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Jacob 5, Romans 11: A Common Textual Tradition?

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

Readers who are currently studying the letters of Paul will find an article by James E. Faulconer to be of interest. In "The Olive Tree and the Work of God: Jacob 5 and Romans 11," published in The Allegory of the Olive Tree, he suggests that the olive tree passages in Jacob 5 and Romans 11 are connected by a common text. He first discusses differences between the two passages, noting that they seem to show that the passages simply share a common rhetorical tradition. However, Faulconer goes on to consider that other linguistic evidence "suggests the possibility of …

The Concept Of The Contravention Between Realization And Negligence: An Empirical Study, Saeed Dwaikat, Waleed Ali Ali

An-Najah University Journal for Research - B (Humanities)

This research aims to examine the concept of contravention as one of the studies of the fundamentals of jurisprudence (Islamic Fiqh) related to the denotative meaning of expressions, and to present the different viewpoints on the issue under investigation and the weighting between them as well. The researchers opted for dropping their theoretical study on the two holy Quranic verses of Repentance 80 (al –tawbah), and the Rooms: 6 (Al-hujurat), as an applied study on the subject. The two researchers followed the descriptive approach, and divided their study into three parts. The first talks about the concept of contravention, its …

Counselors’ Spirituality, Attitudes Toward Suicide, And Self-Efficacy In Conducting Suicide Risk Assessment, Tayler Hendrix

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study aimed to explore the relationship between perceived spiritual support and counselor self-efficacy in conducting suicide risk assessment, and the moderating effects of attitudes about suicide on this relationship. Based on existing theory and empirical evidence, perceived spiritual support was hypothesized to have a positive predictive relationship with counselor self-efficacy in performing suicide risk assessment; further, four different constructs pertaining to attitudes toward suicide were also hypothesized to moderate the strength and direction of this relationship. A sample of Master’s level clinicians and advanced standing Master’s graduate students (N=132) completed on online survey containing instruments measuring perceived spiritual …

The Struggle Is Real: Constructing Liberative Meaning Making That Facilitates Black Student’S Authentic Identity Formation And Navigation Through Predominately White Institutions, Felicia Marie George

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on how Black students’ use of navigational capital reflects a quest for complex subjectivity that facilitates authentic identity formation and navigation through a private, predominantly white, four-year, R1 institution (PWI’s). A qualitative study that used portraiture methodology was conducted to collect stories of the lived experience and perceptions of two Black senior undergraduate students who attended a PWI. Their stories provided the foundation for constructing liberative meaning making (LMM), an ethic of praxis that uses a hermeneutics of listening to heighten students’ awareness of and living from interiority. The concept engages De La Torre’s theory of liberative …

Truth U, Justice U, Jesus U, Joseph Clair

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

Excerpt: "College and university professors in the liberal arts (humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences) are almost entirely left-leaning, liberal, or progressive, and this is especially true among faculty in the humanities and social sciences. Insofar as political party affiliation is representative, the statistics are stunning- roughly 12: I Democrat to Republican in the humanities and social sciences nationally, and this ratio is even more pronounced in certain selective schools (Brown University takes the cake with 60:1).1 Students who attend liberal arts colleges or universities (that is, non-trade, nonvocational schools that require core curricula and keep an array of majors …

The Multiverse Argument For The Existence Of God, Michael Dover

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Fine-Tuning Argument for the Existence of God is one of the most powerful arguments in favor of God’s existence. Perhaps the most common objection to this argument involves the Multiverse Theory, which posits an infinite or very large multiverse, adequately explaining the fine-tuning of the universe without positing an intelligent designer. Thus, the Multiverse Theory is often posited as a way of maintaining Atheism. In this paper, I argue that the Atheistic Multiverse View is untenable: if the multiverse exists, God or gods are highly likely to exist as well. Additionally, this paper explores topics like: the conceivability of …

Evangelical Prayer Beads: An Opportunity To (Re)Introduce The Use Of Prayer Beads To Evangelicals, Dan Alex Payne

Doctor of Ministry

I see an opportunity today for Evangelicals to become familiar with contemplative practices such as labyrinths, centering prayer, Lectio Divina, and prayer beads. The purpose is to foster interest in early Christian contemplative practices, particularly the use of prayer beads. Section One lays out how this project benefits Evangelicals who recognize the need for a more holistic approach to faith rooted in ancient Christian discipline. Evangelicals tend toward an overly intellectualized faith, which can be rectified through a tactile, kinesthetic approach to prayer like those afforded via prayer beads.

This undertaking considers that wearing bead bracelets has often become a …

Queer Crises: Movements From Queerness And Feelings Of White Religion In The United States, Austin Williams Miller

Communication ETDs

Anchored by contemporary crises surrounding queer and trans people in the United States, I employ movements from queerness within an affective queer phenomenological framework to understand how arrangements of “white religion” (Schaefer, 2015, p. 63), a process whereby U.S. American Christian forms escape ideology into religious affective economies in the United States, relegate queer people “to the background… to sustain a certain direction” (Ahmed, 2006, p. 31). I assemble a queer rhetorical context analyzing white religious space in documentary film, secular sexual regulation through contemporary U.S. legal contexts around marriage, and settler colonial Christian nationalist political imaginations to critique how …

That Ye Might Feel And See: Touch In The First Day Of Christ's Ministry, Dan L. Belnap

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Navigating Cultural Crossroads: Exploring Fictional And Interview Narratives Of Nigerian Immigrant Women Living In The Southern United States, Tolulope Adeusi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nigerian immigrant women undergo constant navigation of their personal identities when conflicting cultural dynamics sometimes engender a balancing act between their personal beliefs and the ongoing process of acculturation. Their new Southern environment offers its own traditional mores, as well as greater opportunities for economic advancement. This places Nigerian Immigrant Women in a position where they must reconcile their desires for personal independence and empowerment with societal expectations that emphasize more traditional gender roles. This study explores the interview narratives of Nigerian immigrant women, reinforced by fictional accounts from prolific African women writers, which provides a more nuanced discussion of …

With Whom Should One Worship? A Fresh Perspective On John Calvin’S Liturgical Theology Of Physical Proximity And Spiritual Epidemic, Sam Neulsaem Ha

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

COVID-19 has taught us that whom one surrounds oneself with has a profound influence on one’s well-being. In that light, does whom we worship with matter as well? John Calvin would in fact argue that the people we physically worship with have a great impact on our spiritual life. According to Calvin, if you simply worship with (who he deemed to be) the unrighteous group of people, you will lose your spiritual health or even endanger salvation. This is why he was so insistent on asking the French Protestants to leave France and join him in Geneva. What is striking …

"God Put It Into My Heart": Omen-Seeking And Divine Communication Narratives In Contemporary American Protestantism, Emma Crisp

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This project examines omen-seeking practices within Protestant Christianity in the U.S. Intermountain West. It collates and analyzes the results of ethnographic research into the ways that mainline Protestants experience, interpret, and talk about their personal spiritual experiences. The project finds that divinatory and other omen-seeking practices exist in this context but are not recognized or discussed as divinatory due to the conflation of divination with sortilege and the prevalence of prayer as the primary solicitation method for Protestant forms of augury. Emic categories of omen are distinguished not through generation method (such as the solicited/unsolicited distinction proposed by Tom Mould), …

Discipling The Whole Person, Scott R. Ward, David Sedlacek, Rogelio Paquini, Jasmine Fraser

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Review: Oliver Jens Schmitt, Biserica De Stat Sau Biserică În Stat? O Istorie A Bisericii Ortodoxe Române, Editura Humanitas, București, 2023, Csaba Szabó

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

A review of Oliver Jens Schmitt, Biserica de stat sau biserică în stat? O istorie a Bisericii Ortodoxe Române, Editura Humanitas, București, 2023. 457pp.

ISBN: 978-973-50-7919-2

Transition And Transcendence: An Approach To Constructive Transgender Theology With Insights From Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza And Karl Rahner, Maggie Nadalin

School of Theology and Seminary Graduate Papers/Theses

Recent attempts at theology impacting transgender individuals from the Catholic bishops in the United States have not only angered and disheartened many but have also failed to address transgender individuals as human persons. Relying on motifs devoid of scientific dialogue, the bishops’ attempts at applying theology to individuals of transgender experience ignores decades of research in both the worlds of the physical and social sciences.

This paper is an attempt to frame the discussion around transgender individuals in a space where theology and science are able to dialogue for their mutual enrichment. Drawing from the experience of the author as …

Counseling By Default: A Study Of Pastoral Burnout Among Liberian Pastors, Helen Gibson-Newman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Many Liberians turn to their pastors for help before considering going to a professional counselor. Pastoral counseling in Africa, especially in Liberia, is framed within African life and thought based on appropriate backgrounds that are evident in cultural assumptions and practices. Hence, pastoral counseling in Liberia assumes a cultural background central to the holistic Christian life that connects all dimensions of one’s social and spiritual life. Thus, the Liberian view of pastoral counseling is distinctly African, with a unique blend of noticeable Liberian values, traditions, and cultural practices based on a combination of its American and indigenous African heritage. The …

Multicultural Worship Studies Of Military Chapels In South Korea, Abbey Nicole Bradley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite a large body of literature on Korean/American worship, there is little to no research that addresses multicultural worship of the United States Army Garrison (USAG) in the Republic of Korea (ROK) at the Protestant military chapels. In addition, there is also a lack of research regarding worship ministry at USAG installations in general, aside from general multicultural worship models. Developing a biblical and multicultural worship model for the Protestant USAG chapels in the Republic of Korea is essential because of the diverse ethnicities in the U.S. military and the diverse backgrounds, denominations, and cultures within the military chapel communities. …

Discipleship Growth At St. Mary Of The Angels: Developing A Catholic Senior Citizens Religious Education Program, Dennis Trimboli

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This action research project aimed to develop an adult religious education program allowing senior citizen parishioners to mature in their faith and discipleship. The project’s population (60+ years old) were members of a small Catholic parish in South Carolina. The age group was designed to embrace pre-Vatican II Catholics. It was hypothesized that their understanding of discipleship would differ from post-Vatican II Catholics. The incentive for the project was the researcher’s concern that seniors may have grown complacent in their faith. The program used mixed research methods. An initial assessment of the population’s “discipleship standing” was necessary and obtained by …

Christological Apologetics: How Late Antique Christians Contextualized Christology In Inter-Faith Dialogue With Muslims, Andrew P. Hillaker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The earliest Christian-Muslim dialogue offers a unique glimpse into how Christians viewed the religion of their neighbors. Much of contemporary American scholarship misplaces focus geographically and linguistically in the West, chronologically late, and theologically narrow. These biases neglect those who had the earliest interaction with Islam, allowing for misunderstanding of how Christians originally understood Islam. This study examines the apologetic arguments of representatives under Islamic rule, in the late 7th to early 9th centuries, and both inside and outside theological orthodoxy, to understand how they used Christology to distinguish Christianity from Islam, whether as a heretical group or a distinct …

Evangelistic Mentorship To Address Youth Decline At Dawn Baptist Church, Rickey Wesley Dover

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This paper presents an intervention addressing young adults’ tendency to leave the church after adolescence. This thesis project proposes that false conversion in a person’s formative years drives young adult church departure. For those who have a relationship with Christ, the most probable cause for departure is the lack of sanctification and growth due to an absence of biblical training. Therefore, this project designed and implemented an evangelical mentorship program specifically designed for youth in the church. While the research approach focuses more on quantitative methods, it also has qualitative elements. This research is qualitative in many of the self-reflections …

Indigenous Genres On Digital Keyboards: Vitalizing Choral Worship In The Methodist Church Ghana, George Mensah Essilfie

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research examines digital keyboard workstations for choral accompaniment in the Methodist Church Ghana from an Ethnodoxological perspective. The Methodist Church Ghana has a strong choral tradition and is known for using indigenous African musical genres to inspire congregational singing and liturgical music. Digital keyboards are adaptable and versatile, making them ideal for Christian worship and inspiring the Methodist Church Ghana composers to write and arrange music rooted in traditional African genres. Choral keyboardists often accompany choral ministrations using rhythmic patterns programmed and played on digital keyboard workstations. However, little academic research has been conducted on the spiritual implications of …

Pastoral Leadership As A Perceived Factor Of Changing Church Membership In South Carolina: A Phenomenological Study, Bobby L. Dukes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The role of a pastor comprises many duties and responsibilities within the church; some have led to chaos. Clinton et al. (2005), states many churches are mired in a significant leadership crisis (p. 10). Pastors are called to lead people in spiritual growth, with the end goal of parishioners living a mature spiritual life for the sake of Christ, not the contrary. The enormity of pastoral leadership has a lasting effect. Kristin Tabb (2017) claims that relatively minor church hurts leave people with a burned-out feeling during service, while the more serious wounds leave parishioners soul-scarred and physically sick at …

Resetting Foundations. Congregational Training For The Small Group Ministry: An Action Research To Correct Intent, Cultivate Community, And Grow Spiritually, Jarrett Gallardo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Small group ministry is crucial for the health and well-being of the church. The problem this DMIN action research sought to address was that Valley Gate Church did not grasp the purpose of small group ministry due to not implementing small groups with well-defined intent. Valley Gate Church is a church plant that launched in 2016. This DMIN action research aimed to create and implement a six-week congregational training to develop small group leaders and members at Valley Gate Church. Twenty-two participants were involved in the entire six-week training. All participants took a pre- and post-training assessment consisting of surveys, …

Intergenerational Model Of Discipleship, David Lyn Sampson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Some of God’s most prominent spiritual leaders are characterized by their deep intergenerational connections. People like Moses and Joshua, Elijah and Elisha, Paul and Timothy, and Jesus and John exemplify it. In this study, “intergenerational” means creating opportunities for intentional dialogue and interaction cross-generationally to foster mentoring and biblical discipleship. This research aims to create an intergenerational model of ministry that will encourage churches to embrace intergenerational discipleship concepts. It is not uncommon for church ministry to seem like silos, with people compartmentalized according to age or phases of life. Silo ministry can hinder individuals from forming generational relationships. Unfortunately, …

Understanding Correlation Between Christian And Non-Christian Servant Organizational Leadership And Pre-Licensure Baccalaureate Nursing Student Caring Dimensions, Scott Jeffery Spiridigliozzi

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to understand if a relationship exists between Midwest baccalaureate Christian and Non-Christian nursing programs’ organizational servant leadership characteristics and pre-licensure baccalaureate nursing students’ caring dimensions. This study utilized a quantitative approach to a correlational design using survey methodology for data collection. The first sample consisted of four Christian pre-licensure baccalaureate nursing programs’ Faculty/Staff, Supervisors, and the nursing program’s Top Leadership, along with their pre-licensure baccalaureate nursing students. The second sample consisted of three Non-Christian pre-licensure baccalaureate nursing programs’ Faculty/Staff, Supervisor, and nursing program Top Leadership and their pre-licensure baccalaureate nursing students. Many nursing studies …

The Decalogue Of Justice: A Covenantal Application Of Biblical Justice, Andrew Mark Adil

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation aims to establish a biblical theology of justice (מִשְׁפָּט), ascertaining the commands and references to justice in Scripture are comprehensively and exclusively rooted in the Moral Law of the Torah, summarized in the Ten Commandments, and embedded in the Covenant of Grace (Old and New), making it binding on New Covenant believers and inextricably attached to the church’s Great Commission mandate. To this end, the study examines the concept of justice in the OT and the Moral Law, contrasting Reformed evangelical hermeneutics with the modern iteration of Liberation Theology in connection with the application of biblical justice. Additionally, …

Adam Boreel (1602–1665): A Collegiant's Attempt To Reform Christianity (Book Review), Kyle J. Dieleman

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

Reviewed title: Adam Boreel (1602-1665: A Collegiant's Attempt to Reform Christianity by Francesco Quatrini. Leiden: Brill, 2021. 423 pp. ISBN: 9789004420007.

Giving Zakat In Building Mosques And Schools Equipment: Comparative Study, Abdelhamid Ben Ali

An-Najah University Journal for Research - B (Humanities)

This study centered on the rule of the Islamic Sharia in the disbursement of alms giving income to the building of mosques and schools. The problem of this study stems from the point view of Islamic law, which has set alms giving in only eight categories. Moreover, if it said that alms giving is permissible in all public interest, it will cancel the benefit of determining of these alms of giving. There are disquieting questions such as: What if people fail to volunteer in mosques and schools? This study came to achieve a set of objectives, such as: The most …

Mirabai: The Making Of A Saint, Nancy M. Martin

Religious Studies Faculty Books and Book Chapters

This book traces the narrative genealogy of the immensely popular Indian saint Mirabai from the earliest manuscript references to her through colonial and nationalist formations to scholarly and popular portrayals in the decades leading up to Indian independence. This iconic sixteenth-century woman is renowned for her unwavering love of God, her disregard for social hierarchies and gendered notions of honor and shame, and her challenge thereby to familial, feudal, and religious authorities. Though verifiable historical facts regarding her life are few, stories about her have multiplied across social, linguistic, regional, and religious boundaries. With attention to who is telling which …

Canadian Lutheran History: Remembering Today, For The Sake Of Tomorrow, Karen Kuhnert

Consensus

No abstract provided.