Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Solving The Logical Problem Of Evil Using The Principles Of Programming, Daniel Joel Edmond

Masters Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to offer a solution to the logical problem of evil, using computer programming principles to establish a logical model to the solution. Rather than engage in a purely philosophical discussion, the emphasis of this thesis is to establish a reasonable and applicable model that allows for a practical description of the solution using a framework built on computer programming principles.

Music Educators As Worship Leaders: The Impact In Music Ministries Led By Music Educators, Patrick Robert Eckelkamp

Masters Theses

Some of the most competent musicians in local communities are the music educators in local school districts. Since the Bible commands us to play skillfully to God, local music teachers may be an excellent resource for churches. Some churches cannot hire a full-time worship pastor from a seminary or Bible college. In these scenarios, a skilled music teacher looking for additional income and sharing convictions with their church may be a great candidate to fill a vacant worship leader role. Since music teachers primarily study classical and orchestral music, there may be challenges for classically trained music educators leading a …

Impressionist Composition Techniques In Modern Percussion Literature, David Scott Strait

Masters Theses

The purpose of this lecture recital was to explore the substantive contributions of impressionist composition techniques in contemporary percussion literature. Research was conducted by means of harmonic, rhythmic, and melodic analysis of contemporary works for solo marimba, marimba and electronics, and snare drum and electronics, as well as background research on composers of those works. Percussion composers Russell Wharton, Ivan Trevino, and Ian T. Jones utilize modern technology in their compositions as well as compositional techniques stemming from the Impressionist movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In Impressionist composition, musical elements such as texture, non-pulsatic rhythm, and …

The Blind Scientist: A Critique Of Neo-Darwinism's A Priori Assumptions, Alexander James Bonitto

Masters Theses

This paper investigates neo-Darwinian fallacies specifically regarding a priori presumptions, leading to weak scientific methodology and praxis. It was found that five concepts must be true for neo-Darwinism to be true. These are gradualism, the tree of life hypothesis, the evidence of micro-evolutionary change accounting for macro-evolutionary change, time and chance, and methodological naturalism. Prima facie, these concepts have tremendous explanatory power. However, with an attempt to carefully examine these concepts, all five seem to be assumed a priori in order to dictate the outcome of neo-Darwinism rather than letting the evidence speak for itself. Coincidentally, it appears that the …

Mirroring Jesus’S Prayerful Approach To Interactions With Dissatisfied Followers Through The Lens Of The Modern Worship Pastor, Bryant Timothy William West

Masters Theses

This study shows the life and mission of Jesus through His interactions with conflict and will show how worship pastors can apply these lessons to the church. Detailing Jesus's prayer life and His approach to interacting with others, examining the approach worship leaders should have when interacting with similar people. The report will concentrate on three areas of study, including Jesus's prayer life, his ministry, and how the worship pastor can create a church that parallels Christ. Jesus' ministry and discussions with the Pharisees show worship pastors how they should approach church members. This discussion is due to the struggles …

Bible Or Qur'Ān? Which Passes The Bibliographical Test, Raini J. Yeakel

Masters Theses

A customary interrogation tactic used against Christians is to question the transmissional accuracy of the Bible from the Apostle’s writing to the present. Muslims are especially antagonistic in this accusation while asserting the superiority of the Qur’ān to near perfect transmissional accuracy. However, they are egregiously mistaken in these assertions. Though on the surface, the bibliographical test might begin to look like the Qur’ān may surpass the Bible, a more in-depth investigation proves otherwise. The fact that the Qur’ān does not, and never has, had a sole autograph but, instead, many varying writings attempting to preserve Mohammad’s teachings. Then later …

An Apologetic For The Reliability Of Biblical Doctrine From Pornography Addiction And Recovery, Jacob A. Arrieta

Masters Theses

Sexual ethics (in general) and pornography (in particular) are incredibly hot topics in postmodern culture. The biblical sexual ethic, which was once normative across much of the Global West since the rise and spread of Christianity, is now viewed as outdated and oppressive in a postmodern culture that values individual freedoms above all else. No longer are institutions seen as trustworthy bastions of truth to help shape individuals into good people or proper citizens of a nation. Expert opinions are no longer sought out and used to shape and form the individuals’ thoughts on a given topic unless they support …

Did Jesus Survive The Cross?, Christopher Dwayne Banks

Masters Theses

This study explored whether it was possible for Jesus to survive the crucifixion from a medical and historical perspective. The scope of this thesis is based purely on what is evidentially plausible and more likely. Therefore, the data must reflect whether it was possible for Jesus to survive being crucified. Medical examination and ancient Roman sources were utilized to determine the nature and effectiveness of a Roman crucifixion. Furthermore, several theories concerning how one expires by the crucifixion were included to provide a rounded conclusion. Contrasting hypotheses offered greater insight into refining the question for which this thesis was designed. …

The Impact Of Southern Baptist Worship Ministries On Denominational Effectiveness, Laura S. Brod

Masters Theses

Worship ministries maintain prominent roles in Southern Baptist (SB) churches. Despite ample available literature for today’s church educational methods and congregational discipleship, little study has focused on ways SB music ministries can bolster the spiritual health of congregants. SBs currently experience the consequences of recent scandals alongside dwindling attendance numbers. To address this multifaceted, spiritually rooted issue, this historical qualitative study proposes to discover characteristics and methods of music and worship ministries (WM) and leadership qualities that can best promote spiritual growth within SB churches to strengthen the denomination’s health. To undertake this, the study will explore SB history and …

Natural Christology: The Necessity Of Christ By Analysis Of Natural Religion, Jared Anthony Smith

Masters Theses

The hero’s journey [or the monomyth] and the perennial philosophy are two conceptions of human experience that popularize a single old idea: a common human plight recurs across time through humanity’s socio-cultural variety. The monomyth highlights this through narrative modes; the perennial philosophy does this through religious modes. Both distillations have garnered a Christian counterattack, being thought to dangerously depart from the gospel in their essence as they nonetheless borrow its language and timbre. Yet, their incorporation of the gospel ventures beyond appropriation. Supposing these secular notions esteem the recurrent human journey with any alacrity, a careful apologetic discerns and …

Implementing Composition/Theory Model Cornerstone Assessments In The Family Christian Academy Band Program, Matthew Alan Woolsey

Masters Theses

The purpose of this applied research study was to determine how Composition/Theory Model Cornerstone Assessments (MCAs) could be adapted for a church music arranging curriculum that utilized popular music pedagogy and Nashville Numbers for notating brass, woodwind, percussion, and/or bass guitar orchestral sweetening. Orchestral sweetening referred to the addition of riffs (short repeated musical figures or melodies), pads (sustained harmonies), and punctations (rhythmic and harmonic emphases of lyrics or chord changes) to an existing rhythm and vocal arrangement. While Composition/Theory MCAs had been pilot-tested for composition tasks, the MCAs had yet to be applied to an arranging context, particularly one …

"Cabined, Cribbed, Confined": Tyrannical Anxiety And Maternal Power In Shakespeare, Elle J. Nieuwsma

Masters Theses

The tyrannical king, a common trope in Shakespearean plays, is on the surface a powerful and confident character. He is motivated, though, by overwhelming anxiety and fear about losing his power and the freedom he experiences through it. In other words, he suffers from a metaphorical claustrophobia and is terrified of being confined to physical, social, and sexual inadequacy. In order to protect himself and maintain his freedom, the tyrant must project his anxiety onto someone else, and interestingly, the Shakespearean tyrants choose a shared target: mothers.

Through a series of close-readings and analysis, this article explores how several different …

Dismantling Dualisms: Jane’S Liminal Agency In Charlotte Brontë’S Jane Eyre, Nicole Baniukaitis

Masters Theses

Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre is a complex and, at times, seemingly paradoxical novel. Through Jane’s journey, I argue that Charlotte Brontë offers possibilities that can be explained and understood through Val Plumwood’s ecofeminist lens of dismantling or escaping dualisms in order to make these crucial changes and rewrite the traditional story. Jane’s liminality throughout the novel empowers her, offers her access to alternative modalities, and allows her to notice the oppressive dualistic structures governing all aspects of life. Due to her unique liminal positioning, Jane is aligned with nature and fights against oppressive dualisms to shape her life in a …

A Contemporary Analysis Of Bradley Knight’S Musical Compositions, Ryan James Flug

Masters Theses

While there is a plethora of music arrangers within the Christian and gospel music industries, Bradley Knight’s arranging style and techniques have shown to set him apart among contemporary arrangers. The combination of musical techniques that uniquely contribute to Knight’s choral and orchestral arrangements include distinct rhythmic choices, intricate harmonies within orchestration and choral parts, and dynamic instrumental and vocal builds. Utilizing a qualitative approach, this study will use descriptive and exploratory research design to explain both the specific techniques and cultural contexts within the greater gospel genre that fashion Knight’s arrangements. While gospel music, choral arrangements, and contemporary music …

Gender Identity And The Impact On The Mental Health Crisis, Melissa Nicole Herbolsheimer

Masters Theses

Adolescents' mental health has been at the forefront of counseling for many years. As adolescents endure the physical and hormonal changes that occur during the formative years from 10-19, many feel confused and uncomfortable in their bodies. Throughout the decades, adolescents, specifically girls, searched for a way to ease the feelings experienced during that time. As a result, many issues have been prevalent among adolescent girls, such as eating disorders, cutting, suicidal ideations, sexual activity, and gender dysphoria. Utilizing studies completed by mental health professionals, this thesis seeks to identify the impact this acceptance and freedom to choose one’s gender …

Lady Of The Joust: Defining And Classifying Flat Character Arcs, Rachael Michelle Varner

Masters Theses

Character arcs outline the growth or development a character experiences throughout a narrative. Of the three major types—Positive Change, Negative Change, and Flat—the third is often glossed over or ignored in academic settings. The Artist Statement addresses my experience writing a novel when I did not understand what Flat Arcs entailed and thus failed to recognize why my protagonist resisted the more popular Positive Change formula. In the Critical Paper, my analysis of texts dedicated to the craft of character arcs revealed that there are no consistent criteria by which to define or categorize them. Nevertheless, my research suggests that …

The Eye Of The King: Screenplay Adaptation As A Craft Tool, Nora Annette Graves

Masters Theses

Adaptation studies typically focus on a screenplay’s fidelity to its original text within the constraints imposed by the new genre. This thesis approaches adaptation as a craft tool: a rich source of fresh authorial insight into characters, settings, and plotlines. Experimentation, not fidelity, is the goal of the self-adapter; adaptations are valued and deemed successful based on the new levels of complexity they uncover or add to an ongoing story. The author’s screenplay adaptation of her original novel, The Eye of the King, served as a case study for testing the value of adaptation as a writer’s craft tool. Re-telling …

How A Balanced Christian Message In Film Can Inspire Christ-Like Transformation, Makayla Marrin Jacobs

Masters Theses

This thesis will attempt to examine the need for a balanced Christian message in film and how everyday acts of the Christian faith can inspire Christ-like transformation within society. This thesis will also explore the importance of developing faith and spiritual disciplines through the creative screenplay, All Hail the Hoodlums. Throughout history, living as a faithful Christian and practicing spiritual disciplines can appear to go directly against society’s natural flow as belief in a Creator oppose man’s selfishness and sinful nature. Seemingly, society at large currently projects that believing in a Monotheistic and Triune God and having a deep personal …

American Policy And Actions Surrounding The Baghdad Pact, 1955-1959, Caitlin Curtis

Masters Theses

The Middle East would come closest to collective security with the West in 1955 when Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, and Great Britain agreed to create the Baghdad Pact, and although the United States never officially joined, American policymakers provided resources and strategic conditions in order to take a very active role in the pact’s development. The Baghdad Pact is not a well-known organization, but this work argues that it was not a complete failure due to the positive civil advancements that took place. It is evident that, while limited, the U.S. role in the Baghdad Pact still provided member nations …

Turning Small Steps Into Giant Leaps: Nasa’S Genesis And Its Culmination In The Apollo Program, Hunter L. Maples

Masters Theses

On July 16, 1969, NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong dropped himself onto the dusty surface of the Moon, momentarily followed by his lunar module pilot, Buzz Aldrin. It is simple to recognize the clear historical significance of the Apollo moon landings. It can also be easy, however, to overlook the work of thousands of individuals and decades of development that culminated in a lunar voyage. Because the moon landings were unprecedented, the hardware required had to be developed from scratch and mission protocol had to be written. Additionally, the United States was competing against its Cold War adversary, the Soviet Union, …

Soldiers Of Christ In A Pluralistic Army, Jordan Lee Pittman

Masters Theses

This thesis seeks to answer the question: How does a Christian chaplain in the U.S. Army fulfill the Great Commission given by Jesus in Scripture while facilitating the free exercise of religion for everyone in his organization? Jesus commands his followers to make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20). The primary audience of this thesis consists of military chaplains and candidates. The conclusion reached is that the chaplain can accomplish both tasks stated in the question. To facilitate a soldier’s free exercise of religion does not automatically betray the teachings and guidance of Scripture nor does it prevent the chaplain from making disciples. …

Unheard Voices: Minority Female Presence In Fiction Including Folklore And Fantastical Elements, Breanna Renae Grayson

Masters Theses

This thesis is about the representation of women and racial minorities and the incorporation of folklore and fantastical elements in contemporary American short fiction. This incorporation includes the characterization of nonwhite characters in fiction and the role they serve. Also, the main idea is to provide an explanation concerning the importance and relationship it has for minority female writers and readers. The Artistic Statement defines the author’s reasons, inspirations, and creative process for her choices in creative writing. The Critical Paper is supported by research and data to describe the use of fantastical elements and how they are implemented into …

The Experiences Of African Americans In World War Ii And How They Were Affected Compared To People Of European Descent, Lane Gooding

Masters Theses

The service of African Americans in the United States Army during World War II shaped their perceptions regarding fighting for the same country but with different experiences than their comrades in arms of European descent due to the exposure to racism within their own forces and the harsh realities of warfare. The struggles of African Americans in the army were evident from the start of the United States’ involvement in the war and continued to pose problems even as some soldiers were able to earn the respect of both comrades of European descent and civilians back home. African Americans who …

Explanatory Ultimacy, Epistemic Access, And Evil: A Community Theodicy, Jonathan Michael Huls

Masters Theses

This is a work about meaning and value. How do human persons find meaning? Why do human persons have value—or do we? A stubborn problem of meaning is evidenced by the perennially treated theistic problem of evil. How is an all-powerful, all-knowing, and morally perfect God compatible with a world filled with violence and hate? If God is powerfully perfect, why is His world not perfect too? This project endeavors to notice that an answer to this problem depends on properly grounding human access to meaning—especially the meaning of the words God, and evil. It is argued herein that there …

There Must Be More: God's Prescription For Living The Abundant Life, Rodney Gerald Coe

Masters Theses

Abundant life is a life that finds true satisfaction and fulfillment in Jesus alone. It is living in such a way that we realize life begins and ends in Christ. We cannot find abundant life in temporary pleasures, wealth, earthly success, or the praise of man. Abundant life begins in justification, grows more complete in sanctification, and is complete in glorification. 2 Peter 1-11 is where God outlines abundant life here on Earth. It speaks directly to the sanctification part of salvation. Peter writes that faith begins when we are justified by Jesus at Calvary and that our sanctification is …

Cultivating Collaboration: Optimizing Communication Between Designers And Non-Designers, Haley Constance Tebo

Masters Theses

Clients and designers, having different tacit knowledge, fail to effectively communicate with each other during the design process. These inadequacies risk relationships, reputations, and project success. This issue has long been recognized in the field of design, often as a concern with client involvement. This research aims to identify these complications in the design process and inform how they might be amended. Specifically, it investigates how the relationship between designers and clients can be improved in order to garner better communication and greater project success. In this context, clients are defined as non-designers that commission design professionals. A literature review …

Resurrecting Olympus, Jordan Ashley Miller

Masters Theses

The objective of this creative project was to reintroduce Greek mythology to the public, adapting the ancient tales to appeal to an ever-evolving world. In order to do the myths justice, it was important to examine adaptations and interpretations over the centuries to determine the philosophical trajectory of mythology. My studies unearthed a diverse portfolio of academic perspectives ranging from the likes of the more formal philosopher Thomas Bullfinch of the 1900s, to the modern, comedy-infused commentator Stephen Fry. Each voice revealed something new to consider. Synthesizing these varying positions into a holistic narrative, I set out to pen a …

Journey Through The In-Between: A Haibun Anthology, Jonathan Andrew Painter

Masters Theses

The critical paper addresses the haiku and haibun of the seventeenth-century Japanese poet Matsuo Basho and argues that his poetry demonstrated a high level of ingenuity and flexibility. Accordingly, it serves as a model that can be reappropriated by modern poets writing in a different language and context at a distance of hundreds of years. The haibun anthology entitled "Journey Through the In-Between" is divided into two main parts. Part One presents the ambiguity that I have discovered on my mental and spiritual journey of faith. It is divided into five chapters. Each chapter’s title and content features two juxtaposed …

Beauty And Modern Art: The Importance Of Classically Educating Students About Beauty Through Modern Art, Rebecca Brooke Edwards

Masters Theses

It has often been asked throughout the history of mankind what classifies beauty within an artwork. When observing some of the outstanding works of Leonardo DaVinci or Sandro Botticelli, a few of the great masters of the Renaissance, there is no problem teaching students about what makes those artists’ work beautiful. What about the artistic work from the past two hundred years to the current art being produced today? I have found through my own personal journey as an artist that there is a severe lack of promotion for creative gifts being used for God within the Christian communities (and …

More Than A Bulleted List: Rethinking The Traditional Resume As A Way To Present The Unique Personality Of An Applicant, Andrew Alleman White

Masters Theses

Every business has its own unique culture, and the traditional resume fails to denote the personality and individualism of the applicant; this leads to wasted time interviewing the wrong applicants and missed opportunities to employ culturally beneficial employees. A culturally beneficial employee is one that fits the company culture and improves the performance of the entire team with both their skills and personality. The most advanced technologies available, are still using the traditional resume as a baseline for the sourcing, sorting, and evaluation of a potential hire. Even with the implementation of artificial intelligence to sort through the predetermined meta …