Text in Afrikaans / Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Geloof word tradisioneel beskou as voortspruitend uit godsdienstigheid. In hierdie prakties­ teologiese navorsing word daar egter gefokus op geloof as 'n universele verskynsel. Godsdienstigheid spruit ook voort uit geloof, wat impliseer dat geloof nie net "ontvang" word tydens die sogenaamde "bekering" tot 'n bepaalde godsdiens nie, maar dat "bekering" een aspek van 'n dinamiese geloofsvormingsproses is. Geloofsvorming word in hierdie studie in verband gebring met vier dimensies van mens­ wees, naamlik kognitiwiteit, sosialisering, affektiwiteit en moraliteit. By wyse van 'n kwalitatief-georienteerde, empiriese ondersoek onder AGS-gesinne, is rigtingwysers gevind wat die vier dimensies se invloed op geloofsvonning aandui. Dit blyk dat geloofsvonning nie primer belnvloed word deur die kognitiewe dimensie nie maar eerder deur die kwaliteit van die sosialisering en van die affektiwiteit in die huisgesin. Alhoewel die gehalte van die moraliteit ook 'n rot speel in geloofsvorming, word moratiteit ook grootliks gebaseer op die kwaliteit van die sosialisering en affektiwiteit. / Faith is traditionally considered to be an extention of religion. In this practical-theological research, faith is rather seen as a universal phenomenon through which life is given meaning. Religion thus arises from faith. This implies that faith is not "received" at a so-called "conversion" to a specific religion but rather is one aspect of a dynamic developmental process of faith. Faith development is seen in conjunction with cognitivity, socialisation, affectivity and morality. A qualitative-orientated research among AFM-families has given an indication of the influence of these four dimensions on the faith development of children in the family. It seems that faith development is not as much influenced by cognitivity as by the quality of the socialisation and the affectivity in the family. Even though the quality of morality plays a role in faith development, it seems that the former is also based, to a great extent, on the quality of socialisation and affectivity. / Practical Theology / M.Th. (Practical Theology)

Text in Afrikaans / Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Geloof word tradisioneel beskou as voortspruitend uit godsdienstigheid. In hierdie prakties­ teologiese navorsing word daar egter gefokus op geloof as 'n universele verskynsel. Godsdienstigheid spruit ook voort uit geloof, wat impliseer dat geloof nie net "ontvang" word tydens die sogenaamde "bekering" tot 'n bepaalde godsdiens nie, maar dat "bekering" een aspek van 'n dinamiese geloofsvormingsproses is. Geloofsvorming word in hierdie studie in verband gebring met vier dimensies van mens­ wees, naamlik kognitiwiteit, sosialisering, affektiwiteit en moraliteit. By wyse van 'n kwalitatief-georienteerde, empiriese ondersoek onder AGS-gesinne, is rigtingwysers gevind wat die vier dimensies se invloed op geloofsvonning aandui. Dit blyk dat geloofsvonning nie primer belnvloed word deur die kognitiewe dimensie nie maar eerder deur die kwaliteit van die sosialisering en van die affektiwiteit in die huisgesin. Alhoewel die gehalte van die moraliteit ook 'n rot speel in geloofsvorming, word moratiteit ook grootliks gebaseer op die kwaliteit van die sosialisering en affektiwiteit. / Faith is traditionally considered to be an extention of religion. In this practical-theological research, faith is rather seen as a universal phenomenon through which life is given meaning. Religion thus arises from faith. This implies that faith is not "received" at a so-called "conversion" to a specific religion but rather is one aspect of a dynamic developmental process of faith. Faith development is seen in conjunction with cognitivity, socialisation, affectivity and morality. A qualitative-orientated research among AFM-families has given an indication of the influence of these four dimensions on the faith development of children in the family. It seems that faith development is not as much influenced by cognitivity as by the quality of the socialisation and the affectivity in the family. Even though the quality of morality plays a role in faith development, it seems that the former is also based, to a great extent, on the quality of socialisation and affectivity. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.Th. (Practical Theology)

PhD (African Studies) / Department of African Studies / Moral degeneration is rampant among the youth across the globe. Juvenile delinquency and diversified social ills are prevalent and manifesting moral degeneration among the youth. This study sought to explore youth moral degeneration at Makuya area in the Vhembe District, Limpopo Province, South Africa. The study is qualitative and exploratory in nature. Non-probability purposive sampling technique was used to select twenty-eight research participants comprised of the parents, educators, youth, religious leaders, traditional leaders, social workers and SAPS officials. Data was collected using unstructured face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions to gain insights of youth moral degeneration challenges. The narrative analysis method was used to analyse and interpret data. The study found that moral degeneration among the youth at Makuya area is rife and is exemplified by the high rate of teenage pregnancies, teen parenthood, school dropout, alcohol and substance abuse, bullying trends, vandalism and other criminal acts committed by the youth in the Makuya area. The study recommended the use of a multi-pronged comprehensive youth moral regeneration strategy which emphasises the restoration, among the others, humanness, love, discipline, integrity, respect for authority, promotion of accountability and responsibility. / NRF

The researcher proposes working toward a more integrated approach of faith formation in the local church - where one's immediate family plays the central role and the congregation as the extended family functions as a support system. The church as family becomes a community where faith formation is continually nurtured as a lifelong process and by means of all the ministries of the church. The conscious furthering of faith formation should, therefore, not be confined to the ambit of the Sunday School. Its target group cannot be limited to children and adolescents, but should be be broadened to include the adult members, thus serving the totality of the congregation. The researcher proposes an approach where the different generations are not separated in the process of faith formation, but become an integrated learning community where all the different age groups and generations learn from each other and with each other. / Die navorser stel `n meer geïntegreerde benadering tot geloofsvorming binne die plaaslike gemeente voor - waar die gesin of familie die sentrale rol speel en die gemeente as geloofsfamilie as `n ondersteunende sisteem funksioneer. Die gemeente as familie word `n leergemeenskap waar geloofsvorming `n lewenslange proses is en plaasvind binne al die bedienings van die gemeente. Die navorser stel voor dat geloofsvorming nie net beperk moet word tot die tradisionele kategese of "Sondagskool" wat grootliks gerig is op kinders en adolessente nie, maar verbreed moet word om alle gelowiges van alle ouderdomme in te sluit en so die gemeente as geloofsfamilie te dien. Die navorser stel `n benadering voor waar die verskillende generasies nie van mekaar geskei word in die proses van geloofsvorming nie, maar `n geïntegreerde leergemeenskap vorm waar al die verskillende ouderdomsgroepe en generasies saam met mekaar, asook by mekaar kan leer. / Social work / M. Diac. (Youth Work)

Ten spyte daarvan dat die meeste skoolgaande jongmense in die Ned Geref Kerk kategese deurloop, en self in die finale jaar van kategese, word daar nie veel aandag aan lewenstories van die katkisante geskenk nie. Hierdie studie oor geloofsontwikkeling by `n groep katkisante word gedoen vanuit pastoraal teologiese perspektief en `n sosiale konstruksieteorie diskoers. Oor `n tydperk van `n jaar is daar deur middel van kwalitatiewe navorsing `n proses gevolg met `n finalejaarsgroep van nege-en-twintig katkisante met die doel om geloofsontwikkeling te laat plaasvind, deur aandag aan hulle geloofsverhale te gee met die oog op die skryf van `n eie geloofsbelydenis. Na die tyd is oor die proses gereflekteer. Drie aspekte het die studie gerig. Die konteks waarbinne die studie plaasgevind het, wat bestaan uit die gemeente, breër samelewing, paradigmas, verbande en verhoudinge waarbinne die proses plaasgevind het. Die inhoud van die kategese, wat deelnemend gekonstrueer was. Die groep van nege-en-twintig jongmense wat met finalejaarkategese besig was, word binne konteks betrek by deelnemende pastorale kategese. My metode was om binne die gemeente, in die kategese, `n ruimte te skep waarbinne die katkisante deelnemend die kategetiese proses gekonstrueer het. Sodoende sou die klem op deelname val wat die hooffokus van die studie is. Die aandag wat daar aan die katkisante se lewensverhale gegee word maak die narratiewe diskoers relevant vir hierdie studie. Kategese binne hierdie studie het 'n deelnemende karakter. Die volgende benaderings het die deelnemende karakter ondersteun. Die kategesepraktyk skuif na `n pastorale benadering. Die leerinhoude se klem verskuif na verhoudings. Die kategetiese inhoud word sosiaal gekonstrueer. Despite the fact that most youth from the Dutch Reformed Church are of school going age during their final year of catechism, insufficient attention is given to the life stories of these young people. My research project on faith development with a group of young people involved in catechism was shaped by a pastoral theological perspective and a social constructionist discourse. Over a period of a year a process of qualitative research was conducted with a group of twenty-nine young conformants. The aim was to encourage faith development by given attention to their faith stories with the intention for them to write their own confessions of faith. Afterwards the process was reflected on. The study was guided by three themes. The context in which the study was conducted, consisted of the congregation, society at large, paradigms and relationships in which the process took place. The context of the catechism was conducted is a participatory manner. The third theme was the group of twenty-nine young people that participated in their final year of catechism in which the context of participatory pastoral catechism was focused on. The approach that was followed, was create space within the congregation for catechism to be conducted in a participatory manner with the twenty-nine young participants. In this way participation which is the main focus of this study is accentuated. The attention to the life stories of these young people makes the narrative discourse relevant to the study. Catechism according to this study has a participatory character that is supported by the following approaches. The practice of catechism shifts to a pastoral approach. The content of the catechism shifts to relationships. The content of the catechism becomes socially constructed. / Practial Theology / D. Th. (Pastoral Therapy)

Text in Afrikaans / Geloof wat in die kategese as deel van 'n to tale geloofsvormingsproses op die tafel kom, moet holisties-ekosistemies verstaan word met die 'hic et nunc'- relevansie daarvan as 'n kwalifiserende maatstaf. Geloof so gesien, behoort in die kategesemateriaal van die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk na vore te kom. Die grootste deel van die studie is gewy aan die bree teoretisering in holisties-ekosistemiese perspektief. Vanuit 'n wetenskapsteoretiese vertrekpunt is 'n eie prakties-teologiese teorie oor geloof ontwerp wat geloof enersyds sien as die dinamiese interaksie van gawe, inhoud en respons, en andersyds as 'n aantal perspektiewe daarop. Hierdie teorie het as vertrekpunt gedien om sekere van die kontekste waarbinne geloof funksioneer, te beskryf, naamlik die koninkryk van God, die samelewing, die gemeente, die kategese, die adolessent, die jeugsubkultuur en die skool. In hierdie beskrywing is 'n omvattende teorie oor die kategese daargestel wat dit holisties-ekosistemies sien. Deur middel van inhoudsanalise is fasette van die teoriee getoets aan die lesse in die handboeke van die kategete wat met die adolessente in standerd 5 tot 8 werk. Daar is bevind dat die geloofsbeeld wat na vore kom steriel kognitief-vertikaal is. Oor 'n tydperk van meer as twintig jaar is weinig samelewingsrelevante kwessies aangeraak. Die belangwekkende dokumente Ras, Volk en Nasie en Kerk en Samelewing het nie gefunksioneer nie. In terme van die teorie oor geloof fasiliteer die kategesemateriaal nie relevante geloof midde-in die wereld waarin die adolessente moet glo nie. Dit het ook geblyk dat die inhoudsanalise as werkwyse en die meetinstrument wat ontwerp is, bruikbaar was. Die studie formuleer vanuit die teoriee en die empiriese ondersoek 'n aantal perspektiewe van waaruit die kategese en die lesmateriaal daarvan die kritiese hantering van die verhouding kognitief-affektief-konatief en die gerigtheid individueel-vertikaal, horisontaal-ekklesiaal en horisontaal-sosiaal kan hanteer met die oog daarop dat die kerk sigself en die adolessente as deel daarvan, nie in 'n dogmatistiese ghetto in perk nie, maar vorm met die oog op 'n selfstandige en relevante geloofsfunksionering op die geloof stog in die woestyn van die wereld met die oog op die realisering van die Ryk van God. / Faith which is handled in catechesis as part of the total process of the formation of faith should be understood in a holistic-ecosystemic way with its 'hic et nunc' relevance as a qualifying criterion. It should also appear in this form in the material for catechesis in the Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk. The greater part of the study focuses on broad theorising from a holistic-ecosystemic perspective. An independent practical-theological theory on faith is developed from a scientific-theoretical basis. This theory sees faith as a dynamic interaction of gift, content and response on the one hand and a number of different perspectives on the other. It serves as the point of departure for describing some of the contexts in which faith functions, namely the kingdom of God, society, the community, catechesis, the adolescent, the youth subculture and the school. In the process a comprehensive theory about catechesis is developed which sees it holistically ecosystemically. Content analysis is used to test aspects of the theories against the lessons in the manuals for catechists working with adolescents in standards 5 to 8. The resultant image of faith is found to be cognitively-vertically sterile. Over a period of more than twenty years few socially relevant issues were touched on. The important documents Ras, Volk en Nasie and Kerk en Samelewing did not function. In terms of the theory of faith this material for catechesis does not facilitate relevant faith in the world in which the adolescent has to have faith. It is also apparent that content analysis as a method and the measuring instrument used were suitable. Using the theories and the empirical investigation the study formulates a number of perspectives from which catechesis and the lesson material can deal with the critical handling of the relationship cognitively-affectively-conatively and the directedness individually-vertically, horizontally-ecclesially and horizontally-socially so that the church does not imprison itself and its adolescent members in a dogmatistic ghetto, but shapes them so that their faith can function independently and relevantly on the way of faith through the desert of the world with a view to realise the kingdom of God. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / Th. D. (Praktiese Teologie)

Thesis (MTh)(Practical Theology and Missiology)--University of Stellenbosch, 1997 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT:The church is commissioned to make disciples by baptising them and teaching them what the Head of the church, Jesus Christ, taught his disciples. One of the accents in recent literature is that faith development (making disciples) is also a socialising process. The church is one of the socialising agents and plays a special role in the faith development of each individual member, and especially in the faith development of the child. According to developmental psychology a special developmental task of the pre-school years is socialization. These years are very important for socialising in general, and therefore for faith development as a socialising process. How successful is the socialising process when the pre-schoolers comprise a very small part of a congregation? The Dutch Reformed Church Stellenbosch- Sentraal has an aging congregation; pre-schoolers comprise a mere 3% of its members. If they do not experience that they belong to the congregation and if there are insufficient opportunities for them to take part in congregational activities the necessary faith development (in so far as it'comprises socialization) is impaired.The body of the church should communicate to pre-schoolers that they form part of the body. In our era of electronic communication it may happen that communication between congregation and pre-schooler is unsuccessful when the congregation do not communicate purposefully and in the language and in the range of perception of the pre-schooler of this era. The question is therefore posed: How effectively does the Dutch Reformed Church Stellenbosch- Sentraal communicate to its pre-schoolers that they are part of the body of this church? In order to answer this question one should study the results of the communication process of the pre-schoolers. One should look at the cognitive contents already established in the pre-schoolers, but this alone can be misleading. The author holds the opinion that pre-schoolers form perceptions about the congregation in the process of communication. Their perceptions form a positive or negative filter through which all further communication is sent. If the pre-schoolers have positive perceptions of this congregation, it will be conducive to further faith development. The problem is therefore posed: Do the perceptions of the pre-schoolers of the Dutch Reformed Church Stellenbosch-Sentraal on the congregation show that they associate themselves positively with the congregation? An answer to this question will enable the local church to evaluate whether it understands its role as socialising agent in faith development. This may lead to adjustments in its ministry. For the Christian church in general the processes taking place and being described in one specific congregation may lead to reflection and evaluating of similar processes taking place within every Christian church. Such reflection is even more necessary in our secularised pluralistic world, a world in which the Christian church wishes to maintain the uniqueness and necessity of the Biblical salvation message. With the aim of discovering and describing their perceptions, all pre-schoolers in the congregation born between 01-01-1989 and 31-12-1990 were selected and methods were designed to reveal and describe their perceptions about the congregation. Their perceptions were revealed and described through kinetic drawings (interpreted by more than one person), the design of a projective measuring instrument with pictures and reporting (conversations). At the same time the attitude of the congregation towards these pre-schoolers were gauged by means of participant observation and in a random opinion poll. Conclusions Although the researcher had (thanks to the research!) very good relations with most of the pre-schoolers and they probably were inclined to give answers which they would regard as having a positive influence on that relationship, their answers during conversations with them point to positive perceptions of aspects of the congregation of which they are part. Their good relationship with the researcher is one of these positive aspects. It does not however necessarily follow that positive perceptions are in the majority. There are negative perceptions as well. Some positive remarks made by the pre-schoolers were cancelled in part by remarks by their parents indicating that they objected to going to some of the meetings of the church. They used some surprising concepts about the congregation. In so far as faith development contains a knowledge component (faith = knowledge + trust) it can be accepted that the concepts that they use at the moment will form an important basis for further faith development. Perceptions, unlike concepts, suggest something about the relationship between subject (child) and object (congregation). The concepts do not necessarily point to the existence of positive perceptions about the congregation. However, the researcher found that the cognitive basis was supported by a moderately positive affective component. It seems that there are several elements of enjoymenU pleasantness in • the socialising (fellowship) of the smaller primary gatherings such as family prayers and get-togethers of a few families, • the service aspect of outreaches to small children in squatter camps at secondary meetings such as "kinderkrans", the weekly children's meeting (empathy, compassion, missions) • and the festive elements such as singing, lighting of candles, and going to the pulpit in family services as tertiary meetings. Whether these positive experiences resonate sufficiently in the words, deeds and attitudes of other (adult) members of the church remains to be seen. The research has shown that the congregation is making adaptations in order to heighten the effectiveness of its communication and that the pre-schoolers point to these elements as pleasant congregational experiences. The research also showed that pre-school children need symbols to express their identification with the congregation. The church council should therefore stress representative symbol communication and rituals in a building without important symbols such as a tower and bells, and where the neighbouring church building is rich in symbols. However, effective communication within a congregation is not only about visible symbols and rituals, but are about communication which is born in the heart of a loving Father God. In union with Jesus Christ, his Son and Head of the body of the church, members are involved in a great communication process of which the content may be typified as gospel (good news). In order to talk about effective communication, the congregation should listen to and search for the vision of God, and they should expect the Creator Spirit to grant the congregation gifts that can be used in the new communication era in order to further the evangelical dialogue between God and the pre-school child (amongst others) and between the congregation and the pre-school child. Should the congregation not grasp that each member is there for the sake of others, the congregation is in danger of breaking up in generational or other groupings, not grasping the benefits from inter-generational gatherings where each group can contribute towards the faith development of other groups. When harmony, reconciliation and supplementation are pursued in a pluriform way in the worship and service programmes of the congregation, the pre-schooler should not be absent. When the pre-schooler forms part of this kind of worship, he finds his own meaning. The congregation is the setting where this glorification of God is realised in the temporal. If this research contributes towards empowering the congregation to incorporate the pre-school children of the congregation in congregational activities in honour of God, to glorify Him, then this research may be regarded as the practice of successful practical theology. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING:Die gemeente het die opdrag om dissipels te maak deur hulle te doop en alles te leer wat die Hoof van die gemeente, Jesus Christus, sy volgelinge beveel het. Een van die beklemtonings in die meer resente Iiteratuur is dat geloofsvorming (om dissipels te maak) o.a. 'n sosialiseringsproses is. Die gemeente is een van die besondere sosialiseringsagente en speel 'n spesiale ral in die vorming van die geloof van elke indiwiduele lidmaat, en in besonder die geloofsvorming van die kind. In die kleuterjare is sosialisering volgens die ontwikkelingsielkunde "n spesiale ontwikkelingstaak. Die kleuterjare is dus besonder belangrik vir sosialisering in die algemeen, maar dan ook vir geloofsvorming as 'n sosialiseringsproses. Hoe geslaagd is hierdie sosialiseringsproses wanneer die kleuters 'n baie klein persentasie van 'n gemeente uitmaak? Die Ned. Geref. Kerk Stellenbosch- Sentraal is 'n verouderende gemeente waarvan slegs 3% van sy lidmate voorskools is. Sonder die ervaring dat hulle aan die gemeente behoort, en sonder genoeg geleentheid tot deelname aan die aktiwiteite van die gemeente, word die nodige geloofsvorming (in soverre dit sosialisering is), benadeel. Die gemeenteliggaam behoort aan die kleuters te kommunikeer dat hulle deel is van die gemeente. In die nuwe elektroniese kommunikasie-era mag dit egter gebeur dat die kommunikasie tussen gemeente en kleuter nie staag nie, omdat die gemeente nie doelgerig, in die taal en belewingswereld van die kleuter van hierdie era kommunikeer nie. Die vraag word dus gestel: Hoe effektief kommunikeer die Ned. Geref. Kerk Stellenbosch-Sentraal aan sy kleuters dat hulle deel van die gemeenteliggaam is? Om hierdie vraag te beantwoord, kan 'n mens probeer kyk na resultate van die kommunikasieproses by die kleuters. 'n Mens sou kon kyk na die kognitiewe inhoude wat reeds by die kleuters gevestig het, maar dit aileen kan misleidend wees. Die navorser is van oordeel dat die kleuters in die kommunikasieproses persepsies oor die gemeente vorm. Hierdie persepsies vorm 'n positiewe of negatiewe filter waardeur aile verdere kommunikasie gestuur word. Indien die kleuters dus positiewe persepsies van die gemeente het, kan dit bevorderlik wees vir verdere geloofsvorming. Daarom lui die probleemstelling: Dui die persepsies wat die kleuters van die Ned. Geref. Kerk Stellenbosch-Sentraal oor die gemeente het daarop dat hulle hulleself positief met die gemeente verbind? 'n Antwoord op hierdie vraag kan die plaaslike gemeente help om te evalueer of hy sy rol as sosialiseringsagent in die geloofsvorming verstaan. Dit kan lei tot aanpassings in die bedieningspraktyk. Vir die Christelike kerk in die algemeen kan die prosesse wat in een gemeente gebeur en beskryf word, lei tot besinning en evaluering van dieselfde prosesse wat binne elke Christelike gemeente plaasvind. Hierdie besinning is des te meer noodsaaklik in 'n gesekulariseerde pluralistiese wereld, waarbinne die Christelike Kerk die uniekheid en noodsaaklikheid van die Bybelse verlossingsboodskap wil handhaaf. Met 'n eksplorerend-beskrywend doel voor oe is all die kleuters wat aan die gemeente behoort en wat tussen 01-01-1989 en 31-12-1990 gebore is, geselekteer en metodes ontwerp om hulle persepsies oor die gemeente aan die Iig te bring en te beskryf. Deur kinetiese tekeninge (wat deur meer as een persoon ge'interpreteer is), die ontwerp van 'n projektiewe meetinstrument met prente, en selfrapportering (gesprekke) is die persepsies van die kleuters ontbloot en beskryf. Terselfdertyd is die houding van die gemeente teenoor hierdie kleuters gepeil deur middel van deelnemende waarneming en in 'n steekproef-meningsopname. Gevolgtrekkings: Alhoewel die navorser (danksy die navorsing!) op baie goeie voet met die meeste kleuters geplaas is en kleuters in gesprekke waarskynlik ook antwoorde gegee het wat hulle as bevorderlik vir die verhouding tussen hulle en die navorser kon beskou, wil dit tog voorkom asof die kleuters aangename persepsies oor aspekte van die gemeenteliggaam het. Die positiewe verhouding met die navorser op sigself is een so 'n positiewe aspek. Dit beteken egter nie noodwendig dat daar 'n oorwig van aangename persepsies is nie. Daar is ook negatiewe persepsies. Positiewe opmerkings deur kleuters oor aktiwiteite word gedeeltelik uitgekanselleer deur opmerkings van kleuterouers wat aandui dat hulle protesteer teen sekere soort byeenkomste. Die kleuters het In aantal verrassende konsepte rondom die gemeente gebruik. In soverre geloofsvorming ook 'n kenniskomponent het (geloof = kennis + vertroue), kan daar aanvaar word dat die begrippe wat die kleuters tans hanteer 'n belangrike onderbou vorm vir verdere geloofsvorming. Persepsies, anders as konsepte, suggereer egter iets van die verhouding tussen die subjek (kleuter) en die objek (gemeente). Die konsepte dui dus nie sonder meer die bestaan van positiewe persepsies oor die gemeente aan nie. Die navorser het egter ook waargeneem dat die kognitiewe onderbou ondersteun word deur 'n redelik positiewe affektiewe komponent. Daar is genoeg aanduiding dat daar heelwat elemente van genieting/aangenaamheid is in • die sosialisering ('fellowship') by veral die kleiner primere byeenkomste soos by huisgodsdiens en wanneer 'n paar gesinne bymekaar kom, • die diensgerigtheid en uitreike na kleuters van die nabygelee plakkers-area by die sekondere groeperings soos die kinderkrans (empatie, barmhartigheid, sending), • en die vieringselemente soos die sang, aansteek van kerse, beweging na die liturgiese ruimte by die gesinsdienste as tersiere byeenkomste. Of hierdie aangename ervarings genoegsaam resoneer in die woorde, dade en houdings van ander (volwasse) lidmate, bly 'n ope vraag. Die navorsing het aangetoon dat die gemeente aanpassings maak om die effektiwiteit van die kommunikasie te verhoog en dat die kleuters juis na hierdie vernuwende elemente verwys as aangename gemeente-ervarings. Die navorsing het egter ook aangetoon dat kleuters visuele simbole nodig het om uitdrukking te gee aan hulle gemeente-identiteit. Die kerkraad behoort erns te maak met die representatiewe simboolkommunikasie en rituele in 'n kerkgebou waar belangrike simbole soos die toring en klokke ontbreek, en waar die buurgemeente se kerkgebou besonder ryk is aan simbole. Effektiewe kommunikasie binne gemeenteverband het egter nie net te doen met uiterlike simbole en rituele nie, maar met 'n kommunikasiegebeure wat ontspring in die hart van die Iiefdevolle Vadergod. In verbondenheid aan Jesus, sy Seun, die Hoof van die gemeenteliggaam, is die gemeentelede betrek by 'n groot kommunikasieproses waarvan die inhoud as evangelie (goeie nuus) getipeer word. Om dus te praat van effektiewe kommunikasie sal daar meer geluister en gesoek moet word na die visie van God, en meer verwag moet word dat die kreatiewe Skeppergees sy gemeente sal begenadig met gawes wat in die nuwe kommunikasie-era gebruik kan word om die evangeliese dialoog tussen God en kleuter (onder andere), asook gemeente en kleuter te bevorder. Indien die gemeente nie verstaan dat elke lid daar is ter wille van die ander nie, kan die gemeente in generasiegroepe of ander groepe opbreek sonder dat hulle verstaan dat die gemeente baat by intergeneratiewe byeenkomste waarbinne elke groep 'n bydrae lewer tot die geloofsvorming van die ander. Wanneer daar egter op pluriforme wyse (baie style, vorme, smake) in die aanbidding en diensgerigtheid saam harmonie, versoening en aanvulling gesoek word mag die kleuter se plek nie leeg wees nie. Wanneer die kleuter in hierdie aanbidding deel kry, vind hy ook sy eie sin. Die gemeente is by uitstek die ruimte waarbinne hierdie verheerliking in die tydelike bedeling realiseer. In soverre hierdie navorsing 'n bydrae kon lewer om die gemeenteruimte te help vul met die sinvolle inskakeling van die gemeentekleuters wat God saam verheerlik, in soverre was die navorsing die beoefening van geslaagde praktiese teologie.

The researcher proposes working toward a more integrated approach of faith formation in the local church - where one's immediate family plays the central role and the congregation as the extended family functions as a support system. The church as family becomes a community where faith formation is continually nurtured as a lifelong process and by means of all the ministries of the church. The conscious furthering of faith formation should, therefore, not be confined to the ambit of the Sunday School. Its target group cannot be limited to children and adolescents, but should be be broadened to include the adult members, thus serving the totality of the congregation. The researcher proposes an approach where the different generations are not separated in the process of faith formation, but become an integrated learning community where all the different age groups and generations learn from each other and with each other. / Die navorser stel `n meer geïntegreerde benadering tot geloofsvorming binne die plaaslike gemeente voor - waar die gesin of familie die sentrale rol speel en die gemeente as geloofsfamilie as `n ondersteunende sisteem funksioneer. Die gemeente as familie word `n leergemeenskap waar geloofsvorming `n lewenslange proses is en plaasvind binne al die bedienings van die gemeente. Die navorser stel voor dat geloofsvorming nie net beperk moet word tot die tradisionele kategese of "Sondagskool" wat grootliks gerig is op kinders en adolessente nie, maar verbreed moet word om alle gelowiges van alle ouderdomme in te sluit en so die gemeente as geloofsfamilie te dien. Die navorser stel `n benadering voor waar die verskillende generasies nie van mekaar geskei word in die proses van geloofsvorming nie, maar `n geïntegreerde leergemeenskap vorm waar al die verskillende ouderdomsgroepe en generasies saam met mekaar, asook by mekaar kan leer. / Social work / M. Diac. (Youth Work)

Ten spyte daarvan dat die meeste skoolgaande jongmense in die Ned Geref Kerk kategese deurloop, en self in die finale jaar van kategese, word daar nie veel aandag aan lewenstories van die katkisante geskenk nie. Hierdie studie oor geloofsontwikkeling by `n groep katkisante word gedoen vanuit pastoraal teologiese perspektief en `n sosiale konstruksieteorie diskoers. Oor `n tydperk van `n jaar is daar deur middel van kwalitatiewe navorsing `n proses gevolg met `n finalejaarsgroep van nege-en-twintig katkisante met die doel om geloofsontwikkeling te laat plaasvind, deur aandag aan hulle geloofsverhale te gee met die oog op die skryf van `n eie geloofsbelydenis. Na die tyd is oor die proses gereflekteer. Drie aspekte het die studie gerig. Die konteks waarbinne die studie plaasgevind het, wat bestaan uit die gemeente, breër samelewing, paradigmas, verbande en verhoudinge waarbinne die proses plaasgevind het. Die inhoud van die kategese, wat deelnemend gekonstrueer was. Die groep van nege-en-twintig jongmense wat met finalejaarkategese besig was, word binne konteks betrek by deelnemende pastorale kategese. My metode was om binne die gemeente, in die kategese, `n ruimte te skep waarbinne die katkisante deelnemend die kategetiese proses gekonstrueer het. Sodoende sou die klem op deelname val wat die hooffokus van die studie is. Die aandag wat daar aan die katkisante se lewensverhale gegee word maak die narratiewe diskoers relevant vir hierdie studie. Kategese binne hierdie studie het 'n deelnemende karakter. Die volgende benaderings het die deelnemende karakter ondersteun. Die kategesepraktyk skuif na `n pastorale benadering. Die leerinhoude se klem verskuif na verhoudings. Die kategetiese inhoud word sosiaal gekonstrueer. Despite the fact that most youth from the Dutch Reformed Church are of school going age during their final year of catechism, insufficient attention is given to the life stories of these young people. My research project on faith development with a group of young people involved in catechism was shaped by a pastoral theological perspective and a social constructionist discourse. Over a period of a year a process of qualitative research was conducted with a group of twenty-nine young conformants. The aim was to encourage faith development by given attention to their faith stories with the intention for them to write their own confessions of faith. Afterwards the process was reflected on. The study was guided by three themes. The context in which the study was conducted, consisted of the congregation, society at large, paradigms and relationships in which the process took place. The context of the catechism was conducted is a participatory manner. The third theme was the group of twenty-nine young people that participated in their final year of catechism in which the context of participatory pastoral catechism was focused on. The approach that was followed, was create space within the congregation for catechism to be conducted in a participatory manner with the twenty-nine young participants. In this way participation which is the main focus of this study is accentuated. The attention to the life stories of these young people makes the narrative discourse relevant to the study. Catechism according to this study has a participatory character that is supported by the following approaches. The practice of catechism shifts to a pastoral approach. The content of the catechism shifts to relationships. The content of the catechism becomes socially constructed. / Practial Theology / D. Th. (Pastoral Therapy)

Text in Afrikaans / Geloof wat in die kategese as deel van 'n to tale geloofsvormingsproses op die tafel kom, moet holisties-ekosistemies verstaan word met die 'hic et nunc'- relevansie daarvan as 'n kwalifiserende maatstaf. Geloof so gesien, behoort in die kategesemateriaal van die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk na vore te kom. Die grootste deel van die studie is gewy aan die bree teoretisering in holisties-ekosistemiese perspektief. Vanuit 'n wetenskapsteoretiese vertrekpunt is 'n eie prakties-teologiese teorie oor geloof ontwerp wat geloof enersyds sien as die dinamiese interaksie van gawe, inhoud en respons, en andersyds as 'n aantal perspektiewe daarop. Hierdie teorie het as vertrekpunt gedien om sekere van die kontekste waarbinne geloof funksioneer, te beskryf, naamlik die koninkryk van God, die samelewing, die gemeente, die kategese, die adolessent, die jeugsubkultuur en die skool. In hierdie beskrywing is 'n omvattende teorie oor die kategese daargestel wat dit holisties-ekosistemies sien. Deur middel van inhoudsanalise is fasette van die teoriee getoets aan die lesse in die handboeke van die kategete wat met die adolessente in standerd 5 tot 8 werk. Daar is bevind dat die geloofsbeeld wat na vore kom steriel kognitief-vertikaal is. Oor 'n tydperk van meer as twintig jaar is weinig samelewingsrelevante kwessies aangeraak. Die belangwekkende dokumente Ras, Volk en Nasie en Kerk en Samelewing het nie gefunksioneer nie. In terme van die teorie oor geloof fasiliteer die kategesemateriaal nie relevante geloof midde-in die wereld waarin die adolessente moet glo nie. Dit het ook geblyk dat die inhoudsanalise as werkwyse en die meetinstrument wat ontwerp is, bruikbaar was. Die studie formuleer vanuit die teoriee en die empiriese ondersoek 'n aantal perspektiewe van waaruit die kategese en die lesmateriaal daarvan die kritiese hantering van die verhouding kognitief-affektief-konatief en die gerigtheid individueel-vertikaal, horisontaal-ekklesiaal en horisontaal-sosiaal kan hanteer met die oog daarop dat die kerk sigself en die adolessente as deel daarvan, nie in 'n dogmatistiese ghetto in perk nie, maar vorm met die oog op 'n selfstandige en relevante geloofsfunksionering op die geloof stog in die woestyn van die wereld met die oog op die realisering van die Ryk van God. / Faith which is handled in catechesis as part of the total process of the formation of faith should be understood in a holistic-ecosystemic way with its 'hic et nunc' relevance as a qualifying criterion. It should also appear in this form in the material for catechesis in the Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk. The greater part of the study focuses on broad theorising from a holistic-ecosystemic perspective. An independent practical-theological theory on faith is developed from a scientific-theoretical basis. This theory sees faith as a dynamic interaction of gift, content and response on the one hand and a number of different perspectives on the other. It serves as the point of departure for describing some of the contexts in which faith functions, namely the kingdom of God, society, the community, catechesis, the adolescent, the youth subculture and the school. In the process a comprehensive theory about catechesis is developed which sees it holistically ecosystemically. Content analysis is used to test aspects of the theories against the lessons in the manuals for catechists working with adolescents in standards 5 to 8. The resultant image of faith is found to be cognitively-vertically sterile. Over a period of more than twenty years few socially relevant issues were touched on. The important documents Ras, Volk en Nasie and Kerk en Samelewing did not function. In terms of the theory of faith this material for catechesis does not facilitate relevant faith in the world in which the adolescent has to have faith. It is also apparent that content analysis as a method and the measuring instrument used were suitable. Using the theories and the empirical investigation the study formulates a number of perspectives from which catechesis and the lesson material can deal with the critical handling of the relationship cognitively-affectively-conatively and the directedness individually-vertically, horizontally-ecclesially and horizontally-socially so that the church does not imprison itself and its adolescent members in a dogmatistic ghetto, but shapes them so that their faith can function independently and relevantly on the way of faith through the desert of the world with a view to realise the kingdom of God. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / Th. D. (Praktiese Teologie)