Digital Commons Network^™

Theological Diversity As Growth And Foundation, Rhiannon Grant

Quaker Religious Thought

The liberal branch of the Religious Society of Friends today is undoubtedly theologically diverse—for example, in Britain Yearly Meeting, the committee who are revising the book of discipline are explicitly inviting contributions from nontheist as well as universalist and Christian perspectives.¹ Some members of the community find this a source of considerable anxiety. In this paper I want to position it, rather, as a source of richness and a form of growth, and also as a potential foundation for other forms of much needed diversity. Britain Yearly Meeting is working on addressing our institutional and sometimes personal racism and …

[Review Of The Book The Cambridge Companion To The Council Of Trent, By N. Minnich (Ed.)], Anne H. Muraoka

Art Faculty Publications

[First paragraph] The Cambridge Companion to the Council of Trent brings together recent scholarship by an international group of scholars. True to Cambridge’s Companion series, this broad yet informative volume provides accessible discussions of the key issues addressed by the Council of Trent, which met in twenty-five sessions from 1545 to 1563.

Providing Specialized Preparation For Counselors In Catholic Schools, Timothy J. Cook, Jan J. Powers, Jiwon Kim

Journal of Catholic Education

School counselors are needed now more than ever. Providing Catholic school counselors the specialized formation they need to be effective in the Catholic school context is essential. This study addressed two research questions in this regard: (1) What competencies (e.g., understanding, incorporating) and topics do Catholic school principals and school counselors believe are important for school counselors to fully contribute to the educational and faith-based mission of Catholic schools; and (2) How might the research findings inform pre-service education and/or continuing education and formation of school counselors for the Catholic school context? Online surveys were developed using the “Defining Characteristics …

A Resilient Faith: Lessons For The Church From Church Leavers, Carol Mclaughlin

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation began by seeking to understand why people leave church, particularly baby boomers that no longer attend church. Section One introduces the changing perceptions and dynamics of religious identification and church attendance practices. The question I ask and endeavor to respond to is how the church might live a resilient faith in the liminal space between a church-centric faith and faith apart from church affiliation. Section Two considers three responses to church leaving and perceptions of faith. The first considers the shift taking place in faith development when authority moves from the church to the individual. The second is …

Learning From D: Reading Pentateuchal Law With A View Toward Moral Instruction Or Catechesis, Benjamin J. Aich

The Journal of Inductive Biblical Studies

This paper investigates Deuteronomy’s (‘D’) reading of Exodus (‘C’) in order to hear from the Mosaic voice through D, so that today’s interpreters would apprentice themselves to this author of pentateuchal law. The result of this apprenticeship might be the church’s growth in the Lord through moral instruction and catechesis, for D read C intending to promote obedience for the life of Israel. A second but equally important result of this apprenticeship might be a more profound understanding/reading of pentateuchal law rightly and sufficiently among God’s people.

Volume 36 — Developing Synodality: From Churches To The World, The Ecumencial Association Of Nigerian Theologians

Bulletin of Ecumenical Theology

Volume 36 of The Bulletin of Ecumenical Theology is available for purchase by contacting Dr. Peter Osuji at Duquesne University. After two years, issues are made freely available through the Duquesne Scholarship Collection.

• Editorial
• The Synthesis Report of the 2023 Synod on Synodality, James Chukwuma Okoye
• Theopolitics of Africae Munus and Theological Anthropology of Fratelli Tutti: Implications for Nigeria, Joseph Ogbonnaya
• Myth, Meaning, and Marginalization: Exploring the Smart India Mission, Socio-Economic Challenges, and the Purusha Suktam, Sebastian Madathummuriyil
• Lift Every Voice—The Influence of the African American Church: An Illustration of the Power of a Culturally Incarnated Witness, Charles Gilmer
• Religious …

Asbury Theological Seminary Academic Catalog : 2024-2025, Asbury Theological Seminary

Academic Catalogs

No abstract provided.

From Conspiracy To Normalcy: The Mainstreaming Of Qanon In “Disney Grooming” Messages Online, Daniela Peterka-Benton, Bond Benton, Joel Penney

College of Communication and Media Scholarship and Creative Works

In March of 2022, The Walt Disney Company voiced opposition to Florida’s "Parental Rights in Education" (“Don’t Say Gay”) in support of LGBTQ+ stakeholders within in the company and the public. This research studied a dataset of 68,481 tweets where the company’s stance was constructed as “grooming” children, i.e. manipulating children for sexual abuse. Tweets were collected from March 13, 2022 to May 16, 2022 representing a two month period from Disney’s stance against "Parental Rights in Education.” As grooming is a term often associated with human trafficking and Disney is a major media company, this study is interested in …

Where Does The Church Stand In Today’S Mental Health Landscape?, Noah T. Mursu

Schultz-Werth Award Papers

Religious involvement in care for those living with mental illness has been going on for centuries, and perspectives on it have changed throughout the years. This literature review evaluates the place of religious groups, mainly Christian churches, in today's mental health situation by considering past and present involvement. It incorporates sources regarding different eras of mental hospital reform, modern perspectives of mental health clinicians and clergy, and the current gaps in mental health support among a variety of groups, including veterans, African Americans, and people in developing countries. This review then considers potential future involvement, especially considering how these gaps …

Transformational Leadership Characteristics Of Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg, Marie E. Hofmann

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines how Skanderbeg utilized transformational leadership principles. To identify Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg’s leadership characteristics, the researcher used a qualitative interpretive biography, a subcategory of narrative inquiry. Skanderbeg inspired his followers through his vision, charisma, and steadfast commitment to the cause of Albanian independence from Ottoman domination. He had a special ability to unify feudal lords, foster a strong sense of common identity, and awaken a deep level of loyalty among his troops. Skanderbeg’s transformational leadership left a deep-seated imprint on Albanian history, exemplifying how visionary leadership can inspire a nation to rise against adversity and strive for a …

Translanguaging As An Elementary Language Immersion Writing Approach, Lauren Hughes

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Studies have indicated that implementing translanguaging practices in language immersion programs impacts student writing. However, the overall body of research remains sparse. Because of the limited body of research, opposing ideologies around translanguaging practices create barriers to implementing such practices in school programs. This study explores and evaluates various translanguaging practices and their impact on student development, including multilingual identity and academic achievement, through a comprehensive literature review of existing research. The language immersion settings for the studies included in this research range from elementary schools to universities focusing on elementary immersion programs. Upon completing the literature review, the researcher …

Paideia: A Mentorship Framework For Training Aspiring Pastors To Lead In Our Changing World, David Beavis

Doctor of Leadership

There is a pastoral leadership crisis in the US. With the convergence of pastors aging out, burning out, moral derailment, or simply choosing another career outside of pastoral work, there is a great need to raise up the next generation of pastors. However, traditional institutions for training pastors (such as seminary or bible college), though important, are not sufficient in and of themselves for producing future pastors. We live in a VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous) world with novel pastoral challenges perpetually emerging. But our normative pastoral training assumes a world (Christendom) that no longer exists.

What is required is …

Demarginalizing Bede's Margins: A Digital Codicological Reassessment Of The Relationship Between Marginalia And Body Matter In Cambridge, Corpus Christi College Ms 41, James Nicholas Sumrall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The scribal activity in the margins of the eleventh-century Cambridge, Corpus Christi College MS 41 has long been acknowledged and studied, but rarely have scholars examined the relationship between the manuscript’s marginalia and its body text, an Old English translation of Bede’s Historia Ecclesiastica. As such, this thesis attempts to address this critical scholarly gap by evaluating key marginal texts of MS 41 in their original physical contexts. In the introduction and first chapter, a brief overview of the manuscript history of MS 41 and its five extant analogues is given. The second chapter focuses on the textual transmission, content, …

การประเมินผลระบบอภิบาลระบบสุขภาพปฐมภูมิของโรงพยาบาลส่งเสริมสุขภาพตำบลที่ได้รับการถ่ายโอนไปสู่องค์การบริหารส่วนจังหวัด ปีงบประมาณ 2566, อุดม ทุมโฆสิต, จันทรานุช มหากาญจนะ, อลงกต สารกาล, สุพัฒน์จิตร ลาดบัวขาว, กรณ์ หุวะนันทน์

Journal of Social Sciences

การวิจัยนี้มีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อประเมินผลการอภิบาลระบบสุขภาพปฐมภูมิของโรงพยาบาลส่งเสริมสุขภาพตำบลที่ได้รับการถ่ายโอนไปสู่องค์การบริหารส่วนจังหวัดในปีงบประมาณ 2566 ผลแห่งการทบทวนวรรณกรรมทำให้เกิดกรอบแนวคิดการวิจัยโดยการผสมผสานตัวแบบอภิบาลขององค์การอนามัยโลกกับตัวแบบระบบสุขภาพปฐมภูมิของไทยประกอบกัน ในด้านระเบียบวิธีวิจัย คณะวิจัยได้เลือกใช้วิธีวิจัยเชิงคุณภาพแบบสำรวจและอธิบายเรื่องราวที่เกิดขึ้น (Exploratory with Descriptive Case Study) ผลการวิจัยพบว่า การอภิบาลระบบสุขภาพปฐมภูมิของไทยยังอยู่ในฐานะเริ่มต้น กลไกต่าง ๆ ยังมีลักษณะเป็นเพียงรูปแบบมากกว่าแก่นแท้ที่เป็นสาระสำคัญ ซึ่งมีความจำเป็นต้องปรับปรุงให้ดีขึ้นทั้งในระดับพื้นที่ ระดับจังหวัด และระดับชาติ

To Whom Is The Chaplain Beholden? Guest Editor Introduction To Special Issue, Jordan Mason

Funded Scholarship

In this issue of Christian Bioethics, we invite chaplains and theologians to examine the role of the hospital chaplain in the contemporary institutional setting of the hospital. The simplicity of the chaplain’s role is often taken for granted; yet, this role is actually multivalent, with duties and loyalties pulling from many different sides. Chaplains are people of faith, ordained and/or endorsed ministers, and pastoral care professionals; they are at once beholden to God, to their own faith expression, and to their sense of vocation, to the hospital, and to the patient. With various loyalties and responsibilities in mind, we must …

Transforming Church Culture: Exploring The Extent To Which Servant Leadership Behaviors Influence Organizational Culture In Small African American Baptist Churches In Central Arkansas, Derick Easter

Dissertations

This quantitative correlational study examined the extent to which servant leadership behaviors predict organizational culture in small African American Baptist churches in Central Arkansas. In light of the post-pandemic decline in church membership and participation, the study explored whether enhancing church culture through leadership practices could help stabilize or grow congregational engagement. The primary research question was: To what extent do servant leadership behaviors predict organizational culture in these churches? Five dimensions of servant leadership—altruistic calling, emotional healing, wisdom, persuasive mapping, and organizational stewardship—were evaluated. The study involved 150 participants from churches affiliated with the state’s two major African American …

The Missing Blue In Adventism: A Gap In Discipleship And Mission, Petr Cincala

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

This article comes from the perspective of a researcher, a practical theologian, and a missiologist. The title The Missing Blue refers to the idea that light consists of three colors (Green, Red, Blue), and because God is light, the analogy of light is relevant for those who believe in the Triune God. We are called to worship the Creator God (represented by the green color) as Ruler of all the universe, God the consuming fire (Deut 4:24; Heb 12:29). Jesus (represented by the red color) teaches us to come to God as our friend, our daddy (John 15:15; Mark 14:36; …

Public Justice: Analyzing The Interactions Of Supreme Court Justices With The American Public, Abbie Wood

Theses and Dissertations--Political Science

When and how do Supreme Court justices choose to interact with the public? What motivating factors spur a justice to make a public appearance? In the fields of political science, public law, and legal studies, research has overwhelmingly studied on-the-bench behavior. Scholars have analyzed judicial voting patterns, opinion writing, oral arguments, and more. Despite the prevalence and importance of non-decision making activities as well as the growing reporting by media outlets concerning justices' public appearances, there remains a lack of attention devoted to exploring how justices behave off-the-bench. In this dissertation, I seek to develop this neglected area within judicial …

Herding Cats And Other Ironies:A Practical Theology Of Ecclesial Administration, Richard C. Wood Jr.

Doctor of Ministry

NPO Statement

Pastors of congregational or similarly structured churches are not prepared for theological, philosophical, and Spirit-led oversight of the administrative or business aspects of leading a church.

Key Insight

The key insight is while there are several places pastors can get “how to” information on church administration, there few people talking about church administration as a spiritual or theological topic that is just as important as leadership and biblical studies. The “why” has to be addressed before the “how” in order to break the cycle of having pastors unprepared to oversee the administrative aspects of a local church.

Vocational …

Dordt University 2024-25 Catalog, Dordt University. Registrar's Office

Academic Catalogs

Academic Catalog for 2024-25

Promoting Independence In An Existing Cancer Survivorship Program: Adaptive Equipment And Intimacy & Sexuality, Bailee Scheer

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to create educational materials for cancer survivors and their caregivers/families on the topics of adaptive equipment and intimacy/sexuality. A person is considered a cancer survivor at any point after receiving a cancer diagnosis, regardless of what stage they are at in their course of treatment (American Cancer Society, 2024). The rate of cancer survivors within the United States has grown drastically over the past several years, due to advances in treatment and early detection (Cronin et al., 2022). Cancer survivors experience many changing side effects during and after treatment that influence the way …

Regarding The Centrality Of The Covenant Motif In Heinrich Bullinger’S Theological Thought, Isaias D'Oleo Ochoa

CTS Student Publications and Creative Works

This article offers some statistics from Heinrich Bullinger’s The Decades with a brief analysis as evidence that Bullinger must be understood as the forerunner, not the father, of federal theology, since his discussion of the covenant doctrine is limited, inconsistent, exploratory, and slightly integrated with the rest of his theological thought.

Evangelism Strategies, Conversion Patterns, And Membership Retention Strategies In The Seventh-Day Adventist Church In Sub-Saharan Africa: Report Of Findings For East-Central Africa Division Of Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Sampson M. Nwaomah, Williams Kwasi Peprah, Rei Kesis, Warren S. Simatele, Angela E. Nwaomah, Daniel Dei, Davidson Razafiarivony

Human Subject Research Archive

A study conducted by the Africa Seventh-day Adventist Study Group (ASDASG)

Cura Communitatis In The Time Of Coronavirus, Jeffrey Labelle

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

This study conceptualizes cura communitatis as a contemporary bridge between cura personalis and cura apostolica for Jesuit higher educational institutions. A review of related literature suggests this concept as a possible means for Jesuit IHEs to respond to the realities of the coronavirus pandemic and the psychological, social, spiritual, and economic challenges which have resulted from dealing with this global health crisis. The author surfaces the shared desire in AJCU institutions to care for one another and our shared relationships as pilgrims during a global phenomenon that has demanded physical distancing. The study explores the ways in which this desire …

Gendered Labor Division In The Evangelical Lutheran Church Of Latvia Through The Lens Of Gifts And Reciprocity, Māra Neikena, Gareth E. Hamilton

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article explores the concepts of 'gift's and 'reciprocity' within anthropological literature and applies them to ethnographic fieldwork conducted within the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia. In interviews, pastors and members of parishes used the word 'gift' to rationalize gender differences in performed tasks and assumed inherent abilities of men and women. The article aims to investigate the variety of reciprocity that takes place when informants refer to the idea of the 'gift' in various social contexts. Through qualitative interviews, analysis highlights that the gendered labor division in managing the 'household' of a parish is tied to a sense of …

Annual Report 2024, Tennessee. Department Of Correction.

Annual Report

No abstract provided.

History, Theology, And Implementation Of A Volunteer Lay Pastor Ministry In The Territory Of The North American Division Of Seventh-Day Adventists, José Cortés Jr.

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

This study examines the strategic necessity and implementation of a Divisionwide Volunteer Lay Pastor Ministry (VLPM) within the North American Division (NAD) of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA Church). The NAD oversees the church’s work in the United States, Canada, Bermuda, Guam, and Micronesia, serving over 1.2 million members across 6,300 congregations. Despite its strong presence, the NAD faces challenges reaching a diverse population of approximately 370 million. With 69 percent of its congregations either plateauing or declining, the church is at a critical point that requires proactive measures to maintain its mission.

Method

Our study begins with an …

Facilitating Appropriate Clergy Response To Abuse Among Parishioners In The Wisconsin Conference Of Seventh-Day Advetnists, Nicholas S. Moore

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Clergy are frequently the initial point of contact for parishioners seeking guidance and counseling on various life issues and challenges. In certain instances, these matters may be linked to physical and/or sexual abuse, either directly or indirectly. Many clergy have not had the opportunity to receive training on recognizing the signs, symptoms, prevalence, causes, and effects of abuse, or on how and when to refer individuals to specialists or law enforcement when abuse is suspected. This can lead to inadequate emotional and spiritual healing at best, and further psychological damage at worst, for parishioners, with effects that may last …

Spiritual Care For Staff During Trauma And Acute Stress At Adventist Healthcare, Sydney: An Ethnographic Study, Stenoy Stephenson

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Health Care is evolving from an exclusive concentration on the physical dimension of illness to a more holistic model which considers the psychosocial and the spiritual. There seems to be a growing need for the spiritual care of the staff who have experienced trauma and acute stress. Although the need for spiritual care in health care services has been largely advocated, there is arguably a lack of attention to the spiritual care needs of staff dealing with traumatic situations and acute stress. The task of this project is to develop, implement, and evaluate spiritual care intervention with staff who …

Organization Change Processes In U.S. Protestant Churches: A Comparative Case Study Analysis, Leslie Mulder

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores organization change processes in three U.S. Protestant churches through a comparative case study analysis, emphasizing the role of Religious Institutional Entrepreneurs (RIEs). The research identifies key factors and conditions contributing to change, focusing on how shifts in collective narratives, generative metaphors, and strategic conversations are associated with transformation. External shocks, strategic partnerships, and adaptive leadership emerged as crucial elements in fostering change. Challenges such as emotional impacts of conflict, structural alignment and urgency-based decisions were also noted. The study highlights the balance between innovation and tradition, the importance of inclusive and reflective community engagement, and the optimization …