AFRIKAANS: Hierdie studie het ten doel gehad om die ampsbegrip van die Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika (NHKA) te meet aan die “amp” of te wel bedieninge in die Nuwe Testament, en meer spesifiek Jesus se oproep tot dissipelskap in Markus 8:34. Daar is aangetoon dat die historiese Jesus steeds relevant is vir kerklike teologie in die opsig dat daar ʼn saaklike kontinuïteit bestaan tussen die historiese Jesus en die kerk van vandag. Die slotsom waartoe gekom is, is dat daar in Jesus se oproep tot dissipelskap in Markus 8:34 ʼn implisiete ampsbegrip teenwoordig is, waarvan diensbaarheid op grond van selfverloëning, kruis opneem en navolging, die essensie vorm. Omdat die kerk bestaan uit ʼn groep gelowiges en daar in die kerk ook leiding gegee moet word, is ook aandag gegee aan leierskap en die vorming van kleingroepe soos gesien vanuit die sosiale wetenskappe. As verdere rede hiervoor kan aangevoer word dat groepvorming een van die belangrikste eienskappe is van institusionalisering. Die resultate van hierdie gedeelte is toegepas op die beweging rondom Jesus ten einde te sien hoe charisma en institusionalisering daarvan in die beweging rondom Jesus gefunksioneer het. Verder is ook gekyk na groepsdinamiek in die beweging rondom Jesus op grond van die funksionering van charisma in hierdie groep. Vervolgens is daar gewys op die rol wat institusionalisering van charisma gespeel het in die Pauliniese-, deutero-Pauliniese- en Pastorale Briewe. Kontinuïteit tussen die vroeë kerk en die Jesussaak is ook onder die soeklig geplaas. Omdat die ampsbegrip van die NHKA onder andere baie sterk steun op die denke van die reformatore soos Calvyn, is Calvyn se ampsbegrip asook die invloed van ander Reformatore se denke op dié van Calvyn, aan die orde gestel. Opsommend is ʼn paar slotopmerkings gemaak oor die ampsbegrip van die NHKA soos verwoord in sy Kerkorde en bevestigingsformuliere. Die gedagte is dat hierdie opmerkings vir die NHKA as riglyn kan dien vir die vorming van ʼn eietydse ampsbegrip. Die opsommende opmerkings word gemaak op grond van die resultate van die studie van Jesus se oproep tot dissipelskap ten einde te verseker dat die NHKA sy dienswerk doen in ooreenstemming met die Woord van God. Hierdie dienswerk word verrig in ʼn wêreld wat ver verwyderd is van dié waarin Jesus geleef en gedien het. ENGLISH: This study aims to examine the Netherdutch Reformed Church of Africa’s (NHKA) understanding of church office and measure it by “office” or ministries in the New Testament, and specifically by Jesus’ calling to discipleship in Mark 8:34. The relevance of the historical Jesus for contemporary church theology is indicated by the “essential” (Sache) continuity that exists between the historical Jesus and the church today. The study concludes that there is an implicit understanding of office present in Jesus’ calling to discipleship in Mark 8:34. The essence of this calling is servitude based on self denial, the taking up one’s cross and the following of Jesus. Because the church consists of a group of believers, who needs guidance, a part of the study focuses on leadership and the forming of small groups as described by social sciences. Another reason why this focus is important is that group forming is an essential characteristic of institutionalization. The results of this part of the study are applied to the movement around Jesus, the purpose of which is to study the functioning of charisma and institutionalization in this movement. Attention is also given to the group dynamic in the movement based on the functioning of charisma. Subsequently the role of institutionalization in the Pauline-, deutero-Pauline- and Pastoral Epistles are shown. The continuity between the early church and the Jesus cause is examined as well. The NHKA bases it’s understanding of church office to a large extent on the thoughts of reformers like Calvin. Therefore Calvin’s understanding of church office, as well as the influence that other reformers’ thoughts had on Calvin, is examined. Consequently a few remarks are made on the NHKA’s understanding of church office, as described in the NHKA church ordinance and the formulary for the confirmation of office-bearers. The aim is for these remarks to serve as a guideline for the NHKA to form a contemporary understanding of church office. The concluding remarks are derived from the results of the study on Jesus’ calling to discipleship, with the aim of assuring that the NHKA serves and works in correspondence to the Word of God. This serving is done in a world very different from the one in which Jesus lived and served. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / New Testament Studies / unrestricted

Navorsing oor veranderende konsepte van God toon aan dat die oorsprong van ateïsme na die skolastici van die laat-middeleeue teruggevoer kan word. Hierdie ondersoek poog om die verhouding tussen Johannes Duns Scotus se eenduidige konseptualisering van God en die verwerping van God deur moderne ateïste aan te toon. Die verandering van Thomas Aquinas se analogiese teologie na Johannes Duns Scotus se eenduidige ontologiese konseptualisering van God het `n groot invloed op nominalistiese teologie en die moderne realiteitsverstaan gehad. Nominaliste soos William van Occam het hierdie eenduidige konsep van God later kombineer en verder ontwikkel met die gevolg dat God later nie meer ontologiese voorkeur geniet het nie. Waar Aquinas die klem op God se transendensie gelê het, was daar ‘n toenemende neiging om God al hoe meer immanent te verstaan. ʼn God wat op dieselfde wyse as die mens bestaan, word dus ʼn “wese”, ʼn “getemde God”. Scotus en latere nominaliste het God se kwantitatiewe andersheid bo sy kwalitatiewe andersheid beklemtoon. Binne `n akademiese ruimte waarin die waarheid van die Christelike geloof en die outoriteit van die Rooms Katolieke Kerk nie bevraagteken is nie, was die invloed van hierdie teologiese veranderinge klein. Die Reformasie het dit egter verander, en alhoewel dit nie die bedoeling was nie, was die gevolg dat hierdie eenduidige konseptualisering van God deel van moderne teïsme geword het. Duns Scotus se invloed was so groot dat daar ook na hom as die stigter van moderniteit verwys kan word. Na die Reformasie het Descartes se cogito ergo sum daartoe gelei dat die rede alleen as bron van betekenis gegeld het. Hierdie ontwikkeling het voorkeur aan epistemologie bo ontologie gegee. Binne hierdie moderne realiteitsverstaan is daar nie plek vir ʼn eenduidige konseptualisering van God nie. Omdat ateïste juis hierdie konsep van God verwerp, is daar waarde in die bestudering van ateïsme. Sleutelwoorde: ateïsme, Thomas Aquinas, Johannes Duns Scotus, William van Occam, analogie van syn, eenduidige syn, Descartes, die Reformasie, Amos Funkenstein, Gavin Hyman, Brad Gregory, epistemologie, ontologie, skolastici, nominalisme, moderniteit, moderne teïsme. / Dissertation (MTh)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Dogmatics and Christian Ethics / MTh / Unrestricted

The scrip involves a literature study to determine how the covenant child / teenager is accommodated in the Reformed church today versus his/her actual need. The question is posed: Is the covenant child accommodated in any way in our current format of church liturgy, or not? Globalisation has made such an impact on the youth of today (postmodern youth or Mosaics) that digital technology has become their focus. Has the church adapted to this? The findings in this script show that the Reformed churches are losing particularly the youth because they have not adapted fast enough to this technology and to the cultural change that is evident in the postmodern child / teenager. The study is not only about the child in the church, but what the child looks like (his / her postmodern attitude / lifestyle) that we want in the church service and what change we need to make to the liturgy of the Reformed church in order to accommodate them. During this study it was also very evident that we need to change the way in which we spread the Word, and not the Word itself. The Truth remains the same – the culture, technology, attitudes, communication methods and intellectual and emotional needs change constantly. And the change is happening at such an alarming rate that we cannot ever think that we have reached the perfect solution. Before we have found the answer, it has changed. We therefore need to constantly re-look at our presentation style. This however does not excuse us from making changes. We need to change with the times and much faster than is currently the norm. The study reveals that the Reformed church currently has a mono-perspective of the liturgy. What is needed is a multi-disciplinary approach when we worship God. It is not only about the child in the church, it is about the place of the church service in the child’s life amidst the enormous impact of culture and digital technology that they are faced with everyday. How can we attempt to be relevant if we still preach as we did 100 years ago? Although the majority of the information that is available on this subject comes from America, the writer believes that it is very relevant to the Reformed churches in South Africa. Further study and research will be needed to determine the exact needs of the South African child / teenager and how to address this. / Dissertation (MA (Theology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Practical Theology / unrestricted