Arts and Humanities Commons^™

The Cosmic Catastrophe Of History: Patristic Angelology And Augustinian Theology Of History In Tolkien's "Long Defeat", Edmund M. Lazzari

Journal of Tolkien Research

Much of the poignancy of J.R.R. Tolkien's literary universe comes from its atmosphere of tragedy. The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings take place in a universe where noble and heroic actions are most often small candles lit against the inexorable march of evil. This backdrop of tragedy, which Galadriel names "the long defeat," is certainly influenced by Tolkien's views of Germanic mythologies, but it also draws much from the medieval notions of evil in Patristic Angelology and St. Augustine's theology of human history. These twin understandings of evil ultimately lead to one conclusion in Tolkien: the need for …

Spiritual Outcomes Of A Faith-Based Camp Program For Children Of Incarcerated Parents, Raquel T. Ellis, Krystal Hays, Jeff Hamilton, Lemesis J. Reyes

Movement and Being: The Journal of the Christian Society for Kinesiology, Leisure and Sports Studies

Children of incarcerated parents are likely to experience a number of adverse outcomes including poverty, substance abuse, community violence, multiple caregivers, school failure, and justice system involvement (Hairston, 2007; Martin, 2017; Murphey & Cooper, 2015). The experience of having a parent incarcerated, and the negative outcomes associated with it, disproportionately expose these children to adverse childhood events (ACE’s) known to result in higher morbidity and mortality (Turney, 2018). However, spiritual resources, along with engagement with caring adults, can increase a child’s resilience and buffer the impact of these negative outcomes. This exploratory study describes Camp Agape California (CAC), a faith-based …

Cultural Formation Of Place: Making Yourself At Home, Olivia Arratia

Art Theses and Dissertations

The environment you grow up in can become a pivotal part of your existence. The sights, smells, people, and places you experience every day can transform the way you see the world. Growing up in a Mexican-American household has brought its own set of experiences that have made me the artist I am today. I am one of many contemporary artists building on the foundations of their heritage and the Chicano movement. I am also a Mexican-American artist expanding the identity and extending the legacy in the 21st century. This paper will investigate how Mexican-American heritage has influenced my artistic …

Finding Wonder, Love, And Praise: Weaving The Threads Of Wesleyan And Methodist Theology And History Into A Twenty-First Century Worship Tapestry, Dirk Damonte

Doctor of Pastoral Music Projects and Theses

The United Methodist Church has seen a decline in membership for many decades. Accompanying this numeric decline has been a decline in the vitality of worship in many churches. This denomination traces its roots to a renewal movement in the Church of England, led by John and Charles Wesley, which spread across the Atlantic and took hold in the American colonies, where it soon became a separate church. This new church was characterized by lively and Spirit-filled worship and exponential growth. This thesis explores and analyzes the theology of the Wesley brothers and the Wesleyan movement, the history of that …

Body Image And Relationship Satisfaction In Middle-Aged Women, Julia C. Solem

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of this study is to examine the connection between positive body image and relationship satisfaction with middle-aged women. Current research (Ambwani & Strauss, 2007) suggests body image and relationship satisfaction has a bidirectional influence. However, much of the current research focuses on a younger demographic, and middle-aged women are often a neglected population. This study seeks to better understand the interpersonal nature of healthy development in body image and relationships in middle-aged women. A phenomenological approach is utilized to observe the lived experiences of middle-aged women in committed relationships with positive body image. Six participants, between the ages …

Stanley Hauerwas' Approach To Christian Marital And Sex Ethics: A Review And Speculative Expansion, Jeffrey A. Schooley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Few places in congregational and denominational life are more fraught with tension and division than conversations about marital and sex ethics. Systemic abuses mingled together with individual failures on this issue has led to confusion, conflict, and chaos. Worse yet, the remedies proposed—and they are many—tend to either double down on “Traditional” values or seek massive reformation of Christian convictions in light of Modern philosophical, anthropological, and sociological presuppositions. Interlocutors quickly come to an impasse and fragmentation occurs. The catalyst for these conflicts is often debates over same-sex marriage, but one does not have to wade far into this conversation …

The Reception Of Isaiah's Suffering Servant In Thomas Aquinas' Theology Of The Cross, Daniel Waldow

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is a quantitative and qualitative analysis of Thomas Aquinas' reception of Isaiah 53 throughout his major works of theology.

Sinful Trumps Exceptional: A Review Of We The Fallen People, Scott Culpepper

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"Christians of all political persuasions... must face deep questions about how their faith in Christ’s kingdom intersects with their participation in the kingdoms of this world."

Posting about ­­­­­­­­the book We the Fallen People from In All Things - an online journal for critical reflection on faith, culture, art, and every ordinary-yet-graced square inch of God’s creation.

https://inallthings.org/sinful-trumps-exceptional-a-review-of-we-the-fallen-people/

Praying For The South: Catholics And The Confederacy, Thomas Richardson

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This thesis examines the distinctiveness of Southern Catholic support of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, with a geographic emphasis on Virginian Catholics. During the antebellum decades, the Catholic Church in America thrived despite facing increasing hostility from the largely-Protestant United States. In response to these challenges, Catholics learned to support their state and federal governments whenever and wherever they could as a means to defuse anti-Catholic attacks. This led Catholics to condone (and involve themselves in) American racialized slavery, even after the Church itself condemned the practice. Seen in this light, Catholics who fought for and supported the …

God And Reason: An Intellectual Religious Journey Through The Mind Of Thomas Paine, Jason R. Patterson

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Thomas Paine was one of the most prolific writers in the Age of Revolutions. His writings can be analyzed from a political, philosophical, humanitarian, or religious point of view. However, it was Paine's use of religious rhetoric that ultimately led to the demise of his character and reputation as a popular actor in the American Revolution. Most historiography on Paine focuses in on one of the mentioned perspectives, leaving out a much larger narrative or arch of Paine's life. This thesis will cover a series of Paine's writings beginning with his first, The Case of the Officers of Excise (1772) …

Sanctuary: The-Construction Of Communion, Carlos Salazar-Lermont

MFA in Visual Art

This thesis narrates the development of the multimedia art installation called Sanctuary. I unwrap the theoretical background of my practice, which is rooted in the theories of deconstruction by Jacques Derrida, and the rhizome theory by Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari. I approach my creative process as a grammatic of matter, space, and time, constructing meaning through an interplay of significants that connect to political, social, economic, and cultural implications. In the case of Sanctuary, I sought to create a path of empathy towards Venezuelan refugees in St. Louis, Missouri through the exploration of the concept of communion. …

Redeeming Negative Emotions: A Review Of The Power Of Regret, Donald Roth

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"Pink defines the growth potential from regret in terms of improving decisions, boosting performance, and deepening meaning."

Posting about ­­­­­­­­the book The Power of Regret from In All Things - an online journal for critical reflection on faith, culture, art, and every ordinary-yet-graced square inch of God’s creation.

https://inallthings.org/redeeming-negative-emotion-a-review-of-the-power-of-regret/

Rejecting Deconstruction And Welcoming Christian Mysticism: A Review Of When Everything's On Fire, David J. Mulder

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"This book is an invitation for us to recall and experience the history and tradition of the church that extends far back beyond the modern age."

Posting about ­­­­­­­­the book When Everything's on Fire from In All Things - an online journal for critical reflection on faith, culture, art, and every ordinary-yet-graced square inch of God’s creation.

https://inallthings.org/rejecting-deconstruction-and-welcoming-christian-mysticism-a-review-of-when-everythings-on-fire-faith-forged-from-the-ashes/

Church State Relations: Religiopolitics In Chile And Uruguay In The 21st Century, Calley Overton

Honors Theses

This paper addresses the issue of Church-state relations in the last twenty years with special respect to Latin America, specifically in Chile and Uruguay. In my project, I will be looking at the presidential administrations of Chilean presidents Michelle Bachelet and Sebastian Piñera and Uruguayan president Tabaré Vázquez. I will use newspaper articles from El Pais (Uruguay) and El Mercurio (Chile) to examine whether political affiliation or country history determines the activism of the Catholic Church in these countries. I argue that country history has a greater influence on the role of the Catholic Church in a country’s politics than …

Thy Kingdom Come: A Biblical Theology Of Social Justice Movements, Chloe Guillot

Honors Projects

Over the course of the last century, there have been three identifiable social justice movements within America that have had implications for both broader society and the church: abolition and Civil Rights, feminism, and LGBTQ+ inclusion. The American church has often treated these societal shifts as cultural trends that are in opposition to the desires of God, however, these shifts can conversely be seen as evidence of the ways that the Holy Spirit is presently working within society to move the culture and the church toward God’s ultimate will for liberation and justice on Earth. These social justice movements that …

A Reunion For Ernie Benally, James C. Schaap

The Voice

No abstract provided.

Getting Your Hands Dirty, James C. Schaap

The Voice

No abstract provided.

Gaming & Faith, Sarah Moss

The Voice

No abstract provided.

Humbly Serving In God's Kingdom, Alicia Bowar

The Voice

No abstract provided.

Domino Dominance, Sarah Moss

The Voice

No abstract provided.

Dordt's Local Impact, Sarah Moss

The Voice

No abstract provided.

The Importance Of Being Apprenticed, Lydia Marcus

The Voice

No abstract provided.

Collaborating Via Art, Sarah Moss

The Voice

No abstract provided.

Core Program Gets A Refresh, Sarah Moss

The Voice

No abstract provided.

2021 Dordt Grads Achieve 100 Percent Career Outcome, Bethany Van Voorst

The Voice

No abstract provided.

Emphasizing Entrepreneurship, Mike Byker

The Voice

No abstract provided.

Dordt Campaign Aim Is Planting For The Future, Bethany Van Voorst

The Voice

No abstract provided.

Full-Scale, On-Campus Events Welcomed Back By Students, Hannah Vanderhooft

The Voice

No abstract provided.

Lambs Provide Hands-On Experience In Ag Course, Lydia Marcus

The Voice

No abstract provided.

Trimming To Thrive, Sarah Moss

The Voice

No abstract provided.