Thesis (MA (Teol.))-Universiteit van Pretoria, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.Div.(Kerkgesk.)--Universiteit van Pretoria, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 100-104).

Thesis (MA) Stellenbosch University, 1982. / No abstract

D.Phil. / This study investigates the management of burnout among ministers of religion in the Dutch Reformed Church ("NG Kerk") Synod of Southern Transvaal. Burnout is a common metaphor for a state of mental exhaustion, usually work-related. The traditional, and most frequently used definition describes burnout as "a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment that can occur among individuals who do 'people work' of some kind" (Maslach & Jackson, 1986: 1). Research literature describes the general symptomatology of the syndrome, its preconditions, and the domain in which it occurs. From the literature it becomes apparent that burnout is a persistent, negative, work-related state of mind in 'normal' individuals that is primarily characterised by exhaustion, which is accompanied by distress, a sense of reduced effectiveness, decreased motivation, and the development of dysfunctional attitudes and behaviours at work. This psychological condition develops gradually but may remain unnoticed for a long time by the individual involved. Often burnout is self-perpetuating because of inadequate coping strategies associated with the syndrome. The more recent multidimensional theory describes burnout as an individual's stress experience embedded in a context of social relationships involving the person's conception of both the self and others. According to this view burnout is a psychological syndrome of emotional exhaustion (stress component), depersonalization (otherevaluation component), and reduced personal accomplishment (self-evaluation component), the product of a major mismatch between the nature of the job and of the person who does the job, and the index of the dislocation between what people are and what they have to do. Six areas of organizational life are identified which can cause the imbalance, mismatch or misfit between the person and work: Workload, control, reward, sense of community, fairness and values. According to the multidimensional view burnout is also seen as a syndrome of exhaustion, negativity, hostility, cynicism and distance, and inefficiency on one side of a continuum, while the opposite and positive side of the continuum is represented by a state of engagement, characterised by energy, positive and supportive involvement and a sense of efficacy and accomplishment. Burnout is not a trivial problem but an important barometer of a major social dysfunction in the workplace that says more about the conditions of their job than it does about the workers. It is therefore not only a problem of the individual worker, but involves the complex interaction between organization and employees, on personal and interpersonal level, and also of specific working conditions and the context in which the work is being done. This interaction shapes the way people see and do their work, and impacts on the well-being of the workers and the organization. Burnout is therefore not only related to negative outcomes for the individual, including depression, a sense of failure, fatigue, and loss of motivation, but also to negative outcomes for the organization, including absenteeism, turnover rates, and lowered productivity.

D.Phil. / This thesis can be regarded as an autoethnographic performance. It consists actually of two plays with ten acts. Most of them have changing scenes Play 1, titled Koringrosie en die kerk, consists of five acts, and tells the story of Koringrosie, the wife of the minister. Her experiences are described against the backdrop of her life in the parsonage. Play 2, Antoinette se doktorale reis with acts six to ten, represents the research story which tells the story behind the stage. True to ethnographic characteristics, these two stories are intermingled, and the reader/playgoer can decide for him- herself which one of the two plays he/she wants to experience first. The first story is an excerpt from the unpublished novel Koringrosie describing my life of twenty one years in a parsonage. With this study I revisit these parts. I started writing Koringrosie during August 1993 with the focus on the one hand to conserve the church culture from 1977-1998. On the other hand it was written to give me a therapeutic space in which I could escape when certain church traditions of an institution like the Church, tended to engulf me.

A new concept has appeared over the last couple of years, and it is receiving more and more attention in the media. Its name is postmodernism. Our children are experiencing it in the schools, on television, on the Internet, and magazines are full of it. Postmodernism is busy changing our society irrevocably, and has arrogantly seated itself in our Churches, preaching and Theology. According to postmodernism, there is no such thing as objective, firm and universal truth – everything is subjective, personal and relative experience. That is why postmodernism has brought the following problems to current preaching in the Christian Church. The preaching will eventually loose its grip on objective, revealed truth and will become morally accommodating, and stop proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the only Mediator. Soon the Church will forsake its faith, loose its identity and forfeit its calling. Lastly, the attack on preaching is not persecution, but making everything relative. The question is: will we still be able to preach Christ as the only way to the Father? The aim of this thesis is to see the challenges that the postmodern time frame has set for the current preaching, and to take the opportunities it presents, to preach the Word of God effectively. According to this thesis, the answer lies in confessional preaching by confessing Jesus Christ. / Dissertation (MA(Teologie))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Practical Theology / unrestricted

Afrikaans: Die eenheid van die kerk is 'n skriftuurlike werklikheid. Hierdie eenheid is nie alleen 'n geestelike eenheid nie, maar moet ook uitgroei tot 'n konkrete, sigbare eenheid. Die NG Kerkfamilie in Suid-Afrika worstel met die vraag oor hoe hierdie eenheid sigbaar vergestalt moet word. Die NG Kerkfamilie bevind homself tans in 'n impasse en die vordering op die pad na kerklike eenheid het in 'n groot mate tot stilstand gekom. Die studie stel die historiese en kerkregtelike verloop van die kerkverenigingsproses in die NG Kerkfamilie aan die orde. Vir bykans tweehonderd jaar was die NG Kerk één kerk. Hierna het daar verwydering gekom en het dit gegroei vanaf die hou van aparte dienste tot die stigting van eie kerke op kleurgrondsiag. Die NG Kerkfamilie het die moeisame pad na kerklike eenheid begin stap. Hierdie proses is gekenmerk deur 'n wisseiwerking tussen toenadering of 'n soeke na eenheid aan die een kant en verwydering of verskeurdheid aan die ander kant. Die NG Kerk het die staatsbeieid van apartheid ondersteun en het dit skriftuurlik regverdig. Hierdeur het die kerk homself geïsoleer en het die verskeurdheid groter geword in die NG Kerkfamilie. Die NG Sendingkerk het 'n Status Confession afgekondig en dit het aanleiding gegee tot die Belydenis van Belhar. Hiermee het die NG Sendingkerk die verdeeldheid ook in 'n belydenis verwoord. Die NG Kerk het veral sedert 1990 'n hand van versoening uitgereik en gekies vir een kerkverband. Eenheid het totstand gekom tussen die NG Sendingkerk en die NG Kerk in Afrika met die stigting van die Verenigende Gereformeerde Kerk in Suider-Afrika (1994). Ongelukkig het interne weerstand in die hofsaal geeindig en het 'n deel van die NG Kerk in Afrika bly voortbestaan. Die kerkverenigingsproses het verval in 'n slakkepas en het uiteindelik in 'n impasse beland. Hoewel kontak op plaaslike vlak en nuwe gesprekspotensiaal op sinodale vlak ontgin is, is weinig vordering gemaak. Verskeie struikelblokke in die pad na kerklike eenheid belemmer die vordering met die kerkverenigingsproses in die NG Kerkfamilie. Die studie toon aan dat meer as net teologiese, kerklike en kerkregtelike faktore dikwels 'n rol speel in die vordering al dan nie met kerkverenigingsprosesse. Almal van ons sonder, bewustelik of onbewustelik, bepaalde faktore uit in die proses. Die gespreksgenote het dikwels nie dieselfde einddoelwit nie en dit het tot gevolg dat verskillende agendas 'n bepalende rol in die verenigingsproses speel. Prinsipieel-kerkregtelike beginsels lê onder andere ten grondslag van 'n suksesvolle kerkvereningingsproses. Hierdie fundamentele vertrekpunte in die gereformeerde kerkreg moet as basis dien vir die kerkverenigingsproses in die NG Kerkfamilie. Verskillende modelle vir kerkeenheid is in die verlede reeds aangebied as oplossings vir die strukturele eenheid. Hierdie studie bied 'n dinamiese, bifokale versoeningsmodel aan vir die proses van kerkvereniging in die NG Kerkfamilie. Hierdie model wil dinamiese groei teweeg bring in die onderlinge verhoudings en intussen ook geleentheid skep vir outentieke verantwoordbare verhoudingstigting. Twee fokus- of groeipunte (sinodale en plaaslike vlak) werk gelyktydig om die proses te bevorder en versoening vorm die basis vir hernude groei tot eenheid. English: The unification of the church is a scriptural reality. This unity is not only a spiritual unity, but must also develop into a concrete, visible unity. The Dutch Reformed Church family in South Africa are struggling with the question of how this unity should be visibly embodied. The Dutch Reformed Church family presently finds itself in an impasse and the progress on the road to ecclesiastical unity has, to a large extent, come to a standstill. The study allows discussion on the church historical and church polity course of the unification process of the church in the Dutch Reformed Church family. For almost two hundred years the Dutch Reformed Church (NG Church) was one church. After this, a division occurred and it grew from holding separate services to the establishment of own churches based on colour. Then the Dutch Reformed Church (NG Church) began the arduous road to ecclesiastical unity. This process was characterised by an interaction between reconciliation or a search for unity on the one side, and alienation or dissension on the other side. The Dutch Reformed Church (NG Church) supported the government's policy of Apartheid and justified it scriptually. By doing this, the church isolated itself and the dissension became more widespread• in the Dutch Reformed Church family. The NG Missionary Church had a Status Confession is promulgated and gave rise to the Confession of Belhar. Thereby the NG Missionary Church also expressed the dissension in a confession. The Dutch Reformed Church (NG Church) stretched out a hand of reconciliation particularly since 1990 and opted for one church relationship. Unity came about between the NG Missionary Church and the NG Church in Africa with the founding of the United Reformed Church in Southern Africa in 1994. Unfortunately, internal resistance ended in the law courts and only part of the NG Church in Africa survived. The unification process of the church fell into a snail's pace and eventually landed in an impasse. Although contact on local level and new potential for dialogue was cultivated on synodical level, little progress was made. Various stumbling blocks on the road to church unity thwarted the progress of the unification process of the Dutch Reformed Church family. The study reflects whether or not more than only theological, ecclesiastical and church polity factors often play a role in the progress of the unification processes of the church. We all exempt, whether intentionally or not, certain specific factors in the process. The fellow conversationalists often do not have the same goal and the result is that various agenda’s play a determining role in the unification process. Fundamental church polity principles, inter alia, lay the foundation of a successful unification process in the church. These fundamental points of departure in the reformed church polity must serve as a basis for the unification process in the Dutch Reformed Church family. Various models for the unity of the church have already in the past been presented as solutions for structural unity. This study presents a dynamic, bifocal reconciliation model for the unification process of the church in the Dutch Reformed Church family. This model aims at bringing about dynamic growth in mutual relationships, simultaneously also creating an opportunity for establishing authentic, accountable relationships. Two focal- or growth points (on synodal and local level) work together simultaneously to promote the process, and reconciliation forms the basis for renewed growth toward unity. / Thesis (PhD (Church History and Church Polity))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Church History and Church Polity / unrestricted

The researcher in this study focuses on reconciliation, justice and unity in the church and society, Mokopane being the investigative centre. In this study, it has been evident that this was a noble exercise to focus on reconciliation, justice and unity in South Africa. The researcher concludes that much needs to be done in the future to address division in the church and society. The passiveness of the church in the process is jeopardizing reconciliation, justice and unity. Reconciliation, justice and unity have been explicitly being explained. They are important in a sense that they form the bottom or base live from people and believe system could be well understood and thereby enable them to measure their role in the concept of reconciliation, justice and unity. These are the gospel imperative and unavoidable. Qualitative research was explicitly stated, described and discussed. The role of both Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa and Uniting Reformed Church in South Africa can play to reconcile the people of people in Mokopane. All cases studied serves as a true reflection of people’s knowledge on the experience in both past and present history. Our concepts of truth, justice, reconciliation, unity and peace must serve as a designed model to contribute to theology in demand. Unity as the function of the Holy Spirit, and unity in local church should be witnessed. Thereafter, the church is called to the ministry of reconciliation. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Systematic Theology)

Summaries in Afrikaans, English and German / Text in Afrikaans / 'n Ondersoek na die teologiese inhoud van die Evangeliese ; Gesange is geYnisieer nadat vasgestel is dat sodanige studie nog nie voorheen in Suid-Af rika in Geref ormeerde kringe onderneem is nie. Aangesien die geskiedenis en die f undering van die kerklied deur ander navorsers reeds volledig uitgewerk is, is hoofstuk 1 bloot 'n inleidende oorsig wat die agtergrond van die studie verskaf. In hoofstuk 2 is 'n kategorisering van die Gesange in extenso gedoen en in hoofstuk 3 is die inhoud van die kategoriee kortliks beskryf. Die doel hiermee is om vas te stel oor watter onderwerpe die meeste gesing word en waar die lakunes voorkom. Aan die hand van hierdie kategorisering is daar uiteindelik vyf onderwerpe afgebaken wat ooglopend Bybelsteologiese leemtes of selfs afwykings vertoon wat in die toekoms aangespreek behoort te word. Die onderwerpe is onderskeidelik: die Godsbeskouing, die skepping, die sonde, die doop en die toekomsverwagting. In hoof stuk 4 het hierdie onderwerpe af sonderlik ender die soeklig gekom. Daar is o.a. gevind dat die inhoud van die Gesange 'n duidelike reflektering is van die tradisionele kerkleer en dus nie volkome daartoe in staat is om die moderne mens (die jeug veral!) aan te spreek nie. Die gevolgtrekking waartoe die navorser geraak het, is dat liedere wat die eietyds geloofsproblematiek aanspreek 'n sine qua non geword het. Die navorsing oor die inhoud van die Gesange het voorts ook vreemde teologiese aksente uitgewys. So bv. is daar 'n duidelike invloed van die Grieks platonistiese dualisme te bespeur waar die Jenseitige teenoor die Diesseitige af gespeel word. Di t het veral aan die lig gekom met die bespreking oor die skepping. Eodem modo is daar spore van die Pietistiese individualisme in die Gesange aangetref waar die vertikale belewing met God (bekering, heiliging) die horisontale belewing van verantwoordelikheid, oorskadu! Hierdie sending, aanbevelings die godsdiens omgewingsbewaring) is in hoof stuk krities-waarderende opmerkings saamgevat. / Research into the theological content of the Evangelical Hymns was initiated after it was established that such a study had not been attempted in South Africa in Reformed circles. Since the history and grounding of the church hymn have already been discussed in full by other researchers, chapter 1 merely offers an introductory review which provides some background to the study. In chapter 2 a categorisation of the Hymns was done in extenso and chapter 3, in turn, deals with the contents of each specific category. The aim is to determine which subjects are prevalent in Hymns and which ones are not addressed at all. On the basis of this categorisation, five subjects were finally defined which revealed obvious biblical-theological lacunae, if not deviations, all of which need to be addressed in the future. The subjects are: the ways of thinking about God, the creation, sin, baptism and hopes for the future. In chapter 4 these subjects were examined in detail. It was proved, inter alia, that the contents of the Hymns clearly reflect the traditional church doctrine and consequently fail to a large extent to address modern man (especially the young people of our time). The conclusion reached by the researcher is that Hymns addressing the contemporary problematic nature of faith have become a sine qua non. Furthermore, research on the contents of the Hymns also revealed foreign theological accents such as clear influences of the Greek Platonistic dualism where the Jenseitige is compared to the Diesseitige. This became particularly evident in the discussion on the creation. Eodem modo traces of the Pietistic indiviudalism were detected in the Hymns, where the vertical experience of God (conversion, sanctification) completely overshadows the horizontal experience of religion (social responsibility, mission work, nature conservation)! Chapter 5 comprises these recommendations in the form of remarks of a criticalappreciation nature. / Eine Untersuchung in Bezug auf den theologischen Inhalt der Evangelischen Kirchenlieder wurde in die Wege geleitet nachdem festgestellt wurde, daB ein solches Studium noch nie vorhin in Ref ormierten Kreisen in Slidaf rika vorgenommen worden war. Da die Geschichte und die Fundierung des Kirchenliedes von andern Forschern schon in all en Einzelheiten ausgearbeitet worden sind, bietet Kapitel 1 bloB eine einleitende Ubersicht als Hintergrund flir das Studium. In Kapitel 2 wurden die Kirchenlieder in extenso nach Kategorien geordnet und in Kapitel 3 findet sich der Inhalt jeder einzelnen Kategorie vor. Es sollte festgestellt werden, welche Themen sich am meisten in den Kirchenliedern erkennen lassen und welche liberhaupt nicht berlihrt werden. An Hand dieser Anordnung in Kategorien wurden zum Schluss flinf Themen definiert, die augenfiillig biblisch-theologische Lucken, wenn nicht sogar Abweichungen, offenbaren; es sind Themen, denen in der Zukunft zweifellos einem gerechten Platz Gottesauffassung, die zukommen sollen. Die themen sind: Schopfung, Siinde, die Taufe und Zukunftserwartungen. In Kapitel 4 wurden diese Themen in allen Einzelheiten untersucht. Es stellte sich unter anderern heraus, das der Inhalt der Kirchenlieder eine klare Widerspiegelung der traditionellen Kirchenlehre ist und deshalb den Ansprilchen des modernen Menschen (vor allern der Jugend) nicht vollig gerecht werden konnen. Die schluflfolgerung des Forschers ist deshalb, das Lieder, welche den zeitgenossischen Glaubensproblernatik berilhren, eine sine qua non geworden sind. Die Forschung in Bezug auf den Inhalt der Kirchenlieder offenbarte weiterhin auch fremde theologische Akzente. Es laflt sich zurn Beispiel einen deutlichen Einfluss des griechisch-platonistischen Dualismus aufweisen wo das Jenseitige dern Diesseitigen gegenilbergestellt wird. Es wurde besonders deutlich in der Diskussion Uber die Schopfung. Eodem modo offenbarte sich Spuren eines pietistischen Individualismus in den Liedern wo das vertikale Gotteserlebnis (Bekehrung, Heiligung) das horizontale Erlebnis der Religion (soziale Verantwortung, Missionsarbeit, Naturbewahrung) vollig in den Schatten stelltl Diese Ernpfehlungen wurden in Kapitel 5 in der Form kritisch-bewertenden Anrnerkungen zusanunengefasst. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Systematic Theology)

Thesis (MDiv (Old and New Testament))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / In present day society and the context within which we find ourselves, the word “marginalised” is not altogether uncommon, therefore the marginalised is on the rise. It is precisely the marginalised that feel the need to hide their true identity. Finding refuge in this option offers them some degree of protection against discrimination/discriminatory practices. This is all too common-place for homosexuals who often find themselves existing only on the fringes of society. Homosexuality is a highly contentious and emotional issue within most denominations, because it goes against most people’s beliefs. This begs investigation into how the homosexual person is dealt with/treated within society as well as how accommodating the Church of Christ is towards them. This dissertation deals with the “hermeneutics of inclusivity” – the acceptance of the homosexual person within the faith-communities, and the ethics surrounding “hospitality”. Acts 15: 1-29, the text which is being dealt with/studied, does not deal with homosexuality, rather it deals with the inclusion of the other/others. Many Christians today long to experience the munificent power of God, this is precisely why Acts is used in this discussion as it is a book that vibrates with life – God’s new life that He bestows upon His people through the Holy Spirit. Looking at Acts 15: 1-29, which speaks about Christian leaders’ meeting in Jerusalem, will aid me in discussing inclusivity and how to incorporate lesbigays, who are seen as “different”, into the extended family within God’s church. By virtue of the text and stories that Paul, Barnabas and Peter had shared with their followers, they had convinced the church that heathens that were not circumcised could still be included within the faith-community. These apostles delivered personal testimonies about the “signs and wonders” and how they also occurred and succeeded amongst the non-believers. This is precisely the type of testimony that the church needs for, and by its lesbigay followers. It is important that we create room for each other to truly live out our Christianity, to be receptive and open to each other, to accept each other as Jesus Christ and God loves and accepts each and every one of us – basically a space where we include everyone in the covenant with God, and the Word of God that asks us to love our neighbour as we love ourselves, as Christ loves us. This love is witnessed in the crucifiction of Christ. We all have a stake in this be it Jew or non-Jew, slave or free man, man or woman, heterosexual or homosexual. If God can include everybody in His love, then that should be the role of the Church, and of each Christian. We should be able to live as one big, happy family whilst serving our God. God’s love and grace excludes no-one.