Religion Commons^™

A Study Of Parental Attitudes Regarding Secondary Boarding Schools Of The Mid-America Union Of Seventh-Day Adventists, Lawrence Gilbert Kromann

Dissertations

Problem. One of the challenging problems of SDA education in North America is the possible trend of declining enrollment of boarding academies, which have been the mainstay of the SDA secondary school system. It was the purpose of this study to determine if a relationship existed between the declining enrollment and parental attitudes concerning the boarding academies.

Method. A five-page Likert-type scale survey was used to gather information from randomly selected parents of high-school-age students in the Mid-America Union. Seven sub-hypotheses were used to test the major hypothesis which stated there would be a significant relationship between declining boarding school …

A Second Chance For Christian Education: Strategies For A New Approach To Christian Education In Nigeria In View Of The Current Search For Educational Relevance, Silvanus Ndukuba Chioma

Dissertations

Problem. Despite the tremendous educational achievements in Nigeria since the launching of the National Policy on Education in 1977, many Nigerians have continued to call for the restoration of mission-operated private schools. This study set out to establish the role of religion in present-day education in Nigeria and to explore ways in which the aims of Christian education could be achieved in addition to the formal school setting.

Summary and Conclusions. Utilizing the historical documentary research method, the study reviewed Nigeria's educational history from 1845 to 1980 in the light of the country's cultural, religious (Muslim and Christian), and political …

Christian-Buddhist Dialogue In The Writings Of Lynn A. De Silva, Tissa Brian De Alwis

Dissertations

This dissertation studies the theological implications of inter-religious dialogue that call for resolution from the Christian standpoint, the Christian self-understanding in religiously plural context, and the essentials of authentic inter-religious dialogue by an analysis and evaluation of Lynn A. de Silva's dialogue with Sri Lankan Buddhism. Chapter I surveys the historical factors which heightened the encounter between the religions and describes the background from which De Silva's theology emerged. Developments in the debate on inter-religious dialogue in missionary conferences in Asia and in the World Council o f Churches reveal the confrontation between Asian and European theologies. It is shown …

Typological Structures In The Old And New Testaments, Richard M. Davidson

Dissertations

This dissertation seeks to ascertain the nature of biblical typology by allowing its conceptual structures to emerge from within Scripture through a semasiological analysis of the term τύπος and NT cognates and an exegetical investigation of NT hermeneutical τύπος passages.

In the first chapter the stage is set for the study with a survey of the twentieth century discussion of biblical typology, placed against the backdrop of a concise overview of typological interpretation in preceding centuries. Several leading trends emerge from the survey—the traditional understanding of biblical typology (with three main strands), a post-critical neo-typology (with two major traditions), and …

Justification And Merit: The Interpretation And Evaluation Of The Concept Of Merit In Modern Catholic Theology In Relation To Luther's Doctrine Of Justification, Johann Heinz

Dissertations

The teaching of justification of the sinner soley by faith is the "heart" of the Reformation. Martin Luther viewed it as the"main teaching" of Christianity and demonstrated this assertion by the concepts of the sole agency of God and of the consecutive character of good works. Since he could concede neither the co-operation of man nor the "final character of works" (meaning works achieved with an ultimate end in view), his struggle was mainly against the Church's traditional doctrine of merit.

Catholic theology, however, refused to follow the Reformer in this radical break with tradition. When about a decade after …

Poor And Rich In The Epistle Of James: A Socio-Historical And Exegetical Study, Pedrito U. Maynard-Reid

Dissertations

This investigation attempts to break further away from the parochialism in dealing with the Epistle of James--moving away from the purely literary and theological orientation, and paying more attention to the social milieu out of which the document arose and how the ethos of the community impinged upon the thought of the writer.

Socially oriented studies in NT scholarship are not new. Since the 1930s, however, this emphasis has been largely neglected until its recent revival. Chapter I shows that the greatest problem with social orientation in NT studies is finding a satisfactory method. The majority of scholars who are …

The Concept Of Character In The Apocalypse With Implications For Character Education, Beatrice S. Neall

Dissertations

Problem and Purpose

In the educational world of the 80s there is a renewed interest in moral education after nearly half a century of neglect. However, since most moral philosophers reject the teaching of objective moral values in favor of subjectivity, Christian educators have felt the need to restate the principles of character education to harmonize with biblical truth. This study analyzes the concept of character in the Apocalypse against a background of humanistic philosophy originating in Plato and Aristotle, noting in each system the concepts regarding the norm of character, the nature of man, the nature of good and …

The Ethical Dimension Of Personal Knowledge, David O. Jenkins

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Needs Assessment Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Theological Seminary's Master Of Divinity Program As Perceived By The Graduates, Faculty, Students, And Employers Of Graduates, Edward L. Dower

Dissertations

Problem. There is a lack of current data by which to evaluate how well the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary's Master of Divinity program prepares its graduates for the actual practice of ministry. The purpose of this study was to: (1) collect data from selected groups regarding how well in their perception graduates are prepared in specific areas and what they perceive ministers need or use most in their daily work, (2) compare the perceived preparation with the perceived need to identify areas of curricular need, (3) summarize the suggestions made by those surveyed, and (4) make recommendations regarding the ministerial …

A Conceptual Model For The Professional Practice Of Seventh-Day Adventist Educational Administration Based On The Proclamations Of The Three Angels Of Revelation 14, Rilla Taylor

Dissertations

Problem. Since the Seventh-day Adventist administrator must define a suitable mode of practice, the question must be addressed; does the Seventh-day Adventist religion require a distinctive mode of practice or simply suggest a characteristic approach to a common mode of practice?

Method. While the Seventh-day Adventists share many beliefs in common with all Christians, their most distinctive belief is found in the messages of three angels described in Revelation 14:6-12. Therefore, these messages are examined to determine whether or not they contain concepts which lead to a characteristic mode of administrative practice. Firstly, the three angels' messages are …

An Investigation Of The Relationship Between Religiosity, Amount Of Exposure To Seventh-Day Adventist Parochial Education And Other Selected Variables Among Seventh-Day Adventist Secondary Students In Sao Paulo, Brazil, Eliseu Nevil Menegusso

Dissertations

Problem. This study investigated whether the express purpose of Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) education, (the transmission of the SDA religious heritage) is being fulfilled. It was based on the relationship between five dimensions of religiosity (the criterion variables), the amount of exposure to SDA education, and other selected variables such as age, sex, scholastic achievement, home religious practices, religious affiliation and marital status of the subjects' parents (the predictors). Eleven hypotheses were tested. The first five were concerned with the relationship between the combination of the dimension and the combination of the predictors; the sixth with the relationship between the combination …

Teaching The Bible To Black Africans : (Toward A Methodological Approach To Bible Teaching Applied To The Beti Tribes Of South-Cameroon), Joseph Nkou

Dissertations

Problem. This study is concerned with methods of teaching the Bible in Black Africa and particularly among the Beti tribes of South Cameroon. The Gospel message has been brought to the Beti people through the ministry of Western instructors. Some have claimed their teaching to be irrelevant to the Africans. It appeared necessary, then, to find out in what way that teaching was irrelevant to Beti people and to suggest positive methods which could be applied in order to facilitate the Beti grasp of the Christian message and, consequently, to predispose them to a full and inner acceptance o f …

Development Of A Rationale And Methodology For The College-Level Religion Course "Life And Teachings Of Jesus", Loron T. Wade

Dissertations

In this developmental study, basic principles of curriculum development were utilized to prepare a rationale and teaching guide for a college-level religion course "Life and Teachings of Jesus."

In formulating the rationale for the course, current theories of learning and moral development were reviewed together with ideas drawn from Scripture and other sources. The rationale that was developed called for establishing clear objectives while recognizing that some of the most important goals of religious instruction may not be objectively or immediately verifiable. It calls for giving the student an active role in the instructional process, for stimulating his/her faculties for …

Horn-Motifs In The Hebrew Bible And Related Ancient Near Eastern Literature And Iconography, Margit Linnéa Süring

Dissertations

This investigation studies the presence of the horn-motifs on a philological, literary, and iconographical basis in both the ancient Near Eastern context and the Hebrew Bible.

The first chapter is devoted to a review of prior studies, particularly in the twentieth century. Throughout almost all this century, the "history-of-religion" school and the "form-critical" school have taken the lead in archaeological and biblical interpretations. New trends of interpretation developed in the late 1960s on some aspects due to the scientifically and systematically improved archaeological approach. Prior individual studies focusing on fragmentary aspects did not sufficiently elucidate the horn-motif. A comprehensive study …

The Doctrine Of The Sanctuary In The Seventh-Day Adventist Church: Three Approaches, Roy Adams

Dissertations

This investigation studies the Adventist theology of the sanctuary as it found expression in the writings of Uriah Smith (1832-1903), Albion Fox Ballenger (1861-1921), and Milian Lauritz Andreasen (1876-1962).

Not only does the selection of these three figures make it possible to deal with the subject of the sanctuary, but it also provides a good opportunity to observe certain important developments in the understanding of the sanctuary doctrine within the Adventist church, because of the strategic place each figure occupied in Adventism, historically and theologically. The study attempts not only to describe the sanctuary theology of the three figures, but …

Selected Personality And Motivation Variables Related To Behavioral Commitment To Certain Health Teachings Of Seventh-Day Adventists, Ronald Edwin Ruskjer

Dissertations

Problem. Seventh-day Adventists teach that the practice of certain health habits is essential to optimum spiritual nurture. It is commonly known, however, that a number of Seventh-day Adventist church members fail to practice one or more of these habits. This is a matter of crucial concern to dedicated Adventists in general and health- and faith-professionals of the Adventist persuasion in particular. This investigation was undertaken in order to help such Adventists better understand the phenomenon of health-habit practice. It was the purpose of the present study to discover certain relationships that may exist between the practice of health habits on …

Major Contextual Dimensions And Dynamic Factors In The Transmission Of The Judeo-Christian Religious Heritage According To Selected Writings Of Ellen G. White, Juan Navarro

Dissertations

Purpose. Christianity claims to have directly received by revelation from God a body of knowledge which has been preserved, developed, and handed down through generations. The purpose of this study was to determine what, according to Ellen White, are the major contextual dimensions in the transmission of this religious heritage and the dynamic factors involved in the process.

Method. The approach to this documentary study consisted of (1) carefully reading selected writings of White and collecting every statement related to the investigation; (2) logically arranging the information gathered; and (3) analyzing, interpreting, synthesizing, and presenting the findings in an expository …

A Study Of The Duties Of The Elders Of Local Seventh-Day Adventist Churches In Chile: A Needs Assessment, Rolando A. Itin

Dissertations

Problem. Many Seventh-day Adventist churches in Chile, South America, do not have the assistance of a resident pastor, and most of the work in the church is done by volunteer lay leaders. The highest officer of the church is the elder, who usually has no training in leadership nor in theology. What is the work of the elder of the local church? How well is he performing his tasks? No specific study of this problem was found in the literature, and because the elders in Chile appeared to be eager and willing to be trained, this study was designed to …

The Apocalyptic "Son Of Man" In Daniel 7, Arthur J. Ferch

Dissertations

This investigation studies the identity and nature of the manlike figure in Dan 7:13-14 (hereafter referred to as SM). In the first chapter we reviewed the interpretations of the SM in Jewish and Christian literature since the beginning of the second century of our era and noted that with the exception of the seventeenth century study by Carpzov, discussion of the Danielic figure was limited to passing comments. Throughout this period the SM was interpreted mainly messianically or christologically. During the nineteenth century more substantial inquiries attempted to find answers to the identity and nature of the manlike being primarily …

The Relationship Between Internal-External Locus Of Control And Evangelistic Success As Evidenced By A Selected Group Of Ministers In The Caribbean Union Conference Of Seventh-Day Adventists, Kembleton S. Wiggins

Dissertations

Problem. There was a need to know whether or not there is a relationship between locus of control and success in Seventh-day Adventist evangelism. It was expected that empirical data about the relationship would assist in the planning of a more effective curriculum for the training of ministers at Caribbean Union College, Trinidad, West Indies. The purpose was to investigate interrelations among the following: (a) evangelistic results, (b) locus of control, (c) years in the ministry, (d) attendance/non-attendance at a field-school of evangelism, (e) years of post-high-school ministerial education, and (f) field experience with a successful evangelist. The researcher …

Substitution In The Hebrew Cultus And In Cultic-Related Texts, Angel Manuel Rodriguez

Dissertations

This dissertation attempts to investigate the presence, function, and meaning of the idea of sacrificial substitution in the Hebrew cultus. The interpretation of the OT sacrifices in terms of sacrificial substitution has been questioned and rejected by a great number of scholars. They have argued that such an understanding cannot be supported by the biblical text or by ancient Near Eastern religious practices.

In this study the ancient Near Eastern texts are first investigated in order to highlight to what degree and where the essential elements of the idea of substitution are present in them. We discuss next the cultic …

The Classification Of The Greek Manuscripts Of The Epistle Of James, Joel D. Awoniyi

Dissertations

Although a significant number of the Greek manuscripts of the Epistles of I and II Peter, I, II, and III John, and Jude have recently received long overdue classification, only a very few Greek manuscripts of the Epistle of James have been given comparable treatment.

In this dissertation, we have sought to rectify this situation by classifying 86 Greek manuscripts of the Epistle of James – primarily according to their phonetic relationships and only secondarily according to their text-types.

In order to accomplish this, we have made use of new computer methods.

In a recent dissertation on the classification of …

Galatians As Dialogical Response To Opponents, Bernard Hungerford Brinsmead

Dissertations

This thesis seeks to discover the center of Galatians, its unique theological statement, by approaching the question from the perspective of the dialogical nature of the letter as a piece of literature, and the theology of the opponents with which it is dialogical. The context of a piece of literature is essential to its being understood. When a letter is as obviously disputative as is Galatians, a vital part of that context must be the opponents who have called it forth. The review of literature reveals that the identity of the opponents in Galatia remains "problematic." Two things in particular …

A Study Of The Implications Of The Piagetian Theory Of Moral Development For Seventh-Day Adventist Schools : Based On A Comparison Of Selected Schools In Hong Kong, Michigan And Indiana, Edward Han Ho

Dissertations

Problem. The Seventh-day Adventist Church is losing a great number of youth. The unfavorable attitudes on the part of many youth toward god's commandments are thought to have been partially responsible for this apostasy phenomenon.

Method. This study was designed to find out whether the Piagetian theory of moral judgment development can give some insight into this problem and its solution. Two Piagetian paired-stories sets were used to test children's moral judgment. Chi Square tests were employed to analyze data. The following hypotheses were tested:

1. There will be no differences between the various age levels in the way American …

Implications Of Selected Curricular Determinants For Seventh-Day Adventist Graduate Theological Education In The South American Division, Nancy J. Vyhmeister

Dissertations

Problem. The South American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is studying the possibility of offering graduate theological education in its own territory. According to curricular theory, decisions regarding curricula should be based on studies of the society in which the school functions, studies of the nature and status of the discipline, and studies of the needs and aspirations of the learners. Information regarding South American society and theological education in the territory of the South American Division existed in scattered sources and needed to be gathered and organized. Most of the information concerning the learner--the Seventh-day Adventist minister …

The Literary Structure Of The Genesis Creation Story, Jacques Doukhan

Dissertations

Exegetical research on Gen 1 has been characterized since the 18th century essentially by a diachronic concern. Thus the Documentary hypothesis and the so-called Tatbericht-Wortbericht theory have been the two main starting points of any relevant scholarly study of this text. Recently, under the influence of contemporary literary studies, attention has been drawn to the validity of the synchronic approach, and more and more scholars have thus become aware of the importance of the liteary structure of this text. The latter has been dissociated from the thematic distribution of motifs; this tension has been explained in terms of different sources, …

An Assessment Of The Vocational Technical Education Needs Of The Lake Union Conference Of Seventh-Day Adventists, Larry Dean Mahlum

Dissertations

Purpose. In response to pressure from their constituents for more vocational education in their schools, the educational leaders of the Lake Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists comprising the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin, requested a survey be conducted to assess the extent of this need. The purpose of this study was to answer as objectively as possible the following questions: Is there a need for more vocational-technical education courses in the secondary schools of the Lake Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists? If there is a need, what type of courses are desired?

Procedure. The curriculum desires of the …

Albert Bandura And Ellen G. White: A Comparative Study Of Their Concepts Of Behavior Modification Through Modeling, Miriam S. Tumangday

Dissertations

Problem. One of the major concerns in education today is the improvement of behavior. Over the years various strategies have been proposed to modify human conduct. A careful review of these theories shows many similarities and divergences. Albert Bandura and Ellen G. White, two proponents from different eras and with widely disparate cultural and intellectual heritage, have strongly recommended modeling or example as the major factor in shaping human behavior. The present study sought to determine what, if any, similarities or differences exist in their modeling concepts.

Procedure. This investigation is a descriptive analytical study concerned with concepts …

A Descriptive Study Of The Personality, Attitudes, And Overseas Experience Of Seventh-Day Adventist College Students Who Served As Short-Term Volunteer Missionaries, Donna Habenicht

Dissertations

Problem. During the last ten years there has been a surge of Interest among college students in short-term volunteer missionary service. It was the purpose of the present study to describe the personality, attitudes, and overseas experience of a group of 150 Seventh-day Adventist college students who served as short-term volunteer missionaries (student missionaries) during the 1975-76 school year. Method The Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (Form A), a series of semantic differential rating scales for selected religious, mission, cultural, and personal concepts, and a two-part questlonnaire were used to describe the personality, attitudes, and overseas experience of the student missionaries. …

Selected Variables Related To Alienation From Religion As Perceived By Students Attending Seventh-Day Adventist Academies In The United States, Roger L. Dudley

Dissertations

Problem. Some young people who are reared in religious homes reject the religion of their parents upon reaching adolescence. This is a matter of crucial concern to church youth leaders as well as to parents. It was the purpose of the present study to discover relationships that may exist between alienation from religion and other selected variables. It was hypothesized that religious alienation is related to the quality of the relationships— especially as those relationships concern religious values— chat the young people have with parents and other authority figures. Independent variables were chosen in accordance with that hypothesis which was …