The main premise of this study is that while gender justice is enshrined in the Constitution of South Africa and in the declared statements of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa (MCSA), in practice gender justice receives minimal attention in this church. The existing ‘gender policy’ of the MCSA, which is a mere recommendation, endorses an equitable representation of women, youth and men at every level of Church governance. Since this ‘policy’ is couched in the language of ‘recommendation’, this study argues that a gap continues to exist between policy and practice in the MCSA. Using Letty Russell’s (1993) ‘Table Fellowship’ analogy in her book Church in the Round – Feminist Interpretation of the Church, and Musimbi Kanyoro’s subsequent (1997) In Search of a Round Table: Gender Theology and Church Leadership, the discussions in this thesis focus on ‘the Table’ of the Church. The research question this study seeks to address is: Why does the MCSA continue to marginalise and exclude women, even though its mission is to be a church of healing and transformation and its gender policy is meant to prevent such marginalisation and exclusion? Hence, the objectives of this study are firstly, to demonstrate the ways in which the MCSA continues to be patriarchal in its ecclesiological practices and secondly, to analyse the reasons why the MCSA remains steeped in patriarchy. In order to respond to the research question this study utilises a feminist ecclesiological theoretical framework, which examines and analyses the MCSA’s source documents, its liturgies and its hymns. The theoretical framework is also used to consider the stories of five Methodist women from a narrative perspective. The Wesleyan Quadrilateral – Sacred Scripture, Church Tradition, Human Reason and Personal Experience – was engaged in this research, when deemed relevant. Transformative models of being church, that will enhance and enable the healing and transformation that the MCSA has declared to be its mission, are proposed in the conclusion, thus fulfilling the third objective of this study. It is here where the hope for gender-healing in the MCSA is expressed, along with a dream that this study will be ‘one more voice’ that is heard. Key Terms: African Feminist Theology; African Feminist Ecclesiology; Gender Justice; Gender Policy; Women in Ministry; Church Women’s Organisations Community; Healing and Transformation; Women’s Narratives; Feminist Leadership Principles; Ecclesiological Practices; Alternative Models of Being Church; Circle Leadership Styles; The Methodist Church of Southern Africa. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2001 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this study the process of healing and reconciliation between the victim and the offender in a post-TRC period in South Africa is being investigated with a view to the challenge it poses to pastoral care. The focus is specifically on the post-TRC period rather than the period during which the TRC operated. The post-TRC period is a period where the truth about the apartheid past is partially known, where guilt and mourning are part of the offender's struggle, where suffering, in all areas of life, is part of the victims survival, where there is an understanding of the emotions victims and offenders experience, where restitution and reconstruction create a new vision and orientation for victims and offenders and where the church is able to interpret the past, present and future in order make healing and reconciliation a reality. To accomplish healing and reconciliation between victims and offenders in the post-TRC period is regarded as crucially important in order to ensure that the atrocities of the past, in some form or another, will not be repeated. To ensure that healing and reconciliation between the victim and the offender is accomplished on a personal and a public level, it is necessary to gain a clear understanding of the practical situation of the victim and the offender. It was found that the terms "victim" and "offender" have to be conceived in a comprehensive way in view of the socio-political context of South Africa, and that guilt forms a core element, which calls for great sensitivity and empathy on the part of pastoral care. Within this comprehensive understanding it was also found that guilt is not to be conceived and explained merely psychologically and socially, but also theologically. For this reason it is crucial to conceive of victims and offenders within their context and to comprehend the real impact of guilt, suffering and mourning. Although these experiences take place on different levels, they form an indispensable indicator for achieving healing and reconciliation in South Africa (chapter 2). For reconciliation and healing to be realized between victim and offender it is essential, furthermore, that both should face the truth of what occurred in the past. In this regard it is necessary that truth should not be considered as mere verifiable facts. Rather, truth should be conceived as a process of interpretation aimed at the revealing of meaning within certain relations, contexts and experiences. Apart from having a liberating effect, truth is also a prerequisite for reconciliation (chapter 3). Subsequently, the influence of pastoral theologies on healing and reconciliation between victim and offender is discussed. It was found that pastoral care, to render a significant contribution to healing and reconciliation in South Africa, should make the paradigmatic shift from an individual client-centred pastoral approach to a hermeneutic cultural approach. It is essential for healing and reconciliation to be broadened from a mere subjective/individual understanding thereof, to healing and reconciliation as a systemic process of understanding and interpretation (hermeneutical) that is connected to social relations and inculturation. To ensure that this hermeneutic of reconciliation will have an impact on the practical post-TRC situation, it should be supplemented by a doing theology, functioning within a wisdom perspective; id est, a creative programme to bring together victims and offenders, as well as those who have been existentially effected by (the wounds caused by) apartheid (chapter 4). Finally, for remembering and storytelling to take place, and be significant for the process of healing and reconciliation between victim and offender, it is essential that it must be embedded in a practical-theological ecclesiology within which the church can serve as a forum for healing and reconciliation. To achieve healing and reconciliation, a liturgy of healing is proposed. It is important that the content and form of a liturgy of healing be determined by the following core elements: remembering, forgiveness, and the use of metaphors, symbols and rituals. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die proses van heling en versoening tussen slagoffer en oortreder in 'n post-WVK periode in Suid-Afrika met die oog op die uitdaging wat dit vir die pastoraat inhou. Die studie fokus doelbewus op die post-WVK periode en nie op die termyn waartydens die WVK geopereer het nie. Die post-WVK periode is 'n periode waar die waarheid aangaande die apartheidverlede deels bekend is, waar skuld en rou deel van die oortreder se worsteling is, waar lyding, op alle gebiede van die lewe, steeds deel van die slagoffer se oorlewing is, waar daar meer begrip moet wees vir die emosies wat slagoffers en oortreders beleef, waar restitusie en rekonstruksie 'n nuwe visie en orientasie skep vir slagoffers en oortreders en waar die kerk die verlede, hede en toekoms moet interpreteer sodat heling en versoening 'n realiteit kan word. Om heling en versoening tussen slagoffers en oortreders in die post-WVK periode te bewerkstellig is naamlik van kardinale belang ten einde te verseker dat die wandade van die verlede nie in een of ander vorm herhaal sal word nie. Om te verseker dat heling en versoening tussen slagoffer en oortreder op persoonlike en publieke vlak bewerkstellig kan word, is dit noodsaaklik om duidelikheid te verkry oor die praktiese situasie van slagoffer en oortreder. Daar is bevind dat die terme 'slagoffer' en 'oortreder' omvattend verstaan moet word in die lig van die sosio-politieke konteks van Suid-Afrika en dat skuld 'n kernelement vorm wat die pastoraat met sensitiwiteit en begrip sal moet hanteer. Binne hierdie omvattende verstaan is bevind dat skuld nie net psigologies en sosiaal verklaar en verstaan moet word nie maar ook teologies. Om hierdie rede is dit deurslaggewend om slagoffers en oortreders binne konteks te verstaan en die impak wat skuld, lyding en rou gelaat het te begryp. Hoewel hierdie belewenisse -'" op verskillende vlakke gelee is, is die verstaan van beide slagoffers en oortreders 'n onontbeerlike indikator vir die bereiking van heling en versoening in Suid-Afrika (hoofstuk 2). Vir versoening en heling om tussen slagoffer en oortreder plaas te vind is dit verder wesenlik dat albei die waarheid aangaande dit wat in die verlede gebeur het in die oe moet kyk. In die verband is dit bepalend om waarheid nie te beskou as 'n verifieerbare feit me, maar as In proses van interpretasie wat geng IS op SIll ontsluiting binne bepaalde relasies, kontekste en belewenisse. Behalwe dat waarheid bevryding bring, is waarbeid ook In primere vereiste vir versoening (hoofstuk 3). Die invloed van pastorale teologiee op heling en versoening tussen oortreder en slagoffer is vervolgens bespreek. Daar is bevind dat die pastoraat, indien dit In wesenlike bydrae wil maak tot heling en versoening in Suid-Afrika, In paradigmatiese verskuiwing sal moet maak vanaf In individuele klient-gesentreerde pastorale benadering na In hermeneutieskulturele benadering. Dit is essensieel dat he ling en versoening verb reed behoort te word vanaf In bloot subjektiewe/individuele verstaan daarvan, na heling en versoening as In sistemiese proses van verstaan en interpretasie (hermeneuties) wat aan sosiale verhoudinge en inkulturasie gekoppel is. Om te verseker dat bierdie hermeneutiek van versoening In impak sal he op die post-WVK praktyk, sal dit aangevul moet word met In daadteologie wat binne In wysheidsperspektief funksioneer, dit wil se In kreatiewe program om oortreders en slagoffers asook mense wat eksistensieel geraak is deur die wonde van apartheid bymekaar te bring (boofstuk 4). Vir herinnering en storievertelling om plaas te vind en betekenis te he vir die helingsen versoeningsproses tussen oortreder en slagoffer, is dit ten slotte wesenlik dat dit ingebed moet wees in In prakties-teologiese ekklesiologie waarbinne die kerk kan dien as In forum vir be ling en versoening. Om heling en versoening te kan vermag, stel die navorsing In liturgie van heling voor. Dit is van belang dat die inhoud en vorm van In liturgie van beling deur die volgende kemelemente bepaal behoort te word: herinnering, vergifnis, en die gebruik van metafore, simbole en rituele (hoofstuk 5).

Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2004 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study can as well be termed as "an attempt to interpref' pastoral care and counseling methods and modules in an African understanding. For this reason, the study engages concepts, metaphors and images that reflect an African understanding of pastoral ministry. It is argued that pastoral ministry will be enriched more by accommodating an African spirituality and cosmology that usually influences the world view of African people on God, life and the cosmic life-force. The study attempts to work with God-images that will help people to gain meaning in moments of pain and suffering, and much more also that will help them appropriate faith to life situations in a more meaningful way. Thus the study gives attention to defming God-images in light of pain and suffering within a given pastoral care situation. Two God-images are therefore proposed for use in a pastoral care setting in Africa, namely, God as a friend (Mubwezi) and God as companion (woyenda naye). The study proposes a working model that can be used by pastoral ministry in the process of assessment of God-images. It is argued that unless pastoral ministry undertakes to work with models that are going to help African people come to terms with situations of pain and suffering, the work of pastoral ministry will be limited to a large extent. For this reason, the study proposes that pastoral ministry should reckon with African cultural values that are always expressed through metaphors and symbols. It is argued further that pastoral ministry should work with Christian rituals, such as Holy Communion, Baptism and the Cross which are going to help African people understand the involvement of God in their lives and also in times of pain and suffering. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die navorsing is 'n poging om 'n pastorale hermeneutiek te ontwikkel wat in die prosesse van heling rekening hou met die eiesoortigheid van 'n Afrika-konteks. Vandaar die fokus op 'n Afrika-spiritualiteit en 'n Afrika-kosmologie. Die navorsing is 'n poging om die verstaan van die lewe as 'n werklikheid, beinvloed deur spirituele werkinge en kosrniese lewenskragte, te kombineer met 'n pastorale antropologie. Die navorsingsvoorveronderstelling is dat 'n bepaalde kulturele verstaan en ervaring van God (Godsbeelde en Godsvoorstellinge) menslike identiteit en derhalwe ook prosesse van heling en terapie wesenlik beinvloed. Die navorsing konsentreer daarom op die interaktiewe en wisselwerkende verband tussen Godsbeelde en die vraagstuk van lyding en heling. Die uitkoms van die navorsing is die ontwerp van 'n beradingsmodel vir die pastoraat waarin rekening gehou word met die eiesoortige spiritualiteit van 'n bepaalde kultuurkonteks. Vandaar die ontwerp van 'n ses-fase model vir die maak van 'n pastorale diagnose (pastorale assessering). Verskillende simbole en metafore vanuit 'n Afrika lewenservaring kan help om her na te dink oor die verstaan van God binne lyding in 'n pastorale gesprek oor die vraagstuk van teodisee. Die beradingsmodel wat voorgestel word, verskuif die fokus weg van 'n analitiese, individualisties-georienteerdheid na 'n meer holistiese en sisterniese kommunale georienteerdheid. In die verb and moet die dinarnika van verhoudinge saam met 'n narratiewe benadering opnuut herontgin word vir pastorale berading.

Practical Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology)

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2001 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Humankind has made great progress over the centuries in gaining an understanding of how the human body works. This has all been in an attempt to bring about health and healing where there appeared to be an unbalance in the body's normal functions. The mind also later became an object of study to address its relation to humankinds physical health. Later, social dimensions of health were also identified and were attended to. Yet, much disease and ailments seem to still plague our societies and communities. Theology in the name of pastoral care had been faithfully adding the spiritual dimension to healing. But it was only in the recent wake within practical theology that the theological sciences had entered into meaning conversations with other disciplines. These developments within practical theology raised a lot of question both inside and outside of the theological discipline. At the same time, this new fibrant branch of theology built bridges with the medical sciences, social and behavioural SCiences, management sciences, just to name a few. This study highlights the developments specifically around the scientific nature of theology and the conversation it had over the decades with medical science. It becomes clear that this dialogue is necessary as both theology and medicine have a common interest. They both complement each others dimensions and they address humankind in their state of pain and suffering. By covering the historical development of theology and medicine, proving their credibility as scientific disciplines, and pointing to their struggle with the dualistic concept, this study proposes to the Church and its healing ministry to restore wholistic healing in collaboration with the goverment services and local community structures. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Mensdom het groot vordering gemaak oor die eeue deur kennis te versamel aangaande hoe die menslike liggaam werk. Dit was alles 'n poging om gesondheid en geneesing te voorsien waar dit gelyk het na 'n wanbalans in die liggaam se normale funksies. Die verstand het ook later 'n objek geword van studie om die verhouding van die mensdom se fiesiese gesondheid te ondersoek. Later was die sosiale dimensies van gesondheid ook geidentifiseer en aandag gekry. Tog, het vele siektes en Iyding nog steeds die gemeenskap geyl. Teologie het in die naam van pastorale sorg toewyding gewys deur spiriteule dimensies van gesondheid bygedra. Maar dit was in die onlangse ontwaking binne praktiese teologie dat die teologiese wetenskap die ander dissipline as waardevol gesprek ingegaan. Hierdie ontwikkelinge in praktiese teologie het baie vrae laat onstaan binne as ook buite die teologiese dissipline. Terselfdetyd, het hierdie nuwe stralende tak van teologie brue gebou met mediese wetenskap, sosiale en gedrags wetenskap, en bestuurswetenskap, net om a paar te noem. Hierdie studie fokus op die spesifieke ontwikkelings roundom die wetenskaplike natuur van teologie en die gesprek wat die oor die dekades voer met die mediese wetenskap. Dit word duidelik dat hierdie dialoog is nodig want beide teologie and medies het 'n gemeenskaplike belang. Beide komplementeer mekaar se dimensies en adreseer mensdom in hulle staat van pyn en leiding. Deur die historiese ontwikkelinge van teologie en medies te dek, om hulle te krediet te gee as wetenskaplike dissipline, en hulle stryd met die dualisties konsept uit te wys, maak die study 'n voorstel aan die Kerk en sy geneesing dienste om 'n holistiese geneesing te herstel in samewerking met goverment dienste end die plaaslike gemeenskap's strukture.

Submitted by Filipe dos Santos (fsantos@pucsp.br) on 2018-05-04T13:42:10Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Tania Maria Lopes Torres.pdf: 1314109 bytes, checksum: 6289a50acfa1f253ae58c3c5b77b0a7a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-05-04T13:42:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Tania Maria Lopes Torres.pdf: 1314109 bytes, checksum: 6289a50acfa1f253ae58c3c5b77b0a7a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-03-19 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / This research set out to qualitatively investigate the success or failure of the anointing of the sick as a means of statistically altering the predictable natural history of a disease. Its methodology consisted of an outcome study, as proposed by Finkler (1985), aimed at a rural community, in the Lagoa Bonita district, in Engenheiro Coelho, Brazil, where most of the residents profess Seventh-Day Adventistism. The data were collected by means of semistructured interviews with twenty-two participants. The sample was formed either with respondents (90% of whom were Adventists) who underwent the ritual of anointing (referred to as “subjects”) or, in case they were not available, with respondents who met the two ad hoc criteria for inclusion (referred to as “informants”): (1) close kinship; and (2) being present during the ministration of the rite. At least 14 (i.e., 63%) of the subjects could be described as being in severe or terminal condition. For the analysis of the data, Bardin’s content analysis method was used. At the end of the investigation, it was confirmed that the anointing of the sick is sociologically effective and anthropologically justifiable, since it belongs to the dimension of symbolic regulation, which is why spiritual caregivers can minister to patients with chronic pain in aspects often neglected by biomedicine, hence the need for its institutionalization as a possibility of treatment / Esta investigação se propôs a pesquisar qualitativamente o sucesso ou o fracasso da unção de enfermos como meio de alterar estatisticamente a história natural previsível de uma enfermidade. Sua metodologia consistiu de um estudo de resultados (outcome study), conforme proposto por Finkler (1985), voltado para uma comunidade rural, no bairro Lagoa Bonita, município de Engenheiro Coelho, onde os residentes são, em sua maioria, fiéis da Igreja Adventista do Sétimo Dia. A coleta de dados foi feita por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas com vinte e dois participantes. Constituiu-se a amostra ou com respondentes (90% dos quais eram adventistas) que se submeteram ao ritual da unção (denominados “sujeitos”) ou, no caso de sua impossibilidade, com respondentes que satisfizessem os dois critérios ad hoc de inclusão (denominados “informantes”): (1) parentesco próximo; e (2) presença durante a ministração do rito. Pelo menos 14 (isto é, 63%) dos sujeitos podiam ser descritos como em estado grave ou terminal. Para a análise dos dados, empregouse o método da análise de conteúdo de Bardin (1977). Confirmou-se, no final da investigação, a tese que o rito da unção é sociologicamente eficaz e antropologicamente justificável, pois pertence à dimensão da regulação simbólica, razão pela qual os cuidadores espirituais conseguem ministrar aos pacientes com dor crônica em aspectos geralmente negligenciados pela biomedicina, daí a necessidade de sua institucionalização como possibilidade de tratamento

This dissertation is an attempt to explore the dynamics of the therapeutic process at Nechi House, a community residential centre or halfway house for men of aboriginal ancestry. I explore the construction of an Aboriginal identity among residents at the House as an issue of context, where, as Gregory Bateson (1979) suggested, "It is the context that fixes the meaning". Aboriginal identity among residents at Nechi House, I argue, represents an intersection of imbricated discursive practices and personal narratives of self within a highly problematic and contentious symbolic socializing space. Space as I am using the concept in this dissertation is presented as analogous to language and speaks to the larger social order.

Healing has long been considered part of the Church's pastoral and diaconal calling. For Christians the ministry of healing is grounded in the Word, sacraments and prayer. Based on this understanding some of the Pentecostal churches in Namibia proclaim that HIV and AIDS can be cured through divine healing. It was revealed through interviews with both the practitioners of healing and recipients of healing that the claims of healing HIV and AIDS are not conclusive. It has been established through this study that the implications of a failed healing for the recipients include; lost of faith, hatred towards the practitioners, church, substance abuse and attempts at suicide. A close study of the available literature substantiates the fact that healing of HIV and AIDS in Namibia remains only a claim. The logical conclusion derived was that people confuse healing of HIV and AIDS with spiritual and psychological strength and tranquility that they receive from Pentecostal churches through their healing services. This study recognises the importance of "healing" and "coping" and the need for appropriate theological and psycho-social support for the recipients of divine healing. This study also reveals that HIV and AIDS has forced some Pentecostal churches to revisit their approach of healing. Thus, some of the Pentecostal churches have embarked upon Home Based Care, feeding schemes and material support for PLWHA. The interviews could barely establish a definite case of a successful outcome of healing of someone who was HIV and AIDS positive and was healed through divine intervention. Thus, with the help of interviews, observant participation, and literature review, it was established that the implications for the ministry of healing in some Pentecostal churches in Namibia is real. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007.

Religion and culture always go together. From the very first day a new person is brought out into this world, s/he starts learning how to live with her or his people, and starts learning their beliefs and values. The person grows up with this knowledge, and it forms a part of his/her life. These beliefs and values are unquestionable from the perspective of that person. They are accepted as natural and normative. If s/he, for example, is brought up in a culture in which kneeling is a form of showing respect, s/he will internalise this, and will always kneel when the act of showing respect is required. For another person who is brought lip in a different culture where standing lip, for example, is regarded as the way of showing respect, kneeling or sitting before a respected individual or occasion can be regarded by a such person as an impoliteness. As we can see, cultural values are subjective, and they are appropriate for the people of a specific culture in which they were fashioned and accepted as normative. What often happens is that when two different cultures meet there is a collision between them, and what often happens is that the one which is supported by power smashes the other and imposes its normative rules on it. When Christianity came to Africa, it was full charged by European way of viewing the world, and in its worldview, anything which was not within the European cultural nornlative frame, was something to get rid of Consciously or unconsciously, Christianity was used as a powerful tool for the West's cultural domination over Africans. The Church demonised African culture, and regarded it as a prototype of anti-Christianity. To become Christians, Africans were required to forsake their life style and assimilate the Western style of living. Things such as drums, xylophones, which were part of African culture, were associated with the demons and thus banned from the lives of the "faithful" African Christians. The memorial ceremonies, which were held for our ancestors, were understood as being a form of idolatry, whereas the church's memory of the saints was regarded as something very Christian. And, if the African culture and practices were abominable for the Western Christian missionaries, its traditional health care system was seen as the ultimate manifestation of the evil. [t is with the desire of reclaiming the legitimacy of African traditional health care system for Africans that 1 set out to examine healing from a cross-cultural perspective, and above all healing in the Bible, and specially Jesus' healings in order to see what is abominable with African traditional medicine. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2002.

This dissertation looks into the ministries of Isaiah Shembe and Emmanuel Milingo to examine their contributions to African Christianity. It also seeks to investigate their endeavours at 'affirming African identity in the process of inculturating Christianity into the African culture. Their contexts are, respectively, South Africa and Zambia. The dissertation also seeks to find a model that could help the mainline churches refer to in the quest of assuming a true African church that addresses the questions of Africans within their world view. The first chapter serves as an introduction to the study. The second and third chapters look into the profile of both Shembe and Milingo and also examine the context that influences their ministries. They also bring to the fore the neglect that has set in due to missionary teaching eventually leading to the current problems besetting the mainline churches owing to ignoring the African world view. The chapters four and five discuss the healing ministries of the two leaders and the patterns of inculturation emerging from their ministries. These chapters show how healing forms an integral part of the African society and cannot be ignored, and the essence of inculturation in the African church as demonstrated by Shembe and Milingo. The final chapter discusses a model of the church that emerges from Shembe and Milingo' s ministries which can serve as something the main line churches can learn from in order to affirm their ministries. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1999.