Religion Commons^™

Gentleness, Meekness, And Propriety: John Chrysostom, Empire, And Women Patrons, Brodie Selmon

Denison Journal of Religion

No abstract provided.

Mahayana Buddhist Architecture And Sculpture In Central Vietnam: Harmony With Nature Through, Quyen Nguyen

Denison Journal of Religion

No abstract provided.

Notes From The Editors, Katie Corner, Julia Loeffler

Denison Journal of Religion

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Christian Colonization On Celtic Mythology From Ancient Ireland To Contemporary Paganism, Evelyn Hanna

Aurora

Christian colonization played a critical role in reshaping Celtic mythology, yet the extent to which these transformations continue to influence modern perceptions of Paganism remains underexamined. This study investigates how the transcription of originally oral Celtic traditions by Christian monks altered the preservation of myth through reinterpretation and ideological influence. Drawing on historical and mythological sources, it analyzes key examples, including the transformation of the goddess Brigid into Saint Brigid and the reclassification of the Tuatha Dé Danann and the Aos Sí as folkloric or demonic figures. These cases demonstrate that the recording of myth was not a neutral process …

Studies In The Reception Of The Council Of Trent In 16th-Century Lutheranism As Seen In The Eucharistic Theology Of Martin Chemnitz’S Examen Concilii Tridentini, Sebastian A. Grünbaum

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Grünbaum, Sebastian, A. Studies in the Reception of the Council of Trent in 16th-Century Lutheranism as Seen in the Eucharistic Theology of Martin Chemnitz’s Examen Concilii Tridentini. Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2025. “[338]” pp.

This dissertation focuses on the intra-Tridentine dialogue during the Council of Trent Session XIII (1551), which treated question related to the Lord’s Supper, and the Lutheran theologian Martin Chemnitz’s (1522–1586) examination of it.

The Council of Trent (1545–1563) largely defined the theological and administrative direction of the Roman Catholic Church for centuries. On the one side the Council tried to systematize, organize, and understand the church’s …

Realizing Reality — C.S. Lewis And The Hierarchical Model Of Christian Neo-Platonism, Jordan Spina

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Spina, Jordan, H. “Realizing Reality: C.S. Lewis and the Hierarchical Model of Christian Neo-Platonism.” Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2025. 253.

In recent years there has been a growing interest in C.S. Lewis’ intellectual relationship to the Medieval cosmological model. Scholars have demonstrated that, for Lewis, the Medieval cosmological model represented more than a scientific picture of earth in relation to other heavenly bodies. Its significance was not dependent upon the number of planets or the order in which they were positioned. Instead, it represented a philosophically robust view of reality

However, what has yet to be demonstrated is the roadmap …

Losing The Body: Tracing Corporeality As A Component Of The Imago Dei Through Early Christian Exegesis, Andrew Kneeland

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Kneeland, Andrew R. “Losing the Body: Tracing Corporeality as a Component of the Imago Dei Through Early Christian Exegesis.” Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2025. 252pp.

This dissertation examines the interpretation of imago Dei in Gen. 1:26 across early Christian history, revealing both a robust tradition of corporeal emphasis and a shift toward a spiritual consensus that was driven not by immediate, unanimous consensus but a variety of pastoral and polemical factors. Far from a fleeting, anthropomorphic error, a bodily understanding of the image of God spans diverse provenances and contexts. Organized diachronically and topically, the study begins with textual exegesis …

Theosis And The Morality Of Happiness: Investigating The Implications Of The Deification Doctrine In Aquinas, Emma Newgarden

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This thesis examines the implications of a connection between the doctrine of deification or theosis (often summarized by the patristic axiom that God became man so that man might become God) and a Christian morality of happiness, an understanding of the moral life as that which comprises our true human flourishing—a transformative growth in virtue by which we grow in our capacity to realize our final telos of union with God. Deification, traditionally more strongly associated with Eastern Christian theology, has not typically been discussed in relation to the morality of happiness, arising primarily within the discourse of the contemporary …

The Message Of Resilience And Harmony: From War Camps To Modern Calls For Peace, Linlin Uta

Dissertations, 2020-current

Music has a unique power to either foster harmony and peace or contribute to discord and suffering, depending on how it is used. The role of music in three different wartime camps—the Bando Prisoner-of-War Camp in Japan during World War I, Nazi concentration camps during World War II, and Japanese American internment camps during World War II—illustrates both the dangers and the transformative potential of music. While these examples highlight the misuse of music as a warning, they also reveal how music, when used in a positive way, can offer valuable lessons for promoting global peace.

Moreover, in an environment …

Returning Home: Vocation As A Theological Lens To Foster The Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus’ Holistic Ministry Among Migrant Returnees In Ethiopia, Ebise Dibisa Ayana

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

This dissertation examines return migration in Ethiopia, focusing on Ethiopian Domestic Worker Returnees (EDWRs) and the role of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY) in addressing their holistic needs. Using theological and institutional analysis, the study finds that, although the EECMY affirms holistic ministry as its motto, it lacks clear policies and official statements specifically addressing the spiritual and psychosocial needs of the returnees’.

The research argues that migration and return migration are theological and moral issues that require a holistic response grounded in a Lutheran Theology of Vocation. Such an approach fosters an integrated ministry that attends to …

Cultivating Confidence And A Habitus Of Ex Corde Prayer Among The Baptized, Abigail Reynolds

Master of Art Theology Thesis

Reynolds, Abigail C. “Cultivating Confidence and a Habitus of Ex Corde Prayer Among the Baptized: Encouraging Ex Corde Prayer Among the Baptized as Part of Diaconal Soul Care.” M.A. thesis, Concordia Seminary, 2026. 77 pp.

Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions abound with encouragement to pray, describing prayer as communication between children and their heavenly Father. Yet, for many parishioners in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, praying ex corde prayers aloud with other Christians (family or friends) causes anxiety and is not a common practice. This thesis examines the Lutheran teaching that prayer is based in baptismal identity as God’s child and …

Reconciliation: An Auditory Exploration Of Redemptive Suffering, Emily Eid

MFA in Visual Art

Reconciliation examines the intersection between chronic pain, Catholic theology, and contemporary sound art through the lens of radical honesty. It documents a dramatic aesthetic and spiritual pivot in my art practice, moving from grotesque, abject portrayals of agony to a hopeful representation of redemptive suffering. I share how the project evolved from an installation of anthropomorphic furniture to a sculptural work using my bed, to an audio piece presented in a semi-private “confessional booth,” all while challenging the misconceptions surrounding chronic pain and disability. Utilizing the theories of Roland Barthes, I break down the semiological and authorial aspects of the …

Hammurabi’S Laws: Ancient Traditions Of Violence, Aaron Secrist

The Confluence

The tradition of enforcing private property through violence is truly ancient, and goes back thousands of years to the first civilizations. There exists a prevailing attitude that contemporary culture is more “civilized” than the first organized societies – and while it’s true in some ways, our laws are still remarkably similar to those practiced in antiquity. In the following essay, I analyze the Law Code of Hammurabi and examine its parallels to the way laws function today. First, I will provide context for the technological advances that made the first city-states possible, then give a cultural and economic overview of …

Building Empathy Across Generations, Julie B. Van Otterloo

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"How do we help our students, children, neighbors, or coworkers navigate the complexities of growing up and living in the world today?"

Posting about growing in empathy from In All Things, an online hub that offers insight into maintaining and faithful and orthodox Reformed Christian worldview while fearlessly engaging in every aspect of contemporary life – until all is made new.

Building Empathy Across Generations

Missional Hospitality: A Contextualization Of God’S Hospitable Mission For New Lisbon Christian Church, Jonathan Willmore

DMin Project Theses

The town of New Lisbon, originally called Jamestown, has been home to Restoration Movement churches. The first congregation began in 1839, not long after the town’s official incorporation and renaming as New Lisbon. It unfortunately died out in the decades that followed, and not much is known about its history. The second is called New Lisbon Christian Church (NLCC) and was planted in 1893.1 The records indicate that NLCC changed Senior Ministers approximately every three years, until the 1970s, when a pastor stayed at New Lisbon for nine years. That minister was the longest tenured until the most recent one …

Educational Formation In A Fragmented Modern Age, Ana Lucía Fernández Del Castillo

College Honors Program

Mental health issues such as depression and anxiety are on the rise. No wonder considering all the issues that world faces today, from rising authoritarianism to a loneliness epidemic. 

This thesis studies how Catholic higher education, specifically the Jesuit theory of education, St. John Henry Newman's theory of education, and St. Edith Stein's theory of education, can prepare students for such a world. It looks at educational as formational and with a purpose beyond simply acquiring the necessary skills for a job.

"This Poor Man Cried": Moving The West Metro Church Of Christ From Transactional To Incarnational Benevolence Among The Homeless Community In Hiram, Georgia, Richard E. Gray

Harding School of Theology Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

Becoming A "Still Point Of Grace": Identifying Obstacles Faced By Catholic Elementary School Teachers In Meeting The Needs Of Students With Generalized Anxiety In The Classroom, Kerry Smigielski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the midst of a mental health crisis in the United States, teachers in the Diocese of Cityville need to be equipped to serve elementary students who experience anxiety within an authentic Catholic context. The purpose of this study is to begin improvement research on classroom supports for students with generalized anxiety in the Diocese of Cityville elementary schools. Journey lines and a focus group discussion were conducted within a causal systems analysis to respond to the central research question: “What obstacles do Catholic elementary school teachers in the Diocese of Cityville face in meeting the needs of students with …

Destruction As Devotion: Warfare As Worship And Liturgy In Joshua 1–8, Ethan James Highfill

Harding School of Theology Dissertations and Theses

This paper explores the nature of divine and human violence in the Book of Joshua and its relation to ritual and liturgy. I argue in this paper that the violence that readers encounter in the Book of Joshua makes more sense as a subcategory or product of ritual. I point out that the emphasis on violence in Joshua is misplaced if the elements of ritual and worship, which are prevalent throughout the work are not given proper attention. I contend that the חֵרֶם commands in Deuteronomy and Joshua serve the specific functions of removing Canaanite identity from the land of …

The Reception History Of Isaiah's “New Heavens And New Earth”: Isaiah 65:17–25 In Jewish And Early Christian Thought, Preston S. Nichols

Harding School of Theology Dissertations and Theses

The study examines Isaiah’s vision of “a new heavens and a new earth” (Isa 65:17). Isaiah’s vision is often understood as either wholly symbolic or purely futuristic; however, this study contends that the vision is both historically inaugurated in the post-exilic community and eschatologically consummated in the renewal of creation. Through textual analysis of the biblical text, it demonstrates that the restoration taking place in Jerusalem functions as the initial realization of YHWH’s broader cosmic purposes.

This study further traces the reception of Isaiah 65:17–25 in early Jewish and Christian literature, including 1 Enoch 91:16; Jubilees 1:29; Liber Antiquitatum Biblicarum …

From Sacred Harp To Byzantine Chant: Inculturation And Formation Of Orthodox Communion In Alaska, Ava Ortwein

Honors Theses

This thesis will explore how Eastern Orthodoxy has been embraced by some native Appalachians, which has led to a convergence of musical trends as a regional phenomenon. It argues that parts of Appalachia are embracing Orthodoxy, especially as noted through converging musical structures. Through an examination of countries which have accepted Orthodoxy, I emphasize inhabitants’ agency and free acceptance of the Eastern Church, especially through convergence of musical traditions. I also analyze lived experience in Sacred Music within this Appalachian Orthodox Context rather than formal music theory. The research incorporates a diverse range of scholars including ethnomusicologists, historians, Orthodox theologians, …

St. John Henry Cardinal Newman’S Mariology: A Distinctively Patristic And English Understanding Of Marian Doctrine And Devotion, Erin Meikle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

St. John Henry Newman’s understanding and reception of the dogma of divine motherhood grew during his pre-Catholic years. This study employs a form of reception theory to argue that Newman exercised reserve and compromise in his discourse on Mary’s identity as the Mother of God during both his evangelical and high church Anglican periods. The first three chapters conduct a historical investigation of Marian devotion and reception of the dogma of divine motherhood in England from the period of the apparition at Walsingham (1061) up until the nineteenth century. The analyses indicate that England had an intense Marian devotion and …

From Farewell To Fáilte: The Voices Of Iowa’S Irish Daughters, Katie Hermanson

History Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

Irish women’s immigration to Iowa brought rich culture and lasting impacts, despite their contributions being silenced by history. Women left Ireland for economic opportunity and education abroad to support their impoverished families. Millions emigrated between 1830 and 1915, spreading across the world. The Irish women who came to the United States encountered discrimination and cultural stereotyping as they worked in domestic service, developed religious orders, taught school, owned businesses and raised families. Women bore the burden of supporting their families in Ireland by sending remittances home and communicating between countries. Their cultural identity as exiles dwelled in guilt for leaving …

Penitential Systems In The Latin West And Byzantine East, Elijah C. Dodson

Honors Theses

This thesis examines the development and organization of penitential discipline in early medieval Christianity through a comparison of the penitential tradition associated with Theodore of Canterbury in the Latin West and the canons attributed to John the Faster in the Byzantine East. The study focuses on how these texts regulated sexual sin and what their structures reveal about the institutional role of the Church in different historical contexts. The analysis is based on a comparative reading of penitential texts, supported by patristic writings and modern scholarship. By examining how specific categories of sexual misconduct are classified and disciplined, this study …

Joy Beyond Circumstance: Crafting A Picture Book That Challenges Western Perceptions Of Joy, Sarah L. Stockett

Honors Theses

This thesis explores the creation of a children’s picture book as a method of challenging Western perceptions of happiness, particularly the assumption that material abundance determines joy. Drawing from two service-based experiences with Zoe Ministries in Kitale, Kenya, the project centers on The Glad Rag, a picture book in which a single piece of fabric travels through many hands and becomes many useful items. Through this narrative, the book invites young readers to consider resourcefulness, gratitude, and joy that transcends circumstance.

The project uses a mixed-methods research approach. Primary data were gathered through participant observation and informal conversations on …

The Proper Role Of Religion In Hegel's Philosophy Of Statecraft, Hunter Coates

The Corinthian

In section three of Elements of the Philosophy of Right, Hegel lays out a theory of statecraft that comprises what he deems to be the ethical state. The ethical state is the political state that has secured the rights of its citizens through the union of state power, civil society, and absolute spirit. This paper will investigate the relationship that religion has to the ethical state in Hegel’s philosophy. First, it will be important to explain what Hegel deems absolute spirit in the Science of Logic and Encyclopedia of Philosophical Sciences, Volume 3. Next, we will briefly apply …

Phenomenological Philosophy Of Psychedelics: Psychedelic Experience In The Modes Of Saturation And Flesh, Michael V. Kramer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This work seeks to develop the nascent sub-field of the phenomenological philosophy of psychedelics. Beginning with a general overview of key aspects pertinent to psychedelic studies, the focus then turns to a general disciplinary discussion of current approaches within the philosophy of psychedelics, as well as psychedelic philosophy—a distinction which is technically deployed. Special consideration is given to the specific approach known as the “natural philosophy of psychedelics,” which is taken as the philosophical foil to the preferred approach of phenomenological philosophy. A survey of the extant literature regarding the implementation of phenomenology within psychedelic discourse is then provided …

Therepairer_Vol45no7_July1940

The Repairer

No abstract provided.

Therepairer_Vol45no6_June1940

The Repairer

No abstract provided.

Therepairer_Vol45no5_May1940

The Repairer

No abstract provided.