Digital Commons Network^™

Making Mindfulness More Accessible: A Practical Guide To Trauma-Informed Mindfulness, Leslie Formby

Mindfulness Studies Theses

Mindfulness is currently embedded in a growing understanding of how trauma permeates and adversely impacts peoples’ physical and psychological well-being. Increased awareness of the prevalence of trauma and its harmful effects has led to renewed interest in mindfulness to help manage the challenges generated by the detrimental effects of trauma.

These effects may draw people to mindfulness and, in turn, may make the benefits of mindfulness out of reach. Mindfulness methods and practice adaptations have been found to help trauma survivors experience the benefits of what the Buddha taught. As a support for those engaging in mindfulness and meditation, this …

The Jewel In The Lotus: Humane Education, Engaged Buddhism, And Farming Compassion, Francy Jenko

Mindfulness Studies Theses

This thesis explores the relationship and intersectionality of Engaged Buddhism and Humane Education and demonstrates how they support the development of a farm sanctuary to cultivate compassion. It is supported by peer-reviewed literature, which reflects the importance of understanding why compassion is necessary to decrease suffering and how these disciplines complement one another, facilitating compassion and action. The research component of this thesis encourages the ongoing exploration of Engaged Buddhism and Humane Education. Further, it contributes to the scholarly literature on their intersection, highlighting farm sanctuary work as an avenue of engagement and offering implications for future study. The creative …

Ears To Hear: Healing Clergy Deafness, Chesarae Fletcher

Doctor of Ministry

This research examines the phenomenon of “clergy deafness” among contemporary faith leaders. The term clergy deafness was developed for this work to encapsulate the reported unawareness of a theological and personal value for listening in the life and vocation of clergy leaders. Three elements: a lack of listening theology, performance-based identity, and noisy western soundscapes, appear to produce a cumulative effect of clergy deafness. This listening weakness results in the construction of isolating soundscapes for clergy leaders. An overall rubric for resolving clergy deafness is offered which frames clergy listening as a praxis of belief. Following the data, a prescriptive …

Orthodoxy In The Face Of Contemporary Challenges: The Ukrainian Context, Olena Predko, Ihor Maksymenko

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article explores Orthodoxy in Ukraine as represented by the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. It also highlights the equivocal position of Filaret (Denysenko), who previously represented the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate and continues to attempt to influence the country's Orthodox configuration. Despite the inherently anti-war rhetoric espoused by the leaders of the Orthodox Churches, who view war as a manifestation of evil and violence, they each harbor unique motivations that shape their respective stances on the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. On one hand, their argumentation often relies on ethical principles derived from canonical …

The Joy Of Knowing And Being Known: Commencement Address 2023, Mark Christians

Pro Rege

No abstract provided.

From Materialization Of Science To Denying God: A Pipeline, Audra Kooi

Pro Rege

Audra Kooi, a Dordt University sophomore, majoring in Psychology and Health & Human Performance, and a member of the Kuyper Honors Program, submitted this essay to the Lambertus Verburg Excellence in Kuyperian Scholarship competition, 2023.

Models Of Social Activity Of Protestant Churches In The Context Of Russia's Military Aggression Against Ukraine, Ihor Lutsan

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The main focus of our research intention is to outline constructive models of social activity of religious communities in the context of Russia-Ukraine war. The subject of the study is the Protestant denominations of Ukraine and their socially relevant activities, which today, having acquired a multi-vector orientation, are most clearly expressed and most noticeable in such forms: missionary work, charity, volunteer movement, in particular, assistance to the army; organizing and providing social services to individuals and groups in need of assistance to ensure their holistic development, and thus providing spiritually oriented social and psychological rehabilitation of military personnel, demobilized combatants …

Review Of Preventing Unjust War: A Catholic Argument For Selective Conscientious Objection, Charles J. Reid Jr.

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

A Christian Case For Racial Reparations, Daniel Philpott

The Journal of Social Encounters

National healing for the persistent wounds of racism, America’s original sin, can be advanced through a national apology, reparations and forgiveness. The frequent practice of apologies and reparations around the world in the past generation provide precedent for such measures. Christianity’s teaching of reconciliation and accompanying notions of sin, repentance, forgiveness, and atonement provide a strong moral basis for these measures and resonate with the rationales through which the United States’s greatest champions of civil rights and equality have fought against racism and slavery. Because racism and slavery were supported with the sanction of the state, in the name of …

Sociocultural & Leadership Transmission In The Somali Diaspora: Community Values, Cohesion, Family Unity & Patriarchal Leadership, Farhia A. Abdi

The Journal of Social Encounters

This research explores the Somali Diaspora community in Ottawa, Canada’s intercultural understanding between their homeland and their host country. The task of this limited study is to assess the changes occurring in the contemporary Somali diaspora culture and changes in leadership perceptions, particularly those of male leadership, and changes in family integration, community cohesion and solidarity, and the transmission of cultural values across generations. This research confirms that changes did occur in the Somali Diaspora community in various ways, including family dynamics, community cohesion and the concept of transmitting cultural values to their younger generation. Themes are identified by the …

Solidarity In Time Of Armed Conflict. Women’S Patterns Of Solidarity In Internally Displaced Person (Idp) Camps In Darfur, Western Sudan, Mawa Mohamed

The Journal of Social Encounters

This study, a vital part of a Ph.D. thesis, delves into the prolonged armed conflict's impact in Darfur, which has resulted in severe loss of assets and lives, disrupted livelihoods, and food insecurity. Among the most vulnerable are internally displaced women, primary targets of violence due to their caregiving roles and responsibilities. Addressing the gap in existing literature, this research explores the meanings, practices, experiences, and representations of solidarity among women residing in the Abu-Shouk IDP camp. Challenging conventional perceptions, the study highlights women's competencies and strengths, empowering them to develop unique coping strategies within the conflict context. It uncovers …

Local Manifestation Of Global Heritage: The Role Of Local Communities In The Management Of ‘Somapura Mahavihara’ – A World Heritage Site Of Buddhist Origin In Bangladesh, Pushpita Eshika

Student Theses and Dissertations

Somapura Mahavihara, an 8th-century Buddhist monastery in Bangladesh, is a world heritage site. Measuring 22 hectares, the layout of the monastery is quadrangular shaped, reaching a height of approximately eighty feet above ground level. Physically this monastery provides an excellent example of the workmanship and design principles of the Pala Dynasty of 8th-century Bengal. The monastery’s architectural elements have been the center of academic studies on architecture, building morphology, ornamentation, and archeological excavation of this monastery. Yet significant research is still needed regarding the heritage dialogue between this ancient monastery and its local non-Buddhist population. Buddhism disappeared from Bengal in …

Full Issue

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

No abstract provided.

The "Decapitation" Of Shiz, Gary M. Hadfield, John W. Welch

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

Ether 15:29-32 describes the gory end of the last Jaredite battle. Exhausted, Coriantumr propped himself up with his own sword, gathered his last ounce of strength, and "smote off the head of Shiz," his arch-rival who had fainted beside him from the loss of blood. The smitten Shiz then "raised upon his hands and fell; and after that he had struggled for breath, he died," and Coriantumr himself collapsed.

Inside Out Apologetics: Engaging Christian And Postmodern Approaches To Higher Education, Camila Alejandra Roldan Hernandez

Masters Theses

The current decline in performance and effectiveness of higher education makes it necessary to re-evaluate the teaching foundation on the theology of human nature that college professors hold. Since their foundation determines the approach that defines them as teachers, their pedagogy, and their curriculum, it is essential to consider two approaches. One of them is the transcendent approach of the Christian faith that defines human beings as lovers, believers, and thinkers. The other approach is the autonomist postmodern approach which defines human beings as social constructs. Since the college professor’s approach to human nature affects students' learning outcomes, this thesis …

Liturgical Worship And Soulcare: Foundation And Ministry, Dustin Thomas Parker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Throughout twenty plus centuries of Liturgical Worship, there have been two significant demands on those who teach and facilitate worship. The first call is for that worship to be faithful and orthodox, a continuation of the worship that has been handed down from those whose lives were marked by it. The second demand is to be relevant—that whatever is done be done in such a manner as to impact lives. This second call is a request that the souls of people who are led in worship be changed, healed, and matured. Through careful historical research and modern interviews, this dissertation …

The Word Made Digital: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence To Increase Bible Engagement, Henry Lee Jackson Iii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this descriptive study was to understand whether a relationship exists between an individual's behavioral intention to use a Bible-based chatbot that leverages AI to create human-like engagement with Scripture and the constructs of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, perceived enjoyment, and perceived risk, controlling for gender, age, and experience among registered users of the Inductive Bible Study App. Data was collected through an online survey and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), multi-group analysis (MGA), and homogeneity-of-slopes analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). While this quantitative descriptive study validated the correlation between each of the four reflective …

Improving The Biblical And Spiritual Skills And Knowledge Of Christian Mental Health Counselors At Grace House Counseling Center In Fleming Island, Fl, Larry M. Nichols

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christian licensed mental health counseling at Grace House Counseling Center is a multi-faceted spiritual undertaking that is largely in the purview of lay persons who often work and minister to Christians and non-Christians who live and work in a pluralistic environment. Grace House’s mental health counselors are formally trained through their master’s degree program to provide mental health care, not spiritual or soul care, to clients. While some Grace House counselors have some spiritual training, either from an undergraduate Bible college or through years of self-study, most do not have formal training that links Scripture and spiritual disciplines to various …

Preparing Church Counselors For Obsessive Morbid Jealousy, David M. Reinhardt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research addressed the problem of the lack of training in pastoral counselors in the Iglesia Bíblica Bautista de Iquique, Chile, to help wives and their families suffering suspicious jealousy due to childhood traumas. This DMIN action research project trained pastoral counselors to connect childhood trauma to wives suffering suspicious jealousy. There are two stages of this action research; the first is to establish the connection of obsessive morbid jealousy (OMJ) to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). The second is to prepare pastors and counselors to recognize the symptoms and causes of obsessive morbid jealousy and to have a clear strategy …

Best Practices In Prayer: Are Some Forms Of Prayer Better Than Others For A Healthcare Patient's Well-Being?, Tyler Michener Garth

Masters Theses

Spiritual Assessment is the central contribution of chaplains to an interdisciplinary team. If it is confirmed that prayer is beneficial, and, furthermore, that certain prayer types are more beneficial than others; should not the patient’s spiritual assessment include recognition of whether he has been participating in the most beneficial forms of prayer as opposed to those less beneficial (and perhaps why)? If prayer is integral to patient well-being, then absence of prayer, or using prayer types of least benefit for the well-being of the patient, should be noted as of potential clinical importance on the patient’s chart. In this study, …

Full Issue

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Farms Staff Welcomes Newcomers

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

Mary Mahan, a recent graduate in English from BYU, joined the FARMS editorial team in August as an assistant editor. An English usage class at BYU sparked Mary's interest in pursuing editing, and she worked several months as an editor for BYU English professor Don Norton before joining FARMS. Mary comes from Centerville, Utah. She enjoys mountain biking, playing the guitar, and listening to the Eagles. We are pleased to have her help with the Foundation's increasing editorial workload.

Research Opportunities Widen Fund-Raising Focus, Noel B. Reynolds

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

We appreciate the interest you have shown and the support you have given to our plans for a new FARMS building. We thought you might like an update on those plans.

“All One In Christ Jesus:” Physical And Moral Equality In Galatians 3:28, Kevin Mcginnis

Journal of Religious Competition in Antiquity

Galatians 3:28 has often been interpreted as a slogan or baptismal formula that is disconnected from Paul's argument in the letter. It is also often pointed to as evidence of a radically egalitarian lifestyle among early Christians, one in which ethnic, social class, and gender differences are erased in favor of complete social and political equality. This article argues that Gal 3:28 does fit well with Paul's argument about the necessity of baptism for gentiles, but not circumcision, to be included as part of God's salvific plan. It also makes the case that the equality suggested in 3:28 has to …

Full Issue

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Meet Farms

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

Three men are lounging around a table. All of them are relaxed. All of them smile a lot. The talk is nonstop. And they all fairly bristle with energy.

Counselors’ Spirituality, Attitudes Toward Suicide, And Self-Efficacy In Conducting Suicide Risk Assessment, Tayler Hendrix

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study aimed to explore the relationship between perceived spiritual support and counselor self-efficacy in conducting suicide risk assessment, and the moderating effects of attitudes about suicide on this relationship. Based on existing theory and empirical evidence, perceived spiritual support was hypothesized to have a positive predictive relationship with counselor self-efficacy in performing suicide risk assessment; further, four different constructs pertaining to attitudes toward suicide were also hypothesized to moderate the strength and direction of this relationship. A sample of Master’s level clinicians and advanced standing Master’s graduate students (N=132) completed on online survey containing instruments measuring perceived spiritual …

The Struggle Is Real: Constructing Liberative Meaning Making That Facilitates Black Student’S Authentic Identity Formation And Navigation Through Predominately White Institutions, Felicia Marie George

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on how Black students’ use of navigational capital reflects a quest for complex subjectivity that facilitates authentic identity formation and navigation through a private, predominantly white, four-year, R1 institution (PWI’s). A qualitative study that used portraiture methodology was conducted to collect stories of the lived experience and perceptions of two Black senior undergraduate students who attended a PWI. Their stories provided the foundation for constructing liberative meaning making (LMM), an ethic of praxis that uses a hermeneutics of listening to heighten students’ awareness of and living from interiority. The concept engages De La Torre’s theory of liberative …

Truth U, Justice U, Jesus U, Joseph Clair

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

Excerpt: "College and university professors in the liberal arts (humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences) are almost entirely left-leaning, liberal, or progressive, and this is especially true among faculty in the humanities and social sciences. Insofar as political party affiliation is representative, the statistics are stunning- roughly 12: I Democrat to Republican in the humanities and social sciences nationally, and this ratio is even more pronounced in certain selective schools (Brown University takes the cake with 60:1).1 Students who attend liberal arts colleges or universities (that is, non-trade, nonvocational schools that require core curricula and keep an array of majors …

That Ye Might Feel And See: Touch In The First Day Of Christ's Ministry, Dan L. Belnap

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.