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Active Religion: James Ireland, The Separate Baptists, And The Great Awakening In Virginia, 1760-1775, Cooper Pasque

Masters Theses

In the mid-eighteenth century, the religious fervor of the Great Awakening entered Virginia. Evangelical Baptists soon threatened to undermine the authority of the Anglican Church and its planter patrons. Despite their efforts to quiet the Baptists, evangelical religion took root in Virginia by the end of the American Revolution. Historical works on these events offer valid but incomplete explanations. Puzzling dynamics in the Virginian context require a more complex interpretation. The life of James Ireland provides a unique window into possible answers. His autobiography provides evidence for what appears to be the most fundamental reason for evangelicalism's successes in Virginia. …

Hangin' With Judas: A Narrative Analysis Of Stephen Adly Guirgis's 'The Last Days Of Judas Iscariot', Constance Falconer

Masters Theses

Stephen Adly Guirgis has created an era-melting play, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, which explores the timeless debate between divine mercy and free will. A systematic application of Walter R. Fisher's narrative analysis, through form identification and a functional analysis, determined how Guirgis accomplishes persuasion. This qualitative study focused on Guirgis's narrative, using Walter R. Fisher's narrative paradigm as a framework to answer the research question(s): (1) If Guirgis's ideology and created world in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot are foreign and imagined, how is narrative probability and narrative fidelity achieved?; and, (2) How does Guirgis persuade his …

Nuestra Voz: A Critical Ethnographic Study Of Latina School Leaders, Angelica Ramsey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The population of Latina/o students in public school across the United States is ever-increasing. This fast-growing population suffers from high dropout rates and academic underachievement. This epidemic of underachievement is alarming, as today's Latina/o student will be tomorrow's workforce. There is no time like the present to increase the number of Latina principals in high schools throughout the United States. The purpose of this critical ethnographic study was to understand the experiences of Latina principals in both established and burgeoning Latina/o communities in raising Latina/o achievement. Key findings included: (a) strong ethnic ties and identity, (b) similar stories of ascending …

A Thread In Japan’S History: The Historical Journey Of Japanese Christianity To The Brink Of Modern Japan, Rebecca Velker

Senior Honors Theses

A Jesuit missionary named Francis Xavier pioneered the Christian faith in Japan in 1549. Japan was open to the gospel, and many missionaries followed Francis Xavier. Japanese people from a wide range of social standings supported Christianity for a variety of reasons. The Tokugawa government soon viewed Christianity as a threat to the authority of the Japanese government. Japan persecuted the Christians and the Japanese church was driven underground. Over two hundred years later during the Meiji Restoration, Japan altered its policies towards the West and tolerated Christianity in Japan. Despite never being fully welcomed, the Christian belief resonated with …

The Striving Of A Poet-Preacher: Literary And Spiritual Tension In The Holy Sonnets Of John Donne, Abigail Nusbaum

Senior Honors Theses

During the Elizabethan era, England experienced religious turmoil that ripped apart its people and saw repercussions in every area of its society. John Donne lived, wrote, and preached during this tumultuous period, and his writing directly reflects the tension of the times. More so than historical commentary however, his poetry, and his Holy Sonnets in particular, bears witness to the far greater battle waging itself within Donne. Within a study of Donne’s life, both professional and personal, and a parallel study of his works in light of the context of his life, a sense of overwhelming tension becomes apparent. The …

Semiotics, Habitus And Music In The Transmission Of Tibetan Culture In Toronto, John Robertson

Masters Theses

This ethnographic study explores the role of music in cultural transmission in the Tibetan community of Toronto, Canada. Beginning with an integration of Peircian semiotics, Bourdieu's habitus and musical semiosis, I then identify certain non-Tibetan cultural elements being encountered by those in the Toronto community which are potentially creating cognitive structures foreign to those which have their generative principles in pre-exile Tibetan past, and the ways in which Tibetans are transmitting (to varying degrees) cognitive schemata which identify these non-Tibetan elements and protect against their appropriation. After exploring elements which are not Tibetan, I turn to those which are: a …

Individual Religious Commitment And Interdisciplinary Academic Achievement: Student Religiosity As A Factor In A National Academic Competition, Joshua D. Reichard

Christian Perspectives in Education

This study included an examination of the differences between the religiosity of students representing both public and private schools that qualified at the state and national levels in the United States Academic Decathlon, a national, interdisciplinary academic competition. The statistical significance of religiosity in relation to achievement scores in the Academic Decathlon was examined. The literature reviewed suggested a positive correlation between religiosity and academic achievement. The Duke University Religion Index (DUREL) instrument was administered to students on both teams to determine religiosity levels. Statistical analysis was applied to the data to test for significant difference. No significant difference between …

A Cohesive Theology Of Christian Living: Principles From The Book Of Daniel, Jeremy Shaffer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The propensity to force preconceived ideologies and theological systems upon the interpretation of the book of Daniel is evident. The purpose of this project is to provide a proper interpretation of Daniel 1-6 so that proper applications can be made for preaching and teaching, trying to eliminate any preconceptions along the way that are forced upon the text. A six-part theology of Christian living is developed from the preaching outlines of each chapter, all connected to the book's theme of sovereignty and thereby forming a cohesive unit. Ultimately, a greater appreciation for the value of the Old Testament in Christian …

Luther's Theological Anthropology: A Decisive Break From Scholasticism, Cole Andrew Bender

Masters Theses

The debate between Martin Luther and the Medieval Scholastics was one of the most significant debates in both the Reformation as a movement and the development of western Christianity as a whole. While the debate is dominantly characterized in terms of the dispute over the doctrines of sin and grace, the dispute between Luther and the medieval scholastic theologians was not simply a dispute over these two central doctrines but was a clash of entire theological systems. Moreover, the dispute over the doctrine of man forms a more logically basic and decisive point of clash, as Luther constructs his positions …

The Relationship Of The Battles In Zechariah 12 Through 14, Joshua Andrew Haley

Masters Theses

The relationship of the battle sequences in Zechariah 12-14 has divided scholars for centuries. Jerusalem, besieged by the nations, will be the location of both battles. The nations will be defeated by a divine plague in both battles. Finally, the battles will both result in the establishment of Yahweh's kingdom. There are several important differences between the battle sequences. Zechariah 14 specifically identifies the day of the conflict as the "Day of the Lord." Chapters 12-13 do not. Chapter 14 describes the judgment of Jerusalem while chapters 12-13 do not. Finally, chapter 14 presents a thorough description of the battle …

Groping For Intimacy: Modern Man's "Pressure" And The Onanistic Inversion Of Christianity, Marriage, And The Nuclear Family In Three American Novels, Nicholas Scott Olson

Masters Theses

Several critics have suggested that modernity's most fundamental theme is autonomy. Yet, few critics have considered Søren Kierkegaard's thought in relation to autonomous notions of freedom, and even fewer literary critics have considered Kierkegaard's vast influence - particularly on twentieth-century American authors - through this thematic lens. Michelle Kosch has argued that Kierkegaard's notion of despair essentially involves the self's misunderstanding of the nature of his freedom, while Samuel Loncar has argued that Kierkegaard's thought in this regard can be traced back through the German Enlightenment to Immanuel Kant's notion of autonomy. Yet, while Kierkegaard offers a fine critique of …

Wilderness Beauty: A Means To Resolve Volitional Doubt, Brian T. Scalise

Liberty Theological Review

Doubt is often part of Christian spiritual life. Matured doubt will influence the will (the volition) so as to keep the Christian doubter from acting like a Christian or even desiring the Christian life. This essay seeks to construct a theory designed to engage and help resolve volitional doubt by use of wilderness beauty. This theory incorporates three areas of study—Land and Leisure Management, Abraham Maslow’s metamotivation theory, and Jonathan Edwards' aesthetic theology—to demonstrate the uniqueness and usefulness of wilderness beauty for resolving volitional doubt. Subsequent to the construction of the theory, practical suggestions for its application are given.

Alessandro Valignano And The Restructuring Of The Jesuit Mission In Japan, 1579-1582, Jack B. Hoey Iii

Liberty Theological Review

When Alessandro Valignano arrived in Japan in 1579, the Society of Jesus had been working in the country for thirty years. However, despite impressive numbers and considerable influence with the feudal lords, the mission was struggling. The few Jesuit workers were exhausted and growing increasingly frustrated by the leadership of Francisco Cabral, who refused to cater to Japanese sensibilities or respect the Japanese people. When Valignano arrived, he saw the harm Cabral was doing and forcibly changed the direction of the mission, pursuing policies of Jesuit accommodation to Japanese culture and respect for the Japanese converts who were training to …

De Anima, Dna: A Modified Stump/Aquinas Hylomorphic Model, The Soul And The Identity Of Human Persons, Resurrected, Matthew Grant Mcdaniel

Masters Theses

In contemporary metaphysics, there are two popular options for personal numerical identity (NID) over time: substance dualism and materialism. According to recent arguments by some Christian philosophers, both options conflict with the Christian doctrine of the bodily resurrection. Substance dualism trivializes the physical body for NID (when it has some kind of role in the bodily resurrection), and also is seen to conflict with modern neuroscience. But NID and mind cannot be continued solely by the material body, as versions of the Replacement Argument (from Richard Swinburne and Alvin Plantinga) show. There are good aspects to both options, especially with …

Cinema’S Scarlet Letters: The Mpaa Rating System And Film Education In The Christian University, Carey Martin

Christian Perspectives in Education

Christian film educators face challenges in instruction when a film’s Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) rating falls outside their institution’s acceptable range. The origin of the system and the meaning of each rating are explained. Policies of comparable evangelical institutions regarding student film viewing are detailed. The resultant difficulties in film education are examined. Arguments for and against inclusion of R-rated films in the curriculum are considered. Recommendations are made for future courses.

God Among The Gods: An Analysis Of The Function Of Yahweh In The Divine Council Of Deuteronomy 32 And Psalm 82, Daniel F. Porter

Masters Theses

The importance of the Ugaritic texts discovered in 1929 to ancient Near Eastern and Biblical Studies is one of constant debate. The Ugaritic texts offer a window into the cosmology that shaped the ancient Near East and Semitic religions. One of the profound concepts is the idea of a divine council and its function in maintaining order in the cosmos. Over this council sits a high god identified as El in the Ugaritic texts whose divine function is to maintain order in the divine realm as well on earth. Due to Ugarit's involvement in the ancient world and the text's …

Jesus' Resurrection: A Historical Investigation, Benjamin C. Shaw

Masters Theses

This thesis will investigate Jesus' resurrection from a historical perspective. This investigation will begin by evaluating historical criteria that help historians determine the authenticity of past events. The historical approach to this investigation will be the minimal facts approach as pioneered by Gary Habermas. Using this approach, twelve historical facts relevant to the resurrection will be explored. We will evaluate why these twelve facts are agreed upon by a large variety of critical scholars. Next, an argument will be made demonstrating that the earliest reporting of eyewitnesses who experienced the resurrection can be traced to within three years of Jesus' …

Is Resurrection Atemporally Simultaneous With Death? Using Aquinas's Theory Of Eternity To Conceptualize A New Theory Of Resurrection, James T. Turner, Jr.

Masters Theses

In debates on the metaphysics of resurrection, it seems that philosophical theology is often arguing on the wrong fronts. While some philosophers and theologians spend their time arguing the feasibility of a person's bodily numerical identity at resurrection, whether or not a human being can exist apart from their body, or whether the resurrection is physical at all (among many other points of view) this thesis seeks to argue a more foundational issue: God's eternal/atemporal existence and how it affects the resurrection of mankind. If it can be shown that God's eternal/atemporal existence allows for a person to experience simultaneity …

Who Maketh The Clouds His Chariot: The Comparative Method And The Mythopoetical Motif Of Cloud-Riding In Psalm 104 And The Epic Of Baal, Jordan Wesley Jones

Masters Theses

Alleging parallels between Scripture and other ancient Near Eastern texts has always been a matter of controversy. The controversy has resulted from criticism of the comparative method by those who accuse its users of being overly simplistic or reckless when applying their particular approaches to the texts. This recklessness has resulted in alleged connections that are now considered very loose, unjustified, and harmful to the context of Scripture. In order to avoid the dreaded "parallelomania" that has resulted from hasty conclusions in comparative studies, it is necessary to approach alleged comparative units in a more concrete fashion, synthesizing the best …

Proclaiming The Lord's Death: An Exegesis Of 1 Cor 11:17-34 In Light Of The Greco-Roman Banquet, Caleb Patton Collier

Masters Theses

From the beginning, one of the predominant elements of worship within the church was the celebration of the eucharist. Much scholarship has been done on the eucharist, examining the observance through the disciplines of church history, theology, New Testament studies, and ecclesiology. This thesis merely aims to complement current scholarship in the area of eucharistic origins. The question examined is this: "Did the Corinthian church model their eucharist observance upon the existing Greco-Roman banquet model?" In answering that question, exegetical work is presented on 1 Cor 11:17-34, the banquet is examined as to form and function, and parallels are made …

Q&A: Evidence For The Resurrection, Gary R. Habermas

Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary (1973-2015)

No abstract provided.

Christ The Redeemer And The Best Of All Possibly Created Worlds: Using Alvin Plantinga's 'O Felix Culpa' Theodicy As A Response To William Rowe's 'Can God Be Free?' And The Underlying Evidential Argument From Evil, P. Roger Turner

Masters Theses

In his "The Problem of Evil and Some Varieties of Atheism," William Rowe famously argues that there are no God justifying goods that we know of that can excuse God's allowing the very many widespread evils and horrors there are in our world. I argue that this forms the backbone of his 2004 volume entitled Can God be Free? in which he posits two further arguments: (1) God must create the best of necessity and is thereby not free and so not praiseworthy, and (2) God cannot create a best world (since there is no best) and so always does …

Thai Buddhism And Women With A Christian Response, Alice K. Terrell

Masters Theses

Thai Buddhism is a subset of Theravada Buddhism. Theravada Buddhism is one of two main branches of Buddhism which was founded by Siddartha Gautama around 560 B.C. Theravada is the strictest branch of the two. Thai Buddhism is a mixture of Theravada, local folklore and superstitions. Thai Buddhism is practiced by ninety-five percent of the population of Thailand. Within Thai Buddhism, men and women participate in the religion differently. Men are given the opportunity to be ordained into the sangha and serve as a monk. Through this path, men are able to achieve nirvana. Women are not given the same …

Virginia’S Steward: A Re-Examination Of The Life And Work Of Thornton Stringfellow 1788-1869, Justin Stowe

Masters Theses

Historians have done a tremendous job at their inquiries into biblical proslavery ideology, even though their focus is primarily on the apologists’ arguments in regard to slavery. These historians gave the scholarly world a clear understanding of how and why men defended slavery, but they only focus on their proslavery thought, which creates an incomplete picture of the apologist.

This work focuses on a minister named Thornton Stringfellow who lived in Culpeper, Virginia during the nineteenth century, in the tumultuous time leading up to the American Civil War. By examining Stringfellow’s personal background, the historical events that took place during …

Hesitation: An Analysis Of Candide, Jared T. Mink

Masters Theses

Candide calls into question its merit as literature or philosophy because it draws its reader into eisegesis. The act of interpreting Candide is never a cool judgment. The enigmatic ending forces the reader to see that acts of judgment are appetitive: Desires shape judgment; judgment plies desire. Candide's behavior reveals eighteenth century interest in "the body," which was the scientist's chief tool in entering "the void" to explore the integrity of new knowledge. We see this body interest in Locke's Essay and, through a concept of "hesitation," we can see that Voltaire absorbed Lock's view of the interconnection between judgment …

On Earth As It Is In Heaven: The Social Gospel As A "Theology Of Liberation", Joseph Francis Super

Masters Theses

Gustavo Gutiérrez is considered the father of Latin American liberation theology. Walter Rauschenbusch is considered the father of the Social Gospel in the United States. Although their circumstances differed greatly, both theologians made similar contributions to social Christianity, even though Gutiérrez does not seem to recognize it fully. Gutiérrez asserts that a theology of liberation must interpret the gospel in light of both the current reality and the values of the oppressed and then must use this theology to attack the social structures of oppression. This thesis asserts that Rauschenbusch did just that with his social gospel. Thus, the social …

The Proper Candidate: An Examination Of The 1525 Debate Between Ulrich Zwingli And Balthasar Hubmaier Concerning Baptism, Kurt J. Thompson

Masters Theses

This thesis examines the written debate that occurred in 1525-1526 between Balthasar Hubmaier and Ulrich Zwingli on the proper candidate of baptism. Both pastors held to the reformation principle of sola scriptura yet came to different conclusions as to what the Bible teaches about baptism. Hubmaier argued that baptism should be administered to believers only. Only those who have mindfully repented and have chosen to follow Christ are eligible for Christian baptism. Hubmaier's arguments for believers' baptism are presented in the second chapter. Zwingli, on the other hand, argued that the children of believers are entitled to the Christian baptism. …

You Could Say That Again: Examining The Probability Of Parallels Between Stephen And Moses In Acts 6-7, Samuel Cooper Smith

Senior Honors Theses

This thesis posits the idea that the author of Acts intentionally creates a literary parallel between Stephen and Moses. Comparative analysis seemingly confirms that Stephen is being portrayed as a parallel of Christ. However, little scholarly attention has been given to the possibility that the author of Acts 6-7 intentionally creates a connection between Stephen and Moses. Following an attempt to provide an objective foundation for asserting such parallels, the Stephen-Moses connections will be presented. Two implications follow from this parallel which impact the Stephen episode as well as the larger Acts narrative. The pertinent literature involves commentaries on the …

A Radical Phenomenology Of Love: Divine Love As Understood By The Radically Orthodox John Milbank, Jason Wesley Alvis

Masters Theses

The topic of Divine love is no longer taken seriously. In some sense it is difficult for one to even utter the words "God is love" without an accompanying mawkish sentimentality. One's concept of love in general, and Divine love in particular, is a linchpin to all other theological, ethical and social spheres of life. This thesis considers how John Milbank, the "father" of Radical Orthodoxy, understands Divine love, and some ways in which his work may be positively situated in the Ecclesial Community and lead individuals into deeper experiences of such love. Since Milbank has very few explicit words …

Faculty Focus: Dr. Gary Habermas, Research Professor Of Apologetics & Philosophy, Liberty University

February/March 2009

No abstract provided.