Text in English with summaries in English, Shona and Ndebele / Bibliography: pages 228-252 / The work being reported hereunder focused on spousal conflict as a threat to family cohesion, while exploring a pastoral approach in the Masvingo Diocese in Zimbabwe. Experience as a pastor has shown that domestic violence is cancerous in the Masvingo Diocese and this is proved by alarming statistics about this province. Many marriages have been irrevocably broken down and the moral fabric that used to characterise family cohesion seems to have evaporated into thin air. It is on that premise that the objective of the study was to suggest practical ways that can be employed to facilitate pastoral counselling among families, encountering spousal issues in the Masvingo Diocese. The research is anchored in Viktor Frankl’s Logotherapy, complimented by White’s narrative therapy. The research adopts a mixed method approach which involved closed questionnaires, focus-group discussions and structured interviews. Some 40 respondents constituted the study sample and they were purposively sampled. The research sample consisted of four priests in the five deaneries and 36 ordinary members of the Catholic Church. The key results were that Logotherapy and narrative counselling are effective methods of assisting people to find new meaning in their lives. Practical ways which pastoral counsellors can adopt go a long way in ameliorating internal household strife. It must as well be stated that, as a recommendation, pastors have to take an active role in addressing this malicious domestic violence. Problems of domestic violence can be solved through pastoral care and counselling. / Iyi itsvagurudzo yezvinokonzerwa nemhirizhonga dzemudzimba pakubatana kwemhuri, pachiongororwa nzira yekufambisa chitendero muDunhu reMasvingo. Kubva muruzivo seMufundisi, zvinoratidza kuti mhirizhonga yemudzimba yadzika midzi muDunhu reMasvingo uye izvi zvinotsigirwa neumbowo hunotyisa hunowanikwa mudunhu iri. Michato mizhinji yakakaparadzika zvisingagadzirisiki uye tsika neyemuro yaimbowanikwa pakubatana kwemhuri inenge yakanyangarika pasina anoziva kwayakaenda. Nekuda kwezvikonzero izvi, chinangwa chetsvagurudzo ino ndechekuedza kupa nzira dzingashandiswa pakubatsiridza pakushandisa dzidziso yechitendero kuvanhu vanowirwa nemhirizhonga yemudzimba muDunhu reMasvingo muZimbabwe. Tsvagurudzo ino inotsigirirwa nedzidziso yaViktor Frankl yeurapi hwelogo iyo inosimbiswa nenhoroondo yedzidziso yaWhite. Tsvagurudzo ino inoshandisa nzira dzakasiyana-siyana dzinosanganisa mibvunzo yakavharwa, mibvunzo yokutsvaga pfungwa dzavanhu uye hurukuro dzomumapoka saka boka richashanda mutsvagurudzo ino rine vanhu makumi mana avo vakasarudzwa pachinangwa ichi. Chikwata cheboka iri chinosanganisira vaPriste vana uye vatenderi makumi matatu nevatanhatu vanobva mumaDhinari mashanu. Zvakabuda mutsvagurudzo yedzidziso dzeurapi dzelogo nenhoroondo yedzidziso yacho inzira kwadzo dzingabatsira kune vakawanana kuti vawane mafungiro nemaonero matsva ehupenyu uye nzira chaidzo dzingashandiswa nevadzidzisi vechitendero idzo dzinogona kugadzirisa pakuru dambudziko remhirizhonga mudzimba. Zvinodawo kucherechedza uye sekurudziro nemazano kuVafundisi kuti vanofanira kutora matanho akasimba pakugadzirisa chirwere ichi chemhirizhonga mudzimba agogona kugariswa kuburikidza nebasa revadzidzisi nechitendero nerairo yavo. / Isufundo lesi sikhangela ukuphambaniseka okwenzakalayo ekubambaneni kwemuli yikuhlukumezana emakhaya sikhangele umbono webandla le Masvingo Diocese. Okuhlanganwe lakho njengo Mufundisi kubonise ukuthi emakhaya kuyamemetheka ukuhlukuzemana eMasvingo Diocese njalo kuvenzwa yibalo ezesabekayo kulendawo.Inutshando eminengi idhilikile njalo Ubuntu lokuziphatha okwakutholakala ekubambeneni kwemuli sokuuqukile kwaphephetwa ngumoya. Yikho injongo yesifundo iyikubonisa undlela ezesebenzayo ezingasetshenziswa ukubonisa lokusiza abahlukumenzwayo emakhaya endaweni yeMasvingo Diocese e Zimbabwe. Ukulonda kubotswe kuViktor Frankl ekhangela ukwelatshwa ngemifanekiso (Logotherapy) kauye incedisana le white’s narrative therapy. Umkhondo uthatha imibono etshiyeneyo ehlanganisela imibuzo evalekileyo, ingxoxo ezihleliweyo lengxoxo phakathi kwamaqembu njalo kwakhetwa isampula elabaphenduli abalitshumi lane abakethwa ngokucophelela.Isampula ihlanganisa abafundisi abane kanye labebandla abangu 36 emadeanery amahlanu eMasvingo.Impumela eyinhloko yikuthi ukwelatshwa kwe logo kanye lokwelatshwa okulandayo zindela eziphumelelayo ezingancedisa ababili emendweni ukuthola likuzwisisa empilweni njalo ukuhamba phambili ekuthuthukiseni ukwenangaba ukuhlukumezana emakhaya ngembono ku bokholo. Kumele kugaphelwe ukuthi njengabafundisi abaqotho kufanele bathathe indima ekusebenzelaneni lalokhu kuhlukumezana emakhaya. Inkinga yokuhlukuluzana emakhaya ingaqoniswa ngokunakekela komfundisi lokukhulumisana. / Practical Theology / D. Phil. (Practical Theology)

Text in German / Die vorliegende Forschungsarbeit beschäftigt sich mit der erlebnisorientierten Ausrichtung des geistlichen Lebensstils als Herausforderung für den Gemeindeaufbau in der Postmoderne. Die zunehmende Erlebnisorientierung der postmodernen Gesellschaft hat auch vor den Türen der Glaubensgemeinschaften in Deutschland und in der Schweiz nicht Halt gemacht. Die Folgen fordern von den Verantwortlichen der Gemeinden und Kirchen neue Überlegungen im Hinblick auf die bisherige Gemeindeaufbaupraxis. In diesem Prozess fällt auf, dass in Deutschland und in der Schweiz vor allem die Impulse der Church Growth Movement (CGM), insbesondere das Gemeindemodell der Willow Creek Community Church (WCCC) und der Saddleback Valley Community Church (SVCC), große Aufmerksamkeit erlangt haben. Einerseits werden die Gemeindemodelle vielerorts mit Begeisterung nachgeahmt, andererseits werden sie aber unter anderem wegen ihres Verhältnisses zur Erlebnisorientierung und wegen ihres Umgangs damit stark kritisiert. In der vorliegenden Forschungsarbeit wurden deshalb die Gemeinsamkeiten und Unterschiede bezüglich der erlebnisorientierten Ausrichtung des geistlichen Lebensstils der Gläubigen in den Partnergemeinden der Willow Creek Community Church und in den Nichtpartnergemeinden empirisch untersucht. Außerdem wurde geprüft, inwiefern soziostrukturelle Faktoren, insbesondere das Gemeindeumfeld, zur Generierung des erlebnisorientierten geistlichen Lebensstil beitragen und, inwiefern eine Wechselwirkung zwischen den Bestandteilen des geistlichen Lebensstils vorhanden ist. Die Ergebnisse der Forschungsarbeit ermöglichen eine empirisch-oikodomische Beurteilung der Gemeindeaufbaumodelle der CGM und die Entwicklung einer Vorgehensweise im Gemeindeaufbau in der Postmoderne, wodurch auf die zunehmende Erlebnisorientierung der Gesellschaft als Herausforderung in der Gemeindeaufbaupraxis entsprechend reagiert werden kann. The present research investigates the justification of an experience-orientated alignment of a spiritual lifestyle as a challenge for churchbuilding in postmodernity. The increasing experience-orientated behaviour in post-modern society did not stop at the gates of the churches in Germany and Switzerland. The results require, from those persons responsible in the congregations and churches, new deliberation and reflection with regard to the present practice of the promotion and development of church growth. When one looks at this process, it becomes apparent, that above all the stimuli from the Church Growth Movement (CGM), especially the church models of the Willow Creek Community Church (WCCC) and the Saddleback Valley Community Church (SVCC) gained huge attention in Germany and Switzerland. On the one hand the church models are emulated with great enthusiasm, on the other hand they are strongly criticised for their relationship with and handling of experience-orientated behaviour. The present research empirically examines and investigates the communalities and differences regarding the experience-orientated alignment of the spiritual lifestyle of the faithful believers from partner churches of the Willow Creek Community Church and non-partner churches. It was also examined and investigated to what degree socio-structural factors contributed to, particularly the congregational environment, with regards to the creation of the experience-orientated spiritual life style, and in how far an interaction exists between the various components of the spiritual lifestyle. The research findings facilitate an empirical-theological evaluation and assessment of the models of churchbuilding of the CGM and the development of an approach to churchbuilding in postmodernity. It is therefore possible to react to the increasing experience-orientation of the societal as a challenge in the churchbuilding. / Practical and Systematic Theology / D.Th. (Practical Theology)

Abstracts in English and Xhosa / This research focused on how youth leaders and their senior pastors perceive youth ministry in the black township of Khayelitsha, A practical theological reflection of youth ministry in Khayelitsha. Youth ministry is an important ministry for a local church, as it is a platform to deal with youth challenges. Youth ministry has a value to add to the young people of its society, in their spiritual and development formation. The first aim of youth ministry, among other things, is to assist with spiritual formation in the lives of the young people. The underlying assumption of the study was that youth ministry in Khayelitsha was about game and entertainment with no spiritual input in the lives of young people. Research findings of this study reveal that in the black township of Khayelitsha there are a lot of activities that are happening under the banner of youth ministry, but there is a lack of a practical theological understanding of youth ministry. It was discovered also in this research that young people after they have been elected to lead a youth ministry, were not trained and developed for their task. The recommendation therefore which can help youth ministry in the black township of Khayelitsha to be practical and theologically oriented is that youth leaders need to be trained so that they may be able to develop or discover for their constituency a sound theology of youth ministry and the purpose of the youth. Youth leaders and their young people need to think about the importance of encapsulating and capturing a vision for youth ministry in their contexts, respectively. Youth leaders need to be trained on leadership issues and other youth ministry related matters, such as socio-economic and youth culture. Youth ministry is so broad, but it is important firstly for the Khayelitsha youth to get the basics right before focusing on other dynamics and dimension matters of youth ministry. It is important that youth need to know that youth ministry is about God first, not social projects. Youth ministry is just a normal youth work if it does not take the relationship young people to have with God and develop them into maturity. Youth ministry should be regarded as a national asset as it has a lot to contribute to the Khayelitsha community through the socially-focused projects that the young people engaged in for their communities. Churches should be intentional about youth ministry when they prepare young people for youth ministry by supporting these young people financially who would like to study this ministry. / Inkonzo yabantu abatsha ibaluleke kakhulu kwinkonzo nganye esekuhlaleni eKhayelitsha. Inkonzo yabantu abatsha inegalelo enalo kubantu abatsha ekuhlaleni, kubomi babo bokukholwa nakuphuhliso lwabo gabalala. Eyokuqala injongo yenkonzo yabantu abatsha enkonzweni kukunceda ukuba bakhule abantu abatsha eMoyeni. Eyona ibiyintsusa yolucwaningo kukurhanela nokukrokrela ukuba inkonzo yabatsha eKhayelitsha igxile ekudlaliseni abantu abatsha kunokukhulisa ubomi babo bakuMoya. Iziphumo ngoko zolucwaningo ziveze ukuba zininzi intshukumo nezinto ezinziwayo ezinkonzweni phantsi kwegama lenkonzo yabantu abatsha, kodwa kukhona ukuswela ulwazi lokuba umsebenzi wabatsha yipraktikali thiyoloji. Kukwafumanesekile ukuba bakuba benyulwe abantu abatsha ezinkonzweni zabo ukuba bakhokele inkonzo yabatsha, inkokheli ezo zabatsha aziyi ziqeqeshwe zixhotyiselwa umsebenzi lo wabo. Ingcebiso ngoko ngokubhekisele kwiziphumo zolu cwaningo zicebisa ukuze umsebenzi wabatsha ukuze ube yipraktikal thiyoloji yeyokuba kumelwe baqeqeshwe abantu abatsha bakuba benyulwe ukuze bazi ukuba ungantoni kanye kanye umsebenzi wabatsha enkonzweni. Inkokheli zabatsha kunye nabatsha bazo kufuneka bacinge nzulu ukuba bangawenza njani umsebenzi wabatsha uze ufanele bona nalendawo bahlala kuyo. Inkokheli zabatsha zimele ziqeqeshelwe kwezokukhokela abantu abatsha, ingxaki abantu abatsha abajongene nazo umzekelo isimo sentlalo abakuso abantu abatsha, kwaye kufuneka zazi nenkcubeko yabantu abatsha. Umsebenzi wabantu abatsha ubanzi, ugabalele ngoko kubalulekile ukuba inkokheli zabatsha zazi izinto zokuqala nezisiseko somsebenzi/inkonzo yabantu abatsha kuqala phambi kokuba bazi ezinye izinto ezingawo umsebenzi wabantu abatsha. Inkonzo yabantu abatsha ingafana nomsebenzi nje ongabantu abatsha ukuba awuyithatheli ingqalelo ubudlelwano abantu abatsha abanabo noThixo, kwaye bukhuliswe kubo.Inkonzo yabantu abatsha mayithathwe njengenkonzo enegalelo elikhulu esizweni ngenxa yezinto abantu abatsha abathi bazibandakanye kuzo ukuzama ukuphucula indawo abahlala kuzo eKhayelitsha. Inkonzo nazo maziyinike ingqwalasela nengqalelo inkonzo okanye umsebenzi wabatsha ngokuwuxhasa ngezemali kwaye zihlawulele abantu abatsha abafuna ukuyo wokufundela umsebenzi wabantu abatsha. / Practical Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology)

In this essay I have studied wedding services in the Church of Sweden, as they are actually performed. I do this from a liturgical-theological perspective, a performance- perspective and from the perspective of ritual studies. According to the performance- perspective the wedding service can be seen as consisting of different scripts, for example, the normative script of the handbook, the script of the wedding-couple and the script of the minister. The main question is: What is constructed when these three scripts meet in a wedding service? I first study each script. I give an account for the script of the handbook and analyse it by placing it in a historical, liturgical and theological context. The script of the wedding couple and the minister I uncover by participant observations of three wedding services and interviews with the couples and ministers acting in these services. Thereafter I analyse the scripts of the couples and the minsters looking at themes that appear to be important in these scripts and in the handbook. Such themes are the wedding service as a service of blessing, the legal aspect of the service, the construction of family through marriage, love, the service as a ritual, the setting of the wedding, the role of the minister, the importance of participation and the role of the music. I conclude that the three scripts are indeed three very different scripts, but when they are juxtaposed a new meaning is constructed. This can occur even if the script are not correlating or even to some extent collides. One important factor for meaning to be constructed is the ritualization, acts that make the service a ritual. This seems to be more important than the fact that the scripts correlate. Another important factor for meaning to be constructed is that the scripts actually meet, that they actually are juxtaposed together. For this to happen the minister has to clarify his/her own script and be responsive to the couple’s script. Then the minister can relate their script to blessing, prayer and scripture. Normatively, I conclude that the wedding service becomes a meaningful wedding service when the couple’s scripts are related to the greater, transcendent Script

A group of eight mothers of differently abled children undertook a research journey, reflecting on the sorrow and pain, as well as the hope and humour of our lives. Narrative pastoral practices guided our conversations, and prophetic and political challenges our actions to bring about change in our lived reality. Reflective and summarising letters after each group meeting played a central part In the research. The letters were structured to make visible the "taken-for-granted truths", which informed us about who and what we are. The alternative stories of preferred mothering practices that emerged during and between sessions were centralised in the letters. The group compiled letters of appeal to the faith community, doctors, nursing staff, therapists and teachers in order to make them more sensitive towards differently abled people and their families. / Practical Theology / M.Th. (Practical Theology)

This research was aimed at listening to the care stories of people living with cancer in remission. The participants spoke about relationships with their families, medical professionals and their spirituality, thereby giving a voice to personal experiences of cancer as part of family life. Postmodern social construction discourse guided the explaining of how cancer invades and affects people's Jives and relationships. This participatory action research was situated in a contextual practical theology. Narrative conversations with the participants spoke about experiences of both care and communication by medical professionals, their struggles in communicating with their partners and families, their spiritual search and longing for pastoral care to sustain and guide them. / Practical Theology / M.Th. (Pastoral Therapy)

An applied study was undertaken to describe the current position of youth work as profession in the Dutch Reformed Church and to identify factors influencing the sustainability. A review of relevant literature, as well as an empirical survey were conducted to investigate pertinent factors such as the working conditions, the person and the training of the youth worker. In the empirical research respondents completing questionnaires consisted of former students of the Huguenot College currently employed as church youth workers, and those who left the ministry. Interviews were conducted with congregations currently employing or having employed youth workers. It is evident from this study that the youth work profession is not yet satisfactorily established and thus contributes to youth workers leaving the ministry. In the interest of youth ministry, it is essential for the Dutch Reformed Church to acknowledge these factors influencing the sustainability of youth work as profession, in order to get this occupation properly established. / Practical Theology / M.Diac. (Jeugwerk-rigting)

The thesis describes the use of stories and metaphors in pastoral counseling with orphans and vulnerable children (future: OVC) affected by HIV and AIDS in Mbeya.. It is a narrative approach study which examines and explores stories and other metaphors for the children’s resilience. A narrative approach helps pastoral counselors to use stories and metaphors such as life stories, proverbs, biblical narratives, plays, art, songs, riddles, poems, symbols and images for the healing and coping mechanism with OVC. The OVC in the midst of challenges of HIV and AIDS crisis can find a healing and coping mechanism in Mbeya. A narrative approach with the use of stories and metaphors in pastoral counseling and in practical theology can be used and applied in responding to issues surrounding the OVC. It is an approach that can help the OVC find their resilience and grow into a more meaningful life, the life of wholeness. Methodologically, case studies, focus groups and interviews have been used to collect the data which was analyzed and interpreted in detail to reach the objectives of the study. I explored and discussed in detail the use of narratives, stories, and metaphors in case studies and focus groups with OVC in Mbeya. Finally, an integrative narrative model was established to build up a practical method for practical theology and counseling in dealing with the challenges which the OVC are facing. The model came as a result of the analysis and interpretation of the case studies, focus groups and interviews conducted in the field research. It describes a life cycle of a person, the events and experiences one passes through, which will ultimately help a person to grow and mature to become whole or an integrative being. / Practical Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology, Specialisation Pastoral Therapy)

The study investigates the welfare of children in crisis with Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URMs) from Zimbabwe and the models of pastoral care that are extended to them in a context of HIV and AIDS. URMs are children who have been forced to migrate by the socio-economic and political conditions prevalent in Zimbabwe. Other than the socio-economic and political conditions these children are vulnerable to HIV and AIDS. Many of the children are received at the Central Methodist Church in Johannesburg. They are taken care of by caregivers from Zimbabwe. Some of URMs reside in the Methodist church community centre in Soweto and some reside in the Central Methodist Church building in Johannesburg. This study is done from an African perspective of pastoral care in a context of HIV and AIDS. It seeks to study pastoral care that is organic using the reality of URMs in a context of HIV and AIDS. The Central Methodist Church received URMs as a form of pastoral care, but it is not clear what models of pastoral care are used to care for them. This grounded theory study used data collected through interviews and narrative research (story telling) from 20 URMs and 3 Care givers from Zimbabwe and Bishop Paul Verryn the head of the Central Methodist Church in Johannesburg. Analyzed data was used to describe in detail URMs and their Care givers‟ understanding of pastoral care as well as the models of pastoral care offered to URMs in a context of HIV and AIDS. Finally, the findings lead to a contextual pastoral care model with children in crisis in a context of HIV and AIDS. This study formulated this contextual model as a cultural-gendered pastoral care model with children in crisis in a context of HIV and AIDS. The model was established to develop a practical method to use in practical theology and pastoral care in the care for children in crisis without adult guidance in a context of HIV and AIDS. The results of the study describe the significance of culture and gender in caring for children in a context of HIV and AIDS. / Practical Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology)

This research set out to investigate factors that lead to seemingly prevalent pre-marital sex by Botswana Seventhday Adventist youth aging between 12 and 30 years. A 31- item questionnaire, divided into four sections, was used on a group of 45 youths. It was discovered that 78% of the youths studied had been involved in pre-marital sex at some point in their lives. Thirty-seven percent were still practicing it. The most vulnerable age range was 14 to 18 years, but some had started experimenting with sex as early as six years. Some of the contributing factors to the youth's involvement in sex included media, friends and lack of knowledge due to parents not giving them guidance.Prevention of pre-marital sex can be made possible by the cooperation of entities like the family, the church, the school and the individual. Hence, the suggested model called the Integrated Sexuality Education. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology)