Digital Commons Network^™

Examining The Relationship Of Neuroticism And The Three Dimensions Of Religious/Spiritual Doubt Through The Mediating Role Of Intolerance Of Uncertainty, Michael E. Mullins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Research on religious/spiritual (r/s) struggles, such as doubt, has increased over the past two decades and is important because of links between these struggles and negative holistic outcomes. The problem is there are Christian adults with r/s doubts that lead to negative outcomes, and there is a lack of research that examines how the personality trait factor of neuroticism and the dispositional factor of intolerance of uncertainty (IU) affect r/s doubt. The aim of this study was to examine the possible mediating influence of IU upon neuroticism and r/s doubt (including the three dimensions of r/s doubt: factual, emotional, and …

Spiritual Formation In The Pentecostal African American Church: What Factors Most Influence Perceptions, Gloria Fayetta Carroll

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative, multiple case study involved a sample size of 12 participants was to explore how believers perceived their own spiritual formation journey and whether length of time as a practicing Christian and regular attendance at worship services had any impact on their perceptions. The research occurred in four predominantly African American Pentecostal Churches in Oakland, California with participant interviews and sermon observations. The central research question sought a deeper understanding of how African American believers in the Pentecostal church grow spiritually through learning and practicing of the spiritual disciplines and if the variables of time and …

The Both/And Church: A Qualitative Study On The Motives, Processes, And Impacts Of Instrumental Music In Churches Of Christ In The Bible Belt, Samuel Scott Souder

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite the information available on worship styles of churches in America, perspectives of Churches of Christ who have started using instruments have yet to be explored. Since 1906, Churches of Christ have been one of many distinct religious sects in America. Expressions of this denomination are most often found in the Deep South of the United States — what many religious persons refer to as the “Bible Belt.” Known for their emphasis on weekly communion, baptism as a sacramental part of discipleship, and their embrace of extra-biblical additions to ministry like missionary societies, one spiritual practice sets them apart most …

Yielding Fruit: The Relationship Of Love, Unity, And Spiritual Gifts, Douglas Donald Vannostrand

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation explores the interconnectedness of love, unity, and spiritual gifts within the Christian church, primarily through an analysis of Paul's letters in Romans, Corinthians, and Ephesians. It argues that these principles are essential for the church to fulfill its divine purpose. The study examines how love serves as the foundation for unity and the effective use of spiritual gifts, contributing to the community's edification and reflecting the nature of the Trinity. The research employs exegetical analysis, historical context, and practical application to demonstrate how these principles can address contemporary challenges in the church, fostering spiritual growth and reflecting God's …

Pandemic Mythmaking: Covid-19 And Mythological Symbolism In Indian Folk Art, Ishani Anwesha Joshi, Sathyaraj Venkatesan

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

Through a comprehensive analysis of Durga Bai Vyam’s “Samura Manthan” and Rupsona and Bahadur Chitrakar’s “Corona Rakshasa,” this article aims to investigate how mythological stories and themes have been used in the Indian context in folk art during the COVID-19 pandemic. The investigation will offer insights into how artists have leveraged mythological symbolism to infuse their works with richer layers of meaning, thereby engaging readers in a deeper exploration of the pandemic’s impact on society and the human psyche. By close-reading the aforementioned paintings, this study aims to illustrate the evolving visual representation of cultural narratives …

Direct And Mediating Relationships Between Divine Grace, Legalism, And Mental Health, Branwyn H. Mccormick

Senior Honors Theses

Positive psychology has popularized the integration of religious ideas into psychological treatment. According to the literature, the experience of divine grace is correlated with favorable mental health outcomes, whereas legalistic attitudes are correlated with adverse mental health outcomes. It has also been found that the experience of divine grace is a mediator between legalism and mental health. However, the constructs of divine grace and legalism have both been relatively unexplored aside from a few studies using Latter-day Saints (LDS) populations. The current study seeks to analyze relationships between divine grace, legalism, and mental health using a conservative evangelical Christian population. …

Failure For Avon, Failure For Labour A Waterworks Project And The Shortcomings Of Left-Wing Groups In Pre-Wwi Aberdeen, Garrett Mast

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

On September 16th, 1909, the Aberdeen Daily Journal ran a single article that encompassed one and a half pages of the ten- page printing. This article did not discuss any national or international news, but rather a town council meeting for the city of Aberdeen in northern Scotland. This meeting was anything but standard procedure, lasting six and a half hours, a record for the council with at least 27 of the 34 councillors participating in the debate. The debate discussed the rather mundane question of from which river the council should seek approval for pumping new drinking water.1 “The …

A Historical And Legal Analysis Of The Life Of Ellett Robinson, Abigail Hilbig

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

To look deeply into the lives of individuals is to begin to understand the intricacies of American life. Ellett Robinson was an African American woman, born at the inception of the twentieth century. Like the century she lived through, Ellett’s life was defined by sociocultural concepts that began long before she came to be. Perceptions of race and the family were being transformed throughout the 1800s and 1900s. Born into this tumultuous time, Ellett was destined to experience the prejudice that existed against African Americans in the South. With slaves having been freed just thirty- six years before Ellett’s birth, …

The Possession Of John Toldervy Early Quakerism And The Polarization Of Print Polemic In Cromwellian England, Hyrum Veach

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

In the winter of 1655, ex- demoniac, dismissed apprentice, and sometime Quaker John Toldervy published a short memoir entitled The Foot out of the Snare.1 The pamphlet presented itself as a part conversion narrative and part anti- Quaker exposé, and told a startling story of demonic possession. After Toldervy became a Quaker, he told his readers, his mind was corrupted by a “seducing spirit” that convinced him that he was both Christ and the Archangel Michael and drove him to perform many bizarre acts.2 Two months later, after a brief pamphlet war with soon- to- be- disgraced Quaker James Nayler,3 …

Pain For Profit The Motivations Of Slave Surgeons In The Eighteenth To Nineteenth Century Caribbean, Gabe Smock

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

When late eighteenth- century British surgeon Dr. Alexander Falconbridge ventured belowdecks to check on the hundreds of slaves chained there, he had no illusions about the horrors of the Middle Passage. After all, this was not his first voyage providing medical care for slaves until they disembarked at the infamous markets of colonial Kingston, Jamaica. He took a moment to brace himself, then ventured down into the damp air below only to encounter a sight so awful that it was difficult to put into words when he recounted the experience years later to Parliament. As a consequence of being packed …

An Investigation On Food Restriction In The Medieval British Church, Cope Makechnie-Hardy

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

When Seaxburh, Queen of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Kent, retired to her sister’s newly established religious house at Ely in 665 she was a physically broken woman, with “wan cheeks from fasting” and a body frail from years of food restriction.1 Already throughout her life Seaxburh had used her body as an integral part of her devotion to Christ, and after arriving at Ely “signed her stomach with the mark of Christ so that she might not burden it with food.”2 Nearly six hundred years later, Saint Elizabeth of Hungary would engage in a similar practice, referred to by historians …

Vernon Aubrey Hallum Papers, 1962-2011, Abilene Christian University Special Collections And Archives

Center for Restoration Studies Archives, Manuscripts and Personal Papers Finding Aids

No abstract provided.

An Exploration Of The Intersection Of Religious And Sexual Identities Among Millennials Who Have Left The Evangelical Church, Mishell Lopez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Church attendance rates have decreased for evangelical churches over the last decade, with the most notable decline among millennials. This decline is attributed to millennial shifts away from traditional views and new understandings of identity. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore how millennials who have left evangelical churches describe their sexual and religious identities. Tajfel and Turner’s social identity theory and Crenshaw’s intersectionality theory, focusing on an individual’s identity and the groups to which they belong, informed its theoretical framework. These theories offered perspective on the experiences of those who carry intersecting identities within churches that …

Finding Aid For The Vernon Aubrey Hallum Papers, 1962-2011, Abilene Christian University Special Collections And Archives

V. Aubrey Hallum Papers

Finding aid for the Vernon Aubrey Hallum Papers, 1962-2011.

The Invisible Health Care Provider: Informal Caregivers Within Medical And Faith Communitie, Dr. Julie Yonker, Erin Cawley, Joseph Devries, Elianah Reynolds

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

• Training – Professional Caregivers

• Training – Faith Community

• Training – Informal Caregivers

The Fear Of Yahweh: Introducing Scripture’S Wisdom Literature For Biblical Counseling, Alexander Lee

Senior Honors Theses

Biblical wisdom literature is one of the most neglected areas of Scripture related to biblical counseling. Biblical counseling is formulated on the sufficiency of Scripture, so a deeper examination of any area of Scripture is sure to enlighten the biblical counselor. Wisdom in biblical counseling was introduced through an examination of the fear of Yahweh. A proper fear of Yahweh connects the counselee with the revelation of Jesus Christ in the New Testament, leading to a transformation of the client’s character toward a flourishing life. An existing case study was examined, highlighting how these findings can be implemented in the …

Two Neighbors Walk Into A Ballot Box A Soon-To-Be Lawyer’S Second Take On Jesus And 21st Century Politics, Trey Murphy

Undergraduate Theses

Although the overarching question of the thesis is "What party would Jesus register for in a 21st century election?", the goal is to teach Christians how to think about politics well. By critically analyzing scripture and four controversial issues that pervade politics, the thesis intends to detach the preconceived notions of our day and attach logically sound thinking to the minds and hearts of Christians who are politically active in the United States. The four issues that are tackled include the following: Same-sex marriage, abortion, immigration, and Just-War theory. Each chapter contains an argument for the Republican party and Democratic …

Spiritual Direction For Teacher Wellbeing, Identity And Resilience, Bernadette Miles, Marlene Marburg

eJournal of Catholic Education in Australasia

Amid growing teacher dissatisfaction and attrition, this 2022 research project explored the potential benefits of spiritual direction in enhancing teacher well-being, identity, and resilience. The study involved 11 trained spiritual directors providing eight sessions of spiritual direction to 38 teachers from Australian Christian schools. Findings highlight the positive impact of spiritual direction on teachers' vocational clarity, self-awareness, and ability to manage workplace challenges. Participants reported a renewed commitment to their profession, improved emotional resilience, and a deeper connection between their spiritual and professional identities. Many educators also noted that spiritual direction provided a confidential and reflective space to process professional …

From Inherited Belief To Owned Faith: Mentoring Emerging Adults Through Fowler’S Faith Stages, Elijah Gutierrez

Christian Ministries Student Projects (All)

This paper explores how James Fowler’s theory of faith development and Richard Dunn’s model of mentoring through pacing can be used together to support the spiritual growth of emerging adults. Focusing on the transition from Stage 3 (Synthetic-Conventional Faith) to Stage 4 (Individuative-Reflective Faith), the paper highlights the challenges young adults face as they move from inherited to owned belief. Practical strategies are offered for ministry leaders and mentors who want to walk with emerging adults through this process of spiritual formation with empathy, patience, and intentional guidance.

Reconstructing Belief: Understanding The Mental Health And Faith Development Of Adolescents, Ella Bivens

Christian Ministries Student Projects (All)

This content argues that a proper understanding of James Fowler’s Theory of Faith Development can help ministry workers, specifically youth group volunteers, better minister to the emotional and spiritual needs of students within the Church who are doubting and deconstructing their faith.

Volume 10 Issue 8 (April 1912)

The Soul Winner

No abstract provided.

The Spiritual Call Of Nursing: Supporting Patients In Spiritual Distress, Cheryl Green, Lauren Thayer, Eliza Dickerson Rn

Posters

Nursing has historically been associated with the spiritual. Referred to “anamcara,” a soul friend in Celtic writings (Groves & Klauser, 2005), nurses accompany those in need, and the ill, from birth to end-of-life. The purpose of this project was to increase awareness of nurses in the identification of patients’ Spiritual Distress, a NANDA diagnosis.

Mythic Arcana - A Tarot And Mythology Guidebook, Kiya Whitaker

English Student Scholarship

Mythic Arcana is part of my senior thesis show and the culmination of my writing and design journey at the college. It is a creative spin on the Major Arcana tarot deck and features mythological characters from around the world. Tarot is used for spiritual guidance, and the Major Arcana cards represent the Soul’s journey from naivety and vast potential (starting with 0, the Fool) to success and fulfillment (ending with 21, the World).

Enjoy this celebration of our world's rich and diverse cultures. Immerse yourself in enchanting art and storytelling. Allow this work to bring you to the past, …

The Narcissistic Pastor: A Wolf In Shepherd’S Clothing, James M. Ennis

Master of Arts in Spirituality and Spiritual Direction

No abstract provided.

5b Mesa Del Ministerio, Gerardo Hands, Marcos Kempff

Liderazgo

Mesa del ministerio

Does Anxiety Affect Shared Leadership? A Case Study On The Shared Leadership Practices Of A Pentecostal Denomination, Gretchen H. Abney

PhD in Organizational Leadership

This study investigates the interplay between anxiety and shared leadership within the organizational structure of a Pentecostal denomination, focusing on its One Team initiative. This qualitative case study examines how anxiety and self-differentiation affect leadership dynamics and team interactions. Using the Bowen family systems theory as a conceptual framework, the research explores organizational clarity, team roles, decision-making, and relational trust. Data collection involved three phases: analysis of organizational artifacts, focus group interviews with One Team members, and individual interviews with executives. Emergent themes included organizational experiences, expressions of anxiety, self-differentiation, commitment to future development, and the importance of training opportunities. …

Exploring The Perspectives Of Trained Pastoral Leaders On The Perceived Role Of Mental Health Conditions In Spiritual Formation, Duane P. Roberts

PhD in Organizational Leadership

The call of the pastoral leader is to serve and lead their congregants through a process of spiritual formation in alignment with how Jesus led His disciples to fulfill the Great Commission. However, when an underlying mental health condition is present, it can play a disruptive role in the spiritual formation of congregants in unique ways. Mental health conditions are a global phenomenon that continue to significantly affect individuals across all sectors, including the church. Thus, pastoral leaders are seeking to employ the most effective leadership style to guide congregants in continual spiritual formation when an underlying mental health condition …

Youth Mac: Exploring The Impact And Influence Of Varied Youth Pastor Leadership Qualities And Practices That Lead To Efficacious Student Ministry, George L. Fultz Ii

PhD in Organizational Leadership

Congregations across the United States are experiencing significant declines in youth and young adult engagement and retention, raising a red flag when thinking about the long-term sustainability of the church. While previous research has focused on senior pastoral leadership, there has been limited exploration of youth pastor leadership and its effects on church growth and adolescent retention. This qualitative study utilizes McGavran’s church growth theory to investigate how youth pastors’ leadership styles influence ministry effectiveness. This research used semistructured interviews with six youth pastors from diverse congregations to collect the data. After completing thematic analysis, four themes emerged: (a) the …

Music In The Catholic Church: An Analysis Of Hymns And Congregational Singing In Roman Catholic Churches In The United States, Andrew T. Medrick

Senior Theses

This thesis examines the musical dilemma in the American Catholic Church, highlighting issues such as inappropriate musical selections for the Mass and a profound lack of congregational singing. Through a literature review of Vatican documents, expert opinions, and hymns, I analyze the criteria for music used in the Mass, identify common failures of musical selections presented in many Catholic churches, and offer practical guidance to improve sacred music in parishes and dioceses. I conclude that music used in the Mass must be sourced primarily from Sacred Scripture, in full conformity to the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church, and easy …

Harvest Leadership: A Philosophy For Empowering Indigenous Leaders For Ministry Among Unreached People Groups, Sarah Kelley

Christian Ministries Senior Capstone

One-third of the world's population lacks meaningful access to the gospel, underscoring a critical need for contextualized ministry and leadership development. This paper outlines a philosophy of ministry for Harvest Leadership, a ministry dedicated to empowering indigenous leaders for ministry among unreached people groups. Following William Frankena's philosophy of education as its framework, this paper argues that effective Christian education for these leaders must be contextually appropriate, emphasizing principles such as Oral Learning, Social Learning Theory, and Experiential Learning. By illustrating through the case of Pikugi, an Ache woman in Paraguay, the paper demonstrates how intentional ministry practices, informed by …