Religion Commons^™

Partners In Pilgrimage: Transforming The Journey Of Adolescence By Guiding Teenagers Toward Faithful Lives, Redefining Success, And Cultivating Connection To God, Abigail R. Weaver

Doctor of Ministry Projects and Theses

Adolescence is a formative period in which young people seek meaning, identity, and belonging while navigating a complex array of cultural, social, and developmental pressures. In suburban American contexts, these pressures are intensified by competitive academic environments, demanding extracurricular commitments, and pervasive societal expectations that equate worth with achievement. Drawing from my experience as a youth minister in suburban United Methodist churches, this dissertation examines how such forces shape the spiritual and personal development of 15- to 18-year-olds and explores the Church’s role in guiding adolescents through this landscape with wisdom and care.

Grounded in the Christian tradition and informed …

Making Sense Of The Faith-Based School’S Mission: An Instrumental Case Study Exploring How The School’S Espoused Mission Is Enacted, Richard Mingerink

Dissertations

What happens in the space between a school’s espoused mission and the enactment of that mission in the classroom? For faith-based schools—institutions whose very identity rests upon a religiously grounded purpose—this question is not merely technical but existential. While these schools publicly espouse missions centered on a religious faith, research consistently suggests that what is proclaimed on paper is not always what is practiced in classrooms. The persistent gap between espoused mission and enacted practice raises a critical question: how do educators actually make sense of their school’s religious mission, and how does that sensemaking shape what they do?

This …

A Phenomenological Study Of Cultural Tightness Impacting Lived Experiences Of Female Leaders In United Methodist Churches, Genevieve M. Hamer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Gender equality captures the news highlights. Women push to assume roles similar in pay, power, and significance in all types of organizations as their male peers. It is hard to ignore this when it comes to the matter of biblical calling and the roles of women in church leadership. Researchers have devoted hours to the topic of calling. This study examined calling as it relates to the biblical call towards a vocation. While there are different theological positions regarding the roles of women in the church, scholars agree there is such a thing as a biblical calling. Even in egalitarian …

Community-Based Program To Support The Occupational Needs Of Middle Eastern Refugee Women Transitioning Into Western Society, Zuha A. Mohammad, Cassandra Nelson

Spring 2026 OTD Capstone Symposium

Middle Eastern refugee women resettling in Western societies often experience barriers that disrupt participation in meaningful occupations, including language barriers, unfamiliar systems, financial challenges, and social isolation. These challenges can limit independence and community participation during the resettlement process. Occupational therapy is well-positioned to address these barriers through culturally responsive, occupation-based interventions.

This capstone project developed and implemented a community-based program designed to support Middle Eastern refugee women during early resettlement. The program focused on key areas including system navigation, financial literacy, home safety, stress management, self-advocacy, and community engagement. Educational sessions and practical activities were used to promote skill …

Implementing Retrieval And Distributed Practice In A Rotating Block Schedule: Boosting Students’ Memory And Metacognition, Terra A. Caputo, Kaitlyn C. Hoffmann, Cindy Reagan, Guy D. Savastano, Brandon J. Foster, Kathryn Hallal, Kristin Miller-Gecsi, Thomas A. Yarcusko

Journal of Catholic Education

An all-boys secondary Jesuit Catholic school in the Midwest, recently transitioned to a rotating block schedule with the goal of supporting deeper learning for all students. Though the transition to longer class meetings helped achieve this goal, less frequent class meetings presented a new challenge in that it tended to exacerbate the natural “forgetting curve.” Retrieval practice, one of the most widely cited high-impact learning strategies to boost student memory, is most beneficial when used alongside spaced practice. A team of teachers implemented and tested the impacts of retrieval and distributed practice on memory in a rotating block schedule. Our …

Rest For The Weary Soul: A Mixed Methods Psychospiritual Exploration Of Faith As A Path To Mental Health Recovery Among Students, Fremativo A. Vergara, Melvin G. Barete, Evan P. Taja-On

Journal of Catholic Education

Many individuals turn to faith for strength, guidance, and resilience, particularly at times of emotional hardship. As concerns continue to grow about mental health, particularly that of students, exploring how faith influences coping mechanisms and recovery offers valuable insights into alternative approaches to emotional wellbeing. The study found that students exhibit high levels of resilience and spiritual intelligence, suggesting that faith-based beliefs are crucial in students’ ability to cope with adversity. A strong positive correlation between resilience and spiritual intelligence indicates that students who integrate faith into their lives are more likely to develop the psychological strength needed to navigate …

Effective Leadership Of Catholic Microschools, Jill Wierzbicki

Journal of Catholic Education

This study aimed to understand effective school principals’ perceptions of their leadership of Catholic schools. It focuses on Catholic schools with student populations of fewer than 150 students and addresses which attributes of their successes may be replicable for other small Catholic elementary school leaders, with focused attention on operational vitality. It is a phenomenological, qualitative research study accomplished through interviews with Catholic school principals whose schools have seen success during their period of leadership.

Centering Christ In Classical Schools, Paul Griffioen

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

Reviewed Title: Gospel Education: Jesus as Lord of the Classical Christian School by Nate Walker. BakerBooks, 2026. pp 208. ISBN: 978-1540906007

Home Away From Home, Lucille Prince

Documents

A vital spiritual link for students at UNA-article from The TimesDaily 

A Phenomenological Research On The Understanding Of Morality At Birth From A Believer's Standpoint, Michelle I. Hubble

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

At birth, is a person born evil, good, or neutral? This phenomenological study aims to explore the perspective of the morality of a child at birth for adult believers in the Missionary Church. At this stage in the research, the perspective of the morality of a child at birth will be generally defined as evil, good, or neutral. The theory guiding this study was research done by Harvard, which concluded that humanity's first instinct is not to act selfishly but to cooperate in their behavior with others (Tucker, 2013). This research proposed that this alternative perspective is invalid when Piaget’s …

A Study Of Church Attendance Fluctuation Among Millennials In African American Baptist Churches Located In Washington, Dc, Kiralfy C. Forte

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the qualitative phenomenon associated with perceived fluctuation of millennials’ church attendance. The researcher sought to explore lived experiences of African American millennials within the context of Baptist churches in Washington, DC, who experienced a period of childhood and adolescence in the Baptist church. This study examined the underlying factors influencing millennials’ church attendance, known as lived experiences. Studies by Pew Research (2015a, 2015b, 2018, 2019a, 2019b, 2019c, 2025), Barna Research (2015, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024), and Lifeway Research (2019, 2022, 2023, 2025) shaped the researcher’s open-ended questions, delimitations, and underlying assumptions. This researcher exposed that …

Res Historica, Volume 5, Alpha Rho Epsilon Phi Alpha Theta, Lindsay Rae Smith Privette Phd

Res Historica

The 2026 journal of historical research by Anderson University students, Res Historica.

The editorial team for this edition of Res Historica was Dr. Lindsay Rae Smith Privette, Julia Ackerman, Callyn Wright, Logan Davis, and John Hinton. Cover art by Mary Beth Lee.

Catholic Studies 2026 Newsletter, Sacred Heart University

Catholic Studies Newsletter

Highlights: The Lilly Network 2025 National Conference -- Bergoglio Lecture -- Center for Catholic Studies Lecture Series -- Warsaw Conference on Social Justice --SYNODAL Conversations in the Diocese -- ESTEEM Program at the Center for Catholic Studies

Long Live The Good King: A Niebuhrian Analysis Of Arthur’S Ethical Kingship In The Once And Future King, Camille Bewley

Tenor of Our Times

The classic The Once and Future King, written by T.H. White, is a selection of four fantasy novels with one, linear plot: the story of Arthur, the mythological King of England. Reinhold Niebuhr’s book Moral Man and Immoral Society details the Christian realism of a world in need of justice without the ability to achieve perfect application. Through good education, Arthur is well endowed with Niebuhr’s requirements for a functional society: knowledge, honor, wisdom, and compassion. Such king-like qualities make him one of the most influential mythological characters in history, and a grand exemplar for maintaining ethical goals and personal …

Inclusive Education Of Indigenous Belief Communities In Indonesia: Perspective Of Independent Learning, Muhammad Ghafar, Nunu Ahmad An Nahidl, Muhammad Thoyib, Rihab Wit Daryono Jr., Edi Junaedi, Neneng Habibah

The Qualitative Report

Indigenous belief communities in Indonesia continue to face marginalization in the national education system, limiting their access to education that aligns with their spiritual and cultural values. Our study investigates how the Sapta Darma community members perceive inclusive education and how their socio-cultural traditions can support educational practices rooted in independent learning. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach and a multi-site design, data were collected from 30 participants, including community leaders, parents, and youth in Banyuwangi, Kediri, and Yogyakarta through in-depth interviews, observations, and documentation. The results show that inclusive education in the Sapta Darma community, grounded in the spirit of …

A Covenant Agreement Between The Cooperative Campus Ministry And Alabama Campus Ministry Board, University Of North Alabama

Documents

Agreement between the Cooperative Campus Ministry and the Alabama Campus Board Ministry

By-Laws Of The Wesley Foundation At The University Of North Alabama, Wesley Foundation, University Of North Alabama

Documents

The By-Laws of The Wesley Foundation at the University of North Alabama

Plan Of Organizations For The Cooperative Campus Ministry To The University Of North Alabama, University Of North Alabama

Documents

The plan for the Cooperative Campus Ministry Board at The University of North Alabama

The Good Samaritan In Australian Catholic Schools: Rethinking The Meaning Of The Parable For Catholic Identity, Maurice Ryan

eJournal of Catholic Education in Australasia

The parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) has been influential in defining and directing the identity of Australian Catholic schools. Traditional interpretations of the parable focus on themes that stress love of enemies, care for those in need, and consideration of all humans as neighbour. A sub-text in understanding the parable has been the priority accorded to Christian conceptions of compassion over and against perceptions of Jewish adherence to legal requirements to observe purity prescriptions. This article seeks to challenge these traditional ideas about the meaning of the parable. A refreshed understanding of the parable offers Catholic schools more …

Civic Engagement And Faith Perspectives, William O'Brochta

Intersections

No abstract provided.

Teaching And Mentoring In Service Of Civic Engagement, Haco Hoang

Intersections

No abstract provided.

From The Publisher & Editor, Lamont Anthony Wells, Colleen Windham-Hughes

Intersections

No abstract provided.

Community-Based Research As Engaged Citizenship, James Old

Intersections

No abstract provided.

On The Cover, Emerald St. Laurent

Intersections

No abstract provided.

Civic Engagement, "Baylor In Deeds," And Engaged Learning, Rebecca Flavin

Intersections

No abstract provided.

Leaning-In To The Civic Lessons Of Our Namesakes, A. Lanethea Mathews-Schultz

Intersections

No abstract provided.

Bringing Core Values To Life Through Civic Engagement, Austin Trantham

Intersections

No abstract provided.

An Ecosystem Of Democracy, David Thomason

Intersections

No abstract provided.

Fragmented In Faith: The Concerns And Hopes Found In Student Spirituality And Civic Engagement, Emma Bohmann, Monica Sitachitta

Intersections

No abstract provided.

Full Issue

Intersections

No abstract provided.