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The Current Landscape Of American Religion: Diversity, Individuation, And The Implications For An Aging Population, Rhys Williams

Sociology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

No abstract provided.

Spaces Of The Religious Economy: Negotiating The Regulation Of Religious Space In Singapore, Orlando Woods

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Over the past three decades, the theory of religious economy has been established, applied, debated, developed, and rejected. It has proven to be as divisive as any "general theory" of religion should be, and yet its core tenets continue to engage and unite scholars around the world. In response to broader shifts within the sociology of religion, this article reframes religious economy by advancing a spatial approach to its theorization. A spatial approach can help develop new perspectives on the regulation of religion, and the resistant agency of religious groups. With a focus on the "secular monopoly" of Singapore, it …

"Yarovoy Law" Struck The Protestants: An Interview With The Historian Of Religions, Elena Glavatskaya, Elena Glavatskaya

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Elena Glavtaskaya is a professor of history at Ural Federal University in Yekaterinburg, Russia. She has defended her Kandidatskaya dissertation in 1992 and her Doktorskaia dissertation in 2005 at the university. She has also led several research projects focused on the religious landscape of the Urals and Siberia and is currently leading the research project, “Ethno-religious and demographic dynamics in mountainous Eurasia around 1900,” supported by the Russian Science Foundation. Her latest articles are “Nobody Pressed Hard, and People Listened to the Message of the Kingdom,” “Jehovah's Witnesses» of the Sverdlovsk Oblast: a historical and anthropological research,” published in Quaestio …

Western News, June 21, 2018, Western Michigan University

Western News (1972-2018)

Story highlights: WMU part of student mental health effort; Valley Dining Center achieves LEED Gold status; Physical plant upgrades expected to cause few disruptions; On Campus with Monica Liggins-Abrams.

Exiters Of Religious Fundamentalism: Reconstruction Of Identity, Social Relationships And Support, And Meaning Related To Well-Being, Andreea Alexandra Nica

Dissertations and Theses

Over the past decade, researchers have documented the steady growth of religious "nones," those who do not affiliate with any organized religion. There is, however, limited research examining religious disaffiliation on health outcomes--that is, how the process of religious disaffiliation or exiting contributes to mental well-being. These trends and gap in the literature make it timely and it is important to consider the impact of leaving religion on the well-being of individuals experiencing this life transition. This qualitative study investigates a particularly understudied subgroup of exiters -- individuals who have exited Christian fundamentalist religious groups.

Drawing on 24 in-depth, individual …

Cold Genocide: Falun Gong In China, Maria Cheung, Torsten Trey, David Matas, Richard An

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

The article explores patterns of a cold genocide in the eradication campaign against Falun Gong. Falun Gong is a spiritual practice that has been targeted for eradication by the Chinese regime since 1999. In comparison to the documented cases of genocide, the genocide of Falun Gong stands out as anomalous because it is virtually ignored. The article seeks to elucidate the multi-faceted nature of this concealed genocide from an interdisciplinary perspective encompassing social work, medicine and law, In particular, the article demonstrates that the eradication campaign against Falun Gong is distinguishable as a cold genocide as it is: (1) multi-dimensional …

Rhetoric, Authority, And Children Of God: Charismatic Authority And Ecstasy In American Religions, Clarissa A. Stephenson

Celebration of Learning

As new religious movements have flooded the social landscape of the United States, they have inspired large counter-movements. These countermovements assumed a category of accepted religions which excluded religious movements that challenged the hegemonic way of life in the U.S. Some of these new religions - deemed "cults" by outsider groups- were seemingly able to exert total control over the actions of their followers, especially in relation to their physical and sexual relationships. Movements like Children of God- the religion to be studied in this paper- place a focus on the physical body as the road to spiritual salvation. The …

Ideological Inequalities: Khmer Culture And Widows’ Perception Of Remarriage, Susan Hagood Lee

Journal of International Women's Studies

To explain the enduring persistence of gender inequality, structural explanations alone are not sufficient. One must look at the realm of cultural ideas to understand the entrenched nature of female subordination. Ideological inequalities embedded in cultural beliefs and practices sustain and perpetuate structural inequalities. This article explores ideological inequalities in Cambodian culture as an explanation for the reluctance of rural widows to remarry, despite the economic benefits that a new husband would likely bring. Using concepts from the theory of the social construction of reality, two cultural sources for widows' reluctance are considered, the beliefs and practices of Khmer Buddhism …

Radical Social Ecology As Deep Pragmatism: A Call To The Abolition Of Systemic Dissonance And The Minimization Of Entropic Chaos, Arielle Brender

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper aims to shed light on the dissonance caused by the superimposition of Dominant Human Systems on Natural Systems. I highlight the synthetic nature of Dominant Human Systems as egoic and linguistic phenomenon manufactured by a mere portion of the human population, which renders them inherently oppressive unto peoples and landscapes whose wisdom were barred from the design process. In pursuing a radical pragmatic approach to mending the simultaneous oppression and destruction of the human being and the earth, I highlight the necessity of minimizing entropic chaos caused by excess energy expenditure, an essential feature of systems that aim …

Wrap-Up Report, Wonsuk Ma

Empowered21 Global Network of Spirit-Empowered Scholars

No abstract provided.

Not Today, Satan: Re-Examining Viewpoint Discrimination In The Limited Public Forum, Daniel Cutler

William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal

No abstract provided.

A Theological Analysis Of Confessional-Centric Curriculum Of Christian Religious Education: Towards An Inclusive Religious Pluralistic Centered Curriculum For Nigeria Colleges Of Education, Ilesanmi Ajibola

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Desire to live in peace and unity despite the multi ethnic and multi religious composition of Nigeria, remain ideals that are constant in the nation’s Constitution. However, accruable benefits of a culturally and religiously pluralistic society have continued to elude Nigeria due to incessant religious violence arising from the mutual suspicion of Christians and Muslims in the country. Nevertheless, the nation’s National Policy on Education proposes the education sector as one of the platforms to inculcate a sense of unity and religious tolerance in the country. The policy considers the nation’s learning centers and religious courses offered in such institutions …

Postwar Churches Of Christ Mission Work: The Philippines As A Case Study, Brady Kal Cox

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There was a large increase in the number of Churches of Christ missionaries and missionary efforts following World War II (WWII). There were also significant changes and developments in American religious culture following WWII—Churches of Christ were not exempt from these changes. This study examines the question of how postwar developments in American religion influenced missionary efforts of American Churches of Christ by looking at examples of American missionaries in the Philippines.

The study relies heavily on primary sources, including letters and news reports from archival collections, Churches of Christ periodicals, and email correspondence with people familiar with the main …

The Doctrine Of The Church, Harold Willmington

The Body and Bride File

No abstract provided.

Amazonian Reform, Alyssa Maty

Obsculta

This paper intends to show how Pope Francis’ ecclesiology and environmental consciousness are intimately related. Pope Francis calls on the church as a community to come together to preserve important environments like the Amazon rainforest from human devastation. This communal call is similar to how Pope Francis uniquely calls on the local church to be involved in general ecclesial matters.

Religion And Movement Activism In 1960s Chicago, D. Trevor Burrows

Open Access Dissertations

This dissertation examines the place of religion within various forms of movement activism in Chicago’s 1960s. Although scholars have documented religious participation in the period’s civil rights and peace movements, less attention has been paid to how religious leaders and institutions fit into the complicated institutional networks that drove such activism, or how religious participation was perceived by activists themselves. This is especially true of student activists whose relative lack of religious affiliation has often been interpreted as a lack of interest in religion altogether. This dissertation argues that the category of religion occupied a particular place and performed a …

Caravan Of Stilts, Martin Zwick

Complex Systems Faculty Publications and Presentations

We all know that the expedition we are planning and which, Inshallah, we shall undertake in the fall, has been attempted at least once before. But the documents in our archives that tell us of that earlier expedition into the Gobi are fragmented and contradictory. The most reliable of these documents indicates that the expedition failed, that its members desisted from their attempt to cross the fearsome desert, that there were casualties. We need to contemplate the possible reasons for this alleged failure. I bring you news today of a surprising finding made by our scouting team in one of …

The Liberating Christ: From The Gospel Of Matthew To Modern Day Liberation, Matthew Nelson

Obsculta

The author of the Gospel of Matthew, staying true to the usage of the word in Greek and Hebrew culture, uses the word shepherd as a direct critique of the Roman social structures that oppressed and marginalized the majority of the Empire during the time of Christ and the time of the writing of the Gospel. This direct confrontation is a timeless call, present in modern day liberation theology, as Christians are called to confront unjust social structures and distill hope in the lives of the oppressed and marginalized members of society by making God’s promises of Gustavo Gutiérrez’ utopia …

Not To Teach Any Different Doctrine: Examining The Doctrines Of The Early Latter-Day Saints Movement And The Church Fathers, Jacob D. Hayden

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Explanations of the nature of humanity, God, and the purpose of life have a direct influence on the daily lives of the adherents of a given religious tradition. In the early third century, Origen of Alexandria proposed doctrines of preexistence, subordinationism, and theosis, which were dismissed in the early Church to various degrees. Some sixteen hundred years later, members of the upstart Latter-day Saints movement, such as Orson Pratt, would maintain strikingly similar positions about the nature of the soul, the godhead, and the final cause of humanity. These concepts represent essential aspects of the worldviews of these traditions; …

Kreeft's "Between One Faith And Another: Engaging Conversations On The World's Great Religions" (, Elizabeth Pearson

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Book Reviews, Arden C. Autry Phd, Edward E. Decker Jr, Christopher G. Foster, Robert W. Graves, Daniel D. Isgrigg, Jeffrey S. Lamp, Wonsuk Ma, Peter A. Reynolds, James B. Shelton, Andrew R. Williams

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

No abstract provided.

Sexuality, Gender, And Marriage: Pentecostal Theology Of Sexuality And Empowering The Girl-Child In India, Brainerd Prince, Atula Walling

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

Th e focus of the article arises from a case study of an Indian woman and her adopted child, Sunita and Komal. Th ere are three key issues that can be abstracted from the story of Sunita and Komal. Th e abandoned “girl-child” Komal raises the question of sex—what am I? What does it mean to be biologically female? What consequences are there for being born female? Sunita’s and Komal’s rejection from their families has led them to ask the question about their gender—who am I? What does it mean to be a girl or woman in a predominantly Hindu …

The Question Of Power In African Pentecostalism, Alex R. Mayfield

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

Should the charismatic theology of anointing be considered a democratizing influence in Africa or a reiteration of mediatorial forms of power? Th is article seeks to answer this question by analyzing African traditional religious power structures in comparison to modern African theologies and practices of Pentecostal anointing. Th is comparison, however, highlights the problem of drawing direct lines from Africa’s past to its present; Pentecostal rupture from a traditional past is paradoxically both a break from and connection to pre-colonial conceptions of the self and community. Ultimately, this article argues that while both traditional religions and modern Pentecostal anointing favor …

A Historical And Hermeneutical Approach To The Vice-Lists: A Pauline Perspective, Mark Hall

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

The subject of homosexuality is controversial in the Church, even among Pentecostals; consequently, there has arisen a need for a historical and hermeneutical examination of the topic, especially in the Pauline corpus. The vice-lists of ancient literature along with the ones in the Pauline epistles provide insight into the apostle’s understanding of their purpose and function. Of the ones where Paul lists sexual sins, three specifically mention homosexuality: Romans 1:26–27, 1 Corinthians 6:9–10, and 1 Timothy 1:9–10. Th is article discusses Paul’s understanding of the connection between homosexuality and idolatry and provides an in-depth analysis of the Greek words μαλακοί …

“Your Miracle Is On The Way”: Oral Roberts And Mediated Pentecostalism In Africa, J. Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

Oral Roberts is perhaps the first North American Pentecostal preacher to have a truly global ministry. Th is article discusses his influence on Pentecostalism in Africa through the holding of evangelical healing crusades around the world and also hosting a worldwide media ministry through the use of radio, television, and the distribution of books and magazines. Th rough these visits and media ministry, Oral Roberts inspired and influenced many leading Pentecostal leaders in Africa, including the late Archbishop Benson Idahosa of Nigeria and Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams of Ghana. An important and enduring influence of the ministry of Oral Roberts in …

Editorial, Jeffrey S. Lamp

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

No abstract provided.

Front Matter, Spiritus Editorial Board

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

No abstract provided.

Full Issue

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

No abstract provided.

Virtues/Pāramitās: St. Ignatius Of Loyola And Sāntideva As Companions On The Way Of Life, Tomislav Spiranec

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

This dissertation conducts a comparative study of the cultivation of the virtues in Catholic spiritual tradition and the perfections (pāramitās) in the Mahāyāna Buddhist traditions in view of the spiritual needs of contemporary Croatian young adults. The comparison is carried out through the exploration of two key texts: The Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola, a sixteenth-century Basque Catholic, and the founder of the Society of Jesus, and The Way of the Bodhisattva (Bodhicaryāvatāra) of Śāntideva, an eight-century Indian Mahāyāna monk.

The study links the central teachings of the Catholic faith to the daily life and identity of young Catholics …

The History Of The Development And Propagation Of Qda Software, Urszula Wolski Phd

The Qualitative Report

In the 1980s researchers began to develop software for the analysis of qualitative data. Since then such computer packages have transformed the nature and practice of qualitative research. This paper identifies and examines the processes that led to the development of a QDAS community from the perspective of social worlds theory. Based on interviews with developers and propagators of qualitative data analysis software (QDAS), this paper discusses its history and development, illustrating how a community emerged from the intersection of two social worlds, the computing world and the social science world. It shows use of QDAS spread to the wider …