Date

5-2022

Department

Rawlings School of Divinity

Degree

Master of Arts in Christian Apologetics (MA)

Chair

Daniel W. Sheard

Keywords

Apologetics, Discipleship, Second-generation Haitians, Syncretism, Voodoo

Disciplines

Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion

Abstract

This thesis seeks to demonstrate that equipping second-generation Haitian believers in Florida requires a contextually-appropriate, apologetics discipleship model. This project starts with an examination of the weakness or absence of the use of current apologetics discipleship among second-generation Haitians, which gives birth to unequipped second-generation Haitians ravaged by worldview conflict and who leave the church in record numbers. Building upon this foundation, this work sheds light on a cultural shift among second-generation Haitians. The objective is to isolate some key discipleship factors among second-generation Haitians in Florida by examining the fear of some Haitian pastors to address voodoo and its influence on secondgeneration Haitian believers. Such inaction has negative impacts on them from the loss of confidence in their pastors and God’s Word. The discipleship chain being broken leads to syncretism and the drifting away of second-generation Haitians from the church and even the unsubscribing from the biblical worldview. In addition, this thesis will map out what a vibrant community of disciples among second-generation Haitians in Florida looks like and how it can be achieved by training Haitian pastors both theologically and apologetically. It also will encourage viable training venues to include apologetics in their programs. Finally, it will encourage disciple-makers to teach second-generation Haitian believers a thorough biblical worldview to defend their faith through love and the use of the mind in this culture of feeling.

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