D.Litt. et Phil. / This thesis has looked at the mission of the Church in South Africa against the historical background of both the South African peoples and the Johannine community in the light of the function and meaning of the Paraclete in John 13:31-16:33 In Chapter 1 the problem, purpose, importance, relevance, methodology, organisation, delimitations and the definitions of mission, church and the Paraclete were discussed. Chapter 2 looked at the history of the situation of the Church in South Africa between 15th and the 18th centuries and the role the Church played in the struggle against apartheid. Chapter 3 dealt with the history of the situation of the Johannine church in the early and later part of the first century. Chapter 4 gave a framework of the theological background of the synoptics. In Matthew themes such as christology, law, eschatology, kingdom, miracles and disciples were considered. In Mark, christology and faith and in Luke, christology, soteriology, eschatology and prayer were discussed. Chapter 5 looked at a selection of the theological themes in the Gospel of John: christology, signs and works, disciples, eschatology, eternal life, soteriology, belief, unbelief and hate. In 1 John themes such as christiology, eternal life, morality and brotherly love were dealt with. Chapter 6 looked at the background in the synoptics concerning the Spirit. In Matthew the Holy Spirit was mentioned with reference to the Spirit and Jesus, the Spirit and disciples, the Spirit as vital force and the relationship between the Spirit in Matthew and the Paraclete in John. In Mark the Spirit was discussed under the following headings: Jesus and Spirit, pneuma as the power of God, and the relationship between the Spirit in Mark and the Paraclete in John. In Luke the Spirit was discussed in connection with Jesus in his conception, baptism and temptation. Chapter 7 looked at the pneumatology in the Gospel of John and in the First Epistle of John. In John the "Book of Signs" and the "Book of Glory" were examined. A special reference to the functions of the Paraclete as teaching, reminding, witnessing, guiding and glorifying Christ and their relationship to the mission of the Church in South Africa was discussed. In chapter 8 the concept of the Church in Matthew, Mark and in Luke-Acts was explored along the mission of the Church in those sections of scripture. Chapter 9 looked at the ecclesiastical terminology in John's gospel and in the Epistles. In John terminologies such as disciples, sheep and shepherd, and vine imagery were explored. In 1 John ecclesiastical expressions such as the "children of God" and those "born of God" were looked at. Chapter 10 explored the missionary perspectives of Matthew, Mark and Luke- Acts and related the mission of the Church in South Africa to that of Matthew, Mark and Luke-Acts. Chapter 11 discussed the concept of mission in the Gospel of John. The mission of the "sent one", the disciples' mission, the mission of the believers and the mission of the Paraclete were explored. This chapter concluded by viii relating the mission of the Church in South Africa to that of the Gospel of John. Chapter 12 focused on the mission of the Church in South Africa today in relation to the function and the meaning of the Paraclete with reference to the Paraclete passages in John 13:31-16:33. This chapter identified issues the Church in South Africa needs to address as part of her mission. In conclusion this thesis suggested that just as the Paraclete influenced the situation in the Johannine community, the Church as the instrument of the Spirit should guide and influence the situation in South Africa today. The appendices in this thesis are intended to clarify and enrich the contents of the script. They can also be used as a resource by other researchers and it is that they will benefit many students who are researching on this field. An extensive bibliography of about seventy pages has been compiled. Not all sources have been quoted in the study; such sources are meant to be used as a resource by researchers on the subjects of Paraclete, mission and church.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uj/uj:2650 |
| Date | 17 August 2012 |
| Creators | Shongwe, Dingindawo Paulus. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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