Religion Commons^™

Cultivating Talent: Insights From The 2022 National Study Examining Pathways To Increase The Presence Of Hispanic Teachers And Leaders In Catholic Schools, Hosffman Ospino, Melodie Wyttenbach

Journal of Catholic Education

This article draws extensively on data from Cultivating Talent: A National Study Examining Pathways to Increase the Presence of Hispanic Teachers and Leaders in Catholic Schools, conducted by Boston College researchers and released in January 2022. The report looks to understand and appreciate the various ways in which Hispanics educators are transforming the American Catholic school experience. Our findings clearly show that Catholic schools in the United States are and will be further enriched by the presence and contributions of Hispanic teachers and leaders. The report encourages stakeholders of Catholic education and pastoral leaders at all levels, across the nation, …

Practices, Perceptions, And Perspectives Of Hispanic Catholic School Diocesan Leaders, John Reyes, Veronica Alonzo, Melodie Wyttenbach

Journal of Catholic Education

Centering on (a) the pathways and beliefs that characterize the experiences of Hispanic Catholic school diocesan leaders and (b) the impact of ethnic and cultural heritage on their leadership practices and perceptions, this article articulates the key findings of a qualitative descriptive study involving eight Hispanic Catholic school diocesan leaders in the United States. Drawing upon the four frames of understanding used in Ospino and Wyttenbach’s (2022) broad study on the 14,000 Hispanic Catholic school educators in the United States and existing literature on Hispanic superintendent leadership, the authors detail three key thematic findings in the areas of motivation, mentoring …

Catholic Theological And Equity Framework To Champion Hispanic Representation In Catholic Schools, Jorge Pena, John Reyes, Michael T. O'Connor

Journal of Catholic Education

How do Catholic schools create inclusive, equitable environments that embrace the identities of their students, including their race, ethnicity, and culture? What does Catholic theological spirituality say about diversity, equity, and inclusion to address racism? What is the connection between Catholic theological spirituality and equitable school practices to bring about equity in Catholic schools? In response to increased diversity of students, educators, communities, and societal challenges, there is a need for a framework for Catholic schools with a culturally diverse student body, or with a student body and staff with different cultures. We synthesize Catholic theological spirituality and research about …

Fortalecer Raíces Y Formar Alas: Empowerment, Advancement, And Retention Of Latinx Educators And Leaders In Catholic Schools, Kathryn Lichon, Itzxul Moreno, Angela Maria Villamizar, Kenna Arana

Journal of Catholic Education

While Latinx children are the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. school population, the majority of Latinx Catholic school children may never be instructed or led by a Latinx teacher, principal, or administrator. This is a lamentable gap given that a shared student and teacher identity (i.e., home language, ethnicity, background knowledge, lived experiences) can lead to improved academic outcomes (Dixon, 2017) and non-academic outcomes (Carver-Thomas, 2018), that Latinx educators have conveyed a more profound sense of dedication and belonging when their identity is recognized and valued (Flores et al., 2018), and that there are persistent challenges in the retention of …

Cultivating The Talent Of Educators For Learning And Belonging, Molly Mcmahon, Theresa Pileggi-Proud

Journal of Catholic Education

As schools endeavor to implement the recommendations of Cultivating Talent: A National Study Examining Pathways to Increase the Presence of Hispanic Teachers and Leaders in Catholic Schools (“Cultivating Talent”), this education in practice article presents research-informed recommendations that can be implemented immediately by Catholic schools in order to strengthen student-teacher relationships and create a positive school climate that increases all students’ learning and sense of belonging.

Times As Task, Not Timing: Reconsidering Qoheleth's Catalogue Of The Times, Jesse M. Peterson

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

This essay examines Qoheleth’s Catalogue of the Times poem in Eccl 3:2–8. I argue that the two most common scholarly interpretations of the poem’s overall meaning fail to sufficiently account for its literary context and that an underdeveloped alternative reading is to be preferred. When we read the poem in light of two other closely related passages, 1:4–11 and 3:9–15, it becomes clear that a poem ostensibly about “time” is much less concerned with “timing” than is typically thought, but instead signifies Qoheleth’s frustration with the inevitable equilibrating tendency embedded into every human task.

Suspending Belief In Credal Accounts, Andrew Del Rio

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

Traditionally epistemologists have taken doxastic states to come in three varieties—belief, disbelief, and suspension. Recently many epistemologists have taken our doxastic condition to be usefully represented by credences—quantified degrees of belief. Moreover, some have thought that this new credal picture is sufficient to account for everything we want to explain with the old traditional picture. Therefore, belief, disbelief, and suspension must map onto the new picture somehow. In this paper I challenge that possibility. Approaching the question from the angle of suspension, I argue that all possible credal accounts face serious challenges. They either (i) falsify central claims that uphold …

"Crossing Borders" The Life And Work Of Peder Borgen In Context, Torrey Seland, Paul N. Anderson

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

Crossing Borders: The Life and Work of Peder Borgen in Context documents his personal sojourn and contributions to church and society, in addition to covering the scholarly contribution of a world-class biblical scholar and theologian. Too rarely is a scholar’s personal story considered as the back-drop, or even the foreground, of one’s academic work. In that sense, Torrey Seland’s detailed biography is inextricably linked to Borgen’s bibliography: a multitude of connections that contextualize the intrigue and significance of an exemplary scholar’s work.

Brilliance And Blindspots: New Light On C.S. Lewis's The Four Loves, Jason Lepojärvi

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

This paper is a critical re- evaluation of C.S. Lewis’s classic study of Christian love, The Four Loves (1960) that celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2020. After discussing important and neglected differences between the celebrated book and the largely forgotten radio talks which predate it, the paper asks and answers three important questions: Are there really four loves? What is the definition of love itself? What exactly is Charity? Lewis’s answers to these questions are more eclectic than is generally assumed. The paper offers an appreciative rereading of The Four Loves that seeks to correct or at least challenge a …

Critical Transformation: A Conceptual Framework For Examining The Impact Of Ucce Programs On Latinx Catholic School Teachers, Antonio Felix, John Beltramo, Lisa Archuleta, Marie Rodrigues, Mariajose Gomez, Angel Yanes

Journal of Catholic Education

Our paper represents a conceptual framework designed to (a) help current stakeholders within the University Consortium of Catholic Education (UCCE) critically reflect on their respec­tive programs’ support of Latinx Catholic school teachers and (b) provide guidance for Catholic edu­cation researchers in their future inquiry into the UCCE model of teacher formation. Our conceptual framework centers on three principles derived from both critical theory and empirical research into the support of Latinx teachers: critical consciousness and praxis, dialogue, and partnership. We use these principles to raise issues and pose reflection questions that can help UCCE stakeholders and Catholic education researchers explore …

Strengthening And Sustaining Dual Language Education In Catholic Schools, Laura Hamman-Ortiz, Katy Lichon, Clare Roach, Patricia Salazar Harty

Journal of Catholic Education

The purpose of this article is two-fold. First, we seek to make a case for the promise of dual language programs to enhance Catholic schooling and enrich educational opportunities for Latinx students. Second, we offer insights into the current landscape of Catholic schools with dual language programs, drawing upon data from a national survey conducted by University of Notre Dame researchers in 2020. Through our presentation of the findings, we consider characteristics of current program models and identify areas of success, challenges, and opportunities for future growth. We conclude with a discussion of the possibilities for strengthening and sustaining dual …

Dual Language Catholic Schools: Innovation And Equity--Considerations For Making The Transition To Dual Language, Carrie Fuller, Elena Sada

Journal of Catholic Education

The multiple academic and social advantages of a dual language education are well known; yet there is little practical guidance for Catholic school leaders who are taking on this whole school change. This paper explores the necessary steps for Catholic school leaders to develop equitable dual language schools. Guided by the Gospel principles of love and justice and using the Community of Practice theoretical framework, the authors argue that taking thoughtful risks in transforming one’s school can lead to meaningful learning in service to culturally and linguistically diverse students. Seven main implementation areas for developing a dual language Catholic school …

Book Review: Transformative Translanguaging Espacios: Latinx Students And Their Teachers Rompiendo Fronteras Sin Miedo, Katie Ward

Journal of Catholic Education

No abstract for a Book Review

Decolonization Of Education: How Educators Can Aid Transcultural Acculturation To Advance Communities Committed To Social Justice, Aradhana Mudambi, Elena Sada

Journal of Catholic Education

Cultures recreate themselves constantly, sometimes through natural transformations, sometimes through imposition. While colonialism was atrocious, partly because it transformed cultures by imposing disfigured identities and understandings (Fanon, 1963), we cannot reset cultures to how they were before conquest. That would require erasing languages now spoken for generations, dismantling religions and beliefs now practiced for hundreds of years, and purifying food habits now valued by the palettes of those formerly colonized. We can, however, work towards decolonizing our present- day society. Specifically, we can identify how colonialism continues to position some populations and their cultures as inferior (minoritized) and others as …

Religion, Education, And Peace: Proceedings Of An Online International Conference Held In March 2021, Jon Armajani, Wilbert Van Saane

Peace Studies Faculty Books

This volume contains the proceedings of the international online conference entitled Religion, Education, and Peace, which was organized by Haigazian University in Beirut, Lebanon, and the Jay Phillips Center for Interfaith Learning at Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota, USA, and was co-sponsored by the Peace Studies Department at the College of Saint Benedict I Saint John's University in Minnesota.

The conference took place on March 4 and 5, 2021. The chapters in this volume analyze religion, education, and peace in various parts of the world in a variety of settings including secondary schools, colleges, universities, governmental agencies, and nonprofit …

Dictionary Of Proper Names & Foreign Words In The Book Of Mormon, Stephen D. Ricks, Paul Y. Hoskisson, Robert F. Smith, John Gee

Interpreter Foundation Books

This Dictionary of Proper Names and Foreign Words in the Book of Mormon represents the culmination of more than a decade of study and discussion of the origins and meanings of Book of Mormon names. Those discussions took place regularly at Brigham Young University’s Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship under the leadership of Professor Paul Y. Hoskisson, director of the Laura F. Willis Center for Book of Mormon Studies. They resulted in the electronic “Book of Mormon Onomasticon.”1 All of the collaborators on this volume—John Gee, Paul Y. Hoskisson, Stephen D. Ricks, and Robert F. Smith—have been trained …

The Inspired Author’S Intent Building Our Scholarship To Learn By Study And Also By Faith, Shad Anderson

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

In our devotional teaching, we are fairly successful in helping students ask questions about what the scriptures they are studying mean to them. Students asking these types of questions may produce thoughtful insights. But does seeking what a scripture means to a student, devoid of a real understanding of what the ancient author originally intended, do enough to help our students truly engage with and fully access the power of the scriptures in their lives? My purpose with this paper is to make the case that it generally does not. When our students understand the scripture author’s original intent, I …

God Is Not Fragile Coping With The Intensity Of Hosea’S Imagery And Life’S Most Severe Challenges, Seth N. Hord

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

The book of Hosea is not for the faint of heart. Like many of the writings of ancient Israelite prophets, it is complex and intense and deserves a focused, serious study to fully appreciate the intensity of Hosea’s message. Anything less may leave the reader somewhat confused or even scarred by what Hosea says about God. But Hosea’s message is particularly powerful in helping us deal with life’s most intense and troubling circumstances. This paper attempts to address some of the striking images of Hosea in a way that will assist religious educators with helping students navigate some of the …

Reanchoring Our Purpose To Jesus Christ, Clark G. Gilbert, Scott C. Esplin, Jared W. Ludlow, Barbara Morgan Gardner

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

Esplin: Thank you for your willingness to share your thoughts and insights with us. For some who may be unaware of your background, will you introduce yourself to our readers. Gilbert: I really feel like the Lord planted experiences in my life from my very earliest years that had a purpose in Him. I would not have known the significance of many of those experiences until just in the last decade. I grew up in a home where education, and Church education in particular, were highly valued. Both my parents graduated from BYU. Both my parents have law degrees. From …

Time And Intensity Growth Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints In Greece, Mary Jane Woodger

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

In the late 1970s, missionary work was reinstated in Greece after Latter-day Saint missionaries not having been in the nation for nearly one hundred years because of political unrest. In time Greece became part of the Austria Vienna East Mission, which covered much of Eastern Europe, with Dennis B. Neuenschwander as mission president (1987–1991). In 2019, while reflecting on his service, Neuenschwander discussed an inherent relationship between intensity and time: “Some of our experiences can be very intense, focused in a relatively short period of time. However, the consequences, implications, and applicability of such powerful experiences and moments must often …

Highlights From The Spring 2022 Prospective Missionary Devotional, Marcus B. Nash

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

This article is a transcription of the Spring 2022 Prospective Missionary Devotional featuring Elder Marcus B. Nash of the Seventy, with two future missionaries, Hannah Bingham and Carter Boswell, serving as hosts. The semiannual Prospective Missionary Devotional is presented by BYU Religious Education and the Utah Valley Institute of Religion. During the devotional, Elder Nash asked several current and future missionaries to answer questions about their experiences and the challenges they were facing. Following this portion, Elder Nash answered questions that the audience had submitted. The devotional concluded with Elder Nash giving prospective missionaries some crucial tips on how to …

"Knocking On People's Computers" Missionary Work In The Digital Age, Scott L. Howell, Liberty Howell, Camellia Hill

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

The missionary purpose of bringing souls unto Christ will never change, but the methods of sharing it will. Over fifty years ago, President Harold B. Lee taught that “the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ are divine. Nobody changes the principles and [doctrine] of the Church except the Lord by revelation. But methods change as the inspired direction comes to those who preside at a given time.”[1] In a recent Church News podcast, Elder Brent H. Nielson of the Presidency of the Seventy reminded us that “no matter the method we use to do missionary work: Whether it’s a …

Review: Sondra G. Jones. Being And Becoming Ute: The Story Of An American Indian People. Salt Lake City: University Of Utah Press, 2019., Elise Boxer

Mormon Studies Review

Sondra G. Jones’s Being and Becoming Ute: The Story of an American Indian People is the first comprehensive history of the Núu-ci, or “The People” (8). It is a cultural biography and history of the Núu-ci people that begins with their creation story and moves through hundreds of years of Núu-ci history. Jones highlights the resiliency and adaptation of a people from contact and into the twenty-first century. Ute survivance in the twenty-first century is the result of their ability to respond and adapt to external forces that advocated for their removal and erasure. Being and Becoming Ute spans over …

Pedro And Pita Built Peter Priesthood’S Mansion And Now They Work The Grounds: Whose Masc Does “The Lamanite” Wear?, Arcia Tecun

Mormon Studies Review

The 2001 film The Other Side of Heaven is a dramatization based on John H. Groberg’s book In the Eye of the Storm, featuring his time as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the LDS Church) in the Kingdom of Tonga, where he was renamed Kolipoki.1 Kolipoki is a White missionary from the United States who is initially assigned to work together with a Brown Indigenous companion Feki Pōuha. Feki cares for and protects his pālangi (foreign) companion by teaching him the language as well as serving as his guide into local culture and customs. …

Review: Benjamin E. Park. Kingdom Of Nauvoo: The Rise And Fall Of A Religious Empire On The American Frontier. New York: Liveright, 2020., Christopher Childers

Mormon Studies Review

Benjamin E. Park’s Kingdom of Nauvoo integrates social, cultural, and political history to explain how the Mormon movement sought to build a community of believers on the western frontier and how the experiment at Nauvoo ultimately failed. This experiment, a radical reinvention of Christianity based on the revelations of a charismatic religious figure—Joseph Smith—and the building of a community of like-minded believers, reveals much about the history of the early American republic. Kingdom of Nauvoo shows how Smith’s church evolved in the context of early nineteenth-century America and how the structure of early American society struggled to deal with movements …

Review: William L. Davis. Visions In A Seer Stone: Joseph Smith And The Making Of The Book Of Mormon. Chapel Hill: University Of North Carolina Press, 2020., Carolyn Eastman

Mormon Studies Review

William L. Davis has published an astoundingly good book, one of the best works of religious and intellectual history I have read in years. Visions in a Seer Stone engages a range of academic fields, historical methods, and exegetical close readings in examining the development of the Book of Mormon, and above all helps his readers understand the dynamics of American religious culture during Joseph Smith’s lifetime. In the end, he develops an argument impressive for both its conceptual rigor and its sweeping breadth: that the Book of Mormon is less a conventional text than an oral performance, and that …

Review: Gordon Shepherd And Gary Shepherd. Jan Shipps: A Social And Intellectual Portrait. Salt Lake City: Kofford Books, 2019., Amy Hoyt

Mormon Studies Review

As a young graduate student at Claremont, I was excited to meet Jan Shipps when she came to deliver a public lecture on Mormonism on campus. A few of us graduate students were asked to bring her to the event from her hotel room on the evening of the lecture. My overall impression of her was that she was down to earth, funny, and quick. And perhaps a little intimidating. I noticed that she was able to talk to anyone about anything and, at the same time, command the room when needed. After reading the biography of Jan Shipps by …

Reflections On The New Latter-Day Saint Temple In Bengaluru And Religious Gender Norms, Debjani Chakravarty

Mormon Studies Review

There was recent publicity in Utah press about the new Mormon temple that will be built in Bengaluru, India (known as Bangalore until 2014), the first temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the country. There was a groundbreaking ceremony in December 2020, yet a survey of leading English-language newspapers in India reveals that this event was not widely reported. It was certainly not as widely reported as the groundbreaking of another temple in August 2020: the Ram Mandir, or the Ram Temple, which has been a violently contentious issue in India for the last three …

Review: Joanna Brooks. Mormonism And White Supremacy: American Religion And The Problem Of Racial Innocence. New York: Oxford University Press, 2020., Nichole Renée Phillips

Mormon Studies Review

Race and religion scholar Joanna Brooks offers an atypical treatment of the imbrication of anti-Black racism and American Christianity in her book, Mormonism and White Supremacy: American Religion and the Problem of Racial Innocence. While treatment of the subject is influenced by her background and membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, readers are given new language and the vocabulary to dissect and understand White supremacy and White racial privilege, particularly regarding how it has infiltrated and operated in the American Christian church. Brooks accomplishes this through content analysis of rare but significant documents and a historical …

Contemporary Femininities In Mormonism And In Ireland: Challenging And Confirming Essentialism In Online Spaces, Hazel O'Brien

Mormon Studies Review

How are gender identities negotiated within Irish Mormonism, and does this intersect with trends identifiable within Mormonism more generally? In this paper I use the examples of modern Ireland and modern Mormonism to speculate regarding the nature of gendered identities online. I suggest that Irish and Mormon cultures are both confronting serious challenges to traditional essentialist interpretations of femininity that have long dominated their cultural landscapes. I also suggest that social media (SM) and online spaces are facilitating these challenges. However, I observe that online spaces are also used in Irish Mormonism to conform to hegemonic Mormon understandings of gender …