Timothy Epp - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Timothy Epp
Journal of Sociology and Christianity, Oct 16, 2021
Social work and Christianity, Feb 18, 2020
Journal of Sociology and Christianity, Oct 11, 2018
The dichotomy of the ‘sacred’ versus the ‘profane’ continues to inform discussions of religion an... more The dichotomy of the ‘sacred’ versus the ‘profane’ continues to inform discussions of religion and public life. In terms of pop culture, this takes the form of a distinction between the mainstream and Christian music industries, relegating ‘spiritual’ music to the latter category and dismissing any reference to spirituality in mainstream music as demonstrating a ‘weak religiosity.’ I argue that an examination of references to spirituality in song lyrics, complemented with an analysis of artist interviews, reveals that music which we deem ‘secular' is not characterized by absence of attention to spirituality, but rather contains a wide range of approaches to the transcendent, echoing Charles Taylor’s discussion of the ‘nova effect.’ In this study, I draw on Taylor’s A Secular Age in a review of songs from the best albums lists of 2017, as provided by Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, New Musical Express, and Billboard, focusing on references to spirituality in song lyrics. I argue that a re-examination of lyrics may lead us from skepticism toward spirituality in pop music to anticipation of spiritual encounters and reflections by musical artists of all genres. Kew Words: music, sacred, secular, spirituality
Journal of Mennonite Studies, Feb 17, 2015
Disability Studies Quarterly, Apr 15, 2003
In this article, I will first explore the definition and significance of 'adulthood' for particip... more In this article, I will first explore the definition and significance of 'adulthood' for participants with learning disabilities in a disability self-advocacy movement. In particular, I will focus on self-identified markers of the transition to adult status. I will then examine the process of marginalisation as made manifest in government policy of the late 1990s within the province of Ontario, Canada. Finally, I will discuss the response of disability self-advocates to this policy initiative as evidence of the significance of adult status for persons with disabilities. This article is based on research conducted between September of 1997 and January 2003. During this time, I conducted over one hundred hours of combined interviews and participation observation with a local chapter of People First of Ontario (PFO) in the city of Welland (People First Welland, PFW).
Journal of Sociology and Christianity, Oct 16, 2021
Produced by The Center on Disability Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa Honolulu, Hawaii and ... more Produced by The Center on Disability Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa Honolulu, Hawaii and The School of Social Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas Richardson, Texas for The Society for Disability Studies.
The dichotomy of the ‘sacred’ versus the ‘profane’ continues to inform discussions of religion an... more The dichotomy of the ‘sacred’ versus the ‘profane’ continues to inform discussions of religion and public life. In terms of pop culture, this takes the form of a distinction between the mainstream and Christian music industries, relegating ‘spiritual’ music to the latter category and dismissing any reference to spirituality in mainstream music as demonstrating a ‘weak religiosity.’ I argue that an examination of references to spirituality in song lyrics, complemented with an analysis of artist interviews, reveals that music which we deem ‘secular' is not characterized by absence of attention to spirituality, but rather contains a wide range of approaches to the transcendent, echoing Charles Taylor’s discussion of the ‘nova effect.’ In this study, I draw on Taylor’s A Secular Age in a review of songs from the best albums lists of 2017, as provided by Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, New Musical Express, and Billboard, focusing on references to spirituality in song lyrics. I argue that a...
Social Work & Christianity, 2020
The Canadian Alzheimer Disease Review, 2003
In this thesis, I present ethnic identity as one aspect of a multifaceted personal identity, subj... more In this thesis, I present ethnic identity as one aspect of a multifaceted personal identity, subject to constant change through processes of construction and re-construction occuring within specific social, historical, economic and political contexts. My analysis is based on fieldwork interviews conducted with Scots in Hamilton, Ontario, who migrated to Canada after World War II. Two primary themes emerged from respondents' statements concerning migration and settlement in Canada. The first concerns changes in self-identification occurring in relation to processes of migration. The salience of in-group differences decreases for Scots with migrat ion to Canada, accompanied by an increased identification with a perceived Scottish collectivity in Canada.
Disability Studies Quarterly
Journal of Sociology and Christianity, Oct 16, 2021
Social work and Christianity, Feb 18, 2020
Journal of Sociology and Christianity, Oct 11, 2018
The dichotomy of the ‘sacred’ versus the ‘profane’ continues to inform discussions of religion an... more The dichotomy of the ‘sacred’ versus the ‘profane’ continues to inform discussions of religion and public life. In terms of pop culture, this takes the form of a distinction between the mainstream and Christian music industries, relegating ‘spiritual’ music to the latter category and dismissing any reference to spirituality in mainstream music as demonstrating a ‘weak religiosity.’ I argue that an examination of references to spirituality in song lyrics, complemented with an analysis of artist interviews, reveals that music which we deem ‘secular' is not characterized by absence of attention to spirituality, but rather contains a wide range of approaches to the transcendent, echoing Charles Taylor’s discussion of the ‘nova effect.’ In this study, I draw on Taylor’s A Secular Age in a review of songs from the best albums lists of 2017, as provided by Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, New Musical Express, and Billboard, focusing on references to spirituality in song lyrics. I argue that a re-examination of lyrics may lead us from skepticism toward spirituality in pop music to anticipation of spiritual encounters and reflections by musical artists of all genres. Kew Words: music, sacred, secular, spirituality
Journal of Mennonite Studies, Feb 17, 2015
Disability Studies Quarterly, Apr 15, 2003
In this article, I will first explore the definition and significance of 'adulthood' for particip... more In this article, I will first explore the definition and significance of 'adulthood' for participants with learning disabilities in a disability self-advocacy movement. In particular, I will focus on self-identified markers of the transition to adult status. I will then examine the process of marginalisation as made manifest in government policy of the late 1990s within the province of Ontario, Canada. Finally, I will discuss the response of disability self-advocates to this policy initiative as evidence of the significance of adult status for persons with disabilities. This article is based on research conducted between September of 1997 and January 2003. During this time, I conducted over one hundred hours of combined interviews and participation observation with a local chapter of People First of Ontario (PFO) in the city of Welland (People First Welland, PFW).
Journal of Sociology and Christianity, Oct 16, 2021
Produced by The Center on Disability Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa Honolulu, Hawaii and ... more Produced by The Center on Disability Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa Honolulu, Hawaii and The School of Social Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas Richardson, Texas for The Society for Disability Studies.
The dichotomy of the ‘sacred’ versus the ‘profane’ continues to inform discussions of religion an... more The dichotomy of the ‘sacred’ versus the ‘profane’ continues to inform discussions of religion and public life. In terms of pop culture, this takes the form of a distinction between the mainstream and Christian music industries, relegating ‘spiritual’ music to the latter category and dismissing any reference to spirituality in mainstream music as demonstrating a ‘weak religiosity.’ I argue that an examination of references to spirituality in song lyrics, complemented with an analysis of artist interviews, reveals that music which we deem ‘secular' is not characterized by absence of attention to spirituality, but rather contains a wide range of approaches to the transcendent, echoing Charles Taylor’s discussion of the ‘nova effect.’ In this study, I draw on Taylor’s A Secular Age in a review of songs from the best albums lists of 2017, as provided by Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, New Musical Express, and Billboard, focusing on references to spirituality in song lyrics. I argue that a...
Social Work & Christianity, 2020
The Canadian Alzheimer Disease Review, 2003
In this thesis, I present ethnic identity as one aspect of a multifaceted personal identity, subj... more In this thesis, I present ethnic identity as one aspect of a multifaceted personal identity, subject to constant change through processes of construction and re-construction occuring within specific social, historical, economic and political contexts. My analysis is based on fieldwork interviews conducted with Scots in Hamilton, Ontario, who migrated to Canada after World War II. Two primary themes emerged from respondents' statements concerning migration and settlement in Canada. The first concerns changes in self-identification occurring in relation to processes of migration. The salience of in-group differences decreases for Scots with migrat ion to Canada, accompanied by an increased identification with a perceived Scottish collectivity in Canada.
Disability Studies Quarterly