This thesis considers two questions, "How children aged 12 to 15 years rethinking of biblical texts? And how can using the Philosophy for Children stimulate thinking about faith of children aged 12 to 15 years?" To answer these questions, I chose the qualitative research, which consisted in various discussions in selected focus groups. This dialogue was guided by the principles of philosophy for children. The theoretical part of my thesis deals with the definition of important concepts, such as religious education, catechesis from the perspective of various documents of the Church and other educational programs, and specifying the key differences between these two concepts, define the structure and principles of philosophy for children, but also the historical development of this program. The practical part deals with the qualitative research in focus groups. This research includes discussion of selected focus groups, where individual statements are encoded and then included in the table of frequencies. According to these tables discussions is evaluated in terms of statements frequencies. Subsequently the content of discussions is also evaluated. The codes are divided into categories from which discussions are evaluated in the final summary with answers to the key questions.

The purpose of this research is to explore possible ways of making the Eucharistic celebration more meaningful to Catholics in Mutare diocese, Zimbabwe. The reason for this concern is that the Eucharist is the `source and summit' of the Christian life. Since inculturation is a possible means of achieving this aim of a meaningful celebration, it was found necessary in this study to examine how the Eucharist has been taught and inculturated in the Catholic Church over the years. From this It was discovered that inculturation was absent in the writings and catechesis of early Church authors and Fathers during the periods reviewed. Although an observation was made that it was indirectly implied in the Eucharistic prayers of the early Christians, it was only after a new `understanding of culture' emerged, following Vatican II, that permission was given by Rome to use local languages at Eucharistic celebrations. In the course of this study, efforts were made to determine the elements that constitute Eucharistic inculturation in Mutare diocese. These include: symbolic gestures, local languages, proverbs, enthronement, local staple food, invocation of ancestors, and others. In an empirical study to find out the extent of inculturation that has taken place in Mutare diocese, questionnaires were sent to sixteen out of twenty-four parishes in the diocese. Oral interviews were also conducted for this purpose. After analyzing the responses from respondents and those interviewed, it was discovered that some areas of inculturation have been realized, though not fully. Two outstanding areas which have not yet been realized were found to be the use of local staple food and the invocation of ancestors. The conclusion was that inculturation is not fully implemented in Mutare diocese and this impacts negatively on the celebration of the Eucharist. Eucharistic inculturation is an achievable goal in Mutare diocese, however, provided there is intensive catechesis which takes into account Shona-rich cultural values, aided by active involvement of small Christian Communities and the support of the hierarchy. / Systematic Theology and Theological Ethics / M. Th. (Systematic Theology)

This study represents a work of practical narrative theology which originates in the notable prominence of an ancient form of catechesis in a modern document, the General Directory for Catechesis (GDC), issued in 1997 by the Sacred Congregation for the Clergy in the Vatican. The GDC first mentions narratio explicitly in number 39 in the form of an imperative: "Catechesis, for its part, transmits the words and deeds of Revelation; it is obliged to proclaim and narrate them and, at the same time, to make clear the profound mysteries that they contain." It is under the weight of that obligation that this study came to be. Narratio, or the narration of salvation history, which was a standard part of the catechesis of the Church of the fourth and fifth centuries gave way to the exigencies of a changing Church in which the catechetical focus turned from adults, who needed a Judeo-Christian worldview to replace a Greco-Roman one, to children who had grown up in communities shaped by a Christian vision. This doctoral thesis proceeds by, first, surveying Roman Catholic magisterial teaching immediately preceding the issuance of the GDC to trace the roots of this apparent innovation within an institution which is otherwise noted for its conservatism. After establishing the context and character of the GDCs call for revival of narratio, this thesis examines the historical setting, rhetorical structure, and function of narratio in Augustine of Hippo's De catechizandis rudibus, and then its scriptural precursors in the two Testaments in order to discover how this narration functioned in the Jewish and Christian communities which practiced haggadic and anamnetic recitals of God's saving works as a means to the formation and maintenance of communal identity. This study seeks to establish that a positive response to the GDC's call is as much warranted by the evidence provided in the biblical and post-biblical Jewish and Christian practice of ritual/covenantal remembrance as by the Catholic magisterial imperative in the GDC. In this, it may aid to inform and direct such a positive response to the GDC for the revival of the catechetical narratio. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D. Th. (Church History)

Text in Afrikaans / Geloof wat in die kategese as deel van 'n to tale geloofsvormingsproses op die tafel kom, moet holisties-ekosistemies verstaan word met die 'hic et nunc'- relevansie daarvan as 'n kwalifiserende maatstaf. Geloof so gesien, behoort in die kategesemateriaal van die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk na vore te kom. Die grootste deel van die studie is gewy aan die bree teoretisering in holisties-ekosistemiese perspektief. Vanuit 'n wetenskapsteoretiese vertrekpunt is 'n eie prakties-teologiese teorie oor geloof ontwerp wat geloof enersyds sien as die dinamiese interaksie van gawe, inhoud en respons, en andersyds as 'n aantal perspektiewe daarop. Hierdie teorie het as vertrekpunt gedien om sekere van die kontekste waarbinne geloof funksioneer, te beskryf, naamlik die koninkryk van God, die samelewing, die gemeente, die kategese, die adolessent, die jeugsubkultuur en die skool. In hierdie beskrywing is 'n omvattende teorie oor die kategese daargestel wat dit holisties-ekosistemies sien. Deur middel van inhoudsanalise is fasette van die teoriee getoets aan die lesse in die handboeke van die kategete wat met die adolessente in standerd 5 tot 8 werk. Daar is bevind dat die geloofsbeeld wat na vore kom steriel kognitief-vertikaal is. Oor 'n tydperk van meer as twintig jaar is weinig samelewingsrelevante kwessies aangeraak. Die belangwekkende dokumente Ras, Volk en Nasie en Kerk en Samelewing het nie gefunksioneer nie. In terme van die teorie oor geloof fasiliteer die kategesemateriaal nie relevante geloof midde-in die wereld waarin die adolessente moet glo nie. Dit het ook geblyk dat die inhoudsanalise as werkwyse en die meetinstrument wat ontwerp is, bruikbaar was. Die studie formuleer vanuit die teoriee en die empiriese ondersoek 'n aantal perspektiewe van waaruit die kategese en die lesmateriaal daarvan die kritiese hantering van die verhouding kognitief-affektief-konatief en die gerigtheid individueel-vertikaal, horisontaal-ekklesiaal en horisontaal-sosiaal kan hanteer met die oog daarop dat die kerk sigself en die adolessente as deel daarvan, nie in 'n dogmatistiese ghetto in perk nie, maar vorm met die oog op 'n selfstandige en relevante geloofsfunksionering op die geloof stog in die woestyn van die wereld met die oog op die realisering van die Ryk van God. / Faith which is handled in catechesis as part of the total process of the formation of faith should be understood in a holistic-ecosystemic way with its 'hic et nunc' relevance as a qualifying criterion. It should also appear in this form in the material for catechesis in the Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk. The greater part of the study focuses on broad theorising from a holistic-ecosystemic perspective. An independent practical-theological theory on faith is developed from a scientific-theoretical basis. This theory sees faith as a dynamic interaction of gift, content and response on the one hand and a number of different perspectives on the other. It serves as the point of departure for describing some of the contexts in which faith functions, namely the kingdom of God, society, the community, catechesis, the adolescent, the youth subculture and the school. In the process a comprehensive theory about catechesis is developed which sees it holistically ecosystemically. Content analysis is used to test aspects of the theories against the lessons in the manuals for catechists working with adolescents in standards 5 to 8. The resultant image of faith is found to be cognitively-vertically sterile. Over a period of more than twenty years few socially relevant issues were touched on. The important documents Ras, Volk en Nasie and Kerk en Samelewing did not function. In terms of the theory of faith this material for catechesis does not facilitate relevant faith in the world in which the adolescent has to have faith. It is also apparent that content analysis as a method and the measuring instrument used were suitable. Using the theories and the empirical investigation the study formulates a number of perspectives from which catechesis and the lesson material can deal with the critical handling of the relationship cognitively-affectively-conatively and the directedness individually-vertically, horizontally-ecclesially and horizontally-socially so that the church does not imprison itself and its adolescent members in a dogmatistic ghetto, but shapes them so that their faith can function independently and relevantly on the way of faith through the desert of the world with a view to realise the kingdom of God. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / Th. D. (Praktiese Teologie)

The purpose of this research is to explore possible ways of making the Eucharistic celebration more meaningful to Catholics in Mutare diocese, Zimbabwe. The reason for this concern is that the Eucharist is the `source and summit' of the Christian life. Since inculturation is a possible means of achieving this aim of a meaningful celebration, it was found necessary in this study to examine how the Eucharist has been taught and inculturated in the Catholic Church over the years. From this It was discovered that inculturation was absent in the writings and catechesis of early Church authors and Fathers during the periods reviewed. Although an observation was made that it was indirectly implied in the Eucharistic prayers of the early Christians, it was only after a new `understanding of culture' emerged, following Vatican II, that permission was given by Rome to use local languages at Eucharistic celebrations. In the course of this study, efforts were made to determine the elements that constitute Eucharistic inculturation in Mutare diocese. These include: symbolic gestures, local languages, proverbs, enthronement, local staple food, invocation of ancestors, and others. In an empirical study to find out the extent of inculturation that has taken place in Mutare diocese, questionnaires were sent to sixteen out of twenty-four parishes in the diocese. Oral interviews were also conducted for this purpose. After analyzing the responses from respondents and those interviewed, it was discovered that some areas of inculturation have been realized, though not fully. Two outstanding areas which have not yet been realized were found to be the use of local staple food and the invocation of ancestors. The conclusion was that inculturation is not fully implemented in Mutare diocese and this impacts negatively on the celebration of the Eucharist. Eucharistic inculturation is an achievable goal in Mutare diocese, however, provided there is intensive catechesis which takes into account Shona-rich cultural values, aided by active involvement of small Christian Communities and the support of the hierarchy. / Systematic Theology and Theological Ethics / M. Th. (Systematic Theology)

This study represents a work of practical narrative theology which originates in the notable prominence of an ancient form of catechesis in a modern document, the General Directory for Catechesis (GDC), issued in 1997 by the Sacred Congregation for the Clergy in the Vatican. The GDC first mentions narratio explicitly in number 39 in the form of an imperative: "Catechesis, for its part, transmits the words and deeds of Revelation; it is obliged to proclaim and narrate them and, at the same time, to make clear the profound mysteries that they contain." It is under the weight of that obligation that this study came to be. Narratio, or the narration of salvation history, which was a standard part of the catechesis of the Church of the fourth and fifth centuries gave way to the exigencies of a changing Church in which the catechetical focus turned from adults, who needed a Judeo-Christian worldview to replace a Greco-Roman one, to children who had grown up in communities shaped by a Christian vision. This doctoral thesis proceeds by, first, surveying Roman Catholic magisterial teaching immediately preceding the issuance of the GDC to trace the roots of this apparent innovation within an institution which is otherwise noted for its conservatism. After establishing the context and character of the GDCs call for revival of narratio, this thesis examines the historical setting, rhetorical structure, and function of narratio in Augustine of Hippo's De catechizandis rudibus, and then its scriptural precursors in the two Testaments in order to discover how this narration functioned in the Jewish and Christian communities which practiced haggadic and anamnetic recitals of God's saving works as a means to the formation and maintenance of communal identity. This study seeks to establish that a positive response to the GDC's call is as much warranted by the evidence provided in the biblical and post-biblical Jewish and Christian practice of ritual/covenantal remembrance as by the Catholic magisterial imperative in the GDC. In this, it may aid to inform and direct such a positive response to the GDC for the revival of the catechetical narratio. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D. Th. (Church History)

Text in Afrikaans / Geloof wat in die kategese as deel van 'n to tale geloofsvormingsproses op die tafel kom, moet holisties-ekosistemies verstaan word met die 'hic et nunc'- relevansie daarvan as 'n kwalifiserende maatstaf. Geloof so gesien, behoort in die kategesemateriaal van die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk na vore te kom. Die grootste deel van die studie is gewy aan die bree teoretisering in holisties-ekosistemiese perspektief. Vanuit 'n wetenskapsteoretiese vertrekpunt is 'n eie prakties-teologiese teorie oor geloof ontwerp wat geloof enersyds sien as die dinamiese interaksie van gawe, inhoud en respons, en andersyds as 'n aantal perspektiewe daarop. Hierdie teorie het as vertrekpunt gedien om sekere van die kontekste waarbinne geloof funksioneer, te beskryf, naamlik die koninkryk van God, die samelewing, die gemeente, die kategese, die adolessent, die jeugsubkultuur en die skool. In hierdie beskrywing is 'n omvattende teorie oor die kategese daargestel wat dit holisties-ekosistemies sien. Deur middel van inhoudsanalise is fasette van die teoriee getoets aan die lesse in die handboeke van die kategete wat met die adolessente in standerd 5 tot 8 werk. Daar is bevind dat die geloofsbeeld wat na vore kom steriel kognitief-vertikaal is. Oor 'n tydperk van meer as twintig jaar is weinig samelewingsrelevante kwessies aangeraak. Die belangwekkende dokumente Ras, Volk en Nasie en Kerk en Samelewing het nie gefunksioneer nie. In terme van die teorie oor geloof fasiliteer die kategesemateriaal nie relevante geloof midde-in die wereld waarin die adolessente moet glo nie. Dit het ook geblyk dat die inhoudsanalise as werkwyse en die meetinstrument wat ontwerp is, bruikbaar was. Die studie formuleer vanuit die teoriee en die empiriese ondersoek 'n aantal perspektiewe van waaruit die kategese en die lesmateriaal daarvan die kritiese hantering van die verhouding kognitief-affektief-konatief en die gerigtheid individueel-vertikaal, horisontaal-ekklesiaal en horisontaal-sosiaal kan hanteer met die oog daarop dat die kerk sigself en die adolessente as deel daarvan, nie in 'n dogmatistiese ghetto in perk nie, maar vorm met die oog op 'n selfstandige en relevante geloofsfunksionering op die geloof stog in die woestyn van die wereld met die oog op die realisering van die Ryk van God. / Faith which is handled in catechesis as part of the total process of the formation of faith should be understood in a holistic-ecosystemic way with its 'hic et nunc' relevance as a qualifying criterion. It should also appear in this form in the material for catechesis in the Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk. The greater part of the study focuses on broad theorising from a holistic-ecosystemic perspective. An independent practical-theological theory on faith is developed from a scientific-theoretical basis. This theory sees faith as a dynamic interaction of gift, content and response on the one hand and a number of different perspectives on the other. It serves as the point of departure for describing some of the contexts in which faith functions, namely the kingdom of God, society, the community, catechesis, the adolescent, the youth subculture and the school. In the process a comprehensive theory about catechesis is developed which sees it holistically ecosystemically. Content analysis is used to test aspects of the theories against the lessons in the manuals for catechists working with adolescents in standards 5 to 8. The resultant image of faith is found to be cognitively-vertically sterile. Over a period of more than twenty years few socially relevant issues were touched on. The important documents Ras, Volk en Nasie and Kerk en Samelewing did not function. In terms of the theory of faith this material for catechesis does not facilitate relevant faith in the world in which the adolescent has to have faith. It is also apparent that content analysis as a method and the measuring instrument used were suitable. Using the theories and the empirical investigation the study formulates a number of perspectives from which catechesis and the lesson material can deal with the critical handling of the relationship cognitively-affectively-conatively and the directedness individually-vertically, horizontally-ecclesially and horizontally-socially so that the church does not imprison itself and its adolescent members in a dogmatistic ghetto, but shapes them so that their faith can function independently and relevantly on the way of faith through the desert of the world with a view to realise the kingdom of God. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / Th. D. (Praktiese Teologie)

The main topic of this work is an effort to answer the question, whether confessional teaching of religion is the right way to approach pupils from secular environment. In the first part of my work I follow up the definition of catechesis and its history. Next I compare confessional and unconfessional way of teaching religion, and as an alternative to it, I propose the teaching focused on cultural context. I also give attention to the term ?secular society? and consequences from that in religion teaching. I look for goals and contents of religion teaching in individual church documents with consideration to non-religious pupils. In the last section of this work I pay attention to developmental psychology, development of religious judgment and the character of educator. In the very end I try to find solutions to teachings focused on cultural context.