Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Body-And-Soul: Embodied Participation Of The Laity In The Divine Service, Aaron Roggow

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

Roggow, Aaron, W. “BODY-AND-SOUL: EMBODIED PARTICIPATION OF THE LAITY IN THE DIVINE SERVICE.” Master’s thesis, Concordia Seminary, 2018. 96 pp.

Since God has created us as body-and-soul creatures, it follows that worship of Him is not only spiritual but also physical in essence and in practice. The resurrection of Jesus Christ in the flesh points to the holistic nature of our faith; as such, the physicality of our worship is a fruit of this faith in an incarnate Lord. The benefits of bodily movement and gesture associated with the Word in Christian worship are a vitally important part of worship …

Empowering A Local Church To Reflect Revelation 7_9 Unity Through Multi-Ethnic, Bilingual, Combined Worship, Mark Bowditch

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Bowditch, Mark “Empowering a Local Church to Reflect Revelation 7:9 Unity Through Multi-Ethnic, Bilingual, Combined Worship.” Doctor of Ministry. Major Applied Project, Concordia Seminary, 2017. 347 pages.

The purpose of this MAP was to carry out field research specifically designed to answer the research question: “Can multi-ethnic, bilingual, combined worship services be developed at Mt. Calvary that will foster Christian unity and fellowship among two different cultures?” This effort presupposed that it is God’s will for His people, the Church, to be joined together in unity and fellowship on earth—as they will be in heaven (Rev 7:9). The basic problem …

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 …

Luther On Idolatry: A Lutheran Response To Contemporary False Belief, Michael Lockwood

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Lockwood, Michael A. "Luther on Idolatry: A Lutheran Response to Contemporary False Belief." Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2013. 303 pp.

The first step in solving any problem is to understand the problem. As Christians we know that Christ is the solution to the human plight. Yet what exactly is this plight? And why do so many people feel no need for the solution he provides? Luther's answer is that people feel no need for the true God until they are disenchanted with the false gods they have put in his place, which they think can provide all they need.

In …

John Wesley‟S Liturgical Revision: A Pattern For Reshaping Worship For Post-Christian America, Lawrence A. Lacher

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Lacher, Lawrence A. “John Wesley‟s Liturgical Revision: A Pattern for Reshaping Worship for Post-Christian America.” Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2011. 316 pp.

This project seeks to find a solution to the current malformation of Christian Worship in the American church through re-examining John Wesley‟s Sunday Service for Methodists in North America (1784) in order to extract the underlying pattern. That pattern is then proposed as a paradigm that allows for the contextualization of worship while retaining its historic shape, function and purpose.

John Wesley‟s liturgical advices are examined for several reasons. Since the writer is interested in helping those who …

Toward A More Helpful Preaching Technique In The Nursing Home, Keith Schweitzer

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

This Major Applied Project presents reminiscent preaching as a homiletical method to be used in a nursing home setting. As reminiscing is a common characteristic among the aged, applying it in the preaching ministry and worship activity among nursing home residents can serve the purpose of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in many helpful ways.

This MAP explains and presents examples of how reminiscing from the past in the lives of the residents draws forth vivid memories in their minds. Used as a method in preaching, these memories can also strengthen and deepen the faith of the aged individual who …

The Use Of Children's Liturgy In Teaching Worship To The Preliterate, Scott Lemmerman

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

The goal of this project is to teach the preliterate child to worship. To reach this goal it is necessary to assist and to reinvigorate spiritually delinquent baptized member parents so they can be nourished with Word and Sacrament. I believe adjusting an existing order of worship into a preliterate child's liturgy can do this. This would lead parents to engage regularly with the Word in the congregation's worship, as well as become the primary education provider for their children by assisting them with learning the actions, gestures and spoken words at church. I need to research the viability of …

Biblical Storytelling And Preaching, Dennis J. Goff

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

This Major Applied Project seeks to clarify the relationship between a Biblical text of Scripture being "read" or "told" and how that connects to the sermon preached on that text. It is believed that in many worship settings there is often a "disconnect" between the lectionary read (Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel readings) and the sermon text selected from one of those readings. By the time the preacher begins his sermon the hearer has often forgotten the Scripture read earlier. The use of Biblical storytelling can assist the listener in hearing, understanding, remembering and connecting the text of Scripture with …

The Spirit Of God And The Salvation Of Israel-Recovery Of An Economic View Of The Trinity, Gayle Wilson

Master of Art Theology Thesis

In this thesis, I will survey the story of the Spirit of God in the pages of the Old Testament, in the salvation of God's people in their creation, their sustenance and their preservation until the gift of the promised Spirit-bearer, Jesus of Nazareth, i.e., an economic Spirit. We will examine the Hebrew word for Spirit, ruach, and will see how a concept which represents wind and breath is actually very substantive in meaning. I will briefly survey metaphors and symbols used of the Spirit to deepen our perception of the Spirit. We will see how the Spirit was active …

Remembrance And Worship In Israel-A Study Of Gerhard Von Rad's Theology Of Worship In The Old Testament, Brian Whittle

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

In this study we will attempt to establish a basis upon which these issues can properly be answered. The primary focus will be upon worship in the Old Testament, though to limit any study of worship to the time and writings before God incarnated Himself would be to answer inadequately any applicable question regarding worship in the modem context. Therefore, this study will also look to see how the analysis of worship in the Old Testament context is manifested in the New Testament. When the proper correlation is made, then one is ready to address the questions and concerns regarding …

Helping Contemporary People Use Historic Liturgy, Richard Wolfram

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

This project proposes that contemporary people need help understanding and utilizing historic liturgy. It shows how historic liturgy is contemporary by nature, and can be used in a modern and relevant way. Educational tools were developed for use in both the worship and classroom settings. Survey results provide information toward tool development and effectiveness. The result of the project and its implementation in a parish setting waste elimination of the request for a "contemporary" worship from those exposed to the project tools.

Liturgical Theology: Substance And Source, James Honig

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

This study will demonstrate that three representative scholars of liturgical theology from three different traditions of the church place both the substance (material principle) and the source (formal principle) of Christian theology in the Christian worship experience.1 These views will be contrasted with the Lutheran Confessions which posit that all of theology centers around justification by grace through faith and is derived from Scripture alone.

"An Evaluation Of Praise Music As A Genre For Incorporation Into Lutheran Worship", Randy Schultz

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Luther was truly a great liturgist. Along with his reform of the Mass, which included his Formula Missae and his Deutsche Messe, he also produced two baptismal rites, an Order of Marriage, an Order for Confession, a German and Latin Litany, and an Ordination Rite. He also contributed commentary on worship in general, wrote several hymns, and produced music. For the purpose of this project we will focus primarily on his reform of the Mass and his selection of hymns.

New Pericopal-Based Hymnody For Lutheran Corporate Worship, Wilfred Karsten

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

There are gaps where the corpus of hymnody in Lutheran Worship fails to support the lectionary used by that hymnal. This project produces thirteen new hymn texts which seek to fill part of that gap.

An analysis of Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 shows that there may be a variety of congregational song used in the Divine Service, but this song must always be didactic in character. An examination of the hymnody of the Reformation shows that congregational song was meant to serve a liturgical purpose. An appendix compares Lutheran Worship hymn text scriptural allusions with its lectionary.

An Entry Level Lutheran Liturgy For Members And Guest, David Preuss

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Influences inside and outside the Lutheran Church are pressing for change in worship style from liturgical to some free form alternative. Often the purpose is to make it easier for guests without a liturgical background to participate. How can Lutheran congregations and pastors make their worship service more "user-friendly” without abandoning their liturgical link with the church of all ages and places?

First, establish the essence of Lutheran liturgical worship. How did the Lutheran Reformation deal with the need for changes? How are pastors today attempting to resolve the issue? How do we evaluate these endeavors?

One resolution is to …

Principles To Assist The Introduction Of Change In Congregational Worship, Paul Borgman

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Change affects people, which is also evident in worship. Helping them to assimilate change in worship is this project’s purpose.

Two examples of change were considered. The first was quality improvement. This addressed those responsible for the conduct of worship. While significant changes did not result, it did prove that people are more responsive when interest is shown in them.

The second was introducing a new setting of the Divine Service. The results indicated that, with proper planning, change can be introduced positively.

Change does not have to be disruptive. It can be spiritually beneficial if handled sensitively.

From Invocation Through Creed: A Historical And Doctrinal Analysis Of The Service Of The Word In The Common Service, Timothy Roser

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

Cursory study of the text of this liturgy reveals that it was not assembled according to some academic standard. Perhaps a better word for its development would be "organic," as over the centuries it grew to meet the needs of the time. Each addition was tested, tried, and proven not by a single congregation nor even a group of congregations acting in concert, but by the Church at large working over the course of decades and centuries. This is not to suggest that these words are the only way3to receive God's service to us and return our service to Him. …

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 …

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.

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 …

Nehushtan And Serpent Symbolism In The Ancient Near East, James Bollhagen

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

In Numbers 21:4-9 the story is told of how Yahweh punished the Israelites by sending "fiery serpents" into their midst. After hearing the people's confession, Yahweh provided the means of healing in the form of the Bronze Serpent. This serpent was not heard of again until the time of Hezekiah, over five-hundred years later. It was destroyed as part of Hezekiah's reform, where it was designated as Nehushtan. What happened to the Bronze Serpent in the interim? And what was the theme of Nehushtan worship? This paper will endeavor to shed light on these questions by surveying the use of …

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 …

The Role Of Psalm 89:6-19 In Israel's Cult, Ronald Vahl

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

The specific problem addressed by this study is, "What is the role of Psalm 89:6-19 in the corporate worship life of ancient Israel?” Throughout our research we will use the word "cult" to signify Israel’s corporate religious worship and ritual. This will provide a way of more sharply focusing our investigation.

Four additional questions are immediately raised by our initial query. Is it profitable to study Ps. 89:6-19 as an individual unit apart from the entire Psalm? Since the time of John Calvin many scholars have noted a special thematic nuance in verses 6-19 which stands apart from the remainder …

A Lutheran View Of Vactican Ii On Liturgy And Scripture, Raymond Mueller

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The fact that the Second Vatican Council has brought vast change into the Roman Catholic Church is obvious. But was the sum of these changes beneficial for its own members and sufficient to remove the walls erected between Rome and historic Lutheranism back in the 16th Century? What, actually, is the direction in which the Roman Church is now headed after Vatican II? This study is an attempt to find answers to these questions.

The Liturgy: The Context Of Worship In The Context Of Media, Richard Handschin

Bachelor of Divinity

The purpose of this study is an attempt to gain perspective on the current disinterest in the organized church especially on the part of the young. To do this we intend to study the relationship between the worship of the church and the communication media, feeling that media are the fundamental fact in the development of social interaction.

The Lectionary And The Church Year: A Study Of The Historic Lectionary Of The Western Church Leading To A Revised Gospel Lectionary, Karl Cron

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The goal of the study is to provide a modest starting point for a revised lectionary with understandable, meaningful and relevant lessons that relate to one another and that are organized in a church year pattern which is helpful to the worshiper's devotion. Of course, the lectionary itself cannot overcome the human factors of inattentiveness, lethargy, and disinterest. More than a lectionary is required to overcome these factors.

Liturgical Reform At Vatican Ii- A Lutheran Appraisal, Philip Stephan

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

In order to update the liturgy and the rites of worship, the Church cannot afford to assume this task of renewal in a haphazard way because she has been entrusted with the truth of the Gospel. The truths of the Gospel are the substance of the Holy Scriptures and the Eucharist, and are contained particularly in the primary liturgy of the Church. A reformation of the liturgy of the Holy Eucharist, with which this study is concerned, must retain the substance of the Gospel in the liturgy. The problem this thesis will investigate and seek to answer is: Is it …

The Form And Function Of The Choir In Liturgical Worship Today, John Bremer

Bachelor of Divinity

How does the choir function properly in the liturgical worship of the Lutheran Church today? How should the choir view its nature and purpose in the life of the Church? What opportunities are there for the choir to perform its functions? These are the questions which this paper will deal with.

Adapatation Of The Religious Dance And Similar Physical Movements In The Indigenous Church, Manfred Berndt

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

This is just one example of a cultural problem that raises a painful question for the Western Christian: “Why is it that, while the Church, particularly in her worship, has done so much to use God's gifts of music, art, and. drama, it has almost completely ignored or condemned the one art that combines these three--the dance?" Can the dance be a vehicle to glorify God, not merely in recreation, but also in worship? It is to this problem that this study addresses itself. It intends to examine the reverent and irreverent use of the dance in the history of …

Children And The Church's Worship, George Hoyer

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The burden of the thesis will be to ask how these Christians who are not adults can be helped to receive the grace of the Word of God; how they can be helped to respond to Him in worshiping words that will be a prelude to a worshiping life; and how they can learn to recognize their worshiping brethren in the family of God; ultimately how they can learn to do this applying of the Word from Sacrament and Scripture, this replying of worship and, this supplying of edification in the Church's corporate worship and in the Church's Eucharistic service.