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Can Christians Be Possessed By Evil Spirits?, Kelvin Onongha

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

In the African ministry context, accusations of demon possession are commonplace. It would appear that every strange, bizarre, or abnormal form of behavior is attributed to demon possession. Unfortunately, in many cases there is a very thin line between occurrences of mental disorder and demonization. This is because the symptoms in several instances are quite similar, and the precursors may be quite complex. For these reasons, another article in this issue sought to address the issue of discerning whether certain conditions were caused by mental disorders or demonization.

In addition, the predisposition to regard every unexplained behavior as having a …

Hand In Hand, Spring 2022

Hand in Hand

A newsletter published for Deaf Catholics in Milwaukee, WI

Hand in Hand Finding Aid

An Assessment Of Dropout Rates Of Former Student Ministry Participants In Self-Identified Evangelical Churches With 500-2000 In Weekly Attendance, Derik Wade Idol

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Over the last quarter-century, there has been a consistent call to reconceptualization and at times reject the youth ministry task resulting from the universally accepted church dropout statistic post-high school graduation. In 2008, Brandon Shields presented a falsification study that disproved the theory that high school graduates are leaving the church at a rate of 70-90% at Southern Baptist Megachurches. The purpose of this study was to examine the claim that 70-90% of youth ministry graduates are leaving the church by researching 17 self-identified Evangelical churches of 500-2000 in average church attendance. The research design was a quantitative replication study …

Dust To Dust ... But What About The In-Between? An Examination Of Physical Health And Leaders, Angeline Brauer, Stanley James, James Kyle

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

No abstract provided.

Pastoral Wellness And Turnover: Costs, Consequences, And Considerations, Throstur Thordarson

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

No abstract provided.

Dissertation Notices

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

Freeman, K. L. (2022). Examination of the Great Commission: Discipleship that fosters reconciliation and affirms the deity of Christ. PhD, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, 29069382.

Nelson, M. M. (2022). Perceptions of conflict within Christian leadership: A generic qualitative inquiry study. PhD, Capella University. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, 28968975.

Saad, J. M. (2022). The self-health movement: Changing for good health. PhD, University of Rhode Island. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, 29065665.

Strange, C. J. (2023). Strategies to retain employees in the mental health workplace. DBA, Walden University. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, 29397069.

Thomas, A. B. (2023). Clergy spirituality: A spiritual balance construct …

African-American Pastors' Mental Health Literacy, Leadership And Counsel: A Systematic Review, Michelle A. Townsend

Social Work Doctoral Dissertations

The African-American pastor is a trusted provider of leadership and counseling within the Black church and community. Pastors and ministry leaders are often the first responders of mental health issues faced by their congregants and community members. As a trusted and sought-after source for counseling, the African-American Pastor is a mental health provider to a community who often does not pursue professional mental health counseling. Although the community is susceptible to the same mental illness as other ethnic groups, there is mistrust for the medical and mental health community and inequality in the available resources. This study 1) examined what …

Demonization Of Christians: Missiological Perspectives And Implications, Michée Badé

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

This article is a missiological reflection on the phenomenon of Christian demonization from a Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) perspective. The article argues from the four voices approach in theology (see Cameron et al. 2010; Cameron and Duce 2013), and contends that Christians can be demonized, have been demonized throughout the Christian church history, and are still demonized today across all Christian denomination lines. This is the position that appears in a few SDA publications, and is not in contradiction with the Scriptures. I suggest that demonization and demon possession are etymologically and phenomenologically the same. Thus, this paper builds on the …

Discerning The Condition: Disease Or Demonic, Ugochukwu Elems

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

Psychologists, psychiatrists, psychotherapists, anthropologists, some pastors, and other related professionals tend to go to the other extreme and dismiss the reality of demonic manifestations. They often explain that the Bible narratives of demonic encounters are myths, hence the need to demythologize the Scripture’s claim. Yet it is not possible to deny the historicity of the biblical claims, nor can any objective reader of the Scriptures ignore the existence and influence of demons among people today. In fact, the Bible clearly asserts the reality and existence of demons.

The dividing line between disease and demonic possession is very thin, which poses …

An Abductive Argument From Depression And Anxiety To Christian Personal Holiness, Kelly Douglas Burchett

Masters Theses

The science on pathological depression and anxiety (D&A) describes religion and spirituality's (R/S) insulating and immunizing effects in roughly 72 to 85 percent of all relevant articles. But the descriptivism of science cannot assign any normative value to a theological worldview. Deductive logic favors theism via Leibnizian contingency, Kalām cosmology, objective morality, fine-tuning of the universe, and abstract conceptualism. The information in DNA, the irreducible complexity of intracellular machinery, the improbability of folded proteins, and the support for common modular design over common ancestry establish a design inference for all of life. Unguided naturalistic simulations fail to surmount the complexity …

Spiritual Warfare

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

Investigating The Impact Of Spiritual Gifts On Church Growth, Johnnie James Finkley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis project uses spiritual gifts found in scripture as teachable models for church growth to address a decline in church attendance at Friendly Missionary Baptist Church. The research assumes that if church members are aware of their spiritual gifts, they will use them to build a healthy church. Therefore, the question that this thesis project asks is, “Will an understanding and development of spiritual gifts grow Friendly Missionary Baptist Church?” The Bible is the primary literary resource for God’s provision in transforming believers into His image. It is the foundation for church members’ spiritual growth. The book of Acts …

The Effects Of The Global Covid-19 Pandemic On Pastors In The Church Of The Nazarene, Beth Bleadingheiser Heath

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the experience of living through and ministering during the global COVID-19 pandemic for Nazarene pastors in Ohio. The theoretical framework that guided the research was Hope Theory and Resilience. The Conceptual Mapping Task was used to conduct interviews of eight ordained Nazarene pastors. Pastors described their experience and then worked with a researcher to create a concept map to organize their story. Pastors were asked to describe their story of living through and ministering during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Pastors were also asked how the global COVID-19 pandemic affected their church …

De Profundis: Deep Personal Grief Precipitates Musical Masterpieces, Karen A. Demol

Pro Rege

No abstract provided.

A Reform(Ul)Ational Life Of Faith: A Review Of Faith Life And Theology: A Reorientation, John C. Vander Stelt, Shaun Stiemsma

Pro Rege

Reviewed Title: Faith Life and Theology: A Reorientation, by John C. Vander Stelt. Jordan Station, Ontario, Canada: Paideia Press, 2020. 614 pp. ISBN: 9780888152671.

‘Could The Subaltern Speak?’ Patriarchy And Gender-Based Violence In Ben Okri’S Dangerous Love, Francis Etsè Awitor

Journal of Gender, Ethnic, and Cross-Cultural Studies

In a patriarchal society, women are, on the most part, the least representative in socio-political and economic spheres. They are frequently considered as second-class citizens, and live in the shadow of their male counterparts. They are portrayed as commodities, objects that satisfy men’s needs while being used as sex toys, cooks, servants, housewives and housemaids. They face various forms of violence and abuse as far as they are seen as sub-humans. In a society trapped in a web of traditional, cultural and religious beliefs, women’s plights and sufferings are often overlooked and ignored. By utilizing a feminist lens, the violation …

But For The Grace Of God: A Review Of Power Women, Erin Olson

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"This was my plan and my calling—it didn’t have to be everyone else’s."

Posting about the book Power Women from In All Things - an online journal for critical reflection on faith, culture, art, and every ordinary-yet-graced square inch of God’s creation.

https://inallthings.org/but-for-the-grace-of-god-a-review-of-power-women/

Tell Me Your Story: Evaluating Health And Human Flourishing In Congregations In Disadvantaged Neighborhoods, Isaac Voss

Essays

No abstract provided.

Bodies Of Silence, Floods Of Nectar: Ritual Music In Contemporary Brahmanical Tantric Temples Of Kerala, Paolo Pacciolla

Yale Journal of Music & Religion

The Tantric concept of sound (nāda) as universal life-force has seen worldwide diffusion over the last few decades but such a fame does not reflect academic interest in the impact of Tantra on music. Indeed, while a number of essays have been written to demonstrate the contribution of Tantrism to the evolution of Indian religions and culture, its contribution to music has been left largely unexplored.

The word Tantra refers to a pan-Asian religious phenomenon spread over numerous centuries and including a wide number of sects having different and even opposite philosophical and theological approaches which may be …

Exploring Ai, Faith, And The Future Through A Faculty Research Group, Michael Paulus, Carlos Arias, Mike Langford, Phillip Baker

SPU Works

style="font-family: "Source Sans Pro", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The impact of artificial intelligence on our world requires engagement from Christian scholars in every discipline. This presentation describes the organization of a faculty research group (FRG) to explore AI from various disciplinary perspectives and with Christian faith. This FRG increased knowledge of AI, stimulated interdisciplinary and theological reflection, and cultivated collaboration and scholarship. The FRG has an essay collection, AI, Faith, and the Future, forthcoming from Pickwick Publications. FRG members will discuss the impact of the FRG on members’ scholarship, as well as research opportunities related to AI.

Confucianism And Folklore In Vietnamese Fantasy Short Stories: The Case Of Ghost Stories , Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

Truyền kỳ, which is a genre of fantasy short stories, was formed and developed in the historic period of medieval literature of Vietnam in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Despite being derived from a similar Chinese genre, the truyền kỳ of Vietnam was the work of the endogenous development of the national fantasy short story, which was closely associated with folk literature and historical prose. However, at the time of its inception, as well as at the glorious top of this genre, truyền kỳ had never been accepted as an official genre. It was rather a metaphor for unorthodox discourse …

Keeping Vigil: Liturgical Praxis And Healing Ritual, Samantha Wegner

Pastoral Liturgy

No abstract provided.

Pathology, Identity, Or Both?: Making Meaning From Early Christian Martyrdom, Matthew J. Recla

University Author Recognition Bibliography: 2022

Partly in response to an earlier ‘pathological approach’ that seemingly stigmatised early Christian martyrdom, recent scholarship has adopted an ‘identity approach’ that explains martyrdom as a normative discourse of self-construction. This explanation of martyrdom as Christian identity-making, not willing death, is insufficient for three reasons. First, this approach implicitly reaffirms the theological claim that religious identity alone makes martyrs. In doing so it reduces the complexity of the individual martyr to ‘Christian’. Second, this approach excises the existential phenomenon of the martyr from martyrdom. Third, the term ‘identity’ has become ubiquitous, and its use to mark both sameness and difference …

“A New Face Of Loreto”: Mission And Transformation In The Post-Vatican Ii Church, Sudha Arul

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

This dissertation documents the transformation of mission and ministry undertaken by the Sisters of Loreto in Kolkata, India, over the past 180 years. This IBVM congregation, self-defined as a dynamic community of women dedicated to social justice and empowering the poor and marginalized, has embraced a radical new focus on direct service to unhoused children who live on the streets. The renewal is rooted in the charism and spirituality of Mary Ward (1585-1645), foundress of the Loreto community, who, at a time when women religious were required to live in monastic enclosure, sought a new apostolic form of religious life …

Discovering Life Through Loss And Grief, Darcy L. Hansen

Doctor of Ministry

In times of loss, communities of faith come alongside bereaved individuals to offer support. That support is often short lived. When the casseroles stop, grieving people feel isolated and underserved in communities of faith when pastors and community members are ill-equipped and unprepared to care for them.(2)

The reason pastors and community members are ill-prepared to care for those grieving is historically, culturally, and theologically complex. Tackling such complexity is beyond the scope of this project. Implementing Occam’s Razor, where the simplest solution, with the least moving parts, suffices, enables me to address my NPO in a creative way.(3)

For …

The Battle Against Human Sex Trafficking: A Faith-Focused Approach Toward Making A Difference, Nancy Vanderroest

Doctor of Ministry

The lack of Christian involvement in the fight against human sex trafficking is evident when researching the various causes faith-based organizations focus on. The causes have often been denomination or single-entity driven. Yet, the focal point should be cause-driven and compassion-led. For Christians, the key is to uncover the will of God to find where God is at work—and then to join Him there.

This dissertation reviews how Christian entities have often shied away from the battle against human sex trafficking because of the scope of the problem and because of the sexual stigma attached to it. Yet, Christ embodied …

Return To Me: Lenten Reflections From Holy Cross (2022), Office Of Mission

Office of Mission Publications

This reflection booklet was prepared by the Office of Mission at the College of the Holy Cross to serve as a prayer aid throughout the liturgical season of Lent. Within these pages are the unique voices of many people from the Holy Cross community: faculty, staff, students, alumni, administrators, Trustees, benefactors, and Jesuits. Each contributor reflects on the readings prescribed for the Mass of the day. This year, four artists have been invited to offer visual reflections on the readings. We hope that these prayerful reflections--written and visual--will help you to pray more deply during this Lenten season, and to …

Pastoral Liturgy 52 (2) Complete Journal

Pastoral Liturgy

No abstract provided.

Overcoming Obstacles To Dna Group Engagement, Charles Edward Kelly

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Discipleship is the primary command given by Jesus to his disciples. The elements of discipleship growth are best carried out in smaller cell groups of ten to twenty people. In the model used by the researcher, these cell groups (called missional communities) are subdivided into groups of three comprised of the same gender. These subdivided groups are called DNA groups. It is within DNA groups that a more intimate environment is created for transparency, biblical learning, and accountability. The researcher found three primary obstacles to engagement in a previous iteration of DNA groups. Those three obstacles are overscheduling / busyness, …

A Quantitative Validation Study Evaluating A Proposed Three-Step Practical Model For Discerning God's Ordained Individual Vocational Will, Keith Allen Oglesby

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Discerning God's vocational will for one's life is a question that most people have faced. Many books, publications, and sermons have been written on this subject. The problem examined in this study is whether or not a proposed biblically-based, practical, three-step model utilizing the intersection point of one's passion, spiritual gift, and need for helping college students discern God's vocational will for their lives is empirically valid. There is a gap in the literature in this regard. The research reveals that a few authors mention one or perhaps even two critical elements for determining God's vocational will, but no current …