Text in Afrikaans / Dr. J D Vorster het gedurende sy bedieningstyd in die N.G.Kerk [1935-1978] ontwikkel en gegroei tot 'n invloedryke kerkleier. Die faktore en omstanighede wat tot sy vorming bygedra het is die onderwerp van hierdie studie. Die f eit dat hy in die Stormberge gebore en getoe is asook .karaktereienskappe wat hy van sy voorsate geerf het, was belangrike komponente in sy vorming. Boustene soos godsdiens en volksliefde het in sy ouerhuis die grondslag gele vir sy teologiese beskouings wat op universiteit ontwikkel het. Sedert 1935 is hy in die bediening verder gevorm deur pastorale werk, kerklike vergaderings en briefwisselings. Kulturele en politieke betrokkenheid asook gevangenisstraf het horn bekend gemaak en gebrei. 'n Doktorsgraad in die Kerkreg was verder die regte skoling vir die amp va.n Aktuarius - 'n pos wat met soveel deeglikheid uitgevoer is dat hy later as kerkleier erken is met sy verkiesing as Moderator. / During his ministry in the D.R.Church, dr.J D Vorster developed and grew to become an influential church leader. The subject of this study is the factors and circumstances which contributed to his forming. The fact that he was born and bred in the Stormberge as well as the characteristics he inherited from his ancestors were important components in his forming. Building stones such as religion and nationalism in his parents home laid the .foundation of his theological views which developed at university. He was further formed in his ministry through pastoral work, church meetings and correspondence. Cultural and political participation as well as imprisonment made him well-known and tough. His doctorate in church law put him on the right track for the post of Actuary - an off ice which he filled with so much efficiency that his leadership in the church was recognised with his election as Moderator. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / Th. M. (Church History)

AFRIKAANS: Die Belhar Belydenis was sedert sy ontstaan in 1982 ‘n omstrede dokument in die NG Kerkfamilie. Ná die Kerkbode-debat in 1998, is Belhar al hoe meer gesien as ‘n struikelblok in die weg van eenwording. Denke oor die Belydenis het gepolariseer tussen diegene wat dit aanvaar as konfessie teenoor diegene wat dit nie aanvaar nie. Besware wat teen die Belydenis ingebring is, het te make met sy ontstaansgeskiedenis, sy status as konfessie en inhoudelike besware. Die negatiewe persepsies oor die Belhar Belydenis is diep gewortel. In hierdie studie word ‘n derde posisie voorgestel, naamlik dat die missionêre waarde van die Belhar Belydenis vir die NG Kerk genoeg rede is om die inhoud van die belydenis te ontgin, ongeag of die belydenis as konfessie aanvaar word of nie. Deur ‘n bestudering van die sendingbenadering en –beleid in die NG Kerk as historiese aanloop tot die Belhar Belydenis, word die belang van inheemswording in terme van die missie van die kerk uitgelig. Die NG Kerk het ‘n sendingbeleid rondom die negentiende-eeuse Europese teologie van inheemswording ontwikkel wat bygedra het tot die ontstaan van afsonderlike kleur-bepaalde kerke. Hierdie beleid van inheemswording het bygedra tot ‘n versmelting van kerk en volk by die Afrikaner, met ‘n verdere gevolg van toenemende isolasie, ‘n geloofwaardigheidskrisis en ‘n missionêre gevangenskap. Dit vorm die missionêre agtergrond van die Belhar Belydenis. Ongelukkig het die NG Kerk die belydenis baie negatief ontvang – saam met ‘n aanklag van kettery en afgodery. Selfs te midde van hierdie negatiewe persepsie van die Belhar Belydenis, het die belydenis nogtans ‘n vormende en bevrydende invloed uitgeoefen op die sending van die kerk tot op hede, weereens: missionêre waarde. Die leemte in die inheemswording van die NG Kerk is dat dit tot volks-inheemswording beperk was. ‘n Nasionale inheemswording-benadering word uitgewys as ‘n meer relevante uitdrukking van die missie van die kerk in Suid-Afrika, met ‘n Suid-Afrikaanse Gereformeerde kerk as oogmerk. In terme hiervan is die Belhar Belydenis ‘n instrument tot inheemswording vir die hele NG Kerk-familie. Belhar is nie die struikelblok in die weg van eenwording nie. In die herenigingsgesprekke het ‘n inwendige teenstrydigheid ontstaan, en dít is die werklike struikelblok. Verskillende benaderings tot belydenisse bring verskillende beoordelings van Belhar mee. Karl Barth se teologie van Gereformeerde belydenisse dui op ‘n derde weg uit die hereniging-dilemma. Die aanvaarding van ‘n belydenis in die Gereformeerde benadering geskied altyd in vryheid, want Gereformeerdes staan onder gesag van die Skrif en Christus alleen. Die gesag wat die Kerk aan ‘n belydenis toeken word nie ontken nie, maar eerder ontgin. Die studie sluit af met riglyne vir die ontginning van die missionêre waarde van die Belhar Belydenis, gegrond op 14 onderhoude met teoloë uit die NG Kerk en VGKSA. Die onderhoude word weergegee as stimulasie tot gesprek tussen die lede van die NG Kerk-familie, veral tussen die NG Kerk en die VGKSA. Die studie eindig met enkele praktiese riglyne vir leraars en gemeenteleiers wat die missionêre waarde van die Belhar Belydenis wil ontgin deur ‘n oop en eerlike gesprek oor die Belhar Belydenis. ‘n Verwysingsbron van aktuele temas in die Belhar Belydenis word as hulpmiddel gegee. ENGLISH: Since its inception in 1982, the Belhar Confession has been a controversial document in family of Dutch Reformed Churches. After the debate in Die Kerkbode (1998), Belhar was progressively seen as an obstacle in the way of church unity. Opinion on the Confession polarized between those who accepted Belhar as their confession and others who did not want to accept it altogether. Objections on Belhar has to do with factors surrounding its inception, its status as confession and objections on certain textual formulations. The negative perceptions of the Belhar Confession is deep rooted. This study proposes a third position, namely that the missionary value of the Belhar Confession reason enough gives to make use of the contents of the Confession, irrespective of whether it is accepted as confession or not. Through a study of the missionary approach and policy of the Dutch Reformed Churches, the importance of indigenization as mission of the church is highlighted. The Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) developed its missionary policy based on nineteenth century European theology of indigenization. This policy of indigenization, however, contributed to the formation of separate churches determined by colour. This policy of indigenization also contributed to a fusion of church and “volk” (indigenous people) of the “Afrikaner”, further resulting in isolation, a crisis of credibility and a missional imprisonment in die DRC. This is the missional background of the Belhar Confession. The DRC, however, had a very negative reception of the Confession, since it was accompanied by a charge of heresy and idolatry against this church. Nevertheless, even in the midst of this negative perception of Belhar, the Confession still had a formative influence on the mission of the church until now: hence its missional value. The shortfall in the indigenization of the DRC is that it was confined to “volks”-indigenization. A national indigenization approach is shown to be a more relevant expression of the mission of the church in South Africa, with a South African Reformed Church as objective. In terms of this, the Belhar Confession is an instrument of indigenization for the whole DRC-family. Belhar is not an obstacle in the way of church unity. In the re-unification talks, an internal contradiction appeared, which is the actual obstacle. Different approaches to confessions lead to different evaluations of Belhar. Karl Barth’s theology of Reformed confessions points to a third way out of the dilemma of the re-unification process. In the Reformed approach, the acceptance of a confession is always voluntary, because the reformed believer is only under the authority of Christ and his Word (Scripture). The authority that the church gives to a confession is not denied, but rather discovered. The study concludes with a contemporary reading of the Belhar Confession, based on 14 interviews with theologians in the DRC and the Uniting Reformed Church. These interviews are presented to stimulate a conversation between members of the DRC-family, especially between die DRC and the Uniting Reformed Church. At the end of the study, some practical guidelines are given for church leaders and pastors who wish to make use of the missional value of Belhar by facilitating and organizing an open and honest dialogue between members of the DRC-family. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Science of Religion and Missiology / unrestricted

In hierdie navorsing word die toelating van vrouepredikante in die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk vanuit ’n kerkhistoriese en prakties-teologiese hoek bestudeer. Die navorsingswaardes wat in die sosiaal-konstruksionisme geld, naamlik dat sodanige navorsing ’n deelnemende en verhalende proses is, dat die invloed van diskoerse bestudeer word en dat die belangrikheid van taal in ag geneem word, is in die navorsing verreken. Vanuit ’n post-fundamentele teologiese posisionering is van ’n paar van die bewegings in ’n postfundamentele prakties-teologiese metodologie gebruik gemaak om na die belewing van agt vroueproponente en -predikante deur die loop van die proses van toelating, én daarna, te luister en saam met hulle te interpreteer. Daar is van die volgende bewegings gebruik gemaak: Die beskrywing van die verskillende kontekste waarteen die roepingsverhale en loopbane van vrouepredikante afgespeel het; die aanhoor en beskrywing van die kontekstuele ervarings van die betrokke vroue; die interpretasie van en betekenisgewing aan die verhale in samewerking met die vroue wat as medenavorsers geag word en die beskrywing van en refleksie oor die ervaring van God se teenwoordigheid in hulle roepingsverhale en bedieninge as proponente en predikante. Hierdie postfundamentele prakties-teologiese metodologie is inherent narratief van aard en sluit ook nou aan by die denklyne wat in die sosiaal-konstruksionisme geld. Deur hierdie metodologie is daar probeer om ’n bydrae te lewer tot die ontwikkeling en uitbou van mondelinge geskiedenis. Die beskrywing van vroue se verhale is terselfdertyd ook vrouegeskiedenis wat poog om vroue meer hoor- en sigbaar in algemene geskiedenis, maar spesifiek ook kerkgeskiedenis te maak. Die metodologie pas ook binne ’n meer postmoderne benadering tot geskiedenis in. Aan die hand hiervan is die breër landkaart en historiese konteks waarteen die roepingsverhale van vrouepredikante en kerklike vergaderings oor ’n tydperk van bykans 107 jaar afgespeel is, in breë trekke en deur middel van tydlyne beskryf. Die ontwikkeling en uitbouing van die volksmoederdiskoers oor die dieselfde tydperk is van nader beskou. Daar is verder gekyk na die invloed wat die breër konteks en die volksmoederdiskoers op vroue gedurende die twintigste eeu gehad het, hoe vroue oor die algemeen hulleself in bepaalde vroueruimtes soos vroue-organisasies uitgeleef het en of Afrikanervroue se stemme in die openbaar gehoor is al dan nie. Teen hierdie agtergrond is die verloop van die kerklike debat oor die toelating van vroue tot die besondere ampte, naamlik diakens, ouderlinge en vrouepredikante, beskryf. Hierdie debat kan in drie tydperke opgedeel word. Die eerste tydperk wat van 1966-1978 strek kan as ’n tyd van nadenke beskryf word. Vanaf 1982 tot 1990 is die debat deur ’n sterk verskil in Skrifbeskouing gekenmerk. Die laaste tydperk wat vanaf 1991 tot 2007 strek, beskryf hoe die praktyk stadig pos gevat het en hoe die gesprek uiteindelik na gendersake uitgebrei het. Die vroueproponente en -predikante se roepingsverhale, hulle belewenis van God in die pad wat hulle moes loop en eerste treë in die bediening is weer deurgaans teen die agtergrond van die breër landkaart, volksmoederdiskoers en die NG Kerk se verskillende sinodes aangehoor, beskryf en in samewerking met hulle geïnterpreteer. Bykomend tot die groep persoonlike verhale is twee verhale van vroue wat reeds voor 1950 teologie studeer het en nie meer vandag leef nie, opgeteken. In al die gesprekke het die belangrikheid van vrouepredikante se roepingsverhale, hulle positiewe en negatiewe belewenisse in die kerk, die impak van oorwegend manlike kerktaal op vroue, die gemis en impak van rolmodelle, die frustrasies rondom proponentskap en hulle belewing van God onder andere na vore gekom. Dit is ook opmerklik dat vrouepredikante oor die algemeen nie aktief aan die debat deelgeneem nie en dat die meeste van die medenavorsers in hierdie studie ’n bepaalde stuk ongemak met gendersake en feminisme beleef. Hulle laat net soos in die volksmoederdiskoers die praatwerk aan ander oor. / Thesis (DD)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Church History and Church Policy / unrestricted

This thesis proposes that the ministry of Dr Beyers Naudé to the victims of oppression during the apartheid rule in South Africa had a missionary dimension. It argues that the credibility of the Christian faith was challenged by the victims of oppression, as a result of the way in which it was used as a supportive tool for oppression. Through his ministry, Beyers Naudé succeeded in communicating the Christian faith in a special way to the victims of oppression. This led to a change of mind for the victims of oppression with regard to their negative attitude to the Christian faith. This study further resulted in the development of a comprehensive mission (communication) strategy to the victims of oppression. The argument is that there is another form of post-1994 victims of oppression in South Africa made out of those who feel left out by government poverty alleviation, economic development and service delivery programmes. The inability of government to strike a balance between the rich and the poor as well as corruption will always yield the ‘disadvantaged’ section of society who may feel ‘oppressed’, neglected and left out in favour of the few who have ‘connections’ at higher levels of government. These victims’ response will be characterized by anger which results into protest actions similar to those seen during the time of the ministry of Beyers Naudé. The question posed in this study is ‘how to minister to angry people who feel left out by government?’ In order to respond to this challenge and to equip ministers of religion and other interested people, a comprehensive mission (communication) strategy to victims of oppression was therefore developed based on the example of Beyers Naudé. The main question posed in this study around the reason for the success of Beyers Naudé’s ministry is “what ‘muthi’ did he use to win the hearts, love and support of the victims of oppression?” In order to answer this question, there is a three step approach that has been followed. Firstly I looked at factors that made him or influenced his making i.e. his life from his birth to his ‘conversion’, South African political landscape divided into two periods (1940-1963 and 1963-1994) as well as Faith Based Organisations’ response to apartheid. Secondly, I looked at his actual ministry to the victims of oppression from 1963 to 1994. I divided his ministry between the categories of centripetal and centrifugal patterns of mission. Thirdly a comprehensive mission (communication) strategy to the victims of oppression was developed, based on his contribution to a positive Christian witness. In the concluding chapter, I made some proposals for a way-forward in terms of areas for further study which were triggered by this research. The best statement for concluding this study, indicating the commitment of Beyers Naudé for God’s mission and how this was misunderstood by his church (the DRC) was taken from Mokgoebo (2009) who states: Beyers Naudé was a prophet of his time. As the saying goes, ‘the prophet is never respected at his own home’. His witness will remain long after we have gone, as a White man who was grasped by the powerful message of the Kingdom of God, of justice and reconciliation. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Science of Religion and Missiology / unrestricted

The purpose of this research journey was twofold: (1) to investigate the ways in which the lives of women married to clergymen have been influenced by their position in the Dutch Reformed Church and (2) to collaboratively present ways of caring and supporting these women living within this reality. Discourse analysis explored the taken-for-granted truths and power relationships that inform these women's daily lives. Fifteen women embarked on this feminist narrative participatory action research journey, not only to tell their stories but also to negotiate for change in current practices as well as their own contexts. This research journey challenges the institutional structure of the Church through narratives of hope, survival and pain, as storied in a book (Lamentations and Butterflies, 2003), that were collaboratively constructed by the women living these realities. This book and research journey offers a deeper understanding of the experience of being a clergyman's wife in the Dutch Reformed Church. / Practical Theology / M.Th. (Practical Theology)

An applied study was undertaken to describe the current position of youth work as profession in the Dutch Reformed Church and to identify factors influencing the sustainability. A review of relevant literature, as well as an empirical survey were conducted to investigate pertinent factors such as the working conditions, the person and the training of the youth worker. In the empirical research respondents completing questionnaires consisted of former students of the Huguenot College currently employed as church youth workers, and those who left the ministry. Interviews were conducted with congregations currently employing or having employed youth workers. It is evident from this study that the youth work profession is not yet satisfactorily established and thus contributes to youth workers leaving the ministry. In the interest of youth ministry, it is essential for the Dutch Reformed Church to acknowledge these factors influencing the sustainability of youth work as profession, in order to get this occupation properly established. / Practical Theology / M.Diac. (Jeugwerk-rigting)

This dissertation falls in line with work produced during the past fifteen years or so, aimed at improving our appreciation of late medieval/early Tudor English Drama. The approach is based especially on looking at the rapport likely to be achieved between audience and players (and via the players, with the playwrights), in actual performance. Attention is given to the permanent modes of human thought, that are unaffected by the ephemeralities of a particular period; attention is therefore drawn to the traps that may mislead the unwary twentieth-century critic, and some new insights are offered into the purposes of the playwrights. Several cycle plays are treated, together with two of the moralities and two interludes. The point is made that these playwrights showed a considerable mastery of the possibilities inherent in drama, as is demonstrated by the provision for achieving rapport with the audience / The reformed churches have theological and musicological criteria for their hymns, which, however, are not always unambiguous. After the introduction of the Jeugsangbundel (1984) an informal song, with informal accompaniment, entered the worship and forms a prominent part of the singing in Dutch Reformed Churches today. Some congregations compile their own volumes of songs. This study set out to identify these congregations by means of a questionnaire and evaluate the songs. Other relevant information was also required from congregations. 21 % of the respondent congregations sing unapproved songs. They have a larger percentage of young people than those singing official songs. Congregations prefer a balance of formal and informal hymns and both are sung with equal enthusiasm. The melody is the strongest characteristic of the informal song and edification the strongest of the formal hymn. The evaluation, however, shows that a considerable number of songs do not meet the required standard / Art History, Visual Arts & Musicology / M.A. (Musicology)

An applied study was undertaken to describe the current position of youth work as profession in the Dutch Reformed Church and to identify factors influencing the sustainability. A review of relevant literature, as well as an empirical survey were conducted to investigate pertinent factors such as the working conditions, the person and the training of the youth worker. In the empirical research respondents completing questionnaires consisted of former students of the Huguenot College currently employed as church youth workers, and those who left the ministry. Interviews were conducted with congregations currently employing or having employed youth workers. It is evident from this study that the youth work profession is not yet satisfactorily established and thus contributes to youth workers leaving the ministry. In the interest of youth ministry, it is essential for the Dutch Reformed Church to acknowledge these factors influencing the sustainability of youth work as profession, in order to get this occupation properly established. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.Diac. (Jeugwerk-rigting)

The purpose of this research journey was twofold: (1) to investigate the ways in which the lives of women married to clergymen have been influenced by their position in the Dutch Reformed Church and (2) to collaboratively present ways of caring and supporting these women living within this reality. Discourse analysis explored the taken-for-granted truths and power relationships that inform these women's daily lives. Fifteen women embarked on this feminist narrative participatory action research journey, not only to tell their stories but also to negotiate for change in current practices as well as their own contexts. This research journey challenges the institutional structure of the Church through narratives of hope, survival and pain, as storied in a book (Lamentations and Butterflies, 2003), that were collaboratively constructed by the women living these realities. This book and research journey offers a deeper understanding of the experience of being a clergyman's wife in the Dutch Reformed Church. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.Th. (Practical Theology)

This dissertation falls in line with work produced during the past fifteen years or so, aimed at improving our appreciation of late medieval/early Tudor English Drama. The approach is based especially on looking at the rapport likely to be achieved between audience and players (and via the players, with the playwrights), in actual performance. Attention is given to the permanent modes of human thought, that are unaffected by the ephemeralities of a particular period; attention is therefore drawn to the traps that may mislead the unwary twentieth-century critic, and some new insights are offered into the purposes of the playwrights. Several cycle plays are treated, together with two of the moralities and two interludes. The point is made that these playwrights showed a considerable mastery of the possibilities inherent in drama, as is demonstrated by the provision for achieving rapport with the audience / The reformed churches have theological and musicological criteria for their hymns, which, however, are not always unambiguous. After the introduction of the Jeugsangbundel (1984) an informal song, with informal accompaniment, entered the worship and forms a prominent part of the singing in Dutch Reformed Churches today. Some congregations compile their own volumes of songs. This study set out to identify these congregations by means of a questionnaire and evaluate the songs. Other relevant information was also required from congregations. 21 % of the respondent congregations sing unapproved songs. They have a larger percentage of young people than those singing official songs. Congregations prefer a balance of formal and informal hymns and both are sung with equal enthusiasm. The melody is the strongest characteristic of the informal song and edification the strongest of the formal hymn. The evaluation, however, shows that a considerable number of songs do not meet the required standard / Art History, Visual Arts and Musicology / M.A. (Musicology)