M.Div., Perkins School of Theology, SMU by Thomas G Hermans-Webster
This paper was written in partial fulfillment of the course requirements of United Methodist Hist... more This paper was written in partial fulfillment of the course requirements of United Methodist History under the instruction Dr. Tamara Lewis at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, Fall 2013. Following a review of literature pertinent to the study of Susanna Wesley in Methodist History, this essay argues specifically that his mother, who embodied a theologically-rich fusion of Puritanical pietism and Anglican orthodoxy, and her relationship with her “Jackie” should be understood as a prime source in the development of John Wesley’s practical theology of piety and mercy.
In recognition of the observation that sound is an integral element in the very fabric of creatio... more In recognition of the observation that sound is an integral element in the very fabric of creation, this paper will set forth a brief theology of music so that a greater understanding of the context of my musical experience as a United Methodist Christian from North Alabama may be had. To begin, I will argue for the fundamentality of sound to a proper understanding of creation. In light of such an understanding, a robust theology of matter borrowing from Eastern Orthodox tradition will greatly aid the furtherance of a theological perspective on music and music-making.
B.A., Birmingham-Southern College by Thomas G Hermans-Webster
Southern Academic Review: A Student Journal of Scholarship, 2012
Putting ideas prominent in the theology of the Holy Icons in conversation with ecological issues ... more Putting ideas prominent in the theology of the Holy Icons in conversation with ecological issues confronting modern Christianity and humanity alike, this paper reinforces current calls for strong ecological considerations in Christology while establishing a new ecological argument with its basis in these affirmations of creation made by iconography. Current Ecological Christologies provide a suitable vocabulary and intellectual platform from which to proceed while an understanding of the Holy Icons and the patristic arguments made in their defense is, also, important before I can fully establish this new understanding of Sacramentalist, Ecological Christology through the lens of iconography.
I begin by noting the effect of human sin on the created order, human and nonhuman alike. Establishing creation’s role in the divine condemnation of humanity is important so that I can, then, discuss the modern Ecological Christology movement. Following my treatment of these theological principles, I briefly address the theology of the Icon so that I might strengthen the ecological argument of Sacramental Christology with aspects of iconography.
In this essay, I seek to set two stanzas of Edwin Starr’s pacifist lyrics in conversation with te... more In this essay, I seek to set two stanzas of Edwin Starr’s pacifist lyrics in conversation with tenets of Just War Theory in the hopes that the resulting dialogue demonstrates the arcane Just War Theory while elucidating a few pitfalls of full pacifism in the 21st century.
The city of Birmingham, Alabama was a hotbed of the American Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. ... more The city of Birmingham, Alabama was a hotbed of the American Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. Birmingham-Southern College, a private, four-year, liberal arts institution affiliated with the Methodist Church sat on the West End of Bombingham adjacent to the infamous Dynamite Hill. A school noted for its commitment to service and exemplary higher education, Birmingham-Southern's involvement in the Civil Rights Movement that forever shaped its city, however, was complex. Through Birmingham-Southern yearbook and newspaper articles, this paper analyzes the role of The College in the Civil Rights Movement.
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M.Div., Perkins School of Theology, SMU by Thomas G Hermans-Webster
B.A., Birmingham-Southern College by Thomas G Hermans-Webster
I begin by noting the effect of human sin on the created order, human and nonhuman alike. Establishing creation’s role in the divine condemnation of humanity is important so that I can, then, discuss the modern Ecological Christology movement. Following my treatment of these theological principles, I briefly address the theology of the Icon so that I might strengthen the ecological argument of Sacramental Christology with aspects of iconography.
I begin by noting the effect of human sin on the created order, human and nonhuman alike. Establishing creation’s role in the divine condemnation of humanity is important so that I can, then, discuss the modern Ecological Christology movement. Following my treatment of these theological principles, I briefly address the theology of the Icon so that I might strengthen the ecological argument of Sacramental Christology with aspects of iconography.