Digital Commons Network^™

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 …

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.

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 …

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, …

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.

Exchange Of Uoc-Mp Priests For Prisoners Of War In The Context Of National Security And Religious Relations, Liudmyla Shtanko, Igor Makarenko

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The exchange of UOC-MP priests for prisoners of war is a complex and multifaceted issue encompassing political, humanitarian, and religious dimensions, which have become particularly relevant in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine. On the one hand, the exchange of priests can be viewed as a humanitarian act aimed at liberating captured soldiers; on the other hand, it serves as a political maneuver that provokes conflicting sentiments among citizens and religious communities. Considering the situation with prisoners of war, Ukraine sought effective methods to secure the return of its citizens, including through the mechanism of exchanging UOC-MP priests. Although …

Humans Are Far Dearer Than Gold, Richard Gorban

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The author of the article proves that the genocidal war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine is aimed at the total destruction of both the Ukrainian nation and its culture, based on the methodological principle of actualizing biblical texts in the current circumstances and by selecting elements from the exhaustiveness of the content of the Book of Isaiah, the Prophet, which are able to reveal the ontological foundations of this war. It is the clash between the two incompatible experiences of existence: the existence of a human community in peace and that of a community in war. Ukraine has become …

How Parents Participate In The Christian Education And Spiritual Formation Of Their Children: A Case Study Of Hybrid Schooling, Shannon O'Hearn Downing

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine how parents participate in the Christian education and spiritual formation of their children who are enrolled in a classical Christian, hybrid-model school in the DC Metro Region. The theory that guided this case study was Christopher Watkin’s biblical critical theory, as it provides the proper framework for interpreting how parents enculturate their children in the Christian belief system of the family. The central research question was, “How do parents participate in the Christian education and spiritual formation of their children who are enrolled in a classical Christian, hybrid-model school in …

Holy Water, Chris Deacy

Journal of Religion & Film

This is a review of the short film, Holy Water (2024), directed by Claire Barnett.

Sexism In African And African-American Pentecostalism: A Black Liberation Perspective, Evelyn G. Okeke

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation explores the scourge of sexism in African and African-American Pentecostalism within the context of a critique of Black Liberation Theology, including the many challenges the intersection of race, gender, and class poses for Black clergywomen seeking leadership roles in the Pentecostal church, their courageous attempts to tackle this problem, and the extent to which sexism has permeated the Pentecostal Church and contributed to the marginalization of Black clergywomen in that community. The broad issue is whether women qua human beings can represent Christ, to which question this study answered yes.

Sexism has harmed Black clergywomen in multiple ways, …

The Politics Of U.S. Religious Freedom And The War On Gaza, Elizabeth Shakman Hurd Phd

Department of Religion Events

It is not possible to understand what is happening in Gaza, or in the US, without understanding the religious politics of American support for Israel. This lecture delves into the swirling mixture of religion, history, and politics that shape relations between these two states. The structure of that relationship also shapes what it means to be religiously free in the US today. Whose religion is free? And whose is defined as heresy, terrorism, or anti-Americanism? At a moment in which US-Israeli relations have come under unprecedented strain and scrutiny, it is helpful to approach this relationship from outside the demands …

The Role Of Religious Associations Of Ukraine In The Development Of Civil Society, Oleh Sokolovskyi

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

In Ukraine, over the years of independence, a diverse religious environment has formed based on the legislatively guaranteed right to freedom of conscience and religion and the principle of religious pluralism. This environment consists not only of individual religious organizations but also of interfaith institutions, which play a significant role in Ukraine's development and contribute to resolving important societal issues. Their existence is compelling evidence of the church's strengthened position, the growing social role of religion, and the increased activity of religious organizations within Ukrainian society. Interfaith councils, which engage in a broad range of interests and activities, have facilitated …

Coexistence, My Ass!, John C. Lyden

Journal of Religion & Film

This is a film review of Coexistence, My Ass! (2025), directed by Amber Fares.

Brides, John C. Lyden

Journal of Religion & Film

This is a film review of Brides (2024), directed by Nadia Fall.

Liminal Transformational Pastoral Leadership: A Case Study God’S Story, Our Story: Living In Times Of Change, Kara Carter

Consensus

No abstract provided.

Concordia Seminary Magazine Fall/Winter 2024, Vicki Biggs

Concordia Seminary Magazine

Let us Fix Our Eyes on Jesus

How The Flock Falters: An Analysis Of Apostasy In The Shepherd Of Hermas, Justin R. Bamba

Masters Theses

This study provides a detailed analysis of apostasy as it is expressed in the Shepherd of Hermas. Drawing from the work of B.J. Oropeza, the study offers a threefold analysis that identifies the Christian community in danger, the nature of apostasy as it pertains to this community, and the consequences of such apostasy. Special attention is devoted to Vision 3 and Similitudes 8-9 for their vivid Tower motif, a unique literary device by which the author expresses the hope and limitations of repentance, community identity, and the causes and consequences for separation from this community—all of which contribute to a …

Arguments For The Sovereignty Of God In The Book Of Job, Elizabeth J. Welch

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The book of Job is a complex piece of wisdom literature studied for centuries using various methodologies to elucidate theological doctrines, biblical themes, and literary motifs. This dissertation aims to demonstrate that a midrashic form of exposition significantly expands the understanding of the Joban arguments for and against the sovereignty of God within the context of the ancient views of divine retribution and human suffering. Encapsulated in the legal motif, the disclosure and discussion of these views with associated themes, such as theocracy, theodicy, justice, and theophany, identified God’s sovereignty as the most prevalent doctrine in the book. The three …

A Philosophical, Theological, And Biblical Defense Of The Hebrew Concept Of Resurrection, Daniel M. Danciu

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This project challenges the consensus view on the origins, hermeneutics, and validity of resurrection hope in Hebrew thought. It provides a scientific, philosophical, theological, and historical defense against minimalist and moderate perspectives. The case against the minimalists offers empirical evidence for an afterlife. It demonstrates that the Hebrew Bible discloses the afterlife and that early passages express the Hebrew concept of resurrection. New scientific data for near-death experiences, as well as the existence of the soul, which contradict specific neuroscience perspectives, support this argument. The practices such as necromancy and the resurrection of Jesus provide additional evidence for an afterlife, …

Mindful Of God: Meditation Practices Within Abrahamic Traditions, Jacob Aqua

Mindfulness Studies Theses

Through the exploration of meditation practices within Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, this paper emphasizes the shared intention among practitioners of these Abrahamic traditions to connect with the Divine Presence of God in daily life. In modern America, where religious diversity and secularism coexist, meditation practices have gained traction in spiritual settings, secular spaces, religious communities, and other environments. This paper reviews three key meditation practices: the dhikr practice in Islam, the “Just Being” Shabbat practice in Judaism, and the “Silence as a Door to God” practice in Christianity. Through this review, significant phenomenological parallels emerge: the practices of cultivating stillness …