Christianity Commons^™

The Secret Of Smerdyakov, Abigail M. Munzar

Global Tides

This paper analyzes the mysterious character of Pavel Smerdyakov from Dostoevsky’s novel, The Brothers Karamazov, by examining his loveless upbringing, motives for murdering Fyodor Karamazov, and his final conversations with Ivan Karamazov, to argue that Smerdyakov committed suicide out of guilt from his crime. Smerdyakov may have had a potential conversion to Christianity which would have triggered an identity crisis in which he was tormented between accepting Christ’s love and hanging on to his lifelong hatred. Thus, he would have committed suicide out of remorse from his sin like the biblical Judas and an inability to choose between conversion or …

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 …

Program: 2025 Featured Lecture, "The Good And The Right: A Philosopher Wrestles With An Ancient Problem For Christian Ethics, Caleb Clanton Dr.

William M. Green Distinguished Christian Lecture Program

Program for the Forty-Fifth Annual William M. Green Distinguished Christian Scholar Lecture Program with featured lecturer Dr. Caleb Clanton, Distinguished University Chair in Philosophy and Humanities at Lipscomb University

Why Seek Profits?: A Missional Perspective On Business, Jooho Lee

All Faculty Open Access Publications

There are plenty of good reasons to be suspicious about profit-seeking. There are also good reasons to be suspicious about attempts to justify the pursuit of profits by focusing solely on the value of profits or of the work that produces the profits. Nevertheless, there is a good reason for the Christian to engage in profit-seeking: it can be a way to participate more fully in the missio Dei. Profit-seeking plays a central role within the market process by communicating and incentivizing a certain way of relating to the material and social world. When we realize profits in ways that …

Program: 2025 Featured Lecture, "Abandonment And Freedom A Philosopher Looks At The Religious Life", Zena Hitz

Frank Pack Distinguished Christian Scholar Lecture Program

Program for the Twentieth Annual Frank Pack Distinguished Christian Scholar Lecture Program with the featured lecturer Zena Hitz, tutor in the great books program at St. John's College, Annapolis, Maryland.

Program: 2024 Featured Lecture, "The Simple Secret: Choosing Love In A Culture Of Hostility", Joshua Graves

William M. Green Distinguished Christian Lecture Program

Program for the Forty-Fourth Annual William M. Green Distinguished Christian Lecture Program with featured lecturer Joshua Graves, preaching and teaching Minister for Otter Creek Church.

Program: 2024 Featured Lecture, "Tell Her Story: How Women Led, Taught, And Ministered In The Early Church", Nijay Gupta

Frank Pack Distinguished Christian Scholar Lecture Program

Program for the Nineteenth Annual Frank Pack Distinguished Christian Lecture Program with featured lecturer Nijay Gupta, Professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary.

81st Annual Pepperdine Bible Lectureship--Harbor: Running With Perserverance (2024), Mike Cope

Pepperdine Bible Lectures: Programs

Program booklet for the 81st Annual Pepperdine Bible Lectures, held at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, April 30-May 6, 2024. The Pepperdine Bible Lectures is an annual event hosted by Pepperdine University featuring a wide variety of lectures and classes on topics and themes in the Bible and Christianity.

Mike Cope, Lectureship Director

Evan Woods, Tami Williamson, and Rachel Higgins, Lectures Team

Program: Featured Lecture, "Stranger God: Meeting Jesus In Disguise.", Richard Beck

William M. Green Distinguished Christian Lecture Program

Program for the Forty-Third Annual William M. Green Distinguished Christian Lecture Program with featured lecturer Dr. Richard Beck, Professor and Chair of the Psychology Department at Abilene Christian University.

Women In Silence: Paul's Words About Disruptive Women In Church Gatherings, Charles Davenport

Global Tides

This research seeks to understand the meaning behind Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 14:31-35. Paul's direct command, "women should keep silent," seems quite clear on paper, but more context is needed when contemporary churches decide how to apply these words. This article examines three theories: the passage being a rebuttal, the passage being an interpolation, and the passage having significant cultural context. After reviewing the three theories, the proposed interpretation is that Paul's command was to a specific people in one particular cultural context, not a universal command for all churches of all generations.

Program: 2023 Featured Lecture "Learning To Be Human In The School Of Christ", Daniel Lee Hill

Frank Pack Distinguished Christian Scholar Lecture Program

Program for the Eighteenth Annual Frank Pack Distinguished Christian Lecture Program with featured lecturer Dr. Daniel Lee Hill, Assistant Professor of Christian Theology at George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University.

80th Annual Pepperdine Bible Lectureship--Harbor: God Loves Forever (2023), Mike Cope

Pepperdine Bible Lectures: Programs

Program booklet for the 80th Annual Pepperdine Bible Lectures, held at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, May 2-5, 2023. The Pepperdine Bible Lectures is an annual event hosted by Pepperdine University featuring a wide variety of lectures and classes on topics and themes in the Bible and Christianity.

Mike Cope, Lectureship Director

Evan Woods, Rachel Higgins, and Tami Williamson, Lectures Team

Hammer And Fire: Lessons On Spiritual Passion From The Writings And Life Of George Whitefield, Lisa Smith

Faculty Books

Internationally-celebrated revivalist George Whitefield stands alone for both his extraordinary life of passion for God and the striking power and emotion of his writing. Preaching an estimated 18,000 sermons during numerous international preaching tours, Whitefield also published wildly popular writings such as journals and letters. In Hammer & fire, modernized excerpts of Whitefield's writings combine with engaging retellings of his most impactful life events to enable the popular eighteenth-century preacher to reach across the centuries to inspire and instruct us to pursue Jesus Christ with reckless love and abandon.

The Experiences Of Parents In A Christian Spiritual Parenting Program, Zili Wang

Theses and Dissertations

Christians face a rising problem in faith transmission to the next generation (Kinnaman & Hawkins, 2016). Research indicates that younger generations are less religious than their parents in many countries, especially in the U.S. (Pew Research Center, 2018b). Even though most American Christians say that faith is vital in their life, educating children in religion is critical because it provides moral guidance and appropriate values (American Enterprise Institute, 2019). However, most Christians find it challenging to perceive and articulate the relationship between faith and daily life even though they attend church regularly (Bunge, 2008). Also, many parent-child spiritual programs organized …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Beliefs Related To Gender Equality In The Church Of Christ, Timothy J. Priestley

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, American Christian churches, including the Church of Christ, have grappled with the role of women in their congregations. As women have gained legal rights, expanded social roles, and access to leadership, certain churches, including the Church of Christ, have lagged in adapting to these changes. This study aims to understand the organizational change process within these churches, exploring why belief systems can be slow to change and how some congregations have successfully transitioned from a complementarian to an egalitarian stance related to women's leadership roles. The research employs a contextual lens, considering how human psychology influences beliefs …

Program: Featured Lecture, "The Idea Of A Christian University: John Henry Newman Speaks To The 21st Century.", Frederick D. Aquino

William M. Green Distinguished Christian Lecture Program

Program for the Forty-Second Annual William M. Green Distinguished Christian Lecture Program with featured lecturer Dr. Frederick D. Aquino, Professor of Theology and Philosophy at the Graduate School of Theology, Abilene Christian University.

Agentic And Receptive Hope: Understanding Hope In The Context Of Religiousness And Spirituality Through The Narratives Of Salvadoran Youth, Jennifer Medina Vaughn, Pamela Ebstyne King, Susan Mangan, Sean Noe, Samuel Hay, Bridget O’Neil, Jonathan M. Tirrell, Elizabeth M. Dowling, Guillermo Alfredo Iraheta Majano, Alistair Thomas Rigg Sim

All Faculty Open Access Publications

Hope contributes to positive development in adolescents, and religious and spiritual contexts may be particularly important for developing and supporting hope. However, extant literature on hope, religion, and spirituality neglects their synergistic relation, leaving questions about how they work together to support development. In this study, we explore how religiousness and spirituality (R/S) inform hope by identifying unique synergies that might be particularly useful in difficult contexts. Multilevel qualitative content analyses of interviews conducted with 18 thriving Salvadoran adolescents (50% female, Mage = 16.39 years, SD = 1.83) involved in a faith-based program provided evidence that the ideological and relational …

An Analysis Of Simon Legree’S Dreams In Uncle Tom’S Cabin, Ellie Windfeld-Hansen

Global Tides

This paper discusses Simon Legree's moral degradation in Uncle Tom's Cabin, primarily through his two most prominent dreams in the novel. Freudian analysis of Legree's dreams explains that Legree's past mistreatment of others haunts him to the point where he is driven to the brink of insanity. Legree's suppression of his guilt showcases his inner struggle, as he values his slaveowner reputation to such a degree that he must abandon any shred of humanity.

Program: 2022, Featured Lecture "Human Sin And Divine Love", J.A.T Smith

Frank Pack Distinguished Christian Scholar Lecture Program

Program for the Seventeenth Annual Frank Pack Distinguished Christian Lecture Program with featured lecturer Dr. J.A.K Smith, Associate Professor English and Coordinator of the Digital Humanities Minor at Seaver College, and the Associate Director of the Center for Faith and Learning for Pepperdine University.

Better Religion: A Primer For Interreligious Peacebuilding, John D. Barton

Faculty Books

Provides a conceptual framework for understanding global religiosity and explores avenues for interreligious collaborations across differences

Bjp And Donyi-Polo: New Challenges To Christianity In Arunachal Pradesh And Northeast India, Dyron Daughrity

All Faculty Open Access Publications

Located on the disputed border with China, Arunachal Pradesh is the most remote of India’s northeastern states. Christianity is growing there—from 1 percent in 1971 to 30 percent in 2011—but that number may have reached a plateau. Arunachal Pradesh is undergoing rapid sociocultural change. While Hinduism is not well-established in the region, there is tremendous interest in a relatively new religion called Donyi-Polo. Some Hindus argue Donyi-Polo is actually a branch of Hinduism, and they are having some success in making this claim. This article explores the changing religious, political, and cultural dynamics of Arunachal Pradesh.

Program: Featured Lecture, "Cultivating A Cross-Shaped Heart For A Broken World.", Sara Gaston Barton

William M. Green Distinguished Christian Lecture Program

Program for the Forty-First Annual William M. Green Distinguished Christian Lecture Program with featured lecturer Sara Gaston Barton, University Chaplain and Associate Vice President for Spiritual Life, Pepperdine University

Saving The Nation: Chinese Protestant Elites And The Quest To Build A New China, 1922-1952, Thomas H. Reilly

Faculty Books

While Protestant Christians made up only a small percentage of China's overall population during the Republican period, they were heavily represented among the urban elite. Protestant influence was exercised through churches, hospitals, and schools, and reached beyond these institutions into organizations such as the YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association) and YWCA (Young Women's Christian Association). The YMCA's city associations drew their membership from the urban elite and were especially influential within the modern sectors of urban society. Chinese Protestant leaders adapted the social message and practice of Christianity to the conditions of the republican era. Key to this effort was …

Call And Response: How Christian Musicians Can Glorify God In Their Work, Sergio Gallardo Palma

Theses and Dissertations

While many Christians take up their work in the world in the context of formal ministry or by pursuing a career in worship music, there are also many musicians who are devout Christians who do not necessarily feel called to express their vocation in such contexts. Nonetheless, they can take up their work in the world through their craft and glorify God in countless ways that do not necessitate making overtly Christian music or leading worship at their church. This thesis will first explore a pneumatological theology of work. It will then explore the calling of the musician, focusing on …

"Christian Traditions, Culture, And Law": An Update And A Few Reflections, Robert F. Cochran Jr.

Pepperdine Law Review

Using Richard Niebuhr’s description of Christian approaches to culture, this Article examines the way Christians approach law, focusing on developments over the last 20 years. During that time, synthesists have continued to develop natural law, seeking an understanding of law based on shared human goods and reason, an approach that can generate a common approach among people of all faiths and no faith. Conversionists, including those on both the political left and right, argue for changes in law that will reflect Christian understandings of the good. Separatists (including many former conversionists) argue that American culture and law have become so …

One Step Enough, Steven D. Smith

Pepperdine Law Review

The growing divide between contemporary law and culture and Christianity forces Christians both in general and in the academy to confront difficult choices. The difficulty of those choices was manifest in the most recent presidential election. In this situation, some Christians take an aggressive or triumphalist stance; others are more inclined to a retreatist approach sometimes labeled “the Benedict Option.” What the right response is poses both prudential and theological questions about which Christians disagree, and about which confident answers are elusive. In this context, Professor Bob Cochran’s distinguished career exemplifies a path of humility in which the Christian citizen …

Jesus Came "Not To Abolish The Law But To Fulfill It": The Sermon On The Mount And Its Implications For Contemporary Law, David Vandrunen

Pepperdine Law Review

This Article interprets Matthew 5:17–48 and argues that, because Jesus came not to abolish but to fulfill the law and the prophets, the Old Testament law takes on a new form for New Testament Christians. The law of God has been refracted through the ministry of Christ. While Matthew 5 does not address contemporary human law directly, its teaching does have radical implications for it. These implications flow particularly from the fact that Matthew 5 marks a decisive shift from the Mosaic theocracy to the worldwide new-covenant church that has no civil jurisdiction.

Program: 2020 Featured Lecture, "Humans Biological Creatures... In The Image Of God, Lee B. Katz

Frank Pack Distinguished Christian Scholar Lecture Program

Program for the Sixteenth Annual Frank Pack Distinguished Christian Lecture Program with featured lecturer Dr. Lee B. Katz, Professor of Biology at Pepperdine University, Vice Provost from 2011 to 2023, and the current Dean of Seaver College.

Program: Featured Lecture, "Lest The Rocks Cry Out.", Amy Bost Henegar

William M. Green Distinguished Christian Lecture Program

Program for the Fortieth Annual William M. Green Distinguished Christian Lecture Program with featured lecturer Dr. Amy Bost Henegar, Minister for Family Life and Spiritual Formation at the Manhattan Church of Christ, New York City, New York.

The Sacramentality Of The "Bread Of Life Discourse" In John 6, Anthony Nabor

Global Tides

The “Bread of Life Discourse” in John 6 is often read sacramentally and used as justification for eucharistic beliefs regarding true-presence. Though the evangelist of the Gospel deals with chronology differently than modern authors and readers, the sacramental-sounding language in the “Bread of Life Discourse” does not necessarily mean that the passage is referring to the establishment of the Eucharist at the Last Supper. The main point of the “Bread of Life Discourse” is to emphasize faith in Jesus through the metaphor of bread, continuing the dominant theme in the entire chapter of John 6.