Thesis (D.Th.)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study intends to find a way through which South African churches, specifically the local congregation, can make a contribution to addressing the morality crisis in South African society. a) The local congregation has an indispensable role to play in moral formation, specifically in discipline as mode of moral formation. Through the use of practices such as worship, the sacraments, prayer and church discipline, the local congregation can make a great contribution to healthy morality. b) Beside the role of the local congregation in moral formation, the Holy Spirit also plays an enormous role in the process of moral formation. Through the Holy Spirit we are changed and renewed. We begin to live with character, which means, we begin to live out the good, right and the wise in any concrete situation. Thus we become moral people. The background of the moral crisis is sketched in chapter one of this study. An outline about the extent of the moral crisis is given. Various causes and manifestations of the moral crisis are discussed. The various responses of society to this moral crisis as well as the potential of the church to address these problems is discussed. In this chapter it is also shown that the church should be involved in moral formation, because the triune God is actively involved in the world and in societies. A detailed discussion of the 1998 work of Johannes Van der Ven, Formation of the Moral Self, is given in chapter two. Van der Ven is the theologian who presents one of the most detailed discussions of discipline as mode of moral formation. The methodology which he uses in his theories of moral formation, specifically discipline, could assist the church in South Africa to design her own framework and guidelines for enhancing discipline. Other modes, namely socialization, transmission, development, clarification, emotional formation and education for character, are also discussed in order to give a better understanding of his views on the theme of moral formation. In this chapter, the views of some South African behavioral scientists are discussed to indicate how they agree with key elements in Van der Ven’s understanding of moral formation and discipline. In chapter three the writer argues that Van der Ven’s theories of moral formation, especially discipline, are of great value to the church, especially the local congregation. Van der Ven’s insights on moral formation, specifically discipline, is shown in ecclesial and pneumatological frames. In this discussion it is emphasized that the local congregation and the Holy Spirit play an enormous role in moral formation, specifically in discipline. In the last chapter, concrete proposals are made about the roles of the local congregation and the Holy Spirit where discipline is concerned. This study strives to formulate frameworks and guidelines that will assist the church in her task to enhance the development of discipline, and to contribute to redemptive morality in South Africa. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie poog om ‘n weg te vind waarlangs Suid-Afrikaanse kerke, spesifiek die plaaslike gemeente, ‘n bydrae kan lewer tot die aanspreek van die moraliteit krisis in Suid-Afrikaanse samelewings. a) Die plaaslike gemeente het ‘n onontbeerlike rol te speel in morele vorming, spesifiek dissipline as modus van morele vorming. Deur gebruik te maak van praktyke, onder andere aanbidding, sakramente, gebed en die kerklike tug, kan die plaaslike gemeente met groot vrug ‘n bydrae lewer om heilsame moraliteit te skep. b) Benewens die rol van die plaaslike gemeente in morele vorming, het die Heilige Gees ook ‘n enorme rol te speel in die morele vormingsproses. Deur die Heilige Gees word ons verander en vernuwe. Ons begin om met karakter te leef, wat beteken, ons begin uit te leef dit wat goed, reg en wys is in enige konkrete situasie. Dus ons word morele mense. In hoofstuk een van die studie word die agtergrond van die morele krisis bespreek. ‘n Uiteensetting van die omvang van die morele krisisse word gebied. Verskillende oorsake en manifestasies van dié morele krisisse word bespreek. ‘n Bespreking van verskillende response vanuit die samelewing op hierdie morele krisisse word gegee. Die potensiaal van die kerk ten opsigte van morele herstel word bespreek. In hierdie hoofstuk word ook aangetoon dat die kerk by morele vorming betrokke moet wees, aangesien die drie-enige God in die wêreld en in samelewings betrokke is. In hoofstuk twee word ‘n breedvoerige bespreking van die 1998 werk, Formation of the Moral Self, van Johannes Van der Ven, gebied. Van der Ven is die teoloog wat een van die omvattendste besprekings oor dissipline as modus van morele vorming gee. Die metodologie wat hy gebruik in sy siening van morele vorming, spesifiek dissipline, kan die kerk in Suid-Afrika help om haar eie raamwerke en riglyne vir dissipline te ontwikkel. Die ander modi, naamlik sosialisering, waarde-oordrag, morele ontwikkeling, waarde-verheldering, emosionele vorming en karaktervorming, word ook bespreek om ‘n beter begrip te kry van sy siening oor die tema van morele vorming. In hierdie hoofstuk word die denke van enkele Suid-Afrikaanse gedrags wetenskaplikes bespreek, om aan te toon in hoe ‘n mate hulle met kern elemente in Van der Ven se verstaan van morele vorming en dissipline ooreenstem. In hoofstuk drie word geargumenteer dat Van der Ven se teorieë oor morele vorming, veral dissipline, van groot waarde kan wees vir die kerk, veral die geloofsgemeenskap. Van der Ven se insigte oor morele vorming, spesifiek dissipline word in ekklesiologiese en pneumatologiese kaders aangetoon. In hierdie bespreking word dit benadruk dat die plaaslike gemeente en die Heilige Gees ‘n enorme rol te speel het in morele vorming, spesifiek dissipline. In die slothoofstuk word konkrete voorstelle gemaak oor die rol van die plaaslike gemeente en die Heilige Gees in die vorming van dissipline. Hierdie studie poog om riglyne en raamwerke vir die kerk daar te stel met die oog op haar taak om die ontwikkeling van dissipline te bevorder en by te dra tot heilsame moraliteit in Suid-Afrika.

The study commenced by identifying a theological problem relating to the lack of understanding regarding grass-roots African Pentecostal healing praxis. The empirical-theological approach of Van der Ven was utilised, therefore, to study the healing praxis of an African Pentecostal body, called: The Group‘ Assemblies of God, in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Van der Ven‘s original framework was developed by drawing on the hermeneutic and methodological work of Cartledge. A case study was undertaken on a Group‘ Assembly in rural KwaZulu-Natal. The use of social scientific techniques produced a wide range of results that point to the church‘s ministry of healing as a process, rooted in the Trinity, that can occur through varied channels. These pathways ended in a broad understanding of healing. A dialogue between the qualitative results and the healing literature was used to develop a more precise theological question. Case study categories were conceptualised and then operationalised as a questionnaire. A survey was performed on all Assemblies affiliated to The Group‘ Assemblies of God in KwaZulu-Natal. A significant number of people participated in the survey which produced a wide range of data. It is found that worldview and charismatic experience form an important hermeneutic axis that influences attitudes towards the healing ministry. Conservative biblical belief, ethnicity, education and gender influence attitudes towards healing. A distinct divide exists between positive attitudes towards physical, spiritual, inner healing and deliverance and more negative attitudes towards social and environmental healing. The reflection on these results focuses on the perceived influence of American dispensational fundamentalism. The eschatology formed from these beliefs has a narrowing effect on holistic healing ministry. Moltmann‘s transformational eschatology is suggested, therefore, as a suitable alternative. The methodological evaluation finds that several problems exist with regard to research in a rural African location. The cycle concludes by offering a range of suggestions for further study. / Practical Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology)

The study commenced by identifying a theological problem relating to the lack of understanding regarding grass-roots African Pentecostal healing praxis. The empirical-theological approach of Van der Ven was utilised, therefore, to study the healing praxis of an African Pentecostal body, called: The Group‘ Assemblies of God, in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Van der Ven‘s original framework was developed by drawing on the hermeneutic and methodological work of Cartledge. A case study was undertaken on a Group‘ Assembly in rural KwaZulu-Natal. The use of social scientific techniques produced a wide range of results that point to the church‘s ministry of healing as a process, rooted in the Trinity, that can occur through varied channels. These pathways ended in a broad understanding of healing. A dialogue between the qualitative results and the healing literature was used to develop a more precise theological question. Case study categories were conceptualised and then operationalised as a questionnaire. A survey was performed on all Assemblies affiliated to The Group‘ Assemblies of God in KwaZulu-Natal. A significant number of people participated in the survey which produced a wide range of data. It is found that worldview and charismatic experience form an important hermeneutic axis that influences attitudes towards the healing ministry. Conservative biblical belief, ethnicity, education and gender influence attitudes towards healing. A distinct divide exists between positive attitudes towards physical, spiritual, inner healing and deliverance and more negative attitudes towards social and environmental healing. The reflection on these results focuses on the perceived influence of American dispensational fundamentalism. The eschatology formed from these beliefs has a narrowing effect on holistic healing ministry. Moltmann‘s transformational eschatology is suggested, therefore, as a suitable alternative. The methodological evaluation finds that several problems exist with regard to research in a rural African location. The cycle concludes by offering a range of suggestions for further study. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology)