Search

Molinists maintain that middle knowledge is the best candidate for settling the historical debate on God’s sovereignty and man’s free will. The philosophical sophistication of the view can be alluring, and the efforts of Molinists to rationally defend it against criticisms have been impressive. But does Molinism still have a biblical problem? Proponents argue that the doctrine is compatible with the Bible's teaching on God's knowledge of counterfactuals, though admittedly, it is not explicitly taught in Scripture. But this claim is more problematic than advocates for the theory have alleged. The present study maintains that in the absence of a more complete biblical revelation regarding God’s knowledge logically prior to his eternal decree, philosophers of religion should exercise greater caution than is presently being advocated. It is argued that Paul supplies the reader with a necessary constraint to philosophical speculation regarding the deliberations of the divine mind (Rom 11:33–36), and it is John Calvin, not Luis de Molina, who best represents Paul’s appeal to mystery in this respect. Far from being an intellectual "punt" to mystery, this is an occasion to join Paul in awestruck wonder in the face of the unknowable. Jeff Scott Kennedy, Ph.D. Bible Exposition (Rawlings School of Divinity, Liberty University / 2022)

The Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrate plays a unique role in the development of political theology. While the principle is found in Scripture, the doctrine is developed across church history during catalytic moments in which civil or religious authorities are at odds with Christian convictions. While the principle made developmental strides in the early centuries of Christianity, it was codified in the Magdeburg Confession of 1550, leading to more rapid development throughout the Reformation, and eventually influencing the American War for Independence. This analyzes the development of the doctrine, identifying it as a natural maturation of biblical principles. The doctrine is one of Christianity's many contributions to the betterment of the world. The paper gives special attention to the doctrine’s influence on the founding of the United States and considers the present developments of the doctrine in the writings of Matthew Trewhella and other contemporary theologians. As Christians face increased persecution, even in developed countries, the necessity for a faithful political theory of interposition has become increasingly important.

As Christianity enters its third millennium, it faces the sharpest decline in the number of people attending church congregations compared to the total population. In Romans 1:13, the Apostle Paul states that God’s people should not be ignorant that the purpose for leaders within the collective church body, beginning with himself as the example, is so the people’s lives would be fruitful–spiritually enriched and productive. Logic dictates that if the lives of those who attended Christian churches in the twenty-first century experienced and displayed such spiritual quality, attendance would not be declining but contrarily on the rise. Regarding church clergy and their congregations, are the shepherds genuinely caring for and tending to the spiritual needs of their flocks if the people are departing? This study proposes that modern Christian churches reform and realign their leadership structures according to the examples of the followers of Jesus Christ, as found in the Book of Acts and the Pastoral Epistles. Most churches still follow their inherited traditions from past centuries and millennia and seem little inclined to question the possibility of a better format. This study argues that the Scriptures promote a more efficient archetype that has been forgotten and replaced in favor of traditions. This discourse aims to demonstrate from selected New Testament scriptures that God’s leadership design of the early church was a stratified model, different and superior to the religious hierarchical models of the Second Temple era. The stratified leadership model of the First-century Christian Church presented herein is a viable doctrinal and practical formula for modern churches to utilize as they carry out the Great Commission entrusted to them.

This Doctoral Research Project aims to answer the question, Is there biblical awareness among the congregation about God’s acceptance and call of female pastors? The problem presented identifies a gap in biblical knowledge about women in church leadership due to the lingering effects of patriarchal influence. There may be resistance to church growth due to the uncertainty of the Scriptures, which sanction women to the call of God. This research project proposed to improve the Bible literacy of ten Christian men and women to cultivate spiritual growth and strengthen their theology. Historically, the conservative church taught that the Bible forbids women to pastor or hold any position of authority over men. There is a resurgence of women having experiences, as do men, reflecting the undeniable call to the pastorate. Women who, through the auspices of the Holy Spirit, obtain professional pastoral credentials but continue to encounter resistance. This qualitative research project uses Sensing’s triangulation method to validate the problem. The researcher used seven data collection methods to study the problem such as a pre-assessment survey, which served as a control mechanism for evaluating the results; a weekly Bible study on the roles of women in the Bible; a middle assessment questionnaire to measure the effectiveness of the Bible study; random participant interviews; and a focus group to test the results. The data collection culminates at a luncheon seminar presentation featuring successful female pastors interviewed by the researcher. The results yielded improved learning about acceptable leadership roles for women in scripture. Ultimately, an objective is to present a teaching tool for other churches to teach biblical equality in leadership roles within their congregation.

This dissertation sets out to demonstrate the continued validity of the Torah for all believers today. As such, this dissertation attempts to show that discontinuity of the Mosaic Covenant is scripturally, theologically, and philosophically untenable. The thesis of this dissertation is that Pronomianism is the paradigm that most cohesively melds theology and apologetics, through its interpretation of Paul’s words and deeds at the second Jerusalem council, which unveils the Torah’s centrality in New Testament theology, and that Pronomian moral apologetics reveal the Law of God as the only foundation for objective, biblical morality, and the guide to righteous living. This conclusion is developed first via an exhaustive examination of Acts 21. Once the scriptural case is made, the argument shifts to the moral philosophical case for continuity, which is based on the well-known Euthyphro’s Dilemma. Lastly, the Pronomian paradigm is examined by its instances in church history and is applied as an example to demonstrate its ability to answer difficult, perennial questions in Christian theology. For future study, the Pronomian paradigm should be developed in more social, economic, and political terms to compare it to theological concepts like Theonomy and demonstrate how Pronomianism differs in its approach to social integration in an increasingly fractured, multipolar, and digital reality.

In times of turbulence and crisis, people and families should look to the church to receive comfort, salvation, spiritual and emotional assistance, and support from the church. Declining rates of prayer and worship church service attendance levels is an issue of major concern. Continually formulating new strategies, conceptual frameworks, and theoretical and theological models are necessary to address this situation. A participatory action research intervention pilot study was conducted at Total Life Ministries church, which comprised a phenomenological study with hermeneutical consistency and a case study essence. The new strategy centered on certain prayer types and ways of praying that would be motivational to increase prayer and worship attendance levels. The primary objective for the research intervention plan was to introduce prayer from a kingdom perspective and imprecatory prayer, and to develop and evaluate the strategy and survey instrument tool, as well as to ascertain whether this would be motivational for increasing more faithful attendance levels. The methodology consisted of pre-test survey, teaching/preaching sermon seminars, prayer journals, post-test survey, and researcher field notes. The sample population was comprised of eight female ministers and four male ministers. All participants were African Americans between the ages of 30 and 65. Research findings demonstrated that more effective instruments and motivational strategies need to be developed to address this problem.

This dissertation proposes and argues that the Book of Ruth is better situated in Wisdom literature because of its didactic wisdom themes. Prominent wisdom themes will be analyzed and compared intertextually with the Book of Ruth, which provides Ruth’s understanding of YHWH. The research methodology evaluates the intertextuality, or inter-themes, between the Book of Ruth and the Wisdom literature (Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes), the primary source. Peer-reviewed sources (scholarly commentaries, academic peer-reviewed journals, and scholarly biblical dictionaries) are used to evaluate and support the findings uncovered in the primary source. Semantic field and range studies are performed with the help of biblical Hebrew lexicons and lexical aids. The dissertation stems from the awareness that Ruth’s placement in the Old Testament differs between the Greek and Christian Bibles and the Hebrew Bible. In Judaism, Ruth is one of five scrolls in the Megilloth collection. This is significant because the Greek and Christian Bibles place Ruth after Judges and before 1 Samuel, which satisfies judicial and genealogical purposes. However, the Megilloth’s chronological order places Ruth first of the five scrolls, follows Proverbs, and precedes Ecclesiastes. Therefore, this chronological order has Ruth as the solution to the question posed in Proverbs 31:10, “An excellent wife, who can find?” Chapter one begins with an introduction highlighting prominent historical, literary, and theological elements of the Book of Ruth, followed by a description of the Megilloth with an explanation of the liturgical and chronological ordering. Finally, intertextuality is discussed, touching on the associated theories and methods. Chapter two is an overview of Wisdom literature. It will be investigated to analyze its genre, portrayal in Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Ruth, and its association with Old Testament theology. Finally, how wisdom is perceived in the ancient Near East, and its influe

The God of the Whole Earth Ministry (GWEM) Church study investigated how church members can gain confidence to share their faith when properly equipped. Sharing the gospel with others can be a problem for some people. Generally, the lack of skills and knowledge is the biggest problem for some people to share their faith. GWEM Church members were not equipped to share their faith. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to equip participants to share their faith. Skills were taught to help participants develop and use those skills to start meaningful and practical conversations to open up a dialogue with people. The study was conducted for ten weeks. Forty-six church members participated in the study. Although the reason for lack of confidence varied among the participants, the most common reason was the lack of skills and knowledge to engage in meaningful outreach conversations. Out of forty-six participants, 84.8% said lack of skills to begin significant outreach was the main problem. The remaining 15.2 % attributed their problem to other reasons. Participants applied skills learned before the end of the study and were given questionnaires to report changes in their confidence. After the community outreach, participants were asked if they felt the same way as before the teaching intervention. Out of the forty-six participants, 58.7 said they no longer felt uncomfortable sharing the gospel with others. The results show that by equipping participants with how to start outreach conversations can help participants overcome their lack of confidence to share the gospel.

The Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) ministry program faces challenges due to limited awareness among Southern Baptist pastors, leading to inadequate promotion and participation. The proposed solution involves providing targeted education, improved advertising, and encouraging local leaders to promote engagement. The project aims to prepare three churches in Mason and Stanton, TN, to serve as Disaster Relief teams through specialized training and courses like ‘Introduction to Disaster Relief.’ The goal is to increase awareness of SBDR, recruit and train new members, and inspire individuals to become endorsed SBDR and Public Safety Chaplains. The project incorporates a theological foundation to integrate faith and crisis response. It involves curriculum development, training sessions, and evaluation. The impact extends beyond the local community, contributing to the growth of SBDR efforts regionally and potentially internationally. Ultimately, the project aims to empower churches to serve as beacons of hope during disasters, demonstrating the profound intersection of faith and crisis response.

Assurance of salvation is an existential issue that has occupied the center stage of theological deliberations in the Church's history. This dissertation is a quest for epistemic justification. The dissertation examines the conditions that justify and validate claims of assurance of salvation. The research is partly an epistemological quest as well as a textual inquiry. This study utilizes evidentialism, the epistemological concept that what provides epistemic justification is evidence, to reach a reasonable conclusion. The data for the analysis consists of the Johannine literature, that is, the Gospel of John, the three Epistles of John, and the book of Revelation. The research examines all the relevant linguistic and thematic data in the Johannine literature and concludes that (1) believing, (2) new birth, (3) discipleship, (4) abiding, (5) obedience, and (6) overcoming provides epistemological criteria for validating claims of assurance. Since assurance pertains to the current and future spectrum of salvation, the evidence must be a continuing experience. A person holds a false assurance when these validations are absent.

In recent years the theological term “pronomianism” has emerged within lay scholarship and academia. While still evolving as a concept, it is the doctrine that affirms the ongoing and universal nature of all God’s commandments, to be practised literally and non-literally (by way of principlism and paradigm), as opposed to a theological framework that designates only the “moral” as operative and those that are “civil and ceremonial”, as redundant. This dissertation contends that pronomianism is an accurate and credible doctrine of interpretation in which the Jewish and Gentile believers in Jesus Christ are to abide by all the commandments of God as taught throughout the entirety of Scripture and intended as a means of sanctification. The study will start by survey the role of the Law through Church history and evidencing pronomian practises throughout the centuries, defining pronomianism and establishing thirteen principles to guide this pro-Torah hermeneutic and methodology of interpretation, contending the ongoing observation and validity of circumcision, kashrut, and appointed festivals, while also exploring a Law-affirming interpretation of Matthew 5:17–20, the presence of the Law prior to its codification at Mt. Sinai, promoniam attributes of Scripture, and the role of the Law, in particular the appointed festivals, in a futurist reading of Ezekiel 45:9–46:15.

This action research project created a leadership development pathway to produce more ministry leaders at Southside Church of the Nazarene. A five-step leadership development pathway culminating in discipleship integration was designed and implemented. This pathway produced a statistically significant increase in the number of new leaders in one quarter of a calendar year compared to the quarterly average of new leaders in the previous three years. Data was collected through surveys, interviews, and roundtable discussions, and reviewed by multiple researchers to help remove bias.

The prophetic book of Zechariah, the longest one of the Twelve Prophets, contains many interpretive challenges. This dissertation focuses on Zechariah 11 while acknowledging textual issues and heavy influence from the Major Prophets and offers a harmonized holistic interpretation of the two sign-acts, the shepherds and staffs, and other relevant issues such as the thirty pieces of silver through applying five research methodologies. This dissertation argues that Zechariah 11 provides a retrospective of what Israel experienced to raise an alarm for them to obey God’s command. This partly explains the abrupt shift in tone from hope and promise in Zechariah 9–10 to accusation and pessimism in Zechariah 11 since it offers a clear historical lesson—“Do not be like your ancestors” (Zechariah 1:4). Two verses of vv. 6 and 14 are critical to understanding the whole chapter. The two sign-acts are both based on the determination of the Lord unveiled in Zechariah 11:6—“‘Indeed, I will no longer have compassion on the people of the land,’ says the Lord, ‘but instead I will turn every last person over to his neighbor and his king. They will devastate the land, and I will not deliver it from them.’” Zechariah 11:14 discloses directly the retrospective nature of the second sign-act, and indirectly that of the first sign-act. The study on Zechariah 11 provides valuable lessons for Christians and local churches, including biblical scholars and theologians, regarding who God is and how he acts, how church leadership ought to function, and how to handle the intertwined relationship between theology and biblical studies. Future research is needed, especially regarding prophecy revision, reversal, etc.

“Racism in the United States is part of a much older and global phenomenon” that has effects that are seen “today in hearts, minds, and institutions” (Lovelace, 2021, p. 67). Regarding the African American population, housing discrimination continues to be an obstacle to families (Burke et al., 2018), racist systems have led to collateral damage in the health of adults (Bleich et al., 2019), and African American men constitute approximately 25% of police shooting victims (Schwartz, 2020). This study seeks to examine if racism has infiltrated into the local church. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the perception or experiential knowledge of racial unity between White Evangelical church leaders and their African American congregants and community members in the Chicago area. Within the context of this study, the researcher defines “racial disunity” as intentional disconnect or apathy toward unity between African American congregants or community members and the predominately White local church. The theory that guided this study was transformative leadership and its power to harness social justice engagement to address societal concerns regarding the subject matter. Through semi-structured focus groups and interviews, a small cross-section of the local church community in Chicago informed the researcher as to their perception of underline themes of racial unity within the local church and community. Additionally, the research provided transformative discussions and solution suggestions for local churches to demonstrate biblical unity within the city.

Speech Act Theory is a branch of linguistics that explores not only how language is used to convey meaning, but also how it is used to perform actions or functions. In recent decades, it has been applied as a viable hermeneutical tool to aid biblical interpretation and defend the inerrancy of Scripture. Identifying the speech acts of the biblical author or speakers in the biblical narratives can be useful to understand the meaning and intention of the utterances, phrases, and words spoken. In the Genesis 1 creation narrative, God spoke words to create the universe. While adopting a canonical approach to interpretation and a trinitarian reading, this research applied Speech Act Theory to Genesis 1 to identify the locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary acts God performed with His speech on each day of creation. In doing so, it showed how the application of Speech Act Theory to the Genesis 1 creation narrative can be a viable hermeneutical tool to understand that the narrative intended to communicate how God created a universe of material origins instantaneously in a way that is consistent with His character as the Trinitarian God. This research also used Speech Act Theory to critique John H. Walton’s functional view of creation in Genesis 1 and reveal the challenges of his speech act methodology with Ancient Near East comparative studies.

Recent statistics have shown significant increases in substance abuse in the United Sates indicated by rising overdose deaths and hospital stays nationwide. This study was conducted to determine if early forgiveness intervention by chaplains and clergy affects the decisions of individuals struggling with substance abuse in considering forgiveness as a pathway to recovery. Based on the success of the Alcoholics Anonymous 12-step recovery program and recent studies, this research addressed forgiveness as a pathway to recovery for those struggling with substance abuse. Forgiveness was considered in one or more of five areas: forgiveness of self, forgiveness of others, forgiveness from others, forgiveness of God/Higher Power, and forgiveness from God/Higher Power. The study consisted of a Substance Abuse Spirituality Survey, advertised in addiction recovery centers with residents admitted for substance abuse recovery. The research was qualitative, consisting of 50 patient surveys addressing emotional pain and the need for forgiveness. Participants were encouraged to write personal feelings toward forgiveness at the end of the survey. Observations of resident responses from facility administrators were also considered in the research results. The study achieved an overall positive effect on the residents of the recovery centers in recognizing forgiveness of self, of others, from others, of God, and from God as important components in substance abuse recovery. In addition, the study affirmed opportunity for frontline chaplains and clergy to offer early forgiveness intervention to those struggling with substance abuse.

This action research project focuses on equipping parents to disciple their children in home-based worship, Bible study, and developing a biblical worldview. The problem at The Mission Church is poor decision-making from teens in the student group. The students make decisions from a malformed biblical worldview, resulting in decisions contrary to God’s Word. Further analysis of this problem revealed the need for home-based discipleship. Contemporary literature demonstrates the need for family ministry, specifically family-based discipleship. Thus, this research is critical to developing parents to teach their families God’s precepts (Deut 6:7-9). This thesis intervention seeks to instruct the parents about biblical worldviews, equipping them to teach and develop this worldview in themselves and their families. The developed strategy of this DMIN action research project will utilize parent group instruction on andragogy and pedagogy, biblical worldview development, daily Scripture reading, and applying this knowledge to everyday life. The expectation is that the spiritual maturity of the parents and children will grow in the knowledge of Christ, building a biblical worldview in both parents and teens and strengthening the family core centered on Christ. The family is God’s strategy to disciple all others. Therefore, discipleship must begin there by teaching, equipping, and encouraging parents to embrace the godly task of raising children in the admonition of the Lord (Eph 6:4). If parents are better prepared, equipped, and more confident in discipling their children, then faulty decisions based on a distorted worldview will improve.

This action research thesis project engaged eleven ministers in the International Fellowship of Christian Assemblies with a multi-session training designed to help them identify potential areas of cultural accommodation detrimental to Christian life and witness. The project utilized a multi-week training program where participants viewed training videos and attended online discussion sessions. The participants recorded their impressions throughout the four-week training period. Six weeks after the training concluded, small group sessions were scheduled to determine whether the participants could utilize the training material in their ministry. Data were collected through journaling, entrance and exit questionnaires, and small group interviews. The research indicates that moderate progress toward a greater appreciation for theological education is possible when the training focuses on ministry relevance. The moderate progress made by this project creates opportunities for additional training. The project’s overall success also opens the door to creating similar training programs designed to reach a broader audience in the body of Christ.

A Christian’s mindset is key to his or her ongoing life as a believer. The choice of one’s mindset critically affects almost every aspect of a Christian’s life. This impact occurs throughout the person’s life, because one’s mindset must be chosen continuously. One cannot “set it and forget it.” Satan constantly lurks around to try to draw the believer away from thinking about spiritual things. One’s mindset matters because the focus of one’s mind to a large extent determines one’s eternal destiny. This dissertation will offer support for libertarian free will and the possibility of apostasy, and then examine the Pauline concept of the “mind of Christ,” demonstrating that sanctification occurs synergistically in the life and mind of the believer.

Digital technology use within the church has received mixed responses from both the church leadership and members of the congregation. Some believe that using digital technology, such as social media, is a way of expanding the church’s mission and ministry. Other people believe that using these methods are costly, secular, or evil, and have no place in church ministry. The COVID-19 pandemic caused churches to rethink how they connected to their members since in-person worship services were canceled. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore the relationship between the use of digital technology among the smaller churches within the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) during the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact upon membership retention, spiritual formation, as well as the expansion of the church’s mission and ministry. Current research has had limited investigation with regard to the results of using digital technology by the smaller church during the pandemic and its effect upon the church membership. A biblical, historical perspective of technology and the church was balanced with the practical theology and churches’ experience of using digital technology during the pandemic.

The Scriptures contain a theology of dung. When the semantic and conceptual cognates that pertain to dung are synthesized, the result is a scriptural scatology whereby dung is presented as a symbol for sin. To clarify, the biblical exhibition of dung presents excrement as a central symbol employed by Scripture to concretize the abstract nature of sin. When each semantic and conceptual cognate that pertains to dung is examined, in nearly every instance where dung is mentioned, sin is in close proximity. The recognition of the dung–sin symbol enlightens particular aspects related to the nature of sin, which mirrors the physical production, elimination, and basic attitudes regarding dung. The illumination of the nature of sin can be seen specifically in the aspects of rejection, ejection, mockery, and disgust. Additionally, the Scriptures present the dung–sin symbol link in a trifold manner. First, the dung–sin symbol communicates that just as dung is created through a bodily process that involves rejection and ejection (elimination), the nature of sin itself also contains the twin concepts of rejection and ejection. Second, the dung–sin symbol communicates a scriptural attitude concerning sin — one of mocking revilement — which ironically involves rejection and ejection by both the divine and human. Third, the revelation of the dung–sin symbol also contains a depiction of grace which corresponds to elimination and attitude. Of the latter, cognizance of how Scripture views sin acts as a deterrent of commitment; of the former, the elimination of sin — mirroring the bodily process of rejection and ejection — brings forth restoration.

Several modern factors increase families’ difficulty training children in the Christian faith. Time commitments outside the home have increased, and a decline in faith practice has made parents less comfortable and confident with knowledge of the Christian faith. These factors fueled an increase in teenagers leaving the Christian faith as they moved into adulthood and a decline in the number of adults with a biblical worldview. The underlying assumption of this DMIN project is that if fathers are trained with a biblical worldview and mentoring skills, they will become more comfortable and prepared to share their faith with their children so that they can take ownership of their faith. A seven-week training program equipped fourteen men with biblical worldview information and mentoring skills to prepare them to help their children embrace a Christian worldview. Project participants’ ability to identify and summarize a biblical worldview and grow more comfortable sharing their faith was analyzed with pre- and post-training questionnaires and surveys. The project results support the thesis that training men in a biblical worldview and holding them accountable for leading conversations with their children will empower them to summarize the biblical worldview and grow in the comfort of sharing their faith. Men equipped with this thesis’ biblical worldview training can assist their children in taking faith ownership as they prepare for adulthood.

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 hands-on, Service-Learning component through which participants will implement and practice a Christian service plan. If Fairhaven Church of Rootstown continues to implement this project’s spiritual formation initiative focused on servanthood, then members will be empowered and motivated to serve, which will strengthen the church by addressing the needs of the church community through service.

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 OT and the ANE. By understanding the use of water imagery, readers can acknowledge that God works through the created-natural to reveal the ultimate redemptive plan; whereas the enemy uses the superficial to corrupt creation and human identity in an attempt to make humankind irredeemable. The interplay between the created-natural and supernatural forces underscores a fundamental truth: God utilizes the natural world for supernatural purposes, while antithetical spiritual forces seek to pervert and corrupt the same creation for destructive ends. Nowhere is this dichotomy more evident than in the corruption of human identity, symbolized by the separation of humankind from their Creator. Humanity, originally fashioned in the image of God, experienced both divine communion and subsequent estrangement following the commonly termed "Fall of Man" in Genesis. The enemy's agenda, laid bare in Genesis 3, aimed at corrupting human identity, remains unchanged throughout history. In the OT and ANE, manifestations of this corruption abound, from the intermingling of divine and human lineage in Genesis 6 to the lessons against idolatry and other gods, which fractured humanity's moral fabric and deepened the rift between humanity and its original identity in God. God's redemptive mission seeks to restor

Scholarship on the book of Amos has oft leaned in favor of a multilayered composition of the prophetic book, citing either post-exilic motifs or unusual thematic transitions as evidence. While most of the book of Amos is typically ascribed to the prophet himself, the attribution of certain portions to the work of later redactors brings into question the integrity of the message Amos seeks to convey, especially regarding a united theological message. Proponents of redaction claim that the portions in question would not have been part of the original composition due to their contents displaying post-exilic themes. Such a reconstruction brings into question the theology of Amos, positing that an original theology of an original ‘incomplete’ composition was then modified by the redactions that completed Amos, resulting in a ‘completed theology,’ which (for some scholars) results in the existence of multiple theologies in Amos. The ramifications of such a scenario involve inconsistencies of theology from a canonical perspective, which open the entire Scripture and (of the utmost importance) the God, of whom Scripture reveals, to questions regarding historical, literary, and theological integrity. If the claims of those who suggest that an editorial process for the composition of Amos are true, then the interpretation of the theology of Scripture becomes a question of pre- or post-redaction. For example, the resulting theology that was true about God pre-redaction is not necessarily true about God after the redaction. Because of the influence of DtrH, this scenario applies to much of Scripture and creates an issue regarding the reliability of Scripture in communicating a consistent and coherent revelation about God. Of particular interest are the three hymns or doxologies in Amos, found in Amos 4:13, 5:8-9, and 9:5-6. These portions of Amos have been presumed to be part of the later redactions. Reasons for this assertion include the supposed intrusive nature of these hymn

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 serve one another in love. The recipients of Hebrews have suffered persecution in the past and may be experiencing more trouble because of their identification with Jesus Christ. The author encourages them to stay the course and he warns them of dire consequences if they fall away. His rhetorical strategy is to explain to them God’s provision for their salvation and help in times of need and to exhort or warn them in view of what he has just explained. He moves constantly between exposition and exhortation. The goal of this dissertation is to explore how the author of Hebrews uses classical rhetoric to demonstrate that the promised rest of God and the suffering of God’s people are compatible, in view of God’s great salvation through Jesus Christ who is both the sacrifice and the high priest.

The city is an essential accomplishment that is embedded in the foundations of human civilization. From its mature appearance in Sumer and its developed forms throughout the ANE world, the city held a high place in cosmology, cosmogony, and anthropogony. The ideology and theology of the city created by the ANE peoples were built around and presented through the interplay of the triangle of influences and dependencies formed by the city, the temple, and kingship in conjunction with the gods. The question is whether the same construct is ingeminated in the Bible. This dissertation strives to provide an appropriate context in order to critically assess the relatedness between the ANE and biblical views on the city, specifically from the perspective of the biblical protology (Genesis 1–11) and eschatology (Revelation 21–22). It also aims to understand the biblical attitudes towards the city, their coordination and complementarity in addressing the ANE views, their conceptual direction, as well as their theoretical and practical consequences.

In Luke 24, two disciples recognized that Jesus had predicted He would suffer, be betrayed, and handed over to death by crucifixion, and had said He would rise again on the third day. It was now the third day, and Jesus was no longer in the tomb, but they were confused as to what these things meant and how they came to be. Jesus says to them, “‘O foolish ones and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?’ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (vv. 25-27). Furthermore, He explained that “all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me” (v 44). This foretelling by the full scope of the Old Testament, was to communicate that suffering, death, and rising were necessary to bring about repentance and remission of sins (v 47). The thesis of this dissertation is that even within the narrative sections of Scripture that are comprised mostly of the Pentateuch and Former prophets, Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection were foretold. Specifically, they were foretold not just in the few direct prophecies but within the lives of the characters, in the words that were spoken, within actions done, and in events that played out. It further will contend that typology is the best hermeneutical method to be used to determine the type-antitype connections between Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection to the characters and events in these sections of Scripture. Moreover, these narratives will be filtered through the two clearest direct prophecies concerning the death of Christ, Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22, both of which were written during the time of the Former Prophets. Because Isaiah 53 is considered by several scholars to not have been written during Isaiah’s lifetime but much later, and by some that David was not a historical monarch

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 granted that gentiles were familiar with God’s version of history according to the Jews of the OT from the beginning of time, which resulted in him doing something unique. He traced the genealogy of Jesus back to Adam to show that the entire human descendancy is ontologically connected to God through Adam. When Luke’s background is studied, he seems to not be as appreciated as much as Paul or perhaps as other first-century biblical writers that physically walked with Jesus during His earthly ministry and mission. It is also highly likely that Luke had never seen Jesus in the flesh. Such introspection comes behind this endeavor to provide another perspective on this great author, historian, theologian, and man of God, but specifically on his two works, the Gospel and Acts. The Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles are presently two separate books in the final authority, their completion, and place in the NT canon. It is the way they appear in Bibles since the formation of the canon and today. The last chapter of Luke and the first chapter of Acts sew or stitch the Third Gospel and Acts together as a single work. In addition, Luke’s work manifests connection features that join both of volumes together while demonstrating that he originally intended them to be read as a single book. In Acts 1:1, the author refers to a former book, essentially referring to the Gospel cleped as

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 others and taking advantage of evangelism and discipleship opportunities through role-playing exercises. This DMin action research project involved hosting a training program called “Others First: A Visual Roadmap 4 Transformation.” This program generated support for a strategic plan that addresses four areas of church operations. Thirty-two participants were involved in the training, representing half of all member families. Pre-and post-training assessments and group discussions were focal points. The goal was to shift participants’ inward-focused mindset toward a transformational mindset emphasizing soul care. A positive correlation between training and discussion resulted in a renewed sense of purpose and vision for the church. The church adopted a declaration supporting the revitalization effort and appointed a vision committee to oversee implementation. This DMin action research project will assist other rural congregations that have found themselves with similar inward-focus problems.

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 to understanding the historical Exodus event. I assert that the covenantal nature of the Israelite’s deliverance from Egypt is the basis for elucidating the theological significance of liberation throughout the canon. I contend that the historical Exodus event was built upon the framework of covenant relationship and that deliverance from captivity came about due to the pre-existing Abrahamic covenant. I argue against the contention of liberation theologians that the overarching message of liberation in the biblical text is one of deliverance from political and societal oppression. I assert that the central message of liberation, as demonstrated in the Exodus motif throughout the entirety of the canon, is spiritual and eschatological liberation. This dissertation aims to demonstrate that the Exodus event in the history of the nation of Israel serves a greater purpose than liberation from socio-political oppression. Rather than being a narrative of deliverance from slavery, this epoch-making event in Israel’s history serves as the underlying foundation of God’s salvific plan for all mankind.

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 Cor 9:22 ESV). Thus, his method for the advancement of the gospel becomes clear. The famed apostle sought to bring many to salvation, and his words indicate that he was willing to use every resource God had provided him with to reach those goals. Paul knew that his identity was that of an apostle of Christ. He was sent to spread the message of the gospel. This identity repeatedly emerges throughout Scripture as his primary focus and the way that he refers to himself. The research shows that Paul's entire identity circled around Christ and the apostleship that the Lord had bestowed upon him. It flowed outward through his values, character traits, and actions, the defining markers of identity. The main and only fitting designation for this man who has shaped the church for centuries is Paul, apostle of Christ Jesus—the very way in which he referred to himself.

In exploring the concept of objective beauty in nature, a strong argument emerges for the existence of a divine creator as described in the Bible. This thesis, titled “The Nature of Beauty and its Objective Manifestation Serve as Evidence of the God Described in the Bible,” proposes that the intricate design and objective manifestation of beauty in the world are indicative of a higher transcendent being, prompting us to contemplate the profound mysteries of creation and the interconnectedness of aesthetics and spirituality. Through this lens of beauty, we are challenged to engage in a thought-provoking discourse that encompasses apologetics, philosophy, theology, and aesthetics, ultimately leading us to recognize and contemplate the presence of a higher power within the wondrous tapestry of the cosmos, as illustrated in Psalm 19:1-4 and Romans 1:18-20. From this perspective, we can confidently assert that the nature of beauty and its objective manifestation support the rational and reasonable belief in the Biblical God. This should incite us to delve deeper into examining beauty as a revelatory sign pointing towards a transcendent reality beyond our immediate sensory experiences, urging us to reflect on the intricate interplay between aesthetics, divinity, and the mysterious aspects of creation. Thus, beauty found in nature serves as a continual invitation to acknowledge and contemplate the presence of the Biblical God, encouraging us to seek out the profound truths hidden beneath the surface of our everyday perceptions.

Evangelical women suffering in destructive, abusive marriages suffer doubly when their faith communities do not understand the nature of intimate partner violence and the trauma of sexual betrayal. Too often these women are sent back into dangerous relationships without resource and with the additional burden of shame (Matthew 23:4). If they choose to divorce in order to escape abuse and find peace and healing, they are most often rejected and shunned as sinners. This work identifies who these women are according to scripture, defines abuse and betrayal trauma, and calls the evangelical community to an awareness of the suffering made greater by their ignorance or negligence. While seminary and bible school training for prospective pastors is ideal, the scope of this thesis focuses on educating the local church and providing a website resource template through which the faith community can learn to practice true religion (James 1: 27), do justice (Isaiah 1:17), and minister effectively to abused and divorced women.

In this thesis I critique the American socioeconomic system and culture through a multidisciplinary lens. Using the works of philosopher Karl Marx, economist Robin Kimmerer, and forensic psychologist Christopher Williams, I argue that there are three interconnected characteristics of our socioeconomic system that disincentivize us from creating growth-fostering relationships. These characteristics are the encouragement of overconsumption, the prevalence of hyperindividualism, and that people are valued for what they produce, not who they are. To counteract these characteristics, we must fight to create a Culture of Encounter, which is a culture with a radical dedication to seeing, hearing, and loving individual people without condition, expectation, or a specific goal. The works of St. Teresa of Calcutta and St. Therese of Lisieux, combined with the tenets of Relational Cultural Theory provide an argument for why creating a Culture of Encounter is necessary. Finally, I provide a concrete four step plan that helps people implement a Culture of Encounter into their everyday lives.

Anchored by contemporary crises surrounding queer and trans people in the United States, I employ movements from queerness within an affective queer phenomenological framework to understand how arrangements of “white religion” (Schaefer, 2015, p. 63), a process whereby U.S. American Christian forms escape ideology into religious affective economies in the United States, relegate queer people “to the background… to sustain a certain direction” (Ahmed, 2006, p. 31). I assemble a queer rhetorical context analyzing white religious space in documentary film, secular sexual regulation through contemporary U.S. legal contexts around marriage, and settler colonial Christian nationalist political imaginations to critique how these affective economies materially orient bodies from queerness towards “a commitment to a national sexuality” (Jakobsen, 2020, p. 27). I argue that movements from queerness and white religion continue to exert significant power over queer bodies and U.S. sexual cultures through intersecting systems of whiteness, cisheterosexism, neoliberalism, and settler colonialism.

Humanity's frailty and mortal existence create the space for a spiritual conversion experience that resolves matters of life and death. However, spirituality is an abstract concept with an ambiguous definition, and activities surrounding the application of its concepts are interpreted differently from one religious group or community to the next. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the salvation testimony of African-American males and females in the Protestant faith. A semi-structured interview and Conversation analysis are used for data collection and analysis to identify emerging themes for the descriptive essence of the salvation testimony. At this stage in the research, a salvation testimony is defined as an intrinsic revelation of one's redemption towards God through faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Bergel, 2019; Estes, 2011; Oliver, 2018). Three theories guided the study: Identity and Social Theory (Stets & Burke, 2000), Structural-Functional theory (Murray, 1998a; Stryker, 2008a), and Symbolic Interactionism (Blumer, 1969). Each theory assisted with interpretations about behavior adaptation within the social constructs for African-American converts in the Protestant faith. The researcher claimed that a salvation testimony is an incipient mechanism contributing to Christian identity formation and connectedness for African-American converts within the Protestant faith.

In this thesis, expository preaching is proposed as the mechanism to communicate a biblical worldview to Adventist young adults (people ages 18 to 40). This thesis project engaged the young adults of two Adventist church plants: Refuge Church and Triumph Church. The project consisted of preaching Adventist biblical theology through expository sermons, with the thesis that it would be interpreted as a worldview by young adults. The preaching series delivered salvation history, broken down into eight pericopes, and used the Great Controversy as its metanarrative. The goal of each sermon was to expound the assigned passage and its place on salvation history. The project aimed to use the canonical method proposed by Peckham, so it was based exclusively on the biblical canon. The worldview of the young adults who participated was captured before, during, and after the intervention. The project included Adventist young adults from different backgrounds as well as a few non-Christians. The results were a modest but measurable progress in the developing of a biblical worldview, nuanced by Adventism. Hence, the bare exposition of Scriptures should be considered in Adventist church plants and Adventist young adult ministries. For SDA young adults, instead of communicating Adventist doctrine, is more effective to exemplify an Adventist reading of Scripture through expository preaching. A world-story presented through Bible exposition may have a bigger impact at the intellectual, emotional, and existential level than an abstract belief system. Hence, expository preaching may be an effective tool for the Adventist Church to disciple young adults.

This thesis addresses the inadequate understanding of the biblical concept of servanthood among high school students (grades 9-12) within the congregation of Macland Baptist Church in Powder Springs, Georgia. As a result of this problem, students gradually distance themselves from their faith, discontinue church attendance, and cease participating in church service activities. The thesis of this paper is that exposing these high school students to various dimensions of biblical servanthood will significantly impact their understanding of this concept. The underlying assumption posits that a profound understanding of biblical servanthood, coupled with knowledge and service opportunities, will cultivate Christlike character in students, encouraging continued engagement with the local church and inspiring them to serve as exemplars of servanthood for future generations. The premise is that fostering a production-oriented mindset over consumption is vital to this process. When deliberate mentorship and resources are provided to participants, it is feasible to cultivate the qualities of ministry leadership among students and the adult congregation. This study offers insights into strategies for deepening students’ understanding of servanthood, bolstering their commitment to the church and their role as stewards of servanthood principles. As a result, the research addresses the challenge of retaining young adults in the church by offering a practical case study illustrating the transformative potential of biblical servanthood understanding within the church’s student ministry.

The Bible presents God's magnificent divine plan, executed by chosen people for a specific purpose. There are illustrations of those from various regions impacting those worldwide throughout the Bible. While much of the Old Testament takes place in ancient Mesopotamia, the magnitude of God’s plan is global. This dissertation will examine sub-Saharan people groups in Africa, particularly the Kushites and ancient Ethiopians. The discussion will include the history of Africans in the ancient world, their migration and development parallel to recorded biblical history, and their role in the Bible. Scholars utilize many different terms when referring to Kushites, depending on the particular historical stage. In the Hebrew Bible, the term Cush is consistently identified as the region and inhabitants of the area. At the same time, versions of the Bible sometimes replace “Cush” with “Ethiopia,” leading to confusion. Nevertheless, this civilization was a significant force in the ancient Near East for many years, recurring throughout the biblical text. While physical characteristics, such as their dark skin, are evident in ancient art, and cultural elements can be extracted from early literature, the impact of specific Cushites in the Bible is the central focus. Biblical scholars acknowledge the presence of Africans throughout the Bible, as early as the book of Genesis. Therefore, scholars seek to open discussion regarding race in the Bible and God’s divine will in using Africans as vessels in His redemptive plan. This study will serve as a reflection of hope for those underrepresented and a reminder of African value in the eyesight of God. Also, through proper examination of specific African characters, we hopefully will be able to glean the necessity of the inclusion of all. God willed His Church to be an accurate representation of God’s love. Therefore, Africans are a vital part of His redemptive plan for humanity. The epitome of God’s people is a multiethnic people, a mix

The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of United States Army combat veterans who have supported combat operations at least once over the past fourteen years in either Iraq or Afghanistan who self-identified as suffering from symptoms of moral injury. This study was designed to elucidate the impact of faith on resilience and coping mechanisms and broaden previous research on moral injury and whether Army leaders should identify and mitigate moral injury within the ranks. Phenomenology focuses on the interpretation and meaning of how individuals experience their world within a given context. Seven individuals who have experienced moral injury were purposively selected to participate. Audio and video interviews were conducted through the social media platform Zoom, allowing participants to tell their lived experiences of combat operations, moral injury, and the impact of faith. Five themes emerged: 1) faith, 2) lack of resources, 3) lack of anonymity and confidentiality, 4) lack of training, and 5) duty to God and country. Combat veterans described leadership involvement in helping soldiers cope with moral injury as lacking or non-existent. The data also indicated that faith directly impacted and enhanced the resilience and coping mechanisms of the participants.