Date

5-2019

Department

Rawlings School of Divinity

Degree

Master of Arts in Christian Apologetics (MA)

Chair

Ronnie Campbell

Keywords

Unity, Ethnic Identity, Apologetic, Biblical, Ethnicity, Reconciliation

Disciplines

Christianity | Religion

Abstract

This thesis will consider the effect that ethnicity has on identity formation as it impacts church unity. Unity is the chief form of evidence by which the Christian church is supposed to be recognized. The way that believers love one another is how Jesus teaches people will know that they are His disciples (John 13:35). Ethnic tensions are a cause of disunity in both the Old and New Testaments. The issue of ethnic identity and relations and the impact that they have on unity in the church is an apologetic for the power and counter-cultural teachings of Jesus. The purpose of this thesis is to understand the impact that ethnic identity has on unity. The result of this understanding will be a foundation for a church culture that uses unity as an apologetic for Christ. This will be accomplished by outlining the historical ethnic identity and ethnic tensions throughout the Old and New Testament and church history. An understanding of unity as an apologetic, in light of these findings, will create a path to the unification of the church. The intended result of this thesis is two-fold; that those are believers in Christ would step into a role of encouraging the church body towards unity, and that those who do not have faith in Christ would recognize the intention of the biblical text in regard to God’s design for ethnicity and unity.

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