Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Impressions And Arrows: Forming Faithful Preteen Hearts, Wes Gallagher

Doctor of Ministry

This project seeks to address the following NPO: Christian parents in today’s culture need resources and training to face the challenge and have conversations with their pre-teen children about matters of God and faith. Today's Christian parents often struggle to share their faith and values with their children. Parents feel that their own relationship with God is too shallow, that their calendar is too full, and that their relationship with their children is inadequate. Several reassurances surfaced from this research. First, parents and extended families really do have an impact on the faith of their children. Of course, involvement in …

Becoming All Flame Orthodox Spiritual Formation Curriculum And Lenten Meditation Based On The Liturgical And Monastic Tradition, Melaku Terefe

Doctor of Ministry

The monastic and liturgical tradition and literature of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church is underutilized to address the need for spiritual formation and direction ministry. This poses a challenge to Ethiopian Orthodox youth and the laity in general who are struggling to identify their spiritual needs and necessary spiritual disciplines. The goal is to provide practical solutions for addressing these needs and to make the Church's liturgical and monastic traditions more accessible to the broader Orthodox community, thus allowing the congregation to align with the precepts of spiritual formation that have been passed down in the church from generation to …

Crossing The Jordan Together: Recoding The Language Of Discipleship Used Among The Tribes Of Jesus Followers, Brian D. Russell

Doctor of Ministry

This Project Portfolio addresses the following NPO: The post-pandemic era leaves many Christians and seekers unmotivated to re-engage with the church. Reconnection is possible by recoding discipleship as thriving, holistic devotional living. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, all churches, regardless of size and vitality prior to the pandemic, were dealing with the same challenges of re-engaging people in the church, especially within their hospitality teams. Therefore, an opportunity arose to bring churches together to find fresh ways to re-engage their faith community where no one is the perceived expert. I am currently an adjunct professor teaching undergraduate ministry …

The Loft: Where Gen Z Goes To Build Relationships And Discover Spiritual Truths, Jeremy S. Deweerdt

Doctor of Ministry

It is an alarming but indisputable fact that the vast majority of Generation Z, specifically those between ages 18 and 25, are not attending and/or not interested in the faith or beliefs of the American Protestant Church today. Studies show that the Western Christian church is losing touch with an entire generation and that reality is the driving force behind this research project. We know from research conducted for this Doctoral Project, as well as from multiple academic and sociological studies that members of Generation Z are often interested in spirituality but are either ignorant or highly skeptical of organized …

The Baffling Blessing Of Petitionary Prayer, James M. Ennis

Religious & Theological Studies Student Work

Petitionary prayer can be characterized as many things. On one end of the spectrum, it holds out tremendous hope full of promise and potential, but on the other end, it can also be puzzling and problematic. Bewildered by lingering questions and doubts, at times we experience prayers of petition as precarious and paradoxical, and at other times, powerful and prevailing. Petitionary prayer requires persistence, patience, and persuasiveness. Depending on how some of Jesus’ parables are interpreted, it can even be reduced to pestering an indifferent God until he reluctantly responds and acts on our behalf.

There is a fairly common …

Mental Health Of Creative Professionals In Ministry, Anna G. Fawkes

Selected Honors Theses

This study examines the perceptions of creative professionals working in ministry. A “creative” is defined as anyone whose job relies on their ability to create and innovate, and the focus of this research is on creatives that serve in church environments where their creativity and spirituality are intertwined with their work. A quantitative research approach was designed to study the creative’s perception on six key-areas of their work/life balance. The resulting survey was administered online to willing participants who identified themselves as creative professionals in ministry. The data found that found that the creative's perception of their organization as "stifling …

Bridging The Gap: A Guided Journey Engaging The Christian Faith Across Generations, Chad Ibach

Doctor of Ministry

The need that is addressed through this project portfolio is the recognition that there is a lack of space for intergenerational relationships and conversations around spirituality and the Christian faith to occur between older generations and Generation Z specifically. As we look at the church today, we are seeing many different gaps occurring between generations, these two in particular. The focus of this project portfolio is to address this problem of the generational gaps within the church in hopes of creating long-lasting intergenerational relationships. The problem is addressed by gathering individuals from different generations and taking them through a sixmonth …

The Homing Of The Word: Textual Intimacy In The Gospel Of John, Mary A. Craig Osf

Th.D. Dissertations

Christian spirituality is rooted in the Gospels. In proclaiming the truth of Resurrection and the presence of the Risen Jesus, each Gospel stories Jesus into human imagining. The Gospel of John is experienced as radically different from the Synoptic texts. Something in it affects everything of it. It seemingly knows Jesus differently, engages a reader differently, Gospels differently, even and actually loves differently.

This study considers what the Gospel of John does to a reader. Though not an exegetical study in the strict sense, it depends on a most simple, most beautiful, and most intimate line in all of Scripture: …

Pentecostalism: A Comparative Study Of African And African American Churches In Springfield, Emmanuel Kumah

MSU Graduate Theses

This thesis is a comparative ethnography of two forms of black Pentecostalism, an African American congregation and an African immigrant congregation. The goal of this project is to show the similarities and differences between these Pentecostal groups. By observing members and interviewing them about worship practices, glossolalic utterances, and gender, the project reveals that although these two groups historically have a common root, there are both real parallels and differences between them because they developed independently from each other. This fieldwork at the African American Deliverance Temple Ministries and the African immigrant Redeemed Christian Church of God revealed that women …

The Invitation Of Desire For God Opened By The Stories Of Christian Mystics, Kathi Gatlin

Doctor of Ministry

As people are seeking to understand and find answers in the midst of making meaning of their life experiences, many are drawn to a deeper relationship with God. This dissertation proposes that the writings of Christian mystics, an ancient tradition of Christian spirituality, offer an invitation to a deeper understanding and relationship with God.

In this work, mysticism is defined as: Christian mysticism, at God’s invitation, is a journey of experientially knowing the God defined as Love. This journey leads to a knowing that is underneath the surface of rational thought and includes and transforms the whole self: body, mind, …

Experiences Of Grace As Told By The Lgbtq Community, Nicholas A. Schollars

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Positive psychology has yielded rich insights about the nature of forgiveness and gratitude, but it is just beginning to broach the topic of grace. Theoretical evidence suggests grace is a crucial therapeutic factor in helping patients overcome shame, but empirical evidence is wanting. Because of the central role grace plays in Christianity, a qualitative exploration was conducted with a sample of participants identifying as either lesbian, gay, or bisexual, as well as Christian. Transcripts from 26 semi-structured interviews were coded and analyzed. Participants reported that their experiences of Divine Grace were related to their views about God’s nature. They reported …

Spiritual Struggle And Gregory Of Nyssa’S Theory Of Perpetual Ascent: An Orthodox Christian Virtue Ethic, Stephen M. Meawad

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project utilizes virtue ethics as an especially suitable lens by which to develop an Orthodox Christian ethical model generally. At the same time, virtue ethics carries with it some complexities that are in turn mitigated by the particulars of this Orthodox model—spiritual struggle and perpetual progress, or epektasis. Spiritual struggle in this project, which ultimately shifts the emphasis from virtue’s acquisition to its pursuit, is defined as the exertion of effort in all conceivable dimensions—physical, emotional, psychological, intellectual, and spiritual—with intent to attain a semblance of, knowledge of, and intimacy with Jesus Christ in community, for God …

Technological Advancement In The Church: Its Effectiveness In Improving Worship And Church Functions, Aaron T. Janzen

Selected Honors Theses

This paper provides an objective look at the subjective topic of technological advancement in the ministry setting. The first step of this literary work is to identify what constitutes as technology and how has it either improved or complicated life as a whole. From the worship service to productivity in the office, technology has permeated the church world. Through literary research and interviews of technical directors in churches, this paper will be able to analyze the positive and negative components of technology adoption. This includes ease of process and spiritual potency. How technology has changed the church dynamic in the …

God Likes Sex: Conversations Integrating Spirituality And Sexuality, Jennie Armstrong

Doctor of Ministry

Throughout Christian history, the Church has provided inconsistent messages about the spiritual foundation for healthy sexuality. With avoidant messages of silence and shame around sexual topics from the Church, many emergent women separate their spirituality from their sexual lives, never considering scripture as a guideline for healthy sexuality. Emergent adult women, specifically those without strong spiritual foundations, are more likely to engage in unhealthy sexual behaviors which often leave them feeling alone and separate from God and spiritual community. Because popular culture does not support marriage as a moral requirement for a sexual relationship, present cultural messages advocate that these …

Soul Journey: Rediscovering The Sacred Paths For Body, Heart, And Mind, Christopher Fillingham

Doctor of Ministry

The spiritually thirsty are leaving the church in the West. They do not find the church to be a place of spiritual wisdom and nourishment. This dissertation follows various ancient guides within Christianity to recover a life-giving spirituality for the Western Church in the twenty-first century. Chapter 1 draws on the desert monastics as it explores the lack of a transformational spirituality in the modern Church. It defines spirituality in terms of eros, clarifies the aim of spirituality as union, and explores the common reductions that have led the Church astray. Chapter 2 connects the three spiritual paths outlined in …

Becoming Stuck In Complicated Grief: Turning Loss Into Resilience, Hope, And Healing, Elizabeth (Pam) Strachan-Proudfit

Doctor of Ministry

Grief is a natural and normal experience reaching back to the narrative of creation. Research has revealed that about 80 to 90 percent of grievers experience normal or uncomplicated grief while a small percentage ranging from 10 to 20 percent struggled with complicated grief responses. This small percentage is the focus of this dissertation. Those who experience complicated grief are observed to become stuck and unable to move through the grieving process independently. Grievers who are stuck appear to have on-going difficulty in their spiritual, emotional, cognitive, and even physical health. The uniqueness of grief is not only real with …

The Parallels Between Art Therapy And Christianity: Integrating Identities As A Christian And An Art Therapist, Kendal Hansen

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Therapists knowledge of their personal beliefs is extremely beneficial to individual’s working in the field of art therapy. Therapists are better able to serve their clients when they have a clear understanding of themselves and their biases. The writer of this thesis identifies strongly as an art therapist and as a Christian. To better understand how the two strongest parts of her identity integrated, this thesis explored the parallels between Christianity and art therapy by reviewing the literature and facilitating an arts-based qualitative study. The literature suggested that art therapy can be effective with various populations within the Christian category. …

The Pornography Pandemic: Implications, Scope And Solutions For The Church In The Post-Internet Age, Dillon A. Diaz

Selected Honors Theses

Pornography, recently declared a public health risk, has become an increasingly large problem for society, in particular, the church. The users of pornography span across the board, including men, women, adolescents, children, and even clergy. Pornography has been shown to have detrimental effects in the marriage and family. It also presents a distorted view of sexuality, increasing violent sexual attitudes and other deviancies. As the pornographic industry targets younger audiences, they are more easily hooked due to psychological phenomena and physical changes to the brain that result from pornographic use. All these issues find expression in the life of the …

The Spirituality Of Watchman Nee From A Neo-Confucian Perspective, Jin Meng

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Watchman Nee (Ni Tuosheng, 1903-1972) is one of the most influential Chinese theologians. His theology formed in the early twentieth century and still attracts Chinese people today. This thesis undertakes an innovative twofold-perspective investigation into Nee’s idea of sanctification. By clarifying Nee’s synthesizing of the Holiness Movement theologies and examining his view of sanctification through the lens of the neo-Confucian idea of moral cultivation, this work argues that the practical pursuit of living in holiness and the synthesis of rational thinking and mystical intuition of Nee’s spirituality both deeply resonated within the Chinese spiritual neo-Confucian mindset. Viewing Nee’s theology as …

Better Than Before, Makia Harper

Theses and Dissertations

Better than Before is an experiential art installation that profiles the life of James Isreal, a Vietnam vet who shares a spiritual journey that is filled with self-discovery, introspection, and hope in the midst of war and abhorrent racism. His poignant retrospective follows his struggle to find peace in the midst of trauma and disease, providing life lessons that transcend the pangs of adversity and the unknown.

Educating Calvary Baptist Church, Asheville, Nc, On The Value Of Following The Christian Year As A Means For Spiritual Renewal Through Worship, Jeffrey C. Hayes

Doctor of Ministry Projects

This project introduced the spiritual value of following the Christian year in worship. Through a series of sermons and study lessons that focused on eight major seasons (Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, Easter, Pentecost, and Ordinary Time), participants were exposed to the history and spiritual purpose of each, respectively. Two surveys were administered, along with weekly evaluations, and interviews, to measure the project’s effectiveness. The desired outcome was a greater degree of knowledge and interest in worshipping through the Christian year. According to the final analysis, increased understanding, spiritual growth, and desire to worship through the Christian year did …

To Write A Life : Three Women In History., Justy Louise Engle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This creative and critical hybrid dissertation explores the spiritual connections between three women in distinctly different time periods: contemporary America, nineteenth century America and early fifteenth century France. The overall dissertation explores the autogenealogobiography, what the author defines as the self-writings of women composed within a specific time period in relation to the current moment and generations of ancestral women. The objective of the creative texts is to record the spiritual journeys of life for the women who will come after for the purpose of encouraging careful observation of history so that women will be able to note and internalize …

Learning To Listen: Leadership Lessons From North American Indigenous Voices, William P. Dobrenen

Doctor of Ministry

What difference does it make that Indigenous peoples were destroyed by Western colonial hoards, often in the name of God? What can be learned from the voices of Native Americans who understand traditional values and pre-colonial leadership practices? How can these voices be lifted up into twenty-first century conversations concerning cultural and leadership issues in a post-modern world? Are these voices worth listening to? What are they saying? This paper proposes a call to pay attention to traditional ways of thinking that need to be renewed today, particularly for individuals and organizations that are weary of faddish leadership rhetoric that …

Effects Of An Electronically Guided Prayer Intervention, Brian Lee Goetsch

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Abstract Hope has been identified as an important factor in a variety of positive outcomes in psychotherapy, medicine, academic success, and for general levels of functioning. However, until now most studies on hope have been correlational in nature, and researchers have rarely sought to understand how hope can be facilitated. The present study considered the effect of prayer on experiences of hope in a national sample of Christian college students. An intervention group completed a guided prayer exercise once a day for 2 weeks. Pre and post-test levels of hope were assessed and compared to a control group, and a …

Emerging Young Adult Spiritual Formation: A Developmental Approach For An Intergenerational Church, Frederick R. Fay

Doctor of Ministry

There is a growing disconnect between young adults and the church. Research into this specific and recent phase of life shows how cultural trends have shaped the spiritual lives of emerging adults. This dissertation claims that the loss of relevancy of the church for young adults is rooted in how the church has either capitulated or ignored these trends. Section 1 addresses the current immature faith that is endemic in many contemporary churches. The church’s history and the culture within which it is embedded are examined. Section 2 describes other approaches to spiritual formation of young adults. Section 3 asserts …

Análisis Crítico A La Didáctica Presente En Los Textos Hablemos De Dios Y Mí Despertar Al Amor De Jesús: Diseño De Lineamientos Didácticos Para La Formación En La Dimensión Espiritual De Los Estudiantes De Preescolar, Mauricio Gómez Sánchez

Licenciatura en Educación Religiosa

Pensar la didáctica para el desarrollo de la dimensión espiritual en el grado preescolar obliga al docente a tener presente el contexto del niño, saber cómo es su proceso de aprendizaje para desde allí plantear la manera de educar. La dimensión espiritual en el niño de preescolar debe posibilitar el encuentro del espíritu humano con su subjetividad, su interioridad y su conciencia. De igual forma debe poseer en su fundamento didáctico los tres principios pedagógicos siguientes: la integralidad, la participación y la lúdica

Awful/Awful: An Archive Of Light Embarrassments, Teysha Vinson

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The difficulty of representing intangible religious ideas is at the core of Awful/Awful: An Archive of Light Embarrassments. Through an interest in how light is discussed in the Bible as a symbol for God and his fellowship, I make imagery that both repulses me and intrigues me but never do I get to the point where I feel the work encapsulates any answers. Instead, the photographs are questions, archived, unable to represent this light of God on their own without being trite or obtuse. The arranged work on the walls consists of these photographs plus a few ephemera from my …

Resourcing The Postmodern Pastor: An Examination Of Young Pastors’ Attitudes And The Implications For Denominational Publishers, Bonnie J. Perry

Ed.D. Dissertations

This study explored the influence of postmodernity on the changing attitudes of young pastors regarding spirituality and discipleship in their adult congregants. The purpose of this study was to educate and equip Christian publishers to resource young pastors who are ministering in a postmodern culture. The study focused on Church of the Nazarene pastors 35 years old or younger in the calendar year 2012, exploring their attitudes toward Christian faith, spirituality, and discipleship. At certain junctures in the study, the young pastors’ attitudes were compared to those of pastors who were 36 years or older in order to determine what …

Spiritual/Religious Issues In Therapy At A Community Mental Health Clinic, Courtney Elizabeth Mcconnell

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Abstract The purpose of this dissertation is to explore the growing area of spirituality and religion in counseling. The American public values religion; and the American Psychological Association (APA) acknowledges religion/spirituality as a vital area of diversity. With APA calling for specialized training in religious diversity, it is important to consider what religious/spiritual issues arise in a community counseling setting. This study was designed to determine whether clients or therapists raise religious issues, and whether clients who self-identify as religiously affiliated spend more time discussing religious/spiritual topics in session. In addition, researchers hoped to learn about what religious content was …

Describing A Pentecostal Spirituality And Eploring These Expressions Within A Spiritual Formation Model, Jeremy Daniel Sims

Doctor of Ministry

Richard Foster states, “The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people.”1 But how do we understand what it means to be a “deep person?” We need a description of what a deep relationship looks like and a model of the spiritual growth process that makes that possible. A spiritual formation model is a tool designed to identify the organic process of growth for the believer in Christ and describe how that believer might tunnel into the depths of maturity by partnering with the Holy Spirit. As a Pentecostal, …