As the result of technological advances, changes in production techniques, consumer behavior, economics, globalization, societal pressure, regulations, increased complexity of markets, and a cultural moral revolution, many organizations are now experiencing vast change. Organizations are compelled to change what they do and how they do it. Overwhelmingly, research demonstrates that change initiatives often fail because of poor management. This study identifies effective practices of transformative change used by a sample of overtly Christian marketplace leaders. The field of change management uses a broad range of methods and approaches. W. Edwards Deming, “the father of the third wave of the Industrial Revolution,” developed a change management theory he called the System of Profound Knowledge, which includes four interrelated fields (theories of systems, variation, knowledge and psychology). This study, demonstrates that successful organizational transformation in the marketplace by Christian leaders is applied from a biblical foundation and includes the principles of Deming’s System of Profound Knowledge, either directly or indirectly. The purpose of this study was to understand how Christian leaders in the marketplace could create an environment fostering a continual, relentless, perpetual search of improvement for human flourishing. Finally, the presentation demonstrates that executive leaders whose faith and hope are in God are compelled by the love of Christ to intentionally strive to be stewards of God’s grace by creating an environment that promotes real continuous improvement for human flourishing.

This dissertation argues that the theodramatic understanding of trauma and relevant therapeutic practices help traumatized people reframe the reality of trauma within God’s drama of redemption and thereby enable them to embrace it in the process of Christiformity, which is the God-given way of human healing and flourishing. Along the way this inquiry explores four main areas. First, it reviews diverse naturalistic approaches to trauma and develops a Christian psychological alternative—a Christian psychopathology of trauma which takes into accounts the effects of sin, damage, and suffering. This Christian psychopathology provides a holistic perspective of the person by considering the neurobiological, psychosocial, sociocultural, and spiritual dimensions of a person and honors the primary authority of Scripture. Second, this study attempts to look beyond the symptoms and diagnoses of trauma to reframe it in terms of theodrama. Theodrama reveals that trauma is not the final reality of the believer’s life: redemption and consummation will come. This work shows that those who are living in God’s sovereign drama can actively participate in a faithful, missional life even in the midst of trauma. Third, it argues that Christiformity in theodrama is the faithful and therapeutic Christian response to trauma. Finally, this dissertation proposes a theodramatic therapy, which helps counselees embrace trauma and live a new way of life by embodying Christiformity. It also provides the theological reflections of the problem of theodicy, encouraging the practice of pastoral theodicy.

The atheistic worldview has, ironically, experienced a sort of “re-birth” in modern times. The “New Atheists,” of which Sam Harris is a prominent spokesperson, have made no secret of their desire to make converts to their worldview, liberating people from the false and repressive shackles of religion. It is their desire to officiate the funeral of religion, and usher in a new era governed by reason and science. Harris, in his book The Moral Landscape: How Science Can Determine Human Values, seeks to naturalize ethics through the means of science, so that religion might lose its grasp on a stronghold it has held for centuries. In so doing, he presents an ethical system based on the worldview of philosophical naturalism, which leaves no room for a divine foot in the door. His ethical system is supported by several presuppositional pillars, including an unwavering belief in Darwinian evolution, a neo-Aristotelian concept of well-being, a commitment to strict determinism, a confidence in moral realism, and the belief that science and religion are in irresolvable conflict with each other as modes of seeking truth. This dissertation seeks to analyze Harris’ naturalistic worldview by inspecting these five pillars as the foundation upon which his ethical system stands. In the famous words of Francis Schaeffer, I attempt to “take the roof off” of Harris’ worldview, in order to analyze the philosophical ideas he espouses. It is my assertion that Harris ultimately fails to properly defend the controversial claims his book makes, as the most important points he makes are not actually scientific at all, but philosophical. Although he approaches the issue as a scientist, his arguments rely on philosophical presuppositions of which science can only be applied a posteriori. If this is true, it is a positive force for Christian apologetics, as the Christian worldview may continue to be a valid alternative to the philosophical naturalism Harris espouses.

This dissertation examines the role of the body in the theology and pastoral practice of Richard Greenham (c. 1540-1594). Contrary to those who find in puritanism a Platonizing disdain for the body, Greenham highly values the physical aspect of human nature. He spends much of his time and resources caring for corporeal needs. He gives generously to the poor, establishes a community co-operative to regulate the price of grain, and advises on the best ways to treat physical ailments. Furthermore, the body plays an integral role in his spirituality. In his renowned counseling, he ministers to both soul and body, and in his sermons and writings, he urges Christians to glorify God with their bodies in daily life and in corporate worship on the Sabbath. His understanding of the worth of the body arises from a theological basis. God creates and redeems whole people. God creates people as unions of bodies and souls, and Christ took on a complete human nature, including a body, in order to redeem his people in both body and soul. While death separates body from soul, the Son of God will resurrect the bodies of the dead, reuniting them with their souls, when he comes again. He will raise the godly to an everlasting, embodied, and glorified existence in the presence of God, but he will raise the ungodly to unceasing physical and spiritual torment. Greenham ministers holistically because he understands the Christian faith to concern not just the salvation of souls but the redemption of whole people.

D.Litt. et Phil. (Communication Studies) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

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ABSTRACT SUPERVISING GIFTED PEOPLE: A CONSIDERATION OF THE FIVEFOLD GIFTS IN THE EFFECTIVE SUPERVISION OF MISSIONARIES Donald Stanley Meador, Th.M. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2017 Supervisor: Dr. M. David Sills God gifted to the church certain people with specific ministry functions in order to develop a complete and healthy church. These gifts are ministry functions that the apostle Paul presented in Ephesians 4:11 and 1 Corinthians 12:28. This thesis proposes a conceptual framework loosely based on these five ministry functions and examines effective supervision of cross-cultural missionaries in light of them. Chapter 1 outlines foundational presuppositions to aid in understanding the ministry functions in a missions context. Chapter 2 describes six ministry functions common to the missionary task. The visionary strategist, church encourager, evangelist, pastoral caregiver, and teacher are examined as equipping functions. The administrator is examined as a function that facilitates the equipping functions. Chapter 3 addresses effective missionary supervision. The role of the missionary, current trends in missionary supervisor training, and effective missionary supervision are examined. Mentoring and spiritual direction are featured as functions of biblical supervision. Chapter 4 concludes this thesis summarizing five keys to effective missionary supervision.

This thesis assesses two prominent evangelical models of worldview analysis and, in light of the findings, offers a constructive proposal. Chapter 1 describes evangelicalism's implementation of the worldview concept. It argues that apologetics must be carried out on the worldview level. Hence, there is a compelling need for rigorous worldview analysis of opposing positions. Chapters 2 and 3 delineate the elements of transcendental and abductive worldview analysis, respectively. Both chapters provide a brief historical sketch of the distinct methodologies. In addition, each methodology is explored in terms of its strategy, engagement with other worldviews, and strengths and weaknesses. This study concludes that transcendental analysis suffers from several crippling weaknesses. It is unable to bridge the gap from ontological to conceptual necessity and to overcome the possibility of hypothetical worldview competitors. Also, significant portions of the transcendental starting point, the biblical canon, fail to give self-attestation, thus requiring external validation. Transcendental analysis seems better suited for usage in scenarios where an opponent can be reduced to absurdity or for a proof of God's existence based on a common phenomenon of human experience. Overall, abductive analysis stands as the superior option. However, it was noted that it best operates within a framework that contains relevant background information for establishing common ground. This is the aim of the last chapter. Chapter 4 articulates a constructive proposal for evangelical abductive analysis. It argues that the proper framework for abductive analysis should follow the contours that Scripture lays down itself---the fundamental plot line of redemptive history. The best articulation of this plot line is the creation-fall-redemption matrix (CFR). This schema maintains cosmic significance, touching upon the core existential issues of humanity---human origins, predicament, and remedy. Thus, it offers the best opportunity of establishing contact with the background beliefs in hopes of demonstrating that the Christian worldview offers the best explanation to these pressing matters. Chapter 5 summarizes the essential points of the study and suggests areas for future research. / This item is only available to students and faculty of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. If you are not associated with SBTS, this dissertation may be purchased from <a href="http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb">http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb</a> or downloaded through ProQuest's Dissertation and Theses database if your institution subscribes to that service.

Taking as its point of departure the model of the Church as a sacrament of unity, this study explores its implications for the fostering of a racially integrated Catholic community within an apartheid society. The particular context within which the investigation is conducted is the Sacred Heart Church, King William's Town, where the writer is pastor to a multiracial congregation. A dialogical approach is adopted between theology and praxis, in terms of which the data from a social analysis of the community are brought into a creative dialogue with the Vatican II vision of the Church. Findings from the analysis show that the attitudes of congregants to a racially integrated community are generally ambivalent. Historical, theological, psychosocial and political factors are seen to play an important role in shaping these attitudes. Arising from the dialogue between theology and praxis, the model of a pilgrim Church suggests itself as more relevant and realistic. This model constitutes a proximate goal. The sacrament model of the Church provides direction and focus for the pilgrim Church and is viewed as the ultimate goal. These models must be seen as complementary. The study concludes with a pastoral plan aimed at attaining the goals described. The main thrust of this plan is directed at changing congregants' attitudes to a racially integrated community. The strategies suggested involve the motivation of congregants to become actively involved, the transformation of congregants' attitudes, the promotion of a positive attitude to conflict and the challenging of apartheid structures. A differential approach is suggested in the pursuit of these objectives. A final conclusion to be drawn from this study is that the search for community is never-ending and that the fostering of a racially integrated Catholic community is a slow and painful process.

In this study the psychological structures of two categories of religious and schizophrenic experience were examined from a phenomenological- existential perspective. Existing theories describe schizophrenia as an unfree, rigid experience with limited possibilities for selfhood. Some theorists believe, however, that some forms of schizophrenia can be seen as potential growth experiences which could facilitate existential renewal. These forms of schizophrenia are mystical, mythical or spiritual in nature. Religious experiences are, according to the literature, essentially renewal experiences facilitating existential growth and transformation through a particular system of thought and devotional relationship shared by a group of people. The Duquesne phenomenological- psychological method was used to analyse seven case studies, four of which involved schizophrenic experiences and three which involved religious conversion experiences. The general psychological structure which emerged through this analysis showed both schizophrenia and religious experience to have specific implications for the personal, social, material and mystical dimensions of being. The description of a specific psychological structure of experience which could optimally facilitate existential growth and transformation was attained by examining psychological structures where the subject's experience culminated in existential growth and transformation (such as religious experience and certain schizophrenIc experiences). As both these categories of experience displayed a strong mystical component, a psychological structure of experience which facilitates a transformative mystical experience was described. It can be concluded that an experience involving a mystical dimension could be transformative if the general psychological structure of the person displays (a) an openness towards reality as it presents itself (b) an experience of oneself as having a measure of existential freedom (c) a certain sense of security in one's own selfhood and (d) a social world which could understand, support and reflect inner experiences.