Thesis (PhD(Kerkreg)--University of Pretoria, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [286]-303)

Thesis (D. D.(Church History and Church Polity))--University of Pretoria, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 408-412).

Thesis (D. Phil.(New Testament Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2000. / Summary in English. Includes bibliographical references.

M.A. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Afrikaans: In hierdie proefskrif word 'n postmoderne weergawe van die filosofiese redekritiek gesitueer binne die hermeneutiese raamwerke van die onderskeie eietydse diskoerse van die filosofie en die gangbare teologie in die Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika. Vanuit 'n Kantiaanse oriëntering word aangetoon dat daar pogings was om die spanning tussen moderne filosofie en die gangbare teologie in die Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk te bestendig. Die vrugbare gesprek in die Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk oor die verhouding teologie-filosofie gedurende die negentigerjare word in hierdie verband krities geresumeer en van 'n analitiese forum voorsien. Postmoderniteit word vervolgens geanaliseer en beskryf as wesenlik redekritiek met dringende identiteitskritiese implikasies. Hier kry die kandidaat se teologiese aansluiting by 'n filosofiese kontinuum waarvan Nietzsche die oorsprong was en wat eietyds verteenwoordig word deur veral Foucault en Adorno, reliëf. Vanuit hierdie weergawe van die postmoderne redekritiek tree die kandidaat, met verwysing na 'n "negatief-dialektiese teologie" en 'n "postmoderne hermeneutiek", met die gevestigde etiese-, konfessionele- en dialektiese tradisielyne in die gangbare teologie in die Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk en die neerslagte daarvan in hierdie kerk se lewe en werk, in gesprek. English: From the premise of a (postmodern) critique of instrumental reason, this dissertation explores some consequences of such a critique for church and theology. The candidate finds an intimate relation between the philosophical critiques of reason in the work of Nietzsche, Adorno, Foucault and his own theological position which is being described as a "negative dialectical theology". A postmodern critique of reason as presented here is very specific in its relation to history, society and knowledge. It has as its main influence or philosophical source the Kantian project of limiting conventional theoretical rationality. From this Kantian position it proceeds to show how Nietzsche exploited the Kantian notion of the limits of reason and how Adorno and Foucault extended Nietzsche's position to its most extreme but, nevertheless, logical socio-historical consequences. This critique of reason boils down to a somewhat subversive stance. By teaming up with Adorno and Foucault, the candidate describes both modernity and Enlightenment as something to be overcome, to be transgressed, exactly because of the dangerously ambivalent nature of modernity's favorite presentation of rationality: instrumental reason, which focuses on identity thinking, cognitive results and the formalization of reality. The implications of a postmodern critique of reason extend towards a deep rooted pessimism of modern culture, a critique of its systems of knowledge and actions, a critique (or at least recognition) of the typical-modern configuration of power into "normal" socio-historical discourses such as those we find in the institusionalised church and in theology, a critique of identity thinking, a critique of rational propositions (without necessarily agitating for an epistemological relativism), an encouragement to honour the inherent flaws in language and linguistic constructions, the ability to recognize and honour singularity whilst shifting the focus away from universal claims or "master narratives" and, last but not least, the critical recognition of "Otherness" or non-identity. These consequences are brought forward into the socio-historical reality, life and work of the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika and its current theology by strategic means of a negative dialectical theology, a theology which is mutually Nietzschean, Adornian and Foucauldian in its philosophical nature and eventually, in its theological convictions. / Thesis (DPhil (New Testament))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / New Testament Studies / unrestricted

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Thesis (DD (Church History and Church Polity))--University of Pretoria, 2002. / Church History and Church Policy / unrestricted

Text in Afrikaans / Evangelisasiewerk het in die Hervormde Kerk nog nooit regtig van die grand af gekom nie. Jaar na jaar word daar op vergaderings verslag gedoen dat daar in die meeste gemeentes op hierdie gebied nie·veel gebeur nie. Hierdie studie het gevra na die werklike stand van sake tans in die Kerk; die paradigmaverskuiwing wat besig is om plaas te vind; en na 'n moontlike nuwe teorie om die huidige praxis mee te probeer wysig. Die resultate van die ondersoek het die volgende opgelewer: - Tans is daar ongeveer 15% van die gemeentes wat hoegenaamd op 'n georganiseerde wyse by evangelisasiewerk betrokke is; - 0,38% van die totale lidmaattal van die Kerk is toegerus vir evangelisasiewerk, en gebruik hulle opleiding; - Die Kerk het egter reeds die regte besluite in sy vergaderings geneem, soos bv dat die gemeente die evangelis is en dat elke lidmaat betrokke moet wees. Hierdie besluite moet geimplementeer word. Myns insiens kan dit alleen gebeur wanneer daar op gemeentevlak met harde teologiese arbeid deelgeneem word aan die huidige gesprek random 'n prakties-teologiese ekklesiologie. / When the annual reports of the Hervormde Kerk are being studied, it becomes clear that the church finds itself in a crisis. The essence of this crisis manifests itself in the fact that the church is not evangelising the world as it is suppose to do. This study was undertaken to ask what is really going on in the field of evangelisation in the church; to look at the paradigm shift that is taken place at the moment; and, to ask for a new theory to try to alter the current praxis. The results of this study are: - Only 15% of the congregations of the church are involved in organised evangelisation activities; - 0,38% of churchmembers are trained and are using their training to do evangelisation; - The church has already realised that the congregation is suppose to be the evangelist and that every member must be involved in this ministry. But it has not yet come from the ground. This can only happen, I believe, when the congregation starts to participate in finding an ecclesiology for the time and context that we are living in. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / Th. D. (Praktiese Teologie)

Text in Afrikaans / Evangelisasiewerk het in die Hervormde Kerk nog nooit regtig van die grand af gekom nie. Jaar na jaar word daar op vergaderings verslag gedoen dat daar in die meeste gemeentes op hierdie gebied nie·veel gebeur nie. Hierdie studie het gevra na die werklike stand van sake tans in die Kerk; die paradigmaverskuiwing wat besig is om plaas te vind; en na 'n moontlike nuwe teorie om die huidige praxis mee te probeer wysig. Die resultate van die ondersoek het die volgende opgelewer: - Tans is daar ongeveer 15% van die gemeentes wat hoegenaamd op 'n georganiseerde wyse by evangelisasiewerk betrokke is; - 0,38% van die totale lidmaattal van die Kerk is toegerus vir evangelisasiewerk, en gebruik hulle opleiding; - Die Kerk het egter reeds die regte besluite in sy vergaderings geneem, soos bv dat die gemeente die evangelis is en dat elke lidmaat betrokke moet wees. Hierdie besluite moet geimplementeer word. Myns insiens kan dit alleen gebeur wanneer daar op gemeentevlak met harde teologiese arbeid deelgeneem word aan die huidige gesprek random 'n prakties-teologiese ekklesiologie. / When the annual reports of the Hervormde Kerk are being studied, it becomes clear that the church finds itself in a crisis. The essence of this crisis manifests itself in the fact that the church is not evangelising the world as it is suppose to do. This study was undertaken to ask what is really going on in the field of evangelisation in the church; to look at the paradigm shift that is taken place at the moment; and, to ask for a new theory to try to alter the current praxis. The results of this study are: - Only 15% of the congregations of the church are involved in organised evangelisation activities; - 0,38% of churchmembers are trained and are using their training to do evangelisation; - The church has already realised that the congregation is suppose to be the evangelist and that every member must be involved in this ministry. But it has not yet come from the ground. This can only happen, I believe, when the congregation starts to participate in finding an ecclesiology for the time and context that we are living in. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / Th. D. (Praktiese Teologie)

The thesis of this study is to argue that the term “office” and its meaning, as found in the New Testament, cannot be applied without reserve to the understanding of office in the present-day institutionalised church. The focus of this study is on the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa, officially named the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika. For the past few decades, the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika, gave much consideration to the view it holds of “office”. It is nonetheless still necessary to obtain more clarity on the matter insofar as it pertains to the meaning and practical execution of ministry. In this regard, almost every theological discipline can contribute towards obtaining such clarity. From a Biblical and Reformed perspective, the logical place to look for the answer would be in the documentation of both the New Testament and the early church of the second and third centuries CE. This study investigates the origin of “office”, as well as the intention of office as found in the New Testament and writings of the early church. The use of the term “office” and its meaning, as found in the New Testament, would not be appropriate for an understanding of office in the present-day church, as it would amount to an anachronistic use of what early Christians called “ministry”. When explained from a kerygmatic perspective, ministries in the New Testament can only serve as a guideline for the understanding and intention of office in the present-day church. The development of “office” is explained particularly in terms of the development of the concept of “elder” from early Judaism until the times of the church of the second and third century CE. This development is illustrated against the background of the group of Jesus followers surrounding the historical Jesus, the Pauline and deutero-Pauline epistles, including the Pastoral Epistles, as well as the early church. A basic assumption of this study is that the understanding of office and church cannot be separated from one another. Therefore, the development of office is explained against the background of the developing institutionalisation of the earliest church. As the church increasingly began to have a character of institutionalisation, the understanding of office developed within more fixed structures. This study illustrates that Paul’s view of the church, ministries, kerygma and charismata, is of central importance for the understanding of the New Testament’s intention of ministries. / Dissertation (MA(Teologie))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / New Testament Studies / unrestricted

Text in Afrikaans / Talle Christelike kerke in Suid- Afrika, onder meer die Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika, verkeer tans in 'n krisis. Die lidmaattalle toon 'n drasties dalende tendens, minder kinders word gedoop en minder Iidmate le belydenis van geloof af Hierdie krisis, asook die invloed van die postmodernisme op die hedendaagse mens, word aan die hand van die handelingswetenskaplike benadering ondersoek. Die gemeenteboumodel van Kenon L Callahan word gebruik, en daar word gevra tot watter mate hierdie model op die Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika toegepas kan word. Wat sal die prakties- teologiese implikasies daarvan op die gemeenskap van gelowiges in die Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika wees? Die resultaat van die studie is dat die Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika wel met vrug gebruik kan maak van Callahan se model, met inagneming van die kerk se bestaande struktuur, tradisie en geskiedenis. In die toepassing van die model sal daar nuwe, ongekende eise aan die kerk gestel word. / Numerous christian churches in South Africa, including the Dutch Reformed Church of Africa is currently experiencing a crisis. Membership is declining, less children are baptised While new and unknown demands will be made on the church, new and exciting opportunities will also be met each year, and less members are confirmed. This crisis, together with the influence of the post- modernism, is explored using an operational science approach, and a possible solution to this problem is sought. The church growth model ofK.L. Callahan is used to facilitate this research. The applicability of this model to the Dutch Reformed Church of Africa is explored, together with the practical theological implications thereof on the holy community. The result of the study is that the Dutch Reformed Church of Africa can apply Callahan' s model to great affect, while cognisance should be taken of the church's own structure, tradition and history. / Practical Theology / Th. M. (Practical Theology)