The Philosophy of Christian Service and its Practice in the Seventh-day Adventist Senior Academies of the United States during the 1979-1980 School Year
Problem. Service-learning in the educational system of the Seventh-day Adventist church in the United States, as is true in public education, generally has been overshadowed by a subject-matter orientation. It was the purpose of this study to determine the level of practice of service to others in the secondary schools of the Adventist church in the United States, to research the principles necessary to write a philosophy of service, and to specify the organizational components required for service projects. Method. Two types of closely related research were used in this study : descriptive analysis and descriptive developmental. A descriptive analysis was made of the philosophy and practice of service as presented in the literature. The data obtained provided the information necessary for the descriptive development of philosophical principles and organizational components necessary for the educational practice of service. In addition, a Christian Service questionnaire was developed and sent to the seventy-three secondary schools. Responses registered in the instrument provided data which were used to determine the level of practice of service to others. Results. Principles necessary for writing a Christian philosophy of service-learning and components necessary for organizing; service were formulated. Data obtained from the questionnaire revealed that each academy had a mean of 4.29 projects per school during the 1979-1980 school year. Approximately 18 percent of the available students and staff participated in each project and do percent of the available students and 41 percent of the available staff participated in at least one project. Conversely, approximately 54 percent of the students and 59 percent of the staff did not participate in any service project. Conclusions. In summary: (1) The Life and ministry of Jesus Christ was motivated by selfless service to others and is therefore the supreme model for Christian education. (2) Service to others, motivated by individual choice and love, should be an integral part of the educational curriculum of the Seventh-day Adventist church. (3) The literature provides the principles necessary to formulate a philosophy of service and the components necessary to organize service projects.
Seventh-day Adventists--Education (Secondary), History of Christianity, Liturgy and Worship, Religion
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