Date
8-29-2025
Department
Rawlings School of Divinity
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Christian Leadership (PhD)
Chair
Arlynne G. Perley-Huebscher
Keywords
Connectedness to God, God's Presence, awareness of God's Presence, understanding, role, praxis
Disciplines
Christianity | Social and Behavioral Sciences
Recommended Citation
Onuigbo, Chinedu Festus, "Where is God in Times of Order and Disorder: A Practical Approach to Life Events with God" (2025). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 7466.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/7466
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to uncover what six next-generation females in Colorado, USA, encompassing high school through post-college, have experienced as they answer the question, "Where is God in times of order and disorder." Next generation refers to persons currently 25 years and younger. Pew Research (2019) reports, next-generation demographic during the transition from adolescence to adulthood may undergo one or more of the following: fall away from faith, question the existence of God, depression, and identity crisis. This researcher using phenomenology explored his Study Concept, a practical approach to experiencing life events with God using threefold biblical phenomena of Connectedness to God, Presence of God, and Awareness of God's Presence in conjunction with Understanding, Role, and Praxis as vehicles. No precedent literature explored the life experiences of next-generation demographic in times of order and disorder using his Study Concept. The study draws theologically from concepts such as fellowship with God, relationship with God, and spiritual formation. The primary undergirding theory is Piaget's cognitive development theory explored by De Caprona & Cornu-Wells (2014, p. 87) written from a Piagetian perspective, development, namely behavioral, learning, and conceptual, is a "special kind of cognitive process." Secondary undergirding theories are faith, religiosity, education, and leadership. Data collection was administered in three phases using the following surveys: multiple-choice, true/false, open-ended, and interviews. Study findings indicate participants experienced Study Concept proportionately to their level of integration of Study Concept vehicles.
