Religion Commons^™

Clark Memorandum: Spring 2020, J. Reuben Clark Law School, Byu Law School Alumni Association, J. Reuben Clark Law Society

The Clark Memorandum

• Of Rights and Responsibilities: The Social Ecosystem of Religious Freedom
• I am the Woman Who Can
• Flashes of Light: Thoughts on Circumstantial Evidence
• Capital Markets and Human Flourishing

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Musical Worship: The New Sacrament?, Elsen Portugal

Great Commission Research Journal

Music has been present in the worship practices of Christian communities as far back as the early days of the Church. Its presence has not been merely tolerated but intentionally integrated into liturgical practices, sometimes reflecting practices under the old covenant, and at other times adopting other shapes. Music’s meaning and power have also been variously evaluated by theologians and laypeople through the centuries. In certain segments of Christianity, music has even developed a theological relationship to concepts of sacrament. Such a relationship has penetrated the “worship event” in the latter part of the twentieth century and has frequently become …

That All May Hear: How Indigenous Church Music Encourages Church Growth In Africa, Trevor Yoakum

Great Commission Research Journal

This article demonstrates how indigenous church music can be an effective tool in promoting healthy church growth. After defining indigenous church music through the insights of ethnodoxology, the author explains how it engages local hearers through their own conceptual categories. This cognitive interaction is relevant in that it augments comprehension of biblical themes and content. But it also impacts hearers through the various levels of their worldview. The article ends with a case study of how a consortium of African theological institutions and IMB missionaries are developing orality-based indigenous music to teach, refute heresy, and evangelize the continent.

Gems Of Gods And Mortals: The Changing Symbolism Of Pearls Throughout The Roman Empire, Emily Hallman

Armstrong Undergraduate Journal of History

Born in the wombs of shells and polished by mother nature herself, pearls were regarded as gifts from the gods. For millennia, the creation of pearls was credited to the tears of heavenly creatures or the formation of sun-touched dewdrops. Countless civilizations, both Western and Non-Western, have their own myths and legends surrounding the pearl, a mark of their mysterious allure. The artform of jewelry, favored by the Roman aristocracy, took advantage of naturally perfected pearls to create stunning pieces with staggering prices. The pearl’s meaning evolved throughout the Roman Empire and into Early Christian Rome, setting up a contradictory …

Guest Editor’S Foreword: Religiosity In Contemporary Ukraine, Nataliia Ishchuk

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Excerpt: "The issues of civilizational identity became paramount to the social existence of the church in the decade of revolution and war (2010-2020). This decade has become the most heroic and, at the same time, the most tragic one in the history of modern Ukraine, for its people and its churches. The Maidan and the Revolution of Dignity (late 2013 to early 2014) gave the people of Ukraine great hopes and expectations for the choice of a European future. The annexation of the Crimea by Russia and the ongoing war in the east of Ukraine, as planned by the Kremlin’s …

Problematic Issues Of Institutional Development Of Islamic Associations In Contemporary Ukraine, Serhii Ismahilov, Galyna Sagan

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article analyzes the revival of the Islamic religion which began in Ukraine in the 1990s. The authors point to the problematic issues of the institutional establishment of Islamic associations in contemporary Ukraine. In particular, four stages of development of Islam in independent Ukraine, which have their own institutional and ideological characteristics, are distinguished. Thus, the first stage was the creation of the first three spiritual administrations (the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Crimea, the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Ukraine, and the Spiritual Center of Muslims of Ukraine), the development of which defined the ideology of future development …

The Tragic Irony Of A Patriotic Mission, Li Ma, Jin Li

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Motivated by a patriotic zeal for the national salvation of China, in the 1910s, US-trained Chinese intellectuals like Francis Wei and T. C. Chao embraced a progressive version of Protestantism. While Christian colleges established by liberal missionaries during this time initially contributed greatly to nurturing a generation of intellectual elites for China, its institutionalization of progressive ideas, and its tolerance and protection of revolutionary mobilization under extraterritorial rights, also unintendedly helped invigorate indigenous revolutionary movements. Meanwhile, in the 1920s, anti-Western and anti-Christian student movements radicalized in China’s major urban centers. When the communist revolution showed more promise of granting China …

Islam In China: Uyghurs In Crisis, Isabella Baez

Senior Honors Theses

Islam has been in China for hundreds of years and has been the religion to ten people groups in China, including the Uyghur people group. The Uyghurs have been under China’s domain since the mid-1700s and since then have stood out among the fifty-five recognized minority groups due to their ethnic differences in comparison to the Han majority. The Uyghurs have a rich and distinct history and cultural heritage, which is different than the Han majority culture. Since 2001 there have been campaigns to curb religious freedom in China by controlling the Uyghurs’ autonomous region of Xinjiang, located in western …

Episcopal Sermons In The Library Of Appalachian Preaching, Robert Ellison, Larry Sheret

English Faculty Research

The Library of Appalachian Preaching provides online access to sermons preached in Appalachia, or elsewhere by preachers with ties to the Appalachian region. This article, in a newsletter published by the Historical Society of the Episcopal Church, discusses Episcopal sermons that are currently in the Library, and some that will be added in the very near future. 

The Pauline Concept Of Discipleship As A Model For Addressing The Youth Dropout In The Twenty-First Century United States Of America Church., Jacob Al Hassan

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

The dropout rate of more than five million young adults from faith and church in the last decade, who were originally born and raised in Christian homes, has reached a critical point. The Christian community must rethink its discipleship methods in order to impact the youth of today.

The researcher explored the root causes of the problem and identified that the current discipleship assumptions and strategies, rooted in modern mechanistic mass production paradigm do not work. Therefore, these assumptions and strategies must give way to a personally crafted one-on-one relational fatherly mentorship interconnected approach for the faith formation of the …

Healthy Church Multiplication In Modern Churches, William J. Burns

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Jesus’ command in Matthew 28:19 leaves no room for interpretation. The role of the followers of Jesus and of the church is decidedly clear. We are called to make disciples of all nations. An honest assessment of my local ministry context, Access Church, reveals that we, as a church, have fallen short of Jesus’ Great Commission. The intention of this research project is to understand the biblical mandate to make disciples as taught throughout Scripture, study Jesus’ discipleship methods in the book of Matthew, and, ultimately, create a new rubric to help Access Church—and other churches—understand how to measure its …

Denominational Influence In Church Revitalization, Donald J. Immel

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Many churches and denominations in North America have been experiencing plateau or decline for the past sixty years. In recent years, the Assemblies of God has experienced trends of plateau or decline in a majority of their churches. The PennDel Ministry Network, one of sixty-four districts within the Assemblies of God USA, has also observed that a majority of its churches are also in a state of plateau or decline. The primary intent of this dissertation is to explore denominational influence in revitalizing churches. Specific attention is given to the church’s participation in the missio Dei as well as the …

A Theology Of Compassion: Encouraging Local Church Ministry To Children In Foster Care, Allen Griffin

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Compassionate care within the local community of a church is of vital essence to a thriving church ministry. For centuries church leaders have endeavored to make an impact in the lives of the people living in their vicinity through outreach efforts. The compassion of the local church is needed in the area of children in foster care. Through the analysis of two church programs focused on serving the spiritual, educational, and social needs of teens in the foster care system, this dissertation will examine how to assist local churches in establishing a program to serve the children in their local …

A Strategic Plan To Assist Pastors In The Succession Between A Mentoring Lead Pastor And His Or Her Mentee, Glen Wolf

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Within the next decade, thousands of churches in America will be transitioning the lead pastoral position from one generation to the next. Most lead pastors are not prepared for this succession. The primary research question driving this project is: Can a strategic plan be developed that will assist pastors in the succession between a mentoring lead pastor and his or her mentee? This question is worth researching for the following reasons: 1) most literature written on the subject focuses on principles and/or practices; 2) most literature written on the subject looks at succession as a whole (congregation, board, et cetera), …

Factors That Produce High-Capacity Leaders Within The Church, Daniel O. Floyd

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Population is exploding, and yet the church, in some areas, is declining. High-capacity leaders, who can lead large groups of people toward gospel advancement, are needed now more than ever. The research question that this project seeks to answer is: what are the factors that produce high-capacity leaders within the church? The topic of leadership boasts a wealth of research; however, there is a gap in the research regarding what it takes to develop a highcapacity leader, as defined in this project. The research questions are answered through a qualitative phenomenological study that involve interviewing eight pastors who are leading …

Developing A Church Planting Growth Strategy For Growing Metropolitan Communities In The United States, Aaron R. Burke

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

The United States is becoming increasingly urbanized. The metropolitan areas are thriving with new residents and new industries. While the cities are growing, the church is declining. The church has a problem to solve. How do we plant rapidly growing churches in growing metropolitan areas? The focus of this doctoral dissertation is to present rapidly growing church plants as a solution to the declining church attendance in the metropolitan areas of the United States. Not only do new churches need to be planted, but these new churches need a strategy for growth. I found this strategy by researching five rapidly …

Religious Identity And Religious Belief: The Subconscious Religiosity Of Chinese University Students, Margot Leiner 20

Honor Scholar Theses

No abstract provided.

Intellectual Humility As It Pertains To Self-Knowledge, Nicholas S. Grounds

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Sword & The Mask: Toward A Confessional Lutheran Account Of Spiritual Warfare, Jon Furgeson

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Furgeson, Jon C. “The Sword and the Mask: Toward a Confessional Lutheran Theology of Spiritual Warfare.” Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2020. pp. "[Number of pages]"

This dissertation, a work in Trinitarian & ecclesial theology, seeks to recover the foundations of a full doctrine of spiritual warfare. Considering seeming disparate voices such as Walter Wink, C. Peter Wagner, John Kleinig, Gustav Wingren, and Leopoldo A. Sánchez, this dissertation asserts a constructive and integrative approach to spiritual warfare wherein the warfare is only enacted by the fallen powers of the sinful nature, the fallen world, and the fallen angels. This warfare is …

Parallel Spaces Of Migrant (Non-)Integration In Singapore: Latent Politics Of Distance And Difference Within A Diverse Christian Community, Orlando Woods, Lily Kong

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

This paper explores how the spatial practices of churches can lead to the (non-)integration of migrant communities. Whilst churches bring migrants and non-migrants together in space and time, so too can they cause them to become divided along ethnic, national, linguistic and/or class-based lines. In such cases, migrants can become integrated into a community of other migrants, which can discourage integration into the church-at-large, or into society more generally. These practices of (non-)integration give rise to parallel spaces of Christian praxis that can lead to the reproduction of distance and difference between (and within) migrant and non-migrant communities. To illustrate …

The Origins Beliefs Of Christian College Students, Emily Wilkinson

Senior Honors Theses

Many studies have focused on creation and evolution in academia, origins beliefs and biblical interpretation, and how students respond to origins challenges. The author then conducted a phenomenology of Christian college students’ origins beliefs, factors that influence those beliefs, and impacts that the beliefs have on students’ lives. Methods included a 44-Item Big Five Inventory and semi-structured interviews. Participants were eight residential undergraduate students at a Christian university who were currently or previously in a creation studies course. Results indicated that all participants held to young-earth creationism, and that family, Christian faith, education, personality, and academic major influenced the development …

Development Of Mass Communication Strategies For Church Growth: Engaging American Culture, Abby Hines

Senior Honors Theses

In this analysis, methods of mass communication employed by the church throughout its history will be reviewed. The context for this church study is specifically within American culture. Strategies for the most effective form of mass communication have evolved drastically within the past few years. For the church to properly engage in culture, it must understand the communication strategies that have intentionally or unintentionally been utilized throughout its history. An effective method of mass communication for the church is proposed.

A Study On The Evangelism Training Program For Church Growth: The Case Of Bethel Bible Baptist Church In Korea, Sung Hee Lee

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study is to find an evangelism training program for church growth in Korea. The researcher will study the evangelism strategies for church growth and will suggest effective evangelism training program to churches in order to find effective ways for church growth. The reason for selecting the evangelism training program for this study is to use it at Bethel Bible Baptist Church because evangelism is essential ministry for church growth and lots of churches have been experiencing growth by evangelism. The researcher will take advantages and supplement disadvantages from old evangelism programs to suggest new evangelism …

Comforting The Grieving Through Worship, Thomas Wayne Doss

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

One of the most challenging aspects of the human experience is dealing with the loss of a loved one. Although death marks the end of human life, it can affect the life of the ones closest to the deceased. Often, the griever is left in a sea of pain, which can produce doubts, isolation, and emotional conflict. Although the grieving believer may turn to the church for support in his/her time of grief, the church body may find itself unsure of how to respond best and support the needs of the bereaved. This qualitative historical study examines the literature pertaining …

Smooth Transitions: An Examination Of Succession Planning And Leadership Continuity Among Directors And Associate Directors Of The Potomac Conference Corporation Of Seventh-Day Adventists, Fred-Richard T. Warfield

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Far too many organizations fall short of the strategic task of succession planning. The absence of satisfactory solutions in this area stifles the ability of an organization to achieve its mission and vision. Lack of planning in this area also contributes to a negative impact on overall morale, staff performance, and effectiveness as these turnovers ensue. The purpose of this thesis project is to explore the perceived absence of intentional succession planning and leadership transitioning among director and associate director-level leadership positions within the Potomac Conference Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists. In this project, surveys and one-on-one interviews are conducted among …

A Multiple Case Study Identifying Factors Influencing Church Attendance And Engagement With Unchurched And Dechurched Families, Jason Robert Waters

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Many medium-sized churches experienced significant growth followed by years of declining attendance (Haskell et al., 2016). Many of them are in locations that could allow for significant growth. It seems as if some once growing churches no longer recognize how to best reach their communities and how to minister to the needs of the families making up their surrounding communities. The purpose of this multiple case study, a comparative analysis, is to identify factors that positively and negatively influence church attendance and engagement among unchurched and de-churched persons and families. At this stage in the research, regular attendance and engagement …

A Study On The Awareness And Practice Of The Elderly Welfare In The Church: Focused On The General Assembly Of Presbyterian Church Of Korea In Gumi City 교회 노인복지에 대한 인식 및 실천방안 연구: 예장합동 구미노회 소속 교회를 중심으로, Young Moon Jang (장 영 문)

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Facing the aging society, the Korean church has made various initiatives and efforts to realize quality social welfare for the elderly and has contributed greatly to society by expanding welfare facilities and operating and implementing various programs. Nevertheless, it is true that there are no specific measures to evaluate specific details and that the role of the church has been relatively undervalued. What the researcher noticed while studying the social welfare field professionally as a pastor was that the Korean church is not aware of its role and importance despite its considerable benefits and influence to the nation and society …

A Multi-Case Qualitative Study Of Servant Leadership In The Appalachian Mountains Of Southwestern Virginia, Deidra Kaye Jackson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is a need for capable leaders within churches to provide interconnected stability for economically challenged regions. The purpose of this multi-case study research was to understand and assess the exposure to the Ken Blanchard servant-leadership model on Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) church congregations located in the three-county area of Buchanan, Tazewell, and Russell in the rural Appalachian Mountains (RAM) region of Southwestern Virginia (SWVA) and select outcome assessment criteria. At this stage of the research, servant-leadership was generally defined as a leader who works for the common good and attempts to empower others in ways that strengthen and transform …

Comparison Of Perceptions Of Single Mothers And Christian Leaders Through Transformational Change, Brienne Denise Robertson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to examine the transformational change process of single mothers from their perspective, and to then assess the influence of Christian leaders in this transformational change process from the leaders’ perspective, with respect to the single mother’s family stability: spiritually, emotionally, financially and generationally. The two theories working simultaneously in this study was the transformational leadership theory and transformational learning theory. The implementation of these two theories could spark an authentic life-long change in the single mother. Understanding the role of transformational leadership in Christian leaders then becomes necessary to guide single mothers …

A Mixed-Methods Case Study Of Spiritual Formation And School Induced Stress In Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists During Hospital Residency, R. Dawn Whybrew

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Student registered nurse anesthetists in hospital residency undergo a rigorous schedule. For Christian nurse anesthesia students, spiritual formation may suffer due to the stressors of anesthesia residency. The purpose of this mixed-methods case study sought to understand and describe the perceived influence of participation in spiritual formation opportunities during nurse anesthesia hospital residency on students’ spiritual formation level as well as their ability to handle stressors of hospital residency. In phase one of the study, the researcher conducted a purposeful convenience sampling of 54 Junior and Senior students in a quantitative quasi-experimental design. In phase one, the participant's spiritual formation …