Toward a Biblical View of Collective Responsibility for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the ...

106 Pages·2016·0.84 MB·English

by  Miroslav Danihel

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Master's Theses Graduate Research
2013
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Miroslav Danihel
Andrews University
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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
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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

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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

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