SCHOLARSHIP AND GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT ... - Nyack College

FEB 

21 

2013 

THE CENTER FOR 

SCHOLARSHIP 

and Global 

Engagement 

at Nyack College presents 

The Fourth Annual 

NYACK 

SCHOLARS 

SYMPOSIUM 

Supported by the U.S. Institute of Peace 

Public Education for Peacebuilding 

Support Initiative 

In Search of 

Peace and Justice: 

Contributions 

Across the 

Disciplines

From The President 

Dear Friend, 

Welcome to the winter 2013 Nyack Scholars Symposium! 

Since its inception just a few short years ago, Nyack’s Center for Scholarship and 

Global Engagement (CSGE) has become a vital expression of one of our five core 

values—academic excellence. In previous years, professors gathered for an event 

called the Faculty Scholarly Dialogue, a multidisciplinary forum to discuss topics and 

issues of mutual interest. This initiative birthed today’s Nyack Scholars Symposium— 

an expanded presentation for the entire campus community to experience the result 

of our faculty’s studies funded by research grants. 

This annual symposium is now a tradition established through the efforts of a planning 

committee headed by Dr. Vilma “Nina” Balmaceda, our CSGE director. Showcasing 

our extraordinarily accomplished faculty and exceptionally talented students, we are 

pleased to offer this learning opportunity at both the Rockland County and New York 

City campuses. 

This year, we are impressed that among the three distinguished plenary speakers is 

one of our own, Mr. Benjamin Raber, a 2007 Nyack alumnus. His co-presenters, Ms. 

Lisa Dougan and Ms. Anna Lee round out the roster of exemplary scholars who are 

following their passion for serving others in our nation and around the world. 

May you be inspired and re-energized in your pursuit of lifelong learning! 

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy 

getting get understanding (Proverbs 4:7.) 

With warm regards, 

Michael G. Scales, Ed.D. 

President

Fourth Annual Nyack Scholars Symposium 

Rockland Campus 

Thursday, February 21, 2013 

Plenary Session 9:35 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. 

VENUE 

Bowman 

Gymnasium 

PRESENTERS 

Lisa Dougan 

Director of Civil Engagement and D.C. Representative for Invisible Children 

Benjamin Raber 

Executive Director, Network, Chambersburg, PA 

Anna Lee 

Senior Americas Policy Officer, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Washington, D.C. 

Dr. Vilma “Nina” Balmaceda, Moderator 

Director, Center for Scholarship and Global Engagement, Nyack College, NY

Breakout Session 1 – Main Campus 11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. 

VENUE ROOM PRESENTER TOPIC 

Simpson 200B Kevin Pinkham, Ph.D. 

Boon Center 406 Stephen Bennett, Ph.D. 

We Are the Walking Dead: Peace, Justice, and 

Zombies 

Justice Like Waters: Justice and Oppression in 

the Book of Amos 

Hilltop 1 

Gwen Parker-Ames, Ed.D. 

& Suzanne Toliao, M.A. 

Orienting the Map Between Two Worlds in 

Search of Peace and Social Justice 

Boon Center 412 Inseon Hwang, Ph.D. Can Nurses Advance Social Justice 

Hilltop 4 James Romaine, Ph.D. The Visual Arts as a Medium of Christian Ethos 

Simpson 200A Jack Wiltshire, Psy.D. 

Craig Ellison’s Concept of Shalom Applied to 

Social Justice and Peace 

Boon Center 401 Chantal Parmley Consensual: Sexual Justice in a Perverse Society 

Boon Center 408 Paul Van Houten Inadequacy: Public School Funding and Control 

Breakout Session 2 – ATS 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. * 


Faculty and Graduate Student Panel: In Search of Peace and Justice: Opportunities 

for Social Investment by the Church hosted by Jaime Castañer-Weiss 

ATS 350 

Vilma “Nina” Balmaceda, 

Ph.D. 

Rethinking the Local Church in Light of the Call 

to Do Justice and Love Mercy 

ATS 350 Yumi Li Persons with Disabilities and the Church 

ATS 350 José Montes Wealth and the Urban Church 

ATS 350 Kenny Sullivan Race and the Church 

*Lunch will be provided to all participants during the session.

Breakout Session 3 – Main Campus 1:15 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. 


Hilltop 1 Brad McDuffie, M.A. 

Pardington AUD Marie Kenote, D.M.A. 

Hilltop 5 Andrew Mercurio, D.Min. 

Nothing to Sustain Us But the Counsel of Our 

Fathers: The Counsel of Ernest Hemingway on 

the Fiction of Cormac McCarthy 

JS Bach, A Man of Passion, Purpose, and 

Position: The Excellence, Variety, and Message 

of Bach’s Music for the Transverse Flute 

Reclaiming Sexuality: A Mandate for 

Contemporary Christianity 

Hilltop 7 

Elio Cuccaro, Ph.D. and 

James Cowman, D.Min. 

Making it Memorable: Composing Sermons to 

Last Beyond Sunday Morning 

Boon Center 403 Jung Hang Lee, Ph.D. 

The Last Frozen Land, North Korea: What Do 

They Teach in Mathematics 

Boon Center 406 Ron Belsterling, Ph.D. 

The Impact of Religiosity on Marriage: The Last 

30 Years of Research Considered 

Hilltop 4 

Larry Poston, Ph.D. and 

Stuart Guild 

After the Love Has Gone: The Historical Effects 

of Revivalism 

Sky Island 101 Gordon Boronow, Ph.D. 

Social Security Reform in an Economy Subject 

to Temptation 

Boon Center 412 Michael Huster, Ph.D. 

Continuity and Discontinuity: Science and the 

Christian Faith 

Simpson 200A James Danaher, Ph.D. Skepticism: The Wisdom of Not Knowing 

Boon Center 411 Christopher Choi The Perplexity of the Minister 

Boon Center 401 Christopher Rafalski 

Apostasy in Islam: The Implications for Christian 

Converts 

Boon Center 408 Marvin Salvatore Immobilization and the Body Systems

Breakout Session 4 – Main Campus 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. 


Boon Center 401 Christine Buel, Ph.D. 

Reforming the Altruist: Novice Teachers in Faith- 

Based Universities 

Hilltop 4 Damaris-Lois Lang, Ph.D. Exploring Paternal Care in the Prairie Vole 

Boon Center 406 

Len Kageler, Ph.D. and 

Anna Bailey 

Foundations and Models of Muslim Youth Ministry 

Boon Center 412 Michael Huster, Ph.D. 

Continuity and Discontinuity: Science and the 

Christian Faith 

Simpson 200A James Danaher, Ph.D. Skepticism: The Wisdom of Not Knowing 

Hilltop 7 David Emanuel, Ph.D. Early Solutions to Biblical Problems 

Hilltop 1 Brad McDuffie, M.A. 

Hilltop 6 Frank Tuzi, Ph.D. 

Hilltop 8 Steven Ware, Ph.D. 

Nothing to Sustain Us But the Counsel of Our 

Fathers: The Counsel of Ernest Hemingway on 

the Fiction of Cormac McCarthy 

Making Web-Based Education Equitable for All 

Users 

The Stones of Easter, Lithic Inscriptions of 

the Pascal Cycle in the Late Ancient and Late 

Medieval Periods 

Boon Center 408 

Marie White, Ph.D. and 

Miriam Velez, M.S. 

Underprepared Does Not Mean Unsuccessful! 

International Celebration Dinner, Boon Center Cafeteria, 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Nyack’s Center for Scholarship and Global Engagement 

ABOUT NYACK COLLEGE’S 

Center for Scholarship and Global Engagement: 

A Christ-centered community fostering scholarly inquiry and global 

awareness 

By Dr. Vilma “Nina” Balmaceda, CSGE Director 

The Center for Scholarship and Global Engagement would like to thank the U.S. 

Institute of Peace for their support which makes our Fourth Annual Scholars 

Symposium on the Rockland County campus of Nyack College possible. 

The Center for Scholarship and Global Engagement (CSGE) exists to promote and 

sustain a culture of scholarly inquiry and global awareness at Nyack College, Alliance 

Theological Seminary, and in the communities that surround our campuses. We 

are committed to fulfill our mission by remaining true to Nyack’s five institutional 

core values of being academically excellent, globally engaged, intentionally diverse, 

personally transforming, and socially relevant. 

CSGE is intentional about fostering: 

• Collaborative Initiatives: Looking for opportunities to initiate local, regional, 

and international partnerships and projects to promote research and global 

awareness, recognizing that everyone in the Nyack community has a role in this 

process. 

• Scholarly Inquiry: Working to promote a culture of critical reflection and sound 

research in the context of Christ-centered ideals. 

• Global Awareness: Seeking to raise consciousness on international issues and 

serve as a catalyst for effective involvement. 

• Encouraging community: Nurturing an engaged intellectual and welcoming 

community that fosters open, constructive, and respectful dialogue on complex 

issues, where differing views can be addressed with civility and integrity. 

Our Fourth Nyack Scholars Symposium, “In Search of Peace and Justice: 

Contributions Across the Disciplines,” is an invitation to our whole community to 

reflect and consider relevant ideas, research, and actions in the pursuit of shalom, 

the holistic well-being of our community and society, promoting reconciliation and 

confronting the multiple expressions of injustice in the world. 

We are deeply grateful to our plenary speakers, our panelists, and to the presenters, 

responders, and chairs in each of the breakout sessions, for sharing their wisdom on 

these most relevant topics with all of us. 

For more information, contact the Center for Scholarship and Global Engagement at 

Center_Scholarship@nyack.edu or visit our webpage www.nyack.edu/CSGE.

About The Plenary Speakers 

Lisa Dougan 

Lisa Dougan serves as the Director of Civic 

Engagement for Invisible Children. Based in 

Washington, D.C., Lisa represents the organization 

to the policy community and implements advocacy 

campaigns focused on protecting civilians and 

ending the violence of the Lord’s Resistance 

Army (LRA). Since 2009, Lisa has developed and 

executed nation-wide advocacy campaigns that 

have played a critical role in advancing U.S. policy 

toward on the LRA crisis. 

In 2010, she joined President Obama for the 

signing of the landmark LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act, 

which mandated the President to issue the first comprehensive U.S. strategy to 

help address the crisis, after Invisible Children’s campaigning helped secure its 

passage. Prior to her current role as Director of Civic Engagement, Lisa also served 

as Invisible Children’s National Tour Coordinator and as Director of Field Outreach 

for The Resolve, an LRA-focused advocacy and policy analysis organization based in 

Washington, D.C. 

Anna Lee is the Senior Americas Policy Officer for Christian Solidarity Worldwide 

(CSW), an international religious freedom NGO with headquarters in Washington, D.C. 

Anna Lee has a BA from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College in International Relations 

and an MA in Conflict Resolution from Lancaster University (UK). She was the director 

of CSW’s European Union Liaison office for eleven years, in charge of working with the 

EU institutions on religious freedom issues in third world countries. She also covers 

religious freedom issues in Latin America for CSW, with a current focus on Colombia, 

Cuba, and Mexico and some long term advocacy work on Peru. 

In 2011, she relocated to Washington, D.C. where 

Anna Lee 

she is setting up a new advocacy office focused on 

working with the U.S. government on incorporating 

religious freedom concerns in its foreign policy. She is also working with Latin 

American governments, encouraging them to take a proactive role in promoting 

religious freedom, human rights, and democracy around the world. 

6 

Fourth Annual Nyack Scholars Symposium

Benjamin Raber graduated from Nyack College 

in New York in 2007, and currently resides in 

Chambersburg, PA with his lovely wife Stephanie 

and their daughter Taliya. Ben serves as the 

Executive Director of NETwork Ministries, a Christcentered 

non-profit organization dedicated to 

equipping vulnerable children and young adults with 

the skills necessary for spiritual growth, academic 

achievement, life management, and Christian 

leadership. 

Benjamin Raber 

The ministry uses afterschool programs, a 

community garden, basketball, and the arts as springboards for building relationships 

with youth and sharing the good news of Jesus. Ben and Steph also serve as 

leaders with their church, Overflow Ministries, and they are committed to loving their 

neighbors and encouraging the church to creatively engage with local, national, and 

global issues from a kingdom perspective. 

This session will be hosted by Vilma “Nina” Balmaceda, Ph.D. 

Dr. Balmaceda is the Center for Scholarship and 

Global Engagement director and an associate 

professor of political science at Nyack College. 

Born and raised in Lima, Peru, she earned her 

law degree at the Pontifical Catholic University of 

Peru’s Law School. She holds master’s degrees 

in International Peace Studies, and in Government 

and International Studies and a Ph.D. in Political 

Science by the University of Notre Dame. 

She serves as a board member in several 

Vilma “Nina” Balmaceda, Ph.D. 

non-profit organizations, including Advocates 

International, Inc.; the Inter-American Federation 

of Christian Lawyers; and the Christian Legal Society of Peru, which she founded in 

2001. She also serves as a member of the Advocates International Global Council 

and as Peacemaker Ministries’ Representative for Latin America. 

In Search of Peace and Justice 

7

About Our ATS Faculty & Graduate Student Panelists 

Yumi Li 

Persons with Disabilities and the Church 

Yumi Li was born in Busan, South Korea in 1983 and came to the U.S. in 2008 with 

plans to further her studies in music. However, there she found the wonderful work of 

God in missions for people with disabilities and their families. 

She is currently pursuing her master’s degree at Alliance Theological Seminary and 

serves as a youth ministry pastor at Hyoshin Presbyterian Church in Flushing, NY. 

Rev. José Carlos Montes 

Wealth and the Urban Church 

Rev. José Carlos Montes will complete his Master of Divinity in Bible and Theology at 

Alliance Theological Seminary in May 2013. He is an ordained minister of word and 

sacrament, and a writer, teacher, speaker, and advocate of captivity theology and 

holistic ministry. He is the associate pastor and elder of the Sanctuary Church, and 

special assistant to the president of the Latino Pastoral Action Center in the Bronx. 

He helped Rev. Dr. Raymond Rivera produce his book, Liberty to the Captives: Our 

Call to Minister in a Captive World. 

Before full-time ministry, he was a foundation program officer, community education 

project director, and crime prevention organizer. Rev. Montes holds a B.A. in political 

science from Yale University. 

8 

Fourth Annual Nyack Scholars Symposium

In Search of Peace and Justice: Opportunities for Social Investment by the Church 

Race and the Church 

Kenneth Sullivan is a native of Northern Jersey. 

Born in Paterson and raised in Teaneck, Kenneth 

left NJ to pursue a degree in biology at Morehouse 

College. Subsequent to his matriculation, Kenneth 

worked as a senior laboratory technician for a 

major medical device company and later taught 

fifth and seventh grade science. 

Kenneth is pursuing his M.Div. at Alliance 

Kenneth Sullivan 

Theological Seminary while serving as high school 

youth pastor at Grace Evangelical Free Church in Stamford, CT. 

Rethinking the Local Church in 

Light of the Call to Do Justice and 

Love Mercy 

At Alliance Theological Seminary, Dr. Balmaceda 

teaches several courses including, The Church as 

a Social and Cultural Institution, Leading Change in 

the Church, and History and Theory of International 

Development. She also leads the Research 

Methodology Seminar in the Doctor of Ministry 

program. 

Vilma “Nina” Balmaceda, Ph.D. 

This session will be hosted by 

Jaime R. Castañer Weiss 

Jaime was born and raised in Puerto Rico and 

has been living in New York for the past four and 

a half years. He met his wife Lidia while studying 

engineering. They have been married for nearly six 

years. They are a part of a vibrant faith community 

at Living Christ Church in Nyack where they serve 

as interns. 

Jaime R. Castañer Weiss 

Jaime is an M.Div. candidate at Alliance Theological 

Seminary and is on staff with InterVarsity Christian 

Fellowship as a campus minister advancing a witnessing community at Ramapo 

College in Mahwah, NJ. 


9

About Our Faculty Presenters 

Gwen Parker Ames, Ed.D. 

Suzanne Toliao, M.A. 

Orienting the Map Between Two Worlds in Search of Peace 

and Social Justice 

A preliminary research study of former gang members who seek to reorient their life 

map to achieve personal peace and social justice at a Christian college. This research 

study will highlight individual stories of students at various stages of their evolutionary 

journey. It will also explore the pre-conceived notions of the Christian college 

experience, and its role in promoting and/or addressing self-efficacy, ambitions, 

challenges, and triumphs. 

Gwen Parker Ames is the associate dean of the Division of Student Success at 

Nyack College and an adjunct professor in Family and Child Studies at Montclair 

State University. She holds a doctorate in education from Teachers College Columbia 

University and has completed post-graduate study in Youth and Family Ministry at 

Princeton Theological Seminary. 

She is the licensed minister of Youth and Family Programs at St. Paul Baptist Church 

in Montclair, NJ. She and her husband Donald Ames are the proud parents of a 

college age son, Alex. 

Suzanne Toliao works in the Division of Student Success at Nyack College. She holds 

a master’s degree in Reading and Educational Media from Montclair State University 

and is currently pursuing her doctorate in education at Northcentral University, 

focusing on Curriculum and Instruction. 

She was the recipient of the 2010 Academic Advising Excellence Award from the 

National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) for Region One. 

10 Fourth Annual Nyack Scholars Symposium

The Impact of Religiosity on Marriage: 

The Last 30 Years of Research Considered 

Ron Belsterling, Ph.D. 

Most research indicates that religion positively impacts marriage (Bradford & Nock, 

2006; Marks, 2004). Invervening issues leading to inconsistent findings relate 

mostly to variable construction, absence of theory, research design, and interfaith 

marriage matters (Hunt, 1994; Larson & Goltz, 1989; Sullivan, 2001). Despite 

variable construction problems, religiosity shows to positively correlate specifically to 

individual well-being, marital satisfaction, marital stability, and parenting competency 

(Call & Heaton, 1997; Kirkpatrick & Shaver, 1992; Wilson & Filsinger, 1986). 

Conservative Christianity appears to relate more positively to marital satisfaction 

than with other religious perspectives (Barna, 2008). More specific research findings 

confirm general findings; Brutz and Allen (1986) conclude that lower levels of marital 

violence are associated with higher levels of religious participation. Gaps in the 

research will also be identified. 

Ron Belsterling has taught for 15 years at Nyack College. Before working at Nyack, 

Ron worked as a youth pastor and as a therapist/counselor. He graduated from 

Grove City College with a double major (religion & psychology) and earned an M.S. in 

Counseling from Villanova University, and a Ph.D. in education from Biola University. 


11


Stephen Bennett, Ph.D. 

Justice Like Waters: Justice and Oppression in the Book of 

Amos 

The assertion of Amos, “Let justice roll like waters, and righteousness like a neverending 

stream,” is a very well-known declaration quoted in the famous speech 

delivered by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the 1963 Washington, D.C. Civil Rights 

March. This verse was also quoted in a speech by President Ronald Reagan and 

others, a testament to its powerful imagery against oppression. 

Social injustice was the situation that drove the prophecies of Amos in eighth century 

B.C. Israel. Amos complained about injustices that were the equivalent of murder 

because they led to the starvation and death of those oppressed. While the economy 

of eighth century B.C. Israel looked good under the leadership of Jeroboam II, the 

opulence of a few was a thin mask over the rotten practices that were eating away at 

the prosperity of the nation. Amos called out for justice in the marketplace (because 

of illegal weights). The Old Testament system of a fair portion of land for every family 

had been compromised by the greed of the powerful. In an agricultural economy, the 

wealth was tied to the land. 

Stephen J. Bennett is professor of Old Testament at Nyack College. He received 

his Ph.D. from Manchester University in 1995. He has published the Ecclesiastes/ 

Lamentations volume in the New Beacon Bible Commentary series (2010) and wrote 

a chapter for The Bible Tells Me So (2011). He has written entries for the Wynkoop 

Center for Women in Ministry (2007) and the Lexham Bible Dictionary (2012). 

Bennett also has publications in the journals including, The Mediator (2001-3), 

International Review of Mission (2002), and Literature and Theology. He has written 

book reviews for Themelios (2011) and the Toronto Journal of Theology. 


Social Security Reform in an Economy Subject to 

Temptation 

Gordon C. Boronow, Ph.D. 

Economists have studied the behavior of decision makers for many years to better 

understand seemingly irrational behavior. For example, why do people save so 

little for retirement They have developed a model of decision making affected by 

temptation (a preference for consumption now rather than consumption later). Dr. 

Boronow used this model to study the effect of temptation on a dynamic market 

economy which has a social security system. Testing alternative designs for Social 

Security, he will show that temptation has a significant effect, and that under an 

alternative design to the present system, the effects of temptation can be mitigated. 

Gordon C. Boronow is an assistant professor in the School of Business and 

Leadership at Nyack College. He received his Ph.D. in economics from Stony 

Brook University. His research interests are macro-economics, social insurance, and 

behavioral economics. Prior to his academic career, Dr. Boronow worked in the 

financial services industry. He became a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries in 1980. 

Equitable Life (NYC, NY), Tillinghast (NY, NY), Connecticut Mutual Life (Hartford, CT) 

and American Skandia Life Assurance Corp. (Shelton, CT) are major companies 

where he spent his actuarial career. He was a pioneer in both variable and universal 

life insurance policy design, and is the inventor of a patented actuarial mechanism to 

incorporate investment performance in the design of an immediate variable annuity. 


13


Christine Buel, Ph.D. 

Reforming the Altruist: Novice Teachers in Faith-Based 

Universities 

The definition and substance of altruism has been sacrificed at the altar of modern 

secular reasoning to such an extent that the average person finds it unrecognizable 

and naively idealistic. Dawkins, famed atheist, noted that humanity’s only recourse 

is to rebel against the inevitable grip of the selfish gene in an attempt to develop 

a form of disinterested altruism. Ironically, unexamined altruistic motivations often 

result in a failure to grasp the moral and cultural understanding required to work 

with diverse people groups. However, social justice advocates support the notion 

that when construed as a balanced framework, altruism takes on both a relational 

and rational dimension that allows the future or novice teacher to embrace both the 

knowledge traditions and lived experiences of marginalized and oppressed groups. 

The presentation will summarize and discuss the findings of a mixed methods study 

designed to determine the altruistic expectations of future teachers enrolled in 

faith-based universities. Study data was collected via the Personal Expectations of 

Teaching (PET) self-report questionnaire designed by Friedman (2006). Data findings 

will interest both college students and educators who plan to work with individuals 

from poverty and other high-need contexts. 

Dr. Christine Buel currently teaches in the School of Education at Nyack College. Her 

teaching passions include children’s literature and literacy courses. As a fifteen-year 

veteran in the School of Education, Dr. Buel first and foremost enjoys relationships 

with students and helping them find their place in God’s kingdom. She presented her 

recent doctoral research at the International Council of Christian Teacher Educators 

conference at Azusa Pacific University. 


Elio Cuccaro, PH.D. 

James Cowman,D.Min. 

Making It Memorable: Composing Sermons to Last Beyond 

Sunday Morning 

It is certainly no exaggeration to say that the great majority of sermons preached in 

the church of Christ today are “Sunday morning specials,” limited in their impact to 

the immediacy of the Sabbath day’s worship. If asked a day later (let alone a week or 

a month or a year), the average parishioner would only retain a vague idea of what 

the pastor preached. That is a serious shortcoming, since for most people the only 

spiritual food they get to sustain them week-by-week is the Sunday morning feeding 

of the Word. There are, of course, notable exceptions, sermons that stick to the mind 

like indelible print, and continue to nurture the flock long past Sunday. The distinctive 

qualities of these “sticky” sermons is worth considering, even if their inclusion 

imposes upon the speaker an additional layer of sermon preparation. 

Dr. Elio Cuccaro grew up in Italy. He was educated at Cornell University (B.S. in 

Molecular Biology), Biblical Theological Seminary (M.Div., S.T.M. in New Testament), 

and Drew University (M.Phil., Ph.D. in Historical Theology). He was ordained as a 

minister by the C&MA in 1987. His primary occupation has been as a professor at 

Nyack College in the areas of biblical, theological and pastoral studies. He has also 

served as a frequent speaker, pastor of the Tappan Alliance Church, senior editor of 

Christian Publications, and homiletics teacher and consultant for the Salvation Army 

Officer Training School. He resides in Congers, NY with his wife Agatha. His current 

most urgent concern is the completion of a homiletics primer for adult learners for 

the Salvation Army. 

Jim Cowman has served 27 years as senior pastor in three Christian and Missionary 

Alliance churches and for 12 years on the Great Lakes District Ordaining Council. 

Presently, he is the senior pastor of Wyandotte Alliance Church in Wyandotte, MI. He 

is also an adjunct online professor of theology for Crown College in St. Bonifacius, 

MN. He studied liberal arts at West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV (1976 

-1978) and earned a B.S. degree in pastoral ministry from Nyack College (1980). 

Subsequently, he received a Master of Divinity (1984) and Doctor of Ministry (2005) 

with a concentration in pastoral ministry from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in 

Deerfield, IL. 


15


James P. Danaher, Ph.D. 

Skepticism: The Wisdom of Not Knowing 

As our understanding of the human condition has changed, so must our understanding 

of truth change. We now know that we are interpretive beings and the human condition 

is a hermeneutic condition. Consequently, our quest for truth and meaning must 

begin with an understanding of our hermeneutic nature. In this context, a concept of 

truth is suggested that is very different from the modern concept of truth we inherited 

from our Enlightenment ancestors. It is, however, a concept of truth that lies behind 

all genuine intellectual and spiritual journeys and is the cause of our advance as a 

species. 

James P. Danaher is professor of philosophy and head of the Philosophy Department 

at Nyack College, Nyack, NY. He is the author of Contemplative Prayer: A Theology 

for the 21st Century (Cascade, 2011), Jesus after Modernity: A 21st Century Critique 

of Our Modern Concept of Truth and the Truth of the Gospel (Pickwick, 2011), Eyes 

that See, Ears that Hear: Perceiving Jesus in a Postmodern Context (Liguori, 2006), 

Postmodern Christianity and the Reconstruction of the Christian Mind (Academica 

Press, 2001), and over seventy articles that have appeared in a variety of philosophy 

and theology journals. 


David Emanuel, Ph.D. 

Early Solutions to Biblical Problems 

While reading through the Old Testament, it is difficult to ignore the nagging questions 

with which the biblical authors seem to tantalize us. Take Genesis, for example, where 

we read how the serpent entices Eve into eating fruit from a forbidden tree and is 

consequently cursed to crawl on its belly (Gen 3:14). A simple account such as this, 

begs the question, “What did the serpent look like before it was cursed” Further on 

in Genesis, we read the story of Cain and Abel and are left with the question of why 

Abel’s offering was more acceptable than Cain’s. Additionally, after God banishes Cain 

to being a wanderer in the land he places a mark upon him for protection (Gen 4:15); 

but what exactly did that mark look like Questions such as these are not restricted 

to contemporary readers of the Bible; they were also recognized and addressed by 

readers and translators from antiquity. The present paper explores a selection of 

textual issues, such as those mentioned above, and discusses some of the solutions 

proposed by the early interpreters and translators of the Old Testament. 

David Emanuel graduated from the University of London with an M.Sc. in computer 

science in 1997, and soon after gave up a successful career in computing and 

telecommunications to pursue his interest in the Hebrew Bible. He completed 

another master’s (Bible and Ancient Near East) in 2001, and a Ph.D. (Hebrew Bible/ 

Old Testament) at the Hebrew University in 2007. He has written numerous articles 

on Hebrew grammar for the BibleMesh project, and provided the Hebrew audio 

recordings for the program. 


17


Michael Huster, Ph.D. 

Continuity and Discontinuity: Science and the Christian 

Faith 

Science is based on the repeatability and continuity of nature. Physicists probe 

and test these features of nature. On the other hand, the Christian faith proposes a 

God who acts to disturb this continuity, by creating it, providentially guiding events, 

causing miracles, and granting free will to creatures. I will present some evidence 

from physics and astronomy showing the consistency of physical laws across time 

and space. I will also show some data indicating that physical laws are also obeyed in 

the human brain. I suggest a parallel between how the mind works through the brain 

and how God works through nature. Finally, I arrive at a resolution that draws on a 

deeper continuity between science and the Christian faith. 

Michael Huster was raised in southern California and majored in physics at the 

University of California at Santa Barbara. He received M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in 

physics from the University of Pennsylvania. After a two-year post-doctoral position 

at MIT, Dr. Huster worked in industry designing the next generation of sonar for 

the Navy. During that time he participated in a number of at-sea tests. He taught at 

Simpson University in Redding, CA from 2000 to 2010 and began teaching at Nyack 

College in 2011. He teaches physics, physical science, and astronomy at Nyack’s 

Manhattan and Rockland campuses. 


Inseon Hwang, Ph.D. 

Can Nurses Advance Social Justice 

Social justice is an embedded concept in the history of nursing. Code of Ethics for 

Nurses published by American Nurses Association (2010) states, “nursing has a 

distinguished history of concern for the welfare of the sick, injured, and vulnerable 

and for social justice.” The guidelines of Code of Ethics are based on moral and 

ethical principles. According to The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for 

Professional Nursing Practice (2008), one of the cultivating values of professionalism 

and professional values is social justice. Social justice is defined as “acting in 

accordance with fair treatment regardless of economic status, race, ethnicity, age, 

citizenship, disability, or sexual orientation.” However, social justice is merely a 

concept and is not a shared nursing value without orchestrated efforts to progress 

social justice. The nursing workforce reflects caring individuals rather than the 

communities except the realm in the public health nursing. Consequently, the nursing 

discipline failed to show the reason of advancement for social justice. The purpose 

of study is to examine the concept of social justice in nursing literature. Secondly, 

nurses’ efforts in social justice are discussed. Thirdly, the issues to advance social 

justice in nursing are inquired. Lastly strategies to incorporate social justice in nursing 

education and research are implied. 

Dr. Inseon Hwang is an assistant professor at Nyack’s Cheryl Phenicie School of 

Nursing and is the coordinator of the degree completion program for RNs. She has 

a B.S. and M.S. from Ewah Woman’s University in South Korea and a D.N.Sc. from 

Columbia University. Certified as wound, ostomy, and incontinence nurse and a family 

nurse practitioner, her interests are community health nursing, wound care, and 

primary care. She developed the curriculum for the nursing major at Nyack College. 


19


Len Kageler, Ph.D. 

Anna Bailey 

Foundations and Models of Muslim Youth Ministry 

There are over 1,350 mosques in the United States and another 350 in Canada. 

About 18% of these have youth programs. This paper, first of its kind on this topic, 

explores the growth, purpose, and nature of Islamic youth ministry. It also explores 

the, perhaps shocking, idea that the growth of Islamic youth ministry in North America 

may be a good thing for the Christian youth group, the Christian family, and the 

Christian Church. The research foundation of this paper is comprised of interviews 

with key Muslim youth work leaders, an examination of key source documents, and 

Muslim websites. 

Len Kageler is professor of Youth Ministry and associate dean of Faculty Development 

at Nyack College. He has an M.Div. from North American Baptist Seminary and a 

Ph.D. in sociology from Fordham University. He speaks to youth workers across the 

U.S. and in EU countries. Last spring he gave classroom lectures in the UK at the 

universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Bristol, and Nottingham. He has authored eight 

books for parents or youth workers and is a volunteer in youth ministry at a local 

church in Nyack. 

Anna Bailey is a senior studying youth ministry at Nyack College. She is co-captain of 

the Warriors volleyball team and is a member of the Warriors softball team as well. 

Anna currently serves as a volunteer youth leader at her father’s church, Calvary 

Alliance, in her hometown of Milford, CT. 


Marie Herseth Kenote, D.M.A. 

J. S. Bach - A Man of Passion, Purpose, and Position: The 

Excellence, Variety, and Message of Bach’s Music for the 

Transverse Flute 

Johann Sebastian Bach used the phrase Soli Deo Gloria (to God Alone the Glory) often 

at the end of a musical work. Does his use of this phrase prove that Bach gave God 

the glory, or does the music itself that express those words Did J. S. Bach really 

have a deep-seated Christian faith, or was he simply fulfilling his job description 

What is it about his music, sacred and secular, that moves people to experience 

the deepest of human emotions: pure love, boundless joy and hope, profound faith, 

and intense melancholic sorrow After a brief description of Bach’s life and enduring 

influence on later composers, we will look at some of Bach’s most famous works, and 

conclude with a discussion of Bach’s excellent and varied writing for the transverse 

flute. 

Dr. Kenote is professor of music at Nyack College in Nyack, NY. She enjoys 

performing and presenting classical and sacred music for audiences in various 

venues, including at Nyack College, monasteries, nursing homes, rehabilitation 

facilities, NLAM, and in churches in our nation and abroad. She performed as a 

substitute flutist with the New York Philharmonic for over 20 years (with whom she 

participated in radio and television broadcasts and recordings). Marie holds degrees 

in music from the New England Conservatory of Music (B.M.), the Juilliard School 

(M.M.), Rutgers University (D.M.A), and spent a year in Berlin as a Fulbright Scholar. 


21


Damaris-Lois Lang, Ph.D. 

Exploring Paternal Care in the Prairie Vole (Microtus 

ochrogaster) 

Prairie voles have been a favored laboratory study model for neuroendocrine research 

on pair-bonding for the last decade since most of the other rodent lab models lack 

the behavior, which has been shown to be influenced by the hormones vasopressin, 

dopamine, oxytocin, and corticosterone. They also represent an ideal system for 

investigation of other societal behaviors, such as parenting. Understanding the 

influence of hormones on neuronal function in a model organism may provide insights 

into human disorders associated with impaired societal functioning. The factors that 

influence the neuroendocrine regulation of parental behavior in males in comparison 

to females are nebulous. My research explores male parental activity in response 

to female sensory input. Focusing on the external sensory stimulation influencing 

hormonal changes, which may subsequently impact neuronal activation that control 

paternal care in prairie voles, Microtus ochrogaster. 

Dr. Damaris-Lois Yamoah Lang is a neuroscientist who earned her Ph.D. at the 

Graduate Center, CUNY. Dr. Lang attended medical school and holds two master’s 

degrees in biology. Her areas of expertise include neuroscience, human biology, 

microbiology, and anatomy and physiology. She is a member of several scientific 

communities including the Society for Neuroscience (SFN), Metropolitan Association 

of College and University Biologists (MACUB) and Human Anatomy and Physiology 

Society (HAPS). Outside of academia, Dr. Lang is involved in humanitarian services 

involving women and young adults, where she holds various executive positions. 

These organizations include the L.A.D.I.E.S. society where she serves as president; 

Save Our Women International (SOWI) as secretary and Hearts-Of-Fire (HOF) as 

treasurer. 


Jung Hang Lee, Ph.D. 

The Last Frozen Land - North Korea: What Do They Teach 

in Mathematics 

This research addresses mathematics education in one of the most closed countries 

in the world, North Korea. North Korean secondary school mathematics education 

is examined through review of North Korea’s social and educational structures as 

well as its political and ideological position. It is known that ideology permeates all 

aspects of life in North Korea, but how exactly do the ideological and substantive 

mathematical components interact in mathematics education there What concrete 

form does this interaction take in actual everyday teaching practice This research 

seeks to answer these questions based on interviews with former North Korean 

mathematics teachers and students who have found a refuge in South Korea. 

Participants responded to questions regarding typical ways teaching and learning 

were carried out in mathematics classes; the Workers’ Party’s influence in every 

aspect of education, from teacher education to curriculum and textbooks issued; and 

the impact the March of Suffering had on the teaching and learning of mathematics 

as well as its lingering effects in secondary mathematics education seen to this day. 

Jung Hang Lee earned his Ph.D. in mathematics education from Teachers College, 

Columbia University in 2007. He has a B.S. in computer programming and applied 

mathematics (Operations Research) and M.S. in applied mathematics (engineering 

mathematics). His main research interests are North Korean mathematics education, 

mathematics concept map and assessment. He recently published a book called 

Understanding North Korean Secondary School Mathematics Education. 


23


Brad McDuffie, M.A. 

Nothing to Sustain Us But the Counsel of Our Fathers: The 

Counsel of Ernest Hemingway on the Fiction of Cormac 

McCarthy 

That Cormac McCarthy’s early fiction owes a heavy debt to William Faulkner has long 

been established; however, in his fiction since All The Pretty Horses, critics have 

increasingly noted the influence of Ernest Hemingway. In his most recent novels, 

No Country for Old Men and The Road, Hemingway’s influence has become so 

pronounced that McCarthy has forced critics to take notice. As longtime Hemingway 

scholars such as H. R. Stoneback and Allen Josephs have noted, McCarthy has 

clearly marked himself as the literary descendant of Faulkner and Hemingway, and the 

proof of the lineage can be found within the artistic DNA of every novel that McCarthy 

has written. McCarthy does not run away from such comparisons, as he once told 

Richard B. Woodward, “The ugly fact is books are made out of books,” and “The novel 

depends for its life on the novels that have been written” (31). With this in mind, this 

essay will look at Hemingway’s influence upon McCarthy with special attention to the 

way Hemingway’s early stories have influenced his work. 

Brad McDuffie teaches at Nyack College. His book Teaching Salinger’s Nine Stories 

was published in the fall of 2011. His article, “For Ernest, With Love and Squalor: 

The Influence of Ernest Hemingway on the Life and Work of J. D. Salinger,” appeared 

in the spring 2011 edition of The Hemingway Review. He published his first book of 

poems in 2009--And the West Was Not So Far Away. His work has been published 

in various journals including the South Carolina Review, Aethlon and North Dakota 

Quarterly. He has also published articles in several books and journals. He received 

his M.A. from SUNY New Paltz in 2005 and is currently (2012) finishing his Ph.D. at 

Indiana University of Pennsylvania. 


Andrew Mercurio, D.Min. 

Reclaiming Sexuality: A Mandate for Contemporary 

Christianity 

Sexuality is innately good, created by God as both a gift of sacred illustration and 

sensual celebration. With the Fall, human sexuality has been perverted (theologically, 

psychologically, and sociologically) by silence, shame, and various manifestations 

of sin. Historically, most erotic and vibrant expressions of sexuality have been nonmonogamous, 

patriarchal, and biased toward the social elite, young and physically 

able. Historically, the Christian church has struggled with the theology, education 

and legislation of sexuality, often viewing it as sinful, even at times within the context 

of marriage. In view of a history of the church’s ambiguous and negative teachings 

about human sexuality, Christians today are challenged to shamelessly reclaim and 

proclaim sexuality as a gift of sensual celebration for marriage and sacred illustration 

for modernity. 

Dr. Mercurio is professor of Marriage and Family Therapy and Director of the 

Marriage and Family Therapy Program of Alliance Graduate School of Counseling/ 

Nyack College. He has a M.Div. from Asbury Theological Seminary and a D.Min. 

from Palmer Theological Seminary/Eastern University. He is a licensed marriage and 

family therapist, a certified sex therapist (American Association of Sex Educators, 

Sex Counselors and Sex Therapists), an approved supervisor (American Association 

for Marriage and Family Therapy) and an ordained C&MA minister with ten years 

of pastoral experience. He regularly conducts marriage seminars and retreats for 

churches throughout the NY Metro region. 


25


Kevin Pinkham, Ph.D. 

We Are the Walking Dead: Peace, Justice, and Zombies 

The current popularity of zombies in American pop culture baffles most people. 

However, zombies are uniquely situated, unlike any other monster in pop culture, to 

explore issues surrounding peace and justice, as paradoxical as that may sound. 

Exploring both Will McIntosh’s short story “Followed” and AMC’s television series, The 

Walking Dead, (with brief detours into the zombie films of George Romero) I hope to 

demonstrate that zombies can offer much more than gratuitous violence. They can 

serve as an important tool for engaging the imagination in applications for peace and 

justice in the real world. 

Dr. Pinkham earned his B.A. in English from Nyack College and his M.A. from Baylor 

University. After earning his M.A., he taught in Japan at Baiko Jo Gakuin for two years, 

then returned to the United States. There, he found a job in Minneapolis at The Art 

Institutes International Minnesota, where he taught writing and literature, occasionally 

working as an academic director for the college. At that point, the desire to earn a 

Ph.D. became too great, so he headed out to Los Angeles and earned his Ph.D. in 

English at the University of Southern California. 


Larry Poston, Ph.D. 

Stuart Guild 

After the Love Has Gone: The Historical Effects of 

Revivalism 

America has experienced four “Great Awakenings” since the1700s. Advocates 

claim that the general public has benefitted from these, but society actually suffered 

negative consequences from the first three. Within ten years after Jonathan Edwards’ 

renewal, he was banished to the hinterlands of New England due to an explosion in 

immorality that he was unable to resolve. The Second Awakening of the late18th 

century saw Timothy Dwight and others preach against abortion, excessive sexual 

expression, and slavery. These emphases contributed to the Civil War and mass 

migration to the West. 

In the 1870s, D.L. Moody’s Third Awakening produced a split between “liberals” and 

“conservatives” who divided over biblical inerrancy, Darwinian evolution, and the 

Social Gospel. “Liberals” sought to renovate social structures while “Fundamentalists” 

insisted on an individualistic “new birth.” The “Roaring Twenties” was the result: 

jazz, bootlegging, and sexually explicit novels, movies, and magazines. The U.S. is 

currently entering a period of resistance to the “Fourth Awakening” of the ‘60s, ‘70s 

and ‘80s. The influence of the Moral Majority, Christian Coalition, and the Christian 

Right has faded dramatically, with a move toward atheism, “no-fault divorce,” samesex 

marriages, and the like. In light of such precedents, should Christians continue to 

seek “revival” 

Larry Poston is chair of the Department of Religion and professor of religion at Nyack 

College in Nyack, NY. He holds a Ph.D. in the History of Religions from Northwestern 

University (Evanston, Illinois) and is the author of Islamic Da’wah in the West: Muslim 

Missionary Activity and the Dynamics of Conversion to Islam (Oxford University Press, 

1992) and The Changing Face of Islam in America (Horizon Books, 2000), as well as 

numerous articles. 

Stuart Guild is an honors student at Nyack College where he is double-majoring in 

Bible and Religion. He is an avid reader of theological and comparative religion texts 

and is an award-winning member of Nyack’s cross country team. 


27


James Romaine, Ph.D. 

The Visual Arts as a Medium of Christian Ethos 

This paper explores the application of the ethos of creative non-violent action 

proposed by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to the visual arts. There are few 

individuals who have more specifically and thoroughly articulated a distinctly Christian 

philosophy of peace, justice, and reconciliation than King. While King developed his 

theology of justice within a specific historical context, his ideas continue to inspire 

and be applied to many areas of human experience. This paper considers their 

application to the development of a method of community-based art making. This 

paper examines both the art-making process and the art object itself as agents of 

personal, social, and spiritual growth. 

Dr. James Romaine is an associate professor of art history and chair of the 

department of art history at Nyack College. He is the co-founder of the Association 

of Scholars of Christianity in the History of Art (ASCHA); http://christianityhistoryart. 

org. Dr. Romaine is a frequent lecturer on faith and the visual arts. His books include 

Objects of Grace: Conversations on Creativity and Faith, The Art of Sandra Bowden, 

and The Art of Guy Chase. He has authored numerous articles, in the Art Journal of 

the College Art Association, American Arts Quarterly, Books and Culture, Christian 

History & Biography, Image: A Journal of the Arts and Religion, The Princeton 

Theological Review, Re:Generation Quarterly, and Seen. Dr. Romaine has contributed 

to several multi-author books including Faith and Vision: Twenty-Five Years of 

Christians in the Visual Arts, It Was Good: Making Art to the Glory of God, and The 

Lion Companion to Christian Art. 


Frank Tuzi, Ph.D. 

Making Web-Based Education Equitable for All Users 

Exploring the ease of use, perceptions, and preferences of students and teachers, 

this study explores and analyzes the use of two web-based course content 

management systems (CCMS) in an attempt to identify what components within these 

systems and what overall system enable more efficient learning and teaching. The 

two systems, eCollege and Moodle, offer a variety of options for administrators, 

teachers and students. Through an analysis of the technology, and interviews with 

users, the more equitable system and components are identified. Results of the study 

will shed light on more efficient ways to use technology to promote better teaching 

and learning. 

Dr. Frank Tuzi is a professor and the director of the TESOL program at Nyack 

College. He teaches linguistics, TESOL, and computer courses. His degrees in 

TESOL, linguistics and computer science assist him in his research interests, which 

include second language acquisition, computer assisted language learning, e-learning, 

and program development. He has worked and conducted research in e-learning and 

CALL for more than 20 years. 


29


Steven Ware, Ph.D. 

The Stones of Easter, Lithic Inscriptions of the Pascal Cycle 

in the Late Ancient and Late Medieval Periods 

For Christians, the most important event in all of human history is the death and 

resurrection of Jesus Christ for the salvation of humanity. Yet how did early Christians 

go about documenting this event This investigation focuses on stone and wooden 

inscriptions of the Easter cycle from the late ancient and late medieval eras, and 

the significant statements being made by these inscriptions about the evolving 

understanding of Christians regarding the Easter cycle and time measurement. 

Steven L. Ware is professor of historical theology at Nyack College in New York 

City, where he has taught since 2000. He holds degrees from Drew University 

(Ph.D.), Trinity Lutheran Seminary (S.T.M.), Oral Roberts University (M.Div.), and 

Fort Wayne Bible College (B.A.). He is the author of When Was Jesus Really Born: 

Early Christianity, the Calendar, and The Life of Jesus (Saint Louis: Concordia, 

forthcoming). Similarly, he is the author of “Die Steine des Osterns” in Mittelalterliche 

Astronomische Großuhren: VI. Internationalische Symposium (Rostock, 2012). In this 

presentation he gives the English version, “The Stones of Easter.” 


Marie C. White, Ph.D. 

Miriam Velez, MS 

“Underprepared Does Not Mean Unsuccessful!” 

Developing Self-regulation of Learning and Teaching Skills among Elementary 

School Teacher Candidates as a Means Towards Increasing Representation of 

Minority Teachers in the Urban Classroom 

There are many colleges that will not admit underprepared students; however, there is 

a significant misunderstanding of how students from diverse populations can succeed 

in college. Predicting college performance of students who are underprepared by 

their high school or standardized testing performance should include assessments 

of not only academic proficiencies, but also motivational and self-regulatory 

strategy use. The authors have found that training in self-regulatory strategies, and 

measurement of motivational constructs has benefited the students, the faculty, and 

the educational arenas in which the participants in this study are now serving. The 

Nyack College School of Education in New York City has been able to track the use 

of specific self-regulatory strategies by preservice teachers. With IRB approval for 

each stage of the research, the study began five years ago and continued to evaluate 

the progress of four students during their pre-service training, student teaching, and 

post graduation. Our teacher candidates are urban, minority students who in spite of 

significant obstacles, have succeeded to become New York State certified teachers. 

Our presentation will showcase an institution and a teacher education program that 

provides resources for students to become highly qualified teachers through the use 

of self-regulatory and motivational tools. 

Dr. Marie C. White is an associate professor in the Education Department of Nyack 

College in New York City. She serves as department chair of both the Childhood 

and Adolescent Education Departments. She obtained her doctorate in Educational 

Psychology: Learning, Development and Instruction from the City University of New 

York Graduate Center under the mentorship of Dr. Barry Zimmerman. 

Prof. Miriam Velez is the Coordinator of Student Teaching for Nyack College 

Manhattan and a Childhood Education assistant professor for the Center for Urban 

Education. She is certified by New York State in Bilingual Education (K-6), has twentyfive 

years of experience as an inner city public and private school instructor, and has 

been an education professor at Nyack College since 2000. 


31


Jack Wiltshire, Psy.D. 

Craig Ellison’s Concept of Shalom Applied to Social Justice 

and Peace 

The late Dr. Craig Ellison proposed what is in essence an integrative theory of 

psychology based on the pre-fall state of humanity in the Garden of Eden summarized 

in the word Shalom or peace. This session will initially discuss several foundational 

issues in order to address the final question of social justice. The foundational issues 

are the legitimacy of the integration of psychology and theology, the necessary 

constructs in a full integrative psychological theory and finally the usefulness and 

comprehensiveness, and limitations of Dr. Ellison’s theory. His ideas will then be used 

to propose a framework for understanding the occurrence of injustice in generally just 

organizations or cultures. 

Dr. Jack Wiltshire, Sr. is a licensed psychologist in New York and New Jersey and 

a professor of psychology at Nyack College. He graduated from Brooklyn College, 

SUNY with a B.A. in psychology and an M.A. and Psy.D. in clinical psychology from 

Biola University, Rosemead Graduate School of Psychology. He has over 30 years of 

experience in mental health and higher education. 


About Our Nyack Student Presenters 

The Perplexity of The Minister 

Christopher Choi 

He who has been granted that sacred privilege of standing behind a pulpit before a 

congregation knows that this privilege is simultaneously a great burden. He is faced 

with the greatest of perplexities. The minister stands before his congregation, people 

whom he refers to as his flock, while knowing that in essence his flock still shares 

with him an existential equivalence. He is faced with the pressure and ambience of 

an impossible expectancy. The people have a hunger for the Word of God, and the 

minister must feed this hunger. Yet the minister, though he may not believe so, is 

not able to feed his flock. Just as surely as he stands behind the pulpit, he stands a 

mortal being. And let every mortal recognize the essential nature of his being, which 

can be summed up in this negative statement: he is not, and shall never be, God. 

Just as a still, two-dimensional object can never undergo a transformation in itself and 

somehow multiply its dimensions, a man can never cross into a realm that is beyond 

himself, beyond his very existence. But the minister is expected to speak of this 

realm; this is the perplexity of the minister. 

Christopher Choi, a self-proclaimed theologian, is a senior at Nyack College majoring 

in bible and theology. He is one who, though having been unmeritoriously placed in 

several different positions of church leadership, such as worship leader and youth 

group coordinator, has found himself constantly plagued by a burdened sense of 

insufficiency and an awareness of the impossibility of his situation. His endeavor in 

theological studies is a vain attempt to come to grips with the bewildering position he 

has been called to, not solely as a minister, but also as a servant of Christ Jesus. 


33


Chantal Parmley 

Consensual: Sexual Justice in a Perverse Society 

The current sexual depravity we live in is unjust, however our complacency permits it. 

The United States, particularly New York State, has consent laws that should protect 

sexually exploited and abused victims, but they do not. When a man buys sex with a 

girl under the statutory age, he is not convicted of rape. Due to the state of sexual 

injustice in our society, the need to clearly define and indoctrinate consensual sex is 

crucial. 

Chantal Parmley, a senior at Nyack College is currently studying Youth & Family 

Studies. Born in the Bronx and raised in Harlem, NY, Chantal has always had a 

passion for law, justice, and seeing victims of abuse restored. She is currently 

working in various inner city communities including Mount Vernon, NY; Newark, NJ 

and New York, NY in the fight against sexual injustice towards minors. Chantal hopes 

to continue the fight against sexual injustice by getting a master’s degree in sexology 

and continuing to law school to study public law. Eventually she would like to establish 

a non-profit for sexually abused and exploited youth. 


Christopher Rafalski 

Apostasy in Islam: The Implications for Christian Converts 

For centuries, many Christians have wondered why there have not been many 

converts from Islam to Christianity. There have always been a wide variety of reasons 

people have given over the years. Some people blame the church for having a 

lack of faith. Others claim that the missionaries lack love. Still others said that 

Christians have tried to win by the means of controversy rather than kindness. Yet 

others will sadly say that Islam is reprobate. Is Islam reprobate Christians have had 

much better success converting people from other religions. Christians have not 

had nearly as much of a problem with Buddhists, Hindis, Zoroastrians, Sikhs, and 

Jews. The answer is not that Islam is so corrupt that God refuses to allow them to 

be saved; the answer lies in the punishment for apostasy. “Apostasy is defined as 

the abandonment of religious faith, vows, principles or political party allegiance” 

(O’Sullivan 126). To Muhammad (and most Muslims), apostasy has always been a 

supreme evil; Muhammad himself said, “If somebody [a Muslim] discards his religion, 

kill him” (Spencer). Before Christians try to proselytize to Muslims, they should realize 

the importance of knowing the implications for the apostate and why the apostate 

converts. 

Chris Rafalski is originally from Greensburg, PA and was drawn to Nyack because of 

its affiliation with The Christian and Missionary Alliance. He is currently a junior and is 

an interdisciplinary studies major with concentrations in religion and psychology. He is 

also the teacher’s assistant to the head of pastoral ministry department and a writing 

consultant at Nyack’s Writing Center. During the spring 2012 Semester, Chris was 

proud to be one of the directors of The Knight of the Burning Pestle – the first play 

performed at Nyack in ten years. After completing his studies, he plans to become a 

pastor and a professor of theology or world religion. 


35


Marvin Salvatore 

Immobilization and the Body Systems 

Immobilization as “bedrest” was once a common medical treatment. Now we know 

that an immobilized patient is at risk for a multitude of health complications and 

that early mobilization practices improve health outcomes. This paper explores how 

immobilization adversely affects each of the organ systems and suggests how nurses 

may be able to prevent these problems. 

Marvin is a senior in Nyack’s Cheryl Phenicie School of Nursing. His interests include 

public health, special needs populations, and nursing research. He would like to earn 

a doctorate in nursing and return to the classroom to teach. He currently works as a 

tutor in the Tutoring Center. 


Inadequacy: Public School Funding and Control 

Paul Van Houten 

This paper addresses the changing scope of public school finance and control. The 

paper identifies strategies in public school finance that are used to increase student 

achievement in the classroom. The state-of-the-art approach is specifically identified 

and explained as an effective approach to changing public school finance for student 

achievement. The paper also addresses the sources of public financing and the role 

of intermediate structures, state, and federal government in education finance. 

Paul Van Houten is a senior in Nyack’s School of Education with a major in adolescent 

education with a concentration in social studies. He is also a student in the Nyack 

College Honors Program. Paul grew up in Valley Cottage, NY. Paul enjoys lively 

discussions about education and the various topics in social studies. He is very 

excited about becoming a teacher and is looking forward to contributing to the field 

of education. 


37

Core Values 

Nyack College seeks to exalt Jesus Christ and fulfill its mission by being: 

Academically Excellent 

Pursuing academic excellence in the spirit of grace and humility. 

Globally Engaged 

Fostering a global perspective within a multi-ethnic 

and multi-cultural Christian academic community. 

Intentionally Diverse 

Providing educational access and support to motivated students 

from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. 

Personally Transforming 

Emphasizing the integration of faith, learning, 

and spiritual transformation. 

Socially Relevant 

Preparing students to serve in ministerial, educational, 

healing, and community-building professions. 

1 South Boulevard 

Nyack, NY 10960 

1.800.33.NYACK 

www.NYACK.edu

SCHOLARSHIP AND GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT ... - Nyack College

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