Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University Master's Theses Graduate Research 2013 Toward a Biblical View of Collective Responsibility for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Twenty-first Century Miroslav Danihel Andrews University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/theses Recommended Citation Danihel, Miroslav, "Toward a Biblical View of Collective Responsibility for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Twenty-first Century" (2013). Master's Theses. 35. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/theses/35 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Research at Digital Commons @ Andrews University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Andrews University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Thank you for your interest in the Andrews University Digital Library of Dissertations and Theses. Please honor the copyright of this document by not duplicating or distributing additional copies in any form without the author’s express written permission. Thanks for your cooperation. ABSTRACT TOWARD A BIBLICAL VIEW OF COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY by Miroslav Danihel Adviser: Miroslav Kiš ABSTRACT OF GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH Thesis Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary Title: TOWARD A BIBLICAL VIEW OF COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY Name of the researcher: Miroslav Danihel Name and degree of faculty adviser: Miroslav Kiš, Ph.D. Date completed: November 2013 The notion of collective responsibility is an issue that is not very popular in the postmodern society. However, the idea of collective responsibility can be found in the Bible. This thesis examines philosophical, ethical, and biblical sources on the subject. The biblical evidence focuses on examining Josh 7 and Ezek 18, as well as some of the New Testament contributions to the topic. The relationship between collective responsibility, collective personality, and collective punishment is discussed. The thesis acknowledges collective responsibility as a valid biblical doctrine and proposes its application for church members, leaders, and the decision-making process in the Seventh- day Adventist church in the twenty-first century. Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary TOWARD A BIBLICAL VIEW OF COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY A Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts by Miroslav Danihel 2013 TOWARD A BIBLICAL VIEW OF COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY A thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts by Miroslav Danihel APPROVAL BY THE COMMITTEE: ___________________________ Miroslav Kiš, Ph.D., Adviser ___________________________ Darius Jankiewicz, Ph.D. ___________________________ ___________________________ Martin Hanna, Ph.D. Date approved © Copyright by Miroslav Danihel 2013 All Rights Reserved TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ..........................................................................................................v Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 1 Background of the Problem ............................................................................. 1 Statement of the Problem ................................................................................. 8 Statement of Purpose ....................................................................................... 9 Methodology .................................................................................................... 9 Terminology ..................................................................................................... 9 Limitation ....................................................................................................... 10 2. COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY: PHILOSOPHICAL AND ETHICAL REVIEW ............................................................................................................... 12 Introduction .................................................................................................... 12 Collective Personality and Moral Agency ..................................................... 12 Collective Responsibility: Philosophical Discussion ..................................... 16 Internal and External Collective Responsibility ............................................ 19 Individualist and Collectivist Approach to Collective Responsibility ........... 20 Collectivistic Approach ............................................................................ 21 Individualistic Approach .......................................................................... 22 Collective Responsibility in Selected Ethical Systems .................................. 24 Deontological Ethical Systems ................................................................ 24 Teleological Ethical Systems ................................................................... 25 Relativism ................................................................................................ 26 Virtue Ethical System .............................................................................. 27 Summary .................................................................................................. 28 Collective Punishment ................................................................................... 29 Tragic Examples of Collective Punishment ............................................. 31 Toward the Justification of Collective Punishment ................................. 32 Conclusion ..................................................................................................... 34 3. BIBLICAL STUDY OF COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY ............................. 37 Introduction .................................................................................................... 37 Corporate Personality: Basic Theological Approaches .................................. 37 iii Collective Responsibility in the Old Testament: Joshua 7 and Ezekiel 18 .... 40 Joshua 7 .................................................................................................... 41 Summary .................................................................................................. 45 Ezekiel 18 ................................................................................................. 47 Individual Responsibility in Ezekiel 18 ............................................. 50 Collective Responsibility in Ezekiel 18 ............................................. 52 Summary ............................................................................................ 53 Collective Responsibility in the New Testament ........................................... 54 Individual Responsibility ......................................................................... 55 The Church as a Collective Person .......................................................... 56 The Church and Collective Responsibility .............................................. 57 Summary .................................................................................................. 62 Biblical Concept of Collective Retribution .................................................... 63 Adam as Absolute Example of Corporate Responsibility and Corporate Punishment ............................................................................................... 65 Conclusion ..................................................................................................... 67 4. ECCLESIOLOGY AND COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY ............................ 68 Survival Plan for the Time of Crisis .............................................................. 68 Collective Responsibility and Leadership in the Church ............................... 72 Corporate Responsibility, Christian Community, and Mission ..................... 75 Summary ........................................................................................................ 80 5. CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................... 82 BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................................................................... 87 iv LIST OF FIGURES 1. Internal Responsibility ....................................................................................... 19 2. External Responsibility ...................................................................................... 20 v CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Background of the Problem For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. (Rom 12:4-5 ESV) So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. (Rom 14:12 ESV) The church of God, enfeebled and defective though it is through yielding to temptation, is the only object upon earth on which he bestows his supreme regard.1 The church of Christ is a unique entity; it is divine and human at the same time. Christ is the Builder of the church (Matt 16:18), He is the Cornerstone of this building (Eph 2:20), and in Him the whole church is joined