This study is about the identity of Coloured Pentecostals living in Retreat, Western Cape. It concerns the effects which social change has upon boundary markers and worldview. It uses Robert Schreiter's semiotic approach to culture. Schreiter says that social change along with boundary markers and worldview are the basis for changing identities. This study applies Schreiter's approach to a case study to see if it will work. The study considers the traditional Coloured Pentecostal Culture's identity represented by the older generation of Pentecostals in Retreat. It then considers some responses to those traditional boundary markers and worldview given primarily by the younger generation of Pentecostals. It then suggests some possible solutions to the problems which have been identified as the reasons for the changing cultural and religious identity of the Coloured Pentecostal Culture . / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M.Th. (Missiology)

Practical Theology / D.Th. (Practical Theology)

This dissertation examines the attitudes of people regarding the worship music that is being used in South African Protestant churches during the last decade of the twentieth century. The research is aimed at the man-in-the-pew to identify general trends across a variety of denominations. 4920 questionnaires were sent to 980 churches countrywide and completed anonymously. Questions are divided into three categories: personal information, church related, personal opinions. Every question has space for comments. Chapter one is a general discussion on people's opinions and attitudes and the aim and method used. Chapter two is an historical synopsis. Chapter three is an analysis of the questionnaire including hypotheses, graphs, results and comments. Chapter four, the conclusion, identifies general trends regarding formality and informality, choirs and music groups, background music, traditional versus contemporary, education and influence of leaders, the need for policies, use of media and instruments. Proposals are suggested. / Art History, Visual Arts & Musicology / M. Mus.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In the rites of Christian worship, various aspects are operated, and some of them seem to have opposite attributes that cannot exist at the same place and be performed at the same time. Since all the aspects are so important to worship, we cannot over-stress or exclude either one of them. The relationships between the aspects being confronted with cause tensions in worship. The aim of this thesis is to synthesize these tensions, esp. concerning fear and hospitality in worship. Fear and hospitality cannot be expressed with one perspective, because they in themselves have various aspects. Fear of God has a dimension of Mysterium Tremendum but, at the same time, it has a dimension of Fascinosum. Hospitality also has two dimensions: of God and of human beings. Thus, what is significant is to relieve the tension between fear and hospitality and the tension implied in themselves. To accomplish this goal, we endeavour to find the agent for the synthesizing the two aspects in worship so that they can stand in a dialectical relationship. We apply a Christological approach and pneumatological insights for this task. In Jesus a negative dimension of fear of God can be altered to hospitality of God while still grabbing a positive sense of fear of God in worship. Therefore, In Jesus fear and hospitality is synthesized. This synthesizing is different from blending or balancing fear and hospitality in worship just in quantity and quality for they cannot relieve the tensions. Lastly, we deal with a matter of opening and closing as a pragmatic task. The church and worship can be open for God’s hospitality, but at the same time they are closed to some for fear of God. Opening or closing in itself cannot be the solution for this contradiction. The answer for the matter of opening and closing lies in a dialectical relationship between fear and hospitality in Jesus Christ, because in Him all the tensions are relieved. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In die rituele van Christelike aanbidding is verskeie elemente aan die werk, en dit wil voorkom asof sommige hiervan teenoorgestelde eienskappe het wat nie gelyktydig kan bestaan of uitgevoer kan word nie. Aangesien al die aspekte so belangrik is vir aanbidding, kan ons nie een van hulle oorbeklemtoon of uitsluit nie. Die verhoudings tussen die elemente gee aanleiding tot spanninge. Die doel van hierdie tesis is om die spanninge te sintetiseer, veral wat betref vrees en gasvryheid in aanbidding. Vrees en gasvryheid kan nie met een perspektief uitgedruk word nie omdat hulle uit verskeie aspekte bestaan. Vrees vir God het 'n dimensie van Mysterium Tremendum, maar terselfdertyd ook 'n dimensie van Fascinosum. Gasvryheid het ook twee dimensies: van God en van die mens. Dit is dus betekenisvol om die spanning tussen vrees en gasvryheid en die spanning binne dié aspekte te verlig. Om hierdie doel te bereik, probeer ons om die agent te vind vir die sintese van die twee aspekte in aanbidding, sodat hulle in 'n dialektiese verhouding tot mekaar kan staan. Ons wend 'n Christologiese benadering en pneumatologiese insigte vir hierdie taak aan. In Jesus kan 'n negatiewe dimensie van vrees verander word in die gasvryheid van God, terwyl die positiewe sin van die vrees vir God in aanbidding beklemtoon word. Vrees en gasvryheid word in Jesus gesintetiseer. Hierdie sintetisering verskil van die vermenging of die balansering van vrees en gasvryheid in aanbidding in die hoeveelheid en kwaliteit omdat hulle nie die spanning kan verlig nie. Ten slotte, behandel ons die aspekte van opening en sluiting as 'n pragmatiese taak. Die Kerk en aanbidding kan oop wees vir God se gasvryheid, maar op dieselfde tyd is hulle vir sommige geslote weens ʼn vrees vir God. Om oop te maak of om te sluit kan op sigself nie die oplossing vir hierdie teenstrydigheid wees nie. Die antwoord vir opening en sluiting lê net in 'n dialektiese verhouding tussen vrees en gasvryheid in Jesus Christus, want in Hom is al die spanninge verlig.

Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Interculturation theology as a way of communication in religious cultural arenas is the most recent and remarkable methodology that can be used to open space for mutual witness and dialogue with regard to ideas about and the praxes of ancestral rituals between South Korean and South African Christians. The purpose of this research is to overcome some dichotomised problems that are inherent in exclusive, inclusive, and religious pluralistic approaches in dialogue with other religious cultures. In this regard, we examined some problems of the colonial way of mission and the functional translation of the exclusivistic approach and noted that the inclusive approach also has its weakness, in that it weakens the historicity of the subject. We attempted to show that theocentric and religious pluralistic approaches do not solve the problem of mutual identity simply by searching for commonalities between religious traditions. Our rationale is that although these approaches have their weak points, we should not overlook their benefits. Therefore, in appraising these approaches, attention is drawn to how these benefits may be used to complement one another. Consequently, we proposed a meaningcentred and praxis-centred communication methodology using a holistic approach. To appropriate a meaning-centred and praxis-centred methodology of communication, we began by adopting the theological principle of perichoresis, which is the inner relationship among the Persons of the Divine Trinity. Perichoresis is the foundation of missio Dei, which is God’s initiative love to the world in praxis. Through incarnational self-giving, missio Dei is revealed in the world. Secondly, we re-interpreted perichoresis as an intercultural term and ideology, based on its components, mutual indwelling, mutual space, and mutual identity. The intercultural meaning of mutual indwelling is continual mutual penetrating, while cultural meaning of mutual space is interpreted as the others, that is, from the viewpoint of emptying themselves in mutual communication instead of that of dominion and replacement. Further, we re-interpreted mutual identity through the ‘praxis of with’. Based on this cultural reinterpretation of perichoresis, we established a praxis-centred and meaning-centred model of interculturation theology. More importantly, the perichoretic model of interculturation enabled us to construct a theological and cultural identity of Christianity in encountering with others, which is the ‘praxis of with’. In particular, the study attempted to apply intercultural communication method to the encounter between Xhosa churches and Korean missionaries in Khayelitsha in terms of ancestor related matters. Through this intercultural and comparative evaluation of shifting identities, we suggested how Korean missionary and Xhosa churches could mutually construct theological cultural identities. For this purpose, we first carried out a literature study of Korean and South African indigenous theologies concerning ancestor worship.1 Subsequently, we conducted an empirical survey in Khayelitsha to determine the missiological views of Korean missionaries in the light of their traditional religious background and Korean theologians’ indigenised interpretations of ancestral matters. We also considered the theological positions of some Western missionaries in Khayelitsha on the same issue. Finally, we investigated the identities of Xhosa churches in Khayelitsha on literature and empirical levels and how intercultural theology can be reconstructed to evaluate the missiological identities of Korean missionaries and Xhosa churches in terms of ancestor worship. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Interkulturasie teologie as 'n kommunikasiewyse in godsdienstige kultuurgebiede is die mees onlangse en merkwaardigste metodologie wat aangewend kan word om ruimte te skep vir wedersydse getuienis en dialoog rakende idees aangaande en die praktyke voorouerlike rituele onder Suid-Koreaanse en Suid-Afrikaanse Christene. Die doel van hierdie navorsing is om sekere gedigotomiseerde probleme te oorkom wat inherent is in eksklusiewe, inklusiewe en religieus pluralistiese benaderings wat in dialoog is met ander religieuse kulture. In hierdie verband het ons ondersoek ingestel na sekere probleme van die koloniale wyse van sendingwerk en die funksionele oorskakeling van die eksklusivistiese benadering en gemerk dat die inklusiewe benadering ook sy swakheid het deurdat dit die historisiteit van die onderwerp verswak. Ons het gepoog om aan te dui dat teosentriese en religieus pluralistiese benaderings nie die probleem van onderlinge identiteit oplos nie deur eenvoudig te soek na gemeenskaplikhede tussen religieuse tradisies. Ons rasionaal is dat alhoewel hierdie benaderings hul swakpunte het, behoort ons nie verby hul voordele te kyk nie. By die inskatting van hierdie benaderings word die aandag dus gevestig op hoe hierdie voordele gebruik kan word om die ander aan te vul. Gevolglik het ons 'n betekenisgesentreerde en praktykgerigte kommunikasiemetodologie voorgestel wat 'n holistiese benadering aanwend. Om 'n betekenisgesentreerde en praktykgerigte kommunikasiemetodogie aan te wend, het ons begin deur die teologiese beginsel van perichoresis te aanvaar, wat die innerlike verhouding tussen die lede van die heilige drie eenheid is. Perichoresis is die fondament van missio Dei, wat die inisiatief verteenwoordig wat God se liefde vir die wêreld in die praktyk is. By wyse van inkarnasionele gee-van-die-self, word missio Dei aan die wêreld openbaar. Tweedens het ons perichoresis herinterpreteer as 'n interkulturele term en ideologie wat op sy samestellende elemente gebaseer is, naamlik 'n gemeenskaplike woning, gemeenskaplike ruimte en gemeenskaplike identiteit. Die interkulturele betekenis van 'n gemeenskaplike woning is voortdurende gemeenskaplike deurdringing, terwyl die kulturele betekenis van gemeenskaplike ruimte geïnterpreteer word as die andere, met ander woorde vanuit die oogpunt van die lediging van hulself in gemeenskaplike kommunikasie, eerder as oorheersing en verplasing. Ons het verder gemeenskaplike identiteit herinterpreteer by wyse van die 'praktyk waarmee'. Gebaseer op hierdie kulturele herinterpretasie van perichoresis, het ons 'n praktykgerigte en betekenisgesentreerde model van interkulturele teologie daargestel. Belangriker nog het die perichoretiese model van interkulturasie ons in staat gestel om 'n teologiese en kulturele identiteit van die Christendom op te stel temidde van 'n ontmoeting met andere, wat die 'praktyk waarmee' verteenwoordig. In die besonder het die studie gepoog om die interkulturele kommunikasiemetode toe te pas op die ontmoeting tussen Xhosa-kerke en Koreaanse sendelinge in Khayelitsha in terme van voorouerverwante sake. Deur hierdie interkuturele en vergelykende evaluering van verskuiwende identiteite, het ons voorgestel hoe Koreaanse sendelinge en Xhosa-kerke wedersyds teologiese kulturele identiteite kan daarstel. Vir hierdie doel het ons aanvanklik 'n literatuurstudie onderneem van Koreaanse en Suid- Afrikaanse inheemse teologieë aangaande die aanbidding van voorouers. Daarna het ons 'n empiriese opname in Khayelitsha onderneem om die missiologiese sienings van Koreaanse sendelinge vas te stel in die lig van hul tradisionele godsdienstige agtergrond en die Koreaanse teoloë se verinheemste interpretasie van voorouerlike sake. Ons het ook aandag geskenk aan die teologiese posisies van sommige Westerse sendelinge in Khayelitsha oor dieselfde aangeleentheid. Laastens het ons die identiteite nagevors van die Xhosa-kerke in Khayelitsha op literêre en empiriese vlakke en hoe interkulturele teologie gerekonstrueer kan word om die missiologiese identiteite van Koreaanse sendelinge en Xhosa-kerke te evalueer ingevolge die aanbidding van voorouers.

本文是對人類自由心靈的探究，藝術作品則是做為探索的中介；藝術作品中的審美感性作用本是「私己的」，然而，由於藝術作品來自於社會的集體生產，使得藝術作品在私人審美之前，早已沾染「他人」的價值判斷─私密的審美其實是社會性的。審美價值的傾注及接收皆在不知不覺中進行著，審美之人在接受、認同審美價值的過程中，總是帶有拜物教的形式意味；而拜物教又與人類的宗教崇拜心境直接關聯著，因此，本來看似「自由」的審美體驗，其實與象徵「束縛」的權威互為條件，事實上，走在自由的路上就是走在服從權威的路上。「詮釋」則被視為是審美價值傳遞的必要媒介，亦是使得拜物教形式得以可能的必然現象。 / This article is an inquiry about freedom of human’s mind, the artwork is presented as intermediary of it. Aesthetic function is originally private, but actually is embedded with “fait social” by dint of artwork’s social-production character , which makes every man’s aesthetic values is utterly infiltrated by ”Others” before they make their own judgment : aesthetic judgment which appears private is in fact social-collected. The impregnation and absorption of aesthetic values always processes in state of unconsciousness. When people intake and approve the values given by others, they worship in form of fetishism ; Fetishism is associated with the worship of religion, therefore aesthetic experience containing human’s free choice is correlated with authority symbolizing constraint. In fact, when we quest for freedom, we’re at the same time in quest of conformity. Explanation is regarded as necessary intermediary communicating aesthetic judgment as well as indispensable phenomenon conditioning the worship of fetishism.

JURČOVÁ, Mária. The attitude of Slovak Evangelical Churches to Liturgy. [Master thesis] / Mária Jurčová. - Charles Univerzity in Prague. Hussite Theological Faculty; - Supervisor: prof. ThDr. Pavel Procházka, PhD. - Degree: Master. - Prague : HTF UK, 2011. 83 p. This Master thesis "The attitude of Slovak Evangelical Churches to Liturgy" deals with current shape of Sunday worship in Slovak evangelical churches. This study shows liturgical tension which generates our changing culture and also asks a question how can we form liturgy in this new culture. The purpose of this thesis is to describe current situation and liturgy in Slovak evangelical churches and outline assumes of liturgical renewal in changing times. The first chapter is short introduction to the terminology. The second chapter focuses on the New Testament point of view regarding questions of the liturgy. The third chapter deal with new cultural transformation in the world and in Slovakia and is also focused on impact of these changes on evangelical liturgy. New culture, known as postmodernism, shows new styles of liturgy. The fourth chapter brings empirical results of evangelical liturgy research. This thesis wants to contribute for present discussion about liturgical renewal in evangelical churches. Keywords: Liturgy - Worship -...

In my work, I focus on a comparison of Olympian and chthonic aspects of the myth and cult of the god Asclepius in Classical Greece period. The starting point is a discussion concerning the distinction between Olympian and chthonic. I will try to clarify what these particular terms represent in works of selected authors and how those authors consequently apply them. Furthermore, I will try to show whether and how the dichotomy between Olympian and chthonic can be applied to a specific figure, namely the healing god Asclepius. I will focus on Asclepius myths and forms of his cultic worship too. Emphasis will be put on Asclepius divine, Olympian aspects, as well as on his heroic features, which belong to the realm of chthonic. On the basis of theoretical analysis of dichotomy between Olympian and chthonic and examination of a particular case figure of Asclepius, in the final synthetic part of my work I will try to demonstrate that the adherence to the dichotomy between Olympian and chthonic is significantly beneficial to the interpretation of the divine figure of Asclepius. Key words: Olympian, chthonic, Asclepius myths, cultic worship of Asclepius, interpretation of Asclepius

TKADLEČKOVÁ Alena: "Sunday school and its teachers at the beginning of the 21 century" SUMMARY The thesis, entitled "Sunday school and its teachers at the beginning of the 21 century", examines in particular the theoretical basics of Sunday school and its teachers in an interview with the current practise in the Czech Brethren Evangelical Church. The main theme of the first chapter is Sunday school in relation to worships, its content, puspose and form. The second chapter deals with the Sunday school teacher as authentic, reflecting and delegated witness. The third part examines the environment and the time that Sunday school and teachers are surrounded. Its themes are: postmodern world, Czech Brethren Evangelical Church, particular church. The subtext of the whole work is the question of identity Sunday school teacher.

A liberdade religiosa é o direito fundamental que tutela a crença, o culto e as demais atividades religiosas, dos indivíduos e das organizações religiosas, e consagra neutralidade estatal. A religião deve ser entendida em termos amplíssimos. Abrange toda atividade ligada ao sobrenatural. A religião não se confunde com ideologia, filosofia, sociologia. O Estado neutro não pode se posicionar a respeito do acerto ou desacerto de uma determinada crença religiosa. No entanto, pode controlar a sinceridade. Há três aspectos: individual (indivíduos), coletivo (organizações religiosas) e institucional (Estado). Em relação aos indivíduos, destacam-se o direito de isonomia (tratamento diferenciado), de crença e de privacidade religiosa. Em relação às organizações religiosas, destacam-se seus aspectos societários, cíveis, trabalhistas e tributários; a liberdade de culto e de proselitismo. Em seu aspecto institucional, a neutralidade impõe que o Estado não tome partido em favor de nenhuma religião; reconhece um valor positivo geral à religião. Temas analisados: direito penal; abuso de direito; transfusão de sangue; tratamento de saúde diferenciado; sacrifícios de animais; curas espirituais; proselitismo, pregação contrária ao homossexualismo e a crenças afro-brasileiras; rádios comunitárias; desconto e pagamento de dízimos e ofertas; direito urbanístico e de vizinhança; uso de símbolos religiosos por particulares e pelo Estado; ensino e casamento religiosos, entre outros. / Religious freedom is a fundamental right that protects beliefs, worship and other religious activities from individuals and religious organizations and ensures state neutrality. Religion ought to be widely comprehended. It comprehends all sorts of activities related to the supernatural. Religion should not be confused with ideology, philosophy and sociology. A neutral state must not take a stand about the strengths or weaknesses of a certain religious belief. Nonetheless, it can control sincerity. Religious freedom has three aspects: an individual one (regarding individuals), a collective one (regarding religious organizations) and an institutional one (regarding the state). In terms of individuals, the right to isonomy (equal treatment), religious belief and privacy is to be pointed out. In terms of religious organizations, social, civil, tributary and labor aspects are to be pointed out as well as freedom of worship and proselytism. As for the institutional aspect of religious freedom, the neutrality principle prevents the state from taking any stand concerning any religion and generally recognizes religion as something positive. Topics discussed: penal law; abuse of rights; blood transfusion; privileged health treatment; animal sacrifice; spiritual healing; proselytism; preaching against homosexuality and African Brazilian beliefs; community radio stations; withholding tithes and offerings; urban and neighborhood law; use of religious symbols by individuals and the state; religious teaching and weddings, etc.