Working in a township is a challenging but also rewarding way of living. In this dissertation the researcher, in collaboration with the co-searchers, explore ways to mentor one another as they learn how to deal with trauma, either by experiencing trauma directly or witnessing secondary trauma. This leads to new ways of being 'in the moment', coping with trauma, forming a community of care and learning to be in an aware and empowered position. The responsibility of practical theology and the commitment to pastoral care are explored in the context of theology, and spesifically feminist theology, contributing to 'do hope' in Mamelodi. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / M.Th. (Pastoral Therapy)

A journey to healing is a story of women survivors of sexual abuse. Through narrative pastoral conversations a group or community of concern was formed that witnessed how these women managed to move by re-telling from problem-saturated dominant lifestories to rich alternative stories of survival. Post-modern practical theology formed the epistemological backdrop of this study with the focus on taking a prophetically, ethical and political stance. The group deconstructed patriarchal knowledge that has been dominant in constructing understanding of women. Deconstruction lead to the centralising of previously subjugated knowledge about themselves and made multiple identities and preferred realities possible. Feminist theology's liberating spirit contributed to this participator action research where women moved from being right to doing right. The monthly celebration teas hosted by the group were instrumental in the healing of other women who have experienced sexual violation. / Practical Theology / M.Th. (Pastoral Therapy)

The marginalisation of palliative and pastoral care practices by conventional approaches to care for terminally ill patients, motivated the research curiosity. The significance of terminal patient's spirituality, their language practices and communities of concern are endorsed as being the major contributing factor to meaningful 'living' with terminal illness. Listening to stories has been the qualitative research practice, revealing meaning-making, quest stories. Feminist theology and post-modern ideas and discourses have assisted me, and the participants, in the deconstruction of power, patriarchy and dualism as the primary contributing factors to marginalisation of people due to illness, race, gender, poverty, culture and education. Pastoral care practices and feminist theology have guided us to emphasise the necessity to recognise the God of Grace as an important part to ensuring holistic patient care. Recognising the 'God-Self, respectful narrative and pastoral care practices paved the way to honour sacred spaces and voice stories of terminal illness. / Practical Theology / M.Th (Specialisation Pastoral Therapy)

HEARING ALL THE DRUMS: TOWARDS A MORE INCLUSIVE CONGREGATION is about increasing the participation of women in positions of both leadership and church ministry praxis within the Seventh Day Adventist church in South Africa. Women have been excluded in the office of elder, and have been generally excluded from preaching during the worship hour. The research process followed a participatory way of doing research, while using theories on social construction and post-modernist epistemological approach. The theologies that inform this work are contextual in nature and include African and Feminist theologies. In the pursuit for change, however, care is maintained to use inclusive practices that attempt to avoid polarising the congregation and their concomitant theologies. / Practical Theology / M.Th. (Pastoral Therapy)

In the Central African Presbyterian Church (C.C.A.P.) women are marginalised in its synods. The Nkhoma Synod has taken the strictest measures in marginalising women in the sense that, unlike the other synods, at the time of writing this dissertation, they did not allow women to be deacons, elders or ministers. The dissertation is a quest to find out the root cause of this marginalisation. The main focus has been on finding out to what extent the Pauline writings influenced this marginalisation. Chapter 1 describes the extent of women marginalisation in the C.C.A.P. Synods in Malawi, focusing especially on the Nkhoma Synod. Chapter 2 deals with the unparalleled contribution of women to the success of the Nkhoma Synod’s work. The position of women in Malawi and within the Chewa society is discussed in chapter 3. Chapter 4 deals with various interpretations of 1 Corinthians 11:2–16; 14:34, 35. These are Pauline texts which seem to support the marginalisation of women. Chapter 5 presents the results of the research, while in chapter 6 suggestions are made with regard to the future improvement of the position of women. / New Testament / M.A. (Biblical Studies)

This thesis is a comparative study of the concept and role of the law in the theologies of Rosemary Radford Ruether and Gustaf Wingren. The analysis of their theologies shows that Wingren uses the law as a formal theological category and Ruether does not. The absence of the law in Ruether's theology has implication for theological ethics. For Wingren the law has two uses. The first use, the so called political use, is that which compels and coerces ethical behavior in the human. The first use of the law is used to insure that all humans receive the fullness of life that God intends for all of creation. The second use of the law, the so called spiritual use, accuses the human when he/she does not meet the demands of the law. When the conscience is accused the human is prepared to hear the gospel. For Wingren, the gospel is what gives the human a new will to live by freeing the human from the burden and condemnation of the law. The law and the gospel serve each other but have distinct functions. The law demands ethical behavior and the gospel gives salvation. According to Wingren, the source of ethical behavior is located in the doctrine of creation not in the doctrine of the revelation of God through Jesus Christ; thus preserving the notion that the gift of grace is not earned by good works but is given freely. For Ruether, appropriate ethical behavior is revealed to humans through paradigmatic individuals who denounce systems of oppression and announce God's intent for creation, namely, liberation. Jesus is one such paradigmatic individual who both denounces oppression and announces the kingdom of God. Jesus both demands justice in relationships and offers liberation. The gospel message of Jesus, in effect, collapses the law and the gospel into one entity. The follower of Jesus hears that salvation is dependent upon appropriate ethical behavior thereby nullifying the notion that grace is an unearned gift. The thesis concludes with a constructive statement which develops a feminist theology based on Wingren's concept of the law / Biblical and Ancient Studies / D. Th. (Systematic Theology)

HEARING ALL THE DRUMS: TOWARDS A MORE INCLUSIVE CONGREGATION is about increasing the participation of women in positions of both leadership and church ministry praxis within the Seventh Day Adventist church in South Africa. Women have been excluded in the office of elder, and have been generally excluded from preaching during the worship hour. The research process followed a participatory way of doing research, while using theories on social construction and post-modernist epistemological approach. The theologies that inform this work are contextual in nature and include African and Feminist theologies. In the pursuit for change, however, care is maintained to use inclusive practices that attempt to avoid polarising the congregation and their concomitant theologies. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.Th. (Pastoral Therapy)

Working in a township is a challenging but also rewarding way of living. In this dissertation the researcher, in collaboration with the co-searchers, explore ways to mentor one another as they learn how to deal with trauma, either by experiencing trauma directly or witnessing secondary trauma. This leads to new ways of being 'in the moment', coping with trauma, forming a community of care and learning to be in an aware and empowered position. The responsibility of practical theology and the commitment to pastoral care are explored in the context of theology, and spesifically feminist theology, contributing to 'do hope' in Mamelodi. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.Th. (Pastoral Therapy)

A journey to healing is a story of women survivors of sexual abuse. Through narrative pastoral conversations a group or community of concern was formed that witnessed how these women managed to move by re-telling from problem-saturated dominant lifestories to rich alternative stories of survival. Post-modern practical theology formed the epistemological backdrop of this study with the focus on taking a prophetically, ethical and political stance. The group deconstructed patriarchal knowledge that has been dominant in constructing understanding of women. Deconstruction lead to the centralising of previously subjugated knowledge about themselves and made multiple identities and preferred realities possible. Feminist theology's liberating spirit contributed to this participator action research where women moved from being right to doing right. The monthly celebration teas hosted by the group were instrumental in the healing of other women who have experienced sexual violation. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.Th. (Pastoral Therapy)

In the Central African Presbyterian Church (C.C.A.P.) women are marginalised in its synods. The Nkhoma Synod has taken the strictest measures in marginalising women in the sense that, unlike the other synods, at the time of writing this dissertation, they did not allow women to be deacons, elders or ministers. The dissertation is a quest to find out the root cause of this marginalisation. The main focus has been on finding out to what extent the Pauline writings influenced this marginalisation. Chapter 1 describes the extent of women marginalisation in the C.C.A.P. Synods in Malawi, focusing especially on the Nkhoma Synod. Chapter 2 deals with the unparalleled contribution of women to the success of the Nkhoma Synod’s work. The position of women in Malawi and within the Chewa society is discussed in chapter 3. Chapter 4 deals with various interpretations of 1 Corinthians 11:2–16; 14:34, 35. These are Pauline texts which seem to support the marginalisation of women. Chapter 5 presents the results of the research, while in chapter 6 suggestions are made with regard to the future improvement of the position of women. / New Testament / M.A. (Biblical Studies)