Thesis (DTh)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation addresses the functioning of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in South Africa and the
disillusionment and alienation of its members. Its aim is to uncover what the key factors are in the
administrative functioning that has contributed to the disillusionment and alienation of the rank and file from
the administration of the church. It gives particular attention to five aspects of administration:
administrative authority, leadership, power, transition, and organizational structures.
The objectives of the study are multifaceted. It wants to sensitize and make the Conference and Union
administrations aware of the issues that separate them from the rank and file in the church, and how that the
present challenges can be solved on a broad consultative basis. Furthermore, the study wants to make
recommendations as to how broader representation can be established. Importantly, the study wishes to help
the SDA Church administration to maintain a healthy balance between the church as institution and the
church as organism.
The study is basically exploratory as it seeks to explore the social phenomenon between the administrative
functioning and the grassroots of the church for the reason of gaining insight as well as to explain the reason
for its existence. It is also hermeneutical in nature as it seeks to establish a proper understanding of the
interrelatedness between the administrative functioning and the laity in the church. Empirical enquiry is an
important aspect of the study as it employs structured interviews with church boards and survey
questionnaires to pastors in order to establish quantitative and qualitative aspects of the study.
The study made use of a practical-theological methodology. The methodology is a hermeneutical sensitive
and correlational dialogue that brings different theological parameters into dialogue with the realities of
practice of ministry and the world.
Chapter one introduces the study. It outlines the various dimensions of the study. Chapters two and three
are historical. It deals with the present reality and the identity of the church using literary sources. Chapter
five deals with the empirical research and gives a description of the views of ministers and the church boards
concerning the five aspects of administration of the church, which has been researched. Chapters four and
six deals with the theoretical-theological aspects of the study. Chapter four deals with the tension that exists
between the church as institution and the church as organism. Chapter six is a theological evaluation that
seeks the will of God or His guidance in terms of the problem which the church faces.
Chapter six describes the way forward by making recommendations and gives some strategies that can be
used to realize the goals of the study and the church. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie verhandeling ondersoek die denominasionele etos en die administratiewe strukture van die Sewendedag Adventistekerk
in Suid-Afrika. Die studie toon aan dat daar ontnugtering en vervreemding by die gewone
lede van die kerk ten opsigte van die administratiewe strukture bestaan. Dit gee aandag aan vyf aspekte van
administrasie: administratiewe gesag, leierskap, mag, oorgang en organisatoriese strukture.
Die doelstellings van die studie is veelvoudig. Dit poog om die Konferensies en die Unie-administrasies
sensitief te maak van die strydpunte wat hulle verwyder van die gewone mense in die kerk. Dit stel voor dat
die huidige uitdagings opgelos kan word deur middel van 'n bree konsultatiewe proses. Verder maak die
studie aanbevelings oor hoe wyer verteenwoordiging in administratiewe strukture bereik kan word. Die
studie wil die SDA-kerk administrasie van hulp wees om 'n gesonde balans te handhaaf tussen die kerk as
organisasie en die kerk as organisme.
Die studie is verkennend en hermeneuties van aard. Dit wou vasstel wat die mening van die werkers
(predikante) en kerkrade is oor die administratiewe strukture en leierskap in die kerk. Ten einde dit vas te stel
is 'n omvattende empiriese ondersoek gedoen deur gestruktureerde onderhoude met kerkrade oor die hele
land te voer en deur vraelyste aan 'n verteenwoordigende steekproef predikante te stuur.
Die navorsing het gebruik gemaak van 'n prakties-teologiese metodologie. Die metodologie is 'n
hermeneuties sensitiewe en korrelatiewe dialoog wat verskillende teologiese parameters in dialoog met die
realiteite van die bedieningspraktyk en wereld bring.
Hoofstuk een is inleidend en gee 'n oorsig oor die navorsingsontwerp. Hoofstukke twee en drie is histories.
Dit behandel die huidige realiteit en die identiteit van die kerk deur gebruik te maak van literere bronne.
Hoofstuk vyf handel oor die empiriese ondersoek en gee 'n beskrywing van die menings van predikante en
kerkrade oor die vyf aspekte van die administrasie van die kerk wat ondersoek is. Hoofstukke vier en ses
handel oar die teoreties-teologiese aspekte van die studie. Vier bespreek die spanning wat altyd bestaan
tussen die kerk as organisasie en die kerk as organisme. Ses is 'n teologiese evaluering wat soek na die wil of
leiding van God in terme van die probleem waarmee die kerk worstel.
Die laaste hoofstuk maak voorstelle oor die pad vorentoe en stel strategiee voor wat gebruik kan word om
doelstellings te bereik.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/15500 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Plaatjes, Calvin William, Hendriks, H. J. |
| Contributors | University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Practical Theology and Missiology, A-6024-2012 |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 239 leaves : ill. |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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