Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons^™

Rest, Rhetoric, And Suffering In The Letter To The Hebrews: How The Author Of Hebrews Uses Classical Rhetoric To Resolve Tension Between Invitation To God's Rest And Present Suffering, Dickson Kûng’Û Ngama

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Epistle to the Hebrews invites the followers of Jesus to enter God’s promised rest. Unlike the Israelites of the wilderness generation who failed to enter God’s promised rest, the followers of Jesus can enter that rest now and more fully in the future by obedience to God. This is possible because of God’s most recent intervention. God has sent his own son to become a sacrifice for their sins and a high priest for their intercession. Because the way to God is now open, the followers of Jesus can boldly approach God in prayer, gather regularly in worship, and …

Ripe For The Harvest: Developing Servants Through Spiritual Formation At Fairhaven Church Of Rootstown, Vincent A. Maltempi

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This action research project addresses the need to develop committed Christian servants within a church ministry context by utilizing a spiritual formation initiative focused on service as a means towards and evidence of spiritual formation and development. Fairhaven Church of Rootstown had not been instructed on the fundamental need for members to serve together. Consequently, service within the church was not a necessary part of discipleship or its spiritual growth plan. The purpose of this intervention was to create and implement a three-fold spiritual development initiative focused on Christian service that includes a sermon series, a midweek study, and a …

Others First: A Visual Roadmap 4 Transformation, Toby D. Wagoner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Small rural churches tend to have an inward-focus mindset fueled by the need for self-preservation and survival. This transactional ministry mindset negatively impacts sharing the love of Christ with others, culminating in apathetic attitudes toward church functionality. The problem this DMin action research project sought to address is the inward focus of First Baptist Church of Ravenswood members. The church needs to improve its evangelism and discipleship efforts, embrace sharing their love of Christ with others, begin engaging guests on a meaningful level, and consider facility upgrades. Members were reminded of the importance of demonstrating their love of Christ to …

God’S Narrative Of Redemption: Creation, Imago Dei, And Water Imagery, Dawn Lewis Sutherland

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research demonstrates that the reclamation of imago Dei identity is the ultimate and terminal end-state of God’s plan for humanity’s redemption; this plan is universally expressed to humanity through water imagery in the Old Testament (OT) and in Ancient Near East (ANE) context. The Creator unveils supernatural intent through natural processes and contends that the restoration of imago Dei identity represents the conclusive fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan for humanity. In pursuit of this argument, the research critically explores creational identity, the contrasting biblical notion of idolatry, and the cross-cultural significance of water imagery within the contexts of the …

An Exegetical And Theological Exploration Of Paul’S Self-Identity In Consideration Of Modern Social Sciences, Chala Baker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Apostle Paul possessed a multifaceted background unusual for the period in which he lived. It is now well-known by scholars and laypeople alike that Paul was a Hebrew, Pharisee, Roman citizen, persecutor of the church, Christian, and Jew who hailed from Tarsus (Acts 21:29). Paul utilized each distinct portion of his background to advance the gospel. Throughout the New Testament, the apostle sets the example of using everything at his disposal for the cause of Christ. Paul himself writes that he became “all things to all people” with a direct purpose in mind that he “might save some” (1 …

Coherent Chiastic Oeuvre In The Unity Of Luke-Acts: Two Volumes Conjoined As A Single Book, John Matthew Powell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A thorough examination of the life and works of Saint Luke has always been an interest and desire to survey, and because of his eruditeness, which produced two amazingly inspired books in the New Testament resulted in the reason behind this dissertation project. Another important thing for this research is animated from the perspective that Luke is the only gentile writer in the NT. It encourages the world that God placed gentiles on equal footing with Jews of the Old Testament era. Unlike the additional three inspired Gospel writers (i.e., Matthew, Mark, and John), Luke did not take it for …

Let My People Go: A Biblical Theology Of Liberation In The Exodus Motif, Lou Ann Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Liberation theologians view political liberation as the central theme of the historical Exodus event due to their interpretation of the text through the perspective of the oppressed and the oppressor. I reject the postmodern stance of liberation theologians, which overemphasizes political liberation and fails to consider the links between Yahweh’s supernatural actions on behalf of the Hebrews in light of Yahweh’s covenantal obligations to Abraham’s descendants. This study argues against the use of liberation theologies as the paradigm for interpreting the historical Exodus event and asserts that a biblical theology of the Exodus motif reveals “covenant” as the interpretive key …

Orpheus And The Harrowing Of Hell In The Tale Of Beren And Lúthien, Giovanni Carmine Costabile

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

Critics have observed that Beren and Lúthien’s tale is a Christian retelling of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. The “Harrowing of Hell” tradition is widespread in Italy as attested by the mosaic of San Marco among others, but it is in France that the Ovid Moralized reconnects it to Orpheus who descended into the Underworld to save Eurydice (an already late antique parallel) and therefore attests a happy ending version of the story that can be found in medieval England and also in various classical sources, perhaps even in the original legend of Orpheus. The apocryphal Harrowing is also …

The Spiritual Prodigy, The Reluctant Guru, And The Saint: Mirabai And Collaborative Leadership At Hari Krishna Mandir, Nancy M. Martin

Religious Studies Faculty Articles and Research

This article explores the life and influence of Indira Devi Niloy (1920–1997) who in 1949 began to encounter the sixteenth-century saint–poet Mirabai during her meditative trance states. She would recount songs, stories, and teachings that the saint gave to her as well as scenes from Mirabai’s life that she witnessed as an observer and at other times experienced directly as a participant. Their ongoing relationship would have a tremendous influence on Indira Devi as well as her guru Dilip Kumar Roy (1897–1980) and the increasingly international community that grew up around them. Their interactions and Indira Devi’s reports in turn …

The Suluk Ritual In The Tradition Of The Tariqa (Sufi Order) Naqsyabandiyyah Al-Kholidiyyah Jalaliyyah In Indonesia, Imron Rosidi

An-Najah University Journal for Research - B (Humanities)

Sufi plays an important role in Indonesia's early Islamization. Tariqa is a part of the Sufi tradition which strengthens the distinct identity of Indonesian Islam as it continues to evolve. This article is based on qualitative methods employing observation and interview techniques to gather data. Tariqa is part of the Sufi tradition which consists of several Muslims who are committed to increasing their spirituality. Tariqa goal is to get closer to God. The Suluk is the tarekat's special ritual which is done monthly in the first ten days. This article argues that the ritual activity of Suluk in Tariqa is …

Kantian Reason & Epistemic Humility, Elias Seeman

Philosophy Senior Capstone

Immanuel Kant continues to be one of the most influential thinkers in the history of philosophy. His thought shapes much of contemporary culture and has dramatically influenced Christian philosophy and theology. While some of this influence is beneficial, there are components of Kantian thought – especially as it pertains to the capabilities of human reason to arrive at true knowledge of God – that are decidedly problematic. In this paper, two different readings on Kant’s work on this subject are presented, followed by a brief overview of key insights and shortcomings. The final section charts a positive way forward for …

Able Leaders: A Ministry For Developing Executive Pastors, A Philosophy And Strategy For Ministry, Jayden Jeriah Wilhelm

Christian Ministries Senior Capstone

This paper examines relevant literature to design an effective training program for executive pastors.

Hear & Believe: Epistemic Humility And The Limits Of Human Reason, Elias Seeman

Philosophy Student Projects

There are few more hotly debated questions in philosophy than the capacity of human reason as it relates to knowing God. Both Immanuel Kant and G.W.F. Hegel dedicated a significant portion of their work to precisely this question. These thinkers, however, did not seek to understand the capabilities and limits of human reason from a distinctly Christian perspective. Their work, while containing real insights, has serious, problematic implications for Christian thinkers, making it imperative to chart a path toward a robustly Christian, Biblically-anchored, conception of reason.

Euthyphro & The Third Horn, Elias Seeman

Philosophy Student Projects

One of the most interesting questions in Christian ethics is known as the Euthyphro problem. Put simply, the question is "is something good just because God commands it, or does God command something because it is good." It is a question of the foundation of morals. Typically, there are two responses to this problem, both of which I find unsatisfying. In the paper, I propose a third way of understanding the dilemma.

Analyzing Substance Dualism From A Christian Perspective, Samuel J. Fulbright

Philosophy Senior Capstone

This paper seeks to analyze the Substance Dualist position from a Christian perspective. After looking briefly at the way in which the Christian Scriptures present the relationship between the body and the soul, the paper then turns to looking at the way in which the Substance Dualist position presents the relationship between the body and the soul. It ends by offering a Christian response to some of the most common and most popular objections raised against Substance Dualism.

Restoration Quarterly: Vol. 66, No. 2

Restoration Quarterly

PDF of the cover of Restoration Quarterly: Vol. 66, No. 2.

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.

Ephesians 2:11-22, Unity In Christ: A Biblical Theological Analysis, Kaeley Sells

Biblical Studies Student Projects

Often, in large group settings there can be a tendency to stick to one’s own in-group. This tendency then leads to the diminishing and exclusion of those outside of that particular group. In the early church, this was the story of the Gentile believers who, despite receiving the same life through the sacrifice of Christ were subject to discrimination, cultivating an inferiority complex in many of the early believers. Paul attempts to critique this trend by highlighting not only the grace extended to all but the intentional life, death, and resurrection of Christ that enables all believers to be citizens …

The Blurry Line Between Corporation And Cult: A Retrospective Autoethnographic Study, Ernst Graamans

The Qualitative Report

In popular management literature corporations are sometimes loosely compared to cults. The comparison is a severe allegation as it implies the transgression of subordinate employees’ integrity. This paper explores to what extent such comparisons with cults are warranted as well as the implications this has for the practice of corporate culture management. On grounds of the author’s unique, first-hand experience in both corporate and cultic environments a retrospective autoethnographic (RAE) approach was chosen to further explore the supposed resemblance. The comparison is structured along Lifton’s eight criteria of thought reform and reveals that although akin to cults in all aspects …

A Third Way: Christian Philosophy Of Music, Eric S. Gardner

Senior Theses

Philosophers have posed many difficult-to-answer questions regarding music. For example, what counts as beautiful music? Can beauty be objectified, or is beauty in the eye of the beholder? What counts as a performance of a piece of music? Besides, what counts as music anyways? Where does the noise stop, and where does the music begin? In this thesis, I want to show that the Christian worldview offers the philosophical building blocks to answer these questions. By working with biblical truths and Christian presuppositions, I hope to show that the Christian worldview can offer satisfying answers to these philosophical questions.

Sampling Methods And Sample Size In Church-Based Research, David R. Dunaetz

Great Commission Research Journal

An underlying assumption of most church-based research is that the sample from which the data is collected is representative of a wider collection of church members, church leaders, small groups, churches, denominations, or whatever is the focus of the study. To increase the likelihood that this assumption is met without making the research an impossible undertaking, various sampling strategies are used ranging from random sampling to convenience sampling, each with advantages and disadvantages. After a sampling strategy is chosen, an appropriate sample size should be pursued, depending on the nature of the study. The sample size of quantitative studies seeking …

Evangelism In The Usa: A Look Back And A Look Ahead, Gary L. Mcintosh

Great Commission Research Journal

Innovations in approaches, methods, and techniques for fruitful evangelism are a hallmark of the church in the United States. This article explores eleven evangelistic innovations observed in the last half of the twentieth century and offers seven insights for the future.

Review Of Leadership By The Book: Cultivating Spirit-Led Kingdom Leaders By Galen Wendell Jones, Jeremy Langly

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Alfred Russel Wallace Notes 30. Wallace A Theist? Part I., Charles H. Smith

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

Alfred Russel Wallace (1823−1913) has been portrayed as a ‘theist’ on a large number of occasions from his own time on to the present. In this, the first of a two part work, this assessment is questioned. In part one, the matter of Wallace’s personal philosophy and spiritual orientation is explored, the conclusion being that Wallace was a lifelong agnostic who can hardly be aligned with theism.

The Top Ten Challenges Facing Pastors In 2024, Edward E. Moody Jr.

Great Commission Research Journal

This article summarizes the results of a study conducted by the Great Commission Research Network seeking to identify the top challenges facing pastors in 2024. The results are similar to a study conducted last year examining concerns of churches (Moody, 2023). While both studies highlighted challenges related to evangelism and young adults, this study revealed additional, pastoral concerns.

Innovations In Church Financial Models: Research On Alternative Practices, W. Jay Moon

Great Commission Research Journal

Asbury Theological Seminary conducted a research project exploring financial models beyond traditional church tithes and offerings. This qualitative study focused on financial viability and missional vibrancy. It involved surveys, interviews, a focus group, and site visits to churches using alternate financial models. Major findings revealed that six alternate financial models are presently used that increase missional impact, allowing churches to serve communities and engage in meaningful interactions. These models also provide churches financial viability and surprising missional benefits that include goodwill, partnerships, real estate development, job creation, and enhanced community engagement. Some precautions are also noted based on the experiences …

Church-Supported Esl Ministry In Canada: A Look At The Church’S Mission In Action, Gordon Moulden

Great Commission Research Journal

English is a dominant business, academic, and communicative language throughout the world. Immigrants and refugees coming to the West have a great need to learn the language but often do not have the funds or time to pursue studies full-time. Churches often offer English classes to minister to not only their language needs but also to their relational and spiritual needs. This mixed-methods survey and interview research investigates the state of church-supported English as a Second Language (ESL) programs across Canada following the COVID-19 pandemic. Approximately 50 teachers and program coordinators completed the survey, which revealed needs relating to training …

Gods Have Names: Addressing The Translation Of “God” In The Thai Language And Culture, Kelly M. Hilderbrand

Great Commission Research Journal

This article is a practical missiological examination of the word used to reference God in the Thai language. The problem is that the term used in Thai, Phrajao (พระเจ้า), is a generic term that can be used for any number of different gods or royalty and is easily misunderstood. After an examination of the words used for “God” in Chinese and Hindu contexts, the biblical terms for “God” are examined. Although the Bible uses generic terms for God (Elohim and Theos), God has a name. The name of God, Yahweh, was revealed to Moses and used throughout the Old Testament. …

Review Of Vital Christian Community: 12 Characteristics Of Healthy Congregations By Phil Brochard And Alissa Newton, Renee Jones

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Review Of Diaspora Missions To International Students By Enoch Wan, I. Francis Kyle Iii

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Review Of Fanning The Revitalization Flame: Leading Your Church From Smoldering Embers To Revival Fire By Robert Beckett, Robert Shepherd

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.