Church Revitalization In A Southwest United States Retirement Community Church: A Case Study,
2026
Liberty University
Church Revitalization In A Southwest United States Retirement Community Church: A Case Study, Donald L. Fraser
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Eighty percent of churches in the United States are either plateaued or declining. Across all denominations, as many as 7700 churches permanently close their doors each year. Pastors of once-vibrant churches transition to survival mode rather than continuing to build their churches. However, there are bright spots where a declining church reverses the downward trend and begins a renewed cycle of growth. This case study examined church growth and revitalization of Southwest Community Church (the name has been changed to protect the identity of the participants), a revitalized church in a dedicated retirement community. For this research, revitalization has been …
Restoring Trust And Relational Depth In The Philadelphia Seventh-Day Adventist Church Through Structural Family Therapy Interventions,
2026
Liberty University
Restoring Trust And Relational Depth In The Philadelphia Seventh-Day Adventist Church Through Structural Family Therapy Interventions, Laundale Leopold Munroe
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This Doctor of Ministry action research project addressed the challenge of unclear relational and leadership boundaries associated with reduced trust, emotional comfort, and healthy communication within the Philadelphia Seventh-day Adventist Church in Bronx, New York. The purpose of this project was to implement and evaluate an eight-week Structural Family Therapy-informed intervention designed to strengthen trust, emotional comfort, leadership clarity, relational boundaries, and healthy communication among church members. The goals were to increase participants’ awareness of congregational relational patterns, encourage healthier interpersonal interactions, and cultivate practices that support sustained relational health. A mixed-methods action research design was employed with eighteen adult …
The Practical Application Of The Greatest Commandments In Mark 12:28–34: A Holistic Framework For Spiritual Formation,
2026
Liberty University
The Practical Application Of The Greatest Commandments In Mark 12:28–34: A Holistic Framework For Spiritual Formation, Mark R. Williams
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Christian spiritual formation is a field abundant in materials, resources, and programs to help people become fully devoted followers of God. Yet a disconnect appears to exist between the biblical concept of discipleship, which encompasses both a process and an event, and the lived reality of Christians in the United States today. A new model that lays the foundation for a new spiritual formation framework grounded in the practical application of the Greatest Commandments may be of benefit. This dissertation develops a model that includes orthodoxy and orthopraxy to apply the Greatest Commandments in an easy-to-understand framework in a practical, …
The Vatican’S Moral Voice In The Critical Mineral Era: Does The Vatican Need A Policy Platform For Its Meetings With Mining Ceos?,
2026
University of Notre Dame
The Vatican’S Moral Voice In The Critical Mineral Era: Does The Vatican Need A Policy Platform For Its Meetings With Mining Ceos?, Raymond Offenheiser, Keith Slack
The Journal of Social Encounters
On January 19, three American Catholic bishops issued a striking warning about the future of American foreign policy, lamenting that it was undermining “the moral foundation for America’s actions in the world.” The bishops responded to a retreat toward transactional, power-centric diplomacy – one where human rights, international solidarity, and the common good are increasingly secondary to narrow national interests. This shift is most evident in the global race for “critical minerals,” – and perhaps nowhere is the need and opportunity for Church moral leadership clearer.
Pax Christi International’S Representation Within International Governmental Organisations,
2026
Pax Christi International
Pax Christi International’S Representation Within International Governmental Organisations, Fr. Paul Lansu, Giulia Bordin
The Journal of Social Encounters
Pax Christi International (PCI) has used its consultative status at the United Nations since 1979 to connect grassroots peacebuilding with international policymaking. Initially focused on disarmament and human rights, PCI contributed to key international treaties and advocated against human rights violations worldwide. Over time, its advocacy expanded to include active nonviolence, ecological justice, sustainable development, and the accompaniment of local peacebuilders. By strengthening collaboration across its global network and enabling partners from conflict-affected regions to engage directly with international institutions, PCI continues to promote human dignity, international law, and a just and lasting peace through inclusive multilateral advocacy.
I Never Thought I'D Be The Professor!,
2026
Wilfrid Laurier University
I Never Thought I'D Be The Professor!, Kayko Driedger Hesslein
Consensus
Tracing progress and persistent challenges regarding women in church leadership, this reflection examines how structural barriers, societal caregiving expectations, and a lack of mentorship affect female clergy and seminary professors in the ELCIC. Highlighting the transformative impact of feminist Lutheran theology, the analysis calls for intentional structural support, financial resources, and institutional shifts to cultivate female scholars.
Come And See What I Have Found,
2026
Wilfrid Laurier University
Following The Lead Of Jesus,
2026
Wilfrid Laurier University
The Road To Emmaus,
2026
Wilfrid Laurier University
Ordination Of Deacons, Trinity Sunday,
2026
Wilfrid Laurier University
The Perfectly Imperfect God,
2026
Wilfrid Laurier University
The Perfectly Imperfect God, Grace Van Hooydonk
Consensus
Moving beyond traditional, masculine, and flawless depictions of the divine, this reflection integrates visual art and theology to present a "perfectly imperfect" God. Exploring symbols of disability, communal response to suffering, brokenness, feminine divinity, and ongoing learning, the analysis affirms a fluid, inclusive divine presence.
Mixed Messages, Moms, Nuns, And Missionaries: Women In Christian Higher Education In Canada,
2026
Wilfrid Laurier University
Mixed Messages, Moms, Nuns, And Missionaries: Women In Christian Higher Education In Canada, Ellen Duffield
Consensus
Addressing institutional gender disparities in theological education, this study employs Participatory Action Research at a Canadian seminary to foster culture-shaping change. Anchored in a relational Trinitarian theology, the paper presents a model for institutional transformation focused on Kenotic Community, Connected Learning, and Collaborative Leadership to create environments where women and men thrive.
The Fiftieth Anniversary Of The Ordination Of Women In Canadian Lutheranism,
2026
Wilfrid Laurier University
The Fiftieth Anniversary Of The Ordination Of Women In Canadian Lutheranism, Kyle K. Schiefelbein-Guerrero
Consensus
Commemorating fifty years of women’s ordination in Canadian Lutheranism, this editorial grounds the evolution of female church leadership in Confessional Lutheran theology and the ELCIC’s *Reimagining Our Church*. By framing ministry as functional and Christocentric, the author addresses persistent systemic challenges facing female clergy while introducing a collection of female-authored perspectives on adaptive, Spirit-led leadership for the future.
A Brief History Of Canadian Pentecostal Women: How Did They Overcome The Obstacles?,
2026
Wilfrid Laurier University
A Brief History Of Canadian Pentecostal Women: How Did They Overcome The Obstacles?, Carmen Ramirez
Consensus
The rise of Canadian Pentecostalism created unique opportunities for women to navigate structural patriarchy and achieve leadership. Tracing historical developments from early twentieth-century origins to an ethnographic study of a female-led Latina congregation in Toronto, the analysis demonstrates how Holy Spirit empowerment, pneumatological authority, and practical theological adaptations enable women, particularly marginalized Latinas, to overcome institutional obstacles.
Cultural Humility, Reformation Of Power Structures, And Cultural Competence As Seeds And Fruits Of Interculturality,
2026
College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University
Cultural Humility, Reformation Of Power Structures, And Cultural Competence As Seeds And Fruits Of Interculturality, Doug Herbek
Obsculta
This piece examines how interculturality both promotes and is fostered by cultural humility, reformation of power structures, and development of cultural competence. As we pursue interculturality, we incarnate the Gospel. In the process, local church leadership becomes inclusive and integrative, worship becomes more heartfelt, and community and unity are fostered as we celebrate our differences.
Ecclesiastes’ Framework For The New Testament Doctrine Of Personal Eschatological Judgment,
2026
Liberty University
Ecclesiastes’ Framework For The New Testament Doctrine Of Personal Eschatological Judgment, Brent D. Denney
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This dissertation examines the relationship between the assertions of divine judgment in the book of Ecclesiastes and the New Testament passages that depict the final judgment of humans. Chapter One introduces the topic and thesis by foregrounding modern scholarship's neglect of the conceptual relationship between Ecclesiastes’ assertions of divine judgment and the New Testament’s mature doctrine of personal eschatological judgment, which underpins this study. Chapter Two examines Qohelet’s deployment of the term הֶבֶל (heḇel) as a tensive symbol for the conditions stemming from the fall and its effects on humanity's pursuit of anything of lasting value (יִתְרוֹן, yiṯrôn). For Qohelet, …
Women’S Peace Agency: Reading Africae Munus In The Framework Of Emilie Townes’ Womanist Ethics And The Cultural Production Of Evil,
2026
Duquesne University
Women’S Peace Agency: Reading Africae Munus In The Framework Of Emilie Townes’ Womanist Ethics And The Cultural Production Of Evil, Leonard N. Zifac
Graduate Student Research Symposium
This paper employs Emilie M. Townes's womanist ethical framework—particularly her concept of the "cultural production of evil"—to critically examine Pope Benedict XVI's post-synodal exhortation Africae Munus (2011) and its treatment of African women's agency in peacebuilding. While Africae Munus calls the Church in Africa to serve reconciliation, justice, and peace, and acknowledges women's dignity and contributions to family and community life, the document largely confines women's roles to maternal, supportive, and domestic spheres without adequately challenging the patriarchal structures that systematically marginalize women from strategic leadership and formal peace processes. Drawing on Townes's analysis of how cultural narratives, religious discourse, …
Judaism And Catholicism: Possibilities Of An Inter-Spiritual Dialogue,
2026
College of the Holy Cross
Judaism And Catholicism: Possibilities Of An Inter-Spiritual Dialogue, David Neuhaus
Journal of Global Catholicism
This article examines the possibilities of an inter-spiritual dialogue between Catholics and Jews. Describing the transformation of the Catholic attitude to Jews andJudaism in the wake of the Second Vatican Council, moving from a teaching of contempt to one of respect, it analyses the far-reaching reformulations of Catholic theology that promote an interreligious dialogue. After centuries of traumatic history, Jewish reactions have been hesitant. However, the past decades have led to a burgeoning relationship that can indeed flower into a mutual inter-spiritual dialogue that deepens the faith of both Catholics and Jews.
Jainism And Catholicism – Dialoguing Spiritually,
2026
Pontifical Gregorian University
Jainism And Catholicism – Dialoguing Spiritually, Bryan Lobo
Journal of Global Catholicism
The inter-spiritual dialogue between Jainism and Catholicism lends itself towards discovering similarities and dissimilarities between the two spiritualities. Recognizing this discovery, this paper, without claiming to be exhaustive as regards the spiritual themes, discusses the chosen themes to facilitate greater reflection and potential to re-discover elements that can help the growth of understanding and practicing the preferred spirituality.
Islam And Catholicism: Theology And Practice Of Inter-Spiritual Dialogue,
2026
Institute of Catholic Theology of Humboldt University in Berlin
Islam And Catholicism: Theology And Practice Of Inter-Spiritual Dialogue, Felix Koerner
Journal of Global Catholicism
This article explores foundations, preconditions, aims, persons, groups, practices, methods, texts, and criteria of Muslim–Christian inter-spiritual dialogue. In-ter-spiritual dialogue thrives within the network of other dialogical forms: dialogue of life and collaboration, of theological and practical understanding. This article argues that the spiritual dimension of dialogical encounter may itself constitute a critical site of moral reflection, enabling participants to perceive injustice more clearly and to respond to it more responsibly. Nevertheless, the integrity of in-ter-spiritual dialogue depends upon the cultivation of trust, candor, and a shared orientation toward mutual enrichment and spiritual purification. Where dialogue is subordinated to extrinsic strategic …
