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Articles 1 - 23 of 23
Full-Text Articles in Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion
The Influence Of The Gospels Of Matthew And Luke On Carl F. H. Henry’S Kingdom Theology, Michael Cunningham
The Influence Of The Gospels Of Matthew And Luke On Carl F. H. Henry’S Kingdom Theology, Michael Cunningham
Eleutheria: John W. Rawlings School of Divinity Academic Journal
Carl F.H. Henry was a leading theologian of American Evangelicalism and prominent voice in the Neo Evangelical movement of the twentieth century. His prominent book The Uneasy Conscience of Modern Fundamentalism (1947) persuaded conservative evangelicals to avoid the separatist inclinations of fundamentalism. He, instead, championed a biblically based brand of cultural engagement rooted in the kingdom theology found in the Gospels. Harnessing the “Already, but not yet” view of the kingdom popularized by Herman Ridderbos and George Ladd, Henry effectively engaged culture during a tumultuous twentieth century. This paper will begin with a survey of the historical legacy of Carl …
Moralistic Therapeutic Deism: A Classical Critique, Michael W. Cunningham
Moralistic Therapeutic Deism: A Classical Critique, Michael W. Cunningham
Eleutheria: John W. Rawlings School of Divinity Academic Journal
In 2005, American sociologist Christian Smith coined the term “Moralistic Therapeutic Deism” in his book, Soul Searching, The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers. At the time, this phenomenon was heralded as a new “religion” for emerging generations, yet it ascribes to no formal text, deity, or doctrine. It serves as a self-focused compilation of secular philosophy, politics, culture, and spirituality flavored with fragments from popular religions. While there is no formal MTD doctrine, there are five affirmations: (1) A God exists who created and ordered the world and watches over human life on Earth, (2) God wants …
The Role Of Story In The Creation And Life Of Man, Leah Ginion
The Role Of Story In The Creation And Life Of Man, Leah Ginion
Senior Honors Theses
Story was created by God as a vehicle for the revelation and glorification of Himself. Man, made in the image of God, was created as an innate storyteller. The world was created through story, and story is how it progresses and is sustained. As such, story is the foundation of all culture and the most natural and effective method of human communication. Research points to all of man’s stories being derivatives of the Great Story: the metanarrative of Scripture. Exploring man’s relationship with story reveals his place within the metanarrative and ultimately provides evidence for the existence and active presence …
Micro-Kingdom: A Theological And Missiological Apologetic For The Microchurch Model As An Effective And Faithful New Testament Expression Of The Kingdom Of God, Donald Clayton Dodge
Micro-Kingdom: A Theological And Missiological Apologetic For The Microchurch Model As An Effective And Faithful New Testament Expression Of The Kingdom Of God, Donald Clayton Dodge
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Using a bibliographic methodology, this thesis is a theological and missiological defense for the microchurch model as a solution to the limitations of the prevalent Western attractional model to effectively live out Jesus command to be a community of disciples making disciples. The declining western model is proving insufficient in a post-Christian, post-Christendom world to fulfill the intended role of the church. And as more churches are continually planted, if the erroneous presuppositions responsible for the decline of the church’s efficacy are not amended, there will be no lasting change regardless of how much effort and money is invested. New …
Are Christian College Students Equipped To Share Their Faith With Their Muslim Friends?: A Plan Of Action, Tim Orr
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
According to Pew Research Center, the U.S. Muslim population will double by 2030. Training the church to reach this group of people is vital. This project proposes that the Christian college is the best resource to train students to reach their Muslim friends and neighbors for Christ because these institutions have at their disposal a rich reservoir of resources that are vital to providing the biblical, theological, missiological, sociological, and cross-cultural knowledge that is necessary to be effective witnesses for Christ. The project also identifies four important components to successful ministry to Muslims. The four components include spiritual vitality, cultural …
An Outreach Model For Melville Mission Church: Evangelizing The Mandarin Community In Markham North, Ontario, Canada, Benjamin Li
An Outreach Model For Melville Mission Church: Evangelizing The Mandarin Community In Markham North, Ontario, Canada, Benjamin Li
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
MMC is a conservative, traditional Cantonese-speaking immigrant church that has had stagnant growth since its relocation to the rural area of Markham North, Ontario, Canada in 2009. The purpose of this project was to propose a new outreach model to enable MMC to more effective in evangelizing the Mandarin-speaking community in Markham. The proposed new outreach model is a refined version of Alan Hirsch’s Missional-Incarnational Model which mobilized the church membership to engage with the unchurched community for the Gospel. The research for this project was accomplished through studying the Chinese demographics in Markham, and through surveys of 158 mainland …
The Relationship Between Parental Attachment, Religious Coping, And Self-Esteem In Korean-American Adolescents, Paul Roh
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This study examined the relationship between insecure parental attachment, religious coping, and self-esteem with Korean-American adolescents, investigating the mediation effect of self-esteem on the relationship between insecure attachment and negative religious coping. Two hundred sixty-one Korean-American adolescents aged 12 to 18 from Korean immigrant churches in seven states completed the survey questionnaire to assess their attachment relationship with their mother and father, religious coping strategies, and self-esteem. Correlation analysis revealed significant correlations among the variables, and multiple regression analyses were used to detect the unique variance of father attachment in negative religious coping and the mediation effect of self-esteem on …
Child Prostitution: Inadequate Response By The Church, Gabrielle Alexis
Child Prostitution: Inadequate Response By The Church, Gabrielle Alexis
Masters Theses
Child sex trafficking is defined as the recruitment, harboring, transportation, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of commercial sex act that is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such an act has not attained eighteen years of age. Based on that definition, there is an alarming number of children that are being sexually enslaved. This paper specifically focuses on child sex trafficking or child prostitution. It presents a detailed analysis of the extent of child prostitution worldwide, discusses the long-term effects of child prostitution, analyzes the adequacy of the Church’s …
Pastoral Counseling: The Pastor's Guide To Helping Korean Youth In Crisis, Jeong Kook
Pastoral Counseling: The Pastor's Guide To Helping Korean Youth In Crisis, Jeong Kook
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Many Korean teenagers are suffering from physical and psychological abuse, anxiety, and depression due to dysfunctional family life. Korean Christian pastors and counselors need to be educated and trained in order to guide these families through such crisis. Using qualitative and quantitative analysis, the author surveyed over fifty troubled families. The findings were alarming and led the author to build a pastoral counseling model based on the biblical definition of the role of pastoral counseling using adept research of key scriptural principles. This pastoral counseling model provides a well-balanced biblical strategy to guide the troubled teenager through such crisis.
A Study Of Developing Healthy Disciples In The Korean-American Church, Kyung Seo
A Study Of Developing Healthy Disciples In The Korean-American Church, Kyung Seo
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Korean-American congregations within the Presbyterian denomination need to implement a Bible-centered discipleship model in order to become a more spiritual and viable Christian church. As the Senior Pastor for the Columbia Korean Presbyterian Church (2009-2014), the author utilized qualitative and quantitative analysis when interviewing church pastors within the Korean-American Presbyterian Churches of America. The surveys identified the need for a practical model of spiritual growth to develop healthy disciples within the Korean-American Church. Based upon the biblical principle of Christian discipleship, the author developed an overall a three-level strategy of making healthy disciples.
An Inquiry In The Early Creed Of Romans 1:3-4: Does The Word Ὁριζω Support An Adoptionistic Christianity?, Nicholas Dodson, Brian Scalise
An Inquiry In The Early Creed Of Romans 1:3-4: Does The Word Ὁριζω Support An Adoptionistic Christianity?, Nicholas Dodson, Brian Scalise
Eruditio Ardescens
No abstract provided.
Mission Statements: Evaluating Faith-Based Organization’S Missional Effectiveness In Monrovia, Liberia, Jessica Kryzer
Mission Statements: Evaluating Faith-Based Organization’S Missional Effectiveness In Monrovia, Liberia, Jessica Kryzer
Masters Theses
Mission statements of faith-based organizations in Monrovia, Liberia are essential to carrying out the Two Great Commandments and the Great Commission within the work of the organizations. By presenting and evaluating the presence of the TGC and the GC within the statements it can be determined whether the programs and funding are sufficiently affected by the solidity of the mission statement and core values.
Perfect Harmony: An Examination Of The Necessity Of Interdependency Between First And Second Generation Korean Congregations, Hank H. Shin
Perfect Harmony: An Examination Of The Necessity Of Interdependency Between First And Second Generation Korean Congregations, Hank H. Shin
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The English speaking second-generation Korean Americans coexisting with the first-generation Koreans topic identifies the issues associated in a typical Korean immigrant church. Based on the resources, the English Ministry has a tendency to stay under the authority of the Korean Ministry leadership, coexist independently with a separate administration, or depart to set up a separate church. This project is separated in three parts. The first section reviews the history of the early Korean American churches in the United States. The second section addresses the problems between English Ministry and Korean Ministry. The third section identifies a strategy to provide harmony …
Gustavo GutiéRrez – Liberation Theology & Marxism, Todd Cameron Swathwood Jr
Gustavo GutiéRrez – Liberation Theology & Marxism, Todd Cameron Swathwood Jr
The Kabod
Since 1968, liberation theology has emerged as a prominent feature of religion and politics, particularly in South America. Originally stemming from the writings of Peruvian priest Gustavo Gutiérrez, this at-once theological and overtly political ideology decries the institutionalized violence of the world’s capitalist society on the poor and oppressed, and argues that God is particularly concerned with the plight of the suffering masses. Christians should therefore make assistance of these poor souls their highest priority, and advocate for any and all methods of alleviating suffering, especially those that work from the premise that society must be toppled and rebuilt for …
The One Balm For All Earth’S Wounds: The Priority Of Gospel Proclamation In Charles Haddon Spurgeon’S Missiology, John Sypert
The One Balm For All Earth’S Wounds: The Priority Of Gospel Proclamation In Charles Haddon Spurgeon’S Missiology, John Sypert
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This dissertation explores the relationship between gospel proclamation and mercy ministry in Charles Spurgeon’s ministry. The dissertation argues that Spurgeon’s Pastors College, Stockwell Orphanage, and his multitude of other ministries had one clear goal: the spreading of the gospel and the conversion of the lost. This dissertation uses Spurgeon’s approach to missions as an apologetic for a more biblically precise missiology, namely, one that prioritizes gospel proclamation without neglecting the physical needs of those who suffer. This approach could be called “benevolent prioritism” because it prioritizes the proclamation of the gospel while not neglecting works of love for those suffering.
The Impact Of A Functional Understanding Of The Image Of God On Mission, Gary Hubbard
The Impact Of A Functional Understanding Of The Image Of God On Mission, Gary Hubbard
Masters Theses
The purpose of this thesis is to apply the work of biblical scholars regarding the functional image of God to the mission of the Church in order to argue for a comprehensive understanding of mission. By demonstrating continuity between God's creation purposes for humanity and his post-Fall work among his people, this study will seek to demonstrate that the Lord has always desired that his image bearers participate in the missio Dei. Furthermore, by explaining how Christ restores the imago Dei in the Church, this work will show that the mission of the Church is comprehensive, involving active participation in …
Christ's Response To The Last, The Least, The Lost, The Left Out - Is The Church Living Up To Christ's Standard?, Jerry Staples
Christ's Response To The Last, The Least, The Lost, The Left Out - Is The Church Living Up To Christ's Standard?, Jerry Staples
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
There is a plethora of statistics concerning how many un-churched people there are in the United States and the socioeconomic ladder does not discriminate who fits this lost category. Yet, the concern of this project deals with the gang member, drug dealer, drug users, pimps and prostitutes. The intent is to take outreach to the street through cook outs, Holy block parties, street revivals and the like. The rationale of this project is to show how one can reach, teach and keep this group of people, the potential dangers, and positive consequences associated with it. The potential value of this …
From Evangelistic Preaching To Mentoring: A Model For The Local Church, Seunghyun Yoon
From Evangelistic Preaching To Mentoring: A Model For The Local Church, Seunghyun Yoon
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Throughout Christian history, biblical and historical figures have used strategic invitation methods that focused on the needs of the people who were listening to their evangelistic appeal. This demonstrates that evangelism and the invitation process is relevant to those who respond to the message.
An Effective Prayer Training Model For Church Growth: Centered On Wangsung Presbyterian Church In South Korea, Geunbae Hwang
An Effective Prayer Training Model For Church Growth: Centered On Wangsung Presbyterian Church In South Korea, Geunbae Hwang
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this project is to investigate biblical church growth, specifically studying South Korean pastors roles concerning the healthy church and spiritual reinforcement, with a limited focus and application to WangSung Presbyterian Church and other churches in South Korea. This project primarily utilizes the New Testament, as well as literature on church growth and healthy spirituality. In addition, references specifically regarding church growth and statistical information from Korean church ministries will also be used. This project shares a new alternative way for the growth of churches: A prayer-training model as the most effective method for church growth. A healthy …
The Korean-American Church In The 21st Century; A How To Model For Church Growth, Dongsik Kim
The Korean-American Church In The 21st Century; A How To Model For Church Growth, Dongsik Kim
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Although Korean-Americans have high religious affiliation, they have a low religious commitment. Many Korean-Americans think of the church as a place for relaxation and social connection rather than a place of worship. With the distorted perspective towards the church, the Korean-American churches experience split and division; the church's growth stagnates or declines, and the church is no longer healthy. This project provides suggestions for becoming a healthy church through a case study of the Lord-Jesus Korean Church (LJKC) in Richmond, VA. Based on questionnaires, the project evaluates the effectiveness of the ministries of the LJKC and suggests recommendations for becoming …
The Father's Business Person, The Shift To Tentmaking Missions Strategy, Chris White
The Father's Business Person, The Shift To Tentmaking Missions Strategy, Chris White
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the important place that tentmaking holds or should hold in missions strategy. It is the belief of the author (supported by almost 20 years of ministry experience overseas) that visas and money are often barriers to ministry effectiveness. This paper would like to provide a solution (i.e. tentmaking) to these common tensions that most missionaries encounter. The value of the topic is very personal to the author's ministry: first because I am currently serving on the mission field (needing a visa and money), and second because of the potential tentmaking holds for …
The Postmodern Church, Timothy C. Lawless
The Postmodern Church, Timothy C. Lawless
Senior Honors Theses
Within the past twenty years, the Church (especially in America) has experienced dwindling membership and attendance, along with a host of other problems. Many of these problems are symptomatic of a massive cultural shift toward postmodernism, leading to discontentment with the Church. In attempting to respond to these challenges, the emergent Church has arisen as a major element of American religious culture. Their methodology and doctrine is heavily influenced by postmodernism, which presents a further challenge for Christian leaders and ministers. This paper will survey the challenges facing the Church, will describe the emergent Church’s origin and response to these …
Culture And Interreligious Understanding According To The Romanian Philosopher Lucian Blaga, Michael S. Jones
Culture And Interreligious Understanding According To The Romanian Philosopher Lucian Blaga, Michael S. Jones
SOR Faculty Publications and Presentations
Culture affects how we interpret our experiences and the way we construct our world. It also affects our ability to communicate with one another. The late Romanian philosopher Lucian Blaga developed a systematic philosophy of culture that explores and explains how culture challenges and at the same time facilitates interideological communication. This article introduces and explains these aspects of Blaga's philosophy and then applies them to the issue of interreligious dialogue. It concludes that Blaga's philosophy of culture promotes a high regard for culture and cultural distinctness and at the same time vindicates, enables, and promotes efforts at interreligious understanding.