This dissertation is an attempt to analyse and investigate ways of responding to the poor UPCSA missional approach to Zimbabwean society. The desire to write this dissertation was born out of the experience of working for the past six years as an ordained minister of this denomination in the Presbytery of Zimbabwe, there are six congregations with the right to call a minister, thirty grant receiving and fifteen preaching stations in the whole country which is serviced by thirteen ministers, including probationers. The UPCSA has a total of four thousand five hundred and ninety seven members not counting Sunday school children. The dissertation seeks to survey the history of how the people in the Presbytery of Zimbabwe came to be some of fewer memberships as compared to other denominations in the country. It will focus on colonial and post –colonial events, which led to evangelizing the nation. The spiritual weakness which the people of Presbytery of Zimbabwe (POZ) experience is a product of the evangelism mode of missional approach to society and the failure to contextualize the Good-News. This dissertation considers the possibility of how to correct this state of affairs. Spiritually weak people have been destroyed precisely because they have reduced them to products. How to understand the context and achieve that change is the central issue which the writer addresses in this dissertation. / Dissertation (MA Theol)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Church History and Church Policy / unrestricted

The assignment of this diploma thesis followed previous analysis of the regions of Valašsko and Haná. The outcome of this analysis showed several problems. One of the most serious problems is a lack of spiritual and liturgical sites in the area of Zlín. The analysis and synthesis preceding this diploma thesis are enclosed. The analysis of sites of pilgrimage in the area of Zlín was one of the studied subjects. The assignment of the diploma thesis was created using a combination of discovered data – design of the site of pilgrimage including a church and spiritual centre. This building is to support local community, christian religion and rehabilitation of the present site of pilgrimage Svatá voda – Kaménka. This diploma thesis deals with the design of a church as a site of pilgrimage, with facilities and café for the public. It also deals with the design of a spiritual centre with weekly spiritual programme. There are also four flats designed as accommodation for clergymen. The designed buildings are located 250 metres away form the present site of pilgrimage Svatá voda.

Information received during interviews with fifteen prominent choral directors, ministers and laymen of different communities end questionnaire responses from thirty of fifty churches of the San Joaquin Presbytery of tho Presbyterian Church, U.S.A., indicates almost unanimously that there is a growing need. and also a growing awakening among the youth of the church for participation in church musical activities. For many years churches, large and small, have been struggling with the difficult problems of providing satisfactory musical experiences for both the adults and the youth in the churches of various denominations. For the large churches, with large budgets at their command, the matter is simplified by the hiring of paid singers and competent directors at good salaries. In the case of the smaller churches, the duties of furnishing music for various services and special programs usually fall to a local music instructor, and interested layman, the wife of the minister, or perhaps the minister himself. In some cases there is a small monthly remuneration, but in many cases the work done is a matter of donated time and labor on the part of the director. Much has been discussed as to the reasons for the lack of interest shown by the young people of various denominations in the musical life of the churches, but little practical information can be found to remedy the situation. In a conference with Dr. Clair Morrow, moderators of the Synod of California and Minister of the First Church of Fresno, and Leonard Ballmer, Moderators of the San Joaquin Presbytery, it was felt that such a study should take place in order to evaluate and compare the Youth Music Program at the First Church in Fresno with the other churches in the Presbytery.

Christian life today has been influenced by countless influences from the external world. Although these external factors have a significant bearing on the church of Christ, the greatest challenge however manifests itself from within the latter. Where the core doctrine of the church constitutes issues of theological and Christian importance, they seem to slowly dissipate and the practices of the secular world seem to take ownership of the church of Christ. The Reformed church has within its confines the three marks of the church whose sole purpose is to ensure that the church of God remains and continues to be the true church of Christ. These Three Marks are: (a) the proclamation of the Word; (b) the correct administration of the sacraments, and (c) the correct exercise of discipline. Among the three marks, discipline acts as a catalyst that enables the survival and proper continuance of the other two marks and thus the true church of Christ. These Three Marks prescribe the basic fundamentals of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA) as a Reformed Church and thereby serve as a primary tool for this church. Discipline, therefore, forms an intrinsic part of this church. However, as a controlling mechanism, its influence and/or instillation appears to be neglected. This quagmire may very well be attested to the overemphasis of democracy (of/or relating to majority rule doctrine) in preference to theocracy (God as the ultimate authority in our lives), where even matters of high religious stature are being compacted to human decision-making processes. These influences needless to say are key in the regression and/or progression of Christian life and life in general. However, their inclusion within the Christian doctrine should not be cumbersome to the latter. The Christian way of life and doctrines should be holistically adhered to without fear or favour. The main purpose behind the formation of these marks by the Reformed church was to sustain the true church of Christ and the only way to ensure this sustainability, was to be consistent in exercising these marks. The church therefore has an obligation towards God and its members to be consistent in carrying out its mandate from God through the scriptures as the creator and father of the church and the world at large. The premonition that forms the basis of this research is that within the three prevalent marks of the church, there appears to be certain discrepancies in that they are not all carried out in unison and are not consistent with each other. With the over-emphasis of one above the other, the church of God could be heading towards vanity, and all its efforts could be fruitless. It is also my conviction that the starting point for rolling out these three marks lie with the leadership of the church by the General Synod, Regional Synods, Presbyteries, Ministers and their church councils. If found that any of these key adherents are not protagonists of these marks, then they would have neglected their God-entrusted responsibilities and their accountability towards the entire community of believers. It is in this regard that this research seeks to implement a litmus test of where the URCSA stands in terms of executing its mandate with relation to the three marks of the church viz; proclaiming the word, administering the sacraments and more importantly, exercising exercising discipline as these marks form the sinew that binds the entire church together. The church of Christ as an entity is engaged in service, which is not to be haphazard in nature, but must be structured. This service begins with serving God, serving one another and finally serving the world at large. This will ensure that the church of God maintains its holiness. For this holiness to be ensured, the church of God has to be open to discernment and allow God take charge of His church. Such uncertainties can be verified only by looking into discipline as the sinew that brings these three marks together. The reason for this approach is that, the first two marks are prescriptive with more parameters than discipline has, whereas discipline can be easily influenced. It is to the benefit of this task that much attention be given to discipline as the last mark of the three, as it is prone to abuse, because it relies mainly on human behaviour, attitude and/or approach to the Christian life. Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation is to outline the possible disintegration of discipline as the sinew that binds the three marks of the Reformed Church in general and URCSA in particular within the Southern Synod. important to note that discipline in the lower strata of the church is carried out religiously without question. The notion that prompted this topic is that contrarily, those who occupy the highest echelons of the church (leadership in the church, ministers and evangelists) do not appear to be enjoying the same reception regarding discipline. The challenge that faces the URCSA is how to maintain equal treatment of the three marks of the true church in a democratic society in the light of the service of God, one another and the world. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Systematic Theology)

The assignment of this diploma thesis is the proposal of the Christian sacral centre as an extension of a current site of pilgrimage. Site is situated near Napajedelská brána by Zlin. Proposal is based on previous analysis of the regions of Valašsko and Haná. One of the most serious problems is a lack of spiritual and liturgical sites in the area of Zlín. The analysis and synthesis preceding this diploma thesis are enclosed. The analysis of sites of pilgrimage in the area of Zlín was one of the studied subjects. The assignment of the diploma thesis was created using a combination of discovered data – design of the site of pilgrimage including a church and spiritual centre. This thesis deals with the design of a church as a site of pilgrimage, facilities, accomodation for clergymen and pilgrims. The composition is based on three main objects – church, entrance house and accomodation. The composition is complemented by campanile and „baptistery“. An object itself has two above-ground floors and basement with spa. Some of the spaces in the building have to be functionally separated due to different approach of visitors. Part of the building is a garden which is ideologically and functionally inspired by monastery claustrum.

The content of the diploma thesis was an architectural study of a sacral building in Brno - Líšeň. The subject of the study was the elaboration of an ideological design of a sacral complex, which consisted of a church and a parish. The main operator of the whole complex will be the Salesian community, whose background is in close proximity to the area. The basic idea of the design was to design a spiritual place, which in its form conveys clear information about the use of the object and at the same time supports the development of ideas of the Salesian community. It is a structure that conveys the mission itself, not by one element, but by a set of several elements that together create a story, vision, mission. The ideological solution in this case thus becomes an equilateral triangle, which symbolizes the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. With its dominant vertical direction facing the sky, the object symbolically points to the spiritual path and self-realization. The given area is solved as a complex, the elements of which complement each other and thus create a harmonious whole. The design creates a space for both liturgical celebrations in the interior and exterior, which is used by the outdoor presbytery, which is complemented by residential stairs. These elements are intended to encourage residents to meet and establish friendly relations.

Summaries in English, Sesotho and Isizulu / The doctrine and practices of ordination in the Methodist Church of Southern Africa (MCSA) were adopted from the Wesleyan Methodist Church in England when the Southern African Conference was constituted in 1882. This replication, together with the influences of colonialism and a Western epistemology, negatively impacted the ministry and mission of the church. In response to the appeals for the decolonisation and Africanisation of the denomination’s practices, aspects relating to both the doctrine and practices of ordination have been adapted from the colonial past to our southern African context. However, many elements remain Western and the food cooking in the African pot lacks the taste of authentic ingredients grown in southern African soil. The study researches whether a decolonised and Africanised model of ordination would be very different from existing understanding and practices and examines the impact that a new model would have on the MCSA. Drawing from literature and interviews with persons in leadership positions in the MCSA, the study determines those aspects of southern African culture and spirituality that would be appropriate to assimilate into the present doctrine and practices. The liturgy of the Service of Ordination forms the basis on which the contributions of southern African culture are applied to the doctrine and practices of ordination. A similar process of evaluation and assimilation follows when applying the data gained from the interviews to the doctrine and practices of ordination in the MCSA. The thesis then concludes by proposing concrete changes to both the doctrinal understanding and practice of ordination in the Methodist Church of Southern Africa. / Dithuto le ditlwaelo tsa ho hlomamiswa ha Kereke ya Methodist ya Afrika e Borwa (MCSA) di ile tsa amohelwa ho tswa Kerekeng ya Methodist ya Wesleyan ya Engelane ha Seboka sa Afrika e Borwa se thehwa ka 1882. Ho ikatisa hona, hammoho le ditshusumetso tsa bokolone le theori ya tsebo ya Bophirima, di amme tshebeletso le mosebetsi wa kereke. Ho arabela dillo bakeng sa ho tloswa ha thuto ya bokolone le Ho etsa dintho Seafrika ha ditlwaelo tsa bodumedi, dikarolo tse amanang le thuto le ditlwaelo tsa tlhomamiso ka bobedi di amohetswe ho tswa bokoloneng bo fetileng hofihlela maemong a rona a hona jwale. Leha ho le jwalo, dintho tse ngata di dutse e ntse e le tsa Bophirima, mme dijo tse ntseng di phehwa ka pitseng ya Afrika di haellwa ke tatso ya metswako e lengwang mobung wa Afrika e Borwa. Phuputso e batlisisa hore na mmotlolo o tlositsweng tsebo ya bokolone le o etsang dintho Seafrika wa tlhomamiso o ka fapana le kutlwisiso ya hona jwale le ditlwaelo le tshusumetso eo mmotlolo o motjha o ka bang le ona ho MCSA. Ho tswa ho dingodilweng le dipuisano le batho ba boemong ba boetapele ho MCSA, phuputso e lekanya dikarolo tseo tsa setso sa Afrika e Borwa le bomoya bo ka nepahalang ho utlwisisa ka botlalo thuto le ditlwaelo tsa hona jwale. Borapedi ba Tshebeletso ya Tlhomamiso bo etsa motheo oo ho ona diabo tsa setso sa Afrika e Borwa di sebediswang thutong ya tlhomamiso. Tshebetso e tshwanang ya iv tlhahlobo le kutlwisiso e phethahetseng dia latela ha ho sebediswa lesedi le fumanweng ho tswa dipuisanong ho thuto le ditlwaelo tsa tlhomamiso ho MCSA. Phuputso e phethela ka ho etsa tlhahiso ya diphetoho tse hlakileng kutlwisisong ya thuto le tlwaelong ya tlhomamiso Kerekeng ya Methodist ya Afrika e Borwa ka bobedi / Inqubo kanye nezinkambiso zokugcotshwa kwabefundisi eBandleni lamaWeseli, i-Methodist Church of Southern Africa (MCSA) kwathathelwa ebandleni i-Wesleyan Methodist Church eNgilandi ngenkathi kusungulwa i-Southern African Conference ngowe-1882. Ukwamukelwa kwenqubo leyo nezinkambiso, kanye nemithelela yenqubo yobukoloniyali, nokugxila kakhulu olwazini lwaseNtshonalanga, kwaba nomthelela omubi impela emsebenzini webandla wokuhambisa nokusabalalisa ivangeli. Njengomzamo wokusabela ezikhalazweni nezicelo zokuthi kushiywe phansi izinkambiso nezinqubo ezihlobene nenqubo yobukoloniyali futhi ebandleni kusetshenziswe izinkambiso ezisungulwe kwizwekazi lase-Afrika futhi ezihambelana kahle naleli zwekazi, sekuguqulwe izingxenye ezithile ezihlobene nenqubo kanye nezinkambiso zokugcotshwa kwabefundisi zisuswa esimweni sazo esedlule ebesihlobene nenqubo yobukoloniyali, futhi esezakhiwe ngendlela ezozwana futhi ihambelane kahle nesimo samanje esiphila kusona. Kodwa-ke, kusekuningi kakhulu okuphathelene nalezi zinkambiso okusagxile kakhulu ezinqubweni zaseNtshonalanga, futhi lokho-ke kubangela ukuthi ‘isitshulu esiphekwe ebhodweni lase-Afrika sizwakale singenakho ukunambitheka kwezithako ezilinywe emhlabathini waseNingizimu ye-Afrika’. Lolu cwaningo luzama ukuthola ukuthi inqubo yokugcoba abefundisi engalandeli izinkambiso zobukoloniyali zamazwe aseNtshonalanga futhi okuyinqubo egxile ezinkambisweni zase-Afrika ingaba nawo yini umehluko omkhulu kulokhu kuqonda okukhona njengamanje kanye nezinkambiso ezilandelwayo esikhathini samanje, futhi luzama ukubheka nomthelela ebingaba nawo inqubo entsha ebandleni i-MCSA. Ngokususela emibhalweni efundiwe kanye nezingxoxo ezibanjwe nabantu abasezikhundleni zobuholi ebandleni i-MCSA, ucwaningo luhlonza lezo zingxenye zosiko-mpilo kanye nezinkolelo ezingokomoya zaseNingizimu ye-Afrika ezingakulungela ukulunjaniswa nofakwa ngaphansi kwenqubo nezinkambiso ezilandelwa esikhathini samanje. Izinqubonkambiso kanye nemidanti yeNkonzo Yokugcotshwa Kwabefundisi kwakha isisekelo okusetshenziselwa phezu kwaso izinqubo ezithile, ezithathwe kusiko-mpilo lweNingizimu ye-Afrika, enqubweni yokugcotshwa kwabefundisi. Inqubo efanayo yokuhlola nokulumbanisa iyalandela ngenkathi kusetshenziswa idatha etholakale ezingxoxweni ezibanjwe nababambiqhaza bocwaningo mayelana nenqubo kanye nezinkambiso zokugcotshwa kwabefundisi ebandleni i-MCSA. Lo mbhalo wocwaningo uphetha ngokuthi uphakamise izinguquko eziphathekayo futhi ezinohlonze ezingenziwa kukho kokubili inqubo-kuqonda kanye nenkambiso yokugcotshwa kwabefundisi ebandleni i-Methodist Church of Southern Africa. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / PhD. (Systematic Theology)

日本基督教会は1904年、大韓帝国で植民活動をしていた日本人を対象に伝道を開始した。1915年朝鮮中会を建設し、1941年日本基督教団朝鮮教区として他の在朝鮮日本人教会と合同するまで16前後の教会、約2,000人の信徒を有した。一部の例外を除いて朝鮮人に対する伝道や隣人愛の活動はできず、主に植民者の教会としての限界を乗り越えることはできなかった。敗戦後、日本人キリスト者は引き揚げたが、残した礼拝堂などは韓国教会の再建の土台の一部にもなった。 / Church of Christ in Japan began their ministry among the Japanese colonzer at Korea in 1904. They could build up Chosen Presbytery in 1915 and continue their work until 1941, when were united to United Church of Christ in Japan Chosen Parish. They had about 16 churches and 2000 members. With a few exceptions, they could not either evangelize among the Koreans or work as neighbors of Koreans. They could not be more than church of colonizers in most cases. After the war they had to retreat from liberated Korea but the chapels that they had left could become the ground for rebuilding or starting some Korean churches. / 博士(神学) / Doctor of Theology / 同志社大学 / Doshisha University

La taxation a toujours été un enjeu d’envergure pour notre société. Dès le début du XVIII siècle, les institutions religieuses se réclamaient d’une exemption de taxes en contrepartie des nombreux services sociaux qu’elles rendaient. Basée sur des principes d’équité, l’imposition d’une taxe permet de défrayer les dépenses communes de notre société. Introduite localement autour des années 1876, la fiscalité municipale a toujours reconnu que les biens de l’État ne pouvaient être l’objet d’une quelconque taxation puisque bénéficiant à tous. De la même manière, les biens des institutions religieuses ont également eu le même privilège depuis le début de l’imposition de la taxe ou presque. Cet historique n’est pas sans explication! En effet, nos Églises participaient activement au développement de la société par le biais de services tant sociaux (aide aux plus démunis, santé, registre de l’état civil, etc.) qu’éducationnels (écoles, enseignements religieux…). Qu’en est-il aujourd’hui? Est-il toujours pertinent de maintenir ces exemptions alors que l’État a pris en main l’éducation, la santé, etc. Alors que les églises catholiques sont cédées, une à une, aux municipalités faute de financement et de disciples, que notre gouvernement québécois tend vers une neutralité pour faire place à un pluralisme religieux grandissant, que nos municipalités cherchent de nouvelles sources de financement, pourquoi conserver ce régime d’exemptions qui semble aller à l’encontre de toutes les tendances de la société? C’est précisément ce que nous étudierons dans ce mémoire. En résumé, l’objet de ce mémoire est d’identifier l’origine de ces exemptions de taxes foncières municipales et d’analyser de manière objective l’évolution juridique de celles-ci. Le tout, pour comprendre les motifs qui soutiennent leur maintien, encore aujourd’hui, dans le but de déterminer leur pertinence ou non lors d’une nouvelle législation. Ainsi, la première partie met donc en contexte l’exemption foncière pour les institutions religieuses au Québec. Elle traite d’abord de la relation entre l’État et la religion, puis présente les principaux impacts fiscaux du régime d’exemption de taxes foncières sur les municipalités. La seconde partie, quant à elle, établit le cadre juridique entourant ce régime. Elle aborde le régime fiscal applicable aux exemptions de taxes foncières, en s’attardant principalement aux articles relatifs aux institutions religieuses et aux presbytères. Ensuite, elle présente des motifs au soutien du maintien ou non du régime d’exemption. Et puis, la troisième partie propose des pistes de solution pour faire évoluer juridiquement ces exemptions dans le respect des attentes de notre société québécoise. Pour finalement, conclure sur une unique destinée de celles-ci. / Taxation has always been a major issue for our society. By the early eighteenth century, religious institutions claimed a tax exemption in exchange for the many social services they rendered. Based on principles of equity, the imposition of a tax makes it possible to defray the common expenses of our society. Introduced locally in the 1876, municipal taxation has always recognized that state property could not be the subject of any taxation since benefiting all. In the same way, the property of religious institutions has also had the same privilege since the beginning of the imposition of the tax or almost. This history is not without explanation! Indeed, our churches were actively involved in the development of society through both social services (assistance to the poor, health, registry of civil status, etc.) and educational (schools, religious teachings ...). What about today? Is it still relevant to maintain these exemptions while the state has taken over education, health, etc.? While Catholic churches are handed over one by one to municipalities for lack of funding and disciples, that our Quebec government is moving towards neutrality to make room for growing religious pluralism, that our municipalities are looking for new sources of funding, why keep this system of exemptions that seems to go against all trends in society? This is precisely what we will study in this memoir. In summary, the purpose of this brief is to identify the source of these exemptions from municipal property taxes and to analyze objectively their legal evolution. All, to understand the reasons that support their maintenance, even today, in order to determine their relevance or not in a new legislation. Thus, the first part puts into context the land exemption for religious institutions in Quebec. It first covers the relationship between the state and religion, then presents the main tax impacts of the property tax exemption system on municipalities. The second part establishes the legal framework surrounding this scheme. It discusses the tax regime applicable to property tax exemptions, focusing mainly on articles relating to religious institutions and presbyteries. Then, it presents reasons in support of whether or not to maintain the exemption scheme. And then, the third part proposes possible solutions to legally evolve these exemptions in accordance with the expectations of our Quebec society. Finally, to conclude on a unique destiny of these.