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The Accuracy Of Youth Ministers’ Conception Of The Lasting Faith Tendency Of Youth, Wesley A. Sirles

Faculty Dissertations

The assumption of the current study is that ongoing church attendance is a foundational component of the quest for genuine discipleship in young people. Chapter 1 examines the problem of the exodus of youth from the church and defines the critical terms for this study. The research questions used to guide the study are introduced.

The purpose of this study was to use Wesley Black’s Lasting Faith Scale (LFS) to compare the lasting faith tendency of youth (reflected by their LFS scores) with what their youth ministers believed would be their groups’ LFS scores. LFS responses were also evaluated for …

Viewing The World Through Oprah's Eyes: A Framing Analysis Of The Spiritual Views Of Oprah Winfrey, Marianne Jeanette Crosby

Masters Theses

Oprah Winfrey is an American icon. She has a hand in almost every form of media: movies, television, books, Internet, and radio. In her rise to success, another place that she has infiltrated is the church. Because of her wide range of influence, her thoughts and teaching on spirituality have made their way into both the home and church. Over ten years ago, talk shows had a reputation for portraying mainly negative topics. To combat this stereotype, she made a push to encourage more positive topics of discussion on her show. Yet after receiving criticism for "preaching," she withdrew from …

Hauntings In The Church: Counterfeit Christianity Through The Fin De Siècle Gothic Novel, Melissa Ann West

Masters Theses

The lengthy Victorian period, extending from 1832 until 1901, was a time of cultural turmoil. New scientific discoveries were being made daily, and Christianity was forced to deal with issues of Darwinism, occultism, and growing disbelief in God. By the start of the fin de siècle, God was an impartial deity sitting on His almighty throne, and man was nothing more than a highly evolved animal. The church, both Catholic and Anglican, did not exist to lead man toward salvation, but existed because of a dated adherence to cultural tradition.

No one genre captured the religious upheavals of the age …

Low Academic Performance And Specific Learning Disabilities: Determining The Better Predictor Of Aggressive Behavior At School, Cherry Lurae Flake Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The researcher sought to determine whether an overall low average or a specific learning disability is a better predictor of a student displaying aggression at school. Further, she investigated for any interaction between an overall low average and a specific learning disability. The subjects were students in grades six through eight who attended a traditional middle school in a somewhat rural school district. The subjects had been punished by an out-of-school suspension at least once for an act of aggression during the 2006-2007 school year. Using a multiple regression analysis, the researcher found a negative correlation between overall average and …

Expunging Father Time: The Search For Temporal Transcendence In The Novels Of Aldous Huxley And Tom Robbins, Stephanie Abigail Taylor

Masters Theses

This study explores the connection between the time concepts of Aldous Huxley and Tom Robbins. For both authors, time imprisons man on two fronts, or in two cages, if you will. The smaller of these cages is society's concept of time, clock time, which constrains the activities of man, forcing him to submit to his fate as a mere drone operating on the assembly line of life. In this prison, man cannot take the proper time to commune with nature, to look inward at himself and his life, or to focus on the real meaning and goal of life--escape from …

A Study Of Pastoral Burnout Among Korean-American Pastors, Young Sun Jin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this dissertation is to provide a resource of prevention and overcoming from pastoral burnout to Korean-American pastors. This project is born out of the author's five year journey in ministry as a senior pastor of Korean-American church. This study is performed from literature research, survey observation, and personal experience. Especially, the case study was based on research targeting the pastors who belong to the Capital Presbytery of KAPC, and conducted through analysis of the statistical data obtained from a questionnaire survey. In that view, this dissertation presents the definition, various factors and symptoms of burnout among the …

To Read Or Not To Read: The Influence Of Literature On Behavior Management, Katherine E. Ray

Senior Honors Theses

Perhaps one of the most discussed issues in American education is that of classroom management. This is not simply an elementary-level problem either, as would be expected due to the younger student’s short attention spans, but an issue that affects the middle and high schools as well. More and more, behavioral issues are becoming a problem because they cause disruption in the classroom and restrict the students from reaching their full learning potential. But are these problems only due to the special needs of students, such as ADD or ADHD, or does the issue lie deeper? Perhaps reviewing the literature …

Mind Vs. Media: A Civil War Between Typography And The Mediated Image, Elizabeth J. Neffinger

Senior Honors Theses

The past thirty years have marked the start of a new kind of civil war in our digitally powered American society. There is a deep chasm between the cry for the lost art of typography and the mediated power of the Image. We are a culture battling a war in our own heads, attempting to assimilate Images without replacing the need for a written text.

This thesis will argue that the mediated Image is not a death sentence to critical thinking; rather it is an undeniable, inescapable power that can be used to positively influence our culture. It will research …

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 Perfect Dilemma: Aspect In The Koine Greek Verbal System, Accepted And Debated Areas Of Research, Christopher H. Johnson

Senior Honors Theses

Verbal aspect is a recent but very promising field of study in Koine Greek, which seeks to describe the semantic meaning of the verbal forms. This study surveys the works of the leading contributors in this field and offers critiques of their major points. The subject matter is divided into three sections: methods, areas of agreement, and areas of dispute, with a focus on the latter. Overall, scholarship has provided a more accurate description of the Greek verbal system through the theory of verbal aspect, though there are topics that need further research. This study’s suggestions may aid in developing …

The Preliminary Assessment And Incidence Of Sexual Identity Issues At Liberty University, Jessica L. Buker

Senior Honors Theses

Currently, homosexual identity development is discussed through various models: stage model theory and milestone events. Different researchers propose their own models of homosexual identity development. These models may have different stages, but have the same underlying themes which are acceptance, attitude changes, frequent disclosure, and increased social contact with other homosexuals. There was a great need to develop an appropriate measure of homosexuality to be used by the Student Care Office at Liberty University. The measure could be used to asses and obtain a preliminary measure of incidence of the people who met our criteria for being included in the …

Making Sense Of Cultural Complexity: An Experimental Study Of Third Culture Individuals’ Interpersonal Sensitivity As A Result Of Intercultural Adaptation, Allyn D. Lyttle

Masters Theses

This study examined third culture individuals, defined as people who lived in a country other than that of their nationality during their developmental years, seeking to determine a difference in interpersonal sensitivity between third culture individuals and mono-cultured persons. While popular literature asserts such specialized skills developed as a result of intercultural adaptation, this assertion has not been empirically supported. Data was collected using web-based surveys, which yielded a sample size of 142. The instrument measured participants' intercultural experience and interpersonal sensitivity in two classifications, emotional sensitivity and social sensitivity. Results showed third culture individuals as having significantly higher social …

"Life Wants Padding": Food, Eating, And Bodies In George Eliot's Novels, Tess Rebecca Stockslager

Masters Theses

This thesis uses six of the novels of George Eliot (those that take place entirely in rural England), works from the field of psychology, the concepts of realism and sympathy, and a metaphor of liquidity from Thomas Carlyle to explore several ways that body fat shapes identity and mediates relationships with others. Boundaries are the guiding concept: the chapters move from a demonstration of how boundaries between the self and others are created (padding), through a discussion of how sympathy can enable those boundaries to be broken (stuffing), to two case studies of characters whose boundaries of selfhood are in …

Born To Skate, Liberty University

April/May 2009

No abstract provided.

Fbi Agent Speaks To Liberty Students, Liberty University

April/May 2009

No abstract provided.

Liberty University Junior To Intern At Nasa This Summer, Liberty University

April/May 2009

No abstract provided.

Then And Now : Alumnus Richard Shelton, Liberty University

April/May 2009

No abstract provided.

Poe's Poisoned Pen: A Study In Fiction As Vendetta, Charity Lea Givens

Masters Theses

Edgar Allan Poe, widely regarded as an extremely influential American writer and prolific literary critic, exacted high standards in both his writing and in the writing of those he reviewed. Though his criticism was harsh, it was a necessary part of the growing process for American literature to become a separate and distinct body of literature. However, Poe's literary criticism is not his only work that bore the stinging marks of his pen; his fiction was also a venue for Poe to express his dissatisfaction with the literary field in America. Using a combination of close reading for textual analysis …

Towards Understanding: The Study Of Hughes' Poetry As The Epitome Of The Expressive, Cultural, And Political Elements Of African American Literature, Brianne Nicole Trudeau

Masters Theses

Unfortunately, a disconnection currently exists between the academic world and the sweet, soulful study of African American literature (AA literature). Because there is limited exposure to AA literature in academics, except for specialized courses in which it serves as the intended focus, most people do not know how to approach it as serious academic study because of its stark differences from Western literature. In sum: African American writers often do not utilize Standard English (SE), so their work is misinterpreted as non-academic in comparison to other Western works of prominence; AA literature tells a different cultural story that most of …

The Effect Of The Use Of Christian-Published Science Textbooks On The Act Science Reasoning Subtest Scores Of Midwest Christian High Schools, Janice Marie Guthrie

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Statistics indicate that students in conservative Christian schools earn higher standardized test scores in mathematics, reading, science, and writing compared to their public school counterparts, while many are criticized for using curricular materials deemed inferior in quality and for employing uncertified and ill-trained teachers. This study investigates the effectiveness of Christian-published science textbooks in preparing students for college-level science courses as measured by the Science Reasoning subtest of the ACT college entrance examination. A questionnaire was sent to conservative Christian high schools in five Midwest states which are affiliated with the American Association of Christian Schools, Association of Christian Schools …

Anger, Empathy, And Romantic Styles Of Attachment In Court Ordered Domestic Violence Offenders, Luanne Faye Bender Long

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study utilized a prospective design to examine the impact of empathy and attachment beliefs on various dimensions of anger. More specifically, the study explored whether pre-treatment empathy scores in domestic violence offenders were the best predictor of post-treatment anger. The subjects (n=24) were male (14) and female (10) court referred domestic violence offenders. Correlation coefficients were calculated for attachment styles from pretreatment to post treatment to determine if the treatment response scores in anxiety were negatively correlated with anger turned inward. A series of hierarchical multiple regressions were used to examine whether pretreatment empathy accounted for any significant unique …

An Educational Methodology And Program For The Mitigation Of Compassion Fatigue For Combat Deploying Chaplains, Paul Brian Greer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Combat deployment presents unique challenges to military chaplains. One such challenge relates to the Vicarious Traumatization, often called "Compassion Fatigue," faced by chaplains who minister to service members experiencing combat-related trauma. There is minimal literature addressing compassion-related stress for clergy, especially those working with combat trauma survivors. Much of the research and literature available has been limited to those in emergency services, medical and mental health professions. This groundbreaking project will draw upon the latest literature, research and empirical data, culminating in an educational methodology and program for compassion stress management for military chaplain combat deployment rotation care.

Bullying Prevention Program: Possible Impact On Academic Performance, William Daryl Stone

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The research conducted sought to find the effect of the implementation of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program on the academic performance of students in the third through eighth grade. The study examined the relationship between the implementation of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program and the change in academic performance, as measured by the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessment. The post-test scores of third through fifth grade students from one elementary school which had implemented the prevention program were compared with the post-test scores for the same grade levels at an elementary school that had not implemented a bullying prevention …

Health Educator Job Analysis Project: Timeline Report, Eva Doyle, Beverly S. Mahoney

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Bewilderment And Illumination: Catch-22 And The Dark Humor Of The 1960s, Kirsten Staaby

Masters Theses

It is often hard to deal with certain subjects in a way that would not be offensive or painful. Dark humor is a popular and powerful way to deal with serious issues in a manner that is both edifying and enjoyable. In his novel Catch-22, Joseph Heller deals with the atrocities of war, and the subsequent effects it has on people and society as a whole. Heller's novel incorporates the dark humor that became popular in the 1960s, and that was used by this generation to deal with the tensions they faced in the political and cultural realms. There is …

The Legacy Of A Failing Father: Dysfunctional Father Figures In William Faulkner's Fiction, Travis V. Holt

Masters Theses

The appearance of dysfunctional father figures in numerous works of William Faulkner makes his struggle to relinquish his animosity for his father, Murry Falkner, a significant theme in his fiction. The dysfunctional father figures play the pivotal role in the social, financial, and psychological decline of their families as the children struggle to escape their father's influence and their dismal fate. The real-life events and situations of Faulkner and his family members serve as a source for Faulkner's fiction, and the constant disgust several of his characters have for their father figures resembles Faulkner's own feelings towards his father. By …

Scripture As A Source Of Hopefulness For Adult Christian Men And Women, Max Grayson Mills

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The primary focus of this study was to evaluate the effect of a Bible study intervention on increasing the levels of hopefulness in a non-clinical population of adult Christian men and women. Using a randomly assigned pretest-posttest eight-week control group design, data was obtained from a sample of 60 adult Christian men (N=25) and women (N=35). Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) revealed that the bibliotherapeutic intervention was effective at (p. < .01). The study also revealed a positive correlation between hopefulness and spiritual maturity at (p. < 01). Of the 31 participants in the treatment group, 20 individuals (64.5%) made a meaningful change in their levels of hopefulness at post treatment.

03-24-09 (The Liberty Champion, Volume 26, Issue 18)

2008 -- 2009

No abstract provided.

03-03-09 (The Liberty Champion, Volume 26, Issue 17)

2008 -- 2009

No abstract provided.

Reports Relating To The Sixtieth Annual Meeting Of The Society, James A. Borland

SOR Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.