A social history of Grahamstown between the years of 1830-1870. Tracing the relationship of the parishioners of the diocese with the "English Church", which developed into a formative part of the world-wide Anglican communion as the Church of the Province of South Africa after 1870. The study tries to gauge the extent of external influences on the settlers after 1830 both socio-political and ecclesiological and especially with the growth of the influence of the Tractarians after the arrival of Gray as first bishop. In the light of the later developments when the churches became 'trapped in apartheid', the study attempts to show that this was a time when a degree of independence in church/state relations church was achieved but the division between settler church and mission church became a reality. The study also engages in discussion of the relationship between a church and generalist historiography. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M.Th. (Church History)

no abstract available / Practical Theology / M.Th.(Systematic Theology)

This study examines archival materials, pertinent literary sources, and fifteen interviews (listed in the PREFACE) in order to understand the impact on the Africa Evangelical Church (AEC) by its founding body, the South Africa General Mission/ Africa Evangelical Fellowship (AEF). It also explores the possible contributions that both the Mission and the Church could make to their continued growth as they move together into the 21st century. CHAPTER 1 places the AEF within the historical context of the past two hundred years and clearly identifies it as an interdenominational faith mission. AEF's history is developed in CHAPTER 2 and the Mission is measured against Klaus Fiedler's "historical typology" of the Protestant missionary movement. While primarily typical when compared to other missions of the same type in the same period, the Mission falls below average in other areas. Since the years being discussed fall within the apartheid era, CHAPTER 3 portrays the political positioning of AEF missionaries. The biblical bases and pragmatic stances for such positioning are considered before the chapter ends with a general biblical evaluation of AEF' s position. Having discussed the Mission at length, CHAPTER 4 moves into the circumstances surrounding the beginnings and eventual autonomy of the Africa Evangelical Church (AEC). Its ministry relationships with the Mission, as well as its established constitution, are studied before the chapter concludes with a comparison of the AEF and AEC. Since they are more similar than dissimilar, the AEF's influence on the AEC is umnistakably clear. The political events which heavily impacted the context in which both the AEF and AEC ministered are briefly presented in CHAPTER 5. Four different documents, which record the theological reflections of evangelicals in terms of the apartheid's injustices, are mentioned along with the lack of both AEF and AEC response to them. Following the outlining of changes in political stance, CHAPTER 6 delves into possible contributions which both the Mission and the Church could make, separately and jointly, to move more proactively toward relevant change in South Africa. Neither wish to dwell on the past. Both intend to keep "God First" and always to "Go Forward." / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D.Th. (Missiology)

In 1977 the Annual Conference of the Methodist Church of South Africa (MCSA) decided to discontinue its practice of sending messages of goodwill to the Heads of State of the Southern African region (including Transkei). The Prime Minister ofTranskei interpreted this resolution as implying the non-recognition ofTranskeian political independence, obtained from the Republic of South Africa in 1976, and expressed his intention to ban the MCSA in Transkei and replace it by the Methodist Church of Transkei (MCT) The thesis presents, in narrative form (Chapter 2), a detailed description of the process of the schism ( 12 January 1978 to 2 June 1978). Chapter 3 analyses the political and ecclesial context of the schism comprehensively by examining three main issues: the Methodist tradition in the Eastern Cape and Transkei, the Methodist tradition of pledging loyalty to the Head of State and the emergence of Transkei as a geo-political state. Chapter 4 focuses on the reaction of the Transkeian Methodists to the dispute between the Transkeian Government and the MCSA. The loyalties which influenced their reaction are identified and analysed. In this study the whole process of the schism is seen as an interplay between and clash of different loyalties. Chapter 5 reviews the different models and typologies used to explain and interpret the African Independent/Initiated Church movement. The aim is to identify the elements in these models which are relevant for an understanding of this schism. Chapter 6 concludes the study by considering five areas of missiological importance highlighted by the 1978 Methodist schism in Transkei, namely: ( 1) the research questions, (2) mission and unity, (3) mission and ethnic issues, (4) prophetic mission, and (5) prophetic ambivalence. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D.Th. (Missiology)

Thesis (MTh (Practical Theology and Missiology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In 1990 het H.S. Spies navorsing gedoen oor die praktyk en toekoms van die NG kerk in Parow. Sy bevinding was dat die NG kerk in Parow se lidmaattalle teen ʼn baie vinnige tempo daal en dat heelwat van die gemeentes nie finansieël sal oorleef nie. Hy het voorgestel dat daar ʼn paradigma skuif moet kom in die wyse waarop gemeentes funksioneer in die Ring. Hierdie studie som Spies se studie-bevindinge op en bespreek die reaksie van die geestelike leiers in Parow daarop. Dit vra die vraag waarom die Ring van Parow nie daarin kon slaag om die uitdagings van demografiese veranderinge in Parow aan te spreek oor die periode van twintig jaar nie. Die Ring van Parow het groot erns gemaak met die bevindinge van Spies se studie en het beplanning gedoen om die uitdaging van demografiese verandering in Parow aan te spreek. Hulle het voorstelle ontwikkel wat daarop neerkom dat die gemeentes in die Parow Ring moet saamsmelt in een groot makro-gemeente. Dit het nooit gebeur nie en die situasie het bly versleg. Slegs ses gemeentes uit die twaalf wat in 1990 bestaan het, is nog onafhanklik. Ses gemeentes het vanweë finansiële druk met ander gemeentes saamgesmelt in die periode tussen 1990 en 2002. Die omgewing het demografies baie verander en daar woon meer mense as ooit tevore in Parow, maar dit is nie tradisionele wit, Afrikaans sprekende, NG kerkmense nie. Die studie bespreek ook die wyer konteks van verandering waarin die gebeure in Parow Ring afspeel, naamlik, globalisasie, post modernisme en post Christendom. Dit toon aan dat die kennis, gedrag en gewoontes wat die leiers in 'n vorige periode aangeleer het, nie genoegsaam is vir die uitdagings van die veranderinge. Die studie beskryf twee paradigmaskuiwe wat kan help om 'n nuwe ekklesiologiese praktyk in Parow te bevorder. Die eerste paradigmaskuif hang saam met nuwe teologiese insigte wat die afgelope sestig jaar ontwikkel het rondom die begrip missio Dei. Die tweede paradigmaskuif wat in die studie uitgelig word, het te doen met vaardighede van geestelike leiers in die hantering van verandering. Die studie se uitgangspunt is dat die veld en wêreld waarin geestelike leiers moet optree sodanig verander het, dat daar net een manier is om dit te hanteer en dit is die transformasie van die geestelike leiers se eie voorveronderstellings, kennis, idees en praktyke. Die ontluikende leierskapsvaardigheid waardeur ons leer om transformerend aan te pas by die veranderinge deur in pas te kom met missio Dei, is geloofsonderskeiding. Geestelike leiers moet geloofsonderskeiding as leierskapvaardigheid aanleer en gemeentepraktyk maak, omdat dit die wyse is waarop die geloofsgemeenskap vanuit luister en doen-spasies, na die wêreld gelei word om daar saam met missio Dei te werk. Dit is in luisterende, gehoorsame doen-spasies, en in groeiende bewussyn van die teenwoordigheid van Triniteit, waar transformasie van die geloofsgemeenskap plaasvind. Die fenomenologiese beskrywing deur Otto Scharmer van wat hy noem die ontluikende leierskapsvaardigheid van 'presencing' help om die proses van geloofsonderskeiding beter te begryp. Die studie eindig met drie nuwe hipoteses. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In 1990 H.S. Spies did research on the praxis and future of the DRC churches in Parow. He found that the membership of the DRC in Parow was declining at a very fast rate and that many congregations would not survive financially. He proposed that a new paradigm was needed for the ministry in Parow. This study makes a summary of his thesis and discusses the reaction of the leaders in Parow on his study. It asks the question why the Circuit of Parow could not in their context address the challenge of changing demographics over a period of twenty years. The Circuit of Parow took the findings of Spies very serious and planned to address the challenge of changing demographics in Parow. Their proposal founds its culmination in the idea that all the Parow congregations must become one big mega-church. It never became a reality and the situation worsened. In fact, only six of the twelve congregations that exist in 1990 are still independent and alive. The other six congregations dissolved and became part of stronger congregations between 1990 and 2002. The area of Parow has changed demographically. There are more people living in the area, but it is not traditional white, Afrikaner, DRC, people. The congregations in the circuit could not cross the borders of race, colour, language and culture to include others. This study also discusses the wider context in which the story of Parow is playing out, namely the three storms of change, globalisation, post modernism and post Christianity. The knowledge, habits and actions that the leaders employed in the past are not helpful in the changing world. The study describes two paradigm shifts that are taking place in the church that could help to develop a new ecclesiological practice in Parow. The first paradigm shift relates closely with the theological insights that developed in the past sixty years around the concept of missio Dei. The second paradigm shift that is brought forward in this study relates with the skills of spiritual leaders in managing change. The study maintain, that in light of the changes in the world and the field in which spiritual leaders operate, the only way to handle the new challenges is by the transformation of the spiritual leader‘s own pre-conceptions, knowledge, ideas and practices. The leadership ability, by which we learn to understand how God is already present in the world according to the insights of missio Dei, is faith discernment. Discernment is the process whereby Christians step into listening and doing spaces as a faith community. Spiritual leaders will have to learn discernment and how to make it an ecclesiological practice. It is in the listening and doing spaces and in growing consciousness of the presence of Trinity, where transformation of the faith community takes place. The phenomenological description by Otto Scharmer of what he calls the new leadership skill of 'presencing' helps to understand the process of faith discernment better. The study ends with three new hipotheses.

no abstract available / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.Th.(Systematic Theology)

This study examines archival materials, pertinent literary sources, and fifteen interviews (listed in the PREFACE) in order to understand the impact on the Africa Evangelical Church (AEC) by its founding body, the South Africa General Mission/ Africa Evangelical Fellowship (AEF). It also explores the possible contributions that both the Mission and the Church could make to their continued growth as they move together into the 21st century. CHAPTER 1 places the AEF within the historical context of the past two hundred years and clearly identifies it as an interdenominational faith mission. AEF's history is developed in CHAPTER 2 and the Mission is measured against Klaus Fiedler's "historical typology" of the Protestant missionary movement. While primarily typical when compared to other missions of the same type in the same period, the Mission falls below average in other areas. Since the years being discussed fall within the apartheid era, CHAPTER 3 portrays the political positioning of AEF missionaries. The biblical bases and pragmatic stances for such positioning are considered before the chapter ends with a general biblical evaluation of AEF' s position. Having discussed the Mission at length, CHAPTER 4 moves into the circumstances surrounding the beginnings and eventual autonomy of the Africa Evangelical Church (AEC). Its ministry relationships with the Mission, as well as its established constitution, are studied before the chapter concludes with a comparison of the AEF and AEC. Since they are more similar than dissimilar, the AEF's influence on the AEC is umnistakably clear. The political events which heavily impacted the context in which both the AEF and AEC ministered are briefly presented in CHAPTER 5. Four different documents, which record the theological reflections of evangelicals in terms of the apartheid's injustices, are mentioned along with the lack of both AEF and AEC response to them. Following the outlining of changes in political stance, CHAPTER 6 delves into possible contributions which both the Mission and the Church could make, separately and jointly, to move more proactively toward relevant change in South Africa. Neither wish to dwell on the past. Both intend to keep "God First" and always to "Go Forward." / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D.Th. (Missiology)

In 1977 the Annual Conference of the Methodist Church of South Africa (MCSA) decided to discontinue its practice of sending messages of goodwill to the Heads of State of the Southern African region (including Transkei). The Prime Minister ofTranskei interpreted this resolution as implying the non-recognition ofTranskeian political independence, obtained from the Republic of South Africa in 1976, and expressed his intention to ban the MCSA in Transkei and replace it by the Methodist Church of Transkei (MCT) The thesis presents, in narrative form (Chapter 2), a detailed description of the process of the schism ( 12 January 1978 to 2 June 1978). Chapter 3 analyses the political and ecclesial context of the schism comprehensively by examining three main issues: the Methodist tradition in the Eastern Cape and Transkei, the Methodist tradition of pledging loyalty to the Head of State and the emergence of Transkei as a geo-political state. Chapter 4 focuses on the reaction of the Transkeian Methodists to the dispute between the Transkeian Government and the MCSA. The loyalties which influenced their reaction are identified and analysed. In this study the whole process of the schism is seen as an interplay between and clash of different loyalties. Chapter 5 reviews the different models and typologies used to explain and interpret the African Independent/Initiated Church movement. The aim is to identify the elements in these models which are relevant for an understanding of this schism. Chapter 6 concludes the study by considering five areas of missiological importance highlighted by the 1978 Methodist schism in Transkei, namely: ( 1) the research questions, (2) mission and unity, (3) mission and ethnic issues, (4) prophetic mission, and (5) prophetic ambivalence. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D.Th. (Missiology)

Systematic Theology & Theological Ethics / (M.Th. (Systematic Theology))

In the year 2004 South Africa celebrated its first ten years of democracy, which reflected the success of the struggle for the liberation of this country. The year 1960 was considered as a year of strong resistance throughout South Africa. Political leaders like Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo, Robert Sobukwe, Raymond Mhlaba, Chief Albert Luthuli, Walter Sisulu, Ahmed Kathrada, Lionel Bernstein, Dennis Goldberg and others played a vital role in leading the black people to resist the plan of the current Prime Minister Hendrick Verwoerd, who deprived Africans of their citizenship by forcing the Bantustan system upon them. On the 6th June 1960 more than four thousand Pondos from eastern Pondoland (Bizana, Lusikisiki, Flagstaff and Ntabankulu) met at Ngquza Hill with the intention of discussing their problems. They demanded the withdrawal of the hated system of the Bantu Authorities Act, the representation of all South Africans in the Republic's Parliament, relief from increased taxes and the abolition of the pass system. Before these problems were tabled before the people, a military force had occupied Ngquza Hill. The peaceful meeting was turned into a massacre of innocent people, when police shot victims, tear-gassed them and beat them with batons. Eleven people were killed, many of them were shot in the backs of their heads; and more than 48 casualties were hospitalized and arrested. The Paramount Chief, Botha Sigcau, was blamed for the massacre because he was seen as supporting the government, and this led to the uprising in Pondoland from 1960 to 1963. This event happened three months after the Sharpeville shooting of the 21st March 1960. More than 200 casualties were reported and 69 unarmed protesters were shot dead outside the police station. The ANC and PAC, the liberation movements of the day, were banned and a state of emergency was declared. The Nationalist government suspected the African National Congress of being behind the revolt in Pondoland. The ringleaders of the Pondo Revolt were Mthethunzima Ganyile, Anderson Ganyile, Solomon Madikizela and Theophulus Ntshangela. They listed the Acts that were to be protested against as follows: The Bantu Authorities Act of 1951, the Bantu Education Act of 1953, the Pass Law System of 1952, as well as rehabilitation and betterment schemes. These Acts were imposed by the National Party through Paramount Chief Botha Sigcau. All were detrimental to the future of the Pondo people. Church leaders such as Beyers Naude, Ben Marais and Bartholomeus Keet of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC), Archbishop Geoffrey Clayton and Archbishop Desmond Tutu of the Anglican Church, Rev Charles Villa-Vicencio of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, Allan Boesak of the Dutch Reformed Mission Church (DRMC) and others played a major role in confronting and challenging the Nationalist government, which justified apartheid as grounded on Scripture. Not all church leaders opposed this policy: the Dutch Reformed Church was the bedrock of apartheid, along with other Afrikaans speaking churches. This dissertation will serve as a tool to determine the involvement of the church regarding the Pondo Revolt in South Africa from 1960 to 1963. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M.Th. (Church History)