Digital Commons Network^™

Entheogens: The Hallucinogenic Plants That Shaped Religion, Nicolas A. Michaud

Young Historians Conference

Entheogens have played a pivotal role in religious and spiritual practices across diverse cultures, aiding in the pursuit of divine connection and higher consciousness. Evidence suggests that dating as far as back as a million years ago, early human species such as Homo erectus and Homo habilis experimented with hallucinogenic plants like psilocybin mushrooms, introducing the earliest forms of shamanic practices. As societies became more structured, the use of entheogens expanded throughout various parts of society. In ancient Greece, oracles utilized plants like henbane to communicate with the divine, molding military and political policy. During the Middle Ages, Tibetan Buddhism …

An Interdisciplinary Approach To The Investigation Of Consciousness, James Guy Lundie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Questions of phenomenal consciousness have troubled intellectuals for millennia. Theologians, philosophers, and scientists continue to grapple with the problem of how our minds interact with our brains and bodies. From Anaxagoras and Aristotle, Augustine and Aquinas, Nagel and Goff, and Koch and Hameroff, the brightest among us have been unable to solve the riddle of how we are conscious, unique, self-aware thinking beings. Uniting our efforts by considering the reasoning of interdisciplinary scholars and integrating the thoughts of others with our own can only enhance our chances of success. This paper offers a pathway toward a multidisciplinary theory of consciousness …

Reinterpreting Catuṣkoṭi In Contemporary Philosophy: Tensions Between Non-Classical Logic And East Asian Buddhist Soteriology, Ronald S. Green

Philosophy and Religious Studies

This study aims to evaluate the reinterpretation of the concept of catuṣkoṭi (tetralemma) in contemporary philosophy, particularly within the discourse of non-classical logic, and to compare it with traditional interpretations found in East Asian Buddhism. The research addresses the tension between modern logical approaches—such as those proposing the addition of a fifth truth value (ineffability)—and soteriological frameworks within traditions like Mādhyamaka, which emphasise the function of liberating individuals from conceptual entanglements. This study employs qualitative methods, incorporating hermeneutic and comparative approaches, along with close textual analysis of classical primary sources, including the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā, and the works of East Asian Buddhist …

Rituals In The Rubble: Early Christian Meeting Spaces And Worship Practices, Katie Harkness

Religious Studies Student Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Recovering The Lost Art Of Medicine: A Role For Ignatian Spirituality, Cecilia Motherway

College Honors Program

Throughout history, medicine or healing has been deeply associated with religion and spirituality, from the ancient Greek healing god Asclepius to the medieval monastic medical tradition and beyond. This lies in their common cause: addressing the vulnerability of our human existence. Humanity has long recognized that our suffering and death raise existential questions concerning our mortality that may require perspectives greater than biology and rationality can provide. However, at the turn of the 20th century, as medical technology rapidly advanced, raising the average global life expectancy by decades, the medical field removed all non-scientific, non-secular influences to position itself as …

2025 Academic Conference Program

Holy Cross Undergraduate Academic Conference

No abstract provided.

Feasting At The Threshold: Eucharistic Eroticism And Homonationalism In Diane Duane's The Tale Of The Five, Taylor Driggers

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

Diane Duane’s ongoing fantasy series The Tale of the Five (1979–present) is set in a world marked by constant bodily transgressions and surprises, where a human and dragon can occupy the same body and become lovers and a one-night stand can bring one face-to-face with God. This essay will argue that Duane’s series articulates eroticism in a manner comparable to Linn Marie Tonstad’s (2016) queer re-visioning of transubstantiation and bodily and spiritual transformation through the Eucharist. Acts of eating and drinking serve to highlight how characters’ pansexual, polyamorous relations with each other and the love of the Goddess spill over …

An Aspirational Cultus? Tolkien Fandom At The Borders Of Belief, Tom Emanuel

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

This paper draws upon fan studies, sociology of religion, and J.R.R. Tolkien’s theory of sub-creation to theorize the religious implications of Enyalië (Quenya: remembrance), the emotionally charged graveside memorial which closes the U.K. Tolkien Society’s annual gathering in Oxford. Employing a framework of religion as sacred worldbuilding, the author argues that Enyalië is best understood as the “secondary liturgy” of the “secondary faith community” that is Tolkien fandom. The paper concludes that Tolkien’s fiction, his community of devoted fans, and the lineaments of religious ritual have combined, in Enyalië, to produce a fan practice which troubles the boundaries …

Believing In Simulation Theory, Aeve Boucher

Undergraduate Research Symposium

This paper utilizes the frameworks, terms, and methodology used by David Chalmers in his recent book “Reality+”, along with ancient Chinese philosophers Zhuangzi and Mozi in order to make an argument for why we ought to believe that we are currently living in a simulation while at the same time withholding judgment on the metaphysical reality of whether or not we are currently living in a simulation. The argument uses Chalmers’ five different concepts of reality along with his own views of how being in a simulation would not negatively impact our currently held beliefs, especially in regards to language …

The Civil War And The Apocalypse Insights From The Millennial Sta, Megan Mcconnell

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

An editorial published in the Millennial Star on May 11, 1861, almost exactly one month after the start of the American Civil War, declared that the war that had broken out on the American continent was part of the “signs of the times” and that it “should be an incentive to diligence and faithfulness” to the European members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The war would be a calamity to a degree that had never before been seen on the Earth and one which the “nations of Europe cannot escape from.”1 The editor pronounced that the …

Memory, Music, Manuscripts: The Ritual Dynamics Of Kōshiki In Japanese Sōtō Zen, Junko Oba

Yale Journal of Music & Religion

A book review is presented for Memory, Music, Manuscripts: The Ritual Dynamics of Kōshiki in Japanese Sōtō Zen, authored by Michaela Mross, by Junko Oba.

Dictating The Divine: Revisiting Authorship, Intention, And Authority From Sacred Texts To Generative Ai, James Hutson, W. Travis Mcmaken

Faculty Scholarship

This article interrogates the historical practice of mediated authorship in religious texts to draw critical parallels with contemporary debates surrounding generative artificial intelligence (AI), specifically large language models (LLMs). By juxtaposing the mediated authorship of sacred texts, such as the Hebrew Bible and New Testament—where figures like the Apostle Paul dictated theological concepts to scribes who infused these directives with their interpretive insights—with the generative processes of LLMs, this research underscores the shared dynamics of co-constructed authorship across historical and technological contexts. Employing interdisciplinary methodologies from art history, textual studies, and reception theory, as well as theological and biblical studies, …

The Shrouds, Elijah Siegler

Journal of Religion & Film

This is a film review of The Shrouds (2024), directed by David Cronenberg.

Holy Grounds And Coffee Grounds: Tourism, Authenticity, And The Adaptive Reuse Of Sufi Shrines In Tunisia, Leanna Baker

Tunisia and Italy: Politics and Religious Integration in the Mediterranean

This study explores the transformation of Sufi shrines in Tunisia into café spaces that cater to tourists while maintaining traces of religious significance. Through historical research, site visits, and interviews, I examine how these hybrid spaces navigate the tension between sacredness and commercialization. Using theories of authenticity and religious tourism, I analyze how Islamic aesthetics are repurposed to attract visitors, often without their awareness of the shrine’s spiritual role. An additional case study of a shrine now functioning as a ceramics studio offers an alternative model of adaptive reuse rooted in cultural sustainability. Rather than viewing commercialization as simple erasure, …

Contributors

The Lindenwood Review: a journal of literary prose

No abstract provided.

The Debt, Benjamin Hollo

The Lindenwood Review: a journal of literary prose

No abstract provided.

The Russian-Ukrainian War In The Discourse Of The Biblical Concept Of A Just War, Vadym Dyiak, Klavdiia Tushko, Vladyslav Volobuiev

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article analyzes the russian-Ukrainian war through the prism of the biblical concept of a just war. The moral and ethical aspects of the war are explored based on biblical principles, such as the defense of truth, justice, and the innocent. The article compares traditional approaches to the concept of a just war with modern realities, including the russian aggression against Ukraine. Particular attention is paid to the right to self-defense, the role of moral precepts in warfare, and the importance of humanitarian norms. The analysis of biblical texts helps to better understand the ethical justification of war as a …

Community-Based Research And Catholic Higher Education In Solidarity: Embracing The Risks And Gifts Of Interdependence, Linda Land-Closson

The Journal of Social Encounters

With common ground in the work of solidarity and the common good, Community-Based Research (CBR) and Catholic Higher Education (CHE) can be brought into a mutually beneficial dialogue. Accordingly, this article serves first as a reminder of the radicality of solidarity, second as a callout to CHE for often falling short of solidarity-in-action, third as an invitation for CHE to offer understandings of solidarity as discernment tools to mitigate harm in the changing field of CBR, and finally as an invitation to CBR to be aware of and continue promoting solidarity through good judgment.

Exploring The Growth And Impact Of Contemporary Mindfulness Programs In Japanese Society, Shreya Wagh

Japanese Society and Culture

In today's fast-paced world, mindfulness practice offers a peaceful way to enhance awareness and find clarity in the mind. This practice, rooted in Hindu and Buddhist traditions, aims to achieve spiritual enlightenment. In the late 20th century, mindfulness was adapted into secular, evidence-based therapeutic interventions in the West, leading to its widespread inclusion in healthcare, education, and corporate settings globally. The Westernized version of mindfulness has also been reintroduced to its countries of origin. Japan is no exception. The purpose of this article is to comprehend the rise and growth of mindfulness programs in Japan by analyzing existing literature, particularly …

The Chanticleer, 2025-03-27, Coastal Carolina University

The Chanticleer Student Newspaper

The editorially independent student produced weekly newspaper of Coastal Carolina University.

Beyond The Battle: Historical, Religio-Philosophical, And Literary Depths Of Demon Slayer: Mugen Train, Ronald S. Green

Philosophy and Religious Studies

This paper argues that Demon Slayer: Mugen Train is not merely an animated cinematic phenomenon but a multifaceted narrative that intricately weaves together diverse elements of Japanese cultural heritage. It offers a unique lens through which to examine some of the complexities of Japan's sociocultural and philosophical landscapes and conversely, the impact of these on the film. It makes this argument in three sections: (1) The Importance of the Historical Setting in Demon Slayer, (2) Shintō, Buddhism, and Confucianism in Demon Slayer: Mugen Train, and (3) Relations to Antecedent Representations of Dreaming in Japanese Literature and Anime.

This article was …

Between Fire And Water: Miyazawa Kenji's Reimagining Of Opposites In Ginga Tetsudō No Yoru, Taishi Neilsen

University Honors Theses

This thesis explores how Japanese writer Miyazawa Kenji playfully uses opposites and binaries to create thematic richness in his famous children's story Ginga tetsudō no yoru (Night on the Milky Way Railroad). Despite being a children's book, the text works with mature themes such as loneliness, grief, and purpose, themes which are elevated through Kenji's idiosyncratic stylings. Through a close reading of the original Japanese text, the author isolates moments where Kenji conveys his Nichiren Buddhist worldview as part of his proselytizing mission, as well as moments that increase thematic richness, resulting in a multifaceted text that continues …

Session Iic: Religious Studies Presentation 1 - A Literary Analysis Of Job 1: 1-12, Crystal Aldridge

Life of the Scholar Multidisciplinary Conference

No abstract provided.

Session Iic: Religious Studies Presentation 2 - The Messianic Expectation Of The Psalms Of Ascents, Brock Nikkari

Life of the Scholar Multidisciplinary Conference

The presentation will look through the history and authorship of Books IV and V of the Psalms and their usage in Judaism. The main focus of the presentation will be on the defense for and against a messianic reading of the Psalms of Ascents. Then it will wrap up with a conclusion and a talking point of further research.

Restoring The Restoration: Sidney Rigdon And The American Quest For Primitive Christianity, Bradley Alan Hart

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation offers a comprehensive historical analysis of Sidney Rigdon and his contributions to the religious movement known as Restorationism, which gained significant momentum in early nineteenth century America. Often overshadowed by figures such as Joseph Smith and Alexander Campbell, Rigdon’s role as a theological innovator and leader has been marginalized by both his contemporaries and by historians of American religion. This work seeks to reposition Rigdon as a central figure, not only within the Mormon tradition but across a broader spectrum of Restorationist faiths that emerged during this period. Restorationism, while commonly associated with the Stone/Campbell movement and Mormonism, …

The Influence Of Hadrah Arts And Emotional Intelligence Towards The Students Social Skills At Mts Nurusshibyan, Siti Fatimah

Journal of Indonesian Tourism and Policy Studies

This study aims to determine the effect of hadrah activities and emotional intelligence on the social skills of students at Madrasah Tsanawiyah Nurusshibyan, Singkawang City. This research uses a quantitative research method with the use of questionnaires as a data collection tool. The subjects of this study were students at Madrasah Tsanawiyah Nurusshibyan in Singkawang City totaling 181 people with the following characteristics: MTs students, grades VII-IX, 101 female respondents and 80 male respondents. The sample determination used the Slovin formula with a Margin of Error of 5%. The results of the study are as follows: (1) Social skills at …

Wholehearted Leadership: Equipping Clergy For Healthy Leadership, Nicole Mcclurg

Doctor of Ministry

NPO Statement: Considering current training for Evangelical clergy, sustained attention to spiritual formation is often missing but essential for pastoral health and healthy, sustainable ministry.

Clergy are burning out significantly, as reported by a Lifeway Research Poll that found 100% of 1,500 pastors know colleagues that left the ministry, while 91% of pastors report experiencing burnout.¹ The research suggests that seminary does not prepare clergy for the demands of ministry or the practical spiritual needs of their congregations. Clergy struggle to maintain a solid vocational identity rooted in the Trinity amid pastoral duties. Many clergy are isolated from ongoing …

Recovering Palestinian Lives: Qudsiyya Khurshid From Mandate Palestine To Postwar Pennsylvania, Andrea L. Stanton

Religious Studies: Faculty Scholarship

This article works to recover the life story of Qudsiyya Khurshid, a once well-known Mandate Palestinian intellectual and educator, who wrote essays for publication and for broadcasting on the Palestine Broadcasting Service, while working as a principal at girls’ schools in al-Bireh and Jerusalem. One of a number of educated women active in the Mandate public sphere, she disappeared from public consciousness after the Nakba. But in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, where she had moved with her husband, a naturalized U.S. citizen, she became a prominent figure in civic work and as a community speaker on Palestinian and Middle Eastern life …

Biblical Theodicy The Evolution Of Satan As A Solution To The Problem Of Evil, Madison Estrada

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis attempts to serve two functions. The first is to discuss how the problem of evilin Christianity has been a problem not only in modernity, but also with premodern authors and editors of biblical canon. The second is to explain how the literary character of Satan has developed alongside the narrative in a way that seeks to answer to the problem of evil in the form of a literary theodicy. While it may be demonstrated in the textual evidence that this character can take away some of the ethical implications imposed on God by taking on evil himself, it …

My Omaha, John C. Lyden

Journal of Religion & Film

This is a film review of My Omaha (2025), directed by Nick Beaulieu.