Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons^™

White Supremacy, The Election Of Donald Trump And The Challenge To Theology, Susan Ross

Theology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

This article is a transcript of an interview conducted by Susan Ross on 12 January, 2017, with Professor Bryan Massingale. Following the election of Donald Trump to the US Presidency, there was a surge in the number of racial and ethnic attacks on minorities across the country, and an increased concern over the place of minorities in the United States. During the previous two years, a number of shootings of black men and women had attracted much attention and protest, particularly around the Black Lives Matter movement which began after the killing of Michael Brown in the summer of 2014. …

No Space. Nowhere: Refugees And The Problem Of Human Rights In Arendt And Ricœur, Hille Haker

Theology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

In the wake of the recent global refugee and migration crisis, Hannah Arendt’s defense of the right to have political rights has become prominent again. Her work is read as an early reminder that the internationally promoted human rights regime may be merely a rhetorical reference, without the will or international authority for political action. I examine Arendt’s analysis in its historical context and then turn to consider Ricœur’s understanding of human rights. The capability to respond to and to be held accountable by others marks Ricœur’s ethics of responsibility. He agrees with Arendt that legal authority must rest upon …

The Spirit Of A Weak God: Reimagining Divine Providence After The Critique Of Ontotheology, Wendy Theresa Crosby

Dissertations

The question of this dissertation is whether and how divine providence can function within the framework of a weak God theology. While theories of divine providence traditionally depend on a powerful God capable of bringing all to a good end, I argue that providence remains essential to Christian hope and participation even if God is rethought as weak. This dissertation develops a concept of providence within weak God theology through an understanding of the Holy Spirit which is non-totalizing and dependent on creation's response. Therefore, providence empowers human action rather than ensuring victory despite our actions.

The dissertation begins by …

Building A Bridge Between Theravada Buddhism And Islam, Philip Novak

Collected Faculty and Staff Scholarship

In a world riven by national egoisms and intercultural tensions, it is perhaps more important than ever for us to try to see what is noble and universal in the varied religious symbol systems of the world’s cultures.

Our long journey towards a global spirituality requires us to constantly translate the insights of particular faiths into universally intelligible concepts and images drawn from our common human experience and, thus equipped, to boldly encourage the world’s religions to recognize their deep family resemblances.

~article excerpt~

Shared Leadership: Bringing The Local Church Back To Its Biblical Roots Of Leadership, John A. Harrison

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The North American culture is experiencing seismic shifts in its leadership structures. One of these shifts is the growing momentum from traditional, hierarchical leadership models to flatter, team-driven, shared leadership structures. The first section of this project aims to understand the biblical and theological reasons for shared leadership. The relationship within the Triune God and other examples of shared leadership from Scripture are used to build the foundation and rationale for this type of structure in the local church. This section also identifies factors that caused the drift from shared leadership through a plurality of elders in the New Testament …

The Impact Of Hurts On Effective Ministry In Local African American Church, Imogene Lowery

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The project sought to understand the impact of hurts on effective ministry in a local African American church. The research tried to understand hurts, what hurts were and how hurts or past hurts impacted others. The research revealed that hurts had occurred within this local church and that some members reverted to passive aggressive means to handle their hurts. The research also showed that the underlying cause of hurts in this congregation was due to members of this local assembly as well as the way in which they responded to their hurts. The research utilized two surveys one taken by …

Homophobia In The African American Church In Dmv, Nurney Kasem Mason

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A look at some causes of homophobia in the African American(AA) church in the Washington DC metropolitan area. Using mixed methods and interviews, the researcher uncovered some reasons why homophobia exists in the AA church. Based on the data the researcher constructed a rubric scale AA leaders can use as a reference. The researcher offered fourteen recommendations AA church leaders can use as a tool to assist them in ministering to the LGBT members in the AA church.

Cultivating Emerging Leaders: Understanding A Pastor's Role, Spencer A. Click

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to understand the influence and impact a local church pastor can have in the development of emerging leaders. The researcher sought to understand a biblical model of the leader/follower relationship through examining the examples of Moses/Joshua, Elijah/Elisha, and Jesus/the disciples. These examples provided insight into the behaviors of established and emerging leaders and what roles each play in the developmental process. To further the study, a review of relevant literature pertaining to transformational leadership and follower-focused leadership models was completed. Servant leadership, situation leadership, and redemptive leadership were examined to understand the part an …

Silliness And Stillness: A History Of Covenant Point Bible Camp In Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Mark Safstrom

Scandinavian Studies: Faculty Scholarship & Creative Works

"Silliness and Stillness" tells the history of Covenant Point Bible Camp, located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Founded in 1926, it has primarily served the congregations of the Swedish Mission Covenant (now Evangelical Covenant Church), and represents the broader revival movements that produced that denomination in the nineteenth century. The story of this camp is also part of the history of the Christian camping movement that developed throughout the twentieth century in the United States and Canada. In addition to being an anniversary book for the particular community that calls the camp "home," it also presents the theological background …

Yoga In The Visnu Purana, Sucharita Adluri Ms.

Philosophy and Religious Studies Department Faculty Publications

Though scholarship on diverse methods of yoga in the Indian traditions abounds, there has not been sufficient research that examines the traditions of yoga in the puranas. The present paper explores yoga articulated in the Visnu Purana (fourth century CE) and argues that what seems like a unified teaching is a composite of an eight-limbed yoga embedded within an instruction on proto-Sämkhya. An evaluation of the key elements of yoga as developed in this text as a whole, clarifies our understanding of the emergence of yoga and its relationship to epic formulations on the one hand and to the Classical …

Study Guide For C. S. Lewis's "Mere Christianity", Kerry Irish

Faculty Publications - Department of History and Politics

Dr. Kerry Irish’s study guide for C. S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity is unique in that it begins with an introduction that explains how Mere Christianity came into being, and also how Lewis became a Christian.

The guide consists of six discussions. It is suitable for use by book groups or Sunday schools as well as individual study. It is compatible with any edition of Mere Christianity, as it follows book and chapter designations rather than page numbers.

Benedictine Communio: A Gift For The Church?, Michael Leonard Hahn

School of Theology and Seminary Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

“I Am The Mahar Of Your Mahars:” Cokhāmelā, The Modern Dalit Movement, And The Dalit Christian Theology, Chris Conway

School of Theology and Seminary Faculty Publications

Over the last century, Cokhāmelā’s place and prominence in the Modern Dalit Movement and Dalit Christian theology have waned significantly. As the liberating potential of his work failed to be actualized, and more recent Dalit figures like Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and movements like Dalit Sahitya began to examine his work and life more critically, Cokhāmelā and his abhangas were found inadequate. Cokhāmelā became identified as one whose conscientisation remained incomplete, primarily because he failed to convert from Hinduism and saw his caste through the lens of karma. This essay re-examines Cokhāmelā’s life, death, and legacy so as to reassess his …

Women Approaching Death And Dying, Victoria Rue

Faculty Publications, Social Sciences

My mother died in 2008 at the age of 84 surrounded by her eight children and our father. As I turn 68, I wonder about the length of my own life and about how I will face my own death. In a feminist body-affirming theology, how do I embrace fear and my body in the death and dying process?At the bedside of hospice patients, I saw the gap in Christian feminist theology between affirming the body and embracing its decay. From these narratives, I suggest that what is needed is a Christian feminist approach to death and dying focused on …

Transcendent Mind, Emergent Universe In The Thought Of Michael Polanyi, Vincent Smiles

Theology Faculty Publications

This essay vindicates two major aspects of the science-based philosophy of Michael Polanyi: 1. His concept of tacit knowing, and 2. His concept of the multi-levelled character of reality. These two notions relate closely with one another, and together support the thesis to be argued here, that when it comes to understanding human beings, and most especially the human mind, science and religion have to meet on the common ground of the transcendent capacities of human beings, which are pointers to the transcendent character of the universe. The mind is an emergent of the universe, as are all of its …

The Challenge Of Being In The Minority: Palestinian Christian Theology In Light Of Christian Zionism Post-1948, Medhat S. Yoakiem

Master of Theology Theses

No abstract provided.

Biblical Metaphors For Servant Leadership: A Strong Foundation For Leadership Development, Gary A. Runn

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project addresses the lack of a biblically grounded model for servant leadership. Research explored three biblical metaphors as the foundation for a leadership development framework: servant, shepherd, and steward. First, the servant metaphor, through a posture of worship and submission to Jesus, gives expression to servant leadership through representative authority and genuine humility. Second, the shepherd metaphor, through a posture of selfless sacrifice to followers, gives expression to servant leadership through compassion and care. Third, the steward metaphor, through a posture of extreme faithfulness to the Master, gives expression to servant leadership through courage and risk-taking in the mission. …

Life Mapping As A Means Of Redemptive Transformation: Change The Name And The Story Is About You, Noel A. Sherry

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project explored the formation practice known as Life Mapping, on the hypothesis that it is a catalyst for varied forms of spiritual transformation, quickening, and awakening. Though there are clear antecedents in the Christian tradition, the practice was initiated when Saint Augustine explored the work of God in his life, recording that first spiritual autobiography in his classic theological and philosophical work Confessions. A “Life Map” is a contemporary term for a spiritual quest to make sense of one’s whole life. This researcher discovered the practice with mentors who guided him through a church crisis at midlife using a …

The Crucible Of Orthodoxy And Orthopraxy: Examining The Intersections Of Social Justice, Moral Development And Theology, Eydie Dyke Shypulski

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to better understand the relationship between moral development, theology and social justice within a Christian context. An apparent disconnect exists regarding how people of faith apply personal morals and theological perspectives when positioning themselves with regard to public policy and social justice issues. The researcher sought to extract information that would have implications for professional social practice, social work ethical and practice pedagogy, for faith-based institutions of higher learning and for the broader Christian community. A theological reflection included a brief examination of Aristotelian and Thomistic philosophies of moral and ethical development followed by …

The Whole Servant Leader: Leading From The Inside Out, Jewel Denise Williams

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While research on servant leadership focuses on the behavior or actions of leaders toward the follower, this project examines the inward development of those leaders to determine what godly attributes need cultivation to demonstrate the seven virtues of Kathleen Patterson. Patterson’s doctoral work “Servant Leadership: A Theoretical Model,” was published in 2003 by Regent University School of Leadership Studies. The examination of the lives of pastors, leaders, and lay leaders defined as servant leaders based on Patterson’s theory helped in the development of an attribute-driven virtue-focused servant leadership development model for this project. These leaders were asked to share what …