Religion Commons^™

Microfísicas De La Vida Queer: Sexualidad Y Fe En Intersección, Hugo Córdova Quero, Jorge A. Aquino Ph.D.

Conexión Queer: Revista Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Teologías Queer

This third issue of the Queer Connection: Latin American and Caribbean Journal of Queer Theologies focuses on advancing both the state of the art of queer theories, theologies, and pastorals, as well as the possibilities of future perspectives. The importance of the "religious" in the contributions of this issue bases on the need to connect with elements that make up everyday life - spirituality, rituals, practices, discourses, among others - that are often "excluded" from the discussions about what is queer in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Religion Wrecked Her Mind: Religious Insanity In The Nineteenth Century, Courtney Lacy

Religious Studies Theses and Dissertations

In this project, I analyze how the line between good and bad religions, as constructed through secularism, influenced whether or not practitioners of religion were sent to insane asylums or, at least, considered by their peers or family to be at risk of insanity or on the brink of it. Exploring these questions revealed the link between religion and insanity but also showed how some religious practices (especially ecstatic behavior) placed believers at even greater risk because of the threat to the secular and progressive narrative encouraged by the people around them.

By placing the asylum narrative in conversation with …

Faith In Action, Adult Learning, And Immigrant Justice: Bringing Mission To Life, Christopher D. Tirres, Melanie C. Schikore

Religious Studies

This article emerges from a collaborative research project between a religious studies professor at DePaul University and the executive director of the Chicago-based non-profit Interfaith Community for Detained Immigrants (ICDI). In 2016, we forged a community partnership to explore and enhance the relationship between pedagogy, faith, and social justice. In this article, we share the results of our research on how exposure to and involvement with the work of ICDI impacts students, staff, and volunteers. Our research reveals the powerful effect that a community-engaged partnership can have not only on adult learning but also on spiritual development. Our findings suggest …

Examining The Intersectionality Of Religious Faith, Spirituality, And Healthcare Communication, Felix Okeke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is my own contribution in responding to the concern raised by certain communication scholars. Their concern was that little research and few publications have been done in the communication field by communication scholars that trace the relationship among religious faith, spirituality, and healthcare communication. While Parrott (2004) describes this apparent neglect as “collective amnesia,” others label it “religion blindness.” Thus, in trying to trace this relationship, this project uses Christian, biblical, and bioethics backgrounds to establish the value, sacredness, and dignity of human life, since these concepts make healthcare and healthcare communication necessary in the first place. These …

Freemasonry And Evangelical Christianity: Are They Compatible?, John Carl Mozingo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Since 1717 there has been a formalized organization known as the Freemasons. Currently, there are over six-million members worldwide, with over 18% of those members residing in the United States. The Freemasons have been controversial since their inception due to their secret nature. There are claims that the organization is anti-Christian as well as claims that support its compatibility with the church, indicating that there are Freemasons on the rolls of our Evangelical Churches. Therefore, using observation and participant research as well as secondary data analysis and archival study, this paper will seek to determine if Freemasonry is compatible with …

State Regulation Of Religion: The Effect Of Religious Freedom On Muslims' Religiosity, Hannah M. Ridge

Political Science Faculty Articles and Research

Substantial scholarship argues that regulation of religion suppresses religiosity in a community by reducing individuals’ satisfaction with their religious experience. To date this research has assumed that regulations are enforced on and affect religious communities uniformly. It has also focused heavily on Western Christian populations and aggregated national data. We suggest that state regulation of religious communities and behaviours impacts citizens differently based on their affiliation. Using individual-level assessments of freedom and religiosity from Muslim-majority countries, we show that, at the individual level, restricting freedom suppresses religious belief and behaviour. Restrictions on religious minorities, however, can increase religiosity. As such, …

Mahmudkhuja Behbudiy As A Leader Of Jadid Reforms, Muminjon Xujaev

The Light of Islam

We are witnessing that the ideas of our Jadids, who tried to raise Turkestan through enlightenment to the level of world civilization at the beginning of the 20th century, and who showed modern education as a solution to the problems of that period, have not lost their signifcance today. In this sense, the study of the works of the famous orientalist Mahmudkhodja Behbudi based on new scientifc criteria plays an important role in the study of issues of interethnic communication, peaceful coexistence, education, culture, and religious tolerance. M. Behbudi in the late 19th and early 20th centuries began a systematic …

Feminism, Religion, And Work In The United States, Margaret R. Halpin

Student Publications

Feminism in the contemporary United States is a diverse field of thought with several strains of ideological leanings, including liberal, neoliberal, and the contested conservative feminism. Each is uniquely situated in the American context due to the heavy influence of American values and culture-specific definitions of justice, success, and progress. Entrenched in the Western conceptions of secularism and advancement, “modern” feminism in the United States prides itself as the example of peak progressivism, yet does so without critically engaging with its definition of modernity or secularism. In particular, the relationship between religion and feminism is complicated in the U.S., with …

Hasidism: Ukrainian Origins And The World Context, Ihor Turov, Serhii Ishchuk

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article represents an overview of the history and specificity of the teachings of the Jewish religious movement called Hasidism. In the introductory part, the foundations of the teachings and social organization of this community are considered. The main consideration is given to the most numerous and influential Hasidic groups of the modern world. Particular attention is paid to the Ukrainian origin of Hasidism in the European context of its development. The historical originality of this movement is determined, first of all, by the specificity of its creed. The Hasidic ethos is focused on the person’s inner world. Relations with …

Anti-Christian Violence In India, Chad Bauman

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

No abstract provided.

Designing Analog Learning Games: Genre Affordances, Limitations And Multi-Game Approaches, Owen Gottlieb, Ian Schreiber

Articles

This chapter explores what the authors discovered about analog games and game design during the many iterative processes that have led to the Lost & Found series, and how they found certain constraints and affordances (that which an artifact assists, promotes or allows) provided by the boardgame genre. Some findings were counter-intuitive. What choices would allow for the modeling of complex systems, such as legal and economic systems? What choices would allow for gameplay within the time of a class-period? What mechanics could promote discussions of tradeoff decisions? If players are expending too much cognition on arithmetic strategizing, could that …

Is This A Christian Nation?: Virtual Symposium September 25, 2020, Roger Williams University School Of Law

School of Law Conferences, Lectures & Events

No abstract provided.

Digital Occult Library, Alexis Brandkamp

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This capstone project is a website, titled Digital Occult Library, hosted by the CUNY Commons and built with WordPress. The site address is:

digitaloccultlibrary.commons.gc.cuny.edu

It features (in this iteration) twenty-five unique pages with information on and discussion of occult and esoteric topics. It also hosts a forum that can be accessed and utilized by anyone, not just those registered on the Commons. The purpose of the site is to inform three types of interested parties on the highlighted topics: a general audience with no current knowledge of the occult, practitioners of esoteric traditions, and academics. Not only is the …

Religious Changes In Montenegro: From The Socialist Atheization To Post-Socialist Revitalization, Vladimir Bakrač, Mirko Blagojević

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The influence, significance, and meaning of religion and religiosity in the Balkans at the end of the second decade of the 21st century have not diminished. Peter Berger argues that today’s world, with some exceptions, is deeply religious—perhaps even more than before. This attitude of Berger refers to modern society, but in the era of socialism, it was not so. Empirical verification from that period records the atheization and secularization of society. In this regard, the primary aim of this paper is to present a kind of panoramic review of religiosity from the era of socialism to the post-socialist transformation …

Origins Of Religion: A Comparison Between The United States And Germany, Dawson Adams, Alexander Lorenz

University of South Carolina Upstate Student Research Journal

This research paper discusses the origins of religion in the nations of the United States and the Federal Republic of Germany. For the United States, the first religions were those of the European settlers. They brought with them Christianity, both Catholicism and Protestantism, as well as Judaism. Then, as immigration ramped up in the 19th and 20th centuries, many more religions arrived to America, such as Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, as well as many more Christian followers. These immigrants came mostly from China, Africa, the Middle East, and southern and eastern Europe. As for Germany, a significantly older nation than the …

State-Sponsored Atheism: The Case Of Albania During The Enver Hoxha Era, İbrahim Karataş

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This study analyzes how Enver Hoxha tried to abolish religions in Albania during the communist era. I argue that if atheism is not politicized and not exerted by force, its materialist damage is less. Yet, when atheization becomes a state policy and the government executes clergy, oppresses pious people, and destroys mosques and churches for the sake of atheism, irreligion then becomes a matter of state security. The study contends that when atheism is applied by force, atheist fundamentalism, which is no different than the religious version, emerges. Thus, irreligion becomes a threat to people’s lives and destroys society as …

A Mormon Missionary's Guide To Conversion Therapy Addiction Recovery, Shaun Anderson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This collection of essays explores my experience as a gay Mormon missionary, when I studied the Mormon Church's Addiction Recovery Program in an attempt to alter my sexuality. The initial four essays take place during the two years that I lived in Southern California as a Mormon missionary from 2011-2013. They present the text of the LDS Family Services Addiction Recovery Program workbook, with my own thoughts, experiences, and stories driven into the margins. Through these four essays, I demonstrate the hope, anguish, and longing of a gay man who desperately wants to live the model of a righteous Mormon …

Nora’S Ironic Longing For Christlike Love Self‐ Sacrifice, Self‐Love, And The “Religion Of Torvald” In Ibsen’S A Doll House, David V. Urban

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

This essay argues that in Ibsen’s A Doll House, both Nora and her husband, Torvald Helmer, exhibit a “religion of Torvald” characterized by their respective devotion to Torvald himself. However, while Torvald’s devotion to himself is characterized by self‐love and self-centeredness, Nora’s “religion of Torvald” is based on her expectation that Torvald will exhibit the Christlike office of bearing Nora’s sins by proclaiming himself guilty of her crime of forgery, thus rendering her blameless. After Torvald shatters Nora’s expectations by reacting with abuse and cowardice to the news of Nora’s forgery and Krogstad’s consequent blackmail, Nora loses her previous faith …

Deep Doctrine And Passionate Proclamation: How Understanding The Relationship Between God's Sovereignty And Evangelism Increases Evangelistic Zeal, Christopher Lee Verser

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The gospel must be accurately communicated to a lost man for that individual to have the opportunity to be saved. It is the responsibility of Christians to be ambassadors of Christ and proclaim this gospel to all men. All Christians can grow in their zeal for evangelism. Many Christians have very little zeal for evangelism due to several reasons. This lack of evangelistic zeal can be increased by a robust understanding of the doctrine of God’s sovereignty and the relationship between God’s sovereignty and evangelism. In the Scripture, Christians are taught that doctrine directly affects behavior and action. The more …

The Effects Of Racialization On Sikhs In America: An Intersectional Approach, Harsirjan K. Roopra

Senior Theses

Sikhs have been largely ignored in the literature surrounding social justice and religious tolerance. The many pressures Sikhs face, and the social assumptions that lead to them, must be brought into the broader conversation on these issues so that educators and politicians might help support the well-being of the Sikh community. Sikh identity has been misinterpreted and redefined in modern day American society. The lack of cultural and religious literacy of many Americans, coupled with Sikhs’ distinct visible identity, has led to xenophobic violence against Sikhs since their arrival in the U.S. more than a century ago. The root of …

Experiences Of Grace As Told By The Lgbtq Community, Nicholas A. Schollars

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Positive psychology has yielded rich insights about the nature of forgiveness and gratitude, but it is just beginning to broach the topic of grace. Theoretical evidence suggests grace is a crucial therapeutic factor in helping patients overcome shame, but empirical evidence is wanting. Because of the central role grace plays in Christianity, a qualitative exploration was conducted with a sample of participants identifying as either lesbian, gay, or bisexual, as well as Christian. Transcripts from 26 semi-structured interviews were coded and analyzed. Participants reported that their experiences of Divine Grace were related to their views about God’s nature. They reported …

Pedagogical Philisophy And Education In The Middle East And Central Asia (Ix-Xii Centuries), Baxrom Maxamadxodjaev

The Light of Islam

The article describes the period of the rapid development of education and culture in the Middle East and Central Asia in the IX-XII centuries. At this time, the ideas of the great thinkers Muhammad al-Khwarizmi, Ahmad al-Ferghani, Abu Nasr al-Farabi, Abu Ali Ibn Sina, Abu Rayhan al-Beruni, Ibn Iraq developed, which opened the way to a widespread of science and education in Europe.

Islamic culture has grown based on interconnected cultures of the countries of the Arab caliphate, Byzantium, India, and China. The Arab conquest did not mean a complete break with the cultural and pedagogical traditions of Hellenism and …

Mitre And Sword: Fighting Norman Bishops And Clergy, Timothy R. Martin

Obsculta

This thesis examines Norman bishops and abbots, either as armed combatants, or commanders of military forces in Normandy, and later in England after 1066. Focusing primarily on the roles of bishops, other accounts of martial feats by other Norman clergy are also examined. The use of justified force and later the sanctioned use of violence by secular clergy is explored to better understand the rational perceived by the clergy when acting as ‘soldiers of God. These accounts of Norman bishops participating in combat show a natural progression of a tradition that was discouraged by reformers but embraced by secular rulers.

Towards A Green Diapraxis: Experiences And Reflections From An Interfaith Journey, Einar Tjelle

Consensus

The article explores the increased cooperation and dynamic learning between religions during the last decades, on the themes of climate, environment and sustanability. Examples are given from a Norwegian interfaith context, but with global links as well. This cooperation has broadened the scope and perspectives of churches and religions. Contextual and holistic approaches have emerged as fruits of this mutual learning and exchange, the author claims. Pope Francis` encyclical Laudato Si` has captured important parts of this development with its strong message of interconnectedness and moral responsibility. It has also stimulated a wider religious and interfaith global commitment to Mother …

A Way Of Life: Trauma And Resilience Among Muslim Sexual Minorities In Cape Town, South Africa, Afshan Kamrudin

Anthropology Theses and Dissertations

Ask any Cape Town Muslim “what is Islam?”, and the first words that will come out of their mouths will be, “Islam is a way of life”. Among Muslim sexual minorities, the answer is resoundingly the same. Stating that Islam is a way of life indicates there are prescribed rules and codes of conduct that one must follow in order to be a Muslim. As such, the experience of these prescriptions and expectations are culture specific and context-dependent. The purpose of this dissertation is to explore the ways in which Muslim sexual minorities living in Cape Town, South Africa experience …

Pluralism As A Social Practice: A Pragmatist Approach To Engaging Diversity In Public Life, Mary Leah Friedline

Religious Studies Theses and Dissertations

My dissertation lays a theoretical framework for rethinking the ways in which political and moral philosophers conceive pluralism and diversity in public life. I argue that many philosophers who write on the topic do not have a sophisticated understanding of religion, are not sufficiently attentive to historically produced power differentials, and/or do not adequately recognize the intersectional dimensions of diversity. Building on Jeffrey Stout’s notion of democracy as a social practice, and supplemented with Cornel West’s understanding of democratic faith, I use my more complex account of diversity to argue that pluralism is best approached as a social practice, instead …

Religion In George R.R. Martin's "A Song Of Ice And Fire" Franchise, Sydney A. Craven

Honors Theses

This thesis is a study of religion in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire franchise. Specifically, George R.R. Martin's use of medievalisms, his interpretation of the Middle Ages, when creating the religions in A Song of Ice and Fire.

Replenishing Qualities Of Prayer, Morgan A. Kennon

Honors College Theses

Abstract

This study focused on the cognitive realm of self-control, which includes attention control and problem-solving. We used a challenging cognitive task to induce ego depletion, defined as the loss of self-control subsequent to exercising control. After removing students’ self-control in a laboratory setting, we tested whether prayer could possibly replenish lost self-control. Prior research has indicated that prayer may invoke self-control, and religious individuals report higher levels of self-control overall. Although prayer failed to return lost self-control in the current study, results provided additional support for a positive relationship between self-reported religiosity/spirituality and self-control.

Religious Influence On The French Campaign Against Korea Of 1866, Sophie Hargrave

Honors Projects

The French Campaign against Korea in 1866 was a relatively minor and unknown conflict in the course of both French and Korean history. However, it offers valuable information about the religious beliefs and value systems that defined the governmental systems of both countries, because it was the French response to the execution of several French Jesuit priests by the Korean government. Korea was largely influenced by three religions in the 19^th century: Confucianism, Buddhism, and Shamanism. France had a rich history of Catholicism and a wealth of Jesuit missionaries traveling abroad. The Confucian background of Korea, specifically, influenced its …

Metaphor As Dynamic Myth In Ricoeur, Colby Dickinson

Theology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

The Symbolism of Evil is the final book in Ricoeur’s early trilogy on the will. While Freedom and Nature sets aside normative questions altogether and Fallible Man examines the question of what makes the bad will possible, here Ricoeur takes up the question of evil in its actuality. What is the nature of the will that has succumbed to evil? The question of evil resists reflection and remains inscrutable, leading Ricoeur to proceed indirectly through a study of the abundant resources contained in symbols and myths. Symbols, as Ricoeur famously says, “give rise to thought” and thereby open up a …