Infinity And Beyond,
2015
Liberty University
Infinity And Beyond, James M. Derflinger Ii
Quaerens Deum: The Liberty Undergraduate Journal for Philosophy of Religion
This paper attempts to explore the concept of infinity regarding the nature of God, by responding to several criticisms regarding the concept of an infinite being. Andrew Lavin, in his article The Theological use of Infinity explains that the concept of an infinite God is inconsistent, and suggests that a finite God would be more conceivable. This paper analyzes each of Lavin's objections and his reasoning behind them as well as his understanding of the concept of infinity in itself.
Experiential Knowledge Without Experience: A Response To Cray,
2015
Liberty University
Experiential Knowledge Without Experience: A Response To Cray, Mary L. Bobbitt
Quaerens Deum: The Liberty Undergraduate Journal for Philosophy of Religion
This paper responds to Wesley Cray’s article “Omniscience and Worthiness of Worship.” According to Cray, “an omniscient being is one that instantiates all propositional and experiential knowledge,” and no person can have that entire body knowledge. Contrary to Cray, this paper indicates that God’s omniscience implies full propositional knowledge, but only experiential knowledge that is great-making and non-composite. The central argument this paper proposes is that experiential knowledge does not imply that one has had that experience; for God, experiential knowledge may come from a variety of avenues. This article concludes with alternative arguments against Cray’s formulation of God.
Omnipotence, Omnibenevolence, And Evil,
2015
Liberty University
Omnipotence, Omnibenevolence, And Evil, Emily Mccarty
Quaerens Deum: The Liberty Undergraduate Journal for Philosophy of Religion
This paper attempts to defend the attributes of omnipotence and omnibenevolence in light of evil. Possible worlds can be used to show that God perhaps has reasons for permiting evil, and these reasons can reconcile God's attributes with the existence of evil. Using Plantinga's Freewill Defense, free will is seen to be a conduit for moral good, but because of transworld depravity, some evil is present along with this good. Flemming objects to this account and seeks something stronger. Through evil's presence, we learn to identify it and learn to show benevolence to one another in light of its presence. …
Timelessness,
2015
Liberty University
Timelessness, Emily Pemberton
Quaerens Deum: The Liberty Undergraduate Journal for Philosophy of Religion
God’s temporality is still debated today by theologians and philosophers with whether God is temporal, atemporal, or some other form of temporality. The context of this paper is the topic of God’s timelessness with the idea of William Lane Craig’s idea of “omnitemporality.” The paper discusses a few of the major arguments for God’s temporality and also God’s timelessness. The paper then analyzes Craig’s article defending the omnitemporality of God declaring that God is non-temporal without creation and then becomes temporal with creation. Though this idea may seem as a possible solution to the question of God’s temporality, it fails …
Swipe Left: A Theology Of Tinder And Digital Dating,
2015
Loyola University Chicago
Swipe Left: A Theology Of Tinder And Digital Dating, Michael Murphy
Theology: Faculty Publications and Other Works
The juggernaut of digital culture, which really has hatched the biggest cultural metamorphosis since Gutenberg’s printing press, affects every aspect of late modern life in fundamental ways—ways, moreover, that are often obscured from our perception. After all, the hardest chains to break, the saying goes, are the ones you can’t see.
The Beautiful Mystery: Examining Jonathan Edwards’ View Of Marriage,
2015
Liberty University
The Beautiful Mystery: Examining Jonathan Edwards’ View Of Marriage, Russell J. Allen
Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History
In contemporary evangelical circles, Jonathan Edwards has gained wide popularity for his theological writings and vital role in the First Great Awakening. However, despite these often romanticized views, Edwards nonetheless stood in the midst of an eighteenth century society that began to develop new norms for sexual practice and new legal guidelines to support them. In order to combat what he saw to be a decaying moral culture, Edwards took a strong stance on marital issues, often to the displeasure of his congregation. What lay behind these convictions was a deep theological understanding of the sanctity of marriage. These views, …
The Hair: Reflections By A White Parent,
2015
Loyola University Chicago
The Hair: Reflections By A White Parent, Aana Marie Vigen
Theology: Faculty Publications and Other Works
No abstract provided.
Ellen G. White's Understanding Of Indwelling Of The Holy Spirit: A Chronological Study,
2015
Andrews University
Ellen G. White's Understanding Of Indwelling Of The Holy Spirit: A Chronological Study, Cory Wetterlin
Andrews University Seminary Student Journal
Throughout history there have been two major understandings of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The first is the indwelling of the transcendent timeless God within the timeless soul of a body/soul, dualistic anthropology. The second is an allinclusive view in which either everything is God, pantheism, or everything is within God, panentheism. Adventism has traditionally rejected both of these understandings. Adventism teaches a monistic anthropology, denying the indwelling of the soul and a panentheistic point of view. How then is Adventism able to define the indwelling of the Holy Spirit? In order to begin to answer this question it …
Wesley And Charisma: An Analysis Of John Wesley's View Of Spiritual Gifts,
2015
Andrews University
Wesley And Charisma: An Analysis Of John Wesley's View Of Spiritual Gifts, Dojcin Zivadinovic
Andrews University Seminary Student Journal
18th century English reformer, John Wesley is one of the most influential figures in the history of Christianity. As a key theological leader behind the first religious awakening (1730-1760) in England and America, Wesley is often credited for setting the stage for the contemporary Charismatic and Pentecostal ideas. This article’s purpose is to clarify John Wesley’s attitude towards the doctrine of Spiritual Gifts and especially towards the more dynamic charismas such as the gifts of healing, the gift of prophecy, exorcism of evil spirits and speaking with tongues. Especially important for understanding Wesley’s thought is his opposition to Calvin’s cessationism, …
Perfect Harmony: An Examination Of The Necessity Of Interdependency Between First And Second Generation Korean Congregations,
2015
Liberty University
Perfect Harmony: An Examination Of The Necessity Of Interdependency Between First And Second Generation Korean Congregations, Hank H. Shin
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The English speaking second-generation Korean Americans coexisting with the first-generation Koreans topic identifies the issues associated in a typical Korean immigrant church. Based on the resources, the English Ministry has a tendency to stay under the authority of the Korean Ministry leadership, coexist independently with a separate administration, or depart to set up a separate church. This project is separated in three parts. The first section reviews the history of the early Korean American churches in the United States. The second section addresses the problems between English Ministry and Korean Ministry. The third section identifies a strategy to provide harmony …
Implications Of Theological Anthropology For Online Pedagogy In Graduate-Level Ministerial Training,
2015
Liberty University
Implications Of Theological Anthropology For Online Pedagogy In Graduate-Level Ministerial Training, Gabriel Benjamin Etzel
Faculty Publications and Presentations
The thesis of this dissertation is that by utilizing a biblical-theological framework, best practices of online graduate-level ministerial training can be presented in such a way that the role of the faculty, the objectives of the classroom, and the purpose of the institution are focused more effectively on the formation of students as ministers of the gospel. It is argued the role of the faculty member should be a model for students to follow, which necessitates institutions prioritize theological competencies ahead of technological and pedagogical competencies when hiring faculty, and institutions prioritize the faculty member's ongoing spiritual formation in the …
Gustavo GutiéRrez – Liberation Theology & Marxism,
2015
Liberty University
Gustavo GutiéRrez – Liberation Theology & Marxism, Todd Cameron Swathwood Jr
The Kabod
Since 1968, liberation theology has emerged as a prominent feature of religion and politics, particularly in South America. Originally stemming from the writings of Peruvian priest Gustavo Gutiérrez, this at-once theological and overtly political ideology decries the institutionalized violence of the world’s capitalist society on the poor and oppressed, and argues that God is particularly concerned with the plight of the suffering masses. Christians should therefore make assistance of these poor souls their highest priority, and advocate for any and all methods of alleviating suffering, especially those that work from the premise that society must be toppled and rebuilt for …
Revisiting The Afterlife: The Inadequacies Of "Heaven" And "Hell",
2015
Liberty University, Lynchburg
Revisiting The Afterlife: The Inadequacies Of "Heaven" And "Hell", Christopher P. Davis
Fidei et Veritatis: The Liberty University Journal of Graduate Research
This paper deals with some of the ambiguities that are associated with the intermediate and final states after death. Whereas many in the church have dismissed these concepts as myths of the ancients, this discussion shows how the grounding of such beliefs in the Hebrew mindset was the key to Jesus’ own teachings about the afterlife. The argument begins by developing a biblical anthropology over against the modern naturalistic anthropologies that have largely dominated the philosophical and theological scenes. From here we look at the Old Testament concept of the afterlife, and how the modern view that the Hebrews were …
Launching A New Journal: Problems, Questions, Answers, And Hopes,
2015
Abilene Christian University
Launching A New Journal: Problems, Questions, Answers, And Hopes, Ron Bruner
Discernment: Theology and the Practice of Ministry
In the initial pages of this journal, we provide an explanation of its mission—rigorous and accessible conversation among those working at the intersection of theology and ministerial practice. We list the obstacles to that conversation, and the means by which this journal overcomes them. This essay also imagines and describes various settings in which an e‐journal containing the work of scholar‐practitioners might usefully serve the academy and the church.
The Eucharist In An Unarticulated World,
2015
Abilene Christian University
The Eucharist In An Unarticulated World, Tim Sensing
Graduate School of Theology
Ethnographic data from the lived experiences of teenagers participating in the weekly observance of the Eucharist provided rich data for an application of Bakhtinian approaches to discourse in order to inform current practice. Bakhtin’s understanding of dialogism and heteroglossia asserts that all discourse communities are located in historical situations that involve complex interactions. Each utterance takes meaning from its “actual social life.” Bakhtin gives priority to utterances that occur in context and focuses on the intentional negotiation of meaning and interpretation between author and reader, or, in this case, researcher, participant, and community. The research provides opportunity for teenagers to …
Book Review: Our Global Families: Christians Embracing Common Identity In A Changing World By Todd M. Johnson And Cindy M. Wu,
2015
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Book Review: Our Global Families: Christians Embracing Common Identity In A Changing World By Todd M. Johnson And Cindy M. Wu, Beau K. Brewer
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
Book Review: White Unto Harvest: Evangelizing Today’S Senior Adults By Charles Arn,
2015
Biola University
Book Review: White Unto Harvest: Evangelizing Today’S Senior Adults By Charles Arn, Matthew Costner
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
After Postmodernism,
2015
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
After Postmodernism, Thomas W. Sieberhagen
Great Commission Research Journal
For the past 30 years, Christians have written about and discussed postmodernism. The topic is a favorite among scholars and students, who have enjoyed endless debates on the impact of postmodernism and who have speculated what the Church’s proper response should be to the West’s dominant worldview. This article urges the reader to recognize postmodernism’s demise, and to start thinking about the Church’s response to the next dominant worldview: Neo-realism. Could it be that God has brought the greater culture through the emptiness of postmodernism so that they will be ready to hear the truth of the Gospel as they …
Rise Of The "Nones",
2015
Biola University
Rise Of The "Nones", Dave Page
Great Commission Research Journal
The number of Americans (“nones”) who do not identify with any religion continues to grow at a rapid pace with Millennials leading the way. Is this growing trend a cause for concern? This article argues that it is cause for great concern and that churches cannot keep doing what they’ve always done if they expect to reach this unique cultural group. Nones are spiritual but not religious and are very different than seekers. In order to reach nones for Christ, churches must 1) Become mission minded; 2) Focus on conversion growth; 3) Educate themselves on this new group 4) Utilize …
The Strategic Nature Of Urban Ministry,
2015
Biola University
The Strategic Nature Of Urban Ministry, Alan Mcmahan
Great Commission Research Journal
The explosive growth of cities around the world provides an unprecedented and strategic opportunity for the advancement of the gospel and the expansion of the church. Ten overlapping realities found in urban contexts are explored in this article to show how the world is dramatically changing the context in which most people live. The enormous advantages offered by urban ministry are then examined to show how the church can extend its reach, identify and reach receptive people and influence the culture of a region or a nation.
