Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons^™

Word & Witness: A Philosophy Of Ministry In Training Women To Engage God's Word And Witness To His Faithfulness, Elliana Carter

Christian Ministries Senior Capstone

Many women in the church today are seeking depth in their relationship with God. Word & Witness women’s ministry seeks to walk-alongside and spiritually guide women towards greater love for God and Scripture, bringing about deeper intimacy. This ministry will be described as a branch off of the women’s ministry at Granger Community Church, in Granger, Indiana. Word & Witness desires for women to be equipped and encouraged to engage God’s Word and witness to God’s faithfulness in their lives. As women participate in this ministry, they will learn how to be in communion with God, community with others, live …

Cultural And Religious Perspectives On Suicide And Healing, Arielle Friedman

be Still

This essay is built off of a paper I wrote in a college global health course on culture and mental illness. I have always been fascinated by cultural interpretations of illness & believe that as a future physician, it is my responsibility to educate myself and others on the complex interplay between religious ideologies & recognition/management of biological disease in order to provide appropriate patient-centered care.

Biblical Theology For God's People : Perspectives In Theological Interpretation, Benjamin J. Aich

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Equipping For Global Mission: Theological And Missiological Proposals And Case Studies Edited By Linda P Saunders, Gregory Mathias, And Edward L. Smithe, Mark D. Wood

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

An Examination Of Karl Barth’S Critique Of Natural Theology: The Epistemological Shift Post-Salvation, Luke D. Pelkey

Selected Honors Theses

This thesis reexamines Karl Barth’s rejection of natural theology, specifically if his Christocentric framework allows for a limited, post-salvific engagement with natural revelation. While Barth is adamant in his denial of the source of knowledge of God being found solely through reason, logic, or nature, this thesis argues that Barth does not reject the possibility of natural revelation but rejects its accessibility. But, due to the effects of salvation on not just the soul but the whole of one’s being, the mind is also renewed, allowing for the noetic effects of sin to be overcome. Drawing from Church Dogmatics I/1, …

Validity And Reliability In Church-Based Research, David R. Dunaetz

Great Commission Research Journal

Conducting high-quality research is difficult because so many things can go wrong, whether it be poor research design, researcher bias, inaccurate attempts to measure phenomena, random errors made by participants, or any of a myriad of other problems that can occur. Researchers need to consciously seek to maximize the accuracy of their measurements (measurements that are high in reliability) and make credible conclusions (conclusions that are high in validity). This paper explains several forms of validity and reliability using examples from measures of church attendance and spiritual gifts inventories. It first examines how the validity of research design (including both …

Church Doors And Hospital Doors: The Interrelationship, Azubuike Chukwubumnobi Okeke, Samuel Obiajulu Ike

Great Commission Research Journal

This study examines the place of medical evangelism as a means of church expansion in modern Nigeria. It is a retrospective cross-sectional investigative study involving data collection from the Good Shepherd Specialist Hospital’s anonymized patient records. The Good Shepherd Specialist Hospital is in Enugu State in southeastern Nigeria. Over 100,000 patients sought medical care in the hospital during a period of 19 years. Seventy-four percent had spiritual care provided by a person of the same faith. Most of the respondents came from within the Enugu metropolitan area. Using the church planting ministry of the Chapel of His Resurrection within the …

From Doubter To Disciple: A Case Study On The Process Of Spiritual Transformation, Petr Činčala

Great Commission Research Journal

This study examines the spiritual transformation of Hadassah, who, despite a Christian upbringing, struggled with faith until a series of crises—including a severe car accident—catalyzed her journey toward discipleship. Grounded in theological principles such as the Great Commission and the Parable of the Sower, the article explores the unpredictable nature of spiritual growth. Integrating scientific research on conversion and six key motifs of transformation, it highlights the roles of crisis, mentorship, rituals, sensory experiences, rebirth, and triggering catalysts. Hadassah’s story underscores that discipleship is not an immediate outcome but a dynamic, ongoing process requiring divine intervention, relational support, and personal …

Pastors Of Smaller And Larger Churches Face Different Challenges: Empirical Evidence, William Ingersoll, David R. Dunaetz

Great Commission Research Journal

This study seeks to expand our understanding of the differences between the challenges faced by pastors of smaller churches and the challenges faced by pastors of larger churches. Pastors of North American churches (N = 347), generally with a theologically conservative orientation, responded to an online survey indicating how difficult they perceived each of 79 challenges to be. In general, evangelism and retaining youth were the most difficult challenges. However, clear distinctions were found between pastors of smaller churches and pastors of larger churches for over one-third of the challenges. For example, pastors of larger churches found that adequately addressing …

Book Review: Missiological Triage: A Framework For Integrating Theology And Social Sciences In Missiological Methods By Sarah Lunsford, L. Lynn Thigpen

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Partnership In Ministry: A Study Of Networking And Collaboration In Paul’S Ministry And Their Implications By Paul H. Byun, Joyce Brenya Amoah

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

The Russian-Ukrainian War In The Discourse Of The Biblical Concept Of A Just War, Vadym Dyiak, Klavdiia Tushko, Vladyslav Volobuiev

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article analyzes the russian-Ukrainian war through the prism of the biblical concept of a just war. The moral and ethical aspects of the war are explored based on biblical principles, such as the defense of truth, justice, and the innocent. The article compares traditional approaches to the concept of a just war with modern realities, including the russian aggression against Ukraine. Particular attention is paid to the right to self-defense, the role of moral precepts in warfare, and the importance of humanitarian norms. The analysis of biblical texts helps to better understand the ethical justification of war as a …

A Tender Turning Point, Debra Rienstra

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Last Sunday, my congregation voted overwhelmingly to disaffiliate from the Christian Reformed Church. We had already gone through a long process of discernment to get to this point, so there was a little tension in the room. We knew what was going to happen. We were ready.

Review Of Peacebuilding And Catholic Social Teaching, Peter R. Gathje

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Review Of Grassroots Ecumenism: The Way Of Local Christian Reunion, John A. Radano

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Review Of Pope John’S Pacem In Terris And The Call For Global Governance, Thomas Massaro

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

New Cold War, New Anti-Nuclear Activism (Webinar), - Kroc Institute For International Peace Studies

The Journal of Social Encounters

The nuclear freeze movement of the early 1980s demonstrated the power of grassroots activism to influence national defense and security policy at the height of the Cold War. Today, the world is threatened by a new global arms race as the United States, Russia, China, and other nuclear weapons states are rebuilding and enhancing their arsenals, including new missile deployments. In the face of worsening nuclear dangers, grassroots movements are once again advocating for nuclear disarmament and justice.

This webinar, which took place February 11, 2025 discussed the efforts and impact of local government officials, religious leaders, and international networks …

Christian Ethics And Business Leadership, Jon Armajani

The Journal of Social Encounters

This essay discusses the ethical principles of listening, community, stewardship, and interreligious and intercultural understanding with respect to business leadership. It opens by discussing definitions of ethics and their relevance to businesses and business leaders. It continues by providing a description of the consulting company Accenture’s ethical principles and practices, as positive examples. The essay provides Arthur Andersen and its work with Enron and WorldCom, both of which went bankrupt in the early 2000s, as examples of the failures that occur when ethical principles are not practiced. Then, the essay states that Christianity and the Benedictine tradition constitute a basis …

Peter Maurin As The New St. Benedict: A Review Essay, William J. Collinge

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Community-Based Research And Catholic Higher Education In Solidarity: Embracing The Risks And Gifts Of Interdependence, Linda Land-Closson

The Journal of Social Encounters

With common ground in the work of solidarity and the common good, Community-Based Research (CBR) and Catholic Higher Education (CHE) can be brought into a mutually beneficial dialogue. Accordingly, this article serves first as a reminder of the radicality of solidarity, second as a callout to CHE for often falling short of solidarity-in-action, third as an invitation for CHE to offer understandings of solidarity as discernment tools to mitigate harm in the changing field of CBR, and finally as an invitation to CBR to be aware of and continue promoting solidarity through good judgment.