In hierdie studie word daar gebruik gemaak van Stephen Bevans en Roger Schroeder se boeke Constants in Context, Theology of Missions for Today (2004) en Prophetic Dialogue, Reflections on Christian Mission Today (2011). Die doel van die navorsing is om by te dra tot die vorming van ʼn missionale ekklesiologie wat toepaslik en toeganklik is vir jonger generasies in die Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk en wat kan help om die rol van dié kerk in Suid-Afrika te beskryf. Bevans en Schroeder se verstaan van die missionale aard van die kerk kan insigte help vorm wat jonger teoloë in die NG Kerk kan help om ʼn eie missionale ekklesiologie te ontwikkel. Profetiese dialoog word in gesprek gebring met die heidige Suid Afrikaanse konteks. Die gaping van die konteksbeskrywing in Suid-Afrika gaan deur middel van Dion Chang (2012) se studie New Urban Tribes of South Africa bestudeer word. Die beskrywing help om die kultuur verskille en generasie groepe in Suid Afrika beter te identifiseer en te beskryf vir die raamwerk van hoe om in ʼn profetiese dialoog te kan tree met die huidige konteks. Richard Robert Osmer (2008:46) beskryf dat die belang van enige studie is om ʼn deeglike raamwerk te skep van individue, families, gemeente en die gemeenskap buite die kerk sodat daar duidelike leiding gegee kan word vanaf binne die kerk. Chang het wel ʼn kommersiële aanslag en fokus, maar die wyse waarop hy die verskeie generasies (Tribes) beskryf, gee sinvolle agtergrondskennis van hoe die meerderheid mense in Suid-Afrika funksioneer en hulself ook beskryf. Chang se beskrywing is ʼn toepaslike literatuur studie vir die navorsing en bring waardevolle kennis tot die huidige beskrywing van ʼn Suid Afrikaanse konteks. / Dissertation (MTh)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / lk2014 / Science of Religion and Missiology / MTh / Unrestricted

The title of this mini dissertation is: “The role of the church in respect of restorative justice in the South African criminal justice system: a theological ethical perspective”. The purpose of this study is to investigate the concept of restorative justice from a theological ethical perspective and to see how it is applied in the South African criminal justice system so that it can be determined what role the church can play in this regard. In the South African criminal justice system, the focus has been on the perpetrator and how she/he has come into conflict with the state. The fact that in most crimes, victims are affected by the crime, has traditionally not been taken seriously. In this regard the concept of restorative justice can play a vital role. In the second chapter the concept of restorative justice is explained and it is shown what its relationship to retribution is. Various definitions of restorative justice is then given and it is then shown how restorative justice and the concept of ubuntu are interlinked. In Chapter 3, the role of restorative justice in the South African criminal justice system, is discussed. It is shown that restorative justice is already being implemented at various stages of the criminal justice system and also how the Child Justice Act, Act 75 of 2008, has made restorative justice an essential aspect of the child justice system. It then sets out in Chapter 4 the Biblical basis for restorative justice in both the Old and New Testaments and argues that Biblical justice is essentially restorative in nature. It is pointed out that the foundations of Biblical justice are Shalom, Covenant and Torah. On this basis it is then indicated that Biblical justice is an attribute of God, an object of hope and a primary obligation. It leads to a commitment to action and is a relational reality. Because of this relational aspect, it is then indicated how justice is a restorative activity. The Lex Talionis is then discussed and it is shown how retribution and restoration can walk hand in hand as two sides of the same coin. Jesus and Paul’s understanding of Justice is then discussed. In Jesus’s attitude towards forgiveness and the Lex Talionis, it is shown how the restoration of relationships are of primary concern to him. Paul’s view of Justice is then discussed and it is shown that for him Christ’s death is an act of justice which is driven by his love and therefore also restorative in nature. In the last chapter, the role of the Church in Restorative Justice, is discussed. It is shown how churches can support the Restorative Justice movement and mobilize the community to assist in making restorative justice an integral part of the criminal justice system. Finally, suggestions are made as to how churches (and their members) can get involved with victims and perpetrators of crime. Copyright 2011, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Van Rooyen, GHG 2011, Die rol van die Kerk ten aansien van herstellende geregtigheid in die Suid-Afrikaanse strafregstelsel : 'n Teologies-etiese perspektief (Afrikaans), MA(Theol) dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-03142012-200732 / > C12/4/811/gm / Dissertation (MA(Theol))--University of Pretoria, 2013. / Dogmatics and Christian Ethics / unrestricted

The word δηθαηνζύλε occurs 92 times in 86 verses in the Greek New Testament. With regard to the four gospels, its incidence is the highest (70%) in Matthew. Among the other synoptic writers, only Luke uses it, and only once. The word δηθαηνζύλε occurs seven times in the Gospel of Matthew, and five of these occurrences are found in the Sermon on the Mount. It is clear that righteousness constitutes an important concept in the Gospel. With the term δηθαηνζύλε as the key element, the Gospel shows a structure in which the Sermon on the Mount with its five occurrences of δηθαηνζύλε is framed by 3:15 and 21:32, each one of these containing δηθαηνζύλε once. Matthew emphasises the enduring validity of the law and its fulfilment, of which the consequence is referred to in 5:20 as righteousness that could be described as more abundant righteousnessi. Therefore, to Matthew the relationship between law and righteousness is indicated by ἐληνιή in 5:19. The righteousness proposed by Matthew must comply with the will of God and the demands of the “kingdom of heaven”. From 6:1, it is clear that this is righteousness before your father. Matthew wants to impress it on the reader that righteousness must not be practised before people but before God eventually. I would appear that Matthew and Paul use the term δηθαηνζύλε in different ways. The aim of this study was therefore to ascertain what meaning Matthew wants to convey by δηθαηνζύλε in the Gospel, and in what way he applies this meaning to his arguments in the Gospel. In Chapter 1, the background and the problem statement are set out. The objective of Chapter 2 was to ascertain if Matthew‟s use of the concept of righteousness was influenced by the situation that gave rise to the Gospel of Matthew coming into being (Sitz im Leben der alten Kirche). It was concluded that Matthew wanted to present a more abundant δηθαηοζύλε to the community in Antioch in order to assist them in defining their identity. In Chapter 3, the meaning of the word δηθαηνζύλε outside the Gospel of Matthew was investigated. It was found that context plays an important role in establishing the meaning of the word. It also became clear that δηθαηνζύλε is a wide concept that comprises both the meanings of “ethical action by man” and “gift of God”. The objective of Chapter 4 was to ascertain what δηθαηνζύλε meant to Matthew. It was concluded that he used the term in an ethical sense. In Chapter 5, the statement that there might be a tension between the Sermon on the Mount and the rest of the Gospel was investigated in order to find out in what way Matthew applied his interpretation of righteousness in his arguments. The conclusion was that there is no tension between the Sermon on the Mount and the rest of the gospel. It was also found that Matthew and Paul do not differ from each other theologically with regard to the meaning of the word δηθαηνζύλε; indeed, they are close to each other in this respect. In Chapter 6, a final conclusion was made regarding the use of δηθαηνζύλε in the Gospel of Matthew, viz. that Matthew and Paul complement each other in their semantic interpretation of the word δηθαηνζύλε in such a way that the result is a comprehensive concept of righteousness. It was found that Matthew‟s presentation of the concept associated with the term δηθαηνζύλε provides important ethical values that could be applied the South African society. / Thesis (MA (New Testament))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

The word δηθαηνζύλε occurs 92 times in 86 verses in the Greek New Testament. With regard to the four gospels, its incidence is the highest (70%) in Matthew. Among the other synoptic writers, only Luke uses it, and only once. The word δηθαηνζύλε occurs seven times in the Gospel of Matthew, and five of these occurrences are found in the Sermon on the Mount. It is clear that righteousness constitutes an important concept in the Gospel. With the term δηθαηνζύλε as the key element, the Gospel shows a structure in which the Sermon on the Mount with its five occurrences of δηθαηνζύλε is framed by 3:15 and 21:32, each one of these containing δηθαηνζύλε once. Matthew emphasises the enduring validity of the law and its fulfilment, of which the consequence is referred to in 5:20 as righteousness that could be described as more abundant righteousnessi. Therefore, to Matthew the relationship between law and righteousness is indicated by ἐληνιή in 5:19. The righteousness proposed by Matthew must comply with the will of God and the demands of the “kingdom of heaven”. From 6:1, it is clear that this is righteousness before your father. Matthew wants to impress it on the reader that righteousness must not be practised before people but before God eventually. I would appear that Matthew and Paul use the term δηθαηνζύλε in different ways. The aim of this study was therefore to ascertain what meaning Matthew wants to convey by δηθαηνζύλε in the Gospel, and in what way he applies this meaning to his arguments in the Gospel. In Chapter 1, the background and the problem statement are set out. The objective of Chapter 2 was to ascertain if Matthew‟s use of the concept of righteousness was influenced by the situation that gave rise to the Gospel of Matthew coming into being (Sitz im Leben der alten Kirche). It was concluded that Matthew wanted to present a more abundant δηθαηοζύλε to the community in Antioch in order to assist them in defining their identity. In Chapter 3, the meaning of the word δηθαηνζύλε outside the Gospel of Matthew was investigated. It was found that context plays an important role in establishing the meaning of the word. It also became clear that δηθαηνζύλε is a wide concept that comprises both the meanings of “ethical action by man” and “gift of God”. The objective of Chapter 4 was to ascertain what δηθαηνζύλε meant to Matthew. It was concluded that he used the term in an ethical sense. In Chapter 5, the statement that there might be a tension between the Sermon on the Mount and the rest of the Gospel was investigated in order to find out in what way Matthew applied his interpretation of righteousness in his arguments. The conclusion was that there is no tension between the Sermon on the Mount and the rest of the gospel. It was also found that Matthew and Paul do not differ from each other theologically with regard to the meaning of the word δηθαηνζύλε; indeed, they are close to each other in this respect. In Chapter 6, a final conclusion was made regarding the use of δηθαηνζύλε in the Gospel of Matthew, viz. that Matthew and Paul complement each other in their semantic interpretation of the word δηθαηνζύλε in such a way that the result is a comprehensive concept of righteousness. It was found that Matthew‟s presentation of the concept associated with the term δηθαηνζύλε provides important ethical values that could be applied the South African society. / Thesis (MA (New Testament))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

In education a new dimension started after the 1994 elections by implementing new legislation to ensure fair conduct towards all. New labour legislation was promulgated to contribute to fairness in South Africa. This legislation was also implemented in the South African education system to ensure that educators are treated fairly. The Employment of Educators Act (EEA), the Labour Relations Act (LBA), the Equity Act and the South African Schools Act (SASA) were promulgated to protect both the rights of the employer and the educator in education. The purpose of this research was to determine the perception of educators in the Oudtshoorn district regarding fairness in the workplace; how educators understand and experience their right to equality in the workplace; what their perception is regarding disciplinary action in the workplace, and to what extent educators have the basic concept and principle of labour law to prevent frustration in the workplace and ineffective service delivery, and to prevent the pursuit of incorrect procedures. It is crucial that the educator knows his or her rights as an employee, and what his or her obligations towards the employer are. This research was done on the basis of the literature study and the analysis of legislation that is applicable to educators. A qualitative enquiry into educators’ perceptions of fairness in the workplace was conducted amongst participants from the Oudtshoorn district, which included schools from different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. This case study was based on interviews with school managers, educators on post level 1 and with union representatives in the Oudtshoorn district. Questionnaires were structured to obtain the participants’ view and perception on fairness in the workplace and to determine their knowledge regarding the law and their rights in education with regards to labour law. The participants didn’t receive guidance because it could have influenced their answers. The data derived from the participants made it possible to compile certain recommendations and conclusions. From the empirical research it was evident that educators in the Oudtshoorn district had but a vague knowledge of their rights as educators and of legislation. Shortcomings that were apparent from this study were addressed, recommendations were made, and possible future research on related topics was indicated. / MEd (Education Law), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

In education a new dimension started after the 1994 elections by implementing new legislation to ensure fair conduct towards all. New labour legislation was promulgated to contribute to fairness in South Africa. This legislation was also implemented in the South African education system to ensure that educators are treated fairly. The Employment of Educators Act (EEA), the Labour Relations Act (LBA), the Equity Act and the South African Schools Act (SASA) were promulgated to protect both the rights of the employer and the educator in education. The purpose of this research was to determine the perception of educators in the Oudtshoorn district regarding fairness in the workplace; how educators understand and experience their right to equality in the workplace; what their perception is regarding disciplinary action in the workplace, and to what extent educators have the basic concept and principle of labour law to prevent frustration in the workplace and ineffective service delivery, and to prevent the pursuit of incorrect procedures. It is crucial that the educator knows his or her rights as an employee, and what his or her obligations towards the employer are. This research was done on the basis of the literature study and the analysis of legislation that is applicable to educators. A qualitative enquiry into educators’ perceptions of fairness in the workplace was conducted amongst participants from the Oudtshoorn district, which included schools from different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. This case study was based on interviews with school managers, educators on post level 1 and with union representatives in the Oudtshoorn district. Questionnaires were structured to obtain the participants’ view and perception on fairness in the workplace and to determine their knowledge regarding the law and their rights in education with regards to labour law. The participants didn’t receive guidance because it could have influenced their answers. The data derived from the participants made it possible to compile certain recommendations and conclusions. From the empirical research it was evident that educators in the Oudtshoorn district had but a vague knowledge of their rights as educators and of legislation. Shortcomings that were apparent from this study were addressed, recommendations were made, and possible future research on related topics was indicated. / MEd (Education Law), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

AFRIKAANS: Die Christendom is steeds die grootste religieuse beweging en die ontstaan daarvan word aan die historiese persoon, Jesus Christus, toegeskryf. Alhoewel talle Hom steeds as Verlosser en Here aanbid, bestaan alternatiewe opvattinge wat Hom tot ʼn mens reduseer wat tot ʼn verhewe geestelike vlak beweeg het. Vir die mensdom dien Hy dus slegs as voorbeeld en is teenstellend tot die tradisionele beskouing eeuelank deur die ortodokse Christendom voorgehou. Navorsers wat hierdie oorwegend ebionitiese opvatting jeens Jesus huldig, beweer dat die Nuwe Testament verkeerdelik goddelikheid aan Jesus toeskryf. Die wonderwerke aan Hom toegedig – veral sy geboorte uit ʼn maagd asook sy liggaamlike opstanding – word veral sedert die Verligting bevraagteken of selfs verwerp. Die betroubaarheid van die Nuwe Testament, en veral die evangelies, kom dus in die gedrang. Die bewering word ook gemaak dat rasionele persone nie meer aan so ʼn argaïese boodskap gehoor kan gee nie. Dié Christus in die vroeë kerk se geloof en verkondiging verwoord, is dus nie dieselfde persoon as dié een wat in die eerste eeu geleef het nie. Die Christus wat tans verkondig word, het dus nooit bestaan nie en die werklike historiese Jesus lê agter hierdie kerugmatiese Christus versluier en moet daarvan verlos word. Die ontstaan van die Skrifkritiek het ook tot die ondersoek na die historiese Jesus gelei. In die twintigste eeu het Barth, Bultmann, Moltmann en Pannenberg nuwere sistematies teologiese bydraes gelewer wat veral op die interpretasie van die opstanding van Jesus Christus gefokus het. Barth en Bultmann het hierin radikaal van mekaar verskil met eersgenoemde wat die belang van die liggaamlike opstanding van Jesus Christus, asook die leë graf as bevestiging daarvan, beklemtoon het. Met hierdie gebeure is Hy ook as die Seun van God aangetoon. Bultmann, aan die anderkant, het heelwat gegewens in die evangelies as van mitologiese aard beskou. Die opstanding is dus nie ʼn gebeurtenis in die geskiedenis van die wêreld nie en Jesus het slegs in die bewussyn van die dissipels opgestaan. Sy invloed het teologie-beoefening daarna drasties beïnvloed. Moltmann en Pannenberg beklemtoon die belang van die liggaamlike opstanding van Jesus as gebeure in die wêreldgeskiedenis en dus vir historiese navorsing oop. Beide beklemtoon ook die kosmiese belang van die Jesusgebeure. Die brandpunte in die teologiese debat rakende die opstanding behels wonderwerke asook die belang van historiese navorsing. Die bewerings in die evangelies aangaande die leë graf asook Jesus se verskynings, is dus in die spervuur. ʼn Fundamentele vraag is wat tot die ontstaan van die Christendom gelei het, asook die bepaalde vorm wat dit aangeneem het. Die historiese probleem bly steeds dat Jesus Christus se impak op die wêreldgeskiedenis die afgelope twee duisend jaar ongeëwenaard is. Die paradoksaliteit hiervan hang met die historiese feit saam dat Jesus na sowat drie tot vier jaar van sy bediening op ʼn aaklige wyse aan ʼn Romeinse kruishout gesterf het. Die verrassende was dat hy binne ʼn paar dae daarna deur veral Jode as God vereer is en hierdie beweging het binne ʼn kort tyd duisende volgelinge gehad. Die deurslaggewende rede vir hierdie drastiese verandering was dat ʼn aantal persone vanaf die derde dag na sy kruisdood beweer het dat hulle hom lewend ervaar en met hom oor ʼn periode van veertig dae ontmoetings gehad het. Hierdie persone het binne sewe weke hierdie gebeure as sentraal in hulle verkondiging beskou en dit het tot die ontstaan van die Christendom gelei. Hierdie drastiese gevolg vra na ʼn buitengewone oorsaak. Die tradisionele Christelike apologetiek aangaande die identiteit en betekenis van Jesus Christus as Seun van God is tot ʼn groot mate op die getuienis rakende wonderwerke in die evangelies, met die opstanding as hoogtepunt, gefundeer. Sedert die Verligting is die moontlikheid van wonderwerke egter bevraagteken en hiertoe het veral Spinoza en Hume bydraes gelewer. Die naturalistiese uitgangspunt het voorkeur geniet en daartoe gelei dat die moontlikheid van wonderwerke apriories uitgeskakel is. Die wetenskap het veral die Newtoniaanse meganiese ordening van die heelal aangehang. Aangesien wonderwerke ʼn verbreking hiervan is, is dit bevraagteken en selfs verwerp. Die betroubaarheid en die aard van die evangelies is dus aan die orde aangesien dit hierdie gebeure rapporteer. Die strewe na gelykvormigheid op alle gebiede in die wetenskap het daartoe gelei dat die opstanding van Jesus apriories uitgeskakel is aangesien ons tans geen ervaring het van dooie mense wat opstaan nie. Gevolglik is die evangelies histories onbetroubaar en heelwat gegewens daarin as van mitologiese aard beskou. Geskiedenis word egter deur onvoorspelbaarheid gekenmerk en uit die rapportering in die evangelies blyk die opstanding van Jesus Christus histories te wees. Die Joodse wêreldbeskouing waarbinne hierdie Jesusgebeure plaasgevind het, word juis deur God se optrede in die eskiedenis gekenmerk. Aangesien die opstanding as historiese gebeurtenis oorgedra word, blyk dit vir ondersoek oop te wees. Die literêre aard van die evangelies vergelyk met dié van Grieks-Romeinse biografieë van daardie tydperk – al is hulle met teologiese en kerugmatiese aspekte vermeng. Aangesien die Nuwe Testament en spesifiek die evangelieverhale in die Joodse wêreldbeeld veranker is, blyk die historiese betroubaarheid daarvan voorop te wees en rapporteer hulle dié Jesus van die geskiedenis. Veral die ooggetuie-aard daarvan, asook nabyheid aan die gebeure, maak hierdie dokumente betroubaar. Die opstandingsparadigma het met verloop van tyd in die Joodse gedagtegang ontwikkel en het deurentyd met liggaamlikheid te make gehad. Die Skepper- en Verbondsgod is lief vir sy skepping en algaande het die opvatting posgevat dat Hy nie sou toelaat dat sy skepping en veral die mense met wie Hy in ʼn verhouding getree het, tot niet sou gaan nie. Die term “opstanding” het in die eerste eeu vir beide Jood asook heiden liggaamlikheid beteken. Laasgenoemde het liggaamlike opstanding egter as onmoontlik beskou, maar die vroegste Christene, wat veral uit die Judaïsme gekom het, het dit aangaande Jesus Christus gesê. Met hul opmerking: “Hy is op die derde dag opgewek,” is die liggaamlike interpretasie voorop en laat reg aan die opstandingsverhale in die evangelies geskied. Die direkte, oftewel spesifieke, historiese getuienis rakende die opstanding van Jesus Christus fokus op die leë graf, asook die ontmoetings wat talle persone daarna met Jesus gehad het. Hulle het Hom opnuut lewend ervaar, alhoewel sy liggaam verandering ondergaan het. Die eerste Christene was egter nie op hierdie gebeure voorberei nie. Enige alternatiewe verklarings vir die leë graf asook ontmoetings daarna, lei tot allerlei ingewikkelde hipoteses wat die historiese gebeure nie op koherent eenvoudige wyse verklaar nie. Van belang, egter, is dat enige historiese ondersoek nie met absolute sekerheid nie, maar met waarskynlikheid gepaardgaan. Die indirekte historiese getuienis (omstandigheidsgetuienis) aangaande die opstanding van Jesus Christus het onder andere met die verandering van die eerste dissipels, asook die ontstaan van die Christendom te make. Joodse tradisies wat vir eeue gekoester en van lewensbelang beskou is, het binne ʼn kort tyd onder die eerste Christene, meestal Jode, drasties verander. ʼn Hoë Christologie het ook vroeg sy beslag gekry en die Nuwe Testament reflekteer hierdie teologiese benadering tot Jesus Christus as Logos en dus deel van die Drie-eenheid – veral die vroeë formule in 1 Korintiërs 15:3-7 onderstreep dit. Jesus se sterwe is ook op hierdie vroeë stadium as soteriologies aangedui. Verdere omstandigheidsgetuienis behels die herdefiniëring van die Joodse messiaanse verwagting asook die Joodse Godbeskouing. In Jesus het die God van Israel en die kosmos tussen sy skepsele kom woon. Gefundeerde historiese opstandingsnavorsing is tans van fundamentele belang en lei tot identifisering van die historiese Jesus. Dit identifiseer Hom ook as die vertrekpunt en historiese verwysing rakende die Godvraag. Met sy opstanding het Jesus die nuwe skepping en God se koninkryk ingelei wat die vernietiging van die dood impliseer. Die soteriologie sluit ook die totale materiële werklikheid in en die liggaamlike opstanding van Jesus beklemtoon dit juis. Die opstanding van Jesus Christus is koherent met ʼn Christelik-teïstiese wêreldbeskouing en lei noodwendig tot die herdefiniëring van enige wêreldbeskouing. Die Christosentriese benadering tot God toon ook God se aard aan ons. Veral die dienskneggestalte, asook die beoefening van geregtigheid, was by Hom voorop en toon aan dat navolging van Hom hieraan voorkeur behoort te gee. Hiermee word die navolging van Christus gekonkretiseer en die Heilige Gees speel hierin ʼn fundamentele rol. Verwondering en sinvolheid van die lewe word deur die opstanding van Jesus Christus daargestel. Die opstanding van Jesus bied dus ʼn fundamentele uitdaging aan enige wêreldbeskouing aangesien die mees aanvaarbare historiese verklaring vir hierdie gebeurtenis is dat Jesus liggaamlik uit die dood opgestaan het – dus ‘n unieke gebeurtenis van fundamentele en kosmiese belang. Die hipotese dat Jesus van Nasaret uit die dood opgewek is, was in die eerste eeu net so kontroversieel as tans en word nie slegs deur die moderne mens bevraagteken nie. Dit verskaf egter die mees koherente en bevredigende verklaring vir die ontstaan van die Christendom asook die spesifieke vorm wat dit aangeneem het. ENGLISH: Christianity remains the largest religious movement and its origin is ascribed to the historical person of Jesus Christ. Although many still worship him as Saviour and Lord, alternative viewpoints reduce him to a mere human being that evolved to a highly developed spiritual plane. To humankind he is therefore nothing more than an example and contradicts the traditional viewpoint held by orthodox Christianity throughout the centuries. Researchers subscribing to this ebionitical viewpoint, is of the opinion that the New Testament wrongly depicts him as God. Since the Enlightenment, especially the miracles ascribed to him – his virginal conception and bodily resurrection – are questioned, or plainly rejected. The reliability of the New Testament, and the gospels specifically, is questioned. It is maintained that a rational person can no more adhere to such an archaic message. Therefore, the Christ of the early faith and proclamation of the church, is not the same person who lived in the first century. The Christ presently proclaimed thus never existed and the real historical Jesus should be released from captivity. The commencement of Scriptural criticism led to the search for the historical Jesus. In the twentieth century Barth, Bultmann, Moltmann and Pannenberg produced newer systematic theological contributions that focused on the interpretation of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In this regard Barth and Bultmann differ substantially. Barth emphasises the importance of the bodily resurrection as well as the empty tomb of Jesus Christ as its corroboration, thereby confirming Him as the Son of God. Bultmann, on the other hand, regards much of the gospels as mythology. The resurrection, therefore, is not an event in the history of the world and Jesus only arose in the minds and memories of the apostles. Bultmann had an immense influence on theological research in the twentieth century. Moltmann and Pannenberg emphasise the importance of the bodily resurrection of Jesus as an event in world history and thus open to historical verification. Both emphasise the cosmic importance of the Jesus event. The issues in the theological debate regarding the resurrection are miracles and the importance of historical research thereof. The assertions in the gospels regarding the empty tomb and Jesus’ appearances are under scrutiny. A fundamental question is what led to the origin of Christianity as well as its specific features. The historical problem remains that the impact Jesus Christ made on world history the past two thousand years, is without parallel. Paradoxically it coheres with the historical fact that Jesus, after two to three years of ministry, was crucified by the Romans. The amazing development, however, is that within a few days mostly Jews worshipped him as God and within a short time this movement grew to multitudes praying to Jesus. The reason for this dramatic change was the announcement by a few people that on the third day after his crucifixion they had experiences of Jesus being alive and this continued for forty days. Within seven weeks these people announced this event as central to their faith and praxis and led to the origin of Christianity. Such a drastic effect cries out for a drastic cause. The traditional Christian apologetic regarding the identity and meaning of Jesus Christ as the Son of God is to a great extent founded on miracles in the gospels with the resurrection as the ultimate example thereof. Since the Enlightenment the possibility of miracles were questioned and Spinoza, as well as Hume, played a role in this. The naturalistic viewpoint enjoyed preference and led to the prior exclusion of miracles. The Newtonian mechanical ordering of the universe was the chosen scientific paradigm. Due to the fact that miracles represent a violation thereof, it was questioned and even rejected. Thereby the reliability as well as the nature of the gospels are questioned because they report these events. The quest towards uniformity in all aspects of science led to the prior exclusion of the resurrection of Jesus because of the contemporary lack of experience of deceased people rising from the dead. Therefore the gospels are regarded as later additions to the historical Jesus and interpreted as mythology. History is contingent and the gospels report the resurrection of Jesus as historical. The Jewish worldview that provided the setting for the events surrounding Jesus, had fundamentally been moulded by God’s involvement in history. Because the resurrection is reported as an historical event, it is open to research. The literary character of the gospels resembles biographies of that time although mixed with theological and kerygmatic aspects. Due to the fact that the New Testament, and specifically the gospels, are rooted in the Jewish worldview it seems that their historical reliability is above question and they represent the Jesus of history. Their eyewitness testimony and nearness to the events, specifically, establish these documents as reliable. Jesus’ selfconsciousness also comes to the fore and contributes to the religious-historical context that signifies the high probability of the bodily resurrection and meaningfully explains it. The resurrection paradigm developed in the Jewish mindset over time and had to do with corporeality. The Creator and God of the covenant loves his creation and the viewpoint gradually developed that He would not allow his creation, and especially the people to whom He relates, to perish. “Resurrection” in the first century to both Jew and gentile had to do with bodies. The gentiles regarded bodily resurrection as impossible, but the earliest Christians – mostly Jews – proclaimed it regarding Jesus. With their remark: “He is risen on the third day,” corporeality was foremost and reflected the resurrection narratives in the gospels. The direct, or specific historical witness regarding the resurrection of Jesus Christ, focuses on the empty tomb, as well as meetings with Jesus following the discovery of the empty tomb. They experienced him alive again, although his body had changed. The first Christians were not prepared for these events. Any alternative explanation for the empty tomb and meetings afterwards, leads to complicated hypotheses that do not reflect the historical events in a coherent and simple way. Of importance, however, is that historical research does not lead to absolute certainty but probability. The indirect historical evidence (circumstantial evidence) regarding the resurrection of Jesus Christ, focuses on the change the first disciples underwent, as well as the origin of Christianity. Jewish tradition for centuries regarded as of fundamental and life importance, changed dramatically within a short time period amongst Christians, mostly Jews. A high Christology developed within a very short time and the New Testament reflects this theological viewpoint with regard to Jesus Christ as Logos and thus part of the Trinity. The early formula in 1 Corinthians 15:3-7 highlights this. At an early stage Jesus’ death was also indicated to be of soteriological nature. Further circumstantial evidence consists of the redefinition of the Jewish messianic expectation as well as the Jewish view about God. In Jesus the God of Israel and the cosmos came to dwell amongst his creatures. Thorough historical research is of fundamental importance and leads to identifying the historical Jesus. This establishes him as the historical reference point regarding the question about God. With his resurrection Jesus initiated the new creation as well as God’s kingdom and implies the annihilation of death. Soteriology has to do with the total universe, including its materiality, and the bodily resurrection of Jesus accentuates this. The resurrection of Jesus is coherent with a Christian-theistic worldview and necessarily leads to redefining any worldview. The Christological approach to God also shows his character. Servanthood, as well as righteousness, especially, was fundamental in his conduct. This implies that his followers should give this special attention. In this way the imitation of Christ becomes visible and the Holy Spirit plays a fundamental part. The resurrection of Christ accomplishes a sense of wonder as well as meaning to life. The resurrection of Jesus challenges any worldview fundamentally because the most acceptable historical explanation for this event is that Jesus rose bodily from the dead. This signifies a unique event of cosmic importance. The hypothesis that Jesus of Nazareth rose from the dead, was in the first century just as controversial as today and not only questioned by modern man. It still provides the most coherent and satisfying explanation for the origin of Christianity as well as the specific form it took. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Dogmatics and Christian Ethics / unrestricted

This dissertation evaluates the feasibility of extending restorative justice to school disciplinary action in South African schools. It considers developments in education and identifies relevant shortcomings before addressing them. The extension of restorative justice to school disciplinary action establishes a new way of thinking that has, until recently, not been applied to civil law. In Dikoko v Mokhatla (2007 (1) BCLR 1 (CC)) honourable justice Sachs ruled that any remedy applied in civil law must aim for the restitution of relationships, rather than punishment of the guilty party. Children are often on unequal footing compared to adults when it comes to prosecution or punishment and consequently they are exposed to excessive punitive measures, as illustrated by the Dey saga (Le Roux and Others v Dey 2011 (3) SA 274 (CC)). The implementation of restorative justice as an alternative to current school disciplinary action may result in limiting these excessive punishments. Because of the universal nature of the subject a comparison will be made to the successful implementation of restorative justice programs in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. The various departments of education in these countries have developed proactive strategies for managing students' behaviour. In New Zealand, schools place particular emphasis on the use of restorative practices, rather than suspension, to ensure the establishment of beneficial learning environments. Furthermore, parents’ and community members' involvement is encouraged by inter alia the National Safe Schools Framework, which has been implemented in Australia since 2003. These countries have long been regarded as leaders in the field of restorative justice. It is of the utmost importance to consider international trends due to the guidance that it can offer school governing bodies in South Africa. The principle of restorative justice has received extensive international support due to various practical tools that have been developed by the above-mentioned countries. Therefore, these tools are considered in order to assist governing bodies in determining the way forward in South African schools. / LLM (Comparative Child Law), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

In this study I explored depictions of diversity in the Curriculum Studies programme of the BEdHons degree course at North-West University in South Africa. South Africa was and is still is facing the challenge of inequalities such as getting access to higher education institutions that were previously dominated by a white Christian Afrikaans-speaking group. The first democratic election in South Africa in 1994 brought about structural changes in society. These structural changes included the merging of tertiary education institutions such as colleges of education, technikons and universities. In view of South Africa’s history of divisions and injustices such as patriarchy, mono-religiosity and mono-ethnicism, it therefore seemed valuable to explore how diversity is depicted in higher education institutions. In 2012 a task team was set up by the dean of the Faculty of Education Sciences at the Potchefstroom Campus of North-West University. This team investigated how diversity was expressed in selected study guides of the undergraduate BEd degree programme offered at the Potchefstroom Campus to contact mode students. This study identified the need to explore how diversity is depicted at a postgraduate degree level. The primary purpose of my research was to explore empirically the extent to which diversity nuances of gender, religion and ethnicity are depicted in the Curriculum Studies programme of the BEdHons degree course. This involved exploring the depictions of diversity in study guides of the modules presented in the Curriculum Studies programme of the BEdHons degree course. In addition, I also looked into the depictions of diversity by lecturers presenting modules and students enrolled for the Curriculum Studies programme of the BEdHons degree course. The study was situated in a critical theory paradigm and utilised a qualitative research design with a critical ethnographic methodology. Three sets of data generation methods were employed: document research, semi-structured one-on-one interviews and focus group interviews. The two campuses of North-West University offering this programme were purposefully selected as my research environments. I employed purposeful sampling, and study guides utilised by lecturers and students in the Curriculum Studies programme of the BEdHons degree course formed the sample. Lecturers presenting modules and students enrolled for the Curriculum Studies programme of the BEdHons degree course were participants. Critical discourse analysis, underpinned by Fairclough’s (1992) three-dimensional conception of discourse, was the method of analysis. The conclusions were derived predominantly from the diversity nuances acculturation and rationality. Some of the conclusions were also derived from diversity as a nuance but to a limited extent. The conclusions vary from depictions on the chosen discourse of diversity, depictions relating to curricula and the multifaceted aspect of diversity. With regard to the depictions on the chosen discourses of diversity, it was evident that some lecturer participants were only fostering the aspects gender, religion and ethnicity of certain cultural groups, which caused some groups to be invisible. Student participants’ depictions were ideologically embedded as they preferred not to engage with diversity to eliminate certain issues. Lecturer participants also tended to include disadvantaged minority/majority groups to such a limited extent that they were almost non-existent. Furthermore, it appeared that lecturer participants excluded diversity to foster inclusion. Separation was also emphasised by student participants in that they were being forced to engage with diversity rather than wanting to or having a choice to engage with diversity or not. Reflecting on the conclusions arising from my study, I put forward a theoretical stance focusing on curriculum-making for social justice. / MEd (Curriculum Development), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

This dissertation evaluates the feasibility of extending restorative justice to school disciplinary action in South African schools. It considers developments in education and identifies relevant shortcomings before addressing them. The extension of restorative justice to school disciplinary action establishes a new way of thinking that has, until recently, not been applied to civil law. In Dikoko v Mokhatla (2007 (1) BCLR 1 (CC)) honourable justice Sachs ruled that any remedy applied in civil law must aim for the restitution of relationships, rather than punishment of the guilty party. Children are often on unequal footing compared to adults when it comes to prosecution or punishment and consequently they are exposed to excessive punitive measures, as illustrated by the Dey saga (Le Roux and Others v Dey 2011 (3) SA 274 (CC)). The implementation of restorative justice as an alternative to current school disciplinary action may result in limiting these excessive punishments. Because of the universal nature of the subject a comparison will be made to the successful implementation of restorative justice programs in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. The various departments of education in these countries have developed proactive strategies for managing students' behaviour. In New Zealand, schools place particular emphasis on the use of restorative practices, rather than suspension, to ensure the establishment of beneficial learning environments. Furthermore, parents’ and community members' involvement is encouraged by inter alia the National Safe Schools Framework, which has been implemented in Australia since 2003. These countries have long been regarded as leaders in the field of restorative justice. It is of the utmost importance to consider international trends due to the guidance that it can offer school governing bodies in South Africa. The principle of restorative justice has received extensive international support due to various practical tools that have been developed by the above-mentioned countries. Therefore, these tools are considered in order to assist governing bodies in determining the way forward in South African schools. / LLM (Comparative Child Law), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015