Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons^™

The Necessity Of Weaknesses In Experiencing The Grace Of God: An Examination Of Paul’S Use Of Grace, Culminating In 2 Corinthians 12:7–10, Jason Scott Shawa

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Paul’s understanding of weakness, grace, and the power of the risen Christ are all important theological truths. This dissertation’s goal is to show that within the Pauline corpus, Paul’s use of “grace” (specifically χάρις) is often inseparable from the experience of weaknesses. This necessitates the inclusion of weaknesses (e.g., distress, persecution, difficulty, pain, and suffering) for the believer to experience the “grace” God offers in and through the power of the crucified and resurrected Christ.

Paul’s understanding of grace is a subject that has far-reaching implications. Understanding his use of χάρις within his corpus is essential to theological studies and …

Preparing Spiritually Resilient Warriors In The Canadian Special Operations Forces Command, Vic Morris

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Morris, Victor E. “Preparing Spiritually Resilient Warriors in the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command.” Doctor of Ministry. Major Applied Project, Concordia Seminary, 2024. 285 pp.

The Canadian Armed Forces has outcomes and expectations for warriors to be spiritually resilient but does not have a training program that has been researched, tested, and validated to achieve this. This study investigates how chaplains can prepare spiritually resilient warriors in CANSOFCOM. A chaplain-led spiritual resilience course was created and delivered to CANSOFCOM members. The course was aligned with the holistic wellness strategy of OPF2, and designed as an inductive, experiential learning experience. An …

Created To Be Slaves: Reexamining The Doctrine Of Original Sin, William Daniel Gamble

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

One of the earliest debates in the church was over the nature of Sin, its transmission to subsequent generations, and its effects upon man’s nature. Two terms, “sin nature” and “original sin,” have become the prevailing terminology, yet there remains debate concerning the meaning or appropriateness of these terms. This discussion will examine and assess the doctrine of Original Sin through the prism of the metaphor of slavery as found and utilized throughout the OT and NT. Ancient Slavery, in its various forms, serves as the background for understanding the idioms and metaphors employed concerning the power and role of …

The Blessing And The Promise: Paul's Covenantal Framework As The Foundation For Galatians 3:14, Eric L. Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation examines the relationship between the blessing of Abraham and the promise of the Spirit in Galatians 3:14. When Paul wrote these words to the Galatians, he did not intend to communicate two distinct, bifurcated concepts. Rather, he uses the two ἵνα clauses to bring depth of understanding to a singular idea. Paul spoke of the blessing of Abraham and the promise of the Spirit in a homogeneous manner, describing one main concept from two distinct angles, much like one would describe two sides of the same coin. It is argued that Paul was able to make such connections …

The Apostle Paul's Teaching On Life After Death: A Model Of Christ's Life, Death, And Resurrection, Keri A. Thompson

Masters Theses

There are many questions and differing views surrounding what happens to the soul after death. Through his letters collected in the New Testament, the Apostle Paul offers insight into the existence of the believer's soul in an intermediate state following death and prior to the resurrection of the body. Through a brief overview of Old Testament teachings on the subject, Jewish views on life after death during the intertestamental period, and common Greek thought on the body and soul, the possible presuppositions and influences on the Apostle Paul's view of life after death and the intermediate state are uncovered. Detailed …

A Space For Healing: Spiritual Direction With Justice-Minded Evangelicals And Ex-Vangelicals, Erica Romero

LMU Theses and Dissertations

Unfortunately, when people hear the term Evangelical, they think of the current caricature of the white Evangelical Christian, standing firmly on the far right of the nation’s political spectrum, representing the 80% of those who voted for Donald Trump, and still defending MAGA and Christian Nationalism. There are many justice-minded Evangelicals, however, who, whether they still utilize the term Evangelical or not, have been struggling to hold onto their faith, as well as discern and act wisely. Many are seeking spaces of soul care, particularly related to questions of faith and justice, and Spiritual Direction serves as an important contemplative …

Challenged And Chosen: Discipling Christians With Chronic Conditions Towards Kingdom Identity And Purpose, Allison J. Hampton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose for this DMIN action research project was to create an eight-week discipleship program and accompanying workbook to help Christians diagnosed with chronic medical conditions to rediscover their identity in God. Because of the limitations and physical changes that often accompany chronic diagnoses, members of Living Chronic Faith (a faith-first nonprofit organization that serves believers with chronic diagnoses) felt incapable of serving on the same level as their physiotypical counterparts. Marginalized by their faith community and hesitant to engage in their ministry contexts, eleven LCF members participated in this online focus group. This project’s surveys, interviews, journal entries, and …

God The Protector: An Exposition Of Psalm 68’S Thematic Coherence On The Warrior God’S Care For The Oppressed, Michal Lynn Lee

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

From the beginning of the Creation saga, the Warrior God can be visualized taming the chaotic waters of the deep with the authoritative command of “Let there be light.” This theme catapults through the pages of Scripture and climaxes in the iconic scene of the end of the age as described in the book of Revelation where God as a warrior is meting out judgment against those whose faces have turned against him. Inherent in warrior character are aspects of strength, courage, righteousness, and sometimes even divine brutality. Within these warrior-istic characteristics of God is the trait of protector or …

One Holy Nation Under One God: A Survey On Achieving Unity Amongst Believers, Cindy Casalis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The goal of this work is not only to amplify the purview of all believers in God regarding the true meaning of loving a neighbor and being a member of God’s covenant, rather to usher an atmosphere of accord that could set the right conditions for the coming of the Messiah and of the final redemption as hinted to in 2 Peter 3:11-12 where the apostle describes the sort of holy conduct befitting to those who in fact are hastening the Messiah’s final arrival. Of all the possible ways to approach the matter of election of the Jewish people, it …

Discipling Your Children For Dating, Isaiah Del Pilar

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Currently, in the culture of the church in the West, there is a very weak support system or culture of guidance as it relates to dating and courtship. This primarily is played out on the level of discipleship with primary caregivers with their children. Participants in this research project reported a low degree of feeling prepared and equipped to properly guide their children toward a quality spouse. There is an urgent need to improve the overall ability of primary caregivers in regard to discipling their children on the subject of dating marriage. The purpose of this project is to prepare, …

Ensuring Careful Interpretation And Application Of The Bible Through The Lens Of The Covenants, James Kenneth Rainwater

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

For centuries, believers in Jesus Christ have turned to the Bible to discover His will for their life. For the most part, this discovery has resulted in joy and significance and has benefited the journeys of millions. However, there have been many examples where the misunderstanding and misinterpretation of the Bible has brought about devastating consequences. Wolves have crept in and used the Bible for their own nefarious purposes. This paper offers a bridge for believers to navigate many of the difficult passages of the Bible and their behavioral application. Specifically, this is achieved through a closer look at how …

Disunity Of Pentecostal Pastors Planting Churches In Suburban Areas: Unifying Leaders With The Same Goal, Jamare L. Razor

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem is that disunity exists among suburban church planting pastors of multidenominational and nondenominational churches in a tri-state region of the United States. Approximately 4,000 churches are planted in America each year and sadly about 3,700 of those churches will close. One reason for this is disunity among pastors that leads to the lack of support needed for church plant success and longevity. This problem must be remedied if the church plants are to succeed. The purpose for this Doctor of Ministry action research project is to identify the causes of the disunity that hinder church plant success in …

Job 28 As A Thematic Unifier Clarifying Human Responsibility Through The Revelation Of Wisdom And Understanding In Relationship To Yahweh, Michael G. Potter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The goal of the project was to discern and articulate the literary relationship of Job 28 to its larger literary context and demonstrate that the chapter serves the rhetorical purpose of the author to legitimize the kingship of Yahweh over creation. The study argues that Job 28 functions as a thematic unifier that clarifies human responsibility in relationship to Yahweh. The project demonstrates that Job 28 functions as the integrative center of the book and is a figurative interpolation, a metaphorical embellishment to the search for wisdom and answers observed in the defense and debate cycles (Job 4-27; 28:1-22) while …

Máscaras De Fe: Espiritualidades Queer Y Estrategias De Anonimato En La Argentina Posdictatorial, Yacurmana De La Puente

Conexión Queer: Revista Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Teologías Queer

This article proposes that —in risk contexts marked by institutional violence and religious exclusion— anonymity is not absence but a radical spiritual and political practice. Adopting pseudonyms, masks, or disguises is interpreted as a form of faith in life, pleasure, and community. These strategies subvert binaries between truth and falsehood, authenticity and disguise, proposing a queer ethics of presence. The analysis focuses on pride marches as rites of passage where anonymity is re-signified as collective consecration: the street becomes a temple, the disguise a sacrament, and the mask a spiritual icon.

Haciéndole El Amor A Dios: Una Lectura De Madame Guyon A Través De Los Lentes De Las Teologías Latinoamericanas Cuir Y Ecofeminista, Kathleen Griffin

Conexión Queer: Revista Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Teologías Queer

Through Pentecostal and Holiness missionaries, Madame Guyon’s ideas influenced Christians around the world —including in Latin America— prompting the need for a reevaluation of her works. This article interprets «pure love» in A Short and Easy Method of Prayer and Guyon’s autobiography, drawing on Marcella Althaus Reid’s Indecent Theology and the ecofeminist insights of Ivone Gebara. The goal is to revive the erotic dimension in Guyon’s relationship with God and her «spiritual children,» showing how she teaches the possibility of developing a healing and resilient relationship with the Divine through painful physical and emotional human experiences, in order to find …

Cuerpos En Tránsito, Creencias En Disputa: Espiritualidades Queer, Justicia Encarnada Y Subversiones Desde Los Márgenes, Hugo Cordova Quero, Cristian Mor, Anderson Fabián Santos Meza, Jorge A. Aquino Ph.D.

Conexión Queer: Revista Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Teologías Queer

This issue of Conexión Queer, titled «Bodies in Transit, Beliefs in Dispute,» offers a reflection grounded in the margins, where spirituality and dissidence intertwine. Through a critical and celebratory lens, it invites us to inhabit the tensions between the divine and the embodied, between faith and desire, dogma and festivity. It recognizes and affirms the transformative power of bodies that resist normativity, question theological certainties, and insist on living queer spiritualities as acts of embodied justice and subversion from the margins.

Entre Márgenes Y Centros: Reflexiones Sobre Inclusión En Las Iglesias Cristianas Emergentes, David De Jesús De Pascual

Conexión Queer: Revista Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Teologías Queer

This article reflects on the historical participation of diverse sex-generic people throughout the history of Christian churches. From biblical times to the present, various forms of leadership have been evident. Despite their active presence, cis-heteropatriarchal leaderships have favored structures of oppression, reproducing dynamics of exclusion. Emerging communities embody a living resistance that calls for democratizing faith and recovering the fundamental values of the Gospel, as well as rethinking modes of inclusion. These new forms of spirituality, often mediated by technologies and virtual spaces, open pathways toward more inclusive, just, and diverse churches.

El Susurro Del Espíritu En Clave Queer: Arte, Liturgia Y Trascendencia, Cruz Edgardo Torres

Conexión Queer: Revista Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Teologías Queer

The evolution of liturgy, preaching, and religious architecture has accompanied the officialization of Christianity, giving rise to complex buildings and artistic expressions, such as basilicas. This process, though historically met with resistance, continues to this day and becomes especially relevant from queer perspectives. The article highlights the importance of the arts — music, theater, dance, poetry, and visual arts — in liturgy and preaching, not merely as embellishment, but as vehicles for opening up new spiritual languages. These queer liturgical practices affirm marginalized LGBTIQ+ identities and heal historical memories, engaging with their realities and struggles.

Herencias Y Resistencias Desde La Interseccionalidad: Género, Sexualidad Y La Reforma Radical, Norberto D'Amico

Conexión Queer: Revista Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Teologías Queer

This article examines how the Radical Reformation movement — although it did not transform gender roles or acknowledge dissident sexualities — left a living theological legacy in inclusive practices and critical theologies that continue to sustain emancipatory struggles today. Through an analysis of the feudal context, peasant revolts, and the tensions between moral control and embodied spirituality, the article explores how gender and sexuality were regulated, repressed, or re-signified. The analysis recovers historical, theological, and mystical elements which —when read through feminist and queer lenses— open new paths for rethinking faith through justice, autonomy, and bodily dignity.

Sexualidad Sacramental: Beber Sangre En La Era Del Sida, Timothy R. Koch

Conexión Queer: Revista Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Teologías Queer

This essay explores the dissonance experienced by a gay man living with hiv/ aids when confronting Christian sacramental theologies—particularly Communion—in a context where ingesting blood and body is symbolically central yet practically discouraged. Drawing on personal experience and ancestral metaphors of mining, the author reimagines Eucharistic traditions (Memorial, Consubstantiation, Transubstantiation) as rich theological «ore» to be mined and refined. Through a queer lens, Communion becomes a resource for rethinking the spiritual, sexual, and political lives of gay men. Rather than repairing doctrine, the piece invites a queer excavation of meaning, seeking what sacred resonance these practices may still hold.