Arts and Humanities Commons^™

A Case For Basic Belief In The Christian Scriptures: An Augmented Aquinas/Calvin Model In Favor Of Including Scripture Beliefs Among The Great Things Of The Gospel, Peter William Van Kleeck Jr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

By what means does the Christian come to believe and know the Christian Scriptures are the word of God? The more popular opinion relies on a discursive scientific evaluation of historical artifacts (i.e. manuscripts). While this methodology can be extremely helpful in several respects it is highly improbable that it can serve as the ground and fountain of the belief and knowledge that the Christian Scriptures are/probably are the word of God. With this improbability in mind, I offer an alternative by way of Alvin Plantinga’s Reformed Epistemology and his treatment of the great things of the Gospel [i.e. GTG]. …

Understanding And Equipping Female Leadership At Prosperous Temple Church Of God In Christ, Jonathan R. Hackett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Debates on whether women qualify to take up church leadership have persisted over the years. In 2016, there was an instance in Alabama where a woman was appointed as the assistant pastor of a church. Within three months of her service, the number of congregants dropped. Efforts by the church management to unravel the cause of the decline revealed that a majority of the people, particularly women, who canceled their church attendance were uncomfortable with women taking up leadership positions. The case informed this research, which will use the case study of Prosperous Temple Church of God in Christ. The …

Bringing Millennials Back To Church, Katherine Noell Parrish

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study is focused on the millennial age group at Mechanicsville Baptist Church in Gordonsville, Virginia. The overall purpose of this study is to increase the attendance of the millennial age group at MBC. If the church gains a better understanding of the dropout problem, increases communication, and improves discipleship, then it should increase millennials at MBC by 20% over four weeks. There were several events planned, along with increased communication, in the hope of meeting this goal. Some of these events had to be modified or cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic limits for any gatherings in Virginia. The unforeseen …

Christian Liberty, Harry Allotey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christian liberty is freedom from the law, made possible through the finished work of Christ. This project seeks to present a biblical and theological explanation of Christian liberty and develop concepts that apply to the believer’s everyday experience. It is important to address the ever-present dangers of legalism and libertinism and their impact on the Christians and churches. The project focuses on a New Testament explanation of Christian liberty, drawing lessons from both the deliberations of the Jerusalem Council of 49 A.D. and the Pauline thesis to the Galatians. What happens after a person has been freed from the demands …

Frontmatter (Volume 41, Issue 1), Paul B. Mojzes

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Editor’s Note: The first issue of OPREE for the year 2021 is on a relevant topic to both religion and medicine in the times of the Covid-19 pandemic which has already infected millions of lives and killed hundreds of thousands throughout the world. It continues to be an enormous challenge as of the date of this issue.

Religious "Covid Fundamentalism" In Eastern And Central Europe: Challenges And Lessons, Vita Tytarenko, Iryna Bogachevska

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article examines specific religious and social challenges in the context of mass diseases that arose in the past and are present today during the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors explain the concepts that characterize the “new” reality of state-church interactions in the time of COVID-19. The authors consider the arguments of the followers of “Covid Fundamentalism.” An analysis of the reactions of different Christian confessions to the COVID-19 pandemic in Central and Eastern Europe, emphasizing the Ukrainian segment and multiple religious trends, showed that the phenomenon of “COVID fundamentalism” did not become widespread. However, in every religious community some believers …

Foreword: Interactions Between Religion And Medicine In Eastern Europe During The Sars-Cov-2 Pandemic: Social Context, Iurii Kuchyn, Nataliia Ishchuk

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

A special issue of OPREE, dedicated to the interaction of religion and medicine, is being released on the anniversary of the struggle of humankind against the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Unfortunately, hopes of overcoming the infection quickly proved futile. The outbreak of this infectious disease has caused chaos in the private and social lives of billions of people. It changed the usual rhythm and forced people to obey new rules. For many people, it caused job and income loss and changes in personal priorities. For most people, the question of reappraisal of values arose when the need for self-realization gave way to …

Not-Quite-Equal: Mentoring Women For 21st Century Leadership, Susan Rose

Doctor of Ministry

Women are being ordained to ministry in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) at a higher rate than men, but they are not achieving parity in ministry opportunities, salary and benefits. Women comprised 52% of the ordinations in the PC (USA) denomination from 2006-2018. However, they receive fewer full-time positions, fewer congregational positions, less pay for the same positions as men, and Board of Pensions benefits at a lower percentage than men. Reviewing the history of women’s leadership in the church contextualizes biases and prejudices women continue to face today. In Section 1, this paper examines the history of women’s leadership in …

From Recreational To Sacramental: Observing Past Entheogenic Practices And Considering Their Potential Application In The Future Of Christianity, Heath Hollensbe

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation aims to consider whether Jesus followers in North America could begin to adopt entheogens as items of sacramental worship.

Section One will describe the opportunity on the horizon for the institutional church in North America.

Section Two will focus on alternative readings of biblical texts and look at the basis of convictions about entheogenic use. By looking at the history of entheogens around the world, I attempt to show that entheogenic use is not a new trend to adopt, but part of religious history.

Additionally, I will present a proposed path forward on culture-wide adoption of entheogens.

Section …

Contextualizing And Defending The Gospel For Gen Z: A Chastened Rationalistic Approach To Christian Apologetics, Harry Edwards

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation seeks to provide a solution to the declining Evangelical influence in the United States, particularly among Generation Z. The rise in number of those who do not subscribe to a particular religion (“nones”) has doubled in the last five years even amidst a steady church attendance and participation in religious activities. The popular Evangelical evaluation of this problem includes the idea that the cause is a lack or an insufficient amount of theology taught and learned. The popular response has been to increase theological knowledge churches and other places of learning. I am proposing, however, given the post-modern …

A View Of The Future From The Broad Top: Reaching, Connecting, And Engaging With Zillennials In Rural Pennsylvania, Jared Fields

Doctor of Ministry

The church in the twenty-first century is not effectively reaching, connecting, or engaging with Zillennials. While Robertsdale Church of God’s1 lack of reaching, connecting, and engaging with the younger adults that comprise the Zillennials is not isolated, it in no way makes the problem less concerning. Many Zillennials live in the rural Broad Top area of Pennsylvania that have not been reached, connected, or engaged with any church. This paper will argue that the key to reaching, connecting, and engaging with these adults is a discipleship process using an EPIC framework focused on growing disciples of Jesus Christ.

The challenges …

Calm And Quiet My Soul: A Holistic Approach To Spiritual Care For The Mothering Pastor, Alyssa Bell

Doctor of Ministry

The church has seen a growing number of women emerging as pastoral leaders, many of whom are mothering children or will mother children in the coming years. In order to thrive as ministers and parents, these women need ongoing care for their souls that addresses the many facets of their being. However, such resources are scarce in the current institutional structures and spiritual patterns suggested for this demographic of clergy. In this dissertation I argue that Pastoring mothers face unique challenges in their desire to draw closer to heart of God in the midst of meeting family and ministry needs. …

Christian Leadership In An Age Of Identity Politics, Lloyd Wilkinson

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation is an attempt to understand New Zealand Christian leadership in a time of divisive identity politics. Using epistemological mapping, the first part of the research begins by considering the effect postmodernism had on the self-understanding of both western society and the wider church. It then considers the impact of neo-economics on traditional political divisions and the shift towards empowering minority social groups. As these changes unfolded, the New Zealand church experienced a dramatic decline, creating significant challenges for its leadership. Through interviews and reflection on leadership writing over the last fifty years, the research maps the change in …

A Consideration Of A High View Of God And Our Relationship With Work In A Charismatic Context, Andrea Lathrop

Doctor of Ministry

This research explores the connection between the theological truth that God is not a user and how charismatic Christian ministerial staff change the world without exhausting themselves. Burnout and experiences of being "used" in fast-paced charismatic ministry is a reality that needs addressing with theologically sound ways of working and resting. It is not suggested that God does not use us to change the world, but that God is not an exploiter. There is great work to do and, concurrently, God is interested in us for far more than what we can produce.

The first section describes the problem, suggests …

Building For The Future: Sacred Space Yesterday, Today, And Tomorrow, Eric Lee

Doctor of Ministry

United Methodist churches in the United States must address the problems of ineffectiveness and insolvency caused by decreasing human and financial resources combined with increasing costs of owning and maintaining real estate. My work addresses these problems by first exploring the history of sacred space in the Christian context. Then, by assessing the development of sacred space into church-owned property, and then considering the proliferation of church-owned real estate, especially by the United Methodist Church in the United States. Finally, I will consider the current trend of church closures and the bleak future of churches as primarily brick-and-mortar entities. The …

Preach Freedom: The Praxis Of Social Justice Advocacy As Effective Holistic Ministry In Pentecostal Churches In The South Florida Area Of The United States, Alexander Umole

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation centers on the praxis of social justice advocacy as an effective holistic ministry in Pentecostal churches in the South Florida area of the United States. The ministry problem addressed is that Pentecostal churches in the South Florida area of the United States have not adopted effective methods or utilized ministry opportunities in social justice advocacy to help and impact the communities in which they reside.

In Section One, this problem's complexity will be explored from different yet significant perspectives, first, by considering and identifying the problem using stories and studying the historical background surrounding this problem. Second, assessing …

The Invitation Of Desire For God Opened By The Stories Of Christian Mystics, Kathi Gatlin

Doctor of Ministry

As people are seeking to understand and find answers in the midst of making meaning of their life experiences, many are drawn to a deeper relationship with God. This dissertation proposes that the writings of Christian mystics, an ancient tradition of Christian spirituality, offer an invitation to a deeper understanding and relationship with God.

In this work, mysticism is defined as: Christian mysticism, at God’s invitation, is a journey of experientially knowing the God defined as Love. This journey leads to a knowing that is underneath the surface of rational thought and includes and transforms the whole self: body, mind, …

Conflict Resolution To Preserve Church Unity, Christina Mccully

Doctor of Ministry

God has called the church into unity that reflects the unity of the Triune God in the midst of a culture that is polarized and entertained by drama caused by conflict. Local churches are comprised of relationships, and conflict is a byproduct of relationship. Conflict can lead to divisiveness that causes disunity in the congregation, or it can be a spark that leads to relational growth that encourages unity. Pastors and ministry leaders can learn skills and conflict management strategies from businesses, marriage experts, and the life and ministry of Jesus and Paul. Workplace conflict teaches church leaders how crucial …

The Power Of A Personal Testimony Booklet: Increasing Gospel Witness In Everyday Life, Patrick Bram Walker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Evangelism is a key component of the Great Commission and a major responsibility for every Christ-Follower. The practice of personal evangelism, however, is frequently neglected by a majority of Christians. This project will initially examine the current state of personal evangelism in America and the scriptural expectation for all Christians to be frequent communicators of the gospel message. The ultimate purpose of this project is to demonstrate that a member of LivingStone Community Church can increase their Gospel witness in everyday life through the use of a written Personal Testimony Booklet. This pocket-sized booklet consists of two components. The first …

Sons Of Nehemiah: Raising The Level Of Leadership In Ten Pastor Revitalizers Of The Montgomery Baptist Association, Donald Neal Hughes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There are churches in America seeking vitality through the restorative and refreshing power of the Holy Spirit. The present term of renewal is called “church revitalization.” Each struggling congregation has or is securing a pastor revitalizer. The question many will ask is, “Are these holy shepherds high capacity leaders? Will they lead the church with a compelling vision, a devoted work ethic, a contagious passion, and a kingdom focus based on a community context?” The thesis project researches ten pastor revitalizers from Montgomery, Alabama. The researcher gives them the name Sons of Nehemiah to build rapport and accentuate Nehemiah’s biblical …

The Examination Of Grit In Southern Baptist Lead Pastors In Alabama, Kyle Bradley Hodges

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to understand the attribute of grit in current Sothern Baptist Convention (SBC) lead pastors in Alabama. Having first been coined as a separate attribute in 2007, there was much still to learn about grit and its qualities. This study attempted to research the impact of grit in Christian ministry. Grit was coined by Duckworth, Peterson, Matthews, & Kelly (2007) and is defined as the perseverance and passion for long term goals and the attainment of those goals. In this mixed-method study, grit was examined in lead pastors of SBC churches in Alabama …

Eudaimonic Happiness As A Convergence Point For Religion And Medicine: The Ukrainian Context, Uliana Lushch-Purii

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The paper is aimed to present arguments for consideration of eudaimonic happiness as a convergence point between religion (Christian denominations) and medicine in the contemporary world in general and Ukraine in particular. Similarities between eudaimonic definition of happiness and traditional interpretation of happiness as a virtuous good life in historic Christianity are shown. The present tendency of modernized Christian denominations in Ukraine to elaborate a secular context of happiness concept is traced. Based on analysis of contemporary religious information resources and documents, it is shown that nowadays the majority of Christian denominations in Ukraine concur in considering happiness with others, …

Pray And Vaccinate: Worship And Pastoral Care In Times Of Pandemic In Hungary, András Máté-Tóth

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The major churches in Hungary—Catholic, Calvinist and Lutheran—felt concerned about the Corona pandemic, especially about Sunday services. As in the spring wave, so in the autumn wave, the question of offline/online services was in the center of public communication. It has kerygmatic reasons—especially among Catholics—since, according to Vatican II, the Eucharist is the source and summit of the relationship with God. (Lumen Gentium 11.) Without Eucharistic celebration, congregations are "grace-poor" and priests, too, can feel deprived of their first-order mission and "service-poor." Similarly, Protestant pastors experience and exercise their priestly ministry primarily through Sunday worship, preaching, and the Lord's Prayer. …

Interrelation Of Religiousity And Physical Health Condition: Ukranian Case, Maksym Parashchevin

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The role of religion for supporting of physical health is a popular and debatable topic. This topic can be considered from two sides – the impact of health condition on the acceptance of religious faith and the strength of its manifestation, and the possible impact of religious affiliation on the health. The analyses of the interrelation between religion and physical and mental health was made in many publications, but there was no such a publication as for Ukraine. We used here the data from the longitudal sociological survey, which shows that some indicators of health are worse among religious Ukrainians …

Religious Epidemics On The Territory Of Ukraine: Historical Parallels And Essential Characteristics, Olena Predko, Denis Predko

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article deals with two religious epidemics that unfolded in Ukraine in a span of one hundred years. The study analyzes the factors influencing the emergence and development of religious epidemics. On this basis, their peculiar algorithm has been singled out, the components of which are, on the one hand, the worldview and crisis of values caused by the rapid turns of history, and—on the other—-choosiness by God, charisma of the leader of a particular organization, which is “fed” by an eschatological idea, syncretic teachings, which are cultivated as an alternative religious model to established traditions. The definition of a …

How Christians Of The First Centuries Experienced Epidemics, Maryna Lukashenko, Lidiya Biletska

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article examines the ethical responses of the Christian communities of the first centuries to the challenges of the Antonine Plague and the Plague of Cyprian. During these times, the institutionalization and development of the Christian church took place, and thus the strategies of its social service and behavior in the conditions of acute social crises and trials were developed. Already during the first epidemics, the Christian communities showed a radically different attitude to the sick and sufferers than was accepted in the society of that time. This attitude was based on Christian love and charity, self-sacrifice and service to …

Interaction Of Religion And Medicine In The Period Of Existential Challenges: Ukrainian Context, Irina Utiuzh, Nataliia Kovtun, Ihor Kapritsyn, Iryna Vitiuk

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The social transitivity of Ukrainian society has only intensified as a result of the implementation of quarantine restrictions in March 2020 that covered various areas of the country's social life. In the situation of transferring most industries and services to remote work, the problems of an existential choice in citizens' perception of quarantine restrictions and the need to ensure their own economic and physiological survival in a severe socio-economic crisis in Ukraine and military aggression by Russia appeared in 2014. In this context, it remains relevant to define how medical and religious organizations should help Ukrainian citizens adapt to the …

Archaeology Of The International Space Station, Justin Walsh, Alice Gorman, Wendy Salmond

Art Faculty Data Sets

The explicit goal of the International Space Station Archaeological Project (ISSAP) is to provide an understanding of material culture as a key component of life in space, on par with the research by biomedical and psychological scholars that has been ongoing since the 1960s. We take as our inspiration a phrase first used in the National Academy of Sciences report Human Factors in Long-Duration Spaceflight, which described a crewed spacecraft as “a microsociety in a miniworld” (Lindsley 1972, 23). One of our primary methods is the cataloguing of people and elements of material culture (objects and built spaces) from photographs …

Design A Dual Credit Program That Works, Joe Bakker

Staff Work

"Designing an effective dual credit program that opens doors for your students is within reach."

Posting about opportunities for students to earn college credit while in high school from CACE -The Center for the Advancement of Christian Education.

Designing a Dual Credit Program that Works

George Macdonald Collection Finding Aid, Taylor University

Finding Aids

The George MacDonald Collection features a variety of rare books, letters, and serialized fiction written by MacDonald, as well as scholarship and articles written about him.
Last Updated: August 29, 2022