Religious Education Commons^™

Guarding The Faith Or Resisting Dialogue?: Anti-Ecumenical Tendencies In Bulgarian Orthodoxy, Ioannis Kaminis

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This paper explores the historical, theological, and ideological roots of anti-ecumenical tendencies within the Bulgarian Orthodox Church (BOC), especially in the post-communist period. It examines whether the BOC's resistance to ecumenical dialogue genuinely reflects a defense of Orthodox tradition or represents a reactionary posture shaped by national, political, and ecclesiastical factors. Tracing the development of anti-ecumenism from the 19th-century schism with the Ecumenical Patriarchate through the communist era to the post-1990s resurgence of neo-traditionalist rhetoric, the study reveals how the convergence of ecclesial nationalism, ideological manipulation under communism, and theological exclusivism has produced a deep mistrust of ecumenical engagement. Influential …

Role And Evolution Of Islamic Education In Kazakhstan, Yeleukhan Kaliyeva, Albina Duissenbayeva, Aııtmamat Karıev, Bekzhan A. Azhimov

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This paper examines the evolution of religious education and the professional development of clergy in Kazakhstan, with particular emphasis on the establishment of institutions aimed at enhancing the competencies of imams and religious educators. It traces the evolution of the Islamic educational system throughout various historical periods until the present day. Particular focus is given to blending Islamic teachings with contemporary educational structures. The researchers heuristically analyzed the current state of the field, identified the main problems, and suggested prospects for Islamic education for further development. The research utilizes the historical method, which uses primary and secondary data sources. This …

Experiencing The Shift: How Experiential Blended Learning Professional Development Enhances Teacher Self-Efficacy, Shannon N. Tabaldo, Ashley L. Ireland

Journal of Catholic Education

This qualitative study examines how participation in a multi-year, experiential professional development program—the Academy of Blended Learning (ABL)—shaped teachers’ perceived self-efficacy in implementing blended learning. Grounded in Bandura’s self-efficacy theory, Bruner’s constructivism, and Knowles’ adult learning principles, the study drew on semi-structured interviews and instructional artifacts from eight teachers in Catholic schools serving historically marginalized communities in California. Findings suggest that ABL participation was associated with increased instructional confidence, a stronger sense of professional purpose, and greater enthusiasm for student-centered, technology-enhanced learning. Teachers attributed these shifts to ABL’s design, which emphasized active participation, collaborative inquiry, differentiated instruction, and development of …

This Branch Of The Church The Early Development Of Local Administration In The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints, Part 1, The Emergent Church, 1830–1845, Brandon Plewe

BYU Studies

It is easy for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to read the Doctrine and Covenants, or most basic histories of the Church, and assume that the Church has always operated like it operates today, if a bit simpler. By the mid-1830s, most significant local and general offices and titles of Church leadership that we recognize today were in place, and it is possible to interpret historical texts through a modern understanding. Occasional inconsistencies can be easily dismissed as the vagaries of frontier language.

What Are We To Make Of The Gold Plates?, Richard Lyman Bushman

BYU Studies

During the winter of 2020–2021, I worked on the manuscript that was eventually published as Joseph Smith’s Gold Plates: A Cultural History (Oxford University Press, 2023). The book was an attempt to describe the many ways the plates had been imagined from the time they were first described as a “Golden Bible” in the June 1829 Wayne Sentinel1 down to the Sunday School and missionary lessons today. I marveled at the enduring interest in the plates over time, not only among Latter-day Saints but also among other American writers. In my lifetime, the plates had appeared in the Book of …

“Not Only Men But Women Also” An Argument For Alma’S Intentional Inclusion Of Women, Cassidy Nichole Pyper

BYU Studies

In an interestingly specific inclusion of women, Alma taught the Zoramites that “[God] imparteth his word by angels unto men, yea, not only men but women also” (Alma 32:23). This phrase suggests that Alma had an awareness of women and their ability to receive revelation despite how little the Book of Mormon explicitly includes women in its narrative.1 The Book of Mormon mentions women at drastically lower rates than even the Bible.2 Some students of the Book of Mormon are concerned not only that women are rarely spoken of in the text but also that women may have been ignored …

Full Issue

BYU Studies

No abstract provided.

Far West, Isaac James Richards

BYU Studies

No abstract provided.

Where Risk And Reward Meet Interfaith Engagement And Learning, Andrew C. Reed

BYU Studies

The Lutheran Bishop of Stockholm, Krister Stendahl, sought to accomplish one grand thing in the world. He hoped to help human beings learn to see others, to use Elder Dale G. Renlund’s words, “through Heavenly Father’s eyes.”1 While that may appear at first glance simple enough, the practice of doing so presents real challenges. Learning to see others as God does requires a curious empathy, one that fosters a desire to both know and appreciate. Stendahl publicly modeled what would become known as his “rules” for interfaith relationships in 1985 when he stood up for Latter-day Saints and their desire …

Royal Skousen’S Book Of Mormon Critical Text Project, Roger Terry

BYU Studies

Between 1984 and 1986, the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS) published a critical text of the Book of Mormon. While this early publication was useful in certain ways, it was also woefully inadequate. It was, for instance, based on a computerized text of the 1830 printed edition of the Book of Mormon rather than on the remnants of the two handwritten manuscripts.1 Recognizing its inadequacies, Brigham Young University linguistics professor Royal Skousen began in 1988 what would become a thirty-seven- year endeavor and his life’s work: a fully professional critical text of the Book of Mormon.2

Review: Latter-Day Saint Theology Among Christian Theologies By Grant Underwood William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2025, John G. Turner

BYU Studies

Grant Underwood’s Latter-day Saint Theology Among Christian Theologies is a project born out of hope. Underwood, a former Richard L. Evans Chair of Religious Understanding at Brigham Young University, has spent years in dialogue with other Christians. In particular, he was part of a “Mormon-Evangelical Dialogue” that met at least once a year for more than two decades. (Full disclosure: I attended two sessions.) Underwood didn’t only talk with other Christians. He read their theology—a lot of their theology.

Can The Church Be Decolonized? Holy Cross Education In Bangladesh, S. M. Tanveer Ahmed

Journal of Catholic Education

Book Review

Perceived Social Support And Religious Attitudes As Correlates Of Spiritual Well-Being Among Senior Undergraduate Students At Northeast Brazil Adventist University, Hebert Davi Liessi

Dissertations

Problem

Even though the study of spirituality has been a recurrent theme in academia, in Brazil there has been little emphasis on the analysis of spiritual well-being in the context of university students. Few studies have examined the correlation of spiritual well-being with perceived social support or religious attitudes among university students, and most of these have been in the fields of health care or health recovery. Some research has indicated that religious attitudes may be partially disconnected from improvements in the level of spirituality. -- This study aimed to verify whether this disconnection is real or relevant, and assumed …

Assessment Of The Level Of Relevancy Of Theological Education In The Chinese Context, Jacky Yeung

Dissertations

Problem

The contextualization of theological education has been a topic of academic discussion for many years with scholars exploring various angles related to this subject. Despite the ongoing need for contextualized theological education, an assessment of its relevancy in the Chinese setting has not been extensively studied. This dissertation aims to fill this research gap by assessing the relevancy of Adventist theological education in China and providing recommendations for improvement.

Method

The study employs a mixed-method approach, combining both quantitative and qualitative research methods to gain a comprehensive understanding of the issue. The quantitative stage involves a survey administered to …

A Liberatory Approach To Allyship: Lgbtq+ Ally Training At A Catholic University, Hugh Smeltekop, D. Chase James Catalano

Journal of Catholic Education

Teachings that undergird Catholic universities hold seemingly contradictory messages about affirming the dignity of LGBTQ+ people and adherence to some Catholic teachings. LGBTQ+ trainings that cultivate allyship are intended to increase individual awareness/ analysis, develop skills to support students, and align with aspects of the institutional culture and mission. Yet, there remains a paucity of research of how faculty and staff navigate what it means to act as an ally to LGBTQ+ populations. Using a multi-method exploratory design, we examined how faculty and staff at a Catholic university made meaning of their experiences attending an LGBTQ+ ally training. We utilized …

Addressing Teacher Turnover In Catholic Schools: Lessons Learned From The University Consortium For Catholic Education Model, Ronald D. Fussell, Maureen Cole

Journal of Catholic Education

The United States is experiencing a teacher shortage that threatens the vitality of Catholic Schools. Yet, specialized Catholic school teacher formation programs under the umbrella of the University Consortium for Catholic Education model consistently produce Catholic school teachers who are well-formed for their ministry and who tend to remain employed in Catholic schools. This qualitative, grounded theory study sought to answer these two research questions: 1) Why do Catholic school teachers who are graduates of UCCE teacher preparation programs commit to remaining employed in Catholic schools; and 2) How can the experiences of UCCE program graduates be applied to traditional …

Catholic School Teaching As Participation In The Common Good, John L. Beltramo

Journal of Catholic Education

Increasing rates of teacher attrition have exacerbated the shortage of teachers in regions of the United States. In response, some scholars have proposed initiatives that promote the professionalization of teaching, hoping to attract and retain new teachers through greater classroom autonomy and stronger professional development. Others have advocated for a vision of teaching as a vocation, through which teachers can find deeper meaning and thereby better tolerate challenging working conditions. While both conceptualizations of teaching hold compelling implications for the field, their lack of grounding in a broader conception of community ultimately limit the extent to which they can respond …

Exploring Catholic Faith In Shakespearean Drama: Toward A Philosophy Of Education, Francis T. Davis

Journal of Catholic Education

Book review on collected essays exploring how and why to use Shakespeare in Catholic education

Innovating Chaplaincy Education: Integrating Nonreligious Spiritual Care Interventions To Serve A Diverse Patient Population, Dianne Dragon

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The transformation to the curriculum taught in chaplain training in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) will now address the spiritual needs of a more diverse, nonreligious, and interfaith population in the United States. Historically rooted in religious frameworks, CPE curricula are evolving to incorporate non-religious spiritual care interventions and promote research literacy among chaplains. This dissertation study uses descriptive analysis to present a study surveying CPE educators across over 300 U.S. based CPE centers to explore teaching practices and adaptation strategies. Findings reveal that integrating evidence-based methods and interdisciplinary collaboration is key to addressing inclusivity and professional competency in chaplaincy. By …

Loving-Learning-Leading-Living: A Scholarly Personal Narrative Of A Black Gay Father, Russell E. Thornhill

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation examines the roles, challenges, and contributions of a Black Gay father, a demographic largely absent from academic discourse. While literature explores themes of the church, LGBTQ+ identities, and social justice, there remains a critical gap addressing the lived experiences of a Black Gay father. This study fills that void by elevating narratives as community activists, family leaders, and clergy members, acknowledging their transformative impact within familial and societal structures. The methodology used is the Scholarly Personal Narrative (SPN). It allows for in-depth, reflective engagement with personal experiences in conversation with scholars while situating them within broader sociocultural, theological, …