Arts and Humanities Commons^™

The Impact Of Artificial Intelligence In Online Education For Recruitment, Retention, And Sustainability Of Religious Organizations, Gordon Vaill Barrows

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation explored the applicability of AI chatbot technology in the context of a church environment where it was used to promote an accessible and engaging online learning platform for education and ministry training. The primary objective was to develop an AI-powered chatbot to increase recruitment, improve retention, as well as support organizational sustainability as it relates to church membership. The research includes a comprehensive literature review on AI chatbot technology and its relevance to online education within the context of a religious organization. The literature review establishes the fundamentals for a theoretical framework, exploring the association between educational technology, …

Why Education Matters: Understanding Islamophobia In The United States, Cintya Felix

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Since 9/11, there has been a significant increase in anti-Muslim racism which can be linked to misinformation, misconception, and stereotypes reinforced by a lack of an educational upbringing. In this paper, I examine the extent to which an individual's education level in the United States contributes to Islamophobia. Using an original data set of responses to the questions in the Chapman University Survey of American Fears (CSAF), I find a moderately strong relationship between the highest level of school an individual has completed or the highest degree they have received, and the degree to which they are afraid of Muslims. …

The Bible In Full Color: A High School Bible Study On The Inductive Bible Study Method, Margaret Gregory

Senior Honors Theses

Modern Christianity is saturated with Bible studies for students. However, a crucial skill the Christian student needs to learn – how to study the Bible independently – is a topic difficult to find in contemporary youth Bible study curricula. While there is a wealth of biblically sound, helpful Bible studies that students can benefit from, it is essential that students do not remain dependent on these resources. One goal for youth ministry leaders is that their students graduate high school with the knowledge and tools they need to interpret the Scriptures for themselves correctly. The creative thesis will be an …

Measuring Performance: The Economics Of Cleaning The Outside Of The Cup, Joshua Hollinger

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"Sometimes focusing too much on what we can measure distorts our beliefs and actions as we turn away from immeasurable things that matter."

Posting about ­­­­­­­­the economics of evaluating workers based on their performance from In All Things - an online journal for critical reflection on faith, culture, art, and every ordinary-yet-graced square inch of God’s creation.

https://inallthings.org/measuring-performance-the-economics-of-cleaning-the-outside-of-the-cup/

Music Educators As Worship Leaders: The Impact In Music Ministries Led By Music Educators, Patrick Robert Eckelkamp

Masters Theses

Some of the most competent musicians in local communities are the music educators in local school districts. Since the Bible commands us to play skillfully to God, local music teachers may be an excellent resource for churches. Some churches cannot hire a full-time worship pastor from a seminary or Bible college. In these scenarios, a skilled music teacher looking for additional income and sharing convictions with their church may be a great candidate to fill a vacant worship leader role. Since music teachers primarily study classical and orchestral music, there may be challenges for classically trained music educators leading a …

Theological Education And Spiritual Formation In The Lives Of Engaged, Emerging Adults, Markus David Colbert

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis seeks to answer the following question: What is an effective discipleship method for emerging adults who are already engaged in IChurch? The method chosen was multi-layered and utilized corporate discipleship which involved a classroom setting geared toward theological and doctrinal education based on Bloom-Anderson’s taxonomy of educational objectives, communal discipleship which was concerned with small group activities and peer-to-peer accountability, and personal discipleship geared toward individual spiritual formation given an edited list of Whitney’s personal spiritual disciplines. Participants were asked to take an introductory Theological examination which plotted them from analyze level to the create level of Bloom’s …

A Qualitative Phenomenological Study In Perceived Experiences That Enhanced Gospel Zeal In Christian Educational Leaders, Arlynne Gail Perley-Huebscher

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to investigate and reveal the perceived experiences that enhanced Gospel zeal in Christian educational leaders in ministry. Scholarly studies reflect that contemporary ministry trends affect Christian educational leaders' longevities (Barna, 2020a) but do not address effects on Gospel zeal. The researcher cites Ryle (1880, Chapter One, Para. 2) regarding the Gospel zeal phenomenon, “Zeal in Christianity is a burning desire to please God, to do His will, and to advance His glory in the world in every possible way. It is a desire, which is not natural to men or women. It …

"Read It Again!": Storytelling To Imitate The Great Teacher, Kate Whatley

Senior Honors Theses

The student’s mind is bent on stories, asking mothers around the world to ‘read it again’. These stories preserve information and emotions for centuries. In the classroom, stories enliven motivation and empathy in ways that result in higher academic achievement and social awareness. Learning to use stories as a key instructional strategy will allow for more equitable opportunities in classrooms, encourage mental health and truth telling for the teacher and the student collectively, and allow the academic community to imitate Christ by contributing to the bigger story taking place across time. In application of using stories as teachers, this thesis …

Maintaining A Biblical Worldview: Mitigating Emerging Syncretism With Worldly Philosophies Through Focused Instruction In Christian Theology, Scott Kendal Leafe

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are granted a “new nature” that enables them to develop thinking, a worldview, based on the mind of Christ. Unfortunately, since every person’s worldview is continually being modified, it becomes ever more challenging for believers to keep their thinking consistent with Scripture. Therefore, this action research thesis assumes consistent participation in focused teaching on fundamental doctrines and theologies of the Christian faith is necessary to develop and maintain a cohesive biblical worldview. This research project comprised the teaching of a five-part Bible study course at a local church in eleven consecutive forty-five-minute classes on …

Apologetics And Science Instruction For Educators In Secondary Christian Schools, Brett Austin Craddock

Masters Theses

Without the incorporation of apologetic instruction into the science classroom students will be ill-equipped to defend the Christian faith. The academic world has seen a decrease of importance that is placed on the Christian mind and therefore the academic world and the majority of scholarly debates have been left to secular thinkers. Secondary Christian schools are in the optimal position to answer the need to raise up a generation of students that may apologetically and academically defend the Christian faith. Through including topics such as Intelligent Design, irreducible complexity, anatomy, and fine-tuning to various fields of science, secondary educators will …

Black Lips Don't Turn Blue: A Womanist Critique Of Discriminatory Language In Medical Education, Alison Lawrence

Womanist Ethics

This paper examines race and gender inequities in healthcare as it pertains to the unequal presentation of descriptors of illness in medical textbooks. The author adopts a womanist perspective to criticize the use of the white male body as the standard for all patients, which causes signs and symptoms in women and people of color to be dismissed as less important. Following an analysis of normalizing language in current medical texts as well as its consequences for patients, the author calls for a system-wide shift to more inclusive, intersectional medical education that not only acknowledges differences among patient groups, but …

President's Perspective, Thomas White

Administrative Personnel Publications

No abstract provided.

Investigating The Prevailing Worldviews Of American Public Education: A Brief Analysis And History, Chester Walker

Senior Honors Theses

This thesis investigates whether the philosophies and worldviews underlying U.S. public education contradict or purposefully undermine Biblical Christianity. It provides readers with an understanding of the Biblical Christian worldview to enable them to analyze and contrast prominent worldviews of public education. Pragmatism and Marxism run rampant in public education today. Both strongly oppose fundamental tenets of the Biblical Christian worldview. To determine any purposeful anti-Christian agenda, the author examines the men behind the worldviews. Christianity maintains that ideas and practices in education originate from deeply-held, personal beliefs, which are passed on to students. Education is a means of discipleship to …

Educating Church Leaders: Providing End-Of-Life Spiritual Care To Life Changers Church Ministry, Jermaine Joshua Ruffin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Life Changers Community Fellowship Church, of Jackson, Mississippi, struggles to provide end-of-life spiritual care to its members. Its church leadership has placed the responsibility of providing end-of-life spiritual care on institutions such as hospice and palliative care companies. These organizations do their best to provide end-of-life spiritual care, but struggle due to cultural and ethnical boundaries, and a lack of resources to provide such care. This study seeks to examine whether end-of-life spiritual care is a biblical concern and/or mandate within church leadership. In addition, this study will explore how hospice chaplains understand end-of-life spiritual care provided to patients and …

A Biblical Philosophy Of Children, Susan Lovett

Faculty Publications and Presentations

As a Christian institution who holds to a high view of Scriptures, we should most certainly include a thorough examination of what the Bible has to say about the education of young children. The Bible, when correctly understood, serves as a filter for all the other philosophies and thoughts of men in regard to the care of children. Who could know what is best for children more than their Creator?

Designing Analog Learning Games: Genre Affordances, Limitations And Multi-Game Approaches, Owen Gottlieb, Ian Schreiber

Articles

This chapter explores what the authors discovered about analog games and game design during the many iterative processes that have led to the Lost & Found series, and how they found certain constraints and affordances (that which an artifact assists, promotes or allows) provided by the boardgame genre. Some findings were counter-intuitive. What choices would allow for the modeling of complex systems, such as legal and economic systems? What choices would allow for gameplay within the time of a class-period? What mechanics could promote discussions of tradeoff decisions? If players are expending too much cognition on arithmetic strategizing, could that …

Is This A Christian Nation?: Virtual Symposium September 25, 2020, Roger Williams University School Of Law

School of Law Conferences, Lectures & Events

No abstract provided.

Love Your Neighbor: An Educational Strategy To Cultivate Compassion In Adolescent Males, James Allan Benson Jr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

When challenged to identify the greatest commandment in the Law, Jesus Christ famously included “love your neighbor” in his response, making love foundational for all followers of Christ. Compassion is a key element that serves to demonstrate biblical love; sadly, today’s culture often minimizes or discourages compassion. In ten years of chaplaincy at the secondary school level, this author has seen too many Christian young men finish their high school journey without a foundation in love through compassion. This thesis project will utilize existing resources for academic and biblical research, as well as interviews of 25 high school males, to …

A Multiple Case Study Examining How Christian Education Has Influenced A High School Graduates’ Worldview, William Lawrence Lorigan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this multiple case study was to understand how the Christian education offered by Country Lakes School System (CLSS; pseudonym) has influenced the worldview of its graduates. CLSS defines a biblical worldview as follows: “The entire process of education is seen as a means used by God to bring the student into fellowship with Himself, to develop a Christian mind in him and to train him in Godly living so that he can fulfill God’s total purpose for his life.” The theoretical framework that guided this study was Sire’s three-dimensional concept of worldview, which served as a basis …

Room For Opportunity: An Investigation Of Catholic Student Life At The University Of Maine, Jacob Buttarazzi

Honors College

Like most Honors graduates before me, the final work for this thesis became something much different than what I had originally intended. Originally, I wanted to make short videos and blog posts about the nature of religion at UMaine. However, the project evolved into a short documentary focused specifically on Catholic students. I produced, directed, shot, and edited the film. My primary goal was to investigate whether or not Catholic students felt like a minority and how that affected them. I was repeatedly forced to reevaluate my own experience with faith throughout the production process. As a practicing Catholic, I …

Lost & Found: New Harvest, Owen Gottlieb, Ian Schreiber

Presentations and other scholarship

Lost & Found is a strategy card-to-mobile game series that teaches medieval religious legal systems with attention to period accuracy and cultural and historical context.

Set in Fustat (Old Cairo) in the 12th century, a great crossroads of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. The Lost & Found games project seeks to expand the discourse around religious legal systems, to enrich public conversations in a variety of communities, and to promote greater understanding of the religious traditions that build the fabric of the United States. Comparative religious literacy can build bridges between and within communities and prepare learners to be responsible citizens …

Finding Aid For White's Ferry Road School Of Preaching Collection, (1958-1972), Abilene Christian University Special Collections And Archives

White's Ferry Road School of Preaching Collection

Finding aid for the White's Ferry Road School of Preaching Collection, (1958-1972).

Developing A Strategy To Vitalize Volunteering For Successful Community Service In Korean Churches: Focusing On The Korean Baptist Church Of Blacksburg, Daijoong Park

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Volunteering is a practical method of community service which is an essential ministry of the church’s mission as the salt and light of the world. In order for a church to fulfill its mission of community service, the volunteer work of church members should be activated. However, many church members are still not participating in community service, and some volunteers have difficulty in continuing their volunteer work due to the lack of volunteer management for volunteering properly. The purpose of this study is to develop a viable volunteer management process to vitalize volunteering for community service of a church properly …

Carl F. H. Henry's Presuppositional Theology And Its Implications Within Educational Settings, Adam L. Lickey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In the mid-twentieth century Carl F. H. Henry was committed to articulating a cohesive theological understanding from an evangelical perspective. The primary feature of Henry’s theology was the ultimate authority of God’s Word. This presupposition impacted every area of his thinking and manifest itself in the practical outworking of theology. This dissertation argues that Carl Henry’s theistic presuppositions provide a workable framework for the practice of education. This thesis will be developed in three ways: establishing the consistency of revelational theism, demonstrating the irrationality of naturalism, and analyzing Carl Henry’s published perspective toward the American educational system. This study will …

The Historical Evolution Of The A.M.E. Church: Social Intervention To Advance Blacks Socio-Economic Position, Jasmin N. Graham

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Though it is well documented that the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AMEC) has been greatly involved in Black’s educational attainments; there is limited documentation on the connection between the educational efforts of the AMEC and its effect on the financial stability of Blacks. The objective of the study is to evaluate the AMEC’s tendency to intervene on behalf of its community. Tracing the different socio-economic initiatives of the AMEC through the lenses of education from the late 18^th century to the present has revealed the various meanings of the term freedom and how the church has adapted to acquire …

Sr. Nicole: Being A Teacher, Sierra Rood

Ask a Sister: Interview Wisdom from Catholic Women Religious

I interviewed with Sr. Nicole who spoke about her life experiences as a woman religious. This paper includes a portion of the interview where she spoke about her journey of becoming a woman religious and being a teacher.

Finding Aid For Sabinal Christian College (Sabinal, Tx) Records, (1905-1922), Abilene Christian University Special Collections And Archives

Sabinal Christian College (Sabinal, TX) Records

Finding aid for the Sabinal Christian College (Sabinal, TX) Records, (1905-1922).

Sr. Lucille And Sr. Mary Anne: Choice In Ministry, Chris Ray

Ask a Sister: Interview Wisdom from Catholic Women Religious

I interviewed Sisters Lucille and Mary Anne regarding their experience as women religious within the Church. This paper highlights a portion of the interview dedicated to the changes for women religious relating to the choice in ministry and the decreasing number of women entering the church.

Sr. Luke: Religious Missionary, Martha Tomesen

Ask a Sister: Interview Wisdom from Catholic Women Religious

In this paper, I will reflect upon my interview with Sr. Luke. In our interview, she spoke of her life as a religious missionary, the meaning of humility and what she learned from serving in some of the world’s most poor countries.

Sr. Darlene: Education And Retirement, Jocelyn Plowman

Ask a Sister: Interview Wisdom from Catholic Women Religious

This paper highlights part of an interview with Sr. Darlene, who is a member of one of the most hardworking orders in the United States. Sr. Darlene has personally experienced the reforms of the Vatican II Council, increased professional opportunities for women religious, changes in the Catholic education system, and new opportunities in retirement.