In 1977 the Unevangelized Fields Mission (UFM) broke relations with their daughter church in Zaire, where they had been working since 1931, and left the country. There had been no government ban on missions nor any apparent external reason for their doing so. The reasons for the schism lay within the history of the mission in Zaire and in their relationship with their daughter church, the Communaute Episcopale Evangelique au Zaire (CEEZ). The purpose of this research, therefore, is to try and establish what effect politics and economics had on this relationship. The location of the dispute, in North-Eastern Zaire, is also interesting in that this area has been one of the lest economically developed parts of the country and has had a history of political extremism both during the colonial and in independent eras. In attempting to make a case study of this schism within the ranks of the Unevangelized Fields Mission it is necessary to analyse the history of the mission in the context of the political and economic developments of the country at large. It is to be noted also that the mission began as a result of an earlier schism within the heart of Africa Mission in 1931 and that a history of one cannot be made without a history of the other. A Case study of both can be made which conveniently spans the two main eras in Zairian history---the colonial period and the period since independence. This history of both missions is confined to their Congo/Zaire fields.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / The basic design of the research underlying this dissertation involves an attempt to measure change, in selected areas of leadership, which may be attributed to the Institute training program of the Protestant Episcopal Church. Data were gathered from the delegates before, during, and after the Province III (Middle Atlantic States) training program to determine as accurately as possible the amount, and direction, of change in three areas--the leader role image, training skills, and the general approach to a training task. The research project had two goals: (1) the measurement of the described change, and (2) the development of instruments for such measurement. Six instruments were designed and administered. Because of the bulk of data gathered, those from three instruments were deleted in the presentation of the findings--the Trainers' Report, the Case Study, and the Categories Instrument. With the information from the Biographical Data Instrument used as background, the reported findings are based on the data from the Traits Instrument (on the leader role image) and the Training Skills Instrument. The raw score data and the score-shifts from one administration to another were tabulated and presented in frequency tables and grapha. Simple mathematical calculations furnished percentages of stability and change--the bases for the many comparisons made between various items of an instrument, groups of items, and groups of people. A coordinated statistical procedure was used to obtain t values. The personal observations of the writer throughout the Institute proved valuable in providing interpretation of the data and the findings therefrom. The findings include the following: 1. Every indication to date shows the instruments to be valid and reliable. Suggestions are made for possible revision of wording and/or the handling of the data. 2. The overall program of the Province III Institute accomplished net gains toward sponsor goals (stated norms) in most of the traits and skills. 3. In comparison with the 1964 Protestant Church Laboratory, Green Lake, Wisconsin, the data indicate that the Institute achieved greater net gains in every overall trait group and in most of the subgroups of traits. 4. In comparing the three aspects of the leader role image, the date indicate a definite patterns highest net gains in the Ideal Image, lower net gains in the Self Image, and the lowest net gains in the Social Image. 5. The rank order of net gains for the trait groups presented was: highest--those traits of greatest importance to the sponsor which also had the greatest potential for change toward the stated norms; next--those of greatest potential for change toward the stated norms (without other qualification); next--the entire group of twenty traits; lowest--those with the greatest potential for change but not of the greatest importance to the sponsor. 6. The self-scores of the participants indicated net gains in skill improvement ranging from 13.6% to 32.2%, a substantial change for such a relatively abort period of time. Research is needed regarding the following: 1. To what extent were the changes indicated by these data peculiar to this one Institute? To any and every Institute? 2. Will the measured changes endure? Did other unmeasured changes occur? 3. In what way(s) could the net gains be increased in each of the area under consideration? 4. What caused the differences in net gains between the Institute and the Protestant Church Laboratory? 5. Was the large amount of shift away from the stated norms due to the inadequacy of the norms or of the Institute program? 6. What interpretation should be placed on the presence or absence of congruity, or the increase or decrease in congruity variance, for any pair of leader role images? / 2031-01-01

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Boston University

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Boston University / Problem: To assess by the use of content analysis the Hollywood portrayal of the Protestant minister in feature films produced between 1951 and 1960, and state implications of this portrayal for the church in terms of recruitment for the ministry and expectations of the clerical role. Procedure: Categories of analysis were developed from a survey of the literature on the Protestant ministry and from existing content schedules used in motion picture research. A content schedule was devised to assess (1) the setting of the ministerial portrayal, (2) the minister as a person, (3) the minister and his family, (4) the minister's inter-personal relationships, (5) the minister's task, and (6) the minister's theology [TRUNCATED]

Thesis (M.A.)--Boston University / Statement of Problem The purpose of this thesis is to find, list and give a short description of vocal solos with English texts which will contribute to the meaning of the Protestant service. These solos must be 1) worshipful, 2) well-written, and 3) by first-rank composers. A worshipful text adds to the beauty, meaning and knowledge of the Christian philosophy. A good text is directly related to the service of which it is a part. Many arias from sacred oratorios are not good church solos because the texts pertain to the dramatic story of the oratorio rather than to the meaning of a religious service. [TRUNCATED]

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Boston University / The purpose of the dissertation is to survey the major attitudes within the Occidental Protestant Churches towards Christian missionary work. This embraces, firstly, an historical account of the earliest evidences of missionary interest within Protestantism and the various reactions to it by Church leaders. Secondly, the study involves the growth of missionary enthusiasm among church members and the consequent development of missionary attitudes within the context of the three-way relationship of the Occidental Protestant Churches to each other, to the younger Churches of the Orient and to non-Christian Oriental religious faiths. Although much historical data is presented, this dissertation does not aim to be a history of Protestant missions to the Orient. Research into this wide subject has proceeded within definite limits, which are explained in the introductory chapter. Throughout the study attention has been focussed on the Orient, although the discussion in the early chapters has not been restricted to this area. The time-period, covered by the survey, stretches from the Protestant Reformation to the outbreak of the First World War [TRUNCATED].

Protestant church orders were a key tool for shaping belief and practice during the sixteenth century. These declarations of official religious policy were composed by both secular and ecclesiastical leaders, and reflected the shared interests of the church and state in managing evangelical reforms. Their constitutional nature and their role in articulating doctrine made them the most effective means for church building during the period. John a Lasco's Forma ac ratio was one of the most significant of these works. His text, which was published in 1555, provided a comprehensive blueprint for Protestant congregations. It also marked a pivotal point in the development of orders. Although the earlier documents varied widely in their form and scope, by the end of the century they had developed a common format and standard range of topics. The Forma ac ratio is one of the first to exhibit this trend, marking this crucial shift in the development of such works and setting the standard for the ordinances that followed. Although this text had much in common with other orders, it was distinguished by the reformer's unique vision for church organisation and ceremonies. The content reveals the various forces that shaped his ideas. For example, he modelled his ecclesiastical administration after the episcopacies found in the German lands. He added to this Zwingli's Eucharistic rite and Calvin's ecclesiastical discipline. This work also contained a Lasco's own innovative contributions including his emphasis on congregational authority. In addition, the ordinance included extensive commentary to explain, justify and defend the prescribed practices. This comprehensive nature set the Forma ac ratio apart from other orders. A Lasco's tome had a significant impact on Protestant congregations throughout Europe. Originally, he had written the work for the London Strangers' Church, which was comprised of religious refugees in England's capital city. These exiles played a key role in transmitting his ecclesiastical model, when they returned to the continent in the 1550s, they established new refugee congregations following the reformer's example. They later carried his innovative order to their native lands when they returned home in the subsequent decades. The Forma ac ratio's widespread impact across Europe makes it one of the key ordinances from the Reformation period. In addition, as this thesis demonstrates, it was these qualities - its function in church building, the innovative form, and the refugees' role in transmitting his model - that ensured its influence and significance in sixteenth-century Europe.

As the COVID-19 pandemic brought fear and anxiety to people around the world, the Christian community is called to give witness to her hope in the risen Lord. Preaching is a major channel of this witness. The analysis of five Easter sermons, preached in April 2020 by pastors of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands, brings to the fore how an alarming contextual situation weighs in on the tone and content of Easter preaching in local churches. A lamenting mode of preaching was found, that voices local communities’ distress and strengthens hope, repeating the salvific message of Easter in the face of bewilderment and suffering. The analysis underscores and adds to homiletical theory on lament in preaching.

Thesis (M. Arch.)--University of Notre Dame, 2005. / Thesis directed by Philip Bess for the School of Architecture. "April 2005." "This thesis will address the loss within the Protestant Church of a deep understanding of the connection between beliefs and cultural products ... . The subjects of these beliefs are items highly valued by the Church ... . After a reflection on these values, there will be a brief account of the traditions of Protestant church design, followed by a description of a new design adhering to the values ..."--Leaf 3. Includes bibliographical references (leaf 71).

This thesis investigates the phenomenon of making martyrs in the Protestant Church in Korea (PCK) especially the relationship between the institution and the designation. Tracing the historical development of ideology of martyrdom linguistically and semantically from the pre-Constantinian base-line, the writer points out that martyrdom is not a fixed or universal concept but is variously employed in different times, settings, and places to justify, legitimate and memorialise a death in a specific group and frequently for a specific reason or purpose. It may also be directly linked with the identity of one persecuted community setting a firm boundary between it and the hostile persecuting group. Furthermore, the designation of martyr is an intentional act which speak to the living not the dead. In other words, martyrdom is a part of the interpretive semantics of a particular death seen by particular lives for particular purposes. Martyrdom pertains to the politics of death, yet at the same time to the politics of the living. Martyrs for the PCK represent three major periods of Korean Protestants’ death-events: the late Chosun Dynasty (1866-1905), the rule of Japanese imperialism (1905-1945), and before and during the Korean War (1945-1953). Most Protestant Christians’ deaths occurred as a result of a clash between religion and the political power represented in each era. The PCK only started to ‘make martyrs’ by collecting and interpreting the first such deaths after 1926 and increasingly from 1983 onwards. However, their work of martyr-making has exposed PCK leaders to misusing the term, by including death after natural disasters and accidents. It is arguable that the situation in post-World War II Korea was such that the strands of anticommunism and ethnic nationalism profoundly influenced the historicity of the death-event. Martyr-making processes in the PCK context, therefore, functioned politically to define the persistently common enemy of communism and anti-nationalism, mobilizing Christians against them, and justifying creative martyr-making by its effect. Thus it will be argued that martyr-making is part of the power structure of the PCK: and power, any power, always has the potential to be wrongly used. To analyse the operation of PCK’s martyr-making more specifically, this thesis includes two case studies. The first is of Rev R. J. Thomas who is said to be ‘the first Protestant martyr in Korea,’ whose martyr status was tentatively designated in 1926 and elevated at the time of the 1884-1984 celebration of Protestantism in Korea. And the second is Rev Son Yang-Won, widely known as ‘the atomic bomb of love’ from 1948 when he adopted the killer of his two sons amid the ideological conflict between the leftist and rightist, whose reputation as the ‘martyr of love’ increased from 1950 immediately after being killed by communists in the early stage of the Korean War. The Thomas case uncovers the ethnic nationalistic tendency of the PCK’s martyr-making, and their anticommunist attitude in the treatment of Rev Son. In short, it will be argued that PCK leaders controlled the collective memory about deaths in the specific historical contexts to sustain their socio-political views, placing and displacing some death-events to commemorate some or intentionally exclude others, based as much on the ruling ideologies of South Korean society, mainly anticommunism and ethnic nationalism, as on the image of Jesus’ death. What this may mean for the PCK now and in future is briefly explored in the final comment.