Digital Commons Network^™

Hindu Nationalism And Indian Christian Response!, Dhinakaran Savariyar

The Journal of Social Encounters

Indian democracy is fast recast as Hindu nationalism which neither honors the country’s constitutional secularity nor upholds its tradition of diversity (religious, cultural, and linguistic), inclusivity, and pluralism. The forged uniformity avowedly seeks to construct the “one” India - one religion (Hindu), one culture (Hindu), and one language (Hindi). Falsely representing a Hinduism under attack from ‘invader’ religions, nationalist ideologues arouse the base emotions of the unsuspecting majoritarian community and stoke their fears against the minorities, particularly Christians. Conscientious challenging of such imposed homogeneity is met with charges of sedition and profiling as anti-national foreign stooge. At this critical juncture, …

Calvin Theological Seminary Academic Catalog 2022-2023, Calvin Theological Seminary

Seminary Academic Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Value Vectors Of The World Local Orthodox Churches Position Regarding Russia's War Against Ukraine, Oleksandr Brodetskyi, Iryna Horokholinska, Mykola Lahodych

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article deals with the religious contexts of the modern civilizational crisis caused by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Among the multitude of thematic lines of this set of problems, the article’s authors focus their attention precisely on the position of the world Orthodox Churches regarding this war. The concentration of such attention is objectively determined by the fact that the majority of Ukrainian citizens position themselves as Orthodox by faith, and therefore, are particularly sensitive to the opinion of the leaders of the Orthodox Churches of the world. The article examines the value aspects of the problem of …

A Wesley Bibliography. -- Twelfth Edition, Kenneth J. Collins

Academic Books

No abstract provided.

Clergy Social Activity During War Conditions: The Case Of Western Regions Of Ukraine, Ihor Lutsan, Iryna Horokholinska

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

In this article, the authors analyze the impact of Russia-Ukraine war on church-religious life and the state of public consciousness in Ukraine and identify the main trends and contradictions in public reactions to threats to their lives and spirituality. The research focuses on religious communities of the western regions of Ukraine and their socially significant activities. The primary empirical source of the article was the study (by questionnaire survey) of the opinions of the clergy of this religious organization on the characteristics of parish life and the role of the pastor in the conditions of war. Three defining vectors that …

Holding Close Both The Wonder And The Wounds, Kevin Timpe

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Brian Brock’s recent Wondrously Wounded is a welcome addition to the growing theology of disability literature. Despite its many virtues, I think Wondrously Wounded runs the risk of distorting the Church’s identity with regard to how it has responded to disability. Drawing on Hilde Lindemann’s work on ‘holding’ and ‘letting go’ of identities, I try to strengthen Brock’s call for the Church. Our collective work toward the realization of the gospel requires that together we hold the Church’s wounds, and not just its wonders, as part of the narrative we recount.

Social Reconstruction: American Catholics Radical Response To The Social Gospel Movement And Progressives., Paul Lubienecki, Phd

Journal of Catholic Education

At the fin de siècle the Industrial Revolution created egregious physical, emotional and spiritual conditions for American society and especially for the worker but who would come forward to alleviate those conditions? Protestants implemented their Social Gospel Movement as a proposed cure to these problems. Secular Progressives engaged in a more activist role both materially and through legislation. Both of these groups had limited successes with disappointing outcomes. America’s Catholics, more accustomed to living and working in industrialized neighborhoods, eventually developed their own programs and agenda to address social and labor concerns. However some scholars believed that Catholic efforts merely …

The Glory Of The Lord Whose Likeness Is As The Appearance Of A Human Being/Adam: A Study Of Ezekiel’S Son Of Man/Adam Anthropology, Timothy R. Schmeling

School of Theology and Seminary Graduate Papers/Theses

Ezekiel has often been criticized as a dehumanizing book. Still it is alternative humanisms that have done so much to dehumanize mankind with the totalitarianism of self-deifying individualism or the totalitarianism of collectively-imposed manmade metanarratives. Far from being a dehumanizing book, the objective of the son of man/Adam is certainly to purge his hearers of all anthropologies of autonomy and license, but this Adamic priestly prophet does this to eschatologically resurrect in them an anthropology of dependence and true freedom. Reasserting the creation theology and anthropology of Genesis, Ezekiel insists that authentic humanism, Edenic humanism (i.e., the original humanism), is …

Protest And Politics: A Biographical Theology Of Bayard Rustin, Friendship, Charity, And Economic Justice, Justin Barringer

Religious Studies Theses and Dissertations

Bayard Rustin is largely an unknown name in theology and ethics, but this dissertation brings him into those conversations with a focus on an ethics of peripatetic friendship as an appropriate response to unjust wealth inequity. I explore how the life of Bayard Rustin, particularly his friendships, was a catalyst for much of the civil rights movement as well as broader justice movements that included charity and economic rights. Rustin, via his friendships, made possible many revolutionary changes in American society and beyond. After examining his life and contributions, I tie his life together with insights from the broader Christian …

Attitudes Of Medical Students Towards Artificial Termination Of Pregnancy And Euthanasia In The Context Of Christian Ethics, Iryna Vasylieva, Kateryna Hololobova, Olha Nechushkina, Viacheslav Kobrzhytskyi, Serhii Kiriienko, Anna Laputko

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Medical students’ attitudes towards issues associated with the beginning and end of human life are analyzed using interdisciplinary approaches and empirical material (statistics, sociological surveys). The purpose of this article is to determine the peculiarities of Christian morality’s influence on the attitudes of contemporary Ukrainian medical students towards the issues of artificial termination of pregnancy and euthanasia. Based on a comparative analysis of the evaluative judgments of three groups of respondents (group 1 — those who consider themselves Christians; group 2 — respondents who are undecided about religious belief; group 3 — those who consider themselves non-believers), a complex relationship …

A Wesley Bibliography [Tenth Edition], Kenneth J. Collins

Academic Books

No abstract provided.

Ukraine Orthodoxy Autocephaly: Social And Value Challenges, Oleksandr Brodetskyi, Iryna Horokholinska, Mykola Lahodych

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article is devoted to the relevant aspects of the canonical autocephalous status acquisition process for Ukrainian Orthodoxy. The resonant events of the last two years are considered when crucial decisions had been made that led to the emergence of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine as autocephalous on the basis of the Patriarchal and Synodal Tomos granted by the Ecumenical Patriarchate and its acting Primate Patriarch Bartholomew. Sociocultural, geopolitical, and moral aspects of the corresponding processes are conceived. The national and cultural role of the functioning of Ukraine Orthodox Church is considered. The authors analyze the current religious and political …

Cultivating A Decolonial Feminist Integral Ecology: Extractive Zones And The Nexus Of The Coloniality Of Being/Coloniality Of Gender, Melissa Pagán

Journal of Hispanic / Latino Theology

No abstract provided.

Cultivating Virtue: Developing A Guiding Document For Youth Ministry At Cookeville First United Methodist Church, Adam Daniels

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to produce a guiding document of virtues that represented the type of Christ-like character qualities desired in youth at Cookeville First United Methodist Church. The six virtues chosen in the document represent a comprehensive vision for character growth over the course of students’ time in the program. To provide a theological foundation for this project, I examined the idea that virtue has a narrative shape where words find their meaning in a story. For our purposes, this story is generally stated as the story of Jesus at first but is then seen as best …

Long's "Truth Telling In A Post-Truth World" (Book Review), Julie E. Sweeney

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Jesus Came "Not To Abolish The Law But To Fulfill It": The Sermon On The Mount And Its Implications For Contemporary Law, David Vandrunen

Pepperdine Law Review

This Article interprets Matthew 5:17–48 and argues that, because Jesus came not to abolish but to fulfill the law and the prophets, the Old Testament law takes on a new form for New Testament Christians. The law of God has been refracted through the ministry of Christ. While Matthew 5 does not address contemporary human law directly, its teaching does have radical implications for it. These implications flow particularly from the fact that Matthew 5 marks a decisive shift from the Mosaic theocracy to the worldwide new-covenant church that has no civil jurisdiction.

Reclaiming A Multiplying Discipleship: Fostering The Dance Of The Gathered And Sent Church, Matthew Lake

Doctor of Ministry

In the postmodern world, the local church has experienced significant decline as Christendom gives way to a more secular culture. Many shrinking denominational churches have missed imaginative opportunities and practices to produce multiplying disciples. This dissertation explores how declining denominational churches can embrace new opportunities for flourishing in a postmodern context through the development of a culture of multiplying discipleship. History—through examples such as the early church and Wesleyan movements—has shown that multiplying discipleship movements are possible in cultures not familiar with the Gospel. Such movements reveal new possibilities produced through the tension found between more formational offices of teaching, …

A Wesley Bibliography [Ninth Edition], Kenneth J. Collins

Academic Books

No abstract provided.

Popes Benedict Xvi And Francis On The Sexual Abuse Of Minors: Ecclesiological Perspectives, Mariusz Biliniewicz

Theology Papers and Journal Articles

This article does not have an abstract.

Martin Luther’S Understanding Of Faith In Relation To Infant Baptism, Francis Gayoba

Andrews University Seminary Studies (AUSS)

This article explores Martin Luther’s understanding of faith as a means to reconcile the seeming tension between his emphasis on faith in baptism against Roman Catholicism and his de-emphasis on faith against Anabaptism. This tension is most evident in his support of infant baptism despite his belief in sola fide. It is proposed that Luther’s predestinarian understanding of the sovereignty of God influences his perception of the role of faith in baptism, which emphasizes God’s role and de-emphasizes human acts in the ceremony. Luther argues that human faith, while important for the daily application of baptism, cannot be the …

César Chávez And Egalitarian Ethics: Lessons From A Contradictory Legacy, Jeremy V. Cruz

Journal of Hispanic / Latino Theology

No abstract provided.

Spiritual Struggle And Gregory Of Nyssa’S Theory Of Perpetual Ascent: An Orthodox Christian Virtue Ethic, Stephen M. Meawad

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project utilizes virtue ethics as an especially suitable lens by which to develop an Orthodox Christian ethical model generally. At the same time, virtue ethics carries with it some complexities that are in turn mitigated by the particulars of this Orthodox model—spiritual struggle and perpetual progress, or epektasis. Spiritual struggle in this project, which ultimately shifts the emphasis from virtue’s acquisition to its pursuit, is defined as the exertion of effort in all conceivable dimensions—physical, emotional, psychological, intellectual, and spiritual—with intent to attain a semblance of, knowledge of, and intimacy with Jesus Christ in community, for God …

Tarvainen's "Faith And Love In Ignatius Of Antioch" (Book Review), Paul Hartog

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

The Peacemakers: Navigating The Intersection Of Biblical Justice And Contemporary Policing, Nathan Brown

Senior Honors Theses

For Christians seeking to enter the field of policing, the question of justice is answered by two separate sources. Conceptions of justice are presented by both the contemporary justice system and the Bible. The history and current state of American policing reveal a sense of justice that is concerned with fighting crime and defending the rights of the vulnerable. There are, however, inherent limitations when operating within a system made by man. Biblical justice goes further by prioritizing restoration and redeemed relationships within its conception of justice. Reconciling these two perspectives equips Christian police officers with a framework with which …

Gentle Space-Making: Christian Silent Prayer, Mindfulness, And Kenotic Identity Formation, Travis Ryan Pickell

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

The practice of mindfulness has reached an unprecedented level of prevalence in the US and the UK, both in terms of widespread popularity and in terms of institutional support and investment. One potential clue to this phenomenon may be found in the nature of the institutional contexts that are increasingly being filled with mindfulness practitioners and seminars: each is deeply embedded in and pervaded by what philosopher Charles Taylor calls the ‘modern identity’. This article provides an analysis of mindfulness as a practice of moral formation that challenges these late-modern notions of human agency and identity. It does so by …

The Hungarian Religious Leaders' Statements On The Migration From 2016 And 2017, Krisztina Barcsa, Sára Heidl, Kitti Sándor

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This paper is about the statements of Hungarian religious leaders concerning the issue of migration. The article is a continuation of a previous study in which we summarized articles and opinions published in the period from 2015 to the beginning of 2016. The statements that have been made since then are contained in this article. Different opinions can be found from the leaders of the Roman Catholic, Lutheran, and Calvinist churches, Jewish and Islamic leaders, and the Congregation of Faith and the Evangelical Brotherhood of Hungary. In addition to migration issues, cultural, ethnic, religious and moral differences and questions arise …

Book Reviews, Spiritus Editorial Board

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

R E V I E W S

• Graham Twelftree, ed. The Nature Miracles of Jesus: Problems, Perspectives, and Prospects. Jeffrey Lamp.
• David K. Bernard. The Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ: Deification of Jesus in Early Christian Discourse. Joseph H. Howell.
• Vinson Synan, ed. The Truth About Grace: Spirit-empowered Perspectives. Daniel Thimell
• Margaret English de Alminana and Lois E. Olena, (eds). Women in Pentecostal and Charismatic Ministry: Informing a Dialogue on Gender, Church, and Ministry. Lisa M. Millen.
• Nimi Wariboko, The Split God: Pentecostalism and Critical Theory. David Bradnick.
• Jon Bialecki. A Diagram of Fire: Miracles …

Julie Hanlon Rubio, Hope For Common Ground: Mediating The Personal And The Political In A Divided Church. Reviewed By Travis Ryan Pickell., Travis Ryan Pickell

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

Review of Julie Hanlon Rubio, Hope for Common Ground: Mediating the Personal and the Political in a Divided Church Moral Traditions series (Washington DC: Georgetown University Press, 2016). xxi + 242 pp. ISBN 978-1-62616-306-5

It is no secret that we live in a time of intense polarization, perhaps especially in the American political context. This situation may be explained in a number of ways. Some will point to increasing economic inequality or socioeconomic and racial ‘sorting’. Others may point to the concurrent rise of ‘identity politics’ and the ‘politics of resentment’. Others will highlight the effects of technology, including the …

Calvin's Political Theology And The Public Engagement Of The Church: A Response To Keith Sewell, Matthew J. Tuininga

Pro Rege

Response by Tuininga to Keith Sewell's review of Tuininga's book (Pro Rege, v. 46 no. 3, March 2018, pp.42-44.

A Catholic Perspective On Marriage And The Gift Of Children - With Special Attention To Herman Dooyeweerd's Social Ontology Of Marriage, Eduardo J. Echeverria

Pro Rege

No abstract provided.