ThD, PhD, and Dmins - what was your doctoral dissertation title?

Now, you have me curious. What were your conclusions and what changed your mind about them?

Joseph Botwinick

 

I have a D.Min. I don't remember the exact title of the dissertation. It was something about utilizing a church family life center for evangelism and discipleship. It was pretty practical for our church because we built a family life center (gym with kitchen, etc.).

 

koreahog2005
"I don't remember the exact title of the dissertation."
"
How did you forget that? You worked at it for a considerable amount of time, a bunch of copies of it were no doubt made, most of those were probably handed to you, afterwards you terrorized everybody you knew at the time by giving those away and a bunch of those dissertations no doubt lie stacked up in your broomcloset to this very day.

 

Written to become doctorandus (roughly equivalent to a master's degree) in churchhistory
De ingreep op Origenes.
On that eternal question, why did Origenes Adamantios get himself castrated... Sigh...

And for my doctorate in churchhistory.
Een opmerkelijke vertaling.
The story behind the Bibletranslation published by the Dutch Roman Catholic apologetical society Petrus Canisius.

To become doctorandus in arthistory
De keuze van Piet.
On the transformation in the work of the Christian artist Piet Gerrits between 1905 and 1950. Piet started out as a proponent of the style invented by the Benedictine monk Desiderius Lenz (the Beuroner Schule), but by the end of his life had adopted a far more realistic style.

And finally for my doctorate in art history.
Een bijenkorf van zilverpapier.
On the consequences of the plundering of the treasury of the Vatican by Napoleon for the face of 19th&20th century Roman Catholic churchart.

 

ThM: "Paul's Christological Interpretation of the Old Testament as Demonstrated in Selected Texts"

PhD: "Covenant as a Framework for Understanding the Divorce and Remarriage Texts of the New Testament"

 

Dissertation? What is that?

My doctorate only required a 3-page resume..............

 

I would be very interested in what you wrote. Our church is starting a building program and we will have a family life center and I believe what you wrote could be a useful tool for our church. Is there any way you can give me a copy of this?

 

Was it that their salvation experience was invalid or there was little or no follow up?

The reason I ask is because I have seen much the same thing in adults who are not followed up and discipled. They are just able to give the right words better. When I was in college the vast majority of students who came to Christ in a church showed little evidence of spiritual growth and at times acted more like the world. But often within a few months of follow up their lives were radically changed.

My daughter came to Christ at the age of four. But she will tell you she is a believer and has known it since that time. When I would talk withj her she would get mad if you tried to challenge her on that. Her salvation experience is real. She shares with her friends about Christ. Sometimes she shares with us about how she wishes some of her friends at school would become Christrians. She is not afraid to show her disagreement in writing and vocally in class. She has debated other students on controversial issues that I see many adults just cower. But she has gone to the homes of believers and non-believers with my wife and I since she was about one year old. She has knocked on doors with us. She sees how it's done.

 

Now, you have me curious. What were your conclusions and what changed your mind about them?

Joseph Botwinick </font>[/QUOTE]I did almost all the research from a secular psychological standpoint and evaluated the ability of children to understand sin/right/wrong prior to puberty and the development of "mental" sin.

Surveyed 2000 students (aged 18-24) in ifb schools. 85% who made a "profession" of faith before puberty had to GET SAVED or GET MAJOR ASSURANCE OF SALVATION from age 13-present.

Conclusion: MOST conversion experiences of pre-pubescent youth are INVALID.

Now, do you see why I'd like to burn all copies . . </font>[/QUOTE]I think I do. Although, I would be interested in knowing what happened to change your mind. Was it because of something you studied later in the Bible? Something else?

Truthfully, I think there might have been some value to your original conclusion. I don't know. I have seen people who have had salvation thrust upon them at such young ages that they end up making basically an emotional decision, and they end up dying on the vine later on. So, I am curious as to what made you change your mind about your conclusions.

Joseph Botwinick

 

Sorry to break into this extended discussion about pre adolesent conversion....

My degree is a D.Min. and the title of my dissertation was "Current Trends in 1980s Fundamentalism." I based the study on a survey of 150 IFB pastors.

 

mioque and pcs1991, sorry I'm late responding. It was pretty expensive to make bound copies, so I only made the required two. My mother has one in her home in Memphis, and the other is in the Mid-America Seminary library in Memphis. I don't have one here in Korea. If you want to see it, you'll have to go to the seminary in Memphis. Wow, I'm thrilled that anyone would want to read it. Oh, it may also be available electronically through other seminaries. I think all the seminaries are connected to a service which shares access to dissertations.

 

I have read that one I think. Some fascinating statistical analysis of the data, and all in all, great bathroom reading, if you are into that kind of stuff

I think Dr. Bob's Baptist History curriculum was required reading when I was in grade school!

To be honest, they both would make the Sealy Sheep tremble in a put people to sleep contest, but hey, I haven't poured my life into any project that much, so I wouldn't dare speak evil of anyone who did. I saw the amount of work that went into Circuitrider's thesis, I think I even remember stuffing some envelopes with surveys and licking stamps (it was the 80's after all)

It would be interesting to read now, and perhaps some of the trends have changed or may have become even more prevelant. Its been a while since I read it.

As far as pre-adolescent conversions, If you look at my wife and I (both grew up in strong IFB families/churches) we are 50/50 I was saved about 5-6, and have never doubted, God has clearly worked in my life and continues to. She prayed a prayer when she was 4, and actually accepted Christ about 16, when she spent a year working up the courage to talk to someone, since she was already "saved"

 

Superdave, my grandpa said he had to read Dr. Bob's history when he was in grade school also.

 

koreahog2005
"It was pretty expensive to make bound copies, so I only made the required two."

[expletive snipped] I think 40 was the required minimum where I graduated.

[ November 24, 2004, 11:05 AM: Message edited by: Dr. Bob ]

 

~~ Although I do not know him personally, this post is for the sole purpose of giving a BIG compliment to Dr. Bob, the wise man on the Baptist Board... although by detecting his sincere, genuine humble spirit, he would probably be the first to say "I do not deverve any compliments... all PRAISE to God!" But, I want to compliment him none-the-less (by the way, I DO NOT know him... just "met him" via this Baptist Board:

1) First, I want to admit/confess that I actually look forward to reading comments written by Dr. Bob! He actually draws me to the board to see what sincrere and intellignet things he has written.

2) After seeing all the Degrees he has, I was not surprised! From his photo (he even looks intelligent) to his posts and comments, he always has a lot to say that is genuine, right on the mark, and helpful.

3) He is always Christian in his posts. He never uses the board as an anonymous was to blast someone, criticize someone, or just be a jerk in general. He, unlike some of us, tries to build up people and help them out in what he says and how he says it. Good for Dr. Bob!

4) Like I said, I do not know Dr. Bob, but I wish I did. As a pastor, it seems that I could also safely say, "Dr. Bob is the kind of person I wish I had a "whole-bunch of" in my church."

5) God Bless Dr. Bob, and praise the Lord for people like him.

6) Bob, are there any posts out there to read more about you? Jsut curious if you have an online resume, etc.

7) Way to go Dr. Bob -- You are a true Believer who lives his faith in what he says and how he says it! Thanks for making the B. Board much better than it would otherwise.

Your brother in Christ,
BLT