Dissertations (Religious Studies)

The Religious Studies Department at the University of Pennsylvania offers a program of undergraduate education in humanistic studies appropriate for many careers and walks of life and extensive opportunities to those who wish to become scholars and teachers in the field in its graduate program. Both programs offer courses in major religious traditions, religion and culture, religion and society, and theories of religion. The primary emphasis of the program is upon understanding through interpretation. Thus the focus of the program is upon the descriptive, historical, critical and theoretical work that engages every interpreter of religion.

Theses and Dissertations from 2008

Lay religious women and church reform in late medieval Munster: A case study of the Beguines, Erica Gelser

Theses and Dissertations from 2007

Herem in Biblical law and narrative, Mina Glick

Before the text: Phenomenology and revelation, Adam John Graves

The Brahmayāmalatantra and early Śaiva cult of yoginīs, Shaman Hatley

Emperors and cities: The transformation of sacred space in late antiquity, Bradford Andrew Kirkegaard

Expression of voices, identities, and faith: Oral histories of Korean Christians and their experiences with the Japanese, Michael Young-Suk Oh

The last shall be first and the first shall be last: Discourse and Mormon history, Daymon Mickel Smith

Theses and Dissertations from 2006

Martha Shamoni: A Jewish Syriac rhymed liturgical poem about the Maccabean martyrdoms (Sixth Maccabees), Sigrid Peterson

The ways of filial piety in early China, Thomas Radice

Theses and Dissertations from 2005

To forget the self: Aging and senility in medieval Japanese Buddhism, Edward Robertson Drott

Religion, class, and power: Bhaktivinode Thakur and the transformation of religious authority among the Gaudīya Vaisnavas in nineteenth-century Bengal, Jason Dale Fuller

The compilation and dissemination of “The Life of Antony”, William C. Gruen

Saiva arguments against the grammarians: Somananda's "Sivadrsti", chapters one and two, John Nemec

Building a book of spells: The so -called “Testament of Solomon” reconsidered, Sarah L Schwarz

Theses and Dissertations from 2004

Subject to the governing authorities: A tradition of Pauline interpretation in Late Antiquity, James Robert Blankenship

The mystical language of recollection: Bernardino de Laredo and the “Subida del Monte Sión”, Jessica A Boon

Ritual syntax, Carl Andrew Seaquist

Theses and Dissertations from 2003

Mahāyāna Phoenix: Japan's Buddhists at the 1893 World's Parliament of Religions, John Sheldon Harding

Jewish weddings in the Greco -Roman Period: A reconsideration of received ritual, Susan Marks

Theses and Dissertations from 2002

The manuscripts and text of Lanfranc of Bec's commentary on St. Paul, Ann Ryan Collins

On Hindu pilgrims and cross -cultural pilgrimage: The hermeneutics of Jarava Lal Mehta, Thomas Baynard Ellis

Ritual power in society: Ritualizing Late Antique North African martyr cult activities and social changes in gender and status, Shira Li Lander

Into the fray: Joseph Klausner's approach to Judaism and Christianity in the Greco -Roman world, David Fox Sandmel

Theses and Dissertations from 2000

Reading the history of the righteous remnant: Ideology and constructions of identity in the Damascus Document, Maxine Lynn Grossman

Theses and Dissertations from 1999

Taboo and orthodoxy: Making Tantra respectable in 11th century Kashmir, Loriliai Biernacki

Theses and Dissertations from 1997

Anselm and the Augustinian tradition: Deference and innovation in the eleventh century, Felix Baffour Asare Asiedu

Jewish pilgrimage and Jewish identity in Hellenistic and early Roman Egypt, Allen Kerkeslager

Studies of the New Testament traditions in "The Dialogue of Timothy and Aquila", Donal E Nilsson

Keepers of the faith: Irish exegetes and Psalter study in the eighth century, Carol Ann Scheppard

The death of the world's body and the rebirth of the sacred in the arts, William A Sikes

Theses and Dissertations from 1996

Re-assessing the use of scriptural material and interpretations in the "Peri Pascha" attributed to Melito of Sardis, Lynn Harrison Cohick

Lost keys: Text and interpretation in old Greek "Song of Songs" and its earliest manuscript witnesses, Jay Curry Treat

Theses and Dissertations from 1995

Creatio ex nihilo: Matter, creation, and the body in classical and Christian philosophy through Aquinas, James Noel Hubler

Theses and Dissertations from 1994

The alchemical creation of life (takwin) and other concepts of Genesis in medieval Islam, Kathleen Malone O'Connor

Representations of Jews and Judaism in "The Dialogue of Timothy and Aquila": Construct or social reality?, Jacqueline Zacarie Pastis

Theses and Dissertations from 1993

Intrinsically Catholic: Vernacular religion and Philadelphia's "Dignity", Leonard Norman Primiano

Theses and Dissertations from 1991

Human hands dwell in heavenly heights: Worship and mystical experience in thirteenth century Kabbalah, Seth Lance Brody

The theology of Beethoven's Masses, Gene Paul Strayer

Theses and Dissertations from 1989

Abraham Geiger on the origins of Christianity, Susannah Heschel

Theses and Dissertations from 1986

COLLEGIATE CHOICE BEHAVIOR IN A CHRISTIAN DAY SCHOOL: AN ETHNOGRAPHY, DAVID LOWELL PHILLIPS

Theses and Dissertations from 1985

THE CONCEPT OF 'DHAMMA' IN THAI BUDDHISM: A STUDY IN THE THOUGHT OF VAJIRANANA AND BUDDHADASA, PATARAPORN SIRIKANCHANA

Theses and Dissertations from 1983

EXPLORATIONS OF CHINESE METAPHYSICAL CONCEPTS: THE HISTORY OF SOME KEY TERMS FROM THE BEGINNINGS TO CHU HSI (1130-1200), PATRICK EDWIN MORAN

THE THEOLOGY OF MANAVALAMAMUNI: TOWARD AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE TENKALAI-VATAKALAI DISPUTE IN POST-RAMANUJA SRIVAISNAVISM (INDIA), PATRICIA YVONNE MUMME

OKYOSAMA: DOCUMENTATION OF THE FOUNDING OF NYORAI-KYO, JAPAN'S FIRST "NEW RELIGION", KENNETH WAYNE PARKER

Theses and Dissertations from 1982

TURIYA AND THE CATUSPAD DOCTRINE IN ADVAITA VEDANTA: AN INQUIRY INTO AN INDIAN "STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS" DOCTRINE, ANDREW OSMUN FORT

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RIHLA FOR THE ISLAMIZATION OF SPAIN, MICHAEL KARL LENKER

SECULARIZATION AND KRSNA BHAKTI AMONG URBAN INDIANS, JAMES DANIEL WHITE

Theses and Dissertations from 1979

PALESTINIAN BURIAL PRACTICES FROM 1200 TO 600 B.C.E., JOHN ROGERS ABERCROMBIE

DUALISM AND THE CONCEPT OF ORTHODOXY IN THE THOUGHT OF THE MONKS OF UPPER EGYPT., JANET ANN TIMBIE

Theses and Dissertations from 1976

ABHINAVAGUPTA'S CONCEPT OF COGNITIVE POWER: A TRANSLATION OF THE JNANASAKTYAHNIKA OF THE ISVARAPRATYABHIJNAVI MARSINI WITH COMMENTARY AND INTRODUCTION., HARVEY PAUL ALPER

A CRITICAL INVESTIGATION OF EPIPHANIUS' KNOWLEDGE OF THE EBIONITES: A TRANSLATION AND CRITICAL DISCUSSION OF "PANARION" 30., GLENN ALAN KOCH

CATHOLIC, EVANGELICAL AND REFORMED: THE LORD'S SUPPER IN THE (UNITED) PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH USA, 1945-70., HARRY ERNEST WINTER

Theses and Dissertations from 1975

DOGMA AND MYSTICISM IN EARLY CHRISTIANITY: EPIPHANIUS OF CYPRUS AND THE LEGACY OF ORIGEN., JON FREDERICK DECHOW

Theses and Dissertations from 1971

JONATHAN DICKINSON AND THE COURSE OF AMERICAN PRESBYTERIANISM, 1717-1747, KEITH JORDAN HARDMAN

THE DOCTRINE OF THE SOUL IN THE THOUGHT OF PLOTINUS AND ORIGEN, ANTONIA C TRIPOLITIS

Theses and Dissertations from 1970

THE SOCIAL GOSPEL BACKGROUND OF THE FEDERAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES, EUGENE PHILLIP CLEMENS

Theses and Dissertations from 1969

ELHANAN WINCHESTER AND THE UNIVERSAL BAPTISTS, JOSEPH R SWEENY