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A Weapon In One Hand And A Bible In The Other: Places Of Worship Are Under Attack, Edmond J. Bergeron

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative descriptive study aims to ascertain the degree of preparedness for reducing and preventing extreme violence and the countermeasures that are in place (or lack thereof) at houses of worship. All places of worship in this study are considered soft targets and not “holy ground” as traditionally referenced. The terms “places of worship” and “church” will be used interchangeably in this study. A place of refuge for both the physical and spiritual is now considered vulnerable as the congregants are focused on worship rather than protection from an attack. Violence against places of worship will be described at this …

After Tours: The Battle Of The River Berre, Paul Aitchison

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

The Battle of the River Berre, occurring in the years after the Battle of Tours, has not seen the same amount of scholarship as that defining battle of the century in Europe. The Umayyad Caliphate in Iberian continue to conduct military operations on the east side of the Pyrenees, controlling Narbonne and most of the province of Septimania, south of Aquitaine and west of Lombardy in the years after. The expansion of the Caliphate had continued almost unabated since 632 CE, controlling Arabia, Persia, the Near East, the Levant, Egypt, North Africa, and finally, the Iberian Peninsula. This astonishing expansion …

Spiritual Disciplines And Christian Formative Education: Tools To Jump-Start Spiritual Formation And Eliminate Stagnation, Darrick J. Willis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The researcher aims to uncover the fundamental causes of spiritual stagnation, particularly the tendency to over-rely on established traditions, and to assess the detrimental effects of this phenomenon on the life and activities of the church. Spiritual formation is the process through which Christians are transformed into the likeness of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Intentionality and growth are paramount for believers, as neglecting these elements can lead to spiritual stagnation. Contemporary literature emphasizes that spiritual formative education is central to fostering intentionality. The correlation between increased knowledge and a heightened desire to learn is crucial; both …

Ecclesiological Support For Veterans Suffering From Moral Injury: A Phenomenological Study, Douglas Guy Wood

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

For many military service members, the cost of their service is through the psychological, physiological, emotional, sociological, and spiritual scars from the trauma of conflict. This trauma is most associated with the diagnoses of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Moral Injury (MI). Existing literature primarily focuses on a humanistic underlying philosophy to symptoms and patient care or uses a non-specific definition/categorization of religion/spirituality (e.g., Ames et al., 2019; Hill et al., 2000; Sharma et al., 2017). Studies have addressed psychological, physiological, emotional, and sociological healing (e.g., Åkerblom et al., 2020; Drescher et al., 2011; Gray et al., 2012; Nash & …

Pastoral Counselors And The Implementation Of Eye Movement Desensitization And Reprocessing, Robyn Jarrell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem is that since EMDR is not practiced at CCC, it decreases the quality of care and extends the number of counseling sessions. If Christian Counseling Center’s counselors use Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing psychotherapy for trauma clients, then an increase in counseling quality will be demonstrated by decreased sessions. The study also sought to reveal EMDR's value to clients’ counseling sessions, given that CBT is the standard therapeutic approach in pastoral counseling settings. Qualitative methods included journaling, questionnaires, and focus groups. Two pastoral counselors completed the necessary training and adhered to EMDR procedures while treating eleven clients using …

Direct And Mediating Relationships Between Divine Grace, Legalism, And Mental Health, Branwyn H. Mccormick

Senior Honors Theses

Positive psychology has popularized the integration of religious ideas into psychological treatment. According to the literature, the experience of divine grace is correlated with favorable mental health outcomes, whereas legalistic attitudes are correlated with adverse mental health outcomes. It has also been found that the experience of divine grace is a mediator between legalism and mental health. However, the constructs of divine grace and legalism have both been relatively unexplored aside from a few studies using Latter-day Saints (LDS) populations. The current study seeks to analyze relationships between divine grace, legalism, and mental health using a conservative evangelical Christian population. …

Blood In The Snow The Mormon-Timpanogos Conflict At Battle Creek, Nathan Hale

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

On March 5th, 1849, a group of 36 Mormon men surrounded the Native American camp of a small band of Timpanogos at Battle Creek, which is present-day Pleasant Grove, Utah. The Mormon militia suspected this band of cattle rustling, and a conflict ensued that resulted in the shooting and killing of four Timpanogos men. During the battle, the women and children of the native camp took cover and endured exposure to the cold elements and frigid water of Battle Creek. Six days later, these same women and children arrived in Salt Lake City. Among the group of Native American survivors …

“To Inherit God Himself?” The Metaphysical Transformation Of Man As Theorized In Cotton Mather’S Biblia Americana, Michael Green

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

The tumult of the Enlightenment was enormous, not least in its impact on theologians of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. Biblical exegesis (explanation of a scriptural text based on its own historical and cultural circumstances) of the Reformation that idealized interpretations grounded in unerring prophetic figures were suddenly and forcefully subjected to the tide of historical literalism propagated by major intellectual figures such as Hugo Grotius and Baruch Spinoza. They and their cohort believed that the Bible should be treated as a historical source and its merits scrutinized based on its literal accuracy

Whistleblowers: A Maya Narration On The Participation Of The Dead In The Cycle Of Life And Death, Emma Belnap

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

There is a common saying in modern American culture inspired by opera and the drudgery with which people view it. As the maxim goes, “It is not over until the fat lady sings.” If the Maya were to have their own variation on that saying, it may perhaps go, “Life is not over until the whistle is in the grave.” At burial sites on Jaina Island, an island near Campeche, Mexico rich with Maya history, hundreds of sculpted whistles have been found in graves, depicting various gods, animals, and humans.1 These objects give invaluable insight into the beliefs and practices …

Judaism In Modernity: Franz Rosenzweig’S ‘On Jewish Learning’ And Its Philosophical Impacts, Simon E. Rosenbaum

Armstrong Undergraduate Journal of History

This paper examines the works from Franz Rosenzweig and other Jewish philosophers to demonstrate how modernity led to religious and philosophical shifts in global Jewry in the early 20 th century.

Stari Most, Lajla Hadžimujić

Honors Projects

This project aims to highlight Bosnian culture and history, specifically to examine the historical and cultural significance of the Stari Most in Bosnia during the Bosnian War and its aftereffects. To discuss the “othering” that Bosnian Muslims faced during the war and how that correlated with the destruction of the Stari Most. This project includes an acrylic painting of the Stari Most as both a symbol of cultural resilience and architectural grace.

Evelyn Waugh And The Problems Of Representing Conversion, Alec J. Miller

Department of English: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Evelyn Waugh’s conversion to Catholicism in 1930 raised the question of how his writing would change. The satires he wrote before his conversion, Decline and Fall (1928) and Vile Bodies (1930), are hilarious but have no spiritual vision. Critics attacked his second novel after his conversion, A Handful of Dust (1934), for not being fitting for a Catholic writer to have made. Yet, Waugh makes a religious point in A Handful of Dust, exploring the wages of spiritual apathy without showing a path out. Later in Waugh’s career, he makes his finest attempt in the Sword of Honour trilogy …

Rising From The Ashes : How African American Women From North Tulsa Overcame The Oppressions Of Race, Gender, And Class And Achieved Success, Cynthia A. Talley

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

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 …

Peter Maurin As The New St. Benedict: A Review Essay, William J. Collinge

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Democracy Under Fire: The Battle Between Negotiation And Military Force In Sudan's Two-Year Civil War, Mad Gabriel

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Sudan: A Nation Divided, A People Displaced, Talmiz Ahmad

The Journal of Social Encounters

Sudan’s civil war nears its second year, with 150,000 dead and 12 million displaced. Yet, the prospects for peace remain bleak and distant.

Strategies Of Religious Communication Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Church In The Context Of Russia’S War Against Ukraine, Valentyna Kuryliak Dr

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Abstract. The article examines the strategies of religious communication employed by the Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) in the context of the Russia-Ukraine war. It discusses the transformation of approaches to religious activity through media platforms, particularly the “Nadiya” TV channel, which adapted its content to meet the audience's needs during the war. The article emphasizes the issue that while Adventist media typically maintain a neutral stance and refrain from commenting on military actions, they cannot remain detached from the realities of a society living in a state of war. The role of the “Nadiya” TV channel in providing psychological and …

How Jesus Christ Saves The Addict: A Phenomenological Study On The Perceptions Of A Christ-Centered Approach To Addiction Recovery, Olivia M. Matthews

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Reaching epidemic proportions, drug and alcohol addiction is a prevalent problem within the United States that demands urgent attention. With numbers exceeding 20 million Americans struggling with a substance use disorder (SUD) and over 111,000 individuals falling victim to illicit drug overdose fatalities in 2022, the question of effectiveness in rehabilitation outlets for this subgroup is of critical concern (Lashley, 2018; CDC, 2024). The purpose of this study is to analyze the perceptions of Christ-centered initiatives in securing sobriety among addicted individuals and/or substance use offenders. This study utilized qualitative methods with a phenomenological and narrative design to explore Christ-centered …

Blue Momma, Why Are You So Blue: A Trauma-Informed Theological Approach To Systematically Oppressed Black Mothers In Memphis, Tennessee, Valerie Houston

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation discusses the effects of systemic oppression on the well-being of Black mothers in Memphis, Tennessee. It posits that systemic oppression causes trauma that negatively affects Black motherhood and familial stability. Research shows that maternal mental illness may negatively affect child development, behavior, and cognitive and socio-emotional development.³ Black literary history has revealed the importance of Black mothers for family development.⁴ It has shown how Black mothers used religion to support themselves emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually during times of travail.⁵ This work theorizes that a trauma-informed theological approach will liberate Black mothers in Memphis, Tennessee, from …

Child Sexual Abuse And Mental Health: The Role Of Intrusive Thoughts And Spiritual Warfare, Sheriese S. Sanchez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A number of psychological issues are experienced by individuals who have experienced CSA, including depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder, as well as intrusive thoughts contribute to the perpetuation of the mental health problem. Studies have shown that spiritual practices, such as prayer, meditation, reading the Bible, and reciting scripture affirmations, can improve mental health, improving one’s psychological well-being. Further, intrusive thoughts may be initiated by dark spiritual influences. Despite ongoing research, there is a lack of integration between disciplines of science and biblical truth concerning the impact of immaterial spiritual dimensions on psychological states. To understand intrusive thoughts, one must …

Branko Sekulić, Penetration Into The Heart Of A Sacralized Crime (In Croatian: Prodor U Srce Sakraliziranog Zločina) Book Review, Vjekoslav Perica

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

A review of Branko Sekulić, Penetration into the Heart of a Sacralized Crime (in Croatian: Prodor u srce sakraliziranog zločina), Belgrade, Serbia: Biblioteka XX vek, 2024.

ISBN: 9788675621768

Repositioning North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato): The New Security Dilemma On Trans–Atlantic Relations Amid Shifting Global Geopolitics, Daniel C. George, Indra Alverdian

Journal of Strategic and Global Studies

The shifting global geopolitics have led to a new security dilemma in Europe, especially in trans–Atlantic relations. NATO as the vanguard of the trans–Atlantic defense pact is faced with transitional conditions of non-conventional threats that return to conventional threats. Due to the shift in the new global order, these threats require a repositioning for NATO to counter the new security dilemma amidst shifting global geopolitics. By referring to the three asserted pillars–the return of conventional warfare on the European continent; a more assertive Russia in the European continent under Vladimir Putin; and the geopolitical of China's rise impacted trans–-Atlantic …

Remains From The Crusader And Late Ottoman Periods At The French School On Yefet Street, Yafo (Jaffa) (With Contributions By Edna J. Stern, Brigitte Ouahnouna, Alexander Glick And Polina Spivak) (Pp. 469–496), Yoav Arbel, Limor Talmi

'Atiqot

The French School excavation encompassed three areas (A, B, C): Area A yielded a substantial volume of Crusader-period pottery, perhaps alluding to the existence of a Crusader-period moat, and late Ottoman-period building remains and a water reservoir; in Area B, a Crusader-period pedestal, as well as a late Ottoman-period well, channels and wall foundations, were exposed; and in Area C were found the remains of Crusader-period pedestals, late Ottoman-period wall remains and two pit graves of uncertain date. The remains from the late Ottoman period point to Yafo’s orderly spatial organization during the nineteenth century.

Remains From Middle Bronze Age Ii And The Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Crusader, Late Ottoman And British Mandate Periods On Rabbi Yehuda Me-Raguza Street, Yafo (Jaffa) (Pp. 17–52), Yoav Arbel, Lior Rauchberger

'Atiqot

Eight excavation areas (A–G, J) were exposed, revealing seven strata dating from Middle Bronze Age II to the days of the British Mandate. The earliest find is an MB IIA infant jar burial—a significant find outside the boundaries of Tel Yafo. Burial graves from the Hellenistic, Roman and Crusader periods confirm that this street marked Yafo’s eastern limits in those times. The Hellenistic presence, probably under Ptolemaic rule, included scattered dwellings and farms with associated pottery dating from the late fourth to the second century BCE. The finds from the Byzantine period include a structure and pottery, reflecting a significant …

The Eschatological Vision Of The Abolition Of Man, Joshua J. Paladino

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

C. S. Lewis’s The Abolition of Man is ultimately an eschatological work, a vision of the end of history, a warning about the fully conditioned society, an insight into the nature of the universal and homogeneous state, and even a prophecy of Hell on Earth. The end-times significance of the Abolition is perhaps overlooked because it lacks an apocalyptic framing. Lewis presented, rather, a “snug” eschatology.1 There is none of the apocalyptic drama that Lewis crafted in The Last Battle. We do not hear the Lion roar, “Now it is time,” before watching Father Time squeeze the sun in his …

Mamluk And Ottoman Remains In The Al-Wata Quarter, Safed (Zefat) (Pp. 113–137), Hervé Barbé

'Atiqot

The salvage excavation in the al-Wata quarter of Safed revealed that the development of this sector of the city began as early as the early Mamluk period. This is further reinforced by the Arabic historical sources. The pottery suggests that occupation began as early as the thirteenth century, with some vessels clearly dating to the Frankish period. The numismatic study adds credence to this conclusion. The historical data and the archaeological finds, including a seventeenth-century coin, hint that the site was also occupied in the first half of the Ottoman period; however, no building remains from this period were identified.

Four Hebrew Seals, One Depicting And Assyrian-Like Archer, From The Western Wall Plaza Excavations, Jerusalem (Pp. 115–129), Tallay Ornan, Shlomit Weksler-Bdolah, Zvi Greenhut, Benjamin Sass, Yuval Goren

'Atiqot

Four Hebrew seals were unearthed in an Iron Age II building excavated opposite the Western Wall, Jerusalem. All four seals are inscribed in Hebrew of the eighth–seventh centuries BCE, but each was executed by a different ‘hand’. One of the seals (No. 4) exhibits the image of a standing archer, inspired by Assyrian imagery, depicted here for the first time on a seal with a Hebrew inscription. The seals, and the pottery found in association with them, indicate that the building belonged to people of an upper class, possibly holding a high rank in the kingdom of Judah.

Witchcraft, Demons, And Spiritual Death: An Apologetic For The Bible's Prohibition Against Witchcraft, Joshua Dean Wrenn

Masters Theses

This paper attempts to apologetically defend the Bible's intolerance against witchcraft and other related activities that are prohibited in the Old Testament. It does so by showing that Witchcraft and other related activities gets one involved with demonic entities. It shows how demonic entities are deceitful, and how they are actually the ones behind the power of witchcraft. The paper starts by studying the history of ancient witchcraft, which is something that is useful for understanding the witchcraft of today. It then builds a profile of demons. The paper shows what demons physically do and what they attempt to get …

Care Providers Caring For Military Members Struggling With Grief, Clara Altagracia García

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research aims to address the lack of grief support services for service members (SMs) and veterans, which affects them and the wider community. The mission is to uncover the needs of SMs and veterans and devise effective strategies to support them. The literature review will provide the foundation for the need for research and create a reasonable solution for a healthier grieving process for SMs. This research aims to determine how complicated grief goes undetected and how counseling can help SMs and veterans. The thesis project will impact the grief counseling process of others in this field and bring …