Christianity Commons^™

Seeds Of Truth: The Importance Of C. S. Lewis's Interactions With Child Readers In The Chronicles Of Narnia, Joseph Thouvenel

Doctor of Ministry

This paper explores the ways in which C.S. Lewis's interactions with child readers in The Chronicles of Narnia provide important insight for communicating theological and spiritual truths to children. Through a brief examination of Lewis's own childhood as well as a concise analysis of his writings to and about children, important insights regarding the place of imagination and wonder within The Chronicles of Narnia will be revealed. This paper also inspects the seven books that comprise The Chronicles of Narnia, paying specific attention to Lewis's use of first- and second-person narrative within this series as a means of demonstrating his …

That They May Be One: Spiritual Formation And Its Locus In Community, Phillip G. Carnes

Doctor of Ministry

American Christians, as a whole, lack a spiritual maturity that infuses the whole of their lives with Christlikeness. Additionally, Americans suffer from an epidemic of loneliness. These two problems are related. We will demonstrate that American Christians lack spiritual maturity, in part, because they have privatized their faith and made spiritual formation an individual endeavor. Furthermore, we will show that spiritual formation is best located and grounded within a community context. Humans are social creatures. It is becoming ever more widely recognized that social isolation and loneliness are root causes of much psychosocial dysfunction. Humans do not function well if …

Philadelphia's "Five Points": Evangelism And Social Welfare At The Bedford Street Mission, Benjamin Hartley

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

New York City's "Five Points" neighborhood in lower Manhattan was well-known in the mid-to-late nineteenth century as a major locus of concern related to the problems of burgeoning American cities. Its prominence was highlighted in Martin Scorsese's 2002 film, The Gangs of New York, which even briefly portrayed the Methodists' Five Points Mission that the famous holiness leader Phoebe Palmer was instrumental in founding. (1) Both Philadelphia and Boston had similar neighborhoods to New York's "Five Points." Methodist mission outposts in both of these cities eagerly (if ironically) claimed the notorious "Five Points" label to remind donors there were rough …

Noticing The Duck: The Art Of Asking Spiritual Questions, Marykate Morse

Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary

No abstract provided.

On Religious Freedom In The Slovak Republic, Lubomir Martin Ondrasek

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.

Christian Faith, Nonviolence, And Ukraine's Orange Revolution: A Case Study Of The Embassy Of God Church, Svetlana Filiatreau

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.

Differences In Evaluation Of Post-Communist Worldview Shift Model By Parachurch Ministries Leaders Of Ukraine, Sergei Golovin

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.

Murzaku's "Returning Home To Home: The Basilian Monks Of Grottaferrata In Albania" - Book Review, Francesco La Rocca

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.

In Person And In Print: Engaging In Theological Discussion As Friends, Paul N. Anderson

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

No abstract provided.

Orthodox Resurgence: Civil Religion In Russia, John P. Burgess

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.

Patriarch Kirill And Ecumenism, Barbara Hallensleben

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.

Christian Mission In Post-Communism: Missiological Implications And The Bulgarian Context, Viktor Kostov

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.

Pusztai's "Region And Education Iii: Education And Church In Central-And Eastern-Europe At First Glance" And "Region And Education Iv: Religion And Values In Education In Central And Eastern Europe" - Book Review, Nóra Veronika Németh, Tímea Ceglédi

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.

Open Letter Of Protest From Kyrgyz Churches, Kyrgyz Churches

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.

Marxism-Leninism Lives And Prevails In The Church, Anonymous Clergy Document

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.

Imago Dei As Missio Dei, Fourie Van Den Berg

Doctor of Ministry

Section 1 of this paper describes the Dutch Reformed Church in Namibia's (DRCN) problems, uncertainty, and loss of direction because neglects God's mission. As a rule, the DRCN has lost members and credibility and cares more about itself than the suffering Namibian society. Because and the DCRN lost its connection with the missio Dei, Namibian socio-economical problems increased and created a huge gap between the DRCN and Namibian society. The DCRN has little impact on major sociological issues. The DRCN can address these realities by rediscovering imago Dei theology and the missio Dei. This change will bridge the gap between …

Exploring The Process Of Being Me As The Central Focus Of Our Spiritual Journey, Jeffrey L. Zakrzewski

Doctor of Ministry

The struggle of being me, or living my true self, has been a longtime wrestling match for humanity that has not always produced a raised-arm victor. Personal identity struggles are as old as human life and can be traced all the way back to Adam and Eve. Yet every human being has that same desire: to know themselves and be known and still be accepted for who they really are. It has raised its head through people living in the shadow of rejection and struggling within their relationships. Yet, I claim that the struggle of being me is designed by …

Global Christian Shifts And Missional Church Movements: Linking The Postcolonial Global South With The Postmodern West, Stephen P. Lewis

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation engages cunent shifts in global Christianity. The problem we are studying is the movement toward the postmodern emerging church in the West and the postcolonial church emerging in the global South, in order to understand both the past failings in the relationship of the Western and Southern church and their present common context, in order to help postmodern and postcolonial churches repent of previous failures and move forward utilizing a common set of experiences and cultural conditions, so that God's people will love and work with one another as co-heirs, co-equals, and comissionaries of the Kingdom.

In order …

Understanding Behavioral Change Through The Integration Of Theology And Emerging Sciences, William David Phillips

Doctor of Ministry

No abstract provided.

It Takes A Missional Order To Raise A Leader: "Order-Ing" Leadership Communities For Life Transformation And Missional Impact, Daniel L. Steigerwald

Doctor of Ministry

The times in which we live in the West grow more complex from year to year. This presents a problem, as church and para-church leaders find themselves increasingly less prepared to meet the demands of "missional leadership," that is, leadership that exemplifies and passes on the passion, practices and perspectives conducive to fostering growth in God and fruitful missionary engagement with his world.

In chapter one I identify this problem both from the vantage point of my own leadership journey and also from that of Christian leaders in general. I then propose my thesis: Amid the complexities, distractions and pressures …

Interplace: Incarnating Christ's Kingdom Community In The Emerging Culture By A Missional Approach That Creates Safe Spaces For Sharing Stories And Developing Organic Relationships, Terry R. Swenson

Doctor of Ministry

The traditional propositional and proclamational forms of evangelism implemented during the modern era are diminishing in their effectiveness to share the Gospel and bring people into God's Kingdom community. The attractional paradigm is out of harmony with the current trends exhibited in emerging culture. There are possible solutions to this problem, such as modifying traditional methodologies and incorporating contemporary media, music, and technology; developing ministries that meet postmodern needs but on an attractional basis; or ignoring emerging concerns and maintaining modern era techniques. Any of these solutions have marginal or no impact as reported by research that reveals the minimal …

The Role Of Human Emotion In Christian Discipleship, Alex Bryan

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation asks and attempts to answer the following question: What role does human emotion play in the problem of contemporary Christian discipleship and how might emotion play a provisional and productive role in its success ? The argument of this project, in response to the above question, is that recognition and recreation of human emotions is essential in corifronting the challenges of contemporary Christian discipleship. Just as the rational (left brain) component of human beings is complicit both in the spiritual pathology and redemptive potential of mankind, so to is the emotive (right brain) mind a responsible party in …

Sustaining Spiritual Leadership For The Long Haul: The Center For Spiritual Renewal At Barclay College, David O. Williams

Doctor of Ministry

There is no higher calling in the Christian life than the call to serve as a spiritual leader within the body of Christ (pastor, music minister, missionary, etc.). While many of these leaders are functioning quite well in their respective ministries today, many others are leaving vocational ministry at an alarming rate. In section one of this document, an attempt will be made to identify some of the key factors that contribute to this current clergy crisis. A significant number of support services have emerged in recent years in an attempt to address the problem of clergy burnout. Section two …

“Christianity And Socialism Are Not Opponents”: The Propaganda Offensive In Berlin-Brandenburg Under Soviet Occupation Concerning ‘Religious Freedom’ Under Communism, Sean Brennan

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.

Regarding Women: Philo And Paul As Two Women In A Stoic World, Karissa Worst

Doctor of Ministry

This thesis investigates the views and lives of Philo of Alexandria and the Apostle Paul in regard to women in creation, the fall of humanity, and life. Particularly, it looks at the influence of Stoic thought upon Philo' s and Paul's view of women. We recognize that the common culture and thought of the time greatly shapes human beings and so we acknowledge the influence that Hellenization had upon these men. They utilized the accepted philosophies of their time to develop their theologies and teach their audiences. We address the low philosophical view of women held in Greek philosophy. However, …

Erasing The Past: Destruction And Preservation Of Cultural Heritage In Former Yugoslavia, Part Ii, Igor Ordev

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.

Religious Identity And The Gospel Of Reconciliation, Miklós Tomka

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.

"La Slovacchia E La Santa Sede Nel Xx Secolo: Atti Del Convegno Promosso Dall’Ambasciata Della Repubblica Slovacca Presso La Santa Sede In Occasione Del V Anniversario Della Firma Dell’Accordo Base Tra La Repubblica Slovacca E La Santa Sede. [Slovakia And The Holy See In The Xx Century]" - Book Review, Francesco La Rocca

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.

Letter From The Associate Editor, Christina Belcher

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

My how time flies! It seems like only last week since the last issue of the ICCTE Journal was posted. Since our last issue, many of you have inquired as to when the archives would be available. You will be pleased to know that the archives have not been forgotten, and that by the end of the month they will be available once again on our new ICCTE Journal site. Join me in giving thanks to the gifted Mr. Sean McKay for his accomplishments on our behalf, and our Senior Editor, Scot Headley for his wonderful leadership and labor of …

Book Review: James L. Drexler, Editor. Schools As Communities: Educational Leadership, Relationships, And The Eternal Value Of Christian Schooling., David W. Robinson

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

Anyone who has engaged in the calling of Christian education knows that it can be — and usually is — one of the most exciting, delightful, fulfilling, and joyous ministries that a believer can know. Its golden days are a real “foretaste of glory divine,” its opportunities for those who truly love the possibilities of the mind and heart of Christ in the lives of our students are the very aroma of the Lord in our work. Lives are changed; parents are supportive; administrators are helpful; the board is productive. Sacrifices are engaged willingly, trials are gladly borne. We go …