Thesis advisor: Thomas Stegman / Thesis advisor: Liam Bergin / Thesis (STL) — Boston College, 2014. / Submitted to: Boston College. School of Theology and Ministry. / Discipline: Sacred Theology.

M.Th. / There is still great uncertainty about the role of healing in proclaiming the Gospel and in church building and development. For many Christian denominations this is still a contentious and controversial subject. Especially the differences in the theories on healing and the way in which these theories should be applied, cause many problems to come to the fore in obvious and unsettling ways. In the past few Pentecostal theologians have tried to make contributions that help to identify and solve these problems. By doing this study from a Pentecostal viewpoint, the student is hoping to aid the church in developing a theory and praxis for the healing ministry that is based on Scripture. This study is unique in the sense that it approaches the issue from the standpoint that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are an absolute necessity in developing a Scriptually sound theory and praxis for the healing ministry. It was therefore necessary first to stress the important role of the gifts of the Spirit in the ministry of Christ and the New Testament church. The study then looks at the role and influence that the gifts had in the emergence of the modern Pentecostal movement and of the AFM of South Africa. To discover whether this ministry is still functioning effectively, a questionnaire was given to believers in eight different assemblies. The information was then used to compile a list of guidelines that might be adhered to in order to maximise the usefulness of the gifts of the Spirit.

The title of this research is 'Healing in Selected New Testament Texts and the Implications for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa'. The texts that are looked at in this research are Mark 6:12-13, Luke 10:8-9 and James 5:13-16. The texts are exegeted and appropriated to Bohlabela Circuit of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (B.C. ELCSA). On the basis of these texts, the historical background to healing and my research in some of the parishes of Bohlabela circuit, the researcher states some implications for B.C. ELCSA and makes some suggestions which serve as a way forward for an effective healing ministry in B.C. ELCSA. The researcher argues that B.C ELCSA should adopt an inculturated healing ministry and also maintains that B.C ELCSA should use local elements like water, ash and salt and African methods of healing in its healing ministry. However, the researcher highlights some of the dangers of inculturation. The danger is to adopt some of the symbols or healing practices that are incompatible with the gospel, e.g healing practices like the use of animal sacrifice and symbols like blood. Such need to be 'contested, purified, transformed or rejected in the light of the Bible which members of this circuit (B.C. ELCSA) value as the Word of God. Above all, there is also a need for discernment. The researcher suggests that the two basic ways of discernment described by Bate (2001:32) be adopted by B.C ELCSA. They are the criterion of faith and the criterion of fruits. The research revealed that the most common means of healing in B.C. ELCSA includes prayer with the patients or for patients, and the use of the Word and the Sacraments, specifically Holy Communion. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2001.

Doing a survey of the ministry of inner healing, one is arrested by three salient features: its pragmatic and correlative development, its lay orientation, and the inconsistent and naïve theoretical explanation of the phenomenon. Inner healing, or as it was first known, the healing of the memories, appears to have its roots with Agnes Sanford during the 1940's (Sandford 1982: 3-4). Over a period of time and through a series of events, Sanford experienced what she termed a healing of memories. After some reflection on her experiences she began to teach her views at the School of Pastoral Care started by her husband in 1958, at Camps Farthest Out (CFO), and at numerous churches and conferences.

Thesis (DTh (Practical Theology and Missiology))-University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die een en twintigste eeu word onder andere gekenmerk deur ‘n snel veranderende samelewing, wat implikasies inhou op makro gebied (filosofies, tegnologies en teologies) sowel as mikro gebied (daar word veral gefokus op die impak van eersgenoemde veranderinge op die gesin / familie struktuur). Verandering gaan gepaard met spanning en onsekerheid en stel ons voor die uitdaging om óf te groei óf te stagneer. Verandering en die impak daarvan het ook ‘n effek op ons verstaan van die ekklesiologie. Die kerk (spesifiek die NG Kerk waarvan die navorser deel is) bevind haar tans voor groot uitdagings. Aspekte soos Skrifgesag, Kerkeenheid, morele verval, misdaad, geweld, regstellende aksie, marginalisering van tradisioneel NG Kerk lidmate, emigrasie, onsekerheid oor teologies-etiese kwessies ensovoorts bring onsekerheid en gevoelens van magteloosheid by baie lidmate. Verskeie strukture in die kerk probeer om die effek van hierdie veranderinge aan te spreek. Die navorser is egter van mening dat die invloed van verandering op die psige van die gelowige ook sinvol binne die ruimte van die erediens geakkommodeer kan word. Om dit te kan doen word die kreatiewe spanning in die verhouding tussen erediens en pastoraat ondersoek. Die navorser is van mening dat beide hierdie velde en hulle snypunte in die erediens oor die potensiaal beskik om die onseker gelowige in ‘n dinamiese ontmoeting met God te begelei. Om hierin te slaag bepleit die navorser onder andere ‘n herwaardering vir die verhouding tussen erediens en pastoraat, aangesien hierdie verhouding om verskeie redes oor die jare verwater het. Daar word ook klem gelê op spesifieke pastorale elemente in die Gereformeerde liturgie en die helende effek wat dit het op die psige van die mens. ‘n Duidelike omskrywing van wat teologies met laasgenoemde bedoel word, is veral noodsaaklik aangesien die gevaar bestaan dat die pastorale sorg bloot net kan vervlak, verflou en verval in die nabootsing van die nuutste psigoterapeutiese teorieë. Die studie wil graag ook aantoon dat die ruimte van die erediens oor ‘n korporatief-helende dimensie beskik waar die pastor / liturg in samewerking met die gemeenskap van gelowiges (famila Dei) as “medeterapeute” kan funksioneer en heling van die familie bewerk. / ENGLISH SUMMARY: The twenty-first century can be characterised as an era of rapid social change. This has undeniable implications on the macro (philosophical, technological and theological) as well as the micro level (the focus will be on the effects of change on the structure of the nuclear and the extended family). Change entails emotions of uncertainty and stress. In transitional times the challenge is twofold, namely either to adapt, or to stagnate / regress. Change also affects our ecclesiological understanding. The church (specifically the Dutch Reformed Church of which the researcher is a member) is not impervious to the impact of change. At this moment the Dutch Reformed Church faces immediate challenges embodied in debates on Scriptural authority, church unity, moral deterioration, crime, violence, affirmative action, the marginalizing of traditionally Dutch Reformed congregants, emigration, the deterioration of the nuclear family, uncertainty on certain theological-ethical issues, et cetera. These challenges heighten feelings of uncertainty and powerlessness in the hearts of congregants. The researcher is of the opinion that the worship service / liturgy can make a valuable contribution in addressing the effects of these challenges on the psyche of congregants. In order to achieve this we need to explore the creative tension between Worship / Liturgy and Pastoral Care. Both these fields of study and their point of intersection (a new way of life and a new relationship with the Trinity) have the potential of bringing peace to disillusioned and anxious congregants. The creative tension between Worship / Liturgy and Pastoral Care would further be highlighted through the healing effect of various pastoral elements identified in the Reformed liturgy, on congregants. A thorough description of a theological understanding of “healing” would also be necessary, in order to avoid pastoral care becoming merely a shallow copy of the latest psychotherapeutical theories. The study also wishes to show that the worship service creates a space consisting of a corporate healing dimension in which the pastor / liturgist joins fellow congregants (familia Dei) to become “co-counselors” as they play out, communicate and represent elements of healing the family through the liturgy.

In Buddhism birth is regarded as the origin of suffering and impurity, whereas it also forms the physical basis indispensible for seeking and attaining awakening. Birth is both the starting points of incuring defilement and achieving sanctity. Pointing out this paradox on birth in Buddhism and situating the issue within the context of Chinese religion and history, this dissertation extensively investigates Buddhist discourses and practices of reproduction in medieval China. It anwsers how Buddhist discourses and practices of childbirth were transmitted, transformed, and applied in medieval China, and how they interacted with indigenous healing resources and practices in both Chinese religious and medical realms. Through examining the primary sources such as the excavated Day Books (Chapter One), Buddhist hagiographies (Chapter Two), Buddhist obstetric and embryological discourses (Chapter Three and Four) and healing resources preserved in Tripiṭaka and Dunhuang manuscripts, Dunhuang transformation texts and tableaux, and miracle tales and anecdote literature (Chapter Four and Five), I argue that not only was there a paradoxical dualism at the heart of Buddhism's relationship with reproduction, but also Buddhism provides abundant healing resources for dealing with childbirth on the practical level. Overall I contend that Buddhist healing resources for childbirth served as an effective channel through which Buddhist teaching, worldview and concepts of gender and body were conveyed to its supplicants. Through this investigation, this dissertation contributes to the understanding of the association of Buddhism with medicine, the influence of Buddhist discourses and practices of reproduction on China, and the transmission of Buddhist views of gender, the body, and life to China through its healing activities related to childbirth.

The Tibetan Buddhist approach to healing, health and death is rooted in the sacred. Its teachings and techniques create a road map guiding the practitioner through the process of purification called sacred healing. It encompasses foundational Buddhist teachings, sacred Buddhist medicine, and the esoteric healing pathways found in tantra and yoga, which together constitute a detailed and technical guide to healing. The mind is central to all aspects of Tibetan Buddhism. The ability to focus the mind through meditation during life enables the practitioner to prepare for death by experiencing the subtle aspects of the body and mind through the chakras. Both Tibetan spiritual teachers and doctors practise healing and help practitioners learn to focus their minds in preparation for death. The moment of death presents the greatest opportunity for attaining sacred health, but healing can also occur after death. The objective of this thesis is to present the Tibetan Buddhist understanding of sacred healing in relation to life, death, the bardos and suicide through its texts, teachings and techniques.

AFRIKAANS: Die waardering van die Afrika-onafhanklike kerke het gedurende die twintigste eeu grootliks verander, vanaf negatief tot positief. Die meer positiewe waardering hang saam met 'n ruimer en meer akkommoderende ekklesiologiese beeld waartoe gedurende die afgelope nagenoeg veertig jaar in die Sendingwetenskap gekom is. Teologiese opleiding as 'n ondememing onder die AOK het in die verlede gemengde sukses behaal. Westerse kerke het geneig om hulle eie model na die AOK oor te plant. Daar was min bereidheid om in terme van inheemse behoeftes en strukturele tradisies te dink. Aan die kant van die AOK was daar weer agterdog oor die motiewe van Westerse kerke en is sodanige opleidings relatief swak ondersteun. Vanuit Bybelse en historiese gegewens wil hierdie proefskrif 'n meer geloofwaardige opleidingsbenadering aanbied wat ook kerkopbou in die hand sal werk. Heling speel 'n sleutelrol in feitlik al die AOK en skakel met die sogenaamde profeetamp, 'n unieke funksie of bediening in die AOK. Die proefskrif stel 'n geïntegreerde of ekumeniese-genesingsopleidingsmodel voor om die AOK se profete in teologiese opleiding te betrek. Dit kom daarop neer dat integrasie bewerk moet word tussen tradisionele benadering, Westerse medies-biologiese metodes, sowel as Bybelse pastorale bedieningsmetodes. Daar moet vir 'n kragontmoetende benadering en vertrekpunt ruimte gemaak word, maar dit moet verder begelei word na 'n waarheidsontmoeting met die groot Waarheid wat 'n persoonlike ontmoeting is. By die leraars word 'n multidimensionele ekumeniese kerkopboumodel voorgestel wat kerugma, koinonia en diakonia sinkronies en diakronies benut. Aanduidings in die praktyk (aan die hand van diakonia en koinonia as assesseringskriteria) was dat derglike opleiding 'n transformasieproses begin het wat tot groter balans kan lei. Van die profete wat oorspronklik bloot diakonies te werk gegaan het, het tot 'n verchristelikte ubuntu of koinonia beweeg. Die leraars is weer kruisbestuif deur meer koinoniale insigte wat onder andere uitmond in diakoniese uitkomste. Ook die Westerse kerke of sendende kerke moet tot groter balans in eie denke en benadering kom. Eensydige beklemtonings, soos op die kerugma, kerkplanting, persoonlike vroomheid of geloofservarings of aan die ander kant op diakonia, moet plek maak vir 'n meer gebalanseerde en holistiese benadering. Sommige opleidingsinstitute is goeie evangelisasiekatalisators maar, gaan gebrek om aan ware klinies-pastorale insigte. Eksegeties-hermeneutiese insigte word seIde kontekstualiserend gekommunikeer. Materiaal is dikwels nog eensydig sinkronies of diakronies en kultuurontkennend. Indien die Westerse opleiding enigsins relevant wil wees, sal hulle meer van koinonia moet maak as die verlore dimensie in Westerse kerklike lewe, maar 'n lewende werklikheid in die AOK. Sonder die element van koinonia wat kontekstualisering verseker en die dualismes van teorie en praktyk, ekstraksie en abstraksie deurbreek, sal die Westerse instansies irrelevant in teologiese opleiding van die AOK bly. Aan die ander kant sal die Westerse instansies moet waak teen 'n ooroptimistiese siening van die AOK en byvoorbeeld redeneer dat alle kerke op een of ander manier sinkretisties is en dat die AOK toegelaat moet word om hulle eie gang te gaan. Dit is nie alleen histories onrealisties nie, maar ontken ook die onderlinge verbondenheid en verantwoordelikheid van die een, heilige, algemene en Christelike kerk. ENGLISH: Appraisal of the African indigenous/independent/initiated churches (AIC's) changed quite markedly during the twentieth century: from negative (at the beginning of the century) to positive (at the end thereof). The more positive judgement followed a change during the past forty years of Missiological understanding of the essence and role of church. Theological training during the past fifty years of the leaders of the AIC's had mixed success. Western churches tended to transplant their own model to the AlC's and did not really try to accommodate indigenous needs or structural traditions. On the other hand the AlC's tended to be suspicious of the motives of Western churches. Therefore they tried to be self-sufficient in training. This dissertation aimed to develop a more credible and viable approach in such training from Biblical and historical perspectives. Another aim was to make such training subservient of the ideal of developing of the AIC's as church. Healing plays a key role in the AlC's with the so-called prophetical office as a unique function and ministry. The dissertation proposes an integrated or ecumenical healing model to address the training needs of the prophets. The model aims to integrate Western medical-biological methods, traditional African healing and Biblical-ministerial principles. A ministry of confronting the powers (as accepted in many AlC's) must be transformed toward meeting the Truth and focused toward building a personal relationship between the ill member and his/her Saviour linked with the koinonia of the faith community. In the case of the ministers a multidimensional, ecumenical church development model is proposed which aims to realise kerygma, koinonia and diaconia in a synchronical and dia¬chronical manner. Preliminary indications from such training (done as part of this research) were that a transformation process was started which promised inter alia greater balance between diaconia and koinonia. Prophets, who formerly operated solely in the diaconial sphere of healing, began to show greater appreciation of the importance of koinonia (albeit a Christianised ubuntu). The ministers began to understand that true koinonia couldn't be separated from diaconia, since it follows from the faith relationship with God. On the other hand it became clear that Western churches also need some re-examination of their own traditions, theological presuppositions, ideas and missiological strategies. No church can afford to focus on one or two aspects in training, like kerygma, church planting, personal piety or experiential faith, or diaconia on the other hand. What is needed is a balanced, holistic view and approach. Many places of training are excellent catalysts of evangelism, but do not really succeed in training for the healing ministry, because e.g. clinical input is precluded due to a strict pietistic understanding of the ministry. Exegesis and hermeneutical skills are not really contextualised and therefore tend to remain an ethereal ideal. Training material suffer either from synchronical or diachronical one-sidedness, or cultural/contextual ignorance. If Western churches' or training institutes' ideal is relevancy in the training of the AlC's, much more must be made of koinonia - the lost dimension in Western Christianity, but a living reality in the AIC's. Without the element of koinonia contextualisation will be nothing but an idle dream, because it facilitates the bridging of dualisms (such as theory and practice, extrac¬tion and abstraction etc), which proofed to be the undoing of many training enterprises in Africa. On the other hand Western churches and agencies must guard against an over-optimistic view of the AlC phenomenon. In many instances such a view is justified with the argument that all churches are or have been syncretistic in one way or another. Therefore the AIC's must be left to their own resources to develop a true African Christianity and ecclesiastical model. However, such argument is not historical realistic and denies the mutuality, interdependency and mutual responsibility of the one, holy, universal and Christian church. / Thesis (DD (Science of Religion and Missiology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Science of Religion and Missiology / unrestricted

Wholeness and Healing In Community is a study that seeks to understand what are the effective interventions, which the African church has made and is able to make in bringing healing to a community gripped by violent conflict. In this study it is assumed that the church is an existent and potentially effective institution with infrastructure that stretches from the smallest community to an international web. In the midst of Africa's social, political, and economic turmoil there lie both causes and consequences, which are the brokenness of body and mind, emotions and choices. This woundedness, which is both individual and collective, needs to be made whole or the next generations are likely to continue a cycle of violence, hate and mistrust. The biblical concept of shalom is developed and used as the vision toward which interventions must attempt to move. The qualitative methodology and process of this work sought to not only study church interventions but to assist in the transformation of church leader thinking about their role. This study has three primary strands: 1) the individual background and experiences of the researcher who has spent nearly thirty years in the midst of conflict on the African continent, 2) a literature review that surveys literature from several disciplines and, 3) a field research. The field research consisted in the filming (or securing already made films) of nine situations in which there was a claim made that community healing had either occurred or had been assisted through a specific set of interventions. The film from these nine situations in five countries (eight in Africa) were then edited into nine 15-30 minute film documentaries which were screened in their entirety to four different focus groups of African church leaders for their evaluation and reflection. Their evaluations are reported and evaluated in this study. In order to comprehend the study and its findings, it is strongly recommended that the films be viewed even though they are summarized here in written form. A list of effective interventions is the outcome of this study. This is perhaps the most comprehensive listing of holistic healing interventions. A potential use for this catalogue is suggested. It is recommended for church leaders as well as Non Governmental Organizations, which seek to work in situations of violence on the African continent. / Thesis (PhD (Science of Religion and Missiology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Science of Religion and Missiology / unrestricted

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