Digital Commons Network^™

Encountering God Through His Creation, Philip Joseph Parker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A review of current literature demonstrates the need for a comprehensive understanding of the revelation of God through His creation. The purpose of this project is to examine this subject from a biblical, historical, and theological perspective. Personal testimonies, pertinent research, and the writings of numerous authors have also been employed in this study. Additional insights have been gleaned from a survey given to the members of seven Southern Baptist churches. The project concludes with a number of recommendations for those who wish to pursue more meaningful encounters with God through His creation.

Towards An Effective Christian Cross-Cultural Youth Training Model: A Youth Ministry International Case Study, Jeddy Katule Kaleli

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This project is an attempt to explore the indispensable components of an effective Christian cross-cultural youth training model within the context of contemporary youth culture. Taking Youth Ministry International training philosophy as a case study, it analyzes it from an African Christian perspective within the framework of Biblical, anthropological and missiological perspectives. The study has revealed that an effective Christian cross-cultural youth training model must take seriously the cultures in which others live without compromising the authority of Biblical absolutes.

The Effects Of Life Skills Instruction On The Personal-Social Skills Scores Of Rural High School Students With Mental Retardation, Mary K. Quigley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Effects of Life Skills Instruction on the Personal-Social Skills Scores of Rural High School Students with Mental Retardation. (Under the direction of Dr. Margaret Ackerman) School of Education, March, 2007. The current legislation No Child Left Behind mandates that students with mental retardation have access to core curriculum courses. A comprehensive life skills program, Life Centered Career Education (LCCE), was integrated into the curriculum of high school students with mental retardation. The LCCE program was utilized to educate students on Personal-Social, Daily Life skills, and Occupational lessons with an academic emphasis. The study measured improvements made in the personal-social …

The Relationship Between Oral Reading Fluency And Comprehension, Jessica A. Talada

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Oral reading fluency and reading comprehension are identified as components in effectively gaining meaning from text. A reciprocal relationship exists between the two that allows one to comprehend more thoroughly as one reads more fluently. Additionally, as one reads more fluently, one’s ability to comprehend also improves. This is due to the fact that one’s brain is more capable in processing text meaning when one is able to read fluently. Therefore, when one automatically identifies words one is able to comprehend text more completely. The oral reading fluency and comprehension relationship was tested for a second and third grade population …

The Role Of Latinidad In The Worship And Formation Of Identity Of A U.S. Hispanic, Pentecostal Church, Kristina Arellano

Masters Theses

This case study examines how culture influenced the worship of one U.S. Hispanic church made up of thirteen different nationalities. I examined how Latinidad, a unified Latino identity, assisted in the construction of Iglesia Ebenezer’s collective identity enabling them to worship together despite their diversity. I observed several worship services and interviewed eleven participants during my fieldwork: three pastors, two youth leaders, and six worship-team musicians. I compared and contrasted case studies of the musicians to construct a collective identity of this small group. A final analysis compared my fieldwork observations and the perspectives of all eleven individuals to establish …

The Music Of A Kalinga Peace-Pact Celebration: Making Place Through The Soundscape, Glenn Ress Stallsmith

Masters Theses

Music and place are two phenomena that have been objectified by researchers in the past. This thesis treats both as social processes created by subjects in local, specific contexts. The Kalinga peace pact system forms an intricate web of bilateral agreements between forty or more culture groups in the northern Philippines. Each agreement is celebrated when it is formed or when a peace pact holder from one group passes the responsibility on to his son. This thesis examines eight musical scenes at one peace pact ceremony celebrated in the Mangali culture area in April 2005. It analyzes the music performances …

Review: Shepherds After My Own Heart: Pastoral Traditions And Leadership In The Bible, Donald L. Fowler

SOR Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Dancing Through Film Musicals: Narratives In Motion, Dara Phillips

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to discover if and how dance communicates vital plot and character information nonverbally. The example analyzed was the film Singin’ in the Rain. This thesis examined the six dance sequences in the film to determine if the dancing is an integral, powerful, and significant communicative addition to the film. Walter Fisher’s Narrative Paradigm was used in conjunction with Seymour Chatman’s concept of kernels and satellites to determine if the dances communicated significantly to the film’s viewers. The Narrative Paradigm, though loosely framed, provided the concepts of coherence and fidelity. These concepts helped determine if …

Professional Soccer Ministries: The Deconstruction Of Secularization Through The Globalization Of Soccer In Conjunction With The Biblical Worldview, Aaron Matsuo Tredway

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This project is an attempt to present the ministry of, conceptual/theological impetus for, and assessment of Professional Soccer Ministries as it pertains to the deconstruction of secularization. This will be accomplished by one presenting the inception of Professional Soccer Ministries. Secondly, a review of the cultural/societal shift from Christendom to Enlightenment thought and its implications for the church of the modern era will be discussed. Third, the methodology and pragmatic implementation of Professional Soccer Ministries will be reviewed and conclusions drawn based upon its effectiveness as an avenue of the church for the proactive deconstruction of secularization.

Texts And Traditions: The Consequences Of Humanist New Testament Scholarship For The Reformation, Laura Rickelman

Senior Honors Theses

Martin Luther's Reformation of Christianity was preceded by a conceptual reform of New Testament studies arising from the Renaissance scorn for medieval perceptions. The Reformation was thrust into a volatile academic area of conflicting humanist and scholastic methods of biblical interpretation. Lorenzo Valla and Desiderius Erasmus applied advanced methods of linguistic, historical, and literary criticism to the translation and emendation of the New Testament. The debate over authority for textual meaning held particular applicability for disregarding the authority of tradition in interpreting scripture. The humanist view of scripture was adopted by and consequently associated with the Reformation, although the conflicting …

"You Do Not Want To Go To The Island: "A Rhetorical Panorama Of "The Island", William Logan Barron

Senior Honors Theses

The first glance at the tropical haven emerging from the luminous teal waters arouses an awe of such a paradise. The inhabitants of a facility in the Michael Bay film, The Island, daily abide in that awe, assured in their eminent continuance succeeding a lethal global contamination. Their perception, however, is limited.

The inhabitants are components of a rhetorical vision and their view of the Island is less that panoramic. Through a rare analysis of film, the device of Fantasy Theme Analysis, devised by Ernest Bormann, interfaced with a notion of vampiring, an unobstructed cyclorama of the Island is made …

A Piece Of The Educational Puzzle, Lauren D. Fowler

Senior Honors Theses

The quality of education in America has not paralleled her vast achievements. In an effort to lessen mediocrity within the educational system, the standards-based education movement has begun to establish levels of information taught at each grade level. This educational reform which attempts to raise the quality of education across the nation has been implemented locally through the Virginia Standards of Learning. The Standards of Learning framework highlights the necessity of proficient communication for the sake of the future ambitions of students. Such an objective has been attained through grammatical instruction of Standard English integrated within the language arts. Although …

Teacher Professionalism., Christopher K. Shon

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Is teaching a profession? This article compares teachers with other professionals, such as medical doctors or lawyers, in professional knowledge, autonomy, and commitment to the welfare of the clientele. The implications for teacher professionalism include establishment of national/state standards for professional teachers, increased autonomy in teacher education, salary increase, and opportunities for promotion. However, there still remains a question of whether there will be a genuine improvement in the quality of education with “professional” teachers.

Adolescent Literacy: What Is It And How Might You Support Its Development?, Jill A. Jones, Zhihui Fang, Joyce Fine, Linda Ray, Vicky Zygouris-Coe

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Select Counselors’ Perspectives On Alcohol And Substance Abuse Among Hispanic Adolescents., David E. Tetrault

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative instrumental case study investigated the issue of alcohol and substance abuse among Hispanic adolescents through the perspectives of select counselors. Hispanic-Americans are the largest and fastest growing minority population in the United States. Simultaneously, alcohol and substance abuse among Hispanic adolescents is increasing with the commensurate consequences and need for solutions.

Data was collected using semi-structured, recorded, transcribed interviews with middle school and substance abuse counselors—key informants—who practiced in a community located in the Southwestern United States. Participants’ interactions with Hispanic adolescents spanned Hispanic adolescents’ experience with alcohol and substance abuse prior to onset through treatment.

The first …

The Women House Church Leaders Of China: Interviews With A Muted Group, Timothy R. Wommack

Masters Theses

While studying the Bakweri people of Cameroon in the 1960s, Edwin and Shirley
Ardener discovered that it was the men who dominated and controlled the power and language of the group and created the societal understanding and the cultural makeup of their tribe's identity. The men did not allow the women to speak or have a say in the elements of their culture; these women were muted. Throughout history many individuals, especially women, have been muted in any number of ways. These include political, economical, social, cultural constrictions, even to the point of death, to keep them from being represented. …

The Experiences Of Childbirth: Personal Stories Of Mam Women From Comitancillo, Guatemala, Kristina Cottrell

Senior Honors Theses

This phenomenological research study examines the attitudes and actions that surround the experience of childbearing among women in a Maya-Marn community of highland Guatemala. This area typifies the indigenous underprivileged population of Central America that has attracted international attention for poor maternal-child health outcomes and resistance to attempts at bio-medical interventions in obstetrics. Interviews were conducted among women with obstetrical experience wherein they described their traditional practices and attitudes towards modern medical care during childbirth. It was found that participants preferred traditional methods of care, but were willing to integrate bio-medical care into their realm of experience in the event …

The Effect Of Music On The Human Body And Mind, Dawn Kent

Senior Honors Theses

Music has a vast influence over the nations and peoples on this planet. It has been used in every culture, and is often connected with anxiolytic and analgesic properties. Today it is used in many hospitals to help patients relax and help relieve or ease pain, confusion and anxiety. Music is also commonly used in counseling. Music therapy techniques may include guided listening or improvisational playing and are used within the context of many theories, and for many types of mental disorders, from depression to schizophrenia. Many of the healing qualities of music in counseling are connected to its use …

The Role Of The Pastor In Southern Baptist Churches: A Biblical View Versus A Prevailing View, Wilford A. Stone

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This project will address the role of the pastor by looking at the Biblical view of the role of the pastor and the prevailing view of the role of the pastor in the Southern Baptist Church. Biblical research will be conducted and will be presented in the Biblical view of the role of the pastor. Based on surveys sent to Southern Baptist pastors, Southern Baptist seminary students, and laity in Southern Baptist Churches, perspectives on the prevailing view of the role of the pastor will be presented. Then, the two views will be compared.

Review: Text And History: Historiography And The Study Of The Biblical Text, Michael Heiser

Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary (1973-2015)

No abstract provided.

A Philosophy Of Culture Approach To Inter-Religious Understanding, Michael S. Jones

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Are Yahweh And El Distinct Deities In Deut. 32:8-9 And Psalm 82?, Michael Heiser

Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary (1973-2015)

No abstract provided.

The Twenty-One Core Values Of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary In The Ministries Of Graduates, H Clayton Anthony

Faculty Dissertations

This dissertation examined how the more recent graduates of The Southern Baptist Seminary (SBTS) are incorporating the twenty-one core values of the institution into their present ministries. The data garnered from this present research will enlighten interested parties to the world of assessment in higher education and the role that core values play in that process. Future graduates of SBTS will be impacted in their education due to the findings of this dissertation.

A researcher-designed survey was placed before the recent graduates of SBTS under the direction of the Office of Institutional Advancement of the seminary. The raw data received …

A Taxonomy Of Teleology: Phillip Johnson, The Intelligent Design Community, And Young-Earth Creationism, Marcus R. Ross, P. A. Nelson

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Robert Kaplan: The Coming Anarchy Study Guide, 2001-2006, Steven Alan Samson

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

David Kupelian: The Marketing Of Evil Study Guide, Steven Alan Samson

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Harm De Blij: Why Geography Matters Study Guide, Steven Alan Samson

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Gerald Finzi And John Ireland: A Stylistic Comparison Of Compositional Approaches In The Context Of Ten Selected Poems By Thomas Hardy, Richard Michael Jupin

Faculty Dissertations

The purpose of this paper is to provide a stylistic analysis that contrasts five Thomas Hardy settings by Gerald Finzi with five settings by John Ireland. In order to investigate the apparent intuitiveness with which both Ireland and Finzi approached Thomas Hardy's poetry, biographical information is provided to reveal similarities in the backgrounds of each composer. Highlighted are the compositional techniques and text setting ideologies each composer utilized when facing the challenges and eccentricities of Hardy's poetry. A brief discussion on the philosophical foundations of Thomas Hardy's poetry is also included. The repertoire discussed within are the settings Summer Schemes …

Undefining Man: A Case For Symbolic Animal Communication Via Refutation Of Kenneth Burke's "Definition Of Man", Stephen J. Lind

Senior Honors Theses

There have been tendencies in various fields to use communication as a way of differentiating humans and other species. Even when individuals are confronted with empirical evidence to the contrary, many still hold onto the notion that humans are in a communicative position clearly divergent in all ways from animals. This thesis will utilize Kenneth Burke's "Definition of Man" as a launching point to support a claim that animals utilize their conscious cognitive abilities to communicate symbolically.

Preaching In The 'Hear' And Now: Justification, Development, And Assessment Of 'Parabolic Engagement' Pedogogy In French-Speaking Missionary Settings, Daniel Sheard

Faculty Dissertations

This thesis argues the utility of ‘parabolic engagement’ method for preachers and listeners in the French Antillean context. The opening chapter defines key terms and clarifies how this imaged sermonic style addresses the listening habits of targeted audiences. It explains that figured delivery is often context-interpretive, involving a more personal, experiential decoding by the listener. Engagement technique increases auditor involvement and creates unique communicative rapport. The chapter points out that the entire experimental process validates the usefulness of the pedagogy. Part One addresses the theological rationale for ‘parabolic engagement’ method. Chapter Two reviews appropriate literature with respect to engagement. Chapter …