Practical Theology Commons^™

Augustine Of Hippo: A Historical Theology Critique, Zachary Monte

Honors Program Projects

This study evaluates how current historical theology survey texts understand and present the theology of Augustine. The texts are examined to assess the following: accuracy of presentation on discussed topics, specific theological topics Augustine addressed excluded in the surveys, and theological bias on the part of the authors. The historical theology surveys include Gregg Allison’s Historical Theology: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine, Justo González’s A History of Christian Thought, and Alister McGrath’s Historical Theology: An Introduction to the History of Christian Thought. The three major topics treated include Augustine’s Trinitarian thought, the Donatist Controversy, and the Pelagian Controversy. The findings …

Me And We: God's New Social Gospel, Leonard Sweet, Craighton T. Hippenhammer

Faculty Scholarship – Library Science

A review of a book by Leonard Sweet that attempts to redefine the old social gospel into a new social gospel that is more evangelical in nature than the recent social justice movement.

Beneficial Worship Patterns Within Bilingual Spanishi-English Christian Churches In The United States, Madeline Bloom

Honors Program Projects

Language diversity within the U.S. is on the rise; this generates a unique cultural shift. Change in language diversity impacts the overall nature of government, schools, and churches. In response, many Christian churches are developing alongside the surrounding culture, notably in the form of bilingual services. In order to remain relevant the church must address new evangelistic and congregational needs. Religion is naturally perceived through a personal cultural lens, but cultural identity at its core is integrated with language. With this in mind, churches desiring to successfully integrate multiple languages in a worship setting must prepare for a long-term commitment …

The Message In Our Music : What Popular Congregational Songs Say About Our Beliefs, Neal W. Woodruff, Mark A. Frisius

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Work – Music

Congregational singing is a source of basic theological instruction, both reflecting and shaping what we believe. It is crucial, therefore, that we say what we believe when we sing. In this study, the authors focused on the songs most accessed by users of the Christian Copyright Licensing, Inc. (CCLI) service between 2006-2012. Twenty songs were identified as having received significant usage during this time period.

The results of this study found that a representative sampling of the lyrics of the most popular congregational songs did not sufficiently express foundational concepts of the Christian faith. Although individual congregations may have a …

Ethics As Relational, Kevin Twain Lowery

Faculty Scholarship – Theology

This essay explores the relational nature of ethics. Rather than envision ethics as an abstract set of rules, goals, virtues, etc., we should understand ethics as part of the process of establishing and fostering relationships both with God and with others. Consequently, promoting the well-being and happiness of others is a central part of ethics.

The Relationship Between Ministry Praxis And Spiritual Development Milestones In The Lives Of Children, Leon Marcel Blanchette Jr.

Faculty Scholarship – Christian Education

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the children‘s ministry praxis in Nazarene churches and four significant spiritual milestones in the lives of Nazarene children. A mixed method study was used to obtain statistical, quantitative results from the population and then followed up with two small groups to explore those results in more depth through personal interviews. This study compares four quadrants of children’s spirituality, the Pragmatic-Participatory Model, Media-Driven Active-Engagement Model, Instructional-Analytic Model, and the Contemplative-Reflective Model. A quadrant is one of four categories that best describes a children‘s pastor‘s ministry praxis. These quadrants are sometimes …

Teaching And Preaching Ethical Issues, Kevin Twain Lowery

Faculty Scholarship – Theology

Provides guidance about covering ethical issues in teaching and preaching.

Ministering To Those Who Lose Their Jobs, Kevin Twain Lowery

Faculty Scholarship – Christian Ministry

Work is much more vital to a person's well-being than merely providing a means of financial support. Work is often a means of self-expression and socialization, and it thus is central to one's self-identity and self-esteem. Understanding these dynamics is crucial to ministering to those who lose their jobs or go through a major career change. The Christian concept of vocation is also very helpful in this regard.

Practical Norm Of Love: Religious Existentialism Iii, Mildred Bangs Wynkoop

Wesleyan Holiness Articles

“Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” This is the test and measure of love to God. It, in the most fundamental way, evidences the sincerity of our love. It also gives it concrete and wholesome content. Had not this description of agape been given to us, Christian ethics would have been left dangerously subjective and abstract, dangerous because abstraction cancels out love. The second commandment is the test of the keeping of the first.

Love Is Existential: Religious Existentialism Ii, Mildred Bangs Wynkoop

Wesleyan Holiness Articles

Jesus' command that we love the Lord with all the heart, soul, mind, and strength puts the Christian life into the plane where we all live. It speaks of the moral atmosphere out of which life with all of its phases is lived. it is a dynamic principle o f life and love to God that proceeds from the deepest depth of human personality up and out, to the farthest edge o f everything we do. To love with the heart is the whole man integrated about a chosen object. The heart is often considered the center o f the …

Sanctification Is Existential: Religious Existentialism I, Mildred Bangs Wynkoop

Wesleyan Holiness Articles

It has been the contention of the church that sanctification is not simply an intellectual idea and a formal statement of faith but also a way of life. Religious existentialism is a reaction against hollow orthodoxy, icily correct doctrine, and an empty religious profession. It is an affirmation for theological truth presented in such a way that, when properly believed, it demands a thorough transformation of a man’s everyday life.