High School Worship Assembly and Student Faith Maturity

avondale-bepress-to-dspace.facultyFaculty of Education
avondale-bepress.abstract<p>The development of spirituality and faith in students is one of the main goals of Christian education. The present study investigated this faith development and factors that contributed to it. Within the content of the study, faith was identified in two major themes. Vertical faith refers to relationship with God, belief in and commitment to Him and a willingness to foster this relationship. Horizontal faith refers to aspects of service and social justice, care and concern for others through compassionate interest in human relationships. The study investigated the role that worship assembly played in faith development. In particular, the study investigated the impact of background factors, student participation in worship assembly and student attitudes to worship assembly, and their respective role in faith development. Data were collected from 840 students in 3 schools in the Central Coast and Hunter Region of New South Wales during Term 2, 2001 using a questionnaire. Regression analysis was used to test hypothesised relationships in a causal model, linking background, intermediate and outcome variables. Vertical faith maturity, that is students’ relationship with God and commitment to Him, was found to be high, whereas horizontal faith maturity, that is care and concern through service to others was not as high but was still positive. Student attitudes towards worship assembly were positive. Students were found to exhibit very low rates of planning involvement and even lower rates of active participation in worship assembly. Participation, contrary to the import of the literature, had no major influence on vertical faith, and only a slight causal relationship with horizontal faith. Causal pathways examined showed students who had positive attitudes to worship assembly were Christian and had both previous church and school worship experiences reported a mature vertical faith, ie a strong relationship with God, commitment to Him and willingness to foster relationship with God. Also, students with positive attitudes to worship assembly who were female, senior school students and were active participants in worship assembly reported a mature horizontal faith, ie they were strong in commitment to fellow human beings through service, social justice, and action on the human plane. Students involved in worship planning were most likely to be senior school students who are Christian, with previous church worship experience. Active leadership participants were most likely to be those who had previous church worship experience.</p>
avondale-bepress.articleid1002
avondale-bepress.authorsLeighton Charles Heise
avondale-bepress.context-key3226535
avondale-bepress.coverpage-urlhttps://research.avondale.edu.au/theses_bachelor_honours/2
avondale-bepress.document-typethesis
avondale-bepress.field.advisor1Dr. Peter Beamish
avondale-bepress.field.comments<p>Used by permission: the author.</p> <p>A print copy of this thesis is held in the Avondale College Library (SC Theses 371.0710994 H36).</p>
avondale-bepress.field.custom_citation<p>Heise, L. C. (2001). <em>High school worship assembly and student faith maturity</em> (Bachelor's thesis, Avondale College, Cooranbong, Australia). Retrieved from https://research.avondale.edu.au/theses_bachelor_honours/2/</p>
avondale-bepress.field.degree_nameBachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Teaching (Honours) BA/BTch (Hons)
avondale-bepress.field.departmentFaculty of Education
avondale-bepress.field.embargo_date2012-08-16T00:00:00Z
avondale-bepress.field.publication_date2001-10-01T00:00:00Z
avondale-bepress.fulltext-urlhttps://research.avondale.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&amp;context=theses_bachelor_honours&amp;unstamped=1
avondale-bepress.keywordsSeventh-day Adventist youth
avondale-bepress.keywordsFaith development
avondale-bepress.keywordsMoral development
avondale-bepress.keywordsAdventists
avondale-bepress.keywordsTeenagers Religious life
avondale-bepress.keywordsSeventh-day Adventism
avondale-bepress.label2
avondale-bepress.publication-date2001-10-01T00:00:00Z
avondale-bepress.publication-titleTheses Bachelor Honours
avondale-bepress.statepublished
avondale-bepress.submission-date2012-08-16T17:44:06Z
avondale-bepress.submission-paththeses_bachelor_honours/2
avondale-bepress.titleHigh School Worship Assembly and Student Faith Maturity
avondale-bepress.typearticle
dc.contributor.authorHeise, Leighton Charles
dc.date.accessioned2023-11-01T00:27:19Z
dc.date.available2023-11-01T00:27:19Z
dc.date.issued2001-10-01
dc.date.submitted2012-08-16T17:44:06Z
dc.description.abstract<p>The development of spirituality and faith in students is one of the main goals of Christian education. The present study investigated this faith development and factors that contributed to it. Within the content of the study, faith was identified in two major themes. Vertical faith refers to relationship with God, belief in and commitment to Him and a willingness to foster this relationship. Horizontal faith refers to aspects of service and social justice, care and concern for others through compassionate interest in human relationships. The study investigated the role that worship assembly played in faith development. In particular, the study investigated the impact of background factors, student participation in worship assembly and student attitudes to worship assembly, and their respective role in faith development. Data were collected from 840 students in 3 schools in the Central Coast and Hunter Region of New South Wales during Term 2, 2001 using a questionnaire. Regression analysis was used to test hypothesised relationships in a causal model, linking background, intermediate and outcome variables. Vertical faith maturity, that is students’ relationship with God and commitment to Him, was found to be high, whereas horizontal faith maturity, that is care and concern through service to others was not as high but was still positive. Student attitudes towards worship assembly were positive. Students were found to exhibit very low rates of planning involvement and even lower rates of active participation in worship assembly. Participation, contrary to the import of the literature, had no major influence on vertical faith, and only a slight causal relationship with horizontal faith. Causal pathways examined showed students who had positive attitudes to worship assembly were Christian and had both previous church and school worship experiences reported a mature vertical faith, ie a strong relationship with God, commitment to Him and willingness to foster relationship with God. Also, students with positive attitudes to worship assembly who were female, senior school students and were active participants in worship assembly reported a mature horizontal faith, ie they were strong in commitment to fellow human beings through service, social justice, and action on the human plane. Students involved in worship planning were most likely to be senior school students who are Christian, with previous church worship experience. Active leadership participants were most likely to be those who had previous church worship experience.</p>
dc.identifier.citation<p>Heise, L. C. (2001). <em>High school worship assembly and student faith maturity</em> (Bachelor's thesis, Avondale College, Cooranbong, Australia). Retrieved from https://research.avondale.edu.au/theses_bachelor_honours/2/</p>
dc.identifier.urihttps://research.avondale.edu.au/handle/123456789/03226535
dc.language.isoen_us
dc.rights<p>Used by permission: the author.</p> <p>A print copy of this thesis is held in the Avondale College Library (SC Theses 371.0710994 H36).</p>
dc.subjectSeventh-day Adventist youth
dc.subjectFaith development
dc.subjectMoral development
dc.subjectAdventists
dc.subjectTeenagers Religious life
dc.subjectSeventh-day Adventism
dc.titleHigh School Worship Assembly and Student Faith Maturity
dc.typeThesis
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