Christianity Commons^™

The Wise Professor: The Skillful Art Of Living In God's Mission, Aaron Badenhop

Doctor of Ministry

Today’s Christian professor in the secular university setting is likely an expert in their academic field. Likewise, many Christian faculty are sincere in their faith and devout in their practice. The Christian professor’s expert knowledge is impressive and their heart for God is admirable. Yet, today’s Christian professor is simultaneously likely to be ill-equipped and disconnected from having a missional impact in their secular university context. In my work with Cru at The Ohio State University, this challenge is complex; there are no easy answers. Christian faculty are typically educated and trained in environments that assume the irrelevance of God …

Examining The Cross-Cultural Competence Of United States Christian Missionaries Engaged In Developing Indigenous Leaders: A Mixed Methods Study, Craig W. Goodman

Dissertations

For the past two millennia, missionaries have crossed from one culture to another to bring the Christian message to all cultures of the world. Questions about the effectiveness of these mission efforts have been asked and researched by many; however, one key question remains unanswered: what personal attributes help a person to be more competent at crossing cultures as they interact with people from other cultures? Although cross-cultural competence has been studied in a variety of fields over the past 50 years, the models and assessments used have never been applied to Christian missionaries.

To address this deficiency, this parallel …

Theology Of The Laity: The Lutheran Way, Brian M. Mosemann

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

The distinction between the laity and clergy has been a contributing cause of disunity within the church because the clergy and laity are often pitted against one another with one or the other being elevated to the detriment of the other. This problem has plagued the church from the middle ages until the present day. Since the definition of the term “laity” is vacuous, the laity are generally defined relative to the clergy, specifically in reference to their authority and duties. This results in a negative definition when the laity are defined as the opposite of the clergy. The laity …

Christianity, Feminism, And Identity Development In Christian Higher Education, Kaitlin Merlino

Communication Student Scholarship

Identity formation acts as an important part of human development. At the same time, some difficulty occurs when a person attempts to hold two identities that seemingly contradict. For those that identify as both feminists and Christians, this dilemma creates difficulties. As these two identity camps have been on opposing ends of a variety of issues for years, some may even feel unable to claim both of these labels simultaneously. At the same time, some can hold the values of each even as they reject the identity labels. The context of higher education provides students with an environment where they …

We Are All Eve: Rescuing The Mother Of All Things From Patriarchal Interpretation And Its Implications For Modern Christian Women, Maeve Pioli

Senior Theses

For centuries, the traditional Christian understanding of the Genesis narrative has relied heavily on the patriarchal biases of historic church figures to enforce a gendered hierarchy where women are deprived of authority, voice, and agency. My thesis deconstructs these misogynistic interpretations to provide liberating, alternative readings for the Garden of Eden as well as New Testament verses that utilize Eve’s transgression to justify women’s secondary status. As a former Christian, I have witnessed the persistence of this oppressive theology, often repackaged as a “complementary” relationship between sexes where women must dutifully submit to the headship of men. Therefore, by building …

Effective Hospice Chaplain Ministry, Dawn M. Linder

Doctor of Ministry

This project is a book which examines how Christian hospice chaplains can maintain and utilize their Christian identity and minister effectively to non-Christian/non-religious patients and their families without evangelizing them. It was determined that narrative, or story, is an essential part of each person's life, especially as a person looks back on their life while approaching death. A person's life goals change as death becomes imminent, and with change comes grief. Hospice chaplains can companion the patient as they navigate this unfamiliar territory and help them recognize new goals. Chaplains can help patients look back on their lives to see …

Johnson V. M'Intosh: Christianity, Genocide, And The Dispossession Of Indigenous Peoples, Cynthia J. Boshell

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Using hermeneutical methodology, this paper examines some of the legal fictions that form the foundation of Federal Indian Law. The text of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1823 Johnson v. M’Intosh opinion is evaluated through the lens of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide to determine the extent to which the Supreme Court incorporated genocidal principles into United States common law. The genealogy of M’Intosh is examined to identify influences that are not fully apparent on the face of the case. International jurisprudential interpretations of the legal definition of genocide are summarized and used as …

Call And Response: How Christian Musicians Can Glorify God In Their Work, Sergio Gallardo Palma

Theses and Dissertations

While many Christians take up their work in the world in the context of formal ministry or by pursuing a career in worship music, there are also many musicians who are devout Christians who do not necessarily feel called to express their vocation in such contexts. Nonetheless, they can take up their work in the world through their craft and glorify God in countless ways that do not necessitate making overtly Christian music or leading worship at their church. This thesis will first explore a pneumatological theology of work. It will then explore the calling of the musician, focusing on …

Experiences Of Divine Grace Among Christian Friends, Kyle T. Webster

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Though topics of prayer, forgiveness, and gratitude have received attention in the psychology of religion, there is sparse literature regarding the concept of grace. This study explored how Christians who identify as Friends (Quakers) experience grace from God. Thirty interviews were conducted with Friends in the Pacific Northwest, using a standardized semistructured interview developed for a larger study of how Christians from various denominations experience grace. Four organizing themes were derived from the interview questions and then grounded theory was used to uncover associated sub-themes within each organizing theme. The organizing themes include the nature of God, the nature of …

"No One's Gonna Say That At Church:" Women's Experiences With Infertility In Christian Faith Communities, Donna Paulsen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explores women’s experiences with infertility in Christian faith communities. Drawing from nine one-on-one interviews, the author argues that the presence of particular religious ideologies, social interactions, and rituals within faith communities contributed to the stigmatization and marginalization of study participants. Employing Muted Group Theory, the author uncovers the communicative strategies infertile women employ to resist these oppressive practices. A qualitative analysis of participants’ narratives presents two principal categories, containing a total of four findings relating to the harmful beliefs and practices of these women’s faith communities. The author argues that the veneration of motherhood and children suggests that …

Non-Traditional Church Involvement As A Life-Course Turning Point: Qualitative Interviews With Religious Offenders, William Hunter Holt

Dissertations

This research project conducted and then analyzed qualitative interviews from former and current addicts and criminal offenders who are voluntarily participating in the Christian faith at the same non-traditional, Protestant church. An abridged case study of this church is also provided for background and context. Life-course theory and grounded theory are utilized.

Both the offenders and this church were chosen in an attempt to better understand how the offenders’ involvement at this house of worship, along with their faith in general, have impacted them. Obtaining the perspectives of the offender is essential for three reasons. First, qualitative research conducted in …

Mercy Vs. Justice - Blood Of The Lamb, Ryan Murphy

Honors Projects

How did Christ's death save us? The Atonement is a Christian doctrine which has been heavily debated in how it should be understood since the beginnings of Christianity. This analysis covers the theological theories of the Atonement, narrates a Catholic layman's personal understanding that is based on scholarly research and is kept within the bounds of Catholic doctrine, and summarizes the thoughts and feelings of surveyed college-age Christians on the subject.

Crispr Genetic Editing: Paths For Christian Acceptance And Analysis Of In Vivo And In Vitro Efficiency, Mandeep Sandhu

Scripps Senior Theses

With advancements in CRISPR-cas9 broadening the potential paths for clinical usage of genetic editing, conversations about genetic editing have grown to outside simply scientific communities and into mainstream conversations. This study focuses specifically on Christian discourse of genetic editing and locates four major tensions for many Christians when they think about genetic editing: beginning of life, Creator-human relationship, imago Dei, and stewardship. With these major concerns in mind, I identify epigenetics, somatic cell genetic editing, and in vivo genetic editing research as important research paths to pursue as they can potentially produce techniques that more Christian individuals would feel comfortable …

Sense And Sensibility: A Sermon On Living The Examined Life, Sarah J. Mejias

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Jane Austen’s novels remain an essential component of the literary canon, but her first published novel, Sense and Sensibility, is frequently neglected. However, in Sense and Sensibility is the genesis of Austen’s technique through which her major characters cultivate and reveal a strong inner life, demonstrated through the character of Elinor Dashwood. This technique is a characteristic she incorporates in each of her succeeding novels. Her approach to literature centers on the interiority of her characters and their ability to change, but it her first novel Austen takes a unique approach. Following the structure of an eighteenth-century sermon, Austen …

Intersections: A Theology And Social Justice Curriculum For Christian High Schools, Rachel Lanae Hollingsworth

Honors Projects

Despite much writing on the intersection of race and ethnicity and theology, there are few suitable resources for high school teachers at Protestant Christian schools, so this project seeks to fill that gap by providing a curriculum written for conservative, Christian high schools. The curriculum emphasizes the study of scripture and theological witness in conjunction with relevant literature and media to challenge students to consider a more holistic understanding of the role of identity, inclusion, justice, and reconciliation in their faith. This will be facilitated by asking thought-provoking questions, thinking through issues of faith, providing a foundation for theological exploration, …

In His Image: A Content Analysis Of Evangelical Youth Books For Their Representation Of Gender Roles And Ideals, Taryn Renee Vis

Honors Projects

This content analysis discusses the results of the analysis of twelve major Evangelical books for young adults and their representation of gender roles and gender ideals. The background of the Evangelical church’s handling of gender, particularly in relation to media beginning in the 1970s is established and discussed at length in order to situate this analysis amongst previous discussion of Evangelical gender roles. This analysis found that each of the books discussed four main themes of gender roles and relations: biological essentialism, complementarianism, counter-cultural branding of gender, and sexual purity (especially for young women).

Reclaiming And Reconciling What Was Originally Ours--Christianity And Feminism: A Concise History, Soquel Filice

History

No abstract provided.

Augustine, Wannabe Philosopher: The Search For Otium Honestum, Allen G. Wilson

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

A Theology Of Creation Lived Out In Christian Hymnody, Beth Hoeltke

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Hoeltke, Beth June “A Theology of Creation Lived Out in Christian Hymnody.” Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2014. 308 pp.

A seminal article written by Lynn White in the mid-1960’s indicted Christianity as a major cause affecting the ecological crisis of the day. White emphasized that the Christian tradition practiced domination rather than dominion and ownership rather than stewardship. Since White’s article Christian theologians have challenged his interpretation. One of the unexamined sources of the church’s teaching on creation is hymnody. This dissertation examines this source. Hymns play a vital role in the church’s teaching as they have the ability to …

Gay Christians: Living Out Faith In The Light Of Exegesis And Experience, Megan Baxter

Senior Theses and Projects

A study of God’s will towards gay sex within loving and committed gay unions based on exegetical scholarship and the lived experienced of gay Christians. Over 350 gay Christians were surveyed for this work, and their experiences are reflected in the conclusions of this paper. This work also investigated the relevant Biblical texts, paying close attention to the use of language and historical critical aspects of exegesis.

Faith At Work: How Churches Can Better Enable Believers To Integrate Their Personal Faith In The Workplace, Stuart D. Dugan

Doctor of Ministry

No abstract provided.

Is It Possible To Teach As A Christian In Today's Public School Setting?, Rachel Waggener

Honors Theses

I am a teacher. I have chosen to invest three years of my life as well as my undergraduate college experience to learn how to educate. In the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (2007), education is defined as "the field of study that deals mainly with methods of teaching and learning in schools." Education, particularly as it relates to public school classrooms and teachers, is often a topic on talk shows, front page newspaper articles, and political campaign speeches. It should be. It affects every family in our country and world.

A Pastor And His Ministry: Gregory Thamaturgus' Address Of Thanksgiving To Origen As Pastoral Practice, Edwin Harkey

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

One such student of his times was Origen. In his writings we see glimpses that while his goal was ultimately a deeply spiritual one-no less than a union with the Divine-he seemed no stranger to a more holistic approach in his encounters with the students who placed themselves under his tutelage. One of those students, Gregory Thaumaturgus, often called the "Wonderworker," even bequeathed to the church a most revealing document that enables us to get a rare glimpse of Origen and his method and style. It is that document, Gregory's Address of Thanksgiving to Origen, that will be the subject …

Virtue Ethics And The Place Of Character Formation Within Lutheran Theology, Joel Biermann

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

This study strives to provide a way for all parish pastors to reconsider the task of providing ethical training in a parish setting. The intent of this investigation is to encourage a shift in perception that will allow training in ethics to be evaluated and eventually adopted as both practically positive and theologically valid. Failing that ambitious goal, the study can at least prompt further discussion of the appropriate place of training in ethics, that is, teaching the practical matters of living the Christian life. Understood scripturally, the goal is quite simply to provide a way for congregations faithfully to …

Christian Artists In A Postmodern Time, Donald "Donnie" Allen Copeland Jr.

Honors Theses

The rigid rules of our traditional schools of artistic standards have been shattered. What our culture expects of artists and what artists expect of themselves has drastically changed. In this time of Postmodernism1 , any means an artist finds to express and to communicate is valid. There is no dominant school or style, no art Nazis dictating what must be the form to follow in our artistic expression.

My purpose is to take these new trends in art and to apply them to a long dormant voice in the arts, Christianity, and to see where artists who are Christian stand …

Christology In Africa: Work In Progress, Carl Rockrohr

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

Can Jesus Christ be preached, teached and confessed only through the worldviews, philosophies and languages of the writers of the Nicene and Chalcedonian creeds? Can Christology be faithfully understood only from traditional Western perspectives? Now in the life of the Christian church in Africa at the end of 20th century, this is a question being addressed by a variety of African Christian theologians. This paper will: 1) briefly outline some difficulties currently being identified by African theologians and missionaries with Christology presented from Western world views in Africa; 2) overview some Christologies developed with an African perspective; and 3) review …

Aurelius Augustine's-Use Or Discarding Of The Classical Methodology Of Education To Promote The Christian Faith, Gordon Beck

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

Thesis statement: It is the purpose of this paper to examine Augustine’s use or discarding of the classical methodology of education as found in his works de Ordine and de Doctrines Christiana.

Introduction: The tension in the early church between the Christian faith and pagan culture found a compromise in Augustine's declaration: "Every good and true Christian should understand that wherever he may find truth, it is the Lord's". This he declared in de Doctrines Christiana, 396.

Jerome On Virginity: An Analysis Of St. Jerome's Position On Consecrated Virginity And Celibacy And Their Relation To Marriage, Daniel Kempin

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

How and why Jerome came to be a champion of this cause is a story in itself, and his own accounts of his personal experience are often emotional and dramatic. Of greater significance, however, is the theological legacy to which Jerome contributed by his strong emphasis on Christian celibacy, particularly consecrated virginity. In this paper I will investigate Jerome's position on Christian celibacy and virginity, including the influences that contributed to his position, in order to identify the theological implications that were a part of his position, and to discuss briefly the exegesis with which he supported his position.

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 …

A Study Of Matthew 3:13-17 -- The Baptism Of Jesus, Werner Boos

Bachelor of Divinity

The fact that Jesus came to John the Baptist in order to be baptized by him fascinates and puzzles many Christians. The event evokes many significant questions: What was the exact nature of the baptism administered by John the Baptist? Why did Jesus submit himself to such a baptism? What significance did the baptismal event hold for Jesus' subsequent ministry? What did it mean to the evangelists and to their original audiences? How did it influence the Christian sacrament of baptism? These and similar questions prompt the present study--a study which takes as its exegetical point of departure the most …