Arts and Humanities Commons^™

The Derivation Of Identity: Gender, Masculinity, And Sexuality In Coriolanus, Matthew Chacko, L. Monique Pittman Ph.D.

Posters, Presentations, and Papers

William Shakespeare wrote Coriolanus (1608) when two epistemological modes, empiricism and theater, asserted competing constructions of selfhood. As Renaissance anatomical texts imply, empiricism voiced an increasingly stable and innate subjectivity. In contrast, theater imagined identity as fluid and subject to external manipulation by exposure to the stage. Coriolanus faces a dilemma of selfhood reflecting those conflicting epistemological modes. Outside agents attempt to change his subjectivity, mirroring the theater, while Coriolanus asserts his immutable identity, paralleling empirical understandings. Coriolanus’s concerns of selfhood echo Renaissance subjective anxieties during a changing period as different epistemologies, empiricism and theater, launched rival notions of identity. …

The Life And Status Of Women In Achaemenid Persia, Erika Mikkelson

Posters, Presentations, and Papers

“The Life and Status of Women in Achaemenid Persia” aims to understand and explain Persian culture in light of the story of Esther and to dispose of presuppositions that may have arisen from misunderstandings of Jewish culture. Understanding this information gives us a better picture of how women lived within the palace thereby facilitating an understanding of how Esther may have lived. To accomplish this, the Persepolis Fortification Tablets, resources that examine the archeological structure and composition of the Palace in Persepolis, and current studies on women in Persia have been explored. The Persepolis Fortification Tablets provide information on transactions …

A Composition Project: An Original 12-Tone Fugue Modeled After J. S. Bach's Bwv 847, Ilana Joyce Cady

Honors Theses

A prominent feature among great composers is they often attempt to expand the boundaries of expectation and strive to discover fresh, new, and innovative styles. Throughout the musical periods, composers have established standard compositional forms; among these processes is the fugue. The specific goal of this project is to explore the compositional techniques of the 12-tone system developed by Arnold Schoenberg in 1921, and apply these techniques to fugal writing. In this process I am taking Bach’s fugue, BWV 847, and using it as a blueprint for my original 12-tone fugue. I follow the same overarching structural pattern of BWV …

Using A Small Group Approach To Increase Church Growth In The Gikondo Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Schadrack Nsengimana

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem.

Although many people are baptized at the Gikondo Seventh-day Adventist Church each year, about 70% leave the church shortly after baptism.

Method.

The biblical principles of church growth were studied and theological reflection focused on four biblical themes. First, the call to integrate the Great Commission into the daily life and relationships of the individual believer in Christ was examined. Second, church growth as faithfulness to God was explored as a biblical teaching. Third, the view that a healthy church embraces multiplication of disciples as its core responsibility was studied from a biblical perspective. Fourth, the role of the …

A Strategy To Share The Gospel With The Hindu Community In The South Kenya Conference, Willys M. Oruta

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

The Adventist Church in the South Kenya Conference has not developed a strategy to share the Gospel with the Hindu community. The Hindu community is generally looked at as an idol worshipping group. However, this community conducts most of the business in many towns in Kenya. For this reason, they should not be neglected because God wants them to be part of His kingdom. Jesus died for the salvation of the whole world; therefore, a strategy to share the Gospel with the Hindu community is a divine command. In the South Kenya Conference, particularly in Kisii, the Hindu community …

The Impact Of Media On The Morality Of Young Adventist Church People In The Nairobi Central Church, Alex Ambuchi

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

Young people in urban areas are especially affected by the liberal trends of the media industry.The media advertises and broadcasts programs that promote immoral behaviors among young people. The Nairobi Central Seventh-day Adventist Church is located in the capital city of Kenya and the negative effects of the media have impacted the youth of this church.

Method

The strategy involved sensitizing Adventist youth concerning the negative impact of the media on morality. A theology of morality and purity was developed and a description of the context for the project conducted. I then used the logical framework and the Gantt …

New Member Retention Strategy For The Makoko Church, Yoseph Nyambega Otieno

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

The effort made by the Makoko Seventh-day Adventist Church to fulfill the great commission (Matt 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16) through public evangelism is challenged by the constant exodus of newly baptized converts out of the church. The emigration of new members out of the church has a compound effect on the church; it denies the church the opportunity to disciple new converts and discourages church members from continuing to fund public evangelisms as they are considered a waste of resources. When people accept Jesus they also receive eternal life, but when they leave the church they risk forfeiting the gift …

A Discipleship Model For The Hill Portuguese Seventh-Day Adventist Church Of Johannesburg, Dioi Cruz

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

The Hill Portuguese Seventh-day Adventist Church is a community composed of immigrants from Portugal, who were well established in Angola and Mozambique and who moved to South Africa after escaping the independence wars in the 1970s. Despite their professional success, they have not been successful in personal ministry outreach during the past years, resulting in a clear decrease of membership.

Method

This project sought to create, implement, and evaluate a strategy to help bring about inner healing and discipleship in order to increase the number of members witnessing creatively and reaching out to the Portuguese neighborhood of immigrants in …

An Adventist Functional Substitute For Initiation Rites Of Passage For Kikuyu Boys And Abagusii Girls In Kenya, John Macharia Gichuiri

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

Many boys who undergo circumcision as a rite of passage in the Kikuyu community in Kenya are secluded for two weeks while they heal. During this period their parents are barred by the culture from seeing their sons and the boys are left entirely to the influence of their peers, who introduce them to all manner of vices like smoking tobacco, bhang, drinking alcohol, taking drugs of addiction, chewing of miraa, pre-marital sexual activities, and recruitment to illegal gangs. These vices negatively affect the boys’ spiritual growth and expose them to physical, mental, social, and emotional health risks. An …

A Strategy To Integrate New Members Into The Life Of The Local Church In Nyamira Conference, Samuel Makori

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

Although there are good efforts in the local churches in the Nyamira Conference to baptize new believers, about 50% of them stop attending church soon after baptism.

Method

A seven-step mission strategy called the Spiritual Guardianship Plan (SGP) was launched in two local churches in the Nyamira Conference. This is a plan to involve local church members to care for fellow members, to help integrate new members into the life of the local church, and to nurture new members into spiritual maturity. Mature members of the church are assigned to new members to help them to be integrated into …

A Biblical Strategy To Promote Christian Morality Among Youth In The Seventh-Day Adventist Church In The Zambia Union Conference, Tommy Susiku Namitondo

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

A good number of the youth in the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Zambia are openly involved in immoral behavior. The youth blame peer pressure and modernity for their lack of Christian morality. The issue is whether youth in today's atmosphere can maintain a biblical norm of moral purity.

Method

A systematic study of the Bible was made. Then the writings of Ellen G. White, other Adventist writers, and other Christian authors were reviewed. This data was used to develop seminar materials for teaching Christian morality to young people. Four congregations were selected to pilot a program to demonstrate that …

A Biblical Strategy To Equip Students To Deal With Spiritual Powers In Nyanchwa Adventist College, Ernest Nyakina Motaroki

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

Fear of evil spiritual powers has been a major problem among students and staff members at Nyanchwa College. In Kisii, fear of witchcraft has also had major consequences among the community, and hence is a serious problem. People have reacted in various ways in dealing with those suspected of being in possession of these powers. There has been a common belief that some students and members have inherited witchcraft practices and powers which they continue to practice at college. Fear of evil powers among students and members of the college has immensely affected spiritual fellowship and worship services, and …

A Pilot Christian-Based Restorative Justice Program Designed For A Correctional Institution, Leo James Campbell

Professional Dissertations DMin

No abstract provided.

Training Church Members In The Theory And Practice Of Preaching In The Spanish District Of Tri-City In The Upper Columbia Conference, Jaime Flores

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem.

One of the challenges of a multi-church district is that the pastor cannot preach at each church, each Sabbath. The Spanish district of Tri-City is comprised of three churches (Pasco/Kennewick/Richland). Some elders are reluctant to speak when the pastor is absent at one of these three churches. In addition, my preliminary research shows that attendance is lower at these churches when the pastor is absent. The reason for this absenteeism, according to some members, is poor preaching. Accordingly, the challenge is to develop qualified preachers who can preach at those churches within the district when the pastor is absent. …

Desarrollo E Implementacion De Una Escuela De Capacitation Laica Para La Union Colombiana Del Sur, Jose Aicardo Arias Quintero

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem. The South Colombian Union (SCU) was established in 2010. Because of its recent organization, the Union does not have a well-organized lay training program, to fulfill its mission. The formation of a lay training school will greatly contribute with the formation of new leaders, as well with the dissemination of the gospel in the region.

Methodology. This research begins with a theological study related to the training of laity for evangelism, followed by a review of current literature on training lay people for ministry. To meet the goal to train lay leaders’ for ministry, the SCU adopted, contextualized, and …

Toward A Biblical Model Of Culturally Appropriate Persuasion For The Evangelistic Mission Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Church In Imo State, Nigeria, Aloysius Ntiwunka

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem. The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a worldwide denomination, but it is one of the smallest in Imo State, Nigeria, even though 90% of the population is Christian, Protestant and Catholic, with only 2% Muslim. Since most of the population of Imo State is Christian, the common belief in God should open the opportunity to present the unique teachings of the Seventh-day Adventist Church; namely, the message of the Three Angels of Revelation. However, numerous approaches to evangelism do not seem to have been successful in producing changes in the lives of the citizens.

Method. This project document followed a …

Building Authentic Community Through Small Group Ministry Among Young Adults Of Select Churches Within The Greater New York Conference, Ricardo V. Bain

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

The Greater New York Conference has several churches that have begun and sustained many programs for building interpersonal relationships between young adults within their membership. These programs have produced lukewarm results. In some cases these efforts failed. Many of the young adults have either left the church because they do not feel connected to others of their peer group, or they are present with little or no intentional ministry that relates to building their relational needs. In an interview with the immediate past and present youth directors of the conference, both admitted that there is tremendous need for a …

A Mentoring Program For Equipping Youths As Leaders In The Rivers Conference, Nigeria, Ugochukwu Elems

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

Young people feel neglected in the leadership process of Rivers Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists, Nigeria. On the other hand, the adults think that the young people lack the experience and skills needed to occupy positions of leadership. Unfortunately, while the young people are being marginalized in the leadership process, they constitute an overwhelming majority of the membership in Rivers Conference

Method

The mentoring approach adopted for equipping the young people of Rivers Conference as leaders in this project is a modification of Jesus' model of leadership proposed by Kreider (2008, p. 113). The process will be divided into …

Developing Servant-Leaders At The Three Angels Fellowship Seventh-Day Adventist Church In The Michigan Conference, Frank Lugo

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

The former elders' use of stern domineering leadership behaviors at Three Angels Fellowship Church led to a schism that caused deleterious effects and lingering debility. This schismatic experience left the church body suspicious toward the remaining elders' leadership style. The church lost lay leaders, church members, financial support, and was losing ministry opportunities because the congregation dreaded authoritarian leadership. It was clear that the biblical model of servant leadership needed to be applied by the remaining elders. This study dealt with the ministry challenges at Three Angels Fellowship Seventh-day Adventist Church by equipping the board of elders to discover …

Mentoring And Discipling The Early Adolescents Of The Kitchener-Waterloo Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Jiwan S. Moon

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

From 1951 to 2001, at the Kitchener-Waterloo Seventh-day Adventist Church, only one family from the founding generation has its children and grandchildren attending and active in the church. Most of the second and third generation members of the church who once attended, no longer practice their inherited Adventist religious beliefs. As the church membership was aging, the church was dying and membership continued to decrease, especially the number of young people. It was becoming evident that the church needed intervention to prevent continuous loss of members. In order to prevent a repeat of history, there was a need for …

A Lay Member Church Planting Strategy For Unreached Areas In The West Tanzania Field, Jacob Ngussa Bohole

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem. There seems to be a persistent tendency among church members to perceive ministry as the sole responsibility of the paid professional pastor: This is in contradiction with the New Testament concept of the priesthood of all believers (1 Pet 2:5, 9-10), which emphasizes that ministry is the function of the total church membership. The purpose of this research is to develop and implement a strategy to empower and involve lay people in ministry and mission in the West Tanzania Field.

Method. The methodology employed in the process of this research is threefold: (a) to examine Old and New Testaments …

A Strategy Of One-On-One Evangelism In The Nyamira Conference, William Ongaga

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

Public evangelism has been a successful way of bringing converts to the church, and by using public address systems the church has been able to reach those who are afraid or too skeptical to come and sit in the meetings. Some have actually made a decision and have been baptized as a result of listening from a distance. But with time the public address systems have been misused with people complaining of noise pollution. This concern has forced the government to pass a bill in parliament banning loud noises in public places. This change calls into question the public …

Teaching Self-Care To Pastors In The Western Nigeria Union Conference Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Sunday David-Abiola Adelakin

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem and Purpose

The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Nigeria, as well as those in other parts of the world, have genuine concern for their pastors’ physical and spiritual well-being. One of the fundamental teachings of the church that applies both to the pastors and the laity as well is to be temperate in all that we do. There is still concern, however, for those pastors that are not observing and keeping the laws of health to keep healthy physically, emotionally, and spiritually. This project explored concepts of self-care practices as they relate to pastors in Nigeria and a teaching manual …

Empowering Volunteers For Community-Focused Ministry For Families Of Inmates: Selected Churches Of The Potomac Conference, Jorge A. Ramirez

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

Nearly 70% of churches in the Potomac Conference do not have ministries that are geared at serving their communities. As a result of this problem, churches are not growing and are not making a significant impact in their communities. They have become internally focused congregations. Churches are missing opportunities to develop meaningful relationships with these communities through creative externally focused ministries. Externally focused churches believe God has called them to change communities for God’s kingdom. There is a need for churches in the Potomac Conference to become externally focused.

Methodology

The recruiting and training of church volunteers to serve …

Use Of Funds In A Nonprofit Organization As Predictor Of Organizational Effectiveness And Efficiency, Throstur B. Thordarson

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this study is to explore predictive relationships between how funds are used in a religious not-for-profit organization (NPO) and member recruitment. Financial data, from Seventh-day Adventist conferences at the organizational level, were correlated with data on membership recruitment from these same conferences.

Method. This study used a linear time-series analysis where relationships between variables and past values were explored over a 12-year period. Financial data were collected from year-end audited statements and financial activity statements. Published statistical records were used to collect data on membership and member donations.

Findings. This study concludes that Seventh-day Adventist …

Toward Christian-Identity Response Theory : Exploring Identity, Spirituality, And Response To Adversity Among African American Males Placed At Risk, Charity Hannah Garcia

Dissertations

Problem: A lack of research integrating spiritual development as a central component of human development does not reflect an understanding of the whole person across multiple contexts throughout the life span. Such a limited-capacity view of African American males disproportionately disadvantaged, both historically and currently, has been detrimental. A theoretical model for how a relational journey with Christ may offer insights that lead to transformative practice in various educational settings.

Method: Constructivist grounded theory was utilized throughout this research process. Thirty-four African American males in three age groups (13-17; 18-25; 26+) who were placed at risk during adolescence and connected …

An Exploratory, Correlational, Self-Rater Study On Authentic Leadership Values Of Adventist Local Conference Chief Financial Officers In The United States, Juan R. Prestol-Puesán

Dissertations

The Problem

Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) local conference treasurers, or Chief Financial Officers, are trusted by church members to manage the finances of the church and provide financial leadership, yet the denomination does not know how treasurers develop their values and leadership capacity as financial administrators. This study examined how treasurers compare with the leadership values of morality, integrity, and fairness prevalent today in positive forms of leadership theories. It explores SDA treasurer or financial officer self-assessment with the rating that their team members provide, allowing us to know the authenticity of their values as leaders.

Method

This is a census …

Applying The Biblical Practice Of Meditation Among Adventist Frontier Mission Employees, Conrad Vine

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem. Personal feedback from AFM personnel indicated deep uncertainty as to the legitimate basis for, and practice of, meditation within the Bible in general and the counsels of White in particular. The ongoing debates within the SDA Church concerning meditation and the lack of formal denominational guidance on how to meditate exacerbated the uncertainty. As a consequence, primary devotional habits for many employees primarily revolved around to prayer, Bible study and corporate worship. Yet there remained a reported hunger on the part of many employees for a more meaningful sense of God’s presence in their lives. The problem therefore was …

A Strategy To Present The Concept Of Headship: Healing Families In The North Burundi Mission, Joseph Ndikubwayo

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem. The headship of a husband over a wife is one of the concepts that creates a lot of misunderstanding in some Seventh-day Adventist homes in the North Burundi Mission. This situation has impacted both families and the church. On one hand, a husband believes he is to be strong, that he is the only one who can think logically, and that he should make all the decisions for the household. On other hand, a woman is considered to be weak, and therefore must respect her husband, have babies, and keep quiet. Unfortunately many women show respect out of fear …

A Biblical Hiv/Aids Mitigation Strategy In The Oyugis Central Adventist Church, Kenya, Tom Eli Arunga Ogal

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

HIV/AIDS is an epidemic that has and continues to adversely impact the quality of life of not only the members of the Oyugis Central Seventh-day Adventist Church, but of the community in general. Its negative impact touches the social, economic, political, and demographic fabric of society. It is robbing the Adventist Church and society in general of requisite human resource through death and sickness, and is adversely challenging the church’s competencies to effectively engage in its mission.

Method

The Logical Framework Approach (LFA) was used to present the strategy. A Gantt chart was also be used to detail the …