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Is There A Future For The Missiological Study Of Worldview? Part 2, Paulo C. Oliveira

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

In Part 1 of this article, I revisited the foundational intellectual roots of the missiological worldview construct, described the concept, and presented an argument advocating for additional critical engagement in mission circles. In Part 2, the focus will be on probing the anthropological shift moving away from worldview studies, exploring some implications of this shift for missiology, and, finally, addressing—more directly—the question of the future of missiological worldview studies.

Mechanics And Dimensions Of Divine Forgiveness, Ransford Danson, Kenneth Appiah Kubi

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

Central to Christianity is the doctrine of forgiveness, yet no unified understanding or coherent concept of forgiveness exists in Christian discourse. Understandings of the process of forgiveness invariably depend on denominational traditions, beliefs, values, and practices (Worthington et al. 2019). A point of convergence is the view that forgiveness relates to the physical or psychological harm or wrongdoing inflicted by one person on another (Słowikowski 2020:56). There is also agreement that forgiveness is of different types: interpersonal, intrapersonal, and God-to-human (Fincham 2022; Maranges and Fincham 2024; Shah et al. 2024). The first two types constitute human (earthly) forgiveness, and the …

The Incoherence Of Orientalists, Sarah Zaid Alafifi

Theses and Dissertations

Orientalism, the Western practice of fetishizing cultures, extends beyond mere misrepresentation of the “other;” it epitomizes the underlying structures of colonialism and imperialism, infiltrating everyday life and eroding the moral fabric of Islamic society.

This thesis analyzes colonial control through the exercise of political power and the production of knowledge, investigating key events related to Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign and the narratives of resistance that emerged in opposition to it.

Through the lens of this 18th-century expedition, the study examines how Western knowledge systematically contributed to the dismantling of Islamic systems of knowledge. Select phrases from Colonial-era printed proclamations are extracted …

Pastoral Burnout: Causes, Consequences And Closure, Hyveth A. Williams

Faculty Publications

Pastoral burnout is a growing concern among religious leaders in North America, with significant consequences for both individuals and congregations. No denomination is unaffected by its debilitating presence; even Seventh-day Adventist clergy are not immune to this increasing stress-related twenty-first century health malady. Several factors contribute to pastoral burnout, including excessive workload, unrealistic expectations, lack of support, and boundary violations. These aspects often lead to emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, reduced personal accomplishment, and though rare, suicide. This presentation will explore the causes, consequences, and suggested conclusion with potential strategies for intervention and prevention of pastoral burnout.

Familial Consequences Following Deconversion: Perceived Parental Openness, Intrinsic Religiosity, And Impact Of Familial Repair, Michaelia R. Conway

Master's Theses & Other Graduate Student Works

This January 2024 Master of Science in Psychology thesis at Lipscomb University looks at how previous research on deconversion from a Christian religious background to atheism indicates that individuals experience negative social consequences with family, friends, and community groups when they disclose that their beliefs have changed (Marriott, 2015); (Dollinger, 2018). Past research has shown that mothers are impacted by their emerging adult child’s deconversion (Marriott, 2015). Studies also indicate that parents who are extrinsically religious and less open to new experiences are more likely to dismiss their emerging adult child’s worldview (Marriott, 2015). These findings are all derived from …

Leadership And Emergent Faith Communities In Canada: A Phenomenological Study, Anne Anderson

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The purpose of this study is to explore how participants within emergent faith communities in Canada experience leadership. Through a phenomenological approach, members from five emergent faith communities across Canada have been interviewed in a semi-structured format. Emerging themes of transformational leadership, community along with belonging, and possible future areas of research will be discussed.

A Plain Account Of Christian Purity: Berlin Walls, Dean G. Blevins, Marie Gregg

The Asbury Journal

While theological definitions of holiness incorporate purity terminology among several metaphors, the challenges resident in using this language may well impede opportunities of engaging difference and reconciliation. Wesleyans need a “Plain Account” of Christian purity to guide both ecclesial discussions that stress not only strengths, but also limits, in purity thinking. Using an example involving the Church of the Nazarene and Pentecostalism, the writing reveals how purity thinking risks creating “Berlin walls” when engaging differences. The analysis argues that a moral fear of degradation, rather than an acknowledgment of difference, often pushes purity thinkers to oppose certain issues.

De Los Archivos: E. Stanley Jones- ¿El Cristo Del Camino Andino?, Robert A. Danielson

The Asbury Journal

No abstract provided.

The Light Of Hope: Representations Of Salvation In The Great North Window Of St Mary’S Cathedral, Sydney, Carolyn Amy Lewis Flynn

Theses

St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney is considered to be the Mother Church of Australia. Yet, the rich architectural and artistic heritage contained therein has been little studied. This is an interdisciplinary study of John Hardman Powell’s Great North Window in that cathedral. It draws on theological and art historical research methods to interrogate the window’s underlying meanings, and the aims of its patrons. An examination of the doctrinal, devotional, and theological writings of the nineteenth century shows that this stained-glass window reflects the period’s understanding of salvation history. The window, firstly, tells the story of salvation through the stories about …

The Literary Landscape For Twentieth-Century Spanish-Speaking Lds Poets, Gabriel González Núñez

Writing and Language Studies Faculty Publications

Spanish is the second-most spoken language among Latter-day Saints, but relatively little is known about Mormon literature in this language, either its current status or its history. This absence is evident in the key surveys on Mormon literature that have been carried out. For example, when Eugene England considered the prospects of Mormon literature in his landmark essay on its history and future, he looked ahead at a mostly US-centric and fully English-language literary horizon.¹ This makes sense in the context in which he was writing. In the English language, and in the United States in particular, Mormon literature …

Volume 37, Full Contents, Jhcs Staff

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

No abstract provided.

Georgian Orthodoxy: Navigating The Middle Eastern Landscape, Leons Gabriels Taivans

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This paper explores the complex sentiments among Georgian Orthodox believers, who simultaneously exhibit unwavering allegiance to the "spiritual power" of former imperialistic Russia alongside discontentment due to its military aggression. The author contends that the prevailing scholarly perspective is incomplete, stemming from a Eurocentric approach, and advocates instead for a broader consideration of Georgia, along with Azerbaijan and Armenia, within the cultural milieu of the Middle East rather than the European context. In the Middle Eastern cultural sphere, characterized by Islam, distinctions between secular and religious realms are blurred—a feature similarly reflected in Georgian Orthodox Christianity. Shaped by historical encounters …

Declared Guiltless Justification By Faith In The Latter-Day Saint Classroom, Stephan Taeger

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

Religious educators can face unique challenges when teaching the doctrine of grace. Some students struggle with excessive guilt and do not think they are doing enough to live the gospel. Others think that grace somehow excuses their sins. Helping students better grasp the doctrine of justification by faith can help them feel peace with God while inspiring them to be more faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. This article uses the words of scripture, modern prophets, and trusted scholars to clarify this doctrine and discusses how understanding it removes guilt and inspires obedience to God’s commandments. The concluding section provides practical …

“When Ye Shall See These Things Come Among You” A Survey Of Teachings On Modern Secret Combinations, Nicholas J. Frederick

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

One of the purposes of the Book of Mormon is to warn latter-day Gentiles about the dangers of modern-day secret combinations.” Such combinations led to the destruction of the Jaredites and the Nephites and, we are told, should not be dismissed or overlooked in our own modern day. So how ought we to identify a modern secret combination? What would such an organization look like? How can religious educators discuss secret combinations in a responsible manner? This article explores how modern prophets have described and defined secret combinations, from Joseph Smith up through the present.

"A Pattern In All Things That Ye May Not Be Deceived" Prophetic Themes As An Anchor In Book Of Mormon And Young Adult Religion Courses, Camey L. Andersen

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

In a 2023 Seminaries and Institutes of Religion Annual Broadcast, Elder Clark G. Gilbert of the Seventy, Commissioner of the Church Educational System, emphasized five themes from the current prophetic messages that apply specifically to the young adults of the Church. This article will show how the prophetic themes shared by Elder Gilbert can be an anchor for faith in Jesus Christ and his prophets in young adult religion courses; can influence the curriculum for the course Teachings and Doctrine of the Book of Mormon; can influence teaching and ministering to students to strengthen testimonies of Jesus Christ, his living …

Expecting More, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Olivia Osguthorpe, Eastin M. Hartzell

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

Trying to amplify the words of the prophets while helping religious educators throughout the world understand the hearts and heads of young adult students as they become lifelong disciples of Christ, Barbara Morgan Gardner, professor of Church history and doctrine at BYU; Matthew O. Richardson, professor of Church history and doctrine at BYU; and Sean Dixon, area director in the Utah South Area of Seminaries and Institutes, led a panel of young adult students. The young adult panelists included Matt Conway (Utah Valley University), Zoe Gomez Paz (UVU), Eastin Hartzell (BYU), Abigail Haven (BYU), Micah Johnson (BYU), and Olivia Osguthorpe …

Institutional Efforts To Amplify Prophetic Messages, R. Kelly Haws, C. Shane Reese, Chad H. Webb, Brian K. Ashton, Bruce C. Kusch, John S. K. Kauwe Iii, Alvin F. Meredith Iii

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

In this panel, presidents from Church Educational System universities, Ensign College, and the administration of Seminaries and Institutes of Religion consider prophetic priorities, increasing one’s ability to recognize and amplify those teachings, and the blessings that come to young adults and others from understanding prophetic priorities.

Seminaries And Institutes Reach And Impact Update, Chad H. Webb

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

This article highlights efforts of Seminaries and Institutes instructors to support youth and young adults worldwide. It addresses concerns about previously declining institute enrollments, sharing strategies implemented to mitigate and reverse the trend. Feedback from focus groups emphasized the need for relevance, belonging, accessibility, and deepened conversion to Jesus Christ. As a result, initiatives such as workshops, new classes, and online options have been implemented. Notably, institute enrollments have increased by 20 percent, and seminary enrollment has also grown, with the programs adding over 126,000 students in the last three years. It emphasized the need for continual innovation, grounded in …

Addressing The Crisis In Meaning And Identity Through Covenant Relationship, Jenet Jacob Erickson

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

Our youth are experiencing a profound hunger for connection, evidenced by an epidemic of loneliness and increasing mental health challenges despite the seeming connectivity of a world swimming in social media. The deepest loneliness stems from disruption and disorder in family life, including ruptured or never formed family relationships. In answer to this relational fracturing, the gospel of Jesus Christ offers covenant belonging and connection. The revealed understanding of the nature of our covenant relationship with Jesus Christ and his work in enabling eternal bonds within the family and across the entire eternal family is at the heart of helping …

Healing From Toxic Perfectionism, Debra Theobald Mcclendon

BYU Studies

Perfect is the enemy of good.” This phrase is derived from a French proverb, yet it is most often attributed to the famous French writer Voltaire. It observes that those striving for perfection are their own worst enemies.1 Indeed, perfectionism is overly demanding of those who struggle with it. With its irrational and impossible demands, perfectionism can cause anxiety, create high levels of distress that inhibit learning and performance, damage relationships, and diminish the quality of life for otherwise highly competent and dedicated individuals. Perfectionism can be the main problem that leads someone to seek therapeutic services from a mental …

Perfectionism’S Influence On Adolescent Mental Health, Mark D. Ogletree

BYU Studies

Years ago, I was sitting in my counseling practice with a sixteen-year- old young man. He was a great teenager with many positive qualities. However, on this particular summer day, he came in a somber mood. I asked him what was bothering him. He began to share some of his problems with me. In my opinion, none were out of the ordinary. Nevertheless, I could see his lips begin to quiver, and then he broke down in tears. When he could compose himself, he uttered, “I know that God hates me.” And with that declaration, I knew that we had …

On The Road With Richard Bushman, Grant Wacker

BYU Studies

Richard Bushman invited me to respond to his essay, given my long-standing interest in the Protestant encounter with world religions. With this very short essay of my own, I am pleased to offer a few words of appreciation and thoughts about further inquiries.

Creating The Book Of Mormon Art Catalog Why Religious Art Matters, Jennifer Champoux

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

The Book of Mormon Art Catalog allows users to access and study a greater volume and variety of art based on this book of scripture than ever before. This open access digital database includes more than four thousand images from seven hundred different artists hailing from fifty-five nations. The catalog provides a resource for teachers, enhances possibilities for scholarship, and creates new opportunities for artists. As an ongoing gathering of art, the catalog can also inspire new production, including scenes or approaches currently underrepresented in the art. Incorporating more art into our study and teaching of the Book of Mormon …

Lessons We Can Learn From The Mountain Meadows Massacre, Richard E. Turley Jr.

BYU Studies

The Mountain Meadows Massacre of 1857 has been called the worst incident in Utah, Latter-day Saint, and northwest Arkansas history. I don’t remember the first time I heard about it, but I coauthored my first publication about the atrocity more than thirty years ago, an article on the subject published in a multivolume encyclopedia set issued by Macmillan Publishing Company of New York in 1992.

What Jesus Didn’T Do: The Discipled Pursuit Of Less, Greg Mckeown

BYU Studies

The soft, muted lighting reflected off wooden pews in a local church building, casting a glow on the faces of leaders gathered for a stake meeting. Among those on the stand was the young bishop of the Sixth-Seventh Ward in the Temple View Stake. Tall, with a commanding presence, he was known for his dedication, but tonight, he felt restless. He had promised to visit an older ward member in the hospital right after this stake meeting was over. As the meeting progressed, he felt a strong impression to leave the meeting and rush to the hospital. The feeling became …

Sense Make Before Book, Bradley Sinanan

Theses and Dissertations

“Sense Make Before Book” is an Indo-Caribbean turn of phrase which refers to common sense being more important than book smarts. My sister sent me a post the other day on Instagram of an Trinidadian woman using this phrase, saying it was one of Indo-Caribbean origin. I was interested and asked my mom about it. My mom says that when she was younger my grandpa said it often around their house in Princes Town, Trinidad and Tobago. This adage feels charged thinking about the history of indenture and its effects on the Indo-Caribbean diaspora.

The written word of archival history …

Alfred Russel Wallace Notes 29. Extraterrestrial Entertainment: Are We Being Monitored By Alien Beings?, Charles H. Smith

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

Alfred Russel Wallace (1823−1913) was an early advocate for the rational assessment of likelihood of extraterrestrial life. Current efforts to evaluate the situation have ranged from the heavily self-indulgent to the more objective, and it is still often difficult to decide just how much of the information we are receiving on the subject is dependable. An attempt is made here to cut through the haze and reduce the matter to elementals.

Is There A Future For The Missiological Study Of Worldview? Part 1, Paulo C. Oliveira

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

This two-part article aims to assess the missiological worldview theory critically while pointing to implications for mission studies. It argues that the concept needs serious development to be useful for research in contemporary society. The social shifts experienced in the last decades and a lack of robust missiological critical engagement have made the model theoretically unreliable as an analytical tool. This first paper introduces the genealogy of missiological worldview theory to expose its theoretical underpinnings and identifies a departure between anthropology and missiology regarding the concept. The first task in the ensuing discussion is to unearth the theoretical foundations of …

World Spirit And The Apotheosis Of Artificial Superintelligence: A Speculative Design Proposal, Ian Gonsher

Scholarly Research

This essay puts forth a speculative design proposal for a device with affordances for talking to, and receiving responses from, God. We begin with an analysis and critique of the concept of God, framing this concept within an understanding of Hegelian Spirit (Geist) and technological evolution. In this context, Spirit, or World Spirit (Weltgeist), can be characterized as the aggregate consciousness of all people - as human consciousness itself: In the simplest terms, this immanent framing of the “mind of God” is culturally and socially constituted as the communication that people engage in with each other, in all the diverse …

"Fulfil In Beauty My Imperfect Prayer": Mythologization In Santayana's Aesthetics Of Religion, India M. Johnson-Mccauley

Honors College Theses

This thesis addresses George Santayana’s theories of art and religion in the context of turn-of-the-century religious thought and introduces the concept of the mythologization of religion. Santayana, the Spanish-American turn-of-the-century philosopher, poet, and novelist, took a naturalist, pragmatist, and religious non-realist approach to understanding the world that prompted works regarding the nature of art, The Sense of Beauty (1896), and the nature of religion, Interpretations of Poetry and Religion (1900). Within these two works, Santayana proposes a theory of aesthetics and a theory of religion that seem to function in tandem with each other. According to his theories, art, particularly …