A research report submitted to the Faculty of Business Administration, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management 1992 / This study investigated the managerial training needs of ordained ministers of the Methodist Church through the identification of managerial tasks that ministers perform and their current levels of proficiency in these areas. Managerial competencies were generated from the literature and from interviews with several bishops. The competencies were defined and used in the construction of questionnaires which were completed by ordained ministers and laity in two independent studies. The perceived importance and need. for training was determined for each competency. The training needs identified from the triangulated research design were found to be statistically similar. This study is important since it yielded several Significant findings which have practical applleadon, These include: * A logical framework for a. management course for probationer ministers was derived on the basis of a factor analysis of the importance rankings of the competercies, * Training needs which were identified were prioritised and form logical framework for a programme for in-service training. * Managerial competencies required of ministers were identified and prioritised which has provided a resource for a performance appraisal and needs analysis within the church. * It was established that ministers and laity perceive a very great. need for training in the managerial competencies.

Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2000.

This research is a study of the history of liberation catechesis with a special emphasis on the contribution of the Catholic Church in South Africa to the catechetical renewal from 1965 to 1991. It is fundamentally an exercise in contextual catechesis and starts from the pre-supposition that it is the particular situation under which people live, in this case the South African context, which gives catechesis its existence and its specifity. Exploring the catechetical productions of the Catholic Church in South Africa from 1965 to 1991, this study shows how the clergy of the Catholic Church remained in constant turmoil searching for ways and means of meeting the demands of the catechetical renewal called for by the Second Vatican Council. In this quest for renewal it was imperative for catechetical experts to engage with the South African Context. In this enterprise there was a preoccupation with linking the Christian message and the people's life despite all the tensions, conflicts and divisions within the Catholic Church and the society as a whole. It is this need of linking the Christian faith and people's life situation in South Africa which is understood as a liberation catechesls or a liberating catechesls. It is an all-embracing catechesis because it takes into account all aspects of human life and aims at a better life. It was not an easy task as one could see through the South African situation. However it was necessary if the Catholic Church wanted to proclaim a Christian message which is relevant to the people of South Africa. Initiating a liberation catechesis demands a lot of courage and commitment because it is a question of life and death. The people who embarked on this road in South Africa were bound to call for change including the political system which affected the life of the people at the time. It is in this sense that their life was at risk. Despite this risk, progressive bishops, priests and catechists held that liberation catechesis is the way out for the Catholic Church in South Africa to be relevant to the people. This is where the South African context offers a way out for other local Churches in South Africa trapped in social and ethnic conflict today, namely the Church in Rwanda. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2000.

When the liberative paradigm of the Bible is given a privileged position in the South African context, then it can function as a tool from which the prophetic church can glean resources. The heart of this thesis, therefore, endeavours to provide a biblical resource for the church in South Africa whose prophetic vision has become dormant in a context where socioeconomic dilemmas are structurally based. This resource is created from the prophetic book of Hosea which has traditionally been treated in isolation from any socioeconomic issues. However, this dominant interpretation of the book of Hosea has been challenged in recent scholarship with favourable results, especially in combination with interdisciplinary approaches. The theoretical framework of Vital Theology has therefore been employed with its interdisciplinary approach, and integrated with a biblical methodology. Focusing on the marriage-harlotry metaphor of Hosea, this thesis demonstrate that a socio-historical and literary reading of the metaphor can provide the church with a prophetic vision to address socioeconomic dilemmas in South Africa, fifteen years after democracy. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.

The aim of ·this study is to present a picture of the circumstances and the manner in which the mission was undertaken. With this in mind reference has been made to individual men and their particular importance and also to the decislons of the Church Assembly as they affected Mission. In part, the thesis is fuller for the earlier years, for the writer holds that these were the most formative as they established the pattern. Furthormore the writer wishes to make clear that the Mission become the work of black men with the white Mission Secretary of the 1950's filling an administrative role. This does not mean he was unimportant but for the nature of this study and its desire to ·emphasise the role of the black man, the work of these individual administrators has been largely omitted. In the concluding chapters the writer has shown the effects of political changes and African Nationalism on the Mission with a further chapter on the Mission's educational work. / KMBT_363 / Adobe Acrobat 9.53 Paper Capture Plug-in

Submitted to the Faculty of Theology and Religion Studies In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Theology In the Department of Practical Theology and Religion Studies at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2003. / The purpose of Christ's death on the cross is to bring peace between God and man (Ephesians 2:14 paraphrased). The cross forms the basis of reconciliation between God and man. As a result, God desires his children live in harmony with each other irrespective of race, colour or gender. The difficulty in churches is that unity is often limited to local ethnic groups. In Scripture, the wider definition of unity is extended to include other ethnic peoples (Matthew 28:19). Cultural, political, sociological and theological barriers often hinder this move for extended unity. These help foster an environment for segregation, ethnocentrism and racism. By virtue of these elements presenting themselves in extended relationships there needs to be transparency on the part of those initiating a move for cultural tolerance. This requires dealing with negative views either individually or corporately and thereafter adopting biblical principles for establishing solid relationships. The integration of diverse ethnic groups in ecclesiological circles will entail certain adjustments being made. The purpose for such adjustments is to allow people the opportunity to feel welcome in a church that they would consider as home.

Assignment (M.Div.)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research was done from the viewpoint that because of different reasons believers and congregations of the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa are struggling to make a significant contribution to processes of reconciliation in this country and thereby to a certain extent fail to live out the church’s witness in this regard. Therefore the question was asked how this church can be guided to play a bigger part in processes of reconciliation in the midst of phenomena like race-prejudice, race-discrimination and subtle and blatant forms of racism in South Africa today. By focusing on few of the causes of these phenomena as well as certain perspectives on missio Dei theologies, an attempt are made to guide the Dutch Reformed Church towards involvement in processes of reconciliation, the transformation of broken relationships between people of different races and the eradication of racism. A number of hermeneutical processes are being emphasized in order to guide the church towards a miss ional praxis of reconciliation. The essence of this praxis entails the eradication of stereotypes regarding ‘the other’, by focusing on an inculturation approach in the light of missio Dei theology. By focusing on an interpretation of missio Dei as God’s reconciliation through the poor, an attempt was made to guide the church towards involvement in processes aiming at economic justice. This research is therefore an attempt to guide the church towards the discernment of her role as the witnesses of Christ within this context in South Africa today. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie navorsing is vanuit die uitgangspunt gedoen dat gelowiges en gemeentes van die NG Kerk in Suid-Afrika om verskeie redes in ‘n mindere mate daarin slaag om ‘n daadwerklike (getuienislewerende) bydrae tot versoeningsprosesse in Suid-Afrika te lewer. Na aanleiding van hierdie stelling word die vraag gevra na hoe die NG Kerk ‘n groter rol kan speel in prosesse van versoening en die transformering van verhoudinge tussen verskillende mense in Suid-Afrika, veral te midde die realiteit van rassevooroordeel, rassediskriminasie en subtiele en blatante rassisme vandag. Deur te let na enkele oorsake van rasseskeiding en rassisme, asook verskeie perspektiewe op missio Dei teologieë, word daar derhalwe gepoog om die NG Kerk hierdeur tot betrokkenheid in die transformering van gebroke rasseverhoudinge en die uitwissing van rassisme in Suid-Afrika vandag te begelei. Verskeie hermeneutiese prosesse word in die proses benadruk ten einde die kerk by te staan in die onderskeiding van ‘n missionale versoeningspraksis binne hierdie konteks. Die essensie van hierdie praksis, wat op verskeie hermeneutiese prosesse steun, bestaan daaruit om stereotipes aangaande ‘die ander’ uit die weg te ruim deur op ‘n inkulturasie-benadering tot missio Dei te fokus. Daar word ook voorstelle gemaak oor hoe om versoening tussen mense te bevorder deur die nastreef van ekonomiese geregtigheid. ‘n Aanvullende benadering tot missio Dei, nl. missio Dei as God se versoening asook God se sending deur die arme dien as basis hiervan. Op hierdie manier het hierdie navorsing ‘n bydrae gelewer oor wat die NG Kerk kan doen om versoening tussen mense groepe in Suid-Afrika te kan bewerkstellig en om haar getuienis i.t.v. hierdie konteks te oriënteer.

This dissertation is a study of the mission of the Women's Manyano in the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, beginning from 1907 to 1997. It focuses on the barriers and successes this organisation has experienced during the years of its mission. It also examines the history of the formation and objectives of the organisation especially within the structures of the church. It attempts to analyse the reaction of the hierarchy of the church in order to understand why the organisation had no representation at executive meetings at the national level for a very long time. It will compare similarities and differences between the organisations that are within the church and the influence that it has on other organisations inside and outside the church. The organisation did not agree when the church called for the unification of all the churchwomen's organisations. Manyano saw this as a call to its downfall because they had no real similarities with other women's organisations within the church. Although the Women's Manyano is the largest in the church, her representation at national conferences was still minima. At the same time the church proclaim a message of Priesthood of all believers. Women's Manyano is the backbone of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa. Without such an organisation the church could not have grown very fast. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Durban-Westville, 2002.

Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.

This study was sparked by a concern abou t the impact of economic and social injustices and ecological destruction on the livelihoods of communities in Southern Africa. While the churches’ responses to th ese injustices have been palliative and benevolent, the study argues th at the church has not done enough to critically engage the oppressive systems which maintain these in justices. One of th e key questions that this study seeks to answer is: What is needed in order to develop a culture of ‘critical engagement’ given that the church has oppo rtunities, means and infrastructure to enable a critical and liberatory ethos, for the community at large? In order to answer this que stion, a case study with the Wo men’s Associations of the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa (UCCSA) was pursued. This case study allowed for an intensive investigati on of the Women’s Associations in the church through which pertinent questions we re asked of how and why things happen in the way that they do. The research question therefore was “In the light of the enormous challenges faced by women in church and society in the twenty-first century in Southern Africa, do the Women’s Associations in the UCCSA offer a liberatory learning ethos to enable individual and communal empowerment for its members?” The study first establishes principles of a liberatory learning ethos that could be empowering to women. These principles for a liberatory learning ethos are drawn from two theoretical frameworks, namely, Village learning and African Women’s theologies. Thereafter, the study describes the current challenges faced by women in Southern Africa so as to explain why a liberatory learning ethos is a necessity in the Women’s Associations of the UCCSA. A survey of the prevalent learning ethos is undertaken in order to demonstrate some of the limitations the Women’s Associations and the UCCSA experience in responding to the challenges faced by women. The study concludes with an exploration to establish the extent to which African culture and theological resources developed in Southern Africa can assist to construct a liberatory learning ethos for the Women’s Associations of the UCCSA. Such an ethos ought to enable individual and communal empowerment for its members. Key Terms: African and Black Theology; African Traditional Culture; African Women’s Theology; Apartheid Education; Ba tswana; Bible; Biblical hermeneutics; Botho; Council for World Mission; Feminist Theology; Jesus Movement; Kairos Theology; Liberatory Learning Ethos; Missionary Education; Mukti Barton; Paulo Freire; Southern Africa; Steve Biko; Tswana Learning; United Congregational Church of Southern Africa; Village learning; World Alli ance of Reformed Churches; Women’s Associations; World Council of Churches. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.