A Comparison: The Islamic Revolution of 1979 and Iran's Green Movement of 2009

In the summer of 2009 thousands of voices combined as Iranians, young and old, cried out in reaction to the presidential election from their rooftops—"Marg Bar Dictator" (death to the dictator) and "Allahu Akbar" (God is great). In the weeks following President Ahmadinejad‟s "victory", voices from the rooftops of Tehran and other major Iranian cities reverberated with revolutionary phrases that had not been heard in almost thirty years. This widespread civil disobedience, along with the daily demonstrations taking place on the street, signaled the Iranian people‟s challenge of the Islamic government.But after months of mass protests, why was there no political change after the 2009 Iranian presidential election? Why did the demonstrations that had up to 3 million protestors stop while in 1979 similar dissent developed into a revolutionary movement? These questions will be addressed by comparing four significant variables common to both the 1979 Revolution and the 2009 Green Movement; international pressure, internal pressure, strength of opposition, and governmental tactics used against the opposition. The analysis of these variables will illuminate the similarities and differences between 1979 and 2009 and examine under what conditions a political opposition movement could be successful in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The simple fact that Iranians were yelling from the rooftops like they did 30 years ago against the Shah, demonstrates they have not forgotten about the Islamic Revolution of 1979. And they have certainly not forgotten about the outcome—the capture of the political movement, which began as a democratic process, by Islamic extremists. The Iranian people eager to rid themselves of an autocratic government, but realize true regime change takes time. Iranians today have learned the lessons of the 1979 Revolution

The First Translation of the Bible Among Indigenous Islamic Peoples Using a Mediating Approach

Bible translators among indigenous, Islamic people groups face difficult decisions when translating key biblical terms. Translators may use a word-for-word approach which can leave the reader with little meaning or the wrong meaning. Others attempt to use Islamic idioms which can blur the meaning or reinforce Islamic beliefs. A corresponding analogy can be observed in Bible translation spectrums which demonstrate formal equivalence on one side and functional equivalence on the other. For first-time translation work among these indigenous, Islamic people groups, I suggest using a mediating approach. In chapter 1 of this dissertation, I begin by examining the country where I have lived many years, and evaluate the amount of Christian influence present today. I also briefly analyze a unique language hierarchy that heavily influences the translation process. Translation teams evaluate this information so they can better understand the audience for whom they are translating. Chapter 2 presents a brief history of English Bible translations and how the translators balanced between form and meaning. I examine Bible translation spectrums and the theories behind essentially literal, highly paraphrastic, and mediating translations. Chapter 3 considers two essential concepts which affect the entire translation process. The first idea is the importance of a balanced contextualization approach in translation. In David Hesselgrave’s work, he outlines crucial aspects of contextualization which influence Bible translation. The second concept looks at Ernst-August Gutt’s work on relevance theory and the implications for Bible translators. Chapter 4 presents a new rubric that combines John Travis’s CP model and the United Bible Societies’ Greek New Testament grade-scale for variants. This rubric allows translators among indigenous, Islamic people to test their key biblical terms more objectively to determine where their translation falls on a Bible translation spectrum. Chapter 5 utilizes several indigenous words in the rubric in order to demonstrate how one may visualize key biblical terms and the benefits of a mediation approach. Chapter 6 concludes the dissertation

Business as Mission: The Effective Use Of Tentmaking In North Africa

The author of this dissertation requested and received permission for the author's name to be redacted.Marketplace Ministries, specifically BAM and tentmaking, can be used in North Africa to effectively share the gospel in culturally impacting ways. Chapter 1 introduces the concept of BAM by presenting various definitions of BAM and finding a desirable definition for the purpose of this study. After finding a satisfactory definition for BAM, marketplace ministries are discussed and a suitable framework is developed for the use of tentmakers. The chapter reviews the relevant literature related to the practices and ministries of BAM and tentmaking. Chapter 2 examines the biblical and historical basis of BAM and tentmaking as effective strategies for reaching the lost. Old Testament principles are established for the use of marketplace ministries and the lives and work of Paul, Priscilla, and Aquila are examined as examples of those who used business to carry out ministry. Lastly, some historical flashpoints of missionaries and missionary enterprises that used business to carry out their missionary task are given. Chapter 3 examines some of the contemporary issues related to the practice of BAM and tentmaking especially as it relates to a mission structure such as the IMB. I give three criteria for tentmakers that must be exhibited to be effective; identity, integrity, and intentionality. Patrick Lai's continuum for tentmakers is discussed and evaluated based on those criteria. Chapter 4 delves specifically into tentmaking and the role of the IMB from Richmond to North Africa. Interviews were conducted with key leaders in Richmond VA, London, England, and North Africa. A survey was developed, distributed, and evaluated among missionaries in North Africa with the IMB. The survey is delimited to IMB personnel with the dual purpose of establishing a baseline for how tentmaking can be used in organizational structures and to see what needs IMB personnel are experiencing as they work on the field. Questions are answered that were raised as a result of practitioners dealing honestly with identity, integrity, and intentionality on the field. Chapter 5 examines the paradigm shifts necessary to make BAM and tentmaking viable in today's world of CAN/RANs. Discussion centers in the areas of missionary selection, education, training, and the funding of tentmakers and their platforms. For tentmaking to be effective in nations hostile to the gospel, shifts will have to be made in the areas of supervision, policy, and strategy

Reinventing the Looking Glass: Developing a Canadian Foreign Intelligence Service

Should Canada create its own foreign intelligence service? This paper will explore this issue in five stages. First, a brief examination of Canada’s intelligence history will discuss how Canada has engaged in espionage and examine why it has failed to establish a foreign intelligence service. Second, the thesis will delineate Canada’s foreign intelligence community, the major collectors of foreign intelligence, and assess foreign intelligence support for United Nations peacekeeping. The third stage of the examination will be a critical analysis of Canada’s intelligence capabilities. This will lead to the fourth stage, the debate over whether Canada needs a foreign intelligence service. Fifth, the method will be suggested for creating a Canadian secret service as well as reforming Canada’s intelligence infrastructure and the Canadian Forces Information Operations doctrine