The Value of Cultural Hospitality Within the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in the United States of America
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Digital Commons @ George Fox University Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations 2-2020 The Value of Cultural Hospitality within the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in the United States of America Kara Johnsson Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/dmin Part of the Christianity Commons GEORGE FOX UNIVERSITY THE VALUE OF CULTURAL HOSPITALITY WITHIN THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF PORTLAND SEMINARY IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF MINISTRY BY KARA JOHNSSON PORTLAND, OREGON FEBRUARY 2020 Portland Seminary George Fox University Portland, Oregon CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL ________________________________ DMin Dissertation ________________________________ This is to certify that the DMin Dissertation of Kara Johnsson has been approved by the Dissertation Committee on February 20, 2020 for the degree of Doctor of Ministry in Leadership and Spiritual Formation Dissertation Committee: Primary Advisor: Phil Newell, DMin Secondary Advisor: Sarita Edwards, PhD Lead Mentor: MaryKate Morse, PhD Copyright © 2020 by Kara Johnsson All rights reserved ii DEDICATION To my love, Dr Terry Lyndon Johnsson. Thank you for sharing the adventure of this life with me. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This doctoral journey is not a lone pilgrimage but one that is shared by a community and I am so incredibly grateful for the blessing of mine. To the God of Love who I am still growing in understanding of and love for. Thank you for your patience and faithfulness in this adventure of life that you have gifted me with. You have blessed me beyond words, and I am so grateful. Terry Johnsson, words cannot express the gift that you are to me. I love you and appreciate so much the support and encouragement that you have given me in this doctoral journey. It belongs to you as much as it does to me. Not only that, in sharing life with you, God has revealed so much of his love and wisdom. I am a better person because of you. My family: Mum, Dad, and Alana, you have witnessed and shared in this life with me from the start and I love you each beyond words. Thank you for your ongoing encouragement, love, and support. My soul sisters: Terese Baines, Keira Bullock, Makushla D’Costa, Lindsay Morton, and Moe Stiles. You are each unique, incredible women who I am so grateful to have shared this journey with over many years now. Thank you for your encouragement and understanding, particularly for my “absence” at times over these last three years! The many mentors who have given so generously of their time and wisdom, encouraging, advising, sharing, and witnessing the highs and lows of this adventure of life with God. Your continued presence in my life is invaluable. Karen Ferry, Dr. Wendy Jackson, Dr. Bill and Noelene Johnsson, Jenny Kavur, Pr. Travis Manners, Monika Maples, Pr. George Munoz, Donna Parmenter, Prof. Daniel Reynaud, Pr. Mike Robinson, iv Dr. Ray Roennfeldt, Dr. Peter Roennfeldt, Ray and Bronwynne Slade, Pr. Faye Stothers, Roseanne Tikoicinna, Dr. Phyllis Woods. The George Fox family. You have truly fulfilled the commitment that you gave us of “being known.” I have appreciated so much, the understanding, care, patience, and individualized support that you have given in this journey. I have grown so much through witnessing your own walks with God and appreciate your willingness in sharing them with me. Thank you particularly to my lead Professor, Dr. MaryKate Morse, who has gifted me with a wider and deeper understanding of the love of God and to my advisor, Phil Newell, who so patiently guided me through this dissertation journey. Cohort LSF 3. The privilege of knowing you has been a highlight, joy, and spiritual strength over these past three years. You are phenomenal and I am so glad to be connected with you in living out the love of God in our differing contexts. My life and ministry are better for it. The Sunnyside Seventh-day Adventist Church family and Oregon Conference leadership team. Thank you for your encouragement and understanding in this journey, for giving me space when needed to write, prayers to sustain, and for cheering me along the way. Lorraine Jacobs, who so selflessly gave of her editing skills—you are a gift! Thank you for your gracious and generous skill and friendship. v EPIGRAPH Hospitality may be a mark of God’s new reign, and strangers may be its bearers.1 Amy G. Oden 1 Amy G. Oden, ed. And You Welcomed Me: A Sourcebook on Hospitality in Early Christianity (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2001), 52. vi Table of Contents DEDICATION ...............................................................................................................iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .............................................................................................. iv EPIGRAPH .................................................................................................................... vi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ......................................................................................... ix ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................... x CHAPTER 1: Diverse and Segregated: A Complex Tension and Opportunity ................ 1 A Complex Tension: Diverse and Segregated ............................................................ 2 A Segregated Church Structure .................................................................................. 3 Racial Prejudice & Tension ....................................................................................... 5 CHAPTER 2: A Theological Framework for Seventh-day Adventism’s Historical Racial Roots ............................................................................................................................. 12 Adventism Birthed in a Racialized United States ..................................................... 12 Millerism Roots ....................................................................................................... 14 Establishment of the Seventh-day Adventist Church ................................................ 16 Early Potential for Racial Unity ............................................................................... 19 An Apocalyptic Focus ............................................................................................. 24 Separation between Church and State ...................................................................... 26 Political Apocalyptics .............................................................................................. 28 CHAPTER 3: A THEOLOGY OF DIVERSITY........................................................... 30 Cultural Diversity as God’s Plan from the Beginning ............................................... 30 Created in the Image of the Triune God ................................................................. 30 Diversity in Creation and the Cultural Mandate...................................................... 33 An Alternative Interpretation to the Cultural Mandate ............................................ 35 The Purity Laws and Homogeneity in First Century Palestine .................................. 37 Jesus Intentionally Inclusive of Other Cultures ........................................................ 38 Cultural Diversity at the Inception of the Early Church ............................................ 41 Cultural Diversity in the Teaching of the Apostles and Eschaton ............................. 44 Cultural Diversity and the Homogeneous Unit Principle .......................................... 47 The Core of the Gospel Cannot be Compromised .................................................... 49 The Contention for Healthy Homogeneity ............................................................... 51 Individual Cultures Must be Valued ......................................................................... 55 The Need for Biblical Values and Cultural Equity and Respect................................ 56 CHAPTER 4: A Call to a Theology of Cultural Hospitality .......................................... 62 Hospitality in the Old and New Testaments ............................................................. 64 Biblical Hospitality and Cultural Diversity .............................................................. 70 Biblical Hospitality Calls for a Balance in Adventism’s Theological Prioritization .. 72 Cultural Hospitality ................................................................................................. 74 Cultural Hospitality: Humility ................................................................................ 75 Cultural Hospitality: Welcome ............................................................................... 79 Recognition through the Worship Service .............................................................. 82 Recognition through Empowerment ....................................................................... 85 vii Mutuality of Blessing through Welcome ................................................................ 87 Empathy ................................................................................................................ 88 Empathy and Lament ............................................................................................. 90 Practicing Empathy and Justice .............................................................................. 95 CHAPTER 5: Blessings, Challenges, and Complexities of Practicing Cultural Hospitality