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Ethnicity And Evangelism: Understanding The Crucial Role Of Ethnic, Social, And Cultural Factors In Proclaiming The Gospel, Bernardo Salcedo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation examines the pivotal role of ethnic and socio-cultural backgrounds in proclaiming and expanding the gospel to the nations during the early church's formative period. Building upon the theological foundation of God's overarching mission plan throughout Scripture, the research examines how these factors influenced the development of early Christian evangelism, particularly concerning the context of Jewish, Samaritan, and Gentile cultures. The study argues that the early church’s approach to spreading the gospel was profoundly influenced by the ethnic and cultural contexts of the people it encountered. Thus, the dissertation proposes that understanding these cultural dynamics is essential for a …

Incorporating Principles And Wisdom From Hospital Chaplaincy And Pastoral Ministry To Create A Ministry Model To Address Social Isolation And Loneliness In Black Churches, Albert A. Kemp

Doctor of Ministry Projects and Theses

To address the growing and widespread epidemic of social isolation and loneliness, with special focus on Black churches, this dissertation developed a program with the following areas of application: 1) how healthcare trained chaplains can coordinate with churches to positively impact individuals identified as lonely and socially isolated with better social and physical health, 2) how principles of chaplaincy and pastoral care can mitigate and intervene competently when such people are identified, and 3) how the project’s model can be organized, taught, and incorporated into existing arenas of church ministry.

The purpose of the project was to create a ministry …

Studies In The Reception Of The Council Of Trent In 16th-Century Lutheranism As Seen In The Eucharistic Theology Of Martin Chemnitz’S Examen Concilii Tridentini, Sebastian A. Grünbaum

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Grünbaum, Sebastian, A. Studies in the Reception of the Council of Trent in 16th-Century Lutheranism as Seen in the Eucharistic Theology of Martin Chemnitz’s Examen Concilii Tridentini. Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2025. “[338]” pp.

This dissertation focuses on the intra-Tridentine dialogue during the Council of Trent Session XIII (1551), which treated question related to the Lord’s Supper, and the Lutheran theologian Martin Chemnitz’s (1522–1586) examination of it.

The Council of Trent (1545–1563) largely defined the theological and administrative direction of the Roman Catholic Church for centuries. On the one side the Council tried to systematize, organize, and understand the church’s …

Realizing Reality — C.S. Lewis And The Hierarchical Model Of Christian Neo-Platonism, Jordan Spina

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Spina, Jordan, H. “Realizing Reality: C.S. Lewis and the Hierarchical Model of Christian Neo-Platonism.” Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2025. 253.

In recent years there has been a growing interest in C.S. Lewis’ intellectual relationship to the Medieval cosmological model. Scholars have demonstrated that, for Lewis, the Medieval cosmological model represented more than a scientific picture of earth in relation to other heavenly bodies. Its significance was not dependent upon the number of planets or the order in which they were positioned. Instead, it represented a philosophically robust view of reality

However, what has yet to be demonstrated is the roadmap …

Losing The Body: Tracing Corporeality As A Component Of The Imago Dei Through Early Christian Exegesis, Andrew Kneeland

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Kneeland, Andrew R. “Losing the Body: Tracing Corporeality as a Component of the Imago Dei Through Early Christian Exegesis.” Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2025. 252pp.

This dissertation examines the interpretation of imago Dei in Gen. 1:26 across early Christian history, revealing both a robust tradition of corporeal emphasis and a shift toward a spiritual consensus that was driven not by immediate, unanimous consensus but a variety of pastoral and polemical factors. Far from a fleeting, anthropomorphic error, a bodily understanding of the image of God spans diverse provenances and contexts. Organized diachronically and topically, the study begins with textual exegesis …

Returning Home: Vocation As A Theological Lens To Foster The Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus’ Holistic Ministry Among Migrant Returnees In Ethiopia, Ebise Dibisa Ayana

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

This dissertation examines return migration in Ethiopia, focusing on Ethiopian Domestic Worker Returnees (EDWRs) and the role of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY) in addressing their holistic needs. Using theological and institutional analysis, the study finds that, although the EECMY affirms holistic ministry as its motto, it lacks clear policies and official statements specifically addressing the spiritual and psychosocial needs of the returnees’.

The research argues that migration and return migration are theological and moral issues that require a holistic response grounded in a Lutheran Theology of Vocation. Such an approach fosters an integrated ministry that attends to …

St. John Henry Cardinal Newman’S Mariology: A Distinctively Patristic And English Understanding Of Marian Doctrine And Devotion, Erin Meikle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

St. John Henry Newman’s understanding and reception of the dogma of divine motherhood grew during his pre-Catholic years. This study employs a form of reception theory to argue that Newman exercised reserve and compromise in his discourse on Mary’s identity as the Mother of God during both his evangelical and high church Anglican periods. The first three chapters conduct a historical investigation of Marian devotion and reception of the dogma of divine motherhood in England from the period of the apparition at Walsingham (1061) up until the nineteenth century. The analyses indicate that England had an intense Marian devotion and …

Chaplains In Khaki: Methodist Soldiers In Camp, On The Field, And On The March, H. K.

Heritage Material

No abstract provided.

Faith Under The Führer: Protestant Pastors In Nazi Germany, Katie Cassady

Senior Honors Theses

This research examines Protestant churches in Nazi Germany and their varied reactions to Hitler’s Third Reich, tracing the Nazi rise to power, the Kirchenkampf (Church Struggle), the Confessing Church’s resistance, and figures like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Martin Niemoller, and Karl Barth. Hitler campaigned on a platform purporting to support religious freedom, but the state-sponsored persecution of Christian churches later revealed such promises as a facade. The Kirchenkampf exemplifies the reactions of Protestant German churches to Hitler’s rule: The German Christian Movement (GCM) endorsed Hitler’s radical racial theories, while the Confessing Church confronted the unbiblical rhetoric used by the GCM.

A Study Of Zomi Pentecostalism In Its Social, Cultural, And Political Context: A Pentecostal Quest For The Lost Paradise, Thang San Mung

College of Theology and Ministry Dissertations, Projects, & Theses

This dissertation examines the paradisal quest of the Zomi people, an ethnic Christian minority in Myanmar, through the lens of Pentecostal spirituality. Historically, the Zomi have experienced political displacement, loss of their ancestral homeland (Zogam), and ongoing marginalization. While existing scholarship has primarily interpreted Zomi struggles in terms of ethnic identity, nationalism, and socio-political resistance, this study offers a theological reorientation by interpreting Zomi paradisal longing through the Spirit-Restored Paradise framework, a Pentecostal theological model developed here. Employing a qualitative ethnographic methodology grounded in contextual theology, the research draws on semi-structured interviews with twenty-four Zomi Pentecostal participants from Myanmar and …

Review Of Canadian Pentecostal Reader: The First Generation Of Pentecostal Voices In Canada (1907-1925). By Martin W. Mittelstadt And Caleb Howard Courtney., Susan J. Tam

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

Review of Canadian Pentecostal Reader: The First Generation of Pentecostal Voices in Canada (1907-1925). By Martin W. Mittelstadt and Caleb Howard Courtney. Cleveland, TN: CPT Press. 519 pp.

Review Of Christian Conversion And Mission: A Brief Cultural History. By Andrew F. Walls., Misael Cornelio

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

A review of Christian Conversion and Mission: A Brief Cultural History. By Andrew F. Walls.

Review Of The Kaleidoscopic City: Hong Kong, Mission, And The Evolution Of Global Pentecostalism. By Alex R. Mayfield, Jue Wang

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

A review of The Kaleidoscopic City: Hong Kong, Mission, and the Evolution of Global Pentecostalism. By Alex R. Mayfield

Review Of Trauma And Renewal: Toward Spiritual, Communal, And Holistic Transformation. By Aizaiah G. Yong, Pamela F. Engelbert

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

A review of Trauma and Renewal: Toward Spiritual, Communal, and Holistic Transformation, by Aizaiah G. Yong with contributing authors Amos Yong and Alma Yong.

Review Of A Pentecostal Commentary On Romans By Glen W. Menzies, Jeffrey S. Lamp

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

A review of

A Pentecostal Commentary on Romans: Introduction, Translation, and Commentary. By Glen W. Menzies. Wipf and Stock, 2025. 514 pp.

Review Of Karl Barth And Pentecostal Theology: A Convergence Of The Word And The Spirit, Systematic Pentecostal And Charismatic. By Frank D. Macchia, Terry L. Cross, And Andrew K. Gabriel, Eds., Rick Wadholm Jr

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

A review of Karl Barth and Pentecostal Theology: A Convergence of the Word and the Spirit, Systematic Pentecostal and Charismatic. By Frank D. Macchia, Terry L. Cross, and Andrew K. Gabriel, eds.

The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly: Pentecostal Leaders' Attitudes Towards Pentecostalism., Franklin A. Markow

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

This article reveals the often self-disparaging perceptions Pentecostal leaders have of the movement and the psycho-social strategies they use to position themselves within it. Qualitative and quantitative research conducted among seasoned Pentecostal leaders and renewal-oriented seminary students reveals how these leaders both identify with and distance themselves from Pentecostal identity.

Remembering The Past: The Origins Of The Pentecostal Church In South Travancore, Viju Wilson

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

Early Pentecostals in the Thiruvananthapuram district (South Travancore) of Kerala state, India, embraced the Pentecostal faith in a context where traditional denominations held enormous power, resources, and social recognition. C. Manasseh played a significant role in spreading the Pentecostal faith and establishing the first congregation in the region. This forms an important part of the global Pentecostal heritage. Remembering the life and ministry of Manasseh, as well as the past and present journey of the first congregation, carries significant implications for the witness of Pentecostals today. Remembering the past is both a biblical and theological act, calling believers to participate …

The Modern Shift In The Roman Catholic Understanding Of Speaking In Tongues, John Gresham

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

Over the course of the twentieth century, the Roman Catholic understanding of speaking in tongues shifted from viewing the gift as always and exclusively xenolalia (infused knowledge of foreign languages) to a view of tongues as primarily glossolalia (inspired praise not in any known human language). This theological shift is reflected in standard Catholic reference works and in the ordinary teachings of the Catholic magisterium. This shift was a result of Catholic acceptance of historical-critical study of Scripture, a new understanding of charisms, ecumenical openness to the gifts of other Christian traditions, and most significantly, the rise of the Charismatic …

A Globally Informed Theological Method For Locally Lived Pentecostal Theology: Worship, Witness, And Work, Kenneth J. Archer

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

This article advocates for a globally informed yet locally experienced “Pentecostal theology” rooted in a specific theological approach. This Pentecostal approach shapes and re/shapes lived theology. Lived spirituality-theology is relational, emphasizing proper worship of the living God (orthodoxy), effective witness (orthomartus), and productive work (orthoergon). This represents a lived theology that is both personal and communal. All of this is expressed through labor (orthoergon) and witness (orthomartus), which form our “missional work” with the Lord God for the betterment of all creation. It proposes a method focused on worship, witness, and work, which are organically connected to the spirituality of …

Editorial: A Journal Impacting The “Uttermost Bounds” Of The Global Spirit-Empowered Movement, Daniel D. Isgrigg

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

Editorial by Daniel D. Isgrigg for Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology 11, no. 1 (2026).

Front Matter, Spiritus Editors

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

No abstract provided.

Spiritus 11, No. 1 (2026), Spiritus Editors

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

This is the full Spring issue of Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology 11, no. 1 (2026).

Res Historica, Volume 5, Alpha Rho Epsilon Phi Alpha Theta, Lindsay Rae Smith Privette Phd

Res Historica

The 2026 journal of historical research by Anderson University students, Res Historica.

The editorial team for this edition of Res Historica was Dr. Lindsay Rae Smith Privette, Julia Ackerman, Callyn Wright, Logan Davis, and John Hinton. Cover art by Mary Beth Lee.

The Royal And Divine Garden: Cherubim And Vegetation Imagery In Solomon’S Temple And The Ancient Near East, Jack W. Sulewski

Global Tides

Solomon’s Temple is described in significant detail in 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles. It may surprise the reader to know that virtually all iconography included in the Temple’s design were standard forms of communicating religious concepts in the Ancient Near East. This can present some theological problems. Is Israel’s “use" of other pagan nations' religious symbolism an issue when communicating the holiness of God? To understand further the relationship between culture, politics, and Ancient Near Eastern religion, I spent one month doing archival research in England’s multiple museums analyzing ANE object collections. Through a report of my work, this essay …

Tolkien's Joyful Sorrow, The "Gift Of Tears" Of Medieval Mysticism, And John Donne's Sermon "Jesus Wept", Giovanni Carmine Costabile

Journal of Tolkien Research

At the field of Cormallen, the emotion of joy felt by the victorious Hobbits is so great that Sam wonders whether everything sad will come untrue. At the same time, their joy is so great that it is described as "poignant as grief". Dimitra Fimi in 2017 pointed out Tolkien's probable indebtedness to Christian Orthodox tradition of "charmolype", or joyful sorrow. Another relevant parallel of the intermingling of joy and sorrow is the eleventh century Norman monk and abbot John of Fécamp's notion of the "Gift of Tears" (Gratia lacrymarum) from God, which brings true happiness. …

Review Of Chosen Peoples: Christianity And Political Imagination In South Sudan, John Ashworth

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Changing Mercy In Aotearoa New Zealand, Anna Nicholls Victoria University Of Wellington

Journal of Global Catholicism

This paper examines the evolving expression of Catholicity within the Mercy organization in Aotearoa New Zealand. It explores the impact of Vatican II, demographic shifts, and societal changes. Through interviews with lay leaders in Whānau Mercy Ministries, the religiosity, inclusive approach, and the tension between traditional Catholic identity and pluralism in the organization are explored. A pertinent discussion concerns how the organization uses a more secular portrayal of Catherine McAuley as a unifying figure for the religiously diverse audience. The author argues that while secularization influences the organization, it fosters human flourishing and community engagement, offering opportunities for growth rather …

Ancestral Rites And Tablets As A Site Of Contestation Between Confucian Filial Piety And Catholicism: The Cases Of Chinese Confucian Yan Mo And Korean Catholic Yun Ji-Chung, Mideum Hong

Journal of Global Catholicism

This essay examines how the Confucian practice of filial piety, particularly as expressed through ancestral rites and tablets, became a focal point of contention in the encounters between Confucianism and Catholicism. Focusing on the cases of the Chinese Catholic Yan Mo and the Korean Catholic martyr Yun Ji-chung, I argue that the different historical and cultural contexts in China and Korea significantly shaped how each figure understood and responded to the practice of ancestral rites. While Catholicism spread globally, local converts developed distinct theological interpretations rooted in their respective cultural traditions. Although Yan Mo and Yun Ji-chung reached divergent conclusions …

Opening And Closing Doors: Internationalism In The Norbertine Missions To Settler And Indigenous Populations In Wisconsin, Alex Gruber

Journal of Global Catholicism

In this essay, I argue that the Premonstratensian or Norbertine Order located in Berne Abbey in the Netherlands responded strongly to a call for international ministry by going to northeast Wisconsin for Walloon settlers from Belgium and their descendants in 1893. However, these priests and brothers fell much farther short of internationalism in the mission to the Oneida Nation reservation they received in 1898. I will make my case by detailing these two missions and analyzing how the Norbertines acknowledged their international nature and practiced or failed to practice internationalism in them. Diving into the mission histories requires discussion of …