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"A Spreading And Abiding Hope": A. J. Conyers And Evangelical Theopolitical Imagination, Jacob Shatzer

Dissertations (1934 -)

In this work I argue that A. J. Conyers provides a promising example for countering various weaknesses in evangelical theopolitical imagination. I make this argument in two ways. First, I provide a critical reading of Conyers's overall scholarly project, seeking to understand it in its own context and in conversation with other scholars. In particular, I draw on the influence of Jürgen Moltmann, Johannes Althusius, Eric Voegelin, the Southern Agrarians, and Richard Weaver on Conyers's thought. I then focus on Conyers's political theology, exploring how he diagnoses the modern world and what he proposes for remedies. I explore Conyers's political …

"Heavenly Theologians": The Place Of Angels In The Theology Of Martin Luther, Christopher J. Samuel

Dissertations (1934 -)

This dissertation examines a virtually untouched aspect of Martin Luther's theology: his angelology. Specifically, it argues four main points: that Luther does, over his corpus, present an angelology; that his angelology is indebted to and in conversation with the prior theological tradition; that his concern with the angels is evident throughout his career; and that his major angelological concerns are pastoral in nature. Furthermore, it presents Luther's answers to four basic angelological questions: 1) what are the angels?; 2) what is the angels' role in Creation?; 3) what is the nature of their relationship with humanity?; and 4) what is …

A Strategy To Plant A Missional, Multiplying Church In Pulaski County, Kentucky, Daniel Basile

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is a desperate need for church planters to focus efforts on rural, established communities to reverse trends of declining church attendance and influence. Pulaski County, Kentucky is one such community that sees the unchurched population continue to climb despite hundreds of church buildings. The goal of this thesis project is to reach the numerous unchurched inhabitants of Pulaski County by creating a comprehensive, holistic strategy to design and launch a missional church near Somerset, Kentucky, that will intentionally reproduce itself. Through interviews and surveys of at least 100 local residents, a careful analysis of area demographics and psychographics will …

Green Mimesis: Girard, Nature, And The Promise Of Christian Animism, Mark I. Wallace

Religion Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Listening To The Us Hispanic/Latino (Latina) Sermon Listener, Danny Román-Gloro

The Asbury Journal

This paper presents the findings of an ethnographic study on preaching within the US Hispanic/Latino (Latina) community.1 The study explored the preaching event from the experience of the listener. The US Hispanic/ Latino (Latina) sermon listener represents a unique group of individuals that have a particular experience of preaching, which can provide insights on how preaching constitutes a vehicle for shaping and re-shaping a religious and social community. Through the use of in-depth interviews of a diverse group of US Hispanic/Latino (Latina) sermon listeners a series of characteristics of a good sermon were identified.

America The Yogiful: Insights Into American Yoga Culture Today, Carolina Castaneda

Master of Liberal Studies Theses

Originally a spiritual technology, yoga has been practiced in India and surrounding areas for thousands of years. In the late nineteenth century the practice of yoga gained popularity as a physical, mental and spiritual commodity among the masses in America and the world. Yoga is now a globally recognized fitness routine, part of the everyday lives of men and women seeking relaxation, stretching and mental sanity. In today’s fast paced world it is easy to understand yoga is appealing to the masses, however, as a yoga practitioner myself I often wondered if Americans are gaining all the benefits of the …

Seeking The Will Of God: The Information Seeking Experiences Of The Leaders Of Nova Scotia Churches In Transition, David H. Michels

PhD Dissertations

Christian Churches in Nova Scotia are facing economic, social, and theological stresses. In response many are engaged in processes of restructuring and renewal. Leaders are initiating and managing these change processes, and they are seeking information to make their decisions, and “God’s will for their churches.” Very little is known about how church leaders seek, gather, evaluate, and use information in their decision-making. In this study I asked the question: “Of the Nova Scotia churches in transition, what are the information seeking experiences of their leaders?” Using ethnographic methods at three church sites, I explored this particular context. I gathered …

Gateways To The Goddess: Devotion To Kali In Cross-Cultural Perspective, Nicole C. Petersen

Departmental Honors Projects

Kali, the dark Hindu goddess of time and fierce Mother of the universe, has a pervasive global presence. This project traces Her from historical roots in India across borders to temples in California. A theoretical synthesis of the experiential approaches of sensory anthropology and Victor Turner's three-part model of ritual processes, the project presents an innovative approach through which to study and articulate devotion to Kali in diverse cultural contexts. Through textual research, interviews and observant participation, I analyze the process whereby devotees separate themselves from the mundane and enter liminal spaces of worship, understood both spatially and temporally. I …

Glorious Adornment: The Social Function Of Cloth And Clothing In Israel's Tabernacle, Selena Billington

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the tabernacle narratives of Exodus, the LORD instructs the Israelites to build a tabernacle and to make special garments in which to consecrate Aaron (proto-type high priest) and his sons (proto-type priests). The garments are to be for Aaron's and his sons' "glorious adornment." Detailed descriptions of the special garments are provided, and the description shares much in common with the descriptions of the cloths which comprise the tabernacle complex. What is there about the unique clothing of Aaron and the cloth of the tabernacle that causes Aaron and the tabernacle to be glorified? What is being said about …

The Song Of The Thrush: Christian Animism And The Global Crisis Today, Mark I. Wallace

Religion Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Mapping Africana Religions: Transnationalism, Globalization, And Diaspora, S. A. Khabeer, Yvonne Patricia Chireau, P. C. Johnson

Religion Faculty Works

This work is from the edited proceedings of a 2013 symposium at Northwestern University, organized around the question of how to theorize the study of Africana religions across wide expanses of time and space. An international body of scholars representing the fields of history, religious studies, anthropology, American studies, sociology, African studies, classics, and African American studies gathered in a two-day event to consider the past, present, and future of their shared commitment to understanding the religions of African and african-descended people. Scholars discuss the challenges of and opportunities for the study of Africana religions from ancient to modern times, …

Creation And Theodicy: Protological Presuppositions In Evolutionary Theodicy, Adriani Milli Rodrigues

Journal of the Adventist Theological Society

No abstract provided.

The Theological And Practical Significance Of Health Reform In The Writings Of Ellen G. White, Angel Manuel Rodriguez

Journal of the Adventist Theological Society

No abstract provided.

Developing A Model For Planting Multiethnic Churches In The Diaspora : A Case For Zimbabwean Reverse Missionaries In Britain, Anderson Moyo

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Evaluating The Cognitive And Affective Changes In The Worldview Of A Group Of Eastern Kentucky Community College Students Resulting From A College-Level Course In Religious Studies, Alan David Profitt

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

"They Are Not Gods!" Jewish And Christian Idol Polemic And Greco-Roman Use Of Cult Statues, Nijay K. Gupta

Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary

Excerpt: "One set of trademark convictions of early Judaism and Christianity includes their aniconic tradition, monotheistic commitment, and polemic against idols. In the late second or early third century c .e ., for example, Christian apologist Minucius Felix mocked pagan idol worship with these words: “When does the god come into being? The image is cast, hammered, or sculpted; it is not yet a god. It is soldered, put together, and erected; it is still not a god. It is adorned, consecrated, prayed to—and now, finally, it is a god once man has willed it so and dedicated it” (see …

In The Times Of Elijah And Elisha: The Universal Mission Of God In The Narratives Of The Sidonian Widow And Naaman The Aramean, Sarita Gallagher

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

No abstract provided.

Christianity's Many Ways Of Salvation: Toward An Irrealistic Salvific Inclusivism, Mark Mcleod-Harrison

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

No abstract provided.

Choosing My Tradition, Travis Ryan Pickell

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

The term millennial—as in, that generation born between 1981 and 2000—does not tend to bring to mind the notion of tradition. Millennials, considered as a group, are not particularly known for rigorous adherence to particular traditions. Nor are they known for their “traditional” ways of doing things. That said, a number of commentators have noted a rising tide of interest in tradition in the spiritual lives of young people in this country. For some, this interest takes the form of a self-conscious appropriation of a single theological or historical expression of the Christian faith, as demonstrated, for example, by joining …

Arthur Delbert Rice, Jr. : Pursuit Of Shalom: Encompassing Care Of Creation In Mission In The Philippines, Eun Joo Lee

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Under The Sacred Bo Tree: Enhancing A Ministry That Is More Than Preaching, Rudi Maier

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

Equipping Church Members For Contextualized Discipleship In Osaka-Central Seventh-Day Adventist Church, West Conference, Japan, Jong Hyun Ryu

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem. The Seventh-day Adventist church in Japan has been on a steady decline in recent decades, at best maintaining the status quo. Although several factors may be responsible for this condition, a major factor for this is the failure of the church and its message in connecting with the Japanese culture and people in a relevant, meaningful way. The church seems not to be listening and observing the trends as she continues to apply evangelistic models designed by and for the Western nations to the Japanese. Consequently, despite the enormous funds and good programs, the church in Japan is not …

An Exploration Of Catholic High School Religious Studies Teachers' Perceptions And Experiences Of Their Role And Practice, Laura Witter Ramey

Doctoral Dissertations

Research literature has demonstrated that Catholic high school religion teachers face a number of possible challenges or tensions as they go about the preparation and practice of teaching religion. One challenge that emanates from the literature is that religious studies teachers are expected to be as professional as their counterparts in other disciplines, yet they lack the structural resources for developing that teaching professionalism (Cook, 2001; Cook & Hudson, 2006; Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education, SCCE, 1988; United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, USCCB, 2005). A second challenge is the expectation that religious studies teachers must meet the needs of …

Dīpaṅkara Buddha And The Patan Samyak Mahādāna In Nepal: Performing The Sacred In Newar Buddhist Art, Kerry Lucinda Brown

Theses and Dissertations

Every four years, in the middle of a cold winter night, devotees bearing images of 126 Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and other important deities assemble in the Nepalese city of Patan for an elaborate gift giving festival known as Samyak Mahādāna (“The Perfect Great Gift”). Celebrated by Nepal’s Newar Buddhist community, Samyak honors one of the Buddhas of the historical past called Dīpaṅkara. Dīpaṅkara’s importance in Buddhism is rooted in ancient textual and visual narratives that promote the cultivation of generosity through religious acts of giving (Skt. dāna). During Samyak, large images of Dīpaṅkara Buddha ceremoniously walk in procession to the …

Global And Local Perspectives In Spanish And New World Performances Of Calderon's Four Parts Of The World, Beth K. Aracena

Religion in the Age of Enlightenment

The first published collection of Pedro Calderon de la Barca's autos sacramentales(sacred dramas) dates from 1677, during Calderon's lifetime (1600-1681), and includes an explanation of the works penned by this great Spanish dramaturge. In his preface, recognizing that readers may be annoyed at similarities in the printed repertoire of more than seventy autos, Calderon justifies the collection: "The autos were performed but once [sic] a year, and this volume contains works which were produced at intervals over a period of more than twenty years. They were not written to be printed together and read one after another:" Calderon also …

Literacy And Orality In The Book Of Mormon, Brant A. Gardner

Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship

The Book of Mormon is a literate product of a literate culture. It references written texts. Nevertheless, behind the obvious literacy, there are clues to a primary orality in Nephite culture. The instances of text creation and most instances of reading texts suggest that documents were written by and for an elite class who were able to read and write. Even among the elite, reading and writing are best seen as a secondary method of communication to be called upon to archive information, to communicate with future readers (who would have been assumed to be elite and therefore able to …

The Spirit Of The Lord And Obedience To God's Law : An Exegetical, Intertextual, And Theological Study Of Ezekiel 36:27, James Waita Mutua

Dissertations

Problem

In Ezek 36:27, God foretells that he will put his Spirit within his people and he will “do” so that Israel will obey his laws. Ezekiel 36:27 indicates a close relationship between the Spirit of God and Israel in observing the statutes and judgments of God in the Babylonian exile among the nations and after the exile. In this text, every major phrase and clause has varied interpretations or calls for further investigation. Not only do scholars have different interpretations of the verse, but also the English Bible versions vary in their translations. This leads to the following questions: …

The Pastor As Vital Link : A Study In How Seminary-Educated Pastors Engender Engagement With Scripture In Select Congregations, Jewel Gingerich Longenecker

Dissertations

Problem. The problem this study sought to address was the tendency of “ordinary readers” of Scripture to misuse the Bible on the one hand, or to give up reading it entirely, on the other hand. The purpose of this study was to develop a grounded theory that describes how seminary-educated pastors are successfully leading ordinary readers to informed, enthusiastic engagement with the Bible. The conceptual lenses through which research data were compared to literature in the field included teaching methodologies proposed by Wink, Blair, and Borsch.

Method. The study used a qualitative research design. It was field focused, utilized …

Seeking A Comprehensive Worldview: The Religious Seeker In The Modern World, Michael Gregory

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Anecdotally, the casual observer of anthropological phenomenon may be led to believe that every human is basically the same. Indeed, many may assume that groups of people possess identical beliefs, religions, and expressions that hardly vary across different cultures and generations. Throughout the plethora of different cultures and the countless varieties of religious expression and experience it may seem that all of humanity is merely following the same lifestyles and worldviews as their parents and ancestors with very little change save for the gradual evolution in society. A religious studies scholar, or any scholar of the humanities, however, may notice …

Seeking A Comprehensive Worldview: The Religious Seeker In The Modern World, Michael Gregory

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Anecdotally, the casual observer of anthropological phenomenon may be led to believe that every human is basically the same. Indeed, many may assume that groups of people possess identical beliefs, religions, and expressions that hardly vary across different cultures and generations. Throughout the plethora of different cultures and the countless varieties of religious expression and experience it may seem that all of humanity is merely following the same lifestyles and worldviews as their parents and ancestors with very little change save for the gradual evolution in society. A religious studies scholar, or any scholar of the humanities, however, may notice …