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Articles 31 - 60 of 1672

Full-Text Articles in Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion

Others First: A Visual Roadmap 4 Transformation, Toby D. Wagoner Apr 2024

Others First: A Visual Roadmap 4 Transformation, Toby D. Wagoner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Small rural churches tend to have an inward-focus mindset fueled by the need for self-preservation and survival. This transactional ministry mindset negatively impacts sharing the love of Christ with others, culminating in apathetic attitudes toward church functionality. The problem this DMin action research project sought to address is the inward focus of First Baptist Church of Ravenswood members. The church needs to improve its evangelism and discipleship efforts, embrace sharing their love of Christ with others, begin engaging guests on a meaningful level, and consider facility upgrades. Members were reminded of the importance of demonstrating their love of Christ to …


God’S Narrative Of Redemption: Creation, Imago Dei, And Water Imagery, Dawn Lewis Sutherland Apr 2024

God’S Narrative Of Redemption: Creation, Imago Dei, And Water Imagery, Dawn Lewis Sutherland

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research demonstrates that the reclamation of imago Dei identity is the ultimate and terminal end-state of God’s plan for humanity’s redemption; this plan is universally expressed to humanity through water imagery in the Old Testament (OT) and in Ancient Near East (ANE) context. The Creator unveils supernatural intent through natural processes and contends that the restoration of imago Dei identity represents the conclusive fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan for humanity. In pursuit of this argument, the research critically explores creational identity, the contrasting biblical notion of idolatry, and the cross-cultural significance of water imagery within the contexts of the …


The Nature Of Beauty And Its Objective Manifestation Serve As Evidence Of The God Described In The Bible, Michael S. Libby Mar 2024

The Nature Of Beauty And Its Objective Manifestation Serve As Evidence Of The God Described In The Bible, Michael S. Libby

Masters Theses

In exploring the concept of objective beauty in nature, a strong argument emerges for the existence of a divine creator as described in the Bible. This thesis, titled “The Nature of Beauty and its Objective Manifestation Serve as Evidence of the God Described in the Bible,” proposes that the intricate design and objective manifestation of beauty in the world are indicative of a higher transcendent being, prompting us to contemplate the profound mysteries of creation and the interconnectedness of aesthetics and spirituality. Through this lens of beauty, we are challenged to engage in a thought-provoking discourse that encompasses apologetics, philosophy, …


A Composition Of Strategic Harmony: The Role Of Hymnic Elements In The Compositional Strategy Of Amos, Moegagogo S. Solomona Mar 2024

A Composition Of Strategic Harmony: The Role Of Hymnic Elements In The Compositional Strategy Of Amos, Moegagogo S. Solomona

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Scholarship on the book of Amos has oft leaned in favor of a multilayered composition of the prophetic book, citing either post-exilic motifs or unusual thematic transitions as evidence. While most of the book of Amos is typically ascribed to the prophet himself, the attribution of certain portions to the work of later redactors brings into question the integrity of the message Amos seeks to convey, especially regarding a united theological message. Proponents of redaction claim that the portions in question would not have been part of the original composition due to their contents displaying post-exilic themes. Such a reconstruction …


Preparing The Next Generation For Faith Ownership By Training Fathers In The Biblical Worldview, John D. Embrey Mar 2024

Preparing The Next Generation For Faith Ownership By Training Fathers In The Biblical Worldview, John D. Embrey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Several modern factors increase families’ difficulty training children in the Christian faith. Time commitments outside the home have increased, and a decline in faith practice has made parents less comfortable and confident with knowledge of the Christian faith. These factors fueled an increase in teenagers leaving the Christian faith as they moved into adulthood and a decline in the number of adults with a biblical worldview. The underlying assumption of this DMIN project is that if fathers are trained with a biblical worldview and mentoring skills, they will become more comfortable and prepared to share their faith with their children …


Some Aspects Of The Theology Of The City In Ane Literature And Biblical Protology And Eschatology: A Comparative Study, Vlatko Dir Feb 2024

Some Aspects Of The Theology Of The City In Ane Literature And Biblical Protology And Eschatology: A Comparative Study, Vlatko Dir

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The city is an essential accomplishment that is embedded in the foundations of human civilization. From its mature appearance in Sumer and its developed forms throughout the ANE world, the city held a high place in cosmology, cosmogony, and anthropogony. The ideology and theology of the city created by the ANE peoples were built around and presented through the interplay of the triangle of influences and dependencies formed by the city, the temple, and kingship in conjunction with the gods. The question is whether the same construct is ingeminated in the Bible. This dissertation strives to provide an appropriate context …


The Modern-Day Widow: Wrongly Shamed And Shunned In Evangelical Communities, Nancy Beise Feb 2024

The Modern-Day Widow: Wrongly Shamed And Shunned In Evangelical Communities, Nancy Beise

Masters Theses

Evangelical women suffering in destructive, abusive marriages suffer doubly when their faith communities do not understand the nature of intimate partner violence and the trauma of sexual betrayal. Too often these women are sent back into dangerous relationships without resource and with the additional burden of shame (Matthew 23:4). If they choose to divorce in order to escape abuse and find peace and healing, they are most often rejected and shunned as sinners. This work identifies who these women are according to scripture, defines abuse and betrayal trauma, and calls the evangelical community to an awareness of the suffering made …


A World Of Difference: A Comparison Of The Worldview Differences Regarding Personhood And Human Rights, Isaac Kantola Jan 2024

A World Of Difference: A Comparison Of The Worldview Differences Regarding Personhood And Human Rights, Isaac Kantola

NEXUS: The Liberty Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies

No abstract provided.


The Thought Of C.S. Lewis, Wyatt Golden Jan 2024

The Thought Of C.S. Lewis, Wyatt Golden

NEXUS: The Liberty Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies

No abstract provided.


Indirect Prophecies Concerning The Death Of Christ In Narrative, Lindsay A. Siemers Jan 2024

Indirect Prophecies Concerning The Death Of Christ In Narrative, Lindsay A. Siemers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In Luke 24, two disciples recognized that Jesus had predicted He would suffer, be betrayed, and handed over to death by crucifixion, and had said He would rise again on the third day. It was now the third day, and Jesus was no longer in the tomb, but they were confused as to what these things meant and how they came to be. Jesus says to them, “‘O foolish ones and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?’ And beginning …


An Appeal To Mystery Without "Punting": Revisiting Molinism’S Biblical Problem In Light Of Ephesians 1:4–11 And Romans 11:33–36, Jeffrey S. Kennedy Jan 2024

An Appeal To Mystery Without "Punting": Revisiting Molinism’S Biblical Problem In Light Of Ephesians 1:4–11 And Romans 11:33–36, Jeffrey S. Kennedy

Eleutheria: John W. Rawlings School of Divinity Academic Journal

Molinists maintain that middle knowledge is the best candidate for settling the historical debate on God’s sovereignty and man’s free will. The philosophical sophistication of the view can be alluring, and the efforts of Molinists to rationally defend it against criticisms have been impressive. But does Molinism still have a biblical problem? Proponents argue that the doctrine is compatible with the Bible's teaching on God's knowledge of counterfactuals, though admittedly, it is not explicitly taught in Scripture. But this claim is more problematic than advocates for the theory have alleged. The present study maintains that in the absence of a …


Doctrinal Development: The Doctrine Of Lesser Magistrates And American Political Theology, Daniel Christopher Samms Jan 2024

Doctrinal Development: The Doctrine Of Lesser Magistrates And American Political Theology, Daniel Christopher Samms

Eleutheria: John W. Rawlings School of Divinity Academic Journal

The Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrate plays a unique role in the development of political theology. While the principle is found in Scripture, the doctrine is developed across church history during catalytic moments in which civil or religious authorities are at odds with Christian convictions. While the principle made developmental strides in the early centuries of Christianity, it was codified in the Magdeburg Confession of 1550, leading to more rapid development throughout the Reformation, and eventually influencing the American War for Independence. This analyzes the development of the doctrine, identifying it as a natural maturation of biblical principles. The doctrine …


Retaining Students After Graduation With Biblical Servanthood, Carlos Henrique De Freitas Dec 2023

Retaining Students After Graduation With Biblical Servanthood, Carlos Henrique De Freitas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis addresses the inadequate understanding of the biblical concept of servanthood among high school students (grades 9-12) within the congregation of Macland Baptist Church in Powder Springs, Georgia. As a result of this problem, students gradually distance themselves from their faith, discontinue church attendance, and cease participating in church service activities. The thesis of this paper is that exposing these high school students to various dimensions of biblical servanthood will significantly impact their understanding of this concept. The underlying assumption posits that a profound understanding of biblical servanthood, coupled with knowledge and service opportunities, will cultivate Christlike character in …


The Salvation Testimony Of African-American Converts In The Protestant Faith: A Phenomenological Study, Tenielle Jones Cook Dec 2023

The Salvation Testimony Of African-American Converts In The Protestant Faith: A Phenomenological Study, Tenielle Jones Cook

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Humanity's frailty and mortal existence create the space for a spiritual conversion experience that resolves matters of life and death. However, spirituality is an abstract concept with an ambiguous definition, and activities surrounding the application of its concepts are interpreted differently from one religious group or community to the next. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the salvation testimony of African-American males and females in the Protestant faith. A semi-structured interview and Conversation analysis are used for data collection and analysis to identify emerging themes for the descriptive essence of the salvation testimony. At this stage in …


Toward An Analysis Of The Abductive Moral Argument For God’S Existence: Assessing The Evidential Quality Of Moral Phenomena And The Evidential Virtuosity Of Christian Theological Models, David Ochabski Dec 2023

Toward An Analysis Of The Abductive Moral Argument For God’S Existence: Assessing The Evidential Quality Of Moral Phenomena And The Evidential Virtuosity Of Christian Theological Models, David Ochabski

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The moral argument for God’s existence is perhaps the oldest and most salient of the arguments from natural theology. In contemporary literature, there has been a focus on the abductive version of the moral argument. Although the mode of reasoning, abduction, has been articulated, there has not been a robust articulation of the individual components of the argument. Such an articulation would include the data quality of moral phenomena, the theoretical virtuosity of theological models that explain the moral phenomena, and how both contribute to the likelihood of moral arguments. The goal of this paper is to provide such an …


Moral Injury: The Hidden Adversary Of War, Lashell Y. Davis Dec 2023

Moral Injury: The Hidden Adversary Of War, Lashell Y. Davis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of United States Army combat veterans who have supported combat operations at least once over the past fourteen years in either Iraq or Afghanistan who self-identified as suffering from symptoms of moral injury. This study was designed to elucidate the impact of faith on resilience and coping mechanisms and broaden previous research on moral injury and whether Army leaders should identify and mitigate moral injury within the ranks. Phenomenology focuses on the interpretation and meaning of how individuals experience their world within a given context. Seven …


African Influence In The Bible: A Sub-Saharan Response To The Gospel And The Divine Prerogative Of African Incorporation In God’S Redemptive Plan, Robert Milton Bugg Jr. Dec 2023

African Influence In The Bible: A Sub-Saharan Response To The Gospel And The Divine Prerogative Of African Incorporation In God’S Redemptive Plan, Robert Milton Bugg Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Bible presents God's magnificent divine plan, executed by chosen people for a specific purpose. There are illustrations of those from various regions impacting those worldwide throughout the Bible. While much of the Old Testament takes place in ancient Mesopotamia, the magnitude of God’s plan is global. This dissertation will examine sub-Saharan people groups in Africa, particularly the Kushites and ancient Ethiopians. The discussion will include the history of Africans in the ancient world, their migration and development parallel to recorded biblical history, and their role in the Bible. Scholars utilize many different terms when referring to Kushites, depending on …


Faith Comes By Hearing: Impact Of Expository Preaching In The Worldview Of Young Adults At Sda Church Plants, Kenneth Martinez Dec 2023

Faith Comes By Hearing: Impact Of Expository Preaching In The Worldview Of Young Adults At Sda Church Plants, Kenneth Martinez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In this thesis, expository preaching is proposed as the mechanism to communicate a biblical worldview to Adventist young adults (people ages 18 to 40). This thesis project engaged the young adults of two Adventist church plants: Refuge Church and Triumph Church. The project consisted of preaching Adventist biblical theology through expository sermons, with the thesis that it would be interpreted as a worldview by young adults. The preaching series delivered salvation history, broken down into eight pericopes, and used the Great Controversy as its metanarrative. The goal of each sermon was to expound the assigned passage and its place on …


A Correlational Study Of Transformational Learning Tactics And Transformational Leadership Practices In Evangelical Pastors, Nichelle L. Crozier Dec 2023

A Correlational Study Of Transformational Learning Tactics And Transformational Leadership Practices In Evangelical Pastors, Nichelle L. Crozier

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research sought a possible explanation for the decline in Christianity in the United States through the lens of Evangelicalism. Holding to the Protestant reformist tenet of sola Scriptura, evangelicals characterize the role of the pastoral leader as being responsible for teaching congregants the Scriptures so that the congregant may do the work of the ministry according to Ephesians 4:11-16. Therefore, it was reasonable to question whether a pastoral leader's discipleship experiences, described here as transformational learning, had any impact on their disciple-making efforts, which were described as transformational leadership. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to determine …


The Single Father In The Christian Church And Their Struggles, Kennedy Abbott Dec 2023

The Single Father In The Christian Church And Their Struggles, Kennedy Abbott

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis project is about a severe but unseen problem in the church. The single fathers in the Christian church have been quietly struggling because many do not seek help. Caretakers of this single-father ministry identify and are aware of the struggle affiliated with single fathers, summarized from personal experience in Chapter One. In Chapter Two, this research elucidates the severity of the problem related to children separated from either parent, possibly leading to behavioral concerns in school, the community, and the home. The fundamental principles of this research derives from gathering data relevant to this research to support this …


Intentional Discipleship: Implementing A Theology Of Discipleship For Spiritual Growth, Sheina L. Rivera Dec 2023

Intentional Discipleship: Implementing A Theology Of Discipleship For Spiritual Growth, Sheina L. Rivera

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

One of the greatest needs for the church today is to equip believers to become biblically informed, fully developed disciples so that they are prepared to carry out the mission of Christ. Without fully understanding mature discipleship practices, believers cannot fulfill the Great Commission to “go, teach and baptize” to make other disciples. The failure to understand and teach these practices has led to complacency, lack of interest, and the inability to become disciples among long-term church laity. This dissertation implemented biblical discipleship teachings and practices in a local church through a Sunday School curriculum and was evaluated through participant …


A Cosmic Conflict In Covenantal Literature, Lisa Marie Martinez-Leeper Dec 2023

A Cosmic Conflict In Covenantal Literature, Lisa Marie Martinez-Leeper

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation examines the cosmic conflict that God declared in Genesis 3:15 in the Garden of Eden, and that will not come to fruition until the final judgment articulated in Revelation 20. This raging spiritual warfare can be seen through the lens of the covenants God made with Israel and the administration of God’s purposes through His people. Through God’s sovereign hand over Israel, His providence and grace can be seen throughout the whole of Holy Scriptures. The unfolding spiritual conflict to prevent the “seed of the woman” can be clandestinely observed in the outworking of God’s relationship with His …


Unmerited Inheritance: An Exposition Of The Twelve Divine Elements, Fulfillment, And Typology Of Yahweh’S Tithe To Levi, Noble Sokolosky Nov 2023

Unmerited Inheritance: An Exposition Of The Twelve Divine Elements, Fulfillment, And Typology Of Yahweh’S Tithe To Levi, Noble Sokolosky

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation seeks to advance the academy’s conversation about the Mosaic tithe ordinance by providing the first published reconciliation of what many scholars consider irreconcilable statutes. It does so by providing the first published exposition of the twelve divine elements of Yahweh’s sacred tithe against the land sabbatical and Jubilee statutes. Unless scholars can agree upon its divine elements, there is little hope for unity and progress towards edifying the saints with the typology of Yahweh’s inheritance tithe to Levi (Num 18:26).


The Transformative Preaching And Teaching Of The Old Testament Through Its Expositional Approach, Sony Olivier Nov 2023

The Transformative Preaching And Teaching Of The Old Testament Through Its Expositional Approach, Sony Olivier

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The aura of the Old Testament preaching and teaching today has been absorbed by the enthusiasm of its fulfillment in the New. Thus, the interest in exploiting the Old Testament principles as fulfilled in Christ through its expositional preaching and teaching needs to be revised. As revealed in the book of Acts, the commitment to preach the complete Word of God, the Old Testament, is vividly clear as Christ being the center of their preaching and teaching. Therefore, in today’s context, proclaiming the whole counsel of God’s Word calls for every preacher to consider Scripture in its entirety duly, from …


The Resurrection And The Witness, Michael A. Thomas Nov 2023

The Resurrection And The Witness, Michael A. Thomas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The thesis project aims to educate and equip New Life Christian Church (NLCC) and Eagle View Christian School (EVCS) leaders to use biblically fundamental arguments and theories about Christ’s Resurrection to defend its merits against contemporary cultural objections. The study employed the quantitative design method to gather information through a survey utilizing open and closed-ended questions with a convenient sample of thirty-eight participants from the NLCC and EVCS population. As leaders teach, others become effective witnesses of Christ’s Resurrection, equipping them to implement the teachings of Mathew 28:19-20 and 1 Peter 3:15 in their witness and defense of the gospel’s …


A Research Into The Influence Of Jewish Priests, Scribes, And Canonical And Non-Canonical Jewish Apocalyptic Literature On M Materials, Rajesh Sebastian Oct 2023

A Research Into The Influence Of Jewish Priests, Scribes, And Canonical And Non-Canonical Jewish Apocalyptic Literature On M Materials, Rajesh Sebastian

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

M materials refer to any content in Matthew that is not found in Mark and Luke and hence considered to be not part of the hypothetical Q. Questions are raised regarding the source and historical reliability of M materials. Many scholars consider M narratives to be fictional. Research work has been lacking among Matthean scholars to identify a source for M narratives. The primary goal of this research is to identify the Jewish priests as a plausible source of some M narratives. The research also attempts to unravel the reason for the Jewish apocalyptic influence on M materials and argues …


Echoes Of Creation And Salvation By The Triune God In John 9, Jungeun Lee Sep 2023

Echoes Of Creation And Salvation By The Triune God In John 9, Jungeun Lee

Masters Theses

This thesis aims to solve the enigmatic narrative of Jesus’ healing of a man blind from birth at Siloam in the Gospel of John 9, with a particular focus on verses 6–7. Within the context of intertextual connections, this story resonates with numerous narrative patterns and echoes found throughout the Bible. These intertextual connections provide important keys for interpreting this passage. By discerning the intertextual connections between this narrative and other parts of the Bible, readers will gain insight into the broader themes of Creation, Salvation, and the Trinity that are interwoven into this story. It means that this passage …


The Impact Of The Fall On Behavior, Intellect, And Emotion, Robert Monte Nelson Sep 2023

The Impact Of The Fall On Behavior, Intellect, And Emotion, Robert Monte Nelson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this research is to explore theological doctrines surrounding the Fall and to examine the impact of the Fall on human behavior, intellect, and emotion. This research maintains that the Fall of Adam led to the corruption of the volition, intellect, and emotions of Adam and Eve, who were created in the image of a perfect and holy God, without sin, and argues that humanity’s fallen condition impacts human emotions; however, they are distinct from divine emotions and are not an aspect of the imago Dei. Therefore, this dissertation will explore the meaning of the imago Dei, the …


Rethinking 2 Peter 3:10–13: An Exposition Of This Millennial Restoration And Eternal State Telescoping Prophecy, Robert H. Franklin Aug 2023

Rethinking 2 Peter 3:10–13: An Exposition Of This Millennial Restoration And Eternal State Telescoping Prophecy, Robert H. Franklin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Second Peter 3:10–13 is one of the most debated passages in Scripture. Understandably, the text concerns eschatology which evokes diverse perspectives. Accordingly, this dissertation will research two majority views on 2 Peter 3:10–13 and one minority view on 2 Peter 3:10–13 for which there is evidence that it was held by a few ante-Nicene fathers. After the ante-Nicene era, expositors have almost universally interpreted 2 Peter 3:10–13 as a single meaning prophecy pertaining entirely to the eternal state. A common agreement in the two majority views on 2 Peter 3:10–13 is that fire will be the means that God will …


Biblical Illiteracy In The Context Of Christian Apologetics: A Response To A Growing Concern At Faith Baptist Church Of Tyler Texas, Maurice F. Mcmillion Aug 2023

Biblical Illiteracy In The Context Of Christian Apologetics: A Response To A Growing Concern At Faith Baptist Church Of Tyler Texas, Maurice F. Mcmillion

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis project addresses Biblical Illiteracy in the context of Christian Apologetics: A response to a growing concern at Faith Baptist Church of Tyler, Texas. The focal point of this project is to rectify Biblical Illiteracy in the Context of Christian Apologetics. Pastors across America have not identified that their congregations are uninformed on the basics of Christian Apologetics. This doctoral thesis project aims to give Pastors a structured format for reducing biblical illiteracy in Christian Apologetics with their congregation by providing a curriculum that can be taught and assessed. The methodological approach will be a focus group intervention. This …