Digital Commons Network^™

The Phenomenon Of Existential Ecumenism In Contemporary Ukraine, Iryna Kondratieva, Andrii Marchenko, Oleksii Marchenko

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

An analysis of existential ecumenism as a dimension of inter-church unity, which is being formed in modern Ukraine due to a common existential threat from the Russian aggressor, when Ukrainian churches unite in an ecumenical response to war crimes, focusing on practical cooperation in real life, on the tasks of social service, and not on existing doctrinal or institutional differences. Existential ecumenism combines the main ideas of existential philosophy, with its emphasis on the value of the human person, the significance of the themes of human freedom and human choice in the face of meaninglessness and death, and ecumenism as …

The Romanian Orthodox Church And Ukrainian Refugees: Humanitarian Response And Ecclesial Solidarity, Damian Buchiu

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Following the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Romanian Orthodox Church’s public response to Ukrainian displacement combined emergency assistance with forms of solidarity that became increasingly connected to ecclesial life. A purposive corpus of twenty-four English-language items published by the Basilica News Agency, the official news agency of the Romanian Patriarchate, between February 2022 and December 2025 forms the principal source base. These materials record humanitarian and pastoral activity while also showing how the Church publicly interpreted its response. The early response relied heavily on structures already present in dioceses and local communities, which could be redirected quickly toward …

Patterns, Pressures, And Pathways : An Ethnographic Study Of Discipleship In Nepali-Speaking Immigrant Churches In The United States, Ram Kumar Budhathoki

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Modern Day Saints And The Production Of A Contemporary Pilgrimage Site: Comparative Analysis Of St. Pio Of San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy And Sai Baba Of Shirdi, India, Kiran Shinde, Anna Trono Prof

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Places valorised by saints have attracted pilgrimage for a long time as devotion to saints is a way to achieve both material wellbeing and spiritual growth. Yet, the cult following of modern-day saints in contemporary societies has become a topic for exploration only in recent years (Di Giovine, 2010; Shinde & Pinkney; 2013, Srinivas, 2008). A few excellent hagiographies discuss the material and non-material world created around charismatic modern-day saints with global followership (Waghorne, 2004; Weiss, 2005; Shepherd, 1986). Given the immense popularity of modern-day saints many questions arise- what kind of pilgrimage landscape is created around them? Are they …

An Ancient And Future Model Of Ecclesial Ministry: Exploring Insights From African Ecclesiology For A Revitalized Understanding Of The Catechist In The Amecea Region, Fortunatus Mugisha

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The ministry of the catechist has historically been an enduring and transformative ministry in the life of the Church in Africa, particularly in the AMECEA region. Within the AMECEA region (Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa), catechists have ministered not merely as transmitters of the faith but as the “unsung heroes and heroines” and vital agents of evangelization, pastoral care, and community leadership serving as the local face of the Church. This dissertation, relying on the insights from African ecclesiologies, proposes a renewed theological and pastoral understanding of the catechist as an ancient and future model of ecclesial …

Kingdom Classrooms: A Redemptive Framework For Revitalizing Christian Schools, Chad A. Kellogg

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Rural Christian schools across the United States face critical threats to their long-term sustainability, particularly in remote communities such as Salmon, Idaho. These institutions frequently operate without public funding, endure persistent staffing shortages, and struggle within aging facilities while lacking robust community advocacy. This Dissertation-in-Praxis (DiP) addresses these systemic inequities by developing a replicable, biblically grounded framework designed to strengthen the financial viability, educational quality, and missional integrity of rural Christian schools. Calvary Chapel Heritage Center (CCHC) in Salmon, Idaho, serves as the central case study. Utilizing a mixed-methods action research approach, the study incorporates qualitative interviews with church and …

Christian Leadership In The Information Age: Has Unlimited Access To Information Influenced Truth, Robert J. Houk

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to understand and explore what influences and effects, if any, may be identified as church leaders interact with congregants that have been exposed to a wide array of information in pursuit of truth obtained from various sources. At this stage in the research, the Information Age is being examined to determine if it has had any influence on the pursuit of truth as people seek answers to life's fundamental questions. Previous research had identified growing changes within young people’s beliefs as they sought higher education thus leading to a decline in enrollment …

Designing A Grief Intervention To Address The Religious Problem Of Evil, Charles Lee Burris Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christian fellowships should have grief ministries. The problem is the Greater Morning Star Baptist Church lacks a clear and practical intervention to support adult congregants coping with grief. The purpose of this DMIN action research project was to equip adult congregants of the Greater Morning Star Baptist Church through a biblically designed grief curriculum that provided training and encouragement to improve quality of life. This DMIN action research project applied qualitative and quantitative methods that included a pre-grief curriculum interview, a pre-grief curriculum survey, a post-grief curriculum focus group, and test assessments (pre-grief curriculum, mid-grief curriculum, and post-grief curriculum) for …

Determining The Efficacy Of A Digital Small-Group Formatted Spiritual Care Program In Increasing Ministry Volunteer Resiliency And Retention At Groundwire, Andrew J. Ondo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This project examined the efficacy of biblically informed, trauma-aware, peer-to-peer spiritual care systems within the solely digital ministry context of Groundwire. The study addressed the growing need for effective pastoral care in digitally mediated environments, where formation and fragmentation occur simultaneously and traditional leadership structures are often absent. The purpose was to design, implement, and evaluate a protocol that could cultivate the core concepts of resilience, intentionality, and wisdom among participants, reinforcing both practical resilience and retention. An action-oriented, primarily qualitative methodology was utilized. The final sample population consisted of eleven Groundwire participants engaged in peer-to-peer care on Discord, with …

Shaping The Soul: Spiritual Formation Practices In The Development Of Leaders, Ministers And Ministry Workers At First Mt. Olive Freewill Baptist Church, Kion D. Bolden

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This Doctor of Ministry thesis project examined how structured spiritual formation practices can cultivate attentiveness to God and strengthen ministry readiness among leaders within a congregational context. The project addressed a critical need in the ministry field: many leaders serve faithfully but lack sustained rhythms of reflection, Scripture meditation, and contemplative rest that foster long-term spiritual vitality. The purpose of the study was to design, implement, and evaluate an eight-week Spiritual Formation Program integrating journaling, Scripture meditation, fasting, service, and contemplative prayer within a supportive cohort model. The goal was to determine whether consistent engagement in these practices measurably deepened …

Pensar Desde Los Márgenes: Travesías Teológicas Desde Cuerpos, Fronteras Y Disidencias En La Obra De Hugo Córdova Quero, Anderson Fabián Santos Meza

Conexión Queer: Revista Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Teologías Queer

This essay offers an interpretive reading of Hugo Córdova Quero’s theological work from a third-person perspective, avoiding a laudatory or autobiographical tone. Based on queer and decolonial Trinitarian theology, the text traces a path that articulates biblical hermeneutics, migration studies, popular culture, queer theory, and pastoral praxis. The work is read as a relational and pilgrimage project. In this difference, displacement, and violated bodies do not constitute a theological problem, but rather an epistemic place from which to rethink the sacred, community, and justice.

A Faith-Based Approach To Mental Health Challenges, Patrick Leblanc

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This project sheds light on mental health issues within the Black community and the need for faith communities to intentionally address mental health issues in communities of color. Black men are oppressed by an interplay of cultural, historical, societal, and economic factors that impact their well-being. Racial discrimination and oppression are non-medical drivers exacerbating mental health disorders among Black men. The influences of culture and faith fabricate barriers to help-seeking behavior, and mistaken perceptions of masculinity cause many men to suffer in silence. To begin erasing derogatory perceptions of mental health disorders, faith communities need to increase mental health …

The Spiritual Care Of Hospice Patients With Cognitive Deficits, Shane Sullivan

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT How can a hospice chaplain know whether their presence and ministry make a meaningful difference when visiting patients with dementia or other serious cognitive impairments? This project thesis seeks to answer that question conclusively. The theological foundation of this project centers on the doctrine of the imago Dei—the image of God—as it relates to individuals who are dying with cognitive deficits. Specifically, it explores how a person who is helpless and near death continues to reflect the image of God. The project intervention described here is the creation of a specialized training guide for hospice chaplains at Bridge Hospice …

“If He Be Mr.Hyde…I Shall Be Mr.Seek”: Crime, Surveillance, And Narrative Structure In The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, Haley N. Durrett

Honors Theses

This research seeks to situate Robert Louis Stevenson's novella, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde into the historical context of the time period using 19th century criminal-typing, policing structures, and the genre of detective fiction. Focusing on the representation of the criminal, Edward Hyde, the layout of the detective novel, and narrative structure, the novel creates an implicit desire for the police, that is not fulfilled throughout the novel's unraveling.

2025 Joint Journal Between Witness And The Great Commission Research Journal, Thomas Seckler, David Dunaetz

Witness

No abstract provided.

From Disruption To Renewal: Harnessing Divine Interruptions And Strategic Leadership For Transforming Church Culture, Ryan Johnson

Witness

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Evangelism In An Age Of Despair: Hope Beyond The Failed Promise Of Happiness By Andrew Root, Mark Teasdale

Witness

No abstract provided.

Joint Journal Between Witness And The Great Commission Research Journal 2025, Thomas W. Seckler, David Dunaetz

Witness

No abstract provided.

Untethered Spiritual Care: Fortifying Warfighter Fitness In The Era Of Great Power Competition, Charles R. Bruner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

As the operational paradigm shifts from the large counter-insurgency missions of the Global War on Terror to agile combat employment characterized by untethered operations in potential locations such as the Pacific Theater, robust spiritual fitness will become increasingly more vital. Those most at risk for spiritual wounding and moral injury due to their experiences will be Airmen assigned to small, forward-deployed Mission Ready Airman (MRA) teams who must generate combat aircraft in austere locations with minimal supplies and far from support, including religious and spiritual support. This research project examines the problem of providing effective, robust point-of-care spiritual support without …

From Transactional To Transformational: Cultivating A Theologically Robust Learning Experience For Upper School Senior Bible Classes, Linus Nguyen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem at Holy Ground Christian Academy is that its approach to senior-level Bible classes is transactional rather than transformational for life and godliness. With parents feeling pressured to find effective educational options for their children and teachers facing growing demands from administrative duties, education urgently needs a new vision. Parents want their children to succeed and leave a lasting impact on society, while educators seek purpose in their careers. Modern educational trends push schools toward a utilitarian, transactional approach to learning, and private Christian college-preparatory schools are no exception. Within the Christian college-preparatory setting, Bible classes often struggle with …

Training Timothy: An Analysis Of Discipleship And Leadership Development In Multicultural Churches, Philip Thomas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

As America’s social and cultural landscape continues to diversify, churches face the challenge of fostering contextually relevant, biblically grounded communities characterized by unity in Christ. Church leaders play a crucial role in this process by articulating a shared mission that transcends humanistic cultural differences and working towards a unifying biblical culture, based on a common understanding and vocabulary. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine how church leaders were selected, developed, and mobilized in Protestant multicultural churches in America to create a unifying biblical culture through biblical discipleship in a multicultural context. For this study, discipleship was …

Cv: Christie Billups (Theology, Peace And Justice Studies), Christie Billups

Theology Department Faculty Curricula Vitae

No abstract provided.

Ministry Through Agriculture : An Evaluation Of Community Farming Among Displaced People, Emmanuel Jatau

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Synod: A Journey Through Inculturation To Contextuality, George Worgul

Spiritan Horizons

No abstract provided.

Preparing New Life Pentecostal Ministries Young Adults For God’S Design Of Marriage Through Identity Development, Ameerah Brown

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis project, Preparing New Life Pentecostal Ministries Young Adults for God’s Design of Marriage Through Identity Development, addresses the growing crisis of identity, purpose, and relationship instability among young adults within NLPM and beyond. The purpose of this action-oriented research is to provide a theological and spiritually formative framework that prepares young adults for marriage by biblical principles. The project identifies key spiritual and emotional barriers, including unresolved wounds and distorted self-identity. Lack of discipleship and cultural confusion hinder spiritual maturity and readiness for God-ordained relationships. Grounded in Scripture and supported by human development theory and spiritual formation scholars, …

The Catholic Church As A Model Of Minority Religious Relations In Morocco, Valli Pendyala

Morocco: Human Rights, Social Justice, and Cultural Transformation

In recent years, religious identity has become a locus of increasing contention as societies around the globe become more diverse. This issue has become increasingly prominent in Morocco as its population of non-Muslim migrants and foreign residents has grown and begun to challenge its many constitutional provisions limiting complete freedom of religion. The largest religious minority is Roman Catholics, but there has been minimal research on the Catholic community in Morocco. However, by analysing discrimination against Christians as defined by the Religion and State Minorities dataset and by interviewing Catholics in Morocco, I aim to address this research gap by …

The Church And Child Welfare: Exploring Faith-Based Support For Foster, Kinship, Adoptive, And Biological Families, Elizabeth Deagle

Orphans and Vulnerable Children Senior Capstone

The child welfare system relies on foster, kinship, adoptive, and biological families to provide care, stability, and permanency for vulnerable children. Despite their critical role, these families often face complex challenges, including trauma exposure, placement instability, caregiver burnout, socioeconomic and legal barriers, and limited access to supportive resources. Historically, churches and faith-based organizations have played a significant role in caring for orphaned and vulnerable children. This paper examines the unique contribution of the church and faith-based organizations in strengthening child welfare efforts across three dimensions: (1) biblical and theological foundations for caring for vulnerable children and families, (2) trauma-informed ministry …

From Disruption To Renewal: Harnessing Divine Interruptions And Strategic Leadership For Transforming Church Culture, Ryan Johnson

Great Commission Research Journal

Church revitalization is a field that addresses refreshing the church’s mission and vision by leaders who assess internal and external factors affecting the congregation’s current state. However, researchers in organizational culture argue that refreshed strategies will be ineffective without also addressing underlying cultural issues. This essay addresses the need for and the process of transforming church culture during the revitalization process. Pastors and leaders bring about cultural change by disrupting the status quo. This disruptive leadership is achieved through two approaches. First, leaders proactively and incrementally disrupt the status quo to influence cultural change through faithful pastoral practices. Secondly, leaders …

Book Review: Evangelism In An Age Of Despair: Hope Beyond The Failed Promise Of Happiness By Andrew Root, Mark R. Teasdale

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Fall 2025 Complete Issue, David R. Dunaetz

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.