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An Exegetical Analysis On Zechariah 11, Jian Wu

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The prophetic book of Zechariah, the longest one of the Twelve Prophets, contains many interpretive challenges. This dissertation focuses on Zechariah 11 while acknowledging textual issues and heavy influence from the Major Prophets and offers a harmonized holistic interpretation of the two sign-acts, the shepherds and staffs, and other relevant issues such as the thirty pieces of silver through applying five research methodologies. This dissertation argues that Zechariah 11 provides a retrospective of what Israel experienced to raise an alarm for them to obey God’s command. This partly explains the abrupt shift in tone from hope and promise in Zechariah …

Developing A Discipleship Training Guide At Greater Love Baptist Church For The Retention Of Young Adults, Frances W. Cox

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem is that Greater Love Baptist is struggling to sustain young adults' attendance because the leadership lacks the necessary tools and training to disciple them. As a result, there is a mass exodus of young people from the church. Therefore, this research project’s purpose is to develop a Discipleship Training Guide to equip the leadership of Greater Love Church to disciple young adults. The primary theme of the guide is “Knowing Jesus.” The concept of the guide is based on the premise that no one can effectively train, teach or model the life of Christ without having a personal …

Modern Critiques Of The Kalam Cosmological Argument, Colby D. Crawford

Masters Theses

The Kalam Cosmological Argument (KCA), like all other arguments for the existence of God, is constantly under a microscope. Individuals are continuously struggling to undermine its validity, and until recently they have generally failed in demonstrating that the KCA is irrelevant. Since William Lane Craig revitalized the Kalam in 1979, scientists and philosophers have offered objections against it from all perspectives. However, due to the KCA’s modesty and simplicity it has stood the test of time against its critics. That is, it has until now.

An Inquiry Into The Perceived Effects Of Historical Revivalism On The Corporate Worship Behaviors Of Modern-Day Fundamental And Independent, Baptist And Bible Churches, Jeremy David Yowell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Modern-day, independent Bible and Baptist churches continue to structure their corporate worship services after the pattern of the American revivalists of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The purpose of this qualitative study with an ethnographic design is to examine the lived experiences of pastors and church leaders from independent Bible and Baptist churches and seek to understand their perceptions of (1) the purpose of corporate worship, (2) the place of evangelism in corporate worship, and (3) the influence of revivalism upon corporate worship practices. Additionally, historical research about the revivalist movement and its influence on worship behaviors is considered. Several …

A Phenomenological Study Of Discipleship Experiences In Hartsville, Sc, Baptist Churches, Robert W. Stuckey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Catchy quotes could describe an identified problem, but none were used here. Eternity is what is at stake. The American church is in trouble. Discipleship has been ineffective inside and outside the church for growth in the kingdom of God. This phenomenological qualitative study was performed to understand the discipleship experiences of pastors and mature Christians. The setting of this study was Hartsville, South Carolina, area Baptist churches. This study utilized semi-structured interviews to obtain data. The population was twelve mature Christians, comprised of a lead pastor and two mature Christians from four selected churches. The instrument utilized was two …

Bridging Faith And Restoration: A Phenomenological Study Exploring Evangelical Pastors’ Experiences Ministering To Congregants With Trauma In The Greater Toronto Area, Lindsay Knox Mcvety

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand how evangelical pastors in the Greater Toronto Area describe their experiences with discussing trauma with congregants and their experiences with trauma-informed care in the church. The theory guiding this research is Transformative Learning Theory (TLT). As discussed by Mezirow (1991), TLT explains transformation occurs by increasing knowledge by learning about topics where outdated or misinformed concepts previously existed. The main research question is, how do evangelical pastors in the Greater Toronto Area describe their experiences ministering to congregants who have experienced trauma? Further sub-questions ask, how do evangelical pastors in …

A Defense Of The Neronic Date Of The Book Of Revelation, Jason L. Quintern

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There are two primary dates for Revelation that are generally accepted: the early or Neronic date (A.D. 64-68) and the late or Domitianic date (A.D. 95-96). In this dissertation, the early date of the book of Revelation is defended against the commonly accepted late date. The study engages with two major texts: Kenneth L. Gentry Jr.’s Before Jerusalem Fell, supporting the Neronic date, and Mark L. Hitchcock’s dissertation “A Defense of the Domitianic Date of the Book of Revelation,” defending the Domitianic date. This present study discusses the central arguments of both Gentry and Hitchcock as it defends the Neronic …

Long-Term Partnerships Between Communities And Mission Organizations: A Case Study, Rebecca Boggs Bishop

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the long-term partnership of World Changers with the community of Chattanooga, Tennessee to understand best practices for creating similar cross-sector partnerships involving short-term mission work. Within this research, long-term partnership is defined as an arrangement existing for at least ten years. The study utilized the theories of covenant community (Lingenfelter, 2008), legitimate peripheral participation (Lave & Wenger, 1991), and cross-sector social-oriented partnerships (Selsky & Parker, 2005) to guide the research. The study considered the perspectives of community members, ministry leaders, and mission organization leadership to determine benefits and areas of …

Perceptions Of Paid Pastoral Staff Of Volunteer Engagement In The Assemblies Of God, Glorielba Orta Meléndez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Volunteers play a critical role in churches, and successful collaboration between paid pastoral staff and volunteers is essential for achieving the church’s mission. However, conflicts can arise when defining the roles and responsibilities of volunteers and paid pastoral staff. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the perceptions of paid pastoral staff regarding volunteer engagement in the Assembly of God’s (AG’s) church mission. The research drew from Harold Kelley and John Thibaut’s interdependence theory, which shed light on human interactions and their influences. Utilizing semi-structured interviews with 10 AG pastors in paid staff positions, the findings described the volunteer manager role that …

Catholic Studies Newsletter 2024, Sacred Heart University

Catholic Studies Newsletter

Highlights: CS Minor Attends Summer Seminar on Integral Ecology -- Faculty Profile: Anna Ramirez -- The Center for Catholic Studies: Spring Speaker Series and Bergoglio Lectures -- Center for Catholic Studies Awarded $30K Grant for Social Justice Seminar.

Casar Auc Community Only Lecture: Men, Women’S Body Autonomy & Gbv Crimes In Egypt, Us & Canada: Why Men Need To Step Up For The Education Of Women's Body Autonomy, The Prince Alwaleed Center For American Studies And Research Casar

Performances, Events, and Presentations

This was a hybrid CASAR AUC community only lecture titled: ‘Men, Women’s Body Autonomy & GBV crimes in Egypt, US & Canada’: Why men need to step up for the education of women’s body autonomy.

This lecture featured Tadwein from Egypt, Women’s Advocates from the US & London Abused Women's Counseling Center from Canada (via Zoom). This lecture was part of course AMST 1091 ‘Exploring Feminist Perspectives in Egypt & the US’ (core curriculum pathways two- American studies) taught by Yasmeen El-Ghazaly, CASAR Assistant to Director & Adjunct Faculty - Wednesday May 15th, 2024

The lecture pondered on the following …

Mythos And Meaning: Medieval Appropriations Of Mythological Types In The Consolation Of Philosophy And Later Western Literatures, Francis J. Hunter

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Often referred to as the last Roman and first medieval, Boethius, author of The Consolation of Philosophy, has been widely received as an unoriginal philosopher who sought to preserve Platonic thought as the Western Roman Empire fell. However, this essay features an investigation into the literary originality of Boethius who initiates a line of Christian and Platonic literatures to follow in the medieval European tradition. Boethius demonstrates himself to be a poet who makes great use of philosophy rather than as a philosopher writing poetry. Boethius’ poetic influence is felt most strongly in major aspects of Dante’s Divine Comedy and …

Full Issue

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

No abstract provided.

The Crucible Of War: The Personal History Of A Social Democrat In Nazi Germany, Michael Tetto

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

On Christmas Day 1943, Somewhere in Russia, Siegfried Sinz enjoyed a jovial moment with his unit of the German Army. It was a refreshing break from the trials of war, for he had been on the eastern front since June of 1941. Cautiousness, endemic of their proximity to the battle front, attended the preparations for the event. All windows needed to be sealed to prevent light from escaping into the night lest any Russians on patrol ascertain their location and attack. Unfortunately, someone did not seal one of the windows completely; a ray of light escaped to illuminate the darkened …

Voices Of Resiliency And Persistence: Native Americans In Southern New England In The Seventeenth Century, Debra Taylor

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

During the early seventeenth century, the Algonquian Indians of Southern New England demonstrated courage and resilience as their societies survived a "massive depopulation" from diseases introduced through European colonization (See Fig. 1). It is a credit to the strength of their core values that Native Americans successfully combined remaining clan members and reconstructed stable communities. However, these communities became threatened as increased numbers of English colonists arrived believing that the devastation of Indian numbers was the divine hand of God paving the way for colonial settlement and supremacy. As contact increased between two vastly different worlds, colonists minimized Indians and …

Elizabeth As Constantine: John Foxe And Holy Women, Courtney Jensen Peacock

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

One of the most frequently discussed issues in Renaissance feminist scholarship is the degree of authority and influence women held in their respective societies. During the sixteenth century, the most obvious indication of female power was the dramatic appearance of powerful female regents and monarchs. This was especially apparent in England, with Jane Gray, Mary Tudor, and Elizabeth Tudor each succeeding to the throne and initiating a succession of female domination for almost fifty years. Whereas women had been traditionally excluded from civil and religious authority, the advent of these female ru lers initiated a new discussion concerning the rights …

Dr. John Snow And The Nineteenthcentury British Cholera Crisis, Betsy A. Maughan

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

During the nineteenth century, Britain underwent attacks from a silent, determined killer. Invisible to the naked eye, this sinister enemy invaded towns, villages and homes with unforgiving stealth and cruelty. Lives were changed forever as panic, terror, and death overtook human habitats. The sneaky menace was Asiatic cholera. Although the first devastating British attack occurred during 1831-1832, London was fortunate enough to stay out of its destructive path. Luck ran out, however, as the second assault occurred during 1848-1849, consuming a good part of the city. Dr. John Snow, English physician, anesthetist and epidemiologist, dedicated most of his life to …

We Are Family Female Daoists, Their Institutions, And The State, Megan Holm

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

During the Tang Dynasty, Daoism put a measure of holiness on princesses who would not marry, consorts who meddled in state affairs, royal widows who would not completely retire, and maidens who would not marry. These seemingly subversive women were reincorporated into society through Daoism, and at the same time were allowed an incredible amount of personal autonomy. The freedom of Tang society enabled women to become Daoist adepts and nuns, whether seriously or in name only, within Daoist institutions that served as their new family structure.

Rapid Industrialization And Slave Labor: The Economics Of The Soviet Gulag, 1928-1940, Jeffrey S. Hardy

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

Alexander Solzhenitsyn's epic work The Gulag Archipelago opened Western eyes to the unfathomable horror endured by millions of people in the forced-labor camps of the Soviet Union. Since then, countless books, articles, memoirs, etc., have been devoted to explaining the origins of the Gulag, the lives of convicts within this prison system, and the number of people who perished as a result of it. This last aspect in recent years has drawn a disproportionate amount of discussion within the scholarly (and nonscholarly) community, as if an exact number is necessary to compare Joseph Stalin with other brutal dictators, or to …

It's Not Whether You Win Or Lose, It's Who Reports The Games: American Media And The Summer Olympics Of The 1950s, Benjamin G. Hardcastle

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

Upon their return from the London Olympic Games in 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt hosted the United States Olympic athletes at his Oyster Bay, New York retreat. The London Games had been rife with rivalry between the American team and its British hosts, causing the British press to question the sportsmanship of the American athletes after a number of heated events. The US athletes, upset by the accusations, were reassured by the words of Roosevelt. "We don't need to talk," he exclaimed upon receiving them, "we've won!"

Protestant Missionaries Catalysts In The Abolition Of Foot-Binding In China, Aaron Anderson

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

Known as the "custom that lasted a thousand years," the binding of women's feet in imperial China was practiced by women of all social classes. 1 When Protestant missionaries began to establish mission stations in Qing Dynasty China during the 1800s, they came face to face with foot-binding at its zenith. 2 In the absence of official statistics documenting how prevalent the custom was, a missionary observer's estimate that roughly 90% of the Chinese women had bound feet serves as a revealing clue of the practice's universal acceptance.3 Considering how widely practiced and long-lasting the tradition of foot-binding was, the …

Preface, Julie Harris

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

Each year, the Beta Iota chapter of Phi Alpha Theta publishes The Thetean as an outlet for student papers. We as a staff hope that this year's volume will encourage students to take their scholarly endeavors beyond the classroom, and to revise and refine their term papers as if they were preparing articles. We also hope that the selections in this year's Thetean adequately reflect the BYU History Department faculty's efforts to teach us to think, research, and write critically.

Front Matter

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

No abstract provided.

Watering A Dying Canopy: How Peter Berger Can Help Us Understand Communication In A Modern Age, Julia M. Richardson

Student Scholarship

In many instances of conflict and confusion, effective communication can be a useful tool in solving problems. When individuals experience a breakdown in communication, it can be frustrating as well as harmful for everyone involved. This autoethnography seeks to explain and remedy issues of communication breakdown through the lens of religious theory, primarily with regard to Peter Berger’s ideas of world construction and maintenance. When once taken-for-granted “worlds” that provide stability become threatened, one way communities respond is by isolating themselves from ideas which pose a threat to their way of life. In a new age of pluralism, this isolation …

A Picnic At Mount Nebo, Alex Smith

Grapho : Concordia Seminary Student Journal

As a scout, Cpl. Drew Waterson had been the first Union man to spot Stonewall Jackson’s Second Corps before they hit the Union camp. Or so he told anyone who would listen at any social event or gathering that the old man was invited to (or more often, simply showed up at). That had been at Chancellorsville, 2nd of May in the year of our Lord 1863, he was always like to add as kind of a final statement to his story. Short at least, the story was. He never elaborated much, and most he talked to were pretty content …

A Prayer For The Seminarian, Joshua Fields

Grapho : Concordia Seminary Student Journal

A Prayer for a Seminarian

Our Longing Satisfied, Rory Fry

Grapho : Concordia Seminary Student Journal

Our Longing Satisfied

Pride Comes In The Fall (And Spring), Jason Dulworth

Grapho : Concordia Seminary Student Journal

Pride Comes in the Fall (and Spring)

The Son Of David And The Spirit Of Wisdom, Kyle Moellenhoff

Grapho : Concordia Seminary Student Journal

What role does God’s wisdom play in the life and work of Jesus Christ? The traditional answer that most Nicene Christian theologians have given is that the person of the divine Logos, who is eternally begotten of the Father and incarnate in the person of Jesus, simply is God’s wisdom without further discussion.1 This answer is consistent with an orthodox Logos Christology. I will argue in this paper, however, that this answer, while helpful, is incomplete, and that Spirit Christology can help to illuminate a complementary model within Scripture for how divine wisdom is related to the person of Christ. …

God Will Be All In All: The Visio Dei In The Theology Of Gerhard In The Early Church, Zach Eshelman

Grapho : Concordia Seminary Student Journal

The beatific vision is a curious doctrine in Lutheran circles. Luther, Pieper and modern commentators all affirm the teaching that “eternal life consists in seeing God.” Nonetheless, the doctrine enjoys only passing reference when it is discussed. Potential reasons for such silence could be a study within itself, but it is worth taking time to look at what is likely the most robust articulation of the doctrine from a prominent Lutheran theologian.