Thesis (S.T.M.)--Trinity Lutheran Seminary, 1981. / Bibliography: leaves 168-173.

Thesis (M. Div.)--International School of Theology, 1989. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 154-167).

By many accounts North American Protestant pastors are in crisis. Some would suggest that this crisis is due to the increasing hardships brought about by the end of Christendom in the West. However, placing pastors in a narrative of mounting marginalization and victimization does not explain the vibrant and dynamic nature of pastoral ministry in other times and in other global contexts that are less than optimal. Instead, this project argues that pastoral identity suffers, at the hands of modern metaphors for ministry, because those metaphors fail to cultivate the pastor's ability to behold Beauty. To say this is to make the bold claim that the crisis facing pastoral identity is at its heart a crisis of aesthetics; buy which h I mean, the ability of pastors to apprehend, thorough the senses, the beauty of God and God's world revealed supremely in the person and work of Jesus Christ This project is organized in three parts: Beauty, Gift, and Metaphor. The first section traces the loss of Beauty in the world and in the parish. It explores what difference this has made to pastoral ministry as it relates to the pursuit of the two other transcendentals, Truth and Goodness. Second, with the lost ability to behold the Beauty of the Lord comes an anemic understanding of pastoral ministry as charism or Gift. The result is a loss of joy (Nehemiah 8:10). Lastly, the third section argues that recovery of a vigorous pastoral identity and ministry requires (1) an honest evaluation of the modern metaphors exerting influence on clergy, (2) a grounding back in the ancient biblical and extra-biblical metaphors that have sustained pastors, and (3) the exploration of new metaphors for ministry that can aid the renewal of the pastor's ability to behold the beauty of the Lord.

Historically, pastoral theology has engaged with the human sciences, especially psychology, to offer insights on how to live well. Positive psychology is a new resource that has been relatively unused by pastoral theologians. In this dissertation, I offer a new pastoral theological perspective on how to live well informed by positive psychology. A limitation of positive psychology is that it does not offer insights into existential and transcendent dimensions of human experience; thus, this positioning of pastoral theology and positive psychology is mutually enriching. To counter the trenchant tension in ‘living well’ between Christians and non-Christians, this dissertation presents the value and function of the spiritual life as a primary source of the good life through which to critically examine the principles and practices of 'living well.’ In particular, the dissertation presents the reasons how pastoral practice can make a transition from the human sources of happiness and flourishing to its divine (or spiritual) sources. This is accomplished by epitomizing the uniqueness of spiritual happiness and flourishing and reflecting 'the good life’ as a transcendent, authentic, and integrative form. This dissertation seeks to contribute to the field of pastoral theology by creating an updated and public version of pastoral practice that faithfully responds to the ultimate questions of human life. It uncovers ways in which the elemental, experiential views of human well-being represented in positive psychology have limited the transcendent capacity of human flourishing and suggests a new orientation for pastoral practice. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Thesis (Th. M.)--Dallas Theological Seminary, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 73-78).

Thesis (S.T.M.)--Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri, 1994. / Includes text of early rites in German. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 258-283).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Trinity International University, 1999. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 173-177).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, South Hamilton, Mass., 2002. / Abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 231-241).

Thesis (DTh)--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

Beginning with the assumption that the church is a liberative space where everyone, single women in particular, can experience wholeness, this thesis investigates the extent to which the Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN) executes pastoral ministry to single women. The hypothesis of the study is that the concept of women in the COCIN, the COCIN’s pastoral training and its inability to appropriate the shepherding and facilitatory model of Jesus, have not enabled an effective pastoral ministry to single women. This thesis therefore proceeds to assess the COCIN’s theology of marriage and singleness, the role of women in the COCIN, marriage and family life in Jos today, the theological education and pastors’ training of the church and the execution of pastoral ministry to single women. This is to ascertain how these have impacted on the way the COCIN offers pastoral care to single women. This work is a combination of insights from social analyses, feminist cultural hermeneutics and feminist pastoral care and communal contextual pastoral care frameworks. While establishing that culture has had a strong influence on the pastoral ministry practice of the COCIN, methods were identified from the ideas generated by participants as well as relevant literature on the subject, that could be used for the execution of pastoral ministry to single women in the COCIN Regional Church Council, Gigiring, Jos. The data for the study was collected using in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and participant observation. Participants were categorised into church leaders, clergy, seminary lecturers, magistrates, adult children from divorced marriages and single,never married women and men and divorced women. The findings of the study indicate that with respect to ministry to single women, pastoral ministry in the COCIN has not been liberative, empowering and transformative. Most of the participants indicate that the lack of an effective pastoral ministry to single women is a result of inadequate preparation for dealing with gender complexities in the pastoral training of the church. Although the study has significant implications for the overall pastoral ministry of the church,the findings of this study highlight the necessity of a gender-inclusive pastoral ministry in the COCIN for single women and for the entire church. The study underscores the need for the COCIN to utilise the communal care practice characteristic of African culture for effective pastoral ministry to the different categories of people, particularly the single,never married and divorced women in its congregations. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2014.