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Psalms In Our Lamentable World, Don Saliers

Yale Journal of Music & Religion

Where are worshipers in Christian communities to go with their experiences and observations of violence, injustice, and other forms of suffering? Historically, a central source of realistic faith-based responses to tragedy has been the Psalter, broadly defined as a set of biblical psalms arranged by date to be individually and collectively read, sung, and prayed. Recent scholarship on psalms has focused on lament and complaint, and questions regarding the presence of trauma and violence in religious traditions have shown such psalms to be particularly relevant to contemporary culture.

This article examines three “psalms of lament,” Psalms 13, 42/43, and 88, …

God's Focus On The Fatherless: A Lens To Inform Spiritual Impact In The Local Church, Dwight David Croy

Doctor of Ministry

This study concentrates on God’s focus on and vision for the fatherless as an informal lens from which local churches may measure and implement ministry impact and outreach principles. As a pastor and a military chaplain, I see many young people who are fatherless to the third and fourth generation. The ministry of the present day Church is limiting its impact because it does not see the fatherless as God sees them. Here the question is asked, “What in God’s exhortation of supporting the fatherless are churches to incarnationally infuse into their local outreach to the community?” The claim is …

The Buzz About The Church: Re-Imagining Discipleship Through A Theology Of Beekeeping, Matthew Todd Thomas

Doctor of Ministry

"The Buzz About The Church: Re-Imagining Discipleship Through a Theology of Beekeeping", creates and awareness of the root problems of why the church has not passed on its sacred faith to future generations. Historically, some contributors to non-transmission have been Gnosticism, the Enlightenment, Consumerism and Moralistic Therapeutic Deism. The dissertation also focuses on movements which have sprung up in response to a declining church like the Emergent Church Movement and Missional Church Movement.

This dissertation argues the solution to the problem is reestablishment of the practice of discipleship as Jesus modeled. Beekeeping is used to reimagine the model of discipleship. …

Orphic Powers In J.R.R. Tolkien's Legend Of Beren And Lúthien, Jane Beal Phd

Journal of Tolkien Research

In “Orphic Powers in Tolkien’s Legend of Beren and Lúthien,” I consider three interrelated strands that influenced the development of Tolkien’s most precious story: Tolkien’s own life experience, sources from classical mythology and medieval literature, and the hope inherent to the Christian faith, especially for resurrection and eternal life, as symbolized in the Parable of the Pearl of Great Price. This study suggests that Tolkien’s relationship to his wife, Edith, inspires the legend and renders it a psychological allegory. Three Ovidian tales from classical mythology that were later re-told in medieval literature also influence it: the rape of Philomela, the …

Program: 2015 Featured Lecture, "God's Wider Presence: Recognizing God's General Revelation", Robert K. Johnston

Frank Pack Distinguished Christian Scholar Lecture Program

Program for the Eleventh Annual Frank Pack Distinguished Christian Lecture Program with featured lecturer Dr. Robert K. Johnston, Professor of Theology and Culture at Fuller Theological Seminary.

Ijcs News, Volume 3, The Institute Of Judaeo-Christian Studies

Newsletters

The 2015 issue of IJCS News, the Institute of Judaeo-Christian Studies' annual newsletter, Vol 3.

Book Review: Jacob’S Wealth: An Examination Into The Nature And Role Of Material Possessions In The Jacob-Cycle (Gen 25:19-35:29), Roger S. Nam

Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary

Excerpt: "In a revised doctoral dissertation under Drs. Ernest Lucas and Gordon Wenham (Bristol, 2008), Paul Vrolijk explores the motif of wealth in the Jacob-cycle. By analyzing the multiple references to bless ing, narrations of economic exchange and prominent regard to "the land,” Vrolijk attempts to better understand the role of material blessing in the portrayal of Jacob in hopes that such understanding can provide new perspectives on the patriarchal narratives. Vrolijk intentionally restricts his parameters: "In this study, I will limit myself to investi- gating the Jacob-cycle (Gen 25:19-55:29) and in particular the role of wealth within it” (6). …

72nd Annual Pepperdine Bible Lectureship -- Faithworks (2015), Mike Cope

Pepperdine Bible Lectures: Programs

Program booklet for the 72nd Annual Pepperdine Bible Lectures, held at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, May 5 - 8, 2015. The Pepperdine Bible Lectures is an annual event hosted by Pepperdine University featuring a wide variety of lectures and classes on topics and themes in the Bible and Christianity.

Mike Cope, Lectureship Director

Rick Gibson, Tami Williamson, and Joella Michael, Lectures Team

From Patristics To Postmodernity: Does A Message Still Exist?, Douglas Taylor

Other Graduate Scholarship

Dr. David Wheeler once advised that while not all are called to be an evangelist, all Christians are called to be evangelical. Although some may counter that postmodernity is waning, the question remains how one might be evangelical in a postmodern world. The concept that no metanarrative exists has been one of the pillars of postmodernity, and as such challenges the premise that Scripture contains an overarching story encompassing all of mankind. If Dr. Wheeler was correct, and all are called to be evangelical, then the question that would seem to require answering is how one might begin to address …

Gebed En Die Vorming Van Christelike Identiteit In Openbaring, Craig R. Koester

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Sabbath: The Theological Roots Of Sustainable Development, Michael E. Cafferky

Faculty Works

It is the thesis of this paper that, in general, the points of emphasis by the UN Commission on Sustainable Development are in close, but not perfect, alignment with the concept of Sabbath-shalom in Scripture. Some differences also exist. Sabbath begins at Creation and is the substance and symbol of God’s care for this earth. In Sabbath we rest in God’s sustaining power. Sabbath also is integral to covenant relationships. This means that Sabbath is not merely about care for the environment but also about care for all relationships envisioned by the concept of shalom. Both the creation roots and …

Nothing Beautiful Hides Its Face’: The Hiddenness Of Esther In C. S. Lewis’ Till We Have Faces, John Anthony Dunne

Seminary Faculty Publications

C. S. Lewis’ last and arguably best novel, Till We Have Faces, is an impressively nuanced revision and recasting of Apuleius’ short tale of Cupid and Psyche, Books 4–6 of The Golden Ass. Although this ancient myth was the main source for Till We Have Faces, inspiration was no doubt gained from many places. One such influence, previously unnoted, was the biblical book of Esther. This study will note some of the key places where the influence of Esther is detectable, in particular Lewis’ choice of the name “Istra.” This is followed by an investigation into why Esther may have …

Forward To The Son Of God: Three Views Of The Identity Of Jesus, James F. Mcgrath

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

James McGrath's Forward to: The Son of God: Three Views of the Identity of Jesus, by Charles Lee Irons, Danny Andre Dixon, and Dustin R. Smith. Eugene: Wipf & Stock, 2015.

Foreword To John's Gospel In New Perspective, Paul N. Anderson

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

Over the last half century or more of Johannine scholarship, three issues have been of primary critical concern. One subject of interest has been the literary origin and composition of the Fourth Gospel. A second has been the application of new-literary analyses to the Johannine narrative, wherein the literary artistry and rhetorical design of the text is studied in order to discern how John’s message is conveyed in the interest of better understanding what is being said. A third area of interest has been a sustained interest in the Johannine situation, seeking to learn more about the history of Johannine …

God's Getting Married: The Wedding At Cana As A Dramatization Of Covenantal Fulfillment, Rachael M. Mcgill

The Hilltop Review

This paper offers a new approach to interpreting the miracle at Cana by drawing connections to other events in the Old and New Testament. This paper also examines other elements to the passage such as cultural and historical background, the nature of signs in John's gospel, and Johannine language. This article suggests a literary interpretation of the Cana passage, concluding that it is not just an allegory but a dramatization of the process of the commencement and fulfillment of the new covenant.

Book Review - Index, Ken Badley

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

This index includes book reviews that appeared between 2011 and 2014 in four different journals that focus on Christian views of education at all levels, the place of religion—especially Christian faith—in education, and the roles of Christian educators in elementary, secondary and higher education, both public and church-related. The journals are these:

Making The Cut: Covenant, Curse And Oath In Deut 27-29 And The Incantation Plaques Of Arslan Tash (Society Of Biblical Literature: Atlanta, 2015), Melissa Ramos

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

The phrase “cutting a covenant” is familiar to us from texts of the Hebrew Bible. In Gen 15:18, for example, God makes a covenant with Abram that is accompanied by a ritual enactment. This ritual performance involves the slaughter of animals, arranging the pieces in two rows, and fire passing between the two rows of pieces. The phrase that is used in this passage is: כרת יהוה את–אברם ברית , or “God cut a covenant with Abram.” This phrase “to cut a covenant” לכרות ברית) ) is a common one in the Hebrew Bible. The slaughtering of animals and the …

Political Affections: Civic Participation And Moral Theology. By Joshua Hordern. Reviewed By Travis Pickell., Travis Pickell

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

Review of Political Affections: Civic Participation and Moral Theology. By JOSHUA HORDERN. Pp. 336. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2013. ISBN: 978-0-19-964681-4.

“Fire tends upwards, stone downwards. By their weight they are moved and seek their proper place ... My love is my weight: wherever I go my love is what brings me there” (Augustine, Confessions 13.9). Augustine long ago recognized that affections are an inescapable dimension of human existence. Why, then, have emotions and affections been so largely neglected, even opposed, in political philosophy? In Political Affections, Joshua Hordern, University Lecturer in Christian Ethics at the University of Oxford and …

Some Practices Of Theological Reasoning, Or, How To Work Well With Words, Brad Kallenberg

Theology and Religious Studies Faculty Publications

This Companion introduces readers to the practice of Christian theology, covering what theologians do, why they do it, and what steps readers can take in order to become theological practitioners themselves. The volume aims to capture the variety of practices involved in doing theology, highlighting the virtues that guide them and the responsibilities that shape them. It also shows that the description of these practices, virtues and responsibilities is itself theological: what Christian theologians do is shaped by the wider practices and beliefs of Christianity. Written by a team of leading theologians, the Companion provides a unique resource for students …

Advent Devotional Guide 2015, Belmont University

Advent Devotional Guides

No abstract provided.

A Qualitative Study Of Doubt In The Evangelical Tradition, Benjamin B. Young

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project explored the difference between evangelicals who doubted and stayed in the evangelical Christian faith and those who left the fold. Grounded theory was the primary research methodology and data was gathered from interviews with people who struggled with doubt. This data was used to develop a strategy for people going through doubt and for pastors helping others process doubt. Pastors need to provide a safe a place to doubt by listening and being patient, and by waiting to see how God will work in the lives of the people who are struggling with doubt.

The Discipline Of Applying The Gospel For Servant Leadership Development, Matthew P. Anderson

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project examined the relationship between the gospel and servant leadership development. The purpose of the project was to show the need for a process to develop servant leaders at the heart level and propose a model for developing servant leaders through the discipline of applying the gospel. A theological and biblical study showed the heart to be central to faith and practice. The affective tradition of Christianity posits that a person’s action flows from a heart that loves God as response to the revealed love of God in the gospel by the Holy Spirit. A God-moved heart through the …

“Glimpses Of Jesus Through The Johannine Lens—An Introduction And Overview Of John, Jesus, And History, Volume 3”, Paul N. Anderson, Jaime Clark-Soles

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

In November 2010, Professor Gregory Sterling opened the joint session between the John, Jesus, and History Group and the Historical Jesus Section of the Society of Biblical Literature by correctly acknowledging that the two disjunctions levied by David F. Strauss of Tübingen a century and a half ago were largely accepted by Jesus researchers and New Testament scholars in the 19th and 20th centuries. First, Strauss argued that the Jesus of history must be divorced from the Christ of faith. Second, given some irreconcilable differences between the Synoptics and John, and the three-against-one reality, one must choose between the Synoptics …

Teaching The Bible As Scripture In An Academic Setting, Roger Mohrlang

Theology Faculty Scholarship

How do you teach sacred Scripture in academia? Such contrasting worlds—the human and the divine, the academic and the spiritual— one dealing with critical issues and the mind, the other with the Word of God and the heart! How can Christian scholars teach the Bible in a college or university setting?

Some Reflections On The Field Of Sermon Studies, Robert Ellison

English Faculty Research

Multidisciplinary endeavours with the word ‘studies’ in their names have brought like-minded scholars together for over sixty years. Those specializing in certain parts of the world, for example, can join the North American Conference on British Studies (founded in 1950), the British Association for American Studies (1955), the African Studies Association (1957), or a host of other groups. Similarly, organisations for scholars interested in specific time periods include the Society for the Promotion of Byzantine Studies (1983), the Society for Renaissance Studies (1967) and the European Network for Avant-Garde and Modernism Studies. Finally, students of politics, gender and other aspects …

Quakers And Scripture, Howard R. Macy

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

This chapter explores how the Quakers’ use of the Bible has developed, recognizing changes both in the Friends movement and in its historical and cultural settings. Friends’ approaches to Scripture have varied widely as they have responded over time to the influences of the Enlightenment, revivalism, fundamentalism, Modernism, and other factors. The chapter describes how Quakers have viewed the authority and inspiration of the Bible and how they have held the importance of the Bible in tension with the inward teaching of Christ, whom they refer to as the ‘Word of God’. The chapter also contrasts various forms of Bible …

Contributors -- Quaker Religious Thought, No. 125

Quaker Religious Thought

No abstract provided.

La Manzana Mordida: Sexo Y Religión En El Cine De Luis Buñuel, Micaela Downey

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

La extensa y variada obra fílmica de Luis Buñuel permite observar la repetición obsesiva de motivos, imágenes y objetos que constituyen lo que podría denominarse el universo personal de Buñuel. La proliferación de zapatos, pies, cajas misteriosas y armas de fuego (sin olvidar los tambores de Calanda, los insectos y las gallinas) ha atraído la atención de la crítica convirtiéndolos en objetos detallados de análisis. Este ensayo no intenta proponer una “obsesión” más, sino reparar en un motivo que, a pesar de su recurrencia (y, por lo tanto, de su importancia) ha pasado inadvertido: la reescritura de la historia bíblica …

The Story Of Lazarus, Bud Robinson

Heritage Material

No abstract provided.

Enduring Temptation: The Structure And Coherence Of The Letter Of James, Matt A. Jackson-Mccabe

Philosophy and Religious Studies Department Faculty Publications

The extent to which there is a deliberate compositional structure governing the letter of James is an open question among contemporary interpreters. This article argues that a complementary consideration of formal textual features, thematic content and rhetorical function shows that the letter was composed as a unified, coherent treatment of the ethical implications of its underlying logos/desire dichotomy. Framed generally as a matter of enduring temptation in humble dependence on a provident deity, the letter presents the practical consequences of birth with logos under three headings: doing the works of the 'law of freedom', bridling the tongue, and manifesting a …