Digital Commons Network^™

Empowering The Next Generation Of Female Leaders In Restoration Church Rhode Island, Elizabeth Faroul Arah

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this praxis-in-dissertation was to enhance the leadership skills of current Christian female members within the Fervent Women’s ministry at Restoration Church (REZ Church) in Rhode Island. The plan was to enable them to engage and connect with young and new females who would be interested in joining the ministry. By using the situational leadership model as a tool to support the selected female participants from one stage to the next, the ministry Director gained valuable insights into their own leadership effectiveness and how they were able to best support each female through the process. The results of …

Integrated Growth: Developing A Sustainable Continuum Of Whole-Person Discipleship For Cultivating Healthy Leaders, Joyce A. Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Leadership, particularly within ministry contexts, involves complex responsibilities that often lead to chronic stress, burnout, and diminished well-being. These challenges underscore the need for a holistic, sustainable framework that supports leaders in every dimension of life. This Dissertation in Praxis explored a biblically grounded, multidimensional wellness initiative designed to foster integrated health among ministry leaders at The Harvest Church, a nondenominational congregation in North Houston, Texas. Framed by biblical principles of stewardship, wholeness, and relational unity, this study implemented and assessed a structured wellness program addressing four critical domains of a leader’s well-being: emotional resilience, financial stability, physical/nutritional health, and …

Identifying Aspects Of Musical Diversity That Engender Multigenerational Worship In Select Baptist Churches: A Case Study, Megan Scruggs Hollifield

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Multigenerational worship through the avenue of musical diversity in the Baptist church is the focus of this case study. This study aims to identify critical components of musical diversity, emphasizing song selection as a key element of liturgy within corporate worship. The research undertakes an observational analysis of the relationship between musical diversity through liturgy and congregational engagement of all generations. Five Baptist churches were selected to be studied to categorize the similarities and differences in the area of multigenerational worship. The case study research model provided a variety of data collection methods through research observations, online questionaries and in-person …

Insufficient Leadership Training For Ministers At Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church That Enables Them To Serve The Congregation In The Absence Of The Senior Pastor, Shirley J. Gamble

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this DMIN action research project is to create an operation and coaching module on every aspect of church ministry to train ministers. This project aims to establish a process following Ephesians 4:11-12, which states, “And He gave some, apostles; and some prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors, and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (King James Version). The Christian leadership training for ministers at MSMBC will enable them to serve the congregation in the absence of the senior pastor. The desired …

Differentiation In Artistic Expressions Of Worship: A Study Of The Front Royal Church Of The Nazarene, Stephanie L. Blakely

Masters Theses

While music is globally recognized as a common tool for expressing worship in both academia and the evangelical church, it is not the only art form mentioned in the Bible regarding acts of worship. The Council of Arts Accrediting Associations recognizes four main disciplines of fine and performing arts, including Music, Art and Design, Theatre, and Dance; however, in the twenty-first century evangelical church, music takes precedence as the main expression of worship. This qualitative study will gain insight into the pursuit and understanding of utilizing various art forms as expressions of biblical worship in modern-day worship settings within the …

Addressing The Difficulty Of Digital Transformation, Robert L. Mccaskill

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In the evolving landscape of modern religious engagement, digital platforms offer churches various opportunities to enhance their worship experiences. Still, many churches find it difficult to integrate digital tools into their ministry in the digital age. They are experiencing challenges incorporating online worship services and digital outreach activities while maintaining their core values. This dissertation-in-praxis examines the development of an online ministry at a local church struggling to adapt successfully to digital transformation. The ministry developed sought to supplement the physical gathering already occurring at the church. The online ministry aimed to ensure greater accessibility, spiritual nourishment, and community engagement. …

Critical Volunteer Stewardship: A New Model Of Volunteer Management For Churches, Kelly Lynne Reed Shaw

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In an effort to advance the kingdom without breaking the bank, today’s churches rely heavily upon volunteers to staff and operate a multitude of ministries. With biblical beginnings reaching well into the Old Testament, volunteerism and the call to serve remain an essential part of being Christian. Drawn from a unique blend of emergency management and human resource tactics, Critical Volunteer Stewardship (CVS) is a proposed model of volunteer administration that quickly identifies, assigns, and retains volunteer capital while building authentic interpersonal relationships. This researcher has implemented her CVS model at Captivate Community Church to mitigate the organization’s current inability …

The Role Of Standard Business And Biblical Principles In The Strategic Human Resource Management Practices Of Contemporary Protestant Churches, Brandon Marshall Mccutchen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Strategic Human Resource Management (HRM) practices have consistently evolved in the for-profit business sector to support business profitability. Nonprofit organizations have also adopted strategic HRM practices. Despite their status as tax-exempt nonprofit organizations, contemporary Protestant churches have not been included in the current literature discussing the use of strategic HRM practices in nonprofit organizations. Adoption of an HRM strategy varies across the spectrum of nondenominational Christian churches, and churches that are affiliated with a denomination. This qualitative study assesses the leadership perspective of five local churches to determine how standard business practices and biblical principles combine to create a formal …

Where Is God In Times Of Order And Disorder: A Practical Approach To Life Events With God, Chinedu Festus Onuigbo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to uncover what six next-generation females in Colorado, USA, encompassing high school through post-college, have experienced as they answer the question, "Where is God in times of order and disorder." Next generation refers to persons currently 25 years and younger. Pew Research (2019) reports, next-generation demographic during the transition from adolescence to adulthood may undergo one or more of the following: fall away from faith, question the existence of God, depression, and identity crisis. This researcher using phenomenology explored his Study Concept, a practical approach to experiencing life events with God using threefold biblical …

The Orthodox Parish And Community: A Reflection On The Post-Totalitarian Model Of Identity In Bulgaria, Presb. Sava (Shtoni) Kokoudev

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article examines parish multifaceted identities and its function as a Eucharistic community, while also exploring its cultural, and historical influences in post-totalitarian context. The study delineates two identities and ecclesiological models—liturgical and institutional—to facilitate comparative analysis. The confusion and mixture of these models has caused a loss of parish community identity and function, which is evident in contemporary post-totalitarian status quo. Important issue is the restoration of the Orthodox Church’s authentic catholic identity (ɫɴɛɨɪɧɨɫɬ). This predicament gives rise to the second challenge of revitalizing liturgical life in parishes and reestablishing communion between bishops, priests, and laypeople. It also necessitates …

Reframing Creativity: Learning From Grandpa Mulder, David J. Mulder

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"Creativity is bigger and richer and more comprehensive than just making art—as Grandpa Mulder’s approach taught me."

Posting about ­­­­­­­­applying creative skills to teaching from In All Things, an online hub that offers insight into maintaining and faithful and orthodox Reformed Christian worldview while fearlessly engaging in every aspect of contemporary life – until all is made new.

Reframing Creativity

Dragon Guitars And Sexy Zombies: Tracing The Meta-Motion Of The Naga Motif In Northeast Thailand, Aaron Michael Stanley

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

Abstract

This thesis traces the evolving symbolism of the Naga motif (a mythic water serpent) in Northeast Thailand through a framework I call meta-motion, which maps symbolic persistence of this cultural signifier and boundary marker across four cultural horizons—animist (Z), Hindu–Khmer (B), Buddhist (A), and modern/global (C). Like electrons in quantum super position, symbolic motifs circulate as overlapping “waves” of potential meaning and are concretized into cultural “particles” only when recruited for specific ritual, commercial, or political purposes. I add a bookend extension to Chang’s Hindu-Buddhist (B/A) typology with the addition of Horizons Z and C in order to make …

Tradition, Critque, And The Modern Moral Lingua Franca: A Lutheran Articulation Of Human Rights Language, Christian B. Dollar

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

The language of subjective, individual rights has become the primary way of speaking about the rights and wrongs of human life together. Since the end of World War II, one subset of this language—that of human rights—has achieved a global influence. The various Christian traditions of the west have, in large part, adopted this language of human rights to articulate and supplement their assorted social teachings. Yet, the adoption of human rights language has been contested by a dedicated cadre of Roman Catholic and Protestant theologians concerned about the potentially anti-Christian implications inherent in the grammar of rights. Christian rights …

An Examination Of The Purity Culture Beliefs Scale And The Interaction Of Religiosity, Purity Culture Beliefs, And Pornography Use In A Census-Matched United States Sample, Kaelyn R. Griffin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The impacts of purity culture have been documented in the prevalence of abstinence-only sex education, perception of personal value tied to virginity, and shame and guilt related to sexual behavior. Similarly, models of moral incongruence often examine religiosity as a contributor of distress related to sexual behavior and pornography use, likely tapping into the influence of purity culture without directly naming its presence. This distinction is crucial due to the variety of religious beliefs and practices, some including purity culture and those without sexually restrictive beliefs and practices. Despite this, standardized measures for researching purity culture are limited. Ortiz (2018) …

Understanding The Role Of Drug Offenses And The Death Penalty In Iran, Cyrus Zarganj

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Since the 1979 revolution, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been governed by Islamic laws devised by Shia Muslim clerics, significantly influencing the nation's legal framework in both criminal and civil contexts. The death penalty in Iran covers a broad spectrum of offenses, many of which would not be considered capital crimes or even crimes globally. This extensive application of the death penalty is an instrument of social control during periods of political tension, indicating a direct relationship between the regime's stability and the enforcement of extreme punitive measures. Despite some reduction in the visibility of executions due to international …

Cybersecurity: Digital Stewardship In A Violent World, Rocky K. C. Chang

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

This paper defines cybersecurity based on the principle of biblical stewardship. The focus of this principle is God, not the technologies, who is the creator and owner of cyberspace and everything in it. Humankind is called by God to steward them by protecting the digital property of our neighbors in cyberspace from malicious attacks. In the context of cybersecurity, a neighbor can be any individual cyber user, practitioner, educator, organization, tech company, or even hacker. However, as argued from the perspectives of human sin and human finitude, the defending stewards can never win over evil in this spiritual battle. Instead, …

Understanding Tariffs, John Visser

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

Posting about how tariffs work­­­­­­­­ from In All Things, an online hub that offers insight into maintaining and faithful and orthodox Reformed Christian worldview while fearlessly engaging in every aspect of contemporary life – until all is made new.

Understanding Tariffs

Visio Dei, Vision Pro: Beatific Vision And Technological Singularity, John Paul Arceno

Liberty Theological Review

This paper offers a retrieval of the classical Christian theology of beatific vision. The reason behind this is the challenges posed by the progress of digital technology, including Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality, and robotics, which are prevalent today. This rapid progress somehow threatens the classical view of beatific vision with its version of technological singularity. Hence, the retrieval of the beatific vision, which is grounded in divine ontology, is much needed. The paper is divided into three parts: (1) Visio Dei, which discusses the doctrine of beatific vision, (2) Vision Pro, which discusses technological singularity, and (3) conclusion, which …

The Marriage Metaphor Of Jesus And The Samaritan Woman: A New Interpretative Reading Of John 4:1-45, Bao B. Vang

Liberty Theological Review

This paper explores the marriage metaphor in John 4:1–45, arguing that Jesus’s encounter with the Samaritan woman is a symbolic representation of the relationship between Christ and the Church. Through an exegetical analysis of the text, the study examines key elements such as the double entendre of the well motif, living water, and the concept of worship. The results of this study reveal the depth of John's narrative strategy in intentionally presenting Jesus as the Messianic Bridegroom, illustrated through his explicit use of Old Testament marriage motifs. The study concludes that the episode of Jesus and the Samaritan woman functions …

Pigs For The Dispossessed Goat Demon: Jesus’ Exorcism In Mark 5 And Animal Interest, Michael Joseph Gossett

Masters Theses

This thesis explores how a historical-literal reading of Mark 5:1-20 can be defended against objections that claim Jesus caused or allowed unnecessary animal suffering. Contextual insights gleaned from 2nd Temple Watchers Traditions and Greco-Roman polytheism illuminate plausible symbolic value present in the deaths of the Gerasene swine. The context of Mark 5:1-20 presents a supernatural conflict compatible with Christian theology and rebel angel theodicies. Jesus’ actions concerning the Gerasene pigs are not necessarily unjustifiable examples of animal mistreatment.

Pneuma And Logos: Strengthening Sermon Preparation Through A Spirit-And-Word Approach To Biblical Exegesis, Natalie Barnoske

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Powerful preaching results from honoring the Word and Spirit as active participants in the sermon preparation process. However, the influence of postmodernism and the lack of resources clarifying this convergence point have led to a polarization of perspectives in biblical exegesis. Therefore, this DMIN action research project designed, implemented, and evaluated a Pneuma and Logos Approach to biblical exegesis based on five essential pillars of hermeneutics, derived from William Oliverio’s Pentecostal Hermeneutics in the Late Modern World. By integrating inductive skills of biblical exegesis with holistic habits of Lectio Divina, this project proposes that stronger sermon preparation skills can be …

An Exegesis Of Matthew 18:15-17 And The Hermeneutical Challenges Of Unrepentant Sexual Immorality, Jennifer Morris

Masters Theses

Sexual immorality (πορνεία) is mentioned twenty-five times in the New Testament. In one of the earliest cases of church discipline, Paul addresses a particular example of sexual immorality, namely incest, where a member of the Corinthian church is engaging in consensual sexual relations with his father’s wife (1 Cor. 5, New International Version).¹ Church discipline can be viewed with a negative connotation; however, disciples of Christ understand He rebukes and disciplines those He loves (Heb. 12:6; Rev. 3:19) through His Word (“rebuking” and “correcting” in 2 Tim 3:16).² Thus, the scriptural basis for church discipline practices are the …

Pass It On: Developing Children's Identity With Biblical Storytelling At First Baptist Church Of Sanford, Caleb Mccord

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In a culture where many youths are not only leaving the church but also facing psychological issues like identity crises, it is important that children develop their identity as God’s Word prescribes rather than the preference-based identities pushed by secular parties. To best ensure this development, then it is essential that children receive biblical storytelling from both the church and also the parents at home, the latter of which is underutilized in many modern Christian homes. This thesis posits that if parents are made aware of the need for biblical identity development and trained to do so, then they will …

An Implementation Of Theological Concepts: Bridging The Gap From Childhood To Adult Christian Education, Lajune A. White

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

New Jerusalem Church has the pleasure of teaching Bible stories in the children’s church and Sunday school. However, after the children age out of these spaces, they do not transition to the adult classes; they sit in the hallways. Suppose they continue this practice after aging out of the children’s classification and do not engage with fellow believers in the discipleship process. Will they remain connected to their faith-based community? The problem is whether their behavior is due to the absence of theological content in the Bible curriculum used to teach them in children’s church and Sunday school. The purpose …

The Indications Of The Need For Training For Biblical Worship Principles In Evangelical Churches In Texas, Carlos Benson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite numerous Evangelical churches in Texas, most churchgoers hold limited ideas about what defines worship. There is a shortage of biblically principled teaching in the Evangelical Church, particularly in the areas of First and God-honoring worship and its practices, including the Great Commission. This research primarily defines and explores the current state of worship in the Evangelical Church. This research examines how the original Adam and Eve beings, created to worship, have transformed into present-day worshipers. Today's worshipers include Sunday-only attendees, schedule-driven individuals, and spiritually drained souls, with a particular focus on those in Texas. This study will also provide …

Understanding How The Spiritual Formation Process Has Been Affected In A Post-Covid 19 World, Matthew E. Hunter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The need for community is essential in the life of the believer. Without a solid community, a believer may fall into isolation and even driven away from God instead of closer to Him. Psychologists have stated that community impacts human cognitive and moral development. James Fowler takes this a step further, outlined a believer’s stages of faith compared to human development. These levels of development directly impact the spiritual formation process in the life of a believer and demonstrate the vital role it plays in the believer’s life. Discipleship remains an important tool for helping a believer move through these …

A Holy And Subversive Imagination, Amanda Benckhuysen

CTS Faculty Publications and Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

Building Capacity For Born-Digital Archives Through Accessioning Workflows At The Friends Historical Library, Emily Higgs Kopin, J. Hutchison, James E. Truitt

Library Staff Works

Large archival institutions have contended with the challenges presented by born-digital materials for much longer than smaller institutions, with the latter only recently beginning their own attempts to manage these items. This case study details the process of starting a born-digital archival accessioning program and iteratively designing workflows scalable for a small institution. We review our approach to acquiring storage space and assessing our existing born-digital holdings and needs, lay out our initial accessioning workflow, discuss our processes of documentation and iteration, and reflect on tensions with archival education and best practices. By sharing this case study, we aim to …

The Substance Of Reality: Moral Perfectionism In Shakespeare's Hamlet., David Wright

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Through a selection of and close reading of key passages, I offer an interpretation of Hamlet that seeks to illuminate the play as an important work of moral philosophy, and to situate the play within a strand of moral philosophy named moral perfectionism by Stanley Cavell. Indeed, Hamlet is a masterpiece of Renaissance drama, but when read with attention to moral perfectionism, the play yields additional layers of meaning. Hamlet is a “philosophical drama” that navigates the “moral calling of philosophy”—a text that seems to, almost uncannily, elicit the audience to think reflectively, to ask fundamental human questions along …

The Uses Of Dramaturgical Research In Cinematic Storytelling, Asset Design, And Adaptation In Animation, Delaney L. Walker

All Theses

“The Black Hair” is a creative project that explores the convergence of cinematic adaptation, dramaturgical research, and animation design in retelling a traditional Japanese short folktale from the Heian Era. Rooted in the practice of theatrical dramaturgy, this thesis advocates for a research-driven creative pipeline by developing a culturally respectful and historically grounded approach to developing cinematic storyboards. By thoroughly examining the chronicles of history and the sociocultural context, the project seeks to foster deeper cultural appreciation while reintroducing a lesser-known narrative to modern audiences through a visual medium. The project draws stylistic and narrative inspiration from iconic Japanese filmmakers …