The African Initiated Churches (AICs) are the custodians of the African Traditional Religion (ATR). In the South African census, the AICs are classified as Christian. Africans claim that long before the Christian faith came through missionaries there was some form of worship of God by Africans. This means Africans practiced ATR outside Christianity and after Christianity came through missionaries, they started practising it as Christians One of the reasons given for the Africans moving out of the missionary churches to start their own was a search for an African identity. There was a hunger for a place where the African culture could be accommodated. One of the features of African culture is the worship of ancestors. The question of monotheism encountering polytheism does arise in this kind of discussion. The doctrine of the Trinity is uniquely Christian. There is a historical background concerning the teaching and the foundation thereof. As the AICs responded to a situation, so did the Early Church Fathers who faced question of monotheism encountering polytheism. There was a need to redefine Jewish monotheism within the Christian faith in reference to the event of Jesus Christ. The Church Fathers struggled to defend and grappled with the Christian faith with reference to the scriptures in the light of Jesus Christ. They took the gospel from the Jewish setting into the Greek setting. Their efforts benefited the church throughout history. One may say the writings and the teachings of the early church stood the test of time. One may also say the writings and the teachings were based on the solid foundation being of Jesus Christ and the authority of the scriptures. Juxtaposition is the approach employed in this thesis. Two traditions are being critically assessed based on the notion of Perichoresis by the Cappadocian Church Fathers and the notion of Ubuntu in the ATR. Chapter one deals with the theological background with specific focus on the African church and contextualisation. Chapter two, deals with the debate concerning the position and nature of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. It also investigates the origin of the Nicene Creed. Chapter three investigates the terminology within the doctrine of the Trinity, while Chapter four explores the term ecumenical and communion with reference to Ubuntu. Chapter five analyses the work of Zizioulas, and the conclusion attempts to find an appropriate approach for the African church. Therefore the study concludes that the reference for Ubuntu should be found in the relationship with God through Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit and not in the veneration and worship of the ancestors. The benefits of the relationship with God through Jesus supersede all other relationship with any deity in the now and the future. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Dogmatics and Christian Ethics / unrestricted

Peu de textes de Pascal semblent relever de l’expérience ou du discours mystique. Outre le Mémorial, qui garde mémoire d’une expérience de Dieu sur une feuille de papier, outre la Prière pour demander à Dieu le bon usage des maladies, certaines lettres, à Mlle de Roannez, contiennent des conseils pour se rapprocher de Dieu, d’autres lettres spirituelles, comme celle écrite après la mort de leur père, traitent de l’attitude du chrétien face à la mort. Sur la conversion du pêcheur nous livre les difficultés de l’homme à la recherche de Dieu. Cependant, malgré la pauvreté quantitative des textes traitant assez clairement de la mystique, il nous est apparu qu’elle constitue la clé de voûte de l’édifice pascalien, sans laquelle l’œuvre de Pascal ne fait pas sens. A partir de ce point ultime et transcendant, expliqué en partie par le contexte familial et social de Pascal, on peut relire et comprendre sa démarche scientifique, et la relation entretenue avec la Bible. Ainsi nous proposons une relecture de l’intégralité de l’œuvre pascalienne, en la replaçant dans l’histoire la mystique judéo-chrétienne, en mettant notamment en relief la façon dont Pascal s’est approprié l’esprit et la mystique biblique, dans une tradition où l’influence du dualisme platonicien n’est pas étranger. La mystique pascalienne se définit ainsi comme le désir d’une union à Dieu, médiatisée par la figure du Christ, et il en résulte une relation de chaque instant, où l’homme se sent transformé, déifié, dans un sentiment de joie. / Not many texts by Pascal deal with the mystical experience. In addition to the Memorial, relating an experience of God on a sheet of paper, and to the Prière pour le bon usage des maladies,some letters, written to Miss de Roannez, give advice on how to approach God, as well as other spiritual letters, like that written after his father’s death, dealing with the Christian’s attitude facing death. Sur la conversion du pécheur brings out the difficulties of a man in search of God. However, greatly exceding those few explicit texts on the subject, it appears that this topic is the essential keystone to undestand Pascal’s work, bringing to light all its meaning. This ultimate and transcendent viewpoint partly explanable by the Pascal ‘s family and social context makes it possible to go deeper into his scientific approach, and the relation carried on with the Bible. Our aim is thus to put Pascal’s entire work in the perspective of the the Judaeo-Chistian mysticism history, highlighting in particular the way Pascal adapted the spirit and the biblical mysticism, in a tradition connected to the Platonic dualism. Pascal’s mysticism is thus defined as the desire for the union with God, mediated by the figure of Christ, and resulting in a relationship of each moment, where man feels transformed, deified, in a sense of joy.

This is a case study of the restructuring of the Jewish community schools in Johannesburg, South Africa. The purpose of this research is to explain why, how and with what impact, economic and ideological forces shaped the restructuring of the Jewish community schools. This is explored by drawing out the views of the different stakeholders as well as the meanings that they attached to the change and by recalling their experiences and understandings vis-à-vis the restructuring process. This study investigates what was considered to be the “first stage” of restructuring – a stage that aimed at ejecting the past, establishing new management and designing a blueprint for the future. The study follows the process as it evolved from April 2001 when a CEO was contracted to manage the schools until March 2003 with the 27th National Conference of the South African Board of Jewish Education, at which the changes were endorsed and constitutionalised. The study suggests that the restructuring evolved through the interaction and convergence of two globalised forces: one force pulled the schools towards marketisation and managerialism; and the other force pushed the schools towards the intensification of their religious identity. The study explores the impact of these two sets of dynamics as they came together in the context of a faith-based community school, and the contradictory forces that were set in motion. The main argument is that the synergy created between new managerialism and religious extremism, in a transitional and unstable context, undermined the fragile democracy of the faith-based community schools and caused them to change, thus shifting them towards ghettoisation, exclusion and autocracy. The study identifies and explains the global, national, local and institutional conditions and realities that enabled and constrained this process. This qualitative case study relies on insider accounts of the process of change and contestation, and raises important methodological and ethical questions around the difficulties of researching one’s own community and colleagues. / Thesis (PhD (Education Management and Policy Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Education Management and Policy Studies / unrestricted

Countless articles and monographs have been published which have paid attention to the various themes in Mark’s Gospel. However, to date there is no publication that attempts to understand the theme ‘unbelief’ in Mark’s Gospel. This study attempts to investigate the literary-theological functions of unbelief as a theme in Mark. This approach is based on the exegetical perspective of several passages (2:1-12; 3:1-6; 4:35-41; 6:1-6; 8:14-21; 9:14-29; 11:27-33; 15:27-32) in which the theme of unbelief appears. Given this approach, it becomes clear that, although at different points of his Gospel, Mark applies the term ‘unbelief’ used to depict Jesus’ opponents to the disciples as well, he distinguishes between the two groups. This applies also to his description of the unbelief of both the groups. The opponents’ unbelief does not mean primarily a lack of insight, but rather a conscious refusal to believe Jesus’ claims and demands. Throughout Mark’s Gospel the opponents, due to their hardened hearts, they are ever seeing and hearing but never understanding (3:5; 4:12). Similar to 1QS 3:18-21, in Mark 4:15 the fundamental source of the opponents’ rejection is the result of Satan-inspired opposition (1QS 3:18-21; Mark 4:15) Since Satan prevents the opponents from listening to Jesus’ message, they do not understand it and reject him and eventually bring about his death (3:6). Thus, to the opponents, Jesus’ salient teachings and miracles have only produced rejecting questions, rather than belief (cf. 3:6, 21, 22-29, 30-31; 6:1-6). Therefore, their obstinate rejection necessarily excludes them from obtaining forgiveness of God. However, if they repent of their sins and accept His prophetic message, they will gain God’s forgiveness as a benefit in the Kingdom (cf. 12:34). On the other hand, the disciples’ unbelief, unlike the opponents’ unbelief, does not consist in the wilful rejection of Jesus. But, the disciples’ unbelief implies their failure to believe in Jesus’ identity (4:35-41; 6:45-52; 8:14-21; 9:14-29 etc.) shown in his teachings and actions. The disciples are in danger of being the outsiders whose hearts were hardened, having eyes but not seeing, and ears but not hearing (8:17-18; cf. 3:5; 4:11-12). Although the hardness of heart, which is associated with Jesus’ opponents, is also attributed to the disciples, the use of this term is not meant to suggest that the disciples have sided with the opponent of Jesus. Rather, it is indicative of an attempt by Jesus, by bombarding them with a series of rhetorical questions, to warn his disciples who are in mortal danger of succumbing to the same unbelief that has afflicted the opponents. Thus, unlike a direct statement regarding the opponents’ hardness of heart in 3:5 and 4:12, the disciples’ hardness of heart is obliquely described through rhetorical questions in 8:17-18. The theological perspective that is presented in the theme of unbelief in Mark is that an attempt is made to emphasize faith, which stands literally in contrast to unbelief. Through speech acts concerning unbelief, Mark emphasizes the fact that those who are the true disciples must follow Jesus with faith under difficult circumstance. For this purpose, he uses specific individuals as examples (the woman with a haemorrhage, Jairus, the paralytic, and the Syrophoenician woman) who respond to Jesus’ demand with faith and spiritual insight, in order to move Christians toward faith or trust in him along with a perceptiveness of his identity. / Thesis (PhD (New Testament Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / New Testament Studies / unrestricted

To summarize: <ol><li> Contemporary Evangelicalism is not merely a momentary or reactionary movement, but the full-grown of the long process of Pneumatic operation in restoring Christian Faith back to its prototypal theological structures.</li><li> Contemporary Evangelicalism presents a distinct ecclesiology descriptive of the structures of the prototype ekklesia that has been historically marred; thus Contemporary Evangelicalism is restorative of the prototypal ecclesiological structures.</li><li> The peoplehood of God, or in the particular New Testament context, the peoplehood of Christ—is the very identity of the church, and the very identity that Contemporary Evangelicalism presents to the church in the present times; thus Contemporary Evangelicalism is restorative of the original ecclesial identity.</li></ol> Now, to inversely synthesize, God called Noah and his family because they were still obedient to God. God called Abraham because he had that inclination to be faithful to God. God called Lot because he still had that God-consciousness. God called Israel because they still believe on the one Creator-God. Then God called the Christian church because it is composed of people who believe in Jesus Christ. Thus, here we see the fidestic response factor throughout God’s historical calls. God call a people because they are those who respond to him in faith. Whenever such faith response waned, God chooses another people who, again, could respond to him in faith. Thus the existence and life of the ekklesia is co-existent with its fidestic response to God. The moment it stops responding to God in faith, it loses its ekklesiality. It is in this context, that Contemporary Evangelicalism emerges as the climactic phase of God’s historical ekklesiality. Contemporary Evangelicalism presents before the church the prototypal theological and ecclesiological framework of Christian Faith. As such, while presenting this prototypal framework, it also poses a call for the restoration the prototypal structures in the present theological and ecclesiological framework of Christian Faith. But the call necessitates a wholehearted response of faith. Thus, Contemporary Evangelicalism, in essence, is the call for the New Reformation of Christian Faith, the New Reformation of Christian church, back to its prototypal structures. When Christians and the Christian church fail to heed this call, Christianity could, again, lose a great and blissful opportunity to be more truly God’s people, to be more truly the people of Christ, in the present time nearing the parousia. It is prayerful hope that this work would spark a global conflagration of New Reformation! / Thesis (PhD (Systematic Theology&Ethics))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Dogmatics and Christian Ethics / unrestricted

In 1 Peter and Philippians Christology motivates the ethical exhortation of their readers. 1 Peter uses Christology as motivation both for Soteriology and ethical exhortation, although Peter implements Christology in his Soteriology only to remind his reader of their new identity as members of the family of God through Christ’s death and resurrection (1 Pet 13-17; 2:1-3). It caused them to suffer from the same society with its social and religious norms in which they previously lived, and which turned hostile towards them after their converson. As believers, though, their life should no longer conform to the society of their pagan neighbours. They have thus unexpectedly encountered verbial abuse and physical suffering from their circumstances. The readers of Peter and Paul suffered from opponents from outside the congregation (1 Pet 2:18-20; 3:13-17; Phil 1:27-30; 2:12-18), from conflicts within the community (Phil 2:1-5), as well as from false teaching directed against Paul’s gospel (Phil 3). To resolve the matters within community and to exhort their readers to stand firm in their faith in Christ Jesus, both Peter and Paul applied Christology to guide their readers on how to conduct their life as believers in their society. Believers are called to follow in the footsteps of Christ, not merely to start the adventure of Christian living, but to persevere up to the end, to the glory of God (cf. Mtt 24:13&Lk 21:19). In 1 Peter, the imperative for ethical exhortative motivation are followed by the indicative of its Christology as motivation: ethical exhortation (vv 13-17) followed by Christology (1:18-21); ethical exhortation (vv 1-3) followed by Christology as example of suffering and exaltation, as well as the foundation of spiritual community of the believers(2:4-8); ethical exhortation of domestic servants (vv 18-21) followed by Christology (vv 22-25); ethical exhortation (vv 13-17) followed by Christology (vv 18-22). In Philippians Christology stands in the center (Phil 2:6-11) as foundation of three ethical exhortations: to stand firm in their faith in Christ Jesus amidst hostile circumstances (1:27-30), to resolve conflicts among themselves (2:1-5), and to work out their salvation by trusting in God (2:12-18). In addition Paul exhorted his readers to imitated Christ, as well as himself, since his eager and absolute goal is to know Christ, the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his suffering, as stated in Phil 2:6-11, and to rejoice in the Lord. Both Peter and Paul’s Christology have a soteriological perspective, but the Christology of both 1 Peter and Philippians focuses on the ethical motivation of their readers, to confirm their faith in Christ Jesus in their unstable circumstances. / Thesis (PhD (New Testament Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / New Testament Studies / PhD / unrestricted

Magic City Gospel is a collection of poems that explores themes of race and identity with a special focus on racism in the American South. Many of the poems deal directly with the author’s upbringing in Birmingham, Alabama, the Magic City, and the ways in which the history of that geographical place informs the present. Magic City Gospel confronts race and identity through pop culture, history, and the author’s personal experiences as a black, Alabama-born woman. Magic City Gospel is, in part, influenced by the biting, but softly rendered truth and historical commentary of Lucille Clifton, the laid-back and inventive poetry of Terrance Hayes, the biting and unapologetically feminist poetry of Audre Lorde, and the syncopated, exact, musical poetry of Kevin Young. These and other authors like Tim Siebles, Gwendolyn Brooks, and Major Jackson influence poems as they approach the complicated racial and national identity of the author.

This psychobiography is focussed on the life of Pope John Paul II, whose historical personage epitomises the redemptive theme of triumph over tragedy and eternal hope. A phenomenological approach to the study allowed the researcher to observe the subject’s lived experience through the theoretical lens of Erik Erikson’s psychosocial development theory as well has having his faith development illuminated by Fowler’s faith development theory. Together, these theories highlighted significant aspects of Pope John Paul II’s personality development, for the greater purpose of uncovering the significance of his historical personage by reconciling his spiritual, political and academic attributes. This psychobiographical undertaking was grounded in qualitative research in the form of a single case. Two methodological strategies were used in this study. Firstly, Alexander’s model was used to organise, extract, prioritise and analyse data. The indicators of salience ensured that all significant parts of biographical data were carefully considered for analysis. Guba’s criteria for trustworthiness guided the methodology to ensure reliable data extraction and interpretation. Posing specific questions to the data enabled the researcher to extract units of analysis relevant to the aim of the study. Secondly, the use of conceptual frameworks and matrices enabled the longitudinal exploration, categorisation and description of the stages of psychosocial and faith development. The findings of this psychobiographical study of Pope John Paul II strongly support the importance of Erikson’s (1950) theory in understanding the processes of personality development in an individual life. In this psychobiographical study, the complex process of adaption and growth was highlighted by Erikson’s (1950) theory and placed periods of Pope John Paul II’s development in context. This study also demonstrated that gaining meaning in life through faith (Fowler, 1981) provides the individual with greater internal support when adjusting to life changes. Furthermore, greater intentionality on the part of therapists to thread faith and spirituality into their practice, is evidence of the eugraphic impact of this study.

Canada has distinct contemporary faith communities that differ from western and European counterparts. Unfortunately statistics tracking denominational allegiances give little insight into the daily intricacies of collective religious practice. The purpose of this study is to contribute towards filling a gap within scholarly research on the lived culture and experiences of contemporary religious communities within Canada. This study examines the pattern of culture-sharing within a non-denominational faith community as lived and practiced in Ottawa. Through autoethnography, this study asks why members attend and how members view the use of popular culture video clips within church. Individual and collective religious identities are constructed through observations, interviews and material artifacts gleaned through participant observation from January 2011 to December 2011. The results show that within the church, a community of practice is built around shared parenthood and spiritual journey. Members place importance on children, on providing support of all kinds for one another, and on keeping religion relevant. Reasons for attending are echoes of the patterns of culture-sharing: members enjoy the feeling of community, the support, the friendships, the play dates. Participants view popular culture video clips played within church as one aspect of an overall importance placed upon relevance. Mutuality of engagement results in members experiencing their lives as meaningful, it validates their worth through belonging, and it creates personal histories of becoming within the context of a community of practice. Future research recommendations include further study of other contemporary faith communities within Canada, with investigation into the possibility that communities of practice may be what the churched and unchurched are seeking.

This paper is focused on the quantitative analysis of the role of the faith-based organisations (FBOs) in development cooperation. The aim of this work is to determine to what extent do selected FBOs cooperate with government donors in development cooperation. The role of FBOs in development was so far neglected topic in Czech academic literature and this work thus fills to some extent this gap. In this work I characterise selected organizations based on their income, country of origin and religion, on which the organization is based. Then I gradually investigate to what extent do selected FBOs involve in European development cooperation, to what extent are selected FBOs publicly funded and finally compare the structure of revenues of selected FBOs with the revenues of secular nonprofit organizations.