Date of Award

2023

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Missiology

College

Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary

Program

Doctor of Missiology DMiss

First Advisor

Andrew Tompkins

Second Advisor

Petr Činčala

Third Advisor

Denis Fortin

Abstract

This dissertation critically examines the understudied domain of mission motivation among theology students at Spicer Adventist University (SAU) to provide valuable insights for developing an appropriate missiological response. Chapter I provides a comprehensive overview of the research proposal. Then the study builds upon a biblical and theoretical foundation established in Chapters II and III. Official statistics reveal a significant need for focused missiological attention in India, where the Adventist community constitutes a ratio of 1:811 (1.26 billion Indian population vs. 1.55 million Adventists in India). However, there has been a lack of evaluation concerning the mission motivation of theology students at SAU. Consequently, it remains uncertain whether their mission motivation aligns with the biblical foundations of mission.

The primary objectives of this study are to identify the nature and factors influencing the mission motivation of current theology students at SAU. The central theme of the study revolves around evaluating mission motivation among theology students at SAU, with Chapters IV and V dedicated to this aspect. Chapter IV focuses on the meticulous design and development of a survey tool specifically tailored for this study, while Chapter V delves into the rigorous analysis of the findings, ultimately informing the formulation of missiological responses in Chapter VI. The final chapter presents an overview of the study's key findings, summary, and conclusions and provides valuable recommendations based on the research outcomes.

Four key research questions have been formulated to guide this investigation: What biblical foundation or framework underpins mission motivation? What theoretical base or framework is suitable for evaluating mission motivation? What are the nature and factors influencing the mission motivation of theology students at SAU? Furthermore, what missiological implications and recommendations can be derived from the findings of this study?

The research methodology employed in this study integrates the concept of synergetic interaction, which involves the application of one phase to one or more subsequent phases. This synergistic interaction has characterized each phase of the study, culminating in the integrative phase four, where the research findings are presented. The initial phase establishes a comprehensive understanding of biblical mission motivation and the theoretical framework necessary for evaluating mission motivation. This is achieved through an extensive review of biblical and theoretical studies. The subsequent field research, conducted in the second phase, employs a quantitative survey to identify and explore the nature and factors influencing the mission motivation of theology students at SAU. The third phase involves meticulous data analysis to evaluate the mission motivation among these students. Finally, the integrative fourth phase develops missiological implications and recommendations based on the study's findings, offering valuable insights for developing an appropriate missiological response.

Subject Area

Spicer Adventist University (India); Motivation in Christian education; College students--India; Missions--Study and teaching

Download

Files over 3MB may be slow to open. For best results, right-click and select "save as..."

Share

COinS