Digital Commons Network^™

The African Christian History Of American Songs Of Slavery, Elizabeth Adekale

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Christianity is an African traditional religion that played a vital role in the formation of American songs of slavery, also known as spirituals. These songs were created by the enslaved Africans in America to express their longing for freedom and preserve African Christian tradition. Within the lyrics of spirituals are coded messages that provided secret information to the enslaved African population. The text of many spirituals came directly from the Bible and speaks of the Spirit working in and through God’s people to set things right. Saint Augustine (354-430 AD) was an African Christian theologian and philosopher whose spiritual authority …

Pray And Play: The Impact Of Fellowship Of Christian Athletes Among Di African American Collegiate Football Players In Kentucky, Rasheed Flowers

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

Participation in athletics provides student-athletes with opportunities to further themselves outside of athletics through academic assistance, educational opportunities and experiences, physical wellness, and personal/professional development. One often overlooked portion of this holistic development is spiritual development. As demonstrated in the name student-athlete, it implies a dual identity. Few student-athletes navigate multiple identities and a myriad of additional challenges in their collegiate journey than African American football student-athletes (AAFSAs). Spiritual development is vital for student-athletes; the literature validates that student-athletes growing in their faith may be better equipped to navigate the tension of multiple identity roles and cope with various circumstances. …

Religious Literacy Practices For Young Readers, Eric D. Rackley, Rebekah Kay Strain

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

Although much of our gospel knowledge depends upon our interactions with scripture, misconceptions about reading it persist. One of the most enduring is the illusion of comprehension in which young readers mistakenly believe that reading words is sufficient to understand ideas.[1] To understand the important insights embedded in scripture and other complex texts, “reading must go considerably beyond the words alone.”[2] Words are sketches of ideas—not ideas themselves—so no text, however descriptive or eloquent, can include all the information necessary to understand its most compelling truths. For young readers to take full advantage of scripture and have the truths of …

Constancy Amid Change, Michael Goodman, Daniel Frost

BYU Studies

Few issues are more sensitive and in need of serious study than gender and sexuality. Taylor Petrey’s book, Tabernacles of Clay: Sexuality and Sexual Difference in Modern Mormonism, contributes much to that study. The book provides a nuanced view of Church leaders’ attempts to understand and teach the nature of gender and sexuality. Petrey shows that Latter-day Saint discourse on these issues has changed substantially, especially since World War II. Petrey has gathered a trove of material for scholars and others who seek to better understand how culture, tradition, and theology have shaped teachings about gender and sexuality. Though …

Value Vectors Of The World Local Orthodox Churches Position Regarding Russia's War Against Ukraine, Oleksandr Brodetskyi, Iryna Horokholinska, Mykola Lahodych

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article deals with the religious contexts of the modern civilizational crisis caused by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Among the multitude of thematic lines of this set of problems, the article’s authors focus their attention precisely on the position of the world Orthodox Churches regarding this war. The concentration of such attention is objectively determined by the fact that the majority of Ukrainian citizens position themselves as Orthodox by faith, and therefore, are particularly sensitive to the opinion of the leaders of the Orthodox Churches of the world. The article examines the value aspects of the problem of …

Clergy Social Activity During War Conditions: The Case Of Western Regions Of Ukraine, Ihor Lutsan, Iryna Horokholinska

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

In this article, the authors analyze the impact of Russia-Ukraine war on church-religious life and the state of public consciousness in Ukraine and identify the main trends and contradictions in public reactions to threats to their lives and spirituality. The research focuses on religious communities of the western regions of Ukraine and their socially significant activities. The primary empirical source of the article was the study (by questionnaire survey) of the opinions of the clergy of this religious organization on the characteristics of parish life and the role of the pastor in the conditions of war. Three defining vectors that …

Transformation Of Religious Feelings Of Vulnerable Populations Under Conditions Of Large-Scale Dangers In The Chernivtsi Region, Iryna Lazorevych

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Solving the challenges facing humanity requires the combined efforts of all humanity using a comprehensive approach. This also applies to the problem of HIV. In particular, in the context of the war in Ukraine, the crisis of marginalized groups deepened and people with HIV began to face more challenges than usual (because their treatment, which requires constant supervision and medication, is at risk). This article analyzes a survey conducted at the beginning of the invasion about the level of religiosity and trust in the church among HIV-positive people in wartime conditions. The issue of the problems of marginalized groups and …

Visual Displays In Space Station Culture: An Archaeological Analysis, Justin St. P. Walsh, Alice C. Gorman, Wendy Salmond

Art Faculty Articles and Research

We offer an archaeological analysis of the visual display of “space heroes” and Orthodox icons in the Russian Zvezda module of the International Space Station (ISS). This study is the first systematic investigation of material culture at a site in space. The ISS has now been continuously inhabited for 20 years. Here, focusing on the period 2000–2014, we use historic imagery from NASA archives to track the changing presence of 78 different items in a single zone. We also explore how ideas about which items are appropriate for display and where to display them originated in earlier Soviet and Russian …

Dear Maliha,, Na-Eela Djemil

Capstones

Dear Maliha is a short documentary film exploring the complexities of spiritual abuse through Maliha Fairooz. Spiritual abuse is a form of abuse that uses spiritual or religious beliefs to control or manipulate others. In some cases, spiritual abuse can be used to describe a religious leader who abuses their platform. But in Maliha’s story, we explore the concept of parental spiritual abuse. However, we learn more about this through Maliha Fairooz and the creative use of her journal.

For Maliha journaling is a form of therapy she uses to process her feelings and days. She also uses it as …

Fe, Cultura Y Sexualidad: Hacia Una ComprensióN Queer
 De Su InterrelacióN
 En El Contexto Del Sur Global, Hugo Córdova Quero, Saúl Serna Segura, Jorge A. Aquino Ph.D.

Conexión Queer: Revista Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Teologías Queer

Inclusive churches propose to explore a path of revision and adaptation of queer faith in our Global South contexts. The way initiated is promising, and indeed the inclusive churches —together with queer theologians and their allies— are setting a course towards adapting Christianity to people's contexts instead of the traditional way of adapting contexts to Christian faith.

«MáS Allá De La Biblia»: Reflexiones CríTicas Sobre Las Aportaciones De Los Estudios Culturales Y Poscoloniales Sobre Las Relaciones Entre Personas Del Mismo Sexo En ÁFrica, Lovemore Togarasei, Ezra Chitando

Conexión Queer: Revista Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Teologías Queer

Except for South Africa, sub-Saharan African countries criminalize same-sex relationships, although the call for acceptance increases. The «pro» and the «anti» -same-sex relationships camps use the Bible. However, investigating the texts shows a selective use of the Bible to entrench one’s already accepted position. The questions addressed in this article are: do Africans resist same-sex relationships purely based on the teaching of the Bible, or are there other factors at play? Several African scholars examining those texts expose the weaknesses inherent in their use to resist same-sex relationships. The analysis critically reflects on the use of the Bible in the …

The Invisible Language: Unintentional Patronage And Missions Practice In Contemporary Thailand, Samuel Burton Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Patronage-clientelism is a current and important topic of discussion among the anthropological and missiological community. The effects of unintended patronage by Western missionaries in the context of Thai culture, however, are underexplored in academic research. In this study, I analyzed the effects of unintentional patronage among Western missionaries in a Thai cross-cultural ministry context. To do this I utilized a multiple case study method in which I compared four cases and analyzed for examples of how unintentional patronage is generated. I discovered that unintentional patronage was likely a result of insufficient missionary education regarding patronage-clientelism, as well as a lack …

Theological Practices For Sustaining Community Renewal At Speedway Church Of Christ, Kent A. Ellett

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This project assembled a group of potential small-group facilitators for the purpose of drafting a small-group discussion guide to be used at the Speedway (Indiana) Church of Christ. The guide was intended to aid the discernment of missional practices which sustain the renewal of the wider community. Focusing on the Gospel of John, the intervention attempted to recover a temple Christology, construing the incarnation, ministry, death, and the lifting up of Jesus within the larger story of the temple’s ongoing re-creation of the world. In bestowing his glory upon the church, Jesus sends the church into all the world, as …

The Demands Of Encounter In A Globalized Community Of Scholars: Shedding Light On The Place Of Trust In The Ritual Of Knowledge Creation, Simonmary A. Aihiokhai

Journal of the Black Catholic Theological Symposium

As institutions of learning become more diverse in their members and their curricula offerings, it has become necessary to articulate the demands of encounter. A distinction must be made between meeting and encounter. The former refers to a choreographed proximity of bodies. The latter refers to the totality of what it means to be human – a being intricately linked to other beings through life-giving webs of relationships. Therefore, transformative education must be grounded in the ritual of encounters because such a ritual allows for the possibility for new discourses that lead to knowledge creation. Such discourses allow for a …

Review — Teresia Mbari Hinga, African, Christian, Feminist: The Enduring Search For What Matters, Simonmary A. Aihiokhai

Journal of the Black Catholic Theological Symposium

No abstract provided.

New Urban Liturgy: Making A Lane For Hip-Hop In Multicultural Worship, Caleb Thomas Kudlo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The urban environments of American cities are home to diverse cultures and subcultures. If God created humanity in His image, and if the gospel of Jesus Christ has transcending power, then urban churches are poised to become worship communities that reflect His creativity and redemption. However, the ideal of unity in diversity strives against the currents of homogenization in American history, church traditions, and human nature. This project brings attention to a subculture that makes its home in the urban environments of American cities but not in its churches: hip-hop should be counted among the diverse cultures that can uniquely …

Worship, Culture, And Mission: Ethnomusicology As A Tool For Evangelism In America, Semaj H. Pennix

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite many efforts of using evangelism as a tool in the United States, a deficit within the mission field of the unchurched is still very present. Within the scope of the ethnomusicologist, there are both secular and sacred musical fronts and participants that must be presented with the gospel in a form that ministers to them and connects with their own cultural or traditional music. Infiltrating these atmospheres as an ethnomusicologist may be the way to meet these needs. Because music has such a strong potential for changing the hearts of others and fostering acceptance, it is important for the …

The Model Of Development Of Precarious Practices During Covid-19 Pandemic: Society, Religion, And Individual, Оlena Honcharova, Valentyna Kuryliak

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article examines the phenomenon of precariousness and its development in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is postulated that precariousness is a process of instability, which primarily affects the working class and destabilizes social relations at all levels, including the level of personal relationships. The human way of life has been shifted as a result of the epidemiological situation in the world caused by the COVID-19 infection. This process can be observed in the spheres of employment, medicine, religion, family, leisure activities, etc. Against the background of social turbulence, the processes of precariousness began to develop, which worsen …

They Only Asked Us To Remember The Poor’: The Poor In The Theology Of Rev. Dr. Don Davis, Hank Voss

2021 Evangelical Theological Society

No abstract provided.

"Theology" In The Public University, Sarah T. White

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recent studies have suggested the transformative potential of “theological” inquiry anddiscourse in religious studies, particularly, in furthering religious literacy and peace building initiatives through greater understanding of “other”. Yet, “theology” is a relatively new academic approach to peace building and conflict studies and is still marginalized to a large degree in secular universities. Vigorous inquiry into the intrinsic value and potential role of “theological” inquiry and discourse in secular academics, as well as possible pedagogical strategies, are worthwhile and necessary towards achieving the wider aims of the secular university. To those ends, this paper presents a broad survey of the …

"Read It Again!": Storytelling To Imitate The Great Teacher, Kate Whatley

Senior Honors Theses

The student’s mind is bent on stories, asking mothers around the world to ‘read it again’. These stories preserve information and emotions for centuries. In the classroom, stories enliven motivation and empathy in ways that result in higher academic achievement and social awareness. Learning to use stories as a key instructional strategy will allow for more equitable opportunities in classrooms, encourage mental health and truth telling for the teacher and the student collectively, and allow the academic community to imitate Christ by contributing to the bigger story taking place across time. In application of using stories as teachers, this thesis …

Looking Back, Or Re-Visioning: Contemporary American Jewish Poets On “Lot’S Wife”, Anat Koplowitz-Breier

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

Although mentioned only twice in Genesis (19:17, 26), Lot’s wife has been a topic of much discussion amongst both traditional and modern commentators and exegetes. The traditional midrashim seek to explain why she chose to disregard the instructions she was given and the nature of her punishment. In doing so, they follow two principal directions, representing her a) negatively as a wicked sinner, a Sodomite who acted as such even before disobeying the divine decree not to look backwards—thus linking her disobedience with her intrinsic character (e.g., curious, greedy, inhospitable, faithless); or b) positively as a loving mother and daughter. …

Why Leadership Conflict Exists In The Church: The Structural Conflict Theory Perspective, Olusaseun O. Afolabi

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

No abstract provided.

Dualistic Worldviews: Implications For Discipleship, Temesgen B. Besha

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

Frederick Wiseman's Essene (1972): The Duality Of Mary And Martha, Nilita Vachani

Journal of Religion & Film

America’s legendary documentary filmmaker Frederick Wiseman shot Essene 50 years ago at the height of the commune movement in the United States. Unlike his previous institutional films which showcase an insane asylum, a public high school, an inner city police force, a hospital, and a military training school, Essene's canvas is the far less turbulent terrain of a serene and austere Benedictine monastery devoted to the love and service of God and the divine spirit. This paper undertakes a close textual and hermeneutic analysis of Essene alongside an appraisal of Wiseman’s working methodology, his cinematic portrayals of character and dramaturgy, …

Libermann’S Understanding Of Suffering And The Challenges Of Covid-19 Pandemic In Africa, Kenneth Ofoma C.S.Sp.

Spiritan Horizons

No abstract provided.

Chaplaincy For The Prisoners And The Penitentiary System In Ukraine (1991-2021), Valentyna Kuryliak, Ivan Ostashchuk, Mariia Ovchar

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article examines the quality of work of religious organizations in places of deprivation of liberty, as well as their interaction with the penitentiary service of Ukraine. It was revealed that the chaplaincy ministry occupies an important place in the Christian churches of Ukraine. In the early 1990s, ministry in Ukrainian prisons was allowed, but most of the churches were at the stage of survival, so they were not able to carry out active work in prisons. At the legislative level, prisoners have ensured freedom of religion, and the penitentiary service was obliged to provide access to representatives of each …

Sacrality In Modern Ukrainian Poetics: Metamorphoses Of Values, Iryna Lazorevych

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This is a study of the influence of religious sacrality on modern Ukrainian literature, particularly poetry, analyzing those sacred meanings that the current Ukrainian mentality actively uses. So far, it eclectically synthesizes the ideological impulses of traditional Christian religiosity (which even in the times of Communism retained its natural strength, especially in the Western regions of Ukraine), and elements of Soviet ideologemes and pragmatism of the modern transitional period. At the same time, it uses certain inclinations to new communication with sacred, which is felt by some of the important creators of modern Ukrainian culture. In this article, the author …

“Precios Perle Wythouten Spotte”: Accepting The Unknowable In Pearl, Jana Ishee

Master's Theses

The fourteenth-century Middle English poem Pearl, authored by the anonymous Pearl-poet, survives in a manuscript known as London, British Library, Cotton MS Nero A.x. This dream vision, narrated by a grieving father, tells the story of his journey to Paradise, where he encounters his infant daughter, now older, regal, and wise, proffering admonishments with the authority of God to her tearful father. meeting with her in Paradise. Drawing on Caroline Walker Bynum’s work on medieval European conceptions of death and resurrection, J. Stephen Russell’s work on the dream vision genre, and Karl Steel’s work on oysters as liminal figures, …

The Emotional Heschel, Maria Junttila Carson

Dissertations - ALL

This dissertation asserts that Heschel's work ought to be viewed as affective and emotional. Understanding Heschel's work as both creating and encouraging particular affects enables a more robust and fuller understanding of American Jewish postwar life. Specifically, American Jewish postwar life was animated by a nostalgia for the shtetl, a desire to connect with the State of Israel, a longing to create meaningful Jewish ritual, and uncertainty about the place of American Jews in broader social justice movements. Heschel views humans as interconnected in a web of affects and emotions; through affects, humans are connected to God, history and memory, …