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The Pelikan Movement - An Immigrant Story, Richard Blythe

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Blythe, Richard J. “The Pelikan Movement: An Immigrant Story.” Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2008. 306 pp.

The Pelikan Movement, led initially by Jan Pelikan, the grandfather of the Yale historian Jaroslav Pelikan, was a pivotal event in a Slovak Lutheran immigrant community that desired to provide a confessional Lutheran witness to their mother country. Shortly after the First World War, this immigrant community was resolute to return to Slovakia to share their confessional Lutheran understanding of the Christian faith, in the Hurban tradition, as well as their new church polity and practices that they adopted in America during the previous …

Contemporary Preaching To A Non-Contemporary Society: Nineteenth-Century Reformed Theology Comes To Non-Nineteenth-Century Brazil, Jorge Luiz Patrocinio

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Patrocinio, Jorge Luiz. “Contemporary Preaching to a Non-Contemporary Society: Nineteenth-Century Reformed Theology Comes to Non-Nineteenth-Century Brazil.” Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2009. 241 pp.

When Presbyterian missionaries came from America to nineteenth-century Brazil, they encountered a society strongly marked by a Roman Catholicism that was both tugged in several directions and also marked by a spirit more attuned to the later Middle Ages. In planting and then cultivating the Presbyterian Church, first the missionaries and then indigenous Brazilian pastors responded by spreading a message strongly rooted in Reformation theology, approaching their task almost as if the Reformation were unfolding again in …

The Purpose Of The Pastoral Office As Taught By The Church Fathers, Augsburg Confession V, And The Contemporary Age, D Lee Cullen Jr.

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

This paper will seek to identify the basic understanding of those Church Fathers who spoke most directly to this topic, namely, Ignatius of Antioch, Gregory of Nazianzus, St. John Chrysostom, and Gregory the Great. The rationale for the selection of these Fathers is twofold. Firstly, their proximity and place in what we identify as the era of the Early Church. Ignatius of Antioch stands closest to the Apostolic Age while Gregory the Great provides the other bookend, standing at the end of what is commonly accepted as the era of the Early Church. Secondly, this wall provide a reasonable expectation …

In The Footsteps Of Walther: The Doctrine Of The Ministry In The Writings Of George Stoeckhardt, Joel Loren Pless

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Pless, Joel L. "In the Footsteps of Walther: The Doctrine of the Ministry in the Writings of George Stoeckhardt." Ph.D. diss.,Concordia Seminary, 2008. 243 pp.

This dissertation is an historical study of how George Stoeckhardt, professor of exegetical theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis from 1878-1913, understood the doctrine of the ministry and how he articulated it through his various writings. Chapter 1 of the dissertation examines Stoeckhardt's life and his formative influences. His family background, his education, his Wingolf experiences, and his experiences as a chaplain during the Franco-Prussia War are addressed. Chapter 2 examines his exegetical methodology which …

An Obedient Defense Of Disobedience: The Brothers Of The Common Life And The Boundaries Of Religion, Carol Geisler

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Geisler, Carol A. "An Obedient Defense of Disobedience: The Brothers of the Common Life and the Boundaries of Religion." Ph.D. diss., St. Louis: Concordia Seminary, 2008. 237 pp.

Like many of their contemporaries, the priests, clerics, and laity of the fourteenth century spiritual movement the devotio moderna wished to imitate the lifestyle of Christ, his apostles, and the earliest Christians. Inspired by the preaching and ideals of the movement's founder, Geert Grote, these men and women of the Low Countries came to be called the Brothers and Sisters of the Common Life. They pursued the apostolic life in communities, following …

A.F.C. Vilmar: Theology Of Church And Ministry, Martin E. Conkling

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Conkling, Martin E. "A. F. C. Vilmar: Theology of Church and Ministry." Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2007. 271 pp.

This historical study explores the theology of A. F. C. Vilmar.The theology of church and ministry championed by Vilmar received critical attention in his own day, and he remains a bright star in the constellation of nineteenth century Lutheran theologians who sought to restore Lutheranism to the strength of its confessional origins and to correct the cultural tendencies of thought gone wrong in revolutionary Europe. Little secondary literature exists on this "Theologian of Fact" in English, and virtually none of his …

Who Takes Responsibility For Missions The Origin Of The Association Of Lutheran Mission Agencies (Alma) And Its Relationship To Missouri Synod Missions, Annette Frank

Master of Art Theology Thesis

The history of the Association of Lutheran Mission Agencies (ALMA) is an important chapter in the mission history of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), as well as in the history of Protestant mission efforts in the United States. ALMA is an organization of independent mission agencies affiliated with The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. This relationship with a specific denomination is unique among independent mission organizations.

The development of ALMA and its relation to LCMS missions reflects important changes in mission activity and attitude both within the Synod and outside. This study will show how the changes of the twentieth century influenced …

Catholicity Or Consensus? The Role Of The Consensus Patrum And The Vincentian Canon In Lutheran Orthodoxy: From Chemnitz To Quenstedt, Quentin Stewart

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Stewart, Quentin D. "Catholicity or Consensus? The Role of the Consensus Patrum and the Vincentian Canon in Lutheran Orthodoxy: From Chemnitz to Quenstedt." Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2006. 340 pp.

This dissertation traces the role played by the Vincentian Canon and its theological corollary, the consensus patrum, within the parameters of Lutheran Orthodoxy. Though Luther had no use for the consensus patrum, his chief colleague Philip Melanchthon had a high view of the consensus of the ancient church, especially whenever it could be applied to evangelical Lutheran theology. As a humanist, Melanchthon maintained a critical reverence for the ancient church …

His Spear Through My Side Into Luther Calvin's Relationship To Luther's Doctrine Of The Will, Matthew Heckel

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Heckel, Matthew C. "'His Spear Through My Side into Luther:' Calvin's Relationship to Luther’s Doctrine of the Will." Ph.D. Diss., St. Louis, MO: Concordia Seminary, 2005. 307 pp.

In thesis thirteen of his Disputation Against Scholastic Theology (1518), Luther stated that free choice before grace was a reality in name only and when it does what it can it sins mortally. This statement had a significant impact as it was one of the sparks that ignited Luther's conflict with Rome, as Luther's thesis was singled out for condemnation as the thirty-sixth article of the papal bull Exsurge Domine (1520). Luther …

"Why Then The Law?" Salvation History And The Law In Martin Luther's Interpretation Of Galatians 1513-1522, Erik Herrmann

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Herrmann, Erik H. "'Why Then the Law?' Salvation History and the Law in Martin Luther's Interpretation of Galatians 1513-1522." Ph.D. Diss., St. Louis, MO: Concordia Seminary, 2005. 283 pp.

This study examines Luther's early exegesis of Galatians 3: 19-4:7 and its relationship to his theological development, especially his doctrine of law and gospel. Luther's earliest exegetical lectures on the Psalms (1513-15) demonstrate essential agreement with the interpretation of Galatians common throughout the exegetical tradition. The law's function is understood solely in terms of its preparatory role in salvation history among Old Testament Israel. It has no value beyond the coming …

An Examination Of The Left, Right And Center Parties In The American Lutheran Controversy Of The Mid-Nineteenth Century, Philip Hendrickson

Master of Art Theology Thesis

James Voelz recently published a two-part essay in Concordia Journal entitled, “Contemporary Americans Make Poor Confessional Lutherans."! In his essay, Dr. Voelz points out that the rampant liberty that permeates American life is constantly at odds with the desire of Lutherans to remain confessional, doctrinal and liturgical. He states, "All of the factors involved in such a church, viz., doctrinal formulations, confessional statements, and uniform liturgical practices, are restrictive and non-libertarian. They rub against the grain of every contemporary American. Which means that to embrace them is to be truly counter-cultural.”

This tension between being Lutheran and being American is …

The Jesus Name Controversy-A Doctrinal Development In The Pentecostal Movement Of The Twentieth Century, Paul Buford

Master of Art Theology Thesis

The preceding comments have been about the Pentecostal movement as a whole, but this thesis is concerned primarily with its third stream, the Oneness Pentecostal movement, that deserves attention in its own right. As Walter J. Hollenweger in The Pentecostals observes, there is "also a not inconsiderable group of Pentecostals for whom the only valid baptism is that carried out 'in the name of Jesus. According to Hollenweger, the dispute regarding the correct formula of baptism-a dispute between Trinitarian Pentecostals who baptize in the titles of the Trinity following Matthew 28:19 and the Oneness Pentecostals who baptize in Jesus' name …

Changes Within The Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference Of North America That Led To The Exit Of The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, Mark Braun

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

The following study presents the stages of the intersynodical debate that led the Wisconsin Ev. Lutheran Synod to exit the Ev. Lutheran Synodical Conference during the thirty years, 1931-61.Official source material is abundant. The synod's theological journal has presented a consistent viewpoint regarding the Scouting movement, the military chaplaincy, applications of the synod's teachings regarding church fellowship, and the inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible, all of which played key roles in Wisconsin's exit.

Anthropology And The Doctrine Of Sin In The Theology Of Reinhold Niebuhr, Hiroyuki Kanamori

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

Understanding the theology of Reinhold Niebuhr is a great challenge, because all components of his theology are intricately interrelated with each other. It is therefore not proper to describe only his anthropology and doctrine of sin, the primary focus of this study, without also mentioning other matters related to it.

The Study Of Intercommunion 1951-1971 : Evidence Of A Hermeneutical Shift In Faith And Order, Mark Buetow

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

The thesis of this paper is that the approach to the problem of intercommunion taken by the Commission on Faith and Order demonstrates a foundational change in the hermeneutical approach taken by the Commission in doing theology. This conclusion is suggested as an answer to the question: What caused the shift in Faith and Order's study and discussion of intercommunion from one that seeks agreement among doctrinal differences and difficulties to a pluralistic approach which embraces all perspectives as complimentary and mutually affirming? The significance of the hermeneutical shift is this: the seeming theological convergence on intercommunion has come at …

Holy Baptism’S Liturgy : What Is Extolled In Ones And Threes?, Jonathan Bontke

Master of Sacred Theology Seminar Papers

The following is a study of the historical usage of single and triple immersion / sprinkling practices through the first twelve centuries A.D. The questions at hand are: 1) Has either practice historically been predominant 2) What doctrine is informing each practice? 3) Is there a specific text of Scripture informing each practice? 4) How does this study resource us in our current practice?

The Latin expression, "Lex orandi, lex credendi" has for centuries encapsulated the truth that liturgical practice serves a looking glass into the worshiper's theology. It is the purpose of this study to use baptismal liturgies as …

The Mission And Ministry To German-Speaking Lutherans In Western Canada 1879 - 1914, Richard Kraemer

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

The following dissertation will provide a detailed account of the history of Lutheran ministry among German-speaking people in western Canada from1879 to 1914. Particular attention will be drawn to the relationship between the development of congregations in the region and the views on mission and ministry that were being held by those who were most involved in the work—the pastors themselves and the leaders of the mission boards who supported them. Their work in western Canada did not, however, begin in a vacuum; it was begun within an historical context. Relevant, therefore, to this study will be a brief review …

The Life And Work Of Paul Otto Manz As Church Musician Within The Context Of American Lutheranism In The Twentieth Century, Michael Henrichs

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The goal of this thesis is to examine historically the life and work of Paul Manz within the context of American Lutheranism in the twentieth century. Special attention will be given to Manz's emergence from a childhood within the structures and piety of the German Lutheran community in industrial America. The impact made on his professional development by the broadening influences of education, music and European study will be assessed. This study will especially seek to understand apparent changes in Manz's ecclesiastical vision, the effects of denominational conflict, and the growing spirit of ecumenism which Manz has demonstrated over the …

Integrity And Integration In Ecclesiastical Historiography: The Perspective Of Mosheim And Neander, Paulo Buss

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

This investigation attempts to apply the motif of integrity and integration in an examination of Lutheran ecclesiastical historiography. This is not a comprehensive survey involving all the significant Lutheran historians of the past but rather focuses on selected Lutheran historians of different centuries to determine possible tendencies in their views of integrity and integration. Although these terms themselves are not employed as such by the theologians/historians analyzed here, this study starts with the hypothesis that the concepts expressed by these terms are not unfamiliar to them.

In a study of Lutheran historiography the question about Luther's view of history deserves …

Theology Of The Pain Of God: An Analysis And Evaluation Of Kazoh Kitamori's (1916- ) Work In Japanese Protestantism, Akio Hashimoto

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

The overall negative appraisal of Kitamori must be considered as a critical reaction to various aspects of his own theology. Perhaps not one or two aspects of his theology alone are responsible for this. The reason for the negative responses is surely of a composite nature. However, it is not the main concern of this study to find answers individually to the questions raised above. The intention of this study is to analyze and assess Kitamori's theology as a whole. But to try to find the answers to the questions is useful for the purpose here: they provide methodological clues.

Mystical Aspects Of Pentecostal-Charismatic Soteriology, James Breckenridge

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

Statement of the Problem

Pentecostal historian Vinson Synan estimates that Pentecostals now comprise the largest family of Protestants in the world. Drawing from the World Christian Encyclopedia) he concludes that Pentecostalism now claims a total of 51,167,000 adherents, not including an additional11,000,000 independent charismatics. This places the Pentecostal/Independent Charismatic movement significantly ahead of classical groups such as the Anglicans (49,804,000adherents), Baptists (47,550,000) and Lutherans (43,460,-This figure grows even larger when the "Third-Wave “phenomenon is included. This term, used by Pentecostals and Charismatics to identify members of traditional evangelical churches who have begun to practice charismatic gifts and worship, indicates a …

The Home Mission Work Of The Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference: A Description And Evaluation, George Gude

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

The scope of this dissertation is to describe, analyze, and evaluate the home mission work5of the Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference, which was a mission toAfro-Americans.6 The purpose is to expose the various factors which impacted this mission work and either helped or hampered its success. As a result of the study, it is the hope of the author that the church will learn from its past and manage to put fewer obstacles in the path of the Gospel it proclaims.

In making this study of the black mission work of the Synodical Conference, it became apparent to the author that …

A Study (Reading) Guide For Dr. Francis Pieper's Christian Dogmatics I, Won Yong Ji, Craig Lutz

Dr. Francis Pieper's Christian Dogmatics Study Guide

This is merely intended to be a "Study-Guide." Students are not required to use it; in fact, they are encouraged to employ their own method of study The important thing, however, is that they study seriously the Christian doctrine presented by Dr. Pieper.

A Study (Reading) Guide For Dr. Francis Pieper's Christian Dogmatics Iii, Won Yong Ji, Craig Lutz

Dr. Francis Pieper's Christian Dogmatics Study Guide

This list is intended to be a 'study guide' for students. They don't have to use it. They may develop their own method. The important thing is to learn the book well.

A Study (Reading) Guide For Dr. Francis Pieper's Christian Dogmatics Ii, Won Yong Ji, Craig Lutz

Dr. Francis Pieper's Christian Dogmatics Study Guide

Christian Dogmatics Volume II provides a twofold entree to ready us for the imminent theological banquet. Read the "Foreword" by John Theodore Mueller (1885-1967).

The Eucharistic Theologies Of Nineteenth Century Anglican And Lutheran Repristination Movements Compared, Jonathan Charles Naumann

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

The measure of congruity achieved by the independent efforts of these Lutherans and Anglicans of the nineteenth century, as they tried to repristinate purity of doctrine and orthodoxy, may constitute a superior model for modern-day ecumenical endeavours. This is especially the case if the route to Christian unity via a tolerance of contradictory doctrines around the eucharistic table threatens to collapse under the weight of its own implausibility.

Lutheran Tradition And The Black Culture, James Thomas

Miscellaneous Seminars/Lectures

Black Outreach Symposium major presentation recorded on April 18, 1989, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.

The Role And Place Of Women In The Evangelical Lutheran Church In Tanzania--Mbulu Synod In The Light Of The New Testament, Daniel Daudi

Master of Art Theology Thesis

As noted at the outset, the main purpose of this research is to relieve the confusion in the ELCT—Mbulu Synod about the role and place of women. However, in order to give a broad overview of the place of, it is important that materials on women be presented both in their positive and negative details, because the ELCT Mbulu Synod has emphasized negative examples and passages from the Bible concerning women rather than positive examples which do exist. It is accepted that the Bible is the written Word of God worthy of the closest attention and which demands our obedience. …

An Historical Analysis Of The Doctrine Of The Ministry In The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod Until 1962, John Wohlrabe

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

This study will analyze the historical background of statements on the doctrine of the ministry within The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod (hereafter identified as the Missouri Synod) until 1962. Such statements on the doctrine of the ministry will include declarations and resolutions which were officially adopted by the Synod at its conventions, books, articles and essays published or delivered by Missouri Synod theologians, statements drafted in attempts at reaching doctrinal unity with other Lutherans, and the personal papers and minutes of certain individuals, boards or agencies which had a decided impact upon the position of the Synod with respect to the …

Historiography Of The Lutheran Confessions In America, 1830-1930, Charles Arand

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

In order to demonstrate the degree of impact that the attitudes of Lutherans toward their confessional writings had on the church of the nineteenth century, three distinct aspects of the scholarly writings will be examined. First, the attitude toward the subscription and application of the Confessions within the church will be examined. This will include both private writings and official church declarations. Secondly, the histories of the Confessions written by Lutherans necessarily focused on specific aspects to the exclusion of other elements. In that selectivity and interpretation is conveyed a particular attitude and value. Finally, the emphases and the ways …