Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Combatting Human Extinction: Biblical Archetypes And Environmental Apocalypse In Contemporary Dystopian Fiction, Elizabeth Hurley

Honors Theses

This project examines through recreations of Biblical archetypes the cause and effect of environmental apocalypse and potential human extinction in contemporary dystopian novels. The goal of this thesis is, in part, to argue that near-future dystopian fiction is speculative, since the fictional reasons behind the downfall are akin to Anthropocenic (that is, pertaining to the age of the Anthropocene, the contemporary world where humans have severely altered the Earth) environmental and ecological concerns. In examining The Year of the Flood (2009) by Margaret Atwood, Parable of the Sower (1994) by Octavia Butler, and The Maze Runner (2009) by James Dashner, …

The Intellectual, Ethical, And, Spiritual Dimensions Of The Islamic Thought, Ambreen Sohani

Honors Theses

The intellectual inquiry and acquisition of knowledge have always been integral to Islam, right from the first revelation recorded by the Qur’an. This paper aims to examine how the origin, role, and purpose of intellect have been understood in Islamic thought from its inception and through its subsequent evolution. It further aims to discuss the role and purpose that intellect and ethics ought to serve in the faith and lives of contemporary Muslims. Muslim philosophers based their ideas on teachings of the Qur’an and teachings of Prophet Muhammad. They utilized their intellect to share this significant knowledge with their contemporary …

Families And God-Human Interactions In Genesis, Josias A. Flores

Honors Theses

This study carefully analyzes the themes found in various interactions between God and humans in the book of Genesis, viewing them through the lens of family. The majority of the texts that record direct verbal communication between God and humans reveal that God initiates such encounters in order to develop and define healthy families. Themes found in the God-human interactions parallel previous conclusions in family studies research regarding family rituals. Motivated by insights from the behavioral sciences, this work contributes to the scholarly discussion surrounding families from a theological perspective and also provides practical implications for modern-day families.

Diversity And Development In Early Christian Gnostic Thought: An Analysis Of Chaos, The Salvific Function Of Humanity, And The True Nature Of The Rulers In The Secret Book Of John, The Nature Of The Rulers, And On The Origin Of The World, Mikaela Shayne Allen

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

The Function Of Liturgical Music Within The History Of The Catholic Church, Christopher Cuzzupe

Honors Theses

Within the Catholic Church, there has always been a need and a strong presence for music. The need for music has changed from being simply something listened to by all and sung by a few to involving everyone to sing together and participate in liturgical celebrations. There is great richness to be gained from an increased awareness of music in the Church, and many important lessons can be learned from the historical progression of liturgical music. The effect music has had on the liturgy has directly affected the congregation based upon their needs. The central questions addressed within this thesis …

The Kodály Method And The Levels Of Biblical Learning: Teaching Theology And Hymns To Children, Kimberley Attaway

Honors Theses

Hymns have played a vital role in the church by reflecting the theology and worship practices of its congregation. This paper explores the Kodály Method and the Levels of Biblical Learning and their respective sequences for teaching music and theology, as well as how they could be effectively combined with hymns to educate children in the church. In doing this, children are provided with a strong foundation of theology and music while preserving an important aspect of the Southern Baptist heritage.

Two Traditions Diverged From Israel's Land: One Winding And Abstract, One Expounded But Intact, Both Meriting The Comparison At Hand, Keri Anniece Crum

Honors Theses

The Hebrew Bible contains numerous laws dealing with property and land. Many different areas of thought are worked in to these laws. In addition, land/property laws were applied to many different aspects of the Israelites' social life. However, when utilized by the authors of the New Testament and the Mishnah and Talmud, the Hebrew Bible concept of property was altered in drastically different ways. The first section of this thesis outlines key land and property laws found in the Hebrew Bible as they relate to divine ownership and inheritance, the monarchy, the poor, and the family within ancient Israelite society. …

I Once Knew A Man: A Case Study Analysis Of The Relationship Between Masculine Social Constructions And Historical Jesus Studies, Joshua Law

Honors Theses

This is a two part thesis. Part I contains a literature survey in which I surveyed published material on the way Jesus' canonical masculinity is constructed in the context of Greco-Roman masculinities. Part II of this work is a case study analysis of the masculinity of Jesus as constructed by Marcus Borg and N.T. Wright in their book, The Meaning of Jesus. In order to do this, I surveyed literature and compiled profiles of masculinity from the late 20th century western world. Next, I analyzed Borg and Wright's Jesus' in the context of the relevant profiles of western masculinity. The …

Finding Christ In Cinema: Examining Secular Film Theologically, Evan Wheatley

Honors Theses

For me as a teenager, secular films were merely a form of entertainment. A trip to the movies meant the chance to escape to a “galaxy far, far away,” to stand alongside Harry Potter in his latest confrontation with Lord Voldemort. I did not realize at the time the parallels between the Force in Star Wars, and the Christian God, or how Harry and Voldemort’s cinematic struggle can be seen as an allegory for the fight between good and evil.

At the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, I was introduced to how God can use secular film to challenge our …

St. John Publishing Business Plan, Nicholas Leo

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Exploring Paul As The Anti-Jonah In Acts, Collin Battaglia

Honors Theses

Biblical authors often employ literary techniques to communicate their messages with enhanced force. They were not, for example, interested in theology or historiography alone, but also in aesthetics. In other words, their focus was not directed solely on simply presenting information, but also on how the material was presented literarily. Authors would utilize many techniques in their writing such as repetition, chiasms, and typology to connect stories, to emphasize themes, and to flesh out nuanced truths. This paper will argue that Luke, in the Book of Acts, implements the aesthetic technique of allusion and typology to enrich his narrative. More …

The Exoneration Of Job: A Discussion Of The Joban And Yahwistic Speeches, Robert Edwin "Mack" Mcgehee Iii

Honors Theses

This study aims to determine whether Job, staunchly established as innocent in the prosaic introduction of the book, maintains his blamelessness throughout the lengthy poetic corpus. The speeches of the dominant characters, Job and Yahweh, will be examined in order to determine whether Job is in the end exonerated by Yahweh's poetic words despite the harsh statements made in the man's own speeches.