The following papers are Shirley Paulson’s papers from seminary.(Copyright law is enforced for each paper. Copyright 2007-2008, Spirituality and Christianity. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution - Noncommercial 3.0 Unported License)
Soteria: A View of Resurrection and Wholeness
Master’s Degree Thesis from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
It can be argued that the deepest friendships, expressed in “philia” love, must be contrary to unselfish love for all humanity, expressed in “agape” love. But I find both types of love mutually supporting, rather than in tension with each other.
Is it proper to define Christianity as a culture?
The tension implied in this question arises from the fact that Christianity includes a foundational element of the divine, whereas culture is predominantly human. Where the divine relates to the human is the task of theology, and therefore the entire prism of Christian theology is relevant in a full answer to the question.
Christians called to seek the contemplative and active life
There is a reluctance in contemporary Christian practice to acknowledge the calling in Matthew 10 (to cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons) as relevant today. But a blending of contemplative and active Christian practice makes the calling practical.
Does fidelity to God lead to the death of a child?
Was Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son, Isaac, an act of selfishness or evidence of spiritual strength? On the surface, his obedience to God may appear as a preference for his own favorable relationship to God over the life of his child. But an alternative reading indicates spiritual strength eliminates the conflict and honors both God and the life of his child.
