Thesis (PH.D.)--Syracuse University, 2003. / "Publication number AAT 3097915."

Inaug.-diss.--Dorpat. / Added t.p.: Leipzig, A. Deichert, 1903.

Hannover, Universiẗat, Habil.-Schr., 2002.

Frankfurt (Main), Universiẗat, Diss., 2004.

Thesis (PH.D.) -- Syracuse University, 2006 / "Publication number AAT 3251815."

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, 1915. / "Private edition, distributed by the University of Chicago Libraries, Chicago, Illinois." "Reprinted from the American journal of theology, vol.XX, nos. 1,2, January, April, 1916; vol.XXII, nos.2,3,4, April, July, October, 1918." Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (PH.D.) -- Syracuse University, 2006 / "Publication number AAT 3241862."

This thesis analyzes tricksters within African and African American literature and oral culture as figures signifying methods of criticism that can enhance modern preaching practices. This project relies upon Afro-American vernacular theory to examine how the Afro-American tricksters rhetorical repartee has influenced the production of literary works, speeches, and sermons within Afro-American culture. Ultimately, this project endeavors to re-figure understandings of the nature of African American preaching and the role of the African American preacher. Examining the rhetorical tactics of Afro-American tricksters and African American preachers reveals how the trickster has influenced members of the black Diaspora in North American in efforts to challenge racial oppression during and since slavery. In sum, this thesis proffers a modern tropological reading of tricksters within Afro-American vernacular discourse as figures signifying paradigms of criticism offering homileticians and preachers inventive, investigative models for more artful, creative, prophetic, and efficacious preaching.

The issue that this study addresses is twofold: the first part of the issue is the current prohibitive language of the Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church in regards to the Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Transgender and Queer identified community within the context of the North Alabama Conference, and the second part is how this language has impacted the narrative of this particular community's experience of the United Methodist Church. The methodology will evaluate the effect that the current language of doctrinal standards has on the LGBTQ community, examine the plight of this community as well as those who are against change in doctrine, and illustrate the need for a new way forward that offers truly inclusive ministries and welcomes full participation in the United Methodist Church. The data gathered for this ministerial project was the result of a questionnaire randomly distributed at the 2015 Annual Conference of North Alabama that measured levels of offensiveness in response to current language and amendments proposed by the Community Table to the Book of Discipline. These proposals will be presented at the General Conference of the United Methodist Church in 2016. The questionnaire was designed in light of Charles E. Osgood's semantic differential that makes the assumption that the meaning of all things, including abstract thought, can be measured using adjectival polar opposites. The findings of this aspect of measurement showed that the North Alabama Conference would be receptive to the idea of amending language within our doctrine to provide a more hospitable experience of church for the LGBTQ community. Another aspect of the ministerial project was to provide an opportunity for the LGBTQ community to tell their own story in their own words through the use of narrative research. Six LGBTQ identified members of the North Alabama Conference were interviewed and shared their negative and positive experiences of the United Methodist Church. From evaluation of the data received, there were several commonalities across the narratives and the following themes emerged: 1) the need for inclusive and empowering language that encourages both members of the LGBTQ community and other church members to work toward common goals and 2) the need for more avenues that offer opportunity for spiritual growth that embraces the LGBTQ community and focuses on developing disciples for Christ. Although it is not within the scope of the project, the information gathered through questionnaires and interviews were compiled and will be submitted to the North Alabama Conference delegation to the General Conference of 2016 in Portland, Oregon. Hopefully this will serve as a useful tool to make the delegation aware of the voices of a silenced community within the Church that needs to be heard.

Historically, public housing has existed in a state of ambivalence, particularly since its acceptance of minority families in the early forties. Residents of public housing have found themselves locked into a dependency syndrome that is most difficult to overcome. Public housing, however, has become increasingly mismanaged and most properties are improperly cared for and managed. The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) presently operates under attack from the current administration. Budgets have been cut across the board at every Public Housing Authority in America. (See Appendix III.) The future of public housing looks bleak to say the least. Many residents have shifted from being welfare cases to "working poor" persons that need subsidy in order to exist at a minimal level of existence. Federal rules and guidelines impinge upon the "public wards" of society in such a devastating manner that many of these persons' lives are impacted with extreme daily coping crises: child abuse, battered wives, aging, black on black crime, drugs, and alcoholism. The public housing residents contend that these dilemmas create for them unnecessary stress within the community, and are usually generated from forces outside the community (i.e., drug pushers, management, etc.). These conditions, they purport, also impinge upon their spiritual, sociological, political, psychological, and economical life, thereby preventing them from being viable entities within the family and community setting. Thus, this project dissertation's purpose was to identify what specifically the Boatrock Public Housing community's residents viewed as their most pressing need(s); and thereafter provide possible support systems that would meet those need(s). A self-reporting survey questionnaire was the methodology employed to accomplish this goal. This was done by utilizing a door-to-door, one-on-one distribution process. The questionnaire was distributed by the writer and other co-professionals of the "care-giving" community, who waited for the selected respondents to complete the questionnaire. Afterwards, the questionnaire's information was analyzed by the writer and distributors. This information revealed that the participating residents considered a pastoral care support system as a basic need that would assist them in coping with their stress-filled lifestyle. As a consequence of these findings, this project dissertation proposed a chaplaincy model of ministry for the Boatrock community that utilizes pastoral care as a rehabilitative resource. The project also focused on assisting the residents in establishing an independent and interdependent lifestyle. Historically, the black community has had pastoral care support systems in its midst. Unfortunately for Boatrock, this has not been the case. Hence,the need for pastoral care, as a support system, was essential to the development of independence for Boatrock's residents. It is in keeping with the African-American religious tradition, wherein the church has been the guider and sustainer of the rural and small town communities during slavery, reconstruction, and the civil rights movement; therefore, symbolically, the Church ought to provide a similar pastoral care support system to the Boatrock community. Finally, the residents of the community were found to be willing to assume some responsibility for themselves. Although their circumstances seemed insurmountable, irresponsible behavior was found, to a large degree, to be due to the lack of an adequate pastoral care support system. So, if the people of Boatrock expected to receive independence from the oppressive forces of management, then, they had to be willing to assume some responsibility for instituting and developing a process by which that independence could occur. Thus, it was the author's hope that by joining forces with both the church and state, Boatrock could achieve its goal of an independent pastoral care support system through a well developed and adequately functioning chaplaincy model of ministry.