Sociology of Religion Commons^™

Sisters In Sorrow And Durga’S Incarnations: The Double-Edged Sword Of Shakti, Sarah Pyle

Denison Journal of Religion

This article examines the relationship between the depiction of women and femininity in Hindu myth and the lives and possible oppression of Hindu women today. The author synthesizes this question with Sallie McFague's theory that the way in which cultures use language to construct god(s) reveals how that culture conceptualizes the roles of different members of the community. The first notion that Pyle pursues within this question is dharma. Dharma can be roughly understood as the fulfillment of each person's appropriate role. For women, their primary dharma is to care for their husband and their children. This often consists of …

Beyond Pacifism: Dietrich Bonhoeffer’S Theology During War, Dan Rohrer

Denison Journal of Religion

Rohrer links Bonhoeffer's theology to contemporary America and explores the implications that Bonhoeffer's work, particularly the work that occurred in Nazi prison, has on the contemporary American Christian. All of Bonhoeffer's work, from The Cost of Discipleship to Letters and Papers from Prison, shows a commitment to Christianity that does not make the life of a Christian easy. This is particularly evident in his discussion of "cheap grace" or "grace without the cross." Bonhoeffer describes this notion as an empty salvation that does not bear in mind the great sacrifices that the Christian Testament shows as necessary to find grace. …

What Does The Bible Say About Homosexuality? An Exercise In Biblical Hermeneutics, Matthew Lehrer

Denison Journal of Religion

Lehrer argues for the importance of a close hermeneutical study of the Bible in order to understand most fully the statements made about homosexuality. Through his study, Lehrer posits that no condemnations are made against homosexuality, with the exception of the two statements made in Leviticus, both of which deal with Hebraic purity laws, many of which are no longer followed. Instead, the passages most frequently deal more explicitly with issues of hospitality (the story of Sodom) or idolatry (the letters of Paul.) Therefore, homosexual relationships are placed at the same level as heterosexual relationships. As long as the relationship …

Organized Women In Afghanistan: The Key To A Universal Understanding Of Human Rights, Stephanie Hinkle

Denison Journal of Religion

Hinkle connects the non-Western world with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, released by the United Nations in 1948. The author disproves the assumption that this declaration is only applicable in the West through the example of Afghani men and women, particularly those who have devoted themselves to the Revolutionary Association of Women of Afghanistan (RAWA.) The crimes being committed against women in Afghanistan were frequently ignored by the wider world, particularly before the United States launched its military campaign there. Feminism, Hinkle argues, has an unfortunate history of believing itself to be a construction of the West, and applicable …

The Nature Of Sex: Sacred Or Profane?, Michael Decesare

Denison Journal of Religion

The Catholic Church is obviously uncomfortable with the level of blatant sexuality that characterizes American culture. In fact, Catholic leaders often claim that this constant presence of sexuality that bombards Americans desacralizes the act. This essay asks if it is possible, however, that the Catholic Church is also involved in desacralizing sexuality? DeCesare states that the emphasis that the Church places on conception as the only reason for sex, and the ease with which the Church condemns any sexual act outside of the bonds of a Church-sanctioned marriage, overlook the sexual act as one which also unites people, and exposes …

Reinhold Niebuhr And The War On Terrorism, Daniel Rohrer

Denison Journal of Religion

Since the attacks on September 11, 2001, the government of the United States has understandably been taking steps to protect its citizens. This essay questions whether the steps taken by the government are the most appropriate and just. Applying Reinhold Niebuhr's theology and social ethics to the War on Terrorism exposes the actions of the United States as a "witch-hunt" that fails to complicate the governmental, social, and economic factors that governed the political climate of the time. Because the United States government responded to the attacks of September 11th with an overpowering sense of self-righteousness, its actions immediately became …

Hagar: An African American Lens, Emily Peecook

Denison Journal of Religion

Emily Peecook links the story of Hagar to African-American slave women in the antebellum, and the community of African-American women who continue to fight for their rights today. The narrative of Hagar is one with which African-American women have long identified. Hagar's story is rife with abuses that were very familiar to slave women during the antebellum. Both were used as sexual and maternal surrogates, and both were deprived of supportive men in their life"be it a father or a husband. Hagar's survival through the many difficulties she faced has made her an inspirational figure to the community of African …

The Strong Survive: A Series Of Ten Prints, Ryan James Zamberlan

Denison Journal of Religion

No abstract provided.

The Virgin Mary: A Liberator For Women, Egan Rachel

Denison Journal of Religion

The Virgin Mary has had several titles in her long history, and these titles correlate with how she is understood by Catholics. During the Second Vatican Council, there were some who wanted to add the title of co-redemptrix to the long list of names associated with her, but the effort did not succeed. The Council explained its decision by claiming that there was biblical evidence of Mary being within the Church, but not above it. Egan asks how one can base this decision on iblical evidence when the stories and opinions associated with Mary differ so greatly. In the Gospel …

Sexuality: Confronting Religion's Taboo, James Boyd

Denison Journal of Religion

Sexuality has become ubiquitous in mainstream media and culture. Despite this, or maybe because of it, sexuality remains a topic on which religion passes judgment. Because of this, many people find a tension growing in their lives when they attempt to enjoy their sexuality and remain a part of their faith community. This tension is inspiring scholarship and reflection that is trying to establish a new sexual ethic. This article focuses, in part, on Lewis B. Smedes, who promotes sexuality as an intimate communion between two married people by claiming that they are physical beings as much as they are …

"New Elemental Force": The Necessity Of An Engaged Poetry, Mary Ann Davis

Denison Journal of Religion

This essay explores the undeniable influence Zen Buddhism has had on American poets and poetry of recent years. The poets who are often recognized for the influence of Buddhism in their work are, however, frequently only white men. Despite this, a new emphasis on social issues and human rights is coming to the forefront in Buddhism. This influence is becoming so strong in some circles that many are claiming it is a new form of Buddhism, socially engaged Buddhism. Will this incarnation of Buddhism begin to influence American poetry to create an engaged poetry that is inherently about social change? …

Freedom, Knowledge And Relationship In The Genesis Story Of Temptation, Kelly Riggle

Denison Journal of Religion

The narrative of "the Fall" is the one of the best known Bible stories. Over the centuries, it has provided a religious and cultural understanding of humanity and how we relate to each other and to divinity. This essay asks if the notion of sin and punishment frequently associated with the story is the only interpretation available for Genesis Chapter 3. Riggle argues that understanding this story as a temptation narrative instead of the pinnacle moment in humanity's "fall" offers a new example of the relationship that exists between humanity and divinity. Viewing the story through the lens of temptation …

Abraham Joshua Heschel And Theology After The Holocaust, Matthew Eanet

Denison Journal of Religion

This essay explores Abraham Joshua Heschel's post-Holocaust theology as a hopeful, worship-oriented option that can continue to be a source of comfort and inspiration to men and women struggling through tragedies today. The memory of the Holocaust can easily inspire a crisis of faith. In fact, post-Holocaust theology is frequently defined by this crisis.

The theology of Abraham Joshua Heschel, an Eastern European Jew who barely escaped the death camps, however, continued to assert the active existence of God. By exploring religion in terms of polarities"Sinai (the starting place of his people) and Auschwitz (a deplorable end for many of …

Proliferating A Culture Of Fear: Islam In A Post 9/11 America, Setareh Motamedi

Political Science Student Papers and Posters

The threat of terrorism perceived by the American public has been shaped by a series of traumatic events over the past decade. In the years following the attacks of September 11, 2001, fear of terrorism has extended beyond the threat of terrorist groups. Much of the American public considers not only terrorist groups like al-Qaeda, but the entire religion of Islam to be a security threat. In much of this security discourse, ideas of hatred, violence, and terror have become associated with Islam. This study explores that association, and aims to identify what motivates existing stereotypes. Drawing on research from …

Time Travel, Labour History, And The Null Curriculum: New Design Knowledge For Mobile Augmented Reality History Games, Owen Gottlieb

Articles

This paper presents a case study drawn from design-based research (DBR) on a mobile, place-based augmented reality history game. Using DBR methods, the game was developed by the author as a history learning intervention for fifth to seventh graders. The game is built upon historical narratives of disenfranchised populations that are seldom taught, those typically relegated to the 'null curriculum'. These narratives include the stories of women immigrant labour leaders in the early twentieth century, more than a decade before suffrage. The project understands the purpose of history education as the preparation of informed citizens. In paying particular attention to …

Hans Mol’S Sociology Of Religion: Reflection On The Relationship Between Identity And The Sacred As Applied To Bosnia And Herzegovina, Tomislav Tadić

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

"The transformed character of religiosity requires a transformation in the scientific methodology where we are trying to capture the complex socio-ontological, epistemological and socio-anthropological granulations which form such a divergent term as religion. The importance of the theoretical interventions of Mol, from the standpoint of the history of sociology, lies in recognizing the reconstructing form within the discipline that needs to synthetically and polythetically understand the phenomenon which it explores."

Mother Goddesses And Subversive Witches: Competing Narratives Of Gender Essentialism, Heteronormativity, Feminism, And Queerness In Wiccan Theology And Ritual, Carly B. Floyd

Honors Projects

Wicca has typically been viewed as an empowering alternative to institutionalized and patriarchal religions, and women especially have been drawn to this religion because of its inclusion of women as goddesses and priestesses. It is also seen as a sex-positive religion, and many LGBTQ+ people embrace Wicca due to its lack of concepts such as sin and shame, especially around sex and sexuality. This research, however, troubles the claim that Wicca is a feminist, woman-friendly, queer-friendly religion. While women are celebrated and valued, I argue that women’s positive portrayal as mothers, nurturers, emotional, and intuitive portrays women’s nature in a …

The Evolution Of Women Pastors In Mainline Protestant Denominations, Rita G. Burnett

Dissertations

Subsequent to receiving official approval from denominational authorities more than 40 years ago, an increasing number of women appear to be expressing a ministerial call upon their lives and entering pastoral leadership. Many women pastors find acceptance in mainline protestant denominations (MPD). Yet, despite improvements, women still face unique challenges in ministry compared with men. Nevertheless, they continue to pursue opportunities in ministry. Mentoring helps offset impediments and provides a professional development outlet for enhancing skill sets and empowering women to overcome these hurdles. Thus, the purpose behind this study remains to identify challenges faced by women pastors related to …

'People Are Enemies To What They Don't Know' Managing Stigma And Anti-Muslim Stereotypes In A Turkish Community Center, Crystal Paul, Sarah Anna Becker

Faculty Publications

In the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, anti-Muslim discourse and sentiment has become pervasive in the West. Using a collaborative ethnographic approach, we observe how participants at a Turkish Community Center (TCC) cultivate stigma management strategies against the cultural backdrop of post-9/11 anti-Muslim stereotypes. In our analysis, we use Goffman's work on stigma and critical race theory to explore the socially embedded nature of stigmatization processes for Turkish Muslims in a local community center. Our findings reveal how aspects of Turkish culture and Islam, together with a structural context …

Ethnicity, Religion And Violence In Bosnia-Herzegovina, Jusuf Salih

Journal of Global Initiatives: Policy, Pedagogy, Perspective

The violence that erupted in the Balkans at the end of the second millennium made fierce enemies of people who had lived together in peace as neighbors, friends, classmates, and married couples. Nationalism, chauvinism, and religious fanaticism quickly grew stronger, leading to the disappearance of centuries-long harmony among its inhabitants. Among the reasons for the conflict were the experienced communist leaders who skillfully used religious slogans to advance their campaigns; also, religious leaders became close associates to political leaders with hopes that they would attain the religious rights denied and limited during the old governance. As a result, nationalism and …

The New Evangelicals: How Donald Trump Revealed The Changing Christian Conservative Base, Michael J. Herbert

Political Science Theses and Capstones

I analyze how Donald Trump, who many see as an uncertain standard bearer of Christian values, given his colored personal life and various tortured exchanges on the Bible, became the champion of Christian conservatives. Using Pew data from a January 27th, 2016 survey, I analyze how the Republican presidential candidate went from the lowest rankings of religious association just 10 months prior, to winning the highest white evangelical support since George W. Bush in 2004. More research will be conducted on how the specific group known as evangelical voters has changed, as well as what other variables such as economic, …

Tierra En Revuelta: La Presencia De La Cosmovisión Indígena En Las Luchas De Resistencia En La Región De Qoyllurit’I \ Earth In Revolt: The Presence Of The Indigenous Worldview In The Struggles Of Resistance In The Region Of Qoyllurit'i, Maya Pace

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

El Santuario del Señor de Qoyllurit’i ha sido un lugar sagrado desde la época pre-inca y hasta ahora es el sitio de una peregrinación grandísima cada año. En 2011 recibió el título de Patrimonio Inmaterial Cultural de UNESCO en reconocimiento de su importancia para el Perú. Es un ejemplo fuerte de la mezcla de catolicismo con la cosmovisión indígena—la peregrinación es para honorar este sitio de un milagro católico, pero la peregrinación también incorpora danzas tradicionales, la creencia indígena en la nieve sagrada y en los apus, y pagos a la tierra. Entonces las propuestas de concesiones mineras recientes han …

Pluralism And Religious Education In Bali: How Lack Of Implementation Of Educational Reform Threatens Indonesian Identity In The System Used To Construct It, Nikolai O. Birch

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Indonesia’s education system was developed with the construction of the Indonesian as a cohesive people in mind. In doing so, the system adopted the practice of mandatory religious education as a means of developing the character of the Indonesian student through religion, a component imperative to the nation’s statehood. In the years and decades following, the education system, and subsequently its program of religious education, has been reformed and changed many times. This research attempts to look at how and why this changed system has struggled to implement these changes in the classroom, and why pluralism has been included in …

From Liberation To Salvation: Revolutionary Critical Pedagogy Meets Liberation Theology, Peter Mclaren, Petar Jandrić

Education Faculty Articles and Research

This conversation between Peter McLaren and Petar Jandric´ brings about some of the most recent and deepest of McLaren’s insights into the relationship between revolutionary critical pedagogy and liberation theology, and outlines the main directions of development of McLaren’s thought during and after Pedagogy of Insurrection. In the conversation, McLaren reveals his personal and theoretical path to liberation theology. He argues for the relevance of liberation theology for contemporary social struggles, links it with social sciences, and addresses some recent critiques of Pedagogy of Insurrection. McLaren identifies the idolatry of money as the central point of convergence between liberation …

Rulers, Religion, And Riches: Why The West Got Rich And The Middle East Did Not, Jared Rubin

Economics Faculty Books and Book Chapters

For centuries following the spread of Islam, the Middle East was far ahead of Europe. Yet, the modern economy was born in Europe. Why was it not born in the Middle East? In this book Jared Rubin examines the role that Islam played in this reversal of fortunes. It argues that the religion itself is not to blame; the importance of religious legitimacy in Middle Eastern politics was the primary culprit. Muslim religious authorities were given an important seat at the political bargaining table, which they used to block important advancements such as the printing press and lending at interest. …

Being Non-Christian In A Christian Community: Experiences Of Belonging And Identity Among Korean Americans, Jane Yeonjae Lee

Institute for Asian American Studies Publications

This study responds to the need to investigate the lives of secular migrants where religious marginalization may play a significant role in their everyday lives. Through a qualitative approach, this exploratory study examines the experiences of secular and religiously marginalized Korean Americans in relation to their predominantly Christian communities. In particular, the study focuses on the unique experiences of those aged between 25 and 35 living in the greater Boston area. The study compiles vivid narratives of non-Christian Korean American experiences within a dominant Christian ethnic community focusing on their religious and non-religious performances.

The overall objectives of this study, …

Christians’ Cut: Popular Religion And The Global Health Campaign For Medical Male Circumcision In Swaziland, Casey Golomski, Sonene Nyawo

Anthropology

Swaziland faces one of the worst HIV epidemics in the world and is a site for the current global health campaign in sub-Saharan Africa to medically circumcise the majority of the male population. Given that Swaziland is also majority Christian, how does the most popular religion influence acceptance, rejection or understandings of medical male circumcision? This article considers interpretive differences by Christians across the Kingdom’s three ecumenical organisations, showing how a diverse group people singly glossed as ‘Christian’ in most public health acceptability studies critically rejected the procedure in unity, but not uniformly. Participants saw medical male circumcision’s promotion and …

Review Of Altered States: Buddhism And Psychedelic Spirituality In America By Douglas Osto, Ronald S. Green

Philosophy and Religious Studies

No abstract provided.

Lost & Found, Owen Gottlieb, Ian Schreiber, Kelly Murdoch-Kitt

Presentations and other scholarship

Lost & Found is a strategy card-to-mobile game series that teaches medieval religious legal systems with attention to period accuracy and cultural and historical context.

The Lost & Found games project seeks to expand the discourse around religious legal systems, to enrich public conversations in a variety of communities, and to promote greater understanding of the religious traditions that build the fabric of the United States. Comparative religious literacy can build bridges between and within communities and prepare learners to be responsible citizens in our pluralist democracy.

The first game in the series is a strategy game called Lost & …

Cognitive And Emotional Processes Involved In The Experience Of Objects As Holy Or Transcendent, Lotte J. Pummerer

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

In recent years, attitudes about religion/spirituality have become more pluralistic (Pew Research Center, 2015a). At the same time, the number of individuals who identify themselves as nonreligious, atheist or agnostic are growing (Pew Research Center, 2015b), yet we are lacking words and research to describe their attributions of transcendence in language not bound to religious concepts. This study aims at examining both concepts – holiness and transcendence – in their similarities and differences through assessing cognitive and emotional processes involved in experiences of objects.

The study consisted of two parts with a total of 206 Christian and 52 nonreligious/atheistic/agnostic participants. …