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Genesis 1:1-11:9 Shows That Humanity Is The Object Of God's Love: A Dissertation, Donna R. Dilworth

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Most scholars turn to the New Testament when exploring the concept of divine love, citing passages such as John 3:16 and 1 John 4:8 to illustrate God’s sacrificial love through Christ. However, this dissertation reexamines the Primeval History of Genesis 1:1–11:9 as a foundational witness to divine love, arguing that these early chapters reveal humanity as the object of God’s enduring affection, even in the absence of the Hebrew term ʾāhāḇ (“love”). Rather than focusing solely on the term “love,” it is crucial to consider the nature of God himself. Scholars widely agree that the assertion “God is love” (1 …

Harmonizing Faith: An Investigation Of The Efficacy Of A Small Group Study On The Theology Of Music For Spiritual Growth, Timothy Davis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem this study addresses is that Trinity Anglican Church in Connersville, Indiana, had not cultivated a theology of music among its congregants to enrich encounters with God through music. The purpose of this DMIN action research project was to implement a small group study on the theology of music to enrich encounters with God through God-honoring, captivating music. The researcher employed a novel approach: Luke 10:27 served as a paradigmatic framework for exploring how music relates to the dimensions of heart (i.e., emotion), soul (i.e., spiritual encounter), strength (i.e., embodied experience), mind (i.e., intellect), and neighbor (i.e., communal and …

The Deuteronomic Portrayal Of The Messiah: Christ And Mosaic Typology In Matthew, Francis Riggs

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation addresses an underemphasized area in the study of Mosaic typology in the NT portrayal of Christ. Matthew’s Jesus is widely viewed in Mosaic terms, and scholars also consider the nature of his new Exodus, but there is little discussion of the character of the new Exodus participants. Yet the matter is quite relevant because the participants in the historical Exodus were disobedient, and, for the most part, they perished in the desert. Accordingly, this study seeks to find out how the new Exodus participants will be different from those of the historical Exodus, and whether they will now …

Empowering Lay Leaders For Relational Discipleship At Christian Stronghold Church, Philadelphia, Pa, Keith Paul Bethel

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis project examines how empowering lay leaders for relational discipleship can revitalize member engagement and spiritual formation at Christian Stronghold Church, an evangelical, multi-generational congregation in West Philadelphia experiencing declining participation and stagnating discipleship models. The ministry context includes significant demographic diversity, leadership transitions, shifts in discipleship structures, and the lingering effects of the COVID 19 pandemic, all of which have weakened historical patterns of evangelism, Bible study involvement, and leader development. The purpose of this study is to design, implement, and evaluate a relational, leader led discipleship intervention that strengthens lay leaders’ capacity to disciple members, deepens member …

Vulnerability Through Story Deepening Male Relationships, Paul Samuel Hahn

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Men need a vulnerable community. This action research project examines the development of a vulnerable community within the local church context at Maranatha Bible Chapel in Horseheads, NY. The men of Maranatha Bible Chapel feel the persistent challenges in Western culture that erect barriers to vulnerable masculine relationships within the community. Even though the men of Maranatha Bible Chapel report high participation in the church, they chronicle feelings of isolation and a desire for closer relationships between the men in the congregation. This action research project seeks to address the problem of vulnerable male relationships at Maranatha Bible Chapel by …

God’S Design For Human Nature: Paul’S Biblical-Theological Use Of Creation Theology In Romans 1:18–32, Eunsoo (Daniel) Seo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The world in which the Apostle Paul ministered was not a theological vacuum, but a sophisticated marketplace of competing worldviews and diverse moral frameworks. Within the specific milieu of first-century Rome, the cultural forces of Stoic philosophy, Roman imperial ideology, and pagan polytheism created an environment where complex expressions of human nature and sexuality emerged. Dominant Roman social stratifications often celebrated or normalized same-sex relations and blurred the distinctions of the created order. Paul found himself proclaiming a message of a Sovereign Creator in a society that had been conditioned for centuries to view the human nature through the lens …

Infinite Regress Argument: Nāgārjuna Vs. The Naiyāyikas, Aastha Pujara

Honors College Theses

Infinite regress arguments are commonly employed within philosophical texts as an ad infinitum fallacy to disprove an argument. This argumentative tactic is described as a chain of never-ending explanations that has no beginning. In this paper, I explore the Buddhist philosopher Nāgārjuna and how he utilizes the infinite regress argument to disprove the existence of svabhāva, or essence. Unlike other philosophers, he indicates that the infinite regress argument is not a problem for him due to his philosophy, which explains that everything is devoid of essence or substance and is inherently empty, also known as śūnyatā. Nāgārjuna examines these infinite …

The Problem Of Evil: Theodicy Of Afterlife, Christian C. Anyanwueze

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem of evil has remained a central issue in philosophical theology, prompting both ancient and contemporary scholars to propose various theodicies and defenses concerning the existence of evil in a world created by an omnipotent, omniscient, and wholly good God. While Plantinga’s Free Will Defense, Hick’s soul-making theodicy, and the Augustinian-Thomistic greater-good tradition offer significant contributions to the discussion, each faces important limitations. Plantinga’s model functions primarily as a logical defense and leaves unresolved questions concerning transworld depravity and eschatological fulfillment, while Hick’s instrumental use of evil as a means of soul-building has been criticized for potentially compromising divine …

Examining Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’S “Letter From Birmingham Jail” Through A Historical Lens Of Black Theology And Evangelical Theology: Forming A More Perfect Theology, Lisa P. Christian

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A key theological justification for nonviolent resistance in the Civil Rights Movement is “Letter From Birmingham Jail.” This dissertation presents a historiographical and theological analysis of King’s letter, arguing that it serves as a framework for critiquing the validity of Black and Evangelical theologies’ responses to injustice. It engages in a critical dialogue between Black theology and evangelical theology, examining how theologians such as James H. Cone and Carl F. H. Henry interpret King’s claims about justice, morality, and nonviolent resistance within the context of segregation in the 1960s South.

Tracing key theological developments that shaped the doctrines, dogmas, and …

The Law Of Christ As Eschatological Nomism: Paul’S Halakhic Framework For Gentile Inclusion In The Covenant Community, Jason Bagwell

Masters Theses

This thesis examines Paul’s “Law of Christ” as a halakhic framework for Gentile inclusion in the covenant community. It argues that Paul does not reject the Torah as God’s covenant instruction, nor does he replace it with a vague or subjective ethic. Rather, Paul reorients Torah through the Christ event and applies it to Gentile believers through Spirit-empowered covenant fidelity. By analyzing key Pauline texts, especially Galatians 6:2, 1 Corinthians 9:21, 1 Corinthians 7:17–20, and related case studies involving idolatry, sexual immorality, food, and table fellowship, this study demonstrates that Paul’s instructions to Gentiles function as concrete legal and communal …

Grace Within The Holiness Code, Michael B. Bowe

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Leviticus introduces the concept of God’s holiness—his unique, innate, and ontological otherness—and calls his people to reflect that holiness in their own lives. While scholarship has traditionally focused on Israel’s sacrificial cult practices, it has often neglected the theological trajectory of holiness within the broader canonical framework of the Torah. This dissertation seeks to reframe the Holiness Code (Leviticus 17–26) not merely as a set of ritual prescriptions, but as a theological narrative that exposes the limits of human effort and invites reflection on divine grace.

Chapter 1 surveys the history of interpretation and critiques the limitations of historical-critical and …

The Influence Of Theological Beliefs On Corporate Worship Practices In Southern Baptist Churches Of New Mexico, Stephen Jeffery Martone

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite Southern Baptist Churches of New Mexico cooperating in mission, education, purpose, and aligning with “The 2000 Baptist Faith and Message,” the way in which each local autonomous church incorporates theological truths in corporate worship and practice remains largely unstudied. This qualitative research project examines the diverse methods employed in theological education and their implications, considering variations in liturgical and worship styles, be they traditional, blended, or contemporary. In response, and guided by survey replies of pastors and worship leaders in the Southern Baptist Churches of New Mexico, the results reveal the challenges, process, application, and importance of choosing songs …

Walking With The Wounded: Chaplains As Agents Of Christ’S Healing Ministry, Fred Okechukwu Anucha

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This Doctor of Ministry action research project evaluated the effectiveness of an eight-week Christ-centered training intervention designed to strengthen hospital chaplains’ confidence and clarify sacramental boundaries in end-of-life care at AdventHealth Celebration. Hospital chaplains frequently encounter situations in which patients and families request sacramental or spiritually significant practices during moments of crisis, yet chaplains often lack structured training that addresses how to respond with both pastoral sensitivity and theological clarity within a multifaith healthcare environment.

The project implemented an eight-week training program that integrated theological reflection, case-based discussion, and practical ministry applications intended to strengthen chaplains’ confidence in providing spiritual …

Participating In The Righteousness Of God: Divine And Human Agency In Paul's Theology Of Transformation Within The Framework Of Second Temple Judaism, Jeffery J. Vincent

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation investigates the nature of divine and human agency in the Apostle Paul’s theology of transformation, with particular attention to how Paul’s participatory soteriology is shaped by and diverges from Second Temple Jewish understandings of covenantal life. Situated within the broader interpretive context of the New Perspective on Paul (NPP), this study introduces the theological logic of transformation in Paul’s letters, with the aim of constructing a coherent understanding of synergistic agency that remains faithful to both the Pauline corpus and Paul’s Jewish context. Paul’s theology of transformation is best understood as a covenantal-participatory model of synergistic agency, wherein …

Winning Formula: The Life Of Colonel Edward R. Bradley, Lorraine Potter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Edward R. Bradley was a towering cultural icon of the early twentieth century. He is best known as the owner and breeder of four Kentucky Derby winning horses and as the owner and operator of the longest-running illegal casino in American history. However, Bradley's story has rarely been told, due to both his characteristic humility and the dubious nature of his profession. Bradley worked, lived, and invested in nearly every pivotal American region during the Progressive Era, plying his trade as a highly successful gambler, speculator, and horse breeder. Though his accomplishments were immense, his demeanor remained dignified, plainspoken, and …

Supporting Parents Of Pre-Adolescents: Equipping Parents Through Focused Instruction On Biblical Parenting Practices, Lillian Michelle Mitchell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This action research project addresses the problem that parents and grandparents of pre-adolescent children at Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church do not receive sufficient intentional spiritual support, biblical guidance, and instruction to teach them how to raise their children using parenting skills grounded in a biblical worldview. The purpose of this research was to equip parents and grandparents of pre-adolescent children with biblically based parenting skills using an eight-week group study. The project examined the results of the Bible study group, which focused on Genesis 1:26, Deuteronomy 6:5-9, Proverbs 22:6, Luke 2:46, Ephesians 6:1-4, and Titus 2:1-8. The study implemented …

A Critical Examination Of Visions, Dreams, And The Authority Of The Holy Spirit In Biblical Prophecy, Michael Turner-Muhammad

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Holy Spirit's function as the mediating agent of perceptible prophetic encounter remains underdeveloped in the works surveyed for this study. Scholars in pneumatology, prophetic studies, and divine embodiment have each addressed at least one of these dimensions. Pneumatology explains the Spirit’s role in inspiration but not how revelation becomes perceptible; comparative studies provide context, but not its pneumatological structure; and embodiment scholarship affirms anthropomorphic encounters but does not identify the Spirit as their mediating agent. The result, in the works examined here, is the absence of a unified theological account of how the Spirit mediates perceptible divine communication across …

Technology Idolatry: Daniel’S Fourfold Ancient Antidote To This Modern Problem Facing A Christian Singles Group In Dallas, Kimberlee Bousman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

With the rise of artificial intelligence and devices like cell phones, humanity is more connected to technology than ever. Increasingly, many people, including Christians, have become addicted to technology, spending hours scrolling. One biblical character who lived in an idolatrous culture yet remained entirely devoted to the Lord was Daniel. Making spiritual disciplines an integral part of his life enabled Daniel to stay obedient to God. This study was conducted to help a singles group that was struggling with spending too much time on technology and making it an idol. This qualitative phenomenological study was designed and implemented over seven …

A Brief Historical Survey Of The Use Of Traditional Hymnody In Select Baptist Churches In Texas, Christina N. King

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research set out to understand the past, present, and future value of hymnody in select Baptist churches in Texas. The research addresses the critical concerns in Baptist worship: the shift from traditional to contemporary music and the potential loss of theologically sound songs that have historically grounded the faith of believers. The primary purpose of this study is to discover the depth and breadth of hymn usage in worship and understand how hymnody is perceived to shape believers theological understanding and spiritual formation. This study was undertaken as a multi-site case study of five select churches, with five people …

The Effects Of Narrative Identity Awareness On The Relationship Between Adult Attachment, Shame, And God Attachment, Jacqueline H. Watson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study examines the interconnectedness of adult attachment, shame, God attachment, and narrative identity awareness. Insecure adult attachment has been shown to result in increased shame experiences and has been linked to insecure God attachment. Awareness of narrative identity has been used to improve left-right brain integration and correct problematic narratives that often lead to shame. This research employs Likert scale-style questionnaire data, parallel mediation, and linear regression-based models to assess the connections between study variables. More specifically, it examines whether narrative identity awareness moderates the relationship between adult attachment, shame, and God attachment. Participants included self-identifying Christian adults …

Faith And Flourishing: Describing The Lived Experiences Of Christian Counselors Who Integrate Christian Faith Into Their Wellness, Angela Joy Stanley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the lived experience of counselors who integrate Christian faith into their wellness. The basis for this study was rooted in the work of Myers and Sweeney’s (2004) model of the indivisible self and the spiritual framework of coping for optimal health as introduced by Walker et al. (2015). Both models provide a holistic approach to wellness that recognizes the complexities of wellbeing which require the integration of multiple dimensions. Further, each model points to spirituality as an essential part of wellness. The research questions that guided this study were as follows: …

The Father Is Seeking True Worshipers, Lissa M. Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

It is God’s desire to dwell with His people, be their God, and for them to be His children (Exod 29:45 –46; Lev 26:12; Ezek 37:27; Rev 21:3). This dissertation examines the pericope of John 4:19–26 using a biblical-theological method by exploring God’s manifest presence through each person of the Trinity within a tabernacle/temple themed framework. It then presents evidence to show how the conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well is the turning point in which man’s worship transforms from a predominately physical aspect to a predominately spiritual aspect.

“Yet a time is coming and now …

Church Attendance, Post-Pandemic Stress, And Resilience Factors, Pavel Bugriyev

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Stress levels among adults increased, and a sense of community loss occurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent events. Despite previous studies establishing an association between religious practice and psychological well-being, much remains unknown about the differences in religious practice format (i.e., in person, virtually, and not at all) with post-pandemic stress and resilience-related traits. This quantitative cross-sectional study examined whether the format of church attendance (in-person, virtual, or no church attendance at all) was related to post-pandemic stress and resilience-related traits. Also, whether hope, making meaning out of hardship, and perceived social support statistically mediated the difference in …

From Tradition To Transformation: Cultural And Musical Inclusivity In Sda Worship Practices, Alicia Raquel Jones-Lumbuz

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation examines worship inclusivity within multicultural Seventh-day Adventist congregations in the greater Houston, Texas, area, focusing on the experiences of migrants, first-generation Americans, and long-standing members. It highlights how their diverse cultural backgrounds, theological beliefs, and worship expectations shape congregational life. The study fills a gap in Adventist worship scholarship by exploring the lived experiences of worshippers in multicultural settings, particularly the perspectives of migrants whose attitudes toward worship are influenced by cultural heritage and traditional views of reverence. Data were collected through surveys, semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and ethnographic observations. Thematic analysis reveals eight interrelated themes, showing that …

Knowing Life In The Gospel Of John, Daniel Lewis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation examines the concept of life (ζωή) in the Gospel of John and argues that Johannine life is best understood as present, covenantal participation in God through Jesus Christ. While the Fourth Gospel has long been recognized for its distinctive emphasis on life—using ζωή more frequently than any other Gospel—scholarly treatments often define eternal life primarily in relation to eschatological destiny, soteriological status, or Christological revelation. This study addresses a gap in Johannine scholarship by asking not only when life is received, but what kind of existence John intends his readers to understand and experience. It contends that John, …

A Phenomenological Study Exploring The Psychological Impact Of Race And Gender On Black Clergy Women, Quaitra A. Bynum

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the psychological impact race and gender have on Black clergywomen serving in leadership positions in the church. The current research explored how Black clergywomen perceive race and gender in the Black church, how race and gender influence Black women when pursuing senior clergy positions, and how strength and resilience impact Black women who serve in church leadership positions. The theories guiding this study were the Black Feminist Theory, Intersectionality, and the Strong Black Woman Theory. In the early 1980s Black women activists such as Patricia Hill Collins and Kimberlé Crenshaw …

The Canonical Use Of The Psalter In The Formal Quotations Of Jesus, Didactically Applied To His Self-Identification As Messiah, Andrew W. Richardson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation investigates the canonical use of the Psalter in the formal quotations of Jesus, focusing on how he uses these citations didactically in his self-disclosed explication of a holistic, Old Testament Messiah. Rather than treating Jesus’s use of the Psalms as isolated prooftexts or rhetorical devices, this study contends that Jesus interpreted and applied the Psalter as a unified canonical whole whose theological trajectory assimilates disparate Old Testament messianic expectations. These layered expectations are encapsulated in Jesus’s own self-disclosure as that Messiah. This study adopts a canonical methodology that emphasizes the final form, theological unity, and intertextual development of …

Refuting Ruscism: A Critique From Biblical Social Ontology, Paul Miles

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation argues that the ideology of Ruscism is incompatible with biblical Christianity on the basis of God’s design for the individual, the family, and the country. Indeed, the extent of incompatibility between these two worldviews renders any attempt to syncretize them a significant departure from biblical Christianity. God’s design for society is an absolute standard by which political ideologies may be evaluated, and these three societal units will suffice to demonstrate that Christians must reject Ruscism.

This dissertation will describe these three societal units—the individual, the family, and the country—as they are described in biblical Christianity and contrast their …

Reducing Burnout And Compassion Fatigue: Chaplain-Led Peer Support Group Among Clinical Staff At Choices Healthcare, Matthew Lehman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this Doctor of Ministry action research project was to help reduce burnout and compassion fatigue among the clinical staff at Choices Healthcare. Burnout and compassion fatigue are becoming a healthcare crisis, and hospice agencies are no different. The study was open to any member of the clinical staff, which included chaplains, social workers, nurses, home health aides, and the team leaders of each team in the organization. The study aimed to reduce burnout and compassion fatigue through a series of chaplain-facilitated group education and processing sessions. Humans are relational beings, and getting together to share experiences in …

"Oh That I Had A Dozen Voices": Accessible Music For Volunteer Church Choirs, Nicholas D. Klemetson

Doctor of Pastoral Music Projects and Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted church music ministries across the United States. In an era during which church attendance and interest in organized religion are declining, churches were forced to shut their doors, which only deepened the worsening issues in the US and internationally. Most houses of worship in the United States are modest in size but contain a small but enthusiastic group of volunteers who find great fulfillment in sharing their musical gifts to express God’s love. Despite these churches being the majority, mainstream music publishers’ offerings cater overwhelmingly to larger music ministries with sufficient participation to present SATB …