Text in German / This dissertation shows the possibilities of interdisciplinary application of principles and methods in bible didactics, adult education, school education and learning style research to Christian education in evangelical free churches. The research objective is the establishment and development of a bible didactic methodology for practical teaching in order to convey biblical contents to postmodern adults. This objective is achieved by the practical-theological establishment of the necessity of basic biblical education in free churches, the presentation of the postmodernist church pedagogical framework for bible courses, the elaboration of possible applications of didactic principles of bible didactics, adult education and school education for conveying biblical contents in bible courses, and finally, by the compilation of suitable bible didactic principles and methods for bible courses. The dissertation closes by stating the requirements of pastors and teachers in free churches as well as the challenges of church pedagogy training for future pastors. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology)

The United States has had an interesting and full history of debate over the place of religion in the public schools and each state has had its own unique history on the same subject. Religion/Bible saturated the typical public school in western Virginia before 1863. After West Virginia became a state, the saturation of religion/Bible gradually lessened, producing concern among some citizens. In 1917, the State adopted a direct plan for outside Bible study to incorporate elective Bible study class. Since 1935, however, there is no record of any statewide promotion of religion/Bible in the schools. In 1939 Bluefield, Mercer County, West Virginia, submitted a request to and received approval from the State Board of Education to offer Bible classes in its schools. Adjustments have been made to the program due to judicial or committee decisions. Some of these adjustments have been prompted by national and local controversy over religion/Bible in the public schools. Nevertheless, the existing Bible program has been sustained as a result of its location, community support, and dynamic leaders. The purpose of this study is two-fold: 1) to identify and describe the impact various influences such as the co-founders, the community, and the first teachers, had on the Bluefield Bible Program which contributed to its continued existence to this day; and 2) to create an accurate record of the history and proceedings of the Bluefield Bible Program. / Ed. D.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 1994. / Includes bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The relevance of Biblical Instruction and Instruction in state and state-supported schools Africa is reviewed in this thesis. The various Religious in South education departments in South Africa have been presenting religious instruction from a Christian perspective in schools, especially since 1967. It is also clear from a demographic distribution of religions that most of South Africa's inhabitants belong to the Christian faith. People and pupils who are not Christians are exempted from religious instruction in accordance with the conscience clause. Because of changing political and social circumstances and school structures due to the implementation of statesupported schools, there has been a strong emphasis on the presentation of Biblical Instruction or Religious Instruction as a school subject. Aspects of this which receive particular the following: the relevance dispensation; attention of the in this thesis are subject in the teaching the legitimacy of the subject due to the negative experience of Christian National Education in the past; the lack of recognition of religious pluralism in state and state-supported schools in South Africa. The presentation of the traditional single-dimensional approach is investigated, but the possibility of a multireligious approach to address the problem is also explored. The thesis includes a theoretical study of international and national sources as well as an empirical survey conducted at 41 selected secondary schools in the Western Cape and Boland. Questionnaires were used for the survey which involved the following education departments: The Department of Education and Culture. The Department of Education and Training. The Cape Education Department. It emerged clearly from the survey that religious pluralism is a reality in state and state-supported schools. The theoretical and empirical studies also highlighted the following problems: the professional qualifications of religious instruction teachers; the child's religious potential and development which are not taken into account; the child's own religious experiences and experiences in the classroom situation which are not addressed; the issue of the legitimacy of the subject as a consequence of its historical context; the lack of relevance of the subject content; the interest in a multi-religious approach among the majority of teachers as well as pupils. The problems will not be multi-religious approach solved simply by in the schools. converting to a The problems experienced in the single-dimensional approach should first be addressed thoroughly. For a legitimate multi-religious approach, the following should be taken into consideration: the child's religious potential and development; the child's own religious and personal experiences; possible further in-service training for teachers to enable them to cope with such an approach; a change in the process of curriculum development in order to address the issue of religious pluralism; a new name for the subject. In this respect a name such as Religious Studies could be usefully implemented. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die relevansie van Bybelonderrig of Godsdiensonderrig in staat- en staatsondersteunde skole in Suid-Afrika word in hierdie tesis in oenskou geneem. Die onderskeie onderwysdepartemente in Suid-Afrika het veral sedert 1967 godsdiensonderrig vanuit 'n Christelike perspektief in skole aangebied. Uit die demografiese geloofsverspreiding het dit oak geblyk dat die meeste inwoners van Suid-Afrika aan die Christelike geloof behoort. Persone en leerlinge wat nie tot die Christendom behoort nie, is gevrywaar van godsdiensonderrig op grand van die gewetensklousule. Met die veranderde politieke en sosiale omstandighede en skoolsamestelling met die implementering van staatsondersteunde skole I is daar 'n sterk fokus op die aanbieding van Bybelonderrig of Godsdiensonderrig as skoolvak. Aspekte waaraan veral in hierdie tesis aandag gegee is, is die volgende: die relevansie van die vak in die onderwysbedeling; die legitimiteit van die vak as gevolg van die negatiewe ervaring van die Christelik-nasionale onderwys in die verlede; die afwesigheid van die erkenning van religieuse pluralisme in staat- en staatsondersteunde skole in Suid-Afrika. Die aanbieding van die tradisionele enkelvoudige benadering is ondersoek, maar die moontlikheid van 'n multi-religieuse benadering om die probleem aan te spreek, word oak aangespreek. Teoretiese studie op internasionale en nasionale vlak, sowel as n empiriese doelgerigte steekproef is geloods aan 41 geselekteerde sekondere skole in die Wes-Kaap en Bolandstreek. Vir die doelgerigte steekproef is van vraelyste gebruik gemaak waarin die volgende onderwysdepartemente en privaatskole betrek is: Die Departement van Onderwys en Kultuur. Die Departement van Onderwys en Opleiding. Die Kaaplandse Onderwysdepartement. Uit die doelgerigte steekproef het dit duidelik geblyk dat religieuse pluralisme 'n werklikheid in staat- en staatsondersteunde skole is. Die teoretiese en empiriese studie het ook die volgende probleme belig, nl.: die professionele bevoegdheid van godsdiensonderwysleerkragte; die kind se religieuse potensiaal en ontwikkeling wat nie in ag geneem word nie; die kind se eie religieuse en lewenservarings in die klassituasie wat nie aangespreek word nie; 'n legitimiteitskwessie van die vak as sodanig vanwee sy historiese konteks; die afwesigheid van relevansie van die vakinhoud; 'n belangstelling in n multi-religieuse benadering deur die meerderheid van die leerkragte sowel as leerlinge. Die problematiek sal nie sander meer opgelos word met 'n oorskakeling na n multi-religieuse benadering in die skool nie. Die probleme wat in die enkelvoudige benadering ervaar word, behoort eers deeglik aangespreek te word. Vir 'n legitieme multi-religieuse benadering behoort die volgende in aanmerking geneem te word: die kind se religieuse potensiaal en ontwikkeling; die kind se eie religieuse en lewenservarings; die moontlike verdere indiensopleiding van leerkragte om so in benadering te kan hanteer; 'n verandering in die kurrikuleringsproses om religieuse pluralisme aan te spreek; 'n nuwe benaming vir die vak as sodanig. In hierdie verband sou 1 n vaknaam soos Religieuse Studie sinvol geimplementeer kon word.