Religion Commons^™

She Will Find What Is Lost: Brian Kershisnik’S Artistic Response To The Problem Of Human Suffering, Cris Baird

BYU Studies

In March 2014, my wife, Janae, and I purchased Brian Kershisnik’s masterpiece She Will Find What Is Lost and immediately loaned it to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for display in the Church’s Conference Center in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah.1 In this essay, I tell the story of how we came to own the painting, what it means to us, and why I believe the painting has a spiritually important and universally applicable message.

Front Matter

BYU Studies

No abstract provided.

From Vatican Ii To Amoris Laetitia: The Catholic Social And Sexual Ethics Division And A Way Of Ecclesial Interconnection, Alexandre Andrade Martins

Theology Faculty Research and Publications

This paper navigates the development of ethical issues during Vatican II and the impulse to develop a new moral theology just after the Council. This paper argues, on one hand, that Gaudium et Spes develops a new moral theology based on the imperative of conscience mediated by faith in issues of social ethics. On the other hand, the old moral orientation was preserved on sexual ethics. After the council, these two moral faces have led magisterial teaching to two different paths that can be seen chronologically in approaches used for issues of social and sexual ethics. Vatican II encouraged a …

Thriving : Effective Strategies For The Evangelism And Discipleship Of Emerging Adults, Aaron M. Kauffman

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Imperiled Destinies: The Daoist Quest For Deliverance In Medieval China, Alan Kam Leung Chan

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

This is a work of considerable erudition, reflecting decades of research into the Daoist tradition. Imperiled Destinies offers a close reading of “the evolution of Daoist beliefs about human liability and redemption, and procedures for rescuing an ill-starred destiny” (p. 324), from the second century CE to the tenth century. More specifically, it focuses on three main phases of development in Daoist redemptive rituals. Divided into three parts, of four chapters each, it discusses in turn the “petition” (zhang) rituals in Heavenly Master Daoism (Tianshi dao), the “retreat” (zhai) rituals in Lingbao (Sacred Jewel) Daoism that gained currency during the …

Evaluating Discipleship Program Effectiveness Of Liberian Churches In Worcester, Massachusetts, Jesse G. Gibson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This project is evaluating discipleship program effectiveness of Liberian churches in Worcester, Massachusetts. The goal of this thesis is to develop a strategy and effective program for the Liberian churches in Worcester, Massachusetts as a tool to train and educate the Liberian churches for effective and adequate discipleship programs. This project will survey Liberian Christians residing in Worcester, Massachusetts who are members of churches that are dominantly Liberians. This research will help others to understand their religious background, social lifestyles and commitment to discipleship. Implementation of the 12-step training proposed in this project will enable the Liberian churches to be …

Analyzing Millennial Student Perceptions Of Spiritual Development While Attending Religious Colleges In The United States, Gregory Thomas Adams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to measure the perceived degree of spiritual development of graduating seniors at 26 denominational religious colleges and universities in the United States to analyze the possible effects of secularization on religious colleges. The study focused on the Millennial religious college student and suggests an approach towards improving the academic environment at religious colleges to promote a positive atmosphere for improving spiritual development. A question on the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) was analyzed over an eight-year period to determine student and denominational college trends. The researcher determined the degree of perceived spiritual growth …

Growing In Hope, S. Joseph Kidder

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Parhladpuri Mandir Shrinking Spaces For Hindus In Multan, Laiba Zainab

MSJ Capstone Projects

This documentary is about the destruction incurred on the Hindu community in reaction to the 1992’s Babri Mosque destruction. Dozens of Hindu temples were destroyed by mobs around the country. This documentary examines the destruction done in Multan by the mobs and how it has affected the community afterward. The two temples examined have never been restored due to religious bigotry. The documentary also focuses on the story of a temple’s destruction which is known as “Birth Place of Holi”, the role media played in fueling the fires during those dark times, and how this destruction could have been avoided. …

Catholic Deaf Community Newsletter, June 16, 2019

Catholic Deaf Community Newsletter

A newsletter published for Deaf Catholics in Portland, OR

Catholic Deaf Community Newsletter Finding Aid

Hate, Fear, Conformity- How The Pakistani Media Is Marginalizing The Persecuted, Ahsan Iftikhar Nagi

MSJ Capstone Projects

To say that Ahmadis are the most persecuted minority in Pakistan is not an exaggeration. For over four decades, the State has sided with the extremist elements to persecute the Ahmadis – the members of a community considered the most peaceful and which even banishes the concept of street protests against the prevalent abuse. The political and religious class though might accept that the minorities deserve equal opportunities in Pakistan. But, when it comes to the Ahmadis, they are not even ready to yield that to them, right away making them special citizens.

St. Francis Borgia Deaf Center Church Bulletin, June 30, 2019

Saint Francis Borgia Deaf Center Church Bulletin

A newsletter published for Deaf Catholics in Chicago, IL

Saint Francis Brogia Deaf Center Church Bulletin Finding Aid

Carolingian Commentaries On The Apocalypse By Theodulf And Smaragdus, Francis X. Gumerlock

TEAMS Commentary Series

In the early ninth-century Theodulf of Orleans and Smaragdus of Saint Mihiel served as advisers to Charlemagne. This book provides English translations of a Latin commentary on the Apocalypse written by Theodulf and three homilies on the Apocalypse by Smaragdus. A comprehensive essay introduces these texts, their authors, sources, and place in ninth-century biblical exegesis.

From Meaningful Work To Good Work: Reexamining The Moral Foundation Of The Calling Orientation, Garrett W. Potts

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The calling orientation to work represents the seed that has germinated into the exponentially growing ‘work as a calling’ literature. It was first articulated by Robert Bellah, Richard Madsen, William Sullivan, Ann Swidler, and Steven Tipton within Habits of the Heart in the 1980s. The following critical analysis of the ‘work as a calling’ literature, and of the moral foundation of the calling orientation more specifically, is intended for two particular audiences.

The first audience broadly includes an interdisciplinary group of scholars working within business ethics, management, organizational psychology, and vocational psychology, among other fields of study. Amidst these scholars’ …

Reading The Bible Together: The Virtue Of Patience As A Resource For Navigating Interpretive Disagreements In Congregations, Mason Lee

Discernment: Theology and the Practice of Ministry

Disagreements over the meaning of Scripture and how it should shape congregational action can be great sources of conflict in congregational life. Yet as contentious as these disagreements can be, appeals to method have been unable to resolve them. This article proposes that a fruitful way of navigating these arguments within our congregations is not by trying to establish a single way of reading Scripture or of determining what Scripture “means,” but by becoming people able to peacefully hold an irreducible diversity of interpretive options. This article focuses on one virtue in particular—the virtue of patience—and suggests that it is …

A Reader's Guide To Children's Ministry, Shannon Rains, Jennifer Schroeder, Ron Bruner

Discernment: Theology and the Practice of Ministry

Although the church has long practiced ministry with children, this field of ministerial practice is taking new and exciting shapes in the 21st century. Because of the expanding and substantial body of literature produced in this discipline over the last several decades, we have assembled an annotated bibliography intended to give scholars, practitioners, and church members an overview of the more significant printed work that addresses Christian perspectives on ministry with children.

Retelling The Classics: The Harlem Renaissance, Biblical Stories, And Black Peoplehood, Mina Magalhaes

Celebration of Learning

Applying social identity theory to the process of creating peoplehood can illustrate the positive power that literature has in uplifting marginalized communities by showing their worth. James Weldon Johnson’s “The Creation” and Zora Neale Hurston’s Moses, Man of the Mountain, both composed during the Harlem Renaissance, offer one way to create Black peoplehood by creating depictions of God’s love for His Black people through the repurposing of biblical stories. Through the implementation of social identity theory to Hurston’s Moses, Man of the Mountain and Johnson’s “The Creation,” I argue that these two authors addressed the need among African Americans to …

Is The Gospel Thriving In Postmodern Europe?, Sacha Walicord

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"My personal impression is that as Europeans are rejecting the Gospel of Jesus Christ, God is using the lowly—the refugees—to shame them by saving many of them."

Posting about ­­­­­­­­the health of the Christian church in Europe from In All Things - an online journal for critical reflection on faith, culture, art, and every ordinary-yet-graced square inch of God’s creation.

https://inallthings.org/is-the-gospel-thriving-in-postmodern-europe/

History Of Latter-Day Saint K-12 Education, Eric Tonini, Casey Griffiths

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The Republic of Kiribati is a nation consisting of thirty-three coral atolls. While twenty-one of the atolls are inhabited, a majority of the population lives on the main island known as South Tarawa. This major population on South Tarawa have moved from outer islands in the past few decades in search for economic and educational opportunities that are found on the main island. Primary education is free and expected for all kids, with schools located on most islands, while secondary and university education is limited to mostly South Tarawa.

Religion, Mental Health, And The Latter-Day Saints: A Review Of The Literature (1995-2017), Adrienne Rogers, Daniel K. Judd

Journal of Undergraduate Research

There are over 4,000 religions in the world today. One of the core functions of religion is to help individuals find meaning and purpose in life. Several researchers have found that this religious function impacts psychological well-being, often for the better. This relationship between religious belief, practice, affiliation, and mental health has been an ongoing conversation that has generated controversy and debate.

Our research focuses specifically on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and how this religion affects the mental health of its members. Several studies have shown positive outcomes regarding Latter-day Saint membership and mental health. Also, …

The Economics Behind The Construction Of The General Relief Society Building, Kiersten Robertson, Mary Jane Woodger

Journal of Undergraduate Research

A building designated specifically for the use of the women of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was first proposed in 1893, shortly after the dedication of the Salt Lake Temple. In response, the First Presidency offered a lot just east of the Salt Lake Temple for this purpose. Fundraising began in 1900 and continued for years to earn a required $20,000 amount. However, to the great disappointment of the Relief Society, the First Presidency decided that a Presiding Bishop’s building was to be built on the lot instead, with the Relief Society given offices in it.

Three Theorists On Religious Violence In An Islamic Context: Karen Armstrong, Mark Juergensmeyer, And William T. Cavanaugh, Ayse Camur

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Religion is often invoked as a driving force behind violence, disentangled from political, social, and economic reasons. In this thesis, we will be exploring the viewpoints of three prominent religious thinkers in investigating the principal causes behind what is called religious violence. The works of Karen Armstrong, Mark Juergensmeyer, and William T. Cavanaugh are considered as theoretical frameworks for understanding violence in an Islamic context. While Armstrong argues that the root cause of violence can be traced back to economic, political, and cultural reasons, Juergensmeyer contests that religion is the most important cause underlying all violence. In their analyses, both …

St. Francis Borgia Deaf Center Church Bulletin, June 23, 2019

Saint Francis Borgia Deaf Center Church Bulletin

A newsletter published for Deaf Catholics in Chicago, IL

Saint Francis Brogia Deaf Center Church Bulletin Finding Aid

Mobile Application For Thai & Foreign Tourists Visiting Thai Temple, Kewalin Angkananon, Piyabud Plodaksorn, Mike Wald

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This research gathered requirements from Thai and foreign tourists to successfully design Thai and English Android and IOS versions of a mobile application to provide an enhanced experience for tourists visiting the Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan (PMW) Temple in Thailand. The content and user interface were designed based on theories and related research and three experts evaluated the prototype to improve the final application versions which were evaluated at the temple by Thai and foreign tourists. Analysis of the results showed that both the Thai and foreign tourists found similar high satisfaction with the performance of the Android and IOS mobile …

Searching For The Green Man: Researching Pilgrimage In Israel/Palestine And Egypt, Mary Thurlkill

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This article examines contemporary pilgrimage in Israel / Palestine and Egypt, based upon field work conducted December 2017-February 2018 and personal narrative. My argument is twofold: first, I contend that Pilgrimage Studies allows scholars to move beyond reductive labels and consider the implicit ‘messiness’ of religious faith and ritual praxis. I introduce the Islamic al-Khidr and Moses story from Qur’an 18.60-82, as an interpretative model, suggesting that rigid categorization—especially concerning religious identity and sectarian division—promotes a false narrative of monolithic faith traditions that, upon closer examination, does not fully exist. Second, by referencing my ethnographic experiences, I consider pilgrimage as …

Missionaries On A Pilgrimage, Or Pilgrims On A Mission? Elements Of Pilgrimage In The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints Missionary Experience, Elisha Mcintyre, Daniel H. Olsen

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The purpose of this paper is to consider the ways in which proselytizing missions by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are pilgrimage-like. After outlining the historical and theological background behind the Church’s missionary efforts and discuss how this missionary work is organized both practically and social, the similarities between Church missions and religious pilgrimage are compared based on six themes: journeying and the sacred, liminality, communitas, hardships, status, and change and failure.

“The Evolution We Believe In … Is Not Darwin’S”: Evolution, Science, And Latter-Day Saint Education, 1875-1911, Ian Mclaughlin, Dr. Rachel Cope

Journal of Undergraduate Research

My project was designed to answer one question and ended up answering several others. The original question was: Why has so little been written on Latter-day Saint responses to evolution prior to 1909? Darwin’s Origin of Species was published way back in 1859, a full fifty years prior. Surely somebody had said something important during that time, but if so, the secondary literature passed over it in almost total silence. Although my project has undergone several shifts in emphasis since I began it, resulting in two distinct papers, both already presented, one slated for publication in the near future, this …

Technology Unleashed: A Review Of Transhumanism And The Image Of God, Sam Ashmore

Staff Work

"As Christians we must realize technology’s formation capability, reflect on it, and consider our relationship with technology."

Posting about the book Transhumanism and the Image of God from In All Things - an online journal for critical reflection on faith, culture, art, and every ordinary-yet-graced square inch of God’s creation.

https://inallthings.org/technology-unleashed-a-review-of-transhumanism-and-the-image-of-god/

White's Ferry Road School Of Preaching Collection, (1958-1972), White's Ferry Road School Of Preaching

Center for Restoration Studies Archives, Manuscripts and Personal Papers Finding Aids

No abstract provided.

Finding Aid For White's Ferry Road School Of Preaching Collection, (1958-1972), Abilene Christian University Special Collections And Archives

White's Ferry Road School of Preaching Collection

Finding aid for the White's Ferry Road School of Preaching Collection, (1958-1972).