Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Theology Of The Laity: The Lutheran Way, Brian M. Mosemann

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

The distinction between the laity and clergy has been a contributing cause of disunity within the church because the clergy and laity are often pitted against one another with one or the other being elevated to the detriment of the other. This problem has plagued the church from the middle ages until the present day. Since the definition of the term “laity” is vacuous, the laity are generally defined relative to the clergy, specifically in reference to their authority and duties. This results in a negative definition when the laity are defined as the opposite of the clergy. The laity …

We Are All Eve: Rescuing The Mother Of All Things From Patriarchal Interpretation And Its Implications For Modern Christian Women, Maeve Pioli

Senior Theses

For centuries, the traditional Christian understanding of the Genesis narrative has relied heavily on the patriarchal biases of historic church figures to enforce a gendered hierarchy where women are deprived of authority, voice, and agency. My thesis deconstructs these misogynistic interpretations to provide liberating, alternative readings for the Garden of Eden as well as New Testament verses that utilize Eve’s transgression to justify women’s secondary status. As a former Christian, I have witnessed the persistence of this oppressive theology, often repackaged as a “complementary” relationship between sexes where women must dutifully submit to the headship of men. Therefore, by building …

Revival Today: America’S History Of Biblical Revival And Its Modern Application, Matthew Musser

Senior Honors Theses

There is a need for revival within the church today. Christian revivals are becoming less and less popular in the current times. Is this due to a subtle shift in America’s culture? Or is this decline of religious revival the result of something deeper? This thesis will seek to discover the biblical foundations of revival in American history. First, it will analyze some of the biblical revivals that took place in the Old Testament, Gospels, and Book of Acts. Then it will transition into how these biblical principles have been the cornerstone for many of the great revivals in American …

Palestinian Evangelical Christian Music In Bethlehem, Israel/Palestine, Abby Smith

Senior Honors Theses

Often the story of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is portrayed as Jewish vs. Muslim, Hebrew vs. Arab. There is little room in the international dialogue for minorities such as Arab Christians. Though Palestinians have a rich culture of Arabic musical and poetic heritage, they are unable to produce their own new songs. In this study I interviewed three members of Immanuel Evangelical Church on their experiences and opinions on local Christian worship. The findings show that Palestinian Christians may feel unable to write worship music because of a prevalent feeling of inadequacy and a lack of musical training. I propose several …

Slaves In The Christian Household : The Colossian And Ephesian Haustafeln In Context, Donald Murray Vasser

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Justification Clause Of Phil 3:12 : A Textual, Transcriptional, And Exegetical Analysis, Ryan Kristopher Giffin

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Coherence Of Justification In Luke 18:9-14 With Authentic Jesus Tradition, Peter D. Tan-Gatue

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Interpretations Of Jesus And The Virgin Mary In The Quran And The Bible: A Possible Contribution To Muslim-Christian Cooperation?, Jon Armajani

The Journal of Social Encounters

This essay explores Muslim and Christian understandings of Jesus and his mother Mary, which may provide a basis for possible cooperation between the two religious communities. The similarities and differences in views are discussed, with an understanding that there are differences in views not only between but also within the two religious communities. The essay concludes with a discussion of seven types of interreligious dialogue as articulated by Sallie B. King, and how they apply to Muslim-Christian dialogue related to Jesus and Mary.

Prayerbook Of Christ, Prayerbook Of The Church: Dietrich Bonhoeffer’S Christological Interpretation Of The Psalms, Brad Pribbenow

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Pribbenow, Brad A. “Prayerbook of Christ, Prayerbook of the Church: Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Christological Interpretation of the Psalms.” Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2017. 260pp.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906–1945), German Lutheran theologian and pastor, is known as an ethicist, church reformer, political resistor, seminary professor, and martyr. Yet overlooked by many scholars is his contribution to the history of interpretation of the Psalms. Bonhoeffer’s interpretive approach toward the Psalms, which shares many characteristics of pre-critical exegesis, is built on a two-pronged hermeneutic emphasizing the relationship of the Psalms to prayer and to Jesus Christ the Crucified One. The distinguishing mark of his unique …

Intersexion, Cynthia Davis

English Theses & Dissertations

A combination of memoir, reportage, and opinion writing, Intersexion explores the realities of growing up intersex while also examining the conservative mindset that caused the narrator—a happily married suburban mother—to lose a tenure-track position at a Christian university for being unwilling to label Danny’s intersex condition as “repugnant” and “offensive to God.”

Papers Of Edna Judd Davis, Ats Special Collections And Archives

Finding Aids

No abstract provided.

Christ And Culture Valued: Test Cases On Fairness, John Carson Iii

Senior Honors Theses

This research engages H. Richard Niebuhr’s work, Christ and Culture. Niebuhr’s book is a seminal work on the historical trends of Christian cultural engagement. This research applies several tests to the paradigm demonstrated in Niebuhr’s work. These tests demonstrate that Christ and Culture presents a paradigm that lacks fairness and does not adequately meet the goals of an explanatory paradigm. Niebuhr’s paradigm has shaped the discussion of Christian cultural engagement for over fifty years, and this research was done to demonstrate the need for new conversation-shaping paradigms in the field of Christian cultural engagement.

The Vessels Of The Treasure, Charles Ralston Smith

Charles Kay Smith

No abstract provided.

Reclaiming And Reconciling What Was Originally Ours--Christianity And Feminism: A Concise History, Soquel Filice

History

No abstract provided.

A Period Of Transition: Early Islamic And Umayyad Coinage, Anna Tiner

Featured Research

A study of four coins from 620 to 680 AD provides a meager yet insightful glimpse into the coinage minted by Islamic rulers during their conquest over the Holy Land and the transition of rule from the Byzantine Empire to the Islamic Caliphate. With the help of an innovative technology called Reflective Transference Image (RTI), on loan from USC, I created high-resolution images that can be adjusted with respect to light and reflectivity. Creating RTI images of the coins administers a deeper alternate perspective giving light to aspects of the coin that cannot be seen by the naked eye. Using …

Strategies For Developing Young Leaders Through Effective Mentoring Relationships Within The Bethel Church Of Liberia, Jacob Meiporkoyah

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Growing Places : An Exploratory Study Of Lay Leadership Development In The Local Church, Craig Taylor

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Practice Of Rule Of Life As A Tool For Spiritual Formation In View Of Ministry In Union With Christ, Ethiege Upul Nishantha Silva

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Importance Of Integrity In Christian Leadership : Giftedness + Integrity(3) = Productivity, Jasmin O. Brown

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Importance Of Integrity In Christian Leadership : Giftedness + Integrity(3) = Productivity, Jasmin O. Brown

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

"One of the christian world’s greatest leadership challenges today is integrity. the church is facing an integrity crisis that will compromise its influence within society. this integrity crisis within the church serves as the impetus for exploring the importance of integrity among christian leaders. this study examines three dimensions of integrity: personal integrity, vocational integrity,"

Transformational And Strategic Leadership : Its Impact On The Capacity For Organizational Effectiveness, Barbara Angela Dobson

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Enduring Endeavor : How Francis E. Clark Utilized Written Communication, Global Travel And Organization To Re-Shape The Global Protestant Church's Ministry To Young People Through The Christian Endeavor Society, Brian C. Hull

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Twelfth Century Literal Bible Commentaries: Comparing Jewish And Christian, Devorah Schoenfeld

Theology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

In the twelfth century, both Jewish and Christian Bible commentators began to emphasize literal, or historical, or contextual, approaches to interpreting scripture. These commentators wrote predominantly line‐by‐line commentaries that focused the reader's attention on linguistic questions in the biblical text. There was also a renewed interest in seeing the Bible in its own terms rather than exclusively through the lens of earlier midrashic or patristic commentaries, although those continued to play an important role. These developments happened at the same time for both Christian and Jewish scholars, who were often in conversation with each other about how to interpret the …

Rhetorical Rationale For The Compositional Integrity Of Second Corinthians, Mark Erickson

Master of Art Theology Thesis

The contention of this thesis, then, is: The Apostle Paul’s apparent use of ancient Greco-Roman rhetorical conventions in 2 Corinthians gives evidence of its compositional integrity and adequately accounts for the apparent partitions which, to some scholars, reveal the existence of multiple documents.

Gay Christians: Living Out Faith In The Light Of Exegesis And Experience, Megan Baxter

Senior Theses and Projects

A study of God’s will towards gay sex within loving and committed gay unions based on exegetical scholarship and the lived experienced of gay Christians. Over 350 gay Christians were surveyed for this work, and their experiences are reflected in the conclusions of this paper. This work also investigated the relevant Biblical texts, paying close attention to the use of language and historical critical aspects of exegesis.

Cultivating Missional Leadership Characteristics Through A Small Group Spiritual Formation Program For Pastors, David John Cooke

ATS Dissertations

Pastoral ministry is rife with leadership pressures and challenges. Pastors face what seems to be a monumental leadership challenge of trying to lead struggling congregations that are focused inwardly to become missional in focus. Engaging in spiritual formation practices and small group opportunities can help pastors become spiritually vibrant and effective leaders.

Christians throughout the centuries have met in small groups to build community and strengthen one another as disciples of Jesus Christ. Pastors benefit from meeting in small groups where their love for God can be cultivated and their ability to serve as missional leaders can be developed. In …

Review Of Jewish Ways Of Following Jesus: Redrawing The Religious Map Of Antiquity, Matt A. Jackson-Mccabe

Philosophy and Religious Studies Department Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Awakening Of Knowledge In The Heart Of Egypt: An Exegesis Of Exodus 7:1-5, Andrew Krawtz

Global Tides

Exodus 7:1-5 is the fourth reiteration of God’s commands to Moses regarding Pharaoh and the Israelites, with the others being in Exod 3, 4:21-23, and 6:1-13. With these passages and the resulting plagues, readers have raised questions regarding God’s powerfulness and good nature. For example, if God is all-powerful and good, why does he not just liberate the Israelites immediately, instead of dragging it out through ten plagues while manipulating Pharaoh, seemingly exacerbating the general suffering of people and land? My proposed answer to these concerns lies in the focus of this passage, which is God’s relationship with the Egyptians. …

Developing Pastors' Understanding And Practice On Biblical Financial Stewardship: The Key To Impacting The Growth Of The Bible Christian Fellowship Church Of Indonesia, Tandi Frederik Randa

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Sustaining Effective Spiritual Leadership Through Spiritual Formation Practice And Self-Care Among United Methodist Ordinands In The Rocky Mountain Conference, Jane Youtz Riecke

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.