Abstract
This extensive study investigates the role of the Virgin Mary in today's Protestant churches. The writer examines whether there currently exists an identifiable Protestant liturgical theology of Mary. The author further examines the most significant contemporary developments in Protestant Mariology. The author states that since this investigation seeks to uncover how everyday Protestants view Mary's role in their religion, the scope of research extends beyond scholarly texts. The author considers information from mass media resources like magazines, and less traditional media sources, such as websites to be a reflection of the popular view of Mary. According to the author, untraditional sources provide insight into how modern lay Protestants view Mary, if they honor her, or if they believe she should be honored. The paper further examines how church officials approach devotion to Mary, and if they desire pro-Marian changes in Protestantism. The potential controversy surrounding Mary in the Protestant church is also considered. The author hopes that information from a broad variety of practitioners will yield a suggestion about the modern state of Mary in the Protestant church and whether her role should change.

Outline:
Proposal
Introduction
Hypothesis
Literature Review
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Traditionally, at least in recent history, the Virgin Mary has not played a very large role in the various Protestant faiths. In fact, many modern Protestants only recall celebrating Mary during Christmas, and those celebrations were strictly limited to Mary's role in the birth of Christ rather than celebrating Mary's prophecies prior to Jesus' birth or the role that she played as Jesus' day-to-day parent. The Protestant attitude towards Mary contrasts starkly with Catholic and Orthodox attitudes, which celebrate Mary in several different ways. To Catholics, Mary was chosen to be the mother of God's son because she was an example of a devout and loving Jew, so that her spiritual greatness actually preceded the events that are traditionally associated with her. However, to Protestants, prior to the visit from the angel Gabriel, Mary led an unremarkable life, and her sole claim to significance in Christianity is the fact that she was chosen, more or less arbitrarily, by God to be the mother of his son. Furthermore, many Protestants not only refused to share in the Catholic and Orthodox reverence for the Virgin, but have actually reacted vehemently against it, associating respect and reverence for Mary with the some type of idolatry."

Tags:Virgin, Mary, Protestantism, Christianity, devotion, Mariology

Abstract
This paper first analyzes how Michelangelo's lack of attention in his childhood led to elements of homosexuality in his artwork. The paper then analyzes Michelangelo's religious devotion plays out in the painting, "The Last Judgment" (c.1535-1541). The paper uses MLA style footnotes but does not include a works cited page.

From the Paper
"These paternal and maternal struggles Michelangelo faced undoubtedly left him with a feeling of abandonment, self-hate and possibly led to his homosexual tendencies. It has been suggested that through analyzing Michelangelo's letters, poems, and artistic depictions that Michelangelo had a series of homosexual relationships; "A great deal has been written and even more omitted about Michelangelo's homosexuality." Being that Michelangelo's childhood lacked in affection, it appears that he developed a great love and adoration for the sexuality of young men, specifically Franceso de'Bracci (called Cecchino) and Tommaso de'Cavalieri. Michelangelo wrote several poems about and to these two men. For Tommaso, Michelangelo once gave him a Ganymede drawing (c.1533) (fig.3). In the drawing, aside from the actual subject matter itself, there are overt homoerotic elements including oral incorporation as well as the appearance of anal penetration by the eagle to Ganymede. In the case of Cecchino, he appears to have been the sexual companion of Michelangelo and the subject of much adoration by him. When Cecchino died at a very young age, Michelangelo designed a tomb for him. In both cases, it appears that Michelangelo cherished the feeling of being loved and being subjugated to another person, in an almost erotic, sadomasochistic way; "These [elements] help us understand Michelangelo's self-hate, self-torment, relationships and homosexuality." This struggle with homosexuality is also linked to feelings of depression. Historian Christopher Ryan suggests that in his later years, Michelangelo's poems were much more religious than erotic in nature, most likely indicating repentance and feelings of remorse for his homosexual activities. Paul Wolf (M.D.) also concludes that Michelangelo showed many signs and symptoms of depression, manic-depression and even bi-polar illness, and that his paintings on the Sistine Ceiling (1508-1512) mirror his depression. Wolf also explains that manic-depression and creativity have often been linked to go hand in hand. Michelangelo's homosexuality and adoration of the male figure plays out most clearly in the Ignudi (1508-1512) of the Sistine Ceiling and in his unfinished sculpture, Dying Slave (1513)."

Tags:sculpture, paintings, homosexual, maternal

Abstract
The paper shows how despite a similar emphasis on loyalty, the way that this value is celebrated in "Beowulf and "The Tale of the Heike" is very different. The paper explains that the hero Beowulf demonstrates his prowess through individual struggle and excellence while the good warriors of the "The Tale of the Heike" collectively show their greatness through their loyalty to their lord. The paper clarifies further that the negation of the self shown by Beowulf is demonstrated by putting the lives of others before his own to make a better community while the negation of the self in "The Tale of Heike" is shown in unswerving devotion to a lord above all other things and showing ruthlessness in battle towards the enemy that opposes the lord.

From the Paper
"Both "Beowulf" and "The Tale of the Heike" relate military narratives of bloody, bitter conflicts in war-torn societies where human civilization is fragile and savage threats are common. Men and women must band together, just to survive. The heroic individuals that triumph in these early sagas of early Scandinavian and feudal Japan define the values of their early societies by the ethics and character they show during trying times. "Beowulf's" triumphs are physical, like his triumph over Grendel, as well as spiritual, and the warriors of "The Tale of the Heike," even when defeated win moral victories over their enemies because of the superior loyalty they show to their lord and to the emperor."

Tags:lord, self-negation, warriors, struggle

Abstract
This paper reviews the film 'Road to Perdition', meaning eternal damnation. The author asks how the title of the film relates to the characters and themes, and wonders whether it is a portent of things to come in the movie. Set in the late 1920s in Chicago, the film is about Michael Sullivan, whose wife and younger son were murdered by the biological child of the man who raised him after his own parents were killed. That man, John Rooney, was a gangster, and his mafia connections embolden his son, Conner. Yet, as the paper points out, the match-up between Conner and Michael is balanced, because Michael is more clever and cunning than the mafioso. The paper focuses its analysis on the theme of revenge as it relates to both men.

From the Paper
"This slaying of his family gives Michael Sullivan strong ambition to seek revenge against Conner Rooney for the acts he has committed. The second convention of a revenge tragedy is also already apparent to the viewer. That convention is that the protagonist has justification (to the viewer's satisfaction) for seeking revenge. Sullivan quickly finds out that if he is to do so, he will be opposing the might of the mafia as well as the man that raised him...John Rooney. This raises a strong moral dilemma in the movie as by killing Conner Rooney, he is betraying his emotional father John Rooney. Will he seek revenge and slay the murder of his family while in the process breaking the relationship with the man that raised him and risking his own life? Or will he move on with his life still living under the protection of the mafia? Michael decides to go all the way and avenge his family's death, as he doesn't want his son following in his footsteps of organized crime."

Tags:mafia, Chicago, 1920s, revenge, family, murder, organized, crime, gangster

Abstract
This paper examines George Herbert's poetry, written during the 17th century which is reflective of the strong biblical and liturgical themes that were ever present in much Renaissance art and literature during this time. It looks at how he dedicated his poetic abilities and verse to God as early as 1610, when he sent two sonnets to his mother claiming his power the result of divine intervention. He claimed that his love of God was a more worthy subject for verse than the love of a woman. It discusses how Herbert was well known during his time for his humility and charity and how his work reveals undeniable undertones of despair and inner mental struggle or conflict. It analyzes how this inner conflict is present in his poems "The Altar" "Love III" "Denial" and "Sin I" and how his poems illustrate this mercurial behavior both in tone and in structure.

From the Paper
"All of the work created by Herbert reflects in some way an inner conflict or mental torture that the poet must have been feeling throughout his life. Perhaps this was due in part, as mentioned previous to the death of his father early in life. A sense of loss and loneliness, of despair despite much love and affection (which he must have received from his large family and mother) is apparent in most of these poems. Themes liturgical and repentant in nature are also prevalent throughout his work. Not one of Herbert's poems fails to mention God, spiritual devotion and the weakness of man."

Tags:renaissance, god, love, inner, conflict

Abstract
This paper addresses the issue of "nationalism" in Ivo Andric's Nobel Prize winning novel, "The Bridge Over the Drina". As the book itself comes in several seemingly- independent sections, the concept of nationalism is expressed in many different ways.

Abstract
This paper explains that Catholic Worker Movement leader Dorothy Day and St. Augustine may be separated by years, but they are brother and sister in their joy and passion for life, for God, and for serving their Lord to the best of their abilities. The paper relates that Day question God throughout her life but found the answers in her work, in her strong commitment, and her relationship with God. The author believes that while Dorothy Day has not been raised to sainthood by the Church, she is certainly a saint in her own right and deserves a place beside St. Augustine.

From the Paper
"By sharing their writings and really their souls with their readers, both Day and St. Augustine not only show their beliefs they are actually perpetuating them. Those who read their stories cannot help but be touched by these devout people and the path they chose to worship and share their worship. They are more than believers; they are doers, for they dedicated their lives to following the path of God, and leading others down that path to joy and salvation. One of the things that really stand out in their wittings is their passion and commitment to what they are doing, and their passion and commitment in life. As they share their joy with others, they not only transform others' lives, they transform their own, and that is one of the things that helps their stories ring so true, and become so influential in the eyes of readers."

Tags:commitment, passion, service, relationship, sainthood

From the Paper
"William Booth and Florence Nightingale devoted their lives to completing what they each believed to be God's work. This work was defined differently for both of them. William Booth's goal was to live the gospel of Jesus and convert those most in need of conversion. Those most in need of conversion, however, tended to be poor and destitute, and Booth realized that one could not set about saving a soul without tending to that same soul's physical needs. Hence he instigated various social reforms in an effort to ease their suffering and bring them into God's fold. Conversely, Florence Nightingale was not so concerned with conversion as she was with easing the pain of those who were suffering from various physical ills. Nightingale sought to care for others through nursing and began reforms to bring about improvements in and respect for this noteworthy..."

Tags:biography

Abstract
This paper examines some of the problems faced by a country that is just emerging, whose people are just beginning to define themselves in terms of the nationalist motif that defines so much of life in the modern era. This paper is an exploration of the nationalist movement as it progressed throughout history where people were seen to have been attached to their native soil, to the traditions of their parents, and to established territorial authorities.

From the Paper
"As a general rule, Nationalism can be said to be characterized principally by a feeling of community among a people. This feeling of community, this sense of belonging together, is based on the fact that this group of people share a common descent, a common language, a common religion - or some combination of these or like factors. Before the 18th century, when nationalism emerged as a distinctive movement, states usually were based on religious or dynastic ties; citizens owed loyalty to their church or ruling family. Concerned with clan, tribe, village, or province, people rarely extended their interests nationwide to include within their "in" group people that they did not know and would never be likely to meet."

Tags:root, causes, tendency, combination, concatenation, technological, cultural, political, economic, advances

From the Paper
" The purpose of this paper is to compare the ways in which Romeo's and Juliet's characters are developed by their love. Romeo and Juliet is a play about fate, about love, and about the tragic consequences of poor timing. Both Romeo and Juliet are, in one sense, characters whose fates are caught up in the web of intrigue woven by their families and by a society, which condones family feuds. Their lives are not their own. Swept away by the great passion of first love, their attempts to alter their family heritage and to unite in marriage causes their tragic deaths. Shakespeare develops the characters of Romeo and Juliet in the light of the purity of their love, and contrasts these innocents to those who would control their lives, their feelings, and their actions. By using the power of love as a device of character development, Shakespeare has painted a(...)"

Tags:Shakespeare