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How To Engage Voluntary Spirit Possession Rituals In Mission: The Case Of The Dendi Adorcism Ritual, Michée Badé

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

Missionaries face unique challenges when confronted with spirit possession rituals. Because not all spirit possessions are regarded as negative in some cultures, some spirit possessions are sought through adorcism rituals. Such spirit possessions are considered advantageous for the individual or the community. Contrasted with exorcism which is to expel or bind troublesome or uninvited entities, adorcism creates or strengthens beneficial ties between the possessed person and the spirits (Openshaw 2020:6).

This article seeks to show that the practice of adorcism rituals, as is the case among the Dendi people in the northern part of Benin, presents a unique challenge to …

Lgbtq Student Experiences And Perceptions In Christian Higher Education: An Exploration Of Institutional Climate And Lgbtq Persistence, Anthony M. Ungaro

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) students at faith-based institutions that influence perceptions and persistence are not well known. Although institutions are committed to student growth and development, LGBTQ students are often treated with religious stigmatization and discrimination. This qualitative phenomenological research gave LGBTQ students a voice to share experiences that impact perceptions of campus climate, strategies that lead to persistence, and recommendations to strengthen institutional inclusiveness. The interview results from six LGBTQ students at various Christian institutions associated with the Council for Christian College and Universities provided in-depth considerations for faith-based institutions, specifically Christian, to …

The Fabc Vision Of Inculturation And The Pedagogical Renewal Of Catechesis In The Philippines, William M. Parde Jr.

Loyola Papers

Advocating the crafting of inculturated catechisms, this paper calls for a pedagogy of faith built not from the desks of catechetical authorities but from the ground. In this pedagogical renewal, necessitated by changing times and circumstances, the paper finds a rallying point and guiding principle in the FABC’s call for inculturation understood as “dialogue.” At the same time, it identifies a number of ongoing challenges that hinder this process, including notions and methodologies of inculturation that can be unilateral and amount to a kind of imposition on the receiving culture, which possesses its own customs and practices. The paper then …

Fethullah Gülen: A Man With A Mission, Victor Edwin Sj

Asia Pacific Mission Studies

“Are Fethullah Gülen and the Hizmet (service) community friends or foes?’ I must answer that they are our friends. They are the kind of Muslim interlocutors for an active dialogue which we have been searching for since the time of Nostra Aetate.” With these words Fr. Tom Michel, SJ introduced the present writer to the members of the Hizmet movement in Delhi. Fethullah Gülen is a Turkish scholar and teacher of the Holy Qur'an, who has inspired a global movement of millions of individuals to dedicate themselves to literacy, social enterprise, and interreligious dialogue to build peace in the world. …

The Church's Mission Of Dialogue In The Digital Age, Anthony Le Duc Svd

Asia Pacific Mission Studies

The development of Internet Communication Technology (ICT) has led the world into a new context with social, philosophical, and theological implications. It also presents missionary challenges that demand due response from Church leaders and members. This paper explores the nature of the present context and the ramifications that this milieu holds for the Catholic Church and the Church's relationship with other religions. Close examination indicates that the digital age characterized by exponential increase in knowledge production, heightened sense of enclavism, and difficult to control disinformation about religions and religious matters places society at great risks for interreligious misunderstanding and conflict. …

Thomas O'Shaughnessy, Sj & Fazlur Rahman: The Incarnation In The Qur'Ān, Renato T. Oliveros Phd

Asia Pacific Mission Studies

The Incarnation of Jesus Christ (Eisa al-Masih), a central Christian doctrine that the eternal “Word became flesh” is confirmed in the Qur'ān as the Logos named the Christ (Q. 3:45). The Spirit (Ruh) in Surah 19, and the Word (Christ) in Surah 3 confirm the Incarnation narrative in the Gospels of Luke 1 and John 1. In the spirit of Ignatius’ openness to extra-Biblical sources in the Spiritual Exercises (SPEX), Qur’ānic sources can be integrated in the Ignatian contemplation on the Incarnation. O’Shaughnessy and F. Rahman argue that the Rūḥ al-qudus ( القدس روح , “Holy Spirit”) is not the …

Ambrogio Bongiovanni And Victor Edwin, Eds. A Call To Dialogue: Christians In Dialogue With Muslims, Indunil Kodithuwakku Msgr.

Asia Pacific Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

Rites–Christian And Non-Christian–In A Cosmic Liturgy Of Fraternity, Nihal Abeyasingha

Asia Pacific Mission Studies

The present article starts from the Past-Present-Future dimensions of sacraments, to which Vagaggini has added the moral-dispositive element (commitment). These four dimensions within the Christian perspective can be analysed as (1) anamnesis, presentation of gifts and persons, (2) epiclesis, invoking Spirit to transform gifts and weld together persons, (3) eschatology, and (4) theosis. When applied in a non-Christian environment, one can expand these four elements in terms of (1) narration (memory), (2) presentation of themselves through whatever gestures, (3) fulfillment/maturation and, (4) generativity. Through this analysis, one can speak of even non-Christians being united in a cosmic liturgy in the …

Thirty Years After Pcp Ii: Community Pantries And The Vision Of A Church Of The Poor, Kenjie I. Cortez

Asia Pacific Mission Studies

This paper is an attempt to explore the implications of communion in the summaries in Acts 2:42; 4:32-35 in relation to PCP II's vision of a Church renewed. It also puts forward the possibility of looking at the socalled community pantries as viable means to our ongoing reception of PCP II's vision of a Church as a Church of the Poor.

Anthony E. Clark. China’S Saints: Catholic Martyrdom During The Qing (1644-1911), Ramil Marcos

Asia Pacific Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

The “Oil And Wine” Of A Better Kind Of Politics, Cesare Sposetti Sj

Asia Pacific Mission Studies

This essay aims to show how the rise of populist phenomena is a contemporary “sign of the times” that the Catholic Church must attend to carefully, in order to respond adequately while drawing from the rich treasure of her social teaching, with a particular attention to Pope Francis’ last Encyclical Fratelli tutti. The application of such an approach to the current Italian context proposes a concrete analysis of and a Catholic response to populism.

The Holy Spirit As The Power Of Diversity: A Pneumatology Of Religious Pluralism, Peter C. Phan

Asia Pacific Mission Studies

In celebration of the quincentennial of the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines, this essay discusses how religious diversity and pluralism can be reconciled with the Christian belief in Jesus as the Savior. I begin by examining the diverse ways in which the Holy Spirit works in the world according to the Hebrew Scripture, the Synoptic Gospels, Acts 2: 1-13, and Paul and by drawing on the document The Holy Spirit at Work in Asia of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences. Next, the essay examines how Jesus and the Spirit function autonomously, albeit not independently, from each other by …

The Irrevocable Ecumenical Responsibility, Obligation And Commitment Of The Bishop, Nchumbonga George Lekelefac

Asia Pacific Mission Studies

The irrevocable commitment, urgent obligation and responsibility of the bishop to foster ecumenism in pastoral ministry today in his diocese in congruence with the Code of Canon Law 755 and the most recent document of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity entitled “The Bishop and Christian Unity: an Ecumenical Vademecum” is of primordial and utmost capital importance in the Catholic Church. This recent document on ecumenism, in congruence with the Second Vatican Council, (1962–65), the 21st ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church, which was convocated by Pope John XXIII on January 25, 1959, as a means of spiritual …

Pope Francis’ Scriptural Understanding Of The Nature And Implications Of God’S Mercy, Ramil Marcos

Asia Pacific Mission Studies

Fittingly called the Pope of Mercy, Pope Francis has embraced the message of God’s mercy in his own life and ministry. He enthusiastically proclaimed this truth from the moment he began his role as universal pastor of the Catholic Church. Pope Francis celebrated the Year of Mercy with a combination of actions and words that conveyed the importance of God’s love in our personal and communal life as Christians. Pope Francis believed that the primary proclamation must be rooted in the mercy of the Father flowing through the Son and the Holy Spirit. Mercy received becomes mercy shared. People should …

References To The Shepherd Of Hermas At The Monastery Of Gunda Gundē, Ted Erho, Ralph Lee

HMML Staff Publications

The monastery of Gunda Gundē played a significant historical role in preserving the Ethiopic translation of the Shepherd of Hermas, but its relationship to the book was not simply as a passive guardian. As witnessed through a few locally-produced commentary manuscripts referencing this work, at least some monks actively engaged theologically with it. Their interest in the Shepherd may have been stimulated in part by writings alluding to Hermas authored by the fourteenth-century Ethiopian theologian Retu‘a Hāymānot, copies of which were also held by the monastery.

Our Metropolitan Separations: The Case For Metropolitan Public Schools In The Commonwealth Of Virginia, Marvin T. Chiles

History Faculty Publications

This research uses published reports from think tanks, statistical data from the Virginia Department of Education, newspaper articles, and court cases to argue for the creation of metropolitan school districts in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Framing this article's importance is the undeniable fact that almost seventy years after the famous Brown v. Board of Education decision (1954), American public schools still legally operate on a racially segregated basis. Virginia contributes to this issue by having some of the highest rates of racial segregation within its major metropolitan area school districts. This racial segregation has resulted in disparate educational outcomes between …

Worldview Origins—Part 2: The Role Of Religion, The Bible, And Culture, Joseph Kidder, Katelyn Campbell Weakley

Journal of the Adventist Theological Society

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"We Aim At Nothing Less Than The Whole World": The Seventh-Day Adventist Church's Missionary Enterprise And The General Conference Secretariat, 1863-2019. [Review], Andrew Tompkins

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Factors That Influence The Believers In Monze Central Seventh-Day Adventist Church Of South Zambia Conference To Consult Diviners, Ian Chiinya

Master's Theses

Problem

Studies have shown that even after becoming Christians, African Christians maintain their traditional religious practices. Non-Christian studies in Zambia reveal that both Christian and non-Christian Zambians still combine biomedicine with sacred African traditional medicine. The goal of the current study is to identify the variables that lead Monze Central Church Seventh-day Adventist members to consult diviners.

Method

Sections one and two of a questionnaire were created to collect information on the variables that affect going to a diviner. To assess the role and self-efficacy of local church elders in assisting members who have been impacted by demonic spiritual forces, …

God's Story, Our Story: Telling, Re-Telling, Re-Storying, Kara Carter

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Shifting trends within and beyond the walls of the church are reshaping Christianity in our present context. Many Christian denominations are in the midst of a paradigm shift as great as or greater than the 16th century Reformation. Because the way forward looks nothing like the path the church has journeyed, church leaders, theologians, and scholars recognize the need for innovative and adaptive leadership expertise to meet the opportunities and challenges of the present time. For more than two decades, Mennonite Church Canada congregations have been on a journey of development, learning, and growth, transitioning theologically and experientially to a …

Focus, 2021, Fall, Andrews University

Focus

FOCUS (ISSN 1077-9345) is published quarterly, free of charge, for alumni and friends of Andrews University, an institution owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

The Holy Spirit The Ultimate Counselor And Transformer For Healing And Wholeness, Karuna Sharma

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

Nepal is a country with cultural and religious diversity. This country has gone through much turmoil and many crises. Since the time of the Maoist insurgency up to the recent pandemic situation, people have faced various emotions, feelings, and thoughts. These sudden devastating moments have not only affected their physical wellbeing, but has in turn affected the whole being of a person. These experiences of accusation, suffering, violence, and pain have led many to sadness, worry, anger, and fear resulting in various mental disorders. Therefore, the ministry of counseling is very important in order to help people get connected to …

Brady Kal Cox, 2015-2019, Brady Kal Cox

Center for Restoration Studies Archives, Manuscripts and Personal Papers Finding Aids

No abstract provided.

Obeying The Commission: A Model For Equipping Christians To Make Disciples, David Kofi Bempong

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Jesus was explicit when He gave His disciples specific instructions before His ascension. In Matthew 28:19, Jesus commissions his followers to be disciple-makers. Christians today are beneficiaries of the previous generations’ efforts to fulfill this commission. The purpose of this project is to evaluate how discipleship is accomplished at Riverdale Baptist Church and to propose a strategy demonstrating practical ways people can begin making disciples. The traditional church model is losing relevance amid a society that is increasingly dissociating itself from formal religion. The body of Christ must be in touch with their communities and find effective ways of making …

The Holy Spirit The Ultimate Counselor And Transformer For Healing And Wholeness: A Nepalese Perspective, Karuna Sharma

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

Nepal is a country with cultural and religious diversity. This country has gone through much turmoil and many crises. Since the time of the Maoist insurgency up to the recent pandemic situation, people have faced various emotions, feelings, and thoughts. These sudden devastating moments have not only affected their physical wellbeing, but has in turn affected the whole being of a person. These experiences of accusation, suffering, violence, and pain have led many to sadness, worry, anger, and fear resulting in various mental disorders. Therefore, the ministry of counseling is very important in order to help people get connected to …

Expanding God's Redemptive Fractal: Spirit-Centered Counseling And The Transformative Wisdom Of Jesus, Bill Buker

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

Using the image of a fractal, a Spirit-centered approach to counseling is proposed that conceptualizes the Spirit’s activity as seeking to replicate the patterns of God’s redemptive story throughout creation by facilitating deep second-order change. Involving an epistemological shift from ways of knowing shaped by the conventional wisdom of culture to a renewed mind grounded in the transformative wisdom of Jesus, this deep change is explored from the perspectives of science and Scripture. Integrating findings from systems theory with the ministry and message of Jesus, this approach to counseling emphasizes relational premises and values believed to be characteristic of the …

Systematizing Mission: Focusing On Counting Down Rather Than Counting Up, Jeff Scoggins

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

Drs. Bertha And Arthur Selmon: Case Study In The Formation Of Early Adventist Mission Identity In China, Michael W. Campbell

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

Strategies For Dealing With Folk Practices In Christian Churches In The Democratic Republic Of The Congo, Ray Rukarata Bidahunga

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

Biblical Social Justice And Ethical Leadership: A Pastoral Perspective, Boubakar Sanou

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.