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The Doctrine Of The Naqshabandi Order: A Study Of Mysticism In Islam, Madelain Farah Habib

Dissertations and Theses

The word mysticism in the English language has been corrupted and abused by its difference usages in the various disciplines such as religion, poetry, and philosophy. In Islam the only word which refers to a mystic is a Sufi. Sufism, according to its adherents, is the highest form of human experience, the ultimate reality of God. The Sufi theme is "Know thyself and thou wilt know God."

Sufism has been considered by Sufis and by Orientalists as the ancient school of wisdom, of quietism, of attaining the highest union and of purification of the soul. It embodies the strains of …

Six Dimensions Of Religiosity And Riesman's Inner/Other-Direction, Edward E. Mckenna

Masters Theses

First three paragraphs:

To what extent do different types of religious behavior vary with different levels of inner- and other-direction?

Religious behavior is multi-dimensional in nature, with several qualitatively distinct dimensions. Hypothesized relations between different dimensions of religious behavior and inner/other-direction, together with the assumed shift from inner-direction to other-direction, have been formulated to explain the now familiar, but nevertheless controversial, religious revival in American society. This revival is controversial in the sense that it extends only to certain types, or dimensions, of religious behavior. There have been increases in church membership, identification, and ritual observance, but not in other …

Christ And The Newly Matured World, Carl Petering

Bachelor of Divinity

The quest of the present paper, therefore, is a dissection of the statements about Christ which are made by those for whom the world has come of age. How does one address himself to an audience which may have jettisoned the trappings of transcendentalism? Is there another means of expressing the message, or must the message itself be changed?

The investigation will begin with Bonhoeffer, for he has coined the phrase, "the world come of age," and he has raised the questions for which others are attempting to provide the answers. The theology of Bishop John A. T. Robinson has …

Loving Without Destroying: A Study Of Welfare Work In The Inner City, Considering The Problem Of Freedom With A Special Reference To Dostoevsky's "The Legend Of The Grand Inquisitor", Michael Wendt

Bachelor of Divinity

Church leaders today are saying that the future of the church is being decided in the inner city. If the church is able to rise above itself, to meet the challenge of the inner city, they aver, there is hope that it might also be able to meet the challenge of its existence in other geographic and intellectual realms as well. It is in the inner city that the church meets the problems of existence head-on. It is there that reality is met. It is there that the church cannot hide behind pious words or statements by committees. The church …

The Church's Approach To Death And The Funeral, William Matzat

Master of Divinity Thesis

This paper, therefore, will attempt to point out the approach which the church should take regarding the various cultural practices prevalent in the American funeral rite. After a brief historical perspective, it will examine the theological concepts of the body, death and the resurrection, and the psychological concepts of grief and mourning. With this as a basis for analysis, some of the cultural practices of the American funeral rite will be considered.

Basic Considerations In Understanding The Goal Of Faith In The Sermons Of John Donne, Carlton Riemer

Master of Divinity Thesis

This study comprises an examination of a specific aspect of the art of preaching and a particular preacher who practiced the art of preaching with an unusual amount of success. The preacher is John Donne, an Anglican homiletician of the 17thCentury. He was chosen as a valid object for study in the general field of homiletics because his sermons are receiving renewed attention and analysis in the 20th Century. Contemporary homileticians and theologians are able to study Donne’s sermons because all of his 160 extant sermons have been published in a ten volume edition prepared by George R. Potter and …

The Adolescent And The Inner-City, Edwin Rehrauer

Master of Divinity Thesis

The subject to be investigated in this paper is that of the inner-city adolescent, with special reference to the problem of delinquent behavior.

The aim of this paper is to see what are the special problems of the adolescents as they grow up within the inner-city environment. Although the role of the church is considered, the major topics examined in the paper are the inner-city and adolescents.

The German-Russians: Their Heritage And Their Role In The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod, Vernon Schindler

Master of Divinity Thesis

If it were necessary to state a reason for this paper at this time, the reader's attention is directed to the following facts; first of all, the United States Census for 1930reported a total of 303,532 German-Russians in the population of the United States. Secondly, numerous Lutheran congregations within this country, including the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod, have a membership which is solidly. Of German-Russian extraction. Thirdly, these people have drifted away from the Lutheran church, in many cases, because they were not understood.

The German-Russians and their descendants are with us to stay. They and their descendants now number more …

An Analysis Of The History Of The Protestant Conference From 1927 - 1932, Luther Albrecht

Master of Divinity Thesis

If one were to ask a sample number of active Lutherans today, I feel that most of them would not be able to answer the question, "What is the Protestant Conference?" While discussing what the Protestant Conference is, other questions would also be raised such as: What did the Conference discuss in early meetings? Where did they meet? What type of organization, if any, did they strive to have? What insights into their theology can we gain? Who were some of the men that wrote and contributed to Protestant scholarship and theology? And many more questions could be raised.

This …

The Marxist Concept Of Man: A Christian's Critique, Edward Trost

Master of Divinity Thesis

Many problems facing the contemporary church stem from its past and present attempts to dichotomize man. Having split man's person into body and soul, material and spiritual, the church then demands allegiance to "either-or." The decision belongs to man. Either he flees the world and its possessions, or the world and its pleasures possess him. Today, more than ever before, churchmen realize that this decision is not so clearly drawn. Just as he is not exclusively material (the Marxist heresy), so man is not solely spirit (Christianity's overstatement). No longer can categories be labeled so neatly: religious and secular. Never …

The Freudian Super-Ego: A Psychological And Theological Study Of Conscience, Lawrence Rosenkoetter

Bachelor of Divinity

The primary purpose of this study is to examine Freud's concept of the super-ego and its related concepts. This examination will be conducted on the basis of Freud's collected works. Three monographs of Freud are of particular importance in a consideration of the super-ego and its related concepts; these works are “Mourning and Melancholia”, “The Ego and the Id”, and “The Dissolution of the Super-ego”.

Lutheran Social Welfare Work And The Emotionally Disturbed Child, Dennis Pegorsch

Bachelor of Divinity

In: this research paper there will be an examination of the theology and the responsibility of the Lutheran Church in social welfare work and particularly in its mission to emotionally disturbed children.

Although much has been said and written in the area of church and youth, little emphasis has been placed on reexamining the church's concern for emotionally disturbed children. This paper will not deal with juvenile delinquency per se even though there is a very fine distinction between juvenile delinquents and emotionally disturbed children since many juvenile delinquents are emotionally disturbed. But duet the limited amount of materials dealing …

Towards An Understanding Of And Pastoral Approach To The Potential Suicide, Allan Bruck

Bachelor of Divinity

That suicide is such a destructive force in the lives of men is reason enough to undertake a serious study of this problem. For the pastor, however, there is a more impelling reason for such study: in his pastoral ministry, the clergyman will be confronted by the potential suicide and will be forced to influence his course of action, either for the better or for the worse. This paper would serve as an introduction to the problem of suicide, and, hopefully; as a motivation for further pastoral study.

’Ασχληιό ΕωτήΡ, ’ΙησοῠΣ ΕωτήΡ, Donald Tanner

Bachelor of Divinity

This paper deals with the Healer Asklepios of Golden Age Greece and the healing miracles preserved in the early Christian Gospel. This present study was motivated by a preliminary exegetical consideration of the healing of the blind man in John 9:1-12. At the time of that initial, study in May, 1964, the author became interested in parallels to this pericope in the healings of Asklepios. Thought was given to the possibility that the writer of the Gospel of John composed his record with the healings of Asklepios in mind, and that certain emphases in the Gospel, traditions concerning the Healer …

Ministry To The Single Young Adult, David Prinz

Bachelor of Divinity

This paper will attempt to reflect the present concept of ministry to one such human situation and population segment, the life situation of the single young adult in the metropolitan area. This particular population segment and life situation group is relatively new in arriving on the American cultural scene. The postwar baby boom is now entering the young adult period which is categorized with the ages of eighteen through twenty-four. It is difficult to limit the age to twenty four, however, for there are possibililities that the ideals, mode of living and cohesiveness of the group may push the age …

The Implications Of Dialogue For The Preacher, Luke Stephan

Bachelor of Divinity

In this paper I will attempt to relate some of the insights which scholars have made concerning the principle of dialogue to the needs of the preacher. I will not attempt to make any exhaustive study of how the principle of dialogue can help the general relations between a pastor and his people, as in the area of pastoral counseling. Such a study could be very fruitful as a topic in itself. I will attempt to center all my attention on the pastor as preacher in the congregation.

Μὴ ΔιακρίΝων Τ̀Ο Σω̑Υα (Mē Diakrinōn To Sōma (Romanized Form), David Joesting

Bachelor of Divinity

The purpose of this paper is to explore the meaning of Paul's expression μὴ διακρίνων τ̀ο σω̑υα in 1 Cor.11:29. The basic task is exegetical, but the concern which promted the research is the pragmatic concern of meaning in use. This paper will, therefore, begin with a careful study to determine, as best as is possible, what Paul meant when he wrote the words in question. It will conclude with an analysis and evaluation of past and present application of 1 Cor. 11:29 and its context.

The Japanese Attempt To Solve The Mongol Question In Manchuria, 1931-1945, Richard D. S. Kwak

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this paper is to study and evaluate the Japaenese program relative to the Mongol question. Some questions to consider would be: What relationship was there between the Hsingan provinces and the Manchukuo government and why? What specific Mongol programs did the Japanese promote and why? What were the results? How did the Mongols react? What designs did the Japanese have in Outer Mongolia and Inner Mongolia relative to her key position in Eastern Mongolia? Why and how did China and Russia react to Japan's plans and what were the results? How did the Mongol react to the …

Pauline Eschatology In 2 Corinthians 5_1-10, Robert Hausman

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The purpose of this paper, then, is to compare and contrast the various interpretations in an attempt to discover their strengths and weaknesses. If possible, some guidelines will be suggested for the interpretation of this passage and probabilities will be noted where answers are unavailable. The complex question of historical background will be discussed as it relates to the various interpretations, but it cannot be treated in depth.

St Paul's Concept Of Joy, Kenneth Rogahn

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

This study seeks to discover some of the meaning and significance of "joy” for St. Paul and his readers. This basic New Testament concept had significance in his theology and thought as well as in his personal life, and this paper intends to seek that significance for St. Paul und for the church today.

Titus 3:5 And Baptismal Regeneration, Adrian Leske

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The aim of this thesis, therefore, is to review the various interpretations of Titus 3:5 and baptismal regeneration throughout the history of the Church, to examine them in the light of their environments, and finally to reach a conclusion as to the meaning of Titus 3:5 and baptismal regeneration on the basis of an exegetical study or the text in its historical background. It is contended that once a true understanding of baptismal regeneration has been reached other problems dealing with baptism will be readily resolved. It is also contended that with a right understanding or baptismal regeneration the danger …

The Voice In The Wilderness And The Coming One-- The Old Testament As The Link Between John The Baptist And Jesus Christ, Walter Rosin

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

As already indicated, in dealing with the question of the relationship between Jesus and John it is easily possible to overlook what is at least an equally important area, the content of the Baptist's message. In addition, an emphasis upon the environmental factors tends to lead to a generalization regarding the similarity of one movement to another without making sufficient allowance for original elements or for elements whose origin may not be in the contemporary scene but rather in a previous era. It is this content of the Baptist's message which has often been dealt with piecemeal in journal articles …

An Examination Of The Constituent Elements Of Human Nature, Paul R. Lund

Western Evangelical Seminary Theses

Excerpt: "An age-old problem still facing the church and one which still finds advocates on both sides in modern evangelical thought is the question as to whether man consists of body, soul and spirit or only of body and spirit (or soul). The former position would insist that the constituent elements of man' s nature are three and that there is some essential distinction between the Biblical terms "soul" and "spirit" . The latter position insists that there are only two distinct elements in man's nature and that there is no essential distinction (although many would admit a functional distinction) …

An Inquiry Into The Religious Experience Of The Godly Hebrew In The Old Testament, Dean C. Gonnerman

Western Evangelical Seminary Theses

The problem under consideration was an inquiry into the nature of the religious experience of the Godly Hebrew in the Old Testament. The pious Hebrew worshipped God according to the dictates of his heart and in keeping with the forms of worship set forth under the Levitical system. It was the nature of this worship experience which was under consideration. The fundamental psychological elements of religious experience were examined as criteria for recognizing and analyzing the essentials of a valid spiritual consciousness as it appeared in the Old Testament. The Biblical study of the problem centered in three general areas: …

A Comparative Study Of The Evangelical Christian And The Japanese Buddhist Doctrines Of Salvation, Mitsuiku P. Inao

Western Evangelical Seminary Theses

During the past few years, the writer has become interested in making an effective evangelistic approach to informed adherents of Japanese Buddhism. It has been observed that far too often, there are pastors and Christian laymen frustrated because of an inability to present the message of the Gospel to the Japanese who were much influenced by Buddhism. It has been the conviction of this writer as he has worked in Japanese evangelism as a crusader of the Oriental Missionary Society campaign in Japan, and later as a student pastor in a small church, that any measure of evangelical success comes …

The Use And Procedure Of Fraternal Admonition According To Matthew 16:15-17, Karl Schmidt

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The basic purpose of this study of Matthew 18:15-17, as is the case with the valid study of any portion of Holy Scripture, is to determine the message which the Lord here speaks to His people today. More specifically, this study seeks to determine two things: (l) whether or not our Lord here lays down an explicit procedure for dealing with the sinning brother, and (2) whether this particular section of Scripture speaks only of personal relationships among Christians, or also of formal ecclesiastical discipline and excommunication.

Τελειοξ In Paul And Hebrews, Robert Rickus

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

This study is intended to analyze and explain the use of Τέλειος and cognates primarily in the thirteen Pauline Epistles and Hebrews, with specific reference to the problem of semantic uniformity in these epistles. / Although much has been written about individual occurrences of Τέλειος , / the question of the over-all role of Τέλειος terminology has received less attention than it deserves, and where treated, has too often been considered under the category of "perfection," which is not always an appropriate category for understanding individual passages, or recurring themes associated with Τέλειος. The findings of this study will be …

Berith Olam- Studies In The Davidic Covenant Traditions, James Rimbach

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The purpose of the present study is to explore one of these covenants, the Davidic covenant, in the light of recent analyses of the Near Eastern treaties. This portion of the study will be the material in Chapter II.

Categories Of Lutheran Preaching In America And Their Communication Systems For Apprehending Revealed Truth, Harlan Wendler

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

What is good Lutheran preaching? What are its components? The quest for successful proclamation of divinely revealed truth which enables men to apprehend it must be a humble prayer on the part of the preacher to God to make the ways of grace apprehensible. While the full answer to this quest will never be known this side of Judgment Day, some facets of the answer appear to have been given by God to His faithful heralds and need to be searched out. This paper is such a quest. It proposes to investigate, analyze and evaluate the relationship between the message, …

Christian Approaches To The Oriential Foreign Student In The United States, Paul Strege

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

It is the aim of this study to ascertain, on the basis of a survey of the literature available, which approaches hold hope of most adequately fulfilling Christian objectives in relating to the Oriental foreign student.