Religion Commons^™

A Culture Of Magic In Ancient Egypt And Its Impact On Ancient Israel, Christopher Matthew Jenkins

Master's Theses

Problem

The relationship between Egypt and the Levant spans thousands of years, resulting in many cultural exchanges. Of Egypt’s cultural influences in the Levant, magic has been the least studied. Therefore, this thesis is an introductory study that will present the influence of Egyptian magic in ancient Israel. The corpus of magical artifacts recovered from Israelite sites comes from the Iron Age.

Method

This thesis intends to be a comparative study of the understanding of magic among the Egyptians and Israelites by analyzing biblical texts and ritual objects recorded in the archaeological record. The main methodology used to conduct this …

A Study Of The Multi-Faceted Impact Of The Second Vatican Council Upon Catholicism And Beyond, Constantin Valentin Popescu

Master's Theses

The Topic

The research analyzes the development of Catholicism in the 20th century. After the First Vatican Council (1868-1870) and the promulgation of the dogma of papal infallibility and papal primacy, the Roman Catholic Church lost much credibility and influence with Christianity, becoming increasingly isolated from the developing modern world. In this situation, Catholicism needs a revival, a reconfirmation of its long-lost authority. On the other hand, knowing that the Roman Catholic Church fulfills a very important role in biblical prophecies, we will observe, in this study, an adaptation of Catholicism to the modern world precisely to regain its credibility. …

The Theological And Biblical Significance Of Financial Resources In The Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Mihai Stoicescu

Master's Theses

The Topic

The research will present the evolution of the system of tithes and offerings, starting from biblical times to the history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, as well as the theology behind it.

The Purpose

The purpose of the study is not only to discover the history and theology underlying the system of tithes and offerings, but also to emphasize the universal nature of this system.

The Source

The research involved both the consultation of specialized literature, as well as the study of primary written sources, in this case the available documents and archives regarding financial resources throughout the …

Paul's Attitude Towards Empire, Matthew Kwabena Appiah

Master's Theses

The concept of imperialism has come to stay in the study of Paul and his letters. However, does contextual analysis of his selected texts support such claims of him being anti-imperial? Various arguments arise to challenge Paul to have used hidden codes and imperial ideology to counter the imperial propaganda of the Roman empire of his day. However, contextual analysis of Paul and his letters suggest otherwise. His pastoral care duties, coupled with a desire to win his natives, namely, the Jews, to accept Jesus Christ as the messiah prophesied in the Old Testament is key in his letters. Proponents …

Aquinas’S Four–Fold Senses Of Scripture: Harnessing Metaphysical Analogy For Theological Exegesis, Susanna Edmunds O.P. Sr.

Theses

This thesis seeks to contribute to the integration of exegesis and theology called for by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger in his 1988 Erasmus address, “Biblical Interpretation in Crisis.” While much progress towards this integration has been made, limited attention has been given to Ratzinger’s recommended philosophical framework, the metaphysics of participation and analogy as formulated by St. Thomas Aquinas. This thesis builds on the contemporary revival in Aquinas’s approach to Scripture to propose a metaphysical framework for theological exegesis. This framework will be based on three claims. First, that the hermeneutic of faith adopted by the Pontifical Biblical Commission, among others, …

The St. Charles Camp Meeting Of 1885, Albert W. Parry

Heritage Material

No abstract provided.

Israel's Scriptures In Philo And The Alexandrian Jewish Tradition, Michael B. Cover

Theology Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Evaluating Church Hurt In The Black Church, Sheriyse Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Black Church has been a significant source of support for many African Americans and has served as a protective factor while meeting religious and spiritual needs. However, some studies have suggested that the Black Church can also be a source of trauma, betrayal, and abuse for some African Americans. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects between emotional manipulation, gender discrimination, spiritual bullying, and spiritual neglect on outcomes associated with church hurt and understand occurrences of church hurt using betrayal trauma theory. A nonexperimental, quantitative, correlational research design was used evaluate data from 155 African …

Correlates Of Christian Religious Identification And Deidentification Among Sexual And Gender Minorities: A U.S. Probability Sample, G. Tyler Lefevor, Lauren J. A. Bouton, Edward B. Davis, Samuel J. Skidmore, Ilan H. Meyer

Psychology Faculty Publications

Using a U.S. nationally representative sample of 1,529 sexual and gender minorities (SGMs), we examined the demographic and developmental correlates of Christian religious deidentification. We found that SGMs who were older, Black, cisgender men, and/or lived in the American South were more likely to identify as Christian in adulthood, relative to other SGMs. Those who were never Christian reported being more out to family and friends at earlier ages than those who were raised Christian. SGMs who were raised Christian, but did not identify as Christian in adulthood reported, more adverse childhood experiences and bullying than other SGMs. Sexual minorities …

Syncretistic Religiosity In The Mausoleums Of Bangladesh: Exploring The Possibility Of A Blended Religious Identity, Sadia Afrin

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Firstly, this thesis investigates the syncretistic religious nature of Bangladeshi mausoleums, along with the historical background of the Sufi mausoleums and the flourishment of this syncretistic religiosity. The study explores the contribution of Sufis to the spread of Islam in Bengal. It discusses how the liberal attitude of mausoleum enshrined Sufis toward their followers of diverse faiths patronized syncretism. The study here hypothesizes that the religious practices of Bangladeshi mausoleums are syncretistic; they are neither exclusively Muslim nor Hindu but present a blended identity. It demonstrates how religious syncretism is an undeniable phenomenon in the mausoleums of Bangladesh and how …

The Sanctuary Of Demeter And Kore: The Portrayal Of Corinthian Gender Ideologies In Ritual Landscape, Kaia C. Brose

Dissertations and Theses

The Sanctuary of Demeter and Kore on Acrocorinth reflects gender ideologies and concerns within the larger region of Korinthia. Archaeological finds particularly serve to illustrate the sanctuary’s role in maintaining these gender ideologies and concerns. This thesis focuses on the depiction of gender ideologies that reflect a shift toward a wealthier material culture in sixth-century Corinth with themes of feminine virtue and fertility prevalent in the sanctuary. The study of certain ceramics shapes and iconography serves to reveal the sanctuary’s role within the larger religious landscape it was located in. The kalathos, pyxis/Frauenfest scene, and the liknon illustrate the presence …

Book Review: Animal Care In Japanese Tradition: A Short History, James Stone Lunde

Asia Pacific Perspectives

No abstract provided.

Politics & Religion In Comparative Perspective: Papal Pastoral Visits To Mexico In 1990 & 1993, Kiara Catherine Black

Theses

This research examines the multi-layered agency of Pope John Paul II and the diplomatic relationship between the Holy See and the United States of Mexico from 1990-1993. Specifically, the research aims to examine Pope John Paul II’s pastoral visits to Mexico in 1990 and 1993 and how his activities are shaped by religious mission and statecraft. The pastoral visits of Pope John Paul II to Mexico in 1990 and 1993 are major inflections as the diplomatic relationship changed from one of cold hostility to normalised, and even congenial, in 1992. The research project is established via a detailed description of …

Volume 36, Full Contents, Jhcs Staff

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

No abstract provided.

Viewpoint: Ritual Engagements In The Context Of Rāmcaritmānas Research: Challenges And Learning, Anil D’Almeida

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

No abstract provided.

Viewpoint: Reflections On The ‘Anti-Material Particle’ In The Writings Of Teilhard De Chardin And Swami Prabhupada, Steven J. Rosen

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

No abstract provided.

Volume 33, Full Contents, Jhcs Staff

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

No abstract provided.

Toward An Alternative Theology: Confessions Of A Non-Dualist Christian: Sara Grant, R.C.S.J.’S Distinctive Contribution To Catholic Theological And Spiritual Encounter With Hinduism, Martin Ganeri

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

THIS article examines the contribution made by Sr Sara Grant R.C.S.J. to modern Christian engagement with Advaita Vedānta. It considers her own spiritual journey which led her to find in Advaita Vedānta a suitable way of expressing a non-dualist form of Christianity and how, in pursuit of this, she engaged both theologically with Advaita, like Richard de Smet S.J., and spiritually with Advaita like Swami Abhishiktandana. The article argues that her distinctive contribution to modern Christian engagement with Advaita Vedānta lies precisely in the fact that she was able to combine a theological with a spiritual encounter, which neither de …

A Dangerous Theology, Emily Provance

Quaker Religious Thought

Ministry is inherently risky. The existence of a call to ministry implies potential failure: failure to respond, failure to discern, failure to fulfill. Ministry also carries with it potential societal and personal consequences, ranging from outright persecution to subtler judgment for counter-cultural words and actions to loss or rearrangement of personal relationships. Perhaps for this reason, within the Quaker context, we can’t address a theology of ministry while only addressing the minister. Quakerism is not a faith of the individual but of the community. In theological and theoretical circles, Friends say that the community, not the individual, has the responsibility …

One Quaker's Life In The Ministry, Lloyd L. Wilson

Quaker Religious Thought

I am an apprentice to the Quaker faith tradition. I am a recorded minister, speaking under the authority of a minute issued by Friendship Friends Monthly Meeting, and with the specific release of my anchor committee in that meeting. Wil Cooper said that we Quakers tell so many stories about ourselves because, without creeds or dogma, stories are how we remember who we are as a people of faith. I am not able to articulate an adequate Quaker theology of vocational ministry; I can tell you some stories from a lifetime of wrestling over an adequate response to God’s call …

Developing A Quaker Theology Of Place: Community Flourishing In An Era Of Climate Change, Cherice Bock

Quaker Religious Thought

Expressions of Quakerism in the past have not generally been particularly connected to the places in which they are located. Members of the Religious Society of Friends have emphasized the ability to connect with the sacred wherever one is, not only in a building set aside for worship or a holy site. The traditional Friends’ worship practice only requires meeting with others in silence to listen to the leading of the Spirit; this can be done anywhere and does not assume the geographical location is of particular importance. While the Friends witness that the presence of God is not limited …

A Quaker Theology Of The City: Placing Quaker Testimony, Ecotheology, And “Place” In Conversation, Christy Randazzo

Quaker Religious Thought

Quaker theological and ethical frameworks are underappreciated resources for exploring the space, and (notably) the meaning, of the city, particularly in the ways that Quaker testimony—the holistic expression of the Quaker community’s core theological beliefs and ethical convictions in both individual actions and in an embodied communal “way of life”1—both undergirds Quaker work in environmental justice, and can inform conversations occurring at the intersection of urban planning, sustainability, and movements for social justice. When examined through the lens of historic Quaker approaches to the built environment, certain themes emerge, which—when placed in dialogue with contemporary concerns—frame an outline for a …

A Narrative Account Of Finding A Place Among Quakers As A Maragoli, Ngesa S. Chagala

Quaker Religious Thought

My great grandmother Dorika Bweyenda Mwana wa Gwimbula lived a long and greatly impactful life not only to my family and community, but also to Quaker ministry among the Maragoli and elsewhere. The current Lyavugulu Friends Church sits on land she donated. She played a leading role in spreading the Quaker faith throughout western Kenya by accompanying the Friends pastors to teach women and men about Christ. She provided material and mobilized women and the villagers to provide labor for building the churches including Lyavugulu. She met all the Quaker missionaries who came to Kaimosi beginning 1902 and she was …

Cultivating A Sacred Quaker Space Of Belonging Online And Onsite, Dwight Sterling Dunston

Quaker Religious Thought

During the spring of 2022, I had the opportunity to live, worship, and teach at Pendle Hill during the revamping of the renowned Spring Term. It was during this time of living on campus and attending the daily worship that was broadcasted for any to join around the world (and many did!) that I began to understand how the cultivation of a spiritual space of belonging, whether onsite or online, could take place. I believe there are three qualities that help to make this possible:

1) Attentiveness to a sense of belonging held by oneself and others within the physical …

Review Of Mark Russ, Quaker Shaped Christianity: How The Jesus Story And The Quaker Way Fit Together (Winchester, Uk, And Washington, Dc: Christian Alternative/Quaker Quicks, 2022), Mike Huber

Quaker Religious Thought

Mark Russ longs for a spiritual community where he can be fully present. He could not find that kind of connection in a Christian church. As a gay man, he writes, “I couldn’t praise God in a community where I wasn’t fully embraced” (30). While Mark eventually found a spiritual home with Quakers in Britain, these Friends often seem uncomfortable with his devotion to Jesus; among British Friends, that part of him does not feel entirely welcome.

As someone standing in-between communities, the author hopes to open a couple of doors. First, he wants to make the story of Jesus …

An Understanding Of Quaker Decision-Making Process: A Synopsis Of Its History And Theological Implications, Oscar Lugusa Malande

Quaker Religious Thought

Owning and embracing the Quaker decision-making process as a spiritual practice sustains the Quaker Christian identity as well as the intention of God to transform life for good. Quaker decision-making is critical in running the business meeting, at times referred to as the meeting of Church governance.1 In a further explanation, the Christian Faith and Practice in the Friends Church, Friends United Meeting in East Africa, notes, “In all meetings for church governance Friends hold the meeting in a spirit of prayer and worship. Friends give unhurried consideration to all proposals and opinions. All members have equal rights and privileges …

Book Review: Cherice Bock And Christy Randazzo, Quakers, Ecology, And The Light, Tim Gee

Quaker Religious Thought

A review of Quakers, Ecology, and the Light by Cherice Bock and Christy Randazzo (Brill Academic Publishing, May 2023)

ISBN-13: ‎ 978-9004535916

The Czech Republic: From The Center Of Christendom To The Most Atheist Nation Of The 21st Century. Part 1. The Persecuted Church: The Clandestine Catholic Church (Ecclesia Silentii) In Czechoslovakia During Communism 1948-1991, Scott Vitkovic

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This research examines the most important historical, political, economic, social, cultural, and religious factors before, during, and after the reign of Communism in Czechoslovakia from 1918 to 2021 and their effect on the extreme increase in atheism and decrease in Christianity, particularly Roman Catholicism, in the present-day Czech Republic. It devotes special attention to the role of the Clandestine Catholic Church (Ecclesia Silentii) and the changing policies of the Holy See vis-à-vis this Church, examining these policies' impact on the continuing decline of Roman Catholicism in the Czech Republic after the collapse of Communism. The article also deals with Pope …

Media Coverage Of The Peacekeeping Activities Of Pope Francis' Support Of Ukraine In The Russian-Ukrainian Full-Scale War, Bogdan Synchak, Mariia Ovchar, Valentyn Shevchuk, Eleanora Tsurina

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The relevance of the study is due to the significance of the influence of Pope Francis’ peacekeeping activities as the head of the Catholic Church on global geopolitics. This influence is being actively implemented within the framework of the Russian-Ukrainian war. Thus, the study of the international diplomatic activity of the pontiff in the context of supporting Ukraine is aimed at establishing the features of the peacekeeping work of the Holy See. The study presents an analysis of news coverage on the stated issues in popular Ukrainian and foreign publications from December 2021 to October 2022. The Washington Post, Politico, …

The Pattern Of The Transformation Of The Religious Life Of The Armenian Diaspora In Ukraine: Conditions, Causes, Consquences, Iryna Haiuk

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article reveals the role of the Armenian Church in preserving the ethnic identity of Armenians in the diaspora on Ukrainian land. The transgression or adaptation of the religious and ecclesiastical sphere of Armenians to the new environment in Ukraine was a "soft" process, since it was a transition within a Christian society, and therefore not on religious, but on the confessional basis of "Own"/Christians, although "Others." The specifics of the mentality, general algorithms of migration and incorporation into the new socio-cultural environment determined the main aspects of the transition of the religious and ecclesiastical sphere of Armenians into the …