Please read the introduction to this research project on yesterday’s post for relevant information about why I am researching the rift between Teen Mania’s Honor Academy and the Recovering Alumni community.
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When I applied for my grant, I was asked how I would measure the success of this project. One of the ways I would like to measure success is by composing a list of initial research questions and objectives and then gauging at the end of my project whether or not I have successfully answered those questions and achieved those objectives. As I begin this process, these are my initial questions. These may change and grow as my research goes on, but they are a starting point.
- What is the historical timeline of Teen Mania and its Honor Academy?
- I already know a lot about this question, but I would love to understand the history from the perspective of those who founded and developed Teen Mania.
- If Teen Mania’s leaders were to put it on a map of all other Christian organizations, where would it fall? What organizations would be near it in terms of belief systems and goals? What organizations would it be distanced from?
- What are the goals of the Honor Academy in terms of future growth, development, and change?
- What is the historical timeline of the Recovering Alumni website?
- Specifically, when did Mica decide to start the blog? What prompted her decision to start blogging about the HA?
- What has influenced various changes in tactic, tone, and goals?
- What makes Teen Mania so polarizing?
- Based on the reaction I get when I say “Teen Mania” in evangelical AND non-evangelical circles, I do not buy the idea that the dissatisfied participants are small in number or proportion. So why is it that people tend to be so polarized in their response to the group?
- How has the Recovering Alumni blog affected the ethos of the Honor Academy?
- Additionally, how has the blog affected prospective interns and their parents? I have heard that enrollment is down significantly, and I wonder if Teen Mania credits the RA site with dropping numbers.
- Many people have posted their stories to the RA blog, and I would like to verify certain information and accusations that have been levied against Teen Mania. Is there supporting evidence outside of the point of view of the storyteller?
- On the other hand, Teen Mania alleges that many of the stories posted are exaggerated or issues that have long since been resolved. Are they willing to identify which specific stories they feel are untrue or misrepresentative of the truth?
- What has been the motivation behind each of Teen Mania’s public responses to the RA community?
- Who crafted each response, and what kind of discussion and planning went into those responses?
- What ideas were proposed and discarded?
- I am particularly interested in the initial letter that Ron Luce sent to the HA mailing list about Mica’s use of the alumni mailing list; the Recovering Alumni Response website; the HA stories website; the letter of support from Jack Hayford; the development of the Honor Academy Director blog; and the interviews and public responses following MSNBC’s Mind Over Mania documentary.
- I am also interested in the semi-private responses that have been made through social media, via sites like Facebook, Twitter, and various blogs.
- Is there anything that the stakeholders in this debate would have done differently?
- For example, what would Honor Academy leaders have done different in terms of their response to the RA community, had they been able to anticipate the scope of the dissatisfaction?
- What about Mica and RA community members? Would they have gone about things in a different way if they had known what to expect from Teen Mania?
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In the next few days, I will post a call for interview subjects and information about what the interview process will be like. I appreciate all of the interest that I have already received regarding this project, and I hope to be able to talk with as many of you as possible. Please be aware that most of my research will take place in 2012, so although I hope to reply to every interested party right away, I will not be conducting most interviews for a few months.
Comments from first time commenters are put in moderation. Once approved, you will be able to comment as much as you like.
This may be outside the scope of your study, but I’d be quite interested to see the opinions of objective theological scholars on TM’s doctrines, philosophy of ministry, relation of faith and works, etc. I *might* be able to supply some contacts there if you want any.
Eric, I would definitely be interested in having some of those conversations! I think that a really useful strategy for explaining Teen Mania to outsiders would be to use the “map” analogy mentioned in this post. I want to know where Teen Mania places themselves on a metaphorical map of other Christian denominations and organizations, but I would also be interested in seeing how other scholars, theologians, and organizations view them. I think what you are discussing falls within those parameters.
Thanks for the input!