San Francisco Theological Seminary

Sheila Robinson

The purpose of the dissertation seeks answers to the question, How Can the Tradition of Black Gospel Music Continue to Provide Meaning and Hope to the African American Community? The scope of study examined formations of African American sacred/religious music and influences of African melody/song. The methodologies were: (1) source materials, texts, journals, articles, other resources, (2) interviews, (3) observing/participating in various Black church worship practices, (4) a 30-year radio broadcasting career in Black gospel music. The conclusion revealed a generational divide between traditional and contemporary Black gospel music preferences, prompting the Curriculum of Dialogue project as a potential resolve.

James C Gregg

The author's thesis is that the contemporary practice of communion in progressive, free church congregations can become more like Jesus' own meal practices through a focus on spiritual direction and the Hebrew prophetic tradition. Through the use, in turn, of philosophy, history, theology, liturgy and ethics, he develops a constructive philosophical theology. The conclusion is a twin call for churches both to move from a symbolic, ritualized communion to a full meal communion and to transition from eating mostly with others within one's own socioeconomic class to open table fellowship with anyone - friends, strangers, or enemies.

Michael T Santini

The thesis is an ecclesial response to the late 2000s recession and financial crisis. The writing focuses on how Christians can maintain integrity in the workplace. The theoretical section identifies various business and social forces that work against maintaining one's integrity on the job and examines current research in the theology of work for its implications to laboring Christians. The project portion assesses and summarizes the theoretical factors and develops a structured Power Point course to teach theological, social, business and ethical considerations to working churchgoers. The study affirms positive gains by students in understanding and implementing integrity in the workplace.

Kenton W Smith

Presbyterian pastors trained in spiritual direction try to integrate spiritual practices--silence, discernment, meditative prayer--into their leadership role. Pastor-spiritual directors, elders, and scholars in spirituality were interviewed. The author explored his congregation's historical and sociological setting. His findings indicate a disconnection between reason and spirituality. Spiritual direction is emerging in a church crisis of spiritual decline. For historical perspective, he turned to John Calvin, Karl Rahner, and Howard Thurman. Additional insights came from biblical study, spiritual theologians, and contemporary church leaders. He concluded the Reformed church lacks a "practical spirituality" and proposed a spiritual direction approach to pastoral leadership.

D'Ann Cooper

This dissertation sets forth the goal to investigate and potentially establish a standardized emotional readiness requirement for all candidates pursuing ordination in the Ministry of Word and Sacrament, specifically within the Presbyterian Church (USA) denomination. The project considers the questions of what level of emotional readiness is needed to serve effectively in ministry and what limitations prohibit an individual from serving productively in parish ministry. The anticipated outcome of this paper is to establish clear directives for the denomination to establish the essential guidelines to evaluate an individual's psychological health to serve in parish ministry in the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Laura G Krauss

The biblical figure Hagar, in Genesis 16 and 21, is explored through the methodology of Reception-History. The dissertation/project commences with an exegesis of the sacred texts and traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam concerning the slave of Sarah and mother of Ishmael, Abraham's first child. Focusing on selected works of art from diverse cultures and periods, including manuscripts, paintings, sculptures, poetry, and films, the iconography is contextually and hermeneutically analyzed from each artist's social location. The study culminates in a proposed museum exhibition featuring the artists' visual interpretations of the Hagar narrative which were fine-tuned in two workshops.

Soo Nam Park

The purpose of this D/P is to study critically Wesleyan spirituality which is based on its theology and practice of prayer. As the result of this research, on adult study course on prayer for Korean American church lay people is design, implemented and evaluated. The D/P is arranged in three Parts. In part one, Wesley's historical and theological background together with his spirituality was dealt with his practice of prayer and finally his activities in the U.S.A. In part two, I examined Korean spirituality which was influenced very much by Shamanism and Mysticism. I illustrated two pastors' stories which impressed me very much. In part three, a questionnaire was designed to know what the Korean scholars and pastors thought about Wesleyan prayer and their prayer practice. Prayer group activities and the result of them were evaluated, and according to their outcome, I made useful the recommendations and suggestions.

John S Anderson

Play is not a frivolous option, but essential for personal spiritual growth, serious work toward spiritual development. The dynamics of child's play echoes in adult faith lives, and liberates towards full experience of God's presence. The author offered a new model of how we might liberate ourselves to grow - the way a child learns, by the way of play, nurturing a strong sense of self for healthy spiritual formation?. He explored how a traditional congregation introduces and fosters faith play in the lives of those who are new in their faith, as well as help people of faith discover how play is essential in every phase of spiritual formation. A playful faith counters the pressure to conform to an imposing piety, offering room to participate, learn and grow.

Linda J Robinson

This work explores the dynamics in psychological and spiritual healing by tracing the case histories of two individuals over a 60 year life span. The cases are reviewed along four parameters that define basic conditions needed for a human being to be well and to thrive: i.e., connection, identity, freedom, and power; and from three perspectives: family systems using Edwin Friedman's work, individual psychology using Karen Horney's work, and spiritual theology using Ignatius of Loyola's Spiritual Exercises. Both case studies show a set of common dynamics and "healing agents," and implications are drawn for the practice of pastoral care.

Patricia C Repikoff

This dissertation/project describes an adaptive change process which the researcher, who leads a Spanish- and English-speaking Catholic parish, expanded the ministry of the parish elementary school to integrate children of Hispanic immigrants who belonged to the Spanish-speaking community. The researcher used a qualitative heuristic research model to identify historical, theological, sociological, psychological, and educational bases for successful integration of Hispanic children into a parish school. The researcher named factors for success which other dioceses, parishes and schools may find useful in their attempts to assure parochial education for greater numbers of Hispanic immigrants.