History of Christianity Commons^™

A Critique Of Richard Carrier’S Jesus-Myth Theory: Examining Select References To The Historical Jesus In Paul’S Epistles, John P. Nichols

Masters Theses

Richard Carrier is arguably the contemporary voice promoting Jesus-mythicism, the idea that Jesus of Nazareth never existed. Though in the scholarly minority, Carrier has assembled numerous arguments for rejecting the Gospels and Acts as historically reliable, as well as all historical references to Jesus in Paul’s letters. He has proposed his own rules for historical inquiry to replace the traditional criteria of authenticity used by historical-Jesus scholars. In conjunction with his own criteria, Carrier has demonstrated the use of Bayes’ Theorem to assess the probability of Jesus’ existence. This thesis has considered certain portions of Carrier’s thesis against the historical …

Revival Song: The Significance Of Hymns In The First Great Awakening, Kaeley E. Whitacre

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

This paper highlights the transition in church music during the First Great Awakening in Colonial America. It argues that hymns and new psalmody had a mutually beneficial relationship in the Awakening, as they aided one another in emphasizing personal salvation experiences. Prior to the Awakening, English-speaking churches in Colonial America sung almost exclusively literal translations of Psalms in a more formalized call-and-response format. While current scholarship on the First Great Awakening broadly analyzes the primary tensions and debates within New England churches regarding changes in music, it does not provide a comprehensive overview of the introduction of hymns in Colonial …

America's Founding Theology, Michael Payne

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

Building off of Mark David Hall's thesis that America had a Christian founding, this paper seeks to explore the theology of this Christian founding. While acknowledging that Enlightenment and English Common Law also influenced American founding thought, the paper seeks to look specifically at America's theological outlook. It concludes that American founding theology was overwhelmingly Reformed but with some key influences from the Baptist, Quaker, and even Catholic traditions. These influences can be found in the writings of the founders as well as in America's founding documents such as the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. The point of the …

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 …

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.

The Flaming Cross Of Kildare: A Model Of Gender And Power In Early Irish Christian Identity, 470-1220 A.D., Patricia M. Hendrick

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation examines the development of early Irish Christianity through the lens of gender, monasticism, and cultural synthesis, centering on the figure of Saint Brigid of Kildare and her foundational role in shaping one of Ireland’s most influential religious institutions. It argues that the Christianization of Ireland was neither abrupt nor uniform, but rather a gradual, negotiated process that fused indigenous Gaelic traditions with emerging Christian structures. Within this unique context, Ireland’s ecclesiastical organization diverged markedly from continental models, privileging monastic networks over episcopal hierarchies and enabling alternative configurations of spiritual authority. Importantly, this is seen in Kildare Abbey, a …

Christian Leadership In Times Of Persecution: A Comparative Study Of The Pastoral Response Of Tertullian And Cyprian To The Phenomena Of Oppression And Martyrdom In North Africa, Thomas Michael Ray Knoff

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation examines Christian leadership during persecution through a comparative study of Tertullian and Cyprian in Roman North Africa in the late second and mid third centuries. Although both figures are central to early Christian theology and ecclesiology, their leadership is often assessed without sustained attention to the pressures created by persecution.

Using a historical and theological approach, the dissertation examines the writings and ministerial actions of Tertullian and Cyprian as responses formed under conditions of hostility. Close engagement with their treatises, letters, and apologetic works shows how persecution influenced their understanding of martyrdom and apostasy and guided their handling …

‘Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam’: The Religious And Political Missions Of The American-Catholic Military Chaplaincy During The Mexican-American War, Daniel Thomas Louis Moore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The historical community has neglected to deeply analyze the American-Catholic military chaplaincy in the Mexican-American War, 1846-1848. With exceptions, most historians, who have discussed this chaplaincy, have run the spectrum of dedicating an entire chapter to a few sentences on it. “‘Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam’” offers a first, in-depth monograph of this chaplaincy. “‘Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam’” argues that the political mission from President James K. Polk to the chaplaincy, which was to help reconcile Americans and Mexicans, did not truly suffer the failure or the mediocrity that certain historians have portrayed it to be. Instead of analyzing the chaplaincy’s …

Book Review: Sister Sinner By Claire Hoffman, Shawn Smith

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

Claire Hoffman’s *Sister Sinner: The Miraculous Life and Mysterious Disappearance of Aimee Semple McPherson* (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2025) offers a very balanced and engaging look at one of the most influential yet controversial figures in early twentieth-century American Christianity. Blending meticulous scholarship with narrative flair, Hoffman explores McPherson’s rise from obscure evangelist to international celebrity, her pioneering use of radio, and her complex role in shaping Pentecostalism and popular culture. Avoiding sensationalism, Hoffman examines McPherson’s triumphs, contradictions, and mysterious disappearance with nuance and respect, resulting in a balanced yet compelling and well contextualized biography.

America’S Best Idea: The Separation Of Church And State, A Review, Michael A. Smith

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

This article critically assesses Randall Balmer’s America’s Best Idea, a historical and legal examination of the Jeffersonian principle of church-state separation. Drawing on Jefferson’s 1802 letter to the Danbury Baptists and Roger Williams’ earlier theological insights, Balmer frames the metaphorical “wall” as both a constitutional safeguard and cultural cornerstone. The review analyzes the book’s treatment of evolving Supreme Court jurisprudence, particularly the shift from strict separationism to accommodationism in recent decisions. It contextualizes this legal transformation within the broader rise of Christian Nationalism, examining the ideological and institutional pressures reshaping civic discourse. While affirming Balmer’s historical rigor and rhetorical …

The Architects Of Consensus: Propaganda, Patriotism, And The Owi’S Battle For The American Mind, Ryan G. Fix

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

During World War II, the Office of War Information (OWI) became the United States' most sophisticated domestic propaganda agency, charged with forging national unity in the face of global conflict. This paper explores how the OWI fused federal authority with private-sector cooperation to influence public sentiment through film, advertising, journalism, and rumor control. Rather than resorting to direct censorship, the agency relied on voluntary collaboration, emotional appeal, and strategic framing to shape a coherent narrative that blurred the line between democratic persuasion and ideological management. Drawing on an extensive range of primary sources, including internal memos, field reports, and public …

The Morality Of The Civil War: Just War Theory And Union Policy And Conduct, Michael Payne

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

This article shall argue that the Union army, which was composed primarily of Christian soldiers and officers, prosecuted the Civil War in as moral a fashion as possible. It shall examine the different ways in which one can judge the morality of war, concluding that the tenets of Just War Theory are the best standard by which to judge a belligerent’s actions. It shall then examine Union war policy to determine if it is consistent with Just War Theory. This shall be done through a side-by-side comparison of Just War Theory’s tenets and Union policy. It shall then explore whether …

The Boxer Rebellion And Missionaries: A Study Of Historical Context And Ideological Perspectives, Danielle Russano-Simpkins

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

This paper examines the complex interplay between missionary activity, imperial ambitions, and indigenous resistance in China during the Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901). Analyzing primary sources and revisionist accounts, it is argued that the rebellion exposed the contradictions between missionaries' spiritual goals and their complicity in imperial structures. The study highlights how missionary theology, imperial relationships, and local resistance converged to create one of modern history's most significant anti-foreign uprisings, shaping subsequent Sino-Western relations and Chinese nationalism.

A Review Of James P. Byrd's A Holy Baptism Of Fire And Blood: The Bible And The American Civil War, Michael Payne

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

There has been a surge in interest regarding Christianity's role in the American Civil War. James P. Byrd capitalizes on this interest in A Holy Baptism of Fire and Blood: The Bible and the American Civil War. Unlike other historians who attempt to evaluate the morality of the war itself, Byrd delves straight into how the Bible both affected and was used by both sides. He argues that the Bible saturated the Civil War, both combatants and non-combatants alike. It was the Bible that they turned to repeatedly to justify their cause and provide comfort during hardship. Byrd’s book …

An Ever-Changing Errand Into The Wilderness: The Relationship Between American Civil Religion And Exceptionalism, Blake S. Hart

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

This article explores the profound religious underpinnings of American exceptionalism, positing that the nation’s identity and political culture are deeply infused with a uniquely American civil religion. This civil religion is characterized by an eschatological hope that traces back to the very origins of the United States, serving as the cornerstone for its ideology and principles. American civil religion is not static but dynamic, constantly shaped by each era's major social, political, and cultural trends. It democratizes the millennial and apocalyptic visions traditionally belonging to the sacred realm, reinterpreting these religious narratives within the secular context of national destiny and …

Pennsylvania Germans In The Seventeenth & Eighteenth Century: God, Community, And Country Die Pennsylvania-Deutschen Im 17. Und 18. Jahrhundert: Gott, Gemeinschaft Und Land, James M. Deitch

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The terms freedom, liberty, liberalism, republicanism, linguistics, culture, and religion are all strongly associated with the early history of Pennsylvania. Historians have documented aspects of German and Anglo-Pennsylvanians. Historians have written about the conflict between freedom and liberty with loose definitions. Others have mentioned these differences only in passing, as if the Germans did not figure as prominently in the overall narrative, or other cases, assuming that all people understood and experienced freedom in the same manner and defined it with the same meanings and context. In Pennsylvania during the late 17th century and throughout the 18th century, the Germans …

A Case Study For Faithful Biblical Expository Preaching And Teaching: The Transformation Of Members In The Anointed Church Of Jesus Christ, Elijah Narplah Wreh

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This DMIN action research evaluates the effectiveness of biblical expository preaching in demonstrating the inerrancy of Scripture and determining the impact of the twelve-week sermon series with the congregation at the Anointed Church of Jesus Christ in Elyria, Ohio. The process is designed to benefit the church’s congregation, help them faithfully obey God’s Word, and be drawn to God’s reality and the answers it provides through biblical preaching. The research methodology covers the application of biblical expository preaching. The congregation was instructed on various phraseological expressions, including expositional preaching, bibliocentric, Christocentric, inspired Scripture, applications, and illustrations, which helped enhance and …

Makt, Sex, Och Kön: St. Birgitta And Medieval Swedish Politics, Carl Andrew Lund

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Birgitta Birgersdotter (1302/3 – 1373) was a Swedish noblewoman who began reporting repeated heavenly visions beginning shortly after her widowhood in 1344, although tradition came to believe that she had had earlier visions as well. Her visions had a strong religious component. However, they also gave admonishment and advice to powerful leaders throughout medieval Europe, notably Sweden’s king, Magnus IV Eriksson, and his queen consort, Blanche of Namur. Another important motif of the visions was an insistence of the papacy returning to Rome from Avignon. Birgitta was not always taken seriously due to her gender. However, the privilege obtained from …

Review Of Lu Ann Homza's Religious Authority In The Spanish Renaissance, Alice L. Alvarado

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

Lu Ann Homza’s intricate study of the major players involved in religious authority comes to life in her thought-provoking work Religious Authority in the Spanish Renaissance. Homza delicately weaved social, political, and religious analysis throughout the various layers of her chapters to give the reader a sense of the powers-that-be behind the secretive Spanish Inquisition and the overall hierarchical structure of the Catholic church. Homza does not shy away from confronting the previously upheld authority of Marcel Bataillon, and simultaneously challenges the reader to refuse to apply modern constructs or context to the unique time and place known as …

Charity Begins At Home: A Case Study Of Rural Western Pennsylvania During The Great Depression, Jacob A. Battle, Colin J. Wood, Christian E. Mumpower

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

Rural Pennsylvania is often neglected when discussing the world-shaping events of the Great Depression. This study addresses a significant gap in historical research by exploring how a small-town in Pennsylvania, New Bethlehem, survived and even thrived during the Great Depression. New Bethlehem, situated in the fertile Redbank Valley, built its settlement on local resources and rural communalism. During the Depression, the townsfolk banded together through wealthy philanthropy, backyard gardens, and homegrown charity to withstand the crippling implications of the event. By examining church records, newspaper archives, and conducting oral interviews, this article reveals the resilience and resourcefulness of rural Pennsylvanian …

To The Shores Of Tripoli: America’S First Crusade To Cement Her Sovereignty, I. B. Landry

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

The First Barbary War, also known as the Tripolitan War, is the conflict that set the tone for American sovereignty. The results of this research show that the Tripolitan War was about more than simply America’s right to exercise trade freely in the Mediterranean and North Africa. This was, in a sense, the litmus test for the new nation that would prove to be challenging to its Christian values. It can be concluded that Thomas Jefferson sanctioned the Augustinian campaign to not only benefit America, but all parties wishing to operate in the Mediterranean freely.

After Tours: The Battle Of The River Berre, Paul Aitchison

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

The Battle of the River Berre, occurring in the years after the Battle of Tours, has not seen the same amount of scholarship as that defining battle of the century in Europe. The Umayyad Caliphate in Iberian continue to conduct military operations on the east side of the Pyrenees, controlling Narbonne and most of the province of Septimania, south of Aquitaine and west of Lombardy in the years after. The expansion of the Caliphate had continued almost unabated since 632 CE, controlling Arabia, Persia, the Near East, the Levant, Egypt, North Africa, and finally, the Iberian Peninsula. This astonishing expansion …

Restoring The Restoration: Sidney Rigdon And The American Quest For Primitive Christianity, Bradley Alan Hart

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation offers a comprehensive historical analysis of Sidney Rigdon and his contributions to the religious movement known as Restorationism, which gained significant momentum in early nineteenth century America. Often overshadowed by figures such as Joseph Smith and Alexander Campbell, Rigdon’s role as a theological innovator and leader has been marginalized by both his contemporaries and by historians of American religion. This work seeks to reposition Rigdon as a central figure, not only within the Mormon tradition but across a broader spectrum of Restorationist faiths that emerged during this period. Restorationism, while commonly associated with the Stone/Campbell movement and Mormonism, …

William Bradford: An Unexpected Father Of Early Colonial American Politics, Megan E. Romero

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation is a project dedicated to explaining and defining not only who William Bradford was a person, but also as a leader to the people of Plymouth Colony and the Puritan faith. He was an individual who was dedicated to establishing a society that was fairer and more equal for all people, who could have the chance to grow economically, practice their faith freely, and live a more politically stable life. Through research conducted on Bradford’s life, it became easier to understand that due to his determination and hard work he quickly rose up in the ranks and perspectives …

Liberty To The Captive: The Two Definitions Of Equality In The Abolitionist Movement, Justin Searls

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

The matter of the debate on equality’s definition between black Christian ministers and white Christian ministers is an understudied topic of discourse that merits attention in the historical profession. In recent years, there has been discussion surrounding the general racial divide within abolitionism. However, the religious perspective on this matter has received little to no attention. How did black ministers and white ministers address the question of emancipation and enfranchisement for African Americans in the abolitionist movement from the 1830s through the Civil War and beyond? There is a significant disparity in the discussion of equal rights for African Americans …

The Moderate Use Of Wine And Alcohol Among Church Elders: An Analysis Of Νηφάλιον And Πάροινον In 1 Timothy 3:1-7 And Titus 1:5-9, Charles Douglas Tarver Miller

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The use of alcohol in the Bible is well established. The ancients were known to consume alcohol and fully understood the pain and pleasure associated with it. So, two things are true: the use of wine is permitted in the Scriptures, but only in moderation. Historically, the conversation about the use of wine has focused on answering the question, “Was the wine used by believers in the Scriptures alcoholic or non-alcoholic?” That debate has largely been settled and will not be the subject of this dissertation. What has not been addressed nearly as often is the question, “How was wine …

Good Samaritans: Applications Of Social Christianity By Southern Baptists During The Early Twentieth Century, Alyson Marie Fagan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In the early twentieth century, the Social Gospel movement sought to spur Christians to serve their neighbors through social and political reform, often through ecumenical groups. However, Southern Baptists remained distant from this movement because they were weary of the liberal Christianity expressed by Social Gospel leaders that appeared to replace the power of the Gospel with acts of service. Instead, the Southern Baptist Convention formally addressed social reforms and civic engagement by creating the Social Service Commission and Committee on Civic Righteousness. These groups expressed the need to reform the home and advocated civic engagement while remaining true to …

The Implications Of A Post-Supersessionist Hermeneutic Applied To James’S Use Of Amos 9:11–12 In Acts 15:16–18, Mary Kathleen Yarbrough

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Jerusalem Council of Acts 15 marks one of the most critical moments in the life and development of the New Testament church as James set forth a scriptural response to the debate surrounding Gentile inclusion into the kingdom of God. The importance of James’s response is encapsulated in his appellation and adaptation of Amos 9:11–12 which both brought closure to the Council’s debate and clarified the identity and mission of the New Testament community. It is of note, however, that James did not directly quote Amos 9:11–12 but instead adapted its structure so that, in agreement with that set …

Print Culture In New York: The Essence Of The Benevolent Empire From 1816 To 1837, Merritt Morgan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Print Culture in New York: The Essence of the Benevolent Empire from 1816 to 1837 is a story that places technological and organizational business innovations at the center of the American evangelical print culture of the "Benevolent Empire" during the Early Republic. After about 1815, during the "market revolution" (western expansion, eastern urbanization, and boom in trade and manufacturing), the business of benevolence boomed in religious publishing that inspired American merchants and prominent businessmen to consolidate hundreds of missionary, Bible, and tract societies. The consolidation process resulted in the creation of national benevolent societies that produced the first wave of …

Review Of On The Resurrection: Evidences Volume 1, Brian G. Chilton

Liberty Theological Review

Dr. Brian Chilton reviews the first volume of Dr. Gary Habermas's magnum opus On the Resurrection: Evidences. Chilton summarizes Habermas's work, offering key themes found throughout the book. Then, he analyzes the methodology of the book and confronts the possible objections offered by popular naysayers of the minimal facts approach. Chilton ultimately deduces that the naysayers objections are overblown and that Habermas's approach stands on its own.