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  • 2020 Lancaster Theological Seminary DMin Symposium

    Monday, March 30, 2020

    Symposium presentations will be conducted online using Zoom.

    Schedule of Events
    Time Presenter Topic
    9:00‑9:55 a.m.   Ronnette Comfort‑Butler  "How to Develop a Practice of Radical Hospitality for People with Cognitive Processing Disorders"
    10:00‑10:55 a.m.   Colie Bettivia  "Hello, We're Here!: Active Participation in Traditional Church Congregations By Those in the Millennial Generation"
    11:00‑11:55 a.m.   Faith Dickens Fitzgerald  "Renewing the Spirit of Hospice: A Spiritual Response to Compassion Fatigue in Hospice Workers"
    12:00‑12:55 p.m.  Will Hagenbuch  "'Won’t You Be My Neighbor?': Creating an Interconnected Onsite and Online Christian Community"
    1:00‑1:55 p.m.   Karin Pejack  "'Where Two or Three Are Gathered…': A Study of Multiple Christian Congregations under One Steeple"
    2:00‑2:55 p.m.   Kim Stryjak  "The Holy Week of Our Lives:  How to Help Faith Leaders have Conversations around Death and Dying in our Faith Communities"
    3:00‑3:55 p.m.  Marjory Roth  "'Is it a Savior?': Finding Salvation in Aquaman, Wonder Woman and Batman"
    All times are Eastern Daylight Time (UTC -4:00)

    Presentation Details for Current DMin Students and Guests

    • Presenters are listed below in schedule order
    • Expand the presenter's section to find:
      • Link to join Zoom session or recording (as available)
      • Supporting documents provided by presenter (if applicable)
      • Online evaluation form (made available at the time of presentation)

    • Test your device with Zoom in advance URL

      Recommended: Test your equipment and Internet connection before Symposium Day. (Note: You may be prompted to download the Zoom app.)


    • Presenter Requirements

    • Submit your signed recording consent form Assignment
      Restricted Not available unless: You belong to Presenters
◄2:00 p.m. - Kim Stryjak

3:00 p.m. - Marjory Roth

  • 3:00 p.m. - Marjory Roth

    "Is it a Savior?": Finding Salvation in Aquaman, Wonder Woman and Batman

    Time: 3:00-3:55 p.m.

    Abstract

    This paper explores how the theological idea of salvation takes shape in pop culture, specifically through the superhero films, Aquaman (2018), Wonder Woman (2017) and the Dark Knight Trilogy (2005, 2008, and 2012). I analyze how the films’ main characters embody the role of savior and what their narratives might contribute to the Presbyterian understanding of salvation. I am not simply looking at where or how pop culture uses theological or Biblical parallels, but instead asking what these characters contribute to the broader conversation about salvation. The paper asks three questions of each film: what in the film’s world needs saving; what about these superheroes or their actions make them a savior; and what, if anything, is changed within that fictional world, as a result of their actions? In asking these questions, we explore how an understanding of salvation emerges from within the film and later compare that to the Presbyterian Church (USA)’s teaching on Jesus as Savior.

◄2:00 p.m. - Kim Stryjak