Religion Commons^™

Biblical Metaphors For Servant Leadership: A Strong Foundation For Leadership Development, Gary A. Runn

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project addresses the lack of a biblically grounded model for servant leadership. Research explored three biblical metaphors as the foundation for a leadership development framework: servant, shepherd, and steward. First, the servant metaphor, through a posture of worship and submission to Jesus, gives expression to servant leadership through representative authority and genuine humility. Second, the shepherd metaphor, through a posture of selfless sacrifice to followers, gives expression to servant leadership through compassion and care. Third, the steward metaphor, through a posture of extreme faithfulness to the Master, gives expression to servant leadership through courage and risk-taking in the mission. …

Introduction To The Science Of Virtue, Why Positive Psychology Matters To The Church, Mark R. Mcminn

Faculty Publications - Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program

My students look at me funny when I mention 1980, as if we are studying ancient history. It doesn’t seem that long ago to me, but most of them were ten years shy of being born. Mount St. Helens erupted that year, gifting my classmates and me with an inch of ash for our college graduation day in Portland, Oregon. Rubik’s Cube captured the world’s attention and more of my free time than I care to admit. And a concerned couple at my church approached my wife, Lisa, and me a few weeks before we packed our U-Haul for graduate …

The Effects Of Grace Interventions In Church Communities, Rodger K. Bufford, Mark R. Mcminn, Jeff A. Moody, Laura Geczy-Haskins

Faculty Publications - Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program

Grace remains little studied though several recent studies have developed promising ways to measure grace. Here we report two studies involving grace interventions as part of an ongoing investigation of positive psychology in the context of Christian church communities, Study One used a crossover design in which two congregations were measured on grace and other variables at the outset, and again after phases one and two. One congregation received a grace intervention during phase one and the second during phase two. Results showed increased scores on grace but not an expected increase in marital satisfaction among married participants. Study Two …

Review Of Altered States: Buddhism And Psychedelic Spirituality In America By Douglas Osto, Ronald S. Green

Philosophy and Religious Studies

No abstract provided.

Kuiji’S Analysis Of Individual Capacities For Enlightenment: Philosophical Foundations Of His Chinese Yogācāra Buddhist Tradition, Ronald S. Green

Philosophy and Religious Studies

According to Mahāyāna Buddhism as seen in the Lotus Sūtra and many other Buddhist texts revered in Chinese and other East Asian traditions, the Buddha used his insight into each individual’s capacity for understanding, to tailor his teachings about how they should proceed toward overcoming suffering. For this reason, the Buddha is sometimes called the Great Physician, having the ability to diagnose an individual’s case and prescribe a specific remedy. This is the Buddha’s skillful means or skill-in-means (upāya), his expertise in crafting a personal plan for liberation. Thus, the overall ethical imperative is the same regardless of an individual’s …

The Shingon Ajikan, Meditation On The Syllable ‘A’: An Analysis Of Components And Development, Ronald S. Green

Philosophy and Religious Studies

This paper examines what has been described as the most basic and essential element of Kūkai’s (774-835) religio-philosophical system (Yamasaki 1988:190), meditation on the Sanskrit syllable ‘A’. According to Shingon Buddhist tradition, Kūkai introduced the meditation on the syllable ‘A’ (hereafter referred to as the Ajikan) into Japan in the early 9th century, at the time he transmitted the Shingon Dharma to that country from China. Materials clearly showing the origin and development of the Ajikan before Kūkai’s time have either not been discovered or have not been analyzed in relationship to the Ajikan. Indeed, some researchers have argued that …

Making Room: Conversations About Race And Faith Between Members Of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church In Charlotte, Nc And St. John's Baptist Church In Charlotte, Nc, Martha Dixon Kearse

Doctor of Ministry Projects

In this project, the candidate recorded personal stories from members of two different Baptist congregations: Friendship Missionary Baptist Church (a church made up predominantly of members identifying as African-American) and St. John’s Baptist Church (a church made up predominantly of members identifying as Caucasian). Using those recordings, the candidate created a podcast called “Making Room,” and invited participating group members to listen to each other’s stories. In addition, the candidate invited these same group members to participate in conversations about issues of race, especially as they present themselves in Charlotte, NC. The candidate and group members challenged themselves with the …

Meditation And Contemplation: Framework For A Coping Mechanism Among Small Groups At The Mount Moriah Baptist Church In Spartanburg, South Carolina, Gary W. Jordan

Doctor of Ministry Projects

“Don’t say God is silent if your Bible is closed.” - Church Sign This project aimed to encourage and enable a small group class at Mount Moriah Baptist Church to adopt meditative and contemplative prayer as a framework for a coping mechanism. In practicing this type of prayer life, participants anticipated to receive the benefit of being better able to cope with stressors of life. Utilizing a small group study, Lectio Divina, biblical examples, breathing techniques and various surveys, participants were enabled to experience a deeper interaction with Scripture, aided by the ministry of the Holy Spirit, to hear God …

Engaging Millennials: The Quest To Revive Their Participation And Commitment At Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church, Gastonia, Nc, Kimberly Moore

Doctor of Ministry Projects

There are times when a church can have the look of success, but the zeal of that ministry is slowly diminishing. The older generation continues to do their best to keep ministry viable and moving, but there is a younger generation who does not see the importance of committing to anything beyond the Sunday morning experience. Through a series of Bible studies, sermons, outreach and moments of fellowship, this project engages the millennial generation and discovers ways to move them toward some level of commitment and participation within the Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church, Gastonia, NC. It is becoming more and …

Wertheimer's "Faith Ed.: Teaching About Religion In An Age Of Intolerance" (Book Review), Gary Sehorn Dr.

Faculty Publications - College of Education

A review of:

Linda K. Wertheimer

Faith Ed.: Teaching About Religion in an Age of Intolerance

Boston, MA: Beacon Press, 2015 pb 211pp ISBN 978-0-8070-8616-2

In The Way They Should Go: Nurturing The Relational And Spiritual Nature Of Children, Jamee Free

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation explores the innate relational and spiritual nature of children. This dissertation assumes that children are deeply relational and spiritual as part of the image of God within them. Chapter one takes a comprehensive look at how children are struggling within this country on every measure of health, as well as how relational nurture and soul care are significantly lacking. Chapter two explores Biblical materials, especially the incarnation, Jesus’ interactions with children, passages from Deuteronomy, verses from Proverbs, and examples of children in Biblical narratives. The third chapter focuses on historical and theological materials, as well as theories from …

How To Handle Face-Saving In The Chinese Church Through Servant-Leadership, Jiying Song

Faculty Publications - George Fox Digital

Excerpt: "Leaders unknowingly functioning out of face-saving, the tendency to try to protect ones standing or reputation or to avoid losing some aspect of these, have a negative impact on organizational leadership. The purpose of this paper is to discuss how leaders can mitigate the negative influence of face-saving through servant-leadership in the Chinese church setting."

Sloth: America's Ironic Structural Vice, Conor M. Kelly, Christopher D. Jones

Theology Faculty Research and Publications

Individualism is a popular cultural trope in the United States, often touted for its promotion of industriousness and rejection of laziness. This essay argues that, ironically, America's brand of individualism actually promotes a more fundamental form of the very vice it purports to oppose. To make this case, the essay defines the unique form of individualism in the United States and then retrieves the classical definition of sloth as a vice against charity (not diligence), contrasting Aquinas and Barth with Weber to demonstrate that this peculiarly American individualist impulse undermines civic charity by reaping the benefits of civic relationships while …

Deconstructing Theodicy: A Fresher Reading Of The Book Of Job, Anthony Maynard

Masters Theses

The Book of Job displays well the reality of the human predicament. However, does the Book of Job provide an answer to the problem it so vividly displays: the existence of God and the reality of suffering? This paper is a quest for an answer, which, if correct, is no. The purpose of the book has less to do with an answer for why good people suffer and more to do with exactly what God has done, and continues to do, to rectify suffering, culminating in the Christ event. Stated simply, the Book of Job exists as a harbinger, to …

Integrative Learning For Practical Wisdom, Kathleen A. Cahalan

School of Theology and Seminary Faculty Publications

Why is “the very kind of knowledge that people need to live well—what we call practical wisdom—the least understood, the hardest to learn, and often the most devalued kind of knowledge?”6 This essay will explore the second question: Why is practical wisdom the hardest kind of knowledge to learn?

Benedictine Communio: A Gift For The Church?, Michael Leonard Hahn

School of Theology and Seminary Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Consumers, Clergy, And Clinicians In Collaboration: Ongoing Implementation And Evaluation Of A Mental Wellness Program, Glen Milstein, Dennis Middel, Adriana Espinosa

Publications and Research

As a foundation of most cultures, with roots in persons’ early development, religion can be a source of hope as well as denigration. Some religious institutions have made attempts to help persons with mental health problems, and some mental health professionals have sought to engage religion resources. These programs have rarely been sustained. In 2008, the Mental Health Center of Denver (MHCD) developed a program to assess the utility of religion resources within mental health care. In response to positive feedback, MHCD appointed a director of Faith and Spiritual Wellness who facilitates community outreach to faith communities and spiritual integration …

Christian Responses To Discrimination And Violence In India And Sri Lanka: Avoidance, Advocacy, And Interfaith Engagement, Chad Bauman

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

No abstract provided.

Pentecostals And Interreligious Conflict In India: Proselytization, Marginalization, And Anti-Christian Violence, Chad Bauman

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

No abstract provided.

Laudato Si’ And The Tragedy Of The “Throwaway Culture.”, Lucia A. Silecchia

Scholarly Articles

Throughout Laudato Si’, Pope Francis decries what he calls the “throwaway culture.” At first blush, given the over-arching ecological theme of Laudato Si, this may seem to be solely a critique of wasteful consumerism. However, it is far more than that. It is a critique of a mindset and world view that discards people, promises, values and community bonds when they seem to lack immediately obvious or quantifiable value in the eyes of the world. Although this is a profoundly personal moral critique, it also provides a lens through which all laws and public policies might be viewed. Laudato Si’ …

Cultivating Emerging Leaders: Understanding A Pastor's Role, Spencer A. Click

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to understand the influence and impact a local church pastor can have in the development of emerging leaders. The researcher sought to understand a biblical model of the leader/follower relationship through examining the examples of Moses/Joshua, Elijah/Elisha, and Jesus/the disciples. These examples provided insight into the behaviors of established and emerging leaders and what roles each play in the developmental process. To further the study, a review of relevant literature pertaining to transformational leadership and follower-focused leadership models was completed. Servant leadership, situation leadership, and redemptive leadership were examined to understand the part an …

Educating The Whole Being: Yoga & Mindfulness In Schools, Trang Huynh

LMU Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Windows To The Divine: The Development Of Byzantine Art, Sam Klein

Tenor of Our Times

Byzantine art took significant inspiration form its Greco-Roman heritage but then distinguished itself through a shift in focus away from Hellenic realism and towards formal abstractions of Christian motifs. These conventions developed alongside political and theological turbulence to eventually influence a vast area of Asia Minor and Eastern Europe.

'Dare To Be Different': How Religious Groups Frame And Enact Appropriate Sexuality And Gender Norms Among Young Adults, Rhys Williams, Courtney Ann Irby, R. Stephen Warner

Sociology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Purpose

The sexual lives of religious youth and young adults have been an increasing topic of interest since the rise of abstinence-only education and attendant programs in many religious institutions. But while we know a lot about individual-level rates of sexual behavior, far less is known about how religious organizations shape and mediate sexuality. We draw on data from observations with youth and young adult ministries and interviews with religious young adults and adult leaders from Muslim, Hindu, and Protestant Christian groups in order to examine how religious adults in positions of organizational authority work to manage the gender and …

Panorama Of Popular Haitian Music And Folklore, Jean Wilner S. St Jean

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Haitian music has been influenced by the people who lived on the island from the native before the Columbus discovered Haiti to the United States occupation. This country is rich in culture which has impacted by the Creole identity. The overview of the different kind of Haitian music by categories and subcategories from the beginning to now. The government, the religion, the social class, and population play an important role in the popularity and acceptance of certain music.

Faith In A Galaxy Far, Far Away: Star Wars As Religion, Darryl B. Hunter Ii

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Within the past three decades, Star Wars has become nothing short of a household name. The millions of dollars gained from the films and various products, as well as the enjoyment and enthusiasm generated among fans, shows that Star Wars' value and significance in the realm of entertainment is substantial.

In addition to this value, there are also many religious and mythological elements that are embedded within each of the movies. However, these elements do not carry the same prominence or interest that the plotline has with the audience. In an interview, Lucas stated that it was not his intent …

Festival Of The Circumcision And Naming Of Our Lord One And Three Year Series 2017, Phillip L. Brandt

Sunday's Sermon

No abstract provided.

Review Of Our Life Is Love: The Quaker Spiritual Journey By Marcelle Martin (San Francisco, California: Inner Light Books, 2016), Carole Spencer

Quaker Religious Thought

I feel somewhat reluctant to write a review of this book. Not because I fear being too critical of it, but because I fear being too complimentary. Full disclosure: Not only did I have the privilege of writing the preface to Our Life is Love, but I read drafts of some of the chapters as they were being written when Marcelle Martin was the Mullen Writing Fellow at Earlham School of Religion. I also know Martin personally, and her life authentically accords with what she has written, indeed, her life is love. So naturally I feel a deep investment in …

Value Of Quaker Religious Thought To Me And To Friends, T. Vail Palmer Jr.

Quaker Religious Thought

Excerpt: "Quantitatively speaking, if it were not for Quaker Religious Thought, my credentials as a published scholar would be slim indeed. By the time I reached the age of 65, they would have consisted of one published lecture (the 1968 Shrewsbury Lecture) and one book review (in the Anglican Theological Review. Everything else — articles, comments, book reviews, editorials — had been published in QRT."

My Faith In Practice, John Punshon

Quaker Religious Thought

I guess the most common—and accurate—metaphor for the religious life is that of a journey, and that is the word that lots of people use nowadays in giving an account of their religious development. Today, I want to choose a different word to express my theme, which is ‘fulfilment’. Throughout my life, rather than strike out adventurously into new and unknown seas, I have tried to sound the depths of the one I find myself in, and seek to possess as fully as possible the heritage of the Christian faith into which I was born.

I want to talk about …