Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Calvin Theological Seminary Forum: October 2018, Julius T. Medenblik, Mary Vanden Berg, Amanda W. Benckhuysen, Geoff Vandermolen

Calvin Theological Seminary Forum (2002- )

4 - Why Go to Seminary? Hoop, Hurdle or Vital Necessity? by President Jul Medenblik
6 - Are You on the Journey towards Seminary?
8 - The Stranger at the River Jabbok by Amanda W. Benckhuysen
12 - Courageous Leadership in God's Kingdom by Geoff Vandermolen
16 - Honing Contextual Savvy by Cory B. Wilson
23 - Seminary: A Layman's Perspective by Sidney J. Jansma, Jr.
24 - Encouraging One Another to Grow Up into Christ
26 - Together, We'll Invest in Your Calling
28 - Discerning Your Call by Aaron Einfeld
30 - Calvin Seminary Q&A by Gary Burge

A Correlational Analysis Of A Leadership Development Model And Church Growth, Thomas D. Mullins

PhD in Organizational Leadership

Organizational growth and vision can outpace leadership development, which ultimately creates frustration and decline in leadership, followership, and teamwork. To counter regression, organizations must determine the factors that hinder leadership development while creating pathways towards organizational success. Research indicates that church attendance in America is in decline, but there are exceptions to this national trend. A case study of one of the fastest growing churches in America reveals a correlation between intentionally fostering a culture of leadership development and one’s ability to continue seizing available growth opportunities. This parallel hypothesized by the researcher in this study was validated through the …

Clark Memorandum: Fall 2018, J. Reuben Clark Law School, Byu Law School Alumni Association, J. Reuben Clark Law Society

The Clark Memorandum

• Heroes of Unity: Latter-day Saints, the "Bonds of Affection," and the Atonement of Christ (Thomas B. Griffith)
• Defend Divinely Inspired Freedoms (Elder Quentin L. Cook)
• Homicides in the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon (John w. Welch)
• How to Enjoy the Ride: Choosing to Love in Life and Career (Sharla Smith Hales)

2018-19 Chapel Schedule, Taylor University

Chapel Schedules

No abstract provided.

Restoring Eden: The Role Of Christianity On Environmental Conservation: A Case Of Karatu District, Arusha, Tanzania, Taylor Allen

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In order for environmental conservation to be effective it must have a method of translating to people’s everyday values. Developing countries which include mostly bio-diversity hotspot areas are important to maintain sustainable development. Due to most of these countries following an organized religion, predominantly Christian, an alternative method of conservation may be successful to motivate citizens to participate in efforts. In order for this to be successful, members of the congregation must agree that there is a religious obligation to care for the environment. For Christianity this obligation is discussed by the creation story in the bible. This paper will …

Misery Or Joy?, Anne Foust

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

A Case Study Of Growth And Decline: The Churches Of Christ, 2006-2016, Stanley E. Granberg

Great Commission Research Journal

The group known as the Churches of Christ is one of America’s largest religious bodies with over 1.5 million adherents and congregations in all fifty states. Like many U.S. Christian bodies, the Churches of Christ have entered a time of decline. This article is a case study of the Churches of Christ and describes the group’s growth and decline, with a specific focus on the years 2006 to 2016. The movement’s current state of health is assessed, and the impact of new church planting as the engine for movement growth is described. The article ends by addressing three hard challenges …

Book Review: Reclaiming Glory: Revitalizing Dying Churches By Mark Clifton, Chris Messerer

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Turn-Around Churches: How To Overcome Barriers To Growth And Bring New Life To An Established Church By George Barna, Harvey Mitchell Jr.

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Sub Lege To Sub Gratia: An Iconographic Study Of Van Eyck’S Annunciation, Christopher J. Condon

Student Publications

When the Archangel Gabriel descended from heaven to inform the Virgin Mary of her status as God’s chosen vehicle for the birth of Jesus Christ, she was immediately filled with a sense of apprehension. Gabriel’s words, “...invenisti enim gratiam apud Deum [you have found favor with God],” reassured the Virgin that she would face no harm, and the scene of the Annunciation (what this moment has come to be called) has forever been immortalized in Christian belief as a watershed moment in the New Testament. While many Byzantine icons of the Medieval period sought to depict this snapshot in time …

Jane Eyre: The Bridge Between Christianity And Folklore, Teagan Lewis

Student Publications

Charlotte Brontё’s acclaimed novel, Jane Eyre, was first marketed as an autobiography. The story, told from the point of view of a poor orphan girl, takes on a narrative similar to that of a fairytale. In this way, a reader may find difficulty in believing this novel to be a work of nonfiction. Charlotte Brontё employs aspects of both Christianity and fantasy in her novel not to discourage her readers from believing its validity but rather to emphasize how even poor orphan girls like Jane have forces of good guiding them. Jane Eyre is fictional, yet the hardships she …

Leadership Lessons From Christ And Clergy, Noah Edmonson

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The purpose of this study is to develop effective pastoral leadership competencies based on the transformational and servant leadership theories and the life of Jesus. Christ’s life and ministry in the four Gospels was evaluated using Dr. Bernard Bass’s transformational leadership theory and Larry C. Spears’ servant leadership theory. Five competencies were identified by the interviewer to be further investigated for their effectiveness in the application of pastoral leadership. An interview process was conducted with the local Southern Baptist pastors to discuss the effectiveness of the competencies in their ministries. The results of this research indicated the affirmation of the …

Religion Crossing The Frontiers: Nigerian Pentecostal Dynamics In The Western World, Jacob Kehinde Oladipupo

Great Commission Research Journal

This article examines how the Pentecostal movements in Africa and most especially in Nigeria are experiencing fast growth and how African Pentecostals are speaking on the global scene, especially in Europe and America in the twenty-first century. This kind of Pentecostal reverse mission from Africa to the Western countries that brought Christianity to Africa in the eighteenth century is not without strengths and weaknesses. This article unveils the nature of the Nigerian Pentecostal movements in the diaspora and how much impact the movements are making in the Western cultures of Europe and America. The passion of the African immigrants’ churches …

Book Review: Who Broke My Church? 7 Proven Strategies For Renewal And Revival By Kent R. Hunter, David Thiessen

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

The Future Growth Of Global Christianity And Yoido Full Gospel Church: Its Potential Role In The New Context, Wonsuk Ma

Great Commission Research Journal

Christians have long recognized the amazing growth of Yoido Full Gospel Church. It has been a pioneer in the Church Growth Movement and has set an example in its dependence on prayer and the work of the Holy Spirit. The church faces challenges/opportunities in the future as it relates to the church growth in the Global South, the changing culture in South Korea, and the Pentecostal/charismatic movements around the world.

The Global Missionary: The Emerging Roles Of North American Missionaries In The Twenty-First Century, Blayne C. Waltrip

Great Commission Research Journal

This article explores the emerging roles of the North American missionary in light of the changing face of global missions. Missionary sending has become a phenomenon of reciprocity. Because the Global South has become a missionary sending force, missionaries are going from everywhere to everywhere. This shift has created a need for North American missionaries to reevaluate their roles in missions. They are increasingly becoming “Global Missionaries” that serve in more than one context. The author defines and describes a Global Missionary, evaluates the factors for the shift, and advocates a greater global partnership to fulfill the Great Commission.

Do Larger Churches Tolerate Pastoral Narcissism More Than Smaller Churches?, David R. Dunaetz, Hannah L. Jung, Stephen L. Lambert

Great Commission Research Journal

Pastoral narcissism in churches is a problem, from both a theological and practical perspective. In this study, we explore the question of whether church size is related to tolerance for narcissism. In the popular press, pastors of megachurches are often portrayed as narcissistic. The Dominance Complementarity Model of narcissistic leaders (Grijalva & Harms, 2004) predicts that churches which have less dominant followers, as may be the case in larger churches, would be more tolerant of narcissistic pastors than smaller churches. Yet larger churches also have the resources to hire the most qualified staff, which would presumably exclude candidates high in …

The Life Of Donald Mcgavran: Turning To North America, Gary L. Mcintosh

Great Commission Research Journal

The event that put Church Growth on the worldwide map was the Lausanne Congress on Evangelism held on July 14-28, 1974. Then, as the Church Growth Movement took hold around the world, the focus of some faculty at Fuller’s School of World Mission gradually turned toward North America. This article describes the actions and processes that propelled the movement into world prominence.

Architectural Evangelism: Examination Of Place Constructs Held By Churched And Unchurched Individuals, Matthew Niermann

Great Commission Research Journal

In recent decades, the exterior design of Protestant churches has undergone radical reformulation under the influence of the church growth architectural design theory known as architectural evangelism. Presupposing that churched and unchurched individuals hold differing place constructs, architectural evangelism seeks to attract unchurched individuals to the church by changing the exterior design from church typologies to secular typologies. In doing so, as the theory proposes, when an unchurched individual is exposed to a typology they are more familiar with, a different place construct formulation occurs—a place construct rooted in conceptions of comfort and the perception of community-based activities. Noting the …

Book Review: Gorana Ognjenović And Jasna Jozelić'S Education In Post-Conflict Transition: The Politicization Of Religion In School Textbooks, Aleksandra Djurić Milovanović

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

An edited volume entitled, Education in Post-conflict Transition: The Politicization of Religion in School Textbooks, was published by Palgrave Macmillan series in Religion, Politics and Policy and edited by two scholars, Gorana Ognjenović (University of Oslo) and Jasna Jozelić (Norwegian Centre for Human Rights, University of Oslo). This volume focuses on the politicization of religion and the development of religious education in public schools, and the degree of religious liberty and human rights in several, mainly former Yugoslav countries. Apart from an introduction, the volume has thirteen chapters and a conclusion. Chapter authors include scholars from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, …

To Dust You Shall Return: A Theological Argument For The Human Compost Movement, Sydney N. Ederer

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This research paper analyzes Catholic, Daoist, and Jewish beliefs on death, the body, the soul, afterlife, and after death rituals in order to build a connection between these beliefs and human composting practices. It uses these three religious traditions to find support for and recognize potential opposition against the human compost movement. These conclusions are in turn used to make a claim for human composting. Thorough research and a careful analysis of religious beliefs and traditions surrounding death and the body provides theological support for human composting as a recommended method for body disposal after death. Therefore, this research is …

A Study Of Apostasy Through Scripture: A Biblical Theological Approach, Marissa Fast

Senior Honors Theses

Apostasy is a subject that has been an intriguing question for many biblical scholars. This thesis examines apostasy from a biblical theological approach, meaning the Bible, and not Systematic Theology, has priority. First, the subject of apostasy within the covenantal context of the Old Testament is examined. Examples are given and discussed while the themes that can be gathered from this discussion are also be touched upon. Then texts addressing this issue within the New Testaments are examined and expanded upon. Finally, a conclusion of what the Bible has to say on the subject of apostasy is made.

A Divine Selection: An Exegetical Analysis Of Vocational Calling, Timothy Nguyen

Senior Honors Theses

Within Christian circles, the ‘calling’ of the vocational minister is frequently abused and misunderstood and muddled by the lack of Scriptural evidence for the overused term. The focus of this research is to observe first, the current cultural climate surrounding the nature of calling, and second, to compare this understanding to the authoritative Scriptural teaching on the subject in both the Old and New Testaments. This analysis reveals that the “internal” vocational call to minister is absent from the Bible and must be replaced by an alternative the Scripture directly teaches. It is concluded that God gives man the desire …

Church And State: The Impact Of Christianity On South African Politics During And Post-Apartheid, Calista Struby

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Within the South African context, there exists an intimate relationship between religion and politics. South Africa by definition is a secular society however data indicates that the South African population that is overwhelmingly religious. According to a General Household Survey published in 2015, 86% of the South African population identifies with some form of the Christian faith (“General Household Survey,” 2015). Historically religious civil society has played a prominent role in shaping the political climate and the political involvement of South African citizens. During Apartheid, Christianity played an influential role in the ideological formation and justification of the Apartheid political …

The Theology Of Reconciliation As A Contemporary Political Theology: The Present State Of The Balkan Region And Its Possible Outcomes, Sergej Beuk

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article aims not only to give an insight into the theological premises of the problem of reconciliation, but it also suggests the practical implementation of this theology within the body of the public policies of the countries of the West Balkans. I have tried to clarify elementary terms inherent in both post-conflict and contemporary theology, especially prominent within the theology of reconciliation which revolves around searching for possible solutions for a lasting and a viable peace. The theology of reconciliation should not remain within the scope of academic speculation, but it should be implemented by religious organizations as a …

Frontmatter (Volume 38, Issue 4), Paul B. Mojzes

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.

Is Collective Memory Making The Next Balkan War Imminent?, Nikola Knežević

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Sometimes cultures, religions, and ethnicities that shared the same space for centuries become fierce rivals, forcing their irreconcilable differences to develop to such an extent that they see war as the only option. The Balkans has had its share of conflicts, destruction, and atrocities leaving scars too deep to heal. The question is: have they seen the end of it, or will the frozen conflict lurking beneath the fragile peace unleash its deadly force again?

Tajikistan: Almost Two Thousand Mosques Closed In 2017, Http://Www.Forum18.Org/Archive.Php?Article_Id=2356 Forum 18

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Tajikistan has claimed to have closed almost 2,000 mosques in 2017. Officials claimed they were closed at the request of local residents, but have not been able to explain why they only allow mosques with a capacity far below the possible numbers of worshippers.

Azerbaijan - Sufis And Protestants Raided, Http://Www.Forum18.Org/Archive.Php?Article_Id=2350 Forum 18

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

In December 2017, Sufi Muslim Rashad Abidov, whose home in the northern town of Sheki was raided by police during a religious meeting, managed to overturn the large fine he was handed down for holding a meeting without state permission. Police had brought the case against him rather than the officials of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations.

Uniquely Gifted: A Theology Of Mental Illness For Inclusive Ecclesiology, Asia M. Lerner

Selected Honors Theses

This thesis surveys the possibility of a theology of mental illness in order to create an inclusive ecclesiology for modern churches. Mental illness is greatly stigmatized in the Church as demonic or spiritual and moral failing. In combat of such stigma and prejudice to create an inclusive atmosphere in the Church, a positive theology of mental illness understood as a unique gifting is argued for. With the elusive nature of mental illness in both definition and experience taken into account, all aspects of mental illness are considered, such as biology, psychology, and philosophy of mental disorder. The thesis understands mental …