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Suspended Endings In Ancient Literature-A Context For The Evaluation Of The Ending Of Mark's Gospel, David Lewis

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

In response to this second, literary level argumentation, this paper will attempt to provide evidence which will support the view that Mark 16:1-8 can be properly interpreted on the literary level as the ending intended by the author. In addition, in response to the objection that the use of a sudden, unexpected, inconclusive ending (such as 16:8 would be) demonstrates a modern literary device which would be foreign to ancient authors, this paper will consider the endings of other ancient literary works and examine how these endings function in relationship to the narrative as a whole and to the expectations …

How Can The Ancient Greek Translations Of The Song Of The Suffering Servant, Michael Walther

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

The ancient Greek Translations of The Song of the Suffering Servant 1n Isaiah 52.13-53.12 provide and interesting example of the way 1n which people of the past have struggled with difficult texts. This particular study draws from the septuagint (LXX) as well as the later Greek versions produced by Aquila, Theodotion, and Symmachus. Following a brief review of these four important Greek translations, I will examine the important variations and offer my conclusions regarding the meaning of the Song and the task of translation.

Feminism And The Major Female Characters Of Exodus, Scott Ashmon

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The scope of this thesis is feminist interpretations of the major female characters of Exodus: Shiphrah, Puah, Moses’ mother (Jochebed), Moses’ sister, Pharaoh’s daughter, Miriam, and Zipporah. I will demonstrate that feminists interpret the major female characters of Exodus in three general ways. First, some feminists interpret the major female characters of Exodus in proper contextual, grammatical fashion and end up with a more accurate portrayal of the women. For this thesis, the term “exegetical” will be the shorthand term for this type of interpretation. Second, other feminists interpret the major female characters in exegetical fashion, but then exaggerate the …

Reconsidering Solidarity In The Mormon Village, Todd L. Goodsell

Theses and Dissertations

In what became a classic rural community study, Lowry Nelson concluded in his first Mormon village series in the 1920's that the Mormon village is characterized by an extraordinary sense of solidarity. He claimed that this strong solidarity can be primarily explained by four factors of the social group: leadership, conflict, cooperation, and ideology. After resurveying the Mormon village in 1950, he concluded that solidarity had declined. However, a few problems become apparent to the present researcher looking back upon Nelson's findings. One of them is that Nelson never had a clear definition of solidarity to begin with. Another is …

Multiple Discourses In Early Mormon Religion, Jon M. Duncan

Theses and Dissertations

The development of early Mormon religion is best viewed in the context of multiple discourses, each of which contained various competing symbols. These discourses shaped the mind and world-view of early Latter-day Saints and determined in part their behavior. Prophetic symbols existed simultaneously with other, more American symbols; and while neither discourse excluded the other, a prophetic discourse gradually came to dominate. At the same time, however, the American discourse in Mormon religion remained intact and continued to influence the behavior and actions of early Mormons.

Since Joseph Smith's Time: Lexical Semantic Shifts In The Book Of Mormon, Renee Bangerter

Theses and Dissertations

In the years since Joseph Smith completed the translation of the Book of Mormon, the English language has changed; some common phraseologies and word meanings are dissimilar to today's. Often, in reading the Book of Mormon, we impose our current definitions onto terms that in 1830 had a different meaning. Our interpretation of these words, as well as the passages in which they are found, is skewed by our modern definitions. These words, when they occur in the Book of Mormon, demonstrate dialectal and obsolete senses. In the case of some words, the dialectal or obsolete sense is so far …

Literary Approaches To The Book Of Jonah, Thomas Engler

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

"Kein Buch des Alten Testaments, abgesehen von den Psalmen, ist so oft erklart worden wie daskleine Buch Jona."1 It is even common to see disclaimers for one more book being written on Jonah. Hence the disclaimer that this investigation is not on the Book of Jonah per se, but falls into "the almost legendary category of analysis of analyses."2 That is, this investigation will not attempt to make an original literary analysis of the Book of Jonah. It will look at what others have discovered, analyze their purpose and methods, and seek to learn from them the contributions "literary approaches" …

Gemeindegeschichte Als Vergleichende Geschichte: The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints In East Germany, Bruce W. Hall

Theses and Dissertations

From 1945 until the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) in the former German Democratic Republic (GDR) endured the hardships of existing as a religious organization under a Communist regime. An evaluation of the LDS Church within the category of general and minority religions, which serves as a microcosmic evaluation of religion in the GDR, constitutes one part of this study. The uniqueness of the LDS Church and its experience - especially its American ties, ironically earlier a liability and later an asset - make it a candidate for a …

Stylistic Differences Between The Makkan And Madinan SūRas Of The Qur'āN, Maha Galal El-Borie

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

ΔιαθήΚη In The Lord's Supper And The Lord's Supper's Liturgy In Luther And The Lutheran Tradition, Chuck Ramsey

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

This paper addresses this question, and in the process reflects on the use and understanding of the word διαθήκη in the writings of Dr. Martin Luther, in the Lutheran Confessions, and in Lutheran tradition.

"What Is A Christian To Do: A Study Of Christian Service From Pertinent Writings Of Dr. Martin Luther In Light Of Recent Developments In The Church", Daniel Quinn

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

This paper will, from the Lutheran perspective, address the imbalance that occurs when the priesthood of all believers is exalted at the expense of the clergy, specifically when what God has given the laity to do is made to be the same as what God has given the clergy to do, i.e., the tasks of the office of the Ministry. Applying pertinent writings of Luther, this paper will attempt to exalt both the laity and the clergy by emphasizing the distinctiveness of what each has been given by God to do.

Luther's Teaching Of "Faith" In His Catechisms, Randy Asburry

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

In this paper we will examine Luther's understanding of faith in the following ways. First, we will define "faith" by unpacking its meaning. We will ask, "Who believes and in what do they believe?" Second, we will look at Luther's language of faith in his Catechisms and catechetical writings. We will note how he changes his language of faith depending on which part of Christian teaching he is explaining. Third, we will examine Luther's grammar of faith-his use of grammatical subjects, verbs, and objects-in the Small Catechism. And finally, we will see how Luther combines the teachings of the Christian …

August Vilmar's Theology Of Fact Versus The Theology Of Rhetoric, Martin Conkling

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

The work and theology of August Vilmar has largely been neglected in this country even though he was a prominenet theologian who lent substantial weight in a momentous effort to resurrect and restore the Lutheran confessions- to Germany in the first half of the nineteenth century. This translation is an attempt to recognize the vast contributions which Vilmar made to this effort and to identify those writings which would serve the church well today. Vilmar left no school of thought or method behind him as other great figures in the German universities often did. There are many reasons for this …

Feast And Yeast-A Study Of Two Categories Of Eucharistic Motifs Of The Early Church Later Recovered By Luther And Chemnitz, David Groth

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The first purpose of this thesis will be to explore the Lord's Supper as it was understood and celebrated by the early Fathers. The subject of our focus will be the two categories of motifs employed by the early Fathers. The first category will study how the early Fathers thought of the Lord's Supper as food. These motifs are collected under chapter one and will consider how the early Fathers saw connections between the Lord's Supper and food (such as the Passover meal, food for the journey, etc.) The second category will study how the early Fathers thought of the …

Mein Liebes Schones Confitemini-An Analysis Of Dr. Martin Luther's Translation Of Psalm 118, Paul Landgraf

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

Of the one hundred and fifty Psalms, Luther's favorite was without a doubt Psalm 118. He loved it enough to give a nickname commensurate to his beloved wife. While summarizing each of the Psalms in 1531 he called this one "mein liebes schones Confitemini.” The last word in the title betrays how familiar indeed the Latin translation of the Psalm had become to him. This personal reference was a brief, unique, and clear attempt to acclaim the Psalm's great worth.

The Enemies Of God's People-A Comparison Of Pauline And Jewish Exegesis, Charles Schulz

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

In light of the current re-evaluation of points of identity and divergence between Pauline Christianity and Judaism, this thesis presents a study of how each religion applied a single motif from the Psalter: the enemies of God's people. We start from the obvious common ground, the Old Testament shared by both Paul and the Jew as their sacred text. The work focuses on the unique opportunity afforded by the text of Romans 3:9-20, where Paul cites the Old Testament depiction of the wicked enemies. Next, we survey how apocalyptic and rabbinic Judaism developed and employed the enemy theme. Our conclusion …

The Liturgical Confession Of The Lord's Supper In Five Representative Orders Of 16th Century Lutheranism, William Weedon

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

In the ceremonies she retained, in the ceremonies she added, the Lutheran church of the 16th century gave a solemn public confession of her doctrine regarding the holy eucharist. Her liturgy gives ample testimony to what she confessed and taught regarding the nature of the sacrament, its benefits, and its proper use. The examination of this liturgy as public confession is the burden and joy of this thesis.

The Relationships We Live By, Craig Du Bois

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

"The Relationships We Live By" is an examination of the relationship-centered life whereby many of the traditional hierarchical ordering of relationships are evaluated and challenged. This is an analysis of the prioritization of relationships as discerned from the Scriptures.

The Attitudes And Experiences Encountered In Developing A Minority Student Program At Concordia University Wisconsin, Kermit Ratcliffe

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

The question which this Major Applied Project seeks to answer is this: "What can a Minority Director do to encourage the university he serves to become aware of the barriers blocking minority students' persistence?" I intend to identify the growing needs that minority students have by (1) presenting a purpose and design for this project; (2) presenting a historical background on African American life, their difficulties on American colleges and LC-MS colleges; (3) focusing theologically and culturally on the barriers; (4) planning and implementing a minority support program on CUW campus that will create identity, meaning, and security in the …

Suffering And Eschatology In Light Of An Exegetical Study Of 2 Thessalonians 1:4-5, Richard Shields

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

This paper examines suffering in light of an exegetical study of 2 Thessalonians 1:4-5.According to rhetorical analysis the exordium includes 1:1-12, with three major parts: epistolary prescript (1: 1-2); thanksgiving (1:3-10); and intercessory prayer (1: 11-12).2 Thus, this text occurs near the beginning of Paul's introductory thanks giving. 3 Many commentators appear to rush through this section in anticipation of examining the heart of the letter, chapter2.Recently, deSilva, commenting on 1 Thessalonians, "proposes that the thanksgiving section [of 1 Thessalonians 1] functions as much more than a captatio benevolentiae ....Rather, it addresses a real concern for the congregation(s)." Even more …

Adapting And Field-Testing The Ancient Catechumenate At Hope Ev. Lutheran Church, Saint Louis, Missouri, Dennis Lucero

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

The purpose of this project is to adapt and field test the catechumenate in a way that is theologically consistent with the Lutheran Confessions and employs excellent teaching methodology and practice. Through my research I intend to do the following: to demonstrate a higher level of understanding of the process of catechetical formation in the early church, to develop a higher level of theological understanding of the basis for the catechumenate process, to appreciate the theological formation of the process of catechesis, to heighten awareness of the impact of theological education in the life of the Christian congregation, to make …

The Function Of The Questions "How Long?" And "Why?" Addressed To God In The Lament Psalms, Robert Shreckhise

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

The issue under consideration in this paper is the meaning and purpose of the questions How long? and Why? addressed directly to God in the lament psalms. The psalms which contain these questions are a subset of the larger body of psalms classified as laments or prayers for help. These particular question-psalms are comprised of nine individual laments, five community laments, one each of a kingly lament and an individual lament in behalf of the community. Of over one hundred and fifty questions in the entire Psalter, these psalms contain the majority of the questions addressed directly to God. The …

“Have You Never Read?” The Significance Of Old Testament Citations In The Plot Of Matthew’S Gospel, Carl M. Hanson

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The primary purpose of this thesis is to begin to make a narrative critical examination of the use of explicit Old Testament formula citations in Matthew as they relate to the plot of the story. As an introductory study into the problem, a number of skills will be developed in this study. One prerequisite will be to explore and develop a better understanding of the narrative critical method. This means gaining the skills necessary in using this method to analyze the question above. Ancillary to this will be to gain an appreciation for the study of plot in general, and …

Developing A Relationship With God Through Prayer, Diane Louise Brown

Pastoral Institute

My area of ministry is teaching the sophomore religion class at Providence High School. I would like the students to develop a deeper relationship with God. This project will be an attempt to bring these students into a deeper understanding of themselves and their church community. The ultimate goal is that the students will grow spiritually by the grace of God.

The time period for this project will be from August 1997 to March 1998. I will start with several surveys and other forms which will give an overview of where the students are presently in their faith development. We …

The Role Of The Parish Pastor As Mental Health Provider: Counseling Competency And Personality Characteristics, John Phillip Burgess

Dissertations

United Methodist pastors, serving churches in the State of Michigan, were surveyed regarding their participation in counseling and referral to other mental health providers. In addition to a demographic questionnaire, each pastor completed two standardized instruments, the Counseling Self-Estimate Inventory (COSE) (Larson, et al., 1992) and the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule (EPPS) (Edwards, 1959). Dependent variables of amounts and types of counseling being conducted, scores from the COSE and EPPS, and four satisfaction ratings, were compared across several independent variables including: pastor's gender, age, race, length of service, theological orientation, and amount of academic preparation specifically related to mental health/counseling …

Sun, Moon, And Star, Christopher Kimball Bigelow

Theses and Dissertations

This fictional novella takes place during the narrator Smoot's two-year mission to Melbourne, Australia. It chronicles the intertwining of the lives and destinies of three main characters: Smoot, a Utah native who struggles with carnality and lack of conversion and spirituality; Babakian, an Australian convert who used to be a punk rocker and has become frustrated with Mormonism's blandness and conformity; and Samantha, a nonmember part-Tongan Utahn with whom Smoot was involved before his mission. Speaking generally, the novella is about how Babakian misuses his creative powers of art and sexuality, how Samantha explores the gospel and changes her life, …

The Mission And Ministry To German-Speaking Lutherans In Western Canada 1879 - 1914, Richard Kraemer

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

The following dissertation will provide a detailed account of the history of Lutheran ministry among German-speaking people in western Canada from1879 to 1914. Particular attention will be drawn to the relationship between the development of congregations in the region and the views on mission and ministry that were being held by those who were most involved in the work—the pastors themselves and the leaders of the mission boards who supported them. Their work in western Canada did not, however, begin in a vacuum; it was begun within an historical context. Relevant, therefore, to this study will be a brief review …

A Model For Transition Of Ministry In Declining Congregations, Charles Snow

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

A model for transition of ministry in declining congregations: There are many congregations in changing communities that are declining in membership, resources, and ministry. I propose that a congregation that places priority on fulfilling the Great Commission, Prayer, Biblical Stewardship and the Means of Grace can stop the decline and transition ministry to an emphasis on discipleship and outreach to the local community. I will present a discussion of the understanding of the "Missio Dei," the role of the pastor, the struggle between ministry versus numerical membership, and the use of community resources. I will give the transitional history of …

Der Grund Der Seligkeit Luther's Evangelical & Christological Method Of Distinguishing Doctrine Within The Early Church Councils & Fathers, Jeffrey Meyers

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

This essay will analyze Luther's On the Councils and the Church, especially Parts I and II, in search of the criteria he uses for distinguishing between true and false doctrine in the ecumenical councils and consequently for "locating" the "true" church amid the confusing whirl of ecclesiastical traditions. It is my desire to allow Luther himself to speak, to engage the reader in Luther's own argument as it develops in this treatise. He does not show all of his cards in the first pages of the treatise. He builds his case slowly, methodically. As we shall see, according to Luther, …

A Theological And Sociological Analysis Of The Family Dropout Problem Following The Rite Of Confirmation And Graduation Of Children From Trinity Evangelical Lutheran School, Springfield, Illinois, Micheal Strong

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

This project analyzes the problem of dropouts at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church and School in Springfield, Illinois, by a four step process.(1) First a strict confessional position will be articulated in this paper. (2)Then, while examining two current sociological trends, Church Growth and systems theory, some aspects of both movements will be found to be deficient for a confessional Lutheran while others usable. (3) Former or lapsed members are then surveyed and interviewed to determine their perceived reasons for becoming dropouts. (4) Finally, incorporating all of the above material, recommendations are made to the congregation and pastor of ways that …