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Calvin Theological Journal (Vol 51 No 2 - November 2016), Calvin Theological Seminary

Calvin Theological Journal

Articles: The Usefulness of Divine Majesty According to Calvin on Genesis by Rebekah Earnshaw - 181 / Sola Scriptura: An Inadequate Slogan for the Authority of Scripture by Henk van den Belt - 204 / Nuptial Reading: Hippolytus, Origen, and Ambrose on the Bridal Couple of the Song of Songs by Hans Boersma - 227 / Just What Do You Mean—Kingdom of God? Lessons from a Century (and More) of Christian Social Thought by John Bolt - 259 / Bound to the Altar: The Isaac of Genesis 22:1–19 by Arie C. Leder - 283 / Calvin Bibliography 2016 - …

Calvin Theological Seminary Forum: October 2016, Richard Mouw, Amanda W. Benckhuysen, Danjuma Gibson, Geoff Vandermolen

Calvin Theological Seminary Forum (2002- )

Articles
3 - From the President: Loving Your Neighbor Today (and Tomorrow!) by Jul Medenblik
4 - Loving Your Neighbor by Richard Mouw
6 - Old Testament Insights on Loving Your Neighbor by Amanda Benckhuysen
8 - Why & How Should Christians Engage Their Neighbors of Other Faiths? by Cory Willson
11 - Trauma: Suffering in Silence by Danjuma Gibson
14 - Loving Your Neighbor with Dementia by Mary Vandenberg
16 - CEP Summer Seminars 2016 by Scott Hoezee
19 - Vocational Formation — A new name, a renewed focus by Geoff Vandermolen
20 - Reflections on China Today by …

The Transitioning Of A Non-Functional Church Into A Functional Church: The Great Commission Commandment Mandate, Charlie Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

From conception, America has embraced the Christian church as its cornerstone. However, as noted by Barnes and Lowry, “Church attendance has decreased substantially in recent years in comparison to the 1950s and 60s. The majority of Americans do not attend church on a regular basis.” This thesis project will research churches with regards to their effectiveness and will both isolate and analyze the characteristics of churches that fit into operative categories. A survey using a quantitative research instrument, such as the Likert Measurement Scale, will examine the New Hope Missionary Baptist Association of North Carolina. The survey’s purpose will be …

A Theological Heritage For New Evangelicalism And Its Social Justice Focus, Kenley Hall

Andrews University Seminary Studies (AUSS)

Based on a review of relevant literature, this article will look at this emerging submovement within evangelicalism that researchers are referring to as “New Evangelicals” and its expanding social consciousness. Then the article will address an issue I believe is of critical importance: a likely theological and historical heritage for New Evangelicalism that can serve as a theological resource and even connection between them and the larger evangelical narrative.

The Legacy Of God's Leadership

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

...the notion of shared leadership is seriously explored by secular businesses. With this in mind, it may be beneficial to look at this topic from the perspective of the Triune godhead in the light of Scripture. Although there are numerous texts in the Bible relating the trinity and leadership, we will limit our focus particularly to two of the most vivid places dealing with god in his three persons: the first letter of John and Matthew 28:18–20.

The Creativity Behind Creation: The Trinity In Genesis 1:1-2:3 And Group Creativity, Justin R. Bowers

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

The need for organizations to rely on individual members and their collective creativity to thrive in the 21st century has greatly increased. Today, the words of Bennis and Biederman (1997) ring true: the organizations of the future will increasingly depend on their members to survive. Great groups offer a new model in which the leader is an equal among titans. In a truly creative collaboration, work is pleasure, and the only rules and procedures are those that advance the common cause. (p. 8) The growing literature surrounding group creativity reveals a thriving area of interest among group theory scholars. Questions …

Spiritual Innovation: A Faith-Based Model To Equip Men To Become The Spiritual Leaders For The American Family In Crisis, Leonard Kitchens

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The American culture is experiencing the degradation of the family. James Dobson describes this as “America in peril.” This is not solely because of lack of spiritual leadership in the household, but the lack of which is a prominent factor for the American family in crisis. Through qualitative and quantitative analyses of 203 Christian men, this doctoral project identifies shortfalls, provides evidence of biblical responsibility, and develops a model to assist Christian men to lead their families spiritually, which is the mandate of God. Proposing a faith-based approach to preserving the Christian family, this thesis underlines the importance of the …

The Shema Through The Ages: A Pre-Modern History Of Its Interpretation, Esteban J. Hidalgo

Andrews University Seminary Student Journal

This article traces the history of the interpretation of Deuteronomy 6:4 from its original context, through the dawning of early Christianity in the Second Temple period up to the twilight of the late medieval period. The reader will appreciate the persistent centrality of an unchanging doctrine and simultaneously discern fluidity in its meaning and application in both Jewish and Christian perspectives. Proportionally, the focus is placed on how early Christian writers hermeneutically accommodated the doctrine of the Trinity in the oneness of God as stated in the Shema.

Formulating An Intentional Curriculum For Spiritual Leadership Development At The West University Church Of Christ, Daniel A. Mcgraw

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This project addresses the lack of a formal curriculum for spiritual leadership formation in the West University Church of Christ in Houston, Texas. While the West University Church of Christ has been blessed by strong congregational leaders in both the past and present, recent conversations revealed the need for a deeper connection to God and a better understanding of spiritual leadership on the part of the congregation’s leaders. The problem I identified was a lack of understanding about spiritual leadership in contrast to secular understandings of leadership and the lack of a formal curriculum to help address this problem.

This …

About The Concept Of "Gnosticism" In Fiction Studies, Fryderyk Kwiatkowski

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

I In his article "About the Concept of 'Gnosticism' in Fiction Studies" Fryderyk Kwiatkowski notices that in the twentieth-century humanities the concept of Gnosticism has become a popular term for labelling tendencies in modernity and postmodernity. Kwiatkowski argues that the majority of scholars in fiction studies base their research on outdated methodologies. In consequence, Kwiatkowski presents an overview of contemporary approaches in Gnostic studies and discusses how they can be adapted in studies of literature, film, video games, comic books, etc. By outlining advantages and disadvantages of methodological approaches, Kwiatkowski posits that in studies of fiction with Gnostic components it …

Chreia Elaboration And The Un-Healing Of Peter's Daughter: Rhetorical Analysis As A Clue To Understanding The Development Of A Petrine Tradition, Meghan Henning

Theology and Religious Studies Faculty Publications

In a Coptic fragment associated with the Acts of Peter, Peter “heals” and then “disables” his own daughter as a demonstration of God’s power at work in him. The following article will compare Peter’s speech with the ancient rhetorical form of the chreia. When placed alongside other traditions that describe the life of Peter, a consistent pattern of anti-healings emerges, in which a display of apostolic power harms another character in order to provide a lesson for those watching. Taken together, the rhetoric and themes of the pericope suggest that it was composed as a way of explaining a …

The Development Of The Life-Healing Program In Churches For The Restoration Of God's Image, Young Park

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study is an attempt to introduce a pastoral system called Life-healing to Restore God’s Image. God made man in His image when He created him. The image, however, was broken because of the fall. Even after becoming a new creation by believing in Jesus, many Christians remain the same instead of experiencing the restoration of God’s image. Korean churches have grown in number and emphasize doctrines but face criticism for not exemplifying the life resembling God’s image. In an effort to overcome the criticisms, the researcher biblically analyzes the concept of God’s image and examines the theological resources related …

The Return Of The Prophetic Ministry Of The Western Church Within The Context Of Liberation Theology And The Prophets, Cedric D. Starr

Life of the Scholar Multidisciplinary Conference

While there may still be churches in the West that take up the prophetic call against injustice their voices are the minority. Generally speaking, the prophetic church in Western Christendom is dead. Its prophetic voice has become mute. Its prophetic vision has diminished. Its prophetic call has vanished from the ears of its members. The Western Church has lost its prophetic role in the Global World. The prophets of the West have vanished. However, the prophetic call has been taken up by a new church tradition that rises upward from the ruin of oppression. The Southern Church of the developing …

The Perceived Need For Spiritual Development Among Female Church Of Christ Students At Harding University, Anessa Westbrook

Discernment: Theology and the Practice of Ministry

This work explores how female students perceive their need for personal spiritual development. In a male-dominant structure, women may question their need to develop spiritually. Three areas of college life were investigated to see how they influenced female students’ perception of their own need for spiritual development: pre-college experiences, classroom experiences, and co-curricular religious activities. The research questions focused on these three areas in an effort to identify what was most effective in achieving spiritual growth among female students from a Church of Christ background. A survey was conducted among a sample of 610 sophomore female and male students.

Results …

Through The Lens Of The Cross: Cruciformity As A Model For Teaching Ministry, Benjamin D. Pickett

Discernment: Theology and the Practice of Ministry

As the contemporary church travels deeper into the postmodern era, modern methods of education and catechesis have remained. In this paper, a foundational set of principles drawn from Michael Gorman’s analysis of Pauline spirituality—known as “cruciformity”—is examined and presented as a lens to inform and support the teaching ministry in churches. Gorman’s thought provides a fresh way to understand the central theme of Paul’s correspondence to the first century churches.

The paper begins with a brief explanation of the current conditions regarding the adult education ministry of churches and then examines Gorman’s cruciform patterns of faith, love, power, and hope, …

Developing Parental Leadership Through Biblical Love As Expressed In Presence, Communication, And Discipline In The Homes At Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, Shelby, North Carolina, M. Lamont Littlejohn Jr.

Doctor of Ministry Projects

A Christian education curriculum was established at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church in Shelby, North Carolina, to develop parental leadership centered on biblical love. The goal was to train parents to model biblical love in their homes. Relying upon scripture affirming parental leadership in the home, parents were enlisted and participated in a six-week study. Surveys measured experience, involvement, practice, and understanding of biblical knowledge. There was no significant statistical difference between the control group and focus group quantitatively; however, the focus group was also assessed qualitatively by means of theological reflection, presence, communication, and discipline application activities. Final reviews indicated …

Challenging Students At Fort Worth Christian School To Engage The Economically Disadvantaged In Their Community, James Hensley

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This doctor of ministry thesis presents a project in which I led a group of students at Fort Worth Christian School in experiences that challenged them to be more engaged with the economically disadvantaged in their community. The problem I identified at the outset of the project was a lack of such experiences along with troubling attitudes about poverty. Many students initially demonstrated ambivalence or even outright hostility toward the notion of helping people who live in poverty. I found such attitudes to be contrary to the teachings of Jesus and to my central beliefs as a Christian. I believed …

Obligations Of Grace, Mark E. Roberts

Empowered21 Global Network of Spirit-Empowered Scholars

Grace obliges recipients to respond in gratitude and obedience to God, the giver of grace. While the New Testament emphasizes God's grace given through Jesus Christ in a New Covenant with believers, the Old Testament emphasizes grace more than many Christians recognize. Grace is expressed in the Old Testament especially through God's free choosing of Abraham as the "father of the faithful," through divine covenants with Abraham, with the divinely constituted nation of Israel, and with the governing house of David. Such grace abounds when God's covenanted people fail to keep their covenant, yet God, after disciplining the covenant people …

A Causal Comparative Analysis Of Biblical Worldview Among Graduate Students Based On Christian School Attendance, David Baniszewski

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

One of the primary objectives of the Christian school (K-12) is the development of a biblical worldview in its students. This study examined the impact that these Christian schools had on their students’ biblical worldview development by administering a biblical worldview assessment to graduate students at a private, Christian university (Liberty University). Christian, graduate students in the School of Education at Liberty completed a demographic survey and a biblical worldview assessment. The survey collected information on age, gender, type of K-12 schools attended, profession to the Christian faith, and denominational background. The results of the survey and assessment were analyzed …

Table Of Contents

Leaven

No abstract provided.

It Doesn't Feel Like Church To Me, Laura Callarman

Leaven

No abstract provided.

It Doesn't Look Like Church To Me!, Kent Smith

Leaven

No abstract provided.

The Great Communion Service Of October 4, 2009, David Baird

Leaven

No abstract provided.

Calvin Theological Journal (Vol 51 No 1 - April 2016), Calvin Theological Seminary

Calvin Theological Journal

Articles: Neo-Calvinism: A Theology for the Global Church in the Twenty-first Century by Richard J. Mouw - 7 / Casting out Hagar: Anti-Judaism in the Sermons of Augustine by Wendy Elgersma Helleman - 20 / The Discipline of Missiology in 2016: Concerning the Place and Meaning of Missiology in the Theological Curriculum by Stefan Paas - 37 / Reformed Orthodoxy and Gendered Authority: The Christian Reformed Church 1945–1984 by Tamara J. Van Dyken - 55 / The Threats of the Gospel: John Owen on What the Law/Gospel Distinction Is Not by Ryan M. McGraw - 79 / Hair Length …

A Case Study Examining Growth In Understanding Biblical Anointing At Faith Baptist Church, Steven Headrick

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Why do some Christians expect and experience the power of God (biblical anointing) in their daily living and other Christians rarely do? This project contends that a lack of understanding the principles of biblical anointing is a fundamental cause of this difference. The purpose of this study is to increase the understanding of biblical anointing by the Christians attending Faith Baptist Church. Biblical principles related to understanding, living and maintaining the anointed life will be presented. This project will measure the increase in understanding biblical anointing from the responses given to pre-study and post-study surveys. The teaching will be in …

Sanctification As Virtue And Mission: The Politics Of Holiness, Nathan Willowby

Dissertations (1934 -)

This dissertation considers the political implications of the doctrine of holiness. I proceed by demonstrating the neglect of holiness in political theology, the viability of the holiness movement as an embodied witness of the political implications of the doctrine of holiness, and a biblical trajectory in Leviticus that extends into the New Testament. I describe this scriptural holiness as vocation for all of God’s people through personal formation and outward societal action to extend God’s holiness. With attention to the approaches of political theology and formation, I demonstrate that the holiness movement of the nineteenth century offers an example of …

Questions Of Self-Designation In The 'Ascension Of Isaiah', Meghan Henning, Tobias Nicklas

Theology and Religious Studies Faculty Publications

The Question of the 'Parting of the Ways' between Jews and Christians has become a matter of debate again: Is it really appropriate to speak about two more or less coherent groups going two different ways from a certain point in history — perhaps after Paul's mission, after the destruction of the Second Temple (70 CE), or after the Bar-Kokhba War (132-135 CE)? Does the image of a tree with one root and two different trunks going into two different directions really fit what the extant sources tell us about the complexities of the past? Or shouldn't we distinguish between …

Calvin Theological Seminary Forum: March 2016, Julius T. Medenblik, Cory Willson, Mary Vanden Berg, Sarah Schreiber

Calvin Theological Seminary Forum (2002- )

Articles
3 - From the President: How Now Shall We Live? by Jul Medenblik
4 - Every Believer Called to Mission by Cory Willson
6 - Prayers from the Missional Conference by Mary Vanden Berg and Sarah Schreiber
8 - Bavinck’s Reformed Dogmatics by John Bolt
9 - Meet Herman Bavinck by Jessica Driesenga
12 - Fostering Formation for Mission in Our Classrooms by Kristy Manion
15 - Is There a Future for Sacrifice? by Erin Zoutendam
16 - Taste and See Israel Trip by Paula Seales
18 - Church Growth and Its Challenges in Ethiopia by Fikre Norcha

The Interplay Between Forms Of Revelation: Implications For Theological Methodology, Andrew Tompkins

Seminary Scholarship Symposium

The interplay between forms of revelation has been a matter of much discussion in theological discourse for many centuries. While this paper is not particularly concerned with the final say on the doctrine of revelation it is concerned with revelation and its relation to theological method. In other words, what is the significance of the various modes or forms that revelation takes in connection with the way theology is approached and done? The thesis of this paper is that God is not limited to one form of revelation, but rather that each revelatory form can and does inform the others …

Salvation And Faithfulness As They Apply To Eternal Security, Michael Frye

The Kabod

All who believe in Christ can have peace and security that their salvation is not temporary but eternal.