Contributing to scholarship that explores human suffering within mediated culture has provided the impetus for this PhD thesis. I propose that suffering in mediated modernity be considered in social, cultural, and theological terms; and specifically in the context of privation, a term applied by Saint Augustine to the integrated problems of suffering and evil. Privation, to Augustine, meant negation: a vacuum of human existence understood as the absence of positive, sustaining life forces. I attempt to update this concept by arguing that a modern definition of privation can be conceived of as variable states of human deprivation such as loss, dislocation, isolation, and hunger. Privation encompasses these states of deprivation, expressing the kind of suffering that occurs in mediated culture. To narrow the mediated-culture aspect of the study, I explore the topic of fandom, which I define as “the intentional socialization of textual consumption,” and I attempt to show how privation exists in several well-defined forms within a wide variety of fan cultures (groups of fans). In short, fans use their fandom to satisfy their privation in four ways: through connectivity, release, identification, and empowerment. The corresponding deprivations include dislocation, animus, isolation, and hunger. I bring these concepts together in the form of deprivations requiring satisfactions described as dislocation/connectivity, animus/release, isolation/identification, and hunger/empowerment. In each case I attempt to provide analysis and discussion of relevant findings based on empirical research, and in a final discussion I integrate supportive ideas from theories of attachment, catharsis, identification, and empowerment. My methods of research include a combination of secondary source analysis; two distinct phases of questionnaire-based research among 256 fans from various fan cultures; and a case study approach to the online fan culture of the Harry Potter books by Edinburgh author J.K. Rowling.

Psychology has systematically entered and even taken possession of the field (sphere) of Biblical counselling. A number of studies have already been assumed regarding theology and psychology. The underlying problem remains: which theology is compared with which psychological paradigm. The reformed pastor finds his grounding in the five solae of the reformation as it is named in the formulae of unity. Four paradigms are recognized in psychology. Each has its own key figure. The doctrine and life of these key figures have been examined. The finding was that these people, inclusively, had above average exposure to Scripture and has yet denied it at the cost of a faith in the capability of the individual to work his own salvation. The result is that none of these paradigms is reconcilable with the reformed pastorate / Thesis (M.A. (Theology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

The self-revelation of God through His manifested Presence took place in a variety of natural, cultural and historical spaces. Most importantly it was found in the liturgical communion of His people with Him. This was found in the public worship events, which in the Old Testament took place in the Tabernacle, synagogues and the Temple. This Temple of God, as a spiritual and symbolic space, had always been characterised by the indwelling Presence of God. In the New Testament the role of the Temple changed and the Church as God's community became the space where the believer experienced his/her spirituality. From Jesus Christ came forth His glorious Church that would be the dwelling-place of the Presence of God. The historical development of the Church brought about a diversity of theological and spiritual developments. These developments were always aided by the spaces that were created for spiritual experience and liturgical communion. These spaces included grand basilicas, small stone Churches and natural monastic spaces. In these spaces spirituality was nurtured and aided by liturgical activities, music, art and other aesthetic symbols. With the dawning of the 2lst century the world has changed drastically. The process of post-modernism has changed the way people live and also the way people experience their spirituality. Therefore, the Church has a task to think and plan strategically about the spaces for people to experience spirituality that she creates in this postmodern world. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Pastoral))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006

This study is concerned with the nature of pastoral care and its practice in contemporary British Methodism. Both aspects are explored by means of postal surveys of Methodist ministers, local preachers and other lay members, as well as case study interviews with circuit ministers. These explorations take place in the context of a brief historical overview of the roots of Methodism and a characterisation of the theological viewpoints and spirituality of respondents, which are correlated with the findings of an earlier Anglican study. At the same time a detailed portrait is painted of the biography and ministry of both ministers and local preachers as an aid to understanding their contribution to pastoral care. The nature of pastoral care is discussed and a working definition proposed which emphasises the importance of nurture rather than crisis-oriented care. The perceptions of ministers and local preachers regarding their understanding of the nature of pastoral care are examined, and the influence of theological viewpoint, gender and age is explored. Pastoral practice within Methodism is evaluated and some difficulties and areas of weakness are pin-pointed. Comparison of the perceptions and practice of pastoral care reveals that whereas ministers have a balanced view of pastoral care, frequently such care tends to be crisis-oriented and ministers driven rather than in control of the task: essentially reactive rather than pro-active. A weakness of pastoral care is that it tends to be centred on the full-time professional rather than involving the whole community of faith. It is argued that the divisions between lay and ordained members of the church need to be removed in order to permit effective pastoral care. A working model of pastoral care is proposed, within a Methodist context, which emphasises the functional nature of full-time personnel and the importance of local leadership.

We will make it our purpose of this thesis to approach Christian marriage from a two-fold standpoint; we will search for the New Testament concept of marriage, unhampered by set theological patterns of thought; we will approach it psychologically.

No description available.

This thesis examines the role and importance of numerical data for the Church of Scotland in relation to areas of mission and planning at a time when the Church of Scotland has experienced sustained numerical decline in formal membership and in church attendance. Within the various chapters of this work, the historical connection of the national church with numerical information is charted, detailing the long association it has had with the gathering and assessment of statistical data. The role of data as a valid component within an understanding of practical theology is discussed as is the connection between mission and measurement through an assessment of ‘data rich’ missiological schemes, including the Church Growth Movement, Healthy Church and the Natural Church Development Process. Three significant surveys of Church of Scotland leaders examine whether the national Census of 2011 and other statistical information was considered useful to local clergy for strategic purposes. Ministers were surveyed about their use of data prior to and following the release of the 2011 census data. They were subsequently surveyed following distribution of initial data from the Scottish Churches Census of 2016. This study therefore provides essential insights into the use made and the value held by ministers of data of this nature. The analysis carried out encourages the Church of Scotland nationally to further develop and enhance data provision for the benefit of their leaders. The response of the Church of Scotland to numerical decline has been to engage in an exercise of managed organisational planning in partnership with presbyteries. This thesis includes a critical examination of presbytery planning by the Church of Scotland and an attempt by one presbytery to utilise quantitative data as its key determinant for ministry allocation. The case studies undertaken identify a range of issues, some being attitudinal in nature and others, practical. An additional case study provided insight into the extent to which strategic information was available within a local congregational setting and the part it played in local decision making. The practical nature of this thesis is evidenced in a wide-ranging list of recommendations offered to the Church of Scotland towards the creation of a new organisational framework for dealing with data, new training offered to church leaders and the enhanced provision of data for use in planning and mission - nationally, regionally and locally.

This interdisciplinary cultural studies research uses critical discourse analysis to review the four political declarations on HIV & AIDS adopted by the United Nations in 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2016. Religion is implicated in the tensions and conflicts around issues of HIV and sexual and reproductive health and rights in the negotiations that hinders consensus, resulting in compromises and omissions in the texts. The research identifies four dominant discourses in the declarations and an additional two in the wider HIV response of relevance to these tensions; a public health, biomedical discourse; a human rights, gender equality and community engagement discourse; political discourses of leadership and national sovereignty; and a traditional religio-cultural discourse. In the wider HIV response a broader religious discourse and secularist discourse are evident but missing from the text of the declarations. This critical discourse analysis of the declarations investigates how the discourses interact in the text; how the traditional religio-cultural discourse influences the text; what is missing from the final text; and reasons for the gaps. Close textual analysis of the declarations identifies tension between the public health, human rights/gender equality discourses and the traditional religio-cultural and national sovereignty discourses. The traditional religio-cultural discourse operates to limit public health and rights-based approaches to HIV prevention and frames women and girls as passive victims, without agency to exercise their rights. When compared against UNAIDS strategies as a standard, the declarations are missing commitments to address the risks of key populations to HIV. Missing also is reference to any contributions the faith community brings to the epidemic. The broad religious discourse includes supportive approaches to public health, human rights and gender equality, with the potential to bridge gaps in the negotiations. The traditional religious discourse is implicated in gaps in the text on key populations and rights. The dominance of secularism at the UN is implicated in exclusion of the broad religious discourse. While obstacles around rights-based approaches to HIV prevention and key populations persist, common ground and synergies between the discourses exist. Recommendations include: to ask new questions at the UN about the role secularism plays that may increase space for conservative voices to operate; seeking new ways of working to bridge some of the gaps; and including different perspectives that have the potential to bridge the gaps and open up new ways to achieve consensus.

This research case was divided into five facets (amacala) and was carried out in Mthatha at the Eastern Cape Province and in the University of Pretoria in Gauteng Province. The first phase of this project was aimed at introducing a general introductory chapter to this study, the second phase was a research methodology, the third phase was literature review of the related publications, the fourth phase was the pastoral therapeutic process and interviews, the fifth phase was the final phase that cycled off this dissertation with the summary of findings and the conclusions of the research project with recommendations. The uniting factor to help these weak three grouping families would be the theocentric family based on Trinitarian unconditional love covenant, grace, empowering and intimacy. The pastoral care narrative counseling should be based on narrative therapy supported by the Word of God basically in Acts 4.10&12, John 1: 12-13. The marriage question seemed to be source or relationship counselling which also needed theocentric approach to return to family origin of God. The Eurocentric, Africentric and Asiacentric approaches are not the answers to the infected and affected African families experiencing loss and grief and both European and Asian families have the same origin as that of African family, the theocentric family of God. This need further investigate especially to the extended family in Africa and Asia and Asiatic family on Asiatic side. Polygamy also would need much attention since it could be a source of traumatic event to both African and Asian families. Church involvement to counselling was not yet clear how parishioners were trained to help the pastor in the therapeutic activities. / Dissertation (MA(Theol))--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Practical Theology / unrestricted

This thesis is to be primarily a character analysis. Naturally that will eliminate considerations that might be easily included. As far as possible a strenuous effort will be made to avoid detailed discussions about theological issues that inescapably belong to such a study as this. In a character analysis we must be concerned principally with individuality in persons. By that we mean to treat all those features and characteristions which distinguish the new man from the old. Those theological factors having to do primarily with the state of man in his relation to God will only be touched upon. It is impossible to locate such factors as justification, pardon. sanctification, adoption, and salvation in a character study. These are basic to the character of the new man it is true, but they constitute a relationship between himself and God and cannot possibly be discerned excepting as the results manifest themselves in qualities of character. The Apostle Paul uividly describes the characteristics of both the old man and the new. These can be arranged and classified under the primary functions that constitute personality.