Digital Commons Network^™

Factors Influencing Conversion Of Cambodian Muslims To Christianity, Thomas W. Seckler

Witness

No abstract provided.

The History Of Graduate Theological Education At Oral Roberts University, Larry Hart, Bill Buker

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

This article traces the history of graduate theological education at Oral Roberts University from its initial inception in 1963 up until 2018 when a significant transition occurred. Special attention is given to the rebirth of the seminary in 1976 under the leadership of Jimmy Buskirk and the following seasons of its evolution under subsequent deans. From a seminary approved by the United Methodist Church to train candidates for ministry in that denomination to one reflecting a primarily Pentecostal ethos to its current role of serving the Spirit-empowered Movement, the Graduate School of Theology and Ministry (GSTM) has maintained ecumenical diversity …

Our Contributors

Pastoral Liturgy

No abstract provided.

Pantayong Pananaw Bilang Dulog Sa Teolohiyang Pilipino (From-Us-For-Us Perspective As An Approach To Filipino Theology), Mark Joseph Santos

Mabini Review

Colonial and elitist theology have been dominating the Philippine theological landscape for a very long time. This is a kind of theology that is Western and thus alienated from the reality of Philippine society, and written in English and therefore cannot be comprehended by the people. Because of this, a large part of theology as an academic discipline is still irrelevant to the Filipino context. One of the instruments that can serve as an antidote to this problem is the use of Pantayong Pananaw (From-Us-For- Us Perspective) as an approach. Through Pantayong Pananaw, Teolohiyang Pilipino (Filipino Theology) can enrich itself …

House Churches (Full Issue)

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

House Churches In The New Testament: Contextual, Theological, And Missiological Perspectives, Boubakar Sanou

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

For most of the first century, private dwellings shaped the Christians’ community life. Evidence to this phenomenon is found in the Acts of the Apostles and the letters of Paul. According to Acts 2:41, the Early Church numbered more than three thousand members after Pentecost. When the synagogues became off limits to them, meeting in private homes became a practical necessity for worship, fellowship, service, and mission (Acts 2:46; 5:42). In four of Paul’s epistles, he explicitly references private homes as the gathering places for early Christians (1 Cor 16:19; Rom 16:3-5; Col 4:15; Phil 2). The epistles are better …

Book Review: New Funding Models In Global Mission: Learning From The Majority World By Tim Welch, John Cheong

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

African Ethnopolitical Rivalry In A Public Theological Lens: Building Bridges Between The Luo And Kikuyu, Dan Kidha Kidha

The Journal of Social Encounters

This research explores African ethnopolitical rivalry within a public theological framework, aiming to build bridges between the Luo and Kikuyu communities of Kenya. It argues that as a community enterprise, theology should engage with the public and be concerned about the wellbeing of God's people. Ethnopolitical conflict is a major impediment to human flourishing in sub- Saharan Africa, causing loss of life, displacement, and fractured identity. The paper draws on practical and public theologies to understand the lived contexts of human experience and argues that a robust interdisciplinary approach is necessary to uplift those affected by ethnic conflicts. As an …

Canadian Lutheran History Sources And Resources Presentation: Remembering For The Sake Of The Gospel, Karen Kuhnert

Consensus

This Article is from a three-part presentation delivered in Webinar 2 (November 15, 2022) of the Webinar Series “For the Sake of the Gospel” hosted by the Remembering Today for the Church of Tomorrow Project in partnership with Martin Luther University College and Lutheran Theological Seminary. The presentation featured images, some of which are presented herein.

Antonio Camnahas, The Catholic Mission In The Lesser Sunda Islands - Indonesia Under The Society Of The Divine Word (Svd). From One Apostolic Prefecture To Two Apostolic Vicariates (1913–1942), Paul B. Steffen Svd

Asia Pacific Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

"¡Que Viva El Cristo Negro De Portobelo!" Ismael Rivera's 'El Nazareno' As An Exercise In Grassroots Theology, Rafael Nieves-Rosario

Journal of Hispanic / Latino Theology

No abstract provided.

Our Contributors

Pastoral Liturgy

No abstract provided.

We Are Kamea Christians Not Because We Sing Like Berrien Springs Christians: Towards A Methodology Of Developing A Biblical Theology In Context, Unia Api

Adventist Human-Subject Researchers Association

This paper attempts to demonstrate a methodological approach to doing theology in context. A lot of homogenizations of Western Christianity have very much impacted the way we do church in Melanesia (Pacific Islands). This trend motivated me to ride on the wave of Melanesian thinkers to make theology relevant in the Melanesian context. Title: Exploring

The Nigerian Tiv Concept Of Ya Na Angbian As A Corrective To The Misinterpretation Of Subdue And Have Dominion In Genesis 1:26, Christopher Terhemen Bologo

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

The Tiv people of Nigeria have a social-political philosophy, Ya na angbian, which they have been practicing since the pre-colonial period. The social-political philosophy promotes justice, fairness, harmony, and peace through a fair and equitable distribution of what belongs to the Tiv people. This thesis argues that the Ya na angbian concept of the Tiv people can be applied to the relationship between human and non-human beings. This work maintains that it can lead to human beings’ care for non-human nature.

The first outstanding conclusion of this research is that the Ya na angbian social-political philosophy can correct misunderstanding …

Life And The Renewal Of The Christian Community: Infant Baptism And Inculturation In The Context Of The Democratic Republic Of The Congo, Héritier Ofabwe Kinzamba

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

This thesis is part of the liturgical inculturation process that has been taking place in the local Church of the Democratic Republic of the Congo since the 1960s, one of whose treasured expressions is the Roman Missal for the Dioceses of Zaïre, an inculturated ritual of Mass. In this work, I aim to contribute to extending the special rite for the Dioceses of Zaïre to include the celebration of infant Baptism. I use a hermeneutical method and an anthropological model of contextual theology to interpret and analyze the foundations of the Roman Rite for the Dioceses of Zaire, the Church’s …

Towards A Holistic Reconciliation In Africa, N’Guessan Kouacou Augustin Koffi

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

Reconciliation is a relevant topic in the world and especially in Africa, which has a thirst for peace and justice, yet is plagued by ongoing crises. Many African countries have tried to build social trust for a living together. On the Church's side, Catholic Social Teaching, through Africae Munus, clearly articulates Africa's thirst for reconciliation, justice, and peace. Various African church leaders and laypeople have been engaged in the reconciliation and conflict transformation in Africa. Even though some progress has been made, people are still disappointed at the ongoing violence and social injustice in many parts of the continent. This …

Online Vs On-Site: Navigating The Tension Between Curating Content And Cultivating Connections For Children In The Post-Pandemic Church, Mckinzie Marcus

Senior Honors Theses

The common Christian cliche “church is not a place, but rather a people” was challenged by the Coronavirus pandemic of early 2020. With the traditional means of assembling in physical spaces unavailable, congregations worldwide resigned themselves to adapting their in-person programs into internet assemblies. As churches step into the post-pandemic era, it is important to consider the implications of this forced shift, especially as it relates to children’s ministry. A consideration of traditional messages and trending methods is necessary. Twenty-first century children’s ministries must seek a healthy balance between curating content and cultivating connections for the children in their churches.

Who Is To Blame? African Feminism, Human Rights, And Sexual Violence Against Izintombi (Virgins) In South Africa, Goodness Thandi Ntuli

Journal of International Women's Studies

This article highlights the intensifying prevalence of sexual violence in South Africa, which affects women including izintombi (virgins, also known as Zulu maidens). Ubuntombi (virginity) traditionally represented a typical identity marker of young-womanhood in the indigenous lives of Zulus. As an aftermath of colonialism and imperialism, the cultural importance of women’s virginity faded into the past with only sporadic survival in some rural areas of South Africa. For some reasons, it was visibly revived together with virginity-testing as public events in the 1980s and 1990s. The practice of virginity-testing was criticized by some scholars, human rights and gender activists, who …

Global Women’S Precarity, Borderlands, Decoloniality, And Transformative Change, Vivienne Tailor, Nupur Ray, Goodness Thandi Ntuli, Lihini Ratwatte

Journal of International Women's Studies

No abstract provided.

Review Of Los Profetas: The Prophetic Role Of Hispanic Churches In America, Hanna Larracas

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

No abstract provided.

Then Peter Stood Up: A Dialogical Narrative Analysis Of Peter’S Preparation For Spokesperson At Pentecost, Rebekah Bled

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

Dialogical Narrative Analysis (DNA) asks, in brief, what work a story does in the context in which it is told and on the teller of the story itself. In applying DNA to Peter, this article assumes the premise that Peter’s meaning-making, or construction of the dialogical self in dynamic relationship with Jesus, positioned him to be the spokesperson who narrated the events of Pentecost. Therefore, this article seeks to understand how Jesus’ naming and accompanying statement to Peter that “on this rock I will build my church” and the unfolding narrative of Peter’s discipleship uniquely prepare Peter for this role. …

Growing In Global Perspectives: A Review Of Reading The Bible Around The World, Ethan Hovrud, Jaelyn Dragt, Joya Schreurs, Susan Wang, Hannah Landman

Student Work

"Effects of colonization, refuge seeking, and persecution affect how communities interpret meaning in Scripture."

Posting about ­­­­­­­­the book Reading the Bible Around the World from In All Things - an online journal for critical reflection on faith, culture, art, and every ordinary-yet-graced square inch of God’s creation.

https://inallthings.org/growing-in-global-perspectives-a-review-of-reading-the-bible-around-the-world/

Publication Citations (Calendar Year 2022), Valparaiso University

Valparaiso Scholarship and Creative Works Reception

No abstract provided.

A Practical Theology Of Created Space: Contextualized Theology For Pastoral Crisis Ministry, Gabriel Fisher

Discernment: Theology and the Practice of Ministry

This is a practical theology of created space that attends to the questions raised by critical incidents and contexts by cultivating dialogue among experiences, beliefs, perceptions, and theology. This confessional approach works from the conviction that God is active and present within our experiences and that we are called to participate in the compassionate ministry of Christ. A created space represents a holding pattern of listening and dialogue where attention is given to the other person’s experiences, beliefs, present concerns, and our own formed center using the resources of spiritual theologies.

Constructing A Theological Framework That Revitalizes The Missional Nature Of Churches Of Christ In South Australia, Mark Daniel Riessen

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This thesis addresses the need for a theological framework that revitalizes the missional nature of Churches of Christ in South Australia. The problem identified within this ministry context was a lack of clear theological principles that informed a common understanding of identity for missional engagement. The purpose of the project was to create a study guide that informs common theological commitments and grounds congregations for missional vitality. A research and development team made up of seven Church of Christ ministers from different backgrounds was assembled to design a curriculum that addressed the problem. Through eight two-hour sessions over four months …

Juan Luis Segundo’S Hermeneutical Circle: A Continual Hermeneutical Encounter Of The Word And The World, Christiane Joseph C. Jocson

Loyola Papers

This paper examines Juan Luis Segundo’s concept of the hermeneutical circle within the framework of liberation theology. It argues that theology must arise from a continual encounter between the Word of God and the concrete realities of the world, especially the experiences of the poor. By engaging the insights of Gustavo Gutiérrez and Paul Ricoeur, the study highlights a dynamic interpretive process in which Scripture and lived experience mutually illuminate each other. Such a hermeneutical approach invites theologians to practice a “feet-on-the-ground” theology that accompanies people in their struggles and seeks transformative understanding.

Our Contributors

Pastoral Liturgy

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Western Jesuit Scholars In India: Tracing Their Paths, Reassessing Their Goals. By Francis X. Clooney, S.J., James Elisha Taneti

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

No abstract provided.

Trauma And Grief: Developing A Framework For Equipping The Hispanic/Latino Churches As A Healing Community In The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Of North Carolina, Santiago Reales

Doctor of Ministry Projects

This project aimed to equip Hispanic/Latino congregations of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina (CBFNC) as a healing community to help people in recovering from loss and trauma in a healthy way. Participants in five-workshop sessions over four weeks explored stories of grief and trauma from the Old and New Testament along with contemporary grief and trauma theories. Each workshop presented what the Scriptures and mental health best practices teach about how to deal with grief and trauma. Also, the project sought to determine whether the participant’s training experience impacted their stress level.

The Role Of Women Religious (1882-1974) In The Work Of Evangelization Among The Fijian People, John Pickering

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

This research has undertaken the study of the role of religious women in the work of evangelization among the Fijian people between 1882 and 1974. Using the methods of historical research and an interdisciplinary approach, which includes disciplines of history, theology, spirituality, missiology, and cultural anthropology, this work evaluates the work of religious women and the immense contribution they have made to the Fijian Catholic Church and society, particularly in the areas of education and healthcare despite not receiving recognition for their work. The study revealed that women religious who helped to build the Catholic Church in Fiji and lay …