Ethics as good news : investigating the spiritual formation of young adults

Royes, David

1 online resource (x, 156 leaves)

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 150-156)

D. Min. Covenant Theological Seminary, 2024

Includes abstract

Título

Ethics as good news : investigating the spiritual formation of young adults

Última modificación

11/26/2024

Creador

Royes, David

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to understand how young adults experienced spiritual formation at home that helped them to uphold a biblical sexual ethics while studying at residential universities. Away from their families and centers of spiritual formation, young adults face tremendous ethical pressures from their peers and often find themselves without the necessary tools to navigate those challenges. This study utilized a qualitative design using semi-structured interviews with eight young adults who not only navigated those challenges, but also encouraged their peers toward a more biblical worldview resulting in ethical behavioral change. The interview analysis concluded that their experience of spiritual formation in their teenage years was a significant component for them upholding biblical sexual ethics in college and remaining in church later. The literature review focused on three key areas to understand the biblical sexual ethic and its subsequent development in adolescents: Modern commentary and exegesis of 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, The Greco-Roman context and ancient sexual ethic, and systems theory and its implications for parenting. This study found that adolescents described social pressure in four areas: humor, experimentation, overt challenge, and transactional behavior. Because of these challenges this study concluded that there are three necessary components to sustain healthy spiritual formation in adolescents for them to uphold biblical ethics: courageous clarity, heart-centered intentionality, and calm adaptability. In light of these elements, this study identified best practices for parents and youth leaders that contribute to lasting spiritual formation in youth.

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