This research reviewed the neglect of cities in the mission work of the Reformed Churches in Southern Africa with a special reference to churches of Synod Soutpansberg. The biblical passage, Jeremiah 29:1-14 was used, as a representative of other biblical passages, to shed light on the role of cities in mission work of the church while addressing misconceptions and false theology about the cities and the role they played and still play in the mission work of the church. The same biblical message is confirmed by many missiology literature, including, "Cities, Missions' New Frontier" by R.S. Greenway and T.M. Monsma (1989); "City of God - City of Satan" by R.C. Linthicum(1991) and "Discipling the City" by R.S. Greenway (1992). The biblical message and the missiology literature mentioned above were the basis from which the neglect of the role of the cities in the history of the mission work of the Reformed Churches in Southern Africa was studied. From these basis, the causes, implementations and effects of such neglect in the mission work of the Soutpansberg churches was studied in Chapter 3. The empirical research was conducted using the interview questionnaire in Chapter 4. The empirical results and findings, which were presented in this research, can direct churches towards a remedy of the neglect of the cities in their mission work as far as the strategies is concerned. The neglect of the cities in the history of the mission work of the Reformed Churches in Southern Africa was studied with an aim that churches learn from it and hence avoid the past neglect in their present and future mission plans, strategies and programs. In other words, the lesson is important for churches to view the role of the secular cities as important instruments used by God to speed up not only the planting and growing big holy churches from those secular cities outwards, but also the biblical reformation of the rural - orientated theories, strategies and practice! / Thesis (M.A. (Theology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2008.

This research reviewed the neglect of cities in the mission work of the Reformed Churches in Southern Africa with a special reference to churches of Synod Soutpansberg. The biblical passage, Jeremiah 29:1-14 was used, as a representative of other biblical passages, to shed light on the role of cities in mission work of the church while addressing misconceptions and false theology about the cities and the role they played and still play in the mission work of the church. The same biblical message is confirmed by many missiology literature, including, "Cities, Missions' New Frontier" by R.S. Greenway and T.M. Monsma (1989); "City of God - City of Satan" by R.C. Linthicum(1991) and "Discipling the City" by R.S. Greenway (1992). The biblical message and the missiology literature mentioned above were the basis from which the neglect of the role of the cities in the history of the mission work of the Reformed Churches in Southern Africa was studied. From these basis, the causes, implementations and effects of such neglect in the mission work of the Soutpansberg churches was studied in Chapter 3. The empirical research was conducted using the interview questionnaire in Chapter 4. The empirical results and findings, which were presented in this research, can direct churches towards a remedy of the neglect of the cities in their mission work as far as the strategies is concerned. The neglect of the cities in the history of the mission work of the Reformed Churches in Southern Africa was studied with an aim that churches learn from it and hence avoid the past neglect in their present and future mission plans, strategies and programs. In other words, the lesson is important for churches to view the role of the secular cities as important instruments used by God to speed up not only the planting and growing big holy churches from those secular cities outwards, but also the biblical reformation of the rural - orientated theories, strategies and practice! / Thesis (M.A. (Theology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2008.

This research reviewed the neglect of cities in the mission work of the Reformed Churches in Southern Africa with a special reference to churches of Synod Soutpansberg. The biblical passage, Jeremiah 29:1-14 was used, as a representative of other biblical passages, to shed light on the role of cities in mission work of the church while addressing misconceptions and false theology about the cities and the role they played and still play in the mission work of the church. The same biblical message is confirmed by many missiology literature, including, "Cities, Missions' New Frontier" by R.S. Greenway and T.M. Monsma (1989); "City of God - City of Satan" by R.C. Linthicum(1991) and "Discipling the City" by R.S. Greenway (1992). The biblical message and the missiology literature mentioned above were the basis from which the neglect of the role of the cities in the history of the mission work of the Reformed Churches in Southern Africa was studied. From these basis, the causes, implementations and effects of such neglect in the mission work of the Soutpansberg churches was studied in Chapter 3. The empirical research was conducted using the interview questionnaire in Chapter 4. The empirical results and findings, which were presented in this research, can direct churches towards a remedy of the neglect of the cities in their mission work as far as the strategies is concerned. The neglect of the cities in the history of the mission work of the Reformed Churches in Southern Africa was studied with an aim that churches learn from it and hence avoid the past neglect in their present and future mission plans, strategies and programs. In other words, the lesson is important for churches to view the role of the secular cities as important instruments used by God to speed up not only the planting and growing big holy churches from those secular cities outwards, but also the biblical reformation of the rural - orientated theories, strategies and practice! / Thesis (M.A. (Theology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2008.

The statement and the title of the thesis "Towards an intercultural mission" is the starting point for the essay's purpose and examination. Interculturalism is an ideal in which equality and re-ciprocity are characterized by cross-cultural relationships, which is also an objective of international mission. For an intercultural mission, it is therefore necessary to examine which factors may hinder an intercultural approach, which, for this study, justifies searching for underlying unequal structures. The theoretical frame of reference for the analysis is postcolonial theory and feminist theology, which makes it possible to visualize such structures. The purpose of the thesis is therefore to analyze the intention of the international mission work in the Uniting Church in Sweden based on postcolonial feminist theology, and to propose criteria that need to be found for the mission work to be characterized by an intercultural approach. In order to achieve the purpose, it is necessary to answer the following general questions: 1. Is there an awareness of unequal power structures in the culture-crossing relationships in the intentional discourse on mission in the Uniting Church in Sweden? 2. How does interculturalism appear in the international mission in the Uniting Church in Sweden?And; 3. What criteria need to be found for the mission work to be characterized by an intercultural approach?With the help of qualitative content analysis of the Church's public text material, which constitutes the study object; six thematic areas have emerged; gender equality, woman's vulnerability, patriarchal structures, mission and worldview, postcolonial structures, and cooperation and reciprocity. The result has been analyzed on the basis of the concept of interculturality and a proposal for criteria for an intercultural approach has been prepared, among other things, with proposals for clarification of unequal power structures and a critical self-awareness about their own history and cultural values.

Text in German, summaries in English and German / This dissertation is a missiological research on reports of first and second generation missionaries from the Hermannsburg mission society in Germany. The missionaries worked for their lifetime among the Batswana. An important point in the first chapter is the attempt to clarify the theological foundation for the understandung of inculturation, from which my conception later arose. The second chapter deals with the founders of the Hermannsburg missionary society and describes the spiritual background of the missionaries. The following three chapters cover the work of the missionaries, in each case father and son at Dinokana, Bethanie and Phokeng chronologically from 1857 - 1940. Special attention is given to their socio-cultural expierences and traditional-religious knowledge. The last chapter evaluates the work of the missionaries and takes into account the present missiological debate on mission. Here again it becomes clear what I mean by Inculturation. / Die vorliegende Arbeit ist eine missionsgeschichtliche und -theologische Untersuchung uber die ersten beiden Generationen Hermannsburger Missionare unter den Batswana in Transvaal. Im ersten Kapitel stelle ich verschiedene Konzepte zum Verstandnis von lnkulturation vor, aus denen ich Anstosse fur meine eigene Konzeption gewonnen habe. Das zweite Kapitel beschreibt die spirituelle Herkunft der Missionare und ihre theologische Pragung. In den folgenden drei Kapiteln untersuche ich die Arbeit der Missionare, jeweils Vater und Sohn, auf ihren Stationen Dinokana, Bethanie und Phokeng von 1857 - 1940 in chronologischer Reihenfolge. Ein besonderer Schwerpunkt liegt dabei auf den sozio-kulturellen Erfahrungen und traditionell-religiosen Erkenntnissen dieser Missionare. Das letzte Kapitel enthalt eine Bewertung der Missionsarbeit und beleuchtet sie auf den Hintergrund der gegenwartigen missionstheologischen Diskussion. Besonder in diesem Kapitel wird noch einmal deutlich wie ich Inkulturation verstanden habe. / Missiology / D.Th. (Missiology)

Text in German, summaries in English and German / This dissertation is a missiological research on reports of first and second generation missionaries from the Hermannsburg mission society in Germany. The missionaries worked for their lifetime among the Batswana. An important point in the first chapter is the attempt to clarify the theological foundation for the understandung of inculturation, from which my conception later arose. The second chapter deals with the founders of the Hermannsburg missionary society and describes the spiritual background of the missionaries. The following three chapters cover the work of the missionaries, in each case father and son at Dinokana, Bethanie and Phokeng chronologically from 1857 - 1940. Special attention is given to their socio-cultural expierences and traditional-religious knowledge. The last chapter evaluates the work of the missionaries and takes into account the present missiological debate on mission. Here again it becomes clear what I mean by Inculturation. / Die vorliegende Arbeit ist eine missionsgeschichtliche und -theologische Untersuchung uber die ersten beiden Generationen Hermannsburger Missionare unter den Batswana in Transvaal. Im ersten Kapitel stelle ich verschiedene Konzepte zum Verstandnis von lnkulturation vor, aus denen ich Anstosse fur meine eigene Konzeption gewonnen habe. Das zweite Kapitel beschreibt die spirituelle Herkunft der Missionare und ihre theologische Pragung. In den folgenden drei Kapiteln untersuche ich die Arbeit der Missionare, jeweils Vater und Sohn, auf ihren Stationen Dinokana, Bethanie und Phokeng von 1857 - 1940 in chronologischer Reihenfolge. Ein besonderer Schwerpunkt liegt dabei auf den sozio-kulturellen Erfahrungen und traditionell-religiosen Erkenntnissen dieser Missionare. Das letzte Kapitel enthalt eine Bewertung der Missionsarbeit und beleuchtet sie auf den Hintergrund der gegenwartigen missionstheologischen Diskussion. Besonder in diesem Kapitel wird noch einmal deutlich wie ich Inkulturation verstanden habe. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D.Th. (Missiology)