Religion Commons^™

Opening And Closing Doors: Internationalism In The Norbertine Missions To Settler And Indigenous Populations In Wisconsin, Alex Gruber

Journal of Global Catholicism

In this essay, I argue that the Premonstratensian or Norbertine Order located in Berne Abbey in the Netherlands responded strongly to a call for international ministry by going to northeast Wisconsin for Walloon settlers from Belgium and their descendants in 1893. However, these priests and brothers fell much farther short of internationalism in the mission to the Oneida Nation reservation they received in 1898. I will make my case by detailing these two missions and analyzing how the Norbertines acknowledged their international nature and practiced or failed to practice internationalism in them. Diving into the mission histories requires discussion of …

The Paradox Of Appropriation: A History Of Media Technology And Propaganda In Rwanda, 1900–1964, Claudia Brown

Journal of Global Catholicism

Scholars of the 1994 Rwandan genocide agree that media technology and propaganda played a role in mobilizing ordinary Rwandans in 1994 to commit genocide. Underappreciated in these inquiries is the history of the introduction of media technology and propaganda in Rwandan society by missionaries, technologies Rwandans later appropriated and applied to a pursuit of self-determination, but also in support of perpetrating genocide. A close examination of the social and political context of Rwanda’s colonial era and Catholic evangelism reveals a variety of motives for adopting propaganda as a strategy for evangelizing and rallying support for decolonization. This article casts light …

The Untameability Of The Sacred: Votive Traditions At Notre Dame De Lourdes And El Santuario De Chimayó, Gabrielle Bibeau

Journal of Global Catholicism

This article compares divergent votive practices at Notre Dame de Lourdes in France and El Santuario de Chimayó in New Mexico. Lourdes’ embrace of modern aesthetic values—simplicity, order, and functional clarity—has led to the removal and tight regulation of most ex-votos. By contrast, Chimayó’s roots in Latin American Baroque aesthetics, with its emphasis on abundance, drama, and hybridity, create space for a vibrant proliferation of offerings. Drawing on Jacques Rancière’s theory of aesthetics and politics as the “distribution of the sensible,” the article shows how aesthetic judgments intertwine with clerical power to curate, constrain, and authorize pilgrims’ access to the …

Charity Simone, Mark Naison, Anthony Abd-Al Shafi Rosado

Oral Histories

Simone’s path to leadership was inspired by her late mentor, Charles Foster, who encouraged her to be an active voice in their community. After seeing issues with building maintenance and a lack of clear communication, Simone ran for office and was elected Treasurer of her Building Association in 2023. Through this role, she noticed that community work is complex and needs navigating different opinions, yet the experience ultimately reinforced her belief that community is a “verb.” To her, it is an intentional, ongoing action that requires showing up every day to hold the system accountable.

A significant aspect of Simone's …

What Is Happening In The World Today And Why: Humanity’S Evolving Consciousness And The Role Of Archetypal Energies As Guides During An Unfolding Weeding Out And Alignment Process, Carroy U. Ferguson

Psychology Faculty Publication Series

What is happening in the world today and why? Humanity is evolving its consciousness at individual and collective levels. Given these seemingly tumultuous times, as of this writing (January 2026), to make such a statement may sound like a strange thing to say. However, I suggest that if you are alive today and if you are reading these words, these are the very times for which you were born--to assist Humanity as it evolves its consciousness with your unique gifts, whatever they may be. That is, this period of our individual and collective human being-ness may be characterized as an …

Humanity Is Evolving Its Consciousness: The Role Of Archetypal Energies As Guides During An Unfolding Weeding Out And Alignment Process, Carroy U. Ferguson

Psychology Faculty Publication Series

Humanity is evolving its consciousness at individual and collective levels.  Given these seemingly tumultuous times, as of this writing (January 2026), to make such a statement may sound like a strange thing to say.  However, I suggest that if you are alive today and if you are reading these words, these are the very times for which you were born—to assist Humanity as it evolves its consciousness with your unique gifts, whatever they may be.  That is, this period of our individual and collective human being-ness may be characterized as an unfolding period of weeding out and alignment with the …

Ammar Abdul Rahman, Mark Naison, Anthony Abd-Al Shafi Rosado, Jane Kani Edward

Oral Histories

As a leader, Rahman plays many roles beyond leading prayers. He serves as a counselor, advisor, and guide, especially for immigrants and first-generation college students who may lack extended family support. He helps community members navigate not only education but also careers, marriage, and faith-based decisions through an Islamic lens. At Fordham University, he works to build a Muslim community through programs such as Ramadan events, spiritual counseling, mentorship initiatives, and multifaith dialogue.

Overall, Imam Rahman's lived experience demonstrates the role of a religious leader who continues to support minority communities and immigrants. His messages and teachings show how Islam …

Laila: A Doll Memoir Of 1947 Partition Of India And Pakistan, Maleeha Malik, Maleeha Fatima Malik

Children's Literature (MFA) Theses

This abstract examines a creative and critical work centered on the 1947 Partition of India, which displaced approximately fourteen million people and caused one million deaths. The narrative introduces Laila, an anthropomorphized doll who functions as both witness and archive, embodying the memories and traumas of multiple child survivors. Through Laila’s journey across India, Pakistan, and the diaspora, the text explores themes of identity, belonging, loss, and intergenerational memory.

Blending personal family history with historical analysis, the author situates Laila within lived experiences of migration, silence, and religious marginalization, particularly as part of the Ahmadi Muslim community. The narrative foregrounds …

Sangha: Displacement And Memory In Nikkei Dena, Isabella Rae Uriu

Honors Theses

Sangha: Displacement and Memory in Nikkei Dena explores how layered displacements have shaped the Nikkei (Japanese-American) community in Altadena and Pasadena (Dena), CA, and how Nikkei resist forces of displacement and ‘unbelonging’ through cultural practice, community care, and memory-work at the Pasadena Buddhist Temple. This thesis argues that these practices of place-making build belonging and sustain the Nikkei community across displacement; particularly, the forced removal and incarceration of people of Japanese ancestry during World War II, freeway displacement during the mid-century, and most recently, the 2025 Eaton Fire, which has displaced tens of thousands of Denans, including a small, but …

Hospitality As A Philosophy Of Care, Freddy Clark

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study examines hospitality as a philosophy of care and a practice of social justice, particularly within marginalized communities. While hospitality is often understood as a gesture of kindness or a function of the service industry, this research reframes it as an ethical and relational practice grounded in human dignity, mutuality, and community formation. It explores how hospitality extends beyond transactional exchanges to become a transformative expression of care that challenges exclusion and affirms belonging. Drawing on interdisciplinary frameworks, the study integrates biblical narratives, including the Good Samaritan and Matthew 25:35–40, philosophical perspectives from Emmanuel Levinas and Jacques Derrida, and …

Good News For The Poor And More: Reclaiming Martin Luther King, Jr.'S Radical Gospel Of Economic Justice In Pursuit Of The Beloved Community, Lester A. Mccorn

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation, Good News for the Poor and More: Reclaiming Martin Luther King Jr.’s Radical Gospel of Economic Justice in Pursuit of the Beloved Community, argues that Martin Luther King Jr.—one of the most transformational American leaders of the 20th century—should be best understood as a central figure within the Black Social Gospel tradition whose rhetoric constitutes a sustained socio-political and theological critique of economic injustice. Moving beyond interpretations that limit King to racial integration and civil rights, this study demonstrates that his preaching confronts the structural realities of poverty, racial capitalism, and militarism as interrelated forms of systemic …

The Phenomenon Of Church Growth Through Authenticity: How African American Gen Z Christians Are Sharing The Gospel Of Jesus Christ Without The Program Structure Of The Black Baptist Church, Devin E. West

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation examines the perspectives of Black Generation Z Christians regarding factors within the Black Baptist church that may limit their full engagement. In this study, the Black Baptist church refers to congregations with predominantly Black membership led by Black pastors. Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2012, is forming its religious identity within a rapidly changing cultural and institutional environment. Historically, the Black Church has served as a central institution in African American communities, functioning as a place of worship as well as a source of social support, leadership development, identity formation, and justice advocacy (Lincoln & Mamiya, 1990). …

Faik Tagirov And Tatar Constructivism: The Making Of A New Tatar Book, Miriam Akhmetshin

Scripps Senior Theses

Working in the style of constructivism, Faik Tagirov primarily designed book covers for Tatar agitational literature in the 1920s. Studying at VKhUTEMAS and working for numerous publishing houses, Tagirov participated in several domestic and international exhibitions with well-known artists like Aleksandr Rodchenko and El Lissitzky. Tagirov utilized photomontage, geometricism, and unique typographical designs to create potent materials for a Tatar population. Current scholarship fails to adequately acknowledge the diverse influences impacting the work of non-Russian artists such as Tagirov. Using visual and iconographic analysis, I argue for an approach that recognizes Tagirov's work as syncretic in nature, utilizing both indigenous …

¿El Futuro Es Latino En La Iglesia Metodista Unida De Arkansas? Un Análisis Pastoral-Teológico Desde La Práctica, Lupita Chavarria-Garcia

Apuntes: Reflexiones teológicas desde el margen hispano

This article offers a pastoral-theological analysis of the near absence of intentional ministry with the growing Latino community within the Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church. Drawing on demographic data, denominational documents and the author’s 23 years of experience in Arkansas—first as a Roman Catholic layperson and now as the only Latina United Methodist pastor in the state—the essay situates Latino families’ profound spiritual hunger within a context marked by economic, spiritual and sexual abuse in some independent and evangelical churches. It contrasts this vulnerability with the structural responses of the Catholic Church in Arkansas (such as Spanish-language liturgies …

Relación De Los Desafíos Que Sufren Los Indocumentados En Estados Unidos Con Las Disciplinas Teológicas Y La Historia De La Iglesia, Zulma Tifre

Apuntes: Reflexiones teológicas desde el margen hispano

This theological essay examines the challenges faced by undocumented immigrants in the United States through the lens of theological disciplines and church history. Drawing parallels with the biblical experience of Israel in Egypt, it argues that contemporary immigrants endure systemic injustice, economic exploitation, and social exclusion, particularly due to the lack of legal status and access to basic rights. Using insights from practical theology, liberation theology, and the doctrine of the Imago Dei, the study emphasizes the inherent dignity of all human beings and critiques structures that perpetuate marginalization. It further highlights the historical role of the Church as a …

Construyendo Comunidades Inclusivas: Estrategias Para Fomentar La Unidad En Iglesias Progresistas Diversas, Andi C. Villar Arroyo

Apuntes: Reflexiones teológicas desde el margen hispano

This article explores the challenges and opportunities faced by progressive churches in balancing their cultural identity with inclusive principles. It argues that inclusive language, intercultural communication, and diverse leadership are key strategies for fostering cohesive and equitable faith communities. Drawing from biblical teachings and Wesleyan theology, the article emphasizes that embracing diversity strengthens the church’s mission of unity, justice, and spiritual growth. By implementing these practices, congregations can create a welcoming environment where all members feel valued, respected, and actively engaged in the life of the church.

La Enfermedad Del Nacionalismo Cristiano, Joaquín Martinez

Apuntes: Reflexiones teológicas desde el margen hispano

This paper critically examines Christian nationalism as a distortion of the Christian faith, arguing that it is rooted in historical systems of oppression that can be traced back to the Doctrine of Discovery and early European colonial expansion. While often presented as a movement to restore a nation “for God,” Christian nationalism frequently aligns itself with political and economic interests that marginalize vulnerable communities. Drawing from theological reflection, particularly the frameworks of liberation theology and practical theology, this study proposes that the incarnation of Christ serves as a foundational model for understanding true Christian discipleship as one oriented toward justice, …

Letter From The Editor, Elias H. Lopez D.Min.

Apuntes: Reflexiones teológicas desde el margen hispano

No abstract provided.

La Iglesia Ante La Migración: Hospitalidad, Justicia Y Testimonio Cristiano, Gricelda Careaga

Apuntes: Reflexiones teológicas desde el margen hispano

This paper examines migration as a central theological and social reality, drawing on biblical narratives, Christian ethics, and contemporary experiences. It argues that migration, present from the history of Israel to the present, has shaped communities and continues to challenge the Church to respond faithfully. Grounded in Lovin’s concept of integrity and the theology of the Incarnation, the study contends that the Church is called to embody a distinctive witness through hospitality, justice, and dignity toward migrants. Through an analysis of key biblical accounts—such as Abraham, the Exodus, Ruth, and the flight to Egypt—alongside insights from liberation theology, migration is …

A Light Unto My Path? Discerning Prophetic Words For The Latino/A Church Today, M. Daniel Carroll R. Ph.D

Apuntes: Reflexiones teológicas desde el margen hispano

No abstract provided.

Letter From The Editor, Elias H. Lopez, D.Min.

Apuntes: Reflexiones teológicas desde el margen hispano

No abstract provided.

Finders Weepers, Losers Keepers Mark 8:27-37, Alyce Mckenzie, Ph.D.

Apuntes: Reflexiones teológicas desde el margen hispano

No abstract provided.

On Dark Skinned Jesus Of Nazareth: Why Color Matters, Nicholas Berkel

MA Theses

This thesis examines the historical, religious, and cultural consequences of portraying Jesus as white within Christian art. Although Western art has overwhelmingly depicted Christ with white skin, archaeological, and contextual evidence supports a dark-skinned Jesus rooted in the ethnogeography of first century Palestine. The persistence of a White Jesus has shaped religious imagination and perception for centuries, reinforcing racial hierarchy and legitimizing systems of white supremacy. Through an interdisciplinary analysis combining biblical studies, Christian iconography, ethnography of ancient Semitic, Greco-Roman, and Egyptian peoples, medieval symbolism, modern mass-produced imagery, and Black thought, this study demonstrates how Jesus’ original complexion was gradually …

Mary’S Granddaughters: Marian Conversion, Gender, And The Reproduction Of Religious Belief In Medieval And Early Modern Castile, Amanda Valdés Sánchez

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

This article explores how the conversion of Muslim women was perceived as being spurred by Mary’s love, as evidenced in Castilian Marian miracle collections, popular literature, church iconography, and missional policy. I argue that, in the context of the Castilian colonization of Muslim Iberia, Muslim women’s conversion was stimulated and imagined differently from their male counterparts. Through the analysis of post-thirteenth-century Castilian Marian miracle tales and devotional iconography, my research interrogates the role of Marian devotion in the construction of a model of religious conversion that specifically sought to convert women and children and identified Muslim women as the means …

¡Salud! Sacrificing The Sacred Sip: A Critical Analysis Of The Impact Of The Spiritual Conquest On Alcohol Traditions In Central México, Elizabeth Vilchis

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

By thoroughly investigating the available primary sources, this thesis will convey the importance of the Mesoamerican inebriating drink pulque in both the ethos and mythos of ancient Nahua society, examining how the ritual use of pulque became problematic in the eyes of the Spaniards, by investigating the cultural and ideological contradictions or double standards that enabled the tensions, struggles, and violence with which the Spanish colonial regime repressed the ritual use of pulque. This thesis compares the Nahua ethos and mythos of pulque to the Christian ethos and mythos of wine, highlighting the parallels perceived by Spaniards in Central México …

Kalunga Crossings: Waterscapes Of Terror And "Teachment" In The African Atlantic World, Dianne M. Stewart, Tracey E. Hucks, Solimar Otero

Yale Journal of Music & Religion

In this article, we think alongside historian of religions Charles H. Long to analyze the relationship between water and empire, explore theoretical approaches to water and modernity, and probe the significance of water in Africana ecologies and spiritual cultures, highlighting its suggestive contributions to restorative epistemologies of ecological co-habitation. Our investigation advances an Africana religious framework of “waterscapes of terror and ‘teachment’” that centers diaspora bodies of water as loci for analyzing history, materiality, and ecological regard. Teachment is an anti-colonial linguistic irruption, an all-encompassing term for Africana pedagogies and epistemologies that defy antiblack and anti-African colonial instruction. Examining how …

Best Integrated Writing Fall 2025 - Complete Edition, Wright State University School Of Humanities And Cultural Studies, Tracy Smith, Kristie Mckiernan

Best Integrated Writing

Best Integrated Writing includes excellent student writing from Integrated Writing courses taught at Wright State University.

'That All May Be One’: Incarnation, Solidarity, And Anti-Racism In Jesuit Education, Yancy Hughes Dominick

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

Jesuit colleges and universities in the US have been striving to become anti-racist. This work is often tied to mission and to a shared commitment to Jesuit and Catholic values like a faith that does justice and the dignity of all persons. At the same time, however, many Jesuit institutions frame their commitment to anti-racism in language that does not appeal to specific aspects of Jesuit tradition; likewise, mission and Jesuit identity is often described in ways that make no overt reference to anti-racism. A robust anti-racism, I argue, arises necessarily out of Jesuit Catholic thought, and fully realized Jesuit …

Sanando La Herida Abierta: The Open-Borders Debate, Latinx Feminist Voices, And Spiritual Activism, Amely Logan

Honors Program Theses and Research Projects

This thesis addresses the current discourse in philosophy—specifically, immigration ethics—that harms migrants, would-be migrants, and Latinx people in general. It proposes that these harms can be healed by taking seriously the contributions of Latinx feminists and paying special attention to spiritual activism. The thesis first introduces the open-borders debate in the philosophical literature and the harmful language and framing that affects migrant autonomy within the debate, specifically by looking at the work of Christopher Heath Wellman as a representative example. It reveals how, while border enforcement often results in literal mass casualties among immigrants, the language and framing around immigration …

More Than Peyote: Trauma, Healing, And The Politics Of Indigenous Cultural Survival In The Age Of Psychedelic Colonialism, Christine Diindiisi Mccleave

Indigenous Studies

This dissertation examines the intersection of peyote religion, historical trauma, and the emergent psychedelic movement through a critical Indigenous lens. Centering peyote as both a sacred medicine and a symbolic flashpoint, the study highlights how contemporary psychedelic policy, practice, and commercialization perpetuate settler-colonial paradigms and threaten Indigenous cultural survival. While mainstream narratives frame psychedelics as tools for healing, this research emphasizes how such framing often obscures deeper histories of dispossession, cultural appropriation, and epistemic violence. Using a mixed-methods approach, including 50 anonymous survey responses, 13 qualitative interviews, and a 6-person focus group, this study amplifies the voices of tribal citizens …