Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons^™

Evaluating The Authenticity Of The Gospels, James O'Brien

Spring 2015, Faith and Science

Today, moderns, as well as biblical scholars, have a hard time accepting the possibility that the Gospels are authentic. The idea that a document composed two thousand years ago could be trusted is dismissed as absurd. However, this assumes that there is no evidence suggesting the contrary. Richard Bauckham, in his book, Jesus and the Eyewitnesses, rejects this “gratuitous doubt” and provides a novel contribution to our knowledge of the historical Jesus. This book has awakened scholars to the possibility that the skepticism of form criticism is not only uncritical but also unwarranted. Contra to popular opinion in the …

Deification, Friendship, And Self-Knowledge, Matthew Hale

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

How does human friendship contribute to the process of deification? In this thesis, I will argue that a kind of “spiritual friendship” contributes to the process of deification by placing the human agent in a better position for acquiring self-knowledge, and avoiding false beliefs or misunderstandings about the self. This acquisition of self-knowledge is an important part of the deification process, which involves not just a moral and ontological transformation, but an epistemological one as well.

Answering Your Question: Creeds And Confessions, Wayne A. Kobes

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"The church could well benefit from a clear, contemporary statement of the essentials of the Christian faith in language that speaks to 21st century people."

Posting about the value of new creeds and confessions in the church from In All Things - an online hub committed to the claim that the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ has implications for the entire world.

http://inallthings.org/answering-your-question-creeds-and-confessions/

One Big Thing: Suffering As The Path To New Life In Crime And Punishment, Kelly M. Kramer

Montview Journal of Research & Scholarship

After spending a whole semester reading and thinking about Dostoevsky, the main thing that has struck me about him is his treatment of the theme of suffering. Despite, and even through, his extremely complicated characters and events, he nevertheless focuses his novels, particularly Crime and Punishment, on presenting a nuanced yet unified picture of suffering. After a brief analysis of several of the relevant characters and plot points, his thoughts on what suffering does to and for the individual will be presented. In contrast to our culture’s almost idolization of suffering as an experience which gives one instant respect, …

A Musical Homiletic: Drawing On The Sonic Dimensions Of The Word And Spirit, Thomas H. Troeger

Yale Journal of Music & Religion

The article begins by addressing two primary areas of concern: 1. Can music communicate meaning, and if so, how? 2. Can theological realities be expressed through music and other artistic forms whose primary medium is not language? The author then lays out a schema featuring four different aspects of developing a musical homiletic, starting with the simplest and moving to the most complex. (1) Preachers can speak in a way that captures the musicality of human conversation: its sonically engaging use of inflection, volume, pace, and timbre. (2) Preachers can interpret the theological and poetic meaning of the texts that …

Singing The Sermon: Where Musicology Meets Homiletics, Emmett G. Price Iii

Yale Journal of Music & Religion

From the beginning of the Christian Church, singing and preaching have served as major tools of communication. In fact, they remain the most utilized methods of articulating and explicating personal and communal theologies across the diverse and expansive expressions of Christianity.

From the life, ministry, and legacy of Jesus Christ through the teachings of the Apostle Paul, the roles and functions of singing and preaching are well known but not well studied as a unit. From the foundational writings of the early Church Fathers through the various theses of the reformers, the acts of singing and preaching have been studied …

Preaching And The Power Of Music: A Dialogue Between The Pulpit And Choir Loft In 1689, Markus Rathey

Yale Journal of Music & Religion

During the ecclesiastical year 1689-90 the Lutheran superintendent in Leipzig, Johann Benedict Carpzov, and his cantor, the composer Johann Schelle, embarked on a collaboration of unusual scale. In the previous year, Carpzov had preached a cycle of sermons based on well-known hymns from the Lutheran tradition. In 1689-90 Carpzov gave a short summary of the earlier hymn sermons, while Schelle composed for each Sunday a cantata based on the very same hymn. The result is a unique collaboration between preacher and musician, pulpit and choir loft. Only a few of Schelle’s compositions have survived; however, the extant cantatas together with …

The Reformation Of Preaching: Transformations Of Worship Soundscapes In Early Modern Germany And Switzerland, Barbara Pitkin

Yale Journal of Music & Religion

The evangelical sermon was the Protestant Reformation’s central ritual event and the catalyst for a host of other changes, ranging from the abolition of the Mass to acts of violent iconoclasm. In promoting the sermon, reformers in Germany and Switzerland were in continuity with trends in medieval preaching, but at the same time the new centrality given to the preached word fundamentally altered the worship experience, particularly the aural experience. The present investigation traces the contours of the preaching landscape in the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, outlines the innovations in sermonizing in Reformation Switzerland and Germany, and, by …

Does Artwork Have To Be Beautiful?, Sister Mary Benedicta Maier Rsm

Aristos

Beauty’s relation to art work is a contentious problem for the philosophy of art. The problem is not new to the history of philosophy. Hume and Kant attempted to tackle the question in the modern era. Contemporary philosophers have broadened the definition of art to include works that stretch modern philosophers’ conceptions. With philosophers shifting their definition from the object to the subject, they have effectively marginalized beauty in place of another good or valued concept.

Considering the status quo, this paper argues that beauty is a necessary condition for art work. It argues that philosophers have a problem …

The Real Presence Of Christ In The Eucharist, Samuel French

Aristos

The dogmatic constitution Lumen Gentium describes the Eucharist as “the source and summit of the Christian life.” It is not hard to imagine then, that this subject of principal importance is still being debated two millennia after its institution. Even when it was taught from the lips of Jesus himself, there were many disciples who grumbled saying: “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” (Jn 6:60) Unfortunately, this is still the case today. There are some among the faithful who no longer believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and others who simply misunderstand …

Epicureanism: The Pursuit Of Eudemonia, Annetta Kassis

Aristos

Since ancient times, the study of eudemonia has been paramount in the discipline of philosophy. Various schools of thought have developed ideas and theories that discuss the nature of this happiness and methods of attaining it.

A famous school of thought, which presents such theories, is that of Epicureanism; founded by Epicurus. Epicureanism asserts a strong focus on the necessity of ‘ataraxia’ and the fulfillment of necessary pleasures for the acquisition of eudemonia. The human condition is explored to understand the nature of happiness and discover methods of achieving this happiness, which according to Epicureanism, heavily involves ones beliefs …

Heraclitus On The Logos: Unity In Opposition, Nathan Hall

Aristos

The Logos, to Heraclitus, is a universal Law of becoming, conceived from the perpetual motion of opposition within all things. This relationship of opposites finds its locus in Fire, as, to Heraclitus, all things are modifications of Fire.[1]

Understanding Heraclitus’s interpretation of the Logos requires the analysis of obscure fragments (denoted by fr.) which riddle and perplex. However, these fragments are the means by which Heraclitus’s interpretation of the Logos is to be found.

This paper will analyse four fragments, aiming to demonstrate Heraclitus’s interpretation of the Logos, with particular focus on the nature of unity in opposition. Appropriately, …

Aristotle's Illicit Quantifier Shift: Is He Guilty Or Innocent, Jack Green

Aristos

In accusing Aristotle of committing an illicit quantifier shift, some scholars point to I.i.1094a1-3 of the Nicomachean Ethics and others point to I.ii.1094a18-22. The author of this paper analyses the logical translations of both passages in order to determine the success of the cases for and against Aristotle.

Wading through the various translations found in the secondary literature and also analysing the primary text, the author of this paper argues that the correct logical translation of both passages frees Aristotle from the accusation of an illicit quantifier shift. The first passage does not present an argument, but a description of …

Aristotle's Κινησις-Ενεργεια Distinction And The Ends Of Human Action, Joseph Murphy

Aristos

A key passage in the development of Aristotle’s argument in book Θ of the Metaphysics is the distinction between the concepts of κίνησις and ἐνέργεια (1048^b18-35).

The distinction is made initially on the basis of particular grammatical features of verbs denoting human actions/states: some verbs in the present tense necessarily imply the contemporaneous achievement of the same verb in the Greek perfect tense (e.g. If x is seeing y, then it is the case that, at the same time, x is in a state of having seen y), whereas other verbs in the present tense are …

Logic Versus Science, Graeme Wertheimer

Aristos

To comprehend St Thomas Aquinas’ statement that, “A student should address themselves to logic before the other sciences, because it deals with their common procedure”[1] this essay argues that it is necessary to ask the question of whether one’s world view comes before science or whether science forms one’s world view.

A world view that comes before science first requires understanding and logic to make a hypothesis which is to be confirmed through scientific experiment. If science forms one’s world view, however, conversely, scientific experiments create our logical thoughts and world view.

This essay will analyse St Thomas Aquinas’ …

What Is Grace And What Grace Is Given In The Sacraments?, Rosamaria Agostino

Aristos

The Catholic understanding of the word grace is extremely rich and multifaceted. A more focused exploration of grace from its biblical roots to its use in the sacraments provides one with a profoundly humble appreciation of how deeply grace is interwoven into the faith and how undeserving yet privileged one is to be able to receive it. This understanding allows grace to manifest itself more clearly in the everyday life of the believer and continue to deepen their faith. The sacraments play an important role in this as they are where grace is received, restored, nourished and maintained.

Andrews University And Seminary Respond To G.C. Vote, Becky St. Clair

Lake Union Herald

No abstract provided.

Six Key Concepts In Training Evangelical Lay Chaplain For Effective Local Hospital Ministry, Lisa Kanne

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Many professional hospital chaplaincy organizations have ethics statements that specifically prohibit paid chaplains from proselytizing, unless specifically requested by the patient. The intention of the dissertation is to train lay chaplains in what to communicate with the patients, family and friends. Restrictions will be imposed on lay volunteer chaplains by the hospital and the chaplaincy department dealing with proselytizing and other topics concerning religion. The presentation will introduce biblical principles regarding ministering to the sick and dying, providing comfort to those who are hurting, and fostering hope and who are grieving. Between the survey findings and the interview key concepts …

Should Southern Baptists Baptize Their Children?: A Biblical, Historical, Theological Defense Of The Consistency Of The Baptism Of Young Children With Credobaptistic Practices, Robert Matz

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Southern Baptists have expressed increasing degrees of alarm over allegedly rising rates of child baptisms. As a result, an increasing number of Southern Baptists have argued that the baptism of young children is inconsistent with Southern Baptists’ understandings of credobaptism and a regenerate church membership. Against these allegations, this dissertation asserts that children can be converted and when converted they should be baptized. The first chapter of this dissertation argues that water baptism is prescriptively contemporaneous with Spirit baptism. It establishes such based on the relationship between water and Spirit baptism as seen in the seven direct references to Spirit …

Operative Metaphor And Antimony: A Framework For Understanding The Two-Kingdoms/Neo-Kuyperian Debate, Donald Roth

Pro Rege

No abstract provided.

Our Stories, His Story : Unveiling The Sociolcultural Barriers Of Singapore Chinese Elderly When They Follow Jesus, Nam Seng Koh

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Against Celsus: Piety In Context, Dustin Janssen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores Celsus’s and Origen’s differing understandings of what it means to be “pious” (ὅσιος). Celsus conceived of tradition as the norm for determining piety. On the other hand, Origen maintained that the true norm was found in the Logos and Wisdom of God—i.e., Jesus. This dichotomy of understanding is consistent with the backdrop of the religious revolution happening in the Roman world during the early centuries CE proposed by scholars like Guy Stroumsa.

While this thesis does not aim to prove or fully expound on the religious revolution, it will use the shift in religious thought as a …

Peacemaking And Victory: Lessons From Kant’S Cosmopolitanism, Philip J. Rossi

Theology Faculty Research and Publications

In the texts in which Immanuel Kant discusses the principles governing international relations—including texts explicitly dealing with the sources leading states to armed conflict and the circumstances enabling its cessation—he does not directly engage the question “What constitutes victory in war?” This should not be surprising, given that Kant’s treatment of war may be read as consonant with just war thinking for which victory seems an unproblematic concept Yet there are elements in the tone and the substance of his discussion that destabilize a placement of his views as unproblematically part of that tradition. The mordant tone of his dismissal …

Infinity And Beyond, James M. Derflinger Ii

Quaerens Deum: The Liberty Undergraduate Journal for Philosophy of Religion

This paper attempts to explore the concept of infinity regarding the nature of God, by responding to several criticisms regarding the concept of an infinite being. Andrew Lavin, in his article The Theological use of Infinity explains that the concept of an infinite God is inconsistent, and suggests that a finite God would be more conceivable. This paper analyzes each of Lavin's objections and his reasoning behind them as well as his understanding of the concept of infinity in itself.

Experiential Knowledge Without Experience: A Response To Cray, Mary L. Bobbitt

Quaerens Deum: The Liberty Undergraduate Journal for Philosophy of Religion

This paper responds to Wesley Cray’s article “Omniscience and Worthiness of Worship.” According to Cray, “an omniscient being is one that instantiates all propositional and experiential knowledge,” and no person can have that entire body knowledge. Contrary to Cray, this paper indicates that God’s omniscience implies full propositional knowledge, but only experiential knowledge that is great-making and non-composite. The central argument this paper proposes is that experiential knowledge does not imply that one has had that experience; for God, experiential knowledge may come from a variety of avenues. This article concludes with alternative arguments against Cray’s formulation of God.

Omnipotence, Omnibenevolence, And Evil, Emily Mccarty

Quaerens Deum: The Liberty Undergraduate Journal for Philosophy of Religion

This paper attempts to defend the attributes of omnipotence and omnibenevolence in light of evil. Possible worlds can be used to show that God perhaps has reasons for permiting evil, and these reasons can reconcile God's attributes with the existence of evil. Using Plantinga's Freewill Defense, free will is seen to be a conduit for moral good, but because of transworld depravity, some evil is present along with this good. Flemming objects to this account and seeks something stronger. Through evil's presence, we learn to identify it and learn to show benevolence to one another in light of its presence. …

Timelessness, Emily Pemberton

Quaerens Deum: The Liberty Undergraduate Journal for Philosophy of Religion

God’s temporality is still debated today by theologians and philosophers with whether God is temporal, atemporal, or some other form of temporality. The context of this paper is the topic of God’s timelessness with the idea of William Lane Craig’s idea of “omnitemporality.” The paper discusses a few of the major arguments for God’s temporality and also God’s timelessness. The paper then analyzes Craig’s article defending the omnitemporality of God declaring that God is non-temporal without creation and then becomes temporal with creation. Though this idea may seem as a possible solution to the question of God’s temporality, it fails …

Swipe Left: A Theology Of Tinder And Digital Dating, Michael Murphy

Theology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

The juggernaut of digital culture, which really has hatched the biggest cultural metamorphosis since Gutenberg’s printing press, affects every aspect of late modern life in fundamental ways—ways, moreover, that are often obscured from our perception. After all, the hardest chains to break, the saying goes, are the ones you can’t see.

The Beautiful Mystery: Examining Jonathan Edwards’ View Of Marriage, Russell J. Allen

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

In contemporary evangelical circles, Jonathan Edwards has gained wide popularity for his theological writings and vital role in the First Great Awakening. However, despite these often romanticized views, Edwards nonetheless stood in the midst of an eighteenth century society that began to develop new norms for sexual practice and new legal guidelines to support them. In order to combat what he saw to be a decaying moral culture, Edwards took a strong stance on marital issues, often to the displeasure of his congregation. What lay behind these convictions was a deep theological understanding of the sanctity of marriage. These views, …

The Hair: Reflections By A White Parent, Aana Marie Vigen

Theology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

No abstract provided.