Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Toward An Integrative Theory Of Vocation And Volition: Locating The Historical Concept Of Christian Calling In The Contemporary Psychological Treatment Of Motivation, Timothy S. Walker

Doctor of Education (EdD)

The purpose of this research is to identify similarities between the Christian concept of calling and educational psychology's theories on motivation. This study includes a review of historical and contemporary literature concerning calling alongside a review of literature pertaining to Self-Determination Theory. I use these reviews first to understand how Christians have historically understood and applied the concept of calling as motivation. Secondly, they are used to determine if Self Determination Theory relates to the Christian concept of calling. And, thirdly, they are used to discover areas in which Self-Determination Theory offers insight into the Christian concept of calling's potential …

Cultural Competence And Trauma: Applying Ethical Codes In Culturally Sensitive Ways, Rodger K. Bufford, Winston Seegobin

Faculty Publications - Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program

No abstract provided.

Worldview Foundations For A Christian Psychology, Rodger K. Bufford, Timothy A. Sisemore

Faculty Publications - Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program

No abstract provided.

Learning Curve In Rwanda: A Long Journey Of Transformation, Debby Thomas

Faculty Publications - College of Business

This brief glimpse into one community visit offers a taste of what holistic community development through discipleship looks like. This community has studied issues of farming, salvation by grace, animal husbandry, financial management, discerning God's will, health and cleanliness, and other topics over the last five years. They are learning how to identify the barriers that trap them in poverty, and they are learning to overcome these problems through a holistic discipleship process that teaches them to become problem solvers, to study God's word, and to use the resources they have to address the problems their community faces.

Madison’S Memorial And Remonstrance, Jefferson’S Statute For Religious Liberty, And The Creation Of The First Amendment, Mark Hall

Faculty Publications - Department of History and Politics

Jurists, scholars, and popular writers routinely assert that the men who framed and ratified the First Amendment were influenced by James Madison’s Memorial and Remonstrance (1785) and Thomas Jefferson’s Statute for Religious Liberty (1786). In this essay I demonstrate that there is little evidence to support these claims. Because these documents represent only one approach to church-state relations in the era, jurists and others who believe that the religion clauses should be interpreted in light of the founders’ views need to look well beyond these texts if they want to understand the First Amendment’s “generating history.”

Becoming The Real Deal: Building A Life Of Integrity, Howard R. Macy

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

The Beane Lecture, given at William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa April 1, 2014.

From the conclusion: "As we choose to persist in the habits of truth-telling, transparency, and trustworthiness, we can build lives of integrity. We can be “the real deal.” I could make a strong case for doing this based on biblical teaching. But frankly, I think that almost universally we want integrity in our life together, in our relationships, in our business and agreements with one another, in our leadership, and in our courts. We like people who tell the truth, who are genuine, and who we …

From Genocide To Dialogue Christian-Muslim Relations In The Former Yugoslavia, Paul Mojzes

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Extremely complex historical circumstances and modern political manipulations have caused in the Balkans three major waves of genocides during the twentieth century. The conflicts were so varied and widespread that it will not be possible to provide an adequate overview in this paper. The first one took place during the I and II Balkan Wars in 1912-1913, in which genocides occurred in the effort of four allied countries (Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro, and Serbia) to liberate themselves from the Ottoman Empire. Then the second war broke out leading to genocidal ethnic cleansing as the embattled nations of the Balkans attempted to …

The Religious Conditions Of The Jewish People In The Georgia Region During The First Quarter Of The Twentieth Century (During The Period Of The Soviet Repression), Giorgi Sosiashvili

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This paper analyzes the condition of Judaism and of the Jewish people in the first quarter of the 20th century after Soviet authority was established in Georgia. The Bolsheviks annexed the independent democratic republic. Russian violence was not only political. The new authority expressed unprecedented aggression towards different religious confessions in the country. Among the persecuted confessions were also representatives of the Georgian Orthodox Church. The Bolsheviks expropriated chapels from Jews living in Kareli, Surami, and Gori. It is a well-known fact that the Jews had lived in Shida Kartli for a long time. In 19th and 20th centuries 400 …

Sustainable Faith: How The Neuroscience Of Emotion Promotes Spiritual Transformation, Christine M. Mutch

Doctor of Ministry

Current research indicates that well-intentioned practices and programs aimed at forming people into the image of Christ are not producing the intended results. One roadblock is the misunderstanding and lack of value placed on the role of emotion in the transformation process. The purpose of this dissertation is to present neuroscience research about the integral role of emotion in one's life, and suggest practical ways to capitalize on emotion to effect transformation.

Chapter one describes the goals of spiritual formation, in contrast to current attitudes and practices of those inside and outside the church. It provides a basic introduction to …

Trinitarian Theorizing And Mystery As A Way Forward: A Critical Examination Of The Forms Of Trinitarian Hypothesizing, Why They Fail, And Why Mystery Is A Way Forward, Matthew J. Conniry

Seminary Masters Theses

Scholarship reveals that there are at least two primary ways of handling the issue incumbent within Trinitarian theorizing. Most theologians resolve the issue by addressing the inconsistencies, finding various ways to make important distinctions to eliminate apparent contradictions. This is no doubt the most popular route. Among these are social Trinitarians and Latin Trinitarians. A rough distinction can be made here, wherein social Trinitarians start with the Threeness of God and reason from that stance that God is one by an inexorable and eternal loving relationship. Oppositely, Latin Trinitarians start with God as one and reason how God can possibly …

Theosis: The Core Of Our Ancient/Future Faith And Its Relevance To Evangelicalism At The Close Of The Modern Era, Michael Paul Gama

Doctor of Ministry

Contemporary American Evangelicalism is in a state of flux. Serious thinkers are even suggesting that with the confluence of postmodernity and the rise of the Millennials, what Evangelicalism is currently encountering is not simply change, but crisis. In light of a widespread exodus of many Millennials from traditional Evangelical churches, crisis seems an apt description. I discuss the current condition of Evangelicalism and reach back to the patristic fathers for a remedy, which I suggest, is a fitting spiritual medicine for the contemporary movement. But this "reach back" is not simply an historical exercise, but is complemented by the thinking …

The Great Co-Mission: A Postmodern Missiology, Greg G. Glatz

Doctor of Ministry

The Great Commission has often been interpreted as a directive to colonize people and subject them to our agenda. We interpret “make disciples of all nations” as make other parts of the world Christian the way we are Christian. We interpret “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” as compelling them to repudiate any beliefs or practices that conflict with our understanding of Christianity. We interpret “teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you” as indoctrinate them with creeds and catechisms. As a postmodern pilgrim, I want to …

Technefication: The Art And Craft Of Utilizing Technology In Spiritual Practices, Patrick J. Sehl Jr.

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation claims there is an underutilization of technology in the church resulting in the bifurcation of the sacred and secular and asserts that the church needs to leverage the power of mobile devices to integrate spiritual practices and everyday life. Section 1 enters the discussion of technophobia and its effect on relationships with God and with others. Section 2 names a few ways the church has attempted to help people integrate spiritual practices into their daily lives through hiring a Spiritual Formation Pastor, encouraging involvement in small groups, and developing Bible apps. These attempts have taken great steps forward; …

Sending Students: Addressing Barriers University Students Face In Going To The World As Missionaries, Shane Sebastian

Doctor of Ministry

"The Bible recounts how God has used people of all ages and backgrounds to advance His purposes. Many of the most remarkable events of the biblical story involved young people. It should not be surprising to find that in recent centuries, many of the greatest things God has done to fulfill the Great Commission have been done with university students." —David Howard

University students on campuses today will be leaders tomorrow. According to recent statistics, there are approximately 150 million college students in the world today, roughly 2% of the world’s population. Though this may be a small fraction of …

Will Noah Sink Or Swim? The Buoyancy Of The Latest Bible Film, Paul N. Anderson

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

No abstract provided.

Crisis Of Secularism And Loyalty Towards The Dominant Group: The Role Of The Government In The 2012-2013 Religious Conflicts In Georgia, Tamta Mikeladze

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The paper presents findings of the research of the religious conflicts in Georgia which erupted between November 2012 and December 2013. The research aimed to assess the causes of the religious conflicts between the Muslim minority and Orthodox Christians in the villages of Nigvziani (Lanchkhuti district), Tsintskaro (Tetritskaro district) and Samtatskaro (Dedoplistskaro district) in Georgia; as well as to analyze government policies enacted for the peaceful and just resolution of the conflicts. The study revealed the social and political contexts that were influencing the conflicts and conditioning them. The article is an analysis of the political aspects of the conflict …

The Eclipse Of The Light Of The Word In Bosnia And Herzegovina, Jadranka Brnčić

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.

Male Call: The Role Of The Church In Awakening Young Men To Their Vocational Purpose, Thomas G. Shaw

Doctor of Ministry

Many young adult men are struggling in their transition from adolescence to adulthood. Unique challenges converge in their quest for vocational discovery and career choice. The church is largely ignored as a guide as they make choices about work and career. Christian churches have been slow to provide practical guidance in faith and work; especially for disciples with an interest in professions and careers outside Christian ministry. There is a need for an informed church to guide young men so that they may reach their potential through the discovery of calling and vocation. I propose that the church must assume …

Missional Communities: Equipping Churches To Reach Their Local Context, Robert Glen Parker

Doctor of Ministry

In the Northeast region of the United States, surveys suggest church participation is steadily declining. We contend that a primary reason for this decline is that churches have become insular and exclusive, leading to a failure to meet the spiritual, emotional and physical needs of their communities. The problem raises the question, "How do churches move beyond exclusivity to engage in relevant ministry within their local communities?" Throughout the Bible, God is the initiator of a relationship with humanity. God created Adam and Eve, and set out a redemptive plan to restore them to right relationship when their connection to …

Burnout And The Gospel: Moving From Burnout To True Elders With The Gospel Grand Narrative, Cary S. Peterson

Doctor of Ministry

Burnout among Western church leaders occurs at an alarming rate. Effective responses must go beyond the symptoms of burnout to the theology these leaders chose, which ultimately shapes their visions of life and leadership. This project explores the experience of burnout and its relationship to the prevailing version of the gospel in the Western church, suggesting this epidemic is connected to in an inaccurate version of the gospel that finds fertile soil in the leader’s own unresolved personal identity issues. Part 1 (Chapters 1-3) introduces the burnout epidemic and the prevailing version of the gospel in the West. Chapter 1 …

Promoting Missionary Mutual Care Through Spiritual Community, David L. Shepherd

Doctor of Ministry

Personal struggle and the stressors that catalyze them are inevitable in missionary life. When overly focusing on ministry and enculturation demands, cross-culturally based Christian workers can often neglect intra and inter-personal spiritual formation. The result of such neglect is a lack of purpose, vitality, endurance and effectiveness, and in some cases, the missionary leaves the field altogether. For missionaries to thrive and succeed requires that they place a high priority on mutual and intentional care. Therefore, I will explore the necessity and means of cultivating spiritual community among on-thefield missionaries for their mutual care and development. Chapter 1 introduces the …

A Renewed Homiletic For The Twenty-First-Century Church, Douglas Witherup

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation proposes that a homiletic recapturing a methodology implicit in Jesus’ preaching (story/image/metaphor, questions, and supernatural encounter) enables preachers to more effectively communicate to a twenty-first-century audience. Section one identifies the problem: namely the recent devaluing of preaching and the continued reliance on a 2500-year-old propositional homiletic. Section two examines other proposed solutions, including inductive preaching, postmodern voices, and current popular preachers. Section three examines our thesis, both by investigating Jesus’ preaching methodology in the canonical gospels and seeking to discover if and how that methodology translates to an effective renewed homiletic. Sections four and five outline the dynamics …

Reclaiming The Kingdom Of God Metaphor For The Twenty-First-Century Church, Timothy R. Willson

Doctor of Ministry

In this dissertation I will argue that an egocentric eschatology (preoccupation with what happens to the individual at the moment of death) has unwittingly trumped the importance of incarnating the Kingdom of God in this present world. It is my assertion that a better understanding of Kingdom of God theology and the promotion of its priority will inspire Christian discipleship leading to reformation and renewal in the church. For this to happen, we must fundamentally renovate our definition and articulate the meaning of “Kingdom of God” as His sovereign reign and rule over a people He has called out, set …

Ethno-Nationalistic And Religious-Nationalistic Components Of Identity In Post-Soviet Georgia, Ana Chelidze

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Deep economic and democratic changes in Georgian society in last 20 years have conditioned the transformation of social environment in such a way that people had to change their views on society and their place in the new social environment. Changing attitudes on social reality affected and transformed the whole system of social identity. Transformation processes were characterized with reduced trust and tolerance among people and different social groups and with increase or weakening of different aspects of basic identities. Difficulties emerging from the process of formation of the identity system hinder the development of integration processes in the society. …

Remembering How It Was When We Were Still Brothers How Russion Evanglelicals Are Responding To The Crisis In Ukraine, William Yoder Ph.D.

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.

Ukraine "Crucified" Between East And West, Peter Kuzmič

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.

Pan Orthodox Council Announced For 2016, Walter Sawatsky

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.

Embracing Maturity: An Ignatian Christian Leadership Formation Model For Emerging Adults, Todd Dustin Clark

Doctor of Ministry

The research of this project is concentrated on the integration of the disciplines of leadership, developmental psychology, and spiritual formation to inform a nine-month Christian leadership formation process for postmodern emerging adults. As the Staff Development Facilitator for an Outdoor Science Camp ministry (OSS), my task is twofold: (1) In regards to our mission, I aspire to help staff members develop leadership skills that prepare them to be excellent experiential educators; (2) in regards to formation, I desire to facilitate relevant spiritual growth for emerging adults. I believe the overlapping and pragmatic connection between these two goals is the art …

Congregational Leadership Development Through Mentorships: Preparing Each Generation For The Church's Future Through Family Systems Theory, Danny Wayne Russell

Doctor of Ministry

For some churches the most important qualification for a church leader is the person's age. When traditional churches have less younger people, they begin thinking of ways to attract the younger generations. Some churches may conclude that having a younger person in a leadership role will help them attract young people. Because the focus on the church becomes getting younger people, a younger person in a leadership role is most desired; therefore, the person's age becomes the deciding factor of who should be a deacon or elder in the church. Through looking at family system theory, the above approach to …

Support Groups For Men: Encouraging Healthy Relationships With God And Others, John Henry Mckinney Ii

Doctor of Ministry

Over several decades, societal shifts have dramatically impacted masculinity. One school of thought, hypomasculinity, views men as dominant, controlling, and abusive. Their approach to reforming men is pedagogy. Hypermasculinity—another school of thought—considers culture as domesticating men. Often, they see reform occurring through men’s support groups.

There is an intentional design to domesticate men, making them softer and more manageable. Obviously, there is nothing immoral about desiring the transformation of man. The issue is not the desire but the methodology supporting it. So, how is change to be successfully implemented?

Some churches are offering men support groups. Such groups provide recovery …