The introduction of abortion legalisation in South Africa during 1997 gave rise to the need for pre- and post-abortion counselling. Two dominant counselling groups came to the fore namely pro-choice and pro-life, reflecting the respective stances of society on abortion. In order to answer the following research questions: "What value-challenges do abortion counsellors experience, if any?" and "What ways have they found in negotiating these challenges?" A narrative conversation was used to come to an understanding of these research questions in practice. Research was undertaken with counsellors from both pro-life and pro-choice stances. The influence of capitalism, patriarchy and religion on role players confronted with making decisions on abortion was explored. Pro-choice counsellors negotiated their values in terms of forgiveness based on the unconditional forgiveness they would expect from God and pro-life counsellors in terms of God's forgiveness for the client, accepting her own responsibility for the consequences of the abortion. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Pastoral Therapy)

This research pursues the use of the Bible in counseling. The focus is to identify the different theological paradigms in which the Bible is used and the different ways that counsellors make use of the Bible in therapy. It also pursues the experiences that the clients had of such counsellors in the use of the Bible. Therapists and clients from different theological backgrounds partake in this study. An overview is given of the shift that is taking place from a modern to a postmodern approach about reality, truth, and knowledge and the effect there of on the use of the Bible in therapy. The aim of the research is to explore if an evangelical christian in a postmodern context can make use of the Bible as the inspired word of God. The implication of this can be profound for pastoral therapy. A narrative paradigm is adopted to dicuss the discourses that evolved from the research. / Practical Theology / M.Th. (Pastoral Therapy)

This research journey examines the process of co-creating, along with my co-travellers (research participants), a more holistic approach to trauma debriefing. Whilst incorporating elements of Mitchell's (1983) Critical Incidence Stress Debriefing model (C.I.S.D.), our point of difference has been to adopt a narrative pastoral approach. This was achieved by introducing spirituality and narrative therapy practices. Our research pathway has been further shaped by adopting a qualitative research approach within a postmodern, social construction discourse. My research curiosity was invited by both the mind, body and soul divide expressed in psychology; and the healing possibilities of spirituality I have witnessed in both my own and in the lives of others. While my co-travellers predominantly preferred to express their spirituality in terms of Christianity, our narrative pastoral approach to trauma debriefing is offered to people of all religious persuasions. / Practical Theology / M.Th. (with specialisation in Pastoral therapy)

Chapter 1 describes practical theology as a communicative operational science and stresses how important it is that a hermeneutical and narrative approach compliments it. It is shown that pastoral work must be launched from the church community. The premise is that the Enlightenment paradigm causes a reductionistic, individualistic and denominational approach to pastoral work. A holistic, comprehensive and ecologically orientated approach is proposed. Chapter 2 discusses the need for an ecosystemic approach as a metaparadigrn for practical theology in terms of the move away from the Newtonian view of science and the post-modem critiques of a technocratic society. This is supported by developments in systemic family therapy, constructionism and community psychology. Chapter 3 describes an interrelated ecclesiology as a base theory for practical theology and pastoral work with reference to the church's interrelation with society and the need to include an anthropology as part of an ecclesiology. This interrelationship implies that the serving (diakonia) and caring (koinonia) functions of the church should converge, forming a diaconal pastorate. In chapter 4 the secularised modem world-vie\v and the traditional African world-view, both functioning in South Africa, are employed to shed light upon the importance of the concept community for the church's pastoral work. The term community is broadened to include the idea of networking, emphasisingg that community is more than geographical proximity. Chapter 5 is a quantitative investigation. by means of a questionnaire, of the views (ecosystemic/non-ecosystemic) of pastoral workers regarding the church and of pastoral work. Chapter 6 discusses the implications of a community pastoral work approach. Pastoral work has a serving-caring role, but should also function prophetically, to conscientise. sensitise and empower people. The church as a healing community must become the springboard from which pastoral actions can face the challenge of AIDS (chapter 7). This will require the church to shift its paradigm from the reductionist, individualist approach, presently prevalent in society and church pastoral actions, to an all-encompassing. holistic one. / Practical Theology / Th.D. (Practical Theology)

Text in Afrikaans / Hierdie navorsing handel oor die pastorale begeleiding van 'n gemeentediensjaarspan deur 'n pastorale berader. Die studie is kwalitatief van aard en vind plaas binne die diskoers van praktiese teologie. Die pastoraal-narratiewe metodologie wat aangewend is in die begeleidingsproses, en die narratiewe mikrokaarte van onderskeidelik not-knowing, deursigtigheid, ekstemalisering, dekonstruksie, her-skrywe, rituele, die vermyding van 'n taal van tekortkoming, briewe, re-membering, metafore, die skep van 'n gehoor, vraagstelling en reflektering word bespreek. De Jongh van Arkel se onderskeidings vir die pastoraat word indringend bespreek. Besondere aandag word geskenk aan die vierde onderskeiding wat hy byvoeg, naamlik pastorale terapie. Die navorsing is gerig op almal wat betrokke is by die opleiding en begeleiding van diensjaarspanne, asook op gemeentes wat diensjaarspanne huisves. Voorstelle vir die toekomstige opleiding en begeleiding van diensjaarspanne word gemaak. / This research deals with the pastoral accompaniment (by a pastoral counsellor) of a congregational team that does a service year for Christ. The study is of a qualitative nature and takes place within the discourse of practical theology. The pastoral-narrative methodology that is used in the counselling process, and the narrative micro maps of notknowing, transparency, externalisation, deconstruction, re-authoring, rituals, the avoidance of a language of shortcoming, letters, re-membering, metaphors, the creation of an audience, questioning and reflection, are discussed. De Jongh van Arkel's distinctions for the pastorate are discussed in detail. Special attention is paid to the fourth distinction that he makes, namely pastoral therapy. The research is directed towards everyone who is involved in the training and accompaniment of teams that do a service year for Christ, as well as congregations who host teams that do a year of service. Suggestions for future training and accompaniment of such teams are made. / Theology / M. Th.

German text / This dissertation is a selective literary investigation (25 items) by a qualitative social research. It aims on the pastoral training and pastoral care of the Swiss theologian Eduard Thurneysen (1888-1974). His conception of pastoral care was directive within the 20th century in the German speaking Protestant church. In front of this background the pneumatological and spiritual elements are investigated that shape the pastoral approach of Thurneysen, both in theory and in practice. The research design for doing this is an adapted document analysis. For data collection, processing and analysis four different protocols are developed and for each item collected (attachement). In pneumatological and spiritual regard the main results are that Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt shaped and influenced Thurneysen fundamentally. He has been his lifelong example. Thurneysens pastoral approach is analogically characterized by continous prayer and longing for Holy Spirit. In the conclusions of the research results there are fourteen reflections on e. g. sustainability, finality or the ongoing discussion with the social sciences concerning a biblically oriented pastoral care. / Practical Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology)

This research pursues the use of the Bible in counseling. The focus is to identify the different theological paradigms in which the Bible is used and the different ways that counsellors make use of the Bible in therapy. It also pursues the experiences that the clients had of such counsellors in the use of the Bible. Therapists and clients from different theological backgrounds partake in this study. An overview is given of the shift that is taking place from a modern to a postmodern approach about reality, truth, and knowledge and the effect there of on the use of the Bible in therapy. The aim of the research is to explore if an evangelical christian in a postmodern context can make use of the Bible as the inspired word of God. The implication of this can be profound for pastoral therapy. A narrative paradigm is adopted to dicuss the discourses that evolved from the research. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.Th. (Pastoral Therapy)

This research journey examines the process of co-creating, along with my co-travellers (research participants), a more holistic approach to trauma debriefing. Whilst incorporating elements of Mitchell's (1983) Critical Incidence Stress Debriefing model (C.I.S.D.), our point of difference has been to adopt a narrative pastoral approach. This was achieved by introducing spirituality and narrative therapy practices. Our research pathway has been further shaped by adopting a qualitative research approach within a postmodern, social construction discourse. My research curiosity was invited by both the mind, body and soul divide expressed in psychology; and the healing possibilities of spirituality I have witnessed in both my own and in the lives of others. While my co-travellers predominantly preferred to express their spirituality in terms of Christianity, our narrative pastoral approach to trauma debriefing is offered to people of all religious persuasions. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.Th. (with specialisation in Pastoral therapy)

Chapter 1 describes practical theology as a communicative operational science and stresses how important it is that a hermeneutical and narrative approach compliments it. It is shown that pastoral work must be launched from the church community. The premise is that the Enlightenment paradigm causes a reductionistic, individualistic and denominational approach to pastoral work. A holistic, comprehensive and ecologically orientated approach is proposed. Chapter 2 discusses the need for an ecosystemic approach as a metaparadigrn for practical theology in terms of the move away from the Newtonian view of science and the post-modem critiques of a technocratic society. This is supported by developments in systemic family therapy, constructionism and community psychology. Chapter 3 describes an interrelated ecclesiology as a base theory for practical theology and pastoral work with reference to the church's interrelation with society and the need to include an anthropology as part of an ecclesiology. This interrelationship implies that the serving (diakonia) and caring (koinonia) functions of the church should converge, forming a diaconal pastorate. In chapter 4 the secularised modem world-vie\v and the traditional African world-view, both functioning in South Africa, are employed to shed light upon the importance of the concept community for the church's pastoral work. The term community is broadened to include the idea of networking, emphasisingg that community is more than geographical proximity. Chapter 5 is a quantitative investigation. by means of a questionnaire, of the views (ecosystemic/non-ecosystemic) of pastoral workers regarding the church and of pastoral work. Chapter 6 discusses the implications of a community pastoral work approach. Pastoral work has a serving-caring role, but should also function prophetically, to conscientise. sensitise and empower people. The church as a healing community must become the springboard from which pastoral actions can face the challenge of AIDS (chapter 7). This will require the church to shift its paradigm from the reductionist, individualist approach, presently prevalent in society and church pastoral actions, to an all-encompassing. holistic one. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / Th.D. (Practical Theology)

Text in Afrikaans / Hierdie navorsing handel oor die pastorale begeleiding van 'n gemeentediensjaarspan deur 'n pastorale berader. Die studie is kwalitatief van aard en vind plaas binne die diskoers van praktiese teologie. Die pastoraal-narratiewe metodologie wat aangewend is in die begeleidingsproses, en die narratiewe mikrokaarte van onderskeidelik not-knowing, deursigtigheid, ekstemalisering, dekonstruksie, her-skrywe, rituele, die vermyding van 'n taal van tekortkoming, briewe, re-membering, metafore, die skep van 'n gehoor, vraagstelling en reflektering word bespreek. De Jongh van Arkel se onderskeidings vir die pastoraat word indringend bespreek. Besondere aandag word geskenk aan die vierde onderskeiding wat hy byvoeg, naamlik pastorale terapie. Die navorsing is gerig op almal wat betrokke is by die opleiding en begeleiding van diensjaarspanne, asook op gemeentes wat diensjaarspanne huisves. Voorstelle vir die toekomstige opleiding en begeleiding van diensjaarspanne word gemaak. / This research deals with the pastoral accompaniment (by a pastoral counsellor) of a congregational team that does a service year for Christ. The study is of a qualitative nature and takes place within the discourse of practical theology. The pastoral-narrative methodology that is used in the counselling process, and the narrative micro maps of notknowing, transparency, externalisation, deconstruction, re-authoring, rituals, the avoidance of a language of shortcoming, letters, re-membering, metaphors, the creation of an audience, questioning and reflection, are discussed. De Jongh van Arkel's distinctions for the pastorate are discussed in detail. Special attention is paid to the fourth distinction that he makes, namely pastoral therapy. The research is directed towards everyone who is involved in the training and accompaniment of teams that do a service year for Christ, as well as congregations who host teams that do a year of service. Suggestions for future training and accompaniment of such teams are made. / Theology / M. Th.