Afrikaans: Die metodologiese model wat gevolg is het gepoog om deur die wisselwerking tussen teorie en praxis ‘n praktykteorie te lewer wat tot ‘n meer effektiewe bedizening in pastorale begeleiding van gesinne wat die trauma van ‘n miskraamsituasie beleef het, te kan dien. Indien hierdie praktykteorie geïmplementeer word, sal dit in die Prakties-Teologiese terugvra na die Woord daadwerklik daartoe bydra dat die beeld en bedoeling van die herdermotief in die pastoraat tot sy reg sal kom. Die ondersoek het van die hipotese uitgegaan dat daar ‘n leemte bestaan ten opsigte van die betrokkenheid van predikante by gesinne wat die trauma van ‘n miskraam beleef het. ‘n Empiriese ondersoek is gedoen en die resultate bevestig hierdie hipotese. In die literatuurstudie is daar gefokus op miskrame vanuit die perspektief van die rousmart-teorie en die gevolgtrekking is gemaak dat daar ‘n verband bestaan tussen ‘n miskraam en die rousmart wat daaruit voortspruit. Die status van die fetus, asook die vraag na die lewe ná die dood en die sin van lyding is vanuit verskillende perspektiewe ondersoek om as agtergrondskennis vir pastorale begeleiding te dien. Op grond van die resultate van die literatuurstudie en die empiriese ondersoekl is tot die slotsom gekom dat hierdie ‘n spesialiteitsgebied is, en dat ‘n toerustingskursus vir predikante kan lei tot ‘n beter begeleiding van mense in so ‘n situasie. Die raamwerk van so ‘n metodologiese model wat spesialiteitstoerusting vereis, sal moet fokus op die bemagtiging van predikante ten opsigte van die wêreld van die miskraamslagoffer, om sodoende daadwerklik hulpverlenend by die situasie betrokke te raak. ‘n Raamwerk vir so ‘n toerusting word as praktykteorie aangebied. English: The methodological model employed attempted to provide a practical theory through the interaction between theory and praxis to produce a more effective service in pastoral guidance to families who have experienced the trauma of a miscarriage situation. Should this practice theory be implemented, its Practical-Theological reference of the Word of God may actively contribute to the image and meaning of the pastoral motive in the pastorate being more clearly displayed. The study was based on the hypothesis that there is a need regarding the involvement of ministers with families who have experienced the trauma of a miscarriage. An empirical study was performed and the results confirm this hypothesis. In the literature study attention was focused on miscarriage from the perspective of the grief theory, and it was concluded that a causal relationship exists between miscarriage and the subsequent grief process. The status of the fetus, as well as the question regarding life after death and the purpose of suffering, were considered from various perspectives to provide background kwowledge for pastoral guidance. On the basis of the results of the literature study and empirical investigation, it was concluded that this is a speciality field, and that the appropriate preparation of ministers may equip them to better serve persons in a situation as this. The framework of such a methodological model requiring special preparation will have to focus on the empowerment of ministers with regard to the world of the victim of miscarriage, thus enabling them to become actively and supportively involved with the situation. A framework for the appropriate preparation of ministers is being offered as practice theory. / Thesis (PhD (Practical Theology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Practical Theology / unrestricted

Depuis 2002, la « décroissance » s’est imposée dans le débat sur l’écologie, l’économie et notre futur. Le présent travail interroge la théologie protestante à travers l’une des principales plumes de cette pensée hétérodoxe : Serge Latouche. Cet économiste français athée effectue une critique culturaliste de la société de croissance. Il en instruit un triple procès et appelle à la décolonisation créatrice de notre imaginaire partagé, afin de cheminer vers des sociétés d’abondance frugale autonomes, conviviales et heureuses. Cette position mène la théologie à s’interroger en premier lieu sur le croître. Au vu des données bibliques, il est constaté que l’imagerie chrétienne de la croissance augmente et contredit l’imaginaire dominant croissanciste. Partant, deux contributions sont apportées à une théologie du croître : l’une sur l’enrichissement commandé au disciple et à l’Église, où cette croissance est subvertie, l’autre sur la pousse des plantes et les proliférations d’animaux, où ces croissances sont réhabilitées. / Since 2002, “degrowth” has made its way into the debate on ecology, economics, and our future. The present work questions Protestant theology through one of the main writers of this heterodox thinking: Serge Latouche. This French atheist economist makes a culturalist critique of the society of growth. He puts it on a threefold trial and calls for the creative decolonization of our shared imaginary, so as to move towards autonomous, convivial, and happy societies of frugal abundance. This position first of all leads theology to question growth. Based on biblical data, it is noticed that the Christian imaginary of growth enriches and contradicts the dominant growthist imaginary. Hence, two contributions to a theology of growth are provided: one about the command to get rich addressed to the disciple and to the church, where this kind of growth is subverted, another about plant growth and animal proliferation, where these kinds of growth are restored to favor.

In John Calvin and Ellen G White’s sense making approaches God’s act of redemption and reconciliation in and through Jesus Christ takes the centre stage in the foursome of God’s acts expressed in the biblical historical timeline as creation, reconciliation in Jesus Christ, renewal through the Holy Spirit and fulfilment at the end of time. While the 16th century Calvin emphasised God’s acts of creation and reconciliation in Christ more than God’s acts of renewal and fulfilment, the 19th century White’s emphasis was more on God’s acts of reconciliation in Christ and fulfilment at the end of time than on creation and renewal through the Spirit. With all the differences in their sense making approaches their central perspectival focus in their writings, sayings and doings is the way God and humanity, heaven and earth are closely connected in a unity without being fused and mixed in Jesus Christ. Their central christological theme of ‘God staying God’ and ‘human staying human’ in an interactional substantialist sense in Christ designates the great alternative view that differs on the one hand, from the view of the trans-substantialist option in which the human being Christ Jesus is in a sacramental-sacred way transformed into ‘a divine human being’ –, and on the other hand, the view of the consubstantialist option in which the human being Jesus is permeated and diffused by his divinity, thereby becoming ‘the human God.’ Calvin and White in their reflection operating within the realm of divine historicity that is staying within the biblical historical timeline from Genesis to Revelation were viewed by many as not theologians in the real sense of the word. Calvin and may be to a greater extent White worked and contributed to the new and emerging field of Faith Studies in which a theologian or theorist of faith cannot reflect on God, human beings or the natural cosmic world in three separate avenues as was commonly the case with speculative and scholastic theologies in history. White’s Faith Studies contribution is in the global arena of theology where the omnipresent ‘–logies’ of mainline church theologies such as Christology, Ecclesiology, Pneumatology and Eschatology hold sway.

In John Calvin and Ellen G White’s sense making approaches God’s act of redemption and reconciliation in and through Jesus Christ takes the centre stage in the foursome of God’s acts expressed in the biblical historical timeline as creation, reconciliation in Jesus Christ, renewal through the Holy Spirit and fulfilment at the end of time. While the 16th century Calvin emphasised God’s acts of creation and reconciliation in Christ more than God’s acts of renewal and fulfilment, the 19th century White’s emphasis was more on God’s acts of reconciliation in Christ and fulfilment at the end of time than on creation and renewal through the Spirit. With all the differences in their sense making approaches their central perspectival focus in their writings, sayings and doings is the way God and humanity, heaven and earth are closely connected in a unity without being fused and mixed in Jesus Christ. Their central christological theme of ‘God staying God’ and ‘human staying human’ in an interactional substantialist sense in Christ designates the great alternative view that differs on the one hand, from the view of the trans-substantialist option in which the human being Christ Jesus is in a sacramental-sacred way transformed into ‘a divine human being’ –, and on the other hand, the view of the consubstantialist option in which the human being Jesus is permeated and diffused by his divinity, thereby becoming ‘the human God.’ Calvin and White in their reflection operating within the realm of divine historicity that is staying within the biblical historical timeline from Genesis to Revelation were viewed by many as not theologians in the real sense of the word. Calvin and may be to a greater extent White worked and contributed to the new and emerging field of Faith Studies in which a theologian or theorist of faith cannot reflect on God, human beings or the natural cosmic world in three separate avenues as was commonly the case with speculative and scholastic theologies in history. White’s Faith Studies contribution is in the global arena of theology where the omnipresent ‘–logies’ of mainline church theologies such as Christology, Ecclesiology, Pneumatology and Eschatology hold sway.