From followers to leaders : the Apostles in the ritual of status transformation in Acts 1-2
This thesis is a study of Acts 1-2 using perspectives from the social sciences. The study is focused on the twelve apostles of Jesus and attempts to understand the process and purpose of their change of status from being followers to becoming the leaders of the Christian community. Specifically, this thesis employs the model of Rituals of Status Transformation as its primary theoretical framework in order to clarify and define the stages and phases of the apostles' status transformation. The primary purpose of the status transformation is to promote the leadership integrity of the apostles. This leadership integrity was put into question because Judas -a member of the Twelve - betrayed Jesus. Judas' betrayal brought social embarrassment on the apostolate and thus necessitated the author's campaign to show his readers the apostles' status transformation. A major part of this study is the suggestion of a plausible solution to the questions surrounding the function of the pericopes of Acts 1: 12-14 and 1: 15-26 in relation to the Ascension and Penetecost events. Contrary to the common view that the prayer of unanimity between the Eleven apostles, the women, and Jesus' family in the upper room is simply an empty
Estrada, Nelson P.
Jesus; Leadership
From followers to leaders : the Apostles in the ritual of status transformation in Acts 1-2. This thesis is a study of Acts 1-2 using perspectives from the social sciences. The study is focused on the twelve apostles of Jesus and attempts to understand the process and purpose of their change of status from being followers to becoming the leaders of the Christian community. Specifically, this thesis employs the model of Rituals of Status Transformation as its primary theoretical framework in order to clarify and define the stages and phases of the apostles' status transformation. The primary purpose of the status transformation is to promote the leadership integrity of the apostles. This leadership integrity was put into question because Judas -a member of the Twelve - betrayed Jesus. Judas' betrayal brought social embarrassment on the apostolate and thus necessitated the author's campaign to show his readers the apostles' status transformation. A major part of this study is the suggestion of a plausible solution to the questions surrounding the function of the pericopes of Acts 1: 12-14 and 1: 15-26 in relation to the Ascension and Penetecost events. Contrary to the common view that the prayer of unanimity between the Eleven apostles, the women, and Jesus' family in the upper room is simply an empty
follower leader apostles ritual status transformation acts study acts use perspective social_science study_focus twelve apostle jesus attempt process purpose change status follower become leader christian_community specifically employ model status transformation primary theoretical_framework order_clarify define stag phase apostle status transformation primary_purpose status transformation promote leadership integrity apostle leadership integrity put question member twelve betray jesus betrayal bring social thus necessitate author campaign show reader apostle status transformation major_part study suggestion plausible solution question_surround function pericopes acts relation ascension event contrary common view prayer eleven apostle woman jesus family upper room simply empty