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Denver Conference of the Arts, Humanities and Sciences:
“The era of naturalism began its triumph with contempt for all philosophy. Idealism and philosophy were
stigmatized as the enemies of true science, and natural science had its great day…The lifeless and the living, the
physical and the mental, the individual and the social, all had been conquered by the analytic method, and the
pseudo-philosophic positivism had served as a kind of substitute for a metaphysical view….A reaction against the
narrowness of mere fact-diggers has set in. A mere heaping up of disconnected, unshaped facts begins to
disappoint the world; it is felt too vividly that a mere dictionary of phenomena, of events and laws, makes our
knowledge larger but not deeper, makes our life more complex but not more valuable, makes our science more
difficult but not more harmonious. Our time longs for a new synthesis, and looks toward science no longer merely
with a desire for technical prescriptions and new inventions in the interest of comfort and exchange. It waits for
knowledge to fulfill its higher mission, to satisfy our ideal needs for a view of the world which shall give unity to our
scattered experience. ..” (Munsterberg, 1905, p. 1).
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Schedule of Events:
Friday, April 26 , 2013:
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Note: The schedule has been arranged in order to permit a five-minute passing period for audience
members between tracks.
Friday: 8:00-9:00 Options: (Choose one of these tracks)
Friday, 8:00-9:00:
Developmental Psychology Track: School of Education, Room 103
The Developmental Need to Believe, Simplified Principles of Human Development, and the Process of
Intimacy: Lawrence Smith, Ph.D.; Diplomat in Clinical Psychology, Moderator: Nahanni Freeman, Ph.D.
About Dr. Smith: Dr. Smith earned his Ph.D. from Clark University in Clinical Psychology, having earned
his B.A. at Trinity College. His primary theoretical orientation is developmental. In Texas, Dr. Smith
worked for the Governor's Advisory Council for Children with Learning Disabilities and served as an
examiner for the Board of Psychological Examiners. He has professional experience in juvenile
correctional facilities, treatment of chemical dependencies, and also worked with speech and hearingimpaired patients. In addition, Dr. Smith worked to develop the academic development services
program in San Antonio, Houston and Denver. Dr. Smith assisted with development of selection and
screening tools for nuclear weapons and missile personnel. Dr. Smith has published works in the
Collegiate Education Dictionary, as well as his own book, The Nature of Human Feelings.
 Distinguished Military Graduate, Trinity College
 US Air Force, Veteran Commissioned Officer
 Wilford Hall Hospital, Mental Hygiene Division
 Apollo-Gemini Moon Mission, Astronaut Selection Team
Friday, 8:00-9:00:
Business and Leadership Track: School of Business, Room 101
A Consulting Model that Clarifies Core Values and Promotes Greater Organizational Integrity: William
Mesa, Ph.D. This paper was most recently published as a chapter in “Business Integrity in Practice:
Insights from International Case Studies”, edited by Agata-Stachowicz-Stanusch and Wolfgang Amann
for Business Expert press. It is a part of The Principles for Responsible Management Education
Collection with Oliver Laasch as Editor. Two notable members of the PRME steering committee are the
United Nations Global Compact and the AACSB (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of
Business), the most prestigious of accrediting and scholarly agencies for Business Schools.
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Friday, 8:00-9:00:
Education and Learning Track: School of Education, Room 108
Neuropsychological Factors in Twice Exceptional Children and Adolescents:
Wendy Elliot Wendover, Ph.D., Dean of Curriculum and Instruction Education, CCU
Friday: 9:00-10:00 Options:
(Choose one of these tracks, or combine the poster session with another session)
Friday, 9:00-10:00:
Education and Psychology Track: School of Education, Room 108
9:05-9:55: Identity and the Learner: Developmental Considerations for Promoting Intrinsic Motivation
Panelists:
Lawrence Smith, Ph.D., clinical-developmental psychologist
Nahanni Freeman, Ph.D., clinical psychologist, associate professor of psychology, CCU
Bush White, Ed.D., Director of Graduate Education Programs, CCU
Friday, 9:00-10:00:
Business and Leadership Track: School of Business, Room 101
9:05-9:25: Learning by Doing: A Case in Sense making from a Student’s Perspective: William Mesa, Ph.D.,
Preston Brock, Andrew Wheeler, Michael Wise, Myra Wright
9:30-9:43: Being in the Corporation but not of the Corporation: An Essay on the Intersection between
Corporate Identity, Self-Objects and Personal Identity in light of Volkan’s theory: Zach Moore
Discussion question: How does a worker’s sense of self change in response to the supervisor’s
expectations, and/or peer expectations?
Friday, 9:00-10:00:
Poster Session: Psychology and Communications Track: Beckman 202/210
9:05-9:55: (For this poster session, audience members can come and go from this session informally
within the time frame)
Physiological Psychology: Clinical Neuroscience, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Psychiatric Manifestations.
Faculty sponsor: Nahanni Freeman, Ph.D., (For a list of titles of poster projects, see the end of the
schedule)
Communications: Nonverbal Messages in Political Campaigns; Faculty sponsor: Diane Badzinski, Ph.D.
Friday: 10:00-Noon Options: (Please choose one or more of the tracks below)
Friday, 10:00-11:15: Education and Learning Track: School of Education, Room 108
10:00-10:13 The Impact of Eriksonian Psychosocial Crises, Ego Resiliency, and Learning Styles on
Children’s Ministry: Lauren Maggi
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10:15-11:15: Round Table Discussion: Twice Exceptional Learners
Discussion Facilitators: Wendy Wendover, Ph.D., Dean of Curriculum and Instruction Education, CCU
Candace McLain Tait, Ed.D., LPC, assistant professor of counseling, CCU
Friday, 10:00-11:30:
Debate: Humanities, psychology, and theology track: School of Education, Room 103
10:05-11:30: Natural Law vs Socially-Constructed Moral Systems: Cross-Cultural and Historical Influences
on Moral Systems vs Universal Elements of Human Values and Instincts
(Please stay for the duration of the event unless you are also attending the Genesis panel)
Moderator: Nahanni Freeman, Ph.D.
Debaters: Madeleine Manning, Madison Eshelman, Martha Fiskeaux, Michelle Rees, Zach Hackbarth,
Allysia Jarrett
Possible audience questions pertinent to the debate:
1. Aristotle believed that human beings were born with a capacity for virtue, which was an
essential attribute of intelligence. Does this view relate to natural law? Is this view
correct?
2. In order to assert that human beings have natural rights, do we first need to assert that
they have natural law?
3. How can the assumptions of natural law impact ethics?
4. Innate ideas are alleged to be notions that we have, which are independent of
socialization. Innate ideas could be instinctual. How does natural law relate to the notion
of innate ideas? Do innate ideas exist? How do we know this?
5. Is the human will innate or learned?
6. What is our ethical obligation to the Other in a democratic society?
7. Should the value of beneficence transcend the value of autonomy in a democracy?
8. What are the implications of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution for
American identity?
9. If the right to individual liberty, life and the pursuit of happiness are fundamental to
American identity, on what philosophical assumptions do these rights lie?
Friday, 10:30-12:00:
Panel Discussion: Theology Track: Beckman 210/202
10:35-12:00 (Audience: Please stay for the duration of the panel)
Science and the Bible: Genesis 1 as a Test Case
Moderator:
Panelists:
Kyle Greenwood, PhD
Mandy Paleczny (Introduction)
Neal Heitmann (Jewish Interpretation)
Brooke Bundy (Christian Interpretation)
Taylor Gray (Ancient Near East)
Ben Fisher (Conclusion)
Abstract:
Since Darwin’s Origin of the Species, followed by the highly publicized so-called Scopes Monkey Trial, an
unnecessary gulf has emerged separating scientific inquiry and the Bible. In the context of the course
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“The Evolution of Genesis 1” taught by Dr. Kyle Greenwood, the panelists (among other students
enrolled in the course) have been investigating the history of interpretation of Genesis 1. These students
have recognized that the recent controversies regarding the age of the earth and the origins of life were
not issues with which interpreters have been concerned until very recently. The panelists of this session
will show that Genesis 1 has been interpreted in various ways throughout history. When new
understandings of the world have emerged as a result of new scientific inquiry, interpreters historically
have adapted their views of Genesis 1 in light of that new information. Thus, this panel will argue that
Genesis 1 should be interpreted with respect to its ancient, historical context rather than modern
scientific theories.
Friday, 10:00-11:55:
Business, Leadership, and Industrial-Organizational Psychology Track: School of Business, Room 101
10:05-11:00: Panel Discussion: Identity, Work and Vocation: Interpersonal Roots of Motivation and
Institutional Commitment.
Panelists: William Mesa, Ph.D.; Tamara Hannaway, Ph.D.
11:15-11:55: Tamara Hannaway, Ph.D., Welfare, TANF, and Foster Care in Colorado: Ideas to Cut Costs
While Maintaining Benefits to the Needy.
Friday: Noon to 1:00: LUNCH BREAK
Friday, 12:00-1:30:
Carnegie Honors Business Etiquette Luncheon: (This event was available only by professor invitation.
The RSVP closed on April 12th): Dining Commons Annex.
Professors: Nahanni Freeman, Ph.D.; Christa Koval, Ph.D.; Susan Pahlau, M.S., Diane Badzinski, Ph.D.,
Sharon Kitzmiller, B.S., Tamara Hannaway, Ph.D.
Event Planners: Breanna Tom, Brittany Brown, Kristi Stanley, Erin Shumaker
Friday: 1:00-2:00 options (Choose one of the tracks below)
Friday, 1:00-2:10:
Psychology of Religion and Human Development Track: School of Education, Room 103
1:05-1:18: Positivity, Meditation and the Self: Allysia Jarrett
1:18-1:31: Contemplative Prayer: Seeking Acceptance of the Unknown: Melanie Demlinger
1:31-1:44: Infused Contemplative Practices, Archetypal Inferences, and the Symbol of Baptism with
Water: Rachel Mathews
1:44-1:55: The Imago Dei as reflected in the arts and humanities versus the Jungian collective
unconscious: Sources of Creative Impulses: Ashley Cobb
1:55-2:07: Impressions, Sensations and Physicalism: A Review of the Intersection between Stoicism,
Rational-Emotive-Behavior Therapy and Person-Centered Therapy: Zachary Hackbarth
Potential discussion questions pertinent to the track above:
1. What does it mean to be created in the Image of God (Imago Dei)?
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2. Does God transform our bodies or physical selves into spiritual selves? If so, how does
this occur?
3. Timothy Ware suggests that human beings are the only creatures who simultaneously
exist in both noetic and material universes at once. He describes the process by which
God spiritualizes the material by creating the possibility of eternal existence. Reflect on
Ware‟s ideas, comparing them with Protestant theology.
4. As we move towards sanctification, is it important to focus less on ourselves, or to strive
to gain greater self-awareness? (See the question below for context).
5. Saint Varsanuphius described the value of forgetting ourselves and thus learning to
know ourselves. In Matthew 16:25, reference is made to losing our lives in order to find
them. Contrast these concepts with the Buddhist philosophy of decreasing egocentrism as
part of enlightenment. Furthermore, contrast these ideas with the value of self-awareness
that is seen in psychological notions of human development, distinguishing insight from
egocentrism.
6. What level of growth can be expected to occur as part of the transformation by the Holy
Spirit? Is this growth a process of restoration that unfolds in the current life? Are there
limits imposed on spiritual growth?
Friday, 1:00-2:00:
Literary Track: Beckman 202/210
Novel Concepts: Spiritual Struggle and the Triumph of Faith in 18th and 19th Century Fiction
(Please stay for the entirety of the panel)
Moderated by Windy Petrie, Ph.D.
Student panelists: Haley Littleton, Stasia Callaghan, and Ariel Baer
Haley Littleton: “How to Live: Marxist Ideology vs. the Free Personality in Doctor Zhivago”
Stasia Callaghan: “The Paradox of The Brothers Karamazov: Dostoevsky’s Answer to Theodicy”
Ariel Baer: “Joseph and Clarissa: The Hand of Providence in Fielding and Richardson’s novels”
Friday, 1:00-2:00:
Reflective Journaling and Open-Inquiry Discussion: School of Education, Room 108
Moderated by Ray Mitsch, Ph.D.
The purpose of this session is to encourage introspection, reflection about conference themes, and free
dialogue. Audience members will be provided with a packet of discussion questions, and will be given
20-30 minutes of reflective writing. This will be followed by discussion of some of the discussion
questions, facilitated by Dr. Mitsch, associated professor of psychology. Possible questions for this
session include those listed below:
Questions pertinent to human growth, development, and restorative community:
1. What are some ways that restorative communities can assist the process of spiritual
transformation and psychological growth?
2. What are the similarities and differences between sanctification and self-actualization?
3. As a person matures, both psychologically and spiritually, how does this influence their
ability to regulate their drives, impulses and addictions?
4. Is sanctification a sudden, qualitative shift, or a gradual transformation that follows
developmental patterns?
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5. What are the implications of the notion of redeeming creation for the redemption of the
human intellect, emotions, will, body, and relationships?
6. In Luke 17:21, the idea of the Kingdom of God being within us is presented. What does
this mean?
7. What is the role of the Holy Spirit in spiritual formation?
8. What is the role of suffering in sanctification?
Friday: 2:00-4:00 Options (Choose one of the tracks below):
Friday, 2:00-4:00:
Business and Leadership Track: School of Business, Room 101
2:00-2:15: Poster Presentation: A Marketing Plan for the Breakfast Pastry Market: Pop-tarts Specialty:
Joshua Hamm
2:20-2:35: Poster Presentation: A Marketing Plan for the Nike’s Surfing Project: Artist and Surfing
Collaboration for Specialty Marketing to Niche Markets: Kyle Lane
2:40-3:40: Corruption in Governance and Education: The Effects of Corruption of Education Budgets and
Future Income, Tamara Hannaway, Ph.D.
Friday, 2:00-3:00:
Literary Track: Beckman 202/210
Creativity as Moral Marker: the Depiction of Visual and Aural Artists in Literature
(Please stay for the duration of the panel)
Panel session moderated by Windy Petrie, Ph.D.
Student panelists: Charlene Mossmann, Amy Johnson, and Rachel Fike
Friday, 2:00-2:30:
Sport Psychology Track: School of Education, Room 108
Early Childhood Attachment, Internal Working Models, and Athletic Team Cohesion: How Bowlby’s
Model Impacts Player-Coach Bonds, Trust, Communication and Alienation: Shauna Stone, M.A., Nathan
Edwards, and Amanda Huskey, M.A.
Possible discussion question: How does an athlete’s sense of identity relate to his or her performance,
relationships with teammates/coaches, and response to failure?
Friday, 2:30-3:00:
Church, Ethnicity, and Community, School of Education, Room 108
Latinas and Latinos: Empowerment between Heaven and Earth: A Consideration of Liminality and the
Role of Pentecostalism in Communitas: Néstor A. Gómez Morales, Ph.D. Student- Religion and Social
change, University of Denver/Iliff School of Theology
Abstract: The paper states that undocumented immigrant Latinos in the United States live in an almost
permanent liminal stage due to their immigrant status, and the social constrains of everyday. In this
context, Pentecostal churches provide a place of identity, empowerment, and agency by their
observance of so-called gifts of the Spirit –particularly, speaking in tongues, prophecy and healing–, and
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the strong emphasis on the charisma which elevates to its participants to positions of leadership within
the Pentecostal community.
Possible discussion question: How does the Pentecostal community assist with social identity
formation, and what is the impact of this upon individual identity?
Friday, 2:15-4:00
Film Criticism Track: School of Education, Room 103
Babette’s Feast, shown with English subtitles
If you wish to attend the Film Review Panel at 4:00 today, you may wish to view the entire film prior to
the panel. We will show selected excerpts during the panel, and will also discuss the film. You can still
attend the 4:00 film panel, even if you do not watch the entire film first. Audience members can
discretely come and go during the film viewing. It is acceptable to watch just a portion of the film, as
well.
Film Synopsis: A small Christian sect of believers in Northern Europe shows allegiance to their recently
deceased minister through abstinence from all sensory pleasures, including those of the palate. The
quarrelsome, legalistic community is shocked when a former chef from Paris arrives. Unbeknownst to
the parishioners, this chef sells everything from her inheritance in order to provide the community with
the most lavish meal they have ever encountered, while yet aware that they may not appreciate or
recognize the sacrifice or the value of the meal. Believing that the chef is demonic, the parishioners
intend to deny all sensory pleasure associated with meal, but find instead that they forgive one another
and move from relational aggression to community.
Friday, 3:00-4:00:
Biology and Psychology Track: Beckman 202/210
Panel Discussion: The Physical Dimensions of Selfhood: Bioethics, Defining Personhood, and Body
Objectification
Panelists: Lene Jaqua, Ph.D.; Mark Parker, Ph.D., Heather Nations, Psy.D., Nahanni Freeman, Ph.D.
Friday, 3:00-4:00:
Theology and the Psychology of Religion Track: Beckman 115
3:05-3:18: Pillars of Monotheistic belief and Practice: Examining Points of Divergence and Comparison
between Islam and Christianity: Madeleine Manning
3:18-3:31: Implications of Redemption and Sanctification for Human Experiences Including the Mind,
Body, Will, and Relationships: Martha Fiskeaux
3:31-3:55: A Literary and Ethical Reading of the Visions of Peace in Isaiah 2:2-5 and Isaiah 4:2-6. This
session will consider a literary approach to Isaiah in terms of what this portends for violence and nonviolence in the text: Kaila Coon, M.A., Denver Seminary.
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Friday, 4:00-5:00 Options: (Choose one of these tracks):
Friday, 4:00-5:00:
Film Critique Panel: School of Education, Room 103
4:05-5:00: Babette’s Feast: Conscientiousness virtues vs warmth virtues, an exploration of
Christian social identity and the senses
Panelists: Nahanni Freeman, Ph.D., Bernie Prokop, M.A., Shauna Stone, M.A., Lene Jaqua, Ph.D.
Description of methods:
Professors in the panel discussion will reflect upon possible interpretations of the film in light of their
own disciplines. Excerpts of the film may be shown. Audience questions and comments will follow.
Possible discussion questions for the film panel:
1. Eugene Drewermann suggests that the Genesis account describes the fall as the process
of man‟s alienation from God through shame, including the creation of false projections
about God and His motives. How might these features be observed in the film?
2. What are the limits of a behavioral view of sin that focuses on conscientiousness virtues
more than warmth virtues?
3. Is sin best defined as “that which excludes the other,” as “refusal to grow spiritually,”
or in some other way? Is there utility to be found in various definitions of sin?
4. Define the features of fundamentalism, and describe its relationship to the authoritarian
personality structure and the sin nature.
5. Erich Fromm suggested that psychological maladjustment related to conformity,
specifically the robotic form that he called “automaton conformity.” He also stated that
alienation from self, other, nature, and one‟s kinship network led to psychological
maladjustment. Lastly, he contrasted the vibrancy of a full life to that of a life focused on
danger, decay, and depressing themes. How might Fromm‟s ideas intersect with the film?
Friday, 4:00-5:00:
Education Track: School of Business, Room 102
4:05-4:25: A Study of Increased Student Learning as a Result of Standards and Research-Based Content
Instruction: Danielle Jensen
Friday, 4:00-5:00:
Psychology Track: School of Business, Room 101
4:05-4:18: Wish Fulfillment and Irregularities in Unconsciousness: Freudian and Jungian Analysis of
Latent Content in Dreams: Kyle Morgan
4:35-5:00: The Search for the Happiness Gene: Factor Analytic Findings Regarding Genetic Predisposition
and Subjective Well Being: Sam Taylor
Possible discussion questions:
1. Is happiness a feature of spiritual growth? Can happiness be controlled?
2. Do dreams have utility for spiritual development and identity? If so, how?
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Saturday, April 27 , 2013
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Schedule of Events
Saturday: 8:00-9:00 Options (please choose one of the tracks):
Saturday, 8:00-9:00:
Integration of Psychology and Theology Track: Sanctification, Self-Actualization, and the Imago Dei:
School of Education, Room 103
8:05-8:18: Self-Actualization versus Sanctification: The Road to Perfection? A Consideration of Peak
Experiences, Moral Development, and Self-Acceptance: Laura Ward
8:18-8:31: A Comparative Study of Martin Luther’s Theology of Sanctification and Abraham Maslow’s
Theory of Self Actualization: Brenda Schmucker
8:33-8:44: The Sacred Feminine: The Imago Dei vs Popular Culture and Modern Feminism: Lindsey Hart
8:44-8:55: A Critique of John Hick’s Theodicy: An Omnibenevolent God in an Evil World: Kyle Morgan
Potential discussion questions pertinent to the track above:
1. How does the Imago Dei inform us about the attributes of the Divine?
2. How can writings on the sacred feminine inform us about the intersection between
gender and the Imago Dei? Does God have any feminine attributes? If so, what are they?
3. Distinguish attributes of God as Creator from attributes of man as creator, considering
the meaning of the Imago Dei.
4. Neoplatonism posited that human beings had fallen from a state of prior perfection.
What are some ways that Neoplatonism resembles, and differs from, the story of the fall
of humanity from the Garden of Eden? Does the idea of redeeming creation imply that we
will return to a perfected state that resembles that of Adam and Eve?
5. Psychologists posit that we tend to blame others for their suffering because we want to
maintain a belief in a just world. How does the notion of a just world intersect with
Christian theology?
Saturday, 8:00-9:00
Psychology Track: The Self and Consciousness in Light of Drives and Shame, Beckman 202/210
8:05-8:18: Emergentism: Evidences and applications for Neuropsychoanalysis, Psychodynamic Science,
and Interactionism: Sarah Curley
8:18-8:31: Shame and Guilt: A Critical Overview of Moral Development and Religious Use: Arnold Clem
8:31-8:44: Separable though not Separate: An Exploration of the Hellenistic Notion of the Soul and Early
Christian Perspectives of Personhood: Travis Larkin
8:44-8:57: Self-Transcendence, Drives, and Ego Control: Bethany Noel-Ramsey
Potential discussion questions pertinent to the track above:
1. Is shame a useful emotional state for change in moral behaviors?
2. Ego control is the idea that an individual gains increasing ability to control the exercise of
instinctual drives and emotional expressions. How might this be beneficial for spiritual
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development? Does control over drives imply the ability to repress or ignore that these drives
exist?
3. Eugene Drewermann suggests that the Genesis account describes the fall as the process
of man‟s alienation from God through shame, including the creation of false projections
about God and His motives. What theological evidence supports and refutes
Drewermann‟s interpretation of Genesis?
Saturday, 8:00-8:30:
Psychology of Film: Beckman 115
8:00-8:25: Godmother of Outcasts and Madonna of the Unloved: An Adlerian Analysis of the Film Amelie:
Christa Stenberg
Possible discussion question: Amelie is a distinctive, unique person with a strong interest in helping
others (social interest). Is distinctiveness a necessary component for identity consolidation?
Saturday: 9:00-10:00 Options
(Please choose one of the tracks, or combine a track with some time at the poster session):
Saturday, 9:00-10:15:
Cross-Cultural Psychology, Missions, and Perceptual Sets: School of Education, 103
9:05-9:18: Scotland: More than Kilts, Alcohol and Football: An Investigation of Social Identity Formation,
Outgroup Prejudice, Religious Identity and Psychiatric Pathology: Melissa Charles
9:18-9:31: Gelasseneheit, Group Cohesion, and the Preservation of the Amish Community: An Exploration
of Norms and Notions of Divine Hierarchy: Brenda Schmucker
9:31-9:44: Foundations of Gestalt Psychology: Wertheimer, Kohler and Perceptual Realities: Lindsey Hart
9:44-9:57: Missionary Care: The Impact of Short-term Missions on the Third-Culture Kid: Sam Westlake,
global studies major, inter-cultural missions minor, CCU. Mr. Westlake’s work was presented to the
Evangelical Missiological Society’s Rocky Mountain Regional Conference. This work integrates
anthropological questions with identity, missiology, and theology for the missionary child. Following his
presentation, Mr. Westlake will be available to discuss his project in more detail from 10-10:20.
Possible discussion questions pertinent to the track above:
1. An ethnic identity is a way of defining ourselves based on cultural affiliation. To what
extent should ethnic identity intersect with faith?
2. How might culture influence our perceptual realities and possible distortions in how we
view others?
3. To what extent should Christian groups sequester themselves from the world?
4. What are the ways in which ethnic identity impacts political behavior and attitudes?
5. How might ethnic or national identity promote group aggression?
Saturday, 9:00-9:45:
Panel Discussion on Ego Psychology and Theology: Beckman 115
9:05-9:45: Consciousness, Conscience, and Personhood: Intersections with Personal Responsibility.
Panelists: April Favara, Ph.D. candidate, Nahanni Freeman, Ph.D. , Janet Gold, M.Div., Ph.D.
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This panel will address intersections between psychology and theology, including some of the following
questions:
 What are the theological implications of considering consciousness to be a part of personhood?
How does this consciousness relate to the consciousness of God? What are some theological
perspectives in various religious traditions about how God and/or spiritual forces can influence
human conscious experience?
 How should we distinguish pathological guilt and shame from conscience?
 What is the role of consciousness in personhood, questions of personal responsibility, and
development?
Saturday, 9:00-10:00:
Poster Session: Social Psychology: Beckman 202/210
9:05-9:55: Social Cognition Forum and Posters
(Audience members can come and go throughout the poster session)
Poster session: Heuristics, Relationship Satisfaction, and Attributional Logic
Sponsoring professor: Nahanni Freeman, Ph.D.
For a list of titles of projects, see the end of this document
Saturday, 10:00-Noon Options (Choose one or more of the tracks below):
Saturday, 10:-10:20:
Global Studies and Missions: Question and Answer Session: Missionary Care: The Impact of Short-term
Missions on the Third-Culture Kid: Sam Westlake, School of Education, Room 103.
Mr. Westlake will be available to discuss his project on short-term missions in greater detail with
audience members, following his formal presentation from 9:44-10:00.
Saturday: 10:00-11:00:
Humanities Panel Discussion: The Heiligen Geist and the Imago Dei: Sources of Inspiration for
Composition in the Arts: Identity of the Artist in Spiritual Contexts:
School of Education, Room 108
Mark, Dorn, M.M., M.A., B.M.E., Associate Professor of Music & Coordinator of Instrumental Music
Sanne McCarthy, M.H., B.A. : Associate Professor of Theatre
Allen Paul Schantz, Ph.D., MME, M.Div., The K. Marie Stolba Professor of Music
Saturday, 10:00-11:00:
Psychology of Religion and Contemplative Prayer: School of Business, Room 101
10:05-10:18: Postured in the Divine Fire: An Examination of Contemplative Prayer: Sarah Wilson
10:18-10:31: Autonomic Coherence, Subjective Well Being, and Self Awareness as a Function of Positive
Prayer Typologies: Brandi White
10:31-10:44: Sanctuary: The Body as the Seat of Metaphor and Mysticism: Rachel Mathews
10:45-10:55: Discussion of prayer, mysticism, and the intersection with Evangelical Christianity,
facilitated by the three presenters.
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Possible discussion questions pertinent to the panel above:
1. William James suggested that religion can serve healthy or unhealthy purposes, depending on
how it is exercised and practiced. Reflect on his idea as you consider various forms of prayers
and their effects on the individual, psychologically speaking.
2. What is the role of metaphor in spiritual development? Is metaphor an important literary device
in the bible? How might metaphor serve the individual to create identity?
Saturday, 10:00-11:30:
Debate on Personhood, Brain States, and Personal Responsibility: Beckman 210/202:
Debate Topics:
To what extent are we free to choose a self? Sociocultural determinism, genetic determinism, and liberty:
What types of limits does nature and environment impose on behavior and consciousness?
 Sub-question: Is consciousness entirely dependent on brain states? If so, what are the
implications for personal responsibility?
(Please stay for the duration of the debate)
Faculty moderator: Nahanni Freeman, Ph.D.
Student debaters: Arnold Clem, Martha Fiskeaux, Zach Hackbarth, Allysia Jarrett, Lindsey Hart,
Blake Brown
Possible discussion questions for the audience:
1. Does a person need to be entirely conscious in order to be held personally responsible?
2. As a person develops and matures, do they increase in their conscious awareness? If so, what
does this mean?
3. Does God determine who you will become, or are you a co-creator with God in the formation of
self?
Saturday, 11:00-12:00:
Psychopathology and Harmartiology: Implications for Neuroanatomy, Relationship Health, and
Sociological Functioning: School of Education, Room 103
11:05-11:18: Genetic, Psychosocial and Neurodevelopmental Factors in the Etiology of Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder: Conclusions Regarding Pharmacologic and Behavioral Interventions: Daniel
Brown
11:18-11:31: Social Information Processing, Peer Aggression and Rejection in the Classroom: Methods of
Prevention, Deviancy Training, Hostile Attributional Bias, and the Initiation of Adolescent Delinquency:
Amy Polson
11:31-11:44: Aggravating Factors Contributing to Child Maltreatment and Termination of Parental
Rights: A Critical Evaluation of Child Protective Services, Foster Care, and Reporting Procedures: Kaleesha
Diefenderfer
11:44-11:54: Biological Predispositions and Factors Related to the Etiology of Addiction: Implications for
Personal Responsibility and Restorative Community: Martha Fiskeaux
11:54-12:04: Prevention of Domestic and Scholastic Rage: Sociocultural Deprivation, Imitative Violence,
and Demographic Risk Factors for Adolescent Aggression: Martha Fiskeaux
14
Discussion questions pertinent to the track above: sin and the self:
1. If biological influences affect a psychological disorder, does it follow that genetics or
biology caused the disorder, and that the individual has no sense of freedom or control
whatsoever? If not, why might some members of the Christian community be threatened
by discussions of biological influences on dimensions of psychological adjustment? What
does psychology teach us about the nature-nurture relationship?
2. How might alienation from self or others contribute to the development of mental
disorders?
3. As we consider the development of aggression, what is the role of being „sinned against?‟
4. Ware (1979) states that a fundamental aspect of the fall was that it produced division in
the Divine Image of God, and that for man this included, “division within himself,
division between himself and other men, division between himself and the world of
nature.” Ware also describes the loss of freedom linked to the fall when he states of man
that, “entrusted by God with the gift of freedom, he systematically denied freedom to his
fellows… misused that power in order to fashion instruments of ugliness and
destruction.” The sense of alienation from the Imago included the separation of soul and
body in death. Maximus the Confessor declared that “not even the demons are evil by
nature, but they become such through the misuse of natural powers.” Ware goes on to
state that “evil is always parasitic.” Reflect on these themes, describing the role of sin in
the identity of Christians, and the restoration of the Imago‟s wholeness.
5. What are some similarities and differences between sin and psychological abnormality?
Saturday, 11:30-12:00:
Comparative Religious Studies Track: School of Education, Room 108
11:30-12:00: Janet Gold, M.Div., Iliff School of Theology, University of Denver, Ph.D., University of
Maryland.
One: An Original Theology using Quantum Physics as a Metaphor in the Discussion of Chaos,
Superposition and Imagination in the Divine Relationship.
Description: Quantum physics is used as a metaphor where theology is defined as the study of the
sacred, beginning in chaos. This will close with a discussion of our responsibility in the sacred common of
the day-to-day.
Possible discussion questions:
1. Does the quantum world provide clues about the existence of God?
2. Does nature, including the quantum world, serve as a useful metaphor for deeper truths about
spiritual reality? If so, what are these truths?
Saturday, Noon-1:00: Lunch Break
15
Saturday: 1:00-4:00 Options: (Please choose one or more of the tracks below):
Saturday, 1:00-2:00:
Church History Track: Beckman 202/210:
An Historical Analysis of the Response of the Anglican Church to the Scientific Revolution: The
Reinterpretation of Genesis One: Bill Watson, Ph.D., professor of history
Saturday, 1:00-2:30:
High Tea with Poetry Reading and Soliloquy: Dining Commons Annex:
Note: This event required a RSVP prior to April 12th. Tickets are required for admission.
Please stay for the duration of the event if you have RSVP’d.
Description: A traditional high tea will be served. Literature students have written original monologues,
which will be performed by students in the theatre department. This represents a collaborative effort
between Dr. Jane Beal, Ph.D., and Professor Sanne McCarthy, M.H. The event will also include a poetry
reading.
Poet/ performers: Charlene Mossman, Scott Groves, Haley Littleton
Event Planners: Breanna Tom, Brittany Brown, Kristi Stanley, Erin Shumaker
Saturday, 1:00-3:15: Film Criticism Track: School of Education, Room 103
Audience members who wish to attend the film panel at 4:00 today may wish to view the film that will
be discussed, in its entirety. Audience members can discretely come and go during the film viewing. You
can still attend the 4:00 film panel, even if you did not attend the entire viewing from 1:00-3:15.
Excerpts will be shown at the 4:00 session. It is acceptable to view just a segment of the film.
The Mission: (Jeremy Irons, Robert DiNiro): The role of penance and protective aggression in
the process of Christian formation .
Film Synopsis:
Brought to a remote missionary outpost in South America following his incarceration for the
murder of his brother, whose infidelity with his own wife led to a crime of passion, the protagonist must
grapple with the weight of both his sin and his loss, while adopting a new, service-oriented lifestyle.
His previous career in the sale of slaves, and his conversion to the Jesuit faith, leads to a state of
sober reflection and introspection that will be broken when opposing viewpoints about the Christian
responsibility to the other must surface.
Saturday, 1:00-2:00:
Introspection, reflective journaling and open discourse: Beckman 114.
Audience members who wish to journal about conference themes will be provided with discussion
questions. After a session of 20-30 minutes of introspective journaling, participants are welcome to
freely discuss their ideas amongst themselves. This is an un-moderated session.
16
Saturday, 2:30-3:00:
Integration of Psychology with Music and Religion: Beckman 202/210
2:35-2:48: In Breaks the Light: Music, the Brain, and the Paraclete: Katherine Bleikamp
2:48-3:00: Glossolalia, Sunden’s Role Theory, and Neuropsychological Indices Associated with Speaking in
Tongues: Blake Brown
Possible discussion question:
1. If neuroscience can uncover the areas of the brain involved in various spiritual experiences or
practices, what does this actually mean? What are the implications of such a finding?
2. How might music impact the emotional development of an individual?
3. If language, culture or social learning impact a spiritual phenomenon, such as speaking in
tongues, does this finding in any way undermine the legitimacy of the practice, or are the
anthropological findings truly separate from whether the phenomenon is “real?”
Saturday, 2:30-3:30:
Visual Images and Film: Historical and Psychological Connotations: Beckman 115
2:35-2:48: The Mind of the Visual Artist: Unconscious Processes and Hallucinations in the Revelation of
the Self: Janelle Herman
2:48-3:00: The Napoleonic Image: DemiGod or Boogeyman: Elizabeth LeCompte
3:00-3:30: The Character of R.P. McMurphy in light of Jungian and Adlerian Concepts of Sexuality and
Masculinity: Arnold Clem
Possible discussion questions for the track above:
1. How might artistic compositions be influenced from spiritual forces?
2. Can mental illness lead to increased conscious awareness of what exists, including in the
spiritual realm?
3. What would a broader perspective of masculinity look like in an Evangelical society?
4. How does art reflect cultural values in ways that language cannot? How can art promote social
change?
Saturday, 3:15-4:00:
Higher Education in Clinical Social Work Practice: Reflections on Getting into Graduate School,
Adjusting to a Secular University Setting, and Finding a Career Path after College: Beckman 114
Kristen Burget, M.S.W. Kristen is a recent graduate of the University of Oklahoma’s program in Clinical
Social Work. She is also a CCU alumnus, having graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in psychology.
Currently, Kristen works at the Mental Health Center of Denver as a child and family outpatient
therapist.
Saturday, 3:00-4:00:
Psychological Dimensions of Unique Populations: Gender, Sexual Orientation, and Psychosis: School of
Business, Room 102
3:05-3:18: Religious Coping Skills Utilized by Psychotic Individuals: Emily Marston
17
3:18-3:31: Gender Norms in a Hyper-Masculinized Culture: A History of the LGTB Community in the
United States Military: Jordan Virgin
3:31-3:44: Gender Differentiation, Protective Paternalism and Heterosexual Intimacy: Potential Effects of
Benevolent Sexism: Janelle Herman
3:44-3:57: Social Role Theories, Behavioral Confirmation, and Gender Identity in Cognition: Flexibility of
Action as a Function of Expectancy Sets: Zach Hackbarth
Potential discussion questions for the track above:
Religious groups, gender and social perceptions:
1. Implicit prejudice is below the surface of awareness, unlike explicit prejudice, which is
directly acknowledged. If an individual is unaware of his or her prejudicial ideas, is there
still a risk that these ideas could be harmful to relationships? If so, how?
2. Social identity theory posits that individuals can gain a sense of identity by affiliating
with a group. There is a tendency to assume that our own groups have more favorable
traits than other people‟s groups. We may recognize the diversity within our own group
to a much greater extent than we recognize the diversity in other groups. This is called
the outgroup homogeneity effect. What could be some effects of outgroup homogeneity in
religious communities? How might social identity help or harm development?
3. How do gender and power hierarchies impact identity formation, especially in Christian
settings? Is gender egalitarianism important for spiritual formation in Christian women?
4. How does language intersect with the construction of a sense of self?
5. Perceptual sets are groups of assumptions that guide how we interpret the world. What
is the role of perceptual set in identity formation?
6. What are some ways that a violent image of God can promote aggression towards out
groups?
Saturday, 3:30-4:30:
Theology and Religious Studies Track: School of Education, Room 103:
April Favara, Ph.D. Candidate, Iliff School of Theology, University of Denver
Transsubjective Religious Identity Formation:
This presentation will provide a brief background on relational ideas of identity formation, including
intersubjectivity. The discussion will provide a brief proposal/definition for the term transsubjectivity
rather than intersubjectivity as a possible way to enfold the complexities involved in religious identity as
formulating in a hybrid space. The presenter will explore the notion that this new term could help provide
language to represent the "through," "across" and even "beyond" in the formation of religious identity in
a relational sense. The relationship of transsubjectivity to transcendence will also be discussed.
Possible discussion question:
1. In psychology, intersubjectivity is often used to describe empathic attunement, often in
significant attachment relationships. How might the notion of attunement be significant for
spiritual growth? How might attunement be possible in relation to the invisible, Divine God?
18
Saturday: 4:00-5:00 Options: (choose one of the tracks below):
Saturday, 4:00-5:00:
Film Criticism Panel: Beckman 202/210:
The Mission: (Jeremy Irons, Robert DiNiro): The role of penance and protective aggression in
the process of Christian formation .
This panel discussion will include analysis of The Mission from the viewpoint of various
disciplines. Excerpts of the film may be shown to illustrate points. Audience discussion
will be included.
Panelists: Nahanni Freeman, Ph.D., Bernie Prokop, M.A.
Please stay for the duration of the panel.
Possible discussion questions for the film panel:
1. What are the dangers of social identity in terms of violence and groupthink?
2. What are the unique features of Catholic views of sanctification, especially as they
intersect with the role and power of the church and corporate identity?
3. What were the potential benefits of penance for the protagonist?
4. How might penance be misunderstood in religious communities that do not employ this
method?
Saturday, 4:00-4:30:
Continuation of session on Transsubjective Religious Identity, School of Education, Room 103
April Favara, Ph.D. candidate, Iliff Theological Seminary (see section on the prior p. for details)
Saturday, 4:00-5:00:
Introspection, reflective journaling and open discourse: Beckman 114.
Audience members who wish to journal about conference themes will be provided with discussion
questions. After a session of 20-30 minutes of introspective journaling, participants are welcome to
freely discuss their ideas amongst themselves. This is an un-moderated session.
19
Psychology Poster Sessions: Titles of Student Projects
Note: The director is still awaiting confirmation from students on some of the projects below.
Neurochemical and Neuroanatomical Correlates of Clinical Syndromes: Friday, April 26th, BC 210/202:
Poster Session sponsored by Nahanni Freeman, Ph.D.
1. The Role of the Amygdala, Anterior Cingulate, and Insular Cortex in Processing Threat Cues
Related to Prejudice Towards Outgroups: Results from Implicit Association Tests and
Implications for Thomistic Moralism: Arnold Clem
2. Dopaminergic, Serotonergic, and Metabolic Abnormalities in Anorexia and Bulimia: Implications
for Pharmacologic Intervention: Kristina Subiono
3. Pathogenesis of Bipolar Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder: The Monoamine Hypothesis,
Metabolic and Structural Abnormalities in the Frontal and Temporal Cortex, and
Neurotransmitter Deficits: Christine Bell
4. Acquired and Developmental Features of Apraxias of Movement, Speech and Visual-Spatial
Construction: Isaac Smith
5. Capgras Syndrome and Delusional Misidentification Disorders: Etiological Theories based on
Familiarity Cues: Martha Fiskeaux
6. The Language Acquisition Device: Nativist Theories, Aphasias, and the Wernicke-Geschwind
Model: Ashley Paul
7. Alien Hand Syndrome in Cases of Traumatic Brain Injury: Implications for Discussions of
Intentionality and Will: Zachary Hackbarth
8. Beta Amyloid Plaques, Neurofibrillary Tangles, and Abnormal Protein Aggregates in Alzheimer’s
Disease, Dementia with Lewy Bodies, and Pick’s Disease: Rebekah Caldwell
9. Subcortical-Cortical Diaschisis in the Left Hemisphere in Cases of Foreign Accent Syndrome:
Phonetic Encoding of Hypothetical Syllables: Kyle Morgan
10. Defining Genetic and Anatomical Differences for Intersex Classifications: Klinefelter Syndrome,
Turner Syndrome, Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome, and 5-Alpha Reductase Deficiency: Alyssa
Guarino
11. Cerebellar and Limbic Contributions to Memory and Encoding: An Examination of Hebb’s Cell
Assemblies in Relation to Semantic, Declarative, Procedural and Episodic Memory: Emily Ray
12. Primary and Secondary Emotional Experience and the Limbic System: Consideration of the Role
of the Amygdala, Cingulated Gyrus and Anterior Thalamus in Determinations of Social
Relevance, Cooperation, and Sexual Arousal: Lindsey Hart
13. The Sexually Dimorphic Nucleus, Preoptic Area of the Hypothalamus, and the Posterodorsal
Medial Amygdala: Implications for Gonadic Differentiation and Sexual Behaviors: Rachel
Mathews
14. Differentiation of Hallucinatory Phenomena: Autoscoptic, Hypnogogic, Migraine Auras, and
Complex Visual Hallucinations: Gina Beasley
15. Grey Matter Density in the Superior Parietal Lobe, Cerebellum, Right Medial Frontal Gyrus, and
Right Medial Temporal Lobe in Patients with William’s Syndrome: Sarah Curley
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16. Angelman Syndrome: Chromosomal Abnormalities and Clinical Manifestations: Rachel
Entsminger
17. Reduced Gray Matter in the Bilateral Amygdala, Hippocampi, and Temporal Cortex of Conduct
Disordered Juveniles: When Nature Reciprocally Interacts with Nurture: Maggie Hood
Forum on Social Cognition: Saturday, April 27th, 2013, 9:00-10:00. BC 210/202.
Sponsored by Nahanni Freeman, Ph.D.
1. Analysis of the Fundamental Attribution Error: Allocentric Variables, Category-Based
Perspectives and Educator Aggression: Elizabeth Eylers
2. Distraction to Gain Compliance: Use of the Disrupt then Reframe Technique: Erin Dalton
3. Preference for Consistency and Need for Cognition: Attributional Complexity and the Cognitive
Miser Model: Morgan Birren
4. The Anchoring and Adjustment Heuristic: Considerations for Group Shift Phenomena: Alyssa
Kamin
5. Optimal Distinctiveness Theory: The Need to be Simultaneously Similar and Distinct as a
Function of Social Identity Formation: Madeleine Manning
6. The Social Psychophysiology of Marriage: Self-Disclosure, Ambiguous Messages, and Negative
Affect in Gottman’s Divorce Prediction Model: Baylee Rogelstad
7. False Hope Syndrome: Excessive optimism in dieting and the January Effect in Financial
Prediction and Risk Taking: Heidi Cutright
8. Love for Fright’s Sake: A Study of the Effects of Excitation Transfer Theory in Regards to
Attraction: Kelly Mergens
9. Social Information Processing, Perceptual Accuracy, and Relationship Satisfaction: Evidence that
the Similarity Hypothesis Trumps Complementarity: Michelle Rees
10. Love for Fright’s Sake: A Study of the Effects of Excitation Transfer Theory in Regards to
Attraction: Kelley Mergens
11. Who do you Blame? External and Internal Attributions and Socially-Prescribed Perfectionism:
Laura Ward.
12. Motivational Effects in the Mere Exposure Paradigm: Diffuse Effects of Subliminal Exposure:
Sabrina Patch
13. The Effects of Disappointment, Surprise and Perceived Control upon the Hindsight Bias: Tiffany
Svennes
14. Toward a Synthesis of Behavioral and Physiological Antecedents of Belief Perseverance: Naïve
Theories and Resistance Towards Attitude Change: Deborah Weaver
15. Group Homogeneity, Risk Taking, Intergroup Relations and Polarization: Joshua Stallings
21
Concluding Remarks:
Hugo Munsterberg, considered by many to be the father of applied psychology in both forensic
psychology and industrial-organizational psychology, enlisted a journal and congress to consider the
unity of truth among the disciplines. His words capture the feeling of meaninglessness that can be linked
to extreme territoriality and disconnection among the disciplines when he states of his new journal,
“This journal does not protest against the spirit of specialization which makes our modern
science and scholarship solid and strong, but it does protest against the prejudice that a
detached specialization can give us the last word and can make correlations superfluous. It
desires to stand for the unity of knowledge, aims to consider the fundamental conceptions which
bind together all the specialistic results, seeks to enquire into the methods of science which bind
together the scientific workers, and into the center of its sphere it puts philosophy.” (1905, p. 1).
22
Discussion questions for audience members:
Sanctification questions:
1. What are the similarities and differences between sanctification and self-actualization?
2. How do Orthodox Christian views of theosis differ from Protestant views of
sanctification?
3. What are the unique features of Catholic views of sanctification, especially as they
intersect with the role and power of the church and corporate identity?
4. What is self-transcendence and how does this relate to drives and ego control?
5. Is sanctification a sudden, qualitative shift, or a gradual transformation that follows
developmental patterns? How does the theological evidence intersect with measured
observations in psychology of religion research?
6. What are the implications of the notion of redeeming creation for the sanctification
process and the redemption of the human intellect, emotions, will, body, and
relationships?
7. Of what utility are theological aesthetics for spiritual formation?
8. In Luke 17:21, the idea of the Kingdom of God being within us is presented. What does
this mean?
9. What is the role of the Holy Spirit in spiritual formation?
10. Contrast conversion, sanctification, and the redemption of creation.
11. In ecclesiastical history, what are some forces that served to damage the sanctification
process for groups and individuals?
12. What is the role of suffering in sanctification?
13. Abraham Maslow theorized that peak experiences are associated with self-actualization.
What is the role of peak experiences in spiritual formation?
Discussion of consciousness, conscience, and personhood:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Does the Bible make reference to consciousness as part of personhood?
How should we distinguish pathological guilt and shame from conscience?
To what extent are we free to choose a self?
Describe a view of Biblical Anthropology from a perspective in Reformation theology,
contrasting early Protestantism with contemporary American Evangelical thought.
5. What is the importance of the notion of an immaterial, immortal aspect of self for the
Christian?
6. What is the role of consciousness in personhood?
7. Are we morally responsible for preconscious aspects of selfhood?
8. Does a human being need consciousness in order to be considered a self?
9. What is the role of neurotic anxiety in the construction of the self, according to Karen
Horney?
10. How is compensatory strategy of superiority strivings, as identified by Alfred Adler,
harmful to the formation of identity and realistic self-appraisal?
11. How is identity communicated through relationships, being socially-constructed during
the reflected appraisal process? What are the implications of the works of Harry Stack
23
Sullivan, Heinz Kohut, Heinz Hartmann and George Herbert Meade for the construction
of Christian identity?
12. How can identity impact altruism (and vice versa)? Consider the role of the empathyaltruism hypothesis and the impact of labeling on prosocial behaviors.
Discussion of religious groups and social perceptions:
1. How does implicit prejudice and social categorization impact the development of
fundamentalism?
2. How does fundamentalism relate to social identity and homogeneity of groups?
3. How does compassionate service to the poor and altruism relate to how we define
ourselves as Christians?
4. How do gender and power hierarchies impact identity formation, especially in Christian
settings?
5. How is gender egalitarianism important for spiritual formation in Christian women?
6. How does language intersect with the construction of a self?
7. What is the role of perceptual set in identity formation?
8. What are some ways that a violent image of God intersects with cultural aggression?
Discussion of the Imago Dei:
1. What does it mean to be created in the Image of God (Imago Dei)?
2. How does the imago inform us about the attributes of the Divine?
3. How can writings on the sacred feminine inform us about the intersection between
gender and the Imago Dei?
4. Distinguish attributes of God as Creator from attributes of man as creator, considering
the meaning of the Imago Dei.
5. What are some distinctions between Neoplatonic idealism and the Christian notion of
redeeming creation? Do these views share some common assumptions about the fall from
prior perfection?
6. Does God transform our bodies or physical selves into spiritual selves? If so, how does
this occur? Timothy Ware suggests that human beings are the only creatures who
simultaneously exist in both noetic and material universes at once. He describes the
process by which God spiritualizes the material by creating the possibility of eternal
existence. Reflect on Ware‟s ideas, comparing them with Protestant theology.
7. As we move towards sanctification, is it important to focus less on ourselves, or to strive
to gain greater self-awareness? (See the question below for context).
8. Saint Varsanuphius described the value of forgetting ourselves and thus learning to
know ourselves. In Matthew 16:25, reference is made to losing our lives in order to find
them. Contrast these concepts with the Buddhist philosophy of decreasing egocentrism as
part of enlightenment. Furthermore, contrast these ideas with the value of self-awareness
that is seen in psychological notions of human development, distinguishing insight from
egocentrism.
24
Discussion of sin and the self:
1. Define sin, contrasting various views.
2. In what way can we define sin as alienation or division? See questions 3 and 5 for
context.
3. Ware (1979) states that a fundamental aspect of the fall was that it produced division in
the Divine Image of God, and that for man this included, “division within himself,
division between himself and other men, division between himself and the world of
nature.” Ware also describes the loss of freedom linked to the fall when he states of man
that, “entrusted by God with the gift of freedom, he systematically denied freedom to his
fellows… misused that power in order to fashion instruments of ugliness and
destruction.” The sense of alienation from the Imago included the separation of soul and
body in death. Maximus the Confessor declared that “not even the demons are evil by
nature, but they become such through the misuse of natural powers.” Ware goes on to
state that “evil is always parasitic.” Reflect on these themes, describing the role of sin in
the identity of Christians, and the restoration of the Imago‟s wholeness.
4. Compare and contrast a view of soteriology with psychopathology, as outlined in the
DSM-IV. Discuss the role of conditioning and social learning in the development of antisocial character.
5. Eugene Drewermann suggests that the Genesis account describes the fall as the process
of man‟s alienation from God through shame, including the creation of false projections
about God and His motives. What theological evidence supports and refutes
Drewermann‟s interpretation of Genesis?
6. What are the limits of a behavioral view of sin that focuses on conscientiousness virtues
more than warmth virtues?
7. Is sin best defined as “that which excludes the other,” as “refusal to grow spiritually,”
or in some other way? Is there utility to be found in various definitions of sin?
8. Define the features of fundamentalism, and describe its relationship to the authoritarian
personality structure and the sin nature.
9. Contrast the Protestant notion of sin as part of identity with Erich Fromm‟s discussion
of the alienation from self and other that is associated with automaton conformity,
necrophilous styles of life, and the distance from kinship networks and nature in
technological societies.
discussions for Education, Communications, Psychology,
Philosophy:
Discussion on identity and the learner:
1. How is identity forged in a learning environment?
2. What are the important developmental, familial, and sociocultural processes linked to
identity formation?
3. What are the differences between healthy and unhealthy identity in an educational
context?
25
4.
What philosophical assumptions and experimental evidences underlie our definitions of
health?
5. How can the theories of Jean Piaget, Lawrence Kohlberg, and Erik Erikson inform us
about the development of moral reasoning, cognition, and self-awareness?
6. How can educational practices be informed by the identity of the learner, in
consideration of the works of Howard Gardner, John Dewey, William Glasser and/or
Madeline Hunter?
7. How do questions of identity intersect with mastery goals for learning, intrinsic
motivation, and achievement motivation?
8. What are the consequences of threats to self-esteem and safety in a learning
environment?
9. How can needs for belongingness and affiliation impact the learning environment?
10. How can imitation and modeling serve to increase self-efficacy for the learner?
11. What are some ways in which life-long learning is linked to identity?
12. How does ethnic identity impact the learner?
13. How can healthy relationships promote strong identity for the learner? What does it
mean for an educator to convey an “I-Thou” relationship that truly values the other?
What are the implications of the works of Martin Buber for the field of education and
communications?
14. How does gender identity impact communication style in an educational setting?
discussions of History, Political Science, Economics, and Global
Studies:
Discussion of national identity:
1.
2.
What are the implications of national identity for civic engagement?
What are the factors that promote instrumental patriotism, and how does this differ from
symbolic patriotism?
3. Describe some historical examples of how national identity impacted human aggression.
4. What are some historical examples of how national identity has affected economic
prosperity?
5. How does historical and cultural context impact identity consolidation for groups within
a society (provide specific examples)?
6. What are the implications of identity for discussions of Aristotelian Virtue Ethics,
natural law, human rights, and democracy?
7. How can the assumptions of natural law impact ethics?
8. How does natural law relate to the notion of innate ideas?
9. What do nativist theories have to say about the will?
10. What is our ethical obligation to the Other in a democratic society?
11. Should the value of beneficence transcend the value of autonomy in a democracy?
12. What are the implications of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution for
American identity?
13. What are the dangers of social identity in terms of violence and groupthink?
26
14. If the right to individual liberty, life and the pursuit of happiness are fundamental to
American identity, on what philosophical assumptions do these rights lie?
15. How does national identity impact the progression of science, technology, and
education?
16. What are the ways in which ethnic identity impacts political behavior and attitudes?
discussions on Biology, physiological psychology and
philosophy of science:
Questions on identity, the body, and religion and the brain:
1. Can medicine and science help us to define life and personhood, with implications for
bioethics and who we include in the moral community?
2. According to medicine, how shall we define life? How does a Christian definition of life
resemble and differ from this?
3. How does our Christian identity affect our views of prolonging death?
4. How does a philosophy of science intersect with Christian identity?
5. How should Christian identity impact practice in the allied health professions?
6. How does body-awareness and physical identity impact selfhood?
7. What is the intersection of relationship and self-esteem with immune functioning? If the
mind can influence the health of the cells of the body, what are the implications of this on
philosophical and spiritual levels?
8. What does Christian identity mean as we intersect with scientific data about the origins
of living organisms and ecological systems?
9. How does the notion of stewardship intersect with our responsibility to the environment?
10. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the hypothetico-deductive form of science
as we seek to understand human beings?
11. How do the findings from the Human Genome Study impact our understanding of the
existence of God? What are the implications of these findings in terms of the argument by
Design for the existence of God?
12. Neurological interventions and various forms of neuropathology can produce numinous
and mystical experiences. What are the implications of these findings?
13. Neurological disorders and traumatic brain injuries can radically alter a person‟s sense
of self and conscious existence. What does this mean in terms of our belief in continued
personhood after death of the body?
14. Neuroimaging studies have identified regions in the brain that are active during
religious experiences. What are the spiritual and philosophical implications of these
findings?
15. Studies of individuals who have used hallucinogenic drugs have confirmed a higher
incidence of mystical experiences in these populations. These experiences often involve
radical changes in lifestyle and altruism that can still be measured 25 years after
ingestion of the drug. How do we interpret these findings?
27
Discussion for Business:
Questions on identity, work, and vocation:
1. How do successful non-profits, small businesses, and corporations use mission
statements to achieve a unique identity?
2. What are the implications of corporate identity for worker morale, productivity,
retention, and economic growth?
3. How does worker or manager identity relate to the formation of competence in the
workplace?
4. How can we maximize worker satisfaction and productivity? For instance, in some
contexts, workers who recognize that they are the “weakest link” in their employment
setting, can demonstrate enhanced motivation to excel and improved performance via the
Kohler Motivation Gain.
5. Stereotypes can either help or harm worker performance. Awareness of negative
stereotypes about one‟s own group can create self-fulfilling prophecies that reduce
performance, as shown by stereotype threat and the Golem effect. Positive expectations,
on the other hand, can promote enhanced performance via stereotype lift effects or the
Pygmalion effect. What is the role of supervisory expectancy sets in worker performance?
6. Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of Theory X vs Theory Y managerial styles in
light of the promotion of positive worker identity.
7. Organizational Citizenship Behavior is observed when supervisors and/or workers are
willing to go the extra mile for the company due to intrinsic motivation and a feeling of
felt responsibility. How can organizations promote this citizenship behavior and felt
responsibility, and what is the connection of this to identity?
8. What is the significance of worker autonomy in terms of productivity, job satisfaction,
and identity? Consider French and Raven‟s theory.
9. Describe a toxic organizational culture. What types of environments can lead to learned
helplessness, where the worker assumes that no reasonable action will improve the
workplace environment.
10. How can supervisors carve a path for their employee‟s optimal success? Apply path-goal
theory to real world applications.
11. The Expectancy theory states that motivation will be impacted by the worker‟s
expectation that their efforts will actually lead to success, as well as their perception of
whether the reward gained is of value. Have you observed this in companies in which you
have worked?
12. Social loafing is more likely to occur if employment goals are not valued by the
employees (or are considered irrelevant), and also in situations where there is not clear
delegation of a task to a specific individual, connecting performance evaluation to an
accountable source. Describe examples of social loafing that you have observed in your
professional life. How does this relate to the identity and self-efficacy of the worker?
How do you minimize social loafing in those whom you supervise? Is it necessary to
provide rewards in order to motivate people?
28
Music, art, theatre, literature, creative writing:
Questions on artists, creativity, and the Imago Dei:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What does it mean as an artist to be created in the Image of God (Imago Dei)?
How does the imago inform us about the creative attributes of the Divine?
In what ways can we see the Imago expressed in music, art, theatre, and literature?
How does the Holy Spirit serve as a muse for creative impulses?
Does the idea of Holy Spirit as muse resemble or differ from Carl Jung‟s collective
unconscious?
6. How does identity relate to specializations in the artistic genres?
7. Of what utility are theological aesthetics for spiritual formation, and what is the role of
the Christian artist or musician in this process?
8. How do aesthetic principles inform us about our identities, as well as the nature of God?
For instance, consider formalism, essentialism (beauty as wholeness), functionalism, ugly
beauty, and non-aesthetic beauty
9. How does the use of formal structure in the creative process, and the decision to depart
from this structure, inform us about God and self?
10. How can character development in novels inform us about the process of selfactualization and resiliency?
11. Of what significance are archetypes in literature for Christian spiritual formation?
12. How can artists separate personal identity from their craft, rather than evaluating their
worth on the conditions of performance standards? What are some ways to separate the
created product from the Creator?
13. How can the arts be used to assist the process of self-actualization?
14. What are the stresses of creativity, and how does this intersect with the involvement of
the Holy Spirit?
15. How does an actor approach a character without losing a sense of self?
16. What are the ethics involved in decisions pertinent to the performing arts, and how does
this intersect with identity?