Divorce is a common phenomenon in South Africa, affecting many families across the country. On the other hand, there are many couples who choose to remain married, despite having endured significant stress. In a review of literature there have been studies conducted exploring enduring marriages (marriages that have lasted twenty years or more), but little on resilience in the early years of marriage. With many couples choosing to divorce within the first ten years of marriage, there is value in exploring the strengths of young marriages that contribute towards resilience. The following question then arises: what are the stressors that couples experience during the early years of marriage (under ten years) and how does the way they cope with these challenges enhance resilience in their marriages? This question has resulted in this qualitative study, employing an exploratory descriptive and contextual research design with the aim of exploring the strengths that contribute towards resilience in the early years of marriage. The study is based within the framework of positive psychology, as this facilitates the exploration of the factors that have contributed towards the resilience of the couples that were interviewed. A non-probability, purposive sampling technique was employed to obtain research participants. Data was collected through the use of individual semistructured interviews conducted with five couples (ten individuals) who have been married for ten years or less, have endured significant stress, have chosen to remain married, and experience their relationship as satisfying. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic content analysis. The results of the study may be used to develop a strengths based-intervention programme for couples in the early years of marriage.

Text in Afrikaans / Binne die tradisionele christelike westerse samelewing waarin ons leef is daar diskoerse en meta-narratiewe wat dikteer wat van ons as huweliksmaats verwag word. Ons is dikwels onbewus van hoe hierdie verwagtinge, rolle en eise wat aan ons gestel word, deur verskillende diskoerse en stories tot stand gekom het. Die spesifieke lewenstorie en omstandlghede van die indiwidu(e) word meestal in die proses geignoreer, byvoorbeeld die saamleef met 'n huweliksmaat wat "gediagnoseer" is as iemand met 'n "bipolêre gemoedsversteuring", bring noodwendig omstandighede mee wat vir die meeste mense onuithoudbaar mag wees. Hierdie studie vertel die storie van 'n persoon wie daarin kon slaag om ten spyte van hierdie "omstandighede", sy storie so te kon herskryf dat hy steeds met hierdie persoon suksesvol binne die huwelik kan saamleef. Die studie fokus op 'n persoon, wie se lewe op grond van die christelike narratief leef, se belewing van die saamleef met 'n persoon met 'n "bipolere gemoedsversteuring". Die algemene doel van die studie was om aan die deelnemer 'n geleentheid te skep om sy belewinge in die saamleef van 'n persoon met 'n "bipolêre gemoedsversteuring" te kon deel. 'n Spesifieke fokus is geplaas om die rol wat christelike spiritualiteit speel in die verwerking en hantering daarvan, te beskryf. Daar is ook aan die persoon geleentheid gegee om op grond van sy belewlnge en verstaan van christenskap, aanbevelings te maak aan die professlone!e gemeenskap, die geloofsgemeenskap en aan huweliksmaats wat met soortgelyke omstandighede meet saamleef. Die navorslng is vanuit 'n postmoderne diskoers-oogpunt aangepak en op 'n kwalitatiewe wyse uitgevoer by wyse van 'n gevallestudle. Die deelnemer se storie is deur middel van sosiale konstruksieteorie en 'n narratiewe terapeutiese benadering, gedekonstrueer. Dit was duidelik vanuit die studie dat die funksie wat mense se spirituele oortuiginge en hul belewing daarvan in hul lewens verrig, in berekening gebring moet word in die terapeutiese proses. Wanneer kliënte belangrike besluite moet neem, moet die invloed van geloofsoortuiginge in die besluitnemingsproses in berekening gebring word. / Practical Theology / M. Th. - (Pastoral Theology)

This study is a reflection on polygamous marriage and its challenge to the Anglican Church of Tanzania- Diocese of Mara (ACT-DM). The study calls for the contextualization of the Gospel of Christ if the church is serious with the propagation of the Gospel to the Mara people. The term contextualization refers to a total process designed to translate into concrete reality the indigenisation as well as the adoption of the church to African indigenous thought and culture. The research was set on the problem statement, "Is there any theological justification for the Anglican Church's condemnation of polygamous marriage?" The study was set on the premise that even though there is a need for the Church to show love to every one- including the polygamists, there is need to unveil the controversy that the ACT-DM has grappled with concerning the place of the polygamist in the Church. Should they continue to be discriminated against in terms of being denied the sacraments of Baptism and the Holy Eucharist? Should they be allowed to lead the Anglican Church of Mara Diocese? What is the way forward? In arriving at the research findings, the study employed two methods. One was to collect oral accounts on the practice of polygamy in the Mara societies and the Church. The second one was collecting the written information as found in church minutes, reports, letters, books, articles and periodicals. The research revealed that even though polygamy is a dying institution, in Mara, people are just abandoning it slowly without proper teachings. That shows that there is a danger of its resurrection if the Church doesn't engage in a teaching ministry on this issue so as to contain it. The other findings of the research are that, even if it is an African cultural practice, it is already overtaken by time and cannot be an effective substitute to barrenness or childlessness as was the case in the traditional African societies because there are other better remedies such as child adoption. The research findings also showed that the Church, despite having a theological justification for condemning it, has a responsibility, as a steward of God's creation to offer pastoral roles to the polygamists, their wives and their innocent children who are disciplined by the Church " because of somebody else's sins." The study consists of five chapters and conclusion. The first chapter gives an introduction by way of showing the major motivation for the study, which sets the tone of the whole work. The second chapter deals with the background information of the study of Christianity in Mara region of Tanzania. It also gives us a brief historical background of Christianity in Tanzania. The third chapter discusses the question on the Gospel and Culture thereby giving different schools of thought on the relationship of these two entities. The fourth chapter is about the practice of polygamy in the Anglican Church of Tanzania- Diocese of Mara, and its pastoral approach to the practice of polygamy which makes the chapter to be historically based on the oral as well as the written sources on the practice of polygamy. Chapter five is the critical analysis of polygamy which comprises of social and theological critiques of the various positions that are advanced for its continuation or suggestions as to why it should be abolished. The concluding chapter makes some recommendations and then draws the conclusion of the whole study. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.

The scope of the thesis is a reflection on the present marriage process within the church, focusing particularly on the U.P.C.S.A. This reflection is done through exegesis of Mark 10:2-12, using Professor J. Draper's tri-polar exegetical model. The aim is to broaden the church's understanding of the marriage process, thus making this key transition in peoples' lives more profound. This Thesis endeavours to bring together doctrine and praxis, through both textual and contextual analysis. Using Narrative and Ritual Theory at both the textual and contextual level, this thesis seeks to examine both the text and context in a new and innovative way. The use of anthropological ritual models allows one not only to step back from the text, but also initiates doctrinal discussion at a practical level. Further both the text and context are examined through historical reflection, placing both the book of Mark and present the marriage doctrines in their broad social, political and economic circumstance. Is the church's doctrine with regard to marriage adequately represented in praxis through the present wedding ceremony or have other forces lead to a misappropriation of Mark 10:2-12? The nature of the tri-polar exegetical model is that it is both dependent on the context for input and acknowledges that any exegesis must have an impact upon the lived-experience of the community of believers. Both present doctrine and praxis of marriage, I believe, are challenged in this thesis through a careful analysis of Mark 10:2-12, in the context of Mark through the use of both, ritual analysis and narrative criticism. In 2003, the church not only is faced with a crisis in respect of marriage and its decline, but it is also faced with an opportunity - the present increase in the interest in ritual. This thesis gives some insights into how the church can take up the challenge and use ritual as a tool of liberation. This thesis is thus by nature complex as it seeks to bring together doctrine and praxis, through ritual theory and analysis. / Thesis (M.A)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2003.

Text in Afrikaans / Binne die tradisionele christelike westerse samelewing waarin ons leef is daar diskoerse en meta-narratiewe wat dikteer wat van ons as huweliksmaats verwag word. Ons is dikwels onbewus van hoe hierdie verwagtinge, rolle en eise wat aan ons gestel word, deur verskillende diskoerse en stories tot stand gekom het. Die spesifieke lewenstorie en omstandlghede van die indiwidu(e) word meestal in die proses geignoreer, byvoorbeeld die saamleef met 'n huweliksmaat wat "gediagnoseer" is as iemand met 'n "bipolêre gemoedsversteuring", bring noodwendig omstandighede mee wat vir die meeste mense onuithoudbaar mag wees. Hierdie studie vertel die storie van 'n persoon wie daarin kon slaag om ten spyte van hierdie "omstandighede", sy storie so te kon herskryf dat hy steeds met hierdie persoon suksesvol binne die huwelik kan saamleef. Die studie fokus op 'n persoon, wie se lewe op grond van die christelike narratief leef, se belewing van die saamleef met 'n persoon met 'n "bipolere gemoedsversteuring". Die algemene doel van die studie was om aan die deelnemer 'n geleentheid te skep om sy belewinge in die saamleef van 'n persoon met 'n "bipolêre gemoedsversteuring" te kon deel. 'n Spesifieke fokus is geplaas om die rol wat christelike spiritualiteit speel in die verwerking en hantering daarvan, te beskryf. Daar is ook aan die persoon geleentheid gegee om op grond van sy belewlnge en verstaan van christenskap, aanbevelings te maak aan die professlone!e gemeenskap, die geloofsgemeenskap en aan huweliksmaats wat met soortgelyke omstandighede meet saamleef. Die navorslng is vanuit 'n postmoderne diskoers-oogpunt aangepak en op 'n kwalitatiewe wyse uitgevoer by wyse van 'n gevallestudle. Die deelnemer se storie is deur middel van sosiale konstruksieteorie en 'n narratiewe terapeutiese benadering, gedekonstrueer. Dit was duidelik vanuit die studie dat die funksie wat mense se spirituele oortuiginge en hul belewing daarvan in hul lewens verrig, in berekening gebring moet word in die terapeutiese proses. Wanneer kliënte belangrike besluite moet neem, moet die invloed van geloofsoortuiginge in die besluitnemingsproses in berekening gebring word. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. - (Pastoral Theology)

no abstract available / Class, Near & far East & Rel / MA - SP ANC LANG AND CULT

no abstract available / Class, Near and far East and Rel / MA - SP ANC LANG AND CULT

This study examines marriage in the life and writings of three eminent Particular Baptists: John Gill (1697‒1771), Samuel Stennett (1727‒1795), and Andrew Fuller (1754‒1815). Eighteenth-century England was a time of great transition in society, especially related to the institution of marriage. Legal developments, shifting cultural norms, and various social issues contributed to a complex period in which many questions arose regarding marriage. This dissertation demonstrates how Gill, Stennett, and Fuller set forth a biblical understanding of marriage in their generation through their preaching, writing, and faithful leadership as husbands. Their commitment to a biblical spirituality of marriage is evidence of their theological continuity with the Puritan tradition and serves as a helpful example for Christians today.

This dissertation compares the family and marriage traditions of the Ashantis of Ghana and Ancient Hebrews. Some common features characterize the two societies, principal among which is the idea that having children is the key purpose of marrieage above love and intimacy. Others are the low status of the wife in the domestic context; endogamy rules based on consanguinity; and payment of bride price. However, the two traditions differ in important areas. For example, the Ashantis follow kinship system based on matrilineal descent, succession and inheritance and the girl child is preferred. The patriarchal system of the Ancient Hebrews invest all authority in the father and the male heirs is preferred. Other defining factor in Ashanti and Pentateuchcal marriage is their religion and belief systems. Much of the marriage traditions seem to be cultural references rather than religious imperatives binding on Christians today. / Old Testament & Ancient Near Eastern Studies / Thesis (M.Th.)

As sometime course facilitator of the Marriage Preparation Course of my faith community, an Anglican Church of Southern Africa, I had become curious as to what meaning the couples had constructed of their participation in these courses, particularly relating to both the content and style of facilitating the Course. The research finding determined that the main value of the Course had been that the group discussions enabled couples to explore their personal positions on a number of issues related to marriage. The adoption of participative action research as a broad model for the Course is recommended to encourage the engagement between premarital couples and the course facilitator to create/find knowledges and practices that will prepare them for marriage. Furthermore, the course facilitator should adopt a not-knowing, curious stance toward the elements of marriage under discussion, employing the narrative tools of externalisation and deconstructive questioning to facilitate the couples' meaning-making. / Practical Theology / M.Th.(Specialization in Pastoral Therapy)