Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons^™

Avoiding Division Within A Church: A Proactive Approach For Identifying Sources Of Conflict And Creating A Healthy Ministry Environment, Kenneth V. Polley

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Serious conflict in a church can damage its vitality and ministry effectiveness. The problem this research addressed was factors in a church ministry which can allow serious conflict to form and expand. In response to this problem, the researcher examined materials which address church conflict and surveyed sample churches. The research sought to identify the following areas: topics church interventionists consistently address when assisting churches in the recovery process, the primary sources of conflict based upon church experiences, the parallels between the focus of the church interventionists and church experiences, and if serious conflict can be avoided if these areas …

Discovering The Work Of Baptist General Conference Mission In Ethiopia: The Essence Of Mission That Lasted For Six Decades, Kebede Gonfa

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The researcher has explored six decades of mission work and leadership development by the Baptist General Conference (BGC) in Ethiopia. The main purpose of this project is to summarize the work of the mission in Ethiopia and its relationship to the national church with comments from local pastors and missionaries in regard to the conclusion of the work of the missionaries and the turnover to the local church, so that the current and coming generations may benefit from the strengths and weaknesses of the BGC Ethiopia ministry. The evaluations by missionaries and local leaders provides a balance of perspectives on …

Equilibrium In Biblical Exegesis: Why Evangelicals Need The Catholic Church, Robert Andrews

Dissertations

In this dissertation I argue that American evangelicals need the Catholic Church in order to interpret Scripture well. Often, ecclesiology plays a minor role in evangelical hermeneutics. However, the greater need is for evangelicals to engage the Catholic Church specifically in the work of biblical exegesis. I call for a theological reassessment, from an evangelical perspective, of the necessity of ecclesiology, including sacred regard for the Catholic Church, for the work of biblical interpretation.

This dissertation produces a historical trajectory which demonstrates where evangelicals have departed from the long-standing axiomatic relationship between Church and Scripture, and especially highlights their enduring …

An Experiment In Civil Dialogue In A Clinical Pastoral Education Group At Caromont Regional Medical Center, Gastonia, North Carolina, Stephen Allen Lemons

Doctor of Ministry Projects

An Experiment in Civil Dialogue... was designed to create a setting for civil dialogue concerning homosexuality and Christian faith. The seven-week process involved eight daylong sessions with eight Clinical Pastoral Education students. Sessions focused on a study of biblical passages regarding homosexuality. Passages were examined from a traditional and progressive viewpoint. Six guests presented from a traditional or progressive viewpoint. Participants wrote verbatims and theological integration papers focusing on pastoral care to LGBT persons/families. Research methods included focus and control group and quantitative-qualitative research. Interviews, surveys and written reflections attest that the group maintained civil dialogue throughout the process. The …

Factors That Affect Sustainability Of Transitional Homes For Sexually Exploited Women, Ruth E. Deguzman Dalman

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem this thesis project addressed was the factors that prevent the sustainability of transitional homes for sexually exploited women. The goal was to gain understanding as to why some transitional homes fail and what components are necessary for sustainability. Four case studies were carried out between two sustainable and two non-sustainable homes. Three workers from each home were interviewed. Interview queries related to how the home treated organization, management, assessment and training, and resources. Significant data was produced from probing mission alignment, leadership interaction, policy comprehension, merits of assessment, and significance of training. One of the significant findings was …

Advocacy For A Biblical And Communication Based Interpersonal Competency Course For Seminary Education, Philip H. Frazier

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project advocates for a change in communication course teaching for Baptist and independent seminaries in the United States and Canada. The researcher used a mixed method of quantitative and qualitative processes to analyze communication course offerings available to master of divinity students in 59 Baptist and independent seminaries. Statistical data revealed that persuasion based preaching and evangelism courses exponentially outnumbered all forms of relational communication courses. Seminary courses on interpersonal communication constituted less than three percent of master of divinity communication course offerings. A focus group with Christian master of communication course graduates provided qualitative data on the continuing …

Reconciling The Body: Working Toward Ecclesial Unity, Brien J. Aadland

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this project the researcher studied the similarities and differences of the United Church of Christ and the Emerging church. In Christianity, Christians should be unified in goal and mission in the Kingdom of God. The researcher explored the faith streams of the UCC and the Emerging church. The goal of this project was to find if the UCC and the Emerging church are similar in thought or different. Scripture makes it clear that Christians are mandated to work together for peace and unity to create a reconciled church. The researcher first examined important voices in Christianity that have spoken …

Chaplain, Pastor, Leader: A Biographical Study Of Leadership Transitions In The Life Of Chaplain (Colonel) James E. Wright, Brian P. Wright

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A distinct transition occurs when military chaplains return to civilian service as pastoral leaders. This project engaged in a biographical study of (Colonel) Chaplain James E. Wright in order to understand the effect service as a military chaplain has on the chaplain’s transition to service as a pastoral leader in civilian service. It identified the impact of his military chaplain service on his civilian pastoral leadership, examined the correlation between the pastoral leadership demonstrated by Chaplain Wright and biblical descriptions of pastoral leadership and reviewed literature related to the service of military chaplains as civilian pastors. Old and New Testaments …

Leadership Development Through Theological Education In The Theological Education Initiative Of Central Missouri, April A. Welch

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Access to leadership development through theological education is limited in places without seminaries. The Theological Education Initiative of Central Missouri started the Emerging Church Leadership Institute to fill that gap. Utilizing phenomenology, the researcher discovered the program’s impact from the graduates. The field research determined the program accomplished its’ goals. The biblical/theological research unearthed a history of education for leadership development in non-traditional settings. Finally, academia argued for/against these types of educational settings. However, a new approach could be successful and, given the many positive results of ECLI, their model can be effective across a range of ministry settings.

A Theology And Practice For Implementing Pastoral Care Through Community Groups At Calvary Church, Joshua Paul Mateer

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As a church of over 4000 attenders, Calvary Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan was in need of a system and structure that would provide care for all who were in need. This project developed a system of care based on the biblical principles of care and community. This newly designed care structure infused care into community groups by mobilizing the people of Calvary to care for one another rather than solely relying on the Pastoral Care Department to accomplish the care. This project addressed the problem that exists for a Pastoral Care Department in a large church (4,000+) to care …

Exploring The Principles Behind Effective Collaborative Ministry On Multi-Point Charges In The Peninsula-Delaware Conference Of The United Methodist Church, Drew Mitchell Christian

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Peninsula-Delaware Conference of the United Methodist Church covers the Eastern Shore of Maryland and the State of Delaware. The area, known as the “Birthplace of Methodism,” has 451 churches. Many churches are older, small membership congregations and are not able to afford their own pastor. Many pastors serve multiple congregations as part of a United Methodist Charge. As issues in surrounding communities become more complex, attendance declines, and resources diminish, congregations must work together in order to make a significant impact on their communities and fulfil the Great Commission. Throughout biblical history there are examples of God calling His …

The Story Of Lazarus, Bud Robinson

Heritage Material

No abstract provided.

A Member Of No Community? Theology After Wittgenstein, Brad Kallenberg

Theology and Religious Studies Faculty Publications

The study of Wittgenstein has spawned a new sort of Christian theology. A growing list of theologians have discovered in Wittgenstein a therapy for conceptual confusion and tips for how to go on, not only in religious faith and practice, but also in the practice of theology as an academic discipline. This is not to say that such thinkers have succeeded in turning Wittgenstein into an instrument of apologetics or that Wittgenstein has “delivered” them from the grip of their own religious particularity. No; they have learned from Wittgenstein the skill of silence. Their theology, like Wittgenstein’s philosophy, comes to …

Ecclesial Practices, Colin M. Mcguigan, Brad Kallenberg

Theology and Religious Studies Faculty Publications

In this chapter, we first provide an overview of the place of practice in some of the most prominent recent epistemologists of religion; second, we give an account of an ordinary practice (engineering) to flesh out a general conception of the importance of practice in training cognizers for skilled perception; third, and last, we connect the results of this inquiry with renewed theological and philosophical interest in the ‘spiritual senses’ tradition. The upshot of these reflections is the conclusion that an adequate account of social practices already anticipates the possibility that ecclesial practice might contribute to an epistemic transformation capable …

Practicing To Aim At Truth: Theological Engagements In Honor Of Nancey Murphy, Ryan Newson, Brad Kallenberg

Theology and Religious Studies Faculty Publications

Well-meaning evangelicals unfamiliar with Nancey Murphy’s philosophical theology frequently worry that her work in philosophy of mind has the effect of depriving us of our souls. When such an objection is voiced after a speaking engagement, Murphy’s “reassurance” is predictable: “Don’t worry! There is nothing to be lost; we never had souls to begin with!”

Underneath her wry reply is a deep concern that philosophical confusion about “having a soul” is seriously undermining Christian discipleship. For example, it has become second nature for many Christians to hold that the soul is more important than the body; regardless of the state …

Extraordinary Love In The Lives Of Lay People, Dennis M. Doyle

Theology and Religious Studies Faculty Publications

The College Theology Society (CTS), initially called the Society of Catholic College Teachers of Sacred Doctrine, was founded mainly by religious and clergy in the early 1950s to support those who taught college-level theology to Catholics in non-seminary settings. Sometimes CTS, in comparison with another group, is said to be relatively more lay-oriented. What this actually means, I think, is that for the CTS, the college classroom, populated mainly by lay people, was the primary locus for carrying out the task of teaching theology.

The main goal was to promote the religious formation of Catholic lay people. Given some of …

We Do Not Know How To Love: Observations On Theology, Technology And Disability, Jana Marguerite Bennett

Theology and Religious Studies Faculty Publications

Does technology enable those who are disabled to be fuller members of society, or does it ultimately seek to eradicate disability and so promote a kind of eugenics against those who are disabled? In the late 1990s and early 2000s, literature and debate on this question ran rampant. A common example is that of cochlear implants, which endured much debate at the time within the Deaf community regarding whether they eradicate an impairment— or whether implants actually do away with entire communities of the Deaf and thus displace an important minority culture. Yet, very little is written today on this …

Otto Semmelroth, Sj, And The Ecclesiology Of The ‘Church As Sacrament’ At Vatican Ii, Dennis M. (Dennis Michael) Doyle

Theology and Religious Studies Faculty Publications

This essay will demonstrate how Otto Semmelroth’s preconciliar work on the Church as sacrament connects with several ecclesiological themes that would later be developed in Lumen Gentium. These themes include the importance of a lay-inclusive Church, the universal call to holiness, the relationship between Mary and the Church, a Trinitarian ecclesial spirituality, and the use of sacrament as a fundamental category for organizing and interpreting a variety of images and concepts of the Church.'

First will come an attempt to take the measure of Semmelroth’s significant impact on Lumen Gentium within the context of the myriad contributions made by a …

Vatican Ii And Intellectual Conversion: Engaging The Struggle Within, Dennis M. (Dennis Michael) Doyle

Theology and Religious Studies Faculty Publications

In 1980 I took a course with Joseph Komonchak entitled “The History and Theology of Vatican II” at the Catholic University of America. True to the title, Komonchak was doing history and theology together at the same time on a class-by-class basis. He would bring in documents from the Council and from the times leading up to it, often in Latin, and he would talk about how his goals as a theologian required him to work in a historical manner. To understand Vatican II, or the Church itself for that matter, required not just understanding theological concepts but also grasping …

Amazing Grace: Messages On The Grace Of God As Manifested In The Soul's Salvation And Enrichment, George Whitefield Ridout

Heritage Material

No abstract provided.