Religion Commons^™

A Hegelian Theory Of Divine Revelation, Jason D. Barton

Philosophy ETDs

Through an intensive examination of the second volume of G.W.F. Hegel’s oft-neglected Berlin Lectures on the Philosophy of Religion, I demarcate and elucidate a Hegelian theory of divine revelation. The second volume of these Lectures advances a series of configurations for religious consciousness through which absolute spirit passes in order to gain awareness of itself in the register of representation. While Hegel identifies divinity with absolute spirit in its moments and movements indicative of an odyssey, Hegel also ventures to painstaking lengths for the sake of authentically capturing how world-historical religions respectively portray(ed) the divine. Such a distinction between …

Frozen Ii And Girls’ Spiritual Formation: How The Music Of An Animated Musical Resonates With Girls And Women, Cristen Mitchell

Doctor of Pastoral Music Projects and Theses

Frozen II (2019) is a popular Disney animated movie for children and depicts striking spiritual elements while weaving in feminist practices such as justice and equity, and feminist theology through representations of female spirits and connection to the earth. Through this movie, its themes, and the historical exclusion of women in the church, this thesis seeks to show that representation of women in the divine is an important, and necessary part of the spiritual and psychological development of girls and women. The methods of this thesis include exploring the following synchronicities:

1. Parallels between feminist issues in the church and Walt …

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The Ecclesiology Of Catalino G. Arévalo: Inculturation, Mission, And Liberation In The Philippine Context, Zachary Ryan Dehm

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Catalino G. Arévalo, S.J., was an eminent Filipino ecclesiologist of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Through his work for the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences in particular, he played a significant role in the reception of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) in Asia and in the development of inculturation as a theological norm. Yet, Arévalo offered no systematic articulation of his theology of the church. By examining his work spanning seven decades, this dissertation traces the development of Arévalo’s ecclesiology and offers five foundational principles necessary for gaining a systematic understanding of his thought: (1) ecclesiology must be situated within …

Cultural Diversity In The Body Of Christ: An African American Theological Reading Of The Book Of Revelation, Charles Gilmer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study will attempt to facilitate a more helpful reading of the text of John’s Apocalypse by placing it in an appropriate literary and historical context, deploying an African American hermeneutic, informed by the work of African American commentators such as Brian Blount, Allen Dwight Callahan, Clarice Martin, and Shanell T. Smith to develop from the text of the Apocalypse its ecclesiological content for a contemporary audience. As the church writ large (Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant and indigenous expressions) wrestles with its increasing global presence and the cultural and linguistic diversity which that expanded presence creates, this study will attempt to …

The Contribution Of Pope Francis’ Integral Ecology To Global Ethics, Salvatore Enzo Del Brocco

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The defense of the dignity and inviolability of human life has always gained prominence in the doctrine of the Catholic Church. With Pope Francis' concept of integral ecology, Catholic bioethics is expanded to a broader understanding. His vision of integral ecology, global bioethics, and solidarity emphasizes the interconnectedness of all things and the importance of caring for one another and the planet. It calls us to recognize our common humanity and to work together for the common good by facing the numerous emerging problems of our times, which threaten the dignity of human life and the future life of the …

With Love, ; An Interdisciplinary And Intersectional Look At Why Creativity Is Essential, Theo Starr Gardner

Whittier Scholars Program

My Whittier Scholars Program self-designed major, Teaching Creativity, is a mixture of Art, Literature, and Education classes. My research and praxis classes have been focused on the ‘how?’s and 'why?’s of creativity, so it felt only right that my project should be a constructivist, generative project. The project I have been working on throughout my time at Whittier, and that has just fully come to fruition on April 11th, 2024, was a solo art gallery/open mic event entitled ‘With Love,’. With Love, was conceptually inspired by the research I’ve conducted on creativity and creative arts education over the past few …

The Congregation In All Her Glory: How The History Of The Association Of Free Lutheran Congregations (Aflc) Can Be Used To Teach Free And Living Church Polity, Stephen Mark Mundfrom

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Among Lutheran denominations in America, the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations privileges the free activity of the congregation with a unique church polity. Because of its rarity, the AFLC is especially concerned that a correct understanding of its polity be taught at its schools and passed on effectively to future generations. One way to ensure that this occurs successfully is through a combination of theological and historical instruction. Historical education has been in decline for several hundred years due to developments in Western thought. Nevertheless, significant arguments can be made for the necessity of an historical and narrative understanding of …

Mental Health And Theologies Of Suffering, Sarah Skrove

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

Theologies of suffering have been used by theologians, ministers, and faithful alike to try to understand why God allows innocent suffering. These ideas have been applied to wars, violence, starvation, grief, mental health challenges, and the list goes on. The primary focus of this project is the impact that theologies of suffering have had on the perception of mental health, the experience of those enduring the suffering, and the stigma surrounding treatment. While certain theological narratives are helpful for an individual to find meaning in their own pain, theologians must be careful of uninvited application of scholarship to another’s lived …

Vision, Repetition And Redemption: Envisioning Universal Salvation In A Group Of Six Carolingian Ivory Book Covers, Valerie Thai

Theses and Dissertations

Six Carolingian ivory plaques share almost identical imagery. This thesis focuses on the figures of Synagoga and the rising dead repeated in the compositions. As the ivories are Gospel covers used in Mass, this study demonstrates how these motifs appeal to the congregation, conveying the Christian tenet of universal salvation.

Judaism, Conversion, And The Limits Of Christian Orthodoxy: The Jewish Identities Of Joseph Wolff And Michael Solomon Alexander As Detailed In Their Memoirs And Missions To Palestine, Michael Iodice

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes the Jewish identities of the Anglican missionaries Joseph Wolff and Michael Solomon Alexander by examining their conversion memoirs and evangelical missions to Palestine. It argues that they used Protestant biblical exegesis to emphasize their Jewish heritage and its importance in Christian prophecy.

The Psalms And The Good Life Of God’S People, Rachel Mccloskey

Grapho : Concordia Seminary Student Journal

We belong to Christ who speaks his word to us. As a creedal church body, we recognize that God’s word is not only a word to be received, but a word to be confessed back to him. As the Spirit works through the word, he forms and shapes us as God’s confessing people. It has a transformative effect. We belong to Christ and his word does not leave us unchanged.

Not My Church: Confessional Living In An All-Consuming World, Cody Macmillan

Grapho : Concordia Seminary Student Journal

What I hope to offer in the following pages is a vision for the Church that is not our own in a world that is increasingly foreign to us. In a discussion of the Scriptures and the Sacraments, I would like to present three ways in which this Church is distinctly alien in nature. She presents alien standards, alien sentiment, and alien strength to which we are called to subscribe, submit, and surrender. In presenting the alien nature of this church, I offer points of contrast and comparison with the culture to which we are tempted to succumb. These comparisons …

Our Father Spoke, And It Was Good, Jason Kohm

Grapho : Concordia Seminary Student Journal

A Wedding Hymn compsed by Jason Kohm.

The Beginnings Of Jewish Missions In The Lcms, Jaron Melin

Grapho : Concordia Seminary Student Journal

Mission is the theological account of the relationship between the church and the world. Where are the Jews in this relationship? If the church and the Jews had a relationship status on Facebook, then it might say, “It’s complicated.” This may be true of any kind of missions, but this shows itself to be especially true in Lutheran history and in particular LCMS-history. I look at the histories as recorded by Meyer, Lieske, Cohen, Parviz, and others on the early history of Jewish Missions in the LCMS, and I reflect on the context and theology behind them using missiologists like …

The Holy Spirit As The Undiminished Giver In The Early Church, Kyle Weeks

Grapho : Concordia Seminary Student Journal

At one time or another, virtually every churchgoing Christian is bound to hear the moniker of “Sanctifier” applied to the Holy Spirit. In this role, the Spirit is often described as dwelling within believers to make them holy, so that they might produce the “fruit of the spirit” as they lead good and godly lives.2 To that end, the Spirit is said to effect a complete “regeneration and renewal” of the individual, empowering them with the strength, grace, virtues, and other “spiritual gifts” requisite for Christian life.3 In denominations such as Lutheranism, faith itself is proclaimed to be impossible without …

Virtual Reality In And For Creation, Jaron Melin

Grapho : Concordia Seminary Student Journal

Within the last few years, there has been growing excitement and concern in the rise of what is called the metaverse. How do various enthusiasts and observers characterize the metaverse? Bobrowsky on the Wall Street Journal reports the metaverse as “an extensive online world transcending individual tech platforms, where people exist in immersive, shared virtual spaces. Through avatars, people are able to try on items available in stores or attend concerts with friends, just as they would offline.”

Letter From The Chairman: Why We Are Not Our Own, Cody Macmillan

Grapho : Concordia Seminary Student Journal

In his book, You Are Not Your Own, author and professor Alan Noble argues that the fundamental lie of modernity is the one which says we belong to ourselves.1 He is concerned with our society's increased emphasis on individualism, and he asserts that it requires serious and intentional effort to remember how we belong to Christ. This truth, Noble says, is not just a doctrine to which we must subscribe but a reality which touches every part of our lives.2 It runs contrary to the narratives of self-discovery and self-ownership that we are surrounded by today, and it is the …

Bitterness And Anger In Ephesians, Archetypes, & The Bi-Hemispheric Structure Of The Brain: Comparing Paul, Jordan Peterson, And Iain Mcgilchrist, Joshua Armstrong

Grapho : Concordia Seminary Student Journal

Many people eager to confront falsehood and pursue justice or truth do so nourishing a vindictive, bitter, or resentful attitude. Nourishing anger, particularly resentment, is akin to stoking up the archetypal “Luciferian spirit,” according to clinical psychologist and author Jordan Peterson. This spirit presumes: “what I do is all there is to do, what I know is all there is to know.” It is symptomatic of attending to the world in a way overly reliant on a “left-hemisphere” approach, which leads to entrapment in a “self-reflexive virtual world” disconnected from real “other” things, and only really knowing itself, according to …

Christian Narrative Service: God’S Story Of Everything In Worship, Jaron Melin

Grapho : Concordia Seminary Student Journal

Christian Narrative Service: God’s Story of Everything in Worship

Grapho 2024, Cody Macmillan

Grapho : Concordia Seminary Student Journal

Grapho 2024

How Can Pastors Who Are Working With Youth In Tanzania Help Youth Resolve Christian-Muslim Tensions?, Ombeni Martin Ulime

Master of Theology Theses

No abstract provided.

Theological Foundations For Shobi's Table Extending Hospitality In Hunger Ministry, Esther Kristianti Sianipar

Master of Theology Theses

No abstract provided.

Love And Politics: A Convergent Reading Of Hegel’S Philosophy Of Right And Kierkegaard’S Works Of Love, Andrés Roberto Albertsen

Doctor of Philosophy Theses

This dissertation got its start when I realized that a convergent reading of Hegel and Kierkegaard may be possible on the topic of love and politics. That is not a capricious topic, but one that has become central in contemporary political philosophy besides being at the heart of what Christianity is about, and I will address it with the goal of making love politically operative today. So, before I immerse myself into Hegel and Kierkegaard, I will investigate some contemporary political philosophers who, although with different perspectives, agree that love is a significant concept for philosophy and politics: Roberto Mangabeira …

Reading Karl Barth's Trinitarian Theology Of Freedom In The Sociopolitical Context Of Chin Christianity, Tawk Lian

Doctor of Philosophy Theses

This thesis argues that the act of reading Barth’s Trinitarian theology of freedom in the Chin context helps the Chin to acquire a new understanding of the Trinity, which reminds them of how the triune God stands in solidarity with them in their hard situation and how the triune God gives them freedom, which empowers them to engage their sociopolitical environment in a positive way. The sense of this Trinitarian logic requests the Chin evangelical and ecumenical Christians to appropriate the implications of Barth’s Trinitarian theology for reshaping their Trinitarian misperceptions underlined by the tendency to perceive the Trinity in …

Faith Seeking Understanding: A Comparative Study Of Herman Bavinck And Wolfhart Pannenberg On The Doctrine Of Revelation, Jin Li

CTS PhD Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation builds upon John Bolt’s suggestion that Wolfhart Pannenberg’s work can be utilized to extend and further elaborate upon Herman Bavinck’s efforts in outlining the fundamental contours of a philosophy of revelation. It focuses on various themes related to the doctrine of revelation to examine the theological and metaphysical frameworks of Bavinck and Pannenberg. Through a comparative analysis of their theoretical approaches, this study aims to offer a fresh, comprehensive perspective on the doctrine of revelation, highlighting their shared metaphysical foundations and the synthesis of orthodox and modern thought.

In this research, I explore the motifs and frameworks of …

The Divine Comedy: A Work Of Medieval Mythology, Jamie Alexander

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Prior to The Divine Comedy (1308-1321), ideas about Purgatory were in the early stages of development. Purgatory had loose rituals surrounding its existence and it lacked depiction in written works. Yet in the following centuries, the fear of Purgatory and the practices of penance and indulgences reached a fever pitch, ultimately leading to the Protestant Reformation. Purgatory as a celestial location, and not just the “purgatorial fires” of the Bible, only began to develop in the twelfth century, but its fearful description and imagery in The Divine Comedy not only solidified previously nebulous understandings of Purgatory, but also increased anxiety …

Transcendence In Kierkegaard And Barth, Andrew Myrick

Honors Theses

This paper examines the theological intersections and divergences between Karl Barth and Søren Kierkegaard, focusing on their conceptualizations of God's transcendence. Barth, influential in the twentieth century, viewed divine knowledge as accessible only through Jesus Christ's revelation, critiquing any historical or metaphysical bases for such knowledge. He was significantly influenced by Kierkegaard, who emphasized paradox and the "infinite qualitative distinction." This study traces Barth's evolving thoughts on transcendence across his works, including his critiques of Kierkegaard in his later years. While some scholars suggest a shared theological trajectory based on transcendence, this paper argues for nuanced differences, engaging with the …

Evaluating “Grit” (Genuine Relationships, Intergenerationally Tied) Groups At The Highland Church Of Christ: An Intergenerational Enhancement Of Small Group Community Life, Beth Ann Fisher

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT This project, Evaluating “GRIT” (Genuine Relationships, Intergenerationally Tied) at the Highland Church of Christ: An Intergenerational Enhancement of Small Group Community Life is a response to the request for intergenerational partnership in worship, fellowship, and ministry by the university students at Highland Church of Christ in Abilene, Texas. The church’s robust small group life was a logical place to create a vehicle in which intergenerational partners could ride for a determined period in pursuit of their common goals of furthering Highland’s mission and vision. The “Genuine Relationships, Intergenerationally Tied” or GRIT groups were formed by combining existing small groups …

Bedeviled Beauty: My Journey Through White American Theater Institutions, J'Aila C. Price

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Game console: Oculus Quest

World: American Theater Institutions

Player: Minority

Place: United States

Level: “Ain’t no way.”

This thesis explores the contrast between the Westernized philosophies ingrained in my education and my identity as a Black female artist. It sheds light on the difficulties of pursuing higher education in the arts and the gaps that arise from limited exposure to culturally diverse Black resources, revealing the systemic issues in Western performance education. The paper also discusses the insights gained from my journey as a Black female artist, focusing on my thesis performance of Blood at the Root, which is …

“How Are We Refocusing Our Lives On God?”: Implementing The Lenten Vision Of Sacrosanctum Concilium On A High School Campus, Michael Ashley-Mennis

Say Something Theological: The Student Journal of Theological Studies

In many Catholic high schools, students discuss Lent with a focus on their actions associated with penance, fasting and almsgiving as a self-denial Olympics without understanding the true purpose. This causes students to robotically move through the motions of Lent instead of internalizing it as a period of preparation for Baptism and penance. This paper will propose a program, for the Catholic high school setting, on how to implement the Second Vatican Council’s vision of Lent, as outlined in Sacrosanctum Concilium. The paper begins by exploring the history and development of Lent throughout the centuries. It then examines the …