<p> In recent years, church leaders have struggled to integrate persons with disabilities and their family caregivers into the regular life of the church. A misunderstanding of the disability culture combined with a lack of resources and volunteers effectively curtail ministry efforts for successful integration and inclusion for persons with disabilities. </p><p> This comparative investigative study of both clergy and family caregivers of persons with intellectual disability provides an initial foundation for clergy to envision effective ministry in mutual relationship. This project surveyed eighty-four Assemblies of God Kansas Ministry Network credential holding clergy members as well as thirty-six adult family caregivers of persons with disability. The survey also asked each group to predict the response of the other. </p><p> The research suggests the following: (1) clergy members have little awareness of their discrepancies between claimed theology and supportive practice, (2) both clergy and caregivers require additional opportunities to develop mutual understanding, (3) very few churches attempt inclusionary practice or intentional targeted outreach in comparison to the prevalence of disability, (4) congregations can successfully implement some level of disability ministry despite their size or status, and (5) churches would benefit by collaborating with existing local social agencies. </p><p> Local pastors can build bridges alongside those within the disability community to further inclusion and create co-laborers for the work of the gospel.</p>

No description available.

<p> Although previous studies have attributed empowerment and trust to a leader&rsquo;s use of generalized reciprocity (Coyle-Shapiro, Kessler, &amp; Purcell, 2004; Gouldner, 1960), this dissertation posited that the relational context flowing from a leader&rsquo;s ontological acceptance of <i>kenotic alterity</i> may be identified in terms of <i>generalized norms of reciprocity</i> (i.e., low concern for equivalence of exchange, low concern for immediacy of reciprocation, and shared focus of interest rather than self-interest). This qualitative exegetical analysis of John 21, Colossians 3:3, and 1 Peter 4:1 (RSV) presented a biblical perspective on the essence or starting point of leadership in death, inability, and external locus of control resting in God. Based on an exegetical analysis of these passages, this study qualified the meaning of <i>kenosis</i> (exiting or emptying oneself formulated as <i>death</i> per exegesis) for the benefit of others (<i>alterity</i>) recognizing an external locus of control in the work of Christ, rather than internal self&ndash;control or self&ndash;constraint, or assumption of skill sets. The study explored the extent and function of the death analogy used in Johannine, Pauline, and Petrine Scriptures to describe kenotic alterity and suggested that resulting affective trust leads to generalized norms of reciprocity. Research presented here further suggested that Scripture&rsquo;s thematic teaching of kenotic emptying using the objectionable figure of death is actually the essence of God-designed leadership.</p>

<p> The present study sought to discover the extent to which personal mentoring enabled members of the Millennial generation to develop as Christ followers in the areas of orthodoxy, orthopraxy, and orthopathy. The precedent literature revealed that Millennials comprise the largest generation in American history. Church leaders must therefore engage this vital demographic and invest significant effort into making disciples among this generation. Such discipleship can be effectively accomplished through personal mentoring, as this relational means of passing on principles for spiritual growth finds precedent throughout Scripture as well as more recent history. Proper balance in biblical discipleship requires an emphasis on all three elements of orthodoxy, orthopraxy, and orthopathy. While much has been written about the Millennial generation and the topics of mentoring and discipleship, no studies have been conducted to explore the extent to which Millennials experienced growth in orthodoxy, orthopraxy, and orthopathy as a result of personal mentoring.</p><p> Numerous authors have argued that holistic discipleship encompasses right thinking (orthodoxy), right acting (orthopraxy), and right affections (orthopathy). Each of these realms must be consistent with biblical truth to produce spiritual growth. The doctrinal commitment of orthodoxy provides the necessary guidance to enable the believer to continually grow in his relationship with Christ. The practical element of orthopraxy empowers the believer to impact the world around him through demonstrations of faith and acts of service. The devotional sphere of orthopathy motivates the believer toward continued Christlikeness from a heart of deep love for God and others. While many of those who follow Christ emphasize one of these areas at the expense of the others, this imbalance impedes spiritual growth and diminishes gospel impact on the surrounding culture. To achieve optimal progress in discipleship and maximum influence for the kingdom of God, each of these three elements must be integrated into a holistic Christian experience.</p><p> To secure research results for this investigation, members of the Millennial generation who had experienced personal mentoring were asked to complete a Transformational Discipleship Assessment. This tool constructed by LifeWay Research was utilized to determine the extent, if any, to which these mentoring experiences enabled the participants to develop in each of the discipleship areas listed above. In addition to completing the assessment, respondents were asked to provide the researcher with information concerning their gender, age, and the number of hours they had invested in a personal mentoring experience. The researcher identified a purposive sample of survey participants with the assistance of ministry leaders within the Navigators organization as well as a number of churches. The church leaders who participated in the study were recommended by individuals serving in the LEAD222 and Leader Treks organizations. These ministries champion the value of mentoring and provide resources to assist churches in this endeavor.</p><p> Because the intent of this study was to discover the impact of mentoring upon members of the Millennial generation, this study was delimited to individuals born between the years of 1982&ndash;2004. A further delimitation was that study participants were students from churches affiliated with the LEAD222 and Leader Treks organizations, as well as those involved with the Navigators ministry. Because the sample population is restricted to members of the Millennial generation within the United States, the results can be generalized only to the Millennials of our nation. The respondents chosen to participate live in select regions of the United States, so the results will be limited in their applicability to other regions.</p><p> Upon receiving the survey results, the researcher organized the assessment scores into the categories of orthodoxy, orthopraxy, and orthopathy. The data concerning participant gender, age, and mentoring hours were established as dependent variables, while participant scores in the three categories of discipleship served as independent variables. Statistical analysis was then performed to determine the strength and direction of the association among these variables. Further investigations were conducted to examine the relationships between participant gender, age, and mentoring hours, and the individual scores received in the areas of orthodoxy, orthopraxy, and orthopathy. This examination of the data permitted the researcher to investigate trends and patterns to address the research questions, and to pose suggestions for further research. </p>

<p>This dissertation draws on recent historical-critical research into ancient Jewish temple theology, the priestly book of Leviticus, and especially the Yom Kippur liturgy of Leviticus 16, to develop a more paradoxical interpretation of Christ?s saving work for modern Christian systematic theology. Prompted by the pioneering research of Jacob Milgrom, there has been a surge in sympathetic interpretations of the priestly theological tradition, which has inspired fresh interpretations of the Levitical Day of Atonement. I argue that an adequate Christian theory of atonement must be attentive to both the overall ?landscape? of Jewish biblical thought, and to the specific rhythm of the Yom Kippur liturgy, which clearly distinguishes the ?work? of two goats?one elected to be a spotless sacrifice, the other called to bear the sins of Israel into the wilderness. Christian theology should observe this distinction within the united saving work of Jesus Christ. Yet modern interpretations of the cross often implicitly emphasize one ?goat? or the other. For example, we find a ?goat for the Lord? soteriology in the Anselmian satisfaction tradition, which has been beautifully rearticulated by David Bentley Hart; here Christ?s spotless sacrificial obedience recapitulates creation done well. In the controversial ?descent to hell? theology of Hans Urs von Balthasar, on the other hand, there is a ?goat for Azazel? soteriology; here Christ as the sin-bearing goat removes impurity to the furthest possible distance from the Father through his saving descent. By seeing Christ as fulfilling the work of both goats in his single act of cruciform love, the Catholic tradition can better draw on the ancient Jewish insight that atonement requires a unifying movement toward the center, to the holy of holies, as well as a removal of sin to the far periphery, the godforsaken exilic wilderness. This work is rooted in the conviction that, first, Christian theology should always honor, and remain in deep conversation with, its Jewish roots, and second, that advances in historical-critical research should be utilized to cultivate a modern theological interpretation of scripture, all in the service of a richer, more ecumenical understanding of the basic paradoxes of Catholic soteriology.

<p>In Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, he asks the readers this question: "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's spirit dwells in you?" (1 Cor 3:16). Although Paul is the earliest Christian writer to explicitly identify the Christian community with the temple of God, this correlation is not a Pauline innovation. Indeed, this association between the community and the temple first appears in pre-Pauline Christianity (see Gal 2:9) and is found in many layers of first-century Christian tradition. Some effects of this identification are readily apparent, as the equation of the Christian community with a temple conveyed the belief that the presence of God was now present in this community in a special way, underlined the importance of holy living, and provided for the metaphorical assimilation of Gentiles into the people of God. Though some of the effects of this correlation are clear, its origins are less so.</p><p>This study contends that the early Christian idea of the Christian community as a temple should be understood in relation to the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. Moreover, this nascent Christian conception of the community as a temple should be seen in light of the existence of other Jewish temples which were established as alternatives to the one in Jerusalem: namely, the Samaritan temple on Mount Gerizim, the Oniad temple in Leontopolis, and the "temple of men" at Qumran. Though the formation of each temple was a complex affair, in each case the primary motivating factor appears to have been conflict with the Jerusalem religious establishment. </p><p>This work concludes that the application of temple terminology to the Christian community also developed through conflict with the Jerusalem chief priests charged with oversight of the temple, and that the creation of a communal temple idea should be understood as a culturally recognizable way to register dissent against the Jerusalem priesthood. As a result, we are better able to situate the early Christians in their originally Jewish nexus and see the extent to which tension in Jerusalem helped to forge the nascent Christian psyche.</p> / Dissertation

<p> Postcolonial theory, while often reserved for analysis of modern political conditions, is often overlooked in biblical studies. The purpose of this thesis is to employ postcolonial analysis to the book of Ezekiel and demonstrate its value in biblical studies. Postcolonialism critiques national origin myths as political propaganda; seeks to retrieve the voices of those suppressed by hegemony; explores the power relations involved in ethnic and religious representation and authority; and examines how gender is used in hegemonic discourse. This study begins with an interrogation of the imperial politics behind several biblical national origin myths. A polyphony of contrapuntal voices are retrieved through archaeological, textual, and comparative evidence, demonstrating a plurality of Israelite religions for both the popular, illiterate, agrarian majority, as well as for officially state-sanctioned religions of the literate, urban, male elite. Finally, portions of the book of Ezekiel, a byproduct of imperialism itself, are analyzed for its use of gendered and sexualized language in continued polyphonic conflicts over religious representation and authority during a period of imperial crisis.</p>

<p> There has been much debate in the Christian Church concerning the biblical roles of women. Complementarians continue to argue that females are never permitted to hold leadership positions in the Church over men. Yet, patriarchy in the Church continues to ignore the vast biblical evidence that women served in every level of church leadership in the first and second centuries of the Christian Church, instructing both men and women in the teachings of Jesus Christ. Some may argue that female leadership is not a "salvation issue", but to continue to silence the voices of half of the Christian Church is to ensure that the truth of the Gospel releases at half the speed. When the Bible is interpreted correctly, considering historical analysis and proper context, one will find that Jesus Christ broke the curse of patriarchy in the Church and sought to give women an equal place of authority among their brothers in Christ. Throughout scripture women served as pastors, teachers, evangelists, prophets, and apostles. The Apostle Paul himself named Junia, who was a female apostle. Since apostles were considered the highest official position of leadership in the church, we can be sure that Paul was not promoting patriarchy in his more controversial writings concerning women. This thesis attempts to put Paul's writings into proper context and demonstrate that the entire New Testament not only supports female leadership, but praises it.</p>

This is a study of the interpretation of archaeological data by Anglo-American Bible scholars, though the emphasis is primarily American, in scholarly and popular publications from 1900-1930. The major archaeological research interest for many Anglo-American biblical scholars was its direct reflection on the biblical record. Many were devout and reared on a literal reading of Scripture. Traditional scholars insisted that the function of archaeology was to provide evidence to validate the Bible and to disprove higher criticism. They were clearly motivated by theological concerns and created an archaeology of faith that authenticated the word of the Lord and protected Christian doctrines. Liberal or mainstream scholars rejected conservative methods that simply collated archaeological data to attack the documentary hypothesis and its supporters. Several eminent Bible scholars developed important studies on the interpretation of archaeological results from Palestine. They participated eagerly in analyzing archaeological material and refused to concede the field of biblical archaeology to theologically-motivated conservative scholars and theologians. They were determined to conduct important investigations of the archaeological evidence free from theological bias. Palestinian excavations lacked the spectacular architectural and inscriptural remains unearthed in Egypt and Mesopotamia. The popular press did occasionally report on the progress of several excavations from Palestine, but, for the most part, Palestinian excavations concentrated on tells and pottery and the results were disappointing. However, by the 1920s the New York Times was a major source of information concerning archaeological news and frequently carried stories that indicated that archaeology was confirming the biblical record and many of the Bible's revered figures. The Times played a vital role in popularizing biblical archaeology and contributed many illustrations of amazing archaeological discoveries that "proved" the historicity of the biblical text. W. F. Albright's scholarly conclusions in the 1920s were moderate. Albright's scholarship was not motivated by theological concerns as many have assumed. Though his religious convictions were assuredly conservative, his scholarship had little in common with the tendentious archaeological assumptions created by conservative Bible scholars and theologians. Albright's interpretations were based on the archaeological data and not on theological dogma.

<p> The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the allusions to Gen 11:1-9 in the book of Daniel, and to demonstrate on exegetical and intertextual grounds the references and allusions to Gen 11:1-9 in the book of Daniel and the theological implications of those connections. After reviewing the different kinds of intertextuality and the methodology used by Old Testament scholars in the area of literary allusions (chap. 1), this dissertation investigates the allusions to Gen 11 in both the historical (chap. 2) and the visionary sections (chap. 3) of the book of Daniel. All the allusions to Gen 11 in the book of Daniel are discussed and given an assessment of either "certain allusions," "possible allusions," "uncertain allusions," and "nonallusions." </p><p> Furthermore, this study outlines the contribution of the allusions to Gen 11 to the theology of the book of Daniel (chap. 4) and specifically relates the Babel motif to the themes of the kingdom of God, judgment and the Israelite worship institution, the Temple. </p><p> Finally, a summary and conclusions (chap. 5) gather and present the various findings and insights gained from this research. Based on the evidence submitted in this dissertation it is concluded that the allusions to Gen 11 play a dominant role in the whole book of Daniel. It is further shown that the allusions to Gen 11 make a prominent contribution to the main theological themes in Daniel and cannot be ignored by the careful exegete.</p>