http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/keyword/christ Inquiries Journal provides undergraduate and graduate students around the world a platform for the wide dissemination of academic work over a range of core disciplines. en-us Wed, 10 Jun 2026 13:20:41 -0400 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 13:20:41 -0400 http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1890/foreignness-and-freedom-in-the-plays-of-christopher-marlowe By Abigail Slater - Few writers and dramatists have managed to inspire a persona that is as interesting as that of Christopher Marlowe. Born in Canterbury in the mid-16th century, Marlowe rose to prominence in the theatre community of London through his exceptional plays. Much of his work tackled taboo topics with little regard for political correctness, utilizing characters who explored these themes with unique perspectives previously unseen. Marlowe’s own life was riddled with rumors of espionage and social deviance. These rumors met their final fate at a tavern, where Marlowe saw his bloody end (Meyers,... Tue, 16 Mar 2021 02:51 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1890/foreignness-and-freedom-in-the-plays-of-christopher-marlowe http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1723/opposites-attract-an-evaluation-of-foreign-policy-impediments-in-sino-vatican-relations By Rex N. Alley - The relationship between the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Holy See appears to be an uneasy association between opposites. With over 1 billion people, the PRC is "the world's most populous state," while the Holy See is housed in tiny Vatican City.2 In addition to its status as a sovereign political entity,3 the Holy See is also the spiritual leader of the Catholic Church. Meanwhile, since the Revolution, the PRC has been a Communist state, led by a party that strives to "propagate atheism."4 Despite these differences, the PRC and Holy See also hold commonalities. The pope's spiritual... Thu, 30 Nov 2017 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1723/opposites-attract-an-evaluation-of-foreign-policy-impediments-in-sino-vatican-relations http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1640/mary-magdalene-as-a-renewed-feminist-icon-representations-in-the-christian-tradition-as-a-resource-for-contemporary-liberation-theology By Ellen AJ. Goodwin - Mary Magdalene remains prevalent within Christianity and popular culture. A mysterious and enigmatic figure, she continues to capture people’s imagination as ‘a mix of lust, loyalty, belief, prostitution, repentance, beauty, madness, and sainthood’ (Shaberg. 2004. P.9). Mary Magdalene’s complexity is in no small part due to the ambiguity and controversy of her various representations. Her continual and varied presence within the Christian tradition demonstrates her resistance to attempts, made by various patriarchal structures such as the Bible, Hebrew society, the early... Tue, 02 May 2017 11:58 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1640/mary-magdalene-as-a-renewed-feminist-icon-representations-in-the-christian-tradition-as-a-resource-for-contemporary-liberation-theology http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1626/the-purposive-power-of-natural-theology-on-moser-and-the-christian-apologetics By Jimmy R. Lewis - In recent years there has been quite a bit of talk in philosophy of religion regarding how relevant and how purposive natural theology is, especially in comparison with experiential evidence. One major proponent of this recent skepticism in relation to natural theology is Paul K. Moser. Moser believes that natural theology may in fact be a satisfactory means to arriving at theism, but not to personal theism. This is problematic for Moser, because he believes that the goal of Christian apologetics ought to be to convince people not only of the existence of a divine being, but also that the divine... Fri, 14 Apr 2017 08:32 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1626/the-purposive-power-of-natural-theology-on-moser-and-the-christian-apologetics http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1541/identifying-a-developing-christian-culture-in-the-fourth-century By Andrea C. Hanna - To briefly set the scene, the fourth century was a complex period for Christianity. It moved from being a persecuted sect to being supported by a new Christian Emperor, to vying with Constantine’s successors over unorthodox beliefs, to being persecuted by Julian the Apostate, and finally being declared the official state religion by Theodosius. So, with context in mind, this essay will attempt to identify if, by the end of the fourth century, a Christian culture had become distinctive, in and of itself, as well as more distinctive than the pagan Roman culture into which it originally emerged... Wed, 22 Feb 2017 10:20 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1541/identifying-a-developing-christian-culture-in-the-fourth-century http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1453/womens-struggles-in-industrialized-victorian-london-as-depicted-in-charles-dickenss-hard-times-and-christina-rossettis-goblin-market By Emily Gray - The Victorian Age was a time of rapid economic, social, and cultural change throughout England. Beginning in the late 1700s and early 1800s, industry began to take shape in Britain, launching England into an era characterized by “momentous and intimidating” social movements, surprising inventions, and a remarkable energy driving the time (“Victorian Age” 1099). This culminated under the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901), as people migrated from the country to the city in the hopes of finding better wages as a result of the Industrial Revolution (Service 83). The changes... Fri, 23 Sep 2016 09:20 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1453/womens-struggles-in-industrialized-victorian-london-as-depicted-in-charles-dickenss-hard-times-and-christina-rossettis-goblin-market http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1433/comparing-godly-and-satanic-happiness-in-john-miltons-paradise-lost By Alison L. Bare - Two conflicting modes of living—happiness pursued obediently (Godly) versus happiness pursued disobediently (Satanic)—produce persistent problems with conceptions of free will in John Milton’s Paradise Lost. The Godly mode of happiness recognises that one is free to choose their path to human happiness, but only within God’s bounds; the Satanic mode of happiness recognises that one is entitled to human happiness, but not limited by God’s bounds. It is the relationship between these two modes of living that reveals a Miltonic paradox—free to choose human happiness... Sun, 21 Aug 2016 03:41 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1433/comparing-godly-and-satanic-happiness-in-john-miltons-paradise-lost http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1043/thomas-arundels-constitutions-and-the-condemnation-of-wycliffes-vernacular-translations-1382-1415 By Christopher J. Kshyk - The first is related to scholastic and ecclesiastical attitudes toward the transmission of knowledge in the later Middle Ages. The second is related to the social and political upheavals in England during the late 14th and early 15th centuries, which Arundel viewed as stemming at least in part from the writings of Wycliffe and his followers (otherwise known as the Lollards). In addition, I examine Arundel’s Constitutions in connection with Henry IV’s (1399-1413) De Hæretico Comburendo, which is evidence of the cooperation between the Church and the Crown to control the spread... Wed, 27 May 2015 03:14 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1043/thomas-arundels-constitutions-and-the-condemnation-of-wycliffes-vernacular-translations-1382-1415 http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/948/chris-christies-use-of-hurricane-sandy-in-new-jerseys-gubernatorial-elections By Celeste R. Aguzino - Christie had developed and honed these skills while serving as U.S. Attorney for the State of New Jersey. Prior to his appointment, Christie was a lawyer and for a brief time, a lobbyist. He worked to deregulate state utilities and prevent security fraud. As a U.S. Attorney from 2002 to 2009, Christie was noted for exposing public corruption cases. His administration notably found Republican Essex County Executive James W. Treffinger and Democratic State Senator Wayne R. Bryant guilty of bribery and fraud.[1] His aggressive, dogged approach to state corruption established his credibility and earned... Wed, 17 Dec 2014 09:46 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/948/chris-christies-use-of-hurricane-sandy-in-new-jerseys-gubernatorial-elections http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1040/how-christian-leaders-interact-with-twitter By Zachary Horner - This paper explores the relationship between Christian leaders and Twitter. Twitter’s founding resulted in an outburst in the use of the social media platform. Christian leaders quickly caught on, and today they use Twitter for a number of different purposes, seeking first and foremost to challenge and inspire their followers. Through the study of 30 different leaders’ tweets, as well as different blog posts, articles and interviews outlining different approaches to Twitter and other social media, the study concluded that pastors were most concerned with getting across the basic message... Sun, 30 Nov 2014 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1040/how-christian-leaders-interact-with-twitter http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/867/asceticism-in-the-modern-world-the-religion-of-self-deprivation By Betsy C. Chadbourn - Among the questions that have attracted my attention during my theological career thus far, nothing has struck me more forcibly than the possibility of asceticism existing in the modern world. Modern asceticism initially appears an absurdity. A non-existent. Something of the past, along with the once thriving Christian religion that laid its foundations. Before, we associated the ascetic with monkish values, the valorisation of chastity, a life of deprivation. Repulsion toward the flesh. Hostility for food. Enmity on all we call pleasure. Yes, modernity is surely an exodus from such; a secular... Fri, 14 Mar 2014 04:53 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/867/asceticism-in-the-modern-world-the-religion-of-self-deprivation http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/850/goblin-market-renunciation-and-redemption-in-christina-rossettis-narrative-poem By Kelley S. Kent - The poem begins with the goblin men’s continual cry, “Come buy, come buy” (l. 4). What these goblins represent is clear by their seductive, sexually explicit, description of their fruity wares: “Plump unpecked cherries / . . . Bloom‑down‑cheeked peaches, / Swart‑headed mulberries, /Wild free‑born cranberries /. . . Pomegranates full and fine” (ll. 7, 9‑11, 21). The goblin men appear to sell fruit, but they really appeal to, and try to waken, women’s carnal lusts: “sweet to tongue and sound to eye” (l. 30). The goblins... Sat, 11 Jan 2014 05:04 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/850/goblin-market-renunciation-and-redemption-in-christina-rossettis-narrative-poem http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/848/christopher-benjamins-eco-innovators-sustainability-in-atlantic-canada--stories-to-change-minds-and-move-hearts By Tami Ambury - In his 2011 book, Eco-Innovators: Sustainability in Atlantic Canada, environmental journalist Chris Benjamin provides a new kind of roadmap to a more sustainable future. In this work, Chris masterfully weaves the stories of 35 creative and dedicated individuals from the four Maritime Provinces who recognize the need to take action now. From more sustainable food, transportation, or housing choices, to new business models, to community- based social marketing and branding, to journalists and educators raising their voices for change, Chris outlines some of the many narratives for change. In so... Fri, 10 Jan 2014 02:45 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/848/christopher-benjamins-eco-innovators-sustainability-in-atlantic-canada--stories-to-change-minds-and-move-hearts http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/742/the-typology-of-sacrifice-in-george-herberts-the-temple By Kelley S. Kent - George Herbert's (1593-1633) three-part work The Temple (1633) denotes the nature of his relationship with God. He conveys this unique relationship through the symbol of the Eucharist, which is both the celebration and memorialization of Christ's Passion: His redeeming sacrifice of Himself. Nearly every poem in The Temple alludes to or mentions the Eucharist, the book's unifying focus. From the beginning of Herbert's work, the Eucharist and "sacrifice" are intricately entwined. However, the first twelve poems that open "The Church,"[1] the second and middle part of The Temple, explicitly focus... Wed, 10 Jul 2013 05:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/742/the-typology-of-sacrifice-in-george-herberts-the-temple http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/643/the-political-returns-of-philanthropy-the-case-of-tammany-hall By Robin S. Kigel - New York’s 1827 mayoral election was the harbinger for a new era in politics. Tammany Hall—New York’s democratic political machine—suborned thousands of immigrants to vote for the pro-Tammany ticket. With cartloads of Irish in tow, ward leaders hurriedly moved from one polling place to the next allowing their passengers to cast as many as six votes apiece. In exchange for their vote the Irish received largesse such as food, clothing, or even cash. Back at New York City’s almshouse, inmates were also drawn into the democratic process at the behest of Tammany ward leaders... Tue, 15 May 2012 08:05 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/643/the-political-returns-of-philanthropy-the-case-of-tammany-hall http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/567/can-religious-based-ethics-play-a-role-in-development By Eve R. Hill - Development is closely linked to the idea of progress. Therefore the way in which progress is quantified, whether through economic, social or spiritual values, determines the way in which we conceptualize development (Power 2005). Religious beliefs are similarly ambiguous, although this arises from the sheer diversity of faiths present in the world today. Consequently the relationship between development and religion is hauntingly complex and so variable that it eludes simple definition (Alkire 2007). Nevertheless, since the first missionary endeavors of the colonial era, religious-based ethics... Tue, 30 Aug 2011 08:05 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/567/can-religious-based-ethics-play-a-role-in-development http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/562/free-will-in-the-christian-cosmology-comparing-paul-and-augustine By Jesse A. Goldberg - While numerous religious scholars have approached this essential question, the focus of this paper is Saint Paul, who addresses human beings’ freedom of choice in Chapter 7 of his letter to the Romans, and Saint Augustine, who formulates a defense of free will in his treatise On Free Choice of the Will. Paul lands on a kind of dualism in his discussion of law, human nature, and salvation, and Augustine approaches a robust version of human autonomy in his account of the problem of evil. While both saints manage to fit an articulation of free will within a Christian cosmology without changing... Tue, 16 Aug 2011 08:05 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/562/free-will-in-the-christian-cosmology-comparing-paul-and-augustine http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/554/the-influence-of-social-political-and-economic-factors-on-the-development-and-form-of-zulu-religious-activity-in-the-19th-and-20th-centuries By Melissa JL. Alvaro Mutolo - Eventually these bantu-speaking people would come to populate and dominate practically all the arable land in South Africa (Prozesky 1995:5). As ancestors of the Zulu, this migration is significant. Already from their earliest forbearers the Zulu had inherited a history of domination and power. This dominative power reached its peak in the 19th century with the creation of the Zulu Kingdom, a powerful centralised territory of warriors and kings. In the process of creating this state the Zulu had usurped smaller tribes and conquered their lands leading to a social crisis known as the mfecane (... Tue, 26 Jul 2011 06:41 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/554/the-influence-of-social-political-and-economic-factors-on-the-development-and-form-of-zulu-religious-activity-in-the-19th-and-20th-centuries http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/549/the-historical-jesus-what-can-we-really-learn By Melissa JL. Alvaro Mutolo - The way to gain insight into anything historical is by examining the sources but in the case of Jesus three things must be acknowledged. Firstly, all the available evidence is in literary form. Epigraphic or archaeological evidence can only give information about his assumed background but provides no information about him as man (Tuckett 2001: 121). Secondly, Jesus did not write anything himself. There are unfortunately no personal memoirs or documents and so the only sources available are of what he purportedly did and said as recorded by others (tuckett 2001:122). Finally, there are no direct... Mon, 11 Jul 2011 08:05 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/549/the-historical-jesus-what-can-we-really-learn http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/534/temptation-and-the-ring-in-jrr-tolkiens-the-fellowship-of-the-ring By Kathleen E. Gilligan - Published in 1954, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings is a follow-up to his 1937 book, The Hobbit. An epic fantasy novel originally published in three volumes (The Fellowship of the King, The Two Towers, The Return of the King), The Lord of the Rings has enthralled audiences for decades. Adapted for radio, television, and finally film, Tolkien’s fictional novel is beloved by both children and scholars alike. What is it that makes Tolkien’s work so interesting? Many enjoy the triumph of good over evil or the excitement of adventure, while others prefer to read the... Tue, 31 May 2011 01:53 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/534/temptation-and-the-ring-in-jrr-tolkiens-the-fellowship-of-the-ring http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/522/is-paul-a-liar-the-pauline-corinthian-conflict-and-the-need-for-reform-in-the-american-church By Jonathan D. Brackens - The corpus of literature regarding Pauline Criticism is largely qualitative and polarized. Close examination of the Pauline-Corinthian conflict holds that in order to maintain legitimacy in the Corinthian Church, Paul miscontextualized Septuagintal scriptures. This research (a) details the dichotomous arguments, (b) highlights First Century Church limitations, and (c) presents quantitative research to support the assertion that Paul miscontextualized. Miscontextualization is measured by how accurately Paul quotes the Septuagint in his letters (i.e., (a) the number of words quoted from the referenced... Mon, 02 May 2011 08:05 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/522/is-paul-a-liar-the-pauline-corinthian-conflict-and-the-need-for-reform-in-the-american-church http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/383/chinese-women-and-christianity-in-the-late-imperial-era By Iulia O. Basu-Zharku - Christianity has not gained a large number of adepts in China, if compared, for example, with Japan. But Christianity in China, in the late Imperial Era, had a number of particularities. Moreover, Christianity sometimes influenced Chinese women’s lives but only in conjunction with other cultural elements and only if we take into consideration the broader context of the situation. Other times it did not influence women’s lives at all. Thus, this paper will focus on the context in which Christianity found itself in China, the way it adapted to Chinese culture, and the significance it... Tue, 08 Feb 2011 08:56 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/383/chinese-women-and-christianity-in-the-late-imperial-era http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/355/fangbangers-tin-soldiers-and-living-toys-fictional-creatures-becoming-real By Jeremy S. Page - The divide between human and non-human, real and not-real, is a problem frequently explored in texts about toys and undead creatures. Even the term ‘undead’ is problematic, for while the undead are not ‘dead’ in the truest sense, they are still not ‘alive' (Perhaps ‘not not dead’ would be a more appropriate term!). The three texts for discussion in this paper, Robin McKinley’s novel Sunshine, Hans Christian Anderson’s perennial short story The Steadfast Tin Soldier, and Margery Williams' The Velveteen Rabbit all delineate between the real or... Fri, 07 Jan 2011 10:08 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/355/fangbangers-tin-soldiers-and-living-toys-fictional-creatures-becoming-real http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/347/heroin-chic-the-fashion-phenomenon-analyzed-through-the-writing-of-christine-harold-and-timothy-hickman By Elise M. Rosser - Heroin chic emerged in the 1990s as a high class fashion trend which appropriated visual imagery of heroin junkies and their environment into fashion photography. Eventually condemned as an immoral glorification of drug use with the potential to corrupt and destroy innocent youth, heroin chic ended amidst scandal and controversy. Issues concerning the exposure of the drug culture of the fashion industry, and its potential for creating an image of drug use as appealing and ‘cool’ for youth, pervaded editorials, columns and articles, with the majority of discussion focusing upon the... Tue, 28 Dec 2010 09:43 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/347/heroin-chic-the-fashion-phenomenon-analyzed-through-the-writing-of-christine-harold-and-timothy-hickman http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/328/the-sermon-on-the-mount-is-it-livable By Michel F. Kearney - When the Preacher wrote, “of making many books there is no end” [KJV Eccles. 12:12] he did not anticipate the mass of articles, scholarly papers and textbooks that would be written about Jesus’ address given to a group of disciples on a hillside in Galilee, but the statement nevertheless can be applied to the literature surrounding what we now call the Sermon on the Mount, recorded in Matthew 5-7 and Luke 6:20-49. More than thirty years ago, W.S. Kissinger listed nearly 150 pages of bibliography on the Sermon (Crump 3), and judging from the attention that this most famous ethical... Mon, 22 Nov 2010 10:22 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/328/the-sermon-on-the-mount-is-it-livable http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/270/mysticism-and-christianity-in-early-english-literature-comparing-beowulf-and-sir-gawain-and-the-green-knight By Ellen T. Goodson - The introduction of Christianity to England in 597 established a structured, uniform faith among a people accustomed to different branches and pockets of polytheistic paganism. Over the next seventy-five years, the burgeoning country quickly grew unified under the tenets of Catholicism, transforming many of the practices of their ancestors into Christian traditions. However, the fusion of the two religions reshaped more than the Britain’s spiritual beliefs. Remnants of pagan mysticism and magic blurred and interwove with themes from the Bible to create proselytizing legends. An Old English... Mon, 12 Jul 2010 07:05 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/270/mysticism-and-christianity-in-early-english-literature-comparing-beowulf-and-sir-gawain-and-the-green-knight http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/242/the-position-of-jews-and-christians-in-the-ottoman-empire By Yevgeniya Baraz - The position of Jewish and Christian peoples under the Ottoman Empire is an issue that continues to be disputed today, almost a century after the official end of the Empire itself. Religious association typically determined status in the predominantly Muslim Ottoman Empire. According to Moshe Ma’oz, Christians and Jews were seen as “inferior subjects or as illegitimate denominations.”[1] As a result, they were often discriminated against by the state entity. In contrast, other scholars may argue that the position of minorities under the Ottomans was lenient compared to minority... Tue, 04 May 2010 08:05 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/242/the-position-of-jews-and-christians-in-the-ottoman-empire http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/178/jesus-christ-as-the-modern-hero-in-john-miltons-paradise-lost By Michael P. McMahon - The story of mankind's fall from Eden as written by John Milton in his epic poem Paradise Lost portrays a classically heroic Satan and a modern hero in God's Son, Jesus Christ. While Satan fits the archetype of an epic hero, he is in fact showing readers that classic heroes are not the true savoirs of the people. Satan is directly constrasted by God's Son, who is not a gloriously strong warrior like the antique heroes. The complex character of Satan has power beyond measure when compared to man but ultimately falls due to his very human flaw of refusing to bow down before God. The Son is not depicted... Mon, 22 Feb 2010 09:17 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/178/jesus-christ-as-the-modern-hero-in-john-miltons-paradise-lost http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/157/comparing-female-characters-in-christabel-and-the-eve-of-st-agnes By Alina Saminsky - Despite both being the leading female characters in their respective pieces, Christabel from Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s Christabel and Madeline from John Keats’ The Eve of St. Agnes have many striking similarities. Throughout both poems, the two women are constantly referred to as pure, innocent, generally good girls.  They are praised by the other characters and by the narrators.  However, both women engage in behavior that defies their descriptions.  Occasionally, this behavior even disrupts gender roles, and the position of the girls in their respective texts is questioned... Fri, 05 Feb 2010 09:23 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/157/comparing-female-characters-in-christabel-and-the-eve-of-st-agnes http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/152/the-relevance-of-food-to-representations-of-gender-in-the-awakening-and-goblin-market By Misty M. Hill - The inconclusive gesture first of all shows that he is neither decisive nor forceful as you might expect a man to be. Secondly, it shows his irrelevance to the families eating, he does not need to be present for the family to eat, and it appears Mrs Pontellier is unconcerned by the prospect of the absent husband at meal time, as she ‘laughed, nodding good-by to him.’ (1994:5) But it is also suggested that he is an unreliable provider. On parting from his children he ‘promised to bring them back bonbons and peanuts,’ (1994:5) whilst tellingly on his return he ‘had... Tue, 02 Feb 2010 09:32 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/152/the-relevance-of-food-to-representations-of-gender-in-the-awakening-and-goblin-market