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Domestic Violence Survivors And Resiliency: An Investigation Of Belief In God And Faith Factors Impacting Survivors’ Ability To Leave And Thrive Post-Violence, Sherry A. Palmer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose [KC1.1]of this phenomenological study is to describe the role of faith in the process of leaving an abusive relationship for IPV survivors who believe in God from MA. The theories guiding the study include the survival theory of DV created by Gondolf and Fisher (1988), which believes victims of DV as survivors who most times do desire and seek help and should not be viewed as passive victims. Further, resilience theory builds on survival theory, which will guide the inquiry regarding resiliency. Survival theory and resilience theory both view survivors of DV not as helpless victims but as …

'That All May Be One’: Incarnation, Solidarity, And Anti-Racism In Jesuit Education, Yancy Hughes Dominick

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

Jesuit colleges and universities in the US have been striving to become anti-racist. This work is often tied to mission and to a shared commitment to Jesuit and Catholic values like a faith that does justice and the dignity of all persons. At the same time, however, many Jesuit institutions frame their commitment to anti-racism in language that does not appeal to specific aspects of Jesuit tradition; likewise, mission and Jesuit identity is often described in ways that make no overt reference to anti-racism. A robust anti-racism, I argue, arises necessarily out of Jesuit Catholic thought, and fully realized Jesuit …

The Divine Disciplinarian: God As The Model Father, Jacob Daniel Jones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A pastor is responsible for instructing a congregation regarding biblical information and instruction. When a person is unsure of what the Bible teaches on a topic, the pastor can preach sermons and teach lessons that convey biblical truth. The growing congregation of Nevada Free Will Baptist Church consisted of believers who had been away from church for some time and new converts, resulting in a lack of biblical literacy due to their limited exposure to biblical truth. One area where congregants were uninformed was biblical parenting. This study addressed the problem of biblical illiteracy regarding parenting. It informed participants about …

A Phenomenology Study Of African American Male’S Perception Of Black Church Leadership, Eric Lewis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Previous research has identified a gender disparity exists within the context of the Black Church. More specifically, the gender disparity focuses on the fact that there are more women than men in the context of the Black Church. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions and attitudes that African American males have about Black Church leadership. In addition to this, to also identify if there is a congruence between the perceptions that Black males have about Black Church leadership and their level of engagement or non-engagement. The theory guiding this study is hermeneutic phenomenology, also known …

The Holy Spirit Fulfills The Great Commission By Affecting The Soul – The Conscience, Intellect, And Affections – Of Believers Through The Agency Of Discipleship, Farrah K. Stewart

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Statement of Problem

A knowledge and awareness of the Holy Spirit tends to be the missing from the church today, although his power, presence, and role is not only needed, but is necessary to fulfill the last commandment given by Christ. Though silent, he and his work are – and should be – evident among, to, and through believers, both corporately and individually.

Research Question

What do the Great Commission passages in the Gospels and the book of Acts reveal about the mission of the Holy Spirit for the church today?

Thesis Statement

This dissertation argues that, according to the …

Edenic Themes Of Creation And Exile In The Book Of Jonah And Their Impact On Evangelical Exegesis, Christopher R. Walker

Masters Theses

This thesis examines how the Book of Jonah uses imagery drawn from the Garden of Eden and how these themes shape the way evangelicals read the book. Rather than treating Jonah as a simple moral tale, the study argues that the narrative is intentionally crafted to further highlight Jonah’s disobedience and the book's theological claims, using Edenic imagery. Chapter One considers the question of “Why did Jonah run to Tarshish”? After considering the intertextual links, it appears that Jonah ran specifically to Tarshish for its Eden-like possibilities. Chapter Two focuses on the non-human agents in the book. The wind, ship, …

Determining The Efficacy Of A Digital Small-Group Formatted Spiritual Care Program In Increasing Ministry Volunteer Resiliency And Retention At Groundwire, Andrew J. Ondo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This project examined the efficacy of biblically informed, trauma-aware, peer-to-peer spiritual care systems within the solely digital ministry context of Groundwire. The study addressed the growing need for effective pastoral care in digitally mediated environments, where formation and fragmentation occur simultaneously and traditional leadership structures are often absent. The purpose was to design, implement, and evaluate a protocol that could cultivate the core concepts of resilience, intentionality, and wisdom among participants, reinforcing both practical resilience and retention. An action-oriented, primarily qualitative methodology was utilized. The final sample population consisted of eleven Groundwire participants engaged in peer-to-peer care on Discord, with …

The Unashamed Plan: Expository Methods For Reconciling Unchurched Young Adults At The Friendship Baptist Church Of West End, James Daniel Spencer Ii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Young adults are absent from the pews of churches within the urban African American community. Churches within the community face dissolution because a generation no longer seeks to solve its problems by connecting with the household of faith due to shame-based alienation. There is a need to reconcile young adults into the citadel of invincible grace, God’s church, to fulfill the Great Commission and ensure a generation is not lost. Therefore, this action research project teaches church members through expository preaching and teaching The Unashamed Plan to educate them to reach youth for Christ. The Unashamed Plan is a theological …

The Rhetorical Discourse Of Uniate Writers’ Polemic Literature Of The End Of The 16th – First Half Of The 17th Century In The Retrospection Of Oratory's History, Ruslan Tkachuk

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The examination of the poetics inherent in the polemical prose authored by Uniate writers during the late 16th and the first half of the 17th centuries holds substantial significance for comprehending rhetoric as a pivotal element in the stylistic evolution of Ukrainian literature throughout this period. The objective of this article is to explore the interrelationship between the works of Uniate polemicists and the framework of classical rhetoric, particularly by elucidating the functioning of rhetorical figures and argumentation techniques within their texts. To accomplish this aim, a range of literary methodologies were employed. Those methods included historical-cultural, comparative-historical, biographical, structural-analytical, …

“Mysterium Tremendum Et Fascinans”: Melian’S And Lúthien’S Numinosity, Alexandra (Oleksandra) Filonenko

Mythopoeic Society Seminar Proceedings

At the heart of all the positive changes in Middle-earth, and at the starting point for undoing the great evil wrought by male characters (divine or otherwise), are two female characters: Melian the Maia and her daughter Lúthien. They form a kind of mythological complex of mother and daughter goddesses, similar to that of Demeter and Persephone. Melian, as a static, maternal figure, forms a sacred centre of Beleriand to which all in need of protection gravitate, while Lúthien, representing a dynamic principle, can be considered the greatest hero of Tolkien’s Legendarium, performing feats unmatched by any male character. Yet …

White Horse Village: A Northern Utah Ufo Narrative, Melissa Petersen

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

In the early 1960's a group of UFO believers, called Christ Brotherhood Inc., established themselves in Smithfield Canyon, UT and called their commune White Horse Village. A main house was built where the leader of the group lived and two or three smaller cabins were erected for the believers. Without running water they used an outhouse among them and built a small church where they would meet for lectures. Their beliefs centered around the popular movement of New Age spirituality of the time, which included scientific explanations for Christian beliefs including a belief in benevolent aliens as modern angels. Their …

More Than Peyote: Trauma, Healing, And The Politics Of Indigenous Cultural Survival In The Age Of Psychedelic Colonialism, Christine Diindiisi Mccleave

Indigenous Studies

This dissertation examines the intersection of peyote religion, historical trauma, and the emergent psychedelic movement through a critical Indigenous lens. Centering peyote as both a sacred medicine and a symbolic flashpoint, the study highlights how contemporary psychedelic policy, practice, and commercialization perpetuate settler-colonial paradigms and threaten Indigenous cultural survival. While mainstream narratives frame psychedelics as tools for healing, this research emphasizes how such framing often obscures deeper histories of dispossession, cultural appropriation, and epistemic violence. Using a mixed-methods approach, including 50 anonymous survey responses, 13 qualitative interviews, and a 6-person focus group, this study amplifies the voices of tribal citizens …

A Faith-Based Approach To Mental Health Challenges, Patrick Leblanc

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This project sheds light on mental health issues within the Black community and the need for faith communities to intentionally address mental health issues in communities of color. Black men are oppressed by an interplay of cultural, historical, societal, and economic factors that impact their well-being. Racial discrimination and oppression are non-medical drivers exacerbating mental health disorders among Black men. The influences of culture and faith fabricate barriers to help-seeking behavior, and mistaken perceptions of masculinity cause many men to suffer in silence. To begin erasing derogatory perceptions of mental health disorders, faith communities need to increase mental health …

Martial Arts Studies: A Commentary On The Exploration Of Consciousness In Modern Martial Arts, James H. Sutton

Journal of Conscious Evolution

The rapid globalization of martial arts has reconditioned how the beliefs, customs, and philosophies of traditionally based systems are interpreted and applied in modern practice. As contemporary scholarship struggles to accommodate the cultural histories, myths, and traditions that permeate the perception of martial arts in modern contexts, the focus of inquiry has shifted towards explaining cultural variations in practice rather than understanding the nature of self-awareness derived from self-practice. Consequently, the deeper meanings of martial arts as pathways to personal and transpersonal awareness are often invalidated in favor of objective and verifiable explications. In short, the role of consciousness is …

Our Teens Are Not Okay, But They Can Be: An Application Of The Family Firo Method To Improve Parent-Adolescent Communication About Suicide, Janene Pack Lpc, Cmhc, Peder Schillemat

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

This article explores the critical role of parent-teen communication in the mental well-being of teenagers, with a particular focus on its connection to suicide risk. A particular focus is on teens who live in Utah as the suicide rate for Utah teens and young adults is almost twice the national average. Despite the focus on families and religion in Utah, a significant number of teens continue to struggle with loneliness, hopelessness, and even thoughts of suicide. One key contributing factor to this struggle is the lack of open, supportive communication between Utah teens and their parents. The absence of effective …

Parental Grief And Loss After Gender Transition: Navigating Ambiguous And Disenfranchised Loss In Latter-Day Saint Families, David Haralson, Chelsea Johnson, Jeff Bennion, Orion Maxfield

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

Parents of transgender or gender nonconforming children sometimes experience profound grief and loss, particularly within religious communities that hold specific doctrines regarding gender. This article examines the unique challenges faced by parents in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) when a child undergoes gender transition. By exploring the concepts of ambiguous loss and disenfranchised grief, we aim to provide a framework for understanding these parents' emotional experiences. The intersection of LDS doctrines and policies on gender with contemporary gender theories creates complex emotional environments for families to navigate. We present the Integrity and Investment Model as …

Helping Clients Grieve The Loss Of Their "Happily Ever After", Karen J. Gilmore, Joseph Chamberlain

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

ABSTRACT

Helping Clients Grieve the Loss of Their “Happily Ever After”

One of the most prominent attacks on marriage comes in the form of pornography and sex addiction. In this article I will explore what pornography and sex addiction is, why it can be highly addictive, how pornography and sex addiction can impact the marriage and lead to betrayal trauma, and how to understand the losses that can come from this type of trauma as well as the ensuing grief which may accompany this process. Additionally, I will identify ways to understand how grief presents in betrayal trauma, how to …

Experiments In Church-Based Research, David Dunaetz

Witness

No abstract provided.

2025 Joint Journal Between Witness And The Great Commission Research Journal, Thomas Seckler, David Dunaetz

Witness

No abstract provided.

Life In The Kingdom: Reimagining Theological Education For A Post-Secular Global Age, Jose Philip

Witness

No abstract provided.

Introduction To Joint Issue, Thomas Seckler

Witness

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Generations: The Real Difference Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, And Silents – And What They Mean For America’S Future By Jean M. Twenge, H. R. Ward Jr.

Witness

No abstract provided.

Joint Journal Between Witness And The Great Commission Research Journal 2025, Thomas W. Seckler, David Dunaetz

Witness

No abstract provided.

Biblical Illiteracy: A Priority For The Local Church, Kassandra Dorcelle Bullock

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Biblical illiteracy is one of the top issues facing the church today. Research shows that many Christians either do not read the Bible or do read it, but with little frequency. It also shows that those who do read the Bible often lack a fundamental understanding of what they are reading. To date, there is research, but not specifically related to whether churches are addressing this issue. In most churches, pastors are considered the lead person to train and prepare disciples for Christ; thereby, preparing and nurturing congregants' understanding is critical to this mandate. As such, this descriptive study examined …

Ministerial Perspectives On Approaches To Caring For A Traumatized Congregant To Enhance Spiritual Development, Tonya B. Perry

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe experienced Christian Ministers’ experiences caring for a traumatized congregant from various countries worldwide. The criterion for participation was an experienced minister with 15 years of experience, at least 40 years old, and who ministered to three types of traumas. The two main theories guiding this study were Bowlby’s (1969, 1982) attachment theory and Fowler’s (1981) development of faith with references to Erickson’s (1958/1962) psychosocial development, Maslow’s (1954) Hierarchy, and cognitive behavior theory (Beck, 1952; Ellis, 1962). The three main research questions were: How does an experienced Christian minister describe their experiences …

Untethered Spiritual Care: Fortifying Warfighter Fitness In The Era Of Great Power Competition, Charles R. Bruner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

As the operational paradigm shifts from the large counter-insurgency missions of the Global War on Terror to agile combat employment characterized by untethered operations in potential locations such as the Pacific Theater, robust spiritual fitness will become increasingly more vital. Those most at risk for spiritual wounding and moral injury due to their experiences will be Airmen assigned to small, forward-deployed Mission Ready Airman (MRA) teams who must generate combat aircraft in austere locations with minimal supplies and far from support, including religious and spiritual support. This research project examines the problem of providing effective, robust point-of-care spiritual support without …

Separating The Wheat From The Chaff: A Quantitative Pilot Study Of Biblical Christian Spirituality As A Regulator Of Dark Triad Personality Traits, Patricia L. Elston

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A review of the psychological literature on Christianity as a regulator of Dark Triad personality traits over the last 25 years revealed just a handful of quantitative and qualitative studies that relied exclusively upon long-standardized constructs drawn from cultural Christian ideology. Such constructs remain in direct contrast to biblical tenets to opine that Christianity has no important impact upon the development and persistence of highly aversive Dark Triad social attributes. The current quantitative pilot study was conducted in a small sample (n=26) of adult male and female born-again members of an international Evangelical Christian motorcycle ministry whose primary recruitment is …

From Transactional To Transformational: Cultivating A Theologically Robust Learning Experience For Upper School Senior Bible Classes, Linus Nguyen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem at Holy Ground Christian Academy is that its approach to senior-level Bible classes is transactional rather than transformational for life and godliness. With parents feeling pressured to find effective educational options for their children and teachers facing growing demands from administrative duties, education urgently needs a new vision. Parents want their children to succeed and leave a lasting impact on society, while educators seek purpose in their careers. Modern educational trends push schools toward a utilitarian, transactional approach to learning, and private Christian college-preparatory schools are no exception. Within the Christian college-preparatory setting, Bible classes often struggle with …

Training Christian Men To Effectively Lead Their Families While Deployed To Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Using An 8-Step Family Leadership Deployment Plan, Lucas Arthur Baker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis project examined the result of the author’s 8-Step Family Leadership Deployment Plan on the effective leadership of ten Christian husbands and fathers deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The project’s goals were to mitigate family stress during separation and warfighter reintegration, to prevent role reversal within the family, and to prevent a pause in the headship and leadership roles of husbands and fathers. The project extrapolated eight principles from Ephesians 5:22–6:4 and was designed to fill an identified resource gap within the United States Military, particularly at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. It guided participants in creating their own personalized family …

Look To Him And Be Radiant With Joy: The Necessity Of The Body For Man's Ultimate Beatitude And The Role Of Ecstatic Joy In The Extensive Growth Of The Beatitude Of The Soul, Sister Maximilian Marie Garretson, O.P.

Theology Graduate Theses

Saint Thomas Aquinas states that our “final and perfect happiness consists in nothing other than the vision of the Divine Essence.”¹ Yet, he distinguishes between the essence and perfection of beatitude and argues that the perfect beatitude of man is fulfilled at the resurrection of the body, after which beatitude grows extensively in the soul of the blessed.²

Based on Thomas Aquinas’ philosophy of the body, his metaphysics of beatitude, and his treatment of charity, it is clear that the glorified body is necessary for the human person’s experience of the fullness of beatitude. How then, does the …