Text in Afrikaans / Hierdie is 'n verkennende studie wat die Tsonga se persepsies omtrent seksualiteit ondersoek. Daar is gekonsentreer op die etiese en sosio-kulturele aspekte van die seksualiteit ten einde riglyne aan die Christelike kerk te verskaf. Die kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetode is gebruik. In hoofstukke twee en drie word breedvoerig verlag gedoen oor die Tsonga se seksuele persepsies en gebruike. Eerstens word gekyk na die nie-Christelike Tsonga en dan na die Christelike Tsonga. Die nie-Christelike Tsonga se seksualiteit is deurspek van rnitiese gebruike en gelowe. Die Christelike Tsonga het minder van die rnitiese maar toon weinig konforrnasie tot die tradisionele Christelike waardes. Uit die tradisionele Afrikareligie is 'n bepaalde etiek oorgeerf. Hierdie etiese beginsels verskil aansienlik van die Christelike etiek. Die Christelike etiek is 'n normatiewe etiek waar die motief vir 'n bepaalde handeling net so belangrik is as die handeling self. Die oorgeerfde Afrika-etiek stel minder belang in die intensies van die persoon wat die handeling uitvoer. Wat saak maak is die gevolge van 'n handeling. Die vraag word gevra waarom die Christelike Tsonga nie nader aan die aanvaarde Christelike norme beweeg het nie. Daar word bevind dat oorgelewerde sosiale tradisies, gebruike en waardes groter invloed op die seksualiteit uitoefen as godsdiens. Die is veral die proses van vervreemding, wat die Tsongakultuur tans ondergaan, wat lei tot 'n toestand van kontakarmoede en 'n gebrek aan singewing. Kan die kerk enige bydrae lewer tot die seksualiteit van die Tsonga? Daar is bevind dat die Christelike sending 'n fasiliterende bydrae daartoe kan lewer dat die Tsonga-gelowige, 'n lokale teologie van die seksualiteit tot stand kan bring. Dit is belangrik dat die Tsongagemeenskap self die teoloog moet wees. Op hierdie manier kan die Christelike godsdiens wel 'n verrykende bydrae lewer tot die seksualiteit by die Tsonga. / This is a investigative study that researches the Tsonga perception of sexuality. Emphasis has been placed on the ethical and socio­ cultural aspects of sexuality in order to provide guidelines to the Christian church. The qualitative method of research was used. In chapters two and three a detailed account of the Tsonga's sexual perceptions and practices is given. Firstly the non-Christian Tsonga was studied and then the Christian Tsonga. The non-Christian Tsonga's sexuality is interspersed with mythical practices and beliefs. The Christian Tsonga have less of the mythical but show little conformation to the traditional Christian values. From the traditional African religions a specific ethic was inherited. These ethical principles differ substantially from the Christian ethics. The Christian ethic is a normative ethic where the motive for an action is as important as the action itself. The inherited African ethic is less interested in the intentions of the person doing the action. The consequence of the action is what matters. The question is asked why the Christian Tsonga did not move closer to the accepted Christian norms. It was found that the inherited social traditions, uses and values exert more influence on the sexuality than the religion. It is above all the process of alienation that the Tsonga culture is presently enduring, that leads to a situation of poor contact and a lack of purpose. Can the church deliver any contribution towards the sexuality of the Tsonga? It was found that the Christian mission could make a facilitating contribution towards the Tsonga believers, enabling them to bring about a local theology of sexuality. It is important that the Tsonga community should be its own theologian. In this manner the Christian religion can make an enriching contribution towards the sexuality of the Tsonga. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / Th. D. (Sendingwetenskap)

The dissertation starts from the premise that we are living in an increasingly individualistic and secular society. The church is seen as a worshipping community, where mutual care emanating from true Christian community could serve as a corrective to current fragmentation. A theory is developed of the church as a caring and worshipping faith community which exists alongside other communities. The church therefore exists to enable people to embody the gospel ideals in their lives. The whole Christian community must thus be seen to be offering the love, compassion and acceptance that is needed today. This role can be enhanced by encouraging training in caring skills. The faith community exercises its nurturing support system through the fusion of horizons as members seek to give expression to their faith. This faith community functions against the background of the myriad of relationships and different communities in which its members find themselves in. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology)

Text in Afrikaans / Hoe kan die kerk, spesifiek ook die NG Kerk in Namibie, gestruktureer word om werklik relevant te wees in 'n samelewing waarin soveel veranderinge plaasvind? Eers word gekyk na die Praktiese Teologie as navorsing random die kommunikatiewe handelinge in diens van die evangelie; 'n definisie wat werk met 'n bepaalde verhouding tussen kerk en wereld. Daarna word die groot sosiale, staatkundige en godsdienstige veranderinge in die samelewing bespreek waarin die kerk hom bevind. As antwoord op die vraag: "watter kommunikatiewe handelinge in diens van die evangelie kan van die kerk 'n wesenlike faktor vir die evangelie in die wereld laat wees?", bespreek hoof stuk 3 dan die moontlikhede wat die model van die kerk as dienskneg inhou vir die kerk se invloed en rol in die samelewing. Die laaste hoofstuk wys veral op die belangrike rol van lidmate en kleingroepe in die strukturering van die kerk om so 'n dienskneg-kerk te wees. / How can the church, particularly the Dutch Reformed Church in Namibia, be structured to be truly relevant in a society where so many changes occur? Chapter 1 concerns Practical Theology researching communicative acts in the service of the gospel; defining a specific relationship between the church and the outside world. This is followed in Chapter 2 by a discussion of the churches' role regarding the enormous social, political and religious changes in society. In reply to the question: "which actions of communication in service of the gospel can assist the church to be a substantial factor to promote the gospel in the world?", chapter 3 looks at the possibilities that the model of the church as servant has for the influence of the church in the society. The last chapter refers particularly to the important role of laity and small groups in the structuring of the church to serve the community. / Practical Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology)

It was certainly a primary concern of the Second Vatican Council, facing the Third World in a post-colonial era, to show a maximum respect for humanity's invincible cultural pluralism (GS, 44, 58). Hence the emphasis on the primordial and unique missionary principle of incarnation, is derived directly from the scandalous belief that God became one of us in everything except sin (cf Heb. 2:14-18; 4:15). The Christian understanding of the relationship between God and humankind is dominated by this incarnationcd theme, which takes seriously the meaning of finitude, flesh and history. The incarnational self-donation, through which humanity is embraced from within, involved an incomprehensible self-emptying (cf. Phil 2:6-8). In giving himself to us in this intrinsic manner the divine Logos discounts his divinity and humbles himself that he might become truly one of us. Jesus of Nazareth is not a disguise used by God, not a human outer garment covering the divinity, not something foreign to what we are. / Systematic Theology / M.Th. (Systematic Theology)

The community development challenge faced by the Baptist Church of Ngoubagara in Central African Republic was the topic of this work. Due to multiple insecurity and political instability causes, it has created many negatives effects and especially on the poor population. Ideally, the mission of the Ngoubagara Baptist Church when faced with CAR tragic and successive socio-politic wars should have been to promote community development, peace, social justice, education, health, reconciliation, respect for human rights and to denounce all harm and discrimination against the human being. The church has a sacred mission to announce the gospel to all humanity and to assist the people towards the positive transformation of CAR. This study will be of help to missiological scholars and to the church so that it may better carry out its prophetic and holistic missions according to God’s vision and with the purpose of positively transforming CAR society. / Christian Spirituality, Church History & Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

Submitted by Filipe dos Santos (fsantos@pucsp.br) on 2018-02-16T19:28:23Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Tiago Tadeu Contiero.pdf: 1635805 bytes, checksum: 5ee55c0a96f91ed23fcb72a7f2a62445 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-02-16T19:28:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Tiago Tadeu Contiero.pdf: 1635805 bytes, checksum: 5ee55c0a96f91ed23fcb72a7f2a62445 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-02-05 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / Fundação São Paulo - FUNDASP / This thesis aims at the Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et spes and seeks to understand how it contributed to the internal secularization of Catholicism, changing the way the Catholic Church relates to the modern world. The subject is shown relevant in so far as the document has recently completed its fifty years and is still little studied even by the Catholic hierarchy. At the same time, it is important to try to understand not only the acceptance of secularization but also how the tumultuous relationship between Church and modernity has taken place. We proceed from the hypothesis that every condemnation made by the ecclesiastical magisterium against the modern world loses its relevance with Gaudium et spes, since it brings within it the acceptance of modernity as being positive even for the Catholic Church. The research consists of a bibliographical analysis based not only on the prominent authors who have already worked on the theme, but also on primary sources such as diaries of Conciliar Fathers and the Constitution itself, which makes a greater contribution to the studies on the Council and the Pastoral Constitution. With the development of the research, we believe that Gaudium et spes followed in the opposite direction to the teaching that preceded it and, therefore, was responsible for the establishment of a new, essentially secular, Catholic imaginary / A presente tese tem como objeto a Constituição Pastoral Gaudium et spes e busca compreender como a mesma contribuiu para a secularização interna do catolicismo, alterando o modo como a Igreja Católica se relaciona com o mundo moderno. O tema se mostra bastante relevante na medida em que o documento completou recentemente seus cinquenta anos e ainda é pouco estudado até mesmo pela hierarquia católica. Ao mesmo tempo, mostra-se importante por tentar compreender não apenas a aceitação da secularização, mas também como se deu a tumultuada relação entre Igreja-modernidade. Partimos da hipótese de que toda condenação feita pelo magistério eclesiástico contra o mundo moderno perde sua relevância com a Gaudium et spes uma vez que essa trás em seu interior a aceitação da modernidade como sendo positiva até mesmo para a Igreja Católica. A pesquisa consiste em uma análise bibliográfica fundamentada não apenas nos autores de destaque que já trabalharam com o tema, mas também com fontes primárias, como diários de Padres Conciliares e a própria Constituição o que confere uma contribuição maior para os estudos sobre o Concílio e a Constituição Pastoral. Com o desenvolvimento da pesquisa, acreditamos comprovar que a Gaudium et spes seguiu na direção contrária ao magistério que a antecedeu e, com isso, foi responsável pelo estabelecimento de um novo imaginário católico, fundamentalmente secular

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates if and how the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) uses its websites to create a public sphere. Since the end of apartheid this church and its media had to adapt to the changing environment in South Africa, particularly in its increasing use of the new media to involve believers and non-believers. Because of the internet’s potential to connect people from all over the world and its interactivity, scholars assert that the internet can create a public sphere. Habermas’ idea of the public sphere, a conceptual space where critical public discourse takes place and anyone can participate, forms the theoretical underpinning for this study. This theory, however, is slightly adapted by arguing that conflict – within bounds – is also part of the communication process within the public sphere. This study focuses on seven active websites of the DRC in order to examine its relation to public theology from a critical cultural perspective. The ideals of public theology closely relates to that of the public sphere. These ideals are a public debate on issues relating to the common good, which are discussed from a religious stance. A central view is that regulation can hinder the forming of a public sphere. Thus the nature and level of regulation on the church’s websites are examined. The nature of interaction between users and content on websites is also studied. This study combines qualitative and quantitative methods, including semi structured interviews, questionnaires, content analysis and systematic observation. The study found that Kerkbode’s Facebookpage facilitates a lively forum for debate on issues that advances the public sphere. The Facebookpage of the DRC has the potential to create such debates. On both these websites and Kerkbode-online and NG Kerk-online, regulation on midlevel curbs this potential. Other obstacles for creating a public sphere that was identified on the DRC’s websites, were personal insults, too narrow focus on internal church affairs and low participation in topics that could advance the public sphere. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die vraag of die NG Kerk se webwerwe dit regkry om ʼn publieke sfeer te skep. Sedert die einde van apartheid het die kerk en sy media hom op verskeie maniere in die veranderende Suid-Afrika aangepas, onder meer deur die toenemende gebruik van nuwe media om gelowiges en nie-gelowiges te betrek. As gevolg van die internet se vermoë om mense van regoor die wêreld te verbind en die interaktiewe aard van die medium, meen kenners dat die internet ʼn publieke sfeer kan skep. Habermas se idee van ʼn publieke sfeer, wat ʼn konseptuele ruimte is waar kritiese, openbare diskoers gevoer word wat vir enigeen toeganklik is, vorm die onderbou van hierdie studie. Dié teorie word hier aangepas deur aan te voer dat konflik en meningsverskil – binne perke – ook deel van kommunikasieprosesse binne die publieke sfeer is. Hierdie studie fokus op die sewe aktiewe webwerwe van die NG Kerk om hul verbintenis tot publieke teologie binne ʼn krities-kulturele paradigma te ondersoek. Die ideale van publieke teologie hang nou saam met dié van die publieke sfeer, naamlik ʼn openbare gesprek oor sake van openbare belang wat vanuit godsdienstige oortuigings gevoer word. ʼn Sentrale vertrekpunt van die studie is dat ʼn ideale publieke sfeer deur regulering aan bande gelê kan word. Dus word die aard en vlak van regulering op die kerk se webwerwe ook nagevors. Die tipe interaksie tussen gebruikers en die inhoud van die webwerwe is ook bestudeer. Die studie gebruik ʼn kombinasie van kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe metodes, insluitend semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude, vraelyste, inhoudsanalise en sistematiese observasie. Die studie het bevind dat Kerkbode se Facebookblad ʼn lewendige forum bied vir debat oor sake wat die publieke sfeer bevorder. Ook die NG Kerk se Facebookblad het die potensiaal om sulke debatte te skep. Op albei hierdie webwerwe, asook Kerkbode-aanlyn en NG Kerk-aanlyn, het regulering op mesovlak dié potensiaal egter ingeperk. Ander hindernisse vir die skep van ʼn ideale publieke sfeer wat op die NG Kerk se webwerwe geïdentifiseer is, is beledigings, ʼn te noue fokus op interne kerksake en lae deelname aan debatte oor sake wat die publieke sfeer kan bevorder.

This dissertation aims to critically evaluate the Incwala Sacred Ceremony and its relevancy to Ancestral Veneration in the life of the Swazi Nation. Swazis to a greater extent are believed to be quite obsessed about their cultural heritage. They view this cultural event as sacred and very important in their national unity and pride of being a sovereign entity. They religiously observe this rite as an integral part of their cultural heritage and see it as a vital glue that holds together the national unity and cements the eternity of the Swazis' existence. Celebrating and commemorating this sacred festival can be equated to what Christians do when celebrating and observing Good Friday or Holy Easter. It could also be related to the Islamic Pilgrimage to Mecca. Swazis are strongly connected to their Ancestral Veneration. It is inculcated in their core system of beliefs and is part of their lives because it tends to shape their religious view, as well as moulding it. The Supreme God (Mvelinchanti) is believed to have spoken to the founding fathers of the nation about how the nation ought to conduct its affairs (in different forms through visions and dreams). Hence there is a deeply held view that the departed kings and the forefathers are believed to be alive and closer to that very Supreme God. According to this long held view the dead are asleep and are continually involved in directing the affairs of the nation. Indeed they decide on blessings, health and life of the living. It is embedded in the subconscious mind of Swazis that the living dead (emadloti, labaphasi or labalele) continually influence the affairs of the nation and any given family; hence they need to be consulted from time to time. Emadloti are the mediators between human beings and God and they can be contacted through the spiritual mediums. The national elders and advisors to the Monarchy,1 as well as traditional medicine persons (muti) people (Tinyanga and Tangoma), are there as custodians of the Incwala Ceremony. In any given family, emadloti (ancestors) are consulted in times of marriages, new births and any other eventualities that may befall that family. In the life and worldview of Swazis, nothing just happens without any involvement and sanction of the ancestors. In fact, for anything to happen in the life of a Swazi, there must be a supernatural cause or reason, hence in the very core of foundational beliefs there are involvements of the supernatural powers and the forces believed to be operational. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.Th. (Specialization in Urban Ministry)

Text in Afrikaans / Hierdie is 'n verkennende studie wat die Tsonga se persepsies omtrent seksualiteit ondersoek. Daar is gekonsentreer op die etiese en sosio-kulturele aspekte van die seksualiteit ten einde riglyne aan die Christelike kerk te verskaf. Die kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetode is gebruik. In hoofstukke twee en drie word breedvoerig verlag gedoen oor die Tsonga se seksuele persepsies en gebruike. Eerstens word gekyk na die nie-Christelike Tsonga en dan na die Christelike Tsonga. Die nie-Christelike Tsonga se seksualiteit is deurspek van rnitiese gebruike en gelowe. Die Christelike Tsonga het minder van die rnitiese maar toon weinig konforrnasie tot die tradisionele Christelike waardes. Uit die tradisionele Afrikareligie is 'n bepaalde etiek oorgeerf. Hierdie etiese beginsels verskil aansienlik van die Christelike etiek. Die Christelike etiek is 'n normatiewe etiek waar die motief vir 'n bepaalde handeling net so belangrik is as die handeling self. Die oorgeerfde Afrika-etiek stel minder belang in die intensies van die persoon wat die handeling uitvoer. Wat saak maak is die gevolge van 'n handeling. Die vraag word gevra waarom die Christelike Tsonga nie nader aan die aanvaarde Christelike norme beweeg het nie. Daar word bevind dat oorgelewerde sosiale tradisies, gebruike en waardes groter invloed op die seksualiteit uitoefen as godsdiens. Die is veral die proses van vervreemding, wat die Tsongakultuur tans ondergaan, wat lei tot 'n toestand van kontakarmoede en 'n gebrek aan singewing. Kan die kerk enige bydrae lewer tot die seksualiteit van die Tsonga? Daar is bevind dat die Christelike sending 'n fasiliterende bydrae daartoe kan lewer dat die Tsonga-gelowige, 'n lokale teologie van die seksualiteit tot stand kan bring. Dit is belangrik dat die Tsongagemeenskap self die teoloog moet wees. Op hierdie manier kan die Christelike godsdiens wel 'n verrykende bydrae lewer tot die seksualiteit by die Tsonga. / This is a investigative study that researches the Tsonga perception of sexuality. Emphasis has been placed on the ethical and socio­ cultural aspects of sexuality in order to provide guidelines to the Christian church. The qualitative method of research was used. In chapters two and three a detailed account of the Tsonga's sexual perceptions and practices is given. Firstly the non-Christian Tsonga was studied and then the Christian Tsonga. The non-Christian Tsonga's sexuality is interspersed with mythical practices and beliefs. The Christian Tsonga have less of the mythical but show little conformation to the traditional Christian values. From the traditional African religions a specific ethic was inherited. These ethical principles differ substantially from the Christian ethics. The Christian ethic is a normative ethic where the motive for an action is as important as the action itself. The inherited African ethic is less interested in the intentions of the person doing the action. The consequence of the action is what matters. The question is asked why the Christian Tsonga did not move closer to the accepted Christian norms. It was found that the inherited social traditions, uses and values exert more influence on the sexuality than the religion. It is above all the process of alienation that the Tsonga culture is presently enduring, that leads to a situation of poor contact and a lack of purpose. Can the church deliver any contribution towards the sexuality of the Tsonga? It was found that the Christian mission could make a facilitating contribution towards the Tsonga believers, enabling them to bring about a local theology of sexuality. It is important that the Tsonga community should be its own theologian. In this manner the Christian religion can make an enriching contribution towards the sexuality of the Tsonga. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / Th. D. (Sendingwetenskap)

The dissertation starts from the premise that we are living in an increasingly individualistic and secular society. The church is seen as a worshipping community, where mutual care emanating from true Christian community could serve as a corrective to current fragmentation. A theory is developed of the church as a caring and worshipping faith community which exists alongside other communities. The church therefore exists to enable people to embody the gospel ideals in their lives. The whole Christian community must thus be seen to be offering the love, compassion and acceptance that is needed today. This role can be enhanced by encouraging training in caring skills. The faith community exercises its nurturing support system through the fusion of horizons as members seek to give expression to their faith. This faith community functions against the background of the myriad of relationships and different communities in which its members find themselves in. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology)