Christianity Commons^™

Namesake: An Ekphrasis On La Sagrada Familia Basilica In Barcelona, Spain, Rachel Henry

Obsculta

Ekphrasis is a literary description of a work of art or architecture—a kind of over-the-top ode. The Expiatory Temple of the Holy Family, commonly known as La Sagrada Familia, in Barcelona, Spain, has been under construction for 142 years and is expected to be completed by 2032. With its integral sculptures, soaring towers, and feats of engineering, Architect Antoni Gaudí’s masterpiece is unlike any other church or cathedral in the world. Pope Benedict XVI consecrated the temple as a minor basilica in 2010. This article delves into La Sagrada Familia and aims to aid the reader in imaginatively exploring the …

Rejoice Always: Philippians 4:4-7 And Paul’S Equation For Peace Of Heart, Andrea Frey

Obsculta

Paul's instruction to the Philippians to "Rejoice always", found in Philippians 4:4-7, is a guide to help a community and its members achieve peace. Focusing on these verses, this paper examines the elements Paul suggests to achieve peace of heart and mind.

Triduum Photography, Jacqueline Leiter Osb

Obsculta

The word Triduum comes from the Latin words for three days. Through word and image, we remember the last days of Jesus’ life and seek an encounter with the Paschal Mystery. We recall Jesus’ prayer at Gethsemane and his suffering and death on the cross. We come to the tomb in sorrow with the women to anoint our Lord in the cold stone tomb. In joy and wonder, we encounter the Risen Christ on Easter morning. Nothing will ever be the same again.

Photo Series: True North, Jacqueline Leiter Osb

Obsculta

These five photos, and their associated texts, by Sister Jacqueline Leiter, OSB are reflections on key aspects of Christian living. Dispersed throughout this volume of the journal, they offer moments of pause between the other articles.

Gluten-Free Hosts And The Cross: Revelatory Suffering In Christianity, Gilbert Perez

Obsculta

The body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus are said to be made present by the Eucharist: bread and wine placed on the altar. However, the Roman Catholic Church teaches there is no validity to consecrations with gluten-free Hosts. This article notes the past permissions on gluten-free hosts and explores how present and former practices exhibit the nature of the Crucifixion, humanity’s participation in a world it abuses, and, furthermore, how to remedy this source of exclusion.

Sunday Celebration In The Absence Of A Priest And Women's Role In Presiding, Kristyn Demers

Obsculta

This essay explores instances of Sunday celebrations in the absence of a priest, specifically within the rural context where the effects of the priesthood shortage are felt most strongly. Additionally, this paper examines the role that women play in the church, especially the rural church, and calls for the church to respond by creating more equitable roles for women within church leadership and ministry.

Bioethics And A Theology Of Vulnerability, Carrie Oneil-Smith

Obsculta

This essay looks at how a theology of vulnerability can contribute to ethical decision-making in an increasingly secular society. Relationality, power dynamics and scriptural justifications are considered, as well as early contributions made to this nascent field of Christian thought. This essay was written for a class on Health Care Ethics taught by Dr. Mary Ann Kish.

Considering Hope, Rachel Henry

Obsculta

Hope based on an expected outcome can be elusive in a world that contains so much suffering. This piece considers Karl Rahner's theological hope as a more appropriate and helpful framework in the context of the diminishing vocations to monastic communities in the United States.

81st Annual Pepperdine Bible Lectureship--Harbor: Running With Perserverance (2024), Mike Cope

Pepperdine Bible Lectures: Programs

Program booklet for the 81st Annual Pepperdine Bible Lectures, held at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, April 30-May 6, 2024. The Pepperdine Bible Lectures is an annual event hosted by Pepperdine University featuring a wide variety of lectures and classes on topics and themes in the Bible and Christianity.

Mike Cope, Lectureship Director

Evan Woods, Tami Williamson, and Rachel Higgins, Lectures Team

Interpretation Of Luke 15:11-32: For Parents Of Children Who Have Fallen Away From The Faith And Have Other Children At Home, Anisabel Palma

Obsculta

This piece aims to interpret the pericope of Luke 15:11-32, the parable of the Prodigal Son, for parents with children fallen away from the faith and other children with them. Its purpose is to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ during those difficult moments, offering hope and trust in the loving God of the merciful Father. It is aims to explore the graces that God bestows upon parents who mourn the estrangement of their child.

A Narrative Analysis Of Gensis 15, Patrick Russell

Obsculta

This paper seeks to read Genesis 15 through a narrative lens. While historical critical method provides some framework, the main purpose is to read this text as a work of literature: a story told to an audience to convey something of shared importance. What theological insights a reader gains from this literary approach may be different from that which one sees when analyzing the text with a more tradition lens.

Junia The Apostle: History And Future Of Women In The Church, Hannah Miers

Obsculta

The piece sheds light on the identity of the individual mentioned as Junia in Paul's writings to the Romans. Numerous sources, spanning from the Patristics to contemporary academia, shed further insight into her life and character. The more significant question for our times becomes why Junia is less well-known and how she exemplifies a change (though slow) in the Roman Catholic Church's perspective on women.

Project Portfolio: Cultural Humility: Equipping Ministerial Leaders To Navigate Ever-Changing Cultural Landscapes, Caleb Lu

Doctor of Leadership

In the modern quest for competency, efficiency, and production, humility seems to have been forgotten as a key component to what Christ-like leadership looks like in churches and in ministry. Biblical humility requires one to consider one’s relationship with God2 and one’s relationship with others, as Paul details in Philippians. In interviews with Chinese-Americans in Chinese heritage church contexts, multicultural church contexts, and non-church contexts, the cultural divide between older and younger generations (exacerbated by power dynamics)3 was often highlighted as a main reason they did not feel seen or heard. The need, then, was for church and ministry leaders …

To Embody Christ's Image: Queer Presence In Liturgy, Maggie Nadalin

Obsculta

This paper examines how approaching liturgical issues from a Queer vantage-point in both theory and practice offers a fresh lens for not only understanding liturgy but recognizing the urgent need for Queer-influenced liturgical rites.

Harmony Unveiled: Navigating The Trinity’S Practical Symphony With Lacugna And Augustine, Andrenique D. Rolle

Obsculta

This paper compares Catherine M. LaCugna's practical take on the Trinity with Augustine's theoretical insights. LaCugna highlights real-world implications, while Augustine delves into philosophical intricacies. Despite differences, both converge on perichoresis, emphasizing an inseparable communion within the Triune God. Together, they offer a holistic view—bridging theory and practice for spiritual fulfillment and communal harmony.

Photo Series: Tree, Jacqueline Leiter Osb

Obsculta

These five photos, and their associated texts, by Sister Jacqueline Leiter, OSB are reflections on key aspects of Christian living. Dispersed throughout this volume of the journal, they offer moments of pause between the other articles.

Theology Of Paradise Today, Sarah Skrove

Obsculta

This piece discusses the shift in the Christian Church's soteriology from one of paradise to one of atonement. The implications of this change in theory extend into modern day issues like racial inequality and mental health stigma. Through understanding a theology of paradise, we can catch a glimpse of how differently our world might look.

Unha Vez Tiven Un Cravo (Once I Had A Nail), Roslie De Castro, Scott Cooper

Obsculta

Rosalia de Castro was a nineteenth-century Spanish Catholic writer now best-known for her novels, but her poetry is widely admired in the Spanish-speaking world as well. This devotional poem is written in the language of her native region of Galicia, and the translator hopes that this new version will awaken interest in Castro's work in the English-speaking world.

Supporting Christian Gen Z Undergraduates Through Life Setbacks By Equipping Spiritual Directors, Brandon Taylor

Doctor of Ministry

The project within this portfolio seeks to help Christian Gen Z undergraduates at Biola University navigate setbacks in a way that fortifies their faith. Both anecdotal evidence at Biola and survey data demonstrate that Gen Z required increased support and intervention when they reached college campuses in the mid 2010’s. The American College Health Association has surveyed hundreds of thousands of Gen Z college students over the past seven years and found as far back as 2016 that 87.1 percent of the 27,787 undergraduate respondents to their Fall 2016 survey said they felt “overwhelmed by all they had to do'' …

Photo Series: Incarnation, Jacqueline Leiter Osb

Obsculta

These five photos, and their associated texts, by Sister Jacqueline Leiter, OSB are reflections on key aspects of Christian living. Dispersed throughout this volume of the journal, they offer moments of pause between the other articles.