Text in German / This thesis gives a short overview abont the anthropological term worldview and discusses various views of it. A historic resume of the situation of the metropolis Antiochia in Syria in the 4th century AD is followed by an analysis of some important aspects of the worldview of its inhabitants. A short account of the life and work of John Chrysostom is given and followed by an analysis of four of his homilies of the Gospel of Matthew. These are compared with own exegetical points of view of the same texts. The focus is directed to some topics where the influence of worfdview makes itself felt. In the last chapter some observations in connection with the influence of worldview on biblical interpretation ensue. The thesis closes with a short discussion of some missiological and hermeneutical consequences / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M.Th. (Missiology)

The high value of good health in Africa and the serious threat to life posed by diseases that plague the African continent including South Africa, are highlighted in this thesis. The question whether the church in South Africa as a stakeholder in human development in Africa, contributes meaningfully to the continental and national vision of "a better life for all" or "good health for all" is posed and an attempt made to answer it. Operating from the Western world-view, the Hervormde Kerk in Suidelike Afrika (HKSA) is found not to be contributing meaningfully to the realisation of the African vision of "good health for all". Resistance to cure and healing by means of Western medicine and pastoral care and counselling as well as a lack of spiritual and numerical growth in the HKSA are identified as consequences of the imposition of exclusively Western Christian theological formulations on the African church. The assumption underlying this thesis is that ministry to the sick in the African mainline churches should recognise the role played by supernatural forces in the belief systems of Africans regarding health and illness. This assumption is based on the fact that theological formulations are socially influenced and constructed. Following Zerfass' methodological model, this research examines the principles underlying the ministry to the sick in the HKSA and the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika (NHKA); highlights the core African beliefs with regard to the health and illness discourse and practice; points out the shortcomings of the current ministry to the sick in the HKSA. The findings of the investigation into the theological tradition and the results of the exploration of the literature on the African context are brought into the critical dialogue. On the strength of findings of the critical dialogue between the church's traditional theological theory and the results of the exploration of the literature on the African context, the church's healing ministry is recommended as a necessary part of the church's official task in a black South African context. / Practical Theology / D.Th. (Practical Theology)

Text in German / This doctoral thesis deals with the changes the youth grapple with in Southern Ghana today. These changes permeate all fabrics of society, from the traditional society with its values to the modern society that is undergoing radical social changes. The First Part presents to the reader the traditional Akan Society. It points out how it has assisted young people to get into the world of the adult. It gives an insight into the traditional religions, the rites and practices associated with them and their relation to young people. The Second Part deals with the History of the Presbyterian Youth Work from its inception to the present day. The Presbyterian Church of Ghana was set up in the early 20th Century from the toils of the Basel Mission and the United Free Church of Scotland. This new Christian way of life brought a clash between two world views: the traditional African Religion (ATR) and the Christian Religion that brought about, so to say, farreaching consequences to the culture and the development of the country. Part three focuses attention on the present changes in the Ghanaian Society. It shows the effects of migration and the economic conditions on the Ghanaian Society at the turn of the 21st Century especially for young people. Part four sums up the findings and discusses them on the basis of two leading concepts: Contextualization and Identity. I evaluated a contextualization project of a church parish in southern Ghana. Here are, in my opinion, the first signs that could show the way into the future, i.e. a way of preaching the Gospel within the context of the traditional mindset of the local people by taking into account the Ghanaian Culture and with due regard to the feelings of the youth. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D. Th. (Missiology)

Chapter 1 describes practical theology as a communicative operational science and stresses how important it is that a hermeneutical and narrative approach compliments it. It is shown that pastoral work must be launched from the church community. The premise is that the Enlightenment paradigm causes a reductionistic, individualistic and denominational approach to pastoral work. A holistic, comprehensive and ecologically orientated approach is proposed. Chapter 2 discusses the need for an ecosystemic approach as a metaparadigrn for practical theology in terms of the move away from the Newtonian view of science and the post-modem critiques of a technocratic society. This is supported by developments in systemic family therapy, constructionism and community psychology. Chapter 3 describes an interrelated ecclesiology as a base theory for practical theology and pastoral work with reference to the church's interrelation with society and the need to include an anthropology as part of an ecclesiology. This interrelationship implies that the serving (diakonia) and caring (koinonia) functions of the church should converge, forming a diaconal pastorate. In chapter 4 the secularised modem world-vie\v and the traditional African world-view, both functioning in South Africa, are employed to shed light upon the importance of the concept community for the church's pastoral work. The term community is broadened to include the idea of networking, emphasisingg that community is more than geographical proximity. Chapter 5 is a quantitative investigation. by means of a questionnaire, of the views (ecosystemic/non-ecosystemic) of pastoral workers regarding the church and of pastoral work. Chapter 6 discusses the implications of a community pastoral work approach. Pastoral work has a serving-caring role, but should also function prophetically, to conscientise. sensitise and empower people. The church as a healing community must become the springboard from which pastoral actions can face the challenge of AIDS (chapter 7). This will require the church to shift its paradigm from the reductionist, individualist approach, presently prevalent in society and church pastoral actions, to an all-encompassing. holistic one. / Practical Theology / Th.D. (Practical Theology)

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Daar is gepoog om 'n omvattende, algemeen geldige maatstaf te vind waarmee enige opvoeding vir outentisiteit geevalueer kan word. Die moontlikheid dat die "essensiestruktuur van behoorlike volwassenewees en van opvoedingsdoel" (ES) hieraan voldoen, is ondersoek. Die genoemde essensiestruktuur (ES) is in 'n modeldiagram CESM) saamgevat. Dit bevat die volgende essensies: 'religiositeit', die 'etiese', 'affektiwiteit', 'liggaamlikheid'. 'nasionaliteit' (insluitende 'kulturaliteit'. 'historisiteit' en die 'politiese'), die 'estetiese'. 'individualiteit'. 'sosialiteit'. die 'ekonomiese'. 'vryheid'. 'gesag'. 'taal' en 'redelikheid'. asook die sewe normbeelde wat 'n substruktuur van die 'etiese' is. 'Religiositeit' is hierargies die mees belangrikste essensie. gevolg deur die 'etiese'. Aldie ander essensies verkeer op 'n derde niveau van belangrikheid. Om outentiek te wees behoort 'n opvoedingseksemplaar aan boge noemde hierargie te voldoen. Elk van die genoemde essensies is verduidelik, asook hulle samehangende verbandhoudendheid binne die ESM. Die harmonie binne hierdie gestruktureerdheid is van deurslaggewende belang vir die begryping van outentisiteit by opvoeding. 'n Evalueringsmetode. bekend as ''essensiestruktuur-analise" (ES-analise). is uit bogenoemde deur die navorser ontwikkel. 'n Uiteensetting van mikro-. meso- en makro ES-analise is oak verstrek. Beskrywings van eksemplare van opvoeding en van aanverwante opvoedingsaangeleenthede word in die lig van die ESM geanaliseer. Hoe meer 'n opvoedingseksemplaar ooreenstem met die ESM hoe nader beweeg dit aan outentisiteit. en omgekeerd. Ter illustrasie van die toepassingsmoontlikhede van ES-analise is die mensbeskouing van C.K. Oberholzer. die kindbeskouing van J.C. Coetzee. die Christelike lewensopvatting, die wereldbeskouing van Albert Schweitzer en die opvoedingsleer van die Klassisisme aan ES-analises onderwerp. Die Christelike lewensopvatting kon as outentiek geevalueer word, terwyl die mensbeskouing van Oberholzer. die kindbeskouing van Coetzee en die wereld beskouing van Schweitzer naby aan outentisiteit beweeg. Die opvoedingsleer van die Klassisisme vertoon heelparty essensie-diskrepansies. Die hipotese, dat ES-analise 'n betroubare evalueringsmaatstaf vir outentieke opvoeding kan wees, is bevestig. Derhalwe kon die aanwending vanESanalise oar 'n wye spektrum aanbeveel word. byvoorbeeld by histories opvoedkundige eksemplare, godsdienslere. skoolstelsels en meegaande kurrikula en by die ontwikkeling van opvoedingsprogramme. Die huidige opvoeding en kon temporere leefwyse kan in die toekoms verbeter word indien ES-analise daadwerklik toegepas sou word. / An effort was made to find a universally valid criterion to evaluate any education for authenticity. The "essence-structure of proper adulthood and of education-aim" (ES) was investigated in this regard. This essence-structure (ES) was condensed in a model diagram (ESM). It includes the fo 11 owing essences: · re 1 i gi ousness · , the · ethi ca 1 ' , · affec tiveness'. 'bodiliness'. 'nationality' ('culturality'. 'historicity' and the 'political'), the 'aesthetical'. 'individuality', 'sociality·. the 'economical'. 'freedom·. 'authority'. 'language' and 'rationality'. as well as the seven norm images - a substructure of the 'ethical'. Hierarchically 'religiousness· is the most important essence. followed by the 'ethical·. All other essences exist on a third 1 eve 1 of importance. To qualify as authentic an exemplar of education ought to comply with the above-mentioned hierarchy. Each of the essences and their interrelatedness within the ESM were discussed. The harmonious co-existence within this structuredness is of paramount importance in understanding educational authenticity. Emanating from the above-mentioned an evaluation method. known as "essence structure-analysis" (ES analysis). was developed. Micro. meso and macro-ESanalysis were also explained. Descriptions of exemplars of education and of educationally related matters are analysed using the ESM as the criterion. The more an exemplar corresponds with the ESM. the more it re sembles authenticity, and vice versa. To demonstrate the application potential of ES analysis C.K. Oberholzer's view of man. J.C. Coetzee's view on childhood. the Christian life-view. Albert Schweitzer's world-view and the educational doctrine of the Classicism were subjected toES analyses. The Christian life-view could be evaluated as authentic. while Oberholzer's view of man. Coetzee's view on childhood and Schweitzer's world-view are resembling authenticity closely. The educational doctrine of the Classicism revealed several essence discre pancies. (viii) The hypothesis. that ES analysis can be a reliable evaluation criterion for authentic education. was confirmed. It could thus be recommended that ESanalysis be implemented over a broad spectrum. for example when studying historico-educational exemplars. doctrines of religion. school systems and curricula and assisting in developing educational programs. The contemporary education and way of life can be ameliorated in the future if ES analysis is applied actively. / Educational Studies / D.Ed. (Philosophy of Education)

<p>Uppsatsen har en kvalitativ ansats och är beskrivande till sin form.Dess övergripande syfte var att öka förståelsen för traumatisk hjärnskada. Syftet var att förstå meningsaspekter av skadan och att ge ett bidrag till förståelsen av olika variationer av livsvärldsförändringen. Hur traumatisk hjärnskada kan förstås utifrån ett existentiellt perspektiv var särskilt fokuserat. Forskningsfrågan löd: Vad och hur berättar några vuxna personer som i vuxen ålder drabbats av en traumatisk hjärnskada om erfarenheter och konsekvenser av skadan och vilka slutsatser kan dras av en fenomenologisk hermeneutisk analys av detta.</p><p>Åtta personer som varit patienter inom hjärnskaderehabilitering intervjuades. Intervjuerna spelades in på band och skrevs ner ordagrant. Analys och tolkningsarbetet följde en fenomenologisk hermeneutisk metod utarbetad av Lindseth och Norberg(2004).</p><p>Huvudtema med huvudspår, teman och subteman utkristalliserades. Begreppet gränssituation bildar huvudtema. Därpå följer konsekvenser med identitetsförskjutning, relation och tid, samt ytterligare fyra teman. I berättelserna visade sig både gemensamma och unika drag. Ett innehållsperspektiv och ett stämningsperspektiv framträdde. En slutsats som dras är att skadan provocerar det som man tidigare tagit för givet. Dels vad det gäller synen på vem man själv är och dels hur man förhåller sig till en större kontext. Relationen till mening visar sig genom att den världsbild som man gjort till sin förloras, förändras och/eller fördjupas.</p> / <p>This thesis has a qualitative approach and is descriptive in form. The overaching aim was to increase the understanding of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). The purpose was to understand aspects of changing meaning as a consequence of the injury and unique variations in clients´changed life-worlds. Particular attention was devoted the issue of how TBI can be understood from an existential perspective. The research questions were: What and how do adults who suffered from TBI relate their experiences and the consequences of the injury, and what conclusions can be drawn from a phenomenological hermeneutical analysis of their stories?</p><p>Eight persons, all former patients in rehabilitation, were interviewed. Analysis and interpretations followed a phenomenological-hermeneutical method outlined by Lindseth and Norberg (2004). Main themes and subthemes were crystallised. The concept limitsituation constitutes a main theme. There follows consequences as for example to identity dislocation, relation and time. In the informant´s stories common as well as unique characteristics transpired. Emphasis was on the mood, and the context under which experiences arised. A conclusion was that the injury provokes one´s already esatblished world-view and the relation to meaning was exposed and challanged. The world-view was lost, reduced and/or challenged.</p>

Uppsatsen har en kvalitativ ansats och är beskrivande till sin form.Dess övergripande syfte var att öka förståelsen för traumatisk hjärnskada. Syftet var att förstå meningsaspekter av skadan och att ge ett bidrag till förståelsen av olika variationer av livsvärldsförändringen. Hur traumatisk hjärnskada kan förstås utifrån ett existentiellt perspektiv var särskilt fokuserat. Forskningsfrågan löd: Vad och hur berättar några vuxna personer som i vuxen ålder drabbats av en traumatisk hjärnskada om erfarenheter och konsekvenser av skadan och vilka slutsatser kan dras av en fenomenologisk hermeneutisk analys av detta. Åtta personer som varit patienter inom hjärnskaderehabilitering intervjuades. Intervjuerna spelades in på band och skrevs ner ordagrant. Analys och tolkningsarbetet följde en fenomenologisk hermeneutisk metod utarbetad av Lindseth och Norberg(2004). Huvudtema med huvudspår, teman och subteman utkristalliserades. Begreppet gränssituation bildar huvudtema. Därpå följer konsekvenser med identitetsförskjutning, relation och tid, samt ytterligare fyra teman. I berättelserna visade sig både gemensamma och unika drag. Ett innehållsperspektiv och ett stämningsperspektiv framträdde. En slutsats som dras är att skadan provocerar det som man tidigare tagit för givet. Dels vad det gäller synen på vem man själv är och dels hur man förhåller sig till en större kontext. Relationen till mening visar sig genom att den världsbild som man gjort till sin förloras, förändras och/eller fördjupas. / This thesis has a qualitative approach and is descriptive in form. The overaching aim was to increase the understanding of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). The purpose was to understand aspects of changing meaning as a consequence of the injury and unique variations in clients´changed life-worlds. Particular attention was devoted the issue of how TBI can be understood from an existential perspective. The research questions were: What and how do adults who suffered from TBI relate their experiences and the consequences of the injury, and what conclusions can be drawn from a phenomenological hermeneutical analysis of their stories? Eight persons, all former patients in rehabilitation, were interviewed. Analysis and interpretations followed a phenomenological-hermeneutical method outlined by Lindseth and Norberg (2004). Main themes and subthemes were crystallised. The concept limitsituation constitutes a main theme. There follows consequences as for example to identity dislocation, relation and time. In the informant´s stories common as well as unique characteristics transpired. Emphasis was on the mood, and the context under which experiences arised. A conclusion was that the injury provokes one´s already esatblished world-view and the relation to meaning was exposed and challanged. The world-view was lost, reduced and/or challenged.

Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Western Sydney. / Title from electronic document (viewed 2/6/10) Interviews held with: "James' Dharug, Traditional Custodian; Dr. Rob Lesslie, conservation biologist, Dr. Val Plumwood, environmental philosopher, Virginia Young, Director WildCountry Project, Professor Mike Archer, Dr. Deborah Bird Rose, anthropologist, Ms. Penny Figgis, former Vice President of ACF, Dr. Tim Flannery, Director South Australian Museum, Mr. Dean Stewart, Aboriginal Education Officer, Melbourne Botanic Gardens, Dr. Rosemary Hill, ACF Northern Lands Project Officer, Professor Harry Recher.

Text in German / This thesis gives a short overview abont the anthropological term worldview and discusses various views of it. A historic resume of the situation of the metropolis Antiochia in Syria in the 4th century AD is followed by an analysis of some important aspects of the worldview of its inhabitants. A short account of the life and work of John Chrysostom is given and followed by an analysis of four of his homilies of the Gospel of Matthew. These are compared with own exegetical points of view of the same texts. The focus is directed to some topics where the influence of worfdview makes itself felt. In the last chapter some observations in connection with the influence of worldview on biblical interpretation ensue. The thesis closes with a short discussion of some missiological and hermeneutical consequences / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M.Th. (Missiology)

The high value of good health in Africa and the serious threat to life posed by diseases that plague the African continent including South Africa, are highlighted in this thesis. The question whether the church in South Africa as a stakeholder in human development in Africa, contributes meaningfully to the continental and national vision of "a better life for all" or "good health for all" is posed and an attempt made to answer it. Operating from the Western world-view, the Hervormde Kerk in Suidelike Afrika (HKSA) is found not to be contributing meaningfully to the realisation of the African vision of "good health for all". Resistance to cure and healing by means of Western medicine and pastoral care and counselling as well as a lack of spiritual and numerical growth in the HKSA are identified as consequences of the imposition of exclusively Western Christian theological formulations on the African church. The assumption underlying this thesis is that ministry to the sick in the African mainline churches should recognise the role played by supernatural forces in the belief systems of Africans regarding health and illness. This assumption is based on the fact that theological formulations are socially influenced and constructed. Following Zerfass' methodological model, this research examines the principles underlying the ministry to the sick in the HKSA and the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika (NHKA); highlights the core African beliefs with regard to the health and illness discourse and practice; points out the shortcomings of the current ministry to the sick in the HKSA. The findings of the investigation into the theological tradition and the results of the exploration of the literature on the African context are brought into the critical dialogue. On the strength of findings of the critical dialogue between the church's traditional theological theory and the results of the exploration of the literature on the African context, the church's healing ministry is recommended as a necessary part of the church's official task in a black South African context. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D.Th. (Practical Theology)