Schedule of Events

This presentation will discuss the interconnected relationship between Martin Luther, the rise of nation states during the Reformation, and globalization. It’s clear there is an inter-connected relationship between the three factors, but did the rise of the nation states lead to reformations then colonialism? Or did the reformations lead to the rise of nation states and then colonialism? The relationship between the three factors will be investigated. The goal of the project is to identify how the Church and historical theology permitted or encouraged colonialism through inter-disciplinary methodology. The research was conducted primarily using historical method utilizing primary and secondary sources, historical theology, and colonial and post-colonial methodology. 

2016 was the warmest year ever recorded in terms of global average temperature.  Such warming is largely due to human activity, especially the release of greenhouse gases (GhG) into the atmosphere.  As such, ethical exploration is needed and paramount.  Southeast Asia is an area of heightened scientific and ethical concern as a result of increased exposure to climate change effects as well as limited economic resources to adequately adapt. Such concerns are further exacerbated by the fact that much of the developing countries in the Southeast have contributed only a small portion of the total GhG emissions in the last century while developed countries have accounted for a much greater share.  Though the developing world has not contributed as greatly to the problem of climate change, it will suffer as much or more so than the nations worthy of blame.  This work discusses the moral weight of negative duty as it relates to these issues and contends that at the very least wealthy countries are morally liable for failing to stop their harmful emission levels that disproportionately affect poorer countries.  The paper concludes by offering a framework to address the coming ills that climate change will pose.  This includes the adoption of international policy that addresses the needs of the extremely vulnerable and holds the developed world monetarily accountable in accordance with historical emissions.

My capstone project involved researching Habitat for Humanity, Lutheran Social Services, and the Salvation Army in order to further explore how these organizations they do what they do, how the public views them, and the theological backing behind the services they provide. This project explores media and public perceptions of faith based non profits and how/if that was affected by theological motivations to engage in service. Why people do what they do matters, and understanding what motivates a person to serve or what helps someone form an opinion about an organization are important things to consider when figuring out how to best serve the needs of communities through non profit work. I am interested in a career in faith based non-profit organizations and wanted to know more about how these organizations function, meet the needs of the communities they serve, and the deeper reasons behind why people serve. The goal of my project was to further understand the role of faith within these non-profits and explore how these agencies interact with the public sphere. In completing this project, I researched each agency extensively, using textual analysis and research on organization's websites and media sources. I am excited to keep learning more about the intricacies within faith based non-profits and this project has continued to fuel my fire for service to others.

This paper examines how Muslim women have adapted to Islamophobia post—9/11 in the United States using ethnographic research as well as primary and secondary sources. By researching the history of Muslim women in Islam and shedding light on American Muslim women’s voices, I disprove some of the misconceptions that some Americans hold about Muslim women. This paper argues that Muslim women have adapted to the rise in Islamophobia, post 9/11- through a combination of accepting certain prejudices against them, such as how some Americans perceive women who wear a Hijab, combating some of the hate projected onto them, through conversation with those who do not have a complete understanding of Islam and modifying certain behaviors and practices in order to maintain a peaceful life that allows them to cope with growing anti-Muslim sentiments. This research explores the expectations of Muslim women in America starting from the events of 9/11 to now, over 15 years since the attack. 

The epistle of James is a model for Christian community and addresses the tendency of Christians to focus on material accumulation and neglect God’s priorities. The solution to the issue, according to James, is friendship with God, something that also acts as the organizing element of the letter. The seeping of capitalistic ideology into American society and churches has made the issue James addresses and the solution he offers relevant today. Addressing the preference for goods rather than God in American churches with James’s idea of friendship with God is accomplished through the use of James’s different aspects of friendship with God. Using James’s ideas of a preferential option for the poor and single mindedness provides a way to evaluate specific churches and move them towards the ideal Christian community envisioned by James.

While attempts have been made to do otherwise, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) still favors heteronormativity in its leadership, practices, and the way it lives out its call as the Body of Christ. In doing this, the ELCA fails to see queer people as contributors to the gifts that the Church has to offer, thus limiting its ability to truly be the united Body of Christ. The purpose of this study is to determine what the ELCA as a whole can learn from queer bodies and queer communities about being and unifying the Body of Christ. The study of Incarnational Theology and its history as well studying the more current work of Queer Theologians laid important groundwork for this research, allowing me to understand where the Church has come from and where it might be heading. An internship with Rainbow Umbrella, a non-profit that serves LGBTQ+ youth in Ventura county, also contributed to my research as I observed how this particular secular organization equips, validates, and provides support to queer and surrounding communities. In order to connect my research to the current reality queer people face within the church, semi-structured interviews were conducted with LGBTQ+ and allied leaders within the ELCA. As this study revolves around the Church and its ministry, this presentation will take the form of a sermon that offers up both the results of this research and insight as to how the ELCA might better live out its call as the unifying Body of Christ.