Thesis (M.A.)--Trinity International University, 2001. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 221-239).

Habilitationsschrift--Halle-Wittenberg. / Includes bibliographical references.

Originally presented as the author's thesis, Berlin, 1954. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 162-168).

Thesis--Lund. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 265-284) and index.

Thesis--Marburg. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 159-176).

In recent years there has been much debate amongst evangelical Christians involved in pastoral counselling and care surrounding attempts to produce a biblical model of counselling. Related to this debate has been the question of whether the psychological sciences have a place in Christian counselling or not. Currently one of the most prominent evangelicals involved in this debate is Jay E. Adams, Dean of the Institute of Pastoral Studies and Director of Advanced Studies at Westminster Seminary in Philadelphia. Adams has developed what he regards to be a distinctively biblical method of counselling. He calls his method Nouthetic counselling. This term is derived from the Greek verb Noutheteo, to admonish and the related noun, Nouthesia, admonition. Adams has sought to develop a counselling model that is not only comprehensive but one which is based on the Bible alone. For this reason Adams insists that the psychological sciences are not necessary in Christian counselling for in the Bible the counsellor will find all he needs to assist people with problems. To promote the principles of Nouthetic counselling, Adams has written many books and publications and has also established The Christian and Counseling and Education Foundation, which publishes The Journal of Pastoral Practice. As a consequence, Nouthetic counselling has developed into an influential movement in the United States and even in South Africa. Not everyone has accepted the counselling principles espoused by Adams. Nouthetic counselling theory has become the subject of much criticism, not only from the more liberal Christian counsellors, but also from those who would share Adams' commitment to the authority of the Bible. The main areas of criticism are, Adams' rejection of the psychological sciences, the dangers of biblicism, his neglect of the psychological aspects of human nature and consequently his simplistic approach to pathology and his confrontational approach to counselling. Adams' rejection of the findings of the psychological sciences and his neglect of the psychological aspects of human nature have resulted in serious limitations in the application of Nouthetic counselling methodology to complex problems. At this point, Adams is out of step with evangelical theology, which, on the basis of the doctrines of General Revelation and Common Grace, recognises the validity of the findings of science. Furthermore, in his attempt to develop a comprehensive, one model approach to counselling, Adams has overlooked the complexity of human nature. Adams' concern for a biblically based counselling model and the stress he lays on the importance of the spiritual dimensions of counselling have been a major contribution to the development of pastoral counselling and care in the evangelical sector of the church. Whilst recognising the need for a biblically based counselling approach, recognition must also be given to the insights of the psychological sciences and the need for a multi-modelled approach to counselling. / Thesis (M.Theol.)-University of Durban-Westville, 1989.

The purpose of the thesis is to examine the doctrine that physical healing is provided in the atonement. This is defined as "the view that Christians may claim healing from sickness on the grounds that Christ has already carried that sickness for them just as he has carried their sins". The theological and literary origins of the doctrine are traced and developments and modifications noted, particular reference being made to the Classical Pentecostal groups among which the doctrine is largely to be found. The New Testament passages used to support the doctrine are identified. These include Matthew 8:17, 1 Peter 2:24, Galatians 3:13, 1 Corinthians 11:29-30, James 5:14-15, and Mark 16:15-18. The conclusion is drawn that none of these passages supports the doctrine as it was originally propounded. The doctrine is also examined in the light of a possible relationship between healing and salvation, healing and the Gospel, sickness and sin, sickness and Satan, and sickness and suffering. The bearing on the doctrine of New Testament references to sick Christians and to the art of medicine is also considered. The examination of these themes leads to a conclusion that a modified form of the doctrine might well find a basis in the New Testament. Theological difficulties dealt with include the problem of relating the word "atonement" to sickness and the notion that Bible verses are "promises" to be "claimed". Practical and pastoral difficulties are also considered. In the final chapter a modification to the doctrine is proposed. Healing may be understood to be in the atonement both ultimately and indirectly. This is based on the Pauline teaching that those in Christ are to be clothed with an incorruptible body at the Parousia. Meanwhile healings occur as a work of the Spirit who is given to Christians as an αρραβών of their inheritance.

The norms and criteria for the authentic transmission of the Gospel message in catechesis as postulated in the General Director for Catechesis (1997) are identified, after which they are used to assess some existing theoretical catechetical material that has informed the practice of post-conciliar Roman Catholic catechetics. Next catechetics - and the above norms and criteria - are shown to discover their ground in relation to the divine Revelation of the person of Jesus Christ and the response of faith. By utilising the scheme of fundamental theology derived from the contribution of Balthasar as presented in his Trilogy the relationship between the divine Revelation of Jesus Christ and the faith response and the norms and criteria necessary for the transmission of the Gospel message in catechesis is further explicated. This allows the presentation of a post-conciliar catechetics as grounded in the derived scheme of fundamental theology from Balthasar's contribution. The scheme of fundamental theology derived from Balthasar is then married with Lonergan's contribution on transcendental method and Dulles' work on systems of revelation in order to present a way to deepen the understanding of the whole structure of knowledge of the faith made in response to the divine Revelation of the person of Jesus Christ. This takes the form of a detailed theoretical template that identifies and addresses the elements intrinsic to, and constitutive of the relationship between the divine Revelation of the person of Jesus Christ and the faith response, and the norms and criteria that govern the authentic transmission of the Gospel message in catechesis as consistent with the workings and autonomy of the human mind. Finally, the detailed theoretical template is applied to the practice of post-conciliar catechetics, and used to critique more precisely those theoretical catechetical materials formerly investigated at the initial stages of the thesis.

The objective of this dissertation involves the application of the philosophy of Karl Popper to Christian systematic theology. Its intent is three-fold: first, to give reasons for considering the possibility of such an application in the face of potential objections; second, throughout its discussion, to demonstrate the form that a theological appropriation of Popper might take; and, third, to argue that several benefits arise from such a critical grafting of Popper into dogmatics (where appropriate). The possibility of applying Popper to theology is secured by taking realism as the proper parallel between science and theology and critical rationalism as a realist model amenable to metaphysical theorisation. The actuality and benefit of such an appropriation from within theology is demonstrated by the four-fold exposition of how a Popperian critical epistemology – in particular his solution to the ‘problem of induction’, his relating of good and better theories with the concept of approximation to the truth, his critical strategies for establishing preference, and his notion of ideas as objective – can assist the Christian systematic theologian as he works to resolve the problems of theology for the benefit of the Church and to the glory of God.

Thesis (MArts(ReligionStudies))--University of South Australia, 2002.