Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Minecrafting Bar Mitzvah: Two Rabbis Negotiating And Cultivating Learner-Driven Inclusion Through New Media., Owen Gottlieb

Articles

In 2013, a boy with special needs used the video game Minecraft to deliver the sermon at his bar mitzvah at a Reform synagogue, an apparently unique ritual phenomenon to this day. Using a narrative inquiry approach, this article examines two rabbis’ negotiations with new media, leading up to, during, and upon reflection after the event. The article explores acceptance, innovation, and validation of new media in religious practice, drawing on Campbell’s (2010) framework for negotiation of new media in religious communities. Clergy biography, philosophy, and institutional context all impact the negotiations with new media. By providing context of a …

Divine Compassion And Divine Punishment, Aaron Pidel

Theology Faculty Research and Publications

Two of this Sunday’s liturgical readings advert to a topic seldom broached in contemporary homiletics: divine punishment in this life. The reading from Exodus, like Jesus’s own preaching, describes God as loving and “compassionate” (22.26). But it also presents God, precisely because of this compassion, as vindictive: “If you ever wrong [any widow or orphan] and they cry out to me . . . My wrath will flare up, and I will kill you with the sword” (22.21-22). In the First Letter to the Thessalonians, St. Paul profiles the good news of the Gospel against a rather ominous background, recalling …

Professor Katherine Mims Crocker: Reflections On The Fall 2020 Semester, Katherine Mims Crocker

Law School Personal Reflections on COVID-19

No abstract provided.

Professor Aaron-Andrew Bruhl: Reflections On The Fall 2020 Semester, Aaron-Andrew P. Bruhl

Law School Personal Reflections on COVID-19

No abstract provided.

Many Miles Away: A Cautionary Tale, Charles H. Smith

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

Reporter Kerry Phillips is in for the surprise of her life: her television station has been contacted on a matter so important that 'scarcely anything could be of greater interest,' and she has been asked to follow up on the story. Little does she know just how interesting her job is about to get!

Book Review: Victoria Smolkin, A Sacred Space Is Never Empty: A History Of Soviet Atheism, Nadieszda Kizenko

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Everyone thinks they know about Soviet atheism. The rough outline goes something like this. With communism, atheism became the new religion. Lenin’s body in the Red Square mausoleum was the functional equivalent of the relic cult. After the fall of communism, religion came back. Atheism is over. End of story.

Church-Based Research: Challenges And Opportunities, David R. Dunaetz

Great Commission Research Journal

Because the church is the body of Christ, research focused on the Great Commission and Jesus’ concern for evangelism and disciple-making needs to be church-based. The goal of such research is to better share God’s love to a world who does not know him by building up a collection of knowledge that will enable us to do so. This research may be both theological (focusing on what the Bible and other theologians have said) and scientific (focusing on collecting new data and interpreting it, especially in light of theology). Church-based scientific research may be either qualitative (exploring broad ideas and …

A Missional Outreach Model In The Czech Republic: A Postchristian, Secular Culture, Petr Činčala

Great Commission Research Journal

The Czech Republic is one of the most secular countries in the world. Moreover, the church has not been growing over the last few decades. This case study presents the church planting efforts in the city of Liberec, focusing on an outreach center started by a small number of Christians with the goal of sharing Christ’s love in culturally relevant ways. The initial efforts led to a family-centered activity center with many programs that helped develop personal relationships, trust, and open doors to share the gospel. An English class and gospel choir have been at the center of the outreach, …

Narcissistic Pastors And The Making Of Narcissistic Churches, Darrell Puls

Great Commission Research Journal

Can churches take on the pathological behaviors associated with narcissism through the influence of a narcissistic pastor? While there is a large body of literature on narcissistic individuals, and a smaller body of research into narcissistic organizations, there is little research on the prevalence of toxic narcissism in clergy and little to none on narcissistic churches. This paper is written from the perspective of currently available research and the author’s experience in working with churches suffering from severe internal conflicts in which both the pastor and church evidenced toxic levels of narcissism. The intent is to increase awareness, open a …

Book Review: The Return Of Oral Hermeneutics: As Good Today As It Was For The Hebrew Bible And First-Century Christianity By T. A. Stephen And W. Bjoraker, Regina Manley

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Church Planting In The Secular West: Learning From The European Experience By Stefan Paas, Keith R. Sellers

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Book Review: The Hospitable Leader: Creating Environments Where People And Dreams Can Flourish By Terry A. Smith, Harvey Mitchell Jr.

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Book Review: A Guide To Church Revitalization Edited By Albert R. Mohler, Jr., Dustin Slaton

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Donald A. Mcgavran: A Biography Of The Twentieth Century's Premier Missiologist By Gary Mcintosh, Keith R. Sellers

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Adventist Identity In A Time Of Crisis, Seventh-Day Adventist Theological Seminary

Current: Faith Meets Life and Culture

No abstract provided.

Non-Conventional Vehicles As A Way Towards Carbon Neutrality In Iceland, Julia Sokolowska

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Paris Agreement’s chief objective is to protect the Earth and its inhabitants from a point of no return, when the effects of climate change will be so intense that they will shift the equilibrium of ecosystems. The distinctiveness of this international environmental treaty is that it does not impose climate change mitigation measures, but rather allows nation states to create their own set of measures, the NDCs, to reach the global warming of ‘well below 2oC’ by the end of the century. Thus, Iceland has submitted its own NDC, the Climate Action Plan 2018-2030, which has an ambitious goal of …

Defining Montréal: An Exploration On The Evolution Of Montréal’S Brand And Cultural Representations Since 1930, Liliane Lai

Masters Theses

Spaces contain and create meanings through the interplay of their surrounding physical and mental landscape i.e., geography, social activity, and representation. Like many defined spaces, Montréal is not only a social and spatial manifestation of a singular community, but an ideal conceived and constructed through interpretation, objectives, and media portrayal— a mosaic or assemblage. Conceptualising Montréal as a brand being one of the cultural capitals of Canada is deeply tied to an assemblage of its diverse roots and identity beyond its history. This thesis explores the notion of city branding to understand how a city’s image and reputation evolves in …

New Media Art: Curating Social Justice In Contemporary Art Museums And Arts Organizations, Kyung Eun Lee

Masters Theses

My research project includes case studies in which I interviewed nine new media art curators and directors whose curatorial practices offer historical analyses and theoretical perspectives that address the dynamics of social justice by using new media art. I investigate the ways in which social justice is presented in museums and arts organizations. Central to this project is an examination of museum practices where the use of new media art becomes a central platform to showcase issues of social justice.

Stopping By Friendship Village On The Way To Gopher Prairie: Reading Sinclair Lewis’S Main Street Through The Friendship Village Stories Of Zona Gale, Sally E. Parry

Faculty Publications – English

No abstract provided.

Composition Of Musical And Visual Devices To Create Moments Of Resolution In Marching Arts Production Design, Ryan John Williams

Theses and Dissertations

This research study identifies techniques of creating and releasing musical tension in audio-visual performance media, specifically within the marching arts. A successful composition in this medium is defined, in part, by the coordination of effects between pitched musical elements, non-pitched (percussive) musical elements, and movement (choreographed) elements. Such compositions create a concert performance situation in which there is aesthetic gratification and a sense of sophistication in which aural stimuli interact in congruence and in conjunction with visual stimuli. By identifying the creative practice through conversation with practitioners, designers, choreographers, and composers, the common practices of the genre can be identified …

Cultivating “Indian Country”: Settler Imperialism And Bich Minh Nguyen's Pioneer Girl, Marie Lo

English Faculty Publications and Presentations

This article examines Pioneer Girl as a critical juxtaposition of the contradictions of settler imperialism. Settler imperialism denotes how the logic and operations of settler colonialism rationalize modes of conquest that are not reducible to the acquisition of territory but are central to the consolidation of settler state security and power. The novel’s use of Little House on the Prairie to explore the Lien family’s exile and displacement as a result of US imperial violence in Southeast Asia juxtaposes the histories of settler colonialism with imperialism, illuminating how the narratives that justify western expansion are not strictly territorial imperatives. The …

The Diminished Experience Of Liturgy In A Pandemic, Joseph Torti

LMU Theses and Dissertations

This paper considers the pastoral challenge of a diminished experience of liturgy and worship during the Covid-19 pandemic. It explores the ubiquity of the digital realm and a pervasive culture of consumerism as factors in addition to the pandemic contributing to the challenge. We then reflect on the challenge through the theological perspective of Scripture, sacramental theology, Vatican II teaching and liturgical theology before proposing a pastoral plan.

The Clarinet Music Of Dr. Austin Jaquith: A Performance Guide, Zachary Aaron Bond

Theses and Dissertations

Dr. Austin Jaquith is a critically acclaimed composer whose repertoire “runs the gamut from scoring for visual media to composing instrumental and vocal works in the contemporary classical genre.”¹ He has contributed to the repertory of the clarinet by offering three works, Rhapsody for Clarinet and Piano, Ballad for Clarinet Solo, and Mediation…Separation…for Clarinet and Piano. Each work is a demonstration of highly technical and musical skill and expression, showcasing influences from composers from the past brought together to create a wholly unique style, pushing the boundaries in the capabilities of both instrument and artist.

The purpose …

"To Get Himself Out Of Slavery": Escape, Justice, And Honor In The Life Of A Colonial French Louisiana Bohemian ("Gypsy"), Ann Ostendorf

History Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Hasidism: Ukrainian Origins And The World Context, Ihor Turov, Serhii Ishchuk

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article represents an overview of the history and specificity of the teachings of the Jewish religious movement called Hasidism. In the introductory part, the foundations of the teachings and social organization of this community are considered. The main consideration is given to the most numerous and influential Hasidic groups of the modern world. Particular attention is paid to the Ukrainian origin of Hasidism in the European context of its development. The historical originality of this movement is determined, first of all, by the specificity of its creed. The Hasidic ethos is focused on the person’s inner world. Relations with …

Towards A Workforce Development Action Plan In The City Of Chelsea: Community Voices, Fabián Torres-Ardila, Daniela Bravo, Henry Chavez, Lorna Rivera

Gastón Institute Publications

The mission of the Gastón Institute at UMass Boston is to inform policymakers and the public about issues vital to the state’s growing Latino community and to provide research, analysis, and information necessary for more effective public policy development. The Gastón Institute has a long track record of conducting collaborative mixed-methods research in Chelsea, especially with Latino immigrants from Central and South America. For example, in 2008-2010, Gastón researchers worked with Chelsea Public Schools to evaluate family literacy programs at five schools. Since 2016, Gastón faculty have been working with Chelsea High School and Bunker Hill Community College’s Chelsea campus …

An Analysis Of Gothic Conventions In Abu Al-Reesh’S Umm Al-Duways And Saadawi’S Frankenstein In Baghdad, Amna Matar Khalfan Mohammed Al Neyadi

Dissertations

Gothic as a literary form first appeared in late eighteenth-century British literature, when Horace Walpole described the second edition of his novel, The Castle of Otranto (1764), as a Gothic story. From that time, and throughout the nineteenth century, Gothic continued to exist in English literature and other European nations’ works of literature. This dissertation aims at proposing and delineating the existence of Gothic elements in modern Arabic novels. In doing so, this research demonstrates that the Gothic genre is part of contemporary Arabic novels, even though Arab literary criticism pays less attention to this fact. This study focuses on …

Latinos In Massachusetts: Ecuadorians, Phillip Granberry, Krizia Valentino

Gastón Institute Publications

The Gastón Institute’s 2020 Latinos in Massachusetts series focuses on the ten largest Latino populations located throughout the state. In order of size, these Latino populations are Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Brazilians, Salvadorans, Guatemalans, Mexicans, Colombians, Cubans, Hondurans, and Ecuadorians. This report analyzes Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) data from the 2017 American Community Survey (ACS) conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. Our descriptive analysis uses both household- and individual-level data to estimate population size and percentages and to compare Ecuadorians to Other Latinos and Non-Latinos in the state.

Sports In Africa, Past And Present, Todd Cleveland, Tarminder Kaur, Gerard Akindes

Ohio University Press Open Access Books

These groundbreaking essays demonstrate how Africans past and present have utilized sports to forge complex identities and shape Africa’s dynamic place in the world.

Since the late nineteenth century, modern sports in Africa have both reflected and shaped cultural, social, political, economic, generational, and gender relations on the continent. Although colonial powers originally introduced European sports as a means of “civilizing” indigenous populations and upholding then current notions of racial hierarchies and “muscular Christianity,” Africans quickly appropriated these sporting practices to fulfill their own varied interests. This collection encompasses a wide range of topics, including women footballers in Nigeria, Kenya’s …

Digesting Gender: Gendered Foodways In Modern Chinese Literature, 1890s–1940s, Zhuo Feng

Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, I investigate Han Bangqing (1856–1894), Lao She (1899– 1966), and Su Qing’s (1914–1982) works to study the literary representations of how people purchased, prepared, shared, and ate food in different social contexts allowing them to adapt to new gender norms. I contend that the intersection of food, gender and literature stages the process through which people reconciled different and sometimes conflicting gender norms through their everyday eating practices. When encountering new cooking and eating practices in these literary works, people reflect upon their past lives and, wittingly or unwittingly, begin to accept different gender norms, and modify …