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ABSTRACT an EXPLORATION of the RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FAITH, SPIRITUALITY and WELLNESS AMONGST the ANISHINABEK by Roger A. Boyer I

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ABSTRACT an EXPLORATION of the RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FAITH, SPIRITUALITY and WELLNESS AMONGST the ANISHINABEK by Roger A. Boyer I ABSTRACT AN EXPLORATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FAITH, SPIRITUALITY AND WELLNESS AMONGST THE ANISHINABEK by Roger A. Boyer II The purpose of this quantitative and qualitative phenomenological study is to explore the relationship between faith, spirituality and wellness amongst Anishinabek; to better understand the factors experienced or expressed through the ritual process. Through the administration of the MacDonald’s Expressions of Spiritual Inventory- Revised (ESI-R) and a semi-structure (SS) questionnaire, an examination of the following two questions: how do Anishinabek along the North Shore perceive and explain their experience of the relationship between faith, spirituality and wellness and how are these relationships incorporated in ritual? In this study, ninety-five (n=95) Anishinabek participated in the ESI-R survey. Out of these ninety-five (n=95), fourteen (n=14) fulfilled a criteria for SS interviewing where indigenous conversation protocols were observed to both preserve data collection and the purpose of the study. The researcher presents spirituality as a unique doorway to interact with faith, spirituality and wellness. In the ritual process towards mino-biimaadziwin, Anishinabek encounter expressions of liminal experiences (ritual elements) of connectedness, trauma and integration with their faith and spirituality through ceremony which impact their wellness in a limited manner. The ritual process for Anishinabek is experienced from an initial balanced state to entering into a liminal unbalance state and then re-emerges into an elevated balanced state. Interdependence and inner convergence are expressions of this unique balanced state. DISSERTATION APPROVAL SHEET “An EXPORATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FAITH, SPIRITUALITY AND WELLNESS amongst Anishinabek” written by Roger Arnold Boyer II submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Intercultural Studies has been read and approved by the undersigned members of the Faculty of Asbury Theological Seminary Dr. Russell West, Mentor Dr. Michael A. Rynkiewich, Reader ____________________________________ Dr. Steven Ybarrola, Reader May 31, 2016 An Exploration of the Relationship between Faith, Spirituality and Wellness amongst Anishinabek A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of Asbury Theological Seminary Wilmore, Kentucky In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in Intercultural Studies Dissertation Committee Dr. Russell West, Mentor Dr. Michael A. Rynkiewich, Reader Dr. Steve Ybarrola, Reader By Roger Arnold Boyer II May 31, 2016 Copyright 2016 Roger Arnold Boyer II All rights reserved TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION: THE PROBLEM AND RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ......................... 1 DISCOVERY OF ANISHINABEK BY EUROPEANS ......................................................... 2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM .......................................................................................... 9 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY ................................................................................................ 10 RESEARCH QUESTIONS ................................................................................................... 10 1. How do Anishinabek along the North Shore perceive and explain their experience of the relationship between faith, spirituality and wellness? ..................................................... 10 2. How do these relationships between faith, spirituality and wellness incorporate into ritual? ..................................................................................................................................... 13 DEFINITIONS .......................................................................................................................... 15 Aboriginal .............................................................................................................................. 15 Anishinaabe, Anishinabek and/or Ojibwa ............................................................................. 15 Contextual .............................................................................................................................. 16 Identity ................................................................................................................................... 16 Holism ................................................................................................................................... 16 Holistic Healing ..................................................................................................................... 17 Mino-Biimaadziwin ............................................................................................................... 17 Ritual Elements...................................................................................................................... 17 Shalom ................................................................................................................................... 18 ASSUMPTIONS ....................................................................................................................... 18 DELIMITATIONS .................................................................................................................... 18 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY .......................................................................................... 19 DISSERTATION OUTLINE .................................................................................................... 21 CHAPTER TWO .......................................................................................................................... 23 REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE .............................................................................................. 23 DESCRIBING FAITH .......................................................................................................... 23 THEORIES OF FAITH DEVELOPMENT .......................................................................... 27 HISTORICAL IMPACT ON FAITH, SPRITIUALITY AND WELLNESS ........................... 31 PRE- ROBINSON HURON TREATY (1850) ......................................................................... 31 POST-ROBINSON HURON TREATY (1850 & BEYOND) .............................................. 58 v ANISHINABEK BELIEF SYSTEMS .................................................................................. 74 ANISHINABEK CEREMONIES & CHRISTIANITY ........................................................ 81 ANISHINABEK PRAXIS MODEL OF FAITH RECONCILIATION ................................ 99 SPIRITUALITY: A REVIEW ................................................................................................ 101 DEFINING SPIRITUALITY VERSUS FAITH ................................................................. 101 WRESTLING WITHIN SPIRITUALITY .......................................................................... 106 MODELS OF SPIRITUAL FORMATION ........................................................................ 111 WELLNESS: A FRAME FOR BEING............................................................................... 118 DEFINING WELLNESS .................................................................................................... 121 MODELS OF WELLNESS ................................................................................................. 122 THE MEDICINE WHEEL .................................................................................................. 125 ANISHINABEK WELLNESS AS WHOLISTIC ............................................................... 126 BALANCE AS AN ANISHINABEK RITUAL ELEMENT .............................................. 130 RATIONALE FOR INTEGRATION ................................................................................. 134 CHAPTER THREE .................................................................................................................... 137 METHODOLOGY (MIXED) ..................................................................................................... 137 ANALYZING THE DATA ................................................................................................. 138 STUDY DESIGN ................................................................................................................ 145 ROLE OF THE RESEARCHER ......................................................................................... 147 DATA COLLECTION ........................................................................................................ 151 QUANTITATIVE DATA PROCESS ................................................................................. 152 PARTICIPANTS ................................................................................................................. 152 EXPRESSIONS OF SPIRITUALITY INVENTORY – REVISED (ESI-R) ...................... 154 DATA ANALYSIS ............................................................................................................. 157 QUALITATIVE DATA PROCESS .................................................................................... 158 KEY INFORMANT INTERVIEWS ................................................................................... 158 QUESTIONNAIRE: SEMI-STRUCTURED (SS) .............................................................. 160 KEY INFORMANT PROFILES ......................................................................................... 161 TRANSCRIPTION VALIDATION PROCESS ................................................................
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