In a world of increasing religious/political tensions and conflicts this study asks, what is the transformative significance of an arts and ritual-based approach to developing and encouraging women’s spiritual and multi-faith leadership? To counter destructive worldviews and practices that have divided people historically, politically, personally and sacredly, the study reinforces the political and spiritual value of women spiritual and multi-faith leaders creating and holding sacred space for truth making and world making. An a/r/tographic and mindful inquiry was engaged to assist self and group reflection within a group of women committed to multi-faith education and leadership in their communities. The objectives of the study were: 1) to explore through collaboration, ritual and art making processes the women’s experience of knowing and not knowing, 2) to articulate a curriculum for multi-faith consciousness raising, and 3) to develop a pedagogy and methodology that can serve as a catalyst for individual and societal change and transformation. The co-participants/co-inquirers (including the lead researcher as a member of the group) are fourteen women, who practice within eleven different religions and/or spiritual backgrounds, and who are part of a volunteer planning team that organizes an annual women’s multi-faith conference (Women’s Spirituality Celebration) in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The aesthetic/ritual structure of the labyrinth served as a cross-cultural multi-faith symbol in guiding the dissertation, which includes three art installations and four documentary DVDs of the process and art. New understandings found in the study include: 1) the ethical sanctuary that a/r/tography as ritual enables for personal and collective change to take place within, 2) the addition of synecdoche to the renderings of a/r/tography, assisting a multi-dimensional spiral movement towards a whole a/r/tographic practice, 3) a lived and radically relational curriculum of philetics within loving community that drew forth the women’s erotic life force energy and enhanced the women’s ability to remember the power of the feminine aspect of the Divine, and 4) the decolonization of the Divine, art and education, which took place as a pedagogy of wholeness unfolded, requiring a dialectic relationship between restorative and transformative learning.

In a world of increasing religious/political tensions and conflicts this study asks, what is the transformative significance of an arts and ritual-based approach to developing and encouraging women’s spiritual and multi-faith leadership? To counter destructive worldviews and practices that have divided people historically, politically, personally and sacredly, the study reinforces the political and spiritual value of women spiritual and multi-faith leaders creating and holding sacred space for truth making and world making. An a/r/tographic and mindful inquiry was engaged to assist self and group reflection within a group of women committed to multi-faith education and leadership in their communities. The objectives of the study were: 1) to explore through collaboration, ritual and art making processes the women’s experience of knowing and not knowing, 2) to articulate a curriculum for multi-faith consciousness raising, and 3) to develop a pedagogy and methodology that can serve as a catalyst for individual and societal change and transformation. The co-participants/co-inquirers (including the lead researcher as a member of the group) are fourteen women, who practice within eleven different religions and/or spiritual backgrounds, and who are part of a volunteer planning team that organizes an annual women’s multi-faith conference (Women’s Spirituality Celebration) in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The aesthetic/ritual structure of the labyrinth served as a cross-cultural multi-faith symbol in guiding the dissertation, which includes three art installations and four documentary DVDs of the process and art. New understandings found in the study include: 1) the ethical sanctuary that a/r/tography as ritual enables for personal and collective change to take place within, 2) the addition of synecdoche to the renderings of a/r/tography, assisting a multi-dimensional spiral movement towards a whole a/r/tographic practice, 3) a lived and radically relational curriculum of philetics within loving community that drew forth the women’s erotic life force energy and enhanced the women’s ability to remember the power of the feminine aspect of the Divine, and 4) the decolonization of the Divine, art and education, which took place as a pedagogy of wholeness unfolded, requiring a dialectic relationship between restorative and transformative learning. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

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Over the last 3 decades, religious organizations have been embroiled in scandals that have diminished public trust in the ecclesiastic community.The purpose of this study was to examine church leaders and members emotional intelligence and spiritual leadership behavioral characteristics that cultivate trust, and enhance organizational effectiveness, and establish a baseline database to facilitate perpetuating positive social change. The theoretical framework for this study used three models: Chathoth Trust Model; the Wei, Liu and Allen Emotional Intelligence (EI) model, and the Fry Spiritual Leadership Theory (SL) model. Survey instruments for each model were used to determine perspectives within the church that could support building trust. The key research questions considered whether there was a correlation between EI, SL, and trust and if there was any impact of trust on organization effectiveness (OE) in the sample of church leaders and members. A sample of 364 church leaders and members provided the data via opportunity sampling. Correlation, regression, and factor analyses were conducted between EI, and SL (predictor variables), and trust (primary outcome variable) and OE (secondary outcome variable). The results indicated a significant, positive relationship (a) between EI and trust, (b) between SL and trust, and (c) with trust influencing OE. Positve social change for both followers and leaders within an ecclesiastic community may be experience, if leadership find value in the current outcomes and apply what has been learned to further positive organizational transformation and trust.

Between February 1st and March 16th 2023 sixteen qualitative research interviews wereconducted with deans, vicars and priests of both the Catholic Church in Sweden and theEvangelical-Lutheran Church of Sweden with the aim to compare how they look at their religiousleadership, and what their answers might say about their respective theological traditions using asuggested theory called Comparative Lived Theology. The main research findings rendered fromthese interviews may be divided into the following three sections: firstly, top-down and bottom-upleadership approaches in a religious setting is descriptive of the structure of the religiousorganisations. Secondly, the fact that Evangelical-Lutheranism is a majority religious tradition inSweden sets it apart from minority traditions such as Catholicism, and this affects the religiousleadership. Thirdly, the interviews generated a notion that party politics plays a different role in thestructure of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Sweden than it does in the Catholic Church in Sweden.

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No description available.

Text in Afrikaans / In this dissertation, different aspects of aChurch leadership" are examined from a Pentecostal perspective. The framework is composed of literature compiled over the past twenty years. Especially the relationship between Church Leadership and the working of the Holy Spirit comes under the searchlight. The Theological theory underlying the Church Leadership exponents as well that of the Pentecostal movement are developed and critically evaluated. The Pentecostal ideal is that church leadership will function as leadership within a church context under the guidance and "working of the Holy Spirit The Pentecostal movement emphasises that the working of the Holy Spirit is the criticalfactor determining the effectiveness of the church. In the literature en Church leadership, the main focus is placed on the key role of church leadership with specific reference to the functional aspects and skills that church leaders need to be effective. The implication of both the aforementioned points are discussed and compared as well as the possible implications for both are indicated. Systematic theological issues concerning the role of persons in specific offices in different church traditions are avoided. It is stated that in the literature on Church Leadership more emphasis should be placed in the Working of the Holy Spirit as the critical factor in church leadership. It is clear that there is not enough emphasis on the working of the Holy Spirit if taken into account the importance thereof for the church as a whole. An approach to church leadership as "spiritual leadership" could assist in future research on this matter. In chapter one the framework of this study is explained. Chapter two reflects on the development of the Pentecostal perspective and chapter three on the Church leadership perspective. The different topics, similarities, critical reflections, evaluations and recommendations are presented in the last chapter. / In hierdie proefskrif word daar vanuit 'n Pinksterperspektief 'n ondersoek gedoen na kerkleierskap. Die raamwerk is literatuur wat in die afgelope twintig jaar oor hierdie onderwerp na vore gekom het. Veral die verband wat aangebied word tussen kerkleierskap en die werking van die Heilige Gees, kom onder die soeklig. Die teologiese teoriee onderliggend aan die standpunte van die kerkleierskap-eksponente sowel as die van die Pinksterbeweging word ontwikkel en krities beoordeel. Die Pinksterideaal is dat kerkleierskap gekenmerk sal word as leierskap wat funksioneer onder die Ieiding en werking van die Heilige Gees. Die Pinksterbeweging beklemtoon dat die werking van die Heilige Gees die deurslaggewende faktor is vir die effektiewe werking en ontwikkeling van die kerk. In die literatuur oor kerkleierskap word daarenteen hoofsaaklik klem geplaas op die sleutelrol van kerkleierskap met spesifieke verwysing na die funksionele aspekte en vaardighede wat kerkleiers benodig met die oog op die uitbouing van die kerk. Die implikasies van beide beklemtoninge word ontwikkel en met mekaar vergelyk en moontlike implikasies vir beide word aangetoon. Sistematies-teologiese vraagstukke rakende die rot van persona in bepaalde ampte in verskillende kerklike tradisies word vermy. Dit word beredeneer dat daar in die literatuur oar die onderhawige onderwerp meer klem geplaas behoort te word op die werking van die Heilige Gees as die deurslaggewende faktor vir suksesvolle kerkleierskap. Dit is duidelik dat daar nie genoegsaam gefokus word op die werking van die Heilige Gees nie ten spyte van die belangrikheid daarvan vir die kerklike praktyk in geheel. Die moontlikheid om kerkleierskap eerder te omskryf en te benader as "geestelike leierskap” bied moontlikhede ten opsigte van toekomstige navorsing op die gebied. In hoofstuk een worrd die raamwerk waarbinne die studie ontwikkel uiteengesit. Hoofstuk twee bied die basis waarbinne die Pinksterstandpunt ontwikkel het terwyl hoofstuk drie die onderwerp vanuit 'n kerkleierskapsperspektief benader. Klemverskille, ooreenkomste, kritiese besprekings, evaluering en aanbevelings word in die laaste hoofstuk aangebied. / Practical Theology / D.Th. (Practical Theology)

The imprint of spiritual African and Africentric educational leadership is deeply entwined in the struggle over education and educational spaces. Despite this robust and contentious history, research pertaining specifically to spiritual African and Africentric educational leaders is noticeably miniscule within the field of educational leadership. This discrepancy is alarming when one considers how spiritual African and Africentric leaders have been actively involved in shaping the nature and quality of education within various contexts. This dissertation explores the conceptions and experiences of spiritual African and Africentric leaders and the function of spirituality within leaders’ practices toward social justice. Based on qualitative interviews with 10 school- and community-based participants, this research deliberately centres the perspectives of individuals who proclaim the spiritual as a natural and transformative force within their personal and professional lives. Furthermore, the present research study offers an informed understanding of African and Africentric spiritualities within the context of educational leadership for social justice and outlines the meanings, influences and tensions which participants believe to entwine the task of leading. The practice of spiritual African and Africentric leadership arises in opposition to the threat of racialization and against barriers which restrict a more inclusive understanding of education. Narratives construct leadership for social justice as an indigenous and embattled endeavour imbued with tensions, risks and prohibition. Spiritual African and Africentric leaders understand and experience their practice beyond the rudiments of functionality as leaders respectfully enter into the arena of leadership with a concern towards instituting individual, communal and systemic change. Leadership endeavours contest marginalization, initiate inclusive engagement and strategically reconstruct education within a more democratically just space. Moreover, participants depict spiritual African and Africentric leadership as a hopeful and relationally influential undertaking.

The imprint of spiritual African and Africentric educational leadership is deeply entwined in the struggle over education and educational spaces. Despite this robust and contentious history, research pertaining specifically to spiritual African and Africentric educational leaders is noticeably miniscule within the field of educational leadership. This discrepancy is alarming when one considers how spiritual African and Africentric leaders have been actively involved in shaping the nature and quality of education within various contexts. This dissertation explores the conceptions and experiences of spiritual African and Africentric leaders and the function of spirituality within leaders’ practices toward social justice. Based on qualitative interviews with 10 school- and community-based participants, this research deliberately centres the perspectives of individuals who proclaim the spiritual as a natural and transformative force within their personal and professional lives. Furthermore, the present research study offers an informed understanding of African and Africentric spiritualities within the context of educational leadership for social justice and outlines the meanings, influences and tensions which participants believe to entwine the task of leading. The practice of spiritual African and Africentric leadership arises in opposition to the threat of racialization and against barriers which restrict a more inclusive understanding of education. Narratives construct leadership for social justice as an indigenous and embattled endeavour imbued with tensions, risks and prohibition. Spiritual African and Africentric leaders understand and experience their practice beyond the rudiments of functionality as leaders respectfully enter into the arena of leadership with a concern towards instituting individual, communal and systemic change. Leadership endeavours contest marginalization, initiate inclusive engagement and strategically reconstruct education within a more democratically just space. Moreover, participants depict spiritual African and Africentric leadership as a hopeful and relationally influential undertaking.