Religion Commons^™

The Plight Of Mass Man & The Concept Of Creatura According To Romano Guardini & Josef Pieper, Andriya Martinovic

Theses

This thesis argues that the plight of Mass Man finds relief when creaturely awareness is practised. For Guardini, a close reading of key passages substantiates the basis for the thesis. The Pieper response considers a broad selection of texts to affirm what is explicit in Guardini regarding Mass Man, established continuity with it, and to explicate what Guardini infers regarding creatura. Chapter 1 finds that Guardini affirms the goodness of matter or masses, and man’s mediative role in perfecting it (Ur-Werk), by drawing upon Augustine’s theory of hyle as creation; but shows the possibility of massification when man, as created …

An Exegetical Study Of The Annunciation Of Luke 1:26-38 Through Text And Art, Kellie Costello

Theses

In the Gospel of Luke, Mary of Nazareth’s encounter with the angel Gabriel has captured the attention and the imagination of theologians, scholars and artists for millennia, for in it the evangelist, communicates the announcement of the Incarnation of the long-promised Messiah. This exegetical study of the Annunciation through text and art examines how this good news was communicated to the first readers. Then following on from this acquired knowledge, this research seeks to discover if the understanding of the Annunciation has evolved over time by examining four artworks: two from sixteenth-century Europe and two from twentieth-century Australia. Each artwork …

How Do The Writings Of Pope Benedict Xvi On "Transformation" Apply To A Couple's Growth In Holiness In Sacramental Marriage?, Houda Jilwan

Theses

No abstract provided.

The God Of Love And The Love Of God: Thinking With Rāmānuja About Grace In Augustinian Christianity, Ankur Barua

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

‘moments’ of the Lord’s gracious help offered to the devotee and also the active response of the devotee; second, to indicate the contours of an Augustinian Christian resolution of this theological paradox; and third, to offer some reflections on what Christian theologians could learn through an engagement with Rāmānuja’s understanding of the divine presence. As we will see, the doctrine of production of the world and the doctrine of divine favour are mutually interrelated across Vaiṣṇava Hindu and Augustinian universes. For the later Augustine (411–430 CE), the key theological note is the utter incapability of human beings, who have a …

Why Rāmānuja? Some Reflections On Christian-Vaiṣṇava Comparative Theology, Gopal Gupta

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

This paper examines the very idea of developing a Christian-Hindu comparative theology by focusing on Rāmānuja in particular. The paper begins by reflecting on some possible reasons--social, political, theological and philosophical—that Rāmānuja, instead of Madhva and other Vaiṣṇavas, has held, and continues to hold, such a central place in Christian-Vaiṣṇava comparative work. It then compares the Thomist doctrine of creation ex-nihilo with the theologies of Rāmānuja, Madhva and Jīva Goswami to illustrate that engaging with multiple Vaiṣṇava voices can enrich and expand the Christian-Rāmānuja comparative discourse.

Rudolf Otto’S Encounter With Rāmānuja As A Model For Comparative Theology, Hugh Nicholson

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

Among his more noteworthy achievements, Rudolf Otto introduced Vaiṣṇava theism, Rāmānuja’s Viśiṣṭādvaita in particular, to a broader theological audience. In this paper, I argue that despite the well-known shortcomings of Otto’s comparative work, in particular, his tendency to essentialize the compared traditions and his presumption of Christian superiority, Otto’s encounter with Rāmānuja and Vaiṣṇavism nevertheless anticipates some of the characteristic features of the contemporary practice of Comparative Theology. The article describes how Otto’s work on Vaiṣṇavism exemplifies two such features of the new Comparative Theology in particular. The first of these is this discipline’s concern with problematizing the often invidious …

Getting Real With Advaita Vedānta: Receiving Bradley J. Malkovsky’S Gifts Of Grace, Reid B. Locklin

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

No abstract provided.

Viewpoint: Rethinking My Religion, Bradley Malkovsky

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

No abstract provided.

Act Properly: Rāmānuja And Luther On Works, Rakesh Peter Dass

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

2017 offered a reason to celebrate and compare two great theologians. In April 2017, Hindus celebrated the 1000th anniversary of Śri Rāmānujācārya. In October, Christians celebrated the 500th anniversary of Luther’s reformation. The occasion to compare was also an opportunity to show that the ideas of Rāmānuja and Luther converge in certain ways. This paper explains that Rāmānuja’s teachings on proper acts prefigure Luther’s commentary on good works. This echo is threefold in nature. First, the idea of merit or reward-inspired actions preoccupied and shaped their respective theologies. Second, their teachings on merit reflect a shared interest in placing the …

Rāmānuja At 1000: The Heritage And Promise Of The Study Of Rāmānuja In A Christian-Hindu Comparative Theology, Francis X. Clooney S.J.

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

This brief essay is a response to the essays collected in this issue of the journal, based on the 2017 AAR panel honoring Rāmānuja at his 1000th birth anniversary. The response highlights key features of each essay as giving us insights into the theology of Rāmānuja and his place in the Western study of Hinduism. The response ends with some reflections on the future of Rāmānuja studies, suggesting the agenda before the next generations of scholars.

Book Review: Teaching Interreligious Encounters, Stephanie Corigliano

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

Book review of Teaching Interreligious Encounters. Edited by Marc A. Pugliese and Alexander Y. Hwang. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017, 368 pages.

Book Review: "'Without Ceasing To Be A Christian': A Catholic And Protestant Assess The Christological Contribution Of Raimon Pannikkar, Francis Clooney Sj

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

No abstract provided.

Editor's Introduction, Gopal Gupta

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

No abstract provided.

Does God Have A Body? Rāmānuja’S Challenge To The Christian Tradition, Jon Paul Sydnor

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

The Christian tradition’s core theological assertion is the embodiment of God in the person of Jesus Christ. Yet, even while asserting God’s incarnation in space and time, the tradition has usually denied embodiment unto the Godhead itself. Theologians have based this denial on Jewish iconoclasm, Greek idealism, and inferences from God’s omnipresence, transcendence, and infinity. This speculative essay will argue that Hindu Śrīvaiṣṇava theologian Rāmānuja successfully addresses these concerns. He argues for the embodiment of an omnipresent, transcendent, and infinite personal God. Rāmānuja largely derives his arguments from the Hindu scriptures. Nevertheless, their rational explication and internal coherence render divine …

Writing, Living, And Editing Hindu-Christian Studies: Appreciation For Bradley Malkovsky’S Contribution, Michelle Voss Roberts

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

No abstract provided.

Book Review: The Past, Present, And Future Of Theologies Of Interreligious Dialogue, James Elisha Taneti

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

Book review of The Past, Present, and Future of Theologies of Interreligious Dialogue. Edited by Terrence Merrigan & John Friday. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017, xi + 259 pages.

Book Review: The Human Icon: A Comparative Study Of Hindu And Orthodox Christian Beliefs, Rico G. Monge

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

Book review of The Human Icon: A Comparative Study of Hindu and Orthodox Christian Beliefs. By Christine Mangala Frost. Cambridge, UK: James Clarke & Co, 2017, xv + 368 pages.

From Antagonists To Protagonists: Muslims On The Hollywood Screen, Brooke K. Gentry

Honors Theses

I investigate the depictions of Muslims in Hollywood film. Have the Muslim protagonists been reduced to antagonists? Are the depictions historically and culturally relevant? How can films psychologically impact viewers? What kinds of stereotypes pervade even the most innocuous of films? What context to these stereotypes rise out of? What impact do Hollywood images of Muslims have on the ideas, actions, and politics of the American public? How do non-Hollywood films portray Muslims, and what impact do these films have on viewers? This paper finds that Hollywood’s negative portrayal of Muslims is not an accident. It reflects the geopolitical atmosphere …

Intercultural And Interreligious Bonds In The Language Of Colors, Lucy Soucek

Honors Theses

This thesis explores the interfaith elements of the artwork of three south Asian visual artists, The Singh Twins, Siona Benjamin, and Arpana Caur. All coming from various religious backgrounds, living in multicultural societies, and navigating the borders and boundaries between different religious thought, these artists create meaningful artwork which explores what it means to live in a pluralistic society. All three artists invite viewers to think differently, formulate opinions, rethink assumptions, and spark associations. They use art as a way to ignite interfaith understanding, reaching broader audiences and asking us to question how we understand our neighbors and ourselves.

Beyond Muslim Xenophobia And Contemporary Parochialism: Aga Khan Iv, The Ismā‘Īlīs, And The Making Of A Cosmopolitan Ethic, Sahir Dewji

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Aga Khan IV is the forty-ninth hereditary Imām of the Shī‘a Nizārī Ismā‘īlī Muslims (or ‘Ismā‘īlīs’ for short). As a Muslim leader, Aga Khan IV addresses salient issues concerning humankind in the contemporary world and expresses the challenges of living under such conditions through his public speeches and the institutions of the Ismā‘īlī Imāmate. His discourse is informed by the inseparability of dīn (faith) and dunyā(world), which is viewed as being a central function to the office of Imāmate. Aga Khan IV adopts a context-rich approach that addresses modernity by integrating commitments to theology with religio-cultural ethics, a formulation …

What Is A Christian Teacher To Do With Louise Rosenblatt’S Transactional Theory Of Reading?, Andrew P. Huddleston, Dawan Coombs, Katlin Sehres, Ashley Miller

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

In this theoretical analysis, the authors explore the question, What is a Christian teacher educator to do with Louise Rosenblatt’s transactional theory of reading? They begin by outlining the primary components of Rosenblatt’s transactional theory, focusing on reading as a transaction and the efferent and aesthetic stances. Next, they discuss who they are as teacher educators and former students, how their faith backgrounds intersect with Rosenblatt’s work, and the approach they took to address areas of tension that they and other Christian educators have experienced with Rosenblatt’s theory. Finally, they conclude by discussing implications of Rosenblatt’s work for reading scripture, …

Protestantism In Macedonia Today, Ruzhica Cacanoska

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Protestantism arrived in Macedonia in the second half of the nineteenth century. Since then, a number of Protestant communities were established and their current membership is relatively small. The United Methodist Church in the Republic of Macedonia is considered to be traditional and is listed as such in the Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia. The contemporary Protestant structure is composed of 12 Evangelical-Protestant churches. The subject matter of this paper is a sociological research on the Protestant communities in Macedonia and it will focus on key issues related to the structure and functioning of their communities, their mutual cooperation, …

Congretional/Methodist Church In Macedonia, Paul Mojzes

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Prior to the end of the Balkan Wars of 1912-1913 and during portions of World War I, the territory of Macedonia was served by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (hereafter ABCFM) with headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts. The form of Protestantism promoted by ABCFM was Congregationalism but in the Balkans, they called their churches Evangelical, which is often used as a synonym for Protestants. After the end of World War I, the ABCFM was unable to continue to financially support and staff this mission field outside of Bulgaria as proper and turned their work in Macedonia (which had …

Protestantization Of The Roma From Southeastern Serbia, Dragan Todorović

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The Protestantization of the Roma refers to the recent process of mass involvement of Serbian Roma in small religious communities of Protestant provenance.

The research was conducted using the deep interview method on the basis of a structured questionnaire with baptized believers of Roma nationality belonging to the Christian Baptist Church, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christian Adventist Church, and Evangelical Pentecostal Church in the territory of Southeastern Serbia. The sample included both Roma and non-Roma high clergy of the abovementioned religious communities, as well as religious leaders of major religions of the region (Serbian Orthodox Church and Islamic Community).

This paper describes …

The Independent Churches And Proselytism In The Balkans, Kostake Milkov

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The emergence of the new churches in the Balkans is a relatively recent phenomenon, and it is mainly connected with the Evangelical wing of Protestantism. Apart from the Congregationalist missions within the Ottoman Empire from the mid-nineteenth century including the Methodists and to a much smaller extent, the Baptists and the Pentecostals., and their spinoffs, mainly resulting from geopolitical shifts post-World War I, most of the Evangelical missionary endeavors on the territory of Former Yugoslavia began after the fall of Communism, These aspects are the focus of my essay, although some of the conclusions are also applicable to the Protestant …

Faith Integration: What Does It Really Look Like?, Paul Shotsberger

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

Beginning with the excellent treatment of faith integration by Patrick Allen and Kenneth Badley (2012), based on the seminal work of Boyer (1997), this article delves into the issue of faith-learning integration on a discipline and classroom level. There are two major categories of integration that are considered: the single application, intended primarily for that day’s lesson, and focused on technical terminology or concepts; and the series that deals with larger issues beyond just those of the particular class being taught. Examples are provided for each, as well as the thought processes behind their generation. Resources are included at the …

Letter From The Editor, Scot Headley

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

I am very pleased and quite excited to introduce this issue of the ICCTE Journal to you this spring. The ICCTE-J is completing its twelfth year of publication and this issue marks the beginning of a new era for us. During the fall of 2017, the editorial team investigated the migration of our journal site from a self-managed WordPress site to a new site, hosted on the Digital Commons, powered by bepress (https://www.bepress.com/products/digital-commons/). With the endorsement of the ICCTE Board, we have migrated the journal to this new Digital Commons site. This platform offers several advantages. It brings more stability …

The Power, Structure, And Practice Of Gratitude In Education: A Demonstration Of Epistemology And Empirical Research Working Together, Jane Wilson, Rob Foster

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

A growing body of philosophical, psychological, and educational research shows that gratitude has positive effects on mood, relationships, and learning. This paper explores the power of gratitude, investigates how the ontological (inward), teleological (forward), and metaphysical (upward) structure of gratitude can enhance learning, and then highlights a research study revealing teachers’ perspectives on the impact of practicing gratitude in the classroom environment. Four themes emerged from the empirical study that support the gratitude structure: two themes relate to the impact on teachers (enhanced well-being and calm amidst stress), and two themes relate to the impact on students (enhanced classroom environment …

Responding To Small Island Nations Imperiled By Human-Forced Climate Change: An Ethical Imperative For Christians, Jame Schaefer

Theology Faculty Research and Publications

Small island nations are increasingly imperiled by larger nations that are emitting most of the greenhouse gases, forcing changes in the global climate, and causing catastrophic ecological and social problems. Among the most adversely affected people are islanders who are suffering immense health, economic, and cultural injustices that should be addressed at all levels of governance. Leaders of Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and Roman Catholic denominations have been responding meaningfully to the plight of the small island nations by drawing motivation from their theological traditions for mitigating the problems and calling all Christians to act individually, collectively within their parishes, and …

Converting To And Nurturing Ecological Consciousness--Individually, Collectively, Actively, Jame Schaefer

Theology Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.