Unification of Art and Spirituality

David Wagenfeld, an artist and resident of Kalamazoo, Michigan, provided the cover art for the Summer 2024 edition of The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT). “Word Fusion” is a piece made from ink on paper that uses words to depict an image of a person walking through an environment. The image is rooted to the ground in love, joy, calmness, and peace. The person is one with themselves and their spirituality with arms portraying presence, joy, and serenity. David shares his experience of self-discovery and understanding of the beautiful dance between art and spirituality

Book Review: Many Ways of Pluralism: Essays in Honour of Kalarikkal Poulose Aleaz

A review of Many Ways of Pluralism: Essays in Honour of Kalarikkal Poulose Aleaz edited by V. J. John

Substance and Person in Tertullian and Augustine

The doctrine of the Trinity has been a focal point of Christian thinking throughout Church history. While the term “Trinity” does not appear in the biblical text, it is still a vital Christian doctrine. The doctrine, however, has not come without controversy. Various understandings of the doctrine have been presented throughout Church history. Tertullian (ca. 160-220 AD) and Augustine (354-430 AD) represent two of the foremost theologians to discuss the issue. Tertullian was one of the first to thoroughly examine the doctrine. He coined the terms “substance” and “person” in his discussion of the doctrine. These terms would come to have a lasting impact on Christian theology. The council of Nicaea would show this commitment to Tertullian’s distinctions. Augustine also reflects his debt to Tertullian’s ingenuity yet makes significant moves to further develop the doctrine. Each of the theologians wrote in a particular context challenging the heretics of their day. They used biblical argumentation and their own philosophical commitments to present their understanding of the doctrine. This paper examines Tertullian’s use of the terms and then compares and contrasts them with Augustine’s use

Indian philosophical foundations of spirituality at the end of life

Growing understanding of spirituality at the end of life demands more theoretical research on the subject. Empirical studies have highlighted the need for exploring philosophical and cultural concepts to facilitate a fuller understanding of spirituality at the end of life. This paper explores Indian philosophy to inform the conceptualisation of spirituality at the end of life in the Indian context. Three key themes from discourses on spirituality at the end of life have been analysed: the concept of the human person, the purpose of life and the meaning of death. The human person is from and of the Divine, eternal and is capable of cognition and experience. The purpose of human life is to unite with the ultimate Reality, the Divine, by living life righteously according to prescribed ways and by achieving detachment from the illusion of the world. Death is part of life and not that which ends it. The moment of death is an opportunity for the ultimate transformation, Moksha. Analysing these philosophical foundations can provide the contextual frame for understanding the spiritual needs of palliative care patients and their families and the possibility of developing culturally relevant approaches to providing spiritual care at the end of life

What is the Nature of the Professional Practice of Artist-Teachers? Four Case Studies

Many artist-teachers struggle to nurture and pursue their ambitions in their dual roles. The purpose of this research is to explore the nature of the professional practices of artist-teachers. While there is a substantial amount of research that provides models of artist-teachers, who teach at the post secondary levels, there are not many models for artist-teachers who teach primary and secondary age groups. Four artist-teachers, whose practices are currently contributing to the art world, as well as the educational world, were interviewed for a multiple case study. The roles represented in the study include painters, sculptors, a ceramist, a musician, a performance artist, art teachers, a music teacher, and a performance-art educator. This multiple case study provides four models of artist-teachers whose professional practices contribute to their identity and fulfillment in their dual roles. The study reveals the artist-teacher’s practice as an artist, practice as a teacher and relationship between the dual roles

Awe and Wonder in Scientific Practice: Implications for the Relationship Between Science and Religion

This paper examines the role of awe and wonder in scientific practice. Drawing on evidence from psychological research and the writings of scientists and science communicators, I argue that awe and wonder play a crucial role in scientific discovery. They focus our attention on the natural world, encourage open-mindedness, diminish the self (particularly feelings of self-importance), help to accord value to the objects that are being studied, and provide a mode of understanding in the absence of full knowledge. I will flesh out implications of the role of awe and wonder in scientific discovery for debates on the relationship between science and religion. Abraham Heschel argued that awe and wonder are religious emotions because they reduce our feelings of self-importance, and thereby help to cultivate the proper reverent attitude towards God. Yet metaphysical naturalists such as Richard Dawkins insist that awe and wonder need not lead to any theistic commitments for scientists. The awe some scientists experience can be regarded as a form of non-theistic spirituality, which is neither a reductive naturalism nor theism. I will attempt to resolve the tension between these views by identifying some common ground