Worship Practices Research Articles

The Effect of Religious Belief on the Attitudes of Pregnant's Toward the Fetal Health.

The purpose of this study is to identify the effect of religious beliefs on the attitudes of pregnant women toward the health of the fetus. Pregnancy, one of the important periods of life, is a special period in terms of affecting both the mother's and the baby's health. Health beliefs and attitudes are the factors that have effects on mother-baby death rates (mortality)-which is one of the most important criteria showing health level of societies. However, the literature has limited number of studies on this issue. Volunteer participants who applied to the Gynecology and Obstetrics Polyclinic were administered a questionnaire in order to identify the frequency of performing worship practices. Women's beliefs about their roles in determining their fetus's health were measured using Fetal Health Locus of Control (FHLC) scale. FHCL scale is composed of 3 sub-scales which include Internality Locus of Control (FHLC-I), Chance Locus of Control (FHLC-C), and Powerful Others Locus of Control (FHLC-P). Non-normally distributed scale scores were analyzed with Mann-Whitney U test for two independent groups and Kruskal-Wallis test for three independent groups. The scores obtained from all the sub-scales of the FHLC scale according to the praying groups were statistically significant (p = 0.008, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). The sub-scale scores were not statistically significant according to the tendency of giving alms (p = 0.269, p = 0.695, p = 0.079, respectively). The FHLC-I and FHLC-P scores did not indicate differences according to the tendency of going to pilgrimage (p = 0.914, p = 0.578), but FHLC-C scores were significantly higher in those who tended to go to pilgrimage (p = 0.004). There was a significant relationship between the tendency of performing prayer and going to pilgrimage and attitudes toward performing double-triple tests and oral glucose tolerance test (p = 0.002, p = 0.035, respectively). Religious beliefs were influential on the attitudes of pregnant women toward the health of the fetal. Gynecologists should consider patients' religious belief sensitivity while recommending them screening tests or planning their medication.

Setting the stage for children’s participation in worship practices

ABSTRACT How children participate in worship practices is largely determined by adults. Adults set the stage; they shape the physical environment and determine the subject matter. Adults design the format for children’s participation in various forms of worship and the roles adults perform influence the interactions with children. Many different intentions inform these design choices and roles: Intentions revolving around faith, liturgy, community, and experience. The way adults shape worship with children points to the significance of spirituality. When adults perform directing roles, children’s spirituality can find a point of reference in stories and traditions while adults themselves gain from the process of translation this involves. When adults facilitate exploration, this nourishes both children’s and adults’ spirituality. Finally, when adults and children participate in worship practices together, it may contribute to a sense of community in which faith can be lived and shared.

Karen B. Stern. Writing on the Wall: Graffiti and the Forgotten Jews of Antiquity. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2018. 312 pp.

Reviewed by: Writing on the Wall: Graffiti and the Forgotten Jews of Antiquity by Karen B. Stern Mika Ahuvia Karen B. Stern. Writing on the Wall: Graffiti and the Forgotten Jews of Antiquity. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2018. 312 pp. doi:10.1017/S0364009419000114 Karen Stern opens a window onto the life of ordinary Jews in the late antique Mediterranean world using an abundant and neglected corpus: graffiti written in Jewish dialects or accompanied by Jewish symbols. Stern demonstrates how [End Page 199] Jews participated in graffiti making in a variety of regions, in an array of public and private places that will dazzle those scholars used to literary sources, which are abstracted from the grittiness of daily life. Stern highlights that surviving legal writings tend to reify differences between Jews, Christians, and others, while graffiti shows Jews sharing worship practices, sporting fandom, and other ritual behavior with inhabitants all over the Mediterranean world. At the same time, as Stern often acknowledges, analyzing the abundance of extant ancient graffiti is rendered difficult by the brevity of graffiti themselves and the fact that ancient sources rarely comment on graffiti. Stern organizes her research thematically into three chapters: the graffiti of devotional spaces, mortuary graffiti, and graffiti in civic spaces. Each of her chapters lays out the evidence with minimal speculation on her part, forcing the reader to try and make sense of the data on their own before she offers her measured and limited hypotheses about the meaning of the extant graffiti at the end of each chapter. In her introduction, Stern guides readers to relinquish their modern understanding of graffiti as a deviant practice, noting that for the ancients it was considered "desirable, even normal" to inscribe one's name on the wall of a synagogue, for example (1). She acknowledges that graffiti is not an emic term but defines graffiti as "always of unofficial character" (quoting Angelos Chaniotis) and finds the capaciousness of this category useful for the many kinds of evidence it amasses for the study of ancient Jewish life (15). Stern places her work in the intellectual trajectory of French theorist Michel de Certeau and German microhistorians. Her intervention is to challenge the "the hegemony of rabbinical texts" for the interpretation of Jewish life; she upholds an approach that centers the archaeological evidence of graffiti in situ "and uses local and regional analogues (often produced by non-Jews) to interpret them—outside of literary texts and outside of twenty-first-century expectations" (8). Rather than reading the rabbis into graffiti, she argues that the data of graffiti have something important to teach us about the rabbis themselves as well as about nonrabbinic Jews. Her first chapter, "Carving Devotion," examines graffiti as a mode of prayer in synagogues, in sacred spaces of other religious communities, at pilgrimage sites, and in open outdoor shrines. As she points out, graffiti reveals "that ancient Jews prayed in a variety of built and natural environments," sometimes alongside other Jews and sometimes alongside others (39). Often the graffiti of devotion, as she terms it, consists only of "I am" and people's names or other very brief statements. She suggests, following Joseph Naveh, that these signature graffiti are "a type of petition, permanently documented in plaster or stone" (51). Literate people encountering this graffiti would read it aloud, reviving the petition, somewhat in the way that we cannot help but read signs or graffiti we encounter as we walk through the world. The relationship between composers of graffiti and later reciters brings to my mind the statement attributed to Rabbi Shimon bar Yoḥai: "When a student quotes his teacher in this world his lips move in the grave" (B. Yevamot 97a). If the sages were rabbinizing a common idea, it would bear out Stern's assertion that nonrabbinic evidence can illuminate rabbinic texts. [End Page 200] In the chapter on mortuary graffiti, Stern revisits the cemetery of Beth-Sheʿarim. This chapter primarily focuses on a couple of short graffiti texts and the many images found inscribed on the walls there. Many graffiti images are challenging to make sense of: ships, representations of human figures, human figures with weapons, abecedaries, animals...

John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme as Prayed Glossolalia

In this article the author offers a theological reading of John Coltrane’s seminal 1965 album, A Love Supreme. He suggests it is feasible to interpret Coltrane’s work as a musical parallel of sorts to the phenomenon of praying in tongues. The author contends that such a reading is not only possible but also desirable, since it issues a challenge to the modern Church regarding its worship practices and the use of glossolalia, making the issue important for modern Pentecostal Christian communities.

Deconstructing Ideals of Worship with Children

In most congregations, children participate in worship in various ways. In this article we pose the question: how can we describe and understand the variety in practices of worship with children? The case we consider is the Protestant context in the Netherlands. Archival research shows that since the introduction of differentiated worship for children, tension has arisen between worship with the entire congregation and worship aimed specifically at children. This tension between intergenerational worship and target-group worship persists; while most liturgists and youth work professionals argue for intergenerational worship, some defend the merits of target-group worship. However, in this ethnographic research we indicate that the portrayal of intergenerational worship as the ideal, and target-group worship as its opposite, or vice versa, leaves much of the normativity in worship with children hidden. We, therefore, deconstruct ideals of worship with children to open up other ways of understanding the variety of worship with children. In doing so, we argue that pedagogical and theological normativity influence worship practices in complex ways. Future research may advance this investigation by focusing on adults’ and children’s roles in shaping worship practices and exploring the theological implications of these practices in more depth and detail.

PERASAAN KEPUASAN MUALAF DALAM KEHIDUPAN ISLAM: KEPENTINGAN DAN IMPLIKASINYA DARI ASPEK DAKWAH

This article is intended to introduce the concept of satisfaction associated with the lives of the converts in life after Islam. Writing focuses on the elements of satisfaction in the aspect of faith, practice of worship (syariat) and aspects of morality. This data is obtained through content analysis of the Qur'anic verses and Hadiths and documentation sources. It is found that the satisfaction of the mualaf is manifested when the situation has come to something that is desired or gets what is expected in accordance with the goals set out to achieve. The sense of satisfaction of mualaf can be felt when it comes to the sweetness of the result of a steadfast faith in Allah SWT, to gain the result of the charitable acts performed in accordance with the hadeeth of the Shari'a and to receive the noble moral service. This effort requires the support and assistance that is the responsibility of all Muslims. Keywords: Feeling Satisfaction, Mualaf, Islamic Life, Da'wah

The Effect of Religious Beliefs on the Attitude of Aesthetic Surgery Operation in Islam.

This study aims to investigate the relationship between individuals' attitudes about acceptance of aesthetic surgery (e.g. rhinoplasty, autoplasty, blepharoplasty, and mammaplasty) and some of the worship practices in Islamic religion such as performing prayer, fasting, and going to pilgrimage. Although many people think that aesthetic surgery is inappropriate in Islamic religion, no studies in the literature were found to have investigated this issue. This study collected data through a questionnaire administered to 96 patients who applied to our Plastic Surgery Clinic and underwent various surgical operations and 96 patients who were recommended plastic surgery but rejected to have one; the questionnaire aimed to identify the participants' frequency of religious worship practices and appropriateness of aesthetic surgery to their beliefs. The participants responded on the frequency of religious worship levels according to the options in the questionnaire. The "Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale" was utilized in order to identify their attitudes towards aesthetic surgery. Levels of performing prayers, fasting, and going to pilgrimage in the groups that accepted surgery and in the groups that rejected surgery were significantly different (p < 0.001, p = 0.008, p < 0.001). In two different groups, the Acceptance of Aesthetic Surgery Scale scores were significantly different within the prayer groups and fasting groups (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.001, p < 0.001). While the group that accepted surgery indicated no significant differences between those who thought about going to pilgrimage and who did not (p = 0.650), there was a significant difference in the group that rejected surgery (p < 0.001). While 14.6% of the participants in the group that accepted surgery considered aesthetic surgery a sin, this proportion was 56.3% in the group that rejected surgery, and this difference was significant (p < 0.001). In both surgery groups, there were differences in the scale scores of those who considered aesthetic surgery a sin and those who did not (p < 0.001, p < 0.001). There was a significant relationship between worship practices, one of the biggest indicators of the level of belief in Islamic religion, and aesthetic surgery attitudes. However, despite the fact that belief levels affect the decision of having an operation in plastic surgery, in case of serious health problems, the decision of having an operation becomes more important religious beliefs.

Living Unity: North American Academy of Ecumenists Annual Conference

Living Unity: North American Academy of Ecumenists Annual Conference September 27–30, 2018, Arlington, Virginia William P. McDonald “Living Unity: Ecumenical Shared Ministries” was the theme of the North American Academy of Ecumenists’ 2018 annual conference, exploring forms of ecumenical relationships at the local level in Canada and the United States. Five speakers and a panel of representatives from Ecumenical Shared Ministries (ESM’s) informed the conversation among some three dozen participants gathered for the weekend. Fr. Tom Ryan, C.S.P., of the Paulist Office for Ecumenical and Inter-faith Relations spoke Friday evening on “What Can Come from Living and Studying Together,” the text of which appears in this issue. Ryan’s book of the same title concretizes ecumenism for parishioners from across the ecclesial spectrum who are united in their desire to see greater unity in their local contexts. Ryan’s narration of how his own ecumenical formation shaped his journey to the priesthood oriented weekend discussions toward the importance of the autobiographical—personal or congregational—in thinking about local ecumenism. Saturday morning’s papers were offered by Mitzi Budde and Sandra Beardsall. Budde, Professor and Librarian at Virginia Theological Seminary, Alexandria, VA, presented on “How Great a Cloud of Witnesses: The Life Cycle of Ecumenical Shared Parishes,” continued the theme of story, this time at the congregational level. She explored how ecumenical congregations get started, grow and develop, understand their mission in their communities, and even close. Her study was shaped by many hours of ethnographical work in interviews with laity and clergy from congregations combining two or more traditions under one roof. Beardsall, Professor of [End Page 149] Church History and Ecumenics at St. Andrew’s College in Saskatoon, spoke on “ ‘The Unity Inherent in our Faith’: Worship and Belonging in Multi-Denominational Congregations.” Also based on her research and interviews in ESM’s, Beardsall focused on their liturgical practices and methods of ordering membership (confirmation practices, singleor dual-rostering of members, etc.). Her interviews with youth who reported their dilemmas around maintaining a clear denominational identity vs. a sense of belonging to all traditions represented in their parishes were poignant. More stories of local ecumenism were shared in the afternoon panel discussion. Panelists included members and clergy from Holy Apostles Roman Catholic-Episcopal Church, Virginia Beach, VA; First Federated Church, North Jackson, OH (DOC-PCUSA-UCC); and Church of the Nativity-Holy Comforter, Baltimore, MD (TEC-ELCA). Some participants had been involved with their congregations from their beginnings and could relate for the audience how their sense of the unique mission of these churches had evolved over time. Questions about judicatory relations, worship practices, education, and futures rounded out the dialogue. In the evening, Dr. Gerard Mannion spoke on “Living Unity in the Service of Moral Discernment: Ethics, Ecclesiology, and the Art of Magisterium.” Mannion, a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Theology at Georgetown University, addressed the character and practice of the magisterium in Catholic ecclesiology in particular and in ecumenical context in general. A final paper Sunday morning by William McDonald, Professor of Religion at Tennessee Wesleyan University, offered theological reflections on the shared space that ESM’s occupy together in local churches as a call to koinonia. Budde, Beardsall, and McDonald were together presenting the research from their team-authored book, Daring to Share: Multi-Denominational Congregations in the U.S. and Canada. The 2019 NAAE Annual Conference will assemble at Sign of the Theotokos Orthodox Church in Montreal, September 27–29, 2019, to consider “Toward a new Détente: Ecumenical Outreach and Interfaith Dialogue in an Age of Uncertainty.” [End Page 150] William P. McDonald NAAE President, 2017–19 Copyright © 2019 Journal of Ecumenical Studies

METODE PEMBINAAN AKHLAK DALAM PENINGKATAN PENGAMALAN IBADAH PESERTA DIDIK DI SMP N 4 SEKAMPUNG LAMPUNG TIMUR

Islamic religious education teachers are people who provide knowledge with the aim of educating and fostering the morality of students as good people. In the process of moral development of students, an Islamic education teacher in delivering material must have the right method. Moral material is one of the most dominating material in the formation of personality of students. If the provision of this material is maximally endeavored by the religious teacher, the morality of the participants should be ascertained to be better. In this case the Islamic religious education teacher plays the first and foremost role in the process of moral development of his students. For the success of the moral development process, an Islamic religious education teacher must be able to use several methods in building it to improve the worship experience.Departing from that background, the author wants to discuss it in a thesis and takes the title "Moral Development Method in Increasing Worship Practice Students in Middle School 4 in East Lampung Sekampung" The purpose of this study was to determine the level of moral deviation of students, to know the method of religious education teachers Islam, both in terms of supporting and inhibiting factors in the moral development of students and how much the practice of worship of the students increases. The research that the author is doing is included in descriptive qualitative research, and in the course of collecting data, the author uses observation, documentation, and interview methods. While for the analysis, the author uses qualitative descriptive analysis techniques, namely: in the form of written or oral data from people and behavior that is observed so that in this case the author seeks to conduct research that is describing thoroughly about the actual situation.The results of the research conducted by the author can be conveyed here, that the coaching method that the author offers in the discussion of this thesis is one way that can be done to find the best solution to the problem of moral development methods used by PAI teachers in increasing the practice of worship of students. And the efforts made by the teachers of Islamic religious education are one of the ways to foster the morale of those who have been deceived. Even if there are still other alternatives that might be better than what have been submitted or written in this thesis, then this can be used as input or additional so that this thesis continues to grow and does not stop here

PRAKTIK KEBERAGAMAAN PEREMPUAN PEKERJA SEKS DI SOSROWIJAYAN KULON YOGYAKARTA; TINJAUAN MAQA&gt;SID SYARI’AH

This study aims to describe the behavior of the women sex workers’s religious practice in Sosrowijayan Kulon, Yogyakarta using the theory of maqa&gt;sid syariah. During this education known as the city of Yogyakarta. However, it cannot be denied that the city now transformed as a tourism city. Lots of entertainment presented, one of which is known as the localization “Pasar Kembang” (sarkem). This study is a qualitative study of the field with the theory of maqa&gt;sid syariah to reveal religious identity sex workers. As for the results that researchers have found is (1) in religion practice or Behavior aspects of worship they do going contention between Maqa&gt;s}id al-Mukallaf and maqa&gt;sid syariah. In this case on Hifz}u al-Di&gt;n. Things that they believe to be the al-Hifzu In their version n in fact is a Maqa&gt;s}id Mulghah are not permitted in Islam. Either way, however they are not allowed to undergo it. (2) in the aspects of factors that make them choose the profession of sex workers, when viewed from a glass eye maqa&gt;sid syariah experience contradictions between Hifz}u al-Nafs with Hifz}u al-Nasl. In the end more won Hifz}u al-Nasl. Because basically the law adultery is haraam. So what they believe to be included in the category Maqa&gt;s}id Mulghah.

PENDIDIKAN KEIMANAN ANAK DALAM KELUARGA MENURUT ZAKIAH DARADJAT

Many parents do not understand the concept of faith education inchildren. This could be based on an assumption that children are stilltoo young to be educated in matters of faith. Whereas the family, in thiscase the parents, is an educational institution that is directly related tothe child since he was born. So there is a thought that the family isbelieved to have a very strong influence on children’s religiouseducation. This happens because the relationship that exists betweenparents and children for 24 hours is very important in education.Zakiah Daradjat is an education expert who also believes that theimportance of faith education is given to children as early as possible,so the purpose of this study is to find out how Zakiah Daradjat’sthoughts about children’s religious education are in the family. Byusing qualitative research methods, the author seeks to explain theeducation of children’s faith in the family according to ZakiahDaradjat. The author found that Zakiah Daradjat had clear thoughtsabout children’s religious education in the family, which aims to makechildren as human beings, through the six pillars of faith, with methodsof exemplification, habituation, wrong correction, erroneous quarrelsthat occur and reminding the forgotten. The evaluations carried out inthe form of memorization tests, tests of understanding and practice ofworship. This makes Zakiah Daradjat’s thoughts still relevant to beapplied in today’s life and become a reference for psrents, teachers abdother related parties.

Called to worship, sent to witness: A missional perspective on the Reformed theology in South Africa today

This article wishes to engage the Reformed church in this era in order for it to ultimately re-evaluate its way of worship and how its way of worship can influence its witness. It argues that ever since its inception, the church’s calling was to worship God and be the witness of God’s grace to the world. As the world is changing, the church is also responding in its own way towards those changes. The preliminary assertion of this article is that the church has become a self-serving community, where its gathering to worship is no longer mainly about God but rather about what the congregation or people wish to achieve with it and/or benefit from such a gathering. The primary calling of being sent to witness to the world about the incredible grace and love of God appears to be forgotten by the Christians. The article highlights some of my personal observations regarding worship practices that I have noted as undertaken by the Reformed church, which I believe silence the ordained prophetic voice of the church towards its calling and sending. The article engages the themes of Reformation, transformation and change agent from a perspective of the ‘missional’ understanding of the church. The article engages the notion that the church is called to be a witnessing community to the world.

A ‘disorderly tumultuous way of serving God’: prayer and order in Ireland’s church and state, 1660–89

AbstractThis article examines the Church of Ireland’s relationship with Scots Presbyterians after the Restoration, focusing on the churchmen’s regular complaints against the ‘disorderly’ practices of the Presbyterian communities in Ireland. The established church leaders spoke of the threat of political and social disorder from the Presbyterians, and they repeatedly targeted the spontaneous ex tempore prayer and preaching practised by Scottish ministers in order to illustrate their concerns. This article uncovers the theological roots of these apparently civic complaints to explain their ubiquity and vehemence. It argues that the churchmen feared that such uncontrolled, unscripted prayer could lead to blasphemy and provoke the wrath of God on the nation, thereby triggering war and unrest such as they had experienced in the preceding decades. In their view, there was little difference between holding to an improperly ordered church hierarchy and worship practice, and forcing this disorder on the state. By illustrating the links between theology, ecclesiology and the potential for political sedition as they were understood by Restoration churchmen, this article demonstrates the importance of theological nuance for clarifying the complex relationship between Ireland’s two largest Protestant denominations in the seventeenth century.

PENERAPAN STRATEGI PAIKEM DALAM MENINGKATKAN PEMBELAJARAN PAI DI SMK SUMBER BUNGA SLETRENG KAPONGAN SITUBONDO

There are many components that influence the islamic education teaching learning process, one of which is “the method of Religious Education”. Nowadays, the method of Islamic Education is still using the old method such as giving speech, memorizing and demonstrating worship practices which look very empty. It is obvious that this kind of method makes the students bored, tired and unmotivated in learning Religion. Alternatively, to increase the quality of education, teacher can apply the PAIKEM strategy (active, inovative, creative, effective, and happy learning) in the Islamic Education teaching learning process. It is expected through PAIKEM strategy, the teacher and students become more active and creative in the process of teaching and learning. The conclusion of this research is the application of PAIKEM strategy can increase the Islamic Education teaching learning process in SMK Sumber Bunga Situbondo from the process of planning, acting, and evaluating. Factors that support the application of PAIKEM strategy are the teachers’ ability in applying PAIKEM and the students’ readiness in studying. The weaknesses of the application of PAIKEM strategy are the infrastructure, environment and the time allocation.

“[…] from Our Own Comfort Zone […] to […] All the ‘Peripheries’” (EG 20). A Franciscan Keyword of Pope Francis and its Significance for Christian Worship

In Evangelii gaudium (No. 20), Pope Francis writes: “In our day Jesus’ command to ‘go and make disciples’ echoes in the changing scenarios and ever new challenges to the Church’s mission of evangelization […]. Each Christian and every community must discern the path that the Lord points out, but all of us are asked to obey his call to go forth from our own comfort zone in order to reach all the ‘peripheries’ in need of the light of the Gospel.” Here and in other passages the Pope makes clear that he understands the Church and its mission in a very Franciscan way. Consider how St. Francis of Assisi kept company with the poor, and bear in mind texts like his “Instructions for brothers who want to go on the missions”. Celebration in worship is an important element of such an evangelization: it opens a way to the experience of the One who really sends the Good News to all believers! This article argues that Francis prefers two options to promote a Franciscan worship practice in that sense: for him it is “imperative to evangelize cultures in order to inculturate the Gospel” (EG 69). Firstly, worshipping should be connected with “authentic ‘popular piety” as the “starting point” of Evangelization (ibid. and EG 70), and secondly the translation of official liturgical texts should follow a threefold fidelity: to the Bible, to the Church’s tradition, and to any given people’s own language (cf. Motu Proprio Magnum Principium). The Pope’s strategy here follows de facto ideas of St. Francis, such as when the Poverello enlivened the mystery of the Incarnation by arranging a manger in Greccio (1223). One conclusion from this is that the Church has to develop ideas “in restoring a mystical adherence to the faith in a pluralistic religious landscape” (EG 70).

ANALISIS ASPEK RELIGIUSITAS TERHADAP ETIKA BISNIS PEDAGANG PASAR MUSLIM PUSAT PASAR KOTA MEDAN

This study aims to analyze the religiosity aspect of the business ethics of Muslim market traders in the central market of Medan. The method used in this study with the approach of literature review and field studies in the central market of Medan city with a population of 490 respondents with sampling technique of 97 respondents. The aspect of religiosity is limited by one variable of worship practice which includes prayer, fasting, zakat, and hajj. Furthermore, the variables of business ethics include value of honesty, fairness, discipline, and responsibility. The results of this study indicate that religious aspects contribute in improving the business ethics of central traders of Medan city market. Thus, the higher the level of religiosity of market traders, the higher the ethics in business.

Bimbingan Konseling Spiritual Terhadap Pasien Rehabilitasi Napza

This study aims to determine the spiritual behavior of patients rehabilitating drugs. This discussion is entitled Spiritual Counseling Guidance to Rehabilitation Patients. This research is qualitative with a descriptive approach that is observation, an interview. The results showed that the implementation of the rehabilitation of the Patients of Drugs can also be in the form of personality by providing guidance and counseling on the spiritual aspect which includes the aspect of Prayer Fulfillment performed by the five subjects are conducted simultaneously namely the practice of worship, the belief of life (Universality) as well as the responsibility of their life (Linkage) they have fully undergone as rehabilitation patients. There are an attitude and mental change from a previously dependent patient to a person who can manage himself well and more appreciate the meaning of life.

The Origin of Divine Christology

The Origin of Divine Christology

‘Black is my Home Country’: Re-Membering Race on Gospel Grounds

This essay presents partial findings from a study of historically black collegiate gospel choirs (HBCGCs) at predominantly white universities in northeastern United States. HBCGCs utilize the worship practices of the Black Church as resources for cultivating black communal racial identity in the context of racial difference. I theorize that HBCGCs practice a ‘narrative discipline’ that grounds their communal life together in corporate engagement with the faith stories that inspire their music. I interpret this practice in light of Walter Fluker’s proposal for reforming black ecclesiology. Fluker advances the reclamation of black identity as an existential ‘home,’ which avoids both the essentializing postures of ontological blackness and the equally dangerous narrative of post-racialism through the practice of ‘re-membering’ stories of black experience. I argue that the creative practice of narrative discipline by HBCGCs provides practical shape to Fluker’s ecclesiological hope.

Evangelical Worship: A Conversation with Three Publics

Abstract In this article the author makes an argument for evangelical worship as a form of public theology. The analysis proceeds in three parts. The first section examines depictions of evangelicals in American public media in order to show how evangelicalism and worship are closely linked in society’s imagination. The second section draws on debates between David Tracy and George Lindbeck to explain evangelicals’ distinctive approach to worship and witness. The third section presents a case study of a Sunday service at an evangelical megachurch, and suggests that increased attention to congregational worship practices can mitigate tensions between populist and academic understandings of public theology.