This dissertation focuses on religious gatherings in communist Romania and the Soviet Union, 1943-1989. Church was one of the few opportunities for voluntary associational life and is invaluable for the study of power, ideology, and belonging in an everyday social setting. This project is based on archival documents and memoirs, uncovering how state officials and religious representatives struggled to establish religious practice that would be acceptable to all. Although ideologically atheist, state officials regarded some religious gatherings as acceptable and others unacceptable, but not due to utterances of beliefs or performance of traditional sacraments, but because of social aspects: how people related to one another, what kinds of people came, the settings of the gatherings, and affective characteristics like enthusiasm, engagement, and authenticity. Even though believers participated in religious gatherings for their own reasons, state officials policed them as contests for mobilization. This project compares the cases of the Romanian Orthodox Church and Reformed Church of the Transylvanian region of Romania and the Russian Orthodox Church and the Baptist Church in the Moscow region of the Soviet Union. Based on comparisons, the role of a Church's culture in shaping church-state relations becomes clear. Officials largely considered traditional Orthodox hierarchy and rituals as religiously unproblematic, but they underestimated the power of such features of Orthodoxy to endure and mobilize successive generations. The hierarchical nature of the Orthodox Churches did not preclude spirited negotiations over acceptable Orthodox religiosity, but non-conforming or innovating priests were marginalized relatively easily. Protestant Churches have had a more entrenched custom of decentralization in governance and Scriptural interpretation, factors which presented officials with difficulty in centralizing the management of such churches and which at times led to protracted interpersonal battles and inner-church divisions. One such case sparked the Romanian Revolution in 1989. Officials in Romania and the Soviet Union handled the problem of religion very similarly in defining the acceptable limits of religious activity in practice, but virulent attacks on religion in the Soviet Union prior to WWII made for a stronger lingering religious antagonism there after the War than in Romania, where Orthodoxy was at times incorporated into the state’s nationalist discourse.

Die geskille wat daar bestaan tussen predikant en lidmaat in die NHKA vra na ’n unieke ruimte in die Kerk in terme van ’n postmoderne samelewing. Verskillende perspektiewe lei baie maklik tot konflik in ’n gemeente. Konflik wat nie opgelos word nie, kan dikwels die werk van ampsdraers in ’n gemeente kniehalter. In hierdie navorsing volg ek ’n kontekstuele benadering tot die beoefening van praktiese teologie. ’n Postfundamentele prakties-teologiese raamwerk is gevolg. Die sosialekonstruksiediskoers en narratiewe epistemologie bied nuwe perspektiewe waarvolgens daar liminale ruimte kan ontstaan waarbinne meer as een perspektief kan bestaan. Binne ’n samelewing wat gekenmerk word deur sekularisme en privatisering, ondersoek ek die moontlikheid van ’n ruimte van eenheid te midde van diversiteit in die Kerk. In die navorsingsproses het ek gebruikgemaak van ses medenavorsers se ervarings ten opsigte van konflik en inkongruensie in ’n spesifieke konteks binne die Kerk. Ons het verder die moontlikheid ondersoek van ’n alternatiewe ruimte waar opnuut weer oomblikke van communitas in hierdie verhale kan ontstaan. In die navorsing is die ruimte daarvoor gevind in die beskrywing van twee metafore, naamlik: Die liminale hangbrug van genade en Die dans van vrede. Binne hierdie twee metafore het die medenavorsers hul verhale hervertel. My navorsing belig die belangrike bydrae van ’n interdissiplinêre gesprek in navorsing. In die navorsing speel die reistema ’n belangrike rol waar die leser uitgenooi word om saam met die medenavorsers ’n (liminale) ruimte te ontdek, in terme van inkongruensie tussen predikant en lidmaat. ENGLISH : Disagreements between pastors and church members in the Netherdutch Reformed Church of Africa require a unique space in the church in terms of a postmodern society. Different perspectives can easily lead to conflict in the church. Unresolved conflict may jeopardise the work of the clergy in a congregation. In this research, I follow a contextual approach to the pursuit of practical theology. A postfundamental practical theological framework is followed in the research. The social construction discourse and narrative epistemology offer new perspectives for developing a liminal space where more than one perspective can exist. Within a society characterised by secularism and privatisation, I examine the possibility of a space of unity amid diversity in the church. I involved six fellow researchers who have experienced conflict in a specific context within the church. We also examined the possibility of an alternative space where moments of communitas can once again occur in these stories. The research found space for this in the description of two metaphors, namely the liminal suspension bridge of grace and the dance of peace. The stories of the fellow researchers are retold within these two metaphors. My research highlights the important contribution of an interdisciplinary conversation in research. In the study, the journey theme plays an important role, and the reader is invited along with the fellow researchers into a (liminal) space to explore the conflict between the church minister and the church member. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Practical Theology / unrestricted

The title of this dissertation is “The early years of the Dutch Reformed Congregation of Utrecht and churchly Disruption” The decistion to associate with the Cape Reformed Church, was already taken at the foundation meeting of the congregation on 19 November 1854. This, however, was not as simple as meets the eye. The first inhabitans of course knew no other church than the Dutch Reformed Church. When crossing borders on their trek from the Cape Colony, they did not only take with them the Bible in the wagon box; they also remained members of the Dutch Reformed Church. From the diary of Erasmus Smit (the only person who accompanied the Great Trek as minister of religion), it is clear that he was a loyal supporter of the Dutch Reformed Church. He was very fond of following the tracks of the Dutch Reformed Church very closely, as far as the organisation and order of church affairs were concerned , not only regarding the organisation and order of church affairs, but also the devotion to the same confession of faith illustrates unity with the Cape Mother-church. The first years reflect a time of great turbulence on churchly as well as political terrain. This was a time during which the church was right in the midst of the battle for Liberalism. Fundamental truths, such as the virgin birth of Christ and other vital believes were under strong criticism and doubt. Therefore the importance of this subject is taken into serious discussion. The conflict around the confession is also adressed. This is the quia – viewpoint was accepted; the viewpoint that confession was accepted , “because it is in line with Scripture”. This viewpoint directly opposes the more liberal quatenus – vieupoint, which adheres to the articles of faith , “in as much as they agree with the Word of God.” These also were times of immense political conflict. The Boer Republics stood by the opinion that they also wanted to be free of the church living under British Colonial rule. These were all contributing factors to the final rift in church ranks. In such a turbulent world, the young Utrecht congregation had to find her way. The congregation was heavily blamed for her decision to stand by her choice of connecting to the Cape Dutch Reformed Church. The Reverant Frans Lion Cachet, first minister to the Utrecht Congregation, would play a leading role in this regard. His contribution is therefore discussed in detail. From the above - mentioned , the reasons for church division are clearly observed. Valuable lessons are learned on how to address similar divisions of the present and how they can be overcome. / Dissertation (MTh(Theol))--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Church History and Church Policy / unrestricted

Faith-based schools have become a growing phenomenon in Canada in recent decades and a cause of public concern in the context of a pluralistic society, where immigrants are increasingly likely to create educational institutions that reflect their culture and faith. This thesis presents a case study of Canadian Reformed schools in Ontario established by Dutch post-war immigrants who are members of the Federation of Canadian Reformed Churches (CanRC). Most children in this community have gone through this school system, an important feature of this long-standing, ethno-religious, immigrant-origin community. This thesis aims to examine how Canadian Reformed schools in the Province of Ontario have prepared their graduates for living in a diverse and pluralist Canadian society and their role in preserving the community’s ethnic and religious identities. The research is based on the theories of retention of immigrant ethno-religious identity as well as the role of religious schools in promoting immigrant-origin students’ ethical autonomy. Qualitative case study methodology was applied. The results are based on the analysis of sixty-four interviews with current and former members of the Reformed communities. Where possible, the results were triangulated by the content analysis of documents and mass media. This thesis concludes that Canadian Reformed schools have had a significant impact on the preservation of the community’s religious and ethnic identities. While Canadian Reformed schools have retained some level of self-isolation and a strict policy on the religious identity of both students and teachers, the findings reveal that the Ontario Canadian Reformed schools have evolved significantly in their five decades of existence. The tendency to shelter children is still present but principals and teachers generally aim to introduce current teaching strategies and develop standardized curriculum plans across the schools. Since their establishment, Canadian Reformed schools have encouraged students to discuss topical issues and develop their own solutions to enhance critical thinking skills. Tolerance and compassion to individuals with a different worldview are being promoted. Several respondents identified areas for schools’ improvement, including the need for a more inclusive and up-to-date curriculum, comprehensive school-based sex-education, a more profound level of understanding of religious tradition, reducing identity strain when exposed to the outside world, and high educational costs. This thesis addresses a gap in the study of how Christian schools in Canada prepare their graduates for socio-political engagement and in scholarly knowledge about Dutch Reformed community. This study also aims to contribute to policy making because the findings identify the challenges that religious schools’ graduates face and highlight the roles these schools play in bridging religious communities and the broader society.

This diploma thesis, entitled "Eucharistic prayer and its reintroduction in contemporary Reformed churches," deals with the historical development and present form of Eucharistic prayer, as well as the possibilities of its application in liturgical orders to the Lord's Supper in the Reformed churches. The aim of the work is to explore the essence of the liturgical and theological contribution of the Eucharistic prayer for the eucharistic liturgy of the Reformed churches. The work consists of six chapters. At first, deals with the Eucharistic prayer as one of the possible elements of the liturgical renewal of the Lord's Supper in Protestant churches, whose liturgical orders do not include the Eucharistic prayer owing to historical development. It also discusses the historical development of the Eucharistic prayer from its Jewish roots, through the emergence of the Roman canon to its removal by the reformers from the liturgy of the Lord's Supper. The work also focuses on the comparison of two particular Reformed churches, the Reformed Church in America and the Reformed Christian Church in Slovakia, on their approach to the use of Eucharistic prayer and on the reflection of the contribution of Eucharistic prayer to the liturgical orders of the Reformed churches in general.

Schools face the problem of recruiting and retaining students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) degrees. One reason that students leave STEM fields is because their introductory classes are too hard or not engaging. These introductory classes are typically taught using a lecture-heavy, instructor-centered approach, contrary to current evidence based pedagogy. Many who call for teacher reform put the blame on the way teachers are educated, which is often not student-centered, citing that because ‘teachers teach the way they were taught,’ current education is also not student-centered. The idea that ‘teachers teach the way they were taught’ is commonly used to promote an agenda for improved teaching training and accepted as fact in the scientific literature. However, little empirical data has been collected to support this conclusion. We aimed first to determine empirically if teachers teach the way they were taught, and second to determine the influences behind teaching practices. We observed, surveyed, and interviewed a sample of 44 instructors at seven colleges and universities throughout the state of Utah who taught select STEM introductory courses. Instruments used included observational, survey, and interview protocols developed specifically for this study during preliminary trials, and inspired by the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP). A paired t-test was used to compare the professors’ teaching practices with their own educational experiences. Interview responses were then grouped into common categories and used to determine the influences behind teaching practices. We discovered that there is a significant difference between how teachers teach and how they were taught during their own educational experience. This finding does not support our hypothesis that teachers teach the way they were taught. Qualitative data from interviews introduces a new hypothesis that teachers teach the way they themselves preferred to be taught, or the way they think students learn best, demonstrating that teachers are taking a much more metacognitive approach to teaching than is suggested by that famous quote, ‘teachers teach the way they were taught.’ Our results suggest that reform classes and workshops develop a more metacognitive approach to exposing future teachers to current, evidence based pedagogy, allowing teachers to reflect on their own learning and experience for themselves the benefits of student-centered learning. These future teachers will then apply what they learn if they are convinced it is a better way to teach students. They will teach the way they were taught because they experienced a positive experience when leaning.

Mathematics education reform has led to more conceptually focused instruction in the classroom. Yet, students with disabilities are receiving fewer chances than other students to engage in meaningful mathematics. Furthermore, a research divide between mathematics education and special education in mathematics has led to significant gaps in research on the individual and conceptual understanding of students with disabilities. Through task-based interviews and classroom observations, this study begins the process of closing this research gap through an examination of students' understanding of variational and covariational reasoning. Data suggest that the participants, two students with disabilities, increased their conceptual understanding in a reformed learning environment with support from teacher presence and questions. The students were able to increase their understanding of the difference between discrete and continuous functions, demonstrated an ability to self-correct, and improved their ability to choose appropriate levels of reasoning. The results suggest that conceptually oriented instruction with the presence and questioning of a teacher can support students with disabilities in developing a deep and rich understanding of complex mathematics.

This dissertation analyzes the careers of three Afrikaner missionaries, David Bosch, Carel Boshoff, and Nico Smith, who gained international reputations for pioneering alternatives to the South African Nation Party’s (NP) policy of apartheid over the second half of the 20th century. Afrikaners looked to missionaries to be moral leaders on questions of race relations, and missionaries’ public theologies carried significant moral weight. While numerous historians have argued that from the 1930s through the 1950s Afrikaner missionaries played a key role in developing and promoting the moral basis of apartheid in South Africa, they have not, however, addressed how Afrikaner missionaries responded to the political, social, and moral failure of apartheid. By the 1970s, the dissonance between the ideal and the actual implementation of apartheid led Bosch, Smith, and Boshoff—by that time leading public theologians—to a crisis of confidence in the NP, and they began to endorse divergent moral visions for the country’s future. David Bosch and Nico Smith embraced racial unity while Carel Boshoff pursued ethnic separatism. By the mid-1970s, Bosch became a leading proponent of “reconciliation,” which gave Afrikaners new moral language for thinking about themselves as part of a non-racial society. By the mid-1980s, both Bosch and Smith were key leaders in ecumenical and interracial organizations that endorsed a negotiated end to apartheid. They helped to form a growing interracial solidarity of Christians that encouraged and facilitated the democratic transition of 1990/1994. Conservative theologians, like Boshoff, attempted to stem the popularity of reconciliation in Afrikaner political and civil organizations. He was unable to successfully coordinate efforts with other conservatives, and he was increasingly marginalized. Ultimately, Boshoff opted for negotiated ethnic separatism with the African National Congress. This study demonstrates that far from being monolithic, Afrikaner religiosity and racial morality were dynamic and contested. Secondly, it shows that a number of Afrikaner public theologians and moral leaders were actively involved in ending white minority rule in South Africa. Conversely, it also shows that conservative religious leaders were able to transform Afrikaner nationalism, thereby prolonging its influence into the 21st century.

Thesis (M.A. (Divinity) -- University of Limpopo, 1991

Symphonic Prayers is a work for orchestra and soprano soloist in four movements. The work uses four poems from Rainer Maria Rilke's collection Das Stundenbuch (The Book of Hours), written between 1895 and 1903. Rilke was a Bohemian poet, mystic, traveler, and lover of art and nature. He narrates The Book of Hours through a fictional Russian monk who converses with God and reflects upon the nature of the world through the poetry. Rilke's poems delicately weave together the joys and struggles of a faith journey and of finding one's place in the world and in eternity. Equally striking is the beauty with which he utilizes the German language. There is an irresistible rhythm and nuance to his words. The four poems I chose each reflect a different category of prayer derived from the Christian faith tradition. A common prayer model utilized in the Protestant church is abbreviated by the acronym "ACTS," which stands for adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication. The ACTS prayers guide the worshipper through four methods of praying: expressing adoration for God, confessing sins and shortcomings, showing gratitude and thanksgiving, and asking for help for oneself and others. I modeled each movement of Symphonic Prayers after these categories and chose poems from Das Stundenbuch that mirrored the sentiments of each prayer. Adoration is a proclamation of faith, a statement of unrelenting praise and prayer. The narrator unapologetically declares that even if it begets arrogance, nothing will diminish his drive to reach out to God. Even through this bold statement, the poem maintains reverence and a sense of wonder toward its subject. Confession is a statement of the brokenness of the world, recounting how murder has ripped through God's call for us to love life, and how our attempts to atone for this brokenness fall short. Thanksgiving is a boisterous statement of praise to God. The speaker analogizes her praise to trumpet calls, her words to sweet wine, and her music to a northern spring day, each preparing the way for God. Supplication returns to the reverence of the first movement. The narrator contemplates her life that is ever circling around God. The accompanying monograph explains the ACTS prayers in the context of the Reformed Church of America, both historically and currently. It presents an analysis of the four Rilke poems selected to represent the ACTS prayers, including their narrative meaning, their relationship to Das Stundenbuch, their translations, and a close examination of their poetic features, such as prosody, meter, and rhyme. The discussion of the poems also required some background on Rilke's faith journey and artistic maturation. The monograph also addresses musical text setting in a broader sense by recounting some historical philosophies of textual and musical relationships and explaining where the composer's ideologies fall within the larger framework. Finally, it presents a musical analysis of Symphonic Prayers in relation to the text setting of the four poems, including an explanation of its harmonic structure, which is derived from Olivier Messiaen's modes of limited transposition. The compositional goal of Symphonic Prayers was to create a work that would honor the ACTS prayers through the elegant words of a mystic poet. The music reinforces the messages behind Rilke's honest conversations with God, and in doing so offers a new lens through which to experience the arc of the ACTS prayers. / Music Composition / Accompanied by one .pdf score: Symphonic Prayers for Orchestra and Soprano Soloist.