Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Biblical And Theological Basis For A Premarital Counseling Ministry, Daniel Grey

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

Marriage is one of the two institutions God ordained before sin entered this world and is God’s ideal for all people. The history of marriage begins along with the history of creation. The account of the first marriage is found in the Book of Genesis, which also contains the history of several other good and not so good marriages. Over the years, the purpose of marriage has been weakened so that today, many cultures have reinvented and reshaped marriage to suit their need. However, in God’s perspective, marriage is still the unchangeable foundation for human life. The apostle Paul says, …

Holy Body/Monstrous Body: The Life And Practices Of Saint Catherine Of Siena., Melissa B. Miller

Dance (MFA) Theses

This research examines the violent misogyny and contempt for the female body in, but not limited to, Western Christian environments using as a lens the life and practices of Catherine Benincasa, a mystic and tertiary Dominican sainted in 1461 as Saint Catherine of Siena. Further, the research looks at the use of the abject and grotesque in performance, as well as transformative storytelling, as a means of making lived experience visible, and is explored as a liberatory response to such systems of domination and violence. Though this research is framed in a religious context, contempt towards female-presenting bodies is not …

Informe De La Conferencia Del Encuentro De La Alianza Estratégica De Seminarios Latinoamericanos (Salas) - 20 Al 22 De Agosto De 2024, Medellín, Colombia, Luis Eduardo Ramírez, El Comité De Redacción De Memorias

The Asbury Journal

Convocados por la One Mission Society (OMS) y Asbury Theological Seminary (ATS), con la colaboración de la Fundación Universitaria Seminario Bíblico de Colombia (FUSBC), nos reunimos en la ciudad de Medellín, Colombia, representantes de los seminarios fundados por la OMS en América Latina: FUSBC, Instituto y Seminario Bíblico de Londrina (ISBL), Seminario Bíblico de Cuenca (SEMBEC), Seminario Bíblico de México (SEMBIMEX), Seminario para el Reino de Dios (SEMIRED), Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela (SEMWESVEN) y Seminario Teológico El Camino (SETEC),1 junto con otros ministerios hermanos (SEMISUD, EMM, AIEMCR, SMJW, Impacto Latinoamericano e IML) comprometidos con la educación teológica y la proyección …

Journal In Entirety

The Asbury Journal

No abstract provided.

"What Makes A Monster And What Makes A Man?": Exploring The Intersectionality Of Catholicism And Disability Through The Lens Of The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, Daniella Flom

SPARK Symposium Presentations

In 15th century Europe, most viewed the disabled through the lens of Catholicism and treated them accordingly. The off-Broadway musical The Hunchback of Notre Dame closely examines religious influences on various members of society in 15th century Europe through dialogue, lyrics, and characterization and invites us to turn the mirror on our own society, asking, “What makes a monster and what makes a man?”

Preface & Introduction, Philip P. Arnold

Religion - All Scholarship

No abstract provided.

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 …

Auden: Body/Mind, Basil Lloyd-Moffett

CMC Senior Theses

On one hand Auden appears the most cerebral of poets. It is said that when he arrived at school, aged eight, he professed himself excited to study the different psychological types, and the cryptic verse that was to emerge over a decade later bears the scars of his reading, psychological or otherwise, as clearly as the relentlessly analytical Dichtung und Wahrheit and other late works.Absorbing and repurposing philosophical, psychological, religious, and scientific works was an essential part of his artistic strategy, and led to credible accusations of plagiarism on a number of occasions.And just as his collaborators and friends mocked …

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 …

A New Great Awakening Of Religious Freedom In America, John Witte Jr.

Faculty Articles

While loud criticisms of religion continue to clatter in the media and the law reviews, the U.S. Supreme Court has led a great awakening of American religious freedom. In more than two dozen cases since 2011, the Court has used both the First Amendment and federal statutes to strengthen the rights of religious organizations to make their own internal decisions about employment and employee benefits. The Court has held that some forms of government aid to religion and religious education are not only permissible under the Establishment Clause, but also required under the Free Exercise and Free Speech Clauses. The …

พระพุทธเจ้าในวรรณกรรมของธรรมยุติกนิกาย พ.ศ. 2368-2455, อุทัย ปัดถาพิมพ์

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

แนวคิดเกี่ยวกับพระพุทธเจ้ามีการปรับเปลี่ยนจากประเพณีพุทธศาสนาเดิมในยุคของธรรมยุติกนิกาย วิทยานิพนธ์นี้มีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อศึกษาการนำเสนอพระพุทธเจ้าและวิเคราะห์พัฒนาการ โดยศึกษาจากวรรณกรรมของคณะธรรมยุติกนิกายพ.ศ. 2368 - 2455 ผลการศึกษาพบว่า การนำเสนอพระพุทธเจ้าทั้งพระพุทธคุณและพุทธประวัติเป็นวรรณกรรมภาษาไทยที่ยังคงขนบการนำเสนอตามประเพณีพุทธศาสนา รูปแบบมีทั้งร้อยแก้วและร้อยกรอง แต่คัดสรรเนื้อหาที่นำเสนอ ยึดหลักเหตุผล วิเคราะห์วิพากษ์ด้วยมุมมองของผู้เขียน เน้นพระปัญญาของพระพุทธเจ้าเป็นพิเศษ ส่วนสำคัญที่แตกต่างจากประเพณี คือ วรรณกรรมช่วยสร้างความเข้าใจเกี่ยวกับพระพุทธเจ้าใหม่ คือทรงเป็นมนุษย์ธรรมดาทั้งขนาดพระวรกาย พุทธลักษณะ ประวัติความเป็นมา ยึดข้อมูลจากพระไตรปิฎกเป็นหลักในการศึกษาอย่างมีวิจารณญาณ ในขณะเดียวกันก็มีการอ้างถึงพระพุทธเจ้าในบทสวดของพิธีสงฆ์และพิธีกรรมอื่น ๆ นอกพุทธศาสนาให้ถูกตรงตามหลักการพุทธศาสนา แสดงให้เห็นถึงการปรับเปลี่ยนแนวคิดเกี่ยวกับพระพุทธเจ้าในวัฒนธรรมไทยให้เหมาะสม และสอดคล้องกับวิทยาศาสตร์ที่กำลังเข้ามามีอิทธิพลต่อสังคมไทยในยุคนั้น

“Words Of Plainness” Jacob’S Apology, His Addendum, And The Competing Forms Of Nephite Worship, Dan Belnap, Rob Hernandez

Faculty Publications

Jacob’s powerful essay in Jacob chapters 4–6 ends with this statement: “I bid you farewell, until I shall meet you before the pleasing bar of God, which bar striketh the wicked with awful dread and fear. Amen” (Jacob  6:13). The essay represents Jacob’s teachings as a Nephite priest concerning the centrality of Christ in the religious and doctrinal framework of his Nephite congregation. It fits within the greater structure of the book of Jacob, which appears to be governed by Nephi1’s instructions concerning what should be included on the small plates. Recorded by Jacob in Jacob 1, the instruction suggests …

["At That Time"] In The Hebrew Bible And Its Role In Daniel 12:1: A Diachronic And Synchronic Study On Semantics Of Narrative And Prophetic Temporality, Roger David Ruiz Araica

Dissertations

Problem

The expression ["at that time"] in Dan 12:1 is the last temporal expression of the predictive discourse of Dan 11:2–12:3. There is no consensus about the temporality of this expression. Thus, this dissertation seeks to answer the following question: What is the temporal frame of the phrase ["at that time"] is in Dan 12:1 according to the temporal indicators provided in the context of the predictive discourse of Dan 11:40–12:3?

Methodology

The methodology of this dissertation combines diachronic and synchronic approaches. First, as a diachronic procedure, it analyzes ["at that time"] in the Hebrew Bible to determine its temporality …

Pastoral Leadership Of Seventh-Day Adventist Pastors In Sub-Saharan Africa And Congregational Giving During 2020-2021: A Grounded Theory Study, Eric Jean-Bruno Aniel Barbe

Dissertations

Problem

The purpose of this study was to develop a theoretical model that describes how the behavioral strategies of Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) pastors in Sub-Saharan Africa may have positively influenced congregational giving during the years 2020-2021 of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Method

A qualitative grounded theory research design was used (Corbin & Strauss, 2015). In-depth interviews were conducted to collect data from a purposive sample of SDA pastoral leaders in Sub-Saharan Africa. The collected data were analyzed using an iterative process consisting of open, axial, and selective coding, thereby facilitating the construction of subcategories and a core category. This analytical process …

The Processes, Events And Characteristics Associated With The Leadership Emergence Of New Believers In The Contemporary Movement Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Church In The United States, Cleveland Hobdy Iii

Dissertations

Problem

The Seventh-day Adventist Church is confronting an unsettling reality in the 21st century. A considerable body of literature has highlighted an escalating attrition rate, with the 'Ministry journal reporting in April 2019 that almost 50% of new converts eventually abandon their commitment (Thomas, 2019). Other data collected by the World Church through its Office of Research include statistics and archive information that confirm the losses (Knott, 2016; Trimm, 2023). After all the baptisms, membership transfers, professions of faith, and accessions, the worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church is netting one new member per church per year. Since 1965, roughly 4 out …

Odd Fellows: The Intersection Of Arminianism And Calvinism In The Writings Of Desmond Ford And F.F. Bruce, Samuel Pagán De Jesus

Dissertations

The Topic

In the 1970s, the Seventh-day Adventist church’s theological struggles over righteousness by faith and perfectionism revealed that Adventists were confused about their Protestant identity and what it meant to have the assurance of salvation. That struggle is exemplified in Desmond Ford’s writings. His doctoral studies under evangelical scholar F. F. Bruce prompted the Historic Adventists to wonder whether Ford had abandoned the Arminian synergistic soteriology for Calvinism’s monergism.

The Purpose

The purpose of this study was to explore to what extent Frederick F. Bruce’s Reformed views, theological assumptions, and commitments were shared by and reflected in Desmond Ford’s …

For A Lost Drachma: Contesting Hindutva Subjectivation In India’S Universities, Bhavika Sicka

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

The aim of this essay is to apply Michel Foucault’s ideas on power and the practice of freedom to the context of India’s increasingly neoliberalized higher education landscape. The essay revisits Foucault’s notion of subjectivation to analyze the cultural politics of the Hindu Right, which, through organized violence and self-disciplinary mechanisms, has attempted to masculinize, privatize, saffronize, and brahmanicize the nation-state (and the public university), erase the othered body from the nation (and campus spaces), and shape how individuals understand themselves, their identities, and their modes of being in relation to savarna-capitalist power and knowledge. This essay will also suggest …

Demonstration Of Nonviolence In Modern Day: Through The Lens Of Christianity, Jainism, Hinduism, And Buddhism, Lauren Mertz

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Throughout history, many groups of people have experimented with nonviolent demonstrations and concepts. Religions, countries, and a variety of movements have put the demonstration of nonviolence at the forefront of their reasoning and defenses. When people hear the word nonviolence, there is usually a person or idea that comes to mind. People in the United States often think of figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and his Civil Rights Movement demonstrations. This paper will provide a detailed literary and research analysis of the concept of nonviolence, demonstrating that it is more than just a Christian concept. I will look at …

Sacred Discrimination: Latvian Lutheran Clergy Against Ordination Of Women, Ģirts Rozners

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This paper examines the resistance of contemporary Latvian Lutheran clergy to the ordination of women, rooted in historical factors and theological conservatism. It discusses the impact of Latvia's tumultuous history on theological discourse, revealing how practical concerns and traditionalism influenced the decision against women's ordination. Through clergy interviews, it uncovers a range of arguments used to justify this stance, exposing elements of sexism and neoconservatism. The clergy's prioritization of community identity over societal progress is evident, as they align with hierarchical leadership and resist external influences. This study highlights the disconnect between theological tradition and modern ethics, illustrating how theology …

"We Don’T Need No Ordination": Analysis Of The Discourse On Women’S Ordination In Latvian Online Media From 1999 To 2022, Emīls Zavelis, Sofija Anna Kozlova

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This paper analyzes the discourse on women's ordination in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia (ELCL) as represented in Latvian online media from 1999 to 2022. The study combines qualitative and quantitative methodologies to examine the argumentative strategies employed by different discourse producers. The findings reveal significant differences in the use of gender equality concepts and other argumentative patterns between those in favor and those against women's ordination. These differences can be attributed to the distinct sociocultural contexts and epistemic grounds of the ELCL and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia Worldwide (ELCLW). The paper highlights the need for a …

Editorial, Bruce L. Bauer

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

This issue of the Journal of Adventist Mission Studies focuses on healing in its various aspects.

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; …

Jesus’ Authority Over Evil Spirits: Healing Demoniacs In The Gospel Of Mark, Michée B. Badé

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

The gospel of Mark highlights nine distinct healing miracles. Among them, five involve the healing of demoniacs—individuals “possessed by demons,” or as some may prefer, “demonized.” These accounts form a significant portion of Mark’s healing narratives and are a notable theme in his Gospel, which is one of the earliest records of Jesus’ life and ministry. These stories not only demonstrate Jesus’ authority over evil spirits but also reflect his deep compassion for those suffering from spiritual oppression.

The purpose of this article is twofold. First, it aims to highlight Jesus’ authority over evil spirits, as manifested in nature, animals, …

Missiological Challenges And Implications Of African Traditional And Christian/Western Approaches To Health And Wholeness, Olaotse Obed Gabasiane

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

So often, African traditional approaches to health and wholeness are misconstrued, scorned, dismissed, if not treated as passé. There are two important entities—for the purposes of this article— which are diametrically at odds to African traditional approaches to medicine. The first is Western Medicine (WM), which because of its advances in medical, laboratory, and pharmaceutical technology, tend to ignore African Traditional Medicine (ATM) as archaic, superstitious, and non-scientific. The second is mainstream Christian religion which (largely in the past), tended to see everything demonic in the practice of African Traditional Medicine. But is it true that as far as ATM …

Ruqyah Shariah: An Analytical Exploration, Jony Hajaj

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

Ruqyah Shariah—Law-Compliant Exorcism or Islamic Healing Prayer— is a spiritual and physical remedy that involves reciting qur’anic verses and authentic supplications. Rooted deeply in Islamic tradition, it offers a wholistic approach to healing and protection. Ruqyah has been a practice since the early days of Islam, with numerous hadiths documenting its use by Muhammad and his companions.

This article seeks to explore the multifaceted aspects of ruqyah shariah, by examining its legal foundations, practical guidelines, and ethical implications, while seeking to provide a well-rounded perspective on its significance and application in the modern context.

(Non)Synagogues In Slovakia, Peter Salner

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This paper uses archival and ethnological research to analyze the fates of former synagogues during two totalitarian regimes in present-day Slovakia. The processes described here were catalyzed by the Holocaust. Between 1938 and 1945, over 100,000 Jews from Slovakia were murdered. Out of the 228 Jewish religious communities (JRCs) active before the war, only 79 were reconstituted after liberation. Most were later disbanded because of aliyah to Palestine/Israel. Their abandoned synagogues passed into the administration of the newly founded Central Union of Jewish Religious Communities (CUJRC). During the Communist era (1948-1989), the majority of these synagogues were sold because the …

"God Has Given Women All Kinds Of Opportunities To Serve": How Media Discourse On The Ordination Of Women Constructs Understanding Of The Role Of Women In Church And Society, Ilva Skulte, Kristīne Briede

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The representation of a particular topic in the mass media not only forms the understanding of this topic at a particular moment of time, but also contributes to the cultivation of values and norms in a particular culture that go far beyond this topic. The discourse in media establishes relations of power between particular social groups and (re)structures the way people see the roles of those groups. This is why discussion of a particular case of denying ordination to women in the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELCL), the biggest church in Latvia, is determined by and has an impact on …

The Dynamic Interplay Of Opposites In Zoroastrianism, Florentin Smarandache

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

This exploration addresses some aspects of Zoroastrianism, examining how the ancient Persian belief system aligns with the dynamic and indeterminate principles of Fuzzy, Neutrosophic, and MultiAlist systems. Zoroastrianism, rooted in the eternal struggle between good and evil, light and darkness, exhibits parallels with Neutrosophy's acknowledgment of indeterminacy, incompleteness, and the dynamic interplay of opposites. The prophet Zarathustra's vision of a neutrosophic God challenges conventional notions of divine attributes, emphasizing a dynamic and evolving universe. Before investigating these vague areas, the concept of unclear conceptual borders is explored, emphasizing the indeterminacy and imprecision inherent in defining opposites or partially opposite concepts. …

Come Let Us Reason Together: Promoting Interdisciplinary Collaboration Between Clergy And Mental Health Professionals Regarding Demonic Oppression And Mental Illness, Juanda Green

Doctor of Ministry

Within the church, congregants who claim to be oppressed by demonic spirits seek prayer to be set free from their influence. In ministries where this type of prayer is available, ministers report that while the prayers provide relief, relief is often temporary. Consequently, these members continue to seek prayer for deliverance. In these situations, do clergy who provide this spiritual intervention realize that the congregate may have an underlying mental health issue?

Research shows the opinions of pastors regarding the etiology of mental illness; on one end demonic spirits are viewed as the culprit for mental disturbance, while the other …

Incarnational Discipleship: Inquiry Into The Need For For Cross-Shaped Discipleship And Cruciform Spiritual Formation In Charismatic Churches In A Post-Christendom Culture, Wayland Henderson

Doctor of Ministry

A synopsis of the Project Portfolio begins with the NPO statement: This Doctoral Project includes a discipleship model to help the Gathering Kingdom Community be spiritually formed through Pentecostal and Orthodox traditions and shows the relationship between prophetic function and discipleship for members to flourish personally and function as witnesses of the Crucified Christ in a post-Christian culture. Key insights that emerged from the research are that the current discipleship models in many Pentecostal and Charismatic churches are disconnected from how the Early Church viewed discipleship and what it means to be a witness to the culture. My ministry context …