Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to think anew about the involvement of the Christian churches
in strategic development. The author undertook such an exercise in an abstract and
general manner, not by undertaking specific case studies, but by applying various
development and social sciences debates to come to a new understanding of the churches'
meaningful participation in the broad area of development.
The notion of the churches as 'idea' and 'value' institutions in the field of development
was particularly developed. The study found its critical point of departure in the
ecumenical theological debate on development over the last four decades. The first three
chapters show how the charity-development juxtaposition in ecumenical development
discourse problematises and frames the historical and actual participation of the churches
in development. It is indicated that this discourse poses a critical theoretical and
ideological challenge not only to the churches' socio-economic involvement through
charity, but also to the mainstream secular development enterprise. It is concluded
through the pragmatic debate in the broader ecumenical development discourse that an
enduring divide exists between progressive theoretical thinking on the churches'
participation in development and the actual development practices of the churches. It is
concluded, akin to an historical charity involvement, that the churches have, generally
speaking, been over-investing in project approaches to development at the cost of modes
of engagement which highlight an idea- and value-centred development praxis.
In chapters four to seven the argument is further developed through the conceptual
framework of third and fourth generation development strategies. Through ideas on this
conceptual framework, which were first formulated by David Korten in NGO and peoplecentred
development debates, but which have also been extended to broader 'alternative'
development and social sciences debates within the analytic framework of this study, the
idea- and value-centred perspective in this study was further worked out and applied to
the churches. It is concluded that the conceptual framework of third generation
development strategies poses an appropriate (public) challenge to the churches to become
involved in the policy-making, managerial and organisational processes of development. In contrast to a 'politics of limited space' which the third generation mode presents to the
churches, it is maintained that the 'unlimited political space' of the fourth generation
mode of development involvement is more appropriate to the churches. It is argued that
the churches could most effectively and meaningfully participate in the new transnational
social movement 'value' and 'idea' politics (e.g. peace, human rights, women,
environment, democracy, people-centred development) prioritised in the fourth
generation strategic perspective. This argument is further worked out in the final chapter
through the proposal of four beacons of action that may guide the churches to become
meaningful participants in fourth (and third) generation strategic development action,
namely (i) the new social movements, (ii) the new communication solidarities, (iii)
alternative development policy, and (iv) 'soft culture'. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van die studie was om opnuut te dink oor die strategiese betrokkenheid van
die kerke in ontwikkeling. Die skrywer het sodanige oefening op 'n abstrakte en
algemene wyse onderneem deur geen spesifieke gevalle studies te doen nie, maar deur
verskeie ontwikkelings- en sosiaal wetenskaplike debatte toe te pas om tot 'n nuwe
verstaan van die kerke se betekenisvolle deelname in die breë veld van ontwikkeling
te kom.
Die konsep van die kerke as 'idee' en 'waarde' instellings in die veld van ontwikkeling
is spesifiek ontwikkel. Die studie het die ekumeniese teologiese debat oor
ontwikkeling van die laaste vier dekades as kritiese vertrekpunt geneem. In die eerste
drie hoofstukke word aangetoon hoe die barmhartigheid-ontwikkeling jukstaposisie in
die ekumeniese ontwikkelingsdiskoers die historiese en teenswoordige deelname van
die kerke in ontwikkeling problematiseer en bepaal. Daar word aangedui hoe hierdie
diskoers nie slegs 'n kritiese teoretiese en ideologiese uitdaging aan die kerke se sosioekonomiese
betrokkenheid deur middel van barmhartigheidswerk bied nie, maar ook
aan die hoofstroom sekulêre ontwikkelingsonderneming. Aan die hand van die
pragmatiese debat in die breër ekumeniese ontwikkelingsdiskoers word die
gevolgtrekking gemaak dat daar 'n blywende skeiding bestaan tussen progressiewe
teoretiese denke oor die kerke se deelname aan ontwikkeling en die teenswoordige
ontwikkelingspraktyke van die kerke. Daar word gekonkludeer dat die kerke op 'n
soortgelyke wyse as hulle historiese betrokkenheid deur middel van
barmhartigheidswerk in die algemeen oorgeïnvesteer het in projek benaderings tot
ontwikkeling ten koste van maniere van betrokkenheid wat 'n idee en waarde
gesentreerde ontwikkelingspraktyk beklemtoon.
In hoofstukke vier tot sewe word die argument verder ontwikkel aan die hand van die
konseptuele raamwerk van derde en vierde generasie ontwikkelingstrategieë. Aan die
hand van idees oor hierdie konseptuele raamwerk, wat eerstens deur David Korten in
NRO en mensgesentreerde ontwikkelingsdebatte geformuleer is, maar binne die
analitiese raamwerk van hierdie studie ook neerslag vind in wyer 'alternatiewe'
ontwikkelings- en sosiaal wetenskaplike debatte, is die idee en waarde gesentreerde
perspektief in die studie verder uitgewerk en toegepas op die kerke. Die
gevolgtrekking word gemaak dat die konseptuele raamwerk van derde generasie ontwikkelingstrategieë 'n gepaste (publieke) uitdaging aan die kerke bied om betrokke
te raak by die beleidmakende, bestuurs- en organisatoriese prosesse van ontwikkeling.
Teenoor 'n 'politiek van beperkte ruimte' wat die derde generasie wyse van
betrokkenheid vir die kerke verteenwoordig, word volgehou dat die 'onbeperkte
politieke ruimte' van die vierde generasie wyse van betrokkenheid meer gepas is vir
die kerke. Daar word geargumenteer dat die kerke op 'n mees effektiewe en
betekenisvolle wyse sou kon deelneem aan die 'waarde' en 'idee' politiek (bv. vrede,
mense regte, vroue, omgewing, demokrasie, mensgesentreede ontwikkeling) wat in
die vierde generasie strategiese perspektief voorrang geniet. Hierdie argument word
verder uitgewerk in die finale hoofstuk deur die voorstel van vier bakens van aksie
wat as rigtingwyser kan dien vir die kerke se voorgenome betekenisvolle deelname in
vierde (en derde) generasie strategiese ontwikkelingsaksie, naamlik (i) die nuwe
sosiale bewegings, (ii) die nuwe kommunikasie solidariteite, (iii) alternatiewe
ontwikkelingsbeleid en (iv) 'sagte kultuur'.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/51946 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Swart, Ignatius,1965- |
| Contributors | Kinghorn, J., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Practical Theology & Missiology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 287 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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