Text in German / The impulse for this research comes from the present crisis of the penitential practice within the Roman Catholic communities of Germany, where notwithstanding all pastoral efforts the practice of sacramental confession has dropped to almost nothing. The procedure adopted is based on the method of R. Zerfass. 1" step: An investigation on the present practice has been done with a previous research: 2nd step: The present research, in the first chapter deals with the New Testament origins of penance and the historical development up to the present time. An essential result attained is the insight that conversion (Mk 1,14 f.) does not consist of a message of doom but urges the audience to pursue the salvation of the reign of God. As a consequence the believer experiences an ethic motivation whereby he takes as orientation the rules of the kingdom of God. 3rd step: The sociological situation of the target group is the topic of chapter two. The study is based on the work of G. Schulze. The central point made by his analysis is the affirmation that people in contemporary society are basically experience orientated and that all opportunities and offers are assessed according to their experiential value. Because of the confusing oversupply of experiences and the avoidance of disappointments caused by unfulfilled expectations homogeneous groups (milieus) emerge. People, in search of experience orient themselves according to these experiences and shape them in their turn. In the realm (market) of experiences which cannot be controlled supply and demand come together. The supplier who do not follow the laws of the market is ousted because of failing to supply what is demanded. 4th step: In chapter 3 a practical theological theory is developed that present penitential crises is routed in a crises of faith. For this reason an updated pastoral approach to conversion needs to take as its starting point the liberation message of Jesus and at the same time to take into consideration the rules that govern the market, the contemporary segmentation of the milieu included. The final step will consist in a pastoral concretisation / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / D.Th. (Practical Theology)

Text in German / The impulse for this research comes from the present crisis of the penitential practice within the Roman Catholic communities of Germany, where notwithstanding all pastoral efforts the practice of sacramental confession has dropped to almost nothing. The procedure adopted is based on the method of R. Zerfass. 1" step: An investigation on the present practice has been done with a previous research: 2nd step: The present research, in the first chapter deals with the New Testament origins of penance and the historical development up to the present time. An essential result attained is the insight that conversion (Mk 1,14 f.) does not consist of a message of doom but urges the audience to pursue the salvation of the reign of God. As a consequence the believer experiences an ethic motivation whereby he takes as orientation the rules of the kingdom of God. 3rd step: The sociological situation of the target group is the topic of chapter two. The study is based on the work of G. Schulze. The central point made by his analysis is the affirmation that people in contemporary society are basically experience orientated and that all opportunities and offers are assessed according to their experiential value. Because of the confusing oversupply of experiences and the avoidance of disappointments caused by unfulfilled expectations homogeneous groups (milieus) emerge. People, in search of experience orient themselves according to these experiences and shape them in their turn. In the realm (market) of experiences which cannot be controlled supply and demand come together. The supplier who do not follow the laws of the market is ousted because of failing to supply what is demanded. 4th step: In chapter 3 a practical theological theory is developed that present penitential crises is routed in a crises of faith. For this reason an updated pastoral approach to conversion needs to take as its starting point the liberation message of Jesus and at the same time to take into consideration the rules that govern the market, the contemporary segmentation of the milieu included. The final step will consist in a pastoral concretisation / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D.Th. (Practical Theology)

In this dissertation we explore the concept that the works of God continue in a creative and coherent continuum from the portrayal in Genesis 1 to the description of their consummation in Revelation through the dynamic broad movement of the Kingdom of God that moved through Israel and the other nations of the world and through the churches and other institutions as well as in the Bible, in the experiences of humanity and in the vast non-human creation. Therefore creation, redemption, renewal and consummation are seen to be linked in a process which is not confined to the usual theological pointers of the Church and the Bible. Churches and the Bible are signs and instruments of the Kingdom of God amongst and in the many universes and not the only signs and instruments of the Kingdom of God in and amongst the many universes. The importance of the coherence between each work of God, the otherness of each work and the ongoing character of God's works demonstrates itself in the impact of faith on human experience and on the very existence of human beings. The concept of developing a wholesome person with a fivesome awareness is developed, this being an awareness of a human beings creatureliness, an awareness of their sinful tendencies of doing damage to God, the self as being created by God and all other creatures of God, an awareness of the salvific and reconciliatory power of the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ and an awareness of the renovating and renewal power of the Spirit of Pentecost which is carrying and guiding the process of the fivesome awareness in our minds, our experiences and our living into afterlife towards the consummation of all things in the new heaven and the new earth. The ongoing experience of anticipatory fragments and moments of meaning and significance breaking in from the future into our current life, bridges God's Kingdom works in the future through reflective understanding of faith experience with our everyday experience as human beings. The basic point and the thrust of this dissertation is that of a `both...and' and not an `either...or' relationship between human beings and their experience of God as Creator, their own falling into sin, God as Reconciliator in Christ, God the Holy Spirit as the Renewer and Renovator of all things unto afterlife and the creation of the new heaven and the new earth - the whole ongoing process of God's works is attested in the Biblical texts and attested in the foursome and inclusive experiential awareness of God's works in our daily experience by the Holy Spirit. / Systematic Theology and Theological Ethics / M.Th. (Systematic Theology)

Text in German with summaries in German, English and Afrikaans / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 138-144) / In dieser Masterarbeit wird die Korrelation zwischen der Narrativität des Reich Gottes und missiologischen Ansätzen untersucht. Am Beispiel von N.T. Wright wird ermittelt, welche Bedeutung Narrative des Reich Gottes in der Theologie haben und wie diese für einen narrativ-missiologischen-Ansatz nutzbar gemacht werden können. Die Untersuchung wird von der Forschungsfrage geleitet: Welche Bedeutung haben Reich Gottes Narrative von N.T. Wright für die Missiologie? Im ersten Kapitel werden die Rahmenbedingungen dieser Thesis dargelegt. Im zweiten Kapitel wird das Werk und die Person von N.T.Wright untersucht. Das dritte Kapitel widmet sich der inhaltlichen Untersuchung und der Herausarbeitung eines Metanarratives des Reich Gottes bei Wright. Im vierten und letzten Kapitel werden die Ergebnisse dieser Untersuchung zusammengetragen. Diese münden in einen Entwurf eines narrativ- missiologischen- Ansatzes. Des Weiteren werden einige Aspekte von Wrights Ansatz kritisch reflektiert. Die Ergebnisse werden in den deutschen Kontext eingeordnet und darauf aufbauend erfolgt dann noch ein Ausblick auf weitere Forschungsmöglichkeiten. / Hierdie meesterstesis bestudeer die verband tussen die teorie van die verhaal van die hemelse koninkryk en die missiologiese aanpassings daarvan. Op grond van die werke van N.T. Wright, is die doel van hierdie werk om te bepaal watter tipe belang die teorie van die verhaal van die hemelse koninkryk vir die teologie kan hê en hoe dit in missiologie toegepas kan word. Hierdie ontleding handel oor die hoofvraag: Watter belang moet in missiologie aan die verhale oor die hemelse koninkryk geheg word? Die eerste hoofstuk handel gevolglik oor die basiese raamwerk van hierdie werk. Hoofstuk twee fokus dan op die studie van die basiese inhoud van Wright se werk en hoe hy 'n metaverhaal kan skep op grond van die benadering van die hemelse koninkryk. Die derde hoofstuk is gewy aan die substantiewe ondersoek en verwerking van Wright se metaverhaal oor die koninkryk van God. Die vierde en laaste hoofstuk van hierdie werk bevat die hoofresultate van hierdie tesis voor dit na 'n konsep van 'n benadering tot verhalende missiologie lei. Verder word verskeie aspekte van Wright se benadering krities bespreek. Die resultate is dan in 'n Duitse konteks vasgelê wat tot 'n vooruitsig van toekomstige navorsingsgeleenthede kan lei. / This master thesis examines the correlation between the narrative of the kingdom of heaven theory and its missiological adaptations. Based on examples from the works of N.T. Wright, the purpose of this paper is to ascertain what kind of relevance narratives of the kingdom of heaven theory might have for theology and how they could be applied in missiology. This analysis revolves around the main question: What importance should be awarded to the kingdom of heaven narratives in missiology? Consequently, the first chapter deals with the basic framework of this paper. Chapter two then focuses on examining the basic contents of Wright’s work and how he is able to create a meta-narrative based on the kingdom of heaven approach. The third chapter is devoted to the substantive investigation and elaboration of a metanarrative of the kingdom of God defined by Wright. The fourth and last chapter of this paper is presenting the main results of this thesis before leading up to a draft of a narrative-missiological approach. In addition, various aspects of Wright’s approach are critically discussed. The results then are embedded in a German context which leads to a prospect of future research opportunities. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

In this dissertation we explore the concept that the works of God continue in a creative and coherent continuum from the portrayal in Genesis 1 to the description of their consummation in Revelation through the dynamic broad movement of the Kingdom of God that moved through Israel and the other nations of the world and through the churches and other institutions as well as in the Bible, in the experiences of humanity and in the vast non-human creation. Therefore creation, redemption, renewal and consummation are seen to be linked in a process which is not confined to the usual theological pointers of the Church and the Bible. Churches and the Bible are signs and instruments of the Kingdom of God amongst and in the many universes and not the only signs and instruments of the Kingdom of God in and amongst the many universes. The importance of the coherence between each work of God, the otherness of each work and the ongoing character of God's works demonstrates itself in the impact of faith on human experience and on the very existence of human beings. The concept of developing a wholesome person with a fivesome awareness is developed, this being an awareness of a human beings creatureliness, an awareness of their sinful tendencies of doing damage to God, the self as being created by God and all other creatures of God, an awareness of the salvific and reconciliatory power of the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ and an awareness of the renovating and renewal power of the Spirit of Pentecost which is carrying and guiding the process of the fivesome awareness in our minds, our experiences and our living into afterlife towards the consummation of all things in the new heaven and the new earth. The ongoing experience of anticipatory fragments and moments of meaning and significance breaking in from the future into our current life, bridges God's Kingdom works in the future through reflective understanding of faith experience with our everyday experience as human beings. The basic point and the thrust of this dissertation is that of a `both...and' and not an `either...or' relationship between human beings and their experience of God as Creator, their own falling into sin, God as Reconciliator in Christ, God the Holy Spirit as the Renewer and Renovator of all things unto afterlife and the creation of the new heaven and the new earth - the whole ongoing process of God's works is attested in the Biblical texts and attested in the foursome and inclusive experiential awareness of God's works in our daily experience by the Holy Spirit. / Systematic Theology and Theological Ethics / M.Th. (Systematic Theology)