Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Reviving Aspects Of Ateetee: An Arsi Oromo Women's Musical Ritual To Empower Women To Protect Their Human Rights And Participate In Society's Social And Religious Life, Talilee B. Fiqruu

Doctor of Ministry

In the Arsi Oromo society, prior to the introduction of organized religions and subsequent colonization by Abyssinian rulers, women had been leading a cultural musical institution called ateetee. It is organized and performed by married women for the purposes of empowering and protecting their interests and the interests of their community. For instance, if a husband violates her well-being, other women would gather in front of the man’s house, confront him to admit his fault, and require of him forgiveness. Women also play a great role in bringing peace and reconciliation between warring clans in a non-threatening way, simply by …

Book Review: I’M Still Here: Black Dignity In A World Made For Whiteness, Melanie Springer Mock

Faculty Publications - Department of English

Excerpt: "As a Christian feminist and progressive, I spend a lot of time patting myself on the back, believing other people might be racist or sexist or otherwise close-minded, but certainly not me. It’s easy for me to assert my bona fides. I seek to be inclusive in my language and in my actions; I champion diversity in the classes I teach; I have two teenage boys who are not white and with whom I’m carefully navigating an educational experience that has not been wholly positive, given their place in a majority white school."

"When The Light That's Lost Within Us Reaches The Sky" Jackson Browne's Romantic Vision (Chapter Seven Of Rock And Romanticism: Blake, Wordsworth, And Rock From Dylan To U2), Gary L. Tandy

Faculty Publications - Department of English

Excerpt: "In "Michael: A Pastoral Poem," William Wordsworth imagines "youthful Poets, who among these Hills I Will be my second Self when I am gone." 1 In his recent critical study, Andrew Bennett suggests that Wordsworth and the other British Romantic poets continue to have an impact on the poetry and poetic theory of our times: "Contemporary culture, indeed, is pervaded by developments in conceptions of poetry and art that are associated most fully with the Romantic period."2 As Sayre and Lowy state, "Far from being a purely nineteenth-century phenomenon, Romanticism is an essential component of modern culture."3 One contemporary …

Language Politics And The Constitution Of Racialized Subjects In The Corinthian Church, Ekaputra Tupamahu

Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary

This study examines the phenomenon of speaking in tongue(s) in the Corinthian church from the point of view of the politics of language. Instead of seeing tongue(s) as a problem of unintelligible-ecstatic speech, it reconsiders this phenomenon as a linguistic struggle. Tongue(s), in this sense, is a multilingual social dynamic that Paul perceives as chaotic. Special attention is given to the role of language as one of the crucial markers of the ancient Greeks’ collective identity. The barbarians are their imaginative and discursive ‘others’ who do not share their language. It is within this sociopolitical context that the employment of …

Book Review: Fat And Faithful: Learning To Love Our Bodies, Our Neighbors, And Ourselves, Melanie Springer Mock

Faculty Publications - Department of English

Excerpt: "Patterson is the former president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, fired in May because of his misogynistic comments and mishandling of sexual abuse claims. He chose in his return to preaching last week to question the legitimacy of the #MeToo movement, and apparently thought the pulpit was the best place to body-shame women, in particular those who are fat. In a sermon during a Christian revival, Patterson described a woman who “filled the door,” made a joke about the baptistery and her weight, and said that she could play linebacker for an NFL team.

The audience, there ostensibly …

Keeping A Clean Heart (Chapter 7 Of For Today: A Prayer When Life Gets Messy), Patrick Allen

Faculty Publications - College of Education

Excerpt: "When I heard that some of the kids at school received an allowance, money their parents actually gave to them for no particular reason other than to do a few chores around the house, I could hardly believe it. It seemed too good to be true. I never received an allowance, and the idea of having some spending money of any kind was usually out of the question. Once in a while, my mother would give my brothers and me a quarter each to go to the municipal swimming pool if we hoed five rows of corn in the …

A Three-Fold (Homiletic) Lesson From Dr. King’S Pastoral And Prophetic Preaching On Violence, Sunggu Yang

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

In 1992 when Walter Wink stated in his Engaging the Powers, “Violence is the ethos of our times. It is the spirituality of the modern world,” he was more than right.1 Nowadays, we experience violence everywhere we breathe, walk, and look, even though not every violent case is visible or directly felt. In his statement, Wink was referring specifically to two aspects of violence that make us particularly uncomfortable or sad living in the twenty-first-century North American context. He made the statement in 1992, twenty-four years after Martin Luther King was assassinated in 1968. A great deal had changed over …

Jesus, The Eschatological Prophet In The Fourth Gospel: A Case Study In Dialectical Tensions, Paul N. Anderson

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

Central to the presentation of Jesus in the Fourth Gospel is his association with the Eschatological Prophet, anticipated within first century Judaism. Rooted in Jewish agency typologies cohering around such prophetic figures as Moses and Elijah, these primitive associations reflect historical proximity to Jesus of Nazareth, who as a Galilean prophetic figure continued in the trajectory of John the Baptist while also challenging Jewish institutions and religious conventions in Galilee, Samaria, and Judea. From his prophetic demonstration in the temple to his healing on the Sabbath, the Johannine Jesus furthered the social concerns of the Hebrew prophets, and when challenged …

John: The Mundane Gospel And Its Archaeology-Related Features, Paul N. Anderson

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

Jesus of Nazareth is the most important figure in human history. Yet, an ironic fact of biblical scholarship over the last two centuries is that the one gospel claiming first-hand knowledge of the life of Jesus has been pervasively disparaged as ahistorical—off limits in the historical quest of Jesus. This, of course, is because the Gospel of John is different from the Synoptics and also theological in its thrust. However, in addition to these features, the Fourth Gospel is also the most mundane of the gospels. John has more empirical (sensorily attributed) references, topographical details, and archaeologically attested features than …

Saving Students: European Student Relief In The Aftermath Of World War I, Benjamin L. Hartley

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

The World’s Student Christian Federation established the European Student Relief (ESR) organization in 1920 in order to respond to the refugee and hunger crises emerging in the wake of World War I in Europe. Although nearly forgotten today, it was the first truly international ecumenical relief agency in the world. This article tells the story of ESR in reference to its efforts at building interorganizational coalitions and as a force for “internationalism.” The ESR’s story is instructive as the world marks the hundredth anniversary of the end of World War I and is once again confronted with refugee crises.

A Hermeneutic Of Hope – And Faith And Love: A Thomistic-Liberationist Rule, Ross W. Mccullough

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

The early church bequeathed us two rules for interpreting Scripture: the rule of faith and the rule of love. This paper argues that these should be complemented with a rule of hope. It uses Thomas Aquinas to suggest how a hopeful reading might complement a loving and a faithful reading, and it suggests that we see this sort of reading in contemporary liberation theologians.

Encounter, Dissonance, And Reflection In The Dialectical Development Of Paul's Theology (Chaper In Anatomies Of The Gospels And Beyond), Paul N. Anderson

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

Excerpt: "Since the publication of Gerd Theissen's Psychological Aspects of Pauline Theology, Pauline scholars have taken renewed interest in experiential factors in the formation of Paul's theology, but few have approached the issue in terms of Paul's own faith development in cognitive-critical perspective.I Just when Pauline scholarship had been "liberated" from "psychologizing the text" by Krister Stendahl's analysis of Paul and the "introspective conscience of the west,"2 Theissen's monograph might have been seen to be threatening the "New Perspective on Paul,'' signaled by James Dunn in his essay by that name.3 However, a sustained consideration of the sociological dynamics of …

Orthodoxy And Protestantism Through The Centuries, Gjoko Gjorgjevski

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The aim of this paper is to describe the history and actual relations between the Orthodox East and the Protestant West. This paper will both examine and show the beginning, the continuation and the present situation of the Protestant-Orthodox dialog, communication, influences, convergences and differences, as well as the disputes and attempts to overcome disagreements. It will give an overview of the most important dialogues and scholarly exchanges over the centuries.

The Theological And Geographical Origins Of Protestantism In Albania, David Hosaflook

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The Albanian Protestant Movement has both a theological and a geographical origin. Theologically, the movement could only begin after parts of the Bible were translated into Albanian, because the Protestant doctrine of “Sola Scriptura” demands that believers understand the Holy Scriptures. Therefore, in Protestant missions to the Ottoman Empire, Bible translators usually preceded evangelists and the founding of churches. In 1827, the publication of the first Albanian New Testament was a significant achievement, but it was practically useless to most Albanians, who were illiterate (especially in their mother tongue). Hence, the Protestant missionary endeavor included linguistic and educational efforts to …

Announcement Of Changes, Paul Mojzes

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Ever since this publication transitioned from printed to electronic copies a remarkable upsurge in readership occurred. Readers need only to access http:digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/ree/ to see both the geographical distribution and the number of downloads on a monthly and yearly basis, going back to the year when our web editor, Alex Rolfe placed us on the Digital Commons platform. Alex, who is a librarian at George Fox University, has also provided his library as the mailing address of OPREE.

Where The Desert Fathers And Mothers Meet Permaculture, Brenda Nagunst

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation claims that a retreat center with an eco-spiritual focus is one way to introduce Christians to the connection between stewardship of God’s creation and relationship with God. For the purposes of this paper the word “creation” is used to identify the natural world: earth, soil, plants, animals, birds, fish, and humans. Many Christians do not steward the earth as God commanded in Genesis, thus missing a spiritual connection with God that can uniquely happen through creation. This dissertation addresses the question, “In what way is care of creation a critical part of a modern Christian’s relationship with God?” …

A Semiotic Approach To Conflict Transformation: Can Signs And Symbols Help Make Peace?, Samuel Kefas Sarpiya

Doctor of Ministry

Religion has always had the ability to play a major role in peacemaking and conflict transformation. But over the years, the power of religion to engender peace and to have an active voice in community issues has been lost on many secular theorists who see religion as one of the major reasons for lack of peace in the world. So, reclaiming the voice of religion in a pluralistic world is needed. Religious voices could have a positive impact in transforming conflict and bringing peace. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are monotheistic religions that are also the Abrahamic faiths. This is a …

Developing Gospel Movement Leaders, Jacqueline E. Bland

Doctor of Ministry

This research seeks to address the current crisis of leadership in the African American community, specifically regarding the continuation of racial hatred, discrimination, and violence by offering a solution that can be used to help address the problem. The objective of this research was accomplished through the process of reading, analyzing, and synthesizing theoretical and biographic materials to create a viable response. The research led to formulating a program involving the spiritual development of a new generation of Christian African American emerging leaders’ engaging with the leadership crisis as biblical reformers of their culture. The research indicates that the racial …

The Promised Land: A Postcolonial Homiletic Of Promise In The Asian American Context, Sunggu Yang

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

Asian American Christians carry within them a triple consciousness by being Asian, American, and Christian. Being Christian specifically means being a pilgrim bound for the Promised Land. The Asian American pilgrim preacher’s message issues from this triple consciousness and from a spirit of postcolonial liberation. Such a preacher’s message is therefore a declaration or assurance of God’s liberative promise of the Promised Land for Asian Americans, the Land already being realized here and now in the foreign land. By being this-earthly and other-worldly, the pilgrim preacher’s message is synthetic-ethical in nature. This article shows that the triple consciousness is a …

The Social Conscience Of The Saint John's Bible (Chapter Nine Of The Saint John's Bible And Its Tradition: Illuminating Beauty In The Twenty-First Century), Paul N. Anderson

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

One of the amazing features of the striking new artwork in The Saint John's Bible is the way that so many of its images capture the social concerns of biblical texts in ways that speak to twenty-first-century issues in gripping and prophetic ways. Especially powerful are the ways the artwork in these seven volumes addresses issues related to women, ecology, globalization, violence, poverty, well-being, healing, and redemption. As historic artistic contributions to society in the new millennium, many of its 160 pieces of art thus speak powerfully to contemporary issues in ways that convey timeless truths in timely ways. Tolstoy …

Following The Man Of Sorrows: A Theology Of Suffering For Spiritual Formation, David Russell Beach

Doctor of Ministry

Suffering. Salvation’s conduit. People are often reluctant to talk about suffering, unable to find words. This reluctance usually lasts until, in the midst of crisis, the only way ahead is through suffering. In these crises, people typically reach out to caregivers— pastors and priests, counselors and social workers. But what if the same reluctance affects these caregivers? What if they, too, are often unable to find adequate words? Jesus—Man of Sorrows—makes plain the imperative of taking up our cross. How is this accomplished? This dissertation offers an answer, a theology of suffering focused on spiritual formation—formation into the image of …

Oral Culture And Digital Natives: What The American Church Can Learn From The Mission Field, Pamela Jean Hiscock Braman

Doctor of Ministry

Digital Natives (those who have grown up with technology) are not just a new generation, they are a new culture which learns in a different way than the literate culture of preceding generations, but with significant similarities to oral cultures. Because of this, storytelling training models effectively working within oral culture can be utilized with Digital Natives for the successful training of emerging leaders within the Church. Section 1 describes the problem: Digital Natives differ greatly from the generations before them, including the way they learn. This creates a challenge to the Church in developing new generations of Christian leaders. …

Principles For Success In Succession Of The Senior Leader, Phillip D. Goldsberry Sr.

Doctor of Ministry

The succession of a senior leader is inevitable and all leaders will find themselves in their professional life being handed the title “previous.” The inevitability of succession exists within ecclesial and business contexts. The primary purpose of this research is to examine succession principles and processes within churches, and to secondarily look at business models and practices. Today’s aging clergy and narrow field of available successors is creating a potentially catastrophic future for the American church. The focus of this paper is to develop principles and preparation strategies that can be initiated to create a path to success for the …

Creating An International Learning Community, Marc D. Andresen

Doctor of Ministry

Thousands of university students travel to the United States every year to engage in higher education, both as undergraduates and as graduate students. This provides a strategically rich opportunity for Christian ministry that has potential for global impact. Part of this potential is to provide ministry leadership training, particularly if students are from countries that allow little freedom for such education. The challenge is to offer culturally appropriate leadership training that is applicable in various cultural contexts and that does not inadvertently cause offense by violating cultural norms of the various students. The desire is to create an educational environment …

Faith Formation In A Frantic World: Leverage Your Phone To Transform Your Heart And Mind, Gregg Peter Farah

Doctor of Ministry

Many faithful Bible readers fall short of experiencing a vibrant, growing relationship with God. Their daily reading has little impact on their Christian formation. This dissertation associates this failure with the pace of modern life and proposes a solution that capitalizes on a modern invention: smartphone technology supporting instant access to bite-sized Bible readings with engaging commentary. Daily engagement with God can be achieved with the help of an app that reminds users to pause, pray, and review a “sticky moment” from their Bible reading. Section one of this dissertation notes that individuals have allowed themselves to be caught up …

Transforming Drug Addicts' Lives: Restoration Christian Outreach Community (Rcoc) In Northwest Mississippi, Rose Maria Mccarthy Anding

Doctor of Ministry

The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports on over 14,500 specialized drugtreatment facilities providing counseling, behavioral therapy, medication, case management, and other services to persons with substance-use disorders.1 Drug addiction is a complex disorder that can involve the individual's family, work, school, and community involvement with pervasive consequences, so treatment typically involves many components, with the goal of addressing each facet affected by the disorder. Residential drug-treatment programs throughout the United States follow different treatment and rehabilitation models. In Mississippi, most drug-treatment programs are offered by the Department of Mental Health, Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Services. However, residential drug-treatment …

The Spirit-Led Coach: An Alternative Approach To Athletic Coaching, Sean Silverii

Doctor of Ministry

The world of sports is an approximate 620 billion dollar industry, claiming an attendance of a little over 124 million fans in 2016 just within the top five professional sports leagues. In the United States alone, it is estimated 20 to 30 million kids play recreational sports, while another 10 million teenagers play interscholastically each year. With these factors in mind, all forms of power, greed, corruption, violence, selfindulgence, etc. has seeped its way into athletics and culture like a virus. Recently, a bleacher report revealed that findings of an FBI probe into college basketball is expected to be released …

Creating Dialogical Preaching Experiences, Nathan A. Rouse

Doctor of Ministry

The Protestant Church in the United States has enjoyed a rich history of monological preaching in the local church throughout its history. However, Jesus’ ministry, Scripture, and our culture’s advancing dialogical pedagogy point to the need for the local church to create dialogical preaching experiences. The age of the internet has also been a driving force in creating circular learning styles that demand the church take notice and discover how this model can be deployed to better shape and grow our people as pastors. While some argue this is impractical or even altogether unhelpful, others believe that creating dialog again …

Towards Women Leaders In The Palestinian Evangelical Church, Madleine Sara

Doctor of Ministry

The Palestinian evangelical church needs to proactively address the way in which most male church leaders ignore anointed women leaders who are active in the ministry of the Kingdom. Women have been actively involved in various roles in the church, but their role as leaders has not always been acknowledged officially. In this thesis, I discuss the limitations of women in leadership roles and positions of responsibility, and address the inequality in the manner in which women are treated as well as the opportunities they are offered to advance in leadership in the Arab Palestinian evangelical church. Although the church …

Satanic Influences In The American Christian Church In A Post-Modern Consumer Society, Jerry F. Ressa

Doctor of Ministry

This study seeks to propose evidences as to how and why the contemporary Christian church is satanically influenced, resulting in pain and suffering from devastating personal dysfunctions, interpersonal conflicts and divisions. This situation presents a great dilemma facing many, if not most, Christians in that they simply do not understand and are unaware of profound life altering significances of the spiritual battle being waged for souls and the satanic deceptions that draw people away from God. Satan, his fallen angels, and demons influence Christians and others through his primary tools of deceit and deception, delivered to the culture through media, …