Evangelism Through Happiness? A Case Study in Innovative “Pre-Evangelism” with Contemporary uk “Post-Christians”

The nature of evangelism in “post-Christian” societies, especially in the secularizing west is a problematized and contested area. A field research case study is presented by the author who was also the facilitator of an innovative pre-evangelism resource entitled The Happiness Lab which was the sub...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor principal: Rooms, Nigel (Autor)
Tipo de documento: Electrónico Artículo
Lenguaje:Inglés
Verificar disponibilidad: HBZ Gateway
Interlibrary Loan:Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany)
Publicado: 2018
En: Mission studies
Año: 2018, Volumen: 35, Número: 1, Páginas: 101-123
(Cadenas de) Palabra clave estándar:B Großbritannien / Postsecularismo / Evangelización / Psicología positiva / Felicidad
Clasificaciones IxTheo:CH Cristianismo y sociedad
KBF Islas Británicas
RH Evangelización
ZD Psicología
Otras palabras clave:B Happiness buffered self pre-evangelism post-Christian positive psychology
Acceso en línea: Volltext (Publisher)
Descripción
Sumario:The nature of evangelism in “post-Christian” societies, especially in the secularizing west is a problematized and contested area. A field research case study is presented by the author who was also the facilitator of an innovative pre-evangelism resource entitled The Happiness Lab which was the subject of the research. A small group of “post-Christians” in the United Kingdom was gathered to pilot the course which taught practices associated with increasing happiness from the positive psychology movement. Survey data, participant observation and semi-structured interviews create triangulated data which is analyzed to show the effectiveness of the course in increasing in small ways the happiness levels of the participants. The question of how the course is defined and offered ethically as pre-evangelism is examined. Critical reflection on the data is presented utilizing secularization and post-secular theory alongside theological categories such as imago Dei, incarnation and conversion. “Anticipatory evangelism” is suggested as an alternative nomenclature.1
Descripción Física:Online-Ressource
ISSN:1573-3831
Obras secundarias:In: Mission studies
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1163/15733831-12341549