Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons^™

Switching The Narrative: Pastors’ Beliefs And Reasonings, Dejaune K. Thompson, Sheriyse M. Williams, Shuntay Tarver, Portia C. Stokes

Psychology Faculty Publications

Although many African Americans experience mental health/addiction (MH/A), only 39% of the population seek professional treatment. Several significant barriers contribute to their ability to seek treatment, and as such, many African Americans feel more comfortable relying on the Black Church and pastors for support. However, many pastors are not prepared to support the MH/A needs of their parishioners thus leaving those who seek help without the proper MH/A care they need. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the perceptions held by African American pastors on preparedness based on experience and theological beliefs to address MH/A issues within …

Evil, Ontology, And Scripture: A Diachronic Analysis Of Augustine Of Hippo's Privatio Boni Concept, Jamie G. Boucher

Dissertations

Augustine of Hippo’s Privatio Boni concept—the idea that evil is not a substance, but the privation of good in a substance—is the most influential early systematic theodical attempt within Christianity to exculpate a good God from responsibility for evil. By approaching Privatio Boni as the intricate interplay of Augustine’s views on evil, ontology, and Scripture, this dissertation aims to clarify misunderstandings surrounding the concept and determine if there is biblical warrant for it. Chapter 1 addresses issues of background, problem, purpose, and justification before introducing a delimited three-staged methodology of establishing context, engaging in diachronic analysis, and conducting a comparative …

“I Know What Nothing Means”: Nostalgia, Hope, And The Postmodern Search For The Sublime, Kathryn L. Donati

Theses and Dissertations

Amid simultaneous crises of self, nation, digital citizenship, global health, climate change, and socio-political polarization, to name but a few of the catastrophes that seem to define life in the global West in the twenty-first century, where do we find hope? Do we find it at all? Is there any hope to be found? These are the questions that serve as the genesis for this undertaking in which I locate the origin of these crises far before the events of the 2016 and 2020 elections, far before even the panic of Y2K. I begin my examination of hope in contemporary …

Feminized Servanthood, Gendered Scapegoating, And The Disappearance Of Gen-X/Millennial Protestant Clergy Women, Lynn Horan

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

In today’s mainline Protestant churches, young women clergy navigate a precarious leadership space. While women’s ordination is well-established in American Protestantism (Burnett, 2017), Gen-X/Millennial clergy women find themselves at the crosshairs of conflicting gender narratives and unsustainable expectations of what it means to be both a woman and an ordained pastoral leader. Through the use of feminist constructivist grounded theory methodology, this study explored the lived experiences of Gen-X/Millennial clergy women who have left active ministry or a specific pastoral position due to concerns over their own interpersonal boundaries and psychological safety. Through dimensional analysis of in-depth interviews with 20 …

Why I Say "Merry Christmas": A Dei Perspective, Essraa Nawar

Library Articles and Research

"A few weeks ago, Dr. Daniele Struppa, our Chapman University President approached me with a cultural protocol question regarding sending holiday cards to his international collaborators oversees. Dr. Struppa who currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the American University of Sharjah has become professionally and personally acquainted with some members of the Royal family of the United Arab Emirates, some Social Entrepreneurs, Businessmen, Professors, Scholars and others through this academic engagement. Dr. Struppa was wondering whether or not it is appropriate to send a Chapman University Christmas Card during the Holidays even though December is technically not a …

The Inevitability Of Sin, Kevin Timpe

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Part of the traditional Christian doctrine of sin is the claim that, due to the effects of original sin, acts of sin are inevitable. Of course, our reflection on sinful actions is shaped by how we think about human freedom and divine providence more broadly. Some have argued that libertarians have a difficult time accounting for the inevitability of sin. This paper uses David Lewis’s work on counterfactuals and possible worlds to give an account of how the inevitability of sin can be understood. It then shows how both theological determinism and Molinism can give an account of sin’s inevitability …

African Influence In The Bible: A Sub-Saharan Response To The Gospel And The Divine Prerogative Of African Incorporation In God’S Redemptive Plan, Robert Milton Bugg Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Bible presents God's magnificent divine plan, executed by chosen people for a specific purpose. There are illustrations of those from various regions impacting those worldwide throughout the Bible. While much of the Old Testament takes place in ancient Mesopotamia, the magnitude of God’s plan is global. This dissertation will examine sub-Saharan people groups in Africa, particularly the Kushites and ancient Ethiopians. The discussion will include the history of Africans in the ancient world, their migration and development parallel to recorded biblical history, and their role in the Bible. Scholars utilize many different terms when referring to Kushites, depending on …

Retaining Students After Graduation With Biblical Servanthood, Carlos Henrique De Freitas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis addresses the inadequate understanding of the biblical concept of servanthood among high school students (grades 9-12) within the congregation of Macland Baptist Church in Powder Springs, Georgia. As a result of this problem, students gradually distance themselves from their faith, discontinue church attendance, and cease participating in church service activities. The thesis of this paper is that exposing these high school students to various dimensions of biblical servanthood will significantly impact their understanding of this concept. The underlying assumption posits that a profound understanding of biblical servanthood, coupled with knowledge and service opportunities, will cultivate Christlike character in …

Toward An Analysis Of The Abductive Moral Argument For God’S Existence: Assessing The Evidential Quality Of Moral Phenomena And The Evidential Virtuosity Of Christian Theological Models, David Ochabski

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The moral argument for God’s existence is perhaps the oldest and most salient of the arguments from natural theology. In contemporary literature, there has been a focus on the abductive version of the moral argument. Although the mode of reasoning, abduction, has been articulated, there has not been a robust articulation of the individual components of the argument. Such an articulation would include the data quality of moral phenomena, the theoretical virtuosity of theological models that explain the moral phenomena, and how both contribute to the likelihood of moral arguments. The goal of this paper is to provide such an …

Moral Injury: The Hidden Adversary Of War, Lashell Y. Davis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of United States Army combat veterans who have supported combat operations at least once over the past fourteen years in either Iraq or Afghanistan who self-identified as suffering from symptoms of moral injury. This study was designed to elucidate the impact of faith on resilience and coping mechanisms and broaden previous research on moral injury and whether Army leaders should identify and mitigate moral injury within the ranks. Phenomenology focuses on the interpretation and meaning of how individuals experience their world within a given context. Seven …

The Salvation Testimony Of African-American Converts In The Protestant Faith: A Phenomenological Study, Tenielle Jones Cook

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Humanity's frailty and mortal existence create the space for a spiritual conversion experience that resolves matters of life and death. However, spirituality is an abstract concept with an ambiguous definition, and activities surrounding the application of its concepts are interpreted differently from one religious group or community to the next. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the salvation testimony of African-American males and females in the Protestant faith. A semi-structured interview and Conversation analysis are used for data collection and analysis to identify emerging themes for the descriptive essence of the salvation testimony. At this stage in …

Faith Comes By Hearing: Impact Of Expository Preaching In The Worldview Of Young Adults At Sda Church Plants, Kenneth Martinez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In this thesis, expository preaching is proposed as the mechanism to communicate a biblical worldview to Adventist young adults (people ages 18 to 40). This thesis project engaged the young adults of two Adventist church plants: Refuge Church and Triumph Church. The project consisted of preaching Adventist biblical theology through expository sermons, with the thesis that it would be interpreted as a worldview by young adults. The preaching series delivered salvation history, broken down into eight pericopes, and used the Great Controversy as its metanarrative. The goal of each sermon was to expound the assigned passage and its place on …

Community Connect: A Strategy To Mitigate The Effects Of Church Shopping On Small Urban And Rural Congregations, Jimmy Greene

Doctor of Ministry Projects and Theses

While serving as an ordained elder in The United Methodist Church, I began to realize that church shopping poses an existential worry to the survival of small churches in North America, mainly those with limited resources. The demand of some church shoppers for social amenities like indoor gyms and theater-style folding seats over personal relationship with God creates low morale for small churches, which often lack a positive response strategy.

This research study proposes a mitigating strategy, Community Connect, to address the social, psychological, missional, and ecclesiological impacts of church shopping on small churches. This socio-missiological, ecclesiological, and pedagogical approach …

Curriculum As Theology: A Framework For Analyzing Curriculum As Theological Text, Russell Miller

The Journal of Faith, Education, and Community

This article seeks to establish a framework that contemplates curriculum as theological text by exploring the works of Neil Postman, W.F. Pinar, and C.S. Lewis in relation to past and present research and commentary. The paper investigates a range of concepts related to theology and curriculum including culture and religion, ethics, and morality. The author argues that curriculum is intrinsically a theological endeavor due to the nature of humanity and the interaction between learning and spiritual development.

Vía Cruising: Queerizando El Escándalo De La Cruz, Hugo Cordova Quero, Anderson Fabián Santos Meza, David De Jesús De Pascual, Cruz Edgardo Torres

Conexión Queer: Revista Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Teologías Queer

The article addresses the queer experience of the «via crucis» in contrast to the traditional narrative. It does so by exploring how gender identity and sexual orientation influence imposed crossings and social exclusion. Through the phenomenon of cruising, the examination of the stations of the cross reveal the segregation and the search for connection in the queer community. Thus, it challenged conformity and advocates for queer redemption while reinterpreting the meaning of the cross in a contemporary context. The entire (re)examination of the «via crucis» proposes a reflection on the politics of crucifixions and suggests alternatives to transform cis-heteropatriarchal oppression …

The Discursive Fallacies Surrounding «Gender Ideology», Maricel Mena-López, Fidel Mauricio Ramírez Aristizábal

Conexión Queer: Revista Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Teologías Queer

Discourses surrounding «Gender Ideology» in Latin America display regional nuances, infiltrating various social strata. In Colombia, misinformation taints the narrative, exacerbated by the absence of a robust counter-movement to untangle the intricate discourse. This article traces the concept’s evolution, examining its impact on Colombian and broader Latin American religious fundamentalism. By exposing prevalent discursive fallacies, the objective is to contribute academically to the debate on a potent strategy that —in recent years — has aimed to hinder progress and erode the rights of women and the LGBTIQ+ community. The analysis illuminates a significant challenge impeding societal advancement.

«Escándalo, Es Un Escándalo»: Encarnación, Liberación Y Evangelio Desde Una Perspectiva Teológica Queer/Cuir, Hugo Cordova Quero, Cristian Mor, Anderson Fabián Santos Meza, Saúl Serna Segura

Conexión Queer: Revista Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Teologías Queer

This article explores the inherent scandal within theological discourse, particularly regarding the portrayal of Jesus as both human and divine and the necessity to acknowledge his humanity alongside his divinity. Throughout Western history, individuals of diverse gender and sexual identities have been marginalized within Christianity, underscoring the need for theological discourse to evolve alongside social dynamics and policies. In the Global South, Latin America and the Caribe emerge as a locus of diverse theological perspectives challenging hegemonic narratives, notably cis-heteropatriarchal and Eurocentric theologies. Queer theologies from this context aim to dismantle oppressive power structures and advocate for inclusivity and dignity …

Hacia Una Teología Vih Positiva: Una Lectura Hermenéutica Queer Del Libro De Job, Cruz Edgardo Torres, Hugo Cordova Quero

Conexión Queer: Revista Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Teologías Queer

This article aims to trace the history of hiv/aids in Central America, with particular emphasis on El Salvador. Its first section presents a periodization detailing the evolution of the region's response and understanding of hiv/aids in the social context. The second section focuses on a detailed periodization of how faith communities reacted to the presence of hiv/aids, especially highlighting their responses to those affected. The third section of the article provides a biblical, theological, and pastoral perspective from the earliest times to the current response of faith communities to hiv/aids.

Habitar La Adamacidad: Contribuciones Desde Una Teología Feminista Queer, Mercy Aguilar Contreras

Conexión Queer: Revista Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Teologías Queer

Queer feminist theology emerges as a hybridization of corporeal experiences subjected to diverse mechanisms of control over life, body, and sexuality. This process of theologization questions the approach traditionally centered on cis- heteropatriarchal values, evidencing that classical theologies participate in the bio-technologies of reproduction of the body, gender, and sexuality. It highlights the historical influence of all theology in the construction of cis-heterocentered, patriarchalized and racialized bodies. The article proposes to (re)consider «adamacy» in order to rescue the difference of gender and sexuality present in sacred texts, thus liberating bodies from cis-heteronormative closets.

Sociedad Disciplinaria, Poder Pastoral Y Marginalidad: Una Lectura Hermenéutica Queer De La Perícopa De Marcos 3.20-35, Mario Antonio Luna Rivas

Conexión Queer: Revista Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Teologías Queer

This article proposes constructing the socio-analytical mediation of Mark 3.20-21, using the concepts of disciplinary society, pastoral power, and marginality to recreate its context. From a queer perspective, the system of home and family, places determined by the cis-heteropatriarchal system, is critiqued. It highlights that Jesus —challenging power dynamics— proposes a family and lifestyle from marginality. Although labeled as «queer» —in the sense of «odd» or «deviant»— I affirm that Jesus —with alternative masculinity— subverts the cis-heteropatriarchal project of domination. The analysis contributes to a deeper understanding of Mark 3.20-21 from a queer hermeneutical lens.