Kathie Golden is a registered nurse who has a passion for our planet and its sustainability. That's why she chose to explore how technological advances have impacted our culture, religions and humanity in her Master of Divinity thesis project.

Kathie's master's thesis project, A Journey Toward Reconciliation for the Earth, Humanity and God: A Paradigm for Healing, delves deeply into science, theology and history to create a broader awareness of how humans are harming the planet while trying to "save" it with artificial interventions. She explores topics ranging from species extinction to the growing occurrence of depression in humans in challenging her readers to question more deeply how our values influence the use of natural resources.

Her thesis project forms the basis of a seminar on the topic that she would like to teach, and she plans to pursue a Ph.D. and become a full-time instructor.

Kathie's multi-disciplinary thesis is one of many completed by 2012 Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Applied Theology graduates. The topics of these culminating research projects are as diverse as our students and their personal and professional interests. A sampling of 2012 thesis topics:

• Including spirituality in diversity programs in the workplace
• The evolution of the soul based on Baha'i theology
• Restoring Native American culture to heal the trauma caused by Native American boarding schools
• Darkness as a spiritual path

See the complete listing of Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Applied Theology thesis presentations from 2012 and previous years in our library archive.