Breakout Session 3 2023
*SEMINARS COMING SOON
Sabbath, 3 – 4 pm
Divine Attachment as Model for Seventh-day Adventist Family Discipleship
Religious polling has found that membership in non-Christian faiths is growing and that the number of individuals who profess no religious affiliation at all is also on the rise. Additional findings indicate that Christianity (Protestant and Catholic) is on the decline as a share of the population and in absolute numbers; fewer Christians are attending worship services and participating in discipleship endeavors. Seventh-day Adventists have not been immune to this trend: In its Frequency of Family Worship Global Church Member Survey Adventist Archives has found that, from 2103 and 2018, there was a significant increase in the number of families that never have family worship. Christian discipleship literature has recognized that the relational context for discipleship is lacking, causing difficulties for the intergenerational transmission of belief systems. This lack of relational context is not the only issue that has been identified, however. Christian counseling literature has noted that dissonance between the cognitive/doctrinal and affective/experiential representations of God is also a contributing factor.
To address the lack of relational context and the cognitive-affective dissonance that exists, this research suggests a canonical model of divine attachment. It first identifies a specific model of divine love that can support attachment theory. Second, it provides canonical evidence that God self-identifies as an attachment figure. Third, it identifies how human relationships may reflect divine attachment. Finally, it offers insights on how to make and maintain attachment relationships between humans as well as between humans and God.
PRESENTER
Kristina Freed, PhD (cand), area of research embodies the integration of theology and social science as a viable approach to Christian formation and discipleship.
Childhood Trauma, Faith Maturity and the Family
Unfortunately, childhood trauma is a fact of life. For instance, children lose parents/guardians through death or divorce. Children grow up in impoverished situations. Children have parents who suffer from mental illness and/or commit suicide. And more unfortunately, some children are mistreated, neglected and/or abused.
The long-lasting impact of childhood trauma includes increased morbidity and mortality, and decreased opportunities for prosperity. This research explains statistical relationships between childhood trauma and faith maturity, proposing that there are correlations between childhood trauma, individuals’ relationship with God and their level of faith maturity.
Insights and best practices on pastoral care, individuals, and family resilience (in the event of childhood trauma), will be shared during this presentation.
PRESENTER
Pete A. Palmer, PhDresearch interest is on issues relating to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and faith maturity in ministry leaders, particularly pastors and pastors-in-training.
Adverse Childhood Experiences in Pastoral Ministry: Hope, Heal, Thrive!
The existence of trauma is universal in the fallen world in which we live. Trauma occurs in families, churches, the neighborhoods in which we are raised, and in the environment in which we live. This presentation reports on a longitudinal study of Adverse Childhood Experiences in pastors and pastors-in-training. The study utilized the original ten ACEs, and an Expanded ACE study that included ten additional ACEs. Issues such as spiritual abuse, performance orientation, parental over-control, discrimination, and trauma experienced in church settings were included in these additional items.
In addition to the presentation of data, strategies for building resilience and overcoming trauma will be shared in this workshop. These will include an understanding of brain science; how the brain responds to trauma and how to begin healing the brain. Practical strategies for healing will also be presented including the positive impact of factors such as healthy diet, exercise, rest, time in nature, prayer, and worship.
PRESENTERS
David Sedlacek, PhD
Beverly Sedlacek, DNP