Religion Commons^™

Project Portfolio: That We May Be One...Unifying As The Body Of Christ In A Divided World, Colleen Hurley-Bates

Doctor of Ministry

This project was born in response to the following NPO: Because the church often has difficulty talking about divisive issues in a healthy or constructive way, there is an opportunity to create new patterns of relating, which could lead to greater listening and understanding, deepened community, being more formed in Jesus’ likeness, and becoming compelling witnesses for Him.

A key insight emerging from research was how there is a true need for God’s people to come together in order to be vulnerable and truly hear one another. This takes a fair amount of trust and self-awareness. Another insight which arose …

Theology On A Plate: A Gamified Discipleship Experience, Silas Sham

Doctor of Ministry

“Theology on a Plate: A Gamified Discipleship Experience" reimagines spiritual development by merging communal dining with theological exploration and gamification. Unlike traditional groups curriculums and Bible studies, this innovative project offers a fresh approach to cultivating spiritual growth through semiotic readings of food in Scripture, coupled with unique learning mechanisms. By employing a platform-based pedagogical approach, this project is not primarily about receiving information from an expert source using a pipeline-based approach. Instead, this project is designed so that participants will predominantly learn from each other as they elevate each other’s stories.

Drawing from my ministry experience in a large …

New Forms Of Orientation For The Twenty-First Century African Quaker Movement, Robert J. Wafula

Quaker Religious Thought

Unlike in the United Kingdom and the United States, where Quakerism has been in existence since the seventeenth century, it has only been a presence on the African continent for 122 years, since 1902. The earliest missionaries, who were sent by the Friends Africa Board of Missions of the former Five Fears Meeting (now Friends United Meeting) in Richmond, Indiana, planted Quakerism in Africa on the evangelical platform. Forty years later other missionaries, principally drawn from England, came with a different tradition: unprogrammed Quakerism (or the “silent tradition,” as it is known by the African Quakers).

In this paper, reflecting …

Theological Diversity As Growth And Foundation, Rhiannon Grant

Quaker Religious Thought

The liberal branch of the Religious Society of Friends today is undoubtedly theologically diverse—for example, in Britain Yearly Meeting, the committee who are revising the book of discipline are explicitly inviting contributions from nontheist as well as universalist and Christian perspectives.¹ Some members of the community find this a source of considerable anxiety. In this paper I want to position it, rather, as a source of richness and a form of growth, and also as a potential foundation for other forms of much needed diversity. Britain Yearly Meeting is working on addressing our institutional and sometimes personal racism and …

Frontmatter Autumn 2024, Jeffrey Dudiak

Quaker Religious Thought

No abstract provided.

Tradition And Transformation, On Worship Among Kenyan Friends: Reconsidering Fox's Rejection Of Rituals, George Busolo Lukalo

Quaker Religious Thought

From the centrality of the Bible, to baptism, to holy commu- nion, to simplicity and plain dress, to the nomination of leaders, to the use of alcohol and not swearing oaths, in his essay “Tradition and Transformation, on Worship among Kenyan Friends: Reconsidering Fox’s Rejection of Rituals,” George Busolo Lukalo examines the evolving ways in which the Kenyan Quaker church continues to consider the importance and meaning for their own context of George Fox’s rejection of rituals—sometimes complying with Fox’s precedent, but often reinstating certain ritualistic practices precisely as a way of preserving their Quaker convictions.

Rationality, Silence, And The Numinous: Exploring The Mystical Theology Of Otto, Thurman, And Panikkar, Welling Hall

Quaker Religious Thought

In her essay “Rationality, Silence, and the Numinous: Exploring the Mystical Theology of Otto, Thurman, and Panikkar,” Welling Hall traces out the thought of these three important advocates of mysticism as they struggle with the relationship between rea- son and that which transcends rational comprehension, an issue of ongoing interest and concern to Quaker theology. In light of this essay, we might ask ourselves whether our rituals or lack thereof are an impediment to a deeper connection with God, or a means thereunto?

A Resilient Faith: Lessons For The Church From Church Leavers, Carol Mclaughlin

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation began by seeking to understand why people leave church, particularly baby boomers that no longer attend church. Section One introduces the changing perceptions and dynamics of religious identification and church attendance practices. The question I ask and endeavor to respond to is how the church might live a resilient faith in the liminal space between a church-centric faith and faith apart from church affiliation. Section Two considers three responses to church leaving and perceptions of faith. The first considers the shift taking place in faith development when authority moves from the church to the individual. The second is …

Mixed Messages: Reflections On Multiethnic Identity And Narratives In Youth Ministry Pedagogy, Joel Mayward

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

Drawing upon the work of Gloria E. Anzaldúa and Paul Ricoeur, this article presents a personal and scholarly reflection on the author’s multiethnic identity and how such identities may benefit youth ministry pedagogies and perspectives. The author explains Anzaldúa’s notion of nepantla alongside Ricoeur’s concepts of “narrative identity” and “social imaginary,” then demonstrates how these two thinkers’ perspectives can be interwoven and applied by educators and youth ministry practitioners. Ultimately, in sharing about his “mixed” heritage, the author contends that multiethnic individuals can serve as bridge-builders between cultures and generations.

C.S. Lewis On Female Scholars: A Reply To John D. Rateliff, Jason Lepojärvi

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

In John D. Rateliff’s study ‘The Missing Women: J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lifelong Support for Women’s Higher Education’, Tolkien’s support of women is unfavourably contrasted with the supposedly dismissive attitude of C.S. Lewis. Rateliff offers three pieces of evidence in support of his argument that Lewis held a contemptuous attitude towards female research students in particular: a private letter by Lewis written in mock late-medieval English; Lewis’s comments about Damaris Tighe, the heroine in Charles Williams’s novel The Place of the Lion; and the character Jane Studdock in Lewis’s own novel That Hideous Strength. This paper argues that Rateliff’s evidence is not …

Review Of In This World Of Wonders: Memoirs Of A Life In Learning, Isaac Choi

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

Over the last 50 years, Nicholas Wolterstorff has been one of the leaders of the renaissance in Christian philosophy, while also contributing significantly to reflection on Christian education. He has written several earlier autobiographical accounts, one focused on spiritual themes, “The Grace That Shaped My Life” (1993), and a speech to the American Philosophical Association on specifically philosophical aspects of his training and career, “A Life in Philosophy” (2007). At 17 and 14 pages respectively, the aforementioned publications were much briefer than this 334-page memoir. A third can be found in parts of his book Journey toward Justice (2013), where …

Project Portfolio: Raft: Rise Above The Flood Of Tears A Mental Health Resource, Rebecca Hald

Doctor of Leadership

Struggles with mental health have had a history of being ignored, condemned, or relegated to a lack of faith by the Church. Rather than finding a place of hope, those who struggle have often found a place of condemnation. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a rise globally in mental health struggles. Pastors faced a unique challenge ministering during this season and there has been a great toll on the mental health of pastors. Considering the historic stance of the church on mental health, rise in mental health struggles in pastors post- COVID, and having been …

40-Day Fit, A Journey For Heroes, Michael B. O'Neill

Doctor of Leadership

This project is a collective portfolio of discovery and development that explores the intersection of societal health and the vitality of the church, recognizing a state of decline in both areas. This critical, yet often overlooked issue, is the foundation of this research-driven initiative. It is a practical process of diagnosis and treatment of a problem or an opportunity, in context, leading to application. The portfolio project represents a journey of discovery and reframing, where research methods, strategic objectives, and project milestones guide the identification of needs, problems, and opportunities. These elements serve as the driving forces behind crafting solutions …

The Holy Imagination Of God: An Invitation To Dissent: Fostering Inclusive Theology For Holistic Understanding, Justice, And Liberation, Daron George

Doctor of Leadership

The Western American Evangelical theological tradition has been marred by expressions of homophobia, misogyny, racism, and a problematic alignment with political power. This prevailing theological stance, lacking in inclusivity and imagination, has hindered a holistic understanding of faith and justice, precipitating a crisis within many evangelical churches. This project proposes a novel pathway for those disillusioned with or departed from the evangelical church, commonly referred to as ex-evangelicals.

Central to this project is the exploratory question: “What was in God’s imagination in the beginning?” While not claiming to discern God's intentions definitively, this inquiry has yielded insights valuable to the …

Holistic And Holy: An Inward Journey Toward Healing And Wholeness, Chad Mcswain

Doctor of Leadership

There are two ubiquitous challenges to the modern church in North America: declining church attendance and the mental health crisis. This is an opportunity for the modern church to take up the missional imperative by providing access to mental health resources to meet the mental and spiritual needs of those they serve, while creating a positive connection to those who do not currently attend church.

This doctoral project seeks to address both challenges by providing a podcast called, Holistic and Holy, Listener Guide, and website that creates conversations at the intersection of mental health and spirituality. This approach uses traditional …

Paideia: A Mentorship Framework For Training Aspiring Pastors To Lead In Our Changing World, David Beavis

Doctor of Leadership

There is a pastoral leadership crisis in the US. With the convergence of pastors aging out, burning out, moral derailment, or simply choosing another career outside of pastoral work, there is a great need to raise up the next generation of pastors. However, traditional institutions for training pastors (such as seminary or bible college), though important, are not sufficient in and of themselves for producing future pastors. We live in a VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous) world with novel pastoral challenges perpetually emerging. But our normative pastoral training assumes a world (Christendom) that no longer exists.

What is required is …

Project Portfolio: Questions Leaders Ask As Modeled By Jesus, Kristy Newport

Doctor of Leadership

For people to be seen, heard, and understood, it is important for a leader to ask good questions. If this does not take place in a small group or within an organization, people do not feel appreciated. Often the result is people leaving a small group or organization. In order to address this need I have wanted to educate organizational leaders in the skill of asking good questions. As a marriage and family therapist I have experienced the power that questions bring. It is my hope to empower organizational leaders with tools for them to connect with those they lead. …

Does Character Matter In Our President?, Marykate Morse

Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary

Last night Randy and I had dinner at our neighbors. We’ve cultivated a relationship over 10 years, and it hasn’t been easy. They were initially leery of us because we are Christian. Now, we’re good friends. During the meal, my friend turned to me and said, “You’re a Christian. How come 70% of Christians voted for Trump? I didn’t think Jesus was like that. Why would they vote for someone like him?” We had a good conversation, but alas, a lot of people are looking at us and asking this same question.

Who Gets The Bigger Share Of God’S Love?, Marykate Morse

Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary

During this election year cycle, there is a contest for the soul of America, and it is being fought in the church. It is being fought particularly among many Evangelicals. I’ve heard the battle cry to take back America and return to our Christian values and heritage. It’s a chilling prospect that some are willing to overlook a Christ who died rather than ‘take back’ the Jewish land for God’s kingdom. It’s also a chilling prospect that some are willing to resort to lies in order to restore an ideal imagination of what this country should be as a Christian …

The Essential Need For Integrity In Leaders And Systems (Part 2), Marykate Morse

Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary

So, why is integrity so hard?

We find it hard because we don’t ultimately trust God, and therefore we take control. We all do this. The desire to control comes out of our fears that God isn’t really there for me or for my mission. The desire to control comes out of our fears that we won’t be noticed, or successful, or good enough, or safe, or happy. The desire to control comes out of the ungodlike pressures to produce shiny fig leaves, regardless of whether there is fruit or not.

The Essential Need For Integrity In Leaders And Systems (Part 1), Marykate Morse

Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary

In Berlin, the Reichstag is the German capital building. Much of the history of the German nation can be traced to what happened to, in front of, and in that very building. The building has existed since 1884 when Germany had emperors. In 1918, from its balcony, Philipp Scheidmann announced the collapse of the German empire and the beginning of democracy. 15 years later on January 30th, 1933, Hitler was appointed Reich Chancellor. One month later, the parliament center of the building was destroyed by fire and by 1939, WWII was raging.

70 million people died because of WWII. And …

Q&A With Dr. Marykate Morse: On Hierarchy, Authority, And Stewarding Power Well, Marykate Morse, Missio Alliance

Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary

MISSIO ALLIANCE: What is the difference between hierarchy, authority, and power?

DR. MARYKATE MORSE: Hierarchy, authority, and power are all non-value words. There is neither ‘good’ nor ‘bad’ inherent in their meanings. The moral implications come from how persons exercise their role, authority or power. For instance, a ‘parent’ or a ‘boss’ is a morally neutral word, but you can have good parents and bad parents, good bosses or bad bosses.

Hierarchy basically means a ranking of those in authority. It is a role. A position of hierarchy usually means someone is given the authority to make decisions and to …

Hierarchy: A Word Christian Leaders Can Confuse With The Dark And Love To Hate, Marykate Morse

Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary

For us sensitive, Christ-centered souls, certain words evoke a definite aversion. One of them is the word, ‘hierarchy.’ I wouldn’t be surprised if every one of you in some way or another have experienced a hierarchy that was used to abuse, control, or break you. Women and People of Color (POC) particularly feel it when those in authority dismiss their God-given right for safety and for control over their own bodies and voices. All of us have felt the competitive, dominating edge of others lording it over us. With their bodies, words, structures, and maneuverings, leaders in authoritative hierarchies have …

Come Let Us Reason Together: Promoting Interdisciplinary Collaboration Between Clergy And Mental Health Professionals Regarding Demonic Oppression And Mental Illness, Juanda Green

Doctor of Ministry

Within the church, congregants who claim to be oppressed by demonic spirits seek prayer to be set free from their influence. In ministries where this type of prayer is available, ministers report that while the prayers provide relief, relief is often temporary. Consequently, these members continue to seek prayer for deliverance. In these situations, do clergy who provide this spiritual intervention realize that the congregate may have an underlying mental health issue?

Research shows the opinions of pastors regarding the etiology of mental illness; on one end demonic spirits are viewed as the culprit for mental disturbance, while the other …

Incarnational Discipleship: Inquiry Into The Need For For Cross-Shaped Discipleship And Cruciform Spiritual Formation In Charismatic Churches In A Post-Christendom Culture, Wayland Henderson

Doctor of Ministry

A synopsis of the Project Portfolio begins with the NPO statement: This Doctoral Project includes a discipleship model to help the Gathering Kingdom Community be spiritually formed through Pentecostal and Orthodox traditions and shows the relationship between prophetic function and discipleship for members to flourish personally and function as witnesses of the Crucified Christ in a post-Christian culture. Key insights that emerged from the research are that the current discipleship models in many Pentecostal and Charismatic churches are disconnected from how the Early Church viewed discipleship and what it means to be a witness to the culture. My ministry context …

Herding Cats And Other Ironies:A Practical Theology Of Ecclesial Administration, Richard C. Wood Jr.

Doctor of Ministry

NPO Statement

Pastors of congregational or similarly structured churches are not prepared for theological, philosophical, and Spirit-led oversight of the administrative or business aspects of leading a church.

Key Insight

The key insight is while there are several places pastors can get “how to” information on church administration, there few people talking about church administration as a spiritual or theological topic that is just as important as leadership and biblical studies. The “why” has to be addressed before the “how” in order to break the cycle of having pastors unprepared to oversee the administrative aspects of a local church.

Vocational …

Commonplace: Gathering Families Of Faith Around The Table In The Manner Of The Earliest Christian Communities For The Future Of The Church, Daniel Hues

Doctor of Ministry

It has become evident that American Christianity is declining at a staggering rate throughout the nation. In my own denomination, the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, membership dwindled by 5% even before COVID impacted our churches even more significantly. Over the last decade the amount of non-religiously affiliated persons has increased exponentially as many people of faith are leaving behind their religion altogether. Research suggests that there are various reasons for this decline. This project aims to answer the problem of individuals leaving their churches and their beliefs behind by creating innovative spiritual communities designed to form, integrate, and re-engage …

Dare To Serve: The Importance Of Servant Leadership To Christian African American Women Ceos Within The Nonprofit Industry, Sheila Tolbert

Doctor of Ministry

African American Christian women CEOs of smaller nonprofit organizations face multiple challenges in developing the necessary leadership skills to ensure their organization’s success including a deficiency in formal leadership training, difficulties in balancing Christian beliefs with leadership responsibilities, and limitations in interacting with boards of directors. The lack of appropriate leadership skills hinders their ability to effectively lead their nonprofit organizations, improve their organization’s performance, and limits career advancement.

The current options for leadership training do not adequately address the challenges and opportunities faced by these leaders. The lack in leadership development results in a deficiency of African American women …

Trauma Informed Theology: A Framework For Developing A Culturally Competent African American Intimate Partner Violence Curriculum For The Pentecostal Clergy, Bridget P. Robinson

Doctor of Ministry

The objective of this dissertation study is to increase the awareness of intimate partner violence (IPV) among Pentecostal clergy. African American women experience higher rates of intimate partner violence in the United States. There are unique risk factors for IPV in the African American community, considering the social and cultural context of the African American experience during colonization and post-colonization. Throughout these experiences, the Black church has consistently served as a steadfast source of hope for the community. However, considering the concerning prevalence of IPV among the African American community, church leaders may not be aware of the profound effects …

When Traditions Meet: The Case Of Georges Florovsky, Adolf Von Harnack, And Jaroslav Pelikan, Theodor Avramov

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The author examines the relationship and mutual influences of Georges Florovsky, Adolf von Harnack, and Jaroslav Pelikan as a path towards approaching the majority of the history of Christianity in a methodological key. An interesting figure emerging from the research is that of Nikolay Glubokovsky, who spent the last part of his life in Bulgaria and through whom the previously mentioned authors came into contact. An argument is provided towards a more personal approach towards historical scholarship and Pelikan is suggested as acting as the figure allowing for the disagreements between Florovsky and Harnack to be creatively brought together and …