A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor Of Philosophy (D.Phil) in the Department of Psychology at the University Of Zululand, 2017 / In South Africa, one of the most distressing concerns of many people living with HIV/AIDS is the stigma attached to this diagnosis. This intense stigma is psychologically traumatic, even leading to levels of depression. Religion or spirituality has come to be one of the most essential and effective coping strategies to live with the pandemic and depression as its consequence. This study sought to establish the impact of religion/spirituality on people living with HIV/AIDS using a convenient sample in South Africa. Using quantitative research methods, the study used the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) to assess the severity of depression on HIV/AIDS victims. The BDI-II is presently one of the most commonly used scales for rating depression to indicate the level of distress the respondent is experiencing. To assess spirituality among people living with HIV, the Religious Coping (RCOPE) was used to measure the coping measures used by people living with HIV and AIDS. The results of the study established that, in both samples, respondents having a HIV positive status with depression levels within the spiritual/religious cohort, are different from those of the nonspiritual/religious cohort. Expressed differently, spirituality or religion seems to have a calming effect on the respondents to the extent that it lessens their level of depression. Furthermore, it was established that there is a considerably strong inverse relationship between religion/spirituality and depression. In fact, the correlation coefficient is -0.89 suggesting a near perfect negative relationship between the variables. In other words, as one’s spirituality/religious quotient increases, one’s depression levels decreases. The study concludes that, spirituality and religiousness plays an important role in the lives of patients with depression and HIV, and is the corner stone of coping strategies and longevity. Moreover, the study recommends that physicians should consider fusing in spirituality coping strategies in treating depressed HIV positive patients.

The Scriptures, as found in the Old and New Testaments, are foundational to a genuine Christian spirituality. Among the different existing approaches to spirituality, the evangelical and charismatic churches in South Africa today need to rediscover a distinctive biblical approach to spirituality for themselves in order to facilitate the discipleship of their own members. A holistic biblical spirituality can also serve society in practical ways and challenge the perceptions and practices of a South African society which is seeking to advance without religious foundations. / Philosophy and Systematic Theology / M.Th. (Christian Spirituality)

The Scriptures, as found in the Old and New Testaments, are foundational to a genuine Christian spirituality. Among the different existing approaches to spirituality, the evangelical and charismatic churches in South Africa today need to rediscover a distinctive biblical approach to spirituality for themselves in order to facilitate the discipleship of their own members. A holistic biblical spirituality can also serve society in practical ways and challenge the perceptions and practices of a South African society which is seeking to advance without religious foundations. / Philosophy and Systematic Theology / M.Th. (Christian Spirituality)

No abstract available / Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Systematic Theology)

This thesis will examine the issues of women's spirituality, suffering, their survival in the midst of suffering. These issues will be examined in the context of a post-apartheid South Africa within a Christian framework looking at issues of faith and spirituality. More particularly the Methodist church will be examined, looking at key aspects of its spirituality and how that might have contributed and provided for its women. Two of the Methodist Women's organisations, the Women's Manyano and the Women's Auxiliary will be looked at; their history and significant aspects of their programmes and structures that have led them to be important places for the women who are part of them. The thesis will seek to determine how the Methodist Women's organisations have impacted the spirituality of two women especially when they have gone through difficult times. The lives of these two women are examined through conversations the author has with them. In particular the author will examine particular circumstances of these women and seek to set them against a background of their spirituality and in particular whether their particular Methodist organisation played any role during this time. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Christian Spirituality)

Text in Afrikaans / In this qualitative research study the landscape of the age-old tradition of contemplative spirituality within the context of the reformed tradition was investigated. An empirical study was done to determine the pastoral needs and experiences of Afrikaans speaking believers from the reformed tradition, involved in contemplative spirituality. Questionnaires and qualitative interviews were used for this purpose. The research path has been further shaped by social construction theory as a postmodern approach. This study was born out of my own discovery of the healing qualities of contemplative spirituality and secondly due to the growing demand among Afrikaans speaking reformed believers for exposure to the disciplines of contemplative spirituality. Little research is available on this topic and is it the hope of this research to open new conversations about contemplative spirituality in the Afrikaans reformed tradition. / Practical Theology / M. Th. (Praktiese Teologie)

This dissertation explores the relationship between Christian spirituality and the general wellbeing of the individual. To this end a literature review is conducted, as well as qualitative interviews with eleven individuals in the Cape Town area (South Africa). Snowball sampling was used to gain access to these eleven research participants who fitted the criteria of adults exhibiting a particular Christian lifestyle. The literature review revealed that nurturing, non-punitive religion has been associated with mental and physical health and that active participation in church activities that enhance a person’s social support system is beneficial. The qualitative interviews yielded the finding that those interviewees who had positive experiences with Christian spirituality during their childhood regard it as a significant contributor to meaning, hope and happiness in their lives. / Christian Spirituality Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Christian Spirituality)

A qualitative, non-experimental, explorative and descriptive research design based on the phenomenological philosophical tradition by Heidegger to broaden hermeneutics was conducted. The study was conducted at Umkhanyakude District to investigate the perspectives of eligible nursing students relating to the provision of spiritual care to patients. A purposive sample of 9 participants was recruited and consent form obtained. An unstructured interview guide, with a grand tour question, was used to conduct face to face individual interviews. The Thematic analysis and interpretative phenomenological method of analysis were employed until three themes, six categories and eleven subcategories emerged from the data. Data analysis revealed that nurses had difficulty to differentiate spiritual care from religious care. Commonly cited methods of providing spiritual care were prayer, reading sacred text and singing spiritual songs. Nurses still felt inadequately prepared educationally on how to provide spiritual care in nursing practice. Most of the participants provided spiritual care out of their own interest and not as part of their professional responsibility. Recommendations proposed that the matter be taken up by nurse managers to conduct related in-service education and mentoring programs and nurse educators to guide curriculum planning which evidently include spiritual care. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

No abstract available / Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Systematic Theology)

This thesis will examine the issues of women's spirituality, suffering, their survival in the midst of suffering. These issues will be examined in the context of a post-apartheid South Africa within a Christian framework looking at issues of faith and spirituality. More particularly the Methodist church will be examined, looking at key aspects of its spirituality and how that might have contributed and provided for its women. Two of the Methodist Women's organisations, the Women's Manyano and the Women's Auxiliary will be looked at; their history and significant aspects of their programmes and structures that have led them to be important places for the women who are part of them. The thesis will seek to determine how the Methodist Women's organisations have impacted the spirituality of two women especially when they have gone through difficult times. The lives of these two women are examined through conversations the author has with them. In particular the author will examine particular circumstances of these women and seek to set them against a background of their spirituality and in particular whether their particular Methodist organisation played any role during this time. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Christian Spirituality)