The thesis of this study is that both Pentecostal and non-Pentecostal churches can grow at a time when only the Pentecostal churches have grown. The stagnation that has occurred in many "mainline" churches need not be allowed to increase or continue. In Venda (Northern Province) both the Lutherans and the Pentecostals have enjoyed visible growth. Chapter I introduces the thesis, the choice of the study area, the objectives of the study, and the typology, methodology and relevance of the study. Chapter 2 looks at the history and socio-economic background of the Vhavenda. Chapter 3 describes traditional Vhavenda beliefs and rituals. The Vhavenda world-view is different from that of the West but closer to that of the East and the Bible. Chapter 4 concentrates on missionary Christianity in Venda and briefly discusses the missionary methods adopted by the Berlin Missionary Society. Chapter 5 discusses the coming of Pentecostalism to South Africa and Venda. Chapter 6 exaruines how the Lutherans and the Apostolic Faith Mission church conducted their mission during the "maturation of Apartheid" in Venda. Major events in the collision between apartheid and the Vhavenda are highlighted. Chapter 7 discusses the unfinished work of the church in Venda. Chapter. 8 examines the challenge for Christian mission in the . . twenty-first century / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D. Th. (Missiology)

This thesis is a critical missiological analysis of Pentecostal mission, specifically of the Congo Evangelistic Mission (CEM) in the Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It investigates how CEM members have been interpreting and expressing the Christian message in and for the context of Katanga Province through their communal life, worship and mission since its inception in 1914. It also asks the methodological question of how such a Pentecostal mission could best be studied and evaluated missiologically. To carry out this investigation the researcher developed a “Pentecostal Praxis Missiological Approach” which he used extensively throughout his study. Chapter two demonstrates that, while British missionaries brought the CEM to Katanga province, it was the early Congolese pioneers who actually spread the movement to different parts of Katanga and beyond its borders. Chapter three shows how CEM members have analysed the Congolese context, identifying it as a lost, unholy and socially broken society with high levels of poverty, unemployment and poor access to basic needs; it is also beset with problems of war and conflict, corruption and injustices as well as abuse of women. Chapter four focuses on the spirituality of power that inspires and motivates the CEM in the various dimensions of its mission. Chapter five uses mainly liturgical sources like prayers, songs and sermons to construct the Pentecostal theology of mission that guides and directs the CEM in its mission. Chapter six explores the agents and strategies of mission that the CEM uses to address the missional challenges they identify in their context. The final chapter raises six key missiological issues that emerged from the study and that require the attention of missiological scholars in order to foster the future of Pentecostal mission in Congo and the Southern African region as a whole. These issues are: preventing ongoing schisms, evangelising members of other religious traditions, the scope of healing, the impact of rapture theology, the place of women in ordained Pentecostal ministry, and the extent of contextualisation in the CEM. Keys terms Katanga Province, / Christian Spirituality, Church History & Missiology / D.Th. (Missiology)

The subject of migrants’ social integration in receiving countries is a growing debate in the 21st century amongst the international community and the nations of the world. It is a serious concern for many organizations advocating for social justice. The Church worldwide and the migrant church in Durban South Africa in particular, is called to be among the defenders and promoters of migrants’ social integration; integration which will bring forth migrants’ social and economic contribution to the development of Durban’s social and economic life. This view of this study is that in the post-apartheid period sufficient attention has not been paid by the South African government, policy-makers and the church in the welcoming and protection of migrants who have “flooded” the country. The lack of preparedness has resulted in migrants being used as scapegoat by some South Africans on the pretext that they lower the country’s social life, steal national citizens’ jobs and commit crime. This growing social and economic discomfort in South Africa resulted in xenophobic violence in May 2008. The dissertation surveys migrants’ challenges in South Africa and Durban in particular. It explores the response of a migrant Pentecostal church called Faith Ministries Durban (FMD) to these challenges, as well as its contribution to the promotion of Congolese migrants’ social integration. The study further explores, among other aspects, the theology of migration. This exploration is a call to theologians to advocate for migrants’ care and rights so that they may not endure discrimination, abuse and struggle because of them being outsiders. Migrants have to benefit equal rights as fellow South Africans. From the life narratives of ten FMD’s members, the study explores FMD’s role in the lives of its migrant members. / Christian Spirituality, Church History & Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

Text in German / The Study “The Growth of Pentecostal Churches in the USSR during the 20th Century” is a contribution to the research in the field of church development. The objective of this research is to investigate which missiological factors led the people in the Soviet Union to join the pentecostal churches. It should be noted that there is a wide gap in the area of international studies regarding the pentecostal movement in general.1 This can also be applied to the pentecostal movement in the USSR. So far, academic research has hardly given this area the necessary attention. For this reason the present dissertation tries to close this gap. Since this research not just follows a scientific-theoretical interest, the result should also be of use for future church development in Germany. The present historical and practical theological portrayal of the Russian pentecostal movement is based on extensive literary research. It should be given a wide as possible and yet critical review of the Russian, German and English literature. This study aims to open the difficult to access Russian literature to the German public. Moreover, the available literature is analyzed under a historical missiological aspect and practical theological conclusions are drawn from that / Practical theology / M.Th. (Practical theology)

This study is about refugee women from the Great Lakes Region, who are living in Pietermaritzburg and face many challenges that contribute to their vulnerability to HIV and AIDS. These include the challenges of language barriers, lack of communication, gender based violence, and other socio-economic problems. This dissertation seeks to investigate critically some of the gender-based challenges that the refugee women from Great Lakes Region face in Pietermaritzburg which can make them vulnerable to HIV and AIDS. Though there is much literature written on the challenges of women refugees in Africa, there is not much written on the challenges of refugee women who live in cities. This study was involved to eight women and two male church leaders of the French-Swahili church in Pietermaritzburg where these refugee women fellowship. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007.

This research work is set out to investigate healing practised in Africa today. There are many ways of healing in African; others are classified as foreign because they came out of Africa especially from European influence while others are considered local or traditional. The research shall dig out the influence of what is known as foreign methods or approaches of healing in Africa today and what African healing can learn from other methods of healing practised today. There shall be contemporary stories and facts about the situation of healing today and relevant statistics where necessary. The research also comes out with appropriate suggestions on how to combat contemporary illnesses of today. This includes what should be improved and how. This work covers the whole of Africa. / Philosophy and Systematic Theology / M.Th. (Systematic Theology)

The Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) of South Africa was established in 1908 and is regarded as the source from which Zionist and Apostolic Churches sprang. A study of archival records and secondary sources leads to a conclusion that the black Section of the AFM was, for many decades since its inception, almost indistinguishable from these churches in their beliefs, practices and appearance. The processes to rid the AFM of Zionism, which began in 1929, and were intensified from the 1940s, led to black Pentecostalism shedding most of its Zionist-like beliefs and practices to become an evangelical Pentecostal movement oddly aligned to white interests and expectations. These changes took place at the expense of black agency which Zionist-like Pentecostalism represented and was a testimony thereof. Central to the idea of agency is possession of an interest or idea and power to pursue this interest or realise one's idea. The loss of agency by black Pentecostals is lamentable; this study calls for a reawakening that will mobilise among others, black Pentecostals' cultural resources in theologising and expressing the gospel mandate in a reawakening Africa. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Church History)

Text in Afrikaans / In this dissertation, different aspects of aChurch leadership" are examined from a Pentecostal perspective. The framework is composed of literature compiled over the past twenty years. Especially the relationship between Church Leadership and the working of the Holy Spirit comes under the searchlight. The Theological theory underlying the Church Leadership exponents as well that of the Pentecostal movement are developed and critically evaluated. The Pentecostal ideal is that church leadership will function as leadership within a church context under the guidance and "working of the Holy Spirit The Pentecostal movement emphasises that the working of the Holy Spirit is the criticalfactor determining the effectiveness of the church. In the literature en Church leadership, the main focus is placed on the key role of church leadership with specific reference to the functional aspects and skills that church leaders need to be effective. The implication of both the aforementioned points are discussed and compared as well as the possible implications for both are indicated. Systematic theological issues concerning the role of persons in specific offices in different church traditions are avoided. It is stated that in the literature on Church Leadership more emphasis should be placed in the Working of the Holy Spirit as the critical factor in church leadership. It is clear that there is not enough emphasis on the working of the Holy Spirit if taken into account the importance thereof for the church as a whole. An approach to church leadership as "spiritual leadership" could assist in future research on this matter. In chapter one the framework of this study is explained. Chapter two reflects on the development of the Pentecostal perspective and chapter three on the Church leadership perspective. The different topics, similarities, critical reflections, evaluations and recommendations are presented in the last chapter. / In hierdie proefskrif word daar vanuit 'n Pinksterperspektief 'n ondersoek gedoen na kerkleierskap. Die raamwerk is literatuur wat in die afgelope twintig jaar oor hierdie onderwerp na vore gekom het. Veral die verband wat aangebied word tussen kerkleierskap en die werking van die Heilige Gees, kom onder die soeklig. Die teologiese teoriee onderliggend aan die standpunte van die kerkleierskap-eksponente sowel as die van die Pinksterbeweging word ontwikkel en krities beoordeel. Die Pinksterideaal is dat kerkleierskap gekenmerk sal word as leierskap wat funksioneer onder die Ieiding en werking van die Heilige Gees. Die Pinksterbeweging beklemtoon dat die werking van die Heilige Gees die deurslaggewende faktor is vir die effektiewe werking en ontwikkeling van die kerk. In die literatuur oor kerkleierskap word daarenteen hoofsaaklik klem geplaas op die sleutelrol van kerkleierskap met spesifieke verwysing na die funksionele aspekte en vaardighede wat kerkleiers benodig met die oog op die uitbouing van die kerk. Die implikasies van beide beklemtoninge word ontwikkel en met mekaar vergelyk en moontlike implikasies vir beide word aangetoon. Sistematies-teologiese vraagstukke rakende die rot van persona in bepaalde ampte in verskillende kerklike tradisies word vermy. Dit word beredeneer dat daar in die literatuur oar die onderhawige onderwerp meer klem geplaas behoort te word op die werking van die Heilige Gees as die deurslaggewende faktor vir suksesvolle kerkleierskap. Dit is duidelik dat daar nie genoegsaam gefokus word op die werking van die Heilige Gees nie ten spyte van die belangrikheid daarvan vir die kerklike praktyk in geheel. Die moontlikheid om kerkleierskap eerder te omskryf en te benader as "geestelike leierskap” bied moontlikhede ten opsigte van toekomstige navorsing op die gebied. In hoofstuk een worrd die raamwerk waarbinne die studie ontwikkel uiteengesit. Hoofstuk twee bied die basis waarbinne die Pinksterstandpunt ontwikkel het terwyl hoofstuk drie die onderwerp vanuit 'n kerkleierskapsperspektief benader. Klemverskille, ooreenkomste, kritiese besprekings, evaluering en aanbevelings word in die laaste hoofstuk aangebied. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D.Th. (Practical Theology)

The world has become more and more religiously plural. It is therefore essential to acknowledge the meaningful aspects in the essence of all religions, including African Religion. The dissertation seeks to highlight the concept, ”continuity of life” in African Religion. Special emphasis is placed on the Zulus due to the vastness of the African continent. Three areas are investigated to show that there is the belief in life after death in African Religion, as it is the case with all great world religions, such as Judaism, Islam and Christianity. These are the sacredness of life, marriage with the gift of children as a blessing from the ancestors, as well as rites and ceremonies associated with death which show that the dead are still alive in a mysterious form. The conclusion is therefore that African Religion has a world status and should be included amongst the great world religions. / Religious Studies and Arabic / M. Th. (Biblical Studies)

This dissertation is an analysis of differing Pentecostal experiences in Apostolic Faith Mission from its inception, with specific reference to the AFM of South Africa and AFM in Zimbabwe.The study examines: The brief history of the AFM. This begins with the Azusa Street Revival in Los Angels. Pentecostalism then spread to South Africa through John G. Lake with the founding of AFM of South Africa. AFM filtered into Zimbabwe where it faced stiff resistance from government authorities and established mainline churches. Theologies and spiritual gifts which make Pentecostalism different from other faiths. Main doctrines and tenets of faith discernible from the brief historical outline. A general outline of phases in Pentecostalism. An attempt will be made to determine whether these phases are applicable to AFM. This dissertation is a contribution towards reconciling diverging views concerning Pentecostalism in the AFM because various congregations of the same denomination behave and believe differently. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.Th. (Systematic Theology)