Thesis (D.Min)--Abilene Christian University, 2006. / Abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 66-68).

Thesis (M. Div.)--Emmanuel School of Religion, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 68-72).

Thesis (Th. M.)--Dallas Theological Seminary, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 75-79).

Research has shown that the access to explicit criteria can promote student learning by making expectations explicit and by supporting students in identifying significant dimensions of quality in task performance. The aim of the study was to investigate how explicit criteria can support pre-service teachers' understanding of relational competence. The research design was an intervention study. Digital video was used as a tool for pre-service teachers to analyze interaction in simulated situations focusing on the relationship between teacher and students. Sources of data used were 1) pre-service teachers’ written analyzes before and after the access to explicit criteria, and 2) transcripts from focus-group interviews, concentrating on pre-service teachers’ perceptions of how the access to criteria affected their understanding of relational competence. The findings indicate that the access to explicit criteria positively affected pre-service teachers’ capacity to discern significant dimensions of relational competence, as well as their understanding of how trustful relationships between teachers and students can be created and maintained. All pre-service teachers perceived that the access to explicit criteria had helped them to gain a deeper understanding of relational competence and how relational competence can be observed and analyzed in interaction. A conclusion that can be drawn from the study is that the pre-service teachers, through access to criteria, developed new interpretative tools to communicate about relationships and teachers’ relational competence.

This study looked at the journey towards becoming a missional church, using Beach Mission Presbyterian Church as a case study and explores the question of the missiological praxis of Beach Mission and UPCSA. Despite the fact that the church is not fundamentally the keeper of mission, it is however the sign, instrument, means of expression, and foretaste of God’s mission to the troubled, broken and traumatised world. I can affirm with equal validity that, mission belongs to God. Mission was not made for the church; the church was made for mission – God’s mission. The UPCSA must give careful attention to the processes by which it governs itself but the biblical and theological foundations will always be crucial than the specific structures implemented. These foundations will allow authentic relationships to develop simply because they assure people that they will be valued as those created in the image of God. Their wisdom and participation will be noticed and honoured. The church structures will give credence to God’s work of reconciliation. When church structures allow the biblical and theological foundations to order its life, the church will bring glory, praise and honour to God. Gibbs (2005:20) asserts that, the church of the twenty-first century needs missional thinkers and apostolic leadership. By missional leadership I mean leaders who can read the Scriptures with fresh eyes, relating the story of redemption to the human condition in its present cultural context – contexts that are increasingly multicultural and influenced by global trends. This poses a challenge to UPCSA. It was apparent that the Beach Mission Presbyterian Church approaches missional church conversation with a sense of hopefulness, and this was motivated by the strong belief that God is present and up to something wonderful. The Beach Mission Presbyterian Church’s case in point is heartening other congregations who intend in embarking on a journey towards becoming a missional church. The focus has been about God and his mission. The Beach Mission Presbyterian Church ought to comprehend the indisputable fact that it is just an instrument for missio Dei or to put it simply it is nothing more than a delivery means for the gospel. Wright (2010:31) asserts that, but at the end of the day, mission is a matter of loyalty. The ambassador must have complete loyalty to the government he or she represents. A trusted messenger will faithfully deliver what his sender said, not his own opinions. The church is a rejected community sent out to the world with a product (Jesus), to bring about transformation to the world. In essence, one wonders if the church does comprehend the world in which it is sent out to? Does it comprehend God, who has sent it? In the missional church, the theology is more than the self-serving what do you get mentality. Members comprehend that they are called to be the church rather than be served by it. / Dissertation (MA Theol)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Science of Religion and Missiology / unrestricted

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We find ourselves, as interpreters and listeners, living, discerning, prioritizing, asking, and answering questions in and through particular communal and theological traditions. As the discerning and prioritizing process is inevitable, we suggest to move the question about prioritizing from the context of ‘privileged access or interpretation' to the context of the ‘preferences' of the believing communities. We imply by this ‘relocation' the interdependent relationships between believing communities and their beliefs and practices. We propose, following Maturana's epistemology, three steps to argue about the dynamic and interdependent relationships among believers, communities, and their beliefs and practices. We affirm, first, that whenever we engage in the discerning process we have before us two paths of explanations. These two paths place the believers in a central place in their task for deciding for one of the options. The recognition about the interpreters' active participation suggests the crucial role of the believers and their preferences. The crucial point in the process of discerning and deciding for one of the paths is the type of believing communities that we would like to promote and conserve. We suggest, second, that the proposal of answers and the acceptation of those answers as explanations imply the active participation of both interpreters and listeners. We propose the interdependence relationships between our existence in particular believing communities and those questions and answers that we prioritize, ignore, and conserve. We claim, third, that in language or in and through our dialogical spaces we distinguish and coordinate the many and possible dimensions of our existence and relationships. As believers, in and through the contexts of our believing communities we discern, prioritize, and conserve the accents of our beliefs and practices. We stress the crucial role of the preferences as the believing communities prioritize and conserve the ‘nature' and ‘course' of their particular communities.

Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The church in the West is facing a crisis of identity. Who are we as the church and what is our purpose in the world today? The recovery of a missional ecclesiology in the West is an urgent task. The aim of this study is to contribute to this work on a missional ecclesiology by focusing on the need for the church to grow its capacity to discern missional vocation. This study‘s central question: ―How can the church in the West discern its missional vocation?‖ The first chapter considers how global realities are forcing the church to re-examine its missional identity and vocation. In addition, the local realities in which this study is situated are highlighted, with particular emphasis on the realities that demand discernment. The chapter concludes with consideration of historical developments in hermeneutics, in particular the development of a missional hermeneutic. The emergence of a missional hermeneutic is important in the church‘s discernment. The second chapter ―puts on‖ a missional hermeneutic to aid in this discernment of missional vocation. Dwelling in the biblical story with this lens, and so allowing the story to renew our understanding of the role and identity of God‘s people, will shape our missional discernment. The third chapter focuses on the contemporary cultural context in its North American expression, in which the church must forge its missional identity. A retelling of the cultural story of the West demonstrates the challenges, both old and new, facing the church. Two important movements are already seeking to answer the question of how the church discerns missional vocation. The fourth chapter engages the important conversations that are happening within both the Emergent and Missional Church movements. These conversations encompass a wide diversity of theological traditions and backgrounds, but are held together by a common desire to discern what a missional ecclesiology means for the West. Particular themes that are important for discernment are highlighted as these conversations are engaged. Finally, the questions of the early chapters converge on the crux of this study: a framework for discernment, articulated in detail in the fifth chapter. Building on important examples, both Western and African, this affirmative-antithetical model of discernment is offered as a broad ―lens‖ for reflective churches seeking to discern their missional vocation. The final chapter then practices discernment in six key areas facing the church in the West today, at times using for illustration the local context in which this study is situated. These parting thoughts seek to both recognize the challenge facing missional churches, and point to encouraging dialogue already happening among those seeking to do the same. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die kerk in die Weste beleef ʼn identiteitskrisis. Wie of wat is die kerk en wat is haar doel vandag? ʼn Misssionale ekklesiologie is in die lig hiervan ʼn noodsaaklikheid. Die studie beoog om ʼn bydrae te lewer tot die ontwikkeling van ʼn missionale ekklesiolgie. Dit wil fokus op die kerk se behoefte om geloofsonderskeidend missionale roeping beter te verstaan. Vandaar die sentrale vraag wat die studie stel: ―Hoe kan die kerk in die Weste sy missionale roeping onderskei?‖ Die eerste hoofstuk kyk hoe globale werklikhede die kerk tans forseer om sy missionale identiteit en roeping in heroorweging te neem. Die konteks waarin die studie plaasvind word beskryf met die oog op die vraag watter geloofsonderskeidende uitdagings hulle stel. Die hoofstuk hanteer ook hermeneutiese ontwikkelinge wat bygedra het tot die ontwikkeling van ʼn missionale hermeneutiek. ʼn Missionale hermeneutiek is belangrik vir geloofsonderskeiding. Die tweede hoofstuk werk met ʼn missionale hermeneutiek as dit geloofsonderskeidend die kerk se huidige roeping en uitdagings wil formuleer. As sodanig wandel dit in die Bybel se verhaal om die identiteit van die volk van God te verstaan. Laasgenoemde is ʼn voorwaarde vir enige missionale onderskeidingsproses. Die derde hoofstuk fokus op die huidige konteks van die Noord-Amerikaanse kultuur en die uitdaging wat dit vir missionale identiteit stel. ʼn Oorsig oor die verhaal van die Westerse kultuur demonstreer die ou en nuwe uitdagings waarvoor die kerk gestel word. Twee belangrike bewegings probeer antwoorde op dié uitdagings vind. Die vierde hoofstuk hanteer die gesprekke in die Ontluikende (Emergent) en Gestuurde Gemeente (Missional Church) bewegings. Die gesprekke vind plaas teen die agtergrond van ʼn wye verskeidenheid teologiese tradisies maar het in gemeen dat hulle probeer onderskei wat ʼn missionale ekklesiologie in die Weste behels. Belangrike temas in die proses van geloofsonderskeiding word belig in die bespreking van die twee bewegings. Ten slotte vloei die vrae van die vorige hoofstukke saam om die fokus van die studie aan die orde te stel: ʼn raamwerk vir geloofsonderskeiding. Hoofstuk vyf. Belangrike voorbeelde uit die Weste en uit Afrika word gebruik as ʼn lens om ʼn bevestigende-antitetiese geloofsonderskeidings-model voor te stel wat kerke kan help om hulle missionale roeping te ontdek. Die laaste hoofstuk pas geloofsonderskeidende beginsels toe op ses sleutelareas wat die kerk in die Weste moet aanspreek. Praktiese voorbeelde uit die konteks waar die studie gedoen is illustreer wat bedoel word. Met dié voorbeelde en gedagtes word die uitdagings waarvoor missionale gemeentes staan op die spits gedryf en word almal wat reeds deel is van die dialoog, uitgenooi om dit voort te sit.

« [M]oi, qui ne sçay rien, m’en suis voulu mesler » : Blaise de Monluc dit se « mêler » d’écrire l’histoire pour se distinguer des historiographes « lettrés », comme le font également, à la même époque, les frères du Bellay. Tous font cependant valoir leurs jugements sur l’action politique dans l’histoire : ils écrivent sur l’histoire plutôt qu’ils n’écrivent l’histoire. Ainsi Montaigne insiste, dans les Essais, sur la nécessité de savoir juger l’histoire et ses acteurs. La distinction générique qui oppose l’histoire aux Mémoires, aux « Commentaires » et aux « essais » s’avère peu opérante pour comprendre ces auteurs. Je propose d’aborder leur rapport à l’histoire sous l’angle de « l’histoire-jugement », une histoire écrite par ses acteurs, qui porte sur l’action politique (les « faits » et les « dits » dans la langue du XVIe siècle) et sur les « conseils », c’est-à-dire les intentions et délibérations des acteurs. La première partie explique l’importance qu’a prise l’histoire-jugement au temps de François Ier, en raison, d’abord, des idéologies et des pratiques de la monarchie contemporaine, puis par la « renaissance » de traditions philosophiques, rhétoriques et historiographiques qui associent le conseil au discernement (ou « discrétion »), aux discours (« concions » ou conciones) et à la franchise (ou parrêsia). Le règne de François Ier voit se nouer ces pratiques et ces traditions : les humanistes, la noblesse d’épée et l’État royal appellent de leurs vœux une histoire-jugement destinée à la formation des élites politiques. La deuxième partie montre qu’un auteur, Guillaume du Bellay de Langey, et une œuvre, ses Ogdoades, ont incarné cette aspiration, réunissant les lettres et les armes. Après avoir étudié la naissance de cette œuvre restée inachevée, j’analyse le Prologue des Ogdoades (ici édité), manifeste et méthode qui définit les rapports de la rhétorique, du jugement et de l’expérience politique dans l’historiographie ; puis j’étudie la mise en œuvre de cette méthode dans les fragments des Ogdoades. La troisième partie porte sur l’œuvre des deux plus importants héritiers de Langey : les Mémoires de son frère Martin du Bellay (qui comprennent une partie des Ogdoades) et les Commentaires de Monluc. Le discours sur l’historiographie, dans la seconde moitié du XVIe siècle, insiste sur la parrêsia de l’historien ; un tel discours n’est pas anti-rhétorique mais rejette une écriture de « clerc d’armes » parce qu’elle révèle l’inexpérience politique de l’historien. L’ars bene dicendi ne laisse pas de fasciner Martin du Bellay et Monluc, dont l’écriture se veut paradoxalement éloquente, parce que dépouillée des fastes de l’épidictique ; la parrêsia des conseils permet de dépasser l’opposition du bien dire et du bien faire à laquelle on résume souvent la poétique des Mémoires d’épée. Monluc et Martin du Bellay cherchent ainsi à comprendre la portée et les limites de leur capacité d’agir. La quatrième partie examine la place de l’histoire-jugement et l’héritage de Langey dans les Essais : on sait depuis longtemps les affinités de Montaigne avec Amyot et Bodin, mais on ignorait qu’il en eût avec les Du Bellay. La notion d’histoire-jugement permet de comprendre les jugements, synthétiques et pourtant circonstanciés, que porte Montaigne sur les acteurs de l’histoire. Cherchant dans l’histoire les voies d’une prudence lucide, l’essayiste s’interroge sur la possibilité d’agir et de parler librement, ce qui autorise à penser son rapport à la politique et à la rhétorique en termes de conseil et de « discrétion ». La conclusion esquisse un moment Guillaume du Bellay, où l’histoire fut comprise non comme une étude du passé mais comme le prolongement réflexif des délibérations des acteurs de l’histoire, comme le moyen de « dire sur ce qui peut advenir ». / “I, who know nothing, have wanted to meddle in it”: Blaise de Monluc says he “meddles” in historiography in order to distinguish himself from “scholar” historians, as did the Du Bellay brothers who wrote at the same time. But they all express their views about political action through history: they write on history instead of writing history. Therefore Montaigne, in his Essays, emphasizes that one needs to be able to judge between history and the actors of history. The distinction between literary genres that opposes history to memoirs, “commentaries” and “essays”, fails to explain these authors’ relationship to history. I propose to consider this relationship from the perspective of “judging-history”, – a history written by its actors, focusing on political action (“faits” and “dits” in XVIth-century French) and the conseils (“counsels”, i.e. the actors’ designs and deliberations). The first section explains the importance of judging-history during the reign of Francis I, due to the prevalent ideologies and practices of French monarchy at the time, but also due to the contemporaneous revival of philosophical, rhetorical and historiographical traditions which link counsels with discernment (discrétion), speeches (concions) and sincerity (parrhesia). Under Francis I’s reign these practices and traditions were brought together. Indeed, humanists, the nobility of sword and the royal State called for a judging-history intended to train political elites. The second section demonstrates that an author, Guillaume du Bellay de Langey, and his work, the Ogdoades, embodied this hope, reconciling the pen and the sword. Having studied the birth of this unfinished work, I comment on the Ogdoades’s Prologue (edited in this thesis), a manifesto and method which defines the relationships between rhetoric, judgement and political experience within historiography. I then study this method’s implementation in the Ogdoades’s extant passages. The third section focuses on the works of two Langey’s most important heirs: his brother Martin du Bellay’s Memoirs and Monluc’s Commentaries. The artes historicae, in the second half of the XVIth century, emphasize the importance of parrhesia in historical writing: such a stance is not anti-rhetorical, but rather rejects the notion of authors writing as clercs d’armes (“clerks of arms”, i.e., scholars writing on military matters) because in their writings they reveal their lack of political experience. The ars bene dicendi continues to fascinate Martin du Bellay and Monluc, whose writing attempts to be paradoxically eloquent, because it has been stripped of epidictic pageantry; the counsels’ parrhesia make it possible to overcome the dichotomy between bien dire and bien faire – a dichotomy which is often supposed to characterize military memoirs’ poetics. Monluc et Martin du Bellay seek to understand the scope and limits of their own capacities for action. The fourth section examines the role of judging-history and Langey’s legacy in the Essays. For a long time we have known the affinities between Amyot, Bodin and Montaigne, but what we have ignored is Montaigne’s links with the Du Bellays. Such a notion as judging-history allows us to understand the synthetical and yet comprehensive judgments that Montaigne makes on the actors of history. Seeking a way to act in a clear-headed and prudent manner, the essayist examines the possibility to speak and act freely. Therefore, his relationship with politics and rhetoric should be rethought in terms of conseil and discrétion. My conclusion draws a Guillaume du Bellay moment when history was not considered as a study of the past but as the reflective extension of the actors of history’s deliberations and as a way to “dire sur ce qui peut advenir” (talk about what could happen next).

Based largely upon popular periodicals, archival materials, conference addresses, and mass-market books, this thesis combines intellectual and cultural history to explore how the meaning behind the evangelical commonplace, "God has a plan for your life," changed in post-World War II America, ultimately exchanging an ethos of self-denial for self-fulfillment by the early 1980s. The term "Personalized Life Providence" (PLP) is proposed for the integration of three Reformation-rooted ideas-vocation, providence, and discernment-into the discussion of finding God's plan for one's life. Chapter one sketches the Anglo- American development of these concepts from the Puritan era to the early twentieth century, as they intersected with Common Sense philosophy, "Higher Life" teaching, the student-missionary movement, and inter-war fundamentalism. Chapter two begins the analysis of PLP's dissemination throughout Chicago-centered evangelical student-parachurch organizations in the 1940s. InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and Youth for Christ conflated PLP with personal holiness and, after the war, a resurgent American foreign-missionary movement, as displayed particularly in the texts of IVCF's Urbana conferences. Chapter three focuses on Henrietta Mears, Christian Education Director of First Presbyterian Church in Hollywood, California. Mears's Sunday-School publications and college ministry reveal PLP's embrace of irenic neo-evangelicalism in the 1950s, coupled with a revised discernment process. Chapter four identifies the emergence of the "gospel of God's plan" from Mears's protégés, specifically Campus Crusade for Christ founder Bill Bright, Presbyterian minister Richard Halverson, and evangelist Billy Graham. Epitomized by the phrase, "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life," the first of Bright's Four Spiritual Laws, this gospel resonated with the religious revival, anti-Communist rhetoric, and psychological emphasis on self-actualization pervading American culture from 1947 to 1965. Chapter five argues that anti-Western sentiments in the1960s eroded PLP's evocation of missionary sacrifice in neo-evangelical circles. YFC encouraged teenagers to pursue culturally influential professions rather than traditional evangelism, while IVCF promulgated inconsistent teaching on discerning a foreign-missionary call in revolutionary times. Chapter six explores PLP's relationship to the widespread cultural shift toward self-fulfillment in the 1970s, as reflected both in evolving teaching on women's roles, career choice, and missionary service, and in PLP books styled after mass-market, self-help literature.