African American Male Pastors’ Perceptions of Managing Racism As Black Men and Spiritual Leaders

The purpose of this psychological phenomenological study was to give African American pastors a platform to express their perceptions of racism as Black men and spiritual leaders. The appropriate relationships can endure unforeseen trauma with Erickson\u27s (2013) recognition of the dependability and reliability of the scriptures, as well as Bowlby\u27s (1969/1982) concept of pastors\u27 attachments fostering trust. The research questions were as follows: How would African American pastors describe the challenges they face when addressing the issue of racism with their congregations? What strategies would African American pastors encourage to congregates when addressing racism? How would African American pastors describe the context of the sermon on racism differently from Martin Luther King, Jr.’s sermons in the 1960s? What would African American pastors say their role is in the Black community as a spiritual leaders concerning racism? Who would African American pastors say provide comfort when disturbed about racial issues, not excluding an image of a spiritual figure? In what ways would African American pastors say that racism has affected their behavior? The Brief COPE Assessment tool was used as a pre-evaluation method for African American participants to identify coping strategies when addressing traumatic issues, such as racism. The data collection method included semi-structured interviews, cognitive representation and was validated through participant checks. Utilizing Moustakas’ (1994) modified Van Kemp method, data analysis consisted of a series of operations: horizonalization, reduction, elimination, clustering, theme development, validation, and description to report the essence of participants’ experiences. Data analysis identified the following five major themes and their recurring themes regarding the Black male pastor’s perception of racism: 1) Growth of the Black Church, a) Church Growth in comparison to the 1960s; 2) Role of Black Pastors; 3) Influences, a) Influence as a Spiritual Leader, b) Influence within the Black Community, c) Influence on Racism Strategies and d) Influences Received by Others; 4) Biblical Perspective of the African American Pastors, a) COVID-19 Pandemic, and b) January 6th Insurrection, and 5) Biblical Character of the African American Pastors, a) 2020/2021 Killings of Black men, b) Killings of Black Men Affect Black Men in the Family, c) Racism Affecting Behavior as a Black Man, and d) Killing of Black Men Like George Floyd and Andre Hill

Oblivion\u27s Edge

Oblivion\u27s Edge is a role-playing game. It is a manuscript which provides a fictional setting and the methods for group storytelling within that setting. This is not a typical academic project. It is not a board game, a card game, or a computer game. It is a creative work, more like a novel or collection of short stories than a traditional paper or thesis

Investigation of the nature of the church through an analysis of selected email-based Christian online communities

This thesis investigates Christian online communities, with special emphasis on studying the nature of community and cyberspace. The purpose is to identify characteristics of community that individuals are seeking to cultivate in the online setting, showing possible implications for individuals in the "real world" church and offline communities. The key research question is: "What does online communication offer individual Christians and groups of Christians? How is the Internet changing Christians' interaction with the real world Christian Church?" The literature review on the topics of community, the Internet and online religion begins with theological definitions of community being combined with Social Network Analysis. Community is defined as a network of relationships between individuals connecting to a common purpose, whose bonds are created and sustained through shared traits and beliefs. The Internet, the "network of all connected networks" and cyberspace, a metaphorical space laden with distinct interpretations of what is real and what is virtual in a technological world, are explored as a space utilising new ways of communicating and being. Online community combines traditional traits of community with a new technological setting and is defined as individuals assembling through Internet technology to form a network of interdependent relationships based on a common vision, care and communication. These explorations provide groundwork for studying online Christian communities, online groups who share a common Christian commitment and unite through a specific faith-based discussion topic. Case study methodology is used to explore three Christian-email communities. They were selected on the basis of common online practices, yet represented diverse theological groups. The Community of Prophecy is a Charismatic-Renewal group focused around the gift of prophecy. The Online Church is an evangelical group of sensory impaired individuals. The Anglican Communion Online is a group with links to the Anglican Church. A three-phase research strategy is employed. Phase one involves participant-observation in selected online communities. Phase two involves distribution and analysis of online questionnaires to online community members. Phase three involves face-to-face interviews. These discussions tested out online observations and investigated how individuals link their online and "real world" communities. Each case study is analysed with data presented under four themes. First, The Online Community and the Online Context examined how each community used Internet technology and adapted to the online environment. Secondly, The Online Community and the Real World investigated how each community links online experiences with real world activities. Thirdly, The Online Community as a Community considered how each online group develops unique patterns of behaviour and a common identity. Finally, The Online Community Reflects on the Church demonstrated how members critique the real world Church community through the positive characteristics of online community they experienced. Through this study three conclusions are drawn. First, online involvement is not causing people to leave their local church or shy away from real world participation. Secondly, people join online communities primarily for relationships not information; relationships often noted as lacking in the offline Church. Thirdly, members' descriptions of online community and reasons they give for online involvement provide a critique of the real world Church. Also the attributes of online community highlighted (relationship, care, value, consistent communication and in-depth/intimate communications) offer a picture of what individuals hope a Christian community of the Church to be like

‘Paul Scott’s Hippie’ and Hanging On

This thesis consists of a critical essay examining the evolution of genre and aesthetic in English fiction about South Asia, and a novel about a family of Sri Lankans settled in England. In the essay I question how a contemporary English novelist can place himself amongst the cohort of those earlier writers who have written about South Asia, since the relationship between the former colonists and colonised has changed so greatly. I demonstrate that generic elements were established in the earliest examples of this fiction, which remained notably constant throughout, even up to the late work of Paul Scott. However, I show that the aesthetic attending this Anglo-Indian genre begins with an affirmation of the benefit to the subcontinent which the colonial project might bring and ends with a repudiation of that idea. I seek to break new ground by arguing that the repudiation is so unequivocal in the work of Scott and others that this fiction comes to express an aesthetic of apology. I argue that Scott recognises that it has become possible no longer to write within the Anglo-Indian genre, and that his final novel, Staying On, has evolved into the Commonwealth genre. My novel, Hanging On, is an echo of Scott's last novel. It examines the life of a man who wishes to remain more-or-less British, rather than become independently Sri Lankan, and the legacy of his position as it filters down through the generations of his family in Luton. Cultural difference is now the prime source of conflict, rather than political power, and it aims to demonstrate that cultural hybridity is the paradoxical consequence of the racial rigidity which accompanied the colonial project to its termination

Situating Portfolios: Four Perspectives

Yancey and Weiser bring together thirty-one writing teachers from diverse levels of instruction, institutional settings, and regions to create a stimulating volume on the current practice in portfolio writing assessment. Contributors reflect on the explosion in portfolio practice over the last decade, why it happened, what comes next; discuss portfolios in hypertext, the web, and other electronic spaces; and consider emerging trends and issues that are involving portfolios in teacher assessment, faculty development, and graduate student experience.https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/usupress_pubs/1117/thumbnail.jp

Bowdoin Orient v.104, no.1-24 (1974-1975)

https://digitalcommons.bowdoin.edu/bowdoinorient-1970s/1005/thumbnail.jp