Date of Award

Fall 11-2021

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Practical Theology

First Advisor

James Marriott

Scripture References in this Resource

Gen. 1:26; 2:8–17; Gen. 5:26, 27; Ps. 90:10; Isa. 46:4; Ps. 71:9; Ps. 92:14; Gen. 5:32; Exod. 7:7; Prov.16:31; Ps. 91:16; Zech. 8: 3–4; Exod. 20:12; Gen. 45:9–11; Gen. 47:11; Ruth 1:16; Ruth 2; 17, 18, 23; Deut.10:18; Luke 2:10; John 3:16; Luke 1:18–25, 41–45; Luke 2:25–38; Luke 2:36–38; Luke 4:18–19; Mark 2:2, 5, 11; John 2:17; Matt. 15:32–39; Mark 6:30–44; Luke 9:10–17; John 6:1–15; Matt. 6:11; Matt. 22:34– 40; John 15:12; Matt. 22:34–40; Mark 10:45; Phil. 2:7–8; John 13:15; Luke 14:13–14; Mark 7:8–13; Exod. 20:12; Acts 6:1–7; Acts 4:32–34; James 2:14– 17; 1 Tim. 5:4; 1 Tim. 5:8; James 1:27; 1 Tim. 5:16; John 1:18; Mark 12:30; Matt. 28:16–20; Thess. 5:23; Eph. 4:22– 24; Rom. 6:4

Abstract

Uddo Tsigewengel B. “The Contemporary Situation of Elderly People in Ethiopia and the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus.” MA Thesis, Concordia Seminary, 2022. 100pp.

The Church is God’s agent to serve God’s people in the church and society at large. The scope of the Church’s ministry comprises all ages: young, adult, and elderly. Culturally, in Ethiopia, children and close family members are responsible for caring for the elderly, therefore, the church has not given satisfactory attention to holistic elderly care. Moreover, current societal change and globalization have negatively affected the indigenous family-support system for the elderly. As a result, many elderly people are without proper care and suffer from homelessness, loneliness, hunger, and poor health; some are even exposed to the street life. This thesis briefly considers the secular and African traditional views of holistic care and compares them with biblical holistic care. Further, the thesis asks how the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus offers scriptural-based holistic care for the elderly. Based on its findings, it suggests an approach to Christian holistic care for the elderly, to address their true spiritual needs, needs that often go wholly unrecognized by the secular and African traditional views about the spiritual component of an individual. Christian holistic care is concerned about the spiritual health and wellbeing of all people, of any age, maintained through the true relationship with and worship of the Triune God. Accordingly, this thesis offers recommendations to the EECMY, to rethink her holistic ministry theme, considering the physical and spiritual needs of the elderly people of today.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

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