Thesis (M. Div.)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In hierdie studie word daar gefokus op sommige moontlikhede wat ‘n post-moderne samelewing aan die inkleding van die liturgiese ruimte binne die gereformeerde erediens kan bied, ten tye van die liturgiese jaar (meer spesifiek Lydenstyd en Paastyd). Sommige gebruike binne die liturgiese ruimte, veral in die Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk in Suid-Afrika word bevraagteken en sommige alternatiewe voorstelle word gebied vir ‘n vernuwende inkleding van ‘n gereformeerde liturgie, juis aangesien die liturgie ‘n lewenswyse is. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In this thesis the focus will be on some of the possibilities that our modern society presents to the presentation of the liturgical space church within the reformed worship services. The specific focus is on the liturgical year, more specifically Lent and Easter. Some of the customs or habits in the liturgical space, within the Dutch Reformed Church are questioned and some alternative suggestions are presented for the renewal of a reformed liturgy, because liturgy can be seen as a way of life.

The original publication is available at http://www.ve.org.za / Reconciliation in a divided society, like the South African one, is in dire need of a new moral discourse and praxis. This article argues that this moral discourse must also be conducted on an often forgotten level, namely in the worshipping praxis of the Church. The article describes the renewed interest of ethicists and liturgists in the relationship between liturgy and ethics and especially the role of rituals. The article then focuses on the renewal of basic Christian rituals like preaching and sacraments, prayer and praise to serve this much needed moral discourse. / Publishers' Version

Thesis (DTh (Systematical Theology and Missiology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A growing number of scholars with an interest in liturgy and spirituality have contributed to discussions surrounding the relationship between liturgy and spirituality. This dissertation examines the relationship between liturgy and spirituality in the ecumenical movement, and in particular how four factors, namely the Charismatic Renewal, inculturation, secularization, and reflections on Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry (BEM), have had an impact on its development. Chapter One introduces this study by focusing on the particular connectedness between liturgy and spirituality. Chapters Two to Five critically examine the four challenges. Chapter Two examines the impact that the Charismatic Renewal had on liturgy and spirituality. It discusses the interest that the ecumenical movement had in the Charismatic Renewal, as the ecumenical movement realized what the Renewal could offer them. Chapter Three concerns itself with the challenges that inculturation poses, especially to the liturgy. One prominent question is: How do Christians proclaim Christ faithfully in different cultures? This chapter deals with the fact that inculturation involves dialogue between liturgy and culture – a dialogue which leads to mutual enrichment. Chapter Four concentrates on the impact of secularization, especially since the 1960’s. It examines how the relevance of worship was called to question by the process of secularization. Chapter Five highlights how BEM inspired endeavours for the renewal of liturgy and of spiritual life. It describes how BEM had an impact on studies of worship and spirituality and the revision of forms of worship in several churches.Chapter Six is a brief theological evaluation of the impact that the said factors were having on liturgy and spirituality within the ecumenical movement. Some implications of the impact are discussed and suggestions are made about how liturgy and spirituality can continually shape one another. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: ‘n Toenemende aantal navorsers op die gebied van liturgie en spiritualiteit het bydraes gelewer betreffende die verhouding tussen liturgie en spiritualiteit. Hierdie verhandeling ondersoek die verhouding tussen liturgie en spiritualiteit in die ekumeniese beweging, en in besonders die impak wat vier faktore, naamlik die Charismatiese Beweging, inkulturasie, sekularisasie, en besinning oor die Doop, die Nagmaal, en die Bediening, op hierdie ontwikkeling gehad het. Hoofstuk Een dien as inleiding tot hierdie studie deur te fokus op die spesifieke verbintenis tussen liturgie en spiritualiteit. In Hoofstukke Twee tot Vyf word die vier uitdagings krities ondersoek. Hoofstuk Twee ondersoek die impak wat die Charismatiese Beweging op die liturgie en spiritualiteit gehad het. Daar is ‘n bespreking van die belangstelling wat die ekumeniese beweging in die Charismatiese Beweging gehad het, toe die ekumeniese beweging besef het wat die Charismatiese Beweging vir hulle kan bied. Hoofstuk Drie ondersoek die uitdagings wat inkulturasie met hom bring, veral met betrekking tot die liturgie. ‘n Belangrike vraag is die kwessie van hoe Christene die Christusboodskap op ‘n geloofwaardige manier in verskillende kulture kan uitdra. Die hoofstuk behandel die feit dat inkulturasie ‘n dialoog tussen liturgie en kultuur behels – ‘n dialoog wat tot wedersydse verryking kan lei. Hoostuk Vier fokus op die impak van sekularisasie, veral sedert die 1960’s. Dit ondersoek hoe die proses van sekularisasie die tersaaklikheid van aanbidding bevraagteken het. Hoofstuk Vyf laat die soeklig val op die pogings van BEM (‘n dokument wat Christene vra om opnuut te besin oor die Doop, die Nagmaal, en die Bediening) ten einde vernuwing te bring wat betref die liturgie en die geestelike lewe. Dit beskryf die impak wat BEM gehad het op studies van aanbidding en spiritualiteit, en die hersiening van vorme van aanbidding in verskeie kerke. Hoofstuk Ses is ‘n kort teologiese evaluering van die impak wat genoemde faktore het op die liturgie en spiritualiteit in die ekumeniese beweging. Implikasies van hierdie impak word bespreek en voorstelle word gemaak oor hoe die liturgie en spiritualiteit mekaar gedurig kan omvorm.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: What are the predominant characteristics of the Refugee churches established in Europe in the mid‐sixteenth century? They are, undoubtedly, those of disputation and argument, dissension and fraction. But there are exceptions, the most notable of which is the English church in Geneva, which was formed in the autumn of 1555 and whose life officially ended when the last English exiles left Geneva in the spring of 1560. The origins of the church lay in the conflicts that had arisen over liturgy in the English church at Frankfurt and these conflicts continued later in Elizabethan England when the Marian exiles, many of them from Geneva, endeavoured to impose their vision of a truly Reformed church on the church of their homeland. For a short period – between the time spent at Frankfurt and the return to England – the English exiles in Geneva were a peaceable community at home with their maker and each other and created there a church that was broad rather than narrow in sympathy. The absence of conflict appears to have enlarged understanding and tolerance of others rather than narrowed it. This had much to do with the liturgy of the church which was one centered on prayer. It was also a liturgy that emphasized practicality, participation and community. The order of the church reflected its liturgy with, in a limited sense, a democratic rather than an authoritarian flavour. The failure of the Marian exiles to impose their view of a truly reformed church on the Elizabethan Church of England reminds us of the alternative approach to ecclesiological arrangements adopted in the Netherlands. While the Dutch Reformed church became the officially established public church of the Netherlands, it was nevertheless accepted, from inception, that only a minority of the population would become communicating members, a situation which has more flavour of the twentieth century than the sixteenth. But the ecclesiological arrangements in the Netherlands were unique and it is sad to record that the effect of the refugee churches was to harden confessional differences between Protestants of the Reformed and Lutheran traditions, making unity between them increasingly unlikely.

Background: Venomous snakebite and its effects are a source of fear for people living in southern Nepal. As a result, people have developed a negative attitude towards snakes, which can lead to human-snake conflicts that result in killing of snakes. Attempting to kill snakes increases the risk of snakebite, and actual killing of snakes contributes to loss of biodiversity. Currently, snake populations in southern Nepal are thought to be declining, but more research is needed to evaluate the conservation status of snakes. Therefore, we assessed attitudes, knowledge, and awareness of snakes and snakebite by Chitwan National Park's (CNP) buffer zone (BZ) inhabitants in an effort to better understand challenges to snake conservation and snakebite management. The results of this study have the potential to promote biodiversity conservation and increase human health in southern Nepal and beyond. Methods: We carried out face-to-face interviews of 150 randomly selected CNP BZ inhabitants, adopting a cross-sectional mixed research design and structured and semi-structured questionnaires from January-February 2013. Results: Results indicated that 43 % of respondents disliked snakes, 49 % would exterminate all venomous snakes, and 86 % feared snakes. Farmers were the most negative and teachers were the most ambivalent towards snakes. Respondents were generally unable to identify different snake species, and were almost completely unaware of the need of conserve snakes and how to prevent snakebites. Belief in a snake god, and the ability of snakes to absorb poisonous gases from the atmosphere were among many superstitions that appeared to predispose negativity towards snakes of BZ residents. Conclusion: People with predisposed negativity towards snakes were not proponents of snake conservation. Fear, negativity, ambivalence towards, and ignorance about, snakes and the need for snake conservation were strong indicators of the propensity to harm or kill snakes. It seems that if wanton killing of snakes continues, local snake populations will decline, and rare and endangered snake species may even become locally extirpated. Moreover, inappropriate perception and knowledge about snakes and snakebites may put BZ people at increased risk of venomous snakebite. Therefore, intensive, pragmatic educational efforts focused on natural history and ecology of snakes and prevention of snakebite should be undertaken in communities and at schools and universities.

Thesis (D. Th.)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The need of reconciliation in South Africa is still voiced by many. Along with this need, the absence of church unity between the DRChurch and URChurch, churches which are still divided along racial lines, remains a sad reality. A division which has its origin partially in a reconciliation-ritual of commensality which was inculturated in Africa on wrong unscriptural grounds. Within this South African and Reformed reality the question of this research was born, namely: “Which rituals can be inculturated in South Africa in general, and in the liturgy of the DRC and URC in particular, to assist with the processes of reconciliation and church unity?”. This question is subsequently approached in a multi-disciplinary fashion with a ritualliturgical exploration. The methodological starting points in the research process entail firstly that Post’s liturgical-scientific research methodology of intereference and intuition is used as an overarching approach, and secondly along with this in the initial phase of the research the method of ethnography or participatory observation for the collection of the ritual data. Within this methodology the theoretical starting points centre around the concepts of ritual, reconciliation and liturgical inculturation. And within the field of Practical Theology this research process moves with a spiral movement between practice and theory. The basic theoretical starting point is that within the field of Liturgy a ritual approach is used, and for this reason partners were found within the domain of Ritual Studies to examine the phenomenon of reconciliation-rituals. The ritual theory of some experts on the topic is presented with which the collected data was later evaluated. Along with this ritual theory, liturgical inculturation is used as a critical reciprocal steering concept which also involves both the tradition and theology in a criterium for the evaluation and formation of rituals. With this methodological and theoretical basis five ritual probes were conducted with regards to reconciliation, namely a cultural anthropological, a Biblical, a liturgicalhistorical, an actual descriptive and a South African ethnographic probe. These probes brought several findings to the fore which can, within an African and Reformed context,be systematised within the context of the process from fast to feast as an overarching metaphor. Drinking and eating together, or the absence thereof, coupled with reconciliation, is present throughout all the probes like a leitmotiv and is also the central finding of this research. More findings concerning reconciliation rituals however came to the fore in each probe. These findings are summarised at the end of each probe and will help to stimulate the ritual imagination concerning reconciliation. However, such imagination must remain within a critical-normative Practical Theological liturgical scientific framework. The finding of this research basically attempts to show that a variety of rituals can be inculturated within the processes of reconciliation and church unity in the DRC, URC and South Africa. The process from fast to feast gives insight into the ‘what’, ‘when’ and ‘how’ concerning the inculturation of reconciliation rituals within an African and Christian context. Fast and feast, which amongst other things also entails eating and drinking together or the absence thereof, runs like a golden thread throughout all the probes. Rituals showing these qualities of commensality are pre-eminently fit to serve as reconciliation rituals, although they have sometimes in the past had the power to do exactly the opposite. Therefor the finding of this research is that this feature of commensality can be developed within South African and Reformed reconciliation rituals, but in such a way that it serves reconciliation and church unity. And for this purpose some ritual-liturgical guidelines are presented. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Vanuit verskeie oorde word die noodsaak vir versoening in Suid-Afrika steeds bepleit. Saam hiermee is die uitbly van kerkeenheid tussen die NGKerk en VGKerk, kerke wat steeds op grond van ras verdeel is, ‘n betreurenswaardige realiteit. ‘n Verdeeldheid wat deels sy oorsprong het in ‘n versoeningsritueel van saam eet en drink wat op ‘n verkeerde onskriftuurlike wyse in Afrika geïnkultureer is. Vanuit hierdie Suid-Afrikaanse en Gereformeerde situasie kom die vraag wat hierdie ondersoek aanspreek na vore, naamlik: “Watter rituele kan in Suid-Afrika in die algemeen, en in die liturgie van die NGK en VGK in die besonder, geïnkultureer word om te help in die prosesse van versoening en kerkvereniging?”. Hierdie vraagstelling word vervolgens op ‘n multi-dissiplinêre wyse met behulp van ‘n ritueel-liturgiese ondersoek aangespreek. Die metodologiese uitgangspunte in hierdie proses van ondersoek behels dat daar van Post se liturgiewetenskaplike ondersoekmetode van interferensie en intuïsie as oorkoepelende benadering gebruik gemaak word, en saam daarmee in die inisiële fase van data-kollektering die metode van etnografie of deelnemende observasie. Binne hierdie metodologie sentreer die teoretiese vertrekpunt rondom die begrippe ritueel, versoening en liturgiese inkulturasie. En binne die kader van die Praktiese Teologie word daar met ‘n spiraalbeweging tussen teorie en praktyk beweeg. Die basiese teoretiese uitgangspunte behels dat vanuit die Liturgiek met ‘n rituele benadering gewerk is. Binne die veld van die sogenaamde Rituele Studies is vennote gevind om die fenomeen van versoeningsrituele te bestudeer. Die rituele teorie van enkele eksperte word gepresenteer waarmee die gekollekteerde data beoordeel is. Saam met hierdie rituele teorie is die begrip liturgiese inkulturasie gebruik as ‘n krities wederkerige studerende konsep wat ook die teologie en tradisie betrek in die kriterium vir die beoordeling en ontwerp van rituele. Met hierdie metodologiese en teoretiese basis is vyf rituele peilings ten opsigte van versoening gedoen, te wete ‘n kultureel-antropologiese, ‘n Bybelse, ‘n liturgiehistoriese, ‘n aktueel beskrywende en ‘n Suid-Afrikaanse etnografiese peiling. Hierdie peilings hetverskeie bevindinge na vore gebring wat in ‘n Afrika-Gereformeerde konteks binne die proses van vas tot fees as oorkoepelende metafoor gesistematiseer kan word. Saam eet en drink, of die afwesigheid daarvan, gekoppel aan versoening loop as ‘n leitmotiv deur al die peilings en is die sentrale bevinding van hierdie ondersoek. Daar het egter ook meerdere bevindinge of roetemerkers ten opsigte van versoeningsrituele uit die peilings na vore gekom. Hierdie bevindinge wat saamgevat word aan die einde van elke peiling, help om die rituele verbeelding te stimuleer, maar dít juis binne ‘n krities-normatiewe Prakties Teologiese liturgiewetenskaplike raamwerk. Die bevinding van hierdie ondersoek behels basies dat ‘n verskeidenheid rituele in die prosesse van versoening en kerkvereniging geïnkultureer kan word in die NGK, VGK en Suid-Afrika, maar dat die proses van vas tot fees insig verleen in die ‘wat’, ‘wanneer’ en ‘hoe’, ten opsigte van die inkulturasie van versoeningsrituele binne ‘n Afrika- en Christelike-konteks. Vas en fees, wat onder andere saam eet en drink of die afwesigheid daarvan behels, loop soos ‘n goue draad reg deur al die peilings. Rituele wat hierdie eienskappe van kommensaliteit vertoon, is by uitstek geskik om te dien as versoeningsrituele, al het diesulke rituele ook soms in die geskiedenis juis die teenoorgestelde vermag. Daarom word voorgestel dat hierdie eienskap van kommensaliteit juis uitgebou word in Suid-Afrikaanse Gereformeerde versoeningsrituele, maar op só ‘n wyse dat dit versoening en kerkeenheid dien. En hiervoor word enkele ritueel-liturgiese riglyne aangereik.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2012.

Together, the "Landeskirchlichen Gemeinschaften" forms the largest free reform move-ment within the Evangelical Church in Germany. In recent decades a change in worship gatherings has taken place in many of these communities. Independent worship services developed from the complementary gatherings, which at first were meant to be extensions of the Church's Sunday worship services. These services, held in free form and without orders of worship, now have become a substitute for the 'normal' church service. The 'creative freedom' also brings disadvantages, as unreflective processes tend to foster rigid orders of service. Because of a conscious separation from the church services of the mainstream church, important liturgical actions as well as elements of the Church Year could be omitted. This dissertation aims to study from various perspectives the possibilities for enriching worship in the "Landeskirchliche Gemeinschaften". From literature in liturgical studies, in the first place from the sphere of the Evangelical Church in Germany, but also from the free churches in Germany, the fundamental Reformatory insights for worship and the litur-gy are discussed and evaluated. On the basis of these findings, well-founded suggestions for the design of services in Landeskirchlichen communities are made. Possibilities for enrichment through careful planning are identified for those responsible for the respective services. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology

ABSTRACT THE DUTY OF LOVE TO GOD: THE SPIRITUAL THEOLOGY OF JOHN LEADLEY DAGG (1794-1884) Jared Richard Longshore, Ph.D. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2016 Chair: Dr. Tom Nettles This dissertation argues that the duty of love to God is the central theme that shaped John Dagg’s life, doctrine, and ministry. Chapter 2 defines Dagg’s concept of the duty of love to God. This chapter serves a fundamental function in the dissertation as it identifies the precise nature of the duty of love to God. Chapter 3 surveys Dagg’s writings with a view to how the duty of love to God is expressed in each of them. Chapter 4 investigates Dagg’s doctrine of God in relationship to the duty of love to God. Chapter 5 explores Dagg’s understanding of doctrine itself. This chapter explains that it is Dagg’s emphasis on doctrine as the divine communication of the Trinity that leads to his experiential theology. Chapter 6 transitions from the doctrine of God to the doctrine of man. This chapter reveals that Dagg’s focus on the duty of love to God permeates his anthropology. Chapter 7 concerns Dagg’s soteriology. Dagg’s understanding of saving grace is shaped by his understanding of the duty of love to God. Chapter 8 brings the duty of love to bear on Dagg’s ecclesiology. This chapter examines Dagg’s understanding of the local and universal church. Chapter 9 concludes the dissertation stating its significance.

The purpose of this study is to treat the English hymns and hymn writers of the eighteenth century.