Christian Denominations and Sects Commons^™

Selected Factors Influencing Academic Success Of First-Year Students In Seventh-Day Adventist Secondary Schools In Rwanda, Salomon Maniraguha

Dissertations

Problem. Seventh-day Adventist secondary schools recruit students through a severe entrance examination. However, after 9 months of schooling, more than 20% fail without possibility of repeating the grade or pursuing studies in less academically challenging schools. They are pushed out without means of coping with real life. This situation has multiple negative impacts on families who sell all their belongings in order to send their children to school where they can be prepared for a better life. It is for the interest of the Rwandese to learn which factors may contribute to maintaining these students in school.

Method. Data were …

Discontinuance From The Ministry By Seventh-Day Adventist Ministers : A Qualitative Study, Smuts Van Rooyen

Dissertations

Problem. This study explored discontinuance from the ministry by Seventh-day Adventist clergy. The inquiry first investigated the general factors that led to discontinuance from the ministry, and then focused specifically on the cessation from the ministry for doctrinal reasons.

Method. In this qualitative study the initial data were obtained by means of a survey instrument and written responses. From these responses. three individuals were chosen for in-depth interviews. Seventy-one former Seventh-day Adventist ministers completed a questionnaire exploring factors that may have influenced discontinuance from the Seventh-day Adventist ministry. The areas the survey addressed were family life, the work environment, …

Job Satisfaction Among Teachers In Seventh-Day Adventist Schools And Its Relationship To Commitment And Selected Work Conditions, Athanase K. Rutebuka

Dissertations

Problem. The Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America has evidenced concerns over young people losing their commitment to the church, to SDA schools, and even to Christianity. Given the important role teachers play in the formation of young people, the purpose of this study was to determine the degree of teachers' job satisfaction and its relationship to commitment and selected work conditions.

Method. The population for this study included 261 elementary- and secondary-school teachers employed by the Lake Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists in 116 schools. A survey-research method was used to determine the degree of teachers' job satisfaction and …

Marketing Seventh-Day Adventist Higher Education In Southeast Asia, Geoffrey A. Pauner

Dissertations

Problem

There has been a concern by educational leaders of the Adventist church in the Asia Pacific Division that a number of parents of Seventh-day Adventist students choose to educate their children in non-Adventist primary and secondary schools. This study sought to determine if this concern is prevalent in Adventist colleges in Southeast Asia. To find answers to this concern the following questions were posed.

1. What methods do these colleges use to promote or recruit SDA students?

2. How do these colleges attract SDA students?

3. What special programs are in place in the colleges to retain SDA students? …

The Empirical Development Of A Curriculum On Faith Development, Samir Selmanović

Dissertations

Problem. Professional and lay leaders in the Seventh-day Adventist church need to be sensitive to the dynamics of faith development as it interfaces with human development over the life span, and with its practical implications. Currently, there is no curriculum available, empirically developed or otherwise, to explore this issue.

Method. The underlining philosophy of the approach to curriculum design utilized in this study is that curriculum is likely to be more effective when it is developed in a cooperative spirit between an instructor and learners rather than written in isolation, and when there is emphasis on both the cognitive and …

The Sanctuary And The Three Angels' Messages 1844-1863: Integrating Factors In The Development Of Seventh-Day Adventist Doctrines, Alberto R. Timm

Dissertations

The topic. The concepts of the cleansing of the sanctuary of Daniel 8:14 and the three angels' messages of Revelation 14:6-12 were viewed by Sabbatarian Adventists as the main integrating factors in the development of their doctrinal system.

The purpose. The purpose of this study was to describe and analyze the chronological development of the Sabbatarian Adventist interpretation of thecleansing of the sanctuary of Daniel 8:14 and the three angels' messages of Revelation 14:6-12 from 1844 to 1863, followed by an investigation across time of the relationship between those two integrating factors and the early Sabbatarian Adventist distinctive doctrines of …

Change In Seventh-Day Adventist Theology: A Study Of The Problem Of Doctrinal Development, Rolf J. Pöhler

Dissertations

Problem. Like other churches, Seventh-day Adventists face the challenge of harmonizing the essential immutability of revelation in Christ and what seem to be significant doctrinal modifications. This study provides the first in-depth treatment of the intricate problem of doctrinal development from a Seventh-day Adventist perspective.

Method. Chapter 1 defines the problem, chapter 2 offers a historical-genetic survey of proposed solutions, while chapter 3 presents a systematic-typological analysis of possible responses to doctrinal change in Christian theology.

Chapter 4 investigates the extent, nature, and direction of Seventh-day Adventist doctrinal developments in the light of the religious background of the church and …

Descriptive Case Studies Of The Socialization And Acculturation Of Two Mentored First-Year Elementary Teachers Within The Seventh-Day Adventist School System, Carole B. Smith

Dissertations

Problem. A qualitative design was employed in this study to: (1) investigate the experiences and perceptions of two first-year elementary teachers within the Seventh-day Adventist educational system, (2) gain a better understanding of new teachers’ socialization and acculturation during their first year of teaching, and (3) use beginning teacher concerns gleaned from this study and previous studies to identify the kinds of support that need to be offered in a new teacher induction program within the Adventist educational system.

Method. I studied two first-year teachers, employed full-time at the elementary level by Scenic Vista Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Qualitative data …

The Soteriology Of Ellen G. White Compared With The Lutheran Formula Of Concord: A Study Of The Adventist Doctrine Of The Final Judgment Of The Saints And Their Justification Before God, Gunnar Pedersen

Dissertations

The topic. The Adventist doctrine of judgment is part of a larger salvation-historical perspective that in Adventist theology is termed the Sanctuary Doctrine. This doctrine depicts the post-ascension soteriological work of Christ as reaching its consummation in the judgment and the parousia. Critics of the Adventist doctrine of judgment consider it perplexing and even incompatible with the basic principles undergirding the classical Protestant doctrine on forensic justification, understood as a present, complete reception and possession of salvation both existentially and forensically.

The purpose. This study aimed at investigating to what degree theclassical Protestant principles of grace alone, Christ alone, and …

Development Of The Concept Of Salvation In The Argentinean And Paraguayan Seventh-Day Adventist Children And Adolescents From Ages 6 To 17 Years, Victor Andrés Korniejczuk

Dissertations

Problem. Research is lacking on how the concept of salvation develops in children and adolescents from Christian religious populations. the purpose of this study was to explore how the concept of salvation develops in Argentinean and Paraguayan Seventh-day Adventist children and adolescents, from a psychological perspective.

Method. Using a developmental, cross-sectional design, semiclinical interviews were conducted with 120 Argentinean and Paraguayan children, ages 6 to 17, to assess the development of the concept and assurance of salvation. Subjects also completed (1) a semantic differential scale, which measured their attitudes toward salvation (ATS), (2) a demographic and religious practices information survey, …

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 …

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. …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 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 …

Church, Sect, And Government Control, A History Of Seventh-Day Adventists In Austria, 1890-1975, Daniel Heinz

Dissertations

Seventh-day Adventism, a young American-based denomination, encountered strenuous opposition when it first reached Europe in the second half of the nineteenth century. This was especially true in Austria, where traditional allegiance to Roman Catholicism, linked with a strong emphasis on cultural continuity, constituted the tenor of social life.

Although the Adventist church has been present in Austria for almost a hundred years, its influence and size have remained insignificant. Baptists and Methodists have had the same disappointing experience. Austria is certainly one of the most difficult countries for evangelical mission outreach in Europe.

This dissertation not only describes the history …

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 Background, Formation, Development, And Presentation Of Ellen White's Concept Of Forgiveness From Her Childhood To 1864, Ronald Deane Bissell

Dissertations

Problem. Ellen White's early writings reveal a pronounced emphasis on sanctification and holiness. They do not set forth a clear and comprehensive presentation of her concept of forgiveness. The purpose of this study is to explicate her concept of forgiveness as presented in her writings to 1864 in the light of the background, formation, and early development of her religious views.

Method. Ellen White wrote little about forgiveness during her early years. Her concept of forgiveness can best be deduced from inferences found in her writings. Examination of factors that contributed to her religious thought is carried forward by means …

Principles For Reorganization Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Administrative Structure, 1888-1903 Implications For An International Church, Barry David Oliver

Dissertations

This study investigates the process of reorganization of the administrative structures of the Seventh-day Adventist Church between 1888 and 1903. From the findings of the investigation are drawn some implications which relate to the need for contemporary denominational structures that accommodate and facilitate the mission of the church. The first three chapters present a documentary account of the process of reorganization. Chapter one places the study within the context of the nineteenth-century American Protestant missionary movement. Chapters two and three tell the story of reorganization on the basis of denominational archival materials. Chapters four and five analyze theological foundations and …

The Effects Of Regional Accreditation On The Achievement Of Aims, Goals, And Mission Of Seventh-Day Adventist Academies In The United States As Perceived By Principals And Teachers, Garnet P. Spence

Dissertations

Problem. There has been an on-going debate as to whether SDA academies should seek regional accreditation. No studies were found on principals' and teachers' perceptions of the effects of regional accreditation on the aims, goals, and mission of Seventh-day Adventist academies in the United States. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the principals' and teachers' perceptions of the effect of regional accreditation on the aims, goals, and mission of Seventh-day Adventist academies in the United States.

Method. Items selected from the Evaluative Criteria checklist of the National Study of Secondary School Evaluation (1981) and from the Evaluative …

Occupational Choice And Academic Planning In The Colombia-Venezuela Union Of Seventh-Day Adventists : A Needs Assessment, Leonardo Suescun Franco

Dissertations

Problem. In Colombia and Venezuela the number of students demanding higher education commonly surpasses the capacity of their educational systems. Furthermore, the academic programs may not match the occupational needs of the region. When academic planning occurs without systematic needs assessment, resources are wasted and graduates are ill prepared tor the labor market.

The Subjects. The subjects included senior high-school students attending SDA institutions, teachers serving those schools, the students’ parents/representatives, school and church administrators, and SDA members within Colombia and Venezuela.

The Method. A design for needs assessment was developed upon the implementation of a Data Flow …

A Study Of Group Attitudes Toward The Professional Status Of Teachers In Selected Adventist Elementary And Secondary Schools, Edward Joseph Kunitz

Dissertations

Problem. It was not known to what extent groups associated with Adventist education supported the professional role orientation of teaching which in turn affected the work behavior and morale of teachers.

Method. A Professional Role Orientation Scale (PROS) was responded to by 701 randomly selected subjects. The scale contained four criteria identifying professional aspects of teaching as a profession. Responses to the instrument were item weight analyzed and judged for point multiserial reliability before insertion into a BMDP statistical program. Four null hypotheses were tested using two-way ANOVA with the Scheffe test for multiple mean comparisons. Stepwise multiple regressions were …

James White And The Development Of Seventh-Day Adventist Organization, 1844-1881, Andrew Gordon Mustard

Dissertations

The Seventh-day Adventist Church emerged from the Millerite movement of the 1840s. After the Disappointment of 1844 the unique features of Sabbatarian Adventism emerged--in particular, the seventh-day Sabbath and the ministry of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary--and were consolidated among scattered groups of believers by the end of1848.

This study describes the development of Seventh-day Adventist organization between 1844 and 1881, examines its theological and biblical foundations, and evaluates the influence of James White, the leading figure in promoting church order.

Chapter I presents the aims and purposes of the work, the methodology followed, the sources considered, and a biographical …

Comparison Of International And American Doctoral Graduates' Expectations, Satisfaction, And Appropriateness Of Their Programs In Education At Andrews University, Libin Kutup Rampasan

Dissertations

Problem

The proportion of international students in the doctoral programs, School of Education at Andrews University, raises concerns over (a) the ability of the programs to meet the varied expectations and needs of the international and American students and (b) the relevance of the students' academic preparations to their careers. Possible differences between the international and American doctoral graduates' appraisals of their programs were investigated.

Method

This ex-post facto study obtained data from two sources: All's records and the graduates' responses to survey questionnaires sent to 143 of the 151 doctoral graduates with known addresses. A 72.7% return rate was …

Applying Marketing Concepts To Seventh-Day Adventist Secondary Education, David Stephen Penner

Dissertations

Problem

Seventh-day Adventist academies face financial problems due to declining enrollments and inadequate funding. Higher education has looked to marketing as a possible means of reversing these trends. While much has been written about marketing in higher education, little has been written concerning the marketing of secondary education.

Method

In order to accomplish the purpose of this study, it was necessary to review the current ideas on marketing higher education and examine those ideas that might apply to secondary education. An outline for marketing SDA secondary education was then developed. In order to validate the outline, a panel of judges, …

Edward Alexander Sutherland And The Seventh-Day Adventist Educational Reform: The Denominational Years, Warren Sidney Ashworth

Dissertations

Problem. Edward Alexander Sutherland, 1865-1955, was one of the most notable and successful educational reformers of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He served the church for sixty years, fifty-three of them as president of four Adventist colleges. This study has been delimited to his years of denominational employment, 1890 through 1904, but does not include his forty-one years as president of Madison College--a self-suporting Adventist institution that received no direct financial assistance from the denomination.

Method. This study, investigating Sutherland's life from the perspective of his work as an educational reformer, employed the historical method of research. Major sources included extensive …

A Review Of Educational Balance And Its Relationship To The Daily Schedule In Eighteen Seventh-Day Adventist Residence Academies In The United States, Eugene W. Rau

Dissertations

Problem. Within the time constraints of the 24-hour day and the sevenday week, and under the pressure of the increased number of units to be earned before graduation from Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) residence academies, it was doubtful that students were experiencing educational balance. The number of and time for activities in which a student could be engaged, plus the content and emphasis on daily functions, were studied and reported under five areas of educational balance: academic achievement, vocational and professional interests, social growth, physical activities, and religious experience.

Method. Representing grades ten, eleven, and twelve in 18 out of 36 …