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The Mission And Ministry To German-Speaking Lutherans In Western Canada 1879 - 1914, Richard Kraemer

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

The following dissertation will provide a detailed account of the history of Lutheran ministry among German-speaking people in western Canada from1879 to 1914. Particular attention will be drawn to the relationship between the development of congregations in the region and the views on mission and ministry that were being held by those who were most involved in the work—the pastors themselves and the leaders of the mission boards who supported them. Their work in western Canada did not, however, begin in a vacuum; it was begun within an historical context. Relevant, therefore, to this study will be a brief review …

Orality As The Key To Understanding Apostolic Proclamation In The Epistles, Thomas Winger

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

Redaction criticism and its modern successors in the literary field, while they give more credit to the text and the author, have at the same time mired the academy again into a modern mud of sources and manipulation. There is promise in certain new paths—rhetoric, reader-response, speech-act theory, methods which we will note briefly in the first chapter. But finally we must move out of the "academy" and into the church. For the orality of Scripture is not just about its origin but also about its use and purpose. The Scriptures are a liturgical piece. They belong not on the …

Postliberal Approaches To The Theology Of Religions: Presentation, Assessment, And Critical Appropriation, Joel Okamoto

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

This study focuses on the third type—the postliberal approaches to the theology of religions. In undertaking this, I have two basic purposes. One is to examine these postliberal approaches. This examination will include a description and analysis of selected postliberal proposals concerning issues and concerns in the theology of religions. The second is to assess these proposals on key issues and appropriate certain insights from the postliberal approach for the purpose of developing a Lutheran theology of religions.

While few proposals in the theology of religions have been characterized as “postliberal," there are considerable differences among them. Therefore I shall …

Isaiah's Damascus Oracle: Responding To International Threats, Harald Schoubye

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

I propose the following theses: (1) since Isaiah 17-18 fit under the same superscription we therefore should and can interpret them as one unit;(2) and that Isaiah 1-16 supplies the reader with the necessary information to interpret Isaiah 17-18 sufficiently. I believe we will find a unity supported by the composition of Isaiah 17-18, by the themes and metaphors in Isaiah 17-18, and through the events that Isaiah 17-18 describe.

The method that I will use to prove this thesis will be to study the information both external to the text and internal to it. First, I will seek to …

Genre And Outline: The Key To The Literary Structure Of Hebrews, Harald Tomesch

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

The primary purpose of this dissertation is to outline the relationship of the opening periodic sentence (Figure 3.1) and its syntactical, grammatical, semantic, exegetical and hermeneutical relationship to the Sermon in Miniature found in Figures 3.2 and 3.3. With this as the primary focus the ground will have been laid for the ongoing appraisal of the sermon as a whole (Figure 3.4). The overall outline of the sermon will be examined briefly so that the reader may understand that the schematic does function in a simple fashion for the rest of the epistle. As we move through the veil of …

Law And Gospel In Luther's Antinomian Disputations, With Special Reference To Faith's Use Of The Law, Jeffrey Silcock

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

Three major antinomian controversies took place in Wittenberg in the sixteenth century, one during Luther's lifetime and two after his death. The first controversy, which is the subject of our study, had its beginnings in 1527 in an argument between Johann Agricola and Philipp Melanchthon. The occasion for this was the visitation of the churches in electoral Saxony and the major issue was the role of the law in repentance. The main phase of the first controversy however was the dispute between Agricola and Luther between 1537 and 1540. The issue was basically the same. The second and third antinomian …

The Lord's Prayer-Its Interpretation And A Reassessment Of An Eschatological Orientation, Favoring The Prayer's Primary Application As Being For The Present Gospel Age, David Fielding

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

"The Lord's Prayer: Its Interpretation and a Reassessment of an Eschatological Orientation, Favoring the Prayer's Primary Application as Being for the Present Gospel Age"

This dissertation (633 pp.) by David Fielding, Th.D., 1995,NT Exegetical Theology, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO., defends the applicability of the LP for the present Gospel age on the basis of its seven imperative verbs understood as typical "prayer aorists." Therefore a strictly future eschatological interpretation restricts the rich meaning of this Prayer, taught by Jesus on more than one occasion. The orientation of the LP primarily to the present is also supported by its context …

Integrity And Integration In Ecclesiastical Historiography: The Perspective Of Mosheim And Neander, Paulo Buss

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

This investigation attempts to apply the motif of integrity and integration in an examination of Lutheran ecclesiastical historiography. This is not a comprehensive survey involving all the significant Lutheran historians of the past but rather focuses on selected Lutheran historians of different centuries to determine possible tendencies in their views of integrity and integration. Although these terms themselves are not employed as such by the theologians/historians analyzed here, this study starts with the hypothesis that the concepts expressed by these terms are not unfamiliar to them.

In a study of Lutheran historiography the question about Luther's view of history deserves …

Marriage And The Image Of God As It Is Reflected In Paul's Understanding Of Women And The Ministry In Four Passages: 1 Cor. 11:2-16; 14:33b-36; Eph. 5:22-33; 1 Tim. 2:11-15, Lane Burgland

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

This study proposes to examine the Pauline texts which bear most directly upon the subject of women and their involvement in the ministry of word and sacrament. Several evangelical feminist6writers will be engaged in the study at specific points in the interpretation. The primary goal of this paper, however, is to produce an exegesis of these four passages which identifies the basis of Paul's comments and demonstrates their unity. This work is intended to answer the question: "how does what Paul's says about women in four passages reflect his understanding of the image of God and Christology?"

The contribution this …

When God Becomes Your Enemy- The Theology Of The Complaint Psalms, Ingvar Floysvik

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

The experience of being forgotten, rejected or even attacked by God has been very real for people of all times. An untimely death in the family, prolonged sickness, unfair treatment in the community or in court, or on the larger scale, natural disasters, war and persecution, these and other catastrophes may make individuals or whole communities experience God as an enemy. Readers of the Bible recognize that income psalms the psalmists share these experiences. They complain to God that he has abandoned them or that he is angry with them. The present dissertation is an investigation into the theology of …

The Missiological Significance Of The Doctrine Of Justification In The Lutheran Confessions, Klaus Schulz

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

Generally the Lutheran Confessions are understood in the traditional sense as the normative sources for Lutheran doctrine; in addition, they are also documents which offer valuable missiological insights. To support the latter observation the following study attempts to read the Lutheran Confessions with a heightened missiological perspective. Such a reading takes up the interests and concerns frequently raised by Lutheran theologians who in light of the increasing changes in mission see the theological integrity of Lutheran mission endangered. Consequently, they plea for a return to the Book of Concord from which guiding principles for Lutheran mission m Confessions, though, should …

Reading 2 Corinthians 3:4-18: An Exercise In Exegesis, Vilson Scholz

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

Paul's letters have a reading history of almost two millennia. It is a history of readings and misreadings, of grasping the general drift of the texts and of being puzzled when it comes down to the details. Readers have felt this ever since the New Testament era. Already in the first century Saint Peter writes that some things in Paul’s letters are "hard to understand" (2 Pet. 3:16).

A Proposed Prolegomenon For Normative Theological Ethics With A Special Emphasis On The Usus Didacticus Of God's Law, John Tape

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

The purpose of this study is to examine and organize some of the current contrasting methodologies of theological ethics in an attempt to determine the Biblical method of choosing the moral option. This will be done in two different ways.

In the first part, two common methods in moral philosophy, the deontological method and the teleological method, will be defined and illustrated. It will be demonstrated that Scriptural ethics has elements in common with both rule deontology and rule teleology. In the second part, the Scriptural method of moral reasoning will be examined more closely by comparing three different ways …

The Arminian Libertarian Doctrines Of Freedom And Responsibility Evaluated According To Biblical-Reformed Doctrine Of Sin, Carlos Heber De Campos

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

Now the question to be asked is this: How can the human will decide to perform acts spiritually good, or have the ability of contrary choice, if it is determined by the condition of man's nature? Has man the moral ability to perform contrary to his own nature? Those who try to study man's moral ability without seriously knowing man’s total depravity, make a serious mistake.

The Theology Of Spiritual Gifts In Luther And Calvin: A Comparison, Robert Wetmore

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

This dissertation compares and contrasts Luther's and Calvin's theology of ministry because spiritual gifts are in some sense ministry gifts (using the broad definition of ministry as "every form of preaching the Gospel or administering the means of grace" as carried out by Christians in general) which are exercised by believers. Because spiritual gifts are not limited to the priests, this dissertation examines the understandings of both reformers concerning the priesthood of all believers. In turn, because spiritual gifts have often been understood as miraculous, so that it is necessary to explain what Luther and Calvin taught on the miraculous. …

Propter Absolutionem: Holy Absolution In The Theology Of Martin Luther And Philipp Jacob Spener A Comparative Study, Gerald Krispin

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

The approach to Luther's theological development which will be taken here is a chronological one. This is in no small part due to the character of Luther's writings themselves, many of which are occasional in nature and therefore inherently reflect Luther's theological development. It is therefore imperative that the time of writing and the occasion of a quotation must always be taken into account. What becomes evident in following such a chronological approach is that we are then learning him all the way through and may be kept from selecting pieces which fit into a preconceived pattern. Indeed, any such …

Theology Of The Pain Of God: An Analysis And Evaluation Of Kazoh Kitamori's (1916- ) Work In Japanese Protestantism, Akio Hashimoto

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

The overall negative appraisal of Kitamori must be considered as a critical reaction to various aspects of his own theology. Perhaps not one or two aspects of his theology alone are responsible for this. The reason for the negative responses is surely of a composite nature. However, it is not the main concern of this study to find answers individually to the questions raised above. The intention of this study is to analyze and assess Kitamori's theology as a whole. But to try to find the answers to the questions is useful for the purpose here: they provide methodological clues.

Jesus And The Gentiles In The Gospel Of Matthew: A Historical Study Of The Redemption Motif, Young Jin Kim

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

To obtain the proper understanding of Jesus' relation to the Gentiles in the Gospel of Matthew, the following objectives should be met: our study shall deal with (1) the Old Testament passages pertinent to our subject, (2) every Matthean passage which provides explicit or implicit information on our theme, (3) the salvation-historical significance of the text, and (4) the total context of the Gospel.

A form-critical approach with its presuppositions is not in order for our study since this approach fails to meet objectives three and four. A redaction-critical approach which has been the dominant discipline in recent Matthean scholarship …

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 Home Mission Work Of The Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference: A Description And Evaluation, George Gude

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

The scope of this dissertation is to describe, analyze, and evaluate the home mission work5of the Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference, which was a mission toAfro-Americans.6 The purpose is to expose the various factors which impacted this mission work and either helped or hampered its success. As a result of the study, it is the hope of the author that the church will learn from its past and manage to put fewer obstacles in the path of the Gospel it proclaims.

In making this study of the black mission work of the Synodical Conference, it became apparent to the author that …

Mystical Aspects Of Pentecostal-Charismatic Soteriology, James Breckenridge

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

Statement of the Problem

Pentecostal historian Vinson Synan estimates that Pentecostals now comprise the largest family of Protestants in the world. Drawing from the World Christian Encyclopedia) he concludes that Pentecostalism now claims a total of 51,167,000 adherents, not including an additional11,000,000 independent charismatics. This places the Pentecostal/Independent Charismatic movement significantly ahead of classical groups such as the Anglicans (49,804,000adherents), Baptists (47,550,000) and Lutherans (43,460,-This figure grows even larger when the "Third-Wave “phenomenon is included. This term, used by Pentecostals and Charismatics to identify members of traditional evangelical churches who have begun to practice charismatic gifts and worship, indicates a …

The Λογος-Christology In The Prologue Of The Gospel Of John As A Bridge Concept Between The Old Testament Shekinah Events And Johannine Christology, Chul Hae Kim

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

The purpose of this study is to trace the origin and meaning of the λóγος of John in the Prologue. The main question in this study is why John used the Greek word λóγος instead of one of the many other terms from the Old Testament or Greek philosophy which were familiar to the readers of his Gospel. Another question is what was the intention of John by adopting the Greek term λóγος in the Prologue.

One of the basic principles of this study is to search for the meaning of the Johannine λóγος in the context. That is, the …

Theological Nuance In The Synoptic Nature Miracles, Mark Schuler

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

In a previous work we have questioned such conclusions and argued instead that it is between superstition and skepticism where one meets the world view of most in the first century and further that reported miracle phenomena were hardly "common" when consideration is limited to first-century material.

With this study, we complement our previous work by positing that miracles are essential to the Gospel. A definition of "miracles" would be unnecessary were it not for their essential Gospel traditions (oral and written narratives) and to the Gospel itself (δ ́uναμις γ ̀αρ θεοῦ ’εστιν ε’ις σωτηρ́iαν--Rom.1:16). Miracles are not peripheral.

The "I" In The Storm: Paul's Use Of The First Person Singular In Romans 7, Michael Middendorf

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

The purpose here is not merely "to spill more ink.” Rather, it is to address approaches to and facets of these issues which have not yet been adequately considered or appreciated. This thesis proposes to answer the questions surrounding the identity, the spiritual condition, and the purpose of the "I" in Romans 7. It will arrive at its conclusions by means of an exegetical study of Romans 7, through an analysis of Paul's use of the first person singular in his letters, and on the basis of Pauline theology as a whole.

In order to provide the necessary background for …

Presbyterian Missions To Indians In Western Canada, James Codling

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

This paper seeks to explain the success and failure of Presbyterian missions to Indians in western Canada. It attempts to discover if there has been an authentic engagement between the Gospel of Christ and the cultures of these Indians. The focus is on the theology of missions and its application. The question of Christian relationship to culture is an important issue.

The problem that the Presbyterian Church in Canada faced in its missions to Indians was theological. The Christian faith challenged an Indian religion. It was theology that determined how the religion of the Indian should be approached by Presbyterian …

The Theology Of Israel's Sea Crossing, Rodger Dalman

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

In Exodus 14:2, God commanded Israel to do a strange thing. God directed Israel to turn from their route, and to walk into a trap. By wandering to the shores of a reed sea, Israel intentionally gave Pharaoh the impression that they were lost, and tempted him to pursue them. Why would God command this? After all, Egypt had already been destroyed. Thousands of Egyptians had died. Pharaoh's will had been broken, and he had let Israel go.. The nation was already leaving Egypt for Palestine. Why did Israel not simply pass through the border fortresses and go on their …

Gadara Of The Decapolis, Lee Maxwell

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

The topic of this dissertation is "Gadara of the Decapolis." The ruins of this ancient Decapolis city are situated in and to the west of the modern village of Umm Qais in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The present-day village is located about thirty kilometers northwest of the Jordanian city of Irbid and approximately ten kilometers southeast of the Sea of Galilee. The site lies atop the Jordanian plateau, which drops off sharply to the north toward the Yarmuk River and to the south toward the Wadi al-'Arab before it gradually lowers to the west in a number of terraces …

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 …

Current Models In Roman, Lutheran, And Reformed Prolegomena: Exposition, Analysis, And Programmatic Assessment, David Lumpp

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

The marketplace is currently experiencing no shortage of systematic theologies. At both the popular and academic levels, volumes are published at a rate exceeding the ability of any one scholar to digest or evaluate. The methodological pluralism alluded to above is now a cacophony. Yesterday’s mentors are challenged by process theology, theologies of hope, and seemingly infinite manifestations of liberation theology--to name only several of the most obvious.

With this history and the above cautions in mind, this essay will explore the definition, guiding motif, and methodology of three major contemporary theologians: Bernard Lonergan, Helmut Thielicke, and Edward Farley, representing …

The Apostolic Tradition- A Study Of The Texts And Origins, And Its Eucharistic Teachings With A Special Exploration Of The Ethiopic Version, Eshetu Abate

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

This study will engage only one piece of the great body of material that is ours by way of the Ethiopic tradition. What we know of the inter-testamental period and of early Christianity would be poorer without what comes to us through the Ethiopic tradition, both where it overlaps with other traditions, and where it is unique. Among its unique witnesses of the inter-testamental period are Jubliees, 1 Book of Enoch and the Ascension of Isaiah. Of these the complete text is provided only by their Ethiopic versions. The traditions of the Early Church preserved in the Ethiopic tradition are …