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Full-Text Articles in Christianity

Formed Together: A Value-Based Model Of Mutual Spiritual Formation For Pentecostal Pastors And Churches Under 500, W. T.A. Mcmillan Oct 2026

Formed Together: A Value-Based Model Of Mutual Spiritual Formation For Pentecostal Pastors And Churches Under 500, W. T.A. Mcmillan

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

“Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock” (Acts 20:28) is both a warning and an invitation. It insists that the pastor's inner life and the congregation's shared life cannot be pulled apart without doing damage to both. This dissertation grows out of that conviction and out of years of pastoral ministry in Pentecostal churches where the pressure to perform often overwhelms the slow work of being formed. It asks a simple but searching question: How do Assemblies of God pastors serving congregations under 500 in attendance understand the connection between their own spiritual health and the spiritual …


Sanctified Rhythms Of Rest: Reclaiming Sabbath And Spiritual Retreat For Pastoral Renewal And Burnout Mitigation In The Georgia Assemblies Of God, Philip Sosebee Oct 2026

Sanctified Rhythms Of Rest: Reclaiming Sabbath And Spiritual Retreat For Pastoral Renewal And Burnout Mitigation In The Georgia Assemblies Of God, Philip Sosebee

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

“Sanctified Rhythms of Rest: Reclaiming Sabbath and Spiritual Retreat for Pastoral Renewal and Burnout Mitigation in the Georgia Assemblies of God” explored how intentional rhythms of Sabbath observance, solitude and silence, and spiritual retreat shaped the lived experiences of credentialed ministers within the Georgia District of the Assemblies of God. Pastoral burnout, emotional exhaustion, and unsustainable ministry expectations continue to affect ministers across denominational contexts, raising questions regarding the role of biblically grounded rhythms of rest in fostering pastoral renewal and sustainability. Using a six-month longitudinal hermeneutic phenomenological design, twenty-nine credentialed ministers participated in the intentional practice of weekly Sabbath …


To Heal Or To Harm: Scripture’S Use As Poison Or Medicine For Abuse Survivors, Felicia Cindyana Aug 2026

To Heal Or To Harm: Scripture’S Use As Poison Or Medicine For Abuse Survivors, Felicia Cindyana

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.


Social Psychology In Christian Perspective: Exploring The Human Condition, Donna Sharp Aug 2026

Social Psychology In Christian Perspective: Exploring The Human Condition, Donna Sharp

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.


Healthy Calling: From Toxic Burnout To Sustainable Work, Kathy Hoppe Aug 2026

Healthy Calling: From Toxic Burnout To Sustainable Work, Kathy Hoppe

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.


To Doubt Or Not To Doubt? Religious Development For Spirit-Empowered Christians, Andrea C. Walker, Ricky T. Munoz, Andrew S.I.D. Lang Aug 2026

To Doubt Or Not To Doubt? Religious Development For Spirit-Empowered Christians, Andrea C. Walker, Ricky T. Munoz, Andrew S.I.D. Lang

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.


The Role Of Ghanian Pentecostal-Charismatic Churches In Fighting Sexual Violence Against Women, Christian Tsekpoe Aug 2026

The Role Of Ghanian Pentecostal-Charismatic Churches In Fighting Sexual Violence Against Women, Christian Tsekpoe

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.


The Intersection Of Mental Health And Demonic Activity, Robert A. Willis Aug 2026

The Intersection Of Mental Health And Demonic Activity, Robert A. Willis

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.


Integrating Spiritual Disciplines As A Therapeutic Modality In Mental Health Counseling For Identity Restoration & Trauma Healing, Rebecca Webster, Charlotte H. Sanders Aug 2026

Integrating Spiritual Disciplines As A Therapeutic Modality In Mental Health Counseling For Identity Restoration & Trauma Healing, Rebecca Webster, Charlotte H. Sanders

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.


Five Years Of Salubritas: Looking Back With Gratitude And Forward With Expectation, Haley R. French Aug 2026

Five Years Of Salubritas: Looking Back With Gratitude And Forward With Expectation, Haley R. French

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.


Front Matter, Editors Salubritas Aug 2026

Front Matter, Editors Salubritas

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.


Full Issue Salubritas 5 (2026), Editors Salubritas Aug 2026

Full Issue Salubritas 5 (2026), Editors Salubritas

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.


Visible Faith: Teaching Young Men Of Generation Z Principles In Practical Theology Through An Intergenerational Mentorship Program At The First Baptist Church Of Jacksonville, Alabama, Todd Borders Aug 2026

Visible Faith: Teaching Young Men Of Generation Z Principles In Practical Theology Through An Intergenerational Mentorship Program At The First Baptist Church Of Jacksonville, Alabama, Todd Borders

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Gen Z, defined as people born between 1997 and 2012, is the first truly post-Christian generation and a key missional challenge for the Christian church. This researcher aimed for this thesis to contribute to practical ministry in the local church by creating a specialized curriculum for Gen Z men and delivering it through a newly developed intergenerational mentorship program at First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Alabama. The project paired older, spiritually mature men with micro-groups of three to four mentees to guide them through the curriculum. Five mentors and sixteen mentees, ages fifteen to twenty-six, from First Baptist’s congregation, participated. …


Church Revitalization In A Southwest United States Retirement Community Church: A Case Study, Donald L. Fraser Aug 2026

Church Revitalization In A Southwest United States Retirement Community Church: A Case Study, Donald L. Fraser

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Eighty percent of churches in the United States are either plateaued or declining. Across all denominations, as many as 7700 churches permanently close their doors each year. Pastors of once-vibrant churches transition to survival mode rather than continuing to build their churches. However, there are bright spots where a declining church reverses the downward trend and begins a renewed cycle of growth. This case study examined church growth and revitalization of Southwest Community Church (the name has been changed to protect the identity of the participants), a revitalized church in a dedicated retirement community. For this research, revitalization has been …


Pax Christi International’S Representation Within International Governmental Organisations, Fr. Paul Lansu, Giulia Bordin Aug 2026

Pax Christi International’S Representation Within International Governmental Organisations, Fr. Paul Lansu, Giulia Bordin

The Journal of Social Encounters

Pax Christi International (PCI) has used its consultative status at the United Nations since 1979 to connect grassroots peacebuilding with international policymaking. Initially focused on disarmament and human rights, PCI contributed to key international treaties and advocated against human rights violations worldwide. Over time, its advocacy expanded to include active nonviolence, ecological justice, sustainable development, and the accompaniment of local peacebuilders. By strengthening collaboration across its global network and enabling partners from conflict-affected regions to engage directly with international institutions, PCI continues to promote human dignity, international law, and a just and lasting peace through inclusive multilateral advocacy.


Judaism And Catholicism: Possibilities Of An Inter-Spiritual Dialogue, David Neuhaus Jul 2026

Judaism And Catholicism: Possibilities Of An Inter-Spiritual Dialogue, David Neuhaus

Journal of Global Catholicism

This article examines the possibilities of an inter-spiritual dialogue between Catholics and Jews. Describing the transformation of the Catholic attitude to Jews andJudaism in the wake of the Second Vatican Council, moving from a teaching of contempt to one of respect, it analyses the far-reaching reformulations of Catholic theology that promote an interreligious dialogue. After centuries of traumatic history, Jewish reactions have been hesitant. However, the past decades have led to a burgeoning relationship that can indeed flower into a mutual inter-spiritual dialogue that deepens the faith of both Catholics and Jews.


Jainism And Catholicism – Dialoguing Spiritually, Bryan Lobo Jul 2026

Jainism And Catholicism – Dialoguing Spiritually, Bryan Lobo

Journal of Global Catholicism

The inter-spiritual dialogue between Jainism and Catholicism lends itself towards discovering similarities and dissimilarities between the two spiritualities. Recognizing this discovery, this paper, without claiming to be exhaustive as regards the spiritual themes, discusses the chosen themes to facilitate greater reflection and potential to re-discover elements that can help the growth of understanding and practicing the preferred spirituality.


Islam And Catholicism: Theology And Practice Of Inter-Spiritual Dialogue, Felix Koerner Jul 2026

Islam And Catholicism: Theology And Practice Of Inter-Spiritual Dialogue, Felix Koerner

Journal of Global Catholicism

This article explores foundations, preconditions, aims, persons, groups, practices, methods, texts, and criteria of Muslim–Christian inter-spiritual dialogue. In-ter-spiritual dialogue thrives within the network of other dialogical forms: dialogue of life and collaboration, of theological and practical understanding. This article argues that the spiritual dimension of dialogical encounter may itself constitute a critical site of moral reflection, enabling participants to perceive injustice more clearly and to respond to it more responsibly. Nevertheless, the integrity of in-ter-spiritual dialogue depends upon the cultivation of trust, candor, and a shared orientation toward mutual enrichment and spiritual purification. Where dialogue is subordinated to extrinsic strategic …


The Dialogue Of Spiritual Experience In Buddhist-Christian Encounter, S Mark Heim Jul 2026

The Dialogue Of Spiritual Experience In Buddhist-Christian Encounter, S Mark Heim

Journal of Global Catholicism

Can one learn more about one’s own religion through the practices of another? My positive answer to this question is illustrated in this paper by reflection on aspects of the Buddhist practice of emptiness, in specific connection with Christian under-standing of our lives as creatures. The Buddhist meditative practices I have in mind have several things in common. They are introspective (activated in one person’s inner consciousness) and premised on the Buddhist understanding of emptiness (specifically “no self ” teachings). Buddhist introspective practice takes at least three broad forms. One of these is a meditative analytical awareness of the contents …


Hindu Poetry And The Project Of An Inter-Spiritual Catholic Theology, Francis X. Clooney Jul 2026

Hindu Poetry And The Project Of An Inter-Spiritual Catholic Theology, Francis X. Clooney

Journal of Global Catholicism

This article engages the work of the Indian south Indian Tamil-language Vaiṣṇava poet saints known as the Alvārs. The article specifically focuses the First HundredHoly Linked verses of Poykai Ālvār to argue for inter-spiritual learning between Catholics and Hindus. The article concludes with personal reflections on this encounter within the context of the global Catholic Church


Overview And Acknowledgments, Mathew Schmalz Jul 2026

Overview And Acknowledgments, Mathew Schmalz

Journal of Global Catholicism

An overview and introduction to the present issue on Inter-Spiritual Dialogue.


Review Of Effective Intercultural Evangelism: Good News In A Diverse World, Authored By Moon And Simon, Terri Champion Jun 2026

Review Of Effective Intercultural Evangelism: Good News In A Diverse World, Authored By Moon And Simon, Terri Champion

Witness

No abstract provided.


Review Of Evangelism: Learning From The Past, Authored By Green, Jeffrey Stevenson Jun 2026

Review Of Evangelism: Learning From The Past, Authored By Green, Jeffrey Stevenson

Witness

No abstract provided.


Developing Robust Human Formation For Ministerial Training, Mary L. Parks Jun 2026

Developing Robust Human Formation For Ministerial Training, Mary L. Parks

Obsculta

The Apostolic Exhortation Pastores Dabo Vobis recognizes that effective ministerial formation is holistic, attending to all aspects of a minister’s being. The document therefore outlines four pillars of formation: human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral. In Co-Workers In the Vineyard of the Lord, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) extends the same four pillars of formation to the development of lay ecclesial ministers. The USCCB also applies these pillars to diaconal formation in The National Directory for the Formation, Ministry, and Life of Permanent Deacons in the United States of America.


Loose The Bonds Of Injustice: The True Fast Of Lent, Bella Brinkman Jun 2026

Loose The Bonds Of Injustice: The True Fast Of Lent, Bella Brinkman

Obsculta

This reflection was written for and delivered to the community of the Saint John's School of Theology and Seminary on February 19, 2026. It reflects on Isaiah 58:6–8 and the theme of Lenten fasting, as part of the Midday Prayer Service during the first week of Lent. The reflection was composed and offered in the context of the ongoing immigration enforcement raids carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minneapolis. It invites the community into a deeper consideration of the Christian response to injustice during the Lenten season.


Assessing The Needs Of A Church’S Older Adults To Promote Their Flourishing, Royston Terrell Booker Iii Jun 2026

Assessing The Needs Of A Church’S Older Adults To Promote Their Flourishing, Royston Terrell Booker Iii

DMin Project Theses

The purpose of this project was to lay the groundwork for creating a holistic Senior Adult Ministry to support the flourishing of older adults through the activities of God’s people, the church. This approach to help older adults’ well-being is best accomplished through holistic support to enhance well-being, but many churches have not considered a holistic approach or developed a supportive capability. To create a holistic Senior Adult Ministry, I assessed the needs of senior adults in the Brentwood Hills Church of Christ (BHCC) in Nashville, Tennessee, within the United States. The findings and conclusions of this dissertation provide a …


Caring For Our Neighbors: Public Prayer As A Pastoral Tool For Multicultural Communities, Gilbert Perez Jun 2026

Caring For Our Neighbors: Public Prayer As A Pastoral Tool For Multicultural Communities, Gilbert Perez

School of Theology and Seminary Graduate Papers/Theses

Throughout 2025 and in the first few months of 2026 there has been an increased presence of immigration law enforcement in the state of Minnesota, which has extended into the central Minnesotan diocese of St. Cloud.


Recapturing Evangelism: A Biblical-Theological Approach, Bruce Gregory Gale Jun 2026

Recapturing Evangelism: A Biblical-Theological Approach, Bruce Gregory Gale

Witness

No abstract provided.


Inviting A Personal Response To Ite, Missa Est: Developing And Offering A Focused Retreat To Extend The Sensory Experience Of The Holy Mass, Celina Chavez May 2026

Inviting A Personal Response To Ite, Missa Est: Developing And Offering A Focused Retreat To Extend The Sensory Experience Of The Holy Mass, Celina Chavez

Master of Theological Studies Honors Theses

Holy Mass is a deeply sensory experience, connecting the human with the divine by way of the human senses. At its close, the faithful are sent forth with the final blessing and dismissal; however, some may not understand what this entails.

This thesis examines the necessity of a relationship with Jesus Christ in and stemming from the Eucharist with reference to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, spiritual writings regarding the liturgy and Christian love, and reflections on the missionary nature of the Catholic Faith. It proposes catechesis in the form of a teatime retreat, engaging the senses as a …


On Thursdays, We Wiggle, Beth Evers May 2026

On Thursdays, We Wiggle, Beth Evers

Doctor of Ministry Projects and Theses

Churches of all stripes, including Roman Catholic, mainline Protestant, and non-denominational churches, have early childhood learning centers (sometimes called daycares, preschools, or child development centers) as part of their ministry profiles. Many of these churches are missing an important opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ by not intentionally ministering with the children and adults of their early learning centers.

In September 2019, University United Methodist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, began a worship gathering specifically designed for the infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and adults of their Child Development Center. While the specifics of University UMC’s decision to begin Wiggle …