TheoRhēma (Jul 2015)
Prototipul spiritualității echilaterale: către un model integrativ favorabil găsirii fericirii
Abstract
Situated at the junction of Practical Theology and Sociology, this study builds on the assumption that, although relatively young, Adventist spirituality can contribute significantly to the discussion about the psychology of happiness. The study consists of three sections that have been constituted by applying an inductive reasoning. First, we have identified a number of important components that have shaped Adventist spirituality at a personal level (micro level). These are the Christian commitment to personal character formation determined by the urgency of the second advent, the importance of health as a fundamental component of personal well-being, individual responsibility for personal gifts and talents, and a growing awareness of the needs of the world, coupled with the moral obligation to address them. In the second section, all these elements are integrated into a coherent model called, “The Equilateral Spirituality Prototype,” which brings clarity and focus to the discussion on “happiology.” Thirdly, the study explores the contribution of the model in different areas of research such as sociology, theology, education, leadership, spiritual formation, and religion. It is the contention of this study that only when we come up with a functional model at the microlevel can we then infer general principles in different areas of study at a macro level.
