Thesis (DTh)--University of Stellenbosch, 2008. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (MTh (Practical Theology and Missiology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis is a practical theological endeavour that evaluates church preaching as a means of changing the paradigms relating to communal and ethnic violence in Nigeria. The study critically examines the phenomenon of ethnic conflict and violence to show the magnitude of its impact on Nigerians. The impact is evident in the number of violent conflicts recorded in the Calabar area in the last few years. The interdisciplinary approach employed in the study helps to locate the causes of violent conflict and its impact on the people of Calabar, on the one hand, and investigating the perception of church preaching and its impact on congregants, on the other hand. In particular, the historical method is employed in the process of investigating, analysing and recovering materials on the causes of violent conflict in the area. Practical theological methods are employed to evaluate the purpose of preaching. However, a sociological approach is adopted in structuring questionnaires and interviews while using critical analysis to evaluate and interpret both the qualitative and the quantitative data. In the first place, the data has proved that economic factors are the main causes of violence; other contributing factors are described as ethnic, political, demographic and social factors. It is noted that victims of violence have suffered physically, psychologically, economically and socially. Secondly, data has also shown that, if re-evaluated, preaching can be used to change paradigms relating to ethnic violence and to inspire concrete congregational change and societal action against ethnic violence. Since this thesis presents views of people at the grassroots, people who are victims of ethnic violence, it has contributed, therefore, to a deeper understanding of the impact of violent conflicts on Africans, and especially on Nigerians. The most important contribution of this research to knowledge seems to be the provision of a model of transformative preaching, which can be explored further by the church. This research effort consists of five chapters. The first chapter is the introduction while the second chapter provides a brief historical survey of the Presbyterian Church in Calabar and the history of violent conflicts in Nigeria. Chapter Three focuses on biblical perspectives on violence, theories on violence, and data analysis of violence in the Calabar area. Chapter Four is concerned with data analysis and the evaluation of contemporary preaching in the context of violence in the Calabar Synod of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria. A transformative model is proposed as a way forward. Chapter Five, which is the final chapter, presents the summary and conclusion, as well as the contribution of the research to knowledge, recommendations and suggestions on areas for future research. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis is ʼn prakties-teologiese studie oor die rol van Christelike prediking as ʼn medium om samelewings- en etniese paradigmas aangaande geweld in Nigerië te verander. Die studie kyk krities na die fenomeen van etniese konflik en geweld in ʼn poging om die omvang van die effek daarvan op Nigeriërs aan te dui. Dit blyk onder andere uit die aantal gewelddadige konflikte binne die Calabar-area gedurende die afgelope aantal jare. Die studie volg ʼn interdissiplinêre benadering ten einde die redes vir geweld en die uitwerking daarvan op die mense van Calabar aan die een kant te ondersoek, maar aan die ander kant ook die persepsies oor prediking en die impak daarvan op gemeentes. Die historiese metode is gebruik om materiaal in verband met die oorsake van geweld in die area op te spoor en te analiseer. Die betekenis van prediking is prakties-teologies ontleed, terwyl die sosiologiese metode asook kritiese analise ingespan is om beide kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe data te evalueer en te interpreteer. Bogenoemde data het eerstens getoon dat ekonomiese redes die hoof-oorsaak is van geweld. Ander bydraende faktore is etnies, polities, demografies en sosiaal van aard. As gevolg van geweld het slagoffers fisies, psigologies, ekonomies en sosiaal gely. Die data toon egter ook tweedens aan dat prediking, indien dit herinterpreteer word, ʼn medium van verandering van paradigmas insake geweld kan wees, en dat dit daadwerklike gemeentelike verandering en sosiale aksie teen etniese geweld kan bewerkstellig. Hierdie tesis verteenwoordig die stemme van mense op grondvlak, veral diegene wat slagoffers van geweld was of is, en dit bied ʼn model vir transformatiewe prediking wat verder deur die kerk in Nigerië ontwikkel kan word. Die vyf hoofstukke verloop breedweg as volg: Hoofstuk een is die Inleiding; Hoofstuk twee handel oor historiese agtergronde van die Presbiteriaanse Kerk en geweld in Nigerië; Hoofstuk drie gee ʼn oorsig oor Bybelse perspektiewe op geweld, teorieë oor geweld asook ʼn analise van die data aangaande geweld in die Calabar-streek; Hoofstuk vier gee ʼn blik op die moontlike rol van kontemporêre prediking in ʼn konteks van geweld in die Presbiteriaanse Kerk in Nigerië, en bied ook ʼn model vir transformatiewe prediking vir die toekoms aan; Hoofstuk vyf bevat opsommende konklusies, asook suggesties vir verdere studie en die implementering van sommige van die bevindinge van die tesis.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The topic of this research is the Ibibio concept of peace and its implications for preaching: A practical theological study within the Akwa Synod of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria (PCN). Conflict and violence are phenomena that are common to every human society. It would not be an overstatement to say that conflicts, war and various forms of violence are clear indications of a lack of peace in any given society. Numerous studies have been done by scholars of peace and international relations as well as social anthropologists political scientists, etcetera on themes related to peace-making, peace negotiation, peace-building, conflict resolution, and conflict transformation, especially in terms of national and international peace. International organizations, various nations, non-governmental organizations, as well as faith-based organizations have invested so much in the way of resources and energy in the search for peace, yet, the attainment of peace in our human society remains a mirage. On a daily basis, media reports indicate that, all over the world, violence is on the increase, sending thousands of innocent people to early graves. In Africa, the story is even worse. Different approaches towards achieving peace have failed to yield the needed positive peace. Yet, little or nothing has been done in terms of searching for peace within the indigenous African context. In other words, indigenous initiatives, ideas and approaches towards peace and peace-building have been ignored in the field of scholarship. The question is: What could be the role of the Church, its theology as well as its preaching towards the development of peace initiatives that are both theological and indigenous to the Ibibio people of Nigeria, given the volume of different forms of violent conflict that the people experience daily. This study is based on the assumption that, if the Church critically examines indigenous Ibibio peace approaches, it may discover a missing link that could make this become effective in preaching peace among the Ibibio people who live in pain, hurts and poverty as a result of violence, thereby closing a gap in knowledge. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine critically whether the PCN’s Akwa Synod and its leaders do in fact understand the Ibibio concept of peace, or not, and what the Church could draw from indigenous peace initiatives in order to make its preaching, as well as its peace-building practice, effective and relevant within the Ibibio social context. Indigenous Ibibio people, both Church and community leaders and lay members of three congregations of the PCN’s Akwa Synod were included as respondents. Using a mixed method approach, through a questionnaire, focus groups and individual interview; data under review were obtained for the study. The interdisciplinary nature of this study informed the use of both theoretical and methodological triangulation. The empirical findings of this research reveal: Firstly, Ibibio people understand peace as the absence of violence. Secondly, the lack of peace has physical, psychological, economic, social, as well as political consequences in people’s lives which, basically, result in deaths, suffering, injustice, poverty and the human person’s loss of dignity. Thirdly, justice and peace are significant elements for the well-being of society. Fourth, religiosity could influence the way the Ibibio people act and do things. Fifth, the leaders of the PCN’s Akwa Synod do understand the Ibibio concept of peace, even though the Church is yet to articulate a standardized peace-building procedure and training in a detailed document. Yet members and leaders, being mostly Ibibio natives, know what the Ibibio peace is all about. This study has offered suggestions on how the PCN could integrate indigenous peace initiatives in order to become more effective in preaching peace within the Ibibio context. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie navorsing is om die Ibibio konsep van vrede en die implikasies daarvan vir die prediking te ondersoek, as ‘n prakties-teologiese studie binne die Akwa Sinode van die Presbiteriaanse Kerk van Nigerië (PCN). Konflik en geweld is verskynsels wat algemeen voorkom in alle menslike samelewings. Dit is nie oordrewe om te sê dat konflikte, oorlog en verskeie vorme van geweld duidelike tekens is van 'n gebrek aan vrede in enige gegewe samelewing nie. Kenners van internasionale betrekkinge, sowel as sosiale antropoloë en politieke wetenskaplikes, ensovoorts, het al veel oor temas verwant aan die kwessie van vrede geskryf (oor vrede-maak, vrede onderhandel, vrede-bou, konflik en konflik transformasie, ensovoorts), veral in terme van nasionale en internasionale vrede. Internasionale organisasies, nie- regeringsorganisasies, sowel as talle geloof-gebaseerde organisasies het al baie belê in terme van hulpbronne en energie in die soeke na vrede, maar tog bly die bereiking van vrede in ons menslike samelewing blykbaar 'n illusie. Op 'n daaglikse basis dui media-verslae daarop dat geweld aan die toeneem is oor die hele wêreld - geweld wat duisende, onskuldige mense te vroeg na hulle grafte stuur. In Afrika is die situasie nog erger. Verskillende benaderings tot die bereiking van vrede het misluk om die nodige positiewe vrede te lewer. In werklikheid is min, of niks, in terme van die soeke na vrede in sommige inheemse Afrika-kontekste gedoen. Met ander woorde, inheemse inisiatiewe, idees en benaderings tot vrede en vrede-bou is grootliks geïgnoreer, veral in wetenskaplike vakgebiede. Die vraag is: wat kan die rol van die kerk, die teologie, sowel as die prediking wees in die ontwikkeling van vrede-inisiatiewe wat beide teologies van aard en inheems aan die Ibibio mense van Nigerië is, gegewe die omvang van die verskillende vorme van gewelddadige konflik wat die mense daagliks ervaar. Hierdie studie is gebaseer op die aanname dat, indien die kerk kritiese ondersoek doen na die inheemse Ibibio vrede-benaderings, dit 'n vermiste skakel kan ontdek in die verkondiging van die evangelie van vrede onder die Ibibio mense, wat as gevolg van geweld in pyn, seer en armoede leef, en dat daardeur 'n gaping in kennis gevul kan word. Daarom is die doel van hierdie studie om krities te ondersoek of die PCN se Akwa Sinode en sy leiers die Ibibio konsep van vrede in werklikheid verstaan, of nie; en wat die kerk positief kan benut uit inheemse vrede-inisiatiewe om haar prosesse van preekmaak, sowel as haar vrede-bou praktyke, effektief en relevant binne die Ibibio sosiale konteks te maak. Inheemse Ibibio mense, wat kerk – en gemeenskap leiers en lidmate van drie gemeentes van die PCN se Akwa sinode ingesluit het, het gedien as respondente in die empiriese navorsing. Met behulp van 'n gemengde metode benadering, deur middel van 'n vraelys, fokus groepe en individuele onderhoude is data verkry vir die studie. Die interdissiplinêre aard van hierdie studie het die gebruik van beide teoretiese en metodologiese triangulasie genoodsaak. Die empiriese bevindinge van die navorsing het die volgende na vore laat kom: Eerstens, Ibibio mense verstaan vrede as die afwesigheid van geweld. Tweedens, die gebrek aan vrede het fisiese, psigologiese, ekonomiese, sosiale, sowel as politieke gevolge in mense se lewens, wat basies lei tot sterftes, lyding, onreg, armoede en verlies van menswaardigheid. Derdens, geregtigheid en vrede is belangrike elemente vir die welstand van die samelewing. Vierdens, godsdienstigheid kan die manier waarop die Ibibio mense optree beïnvloed. Vyfdens, die leiers van die PCN se Akwa Sinode verstaan wel die Ibibio konsep van vrede, selfs al het die Kerk nog nie hul gebrek aan 'n gestandaardiseerde vrede-bou prosedure en opleiding in 'n gedetailleerde dokument verwoord nie. Tog weet lede en leiers, wat meestal tot die Ibibio bevolking behoort, waaroor Ibibio vrede ten diepste handel. Hierdie studie bied voorstelle aan oor hoe om PCN inheemse vrede-inisiatiewe te integreer ten einde meer effektief te preek oor vrede binne die konteks van die Ibibio.

Thesis (DTh (Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology))—Stellenbosch University, 2008. / The premise for this research is that Yoder’s restorative vision for an ecclesial theology holds great potential for a more adequate involvement of the South Central Synod (SCS) of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria (The PCN) with the public. Significant resources from Yoder’s Christocentric vision for restoring ecclesial reflections and practices can assist the church to revision its distorted ecclesiology. Contemporary challenges within the Nigerian socio-cultural context question the meaningfulness of the Enlightenment-based and Constantinian-Doceticfaced ecclesiology of the SCS to its host religio-cultures. This ecclesiology is in conflict with the Reformed tradition which the SCS upholds, and which does not have a timeless, a-historical ecclesiology. The study adopted a systematic-theological approach focusing on historical, Christological and ecclesiological perspectives. With its theological lens, the historical perspective is used to retrace the dilemma of the SCS to some distressing legacies of the Enlightenment-based projects in Nigeria. These perplexing bequests do not spare the growing mission and projects of Nigerian churches, particularly The PCN which, gave birth to the SCS. Truism, universalism, abstract and competitive ideologies of the Reformation era often characterize the Enlightenment-based violent ethics. Local resources and contexts have less significant respect in their witnesses. Often, their competing ideologies becloud the embodied proclamation of the lordship of Jesus Christ by the churches. In other words, the social ethics of the SCS compromises the figure of Christ in its theological witnesses. Thus, Yoder’s reflection on Christology is suggested as a restorative vision. Yoder’s reflection on Christology is an ecumenical vision. It is grounded in the historical life and works which the biblical Jesus Christ demonstrated in concrete ommunities. Yoder’s Christological vision is scripturally rooted in the catholicity of the pre-Constantinian church traditions. It is Barthian in its foundation and orientations; albeit from a nonviolent-resistant Diaspora perspective. It also reflects on historical Christology as a nonviolentnon-violentresistant ministry for renewing society. Fundamentally, Yoder’s vision also seeks the restoration of shalom in the community. Yoder’s visionary project takes local resources and contexts seriously in its ethical witness. Above all, it expects believers to adopt a Christocentric witnessto the political (non-violent-resistant) ethics of Jesus as their life responsibility. Yoder’s reflection on Christology envisions an ecclesial witness that is defined and sustained by the merits of the gracious Christ-event. Yoder’s vision for ecclesiology replays the Barthian rhythm: ecclesiology is the Church’s affirmation of the lordship of Jesus Christ over its polity and politics. It envisions a Christocentric corporate and embodied witness of the Kingdom vision as an historical reality. Yoder’s vision for the ecumenical ministry of the Church re-presents believers’ corporate (Christocentric) Kingdom realization as a Christological mandate to the empirical Church in concrete contexts. His vision for ecclesiology re-interprets and appropriates a Christocentric ministry of the whole people of God as a more significant practice of ‘the rule of Christ’ within historical contexts. It is a Christological ecclesiology. For Yoder, ecclesiology is ethics. Yoder’s restorative vision for social ethics is tied to his reflection on Christology. It bespeaks the believers’ embodiment of a Christocentric jesulogical ethics as body politics. His social reflection suggests a multidimensional, exploratory, experimental, often spontaneous and ad hoc practice of trans-community embodiment of the fulness of Christ as a Christocentric social Gospel within historical contexts. It is concerned with the burning issue of restoring and reconstituting human dignity. Yoder’s restorative vision seeks a Christocentric approach to nation building, social transformation and development. His Christocentric vision relocates mission and development to historical Christology. Consequently, the SCS can learn from Yoder’s social vision that historical Christology is a ministry to church renewal; that Christological ecclesiology is an ethical proclamation of Christ’s lordship above the polity and politics of the Church and; that jesulogical social ethics is the historic kerygma of the revolutionary Gospel of Jesus Christ among the nations. His restorative vision for renewal can present the SCS with a more substantive reflection on a reforming church in a reforming society that is in dire need of a reforming economy.

Thesis (DTh (Practical Theology and Missiology ))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study and dissertation examines the “Impact of ethnicity on the missional strategies within the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria.” A historical study of the mission methods and an empirical study of current missionary practices in the church point to the need for a new missional identity of the church. This missional identity requires a reversal of and a change to missionary strategies that should result into reconciliatory missiology. In the process of making this assessment of the Presbyterian mission in Nigeria, it was necessary to re-visit the missionary ecclesiologies that shaped and contributed to the present identity. Thus, the research focused on the missionary impact of the Church of Scotland, Presbyterian Church in Canada, Presbyterian Church (USA), and the Netherlands Reformed Church (NRC). Insights from these historical excursions helped in determining not only the blessings that these ecclesiologies brought to bear on Nigerian Presbyterianism but also in discovering the burdens they brought on their trails, especially, regarding the seed of racism which was a precursor to the present ethnocentrism in the PCN. The second segment of this research was the empirical study of the current mission and work of the PCN. Using a focus group approach, sixteen leaders (8 Nigerians, 7 Canadians and 1 American) were interviewed through a structured questionnaire. The responses from these leaders were analysed in this paper and details of the analysis applied in chapter 4. The assumption in the hypothesis that the bane of contemporary PCN mission is ethnocentrism was affirmed. This problem as the research showed, was compounded by lack of adequate theological response both in the educational training and the liturgical activities of the church. Combining the historical data and the empirical research carried out, it was determined that the PCN needs a new theological orientation that can move it from the present institutionalized mode to a missonal frame. It was shown that this process would require a new definition of mission and a rediscovery of missional biblical metaphors that suit a conflict-ridden context of the Church as we have it in Nigeria. Three important metaphors were selected: community, servant and messenger. These metaphors formed the theological foundation for subsequent discussions on a missional frame which is the focus of chapter five. Chapter six outlines the meaning of conflicts and the causes of conflicts in Nigeria arguing for a reconciliatory missiology with a theologically-driven dialogue as its strategy. A theologically –driven dialogue is a strategy that, as is presented, enables the church to be God’s counter-cultural agent in the world, holding in tension the four cardinal points of obedience, critical contextualization, discernment and the anticipation of Christ’s return. It is argued that dialogue is a credible theological option through which the PCN can engage in the process of true reconciliation in the Nigerian society – a reconciliation which is based on the biblical cornerstones of truth, justice, peace and mercy. It is a task and a challenge for reconciliatory missiology - a momentous task the PCN is called upon to pursue in the 21st century. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie proefskrif ondersoek die “Impak van etnisiteit op die missionale strategieë van die Presbiteriaanse Kerk in Nigerië”. ʼn Historiese blik op die sending metodes en ʼn studie van huidige missionêre praktyke binne die kerk dui daarop dat die kerk ʼn nuwe missionale identiteit benodig. ’n Nuwe missionale identiteit vereis ʼn transformasieproses in die huidige benadering van die Presbiteriaanse Kerk van Nigerië sodat die weg tot ʼn versoenende benadering gevind kan word. Om die huidige situasie te kan evalueer moes die missionêre ekklesiologie wat vorm gegee en bygedra het tot die huidige identiteit geëvalueer word. Gevolglik is die missionêre impak van die Kerk van Skotland, die Presbiteriaanse Kerke van Kanada en Amerika en die Nederlandse Gereformeerde Kerk nagegaan. Hulle het in baie opsigte help vorm aan die huidige identiteit van die Presbiteriaanse kerk in Nigerië. Die positiewe maar ook negatiewe gevolge van hulle werk is beskryf. Een aspek van hul werk was die invloed van die stille rassisme wat destyds geheers het en wat die voorloper was van die huidige etnosentrisme in die Presbiteriaanse Kerk van Nigerië. Die tweede deel van die navorsing ondersoek die huidige missionêre bediening en ingesteldheid van die Presbiteriaanse Kerk van Nigerië. Deur middel van ʼn fokus groep benadering en ’n vraelys, is onderhoude gevoer met 16 kerkleiers (8 Nigeriërs, 7 Kanadese en 1 Amerikaner). Die antwoorde van hierdie kerkleiers is geanaliseer en in hoofstuk 4 bespreek. Die voorveronderstelling in die hipotese dat die PKN etnosentrisme openbaar, is bevestig. Hierdie probleem, soos aangetoon in die navorsing, is versterk deur ʼn gebrek aan voldoende teologiese refleksie in die teologiese onderrig en in die liturgiese aktiwiteite van die kerk. Die historiese data en die empiriese navorsing toon aan dat die PKN ʼn nuwe teologiese oriëntasie benodig en dat dit slegs kan geskied as daar wegbeweeg word vanaf die huidige geïnstitusionaliseerde bedieningspraktyk na ʼn missionale raamwerk. Verder het dit duidelik geword dat ʼn nuwe verstaan van sending en ʼn herontdekking van missionale bybelse metafore nodig is om te spreek tot die konflik geteisterde konteks van die kerk in Nigerië. Drie belangrike metafore is voorgestel: gemeenskap, dienaar en boodskapper. Hierdie metafore voorsien die teologiese fundering vir die bespreking van ’n missionale verwysingsraamwerk vir die kerk se bediening. Hoofstuk 6 lig die betekenis van konflik asook die oorsake van konflik in Nigerië uit en argumenteer vir ʼn versoenende missiologie met ʼn teologies-gemotiveerde dialoog as strategie. ʼn Teologies-gemotiveerde dialoog is ʼn strategie wat, soos voorgelê in die navorsing, die kerk bemagtig om te reageer op die heersende kultuur, waar die vier kardinale aspekte van gehoorsaamheid, kritiese kontekstualisasie, onderskeiding en die afwagting van Christus se wederkoms byeen gebring word. Daar word geargumenteer dat dialoog ʼn waardige teologiese opsie is waardeur die Presbiteriaanse Kerk van Nigerië binne die Nigeriese samelewing kan opereer in ʼn proses van ware versoening – ʼn versoening wat gebaseer is op die bybelse hoekstene van waarheid, geregtigheid, vrede en genade. Die uitdaging van ʼn versoenende missiologie is die uitdaging waartoe die Presbiteriaanse Kerk van Nigerië in die 21ste eeu geroepe is.