Arts and Humanities Commons^™

"They Could Not Guard Against It": The Failed U.S. Policy Response To German Sabotage At Black Tom Island, Benjamin Smith

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

In the early morning hours of 31 July 1916, German agents successfully detonated a storage facility on an island in New York Harbor named Black Tom. The facility was filled with munitions meant for the Allied powers fighting against Germany in World War I. It was at that time the single most destructive subversive act ever perpetrated on U.S. soil. But it is not surprising that such an act occurred: the United States had no specialized counter-espionage agency and the area had relatively little protection. The remarkable thing is the miniscule amount of attention Black Tom, along with other instances …

Preface, Tara Westover

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

For the past thirty-seven volumes, The Thetean has showcased the work of history students at Brigham Young University. The selection process is difficult: often staff members disagree and engage in spirited debates as they defend or critique various submissions. There are many moments when it seems the group will never reach consensus. With this in mind, I am always surprised to see the polished and pristine finished product. The completed journal betrays no hint of the discord that created it.

Front Matter

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Intersection Of Faith And Culture: The Influence Of A Country’S Majority Religion On Adventists’ Attitudes, Ray Opao, Jimiah Jr. Adil, Carthy Joy Aguillon, Susa Opao, Arceli Rosario

Adventist Human-Subject Researchers Association

This study explores the intersection of faith and culture among Adventists, examining how the majority religion in a country influences this intersection. Significant differences were found among Adventists in Christian, Muslim, and Buddhist-majority countries. The findings provide insights for tailoring religious education and fostering interfaith dialogue.

Generational Differences In Altruistic Concern Among Seventh-Day Adventists In Different Majority Religious Contexts: A Cross-Regional Analysis Of The Context Of Theodicy, Ray Opao, Jimiah Jr. Adil, Carthy Joy Aguillon, Susa Opao, Arceli Rosario

Adventist Human-Subject Researchers Association

This study explores altruism among Seventh-day Adventists across diverse religious contexts and generations, examining how their faith influences charity. It uncovers variations in altruistic concerns, illuminates the interplay between religious worldviews and altruism, and advances understanding of theodicy’s role in shaping altruism.

The Ability And Willingness Of Adventist Churches To Communicate And Welcome People From Different Cultural Backgrounds: A Comparison Of Early And Late Joiners, Ray Opao, Jimiah Jr. Adil, Carthy Joy Aguillon, Susa Opao, Arceli Rosario

Adventist Human-Subject Researchers Association

This paper examines how the age at joining the Adventist Church affects the ability and willingness of Adventists to communicate and welcome people from different cultural backgrounds. Using a survey of Adventist members, it finds that late joiners score significantly higher than early joiners on both dimensions. It discusses the implications of these findings for the Adventist Church’s policies and practices on cultural diversity.

The Total Member Involvement Initiative Across Church Types, Ray Opao, Jimiah Jr. Adil, Carthy Joy Aguillon, Susa Opao, Arceli Rosario

Adventist Human-Subject Researchers Association

This study investigates participation in the Total Member Involvement initiative across different Seventh-day Adventist church types. Findings reveal higher participation in dormant churches compared to stable or popular ones. The results highlight the influence of church type on member involvement, with potential implications for planning church initiatives.

The Role Of Social Media In Advancing The Mission Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Ray Opao, Jimiah Jr. Adil, Carthy Joy Aguillon, Susa Opao, Arceli Rosario

Adventist Human-Subject Researchers Association

This study investigates the role of social media in advancing the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It explores the impact of various aspects of social media use, including religious engagement, positive and negative experiences, and general usage, on the frequency of witnessing to non-Adventists in the community.

Full Issue

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

No abstract provided.

Beyond Bakke: Explaining The Anti-Affirmative Action Movement Of The 1990s, Austin Brayley

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

America's long history of racism testifies that despite major reform efforts, American society is not yet egalitarian. Minority racial and ethnic groups emain underrepresented in a number of professional fields such as law, medicine, white-collar business and instructors of higher education. Americans today cannot deny their heritage of discrimination based on race or nationality. In the past, the white majority has denied racial minorities' equal access to these prestigious fields, either through legislation, court rulings or overt resistance.

A War Of Words: Old Testament Slavery Debates In Antebellum Era, Sara Mcconkie

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

Rligious leader Joseph Smith put it eloquently when he stated that early nineteenth-century religious leaders "understood the same passages of cripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling . .. question[s] by an appeal to the Bible." 1 The debates surrounding slavery during the antebellum era validate Smith's statement. With compelling arguments, religious leaders between 1830 and 1860 condoned and condemned slavery, using the Bible to support their claims.

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 …

"By The Glory Of Our Fathers": Theodore Parker And The American Revolution, Benjamin E. Park

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

Just like any significant historical event, the Memory and ideals of the American Revolution became an important point of reference for the many rhetoricians that followed. Politicians, reformers, and ministers used the "spirit" or "age" the Revolution as an authoritative text for their modern agendas. As a result, the meaning of the event became malleable, with many people claiming a different lesson to be used for their specific cause. Theodore Parker, a Bostonian Transcendentalist minister writing during the two decades prior to the Civil War, was one of these individuals. He hearkened back to the Revolution as a way to …

"We Will Not Be Silent": The White Rose And National Identity In Post-War Germany, Ardis Smith

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

In 1942, the White Rose resistance group, composed mainly of German university students, published its first leaflet. As part of a series written by Hans Scholl and Alexander Schmorell entitled the "Leaflets of the White Rose," the tract discussed the need for Germans to acknowledge the inhumane actions of Nazi Germany and encouraged Germans to adopt an attitude of "passive resistance" to the rule of National Socialism. The White Rose hoped to motivate Germans to join the resistance movement by asking "[w)ho among us has any conception of the enormous shame that we and our children will feel when eventually …

Engis Mon Got Two Hed: The Pretense Of Puritan Piety And Underground Racism In Early New Engand, Dallin Henrie

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

Many Americans have long credited the Puritans with having laid much of the foundation for what would eventually be generalized as the American character and identity. The nation, they contend, is a product of these hard-working and God-fearing zealots. Others have marveled at this "favoritism" towards the Puritans. After all, other groups arrived earlier than the Puritans and arguably had a larger impact. This controversy has led to many studies of the Puritans. Some have focused on Puritan strengths: their work ethic, moral standards and altruistic character. Like all peoples, however, the Puritans also had their shortcomings. Witchcraft trials, half-way …

Fallen Women In Victorian England: Society, Prostitution And The Works Of Dante Gabriel Rossetti And William Holman-Hunt, Kristen Clark

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

Traditional views of the Victorian period are distinguished by the triumph of middle class respectability. However, a deeper look at Victorian England reveals it as an age of double standards. While notorious for strict prudish values and public repression of sexuality, nineteenth-century Britain was also Europe's leader in prostitution and sexual freedom. While publicly practicing staunch morals, society privately attempted to turn a blind eye from the streets where respectable husbands and militia forgot their prudent lifestyle and engaged with various ladies of the night.

Lincoln's World And The Gettysburg Address, Keith Evans

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

Ever since its delivery on 19 November 1863, Lincoln's now-iconic Gettysburg Address has become legend almost as much as Lincoln himself. Historians, political analysts, rhetoricians and fifth-graders have pored over the 272 words to glean insight into this granddaddy of all American speeches. It is possible to view the Address from many angles: some argue he was trying to gain the upper hand over the Confederacy on a moral basis; others argue that he suggested that the Declaration of Independence superseded the Constitution in authority. Other interpretations state that he insinuated the Civil War was being fought to protect the …

From Slavery To Freedom: Why Free Blacks Stayed In Warwick, New York, Elizabeth Morris

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

In 1991, construction crews uncovered New York's "Negro Burying Ground" in lower Manhattan, prompting a resurgence of interest in the history of blacks and slavery in New York City. Recent historical literature includes works about black and slave culture in New York City and about the politics of slavery in New York. Although these historians make inferences about slavery in rural areas of New York in these works, very little research and literature is devoted specifically to this subject.

The Battle Of King's Mountain: Making History In An Hour, Katelyn Thacker

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

Heavy rain in the early morning hours of October 7, 1780, dampened the leaves and allowed the rebel militia to steal through the forest surrounding King's Mountain undetected. The loyalist corps on the top of King's Mountain became aware of the approaching enemy by the rebel's own gunfire scarcely half a mile away. Multiple units of patriot riflemen swarmed the footshaped hill, pushing the loyalist troops to one end of it. In vain, the loyalists attempted to counter showering gunfire with bayonet charges. After only one hour, the loyalist commander British Major Patrick Ferguson lay dead. His subordinate, loyalist Captain …

Preface, Drew Mecham

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

The thirty-eighth volume of The Thetean, like its predecessors, showcases the work of history students at Brigham Young University. The idea of an undergraduate journal is admirable but beg us to inquire after its return-on-investment. Why spend the time and money when relatively few will read these articles? The answer, I believe, is akin to the answer of why we practice history at all.

Front Matter

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

No abstract provided.

Sharia And Legal Evaluation Of The Lease-To-Own Contract As Carried Out By Subsidiaries Of Conventional Banks In Jordan, Mohammad Ameen Bani Salman

Jordan Journal of Applied Science-Humanities Series

This study aimed to clarify the legal ruling of the lease contract ending by representation as carried out by the companies affiliated with the traditional banks. The study touched on the statement of the legal evaluation of the lease-to-own formula, and then to stand on the reality of the financial lease contract, and then the legislation and legal statement for the lease contract ended by representation and corporate law. The study included three sections, where the first topic dealt with: the companies affiliated with traditional banks that deal with Islamic financing formulas, and in the second section: the Shariah ruling …

Problems Of Sharia Supervision In Jordanian Charities And Their Remedies, Anas Ghannam, Ahmad Al-Saad

Jordan Journal of Applied Science-Humanities Series

This study aimed to clarify the problems faced by the Sharia Supervisory Board and the impact of these problems on the legitimacy of the association’s financial and administrative actions. The researcher then presents solutions that may help overcome the challenges faced by Sharia supervision.

The study concluded that charities often neglect Sharia supervision under the pretext of recurring activities. However, the research demonstrated the vital role that effective Sharia supervision plays in achieving success and expansion for charitable organizations. The researcher concluded the study by suggesting a model for improving Sharia supervision in charities.

That They Do Always Remember Him: The Impact Of Music And Covenant On The Modern Rite Of The Last Supper, Rebecca A. Ard

Masters Theses

This paper examines the function of music in the rite of the Lord’s Supper as well as similarities and differences in execution, doctrine and function within three major branches of Christianity. As Christianity has evolved the practice of Communion has been adapted to fit the beliefs and practices of various Christian traditions. The Catholic Church, Protestantism and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints represent three different applications of the rite. The use of active covenant making in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a unique characteristic of their Sacrament ordinance. Examining data gathered through surveys, …

An Examination Of The Geographical And Archaeological Evidence Which Supports The Historical Reliability Of The Gospel Of John, Alan R. Peterson

Masters Theses

The question of the historical reliability of the New Testament is one of the central issues in Christian apologetics. This is an area that keeps agnostics and atheists from believing in the Bible and hence God. Few are willing to undertake an in-depth study to ferret out the truth; a simple Google internet search to confirm their secular presuppositions. For example, the top search result using Google for “historical reliability of gospel of John” brings up the following reply “The Gospel of John is a relatively late theological document containing little accurate historical information that is not found in the …

Lessons From Jesus’S Table Talk A Survey Of Selected Texts In Luke’S Gospel, Claudine D. Rogers-Wright

Masters Theses

Luke uses food related motifs to set the scene for controversial, direct, and confrontational conversations about the Kingdom of God through the use of the table talk that Jesus engaged in several texts in his Gospel. The topic, dialogue, and message around the table varied depending on the dining partners. This thesis aims to perform a responsible examination of food and banqueting related passages in Luke, to understand the context and circumstances, the people involved, and the lessons Jesus taught around the table.

A Study Of Followership In An Organizational-Wide Change Of The Ministry Of Child Evangelism Fellowship, Michelle M. Russell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The influence of Child Evangelism Fellowship saw a significant increase across the United States of America after an organizational change following a 2001 Supreme Court case ruling. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the role of followership on the change and followership principles that emerged during the change that was implemented following the ruling Good News Club v. Milford Central School on the Good News Club ministry of Child Evangelism Fellowship. Organizational change was defined as intentional actions promoted by leadership and intentional actions taken by followers who took advantage of the rights guaranteed by the ruling. …

Mental Health And Spiritual Well-Being: The Generational Differences Of Worship Experiences In The Multicultural Church, Lashawna S. Wills

Masters Theses

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIH), nearly one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness, 52.9 million people in 2020. “Mental health and well-being are an asset whatever an individual’s age, race or ethnicity, and mental health problems [do not] discriminate [based on] these attributes.” The execution of this research is to facilitate healing within a community in need and open avenues of conversation for understanding, relativity, and oneness within the body of Christ. The researcher will use the qualitative design method through research in literature and population cohorts. Using research sources of panel discussions, …

Paul’S Admonition Of False Teaching: A Pattern To Follow, Jeffrey William Hossler

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation considers Paul’s admonition of false teaching in the Pastoral Epistles and how the instructions and warnings given to Timothy and Titus reveal a pattern of not just corrective measures, but also preventative measures aimed at averting the spread of false teachings to help ensure the church remains grounded in the truth. The apostle Paul instructs Timothy and Titus to appoint qualified elders and deacons, to teach sound doctrine, and to rebuke those who contradict it. The warnings also serve as a corrective measure, urging the leaders to address issues firmly and promptly.

The Book Of Ruth: Its Didactic Wisdom Themes, Brian Corn

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation proposes and argues that the Book of Ruth is better situated in Wisdom literature because of its didactic wisdom themes. Prominent wisdom themes will be analyzed and compared intertextually with the Book of Ruth, which provides Ruth’s understanding of YHWH. The research methodology evaluates the intertextuality, or inter-themes, between the Book of Ruth and the Wisdom literature (Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes), the primary source. Peer-reviewed sources (scholarly commentaries, academic peer-reviewed journals, and scholarly biblical dictionaries) are used to evaluate and support the findings uncovered in the primary source. Semantic field and range studies are performed with the help …