Digital Commons Network^™

Whosoever Will: A Review Essay, C. Fred Smith

Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary (1973-2015)

No abstract provided.

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 …

Student Perception Of Professional Education Organizations, Amanda Mcmillian

Senior Honors Theses

Topics covered in this thesis include the development of qualities of effective teachers, field experiences within teacher preparation programs, the definition of professionalism, pre-service teachers and professionalism, the perceptions of in-service teachers of professional development, education organizations, the psychological details of organizational dynamics, benefits of membership in professional education organizations for both pre-service and in-service teachers, and community involvement. Topics also include current research on teacher satisfaction with professional organizations and Liberty University’s professional education organizations. The investigation of the aforementioned topics will reveal the correlation between professional education development training and undergraduate professional education organization involvement. This thesis will …

Media Effects And Effectors A Study On The Possible Effects Of Media And The Intent Of Future Media Effectors To Use Media To Influence Others, Danielle Bringham

Senior Honors Theses

Almost everyone watches or listens to various forms of media every day, whether this comes in the form of television, radio, print, or movies. Not only is mostly everyone exposed to media, but also the typical American spends at least several hours a day in exposure to some kind of media. All this time Americans spend watching or listening to media raises the question: “If someone spends hours each day watching television or watching some other sort of media, is this going to have some sort of effect?” This study begins with a literature review of research which investigates the …

Strategies For Holistic Care In Neonatal Male Clients Undergoing Circumcision, Lindsey Scott

Senior Honors Theses

Male circumcision is a controversial medical procedure routinely practiced in the United States. Once performed only as a religious act, this minor surgery became fashionable in the late nineteenth century. In modern society, circumcision remains popular, but the medical community continues to debate its necessity. Perhaps a larger debate concerns the use of anesthetics and analgesics in circumcision. Infants do feel pain, and pain relief measures are imperative during this procedure. Several effective methods have been established, and practice must accommodate the updated evidence. If pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic measures are employed appropriately, neonatal circumcision can be performed with minimal trauma …

Cognitive Dissonance And Its Effects On Religious Beliefs, Justin Richard Melvin

Senior Honors Theses

How does an individual change his or her own religious beliefs when contrary evidence is presented? Cognitive dissonance affects Christian college students’ beliefs about a specific religious practice—speaking in tongues. A four-group between-subjects experimental design was utilized. A news story that objectively examined brain activity of those who speak in tongues was presented to a sample of Christian undergraduate students ranging in their beliefs about the issue of speaking in tongues. Cognitive dissonance was induced in two of the four conditions and its effects were measured by calculating participants’ changes in beliefs. It was hypothesized that dissonant cognitions (contradictory belief-disconfirming …

The Development Of Student Care Office Assessment Procedures, Matthew Stephen Swain

Senior Honors Theses

Most universities offer counseling services for their residential students. To answer accrediting bodies, such non-academic departments are now asked to assess the effectiveness of their services. Often, this requires skill sets and time that counseling centers do not possess. A collaborative effort was established with a student services office at a private university in the Southeast and the undergraduate Psychology Department to assist them in the development of new assessment procedures. An intake procedure was created to fulfill this goal. The assembly of appropriate psychometric tests as well as the designing of a computer administered version of the intake process …

Narratives From Non-Profit Workers: The Journey Of Helping Women Leave Prostitution, Rachel D. Collins

Senior Honors Theses

Prostitution is connected with several factors–abuse, low self-esteem, drugs, and homelessness. Many negative emotions are experienced while prostituting. The emotional and physical effects of prostitution can remain years after the woman has left prostitution. The process of leaving prostitution can be strenuous, and necessitates a strong support group. The narratives of service providers from organizations reaching out to prostitutes are examined. Through interviews, the journey of helping prostitutes were studied to find themes associated with supporting the prostitute’s exit from her previous life to the acclamation of a new lifestyle.

Rauschenbusch’S Regurgitations: Rob Bell’S Promotion Of A Realized Eschatology And His Alignment With Walter Rauschenbusch And The Social Gospel Movement, Mathew L. Harris

Senior Honors Theses

Rob Bell, author of the book Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith, is one of the lead voices in the new emergent conversation. In his book, Bell’s ideas suggest a postmodern worldview for the modern day American church. Through this presupposition, Bell aligns himself with many of the liberal writers of the early nineteen hundreds, such as Walter Rauschenbusch of the Social Gospel movement. This arrangement has led to Bell’s reworking of many core orthodox positions, but in particular, the doctrine of eschatology. He asserts a form of realized eschatology, similar to Rauschenbusch, which misrepresents the gospel, while elevating the …

Sleeping Disturbances, Emily Hannah Stoepker

Senior Honors Theses

Since a large percent of a person’s life is spent sleeping, it is crucial to achieve sufficient sleep. Sleeping disturbances are largely responsible for inadequate sleep. Sleep disturbances usually result from biochemical or environmental influences. Consequently, there are many harmful short-term and long-term effects on the body. In order to minimize harmful effects, bright light treatments, sleeping pills, cognitive behavioral therapy alterations, and other treatment may be beneficial. In order to sleep sufficiently and avoid sleeping disturbances, however, exercise, proper sleep hygiene, and other prevention methods can be taken.

Developing A Strategy Of Worship For Evangelical Believers Born From 1945 To 1955, Rodney Dale Whaley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This project researched the need for developing a worship ministry strategically designed to meet the cultural, spiritual, musical, and emotional demands of early senior adults, those born from 1945 to 1955. The research question is, "How can the evangelical church meet the worship needs of her members born from 1945 to 1955?"

Parental Bonding In Father-Son Relationships, Lauren B. Childers

Senior Honors Theses

The father-son relationship is an influential part of any boy’s development. It is hypothesized that there is a generational difference in this relationship between the older and younger generation. The Father Form of the Parental Bonding Instrument was used to assess this hypothesis. This questionnaire utilized 25 items, separated into the care and protection scales, to categorize parenting into four quadrants: affectionate constraint, optimal parenting, affectionless control and neglectful parenting. The results were compared between two groups, one of which consisted of males ages 25 to 45, representing the older generation, and the other consisted of males ages 18 to …

Comparing Academic Achievement Of African-American Males Who Do And Do Not Participate In High School Athletics, Thomas Victor Montgomery, Iii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study was conducted to investigate the impact on academic achievement that high school athletics had on African-American male students who participated in high school athletics against African-American male students who did not participate in high school athletics during the 2008-2009 school year. The results were measured by grade point averages (GPAs) and surveys developed by the researcher. The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not African-American males that participated in high school athletics showed higher academic achievement than African-American males that did not participate in high school athletics. The study also assessed attitudes about the relation …

Impact Of Freshman Transition Interventions On Ninth Grade Academic Achievement, Emily Spake Brown

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of various freshman transition interventions on student academic achievement. Specifically, this study aimed to measure academic success by focusing upon ninth grade End of Course Test (EOCT) scores. The data were collected using a researcher-developed survey. After securing permission from all superintendents, the survey was electronically mailed to all high school principals within the state of Georgia. Among participating systems, the survey response rate was 78.4 percent. Based upon expert opinion, the twenty individual intervention items were categorized into three domains. The domain data were analyzed using analysis of variance …

Filial Therapy With Adolescent Parents: The Effect On Parental Empathy, Acceptance And Stress, Cathy Ford Sparks

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of filial therapy training on adolescent parents' parental empathy, acceptance, and stress, and attainment of educational goals. It used a quasi-experimental, non-randomized sample drawn from three different high schools, pretest/posttest design, to measure the effectiveness of filial therapy. Each parent completed a ten week training period using either a filial therapy model or a typical parenting education model. Data included pretest and posttest questionnaires and videotaped sessions of play with their child. Statistical analyses showed a significant difference in seven of the thirteen areas. Parents in the filial therapy group …

Working Memory: The Reading And Math Connection, Connie Mcdonald, Steven A. Mcdonald

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

02-16-2010 (The Liberty Champion Volume 27, Issue 14)

2009 -- 2010

No abstract provided.

School Achievement For Students With Behavioral Disorders, Steven Wayne Burnett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the descriptive qualitative study was to examine the successful strategies, accommodations, and interventions utilized for students with emotional behavior disorder (EBD) and the influences they have on the students' academic achievement (GPA, passage rates of courses, passage rates of state mandated assessments, student satisfaction, attendance rates, and disciplinary infractions) and glean greater understanding of instructional strategies and environmental differences alternative schools offer to students with EBD. In addition to a parent and a student with EBD, an alternative school staff was analyzed in rich detail to glean understanding of environmental influences. Data were collected using document analysis, …

Non-Traditional Entrants To The Teaching Profession: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Of The Motivations, Experiences, And Reflections Of Second-Career Teachers, William Darrell Lee

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Individuals entering the teaching profession from other fields have much to offer in terms of practical experience in fields such as business, private industry, law enforcement, and the military. This study examined the phenomenon of second-career teachers with specific emphasis on the motivating factors, common experiences, and reflections of the participants in this study concerning the decision to leave already established professions in order to pursue a career in teaching. The study also inquired into the process involved in professional preparation as well as in assimilating to the culture of schools. Twelve diverse second-career teachers were purposefully chosen for this …

Sober And Alone: A Phenomenological Exploration Of The Loneliness Experienced By Recovering Alcoholics, Timothy John Evans

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological inquiry investigated the loneliness experienced by recovering alcoholics. Select participants responded to open-ended interview questions pertaining to their experience of loneliness as well as its impact on their lives. Moreover, participants were asked to indentify what factor or factors may have contributed to the onset or persistence of their loneliness. Phenomenological analysis of the data revealed that loneliness, as experienced by recovering alcoholics, is a recursive experience that is co-morbid with a number of debilitating affects.

Therefore, the loneliness that was experienced during recovery represented just one part of a combination of painful affective experiences. In addition, the …

Is Brain Gym An Effective Educational Intervention?, Lucinda S. Spaulding, Mark P. Mostert, Andrea Beam

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Brain Gym® (BG) (BGI, 2008) is a popular commercial program sold by Brain Gym® International (BGI). Making extravagant claims for improved intellectual and physical development, it used in more than 80 countries. While BGI’s claims are persuasive, to date there is little empirical evidence validating the approach. We examine some theoretical assumptions from which BGI was developed, review the efficacy literature, and provide suggestions for making informed decisions about the judiciousness of investing time and resources in this program.

Technologies That Assist In Closing The Achievement Gap: A Comparison African American And Caucasian Students’ Learning And Community In The Online Classroom, Amanda J. Rockinson-Szapkiw, Randall Dunn, Holder David

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Higher Education administrators and educators seek to understand how to design and to facilitate online courses to ensure quality, culturally responsive online education for minority students, specifically African American students, and to close the academic achievement gap that exists today. This study examines online students’ using both synchronous and asynchronous technologies to determine whether students’ social presence, cognitive presence, teacher presence, and perceived learning differ based upon ethnicity. A one-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted. Results yielded no significant difference in dependent variables based on ethnicity.

Factors That Influence Teachers’ Views On Standardized Tests, Christine T. Schuette, Mervyn J. Wighting, Lucinda S. Spaulding, Michael K. Ponton, Anastasia L. Betts

Faculty Publications and Presentations

The central aim of this study was to explore K-12 teachers’ (N = 183) attitudes about standardized tests as a function of experience, instructional level, student population, and type of school. The Teachers’ Views on Standardized Tests Questionnaire was developed to assess teachers’ perceptions of the impact of standardized tests on practice. All survey items were intended to measure a facet of teachers’ attitudes regarding the necessity of standardized tests and their influence on best practices. Findings from this study indicated that special education and inclusion teachers viewed standardized tests as more negatively influencing instruction than general education teachers. There …

Enhancing Classroom Communication And Collaboration Via Web-Based Technologies, Amanda J. Rockinson-Szapkiw, Richard J. Silvey

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Application And Assessment Of Interpersonal Forgiveness, Anthony Holter, Chad Magnuson, Robert Enright

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Moral issues within psychology have been an object of study since the 1890s (see, for example, Hall, 1891). The majority of studies in the 20th century have centered on themes of justice, not mercy (see, for example, Killen & Smetana, 2006). In the 1980s, almost a century after the emergence of moral psychology, the construct of forgiveness began to emerge as a possible area of basic and applied research within psychology. From its humble beginnings, the psychology of forgiveness has now begun to emerge as a field worthy of researchers’ time. For example, in 1985 a perusal of the American …

Class Notes For Coun 797, Gary Sibcy

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Q&A: Religious Doubt, Gary R. Habermas

Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary (1973-2015)

No abstract provided.

Q&A: Naturalistic Theories, Gary R. Habermas

Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary (1973-2015)

No abstract provided.

American Constitutional History: Selected Bibliography, Steven Alan Samson

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

A Biblical-Covenantal Perspective On Organizational Behavior & Leadership, Kahlib Fischer

Faculty Publications and Presentations

WHAT IS A WORLDVIEW? For starters, it’s important to recognize that our view on organizational behavior, and indeed on life itself, is influenced by our worldview. A worldview is an intellectual, emotional, and spiritual framework by which every person views reality, makes sense of life, and applies meaning to every area of life. Everyone has a worldview, but the sad fact is that most people don’t really know that they have one, or how their unspoken assumptions about truth, meaning, values, and humanity influence every decision they make and every perception they have. As a result, most people’s worldviews are …