Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons^™

An Ethical Architecture Of The Old Testament, Joachim Efulaka Mbela

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Caring For The Sufferers Among Us : Job Through The Lens Of Classical Rhetoric And Modern Psychological Trauma Studies, Abbie F. Mantor

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Of Heroes, Kings, And Emperors : Royal And Heroic Christology In The Apocalypse, John Randolph Wright

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Wrestling With Disturbing Bible Passages : A Trinitarian Approach For Adults At Tri-Lakes United Methodist Church That Engages Family Systems Theory And The Twelve Steps, Jason L. Baxter

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Divine Attachment: A Canonical Model For Discipleship And Religious Education, Kristina Marie Freed

Dissertations

Problem

Christianity is in decline in the United States and, with it, discipleship engagement. While several explanations and many remedies have been offered as solutions to the problem over the last half-century, demographic research shows that the decline continues. The problem addressed in this dissertation is the lack of a theological model to augment psychological models of religious attachment theory. The research sought to identify a canonical model of divine attachment which may contribute to the revitalization of personal discipleship and religious education by offering a new relational context. This model is based on an understanding of God as an …

Kirtan In The Americas: Music And Spirituality In A Transcultural Whirlpool, Gustavo Moura

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Kirtan (Sanskrit: कीर्तन; IAST: Kīrtana) is a broad term referring to various forms of devotional singing commonly done in South Asian traditions. It is a core practice in the Hindu and Sikh faiths that is becoming increasingly popular around the world among people of all ethnicities. Beyond its expected propagation within Hindu and Sikh diasporas, kirtan is also spreading among members of new religious movements such as ISKCON and the 3HO/Sikh Dharma, who may engage in this practice as part of their daily cultivation. Even more broadly, a form of what has been called “neokirtan” has been gaining popularity in …

The Theological Method Of Friedrich Schleiermacher, Jordan P. Ballard

Liberty Theological Review

What Friedrich Schleiermacher is most known for is his theological method of deriving doctrine from religious experience. He believed that religious piety is to be found in the “feeling of absolute dependence”, and all subsequent doctrines must be discovered through reflection upon religious experience. Understanding and critiquing Schleiermacher’s theological method requires examining his theological influences, his “feeling of absolute dependence,” and a few examples from his systematic theology. In the end, Schleiermacher’s theological method is ingenious but misguided because it is based on a faulty religious epistemology of human experience. What is needed instead is an objective standard of truth …

Apologetics At The Cross: A Collaborative Article Review, Matthew H. Hamilton

Liberty Theological Review

Apologetics at the Cross is a guidebook designed for contemporary times. It teaches students how to perform apologetics in a respectful manner while orienting them to an others-centered approach developed in cruciform communities. Chatraw and Allen’s central conviction is that “Christian [apologetics] must arise from the gospel of Jesus Christ. Otherwise it could not be Chrsitian [apologetics]” (318). It explores the biblical and historical foundations of apologetics, practical guidance concerning engagement, and various methods/theological structures for apologetics. Ultimately, the authors put forth their very own inside/out approach to apologetics, which seeks to engage unbelievers in their cultural frameworks while drawing …

The History Of Apologetics: A Collaborative Article Review, Isaiah B. Parker

Liberty Theological Review

In The History of Apologetics, the authors examine a variety of noteworthy Western apologists throughout seven distinct historical eras: Patristic, Medieval, Early Modern, Nineteenth Century, Twentieth Century (American), Twentieth Century (European), and Contemporary. Each chapter presents four essential elements relating to the life and work of one apologist: historical background, theological context, apologetic methodology and response, and critical contribution(s) to apologetics. They aim to provide an overview of influential apologists within their unique cultural contexts. This review structures its content in the same manner, albeit with some necessary minor changes to the elements for ease of reading. The historical …

A Phenomenological Study In Conflict And Conflict Resolution Methods Of Rural African American Pastors, Darrell W. Rowe

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative, phenomenological by design research aimed to identify the conflict resolution methods utilized by African American pastors who serve in rural locations and shepherd a flock of one hundred or fewer congregants. The study also sought to understand the background, origin, and perceived effectiveness of resolving congregational conflict from the specified demographic. As the shepherd of the flock, the pastor has the inherent responsibility to resolve conflict within the church. The church experiences conflict from numerous external sources; however, this research sought to address conflict within the congregation. This study collected data through the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict MODE Instrument. 71.4% …

The Nature Of Confession For Forgiveness In 1 John 1:5–2:6, Carleton Edward Hafer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study on 1 John 1:5–2:6 is to examine whether repeated confession of post-salvific sins is required either for additional forgiveness or to maintain fellowship with God. This dissertation argues that John teaches that confession is required for salvation and results in complete forgiveness at the moment of salvation; however, despite what is commonly taught, John never teaches ongoing post-salvific confession for forgiveness or to maintain fellowship with God. While post-salvific confession may benefit a believer on a psychological level, that is not what John taught in 1 John. From God’s standpoint, the relationship is not impaired …

The Worship Leadership Model At Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa: A Phenomenological Study Of The Lead Pastor And Worship Leader Relationship, 1961–2013, David L. Ream

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

By 2050, it has been estimated that 1 billion people will be Pentecostals in the broadest sense of the term. Today, one person in twelve globally is a part of this fastest-growing segment of Christianity. The ministry model of Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa as served by Pastor Chuck Smith is a paradigmatic model that houses and stabilizes the ministry of the Holy Spirit as it reproduces. This phenomenological qualitative study explores the experiences of Worship Leaders who led worship during Sunday Morning services from 1985–2013 and sought to discover the essential characteristics of the Lead Pastor and Worship Leader interactions …

The Family Unit As A Form Of The New Temple And Reflection Of The Universal Christian Family Structure: An Exposition Of Ephesians 4:17–6:9 And Colossians 3:1–4:1, Jeffrey David Krodel

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

When focusing on the new temple after Jesus’ ascension to Heaven while studying the household codes of Ephesians and Colossians, the intent of the codes becomes clearer. Jesus transferred these codes to Christians for the Holy Spirit to dwell when He ascended to Heaven. In light of the new temple, the household codes provide instructions on how the Christian family is to work together and reflect the created order under the kingdom of God. Thus, the household codes of Ephesians 5–6:9 and Colossians 3–4:1, when viewed with the conjunction of the ascension of Christ, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, …

The Jewish Basis For The Born Again Experience In John 3, Francis-David Athelstan Scalzo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The dissertation’s objective will be to analyze what Nicodemus—as a Pharisee who was knowledgeable of the Hebrew Bible and the prevalent Jewish theology of his period—should have understood, given his position, concerning Jesus’ teaching of being born again. By examining the Old Testament (the TaNaK) and Intertestamental Jewish theology, it will be argued in the dissertation’s six chapters how Nicodemus, as a prominent Pharisaical religious instructor, should have understood the concept of spiritual rebirth as well as the scriptural significance of water and the Spirit, including the guidance and obedience inherent in Jesus’ teaching on the wind. As an introduction …

Women And Their Roles In The Church, Matthew Niles

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Women and Their Roles in the Church, addresses the disagreement about the roles women are allowed to serve in at Faith Baptist Church. The problem is that congregants are disagreeing about what roles women are allowed to serve in at the church. This disagreement has led to people leaving the church and finding new churches. The purpose of this study is to develop a small group curriculum to teach leading examples of women from the Bible. The purpose of the study would help expand the participants' understanding of what roles women are allowed to serve in at their local church. …

O Santíssimo E As Vulvas Lésbicas: Uma Experiência Poética-Teológica Queer, Priscilla Ruah Gomes Da Costa

Conexión Queer: Revista Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Teologías Queer

In this article, I reflect on the forms of thinking and doing theology. I begin by examining Jaroslav Pelikan’s proposal in the first volume of his collection, Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine, to explore Marcella Althaus-Reid’s legacy later. I focus on Althaus-Reid’s contribution to a queer Christian experience; hers is a rich proposal to theological thinking that invites us to a radical hermeneutical change. Finally, I contribute excerpts from my published work to dialogue with these two theoretical references —underlining in a confessional style with Marcella’s theology— towards a subversive way of doing theology and …

Quaerite Et Invenietis: Tras El Rastro «Queer» En La Edad Media, Anderson Fabián Santos Mesa

Conexión Queer: Revista Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Teologías Queer

In this article, I distance myself from the chrono-normativity of time frameworks traditionally deployed to understand and analyze history. Instead, I inquire into the jagged lines of history. My focus lies specifically on the medieval period, and I seek to queer traditional interpretations of this era by posing indecent and uncomfortable questions. This inquiry can potentially bring medievalist work out of the theo(ideo)logical closet. My ultimate goal is to unveil a more diverse and nuanced understanding of the past, considering the full range of human experience while un/covering different answers: quaerite et invenietis [Seek and ye shall find].

Regresando De Narnia: Entre La Encrucijada De Armarios Y Templos, Hugo Córdova Quero, Saúl Serna Segura, Jorge A. Aquino Ph.D., Miguel H. Diaz

Conexión Queer: Revista Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Teologías Queer

This issue of Queer Connection presents the work of authors who have left the infancy of Narnia, covering topics ranging from queer poetics, honest conversations about sexuality in the Roman Catholic Church, and online Eucharists to the deconstruction of Islamic texts for the acceptance of queer people. All of these studies point toward liberation and societal transformation. In Christianity, the TLL has made reflecting on oppression and liberation possible. Still, its novelty lies in reflecting faith elaborated within a practice of liberation done by oppressed people through their movements. In this sense, liberation is transformation and change, a new world …

Reflections Of A «Recovering Outer Catholic», Jorge A. Aquino Ph.D.

Conexión Queer: Revista Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Teologías Queer

This essay comments on the long-deferred need for Latinx Catholic theologians to resist Roman Catholic teaching on sexuality by taking it out of the margins and integrating it as a co-equal topic of theological reflection. Based on the author’s 2014 presidential address to the Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the United States (ACHTUS), it reviews the challenges — pastoral, theological, social, and psychological — of confronting homophobia and the exclusion of queer subjects by the Roman Catholic Church.

Textos Islámicos: Una Fuente Para La Aceptación De Las Personas Queer En La Sociedad Musulmana Mayoritaria, Muhsin Hendricks

Conexión Queer: Revista Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Teologías Queer

This article seeks to reveal that Islam, at its core, does not condemn non- heterosexual sexual intimacy. On the contrary, it accepts it as part of a divine plan. In its true sense of peace and justice, Islam accepts a person’s sexual orientation as an intrinsic part of their biological and psychological makeup. He shows that the prohibition of same-sex marriages in Islam does not come from the Koran but from the legal construction of marriage and that sexual relations are both gendered and hierarchical. However, his study does not focus on Qur’anic texts that can be interpreted in support …