Abundant Living
Papers from the
AIIAS Forum, Jan 28-30, 2010
Everyone wants to be happy, and most people would agree that health and
happiness are frequently correlated. Unfortunately, current trends in our
world today show an increase in lifestyle diseases, even in developing
countries, and even among children. Jesus said, “I am come that they might
have life, and that they might have it more abundantly (John 10:10). Of
course, He was talking about spiritual life, but it is clear from other
passages in the Bible that He also meant for us to have good physical health.
Along with the Bible writer, in this issue, we “wish above all things that
you may prosper and be in good health” (3 John 1:2).
The
Graduate School Forum was
held January 28-30, 2010 on the AIIAS campus, with the theme
Abundant
Living. Papers based on some of the major presentations from this 3-day
conference are published in this issue of
International Forum.
Presenters were selected in advance and invited to present in their areas of
expertise. Because these were invited addresses, and because this issue of the
journal is dedicated to covering that event, these papers were edited and
prepared for publication, but did not undergo the normal external peer-review
process.
Health is a topic that has long been a
focus for the Adventist Church, and the world is beginning to sit up and take
notice, not only of the Adventist health message, but also of the studies
showing that Adventists tend to live longer and healthier lives. This is
definitely a time when, more than ever, the message needs to be shared, not
only amongst church members, but with a world in need. It is clear that the
world today is ignoring, or may even be unaware, of the way to health and
happiness, even though there is much information available. Hullquist reminds
us that breakfast is important, not only for good health, but also in order to
sustain thinking ability. Amazingly, with all the breakfasteating literature
available, an increasing number of adolescents, instead of eating what the
body needs, are skipping breakfast or are eating foods that are highly refined
and/or high in fats.
Galvez leads us on a historical tour to
show how philosophy and biblical history can help us better understand why our
health is important, and what we can do to maintain better health. He
demonstrates that since the body is connected; our physical health,
spirituality, and psychological mindset all affect each other. Biblical
concepts mesh with modern ideas of health, and demonstrate their consistency
with scientific findings.
Health education, however, has not kept
pace with the times. The trio of articles that complete this issue of
International
Forum focus on new and better ways of sharing the health message, so that
it will be more effective. Estrada suggests targeting specific groups with a
message designed for them, rather than using a ‘one size fits no one’
approach. Dela Torre picks up on a similar theme, focusing mainly on targeting
children and early adolescents in schools. The idea is to work with the youth
and help them to make good choices before they have already developed
destructive health habits. Rounding out this issue, Oendo looks more
generically at the traditional approach to health education and suggests how
it could be improved, given what we have learned about approaches to health
education and learning in the last 30 years. While the message remains
essentially unchanged, the approaches need to be tailored to the target
audiences. Such adjustments would include incorporating concerns for
community, culture, and relevance to the developing world, and not merely
replicating approaches focusing on the individual that have been employed in
the developed world.
Shawna
Vyhmeister, PhD
Editor, International Forum
Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies
Silang, Cavite, Philippines