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Immigrants: Neighbors Or Strangers? An Analysis On Christian Thought And Immigration, Mariah G. Rivera

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This thesis examines the relationship between Christian thought and perspectives on immigration in the United States, particularly in the context of the current Trump administration, which is focusing heavily on restrictive immigration policies. It explores the historical relationship between religion and government through government commissions, as well as changes in key immigration policies such as the “sensitive locations” guidelines affecting enforcement at and near places of worship. Drawing on biblical scripture, the thesis identifies key themes of loving the stranger, assisting the vulnerable, and obeying governing authorities, all of which inform Christian interpretations of immigration.

Through analysis of national and …

Redefining The Mother Wound: Marianism, The Church, And Communal Mothering In Las Madres: Latinas In The Heartland Who Led Their Family To Success, Maria R. Loya-Pérez

Department of English: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This thesis reconsiders the restrictive role assigned to Mexican mothers that is perpetuated by the Church and Marianism, and how those restrictions are liberated by communal mothering. In examining how a Mexican mother is expected to act based on cultural expectations, I analyze the stories of three real mothers from the familial autobiography Las Madres: Latinas in the Heartland Who Led Their Family to Success. I analyze three mothers, the matriarch Candelaria, her daughter Rafaela, and her daughter Irene to better understand how the Church and Marianism has restricted them based on the experiences of Candelaria. These restrictions when placed …

Introduction To The Journal Of Adventist Youth And Young Adult Ministries, Tracy Wood

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

No abstract provided.

Overview, Steve Case

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

No abstract provided.

Following Jesus: Discipleship For Young People

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

No abstract provided.

Discipleship For Young People, Steve Case

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

No abstract provided.

A Different Starting Point: Youth Discipleship For A New Generation, Rogelio Paquini

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

The process of discipling youth in contemporary society significantly diverges from the approaches utilized in previous generations. The current landscape is characterized by unique challenges, diverse worldviews, and complex relationship dynamics, which collectively create an environment that may be unfamiliar to traditional church discipleship efforts. This paper aims to elucidate the most pertinent elements of discipleship concerning youth and young adults. The analysis presented herein is grounded in a review of contemporary literature and empirical data derived from a survey of young adults regarding their experiences and perspectives on discipleship.

Seeing And Doing: Disciple-Making And Moral Formation In The Gospel Of John, Stephen Yeagley

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

God’s revelation in Jesus Christ both discloses and obligates, presenting an alternate view of reality to be seen and an ethical command to be done. The Gospel of John weaves the motifs of “seeing” and “doing” into a single disciple-making process. It aims to transform a person’s identity, worldview, and understanding of God before inviting ethical emulation. This sequence evokes a moral response, calling disciples to do “just as” Jesus and His Father have done, particularly in love, unity, mission, and otherworldliness. Moral empowerment occurs relationally through a third motif: “dwelling.” Using the metaphors of home, family, and friendship, John …

Divine Attachment As Discipleship: Theology And Practice, Kristina Freed

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

Discipleship is more than obedience and behavior management; it is first and foremost a relationship with God. What kind of relationship? Kaufman hinted that it is an attachment relationship, asserting that God is the ultimate attachment figure. Unfortunately, he did not articulate a theology of attachment. While research in the psychology of religion research has shown that God is perceived as an attachment figure and that He engages in attachment behaviors with humans, a theology of attachment has yet to be developed. This paper offers a theology of divine attachment built upon textual and linguistic evidence. I also suggest a …

Youth Identity Formation And Intergenerational Mentorship, Larry L. Green

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

Youth today face significant challenges in developing a clear and rooted identity, particularly within the context of faith. As cultural, social, and technological influences complicate the process of identity formation, church leaders, mentors, and parents are essential in helping guide youth to form an identity anchored in Christ. This study explores the role of intergenerational mentorship, drawing upon the model of discipleship exemplified by Jesus. It highlights the principles of relational proximity, empowerment through participation, and personalized mentorship. Additionally, the study examines how church-family partnerships strengthen the transmission of faith and offer practical strategies for church leaders to mentor youth …

Discipling Students On Non-Adventist College And University Campuses, Ronald R. Pickell

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

Social science has long demonstrated the importance of faith development in the period of college life. An Adventist faith development process is needed for the spiritual life and faith development of students who attend non-Adventist universities. This paper expands on my previous research on this topic and features the Journey—a series of student Bible study small group experiences. Journey introduces students to the mission and message of Jesus, inviting them to believe in Jesus and follow Him in lifelong discipleship. This small group Bible study series contributes to the discipleship process for students in the unique setting of today’s university …

Discipling The Youth Through Preaching, Rodney Palmer

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

Youth discipleship is crucial for the long-term vitality of the church and the development of the next generation of Christian leaders. However, discipling youth through preaching presents distinct challenges due to the rapid changes and diverse influences that characterize adolescence. This paper will explore how faithful Biblical and Christ-centered preaching can serve as an effective tool for discipling the youth by examining the Biblical basis for youth-focused preaching and strategies to engage and transform young listeners. It will also offer practical recommendations for academicians, administrators, and youth practitioners to tailor their messages for youth discipleship, which will result in fostering …

Let The Little Children Come To Me: A Developmental Discipleship Model, Ben Martin

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

T his paper demonstrates the need for intentional, age-appropriate discipleship. It lays out a model based on developmental research from educators, psychologists, and theologians. This Developmental Discipleship Model provides a holistic approach for children and youth that equips and empowers parents, teachers, ministry leaders, and pastors to work together for the discipleship of the next generation by giving them a framework that reaches across ministry lines.

Mentoring Youth In A Digital World: Integrating Technology For Effective Discipleship, Aundrea Thompson

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

In the digital age, technology significantly impacts the worldview and spiritual lives of youth, creating new challenges and opportunities for discipleship. This paper explores how faith leaders can integrate digital tools like social media, online platforms, and apps into youth mentorship to foster spiritual growth. While technology offers opportunities to engage with youth where they are, it also presents challenges like information overload, distractions, and online misinformation. By adapting Biblical mentoring models to digital spaces, mentors can build authentic relationships, break geographical barriers, and create meaningful, flexible, and creative discipleship experiences. The paper provides strategies for leveraging digital platforms to …

Discipling Pathfinders, John Nebare

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Mentorship And Peer-Led Initiatives In Fostering Spiritual Growth Among Youth, Nelson A. Orkoh

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

T his study explores the role of mentorship and peer-led initiatives in fostering spiritual growth among Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) youth, drawing insights from the epistle of 1 John. Adolescence presents spiritual challenges due to societal pressures, media influences, and peer expectations. The research highlights mentorship as providing spiritual guidance and intergenerational learning, while peer-led initiatives promote mutual encouragement and accountability. The study evaluates program effectiveness, challenges, and solutions using a case study survey approach among 61 Ghanaian SDA youth, ages 15–25. Findings reveal high engagement in mentoring and peer-led church activities. The study recommends structured mentorship programs, leadership training, and …

Discipleship Includes Both Acceptance And Change, Steve Case

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

Discipleship—following Jesus—includes both acceptance and change. Acceptance from Christ transforms the orientation of humans to follow the God who initiates and completes our acceptance. But discipleship also involves change—sometimes radical and sometimes gradual. The transformation that began with acceptance continues with change. An emphasis of one over the other, or worse, ignoring or denying one of these two dynamics, results in a skewed discipleship. Both acceptance and change remain supernatural actions in the God-human relationship of discipleship.

Focus Group: Academicians, Rogelio Paquini, Kristina Freed

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

Facilitated by Rogelio Paquini and Kristina Freed.

Focus Group: Administrators, Nelson Silva, Pedro Perez, Tracy Wood

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

Facilitated by Nelson Silva, Pedro Perez, and Tracy Wood.

Participants included: Cris Cazarine, Exton Clarke, Raul Gonzalez, Roberto Gonzalez, Lamarre Guerrier, Andrew Nugent, Zack Payne, Christian Ponciano, Hector Quinones, Daniel Romanov, Christian Ronalds, Brian Seewaldt, Ron Whitehead, and Tracy Wood.

Focus Group: Practitioners, Ron Pickell, Sonja Cartwright

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

Facilitated by Ron Pickell and Sonja Cartwright.

Participants included: Keith Acker , Pedro Albeiteris, Luis Aviles, Cris Cazarine, Lamarre Guerrier, Zira Lalanzira, Vidal Mendoza, John Nebare, Roldanardy Norelus, Manny Ojeda, Tamara Pierre, Freddy Rodriguez, Eli Rojas Jr., Don Tamayo.

Summary, Steve Case

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Practicing The Way: Be With Jesus, Become Like Him, Do As He Did, By John Mark Comer, Steve Case

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Partnering Church And Home: Discipleship For The Next Generation, By Denise Muir Kjesbo, Shelley Henning, And Luz Gálvez De Figueroa, Nelson Silva

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Imaginative Prayer: A Yearlong Guide For Your Child’S Spiritual Formation, By Jared Patrick Boyd, Steve Case

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

No abstract provided.

Faith Under The Führer: Protestant Pastors In Nazi Germany, Katie Cassady

Senior Honors Theses

This research examines Protestant churches in Nazi Germany and their varied reactions to Hitler’s Third Reich, tracing the Nazi rise to power, the Kirchenkampf (Church Struggle), the Confessing Church’s resistance, and figures like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Martin Niemoller, and Karl Barth. Hitler campaigned on a platform purporting to support religious freedom, but the state-sponsored persecution of Christian churches later revealed such promises as a facade. The Kirchenkampf exemplifies the reactions of Protestant German churches to Hitler’s rule: The German Christian Movement (GCM) endorsed Hitler’s radical racial theories, while the Confessing Church confronted the unbiblical rhetoric used by the GCM.

Addressing The Problem Of Erotica In Fiction From A Christian Standpoint, Elizabeth Burgess

Senior Honors Theses

The body of erotic content embedded in mainstream literature grows by the day, and based on an investigation of its similarities to pornography—which has many documented negative effects—this content warrants caution before interaction. Christian writers and editors are faced with a multifaceted problem when it comes to erotica: they must weigh the risk of harming consumers by participating in its production, and they must discern whether it aligns with the moral demands of the Christian faith when it comes to sexuality. The analysis of biblical frameworks for sexuality, the present literature documenting the negative effects of pornography, and the purpose …

Awe As Signpost: An Argument For The Consistency Of Lewis’S “Joy” And Psychological Awe, Audrey Hendricks

Senior Honors Theses

C.S. Lewis’s Surprised by Joy details Lewis’s autobiographical apologetic for the existence of God through his experiences of “Joy,” a technical term invented by Lewis. Upon close study, his experiences of Joy contain many similarities to psychological awe. This investigation compares Lewis’s Joy with psychological awe using the Awe Experience Scale (AWE-S) to determine consistency. Lewis’s Joy was found to be consistent with all six criteria of the AWE-S in addition to other recognized psychological characteristics of awe. In addition to qualitative consistency, this review also argues for the teleological consistency of the two concepts, contending for a Christian teleological …

Toward An Anthropology Of The Expressive Individual: Reformational Insights Into Emotions, The Heart, And Christian Formation, Isaac Kantola

Senior Honors Theses

Contemporary Western culture is increasingly defined by what theologians and sociologists call “expressive individualism,” driven by an “ethic of authenticity” in which one’s emotions and desires are seen as the primary arbiter of identity and meaning. Responding to this cultural movement, the Church has appropriated the language of desire, happiness, and the affective in its preaching, ministry, and apologetic endeavors. Figures such as John Piper, James K.A. Smith, and Timothy Keller have each, in their own way, sought to contextualize the faith so it may be better understood by a culture obsessed with their longings and therapeutic self-concern. While these …

Spiritual Gentrification Amid The Rise Of Platform Urbanism: "Wanghong Temples" And Emerging Buddhist Cultural Economies In Tianzhu Road, Hangzhou, China, Han Zhang, Junxi Qian, Lily Kong

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

This study scrutinizes how the Tianzhu Road in the Lingyin Community - a peri-urban area in Hangzhou ringed by a cluster of temples that constitutes a distinct spiritual enclave - has been reworked through a two-phase gentrification process driven by the spiritual aesthetics and platform logics. Drawing on a two-month ethnography and media content analysis, this study conceptualizes spiritual gentrification as a spiritual aesthetics and culture-oriented recalibration of urban space in which spiritual elements operate as symbolic capital, attracting culturally motivated entrepreneurs and aligning the spiritual atmosphere with slow-life values as an alternative to urban modernity. In particular, platform urbanism …

Reformational Thought In Three Universities, Derek Schuurman

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

My grandparents, together with other post-WWII Dutch immigrants animated by Kuyperian thinking, immediately began building Christian schools in their new land of Canada. Eventually, they also built Christian universities. Redeemer College was established in 1981, just down the road from the Christian day schools my grandparents helped build.