This thesis sets out to investigate the relationship between the design of modern language pedagogy, spiritual development in the school context, and Christian faith. It does so in the context of recent discussions of spiritual development across the curriculum, and draws upon literature on faith-learning integration emerging from the evangelical and Reformed Christian traditions. Part one of the thesis develops a framework within which the interconnections between these areas can be examined. Negatively, a range of objections to establishing a relationship between Christian faith on the one hand and spiritual development and modern language teaching methodology on the other are countered. Positively, the structure of teaching 'methodology' and the roles of control beliefs, spiritual virtues and metaphor in shaping an approach to teaching are elucidated. Five 'significant themes' in Christian reflection on the nature of the human person are discussed in terms of their theological centrality, pedagogical relevance and distinctive contribution to a view of the learner as a spiritual being. Hospitality to the alien is proposed as a metaphor which could fruitfully inform modern language learning. Part two of the thesis examines three modern language pedagogies using the framework developed in part one. The version of communicative language teaching implicit in the National Curriculum for Modern Foreign Languages, the humanistic pedagogy of Charles A. Curran (Community Language Learning), and the critical pedagogy of Claire Kramsch are explored in turn for points of connection or tension with spiritual development and Christian faith. The thesis concludes that a Christian conception of the learner's spiritual development does lead to identifiable modifications in the design of modern language pedagogy. The thesis has implications for how modern language pedagogy is understood, for how spiritual development is approached across the curriculum, and for discussions of the relationship between religion and education in school settings.

In this study the problematic aspect of divorce and remarriage in the christian church is researched. Exceptional emphasis is laid on the policy of the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa (hereafter: AFM of SA) in this regard and how it is enforced in practice. Unfortunately we have to face the reality of divorce in the church, and the fact that not only members, but also the pastor can get involved in divorce and remarriage. Up to now the church has not really been able to come to a clear conclusion on the most appropriate way to handle such a situation. The AFM of SA, as well as several other churches prefer to prevent such situations by implementing certain precautionary measures. In this study the relevant problem of divorce and remarriage will be researched using a Biblical-ethical approach. The Bible refrains from giving specific pastoral guidelines to be used by the church and its members in cases of divorce and remarriage. The Pharisees incorrectly interpreted Deut. 24:1-4 that divorce and remarriage is acceptable when a man gives his wife a divorce letter. Jesus however controverts this interpretation in Matt. 5:32 when He says that divorce and remarriage was established due to the hardness of the human hart. The biblical message is rather that God hates divorce (Mal. 2:16). Some exegetes believe that there are two “grounds” on which a person is entitled to a divorce. These “grounds” are based on Matt. 5:31 & 32 when adultery is committed, and according to I Cor. 7:15 when the unbeliever wishes to not continue with the marriage (known as malicious separation). In this study we would like to stress that the Bible does not give any grounds for divorce. One cannot argue that God hates divorce, and then give “grounds” on which divorce is acceptable. Reference is only made to circumstances which destroys a marriage. Such incidents also hold connections with incidents where the marriage is not in honor of God, and leaves space for sin to ruin lives. The marriage is now an instrument in the hand of evil which will consequently lead to more sin. In these last instances a point can be reached where the marriage does not exist in the eyes of God any more, and can be separated lawfully by means of divorce. It is of opinion that divorce should remain as last resort to a broken marriage. Reconciliation should always be the first option. When divorce has taken place, the parties involved may choose to remarry as the previous marriage is ruined before God. If a person, however, should get married while the marriage still exists before the Lord, adultery is being committed. This marriage will be interpreted as a deed of adultery, but it would not be biblical to view such a marriage as a state of adultery. Marriage is therefore not seen as something which can’t be annulled, as opposed to the Roman Catholic Church, who views marriage as a sacrament. Marriage is not an absolute establishment, and can break up under certain circumstances. In this study we found that different religions, Christian and non-christian, have diverse views about marriage, divorce and remarriage. Most Christian religions uphold monogamous marriages – a lifelong binding between one man and one woman. Non-christians such as the Muslims believe in polygamous marriages where a man is allowed to marry four wifes at any given stage. Divorce is viewed as “allowable” on certain grounds by most religions. The Roman Catholic Church, as mentioned, differs in that the marriage is viewed as unbreakable. Nowadays an annulment is granted easier which allows remarriage to occur more often. In case of the AFM of SA, there are no clear guidelines on how divorce of a congregation member or pastor should be handled. Direction in this regard is however given by knowledgeable persons in the church. In earlier days, strict - mostly undocumented - guidelines have been followed in handling divorce and remarriage cases of pastors in the AFM. The person was found guilty because of his divorce status and was asked to resign from the ministry. In later years cases were handled on merit. Policies were enforced by means of disciplinary action following a church court’s ruling. Due to churches being reluctant to discipline members getting divorced and / or remarried, it seems as if members perceived divorce not as a serious sin, and to justify their act. The “guilty” party must be disciplined. The innocent party must be allowed to continue with his/her service in the ministry. The Bible teaches us that after sin was confessed to God, He unconditionally forgives and removes our sins, and never thinks about it ever again (1 John 1:9; Psalm 103:12). Divorce however, is perceived by the church to be a bigger sin and that divorced persons are second hand christians. This is especially true in case of a divorced church leader. Although the church, and specifically the AFM, strives to implement an acceptable policy relating to divorce and remarriage, most churches have not investigated the fundamental theory as yet. It seems as if churches are sensitive in compiling, or can not reach consensus on the theory. The AFM has a basic course called “Ethics – Divorce & Remarriage” being presented by Dr. F.P. Möller (jnr) in their Theological Seminary. The researcher of this study is a pastor in the AFM of SA who has experienced divorce and remarriage himself. The way the case was treated by the church and colleagues proved that the church did not follow biblical guidelines in dealing with a divorced pastor. His experience motivated him to conduct the mentioned study. The church should pick-up, and care for divorced members (in a biblical sense) as the good Samaritan or the shepherd leaving 99 sheep to search for 1 missing one to pick him up and caringly bring him back to the flock. The study is concluded with a theory that can be used by the AFM of SA. / Dr. F.P. Moller

The history of the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa (AFM) confirms its own missional character. In the light of the church’s rich missional history, an attempt is made to determine to what extent non-christians are still reached through the gospel by the AFM. Various missional models and methods have been used over the years by the AFM. The following has been asked in this concern: Which of these missional models and methods being used are still successful today? Qualitative research has been used to search within the white sector of the AFM for presentday missional models and methods that are still effective. Congregations within the following provinces have been included in the qualitative research: Gauteng, North West, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Free State and Kwazulu Natal. The following literary study has revealed certain missional changes that have taken place in the Western Church. While it confirmed some of the missional challenges of the AFM, it also provides some missional guidelines to the church. Certain missional models and methods seem to be less effective than in the past, while others have phased out completely. Some of the missional models and methods currently used in the church are less effective than some AFM members suggest. Although the AFM has not lost its missional aim, the missional passion of some of its members is a growing concern. It appears that in the early years of the AFM the church’s members had a greater missional passion than today. The ideal missional approach for today seems to be an effective personal relationship approach. The Alpha course has been identified as one of these approaches from which the AFM may gain various missional guidelines. / Prof. W.J. Hattingh

More than 1.6 million US military personnel have deployed during the past 10 years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, also known as Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), respectively. As a result of the protracted combat operations in two fronts, many military personnel have suffered traumatic experiences from seeing people die, coming close to death, or having killed people. Even for those who have not encountered direct combat, long deployments (commonly 12 months, but some experienced 15 months) and multiple deployments (often more than two), have caused many to suffer from combat stress. Hence, American military has focused much effort and spent lots of money on addressing the result of combat stress induced psychological injury known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, commonly referred to as PTSD, and the treatment thereof. However, research shows that only about 20% of combat veterans suffer from actual PTSD. In fact, most combat veterans probably suffer more from stressors of being in a combat deployment, with what is being referred to as 'combat stress injury', 'moral injury', or 'soul injury'. Furthermore, other research shows that growth (in various aspects of one's life) is possible; a greater percentage of people with various traumatic experiences report this potential to grow as a result of the traumata. Research shows that spirituality/religious faith helps people grow from traumatic experiences, and can lead to what is referred as Posttraumatic Growth (PTG). The central theological question of the thesis is: What is it about religious faith that helps people to eventually grow from trauma? The qualitative research conducted for this thesis indicates that the key element to PTG is actually community, more specifically, the community of faith, more than the individual's faith. The essential theological inquiry is how ecclesiology is embodied in the military chaplaincy context.

Neopentecostalism is currently one of the most expressive religious phenomena in Brazil. According to the Brazilian Census Institute's database (IBGE), Neopentecostals represent the fastest growing movement among Protestants in the country. Brazilian Neopentecostalism has some unique aspects that distinguish its member churches from the mainline denominations. Since its birth, the most significant difference has been its commitment to Prosperity Theology. Lately, however, a new constituency has developed within Neopentecostalism: the Brazilian Apostolic Movement. Like other Neopentecostal churches, they have the Prosperity Gospel as their theological grounding. On the other hand, however, they differ from other Neopentecostal churches by having an apostle as their leader. The aim of this work is to investigate the Brazilian Apostolic Movement in order to comprehend its culture and identity. The study will demonstrate that, believing that Christians should be healthy and wealthy, Brazilian Apostolic Movement leaders speak and preach in a way that resembles what psychoanalysis calls narcissism. Consciously or not, the movement risks contributing to the establishment of a Christian narcissistic culture – similar to the concept of cultural narcissism, developed by Christopher Lasch. That being the case, the study explores how Christian theology might respond to this reality. Is it possible for a Christian community to have narcissistic patterns as a key element of its identity? To respond to that question, I draw from the work of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. His book, The Cost of Discipleship, focuses particularly on Christian life and ethics, and approaches these issues by through the lens of an intense reflection on what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ – both as an individual and as part of a community. Drawing from Bonhoeffer's work, I suggest three concepts as a significant theological response and challenge to the narcissistic aspects identified in the BAM churches I studied: Cheap grace, theology of the cross, and uncertainty of life.

One cannot say what meaning the theologian ordinarily gives to 'law' as a secular term, no doubt he would claim to give it a 'plain, unambiguous meaning ' such as a rule of conduct imposed by society and enforced by sanctions'. Perhaps this will do for ordinary purposes, but there are some who tend to import an emotive meaning into the term. They understand the term 'law' in a perjorative sense as being mechanical and and coercive, requiring only literal obedience and therefore opposed to faith which is personal, free, and a response not of obedience but of love. It does not seem to occur to them. that the average person freely accepts law as binding, or that sometimes there may be no sanction for not observing a rule of law, or that law is not static but dynamic, constantly changing. Chap. 1, p. 4.

The study of history and philosophy reveals that there have been as many systems of morality as there have been distinct civilizations, and that doubts about morality are inevitable. From growing apathy towards political life to increasing cultural acceptance and toleration of what might be considered immorality in every aspect of society, in today’s modern world it is difficult not to notice these doubts creeping into our way of life. This vacuum of values and tendency towards a weariness and indifference towards life is what is generally called Nihilism. Friedrich Nietzsche’s philosophy illustrated perhaps the clearest expression of what he calls “the great danger to mankind . . . a retrospective weariness, the will turning against life, the tender and sorrowful signs of the ultimate illness . . . nihilism” (3). The problem that Nietzsche sets up can be responded to in many ways, however one of the most common is the Hegelian solution that suggests we can imbue content into our values through our universal recognition and our social life. Despite the appeal of this approach, the problem of nihilism remains intact given the contradictions within Hegelian idealism that Nietzsche’s broader theories make apparent. The most promising resolution of the problem of nihilism in fact comes from Soren Kierkegaard, who is able to respond to Nietzsche’s challenges, as well as solve the issues inherent in the Hegelian solution. Kierkegaard’s emphasis on the paradox of faith and on existence creates the basis for his conclusion. He ultimately claims that through a passionate embrace of the paradoxical infinite (faith), which constitutes the essential nature of his conception of inwardness, our values can indeed be real, meaningful, and can give our lives purpose: thereby saving humanity from the nefarious threat of nihilism.

New Zealand presently operates a "free market" system of employment and labour relations in which there are no prescribed or mandatory bargaining procedures. When this system was introduced by the Employment Contracts Act 1991 (the "ECA" ) it represented a dramatic departure from the previous system of state regulated collective bargaining, conciliation and arbitration: a system that had existed in New Zealand for almost a century. Although this change in approach was supported by free market advocates, it also generated considerable international and domestic criticism. In response to that criticism, a number of New Zealand politicians stated in 1996 that they would consider imposing on employers and employees a statutory duty to bargain in good faith. However, since the end of 1996, very little has occurred in respect of this issue. Indeed, it now appears that the current New Zealand Government may have abandoned this proposal altogether. If this is, in fact, the Government's decision, it ought to be viewed with concern, for it has been made without the benefit of informed debate. Little, if any, substantive consideration has been given to whether such a duty ought to be introduced, and if so, the form it might take and impact it might have. If an informed decision is to be made to enact a duty of this nature, or not, as the case may be, its merits must be the subject of further debate. This thesis will endeavour to contribute to that debate by examining how one approach to the duty to bargain in good faith, that which applies in British Columbia, Canada, might operate in New Zealand. This examination will consist of six chapters. The first will contextualise the New Zealand arguments on whether a duty of this nature ought to be introduced into the ECA. Chapter two will then examine the duty to bargain in good faith as it applies in British Columbia industrial relations. Chapter three will take that duty, and examine the extent to which it is currently replicated in New Zealand. It will be concluded that little of the substance of this duty is to be found in the law which presently governs the New Zealand labour market. Chapter four will assess the costs of introducing a duty of this nature into the ECA, particularly in terms of reduced efficiency and freedom. Chapter five will identify a number of specific issues that will require resolution if the duty is to operate effectively in New Zealand, and the terms of a suggested statutory amendment will be proffered. It will be concluded in chapter six that introducing a duty to bargain in good faith, akin to that which applies in British Columbia, would benefit New Zealand employers, employees and society as a whole. Further, it will be argued that such a duty must be introduced if labour bargaining in New Zealand is to occur in any meaningful way for most employees. And finally, it will be suggested that if this duty is to be introduced effectively, legislative amendment will be required. For these reasons, it will be asserted that the New Zealand Government ought to revisit the issue of introducing into the ECA a statutory duty to bargain in good faith. / Law, Peter A. Allard School of / Graduate

0 / SPK / specialcollections@tulane.edu

See the attached abstract below