Text in German and English / This MTh dissertation is about the meaning and change of the pastoral position and role as it is reflected in pastoral theological literature of the last thirty years. For this purpose different concepts of work satisfaction are described and applied to the pastoral context. Furthermore, results of empirical investigations among ministers in German speaking and various other countries are discussed and aspects of job satisfaction of pastors are presented. This is followed by an investigation of changing expectations regarding the pastoral role which affect the job satisfaction of a minister. A comparison of two church orders (1991 and 2003) from Chrischona Switzerland demonstrates the changing job descriptions of pastors within a freechurch denomination. The final chapter is a discussion of some pastoral theological consequences of the relation between changing job descriptions and job satisfaction. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.Th. (Practical Theology)

This dissertation examines the use made of the Myers Briggs Type Indicator in the pastoral work of Anglican Clergy. The practical theological focus of the study is reflection on praxis. Various theories of pastoral work are discussed. The history and development of the MBTI is given as well as the Jungian background to it. A qualitative research, grounded theory approach, is utilised. Interviews of 14 Anglican clergy generate the data for the research. The research questions are: "Why do Anglican clergy use the MBTI?"; "How do Anglican clergy use the MBTI?" The research findings show that Anglican clergy use the MBTI for the purpose of personal growth, clergy self-care, and understanding relationships. Anglican clergy attend workshops which encourage the application of MBTI insights in pastoral work. / Practical Theology / M.Th. (Practical Theology)

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Pastors and congregations need to communicate the faithfulness and care of God within the real life contexts of the communities that they are a part of. The problem is that pastoral theology has been predominantly linked to individual psychology rather than to theory that facilitates a specifically Christian care for whole communities. This study asks how pastors can engage with the concrete realities of their communities, caring for real and practical needs, within the context of the specifically Christian focus of the Gospel. The chief goal is to make a clear contribution to the way in which Community Pastoral Care is thought about and carried out. This is a contribution that encourages engagement with the needs of the communities together with the Gospel. This requires a methodology that involves interdisciplinary understanding, calling for a hermeneutical study. The study engages firstly with Systems Theory, gaining an understanding of the way in which communities and groups function and change. Linked to this is the study of Communicative Action and Social Constructionism, these contribute understanding of the way in which communication functions within the community system. Thirdly, a study of Community Psychology, including Social Capital, emphasises the importance of focusing on the relationships within the community. Community care in this context is predominantly care for relationships and communication within the community. This includes the understanding that problems form within the relationships that make up the community, rather than individuals within the community. It also places the focus of care on building strengths rather than fixing pathologies. The specif cally Christian character of Community Pastoral Care is given through a study on sin/evil, the gospel and revelation. Th is introduces the action and communication of a faithful God. Community Pastoral Care is seen to incorporate the revelation of the Kingdom of God and its blessings, as well as the possibility of a direct relationship with Him that transforms the life of the community and individuals. Semi-structured interviews, with a small selection of pastors, give an empirical aspect to the study. This helps to ground the study in the actual experiences of pastors, giving a chance for their experience to add to and engage the theory study. The first two theory chapters suggest that the key to community care is developing positive relationships between the parts of the system. With the introduction of a relationship with a faithful God, the understanding of care expands. Revelation of His Kingdom, and the changed relationships that it brings, transforms the earlier Communicative Action into both an expression of and a communication of a faithful God and the promise of His Kingdom. What is concluded is that Community Pastoral Care is primarily the revelation of God to the community. This is carried out through relationship with the congregation including, and guided by, the ministry of the pastor. This is a Pastoral Care that is less about technique and more about mutual relationships of trust and open, positive communication with God, the congregation and the community. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Predikante en gemeentes moet die trou en sorg van God kommunikeer binne die werklike lewens kontekste van die gemeenskape waarvan hulle deel is. Die probleem is dat pastorale teologie grootendeels verbind is aan individuele sielkunde eerder as teorie wat ‘n spesifi eke Christelike sorg vir hele gemeenskape fasiliteer. Hierdie studie vra hoe predikante kan betrokke raak by die konkrete realiteite van hulle gemeenskape en soedoende werklike behoeft es praktiese kan aanspreek binne die raamwerk van die spesifi ek Christelike fokus van die evangelie. Die hoefdoel is om ‘n duidelike bydrae te maak aan die teorie en praktyk van Gemeenskapspastoraat. Dit vra ‘n metodologie wat interdisiplinêr en hermeneuties van aard is. Hierdie studie gebruik eers Sisteem Teorie om te analiseer hoe groepe funksioneer en verander. In verband hiermee word die studies van Kommunikatiewe Aksie en Sosiale Konstruksie gebruik om te verstaan hoe kommunikasie funksioneer binne die gemeenskapsisteem. Derdens, word die lens van Gemeenskapssielkunde, veral die konsep van Sosiale Kapitaal, gebruik om die belang van verhoudings binne die gemeenskap te beklemtoon. Gemeenskapsorg in hierdie konteks is hoofsaaklik die sorg van verhoudings en kommunikasie binne die gemeenskap. Daaruit word daar geargumenteer dat probleme in die verhoudings binne die gemeenskap ontstaan eerder as in die individuë wat die gemeenskap vorm. Dit plaas die fokus van sorg op die uitbou van dít wat werk eerder as op die herstel van patologieë. Die besonder Christelike karakter van Gemeenskapspastoraat word uitgelig deur ‘n studie van sonde/ kwaad, die evangelie en openbaring. Dit stel die aksie en kommunikasie van ‘n getroue God voor. Gemeenskapspastoraat sluit in die openbaring van die konninkryk van God en die seëninge daarvan, sowel as die moontlikheid van ‘n direkte verhouding met Hom wat die lewe van die gemeenskap en die individu transformeer. Gedeeltelik-gestruktureerde onderhoude, met ‘n klein steekproef van predikante, het ‘n empiriese komponent aan die studie verleën. Dit help om die studie in die werklike ervaring van predikante te fundeer sodat hulle ervaringe in verband met die teorie gebring kan word. Die eerste twee hoofstukke stel voor dat die sleutel tot gemeenskapssorg is om positiewe verhoudinge te bou tussen die verskillende dele van die sisteem. Met die introduksie van ‘n verhouding met ‘n getroue God, word die verstaan van sorg uitgebrei. Die openbaring van sy Konninkryk, en die veranderde verhoudinge wat dit bring, omskep die vroeër kommunikatiewe aksie na ‘n uitdrukking van en kommunikasie van ‘n getroue God en die beloft e van sy Konninkryk. Die gevolgtrekking word gemaak dat Gemeenskapspastoraat primêr die openbaring van God tot die gemeenskap is. Dit word uitgedra deur die verhouding tussen God en die gemeente, insluitend en gelei deur die bediening van die predikant. Dit is dan ‘n soort pastoraat wat minder oor tegniek en meer oor getroue verhoudings en oop, positiewe kommunikasie met God, die gemeente en die gemeenskap gaan.

Thesis (DTh (Practical Theology and Missiology))-University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die een en twintigste eeu word onder andere gekenmerk deur ‘n snel veranderende samelewing, wat implikasies inhou op makro gebied (filosofies, tegnologies en teologies) sowel as mikro gebied (daar word veral gefokus op die impak van eersgenoemde veranderinge op die gesin / familie struktuur). Verandering gaan gepaard met spanning en onsekerheid en stel ons voor die uitdaging om óf te groei óf te stagneer. Verandering en die impak daarvan het ook ‘n effek op ons verstaan van die ekklesiologie. Die kerk (spesifiek die NG Kerk waarvan die navorser deel is) bevind haar tans voor groot uitdagings. Aspekte soos Skrifgesag, Kerkeenheid, morele verval, misdaad, geweld, regstellende aksie, marginalisering van tradisioneel NG Kerk lidmate, emigrasie, onsekerheid oor teologies-etiese kwessies ensovoorts bring onsekerheid en gevoelens van magteloosheid by baie lidmate. Verskeie strukture in die kerk probeer om die effek van hierdie veranderinge aan te spreek. Die navorser is egter van mening dat die invloed van verandering op die psige van die gelowige ook sinvol binne die ruimte van die erediens geakkommodeer kan word. Om dit te kan doen word die kreatiewe spanning in die verhouding tussen erediens en pastoraat ondersoek. Die navorser is van mening dat beide hierdie velde en hulle snypunte in die erediens oor die potensiaal beskik om die onseker gelowige in ‘n dinamiese ontmoeting met God te begelei. Om hierin te slaag bepleit die navorser onder andere ‘n herwaardering vir die verhouding tussen erediens en pastoraat, aangesien hierdie verhouding om verskeie redes oor die jare verwater het. Daar word ook klem gelê op spesifieke pastorale elemente in die Gereformeerde liturgie en die helende effek wat dit het op die psige van die mens. ‘n Duidelike omskrywing van wat teologies met laasgenoemde bedoel word, is veral noodsaaklik aangesien die gevaar bestaan dat die pastorale sorg bloot net kan vervlak, verflou en verval in die nabootsing van die nuutste psigoterapeutiese teorieë. Die studie wil graag ook aantoon dat die ruimte van die erediens oor ‘n korporatief-helende dimensie beskik waar die pastor / liturg in samewerking met die gemeenskap van gelowiges (famila Dei) as “medeterapeute” kan funksioneer en heling van die familie bewerk. / ENGLISH SUMMARY: The twenty-first century can be characterised as an era of rapid social change. This has undeniable implications on the macro (philosophical, technological and theological) as well as the micro level (the focus will be on the effects of change on the structure of the nuclear and the extended family). Change entails emotions of uncertainty and stress. In transitional times the challenge is twofold, namely either to adapt, or to stagnate / regress. Change also affects our ecclesiological understanding. The church (specifically the Dutch Reformed Church of which the researcher is a member) is not impervious to the impact of change. At this moment the Dutch Reformed Church faces immediate challenges embodied in debates on Scriptural authority, church unity, moral deterioration, crime, violence, affirmative action, the marginalizing of traditionally Dutch Reformed congregants, emigration, the deterioration of the nuclear family, uncertainty on certain theological-ethical issues, et cetera. These challenges heighten feelings of uncertainty and powerlessness in the hearts of congregants. The researcher is of the opinion that the worship service / liturgy can make a valuable contribution in addressing the effects of these challenges on the psyche of congregants. In order to achieve this we need to explore the creative tension between Worship / Liturgy and Pastoral Care. Both these fields of study and their point of intersection (a new way of life and a new relationship with the Trinity) have the potential of bringing peace to disillusioned and anxious congregants. The creative tension between Worship / Liturgy and Pastoral Care would further be highlighted through the healing effect of various pastoral elements identified in the Reformed liturgy, on congregants. A thorough description of a theological understanding of “healing” would also be necessary, in order to avoid pastoral care becoming merely a shallow copy of the latest psychotherapeutical theories. The study also wishes to show that the worship service creates a space consisting of a corporate healing dimension in which the pastor / liturgist joins fellow congregants (familia Dei) to become “co-counselors” as they play out, communicate and represent elements of healing the family through the liturgy.

Thesis (DTh (Practical Theology and Missiology))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / In the Reformed tradition the autonomy of the local congregation - as the concrete community of people who interpret the Gospel with their words and deeds - as well as the maturity of the ordinary believers, rest precisely in the fact of their knowledge of and in their being formed by, as well as having been brought up by the Gospel, and that they not stay dependent on the clerical office for ever. It was exactly against any form of sacerdotalism that the Reformation aimed their protest, because they saw that that would estrange ordinary believers from their God-given task to take up their office as believers in God’s interpretative community in the world. It is therefore regrettable in the Dutch Reformed Church19 to have to admit that - after so many centuries - the official church has for the greater part still failed its members in this regard, and are still not trusting them enough and engaging them fully as theologians in their own right into the congregation’s discerning process in general, and the sermon making process in particular. It is our belief that the stagnation of the congregation as the primary hermeneutic of the Gospel20 arises to a great extent from the church's inherited style of pastorship as well as it's process of sermonmaking, being solely the responsibility of the all-knowing and all-doing pastor. The pastor centered homiletical situation exclusively holds the dominee responsible for inter alia the whole sermon making process, the exegesis of the Biblical text, the understanding of the message of the Scriptures, to even discerning the will of God for the congregation! This leads the ordinary church members to sit passively and eventually loose their confidence to personally engage with the Scriptures as a whole. Their participation as theologians in any conversation usually ends up in “the sharing of ignorance by well-intentioned but ill-informed people”21. There is still today, to a great extent, a total lack of handling skills of, as well as a wisdom perspective on the Bible as a whole, although many would be most competent in reciting a number of impressive Bible verses. While biblical scholars have moved into a postmodern and post-structuralistic phase, we find that many ordinary members are still stuck in a pre-modern phase, which makes teaching with regard to their equipment as interpretative community extremely difficult. ...

While Christian counseling is a burgeoning field, it seems to lack clear philosophical and methodological definitions. This is particularly true when it comes to the human-divine relationship in that few theories or models exist that can guide practitioners in assessment and intervention of the human-divine relationship in order to improve it. Attachment theory offers relational concepts that can be applied to a person's relationship with God thus offering guidelines for soulcare providers. Attachment theory describes the relationship between God and persons in similar fashion with the Bible. Adoption is understood to be the central doctrine that relates to attachment, but it is aided by justification by faith, union with Christ, naming God "Abba," and the testimony of the Spirit. While attachment theory holds much in common with biblical principles, it also has several deficiencies including biological reductionism and limited teleology. Attachment theory is most applicable to Christianity in a post-postmodern ideology that allows for metanarrative but also takes seriously the subjective elements of experience as these experiences form narratives through a hermeneutic function in which persons interpret reality. Paul Ricoeur's concept of testimony aids in explaining the way in which life experiences form a narrative that fuels concepts of self, others, and relationships and the manner in which this process if transformed. Ricoeur's ideas have much in common with the Adult Attachment Interview in which adult's state of mind toward attachment is revealed through the type of narrative they produce about attachment. The primary indicator of such is the level of coherence in the person's narrative. It is proposed that a similar narrative interview, entitled the Adult Attachment to God Interview (AAGI), could produce indicators of a person's level of security and primary attachment strategy. Through testimony analysis, the soulcare provider can discover the level of coherence of a person's narrative concerning life with God and thus encounter the type of attachment a person has with God. Furthermore, the interview process will give insights into types of interventions that will aid the person in developing a more cohesive narrative and thus a more secure relationship with God. / This item is only available to students and faculty of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. If you are not associated with SBTS, this dissertation may be purchased from <a href="http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb">http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb</a> or downloaded through ProQuest's Dissertation and Theses database if your institution subscribes to that service.

This study of the governance of theological education examines significant policy and management decisions within Presbyterian ministry training in New Zealand between 1961 and 1997 in the light of Edward Farley�s integrated goal for theological education, theologia. Edward Farley�s argument that theologia, integration of theology (scientia) and theology (habitus), was fragmented from the first use of modern research university education as professional education for ordained ministry in the 1880s, provides a theoretical framework for analysing the influence of governance on theologia, through its effect on institutional organisation, structure and curricula. International unease about theological education is reflected in New Zealand Presbyterian ministry formation, though little sustained critical analysis is yet published in New Zealand. The period under study begins in 1961 when the Special Committee on Theological Training called for a Chair in Pastoral Theology to 1997 when the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand opened its Centre for Advanced Ministry Studies, later renamed the School of Ministry. Criteria signifying recovery and/or fragmentation of theologia drawn from Farley�s arguments are searched for in the beginning of University theology at Berlin and the beginning of ministry formation in Dunedin, New Zealand. The intervening time till 1960 is similarly analysed. Governance decisions about Pastoral Theology in the first case study and governance decisions about University, church and theology in the second, are then assessed. Constant rearranging of pastoral theology programmes symptomises increasing fragmentation of theologia as does the creation of a Pastoral Chair. Pastoral theology is left with the integrative responsibility, rendering other disciplines more scientific as feared by some Theological Hall teachers. Outside the University from 1876-1946, New Zealand Presbyterian ministry formation was still influenced by University expectations from Scotland and Berlin. After 1946, teaching within the University of Otago Faculty of Theology, Presbyterian teachers enjoyed considerable opportunities for integrated teaching. Fragmentation of theologia was therefore delayed and to some extent retarded. Increased University influence from 1992 meant these opportunities were lost. Finally, around the 1996 withdrawal of direct University engagement with Presbyterian ministry formation, formational goals were set for the Church�s new Centre of Advanced Ministry Studies. These aimed to integrate theology (scientia) and theology (habitus) retrospectively for ordinands after foundational theological education elsewhere. Earlier 1990s governance decisions affected achievement of these goals. This work argues that between 1961 and 1997 most governance decisions in New Zealand Presbyterian ministry formation exacerbated existing structural fragmentation of theologia. Differing arrangements to alleviate this were attempted, and integration of (scientia) and (habitus) occurred for some students and at different periods. Structurally, however, the University-approved four-fold programme continued, making pastoral theology�s role remained ambiguous and theologia�s fragmentation inevitable. While the New Zealand Presbyterian Church set its own ministry formation goals from 1961-1997, finance, prestige and educational philosophy prevented development of its own programme. Time and money were put into supporting University theology instead, and the University used to produce an educated ministry. It is now inevitable that the Church has to integrate theology (scientia) and theology (habitus) retrospectively for its students after theological education elsewhere.

Project (D. Min.)--Iliff School of Theology, 2006. / Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 121-123; 126-146).

Project (D. Min.)--Iliff School of Theology, 2006. / Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 121-123; 126-146).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 129-133).