Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Best Practices In Lcms Congregational Mergers Into Multisite Ministries, Brian Hesse

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Hesse, Brian J. “Best Practices in LCMS Congregational Mergers into Multisite Ministries.” Doctor of Ministry. Major Applied Project, Concordia Seminary, 2018. 171 pp.

In this MAP the process of a church merger is evaluated for the development of Best Practices in LCMS Congregational Mergers into Multisite Ministries. These best practices aredeveloped with special considerations towards LCMS ecclesiology, missiology and Martin Luther’s Distinction of God’s Two Kingdoms. Best practice recommendations are included for LCMS church mergers, especially for those congregations considering multisite ministry.

The Practical Orthodoxy Of Balthasar Meisner: The Content And Context Of His Theology, David R. Preus

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Preus, David R. “Balthasar Meisner’s Practical Orthodoxy: The Content and Context of his Theology.” Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2018. 397 pp.

Throughout his tenure at Wittenberg from 1611 to 1626 Balthasar Meisner (1587-1626) contended with defining “theology” in terms of a genuinely practical enterprise. His challenge was to preserve Luther’s evangelical theology, along with its metaphysical and ethical implications, in the crucible of current political realities and shifting intellectual trends. Though drawn from Scripture, Luther’s theology had certain metaphysical and ethical dimensions that simply could not be ignored by the first two generations after his death. In the interest of …

Worshipping Meaningfully: The Complementary Dynamics Of Liturgy And Theology In Worship, Joseph Omolo

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Omolo, Joseph, T. "Worshipping Meaningfully: The Complementary Dynamics of Liturgy and Theology in Worship." Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2014. 242 pp.

This dissertation is a work in systematic theology which explores the relationship between liturgy and theology in the current scholarship of liturgical theology. It examines how the complementary dynamics of liturgy and theology enhance the appropriation of meaning experientially and conceptually in the Christian assembly and thereby making worship meaningful event. Worship is meaningful when the Christian assembly encounters the Triune God in his word and sacraments and the assembly responds in praise, prayer and thanksgiving. In such encounter …

Doctrine After Foundationalism, Robert Lewis Fossett

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Fossett, Robert, L. “Doctrine After Foundationalism.” Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2011. 250 pp.

This essay argues for an account of Christian doctrine that will bring to light the lingering entrenchment of foundationalism within the context of religious discourse and will show this entrenchment for what it is: a confusion inherited from the Enlightenment (and ultimately from Plato). In its place I offer an account of doctrine that is more explicitly Christological than what is currently being offered in the modern discussion on doctrine and that at the same time, moves the conversation past the assumptions of foundationalism. A properly Christian …

Can God Be Persuaded A Discussion Of The Immutability Of God In Luther's Catechesis On Prayer, Timothy Roser

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Roser, Timothy, W. "Can God Be Persuaded? A Discussion of the Immutability of Godin Luther's Catechesis on Prayer." Ph.D. Diss., St. Louis, MO: Concordia Seminary, 2005.197pp.

Different doctrines of God bring different understandings of Christian prayer. Open theism teaches a mutable God who can be persuaded by our prayer, that is, have human will imposed upon His choice and course of action. This study responds with Martin Luther's unique defense of the immutability of God and his perspective on human will's place in Christian prayer.

Chapter one reviews the teachings of open theism involving divine mutability and the consequent practice …

A.F.C. Vilmar: Theology Of Church And Ministry, Martin E. Conkling

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Conkling, Martin E. "A. F. C. Vilmar: Theology of Church and Ministry." Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2007. 271 pp.

This historical study explores the theology of A. F. C. Vilmar.The theology of church and ministry championed by Vilmar received critical attention in his own day, and he remains a bright star in the constellation of nineteenth century Lutheran theologians who sought to restore Lutheranism to the strength of its confessional origins and to correct the cultural tendencies of thought gone wrong in revolutionary Europe. Little secondary literature exists on this "Theologian of Fact" in English, and virtually none of his …

His Spear Through My Side Into Luther Calvin's Relationship To Luther's Doctrine Of The Will, Matthew Heckel

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Heckel, Matthew C. "'His Spear Through My Side into Luther:' Calvin's Relationship to Luther’s Doctrine of the Will." Ph.D. Diss., St. Louis, MO: Concordia Seminary, 2005. 307 pp.

In thesis thirteen of his Disputation Against Scholastic Theology (1518), Luther stated that free choice before grace was a reality in name only and when it does what it can it sins mortally. This statement had a significant impact as it was one of the sparks that ignited Luther's conflict with Rome, as Luther's thesis was singled out for condemnation as the thirty-sixth article of the papal bull Exsurge Domine (1520). Luther …

The Christian Concept Of God And Japan-An Examination Of The Christian Concept Of God In Japanese Culture, Utilizing The Two Realms Theology Of The Lutheran Framework, Chikako Drawbaugh

Master of Art Theology Thesis

Therefore, it is essential to recognize that God, the author of the earth and heavens, has placed people in cultures with a variety of lifestyles and values. Even though circumstances may differ, our Christian identity remains unchanged because of faith in Christ. It is also crucial to appreciate culture as God's gift to human beings. At the same time, however, Christians need to recognize the idolatrous attitudes in their lives. Christians uniquely possess the character of living within and beyond cultures. This prompts us to consider what it means to live as a Christian while also belonging to a particular …

The Jesus Name Controversy-A Doctrinal Development In The Pentecostal Movement Of The Twentieth Century, Paul Buford

Master of Art Theology Thesis

The preceding comments have been about the Pentecostal movement as a whole, but this thesis is concerned primarily with its third stream, the Oneness Pentecostal movement, that deserves attention in its own right. As Walter J. Hollenweger in The Pentecostals observes, there is "also a not inconsiderable group of Pentecostals for whom the only valid baptism is that carried out 'in the name of Jesus. According to Hollenweger, the dispute regarding the correct formula of baptism-a dispute between Trinitarian Pentecostals who baptize in the titles of the Trinity following Matthew 28:19 and the Oneness Pentecostals who baptize in Jesus' name …

Anthropology And The Doctrine Of Sin In The Theology Of Reinhold Niebuhr, Hiroyuki Kanamori

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

Understanding the theology of Reinhold Niebuhr is a great challenge, because all components of his theology are intricately interrelated with each other. It is therefore not proper to describe only his anthropology and doctrine of sin, the primary focus of this study, without also mentioning other matters related to it.

The Study Of Intercommunion 1951-1971 : Evidence Of A Hermeneutical Shift In Faith And Order, Mark Buetow

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

The thesis of this paper is that the approach to the problem of intercommunion taken by the Commission on Faith and Order demonstrates a foundational change in the hermeneutical approach taken by the Commission in doing theology. This conclusion is suggested as an answer to the question: What caused the shift in Faith and Order's study and discussion of intercommunion from one that seeks agreement among doctrinal differences and difficulties to a pluralistic approach which embraces all perspectives as complimentary and mutually affirming? The significance of the hermeneutical shift is this: the seeming theological convergence on intercommunion has come at …

Sanctification As Confessed By Luther In His Catechisms, Ernest Bernet

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The problem with the doctrine of sanctification is multifaceted. However, Senkbeil, in the above material, has identified for us two main facets in the problem: 1) speaking of justification without properly addressing sanctification, and 2) speaking of sanctification without properly addressing justification. The respective results of these problems are: 1) the whole matter seems to be God’s doing, or 2) the whole matter seems to be our doing.

In order to sift through these issues in sanctification which Senkbeil identifies, I propose for this study that we begin with a semantic method rather than speaking immediately in the traditional doctrinal …

Ordination Liturgies, The Call Process, And The Office Of The Ministry In The Landeskirche Of Braunschweig-Wolfenbuttel, 1569-1815, Kent Burreson

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

Therefore this study intends to examine the rites on their own merit as historical evidence of the theological understanding of church and ministry that arose in a specific context—a contextual-historical study of rites concerned with forming pastors. As Smith asserts, "Liturgical events such as ordination do not occur in a vacuum. They are supported by an attendant structure which influences the way in which they are experienced and understood. The political, cultural, theological, and ecclesiastical context will be considered in order to determine the milieu and mindset in which the rites were framed and celebrated." Having determined the context, its …

Luther And The Third Use Of The Law, With Special Reference To His Great Galatians Commentary, Jeffrey G. Silcock

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The question of whether Luther taught a third use of the law is far too broad for a thesis. We will therefore confine ourselves, in the main, to his great Galatians Commentary of 1531 / 1535, where he explicates in considerable detail the doctrine of justification and the proper distinction between law and gospel.4 Even though the nature of the letter is such that Paul speaks there more about justification than about sanctification, Luther still writes enough about the role of the law in the Christian life to warrant using this as our primary source. There are two main reasons …

Celebrating God's Grace: An Adult Information Course Which Teaches The Doctrine Of The Church As It Is Expressed In The Worship Of The Church, James Heining

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

The writer did a thorough study of the ongoing relationship of worship and doctrine as an influence in the formation of Lutheran worship practices.

He developed a class entitled "Celebrating God's Grace," which summarized the basic teachings of the church as they are expressed in the worship of the church. This was part of a revamped adult education program in his congregation.

In addition to the obvious benefits for those attending the class, the writer came to better understand the centrality of grace in the Christian faith and is now better able to plan and lead worship.

The Bestowal Of The Benefits Of The Real Presence The Early Eucharistic Works Of Martin Chemnitz As A Contribution Toward The Formula Of Concord Article Vii, Brynjulf Hoaas

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

Our thesis is that in Chemnitz' doctrine of the Lord’s Supper the benefits of the Lord's Supper are inherently the benefits of the Real Presence. The beneficial use of the sacramentis, therefore, connected with the "substance," that is, both the giving of the benefits and the receiving of them --faith and "the discerning of the body" -- are tied up with the Real Presence. This indicates that the two parts are closely connected, and their separation has negative consequences for both parts. A major purpose of our research will be to examine more in detail what he confesses of this …

The Relationship Of Christ And Faith In Luther’S Great Galatians Commentary (1531/1535), Section 2:16-21, Luisivan Veller Strelow

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

Luther’s language. is not always .easily understandable in his description of how Christ and faith are related so that faith in Christ justifies with the exclusion of works. Luther refers to the "present Christ" and says, "Therefore faith justifies because it takes hold of and possesses this treasure, the present Christ.” Luther says also that Christ is "the form of faith," and that Christ and the believer are "as one person.” How is this language to be understood? In contrast to some authors who isolated these phrase. and interpret them in a way which goes against their own context, the …

An Analysis Of Justification By Faith, Laverne Janssen

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

A critical evaluation of this topic is practical today for a variety of reasons. Many Lutherans today earnestly desire a consensus on the gospel with the Roman Catholic Church. This desire is often misdirected by a lack of crucial information on the respective Lutheran and Roman Catholic teachings on justification today. The responsible pastor must provide the doctrinal information that is lacking. A restatement of the Roman Catholic position of Trent by the Lutheran pastor will not usually satisfy the questions of those who have witnessed what appear to be basic changes in the Roman Catholic Church in our generation.

The Doctrine Of Scripture In Fundamentalist Theology A Lutheran Appraisal, Terry Forke

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The analysis of these four sources will form the body of this paper. The comparison will support the thesis that there is an appropriate distinction to be made between the fundamentalist and the traditional Lutheran doctrine of Scripture. This distinction is made in the hope that further discussion may be facilitated by the avoidance of unnecessary conflict due to the misuse of the term "fundamentalism" as applied to the Missouri Synod.

Augustine’S Theology Of The Sacrament Of The Altar As Understood From His Theory Of “Signum” And “Res”, Leo Fuhr

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

Augustine's Platonic way of thinking causes him to see the things of this world as signs that point to a world beyond. Within the context of this way of thinking, that is, from lower to higher, from outer to inner, from visible to invisible, from temporal to eternal, we will seek to analyze his theology of the sacrament. In order to do this, this paper will examine the terms siqnum and res as employed by Augustine in his theory of sign and in his definition of sacrament. That, in turn, may enable us to re late this theory to his …

The Nature And Function Of The Lutheran Confessions In Twentieth Century American Lutheranism, Charles Arand

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

By concentrating on what theologians and church leaders have written on the sub­ject of the confessional principle and confessional subscription, this study has dealt with those who had or have an interest in the subject. It may or may not be representative of the way in which the church at large regards and deals with the church's symbols. Attempting to address such a concern, this study has referred to official synodical resolutions and dec­larations as illustrative that the confessional attitude of the theologians was also representa­tive of their church's position. At the same time, however, it may be pointed out …

An Historical Analysis Of The Doctrine Of The Ministry In The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod Until 1962, John Wohlrabe

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

This study will analyze the historical background of statements on the doctrine of the ministry within The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod (hereafter identified as the Missouri Synod) until 1962. Such statements on the doctrine of the ministry will include declarations and resolutions which were officially adopted by the Synod at its conventions, books, articles and essays published or delivered by Missouri Synod theologians, statements drafted in attempts at reaching doctrinal unity with other Lutherans, and the personal papers and minutes of certain individuals, boards or agencies which had a decided impact upon the position of the Synod with respect to the …

Biblical Authority In The Westminster Confession And Its Twentieth Century Contextualization In The Reformed Presbyterian Testimony Of 1980, John Delivuk

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

This dissertation is a study of the doctrine of Biblical authority as believed and taught by the Westminster Assembly in its Confession of Faith, and this doctrine's application to the late twentieth century. Further, this dissertation will consider the definition of that doctrine, and how it was applied in the Westminster Confession. This study will also consider how the Westminster doctrine of Biblical authority is applied today in the Reformed Presbyterian Testimony of 1980. These issues will serve as the center of this study.

The issue of authority is one of the most important in Christianity, because it affects the …

Watchman Nee And The Priesthood Of All Believers, Wai Man Ng

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

It is the thesis of this study that the priesthood of all believers serves to undergird the seemingly unrelated loci of his theological scheme, namely, personal sanctification and the doctrine of the church. We shall examine Nee's teaching of the priesthood of all believers with reference to his spiritual theology and the doctrine of the church. And since Nee's teaching of the priesthood of all believers has historiographical implication in that the apostasy of the church is indicated by what he considers the intermediary class of clergy and the decline of the universal priesthood, we shall examine the development of …

Justification In The Eastern Orthodox Churches (A Comparative Study), Eshetu Abate

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The topic of this Thesis, Justification in the Eastern Orthodox Churches, is prompted by the document which recently came out of the U.S. Lutheran-Roman Catholic Dialogue on the doctrine of Justification by faith alone, work which took more than five years ending in September 1983. To one who comes from the East, especially from Ethiopia, a country where half of the population is Orthodox, the reading of the publicity on this dialogue and its outcome raised the question: "How do the Orthodox Churches in the East think about justification by faith alone?" The incubation of this idea yielded the present …

Melanchthon's Understanding Of The Will In The Loci Communes, Richard Osslund

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

It is a commonplace among many Lutheran theologians that Philip Melanchthon was a synergist. The purpose of this study is to evaluate this theological judgment on the basis of Melanchthon’s Loci of 1521, 1535, 1543, 1555, and 1559. The conclusion of this study is that Melanchthon's writings do not support the charge of synergism which has been directed against him. It is not the intention of the author to ascribe malevolence or lack of scholarly integrity to those who have described Melanchthon's position as synergistic. There are reasons for the historical judgment that Melanchthon was "the father of synergism in …

The Preaching Of Clovis G Chappell- A Study Of The Published Sermons In Light Of The Proper Distinction Between Law And Gospel As Articulated By C. F. W. Walther, William Carpenter

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

Walther persistently asserted that the understanding and proper distinction between Law and Gospel is vital to correct or orthodox preaching even to the point of holding this understanding up as the "supreme art among Christians." If a person is to be a serious practitioner of the Word of God, he must aspire to this skill or ability.

The value of this study then is twofold: our hypothesis was that C. F. W. Walther's classic work could be distilled into a pithy corpus and from this digest a set of criteria could be drawn from which objective judgments could be made …

The Doctrine And History Of Worship In The Reformed Presbyterian Church Of North America, John Delivuk

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

As the smaller, conservative Presbyterian churches have moved towards merger, one doctrinal problem has emerged. It is the position of the Reformed Presbyterian (Covenanter) Church of North America (RPC) on worship. The Reformed Presbyterian Church holds to the traditional Reformed positions of a capella singing and the exclusive use of the Psalms for singing in worship. This thesis was written to explain Reformed Presbyterian worship. The questions that it attempts to answer are: What is the historical basis for Reformed Presbyterian worship? What is the doctrinal basis for Reformed Presbyterian worship? What, if any, have been the changes in Reformed …

Predestination: A Comparative Analysis Of The Theology Of A. W. Pink In Relation To The Westminster Confession Of Faith, Richard Belcher

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

The subject matter of this dissertation concerns the doctrine of predestination in the theology of Arthur W. Pink. The study will include a comparison of his view to the Westminster Confession of Faith. Several areas of preliminary consideration must be presented before the primary subject can be approached.

The Development Background And Analysis Of The Termination Of Fellowship With The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod By The Wisconsin Synod, Myron Maltz

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

Lutheranism is no exception to the historical account of the Christian Church. Since the Lutheran Church is part of the Church Militant here on earth, it, too, has experienced the way of toil and tribulation in fellowship mergers, splits and divisions. The topic of this particular thesis relates to a cherished part of our Lutheran heritage involving both the Wisconsin and Missouri Synods as they comprised the major part of the Synodical Conference. This segment of confessional Lutheranism provides an excellent source of historical truth and application.