Religion Commons^™

Beyond Self-Defense: A Critical Analysis Of The Biden Administration’S Application Of ‘Just War’ Theory In The Israel-Hamas War, Thomas Elias

Graduate Student Research Symposium

Abstract

The Israel-Hamas war has ignited critical questions regarding the justification for violence, particularly the right to self-defense. Harm to Palestinian noncombatants and the conflict’s prolonged duration has contributed to critiques and doubts about Israel’s military operations and the Biden administration’s substantial military aid post-October 7th. The war’s extensive destruction and dehumanization creates a stark tension with the Biden administration’s invocation of just war theory. This paper critically analyzes the Biden administration’s use of just war theory in supporting the Israel-Hamas war, investigating how Christian theological ethics on just war and self-defense have been utilized and misapplied since October 2023. …

See-Judge-Act In The Age Of Viral Violence: Moral Agency, Praxis, And Social Media, Thomas Elias

Graduate Student Research Symposium

More and more, young adults are encountering war and violence through an unrelenting stream of social media images and videos: bombed apartment blocks, civilians fleeing airstrikes, and acts of political violence. Psychological research links exposure to unfiltered depictions of war with heightened trauma symptoms. In the age of social media, people undergo the moral processes online in response to war, terror, and injustice. While these platforms amplify global awareness, they also strain the capacities of moral agents to see clearly, judge responsibly, and act meaningfully. Drawing on Catholic social thought, digital ethics, and psychological research, this project explores how viral …

Women’S Peace Agency: Reading Africae Munus In The Framework Of Emilie Townes’ Womanist Ethics And The Cultural Production Of Evil, Leonard N. Zifac

Graduate Student Research Symposium

This paper employs Emilie M. Townes's womanist ethical framework—particularly her concept of the "cultural production of evil"—to critically examine Pope Benedict XVI's post-synodal exhortation Africae Munus (2011) and its treatment of African women's agency in peacebuilding. While Africae Munus calls the Church in Africa to serve reconciliation, justice, and peace, and acknowledges women's dignity and contributions to family and community life, the document largely confines women's roles to maternal, supportive, and domestic spheres without adequately challenging the patriarchal structures that systematically marginalize women from strategic leadership and formal peace processes. Drawing on Townes's analysis of how cultural narratives, religious discourse, …

Ritual, Economy, And Social-Relational Impacts In The Church, Alexia M. Hanson, Dr. Jeremy Williams

Celebration of Research

Using ritual theory, understanding of economics in the Bible, and social-relational frameworks, this research explores the connections between ritual and economy in the Church. We ask: how does economy affect ritual and how does ritual affect economy? Biblical exegesis and an original survey are incorporated to get a real-world, practical sense of the impact of these questions, and their answers, have for the Church as a whole. The ritual focus of the research is on the practices of baptism and communion in the Church today. The social and relational aspects of these practices are also explored. How does the method, …

Words Of A Feather: Mapping Distributional Relationships In Biblical Texts*, Rhys Sharpe, Rhett Seitz, Harvey Alférez

Campus Research Month

Studying the meaning of Hebrew and Greek words, lexical analysis, is a key step of the exegetical study of biblical texts. Meaning is tightly linked to usage, so studying meaning requires a deep grasp of the usage patterns of the word in question and its related words. Mainstream digital platforms lack tools to search for related words. Because of this, biblical scholars must rely on limited references in existing studies or manual review of a word’s occurrences to trace these relationships. To address this gap, we introduce GraphLex, an interactive data visualization app built with Streamlit, Python, and Text-Fabric. GraphLex …

Beyond The Echo Chamber: Mitigating Confirmation Bias In Christian Communities*, Alina Lytvynyuk, Jasmine Zavala, Erin Rouse, Sadie Elias

Campus Research Month

Individuals have shown marked levels of confirmation bias, particularly in religious beliefs. This study investigated whether generating oppositional arguments to a pre-established belief about women’s ordination reduces the tendency to produce biased credibility and strength ratings of AI-generated essays for or against the practice. Additionally, it explored how attribution of the essays to a religious authority figure would impact the level of bias. It was hypothesized that participants in the counterargument condition would display reduced confirmation bias, and the authority condition would either exacerbate or reduce a person’s preexisting level of bias.

From Tiktok To Transcendence: Reclaiming Focus Through Contemplative Education, Araceli Gordus Huizar

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

In an era shaped by the attention economy and digital technology, students in higher education navigate constant stimulation that fragments attention, increases stress, and challenges emotional regulation. Research in psychology and neuroscience suggests that chronic exposure to social media, AI tools, and multitasking environments contributes to divided attention and diminished cognitive performance. While institutional responses, such as phone bans, attempt to manage distraction, they often fail to cultivate the internal capacities necessary for sustained focus and meaningful learning.

This paper argues that contemplative education--grounded in Buddhist and Hindu contemplative traditions and informed by humanistic psychology and contemporary mindfulness-based interventions--offers a …

Week 6: “I Believe In The Holy Spirit...”, Calvin University

Campus Ministries Resources

No abstract provided.

Week 2: “…In God, The Father Almighty, Creator Of Heaven And Earth.”, Calvin University

Campus Ministries Resources

No abstract provided.

Week 4: “He Suffered Under Pontius Pilate, Was Crucified, Died, And Was Buried; He Descended To Hell.”, Calvin University

Campus Ministries Resources

No abstract provided.

Week 5: “The Third Day He Rose Again From The Dead. He Ascended To Heaven And Is Seated At The Right Hand Of God The Father Almighty. From There He Will Come To Judge The Living And The Dead”, Calvin University

Campus Ministries Resources

No abstract provided.

Week 3: “...In Jesus Christ, His Only Son, Our Lord, Who Was Conceived By The Holy Spirit And Born Of The Virgin Mary”, Calvin University

Campus Ministries Resources

No abstract provided.

Week 7: “I Believe In...The Holy Catholic Church, The Communion Of Saints...”, Calvin University

Campus Ministries Resources

No abstract provided.

Week 1: “I Believe...”, Calvin University

Campus Ministries Resources

No abstract provided.

Week 8: “I Believe In...The Forgiveness Of Sins, The Resurrection Of The Body, And The Life Everlasting. Amen”, Calvin University

Campus Ministries Resources

No abstract provided.

The Faith We Share: A Study Of The Apostles, Calvin University

Campus Ministries Resources

No abstract provided.

Developing Christian Artists: The Live Music Sphere, Camille Crites

Student Scholar Symposium

Christian/Gospel music was the fourth-fastest growing music genre in 2024, and many artists are seeking to enter the Christian music industry. This research seeks to examine the exploration of live music opportunities for Christian music artists in the developing stages of their careers. Every musical artist’s career consists of about five sectors: Songwriting/Publishing, Recording/Releasing Music, Live Music, Merch, and Sync (Film/TV). While parts like Songwriting and Recording are very accessible for new Christian artists, it can be challenging to know how to best approach the Live Music sector, one of the major sources of income for any performing artist. There …

The ‘No Best World’ Argument: A Strong Or Weak Objection To The Possibility Of Perfect Goodness?, Hudson Tucker

Student Scholar Symposium

The ‘No Best World’ argument is often used as an objection to the possibility of perfect moral goodness. This paper will seek to undermine the ‘No Best World’ argument in three ways: (1) with a certain understanding of what makes a world ‘morally best,’ there is a best world; (2) if the argument for our world being the uniquely best world is not compelling, at the very least, there are no better worlds than ours; and (3) God could have had reasons for creating a world that are not based on the objective moral value. I will first define key …

“In A Relationship”: Can Ai Take The Place Of A Human Relationship?, Hannah Smith

Student Scholar Symposium

This research explores the impact of AI on adolescent development, specifically focusing on how large-language models (LLMs) influence the way adolescents approach and value human connections. While AI can offer some benefits, it cannot fully replace the essential elements of human relationships, such as empathy, creativity, and emotional understanding, which are fundamental to a fulfilled life.

Theological Perspectives On Faith And Science: Insights From Protestant Ministers In The Southeastern U.S., Joyce Lawson, Emmalyn Browns, Joshua A. Owens

Student Scholar Symposium

Abstract

In both religious and educational spheres, the relationship between faith and science is an ongoing issue frequently marked by a perceived conflict between the two. This study investigates how theological mindsets potentially contribute to these perceptions by surveying ministers from various protestant Christian denominations in the Southeastern United States. Our research specifically explores interpretations of Genesis 1-11, views on human origins, and attitudes toward the compatibility between faith and science. Utilizing Ian Barbour’s framework for categorizing faith and science perspectives, the study examines the theological, cultural, and denominational factors potentially shaping the theological outlooks of pastors/ministers. We report clear …

Divinely Woven, Lily Robinette

Student Scholar Symposium

The relationship between science and faith has often been viewed as contradictory, with individuals typically aligning with one perspective or the other. However, a deeper examination reveals that these two ideologies are not independent but are interconnected parts of the greater tapestry of life. This paper takes the audience on a journey through the thought process of a chemistry student of the spiritual and physical being affirming of each other rather than competing ideas. It delves into the concept of complex interactions of atoms and the purposeful design of life that suggest that the universe is not a product of …

Exploring Mental Health And Spirituality, Eden Lathem, Olivia Blakey

Student Scholar Symposium

This proposed literature review aims to explore the current literature regarding the relationship between the presence or absence of a supportive Christian religious community and its impact on the mental health of individuals with mental health disorders. Many mental health professionals now view mental illness from a biopsychosocial model, but the field still lacks a common ground on the role of spirituality for individuals experiencing mental health issues. The current research has hypothesized that the presence of a supportive religious community may have a significant effect on the mental health outcomes of individuals with mental health issues. The findings are …

Harmony Of The Swine: An Analysis Of Circe In Homer’S The Odyssey, Layla Al Sadoon

Student Scholar Symposium

Homer’s The Odyssey has remained significant for readers in dissecting the introspective attributes of Odysseus and the characters he meets throughout his journey. One character in particular has sparked much conversation in exploring the symbol of the woman in mythology. Circe, the enchantress who infamously turns Odysseus’ men into swine, has faced thousands of years under the microscope as scholars have questioned her role in the myth and the importance of her character. Circe’s actions directly derive from her goddess background; however, that is often overlooked when scholars discuss the progression of the myth after Circe’s episode, focusing instead on …

The Augustinian And Cappadocian Anthropological Divide, Samuel Marshall

Student Scholar Symposium

No abstract provided.

A Small Red Flame: Negative Theology And Divine Presence In Brideshead Revisited, Camille Floyd

Student Scholar Symposium

In Evelyn Waugh’s novel Brideshead Revisited, Captain Charles Ryder slowly and unassumingly converts from atheism to Catholicism. Waugh subverts the stereotypical conversion narrative, which defines systematic theology strictly defines as a person’s “turn” or “move towards” God. Negative theology, also known as apophatic theology, is an approach that relies on negation to describe divine nature. Looking at Brideshead Revisited through the lens of negative theology notices a subversion of the conversion narrative to see how God works invisibly, overtime, and in ways not translatable to the human vocabulary. Through memory, Charles Ryder’s experience transforms. He glimpses divine presence at work …

Program: 2025 Featured Lecture, "The Good And The Right: A Philosopher Wrestles With An Ancient Problem For Christian Ethics, Caleb Clanton Dr.

William M. Green Distinguished Christian Lecture Program

Program for the Forty-Fifth Annual William M. Green Distinguished Christian Scholar Lecture Program with featured lecturer Dr. Caleb Clanton, Distinguished University Chair in Philosophy and Humanities at Lipscomb University

Week 6: The Witness Of Suffering, Calvin University

Campus Ministries Resources

No abstract provided.

Week 1: Can I Get A Witness?, Calvin University

Campus Ministries Resources

No abstract provided.

Week 2: Wind And Flame: Equipped For Witness, Calvin University

Campus Ministries Resources

No abstract provided.

Week 3: The Witness Of Shalom, Calvin University

Campus Ministries Resources

No abstract provided.