Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Scholars Day 2024 Program Of Events, Carl Goodson Honors Program

Scholars Day

This is the program of events for the 2023 Scholars Day Conference, where undergraduates across disciplines present their scholarly and creative works.

Under The Sun: Songs From Ecclesiastes, Emma Kay Smith

Honors Theses

Historically, artists in all spaces have gleaned inspiration from the text of the Bible in order to communicate meaningful stories. The book of Ecclesiastes is particularly rich in its images and themes, and it warrants profound creative contemplation. This project documents the process of crafting 1960s-style folk songs based on this often confounding and ever-beautiful text. This process included close, meditative listening to the works of great songwriters from the 1960s folk era such as Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen and culminated in the live recording of four folk songs, compiled in the demo-EP Under the Sun: Songs from Ecclesiastes. …

Paul And Seneca On The Immanence Of God: Stoicism And Christianity Compared, Mason Campbell

Scholars Day Conference

This Thesis is a comparative study of the apostle Paul and the Stoic philosopher Seneca on the immanence of God. The study compares Paul and Seneca’s views on the divine, the self, and the immanence of the divine. The study compares epistle 41 of Seneca’s letters to Lucilius and Romans 8:9-11.

An Investigation Into The New Testament Understanding Of Israel, Ashton Hurst

Scholars Day Conference

This is an exegetical investigation into the New Testament understanding of the true, spiritual Israel.

Purim: Origins, Traditions, And Meaning, Holly Hatcher

Scholars Day Conference

An analysis of the history and purpose behind the Jewish festival of Purim and of its celebration among various Jewish cultures.

Keeping The Heart: Contemporizing The Parables Of Jesus, Hannah Tullos

Honors Theses

One of the main teaching techniques of Jesus was his usage of stories, also known as parables. Although the power of his words never fades, the impact of the details of his stories inevitably gets lost when the stories are read in a different cultural context. This thesis provides a method that brings Jesus’s parables into a modern context. In being able to completely transform parables into a modern context, the message of the parables can reach wider audiences on a more personal level. The goal is to revive the heart of storytelling within the parables of Jesus and communicate …

Scholars Day 2023 Program Of Events, Carl Goodson Honors Program

Scholars Day

This is the program of events for the 2023 Scholars Day Conference, where undergraduates across disciplines present their scholarly and creative works.

Paul And Seneca On The Immanence Of God, Mason Campbell

Honors Theses

This Thesis is a comparative study of the apostle Paul and the Stoic philosopher Seneca on the immanence of God. The study compares Paul and Seneca’s views on the divine, the self, and the immanence of the divine. The study compares epistle 41 of Seneca’s letters to Lucilius and Romans 8:9-11.

How To Become A Butterfly, Jillian Parsons

Honors Theses

Few could naturally imagine how a lowly caterpillar can become a majestic butterfly. And yet, God uses the very parts that make up the humble insect to form and grow it into unequaled beauty. He works with what is available; the components are already present. My goal with this paper is to inspire you to think about what goes on inside that chrysalis from a perspective of God’s original purpose for humanity and how Jesus has renewed that original purpose. As you linger in these pages, try to imagine how God workshopped the butterfly and decided the transformation should come …

How Properly Contextualized Christianity Could Benefit Japan, Benjamin Highsmith

Honors Theses

This thesis aims to ask the question “how could Christianity, if properly contextualized, benefit Japan?” It does so through the use of academic sources, interviews, and personal observations. Topics covered include Japanese culture, its perception of Christianity, and the lifestyles of Japanese Christians. This thesis uses cultural concepts to explain how Christianity and Japanese culture might find themselves at odds, but also explains how Christianity could work in unison with Japanese culture in order to benefit Japanese society as a whole, defending its argument using Biblical concepts intertwined with Japanese values.

Mountains In The Deep, Andy Strauss

Honors Theses

When Evan, prince of the Fourth Quadrant, sees a vision of a ghost-like crown hovering over his father's head, he is sent on a dangerous mission to face the mystical shadow beast ravaging his kingdom--the same beast that has marked him as its prey and that will stop at nothing to hunt him down.

An Investigation Into The New Testament Understanding Of "Israel", Ashton Hurst

Honors Theses

God chose his people in the Old Testament (OT) beginning with a man named Abraham. In Genesis chapter 12, God makes a promise to Abraham, "I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you." 1 From Abraham, Israel developed into a great nation that followed God intently sometimes but ultimately found themselves in a never-ending circle of betraying, …

Short-Term Missions: Helping Or Hurting?, Hannah Rossell

Honors Theses

Every year, thousands of short-term mission teams are sent out all over the world. It is estimated that more than four million Americans take an overseas short-term mission trip every year. Most of these participants are youth and young adults. The American church is estimated to spend as much, or more, on short-term mission trips as they do on sending and sustaining long-term missionaries. The question is, with all these participants and resources being sent out, are short-term mission trips helping or hurting the long-term goal of missions? Short-term missions can be helpful if they are plugging in and supporting …

Before The King: Isaiah 6:1-8, Worship Studies

Christian Studies Class Publications

This is the poster for the Worship Studies performance and night of worship, "Before the King: Isaiah 6:1-8." The performance took place on March 1, 2023, in the Jones Performing Arts Center.

An Investigation Of Junia As A Prominent Christian Woman According To Romans 16, Lacey Pettigrew

Honors Theses

This thesis investigates the role of Junia as mentioned in Romans 16:7, in both a historical and exegetical sense.

Diwali And Its Origins, Mason Campbell

Scholars Day Conference

In order to better understand Hinduism's beliefs as a whole, this essay examines the holiday of Diwali, hot it is celebrated, and the ancient stories that it is based on.

The Scribe, The Prophet, And The Monk: Three Archetypes For Pursuing God Through The Word Of God, Lucas Mccann

Scholars Day Conference

The Word of God is essential to the growth of every believer. How one receives the Word of God can look differently for different individuals. Some read it through the written word. Some hear it through the spoken word. Others see the word in the lives of Jesus's followers. But all of these different mediums for encountering the Word of God have equal weight.

An Investigation Of Prominent Christian Women In The Early Church, Lacey Pettigrew

Scholars Day Conference

This thesis only begins the exploration of women in the New Testament by investigating Junia’s role and importance to the Christian faith and church.This thesis seeks to understand exegetical, and briefly, historical, matters regarding Junia. Exegetically through examining the context and interpretation of Junia’s mention in Romans 16:7.Historically through evaluating the understanding of Junia throughout the translation process from the New Testament church to present.

Scholars Day Program Of Events 2022, Carl Goodson Honors Program

Scholars Day

This is the program of events for the 2022 Scholars Day Conference, where undergraduates across disciplines present their scholarly and creative works.

Why "Monotheistic" May Not Be The Best Description Of The Old Testament, Jacob L. Thomas

Honors Theses

Monotheism has been commonly claimed as the form of worldview the Old Testament authors held originally. Due to evidence present in several key passages, this is brought into question and can be disputed. A more full description of the original worldview must be pursued to understand the context of the Old Testament.

The Scribe, The Prophet, And The Monk: Three Archetypes For Pursuing God Through The Word Of God, Lucas Mccann

Honors Theses

Throughout the history of the world, there have been many individuals who have difficulty reading scripture. This may be because of a lack of access to the written word, a lack of ability to read the written word in one's language, or even just a predisposition against reading the written word. Thus, this paper explores how, though reading the word is vitally important, there are other ways one can pursue God, particularly through hearing and seeing the word.

The Artistic Mother Tongue, Hannah Perkins

Honors Theses

Art is the mother tongue of culture. William Cameron Townsend, pioneer missionary and founder of Wycliffe Bible Translators, said “The greatest missionary is the Bible in the mother tongue.” But the mother tongue of any people of any culture is more than just the spoken and written word. It is found in every artistic and visual expression of that people. How is the Bible, the everlasting truth of God, to be expressed through artistic expression in the ‘mother tongue’ of a people?

Often, Christianity is painted as the Westerner’s religion. Christianity is very ingrained into specifically America’s cultural identity. In …

History Of The Pruet School Of Christian Studies/Department Of Religion At Ouachita Baptist University/Ouachita Baptist College (1886-2021), J. Daniel Hayes

Articles

This is a short history of the Religion Department/School of Christian Studies at Ouachita Baptist University. This document includes a historical overview, faculty publications, the theological and educational philosophy of the school, history of Bible-related CORE courses, curriculum, and lists of faculty/staff with some biographical information.

"But The Spirit Himself Intercedes": An Exegetical On Romans 8:26-27, Carmen Alide Scott

Honors Theses

In two short verses, Paul communicates the deep dependency a believer must have on the Holy Spirit to be sustained through this age, specifically on the topic of prayer. The aim of this thesis is to give a fuller approach to the interpretation of Romans 8:26-27. Many sources have contributed to the interpretation of this passage and the purpose of this thesis is to bring together many of those contributions to shed light on the meaning of Paul’s words and produce an insightful and cohesive reading of the passage. The thesis will explore an array of material, including an analysis …

Sexual Ethics From A Biblical Perspective, Braylon Pilant

Honors Theses

This honors thesis paper is over the ethics of sexual conduct from a Biblical perspective. This paper aims to be theological, as it will examine God’s view, creation, and design of sex; anthropological, as it will view the human role in sexual conduct and ethics from a Biblical perspective; and Christological, as it will examine how Christ redeems the breaching of said ethics. With this goal in mind, the research for this paper will be twofold.

First, there will be an examination of sexual ethics through a Biblical, and particularly Old Testament, lens. This will be done through a reading …

Making The Bible Modern: How I Created A Retelling Of The Good Samaritan, Laura Beth Warner

Honors Theses

This thesis includes the process and methods employed in creating a modern-day retelling of the parable of The Good Samaritan for a first-grade audience and the final product of a children's picture book.

The Good Fight Guide: A Theological Guide To C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters, Sara Patterson

Honors Theses

This resource exists to help believers discover theological truths presented in C.S. Lewis' "The Screwtape Letters" by defining unfamiliar terms, explaining theological principles, and providing application options. It is my prayer that each reader finds this resource helpful as they fight the good fight (Ephesians 6:12).

Meditation In Buddhism, Mbsr, And The Bible: Examining The Implications For Christian Counselors, Kara Delaune

Honors Theses

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) has become a popular treatment in clinical settings for a variety of conditions. The term mindfulness was first used in relation to the Satipaffhana Sutta. 1 This passage from the Buddhist texts contains instructions regarding sati, which roughly translates from the Pali language to English as mindfulness. Mindfulness is a key component of the Buddhist religion, finding its place in both the Threefold Way and the Seven Factors of Awakening, or Enlightenment. Mindfulness falls under the umbrella of meditation. 2 Meditation takes several forms. Meditation is extremely useful for Christians, but not every type of meditation …

The Not-So-Great Apostasy?: A Response To The Mormon Argument Of The Great Apostasy, Rylie Slone

Honors Theses

The research question to be presented is this: did the Great Apostasy claimed by the Latter-Day Saint church really happen? The hypothesis, to be tested by research using church history, church doctrine, and textual criticism, is that the Great Apostasy never happened. The hypothesis is that the loving, omniscient God of the universe would not allow his truth to be clouded and flawed by men and would instead preserve it. Jesus told Peter in Matthew 16:18, “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not …

Sexual Abuse In The Protestant Church, Madeline Grace Knight

Honors Theses

Sexual abuse is a tragic reality of living in a fallen world. Though abuse of any kind is inexcusable, Christians know that it is the product of the evil, sinful hearts of mankind. Unfortunately, churches have not escaped the grasp of this evil; sexual abuse is as much a reality for God’s people as it is for the rest of the world. No one is untouchable, and everyone must be aware of the truth; however, I will caution readers that this paper discusses dark, horrible practices that can bother anyone, especially survivors and others with firsthand experiences of abuse. I …