Religion Commons^™

Review Of Apologetics And The Christian Imagination: An Integrated Approach To Defending The Faith, Corey Latta

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Review of: Holly Ordway, Apologetics and the Christian Imagination: An Integrated Approach to Defending the Faith (Steubenville, Ohio: Emmaus Road, 2017). 195 pages. $22.95. ISBN 9781945125386.

Review Of Preparing For Easter: Fifty Devotional Readings From C.S. Lewis, Gina Dalfonzo

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Review of: C. S. Lewis, Preparing for Easter: Fifty Devotional Readings from C. S. Lewis (New York: HarperOne, 2017). xi + 215 pages. $17.99. ISBN 9780062641649.

Review Of How To Pray: Reflections And Essays, David N. Beckmann

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Review of: C. S. Lewis, How To Pray: Reflections and Essays (New York: HarperOne, 2018). 157 pages. $22.99. ISBN 9780062847133.

Review Of From Atheism To Christianity: The Story Of C.S. Lewis, Kevin Belmonte

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Review of: Joel D. Heck, From Atheism to Christianity: The Story of C. S. Lewis (St. Louis, Missouri: Concordia Publishing House, 2017). 214 pages. $14.99. ISBN 9780758657237.

The Psychology Of Hell: Privation, Exclusion, And Banishment As Symbols Of Hell In The Life Of C.S. Lewis, Reggie Weems

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

These few examples demonstrate that Lewis’s fundamental view of Hell was primarily influenced by Christ but also shaped by Christian history and literature. This does not mean that his choice of the particular words "privation, exclusion and banishment" is solely dependent on biblical, historical, or literary influences. It may very well be that Lewis employed these particular expressions because they represented certain traumatic Hell-on-earth experiences endured in his formative years—events that personalized the doctrine and added significant, practical weight to his academic, theological, philosophical, and literary understanding of its horrifying reality.

"The Packed Reality Of Heaven": C.S. Lewis's Imaginative Re-Education Of The Modern Pilgrim, Monika B. Hilder

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

How to think of Heaven then, which Lewis says “is, by definition, outside our experience,” when the fact is that “all intelligible descriptions must be of things within our experience” is a question that Lewis took seriously, especially since the scriptural imagery “[a]t first sight . . . chill[ed], rather than awake[ned], [his] desire.” He asked how a “typical modern” like himself might interpret the heavenly concept of glory. The first idea of fame suggested to him hellish competition; the second idea of brightness suggested the “ridiculous” image of becoming “a kind of living electric light bulb.” Indeed, he contends …

Review Of Reasoning Beyond Reason: Imagination As A Theological Source In The Work Of C. S. Lewis, Nikolay Epplée

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Review of: J. T. Sellars, Reasoning Beyond Reason: Imagination as a Theological Source in the Work of C. S. Lewis (Eugene, 2011). 256 pages. $29.00. ISBN: 9781608995035.

Review Of C. S. Lewis And Friends: Faith And The Power Of Imagination, David Robinson

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Review of: David Hein and Edward Henderson, eds., C. S. Lewis and Friends: Faith and the Power of Imagination (London, 2011). 159 pages. $18.00. ISBN: 9780281062249.

Review Of The Passionate Intellect: Christian Faith And The Discipleship Of The Mind, P. H. Brazier

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Review of Alister McGrath, The Passionate Intellect: Christian Faith and the Discipleship of the Mind (Downers Grove, 2010). 210 pages. $22.00. ISBN: 9780830838431

"There Is No Emperor": Merlin And The Ideal State In That Hideous Strength, L. S.B. Maccoull

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

C. S. Lewis’ Merlin has been brought forward from the sixth century. In the world he knew, though there was no longer a Roman Emperor in the West, there certainly was an Emperor reigning in Constantinople who could be called upon for aid. A closer look at Lewis’ depiction of Byzantium reveals what role the positive qualities he attributed to the city played in the development of his own views regarding the nature of the realm (or world) we should strive to realize here on earth.

"A Dreadful Thing": C.S. Lewis And The Experinces Of War, Timothy J. Demy

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

From a Christian perspective, war entails the death and killing of people who are all created in the image of God and therefore have inherent dignity and incalculable worth. And yet, even after experiencing war at firsthand, C. S. Lewis believed that war is sometimes justifiable and necessary.

Like others of his generation, Lewis was deeply affected by the experience of war. He lived through the First and Second World Wars, serving as an officer on the Western Front between November 1917 and April 1918. His brother Warren (“Warnie”) was a career officer serving in the British army in both …

A Friend's Death: C.S. Lewis' Disagreement With St. Augustine, Jason Lepojärvi

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Lewis did nothing to conceal his admiration of—and theological pedigree to—Augustine: as he wrote, Augustine “is a great saint and a great thinker to whom my old glad debts are incalculable.”3 This is why the only time he explicitly disagrees with Augustine on an important point concerning love, he does so “with trembling.”4 Lewis’ sentiments in having to disagree with Augustine may be comparable to Stanley Hauerwas disagreeing with Lewis. It is difficult, Hauerwas wrote, “to criticize a writer who has done so much good as C. S. Lewis.”5 The purpose of the present article is to evaluate the gentlemanly …

Jack Lewis And His American Cousin, Nat Hawthorne: A Study Of Instructive Affinities, D. G. Kehl

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

When he was a student at Oxford University, C. S. Lewis wrote to a friend expressing his great admiration of and enthusiasm for the novels of Nathaniel Hawthorne, particularly The House of the Seven Gables and Transformation (British title of The Marble Faun). This study examines the parallels between these two kindred spirits and their works, focusing on their similar worldviews, their personal backgrounds and lifestyles, and the "Ultimates" they both pondered. It discusses common themes in their works, such as myth, scientism, and "the great power of blackness." Their respective attitudes toward these issues and others, such as faith, …

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 …

Help For The Emotional Religious Doubter: Divine Revelation As An Epistemic Axiom And Its Significance Upon The Implementation Of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (Rebt), Ronald Henry Davis Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study addresses the concept of religious doubt concerning those who embrace the Christian tradition, i.e., those who embrace the words and works of Christ, specifically the reality of the Resurrection, as true and efficacious for both salvation and spiritual formation. The existential crisis of doubting these truths is a consistent and significant issue addressed in both religious and secular circles driven by the desire to help the individual overcome the emotional distress associated with this phenomenon. This study is designating doubt that creates an existential crisis as emotional religious doubt (ERD), i.e., it is a species/variety of doubt that …

Woke Religion: Effects Of Secularism And Progressive Politics On 21st Century Mainline Churches As Demonstrated Through The Worship And Witness Of College-Age Students, Brenda L. Widger

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examines the impact of Woke messages on young adults when delivered in church worship services and at youth events. A mixed methods research approach is employed, with quantitative data collected through an anonymous online survey and qualitative data gathered in a live focus group. The online survey responses and focus group discussion are coded and analyzed, providing a thorough presentation of the perceptions of all participants. Young adults are the future leaders of the Christian church. With so many churches moving toward welcoming or affirming stances on Woke ideology, the sermons delivered from the pulpit and the topics …

Restitution Is A Necessary Part Of Biblical Forgiveness: A Look At How The Bible Provides A Legal And Moral Solution For Transgressions Committed, Robert Andrew Pannier

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the principle of restitution and how it is an essential part of biblical forgiveness. What makes this principle so important is that God wanted to ensure that there was no barrier to the unity of the body of Christ and unforgiveness related to a transgression can be a huge barrier as it creates resentment and anger. Since the ultimate goal of God is the unity of His creation, God provided a system where true forgiveness could be achieved, both from a legal standpoint, where a debt was repaid, and from a moral …

Addressing The Intergenerational Disconnect Through Small Group Ministry In A Rural Church, George Russell Strickland

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Programs and activities at church are designed primarily to minister to the needs of specific age groups. Though this style of ministry has its place in the church, if not monitored, it can cause a division among the generations in the church. The division that exists can create a “we versus them” mindset. The generational division can create an attitude that affects the unity of the church while also a competition for resources and style preference in the church. This division also creates a culture of anemic discipleship from a lack of investment across generational lines that is a biblical …

A Patristic Christological Defense: Utilizing The Patristic View Of The Incarnation As A Defense Against The Problem Of Suffering, Scott Steven Hyland Sr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

At issue is the question of whether it is logically consistent to embrace the existence of an omniscient, omnipotent, omnibenevolent God in the presence of evil and suffering. Many factors prima facie seem to indicate that the existence of such a God in the presence of an abundance of pain, evil, and suffering is logically incoherent. If such a God does exist, why does He allow the evil and suffering that He does? Hume asserts, such a being should be capable of preventing evil and suffering. Van Inwagen argues that the existence of a world that is constantly modified to …

Equipping Covenant Baptist Church To Defend The Bible In A Skeptical World, Harlan Grant Mclain

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The thesis of this research project is “If Covenant Baptist Church members are taught the reliability of the Bible, they will be equipped to defend their faith to a skeptical world.” The goals of this doctoral thesis are two-fold: to train adequate believers regarding the Bible’s reliability in a skeptical world, and honor God in the process through the equipping ministry of the church in accordance with Ephesians 4:11-16. Seven lessons were researched, formulated, and presented to a small group of believers in Covenant Baptist Church who desired to become more confident in defending the Bible to a skeptic. Entrance …

A Post-New Perspective Analysis Of Darrell Bock's Views Pertaining To Torah Observance, Andrew Lawrence Prout

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In the twenty-first century, Messianic Jews generally fall into one of two broad categories: Those who are Torah observant, and those who consider the laws contained in the Mosaic Law as valuable, but optional. Those who hold the latter position may be Torah observant as an evangelistic strategy, as a way of practicing contextualization, or as a means of doing outreach to ethnic Jews. Nonetheless, they do not believe that sustained Torah observance is a necessary/vital component of their Christian faith. Observant Messianic Jews would argue that when Jesus initiated the New Covenant, he did not nullify/abrogate the Mosaic Covenant, …

Undercutting The Biblical Inspiration And Authority Debate: The Hermeneutic Of 2 Timothy 3:16-17 In Postmodernism Against Black Liberation Theology, Raleigh M. Bagley Iii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A resurgence of Black Liberation Theology has recently occurred in America, especially among proponents of Karl Barth and his contemporaries, James Cone, Robert McAfee Brown, and J. Deotis Roberts, to name a few. Black Liberation Theology and its concepts have been embraced in American culture via political, social, and economic media capable of bridging the divide between postmodernism and the church. Indeed, the avowal by certain prominent liberation theologians has been so widespread that their proposed theories have become synonymous with biblical truth among specific audiences. However, on the central issue of the denial of the authority and inspiration of …

Living Water: A Hermeneutical And Exegetical Approach, John Panicker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Throughout Scripture, God refers to people, objects, words, and other things of the universe to help man understand him. In the New Testament, Christ used parables, metaphors, and signs to reveal himself and his salvation plan. The crown jewel among these symbols is the living water, symbolizing the Holy Spirit who is the ultimate source of salvation. God did not impose death on man, but man chose death over life by disobeying God’s command not to eat from the tree of the “knowledge of good and evil.” He decided to accept Satan’s seduction and counsel and willfully transgressed against his …

Culturally Induced Male Dominance: Addressing Breakdown Of Harmony In Asian Indian Christian Marriages, Benjamin Mulaparthi

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Marriage is an institution designed by God to fulfill the creation mandate and represent Christ and his bride in this world. Marriage is a universal social construct fulfilled in diverse ways across cultures and societies. In Asian Indian culture, marriages are mostly arranged where parents customarily choose a spouse based on the caste/ethnicity, religion, social and economic standing of prospective spouses and their families. Many Christians in India and those of Indian origin living in the United States adopt the cultural norm of arranged marriage. This DMIN action research project will explore the breakdown of harmony in Christian arranged marriages …

Relational Evangelism: Family-To-Family Through Recreational Activities, Kimberly R. Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The goals of this Doctor of Ministry thesis project are to explore and implement an approach to evangelism that has the potential of family connection through relational evangelism. The approach delivers the gospel message through family to family encounters in recreational activities. The church, Idlewild Baptist Church (IBC) has a unique communal opportunity to enhance ministry efforts through relational evangelism. The church leaders at IBC realize that they can do more with their recreation center on their campus by using it as a resource for outreach connecting with unchurched families and families without a church affiliation. An identifiable dilemma in …

Review Of After Humanity: A Guide To C. S. Lewis’S The Abolition Of Man, Brenton D. G. Dickieson

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Brenton D. G. Dickieson Review of Michael Ward, After Humanity: A Guide to C. S. Lewis’s The Abolition of Man (Park Ridge, Illinois: Word on Fire Academic, 2021). 253 pages. $24.95. ISBN 9781943243778.

Review Of The Making Of C. S. Lewis: From Atheist To Apologist, Crystal Hurd

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Crystal Hurd: Review of Harry Lee Poe, The Making of C. S. Lewis: From Atheist to Apologist (1918- 1945) (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway, 2021). 344 pages, including Notes and Index. $32.99. ISBN 9781433567834.

Review Of C. S. Lewis And The Christian Worldview, Jennifer Neyhart

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Jennifer Neyhart: Review of Michael L. Peterson, C. S. Lewis and the Christian Worldview (New York: Oxford University Press, 2020). 227 pages. $29.95. ISBN 9780190201111.

Review Of The Shared Witness Of C. S. Lewis And Austin Farrer. Friendship, Influence, And An Anglican Worldview, Grayson Carter

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Grayson Carter: Review of Philip Irving Mitchell, The Shared Witness of C. S. Lewis and Austin Farrer. Friendship, Influence, and an Anglican Worldview (Kent, Ohio: The Kent State University Press, 2021). 312 pages. $55.00. ISBN 9781606354179.

Review Of 75 Masterpieces Every Christian Should Know, Louis Marko

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Louis Markos: Review of Terry Glaspey, 75 Masterpieces Every Christian Should Know (Chicago: Moody, 2021). 384 pages. $24.99. ISBN 9780802420879. and Terry Glaspey, Discovering God through the Arts (Chicago: Moody, 2021). 272 pages. $16.99. ISBN 9780802419972.