The purpose of the present study is to understand and clarify how Jesus is presented as a leader in the Gospel of Matthew. The usage of common leadership terms in reference to Jesus early in the story, the biographical genre of Matthew, and the consistently negative portrayal of other leaders in the story give good reasons for the inquiry. Three main questions are at the forefront: How does the theme of leadership develop throughout the story? What are the main moral character traits of Jesus? What are the main features of the relationship between Jesus and the people? The focus of the study is thus in agreement with the common understanding of “leadership” as a social process where one individual influences others, and recent trends in leadership studies to emphasize the ethical aspects in the understanding of good leadership. In order to answer the main questions of the study a biographical-narrative method is used. This approach involves an examination of the characterization of the protagonist in the text as a whole and a utilization of insights from narrative criticism. The conventions of characterization in ancient biographies take precedence. A main implication is that moral qualities or virtues are central. The genre of ancient biography is partly related to the portrayal of good leaders, and some biographies give portraits of ideal leaders. In this study, four biographies—Isocrates’ Evagoras, Xenophon’s Agesilaus, Philo’s Moses, and Plutarch’s Numa—are examined in order to recognize common leadership ideals in biographies and to better understand the portrait of Jesus. The study concludes that the theme of leadership is seen througout the story and is important to its plot. The presentation of Jesus conforms in many ways to common leadership ideals: Jesus is portrayed as a leader with piety, justice, self-control, compassion, wisdom, integrity, and courage. He operates in different leadership roles, has willing followers, a close relationship to the people, leads by example as a role model, and benefits the people in several ways. At the same time, some idiosyncratic features are also recognized: The Gospel of Matthew underlines the humility of Jesus and shows that a significant aspect of Jesus’ leadership is serving the people. The study ends with a discussion on whether Jesus is presented as a model for leaders. It is argued that the biographical genre and the narrative content make it appropriate to conclude that one of the purposes of the gospel is to give an example to the reader. Jesus, the true leader, is a model for other leaders, and most aspects of his leadership could be imitated.

Jesus the True Leader : The Biographical Portrait of Jesus as Leader in the Gospel of Matthew

/pdf/anglican-roman-catholic-ecumenical-dialogue-a-case-for-a-4q0usgx162.pdf

Anglican-Roman Catholic ecumenical dialogue: A case for a Rahnerian logic of symbol

A STRATEGY FOR EFFECTIVE YOUTH MINISTRY IN THE BANTAMA SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH GHANA by Kofi Opoku Acheampong Adviser: Baraka G. Muganda ABSTRACT OF GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCHOF GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH

/pdf/a-strategy-for-effective-youth-ministry-in-the-bantama-20oxghn3wc.pdf

A Strategy for Effective Youth Ministry in the Bantama Seventh-day Adventist Church Ghana

THE PHENOMENON OF POWER IN THE CHURCH: AN INVESTIGATION AND ANALYSIS OF THE RELATIONAL DYNAMICS EXPERIENCED IN THE CONTEXT OF THE ASSERTION OF AUTHORITY by Steven R. Walikonis

/pdf/the-phenomenon-of-power-in-the-church-an-investigation-and-18xgo7v6cl.pdf

The Phenomenon of Power in the Church: an Investigation and Analysis of the Relational Dynamics Experienced in the Context of the Assertion of Authority

Absolute truth claims are problematic in a pluralist society such as South Africa. Yet a tolerant society must move beyond relativism (2.1.1) and recognize that certain moral imperatives, such as tolerance and mutual respect, must be universally true (2.1.2). This chapter first defines what was understood by absolute truth claims and the problems that resulted from the idea of the absolute (2.2.1). We formulate the research question (2.2.2). We then trace the history of the idea of absolute truth from its roots in ancient times to its heydays in modernist scientific thought and argue that evangelicals in the nineteenth century adopted the notion of absolute truth into their doctrines with a number of disastrous results (2.3.3). We conclude with a number of remarks on social constructivism (2.4) 2.1 Rationale of the study This thesis is an exploration into the nature of truth, and particularly of religious truth. The 20 century has witnessed the view of truth change from the stark objectivism of the analytical philosophers to the floating relativism of the postmodernists, where truth forever recedes beyond reach. Far apart as these epistemologies may seem, they agree on one point, however: they leave little space for religious and moral truth claims. Such claims are quickly relegated to the sphere of personal preferences, where they have no public consequences. This, however, does not imply that our postmodern society is not a moral society, but rather that moral imperatives are not given their true status as moral imperatives, but rather surface elsewhere, for instance as scientific propositions (see chapter 5).

/pdf/beyond-objectivism-an-exploration-in-the-epistemology-and-3vntdo60zv.pdf

Beyond objectivism : an exploration in the epistemology and philosophy of science of Michael Polanyi and its relevance to truth claims in religion and ethics.

To Empower as Jesus Did: Acquiring Spiritual Power Through Apprenticeship . By Aaron Milavec. New York and Toronto: Mellen, 1982. xi + 345 pages.

. Because of similarities between some implications of Michael Polanyi's theory of personal knowledge and intelligent design, claims have been made that his theory provides support to the project of intelligent design. This essay contends that, when Polanyi's reflections on a Ideological framework for contextualizing evolutionary biology are properly understood as a heuristic vision, his position contrasts sharply with the empirical claims made on behalf of intelligent design.

The discovery of meaning through scientific and religious forms of indwelling

The Theological Method of Karl Rahner . By Anne Carr. American Academy of Religion Dissertation Series, No. 19. Missoula, MT: Scholars Press, 1977. 281 pages. $6.00 (paper). (Member's price $4.00.)

Theology as the Road to Holiness in St. Bonaventure . By Charles Carpenter. New York: Paulist, 1999. xix + 222 pages. $23.95 (paper).

https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0360966900004059

John V. Apczynski

Papers

To Empower as Jesus Did: Acquiring Spiritual Power Through Apprenticeship . By Aaron Milavec. New York and Toronto: Mellen, 1982. xi + 345 pages.

The discovery of meaning through scientific and religious forms of indwelling

The Theological Method of Karl Rahner . By Anne Carr. American Academy of Religion Dissertation Series, No. 19. Missoula, MT: Scholars Press, 1977. 281 pages. $6.00 (paper). (Member's price $4.00.)

Theology as the Road to Holiness in St. Bonaventure . By Charles Carpenter. New York: Paulist, 1999. xix + 222 pages. $23.95 (paper).

God's Advocates: Christian Thinkers in Conversation . By Rupert Shortt. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2005. xii + 284. $20.00 (paper).