No abstract available / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Practical Theology / unrestricted

This research deals with poverty as a context in which pastoral care is developed and practiced. The research is done from the “belly of the whale” as liberation theologians usually say. Efforts are made to study poverty from the painful reality as experienced by the poor. It is theology (pastoral care) from the “underside of history.” The research:</p - Studies poverty from the perspective of the poor, with specific reference to their pastoral care needs. - Critically reviews pastoral care literature, with specific focus on the stand taken on poverty in the past and present. - Consolidates what emerged from literature with the empirical, qualitative research that is conducted amongst the poor. This is in view of developing a pastoral care model that is contextual, relevant and liberating. Having listened to the poor as the “living human documents” and having compared that with literature this research proposes a model of pastoral care that is contextual and liberating. The proposed model takes the following seriously: -African worldview, which is communal and systemic in contrast to the Western worldview, which is individualistic. -Socio-economic and political conditions and context of the poor. This model takes seriously the socio-economic and political dimensions of life as experienced by the poor. These conditions are to be addressed pastorally by a holistic and multi-dimensional model that is proposed in this research -The poor as “living human documents” are not only read and understood, as if they merely passive participants but are taken seriously and regarded as central to the both the pastoral action and the liberation process. Pastoral care has to help establish an environment of empowerment in which the poor play a central role in uprooting socio-economic and political roots of their problems and troubles. -Liberation theology and its methodology. -The preferential option of God, which should be adopted by the church and by pastoral care. Both the church and pastoral care should also be politically committed to the poor and be in solidarity with the poor The proposed model is referred to as holistic-multi-dimensional pastoral care / Thesis (PhD (Practical Theology))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Practical Theology / PhD / unrestricted

This thesis looks at the experiences and needs of pastoral counsellors and ministers regarding ethical dilemmas in performing their pastoral duties. Brief attention was paid to the nature of pastoral counselling and the challenges it faces in the South African context. The problem that arose is that pastoral counsellors have a difficult and ethically and psychologically dangerous task and are not necessarily adequately prepared for or supported in that task. As such it is a study conducted within the framework of practical theology. A social constructionist paradigm, supported by a narrative approach to research was chosen. Thus the research was of a descriptive, qualitative nature. The empirical research took on the form of unstructured interviews with pastoral counsellors and others who work in related circumstances. Eight themes were identified as playing a role in pastoral counsellors’ experiences of ethical dilemmas and ethical decision-making. They are: The role of God and faith in the life of the pastoral counsellor; pastoral identity; evangelisation, prayer and preaching; hermeneutics and the role of the Bible; training and the role of mentors; approach to ethics and ethical dilemmas. Professional ethics was also identified as a contributing factor in the literature review. It was shown that these themes cannot be separated from one another and all contribute toward pastoral counsellors’ way of thinking about and dealing with ethics. A further survey of philosophical issues – such as postmodernism, pluralism, relativism, social constructionism and the South African context – shed light on the challenges pastoral counsellors face in ethical dilemmas, as a result of the postmodern discourses that influence contemporary thinking about ethics in general and Christian ethics in specific. It also showed that thinkers within the church have proposed various useful responses to these challenges. This study has shown that the emerging profession of pastoral counselling is faced with great challenges in terms of ethics. Pastoral counselling in South Africa is unique, because of the unique nature of South African society. However, the goals and principles of pastoral counselling remain the same. The value of the Judeo-Christian community’s history and the legacy of hope that has been built by pastoral counsellors in the recent past cannot be underestimated. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Practical Theology / unrestricted