Youth Centres such as Faure Youth Centre provide a challenge to questions such as violence and crime. This qualitative research journey started at Faure Youth Centre using narrative pastoral care and counselling and participatory action research to assist the young people there to find alternative ways of standing against violence and crime. Changing circumstances at Faure however, paved the way for the research to follow another direction. This resulted in different voices to emerge and for my family to receive an unexpected `gift' in the process. The `gift' that my pastoral care and counselling at Faure gave to my family initiated a process of change in us and transformed it into a spiralling journey of challenging patriarchal practices and finding alternative ways of living. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.Th. (Practical Theology)

The mission over the last few decades, especially of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, has focused on “confessionalism”. In this specific sense of mission growth—numeric growth— has been a priority, and, unfortunately, not caring for “broken” people. The emphasis has been placed on the age-old proclamation of the “truth”, at the expense of social involvement, as it seems that “truth” transcends the needs of people, even of Christians. This has led to the restricting of the scope of pastoral care, and has limited it to an “applied theology”, where the Old Testament and New Testament studies have dictated its structure and methodology. Within Adventism its view and use of Scripture has dominated its ministry, indicating a number of different methods and approaches. These differences in both the conservative and the liberal orientations only represent their own possibilities. These approaches are the result of a basic understanding of Scripture as a body of divine teachings that needs to be accepted, believed, and obeyed. Consequently, this perception has moved the focus away from caring to the “so-called” correct doctrine of “truth” and proclamation. Postmodernism, however, is challenging the assumptions of modernism and is now confronting us with the understanding that there is no “objective truth”, and that there cannot be a completely detached observer. We observe reality, experience and Scripture not objectively, but rather discern them through the eyes of our own context, experience and history. The thesis, therefore, postulates as useful, just and proper that we experience reality in a narrative fashion within a secular postmodern world. It is through stories that we grasp and appreciate the important factors in our lives. Consequently, a narrative approach is appraised as being a more meaningful tool in approaching Scripture and pastoral care. Narratives are like rituals, they preserve the memory of past events in a way that they still have power for us in the present. As Jesus is a servant of everybody His narratives are transposed and they become accounts of our involvement in the lives of our fellow “sufferers”. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology)

Professional supervision realized in terms of tripartite contract by trained supervisor is a part of care improvement in helping professions. Although pastoral supervision is manifesting many similarities to supervision in helping professions, a difference can be found in the emphasis on its spiritual and theological richness. There is no concept of such perceived supervision in the Czech Republic. This led to the need for mapping the situation of supervision provided to healthcare chaplains in the Czech Republic and for inquiries as to whether the provided supervision comply with the parameters of professional supervision. Spiritually centered holistic pastoral care, which is presented in their work, comes from biblical sources. Thus, spiritual dimension of human existence is firmly founded in the prior understanding of the healthcare chaplain (pastoral worker) and communication is realized in a specific language within specific discourse. Supervision provided to healthcare chaplains should, therefore, react to these circumstances and reflect them. The second phase of the research is concerned with the possible specifics and demands on the supervisor which lead from it. Key words: supervision, pastoral supervision, clinical pastoral care, spirituality, religiosity, spiritually centered holistic...

Thesis (M. Th.)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The thesis introduces a spiritual understanding of terminal care as life care within a pastoral approach to death and dying. The presupposition is that life and death are unavoidably connected, and that a meaningful approach to death and dying in terms of a Christian theological hermeneutics needs to start with the question “What is life?” The concept of a theological hermeneutics serves as an overall paradigm, which is implied within the interplay of life and death. The aim of a hermeneutical approach is to find meaning in living and dying in the fundamental God-human relationship. The eschatological perspective plays a significant role, as it emphasises the already and not yet of eschatology that become evident in every life event. An analysis of the theoretical paradigms and philosophical presuppositions behind a widespread “psychology of death and dying” shows that the phenomenological, client-centred models suffer from an overreliance on inner human potentials in coping with dying. Although these models provide valuable insights into the needs of the dying, they fail to equip individuals with a meaningful paradigm that lasts despite the reality of death. As a result, I propose a “theology of death and dying” that opts for a much more holistic approach to terminal care. Based on the impact of a Christian spiritual concept of life and a pastoral anthropology on a pastoral approach to terminal care, I argue that we do not have to cope with dying by ourselves but can trust in the faithfulness of God who will keep us strong to the end (1 Cor 1:8). As fear of death can effectively only be coped with by caring for life, pastoral care to the dying needs to emphasise the fundamental God-human relationship that guarantees life in spite of death. A unique stance of hope follows from a Christian spiritual understanding of life that overcomes the paradigmatic gap left by psychological approaches to death and dying, and makes us aware that the new life in the Spirit is a quality that we already possess. Eventually, the life care approach is applied to a pastoral prevention strategy in the context of the HIV pandemic. I argue the thesis that prevailing HIV prevention programmes suffer from a lack of an overall frame of reference from which to reflect on the necessity for behavioural change. To fill this gap, a spiritual life care approach to the HIV pandemic emphasises the development of a Christian ethos based on an internalised assurance of the purpose and destiny of human life, which can function as an overall paradigm behind a prevention strategy. This pastoral prevention strategy is based on the assumption that positive change, the anticipation of a better future and true hope derive from an understanding of who we are as human beings before and in relationship with God. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis stel ʼn spirituele begrip van terminale sorg as lewensorg binne ʼn pastorale benadering tot dood en sterfte bekend. Die voorveronderstelling is dat lewe en dood onlosmaakbaar verbind is, en dat ʼn betekenisvolle benadering tot dood en sterfte in terme van ʼn Christelike teologiese hermeneutiek met die vraag “Wat is lewe?” ’n aanvang moet neem. Die konsep van teologiese hermeneutiek dien as 'n oorkoepelende paradigma, wat geïmpliseer word binne die wisselwerking van lewe en dood met die doelwit om betekenis te vind in lewe en dood in die fundamentele Godmens- verhouding. ’n Eskatologiese perspektief speel ’n beduidende rol, aangesien dit die alreeds en die nog nie van eskatologie beklemtoon, wat in elke lewensgebeurtenis duidelik word. ’n Ontleding van die teoretiese paradigmas en filosofiese voorveronderstellings rakende die wydverspreide “sielkunde van dood en sterfte” toon aan dat die fenomenologiese, kliëntgesentreerde modelle gebrek lei as gevolg van hul heftige aanspraak op die innerlike menslike potensiaal om sterfte te hanteer. Alhoewel hierdie modelle kosbare insigte ten opsigte van die behoeftes van die sterwendes bied, faal hulle daarin om individue toe te rus met ’n betekenisvolle paradigma wat volhoubaar is, afgesien van die werklikheid van die dood. Ek staan dus ’n “teologie van dood en sterfte” voor wat ’n veel meer holistiese benadering tot terminale sorg meebring. Gegrond op die impak van ’n Christelike, spirituele konsep van lewe en ’n pastorale antropologie op ’n pastorale benadering tot terminale sorg, argumenteer ek dat ons nie nodig het om die dood op ons eie te hanteer nie omdat ons op die getrouheid van God, wat ons sterk sal hou tot die einde (1 Kor 1:8), kan vertrou. Aangesien die vrees vir die dood slegs deur die omgee vir lewe hanteer kan word, is dit noodsaaklik dat pastorale sorg aan die sterwende die God-mens-verhouding, wat lewe te midde van dood waarborg, beklemtoon. ’n Unieke gesigspunt van hoop volg vanuit ’n Christelike, spirituele begrip van lewe, wat die paradigmatiese gaping wat gelaat word deur psigologiese benaderings tot dood en sterfte vul. Dit maak ons bewus dat die nuwe lewe in die Gees ’n kwaliteit is wat ons alreeds besit. Die lewensorg-benadering word uiteindelik in ’n pastorale voorkomingstrategie in die konteks van die MIV-pandemie toegepas. Ek argumenteer in die tesis dat heersende MIV-voorkomingsprogramme gestrem word deur ’n tekort aan ’n algehele verwysingsraamwerk, vanwaar oor die noodsaaklikheid van gedragsverandering nagedink kan word. Om hierdie gaping te vul, stel ek ’n spirituele lewensorg-benadering voor, wat die ontwikkeling van ’n Christelike etos beklemtoon, gegrond op ’n inwendige sekerheid van die doel en bestemming van menslike lewe, wat as ’n algehele paradigma vir ’n pastorale voorkomingstrategie kan funksioneer. Hierdie voorkomingstrategie is gegrond op die veronderstelling dat positiewe verandering, die verwagting van ’n beter toekoms, en ware hoop voortspruit uit ’n begrip van wie ons as mense voor en in verhouding met God is.

Thesis (MDiv (Practical Theology and Missiology. Divinity))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / In Ecclesiastes 4 the author writes that two people are better than one and that a cord of three strands is not quickly broken (NIV). The Bible is full of examples how godly men and women such as Moses, David, Ruth, Paul, Mark and many others understood this concept and surrounded them with people that could mentor them through life. It important to notice that they were not only mentored in “spiritual matters,” but in life matters. In Jesus’ ministry on earth he often taught about finances (e.g. Matt 25:14-30), marriage (e.g. Matt 5:31), relationships (e.g. Matt 5:44), anxiety (e.g. Matt 6:27) etc. These ‘everyday life issues’ were never separated from spiritual issues such as the Kingdom, forgiveness, holiness etc in Jesus’ teaching. And it would not have been, for in the Jewish culture, as well as the Hellenistic culture of the time, one’s faith was interwoven with all dynamics of life (food, clothing, trade etc). To teach someone about taxes or food, was just as ‘spiritual’ as teaching someone about the attributes of God. Unfortunately the Enlightment era brought a ‘split’ between ‘spiritual’ and ‘life’ matters, which left us with a legacy of Christians who knew their religion, yet were unequipped to live life. In this research paper I believe that it is shown that the local congregation has all the gifts, expertise, wisdom and people from different walks of life that are needed to return to a ‘system’ of life mentoring. It is one of the calls and purposes of the church and is the definition of pastoral care. With the correct informal, yet managed approach, the local congregation can serve as an incubator and network of trans-generational mentoring relationships which will mentor its members as well as non-members to live life in full.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Africa is a continent ravaged by challenges of poverty, scourge of disease and many conflicts, some of which are motivated by religious fanaticism. Indeed, it is a continent in dire need of spiritual, economic and social transformation. In the midst of these challenges, however, faith healing practices have flourished among African communities. Healing is a broad concept, which covers a whole range of social, psychological, cultural and spiritual issues and dimensions in response to unwanted threatening conditions that disturb a harmonious and peaceful existence. The concept of healing is firmly rooted in the soil and soul of Africa. To a certain extent, the popularity of healing practices in many parts of Africa is a result of an African epistemology that accepts healing as a cultural reality. The poor majority are mostly exposed to harsh socio-economic and hazardous health conditions. Thus, many poor people are drawn to healing practices for the following three reasons: Firstly, faith healers promise to heal people of all kinds of illnesses and epidemics through fervent prayers. Faith healers are powerful and charismatic personalities that command a great following as a result of their charisma. Secondly, because African culture is spirit-centred and has a high regard for spiritual powers and forces, Africans are amused by supernatural and are therefore drawn to healing phenomena, as it speaks to their reality and reference framework. Thirdly, faith healing practice is a cost free, alternative intervention strategy for managing illness, especially to the poor masses, who do not have access to specialized medical care. The close relationship between psychosomatic diseases and “African illnesses” is also explored. This is quite evident when considering the types of illnesses faith healers claim people are being healed from during healing practices, for example HIV and AIDS, hypertension, ulcers, bad luck, infertility, witchcraft, and so forth. African illnesses are believed to be unexplainable and untreatable by Western medicine. It is believed to be caused by witchcraft, sorcery and evil, and has similar manifestations as psychosomatic diseases. In the context of a vibrant and growing faith healing practice, there is a need to investigate the spiritual and emotional impact of faith healing on healing seekers, especially when the desired healing doesn‟t materialise. The research field has highlighted the emotional and spiritual challenges caused by illness, as well as the lack of supporting systems to sustain people grappling with illness. The realisation is that healing, as a broad concept, needs a multifaceted approach for effective response. The lack of indigenisation of healing practices with African (Namibian) cultural symbols and cultural milieu was highlighted. Therefore, an effective and culturally relevant pastoral care system should take special cognisance of it and thus, the envisaged pastoral approach of hope and compassion build around it. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Afrika is ‟n kontinent wat geteister word deur armoede, dodelike siektes en konflikte, waarvan sekere gedryf word deur godsdienstige fanatisme. Dit is inderdaad ‟n kontinent wat behoefte het aan geestelike, ekonomiese en sosiale transformsie. Nietemin, ten spyte van hierdie uitdagings, het die gewildheid van geloofsgenesings praktyke in Afrika gemeenskappe toegeneem. Genesing is ‟n breë konsep met „n verskeidenheid van sosiale, sielkundige, kulturele en geestelike aspekte en dimensies, wat reageer op ongunstige toestande of moeilike situaties wat heelsame en harmonieuse leefwyse teenwerk. Genesings praktyke is inderdaad „n integrale deel van mense in Afrika se kulturele bestaan. Die konsep van genesing is dus gegrond in die siel en sand van Afrika. Tot ‟n sekere mate is die gewildheid van genesingspraktyke in baie dele van Afrika toe te skryf aan Afrika epistemologie, wat genesing as deel van die kulturele realitiet aanvaar. Die arm massas is meestal blootgestel aan haglike sosiale en ekonomiese toestande. Dus word baie arm mense na genesingsbedieninge gelok vanweë die onderstaande drie basise redes: Eerstens, as gevolg van die beloftes wat geloofsgeners maak dat hulle mense van enige siekte en kwaal kan genees deur vurige gebede. Geloofsgeners het kragtige en charismatise persoonlikhede waarmee hulle invloed uitoefen en baie volgelinge werf weens hul charisma. Tweedens, vanweë die Afrika kultuur wat geesgesentreed is en hoë agting vir geestelike magte en geestelike werkings het; mense van Afrika word amuseer deur bonatuurlike werkings, omdat dit tot hulle kulturele en verwysingsraamwerk spreek. Derdens, geloofsgenesing is ‟n koste vrye, alternatiewe helings-strategie om siektes te beheer, veral vir armes wat nie bronne het om gespesialiseerde gesondheidsdienste te gebruik nie. Die noue werking tussen psigosomatiese siektes en “Afrika siektes” speel ook ‟n rol. Dit is veral duidelik in die tipe siektes wat geloofsgeners beweeer dat mense van genees word na geloofsgebede, byvoorbeeld MIV en VIGS, hypertensie, maagsere, vloeke, onvrugbaarheid, toordery, ensovoorts. Daar word geglo dat Afrika siektes onverklaarbaar en onbehandelbaar deur Westerse dokters is. Die geloof is dat sulke siektes deur toordery en bose geeste veroorsaak word, en soortgelykke manifestasies as psigosomatiese siektes het. In die konteks van „n groeiende geloofsgenesings bediening, is daar ‟n regverdiging om ondersoek in te stel op die geestelike en emosionele impak van geloofsgenesing op siek mense; spesifiek in gevalle waar genesing nie onmiddelik met gebed geskied nie. Die ondersoek het aan die lig gebring dat siek mense emosioneel en geestelik sukkel in hulle stryd teen siektes. Dit is ook uitgewys dat daar ‟n gebrek is aan ondersteunende strukture vir mense wat met siekte sukkel. Daar is tot die besef gekom dat genesing as ‟n breë konsep „n veelvoudige benadering benodig vir effektiewe terapeutiese respons. Gebrek en onvermoë van geloofsgenesings praktyke om inkulturering met Afrika (Namibiese) kultuur simbole en kulturele fassette te doen was ook uitgewys. Dus, ‟n effektiewe en kultureel relevante pastorale sisteem moet kennis daarvan neem en dit integreer by die voorgestelde pastorale benadering van hoop en meegevoel.

6 ABSTRACT This thesis aims to provide information about the p rinciples of the care for the seriously ill, the dying, and the berieved in the context of the R oman-Catholic Church's pastoral activies. The theoretical section deals with the death from t he Bible's perspective, then with the death as well as the care for the berieved from the pasto ral point of view, and finally with the most suitable approach towards the individuals. In the p ractical part of the thesis, I assess the questionnaire that explores priests' and candidates ' for priesthood attitudes towards the matter of death and dying. The method is the literature an d primary sources analysis and questionnaires, which were used in my own research while collecting concrete experience Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

麥家輝. / "二零零四年六月". / 論文(神(道)學碩士)--香港中文大學, 2004. / 參考文獻 (leaves 54-58) / "Er ling ling si nian liu yue". / Abstracts in Chinese and English. / Mai Jiahui. / Lun wen (shen (dao) xue shuo shi)--Xianggang Zhong wen da xue, 2004. / Can kao wen xian (leaves 54-58) / Chapter 第一章 --- 導言 --- p.(1-9) / Chapter 一、 --- 一切從觀察開始 --- p.（1-3) / Chapter 二、 --- 一切從敎會開始 --- p.（3-4) / Chapter 三、 --- 研究進路、旨趣及論題 --- p.（4-5 ) / Chapter 四、 --- 研究方法：一個質性的研究 --- p.（5-8) / Chapter 4.1 --- 香港平安福音堂相關文獻 --- p.（7) / Chapter 4.2 --- 對牧者作深入個人訪問 --- p.（7-8) / Chapter 五、 --- 研究的最終目標 --- p.（8-9) / Chapter 六、 --- 研究所面對的限制 --- p.（9) / Chapter 第二章 --- 建構理論架構 --- p.（10-23 ) / Chapter 一、 --- 婦女神學的理論建構 --- p.（10-14) / Chapter 1.1 --- 婦女神學的多元性 --- p.（11-13) / Chapter 1.2 --- 婦女神學對性別意識的貢獻 --- p.（13-14) / Chapter 二、 --- 香港平安福音堂的牧養觀 --- p.（14-19) / Chapter 2.1 --- 香港平安福音堂初建立的簡史 --- p.（15-17) / Chapter 2.2 --- 香港平安福音堂的牧養觀 --- p.（17-19) / Chapter 三、 --- 敎會婚前輔導的兩性角色 --- p.（20-22) / Chapter 四、 --- 小結 --- p.（22-23 ) / Chapter 第三章 --- 研究資料分析 --- p.（24-33) / Chapter 一、 --- 香港平安福音堂相關文獻結果分析 --- p.（24-29) / Chapter 1.1 --- 平安月報及年報 --- p.（24-28) / Chapter 1.2 --- 情之旅 --- p.（28-29) / Chapter 二、 --- 對牧者深入訪問結果分析 --- p.（29-32) / Chapter 三、 --- 综合分析結果 --- p.（32-33 ) / Chapter 第四章 --- 對香港平安福音堂婚前輔導兩性角色的牧養觀作出具體建議 --- p.（34-36) / Chapter 一、 --- 加強敎會内對弟兄的牧養事工 --- p.（34-35) / Chapter 二、 --- 對敎會内姊妹的角色作出深入探討 --- p.（35-36) / Chapter 第五章 --- 總結 --- p.（37) / 附件一：平安月報、年報首頁主題文章 --- p.（38-49) / 附件二：深順長元荔區平安福音堂《情之旅》主題内容及出版日期 --- p.（50-51) / 附件三：半結構式深入訪問題目 --- p.（52) / 附件四：受訪者個人資料及訪問基本資料# --- p.(53) / 參考書目 --- p.(54-58) / #所有訪問內容已存放在數碼光碟內，並隨論文附上。

This work deals with pastoral care at the facilities of The Diaconia of the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren (DECCB) with a focus on residential facilities for the elderly. It brings a closer look into the organization DECCB, its history and organizational culture, it summarizes the current knowledge of elderly age. Attention is paid to communication with seniors as well as to residence facilities for the elderly and to spiritual needs in elderly age. The practical part of the thesis presents the results of qualitative research carried out among pastoral workers who work in the residential homes for elderly people. The research deals with the offer of pastoral care in homes, specific questions within individual pastoral care of the elderly, and also personal requirements of the pastoral worker.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the nature of the relationship that attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help have with religiosity and religious orientation among members of the Greek Orthodox Christian Church in the United States. In addition, this study also investigated the nature of the relationship that confessional involvement has with the following variables: intrinsic religious orientation, extrinsic religious orientation, religiosity, attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help, and ethnic background. This is important because Greek Americans, for reasons perhaps related to culture and religion, have historically displayed a reticence to seek professional psychological help when there are psychological problems. There is a paucity of research on the role religiosity and religious orientation has on seeking professional help for mental health problems. Taking a sample from the members of an urban, large-sized Greek Orthodox parish, participants will complete a questionnaire consisting of demographic data, the Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help scale (ATSPPH) short form-revised (Fischer & Farina, 1995); the New Indices of Religious Orientation scale (NIRO) short form (Francis, 2007); and the Christian Orthodox Religiousness Scale (CORS) (Chliaoutakis et al., 2002). The results will be analyzed to provide information useful in understanding the relationship between religiosity, religious orientation and attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help among members of the Greek Orthodox Church. Implications of these findings and suggestions for further research will be discussed.