Date of Award

Spring 2022

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

College

Barnett College of Ministry & Theology

Department

Department of Christian Ministries and Religion

Primary Advisor

Dr. Jim P. Vigil

Second Advisor

Dr. Michael Hare

Third Advisor

Dr. Samuel Hemby

Abstract

Church conflict is increasingly at the forefront of denominations as they suffer internal and external conflict. The need to develop a better perspective and manage relationships in church conflict may depend on the church’s theology. The research of this project seeks to establish a pneumatological theology in dialogue with family systems theory and Christological philosophy of church conflict. The theology of church conflict is divided into four sections: reason, experience, history, and scripture. The Christological philosophy centers on Jesus’ conflicts as every passage in the book of Luke is examined through the lens of conflict. A contextually transferrable Spirit-empowered theology and Christological philosophy of church conflict may benefit those in the pastorate who often deal with congregational conflict and the perspective they carry while managing conflict. Pastors who had attended a seminar in which the theology and philosophy were taught were surveyed. An evaluation was made to assess if the theology and philosophy of church conflict help change the perspectives of church conflict in pastors as they experience conflict in their local congregations and ministries. The theology and philosophy of church conflict may help pastors outlive, outlast, and outlove in church conflict.

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