Arts and Humanities Commons^™

The Purpose Of The Pastoral Office As Taught By The Church Fathers, Augsburg Confession V, And The Contemporary Age, D Lee Cullen Jr.

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

This paper will seek to identify the basic understanding of those Church Fathers who spoke most directly to this topic, namely, Ignatius of Antioch, Gregory of Nazianzus, St. John Chrysostom, and Gregory the Great. The rationale for the selection of these Fathers is twofold. Firstly, their proximity and place in what we identify as the era of the Early Church. Ignatius of Antioch stands closest to the Apostolic Age while Gregory the Great provides the other bookend, standing at the end of what is commonly accepted as the era of the Early Church. Secondly, this wall provide a reasonable expectation …

Finding And Losing One's Life: The Themes Of Gain And Loss In Matthew 10:32-42 And 16:21-28, Jeremiah Johnson

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

The purpose of this paper is to explore the themes of gain and loss in Matt 10.32--42 and16.21-28 and their respective contexts. Gain and loss, however, are closely interrelated to various other themes throughout these texts and as well as the rest of the book of Matthew, and my exploration will reflect this fact. It is the thesis of this paper that the themes of gain and loss (as well as their ancillaries) are not only repeated but developed through these two texts.

Opus Dei And Christian Formation: Compatible With A Lutheran Understanding?, Timothy Winterstein

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

This paper is an examination of the formational practices of Opus Dei and whether Lutherans and Lutheran congregations might profit from a more sustained consideration of what it means to be formed as Christians.

A Pastor And His Ministry: Gregory Thamaturgus' Address Of Thanksgiving To Origen As Pastoral Practice, Edwin Harkey

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

One such student of his times was Origen. In his writings we see glimpses that while his goal was ultimately a deeply spiritual one-no less than a union with the Divine-he seemed no stranger to a more holistic approach in his encounters with the students who placed themselves under his tutelage. One of those students, Gregory Thaumaturgus, often called the "Wonderworker," even bequeathed to the church a most revealing document that enables us to get a rare glimpse of Origen and his method and style. It is that document, Gregory's Address of Thanksgiving to Origen, that will be the subject …

English Reformation Apocalypticism Foreshadowed In Lollard Sermons, Douglas Reinders

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

Our study primarily focuses on available Lollard sermon literature in an effort to buttress the argument that Lollard sermons and preaching cannot be ignored in a discussion about what influenced English Protestant apocalyptic thought of the sixteenth century. An examination of sermon literature, however, would not be complete without considering the questions of diffusion and to what extent Lollard teachings and sermons were diffused in England. This is done in a section devoted to the methods of dissemination. In a final section, the similarities between Lollard and English Protestant apocalypticism are examined.

Luther's Reformation Of Penance, Robin Korsch

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

The history of the practice of penance from the early church to the dawn of the Reformation in the Western church is a rich story of continual change. The early church did not have a uniform doctrine and practice of penance and neither did the Western church even after Martin Luther's lifetime. The purpose of this paper is to study and explain the reasoning behind Luther's initial rejection of the Roman Catholic doctrine and practice of penance as found in various writings of Luther up until his 1520 work The Babylonian Captivity of the Church. It is the thesis of …

Know Thy Hearer!, William Mons

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

This seminar paper will support the thesis that in order to influence the heart of the hearer in the direction of true faith and a godly life, the preacher will need to know his hearers. This thesis will be supported through an exploration of four questions. The first question is "Why does the preacher need to know his hearers?" Under this section there will be a discussion of the preacher's call, the idea that sermons are to be appropriate to the hearers, preaching as pastoral care, the hearers as participants in the preaching task, the image of the preacher, and …

Portraits Of Moses, John Sharp

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

What about different portraits of Moses? What can be said about how Moses is portrayed in the book of Exodus? How does that compare with modern retellings of the life of this great man of God? We will explore some of these issues here. We will begin with modern critical approaches to the text of Exodus. These approaches yield a certain picture or pictures of the man called Moses. Then the text of Exodus as it stands in the canon will be examined. It will yield its own portrayal of Moses. It will be argued here that the portrait of …

The Laments Of Integrity An Investigation Of Psalms 17, 101, And 26, Robert Gebel

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

Each Psalm states a basis for the Psalmist's appeal of integrity, i.e., a reason why he should have some sort of standing before Yahweh. Each appeal is constructed around one word that summarizes the appeal. Psalm 17 bases its appeal on righteousness, or that which Yahweh requires to be acceptable to him. Psalm101 is a song to integrity, or blamelessness, the lack of any transgression or impurity. In Psalm 26, the Psalmist addresses Yahweh the Judge and challenges him to find a verdict of innocence, or no basis for any charges of wrongdoing against him. These three appeals (righteousness, integrity, …

Preparing Christian High School Students For Secular College Experience, Joseph Stanley

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it" (Proverbs 22:6 NIV). These words may have occupied the thoughts of Dr. Martin Luther when he wrote, "If all manner of problems are to be dealt with successfully, then the young people who are to live and govern on this earth after us must be trained and guided accordingly." This paper addresses the training and guidance of youth in the church with a view to properly preparing them for the college experience at state or private universities where the academic …

An Icon Of Jesus Michael: The Archangel As Antagonist Of Satan, Raymond Hagan

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

The attempt here is not to identify Jesus as being on a par with angels, or with an individual angel per se. Indeed, the Epistle to Hebrews discusses the relationship between Christ and angels, making a clear differentiation. The doctrine of Christ's humanity also serves this distinction - "he became man in order to save men." Christ took the form of a man, not of an angel, in order to bring about salvation. The issue of worship demonstrates the same conclusion. Angels are not to be worshipped (see John in Revelation), but the Son is to be worshipped.

The Image Of God And Human Identity: An Explanation Informed By The Two Kinds Of Righteousness, Lucas Woodford

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

For centuries discussion and debate over the image of God has engaged theologians of every tradition. What is the image of God? Of what does it consist? How does Scripture speak of this image? Does it relate to all human beings? Establishing answers and definitions to such questions is a difficult yet vitally important task. Significant to these discussions are the implications that such definitions will have upon the understanding of human identity and human existence.

Treatments on the image of God have a variety of definitions and interpretations depending on the individual theologian and their theological tradition. There are …

Killing And Making Alive As The Vital Work Of The Spirit In Preaching According To Martin Luther, Peter Kirby

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

The Protestant Reformation involved a recovery of just this distinction between primary and secondary discourse, and not only the distinction, but the priority of "primary" discourse, that is, the necessity of Gospel as the Word that forgives in the here and now.

A Narrative Critical Approach To The Gospel Of Peter With A Focus On Its Christology, Roberto Bustamante

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

The interest of our work is the Christology of the apocryphal literature. However, the limits imposed by a seminar paper force us to narrow our focus rather strongly. We will attempt to define the Christology of a single apocryphal Gospel, by applying narrative criticism. We consider that the fact that the text came to us in a narrative form implies a particular way of uttering its Christology and asks for a treatment adequate to its literary form. There are both reasons and reservations with respect to this method's appropriateness.

Sin, Sickness, And Salvation From Nazareth To Lake Woebegone, David Schoessow

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

Ours is the ministry of bringing the prayers of the saints to God on behalf of the afflicted. Ours is the ministry of bringing to the afflicted God's healing gifts of absolution and Holy Communion. Our culture of death has little respect or appreciation for claims that such 'common medicines' bestow wholeness and life. So be it, we could expect little else. Let us not doubt the efficacy of these divine gifts in the lives of His people.

Armenian Christology And The Council Of Chalcedon, Joseph Watson

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

The purpose of this study is to trace the historical and theological development of the Monophysitic Christology of the Armenian Church, especially as it is related to the Armenians' rejection of the Council of Chalcedon.

The first section of this paper will be devoted to a brief history of the Armenian Church, especially St. Gregory the Illuminator's role in Armenia's conversion to Christianity. The second part is devoted to the Armenian Church and its involvement with the first three ecumenical councils. The third portion of the paper will focus on the events leading to the Council of Chalcedon. Finally, the …

An Exegetical Study Of 1 Corinthians 15:42-49 Theological And Historical Contexts, Jennifer Leese

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

An Exegetical Study of 1 Corinthians 1542-49 Theological and Historical Contexts

Mesopotamian Imagery And Influence In The Book Of Daniel, Eric Jensen

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

Sometimes neglected in the scholarly literature on the book of Daniel is the investigation into Mesopotamian parallels and influence linguistically, culturally, and literarily on its content and composition. However, some recently published articles are giving the subject of Daniel in its Near Eastern milieu the attention it deserves. This paper will examine two of these recent essays and one earlier work on the subject, and posit some original ideas on possible Mesopotamian influence particularly in regard to oneiromancy (dream interpretation) and animal imagery in the book of Daniel.

Principles, Practices, And Problems-The Pastoral Theology Of St. John Chrysostom, Jack Ferguson

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

The importance of this limited outline of the life of St. John Chrysostom is that it highlights the pastoral periods of his work within the context of the two metropolitan communities which he served. It also locates within these periods several of his major works which yield, upon examination, a wealth of material as well as many points of comparison concerning the rudiments of his pastoral theology.

Arthur Carl Piepkorn And The Evangelical Catholic Approach To Ecuminism, Paul Sauer

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

As the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod is confronted once again with 'church questions' it is perhaps time to rediscover the writings of one from our own past. Piepkorn would remind us that one of the joys of being a part of the church catholic is the recognition that the events of our present day are in no way unique within the history of the church; as such our theological enterprise not only need not start from scratch, but should not. How then might Piepkorn's writings shape our understanding of the Lutheran Church Missouri-Synod and her relationship to the 'one, holy, …

God's Power For The Believer, Andre Snavely

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

So the questions that will be examined in this paper include the following. Does God manifest His power in any way other than salvation, either through miracles to bring people to salvation or to bless those who are already saved? What is the purpose of God showing His power? What is the connection between God's power and faith and between His power and His righteousness? And finally, how does a biblical theology of God's power give an answer to those who demythologize His power into a social program? These and other questions are very much on the minds of Christians …

"One To Hear Me" An Exegetical Analysis Of Job 31:1-7,35-37 Which Explores The Presence Of God In The Context Of Human Suffering, Christopher Bramich `

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

This study will provide the reader with an exegetical analysis of Job 31: 1-7 and 35-37which explores the presence of God in the context of human suffering. Passages found elsewhere in Job will be connected to chapter 31 to elucidate the book's storyline and major themes. Lastly, a discussion of Job's theological relevance will consider the book's significance in the wider framework of the Old and New Testaments.

Defining The שְלמִים Sacrifice-A Study Of Communion In The Old Testament, Eric Nelson

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

It is at this point that the purpose of this paper is reached. This paper seeks to define and defend the meaning of the שְלמִים sacrifice as communion. In order to accomplish this goal, this paper has been divided into the following parts: I) The שְלמִים • T :Sacrifice According to Scripture, II) Exploring Translations of the Term שְלמִים, III) Defining שְלמִים as Communion.

"Blessed Are They Who Keep These Words" An Examination Of The Use Of Language And The Intentionality Of Solecisms In The Apocalypse, Timothy Rosenthal

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

This paper purposes to examine the role and impact of the solecisms found in the Apocalypse. Before one can isolate a discussion about solecisms one must first address the issue of the style of Revelation (and, to some extent, that of the NT in general) and the degree to which Semiticisms appear. Thus, though the paper wishes to focus upon solecisms, a rather large portion of the paper will necessarily first address the whole issue of the nature and style of the Greek in Revelation so that a clear understanding of solecisms might emerge.

Luther's Small Catechism: An Examination Of Its Structure, Intent, And Use For The Church Today, Kenneth Watson

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

The Small Catechism: an instructional manual? a confession? a prayer book? A practical life's compendium? Twenty years later, does the use of the Small Catechism today reflect the pedantry of Drevlow's "instructional manual," or does it in any way embrace the manifold possibilities set forth by Hoh? Does its use today, in fact, reflect what Luther intended in its compilation? Indeed, what did Luther intend?

It is toward suggesting answers to such questions (the last specifically) that this paper shall direct itself. It will do so basically in three parts: 1.) recognizing the difficulty in definitively disjointing structure from intent, …

The Study Of Intercommunion 1951-1971 : Evidence Of A Hermeneutical Shift In Faith And Order, Mark Buetow

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

The thesis of this paper is that the approach to the problem of intercommunion taken by the Commission on Faith and Order demonstrates a foundational change in the hermeneutical approach taken by the Commission in doing theology. This conclusion is suggested as an answer to the question: What caused the shift in Faith and Order's study and discussion of intercommunion from one that seeks agreement among doctrinal differences and difficulties to a pluralistic approach which embraces all perspectives as complimentary and mutually affirming? The significance of the hermeneutical shift is this: the seeming theological convergence on intercommunion has come at …

Remembrance And Worship In Israel-A Study Of Gerhard Von Rad's Theology Of Worship In The Old Testament, Brian Whittle

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

In this study we will attempt to establish a basis upon which these issues can properly be answered. The primary focus will be upon worship in the Old Testament, though to limit any study of worship to the time and writings before God incarnated Himself would be to answer inadequately any applicable question regarding worship in the modem context. Therefore, this study will also look to see how the analysis of worship in the Old Testament context is manifested in the New Testament. When the proper correlation is made, then one is ready to address the questions and concerns regarding …

Luther And "Social Ethics", Terrance Adamson

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

For Luther, it appears, that there is a distinction between an office of authority and the office holder. The office holder is the same as any other Christian with the same divine command to "love" in and through his call. Instruction and Christian admonition to the individual regarding faith and Christian duty does not, in itself, violate the distinction between Law and Gospel.

O Come Our Wisdom From On High- An Introduction Into Wisdom Christology, Ralph Shorey

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

The purpose of this paper is not to tackle directly all the varying presuppositions held by Feminists in connection with Sophia Christology. Paul Wenz, in the Thanksgiving, 1994 issue of Concordia Student Journal has written an excellent article concerning this point.' Instead, this paper will deal with the following: (1) The general meaning of "wisdom" as it is commonly understood in Scripture, (2) an analytical study of Proverbs 8:22-35 in order to see how Scripture has appropriated the name of Wisdom to Christ, and (3) a brief survey of Early Church History up to the Nicene Creed of 325 A.D. …

Original Sin In The Smalcald Articles With An Excursus On The Coat Of Skins As An Image Of Original, Albert Collver Iii

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

In order to understand better how Luther understood original sin in the Smalcald Articles," this paper will compare SA with two other Luther writings, one contemporary with its composition and one from his earlier writings. Since Luther adopted the term "original sin," it will be useful to briefly examine the events that led to the coinage of the term by Augustine in addition to examining a few patristic sources in order to see how the idea of "original sin" was expressed formerly. Finally, Luther's confession of original sin in SA will be addressed to current issues such as the decay …