Christ-Centered Reasoning: A Platform and Framework for Integrating Christian Faith into Higher Education.

The integration of Christian faith in higher education can be challenging, as the parameters and scope of integration are not always clear. Notably, the term ‘integration’ has been overused and/or thrown around without distinction within the Christian Liberal Arts halls of learning. Generally, no principles are provided for integration in terms of curriculum, pedagogy, or learning; hence, a clear articulation is required regarding what integration entails with respect to curricula, learning, and pedagogy. There is also an urgent need to theorize integration practically and pragmatically within higher education, particularly in relation to inquiry methodologies and discipline-specific specializations. One way to theorize and conceptualize the notion of integration more pragmatically is through Christ-Centred Reasoning (CCR). CCR theorizes that Christ\u27s-making (i.e., universal knowledge, recognizing that YAHWEH is the Creator of all things), Christ\u27s-cosmos (i.e., sciences, a beginning attempt to know the mind of the ELOHIM), and Christ\u27s-ways (i.e., the basis for all support, service, care, ethics, morals and social justice processes) as three constructs which provide the much-needed scope and parameters for integration. Each component of CCR—Christ\u27s-making, Christ\u27s-cosmos, and Christ\u27s-ways — both collectively and individually, encompasses a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of various fields of study and areas of specialization (i.e., humanities, mathematics, sciences, and philosophies). Thus, in valuing Christ\u27s-making, knowing Christ\u27s-cosmos, and applying Christ\u27s-ways, CCR brings together and unites all ‘logies’ (i.e., knowledge) in the one category of Christ. CCR enables Christ to be at the center of reasoning, human experience, and valuing reality, allowing for a seamless integration of epistemologies

Willard, Josie, & Arlene Outwater

Willard, Josie, and Arlene Outwater.https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/perisho_alaska/1216/thumbnail.jp

Ukrainian Orthodox Church Clerics and Activists Under Suspicion, Under Investigation, Sanctioned, Detained, and/or Convicted for Collaboration with Russia or for Promotion of Russian War Narratives

The Context On August 20, 2024, President Volodymyr Zelensky signed Bill #8371, “On the Protection of the Constitutional Order in the Sphere of Activity of Religious Organizations,” passed by the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s legislature. As a measure of wartime national security its provisions include a ban on the staunchly pro-Putin Russian Orthodox Church. It also requires the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), historically subordinate to the Moscow Patriarchate, to sever all ties with its parent church and to prevent its congregations from abetting the Russian war effort against Ukraine

Subjective Outcome Measures and Floor Transfer Ability in CommunityDwelling Older Adults

The ability to get up and down off the floor is associated with functional independence and is not often clinically assessed. Previous research has shown that floor transfers (FT) are closely linked with falls and associated injuries, age, and the physical function of older adults. There is association between individuals self reported ability and actual ability to complete a FT. No research has assessed the association between self-report measures and actual ability to get up from the floor. Purpose: Determine the relationship between self-report measures and FT ability while evaluating the differences in these measures and the strategies used by older adults. Hypothesis: Older adults with high self-efficacy, high physical function, high physical activity and low fear of falling will have quicker FT times and these measures will differ between strategies used

A Multimethod Study of the Impact of Nudge Letters on Middle School Students’ Attendance

The purpose of this study was to increase parent involvement by using nudge theory to increase students’ overall attendance. This study addressed the issue of chronic absenteeism in K–12 schools in the current landscape of post-COVID-19 global pandemic where absenteeism has remained a persistent problem in Oregon. Chronic absenteeism affects student academics, behavior, and socioemotional well-being, displaying the importance of schools increasing their communication efforts with families. Attendance interventions have been used, but chronic absenteeism has remained at high levels postpandemic. Using nudge letters as an intervention is limited yet has proven to be effective in some schools in the Pacific Northwest. This study used a quantitative pre- and post-test design to collect data from Nudge Middle School’s student information system, Synergy. Data were gathered through Synergy and from a parent involvement survey, and they were analyzed using a paired t test to determine if nudge communication increased parents’ involvement, thus improving student attendance. Additionally, this study explored the changes in attendance for students receiving special education services and English learner students before and after the implementation of nudge theory. By using the theoretical framework of nudge theory, this study examined the effectiveness of an intervention that could quickly and cost-effectively be applied to all students in a school to address chronic absenteeism. Overall results displayed a significant decrease in student attendance after the nudge intervention; yet, the small effect size from the study meant that changes in attendance were probably due to outside factors. Key findings of this study included the importance of external and internal factors that families face, which make involvement difficult (e.g., transportation, illness, jobs). The nudge letter also may have had unintended negative impacts on attendance that contributed to the decrease, such as parents ii perceiving the letter as negative or paternalistic. This study identified the need to conduct a longitudinal study to see if the effect of nudging is more effective over time, because nudging works by using small, incremental changes over time

Biblical Women Reimagined A Devotional where Women\u27s Voices are Heard

The vocational context of this project portfolio is a small spiritual direction practice found in central Massachusetts. The directees are women who attend or have left the evangelical church for distinct reasons. One of the key issues that these women face is the dismissal or minimization of their voices. Leaders stopped these women from using their voices. The women could not ask questions, share their experiences, or make decisions about their spiritual journeys. Considering the context and stakeholder feedback, the NPO: the dismissal of women’s voices denies the evangelical church the complete revelation of God’s work among humans. Four key insights emerged. First, women in the evangelical church need a space to learn how capable their voices are at expressing their experiences. Second, women in the evangelical church need to take on the responsibility to use their voices. Third, evangelical women need to do the work to uncover the lost and dismissed stories. Lastly, evangelical women must create safe spaces for stories. The project design is a fifty-two-week-long devotional. Each week includes a story of a female character or a feminine image of God. I drafted the stories in the first-person narrative. In addition, the weekly material consists of a discipleship topic, suggested spiritual practices, and a note page. Through this devotional, women in the evangelical church can find a space to express themselves. By having a space to use their voice, they know themselves and God. They can gain the confidence to ask questions, share experiences, and make their own decisions on their spiritual journey

People Are First: A Qualitative Metasynthesis of People First Leadership

This study addresses the emerging leadership style of People First Leadership and the growing need for a commonly accepted definition and model of the concept. Traditional management and leadership styles have left a legacy of corporate fraud, low employee engagement, and work–life imbalance. People First Leadership offers a potential remedy, but sources on the subject are limited and isolated. A universal understanding of the leadership style is needed to galvanize research and further inform practice. As such, this study poses the questions: how is People First Leadership presently defined and modeled, and does synergy exist between current theories? An exhaustive search of four databases resulted in 204 sources referencing People First Leadership, 27 of which were determined relevant to the study. The 27 sources were then analyzed using a three-phase qualitative metasynthesis approach. In the first phase, metasynthesis uncovered 418 findings which were subsequently grouped into 127 unique themes. During the second phase, the unique themes were synthesized into seven composite themes, then were interpreted as three defining statements of People First Leadership. During the final phase of metasynthesis, a novel model for People First Leadership was developed. The study concludes by discussing implications for the definition and model, limitations of the research, and next steps for People First Leadership

Bridging the Gap: Overcoming Barriers to Church Attendance And Ministry Engagement Between Millenials and Baby Boomers in the African Methodist Episcopal Church

This dissertation aims to develop a comprehensive understanding of the generational divide within the AME Church and propose actionable solutions for bridging this gap. Chapter 1 has introduced the problem, its context, and its significance, along with the guiding research question. Subsequent chapters will build on this foundation, exploring biblical, theological, and historical perspectives, as well as practical strategies for fostering intergenerational collaboration. Chapter 2 will delve into the biblical foundations of unity and intergenerational collaboration, examining scriptural principles that emphasize mutual respect and cooperation. Chapter 3 will provide theological and historical insights, highlighting examples of successful intergenerational ministry within and beyond the AME Church. Chapter 4 will present case studies and methodologies for analyzing generational conflict, offering a framework for developing an intergenerational ministry model. Chapter 5 will outline practical strategies for implementing adaptive leadership and worship practices, addressing resistance, and fostering mutual understanding. Finally, Chapter 6 will summarize the findings and provide recommendations for AME Church leadership and future research. By addressing the challenges posed by the generational divide, this dissertation seeks to contribute to the revitalization of the AME Church, ensuring its continued relevance and impact for generations to come

Operation “Prophets” or Integration of Pentecostals into the Structures of the AUCECB by the NKGB-KGB

The purpose of this article is to expose the work of the Soviet special services, which was directly aimed at incorporating the Pentecostals of the USSR into the structure of the All-Union Council of Evangelical Christians and Baptists (AUCEC&B). It reveals the mechanisms, forms, and methods used by the Soviet special services (NKGB-KGB) to achieve this incorporation. It has been proven that this process was purely coercive in nature and was directly intended to eliminate Pentecostals as a denomination, using Evangelical Christians and Baptists (ECB) as a means to that end

The Riddle of the Sphinx

Owen Barfield, whom C. S. Lewis described archetypally as his “Second Friend” —“the man who disagrees with you about everything . . . not so much the alter ego as the antiself ”1 —expressed his agreement with the argument of The Abolition of Man and his admiration of the book on a number of occasions. For example, describing various means by which one can become aware of the presuppositions of one’s thoughts, Barfield once wrote: One, of which the best example I know is C. S. Lewis’s The Abolition of Man, is to take some typical utterance by a contemporary writer, whether scientific or literary, to expose by analysing them the fundamental presuppositions and basic assumptions that underly it, and then (if it be the case) to show how illogical they are in their reasoning and how pernicious in their effects.2 Barfield’s essay, “The Riddle of the Sphinx,” which first appeared in Arena, a journal of the P.E.N. Centre for Writers in Exile in London, is a product of close engagement with The Abolition of Man. At the time of its publication, April 1964, Lewis’s death in November 1963 was quite recent. It is one of a number of essays and lectures Barfield wrote during thisOwen Barfield, whom C. S. Lewis described archetypally as his “Second Friend” —“the man who disagrees with you about everything . . . not so much the alter ego as the antiself ”1 —expressed his agreement with the argument of The Abolition of Man and his admiration of the book on a number of occasions. For example, describing various means by which one can become aware of the presuppositions of one’s thoughts, Barfield once wrote: One, of which the best example I know is C. S. Lewis’s The Abolition of Man, is to take some typical utterance by a contemporary writer, whether scientific or literary, to expose by analysing them the fundamental presuppositions and basic assumptions that underly it, and then (if it be the case) to show how illogical they are in their reasoning and how pernicious in their effects.2 Barfield’s essay, “The Riddle of the Sphinx,” which first appeared in Arena, a journal of the P.E.N. Centre for Writers in Exile in London, is a product of close engagement with The Abolition of Man. At the time of its publication, April 1964, Lewis’s death in November 1963 was quite recent. It is one of a number of essays and lectures Barfield wrote during this period praising Lewis’s intellectual legacy, even as he continued to argue generously about much of his friend’s thinking