Digital Commons Network^™

Fourth Sunday Of Lent - 15 March 2026, Andy Nguyen Sj

Pastoral Liturgy

No abstract provided.

Thirteenth Sunday In Ordinary Time - 28 June 2026, Joe Tedesco

Pastoral Liturgy

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Leaderhip In The Diocese Of San Diego California: Servant Leadership Theory, Clarissa Jayne Hutcheson

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the impact of the absence of a comprehensive leadership formation process for individuals serving in pastoral leadership roles within the Diocese of San Diego, California. To ground the study theologically, the research engages the biblical Book of Nehemiah as a formative model of leadership rooted in covenantal responsibility, moral courage and communal restoration. Building upon this biblical foundation, the study turns to contemporary Servant Leadership Theory to examine how leadership grounded in service can foster the growth and maturation of both leaders and pastoral teams. Employing a mixed methods research design, quantitative survey data and qualitative interviews …

Breaking Barriers: A Ministry Approach To Understanding And Addressing The Needs Of Somali Immigrants In The Twin Cities, Yared K. Woldemariam

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the relational dynamics and ministry barriers between Somali immigrant communities and Christian churches in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, with the aim of identifying practical and theological strategies for cultivating trust-based engagement. Grounded in diaspora missiology and the biblical model of hospitality in the Book of Acts, the research explores how historical experiences, cultural perceptions, and communication patterns shape present-day interactions.
A qualitative-dominant mixed-methods design was employed, consisting of twenty-one semi-structured interviews with church leaders and Somali community leaders, supported by questionnaire data to identify comparative trends. Inductive thematic analysis revealed that relationship history, language interpretation, institutional …

The Emmaus Conversation: A Cohort Model For Building Bridges Between Lgbtq+ Lived Experience And Church Leadership, Jon Ciccarelli

Doctor of Ministry

Need Problem Opportunity (NPO) Statement

Adventism fosters a harmful culture for LGBTQ+ individuals who want to grow as beloved disciples of Jesus.

Key Insights from Research

• Religious trauma greatly impacts LGBTQ+ individuals.
• Adventism is not pursuing the inclusion of LGBTQ+ individuals.
• The Adventist Church is not benefiting from the fruit of the Spirit experienced and expressed through Adventist LGBTQ+ individuals as part of the body of Christ.
• Empathy, reconciliation, and healing were experienced during the project's prototyping.
• Many Southeastern California Conference pastors and leaders want to grow and engage in this area and be proactive in including LGBTQ+ individuals in …

Turn On The Light Of Life(Tll) Pastoral Theology For Integrated Mental And Spiritual Health In The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Perspective, Leulekal Akalu Alemu

Doctor of Ministry

This study explores a unified framework for integrating mental health counseling with spiritual guidance within the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church pastoral theology, emphasizing the essential role of clergy in promoting both spiritual and mental well-being. The initiative aims to establish a structured approach that aligns mental health strategies with theological principles, thereby enhancing the connection between mental wellness and spiritual vitality.

Current observations indicate that many clergy members lack adequate training in pastoral counseling, which significantly impedes their ability to effectively address the mental and social issues faced by their communities. This research seeks to empower church leaders by providing …

Betrothed To Jesus: Embracing Uncertainty As The Key To A Lasting Romance, Kyle H. Chase

Doctor of Ministry

NPO:

Churches are not giving college students the tools they need to navigate uncertainty with Jesus.

Key Insights:

For college students who decide to follow Jesus, the experience of uncertainty after college can result in a deconstruction of faith. Church leaders often respond by equipping students with tools aimed at eradicating uncertainty (biblical and cultural apologetics, catechisms, formulaic practices, etc.). The solution is more elegant: If students are to remain adaptable and resilient for a lifetime, they do not need to eradicate uncertainty but to embrace it—not as an occasion for explanation but as an opportunity to encounter the living …

Re-Imagining Church As A Spiritual Family, Abraham Acosta-Newball

Doctor of Ministry

The contemporary Christian church faces a crisis of belonging; many members are opting out for non-theologically related reasons or differences. The claim for this exodus is a lack of genuine community that serves as an extended spiritual family. Modern churches function as event-centered gatherings, and less like a multigenerational community, reflecting instead a culture of individualism and spiritual consumerism. The purpose of this project is to explore strategies for churches to assume a more biblical role of a spiritual family. Particularly focusing on practical ways for building stronger community within multigenerational and multiethnic Worship settings. The project culminates in three …

From Vision To Practice: Developing A Field-Informed Framework For Music Education In Catholic Schools, Melita Mudri-Zubacz

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This study aimed to develop a sustainable and mission-focused framework for music  education in Catholic elementary schools, in order to bridge the gap between the theological ideals of Catholic education and the lack of operational models for its implementation. The problem had significant implications for school leaders, music teachers, and students, as it restricted the potential of the school’s music programs to support the development of Catholic identity and liturgical participation.

The purpose of this study was to develop a field-informed and consensus-driven framework based on Catholic identity, sustainability, and expertise. The conceptual framework for this study integrated theological and …

'Power To Tread On Serpents': Trinity Broadcasting Network And The Theological Underpinnings Of Christian Nationalism, Moriah Coons

Seattle Pacific Seminary Theses

While many scholars have discussed the rise of conservatism and Christian nationalism among prominent American evangelicals since the 1970s, few have seriously discussed the theology which has held up these shifts, especially that which comes from Charismatic influences. This thesis contends that many conservative Christians today, and Pentecostals in particular, cannot be understood according to their political and sociological contexts alone, but require a serious analysis of the theological convictions which drive public engagement. In order to demonstrate the historical justification for this claim, this paper will examine Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN)’s dissemination of Pentecostal theology between 1973 and 1988, …

Introduction: Intersections Of Gender And Genres In Medieval Judaism, Christianity, And Islam, Linda G. Jones

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

The introductory essay describes the aims of this special volume, which are to analyze the intersections between religion and gender in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic cultures, as reflected in diverse pre- and early modern textual genres, and to explore the relationships between gender and genres. Toward these ends the authors interrogate how a given textual genre, as well as the gender of the author/compiler and the intended audience, might influence the representations of gender. The introductory essay summarizes the seven articles constituting the volume, highlights the points of contact and differences among them, and reflects upon their broader significance to …

The Masculinization Of Grief In Arabic Adab Literature: Ibn ‘Abd Al-Rabbih’S Al-‘Iqd Al-Farīd, Linda G. Jones

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

This article explores the relationship between masculinity and literary expressions of grief in premodern Islamic cultures based on “The Book on Women Mourners, Condolences, and Elegies,” from the adab anthology, al- ‘Iqd al-farīd (The Unique Necklace), compiled by the Cordovan belletrist Ibn ‘Abd Rabbih (d. 940). While Ibn ‘Abd Rabbih’s selection of literary specimens by female authors has been studied in depth, the far more numerous examples of male-authored bereavement literature have not been analyzed in detail. Hence this article has two aims. First, it will examine the relatively neglected genres of Arab-Islamic bereavement literature featuring grieving …

Gender And Genres In The Ādāb-I Menāzil, Özgen Felek

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

Gender and gender roles routinely appear across different genres of Islamic literature. Since each genre’s handling of the subject of gender is evaluated within the borders of that genre, studies in the field have been based on specific texts or genres. The Ādāb-ı menāzil (“Manners of the Household”), written by ʿAbdü’l-Laṭīf ibn-i Ṭurmış Ḳaramānī (d. 1516), is a unique Ottoman Turkish text that brings together the perspectives of different genres. It is a book of morals, advice, and religious knowledge written for women, as Ḳaramānī explicitly declares in the preface. The work includes Qur’anic verses, hadiths, stories, and legends …

“Softer Than A Woman?" Gendered Images In Odo Of Cheriton’S Anti-Judaic Sermon, Jussi Hanska, Sari Katajala-Peltomaa

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

This article analyzes the intersection of the anti-Judaic and gendered motifs presented in English theologian and preacher Odo of Cheriton’s (d. 1246–1247) sermon for the tenth Sunday after the Holy Trinity. The sermon features an exemplum that is a distorted reinterpretation of a story originally found in Jewish historian Flavius Josephus’s Bellum iudaicum, which describes the siege and fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE. In one memorable passage Josephus tells how a Jewish woman named Mary loses her mind because of the hardships of the siege and hunger, kills and roasts her baby boy, and eats it. Yet Odo …

Mary’S Granddaughters: Marian Conversion, Gender, And The Reproduction Of Religious Belief In Medieval And Early Modern Castile, Amanda Valdés Sánchez

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

This article explores how the conversion of Muslim women was perceived as being spurred by Mary’s love, as evidenced in Castilian Marian miracle collections, popular literature, church iconography, and missional policy. I argue that, in the context of the Castilian colonization of Muslim Iberia, Muslim women’s conversion was stimulated and imagined differently from their male counterparts. Through the analysis of post-thirteenth-century Castilian Marian miracle tales and devotional iconography, my research interrogates the role of Marian devotion in the construction of a model of religious conversion that specifically sought to convert women and children and identified Muslim women as the means …

Longitudinal Associations And Interactions Of Adolescent Religious Deidentification And Parental Sanctification On Parent-Adolescent Relationships, Justin Hendricks, Sam A. Hardy, Michael A. Goodman, Emily De Schweintiz Taylor

Faculty Publications

In many religious families, shared religious identity is a strong source of intergenerational solidarity. However, when adolescents deidentify from their family faith, normative parent-adolescent conflict, which heightens in mid-adolescence and normally subsides in late-adolescence, may intensify and damage parent-adolescent social cohesion. Many religious parents view parenting relationships as sanctified, which typically leads to adaptive parenting, but in the context of deidentification may lead to greater distress. To understand how adolescent religious deidentification influences parentadolescent relationships, we examined the longitudinal associations and interactions of adolescent children’s religious deidentification and parental sanctification on parent-child religious conflict and parental warmth (N = 1,391 …

Developmental Themes Associated With Religious Activity After Early Return From A Latter-Day Saint Mission, Samuel E. Hancock, Sam A. Hardy, Michael Goodman, Camron Angell, Jenae M. Nelson

Faculty Publications

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, qualified young men are expected (and young women are given the option) to complete extended missionary service during the transition to adulthood. Some youth end their missionary service short of the anticipated duration, which is associated with markedly lower rates of religious activity post-return. This study is a qualitative inquiry into the developmental themes associated with early returned missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who chose to remain active (be consistently involved with the church), sampling from areas with high rates of Latter-day Saint activity, where stigmatization …

A Different Starting Point: Youth Discipleship For A New Generation, Rogelio Paquini

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Understanding How Emotional Intelligence Training And Awareness Can Enhance The Effectiveness Of Campus Discipleship Activities, Scott R. Ward, Natasha Richards, Sara C. Ward

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Citizenship And Discipleship: Upholding Ultimate Allegiance To Christ In Modern States, Boubakar Sanou

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Discipling The Youth Through Preaching, Rodney Palmer

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Investigation Of Causal Relationships Of The Cross-Scale Wave Coupling Through Information Theoretical Approach, Elmer Rivera, J. Johnson, Simon Wing, Eun-Hwa Kim, Khan-Hyuk Kim, Katariina Nykyri

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Study Of The Quasi-Periodicity Observed On Plasma Density And Magnetic Field On Saturn's Magnetosphere: An Information Theory Approach, B. R. Neupane, J. R. Johnson, P. A. Delamere, Simon Wing, A. Sciola, K. Sorathia, Joe Caggiano, B. Mino, Colby Maxim

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Predator-Prey Biological Model Of Multiple Species With Linear Growth Rates, Joon Hyuk Kang

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Theatre And Dance As Divine Purpose: Liberating The Christian Performer In Pursuit Of Artistic Worship, Abby Owen

Dance (MFA) Theses

This study examines the historical relevance of theatre and dance alongside religious forms of worship, with a particular emphasis on their integration into Christian churches of the Middle Ages, in comparison to the current Western era. Beginning with their origin, this research examines the creation of theatre and dance in Ancient Greece as a means of connecting with spiritual deities, tracing their recorded transition into accepted acts of everyday worship by Christian leadership. At the same time, this research scrutinizes contemporary congregations’ lack of artistic incorporation, denouncing the rise of restricted worship in response to present-day condemnation of the female …

¡Salud! Sacrificing The Sacred Sip: A Critical Analysis Of The Impact Of The Spiritual Conquest On Alcohol Traditions In Central México, Elizabeth Vilchis

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

By thoroughly investigating the available primary sources, this thesis will convey the importance of the Mesoamerican inebriating drink pulque in both the ethos and mythos of ancient Nahua society, examining how the ritual use of pulque became problematic in the eyes of the Spaniards, by investigating the cultural and ideological contradictions or double standards that enabled the tensions, struggles, and violence with which the Spanish colonial regime repressed the ritual use of pulque. This thesis compares the Nahua ethos and mythos of pulque to the Christian ethos and mythos of wine, highlighting the parallels perceived by Spaniards in Central México …

Pastors In Crisis: A Proactive Prayer Life As A Measure Against Pastoral Burnout, Seth W. Hinrichs

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This Doctor of Ministry project examines the relationship between a proactive prayer life and pastoral burnout among senior pastors in Converge North Central churches. Addressing the increasing prevalence of burnout in vocational ministry, the study reframes burnout as a fundamentally theological issue rather than merely a psychological or organizational problem. Drawing on the work of Ray Anderson and others, the project argues that burnout reflects a misalignment between a pastor’s lived theology—particularly in identity, calling, and dependence on God—and the realities of ministry practice. The research integrates biblical-theological reflection, a review of contemporary literature, and quantitative field research through a …

A Ministry Manual For Supporting Pastoral Transitions: Addressing The Emotional And Spiritual Needs Of Clergy And Their Families, John Tucker

Dissertations

Pastoral transitions represent spiritually significant yet often under-supported moments in the life of clergy, congregations, and ministry networks. While leadership change is frequently framed in theological language emphasizing divine calling and institutional continuity, insufficient attention is given to the emotional, relational, and familial dimensions of these transitions. This Doctor of Ministry project examines the spiritual and emotional impact of pastoral transitions within African American church contexts, with particular attention to clergy wellbeing and systems of care.

This study employed a mixed-methods research design integrating quantitative survey data with qualitative semi-structured interviews. Survey instruments were distributed to pastors affiliated with The …

No One Told Their Story: Acculturation, Faith Formation, And Belonging In Multicultural Congregations Led By African American Pastors, Alicia L. Partee

Doctor of Ministry

The search for meaning, identity coherence, and belonging often intensifies when individuals cross cultural boundaries. Faith communities can serve as sanctuaries for identity renegotiation, but congregations may also reproduce the social distance and exclusion found in the broader society. This dissertation addresses a scholarly and pastoral gap at the intersection of acculturation and Christian faith formation, and more specifically how identity, belonging, and spiritual formation are negotiated within multicultural congregations led by African American pastors in San Jose, California, and similar contexts.

Drawing on acculturation research in psychology, sociology, and anthropology, this study examines how culturally diverse newcomers experience culture …

Cultivating Belonging In Church Communities: A Repeatable Model For Small Groups, Clancy Z. Kiener

Doctor of Ministry

NPO Statement for this project is as follows:

Many individuals experience a diminished sense of belonging within religious environments. This lack of belonging can lead to disengagement and limit opportunities for authentic spiritual and communal formation. Structured, repeatable, moderator-led small groups— guided by trained moderators—offer a practical approach for fostering connection and strengthening a sense of belonging within church communities.

A key insight from this project is that many people in church communities experience a persistent sense of not belonging, even when they attend, serve, and believe alongside others. The research shows that belonging is not automatically created by shared …