Avant de devenir l’écrivain spirituel de renom que l’on sait, Thomas Merton (1915-1968) vécut un difficile chemin de conversion qu’il relate dans son autobiographie (The seven storey mountain). Si les études de son parcours de vie (1915-1941), ainsi que son passage en France (1925-1928) montrent leur richesse et leur complexité, c’est son récit autobiographique qui indique le mieux son chemin de conversion. Il en ressort sept expériences religieuses qui rendent compte du combat ayant construit son identité spirituelle, déjà bien affirmée avant son entrée à la Trappe de Gethsémani. Depuis sa première expérience vécue en France (en 1927 à l’âge de 12 ans), jusqu’à celle du Lundi Saint vécue en pleine guerre (en 1941 à l’âge de 26 ans), ces expériences se déroulent au long de trois étapes de construction de son identité spirituelle, soit depuis l’exil de la foi jusqu’à son abandon en Christ. D’une portée tant littéraire que théologique, ces expériences représentent la contribution qui manquait aux études mertoniennes / Before becoming the famous spiritual writer we know, Thomas Merton (1915-1968) had a chaotic way of conversion he encounters in his autobiography (The seven storey mountain). If the studies of his life course (1915-1941) and his stay in France (1925-1928) shows the richness and complexity of this journey, it is his autobiographical account which shows the best his way of conversion. Seven religious experiences come out of his struggle which built his spiritual identity that was already steady before his entry at the Trappist monastery of Gethsemani. Since his first experience that happened in France (1927, 12 years old) until the one that took place on Monday before Easter in war time (1941, 26 years old), these experiences occurred in three steps building his spiritual identity, that is to say from the faith exile to his moment of abandon into Christ. These experiences – as library as theological – show what was missing in the Mertonian studies

The focus of this practical theological study is the analysis of the life and worship of the Perth Asian Christian Community in the New Life City Church, where we note fast maturation of Christians with a desire to complete the Great Commission. As participant observer using the qualitative method, I was able to identify how the NLCC is wall-less by interviewing different groups within the church and two Western sample groups. To accomplish this, Chapter two analyses the Western and Asian churches’ understanding of the concepts ‘church’ and ‘church growth’. The evaluations showed a difference in understanding. This prompted an inquiry in chapter three into their understanding of the Great Commission from the Western and Asian viewpoint against the Biblical understanding thereof. The intention of NLCC groups interviewed in Chapters four to eight was to detect what they perceived as helping them mature as Christians, considering many are first-generation Christians. The groups interviewed included founder members, first-generation Christians, youth group leaders, returned NLCC missionaries and the pastor. By Chapter nine it was established that the Asian Christian understood worship in a broader context. Chapter ten summarises the interpreted data of the groups interviewed and identifies stimulants for maturation of individual Christians in a post-Christian environment. The broader understanding of worship is discussed. These guidelines form the building blocks for a practical theological theory of church growth. / Practical Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology)

The focus of this practical theological study is the analysis of the life and worship of the Perth Asian Christian Community in the New Life City Church, where we note fast maturation of Christians with a desire to complete the Great Commission. As participant observer using the qualitative method, I was able to identify how the NLCC is wall-less by interviewing different groups within the church and two Western sample groups. To accomplish this, Chapter two analyses the Western and Asian churches’ understanding of the concepts ‘church’ and ‘church growth’. The evaluations showed a difference in understanding. This prompted an inquiry in chapter three into their understanding of the Great Commission from the Western and Asian viewpoint against the Biblical understanding thereof. The intention of NLCC groups interviewed in Chapters four to eight was to detect what they perceived as helping them mature as Christians, considering many are first-generation Christians. The groups interviewed included founder members, first-generation Christians, youth group leaders, returned NLCC missionaries and the pastor. By Chapter nine it was established that the Asian Christian understood worship in a broader context. Chapter ten summarises the interpreted data of the groups interviewed and identifies stimulants for maturation of individual Christians in a post-Christian environment. The broader understanding of worship is discussed. These guidelines form the building blocks for a practical theological theory of church growth. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology)