Religion Commons^™

Leadership Fueled By Glory: His Or Mine?, Lindsey Wilkerson

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

No abstract provided.

Review Of The Legacy Of A Hero Maker, By Dave Ferguson & Todd Wilson, Sergio Ochaeta

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

No abstract provided.

Review Of Leadership In Christian Perspective: Biblical Foundations And Contemporary Practices For Servant Leaders, By Justin Irving & Mark L. Strauss, Obed Yamasombi

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

No abstract provided.

Dissertation Notices, A. S. Chen, Z. C. Ellis, D. Kim, H. L. Lewis, D. E. Reinhardt

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

No abstract provided.

The Library Of Appalachian Preaching: A Digital Repository Of Sermons, Robert Ellison

English Faculty Research

This poster was created for the March 2021 Appalachian Studies Association virtual conference. It introduced conference participants to the Library of Appalachian Preaching, a digital humanities project hosted at Marshall University. The Library offers online access to sermons and other addresses delivered within Appalachia, or elsewhere by preachers with ties to the Appalachian region. The poster provides an overview of all of the major elements of the Library. Information presented includes the three “phases” of the project; demographic information about the preachers; examples of the digitized sermons; and examples of biographical sketches and the User Guide, a Google …

Agnosticism And Atheism As Amoralism And Anti-Ideological Sociopolitical Paradigm In The Balkans, Specifically In Bosnia And Herzegovina, Faruk Hadžić

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The study investigates whether atheism in B&H is treated, a priori, as amoralism and how this affects plural civic space. If religion is privileged, is it a politically dictated value system or pure ideology? Besides in-depth critical literature review, the author refers to a number of structural interviews focusing on both groups (theists and agnostic atheists) as a direct indicator of variability. The B&H Constitution obstructs the creation of a plural civic identity, hypostasizes the collective political mentality, and stigmatizes atheism and agnosticism in everyday life. Spiritual usurpation has moved into the realm of identity. The ideological ethnonationalism has metastasized …

Adventist Use Of The Qur’An: An Old Debate, Andrew Tompkins

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

In recent decades, Seventh-day Adventists have had several interactions discussing the use of the Qur’an for mission. Some Adventist ministers and workers have used the Qur’an as a tool to draw people into a discussion of faith and to guide people into an understanding of God that fits with the biblical portrayal. This has not been without controversy, and debate has taken place in formal and informal ways. This issue is often described as though it was a new form of mission Adventists are utilizing on the cutting edge of mission (Diop 2005; Maberly 2006). What this article demonstrates is …

Intercultural Mentorship As A Leadership Role, Daniel Nae

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

Intercultural mentorship requires special knowledge, skills, and attitudes (Osula and Irvin 2009; Dominguez Garcia 2012:109-116; Crutcher 2006:67- 74). Leader mentoring in intercultural contexts entails a way of living that inspires the mentee to develop a “similar mentoring mindset” (Rayford 2014:15). This article describes the importance of intercultural mentoring as a leadership role. The study starts with an evaluation of Osuna and Irvin’s model of cultural awareness. Then, it explores the concept of intercultural competence in mentoring, describes and illustrates the leader mentoring relationship in an intercultural context, and applies the concept to a university setting.

Prolegomena To A Theology Of Eschatological Leadership: 13 Leadership Principles For The End Time Gleaned From The Book Of Revelation, Gregory Pierce Whitsett

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

Jesus entrusted his disciples with leadership. That leadership was to be exercised on behalf of his mission to seek and save the lost in all the world before his return. This mission work will reach a climax during the time of the end before Christ’s promised return. This article explores the book of Revelation for clues concerning leadership qualities required for this task. The article will support the discussion of these leadership qualities with contributions from contemporary authors on the topic.

Developing a theology of eschatological leadership is a daunting task and will require a broader discussion than what one …

Mission Leadership Development In The Chinese Adventist Church: Reflections In The Light Of Traditional Chinese Philosophies Of Leadership, E P

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

Different schools of thought have emphasized multiples aspects of leadership, preeminently in the western hemisphere for the last decades (Bennis 1959; Greenleaf 1977; Malphus 2003). As China more decisively steps into the global arena through internationalization of its economy and political influence, scholars are only scratching the surface in exploring the pluralistic styles of Chinese indigenous leadership in both national and international organizations where the Chinese play significant leadership roles (Chen and Lee 2008: xv; Zhang, Chen, and Chen, and Ang 2014).

Contextual leadership is essential for the healthy development of any organization and that is equally true when it …

Skanda, The Multifaceted God: Skanda In Korean Buddhism And Beyond, Su Jung Kim

Religious Studies Faculty publications

This article focuses on the worship of Skanda in Korean Buddhism, particularly Skanda depicted in Sinjung t’aenghwa (the Paintings of the Guardian Deities). In order to contextualize this complex pan-Asian god, the article tackles two different and yet related issues: while it chronologically presents Skanda’s transformation in Korean Buddhsm, the discussion also weaves Skanda with other Asian traditions to explain the functional aspects of Skanda worship that are cross-culturally found across time. The article demonstrates that even though a sinified version of Skanda worship dominated in Korean Buddhism, Korean interpretations of Skanda made significant connections with the Indian leitmotif of …

“Publishing Goals Of Hanseikai Zasshi” (1887) And “Living The Pure Life” (1887). Translations With Introduction And Commentary, James Mark Shields

Other Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Forms And Roots Of Contemporary Religiosity In Estonia, Kaido Soom, Tõnu Lehtsaar

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The Republic of Estonia is a country on the east coast of the Baltic Sea. It borders Russia and Latvia on land and Latvia, Sweden, Finland and Russia on sea. As of 31 Dec 2011, Estonia had a permanent population of 1,294,455 (data from the Population and Housing Census). Estonia is a member of the European Union (2004) and of the Eurozone (2011).

Estonia has often been exemplified as a secularized nation having little regard for religion. Even so, religion is an important topic of conversation in Estonian society. For instance, Ave Tampere asked, in an article in one of …

Life Under Ban: Jehovah's Witnesses In Russia Since 2017, Emily B. Baran

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Since 2017, Jehovah’s Witnesses have been barred from legal practice of their faith in Russia. This marks the first criminalization of a major religious faith in Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union. For Witnesses, it has been a disturbing return to life under ban, a reality they experienced for decades under Soviet rule. Moreover, all indications suggest that this situation is unlikely to improve in the short term. Russian officials have shown consistent willingness to enforce a broad interpretation of the ban, including through the arrest and imprisonment of individual Witnesses. This article offers an overview of recent …

Reinforcement Of The New Islamic Civilization Through Qur’Anic Literacy, Asmaji Muchtar

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This article aims to provide a solution for how the new Islamic civilization in the modern era should be the answer to overcoming the various problems of the world community. Since its emergence, Islam has provided answers related to the role of science as a whole contained in the Qur'an, so it is not surprising that Muslim scientists and their work have become a reference for scientists around the world for 14 centuries ago. However, the literacy of Muslim scholars is too focused on qouliyah verses that contain Sharia, rather than kauniyah verses that contain science. On the other hand, …

Traversing A Tightrope Between Ecumenism And Exclusivism, Retief Müller

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

During the first few decades of the 20th century, the Nkhoma mission of the Dutch Reformed Church of South Africa became involved in an ecumenical venture that was initiated by the Church of Scotland’s Blantyre mission, and the Free Church of Scotland’s Livingstonia mission in central Africa. Geographically sandwiched between these two Scots missions in Nyasaland (presently Malawi) was Nkhoma in the central region of the country. During a period of history when the DRC in South Africa had begun to regressively disengage from ecumenical entanglements in order to focus on its developing discourse of Afrikaner Christian nationalism, this venture …

Purging The New Age: A Theological Analysis Of The Use Of New Age Practices By The Church, Christopher Michael Berg

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation sets out to demonstrate that Yoga and the Enneagram are not compatible with orthodox Christianity. Additionally, this dissertation will show that all possible attempts at Christianizing these practices ultimately fail due to incompatible underlying philosophies and theologies. In order to accomplish this task, assessment criteria will be developed through a comparison of a subset of evangelical Christian theological topics with their New Age counterparts. These criteria will be used to assess the level of syncretization in each practice as presented by the most popular and prolific Christian practitioners. After assessment, a recommendation will be given concerning each practice’s …

Defining Revitalization As The Initial Step In The Revitalization Process, Bradley Kent Childres

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The revitalization of churches that are either plateaued or declining is a daunting task for any pastor. The idea for this thesis project arose when this researcher engaged in his first revitalization program as a Senior Pastor. This researcher noticed that many people in the church were confused about what revitalization meant which led to confusion and mistrust in the revitalization process. This is when this researcher observed the need to define what revitalization means. As challenging as church revitalization is, pastors can make this process easier by knowing the first step to take in a revitalization program. This thesis …

Exploring The Cultural Intelligence (Cq) Experiences Of Ethiopian Immigrant Church Leaders And Church Families: A Phenomenological Inquiry, Worku Tegegn Wolderufael

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological research was to explore the cultural intelligence (CQ) of the Ethiopian Evangelical immigrant church leaders’ and families’ experiences in the Washington metropolitan area, including the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. In this study, nineteen participants were sampled to gather data. The data was collected through questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and focus groups. Following this, the data was analyzed through the transcendental phenomenological analysis. Through these analyses, the investigation presented the lived experiences of immigrant church leaders and church families. It described how the immigrant church leaders dealt with cultural conflicts through cultural intelligence to lead …

The Decline And Recovery Of Apostolic Leadership In Adventist Ministry, Anthony Wagenersmith

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

There are broad patterns of growth: plateau, decline, and ultimately renewal or death among Christian denominations and networks. One of the factors that catalyze movement dynamics early on—as well as their potential renewal—is the degree to which a church’s founding leaders embody and transfer the apostolic function for future generations (cf. Saarinen 1994; Morgan 2017). This article traces the initial function and decline of apostolicity among Seventh-day Adventist ministers as a case study with implications for contemporary Adventism and beyond.

After providing an analysis of leadership in the New Testament—with particular emphasis on apostles, apostolicity, and their relationship with elders—an …

Editorial, Boubakar Sanou

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

Mission Leadership

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

Health Beliefs, Behavior, Spiritual Growth, And Salvation In A Global Population Of Seventh‑Day Adventists, Duane C. Mcbride, Karl G. D. Bailey, Peter Landless, Alina M. Baltazar, David J. B. Trim, Galina Stele

Faculty Publications

Background The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a growing global denomination with strict substance use abstinence and recommended dietary requirements that together are called the “Health Message.” Abstinence from alcohol and tobacco is a requirement of membership and a plant-based diet is strongly advised. Purpose While a wide variety of research has reported the Adventist health advantage, very little research has been conducted on Adventist members’ attitudes toward and adherence to the Health Message. This research examines members' views, from a global survey, about the health message, personal adherence, and belief that adherence ensures salvation. Methods The survey was conducted in …

Calvin, The Bible, And History (Book Review), Keith C. Sewell

Pro Rege

Reviewed Title: Calvin, the Bible, and History by Barbara Pitkin. New York: Oxford University Press, 2020. 250 pp. ISBN: 9780190093273.

The Inevitability Of Tragedy: Henry Kissinger And His World (Book Review), Jack R. Van Der Slik

Pro Rege

Reviewed Title: The Inevitability of Tragedy: Henry Kissinger and His World by Barry Gewen. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2020. 452 pp. ISBN: 9781324004059.

Consolo Aos Pequeninos, S. Joseph Kidder, Natalie Dorland

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Study Of A Systematic Evangelistic Discipleship Process At The Lighthouse Free Methodist Church, Thomas Michael Doherty

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Lighthouse Free Methodist Church in Barryton, Michigan, lacks a systematic discipleship program that produces disciple-makers. This Doctor of Ministry project purposes to integrate a systematic discipleship program into the Lighthouse Free Methodist Church. The research methodology includes pre-and post-surveys and interviews. Pre- and post-survey data were collected to compare the number of disciplers, salvations, worship attenders, and the number of new systematic evangelistic discipleship groups. Six People participated in the training provided. The Lighthouse FMC is located near a small community of three-hundred people and is in the middle of a ten-mile circumference with thirty thousand. Thirteen people started …

Shared Oversight: Equipping Elders To Shepherd The Flock, Eric Michael Hartman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Leadership structures vary greatly across various faith traditions, but how much flexibility is biblically warranted? Far from being silent, the Bible is descriptive and prescriptive with regard to a plurality of leadership within a congregation. These elders, also called overseers, are to shepherd the flock (Acts 20:17, 28). The problem is that there is often lack training to that end. This study constructed a process for training elders and/or potential elders within a congregation to better understand the nature of plurality and parity of those tasked with caring for God’s people. The four training sessions covered the following: (1) The …

Addressing The Issue Of Low Attendance In Emmanuel Church Among Young Adults, Ivett Beverley Mcdonald

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the study was to address the issue of low attendance in Emmanuel Church among young adults. This topic is based on the investigator's awareness that individuals who grow up in Emmanuel discontinue attendance between the ages of eighteen to twenty-nine years. The literature review revealed that many churches commonly experience this problem. Emmanuel Church is primarily made up of Jamaicans and their descendants, and no literature addressed the immediate context of Emmanuel Church. The investigator interviewed twenty young adults who were previous members of Emmanuel Church. The study revealed that young adults leave Emmanuel in record numbers. …

The Role Of Ministry Structure And Student Ministry Leadership In Retaining Students In Church Following High School Graduation, Brandon Scott Carter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The thesis of this project is to validate the correlations between the staff's role, leadership development, ministry structure, staff tenure and student development as they relate to retention of students in the local church after high school. Aspects considered include staff role, leadership development, and student development. Staff role covers the tenure of the pastoral staff, unified vision, resources, and congregational support. Leadership development includes enlisting, equipping, encouraging, and evaluating workers. Student development includes evangelism, education, encouragement, and evaluation. Many churches lack a clear plan for students. Untrained volunteers often lead students, or an untrained and inexperienced person is hired …