This study addresses the ethics of the South African emigration at present from a Christian ethical perspective. In the first place it evaluates the Christian ethical principles, different ethical systems as well as the human rights relevant to the subject under discussion. Secondly, the most commonly used reasons and motivations for emigration are discussed and further evaluated in the light of the relevant principles, systems and human rights. It concludes that emigration should not be considered without taking into account the important individual responsibilities in the country of birth and the possibility that reality in a foreign country may turn out to be different than expected. As Christians we are called to a life of service in the name of the Triune God and for as long as that is possible in our country of birth and our right to life is not in danger, we should not make the decision to emigrate lightly. / Thesis (M.A. (Ethics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

This study addresses the ethics of the South African emigration at present from a Christian ethical perspective. In the first place it evaluates the Christian ethical principles, different ethical systems as well as the human rights relevant to the subject under discussion. Secondly, the most commonly used reasons and motivations for emigration are discussed and further evaluated in the light of the relevant principles, systems and human rights. It concludes that emigration should not be considered without taking into account the important individual responsibilities in the country of birth and the possibility that reality in a foreign country may turn out to be different than expected. As Christians we are called to a life of service in the name of the Triune God and for as long as that is possible in our country of birth and our right to life is not in danger, we should not make the decision to emigrate lightly. / Thesis (M.A. (Ethics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

This study encapsulates a theological-ethical study of church visitation. It was focussed on the GKSA and wants to make a contribution towards an ethical implementation of church visitation in the GKSA and elsewhere. Church visitation within the GKSA can be described as a regular, precautionary shepherding visit to all churches in the jurisdiction of the classis, by two experienced visitators to take cognisance of the service, order and teaching; as well as to show the concern of God for His church and every member of the congregation in order to admonish, comfort and strengthen them. The aim is to promote harmony (not chaos), to uplift so as to stimulate (not demolish) and to expand the Kingdom of God (not to subdue it). Throughout history the church visitation was contantly engaged in a struggle as to how church visitation should take place so that the Word and Confessions and during the Sinod of Dortrecht (Netherlands) in 1618/1619 an order was formulated. A part of this Order is Church Order Article 44 which provides for the opportunity of church visitation ecclesiastically, as well as the instructions as to how (includes ethically) it should be done. In the GKSA this Dordt Church Order was accepted in 1862. Although church visitation is organised according to Church Order, it is an action that is ethically grounded arising from the love and care of believers for each other and for God and His Church. This care and concern appears intermittently in the Word, as for example: Acts 15:36 (the locus classicus of church visitation): "a while later Paul said to Barnabas: "Let us go and see how it is going with the believers in all the cities where we have proclaimed the Word of God." Church visitation can be termed a caring strategy wherein visitations look with compassion as to how it is going in the churches. It is a pastoral visit where love is exhorted, comforted in faith and strengthened in hope. In Revelation 2 and 3 it is found that Jesus Christ as the real Visitator moves between His churches. He comforts, admonishes and strengthens seven of His congregations. The congregations are eventually representative of all churches over all the centuries. Ethically, attention is paid to motive, aim (objective), mean (Word) and consequence. On the basis on which the Lord of the Old and the New Testament focuses upon when He visits His Church, as was understood by the Church throughout the centuries, it is ethical guidelines and a model for church visitation in the GKSA and its broader disposal. / PhD (Ethics), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

This study encapsulates a theological-ethical study of church visitation. It was focussed on the GKSA and wants to make a contribution towards an ethical implementation of church visitation in the GKSA and elsewhere. Church visitation within the GKSA can be described as a regular, precautionary shepherding visit to all churches in the jurisdiction of the classis, by two experienced visitators to take cognisance of the service, order and teaching; as well as to show the concern of God for His church and every member of the congregation in order to admonish, comfort and strengthen them. The aim is to promote harmony (not chaos), to uplift so as to stimulate (not demolish) and to expand the Kingdom of God (not to subdue it). Throughout history the church visitation was contantly engaged in a struggle as to how church visitation should take place so that the Word and Confessions and during the Sinod of Dortrecht (Netherlands) in 1618/1619 an order was formulated. A part of this Order is Church Order Article 44 which provides for the opportunity of church visitation ecclesiastically, as well as the instructions as to how (includes ethically) it should be done. In the GKSA this Dordt Church Order was accepted in 1862. Although church visitation is organised according to Church Order, it is an action that is ethically grounded arising from the love and care of believers for each other and for God and His Church. This care and concern appears intermittently in the Word, as for example: Acts 15:36 (the locus classicus of church visitation): "a while later Paul said to Barnabas: "Let us go and see how it is going with the believers in all the cities where we have proclaimed the Word of God." Church visitation can be termed a caring strategy wherein visitations look with compassion as to how it is going in the churches. It is a pastoral visit where love is exhorted, comforted in faith and strengthened in hope. In Revelation 2 and 3 it is found that Jesus Christ as the real Visitator moves between His churches. He comforts, admonishes and strengthens seven of His congregations. The congregations are eventually representative of all churches over all the centuries. Ethically, attention is paid to motive, aim (objective), mean (Word) and consequence. On the basis on which the Lord of the Old and the New Testament focuses upon when He visits His Church, as was understood by the Church throughout the centuries, it is ethical guidelines and a model for church visitation in the GKSA and its broader disposal. / PhD (Ethics), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

AFRIKAANS: Die nuwe biotegnologiese konteks waarin in vitro bevrugting, die kartering van die menslike genoom, stamselnavorsing en –terapie, realiteite geword het, rig unieke uitdagings aan die samelewing en ook die teologie. Hierdie realiteite vereis dat ons weer sal besin oor die etiese vrae rondom menslike lewe. Die ontdekking van stamselle het nuwe insigte op die fisiologie van die mens gebring en daarmee saam beloftes van hoop vir die potensiële genesing van verskeie siektes. Die praktyk van stamselnavorsing veral ten opsigte van navorsing op embrionale stamselle, konfronteer ook die samelewing met ernstige en komplekse etiese dilemmas. Iewers tussen die uiterstes van oordrewe optimisme oor stamselnavorsing en radikale verwerping daarvan, moet daar gesoek word na gebalanseerde perspektief op hierdie praktyk. Die debat binne die politieke sfeer maak dit ook duidelik dat daar nog geen algemene konsensus in verband met wetgewing bestaan nie. Christelik-etiese perspektiewe kan vanuit ‘n Eko-teologiese benadering ook sinvol bydrae tot die politieke debat en etiese vrae na riglyne vir besluitneming. Die huidige teologiese debat getuig van uiteenlopende standpunte. Vanaf strenge konserwatisme wat stamselnavorsing en terapie ongekwalifiseerd veroordeel as sonde, tot by totale liberale en pragmatiese argumente wat stamselnavorsing en terapie ongekwalifiseerd aanvaar en voorhou as wonderkuur. Tussen hierdie uiterstes is daar ook stemme wat versigtiger dink en praat oor die kompleksiteit van hierdie fenomeen. Die eis na antropologiese herbesinning sal vanuit ‘n eko-teologiese benadering ook die kosmologiese dimensies van relasionele eksistensie moet verdiskonteer. Binne eko-etiese refleksie behoort die natuurlike en kosmiese aard van menslike eksistensie in terme van ruimte en tyd ‘n inklusiewe waardering van die kompleksiteit rondom menslike denke, emosies en gedrag teweeg te bring. Die bedoeling van hierdie studie is om vanuit ‘n Post-fondamentalistiese vertrekpunt ‘n bydrae te lewer binne die transversale ruimte van Christelike etiek, natuurwetenskap en biotegnologiese ontwikkeling. Die navorsings-resultate van hierdie studie poog nie om bloot etiese reëls as absolute waarhede daar te stel nie, maar eerder om te reflekteer oor verskillende benaderingsmoontlikhede, waardes, karaktereienskappe, deugde, morele narratiewe en perspektiewe op hierdie komplekse etiese vraagstukke. Die hermeneutiese proses van krities-realistiese nadenking en refleksie word op sistematiese wyse weergegee. Daar word beweeg vanaf die feitlike aspekte in verband met bio-tegnologiese ontwikkeling na die ontwikkeling van begrip oor die kompleksiteit van die etiese problematiek wat hierdie ontwikkeling meebring binne die sosiale, godsdienstige en politieke sfeer van die huidige etiese debat. Daarna word perspektief op refleksie-moontlikhede vanuit die Christelike-etiek gebied met besinning oor die verskillende benaderingsmoontlikhede tot die komplekse etiese vraagstelling en gefokus op ‘n eko-teologiese benadering asook die waardes wat daaruit ontwikkel. Laastens word krities gereflekteer oor die toepassing van etiese waardes vanuit ‘n eko-teologiese perspektief ten einde teologies-antropologiese perspektiewe wat uit die stamseldebat voortvloei te herwaardeer en basiese riglyne vir etiese besluitneming vanuit ‘n eko-teologiese perspektief te bied. Die verbreding van morele narratiewe en waardering van relasionele Christelik-antropologiese perspektiewe word aangebied as alternatief teenoor streng monolitiese begrippe van waarheid, objektiwiteit en rede. ENGLISH: The new biotechnological context wherein in vitro fertilization, the human genome project and stem cell research have become realities, confronts society and also theology with unique challenges. These realities compel us to revisit ethical questions considering human life. The main aim of this study is to make a contribution in the transversal debate among Christian ethics, natural sciences and biotechnological development, from a post-foundationalistic perspective. The research results do not aim to set ethical rules as absolute truths, but rather to reflect on different viewpoints, values, characteristics, virtues, moral narratives and perspectives on these complex ethical dilemmas. The hermeneutical process of critical-realistic reflection is being presented systematically. Starting from the factual aspects in relation to bio-technological development we move towards constructing an idea of the complexity of the ethical dilemma this development brings to social, religious and political spheres as well as the ethical debate. Perspectives on different reflection possibilities are then given form a Christian-ethical viewpoint with evaluation of different viewpoints on this complex ethical question. I then focus on an eco-theological perspective and the values it presents. Lastly, a critical reflection on the implementing of these values is presented, from an eco-theological viewpoint, revaluing theological-anthropological perspectives and providing basic guidelines for ethical decision-making from an eco-theological perspective. The broadening of moral narratives and revaluing of relational Christian-anthropological perspectives are being presented as an alternative against the strict monolithically orientated ideas of truth, objectivity and reason. / Thesis (DD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Dogmatics and Christian Ethics / unrestricted

Doctor Theologiae - DTh / Benewens persoonlike belangstelling in die boodskap van die Ou Testament vir die kerk van vandag, is dit veral kontemporêre teologiese debatte en verwikkelinge op die kerklike terrein, plaaslik sowel as op die breë ekumeniese front, wat tot hierdie studie aanJeiding gegee het. Eerstens: Een van die artikels van die Belharbelydenis' lui onder andere: "Ons glo ... dat God op 'n besondere wyse (Homself geopenbaar het as) die God van die noodlydende, die arme en die verontregte ...(my kursivering); dat Hy aan die verdruktes reg laat geskied en brood aan die hongeriges gee; dat Hy die gevangenes bevry en blindes laat sien; dat Hy dié wat bedruk is ondersteun, die vreemdelinge beskerm en weeskinders en weduwees help en die pad van die goddelose versper." Toe dié spesifieke artikel van die konsepbelydenis gedurende die sinodesitting' onder bespreking gekom het, het somrnige van die afgevaardigdes ernstige besware geopper teen die wyse van formulering dat God op 'n besondere wyse die God van die noodlydende, die arme en die verontregte is. So 'n stelling skep, volgens hulle, die indruk dat God inderdaad kant gekies het vir die noodlydendes en dat Hy dus by implikasie 'n God van die armes, verdruktes en verontregtes is. Die sinodale kommissie wat VIr die formulering van die konsepbelydenis verantwoordelik was, het hierop ontkennend geantwoord en tot gerusstelling van die sinodegangers aangevoer dat die betrokke artikel eenvoudig beskou moet word as die verwoording van die "basiese, oer-Bybelse en oer-Christelike oortuiging, naamlik dat God die hulp van die hulpelose is"(Smit 1984:65). Die konsepbelydenis is aan die Kerk deurgegee met die oog op kritiese besinning gedurende die sinodereses en vir die voorlegging van kommentaar by die daaropvolgende sinode.' Vanselfsprekend sou só 'n totaal nuwe belydenisskrif sy eie invloed op die kerklike lewe uitoefen. Daar kan verwag word dat verskillende aksente op sekere artikels mettertyd gelê sal word. Oor sommige van die stellings sal gaandeweg nuwe interpretasies na vore kom en 'n verskeidenheid van betekenisnuanses sal met verloop van tyd verwag kan word Belangrikste van alles is dat bepaalde formuleringe deur die loop van die kerk se geskiedenis opnuut aan die hand van die Skrif getoets sal word. Die studie is indertyd geïnisieer in die hoop om in so 'n Wirkungsgeschichte 'n bydrae te lewer.

Modernity as a philosophical and intellectual movement has cultivated a perspective of humanity as separated from nature. In modernity, nature is valuable only insofar as it has instrumental value (i.e. that it may be utilized for the benefit of humanity). This study postulates that such an approach to the nature-human relationship may have led to considerable environmental damage and misuse, and that the perspective of humanity as separate from nature should be re-evaluated. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin‟s philosophy is investigated as a possible means to overcome this dichotomy. De Chardin describes varying ontologies that are embedded in the evolutionary process and against which all human relevance and action must be sketched. This differs from an evolutionistic approach, because whilst engaging with scientific discourse (which tends to be reductionist in approach), De Chardin also incorporates spiritual and religious ideas and perspectives. Furthermore, De Chardin‟s ideas differ from vague pantheism, irrationally or mystically formulated, because he engages with the terminology used in modern science and re-evaluates this terminology‟s application and conclusions in relation to his newly developed cosmology (or cosmogenesis). Several questions are central in this study: Firstly, could De Chardin‟s approach be incorporated into the natural scientific discourse? Secondly, does De Chardin‟s cosmology provide new avenues for investigation into a closer and more sustainable relationship between humanity and the natural world? In this study it is postulated that De Chardin does make a contribution to a more sustainable relationship between nature and humanity through his perspective of a holistic ontology that differs from simple mysticism and his postulation of the noosphere, which leads to a new evaluation of humanity‟s technology use. / MPhil, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

Modernity as a philosophical and intellectual movement has cultivated a perspective of humanity as separated from nature. In modernity, nature is valuable only insofar as it has instrumental value (i.e. that it may be utilized for the benefit of humanity). This study postulates that such an approach to the nature-human relationship may have led to considerable environmental damage and misuse, and that the perspective of humanity as separate from nature should be re-evaluated. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin‟s philosophy is investigated as a possible means to overcome this dichotomy. De Chardin describes varying ontologies that are embedded in the evolutionary process and against which all human relevance and action must be sketched. This differs from an evolutionistic approach, because whilst engaging with scientific discourse (which tends to be reductionist in approach), De Chardin also incorporates spiritual and religious ideas and perspectives. Furthermore, De Chardin‟s ideas differ from vague pantheism, irrationally or mystically formulated, because he engages with the terminology used in modern science and re-evaluates this terminology‟s application and conclusions in relation to his newly developed cosmology (or cosmogenesis). Several questions are central in this study: Firstly, could De Chardin‟s approach be incorporated into the natural scientific discourse? Secondly, does De Chardin‟s cosmology provide new avenues for investigation into a closer and more sustainable relationship between humanity and the natural world? In this study it is postulated that De Chardin does make a contribution to a more sustainable relationship between nature and humanity through his perspective of a holistic ontology that differs from simple mysticism and his postulation of the noosphere, which leads to a new evaluation of humanity‟s technology use. / MPhil, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Thesis (DPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Nursing Science / unrestricted

The ethics of war may be considered to be emperical ethics where the ethical values are determined by circumstances. Actions unthinkable under normal conditions are often permitted in war. Certain criteria are important in conducting a just war. These are legitimate authority, just cause, proportionality and the initiation of war, last resort, proportionality in the waging of war and the immunity of non-combattants. Gen C.R. de Wet was a soldier and military commander during the Anglo Boer War 1899-1902. From the ethical historical correlation it appears his military tactics greatly adhered to the principles of a just war. In his encounters with the enemy, he always acted according to a military plan. He also respected the enemy and in general no excessive force was used. In his published memo’s the impression is created that prisoners of war were taken to prevent unnecessary bloodshed. Another reason was to retain the element of surprise in military action. It seems that the prisoners were treated the same way as the burghers. The safety of his men was always a priority for De Wet. In his military operations he applied the principle of proportionality in order to ensure the safety of his men as far as possible. Civilian lives were taken into consideration in the sense that De Wet did not engage the enemy where the lives of civilians were endangered. He was opposed to the presence of women and children in their camps. The reason was that they were exposed to danger and their presence may have influenced military operations negatively. Although De Wet was a fierce warrior, he submitted himself to the peace proposals of the Peace of Vereeniging. He depended on Brittain as the victor to have compassion for the citizens of the conquered republics. / Dissertation (MA (History))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Historical and Heritage Studies / unrestricted