Digital Commons Network^™

My Journey With Inductive Bible Study, James C. Miller

The Journal of Inductive Biblical Studies

No abstract provided.

Human Embodiment And Christian Worship: God's Revelation Through The Human Body In Scripture, Theology, And Liturgy, Carter J. C. Stepper

Theology Projects & Theses

This research will demonstrate that bodily existence is essential to human nature and that Christian worship practices must go hand-in-hand with a sound understanding of human embodiment in order to be faithful to the essence of Christianity. The following thesis demonstrates that the biblical understanding is that humanity was created as a body enlivened by the breath of God and intended to be the sacred sanctuary where God’s presence will dwell. In the incarnation of Jesus Christ, God’s goal to make humanity the sanctuary for his presence is fulfilled. Jesus Christ is the image of God, who redeems and represents …

The Imperative Connection Between Scripture And Ethics In A Catholic Context, Conor M. Kelly

Theology Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

“Me? An Addict?” Good News For Shame And Addiction, Rebecca Grisell

Doctor of Ministry

Addictions have penetrated all segments of society, including the Church. The problems addicts face is complicated, complex, and challenging for the church and ministry practitioners. Alongside the rising rate of addiction, society’s shame-awareness has also risen. This is not coincidental or unimportant. While addictive behavior seeks bonding, shame resists bonding. It is the contrary and paradoxical nature of this problem that makes it confusing, mysterious, and perplexing.

Yet there is hope. When shame is addressed with the good news of the Gospel, addiction will lose its grasp and new recovery solutions will arise. This dissertation suggests that the inability to …

Andrews University Press 2019 Booklist, Andrews University Press

Booklists

No abstract provided.

Towards A Biblical Model Of Spirituality Part 1: Historical And Theological Background, Silvia Canale Bacchiocchi

Journal of the Adventist Theological Society

More than ever we are living at a time of increasing fascination with the concept of spirituality, so much so that the “spirituality phenomenon” has come to define our era.1 Some see this as the result of the psychoanalytic movement begun by Freud, or the disappointment in the Enlightenment’s faith in progress (a failure in light of twentieth century wars); others see it as resulting from the futility of modern existence, or the teachings of Vatican II. 2 Whatever the cause, it appears that nearly everyone—whether religious or atheist—is seeking to connect with God or a higher power. 3 Spirituality …

“Canst Thou By Searching Find Out God?”: On General Revelation And Adventist Theology, Glauber S. Araújo

Journal of the Adventist Theological Society

Without God’s revelation in time and space, humanity would be utterly lost as to who He is, what His will is, or even if He exists. Morality would be completely alien to us and life would probably resume itself to the daily routine of looking after one’s own needs. Thankfully, God is a relational Being and from the moment He created mankind He began imparting knowledge about Himself, His actions and His thoughts. Through direct contact (Gen. 3:8; Exod. 33:11; Num. 12:8), visions (Num. 12:6), dreams (Gen. 28:12; Matt. 1:20), theophanies (Gen. 18:1-2, 13-14), angels (Num. 22:31-35), Urim and the …

Compassionate Ministry: Christological And Practical Reflections, Anna M. Galeniece

Journal of the Adventist Theological Society

Christian compassion towards others should be built on a solid biblical-theological foundation if Christianity wants to witness about God and His character, which is repeatedly presented throughout the Scriptures and especially revealed in the God-person of Jesus Christ. The only way the world will ever experience this divine compassion and hear about the blessed hope in Jesus is when it practically sees and experiences the touch of the loving hearts of Christ’s followers.

A God Who Sees And Hears The “Other”: Hagar’S Theophany As An Illustration Of The Lord’S Benevolence Toward Those Outside The Covenant, Daniel Royo

Journal of the Adventist Theological Society

There is no more pivotal, defining, and foundational figure among the world’s monotheists than Abraham.1 All three major monotheistic religions assert their ancestral linkage to him.2 “Despite countless revolutions in the history of ideas, Abraham remains a defining figure for half the world’s believers.”3 The Hebrew Bible focuses on Abraham’s descendants through Isaac and Jacob who become known as the Children of Israel. The Christian faith sprang from Judaism with the claim that Jesus of Nazareth was the long-awaited Jewish Messiah, and the fulfillment of the promise made to Abraham that through his progeny all the nations of the earth …

Our Authors

Gathered Fragments

No abstract provided.

Transforming The Lexington Seventh-Day Adventist Church Through Spirituality And Prayer, Pavel Goia

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Often in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, as in many other Christian churches, while there is a lot of talk about transformation and growth, spiritual and numerical growth seems lacking. There is a tendency to try new programs and methods that may seem to lead to success or growth, yet many of those projects use the resources and energy of the church with no real lasting results. This often leads to frustration and lack of hope for real change. Growth in the first-century church and in other times throughout history was real, and such growth is still possible.

Method

At …

Urban Mission

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

Towards A Biblical Spirituality: Dwelling With God Through The Exodus Sanctuary-Covenant Structure, Silvia Canale Bacchiocchi

Master's Theses

Problem

Biblical spirituality was challenged from the very start of the Christian church by competing spiritual ideologies of philosophical origins. Because the interpretation of spirituality has focused on exegetical and doctrinal approaches (micro and mesohermeneutical levels), the grounding biblical macro-hermeneutical level of its basic presuppositions has been ignored. Yet this is the level that gives ultimate meaning to the meso and micro levels. This oversight constitutes a giant roadblock to understanding and experiencing true biblical spirituality, the consequences of which are devastating both for the individual believer (Matt 7:23), as well as for the mission, unity, and growth of the …

Interpreting Philippians 2:12, 13 Using The Great Controversy Metanarrative, Sikhululekile Daco

Master's Theses

Problem

Philippians 2:12, 13 present two paradoxical statements in direct juxtaposition. Verse twelve is an appeal to work out one’s own salvation, whereas verse thirteen acknowledges that it is God who does the work. How could Paul comfortably hold both views and present them in such close juxtaposition? How can this apparent contradiction of concepts be reconciled?

Method

While specialization in any given discipline affords the opportunity for greater depth of understanding, each theological discipline may augment one’s interpretation of a text. Philippians 2:12, 13 poses some interpretive challenges that can be mitigated by broadening one’s exegetical methodology to incorporate …

The Mission And Role Of Women In Graeco-Roman And Judeo-Christian Contexts, Fabienne Liana Maslet

Master's Theses

The place of women in the world has changed and progressed in the past decades. When I was a young girl, women were not really valued in the Church and in the service for God. There were always excuses not to allow them to serve God and they were rejected in a lot of areas in the Church service. However, the worse thing is that frequently women are the ones who are belittling themselves, who denigrate themselves, who undermine themselves or the capacities that God gave them to be used in Church. This occurs because they had been educated this …

African Christians Or Christian Africans: Byang H. Kato And His Contextual Theology, Sochanngam Shirik

The Asbury Journal

Byang Henry Kato, a promising African Christian leader, passed away in 1975 at only 39 years of age. In spite of his brief career, he has left his imprint on the pages of African Christian history. He is not without his supporters and critics alike. It appears that while his critics have misunderstood him in some aspects, his supporters have not paid enough attention to his theological conviction and articulation. While this article aims at clarifying some of Kato's conviction, it also informs readers how, regardless of context and time, others can appreciate, learn, and even adopt some aspects of …

Wesleyan Soteriology And The New Perspective Of Paul: A Comparative Analysis, Matt Ayars

The Asbury Journal

No abstract provided.

A Study Of Identity Issues That Affect Clergy Leadership On Lgbtq Inclusion, James Jeffrey Butcher

All Theses And Dissertations

This dissertation analyzes how the leadership decisions of thirty local church Protestant clergy in Virginia were influenced by personal, organizational, and cultural identity issues on matters related to homosexuality or LGBTQ inclusion. Self-understanding of identity issues affected clergy practice of biblical and theological interpretations on topics that include: purity, inclusion, same-sex marriage, ordination of LGBTQ persons, denominational loyalty, local church loyalty, transactional leadership, transformational leadership, and transformative leadership. The researcher used semi-structured phenomenological interviews with seven focus groups and seven individual follow-up interviews. The researcher explored the process by which clergy construct their identities, while noting the resulting leadership strategies …

Toward A Biblical Theology Of Leadership: Followers Who Shepherd And Serve Others To Follow, Benjamin Forrest

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Christian leadership as a subset ofleadership is unique. It is unique because ofthe modifier of “Christian.”1 The meaning ofthis modifier, however, is often unclear in the minds ofthose who use it. Most authors who write on this topic have thought long and hard about what this means, but the average Christian still wrestles with the question of “what makes leadership Christian?”

Joseph, Judah And Jesus: Revisiting Genesis 37-50, Jo Ann Davidson

Journal of the Adventist Theological Society

It is the position of this paper that the last thirteen chapters of Genesis highlight not only Joseph, but also Judah—both of whose lives are types of Christ, albeit in different ways. Not only are the noble attributes of Joseph’s life reflected in Jesus, but Jesus is also the “Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Rev 5:4).” Contra some claims of careless “redacting,” the Judah narratives are rightly and evocatively found within the Joseph cycle. Familiarity with the Genesis narratives creates the possibility of missing or overlooking the theology embedded in the shape, structure, and content of them. 1 Thereby …

Toward A Biblical Theology Of God's Presence In Christian Theology: A Study Of How Difference Interpretations Of The Divine Presence Affect Liturgy, Karl Tsatalbasidis

Dissertations

Problem

In spite of the universal agreement on the importance of the divine presence as the central aspect of liturgy, there are three conflicting ways in which the presence of God relates to liturgy. They broadly correspond to the main liturgical traditions: Sacramental (Roman Catholic), Kerygmatic (Protestant) and Charismatic (Pentecostal and Interdenominational). In our current situation, how does this universal agreement about the presence of God as the central aspect of liturgy relate to the conflicting means by which congregations assess his presence?

Purpose

The purpose of this study was (1) to describe how the three diverging views relate the …

"Let Us Make 'Adam": An Edenic Model Of Personal Ontology, Marla A. Samaan Nedelcu

Dissertations

Personal ontology studies human constitution and human nature, an increasingly debated topic in Christian theology. Historically, the most prominent models of personal ontology in Christian theology have been substance dualist models. More recently, physicalist models have offered prominent alternatives.

This dissertation studies the conflict of interpretations between these two major model groupings. By applying a canonical theology, it then presents an Edenic model of personal ontology that can address the current conflict of interpretations. To achieve this end, the dissertation briefly analyzes substance dualism and physicalism according to the rubrics of constitution and nature, using a model methodology. It then …

Angels And Sub-Divine Supernatural Beings: Their Characteristics, Function, And Relationship To God And Humanity In Deuteronomy-Kings, Joni Amanda Mcguire-Moushon

Dissertations

This research analyzes selected passages in Deuteronomy-Kings in order to determine the characteristics and roles of supernatural sub-divine beings within these books. Then this data is compared with the angelology of the Second Temple period in order to identify the similarities and the extent of the differences between them.

Deuteronomy contains references to supernatural sub-divine beings, such as “demons” and “holy one(s)”. While Deuteronomy affirms the existence of sub-divine beings, it forbids the Israelites to worship them. In the books of Joshua and Judges, there is awareness of supernatural beings and their roles as warriors, messengers, and tormentors. However, in …

Possibilities For Trans-Affirming Policy Potential: A Case Study Of A Canadian Catholic School, Lindsay Herriot, Tonya D. Callaghan

Journal of Catholic Education

Background: Mainstream media is increasingly reporting on the relationships between Catholic and trans identities in parochial schools, particularly with regard to gendered washroom use. With greater numbers of trans youth coming out at younger ages, significant educational policy changes are being considered around how Catholic schools can or should include trans youth. Method: This study applies trans and queer theologies to Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) in investigating the Wilson case, which was the first known instance of a Catholic school including some affirming policy provisions for trans youth. The authors additionally collected and coded 12 news articles from a variety …

Toward Engaging The Secular: Charles Taylor's Modern Social Imaginaries, Human Flourishing, And Theological Method, Jenifer A. Daley

Dissertations

Increasing secularization seems to fly in the face of Christian proposals for a Scripture-only principle for theology. The question that this dissertation explores is "How will Christian theology tackle the resulting church-society impasse in a way that is both faithful to Scripture and intelligible contemporaneously without appearing to privilege one aspect over the other?" That is, "What form should theological method take to efficaciously engage the secular?" This study suggests that the answer might lie in an innovative fusion of Scripture with borrowed concepts from secular culture. Thus, this dissertation responds to the problem of the need for robust, multidimensional …

Transformative Discipleship : Effective Discipleship Of Young Adults At Christ Is The Answer Ministries (Citam), Kenya, Juddy Karei

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Ancient-Future Of Worship Education: The Evangelical-Sacramental Movement's Effect On Modern Worship Education, Jordan Miles Covarelli

Masters Theses

This thesis looks at developments in evangelical/Pentecostal contemporary Christian worship music (CWM) in response to its theological critiques and analyzes the effects they are having on what training worship leaders will need. CWM has grown into a global phenomenon that largely either disregards or is ignorant of its theological critics. The rapid rate of churches adopting CWM practices in their services has led to numerous universities creating post-secondary degrees in Worship Leadership focused specifically on modern expressions of worship. This thesis uses a convergent parallel mixed methods research model to analyze how worship practices are changing in key evangelical-turned-sacramental churches …

2019 - Sorrow, Hope And Joy: Life In The Mountains And Valleys Of The Psalms, Abilene Christian University

Lectureship and Summit Programs

Abilene Christian University’s 2019 Summit is designed to remind how the spiritual foundation of praying, singing and meditation helps contemporary disciples flourish during times of despair, hope and joy. In the Psalms we encounter words, music and emotions for private and communal worship times. Although sometimes neglected in the 21st century, the Psalter supplies power to transform lives by bringing God’s kindness and mercy into our world.

Just as the Psalms were the hymn book for Jesus and his followers, at Summit 2019 we will examine the many ways in which they provide a steady, sustained foundation for healthy Christian …

The Language Of The Spirit In The Book Of Mormon, Noel B. Reynolds

Faculty Publications

This study provides students of the Book of Mormon with the first comprehensive analysis of the many ways in which the word spirit is used in that volume of scripture. It demonstrates how the titles Holy Ghost, Spirit of God, Spirit of the Lord, Holy Spirit, and the Spirit are used interchangeably to refer to the third member of the God. It also shows that the Holy Ghost was understood to be a separate being. The analysis is thoroughly integrated with scholarly studies of references to the spirit ( rûah ) in the Hebrew Bible. The functions of the Holy …

Messianism And Jewish Messiahs In The New Testament Period, Trevan Hatch

Faculty Publications

The terms Messiah and Christ are widely used today and are employed almost exclusively by Christians in reference to Jesus. Modern Christians, including Latter-day Saints, associate a litany of notions, implications, and expectations with these titles. Messiah, or mashiach in Hebrew, is synonymous with Christ, or christos in Greek, both meaning “one who is anointed” (with oil). What, however, were the deeper meanings and implications of these terms in Jesus’s day? How did Jews in the first centuries BC and AD interpret Old Testament passages regarding a messiah, and what were their expectations of a future messiah? When some of …