Date
9-19-2023
Department
Rawlings School of Divinity
Degree
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
Chair
Andrea H. Adams
Keywords
spiritual formation, African American men, Fatherhood of God, fatherlessness, disparity
Disciplines
Religion
Recommended Citation
Phillips, Pamela M., "Spiritual Formation: A Church-Based Solution to the Problem of Disconnected African American Men in the Community" (2023). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 4834.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/4834
Abstract
African American men are among the most disconnected people groups in this country due to the many disparities that have served to marginalize them out of some aspects of society. Specifically, the disparity of fatherlessness has played a major role in the disconnect of African men from the church and the community. Through this project a curriculum on the Fatherhood of God will be offered through the Christian Education department at Word of Truth International Life Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Spiritual formation for African American men reconnects them to God and opens the door for reconnections to families, churches, and the communities. Being connected to God breaks the hold of darkness in the life of a willing servant. The in-depth-interview as part of action research from a phenomenological perspective was used to gather information from 10 African American men who have experienced fatherlessness in some form. Participants answered questions dealing with demographics, paternal relationships, and religious experiences and beliefs.
