This dissertation lays out some of the current attitudes and understandings in the Reformed Church in America in regards to the ministry of deliverance. The arguments laid out are supported by what is currently happening in deliverance ministry across the United States and in-depth interviews with Reformed Church in America pastors. Differences in how we understand the terminology involved in this ministry were also briefly looked at. Deliverance ministry within the Reformed church is hampered by issues of fear and uncertainty, lack of knowledge or understanding and issues of world view. Many RCA pastors are open to this ministry although very few have actually engaged in deliverance with a person. RCA pastors tend to lean more toward psychological answers than they do spiritual ones. / Thesis (M. Th. (Practical Theology))

This dissertation lays out some of the current attitudes and understandings in the Reformed Church in America in regards to the ministry of deliverance. The arguments laid out are supported by what is currently happening in deliverance ministry across the United States and in-depth interviews with Reformed Church in America pastors. Differences in how we understand the terminology involved in this ministry were also briefly looked at. Deliverance ministry within the Reformed church is hampered by issues of fear and uncertainty, lack of knowledge or understanding and issues of world view. Many RCA pastors are open to this ministry although very few have actually engaged in deliverance with a person. RCA pastors tend to lean more toward psychological answers than they do spiritual ones. / Thesis (M. Th. (Practical Theology))

The Faith Movement is a religious mosaic since it is a multi-layered phenomenon which is coloured by several themes. These themes represent several areas of emphasis like: Blessing and Blessings, Power to declare, Prophetic anointing, connecting with the anointing, dominion, success and increase, sowing the seeds, as well as other ideas which are still evolving. The Word of Faith teachers have a very unique way of reading the Bible. They usually approach the text without consideration of its historical and cultural context. When they approach the biblical text they usually assign to it an independent existence cut off from its natural context. This in turn results in the reinterpretation of all the major doctrines of the Christian faith. Both God and human beings belong to the same class of “divine beings.” God and human beings it is believed operate under the rule of faith. It is argued that whatever God created, God did so by speaking words of faith (see Genesis 1:1-3). It is therefore argued that human beings similarly can create their own reality and destiny by speaking words of faith.Christology and Pneumatology of the Faith Movement assume a rather narrow outlook. It is believed that Jesus Christ died so that in addition to the forgiveness of sins He provided for all spiritual and material needs of the people. Therefore, no Christian should be poor or sick. The Holy Spirit on the other hand, is the anointing that enables believers to make it in life. It must be pointed out that even though the Word of Faith ideas were exported to Africa mainly from the United States of America it has found a home in Africa. The concepts of blessings and curses have a corollary in African Religious Traditional thought. The role that Word of Faith preachers play is similar to the roles played by several religious experts in African Religious Thought. Ultimately, the Faith Movement is not based on sound theological and philosophical ground. It is based on unique reading of the Bible which is more esoteric than theological. More Gnostic than Christian. / Philosophy & Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Systematic Theology)

The Faith Movement is a religious mosaic since it is a multi-layered phenomenon which is coloured by several themes. These themes represent several areas of emphasis like: Blessing and Blessings, Power to declare, Prophetic anointing, connecting with the anointing, dominion, success and increase, sowing the seeds, as well as other ideas which are still evolving. The Word of Faith teachers have a very unique way of reading the Bible. They usually approach the text without consideration of its historical and cultural context. When they approach the biblical text they usually assign to it an independent existence cut off from its natural context. This in turn results in the reinterpretation of all the major doctrines of the Christian faith. Both God and human beings belong to the same class of “divine beings.” God and human beings it is believed operate under the rule of faith. It is argued that whatever God created, God did so by speaking words of faith (see Genesis 1:1-3). It is therefore argued that human beings similarly can create their own reality and destiny by speaking words of faith.Christology and Pneumatology of the Faith Movement assume a rather narrow outlook. It is believed that Jesus Christ died so that in addition to the forgiveness of sins He provided for all spiritual and material needs of the people. Therefore, no Christian should be poor or sick. The Holy Spirit on the other hand, is the anointing that enables believers to make it in life. It must be pointed out that even though the Word of Faith ideas were exported to Africa mainly from the United States of America it has found a home in Africa. The concepts of blessings and curses have a corollary in African Religious Traditional thought. The role that Word of Faith preachers play is similar to the roles played by several religious experts in African Religious Thought. Ultimately, the Faith Movement is not based on sound theological and philosophical ground. It is based on unique reading of the Bible which is more esoteric than theological. More Gnostic than Christian. / Philosophy and Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Systematic Theology)