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Articles 31 - 60 of 111

Full-Text Articles in Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion

A History Of The Concepts Of Zion And New Jerusalem In America From Early Colonialism To 1835 With A Comparison To The Teachings Of The Prophet Joseph Smith, Ryan S. Gardner Jan 2002

A History Of The Concepts Of Zion And New Jerusalem In America From Early Colonialism To 1835 With A Comparison To The Teachings Of The Prophet Joseph Smith, Ryan S. Gardner

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis discusses the role that the idea of Zion has played in the first three centuries of American religion. Millenarian themes, such as building New Jerusalem, were common religious themes in seventeenth- to nineteenth-century America. Understanding the doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints regarding this vital subject will be helpful for historians, scholars, and teachers.

When the Puritan colonists came to the New World in the early seventeenth century, they sought not only a land of religious liberty, but also a land of ultimate religious achievement: the establishment of Zion and/or New Jerusalem. Many of …

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Becoming Mormon Men: Male Rites Of Passage And The Rise Of Mormonism In Nineteenth-Century America, Bruce R. Lott Jan 2000

Becoming Mormon Men: Male Rites Of Passage And The Rise Of Mormonism In Nineteenth-Century America, Bruce R. Lott

Theses and Dissertations

The evidence presented in this thesis supports a view of the first Mormon men as coming from the agrarian majority of early nineteenth-century American farmers and artisans who embraced a set of manly ideals that differed significantly, in many ways, from those embraced by their middle-class contemporaries. These men's life writings attest to boyhood experiences of working alongside their fathers as soon as they were physically able, and subsequently of acting as substitute farmers and breadwinners as well as being put out to work outside the direct supervision of their fathers. Such experiences enabled them to frequently follow in the …

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Religiosity And Physical Fitness: A Study Of Middle-Aged Mormon Men, Janette Olsen Jan 1999

Religiosity And Physical Fitness: A Study Of Middle-Aged Mormon Men, Janette Olsen

Theses and Dissertations

Research has related both physical fitness and religiosity to health. This study combined these ideas and examined the relationship between religiosity and physical fitness among middle aged Mormon men (n=110). Mormons are an ideal population for study because of their strict health code. Fitness variables were grip strength, waist/hip ratio, body mass index (BMI) and estimated maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max). A questionnaire assessed level of religiosity and separated subjects into two groups: highly religious (n=35) and less religious (n=14). Moderately religious subjects (n=61) were omitted. A one way ANOVA (between-groups design) found no significant differences in fitness variables between groups. …

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The Impact Of Religiosity On Coping Among Lds Adolescents, Matthew P. Roper Jan 1999

The Impact Of Religiosity On Coping Among Lds Adolescents, Matthew P. Roper

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the impact of religiosity on coping in a group of Mormon (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) youth. Longitudinal data were gathered from detailed questionnaires administered to 2852 male and female adolescents in 1990 and 1993. Coping was conceptualized as four general dimensions (self-concept, public activities and service, deviance and future plans). Religiosity was also conceptualized multi-dimensionally (religious belief, public religiosity, private religious behavior, and religious experiences). Multiple regression analysis was used to investigate the unique effects of each of the dimensions of religiosity on each dimension of coping. It was hypothesized that religiosity was positively …

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Religious Couples' Reported Effects Of Prayer In Conflict Situations, Julie Ann Stout Jan 1999

Religious Couples' Reported Effects Of Prayer In Conflict Situations, Julie Ann Stout

Theses and Dissertations

For religious couples, the spiritual domain stands alongside the biological, psychological, and systemic domains as an influence upon interaction and mechanism for change. This study is a quantitative expansion of Butler, Gardner, and Bird's (1998) qualitative study, of the change dynamics of prayer. This study attempted to improve the generalizability of the Butler et al. (1998) study through its use of a larger, and religiously and geographically more diverse sample. This study investigated the effects of prayer during times of marital conflict through a quantitative methodology with a survey design. The researchers developed a survey based on the findings of …

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Utopian Marriage In Nineteenth-Century America: Public And Private Discourse, Brenda Olsen Andrus Jan 1998

Utopian Marriage In Nineteenth-Century America: Public And Private Discourse, Brenda Olsen Andrus

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a rhetorical analysis of utopian discourse about marriage in mid-nineteenth-century America. Although utopian communities are usually approached within the fields of history and sociology, a rhetorical analysis adds to the discussion by uncovering the discursive complexity of marriage beliefs within a rapidly changing culture. Discursive features of the Shaker, Oneida Community and Latter-day Saint texts are outlined and compared according to the following format:

Chapter One examines the textures of conflict within the dominant culture's views of marriage and gender roles in nineteenth-century America, with a brief overview of reform efforts of the day. This chapter provides …

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"Yet I Must Submit": Mormon Women's Perspectives On Death And Dying 1847-1900, Julie Paige Hemming Savage Jan 1995

"Yet I Must Submit": Mormon Women's Perspectives On Death And Dying 1847-1900, Julie Paige Hemming Savage

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores Mormon women's experiences with death as revealed in their personal writings from 1847-1900. The study includes an examination of women's involvement in caring for the sick and tending to the dead, as well as an exploration of women's personal reactions to death. A careful reading of Mormon women's writings from this period reveals that Mormonism equipped believers with powerful doctrines and rituals which helped women cope with the sorrow and profound grief that accompanied the deaths of those they loved. In addition, members living in Mormon communities rendered invaluable physical, emotional, and spiritual support to each other …

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Nephite Uses And Interpretations Of Zenos, Noel B. Reynolds Jul 1992

Nephite Uses And Interpretations Of Zenos, Noel B. Reynolds

Faculty Publications

The allegory of the olive tree attributed to the ancient prophet Zenos and copied from the plates of brass into the small plates by Jacob was a source used by several Book of Mormon prophets. Lehi, Nephi, Jacob, and Alma seemed to be relying on the allegory at several points in the elaboration of their own visions, prophecies, and teachings. This paper provides a systematic documentation of this phenomenon, including passages that have not previously been linked to Zenos. It also demonstrates how the interpretations of the allegory by the earliest Nephite prophets advanced distinctive concepts and language that also …

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The Gospel Of Jesus Christ As Taught By The Nephite Prophets, Noel B. Reynolds Jan 1991

The Gospel Of Jesus Christ As Taught By The Nephite Prophets, Noel B. Reynolds

Faculty Publications

Three definitional passages in the Book of Mormon define the gospel or doctrine of Christ precisely as the way or means by which an individual can come to Christ and be saved. Jesus Christ is quoted in all three passages teaching a six-part formula: All men and women who will (1) believe or trust in him, (2) repent of all their sins, and (3) witness to the Father that they have so repented and taken his name upon them, will (4) receive a remission of sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost, which will guide and sustain them as …

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The Pilgrimage Phenomenon: An Analysis Of The Motivations Of Visitors To Temple Square, Jill W. Knapp Jan 1989

The Pilgrimage Phenomenon: An Analysis Of The Motivations Of Visitors To Temple Square, Jill W. Knapp

Theses and Dissertations

Pilgrimage to sacred places of religious meaning has taken place since the early days of mankind. In the last few decades pilgrimage travel has experienced a world-wide boom due to modern means of transportation. Though pilgrimage is most commonly referred to in the context of the major world religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), there is some indication of pilgrimage-like travel among Mormons.

This thesis looks at Mormon pilgrimage behavior among Mormon visitors to Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. The study undertaken has revealed considerable differences between Mormon and non-Mormon motivations, behavior and visiting patterns visitors to …

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The Convert As A Social Type: A Critical Assessment Of The Snow-Machalek Conversion Typology As Applied To British Mormon Converts, Joy A. O'Banion Jan 1988

The Convert As A Social Type: A Critical Assessment Of The Snow-Machalek Conversion Typology As Applied To British Mormon Converts, Joy A. O'Banion

Theses and Dissertations

The study was designed to be a critical assessment of the Snow-Machalek Conversion Typology. Data were collected from Mormon converts in the British Isles, and an attempt was made to apply the typology to these converts. It was assumed that if the typology could be effectively applied to Mormon converts, strong correlations would be found between its dimensions and quantitative measures of conversion. It was also assumed that social integration of converts would play an important part in the conversion process.

The application of the typology proved to be very difficult; however, some dimensions seemed to be more useful than …

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John Nock Hinton: The Reconstructed Life Of An English Born Mormon Convert Of Virgin City, Utah, Lenora Atkin Meeks Jan 1987

John Nock Hinton: The Reconstructed Life Of An English Born Mormon Convert Of Virgin City, Utah, Lenora Atkin Meeks

Theses and Dissertations

John Nock Hinton, an Englishman, was converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England in 1856. The motivating factor in his life, thereafter, was his strong conviction that the Church was the literal kingdom of God on the earth, and its leaders were God's prophets, and its mission was to usher in the last dispensation on the earth, the Millennium, and the second coming of the Savior. His duty, as he saw it, was to labor unceasingly to help accomplish that mission, to work out his own salvation, and to teach his children the …

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A Burkean Logological Analysis Of Doctrine And Covenants Section 88, Joann Farias Jan 1986

A Burkean Logological Analysis Of Doctrine And Covenants Section 88, Joann Farias

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis applies Kenneth Burke's method of logology as exemplified in The Rhetoric of Religion to analyze the Mormon text Doctrine and Covenants Section 88. This method of logology is based on the assumption that what is said about God in theology reveals a religion's use of language to influence human motives. The logological method uses six analogies to discover the motives implicit in religious terminologies. These six analogies are as follows: words-Word, Matter-Spirit, the Negative, the Titular, Time-Eternity, and the Formal.

This study revealed that the terminology contained in Doctrine and Covenants uses motives far diferent from the motives …

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Lehi's Vision Of The Tree Of Life: An Anagogic Interpretation, Julie Adams Maddox Jan 1986

Lehi's Vision Of The Tree Of Life: An Anagogic Interpretation, Julie Adams Maddox

Theses and Dissertations

The significance of Lehi's life tree is that it gives life. Lehi's tree expresses the nonverbal, renews Lehi, effectually creates a culture, and keys the structure of a literary, viable, and contemporary scripture. My thesis chapters grow out of my reading of myth, tree mythology, and Lehi's dream. I see Lehi 1) traveling a polemic course toward the tree, 2) confronting the tree's death, and 3) by suffering, opening the symbol to his inner vision.
Lehi's first dream images, a dark and dreary wilderness vs. a man in white, suggest the birth of mythic creation. By traveling through and reconciling …

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A Thoughtful Faith: Essays On Belief By Mormon Scholars, Philip L. Barlow Jan 1986

A Thoughtful Faith: Essays On Belief By Mormon Scholars, Philip L. Barlow

Books

No abstract provided.

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Early Mormon Millenarianism: Another Look, Grant Underwood Jan 1985

Early Mormon Millenarianism: Another Look, Grant Underwood

Theses and Dissertations

Whether in its earliest or its most recent formulations, Mormon millennialism is essentially premillennial. At no time can it be considered postmillennial or a millennial. Along with a millenarian ideology, Latter-day Saints of the 1830s maintained a polarized perception of society and salvation. Apparently, it was not until the 1840s that Mormons began to explore the millennial implications of the "Vision" of the three degrees of glory. Other strands of thought unique to the earliest years of Mormonism are also considered. Furthermore, it is shown how millenarianism informed Mormon perceptions of Native Americans, missionary work, persecution, the Apostasy, and Zion. …

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Level Of Marital Adjustment And Spiritual Well-Being Among Latter-Day Saints, Robert W. Reynolds Jan 1984

Level Of Marital Adjustment And Spiritual Well-Being Among Latter-Day Saints, Robert W. Reynolds

Theses and Dissertations

This research will focus specifically on SWB [spiritual well being] among members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). By virtue of his membership in this denomination, the researcher is more familiar with the theology, religious life and traditions of the LDS than those of any other denomination. Latter-day Saint theology has been well defined, and because of a fundamental belief in the prophetic ability of a single leader of the church, the doctrine and practices of the Latter-day Saints are consistent throughout the United States and the world.

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Reason And Revelation, Noel B. Reynolds Jun 1981

Reason And Revelation, Noel B. Reynolds

Faculty Publications

This paper outlines and recommends a distinctively LDS approach to the ancient questions about reason and revelation in religious communities. It treats the variety of spiritual experience and distinguishes them from sentimentality and other pseudo spiritual experiences. It also explains how reason and revelation are important helps for one another and how better education can help individuals use reason and science to strengthen the role of revelation in their lives.

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Clinton Larson's "The Witness": The Quest For A Mormon Mythic Consciousness, Dennis R. Perry Jan 1981

Clinton Larson's "The Witness": The Quest For A Mormon Mythic Consciousness, Dennis R. Perry

Theses and Dissertations

"The Witness" can be viewed as Clinton F. Larson's poetic manifesto that points the direction for much of his subsequent work. Although his poetic "mormonism" has been questioned by several of his critics, this thesis shows that Larson definitely expresses his Mormon faith in "The Witness" as a metaphorical quest for mythic consciousness. While searching in the poem for sacred space and time, Larson seeks to become closer to the divine and powerful center of being, creating at once a metaphor for his quest to understand and assimilate Christ's atonement and a poetic voice from which he can speak for …

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The World And Joseph Smith, Lane D. Ward Jan 1980

The World And Joseph Smith, Lane D. Ward

Theses and Dissertations

It is felt by some historians that Joseph Smith was a product of his environment; that his teachings were the amplifications of religious doctrines surrounding his life experience in early America.
Some writings which have been published show similarities between Joseph's "Mormonism" and contemporary religions.
It should be rememebered, however, that if Joseph Smith's call, as restorer, were all that he professed it to be (and he was not alone in that profession), there would, indeed, exist paralleling truths surrounding his "restored" gospel. For, as Joseph tells us, the gospel was preached from the beginning. If that is true, we …

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History And Functions Of The Aaronic Priesthood And The Offices Of Priest, Teacher, And Deacon In The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints, 1829 To 1844, Robert L. Marrott Jan 1976

History And Functions Of The Aaronic Priesthood And The Offices Of Priest, Teacher, And Deacon In The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints, 1829 To 1844, Robert L. Marrott

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis traces the history of the restoration and development of the Aaronic Priesthood and its offices of priest, teacher, and deacon, from 1829 to the middle 1840s in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The major areas of emphasis include the organizational structure of the Aaronic Priesthood, the responsibilities assigned to priests, teachers, and deacons, and the relationship of the functions of the Aaronic Priesthood which are first given in Section 13 of the Doctrine and Covenants, namely the ministering of angels, the preparatory gospel, and the offering of the sons of Levi. Also included is the …

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A History Of The Growth And Development Of The Primary Association Of The Lds Church From 1878 To 1928, Conrad A. Harward Jan 1976

A History Of The Growth And Development Of The Primary Association Of The Lds Church From 1878 To 1928, Conrad A. Harward

Theses and Dissertations

The Primary Association of the LDS Church is an organization assigned to direct week-day religious training of children four to twelve years of age. The object of this study was to determine what factors led to the birth of the movement, how the early program developed, what its main features were, what some of the major problems were and how they were solved, who some of the prominent people were in the movement, and what were some of its major accomplishments.

Results of the study have shown that the Primary became a great influence in the lives of many young …

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Home Teaching: Attempts By The Latter-Day Saints To Establish An Effective Program During The Nineteenth Century, Gary L. Phelps Jan 1975

Home Teaching: Attempts By The Latter-Day Saints To Establish An Effective Program During The Nineteenth Century, Gary L. Phelps

Theses and Dissertations

Even though home teaching is not unique with the Mormons, its present methods and utilization are unlike the teaching practices used by other churches. The purpose of this thesis is to study Mormon attempts to establish effective home teaching practices within their Church during the nineteenth century.

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Conceptual Patterns Of Repetition In The Doctrine And Covenants And Their Implications, Richard Cottam Shipp Jan 1975

Conceptual Patterns Of Repetition In The Doctrine And Covenants And Their Implications, Richard Cottam Shipp

Theses and Dissertations

In laying a general foundation for this study, a brief survey of language, its origin and use by man, and its basic levels of structuring, will be presented. Patterns generated through language structuring and the inherent value of structure in language to convey meaning or esthetic qualities will also be considered. Finally, basic implications of patterns incorporated into language will be presented.

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An Analysis Of The Doctrinal Teachings Of President George Albert Smith, Robert K. Mcintosh Jan 1975

An Analysis Of The Doctrinal Teachings Of President George Albert Smith, Robert K. Mcintosh

Theses and Dissertations

George Albert Smith, Eighth President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was a General Authority during some of the most traumatic years in world history. His teachings and doctrines were practical, rather than philosophical or theoretical, and were applicable to a time when the world needed a message of hope and love. The two key ideas of his teachings were based on the two great commandments of Christ: love of God and love of neighbor. In addition, he also gave vital messages on the importance of obedience to God's laws, the character and attributes of God, the …

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Joseph Smith The Colonizer, Brent L. Winward Jan 1975

Joseph Smith The Colonizer, Brent L. Winward

Theses and Dissertations

In written history, Joseph Smith's colonizing efforts have been overshadowed by the Mormon settlement of the west. No one has really made a study of Joseph Smith as a colonizer. To this founder of the Mormon way of life, religion was more than a code of Sunday ethics. According to President Smith, man was created as an actual child of God and his Heavenly Father was concerned with providing for all his needs. Therefore, the revealed word of God in addition to listing a spiritual code of ethics, also contained provisions for the physical, social, political, economical, educational, safety needs, …

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The Relevance And Effectiveness Of Four Book Of Mormon Prophets And Their Teachings, David Earl Perry Jan 1974

The Relevance And Effectiveness Of Four Book Of Mormon Prophets And Their Teachings, David Earl Perry

Theses and Dissertations

This study sought answers to two major questions regarding the Book of Mormon prophets: first, did a prophet's unique personality cause him to be significantly qualified and effective in coping with the problems of his ministry; and second, were a prophet's teachings directly relevant to his problems, assisting him to be effective in fulfilling his assignments. Six minor hypotheses were used to gather data regarding the four representative prophets chosen: Lehi, Nephi, Alma the Younger, and Mormon. The teachings studied were limited to those which reached the ears of a prophet's contemporaries, and were further limited to those which were …

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Transcendental Meditation And Mormonism, Gregory C. Cherry Jan 1974

Transcendental Meditation And Mormonism, Gregory C. Cherry

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis cites many of the parallels and differences between Mormonism and Transcendental Meditation (TM) philosophy as it is expounded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Areas explored include the following: (1) the technique of Transcendental Meditation as compared with notions of meditation within the Mormon tradition; (2) the issue of whether Transcendental Meditation is a religion; (3) reports of physical transformation as a result of TM and Mormonism; (4) a comparison of L.D.S. Church leaders' and Maharishi's views of America, the laws of the land, social order, modesty, drugs, and strict morality; (5) the ideas of inner and outer morality; (6) …

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The Divine Nature Of God: A Study Of What Has Been Said And Taught About The Divine Nature Of God By Ancient And Modern Apostles And Prophets, Lester Young Moody Jan 1973

The Divine Nature Of God: A Study Of What Has Been Said And Taught About The Divine Nature Of God By Ancient And Modern Apostles And Prophets, Lester Young Moody

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis prominent teachings of the apostles and prophets were examined on the subject of the divine nature of God. These teachings indicate that among the elements of the divine nature of God is his Holy Spirit, his glory or the light which emanates from his person. God's glory, spirit and light were compared and analyzed to determine their relationship to each other. It was found that they perform the same roles and functions and are often used synonymously. Other aspects of the divine nature were examined, such as life, love, truth and goodness.

The terms omnipotence, omniscience and …

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The Correlation Program Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints During The Twentieth Century, Jerry Rose Jan 1973

The Correlation Program Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints During The Twentieth Century, Jerry Rose

Theses and Dissertations

Within recent years the priesthood correlation program of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has received significant emphasis from the leaders of the Church, so much so that it has been regarded by some as a new forceful program for the perfecting of the Saints. However, research reveals that the principles of priesthood correlation have always been a part of the restored Church.
The purpose of this thesis is to write a history of the correlation program of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with particular emphasis on the period 1908 to February 1972.

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