CPE is Western in origin, it can be transplanted and adapted to the Igbo soil and be fedb with the local nutrients. In the view of the researcher, this can bring about a new CPE model which is called the "Family/Community-Based CPE Model." The above mentioned model puts the family and community at the center of the CPE program. The CPE center will be located in a community-based setting that will enable the CPE students to visit different families and experience community life and to learn how the people respond to different events in their lives. The students can also visit ceremonies that give meaning to the people's lives such as marriage, naming, funerals and other events through which the people express their communal life. Inter-professional collaboration can take place between the CPE center and different professionals, as well as the local practitioners. All these experiences will form part of the verbatim reports and reflections during the program. The already existing actionreflection- action model of CPE will be remodeled to be theory-observation-action-reflection. It is this CPE model that the researcher proposes for the Igbo society. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.

This study was designed against the background of the vital need for a comprehensive research on religious sisters in Africa and Nigeria in particular to address the problems and challenges of identity construction by them within the context of religious community life. It is an interpretative qualitative research study which used an interdisciplinary theoretical approach, drawing on theology of religious life and dialogical self theory to argue that the sisters‘ performance of identity is a context-bound activity. Interview data was drawn from 18 participants from two religious congregations (Daughters of Divine Love and Society of the Holy Child Jesus) in Nigeria in order to understand the meaning sisters give to their intersubjective exchange and the impact it makes on their development and performance of personal/religious identity. The results showed that the sisters used a multiplicity of I-positions to construct identity. This multiplicity of I-positions arises from self-positioning and self as positioned by others (including superiors/formators, senior/older sisters, priests) which are laden with conflicts and dilemmas of identity construction. The major dilemma of identity construction that the participants encountered is based on the discrepancy between the ideal and the lived reality of religious life. The participants presented the ideal as a call to do God‘s will in direct imitation of Christ, but the lived reality offers a mixed experience. On the one hand the participants indicated that relationships within the religious community, Church and wider Nigerian society are supportive, facilitating their development and performance of Christ-like identity. But on the other hand the findings reveal that the participants‘ performance of identity has been hindered by power relations and dominance (including gender related issues) which are prevalent in religious communities, the Church and wider Nigerian society, leading the participants to present their performance of identity as a struggle for survival. Thus their construction of identity is a constant negotiation process, in which they are engaged in appropriation and rejection of positions as they struggle to construct unity-in-multiplicity. To this effect the study recommends that leaders of religious life review their leadership style in order to adopt a more inclusive approach which gives every sister the opportunity to speak and be heard, thus create a more conducive environment for sisters‘ identity construction. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2012.

This research study explores the ways in which children from diverse family backgrounds can construct or reconstruct their God representations. These were probed by using 'object relations theory' and 'matemal deprivation theory' as means of further gaining insight into children's initial formulations of interpersonal and emotional relationships and how these were translated into the way they imagined God to be for themselves, given their age-group. Parallels were drawn between the interface of psychology and theology by using theories on faith development. There is a clear acknowledgment that there are certain steps of development that individuals go through in their growth at both psychological and spiritual levels. This confirms that there is a need for these two disciplines to draw from each other as means of creating conducive climate to allow for an integrated approach towards formulations of spiritual development among children. Through the use of questionnaires the children were given the opportunity to explore images of God and to also express these in the form of a drawing. The content analysis of this study demonstrated that there were no distinct differences on how children perceived God between abandoned children being raised in an institutional setting and those children being raised by biological parents. This finding highlighted the fact that there are other factors that impact children's spiritual development. These include care, nurture and emotional security. This study contributes to future research on developing new theologies by children, thus enabling them to play a central role in formulating contextual and relevant curriculums on religious education. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.

The purpose of the study is to show the presence of Christ in Fanteland by treating five Fante ancestral and current narratives as analogues of Genesis XIV and interpreting the resulting interpenetrating Scripture and Fante narratives sensus plenior in the manner of Hebrews VII for Fante Christians, revealing the hidden presence of Christ in them. This is made possible by a postulate of an affinity between the Hebrew world view and that of the Fante. What is considered right behaviour in Fanteland is also resonant with the ethics in Hebrews. A section on ethics arising out of the presence of Christ in the narrative follows in each case. The first chapter is introductory giving the aim and objectives of the study the justification, scope and limitations. This is followed by the intellectual framework from secondary sources and the methodology used. In Chapter II there is a comparison of the world view of Hebrews and of Fanteland with a view to seeing their affinity. Chapters III -V give the literary and historical background to each narrative, the narratives themselves and a theological and ethical meditation. In conclusion the fruit of these meditations is summarized and an evaluation is made. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.

This ethnographic case study explored the vocation discernment process for Latina women who have entered a religious order. The researcher spent three months participating in and observing the daily lives of religious sisters and conducted interviews. The eight religious sisters interviewed for the study were predominately of Mexican and Central America descent. Similar to Lester’s (2005) findings, sisters describe persistent feelings of inquietud before entering the religious life, and sought fulfillment through religious means. Participants often feel joy and admiration when they met a religious sister for the first time. Participants recount a religious or sensory experience which provided clarity to her decision. The participants indicate a sense of urgency to enter the religious life as soon as possible. The results are compared with other studies on religious life and vocation discernment through a sociological and psychosocial perspective. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

No description available.

Explores the beneficial effects and values that spirituality and religion present when addressing the elder population aged 60 and over. Also, examines the potential implications of integrating spirituality as a treatment model approach into direct social work practice and recommends possible changes for social work curriculum. Quantitative data was obtained through a convenience sampling to obtain a true representation of the population of residents in regions of San Bernardino County, California. Qualitative data was obtained through the use of open-ended questions that provided for greater validity, understanding and interpretation of spirituality and how external forces affect this population. Results indicate that elders 60 years and older with spiritual/religious values are better equipped to face the challenges of late life and report higher levels of satisfaction compared to elders that do not share the same ideals.

Morals are an important aspect in any society's functioning, and can be seen as a complex concept which consists of many facets. Morals can also be seen to be influenced by variety of different factors. The present study used case studies and successive approximation content analysis to explore the influence of Christian Belief on moral behaviour in fifteen adolescents. The research found that adolescents' moral behaviour could be influenced by Christian Belief as well as authority and peers. Certain adolescents had different views and understandings of morals. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Play Therapy)

The religious freedom introduced to Russia in 1989, due to perestroika, gave new opportunities for Christianity to expand. People accepted Christ and new churches were founded. Nevertheless after 16 years of transformation the evangelical churches in Russia are diminishing in growth. There are probably several reasons for this. One major reason which is suggested here, is that only a minority of Russian Christian men are willing to take up regular voluntary church ministry: like being a home group leader, taking care of the church building, having a part in Sunday school teaching, helping with the youth group or any other kind of service. As a result, not only are pastors often overloaded with administration work and can not find time for people but also ministry opportunities are not started, developed or expanded. Therefore this research aims to find out which factors are important to Russian Christian men in order for them to engage a regular voluntary church ministry. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

An evaluation of the spiritual experience of South African expatriates living in or migrating to other African countries, as a process of practical theology, established that expatriates do not isolate themselves from their churches in South Africa (SA). SA churches only make provision for traditional missionary outreaches and do not make provision for the SA expatriates, black or white, living in these African metropolitan areas. The subjects studied included SA expatriates, the relationships between SA churches, local African churches and expatriates, the act of migration, repatriation and its challenges together with the spiritual and social impact on individuals, marriages and families. A topical view implicates a direct relationship between fieldworkers, missionaries and chaplains deployment into African countries from SA. Furthermore, from research it is implied that the church in SA remains the spiritual home and resource centre of the migrant. The practical theological call for a realignment of mission praxis is vital and is linked to Christ’s parable of the ninety nine sheep, whilst one is lost (Matthew 18:12-14; Luke 15:4-7). This analogy produces the direct requirement of the Church to reconstruct missions to encompass combined support for their congregants in SA, the ninety nine, and those expatriates living in other African countries, the one. The missions to Africa should no longer be missions that only seek to convert African tribes to Christianity, but rather to serve Africans and others immigrating to countries on the continent. Church resources for SA expatriates would be made available when a visionary change occurs at the planning stages of strategies for African missions. Proposed mission strategies should include cell church, care group and discipleship models geared for missions and the African expatriate terrain. A realistic strategy that harmonises resources within the church to serve those abroad shall ensure positive impact on the spirituality, family and marriage of the expatriate. Finally two challenges are laid before the SA church, one, to continue with missions in Africa according to the Great Commission of Jesus Christ, Matthew 28:19-20, with the second, to combine the expatriate discipleship models into its mission strategies. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology)