Practical Theology Commons^™

What God Has Joined Together: The One Threefold Purpose Of Marriage, David Frayne Shudy

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

Modern married couples and marriage-minded individuals are often left awash in a sea of confusion aimlessly groping about for a purpose for their marriage, with disastrous societal results. Whereas long-standing Christian tradition has taught a unified threefold marital purpose of three equal elements—procreation, mutual help, and remedy for sin—Enlightenment thinkers and their ideological descendants have introduced a hierarchical marriage teleology with a self-chosen purpose (usually companionship) at the top in order to correct for an alleged countervailing overemphasis on procreation in premodern marital teleology.

This thesis will challenge the claim of a relative deficiency in the companionate aspect of premodern …

Straining Forward To What Lies Ahead: Models Of Patristic Contemplation, Joshua Vanderhyde

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

Vanderhyde, Joshua S. “Straining Forward to What Lies Ahead: Models of Patristic Contemplation.” Thesis, Concordia Seminary, 2022. 111 pp.

As secularization sharpens the contrast between Christian belief and western culture, many Christians are looking for ways to take a more active and intentional approach to the struggle to be conformed to Christ. The Church Fathers offer a unified theory of Christian spirituality, grounded and structured by the concept of contemplation—a theory of perception widely held in the ancient world and integral to diverse systems of thought, including Neoplatonism. In this thesis, the concept of contemplation is elucidated as a theory …

Body-And-Soul: Embodied Participation Of The Laity In The Divine Service, Aaron Roggow

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

Roggow, Aaron, W. “BODY-AND-SOUL: EMBODIED PARTICIPATION OF THE LAITY IN THE DIVINE SERVICE.” Master’s thesis, Concordia Seminary, 2018. 96 pp.

Since God has created us as body-and-soul creatures, it follows that worship of Him is not only spiritual but also physical in essence and in practice. The resurrection of Jesus Christ in the flesh points to the holistic nature of our faith; as such, the physicality of our worship is a fruit of this faith in an incarnate Lord. The benefits of bodily movement and gesture associated with the Word in Christian worship are a vitally important part of worship …

Theology Of The Church As Ministry To Blind People, David Andrus

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

Throughout history, people who are blind have been viewed by those in the sighted culture as limited and broken. This is true both in the church and in society in general. Our ecclesiology, however, should encourage, promote, or utilize blind people and their gifts to serve in the body of Christ. The church can, and should, accept, uplift, and utilize people who are blind and visually impaired as full members with a healthy and whole identity in Christ. To this end, our ecclesiology must not prohibit the ordination of a man who is blind solely on the basis of blindness …

From Invocation Through Creed: A Historical And Doctrinal Analysis Of The Service Of The Word In The Common Service, Timothy Roser

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

Cursory study of the text of this liturgy reveals that it was not assembled according to some academic standard. Perhaps a better word for its development would be "organic," as over the centuries it grew to meet the needs of the time. Each addition was tested, tried, and proven not by a single congregation nor even a group of congregations acting in concert, but by the Church at large working over the course of decades and centuries. This is not to suggest that these words are the only way3to receive God's service to us and return our service to Him. …

The Consensus Of Pure Lutheran Liturgies: A Comparison And Analysis Of The First German And First English Service Orders Of Holy Communion In The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod, Mark Kufahl

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The purpose of this thesis is to determine the source or sources upon which the "Order of Morning Service or the Communion" of the Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-Book is based.1Issued by The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod in 1912, the Hymn-Book was the first English hymnal of this type published by the Missouri Synod. This particular publication, rather than a more recent hymnal, has been chosen as representative of the present liturgical usage of the Missouri Synod for two reasons. First, it is the first “official" English hymnal used by the Synod. Second, the communion liturgies currently employed by The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod …

Communication Principles In Pastoral Counseling, Dieter Joel Jagnow

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

There are many elements involved in a pastoral counseling process. A handbook would include all or some topics such as a definition of pastoral counseling, its distinctive nature, its objectives, counseling techniques, and the role of God's Word in the process. In this thesis we will touch some of the basic topics of pastoral counseling. However, the main purpose is to approach an important ingredient of pastoral counseling that usually is not included as a separate topic in counseling manuals, that is, communication, particularly interpersonal communication.

This study intends to explore the pastoral counseling process as an interpersonal communication process …

Pastoral Care For The Family Affected By Chemical Dependency, Michael Eckelkamp

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

This thesis hopes to offer a contribution in terms of providing a starting point for the Lutheran pastor assisting the family struggling with chemical dependency. It is my suggestion that a pastor using his Lutheran training along with a basic understanding of the Family Systems approach will be able to assist many of the chemically dysfunctional families under his care.

A Paracletic Homiletic, Charles Keogh

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The purpose of this study has been to address the question, What is the nature of parakaleo/paraklesis in proclamation? The thesis is that these terms, in part, define and describe proclamation.

An Analysis Of Gospel Elements In Selected Major Works Of Charles Dickens, Steven Smith

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

It is my thesis that Dickens' use of "Gospel elements" in the works studied is both intentional and fundamental to the themes and structures of the novels. The Gospel elements present are no afterthought or coincidence but significant in Dickens' intent and meaning.

The Educational Needs Of The Adult Layperson Concerning The Mission Of God_Research Towards Writing An Introductory Adult Mission Education Course, Stephen Gaulke

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

What are the educational needs of an adult layperson concerning world mission? What ought an introductory adult mission education study course attempt to teach? This thesis endeavors to answer the question in three chapters.

Chapter One articulates a concise theology of mission. Rooted in Scripture, especially the mission commands of the risen Savior, and drawing on the Apostles' Creed, The Book of Concord, and Martin Luther, Chapter One sketches the "who, what, where, when, why, and how" of God's mission.

Chapter Two surveys mission professionals to discover what they believe an introductory adult study course on world mission ought to …

The Three-Self Mission Approach In The Context Of The Igreja Evangelica Luterana Do Brasil, Egon Martim Seibert

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

This thesis intends to deal with the three-self principle and the IELB. In the first chapter the historical origin and development of the three-self mission approach will be presented. The question "Are they biblical?" will be answered in the second chapter. The third chapter will focus on the Brazilian background of the IELB, with the ethnic composition of its people, its economic and social status, and its chief religions. The foundation of the IELB and the most relevant facts of its history will be discussed in the fourth chapter. Finally, the conclusion will provide an explanation of how the three-self …

A Study Of German Lutheran Communion Hymnody The Early Years, Paul Becker

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The goal of this thesis is to demonstrate that in the early years of Lutheranism, what the faithful sang and confessed about the Sacrament of the Altar is dangerously close to being forgotten by American Lutherans in the latter half of the twentieth century. What Christians sing about as they are given the body and blood of their risen Lord reveals both their confessional stance and their piety. By digging into the treasure-store of German Lutheran Communion hymnody, the theology of the Sacrament as confessed in the early years of Lutheranism will be brought to light and offered to the …

The Proclamation Of The Gospel In Word And Sacraments, Clifford Frederich

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The burden of this thesis is to demonstrate that when the Gospel is preached properly preaching functions as a means of divine grace. Furthermore, not only can preaching be a means of grace, but it should be.

The Theology And Practice Of Individual Confession And Absolution And Its Application To Pastoral Care From An Early North American Lutheran Perspective, Breno C. Thome

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The two subjects of this study^ namely, pastoral care and Individual confession and absolution, have traditionally been seen as closely connected. Each has also a unique character. In this study both subjects will be focused on from the perspective provided by the historical analysis of their development within the Lutheran context, specifically that of North American Lutheranism in the nineteenth century. Pastoral care has been greatly developed, particularly in the area of pastoral counseling, in the last fifty years. This parallels the increasing development of the behavioral sciences in this century. The causes and consequences of such rapid growth in …

Communicating The Gospel Into The Tribal World A New Reality And A New Language, Ron Rall

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

It is the primary focus of this thesis to deal with the practical problem of communicating the Gospel into the thought world of people who have never before heard it, specifically the world of people who might be called “tribal" peoples.

Secularization And Challenges Which Confront Contemporary Brazilian Lutheranism: Some Insights In The Light Of Boaventura Kloppenburg And Some Lutheran Theologians, Gerhard Grasel

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

In order to find out some answers to the issues, problems, challenges and questions, the writer of this study chose to study the universal phenomenon of secularization based on many different scholars; the Brazilian culture; Boaventura Kloppenburg's view of secularization, and some responses based on Luther and some Lutheran theologians to the issues which appeared in this study.

A Strategy For The Lutheran Church-Hong Kong Synod To Fulfill The Great Commission Of Making Disciples, Yat Kwong Wong

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

There are three reasons for writing this thesis" "A Strategy for the Lutheran Church-Hong Kong Synod to Fulfill the Great Commission of Making Disciples. "

In the first place~ no one has evaluated the Hong Kong Synod in regard to church growth since it began thirty years ago. It is necessary to know whether our church in Hong Kong has grown effectively or not. Secondly, since no church on earth is prefect, a study such as this will help in identifying the weaknesses of the Hong Kong Synod as a first step toward improving it.

Finally, the author plans to …

An Effort To Sample Scientifically The Attitudes Of Pastors Toward Alcholism In A Section Of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod, James Hallerberg

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

What attitudes do pastors have toward alcoholics? Specifically, do parish pastors of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod have positive or negative attitudes in their ministry to alcoholics? Are the attitudes of pastors a significant factor in an effective ministry to alcoholics? What attitudinal factors can be specified as having particular significance? These are the fundamental questions which this study addresses.

The Confirmation Manual For Instruction In The Word, Edward Koehler

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

This thesis contains a proposed course of instruction in the Word of God for catechumens of the Lutheran Church. It presents the Old Testament as a self-contained unit of study primarily for pupils twelve to fourteen years old. Ultimately, the course is designed to include the New Testament as the basis for a second year of study. The aim of the course is to help the student understand and apply the basic teachings of the Christian faith. The Bible is used as the source-book, and Martin Luther's Small Catechism is used as a supplement to guide the pupil toward a …

Toward A Theological Understanding Of The Psychological Implications Accompanying Death, Ralph Wentzel

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

This thesis is an attempt not only to understand the bereavement and grief of loved ones who are left behind, but it is also an uncompromising work depicting the reality of death and the pressing needs that arise when it is imminent, needs that are unique to every individual and that must be treated as such. As a Christian, I hope to convey thoughts that will relate to the personal needs of both the bereaved and to the suffering and dying patient. It is hoped that this paper will help the pastor to realize that he is not the "living" …

Evangelistic Preaching In The Missouri Synod, Donald Ehlers

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

I decided, therefore, to look further into this matter of evangelistic preaching. What is evangelistic preaching? After arriving at my own definition of evangelistic preaching, I want to determine if evangelistic preaching, so defined, has Biblical precedent. I also want to determine how my definition squares with Lutheran theology on conversion. Based on my definition, I want to develop criteria for evaluating Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod preaching as to its evangelistic nature. Using these criteria, I propose to study sermons written and preached by Missouri Synod pastors.

An Examination Of Studies On Beliefs Of Christians With Special Reference To Their Validity And Their Insights Regarding Lutheran Youth, Norman Steffen

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The goal of this thesis is to evaluate the accuracy and validity of the findings of specific recent research into the beliefs, values, and action patterns of Christians. This points to ways for utilizing these and other such studies critically and yet positively in the church's ministry, especially to youth.

The Role Of The Laity In The Church Today: A Theological Basis And Practical Implications, Murv R. Kentel

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

In the last ten to fifteen years, more has been written about the role of the laity in the church today, than during any other period in church history. Our purpose in this thesis, is to state, or rather, reexamine, the theological basis of the place of the laity today, in terms of a fivefold function of the New Testament Church, and then to blueprint some practical situations, in which these functions could and should find expression in the lives of God's people, both within the community of the Church, and the community of the world.

The Changing Objectives And Philosophy Of Campus Ministry In The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod, Marcus D. Pera

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

It is the intention of this paper to be part of the process of reevaluation and rearticulation. Chapter II will provide a brief history of campus ministry in the LCMS in order to place in perspective and offer a setting within which to consider the development of the objectives and philosophy of campus ministry in the LCMS. Chapter III will then detail that development. It is to be noted that all information relating specifically to campus ministry in the LCMS is limited to the information contained in official documents of the LCMS such as the minutes from the annual University …

Preaching In The World Of Electronic Technology-Implicatiions For Homiletics In The Message Of H. Marshall Mcluhan, Clifford Allen Winter

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The contemporary communications environment is described in this thesis for the purpose of determining the ways in which it conditions the learning and perception of modern man. The basic resource is the writing of Herbert Marshall McLuhan, Director of the Center for Culture and Technology at the University of Toronto and author of several books about the media. His understanding of the history of media and his descriptions of the electronic environment and modern man constitute a comprehensive analysis of communications in the current era. McLuhan's background, his expressed assumptions, and basic resources are described in order to provide a …

Preaching In The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod-To The Goal Of Stewardship Of Money, 1930 To 1970, George H. Rattelmuller

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

This study is based on 40 sermons on the stewardship of money, taken from selected volumes of The Concordia Pulpit, from 1930 to 1970.

The Use Of The Word In The Counseling Process, Leonard E. Stahlke

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The purpose of this study was to investigate the problem of what is meant by pastoral care and pastoral counseling, and by the counseling process, the techniques used in that process, and the place of the pastoral counseling process in the practical ministry of the pastor; then, to relate these findings to a sound scriptural approach of the use of the Word in the counseling process.

The Common Service: A Study In The Adoption And Use Of The Common Service Between 1891 And 1941 In The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod And The English Evangelical Lutheran Synod Of Missouri And Other States, Alvin Lange

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

This study proposes to document how the Common Service came to be adopted first by the English Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri and Other States and then by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Missouri, Ohio and other States, and to show how extensive the use of this order has been between the years 1912, the date the first official English hymnal which included the Common Service was published by the Missouri Synod, and 1941, the year in which the 1940 revision of The Lutheran Hymnal was published.

The Attitudes Of The Christian Clergy Of Tulsa, Oklahoma Toward The Place Of Charismata Iamatōn In Their Ministries, Donald John Dallmann

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The purpose of this study is to investigate the New Testament phenomenon of charismatic gifts of healings (charismata iamatōn, 1 Cor. 12:9,28,30) and the attitudes of the Christian clergy of Tulsa, Oklahoma, toward the place of those gifts in their ministries in 1970. It is generally conceded that a ministry of healing is part of the mission of the church as a redeemed community called to extend the lordship of Jesus. In this study an attempt is made to define some of the constitutive elemtns of the New Testament phenomenon of charismata iamatōn and to determine the ways in which …