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Philosophy & World Religions Department Newsletter, V6, Spring 2013, University Of Northern Iowa. Department Of Philosophy And World Religions.

Philosophy & World Religions Department Newsletter

Inside this issue:

-- Notes from the Head
-- On Art and Censorship
-- On Freedom and Equality
-- The Most Important Book I Ever Read
-- Faculty Spotlight: Jerome Soneson, Professor of Religion
-- End of the Year Luncheon
-- Graduates 2012-2013
-- Final thoughts from graduating senior Emily O'Loughlin
-- Student Interview: Stef McGraw, Philosophy
-- Student Interview, Yu Sasaki, Study of Religion
-- Biannual Book Sale
-- Dr. Massimo Pigliucci: "Revisiting the Demarcation Problem"
-- Alumni Spotlight: Alison Suen, Philosophy
-- Alumni Spotlight: Amy Hoyer, Study of Religion
-- Alumni Response Form

Peace Education And Its Discontents: An Evaluation Of Youth, Violence, And School-Based Peace Programs In Northern Uganda, Jayanni Webster

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

This research paper discusses current efforts and programs designed to address the issues of peace and conflict resolution, post-war recovery and education in northern Uganda. Through the collection of stories of life after war, I examine the experiences of children and youth and pilot peace education programs in secondary and primary schools. Northern Uganda was the site of a brutal civil war waged between the rebel group, the Lord’s Resistance Army, and the government’s Uganda People’s Defense Force. The war resulted in the mass abduction of children and the forced displacement of the northern population into internally displaced persons’ camps. …

Use Of Sacraments In Church Discipline As A Challenge To Missional Transformation In Kenya’S Mainstream Churches: A Case Study Of Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church, Peter Matano Mnene

Master of Arts Theses

No abstract provided.

'For The Healing Of The Nations': Religious Visions, Subterranean Universes, And Cross-Cultural Encounters", J. Nelson Jennings

Yale Divinity Library Occasional Publications

No abstract provided.

Springtime For Freedom Of Religion Or Belief: Will Newly Democratic Arab States Guarantee International Human Rights Norms Or Perpetuate Their Violation?, Robert C. Blitt

Book Chapters

The Arab Spring has generated unprecedented and seismic political and social upheaval across the Arab world. The reasons for the outbreak of widespread and vociferous public protest are myriad, but generally understood as including long-simmering resentment of government corruption and repression, underwhelming economic development, chronic unemployment and poor respect for human rights, including the treatment of individuals and groups affiliated with political manifestations of Islam. Despite the initial drama surrounding the street rallies, two years on, the pace of change has grown fitful and uncertain.

The purpose of this chapter is to consider one narrow aspect of the Arab Spring. …

Whither Mormon Studies?, John Gee

Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship

The proliferation of Mormon Studies is surprising, considering that many of the basic questions about the field have never been answered. This paper looks at a number of basic questions about Mormon Studies that are of either academic concern or concern for members of the Church of Jesus Christ. They include such questions as whether Mormon Studies is a discipline, whether those who do Mormon Studies necessarily know what is going on in the Church, or if they interpret their findings correctly, whether there is any core knowledge that those who do Mormon Studies can or should have, what sort …

Charism As Mission: A Marianist Model Of Ecclesiology, Johann G. Roten

Marian Library Studies

Much of what we call ecclesiology is in fact the history of trial and error in the pursuit of the Kingdom of God in this world. But there is more. Far from being purely clinical perception and assessment of things past and present, ecclesiology is a real life story, that of Jesus and those who attempt to follow him. Jesus is a person who really lived; the Church is the story of people who live their lives patterned on Jesus' person and work. The deeply existential and provisional character of Church, and the reflection about Church, cannot be downplayed or …

“Cada Espíritu Es Un Libro”: Spiritualism In Turn-Of-The-Century Spain, Alicia Cerezo Paredes

Decimonónica

On October 9, 1861, one of history’s last autos de fe was celebrated by the Spanish Catholic Church in Barcelona. The site chosen, an esplanade leading to a fortification known as the Ciutadella, was already famous for inquisitional autos dating back to the Middle Ages (Abend 518). This time the moral spectacle involved the burning of three hundred books confiscated at the French border by order of the Bishop of Barcelona. Each of these books concerned a particular and relatively new religious movement known as Spiritualism. Twenty-seven years after the official abolition of the Inquisition, Catholic orthodoxy still sought to …

"God Help Us, We Are The Press!": Public Perception Of The Branch Davidian Conflict, Janet Rogers

History Theses - Archive

Public perception of the 1993 Branch Davidian conflict, particularly as it developed well after the event, helped to alter government policy toward New Religious Movements. Prior to the investigations following the conflict, public expectations of government involvement in New Religious Movements had been shaped most dramatically by the mass suicide in Jonestown, Guyana, in 1978. That event had convinced scholars and the public at large that New Religious movements had a propensity for violence, and government intervention was necessary on occasion. Thus following Jonestown, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) became involved in several standoffs with New Religious …

Shakers, Mormons, And Religious Worlds: Conflicting Visions, Contested Boundaries, Matthew J. Grow, Stephen C. Taysom

BYU Studies

In Shakers, Mormons, and Religious Worlds, Stephen Taysom, an assistant professor of religious studies at Cleveland State University, has written an intriguing and theoretically rich monograph that compares Shaker and Mormon approaches to religious identity formation and boundary maintenance. Although Shakerism dwindled as a religious movement in the twentieth century, Shakers and Latter-day Saints in the nineteenth century stood out as examples of successful new movements on the American religious scene. Taysom's comparison of Latter-day Saints and Shakers places him within a select group of scholars, most notably Mario DePillis, Lawrence Foster, and Spencer Fluhman, who have studied Shakers and …

Demanding The Angels’ Share: Intellectual Property And Spiritual Organization In The Urantia Foundation, Andrew Ventimiglia

Studio for Law and Culture

This article explores the role that intellectual property plays as it shapes the circulation and use of ‘The Urantia Book,’ a divinely revealed text published in 1955 and embraced by a community of believers. For many modern spiritual communities – of which the Urantian community is a telling example – their coherence no longer lies in a centralized institution like the church but instead in a shared dedication to sacred texts and other religious media. Thus, intellectual property has become an effective means to administer the ephemeral beliefs and practices mediated by these texts. This article explores a number of …

Strangers In Their Own Native Land: Joseph Smith, Mormons, And The Orientalizating Of An American People, Mahala Ruddell

Master's Theses and Capstones

Emerging stronger than ever in the wake of the Napoleonic Wars, "orientalism" was more than just pictures of Turkish girls in a sultan's harem; it was a process of information sharing through art, literature, military campaigns, and politics. Joseph Smith founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, colloquially known as Mormonism, in the midst of this information exchange. A product of his era, he used orientalist rhetoric and imagery to connect the ideas he preached to ancient Judaism, thereby legitimizing the new religion within the context of a much older and more respected holy past. But he was …

Social Identity Theory For Investigating Islamic Extremism In The Diaspora, Dina Al Raffie

Journal of Strategic Security

An overview of literature on radicalization in the Muslim diaspora in Europe finds identity crises to be a key precipitant to the process. Studies also typically focus on the manipulation of identify by violent Islamic extremist groups. This paper attempts to contribute to the discussion on the role of identity in radicalization by using social identity theory. In doing so, the article explores the formation and transformation process of social identities, and argues that the nature of community-level groups and networks may contribute to identity ‘readiness’ for radicalization. To this end, special focus is given to formally recognized Islamist non-governmental …

The African-American Islamic Renaissance And The Rise Of The Nation Of Islam, Patrick Denis Bowen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines African-American Islamic culture from 1920 through 1959, a period I label the "African-American Islamic Renaissance" (AAIR). The AAIR is characterized by a significant increase in interest in Islam, extreme diversity in views about Islam, and the absence of a single organization dominating African-American Islamic culture for a significant amount of time. Previous works dealing with African-American Islam in this period have failed to fully recognize these features, particularly the last of these. As a result, explanations for the rise of the Nation of Islam (NOI) have not satisfactorily explained why it was only the NOI--and not other …

Sorcery And Animism In A South Pacific Melanesian Context, Graeme J. Humble

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

Identity Crisis Of Jordanian Bmb (Believer From Muslim Background) Women At The Beginning Phase Of New Faith, Sam Kim

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Volume 25 — Peace Building, Social Transformation And Religion In Africa: Contextual Theological Reflection, The Ecumencial Association Of Nigerian Theologians

Bulletin of Ecumenical Theology

No abstract provided.

Framing, Public Relations, And Scientology: An Analysis Of News Coverage And A Controversial Organization, Kristy Mcallister

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the most common frames used in news coverage of the Church of Scientology from 2009 to 2013. Using textual analysis, with framing and public relations theories as lenses, this study examined recent news coverage – both print and television – to identify frames used, and the potential public relations crises the Church is currently facing due to this media exposure. Analysis showed three major frames used during coverage, along with their corresponding sub-frames, which highlight certain aspects of the frame: Culture of Abuse (Imprisonment, Controlling, Family Disconnection, Exploitation of Children, Violence, and Financial Abuse), The Information Paradox …

Exploring The Relevance Of Feminist Leadership In Theological Education Of Nigeria, Adesanya İbiyinka Olusola

Khazar Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Feminist leadership is very important in theological education as it would seek to deconstruct stereotypical assumptions about women and gender in Christian theological traditions. Unfortunately, most of the theological schools in Nigeria do not have feminist as leaders. Five reasons why feminist leadership are needed in theological schools have been identified as, the bible teaching that women brought sin and death to the world, servant hood notion of women, scandal of particularity, male domination of ministries and theological methods and process that are full of stereotypes. All this does not provide women a unique opportunity to discover and develop their …

Halls Aflame: An Account Of The Spontaneous Revivals At Asbury College In 1950 And 1958, Robert E. Coleman, Henry C. James, Paul Rader

Heritage Material

No abstract provided.

Radical Buddhism, Then And Now: Prospects Of A Paradox, James Mark Shields

Faculty Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

If Rumors Were Horses, Katina Strauch

Against the Grain

No abstract provided.

From The Reference Desk-Reviews Of Reference Titles, Tom Gilson

Against the Grain

No abstract provided.

The Ring Goes To Different Cultures: A Call For Cross Cultural Studies Of Religious Horror Films, Seung Min Hong

Journal of Religion & Film

Within the field of religion and media, the study of horror films has always been treated as a minor topic, and cross-cultural comparative studies of such films are even rarer. Furthermore, such comparative projects that involve East Asian contexts, despite their influence on the genre of horror, are yet more difficult to find. By attempting a brief American & East Asian comparative analysis of the Ring series as an example and also proposing an empirical comparative audience research, I call for more cross cultural studies of religious horror films.

Philosophy & World Religions Department Newsletter, V5, Fall 2012, University Of Northern Iowa. Department Of Philosophy And World Religions.

Philosophy & World Religions Department Newsletter

Inside this issue: -

The Scales of Justice: Liberty or Equality

Notes from the Head: Art on Campus

Faculty Spotlight: Francis Degnin, Professor of Philosophy

Faculty Spotlight: John Burnight, Professor of Religion

Harry Brod: Superman is Jewish?

Francis Degnin on Ethics in a Hospital Setting

Philosophy & World Religion Picnic

Student Interview: Jordan Bancroft-Smithe, Philosophy

Student Interview: Wynne Johnson, Study of Religion

Impact of Scholarships...making serious study possible

Explorers of Religion

Philosophy Club, Explorers of Religion Book Sale

Alumni Updates

Alumni Spotlight: John Fordyce, Philosophy

Grant Rozeboom: "If you are my End, then what are my Means?"

Alumni Response Form

The Daily Egyptian, September 04, 2012, Daily Egyptian Staff

September 2012

No abstract provided.

Interfaith Dialogue In Spain—Religious Mediation: A Brief Analysis Of Spain's Religious Liberty Law, José Ferrer Sánchez

BYU Law Review

No abstract provided.

Hungary's New Constitution And Its New Law On Freedom Of Religion And Churches: The Return Of The Sovereign, Renáta Uitz

BYU Law Review

No abstract provided.

Creating A Millennial Generation Contextualized Church Culture, Christopher Deitsch

Masters Theses

The Millennial generation, or Generation Y as some people know them, is the biggest generation in the United States of America history. As they flood schools, universities, and the job market it is easy to see that there are major differences between them and previous generations. Simultaneously, the church in America has hundreds of individual churches each year closing and tens of thousands each year declining; most churches are ceasing to grow. The inability to reach Millennials is one of the reasons for this decline. This thesis purposes to give a snapshot of the Millennial generation, overview a few of …

Love Your Enemy Evangelical Opposition To Mormonism And Its Effect Upon Mormon Identity, Derek J. Bowen

Theses and Dissertations

Evangelical Protestant Christians have been one of the primary groups opposing Mormons since the beginnings of Mormonism in the 1820s. This thesis is an examination of the historical basis for Evangelical opposition to Mormonism and the impact of that opposition on Mormon identity. This study is divided into three chronological chapters representing the nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty-first centuries in America. Evangelical animosity towards Mormonism was grounded in the Christian heretical tradition begun in the second century AD. Because of this tradition, Evangelicals were inherently afraid of heresy for two main reasons: temporal treason and eternal damnation. Due to the heterodox …