Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring Biblical Language In Trauma Processing, Kathy B. Hoppe

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

Clients may often find themselves struggling with accessing traumatic experiences in therapy, thereby developing an avoidance of trauma that impedes healing. Strategies for reducing trauma processing may be difficult to identify effectively. This project suggests several means by which therapists can utilize the language of scripture, including scriptural narrative, metaphor, and poetry, as a therapeutic intervention with conservative Christian clients who are pursuing trauma processing. The proposed approach assists clients in explaining their traumatic events in a secure setting, hence preventing the common hyperarousal symptoms that are upsetting. The treatment can enhance the effectiveness of evidence-based practices. It incorporates several …

Walking In Promise, Living In Reality: Exploring The Mental Health Implications Of The Pentecostal Discourse Of Divine Calling, Robert D. Mcbain

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

Pentecostalism places a strong emphasis on the discourse of divine calling, where individuals believe they are purposefully created, guided, and empowered by God to fulfill a specific mission. This sense of calling profoundly shapes Pentecostals’ sense of identity and purpose. Using Grounded Theory, this study analyzes open, in-depth interviews with Pentecostals in the U.S. to explore the impact of the Pentecostal discourse of divine calling on their mental health. The metaphor of ‘walking in’ one’s calling emerges as the central theme used by participants to explain the interaction between their perception of divine calling, their lived realities, and their mental …

The Art Of Building Belonging Through Student Voice And Choice: Liberating Learning And Creating Community In Catholic Schools, Rich Hill

Doctoral Dissertations

This is a study of students’ voices, choices, and experiences. Its purpose is to examine the barriers and opportunities for building belonging in Catholic schools. The research is a contribution to the positive work of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging currently taking place in various Catholic school contexts. It is also a response to specific issues that continue to permeate students’ curricular experience, such as the silencing of voice, the lack of choice, untapped educational agency, and the exclusion of their authentic identities. The study is designed to learn directly from students’ own lived experiences, their testimonies, and their artwork. …

Imágenes De Silencio, Compromiso, Persecución Y Tortura: La Teología De La Liberación Y Su Encrucijada Con Las Dictaduras Del Cono Sur Desde Una Representación Cinematográfica, Marcial Martínez

Spanish and Portuguese ETDs

This dissertation examines the interaction between liberation theology and the

dictatorships of the Southern Cone from the 1960s to the 1980s through cinematic

representation. Filmmakers from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay

depict the political upheavals of the time, including the rise of leftist movements,

military regimes, and the influence of liberation theology, a progressive religious

ideology advocating for the oppressed. The study focuses on what is defined here

as the "cinematic canon of liberation theology," a body of films and documentaries

that legitimize, contest, or obscure ideologies tied to this movement vis-à-vis the

dictatorships. These films contest the silence …

Capturing The Intersection Of Black-American, Muslim Males And Education: Exploring Their Attitudes, Perceptions, And Lived Experiences Within An Islamic Consciousness, Kirk A. Talib-Deen

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This dissertation explored the lived realities of Black-American, Muslim males and their attitudes, perceptions, histories, and endurances toward higher learning in America. It attempted to join and contribute to the more significant, historical, and extant conversations and literature on Black-American males and education, as well as their successes and failures. This dissertation adds to the dearth of literature on the intersection of Black-American, Muslim males, and education, and using jazz as an epistemological way of navigating and organizing the content, the research works to uncover, locate, and define an Islamic consciousness. While negating racist histories concomitant with the American narrative …

Sacral Glitch, Kareena Naresh Solanki

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Growing up in a multifaith environment in Mumbai, I witnessed many religious sites and people with diverse beliefs. My parents always remained open-minded to other faiths, and my house remained replete with idols of deities of different religions. I studied Nichiren Buddhism, particularly the Lotus Sutra, as my mother began practising it along with her faith in Hinduism. Philosophical studies became a part of my life at the age of nine. Catholic prayers turned into rituals in my convent school days, and Islamic prayers resonated from afar. I often reflect on the influence of multiple religions in shaping my approach …

A Raced Theology Of The Human Person: An Expanded Theological Anthropology, Cary W. Dabney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on race as a critical, yet largely unaddressed, topic in Catholic theological anthropology. In Catholic colleges and universities that are recognized as members of the Cardinal Newman Society, theological concerns about race are deemed irrelevant for theological education in the faith and are altogether absent from the theology of the human person. As a result, this collection of institutions treats race as a specialty within pastoral theology, one that is significant to groups, but not a part of the fundamental theology of the human person. This ‘un-raced’ theological anthropology results in the institution’s inability to respond effectively …

Religious Trauma Healing Through Expressive Arts Therapy: A Literature Review, Abigail S. Whitman

Expressive Therapies Theses

This literature review discusses religion, spirituality, religious trauma, and mental health treatment through expressive arts therapy. The research highlights a prevalence of religious trauma within adults in the United States and a need for mental health care targeted toward the complexities of religious harm. Expressive arts therapy is an evidence-based and trauma-informed method of treating religious trauma. A somatic and well-rounded approach to processing religious trauma promotes self-regulation, building confidence, and finding affirming community. This research also outlines the interconnected systems of power that harm marginalized communities through religion: capitalism, white supremacy, and the patriarchy. Lastly, the literature review discusses …

Displaced Nostalgia, Nava Derakhshani

Theses and Dissertations

Exploring themes of identity, displacement, gender, and belonging, this paper examines the artist's work and her approach to her art. She covers the many influences that she has access to while unable to visit her ancestral homelands. Acknowledging the translation that comes from this removal, her art is in conversation with other diasporic, exiled, marginalised groups. She makes art with various materials such as clay, shadow, light, and paint, to work on the themes that she is pursuing.

Raised Spirits The Visceral Journey Of Black Generational Female Trauma And The Transcendent Healing Power Of Spiritual Dance, Wendy Ann Powell

Theses and Dissertations

Black female bodies have endured sustained trauma globally since the transatlantic slave trade, and it continues into 2025. The collective consciousness has carried the generational burden and mobilized it within the womb. Powell uses this intergenerational knowledge to frame the basis for spiritual dance practices as a healing praxis.

Womanist Pedagogy And Teaching Preaching: Black Women Preachers As Sources For Pedagogical Reflection, Courtney Buggs

Sermon Studies

The preaching classroom is a place of exploration, interrogation, and reflection. For Black preaching women, it is also a place for deep introspection and wrestling with questions of self-identity, religious authority, and theological (un)certainty. In this essay I show how womanist pedagogy functions to intervene and disrupt harmful assumptions in the preaching classroom, such as who can preach, who should preach, and how preachers engage with Scripture. Using Black women preaching students as sources for reflection, I explore political clarity, risk taking, teaching with tenderness, active listening, and instructional agility, to aid womanist-informed pedagogues in attending to the range of …

Rhetoric Of Freedom: The Black Church And Jamal Bryant’S Sermon “Am I Ever Going To Get Out Of This?”, Konysha Wade

Sermon Studies

Homiletics is a branch of rhetoric and religion that is defined as the art of preaching. All too common in fields of academia, including Homiletics, is a lack of inclusivity of African Americans. This paper will extend research that integrates and further centralizes African American homiletics, focusing on the notion of freedom in Dr. Jamal Bryant’s sermon “Am I Ever Going to Get Out of This?”

A Case For Homiletical Aesthetics: The Adorned Rhetoric Of Martin Luther King Jr., Timothy Y. Rhee

Sermon Studies

Despite the growing support of aesthetics within the field of homiletics, undercurrents of suspicion remain, particularly in Western evangelical settings. The reasons for this suspicion are far-reaching, ranging from theological concerns to unmerited fears regarding the handling of Scripture. Given this background, the adorned rhetoric of Martin Luther King Jr. provides a compelling case study for the indispensability of homiletical aesthetics. This study briefly overviews King’s use of artful rhetoric, exploring its origins and sociotheological factors that compelled beauty and adornment in the pulpit. This paper will argue that aesthetics in Christian preaching should be considered essential, especially when addressing …

The Beautiful Game On A Muslim Pitch: How Football And Religion Are Shaping Identity And Society, Aaron W. Hughes, Leif Stenberg

Exploring Muslim Contexts

Examines how football and religion act together to shape both identity and society in Muslim contexts.

This book showcases how football and religion are becoming increasingly interlinked in Muslim contexts in order to interact with and influence both identity and society. The first part of the volume is devoted to issues of identity, showing how football aids in its construction, maintenance and subversion. The second part reveals the deep-rooted connections between football and political and religious establishments by demonstrating how these organisations frequently use the game to disseminate or propagate their larger messages.

Altogether, the contributors reveal how football has …

An Exploration In Using Aesthetic Creative Modalities In Professional Supervision, Linda Young

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This project examines the integration of aesthetic and creative modalities into professional supervision, traditionally dominated by conversation-based methods. Drawing on over thirty years of experience in education, ministry, and supervision, it addresses the need for more creative, diverse, expressive, and reflective tools to be used in professional supervision practice. The study proposes a theoretically and theologically grounded curriculum to equip supervisors in postgraduate training with creative approaches that enrich learning, insight, and practice within the evolving landscape of professional supervision in Australia.

Recollections Of A Tejana Life, Carolina Yáñez

Art Theses and Dissertations

This thesis encompasses the life of a young woman navigating life in Texas through various political and social barriers. My interdisciplinary practice analyzes the historical context of Mexicans in Texas from its Revolutionary period into current injustices. Through fiber, printmaking, and photography I create a visual diary to illustrate what the political has made personal. These works display the beauty of Tejano culture, but also the power struggles that threaten communities I care for, as well as my own existence that persists against far-right wing agendas.

Current politics and government leadership in Texas have inspired me to make artwork calling …

Can Bringing Older And Younger People Together Renew Religious Communities?, Eddie Gonzalez, Stefanie Weiss, Eunice Lin Nichols, Cal Halvorsen

Brown School Faculty Publications

In fall 2024, CoGenerate, in collaboration with Dr. Cal Halvorsen of Washington University in St. Louis, worked with YouGov to conduct a national survey of 1,500 adults (ages 18 and older) in the U.S. about their religious / spiritual communities, their interaction with older and younger people, and their views on building connections across different age groups. The survey was nationally representative by gender, age, race, education and political affiliation. Our findings reveal considerable age segregation in people’s lives and a strong appetite for intergenerational connection and collaboration – or “cogeneration” – to counter it. They also identify challenges and …

Sociological Understandings Of Entrepreneurial Action And Intention, Jeffrey Cavanaugh

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Entrepreneurship as a trend has emerged across many different disciplines, drawing on theory from psychology, economics, and sociology. Importantly, sociologic aspects of entrepreneurship remain hidden from scholarship, as existing topics are often vague or narrowly partitioned. In my dissertation, I utilize sociological understandings of human interactions which define entrepreneurial intention and action. Specifically, I explore how entrepreneurs’ religion, rurality, and social media use influences their behaviors. Throughout these three quantitative essays, I contribute to a better understanding of the social psychology of entrepreneurship, and why entrepreneurial pursuits are so intricately linked to every aspect of society. Throughout my research, which …

Creed And Variations: Tracing The Divergence Of Christian Traditions In Select Piano Works Of Arvo Pärt, Olivier Messiaen, And J. S. Bach, Rebekah E. Stiles

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Within the classical music universe, the works of J. S. Bach, Olivier Messiaen, and Arvo Pärt stand apart as particularly evocative of the divine. Much has been written on these three men’s integration of faith with musical practice, exploring how their music is not only spiritual in nature but distinctly Christian. But in comparing the three, one encounters deeply rooted distinctions between their religious worldviews, a distinction not only found in their personal testimonies but actually heard in their music. Their compositional languages reflect three traditions: Protestantism (specifically Lutheranism), represented by Bach; Roman Catholicism, represented by Messiaen; and Eastern Orthodoxy, …

Populism And Religious Rhetoric In Spain's Right-Wing Vox Party, Ainsley Taylor

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

This thesis examines the intersection of populism and religious rhetoric in Spain’s right-wing political party, Vox. By analyzing Facebook posts from Vox’s national and regional accounts in the months leading up to the 2019 and 2023 national elections, as well as key regional elections in Andalusia and Cantabria, this study explores how the party strategically employs religious themes to shape its populist discourse. The findings indicate that Vox primarily uses religious rhetoric to construct an exclusive national identity, framing perceived external threats such as immigration, secularism, and leftist politics. While the party's use of religious rhetoric declined slightly between 2019 …

Divine Ecstasy And Erotic Submission: Pauline Réage’S Story Of O And The Medieval Mysticism Of Mechthild Of Magdeburg And Margery Kempe, Lauren A. Crawford

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the thematic and conceptual intersections between Pauline Réage’s Story of O and the medieval mystical writings of Mechthild of Magdeburg and Margery Kempe, focusing on the intertwined dynamics of divine ecstasy and erotic submission. By analyzing the textual representations of bodily suffering, erotic desire, and female submission, this study argues that Story of O—a modern work of literary erotica—engages with a mystical-erotic tradition that echoes the visions and devotional experiences of medieval women mystics. Through close readings, this project examines how both Réage’s protagonist and medieval mystics navigate the paradox of submission as a pathway to …

La Contextualización De Las Misiones Cristianas En Quito, Ecuador: Celebrar La Cultura Al Comunicar La Verdad, Sarah Huneycutt

Senior Honors Theses

Sin un conocimiento adecuado de cómo contextualizar su ministerio en contextos culturales únicos, los misioneros no podrán honrar a la gente local, llegar a sus corazones e invitar a todas naciones a la meta unida de glorificar a Dios. Aunque bien existen muchos recursos sobre regiones amplias o aun continentales, pocos existen que ofrezcan una comprensión de comunidades específicas. Para rellenar este vacío, la investigación actual intentó recopilar información sobre una región especifica—Quito, Ecuador—y examinar las implicaciones para misiones cristianas actuales en Quito.

Para contestar estas preguntas, se realizó un estudio etnográfico cualitativo mientras que la investigadora vivía en Quito. …

Deism: The Natural Flow Of Western Christians, Steve Case

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

No abstract provided.

The Need For A Grounded Faith And A Transcendent Sky: Philosophy As A Tool For Youth And Young Adult Ministry, Amalia Goulbourne

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

Many youth and young adults lack a deeply spiritual faith in a church that focuses on moral goodness, institutional commitment, and a belief in transcendence from a secular world. They ask questions about their identity, purpose, and belonging. Philosophy provides a stable framework for youth and young adults to learn how to engage in questioning, grow a deeply rooted faith from which to live life, learn the history of past and present philosophies, and explore the limits of a secular worldview.

The Missing Culture: A Look Into Intentionally Intergenerational Church Culture In Light Of Youth In The Current Generational Cultures Of The United States, Jason Canfield

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

As the church wrestles with reaching and retaining the youth and young adults of today, should the focus be on entertaining their interests or disciplining them? If the goal is discipleship, then an understanding of the generations and how bringing them intentionally together (intergenerational) as a core value of the church culture should be explored. Recognizing each generation’s unique culture and preferences and how those differences can make us stronger together as a united body of Christ is the aim of this article.

Losing My Religion: Young Adults And The Impact And Implications Of Secularism On Their Religion, Lyle Notice

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

Young adults in North America are less religious and consider themselves unaffiliated with organized religion. There is a stark difference between Millennials and Baby Boomers within the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church when it comes to religious beliefs, behavior, and affiliation. The older generation is holding on to religious beliefs while Millennials slowly and quietly drift away from the church and religious ideology. As Millennials move away from religious institutions and take on more secular ideology, it would appear that there are specific reasons for the mass exodus of young adults from church. This paper seeks to discuss the challenges facing …

The Three Angels’ Messages And The Seventh-Day Sabbath: Antidotes To The 1844 Theological Divide Of Neo-Darwinism, Karl Marx, And Frederick Nietzsche, Ron Reece

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

The “Great Disappointment” of October 22, 1844, left a group of believers wondering what did happen in 1844. This seminal time period in world history was also defined by the scientific and philosophical ideas of Charles Darwin, Karl Marx, and Frederick Nietzsche that challenged God’s grace and redemption at (1) creation; (2) Mt. Sinai; and (3) Calvary. The Three Angels’ Messages and the seventh-day Sabbath are Christ’s antidote to awaken humanity from this confused and deceived state of reality. They also address the secular philosophies of Neo-Darwinism, Marx, and Nietzsche. Seventh-day Adventists need to embrace a new understanding of 1844 …

Who Cares? Ministering To (And With) Young People In A Secular World

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

No abstract provided.

The Ballad Of The Wheel, John Kosch

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The Ballad of the Wheel is a piece for voice, percussion, and electronics that examines the cyclical nature of humanity. It draws texts from existential literature that spans almost all of recorded history, from antiquity to present day. In this work, a single narrator poses the same concerns about the nature of existence in different texts, revealing that questions about the meaning of life transcend boundaries of time and space. The prevalence of the theme of reincarnation also suggests that each movement of the piece presents a different manifestation of a single being. The Ballad of the Wheel implies a …

Queered Tradition: Disidentificatory Practices Of Queer-Affirming Religious Space, Amanda R. Peterson

Department of English: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Responding to high rates of religious trauma in the United States, particularly for LGBTQ people, this study investigates the rhetorical moves made in protestant Christian spaces to consider what makes these spaces safe and affirming for queer people. Specifically, I consider the rhetorical impact these churches make through not only their space but also their liturgy and online presence, which informs the embodied experience of the space.

Through autoethnographic research, I look at three local churches—Metropolitan Community Church of Omaha, Urban Abbey, and Elevate Church–the first two queer-affirming and the third conservative. Findings show the various church elements negotiated with …