Practical Theology Commons^™

Factors Related To The Life And Growth Of Adult Bible Classes In The Lutheran Church, Paul Pallmeyer

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

A serious concern of many Protestant churches today is their failure to enlist a large proportion of their adult members in group Bible study. One such church body is The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod. As will presently be shown, this denomination has vigorously promoted adult Bible study over the last decade and a half, but there remains a continued resistance by the adult membership to participation in Bible classes.

The present project was designed.to uncover some factors which show a relationship to this resistance to group Bible study by members of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod. A series of interviews with Bible …

Some Proposed Criteria For An Examination Of Adult Pre-Membership Instruction, Michael Keyne

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

This thesis is primarily concerned with the criteria for the structuring of adult pre-membership instruction, in the light of its unique position within the field of Christian education. The broad area of Christian education has the problem of teaching individuals who exhibit relative degrees of faith and knowledge. Functionally, most of Christian education is based upon the assumption that a common denominator of faith is present, no matter how minimal it may be. Since adult pre-membership instruction can make no such assumption, it follows that the whole philosophy of Christian education must be re-examined in the light of pre-membership instruction.

An Annotated Translation Of Georg F Vicedom's Missio Dei, Dennis Hilgendorf

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The present thesis is offered as a contribution towards the study of a theology of missions. The Translator's Appendix and the majority of the footnotes are the work of the writer; the rest of the thesis is a translation of Georg F. Vicedom's Missio Dei, published by the Chr. Kaiser Verlag of Munich, Germany. Although the work reveals continental flavor and concerns, it is my conviction that by its range and depth it will appeal to a far wider constituency in the West as well as those areas where religion is making a fresh impact.

The Theory Of Adult Christian Education In The Local Lutheran Parish, John Golisch

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

This study is an attempt to define, formulate and describe the aim and essence of Christian education. It will do this within the framework and understanding of conservative Lutheran theology whose sole norm and source is the verbally-inspired and all-sufficient Scriptures of God. It will attempt to apply this to Lutheran adults at the parish level and in terms of what God wants to be occurring in the local Lutheran parish for the continued Christian growth and education of its adults. This study is not intended as an exhaustive nor a definitive treatise on the subject. It does, however, seek …

A Study Of The Residence Counselor In The Men's Dormitories Of The Missouri Synod's Preparatory Schools, Norbert Dettmann

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

This thesis is a report of a study of the residence counselor program in the secondary schools of the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod.

Necessity of the Study

The need for this study stems from the fact that fifteen years have passed since a statement recommending a residence counselor program was adopted by Synod.

Adapatation Of The Religious Dance And Similar Physical Movements In The Indigenous Church, Manfred Berndt

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

This is just one example of a cultural problem that raises a painful question for the Western Christian: “Why is it that, while the Church, particularly in her worship, has done so much to use God's gifts of music, art, and. drama, it has almost completely ignored or condemned the one art that combines these three--the dance?" Can the dance be a vehicle to glorify God, not merely in recreation, but also in worship? It is to this problem that this study addresses itself. It intends to examine the reverent and irreverent use of the dance in the history of …

The Theological Basis For Adult Bible Study And Its Practical Aspects In The Adult Educational Program Of The Church, Marvin Mueller

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

This thesis is concerned specifically with the theological basis of adult bible study within the program of the church. This concern is valid in as much as the word of God is basic for any program of adult Christian education in the church. The Bible as the word of God is the source and norm for the faith and life of all Christians who through Holy Baptism and the work of the Holy Spirit have been placed under this word of God. It is the purpose of this thesis to show in what way man is brought under the Word …

Contributions Of The Confessions To A Lutheran Philosophy Of Education, John Mager

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

Because of the central place which the Confessions give to the doctrine of justification we feel that we can do nothing less than make this doctrine the unifying principle in this thesis. We do so for this reason that the unifying principle or a Lutheran philosophy of education cannot be much diverse from the material principle of its theology. If theology is the basis or the foundation upon which the superstructure of a Lutheran philosophy of education can be built up, then the two and their unifying principles are more closely related than we might assume.

Law-Gospel-Oriented Preaching In Martin Luther's Theology Of Preaching, Chul Hwan Kim

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The Goal of this thesis is to study Luther's theology of preaching. As we have already seen above, the first chapter outlines the world of Luther's preaching. The second chapter explores Luther's preaching, focusing on his specific concern for preaching. In it, we can see that Luther regards preaching as the oral Word of God. Luther believes God is speaking when the preacher preaches. This chapter will show us that Luther's understanding of preaching is concentrated upon the Lord, Christ who is the content of Gospel.

The Place And Role Of The Law In Christian Education, Richard Labore

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

It is the purpose of this study to determine what the place and role of the Law is withing Christian educationand to point up these pertinent implications which affect the educator, the purpose, and the method of the method of the paideia Kuriou.

The Medieval Sequence And Troupe, John Lemkul

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The present thesis primarily is an historical research into the origin and development of. the sequence and the trope. From the Table or Contents it may appear that the order of the chapters is a little unusual, for one usually expects an historical account to be presented in chronological order. But because of what we know and what we do not know about the sequence and trope, the outline of the paper begins with the known and proceeds to the unknown. That is why both the sections on the sequence and the trope begin at the Abbey of St. Gall …

Children And The Church's Worship, George Hoyer

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The burden of the thesis will be to ask how these Christians who are not adults can be helped to receive the grace of the Word of God; how they can be helped to respond to Him in worshiping words that will be a prelude to a worshiping life; and how they can learn to recognize their worshiping brethren in the family of God; ultimately how they can learn to do this applying of the Word from Sacrament and Scripture, this replying of worship and, this supplying of edification in the Church's corporate worship and in the Church's Eucharistic service.

Some Representative Contemporary Concepts Of The Manifestation Of God In History And Creation, Herman Otten

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

This thesis does not pretend to be an exhaustive study of the entire issue of God’s manifestations and natural theo1ogy. Few Missouri Synod Lutherans have concerned themselves with the problem. Jaroslav Pelikan refers to the “problem of natural theology" in his From Luther to Kierkegaard. He believes that Kant has rendered a great service to Lutheran theology by ridding it of Aristotelianism.

Education In Meaningful Worship For The Confirmation Class, Paul Wagner

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The problem undertaken by the thesis is tied to this need for meaningful worship and the lack of materials. While books and articles have appeared from time to time, they have all been concerned primarily with phases of parish education other than the confirmation class. In Missouri Synod circles there have been only a very few significant works on worship education at any level. The purpose,, therefore, was to survey as many works in this area as time would permit and synthesize the findings into a workable approach toward the teaching of worship and the Liturgy in the confirmation class.

The Roots, Development And Application Of American Mennonite Worship, Abraham Towes

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

This thesis intends to look at the question of Mennonite worship as would a member of this committee. In Part I we have an examination of the roots and development, and in Part II the practices and ordinances of Mennonite worship services.

An Experimental Course For Adult Confirmation Structured By The Nicene Creed, Paul Malte

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

Through involvement as an instructor in the adult confirmation process of the Missouri Synod, and being aware of the obvious openness of the American citizen to religious conversation, the writer has undertaken a study of the needs and opportunities om this area. Specifically, the research and creative activity embodied in this thesis has been worked out in the direction of materials and course outlines for the adult confirmation process. An attempt has been made to survey representative courses shaped by pastors in the Missouri Synod and popular presentations of the basic Gospel written by men of other denominations. This exploration …

Racisim And The Chrisitian World Mission, Joseph Ellwanger

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The thesis may be divided into four main parts. Chapters II and III deal with the history of racism. Chapters IV and V show, the interaction of the Church's world mission and racism upon each other. The goal of the thesis is reached in Chapter VI, where the Christian world mission in a world of racism and counter-racism is outlined. And the special study on South Africa in Chapter VII is an application of the findings of the thesis to the most crucial area of Western racism at the present time.

A Critique Of The Orders Of Matins And Vespers And The Offering Of A New Musical Setting, Robert Bergt

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The present thesis directs special attention to the last point. The musical settings of The Lutheran Hymnal are borrowed from Anglican and Gregorian traditions. This is not to say that Anglican and Gregorian chant per se are bad and unusable. Those responsible for putting the texts, tunes and accompaniments together did something adequate a generation ago. The present author believes that we have outgrown these and need to offer what will set off a new spark, a new life and love for Matins and Vespers. New musical settings may assist the renaissance.

After a brief historical background is given to …

The Saints' Days Of The Lutheran Liturgy, Roger Pittelko

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

This present study is intended to investigate the saints' days of The Lutheran Liturgy. The study will look at the historical warrant for the saints’ days. It. will further consider the theological content of the propers for each commemoration. Finally, it will look at the extent of the present use of the saints’ days.

The main emphasis of this paper will be on the saints’ Days in the calendar of the Lutheran Church, and in particular The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Such a study must broaden its base to include the history of the minor festivals of the pre-Reformation Western Church …

A History Of The Early Catechisms Of The Missouri Synod, Richard Maassel

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The purpose of this study was to determine which catechisms were used, the extent of their use, and their general characteristics. More precisely, the aim was to determine the factors which led the Missouri Synod to adopt its own catechism only eleven years after its organization. The study continued from there with an examination of the first official catechism and the way in which it was receiced.

The Emerging Objectives Of Instruction For Confirmation As Currently Practiced In The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Martin Haendschke

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

In this study our primary interest was to approach, study, analyze, and. wherever possible, resolve the basic problems attending the development of specific objectives for junior confirmation instruction in The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod

Some Basic Principles Of Stewardship According To The Parables, Roland Grumm

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

In speaking of stewardship, it must not be forgotten that Paul has given us a beautiful guide to Christian giving 1n the eighth and ninth chapters of Second Corinthians. In a practical manner the Apostle instructs these early Christians, and through them also us, in the basic principles and motives of the grace of giving. A study in these two chapters is quite rewarding.

Preaching The Law And Persuasion, Paul Boecler

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The second chapter of this thesis describes in full the problem which has stimulated this investigation. Stated briefly here, it involves man's natural rejection and refusal of the .fact to confront and confess his guilt. Man most generally defends himself from the truth of God's Law in order to protect his own ego. This, of course, makes it difficult, for- the Gospel to have its .full effect and application. This problem also emphasizes the importance of this study in that it tries to discover techniques whereby the Law may be preached so that it is not defended against by the …

The Word Of God And Preaching, Henry Eggold

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

In this paper I propose to defend the thesis that the concept Word of God refers not only to the revelation of God for man’s salvation through the sacred Scriptures, but also to God's continuing revelation -of Himself to man through the spoken Word. In other words, this paper intends, on the one hand, to defend the ultimate authority of the Scriptures against those who equate the concept Word of God so exclusively with the activity of God as to deny any identification of the Word of God with the Scriptures. On the other hand, I attempt to show that …

The Educational Implications Of Holy Baptism, Franklin Ritthamel

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

This study will concern itself chiefly with the subject of infant baptism and the educational implications for the child so baptized, though some reference will be made to adult baptism and the educational implications present in such a baptism.

An Investigation Of The Factors Of Persuasion In The Sermons Of Dr Walter A Maier, Lester Zeitler

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The scope of this investigation, however, is confined only to the preaching on the program; more exactly, the preaching of Dr. Walter A. Maier. The specific purpose is to search out those factors of persuasion in the radio sermons of Dr. Maier which may so largely help to account for his success in preaching the Gospel. The object is to figure out the secret of his effectiveness as Andrew Blackwood suggests: "Study the methods of the radio preacher whom your thoughtful laymen enjoy, and figure out the secrets of his effectiveness. You will find that he depends mainly on being …

Tapeinophrosyne, Praytes, And Makrothymia In Paul's Theology- With Special Reference To Ephesians 4:1,2, Robert Elosser

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

Many have, indeed, described and defined humility, but they have not at all correctly defined the nature and characteristic of humility as it is set forth in Holy Scripture. The aim of this thesis, therefore, has been to set forth the Biblical teaching on humility, as far as possible, in harmony with the clear Word of God. Whatever value this thesis may have, therefore, will depend on the degree to which it has succeeded in realizing this aim.

The Soteriology Of The Lutheran Chorale Of The Sixteenth And Seventeenth Centuries, Norbert Mueller

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

There may be, and probably are, a variety of reasons why the chorale has not become popular in America. However, one of the more serious which has come to my attention, and I cannot say how wide spread this charge is, is that the chorale doesn’t contain enough Gospel if it contains Gospel at al1. The study which this paper embraces is a result of this charge.

Christian Love As A Loadstar And A Standard Of Judgment, Samuel Boda

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The purpose of this thesis is to single out Christian Love ̆χγά τ̌?. as the only love worthy of the name and as that prescribed by God for young people and for people of all time. We shall contrast Christian Love with other so-called “loves” and show the distinctive differences between them. We shall, furthermore, demonstrate how Christian Love can and should be used by young people as a lodestar through all of life, as well as a standard of judgment, or test, for the solution of ethical problems and questions.

Pietism And Traditional Worship Practices Of The Lutheran Church, Henry Dequin

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The Period of. Pietism, from approximately 1670 to approximately 1750, is one of the areas in the history or the Lutheran Church which has not received much consideration in the English language. Particularly is this true 1n regard to the effects of Pietism upon the traditional worship practice of the Lutheran Church. Aside from brief references which generally attribute considerable liturgical deterioration to the Pietistic Period, not much appears on this subject in the English language. Although there are more extensive studies of Pietism in the German language, yet; even here the details of the liturgical -- or; anti-liturgical -- …