This thesis examines the biblical interpretation of the eminent Victorian Baptist pastor, Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892), who became one of the most renowned preachers in the English-speaking world. His Metropolitan Tabernacle in London was the world's first 'megachurch', with a weekly congregation of over 5,000; by the end of his life, more than ten thousand copies of Spurgeon's sermons were printed and distributed weekly. Through his example and his publications, he had an immense influence on preaching across the North Atlantic world. This thesis, the first sustained analysis of Spurgeon's biblical interpretation, argues that his preaching success lay in his distinctive approach to Scripture, and that Christ's crucifixion and the priority of conversion formed the interpretive lens through which Spurgeon approached biblical texts. Chapter one examines Spurgeon's early education and conversion, and explores some previously unpublished early sermons. Chapters two and five analyze Spurgeon's mature addresses and publications, including his magazine and biblical commentaries. Chapters three and four, respectively, address Spurgeon's use of the Old and New Testament in his preaching, with particular attention on the language of cross and conversion. Finally, chapter six considers the instruction that he provided to the hundreds of students who attended his Pastors' College.

Thesis (D.W.S.)--Institute for Worship Studies, 2005. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 150-157).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2005. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 143-148).

No description available.

Thesis (D. Min.)--Ashland Theological Seminary, 2007. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 157-163).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Ashland Theological Seminary, 2007. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 157-163).

Thesis (D.W.S.)--Institute for Worship Studies, 2005. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 150-157).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2005. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 143-148).

The context of this research is the Shigalo Tabernacle Worship Centre, where the researcher is currently ministering. The faith community is within Shigalo Village in the town of Malamulele in the Vhembe District, which has been plagued by numerous forms of violence, inflicting emotional, physical and psycho-spiritual pain on the community. Yet it has been the observation of the researcher that very few members of the community, particularly members who are also members of the faith community, seek professional help – help that is freely offered to the community by medical and other professionals, psychologists, social workers as well as pastors. The narrative that the researcher has identified in his involvement with this faith community was that some members of the faith community choose to rather suffer, by keeping all their physical, emotional, psychological, social and spiritual problems to themselves than to seek professional help. In the community there are various possibilities of seeking professional help – from doctors to psychologists, social workers as well as pastors. The research journey explores and describes how families of Shigalo Tabernacle Worship Centre perceive (view) professional help (counselling). The research sought to understand this perception within the context of their faith and their culture, trying to determine what narratives informed this perception. The objective of the research was first to understand this practice and second to seek ways in which these attitudes and perceptions can be overcome. To do this research, a sample of members was chosen, together with various professional caregivers: Two nurses, two social workers, two educators, two pastoral counsellors, one Medical doctor and a psychologist, who have been in the field of their specializations for more than five years and who are from the Malamulele area within the Thulamela Municipality of Vhembe district. The research was mainly to listen to the stories of the members and complementing these stories with the stories of the professional caregivers, trying to understand how these families constructed their view of faith and how it relates to seeking professional help. / Dissertation (MA Theol)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Practical Theology / MA Theol / Unrestricted

In order to preserve the acoustics of the Salt Lake Tabernacle after the seismic renovation of 2005-2006, it was necessary to characterize these acoustics immediately preceding the renovation. This thesis discusses the characterization process that began with the measurement of hundreds of impulse responses for five different source positions and several receiver locations throughout the hall seating areas. The acoustics were further characterized by deriving various parameters from these responses that correlate with subjective preferences for music and speech. Impulse responses were also generated by a CATT-Acoustic™ computer model of the Tabernacle for the same purpose. The parameter values were then mapped over diagrams of the seating areas of the hall to show the spatial variation of the acoustics. To further investigate the variation, statistics were calculated for each parameter and an algorithm was developed to determine the minimum number of receiver locations necessary to adequately characterize the hall. Computer models were also used to investigate focusing effects of the curved ceiling and historical comments made about the improvements to the acoustics with addition of the balcony in 1870.