Thesis (DTh)--University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study examines the reasons for the recent membership decline in the South Korean Churches (SKCs) as well as the existing problems facing the Churches. It investigates the pathological pattern in the Churches and its fundamental roots. The study proposes an alternative solution that could remedy the problems and promote healthy growth within the Churches. Two issues are taken into consideration: 1) In general, the SKCs' explanations of the recent membership decline are inadequate. The reasons for the decline cannot be found by simply examining statistics. The problems are at a much deeper level and the decline requires a comprehensive examination. 2) The Churches' remedial actions are also inadequate: they are both short-sighted and, in practical terms, ineffective, as well as theologically unfaithful. A new direction for healthy growth should be proposed. This study focuses on the assumption that the reasons for the recent decline in membership of the SKCs are closely related to the distortion of the Churches' dominant ecclesiology, which has produced various ecclesial pathologies and has resulted in the Churches' loss of credibility in society. This study thus pays attention to the ecclesiology of the Churches. Chapters II and III analyse the dominant ecclesiology of the SKCs within their historical and contextual background. The analysis shows that problems relate to the SKCs' uncritical accommodation of the American churches' dominant ecclesiological models. This implies that the SKCs urgently need the construction of a contextual ecclesiology. This study hypothesises that a practical theological methodology can construct a relevant contextual ecclesiology. Hence, the central thesis of the study is: the development and application of a sound practical theological methodology will lead to the development of a biblical and contextual ecclesiology ('practical theological ecclesiology') which will explain the growth and decline in the SKCs and indicate a new direction for healthy growth. Chapter IV presents a theoretical basis for this study: it discusses a practical theological ecclesiology by means of a four-phased practical theological methodology. This consists of descriptive, explanatory, normative, and strategic phases. Subsequent chapters address the four phases and analyse the growth of the SKCs: emphasis is placed on the fact that the dominant ecclesiology of the SKCs has encouraged the Churches to accommodate contemporary culture and dominant ideologies, whether secular or religious, without proper critical, theological reflection. This accommodation has undermined healthy growth and resulted in a numerical decline. Finally, this study recommends 'a trinitarian praxial ecclesiology' as a new direction for the SKCs. This will play a critical, constructive role in promoting the healthy growth of the Churches. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die studie ondersoek die redes vir die daling in die lidmaatskap van die Suid-Koreaanse Kerke (SKKe) asook die probleme waarmee die kerke gekonfronteer word. 'n Bepaalde sigbare patologiese patroon word ondersoek. 'n Alternatiewe oplossing vir die probleme word gesoek sodat die SKKe op 'n teologies-gebalanseerde wyse kan groei. Twee sake word onder die loep geneem: 1) Daar word aangevoer dat die SKKe se verklarings vir die daling in lidmaatskap onvoldoende is. Om bloot statisties na die daling te kyk, is geen oplossing van die probleme nie. 2) Die regstellende aksie wat die SKKe aanvoer is ook onvoldoende. Dit is kortsigtig, prakties oneffektief en ontrou aan basiese teologiese beginsels. 'n Nuwe benadering tot gebalanseerde groei word voorgestel. Die studie werk met die vooronderstelling dat die redes vir die huidige daling in lidmaatskap in die SKKe verband hou met 'n teologies verwronge ekklesiologie wat tot verskeie wanpraktyke aanleiding gegee het Die verwronge ekklesiologie het die kerke geloofwaardigheid in die samelewing laat verloor. Die studie gee dus aandag aan die ekklesiologie van die SKKe. In Hoofstukke II en III word die heersende ekklesiologie in die SKKe geanaliseer teen 'n historiese en kontekstuele agtergrond. Die analise toon aan dat die probleme verband hou met die onkritiese akkommodasie in die SKKe van die heersende Amerikaanse kerkmodelle. Die implikasie is dat die SKKe dringend moet aandag gee aan hulle ekklesiologie. Die studie werk met die hipotese dat 'n prakties-teologiese metodologie kan lei tot die ontwerp van 'n kontekstuele ekklesiologie. Die sentrale hipotese van die studie is dus: die ontwikkeling en toepassing van 'n gebalanseerde prakties-teologiese metodologie sal lei tot die ontwikkeling van 'n bybelse en kontekstuele ekklesiologie ("n prakties-teologiese ekklesiologie'). As sodanig sal dit die groei- en kwynpatrone in die SKKe kan help verklaar en die basis le vir gebalanseerde groei in die kerke. Hoofstuk II handel oor 'n teoretiese basis vir die studie: 'n prakties-teologiese ekklesiologie word bespreek aan die hand van 'n vier-fase prakties-teologiese metodologie. Dit bestaan uit beskrywende, verduidelikende, normatiewe en strategiese fases. Die daaropvolgende hoofstukke handel oor die vier fases. Die groei in die SKKe word aan die hand daarvan ontleed. Daar word aangetoon in watter mate die heersende ekklesiologie in die SKKe tot die akkommodering van dominante kultuurpatrone en ideologiee aanleiding gegee het. Sekulere en godsdienstige ideologiee is sonder krities teologiese refleksie geakkommodeer. Dit het gesonde groei in die kerke oor die lang termyn gesaboteer en aanleiding gegee tot die heersende daling in lidmaatgroei. Ten slotte word 'n "trinitariese praxis ekklesiologie" as 'n nuwe metodologiese benadering in die SKKe voorgestel wat 'n krities-konstruktiewe rol kan speel om die kerke weer te help om gebalanseerd te ontwikkel.