Communication Commons^™

Salvation May Just Be A Click Away: A Case Study In The Impact Of New Media Communications In The Evangelical Church In The Bible Belt, Robert Montgomery Peerson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This was an exploratory qualitative case study into the usage of new media in the evangelical church within the context of the Bible Belt region of the United States. The problem with the current status of new media communications within the evangelical church is that some churches seem to struggle with using these mediums successfully. The purpose of this study was to gather information on how churches are using new media communications in their environment and equip churches with greater knowledge and tools on how to leverage new media communications to grow the Kingdom. This study features three main research …

Improving Communication Access With Deaf People Through Nursing Simulation: A Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration, Jamie L. Mccartney Ph.D., Tracy Gidden, Jennifer Biggs, Kathy Geething, Karl Kosko Ph.D.

Journal of Gender, Ethnic, and Cross-Cultural Studies

Baccalaureate nursing and sign language interpreting students participated in a pediatric discharge simulation with a deaf person playing the role of the baby’s parent. At the conclusion of the simulation, participants were emailed a consent letter and a link to a 17-item questionnaire developed by the authors. Responses were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively, whereby nonparametric statistics were calculated to examine Likert-scale items. A Mann-Whitney test statistic was calculated, instead of an independent samples t-test, given the smaller sample in the current study (n = 26). A question was posed to participants that evaluated their self-perception of the effectiveness of …

The Role Of Story In The Creation And Life Of Man, Leah Ginion

Senior Honors Theses

Story was created by God as a vehicle for the revelation and glorification of Himself. Man, made in the image of God, was created as an innate storyteller. The world was created through story, and story is how it progresses and is sustained. As such, story is the foundation of all culture and the most natural and effective method of human communication. Research points to all of man’s stories being derivatives of the Great Story: the metanarrative of Scripture. Exploring man’s relationship with story reveals his place within the metanarrative and ultimately provides evidence for the existence and active presence …

Dissonance Between Christian Beliefs And Eating Habits In The South, Karli Dianne Stringer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to initiate understanding of how obesity in the South is still so prevalent even though the majority of inhabitants subscribe to a faith that discourages unhealthy lifestyles. Furthermore, the information presented in this research sought to fill the knowledge gap for communicators and educators concerning the dissonance between Christianity in the South and the unhealthy eating habits of Southerners. Grounded in the Cognitive Dissonance Theory, this study comprised of a semi-structured interview route in which Protestant evangelical Christians in the South (N = 11) participated in a descriptive study conducted by a committee …

Keeping Culture: An Evaluation Of Organizational Culture In The Multisite Church, Michael John Grayston

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this descriptive qualitative study was to explore the attendee perception of organizational culture, including the communication pathways, vision, and mission in the three common multisite church models: the local franchise model, the national franchise model, and the live teaching model. The study evaluated the attendee perception of the methods and strategies used by the multisite church to create and keep one unique culture in spite of their method, proximity, or demographics. The researcher attempted to evaluate these methods through a survey and face-to-face interviews with multisite church leaders from six different churches representing three different models. The …

Missional Social Media: Content And Strategies For Missions Organizations, Kathryn Larson

Senior Honors Theses

Technology can be used in amazing and creative ways to spread the gospel and create community across borders. The Apostle Paul used the communication tool of his time, letters, to communicate with churches from a distance. Today’s tools include social media which, when used properly and with intent, can positively influence an organization in the name of the gospel. Missions organizations have an incredible opportunity to use strategies and content to create a viable social media ministry. Theories such as the Community Development Theory and various reception theories contribute to an understanding of two-way communication and engagement between organization and …

Pastoral Leadership In A Cross-Cultural, Multicultural, Conflict-Driven Congregation: A Filipino Case Study, Ed Volfe

Doctor of Ministry Projects and Theses

Pastoral Leadership in a Cross-Cultural, Multicultural, Conflict-Driven Congregation: A Filipino Case Study

Christ Redeemer was a Cross-Cultural, Multicultural church where the majority of the members were Filipinos. The church experienced way too many conflicts that distracted everyone in the congregation from the real calling to “make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”[1] The ethos of Christ Redeemer seemed to be driven by conflict, regardless of whether the leadership provided came from a Filipino or a non-Filipino pastor. The congregation fed conflict upon conflict, creating a cycle of tension with little engagement in critical issues in the …

A Systems Theory Analysis Of The Goshen Seventh-Day Adventist Church's System Of Communication, Clavour R. Tucker

Master's Theses

Problem

The Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) is a complex and multilayered nonprofit organization (NPO), with carefully outlined policies and guidelines for almost every aspect of the organization. However, the philosophical or structural framework that guides communication within the organization is not clear. It is my hypothesis, having been a member and employee of the organization for almost 30 years, that not having such a structure has led to the creation of a fragmented culture of communication, which is observable in local congregations. This research assesses this phenomenon at the Goshen SDA Church, in Chicago, IL, and seeks to answer the …

Toward Unity, Acceptance, And Empowerment: Bridging The Chasm Between Women Laity And Clergy In The A.M.E. Church, Rhonda Yvonne Green Harmon

Doctor of Ministry Projects and Theses

A B S T R A C T

Rhonda Green Harmon

B.S., Texas Southern University, 1980

M.Ed. Texas Southern University, 1989

M.Ed. Principal Certification, University of Houston, 2002

M.Div. Houston Graduate School of Theology, 2012

“Toward Unity, Acceptance, and Empowerment:

Bridging the Chasm between Women Laity and Clergy in the A.M.E. Church”

This Doctor of Ministry project/practicum endeavors to initiate and engage dialogue between clergywomen and laywomen in the African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church for the purpose of uniting, empowering, and fostering acceptance among all women. It addresses the ways that internalized patriarchy has hindered relationships between women. The main …

Practical Theology In An Interpretive Community: An Ethnography Of Talk, Texts And Video In A Mediated Women's Bible Study, Nancie Hudson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study of social interaction in a small religious group used ethnography of communication as a research method to collect and analyze data from 20 months of fieldwork. As a long-term participant-observer in a women-only interdenominational Bible study, I investigated the group’s patterned ways of speaking, how print and electronic learning materials influenced the practical application of Scripture to daily life, and how the contemporary format for women’s Bible study alters the traditional Bible study experience. Patterned ways of speaking in this setting included group discussions and conversational narratives about religion, motherhood and lack of time. Using affirmations of faith, …

Ignatian Pedagogy Certificate Final Project, Pamela K. Morris

Ignatian Pedagogy Educational Resources

No abstract provided.

Searching For The Divine: An Autoethnographic Account Of Religious/Spiritual And Academic Influences On The Journey To Professor, E. James Baesler

Communication & Theatre Arts Faculty Publications

This autoethnographic account chronicles my academic and religious/spiritual path to becoming a professor of Communication. Spiritual influences and significant life events related to prayer, education, teaching, and research serve as sign posts marking the way. The journey begins with a child scientist experimenting with life—and an adolescent discovering the joy of reading through an illness. The journey continues with a crisis in undergraduate years followed by indoctrination stories of graduate school. Securing and retaining an academic position in Communication reveals the complexities of negotiating research and teaching in higher education. After tenure and promotion, a concurrent spiritual awakening begins a …

A Soulful Egg Can Break A Rock: A Case Study Of A South Korean Social Movement Leader's Rhetoric, Eunsook Sul

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation introduces and analyzes Ven. Hyemoon’s rhetoric emanating from his leadership of the civic group, the Committee for the Return of Korean Cultural Property in South Korea. On the surface, he seems focused on retrieving cultural artifacts, pillaged by the Japanese colonial invasion. His work, upon deeper analysis, emerges to be about regaining a Korean cultural and national identity that is historically grounded, civically engaged and morally reflective. This study is informed by multiple theories (i.e., framing, narrative, social semiotics, critical geography, rhetoric, and social movement) to examine aspects of a phenomenon in depth – involving nationalism, social movement, …

Technology At Every Moment, Justin Vander Werff

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"We interact with technology every day, every minute, pretty much every second. And on rare occasions, we may stop to ponder how technology is affecting our lives and relationships."

Posting about ­­­­­­­­how technology affects the way people relate to each other from In All Things - an online hub committed to the claim that the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ has implications for the entire world.

http://inallthings.org/technology-at-every-moment/

Content And Character: Modeling Christian Communication After Jesus' Sermon On The Mount, Sophie Demuth

Honors Theses

In order to learn about Jesus’ communication method, I decided to study the Sermon on the Mount. After doing an in-depth study of Jesus’ method (how he taught, the devices he used, and his structure), I realized his method is only a part of his effectiveness as a speaker. Without credibility and integrity as well, Jesus’ teaching would fall flat and cease to have authority. This realization especially struck me because, in the field of communications, method is emphasized over integrity and character. I decided to compare Jesus’ method and character with what the communication field teaches about public speaking. …

Effective Interreligious Dialogue, Caleb Fugate

Communication Student Scholarship

As the world is becoming more and more globally connected, it is becoming increasingly important for religious people to be able to dialogue effectively with the religious other. What is the most effective way to have interreligious dialogue? Should this dialogue focused on conversion of the religious other to a particular religious view or is dialogue focused on solely building relationships to mutual grow in their knowledge of the divine and its relationship to the world. This question of what is most effective is what will be addressed in this essay by analyzing how invitational rhetoric may be a good …

Reflections Magazine - A Promotional Magazine For Reflections Adoption Ministry, Kamryn Reynolds

Senior Honors Theses

For my senior honors thesis I have received permission to present a project along with its scholarly apparatus. I will be displaying ways to apply communications to ministry. The project will be a promotional magazine and informational materials. For the thesis I will include the magazine and a press release. I will be approaching some marketing techniques for a non-profit organization and assessing potential ways to reach the public. Many organizations are doing incredible work to fight social injustice and oftentimes few people understand the issues. I want to show how communication can revitalize ministry and get the word out …

An Analytical Study Of 'Sanskrit' And 'Panini' As Foundation Of Speech Communication In India And World, Ratnesh Dwivedi Mr

Ratnesh Dwivedi

samskrtam or for short sanskrit or samskrtā vāk is an ancient sacred language of bharatavarsha that is the language of Hinduism and the Vedas and is the classical literary language of India. The name Sanskrit means "refined", "consecrated" and "sanctified". It has always been regarded as the 'high' language and used mainly for religious and scientific discourse. There are still hundreds of millions of people who use Sanskrit in their daily lives, but despite these numbers, its cultural worth is unsurpassed. The language name samskrtam is derived from the past participle saṃskṛtaḥ 'self-made, self-done' of the verb saṃ(s)kar- 'to make …

Pilgrim’S Progress Progress: How A Novel Can Affect An Entire Culture’S Communication, Bruce Kuiper

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

In this discussion of The Pilgrim’s Progress, three main areas will be explored as ways to show why this book is so worthy of communication study and why it has endured for so long. The first area will be a deeper exploration of the book’s historical background and contemporary role at the end of the 17th century. For the second point, the cultural, social, literary, and communication effects will be examined, reinforcing the concept that the book’s impact was especially substantial in American history. Finally is an argument listing the reasons why a communication scholar should study The Pilgrim’s …

An Introduction To Prayer Research In Communication: Functions, Contexts, And Possibilities, E. James Baesler

Communication & Theatre Arts Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

History Of Communication And Its Application In Multicultaral,Multilingual Social System In India Across Ages, Ratnesh Dwivedi Mr

Ratnesh Dwivedi

The history of communication dates back to the earliest signs of cavemen.Communication can range from very subtle processes of exchange, to full conversations and mass communication. Human communication was revolutionized with speech perhaps 200,000 years ago, Symbols were developed about 30,000 years ago and writing about 7,000. On a much shorter scale, there have been major developments in the field of telecommunication in the past few centuries.

Exploring Interdisciplinary Prayer Research In A Health Context, E. James Baesler

Communication & Theatre Arts Faculty Publications

Communication, Psychology, and Sociology are three leading academic disciplines engaged in the social scientific study of prayer, the spiritual communication between a believer(s) and God, but rarely do these disciplines collaborate in interdisciplinary prayer scholarship. Possibilities for interdisciplinary prayer research in a health context are explored through a review of the literature and academic interviews. Interdisciplinary linkages in the prayer-health context are organized in an integral "all-quadrant" theoretical model, and an assessment of the viability of interdisciplinary prayer-health research is considered.

The Role Of Prayer In The Process Of Providing Spiritual Direction, E. James Baesler

Communication & Theatre Arts Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Interpersonal Christian Prayer And Communication, E. James Baesler

Communication & Theatre Arts Faculty Publications

Nationwide statistical polling during the past 40 years have indicated that prayer is a frequent and important activity for a majority of Americans. Yet communication scholars have yet to theoretically consider the relationship between prayer and communication. This investigation compared and contrasted a particular type of prayer, Interpersonal Christ¦·n Prayer (ICP), with a particular type of communication context, Interpersonal Communication (IC). Results suggested that ICP and IC share common ground in their dyadic nature, intentionality, and in specific communication processes, and that they differ in the nature of the relational being one is communicating with, the locus of initial intent …

A Communication Audit Of The Catholic Diocese Of Wheeling-Charleston, Larry W. Dorsch

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Communicating the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the principal existential task of the Church. "Communicating" and "the Gospel" both are terms loaded with philosophical underpinnings and practical implications that constantly challenge the church to examine its established patterns of ministry and behavior, as well as its priorities and budgets.

The strides in communication practice and technology of the twentieth century have shaken the church's modus operandi in ways that are unparalleled in the previous nineteen centuries of Christian faith. While to be sure the invention of the printing press in the fifteenth century sparked major shifts and realignments in the …

An Analysis Of Level Of Activity As It Relates To Information Source And Two-Step Flow Of Communication In A Formal Organization, Carma Lois Wadley

Theses and Dissertations

There is a model of political communication which was developed by Elihu Katz and Paul F. Lazarsfeld, termed the two-step flow of communications theory, which this writer believes applies to the communication process of formal organizations. It is also the opinion of this writer that the two-step flow has a definite relation to the activity level of the members of the organization.
It will be the purpose of this study to look deeper into this problem. The specific formal organization discussed will be the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints.
A study of this nature will have significance …