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Law And Gospel In Luther's Antinomian Disputations, With Special Reference To Faith's Use Of The Law, Jeffrey Silcock

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

Three major antinomian controversies took place in Wittenberg in the sixteenth century, one during Luther's lifetime and two after his death. The first controversy, which is the subject of our study, had its beginnings in 1527 in an argument between Johann Agricola and Philipp Melanchthon. The occasion for this was the visitation of the churches in electoral Saxony and the major issue was the role of the law in repentance. The main phase of the first controversy however was the dispute between Agricola and Luther between 1537 and 1540. The issue was basically the same. The second and third antinomian …

Mariology In The Roman Catholic Magisterium Since The Second Vatican Council, David Mahsman

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

When Pope Paul VI on November 21, 1964, closed the third session of the Second Vatican Council, which had approved the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, he did so with a prayer to the Virgin Mary.

He addressed her as "Mother of the Church. "When Pope John Paul II on October 11, 1992, concluded an apostolic constitution for the publication of a new Roman Catholic catechism, he did so with a prayer for the "powerful intercession" of the Virgin Mary. He addressed her as "Mother of the Incarnate Word and Mother of the Church. "

The parallels between these papal …

An Entry Level Lutheran Liturgy For Members And Guest, David Preuss

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Influences inside and outside the Lutheran Church are pressing for change in worship style from liturgical to some free form alternative. Often the purpose is to make it easier for guests without a liturgical background to participate. How can Lutheran congregations and pastors make their worship service more "user-friendly” without abandoning their liturgical link with the church of all ages and places?

First, establish the essence of Lutheran liturgical worship. How did the Lutheran Reformation deal with the need for changes? How are pastors today attempting to resolve the issue? How do we evaluate these endeavors?

One resolution is to …

Principles To Assist The Introduction Of Change In Congregational Worship, Paul Borgman

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Change affects people, which is also evident in worship. Helping them to assimilate change in worship is this project’s purpose.

Two examples of change were considered. The first was quality improvement. This addressed those responsible for the conduct of worship. While significant changes did not result, it did prove that people are more responsive when interest is shown in them.

The second was introducing a new setting of the Divine Service. The results indicated that, with proper planning, change can be introduced positively.

Change does not have to be disruptive. It can be spiritually beneficial if handled sensitively.

An Exegetical, Historical And Practical Study Of New Testament Terms For Pastor And People At Trinity Lutheran Church, Memphis, Tennessee, Ronald Wiese

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

There is a confusion among clergy and laity over their precise function in a congregation. This is an exegetical, historical and practical study of ten New Testament terms used for pastor and people at Trinity Lutheran Church, Memphis, Tennessee. The conclusions were that the pastor's primary role is the public administrtion of the Word and Sacraments, that the laity hold a high calling of the Lay Apostolate, and that the office of deacon should be reinstated in the congregation.

A Vacation Bible School Curriculum With Special Emphasis On Mission Work In Kazakhstan, Thomas Baker

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

The purpose of the study is to demonstrate a specific technique in teaching a Vacation Bible School course for the purpose of increasing cognitive and affective learning. In the cognitive area, the students are to learn more about what the Bible reveals as well as the opportunities for mission work in Kazakhstan. In the affective area, the students are not only to become aware of the reason for their own inner struggles but also to become concerned about reaching out to those who have as yet not heard the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

In the area …

Luther And Zwingli On The Righteousness Of God, Liars Plume

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

It would be going too far to say that Zwingli was a Nestorian, but his christology definitely had weaknesses, similar to those of Scholastic theology. My thesis, which I hope to demonstrate in this paper, is that Zwingli did not come to Luther's evangelical understanding of "the righteousness of God" because he did not recognize the importance of the proper distinction between the law and the gospel. The result of this was that Christ remained a lawgiver for him, as Christ was for Luther before his rediscovery of the gospel. I shall base my research on Luther's two sermons, "Sermo …

The Christology Of Feminist Theology-Exploration And Critique, Michael Miller

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The primary focus of this thesis is feminist Christology. Nevertheless, it will be necessary to begin with a general introduction to feminist theology and an exploration of its fundamental teachings. The general introduction will first explore the historical roots of feminist theology in America, briefly tracing both its nineteenth century roots and its more contemporary roots. Second, it will explore and set forth the situation from which feminist theologians have written feminist theology. Finally, the general introduction will explore the basic goal of feminist theology.

From Invocation Through Creed: A Historical And Doctrinal Analysis Of The Service Of The Word In The Common Service, Timothy Roser

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

Cursory study of the text of this liturgy reveals that it was not assembled according to some academic standard. Perhaps a better word for its development would be "organic," as over the centuries it grew to meet the needs of the time. Each addition was tested, tried, and proven not by a single congregation nor even a group of congregations acting in concert, but by the Church at large working over the course of decades and centuries. This is not to suggest that these words are the only way3to receive God's service to us and return our service to Him. …

The Consensus Of Pure Lutheran Liturgies: A Comparison And Analysis Of The First German And First English Service Orders Of Holy Communion In The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod, Mark Kufahl

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The purpose of this thesis is to determine the source or sources upon which the "Order of Morning Service or the Communion" of the Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-Book is based.1Issued by The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod in 1912, the Hymn-Book was the first English hymnal of this type published by the Missouri Synod. This particular publication, rather than a more recent hymnal, has been chosen as representative of the present liturgical usage of the Missouri Synod for two reasons. First, it is the first “official" English hymnal used by the Synod. Second, the communion liturgies currently employed by The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod …

The Lord's Prayer-Its Interpretation And A Reassessment Of An Eschatological Orientation, Favoring The Prayer's Primary Application As Being For The Present Gospel Age, David Fielding

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

"The Lord's Prayer: Its Interpretation and a Reassessment of an Eschatological Orientation, Favoring the Prayer's Primary Application as Being for the Present Gospel Age"

This dissertation (633 pp.) by David Fielding, Th.D., 1995,NT Exegetical Theology, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO., defends the applicability of the LP for the present Gospel age on the basis of its seven imperative verbs understood as typical "prayer aorists." Therefore a strictly future eschatological interpretation restricts the rich meaning of this Prayer, taught by Jesus on more than one occasion. The orientation of the LP primarily to the present is also supported by its context …

Using Parents In Preparing Their Children For Confirmation And First Communion, Wayne Wentzel

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

The theme of this paper is the involvement of parents in the spiritual life of their children as they prepare for confirmation and first Communion. A problem exists in most churches where these very vital steps are left to the pastor and the church. Through a study of the Scriptures, the writings of Dr. Martin Luther, and the history of the Christian Church, the extent to which parents are to be involved in this process is determined, as well as the age at which the child is ready to begin. Several surveys were conducted at Faith Lutheran Church to determine …

Welcome To Life! Knowing God And The Truths Of His Word, James Witt

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Welcome To Life is a Bible Information class intended to be used as a Christian instruction course for those seeking to join or reenter the church and as a refresher course in Christian doctrine for members who wish to be renewed and strengthened in faith. The course was developed over a 15-year period to address a need for a clear, comprehensive, orthodox and practical study of the biblicalChristian faith. Welcome To Life aims to present the major truths of God's Word in an informative and engaging manner so that learners will readily understand the Bible’s life-giving teachings and apply these …

Recognizing The Law, The Gospel, And Gospel Application In The Sermon: A Seminar On Preaching, Gilbert Duchow

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

The importance of making the proper distinction between Law and Gospel clear in the sermon is nothing new for Lutheran pastors, especially in The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, thanks to Walther's theses on Law and Gospel. However, the people in the pew still do not generally recognize that distinction in the sermon. There is also considerable confusion among the laity about the proper relationship between the Gospel and the application of the Gospel in a sermon. In addition, pastors often fail to include or keep in balance all three components in the sermon (Law, Gospel and Gospel application). Therefore, I designed …

A Study Of Bioethics For Christian Students At A Secular University, Edward Krauss

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

The tenets of humanism have been incorporated into classes that deal with bioethical issues at public universities. Christian students are faced with the dilemma of maintaining their Biblical ethics or adapting tithe philosophy of humanism when studying genetics, or matters of abortion, or suicide, or euthanasia.

This study examines secular humanism and ethical systems and presents a Biblical focus for Christian students when confronted with opposing views. A series of Bible studies and discussion questions on these bioethical issues follows each of the chapters for use in small groups on college campuses.