Conflict between theological conservatives and more liberal members of the Southern Baptist Convention has created dissention affecting its higher education institutions. It is predicted Baptist higher education will be funded and supported by a broader base of institutions. As conservatives have taken control of seminaries, several major…

Baptists' propensity for splitting apart arises from the faith's avowed love of theological argument. Gives an overview of Baptist denominations, and identifies the main issues that divide them: atonement, predestination, the nature and origins of good and evil, worship practices, church governance, gender issues, and other social and cultural…

Explores how argumentation in the eighteenth-century miracles controversy (a century-long debate in Britain over the reasonableness of revealed religion) exhibited a controlling concern for procedural considerations. Discusses how the Deists and the Orthodox apologists used their argumentative force to advance rival methods for evaluating miracle…

Discusses historical conflicts among cultures within Canada, particularly within the East Indian community. Discusses the multicultural policy recently adopted through alterations in Canada's immigration laws. Explores the historical development of politics in India's Punjab, and the consequences of this development on East Indians living in…

Discusses the way Natalie Babbitt brings up issues of religious conflict and questions about religious certainty and skepticism in her young adult novels. Pays particular attention to two of her novels: "Knee-Knock Rise" and "Tuck Everlasting." (HB)

Examines the various ways in which the legend of Galileo's persecution by the Roman Catholic Church diverges from scholarly readings of the Galileo affair. Finds five distinct themes of scientific ideology in the 40 accounts examined. Assesses the part that folklore plays in building and sustaining a professional ideology for the modern scientific…

The California 3Rs project aims to prepare educators and community leaders to use First Amendment principles to address issues of religious liberty and religious/ethnic diversity and to help educators teach about religion and cultures in constitutionally and educationally sound ways. The project helped school officials and conservative Christians…

A Colorado school board member attempted to reach common ground on religious issues, following a board takeover by religious-right and back-to-basics candidates in 1993. First steps toward collaboration involved establishing personal relationships with clergy, suggesting a partnership, providing information, ensuring respect, and explaining legal…

The attacks of September 11th, followed by U.S. military actions in Afghanistan and Iraq, have brought greater attention to the simmering conflict between Islam and the West--a conflict most brutally played out historically during the Crusades. The series of holy wars for control of Jerusalem and the Holy Land stretched over centuries--from 1096…

This article describes the difficult times for faculty members and others who are committed to academic freedom. Among a number of examples, the author presents the bills introduced by state legislatures across the country that aim to restrict faculty activity in the name of protecting student freedom. Such legislative initiatives use the language…

An anonymous 12-item, multiple-choice questionnaire was administered to 218 southern college, introductory zoology students prior to and following a study of evolutionary theory to assess their understanding and acceptance of the credibility of the evidence supporting the theory. Key topics addressed were the history of evolutionary thought, basic…

A study was conducted to examine the journalism work of James Gordon Bennett, who founded the "New York Herald" in the 1830s, and to determine the nature of his coverage of religion before, during, and after the "Moral War" waged in 1840 against Bennett's popular newspaper. In addition, the study analyzed what Bennett's…

In 1960 a teenage boy, Bill Murray, refused to participate in Bible reading, and the result was a series of court cases that culminated in the 1963 United States Supreme Court decision banning compulsory prayer in public schools. To gain insight into the dynamics of journalism practiced during controversy, a case study attempts to examine the…

Examines the plight of the female religious in the church today and provides some insights into counseling these women. (HMV)

Three instances of conflict between the proponents of traditions, which were or became religious canon, and the outsiders or heretics are examined. It is hypothesized that one of the issues in the definition canonical tradition in the West was the suppression of female symbolism and power. (JMD)