Practical Theology Commons^™

Embracing Life Listening Guide, Heidi Goehmann

Miscellaneous Seminars/Lectures

All of the slides from the presentation.

Embracing Life In Ministry, Heidi Goehmann

Miscellaneous Seminars/Lectures

A worksheet that goes with the presentation.

Persuasion And Public Theology, James K.A. Smith

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Terminal Authority As A Function Of Community, Stanley E. Patterson

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Third Person Of The Trinity: How The Holy Spirit Facilitates Man's Walk With God, Jimmie H. Evans Iii

Fidei et Veritatis: The Liberty University Journal of Graduate Research

Much of the modern church knows the Father and the Son very well as part of its common worship, practice, and conversation. However, the Holy Spirit is given little more than recognition in many circles. He is referenced, talked about, and mentioned in songs and sermons, but there is often a resistance to letting Him lead the believer and the church. It is vital that the church opens its eyes to the indwelling, personal, and powerful Spirit which the Lord has sent to them. Through a study of the role of the Holy Spirit within the Scriptures, as well as …

Sanctification In Adolescence: How Karl Barth’S Two-Fold Critique Of The Church Could Influence Youth Ministry Practices Today, Joel Vander Wal

Master of Theology Theses

No abstract provided.

Preaching Texts Of Multiple Masculinities To A World Of Multiple Masculinities, Cameron B. R. Howard

Faculty Publications

Today’s preachers proclaim the word into a world that is fraught with dissonances about the expectations of gender roles. The Bible itself demonstrates a similar complexity, though sometimes in different modes. Ultimately, an exploration of biblical masculinity can offer preachers and their congregations new ways of navigating those intersections between the ancient text and our world today.

Preaching As Foolishness, Steven D. Paulson

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Joy Of The Lord Is Your Strength: How Your Passions Can Serve God's Mission In The World, Jay Grave

Doctor of Ministry Theses

This participatory action research project utilizes praxis events to enhance the understanding of Lutheran vocation in relationship to joy bringing activities. The research question driving this project is,

How would a participatory action research (PAR) intervention utilizing praxis events encourage congregational members to recognize and exercise their own gifts and passions as avenues of joyous participation in God’s mission in the world?

Data were collected through baseline and end-line interviews, transcribed meetings of a journey team, and census surveys. Data revealed that participation did yield a positive change effect on the understanding of joy bringing passions to enhance the missional …

Wesleyan Missional Small Groups: Three Crucial Attributes, David Werner

Doctor of Ministry Theses

Mixed methods (simple exploratory and participatory action research) study explored ways congregations can draw upon both the United Methodist heritage and the missional approach to foster spiritual formation using small groups that make sense to the postmodern culture and lead to behavior changes.

Three crucial attributes of vital, faith-forming small groups are: creating authentic community (belonging – engaging one another), engaging the Holy Spirit (believing – engaging God), and helping participants make applications to their daily lives (behaving – engaging real life). Congregations must do the hard work of contextualizing these and hold all three together for small groups to …

Cultivating The Holy Callings Of Ordinary Saints: The Church At Work For The Life Of The World, Jeffrey A. Eisele

Doctor of Ministry Theses

The Christian Church has long struggled to make better connections between Sunday and Monday by effectively equipping the priesthood of all believers for living out its faith in the world. This thesis reports the results of a participatory action research project aimed at cultivating connections between faith, baptismal callings, daily work, and the missio Dei through several congregational interventions. The results showed the effectiveness of cultivating a congregational culture through worship, faith formation activities, service, and especially small groups, for the purpose of strengthening congregation members’ witness in the workplace.

Preaching From A Biblical Anthropology: Sources And Methods For Correlating The Gospel And The Human Condition, Paul N. D. Miller

Doctor of Ministry Theses

Preachers’ understandings of the human condition are foundational to preaching that is faithful and effective, yet are often unreflective or dogmatic. Biblical anthropology provides both revelation about humankind and a variety of perspectives, aiding the preacher in addressing diverse situations. Topics explored: Old Testament anthropology undergirding the New; the fundamental unity of the human being; the differentiation of law, sin, and human nature; the doctrine of theological anthropology; law and gospel preaching. Research draws on preachers’ journals and listener feedback surveys to identify and demonstrate patterns of creative proclamation of the human situation and a corresponding Gospel response.

Coram Deo Et Coram Mundo: The Two Kinds Of Righteousness As A Normative Framework For The Description, Interpretation, And Healing Of Shame, Barson Lahivelo Mahafaly

Doctor of Philosophy Theses

Contemporary pastoral theologians, though describing and interpreting shame from an interdisciplinary perspective, drawing both from theology and psychology, tend to propose healing for shame only from a theological perspective. Transposing Martin Luther’s doctrine of the two kinds of righteousness into an interdisciplinary framework, this work proposes that pastoral theologians need to describe and interpret shame as well as suggest strategies for its healing from both theological and social-scientific perspectives.

Luther distinguishes between two kinds of righteousness, one passive and the other active. Passive righteousness is the righteousness of Christ bequeathed to us through the Word and the Sacraments (baptism and …

Relational Pastoral Care And Counseling: A Practical Theological Exploration Of Relational Spirituality And Grief, Joel A. Jueckstock

Doctor of Philosophy Theses

What is the relationship between relational spirituality and grief? This dissertation pursues this question by employing a practical theological method for practitioners of pastoral care and counseling when tending to unique grief experiences. Grief is understood in terms of contemporary bereavement science. Relational spirituality is developed as an interdisciplinary, interpretive lens with the capacity to describe how individuals relate to the sacred in light of four dimensions: human-human, human-God, God-human, and inner Trinitarian. The outworking of these dimensions suggests a relational approach to interdisciplinary dialogue. Applying relational spirituality to individuals’ unique grief experiences produces a process of care for tending …

Sensitivity, Blessing And Doxology: Archival Practice As Spiritual Discipline, Mcgarvey Ice

Library Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Transforming Narratives Through “Live”: A Pastoral Model Of Care For Women In Sex Work, Nkiruka Okafor Ihm

Doctor of Philosophy Theses

This work, “Transforming Narratives Through “Live”: A Pastoral Model of Care for Women in Sex Work,” seeks to provide the Church with a pastoral response from the narratives of the women doing sex work as streetwalkers in Nigeria. The work uses the four steps of practical theological model of Rick Osmer to describe, interpret, theologize, and strategize on pastoral care of women in sex work. The literature review, both descriptive and interpretive, examines the perception of agency as exercised by the women in sex work through the work of scholars, writings by women in sex industry, the different pastoral models …

A Theological Playground: Christian Summer Camp In Theological Perspective, Jacob Sorenson

Doctor of Philosophy Theses

Christian camping ministry is a vibrant and well-established form of ministry in the church, but it has received shockingly little scholarly attention. Supporters and detractors alike rely on anecdotal evidence to support their claims. Many in the academic community have dismissed camp as theologically shallow or mere fun and games, while others have praised it as a form of ministry proven to facilitate life-changing experiences. Much of the confusion comes from conflating very different models of camping ministry, though most is the result of a simple dearth of scholarly research.

This project takes a close look at the rich history …

An Inquiry In The Early Creed Of Romans 1:3-4: Does The Word Ὁριζω Support An Adoptionistic Christianity?, Nicholas Dodson, Brian Scalise

Eruditio Ardescens

No abstract provided.

Herman Bavinck Between Scholastic And Modern Psychology: Toward A "Reformed Psychology.", Joohyun Kim

CTS Master of Theology (ThM) Theses

Bavinck completed his first psychology book, Principles of Psychology (Beginselen der Psychologie, 1897) in the middle of his theological writings from his interaction with the nineteenth century psychologies. In 1920, Bavinck published another psychology book entitled Biblical and Religious Psychology (Bijbelsche en Religieuze Psychologie) on the basis of solid exegesis and biblical principles. In Principles of Psychology, Bavinck intended that his psychological principles would be as worthy as the empirical psychology of his day. Kuyper also stressed the doctrinal value of faculty psychology to Bavinck’s first psychology book in his review. Yet, these two psychology books were virtually neglected both …

Mission In Evolving Cultures: Constructively Managing Music-Related Conflict In Cross-Cultural Church Planting Contexts, David R. Dunaetz

CGU Faculty Publications and Research

The choice of music, an essential element of worship and church life, must be addressed in cross-cultural church planting contexts. As cultures evolve, church planters are faced with choices about musical styles that may lead to interpersonal conflicts within the church. The purpose of this study is to empirically examine factors that may enable cross-cultural church planters to constructively manage music-related conflicts when they arise. Members of church plants, like all people, have various goals when entering into such conflicts. They are concerned about the content of the conflict (i.e., the musical style) and thus have content goals. They are …