Digital Commons Network^™

Muslim Enough? Egyptian Enough? American Enough?, Essraa Nawar

Library Presentations, Posters, and Audiovisual Materials

Born in Alexandria, Egypt, Essraa has studied, lived and worked in many places, including the Gulf area (Qatar), Washington D.C., where she worked for The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, and Alexandria, Egypt where she worked for Bibliotheca Alexandrina. In 2002, she moved with her husband and family to the United States where they have been studying, working, and living for 20 plus years. In this vulnerable presentation, Essraa will share for the first time her journey navigating motherhood as an immigrant, Muslim women while thousands of miles away from her family in Egypt. Everyday Essraa will ask herself: Is …

Remembering Emma, Sarah Moss

The Voice

No abstract provided.

Review Of The Passionate Intellect: Christian Faith And The Discipleship Of The Mind, P. H. Brazier

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Review of Alister McGrath, The Passionate Intellect: Christian Faith and the Discipleship of the Mind (Downers Grove, 2010). 210 pages. $22.00. ISBN: 9780830838431

A Return To The Roots: Mysticism And Psychodrama For Traumatized Populations: A Literature Review, Hyde Nichols

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This paper is a literature review on the spiritual roots of psychodrama and how this can be utilized for traumatized populations. To support this hypothesis, I reviewed research done on post- traumatic stress disorder, spirituality and mysticism, as well as how psychodrama has been utilized for traumatized populations. J.L. Moreno’s original writings on psychodrama and its components and philosophy are utilized to situate mysticism and spirituality within the psychodramatic paradigm. All terms listed above are defined using research done within the United States, although Moreno began his career in Austria. To end the paper I discussed the importance of staying …

An Apologetic For The Reliability Of Biblical Doctrine From Pornography Addiction And Recovery, Jacob A. Arrieta

Masters Theses

Sexual ethics (in general) and pornography (in particular) are incredibly hot topics in postmodern culture. The biblical sexual ethic, which was once normative across much of the Global West since the rise and spread of Christianity, is now viewed as outdated and oppressive in a postmodern culture that values individual freedoms above all else. No longer are institutions seen as trustworthy bastions of truth to help shape individuals into good people or proper citizens of a nation. Expert opinions are no longer sought out and used to shape and form the individuals’ thoughts on a given topic unless they support …

A Grief Intervention For Early Perinatal Loss, Dani M. Helm

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Early pregnancy loss has a multidimensional effect on patients, touching the body, soul, and spirit. This project addresses patients’ lack of spiritual and emotional support following early pregnancy loss, commonly called a miscarriage. The available research on the emotional impact of early pregnancy loss has grown stronger over the last three decades. However, there is a deficit of research exploring the spiritual implications of miscarriage and how faith is used as a coping mechanism for pregnancy grief. In modern culture, the term spirituality can mean many different things. With this awareness, Mercy Healthcare embraces and supports patients wherever they find …

Jailhouse Religion: A Study On The Perceived Effects Of Religious Prison Rehabilitation That Affects Recidivism, William George Bumphus Iii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study focused on the relationship between Christian programming to prisoners and their lives when released into society. During this study, several men from The Jesus House ministry location were observed and interviewed on the lives they now lead after getting saved or finding Christ while in prison and being released to a faith-based aftercare facility. This study examined the mission and vision leaders of this ministry believed while interviewing participants and staff about their personal stories, and why they chose to help ex-offenders reintegrate into society. Furthermore, this study investigated the current rehabilitation programming to see where Christian programming …

Efficacy Of A Christian Intervention To Promote Posttraumatic Growth In Women Recovering From Intimate Partner Violence, Jerra L. Dooley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative pretest-posttest design evaluated a biblically based personal development program (PDP) for promoting PTG in Christian women who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV). A convenience sample (N = 7) of volunteers included women within a large county in the Southeastern United States. Participants were recruited through numerous large and small Southern Baptist churches. Qualifications included being female, at least 19 years old, and having experienced IPV but not within the last 12 months, to reduce the possibility of reinjury by rumination. Participants completed pretest assessments, attended the 3-hour personal development program, and completed a posttest assessment. Data was …

Emerging From The Pandemic As A Community Of Faith: Assessing How The Life And Faith Of Woodland West Church Of Christ Has Been Shaped By The Pandemic And By God Through This Experience, Randy Todd

DMin Project Theses

This April 2023 Doctor of Ministry project thesis at Lipscomb University is a qualitative study that aims to explore and assess how the COVID-19 pandemic experience has shaped the life and faith of Woodland West Church of Christ and its members. Specifically, the study aims to explore how members of this local congregation sensed the pandemic experience shaped their faith as described in James 1:2-4. How have members sensed God at work in all this as described in Romans 8:28? How has it shaped their fears and hopes for the future? And has the pandemic shaped us in such a …

The Spiritual Impact Of Female Pastoral Leadership On Members Of New Heritage Fellowship, Cheryl Russell

DMin Project Theses

This April 2023 Doctor of Ministry project thesis at Lipscomb University examines how, today, many females are waiting for opportunities to serve in pastoral leadership, hoping to partner with local churches to help carry the story of God forward in a moment of great vulnerability for the church, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, very few churches are opening their doors to females for key leadership roles, upholding a long tradition of male-only leadership. This project explores the spiritual impact of egalitarian culture and female pastoral leadership on the members of New Heritage Fellowship. My hope is that …

Freedom, Mystery And “Kinds Of Desire”: The Doctrine Of Theosis And Free Will’S Intelligibility Problem, Aaron Milkie

Senior Honors Theses

The problem of free will stands among the most intellectually fascinating, and practically concerning, problems of philosophy. It also remains, after centuries of rich discussion and sharp division, a locus of tremendous philosophical polarization— citing strong, often incongruous intuitions, philosophers today disagree over the nature, possibility, existence, and implications of human free agency. One route which might help penetrate this apparent stalemate is the application of resources from theism— in particular, Christian theism— to the philosophical free will conversation. In this paper, I review past contributions of Christian theism to the philosophical free will debate, arguing that these contributions, while …

The Watering Place™: Creating Space For Spiritually Dehydrated And Hurried Women, Donna M. Cox

Doctor of Ministry

NPO Statement and Ministry Context: The Watering Place™: Creating Space for Spiritually Dehydrated and Hurried Women seeks to address the NPO: In a speedy, frenzied world, women need [a] space to pursue healing, spiritual connection, be refreshed, and be empowered to grow into the fullest expression of themselves. This project grew out of my position as founder of Doxology Ministries International, Inc., a 501c3 religious organization. For over fifteen years, I have been leading retreats focusing on women.

Key Insights: The Doctoral Project allowed me to explore issues facing women more deeply, particularly conditions impacting women’s health, such as the …

The Southern Baptist Convention’S Perception Of Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Compared To African American Pastors’ And Leaders’ Lived Experiences, Jeffrey J. Wallace

PhD in Organizational Leadership

The study of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is complex and multilayered. Similarly, the study of DEI within an ecclesiastical and ecumenical Christian movement like the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) has its challenges. Challenges and tensions surrounding the SBC, relating to women's leadership issues, the infiltration of partisanship and politics in the pulpits, racial injustice flashpoint moments, and the lack of ethnic diversity in a crucial leadership position have impacted the overall lived experience of African American pastors and leaders. This phenomenological study explored the Southern Baptist Convention's perception of diversity, equity, and inclusion compared to African American pastors’ and …

Public Opinion And Support On Physician Assisted Suicide, Emma Gottschalk

Political Science Theses and Capstones

I investigate the connection between public opinion and physician assisted suicide, using data in the SPSS data set from 2021. The strength of support a person feels towards PAS and what influenced that view is studied, religious affiliation, age, sex, education level, income, race, and region are considered in the study. The data set was collected through surveys that willing persons over the age of 18 completed. I analyze who is more willing to support PAS and why. I find that religion has a huge impact on public support for PAS, while other factors like education, sex, age and race …

Women: Radically Glorified, Oppressed, Or Set Free?, Easton Finger

Senior Honors Theses

A woman’s identity in society has often been debated, starting from the beginning of time. The answer to this identity question has been sought in systems ranging from oppression, slavery, radical feminism, and over-exaltation of power. This thesis suggests that the value of women and their role is not found in those systems but in the knowledge of their Creator. Two questions will be posed, including how women’s identity has been previously defined and can a woman’s identity be found in her Creator God. The history of women in biblical times will be reviewed, as well as how Christ valued …

Monetary Muddles: Money And Language, Ethics And Theology, Tyler Womack

Religious Studies Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation offers a theological critique of political economy by turning to Wittgenstein in order to re-think what “criticism” is and can be. It diagnoses the current state of critical discourse about money as incapable of properly dealing with the confusions or illusions such criticism identifies as intrinsic to our ways with money and economic production and exchange. The dissertation argues that while political economic critiques and heterodox theories of money rightly challenge the economic orthodoxy’s individualism and its illusions of an apolitical money and an autonomous market economy, these “social” critiques are caught in a Geltungslogik that dichotomizes “value” …

Res Historica, Volume 2, Lynneth Miller Renberg Phd, Alpha Rho Epsilon Phi Alpha Theta

Res Historica

The 2023 journal of historical research by Anderson University students, Res Historica.

The editorial team for this edition of Res Historica was Dr. Lynneth Miller Renberg. Johnathan Sorce, and Helen Smith. Cover art for this volume by Helen Smith.

My Pilgrimage In Church Growth, Gary L. Mcintosh

Great Commission Research Journal

A short autobiography by Gary McIntosh focusing on his role in the Church Growth Movement

Juicemania: Interpreting Jay Kordich’S Health Empire As Religion, Deirdre M. Sullivan

Student Publications

John “Jay” Kordich, an American “health reformer,” salesman, author, and celebrity, is best known for his recipe books on diet and health and his series of television infomercials. With his charismatic presentations and playful sense of humor, he captivated audiences with his demonstrations of various models of juicers and the delicious taste of his fresh juices. Kordich is part of a long line of health reformers, fasters, and practitioners of alternative medicine that has persisted in American culture for over 200 years. These advocates of alternative medicine have not only met a need for medical treatment, but also for religion …

Praying While White: Preparing The Soil For The Work Of Antiracism, Laura Boysen-Aragon

LMU Theses and Dissertations

Racism, White supremacy, and Whiteness are deeply ingrained in U.S. society and in our U.S. Catholic Church. White U.S. Catholics are infected with these sins, even our prayer can be tainted. We, who continue to benefit from White privilege and who are descendants of those who created White supremacy, are responsible for bringing an end to its reign with God’s help. In order to heal, we must recognize our sin and repent. Repentance is deeply rooted in our tradition and is a necessary spiritual practice for White U.S. Catholics to prepare the soil for individual, communal, and systemic changes to …

Growing And Declining Churches Face Different Challenges: A Statistical Analysis Of The Top Ten Challenges Facing Churches Study, David R. Dunaetz

Great Commission Research Journal

The data behind the study The Top Ten Challenges Facing Churches (Moody, 2023) is presented and analyzed with a focus on differences between growing churches and non-growing churches. Church leaders (N = 129) indicated how difficult they believed it would be for North American churches to overcome 50 potential challenges. For most challenges, no significant difference between the church leaders from growing and non-growing churches was detected. However, church leaders from non-growing churches viewed 1) attractiveness of programs, 2) retaining young adults, 3) youth programs, 4) small group participation, and 5) effective strategy as more difficult challenges to overcome than …

Relationship Building For Evangelism Among English Language Learners In China, Ryan Jensen

Great Commission Research Journal

This empirical research revealed that relationship-building by missionaries among English language learners in China was a factor that facilitated their verbal communication of the gospel. For this study, I interviewed 15 missionaries who were identified by various leaders as being active in evangelism and who had shared the gospel with at least 10 Chinese people in the last year that they were on the field. Participants explained that they used the strategy of “funneling” interactions with Chinese individuals by narrowing down a large number of people with whom they had contact to a select few who were interested in spiritual …

A Bibliometric Analysis Of The Great Commission Research Journal 2009-2019, Glenn R. Wittig

Great Commission Research Journal

The Great Commission Research Journal, the subject of this investigation, is a relatively new journal with roots in the past. It is a successor to two previous publications from the American Society for Church Growth. A bibliometric analysis of the journal’s first ten volumes is presented on two levels. The first is a content analysis of the surface features of the publication such as the authors’ education, academic credentials, and employment, the number of full-length articles published, the subjects covered in each article, and other features such as the average length of articles, number of footnote references, and number of …

Finding Them, Keeping Them – Strategies For Evangelism And Assimilation: A Review Of The Books Written By Gary L. Mcintosh, Gordon E. Penfold

Great Commission Research Journal

A short review of each of the twenty-seven books by Gary L. McIntosh traces the development of the author’s thought up to his latest release in January 2023. This review demonstrates that McIntosh’s passion is to see churches and Christian leaders apply classical biblical church growth principles in their ministry contexts. His passion for reaching and assimilating new people, and for developing Christian leaders to carry out Christ’s Great Commission with a Great Commandment passion permeates each book. The breadth and depth of his knowledge are demonstrated in his many volumes with little overlap in their subject matter. His works …

Young Adult Attrition In The American Church: The Suspected Causes And Suggested Cures, Randall M. Morrow

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Young adults in America today are deciding that the Church is no longer relevant, so they are choosing to drop out in increasing numbers. Their disaffiliation from communities of faith is also harming their personal faith. This observation is irrespective of Church denominations; their exodus occurs in most faith groups, including Catholic, Mainline Protestant, Evangelical, and Pentecostal/Charismatic denominations. Consequently, the future vitality of the Church is threatened. Why does this problem exist, and what can be done to intervene and change the downward trajectory? What should Christian parents and ministry leaders do differently to achieve a higher retention rate of …

Measuring Students’ Sense Of School Catholic Identity, Monica J. Kowalski, Julie W. Dallavis, Stephen M. Ponisciak, Gina Svarovsky

Journal of Catholic Education

As a ministry of the Catholic Church, Catholic schools are charged with educating stu­dents’ hearts and minds. Multiple standardized academic tests and other student assessments are available for monitoring both student and teacher outcomes in Catholic schools, but fewer measures exist for considering the school’s faith-related mission. Although tests of student religious knowledge and benchmarks related to specific Catholic elements of the school are available, we do not yet have a robust set of instruments that provide teachers and leaders an understanding of their progress in providing a school environment permeated by Catholic culture and faith. To consider how students …

Sunan Kalijaga: The Birth Of A Self-Actualized Pilgrimage Culture, F. P. Meachem

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Javanese Islam is incredibly unique in its style and practice. Despite boasting a Muslim population larger than the entire Middle East, Indonesia and its Islamic cultural practices are largely unknown in academic circles. This has made an introduction to Islam in the archipelago even more difficult for the rare interested Western reader. Frustratingly, what is lost on the rest of the world is basically second nature to 155 million Javanese Muslims, who learn from their families, schools, and pilgrimages about the Wali Songo, a group of nine semi-mythical figures credited with spreading Islam to Java. When we stop casting …

Pesantren Waria Al-Fatah: Navigating The Intersection Of Gender Nonconformity And Islam In Indonesia, Tali Hastings

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

No abstract provided.

Perspectives On Psychosis From Dharmashala’S Tibetan Community In Exile, Teddy Daniel

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

What is psychosis? The term itself is relatively recent. Yet clinicians and religious figures have tried to explain ‘psychosis’ from pathological and nonpathological perspectives for hundreds of years. From an allopathic, medical standpoint, psychotic disorders are devastating diseases. Up to 3% of the world’s population struggle with hallucinations, delusions, and cognitive impairments that make it difficult or impossible to function in society. Tibetan Buddhism does not have an exact analogue to the clinical term ‘psychotic disorders’. Nevertheless, Tibetan medicine understands some cases of psychosis as pathological. For instance, the Tibetan word smyo nad (སྡོ་ནད་) roughly translates to madness. Yet in …

Pop Spirituality In The Context Of Nepal, Kalinda Benson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In this research report, Pop Spirituality in the Context of Nepal, I look to add clarity to what it means to be “spiritual” and how that has been applied historically in context of Nepal. This paper focuses on what has led up to our modern day perceptions on spirituality. In the first section of the paper, I briefly describe what I mean when I say, “pop spirituality” or a “modern spirituality.” I define spirituality and how it differs from religion, a religion, and what secularization is. I want to acknowledge that there are many types of spirituality that exist of …