Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons^™

Phenomenological Philosophy Of Psychedelics: Psychedelic Experience In The Modes Of Saturation And Flesh, Michael V. Kramer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This work seeks to develop the nascent sub-field of the phenomenological philosophy of psychedelics. Beginning with a general overview of key aspects pertinent to psychedelic studies, the focus then turns to a general disciplinary discussion of current approaches within the philosophy of psychedelics, as well as psychedelic philosophy—a distinction which is technically deployed. Special consideration is given to the specific approach known as the “natural philosophy of psychedelics,” which is taken as the philosophical foil to the preferred approach of phenomenological philosophy. A survey of the extant literature regarding the implementation of phenomenology within psychedelic discourse is then provided …

The Proper Role Of Religion In Hegel's Philosophy Of Statecraft, Hunter Coates

The Corinthian

In section three of Elements of the Philosophy of Right, Hegel lays out a theory of statecraft that comprises what he deems to be the ethical state. The ethical state is the political state that has secured the rights of its citizens through the union of state power, civil society, and absolute spirit. This paper will investigate the relationship that religion has to the ethical state in Hegel’s philosophy. First, it will be important to explain what Hegel deems absolute spirit in the Science of Logic and Encyclopedia of Philosophical Sciences, Volume 3. Next, we will briefly apply …

A Place At The Table: Lessons In Hospitality For Women Elders In The Churches Of Christ, Karen Cooke

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This project concerns women who serve as elders in Church of Christ congregations. In the fall of 2023, a survey found that these women desire training to better serve their congregations. In response to that expressed need, a group of collaborators engaged in Participatory Action Research (PAR) to create the plan for a conference to provide training to women serving as elders in Churches of Christ. The conference will provide training in the theology and practice of hospitality to support these women in guiding their churches to be places of welcome. This dissertation presents a theology of hospitality drawn from …

Reformational Thought In Three Universities, Derek Schuurman

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

My grandparents, together with other post-WWII Dutch immigrants animated by Kuyperian thinking, immediately began building Christian schools in their new land of Canada. Eventually, they also built Christian universities. Redeemer College was established in 1981, just down the road from the Christian day schools my grandparents helped build.

Enhancing Corporate Prayer Of The Clearwater Church Of Christ, Lyle Hinsdale

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation was designed to enhance corporate prayer in the Clearwater Church of Christ. The dissertation explores the formative role of corporate prayer in congregational life and how intentional engagement with the Psalms can deepen the theological and spiritual practice of prayer within a local church. Corporate prayer can slip into habitual practice with limited theological range or emotional depth. This project investigates whether structured use of the Psalms as a model for prayer can expand the language, theological imagination, and engagement in the prayers of a worshiping community. The study used participatory action research methodology and was conducted within …

The Journey Of Accompaniment: Pastoral Care Education For The Laity At The University Church Of Christ In Abilene, Tx, Alejandro Ezquerra

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This Doctor of Ministry project addresses the need for intentional pastoral care formation among lay members at the University Church of Christ in Abilene, Texas, with particular attention to its bilingual ministry context. Grounded in the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers as articulated in 1 Pet 2:9, the project argues that pastoral care is not the exclusive responsibility of ordained clergy but a shared calling within the body of Christ. In response to congregational interest in chaplaincy and caregiving, a five-session curriculum titled The Journey of Accompaniment: Forming Hearts for the Ministry of Care was developed to equip …

Faith Under The Führer: Protestant Pastors In Nazi Germany, Katie Cassady

Senior Honors Theses

This research examines Protestant churches in Nazi Germany and their varied reactions to Hitler’s Third Reich, tracing the Nazi rise to power, the Kirchenkampf (Church Struggle), the Confessing Church’s resistance, and figures like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Martin Niemoller, and Karl Barth. Hitler campaigned on a platform purporting to support religious freedom, but the state-sponsored persecution of Christian churches later revealed such promises as a facade. The Kirchenkampf exemplifies the reactions of Protestant German churches to Hitler’s rule: The German Christian Movement (GCM) endorsed Hitler’s radical racial theories, while the Confessing Church confronted the unbiblical rhetoric used by the GCM.

Toward An Anthropology Of The Expressive Individual: Reformational Insights Into Emotions, The Heart, And Christian Formation, Isaac Kantola

Senior Honors Theses

Contemporary Western culture is increasingly defined by what theologians and sociologists call “expressive individualism,” driven by an “ethic of authenticity” in which one’s emotions and desires are seen as the primary arbiter of identity and meaning. Responding to this cultural movement, the Church has appropriated the language of desire, happiness, and the affective in its preaching, ministry, and apologetic endeavors. Figures such as John Piper, James K.A. Smith, and Timothy Keller have each, in their own way, sought to contextualize the faith so it may be better understood by a culture obsessed with their longings and therapeutic self-concern. While these …

Partners In Pilgrimage: Transforming The Journey Of Adolescence By Guiding Teenagers Toward Faithful Lives, Redefining Success, And Cultivating Connection To God, Abigail R. Weaver

Doctor of Ministry Projects and Theses

Adolescence is a formative period in which young people seek meaning, identity, and belonging while navigating a complex array of cultural, social, and developmental pressures. In suburban American contexts, these pressures are intensified by competitive academic environments, demanding extracurricular commitments, and pervasive societal expectations that equate worth with achievement. Drawing from my experience as a youth minister in suburban United Methodist churches, this dissertation examines how such forces shape the spiritual and personal development of 15- to 18-year-olds and explores the Church’s role in guiding adolescents through this landscape with wisdom and care.

Grounded in the Christian tradition and informed …

Adaptability From Tv & Film Into Theatre | The Subversion Inspiration In Celia’S Identity Versatility Throughout William Shakespeare’S As You Like It, Emani White

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the inspiration of adaptability skills, pivoting from television and film into theatre, and the potential of unconventional pathways as a catalyst for reconciling anti-traditionalism within the mediums. It offers insight into the obstacles, segues, and adversities faced during the journey of a former athlete turned television and film actor, and into a theatre actor. It illuminates agency as a subversive identity (the disguise), the sacrifice of status, and the need for an emotional anchor of resilience—acknowledging the systemic transitional barriers in performance, career, and education. The paper also discusses the understandings gained from my journey as an …

A Curriculum To Empower And Equip Women For Leadership In The Monash City Church Of Christ In Melbourne, Australia, Devni Yasindra Attygalle

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This thesis addresses women in Christian leadership in the Monash City Church of Christ Melbourne, Australia. The problem identified within this ministry context was a lack of appropriate theological teaching around women in leadership, especially in the areas of preaching, teaching, and leading, which has led to misconceptions and prejudices in the minds of church members, negatively impacting the congregation’s mission. The purpose of the project was to develop a curriculum specific to MCCOC that provides a theological foundation for advocating for future senior leadership roles for women. The curriculum provides biblical teaching on women in leadership that will equip …

From Feeling To Faith: How Affective Experience Gives Rise To Religion, Asia Wewel

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This paper argues that religion is the intelligible, structured response to distinct pressures arising from within human experience itself. Drawing on Schleiermacher, Otto, Kant, and Becker, the paper traces religion's emergence through four phases. The first establishes that religious feeling is pre-conceptual and categorically distinct from ordinary emotion. The second works through Otto's correction of Schleiermacher: the genuinely religious encounter is not dependence intensified but the numinous. The third shows that Kant, arriving from an entirely different direction, reaches the same destination: practical reason diagnoses a radical evil the will cannot correct alone, demanding an ethical commonwealth that mirrors …

Immigrants: Neighbors Or Strangers? An Analysis On Christian Thought And Immigration, Mariah G. Rivera

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This thesis examines the relationship between Christian thought and perspectives on immigration in the United States, particularly in the context of the current Trump administration, which is focusing heavily on restrictive immigration policies. It explores the historical relationship between religion and government through government commissions, as well as changes in key immigration policies such as the “sensitive locations” guidelines affecting enforcement at and near places of worship. Drawing on biblical scripture, the thesis identifies key themes of loving the stranger, assisting the vulnerable, and obeying governing authorities, all of which inform Christian interpretations of immigration.

Through analysis of national and …

Grace And Generosity: A Nt Defense Of Christian Giving And Stewardship, Jermaine Mcinnis

Masters Theses

This thesis holds that Christian stewardship and giving remain divinely appointed activities in the NT, despite growing skepticism in modern ecclesial and academic circles. Firmly grounded in biblical theology and canonical exegesis, the research argues that the disciplines of tithing, giving, and sacrificial stewardship are not eliminated by grace but are redirected and intensified with Christ. The research examines OT assumptions, Jesus’ instruction, and apostolic instruction to illustrate consistency in God's expectation of His people's obedience regarding finances. Drawing on current scholarship, the thesis refutes assumptions that giving is optional or less culturally relevant, underlining its vital importance to church …

Narrative Tension And Theological Memory As Pedagogy In Three Select Samuel–Kings–Chronicles Parallels: A Textual–Literary–Theological Analysis, Mike Prah

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation examines the function of narrative tension in selected passages of Samuel–Kings and Chronicles and argues that such tension operates as theological pedagogy rather than as narrative difficulty or compositional residue. While modern scholarship often explains divergences between these historiographic corpora through redactional development or ideological reshaping, this study investigates how preserved tensions function within the narrative itself. Focusing on three representative case studies—the Ark sanctity narrative (2 Sam 6:1–19; 1 Chron 13–15), the census–altar episode (2 Sam 24; 1 Chron 21), and the succession complex (1 Kings 1–2; 1 Chron 28–29)—the dissertation demonstrates that narrative tension is intentionally …

Becoming An Ambassador Of Jesus Christ: A Strategy To Recruit, Enlist, And Develop Volunteers At Restoration Church, John Christopher Blackwell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this Doctor of Ministry thesis project is to develop a biblical strategy to recruit, enlist, and develop volunteers at Restoration Church by reframing service through the scriptural identity of believers as ambassadors of Jesus Christ. Within the ministry context of a rapidly growing, culturally diverse congregation, Restoration Church faces a persistent shortage of volunteers stemming from congregational mergers, spiritual apathy, negative associations with volunteering, and the absence of a sustainable philosophy of service. Therefore, this project focuses on a comprehensive, reproducible approach that connects gospel transformation to participation in ministry. A biblical curriculum called Discover Restoration was …

James And Paul: Conflict Or Continuity, Brian Allan Elensky

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation investigates whether the Epistle of James presents a fundamentally different gospel from Pauline theology, a claim advanced by Robert Eisenman and other scholars who portray James as the leader of a rigorist, non-resurrectional, sectarian movement. The study employs a forensic investigative model shaped by the researcher’s experience as a police officer, combining historical-grammatical exegesis of James with analysis of key New Testament texts, early Christian witnesses such as Eusebius and Hegesippus, and modern scholarship on James, Paul, and the Dead Sea Scrolls.

The research concludes that James does not oppose Paul but complements him. James 2:14–26 rejects a …

Dementia Caregiver Support: Offering Spiritual And Emotional Guidance To Loved Ones Filling The Gap, William Reid Bishop

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem at Tremont Church of God is that members offering caregiver support to their loved ones with dementia are unaware of the coping skills needed for support. The purpose of this DMIN action research project is to provide an 8-week training program to teach caregivers techniques for managing their emotional and spiritual needs. The sample population for this project is church members over the age of 18 who are actively caregiving for a spouse or close relative with dementia. The sample size is between 10 and 15 participants. The training is located at Tremont COG. The training is in …

Spiritual Mentoring In Action: Empowering Younger Women In Spiritual Growth Through The Wisdom And Guidance Of Spiritually Mature Women, Elwanda C. Richardson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This researcher presents an action thesis project that examines generational spiritual mentoring among women who are current or former members of Corinthian Missionary Baptist Church of Jesus Christ, with a focus on how structured mentoring can integrate biblical, theological, and apologetic principles into discipleship practices. While mentoring is widely used in academic and professional settings to transfer knowledge, develop skills, and foster personal growth across generations, this study adopts that model to a faith-based context. It emphasized the intentional sharing of Scripture, lived experiences, and a Christ-centered worldview to nurture spiritual maturity. The research investigates the effectiveness of a structured, …

Turning The Ear Into An Eye: Using Descriptive Language To Connect With The Creative Imago Dei In Preaching, Jonathan Phillip Hamm

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

What factors influence an audience's imagination, enabling them to visualize a preacher’s words? The claim being addressed is that when descriptive language is used in preaching—such as stories, analogies, and metaphors—it connects with the representational commission to have dominion over creation that is given through the imago Dei of the sermon recipient, drawing images in their minds and allowing listeners to see what the preacher says. The research begins with an exegetical study of the concept of the imago Dei found in scripture, establishing a theological foundation through passages such as Genesis 1:26-27, 5:1-3, and 9:6, Psalm 8:4-6, Romans 8:29, …