EVALUATION OF THE EPISTEMOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT OF PRIME MINISTRY UNDERGRADUATES BY BIBLICAL STUDENTS ACCORDING TO THE PERRY SYSTEM. The apostle Peter commands Christians to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Pet 3:18). This endeavor has certainly been a means of growth in my life, growth in both grace and knowledge.
She kept our family and household running amidst the hectic lives of two teenage boys and I could not have done this without her support. Ed." My brother and sister-in-law, Jeff and Christy; mother-in-law, Lorene; Grandpa Brock and Ruth; and mother-in-law, Evie; encouraged and prayed for me and my family. To the elders and members of Grace Church, as well as my fellow pastors, thank you for allowing and enabling me to complete this degree.
INTRODUCTION
What does this mean for the validity of the Perry Scheme in Bible college settings? Although the Perry Schema describes a progression of epistemological and ethical development, this study focused primarily on epistemological development. Moore, "The Learning Environment Preferences: Exploring the Construct Validity of an Objective Measure of the Perry Scheme of Intellectual Development.", Journal of College Student Development 30, no.
Or is there another aspect of epistemological development at the heart of the Perry scheme that manifests itself in different ways according to the institutional context. What is the relationship between pre-ministry student attendance at selected Bible schools and progression through the positions of intellectual and ethical maturity according to the Perry Scheme. The purpose of this qualitative, cognitive research study was to explore the relationship between pre-ministerial undergraduates' attendance at selected Bible schools and progression through the positions of intellectual and ethical maturity according to the Perry Scheme.
LITERATURE REVIEW
The scheme can be simplified into four general categories: Dualism (or simple dualism), multiplicity (or complex dualism), context relativism, and obligation in relativism.4 Further division of the progression resulted in a total of nine positions in the scheme, with three additional deflection positions. Perry, Forms of Intellectual and Ethical Development in the College Years: A Scheme, Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education Series (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1999), 1. It is important to note that position 1 was held by almost none of the students at the time of their interviews, but was added as a position using inferences based on the students' retrospective descriptions of their outlook on life in college.8.
Truth" with a capital "T" is used interchangeably with "Absolute", and is defined as "The Established Order; Truth, thought to be the creation and possession of the Deity, or simply to exist, as in its own Platonic world; The ultimate criterion in relation to which all claims and actions are either right or wrong." Authority" with a capital "A" is defined as "Possessors of the right answers in the Absolute, or communicators thereof (as seen in Compliance); or the false or unjust pretenders of the right answers in the Absolute (as seen in Opposition)" (ibid., "Glossary"). 9Moore notes that these encounters with diversity are one of the central dynamics of the Perry Scheme (William S.
As Perry analyzed students who were forced to deal with the seeming incongruity of Authority that is uncertain about absolute Truth, yet passing
Position 5 in the Perry Scheme is the point of “drastic revolution”
A student in position 3 is therefore often surprised at the standards used when assessing his work. As Perry analyzed students who were forced to deal with the seeming incongruity of Authority uncertain about the absolute Truth, yet passing. As the student moves from position 5 to position 6, he begins to come to grips with the full implications of this radical change in worldview.
As the student transitions from Position 5 to Position 6, he begins to come to grip with the full implications of this radical change of worldview. If all
The later positions of the Perry Scheme describe the “degrees of ripening” and “degrees of seasoning” of the student’s Commitment to personal choice,
To begin with, there is a difference between the assumptions of the Perry scheme and the teachings of the Bible about the nature of truth. In fact, God himself wants “all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim 2:4). The concept that knowledge of truth comes from God is established in Old Testament wisdom literature.
The need for God's revelation for human knowledge of truth is emphasized in the New Testament. The supreme prize that rises above all other goals of education in Proverbs 1-9 is the knowledge of God. 95 Mary Healy, “Knowledge of the Mystery: A Study of Pauline Epistemology,” in The Bible and Epistemology: Biblical Soundings on the Knowledge of God, ed.
The importance of the knowledge of God that comes from a relationship with God is also seen in the New Testament. Healy describes the work of the Spirit in the believer's life in this way.
CHRIST SELF
METHODOLOGY
1John David Trentham, "Epistemological Development in Undergraduate Pre-Ministry Students: An Inter-Institutional Application of the Perry Scheme" (PhD Dissertation, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary .This number, nearly half of the sample, mirrors the number reported in the Trentham Bible College sample.4.
In the first reading, the evaluator did an initial reading of the transcript for the purpose of first impression and general familiarization. In the third reading, the appraiser confirmed the assigned rating and provided a full explanation of the rating. The average score of the students in this study is also almost identical to the average score of the Bible college students in the Trentham study, who averaged 3,466.11.
And then we can also interact with some of the issues that are happening in mainstream culture. Frank, when asked how students should change over the course of the Bible college experience, said,. Trentham's study 18 of the participants articulated this priority, while in the current study 22 students did.
Some of these students talked about the differences they experienced between the community college or secular university environment and the Bible college. The same question was asked of 29 of the 30 Bible school students in the current study. Unlike Trentham's study, this question was asked of Bible college students in this study.
The first weakness of the study was related to the different institutional contexts of the study participants. The second study design weakness observed related to the selection methodology and sample population. However, this possibility is mitigated by the fact that the average Perry rank among seniors in this study was nearly identical to that of the Bible college seniors in Trentham's study.
CONCLUSIONS
Local church ministry involvement is an important component of the undergraduate Bible college experience. Bible college students more likely than not have already decided on a vocational ministry before entering Bible college. Pre-ministry Bible college undergraduates progress through positions of intellectual maturity according to Perry's scheme in a manner similar to typical college students.
Bible college students see that the primary purpose of college is to train them for vocational ministry. First, the involvement of local church ministries is an important part of the Bible college experience of pre-ministerial students. First, pre-ministry Bible school students move through the positions of intellectual maturity on the Perry schedule in the same way that typical college students do.
Third, Bible school students see that the primary purpose of college is to train them for professional ministry. This study examined the epistemological development of pre-ministerial Bible college students and the appropriateness of using the Perry Scheme to measure such development in the Bible college setting. These advisors can e.g. inform the students about the advantages and disadvantages of the institutional context in the Bible School.
A study could be conducted to specifically explore the influence of gender on the epistemological development of pre-service Bible college students. A study could be conducted to examine the impact of attendance at multiple institutions on the epistemological development of pre-service Bible college students. As the importance of teacher-student relationships has been noted in the current study, a study can be conducted to further explore the impact of these relationships on the epistemological development of pre-ministry Bible school students.
A study can be conducted to research the impact of seminary education on the epistemological development and performance readiness of pre-service Bible college graduates.
Agreement to Participate
- Clarifying Convictions
- Looking Forward (Goals for future and career)
On knowing that we know: its application to religious knowledge.” In Christian Perspectives on Religious Knowledge, edited by C. Christ, the Spirit and the Knowledge of God: A Study in Johannine Epistemology.” In The Bible and Epistemology: Biblical Soundings on the Knowledge of God, edited by Mary Healy and Robin Parry, 107–33. Knowledge of the Mystery: A Study of Pauline Epistemology.” In The Bible and Epistemology: Biblical Soundings on the Knowledge of God, edited by Mary Healy and Robin Parry, 134–58.
William Perry's Theory of Intellectual and Ethical Development." In Applying New Developmental Findings, edited by Lee Knefelkamp, Carole Widick, and Clyde A. Introduction." In Forms of Intellectual and Ethical Development in the College Years: A Scheme, xi–xxxviii. The Word of Prayer: Epistemology in the Psalms.” In The Bible and Epistemology: Biblical Soundings on the Knowledge of God, edited by Mary Healy and Robin Parry, 43–64.
Student and Faculty Epistemology in the College Classroom: The Perry Schema of Intellectual and Ethical Development." In Handbook of College Teaching: Theory and Applications, edited by Keith W Prichard and R. Ecclesiastes." In The Bible and Epistemology: Biblical Soundings on the Knowledge of God, edited by Mary Healy and Robin Parry, 65-87. Cognitive and ethical growth: the creation of meaning." In The Modern American College, edited by Arthur W.
Sharing in the costs of growth.” In ASHE Reader on College Student Development Theory, edited by Maureen E Wilson and Lisa Wolf-Wendel, 483–86. An Account of Constructivist Landscape Opinion.” In Constructivism in Education: Opinions and Second Opinions on Controversy Issues, edited by D. Mystery and Mastery: Philosophical Reflections on Biblical Epistemology." In The Bible and Epistemology: Biblical Voices on the Knowledge of God, edited by Mary Healy and Robin Parry, 181– 98.
Revelation and miracles.” In The Cambridge Companion to Christian Philosophical Theology, edited by Charles Taliaferro and Chad V.
