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Counseling By Default: A Study Of Pastoral Burnout Among Liberian Pastors, Helen Gibson-Newman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Many Liberians turn to their pastors for help before considering going to a professional counselor. Pastoral counseling in Africa, especially in Liberia, is framed within African life and thought based on appropriate backgrounds that are evident in cultural assumptions and practices. Hence, pastoral counseling in Liberia assumes a cultural background central to the holistic Christian life that connects all dimensions of one’s social and spiritual life. Thus, the Liberian view of pastoral counseling is distinctly African, with a unique blend of noticeable Liberian values, traditions, and cultural practices based on a combination of its American and indigenous African heritage. The …

Pastoral Leadership As A Perceived Factor Of Changing Church Membership In South Carolina: A Phenomenological Study, Bobby L. Dukes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The role of a pastor comprises many duties and responsibilities within the church; some have led to chaos. Clinton et al. (2005), states many churches are mired in a significant leadership crisis (p. 10). Pastors are called to lead people in spiritual growth, with the end goal of parishioners living a mature spiritual life for the sake of Christ, not the contrary. The enormity of pastoral leadership has a lasting effect. Kristin Tabb (2017) claims that relatively minor church hurts leave people with a burned-out feeling during service, while the more serious wounds leave parishioners soul-scarred and physically sick at …

Discipleship Growth At St. Mary Of The Angels: Developing A Catholic Senior Citizens Religious Education Program, Dennis Trimboli

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This action research project aimed to develop an adult religious education program allowing senior citizen parishioners to mature in their faith and discipleship. The project’s population (60+ years old) were members of a small Catholic parish in South Carolina. The age group was designed to embrace pre-Vatican II Catholics. It was hypothesized that their understanding of discipleship would differ from post-Vatican II Catholics. The incentive for the project was the researcher’s concern that seniors may have grown complacent in their faith. The program used mixed research methods. An initial assessment of the population’s “discipleship standing” was necessary and obtained by …

Canadian Lutheran History: Remembering Today, For The Sake Of Tomorrow, Karen Kuhnert

Consensus

No abstract provided.

Confessional Lutheran Identities In The Canadian Context: An Overview Of Free Conferences, Gordon A. Jensen, Stephen Larson

Consensus

This Article includes the Introduction by Rev. Dr. Stephen Larson and the feature Paper presentation by Rev. Dr. Gordon Jensen as delivered in Webinar 1 (October 25, 2022) of the Webinar Series “For the Sake of the Gospel” hosted by the Remembering Today for the Church of Tomorrow Project in partnership with Martin Luther University College and Lutheran Theological Seminary. Themes from this presentation appear in many of the articles in this issue.

Spiritual Abuse In Augusta, Georgia: Reconciling The Spiritually Abused To The Local Church, James A. Getts

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this action-based research project was to address the absence of a therapeutic process wherein pastoral counselors at Life Management Group (LMG) can responsibly attempt to reconcile spiritually abused Christians to a local church in Augusta, Georgia. One hundred percent of clients citing spiritual abuse in LMG’s pastoral counseling department were abstaining from any religious activity within a community of faith at the outset of this project. Data was researched at the international, national, state, and local levels. The researcher concluded that published research related to the topic of spiritual abuse is theoretical in nature only and not …

Pastoral Insight For The Development Of The Spiritual Life Of Children, Annie Mcdonnell

Religious & Theological Studies Student Work

There is immense growth during a child’s adolescent years. Children begin to identify likes and dislikes, embrace gifts and talents, and push boundaries to learn more about themselves in the process. The physical, psychological, social and emotional development of children is richly studied and researched. This paper argues that the spiritual side should receive just as much attention. Children have an inherent spirituality which they should be encouraged to engage, deepen, and develop as a natural aspect of their childhood experiences through intentional activities as provided by trusted and caring adults. This paper shares suggestions to support the development of …

Silent Holy Spirit, July-September 2023

Silent Holy Spirit

A newsletter published for Deaf Catholics in St. Louis, MO

Silent Holy Spirit Finding Aid

Creating A Feminist Religious Counterpublic:Rlds Feminists And Women's Ordination Advocacy In America, 1970–1985, David Howlett, Nancy Ross

Religion: Faculty Publications

The 1970s witnessed an efflorescence of religious feminism in the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, particularly around the issue of women's ordination. We pose a model for understanding this development—the formation of publics/counterpublics—and explore how it illuminates our case study. Drawing upon oral history interviews and archival sources, we document how RLDS women created independent publications, grassroots consciousness-raising groups, feminist classes and conferences, and Women-Church–inspired worship to reimagine priesthood within their church. We conclude that the lens of a counterpublic offers a capacious view of our topic, one capable of integrating both social movement theory and …

Trinitarian Theology As A Resource For The Theology Of Education, Anne Bullock

Master's Theses (2009 -)

The character of Catholic education has been variously described but is often associated with educating the whole person, a statement that is usually inadequately explored. In the first place, this “holistic” approach is often reduced to character education, which is an insufficient explanation of what makes Catholic schools distinctive. Moreover, the approach relies on a dense theological account of the human person, which can make it difficult to integrate into the daily reality of school life. This thesis critiques some insufficient approaches to Catholic education in light of the Church’s vision for education, beginning with Vatican II and Gravissimis Educationis …

On Teaching Diversity And Inclusion, Clara Bradbury-Rance

Feminist Pedagogy

In 2020, I was asked to design a module called “Diversity and Inclusion in Practice” for a new online MA. To design a module around this theme was to reckon with a paradox. Scholars such as Sara Ahmed, working across feminist, queer, and critical race studies, have given us theoretical and methodological frameworks not simply for celebrating “diversity” but for exploring this term itself as a function of power. While the use of terms such as diversity and inclusion may be a strategic necessity for social justice work around higher education’s current agenda, this “language of diversity” (Ahmed 2012: 51) …

Reformed Worship (Rw) 148 - Justice (June 2023), Reformed Worship Editors

Reformed Worship Magazine

Editorial: It Starts with the Land by Joyce Borger....2

Worship Series: The Art of Neighboring by Laura de Jong....3

Creation Care, Coal, and the Greatest Commandment by Kyle Meyaard-Schaap....11

A Prayer for the Flourishing of Bees by Joyce Borger....14

The Season of Creation by Rachel Mash and Suzana Moreira....15

Singing Creation by Debra and Ron Rienstra....20

Being a Good Guest by Adrian Jacobs....26

The Land We Stand On by Sam Cooper, Janina Krabbe, Silas Krabbe, and Jacqui Mignault....33

God Is a Homemaker by Jessica Maddox....40

For Pastors: To Preach Justice by …

A New Opportunity: Transforming Trauma, David Sedlacek

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

Researchers and church administrators have a long-term interest in the stresses experienced by clergy and how these stressors relate to the ability of the clergy to minister effectively. Many of these stressors occur in pastors’ families of origin prior to ministry. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are forms of trauma that have long-term negative effects on one’s physical, mental/emotional, spiritual/relational, and behavioral health. This article describes research on the effects of ACEs and reports the preliminary results of the first three years of a longitudinal study of ACEs on Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) seminary students. It makes recommendations designed to positively affect …

The Fight Against The Threat Of Witchcraft And Paganism In Anglo-Saxon England, Russell I. Knapp

Lux et Fides: A Journal for Undergraduate Christian Scholars

Unlike the general assumption that England was completely Christianized after Augustine’s mission to the island, witchcraft and paganism thrived all throughout the Christian period of Anglo-Saxon history. Sources condemning witchcraft and paganism increased during the Danish raids in the mid-ninth century and beyond due to an increased sense of a perceived threat of paganism. King Alfred himself reacted to this threat by doing everything he could to strengthen his people in their Christian beliefs through education reform and his law code. The Church battled against the perceived threat through penitentials–which they used to discourage pagan practices. Lay-people fought against …

Belonging Among Seventh-Day Adventists With Disabilities, Shannon M. Trecartin

Adventist Human-Subject Researchers Association

Globally, 15% of Seventh-day Adventists have some form of disability, the same percentage found in the world population. Yet barriers to belonging beyond access to a physical building persist. This study explores dimensions of belonging, compares findings across world divisions of the church, and makes recommendations for research and practice.

The Prophets’ Use Of The Shepherd Motif And Its Contribution To Their Presentation Of The Character Of God, Deanna L. Huff

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The shepherd motif provides one of the most significant portraits of God in the Old and New Testaments. Various research on the historical metaphor within these studies frequently focuses on the relationship between rulers and leaders in the ancient Near East. The shepherd motif provides a tangible picture of the characteristics of deities and kings in their world. Therefore, it is a natural step for the prophets of the Old Testament to utilize a commonly used metaphor. In modern research, numerous studies in Ezekiel 34 have explored different facets of the shepherd motif. Several studies are related to leadership roles. …

Small Groups That Fuel Active Service In The Local Church, Stephen Jerel Love

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Manna Church prioritizes empowering and developing leaders as an imperative objective of the local church. Such development is fueled through various avenues, including small groups. This thesis project will survey the purpose of small groups within Manna Church and how newly designed groups can address the problem of low voluntary participation in weekly services. The need for more active serve team members problematically exists among six site locations in the Fayetteville-Fort Bragg region. Furthermore, each ministry leader seeks innovative strategies to initiate and maintain involvement during weekly services. However, numbers are at an unprecedented low point. The effects of these …

Seeking Biblical Clarity Through Blended Worship In Georgia Baptist Churches, Angelia Weide Mcleroy

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite worship training, many leaders in Georgia Baptist churches struggle to combine music styles cohesively to produce biblical worship. Because of the musical “worship wars” regarding traditional, contemporary, and blended styles, many leaders encounter congregations that lack an understanding of blended worship that marries varied music styles. Guided by survey findings of Georgia Baptist music leaders, this qualitative research case study may identify challenges leaders face concerning stylistic music selections while striving to achieve biblical worship. By evaluating the educational and training process and biblical content, the methodological selection of music can be assessed through this study as documented worship …

Exploring Core Concepts And Uses Of Makeup In Expressive Arts Therapy And Mental Health: A Critical Review Of The Literature, Rhys Triolo-Rodriguez

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

According to Merriam Webster (2022) the definitions for Makeup are as follows; “Cosmetics (such as lipstick, mascara, and eye shadow) used to color and beautify the face”, “A cosmetic applied to other parts of the body”, and “Materials (such as wigs and cosmetics) used in making up or in special costuming (as for a play).” Many of the articles reviewed also discuss the importance of skin care and the rituals that one goes through when applying or removing facial products. For this research, a combination of all definitions above will be most beneficial. However one may define makeup, within the …

There Is A Place For You And Your Little Ones: Homiletics And Liturgy In View Of Pregnancy Loss, Joseph Michael Baumgarten

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Baumgarten, Joseph M. There is a Place for You and Your Little Ones: Homiletics and Liturgy in View of Pregnancy Loss. Doctor of Ministry. Major Applied Project, Concordia Seminary, 2022. 81 pp.

Pregnancy loss and the grief that follows is more common than most people think. However, there is a gap in resources, discussion, and care for those who have experienced such losses. This is true in wider culture as well as in the church. While there are a few resources available, they are limited. This project addresses the church’s ability to provide proper recognition of pregnancy loss, the validation …

Educating A Denomination: Albert C. Outler And American Theological Education, 1925 - 1974, Lane Davis

Religious Studies Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation provides a critical biography of Albert C. Outler, a prominent historian and theologian in modern Methodism and analyzes three significant emphases in his work: ecumenism, theology and psychology, and Methodist doctrine. The study begins with Outler's formative education and his ministry as a Methodist pastor in Georgia. Outler's doctoral education at Yale focused his work on discovering the connections of the "common history" of all Christians. The study then considers Outler’s extensive work in three interconnected disciplines: ecumenical studies, the study of religion and psychology, and Methodist theology and doctrine. The connection between these diverse subjects lies in …

Recovering A Missional Ecclesiology: A Framework For Reviving Congregational Mission Within The Baptist Union Of Victoria, Gayle Hill

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT This project is an intervention to develop a theological and theoretical framework

that will become the foundation for a future curriculum for recovering a missional ecclesiology for the pastors of the Baptist Union of Victoria (BUV). Despite mission being central to the overall vision of the BUV, declining numbers, the post-COVID context in Victoria, and an overarching post-Christian and pluralistic context have significantly challenged the centrality and functioning of mission across our denomination. The impetus of this project was the observation that our churches were floundering rather than flourishing in the missional space. Many chronic and acute provocations were …

Cultivating Reproductive Small Group Leaders Within Southwest Church, Springboro, Ohio, Roger D. Hendricks

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This project was designed to address an ongoing challenge within the Southwest Church (SWC) in Springboro, Ohio. The specific challenge that SWC leaders have faced throughout the twenty-five-year history of the church is to continually increase the number of small group options within a growing congregation. Small groups have been identified as the primary vehicle for SWC members to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ. This congregational emphasis has led to the good dilemma of having more individuals willing to participate than lead weekly small groups. In the past few years, SWC leaders have identified the need for the …

For The Love Of Stories: Re-Examining Academia’S Responsibility In Presenting Literature In The 21st Century, April Trepagnier

Honors College Theses

Angus Fletcher, a neuroscientist who hung up his lab coat to earn a Ph.D. in literature from Yale, studies stories as, “a narrative-emotional technology that helped our ancestors cope with the psychological challenges posed by human biology...an invention for overcoming the doubt and the pain of just being us.” But students entering college are losing interest in this “technology.” A 2017 report by the American Academy of Arts and Science showed a “statistically significant decline” in the number of English graduates from 2011-2012 to 2016-2017. Peter Barry, Professor Emeritus of English at Aberystwyth University, may offer insight into this trend. …

Redefining Unnatural: A Modern Understanding Of Paul’S Homophobia, Emma Bradley

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

This paper examines the change in the meaning of the word “unnatural” in Romans 1:26-27, and establishes both an idea of what the Apostle Paul intended and a definition for how the word is used in modernity. There are five sections, each one building off of the next: Background, Analysis of the Text, Scholar’s Reading of the Text, Understanding and Usage in Antiquity, Modern Definition and Understanding, and Conclusion. The paper discovers that Paul’s intention with the word “unnatural” can be summarized as “any sex which is non-procreative, outside of marriage, and goes against gender roles.” However, a modern definition …

Phronesis And Philosophical Hermeneutics In Rhetoric And Philosophy Of Communication Praxis: A Pastoral Implication, Nichodemus Okafor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The overarching telos of this dissertation is walking the humanities into the marketplace. Its specific purpose is seeking how to enact the praxis of rhetoric and philosophy of communication. In keeping with Calvin Schrag’s “communicative praxis” and Ronald Arnett’s “responsive, learning rhetoric,” this research considers phronesis and philosophical hermeneutics as pragmatic tools of rhetoric and philosophy of communication praxis. It seeks the implication of rhetoric and philosophy of communication praxis in the pastoral field visualized as a marketplace, since the marketplace is not merely a place of capitalism, but a real world where people engage their concrete human condition/existence in …

The Integration Of Catholic Mission And Ethics In Contributing To A Good Death, Noah Dimas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Catholic healthcare ethics exists within a morality that is under regular heavy scrutiny. This is furthered by the healthcare space itself becoming more secular as the greater society itself moves beyond the religious origins of healthcare. However, this does not have to be relegated to a negative. Rather, this can become a strong call to action for Catholic healthcare to rally together and advocate for itself in the wider healthcare space. This is especially true as these challenges to the Catholic moral-ethical framework begin to question the presence of both Catholic and religious healthcare as whole. These challenges, if left …

On The Resurrection Of Microbes: An Eco-Christological Approach To The Resurrection, Denys Janiga Osb

Obsculta

This article attempts to bring ecology and Christology into conversation through a transdisciplinary approach. It looks at the pastoral implications of eco-anxiety, resurrection ecology in the field of biotechnology, Church teaching on the Resurrection, and concludes by initiating an interpretation of the resurrection appearances in the Gospel of Luke through the lens of the microbiome.

Nonviolent Communication: A Foundational Skill For Ministry, Mary L. Parks

Obsculta

A need for more formation has been identified during the continental phase of the Synod on Synodality. Furthermore, a conference of the Catholic Nonviolence Initiative has observed a lack of time devoted to nonviolence in existing Catholic formation. This paper will demonstrate how incorporating Nonviolent Communication (NVC) into formation will meet these needs.

Review Of No Ordinary People: 21 Friendships Of C. S. Lewis, Josiah Peterson

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Review of Joel D. Heck, No Ordinary People: 21 Friendships of C. S. Lewis (Hamden, CT: Winged Lion Press, 2021). 384 pages. $19.50. ISBN 9781935688228.