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Articles 1 - 30 of 353
Full-Text Articles in Christianity
A New Testament Theology Of God As Father (Abba) As The Hermeneutical Key To The Teaching Of Christ On Prayer In The Gospels, John Joseph Schmelzer
A New Testament Theology Of God As Father (Abba) As The Hermeneutical Key To The Teaching Of Christ On Prayer In The Gospels, John Joseph Schmelzer
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
When Jesus of Nazareth lifted His eyes to Heaven in Matthew 6:9 and taught His disciples to address Yahweh, the covenant God of Judaism as Father (πατήρ, אַבָּא), this was an offense of blasphemy and presumption culpable of death for His Jewish audience; unless it was true (John 5:18). Not only was Father the distinctive and unique term given to God by Jesus, but there is almost universal scholarly consensus that behind the Greek πατήρ is the Aramaic Abba (Αββα, אַבָּא) (Mark 14:36). In both the ANE and Jewish contexts of the Old Testament and first-century Israel, it was unparalleled …
Autism And The Body Of Christ: Understanding, Accommodating, And Accepting Autistic Believers In The Church, Kaitlyn Cook
Autism And The Body Of Christ: Understanding, Accommodating, And Accepting Autistic Believers In The Church, Kaitlyn Cook
Senior Honors Theses
Autism is a neurotype that causes a different set of strengths and weaknesses and thus should be embraced and accommodated within the church. Not only are autistic believers able to grasp Christian concepts, but they also have different perspectives and skills that can be instrumental in building up the church. Promoting a correct view of autism and accommodating neurodiversity within the church will allow autistic believers to follow God’s command to be part of a body and build up the church. The church can employ several strategies to create an accessible environment for believers on the spectrum, including creating sensory-safe …
The Scatological Scriptures: A Biblical Theology Of Dung, Zachary C. Hill
The Scatological Scriptures: A Biblical Theology Of Dung, Zachary C. Hill
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The Scriptures contain a theology of dung. When the semantic and conceptual cognates that pertain to dung are synthesized, the result is a scriptural scatology whereby dung is presented as a symbol for sin. To clarify, the biblical exhibition of dung presents excrement as a central symbol employed by Scripture to concretize the abstract nature of sin. When each semantic and conceptual cognate that pertains to dung is examined, in nearly every instance where dung is mentioned, sin is in close proximity. The recognition of the dung–sin symbol enlightens particular aspects related to the nature of sin, which mirrors the …
The Practical Application Of Biblical Theology To Christian Apologetics, Matthew T. Johnson
The Practical Application Of Biblical Theology To Christian Apologetics, Matthew T. Johnson
Eleutheria: John W. Rawlings School of Divinity Academic Journal
Many Christians are skeptical regarding the practical relevance of theology for the common believer. Exploring how the subdiscipline of biblical theology can be applied can effectively dispel this misconception. In particular, the apologetic applications of biblical theology’s primary deliverances underscore the relevance theology has to the average Christian. Given the growing need for effective Christian apologetics, it would be wise for the Church to further explore biblical theology and to incorporate it into the defense of Christianity. Existing scholarship has largely overlooked biblical theology’s apologetic potential. Thus, there is a need to explore this relationship for the benefit of the …
A Phenomenological Study In Attitudes And Belief About The Northern California Homeless Population, Ethel Diane Mckay
A Phenomenological Study In Attitudes And Belief About The Northern California Homeless Population, Ethel Diane Mckay
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Homelessness is a problem in the United States. By observing and collecting data regarding the views of multiple stakeholders, this researcher offers a study regarding attitudes and opinions about homelessness in two rural, northern California cities (Barmann, 2018, para. 2). By using a phenomenological approach for gathering and analyzing data, the researcher offers the essence of experiences of those who are helping the homeless population. By interviewing local government officials, pastors, and homeless advocates, where they are, in their offices, churches, or at local coffee shops, this researcher went to where the phenomenon occurs. The purpose of this phenomenological study …
Moralistic Therapeutic Deism: A Classical Critique, Michael W. Cunningham
Moralistic Therapeutic Deism: A Classical Critique, Michael W. Cunningham
Eleutheria: John W. Rawlings School of Divinity Academic Journal
In 2005, American sociologist Christian Smith coined the term “Moralistic Therapeutic Deism” in his book, Soul Searching, The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers. At the time, this phenomenon was heralded as a new “religion” for emerging generations, yet it ascribes to no formal text, deity, or doctrine. It serves as a self-focused compilation of secular philosophy, politics, culture, and spirituality flavored with fragments from popular religions. While there is no formal MTD doctrine, there are five affirmations: (1) A God exists who created and ordered the world and watches over human life on Earth, (2) God wants …
Experiential Truth In Contemporary Worship Environments: The Role Of Late Twentieth And Early Twenty-First Century Worship Music In The Spiritual Formation Of Millennials, Clifford Ernest Lambert Ii
Experiential Truth In Contemporary Worship Environments: The Role Of Late Twentieth And Early Twenty-First Century Worship Music In The Spiritual Formation Of Millennials, Clifford Ernest Lambert Ii
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Over the past forty years, the American Church has gone to great lengths to make corporate worship culturally attractive for the purpose of evangelizing the Millennial population. Their main emphasis in accomplishing this has been to shift their approach to culturally relevant modes of presentation. The main components of this shift have included the style, presentation aesthetic, and lyrical content of corporate worship music. However, immediately following these methodological shifts has been a disillusionment with the flaws of attractional ministry, leading many to a biblically compromised faith and the espousal of progressive theologies. A distrust of authority paired with postmodern …
The Consistency Of The Kingdom Of God Through Israel's Unconditional Covenants, Myungwoo Kim
The Consistency Of The Kingdom Of God Through Israel's Unconditional Covenants, Myungwoo Kim
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The Bible consistently presents one common theme: the kingdom of God. Biblical theology focuses on God’s faithfulness, wisdom, and purpose in the process of redemption. The Old Testament expresses the firm belief that God will surely fulfill His covenants and reign forever. The Old Testament prophets believed that the Messiah would come for judgment and salvation. They consistently prophesied the birth and reign of the Messiah, which connects the Old and New Testaments. There is a continuity between the Old and New Testaments. The promises made to Israel in the Old Testament will be fulfilled for Israel, not the church. …
A Reconciliation Of Pauline Complementarian Theology And Egalitarian Narratives In The New Testament, Paul Andrew Morss
A Reconciliation Of Pauline Complementarian Theology And Egalitarian Narratives In The New Testament, Paul Andrew Morss
Masters Theses
The debate about women having authority over men or serving in leadership roles within the church is a controversial topic that has existed for some time. There are different interpretations of the complementarian and egalitarian debate surrounding specific areas in scripture. The Bible is a source of wisdom and truth that is used to direct the lives of Christians and the church. However, both sides point to the same text as the justification for their beliefs. The complementarian and egalitarian debate is far-reaching, but I plan to look at one subject within the larger debate. The scope of my thesis …
Theological Education And Spiritual Formation In The Lives Of Engaged, Emerging Adults, Markus David Colbert
Theological Education And Spiritual Formation In The Lives Of Engaged, Emerging Adults, Markus David Colbert
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This thesis seeks to answer the following question: What is an effective discipleship method for emerging adults who are already engaged in IChurch? The method chosen was multi-layered and utilized corporate discipleship which involved a classroom setting geared toward theological and doctrinal education based on Bloom-Anderson’s taxonomy of educational objectives, communal discipleship which was concerned with small group activities and peer-to-peer accountability, and personal discipleship geared toward individual spiritual formation given an edited list of Whitney’s personal spiritual disciplines. Participants were asked to take an introductory Theological examination which plotted them from analyze level to the create level of Bloom’s …
Whence Faith? The Nexus Of Passional Reason, Christian Personalism, And Abduction In Apologetics, Thomas Jefferson Gentry Ii
Whence Faith? The Nexus Of Passional Reason, Christian Personalism, And Abduction In Apologetics, Thomas Jefferson Gentry Ii
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Motivated by a desire to understand better and articulate matters touching on how beliefs are formed, this research considers the possibility of a religious epistemological nexus, a connection between the rational and affective capacities possessed by persons, human dignity and self-determination, and the method of argumentation used by apologists. The thesis defended is that through the means of the concomitance of the human intellect, emotions, and will (passional reason), the whole person is engaged in the process of passional reason whereby one can perceive, assess, and decide to believe in matters of religious faith (Thomistic doxastic voluntarism). Further, at the …
Jesus’S Subversive Reading Of The Isaian Jubilee: Luke 4:16–30 In Theological-Historiographical Perspective, Jeff Scott Kennedy
Jesus’S Subversive Reading Of The Isaian Jubilee: Luke 4:16–30 In Theological-Historiographical Perspective, Jeff Scott Kennedy
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
A growing number of scholars have proposed that Luke, or his sources, fabricated the story of Jesus reading a text in the Nazareth synagogue (Luke 4:14–30) in order to appeal to the literate sensibilities of Luke’s Greek audience. The thesis of this dissertation is that Luke’s portrayal of Jesus as a capable public reader and expositor of the Scripture is historically credible and Christologically significant. Rather than implying that Jesus was a scribal-literate reader, Luke’s synagogue narrative signals that Jesus was a capable and a welcomed lay-reader of the Prophets, and a capable yet unwelcomed expositor who appeared to have …
From Modernity To Post-Modernity: The Apologetic Legacy Of Paul Tillich, Michael W. Cunningham
From Modernity To Post-Modernity: The Apologetic Legacy Of Paul Tillich, Michael W. Cunningham
Eleutheria: John W. Rawlings School of Divinity Academic Journal
Paul Tillich, dubbed an “apostle to the intellectuals,” was one of the twentieth-century’s influential and infamous theologians. Tillich’s apologetic of doubt, method of correlation, and non-traditional lifestyle challenged the cultural and religious norms of his day. The study of Paul Tillich’s theology provides perspective on the origins of subjective apologetics and process theology. His focus on ontology made his works accessible and famous. It put the human at the center of the process as they reasoned up to God instead of accepting unquestioned authoritative doctrines. By embracing existential doubt, he connected to the masses by appealing to the “being” and …
In The Wake Of Euthyphro's False Dilemma, Gregory S. Mckenzie
In The Wake Of Euthyphro's False Dilemma, Gregory S. Mckenzie
Eleutheria: John W. Rawlings School of Divinity Academic Journal
All moral apologists, at one time or another, engage with the Euthyphro dilemma and all theologians engage, at one point or another, the issue of continuity or discontinuity of the Mosaic Covenant and Torah in general. The general view among apologists is that correct theology can be determined by its logical consistency and explanatory power considering philosophical, existential, and scientific principles. This study examines how answering the Euthyphro dilemma as a false dilemma, which is a common position among apologists actually produces theological contradictions primarily in the realm of theology proper and specifically immutability, issues in hamartiology and an improper …
Racial Reconciliation: A Theological Approach To Building Relationships, Calvin Glass
Racial Reconciliation: A Theological Approach To Building Relationships, Calvin Glass
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Racism within the Christian community in America has resulted in social unrest and has plagued the Christian church in a way that mandates urgent solutions to this untamed malady. This research focus is centered on learning a practicable methodology based on biblical principles that address racial reconciliation (building God-approved relationships) that will combat racial disunity among Christians. The study method used BBR (Building Better Relationships) consisted of interviewing and teaching a focus group representing a Black pastor and five church participants on racial relations issues within the church context. From the recommendations of the senior pastor, a focus group from …
Bonhoeffer On The Interaction Of Theology And Philosophy: Christological Redescription, Joseph D. Carson
Bonhoeffer On The Interaction Of Theology And Philosophy: Christological Redescription, Joseph D. Carson
Montview Journal of Research & Scholarship
Setting an example of philosophical theology in his own writings, Bonhoeffer can help contemporary theologians navigate the interaction between theology and philosophy. Predominantly discussing Sanctorum Communio and Ethics, this essay outlines how Bonhoeffer offers a paradigm of Christian engagement with philosophy. Bonhoeffer utilized the insights of philosophy by (1) critiquing its idolatrous nature and (2) Christologically redescribing its creative concepts in service to theology. Giving an account of Bonhoeffer’s critique and positive use of philosophy, this essay argues that Bonhoeffer’s paradigmatic view of theology and philosophy is a helpful resource for contemporary Christians. Specifically, a dialectic of antithesis and …
Purging The New Age: A Theological Analysis Of The Use Of New Age Practices By The Church, Christopher Michael Berg
Purging The New Age: A Theological Analysis Of The Use Of New Age Practices By The Church, Christopher Michael Berg
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This dissertation sets out to demonstrate that Yoga and the Enneagram are not compatible with orthodox Christianity. Additionally, this dissertation will show that all possible attempts at Christianizing these practices ultimately fail due to incompatible underlying philosophies and theologies. In order to accomplish this task, assessment criteria will be developed through a comparison of a subset of evangelical Christian theological topics with their New Age counterparts. These criteria will be used to assess the level of syncretization in each practice as presented by the most popular and prolific Christian practitioners. After assessment, a recommendation will be given concerning each practice’s …
Preparing The Next Generation For A Pluralistic World: The Need To Teach Systematic Theology To Christian Youth, Terrance Jermayne O'Neil
Preparing The Next Generation For A Pluralistic World: The Need To Teach Systematic Theology To Christian Youth, Terrance Jermayne O'Neil
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The continuation of Christianity is rooted in the historical practice of the preceding generation theologically educating the next generation. This process has led to the spreading of the gospel throughout the world. However, in recent years, the Christian church has watched an entire generation walk away from the faith. Many youths who affirmed their faith in Christ are abandoning their confessions and practice. The challenges and skepticism of a pluralistic and relativistic culture have questioned historic Christianity. Regretfully, Christian youth are unable to respond theologically and accurately with confidence. The church has failed to prepare them. This study sought to …
Morality And The Personhood Of God: A Moral Argument For The Existence Of A Personal God, Stephen Scott Jordan
Morality And The Personhood Of God: A Moral Argument For The Existence Of A Personal God, Stephen Scott Jordan
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The concept that God is personal is an important part of religious belief. If God were not personal, it would be odd to think of him as moral or loving; it would also seem counterintuitive to speak of him as One with whom humans can have a personal relationship, One who can be trusted, cares for the people he created, listens to their prayers, acts on their behalf, has their best interests at heart, and so on. In short, to talk of such matters in a sensible manner and to experience them in everyday life seemingly requires that God is …
Establishing Christ Community Church As A Sent Community: Initiating Spiritual Conversation With Confidence, Relevance, And Conviction, William Leland Burch Ii
Establishing Christ Community Church As A Sent Community: Initiating Spiritual Conversation With Confidence, Relevance, And Conviction, William Leland Burch Ii
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The problem is that Christ Community Church does not see itself as a ‘sent community.’ A ‘sent community’ is one where purpose and forward movement in Kingdom work is embraced. A church must seek to involve itself in the community, delve into the needs, and speak to the emptiness with the Gospel of Jesus. The purpose of this project is to establish Christ Community Church as a ‘sent community’ by offering a sustentative engagement program which will: 1) describe the mission of Jesus; 2) assess the culture in which the church is situated; 3) answer six frequently asked theological questions; …
Prosperity Gospel In Liberia: A Theological Alternative To The Gospel Of Jesus Christ, Jerome A. Newman
Prosperity Gospel In Liberia: A Theological Alternative To The Gospel Of Jesus Christ, Jerome A. Newman
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Many indigenous Liberian pastors are not theologically grounded on a solid biblical foundation. As such, many Liberian Christians lack foundational knowledge of the truths of the Gospel of Christ for salvation. The prosperity gospel or “Faith, Wealth, and Health” theology in Liberia is a significant deviation from the Gospel of Christ that undermines sound hermeneutical interpretation of Scripture. This study examines why a growing number of pastors in Liberia are replacing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the prosperity gospel. An anonymous survey research study of 12 pastors from Unity Light Ministry Network (Unity Community Church) in Kakata, Liberia, West …
Combatting Secular Humanism: Creating A Strategy To Teach Theology And Apologetics To High School Students, Chad J. Brown
Combatting Secular Humanism: Creating A Strategy To Teach Theology And Apologetics To High School Students, Chad J. Brown
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
In today’s society, there are more distractions than ever before. Students graduate from high school and often face worldview attacks from their professors. Many times, students do not have a solid enough understanding of a biblical worldview to respond confidently. The postmodern culture has created a gap between student’s emotional need and the intellectual need for a solid biblical foundation. Secular humanism has become a dominating worldview in our culture, and this project will formulate a strategy to teach theology and apologetics to high school students to combat secular humanism. Discipleship is training of a person’s mental, emotional, and spiritual …
Capitalism And Biblical Ethics, Sarah D. Stewart
Capitalism And Biblical Ethics, Sarah D. Stewart
Liberty University Journal of Statesmanship & Public Policy
There has been a growing trend in some expressions of Christianity to view Capitalism as fundamentally incompatible with the Christian faith. This article looked to a variety of sources to argue that Christianity and Capitalism are not fundamentally incompatible. Rather, Capitalism developed alongside developments in Christian theology during the Middle Ages. This traditional form of Capitalism is defined and argued for in this article. The article attempts to demonstrate that the elements that allow Capitalism to thrive are compatible with Christian ethics. The case is made by first examining the historical development of Capitalism and its relationship to Christianity. From …
Old Testament Election: God’S Exclusive Means Of Bringing About Global Redemption, Parker Williams
Old Testament Election: God’S Exclusive Means Of Bringing About Global Redemption, Parker Williams
Senior Honors Theses
This thesis will seek to explore the doctrine of election as it appears in the Old Testament. It will attempt to provide a robust, biblical conception of the doctrine, shedding light on its nature and purpose, viewing the Bible as a singular story of God’s redemptive work. It will consider and assess election as God’s act of divine prerogative—being at times individual but primarily corporate. While inherently partial, effort will be taken to defend the doctrine against common objections this partiality draws. Rather, it will be shown that as the means by which He initiated His gracious plan of salvation, …
TawḥĪDic Allah, The Trinity, And The Eschaton: A Comparative Analysis Of The Qualitative Nature Of The Afterlife In Islam And Christianity, Kevin M. Richard
TawḥĪDic Allah, The Trinity, And The Eschaton: A Comparative Analysis Of The Qualitative Nature Of The Afterlife In Islam And Christianity, Kevin M. Richard
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
A theological doctrine of eternal life raises certain qualitative and existential questions. Considering the unfathomable duration, one may rightly ask, what will that experience be like and will it meet the experiential needs of human beings so that there are no intimations of boredom. Eternity, then, creates a potential existential problem for humanity. The problem is potential because eternity creates a certain need, a need which can concisely be stated in this way: quality must overcome quantity. Both Christianity and Islam teach human beings are intended to live forever so both religions must overcome this problem if eternal life within …
Substance And Person In Tertullian And Augustine, Andrew P. Hillaker
Substance And Person In Tertullian And Augustine, Andrew P. Hillaker
Fidei et Veritatis: The Liberty University Journal of Graduate Research
The doctrine of the Trinity has been a focal point of Christian thinking throughout Church history. While the term “Trinity” does not appear in the biblical text, it is still a vital Christian doctrine. The doctrine, however, has not come without controversy. Various understandings of the doctrine have been presented throughout Church history. Tertullian (ca. 160-220 AD) and Augustine (354-430 AD) represent two of the foremost theologians to discuss the issue. Tertullian was one of the first to thoroughly examine the doctrine. He coined the terms “substance” and “person” in his discussion of the doctrine. These terms would come to …
C.S. Lewis And The True Myth: A Reconciliation Of Theology, Philosophy, And Mythology, Courage Lowrance
C.S. Lewis And The True Myth: A Reconciliation Of Theology, Philosophy, And Mythology, Courage Lowrance
Masters Theses
C.S. Lewis was both a student of pagan philosophy and mythology and a Christian. He never was divided between these two pursuits in his life, though he gave the latter its proper priority. What allowed Lewis to keep this balance was his idea of the gospel as the True Myth, an idea that helped lead to his conversion and remained at the core of his thinking throughout his life. By this idea of True Myth, Lewis was able to not only unite the pagan myths to Christian truth, but also the rest of human thought as well. Thus, in order …
The Doctrine Of Prophecy, Harold Willmington
The Doctrine Of Prophecy, Harold Willmington
The Things to Come File
No abstract provided.
The Doctrine Of Man: Introduction, Harold Willmington
The Doctrine Of Man: Introduction, Harold Willmington
The Adam File
No abstract provided.
The Doctrine Of Sin, Harold Willmington
The Doctrine Of Sin, Harold Willmington
The Forbidden Fruit File
No abstract provided.