by Lung Ngan Ling. / Thesis (M.Div.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 116-121). / Acknowledgments --- p.i / Abstract --- p.iii / Chapter Chapter One: --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1. --- Presuppositions of the Study --- p.3 / Chapter 1.1. --- Homosexuality: a Part But Not a Deviation of Human Sexuality / Chapter 1.2. --- Homosexuality: Not Incompatible with the Christian Faith / Chapter 2. --- Significance of the Study --- p.5 / Chapter 2.1. --- Academic Significance / Chapter 2.2. --- Theological Significance / Chapter 2.3. --- Pastoral Significance / Chapter 2.4. --- Social Significance / Chapter 2.5. --- Personal Significance / Chapter 3. --- Organization of the Thesis --- p.9 / Chapter Chapter Two: --- Literature Review and Research Questions --- p.11 / Chapter 1. --- Literature Review --- p.11 / Chapter 1.1. --- Coming Out Process / Chapter 1.2. --- Denial of Homo sexual Identity / Chapter 1.3. --- Relationship with Partner / Chapter 1.4. --- Struggle between the Christian Identity and Homosexuality / Chapter 1.5. --- Discrimination / Chapter 2. --- Research Questions --- p.15 / Chapter 2.1. --- The Coming Out Experience / Chapter 2.2. --- The Experience of Denying Homosexual Orientation / Chapter 2.3. --- The Experience of Homosexual Partnership / Chapter 2.4. --- The Struggle between the Christian Identity and Homosexuality / Chapter 2.5. --- The Experience of Discrimination / Chapter Chapter Three: --- Research Methodology --- p.16 / Chapter 1. --- Justifications and Layout --- p.16 / Chapter 1.1. --- Reasons for Qualitative Approach / Chapter 1.2. --- Entry / Chapter 1.3. --- Research Strategy and Data Collection / Chapter 1.4. --- Samples and Sampling / Chapter 1.5. --- Data Analysis / Chapter 2. --- Key Issues Discussed --- p.19 / Chapter 2.1. --- As a Non-lesbian Am I an Appropriate Researcher to This Study? / Chapter 2.2. --- What Kind of Truth Does the Researcher Get? - / Chapter 2.3. --- Ethical Consideration / Chapter Chapter Four: --- Background Profiles of Interviewees --- p.26 / Chapter 1. --- Personal Data of the Interviewees --- p.26 / Chapter 2. --- "Interviewees' Relationship with the Church and the Circle, and Their Level of Coming Out" --- p.27 / Chapter 2.1. --- Tim / Chapter 2.2. --- Mark / Chapter 2.3. --- Sue / Chapter 2.4. --- Elsa / Chapter Chapter Five: --- Coming Out Experience --- p.30 / Chapter 1. --- Self-awareness of Homosexual Orientation --- p.30 / Chapter 1.1. --- Early Discovery / Chapter 1.2. --- Ways of Experiencing Homosexual Orientation / Chapter 1.3. --- Self-perception of Sexual Identity / Chapter 2. --- Coming Out to Peers --- p.33 / Chapter 2.1. --- People in Love / Chapter 2.2. --- Friends / Chapter 3. --- Coming Out to the Church Authority --- p.34 / Chapter 3.1. --- To Come Out / Chapter 3.2. --- Not to Come Out / Chapter 4. --- Coming Out to Family --- p.36 / Chapter 4.1. --- Coming Out Degrees / Chapter 5. --- Coming Out to the Circle --- p.37 / Chapter 5.1. --- Coming Out Degrees / Chapter 6. --- Discussion --- p.38 / Chapter 6.1. --- "Correlation among Homosexual Orientation, Homosexual Identity and Participation in the Circle" / Chapter 6.2. --- Church as a Hindrance in the Coming Out Experience / Chapter 6.3. --- Supportive Network / Chapter Chapter Six: --- Experience in Denying Homosexual Orientation --- p.41 / Chapter 1. --- Reasons for Denial --- p.41 / Chapter 1.1. --- Religious Consideration / Chapter 1.2. --- Unfavorable Environment / Chapter 1.3. --- Hurts from Homosexual Relationship / Chapter 2. --- Ways of Denying Homosexual Orientation --- p.42 / Chapter 2.1. --- Dating the Opposite Sex / Chapter 2.2. --- Prayer / Chapter 2.3. --- Professional Help / Chapter 2.4. --- Straight-acting / Chapter 2.5. --- Suppression of Homosexual Feeling / Chapter 2.6. --- Watching Heterosexual Pornographic Video / Chapter 3. --- Discussion --- p.45 / Chapter 3.1. --- Alternation of Sexual Orientation / Chapter 3.2. --- Challenge to Stereotypical Beliefs / Chapter 3.3. --- Church as a Driving Force for Denial / Chapter 3.4. --- Marriage and Straight-acting / Chapter Chapter Seven: --- Experience of Intimate Homosexual Relationship --- p.49 / Chapter 1. --- General Account --- p.49 / Chapter 2. --- Positive Implication --- p.50 / Chapter 2.1. --- Very Satisfying Experience / Chapter 2.2. --- Reflection on Love / Chapter 2.3. --- Certainty and Acceptance of Homosexual Orientation / Chapter 2.4. --- Personality Development / Chapter 2.5. --- Participation in the Circle / Chapter 2.6. --- Faith Reflection / Chapter 2.7. --- A Proud Experience / Chapter 3. --- Negative Implication --- p.53 / Chapter 3.1 --- Painful Experience / Chapter 3.2. --- Compulsory Heterosexuality and Homophobia / Chapter 3.3. --- Heterosexism / Chapter 4. --- Discussion --- p.55 / Chapter 4.1. --- Challenge to Stereotypical Beliefs / Chapter 4.2. --- "Homophobia, Compulsory Heterosexuality and Heterosexism" / Chapter 4.3. --- Church Reflection / Chapter Chapter Eight: --- Struggle Between Christian Identity and Homosexuality --- p.58 / Chapter 1. --- A General Account --- p.58 / Chapter 2. --- Different Processes of Struggle --- p.58 / Chapter 2.1. --- Tim / Chapter 2.2. --- Mark / Chapter 2.3. --- Sue / Chapter 2.4. --- Elsa / Chapter 3. --- Implications of the Struggle --- p.62 / Chapter 3.1. --- Image of God / Chapter 3.2. --- Weight of Experience in Faith Reflection / Chapter 3.3. --- Attitude towards Alternative Information / Chapter 3.4. --- Ministry in the Circle / Chapter 3.5. --- Ministry in the Church / Chapter 4. --- Discussion --- p.71 / Chapter 4.1. --- A Suggestion of Three-phase Development of Struggle / Chapter 4.2. --- Challenge to Stereotypical Beliefs / Chapter Chapter Nine: --- Experience of Discrimination --- p.74 / Chapter 1. --- Self Discrimination --- p.74 / Chapter 2. --- Discrimination among Peers --- p.74 / Chapter 2.1. --- People in Love / Chapter 2.2. --- Friends / Chapter 3. --- Discrimination in the Church --- p.77 / Chapter 4. --- Discrimination in the Family --- p.79 / Chapter 5. --- Discrimination in the Circle --- p.79 / Chapter 5.1. --- Gay vs. Lesbian / Chapter 5.2. --- Straight vs. Queer / Chapter 5.3. --- With Partner vs. Without Partner / Chapter 6. --- Discrimination in Society --- p.80 / Chapter 6.1. --- Homophobic Society / Chapter 6.2. --- Limited Room for Homosexual People / Chapter 6.3. --- Hatred towards Homosexual People / Chapter 6.4. --- Response of the Interviewees / Chapter 7. --- Discussion --- p.83 / Chapter 7.1. --- Self Discrimination and Coping / Chapter 7.2. --- Invisibility / Chapter 7.3. --- Discrimination and Homosexuals / Chapter 7.4. --- Church as an Oppressing Institution / Chapter Chapter Ten: --- Conclusion - Theological and Pastoral Implications --- p.86 / Chapter 1. --- Summary of Findings --- p.86 / Chapter 1.1. --- Understanding Homosexuals: Male and Female / Chapter 1.2. --- Challenge to Stereotypical Beliefs / Chapter 1.3. --- The Role of the Church / Chapter 2. --- Theological and Pastoral Implications --- p.90 / Chapter 2.1. --- A Critical Examination of the Theological Arguments and Implied Pastoral Practices Concerning Homosexuality in Hong Kong / Chapter 2.2. --- Salvation as Liberation: Recommendation for Pastoral Care Related to Homosexuality / Chapter 3. --- Recommendation for Further Study --- p.112 / Chapter 3.1. --- Samples / Chapter 3.2 --- Perspective of Analysis / Chapter 3.3. --- Foci of Study / Chapter 4. --- Conclusion --- p.114 / Appendix: Interviewing Schedule --- p.115 / Bibliography --- p.116

Thesis (M.A.)--Catholic Theological Union at Chicago, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 97-100).

This dissertation explores the role of popular religion in a transnational community by examining the performance of devotion to local patron saints, virgin mothers and sacred crosses. Annually in May, Empalme Escobedo, Guanajuato, Mexico celebrates San Isidro Labrador (the patron saint of farmers), Maria Auxiliadora (the patroness of railroad laborers) and the Santa Cruz de Picacho (Sacred Cross of Picacho). Following the celebrations many of the male participants in the fiestas travel to Texas to work in agriculture or the service industry. Consequently, devotion to the saint(s) moves with migrants back and forth across the Mexican-U.S. border. My thesis is that the force of devotion gives voice to the tension between the desire for solidarity (experienced through fiesta performance) and the erosion of the community by migration (experienced as absence and dissolution). What I call the force of devotion refers to the social processes, expressive culture, continuity and change that make up a transnational community's system of beliefs and practices and enable folks to understand, explain or cope with everyday life. The force of devotion is the key analytic frame through which I interpret the articulations of spirituality and popular religion, impermanence and fragmentation, absence and hope. The central questions posed in this dissertation emerge from the stories folks in Empalme Escobedo tell about their lives. Consultants talk about their devotion as an expression of faith, a necessary guidance through daily life and a symbol of hope. Tracking the force of devotion exposes social relationships, emotional and intimate experiences, desires and fears. Memory of and participation in the fiestas not only symbolize the force of devotion, but also serve as a connection to separated family members and place of origin. The everyday reality of the absence of loved ones and the fragmentation of the community as a result of migration amplifies the human desire for sociability and solidarity. The fiesta performance provides a space in which the consciousness of communal boundaries is heightened, thereby confirming and strengthening the experience of the social and the force of devotion. / text

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The purpose of this interdisciplinary study was to examine children's and adolescents' (aged 6 to 16) thoughts of God that were hypothesized to reflect the child's religious context and to be related to a child's cognitive maturity and gender. The following four objectives guided the study: (1) to examine children's thoughts of God within a particular religious school environment, (2) to investigate age-related changes in children's representations of God as indicated by their narrative texts, (3) to explore children's (female and male) representations of God as described in their narrative texts, and (4) to suggest transitions in the developmental structure of children's narrative texts about God across levels of cognitive maturity. The children (N=114) selected for the study were chosen from a Christian school setting where religious instruction was part of the curriculum focus. Each child, upon parental consent, participated in a one-to-one interview and accomplished a series of developmental tasks including generating a story about God, responding to a story about Jesus, answering questions about God, and completing a short memory task. Parents were asked to complete a questionnaire about religious life inside and outside the family home. A review of the religious education curriculum was conducted. The collected data were analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. The results were fourfold. First, the study found that the religious school environment (e.g., religious education program and religious activities both inside and outside the family home) had the potential to influence children's changing thoughts about God. Second, there were differences in female and male representations of God. Third, there were significant changes in children's representations of God as they matured. These changes were based not only on children's cognitive maturity but also as a result of the children's religious knowledge acquired within their religious environment. Also, these changes reflected unique subtle differences in children's conceptual understandings of God. Fourth, as children cognitively matured, there were changes in the structure of their narratives about God. These changes paralleled the narrative structure posited by McKeough (1992a) and the stages and substages posited by Case (1992a).

Religion was an important, and unifying element of the imperial Roman army. The imperial cult created and maintained a bond among the troops. Studying the specific cults of Mithra, Jupiter Dolichenus and Sol Invictus is also valuable, as they reflect Romanization, illustrate cult movement in the empire and represent military religious practices. Despite contemporary concerns there was also a Christian and Jewish presence within the imperial army. The imperial army permitted all cults, as long as Rome's state cults were respected. Imperial influence, especially by the Severan Dynasty, may explain the introduction of many eastern cults. An increased number of provincial recruits over the first three centuries CE, and a heightened transfer of troops to the eastern frontiers, may also explain the escalated worship of non-Roman, eastern cults during the imperial period. Modern scholarship on such issues is emphasized in this study, as it guides the interpretation of primary evidence. / v, 164 leaves ; 29 cm.

Utilizing subcultural identity, scripting, and reference group theories, this study analyzes 21 young adult, evangelical Christian women’s attitudes toward sexuality, and how they utilize messages regarding sexuality from their pastors and parents. Although the women in this study perceive that messages from their pastors and parents regarding sex are unclear and at times inconsistent, their attitudes still particularly fit into the well-known strict sexual “norms” for evangelical Christians. However, the women’s understanding of sexuality did not always include messages from a pastor or parent. Though messages from the participants’ pastors and parents are not irrelevant to the women in this study, the ambiguous nature of their messages offers the participants a unique opportunity to construct their own definitions of sex. Most participants consider procreation to be an important purpose of sex, but they also believe enjoyment and intimacy are important purposes. Additionally, while most of the women in this study consider oral sex and anal sex to count as a loss of virginity, participants also noted many gray areas when considering virginity loss and sexual purity. / Department of Sociology

This study explores the origins and development of one of America's largest alternative religions, contemporary Paganism, while placing emphasis on the roles of homosexual and heterosexual males within a movement that is dominated by women and focused on a Goddess, rather than a God. This gendered examination demonstrates contemporary Paganism's roots in the counterculture movement of the 1960s, and investigates how rituals have changed for boys within the movement, as well as ritual modification among homosexual males. This study reveals a reverse sexism among contemporary Pagan women toward males within the community and how this group is still working toward understanding and acceptance between the sexes. With an ever growing presence and over 300, 000 contemporary Pagans in the United States to date, this religious group adds to the changing contours of American religion.Ball State UniversityMuncie, IN 47306 / Department of History

The purpose of this interdisciplinary study was to examine children's and adolescents' (aged 6 to 16) thoughts of God that were hypothesized to reflect the child's religious context and to be related to a child's cognitive maturity and gender. The following four objectives guided the study: (1) to examine children's thoughts of God within a particular religious school environment, (2) to investigate age-related changes in children's representations of God as indicated by their narrative texts, (3) to explore children's (female and male) representations of God as described in their narrative texts, and (4) to suggest transitions in the developmental structure of children's narrative texts about God across levels of cognitive maturity. The children (N=114) selected for the study were chosen from a Christian school setting where religious instruction was part of the curriculum focus. Each child, upon parental consent, participated in a one-to-one interview and accomplished a series of developmental tasks including generating a story about God, responding to a story about Jesus, answering questions about God, and completing a short memory task. Parents were asked to complete a questionnaire about religious life inside and outside the family home. A review of the religious education curriculum was conducted. The collected data were analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. The results were fourfold. First, the study found that the religious school environment (e.g., religious education program and religious activities both inside and outside the family home) had the potential to influence children's changing thoughts about God. Second, there were differences in female and male representations of God. Third, there were significant changes in children's representations of God as they matured. These changes were based not only on children's cognitive maturity but also as a result of the children's religious knowledge acquired within their religious environment. Also, these changes reflected unique subtle differences in children's conceptual understandings of God. Fourth, as children cognitively matured, there were changes in the structure of their narratives about God. These changes paralleled the narrative structure posited by McKeough (1992a) and the stages and substages posited by Case (1992a). / Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies / Graduate

The present study examined the use of MacDonald's Expressions of Spirituality instrument with a younger and older adult sample. Specifically, MacDonald's proposed five factor model was assessed for fit with a sample of college age participants as well as a sample of adults over the age of 65. A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to assess the fit of this model with samples, and this was followed by an exploratory factor analysis, and the results were considered in light of measurement equivalence and the definitions of the constructs of religiosity and spirituality. Further analyses examined levels of religiousness as well as relationships between religiousness/spirituality and potential correlates, such as postformal thinking, life events including changes and losses, emotional and physical well-being, and family upbringing, comparing young and older adult samples. Results of the confirmatory factor analysis revealed a solution with a better fit than MacDonald's model for both younger and older adults. While the number of factors were the same for both samples, item loadings and cross-loadings differed between the younger and older adult samples. Exploratory factor analysis yielded a four factor solution, with religiousness and spirituality items loading onto one factor. With regard to measurement equivalence, findings appear to indicate that the five factor solution and MacDonald's Expressions of Spirituality instrument may not be as useful with older adults. Additionally, findings are discussed with regard to the measurement of the constructs of religiosity and spirituality. In addition to measurement issues, several findings pointed to differences between the younger and older adult samples. For young adults, more life changes were related to higher levels of postformal thinking, but for older adults more life losses were related to higher levels of postformal thinking. Also, the older adult sample had higher levels of religiousness than the young adult sample. Several results were the same for younger and older adults. First, no correlation existed between religious commitment and postformal thinking. Second, a family history of religiousness was positively correlated with current religiousness. Third, for younger and older adults, religiousness was positively correlated with emotional well-being for low loss groups. Limitations of the current study are discussed, and implications for clinical practice and future research are addressed.