Thesis (M.C.S.)--Regent College, 1992. / Abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 174-180).

Thesis (M. Div.)--St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, 2004. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaf 62).

Thesis (M. Div.)--St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, 2004. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaf 62).

‘Knowledge of their past will inform the decisions [Baptists] take today which will shape their tomorrow.’ These words of Baptist historian Barrie White along with some from Archbishop Rowan Williams, that to ‘engage with the Church’s past is to see something of the Church’s future’ which ‘makes for the health of the church…’ lie at the heart of my thesis that denominational history has the potential to form a valuable and engaging resource for theological reflection within the field usually termed church health, and specifically in the consideration of change, actual or potential, in pastoral practice. As a Practical Theologian, central to my approach is a belief that such reflection should be undertaken by and for the people who make up local congregations. My particular interest is in assisting local churches (congregations) to approach and manage change in ways that avoid the potential for destructive conflict: might it be that examples from denominational history form a valuable resource for reflection on processes that might be employed to approach contemporary issues? An initial survey of materials suggests that it might, but that in its current form it is largely inaccessible (literally and in relation to how it is presented). This submission presents a portfolio of work, based on the popular 'pastoral cycle' approach, exploring this possibility and establishing a way forward for developing a more accessible and engaging method to 'tell the story'.After a thorough literature, which presents an overview of developments in the disciplines of church health and history alongside an outline of readily available Baptist history, my publishable article develops a renewed vision for the Baptist Historical Society, the voluntary body which produces the majority of UK Baptist historical writing, taking account of insights gained. Specifically, the potential for a more narrative/literary approach with a recovery of theological/spiritual language is identified as a way forward in increasing accessibility and usability of this rich resource in the way I advocate. Three possible approaches to developing resources are identified and explored in the research proposal, ranging from almost entirely empirical to totally theoretical, with justification of why each constitutes Practical Theology. Emphasis shifts away from the central thesis in the reflective paper which explores questions of 'readers' and 'writers' in relation to my own work as a researcher and a practical theologian. A final reflection, in lieu of a conclusion, draws threads together and affirms my conviction that denominational history has the potential to provide a rich and fruitful resource for theological reflection in the area of church health.

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Thesis (DPhil (Dogmatics))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Dogmatics and Christian Ethics / unrestricted

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Facilitating improvement, here-and-now, in a person's psycho-spiritual functioning is an aspect of both practical theology and group psychotherapy. This improvement can only occur through human intermediary, as both practical theology and group psychotherapy recognise. The premise of this thesis is that people reveal their religious and existential concerns (i.e., one's deepest feelings about God, life, and existence) through their here-and-now interpersonal interactions. These existential and religious concerns can be successfully addressed within psychotherapy groups by adopting a nonlinear, psychotherapeutic approach which focuses on here-and-now interpersonal interactions. This here-and-now style of psychotherapy provides the pastor/therapist with a practical-theologically sound method by which to relate to another person on the deepest level, and it provides the means by which the pastor/therapist can identify, describe, and analyse another person's existential/religious issues. The following propositions are put forth: * * * * * * * Existential concerns are inevitably religious in nature but not always articulated in religious terms. These existential/religious concerns are the subject of both group therapy and practical theology. Practical theology is characterised by a Janus-like, self-reflective loop of theory to praxis. This loop is also seen in the here-and-now style of group psychotherapy. Group psychotherapy and practical theology deal with religious ideation: group therapy by examining interpersonal interactions; practical theology by examining the person-to-God relationship. Psychotherapy groups can be a "coming of God with human action as intermediary." Group psychotherapy and practical theology address genuine human need through the four pastoral functions. Group psychotherapy and practical theology adhere to the scientific method of constructing hypotheses based on deductions stemming from heightened awareness. Group psychotherapy has a practical theological function when it serves as a means of transitin~ through the theological stages of God the void, to God the enemy, to God the companion. Group psychotherapy fulfils a practical theological function by transforming human ways, i.e., opening one up to the influence of other people and the Christian God who works through those people as intermediaries. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology)

Text in Afrikaans / Die kategese-bediening van die tydelike kerkverband in die a1gemeen en die van die Ned. Geref. Kerk in die besonder, kan tegelyk 'n oorskatte en 'n onderskatte aangeleentheid wees. Hierdie kwessie kan, enersyds te doen he met 'n verskraalde visie op die mens se geloofsverhouding. as konkrete entiteit wat binne al die aspekte van die werklikheid funksioneer. Andersyds kan dit te make he met 'n ongenuanseerde onderskeiding tussen die tydelike kerkverband en alle ander samelewingsvorme. Wanneer geloofverskraal word tot enkele aspekte van die volle werklikheid, word kategese oorskat as 'n aparte bediening, naas ander bedieninge in die gemeente. Dit het gewoonlik 'n 66rbeldemtoning van die leer-aspek ten koste van die sogenaamde affektiewe en konatiewe aspekte van geloof tot gevolg. Dit veroorsaak noodwendig 'n oorbeklemtoonde skoolse benadering tot kategese. Wanneer die tydelike kerkverband kosmologies nie duidelik van die ander samelewingsvorme onderskei word nie, word kategese aan die anderkant weer maklik onderskat. Dan word tipiese kerldike kategetiese' werksaamhede, wat betrekking het op die hele werldikheid, vanuit 'n geloofsvisie, maklik verwar met opvoedingstake in die gesin en gemeenskap in 'n on-prinsipiele grensoorskryding. In 'n meer gebalanseerde visie op kategese, betoog die studie dat ons liewer oog behoort te lay daarvoor dat kategese een aspek van elke onderskeie kerklike bediening is. S6 verstaan, is kategese 'n onontbeerlike aspek [maar dan slegs 'n aspek) van die gemeente se uitreik-; barmhartigheids-; jeug-; erediens-; Bybelstudie-bedieninge. Die eiesoortigheid van die genoemde kategetiese faset van elk van die kerldike bedieninge verwys elke keer na die logies-analitiese kant van geloofsvonning. Laasgenoemde het betrekking op die moontlike verdieping van die mens se geloofsverhouding met God deurdat gelooftaangeleenthede duideliker omlyn en omslaywe word. En die beklemtoning van hierdie kategetiese aspek in elk van die bedieninge, is elke keer legitiem, afhangende van die konteks waarin die gemeente en die lidmate wat betrokke is, funksioneer. Hierdie teorie oor kategese stel die tydelike kerkverband voor die uitdaging om al die lid.mate [nie net kinders nie] in hulle volle geloofsverhouding met God, tot ontsluiting van hulle hele lewe, in geloofsgerigtheid op God, die Oorsprong van alle dinge te help betrek. Dit veronderstel tegelykertyd die bevryding van kerklike kategese om vernuwend en opbouend op die totale gemeente-bediening in te werk. Langs hierdie weg poog Praktiese Teologie om werklik nie net 'n teorie te wees nie. / The church's religious education ministry in general and that of the Dutch Refonned Church in particular, could be an issue that is, at the same time, overestimated and widerestimated. On the one hand this issue could entail an attenuated vision on man's faith as concrete entity functioning within all aspects of the reality. On the other hand it could entail an unclear distinction between the church as a temporary form of society and all other forms of society. When faith is diminished to single aspects of the full reality, catechesis is overestimated as a separate ministry, next to other ministries in the congregation. This usually leads to an overemphasis of the learning-aspect at the cost of the so-called affective and conative aspects of faith. This invariably leads to an overemphasized, school-like approach to catechesis. On the other hand, when the church cannot cosmologically be clearly distinguished from the other societal fonns, catechesis is easily underestimated. In such a case, typical ecclesiastical catechetic activities are, from a faith aspect point of view, easily confused with educational issues for example within the family and the community because no proper theoretical distinction is made between these different forms of society. In a more balanced vision of catechesis, the study argues that we should realize that catechesis forms but one aspect of each ecclesiastical ministry. Understood thus, catechesis is an indispensable aspect (but only an aspect) of the congregation's outreach, charity, youth, worship and Bible-study ministries. This distinctive character of the said cathecismic facet of each of the ecclesiastical ministries refers time and again to the logical-analytical side of faith fonnation. The latter concerns the possible enriching of man's total faith relationship with God as faith issues are outlined and defined more clearly. This theory on catechesis attempts to challenge the church as a temporary form of society to include catechesis in all forms of ecclesiastical ministry, thereby ministering to all congregation members, not only to the children. This, at the same time, implies the liberation of ecclesiastical catechesis, so that it can have a renewing and constructive effect on the entire congregational ministry. / Practical Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology)

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