Religion Commons^™

Remembering September 11, Bob Bushong

ATS Chapel Services

No abstract provided.

"Living Through" The Looking Glass, Rebecca E. Pennington

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

In Lewis Carroll’s (1871, 1992) well-known poem from Through the Looking Glass, “Jabberwocky”, nonsense words combine with known English words to create a whimsical effect appealing to readers of all ages. The words seem to gambol and dance in the ear as one imagines the valiant son with the bloody “vorpal sword” in one hand and the head of the monstrous Jabberwock in the other as he goes “galumphing” back to his father (Carroll,1871, 1992). Alice senses there is meaning in the poem but confesses that she cannot quite understand it. She exclaims, “‘Somehow it seems to fill my head …

Christian, Reflective, And Nurturing: That Is Who We Are!, Daniel C. Elliott, Harro Van Brummelen

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

What is a nurturing, reflective, Christian teacher? An inquisitive group of teacher educator scholars from Christian colleges and universities sought to investigate this question during the 1990s. They wanted to better understand what it meant to teach in the image of the Lord Jesus Christ and follow His example. Jesus was thoughtful, reflective, and nurturing. Scripture tells much of his reflections about the world He was observing and the heart of humans. Therefore, these teacher educators aspired to better understand Christ-like reflectivity. The resulting conversation and investigation was an exciting one, but one not without some speed bumps along the …

Creating Space For Personal Meaning In Schooling, Harro Van Brummelen, Kimberly Franklin, Monika Hilder

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

This paper suggests possible ways for teachers to develop students’ personal meaning in public school classrooms. We discuss why schools should move beyond a focus on narrow performance standards and help students address the mysteries of life in our universe. We show how a personally meaningful curriculum is an integral one that emphasizes multiple dimensions of knowledge, enduring understandings, and the development of a moral imagination. We conclude that by using four educational keystones (gratitude, justice, imagination, and transcendence) we can educate for personal meaning without imposing our own worldview and belief system on our students.

Schools Of Education, Theory Production, And Institutional Reform, Steve Loomis, Jake Rodriguez, Rachel Tillman

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

The purpose of this brief study is to examine the constraints on theory production in schools of education, especially relative to Christian schools of education.

Timeline Of Fr. Laurier Labreche, 1926-2005, Hall & Monagle, Llc

Timelines

No abstract provided.

The Alleged Persecution Of The Roman Christians By The Emperor Domitian, Ken Laffer

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis examines the traditional view of Domitian 's reign, particularly as it relates to his alleged persecution of Roman Christians. In the light of recent revisionist studies, which offer alternative views, this alleged persecution needs to be reassessed. In order to reevaluate this topic, it will be necessary to examine the opinions of the traditionalists and the revisionists, argued from the pagan primary sources together with views expressed in Christian primary and secondary sources. The study of the development of the Domitianic tradition, which involves accounts from a variety of primary and secondary sources, will involve a re-examination of …

In Front Of Kataragama Under The Sacred Bo Tree: What Jesus Teaches Us About Mission, Rudolf Maier

Faculty Publications

This is a mission story that paints a picture of holistic missions. It illustrates what the results of establishing relationships between individuals and communities can lead to. It relates the story of the encounter of Jesus with the Samaritan woman and connects it to the authors own mission experience in Sri Lanka.

Beyond The 10/40 Window: When All You Thought You Had To Do Is Not Enough, Bruce Campbell Moyer

Faculty Publications

There is always a danger in being overly focused on a task. When this happens, we can fail to see other tasks or parallel tasks that are equally demanding. This paper focuses on some other “windows,” beyond the “10/40 Window,” that also call for serious attention, concerted prayer, specialized training, their own unique strategies, and a variety of personnel/gifts.

Parallel Structures: Challenges And Opportunities, Bruce L. Bauer

Faculty Publications

This article presents a case study of the Vietnam house-church movement, looking at the challenges and opportunities that often exist when security concerns and governmental persecution force the creation of a parallel structure through which God can work. The article suggests ways to maintain administrative linkage and supervision between parallel structures and gives several reasons why parallel structures may be necessary in our present sinful world.

The Epistle To The Hebrews And Patron-Client Relationships: Toward A Missiological Appropriation, Cheryl D. Doss

Faculty Publications

Missionaries in cultures where patron-client relationships are common can find their participation in such relationships difficult. Recent New Testament scholarship has illuminated the patron-client relationships implicitly described in the epistle to the Hebrews. Utilizing this scholarship, this article explores the patron-client relationships illustrated in the epistle to the Hebrews seeking biblical principles to guide missionary life and practice.

The Developmental Process Of Reflection In Youth Ministry, Laura Bowers

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The research of applied developmental practice of reflection is inconsistent and its theoretical framework changes depending on the disciplinary perspective. The variability is illustrative of reflection's complexity and its inconsistency as an ideal. This research attempts not only to define reflection within the context of the Prairie Lakes youth ministry program but also to highlight specific programmatic elements that are involved in the process. Through text analysis by the Minnesota Contextual and Content Analysis program and the theoretical guidance of Kohlberg, Mayer and Dewey insight into an applied reflective practice is formed.

The Democratic Fatwa: Islam And Democracy In The Realm Of Constitutional Politics, Noah Feldman

Oklahoma Law Review

No abstract provided.

Images Of God: The Effect Of Personal Theologies On Moral Attitudes, Political Affiliation, And Religious Behavior, Christoper Bader, Paul Froese

Sociology Faculty Articles and Research

Social scientists often explain religious effects in terms of religious group affiliations. Typically, researchers identify religious groups by denomination or some broader popular categorization, such as “fundamentalist” or “evangelical.” To capture religious differences more effectively, Steensland et al. (2000) propose an intricate classification of American denominations that takes into account the theology and historical development of various American religious traditions to predict individual attitudes and behaviors. We believe that equal care and attention should be devoted to the development of key measures of belief that may cross denominational lines. In this article, we propose one such measure: personal conceptions or …

The Kinderhook Plates, The Tucson Artifacts, And Mormon Archeological Zeal, J. Michael Hunter

Faculty Publications

“The Kinderhook Plates, the Tucson Artifacts, and Mormon Archeological Zeal” discusses Mormon archeological zeal, or the short-sighted enthusiasm shown by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) regarding relics or artifacts that might "prove" the veracity of the Book of Mormon or even of the LDS Church. This article summarizes the history of both the Kinderhook Plates and the Tucson Artifacts within this context, stating that the Kinderhook Plates have been proven fraudulent but that the Tucson Artifacts still provide mystery to researchers. The Kinderhook Plates were created by three conspirators who lived in Kinderhook, …

The Case For Sidney Rigdon As Author Of The Lectures On Faith, Noel B. Reynolds

Faculty Publications

Twentieth century attempts to include the "Lectures on Faith" in the writings of Joseph Smith, Jr., provoked this comprehensive survey of historical evidence and carefully designed authorship testing of the text. Every credible approach reaches the same conclusion. Sidney Rigdon wrote the Lectures on Faith, likely without help from Joseph Smith or any others. These Lectures are characterized by both teachings and language that Rigdon may have retained from his recent discipleship with Alexander Campbell. The published Lectures follow both the form and content of lectures given and then published by frontier phenomenon Charles Finney. The decision to insert these …

Developing A Strategy For Growth In The Seventh-Day Adventist Church In Finland Using The Natural Church Development Approach Based On A Case Study In The Turku Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Aimo Helminen

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The growth of the Adventist Church in Finland stagnated in the mid 1980s and after that the membership of the church began to slowly decrease. There is a need to look at the past growth patterns of the church in Finland to discover the reasons for the present decline in membership and develop and implement a strategy for church growth.

Method

Current literature was reviewed, including books and articles on the principles and strategies of church growth. These were studied in the context of the Turku Church in order to determine if the principles in the Natural Church Development …

Revitalizing Youth Ministry: A Spiritual Strategy To Minister Effectively To The Millennial Generation, Gustavo Squarzon

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The number of young people dropping out of the Seventh-day Adventist Church has increased 50 percent in the last ten years. Fifty-seven percent of those who left indicated the primary reason was not doctrines or theological issues, but the lack of relevance of the church to their lifestyle, spiritual needs, and everyday challenges. The purpose of this dissertation was to identify the spiritual, emotional, and relational needs of a specific generation, such as the millennial; and to develop a biblical spiritual lifestyle strategy to help today’s churches to reach and effectively minister to the members of that generation.

Method …

Presenting The Gospel Message In Thailand, Khamsay Phetchareun

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

There are over 62,000,000 Buddhists in Thailand. Current Christian approaches to presenting the gospel message to Buddhist people in Thailand have not yielded satisfactory results. The Seventh-day Adventist Church has had negative growth during the past ten years. In addition to approaches currently utilized by Christians there is a need to develop more effective approaches to present the gospel in Thailand.

Method

Buddhist students at Mission College were chosen as a case study. A survey of Buddhist attitudes and a cultural analysis of Thailand form the basis for this strategy. Library research, questionnaires, interviews, and observations were all used …

A Contextual Analysis Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Church In Norway, With Suggestions For Renewal And Growth, Kjell Aune

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Since 1979, when the membership of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Norway peaked, the membership has declined. There are underlying, complex reasons. This project seeks the underlying causes for the decline, and suggests possible solutions.

Method

The study begins by establishing a theological basis for ministry. Norwegian society is then analyzed demographically followed by an analysis of the Adventist Church in Norway, that includes a historical and organizational analysis, a review of the database material for the Adventist Church in Norway, and by four questionnaires designed for (1) Active members, (2) Pastors, (3) Former members, and (4) Young non-Adventists …

Leadership Development In Albania: Equipping Young Pastors For Apostolic Leadership, Leigh Rice

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Albania opened to Christian missions in 1992. The church is new and the pastors are young and with limited experience. Initial rapid growth has been followed by slow decline. Leadership and leadership development is in the hands of foreign missionaries with limited experience in Albania. There is a need to develop culturally-appropriate, apostolic leadership for a country with a predominately Muslim population.

Method

Library research, questionnaires, interviews, and observations were conducted to develop an understanding of the Project Director, the Albanian culture, a theology of leadership and church, and methods in leadership development. An appreciative inquiry approach was used …

A Model For Reaching African American Males In Southeast Atlanta With Seventh-Day Adventism, Ralph P. Peay

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Churches in America are on average 60-70 percent female. Attracting and integrating African American males into church life is a grave challenge. This study focuses on African American males in Southeast Atlanta and seeks to design a model for addressing their sociological and spiritual needs in anticipation of their accession into church membership.

Method

The setting for this study is the Atlanta Boulevard Seventh-day Adventist Church in Southeast Atlanta. The method employed in this project is an exploratory research approach that is designed to identify the social, economic, and other needs of African American males. In order to ascertain …

Training Members In The Greenwich Seventh-Day Adventist Church Towards A More Effective Sharing Of The Gospel, Terry Messenger

Doctor of Ministry Projects

The Problem

The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Britain is clergy dependant and as a result the Church is not growing as fast as it could be. Members of the Church are not proficient or confident in leading a person to Jesus.

The Method

A personal profile has been established so it can be seen that much of this project arises out of my own personality and spiritual characteristics. A profile of the Greenwich community as well as the church has been established through research, interviewing, and data gathering from kept records. A Task Force Team (TFT) has been set up …

Community Pastoral Care In Faith And Light: A Qualitative Study Of Perpetual Parenthood From A Pastoral Care And Counselling Perspective, Timothy William Dobbin

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Faith and Light is a Christian community that exists for people with an intellectual disability, their families and their friends, and that meets monthly to reflect on Scripture, to pray and to celebrate together. It promotes presence to one another and friendship amongst its members. This ethnographic study explored how parents from a local community experienced the "launching" phase of the family life cycle. Analysis of data from focus groups, from participant observation as a chaplain, and from informal interviews revealed particular aspects of parents experiences, including: challenges parents face, particularly with regard abuse and the need to advocate; concerns …

Valuing Diversity As An Imperative For Fulfilling The Mission Of The Church, Walter B. T. Douglas

Faculty Publications

Demographic shifts, cultural and ethnic diversity, globalization, and the rapid expansion of the church in the southern hemisphere strongly suggest that the future growth of Adventism may emerge in the developing nations. This article is an attempt to engage in conversation on the changing face of Adventism and the challenge this new Adventism presents across cultural, ethnic, and racially diverse communities. This article provides the church with a window of opportunity to view diversity not as an event but as a process to maximize and explore the richness of its diversity and to see it not as a problem to …

Mission And Unity, Patricia Jo Gustin

Faculty Publications

In a world fractured by divisions of all kinds, the church in the twenty-first century faces massive challenges for developing and maintaining unity. This article examines some of the ways the church has traditionally met this challenge and then focuses on the place of cross-cultural mission in aiding the church to meet it.

Structures For Adventist World Mission In The Twenty-First Century, Gorden R. Doss

Faculty Publications

Christian denominations and mission agencies use different structural models for doing world mission. This article discusses four models and the ecclesiological and practical implications of each for Adventist world mission. The current structural model is analyzed and suggestions are made for adjusting it to better fulfill Adventist world mission in the contemporary context.

Sacrifice, The Common Good, And The Catholic Lawyer, John J. Coughlin

Journal Articles

For some two decades since I entered law school, the connection between the philosophy of the human person and law has been of comparative interest to me. My interest was stimulated in no small part by the late Pope John Paul II, who urged that canon law reflect the essential elements of what it means to be human. Comparative legal study of the canon law of the Catholic Church with the law of the liberal state has convinced me of the importance of the understanding of the human person that underpins the law. Canon law and the Catholic intellectual tradition …

Joseph Bates: Originator Of Seventh-Day Adventist Mission Theory, George R. Knight

Faculty Publications

Joseph Bates was Seventh-day Adventism’s first theologian as well as the denominations first mission theorist. In the late 1840s he developed a chain- of-events approach to history and prophecy centering on the flow of events from Revelation 12:17-14:20. His prophetic chain-of-events logic eventually drove the denomination into worldwide mission as an eschatological imperative.

Post Reformation Ecclesiology And Missiology--From The Radicals To Wesley: Moving Out Of The Shadow Of Luther And Calvin, Woodrow W. Whidden

Faculty Publications

Whidden’s essay compares the key theological/ecclesiological factors of the Magisterial Reformation tradition with the Radical and Wesleyan ethos and their respective visions of discipleship, theology, ethics, and mission. He then argues that movements which are Arminian in their soteriology; functional, not institutional, in their ecclesiology; and emphasize discipleship (including strict discipline), sanctification, and Gospel ethics are more likely to have a missional bent.