Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons^™

"Engaging Theology: A Biblical, Historical, And Practical Introduction" [Review]/Blackwell, Ben C. And R. L. Hatchett., Sussie Stanley

Andrews University Seminary Studies (AUSS)

This is a book review by Sussie Stanley.

Beyond Academic Public Theology : Grassroots Asian Public Theology Of Religions And Reconciliation In Southeast Asian Burmese Context Of Buddhist Nationalism And Ethnic Conflict, David Thang Moe

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Caregivers Need Care, Too: Conceptualising Spiritual Care For Migrant Caregivers-Transnational Mothers, Ma. Adeinev M. Reyes-Espiritu

Theology Department Faculty Publications

Growing research revolving around the plight of (Philippine) migrant domestic workers is noteworthy. However, the focus is largely on their role, capacity and identity as caregivers, meaning as labour migrants and transnational mothers engaged in both paid and unpaid care work. Building on the “care circulation” framework of Baldassar and Merla that conceptualises care as given and received in varying degrees by all family members across time and distance, this paper takes up the task of recognising migrant domestic workers as care receivers. In a particular way, this paper conceptualises care for migrant caregivers-transnational mothers that is based on a …

Christ And American Culture- Some Biblical Reflections, Paul Raabe

Concordia Pages

Going beyond H. Richard Neibuhr’s famous paradox model on “Christ and Culture,” Dr. Paul Raabe contends for a biblical, dynamic tension that exists between the culture and the faith. Using the image of a house, Raabe explores four “rooms” : (1) Christianity affirms culture in some respects; (2) Christianity opposes culture in some respects; (3) Christianity leavens culture in some ways; and (4) Christianity uses cultural forms to communicate its message. Each of the four rooms needs to be lived in for maintaining the tension presented in the Scriptures as a faithful witness to the lordship of Christ.

The Shape Of Faith: Understanding God Through Pottery, Kenton Ke

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

The Bible uses the relationship between a potter and the clay as a metaphor to describe the relationship between God and humans. “Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.” (Isaiah 64:8, NIV). This paper will expand on this metaphor, and draw parallels between the development of personal relationships with God and the complicated processes of pottery making.

Informed By Joy: A Christian Librarian's Reflection On C.S. Lewis, David H. Michels

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

In Surprised by Joy C. S. Lewis offers us his account of his conversion to Christianity. Using his experiences of joy as “signposts,” he leads us through his early life up to his conversion at age thirty-one. I reflect on Lewis’s account as a librarian, researcher, and fellow Christian, considering his information world and the people who aided and hindered him on his faith journey. I conclude with some thoughts on his and my own conversion, as both unique yet shared experiences within the Christian tradition.

"Real joy seems to me almost as unlike security or prosperity as it is …

Sustaining Spiritual Change In Wesleyan-Holiness Systems Of Discipleship In Selected Congregations In Illinois, U.S.A., Stephen J. Descalzo

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

"Because God Said So": A Thematic Analysis Of Why People Denounce Black Greek-Letter Organizations, Mea Ashley

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Today, Black Greek-letter organizations (BGLOs) struggle to use empirical data to address financial burden, elitism, hazing, relevance in social justice issues, and the anti-BGLO movement. The anti-BGLO movement frames this study. The movement stems from beliefs that secret societies, fraternities, and sororities are anti-Christian. Society will continue to question the relevance and importance of BGLOs if they cannot overcome the issues plaguing them. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to ascertain why members are leaving BGLOs, in case the organizations find the anti-BGLO movement to be a threat to organizational vitality. Through thematic analysis, 18 YouTube testimonials from denouncers …

Ending Christian Hegemony: Jean-Luc Nancy And The Ends Of Eurocentric Thought, Colby Dickinson

Theology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

This essay addresses Jean-Luc Nancy’s “deconstruction of Christianity” and how what Christianity proclaims through enacting a deconstruction of itself brings an end to the western, hegemonic hold that Christian imperialism has perpetuated for centuries. Nancy, for his part, takes up the name of Christianity insofar as it is a religious phenomenon that signals a trajectory of thought in the West that must be discerned as providing an “exit from religion and of the expansion of the atheist world.” Since deconstructing the dominant narratives of the West means deconstructing the myth of a sovereign, autonomous deity whose reign, Nancy declares, has …

Editor's Introduction, Mathew N. Schmalz

Journal of Global Catholicism

No abstract provided.

From Modernity To Post-Modernity: The Apologetic Legacy Of Paul Tillich, Michael W. Cunningham

Liberty Theological Review

Paul Tillich, dubbed an “apostle to the intellectuals,” was one of the twentieth-century’s influential and infamous theologians. Tillich’s apologetic of doubt, method of correlation, and non-traditional lifestyle challenged the cultural and religious norms of his day. The study of Paul Tillich’s theology provides perspective on the origins of subjective apologetics and process theology. His focus on ontology made his works accessible and famous. It put the human at the center of the process as they reasoned up to God instead of accepting unquestioned authoritative doctrines. By embracing existential doubt, he connected to the masses by appealing to the “being” and …

A Christian Response To Modern Extraterrestrialism, Chase Perry Cakmis

Masters Theses

Extraterrestrial beliefs (ET-ism) have become a cultural craze in contemporary times, infatuating many who encounter these ideas. ET-ism has influenced all forms of media, science, and even religion. With ET-ism permeating all facets of society, Christians need to know how to approach this craze and the ideas that sprout from it. Much research has been conducted on this subject both on the individual and scientific level, thrusting these beliefs from fringe views believed only by the paranoid into widely accepted ideas even within the scientific community. While Christian circles have discussed this subject in the past, it is becoming a …

Sin In Christian Thought, Kevin Timpe

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

No abstract provided.

The (Un)Holy Bible: Slavery, Female Objectification, And Harm, Natalia A. D. Martins

Senior Theses

This project further elucidates the ability that the Biblical text has of being used as a justification for immoral actions. By using a textualist approach, we find that analyzing the effects that the literal text could have if used to justify action, allows us to see what Scriptural-based morality is subject to at all times. We approach this matter by classifying Scriptural interpretations under a spectrum that varies by degree. This is useful to see that the lowest bar for an action to be theologically justifiable, is whether it is in accordance with a literal reading of the Biblical text. …

The Impact Of Theology On The Development Of Cultural Intelligence Among College Students At An Evangelical Liberal Arts University, Esther Damodar Jadhav

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

I'M A Philosopher. We Can't Think Our Way Out Of This Mess. (The Intelligence Of Love), James K.A. Smith

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Purging The New Age: A Theological Analysis Of The Use Of New Age Practices By The Church, Christopher Michael Berg

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation sets out to demonstrate that Yoga and the Enneagram are not compatible with orthodox Christianity. Additionally, this dissertation will show that all possible attempts at Christianizing these practices ultimately fail due to incompatible underlying philosophies and theologies. In order to accomplish this task, assessment criteria will be developed through a comparison of a subset of evangelical Christian theological topics with their New Age counterparts. These criteria will be used to assess the level of syncretization in each practice as presented by the most popular and prolific Christian practitioners. After assessment, a recommendation will be given concerning each practice’s …

Kant The Buddhist: An Analysis Of Kantian Ethics, Metaphysics, And Philosophy Of Religion In The Context Of Christianity And Buddhism, Whitney Grimm

Honors Program Theses

This thesis analyzes Kantian ethics, metaphysics, and philosophy of religion within the context of Christianity and Buddhism. The first part of the paper is dedicated to an exegesis of Kant’s ethical theory and his philosophy of religion. The second part of the paper presents arguments for why Buddhism is closer to Kant’s ideal religion than Christianity. Specifically, this latter section analyzes Kant’s necessary postulates for pure practical reason within the context of each religion. The conclusion of this thesis is that Buddhism better aligns with Kant’s ideal religion with regard to both metaphysics and the ideal goal of religion: cultivating …

All Things New : A Theological And Exegetical Study Of Ḥādāš With Special Emphasis On Isaiah 40-48, Deborah Lynn Endean

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Spiritual Metrics : Accounting For Spiritual Transformation In International Development, George Nduati Woki

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Kandhamal Riot 2008 : Its Impact On Current And Future Christian Community, Lalit Kumar Nayak

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Emerging Dimensions Of Mission In A Global Body : Tracking And Evaluating Partnerships Between American Congregations And Their Global Counterparts, Daniel Richard Hunter

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Hmong Spiritual Formation From Animism To Christianity, Lang Yang

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The research project is on the Hmong religion. Hmong people believe in a faith called "Animism – the way of the spirit," which is a created religion that they practiced and passed down from generation to generation. The Hmong like to live in the past and do not want to change their customs, traditions, and cultural practices that their ancestors practiced for centuries. They put all their hope in their dead ancestors' spirits to guide them until a new religion appeared to them, and it is called "the Christian faith." The Christian faith brings new hope to the Hmong people, …

“The Jews Love Numbers”: Steven L. Anderson, Christian Conspiracists, And The Spiritual Dimensions Of Holocaust Denial, Matthew H. Brittingham

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

From his pulpit at Faithful Word Baptist Church (Independent Fundamental Baptist) in Tempe, AZ, fundamentalist preacher Steven L. Anderson launches screeds against Catholics, LGBTQ people, evolutionary scientists, politicians, and anyone else who doesn't share his political, social, or theological views. Anderson publishes clips of his sermons on YouTube, where he has amassed a notable following. Teaming up with Paul Wittenberger of Framing the World, a small-time film company, Anderson produced a film about the connections between Christianity, Judaism, and Israel, entitled Marching to Zion (2015), which was laced with antisemitic stereotypes. Anderson followed Marching to Zion with an almost 40-minute …

The Influence Of Thomas Aquinas’ Concept Of Createdness On Josef Pieper’S Moral Philosophy, Sarah Slater

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Josef Pieper’s practical moral philosophy can be best understood by reference to the theology of Thomas Aquinas, and specifically Aquinas’ concept of the created human person. Pieper uses Aquinas’ theological anthropology to argue for three actions which respond to the reality of being created: giving assent to having been brought into existence by God, perceiving God and created reality, and pursuing of the end of human life through the practice of the virtues in order to receive beatitude. Pieper’s well-known works on the seven virtues, on leisure, and on festivity rely on the same concepts from Aquinas which Pieper examines …

Talk This Way: A Look At The Historical Conversation Between Hip-Hop And Christianity, Joshua Swanson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Christianity and Hip-Hop culture are often said to be at odds with one another. One is said to promote a lifestyle of righteousness and love, while the other is said to promote drugs, violence, and pride. As a result, the public has portrayed these two institutions as conflicting with no willingness to resolve their perceived differences. This paper will argue that there has always been a healthy conversation between Hip-Hop and Christianity since Hip-Hop’s inception. Using sources like Hip-Hop lyrics, theologians, historians, autobiographies, sermons, and articles that range from Ma$e to Tipper Gore, this paper will look at the conversation …

Do Muslims And Christians Worship The Same God: A Philosophical Approach, Zachary W. Casey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis I probe the question of whether Muslims and Christians worship the same God primarily through the discipline of philosophy of language. Though a multifaceted question at its core (e.g., theological, historical), the question directly ties into how language operates in relation to God. That is, the ways in which Muslims and Christians make predications of God have a significant role in delineating whether they worship the same God. By working from the perspective of predication, I argue that Muslims and Christians refer to but do not worship the same God. In this sense, Muslims and Christians refer …

The Path Of Devotion: Religious Ecstasy In Hindu And Christian Mystics, Jessica Leu

Say Something Theological: The Student Journal of Theological Studies

What comes to mind when one hears the phrase, “Religious ecstasy”? Images of well-known Christian saints in states of bliss worthy of being artwork come to mind, especially in the West. However, this association of ecstasy with Sainthood specifically distances the lay person from the idea that they too can experience the Divine as these mystics once did. In Bhakti Yoga, a branch of practices within Hinduism, this same association that religious ecstasy is only a characteristic of mystics does not exist. Rather, states of documented religious rapture are not only strived for but believed to be universally accessible. In …

A Theology Of Romance For Married Couples, Cameron J. Scalera

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Spiritual Formation Of Millennials : An Exploration Of Best Practices For Crosspoint Church, Robert D. Chartrand

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.