The Baptist Convention of Malawi is a congregational church believing in the autonomy of the local church and the priesthood of all believers among others. This can be traced to the Anabaptists in the sixteenth century, whose beliefs have shaped the modern Baptists worldwide. The church does not have a hierarchical structure. Pastors do not exercise authority over members. The church, not a selected few, is the final authority. Each congregation is self-supporting. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2009.

Zambian humanism, a socialist ideology, was developed by Kenneth Kaunda, independent Zambia‟s first president. It was made the national philosophy and ideology of Zambia in April 1967. The ideology was composed of a combination of many elements which did not always fit together into an organic whole. Among them include African traditions, socialism, radical Christianity, existential humanism and Kaunda‟s personal convictions. Kaunda‟s motivation for proposing this ideology appears to have been the desire to break free from the colonial past and to create a national identity centered on values which he considered true to the African heritage and to his Christian background. Zambian humanism, as an ideology applied to all spheres of public life during Kaunda‟s reign as president. Kaunda intended it to provide the moral basis for all human activity in the country, political, economic and social. In a sense the ideology was meant to be the social cement that held together and inspired the nation. The ideology failed in economic terms. As a country, Zambia experienced several economic difficulties beginning from the mid-1970s which humanism failed to adequately address. By the mid-1980s the country was worse off economically than it had been at the time of independence. The causes of this economic down-turn are complex and debatable. This dissertation critically examines Kaunda‟s ideology. It argues that while humanism might have failed at the level of implementation, especially in economic terms, the ideology as such played a significant role in the history of post-independence Zambia which should not be overlooked. To appreciate fully why Zambian humanism was introduced and adopted as the national ideology it is necessary to recall the social, economic and political background against which this was done. The experience of colonialism suffered by Kaunda and his contemporaries and the challenge of building a modern nation-state that had experienced the negative effects of colonialism are two key factors that should not be overlooked in understanding Zambian humanism. Zambian humanism, this thesis argues, is a postcolonial discourse whose aim was to break with the colonial past and to create an African identity. It was not a unique experiment as can be seen in fields such as philosophy and theology of the era. Nyerere‟s Ujamaa socialism is closely related, yet not identical with Zambian humanism. What Kaunda and his contemporaries set out to do in proposing a different worldview from the dominant Western worldview must be interpreted theologically to see how and if it accords with Classical Theology‟s understanding of the Christian God‟s interaction with human beings. Their intention was not only the deconstruction and rejection of the colonial and therefore dominant Western discourse, but also an attempt to construct an African discourse capable of giving meaning to African existence and society. Such an ambitious undertaking certainly calls for theological consideration. Two important areas emerge in the dissertation: the search for an authentic African identity and an alternative socio-economic organization of Zambian society. Christianity has been on the continent for more than a century now and most of Africa has been politically independent for about half a century. Have these facts made any real difference in the lives of Africans, both Christian and non-Christian? The political situation in which the Church in Africa finds itself today affects the nature and method of Christian theology. In the political arena, theology in Africa has the urgent task of challenging systems and ideologies which attack liberty and human dignity. This theis argues that theology has a relevant role to play in public discourse even today. But to do so effectively it must understand the past. Hence, the study of Zambian humanism, which played a significant role in Zambia‟s history, is an important area of theological study. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2009.

This study serves to evaluate the effectiveness of the Catholic Church‟s prophetic voice in the post-independence Zimbabwe. It also serves to show that being prophetic is not enough unless this prophesy engages with the other. This study proposes a dialogical prophetic voice, which engages with the one to whom it is challenging. For the prophetic voice to be dialogical it has to be empathetic and being empathetic in this case points to the ability to understand the other party‟s perspective. Understanding in this context does not mean to sympathise or compromise but to be able to see through the eyes of the other party in dialogue in a bid to constructively challenge or criticize the other. This study suggests an Empathetic Dialogical method as central and foundational to an effective dialogical process. It also proposes Bonhoeffer‟s Church-State model as a conducive ground for an Empathetic dialogue. The study ultimately wants to show that the ineffectiveness of the Catholic Church in Zimbabwe to dialogue with the State is due to its predominately non-empathetic dialogical model. It (the study) specifically points to two trajectories: the first trajectory points to the Catholic Church‟s unwillingness to consult the State, while it has a tendency to prescribe for the State. The second trajectory lies in the failure of the Zimbabwean Catholic Church to speak with one voice, which consequently led it to compromise with the State. This study is informed by the suffering Zimbabwean people at the hands of a ruthless regime and a Church whose prophetic voice is ineffective. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.

The study argues that for the African church to become responsive to the changing circumstances with regard to the African ecological crisis, there is a need to reconstruct those aspects of Christianity that are non-functional in an African Christian context. Drawing insights from both Gabriel Setiloane‘s thoughts on African Biocentric theology and the myths of origin among the Yoruba, the Chewa and the Boshongo people, the study argues that in African cosmology, there is a clear interconnectedness that does not allow for complete independence of one another as is the case in the western world-view. In this regard, the study argues that these African myths of origin are not only feasible but are a more plausible theological response to the contemporary understanding of the universe emerging from scientific explanation of the development of life on earth than the Judaeo-Christian myth of origin (Setiloane 1986:15). In African thought, as envisaged by Setiloane and the three myths of origin, cosmic harmony and balance depend on the integrity of each being for the sake of all other creation. This means that every action that does not affirm life in the cosmos has an effect not only on other creation but on humanity as well. Thus, the study proposes that for African Christian ecological theology to be effective in the context of Africa, first, it must embrace a unified approach to the cosmos and all things because both the physical and spiritual share the same community and the Creator. Thus, there will be equality between humans and nonhuman nature. Second, it must rediscover the Holy Spirit in the African concept of Vital Force and God must be seen as dwelling in the cosmos through the Holy Spirit. This view will re-sacralise the material universe on account that it will be seen as the holy of holies, a dwelling place of God. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.

This thesis comprises six chapters. Chapter one consists of the statement of the research problem. It covers the outlin of the dissertation and the background of and motivation for the research. It also includes the research problem and the theoretical framework. The last section of the introduction will be the limitations and the assessment of the main resources used in this study. The aim of chapter two is to give the background information of the people of Madagascar in general, and the Merina in particular. It gives a general understanding of their world. It includes a brief description of the island and its population, the location of the Merina and their origin, also their traditional beliefs and religion, the attempts of the early Catholic missionaries to evangelise the Island and Radama's contract with Great Britain. Chapter three deals with the first encounters between the Bible and Merina Christians around the capital of Antananarivo. It highlights the arrival of the first LMS missionaries and their mission in and around the city of Antananarivo, the presence of the Bible in the highlands and the use of it as a text book in schools. From that moment the Merina population sensed that the Bible had power; as a result their interest to get copies of it grew throughout the capital and the surrounding villages. Chapter four provides information about the uncertainty of Christianity in Madagascar. It was uncertain because of the death of Radama, friend of the missionaries, and the accession of Ranavalona I, an anti-Christian queen, to the throne as his successor. It continues with the dusk: a period of confirming the church, then the queen's edicts against the converts. It ends up with the edition of the Bible, translated into the Malagasy language. The focus of chapter five is the sustaining power of the Bible during persecutions. First of all it considers the causes of the persecutions, then the role of the Bible in the Malagasy language in the hands of Christians. After that it speaks of the use of the Bible by the indigenous Christians and the power they gained from it during times of persecution. It also speaks about the edict of the queen to collect all the Bibles and burn them, and how the Christians managed to save some and hide them. Then it concentrates on the three waves of martyrdom, in 1837-1842, 1849 and 1857. Lastly it highlights the courage of these martyrs until death with the Bible in their hands and the contribution of the Bible to the growth of Christianity in Imerina during the persecution. Chapter six will be the conclusion of the thesis. It underlines three aspects of the Bible and its encounters with the martyr church. It considers, in the first aspect, the effects of the translation of the Bible into the Malagasy language. The second aspect deals with the interaction of the Bible with the Malagasy culture and context; and the last is about the power of the Bible itself. The very last paragraph will try to prompt a further research on the Bible and its impact in Madagascar after Ranavalona's death. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.

A dissertation presented on the availability of Pastoral Care and Counselling for mothers whose previously normal, healthy children, developed epilepsy and became intellectually handicapped. The dissertation covers the mothers' reaction to their children's condition, the support they did or did not receive through Pastoral Care and Counselling and the theoretical perspective on pastoral care and counselling. Finally, the dissertation offers a challenge to the Church to seek ways of forming support groups to those suffering from grief. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2003.

Lona ngumbiko ngelucwaningo lolwentiwe ngalendzabakati yekufika kweLivangeli eSwatini, liletfwa belumbi labamhlophe lababetitfunywa teliVangeli laMvelinchanti. Kulandzela sembulo inkhosi Somhlolo leyabanaso sivela enkhosini vase Zulwini, titfunywa teliVangeli tatseleka eSwatini ngekumenywa yinkhosi Mswati wesibili. Emkhatsini wato kwakukhona Nkosazana Malla Moe, umsunguli weLibandla LeVangeli eSwatini, lokunguyena lolucwaningo lugcile kakhulu kuye, asahambisa tindzaba taJesu emaSwatini emdzabu. Livetile leliphepha kutsi emaSwati atemukela ngelisasa lelikhulu titfunywa teliVangeli. Ngabe sizatfu lesimcoka lesenta loko kwabakutsi letitfunywa betibapha boshukela, netiswayi, nemasekeni? Cha, kwakujulule kunaloko. Imfihlakalo kwaba kutsi inkholo yemdzabu lecuketse emagugu enhlakanipho elukholo yayise iwuvukutile umhlaba wanotsa, walungelela kutsi lembewu yenkholo yebuKrestu nayi hlanyelwa ichume itsele titselo. EmaSwati abukhandza lobuyanga lobabuvetwa yinkholo yemdzabu bucedzeka ngoba bebusitfunti salokukhulu lokutako. Loko kwenta kutsi noma letitfunywa betinemaphutsa, lebetiwacondzile nalebetingakawacondzi, emaSwati atikhandza letitfunywa kutitja letibutsakatsaka, kodwa letiphetse igolode. Ngekufundza tincwadzi emitapeni leyehlukeni, nanekufuna imivo yebantfu leyehlukene, kubekhona imicondvo letsite lolucwaningo loluyitfolile, leveta lentsambo letsekeleta letinkholo letimbili. Loko kube yinkhomba yekutsi emaSwati attkhandza emukelekile enkholweni yebuKrestu, ase ayayitsatsa lendzaba yeliVangeli yaba ngeyabo nabo. Konkhe loku lokungetulu, kucuketfwe ngemakhasi lasitfupha alolucwalingo. Lamakhasi acale etfule ingcikitsi yalolucwalingo, bese achaza ngalokufinciwe imvelaphi yesive semaSwati nekutsi sikuphi lamuhla, bese etfula inkholo yemdzabu netingoni tayo, kanye nekufika kwenkholo yebuKrestu. Emakhasi lamabili ekugcina atfula imivo yebantfu labehlukene ngebudlelwane emkhatsini waletinkholo letimbili bese ayasonga. Ngineletsemba kutsi lomcukutfu Iona utakuba lusito esiveni semaSwati, kulesitukulwane salamuhla nakusasa, ngoba uveta lolunye luhlangotsi olungenta kutsi liSwati Iibe neligcabho ngemvelaphi yalo, nangenkholo yalo yemdzabu. Futsi nemalunga elibandla leVangeli, kanye neKrestu onkhana atawukwati kutsi lelibandla lichamukaphi. Nalomunye asangachubeka acwalinge kutsi likuphi lamuhla liBandla leVangeli. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Durban-Westville, 2002.

Abstract not available. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Durban-Westville, 2002.