Arts and Humanities Commons^™

John The Baptizer, Is He Elijah Who Is To Come?, Floyd Schoenhals

Master of Divinity Thesis

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the Synoptic Gospels to answer the question, Is John the Baptizer Elijah Who is to Come? In doing this, it is necessary, first of all, to see how Elijah is presented in the Old Testament and in Rabbinic Judaism. After this, there will be an investigation of the Synoptic materials which pertain to this question. These materials have arbitrarily been divided up into three major groupings.1. Material supplied by Mark and reused for the most part by Matthew and Luke. 2. Pertinent 'Q' material.3. Material peculiar to Luke.

The purpose of this …

Grief And The Pastor, Galen Drawbaugh

Master of Divinity Thesis

In the pages that follow, Part I will give consideration to the emotion of grief and how it works itself out in the course of time. This is basic. The pastor must understand grief and "grief-work" before he can begin to adequately counsel the bereaved. Part II will look at the condition of abnormal grief. Here the purpose will be to recognize situations in which the pastor will wisely refer patients to those who are more professionally trained to counsel them. Part III will then consider the pastor's role as he seeks to counsel the bereaved in his congregation.

Is Christ The Son In The Parable Of The Wicked Husbandmen, Stephen Carter

Master of Divinity Thesis

Is Christ the son in the Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen? The Church would consider this question a valid one during any period of her history, because she has always associated the interpretation of parables with the content of her faith. But a question of this nature demands more careful consideration in the age of Biblical criticism, because it must be considered from several viewpoints. One hundred and fifty years ago, our question could have been viewed from this perspective: Did Jesus refer to Himself as the son in the Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen as it is recorded in …

The Pharisees In The Religious Scene, Eric Clemens Mackenzie

Bachelor of Divinity

The purpose of this thesis is to clarify some of the issues; to portray Pharisaism as it really was; and to determine its place in the religious scene. The subject will be considered with respect to the rise of Pharisaiam, its theology, and its influence upon and place in human relations. One premise is accepted from the outset; Pharisaism was essentially a religious movement.

Evolutionary Theology Of Pierre Teilhard De Chardin, His Critiics And A Personal Evaluation, Robert Letalien

Bachelor of Divinity

This paper will be an attempt to evaluate the lifegoal of Teilhard, namely, his reconciliation of the theory of evolution with the Christian faith. The emphasis will be placed upon his hopes for the future of man in the light of his philosophy. The future of man he labels as the “Omega point." To see how this point is reached it will be necessary to briefly describe how Teilhard views the evolutionary process from the inception of matter until the fulfillment of all things at the Omega point.

The Doctrine Of Scripture In The Light Of The Relationship Of Inspiration And Inerrancy, James Hallerberg

Bachelor of Divinity

This paper is written by one who is a member of the Church catholic, by one who is a Lutheran, and by one who does not necessarily make statement of dogmatic truth the exclusive property of men within the Lutheran tradition. This is said to disparage the Lutheran heritage not at all, but to indicate that one can at least be open to different systematic formulations. The point is also made to indicate to the reader that the student was conscious of his own heritage, but that at the same time both during the research and during the writing of …

The Influence Of Martin Heidegger On The "New Hermeneutic": Heinrich Ott's Use Of Heidegger, James Marquardt

Bachelor of Divinity

In the past few years theology has experienced a renewal in the area of hermeneutics. This renaissance includes more than a stimulating interest in the principles of interpretation, a periodic revival similar to those that have come and gone in other theological fields. Hermeneutics has broken the boundaries in which it has been confined since the age of orthodoxy and assumed totally new proportions, even to the extent of becoming the focal point of theology for some theologians. To trace some of the philosophical influences behind and in this movement is the proposed task of this paper.

The Relationship Between Law And Sin In Romans 7, Kenneth Mangelsdorf

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

It is the purpose of this thesis to develop an answer to the question, ''What is the relationship between law and sin in Romans 7?" It is important to note that this inquiry is based on two presuppositions. The first is that there really is a relationship between law and sin in Romans 7. The second is that Romans 7 can validly be studied in the light of that relationship. The second assumption is based on the first and is more significant, because it determines the method to be used in answering the problem to which this thesis proposes to …

The Value Of Literature In Lutheran Catechetics, David Lange

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The purpose of this paper, then, is to investigate the nature, functions, and objectives of literature; to explore and delineate its congruencies with and contradictions of the nature, functions, and objectives of Lutheran catechetics; and finally to assess its value for the catechetical enterprise and determine whether it warrants the construction of a literature-oriented program of catechetics within The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod.

Evangelistic Approaches To The Fillipino Lowlander, James Johnson

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The basic question connected with our study is: How can the Gospel be applied to the cultural background of the Filipino people's? When the term "culture" is used in this study it is applied in its basic sociological sense, that is, "social heritage", or as it is defined by C. L. Hunt et alii in their work entitled Sociology in the Philippine Setting: "the sum total of the complex social heritage of a group .which is created and transmitted from one generation to another.” So as not to make this study too unwieldy one particular aspect of the application of …

The Figure Of Marriage In Ephesians 5:21-33, Fredrick Wiese

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

This thesis is an investigation of the figure of marriage in Ephesians 5:21-33. The specific problem is to determine whether or not in these verses the figure exists as it does throughout Scripture. Thus this discussion necessitates establishing what characteristics, if any, are common to the figure of marriage in the Old Testament and New Testament. The ultimate question that results is are Christ and the Church regarded as husband and wife in these verses?" The answer will be determined in these verses by specific statements to that effect or by the description of the relationship between Christ and the …

The Prophectic Protest: Form And Funtion, Henry Rowold

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

What is true here of von Rad seems to be true generally of biblical scholarship; to the writer's knowledge, there has been no significant attempt to isolate the various prophetic protests and to study them as a literary or theological unity. Most of the concern has centered in Jeremiah's protests. Upon further study it has impressed the writer that a correlated study of all prophetic protest may provide a helpful tool in understanding the office of the prophet. It is from this perspective that the present study of prophetic protest was pursued and is now offered.

The Use Of The Term Ο̋Νομα In The Gospel According To Matthew, Alvin Young

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

This study is an inquiry into the use of ο̋νομα in the Gospel According to Matthew. It seeks to trace the background of the term ο̋νομα and show the theological heritage that it possesses. With this background in mind, ο̋νομα has been studied within Matthew with special concern for its use within prepositional phrases.

This study seeks to answer certain questions. For example: What is the background of ο̋νομα for its theological meaning? How does Matthew use the background material to suit his purposes and the meaning of his gospel? Does Matthew use ο̋νομα differently from the background sources? Is …

An Examination Of The Motivational And Judgmental Functions Of Conscience, C Rodger Meyer

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The paper deals with the two areas in which disagreements have been noted. It seeks to determine whether conscience:
1. judges the ethical quality of an action prior to the action or decision to act, or whether it judges only after an act has at least been decided upon.
2. has a positive motivational function.

It is to be recognized that the concept of conscience has both a popular usage, and also a rather precise scientific, psychological usage. This paper is an attempt to clarify at least one aspect of the precise meaning and usage of the concept.

The Meaning Of Dikaioō, William Beck

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

In this exegetical study we shall try to find a clear Biblical definition of dikailoō. We shall examine the background of dikaioō: the basic meaning of righteousness, the righteousness of God as His purpose in this world, and the work of Christ, as the righteous Servant. Then we shall examine dikaioō as a forensic term: What is its forensic meaning as Scripture defines it? Is it only "declare righteous?” Is it also “make righteous?” What must we say of God's verdict in Justification, since God's word is always true and effective? What meaning does dikaioō have in view of the …

The Groaning Creation : A Study Of Man In St. Paul And Modern Art, Joel Nickel

Bachelor of Divinity

In order to organize this presentation, we have adopted as a structura1 outline, the Pau1ine view of man. This procedure makes us aware from the outset of the great danger involved in attempting to relate Paul and modern artists. "To begin with man is to begin at the wrong end, for Pau1's ideas did not arise from a study of man for his own sake. Paul is concerned to look at man only in relation to God.” For the artist, man becomes the sole criterion. Art, by definition, is an anthropocentric endeavor.

Peter As Leader Among The Apostles, Donald Miesner

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

In my study I was interested in determining whether or not Peter was presented as leader among the apostles by Christ, by Peter himself, by the other apostles, and by references throughout the New Testament. Of further interest was the discovery of the particular areas in which Peter expressed his leadership and the extent to which this leadership applied. I was eager to learn when in Peter's career his leadership role was especially ·prominent. Finally, it was of interest to note what limitations, if any, there were on Peter's leadership among the apostles.

An Analysis Of Clericalim In Some Philippine Church Bodies As An Obstacle To Lay Activty In The Lutheran Church In The Philippines, Norbert Becker

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The present study is born out of the conviction that, humanly speaking, the future of the Lutheran Church in the Philippines, and that of any Christian body for that matter, lies in a vitally active laity. It is also born out of a bit of experience that has seen what laymen can do when properly stimulated and guided. The study is made also in the belief that the clergy themselves to a large extent hold the key to a genuinely active laity and that they can be a tremendous influence either positively or negatively.

The Development Of Principal And Practice Toward Government Aid Toreligious Elementary Education In The Lutheran Church Of Brazil, Elmer Reimnitz

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The problem of this thesis is to examine the tension between the official position of the Lutheran Church of Brazil and the practice of its congregations. The development of this tension through the years and the reasoning followed by the congregations and pastors for accepting state aid to religious elementary education will also be examined together with conclusions as to the future course of. the Lutheran Church of Brazil concerning government aid to religious elementary education.

The Concept Of "Oneness" In The Fourth Gospel, Leon Gilbertson

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

This thesis is a study of the numeral ει’̂ς, μία, έν in the Gospel of John. At the heart of the study was the desire to come to an understanding of the oneness of the church (John 17). It was not possible, however, to proceed directly to such an interpretation. As the second chapter will show, the word for one (έν) in John 17:11, 21, 22, 23 is normally an adjective but in John 17 it is used as a substantive. The full meaning of what the substantive describes can be determined only on the basis of a study of …

An Evaluation Of Bainton's Concept Of Luther And His Theology As Presented In The Reformation Of The Sixteenth Century- Translation Into Spanish Of Bainton's Book, Hector Lazos

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

Nevertheless, a critique is here attempted in order to evaluate some of Bainton's concepts and judgments. The writer recognizes his own limitations, the lack of adequate time, the lack of n library, all the source books that Bainton employed for this work, and a lesser degree of skill in the necessary research techniques. For those reasons the scope of the evaluation was limited. Instead of trying to evaluate the entire field covered in his book, the writer limited himself to an evaluation of Bainton's interpretation of' Luther and his theology.

Ezekiel's Locale (Palestine Or Babylon Or Both) With The Implications Of The Same On His Message, Roger Janke

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The study of the book of Ezekiel is full of many problems. In limiting ourselves to a study of his locale, it is necessary to declare our position in other areas of Ezekielian research. On the basis of the book's autobiographical nature, and its consistent use of planned sequence, visions, characteristic phrases, and language peculiarities throughout the book, we are assuming its essential unity. Chapters 2-24 present the evidence of Israel's sin and its punishment, while chapters 25-48 proclaim Israel's restoration. We regard the many attempts to assign large sections of the book to later writers as misleading. Our first …

Congregational Renewal Through Adult Education, Lester Nilson

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The problem expressed in the title of this thesis is not a new one. Ever since man rejected fellowship with God the need for renewal has been a concern of God's people. The exploration of the basis for and the possibility of such renewal among and within God's people has been studied in every generation, but the need for restatement and reevaluation will remain a necessary procedure as long as man lives in the world.

Augustine's Doctrine Of Original Sin In Two Anti-Pelagian Writings, William Traugott

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

Thus the thesis will concentrate on two of Augustine's writings: (1) Contra Julianum Pelagianum, in which he refutes the Pelagian bishop Julian, who had denied original sin; (2) De Peccato Originali, in which Augustine amplifies his position on this important teaching. The purposes in studying those particular works are, first of all, to ascertain the main features of Augustine's doctrine of original sin and, secondly, to study Augustine's use of the early Church Fathers in support of this doctrine.

The Lamb Of God --An Interpretation Of Jesus 1:29, Roy Rinehard

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The key passage in the New Testament in which Christ is called "Lamb of God" is John 1:29. Here we are told that John the Baptist sees Jesus approaching him and then calls attention to Him by means of this designation. Exactly what does this term mean? This study attempts to take a careful look at John 1:29 and other passages of the New Testament which refer to our Lord as "Lamb" in an effort to determine its meaning.

The Origin Of The Synodical Conferences, Walter Uhlig

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The years in which events occurred that culminated in the establishment of the Synodical Conference were some of the most significant years in the history of Lutheranism in America. Mighty forces were at work in those days, forces that affected all Lutheran synods in this country, forces that led to warm synodical friendships and bitter synodical hostilities. In this study some of these forces are examined as they affected the six synods that formed the Synodical Conference and also certain synods that did not align themselves with the Conference. The background and general emphasis of each of these groups are …

St. Bernard Of Clairvaux And Martin Luther On Monasticism, James Pragman

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

Actually, the study of the relationship between Luther and Bernard is an investigation into the Catholic Luther, a study of Luther's medieval theological heritage. Although Luther reformed the church and reoriented its theology, he retained an appreciation for those Christian theologians and churchmen who had preceded him and were transmitting to him the faith once delivered to the saints. In the investigation of one or more aspects of the relationship between Luther and Bernard, one confronts an interesting illustration of Luther's appreciation of the medieval Catholic tradition. The serious student of Luther must recognize that Luther basically approached the history …

Changing Theologies Of Private And Public Confession And Absolution, Fred Precht

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

The contemporary liturgical-confessional revival within the Lutheran Church with its increasing emphasis on private confession and absolution has prompted this study. To this writer's knowledge there has been no previous study made within American Lutheranism on the history and development of confession and absolution with its changing theologies and practice.

Luther's Principles Of Teaching As Reflected In His Preached Sermons 1528-1532, Franklin Ritthamel

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

This thesis will explore the educational development and teaching activities of Martin Luther against the background of the Reformation. It will bring some understanding of the importance of education in the Lutheran Reformation, the scope of Luther’s educational activities, the necessity of education for the success of the Reformation, and the objectives which marked the educational activity in the Reformation. It will show the theological development of Martin Luther and how this brought about educational reforms. This study is especially directed toward relating these items to Luther’s preaching in the period of 1528-1532.

Lutheran Theology In The Tranoscius With Special Attention To The Doctrine Of The Church, Samuel Boda

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

One of the purposes far the preparation of this thesis is to make available to the Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches and to its doctrinal unity committee and its officers still another corpus of doctrinal materials which might be used more frequently and perhaps with greater effect than in the past in discussions with the Wisconsin and Norwegian bodies.