Date
1-13-2023
Department
Rawlings School of Divinity
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy
Chair
George Hege
Keywords
familification, community, affective solidarity, family unity, material solidarity, family loyalty
Disciplines
Leadership Studies
Recommended Citation
Jenkins, Michael Vincent, "A Phenomenological Analysis of Contemporary Familification in Christian Community in the Los Angeles District Association" (2023). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 4098.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/4098
Abstract
In Matthew 8:22, Jesus says, “Follow Me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead” (Holy Bible, English Standard Version, 2007). With these jarring words, He demanded that His hearers reject the social norms of their society and join His new group (Hellerman, 2009a). That change creates a compelling shift in the social order and draws believers into the family of God and into community with one another. This phenomenological study investigated whether something similar to the Pauline Familification exhibited in the first century church, exists in Christian community among adult church members within the Los Angeles District Association of the Western Baptist State Convention and the perceived impact of physical distancing on the growth and development of contemporary community. In this research, Familification is defined as “the gaining of a new Father, and a new group of brothers and sisters as believers respond to the gospel” (Hellerman, 2009a). This research seeks to build upon the work of Hellerman by investigating a theoretical foundation for his thinking in a specific local context.
