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The Reformation And The Formation Of A Ukrainian Model Of Theological Education: From The Ostroh Academy To The Present, Vitalii Leonidovich Khromets Dr.

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article traces the institutional history of theological education in Ukraine from the Ostroh Academy (1576) to the present, proposing a typological framework of four models. The Ostroh Academy is interpreted as a proto-university synthesising Orthodox confessional formation, humanist learning, and civic responsibility. The Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (1632/1701) is read as a paradoxical Counter-Reformation continuation of the same logic, appropriating the Jesuit collegium model as an instrument of resistance to Polonisation and Latinisation. The eighteenth-century network of collegia — Chernihiv, Pereiaslav-Khmelnytsky, Kharkiv, and the Poltava Slavonic Seminary — is treated as a mature networked form integrating theological education with Pietist influences …

The Mystery Of Water Baptism: A Metaphorical Exploration Of Water Baptism And The Black Male Who, Due To Historical, Political, Societal, And Cultural Domination, May Experience The Justice Of Jesus In The Water, Reba Renee' Pennywell

Doctor of Ministry

There are many definitions of water baptism. A definition that is like the Biblical form of baptism and the context of this essay is the immersion or ‘dipping’ into a body of water. In the Christian church, this is viewed as a ceremonial ritual mimicked after the event when John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the Jordan River (Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11, Luke 3:21-22, John 1:29-34). In some ecclesial settings, the water is lightly sprinkled on the person’s forehead.

Many Christian writers assert that the Jordan River was unholy until Jesus’s Baptism. The theophany at the Jordan River transcended the …

Theology Of Creation In The Bulgarian Theology Of The 20th Century, Svetoslav Ribolov

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Theology of Creation in 20th-century Bulgaria emerged within the broader debate about the role of religious education in state schools and the tension between the prevailing influence of evolutionary theory and a scientific approach to the Orthodox Church’s traditional spiritual heritage. Before World War 2, the primary social and intellectual motivation behind the Theology of Creation in Bulgaria was rooted in an apologetic struggle against secular ideas, which were embraced by a significant portion of Bulgarian society at the time. In the second half of the 20th century, however, this discourse gradually evolved to incorporate more denominationally oriented theological perspectives, …

The Russian World: A Version Of Aggressive Ethnophyletism, Ioannis Kaminis Dr.

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The current paper deals with religious nationalism as a challenge in the Orthodox Church, especially following the 19th and early 20th-century formation of Balkan nation-states. This issue ties the Church closely with national identity, strengthening ethnocultural bonds and state relations, leading to national Churches that prioritize national revival over salvation in Christ. This phenomenon, called phyletism, has created heretical divisions within the Church. An aggressive version of Ethnophyletism the so-called "Russian World", which initially was focused on cultural influence after the collapse of USSR. Under Vladimir Putin, it evolved to justify protecting Russian compatriots abroad, supported by figures like Alexander …

New Wine: A Spiritual Approach For The Intervention Of High-Functioning Alcohol Use Disorder, Elias J. Suddarth

Doctor of Ministry

Considering the approximately 29 million adults in the United States struggling with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), we have discovered 85-90% do not seek available recovery options for alcoholism because a significant percentage do not see themselves within the typical narrative of a conventional recovery program. Most recovery approaches, whether secular or those involving spiritual principles, follow a century-old template for how any addict at any level ought to approach an abstinence-only treatment for their habitual misuse of a particular substance or behavior. Treatment for alcohol addiction has remained largely unchanged since the 1930’s even in the face of tremendous cultural …

Academic Reasearch On Saint Sava Of Serbia In Greece, Ioannis Kaminis

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The paper examines Greek Academic studies dedicated to Saint Sava, the first archbishop of the Serbs. It focuses on St. Sava's activities, the historical relations between Greeks and Serbs during the Middle Ages and beyond, and the most significant research on the Serbian saint. The analysis primarily addresses books concerning the Orthodox Church in Serbia, featuring prominent researchers such as Antonios-Emilios Tachiaos, Ioannis Tarnanidis, Athanasios Angelopoulos, Dimitrios V. Gonis, and Georgios-Nectarios Loes, along with one postgraduate thesis and one dissertation. The study concludes with a critical assessment of the current state of research and proposes potential future avenues for studying …

Attempts For Liturgical Renewal In The Liturgical Books Of The Orthodox Church Of Ukraine, Andriy Dudchenko

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The purpose of this article is to analyze the changes introduced in the official liturgical books of the OCU from the perspective of liturgical renewal. Some of the corrections made in the new editions show a tendency to renew the liturgical life, to restore an original form of liturgical prayer by removing later additions. This applies first of all to the order of the Divine Liturgy, from which it is now proposed to eliminate the prayers for catechumens, the Troparion of the Third Hour, and the insertion of some words of Anaphora of St. John Chrysostom into the Anaphora of …

Brilliance And Blindspots: New Light On C.S. Lewis's The Four Loves, Jason Lepojärvi

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

This paper is a critical re- evaluation of C.S. Lewis’s classic study of Christian love, The Four Loves (1960) that celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2020. After discussing important and neglected differences between the celebrated book and the largely forgotten radio talks which predate it, the paper asks and answers three important questions: Are there really four loves? What is the definition of love itself? What exactly is Charity? Lewis’s answers to these questions are more eclectic than is generally assumed. The paper offers an appreciative rereading of The Four Loves that seeks to correct or at least challenge a …

The Politicization Of Religion And The Sacralized Balkan Nations Regarding Bosnia And Herzegovina, Faruk Hadžić

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Ethnic, national, and confessional affiliation in ex-Yugoslavia add to political radicalization. As a form of political power, politicized religions are, psychologically speaking, unconscious non-faith. Due to new national-state theoretical inadequacy, (i.e., nationalism as an ideology), religion is used as an instrument of socialization and legitimization of new national-political state subjects. When nation and religion become “controversial” identification and mark others as potentially dangerous, through a policy that allegedly aims to "affirm" and "protect" its people and their faith, then in local historical and current circumstances, it essentially implies antagonism in the most dramatic conflicts. The historical revisionism and the memory …

The Idea Of A National Church In The Ukrainian Intellectual Discourse, Natalia Ishchuk, Oleksandr Sagan

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The reception of the idea of a national church in the Ukrainian intellectual environment in the context of current socio-political events in the country is examined here. Among the most influential Ukrainian religious scholars, there is a dominant idea that the formation of a national church is a part of the state formation and security of the country. They opposed historical distortions of this idea, as it occurs in case of ethnophyletism—domination of the national over the ecclesiastical, and etatism—the domination of the state, imperial (in the form of the Orthodox empire) over the ecclesiastical. Signs of these distortions are …

Introduction To The State Of New Testament Studies, Nijay K. Gupta, Scot Mcknight

Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary

Excerpt: "I (Nijay) first encountered the book The Face of New Testament Studies, this book's predecessor, when I was in graduate school. I went to seminary primarily because I wanted to learn how to study the Bible in depth for personal and ministry formation. I had not studied the Bible in an academic setting prior to that. The "world" of biblical studies for this neophyte seminary student was intriguing but mystifying-so many technical terms, multiple differing perspectives, views, and ideas proposed and presented, and all of this was in flux as scholarship moved forward decade after decade. Thankfully, The Face …

“I Don’T Want To Hear Your Language!” White Social Imagination And The Demography Of Roman Corinth, Ekaputra Tupamahu

Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary

This article aims to deconstruct the hidden pervasive whiteness in biblical scholarship and to propose another way to reimagine the linguistic dynamic of Roman Corinth from an Asian American perspective. It highlights the legal and historical interconnectedness of whiteness and the dominance of English. English is a critical marker of whiteness in the United States. In this context, immigrants are expected to conform to and assimilate themselves with whiteness by performing English. This particular racialized context has influenced and resulted in a scholarly historical reconstruction of immigrants in Roman Corinth as “Greek speaking im/migrants.” Immigrants can come from many different …

Evangelical Protestant Churches In The Republic Of Macedonia After World War Ii (1947-2017), Jovan Jonovski

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The first Evangelical Protestant church in the territory of the present-day Republic of Macedonia was established in Bitola (Monastir) in 1873, which became the Methodist Church in 1922. The second one is the Baptist Church established in 1928 in Skopje. After WWII, both Churches (denominations) faced difficulties from the socialist government, and the activities of the Church became restricted to the church building. The general situation changed at the end of the 1980s when, in 1987, a new wave arrived with the beginning of activities with two other churches: Christ’s Pentecostal (later Evangelical) Church and the Congregational Church. In the …

A New Koinonia: Rediscovering Community Through Online Communities Of Practice, Christal M. N. Jenkins

Doctor of Ministry

The 21st century American church sits in the crux of a paradigm shift. The shift is driven by the decline in community and the need to evolve in the manner and methods used to maintain fellowship with believers who are seeking community. The loss of community presents both a challenge and an opportunity. One way in which we, as the church, can expand our connection with one another is through incorporating communities of practice. Communities of practice consist of three main components: domain (shared interest), community, and practice. The conceptual framework of communities of practice can foster community and discipleship …

Text Of 1 Thessalonians (Chapter In 1 & 2 Thessalonians: Zondervan Critical Introductions To The New Testament), Nijay Gupta

Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary

The first port of call in this study is to identify the origins of 1 Thessalonians with a focus on the integrity of the text, authorship, and date, followed by an extended discussion of genre, style, and structure. Thereafter, I will discuss some of the possible sources behind 1 Thessalonians.

The Mystery Of The Incarnation: Towards A Reconciliation Of Cyril And Nestorius, Kyle Williams

Seminary Masters Theses

This thesis studies the fifth-century christological controversy surrounding Cyril of Alexandria (c. 378-444) and Nestorius of Constantinople (c. 381-451) and their debate around the person and nature of Jesus Christ, sparked by the theotokos dispute. At the First Council of Ephesus (431) the christologies of these two bishops and theologians were pitted against each other, and have since been studied in contrast to one another. The goal of this study is to examine the christologies of Cyril and Nestorius with the intention to seek reconciliation between the two. In the Introduction I first orient the reader to the problem and …

Lost And Silenced In Translation: Reading Pauline Discourse On Language In 1 Cor. 14 From An Asian American Perspective, Ekaputra Tupamahu

Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary

It is important to state from the outset that this chapter is not intended to speak for all Asian Americans, but rather a reflection grounded primarily on my personal experience as a first-generation Asian immigrant in the United States. As Jin Young Choi correctly notes, “Addressing what constitutes Asian/Asian American interpretation is an arduous task, and perhaps an impossible one because of the heterogeneity of practitioners and the fluidity of contexts” (2014, 1). I first set foot on US soil in 2009 coming to study at Claremont School of Theology from Indonesia. While I was at Claremont, I also worked …

Language Politics And The Constitution Of Racialized Subjects In The Corinthian Church, Ekaputra Tupamahu

Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary

This study examines the phenomenon of speaking in tongue(s) in the Corinthian church from the point of view of the politics of language. Instead of seeing tongue(s) as a problem of unintelligible-ecstatic speech, it reconsiders this phenomenon as a linguistic struggle. Tongue(s), in this sense, is a multilingual social dynamic that Paul perceives as chaotic. Special attention is given to the role of language as one of the crucial markers of the ancient Greeks’ collective identity. The barbarians are their imaginative and discursive ‘others’ who do not share their language. It is within this sociopolitical context that the employment of …

The Spirit-Led Coach: An Alternative Approach To Athletic Coaching, Sean Silverii

Doctor of Ministry

The world of sports is an approximate 620 billion dollar industry, claiming an attendance of a little over 124 million fans in 2016 just within the top five professional sports leagues. In the United States alone, it is estimated 20 to 30 million kids play recreational sports, while another 10 million teenagers play interscholastically each year. With these factors in mind, all forms of power, greed, corruption, violence, selfindulgence, etc. has seeped its way into athletics and culture like a virus. Recently, a bleacher report revealed that findings of an FBI probe into college basketball is expected to be released …

The Theological And Geographical Origins Of Protestantism In Albania, David Hosaflook

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The Albanian Protestant Movement has both a theological and a geographical origin. Theologically, the movement could only begin after parts of the Bible were translated into Albanian, because the Protestant doctrine of “Sola Scriptura” demands that believers understand the Holy Scriptures. Therefore, in Protestant missions to the Ottoman Empire, Bible translators usually preceded evangelists and the founding of churches. In 1827, the publication of the first Albanian New Testament was a significant achievement, but it was practically useless to most Albanians, who were illiterate (especially in their mother tongue). Hence, the Protestant missionary endeavor included linguistic and educational efforts to …

Orthodoxy And Protestantism Through The Centuries, Gjoko Gjorgjevski

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The aim of this paper is to describe the history and actual relations between the Orthodox East and the Protestant West. This paper will both examine and show the beginning, the continuation and the present situation of the Protestant-Orthodox dialog, communication, influences, convergences and differences, as well as the disputes and attempts to overcome disagreements. It will give an overview of the most important dialogues and scholarly exchanges over the centuries.

Ohrid Literary School In The Period Of Tzar Samoil And The Beginnings Of The Russian Church Literature, Gjorgi Pop-Atanasov

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article is concerned with the role of St. Clement’s Church in the preservation and the spread of Cyril and Methodius’s literary tradition and Slavic church services. Special emphasis is placed on the work of the Ohrid Literary School in the time of Tsar Samoil and the spread of Slavic literacy from its centers toward Macedonia’s neighboring countries and the Kievan Rus.

Road To The Restoration Of The Ohrid Archbishopric, Dejan Borisov

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The restoration of the abolished Ohrid Archbishopric did not begin with the processes at the end of the World War II, but immediately after its abolition in the eighteenth century. The restoration of the Ohrid Archbishopric as the Macedonian Orthodox Church is in full accordance with the church tradition and practices established by the other local Orthodox churches in the process of obtaining their autocephaly during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

The Odyssey Of Archbishop Gavril’S Translation Of The Bible, Marija Girevska

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Translating the Bible is not an easy task in any language. Every translation of the Bible is a confirmation of the capacity of a language to convey the Bible’s manifold depths and meanings. The publication of the Macedonian Bible has been received as a historic event in Macedonia. Archbishop Gavril’s translation remains a unique pillar in the development of the Macedonian literary language. The entire process of the planning, translation, and printing of the complete Macedonian Bible encompassed a period of some 50 years. Drawing on these references, the article explores the impressive journey of Archbishop Gavril’s translation of the …

King, Kingship, Sunggu Yang

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

Biblical films make use of several different images and related perceptions of kingship that are found throughout both Testaments: 1) king as absolute tyrant, 2) king as disapproved servant of God, 3) king as ideal head of the nation, 4) king as ironically subversive clown, and 5) God (or Christ) as ultimate king of kings in the universe. Films have been quick to adopt and depict these five images following biblical accounts and through creative imagination.

First and foremost, the concept of a king as an absolute tyrant is the earliest overture image of king in the OT/HB, particularly in …

Historical And Cultural Implications Of Bogomilism, Maja Angelovska, Ruzhica Cacanoska

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Bogomilism represents a spiritual manifestation, dualistic in nature, of a religious expression, and a social and philosophical orientation. The essence of Bogomilism can be followed on the basis of several key postulates, such as dualism, a specific theological and dogmatic characteristic, the support of ethical principles within their social life, and finally the political dimension of teaching the determinants which rise from the overall social and political processes in medieval times. The aim of this article is to present the historical and cultural aspects of this movement, which left visible traces in the spiritual culture of Macedonia, Balkans, and Byzantium.

Engaging Critical Thinking: Teaching Christian University Students How To Improve Their Thinking, Cedrick Valrie

Doctor of Ministry

Students in Christian university classrooms across North America largely lack the valuable skill of critical thinking. Such a skill can often appear as a daunting and lofty task that is reserved for scholars or those with a high IQ. Both faculty and students may feel uncertain of what it is, thereby avoiding it altogether. The primary intent of this dissertation study is to explore and explain critical thinking concepts that faculty can use to help their students improve their thinking about academics and about life. This study is secondarily designed to address the institution’s role in encouraging this process. It …

Alternatives To Violence—Leadership And Truth, Paul Anderson

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

No abstract provided.

Comparative Study Of Ethics In Librarianship And The Bible, Japheth Abdulazeez Yaya

The Christian Librarian

This paper is a comparative study that discusses ethical issues in librarianship and the Bible. Such issues include: Laws in librarianship vs. laws in the Bible; censorship in librarianship vs. censorship in the Bible; Bible teachings on access to information and access to information in librarianship; purification (i.e., book binding), conservation and preservation practices in the library and in the Bible; weeding of library collections and weeding practices in the Bible; privacy and confidentiality in the library and in the Bible; orderliness of the library collections and the Bible; consortium building of library collections and in the Bible; and consequences …

In His Disciple Making Ministry, How Did Jesus Christ Determine What To Say And/Or Do?, David A. Toth

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation answers the question, “How did Jesus Christ ascertain what to say and do in his disciple making process?” The thesis is that Jesus Christ used the immediate life circumstances of his disciples to determine what he would say and/or do in the process of his disciple making. Jesus was remarkably effective in terms of quality and quantity leaving behind disciples who reflected his lifestyle and commitment to the mission of God and who powerfully reproduced themselves. The research supports the thesis as a partial answer and reveals three additional dimensions that significantly informed Jesus Christ’s disciple making approach. …