Digital Commons Network^™

Intersexion, Cynthia Davis

English Theses & Dissertations

A combination of memoir, reportage, and opinion writing, Intersexion explores the realities of growing up intersex while also examining the conservative mindset that caused the narrator—a happily married suburban mother—to lose a tenure-track position at a Christian university for being unwilling to label Danny’s intersex condition as “repugnant” and “offensive to God.”

Keep Calm & Carry On, Becky St. Clair

Andrews Agenda: Campus News

No abstract provided.

What Made Nehemiah An Effective Leader?, Cheryl Patton

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

Nehemiah, whose role changed from that of royal cupbearer to governor of Judah, utilized multiple leadership strategies in accomplishing his goal of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. his work was accomplished through an active prayer life, providing a vision to his followers, using his closeness to King Artaxerxes to receive help, role modeling, adaptability, and foresight. furthermore, Nehemiah paid close attention to his followers’ needs, and was tenacious in accomplishing his goals. this document describes Nehemiah’s utilization of these primarily transformational leadership strategies. It also offers contemporary christian leaders an effective leadership role model.

The Critical Role Of Mentoring For Pastoral Formation, Kenley Hall

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

Denominational leaders view the M.Div. as the gold standard in preparing young men and women for ministry. however, academic training alone does not prepare someone for ministry. It must be paired with mentoring, defined as the intentional relationship between an experienced pastoral mentor and a young pastoral mentee for the purpose of pastoral formation. this paper explores the mentoring relationships between Barnabas and Paul, and Paul and timothy as instructive examples of the importance, process and impact of mentoring for pastoral formation. It concludes that Barnabas and Paul played a crucial role in the pastoral formation of their mentees.

Biblical Foundations Of Christian Leadership, Part 2, Stanley E. Patterson Phd

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

"christian leadership assumes a relational process in pursuit of a common purpose. It is a process which, while expecting obedience to Jesus’ commands (John 15:10), is devoid of coercive structures that require accomplishment. Rather, the community of leader and followers is driven intrinsically by values that support both mission and process. Obedience in the absence of coercion assumes an intrinsic motivation—love. Jesus speaks of love for one another as essential to christian identity within the larger community (John 13:35). he strengthens the argument for love as a foundational value related to mission accomplishment by identifying his love for them as …

Hebrew Typography: A Modern Progression Of Language Forms, Shayna Tova Blum

Faculty and Staff Publications

Influenced by studies in traditional Ashkenazi and Sephardi scripts. The typeface had been designed for the printing of the Koren Tanakh, a first edition printed Jewish Bible processed through an all-Jewish collaboration for the first time in centuries. Koren’s project was inspired by the revival of Hebrew initiated by Haskalah writers in the 18th century. Haskalah writers utilized the language and scripts of written and printed literary texts. Influenced by philosophical and political ideologies of the European Enlightenment, the Haskalah explored Jewish identity through language by defining the secular context through traditional Jewish symbolism and narratives. The Zionist movement of …

Space, Land, Territory, And The Study Of The Bible, Stephen C. Russell

Publications and Research

In this brief volume, written for professional biblical scholars and graduate students being trained in biblical studies, Stephen C. Russell introduces the reader to the interdisciplinary study of space and its related concepts, including land, territory, border, frontier, nature, scale, spatial flows, and rhythm. He offers a synopsis of eight approaches to the study of space that have been influential in the humanities and social sciences in recent decades—sacred, legal, political, economic, ecological, visual, social, and urban approaches. He pays special attention to Henri Lefebvre’s treatment of social space as a social product. The volume also briefly notes some of …

Interpretations Of Hagar: Pathway To Healing In The Wake Of Sexual Assault, Kelsey West

Religion: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

A Novel Application: Using Mobile Technology To Connect Physical And Virtual Reference Collections, Hailie D. Posey

Library Faculty and Staff papers

This chapter describes an innovative implementation of the use of iPad kiosks to blur the lines between physical and virtual library collections. Providence College’s Phillips Memorial Library + Commons began lending iPads to students, faculty, and staff in 2012. In addition to lending the devices, library staff dedicated time to learning about both task-based and subject-based mobile applications that would be of use to our community. A small group of library staff tested, discussed, and vetted a variety of apps that would be deployed on the iPads to be lent out. Efforts were made to promote the use and discovery …

“Man, Don’T Feel Like A Woman”: Christian Scriptural Interpretations, The Binary Gender System, And How They Can Lead To Misogyny And Homophobia, Alyssa Froehling

Audre Lorde Prize

This paper utilizes different analyses of scripture to argue that a binary gender system is not inherent in Christianity. Contemporary societal norms placed onto Christianity contribute to the oppression of women and those in LGBTQ+ communities.

Bible As Interface, Michael Paul Hemenway

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The book is undergoing a major technological transition as print wanes in its dominance and the internet and mobile devices transform our reading and writing technologies. With the entangled histories of bible and book, our emerging technological age and its transformation of the materiality of bible forces us to engage bible as something irreducible to a book. The connections between the major technological transition from roll to codex in antiquity and the contemporary move toward the internet and mobile technologies as reading platforms encourage us to consider bible as an interface that affords high surface area, collaboration, and anarchy. Building …

The Ancient Doctrine Of The Two Ways In The Book Of Mormon, Noel B. Reynolds

Faculty Publications

Consistent with their preexilic Hebrew Bible predecessors, the Book of Mormon prophets taught a version of the Two Ways doctrine that featured (1) invitations to repentance defined as turning or returning to God’s way, (2) the context of the Abrahamic covenant, (3) the blessings and cursings that would come from obedience or disobedience, and (4) the contrast of the path of righteousness that leads to life with the path of evil that leads to death. But this analysis has also produced a number of expansions or refinements of the Two Ways doctrine that are not reflected in biblical treatments of …

An Exploration Into The Lived Experience Of The Jazz Funeral, Caryn R. Whitacre

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This qualitative phenomenological study set out to explore and understand the subjective lived experience of the Jazz Funeral ritual of New Orleans, Louisiana. This dissertation was guided by two principal research questions: 1) What is the lived experience of participation in the Jazz Funeral ritual? and 2) What elements of the Jazz Funeral are beneficial to bereavement as reported by the subjects? Research data were collected and arranged through the utilization of phenomenological research protocol. By recognizing that people are the experts of their own lived experience and listening to participants describe their lived experiences of this ritual, this researcher …

The King And The Land: A Geography Of Royal Power In The Biblical World, Stephen C. Russell

Publications and Research

The King and the Land offers an innovative history of space and power in the biblical world. Stephen C. Russell shows how the monarchies in ancient Israel and Judah asserted their power over strategically important spaces such as privately-held lands, religious buildings, collectively-governed towns, and urban water systems. Among the case studies examined are Solomon's use of foreign architecture, David's dedication of land to Yahweh, Jehu's decommissioning of Baal's temple, Absalom's navigation of the collective politics of Levantine towns, and Hezekiah's reshaping of the tunnels that supplied Jerusalem with water.

By treating the full range of archaeological and textual evidence …

Implementing Vocational Training At Escuela Quiteña De Estudios Bíblicos, Joshua K. Marcum

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This DMin project addressed the problem of the absence of a viable training model to equip graduates of EQEB (Escuela Quiteña de Estudios Biblicos) for self-sustaining ministry. Based upon a theology of vocation, the project implemented and evaluated the inclusion of a technical-skills component to EQEB’s current seminary training. The project followed the integration of sixteen EQEB students in the vocational program implemented during the 2015-2016 school year. Qualitative research data gathered from five group interviews with these students, my own field notes, and a faculty interview provided the substance upon which I based the project´s findings. Over a seven-month …

Formulating A Covenant Of Discipleship For The Membership Of The Gwinnett Church Of Christ, David Chisholm

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This project addressed the lack of a covenant of discipleship for the membership of the Gwinnett Church of Christ (GCC). The purpose of the project was to develop such a covenant document to help all the members of GCC better live out the process of becoming more like Jesus. To provide a theological foundation for this project, I explored discipleship in the exhortation sections of the book of Hebrews, which specifically addresses the need for greater commitment and intentionality amongst a community of faith. I also explored the theoretical framework of how formulating a discipleship covenant document could create progress …

I'Ll Take "Sifting And Winnowing" For $1000, Alex, Dennis Lloyd

Against the Grain

No abstract provided.

Christ And Culture Valued: Test Cases On Fairness, John Carson Iii

Senior Honors Theses

This research engages H. Richard Niebuhr’s work, Christ and Culture. Niebuhr’s book is a seminal work on the historical trends of Christian cultural engagement. This research applies several tests to the paradigm demonstrated in Niebuhr’s work. These tests demonstrate that Christ and Culture presents a paradigm that lacks fairness and does not adequately meet the goals of an explanatory paradigm. Niebuhr’s paradigm has shaped the discussion of Christian cultural engagement for over fifty years, and this research was done to demonstrate the need for new conversation-shaping paradigms in the field of Christian cultural engagement.

Grand Valley Forum, Volume 041, Number 09, October 24, 2016, Grand Valley State University

2016-2017, Volume 41

Grand Valley Forum is Grand Valley State's faculty and staff newsletter, published from 1976 to the present.

“It’S Not A Fucking Book, It’S A Weapon!”: Authority, Power, And Mediation In The Book Of Eli, Seth M. Walker

Journal of Religion & Film

The mediation of religious narratives through sacred texts is intimately bound to the power relations involved in their transmission and maintenance. Those who possess such mediated messages and control their access and interpretation have historically held privileged positions of authority, especially when those positions are not easily contested. The 2010 film The Book of Eli uniquely engages these elements by placing the alleged last copy of the King James Version of the Christian Bible at the forefront of a clash between different individuals in a post-nuclear wasteland. This paper, drawing on Max Weber’s notion of “charisma,” and scholars addressing religion, …

Gleaning As A Transformational Business Model For Solidarity With The Poor And Marginalized, Bruce D. Baker

SPU Works

“Gleaning” refers to the mandate within the Mosaic Law that harvesters should leave behind “gleanings” for the sake of the poor who subsist on the literal and figurative margins of society. Although this biblical mandate is generally neglected and considered irrelevant in modern business practice, it holds powerful lessons to help guide modern businesses into transformational solidarity with the poor and marginalized. This paper interprets the biblical significance of gleaning, to discern how the principles of gleaning, though rooted in ancient agrarian culture, might be applicable to modern business which is generally far removed from agriculture. The exegesis and analysis …

Inauguration Of Dr. Andrea Luxton: Sixth President Of Andrews University Officially Inducted Into New Role

Andrews Agenda: Campus News

Information about the inauguration ceremony for AU's sixth President, Dr. Andrea Luxton.

“My Heart Falters, Fear Makes Me Tremble” (Isaiah 21:4 Niv): Emotions And Prophetic Writings In The Bible, Gerald A. Klingbeil, Chantal J. Klingbeil

Faculty Publications

"Emotions are an intricate part of what it means to be human. They are part of complex coping mechanisms installed by a Creator God whose own emotions are reflected in humanity’s creation in the imago Dei, the “image of God” (Gen. 1:27).¹ Joy, exuberance, anticipation, pleasure, delight, and happiness, must have all been part of God’s original make-up of humanity, for they characterize our existence today. We also experience, however, anger, sadness, sorrow, fear, depression, dejection, misery, and fury—emotions that became part of our emotive repertoire following the Fall in Genesis 3.²

Unfortunately, we have traditionally …

On Threefold Revelation Of God, Christian Andreas Schwarz

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

The most important thing that distinguishes leaders from nonleaders is that leaders are responsible for other people. Leaders cannot afford to limit their focus to themselves and their own favorite theologies shaped by their biographies, including both highly personal traumata and eureka experiences. they must be able to serve people according to the spiritual needs of these people, which should not be confused with the spiritual needs that the leader may have himself or herself. People without leadership responsibility are free to simply project their own spiritual experiences on others; for a leader, this would be highly immature, even irresponsible. …

The Legacy Of God's Leadership

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

...the notion of shared leadership is seriously explored by secular businesses. With this in mind, it may be beneficial to look at this topic from the perspective of the Triune godhead in the light of Scripture. Although there are numerous texts in the Bible relating the trinity and leadership, we will limit our focus particularly to two of the most vivid places dealing with god in his three persons: the first letter of John and Matthew 28:18–20.

The Creativity Behind Creation: The Trinity In Genesis 1:1-2:3 And Group Creativity, Justin R. Bowers

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

The need for organizations to rely on individual members and their collective creativity to thrive in the 21st century has greatly increased. Today, the words of Bennis and Biederman (1997) ring true: the organizations of the future will increasingly depend on their members to survive. Great groups offer a new model in which the leader is an equal among titans. In a truly creative collaboration, work is pleasure, and the only rules and procedures are those that advance the common cause. (p. 8) The growing literature surrounding group creativity reveals a thriving area of interest among group theory scholars. Questions …

From Diabolical To Dialogical: Transforming Ethics Through Dialogical Leadership, Brian Ruffner

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

Much like the example of David and Nathan in 2 Samuel 11–12 demonstrated, moral lapses victimize the entire organization, and members often persist in ethical misconduct without full comprehension of the gravity of their actions. As an antidote, organizational members must be vigilant and resolute in watching for the signs of ethical degradation, forming a noticing organization. However, as opposed to confronting ethical misconduct head-on, dialogical leadership, encompassing a Trinitarian perspective, attempts to preserve the fabric of community through strategic narrative and transparent dialogue aimed at raising ethical awareness and inhibiting unethical behavior.

A Theology Of Missional Leadership In The Book Of Revelation, Gyeongchun Choi

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

Dissertation Notice:

Full Text of Dissertation

This study aims to establish a theology of missional leadership through motifs inherent in the cosmic conflict between God and Satan in the Book of Revelation, examining the Apocalypse and comparing it with relevant leadership theories. The Book of Revelation is a valid source of understanding pastoral and missional leadership because it contains leadership terminologies and concepts and reveals the Lamb’s leadership behavior and exposes the counterfeit leadership of the Dragon.

The Trinitarian Foundation Of Leadership: Working Together For God’S Glory In Unity And Diversity, Matthew Dean Ross

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

Dissertation Notice:

Full Text of Dissertation

This research examines the association between Trinitarian thinking and the understanding of personal identity in the context of positions of lateral influence. in particular the doctrines of the image of God, union with Christ, and covenant are examined from a Trinitarian perspective. Because the doctrine of Trinity emphasizes that the one God eternally exists as three persons, Trinitarian thinking requires that both universals and particulars be held together in an equiprimal relationship. Each of these doctrines is examined in order to highlight the significance of this equiprimal relationship in understanding personal identity.

Biblical Foundations Of Christian Leadership: Part 1, Stanley E. Patterson Phd

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

The Biblical foundations of leadership begin to be laid in the first chapter of Genesis and conclude with the declaration of a kingly leadership position (Rev. 1:5, 6) for God’s people in Revelation. These books and those in between reveal the deeds and misdeeds of leaders throughout. We see the massive deterioration of leadership behavior in the rebellion of Lucifer against God, but we also observe the incredible demonstration of leadership in the descent of the Messiah into the greatness of transformational service. The model demonstrated by Christ is a model of service. The followers of Jesus are called to …