Religion Commons^™

Protestants And The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church: In Search Of Inclusive Solutions, Mykhailo Cherenkov

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Post-Soviet Protestants, having gotten used to living in coexistence with an atheistic society over the course of 70 years, have discovered something new in the years since Ukraine gained independence—Orthodox tradition. It did not happen at once, but the first attempts have been made at reclassifying the relationship between Protestants and Orthodox as other, not foreign. However, the Orthodox other is not the only other. In dialogue with the official Orthodox Church, it is easy to lose sight of the diversity within Orthodoxy (Orthodox churches are “other” to each other), and also the coexistence in the same cultural arena of …

Book Review: God, Hierarchy, And Power: Orthodox Theologies Of Authority From Byzantium., James R. Payton

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Ashley M. Purpura, God, Hierarchy, and Power: Orthodox Theologies of Authority from Byzantium. New York: Fordham University Press, 2018. 226 pages. $65.00 (hardcover). ISBN: 978-0-8232-7837-4.

This book is a reworking of the author’s 2014 doctoral dissertation on the history of Christianity at Fordham University. It deals with intriguing questions about hierarchy as a theological ideal in Orthodoxy and the ways that ideal was understood and interpreted by leading figures during the Byzantine era, as they dealt with problems and failures in the way hierarchy actually functioned. The author draws attention to problems she perceives in the way hierarchy has been …

An Investigation Of Assessment, Equal Opportunity, And Educational Equity In Conservative Evangelical Schools, Joseph Scifo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose for this ex post facto, causal comparative study was to use a three-tiered investigation; each tier was related to the investigation of equity and student achievement. Based on the literature, there is little to no research about the relationship between equity in conservative Evangelical Christian schools and student achievement. The data used in this study was drawn from conservative Evangelical schools. The research focus was on schools which are members of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) in the Mid-America/Ohio River Valley Region. The participant schools were divided into different tiers and categories, in accordance with the …

The Decline Of Church Attendance In Black America: A Biblical Mandate For Black Males To Godly Leadership., Elder E.Q. Truss

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The church was established as a place where sinners could come and find refuge for their souls. Getting people to feel secure in their relationship with Christ, many churchgoers have decided to stay away from church. Studies show for the past several decades’ church attendance declined in many Baptist churches across America by 61 percent. The roles of black males lack the leadership ability to lead in the home, as a husband, and in the family. Research has uncovered several issues which have shown because of this decline. Black Baptist churches in Florida are suffering from male leadership. Leadership must …

Increasing The Involvement Of African American Men At Contending For The Faith Church In Wilson, North Carolina, Dameion Royal

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Contending for the Faith Church Ministries was founded in 2004. It is a predominantly African American congregation located in the eastern North Carolina city of Wilson. Since the church’s founding, the gender gap in involvement has been obvious. It is quite clear that men’s involvement is significantly lower than the than that of women within this congregation. This project will suggest a model to increase involvement of African American men at Contending for the Faith Church. Taking into consideration the challenges faced by African American men in America as well as specifically in the community surrounding the church, this study …

Relational Reading For Biblical Discourses: A New Strategy For Preparing Biblical Preaching, Sung-Shin Park

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this thesis project is to propose a new strategy for preparing Biblical Preaching by demonstrating the value of using Relational Reading (RR). Since preaching is communication between God and His people, preachers must properly handle God’s message, His Word, written for His people. RR is a powerful interpretive tool that can help maintain the integrity of Scripture and assist pastors in their biblical preaching ministry. Theoretical and biblical research was conducted in relevant literature and articles on hermeneutics, homiletics and linguistics. Based on surveys sent to current pastors, the present situation of biblical interpreting and preaching was …

Ministry And Nonprofit Finance: A Guide To Promote Awareness, Stewardship, And Compliance, Larry Brown

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Scripture addresses few topics more frequently than that of finances (e.g., Prov 3:9, Matt 6:21, Ecc 5:10). Given this, and the legal aspects of ministry and nonprofit finances, it is imperative that such organizations ensure awareness of, and compliance with, financial requirements and best practices; this encompasses not only leaders, but also board members and staff/congregation of the organization. All these aspects are fused together under the term “stewardship”–properly and conscientiously managing the assets of another (or of others). This thesis reviews current literature, scriptural guidance, and established best practices to outline optimal practices for ministries/nonprofits. Additionally, this thesis uses …

Frontmatter (Volume 38, Issue 2), Paul B. Mojzes

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.

Waiting On The White Smoke: The Russian Evangelical Alliance's 15th Annual Convention In Moscow, William Yoder

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Moscow — It took a while for the white smoke to climb up the chimney. That’s the Roman Catholic metaphor the 66-year-old Alexander Fedichkin, the Russian Evangelical Alliance’s president, used to describe the protracted internal negotiations leading up to his appointment for an additional three-year term. Consequently, the REA’s fifteenth annual conference, held on February 22, 2018, in Moscow’s Lutheran Peter-and-Paul-Cathedral, began late.

Fedichkin, a long-time Baptist Union pastor in Moscow, has served as president since 2013. General-Secretary Sergey Vdovin, a pastor within the “Association of Churches of Evangelical Christians” in Moscow, has held this position since 2011. The initial …

Front Matter

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

No abstract provided.

The Book Of Mormon In American Missions At The Turn Of The Twentieth Century, John C. Thomas

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

Historians describe the opening decades of the twentieth century as a challenging time of transition for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Manifesto on plural marriage in 1890 and the successful bid for Utah’s statehood in 1896 pointed toward rapprochement with American culture. But in an era of potential assimilation, tensions lingered as Mormons labored to “translate the things America demanded of them into the language and imperatives of their own faith.” Thomas G. Alexander observed that ongoing controversy in the era prompted Church leaders to search for “a new paradigm that would save essential characteristics of …

Principles And Practices For Motivating Youth For Scripture Literacy, Eric D. Rackley, John Hilton Iii

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

Brother Howard enjoys teaching his students, and his students look forward to coming to class because they know they will learn important gospel truths. But there is a problem: students are not reading their scriptures as often or as carefully as they should. After careful consideration, Brother Howard decides to encourage students to complete their daily scripture reading by assigning course grades based, in part, on how often they read, and giving students daily quizzes that ask them to recall information from their reading. Brother Howard also plans a series of rewards if students complete their reading for a set …

End Matter

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

No abstract provided.

Influences Of Tenure Among Church Of God Of Prophecy Pastors, Florida District, Romeika Ferguson-Adderley

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The factors that influence pastoral tenure are varied and complex, especially as men and women serve congregations with growing diversities and needs. However, in the past 30 years, the research on pastoral tenure typically examined congregations that were Protestant in organizational belief and structure. Little research on pastoral tenure among Pentecostal churches could be found in the current body of literature. The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental study was to investigate the factors that influence pastoral tenure within three regional/subcultural areas of the state of Florida for the Pentecostal denomination of the Church of God of Prophecy (COGOP). All lead …

The Perceived Centrality Of Spirituality In Athletic Competition, Joel Perttula

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Spirituality, while not visible, is a central component in athletic competition. This study examined the perceived centrality of spirituality in athletic competition among Christian athletes. To do so, a theological understanding of the image of God was developed and considered participant gender, ethnicity, student’s level of standing, preferred sport, and cultural environment associated with the preferred sport for the purpose of identifying the most robust, statistically significant correlate and predictor of the perceived centrality of spirituality in athletic competition. The quantitative study utilized survey research methodology. A total of 65 student-athletes were approached and the first 53 athletes who provided …

Cross-Cultural Management In Healthcare: A Case Study Of Malamulo Hospital, A Seventh-Day Adventist Mission Hospital In Malawi, Africa, Elisa J. Blethen

Human Subject Research Archive

This paper examines the complexity of cross-cultural management in a Seventh-day Adventist mission hospital in Malawi and the effect of national and organizational culture on employee accountability, with the goal of expanding cross-cultural management capacity among the leaders of Malamulo Hospital and Adventist Health International. Case study method was used with focus groups, semi-structured interviews, document review, and observation. This research suggested certain workshops be implemented to other mission hospitals within Adventist Health International to expand their cross-cultural management capacity.

The Semi-Anti-Apocalypse Of Black Panther, Ken Derry

Journal of Religion & Film

This is one of a series of films reviews of Black Panther (2018), directed by Ryan Coogler.

Black Panther As Spirit Trip, Laurel Zwissler

Journal of Religion & Film

This is one of a series of film reviews of Black Panther (2018), directed by Ryan Coogler. This review analyzes engagement with the movie as a religious experience and considers some political implications of both its storyline and reception. In particular, the piece focuses on constructions of race, especially in relationship to Africa and African Americans, as well as practical tensions around commodifying dissent.

Ancestors Change Constantly: Subversive Religious Colonial Deconstruction In The Religion Of Black Panther, Jon Ivan Gill

Journal of Religion & Film

This is one of a series of film reviews of Black Panther (2018), directed by Ryan Coogler.

Editorial In(Ter)Ventions: Comparing The Editorial Processes Of The Hebrew Bible And The Star Wars Saga, Timo Tekoniemi

Journal of Religion & Film

Canonicity and authority of one textual form over another, textual plurality, and scribal freedom in the early transmission of the Hebrew Bible have in the recent decades become prominent topics in the methodological discussions of biblical scholars. Since the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, it has become clear that, when attempting to discern the oldest text of the Hebrew Bible, we are in need of new and better models of textual transmission that take into account all extant textual evidence. Working solely on the basis of the so-called Masoretic Text is no more methodologically tenable, especially when it comes …

Classroom Cannibal: A Guide On How To Teach Ojibwe Spirituality Using The Windigo And Film, Brady Desanti

Journal of Religion & Film

This paper is intended as a pedagogical guide on how to teach elements of Ojibwe religious and philosophical beliefs using the windigo and its depictions in the films Wendigo and Ravenous. The windigo complex is exceedingly complex and remains an enduring component to the cultures of Ojibwe and several other Algonquian-speaking communities in the United States and Canada. While the windigo enjoys exposure in a variety of popular entertainment sources, film remains one of the most useful methods to incorporate in the classroom to help students comprehend how an anthropophagus “monster” directly relates to Ojibwe ideas of personal balance, …

The Problem With David: Masculinity And Morality In Biblical Cinema, Kevin M. Mcgeough

Journal of Religion & Film

The King David of the Bible, and especially as portrayed in the books of Samuel, is one of the most complex characters in ancient literature. We are told his story from his youth as a shepherd until his death as king of Israel. He kills a mighty warrior with a slingshot, goes to war with his king and later his son, and has an affair that threatens to throw his kingdom into disarray. The stories surrounding David seem perfect for cinematic adaptation yet what makes this character so compelling has been problematic for filmmakers. Here, three types of Biblical filmmaking …

Is Liberalism The Problem? Review Of Patrick Deneen, Why Liberalism Failed, Ross W. Mccullough

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

A specter is haunting conservatism — the specter, indeed, of Marx. Those conservatives too young to remember the Cold War are increasingly suspicious of the economic and political prescriptions of the older anticommunism: capitalism as opposed to socialism; individual rights as opposed to collectivism. If they are not sure of Marx’s solutions, they at least share with him a sense of the problems, especially the meaninglessness and atomization of our social order. The alternative right is an alternative to precisely this fading consensus, wagering that race and nation have survived the ravages of liberal capitalism and can be a home …

Suffering, Double Negatives, And The Friday We Call "Good", Howard Schaap

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"The story of Jesus’ suffering is powerful, and the theological wonder of it is infinitely profound."

Posting about Christ's humanity on the cross­­­­­­­­ 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/suffering-double-negatives-and-the-friday-we-call-good/

Perceptions Of Religious Music In A Southern U.S. Public Middle School: A Case Study, Emily Marie Mercado

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Intercultural experiences can result in increased knowledge of and positive attitudes towards unfamiliar cultural groups (Neto, Pinto, & Mullet, 2016; Vuoskoski, Clarke, & DeNora, 2017). Deardorff’s (2006) intercultural competence process framework provides a method for exploring and categorizing elements of intercultural competence including attitudes, knowledge/skills, internal outcomes, and external outcomes.

This narrative instrumental case study examined the perceptions of one middle school choir teacher, choir students, the student teacher, the parents, and the vice principal when implementing a researcher-designed unit titled: Religious Choral Music from the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim Worlds. The choir teacher offered a unique perspective as an …

Interview With Carlton Pearson, John C. Lyden

Journal of Religion & Film

Editor John Lyden had the opportunity for a conversation with Rev. Carlton Pearson, the subject of the Netflix film Come Sunday which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival 2018. They discussed Pearson's theology of inclusion and what led him to it.

Empathy That Is Simply Divine, James C. Schaap

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"When we stumble through the desert places of our lives, when we’d give anything for a drink, He understands."

Posting about ­­­­­­­­Christ's love for us 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/empathy-that-is-simply-divine/

Mapping Mindfulness In Digital Culture With Contemplative Leadership, Erin Sheehan

Lesley University Community of Scholars Day

MAP Mindfulness is a project and organization founded by Sherri Henderson and Erin Sheehan, two recent Lesley University alumni from the Master of Arts in Mindfulness Studies program. They created MAP to serve two main purposes that they will share in this presentation. Their first aim is to curate a dynamic online community for mindfulness professionals to engage in dialogue and collaborative efforts in the emerging field of mindfulness. This group would bring an emphasis on research, ethical standards, and authentic practice.

Their second purpose is to continue their own work in what they call, “Digital Mindfulness.” Their …

Rain Rituals As A Barometer Of Vulnerability In An Uncertain Climate, L. Jen Shaffer

Journal of Ecological Anthropology

Researchers and aid agencies, seeking to improve their understanding of local climate change responses, adaptation, and vulnerability, frequently interact with communities around the world who strongly emphasize their religious beliefs and practices. Dismissal and misunderstandings of these local perspectives can slow assessments of local climate vulnerability and development of adaptive capacity. In this paper, I show how analysis of rain ritual failure exposes the multiple stressors Ronga communities in southern Mozambique face, and as such, serves as a proxy measure for climate vulnerability at the local level. Oral histories and targeted interviews with participating elders, local chiefs, and community members …

Sa Lenten Devotions 2018 "The Beloved Of God" Week 7, Bekah Karolus, Andrew Coop, Joshua Joshua Otterman, Anthony Diliberto

Other Student Publications

During the seventh week, let us focus our eyes on that cross, and as we see the Beloved hanging there in our place satisfying justice, let us take comfort in knowing that in this action He makes us His beloved children, gives us a new identity, and provides us with rest. And certain of the Resurrection to come, may we go forward in confidence and trust to carry this message of “foolishness” to the world in compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, just as our Lord came to use.