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Gardner-Webb Faculty And Staff Present Awards For Academic Excellence And Service To The Campus And Community, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

Gardner-Webb University recently recognized students for academic excellence and community service. Winners of these awards exemplify the University’s core values of faith, service and leadership in their classrooms and communities.

Gardner-Webb Students Debate Ethics In Democracy And Citizenship In Virtual Ethics Bowl, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

The 11th annual Ethics Bowl sponsored by North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (NCICU) was held virtually again this year. The theme for the event was Ethics in Democracy and Citizenship. Gardner-Webb University was one of 13 colleges to participate.

Breaking The Davidic Covenant And The Rape Of Zion, Holly Strother

MA in Religion Theses

Second Samuel 7 lays out the relationship between God and David through a covenant. David breaks the covenant with God when he takes Bathsheba and kills Uriah, and the consequences impact David, his lineage, and Daughter Zion (his kingdom). The language used to describe the city's fall is that of sexual violence, highlighting the horrors of rape within David’s life and lineage after he breaks his covenant with God by taking Bathsheba. The methodology of this thesis is a narrative approach to the biblical text that uses reader-response criticism while exploring the narrative of 2 Samuel 7, 11, and 12. …

Strengthening An Understanding And Practice Of Spiritual Transformation For Sunday School Teachers Of Ellis Chapel Baptist Church, Patterson Springs, Nc, Linda Williams Lockhart

Doctor of Ministry Projects

The spiritual formation process can be clearly viewed through the lives of those who lived during the biblical era. People desire to change; however, the problem is that they do not know how because training in the spiritual formation process is not present within many churches today. This project was designed to train selected Sunday School teachers of Ellis Chapel Baptist Church through a four-week spiritual transformation process, hoping to strengthen their understanding of becoming image-bearers and practitioners of the Gospel that Jesus taught and exemplified. Through utilizing spiritual disciplines in journaling, training sessions, and assessments, selected teachers became aware …

Dr. Gerald Keown Remembered By Gwu Community For His Passion To Teach And Serve, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

The Gardner-Webb University community is remembering the contributions and legacy of Dr. Gerald Keown, who passed away on Dec. 14. Keown was professor emeritus of Biblical Studies and the former associate dean of the Gardner-Webb University M. Christopher White School of Divinity. He began his tenure at GWU in 1996 as a professor of Old Testament Interpretation and served as associate dean from 2006 to 2019.

Gardner-Webb, The Magazine 2021, Fall (Volume 56), Noel T. Manning

Gardner-Webb, The Magazine

Gardner-Webb, The Magazine, previously titled The Webb Magazine, focuses on alumni news and campus events from Gardner-Webb College; now Gardner-Webb University. This issue includes articles on the installation of "Bo," the new GWU mascot; celebrating students and alumni with military service, and updates from the office of the President.

Gardner-Webb Event Invites Two Faculty Members To Discuss Relationship Between Science And Faith, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

In the third program in Gardner-Webb University’s “Webb Connections” series, President Dr. William M. Downs is joined by two faculty members to discuss “Science and Faith: Not Mutually Exclusive.” While this topic has been examined and debated for centuries, it remains relevant to today, and especially on the campus of Gardner-Webb, a private Christian liberal arts university, where conviction and critical thinking meet every day.

Gardner-Webb Team Explores Ethical Issues Related To Covid-19 In 10th Annual Ethics Bowl, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

The 10th annual Ethics Bowl, sponsored by North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, was a virtual event this year, held via Zoom. The team from Gardner-Webb University was one of 16 to participate in the recent event. Because of the online format, the event was not a competition. Teams were asked to present their positions on two cases, which explored ethical issues relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the presentations were not judged, guests who had previously served as judges provided feedback to the teams.

2021 - 2022, Gardner-Webb Academic Catalog, Gardner-Webb University

Academic Catalogs (Combined Undergraduate & Graduate)

2021 - 2022, Gardner-Webb University Academic Catalog. William Downs, president.

The Reception Of Hagar In The Writings Of Origen, John Chrysostom, And Augustine, Mariah Case

MA in Religion Theses

The premise of this thesis is to explore the reception of the Hagar stories through three prominent early Christian thinkers -Origen, John Chrysostom, and Augustine of Hippo - in order to evaluate the theological significance she had for those particular contexts. Hagar functions predominately as a symbol in contexts where group identity, power, and ideology are contested. The hermeneutical and theological stances of the authors are examined to expose and mitigate the religious conflict occurring in their historical location. The resulting interpretations of Hagar and her story vary from Christianization of the character to outright scorn and rejection of the …

Experiencing The Shock Of Mark 13, Jeremiah Jordan Hamby

MA in Religion Theses

The Gospel of Mark is a narrative text, a piece of literature, a story. In this narrative, the apocalyptic rule of God, Jesus, and other literary elements of the narrative then come together in a particular way within Mark 13 to shock the readers. Readers progress through the narrative and are shaped by various aspects of it along the way. The primary goal of this thesis is to look at Mark 13 and how narrative elements come together to evoke a particular experience in readers. Readers and stories meet at places where their horizons, their vantage points, converge. Narrative experiences …

Gwu Scholar Investigates Bonhoeffer’S Reasons For Conspiring To Assassinate Hitler, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

While reading Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s “The Cost of Discipleship,” Hannah O’Brien, ’20, became intrigued. How could theologian and pastor Bonhoeffer, who many considered a pacifist, participate in a plan to assassinate Hitler? She received an Undergraduate Research Scholars grant from Gardner-Webb University to conduct a theological investigation of the ethics of Bonhoeffer’s plot.

Gardner-Webb School Of Divinity Appoints Three Faculty Members To Endowed Positions, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

Three Gardner-Webb University faculty members in the M. Christopher White School of Divinity received honors recently. Dr. Danny West, Dr. Jim McConnell and Dr. Sophia Steibel have been appointed to endowed chair positions.

Gardner-Webb School Of Divinity Transitions Master Of Divinity Degree To 78 Hours, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

Beginning with the fall semester 2020, the Gardner-Webb University School of Divinity will transition its 90-hour Master of Divinity degree to a 78-hour program. The accredited program streamlines the curriculum, which combines core requirements with six concentration areas. This adjustment maintains academic excellence and further promotes the overall goal of the School of Divinity—namely that of serving the church—by allowing prospective and practicing ministers to receive the theological training they need in a more timely and financially affordable manner.

Board Of Trustees Honors Service And Contributions Of Dedicated Members, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

The Gardner-Webb University Board of Trustees recently recognized five board members for their outstanding service to GWU and contributions in their communities. They were presented the title of trustee emeriti by Board Chair Jennifer Marion Mills at the University’s annual scholarship luncheon, which gives scholarship donors a chance to meet the recipients of their funds. The following were recognized as trustee emeriti.

Nurturing Emotional Intelligence To Encourage An Increase In Compassion Among The Members Of Ecclesia Baptist In Asheville, North Carolina, Aileen Mitchell Lawrimore

Doctor of Ministry Projects

God’s infinite chesed for humanity, embodied in Jesus, calls Christians to claim their inherent brokenness and their infinite beauty and to offer the same grace to others. This chesed, experienced as compassion, enables Christians to extend compassion to themselves and others. To encourage this behavior among members of Ecclesia Baptist, this project paired psychology with theology and biblical study to nurture emotional intelligence (EQ). Participants attended five two-hour sessions and spent time on reflection and practice outside of meetings. Results indicated that increased EQ boosts confidence in compassionate behavior and increases intentions to continue practices formed from the study.

Crying Out Together: Forming A Hermeneutic Of Powerful Suffering, Harley Burgess

MA in Religion Theses

Process theology, along with its connection to questions of suffering and theodicy, presents a perspective that is largely absent within biblical scholarship. Similarly, a lack of clear cohesion with the biblical text is an evident critique of process theology. A hermeneutic that is directly informed by process-oriented passibilism meets a need that is present in both biblical scholarship and process theology, allowing for a deeper understanding of biblical depictions of suffering. This thesis aims to incorporate the theological conclusions of passibilist process theology into a new hermeneutical strategy that will allow for a more comprehensive examination of suffering in the …

Strengthening Intergenerational Bonds Through The Practice Of Learning And Mission At First Baptist Church Valdese, Nc, Joshua Lail

Doctor of Ministry Projects

An education program was designed to encourage intergenerational unity among a mixed group of youth and adults at First Baptist Church in Valdese, NC. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed to determine the effectiveness of the program on the intergenerational experimental group. There was movement toward intergenerational unity from the pre-test to post-test in the experimental group. Insights were learned from the data, particularly that there were different rates of growth between the youth and adults, and the observation that participants may have liked the idea of working together more than actually working together. The younger participants …

2020 - 2021, Gardner-Webb University Academic Catalog, Gardner-Webb University

Academic Catalogs (Combined Undergraduate & Graduate)

2020 - 2021, Gardner-Webb University Academic Catalog. William Downs, president.

October 2019: Sharpening Our Institutional Identity, Gardner-Webb University

President William Downs' Blog

Welcome to October, my friends.

As I have traversed campus and listened to faculty and staff over the past three months, one of the (many) recurring themes has been an undercurrent of some anxiety over whether Gardner-Webb University’s identity as a faith-based institution has eroded or been adrift for several years. The narrative, as I have heard it, is that GWU “might not be as Christian as it once was.”

Annual Program Honors Gardner-Webb Faculty And Staff, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

Gardner-Webb honored outstanding faculty and staff members recently during the University’s annual “Apples and Accolades” program. The 2019 Excellence in Teaching Award was presented to Dr. Bruce Moser, assistant professor of music. A former winner of the Faculty’s Rising Star Award, Moser is known for his exceptional skill in the classroom and his service to the University through multiple committees and as a champion of undergraduate research.

Gardner-Webb University Recognizes Achievements Of Undergraduate Students, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

Gardner-Webb University recently honored undergraduate students for academic excellence and outstanding service and leadership. Winners of these awards exemplify the University’s core values of faith, service and leadership in their classrooms and communities. In recognition of the award presentation, each student may choose one book for purchase by Gardner-Webb’s Dover Memorial Library.

Undergraduate Research Scholar Studies Life Of Missionary And Author Elisabeth Elliott, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

Sarah Lauren Traylor, a biblical studies major at Gardner-Webb University, has admired the late Elisabeth Elliot and drawn inspiration from her books for several years. Last year while researching Elliot’s complementarian view of marriage, she was surprised that there was very little biographical information available on Elliott. “She wonderfully exemplifies the motto of Gardner-Webb University, “Pro Deo et Humanitate” (For God and Humanity),” shared Traylor, a native of Staunton, Va.

2019 - 2020, Gardner-Webb University Academic Catalog, Gardner-Webb University

Academic Catalogs (Combined Undergraduate & Graduate)

2019- 2020, Gardner-Webb University Academic Catalog. William Downs, president.

Heroes In The Midst Of Gods: A Narratological Study Of Heroes And The Divine In Mesopotamian, Greco-Roman, And Abrahamic Otherworldly Journeys, Zachary James Dey

MA in Religion Theses

The project at hand uncovers two dominant morals of Western otherworldly journeys: herocentrism and theocentrism. The former moral stresses the heroism of the protagonist; the latter stresses God’s presence and power in the universe. Although otherworldly journeys from various traditions present certain similarities, the underlying morals provide profound differences that warrant consideration. Joseph Campbell’s “monomyth” and this thesis’ proposed Otherworldly Paradigm bring to light these underlying morals. This thesis demonstrates that Mesopotamian and Greco-Roman otherworldly journeys present a hero-centered moral, as shown through the monomyth, and the Abrahamic traditions present a Divine-centered moral, as shown through the proposed storyline.

Gardner-Webb, The Magazine 2019, Fall (Volume 54), Noel T. Manning Ii

Gardner-Webb, The Magazine

Gardner-Webb, The Magazine, previously titled The Webb Magazine, focuses on alumni news and campus events from Gardner-Webb College; now Gardner-Webb University. This issue includes many articles on the installation of new president, Dr. William Downs. Additional highlights include Dr. Steve Harmon's visit with Pope Frances as part of a series of Baptist-Catholic meetings through the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) at the Vatican, Alpha Chi awards from the Alpha Chi national convention, highlights of student and faculty service, and coverage of the GWU Runnin' Bulldogs in the NCAA Championship. This issue also includes the announcement of the Tucker Heart, Soul, Mind, …

Gardner-Webb Students Join Alpha Chi Honor Society, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

Gardner-Webb University inducted 37 members into Alpha Chi, a national collegiate honor society, in a ceremony held Nov. 11 in Blanton Auditorium in Hamrick Hall. Dr. Pam Dennis, dean of Dover Memorial Library, was inducted as an honorary member. When recognizing Dennis, Dr. June Hobbs, Alpha Chi sponsor, noted her commitment to students.

Gardner-Webb Alumna Accepts Challenge To Minister Around The World, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

“When will you come back?” The children’s innocent question tugged at Shelby Robinson’s heart. The 2017 alumna of Gardner-Webb University had played with them all afternoon in a slum in the Philippines.

Gwu Students Win Presentation Prizes At National Alpha Chi Conference, Office Of University Communications, Chelsea Snydor

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

Gardner-Webb University sent 16 students to the recent Alpha Chi Conference in Portland, Ore. Alpha Chi is a national college honor society invested in fueling students’ original research and creativity. There are 300 society chapters at colleges and universities in the United States.

2018 - 2019, Gardner-Webb University Graduate Academic Catalog, Gardner-Webb University

Graduate Academic Catalogs

2018 - 2019, Gardner-Webb University Graduate Academic Catalog. A. Frank Bonner, president.