Comparative Methodologies and Theories Commons^™

Five Practical Steps For Increasing Church Membership: A Case Study Of First Baptist Church Of Venice, Florida, Christopher Cornette

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Bible implores Christians to commit themselves to one another for spiritual growth and personal accountability. This valuable mandate is best recognized in the New Testament as the local church. Many church leaders do not aggressively seize the opportunity to engage church attenders in making the church membership commitment. This thesis project will analyze and investigate the church membership growth processes of ten churches in three different denominations. This author will interview in depth the senior staff members as it relates to their effectiveness in moving attenders to church members compared with First Baptist Church of Venice. This church has …

Identification, Intervention, And Implementation Of A Church Substance-Abuse Program For Twenty-Six To Forty-Six Year Olds, Michael Schmidt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Peer-reviewed empirical research indicates that the church can improve how it equips ministers to reach out to twenty-six to forty-six year olds suffering from substance abuse. This thesis project will help ministers evaluate, rethink, and implement better addiction-outreach programs. It is the intent of this thesis project to guide ministers and church workers, to give them levelheaded, real-world, hands-on, sensible solutions in order to see clear-cut positive progress in their outreach program to substance abusers. This thesis will answer the question: Is the church doing a good job of identifying and ministering to substance-abusing addicts? This doctoral thesis will provide …

The Two Goats: A Christian Yom Kippur Soteriology, Richard Barry

Dissertations (1934 -)

This dissertation draws on recent historical-critical research into ancient Jewish temple theology, the priestly book of Leviticus, and especially the Yom Kippur liturgy of Leviticus 16, to develop a more paradoxical interpretation of Christ’s saving work for modern Christian systematic theology. Prompted by the pioneering research of Jacob Milgrom, there has been a surge in sympathetic interpretations of the priestly theological tradition, which has inspired fresh interpretations of the Levitical Day of Atonement. I argue that an adequate Christian theory of atonement must be attentive to both the overall “landscape” of Jewish biblical thought, and to the specific rhythm of …

The Evangelists' Editorial Efforts; Matthean And Lukan Theology Vis-A-Vis A Few, Unique Parables, Benjamin C. Joseph Mr.

Religious Studies Theses and Dissertations

As an early Church Father and apologist in the 2nd century, Irenaeus contributed greatly to discourse on Christian theology, scripture, and tradition. However Irenaeus could not have been further from the truth when he exclaimed, “The parables will receive a like interpretation from all!”1 Had his prediction proven to be true, perhaps there would not be much to say about the parables in the Christian Gospels. Yet a single, universally accepted interpretation of any one parable did not exist during Jesus’ earthly ministry, and certainly does not exist today. Why, then, does Jesus speak in parables? Why would a religious …

A Fresh Inquiry Into The Fate Of The Un-Evangelized: A Traditional Dispensational Perspective, Mark Carlton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A Fresh Inquiry into the Fate of the Un-evangelized: A Traditional Dispensational Approach This inquiry revisits the question of the fate of those have died never having heard the gospel. It explores the question from the Traditional Dispensational perspective. It argues that salvific grace has always been available to the un-evangelized through the Eternal Gospel which is and always has been universally communicated through natural revelation. The inquiry begins with a lengthy examination and critique of the answers which have been proposed for the question under consideration – and related topics -- from the apostolic age until modern times. Included …

Crisp And Sanders' "Locating Atonement: Explorations In Constructive Dogmatics" (Book Review), Greg Rosauer

The Christian Librarian

A review of Crisp, O., & Sanders, F. (Eds.). (2015). Locating atonement: Explorations in constructive dogmatics. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. 256 pp. $26.99. ISBN 9780310521167

A Study On The Church Growth Method Through The Vitalization Of Small Groups In Traditional Korean Churches: The Case Of Daegu Dong-Sung Church, Byung Min

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Nowadays, Korean society is faced with social issues, like individualism arising from fast growth. The traditional society has become dominated by individual interest and intention, as well as by new social aspects such as the loss of community ethics at large. This can also be seen in Korean churches; we have noticed an increase in Sunday service visitors and unregistered members. This change has brought a number of spiritual crisis into churches and is even a huge crisis in and of itself. In this regard, through research on church growth through small group ministry in traditional Korean churches, this study …

A Study On The Development Of Professional Young Adult Pastors For Korean Churches, Hyeong Kim

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

At the end of the twentieth century, young adult ministries experienced abundant revivals through the churches and campuses of colleges, but are now much reduced. One of the causes is that there were not enough professional pastors for the young adult ministries. The revival and growth of young adult ministries in Korea is largely dependent upon the leaders who lead the ministries. This research emphasizes the importance of young adult ministries in Korean churches and aims to develop concrete manuals for pastors who can appropriately perform their ministries. In doing so, it will point out the roles for young adult …

The Formation Of A Church Community United With A Local Community: The Case Of Vision Village In Changwon, Kyungsangnamdo, Hang Cho

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this thesis project is to build a platform for a united community of church and local residents. In the community, the church expands its boundaries so as to become embedded in the local resident community. Nowadays, Korean churches have lost the public character and the ability to fulfill their social roles and functions in the community. As a result, the churches have low reputation and influence in society, and they face the crisis of reductions in the number of churches and its members. For the sake of overcoming these problems of Korean churches, the thesis studies biblical …

A Study On The Comparison Of Pastoral Succession Cases In Korean Churches, Chang Choi

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this thesis is to study invitation and succession cases of senior pastors in Korean churches. This thesis is written as Korean churches are currently facing major issues concerning the succession of senior pastors from the first generation to the second generation. The study deals with the biblical backgrounds and theological foundations of the Old and New Testament in relation to pastoral succession. It also compares and analyzes various pieces of data. The investigation of the invitation types is designed to contribute toward discovering what may be the most desirable invitation system for senior pastors. Surveys were distributed …

A Proposal For Leadership Transition In Ministry: A Proactive Approach, Fred Hill

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The development of leaders for future ministry and equipping them to lead and mentor the next generation of leaders effectively must be an absolute necessity for continued church success. Leaders should endeavor to actively discern gifts and talents early in potential leaders. Once recognized, it is the leader’s responsibility to develop and prepare others for leadership transitions. Previous research has shown that churches have a leadership vacuum because of the lack of leadership development and transition utilizing a proactive approach. There is a trust factor created between the present and future leadership secondary to proper training and unwillingness to relinquish …

God The Father Or Mother Divine? : Subversive Theology In John Milton's Paradise Lost And Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials, Jordan Pace

Senior Theses and Projects

No abstract provided.

Non-Ownership Principles As Understood By Lay Practitioners Of Jainism And Quakerism, David St John

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines how lay members of the Jain and Quaker traditions understand and navigate ideals of non-ownership. The tenets of aparigraha (non-ownership) and the testimony of simplicity are explored to show how interpretation of sacred texts leave open the possibility for financial success.

Through interviews with members of Jain and Quaker communities in the US, and textual research, I assert that proper methods for earning, maintaining and using capital in each tradition transcend prohibitions against excess accumulation. Following Foucault and Weber, I show that proper ethical ways of earning and spending money depend on community-based interpretations and self-policing.

My …

From The Fall To The Flood And Beyond: Navigating Identity In Contemporary Noahidism, Patrick J. Villalonga

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates artifacts and concepts present in the Noahide world and how they affect Noahide identity. Five factors are analyzed, namely Noahide law, religious pluralism, ritual, sectarianism, and conversion. I consult the Hebrew Scriptures as well as early, medieval, and modern rabbinic sources to set the conceptual background of the Noahide movement before moving into the primary, contemporary sources written by Orthodox Jews, Orthodox rabbis, and Noahides. To supplement my literary analysis, I have conducted a survey of self-identifying Noahide practitioners. This survey collects data concerning religious background, religious behavior, demographics, and free responses. I aim to show first …

The Effect Of Mentoring On Interns In A Cross-Cultural Setting To Produce Incrteased Missional Engagement, Timothy G. Meier

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

"the purpose of writing The Effect of Mentoring on Interns in a Cross- Cultural Setting to Produce Increased Missional Engagement is to examine the relationship between mentoring and mission. this is accomplished through interviewing interns who have served with c&Ma/Envision in a cross-cultural setting for a minimum of two months. for a minimum of 45 minutes, 17 interns were interviewed, and the results show a strong correlation between high mentoring and high missional engagement."

Humanity's Capacity To Apprehend Aesthetic Value As An Argument For God's Existence, Walter Davis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This work presents a theistic argument for the existence of God based on man’s ability to apprehend, aesthetic value. The argument is called the Aesthetic Theistic Argument. Man’s ability to appreciate aesthetic value is unique among biological life forms and is common to every human culture. Explaining the origins of this ability implies a creator/designer who also apprehends aesthetic value. The study both affirms the argument for theism and critiques the philosophical and scientific foundations of Darwinian naturalism. The result of this study affirms the cause for man’s capacity to apprehend aesthetic value is best explained by the existence of …

The Scoping Review Method: Mapping The Literature In “Structural Change” Public Health Interventions, Rosie Hanneke, Yuka Asada, Lisa D. Lieberman, Leah Christina Neubauer, Michael C. Fagan

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

This case discusses how we used scoping review methodology to map the literature in an emergent area of research, “structural change” public health interventions. Scoping reviews are similar to systematic reviews in both scale and rigor; both of these literature review methodologies are comprehensive approaches to reviewing the literature on a topic. However, while a systematic review attempts to answer a specific, targeted research question, a scoping review is designed to map and categorize all of the literature on a broad topic. For this reason, it is an excellent method to employ in emergent research areas, in which researchers have …

“I Am The Mahar Of Your Mahars:” Cokhāmelā, The Modern Dalit Movement, And The Dalit Christian Theology, Chris Conway

School of Theology and Seminary Faculty Publications

Over the last century, Cokhāmelā’s place and prominence in the Modern Dalit Movement and Dalit Christian theology have waned significantly. As the liberating potential of his work failed to be actualized, and more recent Dalit figures like Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and movements like Dalit Sahitya began to examine his work and life more critically, Cokhāmelā and his abhangas were found inadequate. Cokhāmelā became identified as one whose conscientisation remained incomplete, primarily because he failed to convert from Hinduism and saw his caste through the lens of karma. This essay re-examines Cokhāmelā’s life, death, and legacy so as to reassess his …

The Challenge Of Being In The Minority: Palestinian Christian Theology In Light Of Christian Zionism Post-1948, Medhat S. Yoakiem

Master of Theology Theses

No abstract provided.

The Controverted Little Book Of Revelation 10 And The Shape Of Apocalyptic Mission, George R. Knight

Journal of the Adventist Theological Society

"If the contents of the little book of Revelation 10 are controverted, someone forgot to tell the founders of Seventh-day Adventism. William Miller, for example, in 1841 interpreted the little book that would be sweet in the mouth as being opened in 1798 as evidenced by the increased study of Daniel’s prophecies stimulated by events related to the French Revolution and the taking of the Pope captive by General Berthier. And Ellen White couldn’t have been more certain. “The book that was sealed,” she wrote in 1896, “was not the book of Revelation, but that portion of the prophecy of …

In A Material World: Analyzing Religious Peacebuilding In Lebanon And Bosnia-Herzegovina, Catherine Ruth Orsborn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While intergroup peace is statistically far more common than is intergroup or inter-religious conflict, there has been a rise in recent years in conflict framed in religious terms. Peace and development practitioners have, in response, become increasingly interested in engaging religion, in various ways, in peace and development work. A theoretical field of religious peacebuilding has emerged simultaneous to this increased practitioner engagement of religion. Despite this increase in religious peacebuilding, at both practical and theoretical levels, we have not seen a measurable increase in social cohesion in contexts plagued by so-called religious conflict, as I show in my comparative …

Leonard Cohen's New Jews: A Consideration Of Western Mysticisms In Beautiful Losers, Alexander Lombardo

CMC Senior Theses

This study examines the influence of various Western mystical traditions on Leonard Cohen’s second novel, Beautiful Losers. It begins with a discussion of Cohen’s public remarks concerning religion and mysticism followed by an assessment of twentieth century Canadian criticism on Beautiful Losers. Three thematic chapters comprise the majority of the study, each concerning a different mystical tradition—Kabbalism, Gnosticism, and Christian mysticism, respectively. The author considers Beautiful Losers in relation to these systems, concluding that the novel effectively depicts the pursuit of God, or knowledge, through mystic practice and doctrine. This study will interest scholars seeking a careful exploration …

Window Shopping And Turf Control, W. Milton Adams

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

"In the past there has been much appropriate emphasis on the laity’s posture of respect toward church leadership. But what matters now is an equal and proactive posture of respect toward the laity. As new methods and new plans spring forth from the laity, cooperation and mutual respect must also spring forth. The result will look and function like a peer relationship. In today’s developing culture, the onus will lie on church leadership to rid themselves pf any turf control and instead develop skills of cheering, funding, and quickly embracing God-honoring lay ministries. So, a call to smooth the way, …

Christian Higher Education In Northern India And Nepal As Revitalization Movements:, Robert A. Danielson, Senior Editor, Roji T. George, Assistant Editor, R. Jeffrey Hiatt, Assistant Editor, Paul Tippey, Assistant Editor

Academic Books

No abstract provided.

Teaching Christian Mission In An Age Of World Christianity, Robert A. Danielson, Linda Whitmer

Academic Books

No abstract provided.

“Man, Don’T Feel Like A Woman”: Christian Scriptural Interpretations, The Binary Gender System, And How They Can Lead To Misogyny And Homophobia, Alyssa Froehling

Audre Lorde Writing Prize

This paper utilizes different analyses of scripture to argue that a binary gender system is not inherent in Christianity. Contemporary societal norms placed onto Christianity contribute to the oppression of women and those in LGBTQ+ communities.

Cognitive And Emotional Processes Involved In The Experience Of Objects As Holy Or Transcendent, Lotte J. Pummerer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, attitudes about religion/spirituality have become more pluralistic (Pew Research Center, 2015a). At the same time, the number of individuals who identify themselves as nonreligious, atheist or agnostic are growing (Pew Research Center, 2015b), yet we are lacking words and research to describe their attributions of transcendence in language not bound to religious concepts. This study aims at examining both concepts – holiness and transcendence – in their similarities and differences through assessing cognitive and emotional processes involved in experiences of objects.

The study consisted of two parts with a total of 206 Christian and 52 nonreligious/atheistic/agnostic participants. …

Salafism, Wahhabism, And The Definition Of Sunni Islam, Rob J. Williams

Honors Program: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

My capstone deals with the historical definition of Sunni Islam, and how it has changed in approximately the past 200 years. Around 1800, Sunni Islam was pretty clearly defined by an adherence to one of four maddhabs, or schools of law: the Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi’i, and Hanbali schools and are all based in nearly a millennium of legal scholarship. Since 1800, however, numerous reform movements have sprung up which disavow previous scholarship and interpret Islamic law their own way. However, certain reformist groups, such as Traditionalist Salafis and Wahhabis, claim that their version of Islam is the only “pure” …

The Battle Is Real: Spiritual Warfare, Discipleship, And The Christian “Soldier”, Frank Hain

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A review of current literature demonstrates a plethora of material focused on various deliverance techniques, yet very little material is available to assist pastors with developing a spiritual warfare “basic training” plan. The purpose of this project is to illuminate a ministry’s desperate need to adopt a spiritual warfare worldview, to present the basic elements essential to a spiritual warfare basic training plan, and to create an effective strategy for implementing such a plan. Based on surveys and questionnaires sent to pastors and other ministry leaders, the project reveals the need for a spiritual warfare basic training plan for any …

Uncovering The Protological Hermeneutics Of George Mccready Price And Benjamin Warfield, Sergio L. Silva

Dissertations

Problem

The problem this dissertation addresses is the protological hermeneutical impasse between George McCready Price and Benjamin Warfield over whether biblical protology should be interpreted literally or symbolically in response to the evolutionary theory.

Method

To identify, compare, and contrast the protological hermeneutics of George McCready Price and Benjamin Warfield, this dissertation adopts an interdisciplinary methodology that seeks to integrate historical theology, systematic theology, and exegetical-biblical theology.

Conclusions

The protological hermeneutical impasse between George McCready Price and Benjamin Warfield over the interpretation of biblical protology was caused by how they applied their views on epistemology. On the hermeneutical level (where …