Epistemological development in pre-ministry undergraduates attending confessional Christian liberal arts colleges and universities

Abstract

The research explores the epistemological development of pre-ministry undergraduates in confessional Christian liberal arts colleges and universities. The Perry Scheme is the basis for the evaluation. This is a replication study of a 2012 Perry Scheme analysis of pre-ministry graduates in a cross-section of higher education institutions.

This research is a qualitative study with thirty traditional-aged students within six months of graduation. The students are from purposively selected confessional Christian liberal arts institutions. The interviews are conducted by telephone, transcribed, and scored by the Center for Study of Intellectual Development (CSID).

Of particular interest is the ethical decision making abilities of graduating pre-ministry students. The research is intended to clarify the students’ position on the Perry Scheme that reflects the level, if any, of personal commitment to their belief system.

KEYWORDS: biblical worldview, Center for the Study of Intellectual Development (CSID), cognitive development, college student development, dualism, epistemological development, ethics, higher education, imago Dei, multiplicity, Perry Scheme, pre-ministry undergraduates, reflective judgment, relativism, vocational ministry, William Perry.