Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons^™

Theology & Religion Online, Larry Sheret

Librarian Research

Theology & Religion Online (TARO) is a digital repository consisting of four library collections that focus on Protestant and Catholic doctrine, studies into the historical Jesus, and religion in North America (see Figure 1). It includes newly digitized primary texts by major theologians, multi-volume works, references, e-books, chapters, articles, an image library, peer-reviewed secondary readings on core topics, and commentary on lectionaries. This Christ-focused resource is rounded out with a library covering the diverse religious traditions of North America and the hot topics spawned at the intersection of ethics, social movements, and religion. This database is curated and presented in …

Restoration Quarterly: Vol. 63, No. 4

Restoration Quarterly

PDF of the cover of Restoration Quarterly: Vol. 63, No. 4.

This repository hosts selected Restoration Quarterly articles in downloadable PDF format. For the benefit of users who would like to browse the contents of RQ, we have included all issue covers even when full-text articles from that issue are unavailable. All Restoration Quarterly articles are available in full text in the ATLA Religion Database, available through most university and theological libraries or through your local library’s inter-library loan service.

Our Firm Foundation: A Biblical Theological Study Of Hebrews 2:5-18, Jenna King

Biblical Studies Student Projects

Hebrews 2:5-18 highlights the passage's emphasis of the relationship between Christ and man, as well as how this interacts with the ideas of suffering, glory, and atonement also present in the passage. This paper examines the text itself as well as its broader context within Biblical canon, concluding with an application of the content for modern-day Christians.

The Impact Of D-Groups On The Spiritual Health Of Church Membership At Fbc Barbourville, Ky, Joshuah Tyler Shields

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

For years, First Baptist Church in Barbourville, Kentucky, has been in steady decline. Additionally, there is no personal discipleship program in the church. This project addresses the problem by studying the impact of D-groups on the spiritual health of the membership of the church. Participants in this project completed a spiritual health assessment during the first week of study. The same assessment was retaken after six weeks, and the results of both assessments were compared. Participants who were part of a D-group performed higher on the second assessment when compared to a control group which did not participate in D-group …

Expository Preaching’S Impact On A Congregation’S Understanding Of The Discipleship Process, Jeremy James Highlander

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Traditional churches have struggled with a decline in membership over the past decades. The lack of balance between discipleship and evangelism has had a major influence on this decline. The question is whether the lack of understanding of the discipleship process is due to poor preaching or a lack of expository preaching within the church. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of expository preaching on the congregation’s understanding of the discipleship process. Ten church members who have been under the influence of topical preaching and five pastors who practice expository preaching took part in the study …

Equipping Military Chaplains With A Framework For Mental Wellness: A Qualitative Descriptive Study, Stephanie Okolo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Although it is said that the sight of a battlefield after combat can fill princes with a love of peace and haunt them with the horrors of war, the mental health effects of war on soldiers are often frustratingly difficult to comprehend. It is, however, clear that warzones and the general environments in which deployed soldiers work can have negative impacts on their mental health. Military chaplains work closely with deployed soldiers and should be well-equipped with the knowledge to help them understand their mental health needs. It is important that they possess the right skills to do this well. …

Implementing A Discipleship Curriculum Among Men At Breakthrough Church Of God By Faith (Cogbf) In Memphis, Tn, Shawn Martinus Cook Sr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative study was to introduce, engage, and implement discipleship concepts and practices at Breakthrough COGBF to increase attendance, spiritual engagement, retention, and membership among men. The study included comparing the biblical concept of discipleship cited in Matthew 28:18-20, the Great Commission, with contemporary perceptions held by male parishioners. The study included the participation of three parishioners from a predominately African American congregation. Theological and theoretical foundations for the study of discipleship were discussed along with current trends. Theological foundations included an analysis of Matthew 28:18-20 revealing that the imperative to make disciples was achieved by doing …

Loyola Marymount University Solidarity And Global Citizenship Collection: Introduction And Overview, Elizabeth C. Reilly, Katherine Brown

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

The Loyola Marymount University Solidarity and Global Citizenship Collection centers on an immersion study trip to Costa Rica in 2019 and provides context by considering numerous topics relevant to the theme in general and to the travel program in specific. Through the university’s commitment to mission and identity, Fellows selected for the program considered these twin goals by engaging in one of several opportunities offered through the Office of Mission and Ministry. This article provides an overview of each contribution to the special collection.

Perceiving The Intangible: Introspective & Meditational Practices In Moroccan Sufism, Anna Gray Morales

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Sufism has earned an exponentially prominent role within Morocco’s political and social arenas through recent decades. The Moroccan monarchy’s endorsement of the religious variant and its prevalence in pop-cultural events, national journalism, and literature are a few indicators of its growing influence. However, the tradition is, by no means, a modern construction and has existed since the beginning of the larger Islamic tradition. What qualities, then, has granted Sufism its relevance as a cornerstone of Moroccan society today? Its chief focus on introspective and meditational practices, rather than physical religious discipline, may foster a more inclusive and liberal form of …

Islam And Equality Through Symbolism, Nellie Bowers

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As a Muslim Majority Country governed by laws born out of religious doctrine, Morocco deals with issues of equality and justice that are forcefully related to and intertwined with religion. This paper looks at the intersection of religion and equality, especially in the interpretive context of society and governance. It also considers the difference in religious interpretation affecting religious use and image. Additionally, the religious notion of Tawhid is analyzed in a symbolic context to further understand how God’s nature influences the actions of humans, especially with actions pertaining to social justice and equality. Through ethnographic interview, the perspective on …

Frederick Wiseman's Essene (1972): The Duality Of Mary And Martha, Nilita Vachani

Journal of Religion & Film

America’s legendary documentary filmmaker Frederick Wiseman shot Essene 50 years ago at the height of the commune movement in the United States. Unlike his previous institutional films which showcase an insane asylum, a public high school, an inner city police force, a hospital, and a military training school, Essene's canvas is the far less turbulent terrain of a serene and austere Benedictine monastery devoted to the love and service of God and the divine spirit. This paper undertakes a close textual and hermeneutic analysis of Essene alongside an appraisal of Wiseman’s working methodology, his cinematic portrayals of character and dramaturgy, …

Deism Defined And Defended, Carlo Alvaro

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Biblical Hermeneutical Principles Dealing With Race, Racism And Social Justice Issues, Jiří Moskala

Faculty Publications

Many modern problems arise from the misinterpretation of the Bible, unfortunately. One of my best Church History teachers Amadeo Molnár at the Protestant Faculty in Prague told us: “The history of the Christian Church is the history of the interpretation of the Bible.” At first, I doubted this statement’s truth, but after some reflections, I understood. Divisions were created and wars were fought because of certain dogmas, and millions were tortured, killed, or enslaved due to specific ideologies and wrong belief systems by believers. So many atrocities were committed in the name of God!

Prophecy, Sabbath And Jubilee In Puerto Rico, Nicholas Miller

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Erich Przywara On Nature-Grace Extrinsicism: A Parallax View, Aaron Pidel

Theology Faculty Research and Publications

This article argues that Erich Przywara’s analogical understanding of the nature-grace relationship, though sometimes thought to align with the anti-extrinsicist positions of Blondel, de Lubac, and Balthasar, differs from these by virtue of its “parallax” view. The standard bearers of the nouvelle théologie hold that Aquinas teaches a natural desire for the beatific vision and deny, more generally, the utility of the concept of pure nature for safeguarding the gratuity of the supernatural. Przywara, by contrast, holds that Aquinas, like the Christian tradition more broadly, alternates between theoretical lines of sight, with the result that the capacity for the beatific …

A Temporal First Cause? Reply To Craig's Reply, Erik J. Wielenberg

Philosophy Faculty publications

In a recent paper in this journal, I argued that William Craig’s theistic account of the origin of the universe implies that at the first moment of time, t1, God is both timeless and temporal, a contradiction (Wielenberg 2021). Craig responded to that argument; I here reply to Craig’s response.

Craig's Contradictory Kalam: Trouble At The Moment Of Creation, Erik J. Wielenberg

Philosophy Faculty publications

William Lane Craig’s much-discussed kalam cosmological argument for God’s existence is intended to provide support for a particular theistic explanation of the origin of the universe. I argue here that Craig’s theistic account of the origin of the universe entails two contradictions and hence should be rejected. The main contribution of the paper is the identification of some relatively straightforward but previously unrecognized problems in Craig’s hypothesis that the beginning of the universe was a temporal effect of a timeless personal cause.

Quick Responses To Community Needs In Two Churches During The Pandemic, Brad Ransom, Edward E. Moody

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Innovations In A Nursing Home Ministry, H. L. Ward Jr.

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Digital Monastic Communities At Sumter Chapel, Americus, Georgia, Drew Anderson

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Microchurches: A Smaller Way By Brian Sanders, Jason L. Lalonde

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Book Review: The Culture Map By Erin Meyer, Kenneth Nehrbass

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Complete Issue Fall 2021: Innovation In Churches, David R. Dunaetz

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Innovation In Churches: A Theoretical Framework, David R. Dunaetz

Great Commission Research Journal

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the many changes in the present socio-cultural context point to the importance of innovation in churches. A theoretical framework for understanding innovation in churches is presented, featuring 6 key elements. These elements include the cultural context of the church and the church’s target audience, a culture of innovation within the church, innovations in church programs, processes, and personnel, social capital (social ties) which permits church members to navigate the changes associated with innovation, program loss (that which is lost when programs change), and progress toward the church’s goals. The church’s goals and the …

Identifying Current Gaps In Church Planting Movements Research: Integrating First- And Second-Order Perspectives, Warrick Farah

Great Commission Research Journal

The proliferation of church planting movements in least-reached peoples today provides an opportunity ripe for missiological research. Using the online application form for the Movements Research Symposium 2020 of the Motus Dei Network, this article identifies six gaps of understanding in the missiological discourse on movements: 1) Deepening Theological and Missiological Descriptions of Movements, 2) Identifying Best Practices and Effective Movement Strategies, 3) Clarifying Issues of Ecclesiology – Practical, Theological, and Spiritual, 4) Training Movement Catalysts and Practitioners, 5) Highlighting Contextual, Sociological, and Holistic Features of Movements, and 6) Documenting Movements with Respect to Verification, Metrics, and Administration. However, issues …

Sharing Jesus With Muslims: A Survey Of Church Leaders In Africa, Akimana Canisius, Gordon S. Bonham

Great Commission Research Journal

A web survey of 34 pastors and other church leaders in 2020 who had met during graduate studies at Africa International University (AIU) was conducted to understand what is being done in Muslim evangelism in their home churches, primarily in East Africa. They generally characterized Muslims positively, as being made in the image of God, and as needing salvation through Jesus. They identified what they considered to be key differences between Muslims and Christians. Half of their churches made general evangelistic efforts, but most of these made no specific attempt to share the gospel with Muslims. Sharing the gospel with …

Innovativeness And Church Commitment: What Innovations Were Most Important During The Pandemic?, Anna Covarrubias, David R. Dunaetz, Wendi Dykes Mcgehee

Great Commission Research Journal

The COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented need for innovations in churches around the world. Organizational innovativeness, a precursor of successful innovations in organizational contexts, is rarely studied in churches. This study of American church attenders (N = 244) found that perceived innovativeness of churches (conceived of as the elements of a church’s culture which promote innovation, specifically, creativity, organizational openness, future orientation, risk-taking, and proactiveness) was a very strong predictor of church commitment (conceived of as intentions to stay in the church, r = .60, p < .001). Of the moderators examined in this study (membership tenure, age of participant, church size, and gender), only gender moderated this relationship; the relationship between perceived innovativeness and church commitment was stronger for females than for males. This suggests that innovations that facilitated relationship development and relationship maintenance had the greatest impact on church commitment during the pandemic.

Introduction To Special Section: Innovations In Churches During The Covid-19 Pandemic, David R. Dunaetz

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

The Quarantine Olympics Of Cultivate Church In Athens, Alabama, Joel Franks

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Storytelling The Gospel In Hungary: Zooming In On An Ancient Mode Of Communication, Keith Sellers

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.