Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons^™

Image Of God Or Image Of Man, Kevin Emerson Lageer

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Theology Of Spiritual Gifts In Luther And Calvin: A Comparison, Robert Wetmore

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

This dissertation compares and contrasts Luther's and Calvin's theology of ministry because spiritual gifts are in some sense ministry gifts (using the broad definition of ministry as "every form of preaching the Gospel or administering the means of grace" as carried out by Christians in general) which are exercised by believers. Because spiritual gifts are not limited to the priests, this dissertation examines the understandings of both reformers concerning the priesthood of all believers. In turn, because spiritual gifts have often been understood as miraculous, so that it is necessary to explain what Luther and Calvin taught on the miraculous. …

Of Heaven And History: The Verticalist Eschatology Of Geerhardus Vos, Michael Williams

Pro Rege

No abstract provided.

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.

On Moral Grounds: The Art/Science Of Ethics, Daniel C. Maguire, A. Nicholas Fargnoli

Open-Access Books by Faculty

From the introduction:

Our age can lay claim to a unique moral chaos. Modernity badgers us with perplexing moral questions: Can good ethics and good business ever coincide? Should medical science do all the things that it now can do? Is truth-telling always a virtue? If it is, how can one maintain professional or personal confidentiality? Is honesty always the best policy? What are the proper criteria for the journalistic media when it comes to reporting the real news and avoiding sensationalism? Should there be an “ethics committee” in government, in business, in hospitals, in law firms, or in financial …

Biblical Perspectives Of Human Relationship Between Male And Female, Mike Yung-Kwang Chang

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Theological And Political Evolution Of Henry Ward Beecher, Tim Hutchinson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Henry Ward Beecher [1813-1887] "was the most influential minister in America and one of the leading molders of public .opinion of his day." A romantic, a progressive, an idealist, "Beecher was as much the embodiment of nineteenth century America as Walt Whitman..." He was one of the great orators of his time or any time. With his background firmly rooted in American Puritanism, it is ironic that he would be praised as a leader of liberal thought in America. Years after Beecher's death, Harry Emerson Fosdick would comment that whenever we preach freely to sympathetic audiences the social gospel..., we …

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 …

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.

Biblical Authority In The Westminster Confession And Its Twentieth Century Contextualization In The Reformed Presbyterian Testimony Of 1980, John Delivuk

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

This dissertation is a study of the doctrine of Biblical authority as believed and taught by the Westminster Assembly in its Confession of Faith, and this doctrine's application to the late twentieth century. Further, this dissertation will consider the definition of that doctrine, and how it was applied in the Westminster Confession. This study will also consider how the Westminster doctrine of Biblical authority is applied today in the Reformed Presbyterian Testimony of 1980. These issues will serve as the center of this study.

The issue of authority is one of the most important in Christianity, because it affects the …

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 …

Wesley's Theology Of Grace As The Integrative Principle Of Pastoral Care, James H. Lowry Jr.

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Theology For Freedom And Responsibility: Rudolf Bultmann's Views On Church And State, Antje B. Lemke

The Courier

This article is adapted from an address that Antje Lemke gave on the life and contributions of her father, Rudolph Bultmann. He was a prominent Protestant theologian, having grown up before Hitler's rise to power, and Bultmann witnessed how the Nazis manipulated the Church to try to gain support for their devious political goals. He joined the voices that spoke out against this fusion of national corruption with the Church. After World War II, he became involved in debates concerning political and liberation theology.

Imputatio Iustitiae Christi, Liberum Arbitrium In Renatis, And Tertius Usus Legis In Melanchthon's Later Loci, Richard Osslund

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

It is the purpose of this study to investigate how forensic justification, the third use of the Law, and the free will of the regenerate Christian complement one another in Melanchthon's theology. The distinction of Law and Gospel, justification and sanctification, "old man and new man," sin and grace provide the pedagogical framework for this expression of evangelical theology. This study therefore focuses on the fundamental distinction basic to understanding the Scriptures and articulating Christian theology -- the distinction between Law and Gospel. In so doing, it underscores Melanchthon's great and continuing legacy as the pedagogue of the Lutheran reformation. …

An Examination And Evaluation Of A. H. Strong's Doctrine Of Holy Scripture, Myron Houghton

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

One of the reasons for writing this dissertation was to provide a written document that would correct the major defects in Strong's doctrine of Holy Scripture from a perspective that accepts the verbal inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible. But in the process of doing research and writing, major problems were discovered in many areas of Strong’s theology. An attempt has been made in this dissertation to point out these problems and to offer suggestions as to how they might be corrected, although it is beyond the scope of this study to explore these problems and/or their solutions in great …

Foreword To Antonio De Nicolas Powers Of Imagining, Patrick Heelan

Research Resources

Patrick Aidan Heelan, "Foreword" to Antonio de Nicolas, Powers of Imagining: Ignatius: a hermeneutic of St. Ignatius de Loyola using a new translation of his Spiritual exercises, his Spiritual diary, his Autobiography Autobiography, and some of his letters. (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1986). ix-xiv.

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.

Advice From The Apostle Paul, Paul R. Fink

SOR Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

A Speculative Model Of Christian Growth : A Melding Of Matthew And Erik Erikson, Robert Earl Barr

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

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 …

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 …

Faith, Reason And Scripture In The Theology Of Donald G. Bloesch, David R. Coward

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Donald G. Bloesch, an American theologian and seminary professor, is a leading spokesman for contemporary Protestant evangelicalism, a theological position that lies somewhere between fundamentalism and neo-orthodoxy. Heavily influenced by the German theologian, Karl Barth, Bloesch employs a methodology in which theology is based on revelation alone, unsupported by philosophy or the arguments of human reason. For Blosech, revelation is basically alien to human culture and human thought-forms. Because of this, revelation cannot be comprehended by reason, but only by faith. Bloesch’s view leads to a dichotomy between faith and reason, a dichotomy that ultimately lessons the impact of his …

Selections Translated From The Loci Theoiogici By Johann Gerhard, Charles Paulson

Master of Divinity Thesis

An article in the December 14, 1981 issue of the Reporter begins: “Lutheran theologians do a good job of emphasizing salvation through faith in Jesus Christ alone, yet lay people do not seem to grasp the divine compulsion to follow faith with works." This may be true today, but it is no fault of John Gerhard and the other 'orthodox' Lutheran theologians. This paper has originated from a desire to learn more about the connection between faith and works, and whether Lutheran theology gives this connection proper treatment. Because the age of orthodoxy has formed the basis of so much …

A Selected Study Of Wesleyan Church Leaders : Discovering Principles For Minstry In The Local Church, Edward L. Bean

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

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 …

The Cosmic Christ Of Colossians, Victor Raj

Doctor of Theology Dissertation

This study was undertaken as an attempt to evaluate and possibly correct some recent interpretations of Christ's person and work. Much of theology today has left the impression that Christianity is just another agency of good will to fight against social, political and eco­ nomic injustice in the world. Accordingly, the motive behind much of contemporary theological discussions has been to challenge the church to join in what is often called the "humanization" of man.

It is our position that Christology occupies the pivotal position in any facet of Christian theology. In fact, it performs normative functions for the rest …

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.

Billy Graham’S Theology Of Conversion In The Light Of The Lutheran Confessions, Wilhelm Stoll

Master of Sacred Theology Thesis

The broad aim of the author was therefore to prepare a comprehensive summary of Graham's theology of conversion and to offer a comparative and critical analysis of it in the light of the Lutheran Confessions. The aim was not to deal specifically with the obvious question of the sacraments and their serious omission from his theology. In any case, the study was to be based only on Graham's own published writings, and they hardly refer to the sacraments. The more specific goal within the broader context that had to be considered was to discover and come to grips with the …