Thesis (D. Min.)--Erskine Theological Seminary, 2004. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 185-190).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, 1997. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 330-335).

Thesis (Th. M.)--Regent College, 2001. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [160-162]).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Erskine Theological Seminary, 2004. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 185-190).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, 1997. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 330-335).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Erskine Theological Seminary, 2004. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 185-190).

The subject of this thesis is the nature of Christian transformation as understood through the process of discipleship in the Wesleyan tradition and United Methodism in particular. A basic premise is that contemporary discipleship efforts are perceived as ineffective in spite of the numerous strategies that exist within the field of Christian education. The contention of this thesis is that the current situation is rooted in a failure to address the holistic and integrated nature of Christian transformation, which from a Wesleyan perspective is understood as the process of sanctification. This thesis explores a more holistic vision for discipleship, drawing upon methodology proposed by Richard Osmer to do theological reflection as it engages Wesleyan theology and transformative learning theory (TLT), a contemporary adult educational theory. The result is a contribution to the field of Christian education that has implications for disciple making ministries in the local congregation. Alasdair MacIntyre's theory of practice is developed as a means of accounting for the present incoherence within discipleship ministries, and to resource the development of a more holistic approach to the process of Wesleyan discipleship. As a result, discipleship is conceived of as a single complex practice comprised of four inseparably related and integrally connected dimensions: virtues, disciplines, ethos and telos. The theoretical framework also provides insight into contemporary discipleship efforts by systematically isolating each component and investigating the particular emphasis that is stressed, thus truncating the practice of discipleship. Putting this framework into conversation with TLT provides a way for theological reflection that can broker a cross-disciplinary dialogue between TLT and Wesleyan discipleship. The resulting discourse discerns which relevant aspects of TLT can be appropriated within a Wesleyan context and how TLT contributes to the field of Christian education. Contributions that Wesleyan discipleship can make to the field of TLT are also explored. The thesis develops an educational theory that views discipleship as a single coherent complex practice that is consistent with the process of sanctification in the Wesleyan tradition. Such a theory overcomes the current situation that results in isolating various discipleship efforts by prompting the field of Christian education to consider discipleship as sanctification that transforms persons and their contexts in holistic ways.

Cornerstone is a United Methodist congregation in Coweta County, Georgia, with a desire to reach its changing community, but which has stagnated recently in doing so. This project thesis builds upon Carol Dweck’s mindset research, which emphasizes an intermediate step between the desire to reach a goal and the realization of that goal breaking the hold of a fixed mindset by introducing key aspects of a growth mindset. This thesis articulates and analyzes the design of a curriculum for lay leaders implemented at Cornerstone that develops this new mindset so that the church can reconnect more fully with its community.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / A presente pesquisa aborda historicamente a construção e o desenvolvimento prático e teórico da teologia holística de Ellen White legada à Igreja Adventista do Sétimo Dia. Ellen White, viveu no momento em que seu país, os Estados Unidos da América, estavam se firmando enquanto nação e morreu precisamente quando ele buscava a hegemonia mundial. Assim, passando pelos turbulentos anos da Secessão e incorporando o espírito pragmático estadunidense cresceu e se firmou com sua pátria. Autodidata, ajudou a fundar uma das igrejas originais daquele país, fruto da união do pensamento heterogêneo de várias congregações protestantes. Seu trabalho destaca-se pela afirmação e vivência das crenças bíblicas que compõem a fé brônzea adventista. Contudo, de seu compêndio, extraído de milhares de páginas produzidas ao longo de sete décadas dedicadas à igreja, destaca-se indubitavelmente a interrelação indissociável entre corpo e espírito. A partir deste paradigma, para ela, esses dois entes formam a alma, que tendo porção corpórea, é mortal. Eis pois o que é o ser humano: uma alma mortal em busca de imortalidade, apenas alcançada pelos redimidos depois da volta de Jesus, um evento literal a ser percebido em breve a maior esperança do adventista ainda hoje. Em Ellen White, como deverá ser percebido ao longo do trabalho, visto a serena e equilibrada relação entre corpo e espírito, há uma fervorosa defesa e ao mesmo tempo fremente ataque àqueles que ao contrário desta perspectiva tida por ela cristã, apelam à filosofia clássica. É no escopo dessa teologia carnal por ela dita bíblica que deve estar o ser humano alinhado. Assim, manter um regime alimentar saudável, fazer exercícios físicos regulares, zelar pela educação integral e vivenciar a natureza configuram-se exercícios em busca da espiritualidade plena, que aliados à vida de piedade e oração levam a santificação tema central de seus escritos. O primeiro capítulo da tese analisa historicamente os Estados Unidos e Europa à época de Ellen White; o segundo aborda a construção histórica e social da crença na mortalidade da alma centro deste trabalho, enquanto o terceiro e último trata da abordagem holística whiteana do corpo e espírito com vistas a plenitude de alma. / The present research addresses historically the construction and development of practical and theoretical holistic theology of Ellen White bequeathed to the Seventh Day Adventist Church. Ellen White lived at the time in which her country, the United States of America, were firmed while nation and died precisely when it sought the world hegemony. Thus, passing through turbulent years of Secession and incorporating the spirit pragmatic American she grew and lean on with her homeland. Self-taught, she helped to found one of the original churches of this country, the fruit of the union of heterogeneous thought of various protestant congregations. Her work stands for affirmation and experience of biblical beliefs that comprise the Adventist brazen faith. However, her compendium, extracted from thousands of pages produced over the course of seven decades devoted to church, stands out clearly the inseparable intercorrelation between body and spirit. From this paradigm, for her, these two bodies form the soul, that having body portion is deadly. This is then what is the human being: a mortal soul in search of immortality, only achieved by redeemed after the coming of Jesus, a literal event to be soon perceived - the greatest hope of the Adventist still today. In Ellen White, as should be perceived along the work, since the serene and balanced relationship between body and spirit, there is a fervent defense and at the same time thrilled attack to those who unlike this perspective taken by her Christian, call for classical philosophy. It is in the scope of this carnal theology dictated by her biblical that it must be the human being aligned. Thus, to maintain a healthy diet, doing regular physical exercises, ensure the integral education and experience the nature, configure exercises in search of full spirituality which allied to the life of piety and prayer lead to sanctification - central theme of her writings. The first chapter of the thesis analyzes historically the United States and Europe at the time of Ellen White; the second deals with the historical and social construction of the belief in the mortality of the soul - center of this work, while the third and last is the holistic whitean approach of body and spirit with views to the fullness of soul.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / A presente pesquisa aborda a construção do conceito de santificação a partir do desenvolvimento histórico da Igreja Adventista do Sétimo Dia, principalmente sob o prisma dos escritos de sua co-fundadora, Ellen Gould Harmon White, entre 1844 e 1915. O primeiro dos quatro capítulos trata das origens do movimento precursor do adventismo pelo fazendeiro William Miller. Este, a partir de sua interpretação bíblica concluiu que o fim do mundo com a culminante volta de Cristo sob forma literal seria iminente e a preparação para o encontro com Ele foi o mote principal de seu trabalho, constituindo a mais cara esperança dos crentes mileritas e, posteriormente, dos adventistas do sétimo dia. O segundo capítulo aborda de forma sintetizada a biografia de Ellen White e sua participação efetiva na construção doutrinária da denominação estudada, enquanto o terceiro aborda especificamente as origens da Igreja Adventista do Sétimo Dia e seu esforço para se constituir enquanto denominação dentro dos pressupostos do protestantismo histórico. Finalmente, o quarto capítulo examina os anteriores a partir do conceito de santificação, constituído ao longo do processo de formação da identidade adventista. / This research approaches the background of the concept of sanctification from the historical development of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, mainly under the view of its co-founder's writings, Ellen Gould Harmon White, between 1844 and 1915. The first of the four chapters deals with the origins of the movement that preceded Adventism by farmer William Miller. From his interpretation of the bible, he concluded that the end of the world with the culminating literal return of Christ would be imminent and the preparation for the encounter with the Lord was the main subject of his work, establishing the dearest hope of the Millerite believers and, later, of the seventh-day adventists. The second chapter approaches in a summed way Ellen White's biography and her effective participation in the doctrinal construction of the studied denomination, while the third approaches specifically the origins of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church and its effort to establish itself as a denomination in the purposes of historical protestantism. Finally, the fourth chapter examines the preceding ones from Ellen White's concepts of sanctification, established during the long background process of the Adventist identity.