Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Text in Afrikaans / Die kerk maak nie meer 'n impak op die samelewing van ons tyd nie. Beide statistiek en die landsomstandighede bewys onteenseglik hierdie stelling. Die situasie in Suid-Afrika is so benard dat die kerk nie onbetrokke kan bly nie. Die kerk is egter self kragteloos en kwynend. Die rede waarom die kerk nie 'n impak maak op mense nie, is <lat die kerk sy roeping verloor het. 'n Kerk wat sy roeping verloor het, het ook sy identiteit verloor. Die roeping van die kerk word bespreek aan die hand van die Matteus-evangelie. Gehoorsaarnheid t.o.v. haar roeping vra dat die kerk 'n manier vind om gesekulariseerde mense te evangeliseer en assimileer. 'n Historiese blik op die kerk wys uit dat ons tans op die drumpel van die grootste transformasie staan wat die kerk die afgelope 1600 jaar beleef het. Ons geslag is geroep om die kerk van die volgende paradigma gestalte te laat kry. Aan die hand van die sosioloog, Parsons, word uitgewys dat die huidige struktuur van die kerk waardevorming teewerk. 'n Meer effektiewe inrigting word deur die teorie uitgewys. Die identiteit van die kerk en verhoudinge in die kerk meet baie ernstiger opgeneem word. Die tyd van die kerk as instituut is verby. Die kerk sal maksimum impak op mense buite die kerk he wanneer die kerugma, leiturgia, koinonia en diakonia gebalanseerd funksioneer. Drie prosesse moet op die missionere front van die geloofsgemeenskap in sinvolle samehang funksioneer ten einde gesekulariseerde mense te bereik. Dit is diens aan die gemeenskap, 'n dialoog-geleentheid, en 'n duidelik omlynde proses waardeur gewillige buitestaanders deel word van die huisgesin van die geloof en Koninkrykswaardes gevestig word. Die sentrale stelling van hierdie studie is dat 'n geloofsgemeenskap wat gesond en gebalanseerd funksioneer 'n positiewe transformerende invloed op mense uitoefen, wat ook na hulle waardes deurwerk. / The Church no longer has any significant impact on society. An analysis of the Church morally and statistically confirms this. The situation in South Africa is so critical, that the Church cannot afford to remain detached and uninvolved. An explanation for this lack of impact, is that the Church has lost its identity. Its loss of a sense of call and purpose is argued from the Gospel of Matthew. In order to rediscover its call, the Church must find a way to evangelise and assimilate secular people. A historical analysis reveals that the Church is on the brink of the greatest transformation in 1600 years. Our generation is called upon to shape the new Church paradigm. The present structure of the institutional Church nullifies the attempt to instil its moral values. Parson's sociological theory confirms this and proposes a more effective paradigm, where the identity of the Church and the importance of relationships are underscored. It is only when the Church balances kerugma, leiturgia, koinonia and diakonia that she effectively impacts on secular men and women. Three processes need to be held in tension in this evangelical endeavour of the faith community. These include ministry to the commtinity; an interactional dialogue; and a process of assimilation and value formation, culminating in a sense of belonging to the household of faith. The central thesis holds that a balanced and healthy community of faith, effects a positive transforming influence and leads to a change of values. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / D.Th. (Practical Theology)

This research project in empirical theology draws on qualitative empirical methods to examine the topic of inclusion as it applies to disability and leadership in the context of state and free churches in Switzerland. Its goal was to ascertain how the challenging inclusion of religious leaders with physical, emotional or mental impairments can be theoretically and practically improved within the Swiss churches. From a theoretical point of view, aspects of labour theory and ecclesiastical law that pose challenges for church leaders with disabilities were foregrounded, as were theological positions defining the pastoral role. From a practical point of view, structural, technical and similar barriers demanded investigation, along with the adaptability of church practices and of work structures. To that end, the topics of inclusion, disability and leadership responsibility in the church were initially studied from a theoretical and interdisciplinary perspective and the relationships between them were traced. Male and female church leaders (clergypersons, priests, pastors and the like) affected by the issue and employed by state and free churches in Switzerland were then interviewed individually and together with their partners, their superiors and members of local church councils. Analysis of the data thus gathered revealed three empirical-theological models and three conceptions of how inclusion might be theorized. These describe both numerous challenges in the inclusion of church leaders with various disabilities and specific measures for improving the inclusion of those affected. Among other results, it proved possible to derive and elaborate a multifunctional practical concept for the inclusion of church leaders with disabilities that has practical-theological applications in the context of the state and free churches in Switzerland. / In dieser Forschungsarbeit wurde Inklusion am Beispiel von Behinderung und Leitungsverantwortung im Kontext von Landes- und Freikirchen der Schweiz empirisch-theologisch bzw. qualitativ-empirisch untersucht. Es war das Ziel, herauszufinden, wie die problematische Inklusion von Leiterinnen und Leitern mit körperlichen, seelischen und geistigen Einschränkungen in Landes- und Freikirchen der Schweiz theoretisch und praktisch verbessert werden kann. In theoretischer Hinsicht standen dabei unter anderem die für Leitungspersonen mit Behinderung herausfordernden arbeitstheoretischen oder kirchenrechtlichen Gegebenheiten sowie die theologischen Überzeugungen zum pastoralen Berufsbild im Vordergrund. Aus praktischer Perspektive galt es bspw. die architektonischen, technischen u.a. Barrieren oder die Anpassungsfähigkeit der Kirchenpraxis und der Arbeitsgestaltung zu erforschen. Dazu wurden die Themen Inklusion, Behinderung und Leitungsverantwortung in der Kirche zuerst theoretisch bzw. interdisziplinär aufgearbeitet und ihr Verhältnis zueinander bestimmt. Danach wurden betroffene Leiterinnen und Leiter (Pfarrpersonen, Priester, Pastoren u. Ä.) aus Landes- und Freikirchen der Schweiz einzeln und gemeinsam mit Partnerinnen oder Partnern, Vorgesetzten und Mitgliedern von lokalen Kirchenleitungen in einer Gruppendiskussion befragt. In der Danteanalyse wurden drei empirisch-theologische Typen bzw. theoretische Inklusionskonzepte herausgearbeitet. Diese beschreiben sowohl zahlreiche Herausforderungen in der Inklusion von kirchlichen Leitungspersonen mit unterschiedlichen Behinderungen als auch konkrete Massnahmen dazu, wie der Einbezug von Betroffenen verbessert werden kann. Aus den Gesamtresultaten liess sich u.a. ein multifunktionales Praxiskonzept für die Inklusion von kirchlichen Leitungspersonen mit Behinderung erstellen und praktisch-theologisch bzw. für den landes- und freikirchlichen Kontext anwendbar machen. / Practical Theology / D.Th. (Practical Theology)

Churches are confronted with the reality of younger, mobile generations challenging existing understandings of church and witness. They seem to live according to a different (postcolonial) script. This study probes the question as to how these churches are to understand and respond meaningfully, but also missiologically, to these transformations. Coming as a missiologist from a particular ecclesiological, theological, cultural background, I had two rationales for this study, namely to review the current theories we have about church and mission, i.e., missiological ecclesiology, and in order to do this, we need to craft a sensitive and creative dialogue, in the form of a missiological methodology with younger people. I address these rationales, guided by a research question: How can I design a creative dialogue with younger generations, to pick up the impulses, in order to discern a Southern African missional ecclesiology. Working with the metaphor of ―remixing‖, this discernment process started off where I engaged my own embeddedness. These were the older ―samples‖ to work with, in order to produce something new and in tune with the sensibilities, the ―soul‖ of newer communities. I then attempt to understand the current social transformations that younger generations are responding to. Through this, I want to design a methodology for a creative dialogue with these youth movements on the basis of an intersubjective epistemology. Using this methodology, I could develop a thick description from the dialogue with the two uniting youth movements. Lastly, I present the engagement (remixing) between these rich new impulses with the old (the existing), in carving out an appropriate missional ecclesiology for the audiences I‘ve been with. Starting with an outdated and colonial gereformeerde missionary ecclesiology, but then also the anti-colonial ecclesiologies and a postmodern (predominantly Western) emerging missionary ecclesiology, I discern a particular postcolonial African ecclesiology, which I call a Southern African missional ecclesiology. Instead of exclusion, I propose remixing church in terms of five dimensions as social network, spiritual home, mobile community, movement in the Holy Spirit and as story. These can serve as a map to guide Southern African congregations in their dialogue with younger generations. / Christian Spirituality, Church History & Missiology / D. Th. (Missiology)

This thesis has two aims. Firstly, in order to answer the question, ‘In what sense do people see Mary as a type of the Church?’, this thesis will set up original typological models of the relationship between Mary and the Church (chapter 1). It will then demonstrate how and why an eschatological element came to be present in these models (chapter 2).It will be a contention of this thesis that looking at the Mario-ecclesial discussions set out in chapters 3 and 4 through these typological models will allow a greater depth of analysis. The models allow one to discern differences between and nuances in various views of the relationship between Mary and the Church that would be impossible to discern if one were using just the language of ‘type’. Secondly the thesis will show how each Mario-ecclesial discussion has been affected by the socio-political context of the time. Specifically, the thesis will analyse the Mario-ecclesial discussions of the patristic, medieval and modern periods in the light of the typological models. In chapter 1, the patristic Mario-ecclesiologies of Irenaeus and Ambrose will be considered. In chapter 2, Bernard of Clairvaux will be used to analyse the eschatological nature of the Mario-ecclesiology in the medieval period. In chapter 3, the contrasting Mario-ecclesiologies of the Second Vatican Council and Hans Urs von Balthasar will be compared. In chapter 4, it will be suggested that John Paul’s model of the Mario-ecclesial relationship was based on his eschatological vision for the Church and the role that Mary plays in that future which is both imminent and already realised. This thesis will demonstrate that by using the typological models in these periods a greater depth of analysis can be achieved. This will be particularly true of the complex and nuanced discussions on Mary in the Roman Catholic Church in the twentieth century. This analysis will culminate in the particular Mariology of John Paul II.

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the Church of England’s understanding of ‘episcopal’ episcopacy and ordained ministry, including their ecclesiological implications and ecumenical consequences. Special attention is given to the refusal of interchangeability of ordained ministers with ‘non-episcopal’ churches (whilst allowing inter-communion), on the grounds that they lacked a ‘historic succession’ of bishops (cf. The Meissen Declaration and Agreement). This claim gives the adjective ‘episcopal’ a denominational, (quasi-)sacramental connotation (hence the inverted commas). Official Anglican statements today claim that the concept of episcopacy in a ‘historic succession’ is and always has been an integral part of ‘Anglican’ teaching as part of its ‘Catholic’, pre-Reformation heritage, whereas it appears that before the nineteenth century the Church of England had been defined largely in territorial and institutional terms. This faced challenges both from without and within, with an increasingly secular and multi-denominational context in Britain (with Non-conformists slowly gaining equal social and political rights) and in the face of the emergence of the Anglican Communion (and ecumenism in the twentieth century). This required the Church of England to forge a distinctive, trans-national, denominational identity for itself and for ‘Anglicanism’ (which can be described as the ‘Anglicanization of the Church of England’). In the first half of the nineteenth century, the English episcopate exercised a more active leadership role (the ‘episcopalization of the Church of England’), creating bishoprics in overseas dependencies and strengthening the influence of the Church of England there and also that of the episcopate (a colonial aspect of the ‘Anglicanization’). In the second half of the nineteenth century the bishops established interchangeability of ministers with formerly English, ‘Episcopal’ churches. This development occurred at the high point of Anglo-Catholic and ritualistic influence (which resulted in a ‘Catholicization of the Church of England’, opposed by Evangelicals and High-churchmen of the pre-Tractarian type). The nature of ‘Anglicanism’ was increasingly interpreted as ‘catholic’/‘Catholic’. In the twentieth century the notion of a ‘historic succession’ of bishops eventually appeared in official documents, whereas earlier statements had been insisting on the ‘historic episcopate’, but open to an understanding in the sense of ‘apostolic succession’ or a divinely instituted or sanctioned, or simply ancient form of government (episcopacy as esse, plene esse or bene esse of church). The eventual adoption of the notion of succession, however, the crucial characteristic of the esse model, meant a ‘theologization’ of Anglican ecclesiology in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries with a distinct ‘catholic’ character, which explains the refusal to agree on interchangeability of ministers with ‘Protestant’ churches, now on theological grounds.

S’il est généralement reconnu que le processus d’institutionnalisation de l’Église s’est accéléré au IVe siècle, certaines de ses étapes nous sont moins connues. Ce mémoire cherche à évaluer l’importance de Jean Chrysostome dans l’émergence de la primauté d’honneur de Constantinople. Après une étude attentive du troisième canon du concile de Constantinople I mise en relation avec l’opinion de trois auteurs contemporains, c’est-à-dire Palladius d’Hélénopolis, Socrate de Constantinople et Sozomène, il ressort de ce travail que l’épiscopat de Jean Chrysostome a favorisé l’implantation de cette prééminence dans l’Église. L’analyse des modalités de la primauté d’honneur de Constantinople montre bien qu’historiquement, les évêques de l’ancienne et de la nouvelle Rome n’ont pas construit leur primat à l’aide des mêmes arguments. L’explicitation de ces éléments ne se veut pas une prise de position dans les débats oecuméniques actuels, mais plutôt un préliminaire permettant une meilleure compréhension des données du problème. / Even though it is generally accepted that the Church institutionalization process accelerated in the IVth century, some of its steps are less known. This dissertation tries to assess John Chrysostom’s importance in the emergence of Constantinople’s primacy of honour. After a thorough study of the third canon of the council of Constantinople I and of the opinion of three contemporary authors, namely Palladius of Helenopolis, Socrates of Constantinople and Sozomenos, the results of this works are that John Chrysostom’s episcopate fostered the implementation of this preeminence in the Church. The analysis of the terms of the primacy of honour of Constantinople shows that historically, the bishops of Old and New Rome did not build their primacy with the same arguments. Clarifying these elements is not a way to make a stand in the current ecumenical debate, but rather is a preliminary step to a better understanding of the problem.

This study offers an ecumenical exploration of human transformation through the examination of this topic in the thought of Karl Barth (1888-1968), a Swiss Reformed theologian; Joseph Ratzinger (b. 1927), a Roman Catholic theologian; and John Zizioulas (b. 1931), a Greek Orthodox theologian. Describing and understanding human transformation stands as a crucial task for theology because no one is simply born a Christian—in order to be a Christian one must become a Christian. The first chapter introduces this topic, the three theologians (highlighting their commonalities), and the three questions that guide the analysis of each theologian and the thesis as a whole: What is the goal of human transformation? What is the basis of human transformation? How are humans transformed? Chapters 2, 3, and 4 treat the topic of human transformation in the theology of Barth, Ratzinger, and Zizioulas, respectively. All three understand the goal of human transformation to be the prayer of the children of God, and locate its basis in God’s reconciling act in Jesus Christ—an act itself based in the primordial divine decision to be God pro nobis. Even within this broad agreement, however, differences are evident, especially with regard to eschatology. Consideration of how this transformation occurs reveals significant differences concerning the agency of Jesus Christ in relation to the Holy Spirit and the church. The final chapter explores 1) the convergences and divergences between Barth, Ratzinger, and Zizioulas regarding human transformation; 2) the contributions of this study to the interpretation of Barth, Ratzinger, and Zizioulas; and 3) the relationship between human transformation and participation in God. Throughout, attention is given to the relationship between Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the church, the eschaton, and the triunity of God and human transformation. All three accounts of human transformation point beyond the transition between sinful and redeemed humanity to a dynamic anthropology in which the constant asking, receiving, thanking, and asking again is the very “ontological location” of the eschatological life of humanity: our being is in becoming.

La synodalité paraît être aujourd’hui un thème très actuel, tant pour le dialogue théologique bilatéral entre les Églises catholique et orthodoxe, qu’à l’intérieur de chaque Église. Le pontificat du pape François a mis l’accent sur la synodalité et l’Église orthodoxe vient de réaliser son Grand et Saint Concile (Crète, juin 2016). Le Concile Vatican II en 1964 a promulgué la doctrine de la collégialité épiscopale (les évêques constituent un collège qui succède au collège des Douze Apôtres), doctrine qui devait rapprocher les ecclésiologies catholique et orthodoxe. Cependant, les théologiens orthodoxes ne se sont pas retrouvés dans cette doctrine. Cinquante ans après sa promulgation, on remarque par ailleurs que la mise en œuvre de la collégialité épiscopale dans l’Église catholique est plutôt limitée. Cette étude a tenté de confronter les notions de collégialité épiscopale et de synodalité épiscopale, en vue d’une compréhension commune, entre catholiques et orthodoxes, de la place des évêques au sein de l’Église entière. Partant du constat que la synodalité épiscopale, comme l’entendent les orthodoxes, ne coïncide pas avec la doctrine de la collégialité épiscopale comme elle a été formulée au concile Vatican II, le présent travail s’est penché sur les fondements de cette dernière, afin de rechercher comment la tradition commune originelle des deux Églises conçoit la synodalité épiscopale. Le retour aux sources communes, à savoir bibliques, patristiques et dogmatiques, est proposé comme la base d’une entente sur les questions du ministère épiscopal et de la synodalité des évêques. Une telle entente s’avère indispensable afin d’aborder d’autres questions controversées, notamment celle de la primauté romaine. / Synodality seems to be a very current topic, both for the bilateral theological dialogue between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, and for each individual Church. The pontificate of Pope Francis has emphasized synodality and the Orthodox Church has just convened its Great and Holy Council (Crete, June 2016). The Second Vatican Council in 1964 promulgated the doctrine of episcopal collegiality (the bishops are organized in a college which succeeds the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles), a doctrine which was to bring closer Catholic and Orthodox ecclesiologies. However, the Orthodox theologians did not appreciate the value of this doctrine. Fifty years after its promulgation, it is also noted that the implementation of episcopal collegiality in the Catholic Church is rather restricted. This research attempts to compare the notions of episcopal collegiality and episcopal synodality, exploring a common understanding between Catholics and Orthodox of the place of the bishops within the whole Church. For Orthodox theologians, episcopal synodality does not coincide with the doctrine of episcopal collegiality, as it was formulated during the Second Vatican Council. This research focused on the common tradition of the two Churches regarding episcopal synodality. The study of common sources, namely biblical, patristic and dogmatic, is proposed as the basis for an agreement on the issue of episcopal ministry and the synodality of bishops. Such an agreement is essential to address other issues, especially that of the Roman primacy.

L’Église est encore désignée « corps du Christ », surtout dans les épîtres pauliniennes. Elle est pour ainsi dire analogue à un organisme vivant. Par conséquent, sa croissance devrait résulter naturellement de sa santé. Mais l’Église en Occident est confrontée à une stagnation numérique et même à une érosion démographique. Ce qui est fondamentalement en cause, c’est la vitalité ecclésiale et la capacité non seulement de garder les fidèles, mais aussi d’attirer de nouveaux membres. La question du ministère ecclésial, fort populaire en exégèse et en histoire du christianisme dans les décennies 1970 et 1980, est délaissée depuis 20 ans. Elle mérite d’être reprise pour des raisons qui ne sont pas uniquement conjoncturelles, mais bien d’ordre théologique et ecclésiologique. De nos jours, la pluralité ministérielle largement présente dans l’Église primitive est réduite à un monolithisme pastoral. La présente thèse entend remettre à l’avant-plan la question du ministère ecclésial par un angle nouveau inspiré à la fois de l’approche herméneutique et de la méthode d’analyse rhétorique. Dans le but d’offrir des pistes pour l’identification et la mise en valeur des mécanismes de la croissance intégrale de l’Église, nous avons repéré, à la lumière d’une analyse rhétorique de deux textes majeurs du corpus paulinien (1 Co 12–14 et Ép 4,1-16), les besoins fonctionnels vitaux du corps ecclésial et les principes fondamentaux qui s’incarnent dans l’édification des églises du Nouveau Testament et que les apôtres ont cautionnés eux-mêmes. Il ressort globalement de notre étude que : (1) l’Église est dotée d’une structure organique et que sa croissance résulte de la mise en œuvre efficace et efficiente des divers dons spirituels ; (2) l’Église est dotée d’un mécanisme d’édification fonctionnel par lequel les ministres de la Parole forment tous les croyants pour les mettre en état d’accomplir le ministère ecclésial et de contribuer à l’édification de l’ensemble de la communauté ecclésiale ; (3) l’édification ecclésiale se fait en professant continûment la vérité évangélique, en s’efforçant dans l’amour de garder l’unité et en faisant toutes choses pour l’édification de la communauté et pour la seule gloire du Christ Seigneur ; (4) l’édification ecclésiale passe par quatre objectifs de croissance : l’unité de la foi, l’unité de la connaissance du Fils de Dieu, l’état d’homme accompli, la mesure de la stature parfaite du Christ. Nous avons construit, à partir des intuitions repérées, un modèle paulinien de l’édification ecclésiale. / The Church is also referred to as “body of Christ”, especially in Pauline epistles. It is almost analogous to a living organism. Therefore, its growth should naturally result from its health. But the Church in the West is facing a numerical stagnation and even a demographic decrease. What is fundamentally at issue is the ecclesial vitality and the ability to keep followers, but also to attract new members. The question of ecclesial ministry, which was very popular in the domains of exegesis and history of the Christianity in the 1970s and 1980s, was abandoned for 20 years. This question deserves to be retaken for reasons that are not only cyclical, but theological and ecclesiological. Nowadays the widely present ministerial plurality in the early Church is reduced to a pastoral monolithic. This thesis intends to put the question of ecclesial ministry foreground with a new perspective inspired from the hermeneutic approach and the method of rhetorical analysis. In order to provide avenues for the identification and development of mechanisms for the integral growth of the Church, we spotted in the light of a rhetorical analysis of two major texts of the Pauline corpus (1 Cor 12-14 and Ep 4:1-16), the vital functional needs of the ecclesial body and the fundamental principles that are embodied in the edification of the New Testament churches and that the apostles endorsed themselves. The general conclusions from this study are: (1) the Church has an organic structure and its growth is due to the effective and efficient implementation of various spiritual gifts; (2) the Church has a functional edification mechanism by which the ministers of the Word equippe all believers to make them able to accomplish ecclesial ministry and to edify the entire ecclesial community; (3) the edification of the Church is doing by continuously professing the evangelical truth in love, endeavoring to keep the unity and doing all things for the edification of the community and for the sole glory of Christ the Lord; (4) the edification of the Church goes through four growth targets: the unity of the faith, the unity of the knowledge of the Son of God, the accomplished statesman, the measure of the fullness of Christ. We build, from the intuitions spotted, a Pauline model for Church edification.

L’affirmation de l’Église « Une » comme une réalité présente dans l’histoire fait partie de la tradition catholique. Après la naissance du mouvement œcuménique, Yves Congar (1904-1995) introduit dans la théologie catholique le principe ecclésiologique de l’œcuménisme. Il s’agit de penser la vie chrétienne des autres baptisés à partir de leurs Communions. Pour mettre en évidence ce principe herméneutique, cette thèse étudie sa portée théologique dans l’œuvre congarienne (1931 à 1954), se penche sur sa réception dans le décret sur l’œcuménisme Unitatis Redintegratio (1964), dans l’encyclique Ut Unum Sint (1995) et dans quelques documents récents, avant de proposer son inscription dans une théologie de l’ Église structurée à partir de l’institutionnalité de la grâce, située dans une perspective eschatologique. / The assertion of the Church as “One” present throughout history is part of the Roman Catholic tradition. After the appearance of the ecumenical movement, Yves Congar (1904-1995) introduces the ecclesiological principle of ecumenism in catholic theology. The idea is to think of the Christian life of the other baptized based on their Communion. To emphasize this hermeneutics’ principle, this thesis studies its theological impact on the congarian work (1931-1954) and ponders over its reception within the decree on ecumenism Unitatis Redintegratio (1964), within the encyclical Ut Unum Sint (1995) as well as in recent documents. It will also lead on to suggesting its recording in one theology of the Church structured by the institutionalization of grace in an eschatological perspective.