Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Virtual Reality In And For Creation, Jaron Melin

Grapho : Concordia Seminary Student Journal

Within the last few years, there has been growing excitement and concern in the rise of what is called the metaverse. How do various enthusiasts and observers characterize the metaverse? Bobrowsky on the Wall Street Journal reports the metaverse as “an extensive online world transcending individual tech platforms, where people exist in immersive, shared virtual spaces. Through avatars, people are able to try on items available in stores or attend concerts with friends, just as they would offline.”

“Daddy, Will Animals Be In Heaven?”- The Future New Earth, Paul Raabe

Concordia Pages

In this Concordia Pages Dr. Raabe has us focus on the earth as a new creation. He says “‘Daddy, will animals be in heaven?’ That is a common question and a good question. It gets at the big picture. What does the post-resurrection look like? What kind of eschatological future do you lay out before your people? What do you teach your people?”

Living In The Promises And Place Of God- A Theology Of The World, Charles Arand, Erik Herrmann

Concordia Pages

This Concordia Pages explores how locating the story of salvation within the broader, biblical story of creation impacts our witness in the world. In particular, it considers how being placed alongside our fellow creatures as recipients of God’s goodness and mercy opens up the possibility for a reciprocity of witness—the way in which our lives, contingent and intertwined, allow for both Christians and non-Christians to bear witness to the work and wonder of God. In such a context, the uniqueness of the Christian witness finds renewed purchase and possibility.

Christ Is Risen, Indeed- Good News For Him And For Us, Jeffrey Gibbs

Concordia Pages

About “Christ Is Risen, Indeed: Good News for Him and for Us,” Jeff Gibbs writes:

Good Friday and Easter (along with Ascension and Pentecost) go together, one event, in a sense. Different New Testament texts invite us to emphasize now one aspect of that multifaceted reality, now another. Even when the focus is, for instance, on the death of Jesus, there is more than one thing to say about it: propitiation, ransom, redemption, casting out of Satan, a pattern for our discipleship, and so on. All are true. In this essay, however, my focus will be quite intentionally on the …

Leonardo Boff’S Social-Environmental Ecology Exposition, Analysis, And Appropriation For Lutheran Theology, Alan Furst

Master of Art Theology Thesis

Furst, Alan Diego. “Leonardo Boff’s Social-Environmental Ecology: Exposition, Analysis, and Appropriation for Lutheran Theology.” MA Thesis, Concordia Seminary, 2018. 107pp.

Ecological issues throughout the world present an urgent need for a deepened theological approach to the doctrine of creation. In fact, recent studies have shown that such issues point to a more serious problem with the entire system at work shaping social relations today. This situation calls Christian theologians to rethink the doctrine of creation in light of ecological issues. This includes Lutheran theologians, who still need to address the current situation involving ecological issues and to offer reflections and …

Back To The Beginning Creation Shapes The Entire Story, Charles Arand

Concordia Journal

So creation is more than a stage or scenery for God’s story. It is integral to the entire story. After all, the entire story is about God’s relationship to his creation, especially to those extraordinary creatures that he had formed from the ground to look after and cultivate his creation.

A Theology Of Creation Lived Out In Christian Hymnody, Beth Hoeltke

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Hoeltke, Beth June “A Theology of Creation Lived Out in Christian Hymnody.” Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2014. 308 pp.

A seminal article written by Lynn White in the mid-1960’s indicted Christianity as a major cause affecting the ecological crisis of the day. White emphasized that the Christian tradition practiced domination rather than dominion and ownership rather than stewardship. Since White’s article Christian theologians have challenged his interpretation. One of the unexamined sources of the church’s teaching on creation is hymnody. This dissertation examines this source. Hymns play a vital role in the church’s teaching as they have the ability to …

Promissio Spei God's Eschatological Action In The Church, Richard Aaron Davenport

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Davenport, Richard A. "Promissio Spei: God's Eschatological Action in the Church. “Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2012. 213 pp.

This dissertation, a work in systematic theology, examines the nature of Christian hope in the context of current scholarship in systematic theology. Its goal is to assess the way in which Christian hope is rooted in God's word of promise and the extent to which that promise affects Christian life. The eschatological outlook presented in Scripture shows that God's promises, and the hope that they offer, are presented to all of creation. This dissertation investigates the process by which the communication of …

The Descent Of Darwin—A Theological Understanding Of Charles Darwin, David Kummer

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

In the process of seeking to understand Charles Darwin and his ideas that have come to dominate much of the modern/postmodern, western worldview, it is essential to elucidate the historical context in which both are developed is essential to elucidate. This approach asserts a reciprocity between Darwin the man (son, explorer, naturalist, husband, father, controversialist)and his ideas that not only derive from his life experiences but also contribute to them. An obvious place to start in this regard is the relationship he has with his mother. Although seemingly Freudian in tone, the purpose for this analysis does not include a …

God's Power For The Believer, Andre Snavely

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

So the questions that will be examined in this paper include the following. Does God manifest His power in any way other than salvation, either through miracles to bring people to salvation or to bless those who are already saved? What is the purpose of God showing His power? What is the connection between God's power and faith and between His power and His righteousness? And finally, how does a biblical theology of God's power give an answer to those who demythologize His power into a social program? These and other questions are very much on the minds of Christians …

O Come Our Wisdom From On High- An Introduction Into Wisdom Christology, Ralph Shorey

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

The purpose of this paper is not to tackle directly all the varying presuppositions held by Feminists in connection with Sophia Christology. Paul Wenz, in the Thanksgiving, 1994 issue of Concordia Student Journal has written an excellent article concerning this point.' Instead, this paper will deal with the following: (1) The general meaning of "wisdom" as it is commonly understood in Scripture, (2) an analytical study of Proverbs 8:22-35 in order to see how Scripture has appropriated the name of Wisdom to Christ, and (3) a brief survey of Early Church History up to the Nicene Creed of 325 A.D. …

The Preservation And Restoration Of Creation With A Special Reference To Romans 8:18-23, Robert Neff

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

The topic dealt with in this dissertation is "The Preservation and Restoration of Creation." In dealing with this topic there is "A Special Reference to Rom. 8:18-23" since this passage, if any, is the "sedes doctrinae" of such a topic. To deal with this passage of Scripture in connection with the "Restoration of Creation" is not at all exotic or peripheral to the Gospel message. R. C. H. Lenski sees the teaching of this pericope as "the final result of justification by faith as it is depicted by Paul. This is the great consolation section ofRomans."1If the human body is …

The Concept Of Time In The Old Testament, Hans Walter Wolff

Concordia Theological Monthly

In the Old Testament we find abundant evidence for the view that man lives out his life within time, that he lives within times that change. By examining characteristic Old Testament texts, we shall attempt to gain a picture of how the Old Testament's understanding of time relates to its understanding of man.

The Soteriological Approach To Christian Doctrine., F. E. Mayer

Concordia Theological Monthly

The Lutheran Confessions present all Christian doctrine from the soteriological standpoint, that is, from the meaning each has for our salvation. Each and every doctrine of Christian revelation must be viewed in actu, not only in statu; it must be within the focus of a real spiritual problem and be presented only in its soteriological significance.

Documentation: What's Around The Corner For Humanity In The Life Sciences?, Paul E. Lutz

Concordia Theological Monthly

My comments here are restricted to those biological breakthroughs that will have some theological or moralistic implications. You must, therefore, understand that this restriction eliminates an enormous number of small and some very large advances in the area of basic biological research. Detailed research, for example, on mitochondrial DNA, mechanisms for hydrogenation in photosynthesis, insect photoperiodism, bacterial taxonomy, and phosphorus metabolism by planktonic desmids will all be very exciting and will significantly advance those areas. But there are few if any direct theological; ethical, or philosophical conceptual spin-offs from such studies.

My remarks are structured in three basic areas of …

A Theology Of Ecology And Its Relation To The Pesticidal Exploitation Of The Environment, Norbert Firnhaber

Bachelor of Divinity

The purpose of this paper, then, is to make an attempt to review the stance toward the environment in both biblical and church history, formulate a skeletal theology of ecology, and examine man’s responsibility toward nature with particular focus on the use of pesticides in the environment.

the scope of this paper is limited to the study of the threat of an unbalanced ecology and its resulting theological implications for the church. The methodology consists of extensive use of bibliography, personal correspondence, government monographs, and several unpublished articles. All of these are contained in the bibliography.

Evolutionary Theology Of Pierre Teilhard De Chardin, His Critiics And A Personal Evaluation, Robert Letalien

Bachelor of Divinity

This paper will be an attempt to evaluate the lifegoal of Teilhard, namely, his reconciliation of the theory of evolution with the Christian faith. The emphasis will be placed upon his hopes for the future of man in the light of his philosophy. The future of man he labels as the “Omega point." To see how this point is reached it will be necessary to briefly describe how Teilhard views the evolutionary process from the inception of matter until the fulfillment of all things at the Omega point.

Dangerous Trends In Modern Theological Thought, K. Runia

Concordia Theological Monthly

When we approach the problem of demythologizing from this starting point, it is beyond question that the Bible rejects every attempt in this direction.

The Natural Knowledge Of God, Ralph A. Bohlmann

Concordia Theological Monthly

This study grows out of a request for guidance from the Commission on Fraternal Organizations of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Over the years this commission has been meeting with leaders of a number of fraternal organizations in an effort both to explain our synod's position on lodgery as well as to encourage the removal of objectionable features from lodge rituals. These groups have shown readiness to make many of the ritualistic changes suggested by our commission. In one area, however, these groups refuse to yield. They insist that requiring belief in the existence of a Supreme Being of their members …

The New Year And All Things, Martin H. Franzmann

Concordia Theological Monthly

He is before all things, and by Him all things consist." ( Col. 1:17)

"It was the worst of times; it was the best of times." It always is. Any fairly clever theologian or fairly clever historian can always make out a pretty good case for both. It is rather difficult today, but for us in America at least most of our troubles are in the future.

The Doctrine Of Creation In Lutheran Theology, Jaroslav Pelikan

Concordia Theological Monthly

The fundamental category in the Biblical doctrine of man is the category "creature." Whatever else Christian theology may have to say about the nature and destiny of man, it says in the limits described by that category. Its picture of man as sinner, therefore, must portray him as a fallen creature. It must not make him a creature of Satan because of his sin. Nor dare theology forget that it is precisely man's creaturely derivation from God that makes his sin so calamitous. Because the category "creature" is so fundamental, orthodox Christian theology has always felt compelled to draw a …

Natural Science With Reference To Genesis 1, A. C. Rehwaldt

Concordia Theological Monthly

A discussion of this problem has its pitfalls. There is danger of getting lost in a maze of conflicting opinions at the very start. The moment one turns to the Genesis account, the mind is flooded with associations coming from the outside. Besides, it calls for conscious effort to keep the mind from being swayed by one or the other of the many interpretations which have been presented. But if we seek a solution of some of the many problems which arise with respect to the relation of science and Genesis, we shall have to keep close to the text. …

Some Scriptural Aspects Of Processes In Nature, August C. Rehwaldt

Concordia Theological Monthly

Nature is like a veil. It both reveals and conceals the truth. What William Taylor says of the parable may also be applied to nature: " ... a cloud luminous to some, yet dark to others; the enveilment, but also the unveiling, of the truth to men." If nature appeals only to our intellect, we shall see only that which lies on the surface.

Some Phases Of "After His Kind" In The Light Of Modem Science, August C. Rehwaldt

Concordia Theological Monthly

Some would estimate the number of species of animals to be about 1,073,000. Others say that there are about 3,000,000 species of animals. The wide range of difference between these two estimates is due to the diversity of opinion as to the concept "species." Since evolution is the background of modern biology, the term species is accordingly defined as an evolving group and net as an aggregation with set bounds and limits. Darwin's Origin of Species takes this view. Opposed to this view is that of the Bible, which speaks of natural groups of plants and animals and calls such …

Luther On Creation, Henry W. Reimann

Concordia Theological Monthly

Although he was bred in a Church and society in which men tried with their works to appease the God whom theologians and philosophers had carefully thought out, Martin Luther returned to the Gospel. Here God took the initiative to rescue and redeem His sinful creatures through His Son. This has rightly been called a Copernican revolution in the realm of religion. Just as Copernicus started with a geocentric, but reached a heliocentric conception of the physical world, Luther began with an anthropocentric or egocentric conception of religion, but came to a theocentric conception. In this sense, Luther is a …

Concept Of Evil In Berdyaev, Paul E. Pfotenhauer

Bachelor of Divinity

This paper will be an attempt to describe evil as it is presented in the thinking of Berdyaev. It will not be its concern to give an objective criticism or evaluation of his concept of evil, but merely a presentation of the same. In doing this an attempt will at all times be made to remain within the framework of his thought. This approach will place several limitations on this paper. In the first place it will make it impossible to present it as a logical, integrated unity. In his examination of the various problems of life, Berdyaev is constantly …

Luther And Brunner On Creation, Henry Reimann Jr

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The present thesis grew out of several desires. One was to study a phrase of Luther’s theology. Another was to become more a acquainted with a representative modern theologian. A study of the theocentric theology in Luther and Brunner was suggested to meet these desires. This very broad subject; was limited to one specific doctrine in Luther's and Brunner’s theology, the doctrine of Creation.

The Geological Implications Of Genesis Ch 1-11, Fred Kramer

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

This thesis is written on the premise that God has given man two books from which he may learn to know Him, the book or nature and the Holy Scripture. There can be no contradiction between these two books. Where men have affirmed contradictions between them, e.g., on scientific grounds, they either misinterpreted scientific data or the words or Scripture.

The Resurrection Of The Body In Its Significance For Sanctification, Paul Single

Bachelor of Divinity

It is the purpose of this paper to consider the import of the placement of the resurrection of the body into the Third Article of the Creed, showing the significance which the resurrection of the body has for sanctification. In order to do this it will be necessary to trace the importance ascribed to the body from the creation of man at the beginning of the world to the final consummation in heaven. It will be shown that the body is included in the eternal purpose of God and in His acts concerning man, and it will be pointed out …

The Alleged Contradiction Between Gen. 1:24-27 And 2:19, Alexander Heidel

Concordia Theological Monthly

The first chapter of Genesis, as every Bible student knows, has the animals made first and then man. But the second chapter is commonly held to reverse the order and to place the creation of man before that of the animals. This view is based upon the assumption that Gen. 2:18-25 constitutes a continuous piece of narrative and that the tense of the Hebrew verb with which v.19 opens therefore implies a sequence in the order of time, necessitating the following translation of v.19: "And so the Lord God formed out of the ground all the beast of the field …