Text in AfrikaansMulti-sensory worship is a popular term in postmodern worship. It involves seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, touching, and experiencing. This approach is an attempt to enhance communication in worship gatherings. According to the latest trends in the science of communication, this is the way to go. Due to the decline of church attendance in the Reformed Churches, some congregations experiment with some of the elements of Multi-sensory Worship as well as other approaches. The danger is that they can lose their reformed identity. Although it is important to keep up with the culture we live in, it is as important to stay in touch with the tradition. This thesis investigates the possibility of incorporating multi-sensory elements in the reformed church service. According to this thesis the answer lies in Multi-sensory Liturgy. / Dissertation (MA (Praktiese Teologie))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Practical Theology / unrestricted

This thesis investigated the approach to, and the conducting of worship services in ten missional faith communities of the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa during the period 2004 – 2009. It investigated the shift in theological paradigm (towards mission) taking place in the Dutch Reformed Church from 2002 onwards, and the effects thereof on liturgy and music in the worship domain. In order to contextualise the liturgical developments emanating from the case studies, the history and liturgy of the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa were traced back to the early Dutch pastors arriving with the first settlers at the Cape Colony in 1652. The historical events leading to the Dutch Reformed Church being labelled as the state church and its sanctioning of the apartheid ideology were placed in perspective as a result of the successes of missionary work in South Africa. The missional paradigm was unpacked according to the missio Dei. God is the primal agent in mission and calls His church into mission, and sending the church to restore society. Created in the imago Dei, human beings have a responsibility towards contextual society in everyday life. Missional worship therefore becomes a paradigmatic way of life. God is the focal point in worship and liturgy: it is all about God. The core of the research revolves around the ten missional faith communities, eight of which were part of the initial Southern African Partnership for Missional Churches project. Unstructured interviews were conducted with pastors, musicians and persons involved in the focussed missional activities within these congregations. Having an insider's perspective on the project, the researcher included his own narrative in order to further underline the changes taking place in the worship domain. Liturgy in the faith communities under investigation was found to be shifting towards ecumenical models: the gathering, the service of the Word, the service of the Table, and the sending. A trend to celebrate the Eucharist/Holy Communion more frequently than the tradition dictated was also noted in the communities. In general, a more creative approach towards the planning and execution of liturgy has been observed – this freedom allowing for the Holy Spirit to move the faith community during worship, and was vastly different to the cognitive historical liturgy. The music ministry has developed into a new paradigm from the historical role of the organist. Music was found to become a focal point, manifesting as liturgical art, pointing towards God and enabling the faith community to meet God in worship. This led to the change in the role of the church musician in terms of scope and spiritual/religious value. The shift towards leading the liturgy and shaping the faith community through music has been noted – thus establishing a music ministry. The Eucharist/Holy Communion is presented as a metaphor, the underlying basis for a model in music ministry. Music ministry is now defined under the theological lens as being sacramental in nature. In closing, recommendations are made to address the re-education of church musicians and theologians to deal with the theological changes taking place in worship. / Thesis (PhD (Music))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

This thesis investigated the approach to, and the conducting of worship services in ten missional faith communities of the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa during the period 2004 – 2009. It investigated the shift in theological paradigm (towards mission) taking place in the Dutch Reformed Church from 2002 onwards, and the effects thereof on liturgy and music in the worship domain. In order to contextualise the liturgical developments emanating from the case studies, the history and liturgy of the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa were traced back to the early Dutch pastors arriving with the first settlers at the Cape Colony in 1652. The historical events leading to the Dutch Reformed Church being labelled as the state church and its sanctioning of the apartheid ideology were placed in perspective as a result of the successes of missionary work in South Africa. The missional paradigm was unpacked according to the missio Dei. God is the primal agent in mission and calls His church into mission, and sending the church to restore society. Created in the imago Dei, human beings have a responsibility towards contextual society in everyday life. Missional worship therefore becomes a paradigmatic way of life. God is the focal point in worship and liturgy: it is all about God. The core of the research revolves around the ten missional faith communities, eight of which were part of the initial Southern African Partnership for Missional Churches project. Unstructured interviews were conducted with pastors, musicians and persons involved in the focussed missional activities within these congregations. Having an insider's perspective on the project, the researcher included his own narrative in order to further underline the changes taking place in the worship domain. Liturgy in the faith communities under investigation was found to be shifting towards ecumenical models: the gathering, the service of the Word, the service of the Table, and the sending. A trend to celebrate the Eucharist/Holy Communion more frequently than the tradition dictated was also noted in the communities. In general, a more creative approach towards the planning and execution of liturgy has been observed – this freedom allowing for the Holy Spirit to move the faith community during worship, and was vastly different to the cognitive historical liturgy. The music ministry has developed into a new paradigm from the historical role of the organist. Music was found to become a focal point, manifesting as liturgical art, pointing towards God and enabling the faith community to meet God in worship. This led to the change in the role of the church musician in terms of scope and spiritual/religious value. The shift towards leading the liturgy and shaping the faith community through music has been noted – thus establishing a music ministry. The Eucharist/Holy Communion is presented as a metaphor, the underlying basis for a model in music ministry. Music ministry is now defined under the theological lens as being sacramental in nature. In closing, recommendations are made to address the re-education of church musicians and theologians to deal with the theological changes taking place in worship. / Thesis (PhD (Music))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Liturgics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

Chapter 1 emphasizes the central position that the worship service occupies in the life of the believer, but then the whole person of the believer. The atmosphere is therefore vital. This is researched in part 2 by an exegetical study of 1 Corinthians 1-14, as well as the rest of Scripture. The variations through history are also studied. The atmosphere in the worship service should be such that the worshipper meets God with the necessary awe and respect. The service must also create an atmosphere of love, warmth, friendliness, and joy. All present must be invited and made welcome by the service. The atmosphere must further encourage and create room for everybody to participate and use their specific gifts. It can therefore change from service to service and within a single service. Important instruments in the atmosphere are the liturgical space, symbols, rituals, physical movement, gestures, music, song and the senses. Part 3 studies the contribution of adjacent sciences, like the theory of communication, cognitive science, symbolism, music, architecture and multimedia. These sciences support the principles of part 2 and give important perspectives for the practical application thereof. The situation in practice is studied by empirical research. The atmosphere is clearly not sufficiently integrated in the worship service. Although some elements are present, they are purely coincidental. A specific aimed strategy is lacking. Part 4 tries to bridge the gap between the base theory (part 2) and the practice (part 3) by suggesting practical guidelines. Because every congregation is in a unique context, a model is given to realize the principles. The image of the 'house of God is used to summarize and explain the principles. The final conclusion is that atmosphere plays a vital role in the worship service. In practice very little is made hereof. If the Atmosphere in the worship service is adjusted to what it should (and can!) be, the worship service will come closer to the purpose for which it is there and will it become even more of a meeting of the total person with the totality of God and with the totality of the fellow believer and the world. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Liturgics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

Chapter 1 emphasizes the central position that the worship service occupies in the life of the believer, but then the whole person of the believer. The atmosphere is therefore vital. This is researched in part 2 by an exegetical study of 1 Corinthians 1-14, as well as the rest of Scripture. The variations through history are also studied. The atmosphere in the worship service should be such that the worshipper meets God with the necessary awe and respect. The service must also create an atmosphere of love, warmth, friendliness, and joy. All present must be invited and made welcome by the service. The atmosphere must further encourage and create room for everybody to participate and use their specific gifts. It can therefore change from service to service and within a single service. Important instruments in the atmosphere are the liturgical space, symbols, rituals, physical movement, gestures, music, song and the senses. Part 3 studies the contribution of adjacent sciences, like the theory of communication, cognitive science, symbolism, music, architecture and multimedia. These sciences support the principles of part 2 and give important perspectives for the practical application thereof. The situation in practice is studied by empirical research. The atmosphere is clearly not sufficiently integrated in the worship service. Although some elements are present, they are purely coincidental. A specific aimed strategy is lacking. Part 4 tries to bridge the gap between the base theory (part 2) and the practice (part 3) by suggesting practical guidelines. Because every congregation is in a unique context, a model is given to realize the principles. The image of the 'house of God is used to summarize and explain the principles. The final conclusion is that atmosphere plays a vital role in the worship service. In practice very little is made hereof. If the Atmosphere in the worship service is adjusted to what it should (and can!) be, the worship service will come closer to the purpose for which it is there and will it become even more of a meeting of the total person with the totality of God and with the totality of the fellow believer and the world. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Liturgics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

Music in the Afrikaans reformed churches has reached a cross-road. This is evident in the many articles written on the subject, workshops held on the issue and outcries for help from several organists in various congregations. Scholars all agree that research on the topic of responsible renewal in church music is necessary. Furthermore, it seems the organ is systematically being dismissed as a church instrument, especially in evening worship services. It seems the organ is (unjustly) thought of as an old fashioned instrument capable of playing only classical music and thus not able to cater for the musical needs of today’s postmodern churchgoer. This study aims to provide recommendations for the renewed usage of the organ in an aesthetic music environment that will assist churchgoers of various spirituality types to worship with conviction. This study is based on thorough research on three specific concepts: 1. Aesthetics: In order to use aesthetics as a valuable tool for music renewal, it must first be established that it is indeed a Biblical concept. Study into the concept of aesthetics in the Bible is undertaken. 2. Spirituality: Every person differs in his perception of worship and this is mainly determined by his spirituality type. The different musical preferences according to these spirituality types are investigated. 3. The organ: The organ has established itself as a versatile church instrument since the Middle Ages. It has adapted to the changing musical styles through the ages. It is reasoned that the church organ can still provide in the musical needs of all churchgoers today. This does not mean that the organ is elevated as the exclusive church instrument, but it is argued that the organ can successfully be used in conjunction with other instruments in worship today. After these three concepts are investigated, practical guidance is given in the usage of the organ in combination with other instruments according to the aesthetical requirements of the different spirituality types in today’s Afrikaans reformed worship service. / Thesis (DMus)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Music / unrestricted

In hierdie studie word aandag gegee aan die invloed wat onderwysers, jeugwerkers en Liturgiese elemente teenwoordig in die skoolkonteks, op die geloofsvorming van kinders in Tradisioneel Afrikaans-Christelike skole uitoefen. Die kerk staan voor krisis wat vir jare reeds aan die kom is. Die kerk is nie meer die middelpunt van die samelewing nie en mense sien nie meer die kerk as noodsaaklike sosiale en geestelike bemiddelaar nie. Dit het tot gevolg dat al hoe minder mense kerk toe gaan met potensieël katastrofiese gevolge. Die kerk kan egter nie op sy louere rus nie, want ons het opdrag om die goeie nuus aan almal te verkondig om sodoende die Koninkryk van God te laat kom in mense se lewens en in die samelewing. Geloofsvorming vind tradisioneel plaas binne die veilige ruimte van die ouerhuis. Die realiteit is dat vele kinders nie meer geloofswaarhede by hul ouers leer nie en ook nie aan voorbeeldige Christelike lewenswyse blootgestel word nie. Om die leemte aan te spreek, behoort die kerk in vennootskap met die skool te staan om kinders bloot te stel aan konteks wat geloofvorming bevorder en fasiliteer. Die skoolkonteks bied geleentheid vir die kerk om kinders in hul vormingsjare te bereik, wat die beste tyd is om lewensveranderende lewenswater aan hulle te bring. Kinders het eksistensiële behoefte daaraan om blootstelling aan geloofsvormende stimuli te ontvang. Skoolkonteks, waarin voorbeeldige volwassenes en doeltreffende liturgiese elemente teenwoordig is, blyk van groot waarde te wees om die behoefte van kinders aan te spreek en die geleentheid vir kerk en samelewing te bied om noemenswaardige positiewe impak op die individu en die samelewing as geheel te voltrek. / Dissertation (MTh)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Practical Theology / unrestricted

Thesis (DTh)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk is die afgelope paar jare in debatte gewikkel oor die een aktiwiteit wat uniek aan die kerk is, naamlik haar aanbidding. Aanbidding het vandag een van die belangrike redes geword waarom kerke groei, maar is terselfdertyd ook een van die oorsake waarom gemeentes lidmate verloor en kwyn. Aan die voorpunt van die debat oor aanbidding, is die kwessie van lofprysing. Lofprysing het vandag vir baie gelowiges 'n middel geword om hulle geloof en aanbidding tot uitdrukking te bring. In plaas daarvan dat die nuwe beklemtoning en behoefte aan lofprysing die kerk in haar aanbidding van God verenig het, het dit egter 'n bron van frustrasie en konflik geword. Hierdie konflik sentreer hoofsaaklik om die styl waarin lofprysing plaasvind en word aangehelp deur die gebrek aan kennis oor die onderwerp en die diversiteit wat in gemeentes heers. Gemeentes van die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk bestaan vandag uit lidmate wat uiteenlopende lewensuitkyke handhaaf en verskillende spiritualiteite besit. Om die hele kwessie van lofprysing binne die konteks van diverse gemeentes aan te spreek, moes die studie eerstens die aard en funksie van lofprysing binne die liturgie bepaal. Daarna moes 'n wyse gevind word waarop die diversiteit in gemeentes hanteer kon word. Deur middel van 'n spiritualiteitstipologie wat Holmes in 1980 opgestel het, en wat later as basis van verskillende spiritualiteitsanalises gedien het, is 'n instrument daargestel waarmee gemeentes en individue se spiritualiteit getoets kon word. In hierdie studie is die analises nie net gebruik om mense se spiritualiteit vas te stel nie, maar ook om te bepaal of daar 'n korrelasie tussen spiritualiteitsgroepe en hulle aanbiddingsbehoeftes bestaan. Die navorsing het daarin geslaag om nie net 'n verband tussen spiritualiteit en aanbiddingspatrone aan te toon nie, maar ook die waarde van 'n spiritualiteitsanalise te beklemtoon om die diversiteit ten opsigte van aanbidding en lofprysing in gemeentes aan te spreek. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Over the past few years the Dutch Reformed Church has been embroiled in a debate regarding worship within the church. Whilst the worship within a congregation has become one of the most important factors in church growth, it is also one of the reasons why some congregations loose membership and shrink in size. A major point of contention within this debate relates to the use of praise. To many believers, praise has become a process through which they worship and reinforce their faith. Instead of unifying the church in her worship of God, the current emphasis on praise within the church has become a source of frustration and a point of contention. This controversy mainly centres around the style with which praise is practiced within the congregation and is exacerbated by a lack of knowledge surrounding the topic and the diversity that exists within congregations. Members of the Dutch Reformed Church has widely divergent life views and also possess different spiritualities. To determine the use of praise within divergent congregations, this study evaluated the nature and function of praise within the context of the liturgy. Subsequently, a method to manage the diversity within congregations was developed. In 1980, Holmes developed a spirituality typology within which he identified four spirituality groups. Based on the spirituality typology, some spirituality analyses were formed to help congregations and individuals to test their spirituality. These analyses were used to identify the correlation between a spirituality group and their worship requirements. The results from this research clearly showed a positive correlation between these two parameters and also highlighted the value of using the spirituality analysis as a method to manage the different praise and worship requirements that exists within congregations.

In this study it is assumed from a central theoretical argument that the Bible based, scripturally true liturgical song, possesses an exceptional bonding structure. The set literary archetypes of the dramatic, epic and lyric - or the dramatical, epical and lyrical - are woven together to form the canvas for the hymnical praise of the worshipping community. The aim of the study is to dissect the relationship in which the archetypes stand to one another and to establish which trans–generical phenomena and movements can be detected in order to determine what their meaning is for liturgical songwriting. This is done on the basis of an analysis of the Book of Revelation, specifically pertaining to the hymnographical corpus in the book. To do this the most obvious meta–theory of this study is the literary theory, while the basis, principles and guidelines of the hymnographical basistheory are determined by theological biblical science. In the first main chapter (meta–theory) of the study the questions of what literature is and whether the Bible is literature, are explored and answered. The conclusion to this is that the Bible is true literature and that this religious script plays a central, unique and prominent role in the progression of the christian–western cultural world. In the process of determining the different approaches to the study of literature, note was taken of the various theoretical assumptions and theories and of the influence that each has and can have on theological biblical scientifical research. In the second main part (inter–disciplinary theoretical aspects) the investigation proceeds from the study of meta–theoretical literary terrain identification to the determining of the connection, link, sym–biosis and synergy between the literary meta–theory and the theological basistheory of this study. Shared and partly overlapping study terrains of the literary sciences and the bibilical sciences are explored. This leads to the demarcation of both an inter–disciplinary and multisubdisciplinary field of study, for which an approach and a method to further explore had to be developed. In the third main part (basistheory) the perspectives gained in the first two parts are unlocked to the advantage of the biblical scientifical study of Revelation. The last book of the Bible is analysed macro–structurally by means of a narratological reading and accompanied by a cursory–exegetic explanation, after which the meaning of the corpus of hymnical microtexts in their context within the macro–structure are further unlocked by means of detailed exegesis. In this way basis–theoretical hymnographical priniciples in Revelation can be identified. These are integrated in the fourth and last main part and are then concretised, using a song as example, in guidelines for hymnography. In this final main part (the outcome of the study) the investigation reaches its set aims as well as the overall goal in that it could be verified that the canvas of the liturgical song should be integrated successfully not only wordperfect, but also Wordperfect in all its facets through literary quality and biblical–principled motivation. This should allow the flame (= liturgical song) of the sacrifice of thanksgiving (= worship) to burn brightly in a time of diverse positions on church song. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Liturgics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.