The present dissertation is essentially an attempt towards a constructive proposal on moral formation for local churches in sub-Saharan Africa. Rather than starting from scratch, the study turns to the prolific work of the leading American theologian Stanley Hauerwas — with, however, the following presumption: his proposal, constructed in America, might not be fully appropriate for an African context. The study compares the American cultural context with an African typical pluralist context, proceeds with a theological and ethical assessment of Hauerwasian's proposal and sets forward the significant elements of a constructive proposal for African churches which includes the applicable aspects of Hauerwas's account. In a nutshell, the study establishes that Hauerwas's proposal is designed against the background of a Western, liberal, autonomous and individualist self in a social environment of capitalist and liberal democracy. It manifests as a particularist character formation grounded in an ecclesial ethic including aspects of virtue/character ethics, narrative ethics, community ethics and the neo-Anabaptist model of socio-political involvement. Its positive aspects include merging moral formation with spiritual formation through discipleship and accountability to the church community, stressing the church's role in fostering communal identity through its narratives and traditions, and emphasizing the importance of worship, liturgy and the imitation of the saints and role models as instrumental to the enhancement of a virtuous life. Also, this proposal stresses the significance of the whole of the church's way of life in moral formation. On the negative side, some dualist tendencies emerge from Hauerwas's proposal since it overemphasizes the priority of being (virtue/character) over doing (decision-making). It so strongly affirms the community and narrative dependence of Christian ethics that the result is a communitarianism and particularism that fails to balance the virtues of communality and individuality. With its strong anti-Constantinianism and radical church-world separation, this proposal upholds Christian embodiment as the primary mode of Christian social ethics. In Africa, the influence of political and philosophical liberalism is significant but not as pervasive as in America. Important moral challenges come also from the traditional African communalistic and particularist worldviews, the socio-political legacy of slavery, colonialism and apartheid as well as the dualistic Christianity brought by the missionary enterprise. All this induces a serious moral crisis, nourishes tribal and racial loyalties and fuels violence, social injustice and pseudo-democracy. Consequently, to do justice to the particularity and universality of Christian ethics and the communality and individuality of biblical anthropology and attend to African contextual peculiarities, the study argues for a contextual Christian character and conscience formation. Based on Trinitarian ethics and an integrative Christian worldview, this paradigm constructively tackles the communal, individual and social dimensions of the church moral formation. It views the church as a community of virtues which also fosters personal identity and responsibility. It resorts to a critical engagement with secular sources of moral knowledge and wisdom to enhance the Christians' moral insights, emotions and skills. Through a vision of shalom for all, the scope of social involvement is enlarged to the Christian faithful presence in the wider society. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Dogmatics and Christian Ethics / PhD / Unrestricted

Thesis (M.A.)--Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, 2003. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 119-121).

Thesis (Ph. D..)--Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 363-376).

Thesis (Ph. D..)--Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 363-376).

Thesis (M.A.)--Trinity International University, Deerfield, Illinois, 1996. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 86-88).

Thesis (M.A.)--Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, 2003. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 119-121).

Thesis (M.A.)--Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, 2003. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 119-121).

Magister Theologiae - MTh / This study will assess Stanley Hauerwas's claim that peacemaking is a virtue of the church in which peace exists as a necessary characteristic of the church. Christians are formed by practices of the church and so gain the skills required to live faithfully in the world. Such formation teaches us to be truthful and to be at peace. Peace is not only part of this formation; it is this formation. Such formation is based on the present existence of peace in the church through Christ. Not only is peace a part of the local and catholic church but war has been abolished through Christ. Hauerwas claims theology as a legitimate discourse in relation to social and physical sciences. Theology has its primary locus in the church rather than in ahistorical accounts or the university. This claiming of the language of the church creates space for particularity which is often subsumed under the universalizing assertions of the nation-state. With peace as a characteristic of the church, Hauerwas asserts that peacemaking is a virtue of the church and not merely an optional aspect of its life.

Thesis (M.A.)--Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries, 1987. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [162-164]).

本論文采用詮釋 -- 對話的方法，深入比較了侯活士和趙紫宸品格（人格）倫理。旨在期望該方法能夠較準確全面地展現他們各自倫理思想之獨特性，以及促進與豐富中西方學界在該理論上之交流。 基於此，本論文首先批判性地分析與詮釋了二者的相關文本，以此揭示他們重要的神學倫理語境、前設與內容；再者，在文本詮釋之基礎上比較了二者概念與內容上之重要的相似點不同處；其次，找出在實踐 了二者概念與內容上之重要的相似點不同處；其次，找出了二者在實踐中嘗試處理的道德議題 -- 戰爭與和平，並從他們各自的立場出發相互詢問道德實踐之目的、原則和意義，從而進行跨文化溝通對話；最後筆者得出如下結論： 侯活士與趙紫宸的品格（人格）倫理具有高度相似性與差異性，或者有交疊與相異之處。儘管其倫理確是基於不同文化背景產生的兩種理論，具有不同的概念體系與社會背景，具有不同的概念體系與社會背景，具有不同的概念體系與社會背景， 而這塑造了他們各自處理道德問題的視角差異性 。但是，總體上他們始終以“如何成為聖潔和平的群體 ”發展相關理論， 以及他們不斷在回應 “信徒應該如何處理戰爭與和平 ”之實踐問題。不僅如此，侯活士的品格倫理在論上更系統與完善，它能夠為趙紫宸人格理論之重構提供參考與借鑒。較之，趙紫宸的人格倫理在實踐上更具體與切實，它能夠為侯活士的倫理實踐反省給予啟迪。 關鍵詞：品格、人格、比較、詮釋、對話