Religion Commons^™

From The Archives: Basketball And Holiness At Asbury Theological Seminary, Robert Danielson Ph.D

The Asbury Journal

No abstract provided.

Book Reviews, William B. Bowes, Keldie Paroschi, Zachariah S. Motts, William B. Bowes, W. Brian Shelton

The Asbury Journal

No abstract provided.

The Ethical Theory Of Enrique Dussel: An Investigation Of Violence And Coercion In His Three Foundational Principles, Eric Antonio Del Valle Cruz

Dissertations

Problem

Enrique Dussel's ethics proposes addressing global inequality through legitimate coercion as a means of liberating the poor, contrasting it with the violence of the current system. However, the inclusion of life-threatening acts, such as armed revolution, as coercion raises practical challenges for the Christian community, including ethical-political dialogue, inclusion of opposing parties, and potential dehumanization, which need further exploration in light of Dussel’s use of Scripture in support of his proposals.

Purpose

This dissertation aims to assess Dussel's philosophical principles and their connection to coercion and violence, ultimately establishing a framework for a conservative Christian proposal that combines the …

Correlating Text With History: A Critique Of Method In Daniel 11: 2b-25, Sungjin Kim

Dissertations

The Topic

Daniel 11 is the most detailed and complex historical prophecy in the book of Daniel, inviting a wide range of interpretations. Based on the chapter’s complexity, scholars from different schools have developed divergent readings grounded in their own methodological approaches and theological presuppositions.

The Purpose

The purpose of this study is to analyze the interpretive differences in Daniel 11 among three representative scholars—John J. Collins (preterist), J. Paul Tanner (futurist), and William H. Shea (historicist). It examines the methodological and presuppositional factors that contribute to these differences and proposes strategies for reducing interpretive divergence through more consistent and …

40 Years Passing By In (A) “Heartbeat”, Christopher Janney

Monsoon: South Asian Studies Association Journal

This article outlines the forty-year history go Christopher Janney’s iconic performance work “HeartBeat.” Trained as an architect and jazz musician, Janney combines these two disciplines to create large interactive light/sound installations and performances. On the one hand, he attempts to make architecture more like music, more “alive” using real-time sensing devices as on his “Harmonic Convergence” installation on the Miami International Airport. On the other hand, he attempts to make music more like architecture, more physical more visual. In his “HeartBeat” performance, a dancer wears a heartbeat device that amplifies his/her heartbeat in “real time.” Over this pulse, live musicians …

Yoga Sūtra Book Four And The Yogabindu, Christopher Key Chapple

Monsoon: South Asian Studies Association Journal

Four themes from the fourth pāda of Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtra are examined here: karma (IV:2-13), individuality (IV:16), humility (IV:20-22), and freedom (IV:29-34). Affirmations and variant interpretations of these four are provided from Haribhadra Virahāṅka’s Yogabindu, most likely composed a century or two later.

Collective Karma: From The Yogasūtra To Taylor Swift, Zoë Slatoff

Monsoon: South Asian Studies Association Journal

The Indian knowledge traditions speak at length about karma, which is divided into three categories—accumulated (saṃcita), ripe (prārabdha), and future (kriyamāṇa). While much is said about our individual karma and how it affects our repeated reincarnation in cyclic existence, how does this affect others and how do others affect us? In other words, as this paper explores, what is our reciprocal and collective karma?

Painting Liberation: A Visual Ontology Of The Interplay Of Mind And Consciousness In Book Four Of The Yoga Sūtras, Melissa Townsend

Monsoon: South Asian Studies Association Journal

This presentation explores how artistic practice can illuminate philosophical questions about the nature of mind, consciousness, and liberation as articulated in Book Four of the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali. Through a series of paintings that visually translate these sūtras, I propose that art offers a unique, experiential means of engaging with the complex relationship between citta (mind) and puruṣa (consciousness).

The paintings function as a form of “visual ontology,” inviting viewers to engage with abstract philosophical concepts in a sensory, tangible way. By depicting the interplay between the mutable processes of the mind and the unchanging awareness of consciousness, these …

Gen Z And Gen Alpha: Designing Theology Courses For A Digital And Ai Generation, Maurice Emelu

2025 Faculty Bibliography

This exploratory article examines strategies for teaching theology to Generations Z and Alpha, emphasizing their digital-native traits and unique learning preferences. It argues that theology education thrives when students engage with reflective, creative, and relevant content. Drawing from experiences at a Jesuit college and education research, it introduces the OAEPA strategy—Observation, Analysis, Evaluation, Production, and Assessment—as a framework for designing theology courses. The approach encourages active participation, critical thinking, creativity, and personal relevance, aligning with Jesuit traditions of reflection and discovery. The article uses examples such as a theme in sacramental theology to show how theological ideas can be meaningful …

Saints And Syncretism In Global Christian Art, Alexandra Lewis, Andie Near, Charles Mason, Gracie Allen, Signe Bieganski, Shannon Smith, Emma Waldvogel, Lauren Carpenter, Ashley Keltsch, Sophia Funston, Mariam Tiews, Emma Brenny, Anne Heath

Kruizenga Art Museum Exhibition Catalogs

Kruizenga Art Museum, Hope College Catalog for the exhibition: Saints and Syncretism in Global Christian Art. Exhibition dates: January 14 – May 17, 2025. Alexandra Lewis, photographer, designer. Andie Near, photographer.

Kruizenga Art Museum Online Collection - Exhibition Gallery

Embodying Jesus' Mission: Trauma-Informed Pastoral Care, Melanie Cole

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this dissertation was to ascertain the need for trauma-informed training in pastoral preparation programs. To achieve this goal, the researcher examined the main components of Jesus’ mission manifesto as detailed by Luke in his gospel narrative. The researcher evaluated the main components of Jesus’ programmatic speech in Nazareth including, but not limited to, the key Isaianic reference Jesus reflects on and the people his mission was geared towards. Subsequently, the researcher conducted a contemporary literature review on trauma. The researcher defined trauma, assessed the impact of trauma and investigated the healing process for victims of trauma. The …

The Effect Of Inclusive Leadership By Pastoral Leaders On Catholic Parish Vitality, Matthew F. Manion

Dissertations

Catholic parish life in the United States has passed the point of decline where minor changes will enable it to grow again. Church leaders need a new missionary culture and outward-focused approaches to reach people today with the timeless truths of the faith. The old mindset of putting all the responsibility on the shoulders of the clergy to solve problems no longer works. Since heterogeneous groups make better decisions than homogeneous groups in complex, adaptive situations, this study explores the hypothesis that inclusive leadership by Catholic parish leaders leads to more innovation and better solutions to the challenges of church …

Prologue For Arts And Preaching: A Handbook For Practice, Volume 1, Sunggu Yang

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

No abstract provided.

Addressing The Challenges Of A Catholic Parish Elementary School With Systemic Design Problem Solving, Alfred E. Bradley

Full-Text Theses & Dissertations

For more than a decade the repeated use of conventional analytic thinking and linear strategic planning approaches produced little effective progress or solutions for the many ongoing and emerging problems of St. Laurentius Catholic School, a parish elementary school within the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Indeed, many in the community believed that their distressing pathway characterized by continued differing perceptions among stakeholders, resource limitations and lack of autonomy were leading the school to closure. When a new clerical leader who was also a Doctor of Management in Strategic Leadership student was assigned, however, he suggested a novel approach. By reframing the …

Barriers To Spiritual Growth, Brian A. Brunke

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examined the barriers to spiritual growth among believers, analyzing biblical and theological sources alongside perspectives from additional literature. The study identified significant obstacles to spiritual development, including persecution, cultural and religious differences, conflict, lack of understanding, and worldly influences, as illustrated in the Book of Acts. Furthermore, modern challenges, such as the implications of neuroscience for spiritual formation, lifestyle choices, and cultural shifts, also contribute to these barriers. A quantitative approach was employed, utilizing an online survey to assess spiritual growth across six dimensions: commitment to God, evangelism, engagement in spiritual disciplines, pursuit of intentional relationships, stewardship, and …

The Bridge-Builder Project: Social Justice Bridge-Builder- A Model For Addressing Racial Justice, Marguerite Williams

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Bridge-Builder Project demonstrates that social justice is based on God’s Character, God’s Covenant, and God’s Call. God consistently addressed inequities affecting the oppressed, the orphaned, the imprisoned, and the widowed. Social justice has been associated with political parties; however, it is clearly reflected in God’s view of humanity. For the Christian, our frame of reference begins with God. Scripture offers a clear framework. That framework begins with understanding humanity through the lens of the One who made us – God. God created each diverse human being in His Image—Imago Dei. Based on this premise, God values humanity and that …

Individual Or Shared Identity? Perceptions Of School Climate In Catholic Schools By Ethnic Background, Daniel Hamlin, Curt Adams

Journal of Catholic Education

School climate has been routinely associated with positive student outcomes. Scholars have found that Catholic schools promote positive school climate by emphasizing shared identity and values. However, others argue that this approach serves the interests of dominant groups, producing poor school climates for minority students. To explore these claims, this study examined perceived school climate among students (n = 22,286) and parents (n = 12,997) in Catholic schools with different racial/ethnic compositions. Results indicated that students attending majority-minority (50%> and 90%>) and Hispanic-serving Catholic schools report similarly to their peers attending less diverse Catholic schools. Results from …

A Guide For Spiritual Leadership And Christian Discipleship- Be Optimistic, Embrace Your Culture, Nurture Your Gift: Integrating The Beatitudes, The Fruit Of The Spirit, And Emotional Intelligence For Multigenerational Leadership, Adriane Smalls-Owens

Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) Capstone Abstracts

Title of Project: A Guide for Spiritual Leadership and Christian Discipleship

Be Optimistic, Embrace Your Culture, Nurture Your Gift:

Integrating the Beatitudes, the Fruit of the Spirit, and Emotional

Intelligence for Multigenerational Leadership

Defense Date: April 8, 2025

Candidate Name: Adriane Smalls-Owens

Personal Email Address: [email protected]

First Advisor: Dr. Emile Hawkins

Second Advisor: Dr. Bethany Peters

DSL Final Project

Project Type: Manuscript

Project Overview: The book introduces the integrated concepts of Be Optimistic,

Embrace Your Culture, Nurture Your Gift as The B.E.N. Model

for Spiritual Leadership and Christian Discipleship by

integrating the Beatitudes, the Fruit of the Spirit, and Emotional …

Islamic Themes In Us Hip-Hop Culture, Anders Ackfeldt

Music & Performance in Muslim Contexts

Explores how Islam is produced in American hip-hop culture by both Muslims and non-Muslims

Islam has been a part of hip-hop culture since it sprang from New York’s street culture in the 1970s. Today hip-hop has evolved into a global artform with a diversity of Muslim Islamic discourses expressed. Using tools from the field of social semiotics, this book examines how Islamic themes feature in US hip-hop culture, maintaining a particular awareness that both Muslims as well as non-Muslims participate in their production.

Anders Ackfeldt analyses a collection of lyrics, sounds and images to show how Islamic themes are featured …

A Prophetic Priority A Vital Voice, Shauna Seamons

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

Prophets today are inviting women to use their voices and are prioritizing the importance and inclusion of women’s voices and their contributions in the kingdom of God—both those from scripture and history as well as those in our religious education classes. As religious educators we must be aware of this priority, and we have a responsibility to create environments that generate greater gender equality in religious education classrooms. This article will address three obstacles to embracing women’s voices and provide suggested solutions to that end.

Front Matter

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

No abstract provided.

Religious Reenactment As A Framework For The Camp Of Israel, Thomas Kendall Buchmiller

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

During the early days of the Restoration, many Saints saw themselves in the stories of the Old Testament. They felt a kinship with God’s ancient people and believed God would deliver them just as he did his ancient saints. As a result, they used those Old Testament stories as models for how to conduct themselves and how to react to their circumstances. We see this principle of narrative reenactment specifically in the events of the Camp of Israel. Though from the outside the Saints were seen as antagonistic and fanatical, they saw themselves as replicating the events of Joshua and …

Come, Follow Me And Life Preparation, Denise Mccubbins

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

This paper explores foundational principles for effective gospel teaching in seminary: being Christ-centered, learner-focused, and scripture-based. It highlights the integration of Come, Follow Me and Life Preparation lessons to address students’ spiritual and practical needs. Teachers are encouraged to balance exegesis (understanding scripture’s original intent) and eisegesis (personal application) for meaningful, doctrinally accurate lessons. Through creative and purposeful scripture study, educators can align lesson objectives with students’ lives, fostering deeper conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Five Loaves And Two Fishes, Dallas Jenkins

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

When we face trials in life and encounter seeming failure, the Lord can lift and inspire us in surprising, even miraculous, ways. We learn from the Gospel accounts of the feeding of the five thousand with only five loaves and two fish that all the Lord asks is that we do what we can so he can then multiply our effort, doing what only he can do—the miracle part.

Image: Emmaus, Garrett S. "Faustino" Miller Oblsb

Obsculta

No abstract provided.

Blessed Is Anyone Who Will Eat Bread In The Kingdom Of God: Reading The Lukan Meal-Scenes As Proleptic Messianic Banquets Signaling The Dawn Of The End Of Exile, Brian Spencer Kelly

Theses and Dissertations

Scholars frequently claim that there existed an expectation for an eschatological/ messianic banquet in Second Temple Judaism, that the banquet was used as an image for the blessed age to come, and that Jesus’ praxis of banqueting with reputed sinners related to the messianic banquet tradition. These three claims are often assumed, resulting in three problematic trends: evidence for the messianic banquet tradition is often lacking, the tradition is typically treated in isolation from other eschatological expectations, and the tradition’s connection to Jesus’ fellowship is inadequately demonstrated. This thesis begins by surveying the gamut of Second Temple literature for the …

Leading The Church Out Of White Supremacy And Toward Biblical Justice And Reconciliation: A Leadership Approach Using The Arc Model, Keenan Tyler

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Seventh-day Adventist church members need to be equipped to respond faithfully to injustice in their communities, beginning with an understanding as to how to respond to systemic racism rooted in White Supremacy.

Method

This Doctor of Ministry project implemented an adapted form of Jamar Tisby’s ARC model—Awareness, Relationships, Commitment—contextualized for a Seventh-day Adventist theological and ecclesial setting. The immediate goal was to move beyond raising awareness of racial injustice to equipping congregations to actively resist systemic racism and dismantle the lingering influence of white supremacy in church life and mission. Over six interactive sessions, 18 participants engaged in historical, …

Programa Para Fomentar Las Disciplinas Espirituales En La Iglesia Adventista Del Séptimo Día De Forest, Mississippi, Hugo Gomez

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The absence of a program focused on fostering spiritual disciplines within the Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist Church of Forest, in the Meridian District, has led to limited awareness of the importance of essential practices such as prayer, Bible study, fasting, singing, and worship gatherings. As a result, the practice of these disciplines has been affected, thus missing out on valuable opportunities for spiritual growth and a deeper communion with God.

Method

This program, which falls under the field of applied theology, follows an “action research” design, as the director was not limited to observation but also participated as an active …

Responding To A Non-Responsive Response, Brant A. Gardner

Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship

James Lucas had the opportunity to respond to the review of the book that he and Jonathan Neville wrote, By Means of the Urim & Thummim. He elected not to really respond to the issues I brought up but rather summarized his essential points. That doesn’t leave much to respond to. However, there is a continuing misunderstanding of how historians work that I feel must be underscored.

Joseph Smith Jr. As A Translator: The Book Of Abraham As A Case Study, Stephen O. Smoot

Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship

This paper examines Joseph Smith’s approach to translation, using the Book of Abraham as a case study to explore the interplay between divine revelation and human participation in scriptural production. While the Book of Abraham incorporates both ancient and modern elements, its unique synthesis resists simple categorization as either an unblemished Abrahamic autograph or a purely nineteenth-century pseudepigraphon. Drawing on historical evidence and textual analysis, this paper aims to illuminate Joseph Smith’s role as both translator and revelator, offering insights into how Latter-day Saints might understand the complex process of producing sacred texts.