Ministers have a very unique occupation with designated job demands and incongruous resources at their disposal. Over the past few years numerous studies have been undertaken different occupations’ regarding job demands and job resources. In contrast, limited studies were done among ministers of religion, particularly in the context of the three Reformed sister churches in South Africa. This is the case even though these ministers play such a key role in the current social and religious sphere. Results from previous studies have shown that job demands and the lack of resources have a major impact on the experience of work-nonwork interference among individuals (Koekemoer & Mostert, 2006; Mostert, 2009, Mostert & Oosthuizen, 2006; Tshabalala, 2007; Van Aarde & Mostert, 2008).This trend, however, has not been researched amongst ministers before – particularly how ministers cope with this interference. The overall objective of the present study was to investigate job demands and job resources as significant predictors of work-nonwork interference for ministers of the three sister churches. The focus also was on coping strategies that are significant in dealing with work-nonwork interference. The possible moderation brought about by these coping strategies was also investigated. Various hypotheses related to the overall objective were tested in the empirical study. The design used for this study was a cross-sectional survey design undertaken among ministers of the three sister churches mentioned. Various job demands, job resources, worknonwork interference and coping strategies were measured. This was done by employing the instruments of Peeters, Montgomery, Bakker and Schaufeli, (2005); Buys and Rothmann (2009); Koekemoer, Mostert and Rothman, 2010; Geurts et al. (2005) and Carver, Scheier and Weintraub (1989). Construct validity of all the instruments were proven with the CFA (Confirmatory Factor Analysis) in the SPSS program. Descriptive statistics, cronbach alpha coefficients, Pearson and Spearman product-moment correlations and multiple regression analyses were used to analyse the data. Moderation regression analyses were also done to test for possible moderation of specific coping strategies. Results indicated that cognitive demands were related to the dimension of work-parent interference. Emotional demands and pace and amount of work had a relation with all the various dimensions of the work-nonwork interference. Congregational support related work-home interference as well as work-religion/spirituality interference. Financial support, lack of autonomy, as well as social support, related to all three dimensions of work-nonwork interference. Job significance related work-religion/spirituality interference, whereas job accomplishment predicted work-home interference and work-religion/spirituality interference. The results of the predictors on work-parent interference included the following: cognitive demands, pace and amount of work, financial support and turning-to-religion. Work-home interference was predicted by the variables pace and amount of work and financial support. Work-religion/spirituality interference were predicted by pace and amount of work, job significance and turning to religion. The various coping strategies (turning-to-religion, seeking-emotional-support, active coping, acceptance coping, planning and avoidance coping) functioned as moderators between certain specific job demands, job resources and dimensions of work-nonwork interference. Limitations of the study were discussed and recommendations were put forward for future studies on this topic. / MCom (Industrial Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Ministers have a very unique occupation with designated job demands and incongruous resources at their disposal. Over the past few years numerous studies have been undertaken different occupations’ regarding job demands and job resources. In contrast, limited studies were done among ministers of religion, particularly in the context of the three Reformed sister churches in South Africa. This is the case even though these ministers play such a key role in the current social and religious sphere. Results from previous studies have shown that job demands and the lack of resources have a major impact on the experience of work-nonwork interference among individuals (Koekemoer & Mostert, 2006; Mostert, 2009, Mostert & Oosthuizen, 2006; Tshabalala, 2007; Van Aarde & Mostert, 2008).This trend, however, has not been researched amongst ministers before – particularly how ministers cope with this interference. The overall objective of the present study was to investigate job demands and job resources as significant predictors of work-nonwork interference for ministers of the three sister churches. The focus also was on coping strategies that are significant in dealing with work-nonwork interference. The possible moderation brought about by these coping strategies was also investigated. Various hypotheses related to the overall objective were tested in the empirical study. The design used for this study was a cross-sectional survey design undertaken among ministers of the three sister churches mentioned. Various job demands, job resources, worknonwork interference and coping strategies were measured. This was done by employing the instruments of Peeters, Montgomery, Bakker and Schaufeli, (2005); Buys and Rothmann (2009); Koekemoer, Mostert and Rothman, 2010; Geurts et al. (2005) and Carver, Scheier and Weintraub (1989). Construct validity of all the instruments were proven with the CFA (Confirmatory Factor Analysis) in the SPSS program. Descriptive statistics, cronbach alpha coefficients, Pearson and Spearman product-moment correlations and multiple regression analyses were used to analyse the data. Moderation regression analyses were also done to test for possible moderation of specific coping strategies. Results indicated that cognitive demands were related to the dimension of work-parent interference. Emotional demands and pace and amount of work had a relation with all the various dimensions of the work-nonwork interference. Congregational support related work-home interference as well as work-religion/spirituality interference. Financial support, lack of autonomy, as well as social support, related to all three dimensions of work-nonwork interference. Job significance related work-religion/spirituality interference, whereas job accomplishment predicted work-home interference and work-religion/spirituality interference. The results of the predictors on work-parent interference included the following: cognitive demands, pace and amount of work, financial support and turning-to-religion. Work-home interference was predicted by the variables pace and amount of work and financial support. Work-religion/spirituality interference were predicted by pace and amount of work, job significance and turning to religion. The various coping strategies (turning-to-religion, seeking-emotional-support, active coping, acceptance coping, planning and avoidance coping) functioned as moderators between certain specific job demands, job resources and dimensions of work-nonwork interference. Limitations of the study were discussed and recommendations were put forward for future studies on this topic. / MCom (Industrial Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

No description available.

No description available.

À partir de l’exemple du Sud de l’Aquitaine, véritable condensé des sensibilités protestantes de l’Europe du XIXe siècle, une analyse multi-scalaire permet d’appréhender les processus de réintégration et d’affirmation du protestantisme qui, au terme d’un siècle de persécutions et de clandestinité, devient une confession reconnue. De la promulgation des Articles organiques du 18 germinal an X à la Séparation des Églises et de l’État, l’étude du pluralisme protestant permet de définir de nouveaux espaces ainsi que de nouvelles et multiples formes de structuration institutionnelle. L’existence de lignes de partage externes, visibles au travers des modalités de coexistence, et internes, par les points de tension inhérents à cette pluralité, révèle, quant à elle, les différents traits d’une identité protestante qui ne se conçoit que dans la diversité. Au-delà de ses divergences, cette minorité active fait preuve d’une vision collective et spatiale : par la création d’un territoire concurrent de l’Église catholique, par sa reconstruction institutionnelle, par ses réseaux, par ses engagements politiques, par la relecture de son histoire, elle se forge une identité originale et prétend jouer un rôle moteur dans la société de son temps. / Using as example the South of Aquitaine, a veritable concentration of protestant school of thought in Europe in the 19th century, a multi-scalar analysis throws light on the processes of reintegration and affirmation of Protestantism which, after a century of persecution and clandestinity, became a recognized religious faith. From the promulgation of the Organic Articles of 18th Germinal Year X to the Separation of the Churches and State, the study of Protestant Pluralism enables new areas to be defined as well as new and multiple forms of institutional structuration. The existence of external divisions visible through methods of coexistence, and internal ones seen in the points of friction inherent to this plurality, reveals the different characteristics of protestant identity that could only be imagined in a context of diversity. This active minority affirmed, beyond its differences, a collective and spatial vision through the creation of a territory in competition with the Catholic Church, through its institutional reconstruction, through its networks, through its political commitments, through the rethinking of its history, it created an original identity and expected to be a driving force in the society of its time.

This study focused on the ‘silence of the prophets’ in the post-apartheid era. It sought to understand why the prophets, who spoke out so vehemently against the injustices of apartheid, did not speak out against the injustices of the government after 1994 even when it became blatantly apparent that corruption was beginning to unfold on various levels, especially with the introduction of the so-called Arms Deal. Accordingly, the study singles out Drs Allan Boesak and Frank Chikane who were among the fiercest opponents of the apartheid regime before 1994. The study traced the impact of the ideological forces that influenced Boesak and Chikane’s ideological thinking from the early Slave Religion, Black Theology in the USA and Liberation Theology in Latin America. Black Theology and Black Consciousness first made their appearance in South Africa in the 1970s, with Boesak and Chikane, among others, as early advocates of these movements. In 1983, Boesak and Chikane took part in the launch of the United Democratic Front (UDF) in Mitchells Plain, Cape Town. This movement became the voice of the voiceless in an era when the members of the African National Congress (ANC) and Pan African Congress (PAC) had been sent into exile. It also signalled a more inclusive and reconciliatory shift in Boesak and Chikane’s Ideological thinking. Whereas Black Consciousness sought to exclude white people from participating in the struggle for liberation, the UDF united all under one banner without consideration for colour, race, religion or creed. After the advent of liberation in South Africa in 1994, it became increasingly obvious that corruption was infiltrating many levels of the new government. But the prophets were silent. Why were they silent? The study presents an analysis of the possible reasons for this silence based on interviews with Boesak and Chikane as role players and draws conclusions based on their writings both before and after 1994. Overall, the study concluded that they were silent because they had become part of the new political structures that had taken over power. To sum up, the study demonstrates the irony of prophetic oscillation and concludes that no prophet is a prophet for all times. Thus, as a new democracy unfolds in South Africa, the situation demands new prophets with a new message. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D. Phil. (Theology)