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Faculty of Social Sciences

Religious Studies

Psych Building

Past MA Major Research Projects & Theses

Our MA graduates have had tremendous success in getting into top-tier PhD programs and in pursuing non-academic careers. If you are a graduate of our MA program, please keep us informed about your current status.

Past Projects

  • John (Sam) Martens, “The Reinvented Past and the Haunted Present: Women in the Japanese New Religious Movements.” Advisor: Dr. Mark Rowe. 2021.
  • Syeda Taban, “Artistic Expression of Mahaparinirvana Scenes in Gandhara.” Advisor: Dr. Shayne Clarke. 2021.
  • Rory Tasker, “An Exploration of Sections of Kalyanamitra’s Vinayaprasnakanka and Vinayaprasnatka, with a Focus on the Embedded Quotations from the Mulasarvastivada vinaya and Gunaprabha’s Vinayasutrta.” Advisor: Dr. Shayne Clarke. 2021.
  • Anna Phipps-Burton, “Revisiting the Relationship Between the Mlasarvstivda-vinaya and the Divyvadna.” Advisor: Dr. Shayne Clarke. 2020. After completing the MA, Anna entered into the Ph.D. program in Religious Studies at McMaster University.
  • Kira Thibaudeau, “Theoretical Revelations and the Merging of Methods: Methods and Theory in the Study of Medieval Japanese Buddhist Nuns and Material Culture.” Advisor: Dr. Mark Rowe. 2020.
  • Crystal Beaudoin, “Female Religious Practices, Agency, and Freedom in the Novel Jin Ping Mei.” Advisor: Dr. James Benn. 2017. After completing the MA, Crystal entered into the Ph.D. program in Religious Studies at McMaster University.
  • Myra Sivaloganathan, “Sri Lankan Discourses of Ethno-Nationalism and Religious Fundamentalism.” Advisor: Dr. Mark Rowe. 2017. After conducting research in Sri Lanka on Buddhist diplomacy for the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute under a fellowship from the Asia Foundation, Myra began law school at the University of Windsor.
  • Rein Ende, “A Preliminary Attempt at Compiling an Index Locorum for the Mulasarvastivada-vinaya: with a Focus on the Works of Gregory Schopen” Advisor: Dr. Shayne Clarke. 2016. Rein was already retired when he entered into the MA program. He has since re-retired.
  • Jessica Fish, “Health Care in Indian Buddhism: Representations of Monks and Medicine in Indian Monastic Law Codes.” Advisor: Dr. Shayne Clarke. 2014. After completing the MA, Jessica entered into the PhD program in Anthropology at the University of Toronto.
  • Keenan Cox, “The Axiom of the One-Mind: Li  (‘Principle’) and Yongming Yanshou’s Ontological Paradigm.” Advisor: Dr. James Benn. 2014. After completing the MA, Keenan entered into the PhD program at the University of Chicago.
  • Nathaniel Lovdahl, “Narrating Transcendents: Gender in Chinese Hagiographies.” Advisor: Dr. James Benn. 2014. After completing the MA, Nathaniel entered into the PhD program in Religious Studies at Yale University.
  • Gerjan Altenburg, “A Survey of Attitudes Towards Abortion in Indian Buddhist Monastic Literature.” Advisor: Dr. Shayne Clarke. 2014. After completing the MA, Gerjan entered into the Ph.D. program in Religious Studies at McMaster University.
  • Christopher D. Emms, “Evidence for Two Mulasarvastivadin Vinaya Traditions in the Gilgit Pratimoka-sutras.” Advisor: Dr. Shayne Clarke. 2012. After completing the MA, Christopher entered into the PhD program in Religious Studies at McMaster University.
  • Yongshan He, “Buddhism in the Economic History of China: Land, Taxes and Monasteries.” Advisor: Dr. James Benn. 2011. After completing the MA, Yongshan entered into the PhD program in East Asian Studies at the University of Toronto.
  • Aurelius Rego, “A Study of the Role and Function of the Monks and Nuns of the Groups-of-Six in Vinaya Literature.” Advisor: Dr. Shayne Clarke. 2009. Aurelius is now a secondary school teacher.
  • Brigitte Robert. “The Association Zen de Montréal: A Case Study in Soto Zen Nonviolence.” Advisor: Dr. Mark Rowe. 2009. Brigitte is a teacher at Champlain Regional College, Lennoxville, Quebec.
  • Abigail I. MacBain, “Temples and Sutras: Nara Japan’s National Defense System.” Advisor: Dr. Mark Rowe. 2008. After completing the MA, Abigail entered into the PhD program in East Asian Languages and Cultures at Columbia University.
  • Michael Harack, “Cheng Xuanying’s Conception of the Sage in the Zhuangzi.” Advisor: Dr. James Benn. 2007. Michael now works at Chung Ang University in Seoul, South Korea.
  • Grant Sutherland, “The Unity And Equality Of The Divine Relations In Gregory Of Nazianzus’s Trinitarian Theology.” Advisor: Dr. Peter Widdicombe. 2019.
  • Sandra Deodhar: “Holiness in Marriage.” Advisor: Dr. Matthew Thiessen. 2019.
  • Abraham Thomas, “The Father of Many Interpretations: Perspectives on Abraham in the Second Temple Period.” Advisor: Dr. Daniel Machiela. 2018. After completing the MA, Abraham entered into the MDiv program at Wycliffe College at the Toronto School of Theology.
  • Simon Zeldin, “Rolling in the (Waters of the) Deep: Purification and Water Imagery in Early Jewish Literature.” Advisor: Dr. Daniel Machiela. 2017. After completing the MA, Simon entered into the PhD program in Religious Studies at Boston University.
  • Rachel Lambie, “What About The Women?: A Survey of the Archaeology of Qumran.” Advisor: Dr. Eileen Schuller. 2017. After completing the MA, Rachel entered into the MA program in Museum Studies at the Université du Québec à Montréal.
  • Matthew Pawlak, “Behind Kind Words: Sarcasm (and Related Devices) in Second Corinthians 10–13.” Advisor: Dr. Stephen Westerholm. 2016. After completing the MA, Matthew entered into the DPhil program in Theology at the University of Cambridge.
  • Justin Tombs. “The Temple of God in the Letters of Paul.” Advisor: Dr. Stephen Westerholm. 2016.
  • Merrill Greene, “Reworking rewritten Bible/scripture: What have scholars said and why can no one agree?” Advisor: Dr. Daniel Machiela. 2015. After completing the MA, Merrill entered into the PhD program in Religious Studies at McMaster University.
  • Jennie Dragos. “Feminist New Testament Scholarship: A Study of Perspective and Method.” Advisor: Dr. Anders Runesson. 2013. Jennie now works as the Life Skills Lead at Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Hamilton.
  • Rony Kozman, “When Paul’s Desire and God’s Will Collide: A Reading of Romans 9:1–18.” Advisor: Dr. Stephen Westerholm. 2013. After completing the MA, Rony entered into the PhD program in Religion at the University of Toronto. As of August 2020, Rony will be an assistant professor in the Department of Biblical and Religious Studies at Samford University.
  • Miriam DeCock, “The Matthean Community in Recent Scholarship.” Advisor: Dr. Stephen Westerholm. 2012. After completing the MA, Miriam entered into the PhD program in Religious Studies at McMaster University.
  • Whitney Ross, “Ethnicity, Identity, and Institution: The Relevance of Ethnic Identity for the Development of Diaspora Synagogues.” Advisor: Dr. Anders Runesson. 2012. After completing the MA, Whitney entered into the PhD program in Religious Studies at McMaster University.
  • Ryan Watson, “The Historical Jesus in Recent Scholarship: An Investigation with Special Focus on Methodology.” Advisor: Dr. Anders Runesson. 2012. Ryan is now the general manager at Upper Deck Baseball Academy.
  • John Bolton, “Mark 12:28–34 and the Two Powers Hypothesis.” Advisor: Dr. Stephen Westerholm. 2011. After completing the MA, John entered into the PhD program in Religious Studies at McMaster University.
  • James Veitch, “Defining the Ways: A Review of the “Parting of the Ways” Model in Scholarship on Early Judaism and Early Christianity.” Advisor: Dr. Stephen Westerholm. 2010.
  • Richard Last, “What Did Paul Think He Was Doing? A Study of Paul’s Use of  and an Introduction to His Statements of Action.’” Advisor: Dr. Anders Runesson. 2008. After completing the MA, Richard entered into the PhD program in Religion at the University of Toronto. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Greek Ancient Greek and Roman Studies at Trent University.
  • Karl Shuve, “The Pseudo-Clementine Homilies and the Antiochene Polemic Against Allegory.” Advisor: Dr. Annette Yoshiko Reed. 2007. After completing the M.A., Karl entered into the PhD program in Theology at the University of Edinburgh. He is an associate professor of Religious Studies at the University of Virginia.
  • Rachel Brown Young, “The Paradox of the Law in Paul: Scholarly Responses.” Advisor: Dr. Stephen Westerholm. 2009. After completing the MA, Rachel entered into the PhD program in Religious Diversity in North America at Wilfrid Laurier University.
  • David DeJong, “The Origin of Paul’s Gentile Mission: A Survey and Analysis of the Contemporary Debate.” Advisor: Dr. Stephen Westerholm. 2009. After the MA, David completed a PhD at the University of Notre Dame. He is currently assistant professor of religion at Hope College.
  • Ian Koiter, “The Problem of Miracles as a Basis for Faith in the Gospel of Matthew.” Advisor: Dr. Stephen Westerholm. 2009. After completing the MA, Ian entered into the PhD program in Religious Studies at McMaster University. He is now youth and young adult pastor at St. Paul’s Bloor St. Anglican church in Toronto.
  • Tyler Smith, “Matthew and Empire: The First Gospel in Recent Imperial-Critical Scholarship.” Advisor: Dr. Anders Runesson. 2008. After completing the MA, Tyler entered the M.St. program in Jewish Studies at Oxford University and then the PhD program in Religion at Yale University. He is currently an FWF Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Salzburg.
  • Vanessa Moonilal, “Islamic Conversions: A Case Study of Novels by Umm Zakivvah.” Advisor: Dr. Celia Rothenberg. 2021.
  • Jonas Brandt, “Between Romantic and Pragmatic Expressivism: Charles Taylor and Jeffrey Stout on the Expressive Value of Religion.” Advisor: Dr. Travis Kroeker. 2021.
  • Jessy-Lee Lacher, “Care, Religion, and Meaning-Making: Coping with and Finding Meaning in Human Suffering.” Advisor: Dr. Ellen Badone. 2021.
  • Braden Siemens, “Being Towards Death and Resurrection: An Examination of Finitude and Infinitude in the Writings of Martin Heidegger and Emmanuel Falque.” Advisor: Dr. Travis Kroeker. 2020.
  • Robert Revington. “Crisis on Infinite Texts: How Superman Developed into a Jesus Figure.” Advisor: Dr. Travis Kroeker. 2018. After completing the MA, Robert entered into the Ph.D. program in Theology at Toronto School of Theology.
  • Patrick Edwards. “Alexis de Tocqueville on American Expansionism and the Problem of Indigeneity.” Advisor: Dr. Zdravko Planinc. 2018. After completing the MA, Patrick entered into the Ph.D. program in Religious Studies at McMaster University.
  • Nida Ali, “Muslims in Interfaith Marriages in the West.” Advisor Dr. Celia Rothenberg. 2017. Nida went on to do a MSW at York U.
  • Gerald Ens, “Simone Weil and the Weakness of Truth,” Advisor Dr. Travis Kroeker. 2017. Currently a PhD student in our program.
  • Gerald Ens. “Simone Weil and the Weakness of Truth.” Advisor: Dr. P. Travis Kroeker. 2017. After completing the MA, Gerald entered into the Ph.D. program in Religious Studies at McMaster University.
  • Nida Ali. “Muslims in Interfaith Marriages in the West: Gender, Globalization, and Pluralism.” Advisor: Dr. Celia Rothenberg. 2017. After completing the MA, Nida entered into the Master’s of Social Work program at York University.
  • Nicole Sguigna. “Islamic Fundamentalism and Women: Understanding Women as Recruiters in ISIS.” Advisor: Dr. Celia Rothenberg. 2016.
  • Chaim Grafstein, “The Moroccan Jewish Community of Toronto.” Advisor: Dr. Celia Rothenberg. 2016. After completing the MA, Chaim entered into the PhD program in Near and Middle Eastern Civilization at the University of Toronto.
  • Caleb De Jong, “For the Sake of the Whole: a Theological Examination of Dostoevsky’s Elder Zosima Via Sergius Bulgakov” Advisor: Dr. P. Travis Kroeker. 2015. After completing the MA, Caleb entered into the M.A. program in Literatures of Modernity at Ryerson University.
  • Matthew Hanull Lee, “Divine Violence and Divine Sovereignty: Kierkegaard and the Binding of Isaac.” Advisor: Dr. P. Travis Kroeker. 2015. After completing the MA, Matthew entered into the Ph.D. program in Religious Studies at McMaster University.
  • Rachel Matheson, “Sacramental Vision in Annie Dillard’s Holy the Firm.” Advisor: Dr. P. Travis Kroeker. 2015. Shortly after completing the MA, Rachel entered into the Ph.D. program at McMaster University.
  • Katelyn Cassin, “A Multifaith Military: Religiosity and Belonging Among Muslim Canadian Armed Forces Members”. Advisor: Dr. Celia Rothenberg. 2014. After completing the MA, Katelyn entered into the PhD program in International Development and Globalisation Studies at the University of Ottawa.
  • Jordan DeJonge. “The Weakness of Words: Implications of Foucault’s Late Lectures for Reflecting on the Platonic Dialogue.” Advisor: Dr. Zdravko Planinc. 2014. After completing the MA, Jordan entered into the MA program in Philosophy at Ryerson University.
  • Sara Hamed, “‘The Mother is a School’: Muslim Mothers and Their Religio-Educative Roles.” Advisor: Dr. Celia Rothenberg. 2014. After completing the M.A., Sara entered into the PhD program in Anthropology at the University of Toronto.
  • Houda El-Birani. “A Review of the Literature on the 2011 Egyptian Revolution.” Advisor: Dr. Celia Rothenberg. 2013. After completing the M.A., Houda became the Business Support Assistant for the World Food Programme at the United Nations in Lebanon.
  • Laura Lee Nimilowich, “A Quiet Truth: A Levinasian and Psychotherapeutic Reading of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission.” Advisor: Dr. Zdravko Planinc. 2013. Laura is now a relational psychotherapist in Whitehorse, Yukon.
  • Nicole Guerriero, “Augustine’s Conception of the Ascent of the Soul in the Expositions of the Psalms and Homilies on the Gospel of John.” Advisor: Dr. Peter Widdicombe. 2012. After completing the MA, Nicole entered into the MA program in Philosophy at the University of Buffalo. Currently she is an educational consultant at Tutor Doctor.
  • Nicole Waddington, “Symbols, Narratives and Portraits: The Development of Early Christian Art in the First to Fourth Centuries CE.” Advisor: Dr. Peter Widdicombe. 2012.
  • Graham Baker, “Kierkegaard’s Apocalyptic Theology: Temporality, Epistemology and Politics in Practice in Christianity.” Advisor: Dr. P. Travis Kroeker. 2011. Graham is currently the Professional Officer for Grant MacEwan University Faculty Association.
  • Elizabeth Klein, “Athanasius and Gregory of Nazianzus on the Fatherhood of God.” Advisor: Dr. Peter Widdicombe. 2011. After completing the MA, Elizabeth entered into the PhD program in Theology at the University of Notre Dame. She is now an assistant professor at the Augustine Institute, Denver, Colorado.
  • Jan-Therese A. Mendes, “Exploring Blackness from Muslim, Female, Canadian Realities: Founding Selfhood, (Re)claiming Identity and Negotiating Belongingness Within/Against a Hostile Nation.” Advisor: Dr. Celia Rothenberg. 2011. After completing the M.A., Jan-Therese entered into the Ph.D. program in Social and Political Thought at York University.
  • Michael Agnew, “‘Russia Will Be Converted’: The Fatima Crusade’s Marian Apocalyptic Discourse During and After the Cold War.” Advisor: Dr. Ellen Badone. 2010. After completing the MA, Michael entered into the PhD program in Religious Studies at McMaster University.
  • Susie Fisher, “‘High Church Mennonites?’ The Relationship between Religion and Ethnicity among Manitoba Mennonites at an Anglican Church.” Advisor: Dr. Ellen Badone. 2010. After completing the MA, Susie entered into the PhD program in History at the University of Manitoba.
  • Omnia Helbah, “The Influence of Canadian Security Intelligence Services on the Formation of Religious and National Identities of Muslim Canadians.” Advisor: Dr. Celia Rothenberg, 2010. Omnia is now a Program Manager for Engagement at Walmart Canada.
  • Jessica L. Radin, “Between Philosophy and the Law: Ibn Rushd, Leo Strauss, and the Demands of the City.” Advisor: Dr. Dana Hollander. 2010. After completing the MA, Jessica completed her Ph.D. in Religious Studies at University of Toronto (2018). She is Assistant Professor in Comparative Liberal Studies at Habib University in Karachi, Pakistan.
  • Benjamin Shragge, “Horizon’s End: The Crisis of History in Grant and Nietzsche.” Advisor: Dr. Zdravko Planinc. 2010. Benjamin is now Editorial Manager at Cheng & Tsui Company.
  • Julia Thiessen, “Dionysian Distance: Reading Nietzsche with Jean-Luc Marion.” Advisor: Dr. P. Travis Kroeker. 2010. After completing the MA, Julia entered the Education program at the University of Toronto and is now teaching Canadian History and German at the Westgate Mennonite Collegiate in Winnipeg.
  • Timothy Basile. “Templars, Crusades, and Consideration: A Study on Bernard of Clairvaux’s Allegory of the Two Swords.” Advisor: Dr. Peter Widdicombe. 2009. After completing the MA, Timothy entered into the MBA at Rotman School of Management. He is now a manager of Strategy & Consulting at Canada Post.
  • James McDonald, “The Unwriting of Robert Walser as Religious Writing.” Advisor: Dr. P. Travis Kroeker. 2009. After completing the M.A., James entered the PhD program in Religious Studies at McMaster University. He is now owner of the bookstore “The Printed Word” in Dundas, Ontario.
  • Martin Westerholm, “Love and the Knowledge of God in Augustine’s De Trinitate.” Advisor: Dr. P. Travis Kroeker. 2009. After completing the M.A., Martin entered into a D.Phil. program in Theology at the University of Aberdeen. He is currently a senior lecturer in theology at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
  • Gregory Wiebe, “The Politics of Possession: Augustine’s Demonology in The City of God.” Advisor: Dr. P. Travis Kroeker. 2009. After completing the M.A., Gregory entered into the PhD program in Religious Studies at McMaster University.
  • Kevin J. L. Derksen, “Love and the Indirect Icon: Kierkegaard, Dostoevsky and Christian Erotics.” Advisor: Dr. P. Travis Kroeker. 2009. Kevin is now a pastor at St. Jacobs Mennonite Church.
  • Katherine L. Olson, “On the Hill of Crosses: Catholicism and Lithuanian National Identity.” Advisor: Dr. Ellen Badone. 2009. After completing the M.A., Katherine obtained a law degree (JD) in the US, clerked for a judge at the Court of Federal Claims, and now works as a litigation associate at a law firm in Washington, DC.
  • Rodney Leggett, “Modernization and the Quebec Catholic Church.” Advisor: Dr. Zdravko Planinc. 2008. After completing the MA, Rodney entered into the M.A. program in Political Science and Government at Carleton University. He now works for Elections Canada.
  • Rachel Loewen, “The Coptic Orthodox Church in the Greater Toronto Area: The Second Generation, Converts and Gender.” Advisor: Dr. Ellen Badone. 2008. After completing the M.A., Rachel entered into the Ph.D. program in Religion at the University of Toronto.
  • John A. Lorenc, “The Reform of the Divine Image in Augustine’s De Trinitate.” Advisor: Dr. Peter Widdicombe. 2008. After completing the M.A., John entered into the Ph.D. program in Legal and Economic History at the University of Toronto.
  • Kathleen A. Riddell, “When the Music’s Over, Renew My Subscription to the Resurrection: Why Doors Fans Won’t Let Jim Die.” Advisor: Dr. Ellen Badone. 2008. After completing the MA, Kathleen entered into the PhD program in Religious Studies at the University of Waterloo.
  • Laura Tomes, “‘You’ve got to put your money where your mouth is’: How Jewish Advocacy Organizations in Ontario Understand the Relationship between Public Funding for Faith Schools and Multiculturalism.” Advisor: Dr. Celia Rothenberg. 2008. After completing the M.A., Laura entered into the PhD in Religious Studies at Georgetown University. She is now an assistant professor in the department of religious studies at Michigan State University.
  • Jonathan Zeyl, “Spirituality and Hermeneutics: Origen’s and Augustine’s Account of Genesis 1.” Advisor: Dr. Peter Widdicombe. 2009. Jonathan is now a Program Coordinator in Liberal Studies at Humber College.
  • Ronald Haflidson, “Completing the Journey: Scriptural Exegesis in Augustine’s Confessions.” Advisor: Dr. Peter Widdicombe. 2007. After completing the MA, Ronald entered into the PhD program in Theology at the University of Edinburgh. Dr. Haflidson is now a tutor at St. John’s College, Annapolis, MD.
  • Alexandra Brown, “Constructions of Islam in the Controversy of Religious Arbitration: A Consideration of the ‘Shari’a Debate’ in Ontario, Canada.” Advisor: Dr. Celia Rothenberg. 2007. After completing the MA, Alexandra entered into the Ph.D. program in Anthropology at McMaster University.
  • Carson Howlett, “Northrop Frye and Gustave Guillaume on Metaphor and Time.” Advisor: Dr. P. Travis Kroeker. 2007. After completing the MA, Carson entered the Interdisciplinary PhD program at the University of Manitoba.
  • Peter Petite, “The Influence of Greek Intellectual Culture on the Development of Christian Thought in Clement of Alexandria’s Stromateis.” Advisor: Dr. Peter Widdicombe. 2007. Peter is now a member of the English Faculty at Houde Academy, Beijing City, China.
  • Grant Poettcker, “Walter Benjamin’s Messianic Politics: Between Marxism and Messianism.” Advisor: Dr. P. Travis Kroeker. 2007. After completing the MA, Grant entered into the PhD program in Religious Studies at McMaster University. Grant is now an assistant professor of philosophy at Briercrest College.