Temple (70 CE), or after the Bar-Kokhba War (132-135 CE)? Does the image of a tree with one root and two different trunks going into two different directions really fit what the extant sources tell us about the complexities of the past? Or shouldn’t we distinguish between …

Eternal Punishment As Paideia: The Ekphrasis Of Hell In The Apocalypse Of Peter And The Apocalypse Of Paul, Meghan Henning

Meghan Henning

Much of the history of scholarship on “hell” has been devoted to tracing genetic relationships between older texts and more recent ones, typically based upon generic elements or the specific features of hell’s landscape. This paper suggests a new direction for classics and New Testament study, focusing instead on the rhetorical function of hell in antiquity. This paper argues that the ancient conventions of descriptive rhetoric were at work in the depictions of Hell that we find in the Jewish and early Christian apocalypses. It begins with a definition of these rhetorical devices by examining the Progymnasmata as well as …

Educating Early Christians Through The Rhetoric Of Hell: 'Weeping And Gnashing Of Teeth' As 'Paideia' In Matthew And The Early Church, Meghan Henning

Meghan Henning

Meghan Henning explores the rhetorical function of the early Christian concept of hell, drawing connections to Greek and Roman systems of education, and examining texts from the Hebrew Bible, Greek and Latin literature, the New Testament, early Christian apocalypses and patristic authors. This work is a revised version of the author's Ph.D. dissertation, which was successfully defended at Emory University in 2013. It is included in the series Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament II. She writes, "Now that this work is finished, I am delighted to have the opportunity to thank those who have generously traveled with me on this …

Paralysis And Sexuality In Medical Literature And The 'Acts Of Peter', Meghan Henning

Meghan Henning

This paper focuses on the story of Peter’s daughter that is found in the Berlin Coptic papyrus BG 8502.4 and is associated with the apocryphal Acts of Peter. Research on the story of Peter’s daughter has primarily focused on its interpretation of the theme of chastity, or whether the story was originally included in the Acts of Peter. In the course of these investigations, scholars have taken for granted the curious assumption of the text that paralysis renders Peter’s daughter unfit for marriage, and thus safe from Ptolemy’s unwanted advances. This paper explores the underlying understandings of paralysis and sexuality …

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

Ulrich L. Lehner

No abstract provided.

Americanized Catholicism? A Response To Thomas Schärtl, Dennis M. Doyle

Dennis M. Doyle

I stand in fundamental agreement with what Thomas Schärtl has said in his article describing recent trends in US Catholicism. I am a lifelong Catholic and a lifelong Democrat. I felt personally distressed and discouraged by the support given to Mitt Romney and the Republicans by some leading US Catholic bishops. Most of this support may have technically passed the legal test of being nonpartisan, but undeniably it functioned in a partisan manner, as did the attacks launched on President Obama in the midst of a campaign to defend religious liberty. Schärtl’s analysis of these trends as reflecting marketing strategies …

Extraordinary Love In The Lives Of Lay People, Dennis M. Doyle

Dennis M. Doyle

The College Theology Society (CTS), initially called the Society of Catholic College Teachers of Sacred Doctrine, was founded mainly by religious and clergy in the early 1950s to support those who taught college-level theology to Catholics in non-seminary settings. Sometimes CTS, in comparison with another group, is said to be relatively more lay-oriented. What this actually means, I think, is that for the CTS, the college classroom, populated mainly by lay people, was the primary locus for carrying out the task of teaching theology. The main goal was to promote the religious formation of Catholic lay people. Given some of …