Table Of ContentTHE IMAGE OF GOD AND IDENTITY: IDENTITY FORMATION
IN EMERGING GENERATIONS
A THESIS-PROJECT
SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF
GORDON-CONWELL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE
DOCTOR OF MINISTRY
BY
CHARLIE BROXTON
JANUARY 2020
Copyright © 2019 by Charlie Broxton. All Rights Reserved.
For Dayspring, without whom this thesis would not exist. Thank you for encouraging me,
challenging me, believing in me, picking up the slack for me, and kicking me in the pants when I
needed it.
CONTENTS
ILLUSTRATIONS ......................................................................................................................... ix
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................................ xi
ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................. xii
CHAPTER 1: THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING .................................................................... 1
Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 1
History of Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood in America ...................................... 2
Key Terms and Phrases .................................................................................................... 3
Conflicting Opinions on Emerging Adulthood ............................................................... 4
The Final Evaluation ......................................................................................................... 6
Defining Characteristics of Emerging Adulthood .......................................................... 7
The Doorway to Adulthood: Individuation ................................................................... 17
The Enemy of Individuation: The Patchwork Self ....................................................... 22
Identity Confusion ........................................................................................................... 24
Summary .......................................................................................................................... 42
Thesis ................................................................................................................................ 42
CHAPTER 2: THEOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK ......................................................................... 44
Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 44
iv
Identity and The Power of The Stories .......................................................................... 47
Evangelical Theologies of The Image of God ................................................................ 55
Conclusion on The Evangelical Theologies of The Image of God ............................... 61
The Image of God: God’s Intentions for Human Identity ........................................... 61
Act 1: Created in The Image of God: Creation of Human Identity ............................ 65
Image and Identity—An Identity-Defining Connection to God ............................ 65
Image and Purpose: A Purpose-Determining Reflection of God .......................... 78
An Excursive Question: Is the Image of God an Individual or Communal Identity?
........................................................................................................................................... 90
Act 2: Subversion of The Image of God and Perversion of Human Identity ............. 93
Introduction ........................................................................................................... 93
Transition from Act 1 to Act 2 .............................................................................. 94
Images and Identity: Identity-Deforming Connections ......................................... 96
Images and Purpose: Purpose-Corrupting Reflections ........................................ 105
The Golden Calf: The Paradigm for the Subversion of the Image of God and
Perversion of Human Identity .............................................................................. 109
Act 3: Re-Created in the Image of God: Renewal of Human Identity ..................... 111
The New Testament and the Image of God ......................................................... 111
The Perfect Image and Identity: An Ever-Deepening Identity-Defining
Connection to God ............................................................................................... 114
The Perfect Image and Purpose: An Ever-Increasing Purpose-Determining
Reflection of God ................................................................................................ 119
v
Conclusion to Chapter 2 ................................................................................................ 126
CHAPTER 3: LITERATURE REVIEW ..................................................................................... 129
Introduction ................................................................................................................... 129
People of the Goal ............................................................................................... 129
Three Problematic Issues ..................................................................................... 131
Growing in Grace ................................................................................................ 134
Three Models of Christian Formation ......................................................................... 136
Model 1—Person as Thinker: Knowing Things .................................................. 136
Model 2—Person as Believer: Believing Animals .............................................. 138
Model 3—Person as Lover: Desiring Animals .................................................... 139
A Theoretical Look at the “Person as Lover” Model of Christian Formation ........ 141
Introduction to the Theoretical Look at the “Person as Lover” Model ............... 141
Element 1 of Person as Lover Model —Cultural Liturgies: Love’s Formation .. 142
Element 2 of Person as Lover Model—Habits of the Heart: Love’s Fulcrum .... 152
Element 3 of Person as Lover Model—Ultimate Desires: Love’s Aim .............. 157
Element 4 of Person as Lover Model —A Kingdom: Love’s End ...................... 160
Element 5 of Person as Lover Model —An Identity: Love’s Reflection ............ 163
A Practical Look at the “Person as Lover” Model of Christian Formation ............ 165
Action 1: Focus on the Goal ................................................................................ 166
Action 2: Commit to a Covenant Community ..................................................... 169
Action 3: Disentangle from Cultural Liturgies .................................................... 172
Action 4: Submit to the Counterliturgies of Communal Weekly Worship ......... 177
vi
Action 5: Submit to the Counterliturgies of Daily Worship ................................ 205
Conclusion to Chapter 3 ................................................................................................ 241
CHAPTER 4: PROJECT DESIGN ............................................................................................. 242
Introduction ................................................................................................................... 242
Four Key Elements of Model ........................................................................................ 243
A Model for Age-Stage Ministry .................................................................................. 249
Birth to Seven-Year-Old Stage ............................................................................ 251
Seven to Nine-Year-Old Stage ............................................................................ 254
Nine to Twelve-Year-Old Stage .......................................................................... 257
13 to 16-Year-Old Stage ...................................................................................... 260
16 to 18-Year-Old Stage ...................................................................................... 264
Research Methodology .................................................................................................. 265
Evaluation of the Research Results .............................................................................. 269
CHAPTER 5: RESEARCH RESULTS ....................................................................................... 270
Introduction ................................................................................................................... 270
Results from the 5 Likert Scale Questions .................................................................. 271
The Effectiveness of Catechism .................................................................................... 275
Problematic Areas ......................................................................................................... 278
Next Steps ....................................................................................................................... 281
Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 285
vii
APPENDICES ............................................................................................................................. 287
Appendix A: Communion Workshop Curriculum .................................................... 287
Appendix B: Catechism Overview ............................................................................... 298
Appendix C: Catechism Tri-Fold Informational Brochure ...................................... 300
Appendix D: Confirmation Overview .......................................................................... 302
Appendix E: Resources For Christian Practices ........................................................ 304
Appendix F: Interview Transcripts ............................................................................. 309
BIBLIOGRAPHY ....................................................................................................................... 341
VITA ............................................................................................................................................ 358
viii
ILLUSTRATIONS
Figures
Figure 1: The Person as Lover Model ......................................................................................... 143
Figure 2: Liturgical Seasons of the Church ................................................................................. 198
Figure 3: Overview of Ministry Model ....................................................................................... 250
Figure 4: The Story Summary Verses ......................................................................................... 263
Figure 5: Semi-Structured Interview Questions .......................................................................... 268
Figure 6: Table of Responses to Likert Scale Questions ............................................................. 271
Figure 7: Graph of Responses to Likert Scale Question 6 .......................................................... 272
Figure 8: Graph of Responses to Likert Scale Question 7 .......................................................... 272
Figure 9: Graph of Responses to Likert Scale Question 8 .......................................................... 273
Figure 10: Graph of Responses to Likert Scale Question 10 ...................................................... 274
Figure 11: Graph of the Number of Question and Answers Recited from Memory ................... 275
ix
The Image of the Invisible by Thrice1
We're more than carbon and chemicals.
Free will is ours and we can't let go.
We can't allow this, the quiet cull.
So we sing out this, our canticle: we are the image of the invisible.
We all were lost now we are found
No one can stop us or slow us down
We are all named and we are all known
We know that we'll never walk alone
We're more than static and dial tone.
We're emblematic of the unknown.
Raise up the banner, bend back your bows.
Remove the cancer, take back your souls: we are the image of the invisible.
Though all the world may hate us, we are named.
Though shadow overtake us, we are known.
We’re more than carbon and chemicals.
Freewill is ours and we can’t let go.
We are the image of the invisible.
1 AZ Lyrics, Image of the Invisible (London: Island Records, 2005),
https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/thrice/imageoftheinvisible.html.
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