Arts and Humanities Commons^™

A Disordered Estate: A Lutheran Approach To Institutional Evils, Christian Dollar

Grapho : Concordia Seminary Student Journal

The question of institutional evils weighs heavily on the mind of the American Zeitgeist. Institutional racism, once happily relegated to history as a relic of Jim Crow, has reentered the public discussion on a national level in a way not seen since the 1960’s Civil Rights Movement. The new virtue of “fair-trade” is lauded as the solution for an exploitive economic system, while “going green” promises absolution of a company’s carbon footprint. The extent of government COVID-19 measures and the debate surrounding the inclusion of critical theories in public education dominate primetime and social media. These are all examples of …

An Ethics Of Doctrinal Emergence: Reading Newman With Augustine And Contemporary Information Theory, Jeffrey John Campbell

Dissertations

Jeffrey J. CampbellLoyola University Chicago AN ETHICS OF DOCTRINAL EMERGENCE: READING NEWMAN WITH AUGUSTINE AND CONTEMPORARY INFORMATION THEORY The aim of this essay is to begin the process of a reconfiguration of the theological category of doctrinal development and to integrate an “emergent doctrinal ethics of belief” as an inextricable dimension of this category. Most scholarly writing on doctrinal development has taken place in the wake of the Enlightenment with its focus on epistemology, and doctrine is conceived of as “referencing” a quasi-metaphysical “res.” I attempt to “update” the guiding metaphors of doctrinal development with the goal of moving discussions …

Papers Of William Arnett, Ats Special Collections And Archives

Finding Aids

No abstract provided.

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 …

The Ancient Doctrine Of The Two Ways In The Book Of Mormon, Noel B. Reynolds

Faculty Publications

Consistent with their preexilic Hebrew Bible predecessors, the Book of Mormon prophets taught a version of the Two Ways doctrine that featured (1) invitations to repentance defined as turning or returning to God’s way, (2) the context of the Abrahamic covenant, (3) the blessings and cursings that would come from obedience or disobedience, and (4) the contrast of the path of righteousness that leads to life with the path of evil that leads to death. But this analysis has also produced a number of expansions or refinements of the Two Ways doctrine that are not reflected in biblical treatments of …

A Gadamerian Analysis Of Roman Catholic Hermeneutics: A Diachronic Analysis Of Interpretations Of Romans 1:17-2:17, Steven Floyd Surrency

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Catholic exegesis of scriptural and dogmatic statements has become rigid in the period following the Enlightenment. Gadamer’s account of philosophical hermeneutics, when applied to the Catholic situation, elaborates how Catholic exegesis might return to its premodern, freer form. Following Gadamer, I hold that to understand is to fuse the horizon of the old with today’s horizon using the preunderstandings that have been provided by the tradition while at the same time bringing the questions of today into dialogue with the text.

Examples of how Romans 1 and 2 have been interpreted historically serve to support this thesis. Origen reads Romans …

The Real Presence Of Christ In The Eucharist, Samuel French

Aristos

The dogmatic constitution Lumen Gentium describes the Eucharist as “the source and summit of the Christian life.” It is not hard to imagine then, that this subject of principal importance is still being debated two millennia after its institution. Even when it was taught from the lips of Jesus himself, there were many disciples who grumbled saying: “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” (Jn 6:60) Unfortunately, this is still the case today. There are some among the faithful who no longer believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and others who simply misunderstand …

Does Donald Trump Need To Repent?, A. Thornhill

A. Chadwick Thornhill

No abstract provided.

The Gospel According To Mormon, Noel B. Reynolds

Faculty Publications

Although scholarly investigation of the Book of Mormon has increased significantly over the last three decades, only a tiny portion of that effort has been focused on the theological or doctrinal content of this central volume of Latter-day Saints (LDS) scripture. This article identifies three inclusios which promise definitions of the doctrine or gospel of Jesus Christ and proposes a cumulative methodology to explain how these definitions work. This approach reveals a consistently presented, six-part formula defining ‘the way’ by which mankind can qualify for eternal life. In this way the article provides a starting point for scholarly examinations of …

Book Review: Sojourners And Strangers, Jeremy M. Kimble

Biblical and Theological Studies Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

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 …

Seeking A Comprehensive Worldview: The Religious Seeker In The Modern World, Michael Gregory

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Anecdotally, the casual observer of anthropological phenomenon may be led to believe that every human is basically the same. Indeed, many may assume that groups of people possess identical beliefs, religions, and expressions that hardly vary across different cultures and generations. Throughout the plethora of different cultures and the countless varieties of religious expression and experience it may seem that all of humanity is merely following the same lifestyles and worldviews as their parents and ancestors with very little change save for the gradual evolution in society. A religious studies scholar, or any scholar of the humanities, however, may notice …

Thy Word Is Still Truth: Essential Writings On The Doctrine Of Scripture From The Reformation To Today, Peter A. Lillback, Richard B. Gaffin Jr.

Alumni Book Gallery

This new collection of Reformed thinkers' writings from the Reformation to today brings together key documents on the inerrancy of Scripture in one readable volume.

One of the hallmarks of Westminster Theological Seminary since its beginning in 1929 has been a high view of Scripture that reflects the historic Reformed theological and confessional tradition. Thy Word Is Still Truth confirms that Westminster still holds this high view.

The book's title builds on the important influence of E. J. Young s classic book on inerrancy, Thy Word is Truth. This current anthology unapologetically borrows that title, emphasizing an abiding commitment …

Jacob's Textual Legacy, John Hilton Iii

Faculty Publications

Today, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints know what texts are considered authoritative—namely, the standard works. As members, we recognize a formal process for canonization; for example, at the Saturday afternoon session of general conference in April 1976, President N. Eldon Tanner announced that the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve had approved two revelations for inclusion in the Pearl of Great Price and called for a sustaining vote. This concept of canonization in the restored church has echoes from earlier Christian practices and councils.

A Comparative Study: Traditional Evangelical Friends Pastors With Contemporar Evangelical Pastors For Twenty-First Century Application, Thomas Crawford

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This is a study of the dominant views of traditional evangelical Friends pastors and contemporary evangelical pastors. A comparative study of lifestyle, methods of ministry, and primary doctrinal beliefs is used to discover areas of agreement, differences, and points critical to successful leadership for Evangelical Friends pastors. Being a pastor and denominational leader in the Evangelical Friends Church-Eastern Region for the past 32 years gives the author a critical interest in this study. Every church and denomination wants to effectively reach people for Christ. The author and Evangelical Friends are no different. Academic research is combined with interviews of evangelical …

I Know Not, John Hilton Iii

Faculty Publications

Do you think that the weapons buildup we are seeing in some countries will lead to Armageddon?" It was a priesthood session of stake conference, and the presiding General Authority had opened the meeting to questions. He looked at the person who had asked the question and simply responded, “I don’t know. Next question.” Throughout the meeting, the General Authority was asked many questions, several of which did not have answers that could be found in the scriptures or teachings of living prophets. To each of these questions, he answered, “I don’t know.” One of the major temptations gospel teachers …

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 …

Restoring Integrity In Baptist Churches, Thomas White, Jason G. Duesing, Malcolm B. Yarnell

Faculty Books

A compilation of articles seeking to answer the question, "How does the local church - which is often influenced by a consumer-driven, numbers-oriented society - restore integrity and establish purpose?" The articles written by Dr. White are the introduction, "What Makes Baptism Valid?", and "A Baptist's Theology of the Lord's Supper".

Theology And Life: Attending To The Gap, Miroslav Kis

Miroslav Kis

No abstract provided.

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 …

Luther's Doctrine Of The Two Kingdoms In The Context Of His Theology, Heinrich Bornkamm

Ebooks

In this essay, the distinguished church historian of Heidelberg University gives us a guided tour through one of the most complex and controversial problems in the interpretation of Christian ethics. Luther’s “two kingdoms” doctrine has been variously praised and damned in recent theology. Thinkers such as Nygren, Althaus, and Ebeling have defended the doctrine as the source of a salutary political realism (since it reminds us that no social order as such will ever be identical with the kingdom of Christ), combined with a definite sense of Christian social responsibility (since the “kingdom on the left” is also God’s kingdom, …

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 …

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 …