Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons^™

The Work Of The Spirit And The Ministry Of The Word In Ambrose Of Milan, John Wesley Hatton

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Hans Urs Von Balthasar And Kenosis: The Pathway To Human Agency, Timothy J. Yoder

Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the kenotic motif in the theology of Hans Urs von Balthasar, particularly in light of his concern to protect human agency. This dissertation argues that Balthasar views kenotic spiritual practice as the pathway to achieve true human agency. This kenotic pathway to agency is placed in contrast to Balthasar's concept of original sin as an attempt by humanity to achieve agency on their own terms. The narrative of original sin results in two possible outcomes for Balthasar: a spiritual pathway toward the absorption of the self, which results in the annihilation of …

Hidden Treasure: The Epistemology Of Love According To Hans Urs On Balthasar, Timothy John Squier

Dissertations

Many contemporary thinkers have wrestled with the notion that Balthasar is unwilling to consider modern theology's starting point of the consciousness of the knower. Otherwise stated, some scholars argue that Balthasar's point of departure is the will (love) to the neglect of human consciousness (intellect). The purpose of this dissertation is to demonstrate that a constructive analysis of Balthasar's doctrine of revelation brings to light an intricate epistemology that is critical to postmodern epistemological scholarship. By way of Neo-Scholasticism much conversation has taken place pertaining to the relationship between faith and reason within the human knower. Whereas the Neo-Scholastic tradition …

The Religion Of Consumption And Christian Neighbor Love, Christopher Porter

Dissertations

Loyola University Chicago

THE RELIGION OF CONSUMPTION AND CHRISTIAN NEIGHBOR LOVE

Consumerism is a word frequently used in various disciplines to express the variety of attitudes, motivations, and practices found among the middle and upper classes. It drives the global economy and influences individuals' socio-psychological perceptions. Some have gone so far as to call consumerism a religion, yet they have not substantiated this claim. This dissertation offers a framework that accounts for consumerism as a religion both as a person's ultimate concern and as a structuralized belief system. As such, it prescribes moral values that shape how people respond to …

Religious Pluralism And The Catholic Church: Lonergan's Method And The Jacques Dupuis Controversy, Andrea J. Stapleton Berger

Dissertations

This project applies Lonergan's method to the controversy that resulted from the censure of Jacques Dupuis by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith over his book, Toward a Christian Theology of Religious Pluralism. The application of Lonergan's method reveals the potential for the resolution of the issues presented by Dupuis in the area of developing a Catholic theology of pluralism as well as the tension between the Catholic Magisterium and the work of Catholic theologians.

Invoking Lakshmi: The Goddess Of Wealth In Song And Ceremony. By Constantina Rhodes. Albany: State University Of New York Press, 2010. Isbn 978-1-4384-3321-9, Pp. Xii, 279., Tracy Pintchman

Theology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

No abstract provided.

Introduction: The New Voices Of Muslim Women Theologians, Marcia Hermansen

Theology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

This pioneering volume defines the contours of the emerging engagements of Muslim women scholars from around the world with the authoritative interpretive traditions of Islam, classical and contemporary. Muslima theology, here broadly defined to encompass a range of interpretive strategies and perspectives arising from multiple social locations, interrogates Islamic scripture and other forms of religious discourse to empower Muslim women of faith to speak for themselves in the interests of gender justice. Contributions provide an overview of the field at this juncture-ranging from pioneering Muslim scriptural feminism to detailed analyses of legal and mystical texts by a new international cohort …

Review Of Piety And Responsibility: Patterns Of Unity In Karl Rahner, Karl Barth, And Vedanta Decika, Hugh Nicholson

Theology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

The article reviews the book Piety and Responsibility: Patterns of Unity in Karl Rahner, Karl Barth, and Vedanta Desika by John Sheveland.

You, Your Neurons, And Free Will: Concerns About Reductionism And The Popularization Of Cognitive Science, Karl G. D. Bailey

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Formissional Worship: Curriculum Design And Delivery, Gregory B. Rosser

ATS Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to measure the cognitive, attitudinal, and behavioral changes in students concerning formissional worship as a result of a Master of Ministry class at Mount Vernon Nazarene University entitled Christian Worship. The scriptural foundation was the Shema (Deut. 6:4-5), quoted by Jesus in the Greatest Commandment (Matt. 22:37-40; Mark 12:29-31). The curricular outline was worship as invitation, revelation, participation, formation, contextualization, incarnation, and integration. The instruments used to gather data from the students were two surveys and an online threaded discussion by the students during class. The surveys framed the class as a pre- and …

From The "Church For" To The "Church With" : A Study Of Diaspora Missions In South Korea, Yuno Kim

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Cultivating Missional Leadership Characteristics Through A Small Group Spiritual Formation Program For Pastors, David John Cooke

ATS Dissertations

Pastoral ministry is rife with leadership pressures and challenges. Pastors face what seems to be a monumental leadership challenge of trying to lead struggling congregations that are focused inwardly to become missional in focus. Engaging in spiritual formation practices and small group opportunities can help pastors become spiritually vibrant and effective leaders.

Christians throughout the centuries have met in small groups to build community and strengthen one another as disciples of Jesus Christ. Pastors benefit from meeting in small groups where their love for God can be cultivated and their ability to serve as missional leaders can be developed. In …

The Relationality Of The Holy One Of Israel In The Book Of Isaiah, Tony T.K. Chen

ATS Dissertations

This dissertation explores the ways that “the Holy One of Israel” is used in the book of Isaiah to depict Yahweh, the powerful and unapproachable God, in his personal relationship with Israel. It investigates the actions and character of Yahweh as the Holy One of Israel and the nature and purpose of Yahweh’s holiness as reflected in the Holy One of Israel’s treatment of Israel. It considers how Yahweh seeks to manifest his holiness in the midst of rebellion through righteous actions. In particular, it examines how the Holy One of Israel rebukes, redeems, and restores Israel, despite her rebellious …

Call Waiting : The Young Clergy Crisis In The United Methodist Church, David Thomas Rittgers

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Seeking A New Wineskin For New Wine : Inter-Religious Comparative Research Concerning The Issue Of Registration For The Chinese House Church, Paul N. Moon

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Preparing The Local Church To Reach Out To The Dislocated: A Case Study Of The Kikuku Indigenious Church Mission To The Mao People Group, Louis Matundu Zulu

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Harmonizing Individual And Ecclesiastical Expectations With The Institution Of Theological Education, Meeli Tankler

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Eschatology In A Secular Age: An Examination Of The Use Of Eschatology In The Philosophies Of Heidegger, Berdyaev And Blumenberg, John R. Lup, Jr.

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The topic of eschatology is generally confined to the field of theology. However, the subject has influenced many other fields, such as politics and history. This dissertation examines the question why eschatology remained a topic of discussion within twentieth century philosophy. Concepts associated with eschatology, such as the end of time and the hope of a utopian age to come, remained largely background assumptions among intellectuals in the modern age. Martin Heidegger, Nicolai Berdyaev, and Hans Blumenberg, however, explicitly addressed the subject in their philosophies. The impetus of this study is Heidegger's statement, "Being itself is inherently eschatological," which indicates …

Servant Leadership And African American Pastors, Clarence Bunch

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Robert Greenleaf (1977) took a follower’s, rather than a leader-centric, point of view of leadership by describing a leader as one who leads by serving. He identified a leader as one who sets other people’s needs above his or her own. He argued that motivation of leaders must begin with the conscious choice to serve others. Greenleaf’s concept provides the basis for a theoretical model of servant leadership. This dissertation examines the extent to which African American pastors exhibit servant leadership characteristics, using the Servant Leadership Questionnaire (Barbuto & Wheeler, 2006). A sample of 358 African American pastors from 11 …

The Data/Information/Knowledge/Wisdom Hierarchy Goes To Seminary, Terry Dwain Robertson

Faculty Publications

In Information Science studies, the Data/Information/Knowledge/Wisdom (DIKW) hierarchy is a conventional construct for making sense of the terms. However, when examined with any rigor, the distinctions become challenged and the hierarchy appears to fail. I suggest that the reason for this is the tacit classification of this hierarchy as a disciplinary ontological narrative. With context-appropriate definitions and delimitations, the DIKW hierarchy can still be useful as a model for specific applications in information literacy pedagogy. This is illustrated in the context of theological education by using the construct to differentiate the identification of primary sources in the Seminary disciplines.