Sewanee: School of Theology Theses 2015
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Item The Liturgical Inculturation of Time: Calendrical Progression in the Anglican Church of Canada(University of the South, 2015-05) Simonton, Mark EdwardThe Anglican Church of Canada is currently examining and revising its liturgical texts and its Liturgical Task Force will be undertaking a review and revision of the church calendar. In order to facilitate this work it is necessary to first examine the subject in depth: historically, theologically, anthropologically, and liturgically. Chapter one reviews the principle of inculturation. After examining terminology and the church‘s history of inculturation, the work of the Second Vatican Council on inculturation is explored. The core principles of Liturgical inculturation are specifically analysed: general, theological, liturgical and cultural. From these principles emerge a process and methodology. For the purpose of calendrical revision, several relevant methodologies are examined: creative assimilation, dynamic equivalence, and organic progression. Chapter two provides an historical overview of inculturation in the Anglican Communion. The relevant historic principles are investigated in the light of theological inculturation. The work of the 1958, 1968, 1978, and 1988 Lambeth Conferences is then scrutinised for signs of an emerging modern approach to inculturation. For the same purpose, the work of the International Anglican Liturgical Consultation is considered. The York Statement, the Kanamai Statement, and the essays produced by the Prague Consultation on Anglican Identity are highlighted. Chapter three reviews the history of the church‘s use of liturgical time and calendrical progression, both temporal and sanctoral. After looking at the theology of time within the church and its history, special attention is given to modern concerns about its observance. Calendrical reform is examined in three different families of churches: Roman, Anglican, and Lutheran. Whereas the first part of the chapter deals with general temporal reform the latter part focuses exclusively on sanctoral reform. Chapter four looks at the principles and rules used by the Roman, Anglican and Lutheran churches in calendrical reform. The Roman Catholic Guidelines for the General Calendar are reviewed as is the Table of Liturgical Days. The importance of the distinction between the general calendar and proper calendars is examined. In the Anglican Communion, the resolutions of the Anglican Consultative Council, the Primate‘s Meeting and the International Anglican Liturgical Consultation are analysed. The chapter ends with a discussion on the specific principles and processes adopted by the Anglican Church of Canada for calendrical progression. Chapter five concentrates on the calendar of the Anglican Church of Canada. The methodology of organic progression is revisited as are core principles in relation to it: typical editions, ecumenism, noble simplicity, multiculturalism, and proper calendars. Proposals for the progressed temporal calendar are considered in depth: Epiphany Season, Corpus Christi, Ascension Sunday, Holy Days with Precedence, All Souls‘, the New Zealand structure, and pedagogical simplicity. The chapter then looks at proposals for progressing the sanctoral calendar. After examining the retiring of names, a process for observing historic commemorations is proposed. The relationship between the Book of Common Prayer and the Book of Alternative Services is delved into in regards to canon law and the General Synod.Item Politics and the Preaching Dilemma: Preaching the Gospel in an Age of Materialism(University of the South, 2015-05) Stauffer, Clarence Roy IIIThis thesis wrestles with one of the greatest tensions of our time: proclaiming the message of Jesus Christ regarding money and materialism in an age where the accumulation of wealth and possessions is glorified and coveted. When reading the gospels, it becomes clear that Jesus had more to say about wealth, money, and possessions than almost any other subject during his life and ministry. He knew it was a stumbling block then and still is today. Preachers who find themselves in affluent pulpits preaching to wealthy and powerful church members will certainly feel the tension when it comes to the topic of money. Many of the scripture passages are difficult to hear and “afflict the comfortable.” Preachers who find themselves in poorer churches must find a way to give hope and comfort to those who feel inadequate as they struggle to pay bills and make ends meet. Simply avoiding the subject of money and materialism is not an option if we seek to be faithful to the gospel. In some churches, money talk is taboo, but why? We live in a culture that is obsessed with money, driven by money, and focused on money. Money means power and influence, accomplishment and prestige. Money is often the way we judge the value of a person and whether or not they have been successful in life. Money drives political passions, perspectives, and elections. Money and possessions should be talked about and Jesus knew that. This thesis will identify what it means to faithfully preach the gospel in an age of consumerism and growing materialism. The Introduction will talk about the challenges of preaching and teaching in a politically diverse context and will draw on recent work in the areas of partisanship within churches, sociology of religion, and American cultural history. The chapters of the thesis will focus specifically on the issue of money and materialism and what various scholars have to say about the subject. Chapter one will incorporate some of Jesus’ specific teachings about money and materialism from Luke and Matthew to indicate how these teachings challenge the prevailing mindset of capitalistic North American culture. This chapter will also focus on some of Jesus’ parables while incorporating commentary from William Barclay, Richard Lischer, William Brosend, and Amy Jill Levine. The second chapter will analyze the work of theological ethicist Stanley Hauerwas who has spent his career critiquing Christian America and the dangers of capitalism. The third chapter will look at the sermons and writings of United Methodist pastor Adam Hamilton who does an excellent job of addressing this issue in a mainline context with his congregation, The Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas. Lastly, there is a series of conclusions based on the research of Hauerwas and Hamilton that should prove helpful for those called to preach and teach in a materialistic culture.Item The Unique Beliefs of the Jehovah's Witnesses: An Anglican Perspective(University of the South, 2015-05) Bridges, David L.Among Christian faith groups, the people known as the Jehovah’s Witnesses, led by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, are a unique group that does not recognize the current or historical nature or beliefs of any other Christian or faith group. This project seeks to define the unique beliefs of the Witnesses and compare them to the beliefs of the mainstream Church, particularly the Anglican perspective as defined by Anglican authors, the Book of Common Prayer 1979, and various translations of Holy Scripture. The Anglican standpoint is taken primarily from three systematic theology texts. Introduction to Theology, 3rd Edition by Owen C. Thomas and Ellen K. Wondra was originally prepared for an introductory course in Christian theology at the Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and is a summary of contemporary discussion of the Bible and Christian history. Christianity: An Introduction, 2nd Edition by Alister E. McGrath presents a basic understanding of the beliefs of Christianity as an essential entry-level step to studying Scripture and in practicing the Christian faith. Classic Christianity by Thomas C. Oden provides a consensus view of the Christian faith, examining ancient Christian tradition and bringing it to the contemporary Church, providing a synthesis of the whole of Christian thought. iv This project does not attempt to discuss all aspects of Witness doctrine and practice, but is intended as an introduction to the core beliefs developed by the Watch Tower Society, and how those core beliefs shape the lives of the Witnesses. Chapter 1, The Identities of Jehovah God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, examines the anti-Trinitarian views of the Witnesses and the effect of that viewpoint on the Witnesses’ understanding of the identity of the three revelations of God. Chapter 2, A Theocratic Order not of this World, discusses the separatism practiced by the Witnesses, their eschatological understanding of Scripture, and the class structure of the Organization. Chapter 3, Exclusive Knowledge from Jehovah God, examines the Witnesses belief that no religious organization or faith structure was authorized by God from the time of the Apostles until Watch Tower founder, Charles T. Russell heard the call of Jehovah God to be the bearer of truth at the end of the, so called, Gentile Times. This chapter also offers insights into the door-to-door ministry of the Witnesses. Chapter 4, The Death of Jesus, considers the Witnesses’ understanding of the Lord’s Supper, its meaning to them, their rejection of the Cross as a symbol of true faith, and the gift of grace. Chapter 5, The Sacraments, discusses the Witnesses’ practice of memorializing the death of Jesus, their practice of Baptism and the judicial committee process employed by the Witnesses, including disfellowshipping. The Conclusion, Is Ecumenical Accord Possible?, considers how the Witnesses’ separatism from the world and all other faith groups prevents them from joining forces with the mainstream Church to do the work of Christ in working to end the marginalization of any individual.Item Lifted Hands, Broken Chains: Exploring the Liberating Theological Praxis of Absalom Jones and the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas, 1794-1808(University of the South, 2015-05) Halley, Marcus GeorgeVast resources in theological scholarship have been dedicated to the evolution of the African American religious experience. Likewise, extensive scholarship has been devoted to understanding the work of Absalom Jones, the first African American priest of the Episcopal Church; however, there has been scant mention of where the two fields of study overlap, particularly in locating Jones within the broader spectrum of that religious expression. This void of scholarship presents an opportunity to engage Absalom Jones as the practitioner of an Afrocentric liberating theologian. The purpose of this thesis is to explore that gap and examine the ways in which Absalom Jones engaged Christian theological praxis as a liberating space; engaged Christian scripture through a systematized Afrocentric, or black, hermeneutic lens; and framed the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas, the first African American church in the Episcopal Church, as a safe place for the expression and development of black culture. This study begins by analyzing African traditional religions before tracing the development of the Absalom Jones prior to 1792. In 1792, the black membership of St. George’s Methodist Episcopal Church, where Jones served as a lay minister, departed after being refused equal access to the worshiping community and space they helped build. This revolutionary action envisaged a larger protest and boycott of the dominant school of theology which, up to that point, refused to grant black people the dialogue and access necessary to be incorporated into the larger Christian narrative and to help shape that narrative. The departing members would go on to found the Free African Society which would become St. Thomas’s African Episcopal Church. Absalom Jones, who would serve as the first priest of this church and the first black Episcopal priest, framed the ethos of this community by incorporating a myriad of religious and cultural influences including aspects of Slave Religion developed in the Invisible Institution of the African American heritage, Quakerism, Episcopalianism, and strands of Methodism. The end result was the creation of sacred space where the black community of Philadelphia was granted permission to show up in their full presence and power to encounter a God who was present in the same way. This meeting place between God and the gathered community challenged the dominant narrative of theological thought in that scripture was read through and Afrocentric interpretive lens that brought the concerns of the black community to the forefront. This analysis of Jones’s work engages primary historical resources; second historical sources; and contemporary sociological, and liturgical analysis.Item The Narrative Theology of Stanley Hauerwas(University of the South, 2015-05) Liles, Eric J.Stanley Hauerwas, noted theologian and Christian ethicist, argues throughout his writings for the importance of narrative theology in the Christian life and discourse. Exploring his understanding and use of narrative theology in conversation with other religious scholars, this thesis explores the function of his work in regards to preaching, Christian formation, and pastoral care. Human communities are formed through narrative. The story of faith provides a history in which an individual discovers who they are. A connection to this history and community help to shape an individual’s character and thus their moral identity. Narrative theology is a method for engaging the study of God and talking about God that helps to form and shape Christians in the pattern of Jesus’ life. One major critique of narrative theology is that it is too sectarian in nature. Hauerwas’s sermons and understanding of scripture show a deep concern for how the Church is presented in the narrative of faith. The goal of narrative preaching is to take an expectant, imaginative stance before the biblical text in the hopes that the sermon will be a transformative event for the hearers and the preacher. While not known as a narrative preacher per se, Hauerwas often employs the use of narrative preaching with effectiveness. Hauerwas resists what he calls “translation” of scriptural texts and the use of the historical critical method in his preaching to the limitation and effectiveness of his message. Good narrative preaching has close ties to the Eucharist where we encounter a generous and loving God and are fed and transformed. Narrative theology helps to reframe the questions about theodicy and suffering into a community effort to be present with those who suffer. Meaning can be found in the midst of suffering through participation in the narrative of faith. Hauerwas contends that we can only ask the questions of theodicy in relationship to the context in which we find ourselves: our friends, our community, and our story. He argues for a sense of shared story when contemplating ethical decisions in medicine and in pastoral care. Narrative theology, the story of God’s relationship with creation and especially in the Incarnation, places individuals within the larger story of salvation history and helps people to endure the suffering they experience. Those pastors who employ the use of narrative theology do well to connect an individual’s narrative and the narrative of the community of faith. Hauerwas locates himself within the narrative of the Christian faith; this is how he makes sense of his life. His life is about relationships; the different but connected communities of family, friends, academia, and church provide the structure needed for growth and development, to survive pain and suffering, and to celebrate joys and successes. Hauerwas also believes that our lives are not fully under our control, we cannot always anticipate and ensure the results we want. A robust understanding and incorporation of narrative theology into the pews can have a profound influence on Christianity. The narrative places us in the proper context of being part of God’s eternal, unfolding story, of which we know the end.