The Dutch Reformed Church provided the theological justification for Apartheid since 1948 and contributed to discourses of racism and cultural hegemony. In this research narrative conversations were used to confront racism prevalent among many Dutch Reformed congregants. Social discourses, created through language, marginalised and oppressed people of Colour in South Africa. In this project, narrative conversations were used to deconstruct these oppressive racial discourses. Antjie Krog's book on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's work, Country of my skull, confronted the congregants with the painful and dehumanising effects of Apartheid. Externalising conversations assisted congregants to face their guilt and the unjust discourses trapping them. In addition, this deconstruction empowered the congregants to challenge racism and cultural hegemony by living more ethical lives. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology (Pastoral Therapy))

Text in Afrikaans / Individuals can be deemed weaklings within the family relations by social discourse that claims that the value of a human being is measured by his productivity and mobility. Parkinson's disease in its turn has a paralysing effect on the mobility of the physical body. The above-mentioned social discourse on the one hand and Parkinson's disease on the other hand become a dominant story that "paralyses" the individual. During research someone who has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, related how she wrote an alternative story. This person, who practices a reformed spirituality, wrote an alternative story by using Christian faith language, which, in the end, halted the marginalising effect of Parkinson's disease. In this study the concerned participant had the opportunity to share her genuine experiences and her application of Christian language of faith to manage Parkinson's disease. / Practical Theology / M. Th.

The contention of this study is that missiological cell group praxis is an appropriate vehicle to mobilize the local church for world evangelization - centrifugally reaching from "Jerusalem" and "Judea and Samaria" to the "ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Methodologically it follows the pastoral circle of Holland & Henriot and investigates the missiological praxis of various small faith communities. The principles of the cosmological framework of Calvisnism (Kuyper, Dooyeweerd) are brought to bear on the missionary endeavours of the local church, with reference to the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa. It argues for a missiologically integrated Cell Church, based on a definition of mission and evangelism, which is aimed at overcoming the fragmented missiological situation in mainline churches. This study argues that these small groups function as the basic cells of the local and universal Church, and shows how these communities come into existence and function as missiological outreach groups. / Christian Spirituality Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

In hierdie studie word gepoog om 'n spiritualiteit te omskryf wat as die intensie en motivering vir kommunikatiewe geloofshandelinge kan dien. Die handelingswetenskaplike benadering in die Praktiese Teologie word kortliks beskryf. Daar word aangetoon dat handelinge nie net eksistensiele gedrag is nie; handelinge het 'n onderliggende spiritualiteit as intensie en motivering. Verskillende perspektiewe op spiritualiteit word ondersoek. Die terme praxis pietatis word gekies om spiritualiteit te beskryf. Die skepping-herskepping tema word gebruik om 'n teologiese basis van praxis pietatis te omskryf. Die praxis is kommunikatiewe geloofshandelinge wat as intensionele konkretisering van die imperatief moontlik gemaak is deur die indikatief van God se openbaring van Homself aan die mens. Deur die pietatis word die werklikheid van God se verlossing as eksistensiele kennis, deur die geloofsinoefening van die gelowige as nuwe mens - met die hoop op die opstanding - integrerend in die daaglikse lewe toegepas. / This study intends to describe a spirituality that can function as intention and motivation for communicative faith acts. The operational scientific approach to Practical Theology is discussed briefly. It is shown that acts are not only existential behaviour but has an underlying spirituality as intention and motivation. Different perspectives on spirituality are explored and the term praxis pietatis is chosen describe spirituality. The creation-recreation theme is used to define a theological basis for praxis pietatis. The praxis is intentional communicative acts that stem from the imperative. It is made possible by the indicative of the self-revelation of God to mankind. The redemption of God as existential knowledge is made possible by the exercising of faith by the new man. Through the pietatis this knowledge is integrated into the daily life - with the eye upon the resurrection. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Praktiese Teologie)

Summaries in Afrikaans, English and German / Text in Afrikaans / 'n Ondersoek na die teologiese inhoud van die Evangeliese ; Gesange is geYnisieer nadat vasgestel is dat sodanige studie nog nie voorheen in Suid-Af rika in Geref ormeerde kringe onderneem is nie. Aangesien die geskiedenis en die f undering van die kerklied deur ander navorsers reeds volledig uitgewerk is, is hoofstuk 1 bloot 'n inleidende oorsig wat die agtergrond van die studie verskaf. In hoofstuk 2 is 'n kategorisering van die Gesange in extenso gedoen en in hoofstuk 3 is die inhoud van die kategoriee kortliks beskryf. Die doel hiermee is om vas te stel oor watter onderwerpe die meeste gesing word en waar die lakunes voorkom. Aan die hand van hierdie kategorisering is daar uiteindelik vyf onderwerpe afgebaken wat ooglopend Bybelsteologiese leemtes of selfs afwykings vertoon wat in die toekoms aangespreek behoort te word. Die onderwerpe is onderskeidelik: die Godsbeskouing, die skepping, die sonde, die doop en die toekomsverwagting. In hoof stuk 4 het hierdie onderwerpe af sonderlik ender die soeklig gekom. Daar is o.a. gevind dat die inhoud van die Gesange 'n duidelike reflektering is van die tradisionele kerkleer en dus nie volkome daartoe in staat is om die moderne mens (die jeug veral!) aan te spreek nie. Die gevolgtrekking waartoe die navorser geraak het, is dat liedere wat die eietyds geloofsproblematiek aanspreek 'n sine qua non geword het. Die navorsing oor die inhoud van die Gesange het voorts ook vreemde teologiese aksente uitgewys. So bv. is daar 'n duidelike invloed van die Grieks platonistiese dualisme te bespeur waar die Jenseitige teenoor die Diesseitige af gespeel word. Di t het veral aan die lig gekom met die bespreking oor die skepping. Eodem modo is daar spore van die Pietistiese individualisme in die Gesange aangetref waar die vertikale belewing met God (bekering, heiliging) die horisontale belewing van verantwoordelikheid, oorskadu! Hierdie sending, aanbevelings die godsdiens omgewingsbewaring) is in hoof stuk krities-waarderende opmerkings saamgevat. / Research into the theological content of the Evangelical Hymns was initiated after it was established that such a study had not been attempted in South Africa in Reformed circles. Since the history and grounding of the church hymn have already been discussed in full by other researchers, chapter 1 merely offers an introductory review which provides some background to the study. In chapter 2 a categorisation of the Hymns was done in extenso and chapter 3, in turn, deals with the contents of each specific category. The aim is to determine which subjects are prevalent in Hymns and which ones are not addressed at all. On the basis of this categorisation, five subjects were finally defined which revealed obvious biblical-theological lacunae, if not deviations, all of which need to be addressed in the future. The subjects are: the ways of thinking about God, the creation, sin, baptism and hopes for the future. In chapter 4 these subjects were examined in detail. It was proved, inter alia, that the contents of the Hymns clearly reflect the traditional church doctrine and consequently fail to a large extent to address modern man (especially the young people of our time). The conclusion reached by the researcher is that Hymns addressing the contemporary problematic nature of faith have become a sine qua non. Furthermore, research on the contents of the Hymns also revealed foreign theological accents such as clear influences of the Greek Platonistic dualism where the Jenseitige is compared to the Diesseitige. This became particularly evident in the discussion on the creation. Eodem modo traces of the Pietistic indiviudalism were detected in the Hymns, where the vertical experience of God (conversion, sanctification) completely overshadows the horizontal experience of religion (social responsibility, mission work, nature conservation)! Chapter 5 comprises these recommendations in the form of remarks of a criticalappreciation nature. / Eine Untersuchung in Bezug auf den theologischen Inhalt der Evangelischen Kirchenlieder wurde in die Wege geleitet nachdem festgestellt wurde, daB ein solches Studium noch nie vorhin in Ref ormierten Kreisen in Slidaf rika vorgenommen worden war. Da die Geschichte und die Fundierung des Kirchenliedes von andern Forschern schon in all en Einzelheiten ausgearbeitet worden sind, bietet Kapitel 1 bloB eine einleitende Ubersicht als Hintergrund flir das Studium. In Kapitel 2 wurden die Kirchenlieder in extenso nach Kategorien geordnet und in Kapitel 3 findet sich der Inhalt jeder einzelnen Kategorie vor. Es sollte festgestellt werden, welche Themen sich am meisten in den Kirchenliedern erkennen lassen und welche liberhaupt nicht berlihrt werden. An Hand dieser Anordnung in Kategorien wurden zum Schluss flinf Themen definiert, die augenfiillig biblisch-theologische Lucken, wenn nicht sogar Abweichungen, offenbaren; es sind Themen, denen in der Zukunft zweifellos einem gerechten Platz Gottesauffassung, die zukommen sollen. Die themen sind: Schopfung, Siinde, die Taufe und Zukunftserwartungen. In Kapitel 4 wurden diese Themen in allen Einzelheiten untersucht. Es stellte sich unter anderern heraus, das der Inhalt der Kirchenlieder eine klare Widerspiegelung der traditionellen Kirchenlehre ist und deshalb den Ansprilchen des modernen Menschen (vor allern der Jugend) nicht vollig gerecht werden konnen. Die schluflfolgerung des Forschers ist deshalb, das Lieder, welche den zeitgenossischen Glaubensproblernatik berilhren, eine sine qua non geworden sind. Die Forschung in Bezug auf den Inhalt der Kirchenlieder offenbarte weiterhin auch fremde theologische Akzente. Es laflt sich zurn Beispiel einen deutlichen Einfluss des griechisch-platonistischen Dualismus aufweisen wo das Jenseitige dern Diesseitigen gegenilbergestellt wird. Es wurde besonders deutlich in der Diskussion Uber die Schopfung. Eodem modo offenbarte sich Spuren eines pietistischen Individualismus in den Liedern wo das vertikale Gotteserlebnis (Bekehrung, Heiligung) das horizontale Erlebnis der Religion (soziale Verantwortung, Missionsarbeit, Naturbewahrung) vollig in den Schatten stelltl Diese Ernpfehlungen wurden in Kapitel 5 in der Form kritisch-bewertenden Anrnerkungen zusanunengefasst. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Systematic Theology)

This dissertation considers the possibility that, flowing from his broader theological framework and historical background, John Calvin’s eucharistic theology ‘re-invents’ a doctrine where the ‘substance’ (meaning) of the elements becomes the body and blood of Christ, and the believer who receives them is drawn, through understanding, into participation in Christ. The study begins with the historical setting and the second chapter sketches Calvin’s life. Chapter 3 considers epistemology and the impact of classical rhetoric on Calvin’s approach to knowledge. The following chapter considers Calvin’s understanding of our relationship with the Father, and of Christ as Mediator and as means of salvation. Chapter 5 considers the work of the Spirit in nurturing faith, a ‘higher knowledge’, through preparing us for knowledge of Christ and mediating our understanding of and participation in him. In this manner the Spirit acts as an instrument of revelation to enable us to participate in Christ. Chapters 6 and 7 move to consider Calvin’s writing on the Sacraments, their nature as sign and seals of the promise made in Christ, their substance and their role in our participation in Christ and, in the light of the duplex gratia, as gateways to participation. In Chapter 8 Calvin’s teaching is examined in terms of his opposition to the doctrine of transubstantiation, and his understanding of substance is considered. The possibility that Calvin ‘re-invents’ the doctrine is proposed. This is not to suggest that there is a conscious copying of the doctrine, but that through the process of forming his doctrine, using an alternate philosophical framework, Calvin’s understanding bears significant similarities to the doctrine he so deeply opposed. His key opposition to transubstantiation can then be seen to be to the materialist interpretations that impede the ability of the believer to lift his attention beyond the physical elements to the divine offer they represent. The study concludes by briefly considering the significance of Calvin’s ‘reinvention’ for contemporary understandings.

This thesis offers a constructive account of the doctrine of divine simplicity in Christian theology. In its methodology, the thesis aims to present this divine perfection as an implicate of the scriptural portrayal of God, to draw upon the insights and conceptual resources of Thomas Aquinas and various Reformed orthodox theologians, and to respond to some objections to divine simplicity. The focus on exegetical elaboration of biblical teaching and the use of Thomas and the Reformed orthodox distinguish this work from a number of recent accounts of God in both systematic theology and analytic philosophy. The case for God's simplicity is made by examining God's singularity, aseity, immutability, infinity, and act of creation in Holy Scripture and then tracing the ways in which these descriptions of God imply that he is (negatively) not composed of parts. Rather, he is (positively) actus purus and really identical with his own essence, existence, and attributes, each of which is identical with the whole being of the triune God considered under some aspect. In light of the constructive work, this study then addresses the three most pressing objections to divine simplicity: (1) that it denigrates God's revelation of his many attributes in the economy; (2) that it eliminates God's freedom in creating the world and acting in history; and (3) that it does not cohere with the doctrine of the Trinity.

No description available.

There had been three different churches in Libštát for many years. This dissertation is covering the history of the Reformed church and the history of the Lutheran church. The group that had registered under the Reformed church after the issue of the Patent of the Tolerance was larger. Therefore, they were faster in getting their own minister. It was Jan Csomor, who came in 1783. They also managed to build their own church, which was consecrated in 1787. However, the Lutheran church was smaller in numbers, so they could not establish their independent church, thus they became a part of the church family with the seat in a remote village called Křížlice. They also did not manage to get the permission to build their own church, so they had been existentially struggling for quite a long time. In the end, they succeeded and built their own church in 1842. After that, they achieved independence from Křížlice in 1867 and got their first minister the very next year. The history of the whole community allows us to study the relations between the two churches and their following union in 1918. The last third of the 19th century seems to play the key role in the convergence of the two churches. The Reformed minister, Emanuel Havelka, and the Lutheran minister, Petr Marušiak, have probably played a crucial role in...

No description available.