Habilitation - Pädagogische Hochschule, Karlsruhe, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (p. [351]-367).

In this critical evaluation of the National Policy on Religion and Education (Republic of South Africa 2003) , I will invite a multiplicity of voices and opinions from various disciplines and discourses - a Bakhtinian carnival of heteroglossic play . As opposed to the official feast, one might say that carnival celebrated temporary liberation from the prevailing truth and from the established order; it marked the suspension of all hierarchal rank, privileges, norms, and prohibitions. Carnival was the true feast of time, the feast of becoming, change, renewal. It was hostile to all that was immortalised and completed (Bakhtin 1984:10). In this time of postmodern carnival, official 'Truth' is constantly questioned and treated with suspicion and replaced by new and unofficial truths (Scott 1986; Hiebert 2003). God (if not religion) has been proclaimed dead and yet at the same time seems to be more alive than ever. This is a time when 'all the conventional norms and protocols are suspended, as the common life is invaded by a great wave of riotous antinomianism which makes everywhere for bizarre mésalliances' (Scott 1986:6). And the presiding spirit of blasphemy finds its quintessential expression in the ritual of the mock crowning and subsequent decrowning of the carnival king - who is the very antithesis of a real king, since he is in fact often a slave or a jester. In short, everything is topsy-turvy, and the disarray thus engenders an uproarious kind of laughter (Scott 1986:6). In his presidential address to the American Academy of Religion in 1986 titled 'The house of intellect in an age of carnival: some hermeneutical reflections', Scott (1986:7) explores the impact of the "multiplicity and fragmentation and diversity" facing 'the house of intellect', and identifies the challenge of not resorting to the safety of 'any sort of reductionism, [but] how to understand and interpret the multitudinous messages and voices that press in upon us, each clamouring for attention and for pride of place'. After acknowledging the polyphony surrounding Religionswissenschaft on the one hand and on the other hand rejecting any hermeneutical attempts at a 'totalistic' synthesis, Scott proposes moving among the different 'modalities' of interanimation between [the various] modes of discourse' (Ricoeur quoted by Scott 1986:11). Scott (1986:15) closes his address by appealing for continued conversations and dialogue among discourses and 'scatterings' of truth (1986:15) as a hermeneutical method that would take the plurality and heteroglossia of this time in history seriously. This thesis is an attempt - a personal but also a scholarly and academically responsible attempt - to plot many of the voices and contexts that would help to evaluate the specific understanding of the role of the study of religion in the broader contexts of citizenship in a postmodern age where nationalities, nation states and allegiances are constantly in flux and complex. This thesis is also submitted as proof of the validity of my own voice as one of many voices in and surrounding the house of intellect in an age of carnival. / Religious Studies and Arabic) / D. Litt. et Phil. (Religious Studies and Arabic)

D.Ed. (Philosophy of Education) / The madressa is a system of instruction for Muslim children, believers in the religion of Islam. Madressa classes are held daily, concurrently with classes of the ordinary secular school. Classes begin after the ordinary school day has ended. They start at about 14:30 and last for about two and a half hours. Most Muslim children, about 97% in Lenasia, attend these classes. This study originated from a concern about the educational justifiability of the madressa system. The madressa involves the religious formation of children. It shapes the attitudes, consciousness and behaviour of those who attend it, yet it is not subject to any form of control or supervision by an outside agency. If it is not in conformity with educational criteria, it can be open to abuse. There is also an enormous expenditure of time and effort on the madressa. It is necessary to consider whether the madressa is worth the effort devoted to it, whether it fulfils its religious purposes. The aim of the study was therefore, to determine whether the madressa: operates within the framework of acceptable educational criteria; fulfils its religious purposes. The research techniques employed are primarily qualitative, but a quantitative component has been added to make the study more comprehensive. Criteria for education have been established through literature study. These criteria serve as the bases for the evaluation of the madressa. The structure of an educational situation has been examined and has been divided into the following component parts: the aim; the learning content; the method; the persons involved: the educator and the learner; educational relations, particularly authority, discipline and punishment. Criteria for each of these components have been determined. The madressa owes its existence to its religious purposes. It exists to prepare learners to be good Muslims, who know and fulfil their religious obligations. For these reasons, the principles of Islam have also been described. There has also been a detailed study of the practices in the madressa. The research has revealed that: the practices in the madressa are in conformity with educational criteria; the madressa is directed towards achieving its religious purposes. However, there are areas of the madressa's activities that need further attention: there has to be much greater concentration on improving the skills of the educators and on ensuring that they have the required attributes; it is also necessary to promote greater co-operation between parents and educators; it is essential that both parents and teachers provide positive examples of behaviour; greater self-discipline has to be acquired by learners as this is crucial to the performance of religious duties. This study can provide the bases for a reconsideration of aspects of the madressa's activities to promote more effective education. This study also provides an example of a community's ability to create educational structures, by its own efforts, to reproduce its beliefs and values.

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.

Der Vater stellt eine gewichtige gesellschaftliche Größe dar. Er ist neben der Mutter der bedeutendste Sozialisationsagent der frühen Kindheit. Er ist der Zeugende, wird Vater zu dem Zeitpunkt, zu dem die Frau das Kind zur Welt bringt. Eine soziale Rolle ,,Vaterschaft" entwickelt sich hieraus jedoch erst dadurch, dass er bestimmte Aufgaben, die sich im Zusammenhang mit dem Kind ergeben, erfüllt. Die Ausführungen nähern sich diesem überaus vielschichtigen Komplex ,,Vater" dermaßen, dass das Zusammenwirken von Vater und Kind als Interaktion aufgefasst wird und die Bedeutung des Vaters als Modell für das Kind dargestellt wird. ,,Christliche Erziehung" und ,,Rituale" sind die beiden anderen Dimensionen dieser Arbeit und erfahren durch das Thema ,,Vater" ihre inhaltliche Zuspitzung. Eine empirische Untersuchung von Vätern zu diesen Themen mittels Fragebogen ergänzt die theoretische Perspektive. Die vorliegende Arbeit hat das Ziel, die drei angedeuteten Spannungsfelder aufzugreifen, zusammenzudenken und als praktisch-theologische Arbeit einen Beitrag zur Reflexion und Förderung christlicher Vaterschaft zu leisten. / The father represents an important figure in society. Together with the mother he is the most important socialization-agent of early childhood. He is involved in the act of procreation and finally becomes father at the time his wife gives birth to their child. However, a social role "paternity" develops only through the fact that he fulfills certain tasks which are connected with the child. The dissertation approaches the extremely multilayered and complex subject "father" as follows: the cooperation between father and child is understood as interaction. The father´s role as model for the child is described. "Christian education" and "rituals" with regard to the topic "father" are the two other dimensions of this dissertation. An empirical survey of fathers about these topics by means of a questionnaire supplements the theoretical perspective. This Master-Dissertation would like to deal with the three mentioned areas, and - as practical-theological thesis - contribute to the reflection and promotion of Christian paternity. / Practical Theology / M.Th. (Practical theology)

Sexist socialisation in the church starts from childhood. The Sunday school, the Christian community and parents all play a role in transmitting sexist values to children. Sexism is present in the interpretation, use and teaching of scripture as well as the hierarchy, roles, structures, language, worship and symbols of the church. These subconsciously influence children. People's faith may be shaken when the sexist nature of some of these beliefs is exposed. Sexist socialisation is detrimental as the growth and witness of the church may be stunted. Hence there is a need to develop non-sexist Christian education. Insights and tools from feminist theology help in this programme. The conclusions are tentative as such a process is evolutionary, but important. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / Th. M. (Theological Ethics)

Der Vater stellt eine gewichtige gesellschaftliche Größe dar. Er ist neben der Mutter der bedeutendste Sozialisationsagent der frühen Kindheit. Er ist der Zeugende, wird Vater zu dem Zeitpunkt, zu dem die Frau das Kind zur Welt bringt. Eine soziale Rolle ,,Vaterschaft" entwickelt sich hieraus jedoch erst dadurch, dass er bestimmte Aufgaben, die sich im Zusammenhang mit dem Kind ergeben, erfüllt. Die Ausführungen nähern sich diesem überaus vielschichtigen Komplex ,,Vater" dermaßen, dass das Zusammenwirken von Vater und Kind als Interaktion aufgefasst wird und die Bedeutung des Vaters als Modell für das Kind dargestellt wird. ,,Christliche Erziehung" und ,,Rituale" sind die beiden anderen Dimensionen dieser Arbeit und erfahren durch das Thema ,,Vater" ihre inhaltliche Zuspitzung. Eine empirische Untersuchung von Vätern zu diesen Themen mittels Fragebogen ergänzt die theoretische Perspektive. Die vorliegende Arbeit hat das Ziel, die drei angedeuteten Spannungsfelder aufzugreifen, zusammenzudenken und als praktisch-theologische Arbeit einen Beitrag zur Reflexion und Förderung christlicher Vaterschaft zu leisten. / The father represents an important figure in society. Together with the mother he is the most important socialization-agent of early childhood. He is involved in the act of procreation and finally becomes father at the time his wife gives birth to their child. However, a social role "paternity" develops only through the fact that he fulfills certain tasks which are connected with the child. The dissertation approaches the extremely multilayered and complex subject "father" as follows: the cooperation between father and child is understood as interaction. The father´s role as model for the child is described. "Christian education" and "rituals" with regard to the topic "father" are the two other dimensions of this dissertation. An empirical survey of fathers about these topics by means of a questionnaire supplements the theoretical perspective. This Master-Dissertation would like to deal with the three mentioned areas, and - as practical-theological thesis - contribute to the reflection and promotion of Christian paternity. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.Th. (Practical theology)

Sexist socialisation in the church starts from childhood. The Sunday school, the Christian community and parents all play a role in transmitting sexist values to children. Sexism is present in the interpretation, use and teaching of scripture as well as the hierarchy, roles, structures, language, worship and symbols of the church. These subconsciously influence children. People's faith may be shaken when the sexist nature of some of these beliefs is exposed. Sexist socialisation is detrimental as the growth and witness of the church may be stunted. Hence there is a need to develop non-sexist Christian education. Insights and tools from feminist theology help in this programme. The conclusions are tentative as such a process is evolutionary, but important. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / Th. M. (Theological Ethics)

The study aims at investigating the emotional and spiritual wellness of juvenile offender learners in a Gauteng correctional school. The theoretical framework used in this study was derived from Hettler’s Wellness theory. The study is embedded in an interpretive paradigm and it followed a qualitative research method. A phenomenological case study was used since the focus was on one correctional school. Purposive sampling was used whereby a teacher, counsellor and learners were sampled and all participated on a voluntary basis. Interviews were used for data collection and approximately 30-45 minutes in duration. Data were analysed manually and findings revealed that peer pressure, substance abuse and poor family background troubled juvenile offender learners. Furthermore, anger and hatred led juveniles to commit crime. They all regret of their actions and they need to be loved, valued, and accepted by the community. Above all, juvenile offender learners want their parents to support them while they are incarcerated. Because of lack of parental support, juvenile offender learners express their emotions through fighting among themselves. After incarceration, many start to believe in God and regularly attend meetings organised by faith-based organisations and because of that, their lives are being transformed for the better, as they are able to read the Bible and share scriptures on their own on a daily basis. They hope the DCS will make spiritual sessions compulsory for all offenders and religious education to be included in their school curriculum to eliminate gangsterism in the centre. Frequent pastoral visits and Bible donations were highlighted as one of the guidelines to support their spiritual needs. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)