Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons^™

Overview And Acknowledgments, Mathew Schmalz

Journal of Global Catholicism

An overview and introduction to the present issue on Inter-Spiritual Dialogue.

The Proper Role Of Religion In Hegel's Philosophy Of Statecraft, Hunter Coates

The Corinthian

In section three of Elements of the Philosophy of Right, Hegel lays out a theory of statecraft that comprises what he deems to be the ethical state. The ethical state is the political state that has secured the rights of its citizens through the union of state power, civil society, and absolute spirit. This paper will investigate the relationship that religion has to the ethical state in Hegel’s philosophy. First, it will be important to explain what Hegel deems absolute spirit in the Science of Logic and Encyclopedia of Philosophical Sciences, Volume 3. Next, we will briefly apply …

The Inscrutability Of Providence In Tarkovsky's Stalker, Peter G. Goldman

Journal of Religion & Film

Andrei Tarkovsky’s Stalker (1979) follows a spiritual journey that is at once literal and allegorical. The Zone, created by an alien visitation, is a place with conscious agency, and it reacts to those who enter its space. The Stalker says, rather obscurely, "it's as if we construct it according to our state of mind." How exactly the Zone responds to those who visit it is arguably the central question of the film. The Zone's agency is analogous to Providence in some sense, and the film is filled with Christian references on several levels. While most critics see Stalker as an …

The Secret Of Smerdyakov, Abigail M. Munzar

Global Tides

This paper analyzes the mysterious character of Pavel Smerdyakov from Dostoevsky’s novel, The Brothers Karamazov, by examining his loveless upbringing, motives for murdering Fyodor Karamazov, and his final conversations with Ivan Karamazov, to argue that Smerdyakov committed suicide out of guilt from his crime. Smerdyakov may have had a potential conversion to Christianity which would have triggered an identity crisis in which he was tormented between accepting Christ’s love and hanging on to his lifelong hatred. Thus, he would have committed suicide out of remorse from his sin like the biblical Judas and an inability to choose between conversion or …

Review Of On The Path Toward One Another: A Christian And A Muslim Conversation, Hans A. Harmakaputra

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Charity Begins With Zoning Reforms, Mark D. Bjelland

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

When my family moved to Michigan over a decade ago, we were looking for something more than a three-bedroom house in our price range. We wanted a place of beauty, refreshment, and welcome for our children and guests. As newcomers to the state, we took the location seriously. Our previous house lost value due to its small-town setting, so we worried about future property values. As an urban geographer, I mapped changes in demographics and housing prices and created bike and bus travel-time maps from work and schools.

From The Heaviest, Dirtiest Depths To The Washy Ambient Clouds: Guitar Timbre In/As Schismogenesis In North American Christianity, Joshua K. Busman, Nathan Myrick

Yale Journal of Music & Religion

This essay argues that within the socio-cultural context of North American Christianity, the timbral qualities of electric guitar, with its long lineage as a site of cultural values conflict and identity negotiation, serves a theological function in the emerging and cohering sonority of digital worship. Using as comparative case studies the timbral qualities of delay and ambience as promoted and sold by Worship Tutorials as representing normative sonic values for these Christians, on the one hand, and the dialectic and schismatic deployment of distortion by the band My Epic on the other, we suggest that these timbral qualities become important …

The Devil’S In The Details: Opposition To Demonology In Early Modern Europe, Abigail Pickard

The Purdue Historian

Common assumptions that believers of witchcraft in the early modern period were uneducated fanatics overgeneralize the complex interplay of early modern science and theology. The study of demons, known as demonology, was considered a science. It was a respected field that was studied and debated. Theologians scrutinized, defended, and revised demonological theories. Thinkers turned over foundational concepts and split hairs over the fine details of theology. Since educated scholars were considered authorities on demonology, they repeatedly wrote, talked, and theorized about the topic in a similar fashion to other ideologies of the early modern era. Due to this, authors of …

Shepherds Of Loss: Religion And Grief In The Shenandoah Valley, Ewan Benjamin

Honors Projects

This study explores the relationship between faith leaders and religious communities with the human experience of grief, death, and loss. Inspired by the researcher's own experience, this paper argues that the United States has a generally uncomfortable relationship with death and hypothesizes that religious traditions can serve to assist with grief in a positive way. After interviewing six religious leaders in the Shenandoah Valley, two themes arose: the mystery of death and the concept of "making space" for the grieving, dying, and dead. In the paper's conclusion, the faith leaders make known their own concerns with death in the United …

Holy Art : Reclaiming The Visual Arts For Worship And Spiritual Formation, Joey Fitzgerald

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Church Doors And Hospital Doors: The Interrelationship, Azubuike Chukwubumnobi Okeke, Samuel Obiajulu Ike

Great Commission Research Journal

This study examines the place of medical evangelism as a means of church expansion in modern Nigeria. It is a retrospective cross-sectional investigative study involving data collection from the Good Shepherd Specialist Hospital’s anonymized patient records. The Good Shepherd Specialist Hospital is in Enugu State in southeastern Nigeria. Over 100,000 patients sought medical care in the hospital during a period of 19 years. Seventy-four percent had spiritual care provided by a person of the same faith. Most of the respondents came from within the Enugu metropolitan area. Using the church planting ministry of the Chapel of His Resurrection within the …

The Russian-Ukrainian War In The Discourse Of The Biblical Concept Of A Just War, Vadym Dyiak, Klavdiia Tushko, Vladyslav Volobuiev

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article analyzes the russian-Ukrainian war through the prism of the biblical concept of a just war. The moral and ethical aspects of the war are explored based on biblical principles, such as the defense of truth, justice, and the innocent. The article compares traditional approaches to the concept of a just war with modern realities, including the russian aggression against Ukraine. Particular attention is paid to the right to self-defense, the role of moral precepts in warfare, and the importance of humanitarian norms. The analysis of biblical texts helps to better understand the ethical justification of war as a …

Resonances Of Universalism In Tolkien's Legendarium, Nick Polk

Journal of Tolkien Research

Presented at the inaugural Holy Moot, a survey of a collection of passages from Tolkien's writings that demonstrate having the resonances of patristic universalism is conducted. It is then argued that all Tolkien’s writings be investigated separately in their context, comparing the location of each item under investigation with one another, and explore their connections without syncretizing them into a monolithic construct. To do this, it is argued that a hermeneutical theory rooted in the philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead is necessary. Concluding is a connecting of Whitehead's understanding of the expression of language with Tolkien’s own understanding of expression …

Biblical Theodicy The Evolution Of Satan As A Solution To The Problem Of Evil, Madison Estrada

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis attempts to serve two functions. The first is to discuss how the problem of evilin Christianity has been a problem not only in modernity, but also with premodern authors and editors of biblical canon. The second is to explain how the literary character of Satan has developed alongside the narrative in a way that seeks to answer to the problem of evil in the form of a literary theodicy. While it may be demonstrated in the textual evidence that this character can take away some of the ethical implications imposed on God by taking on evil himself, it …

What Hath Jerusalem To Do With Chile: Towards An Evangelical Understanding Of The Enneagram And Its Usage For Spiritual Development, Wesley E. Scholtz

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Currently, it is estimated that the personality testing market is worth approximately $2 billion. The Church has expressed interest in understanding personality types through various testing methods. The Enneagram offers a possibly ancient method to help people understand who they are in a spiritual capacity, which can be an aid in connecting more closely with God. This dissertation addressed the research gap that exists within the current literature which is the lack of data concerning whether adults who are professional, ordained ministers are aware of, use, and may be skeptical of the Enneagram. The research method in this dissertation was …

Restoration Vs. Revelation: Alexander Campbell's Unique Condemnation Of Joseph Smith, Luke Gibbs

Tenor of Our Times

The great Alexander Campbell, an influential figure of the Restoration Movement, is historically regarded as a fiery orator, minister, and evangelical Protestant. Much of the historiography surrounding Campbell rightfully focuses on his adamant efforts to proliferate his ideology. His scorching personality brought him into conflict with members of every Christian sect. Still, Campbell’s focus on unity allowed him to make general concessions with his fellow Christians. He was often congenial and sociable when engaging with Christians, and even atheists, who held opinions that differed from his own. However, Campbell was plainly angered by Joseph Smith's Mormon movement. This paper attempts …

المسيحيّة في الكويت, محمد جاسم المحميد

Horizons et Conjonctures

خلاصة

يتناول البحث تاريخ المسيحيّين في الكويت منذ القرن العشرين، ولا سيّما مع الإرساليّين العرب–الأمريكيّين، كما يرصد أثر اكتشاف النفط على الوجود المسيحي في خمسينيّات وستّينيّات القرن الماضي. يدرس البحث العلاقة مع الفاتيكان والكنائس الثماني المعترف بها، مبرزًا واقع التعايش واحترام الدولة للحريّات الدستوريّة، ولا سيّما حرّيّة الاعتقاد. كما يشرح تأثير دخول الإسلام السياسي إلى البرلمان على حقوق المسيحيّين، مقارنةً بالدستور والاتفاقيّات الدوليّة، مبيّنًا دور المحكمة الدستوريّة في حماية الحقوق.‏

كلمات مفتاحيّة

المسيحيّة، الدستور، حقوق الإنسان، الإسلام السياسي‏

Résumé

L’article traite de l’histoire des chrétiens au Koweït depuis le XXe siècle et la Mission arabe-américaine, ainsi que de l’impact de …

The Chronology Of Jesus' Triple Fulfillment Of The Feasts Of Israel, Carter Day Watson

Masters Theses

Much of modern scholarship believes that Jesus only fulfilled the spring feasts of Israel during His First Coming and will fulfill the fall feasts in His Second Coming. This thesis argues that this view is mistaken; instead, the biblical and historical evidence points towards Jesus already fulfilling both the spring and fall feasts during His First Coming: (1) Trumpets with His birth on September 29, 2 BCE (and Herod the Great's death on January 27, 1 BCE); (2) the Day of Atonement with His spiritual baptism on October 6, 29 CE and physical baptism on October 14, 29 CE; (3) …

Evaluating Bad Theology And Making A Case For The Ethical Priority Of Religious Diversity In Tolkien Studies, Nick Polk

Journal of Tolkien Research

Presented at Oxonmoot in 2024, the aim of this paper is to present a selection of theological Tolkien criticisms for the purpose of evaluating them through practical theologian Leah Robinson’s definition of bad theology. The point is argued that bad theology in Tolkien Studies needs to be identified and understood as unethical and replaced with the openness of theologian John Thatamanil’s criteria for religious diversity. Concluding will be a promotion of religious diversity as an ethical priority and evaluative tool for future theological engagements within Tolkien Studies.

The Impact Of Colonization, The Problem Of Evil, And The African Traditional Religion Worldview On Biblical Hermeneutics In West Africa, Christopher Blay

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research paper delves into the complex relationship between colonization, African Traditional Religion (ATR), the problem of evil, and their impact on interpreting biblical texts in West Africa. The study explores how historical colonization, cultural beliefs rooted in ATR, and the existential question of evil have shaped the lens through which Millennials and Gen Z in West Africa engage with Christianity.

Through an analysis of historical sources, scholarly works, and academic articles, this paper highlights how these factors have contributed to a decline in interest in Christianity among the youth in the region. The paper also emphasizes the importance of …

Walter Rauschenbusch: Bringing The Kingdom Of God To Alleviate Poverty In Christianity And The Social Crisis, Christopher Price

Liberty Theological Review

Industrialization and the Gilded Age exacerbated the gap between the wealthy and the extremely poor who inhabited major American cities like New York. Walter Rauschenbusch, a German Baptist pastor who served a parish in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of New York City, began his ministry focusing on individual salvation and piety. After seeing the tangible effects of poverty, including the all-too-common deaths of young children, Rauschenbusch attempted to articulate the social ramifications of Christianity. The best-known example of his understanding of the Kingdom of God was Christianity and the Social Crisis, which became a seminal text in social gospel …

Radical Hospitality: Height And Excess Of The Other And The New Host Self, Diako Alikhani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Drawing on Emmanuel Levinas’ ethical framework and its emphasis on the “height and excess” of “the Other,” this thesis explores and develops a sense of “radical hospitality” in Levinas and across Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In particular, the thesis explores how encounter with the Other is not only marked by an overwhelming excess, but one which transforms the subject into what I call a “New Host Self:” Where the self is the host who greets the stranger with hospitality, it is ultimately the stranger—the refugee, the migrant—who transforms the host into someone new. Here, the host ultimately receives a gift …

Progressive Paradox In Political Rhetoric: The Hart-Celler Immigration Act Of 1965, Amanda Rolston Henderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the interplay between U.S. norms for inclusion, the embedded role of religion within these norms, and how political rhetoric challenges or sustains them. Using a historical lens, I outline key moments in U.S. history, unravel central ideologies entrenched in U.S. narratives, and illuminate the ideographic function of the key concepts land, family, and work. These terms serve as conduits for conveying complex systems of meaning, which are entrenched in societal assumptions and concretized through political discourse and action.

These dynamics are demonstrated in a case study of the discourse surrounding the Hart-Celler Immigration Act …

New Paths In Jewish And Religious Studies: Essays In Honor Of Professor Elliot R. Wolfson, Glenn Dynner, Susannah Heschel, Shaul Magid

Purdue University Press Books

The work of Elliot R. Wolfson has profoundly influenced the fields of Jewish studies as well as philosophy and religion more broadly. His radically new approaches have created pioneering ways of analyzing texts and thinking about religion through the lens of gender, sexuality, and feminist theory. The contributors to New Paths in Jewish and Religious Studies: Essays in Honor of Professor Elliot R. Wolfson, many of whom are internationally renowned scholars, hearken from diverse fields. Each has learned from and collaborated with Wolfson as student or colleague, and each has expanded the new scholarly directions initiated by Wolfson’s groundbreaking …

Pronomian Paradigm: A Pro-Torah, Christocentric Method Of Theology And Apologetics, Gregory Scott Mckenzie

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation sets out to demonstrate the continued validity of the Torah for all believers today. As such, this dissertation attempts to show that discontinuity of the Mosaic Covenant is scripturally, theologically, and philosophically untenable. The thesis of this dissertation is that Pronomianism is the paradigm that most cohesively melds theology and apologetics, through its interpretation of Paul’s words and deeds at the second Jerusalem council, which unveils the Torah’s centrality in New Testament theology, and that Pronomian moral apologetics reveal the Law of God as the only foundation for objective, biblical morality, and the guide to righteous living. This …

Judaism, Conversion, And The Limits Of Christian Orthodoxy: The Jewish Identities Of Joseph Wolff And Michael Solomon Alexander As Detailed In Their Memoirs And Missions To Palestine, Michael Iodice

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes the Jewish identities of the Anglican missionaries Joseph Wolff and Michael Solomon Alexander by examining their conversion memoirs and evangelical missions to Palestine. It argues that they used Protestant biblical exegesis to emphasize their Jewish heritage and its importance in Christian prophecy.

The Divine Comedy: A Work Of Medieval Mythology, Jamie Alexander

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Prior to The Divine Comedy (1308-1321), ideas about Purgatory were in the early stages of development. Purgatory had loose rituals surrounding its existence and it lacked depiction in written works. Yet in the following centuries, the fear of Purgatory and the practices of penance and indulgences reached a fever pitch, ultimately leading to the Protestant Reformation. Purgatory as a celestial location, and not just the “purgatorial fires” of the Bible, only began to develop in the twelfth century, but its fearful description and imagery in The Divine Comedy not only solidified previously nebulous understandings of Purgatory, but also increased anxiety …

Analyzing Substance Dualism From A Christian Perspective, Samuel J. Fulbright

Philosophy Senior Capstone

This paper seeks to analyze the Substance Dualist position from a Christian perspective. After looking briefly at the way in which the Christian Scriptures present the relationship between the body and the soul, the paper then turns to looking at the way in which the Substance Dualist position presents the relationship between the body and the soul. It ends by offering a Christian response to some of the most common and most popular objections raised against Substance Dualism.

Alyosha The Christian Hermeneut, Eddie Li

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

Presentation Abstract: Alyosha as the Christian Hermeneut

This presentation is adapted from my essay Alyosha as the Christian Hermeneut, written under the supervision of Dr. Paul Contino. In the essay, I gave an analysis of the character Alyosha in Dostoyevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov, in light of Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology, Hans-Georg Gadamer’s hermeneutics, and Dr. Contino’s book on Incarnational Realism. I discussed how Alyosha adapts from an inexperienced Christian disciple to a mature interpreter capable of conducting the hermeneutical fusion of horizons with different horizons. Within this capability, Alyosha develops his unique Christian horizon, enabling him to understand and reconcile the …

Islam And The Environment, Jon Armajani

The Journal of Social Encounters

This is a transcript of a presentation at the Thirty-Fourth Annual Peace Studies Conference at the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University on September 18, 2023. The presentation provides (1) some background information about Islam; (2) related ideas about Christianity; (3) a discussion of some verses in the Quran, which relate to the environment, and some Islamic interpretations of them; (4) an analysis of Ibrahim Abdul-Matin’s ideas on Islam and the environment; and (5) a tribute to Father Rene McGraw, OSB.