Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons^™

The Search For Mere Purgatory, Tucker Douglass

Scholars Day Conference

Purgatory has been a contentious point of discussion since the Protestant Reformation. However, there are some versions that seem to nourish Christian ideas about sanctification rather than hinder them. In this paper, I examine two primary models of purgatory and which might be the better candidate for the title of "mere purgatory."

Transformational Leadership: Equipping Small Churches To Make Disciples By Integrating Wesleyan Principals, Ronald Kent Wise

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This ministry thesis project will use qualitative research to address Wesleyan Transformational Leadership and how to apply the principles to equip churches to make disciples for Jesus Christ. The principles addressed within the project are defined by the acronym L.E.A.D: L-Love, E-Educate, A-Adapt and D-Duplicate. In today’s politically correct culture, the persecution of the Christian worldview occurs in communities, politics, and the church. Transformational leadership introduces biblical principles in conjunction with time-tested leadership principles to promote and strengthen individual and corporate growth. Individual and corporate growth transforms lives of individuals as relationships and stories are shared ...

Discipleship As Understood And Practiced By Worship Leaders, Pastors, And Congregations Of Selected Southern Baptist Churches, Bridgette Lashawn Yancy

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite the growing interest in Christian faith development through Bible study, prayer groups, literature, and other media, there has been little to no research completed in the area of discipleship of worship leaders. This study will be an examination of discipleship activities that are offered within the Southern Baptist churches and the average duration of engagement of these activities by worship leaders. How the discipleship of the worship leader affects the ministry of the worship leader, participation in leadership-focused activities, and the personal and professional growth of the worship leader will be examined through questionnaires for both pastors and worship ...

Army Retirees At The Hunter Army Airfield Chapel In Savannah, Georgia, Will Gain The Confidence And The Basic Skills Necessary To Form Spiritual Mentoring Relationships With Young Soldiers Through A Constructivist Interview And Back-Brief Process, Derek William Murray

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Army retirees choose to live in close proximity to a military installation, because living close provides many benefits, such as: continuing to shop in the discounted commissary, remaining in the military medical system, enjoying many other recreational benefits offered at military installations, and remaining as close as possible to the world they love. Thus, most Army garrisons across the entire Army enterprise have retirees who have chosen to permanently remain close to the Army posts at which they honorably served. Homesteading near a military installation gives a retiree the opportunity to live among those with whom they existentially identify. Some ...

Modern Yoga In America, Emily Parkinson Perry

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports

Yoga’s immense growth and popularity during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, along with its proliferation into countless varieties and styles, presents teachers, students, and scholars with the question: “What is yoga?” Answering this question requires the investigation of a number of cultural, historical and philosophical tensions at play in modern expressions of this ancient tradition: (1) Is modern postural yoga (MPY)—the yoga widely practiced in studios across the country today—an authentic expression of yoga or is it simply another form of physical fitness? (2) Does the modern focus on the physical dimension of yoga forsake its original ...

Original Monotheism: A Signal Of Transcendence Challenging Naturalism And New Ageism, Daniel Roger Cote

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Where once in America, belief in Christian theism was shared by a large majority of the population, over the last 70 years belief in Christian theism has significantly eroded. From 1948 to 2018, the percent of Americans identifying as Catholic or Christians dropped from 91 percent to 67 percent, with virtually all the drop coming from protestant denominations. Naturalism and new ageism increasingly provide alternative means for understanding existential reality without the moral imperatives and the belief in the divine associated with Christian theism. The ironic aspect of the shifting of worldviews underway in western culture is that it continues ...

The Use Of Apologetics In The Book Of Isaiah, Daniel Robert Sloan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Isaiah used apologetics in three distinct areas: Yahweh’s creation and sovereign control (Past), Yahweh’s divine intervention in delivering Judah (present) and Yahweh as the controller of the future (Immediate, Exilic, Messianic and eschatological) to argue that Yahweh was the one true God, unique and superior to all pagan deities, to both his contemporary audience and to future generations. In chapter one, the research questions are addressed, a literary review is presented, and the methodology of the dissertation is given. In chapter two, the dissertation addresses how the book of Isaiah argues apologetically that Yahweh is the Creator and ...

Special Revelation In Cinema: The Imago Dei And Divine Transcendence In Contemporary Film, Durrell Nelson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Cinema can motivate soul restoration, alter political views, and confirm or contradict personal religious beliefs. The intention of this dissertation is to show that it is plausible for the transcendent power of special revelation from God to be communicated through the medium of cinema in concert with the imago Dei in humankind. The relationship between a viewer and cinematic characters potentially becomes a visceral experience creating empathy in the viewer with the characters in the story. This relational interaction has the potential of instigating a transcendent experience as both viewer and the protagonist in a film share qualities of the ...

Christian Worldview Compared To Deepak Chopra's Worldview, Allison Renee Beardsley

Masters Theses

The purpose of this thesis is a comparative study of the biblical Christian worldview and the worldview of pop-culture guru Deepak Chopra. Both worldviews are compared using a standard four-question worldview rubric. Research was gathered from Chopra’s books and biblical Christian worldview books. Once a worldview rubric question is answered it is tested with the correspondence theory of truth to see how it reflects the reality and experience that humanity collectively perceives in the world. The biblical Christian worldview adequately answered all rubric questions in a coherent manner that corresponds with reality. The Christian worldview has cumulative strength as ...

Final Opportunities For Healthcare Chaplains To Share The Gospel To Those Facing End Of Life, Michal Lynn Lee

Masters Theses

Spiritual care is a necessity for end-of-life care. Those with terminal illnesses and facing death are concerned about things of spiritual or existential nature. The National Consensus Project for Quality Palliative Care study indicated that most patients want to have their spiritual concerns addressed, and yet, spiritual concerns are not adequately addressed with the medical team and the current system of care. This paper builds on the role of the chaplain within a healthcare context for those facing end-of-life scenarios and reinforces the impact of the chaplain to fulfill his primary role of addressing eternal issues. Healthcare chaplains enter the ...

See, Judge, Act: Restorative Justice And Catholic Social Teaching’S Impact On American Incarceration, Maxim Caron

Montserrat Annual Writing Prize

No abstract provided.

The Quaker Paradox: A Case Study Of David Barclay As A Malevolent Slave Trading Banker And A Benevolent Abolitionist, Anny Lu

2020 JHU Richard Macksey National Undergraduate Humanities Research Symposium

In the eighteenth century, the British Quaker community faced a dilemma regarding their morals to pioneer the abolition movement and their economic interests to facilitate the slave trade. Members of the Society of Friends were expected to be established bankers, and many of them lent out loans to slave traders. At the same time, they were pacifist pioneers of the abolition movement in Britain. The research analyzes how British Quakers of this time upheld both positions of this paradox through a case study of David Barclay, founder of Barclays Bank as well as a well-respected member of the Society of ...

The Book Of Revelation: The Apocalypse Debunked, Meghan Elizabeth Hansen

2020 JHU Richard Macksey National Undergraduate Humanities Research Symposium

In the psyche of the modern Christian, the Book of Revelation has become synonymous with hell and the end of the world. The believed imminent apocalypse becomes a tactic to scare people into faith, citing some of the most gruesome images of Revelation. Christians either sit on the edge of their seat, awaiting the trumpets and hellfire, or choose to ignore the book altogether. This interpretation has neglected the importance of the first century context, particularly its symbols and the purpose of Revelation. To appreciate the meaning of the Book of Revelation and its relevance today, it is crucial to ...

Stooping Heads And Aspiring Shoulders: An Analysis Of William Whately’S 1617 Pamphlet “A Bride-Bush”, Meredith Power

2020 JHU Richard Macksey National Undergraduate Humanities Research Symposium

The Protestant Reformation in England began with Henry VIII's Great Matter in the early 1500s. Almost a century later, British society's understanding of what made a good and happy marriage had evolved alongside the broader shifts in church doctrine, and Puritan factions began to splinter from mainstream Anglican practices and teachings. Writing in 1617 from the Protestant stronghold of Oxfordshire, an influential minister named William Whately offered newlyweds and engaged couples advice regarding their duties to each other and to their community. This 'Bride-bush,' as he called it, sought to make marriage "a great Helpe" for those who ...

Old Testament Election: God’S Exclusive Means Of Bringing About Global Redemption, Parker Williams

Senior Honors Theses

This thesis will seek to explore the doctrine of election as it appears in the Old Testament. It will attempt to provide a robust, biblical conception of the doctrine, shedding light on its nature and purpose, viewing the Bible as a singular story of God’s redemptive work. It will consider and assess election as God’s act of divine prerogative—being at times individual but primarily corporate. While inherently partial, effort will be taken to defend the doctrine against common objections this partiality draws. Rather, it will be shown that as the means by which He initiated His gracious ...

Book Reviews, Larry Hart, Mark E Roberts, Sally Shelton, Jeffrey Voth, Monte Lee Rice, Robert D. Mcbain, Joji Mathew

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

C. Douglas Weaver. Baptists and the Holy Spirit: The Contested History with Holiness- Pentecostal-Charismatic Movements

Larry Hart ................................................................................................................151

Wolfgang Vondey. Pentecostal Theology: Living the Full Gospel Joji Mathew..............................................................................................................153

Lalsangkima Pachuau. World Christianity: A Historical and Theological Introduction Robert D. McBain....................................................................................................156

David Perry. Spirit Baptism: The Pentecostal Experience in Theological Focus Monte Lee Rice ........................................................................................................159

Craig S. Keener. Galatians and Galatians: A Commentary Mark E. Roberts and Philip R. Feist .........................................................................164

Vinson Synan. Where He Leads Me: The Vinson Synan Story Sally Jo Shelton.........................................................................................................168

Paul L. King. Is It of God? A Biblical Guidebook for Spiritual Discernment Jeffrey ...

Creation Care As Caring For Human Beings: An Environmental Justice Case Study, Jeffrey S. Lamp, Kathryn J. Moder, Megan R. Munhoffen, Cade A. Rich, Nathan B. Von Atzigen

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

A special ORU Student study directed by Dr. Jeff Lamp.

Caring for God’s creation is a burgeoning area of interest among Christians in recent decades. In many Christian circles, however, caring for creation is not given high priority in rankings of the duties of Christian disciples in the world. This article will argue that caring for creation is a biblically mandated call for God’s people in the world and derives from the role of human beings as caretakers of creation, creation’s status as a recipient of God’s salvation in Christ, and the connection between human beings ...

Pentecostalism And Social, Political, And Economic Development, Allan H. Anderson

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

This article traces the global impact of Pentecostalism with reference to its definition, varieties, and statistics. It also discusses the subject of development from a theological perspective, considering how development applies to Pentecostalism. The first part considers the ambivalence involved in Pentecostal sociopolitical engagement, and then in the second part, discusses how Pentecostalism and development relate to each other. It gives examples throughout the article of how Pentecostals are involved in development projects and sociopolitical activities worldwide.

Fundamentalism, Marginalization, And Eschatology: Historical, Socio-Economic, And Theological Factors Influencing Early Pentecostal Theological Education, Daniel Topf

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

Pentecostalism is recognized and appreciated, for instance, for its fervent evangelism and vibrant worship but generally not well-known for its contributions to scholarship and formal theological education. Why is that the case? Rather than simply pointing to an anti-intellectual attitude within Pentecostalism, this article emphasizes there are complex historical, socioeconomic, and theological factors to be considered when describing the development of early Pentecostal theological education in the United States. From a historical perspective, early Pentecostalism had to come to terms with its nineteenth-century roots, which included the fundamentalist movement. Regarding socio-economic factors, many early Pentecostal leaders came from the margins ...

The Holy Spirit And The Nineteenth-Century Mission To Hawaii, Paul Miller

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

This article explores the missionary successes and failures of nineteenth- century Hawaii. It then explores the Holy Spirit connection to these successes and the lack of such a connection regarding the failures. It suggests missionary failures in the area of supernaturalism and Holy Spirit listening, failures to which the missionaries were particularly prone given their almost mono-focus on “civilization” and “education.” It then suggests native Hawaiian failures in, first, addressing their depopulation problem and, second, in attaining their aspirations of economic progress. Finally, facing these failures, it probes certain Holy Spirit perspectives as their potential solution.