The aim of this work, Missional Focus, Form and Function are Redefining American Christianity, is to capture and express a cohesive account of a developing missional church movement in the United States and its influence across the American religious landscape resulting from an intentional emphasis on context (focus), and how that focus informs ministry form and function. The transition from the twentieth to the twenty-first century witnessed significant changes in ministry philosophy and practice not seen since the founding of the nation, and presents evidence substantiating that a redefinition of American Christianity is taking place. Achieving the aim of this work necessarily includes not only a recounting and interpretation of current shifts across activities of the Church in the United States in its broadest sense, but also the incorporation of other important and contributing influences such as historical elements and their contribution to the development and formation of American Christianity, specifically the relationship between religion and populist efforts to achieve national liberty, as well as the rise of secularism, and the entrance into the Post-Christendom era. Unquestionably, an important influence is that of contemporary voices speaking to the need for change in American Christianity and helping to redefine Christianity in the United States along missional concepts. Significant voices speaking into the greater international missional conversation and influencing missional efforts in the United States include Ryan K. Bolger, Neil Cole, Eddie Gibbs, Darrell Guder, Alan Hirsch, CJP Niemandt, Alan Roxburgh, Ed Stetzer, Craig Van Gelder, and others. Churches employing the term missional to describe their understanding, conceptualization, and approach to ministry are an additional and essential influence. Using unique forms demonstrating a non-traditional focus that result in a variety of functions atypical for American churches, these ministries are adding to the evidence of a redefinition process already in motion. Among the five ministries included in this work are two noteworthy examples of churches pursuing missional ministry: the Life in Deep Ellum ministry in Dallas, Texas, and Tampa Underground, a network of micro churches in Tampa, Florida. The activities of these and other churches demonstrate the relationship between focus, form, and function as embodied in a missional approach to ministry. Certainly, change is evident across the landscape of American Christianity, but how extensive and far-reaching must be determined. The goal of this work is not simply to confirm or dispute a redefinition of American Christianity as a result of missional church activity, but also in a broad and more overall fashion, to contribute to the larger dialogue addressing missional ministry in the United States, encouraging a greater understanding and embracing of missional ministry in American churches, and an energetic and effective pursuit of missional Christianity and church ministry in the United States. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Science of Religion and Missiology / PhD / Unrestricted

Politics and Church in Saeculum – History and Political Theology in Oliver O’DonovanThis essay explores the relation between church, history and politics in the theology of Oliver O’Donovan. It asks the question of how O’Donovan’s political theology and understanding of the church is shaped by his view of history and how God acts within history. It shows how O’Donovan, following Augustine, stresses the tension between the two cities within history – the City of God and the City of Man – and uses this as a paradigm in which to understand the secular political authority. As a provisional ordering in saeculum, the earthly City of Man has a temporary function, awaiting God’s final reign in eschaton, in which it will hand over its authority to Christ. The church, though being a political community already prefiguring the reign of God in Christ, it still lives, in this age, under the secular rule. Awaiting the coming Kingdom its primary occupation is that of witness, inviting society and its ruler alike to accept the kingship of Christ. As a successful example of this mission O’Donovan gives a significant focus to the era known as Christendom, in which the western civilization, following the conversion of the Roman emperor Constantine, is understood as a Christian society with Christian rulers. In discussing O’Donovan’s political theology, the essay asks questions about O’Donovan’s reading and usage of Christendom and tries to reason about the application of O’Donovan’s theology in a situation where Christendom no longer defines the western experience (or what has been called a predominantely post-Christendom context). An important question in the discussion is whether O’Donovan stays true to the heritage of Augustine, or if he, in theory as well as practice, tends to follow other voices within the theology of history.

Rede--Nijmegen (aanvaarding van het ambt van gewoon hoogleraar in de Duitse taalkunde) 1957. / Bibliography: p. 21-23.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Rijksuniversiteit te Utrecht, 1865. / Includes bibliographical references.

Inaugural-Dissertation--Eberhard-Karls-Universität zu Tübingen, 1940. / Vita: p. [167]. Cover title. Includes bibliographical references (p. 163-166).

Thesis--Paris IV, 1976. / French or Latin. Bibliography: p. 594-498.

Thesis--Université de Paris IV. / Errata slip laid in. Includes bibliographical references (p. 613-641) and index.

Inaugural-Dissertation zur Erlangung der Doktorwürde bei der Hohen Philosophischen Fakultät der Universität Leipzig. / Lebenslauf: p. [73]-74. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis--Paris IV, 1976. / French or Latin. Bibliography: p. 594-498.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Eberhard-Karls-Universität zu Tübingen. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 162-167).