This study evolved from an involvement with professional people in a rural and semi-rural environment thereby taking into account the role which the Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) plays in their professional context of work. Two underlying factors motivate the study. Firstly, that professional needs and capacities of faith, belief and spirituality are not been catered for in the EAPs. Secondly, that an African-Christian wholesome sense making approach provides more satisfactory answers to the lack of faith, belief and spirituality in the EAPs than the modern versions of the classic dualist and tripartite anthropological schemes of soul and body or soul, spirit and body. Furthermore, a wholesome sense making approach supports and tackles people’s wellness and well-being levels more satisfactorily than the classic dualist and tripartite views. An outline of an EAP in which faith leaders and consultants and their programmes are integrated and which contributes to the enhancing of well-being levels and performance management of professional people is described. The main focus of the study revolves around wholesome foursome experiential patterns in which alternating emphases of faith experience are acted out in the sense of ‘I believe God, I believe myself, I believe my human neighbours and I believe the physical natural environment’. This four side pattern of faith experience functions as an important theoretical assumption in the study. A second theoretical assumption has to do with the foursome processual framework of God’s grand acts of creation, reconciliation (redemption= cross and resurrection of Jesus), renewal (ongoing renewal of everything) and consummation and fulfilment towards the end (aim and goal) in which we as people and the physical natural environment are intrinsically and continuously involved. A third theoretical assumption revolves around the foursome experiential professional performance pattern of ‘I perform for God, I perform for myself, I perform for my human neighbours and I perform for the physical natural environment’. The foursome experiential patterns are also set as evaluative pointer patterns around which the empirical investigative part is constructed. / Philosophy and Systematic Theology / D.Th. (Systematic Theology)

Summaries and keywords in English and Afrikaans / John Henry Newman maak in sy outobiografiese geskrifte 'n aantal belangrike verwysings na sy toewyding aan Johannes Chrysostomos. Is dit bloot 'n kwessie van vroomheid, of dui dit op 'n dieper verband met die punt dat Newman in sy eie teologiese begrip, geestelike insig en pastorale praktyk deur Chrysostomos beïnvloed word? Hierdie proefskrif poog om te toon dat die besonderse voorbereiding van Newman vir die lees van die Kerkvaders, en in besonder, sy omvattende begrip van Grieks, hom van jongs af tot 'n verdieping in die patristiese denke georiënteer het, 'n feit wat hoofsaaklik deur sy Briewe en Dagboeke getoon word. Die aanhaling van Chrysostomos as 'n teologiese gesag, in Newman se leerstellige geskrifte en in sy gepubliseerde prediking, word toenemend duidelik en demonstreer wat beskou kan word as teologiese eienskappe wat die twee teoloë gemeen het. In Newman se geestelike begeleiding, veral in sy geestelike bystand en begeleiding van vroue, blyk daar 'n korrelasie te wees met raad wat Chrysostomos in soortgelyke omstandighede gegee het. In hierdie studie word dit ondersoek in 'n vergelyking van die briewe van Chrysostomos aan Olympias, en die korrespondensie van Newman met Maria Giberne. Behalwe enkele teologiese ooreenkomste en invloede, eksplisiet sowel as implisiet, is daar bewyse dat Newman iemand baie soortgelyk aan homself in Chrysostomos gesien het: 'n diep teologiese denker wat as gevolg van sy prediking prominent geword het en aansienlike institusionele weerstand op 'n diep persoonlike manier weerstaan het, en ‘n aansienlike mate van verlies as gevolg van sy oortuiging gely het, en tog onbelemmerd in sy getrouheid aan wat hy as sy missie verstaan het, gebly het, as priester,teoloog, leraar en predikant. / John Henry Newman makes a number of significant references in his autobiographical writings to his devotion to John Chrysostom. Is this simply a matter of piety, or does it reveal a deeper connection to the point that Newman is influenced in his own theological understanding, spiritual insight, and pastoral practice by Chrysostom? This thesis attempts to demonstrate that Newman’s very particular preparation for reading the Fathers, and in particular, his comprehensive grasp of Greek, orientated him, from an early age, towards an immersion in Patristic thought, a fact largely demonstrated by his Letters and Diaries. Citation of Chrysostom as a theological authority, in Newman’s doctrinal writings, and in his published preaching, becomes increasingly evident, and demonstrates what might be considered theological characteristics the two theologians hold in common. In Newman’s spiritual direction, particularly in his spiritual accompaniment and guidance of women, there appears to be a correlation with advice given by Chrysostom in similar circumstances; in the present study this is treated in a comparison of the letters of Chrysostom to Olympias, and Newman’s correspondence with Maria Giberne. Beyond any theological similarities, and influences both explicit and implicit, there is evidence that Newman saw in Chrysostom someone very similar to himself: a profound theological thinker, who rose to prominence as a result of his preaching, and who met with serious institutional opposition expressed in a deeply personal way, suffered a considerable amount of loss as a result of holding to his convictions, and yet remained undeterred in his fidelity to what he understood to be his mission, as a priest, a theologian, a teacher and a pastor. / New Testament / D. Litt. et Phil. (Biblical Studies)

The Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit order, presuppose Roman Catholicism, but are today made by many who are not Catholics. Moreover, even Roman Catholics who make Ignatian Exercises often are not spontaneously inclined to obey Roman ecclesiastical authority. Neither avoiding the ecclesial dimension nor an authoritarian ‘follow the rules!’ provides spiritual directors with adequate orientation when working with issues at Church frontiers. This dissertation in pastoral theology seeks to navigate a middle position by moving beyond the individualism and the a-historical assumptions of the existing relevant literature. The dissertation remains close to the Ignatian primary sources, in the awareness that the Ignatian tradition needs to be constantly updated and that the contemporary ecclesial frontiers are not fully foreseen in the canonical texts. The main hypothesis is that a notion is needed of a ‘pilgrim Church’ in space and time, with Christians who are related to one another in a deep and fundamental sense. The minor hypothesis is that the individual needs to be open towards and prepared to learn from the Roman Catholic Church, in order to understand and to be profoundly moved by these exercises, but not necessarily to become a Roman Catholic. Having presented and discussed various approaches in the writings of twentieth-century and recent thinkers, this thesis puts forward its own ecclesiological position informed by Charles Taylor, Hans-Georg Gadamer and Karl Rahner. The aim is to take Ignatian studies forward by combining relational anthropology, hermeneutics and a sacramental understanding of the Church, and to apply this synthesis to the practice of giving Ignatian Exercises. The final chapter discusses a selection of cases in the light of my ecclesiological position. The synthesis and application claim originality.