The study investigates the welfare of children in crisis with Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URMs) from Zimbabwe and the models of pastoral care that are extended to them in a context of HIV and AIDS. URMs are children who have been forced to migrate by the socio-economic and political conditions prevalent in Zimbabwe. Other than the socio-economic and political conditions these children are vulnerable to HIV and AIDS. Many of the children are received at the Central Methodist Church in Johannesburg. They are taken care of by caregivers from Zimbabwe. Some of URMs reside in the Methodist church community centre in Soweto and some reside in the Central Methodist Church building in Johannesburg. This study is done from an African perspective of pastoral care in a context of HIV and AIDS. It seeks to study pastoral care that is organic using the reality of URMs in a context of HIV and AIDS. The Central Methodist Church received URMs as a form of pastoral care, but it is not clear what models of pastoral care are used to care for them. This grounded theory study used data collected through interviews and narrative research (story telling) from 20 URMs and 3 Care givers from Zimbabwe and Bishop Paul Verryn the head of the Central Methodist Church in Johannesburg. Analyzed data was used to describe in detail URMs and their Care givers‟ understanding of pastoral care as well as the models of pastoral care offered to URMs in a context of HIV and AIDS. Finally, the findings lead to a contextual pastoral care model with children in crisis in a context of HIV and AIDS. This study formulated this contextual model as a cultural-gendered pastoral care model with children in crisis in a context of HIV and AIDS. The model was established to develop a practical method to use in practical theology and pastoral care in the care for children in crisis without adult guidance in a context of HIV and AIDS. The results of the study describe the significance of culture and gender in caring for children in a context of HIV and AIDS. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology)

There is without doubt as much criticism of Liberation Theology as there is understanding regarding the need for a theology which seeks answers to the effectiveness of the Christian witness, against a background of mounting poverty, the oppression of woman and continued discrimination by one race against another, worldwide. Many scholars struggle with the revolutionary and often hostile nature and methodology of Liberation Theology. This paper attempts to enter into a conversation between the theology of John Wesley and Liberation Theology. The theology of John Wesley had a tremendous impact on social, political and economic areas of the Eighteenth century England. It was in many ways a revolutionary theology. This paper takes as a standpoint, the need for praxis with regard to Christian witness and therefore seeks to argue that there may be common ground between Wesleyan Theology and Liberation Theology. / Systematic Theology and Theological Ethics / M.Th. (Systematic Teology)

During the period 1884-1925 Ethiopian-type schisms from mission churches occurred for a number of reasons. Generalisations of these reasons have been made by numerous authors. By generalising the causes of schism the particular reasons why each independent church 1 eader 1 eft the mission church are ignored. The thesis shows how each schism was due to unique circumstances in the mission church as well as to factors, for example, the personal feelings of the independent church leader. In each case there was a point of no return when the founder of the independent church no longer felt he could accept the status quo. There were two government commissions that investigated the independent or "separatist" churches during these years - the South African Native Affairs Commission of 1903-1905 and the 1925 South African Native Affairs Commission which investigated the "Separatist Churches". The testimony of the white government officials and missionaries and the black church leaders has been compared with the findings in the reports. Four case studies are investigated to show how general causes of schism may occur for a number of years until a reason, peculiar to the particular independent church, manifests itself and leads to the formation of an independent church. The case studies are the Ethiopian Church and related independent groups, the independent churches which joined the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1896 with the Ethiopian Church but later left to form their own churches, for example the Order of Ethiopia, schisms from the Presbyterian Church during the 1890' s and the Independent Methodist Church. / Christian, Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D.Th (Church History)

The aim of this research project was to explore whether or not the TEE programme of The Wesleyan Church in Southern Africa is effectively contextualized to help churches to experience numerical increases in church attendance and in new congregations being started. Three aspects of contextualization were examined in relationship to The Wesley'.3-n Church's TEE programme: ( 1) Content, focusing upon the theme of "liberation"; ( 2) Methodology, focusing upon the theme of "conscientization"; and (3) Structures, focusing upon the theme of "involvement in context". At the outset of this research project, I hypothesized that The Wesleyan Church's TEE programme in Mozambique was being effectively contextualized, while the TEE programme in South Africa, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe was not. Data was collected by means of four different questionnaires, interviews, and observations made as a participant observer in different TEE classes. A letter was initially sent to 175 individuals who had been, or still were, still involved in the TEE programme of The Wesleyan Church in Southern Africa. A.total of 132 individuals responded and stated that they would be willing to participate in my research project. The data analysis indicates that when TEE helps its students to adhere to the following three principles of contextualization, the church is able to experience numerical growth; (1) Both the clergy and the laity have a vital ministry; (2) It is important to minister to the spiritual needs of people, as well as to the social and political needs of the people; and (3) Christians must be helped to think and act critically and creatively about the contexts in which they live and work. The conclusion seems to be that the Mozambican TEE programme, because it is being contextualized, is helping its churches to grow. On the other hand, the TEE programme in South Africa, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe, because it has not been effectively contextualized, seems to be powerless in helping its churches to do the same. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / Th. D. (Practical Theology)

[pt] A presente tese a presente tese se intitula Uma Igreja cristocêntrica, diaconal e koinônica: estudo teológico-pastoral sobre o metodismo na cidade do Rio de Janeiro; definindo como objeto material a práxis pastoral da Igreja Metodista, importante vertente eclesial do protestantismo histórico de missão, sediada na capital do Estado. Seu objetivo é superar a desarmonia que existe na práxis vigente, propondo uma nova práxis pastoral, contextualizada e sensível aos desafios sócio-religiosos no contexto carioca. Esta tese se fundamenta na concepção de uma possível experiência eclesial fundamentada na centralidade da pessoa de Jesus Cristo, consubstanciada na diaconia e comunhão. / [en] This thesis is titled A Christocentric, and diaconal koinônica Church: theological and pastoral study of Methodism in the city of Rio de Janeiro; defining as material object the pastoral praxis of the Methodist Church, an important church of the historical mission Protestantism, headquartered in the state capital. Your objective is to overcome the disharmony on current practice, proposing a new pastoral praxis contextualized and sensitive to the socio-religious context challenges in Rio. The hesis tramples the design of a possible ecclesial experience based on the centrality of the person of Jesus Christ, based on the diakonia and communion.

This thesis contributes to the literature on the history of the transition from colonial to post-colonial in the Pacific. It explores the contribution of an individual to this transition, Rev. Dr. Alan Richard Tippett, as a focus for illuminating the struggles in the transitions and the development of post-colonial theory for mission. Alan Richard Tippet sailed to Fiji as an ordained Methodist missionary in 1941. He was a product of a Methodist parsonage and heir to the evangelical and revival tendencies of the Cornish Methodism of his family. He began his missionary career steeped in the colonial visions of the mission enterprise fostered by the Board of Missions of his church. He was eager to study anthropology but was given no chance to do so before he left Australia. He pursued his study of anthropology and history in Fiji and began to question the paternalism of colonial theory. Early in his time in Fiji he made the decision to join with those who sought change and the death of colonial mission. In his work as a circuit minister, theological educator, writer and administrator he worked to this end. He developed his talent for writing and research, encouraging the Fijian church to take pride in its past achievements. He became alienated from the administrators of the Australasian Methodist Board of Missions and could find no place in the Australian church. In 1961 he left Fiji and began a course of study at the newly formed Institute of Church Growth in Eugene, Oregon. This led him into the orbit of Donald McGavran and the newly emerging church growth theory of Christian mission. Although his desire was to enhance the study of post-colonial mission in Australia he could not find a position to support him even after he gained a PhD in anthropology from the University of Oregon. After research in the Solomon Islands he returned to the USA to assist Donald McGavran in the formation of the now famous School of World Mission at Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena. While at Fuller he exercised considerable influence in the development of missiological theory and especially the application of anthropological studies in post-colonial mission. Although he contributed to both the ecumenical and evangelical debates on mission, he found himself caught up in the bitter debates of the 1960s and 1970s between them and, despite all efforts to maintain links, lost contact with the ecumenical wing. Retiring to Australia in 1977 he found that his world reputation was not recognised in his native land. He continued his work apace, although he was deeply saddened by the ignorance he found in Australia and by his continued rejection. He finally donated his library to St. Mark???s National Theological Centre. He died in 1988 in Canberra.

This thesis contributes to the literature on the history of the transition from colonial to post-colonial in the Pacific. It explores the contribution of an individual to this transition, Rev. Dr. Alan Richard Tippett, as a focus for illuminating the struggles in the transitions and the development of post-colonial theory for mission. Alan Richard Tippet sailed to Fiji as an ordained Methodist missionary in 1941. He was a product of a Methodist parsonage and heir to the evangelical and revival tendencies of the Cornish Methodism of his family. He began his missionary career steeped in the colonial visions of the mission enterprise fostered by the Board of Missions of his church. He was eager to study anthropology but was given no chance to do so before he left Australia. He pursued his study of anthropology and history in Fiji and began to question the paternalism of colonial theory. Early in his time in Fiji he made the decision to join with those who sought change and the death of colonial mission. In his work as a circuit minister, theological educator, writer and administrator he worked to this end. He developed his talent for writing and research, encouraging the Fijian church to take pride in its past achievements. He became alienated from the administrators of the Australasian Methodist Board of Missions and could find no place in the Australian church. In 1961 he left Fiji and began a course of study at the newly formed Institute of Church Growth in Eugene, Oregon. This led him into the orbit of Donald McGavran and the newly emerging church growth theory of Christian mission. Although his desire was to enhance the study of post-colonial mission in Australia he could not find a position to support him even after he gained a PhD in anthropology from the University of Oregon. After research in the Solomon Islands he returned to the USA to assist Donald McGavran in the formation of the now famous School of World Mission at Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena. While at Fuller he exercised considerable influence in the development of missiological theory and especially the application of anthropological studies in post-colonial mission. Although he contributed to both the ecumenical and evangelical debates on mission, he found himself caught up in the bitter debates of the 1960s and 1970s between them and, despite all efforts to maintain links, lost contact with the ecumenical wing. Retiring to Australia in 1977 he found that his world reputation was not recognised in his native land. He continued his work apace, although he was deeply saddened by the ignorance he found in Australia and by his continued rejection. He finally donated his library to St. Mark???s National Theological Centre. He died in 1988 in Canberra.

Thesis (D. Min.)--Erskine Theological Seminary, 2007. / Abstract. Description based on Microfiche version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 140-142).

There is without doubt as much criticism of Liberation Theology as there is understanding regarding the need for a theology which seeks answers to the effectiveness of the Christian witness, against a background of mounting poverty, the oppression of woman and continued discrimination by one race against another, worldwide. Many scholars struggle with the revolutionary and often hostile nature and methodology of Liberation Theology. This paper attempts to enter into a conversation between the theology of John Wesley and Liberation Theology. The theology of John Wesley had a tremendous impact on social, political and economic areas of the Eighteenth century England. It was in many ways a revolutionary theology. This paper takes as a standpoint, the need for praxis with regard to Christian witness and therefore seeks to argue that there may be common ground between Wesleyan Theology and Liberation Theology. / Systematic Theology and Theological Ethics / M.Th. (Systematic Teology)

During the period 1884-1925 Ethiopian-type schisms from mission churches occurred for a number of reasons. Generalisations of these reasons have been made by numerous authors. By generalising the causes of schism the particular reasons why each independent church 1 eader 1 eft the mission church are ignored. The thesis shows how each schism was due to unique circumstances in the mission church as well as to factors, for example, the personal feelings of the independent church leader. In each case there was a point of no return when the founder of the independent church no longer felt he could accept the status quo. There were two government commissions that investigated the independent or "separatist" churches during these years - the South African Native Affairs Commission of 1903-1905 and the 1925 South African Native Affairs Commission which investigated the "Separatist Churches". The testimony of the white government officials and missionaries and the black church leaders has been compared with the findings in the reports. Four case studies are investigated to show how general causes of schism may occur for a number of years until a reason, peculiar to the particular independent church, manifests itself and leads to the formation of an independent church. The case studies are the Ethiopian Church and related independent groups, the independent churches which joined the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1896 with the Ethiopian Church but later left to form their own churches, for example the Order of Ethiopia, schisms from the Presbyterian Church during the 1890' s and the Independent Methodist Church. / Christian, Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D.Th (Church History)