Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons^™

Constructing A Kazak Christian Identity Using Collective Memory And Critical Contextualization, Kris Stewart Kappler

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Religion Of Consumption And Christian Neighbor Love, Christopher Porter

Dissertations

Loyola University Chicago

THE RELIGION OF CONSUMPTION AND CHRISTIAN NEIGHBOR LOVE

Consumerism is a word frequently used in various disciplines to express the variety of attitudes, motivations, and practices found among the middle and upper classes. It drives the global economy and influences individuals' socio-psychological perceptions. Some have gone so far as to call consumerism a religion, yet they have not substantiated this claim. This dissertation offers a framework that accounts for consumerism as a religion both as a person's ultimate concern and as a structuralized belief system. As such, it prescribes moral values that shape how people respond to …

Servant Leadership And African American Pastors, Clarence Bunch

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Robert Greenleaf (1977) took a follower’s, rather than a leader-centric, point of view of leadership by describing a leader as one who leads by serving. He identified a leader as one who sets other people’s needs above his or her own. He argued that motivation of leaders must begin with the conscious choice to serve others. Greenleaf’s concept provides the basis for a theoretical model of servant leadership. This dissertation examines the extent to which African American pastors exhibit servant leadership characteristics, using the Servant Leadership Questionnaire (Barbuto & Wheeler, 2006). A sample of 358 African American pastors from 11 …

Redemption, James K.A. Smith

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Review Of: Thompson, J. Milburn, Introducing Catholic Social Thought, Brian Stiltner

Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies Faculty Publications

This book enters a crowded field. There are many books on Catholic social thought (CST), as suggested by this book’s select bibliography of over 200 items. Most religious studies publishers—especially those of a Catholic orientation—have one or more books on the topic. There are roughly thirty to forty texts in print that a college professor would consider when teaching a course or a module on Catholic social thought. Nonetheless, J. Milburn Thompson’s Introducing Catholic Social Thought is a welcome addition to the field. Thompson has written a clear, informative, and fairly engaging book for college students and others wanting to …

The Children Of Cain: Melville's Use Of The Abject Lineage From The Bible, Joseph Matthew Meyer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study looks at how the abject lineage--consisting of Cain, Ishmael and Esau--has played an influential role in the works of Herman Melville. While many critics have exploredthe relationship between Melville and these characters in the past, my study proposes that the author was intimately aware of the differences between these characters and their relationship to God and used these differences to compose his works. Ultimately, Melville struggled with the need for an abject lineage, and this struggle manifests itself most prominently in the evolving silence of Christ from Mardi to "Bartleby."

Can't Be Tamed: A Feminist Analysis Of Apocrypha And Other Scripture, Catherine Alison Ballard

Scripps Senior Theses

This paper is my own unique feminist analysis of certain apocryphal texts. Though the texts I use have common themes, they are divided into what I consider the three most societally important aspects of an ancient woman’s identity: virgin, mother, and whore. The Acts of Thecla and The Acts of Xanthippe and Polyxena deal with virginity. II Maccabees, The Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicitas, and select chapters of Augustine’s Confessions represent motherhood. Finally, the hagiographies Life of Pelagia and Life of Mary navigate through the mire of sexualities that deviate from norms.

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 …

Toward A Theology Of Pareo Dei: Exploring A Contextual Theology Of Missio Dei For The Missiological Reconciliation Of The Korean Protestant Church, Musung Jung

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Toward Recontextualization Of Christianity With Popular Catholicism : A Study Of Dialogical And Cooperative Mission With Popular Catholicism Through The Perspectives Of Methodist Christians In Batangas, Philippines, Eugene Kim

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Augustine's Dystopia, Peter Iver Kaufman

Jepson School of Leadership Studies articles, book chapters and other publications

By discussing several of the issues that complicated the Christian's cohabitation and political participation in "this wicked world," as Augustine saw them, the remainder of this contribution will garrison the ground we have gained collecting the bad news he conveyed in his city. We shall inquire whether the assorted "consolations" he enumerated compensated for the corruption. And we shall consider one reason he might have had for composing his tome as a massive disorienting device. Of course, certainty about authorial intent is impossible to pocket, yet one can make the case that Augustine dropped City of God into the post-410 …

Does He Have Your Attention? (Audio), Rick Gray

ATS Chapel Services

No abstract provided.

Solitude And Journey: Two Central Themes In The Spirituality Of John Henry Newman, Ono Ekeh

Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies Faculty Publications

John Henry Newman is widely known for his ideas on doctrinal development, education, conscience, and his reflections on faith and reason. However, it is important to remember that, among the many hats Newman wore, he was mostly a preacher and spiritual director. So in his role as a preacher, pastor, and spiritual leader, did he have a distinct spirituality? If so, what features or ideas would define Newman's spirituality? This paper will explore two prominent and pervasive themes in his spirituality looking primarily at his Parochial and Plain Sermons from his Anglican period and also at some of his Catholic …

Theology Of Confessionist Dialogue: A Theology Of Religions In The Religious Situation In Korea, Young Seok Song

ATS Dissertations

This dissertation constructs a new theology of religions, naming it a confessionist dialogue. By examining the traditional and contemporary religious atmosphere of Korea, I demonstrate how Korean Christians have often had an anti-relational attitude toward other religions, which caused religious conflicts and created anti-social expression in Korea. I also show that only a few religious pluralists have engaged in an active dialogue with other religions in Korea. By survey research, I found that the majority of Korean Christians have acknowledged the necessity of relationship with other religions, but they have a fear of religious pluralism, which makes them hesitant to …

Living Water In Indian Cups: A Call For Cultural Relevance In Contemporary Indian Missions, Prabhusingh Vedhamanickam

The Asbury Journal

There has been a concentrated effort in contemporary India to stereotype Christianity as a western agent involved in destroying Indic religions, desecrating Indian cultures and destabilizing the nation. While there have been some attempts to contextualize the gospel in Indian missions, in the theological and missiological realms, there is an urgent need to incarnate the gospel in culturally relevant ways due to three critical factors: The cultural diversity of the nation, the rise of Hindu nationalism and the paradigmatic shift from Indian cross cultural missions to local, indigenous movements. While the multinational companies in India are tailoring their strategies according …

Buried Treasure?, James K.A. Smith

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Social Transformation Through Pastoral Transformational Leadership : A Case Study Of Mombasa Synod, Pius N. Kagwi

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Breaking The Culture Of Ethnic Hostility In Kenya, Geoffrey Kamau Njuguna

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Equipping The Laity Through Discipleship Training In A Korean Church, Yijoon Chang

ATS Dissertations

The purpose of the research was to evaluate how effective discipleship training enhanced the spiritual maturity of lay believers and transformed them into churchbuilding leaders. The particular context of this study is Korean Madisonville United Methodist Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, Nashville Korean United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tennessee, and Sarang Community Church in Anaheim, California. This was an evaluative study using questionnaires and personal interviews to assist in measuring the effectiveness of discipleship training to enhance the spiritual maturity of lay believers.

The review of selected literature focuses on what the church is, who the pastor is, who the laity …

The Existential Compromise In The History Of The Philosophy Of Death, Adam Buben

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

I begin by offering an account of two key strains in the history of philosophical dealings with death. Both strains initially seek to diminish fear of death by appealing to the idea that death is simply the separation of the soul from the body. According to the Platonic strain, death should not be feared since the soul will have a prolonged existence free from the bodily prison after death. With several dramatic modifications, this is the strain that is taken up by much of the mainstream Christian tradition. According to the Epicurean strain, death should not be feared since the …

Coaching Pastors Of Faith Evangelical Church Of The Philippines Churches For Church Growth, Brent Hunter Burdick

ATS Dissertations

Research has shown that one effective means of improving leader effectiveness in business and education is coaching. Coaching involves asking questions, exploring options, providing guidance, and training in skills. Ministry is enhanced by coaching. This research explored the impact coaching six pastors in the Faith Evangelical Church of the Philippines churches had on the numerical and spiritual growth of the churches they pastor. The study focused on the key leadership factors of preaching, personal spiritual maturity, and multiplication of small groups plus two survey-determined factors. The hypothesis was that as the pastor advanced in leadership skills and effectiveness in these …

The Understanding And Practice Of Sabbath, Barbara Cordelia Hart Yorks

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Human Rights And The Search For Common Ground: A Comparative Study Of Islamic And Christian Thought, Joseph Prud'homme

Human Rights & Human Welfare

A review of:

Common Ground: Islam, Christianity, and Religious Pluralism. By Paul Heck. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press. 2009.

Native-Led Contextualization Efforts In North America 1989-2009, Richard L. Twiss

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

From Nominal To Radical Discipleship: One Church’S Approach To Disciple Making, Wayne Berk Walters

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The majority of mainline denomination churches in America have experienced decline in membership, worship attendance, and vitality for over fifty years. As well, church members’ lifestyles, commitments, and habits tend to be not all that unlike Americans who do not attend church. Many church members live relatively nominal Christian lives when compared to the nature of the Christian life and discipleship described by Jesus in the gospels of the New Testament. This nominal understanding and adoption of the Christian life makes church membership and involvement unnecessary or secondary to the many other demands in modern life. Denominational officials, church pastors, …

The Last Shall Be First: Human Potential In Genetic And Theological Perspectives, M. Therese Lysaught

Theology Faculty Research and Publications

The notion of “human potential” provides a fruitful window through which to explore the competing conceptual frameworks of contemporary genetics and Christianity. The contemporary cultural frame of genetics conceives of human potential in a broadly positive manner: the source of personal and societal flourishing is located within individual bodies, waiting to be identified and unleashed by genetic science and medicine for the good of persons and society. In the Judeo-Christian narrative, human individual, biological potential is far less relevant—and, in fact, may be construed as an impediment to the achievement of personal and social flourishing. Implications for the dialogue between …

Asbury Theological Seminary Chapel Service (1999, Nov. 2), Reginald Johnson

ATS Chapel Services

No abstract provided.

The Vulnerability And Joy Of Commitment, Viv Grigg

ATS Chapel Services

No abstract provided.

The Sex Trade, Evil And Christian Theology, Glenn M. Harden

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Daniel M. Bell, Jr., Just War As Christian Discipleship: Recentering The Tradition In The Church Rather Than The State, Brian Stiltner

Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies Faculty Publications

From his conversations in church settings and classrooms, Daniel M. Bell, Jr. has observed that Christians by and large do not know the church’s just war tradition very well, but that they are receptive to learning about it. Most theologians would likely agree that they know a number of Christians who are hungry to see better thinking and more effective action in response to war in our time. Bell, a Lutheran seminary professor and ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, wrote this book to interpret ‘the just war tradition in terms of concrete practices that might contribute to the …