Pentecostal churches are growing significantly across the world, but occasionally theological tensions arise within Pentecostal churches, sometimes related to intergenerational differences, which hinder both quantitative and qualitative growth. This study analyses the dynamics of a particular generation gap in one South African Pentecostal congregation. It explores the initiatives of a cell group from the younger generation, aimed at enhancing the credibility and effectiveness of the congregation's witness. The cell group initiatives highlighted issues of leadership, biblical hermeneutics, and the need for a theological re-assessment of local traditions that had always acted as identity markers for the older generation. This study contends that the conflict between a more collectivist older generation and a more individualist younger generation can be bridged through well prepared conflict resolution processes led by credible intervention teams and through some form of accommodation of the views and desires of both generations. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D.Th. (Missiology)

Pentecostal churches are growing significantly across the world, but occasionally theological tensions arise within Pentecostal churches, sometimes related to intergenerational differences, which hinder both quantitative and qualitative growth. This study analyses the dynamics of a particular generation gap in one South African Pentecostal congregation. It explores the initiatives of a cell group from the younger generation, aimed at enhancing the credibility and effectiveness of the congregation's witness. The cell group initiatives highlighted issues of leadership, biblical hermeneutics, and the need for a theological re-assessment of local traditions that had always acted as identity markers for the older generation. This study contends that the conflict between a more collectivist older generation and a more individualist younger generation can be bridged through well prepared conflict resolution processes led by credible intervention teams and through some form of accommodation of the views and desires of both generations. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D.Th. (Missiology)

Text in Afrikaans / In hierdie studie word die boodskap van Miga 2:1-13 binne 'n raamwerk van Pinksterhermeneutiek geplaas. In hoofstuk een is die probleem gestel, naamlik: dat Pinkstermense oor die algemeen alle tekste, ongeag die aard daarvan, vergeestelik. Die hipotese van hierdie studie is egter dat indien Pinksterhermeneutiek tot sy reg kom dit nie nodig is vir Pentekostaliste om van tekste met sterk sosiale ondertone weg te skram nie. In hoofstuk twee word gese hoe die Pinksterhermeneutiek funksioneer. In hoofstuk drie word 'n agtergrondstudie van Miga gedoen, met klem op die inleidingsproblematiek. Hoofstuk vier is die eksegese van Miga 2:1-13. Die sosiologiese metode is gebruik om die teks te eksegetiseer. In hoofstuk vyf word die boodskap van Miga 2:1-13 geartikuleer. In die laaste hoofstuk word die aard van Pinkster sosiale betrokkenheid bespreek. / In this study it is attempted to put the message of Micah 2: 1-13 in a Pentecostal hermeneutical framework. In the first chapter the problem is stated namely, that Pentecostals in general tend to spiritualise biblical texts irrespective of the nature of the text. The hypothesis in this study is that if Pentecostal hermeneutics are properly applied, it will no longer be necessary for Pentecostals to avoid texts with strong social elements such as Micah 2:1-13. In chapter two it is explained how Pentecostal hermeneutics function. In chapter three a study of the background of the book Micah is done, with special emphasis on introductory problems. Chapter four is the exegesis of Micah 2:1-13. The sociological method is applied in order to highlight the social issues in the text. In chapter five the message of the text is articulated. In the last chapter the nature of Pentecostal social involvement is discussed. / Biblical and Ancient Studies / M.A. (Bybelkunde)

This work is comprised of an Introduction and two Parts. Part One treats, by way of historical review and evaluation, the disestablishment of the Christian worldview in a postmodern age. Part Two proposes the means by whichthe Christian worldview might be reestablished. The reestablishment includes the use of some of the benefits of postmodernism by Christians as well as a return to the responsible reading of texts, especially the biblical text. Part One, The Disestablishment of the Christian Worldview, is composed ofthree chapters. Chapter 1chronicles the change that has occurred in Western culture because of the ascendency of postmodernism. It isbest described as a change in authorityfrom the logocentric metanarrative which has characterized Christianity to the deconstructionist rejection of worldviews by postmodern literary critics. Chapter 2 reviews the paradigm shifts that have occurred in belief systemsthat have occurred in the West as a result of this change,and Chapter 3 shows the effects of all this in the culture's principal institutions. Part Two, The Reestablishment of the Christian Worldview, is also composed of three chapters. Chapter 4 shows the impact that postmodernity has had on the efforts now being made on behalf of reestablishing the Christian worldview as a viable intellectual position in Western culture. Chapter 5 is occupied with the negative and positive responses of certain Christian scholars to the challenge of postmodernism, and Chapter 6 closes the study with an extended treatment of the factors that must be in play for a reestablishment of the Christian worldview to occur in Western civilization. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Theology)

Either relational contact with God is seen to be existentially attainable or God will become increasingly irrelevant to contemporary society. For Church identity and effectiveness as she serves the world, it is vital that God's initiating power can be seen to impact on this world. As response to fourteen symptoms the Church faces as 'crises,' an inclusive hermeneutic seeks fresh categories for a foundational spirituality capable of catalysing reform and transformation. This comprehensive foundational hermeneutic hypothesised is grounded on three foundational categories of experience, relationality and spiritual intuition. Any reception of such transcendence has to occur subjectively ‘in experience.’ Evasive as it is, experience is posited as a foundational category that needs to be rehabilitated through fundamental philosophy and theology, as well as interdisciplinary explorations. It will be shown that the challenges facing the contemporary Church are rooted in lost experience of transcendence. However the entry point experience provides is never to become narcissistically selfreferential but aims to establish a reciprocal relationship in faith. As an overarching category, dynamic relationality will need to be socially transformative. The deep 'God-person' relational mode, as it synthesises both human capacities and spiritual faculties, is experienced interiorly and as such is called spiritual intuition. It is argued that the notion of, and capacity for, intuition has been widely ignored and eroded. It is demonstrated that a 'reasonable intuition' is a more synthetic faculty 'naturally' open to illumination and infusion by the Spirit than an excessive traditional Church reliance on the workings of reason-intellect. Here the witness of the life of St Francis of Assisi allows simpler and accessible entry into the categories of affective experience and spiritual intuition under overarching relationality. Francis as model, when compared to other Saints, substantiates the three foundational categories. The conclusion chapter tests the foundational theory as it is applied to the fourteen challenges the Church faces. The results of this study, and its applications, offer a promising, fruitful humble metaphysic as 'solution' for the ‘Church in the world’ much in line with Pope Francis' recent approaches. / Christian Spirituality, Church History & Missiology / D. Th. (Christian Spirituality)

Text in Afrikaans / In hierdie studie word die boodskap van Miga 2:1-13 binne 'n raamwerk van Pinksterhermeneutiek geplaas. In hoofstuk een is die probleem gestel, naamlik: dat Pinkstermense oor die algemeen alle tekste, ongeag die aard daarvan, vergeestelik. Die hipotese van hierdie studie is egter dat indien Pinksterhermeneutiek tot sy reg kom dit nie nodig is vir Pentekostaliste om van tekste met sterk sosiale ondertone weg te skram nie. In hoofstuk twee word gese hoe die Pinksterhermeneutiek funksioneer. In hoofstuk drie word 'n agtergrondstudie van Miga gedoen, met klem op die inleidingsproblematiek. Hoofstuk vier is die eksegese van Miga 2:1-13. Die sosiologiese metode is gebruik om die teks te eksegetiseer. In hoofstuk vyf word die boodskap van Miga 2:1-13 geartikuleer. In die laaste hoofstuk word die aard van Pinkster sosiale betrokkenheid bespreek. / In this study it is attempted to put the message of Micah 2: 1-13 in a Pentecostal hermeneutical framework. In the first chapter the problem is stated namely, that Pentecostals in general tend to spiritualise biblical texts irrespective of the nature of the text. The hypothesis in this study is that if Pentecostal hermeneutics are properly applied, it will no longer be necessary for Pentecostals to avoid texts with strong social elements such as Micah 2:1-13. In chapter two it is explained how Pentecostal hermeneutics function. In chapter three a study of the background of the book Micah is done, with special emphasis on introductory problems. Chapter four is the exegesis of Micah 2:1-13. The sociological method is applied in order to highlight the social issues in the text. In chapter five the message of the text is articulated. In the last chapter the nature of Pentecostal social involvement is discussed. / Biblical and Ancient Studies / M.A. (Bybelkunde)

This work is comprised of an Introduction and two Parts. Part One treats, by way of historical review and evaluation, the disestablishment of the Christian worldview in a postmodern age. Part Two proposes the means by whichthe Christian worldview might be reestablished. The reestablishment includes the use of some of the benefits of postmodernism by Christians as well as a return to the responsible reading of texts, especially the biblical text. Part One, The Disestablishment of the Christian Worldview, is composed ofthree chapters. Chapter 1chronicles the change that has occurred in Western culture because of the ascendency of postmodernism. It isbest described as a change in authorityfrom the logocentric metanarrative which has characterized Christianity to the deconstructionist rejection of worldviews by postmodern literary critics. Chapter 2 reviews the paradigm shifts that have occurred in belief systemsthat have occurred in the West as a result of this change,and Chapter 3 shows the effects of all this in the culture's principal institutions. Part Two, The Reestablishment of the Christian Worldview, is also composed of three chapters. Chapter 4 shows the impact that postmodernity has had on the efforts now being made on behalf of reestablishing the Christian worldview as a viable intellectual position in Western culture. Chapter 5 is occupied with the negative and positive responses of certain Christian scholars to the challenge of postmodernism, and Chapter 6 closes the study with an extended treatment of the factors that must be in play for a reestablishment of the Christian worldview to occur in Western civilization. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Theology)

Either relational contact with God is seen to be existentially attainable or God will become increasingly irrelevant to contemporary society. For Church identity and effectiveness as she serves the world, it is vital that God's initiating power can be seen to impact on this world. As response to fourteen symptoms the Church faces as 'crises,' an inclusive hermeneutic seeks fresh categories for a foundational spirituality capable of catalysing reform and transformation. This comprehensive foundational hermeneutic hypothesised is grounded on three foundational categories of experience, relationality and spiritual intuition. Any reception of such transcendence has to occur subjectively ‘in experience.’ Evasive as it is, experience is posited as a foundational category that needs to be rehabilitated through fundamental philosophy and theology, as well as interdisciplinary explorations. It will be shown that the challenges facing the contemporary Church are rooted in lost experience of transcendence. However the entry point experience provides is never to become narcissistically selfreferential but aims to establish a reciprocal relationship in faith. As an overarching category, dynamic relationality will need to be socially transformative. The deep 'God-person' relational mode, as it synthesises both human capacities and spiritual faculties, is experienced interiorly and as such is called spiritual intuition. It is argued that the notion of, and capacity for, intuition has been widely ignored and eroded. It is demonstrated that a 'reasonable intuition' is a more synthetic faculty 'naturally' open to illumination and infusion by the Spirit than an excessive traditional Church reliance on the workings of reason-intellect. Here the witness of the life of St Francis of Assisi allows simpler and accessible entry into the categories of affective experience and spiritual intuition under overarching relationality. Francis as model, when compared to other Saints, substantiates the three foundational categories. The conclusion chapter tests the foundational theory as it is applied to the fourteen challenges the Church faces. The results of this study, and its applications, offer a promising, fruitful humble metaphysic as 'solution' for the ‘Church in the world’ much in line with Pope Francis' recent approaches. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D. Th. (Christian Spirituality)

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / In die tesis word die modernistiese en laat/postmodernistiese reduksionistiese benaderings in die Adventiste wêreld nie bloot afgewys nie, nie net omdat dit deel van ons ervaring is nie maar ook omdat die reduksies wat in die moderne en laat/postmoderne tyd ontstaan het in ʼn gemodifieërde sin die boustene is van ʼn hermeneutiese benadering wat poog om holisties en in multiverse sin oorvleuelend te werk met die antieke, moderne en laat/post moderne benaderinge. In ʼn hermeneutiek wat holisties oorvleuelend en multivers integrerend aan die gang is, vorm die vierledige opset van die handelinge en beweginge van God, die menslike bewustelike self, medemens(e) as die ander mens en die natuurlike kosmiese wêreld ʼn misterie van vierledig aktiewe teenwoordighede wat nie-vermengd saambestaan maar tog ontsettend naby aan mekaar is as die voortgaande ervaringskaart van elke konteks en situasie. Juis die uitmekaar ruk van die vierledige aktiewe teenwoordighede inonservaringswêrelde vorm die agtergrond vir moderne teologisme met God alleen speler van die spel, psigologisme met die bewustelike menslike self as die kaptein van sy siel en die meester van sy lot, humanisme waarin die mensheid as kollektiewe menswees die enigste roerder van die menslike brousel in die geskiedenis is en naturalisme waarin die natuurlik kosmiese omgewing die naturaliserende ordeningsagent van die kosmiese chaos is. Wat radikaal deur ʼn holisties oorvleuelende en multiverse integrerende aanpak sny, is dat die vierledige teenwoordighede gedra word asook ingebou is in wat in die Bybels-historiese tydslyn vorendag kom as die vier prominente dade van God se voortgaande skepping, versoening in Jesus Christus, alomvattende vernuwing deur die Gees en voleindende volmaking tot in die aanbreek van die nuwe hemel en die nuwe aarde. Binne die omraming van ʼn hermeneutiek wat holisties oorvleuelend en multiversintegrerend werk, word algemene moderne en postmoderne benaderinge oor tekse, teorieë, menslike handelinge en die natuurlike kosmiese gebeurtenisse beskryf. Terwyl die moderniteit – en ook die postmoderniteit – uitgaan van die hoofsaaklik opponerende verskille tussen sinmakende beskouinge word hier gepoog om eers die oorvleuelingsareas refleksief te betrek en daarna aandag gee aan die verskille. Die drie breë benaderinge wat hoofsaaklik beskryf word is die van fundamentalistiese spieëling, liberale interpretasie en die konsinlike onderhandeling van tekse, teorieë, menslike handelinge en natuurlik kosmiese gebeure.Juis teen hierdie agtergrond word diverse SDA omgangspatrone met die Bybel, ervaringe in die kerklike arena en alledaagse ervaringe in ʼn draaikolk van multivers oorvleuelende en differensiërende refleksiwiteit beskryf. / In the thesis Adventist approaches making use of modernist and late/postmodernistic reductionist philosophies are not rejected out of hand. Not only are the reductions which emerged in the modern and late/modern era part of our experience but they are in a modified sense the building blocks of a hermeneutical approach in which an attempt is made to work in an overlapping holistic and multiverse way with approaches of the ancient world, modernity and late/post modernity. In a hermeneutics that operate holistically with overlaps and in a multiverse integrative sense, the quadruple setting of actions and movements of God, the conscious human self, neighbour(s) as the other human and the natural cosmic world forms a mystery of foursome active presences that do not exist together in a mixed sense but are very close to each other as the continuous experiential map of every context and situation. The dislocation of the foursome active presences in our experiential worlds forms the backdrop of modern theologism in which God is the sole player in the game, psychologism with the conscious human self as the captain of his or her soul, humanism in which humanity as the collectiveness of being human is the only stirrer of the human concoction in history and naturalism in which the natural cosmic environment is the only naturalistic agency that arranges the cosmic chaos. Cutting radically through the holistic overlapping and multiverse integrative approach is that the foursome presences are carried and built into what come to the fore in the biblical historical timeline as the four grand acts of God of continuous creation, reconciliation in Jesus Christ, all embracing renewal through the Holy Spirit and fulfilling fulfilment as in the dawn of the new heaven and the new earth. Within the embrace of a hermeneutics which works with overlaps in a holistically and integrating in a multiverse sense general modernist and late/post modern approaches regarding texts, theories, human doings and natural cosmic events are described. While modernity – and late/post modernity - depart from mainly opposing differences between sense making views the attempt is made here firstly to engage oneself in a reflexive sense with the areas of overlapping and only then to pay attention the differences. The three broad approaches mainly described are that of fundamentalist mirroring, liberal interpretation and consensual negotiation of texts, theories, human doings and natural cosmic events. It is against this background that diverse SDA engagement patterns with the Bible, experiences in the arena of the church and everyday experiences is described in a vortex of holistic overlapping and multiverse integrative reflexivity. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Systematic Theology)