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Earthly Alienization And Galactic Othering: How Star Wars Holistically Reimagines American History And Constructs A Pipeline To Christian-Imperial Humanitarianism, Taylor Valci

Effervescence: Yale Divinity School's Student Journal of Religion

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, the future of religion looks remarkably familiar. This essay argues that Star Wars offers a holistic reimagining of American racial formation in a speculative interstellar setting, translating historical practices of othering and alienization into the galaxy’s social and religious order. Across the Skywalker Saga (1977–2019), the Jedi Order functions as a galactic priesthood whose moral universalism authorizes intervention, governance, and salvation across the cosmos. Drawing on American religious history, critical race theory, migration studies, humanitarianism, and imperial studies, I show how alien species, racialized language, colorblind representation, and sacred bloodlines …

Past The Watchful Dragons: How C. S. Lewis’S Fiction Humanizes The Analytical Framework Of The Problem Of Pain, Charlotte L. Hambrick

Masters Theses

C. S. Lewis was one of the 20th century’s greatest Christian apologists. Writing across multiple genres—from academic literary criticism to lay sermons, and from philosophical and theological analysis to several kinds of fiction—his impact on Christian thought remains profound. This thesis analyzes Lewis’s approach to the intellectual problem of evil in The Problem of Pain and demonstrates how he makes those starkly cold, prickly concepts more warm, human, and relatable in several of his works of fiction. It will first consider Lewis’s personal history with death, abuse, war, and grief, showing how his lived experiences with pain shaped his thinking …

Co-Dominion: The Changing Nature Of The Adamic Covenant In An Age Of Artificial Intelligence, Corey Hastings

Masters Theses

Theologians and religious bodies attest to the rising influence of artificial intelligence (AI) in governments, the economy, and the lives of the people of God. Through the covenant with Adam, God gave humans the blessing of dominion and capabilities unique to creation to till the earth. Today, humans retain the image of God but AI increasingly displaces human functions with coordinated agency. Using Hebrew language exegesis of passages from Genesis, Exodus, and Leviticus, this study compares capabilities gifted to humans with the scope of current and near future AI models. It incorporates direct artifact analysis of a large-language model as …

Sovereign Borders: John’S Deuteronomic Framework For Israel And The Nations In The Apokalypsis, Kevin W. Mullen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation concludes that John’s imagery of Israel and the nations in the Apokalypsis is distinctly shaped by his interpretation and incorporation of Deuteronomic theology. It employs a canonical and intertextual approach to inductively argue that Deuteronomy presents three pillars, or roles, for biblical nationhood: (1) objects of and instruments for divine judgment, (2) custodians to restrain evil, and (3) revelations of God’s sovereignty. These three Deuteronomic pillars establish the foundation for biblical nationhood and are expressed by John throughout his Apokalypsis. Moreover, this dissertation concludes that John’s imagery for the nations is due to his reliance upon the Deuteronomic …

A Christ-Centered Approach To Ai-Assisted Sermon Preparation For Cedar Grove Community Church, Andrew Michael Poe

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping nearly every sector of society, presenting both opportunities and ethical challenges for Christian ministry. Amid this technological shift, many pastors, Bible teachers, and lay leaders experience ethical uncertainty about the appropriate use of AI in expository preaching and teaching. This Doctor of Ministry action research project developed and evaluated an eight-week training designed to equip the teaching team at Cedar Grove Community Church with a Christ-centered approach to AI-assisted sermon preparation. The purpose of this project was to provide biblical, theological, and practical guidance enabling communicators to leverage AI responsibly without compromising ministerial integrity …

Mobilizing The Church For Whole-Person Transformation In Addiction And Mental Health Recovery, Jacqueline A. Gillespie

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Individuals experiencing chronic addiction or mental health conditions are often separated from the broader church community and placed into isolated treatment programs, creating a disconnect between recovery efforts and long-term spiritual formation (Amos, 2023). Many churches that emphasize deliverance struggle to provide sustained discipleship, while congregations grounded in spiritual growth frequently lack the skills and structures needed to serve highly vulnerable populations. This mixed–methods study will explore how the local church can be mobilized to offer whole-person transformation for individuals affected by addiction and mental health challenges. Guided by the biblical vision of ongoing spiritual renewal—“being transformed into the same …

How Stress In Pastors May Contribute To Their Resignations, Roger Allen Cooper

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Throughout history, congregations have connected with and sought guidance from spiritual leaders. Spiritual leaders develop methods and teachings to aid congregants; however, these leaders often don’t receive the care they give others. Are they not also part of the congregation? It is often assumed that a leader has it all together, but this is not always true. There are many instances of pastors leaving their calling prematurely, although the reason is not always defined. General reasons are often expressed to ease the contention between members or prevent hurting their feelings. Regardless, the result is the same, and there is an …

The Magis Ministry Model - Building Sustainable Sports And Performing Arts Ministries, Drew J. Vilinsky

Journal of Catholic Education

The Magis Ministry Model addresses the documented decline in youth religious practice by leveraging the high participation rates in secondary school athletics and performing arts. Recognizing that many students struggle to connect faith with what they value, the model embeds lay adult chaplains within teams and troupes to provide a "ministry of accompaniment". Key to this framework are chapel talks—weekly, 15- to 20-minute reflections that invite students to encounter God through their specific craft. Longitudinal data from Saint Ignatius High School demonstrates significant impact:  over 74% of surveyed participants strongly advocate for the program's continuation, and successful head coaches now …

Sporting Educational Pedagogy In Catholic Western Europe In The 19th And 20th Centuries: What We Can Learn From The Past, Dries Vanysacker

Journal of Catholic Education

This article presents a historiographical overview of the development of the role of sport within the Western European Catholic education in the 20th century. Since the late 19th century, combining gymnastics with new sport disciplines was a huge challenge for Catholic schools. Within the 20th century, changing political situations and educational policies by governments continuously influenced the Catholic education theories and practice. Catholic schools also depended on the Holy See’s policy concerning education and its attitude toward sport. As the Catholic pedagogy is part of a broader theological concept of the human being, and the latter changed in the 1950s/1960’s, …

Senghor, Negritude And African Political Theology Senghor’S Eucharist: Negritude And African Political Theology, Rev. Fr. Basile Sede Noujio (Ph.D.)

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Review Essay: The Original Sin Of Humanity, John Sniegocki

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Humanity’S Grandeur In The Balance: Theological Reflections On Magnifica Humanitas, William L. Portier

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Artificial Intelligence And The Rediscovery Of The Human: An Islamic Reflection On Magnifica Humanitas, Mazhar Ali Bari, Biliana Popova

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Co-Opting Modernity: The Semantic Retooling Of Faith At The 1893 World’S Parliament Of Religions, Erik P. Palmer

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

The 1893 World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago served as a high-stakes arena where the boundaries of religious legitimacy were redrawn through the intentional adoption of social science vocabulary. Staged within the Neo-Classical architecture of the White City of the World’s Columbian Exposition, the event was more than a civil gathering; it functioned as a “Museum of Faiths” where religious traditions were curated, categorized, and evaluated against the perceived benchmarks of Western civilization. The physical environment of the Fair, a monument to industrial triumph, was built to display things that worked. The organizers demanded that religions demonstrate they were useful …

Mystical Revelation And Knowledge Of God: Reclaiming Spirituality In Theology Through The Mystics, Elizabeth A. Merski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since the scholastic era, the pursuit of God has occurred preeminently through reason, leading to an imbalanced theology of God that persists to the present day in the form of intellect-centered theology. As a resolution, this work proposes that the mobilization of private, mystical revelation as a source of legitimized theological knowledge of God has the potential to close the existent epistemological gap between reason/belief and theology/spirituality, demonstrating the integral unity between authentic knowledge of God and the receiver’s personal acceptance of God in faith. After examining the required methodological components for the discipline of theology and identifying criteria for …

The Legend Of The Bear Lake Monster, Melissa Anderson Asay

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

The Bear Lake Monster is a legend that has persisted for centuries. This monster is rooted in Shoshone oral traditions and hold the potential to be based off of fossils found in the Shoshone territory. This living legend was later amplified by Mormon settlers. One settler in particular, Joseph C. Rich, played a significant role in shaping its narrative. Though he eventually admitted to fabricating sightings to encourage settlement, belief in the creature remains alive today. The serpent’s presence in local lore has undeniably influenced the Bear Lake region, shaping both its identity and tourism industry. This legend serves as …

Putting The Domus In The Domus Ecclesiae, Mary Joan Winn Leith, Allyson Everingham Sheckler

Journal of Religious Competition in Antiquity

No abstract provided.

Excavations At Khirbat Marmita (Pp. 139–178), Lilly Gershuny

'Atiqot

Three building complexes were uncovered at the site, as well as various installations that were quarried into bedrock. The buildings date from the first half of the first century BCE (Building 20/23), from the Hellenistic–Early Roman period (Building 84) and from the Herodian period (c. 30 to at least 67 CE; Building 104). Among the installations were five simple winepresses, typical of the Roman and Byzantine periods; a lever-and-weights oil press; cisterns with square or circular shafts; 33 cupmarks; caves; quarries; and a miqweh. The finds include pottery vessels, stone and basalt vases, glass vessels and metal artifacts. It seems …

Archaeozoological Finds From The Excavations West Of Tell Qasille (Pp. 135–137), Moshe Sade

'Atiqot

Animal bones were found inside four of the tombs dated to Middle Bronze Age II. Each tomb contained the remains of one sheep/goat, usually within vessels. It seems that the people at this site raised cattle. A large number of donkey bones were also found. Sea shells were also present, probably due to the proximity of the site to the Mediterranean shore. Many animal bones were found in the Hellenistic-period assemblage.

A Middle Bronze Age Ii Site West Of Tell Qasille (Pp. 65–128), Raz Kletter

'Atiqot

The site remains comprise a cemetery, two pottery kilns and a settlement dating to Middle Bronze Age II. Ten burials were excavated, all except one (T800) were rectangular pit-graves dug into kurkar sandstone. Each grave contained one to three individuals; T800, which was round, contained seven individuals in secondary deposition. The average grave assemblage comprised about ten pottery vessels, which were usually placed in a row next to one long side of the burial. The pottery kilns are almost identical in size, direction and structure. They are of the vertical type, with two main superimposed parts: a combustion chamber and …

Chalcolithic Burial Sites At Ma‘Abarot And Tel Ifshar (Pp. 45–63), Yosef Porath

'Atiqot

The two burial sites are located in the Sharon plain, south and north of Naḥal Alexander. The kidney-shaped cave at Ma‘abarot was hewn in the kurkar sandstone. All the burials in the cave were secondary. Of the 63 burials identified, 42 were placed in three types of ceramic vessels—house-shaped ossuaries, chest-shaped ossuaries and large domestic kraters—and 21, in ‘bone heaps’. The finds consisted of pottery vessels typical of the Chalcolithic period, e.g., V-shaped bowls and fenestrated bowls and bottles, and a flake from a flint digging tool. At Tel Ifshar, two burial places were discovered, both damaged by infrastructure work. …

Introduction: The Folklore And Ethnology Of Antisemitism, Simon J. Bronner

Jewish Folklore and Ethnology

A global rise in incidents and beliefs in the twenty-first century that monitoring and polling organizations label “antisemitic” raises several questions addressed by contributors to this special issue. A basic one is definitional regarding discourse about the shifting meaning of antisemitism in light of post-Holocaust events and digital age communication. A historical question is whether contemporary forms of antisemitism are connected to or a break from the term’s nineteenth-century roots. Related to that issue in modern discourse is whether antisemitism is an umbrella concept or separate from anti-Judaism, anti-Jewish, anti-Israel, and anti-Zionism movements. The materials of folklore—both as esoteric forms …

Beyond Self-Defense: A Critical Analysis Of The Biden Administration’S Application Of ‘Just War’ Theory In The Israel-Hamas War, Thomas Elias

Graduate Student Research Symposium

Abstract

The Israel-Hamas war has ignited critical questions regarding the justification for violence, particularly the right to self-defense. Harm to Palestinian noncombatants and the conflict’s prolonged duration has contributed to critiques and doubts about Israel’s military operations and the Biden administration’s substantial military aid post-October 7th. The war’s extensive destruction and dehumanization creates a stark tension with the Biden administration’s invocation of just war theory. This paper critically analyzes the Biden administration’s use of just war theory in supporting the Israel-Hamas war, investigating how Christian theological ethics on just war and self-defense have been utilized and misapplied since October 2023. …

Le Manifeste « Pour Une Théologie Depuis La Méditerranée »

Horizons et Conjonctures

Le texte qui suit a vu le jour à partir d’expériences théologiques vécues sur les rives de la Méditerranée et à partir d’un chemin de recherche et d’échanges qui a duré plusieurs années. Il est maintenant proposé sous la forme d’un manifeste à ceux qui s’intéressent à cette thématique et qui entendent s’impliquer, de diverses manières, dans le processus initié. Selon l’étymologie même du terme « manifeste », nous avons en effet l’intention d’offrir aux Églises, à la communauté académique et à ceux qui souhaitent croiser notre travail un texte qui fasse connaître quelques acquis théoriques et quelques repères à …

Notes De Méthodologie Pour Une Théologie Depuis La Méditerranée

Horizons et Conjonctures

Le Manifeste pour une théologie depuis la Méditerranée offrait l’opportunité d’exprimer publiquement l’appel pressant que nous, théologiens, ressentions : celui de développer, à partir de ce « lieu », une théologie contextuelle. Ce texte a ouvert des perspectives inattendues pour le partage d’intuitions, de convictions et de choix face aux défis futurs. Il nous semble important que le Manifeste soit désormais accompagné d’un texte méthodologique qui illustre le caractère d’une pratique théologique méditerranéenne.
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Jainism And Catholicism – Dialoguing Spiritually, Bryan Lobo

Journal of Global Catholicism

The inter-spiritual dialogue between Jainism and Catholicism lends itself towards discovering similarities and dissimilarities between the two spiritualities. Recognizing this discovery, this paper, without claiming to be exhaustive as regards the spiritual themes, discusses the chosen themes to facilitate greater reflection and potential to re-discover elements that can help the growth of understanding and practicing the preferred spirituality.

The Dialogue Of Spiritual Experience In Buddhist-Christian Encounter, S Mark Heim

Journal of Global Catholicism

Can one learn more about one’s own religion through the practices of another? My positive answer to this question is illustrated in this paper by reflection on aspects of the Buddhist practice of emptiness, in specific connection with Christian under-standing of our lives as creatures. The Buddhist meditative practices I have in mind have several things in common. They are introspective (activated in one person’s inner consciousness) and premised on the Buddhist understanding of emptiness (specifically “no self ” teachings). Buddhist introspective practice takes at least three broad forms. One of these is a meditative analytical awareness of the contents …

Paul: A Man Called To Reform Status: The Radical Practice Of “One In Christ”, Garrett S. "Faustino" Miller

Obsculta

This paper explores Saint Paul's ministerial pedagogy as he challenged Roman social hierarchies by calling believers to a radical unity as "one in Christ." By examining what this radical practice means, and what it is rooted in, this paper also urges readers toward the same radical and transformative vision of Christian oneness; a vision that seeks to build bridges rather than walls in the world today.

Wedding Appropriate?: A Reflection On 1 Corinthians 13:1-8, Barbara Kowalkowski Osb

Obsculta

This piece looks at whether the passage of 1 Corinthians 13:1-8a (the wedding verses) is overused or misused as one of the most popular readings during wedding ceremonies by considering the context of the passage. It delves into whether its use leads to misunderstanding among those gathered for their wedding on what its true meaning is.

Chaotic Mooers: Rural Immersion 2025, Garrett S. "Faustino" Miller Oblsb

Obsculta

No abstract provided.