German text / Die vorliegende Arbeit schlägt eine Brücke über den Graben zwischen dem normativ-ethischen Anspruch an die Lebenslänglichkeit einer Ehe und Gottes gnädigem Handeln gegenüber dem scheiternden Menschen. Anhand des Umgangs der Kirchen und Glaubensgemeinschaften mit Ehescheidung und Wiederheirat wird dieser Graben aufgezeigt. Es ergibt sich, dass die bestehende Spannung jeweils durch die einseitige Betonung von Norm oder Gnade aufgelöst wird. Die Grundlage für die Diskussion bilden das massgebende Eheverständnis sowie die Bestimmung des Verhältnisses zwischen theologischer Ethik und dem Konzept der Gnade als Handlungsprinzip Gottes. Darum werden in dieser Forschungsarbeit zuerst die theologiegeschichtlich gewachsenen Eheverständnisse und die unterschiedlichen Normen- und Gnadenverständnisse der römisch katholischen Kirche, der evangelischen Kirchen und der evangelikalen Gemeinschaften in Bezug auf den Umgang mit Scheidung und Wiederheirat untersucht. Aufgrund der herausgearbeiteten Übereinstimmungen und Unterschiede wird anschliessend anhand eines von der Vergebung ausgehenden Denkansatzes der Graben zwischen normativer Ethik und dem Konzept der Gnade überbrückt, die Spannung aber nicht aufgehoben. Daraus werden mögliche Auswirkungen im Umgang mit Scheidung und Wiederheirat für die Kirchen und Gemeinschaften abgeleitet. / The present thesis bridges the gap between the normative-ethical standard of lifelong marriage on the one hand and God’s grace for men‘s failures on the other hand. Considering the practices of churches and communities with regard to divorce and remarriage, this gap is demonstrated. It is found that the associated tension is eliminated by an unilateral choice of either the normative aspect or the principle of grace. The basis for the discussion is provided by the relevant understanding of marriage and the determination of the relationship between theological ethics and grace as the principle of God's action towards mankind. Therefore, this thesis investigates the evolution of the theological understanding of marriage during history and the different understandings of norms and grace in the Catholic Church, the Protestant Church and the Evangelical Free Communities with regard to their handling of divorce and remarriage. Considering the resulting similarities and differences, I propose – building on the fact of God’s forgiveness – how to bridge the gap between normative ethics and the concept of grace without eliminating the obvious tension. Finally, possible consequences for how to handle divorce and remarriage by churches and communities are drawn. / Philosophy & Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Theological Ethics)

German text / Die vorliegende Arbeit schlägt eine Brücke über den Graben zwischen dem normativ-ethischen Anspruch an die Lebenslänglichkeit einer Ehe und Gottes gnädigem Handeln gegenüber dem scheiternden Menschen. Anhand des Umgangs der Kirchen und Glaubensgemeinschaften mit Ehescheidung und Wiederheirat wird dieser Graben aufgezeigt. Es ergibt sich, dass die bestehende Spannung jeweils durch die einseitige Betonung von Norm oder Gnade aufgelöst wird. Die Grundlage für die Diskussion bilden das massgebende Eheverständnis sowie die Bestimmung des Verhältnisses zwischen theologischer Ethik und dem Konzept der Gnade als Handlungsprinzip Gottes. Darum werden in dieser Forschungsarbeit zuerst die theologiegeschichtlich gewachsenen Eheverständnisse und die unterschiedlichen Normen- und Gnadenverständnisse der römisch katholischen Kirche, der evangelischen Kirchen und der evangelikalen Gemeinschaften in Bezug auf den Umgang mit Scheidung und Wiederheirat untersucht. Aufgrund der herausgearbeiteten Übereinstimmungen und Unterschiede wird anschliessend anhand eines von der Vergebung ausgehenden Denkansatzes der Graben zwischen normativer Ethik und dem Konzept der Gnade überbrückt, die Spannung aber nicht aufgehoben. Daraus werden mögliche Auswirkungen im Umgang mit Scheidung und Wiederheirat für die Kirchen und Gemeinschaften abgeleitet. / The present thesis bridges the gap between the normative-ethical standard of lifelong marriage on the one hand and God’s grace for men‘s failures on the other hand. Considering the practices of churches and communities with regard to divorce and remarriage, this gap is demonstrated. It is found that the associated tension is eliminated by an unilateral choice of either the normative aspect or the principle of grace. The basis for the discussion is provided by the relevant understanding of marriage and the determination of the relationship between theological ethics and grace as the principle of God's action towards mankind. Therefore, this thesis investigates the evolution of the theological understanding of marriage during history and the different understandings of norms and grace in the Catholic Church, the Protestant Church and the Evangelical Free Communities with regard to their handling of divorce and remarriage. Considering the resulting similarities and differences, I propose – building on the fact of God’s forgiveness – how to bridge the gap between normative ethics and the concept of grace without eliminating the obvious tension. Finally, possible consequences for how to handle divorce and remarriage by churches and communities are drawn. / Philosophy and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Theological Ethics)

[pt] A família contemporânea está em franco processo de reformulação. O divórcio e, posteriormente, o recasamento do pai e/ou da mãe, envolve a participação de novas pessoas na vida dos filhos daquele casal. Com isso, o tempo do pai com seu filho, após a separação, tende a diminuir. Em contrapartida, o convívio entre pai e filho, sem a mediação da mãe, também pode aproximá-los. Somado a essa recomposição familiar, observamos, o intercâmbio entre as funções materna e paterna, em que os pais precisam dividir seu tempo entre o trabalho e os cuidados destinados à prole. Esta dissertação visa uma investigação exploratória acerca da construção e manutenção do vínculo afetivo entre pais e filhos, após a separação. Com este intuito, realizamos entrevistas em profundidade com pais, mães e filhos, moradores da cidade do Rio de Janeiro, avaliados pela metodologia da análise de discurso. A partir das entrevistas foi possível averiguar que ao manter um bom relacionamento os pais proporcionam uma sensação de acolhimento e segurança às crianças. Dentre os principais resultados obtidos, citamos a existência de um laço afetivo entre pais e filhos, que possibilita uma relação de proximidade e intimidade entre ambos. Por fim, constatamos a crescente capacidade masculina em aprender a expressar suas emoções e lidar com elas. / [en] The family today is in an unmistakable process of change. Divorce and remarriage thereafter, brings other people into the childrens life. The father normally has less time to spend with his children after divorce. On the other hand, without the mother around, the relationship between father and children may bring them together. All of us are witnesses of a growing, interchanging course among the traditional roles of the father and the mother, who are forced to manage their time between working and caring for their children. The purpose of this dissertation is to explore and investigate the formation and preservation of the affectionate union between fathers and his children, post-divorce or separation. In order to pursue this topic, we thoroughly interviewed mothers, fathers and children, all residents of Rio de Janeiro, evaluated by discourse- analysis methodology. After interviewing, we observed that the existence of a healthy-working relationship among separated parents, greatly benefits their children. Among the most important results that we obtained was the survival of a loving bond between separated fathers and their children, with proximity and intimacy between them. In addition, we found a growing capacity among men to willingly express and deal with their emotions.

Predicting divorce potential has been of interest to researchers and clinicians. The Marital Status Inventory (Weiss & Ceretto, 1980) was developed to provide information about clients' perceived divorce potential. The MSI has been widely used but there have been complaints about the negatively worded items from clients, therapists, and researchers. Therefore, this study compared a revised form of the MSI (MSI-R has no negatively worded items) with the original format. There were three purposes of the study. The first was to assess the reliability and validity of the MSI-R. The second purpose was to see if the MSI-R continued to distinguish between types of therapy couples attended (marital versus other therapy). The third and final purpose of the study was to assess the ability of the MSI-R to assess divorce potential with a remarital sample. It was found that the MSI-R is on face value equally as valid as the original MSI. There was a lack of support for discriminate validity. The MSI-R was found to be internally consistent (alpha = .83), therefore reliable. Clients found the revised items to be more easily understood and readable than the original items. The MSI and MSI-R were significantly correlated indicating that they apparently measure the same concepts. Results showed that both groups scored on the low end of the scale indicating that the sample was not a very divorce prone group. There did not appear to be any difference with regards to mean scores on the MSI and MSI-R between marital and remarital groups. While the MSI-R appears to be a promising replacement for the MSI, further research is warranted to provide sufficient evidence of validity.

M.A. (Clinical Psychology) / The overall aim of this study is to establish whether theories on mate selection apply more to first than to subsequent marriages. In the case of subsequent marriages synthesis of the hypotheses is made more difficult by the lack of available research results on the role of internal factors involved in mate selection. It is reasonable to assume differences between first and subsequent marriages in terms of factors that play a significant role in mate selection. Several theories on mate selection have evolved since the formulation of psycho-analytical theory. Initially attempts were made to find a single factor or principle to explain mate selection and it would seem that in most theories complementarity plays a role in some way or another. Hegel (in Murstein, 1976) was one of the earliest champions of theories emphasizing the :. attraction of opposites. According to him the interaction between two opposites results in a new and more viable entity...

This dissertation critically reflects the problem of divorce and remarriage within the North Eastern diocese of the Lutheran Church in Tanzania. A problem which has become rampant in the whole church. The situation became apparent to me as I was ministering in different parishes in the area of the research for five years. Divorcees are not accorded the full membership in the church because of their divorce status.Their failed marriages and criticism from church members makes them feel out of place in their own churches. They feel desperate, tending towards a sense of personal failure. The Shambala traditional customs whereby divorcees and/or remarried people are looked upon as outcasts make things even worse. Divorcees, makomanyumba 1., have no place in the Shambala Christian community. The goal of this dissertation therefore is to address divorcees' crisis through counselling. Many of these people are members of the church. I feel the church needs to face the biggest challenge to alleviate divorcees' crisis through counselling. I believe sincere pastoral care and counselling within the Lutheran Church in Tanzania will bring about healing, support, reconciliation and restoration of the hurt and deprived people, in this sense, the divorcees. Estardt (1997) believes that pastoral support is one of the services that persons committed to the church have the right to expect. He sees pastoral counselling as a relationship in which the minister assists the client in dealing with the difficulties, frustrations and tragedies of life. It is for this sense a new model of pastoral care and counselling is suggested for whole church. The model in which pastors in parishes are not the only solitary sources of counselling. The new model suggests that both trained and untrained laity is a good source for pastoral care and counselling. If these sources are fully utilised in parishes, a minister's counselling work might well be assisted, enhanced and improved by the parishioners. Referral counselling is also suggested in the new model.1.Makomanyumba - plural, divorcees. Komanyumba- singular, a divorcee. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004

The aim of this research is to investigate cultural conflicts in Northern Sotho dramas. At the beginning of the work, reasons for the choice of the topic are given, and thereafter, the methodology to be adopted in analysing the plays is outlined. Various factors considered to be contributory to the acculturation of traditional Africans are discussed. Throughout this study, traditionalists oppose westernised Africans because of strange norms and practices they have adopted. The two parties disagree on issues like arranged marriage, remarriage and leadership. Christianity features prominently as the basic cause of conflict. Modernists oppose traditional practices on the ground that they are not in conformity with Christian principles. The plays are compared to determine how each playwright has attempted to resolve conflicts in his respective play. The study ends with a comment on findings where traditionalism, being a common enemy in the three plays, is overridden by modernity. / African Languages / M.A. (African Languages)

This study explored the experiences of stepmothers of non-residential stepchildren, using a phenomenological approach and qualitative exploratory design. Participants were recruited in the Gauteng area through purposive sampling. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the information. The findings of this study indicate the following: the participants, in their role as stepmothers of non-residential stepchildren, experienced various challenges that were very stressful, especially during the early stages of stepfamily formation. The lack of acknowledgement of the stepmothers’ dedication to their stepchildren, as well as conflicting rules concerning how to care for the children, caused distress for the participants. Support from their partners, as well as improved stepfamily relationships over time, were acknowledged as contributing factors to the participants’ continued commitment to their stepfamilies. Further research on stepmothers of non-residential stepchildren is recommended / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

This study explored the experiences of stepmothers of non-residential stepchildren, using a phenomenological approach and qualitative exploratory design. Participants were recruited in the Gauteng area through purposive sampling. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the information. The findings of this study indicate the following: the participants, in their role as stepmothers of non-residential stepchildren, experienced various challenges that were very stressful, especially during the early stages of stepfamily formation. The lack of acknowledgement of the stepmothers’ dedication to their stepchildren, as well as conflicting rules concerning how to care for the children, caused distress for the participants. Support from their partners, as well as improved stepfamily relationships over time, were acknowledged as contributing factors to the participants’ continued commitment to their stepfamilies. Further research on stepmothers of non-residential stepchildren is recommended / Psychology / M. A. (Clinical Psychology)

[pt] O presente estudo tem como objetivo analisar a percepção dos terapeutas de família do Rio de Janeiro a respeito do recasamento, assim como as abordagens teórico-práticas, preferencialmente, utilizadas no atendimento a membros de famílias recasadas. A complexidade e a diversidade presentes na estrutura das famílias recasadas, assim como o aumento constante dessa configuração familiar, indica que o modelo de família nuclear, determinante na formulação inicial de algumas abordagens de terapia de família, e ao qual as famílias recasadas são comparadas, não é um parâmetro adequado. A literatura especializada ressalta que as diferenças essenciais entre esses formatos de família devem ser consideradas pelas diferentes abordagens psicoterápicas. Foi realizada uma pesquisa de campo, fundamentada na revisão da literatura, na qual foram entrevistados dez terapeutas de família do Rio de Janeiro. O grupo de entrevistados foi constituído por seis sujeitos do sexo feminino e quatro sujeitos do sexo masculino, todos com mais de quatorze anos de experiência clínica na área de terapia de família, inicialmente de orientação sistêmica. A partir da fundamentação teórica e do discurso dos sujeitos entrevistados, foram propostas cinco categorias de análise. A avaliação do material obtido mostra a influência significativa do modelo de família nuclear nas formulações da maioria dos entrevistados sobre relações familiares, assim como sobre as abordagens teórico-práticas utilizadas. A maioria dos entrevistados não pareceu considerar relevante para o seu trabalho o conhecimento acerca das especificidades das famílias recasadas. Observamos, através das palavras da maioria dos entrevistados, um distanciamento entre a clínica e as pesquisas atuais sobre o tema. / [en] The purpose of the present study is to analyze the perception of the family therapists from Rio de Janeiro in relation to remarriage, and the theoretical and clinical approaches preferentially used to treat members of remarried families. The complexity and diversity present in the structure of remarried families, as well as the increase of this family form, indicate that the nuclear family model, determinant in the formulation of the initial approaches of family therapy, and to which remarried families are compared, is not an adequate parameter. The specialized literature points out that the different psychotherapeutic approaches should consider the essential differences between these two family forms. A field study based upon the review of the specialized literature was conducted. Ten family therapists from Rio de Janeiro were interviewed. The group was formed by six female and four male subjects. All of the subjects had more than fourteen years of clinical experience as family therapists, and initially followed a systemic orientation. Based on the theoretical framework and on the analysis of the subjects discourse, five categories were proposed. The final evaluation of the data demonstrates the significant influence of the nuclear family model in the formulations made by the subjects about family relations, as well as those made about the theoretical and clinical approaches used. Most of the subjects did not seem to consider the specific knowledge about remarried families relevant to his/her practice. It was possible to observe, through the words of most subjects, a distance between their clinical work and current researches on the matter.