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Res Historica, Volume 4, Lynneth Miller Renberg Phd, Alpha Rho Epsilon Phi Alpha Theta

Res Historica

The 2025 journal of historical research by Anderson University students, Res Historica.

The editorial team for this edition of Res Historica was Dr. Lynneth Miller Renberg, Samuel Sanders, and Julia Ackerman. The cover art for this volume is an open access image.

Otmar On Trial: Walahfrid Strabo’S Defensio Otmari, Albrecht Diem

History - All Scholarship

Diem, Albrecht.Otmar on Trial. Walahfrid Strabo’s Defensio Otmari." In Otmars Welten. St. Gallen und das europäische Mönchtum vom 7. bis zum 9. Jahrhundert, edited by Sebastian Scholz, Sabrina Vogt, and Gordon Blennemann, 145-173. Cologne: Böhlau, 2025. https://doi.org/10.7788/9783412532284.145. This chapter reevaluates Walahfrid Strabo’s Vita of Otmar (d. 759), the founder of the Monastery of St. Gallen, focusing on its description of the trial that led to Otmar’s deposition and imprisonment. It argues that Walahfrid’s aim was not primarily to produce a text that established the cult of a foundation saint but rather a “Defensio Otmari” that engaged with the accusations of …

Stari Most, Lajla Hadžimujić

Honors Projects

This project aims to highlight Bosnian culture and history, specifically to examine the historical and cultural significance of the Stari Most in Bosnia during the Bosnian War and its aftereffects. To discuss the “othering” that Bosnian Muslims faced during the war and how that correlated with the destruction of the Stari Most. This project includes an acrylic painting of the Stari Most as both a symbol of cultural resilience and architectural grace.

The Cycle Of Control: How Men Convince Women To Doubt Their Minds And Bodies, Zoe C. Bowman

Augustana Center for the Study of Ethics Essay Contest

In ultra-conservative religious communities, men in positions of power will often use tactics that cause women to doubt their thoughts, emotions, and bodies. Women are gaslighted into believing they are failing in some way when they feel anxious or depressed, as though they have not trusted God enough. While these practices are archaic and are seen less often in modern churches, there are still instances which give cause for concern. In order for women to be more confident in their understanding of the signals their bodies and minds give them, they must be aware of the help that is offered …

Book Review: Christianity In North America (Edinburgh Companions To Global Christianity) Edited By Kenneth R. Ross, Grace Ji-Sun Kim, And Todd M. Johnson, John Cheong

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Comic Book Superheroes Are No Modern Mythology, But They Are In A Vital Way Ancient Greek, Jeremy Barris

Humanities Faculty Research

Comic book superheroes have been widely discussed as modern mythology: in other words, as a modem version of what religious mythology was for cultures in which it was alive. I shall argue, first, that comic book superhero stories are not remotely an analogue to religious myths. As it happens, however, cultures for which religious mythology is alive do offer us other conceptual resources that we lack for fully understanding our own comic book superheroes. These resources belong to a different part of the general conceptual package which goes with cultural engineering of a living mythology. On the positive side, then, …

Crusading Against Vice In The Progressive Era: American Anti-Profanity Leagues And Their Legacy, Evan J. Christensen

Roland D. Sawyer Scholarship Papers

During the Progressive Era in the United States, the rise of Anti-Profanity Leagues—such as those led by Roland D. Sawyer and Arthur S. Colborne—mirrored a growing national moral sentiment against profanity that aligned with broader ideals of social reform and public virtue. These leagues responded to widespread concerns about the perceived erosion of public decency and sought to promote “clean speech” through grassroots organizing, religious engagement, and civic advocacy. This paper situates the Anti-Profanity Leagues within the larger framework of Progressive Era moral reform movements, including temperance, anti-vice campaigns, and social purity efforts. Drawing on period newspapers, archival materials, and …

The Semantics Of Sin: Profanity, Reform, And Cultural Authority In Progressive America, Evan J. Christensen

Roland D. Sawyer Scholarship Papers

During the Progressive Era, language reform movements such as the Anti-Profanity League sought to regulate everyday speech as part of broader efforts to preserve public morality and cultural identity. This paper examines the rhetorical strategies and cultural assumptions underpinning the anti-profanity crusade, focusing especially on Reverend Roland D. Sawyer’s leadership. Using historical sources including league literature, newspaper accounts, personal letters, organizational records, and sermons, it argues that profanity was framed not merely as a religious or moral failure but as a threat to social cohesion, character, and national values. Efforts to suppress swearing reveal how language functioned as a marker …

Crusading Against Vice: American Anti-Profanity Leagues And Their Legacy, Evan J. Christensen

Roland D. Sawyer Scholarship Papers

This presentation examines the rise of American Anti-Profanity Leagues during the Progressive Era, with particular focus on the efforts of Roland Sawyer and Arthur Colborne. These leagues sought to eliminate profanity from public and private life, using printed materials, pledge campaigns, public speeches, and media outreach to promote “clean speech” as a moral imperative. Drawing on archival research, including the Roland D. Sawyer Papers housed at the UNH Library, as well as digital newspaper databases, this project investigates how profanity was framed as a threat to civic virtue, and how anti-profanity activism mirrored the goals and methods of other Progressive-Era …

Book Review: Church Revitalization: A Pastoral Guide To Church Renewal By Russell N. Small, Brian Grow

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Confident Witness: Evangelism And Apologetics For The 21st Century Edited By David Dockery, Daniel Nehrbass

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Stronger Together: Seven Partnership Virtues And The Vices That Subvert Them By Dave Harvey, Rex Ng

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Book Review: De-Sizing The Church: How Church Growth Became A Science, Then An Obsession, And What’S Next By Karl Vaters, H. L. Scooter Jr.

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

2025 Vol 17(1) Complete Issue.Pdf, David R. Dunaetz

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Being Muslim In European Football: Defining Spaces Of Muslimness, Leif Stenberg, Ridha Sheikh, Esen Kaya

Abdou Filali-Ansary Occasional Paper Series

This paper explores the intersection of football and Islam, looking especially at European contexts, and with particular focus on the experiences of Muslim footballers in the UK. By examining the stories of UK Premier League player Cheikhou Kouyaté and amateur footballer Yasmin Abdullahi in London, the paper investigates how these individuals navigate their Muslim identities in the context of their sporting careers. The paper reflects on the broader cultural and societal implications of Muslimness in football, considering how both Muslims and non-Muslims contribute to defining Islamic spaces within the sport. The research also touches on the evolving perceptions of Islam …

Belial: Sexual Violence And Its Legal Remediation In The Deuteronomistic History, Samantha Jo Scott

Dissertations (1934 -)

At first glance, the pericopes of Judges 19–20, 1 Samuel 2:12–36, and 1 Samuel 30 have little in common with one another. Yet, several peculiar threads are interwoven in each pericope that signal a common bond between these narratives. In each account, the characterization of the antagonists and their deeds are the same. In Judg 19–20, בני־בליעל, lit. “sons of belial,” are responsible for the rape of the Levite’s concubine. In 1 Sam 2:12–36, Eli’s sons are called בני־בליעל, lit. “sons of belial,” and accused of exploiting the so-called gathering women. In 1 Sam 30, a portion of David’s men …

Rise Kids: A Disabilities Ministry At Markle Church Of Christ, Sydnee Follett

Christian Ministries Senior Capstone

Churches are called to be a place of belonging and welcoming to all people who walk through their doors. However, it is common that individuals and families impacted by disability are left feeling marginalized and unwelcome in the church. This paper presents a philosophy for RISE Kids, a ministry at Markle Church of Christ in Markle, Indiana that exists to provide advocacy and support for these families to promote a true sense of belonging. The goal of this paper is to provide local churches with a ministry framework to intentionally minister to individuals and families with disabilities. This paper describes …

One More Neighbor: Utilizing Legal Services For Holistic Immigrant Care, Mitch Mcgeath

Christian Ministries Senior Capstone

This paper rests upon the assumption that local churches in the United States have a critical role to play in obeying the command of Jesus to care for immigrants. I argue for a ministry that combines the mission of Jesus with the compassion of Jesus by bringing together immigration legal services with opportunities to disciple our “neighbors,” immigrants who live in close proximity to our church site. One More Neighbor is a ministry within One More, the missions non-profit of Church at the Crossing on the northwest side of Indianapolis, Indiana. The ministry of One More Neighbor is explored systematically …

Word & Witness: A Philosophy Of Ministry In Training Women To Engage God's Word And Witness To His Faithfulness, Elliana Carter

Christian Ministries Senior Capstone

Many women in the church today are seeking depth in their relationship with God. Word & Witness women’s ministry seeks to walk-alongside and spiritually guide women towards greater love for God and Scripture, bringing about deeper intimacy. This ministry will be described as a branch off of the women’s ministry at Granger Community Church, in Granger, Indiana. Word & Witness desires for women to be equipped and encouraged to engage God’s Word and witness to God’s faithfulness in their lives. As women participate in this ministry, they will learn how to be in communion with God, community with others, live …

Cultural And Religious Perspectives On Suicide And Healing, Arielle Friedman

be Still

This essay is built off of a paper I wrote in a college global health course on culture and mental illness. I have always been fascinated by cultural interpretations of illness & believe that as a future physician, it is my responsibility to educate myself and others on the complex interplay between religious ideologies & recognition/management of biological disease in order to provide appropriate patient-centered care.

Health And Mission: Cross-Cultural Perspectives, Katia G. Reinert

Post Doctoral Fellowship

No abstract

The Robust Autonomy Of Hezbollah: Countering The Narrative Of Hezbollah As An Iranian Proxy, Mats Mcgrath , '25

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

No abstract provided.

Biblical Theology For God's People : Perspectives In Theological Interpretation, Benjamin J. Aich

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

An Investigation Of Selected Imprecations In The Old Testament In Light Of Recent Psychological Biblical Criticism, Uma John

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Understanding The Motivation And Avoidance Factors Influencing Young Adults’ Participation In Religious Dialogue, Maria Rojas

Senior Honors Theses

The following study aims to present an overview evaluation of the motivation or avoidance factors that young adults are influenced by when considering participation in religious dialogue.

Getting Back To God’S Design For Womanhood: Examining Purpose, Identity, Relationships, Mission And Ministry For The Twenty-First Century Woman, Cynthia Degrie

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Division, debates, and disputes abound surrounding the practical ministry issues regarding the theology of woman and womanhood, leaving an unresolved stalemate, disengagement, and a mass departure from the church. As a result, the church and culture are left at a point of crisis, devoid of relevant biblical answers to their questions. The church is at a very important crossroad. Continuing on this current path is no longer an option. The time has come to develop an accurate, Scripture-driven theology of womanhood and a Scripture-guided practical ministry response to the issues the twenty-first century woman faces. The first steps entail examining …

Volume 10 Issue 8 (April 1912)

The Soul Winner

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Equipping For Global Mission: Theological And Missiological Proposals And Case Studies Edited By Linda P Saunders, Gregory Mathias, And Edward L. Smithe, Mark D. Wood

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

“I’Ll Be There For You”: F·R·I·E·N·D·S And Spirituality May Impact Intent To Stay, Danell Stengem, Alison Smock, Ashley Doherty, Dana Kopp, Karen Colorafi, Teresa Rangel

Social Work

No abstract provided.

Rising From The Ashes : How African American Women From North Tulsa Overcame The Oppressions Of Race, Gender, And Class And Achieved Success, Cynthia A. Talley

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.