Digital Commons Network^™

Review Of: The Bloomsbury Handbook Of Religion And Heritage In Contemporary Europe, Edited By Todd H. Weir And Lieke Wijnia, Maaike De Jong

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Review of: Weir, T.H. & Wijnia, L. (Eds.) (2023) The Bloomsbury Handbook of Religion and Heritage in Contemporary Europe, Bloomsbury Publishing, United Kingdom, 472 pages, £117 (Hardcover), ISBN: ‎ 978-1350251380.

Hospitality Services And The Promotion Of Religious Tourism: A Study Of Redemption City, Nigeria, Elizabeth Abiola-Oke, Timileyin Osiobe

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Religious tourism is acknowledged as a fast-growing sector within the tourism business, and hospitality services’ role in supporting this growth is important. This study used a quantitative research design to explore the specific function that hospitality services have in promoting religious tourism. Literature study and the distribution of structured research questionnaires to Redemption Resort visitors during monthly programs were the methods adopted for the collection of data. The results show that hospitality services promote religious tourism by providing a safe and comfortable stay, planning religious activities and ceremonies, and providing regional and traditional foods. The study also discusses issues like …

Coercion, Conversion, Control: Techniques Utilized To Recruit And Indoctrinate New Members Into Cult Organizations, Hailey Savanna Robertson

University Honors Theses

Religious belief of some form has long been a regular part of many people's lives, but when a person’s devotion to doctrine becomes so all-encompassing that they structure their entire life around it, they may be in a cult. While the dogma may vary across groups, a cult is characterized as having extremely devoted disciples who often follow a charismatic leader and espouse extreme beliefs or practices not widely accepted by society. Members of cults commit themselves wholly to their leaders. Proving their commitment by turning over financial assets, obeying commands without question, and even severing all social ties outside …

New Paths In Jewish And Religious Studies: Essays In Honor Of Professor Elliot R. Wolfson, Glenn Dynner, Susannah Heschel, Shaul Magid

Purdue University Press Books

The work of Elliot R. Wolfson has profoundly influenced the fields of Jewish studies as well as philosophy and religion more broadly. His radically new approaches have created pioneering ways of analyzing texts and thinking about religion through the lens of gender, sexuality, and feminist theory. The contributors to New Paths in Jewish and Religious Studies: Essays in Honor of Professor Elliot R. Wolfson, many of whom are internationally renowned scholars, hearken from diverse fields. Each has learned from and collaborated with Wolfson as student or colleague, and each has expanded the new scholarly directions initiated by Wolfson’s groundbreaking …

Analysis Of Human Rights Doctrine And A Biblical Perspective, Braden Daniels

NEXUS: The Liberty Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies

No abstract provided.

Race, Religion, And Reconciliation: Building A Mosaic Of Latine Faith From The Margins, Sabrina A. Ochoa

University of Miami Race & Social Justice Law Review

No abstract provided.

Spirituality And The Development Of An Organizational Compliance And Ethics Program, Michael A. Meyer

Journal of Religion and Business Ethics

Major corporate scandals and heightened government enforcement of ethical lapses in the workplace continue to emphasize the importance of an effective compliance and ethics program. Compliance and ethics programs effectively became mandatory when the United States Federal Sentencing Commission amended the Federal Sentencing Guidelines for Organizations in 2004 to recognize the existence of an effective compliance and ethics program as a mitigating consideration in the sentencing of organizations convicted of criminal conduct. While legalistic codes, policies, and procedures have become the normative response to the Sentencing Guidelines, soul-less documents in and of themselves will not develop the “thoughtful behavior” upon …

Al-Ghazali' S Views On Education Reform, Joshua Wheatley

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

Abu Hamid Muhammad al-Ghaziili" (1058-1111 CE) is best known for his development of Islamic philosophy and his embrace of Sufism, but he was also an important contributor to the theory of Islamic education. There is no shortage of scholarship on al-Ghazali"'s promotion of Sufism, his contributions to Islamic philosophy and his involvement in court politics. His position on education, however, is less well-known. Avner Giladi, an authority on the history of education in the Islamic world, has observed that in medieval Islam, education was an inseparable part of religion and politics. Therefore, it is only natural that, rather than writing …

The Perpetual Progression In The Schleswig-Holstein Duchy: History, Politics, And Religion, 1460-1864, Christian Anthony Ahlers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

German nationalism in the Schleswig and Holstein duchies that predates the German Unification Wars of the Nineteenth Century continuously transformed in response to Danish encroachment, civic disputes regarding treaty legitimacy, and war. The Germans in the duchies fought to retain their ancestral homelands and, in doing so, embraced a pan-Germanic consciousness that is the foundation for early modern nationalism. This consciousness dates back hundreds of years. This case study examines the Germans of Schleswig and Holstein and their experiences with the consistent and pressing Danish encroachment. Despite the encroachment, the Germans remained connected with their culture, traditions, religion, and their …

The Experiences Of Christian Males' Attachment Style And Attachment Figure To God, Irene G. Insunza

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the present study was to describe the lived experience of attachment to God in Christian men, how men obtained a secure attachment, and what it means to their life. Attachment Theory explains the importance of attachment bonds formed in infancy between the parent and child. Surrogate attachment figures have gained support in studies, indicating mental representation in attachment to God can assist in developing secure attachment style. The participants consisted of 12 Christian males, ages 21 to 57, active in their faith, and experienced an attachment to God. Using a qualitative, phenomenological design, in-depth semi-structured interviews were …

Infidelity, Post-Infidelity Stress Disorder, And Post-Infidelity Stress Marital Outcomes, Faith Christie Leigh Roby

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Marital infidelity discovery has been noted in the literature for traumatic emotional, behavioral, and psychological reactions in the injured spouse, but not extensively in terms of post-infidelity stress disorder. To that end, this cross-sectional quantitative anonymous online survey study explored marital infidelity, post-infidelity stress disorder and post-infidelity marital outcomes in 202 participants using certain frameworks, such as Glass’s traumatic aftershock and Ortman’s post-infidelity stress disorder. This researcher sought to investigate whether there is a relationship between post-infidelity stress disorder that is moderated by religious/core beliefs and marital repair efforts and marital outcomes of healing, forgiveness, benevolence, revenge, avoidance, divorce/desire to …

Judas Was A Chaplain To Congress: Jacob Duche And The Revolutionary Limits Of Civic Faith, Spencer Wells

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

The Morning of September 6,1774, found a weary John Adams attending to political duties. Arriving in Philadelphia to take part in the First Continental Congress, Adams found himself greeted with rumors concerning the British "bombardment" of Boston at every turn. While aware that the colonial press remained unreliable during even the best of times, Adams remained concerned. Prospects of familial "distress and terror" haunted his mind, and fellow delegates did little to help. As Congress opened, Patrick Henry warned colonists of approaching danger. "Government [was] dissolved," he began, for aggressive British troops had succeeded in throwing once-loyal colonies into a …

"Come And Die": Total Sacrifice In The Theology And Resistance Of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Greer Bates

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

The sun had only just begun to rise when he was taken from his cell, naked and shivering, into the biting cold of an early April morning. Perhaps he watched as the hangman adjusted the noose that swung lifelessly from the scaffolds. Perhaps he spoke to the guards as they led him to the platform on which he would die. Likely, he thought of his young fiancee, his mother, his father. And, almost certainly, he prayed. We have no record of these final moments in the life of the young Lutheran pastor and theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, executed on the 9th …

Ethical Considerations Regarding Counselor-Client Discussions Of Political Views And Religion: From A Christian, Conservative, Counselor, Educator Perspective, Michelle Dobson

Journal of Interprofessional Practice and Collaboration

The 2014 ACA Code of Ethics informs counselors of the need to avoid imposing their personal values and beliefs on their clients. There is a general messaging through academics and mental health professional associations of the inherent oppressiveness in Christianity and the conservative political ideology. As a Christian, conservative, counselor, and educator, I have found a need to keep my personal life separate from these professional settings. During the 2020 presidential election cycle I began to question whether I could ethically be in this profession while maintaining my personal values and beliefs. I found clients struggling to have conversations with …

Does Endogamous Marriage Impact Women's Fertility Gaps In India?, Natalya Francis Schafer

Master's Theses

This study aimed to measure the possible impact endogamous (within-family) marriage practices could have on women's fertility gaps in India. Fertility gap in this study is defined as the difference between the ideal number of children a woman desires and the total number of children born to a woman at time of interview. In many developing countries ,such as India, it is common for women to be overachieving their fertility - having more children than desired. Data from the CIA.gov (2024) shows total fertility rates to be highest in developing areas across Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and India. The …

The Preservation Of Ancient Wisdom In Dmt: A Literature Review, Miranda Cox

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Abstract

Dance has a long and evocative history within humanity. This literature review explores the integration and impact dance has within religious and spiritual practices and how dance movement therapy can support these practices within a therapeutic model. Dance profoundly affects individuals during their healing journey and has impacted them through transcendental experiences. The review covers important topics regarding the therapeutic alliance and cultural humility, dance and the history of religion and spiritual practices, and the complications and benefits of religion and spirituality within a clinical therapeutic process. The intention is to explore how dance, religion, and spirituality can work …

Taking The Bang Out Of The Gang: The Impact Of Catholic Schools On Gang Homicides In El Salvador, Ann Jillian Villanueva Adona

Master's Theses

This study explores the impact of Catholic presence on homicide rates in El Salvador, specifically focusing on the role of Catholic schools in reducing violence in gang-afflicted municipalities. Analyzing municipality-level data from various years, I used Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and Instrumental Variable (IV) regressions to study the association between school enrollment and homicide rates. Results show that higher enrollment in Catholic schools is linked to a reduction in homicide rates in gang-affected areas, contrasting with an increase in homicides for non-religious schools. This research sheds light on the importance of investing in Catholic education as a strategy for violence …

Radical Explorations Of Radical Empiricism: William James’S Transmissive Theory Of Mind In The Context Of Visionary Experience, Rita Spellman

Religious Studies Theses and Dissertations

The dominant ontology in science is a form of materialism and it filters down into the social sciences in ways I will touch on throughout this paper. The influence of the current dominant ontology is especially apparent when it comes to experiences and phenomena that challenge its underlying assumptions which is why I will primarily focus on visionary experience and psi phenomena as studied by radical empiricists throughout the ages.

The philosophical position of William James challenges materialist assumptions by championing the idea that the only world we can speak of is the world of our experience. William James affords …

Frozen Ii And Girls’ Spiritual Formation: How The Music Of An Animated Musical Resonates With Girls And Women, Cristen Mitchell

Doctor of Pastoral Music Projects and Theses

Frozen II (2019) is a popular Disney animated movie for children and depicts striking spiritual elements while weaving in feminist practices such as justice and equity, and feminist theology through representations of female spirits and connection to the earth. Through this movie, its themes, and the historical exclusion of women in the church, this thesis seeks to show that representation of women in the divine is an important, and necessary part of the spiritual and psychological development of girls and women. The methods of this thesis include exploring the following synchronicities:

1. Parallels between feminist issues in the church and Walt …

   ---

   Go to article

Exploring Attrition And Linguistic Shifts: The Impact Of Covid-19 And Anti-Asian Discrimination On The East And Southeast Asian Diaspora, Sam Mutschler-Aldine, Amy Wan-Ling Lin, Natalie Robison, Milntra Raksachat, Carolyn Quam

Student Research Symposium

This study investigates language and identity among speakers of East Asian and Southeast Asian languages in the United States, within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the concurrent rise in anti-Asian hate. We adopt a mixed-methods approach guided by three research questions exploring: (1) changes in language use since pandemic onset, (2) changes in perspectives on language identity since pandemic onset, and (3) effects of geopolitical climate, specifically the rise in anti-Asian hate, on language use and perspectives on language identity. Qualitative methodologies allowed us to capture a diverse range of language experiences. Many (but not all) participants indicated …

Gangism: An 'Elementary Form Of Religious Life', Robert Northman

Student Research Symposium

This study is intended to examine the question: could gangs be a form of religion? The study will examine Steven Cureton's ethnographic case study of a street gang as found in his work titled Hoover Crips (2008), where I will then analyze the findings within the sociological framework of Emile Durkheim’s theory of religion as set forth in his classic book titled Elementary Forms of Religious Life (1912).

This exploration faces challenges as the terms “gang” and “religion” are both hotly contested, and discussions on each have largely occurred independently, leaving a significant gap for this research to address. This …

Seeing Is Believing: Religious Views, Perceptions Of Pollution, And Environmental Attitudes, Katelynn (Sage) Shadoan

Department of Sociology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study explores the intersection of religious beliefs, perceptions of pollution, and environmental attitudes among Americans. Drawing upon Lynn White's seminal argument regarding Christian theology and its implications for environmental stewardship, this research investigates the role of biblical literalism in shaping environmental attitudes, particularly among conservative Christians. Using nationally representative survey data and logistic regression models, the study examines how the perceptions of pollution moderate the effects of views of the Bible on environmental concern. The findings reveal that while perceived pollution exposure is strongly associated with environmental attitudes, it does not moderate the association between biblical literalism and environmental …

Reviving “Cult”: A Qualitative Analysis Of A Female-Led Cultic Sect, Olivia Summers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research analyzes the Word of Faith Fellowship (WOF), a female-led Evangelical church that social scientists have not yet studied. My thesis explores how a female leader operates within a patriarchal space and why WOF owns a Holocaust Museum. I conducted content analysis of the church and museum websites, Google reviews, and visited the museum in person. My research highlights the limitations of current taxonomies of religion in sociology. I address this oversight, argue for the re-introduction of “cult” as an analytical term, and propose a rubric for cult identification. I suggest that WOF is a sectarian cult with similar …

Towards A Culturally Sensitive Psychiatry: Lessons From Thomas Adeoye Lambo, Alapa P. Odugbo

Religious Studies Theses

Thomas Adeoye Lambo (1923 – 2004), a Yoruba Nigerian psychiatrist who received his training in London, initiated a culturally responsive psychiatric treatment in Aro village of Abeokuta, Southwestern Nigeria, in 1954. All through his career, Lambo worked to harness traditional socio-cultural resources for the treatment of mental illness and incorporate them into his medical work. This thesis explores Lambo's understanding of various Nigerian or on broader scale, African religious beliefs regarding mental illness and how they influenced his clinical practice in Aro village. It considers Lambo’s legacies and asks how his works might inform contemporary approaches to addressing mental illness …

Investigating The Experiences Of Evangelical Couples Coping With Painful Intercourse During Early Marriage, Arielle L. Leonard Hodges

Communication (PhD) Dissertations

Women who internalize evangelical purity messages face heightened risk for persistent pain or difficulty with penile-vaginal intercourse. Drawing on research in communication, psychology, and sexual medicine, the aim of this multilevel qualitative study is to increase understanding of how evangelical couples communicatively cope with painful intercourse and the memorable messages they believe contribute to their experiences of coping. This study involved conducting qualitative interviews with 20 evangelical married couples (40 total spouses) who currently or recently experienced a wife’s persistent pain during (attempted) penile-vaginal intercourse and 16 female clinicians (pelvic floor physical therapists and mental health professionals) who regularly work …

A Muzzle For The Lamb: A Novel, Scott Beggs

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Singing Unity—Performing Ecumenism: Musicking And Ecumenical Prayer Through The Lens Of Performance Studies, David James Anderson

Doctor of Pastoral Music Projects and Theses

This thesis examines the foundational call to Christian unity, communal prayer for unity, and the practice of ecumenism through pastoral musicking and performing unity through the lens of performance studies. It asks the question: Can we sing and perform Christian unity? The ecumenical call is considered from ecumenical documents of both the Protestant and Roman Catholic traditions since the Second Vatican Council. Ecumenical worship is considered a performance of unity viewed through the lens of performance studies with scholarship from ritual, liturgical, and church music studies. Two distinct services of ecumenical prayer are considered as “performances of unity.” One service …

Coming Out Experiences Related To Improved Well-Being Among Religious Sexual And Gender Minorities, Samuel Skidmore

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Sexual and gender minorities (SGMs; individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ and/or who do not identify as cisgender and heterosexual) often come out to others as a way to improve their connections, feel more authentic, and improve their mental health. However, coming out is often a frightening and stress-inducing process, and SGMs’ overall well-being may depend on how they approach these conversations and how others respond. In an effort to better understand these experiences and to provide a scientifically-validated “guide” to SGMs and those to whom they come out, we conducted three studies that examine when coming out goes well and …

Christianity And Covid-19: Comparing Dallas-Fort Worth Churches' Conflicting Pandemic Responses, Steven Andrew Shaw

2024 Spring Honors Capstone Projects

The months following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 saw global confusion from individuals, organizations, and governments alike. Religious institutions, able to influence the attitudes of mass congregations, were not excluded. This research studies how Christian churches in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex navigated the pandemic in vastly different ways, following widely opposing lockdown procedures and holding conflicting views on COVID-19 vaccines. After Texas’s initial restrictions on in person gatherings in March 2020, the 101 churches in this study relied on social media to communicate to their congregations about their responses to COVID-19. These social media pages, acting as …

"I'Ll Stay Where You Want Me To Stay": How Latter-Day Saints Navigate Conflicting Social Values While Remaining Committed To Their Faith, Venice Jardine

Theses and Dissertations

While recent efforts in religious studies have focused on why many Americans seem to be leaving religion entirely, much less is understood about why many others choose to remain committed to their faith--especially when they hold many of the same social values, doubts, or divergent opinions that others cite for leaving. Within a Latter-day Saint context especially, very little research has been done to explore the experiences of those navigating the complexities of competing ethical affordances while remaining committed to their faith. Through ethnographic research in both Salt Lake County and New York City, I document the patterns and processes …