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Publication Rituals and Sectarian Knowledge: Methods of Constructing Social Identity in the Community Rule (1QS)(University of Kansas, 2019-05-31) Schofield, Kyle Reid; Zahn, Molly; Mirecki, Paul; Brody, SamuelThis study deals with identity construction in the Community Rule (1QS). Examples of rituals and sectarian doctrines (knowledge) dictated in 1QS will be discussed along with a look into how these rituals and knowledge might have affected and constructed communal identity. The rituals that will be discussed are the communal meals, the admission process, and the nightly study sessions. Along with a discussion of these rituals and their effects, the doctrines that reinforce these rituals will be discussed, along with how that knowledge might have also shaped social identity. All of this builds up to the final section where the doctrine of determinism, as taught in 1QS, is discussed. To gain a better understanding of how this doctrine might have affected identity within the Qumran community, Calvinism is used as constructive comparative data.Publication "These Types of Sites Are Really Hard to Find": Lakota Oral Tradition and Resistance Against the Dakota Access Pipeline(University of Kansas, 2018-05-31) Goeckner, Ryan; Zogry, Michael; Daley, Sean M.; Metz, Brent; Miller, TimothyThe Dakota Access Pipeline resistance movement provides a poignant example of the way in which oral traditions remain authoritative in the religious lives of American Indian peoples. The members of Lakota communities confronted with the restriction of their religious freedoms and access to clean drinking water by DAPL’s construction have faced the consequences brought on in part by scholarly assessment of the veracity and importance of oral traditions. As I demonstrate in this thesis, the exclusion of Native voices from conversations about these traditions, both within and outside academia, has larger impacts than just incomplete understandings. Going forward, those engaged in scholarly discourses must understand that they have greater obligations than merely the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake. Understanding the wider impact of discussions like those surrounding oral traditions provides a stimulus for reflection and reevaluation of the research being conducted about, for, and with American Indian communities.Publication New Wine in an Old Bottle: The Korean Monk Sangwŏl (1911-1974) and the Rise of the Ch’ŏnt’ae school of Buddhism(University of Kansas, 2017-08-31) Roh, Yohong; Stevenson, Daniel; Brinton, Jacquelene; Lindsey, William R.The thesis explores the diverse ways in which a new Korean Buddhist movement that calls itself the “Ch’ŏnt’ae Jong (Tiantai school)” has appropriated and deployed traditional patriarchal narratives of the Chinese Tiantai tradition to legitimize claims to succession of its modern founder, the Korean monk Sangwŏl (1922-1974). Sangwŏl began his community as early as 1945; however, at that time his community simply referred to itself as the “teaching of Sangwŏl” or “teaching of Kuinsa,” after the name of his monastery. It was not until the official change of the name to Ch’ŏnt’ae in 1967 that Korean Buddhists found a comprehensive and identifiable socio-historical space for Sangwŏl and his teaching. Key to that transition was not only his adapting the historically prominent name “Ch’ŏnt’ae,” but his retrospective creation of a lineage of Chinese and Korean patriarchs to whom he could trace his succession and the origin of his school. It is through this kind of historicist rhetorical maneuver that he achieved legitimation for himself and his teaching in the eyes of the Korean public. The aim of my thesis is to explore the multiple ways in which the figure of Sangwŏl has been presented as a “Tiantai patriarch” in the cultural construction of modern Tiantai Buddhist school in Korea. Those forms of presentation include crafting of hagiographies, lineage narratives that leap centuries and connect him to Chinese patriarchs, creation of rituals for celebration of patriarchal death anniversaries, construction of patriarch halls and images, sponsorship of modern scholarship and research, and even film and digital media. As “New Wine in an Old Bottle,” the symbolic manipulations of modern Korean Ch’ŏnt’ae order look to strategies of religious authorization that have been used by various Buddhist groups in China and East Asia from as early as 6th century China and as recently as the Buddhist sects of Meiji Japan and the Chogye order of post-colonial Korea.Publication Teaching Through Devotion: The Poetics of Yaśaskara’s Devīstotra and Premodern Kashmir(University of Kansas, 2017-05-31) Leveille, Matthew; Stainton, Hamsa; Zahn, Molly; Lindsey, WilliamThe Devīstotra of Yaśaskara (c. 12th to 17th centuries CE), is a little studied and heretofore untranslated Sanskrit text from Kashmir. This thesis not only provides the first English translation and close reading of selections from the text, it uses the Devīstotra along with current research on its literary, cultural, and political contexts to illustrate the functions of the text and its intended audiences, and to provide a case study with which to evaluate the wide range and flexibility of the genre of stotra (a hymn or poem of praise) in Sanskrit literature. The Devīstotra is a unique example of a text that has both a religious dimension (offering praise to the Goddess Pārvatī) and a literary-critical dimension (giving verse examples that elucidate Sanskrit poetic ornaments or alaṃkāras). With regard to the latter, the text follows the structure of the Alaṃkāraratnākara of Śobhākaramitra (c. 12th century CE), one of the last major works on Sanskrit poetics to be distributed and studied outside of Kashmir. A later editor, Ratnakaṇṭha (17th century CE) may have added definitions of alaṃkāras and prose explanations from the Alaṃkāraratnākara into the Devīstotra (if they were not present already), which arguably helped to popularize and preserve the poetics of Śobhākaramitra’s text. Lastly, the Devīstotra, and the stotra genre more broadly, serves as a distinct and important textual vehicle in the preservation of the Sanskrit language and its knowledge systems during times of widespread social and political upheaval in Kashmir and the Indian subcontinent leading up to modernity. Ultimately, stotras served as a vehicle of creativity, innovation, and preservation in later Sanskrit literature. The Devīstotra itself illustrates the close link between devotional literature and pedagogy in Sanskrit.Publication Emotion, Sensory Experience, and Islamic Discourse on the Internet: Theorizing the Affective Islamic Public(University of Kansas, 2017-05-31) Ale-Ebrahim, Benjamin; Brinton, Jacquelene; Stainton, Hamsa; Halegoua, GermaineDigital media platforms have become important spaces for Muslims to discuss and debate Islam and Islamic values in the contemporary world. In this study, I analyze the affective nature of digital Islamic discourse, focusing primarily on how the internet allows for the formation of transnational Muslim collectives based upon shared sensory experience. In doing so, I coin a new term that I use to refer to such digital spaces – the affective Islamic public. I discuss three case studies that I use to define the affective Islamic public: a social media controversy surrounding an American Muslim journalist, an online argument between a preacher in Tajikistan and a member of ISIS, and a Snapchat Live Story depicting the events of a Muslim religious holiday. To conclude, I suggest some best practices that other researchers interested in affect and digital religious discourse can use to conduct further studies in this field.Publication Girls' Puberty Ceremonies: A critical appraisal of scholarly work(University of Kansas, 2016-05-31) Hobson, Katie Nicole; Zogry, Michael J.; Stevenson, Daniel; Lindsey, William R.This thesis is the first critical appraisal of two foundational and influential scholarly sources in the study of girls’ coming-of-age ceremonies in the United States: Bruce Lincoln’s Emerging from the Chrysalis: Studies in Rituals of Women’s Initiation; and Carol Markstrom’s Empowerment of North American Indian Girls: Ritual Expressions at Puberty. These two books are the most well-known examples of scholarship in this area of study. Though brief reviews of both works exist, there are no substantial critiques that illuminate what I will argue is both books’ lack of cultural and historical context. Both authors commit major oversights in their analyses that result in mischaracterizations of selected cultural practices of Navajo and Apache communities. In turn, certain of their conclusions misdirect research in puberty studies. My thesis also serves as a critique of broader trends in this scholarship, including deconstruction of what I term “the rhetoric of menstrual shaming” that further hinders discussions about menstruation in scholarly literature.Publication Disorienting History: History and Identity in Ezekiel 20(University of Kansas, 2015-08-31) Miller, Bryan; Zahn, Molly; Mirecki, Paul; Brody, SamEzekiel 20 retells Israel’s exodus narrative tradition (exodus from Egypt and entry into the land of Canaan) as a means of disorienting traditional understandings of identity in order to prepare the prophet’s audience for a new identity. To explore this chapter more fully and to try to understand why the author does what he does, I will look at questions of context and form and use those answers to help illumine the text. After a general contextual overview, I will take a closer look at trauma as a dominant exilic discourse and examine the way it functions in Ezekiel. I will then look at the genres operative in Ezekiel 20 with a focus on rewritten scripture and ancient historiography. I will conclude by considering how each of these elements contributes to an understanding of the function of Ezekiel 20 within the exilic community. Looking at Ezekiel through these lenses will help clarify the need for this text (trauma) and the ways the author reacted to that need by preparing them for a new identity through writing a disorienting exodus narrative tradition.Publication Die Religion Otto Ludwig Aus Seinen Schriften Entwickelt(University of Kansas, 1914-06-01) Passon, RebeccaPublication The Didache and the Domestication of Dissidents(University of Kansas, 2013-12-31) Shriner, Clint; Mirecki, Paul; Zahn, Molly; Corbeill, AnthonyThe Didache has often figured prominently in scholars' constructions of early Christianity, especially with regard to two groups: the nascent positions of the overseers and agents in one, and the prophets, apostles, and teachers in the other. While many scholars portray these figures on relatively peaceful terms, this work argues that the relationship between these two groups is characterized by antagonism and conflict. This conflict is based upon a struggle to control prophecy and teaching, thus ultimately being a contest to create doctrine. This early Christian quarrel was not settled by dialogue, debate, or democracy, but by the control of material goods to influence who would be allowed to teach, supporting only certain teachings and prophecies. Early Christian doctrine and ideology can therefore be seen as a product of material manipulation, subject to the constraints of physical and historical pressures that condition all human thought.Publication A Seamless Garment of Eco-Justice: Green Sisters in Kansas(University of Kansas, 2013-12-31) Myslivy, Rachel Ann Boeckman; Miller, Timothy; Worster, Donald; Zahn, MollyCatholic sisters fuse long-standing, creation-oriented theology, the new story presented by science, and Catholic social justice teachings into a seamless garment of social justice and solid activism. Sisters shaped the landscape of the United States through the creation of a vast network of schools, hospitals, and orphanages. While not as visible as the black-robed nuns of the past, sisters are still at the forefront of social change, standing up for the `least of all people,' and filling the needs of society. As the global ecological crisis worsens, Catholic sisters heed the call to expand social justice to include all of creation. Convents across the country are converting grounds into organic gardens, adopting land ethics, and establishing earth-centered ministries. This thesis will focus particularly on one group of Catholic sisters in small-town Kansas who extend an ethic of non-violence to all of creation and who strive to treat all - including the earth - as "Dear Neighbor." The development of the ecological awareness of these women emerged as a result of complex social movements, dedicated networks, and faith in an ever-changing church. To present the process clearly, I will provide a brief characterization of women religious in the United States, the development of the environmental movement, the activism of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, and finally the environmental activism of the Sisters of St. Joseph at the Nazareth Convent and Academy in Concordia, Kansas. Narrative accounts of the journey toward ecological awareness fill out this idealistic framework into a well-rounded, realistic approach to eco-justice in the Heartland.Publication Inscribing Pompeii: A Reevaluation of the Jewish Epigraphic Data(University of Kansas, 2013-05-31) Gunderson, Jaimie; Mirecki, Paul; Zahn, Molly; Corbeill, Anthony; Stinson, PhilipThis study examines the scant epigraphic evidence from Pompeii which has traditionally been linked to a Jewish community. I (re)contextualize and reevaluate this data according to its archaeological, philological, and social context to challenge the long held, and widely published view that a Jewish community existed in the city. My analysis largely rejects the conclusions of previous scholars, highlighting problems with historical methodology and scholarly assumption throughout the discussion. My approach involves incorporating theoretical discussions of community and Jewish identity, which are essential elements in positing the existence of a historical religious community. I argue that the epigraphic evidence points to the individual presence of Jewish persons, either as slaves or traders, in Pompeii. The evidence does not, however, indicate the presence of a Jewish community and associated religious practice. The reassessment of this evidence holds potential for a more accurate understanding of the demographics and diversity of first-century Roman cities, as well as furthering our knowledge of Jewish Diaspora communities.Publication THE HOMOSEXUALITY DEBATE IN THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH: Religious Ethics, the Wesleyan Quadrilateral, and The United Methodist Moral Landscape(University of Kansas, 2011-02-04) Simpson, Benjamin Arnold; Shelton, Robert; Zimdars-Swartz, Paul; Zogry, MichaelSince the inclusion of a statement prohibiting "the practice of homosexuality" in The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church in 1972, The United Methodist Church has vigorously debated homosexuality. As the debate has progressed, two distinct groupings of United Methodists have formed. One group has developed arguments for the preservation of The United Methodist Church's prohibitive stance against sexual relationships between persons of the same gender, while the other advocates a revision of The United Methodist Church's Discipline that would remove any statements referring negatively to homosexuality. This study provides one account of how two groups of United Methodists have "mapped" their moral landscape while engaged in the debate of homosexuality. These two groups each utilize the Wesleyan Quadrilateral of Scripture, reason, tradition, and experience in similar yet distinct ways. In providing an analytical account of the mechanisms that guide United Methodist ethics, this study suggests the possibility that United Methodist teaching on homosexuality may change, arguing against Amanda Udis-Kessler (2008). This study employs what one might call an existential map model, allowing for a fresh evaluation of the method employed by United Methodists in ethical reasoning, and has value for religious studies by providing an approach to understanding how selected religious actors make ethical decisions. As Jonathan Z. Smith suggested in his article "Map is Not Territory (1978), it may be that another "map" is required; in this case one that better embraces the discrepancies that exist between United Methodist pronouncements on sexuality and the lived experience of United Methodists. This account also has practical utility for The United Methodist Church, as it is a comparative study of the views expressed in Sample and DeLong (2000) and Dunnam and Malony (2003). At present these two works represent the two main lines of argument regarding this issue in The United Methodist Church.Publication The Late Bronze Age Town of Emar: An Examination of the Distribution of City Power Within the Context of the Major Rituals(University of Kansas, 2010-07-13) Thompson, Shane Mouchet; Mirecki, Paul; Mirecki, Paul; Zahn, Molly; Sivan, HagithThe scholarship on the Late Bronze Age town of Emar has neglected to study the major rituals within the town to provide insight upon the roles played by the king, the diviner, and the city elders. This paper examines several of the major rituals from the city, and, through an examination of the function of each office within the rituals, as well as an examination of function of the rituals themselves, provides a new viewpoint on the roles of these individuals. Of primary importance is the examination of the king within the rituals, and arguing against the majority of scholarship which displays his office as little more than a figurehead. This paper theorizes that these roles may have changed over time as the Hittites took control of the city, but displays possibilities for each office before and after the coming of the Hittites.Publication The Circle Dance of the Cross in the Acts of John: An Early Christian Ritual(University of Kansas, 2010-01-26) Beard-Shouse, Melody Gabrielle; Mirecki, Paul; Zogry, Michael; Corbeill, AnthonyThis study will discuss the original form, function, and meaning of the circle dance of the cross found in AJohn and determine whether it represents an early Christian ritual practice. This study will assess the evidence concerning the circle dance ritual within AJohn. Furthermore, a comparative examination of other relevant sources will shed further light on the circle in AJohn. This paper will offer a hypothetical reconstruction of the circle dance ritual. Ultimately this study will show that the early Christian ritual recorded in AJohn was in fact an actual ritual and is representative of early Christian plurality. Furthermore, it will illustrate that the ritual draws heavily on Greek philosophical understandings of circle dances representing order and disorder. The study will conclude that this ritual was ecstatic in character, and that it was individually transformative.Publication The History and Application of Christian Just War Theory as Related to Preemptive Attack(University of Kansas, 2010-04-28) Turner, Galen Michener; Shelton, Robert; Wright, Sherry; Zimdars-Swartz, SandraAbstract Galen Michener Turner, B.A. Department of Religious Studies, April 2010 University of Kansas The Christian Just War tradition was created around the central principle that war was part of human existence, but that it needed limitation. It evolved under the influence of historical pressures and through intellects that synthesized the nonviolent teachings of Jesus with governmental concerns. The Christian Just War tradition has always sought to define what would allow a war to be considered just. It has become part of Western secular culture, helping to form ethical categories and preconceptions of Just War. Preemptive warfare has, since the very beginning of the tradition, been considered unjust, and yet it continues to be a tactic used by many governments, even those influenced by the Christian Just War tradition. Often using the language of the tradition, they find ways to argue that their preemptive strategies are just. For this reason, the effectiveness of Christian Just War theory is often debated. This study begins by tracing the historical development of the Christian Just War tradition from Jesus through Aquinas, examining each thinker's views on preemption. It then puts Christian Just War theory into the context of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and explores two examples of preemptive war. Finally, it compares contrasting applications of Christian Just War theory in the debate over the Iraq War. While preemptive warfare is considered unjust, the idea of preemption is hard to define objectively. This is one reason that Christian Just War principles have been used to justify preemption, though the legitimacy of this usage is highly debated. While the correct usage of Christian Just War theory, which maintains the purpose and integrity of the principles, condemns preemptive warfare, the application of it determines its effectiveness.Publication Gray Whales, Green Indians, and Sea Shepherds(University of Kansas, 2008-08-19) Bland, Clinton Thomas; Miller, Timothy; Zogry, Michael; Shelton, RobertIn recent years, scholars in disciplines outside the field of religious studies have attempted to explain the behavior of anti-whaling activists opposing the Makah tribe's attempts to being whaling in this contemporary era in terms of theories of totemism. This thesis questions the conclusions reached by those scholars and argues the following: 1) analysis of contemporary anti-whaling activism as "totemism" is ineffective because of the problematic and outdated nature of the concept; 2) contemporary scholars who employ the concept also fail to make the more general argument that anti-whaling activism is an endeavor informed by religious beliefs; 3) the fact that scholars have attempted to rehabilitate the term may tell us more about their own ideas regarding religion than those of the people whom they study. Specifically, it is the argument of this thesis that such application of the totemism concept illustrates the ideological bias that perceived human-animal relationships on the part of indigenous peoples are permissible, but are not permissible among non-indigenous individuals or groups.