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Articles 1 - 30 of 1066
Full-Text Articles in Christianity
A Contemporary Pauline Apologetic Toolkit, Jayne Bertovich
A Contemporary Pauline Apologetic Toolkit, Jayne Bertovich
Masters Theses
This thesis recounts that societal history is repeating itself in modern times whereby there is a pattern of similarity with the Millennials and Generation Z and ancient audiences of the Apostle Paul in terms of paganism and humanism at the forefront of hearts and minds pushing back on Christianity (albeit today’s exposure to post-modernism and digital influences do not present in the ancient world of the Apostle Paul). Similarly, the ancient world was interested in the advances of its day of science and philosophy. The Millennials and Generation Z population, a majority of the population globally, are ripe for the …
How To Create Things With Words: Identifying The Performative Speech Acts Of God’S Spoken Words In The Genesis 1 Creation Account, Ivan C. Yu
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Speech Act Theory is a branch of linguistics that explores not only how language is used to convey meaning, but also how it is used to perform actions or functions. In recent decades, it has been applied as a viable hermeneutical tool to aid biblical interpretation and defend the inerrancy of Scripture. Identifying the speech acts of the biblical author or speakers in the biblical narratives can be useful to understand the meaning and intention of the utterances, phrases, and words spoken. In the Genesis 1 creation narrative, God spoke words to create the universe. While adopting a canonical approach …
Charge The Cockpit Or Die: An Anatomy Of Fear-Driven Political Rhetoric In American Conservatism, Daniel Hostetter
Charge The Cockpit Or Die: An Anatomy Of Fear-Driven Political Rhetoric In American Conservatism, Daniel Hostetter
Senior Honors Theses
Subthreshold negative emotions have superseded conscious reason as the initial and strongest motivators of political behavior. Political neuroscience uses the concepts of negativity bias and terror management theory to explore why fear-driven rhetoric plays such an outsized role in determining human political actions. These mechanisms of human anthropology are explored by competing explanations from biblical and evolutionary scholars who attempt to understand their contribution to human vulnerabilities to fear. When these mechanisms are observed in fear-driven political rhetoric, three common characteristics emerge: exaggerated threat, tribal combat, and religious apocalypse, which provide a new framework for explaining how modern populist leaders …
Coherent Chiastic Oeuvre In The Unity Of Luke-Acts: Two Volumes Conjoined As A Single Book, John Matthew Powell
Coherent Chiastic Oeuvre In The Unity Of Luke-Acts: Two Volumes Conjoined As A Single Book, John Matthew Powell
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
A thorough examination of the life and works of Saint Luke has always been an interest and desire to survey, and because of his eruditeness, which produced two amazingly inspired books in the New Testament resulted in the reason behind this dissertation project. Another important thing for this research is animated from the perspective that Luke is the only gentile writer in the NT. It encourages the world that God placed gentiles on equal footing with Jews of the Old Testament era. Unlike the additional three inspired Gospel writers (i.e., Matthew, Mark, and John), Luke did not take it for …
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 …
Preparing The Next Generation For Faith Ownership By Training Fathers In The Biblical Worldview, John D. Embrey
Preparing The Next Generation For Faith Ownership By Training Fathers In The Biblical Worldview, John D. Embrey
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Several modern factors increase families’ difficulty training children in the Christian faith. Time commitments outside the home have increased, and a decline in faith practice has made parents less comfortable and confident with knowledge of the Christian faith. These factors fueled an increase in teenagers leaving the Christian faith as they moved into adulthood and a decline in the number of adults with a biblical worldview. The underlying assumption of this DMIN project is that if fathers are trained with a biblical worldview and mentoring skills, they will become more comfortable and prepared to share their faith with their children …
A Composition Of Strategic Harmony: The Role Of Hymnic Elements In The Compositional Strategy Of Amos, Moegagogo S. Solomona
A Composition Of Strategic Harmony: The Role Of Hymnic Elements In The Compositional Strategy Of Amos, Moegagogo S. Solomona
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Scholarship on the book of Amos has oft leaned in favor of a multilayered composition of the prophetic book, citing either post-exilic motifs or unusual thematic transitions as evidence. While most of the book of Amos is typically ascribed to the prophet himself, the attribution of certain portions to the work of later redactors brings into question the integrity of the message Amos seeks to convey, especially regarding a united theological message. Proponents of redaction claim that the portions in question would not have been part of the original composition due to their contents displaying post-exilic themes. Such a reconstruction …
The Modern-Day Widow: Wrongly Shamed And Shunned In Evangelical Communities, Nancy Beise
The Modern-Day Widow: Wrongly Shamed And Shunned In Evangelical Communities, Nancy Beise
Masters Theses
Evangelical women suffering in destructive, abusive marriages suffer doubly when their faith communities do not understand the nature of intimate partner violence and the trauma of sexual betrayal. Too often these women are sent back into dangerous relationships without resource and with the additional burden of shame (Matthew 23:4). If they choose to divorce in order to escape abuse and find peace and healing, they are most often rejected and shunned as sinners. This work identifies who these women are according to scripture, defines abuse and betrayal trauma, and calls the evangelical community to an awareness of the suffering made …
Some Aspects Of The Theology Of The City In Ane Literature And Biblical Protology And Eschatology: A Comparative Study, Vlatko Dir
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The city is an essential accomplishment that is embedded in the foundations of human civilization. From its mature appearance in Sumer and its developed forms throughout the ANE world, the city held a high place in cosmology, cosmogony, and anthropogony. The ideology and theology of the city created by the ANE peoples were built around and presented through the interplay of the triangle of influences and dependencies formed by the city, the temple, and kingship in conjunction with the gods. The question is whether the same construct is ingeminated in the Bible. This dissertation strives to provide an appropriate context …
Indirect Prophecies Concerning The Death Of Christ In Narrative, Lindsay A. Siemers
Indirect Prophecies Concerning The Death Of Christ In Narrative, Lindsay A. Siemers
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
In Luke 24, two disciples recognized that Jesus had predicted He would suffer, be betrayed, and handed over to death by crucifixion, and had said He would rise again on the third day. It was now the third day, and Jesus was no longer in the tomb, but they were confused as to what these things meant and how they came to be. Jesus says to them, “‘O foolish ones and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?’ And beginning …
Toward An Analysis Of The Abductive Moral Argument For God’S Existence: Assessing The Evidential Quality Of Moral Phenomena And The Evidential Virtuosity Of Christian Theological Models, David Ochabski
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The moral argument for God’s existence is perhaps the oldest and most salient of the arguments from natural theology. In contemporary literature, there has been a focus on the abductive version of the moral argument. Although the mode of reasoning, abduction, has been articulated, there has not been a robust articulation of the individual components of the argument. Such an articulation would include the data quality of moral phenomena, the theoretical virtuosity of theological models that explain the moral phenomena, and how both contribute to the likelihood of moral arguments. The goal of this paper is to provide such an …
African Influence In The Bible: A Sub-Saharan Response To The Gospel And The Divine Prerogative Of African Incorporation In God’S Redemptive Plan, Robert Milton Bugg Jr.
African Influence In The Bible: A Sub-Saharan Response To The Gospel And The Divine Prerogative Of African Incorporation In God’S Redemptive Plan, Robert Milton Bugg Jr.
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The Bible presents God's magnificent divine plan, executed by chosen people for a specific purpose. There are illustrations of those from various regions impacting those worldwide throughout the Bible. While much of the Old Testament takes place in ancient Mesopotamia, the magnitude of God’s plan is global. This dissertation will examine sub-Saharan people groups in Africa, particularly the Kushites and ancient Ethiopians. The discussion will include the history of Africans in the ancient world, their migration and development parallel to recorded biblical history, and their role in the Bible. Scholars utilize many different terms when referring to Kushites, depending on …
Retaining Students After Graduation With Biblical Servanthood, Carlos Henrique De Freitas
Retaining Students After Graduation With Biblical Servanthood, Carlos Henrique De Freitas
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This thesis addresses the inadequate understanding of the biblical concept of servanthood among high school students (grades 9-12) within the congregation of Macland Baptist Church in Powder Springs, Georgia. As a result of this problem, students gradually distance themselves from their faith, discontinue church attendance, and cease participating in church service activities. The thesis of this paper is that exposing these high school students to various dimensions of biblical servanthood will significantly impact their understanding of this concept. The underlying assumption posits that a profound understanding of biblical servanthood, coupled with knowledge and service opportunities, will cultivate Christlike character in …
Intentional Discipleship: Implementing A Theology Of Discipleship For Spiritual Growth, Sheina L. Rivera
Intentional Discipleship: Implementing A Theology Of Discipleship For Spiritual Growth, Sheina L. Rivera
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
One of the greatest needs for the church today is to equip believers to become biblically informed, fully developed disciples so that they are prepared to carry out the mission of Christ. Without fully understanding mature discipleship practices, believers cannot fulfill the Great Commission to “go, teach and baptize” to make other disciples. The failure to understand and teach these practices has led to complacency, lack of interest, and the inability to become disciples among long-term church laity. This dissertation implemented biblical discipleship teachings and practices in a local church through a Sunday School curriculum and was evaluated through participant …
Culturally Induced Male Dominance: Addressing Breakdown Of Harmony In Asian Indian Christian Marriages, Benjamin Mulaparthi
Culturally Induced Male Dominance: Addressing Breakdown Of Harmony In Asian Indian Christian Marriages, Benjamin Mulaparthi
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Marriage is an institution designed by God to fulfill the creation mandate and represent Christ and his bride in this world. Marriage is a universal social construct fulfilled in diverse ways across cultures and societies. In Asian Indian culture, marriages are mostly arranged where parents customarily choose a spouse based on the caste/ethnicity, religion, social and economic standing of prospective spouses and their families. Many Christians in India and those of Indian origin living in the United States adopt the cultural norm of arranged marriage. This DMIN action research project will explore the breakdown of harmony in Christian arranged marriages …
Equipping Covenant Baptist Church To Defend The Bible In A Skeptical World, Harlan Grant Mclain
Equipping Covenant Baptist Church To Defend The Bible In A Skeptical World, Harlan Grant Mclain
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The thesis of this research project is “If Covenant Baptist Church members are taught the reliability of the Bible, they will be equipped to defend their faith to a skeptical world.” The goals of this doctoral thesis are two-fold: to train adequate believers regarding the Bible’s reliability in a skeptical world, and honor God in the process through the equipping ministry of the church in accordance with Ephesians 4:11-16. Seven lessons were researched, formulated, and presented to a small group of believers in Covenant Baptist Church who desired to become more confident in defending the Bible to a skeptic. Entrance …
Relational Evangelism: Family-To-Family Through Recreational Activities, Kimberly R. Williams
Relational Evangelism: Family-To-Family Through Recreational Activities, Kimberly R. Williams
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The goals of this Doctor of Ministry thesis project are to explore and implement an approach to evangelism that has the potential of family connection through relational evangelism. The approach delivers the gospel message through family to family encounters in recreational activities. The church, Idlewild Baptist Church (IBC) has a unique communal opportunity to enhance ministry efforts through relational evangelism. The church leaders at IBC realize that they can do more with their recreation center on their campus by using it as a resource for outreach connecting with unchurched families and families without a church affiliation. An identifiable dilemma in …
Natural Christology: The Necessity Of Christ By Analysis Of Natural Religion, Jared Anthony Smith
Natural Christology: The Necessity Of Christ By Analysis Of Natural Religion, Jared Anthony Smith
Masters Theses
The hero’s journey [or the monomyth] and the perennial philosophy are two conceptions of human experience that popularize a single old idea: a common human plight recurs across time through humanity’s socio-cultural variety. The monomyth highlights this through narrative modes; the perennial philosophy does this through religious modes. Both distillations have garnered a Christian counterattack, being thought to dangerously depart from the gospel in their essence as they nonetheless borrow its language and timbre. Yet, their incorporation of the gospel ventures beyond appropriation. Supposing these secular notions esteem the recurrent human journey with any alacrity, a careful apologetic discerns and …
Freedom, Mystery And “Kinds Of Desire”: The Doctrine Of Theosis And Free Will’S Intelligibility Problem, Aaron Milkie
Freedom, Mystery And “Kinds Of Desire”: The Doctrine Of Theosis And Free Will’S Intelligibility Problem, Aaron Milkie
Senior Honors Theses
The problem of free will stands among the most intellectually fascinating, and practically concerning, problems of philosophy. It also remains, after centuries of rich discussion and sharp division, a locus of tremendous philosophical polarization— citing strong, often incongruous intuitions, philosophers today disagree over the nature, possibility, existence, and implications of human free agency. One route which might help penetrate this apparent stalemate is the application of resources from theism— in particular, Christian theism— to the philosophical free will conversation. In this paper, I review past contributions of Christian theism to the philosophical free will debate, arguing that these contributions, while …
John's Canonical Portrait Of Christ: A Biblical-Theological Approach To The Depiction Of The Glorified Christ In Revelation 1, Christopher Matthew Carpenter
John's Canonical Portrait Of Christ: A Biblical-Theological Approach To The Depiction Of The Glorified Christ In Revelation 1, Christopher Matthew Carpenter
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Throughout the history of evangelical scholarship, a significant lacuna has formed in Apocalyptic studies. Many theologians have expressed fear or uncertainty concerning the text of Revelation as numerous ambiguous aspects exist within the Apocalypse. A proposed path forward into the gap in scholarship is to return the focus to the intent of the author of Revelation, John the apostle, and examine the definitive truths of the text. John’s priority is revealed in the initial chapter as he depicts the subject of his Apocalypse, Jesus Christ. This intent is revealed in John’s use of allusions, metaphors, and other rhetorical devices through …
Explanatory Ultimacy, Epistemic Access, And Evil: A Community Theodicy, Jonathan Michael Huls
Explanatory Ultimacy, Epistemic Access, And Evil: A Community Theodicy, Jonathan Michael Huls
Masters Theses
This is a work about meaning and value. How do human persons find meaning? Why do human persons have value—or do we? A stubborn problem of meaning is evidenced by the perennially treated theistic problem of evil. How is an all-powerful, all-knowing, and morally perfect God compatible with a world filled with violence and hate? If God is powerfully perfect, why is His world not perfect too? This project endeavors to notice that an answer to this problem depends on properly grounding human access to meaning—especially the meaning of the words God, and evil. It is argued herein that there …
The Nature Of Confession For Forgiveness In 1 John 1:5–2:6, Carleton Edward Hafer
The Nature Of Confession For Forgiveness In 1 John 1:5–2:6, Carleton Edward Hafer
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this study on 1 John 1:5–2:6 is to examine whether repeated confession of post-salvific sins is required either for additional forgiveness or to maintain fellowship with God. This dissertation argues that John teaches that confession is required for salvation and results in complete forgiveness at the moment of salvation; however, despite what is commonly taught, John never teaches ongoing post-salvific confession for forgiveness or to maintain fellowship with God. While post-salvific confession may benefit a believer on a psychological level, that is not what John taught in 1 John. From God’s standpoint, the relationship is not impaired …
The Jewish Basis For The Born Again Experience In John 3, Francis-David Athelstan Scalzo
The Jewish Basis For The Born Again Experience In John 3, Francis-David Athelstan Scalzo
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The dissertation’s objective will be to analyze what Nicodemus—as a Pharisee who was knowledgeable of the Hebrew Bible and the prevalent Jewish theology of his period—should have understood, given his position, concerning Jesus’ teaching of being born again. By examining the Old Testament (the TaNaK) and Intertestamental Jewish theology, it will be argued in the dissertation’s six chapters how Nicodemus, as a prominent Pharisaical religious instructor, should have understood the concept of spiritual rebirth as well as the scriptural significance of water and the Spirit, including the guidance and obedience inherent in Jesus’ teaching on the wind. As an introduction …
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. …
The Aesthetics, Sanctity, And Utility Of Jihad In The Earliest Biography Of Muhammad, Alexander Connally Mcmullen
The Aesthetics, Sanctity, And Utility Of Jihad In The Earliest Biography Of Muhammad, Alexander Connally Mcmullen
Masters Theses
This thesis is an examination of the way jihad is portrayed in the earliest surviving biography of Muhammad. Sirat Rasul Allah is the oldest most complete biography of Muhammad to which we still have access to today, and in this biography wars, raids, and other violent acts are treated as something that is morally good, beautiful, and rewarded. To engage in violence, war, and raids, on behalf of Allah, is seen as a mark of the pious, courageous, and noble-born. Jiha is also seen as Allah’s punishment of the wicked and those who enact jihad are depicted as being directly …
Prophecy And Politics: Understanding The Impact Of Media Prophets In Local Pentecostal Churches, Tommy Dawain Blackwell
Prophecy And Politics: Understanding The Impact Of Media Prophets In Local Pentecostal Churches, Tommy Dawain Blackwell
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Social injustice issues incite both positive and negative responses within local Pentecostal congregants creating topical “cones of silence” pastors and church leaders must cautiously navigate. The focus of this treatise is the proper response of Evangelical Pentecostals toward social justice. The goal is to help Evangelical churches to nullify the emotional edginess and discuss important issues while maintaining a strong unity with diversity. Research, via personal interviews of Pentecostal congregants and first-hand observation by church leaders, will identify negative political theologies as the emotional and political influences driving division within local Pentecostal churches. As a result, church pastors will recognize …
Choosing Evidence Over Theory: How The Evidence For The Resurrection Undermines A Priori Arguments Against Miracles, Benjamin D. Graber
Choosing Evidence Over Theory: How The Evidence For The Resurrection Undermines A Priori Arguments Against Miracles, Benjamin D. Graber
Masters Theses
For centuries, the prevailing arguments against miracles have been based on David Hume and others’ a priori arguments. These theoretical arguments continue to be debated as they are not especially persuasive to those who are ideologically opposed. Because these arguments are theoretical in nature, they exclude the possibility of miraculous events. As such, there are two ways of arguing against a priori arguments. First, one can argue from an opposing theoretical viewpoint and debate the logic within the arguments. Second, one can argue for the probability of one miraculous event. If one event can be proven likely to have occurred, …
Supernatural Evil As Evidence For The Existence Of God, Shane Stone Geisler
Supernatural Evil As Evidence For The Existence Of God, Shane Stone Geisler
Masters Theses
This study challenges widely held beliefs about the supernatural realm. Those who believe the supernatural realm exists tend to accept there is a personable higher power at work in our world. The naturalistic worldview denies the existence of anything or anyone beyond our physical universe. This paper will first inform the reader of a history of beliefs in the supernatural. Next, an innovative approach will be taken to provide evidence for the supernatural world. Finally, the evidence will be examined to determine its reliability and identify common themes found throughout the research. The information provided is not intended to be …
God Alone Is Good And Wise: A Free Will Defense For The Logical Problem Of Moral Disagreement, Maria Carolina Reis Baeta
God Alone Is Good And Wise: A Free Will Defense For The Logical Problem Of Moral Disagreement, Maria Carolina Reis Baeta
Masters Theses
Moral disagreement is commonly regarded as a threat to objective morality in academic literature and popular culture and perhaps one of the most significant objections against the Christian theistic moral theory. Some skeptics argue that, since people diverge about what is right and wrong, and in doing so, they provoke moral evil and human suffering, the Christian view that an all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good God is behind morality is inconsistent. Numerous questions about the revelation of God's moral law, God's power to prevent moral disagreement, and even the reasons for creating a world with such moral disagreements lead people to …
Defending The Resurrection Of Jesus Through The Reliability Of The Credible Witnesses, Gregory K. Cherven
Defending The Resurrection Of Jesus Through The Reliability Of The Credible Witnesses, Gregory K. Cherven
Masters Theses
The purpose of this thesis is to illuminate the fact that there is sufficient evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ through the reliability of the credible witnesses. Although physical evidence is lacking, it does not mean there is not sufficient evidence. Is it necessary to have physical evidence to secure a conviction? Criminal cases will be explored in which murder convictions were secured without the recovery of a dead body, physical evidence, or a confession. The convictions were secured based solely on witness testimony. The eye-witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus are evaluated through a modern lens and there …