Religion Commons^™

Validation Of Goals For Pre-Departure Missionary Orientation, Donna M. Worley

Dissertations

Problem

Cross-cultural orientation programs facilitate missionary preparedness. Orientation is more effective if driven by valid and suitable goals determined before methods are selected and programs implemented. This study attempted to identify valid goals for pre-departure programs and develop a framework for selecting them.

Method

The goals of the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Institute for World Mission (IWM) were selected for validation. IWM is a 4-6 week pre-departure orientation program that started in 1966 and had effectively prepared 2,500+ cross-cultural missionaries by 1993. Their goals are broad areas suitable for establishing sub-goals and objectives. The validation process comprised four phases: identification and …

A Study Of The Attitudes Of Seventh-Day Adventist Parents Toward The Support Of Seventh-Day Adventist Church Schools In British Columbia, Johan Haakmat

Dissertations

Problem. Despite the numerical growth of Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) membership and the number of private and parochial schools, there has not been a corresponding increase in student enrollment in Adventist church schools in British Columbia, Canada. This study investigated possible reasons for this trend through a study of the attitudes of church members toward the support of Adventist education in the province.

Method. The data for this study were gathered using the Adventist Education Opinion Survey (Naden, 1987). The sample was SDA church members in British Columbia who provided 498 usable responses that were analyzed by the use of item …

Stages Of Deliberate Teacher Integration Of Faith And Learning : The Development And Empirical Validation Of A Model For Christian Education, Raquel Bouvet Korniejczuk

Dissertations

Problem. Research is lacking on the many ways the integration of faith and learning is accomplished by teachers. The purpose of this study was to develop a model of the process by which teachers integrate faith and learning in the formal curriculum. The model was validated by investigating to what extent the integration of faith and learning was deliberately accomplished by teachers in six Seventh-day Adventist secondary schools located in three South American countries.

Method. A multi-method approach involving questionnaire, interviews, and document analysis was used in order to study the process teachers experience in implementing integration of faith and …

The Signs Of The Parousia: A Diachronic And Comparative Study Of The Apocalyptic Vocabulary Of Matthew 24:27-31, Ki Kon Kim

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to find continuity and discontinuity in the use of the apocalyptic vocabulary in Matt 24:27-31 with that of the apocalyptic literature by tracing its possible literary allusions or parallels.

Chapter 1 states the problems concerning Matt 24:27-31, as well as the purpose and limitation of the study; reviews relevant literature; describes methodology and procedures used; and surveys the ancient sources which witness to the apocalyptic traditions which may be assumed to be related to the passage.

Chapter 2 explores the term "Parousia" in order to grasp the meaning of the Matthean Parousia because it …

Microstructural Analysis Of Revelation 4-11, Ekkehardt Müller

Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to carry out a microstructural analysis of Rev 4-11 which is one of the essential procedures in an accurate exegesis of the Apocalypse.

Chapter 1 of this study deals with the method of analysis. A brief review of literature is presented. The study of modern contributions to the macrostructure and especially to the microstructure of the Apocalypse paves the way for a description of the present investigator's methodology.

The second chapter concentrates on the syntactical display of Rev 4-11. First, a detailed description of sigla and other techniques is given to allow the reader …

Death Before The Sin Of Adam: A Fundamental Concept In Theistic Evolution And Its Implications For Evangelical Theology, Marco T. Terreros

Dissertations

Charles Darwin established theoretically that evolution cannot operate without struggle and death. Therefore, evolution presupposes the presence of death on earth for aeons prior to the appearance of Homo sapiens. This means, for theistic evolution, that a long history of death preceded the appearance of Adam, implying that death is not connected to Adam's sin. The purpose of the dissertation is to discover how this latter notion impacts evangelical theology with respect to the atonement and other areas in terms of possible theological implications.

After reviewing the literature on the topic in chapter 1, the dissertation discusses the historical background …

The Composition Of Tripolar Announcement Stories In The Gospel Of Mark, Hans-Otto Reling

Dissertations

In the Gospel of Mark one finds narratives with three main characters. These stories, which belong to the category of pronouncement stories, I call tripolar pronouncement stories. These narratives have not been recognized, nor has their significance been examined.

I utilize in my study the principles of narrative criticism. Subsequently, I analyze the eight tripolar pronouncement stories of the Gospel of Mark according to the plot, characters, setting, and rhetoric of the story.

The tripolar pronouncement stories that can be identified in the Gospel of Mark are: (1) Mark 2:1-12 (The Healing of the Paralytic), (2) Mark 2:15-17 (Jesus' Company …

The Sodom/Egypt/Babylon Motif In The Book Of Revelation, Edwin Earl Reynolds

Dissertations

This study observes in the book of Revelation the motif of a Great City which was variously characterized as Sodom, Egypt, and Babylon. It sets out to determine the significance of this characterization by tracing the Sodom, Egypt, and Babylon traditions in the OT, the NT, and the relevant extrabiblical literature. Then it seeks to learn how John used the motif throughout the book of Revelation and to understand the implications of the motif for John's theology.

Chapter 1 is an introduction to the dissertation, to the book of Revelation, and to the literature relevant to the dissertation.

Chapter 2 …

A Psychoanalytic And Archetypal Examination Of Two Seminal Dreams And Visions Of Ellen G. White, Dennis E. Waite

Dissertations

This study is a psychological examination of the earliest dreams and visions of Ellen G. Harmon (more commonly known by her married name Ellen G. White), a 19th century prophetess and founding leader of the Seventh-day Adventist church. The following two questions were addressed: (1) What effects did Mrs. White’s dreams and visions have upon her resolution of childhood emotional or developmental conflicts? and (2) In what way do Mrs. White’s early religious experiences clarify the role of religious experience in individual psychological and emotional development?

Two dreams and two visions were selected for analysis by two methods of dream …

The Correlation Of Personality Factors With Spiritual Gifts Clusters, Soo Dong Choi

Dissertations

Problem. Research had been undertaken to investigate the possible correlation between temperaments and spiritual gifts, and psychological types and spiritual gifts, but fewer correlations than anticipated were identified.

The purpose of this study was to explore hypothetical predictive models regarding the correlation between 16 personality factors and five spiritual gifts clusters.

Method. Two instruments were used to measure personality factors and spiritual gifts clusters: The Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16 PF) and the New Spiritual Gifts Inventory (NSGI). 840 subjects were included in this study--students and their spouses of the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, Berrien Springs, Michigan, and undergraduate students …

Apostolic Succession In The Writings Of Yves Congar And Oscar Cullmann, Carlos Alfredo Steger

Dissertations

Since its first explicit enunciation by the end of the second century, apostolic succession has been considered as one of the basic components of the church's apostolicity. As history shows, however, there have been different views on the nature and function of apostolic succession. Moreover, its legitimacy and normativeness have been challenged, particularly since the sixteenth century onwards. In our century, fairly established confessional positions have been reexamined in the light of new theological perspectives, as is evident in the documents produced by the ecumenical movement.

The purpose of this research was to set forth, analyze, compare, and evaluate Yves …

William Clarence (W. C.) White: His Relationship To Ellen G. White And Her Work, Jerry Moon

Dissertations

The topic. William Clarence White (1854-1937), third son of Seventh-day Adventist founders James and Ellen G. White, was for thirty-four years his mother's counselor, editor, and spokesman. He was alleged by some to stand in a manipulative relationship to his mother and her work, a charge she denied.

The purpose. The purpose of the study was to describe, analyze, and evaluate W. C. White's relationship to his mother and her work during her lifetime. This purpose required the development of a partial biographical sketch of W. C. White as a context for understanding his relationship to his mother.

The sources. …

An Investigation Of The Chronology Of Daniel 9:24-27, Brempong Owusu-Antwi

Dissertations

This study attempted to investigate the chronological issues of Dan 9:24-27. Its main objective was to provide an interpretation based on textual, linguistic, literary, grammatical-syntactical, structural, and contextual study of the major terms and expressions in Dan 9:24-27.

Chapter 1 surveys the chronological interpretations of Dan 9:24-27. Four major schools of interpretation emerged (Historicist-Messianic Interpretation, Historical-Critical Interpretation, Futurist-Dispensational Interpretation, Historical-Critical Interpretation, Futurist-Dispensational Interpretation, and Symbolic-Amillennialist Interpretation) under the main categories of continuous and noncontinuous interpretations. Major chronological issues emerged from these interpretations and set the stage for this study.

Chapter 2 examines major Hebrew expressions and terms that affect chronology …

The Empirical Development Of A Curriculum In Sports Acrobatics And Spiritual Witnessing, Robert U. Kalua

Dissertations

Problem. The purpose of this project was to develop empirically a curriculum to assist Seventh-day Adventist sports acrobatic coaches, physical education instructors, physical education majors and minors to integrate spiritual witnessing concepts into their acrobatics programs.

Method. The developmental process of Baker and Schutz (1971) was used to produce and validate the instructional product. First, the content of a curriculum to train Seventh-day Adventist coaches was identified through an examination of acro-gymnastic and witnessing literature.

The materials were divided into instructional units, arranged in a logical sequence, and introduced with behavioral objectives. It was established that the product would be …

The Concept Of God And Sacred Music Style : An Intercultural Exploration Of Divine Transcendence/Immanence As A Stylistic Determinant For Worship Music With Paradigmatic Implications For The Contemporary Christian Context, Wolfgang Hans Stefani

Dissertations

Problems. The conscious conservation of religious music style in most cultures contrasts with the stylistic pluralism of Western Christian worship music. This study addressed the problem of decision making within the diversity of music available for Christian worship.

Purpose of the Study. The study's purpose was to explore a core aspect of worldview concerning the nature of ultimate reality--the concept of divine transcendence/immanence--as a transcultural determinant of sacred music style. The focus was the music rather than associated lyrics.

Methodology and Sources. This interdisciplinary study followed a philosophical approach to develop a theoretical paradigm. Documentary research from the …

The Empirical Development Of A College Curriculum Of The Epistle To The Galatians, Dragutin Matak

Dissertations

Problem. Seventh-day Adventist adolescents need a clear understanding of the gospel which provides the assurance of salvation. Since in Seventh-day Adventist colleges there is no curriculum for the Epistle to the Galatians, this study was intended to provide college religion students with the opportunity to understand cognitively and to apply experientially the claims of the gospel as presented in Galatians.

Method. The basic philosophy of the learning approach utilized in this study was that a curriculum is more than a blueprint for educational planning. In Christian education, curriculum is a bridge between theory and practice in the cognitive, affective …

A Model For Ministry Of Church Elders In The Inca Union Of Seventh-Day Adventists, Luis Miguel Luna

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this research was to elucidate the ministry of lay elders as it is suggested in the New Testament and to construct a model for the ministry of local church elders in the Inca Union Mission.

Method. This study was documentary and theological. The primary source was the New Testament, specifically the gospels, the book of Acts, and the epistles. Secondary literature was employed to support the biblical findings of the elders' tasks.

Conclusions. In harmony with the teaching of the Scriptures regarding early church organization and leadership, elders are selected by the local church and ordained …

Information Essential For Accountability And Planning As Identified By Board Chairs And Principals Of Seventh-Day Adventist Secondary Schools, James R. Nash

Dissertations

Problem

Particularly during the 1980s and 1990s, Seventh-day Adventist secondary schools have been facing problems with enrollments and finances. The purpose of this research was to identify those elements of information and data that the board chairs and principals of United States Seventh-day Adventist secondary schools determined would provide, if gathered and organized, the foundation for school personnel accountability and planning.

Method

The population consisted of the board chairs and principals of SDA secondary schools located in the continental United States. A questionnaire was developed, piloted by a panel of judges, and sent to each of the 78 principals and …

An Organizational Model For A Coordinated Program Of Music Ministry For The Seventh-Day Adventist Church In North American And Europe, Raimo J. Lehtinen

Dissertations

Problem. Initiating work in the coordination of church music activities has been undertaken in the North American and European portions of the world-wide organization of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. There was a need to develop a comprehensive model of music ministry which the Church could utilize when further steps in the advancement of organized music programs will be taken.

Method. In the process of creating the philosophical rationale for the model a descriptive method was used. Adventist literature on music ministry was reviewed, analyzed, and compared with the basic themes of Johansson's contrapuntal design (1984). In thedevelopment of the rest …

The Seventh-Day Adventist Adult Sabbath School: Its Purpose As Described And Perceived, Sherman Mccormick

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

An Investigation Of The Effectiveness Of Training In The Utilization Of Spiritual Gifts In The Personal Ministries Of Ontario Seventh-Day Adventists, Fitzroy S. Maitland

Dissertations

Problem. The New Testament indicates that spiritual gifts occupy a crucial function in the life and growth of the church. No known empirical study has measured the effectiveness of nurture and training for gift implementation. This study was designed to investigate behavioral change in awareness and use of spiritual gifts by Seventh-day Adventist members.

Methodology. The New spiritual Gifts Inventory (NSGI) was used to identify awareness of giftedness in five clusters--Teaching, Shepherding-Evangelizing, Supporting, Counseling, and Leadership. An Activity Inventory was developed for the study with 20 activity questions corresponding to the NSGI. The following statistical designs were used to analyze …

An Exploratory Study Of The Aims And Methods Of Family Worship In The Seventh-Day Adventist Church, L. Edgel Phillips

Dissertations

Problem

The Adventist Church places a high value on family worship yet less than 50 percent of those surveyed indicated that the observance was practiced. It was posited that an investigation of the aims and methods of family worship might provide a partial answer to this phenomenon. This present study was to determine the underlying dimensions of the aims and methods of family worship and to discover which methods have a significant correlation with the aims of family worship.

Method

An instrument was developed for collecting data from individual members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church who reside in the geographic …

A Study Of Religious Attitudes And Problems As Perceived By Current And Former Seventh-Day Adventist Students At Seventh-Day Adventist Mission Secondary Schools In Hong Kong, Daniel Gim-Teng Chuah

Dissertations

Problem. In spite of the combined efforts of both the local churches and the schools, the church attendance of Seventh-day Adventist adolescents has been low. This present study was to identify the religious attitudes of current Adventist students and Adventist alumni of all Adventist mission secondary schools in Hong Kong and to determine the relationship of these attitudes to other selected variables such as Bible classes, spiritual assemblies, church services and activities, doctrinal beliefs, relationships with parents, teachers, and pastors, their own self-concepts, and peer and media influences. This study sought to relate also the attitudes with 14 background variables …

An Investigation Of Dispensational Premillennialism: An Analysis And Evaluation Of The Eschatology Of John F. Walvoord, David P. Gullón

Dissertations

This study presents a historical and theological inquiry of one of the most influential eschatological views in America's evangelical and premillennial fundamentalist circles: dispensational premillennialism.

My objective is threefold: (1) to survey the main factors that contributed to the rise of dispensational premillennialism, (2) to evaluate its claims to the historical and theological roots, and (3) to portray and to assess the eschatology ofthis system as it has been enunciated by John F. Walvoord.

To achieve these purposes, after a brief introductory chapter, we begin in chapter 2 by showing the development of premillennialismsince the days of the early church …

The Use Of Nśʼ In The Pentateuch And Its Contribution To The Concept Of Forgiveness, Gudmundur Olafsson

Dissertations

This study investigated the use of the root nśʼ in the Pentateuch in an attempt to discover its semantic relationship to the concept of forgiveness. Survey of the available literature revealed a near vacuum in this area, apart from a couple of careful but brief treatments. Other studies were either very cursory or only partially relevant to the present study. Most writers tend to relegate the concept of forgiveness to the derived meaning of "remove" without substantiating it exegetically.

Cognate languages affirmed the existence of the root and its range of meanings. The widest range of meanings and closest affinity …

The Eschatological Judgment In Job 19:21-29 : An Exegetical Study, Gordon E. Christo

Dissertations

Practically all scholars today acknowledge the juridical features of the book of Job. The purpose of this study is to identify the legal event that Job is understood to believe would take place in the eschaton.

Chapter 1 first analyzes the significance of the place of our passage in the structure of the book. Job 19 is found to be the center of a structurally balanced composition. Further study of structure reveals that v s s . 25-27b can be viewed as: (1) the heart of the chiasm in 19:21-29, (2) the node of that speech, and (3) a pivot …

Effects Of Adventist Engaged Encounter On Role Expectations And Growth In Premarital Relations, Jeffrey O. Brown

Dissertations

Problem. There is a growing concern in present society over what have come to be known as 'family values.' At the heart of these values lies marriage, and the erosion of this ancient institution has caused practitioners and researchers alike to focus on possible opportunities afforded by premarital intervention. With the proliferation of enrichment programs, there is a need in the church for an evaluation of Adventist Engaged Encounter (AEE), the largest group premarital intervention program in the Seventh-day Adventist denomination, especially as it relates to two of its primary foci: role expectations and growth.

Method. Demographic details were obtained …

Spiritual Care Given By Nurses And Spiritual Well-Being Of Terminally Ill Cancer Patients, Patricia Sanders Broten

Dissertations

The purposes of this study were to explore: (1) cancer patients' perceptions of spiritual care given by nurses, (2) the documentation on records of the provision of care, and (3) the relationship of spiritual care provided to the spiritual well-being of patients.

Forty terminally ill cancer patients hospitalized on oncology units at three medical centers were surveyed about the nature and scope of spiritual care provided by nurses and others, and their perceptions of their spiritual well-being. Data were collected by trained registered nurses who administered two questionnaires to which patients responded orally.

The following is the list of spiritual …

The Empirical Development Of An Instructional Product For The Training Of Seventh-Day Adventist Literature Evangelists, Randy C. Horning

Dissertations

Problem. This study addressed the training needs of SDA literature evangelists through an empirically developed curriculum.

Method. The instructional product development method of Baker and Schutz (1971) served as the basis for this research. After the need for the product was established, a series of behavioral objectives was written. The criteria for evaluation of the behavioral objectives were obtained from current sales literature as it applied to the work of literature evangelists. Additionally, a study of training literature was reviewed for methods to increase the effectiveness of the training seminar. The curriculum was presented in the form of a …

The Definition And Function Of Markan Intercalation As Illustrated In A Narrative Analysis Of Six Passages, Tom Shepherd

Dissertations

Intercalation of stories is a stylistic feature of the Gospel of Mark which has been recognized in scholarly research since the early twentieth century. However, two problems have not been satisfactorily solved in relation to intercalation in Mark. The first is obtaining a focused definition of this storytelling pattern. The second is to explain its function in the Markan story.

The purpose of the current research was to resolve these two questions by a narrative analysis of six passages commonly accepted as illustrating intercalation. The six passages are Mark 3:20-35; 5:21-43; 6;7-32; 11:12-25; 14:1-11; and 14:53-72. These passages were each …