https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12852/6 The School of Graduate Studies aims to promote pedagogical thinking, policy-making, and practical applications towards broader contemporary frameworks, and enhance capacity-building in educational research, teaching, and scholarship. 2026-11-13T21:07:58Z https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12852/4009 The question of identity and liberation in the Myanmar church Dawla, Walesbeth The Purpose I am attempting an account of the search for identity and liberation in the mission work. Christianity in Myanmar has been deeply rooted and has grown stronger in adversity with an expansion of 130 years. Today, there are almost 1.8 million Christians representing 6.5% of the total population of 46 million people. After the Burma Revolutionary Council was formed in 1968, all Protestant and Roman Catholic foreign missionaries were expelled from Myanmar. The church in Myanmar has been faithful and gave the continual growth of the church during the country’s establishment of the "Burmese way to socialism". Among the 6.5% Christians, 5.2% Protestants are largely formed by ethnic minorities such as Kachin Mara, Rawang, Lisu, Lahu, Lushai, the northern Chin and 40% of Karen people.1)The ethnic minorities, each with numerous subgroups, have been identified as Christians who continue to exist with distinctive beliefs, practices and churches. Myanmar Christians can be described as religio-ethnic groups.2) In Myanmar, there is freedom of religion for Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Animism and others like folk religion. However, in most occasions, Buddhism has great influence in governmental affairs. Although Buddhism originated in India, it was molded and transformed into Myanmar culture and tradition so it becomes wholly Myanmar Buddhist or Myanmar religion. On the contrary, Christianity in Myanmar has suffered for its origin as a foreign religion. It is clear that "Christianity has developed through a complex interaction between religious and nonreligious factors. Christian ideas have been formed within the intellectual framework provided by Greek philosophy； the Christian Church was molded as an institution by the Roman empire and its system of laws. The Catholic mind reflects something of Latin Mediterranean temparament, whereas the Protestant mind reflects something of the northern germanic temparament."3) The purpose of this study is to create awareness among the church leaders that the issues we are facing regarding concerning the nature of church and our mission, would be confronted and be continued by the issue of its "identity". The identity of the church continues to be defined by the church buildings created on western models, a continuing notion of the foreign origin and allegiance of the church and the transcultural values and images associated with Christian functions, ceremonies and programs. This study seeks to reexamine its critical remarks on the identity of Christianity as "Christianizing", or "Christening" mission. This study will also seek to explore the identity of the churches, unity and the needs of unity and cooperation among churches, including the fast-growing-para churches, in order to work together for the kingdom of God. At the same time, this study is to find out the meaning of liberation from the context of mission in Myanmar. Mission is the church's response to its calling to serve and witness to God's loving and liberating purpose for the whole human family, for every individual member of that family, and for the whole of creation. Mission is to be involved in the processes of transformation and liberation of the human personality with the contemporary concept of social transformation and change. Since my thesis is entitled “The Question of Identity and Liberation in the Myanmar Church,” I would characterize this from my understanding of Christian consciousness being based on the cognitive and ethical dimension. The Importance Myanmar needs to find a relevant strategy in the mission work which is able to cope with the current situation and needs of the people. We also need to expand our ecumenical horizon that reveals to us God's way with the nation and people with which we have not seriously reckoned in our faith before. It has become increasingly evident to thinking Christians that the future of Christianity cannot be separated from the future of other religions, that the well-being of the Christian church is closely bound with the well-being of the large community around it, and that Christians and their neighbors are fellow pilgrims on earth in search of the meaning of life and fulfilment of it. The Method The method of this study will begin with an introduction and the general historical background of Myanmar including ethnicity and religious beliefs in chapter 1. There will be an examination of the socio-political background of the country. This study will give the understanding of the situation and context where the Myanmar church had been established. In chapter 2, we will trace the historical background of Protestant mission in Myanmar. A brief history of the mission will start from the Baptist church which became a strong missionary sending body. The mission work of the Baptist church will be mainly emphasized on this study. Chapter 3 will introduce the problem of Christian identity in Myanmar along with churches' unity. Chapter 4 will seek the meaning of liberation in the Myanmar context. As a Christian, knowing and understanding the interpretation of liberation from the Bible will be followed by the building up of a secular understanding of liberation. Specifically, this study will seek to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of Christian mission in community for the liberation from all means of bondage. Thus, the liberation understanding for mission work in Myanmar will take its roots in the spiritual experience of our Christian community and will develop in the form of the continuing process of action of how God is at work in the Myanmar church. The conclusion will take a look to the future of mission work in Myanmar within the context of our existing needs, values, and lifestyles based on the call and vocation of the church. The Limitation A study such as this paper is limited in scope and length by the socio-political background of my country because the fields of liberation, religious dialogue, and identity crisis are too wide. I have chosen to narrow the scope of this study to an extent which will find the way for the church to deal with the critical situation of our mission work to reach the unreached people. This study will be an attempt to affirm our respective missionary convictions to bear a d ear witness and to foster a climate of respect, freedom and reciprocal service in our Christian community. There are many difficulties and limitations in understanding the concepts of people of other living faiths and in communicating to them the liberating message of our Lord Jesus Christ. Introduction 1996-01-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12852/4008 Christian education strategy for middle adults of Myanmar Baptist church Maung, Win In the Bible, tree is a metaphor for what the human life is all about. The psalmist says," They are like trees that grow beside a stream that bear fruits at the right lime, and whose leaves do not dry up. They succeeded in everything they do. (Ps. 1:3) “Jesus also says, " A healthy tree bears good fruit, but a poor tree bears bad fruits. (Matt. 7:17)" These metaphors mean humans must grow like a tree. The metaphor of growth is an essential part of the image of human. As a tree grows and bears fruits, humans also need to grow. Learning is important for the process of growth in human life. Learning means making use of every source- in or out of the educational institution-for personal growth and development. John L. Elias says, “To be human means to learn to be fully human entails a lifelong effort, in acquiring knowledge, attitudes, skills, and behaviors."12People are learning throughout their lives. With the increasing complexity of our world, lifelong learning and adapting are absolutely necessary for basic survival. For this lifelong effort of teaching- learning process of humans, the church stands as a teaching institution to nurture its members. Charles A. Tidwell expresses that “A church must engage its members in regular and frequent nurturing and educating experience."2 The ultimate purpose of the church is to make Disciples of Christ. The responsibility includes both evangelizing, to bring persons to Jesus Christ, and teaching them in His way (Matthew 28:20). The educational church program can be defined as the entire, complete program that a local church carries on to bring persons to Christ as Savior and Lord, to guide them in growth toward Christlikeness, and to equip them for effective service in the will of God (Eph. 4:12-13) In the long tradition of teaching ministry, the church took responsibly for all different ages of people. Perhaps the worst mistake we could make would be to assume that adult education should be like the education of children and youth, only on a higher level. Adults as learners are unique, needing an educational approach designed for their own characteristics as learners. Moreover, all adults are not the same. They also need an educational program designed for the various developmental levels of adulthood. In this thesis I will explore the middle adults as learners, identifying their developmental stages and special characteristics as students. It is a fact that, Christian education should meet the real life problems of middle adults. Meeting the needs of middle adults, helping them to live happily in society and to serve society are characteristics of Christian education. Christian teaching is not merely transmitting knowledge about God, but also encourages and helps to have the relationship and encounter with the living God in life. As Myanmar has faced political changes in history, the church also needs to find the relevant methods and strategy for nurturing its middle adult members. To this end, I will draw the objectives and strategies of Christian education for middle adults of Myanmar Baptist Church. Introduction 2000-01-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12852/3994 Stakeholders’ assessment of cultural mapping in the Province of Iloilo: Inputs to an enhanced culture and heritage program Anacan, Marjoe Karl T. Cultural mapping is vital for preserving and promoting Iloilo Province’s heritage, as required by Republic Act No. 10066 (National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009) and Republic Act No. 11961 (Cultural Mapping Act). Despite Iloilo’s rich history, challenges such as low cultural asset appreciation, lack of a comprehensive cultural map, and weak policies have impeded progress. Addressing these issues is crucial for effective heritage conservation and tourism development. This study utilized a descriptive-correlational design with a quantitative approach, surveying 245 stakeholders using a validated data gathering instrument. The findings reveal that the cultural mapping process in Iloilo is generally seen as authentic, effective, relevant, and sustainable, receiving broad stakeholder support across various demographics, employment sectors, and districts. However, the assessment varies according to factors like age, education, employment type, and level of participation. Older stakeholders, project-based professionals, and those involved in hands-on fieldwork consistently rate cultural mapping more positively, while middle-aged respondents and those with higher academic qualifications are more critical. The tourism sector and government officials view the process as highly effective, while artists and cultural workers are more guarded. Accessibility, inclusivity, and engagement are rated positively, although district-level differences influence perceptions. A strong correlation is found between registration and implementation, while accessibility and engagement are linked to feedback and sustainability. The study underscores the importance of cultural mapping in Iloilo and stresses the need for stronger policies, community involvement, and participatory conservation to ensure sustainable heritage preservation and enhance the province’s cultural and tourism landscape. Abstract only 2025-06-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12852/3991 Online voting system using Rivest Shamir Adleman encryption algorithm Canatoy, Roda Katrina E. The Online Voting System Using Rivest-Shamir-Adleman Encryption Algorithm is a system designed to manage elections in a college and to allow voters to cast their votes online using their Android mobile devices. The traditional voting process faces challenges such as invalidating the bona fide voters, time-consuming results generation, and low voter turnout. The system allows the system administrators to create elections, define positions, add candidates, add departments and degree programs, and manage voter registrations. Voters can log in using their Android mobile devices by entering their unique credentials and a one-time password sent to their registered mobile numbers or email addresses. After successful verification, users can securely cast their votes and can view election results when the election period is done. Votes are encrypted using the RSA encryption algorithm for secure and tamper-proof voting. The real-time tallying and displaying of the partial result functionalities improve the transparency and speed of the election process. After the election period, the generation of results is faster and more reliable. Since the system can be accessed online, it can help increase the voter turnout. The system helps increase efficiency, improve accessibility, save costs, provide convenient administration, minimize human error, provide faster election results, and quickly generate reports. Abstract only 2025-05-01T00:00:00Z