Thesis (M.A.)--Calvary Theological Seminary, 2000. / Includes abstract. "Pisteuō" appears on t.p. in Greek letters. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 51-53).

Thesis (M.A.)--Calvary Theological Seminary, 2000. / Includes abstract. "Pisteuō" appears on t.p. in Greek letters. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 51-53).

Thesis (M.A.)--Calvary Theological Seminary, 2000. / Includes abstract. "Pisteuō" appears on t.p. in Greek letters. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 51-53).

<p>This dissertation introduces readers to the major figures and features of the twentieth-century American prosperity gospel. It argues that these diverse expressions of Christian faith-fuelled abundance can be understood as a movement, for they stem from a cohesive set of shared understandings. First, the movement centered on Faith. It conceived of faith as an "activator," a power given to believers that bound and loosed spiritual forces and turned the spoken word into reality. Second and third respectively, the movement depicted faith as palpably demonstrated in wealth and health. It could be measured in both in the wallet--one's personal wealth--and in the body--one's personal health--making material reality the measure of the success of immaterial faith. Last, the movement expected faith to be marked by victory. Believers trusted that culture held no political, social, or economic impediment to faith, and no circumstance could stop believers from living in total victory here on earth. Though its origins lay in the late nineteenth century, the prosperity gospel took root in the Pentecostal revivals of the post-World War II years. It reached maturity by the late 1970s as a robust pan-denominational movement, garnering a national platform and a robust network of churches, ministries, publications, and media outlets. Using the tools of ethnography and cultural history, this dissertation argues that faith, wealth, health, and victory served as the hallmarks of this American phenomenon.</p> / Dissertation

This study deals with how E.W. Kenyon’s use of the Bible was the foundation used by Kenneth Hagin and Kenneth Copeland to build the Word of Faith Movement. Kenyon could be considered the grandfather of this movement, while Hagin can be regarded as the father and Copeland, the one on whose shoulders Hagin’s mantle has fallen since his death. It includes brief biographies of Kenyon, Hagin and Copeland and their ministries. It looks into how influential Kenyon’s use of the Bible is in developing his doctrines, which have been copied by both Hagin and Copeland and the Word of Faith's pastors throughout the world. This study is not an exhaustive examination of Kenyon’s doctrines but enough is studied to show he does not conform to traditional reformed theological hermeneutics. Kenyon’s writings date back to the early twentieth century. Hagin’s writings are from the mid- and late twentieth century, while Copeland writes from the late twentieth century to the present day. It will be shown that Hagin and Copeland copied Kenyon’s use of the Bible almost verbatim, resulting in them promoting doctrines in the Word of Faith Movement similar to his doctrines. This study deals with Kenyon’s writings in Chapter 2, while Chapter 3 deals with Hagin’s and Copeland’s teachings. Chapter 4 compares the three’s teachings from a reformed theological perspective, using literature by fairly modern-day writers on reformed theology. Chapter 5 evaluates and concludes and offers recommendations for further study. Finally, Kenyon’s and his two followers’ teachings are summarised and evaluated. The study will also examine some of the effects these teachings have on the individual who attends Word of Faith Movement churches. Future research topics that could help in understanding the attraction these teachings have for people and the danger they pose to reformed churches today are suggested. / Thesis (MA (Dogmatics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

This study deals with how E.W. Kenyon’s use of the Bible was the foundation used by Kenneth Hagin and Kenneth Copeland to build the Word of Faith Movement. Kenyon could be considered the grandfather of this movement, while Hagin can be regarded as the father and Copeland, the one on whose shoulders Hagin’s mantle has fallen since his death. It includes brief biographies of Kenyon, Hagin and Copeland and their ministries. It looks into how influential Kenyon’s use of the Bible is in developing his doctrines, which have been copied by both Hagin and Copeland and the Word of Faith's pastors throughout the world. This study is not an exhaustive examination of Kenyon’s doctrines but enough is studied to show he does not conform to traditional reformed theological hermeneutics. Kenyon’s writings date back to the early twentieth century. Hagin’s writings are from the mid- and late twentieth century, while Copeland writes from the late twentieth century to the present day. It will be shown that Hagin and Copeland copied Kenyon’s use of the Bible almost verbatim, resulting in them promoting doctrines in the Word of Faith Movement similar to his doctrines. This study deals with Kenyon’s writings in Chapter 2, while Chapter 3 deals with Hagin’s and Copeland’s teachings. Chapter 4 compares the three’s teachings from a reformed theological perspective, using literature by fairly modern-day writers on reformed theology. Chapter 5 evaluates and concludes and offers recommendations for further study. Finally, Kenyon’s and his two followers’ teachings are summarised and evaluated. The study will also examine some of the effects these teachings have on the individual who attends Word of Faith Movement churches. Future research topics that could help in understanding the attraction these teachings have for people and the danger they pose to reformed churches today are suggested. / Thesis (MA (Dogmatics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

This study investigates the Christology of E.W Kenyon, the forefather of the Word Faith Movement (WFM). His theological system forms the foundation of the WFM’s doctrine as promoted by its many pastors and leaders all over the world. The Bible is the point of departure for this work: therefore a representative Reformed understanding of the Scriptures is established in order to conduct a Biblical evaluation of Kenyon’s Christology. Kenyon did not document his beliefs in a systematic manner. Therefore, in chapter two, selected volumes of his writings were minutely examined and organised in order to arrive at a representative statement of his Christology. Chapter 3 is a summary statement of Christology from a Reformed perspective. The writers scrutinised are of a more recent era in order to increase the likelihood of their responding to Kenyon’s theological construct, which dates from the first half of the twentieth century. Scriptural backing for all points of view is noted so as to build a Biblical basis for the representative Reformed definition. In chapter 4 the problematic areas of Kenyon’s Christology are assessed. The statements from chapters two and three are compared and Kenyon’s Christology is critically evaluated from a Biblical standpoint in order to arrive at a statement of conclusion. Chapter 5 is a concluding statement. It also gives recommendations for future study. There is considerable scope for an ongoing investigation of Kenyon’s theology. / Thesis (M.Th. (Dogmatics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

This study investigates the Christology of E.W Kenyon, the forefather of the Word Faith Movement (WFM). His theological system forms the foundation of the WFM’s doctrine as promoted by its many pastors and leaders all over the world. The Bible is the point of departure for this work: therefore a representative Reformed understanding of the Scriptures is established in order to conduct a Biblical evaluation of Kenyon’s Christology. Kenyon did not document his beliefs in a systematic manner. Therefore, in chapter two, selected volumes of his writings were minutely examined and organised in order to arrive at a representative statement of his Christology. Chapter 3 is a summary statement of Christology from a Reformed perspective. The writers scrutinised are of a more recent era in order to increase the likelihood of their responding to Kenyon’s theological construct, which dates from the first half of the twentieth century. Scriptural backing for all points of view is noted so as to build a Biblical basis for the representative Reformed definition. In chapter 4 the problematic areas of Kenyon’s Christology are assessed. The statements from chapters two and three are compared and Kenyon’s Christology is critically evaluated from a Biblical standpoint in order to arrive at a statement of conclusion. Chapter 5 is a concluding statement. It also gives recommendations for future study. There is considerable scope for an ongoing investigation of Kenyon’s theology. / Thesis (M.Th. (Dogmatics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

This thesis examines the relationship between the Holy Spirit and the Word of God and attempts to describe the precise nature of this relationship. Thus, after the introduction, a survey of research and a methodological introduction, the study illuminates the background of the Pauline understanding of the relationship between word and Spirit by examining the same relationship in the Old Testament, in Early Judaism, in the Jesus tradition and in the wider Graeco-Roman world. It emerges that Paul - in analogy to the Old Testament, Early Judaism and the theology of Jesus - saw a close relationship between the Holy Spirit and God's word. Obviously for Paul the Holy Spirit as a divine person of the trinity is more than the word but in his - mainly soteriological - work the Spirit has bound himself to God's word. Paul makes it clear that the Spirit works with the word everything for the spiritual life. Zusammenfassung In vorliegender Arbeit wird die Frage nach dem Zusammenhang von Gottes Geist und dem Wort Gottes bei Paulus aufgegriffen und der Versuch unternommen, eine Antwort zu geben. Dabei wird - nach der Einleitung, dem Forschungsüberblick und einer methodischen Einführung -, als Hintergrund des paulinischen Verständnisses von Wort und Geist, das Alte Testament, Frühjudentum, die Jesusüberlieferung und der Hellenismus auf diesen Zusammenhang hin befragt. Dabei zeigt sich, dass der Apostel Paulus in Analogie zum Alten Testament, Frühjudentum und der Theologie Jesu, einen engen Zusammenhang zwischen Heiligem Geist und Gottes Wort lehrt (,,Wort-Theologie"). Der Geist Gottes ist für Paulus als göttliche Person der Trinität natürlich mehr als das Wort, doch in seinem - vor allem soteriologischen - Wirken, hat er sich an das Wort Gottes gebunden. Paulus macht deutlich, dass der Geist mit dem Wort alles zum geistlichen Leben wirkt: Glaube (Wiedergeburt), Innewohnung des Geistes, ewiges Leben, Führung, Erkenntnis, Kraft, Gaben u.v.a. / New Testament / (M.Th.(New Testament))

This thesis examines the relationship between the Holy Spirit and the Word of God and attempts to describe the precise nature of this relationship. Thus, after the introduction, a survey of research and a methodological introduction, the study illuminates the background of the Pauline understanding of the relationship between word and Spirit by examining the same relationship in the Old Testament, in Early Judaism, in the Jesus tradition and in the wider Graeco-Roman world. It emerges that Paul - in analogy to the Old Testament, Early Judaism and the theology of Jesus - saw a close relationship between the Holy Spirit and God's word. Obviously for Paul the Holy Spirit as a divine person of the trinity is more than the word but in his - mainly soteriological - work the Spirit has bound himself to God's word. Paul makes it clear that the Spirit works with the word everything for the spiritual life. Zusammenfassung In vorliegender Arbeit wird die Frage nach dem Zusammenhang von Gottes Geist und dem Wort Gottes bei Paulus aufgegriffen und der Versuch unternommen, eine Antwort zu geben. Dabei wird - nach der Einleitung, dem Forschungsüberblick und einer methodischen Einführung -, als Hintergrund des paulinischen Verständnisses von Wort und Geist, das Alte Testament, Frühjudentum, die Jesusüberlieferung und der Hellenismus auf diesen Zusammenhang hin befragt. Dabei zeigt sich, dass der Apostel Paulus in Analogie zum Alten Testament, Frühjudentum und der Theologie Jesu, einen engen Zusammenhang zwischen Heiligem Geist und Gottes Wort lehrt (,,Wort-Theologie"). Der Geist Gottes ist für Paulus als göttliche Person der Trinität natürlich mehr als das Wort, doch in seinem - vor allem soteriologischen - Wirken, hat er sich an das Wort Gottes gebunden. Paulus macht deutlich, dass der Geist mit dem Wort alles zum geistlichen Leben wirkt: Glaube (Wiedergeburt), Innewohnung des Geistes, ewiges Leben, Führung, Erkenntnis, Kraft, Gaben u.v.a. / New Testament / (M.Th.(New Testament))