Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons^™

Luther And The Third Use Of The Law, With Special Reference To His Great Galatians Commentary, Jeffrey G. Silcock

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The question of whether Luther taught a third use of the law is far too broad for a thesis. We will therefore confine ourselves, in the main, to his great Galatians Commentary of 1531 / 1535, where he explicates in considerable detail the doctrine of justification and the proper distinction between law and gospel.4 Even though the nature of the letter is such that Paul speaks there more about justification than about sanctification, Luther still writes enough about the role of the law in the Christian life to warrant using this as our primary source. There are two main reasons …

The Relationship Of Christ And Faith In Luther’S Great Galatians Commentary (1531/1535), Section 2:16-21, Luisivan Veller Strelow

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

Luther’s language. is not always .easily understandable in his description of how Christ and faith are related so that faith in Christ justifies with the exclusion of works. Luther refers to the "present Christ" and says, "Therefore faith justifies because it takes hold of and possesses this treasure, the present Christ.” Luther says also that Christ is "the form of faith," and that Christ and the believer are "as one person.” How is this language to be understood? In contrast to some authors who isolated these phrase. and interpret them in a way which goes against their own context, the …

The Lord's Supper's Eschatology In The Blood Of The Covenant, Joel Lehenbauer

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The thesis we will try to defend is that the theology of the Lord’s Supper is the matrix of the theology of the Lord's Supper's23eschatology. What gives the Lord's Supper its unique character will also give the Lord's Supper's eschatology its unique character. One’s view of what holds the Lord's Supper together will determine one's view of what holds the Lord's Supper together with its eschatology. What is seen as the proprium of the Lord's Supper will also be the center of the Lord's Supper's eschatology.

An Analysis Of Justification By Faith, Laverne Janssen

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

A critical evaluation of this topic is practical today for a variety of reasons. Many Lutherans today earnestly desire a consensus on the gospel with the Roman Catholic Church. This desire is often misdirected by a lack of crucial information on the respective Lutheran and Roman Catholic teachings on justification today. The responsible pastor must provide the doctrinal information that is lacking. A restatement of the Roman Catholic position of Trent by the Lutheran pastor will not usually satisfy the questions of those who have witnessed what appear to be basic changes in the Roman Catholic Church in our generation.

The Relation Of The Celebration Of The Lord's Supper To The Office Of The Holy Ministry:, Kent Heimbigner

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

This thesis is written with the presupposition that the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the divinely inspired written Word of God. This is most consistent with an investigation of the liturgical writings of the early church, as the earliest liturgies of the church consist almost entirely of the words of Holy Scripture. Those who used these liturgies sought not to displace what they had received but rather to confess it as they had first received it.

This thesis does not undertake to prove from Scripture the doctrines of either the Holy Ministry or the Lord's Supper …

The Doctrine Of Baptism As Confessed By C. F. W. Walther's Gesangbuch Of 1847, Jon Vieker

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The purpose of this thesis is to demonstrate the vitality with which the Doctrine of Baptism was confessed in the hymnody of those who emigrated from Saxony to Perry County, Missouri and later formed "The German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio and Other States."® Their first Gesanabuch of 1847,edited by C. F. W. Walther, the Missouri Synod's first President and stellar leader in nineteenth century American Lutheranism, will serve as the principal source.

Augustine’S Theology Of The Sacrament Of The Altar As Understood From His Theory Of “Signum” And “Res”, Leo Fuhr

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

Augustine's Platonic way of thinking causes him to see the things of this world as signs that point to a world beyond. Within the context of this way of thinking, that is, from lower to higher, from outer to inner, from visible to invisible, from temporal to eternal, we will seek to analyze his theology of the sacrament. In order to do this, this paper will examine the terms siqnum and res as employed by Augustine in his theory of sign and in his definition of sacrament. That, in turn, may enable us to re late this theory to his …

A Law-Gospel Comparison Of The World Council Of Churches' Document Baptism. Eucharist. And Ministry And The Book Of Concord, Glen Thomas

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

Before comparing Baptism. Eucharist, and Ministry(BEM) and The Book of Concord with respect to their confession of the proper distinction between Law and Gospel, it will be helpful to establish and define what is meant by the terms Law and Gospel.as well as their proper distinction. While an investigation of all aspects of Law and Gospel would consume an entire thesis in itself, only those aspects of Law and Gospel which will be helpful in the investigation of BEM and The Book of Concord will be explored (those dealing with how man is justified before God). The material presented in …

The Doctrine Of Scripture In Fundamentalist Theology A Lutheran Appraisal, Terry Forke

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The analysis of these four sources will form the body of this paper. The comparison will support the thesis that there is an appropriate distinction to be made between the fundamentalist and the traditional Lutheran doctrine of Scripture. This distinction is made in the hope that further discussion may be facilitated by the avoidance of unnecessary conflict due to the misuse of the term "fundamentalism" as applied to the Missouri Synod.

Isaac As Preached By Luther, Ralph Rokke

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

This study will trace Luther's exposition of the life of Isaac primarily as that exposition is found in his Genesis Commentary, although at times references will also be made to other writings of Luther in which Isaac is mentioned.

Lutheranism In Maine 1741-1986, Ingo Dutzmann

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

My purpose in this writing is very simple. First, to tell the story for the first time. Second, to establish and comment upon basic demographic data for Lutheranism in Maine and to provide brief overviews of every Lutheran congregation in Maine to date. And third, to make some observations about the practical and theological state of the Lutheran denominations in Maine especially with reference to the establishment of the new Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, as it may relate to the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

The Heart Of Lutheran Pentecost Preaching: A Comparison Of Luther, Walther, And Spener, John Lukomski

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

This thesis was prompted by the desire to aid Lutheran Pentecost preaching. It was hoped to do that both in a positive way, determining what are the good things to be said in a Lutheran Pentecost sermon, and in a negative way, determining what are the errors to be avoided.

The History And Use Of The Galesburg Rule In American Lutheranism, William Utech

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

It is not the aim of this presentation to consider all the ecumenical issues and endeavors these three branches involved themselves in during the years 1875 to the present. Rather, this discussion is limited to only those personalities, documents, and events which had a direct relationship to The Galesburg Rule and the kind of ecclesiastical practice it encouraged. In addition to the standard American Lutheran histories, the primary source materials employed are the official convention proceedings and reports of the various synods and ministeriums under consideration. Also utilized are sources of secondary importance, such as the writings of the theological …

Paul Gerhardt In Statu Confessionis A Study Of Paul Gerhardt's Confession Of Christ, Gerald Krispin

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The attempt will therefore be made to approach Gerhardt’s hymnody with his theology and piety in mind, and to examine systematically how these elements influenced and formed his confession of Christ within his hymnody. For itis in the confession of Christ in the arms of the Virgin, upon the cross and in word and sacrament that the purity of the Gospel comes to the fore. Remarkably it is this confession of Christ which is most frequently censured, disregarded, or ignored in Gerhardt's hymnody. Ultimately his hymns will have to speak for themselves.

The Work Of The Holy Spirit In Light Of John 14-16, Glenn Nielsen

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The paper is thus quite helpful, for now my personal question is answered. No, I am not missing out on anything of the Spirit. My relationship with Christ assures me of that. It also answers the more academic inquiry, which produces the thesis of this study: the work of the Holy Spirit is exclusively and continually Christological. Or, as Frederick Bruner says, commenting on the title of his book, The Holy Spirit: Shy Member of the Trinity,

What I mean here by shyness is not the shyness of timidity(cf. 2 Tim. 1:7), but the shyness of deference, the shyness of …

Cyril As Pastor: The Proclamation Of His Christology To His People, Theodore Mayes

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The purpose of this paper is to investigate Cyril's Christology as he wrote or preached it to the people in his own diocese, for the particular purpose of discovering whether Cyril, in speaking to his own people, was "Chalcedonian" or "Monophysite." Cyril's anthropology (even though it would be helpful in a definitive study of Cyril's Christology) is not covered, nor are Cyril's major dogmatic and polemic works used.

A Survey Of Luther's Understanding Of The Proper Use Of Ratio In Theology As Found In The Lectures On Galatians (1519),On The Bondage Of The Will, And The Disputation Concerning Man, Kerry Reese

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The purpose of this thesis is not to speculate regarding where this writer thinks Luther would stand today in the midst of the battles fought to give ratio its proper place in Christian theology. Instead, this writer finds merit in the practices of the Augustinian scholars of Luther's day, allowing an author's writings to speak for themselves when presenting another's point of view on a given subject.6That shall be the attempt of the following pages: to permit the primary sources themselves the opportunity to speak out on the topic of Luther's concept of the proper use of reason in knowing …

Justification In The Eastern Orthodox Churches (A Comparative Study), Eshetu Abate

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The topic of this Thesis, Justification in the Eastern Orthodox Churches, is prompted by the document which recently came out of the U.S. Lutheran-Roman Catholic Dialogue on the doctrine of Justification by faith alone, work which took more than five years ending in September 1983. To one who comes from the East, especially from Ethiopia, a country where half of the population is Orthodox, the reading of the publicity on this dialogue and its outcome raised the question: "How do the Orthodox Churches in the East think about justification by faith alone?" The incubation of this idea yielded the present …

Contemporary Roman Catholic Approaches To Non-Christian Religions, Jacob A. Preus Iii

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The purpose of this study is to explore, in greater detail, the final three stages in the evolution of Roman Catholic theology of religions. In order to do this, it will first be necessary to trace the historical background of the current Catholic approaches to non-Christian religions, from exclusive to inclusive ecclesiocentrism.

The Application Of The Lutheran Teaching Concerning The Just War To The Twentieth Century Counter-Insurgency Warfare, Frank Morgret

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

Can there be any rules in war? Or, to phrase the same question in other words, is some sort o£ morality possible on the battlefield? The horrors o£ nuclear and guerrilla war prompt many to answer this question with a firm, even vehement, “No” Certainly the fact that millions of noncombatants are the targets for hundreds of nuclear-armed missles lends credence to their denial. Moreover, the vivid picture of the summary execution of a guerrilla by a Vietnamese police chief and the sickening stories of hurling some prisoners of war from a helicopter nine hundred or a thousand feet in …

Melanchthon's Understanding Of The Will In The Loci Communes, Richard Osslund

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

It is a commonplace among many Lutheran theologians that Philip Melanchthon was a synergist. The purpose of this study is to evaluate this theological judgment on the basis of Melanchthon’s Loci of 1521, 1535, 1543, 1555, and 1559. The conclusion of this study is that Melanchthon's writings do not support the charge of synergism which has been directed against him. It is not the intention of the author to ascribe malevolence or lack of scholarly integrity to those who have described Melanchthon's position as synergistic. There are reasons for the historical judgment that Melanchthon was "the father of synergism in …

The Priesthood Of All Believers And The Theology Of Pietism, Breno Faber

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

Pietism and pietistic emphases are becoming popular again because during the seventeenth and early eighteenth century the Pietists sought to revitalize Christianity in ways familiar to twentieth century Christians seeking to do the same. Pietism sought to foster a more vigorous personal and public piety among the people. They sought to improve the education of ministers in practical piety so that they might better guide and edify their people. They sought to encourage the reading of the Bible, Christian education of the youthful and the mature, demonstrated social concern and resposibility in their philanthropic enterprises, and embarked upon ambitious programs …

A Case Study In Ecumenical Methodology: Survey And Evaluation Of Post-Vatican Ii Roman Catholic/Protestant Solutions For Achieving Doctrinal Consensus Concerning The Marian Dogmas Of The Immaculate Conception And Bodily Assumption, Terence Groth

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

In light of these developments it seems apparent that the church has a need to take cognizance of these methods and evaluate them to determine which, if any, are legitimate approaches to the problem of achieving doctrinal consensus in the church today. That, in short, is the burden of this study.

In the scope of this study the application of these methods to every major doctrinal obstacle now being tackled cannot be observed. Therefore, it was decided to focus attention upon one area of major disagreement which both Roman Catholics and Protestants agree is an obstacle which must be overcome …

"Jesus And Japan" In The Thought Of Kanzo Uchimura: A Study In A Theological Interpretation For The Indigenization Of Christianity In Modern Japan, Akio Hashimoto

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The reason for our choosing salvation as the central topic of this study is to be found in the fact that a theologian's concept of salvation, whatever it might be, is in the last analysis the surest index to what he regards as the ultimate issue of the Gospel. Then, it goes without saying that·the other aspects of Uchimura's theological thought will be taken into consideration as far as they have bearing on our attempt to understand Uchimura's soteriology.

Charismata Of The Spirit In The New Testament In Comparison With Hindu Religious Practices, M. Selva Gunalan

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

A renewed interest in the Spirit and charismata has increasingly resulted in a wide array of literature. The present state of the Charismatic Movement seemingly has created a new awareness among Christians of the need to discern the peculiar phenomena of the movement in the light of the Scriptures. Secular fields of study, such as sociology, anthropology and psychology also have been striving to investigate the cause and effect of the supernatural elements claimed by the Charismatic Movement.

The Charismatic Movement has received severe criticism as well as enthusiastic acceptance. This movement has grown rapidly and has left its effect …

The Ordination Of Women As Deacons In Conservative Presbyterian Churches, Michael Roy Marcey

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The Church has not acted in such a way so as to respond constructively and progressively to the concerns of women for more freedom and opportunities. Today it finds itself engrossed in a heated debate. Yet, the Church has the opportunity and responsibility in our day to speak with sensitivity and clarity to the current discussions. This will involve affirming the value and significance of women and their g1f~ for the Church. It will also involve a careful examination of its practices and policies to insure that women are full participants in the ministry of the Gospel. This thesis is …

The Doctrine And History Of Worship In The Reformed Presbyterian Church Of North America, John Delivuk

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

As the smaller, conservative Presbyterian churches have moved towards merger, one doctrinal problem has emerged. It is the position of the Reformed Presbyterian (Covenanter) Church of North America (RPC) on worship. The Reformed Presbyterian Church holds to the traditional Reformed positions of a capella singing and the exclusive use of the Psalms for singing in worship. This thesis was written to explain Reformed Presbyterian worship. The questions that it attempts to answer are: What is the historical basis for Reformed Presbyterian worship? What is the doctrinal basis for Reformed Presbyterian worship? What, if any, have been the changes in Reformed …

The Mediation Of The Spirit Through The Word: A Critical Analysis Of The Theology Of Theodore Jungkuntz In The Light Of The Lutheran Confessions, Timothy Maschke

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

A critical analysis of any theology can be presumptuous at worst; unnecessary at best. This study was undertaken a number of years ago as the writer struggled to determine the critical area where the charismatic movement touches Lutheran theology most sensitively. To start with a premise that the Lutheran charismatic movement is heretical (as a few writers have assumed) did not seem scholarly or fair. To impose Lutheran terminology on charismatic and nee-Pentecostal concepts seemed equally unsound. After observing the growing pains of the Lutheran charismatic movement, the writer became aware that a study of one area--the mediation of the …

Augustana Vii And The Unity Of The Church Major Interpretive Accents In Nineteenth And Twentieth Century American Lutheranism, Mark Wangerin

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

It is the intent of this thesis to examine the meaning of the Seventh Article of the Augsburg Confession on the basis of the article itself, its Scriptural and creedal antecedents, and its context within the corpus of the Lutheran Confessions. The interpretation of this article by key theologians of the period of Lutheran Orthodoxy as well as by nineteenth century American Lutherans will then be presented. Finally, the clashing and sometimes bitter debate regarding the interpretation of this article in the twentieth century will be fully presented both from the viewpoint of official church documents am from the pen …

A Lutheran Confessional Critique Of The Understanding And Function Of The Believer’S Union With Christ In The Theolcgy Of Watchman Nee, Dennis Paul Schiefelbein

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The purpose of this thesis, therefore, is to construct systematically Nee's understanding of the believer's union with Christ, and then outline the function he ascribes to this union in Christian sanctification. Then after identifying specific focal points on which Nee's theological system depends, I will bring an extensive study of the Lutheran Confessions to bear on these issues. In terms of a question, has Nee developed a theology which may be acceptable to Confessional Lutheranism? Our study will begin with a brief historical section on Nee.