عنوان

Transformative Faith Theory:

Number

TLpq2407989140

.Language of Text, Soundtrack etc

انگلیسی

Title Proper

Transformative Faith Theory:

General Material Designation

[Thesis]

First Statement of Responsibility

Kirui, Sam

Title Proper by Another Author

Factors Contributing to the Faith Journeys of International Students in the U.S.

Subsequent Statement of Responsibility

Sanchez, Jamie

Name of Publisher, Distributor, etc.

Biola University

Date of Publication, Distribution, etc.

2020

Specific Material Designation and Extent of Item

294

Dissertation or thesis details and type of degree

Ph.D.

Body granting the degree

Biola University

Text preceding or following the note

2020

Text of Note

The motivation for this study was the lack of literature on how evangelical churches and para-church ministries evangelize, disciple, and mobilize international students. Generating a theory of international students' conversion experiences requires a comprehensive understanding of their journeys to faith. However, little is known about the faith journeys of international students who converted to Christianity after arriving in the United States. This qualitative research study used grounded theory methods to construct a theory that explains these students' faith journeys. The study utilized purposeful sampling in the selection of 22 international students from three universities -predominantly in the southwestern United States. The participants represented a total of eight countries, including two countries in Africa, a country in the Middle East, a country in Southeast Asia, as well as China, India, Taiwan, and Thailand. I collected data through in-depth, face-to-face, semi-structured individual interviews and analyzed the data using the methods and procedures of grounded theory. The central understanding that emerged from this study is that the faith journeys of international students who became Christians in the U.S. involve a process of grappling with religious heritage, joining with Christians, interpreting key experiences, and adopting roles in Christian service. These four factors constitute a faith formation framework, describing the participants' metamorphosis from non-Christians to Christ-followers. I have coined the "Transformative Faith Theory" (TFT). The TFT makes a theoretical contribution as the evangelical and international experiences serve to update and even challenge Fowler's Faith Development Theory, which evidenced a largely humanistic ontology. The TFT also challenges Rambo's seven-stage model of religious conversion which focused on personal identity transformation as the goal of religious conversion, but did not focus on heart change and worldview change. The TFT makes a practical contribution by giving voice to international students who became Christians in the United States. The faith development factors of this study may help churches and para-church organizations develop relevant programs for international student ministry. They include the influence of open and restrictive home-culture relationships, religious stigma, discontentment with religion, and social pressure. Ministries should take note that the host culture family-like relationships and intentional Christian friendships also played significant roles in the participants' faith journeys. Furthermore, this research project can help fill the gap in literature related to international student ministry (ISM) approaches including mainstream, monoethnic, and multiethnic approaches. The study also presents some implications for theory and practice that should be of interest to educationalists, evangelists, missiologists, psychologists, and social scientists in the 21st century.

Christian conversion

Faith development

Higher education

International students

Religious heritage

Spirituality

Kirui, Sam

Sanchez, Jamie

Electronic name

p

[Thesis]

276903

a

Y