Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Cold War Economic Ideology And Us Aid To Taiwan, 1950-1965, Wayne Robert Hugar

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This project examines the puzzle of the ideological contradiction for why the United States justified giving large amounts of economic aid intended to develop capitalism and private sector free enterprise for the authoritarian Republic of China (ROC) government’s socialist style public sector economy on the island of Taiwan during the cold war period 1950-1965. The $1.4 billion in US foreign economic aid to the Chinese Nationalist led ROC government in Taiwan during this 15-year period was a seemingly disproportionate amount compared to its small size and type of authoritarian regime compared to other aid recipients. This project appraises the extent …

Addressing The Inactivity Of Youth And Young Adults In The Church Environment, Leonard Burgest

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

One of the significant components of church growth and development is having a functioning youth and young adult ministry founded on the Gospel and managed by individuals who understand youth participation in the church. Unfortunately for the black church and many others, the grim reality is that they have been suffering from the same inactive youth and young adult ministry problem for quite some time. Local churches have recently witnessed a steady decline in youth attendance due to neighborhood irregularities, parental responsibilities, and youth activities. This thesis project seeks to address and implement methods and processes that will aid in …

Biblical Literacy: An Expositional Christ-Centered Approach To Bible Study, Paula K. Offutt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This action research aimed to examine biblical literacy from an expositional Christ-centered approach to Bible study. Using a triangular curriculum design focusing on scriptural theology, Bible study methodology, and a transformative approach to Christ-centered learning, the action research results revealed that an expositional Christ-centered approach increases biblical literacy. The researcher garnered data by hosting four bi-weekly Bible study sessions employing pre-and-post assessments to capture participants' current and post-state of biblical literacy. The validity and reliability of the pre-and-post assessments were determined by a focus group that reviewed the measurement tools and provided feedback confirming the trustworthiness and dependability of the …

Preemptive Church-Based Marital Education And Counseling As An Intervention To Increase Marital Satisfaction And Reduce Divorce Rates, Shane C. Kreller

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Marriage is a fundamental component of the Christian experience; it is an institution that ideally bonds two believers in a lifelong relationship through which they can grow spiritually and emotionally, support one another, and often create and raise the next generation within the warmth and nurturing of a united family. Unfortunately, marital dissatisfaction and divorce—common phenomena in the United States—can have a wide range of negative consequences not only for spouses but also for their children, parents, and friends. This Doctor of Ministry thesis examines how the author’s local church ministry, River of Life Fellowship Ministries, deals with issues of …

Expository Teaching In Small Groups: Training Small Group Leaders How To Develop And Teach Expository Lessons, Draper D. Rogers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This action-based research project examined the problem that adult small group leaders lack the training to teach expository lessons in their small groups. Therefore, the purpose of this D.M.I.N. action-based research project was to train small group leaders in the Close Reading of Scripture Strategy (CROSS) Method on how to develop expository lessons. In the action-based research project, the author examined how small group leaders study and prepare an expository lesson. The researcher developed The C.R.O.S.S. (Close Reading of Scripture Strategy) Method. The C.R.O.S.S. Method is a strategy that the leaders can use to help them understand the Word of …

An Examination Of Leadership Development To Ascertain The Effectiveness Of The Discipleship Ministry At Crosslife Church And Improve Multiplication Strategies, Timothy M. Dix

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

For over 150 years, CrossLife Church has been proclaiming the gospel and serving the community in Oviedo, FL. Within the last 27 years, the church has seen over five thousand people baptized and 150 people commissioned and sent out for ministry and missions. However, the last 15 years has seen a plateau within the fabric of the church in terms of regular attenders. Many churches talk about discipleship and development, but the methods and processes to reach effectiveness in those areas varies. CrossLife Church has certainly seen an ebb and flow to its own methods that leads one to seek …

Discovering “God Almighty”: An Exploration Of Kurt Vonnegut’S Mythmaking In Sirens Of Titan, Cat’S Cradle, And Slaughterhouse-Five, Megan Joy Kehoe

Masters Theses

In an interview with Charlie Reilly interview, Kurt Vonnegut argues, “The Christ story is marvelous, but it’s not really about people like us” (“Two Conversations” 20). Vonnegut makes clear his appreciation for Christ, though he critiques the gospel’s relevance to humankind. In his own novels, Vonnegut takes from popular religion and creates his own stories, mythologies that are carefully catered to the human experience. In this evaluation of three of Vonnegut’s, I offer a new reading of the author which highlights his use of mythology, his parodies of God Almighty, and his hope for the direction of mankind. I begin …

Engaging Urban Music Students Through Elements Of Rap And Culture, Jasmine Christian Jackson

Masters Theses

Teaching in the urban community requires an undertaking of counseling, constant understanding, and helping advance students’ prior knowledge to provide future comprehension. The goal as an educator is to guide the student along their journey in learning and practicing information that they receive throughout. Giving students the opportunity to see that they are capable of comprehending a subject they never thought they could is the main goal. Teaching the urban community can be a big challenge. The educator must take on learning the specific history of the demographic they instruct, and focus educate themselves on the challenges that the students …

“Christians, Race, And Crt: A Response To Gerald Mcdermott”, Michael Jones

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Gerald McDermott has attempted to critique David French’s defense of the Christian appropriation of Critical Race Theory. In examining McDermott’s critique, I find that he employs at least three distinct arguments. After examining each of these, I find that none of them succeeds in proving its point. Hence I conclude that McDermott’s attempt to repudiate French’s position is unsuccessful.

Despair, Amanda Solomon

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

3-D

Iauv'ald'zhath - Concept Art, Ryan Thompson Harmon

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

2-D

Mother Nature's Wand, Sarah Hedrick

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

3-D

Aluminum Wildflowers, Sydney Erickson

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

3-D

Care Cups Cafe Branding, Joy Nicholson

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Graphic Design

Surviving Senior Year, Rachel Hughes

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

2-D

Abstract Self-Portrait, Nicole Marsden

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

2-D

Museum Exhibition: Meowthical, Abigail Carter

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Graphic Design

My Home, Kayla Boyce

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Graphic Design

A Case Study In Developing An Apologetic Discipleship Model Among Second Generation Haitians In Florida, Mesack Dieudonne

Masters Theses

This thesis seeks to demonstrate that equipping second-generation Haitian believers in Florida requires a contextually-appropriate, apologetics discipleship model. This project starts with an examination of the weakness or absence of the use of current apologetics discipleship among second-generation Haitians, which gives birth to unequipped second-generation Haitians ravaged by worldview conflict and who leave the church in record numbers. Building upon this foundation, this work sheds light on a cultural shift among second-generation Haitians. The objective is to isolate some key discipleship factors among second-generation Haitians in Florida by examining the fear of some Haitian pastors to address voodoo and its …

Understanding Paul’S Approach To Slavery In Ephesians 6:5 – 9, William D. Smith

Masters Theses

Slavery passages in the New Testament continue to raise questions for some modern readers. This thesis presents an alternative approach to assist Christians in explaining and defending Paul’s command to slaves and masters in Ephesians 6:5-9. It demonstrates how radical Paul’s command was to his first-century audience and their culture and how his command, when faithfully practiced, would have positively affected the perception of slavery and moved toward its abolition. Paul’s command to the first-century household leader is compared with corporate American CEOs and how the CEO’s leadership style affects their organization. This thesis demonstrates that a leadership style change …

The Decline Of Middle School Music Programs In Major U.S. Inner-City Schools, Kuronde Washington

Masters Theses

This study examines the correlation of music programs in inner-city schools to affluent schools. This thesis will view the impact of socioeconomic status, living environment, retention of teachers, high-accountability testing, and how these factors affect the reduction of secondary music programs in inner-city schools. This research is intended to aid music teachers as well as administrative supporters improve the quality of music education in inner-city schools.

Developing Right-Hand Finger Flexibility In Young Violinists: Teaching Colle, Martele, Spiccato, And Sautille Through The Suzuki Literature, Monica Yardley Thiriot

Masters Theses

Much is written in violin method books about developing pitch, rhythm, and posture for young violinists. It is difficult to find examples of when to teach right-hand flexibility with bow techniques such as collé, martelé, spiccato, and sautillé. Although many violin teachers throughout the country use Suzuki literature to instruct their students, there are few written instructions concerning these advanced bow techniques in the literature. Instead, Shinichi Suzuki focused his studies on philosophy and the importance of a positive teaching environment, creating a beautiful tone by playing from the heart, ear training, and helping the youngest violin students reach their …

Homeschool 101: Using Visual Media To Promote Awareness Of Homeschooling, Steven Roscoe Sherlin

Masters Theses

Parents who are making decisions about the education of their children can benefit from a general awareness of the full range of schooling options available to them. Although the United States has seen its homeschooling population grow to all-time highs in recent years, many people are still unfamiliar with what homeschooling is actually like in practice. Some parents fail to recognize homeschooling as a viable option because of they are unfamiliar with its potential benefits, standard homeschooling methods, and resources for homeschooling families. This thesis reviews the homeschooling research literature and overviews relevant case studies to inform a visual solution …

Praise, Prayer, And The Power Of God: Modern Miracles, Leslie Parker Jackson

Masters Theses

Miracles exist, and the study of them and their existence has continued for years. By studying credible, contemporary research about miracles, scholars and everyday people alike can determine this fact. The research provides definitions, although one consistent definition is not agreed upon by scholars. Examples of Old Testament, New Testament, and modern-day miracles follow these definitions to prove to those who are searching for answers that miracles happen all the time. The only requirement is for everyday people to look around them and observe the miracles taking place in their lives. In this thesis, I will convey the definitions of …

Next Gen: Guiding Dads As They Spiritually Guide The Next Generation, Deylan Michael Smith

Masters Theses

The spiritual development during the teenage years are pivotal in determining the religious and spiritual values as teenagers transition into adulthood. As serious as this stage of development is, there is a lack of involvement in the faith development of teenagers on the part of parents, specifically Christian fathers. With this lack of paternal support during faith development, the percentage of those leaving the church during adolescents and early adulthood is rapidly increasing. The aim of the research was to understand important milestones in spiritual development of teenagers, why Christian dads are uninvolved in this development, and best strategies for …

On The Shores Of Perga: A Theological Analysis Of John Mark’S Departure From The First Pauline Missionary Journey And Its Implications For The Gentile Mission, Erbey Galvan Valdez

Masters Theses

In approximately AD 48, the Apostle Paul, his coworker Barnabas, and Barnabas’ cousin, John Mark, boarded a ship at Seleucia and headed for Cyprus to initiate their first missionary journey (Acts 13:4). It was during this mission that an unexpected setback occurred—John Mark departed from the mission shortly after their arrival at Perga in Pamphylia. Although Luke offers no direct reason for Mark’s departure, the events that soon unfold point to an unprecedented movement that occurs within the Gentile mission. This study examines the viability of the idea that John Mark's departure was potentially motivated by theological differences with Paul …

Family Lore And Believability In Historical Fiction, Amy Elizabeth Cimino

Masters Theses

This thesis began with a story of family lore about life at the Manhattan Project plant site at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The artist's statement tells the story of lore passed down from grandmother to granddaughter during a road trip. As the family lore was written down on the page, the question of how to write believable historical fiction arose. Limitations in the research showed gaps in the narrative that the author needed to fill in. The critical theory paper evaluates how those research gaps can be used as opportunities for the craft of writing to bring this family story to …

A Two-Part Rebuttal Of Probability-Based Arguments Against Christian Theism, David Keith Wilson

Masters Theses

This thesis addresses probability-based arguments (PA) from atheism against theism. This popular form of atheistic argument, rather than arguing that there is no such being as God, instead argues that God’s existence is very improbable. This would imply that the theist is unjustified in their belief, and therefore epistemically obligated to forsake their belief. By pairing a cumulative warrant with Alvin Plantinga’s inside straight argument, it is shown that the theist is under no such obligation. As there are many things that are unlikely as well as true, it can be that theism is both unlikely and true. Therefore, the …

The Pastoral Connection - Examining Parallels Between Pastoral And Political Rhetoric During The Revolutionary War, Abigail A. Zedwick

Masters Theses

This paper examines the parallels between rhetoric in sermons preserved from the Revolutionary War period and rhetoric in political speeches and writings from the same period. The aim is to establish the extent of the parallels in rhetoric and to demonstrate that the rhetorical stances from the pulpit preceded the same rhetorical stances in political, secular work through establishing the date each document was published or presented. Studying these sources alongside reliable secondary sources on both the political and religious rhetorical themes will demonstrate, when put together to form a more complete picture of the period, that the political rhetoric …

Revisiting The Future: The Future Indicative And Perfective Aspect In Johannine Literature, Casey Lou Price

Masters Theses

As Greek aspectual studies continue to develop, there remains a significant gap in research on the future as it pertains to aspect. The nature of the future indicative is debated, especially as to whether or not it conveys aspectual value. Using Buist Fanning’s premise that aspect and Aktionsart interact to produce predicable outcomes, Mark O’Brien has shown that future STATIVE verbs consistently create an ingressive meaning that mirrors that of STATIVE verbs in the aorist tense. He has used this to demonstrate that the aorist and future share the same aspect-Aktionsart interactions and that they therefore both communicate perfective aspect. …