Religion Commons^™

Elementary New Testament Greek, Owen Ewald

Faculty Open Access Books

This open-access textbook helps students learn to read New Testament Greek at the elementary level. It includes clear, concise explanations of grammar and syntax, helpful examples, and essential vocabulary, with no assumption of previous language study, and it does not require accents for most forms. At the end of each of its twenty chapters, students will find short Greek-language episodes from the life of a fictional early Christian family of Jewish ancestry, short readings from the Greek New Testament and Septuagint, and review/homework exercises that can help reinforce new concepts and vocabulary. This book can help students prepare to read …

Theological Education And Spiritual Formation In The Lives Of Engaged, Emerging Adults, Markus David Colbert

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis seeks to answer the following question: What is an effective discipleship method for emerging adults who are already engaged in IChurch? The method chosen was multi-layered and utilized corporate discipleship which involved a classroom setting geared toward theological and doctrinal education based on Bloom-Anderson’s taxonomy of educational objectives, communal discipleship which was concerned with small group activities and peer-to-peer accountability, and personal discipleship geared toward individual spiritual formation given an edited list of Whitney’s personal spiritual disciplines. Participants were asked to take an introductory Theological examination which plotted them from analyze level to the create level of Bloom’s …

Prophecy And Politics: Understanding The Impact Of Media Prophets In Local Pentecostal Churches, Tommy Dawain Blackwell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Social injustice issues incite both positive and negative responses within local Pentecostal congregants creating topical “cones of silence” pastors and church leaders must cautiously navigate. The focus of this treatise is the proper response of Evangelical Pentecostals toward social justice. The goal is to help Evangelical churches to nullify the emotional edginess and discuss important issues while maintaining a strong unity with diversity. Research, via personal interviews of Pentecostal congregants and first-hand observation by church leaders, will identify negative political theologies as the emotional and political influences driving division within local Pentecostal churches. As a result, church pastors will recognize …

Self-Compassion Education, A Framework For A Self-Care Plan For Military Chaplains: A Qualitative Study, Opeyemi Samuel Oluwafisoye

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Self-compassion education promotes coping skills to ease emotional discomfort and suffering by offering a sense of belonging, understanding, and caring, similar to the benefits of empathy for someone else. No research has been done examining the buffering importance of self-compassion education as a framework for self-care among military chaplains. The current study was tailored toward understanding military chaplains’ perception of self-compassion as a framework for self-care. The dissertation aimed to determine a need to formulate a self-care plan for military chaplains to reduce their pain after helping Soldiers and their families diagnosed with trauma through different interventions. The goal of …

Restoration Jewish Evangelism: A Dispensational Paradigm For Jewish Evangelism, Justin R. Woods

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Local Jewish populations within proximity of U.S. churches are perishing in their need to hear the Christian gospel. Obstacles to Jewish evangelism have festered through the centuries. Modern scholarship has held culpable the supersessionist traditions from the early church fathers and carried over to the present day. Dispensational pastors and scholars have acted on the front lines to correct this grievance. Restoration Jewish Evangelism (RJE) supplies a template of Jewish evangelism centered on a dispensational view of Romans 9—11. The goal of this project includes strengthening the parishioners’ situational awareness and self-confidence to engage in sharing the gospel of the …

Discipling Leadership Is Key To Church Revitalization: A Revitalization Strategy For Declining Churches, Jerry Anthony Rhodes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis project is designed to help diagnose the spiritual condition of church leaders as well as to implement a plan to encourage biblical leadership development. Due to the lack of biblical leaders, churches across the country are declining and/or dying. The Southern Baptist Convention in 2019 reported more churches closed than opened. This is a trend that must change, and it starts with leadership. A major problem in our churches today is the leaders are not biblically discipled. Without biblical leaders, the church will not be as Jesus intended. This research project will focus on helping churches create leaders …

The Method Is The Message: Communicating For Individual Behavior Change Toward Disciple Multiplication, Jeffrey Keith Mcdaniel

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this ethnographically informed, comparative embedded case study was to understand the lack of disciple-making movements for congregations at three evangelical churches representing the East Coast, Midwest, and West Coast of the United States. The theories guiding this study were Latour’s actor–network theory and Bandura’s social cognitive theory as they provide a theoretical framework to understand the influence of culture on the creation of meaning followed by the influence of meaning on individual behavior. The primary research question that guided this study asked, How can a church organization communicate to increase disciple multiplication? To answer this question, a …

The Image Of God: A Reflection Of Order And Suitability In Design, Mary D. Mckenzie

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In the history of biblical interpretation and dogmatic speculation, the “image of God” in humanity has proved remarkably prolific as a source of exegetical and theological discussion. In Genesis 1:26–27, the Bible expounds that God created man in His own image, and in His image, he created male and female. The literature on this topic continues to be overwhelming despite several exhaustive treatments spanning decades among biblical scholars. The act of posing several questions resulted in different answers from various sources. For example, what exactly is the image of God? Is the image of God spiritual or physical? Is the …

Tellers Of Dark Fairy Tales: Common Themes In The Works Of C.S. Lewis And Terence Fisher, Gabriel C. Salter

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

This article explores connections between C.S. Lewis and filmmaker Terence Fisher, notably how their works explore themes like the charm of evil, white magic’s dubious nature, and myth hinting at divine truths. By viewing these themes, Fisher and Lewis’s common views on fairy tales, and how feedback informed their work, scholars discover nuance in the perceived “Inklings versus secular British culture” dichotomy.

"Delight In Horror": Charles Williams And Russell Kirk On Hell And The Supernatural, Camilo Peralta

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

Charles Williams has always been one of the more overlooked members of the Inklings, and the continued neglect of his poetry and “supernatural thrillers” suggests that he is not likely to experience a dramatic increase in popularity anytime soon. Similarly, Russell Kirk is an American historian who will always be better known for writing The Conservative Mind in 1953 than for any of the dozens of short stories and novels he wrote, many of which deal with ghostly or supernatural themes. In fact, Kirk acknowledged Williams to be an important influence on his fiction; this influence is perhaps most evident …

Turning Points In The Expansion Of Christianity: From Pentecost To The Present, Alice T. Ott, Baker Academic, 2021 (Isbn 978-0-8010-9996-0), Xxii + 298 Pp., Pb $29.99.”, Olegs Andrejevs

Theology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

No abstract provided.

Saint Jude's, October 16, 2022

Saint Jude's

A newsletter published for Deaf Catholics in Waltham, MA

Saint Jude's Finding Aid

Digital Dissemination Of Islam Among Dubai Expatriates, Uae: A Mixed Methods Study, Urwa Mohammed Tariq

CoHSS Faculty Work

Dubai is a metropolitan city that attracts many foreigners due to its growing economy and tourism. When many non-Muslims observe the Islamic culture and lifestyle, they become interested in learning more about the faith. This research focuses on non-Muslims and new Muslims in Dubai and how information about Islam is disseminated to them. It also examines the challenges they encounter when searching for information. Though the researcher employed a mixed-methods approach, this study highlights the quantitative analysis. A total of 541 survey responses were collected from expatriates residing in Dubai, UAE; their demographic profile was analysed, especially in relation to …

A Tale Of Three Congregations: Building Resilience In Congregations In Disadvantaged Neighborhoods, Makaela Brass, Zara Escamilla, Isaac Voss

Presentations

No abstract provided.

What, For The University, Is Solidarity? Catholic Higher Education And The Unfinished Reception Of Gaudium Et Spes, Susan Bigelow Reynolds

Events

Introduction:

Forty years ago, Jesuit philosopher and theologian Ignacio Ellacuría accepted an honorary doctorate from Santa Clara University and delivered a commencement address with which some of us here today are likely familiar. In the concise and penetrating speech, Ellacuría proposed a vision of the university as both a center of intellectual inquiry and cultural production, and as a “social force”—a place concerned with the transformation of social reality.

“To Expel Or Embrace? The Challenge And Promise Of Handing Down The Catholic Intellectual Tradition In Light Of Dei Verbum”, Grant Kaplan

Events

Introduction:

The conference description puts in remarkably succinct language what it takes most academics a long time to say. The description prompts participants “to explore how our reading and understanding of Vatican II documents, as well as the formative thinkers of Vatican II and the Catholic intellectual tradition, can deepen and expand our vision of Catholic higher education, addressing new and old challenges.” In accordance with this prompt, my paper will take up one challenge, an old one: handing on the Catholic intellectual tradition.

Joy And Hope On The Margins: The Mission Imperative Of Access To Catholic Higher Education, Patricia Mcguire

Events

Introduction:

Words written in 1965 seem prophetic for today’s challenges to the human community:

“Never has the human race enjoyed such an abundance of wealth, resources and economic power, and yet a huge proportion of the world’s citizens are still tormented by hunger and poverty, while countless numbers suffer from total illiteracy. …political, social, economic, racial and ideological disputes still continue bitterly, and with them the peril of a war which would reduce everything to ashes.” (Gaudium et Spes #4)

The content and structure of Gaudium et Spes suggests a curriculum for Catholic Higher Education that is broad and deep …

A Tale Of Three Congregations: Building Resilience In Congregations In Disadvantaged Neighborhoods, Makaela Brass, Zara Escamilla, Isaac Voss

Presentations

No abstract provided.

Vatican Ii And Catholic Higher Education: Guest In Its Own House?, Massimo Faggioli

Events

Introduction:

Almost exactly sixty years ago to the day, pope John XXIII opened Vatican II, the greatest religious event in the 20th century and an epoch-changing council like only Trent before, with a speech, Gaudet Mater Ecclesia, which single-handedly redirected the agenda of the council and arguably also the course of Church history. Even though Vatican II deserves to be celebrated, anniversaries often have the unstated purpose to administer symbolic sedation. So, this conference is not a celebratory moment, rather an opportunity to reflect on the state of the reception of the council especially in Catholic colleges and universities. In …

Demons & Droids: Nonhuman Animals On Trial, Gerrit D. White

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Nonhuman animal trials are ridiculous to the modern sensibilities of the West. The concept of them is in opposition to the idea of nonhuman animals—entities without agency, incapable of guilt by nature of irrationality. This way of viewing nonhuman animals is relatively new to the Western mind. Putting nonhuman animals on trial has only become unacceptable in the past few centuries. Before this shift, nonhuman animal trials existed as methods of communities policing themselves. More than that, these trials were part of legal systems ensuring they provided justice for all. This shift happened because the relationship between Christian authorities and …

Collaborative Constructions: Designing High School History Curriculum With The Lost & Found Game Series, Owen Gottlieb, Shawn Clybor

Articles

This chapter addresses design research and iterative curriculum design for the Lost & Found games series. The Lost & Found card-to-mobile series is set in Fustat (Old Cairo) in the twelfth century and focuses on religious laws of the period. The first two games focus on Moses Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah, a key Jewish law code. A new expansion module which was in development at the time of the fieldwork described in this article that introduces Islamic laws of the period, and a mobile prototype of the initial strategy game has been developed with support National Endowment for the Humanities. The …

Full Issue

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Publications

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

Message of the Joseph Smith Papyri,edited by John Gee and Michael Rhodes, is a second edition of Hugh Nibley’s 1975 book of the same title on the Egyptian endowment. It is still the only book-length treatment of the important Egyptian text now known as the “Document of Breathings Made by Isis,” a copy of which was found among the Joseph Smith Papyri. The new edition features previously excised material, corrections of numerous typographical errors, improved illustrations, and accurate placement of illustrations in the text. This book, published jointly with Deseret Book, is now at press after years of intense effort. …

The Archaic Vocabulary Of The Book Of Mormon, Royal Skousen

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

In my work as editor of the Book of Mormon Critical Text Project (which began in 1988), I was initially interested in discovering the original English-language text of the book. But I soon came to the conclusion that it would be impossible to fully recover the original text by scholarly means, in large part because only 28 percent of the original manuscript is extant. In addition, there are obvious errors in the original manuscript itself that require conjectural emendation. As I have worked on the text of the Book of Mormon, I have come to some surprising conclusions regarding the …

New Volume Explores Themes, Background Of Book Of Abraham

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

Astronomy, Papyrus, and Covenant, the third volume in FARMS’s Studies in the Book of Abraham, was recently published and is now available. This book deals with three broad themes: astronomy in the Book of Abraham, the background of the Joseph Smith Papyri, and the nature of the Abrahamic covenant. In the course of treating these subjects, various papers discuss Jews in Ptolemaic Egypt, commonalities between the Book of Abraham and ancient Islamic texts, accounts of Abraham in 19th-century America, and a number of other interesting issues. All but 3 of the 12 articles were initially presented as papers at a …

New Directors Appointed For Ispart And Farms

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

In June Brigham Young University announced the appointment of Andrew C. Skinner as the new executive director of the Institute for the Study and Preservation of Ancient Religious Texts. Skinner, a professor of ancient scripture at BYU who has served as dean of Religious Education since 2000, replaces Noel B. Reynolds, who was called to pre-side over the Florida Fort Lauderdale Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Full Issue

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Dead Sea Scrolls Exhibit Tours United Kingdom And Europe

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

Since their initial discovery in 1947, the Dead Sea Scrolls have drawn the interest of people world­wide. FARMS has been fortunate to play a part in bringing the scrolls to the world, and that effort continues. The FARMS Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit, sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-­day Saints and managed by full­time missionaries Wayne and Janet Chamberlain, completed its tour of the United Kingdom and western Europe in May and is now making its way through central Europe.

Textual Analysis Of Book Of Mormon Continues

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

FARMS and Brigham Young University are pleased to announce the release of part 2 of volume 4 of the Book of Mormon Critical Text Project, Analysis of Textual Variants of the Book of Mormon. Part 2 analyzes the text from 2 Nephi 11 through Mosiah 16.

New Research Pushes Christian Apostasy Earlier In Time

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

A much­-anticipated book exploring the root causes of the early Christian apostasy is now off the press: Early Christians in Disarray: Contemporary LDS Perspectives on the Christian Apostasy, edited by Noel B. Reynolds and published by FARMS and BYU Press.