Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa'

The topic of my study is: Becoming a missional church- the case of Evangelical Lutheran Church in South Africa (ELCSA). The lack of missional astuteness and intelligence emanating from Christendom mind-sets and agendas is detrimental to the growth of the church and is creating missional chaos and paralysis; this is what I am struggling with in my study. The challenge I am grappling with is that the ELCSA as a church has been exposed to a variety and multiplicity of missional cultures and mission settings through a diversity of missionaries operating from different missional landscape and backgrounds. The various and differing missional histories has created inconsistencies in the theological foundations that underpin and add force to her missional outlook and maturity. As the church considers becoming a missional church, there is an imperative need to radically revisit her traditional ecclesiologies in order to develop a clearer understanding of her missional vocation. The missional direction of the church is in quandary, partly because of the leadership failure to manage the contradictory and inconsistent missional attempts and missional immaturity within the ELCSA. Leadership development and formation within the Lutheran training institutes in Southern Africa, which are crucial in church life seems inadequate from a curriculum perspective. Failure to understand and appreciate the current missional language will inadvertently confuse the church’s understanding of God’s mission in the world (missio Dei). The challenge facing the ELCSA will therefore be an imperative and absolute need to move from a church with mission to a missional church. The study seeks to further explore and investigate insights from the ELCSA’s mission history with a view of determining the missional health and checking whether the church has a comprehension and understanding of the concept and language of a missional church and missional leadership. In this study I will also attempt to answer two possible sub-problems of the study viz. How does the ELCSA create a missional leadership aptitude environment and how does the ELCSA implement the missional conversation(s) to the operating landscape of the church? This study will also contrast the attractional and incarnational mindsets I reflect in the conclusion the significance and importance of a missional church and highlight the characteristics or indicators of such a church by applying it to the ELCSA. Recommendations are indicated for consideration by the ELCSA and are not presented as an answer or solution to the challenge that the church is facing.<br>Dissertation (MA(Theol))--University of Pretoria, 2012.<br>Science of Religion and Missiology<br>unrestricted

The purpose of this study is to investigate to what extent the Lordship of Christ is a reality in the life and faith of Christians in the South African township of Soshanguve, north-west of Pretoria. The study is based on empirical research conducted in Soshanguve between 1996 and 1999, among members of the following three denominations: the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Zion Christian Church, and a group of Pentecostal and charismatic churches. During the first phase the research had a predominantly quantitative nature (survey research). The second phase involved a qualitative research (in depth-interviews, analysis of written documents and sermons). After an introductory chapter and a chapter giving the necessary background, chapter 3 describes the survey research, and chapters 4 to 6 examine the Lordship of Christ as it functions in the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Zion Christian Church and the Pentecostal/charismatic churches respectively. This research shows that in the faith of many church members the Lordship of Jesus Christ is a vague notion. It is accepted that Jesus Christ has died for our sins in the past, but it is less clear what He is doing presently. The living Christ is a remote figure in the faith of the majority of church members. The gap which is left, is filled by the laws of the church and/or the leadership of the church. Chapter 7 gives an analysis of the results. It appears that several backgrounds have to be taken into account: (1) the influence of African traditional religion, (2) the influence of Western secularism, (3) the influence of specific doctrinal tenets of the given denomination. Chapter 8 offers a Biblical perspective on aspects which have to be dealt with in order to strengthen the notion of the Lordship of Christ in the life and faith of Christians. These are: the concept of God, the concept of salvation, the person of Christ, the Lordship of Christ over the life of the individual believer, and the Lordship of Christ over the world.<br>Thesis (Th.D.)--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2001

The principle purpose of the study was to investigate the role of women in the mission and ministry of The Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (LCSA). The researcher raised the question of why women are viewed as inferior within the LCSA, and whether this is Biblically supported. I investigated the distinction between men and women with regard to the church culture, tradition, pastoral office, priesthood, and authority within the LCSA. As a general theoretical framework, I used two theories in church mission: (1) The unity of the Church and apostolic practice as propounded by Schenk in 1983. (2) Paradigm shifts in theology: mission as ministry by the whole people of God as propounded by Bosch in 1991. These theories explain the mission of proclaiming the Gospel of God as belonging to everyone (both male and female) as His servants in the Church. To obtain people’s views and interpretations of Scriptures, culture, church practice, and the social reality of women’s roles in the LCSA, focus-group and individual interviews were used to gather qualitative data from 525 respondents. The data was collected and analyzed using the descriptive qualitative research approach. Based on the research findings in Chapter 2 (pages 37-42), Chapter 6 (page140) presents proposals for the involvement of women in the LCSA. The findings show that participants were concerned about the topic and those women’s rights and voices are not yet acknowledged in many societies in Southern Africa. However, the scope of the study is limited to the LCSA, and its findings cannot be generalized. Valuable insights were gained into the church’s traditional construction of women’s roles in the LCSA, not allowing women to preach the Gospel and to administer the Sacraments in the Church mission work. From a missiological study perspective, the researcher recommended that women should be allowed to participate fully in the Church mission work. Therefore, the Involvement of Women in Mission in LCSA was an important dissertation research topic, affecting women in Southern Africa particularly, and potentially, in the African continent at large.<br>Dissertation (MA Theol)--University of Pretoria, 2013.<br>gm2014<br>Science of Religion and Missiology<br>unrestricted

The existence of the Lesotho Evangelical Church in Southern Africa (LECSA) or Paris Evangelical Missionary Society (PEMS) in the Western Areas of Johannesburg, South Western Township (Soweto) and more poignantly, Meadowlands and their forced removals experience is succinctly captured. The struggle of the LECSA/PEMS Meadowlands Parish in becoming a missional ecclesia in a sea of missional challenges in her context are vividly spelt out. They, inter alia, include constitutional matters, language policy, finances, ministerial preparation, lay-ministry development, institutionalisation of ministry, unity issues, prophetic ministry, mission and evangelism. The researcher, then, proposes an intervention – of course not a perfect one – that perhaps will galvanise the LECSA/PEMS Meadowlands Parish members to improve on what they have been doing and become a missional ecclesia in her context, Meadowlands.<br>Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2016.<br>tm2016<br>Science of Religion and Missiology<br>MA<br>Unrestricted

This study presents the moratorium debate as a phenomenon of its own time. The challenges the moratorium debate poses to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Southern African/Central Diocese come under the spotlight. The AICs have taken the lead in attempting to live up to the “four selves” principle, that is, self-governing, self-supporting, self-propagating and self-theologizing, and areas which ELCSA/CD can learn from the AICs are highlighted. Finally the study explores issues of mutuality and interdependence, and few guidelines are proposed for ELCSA/CD.<br>Christian Spirituality<br>M. Th. (Missiology)

The title of this research is 'Healing in Selected New Testament Texts and the Implications for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa'. The texts that are looked at in this research are Mark 6:12-13, Luke 10:8-9 and James 5:13-16. The texts are exegeted and appropriated to Bohlabela Circuit of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (B.C. ELCSA). On the basis of these texts, the historical background to healing and my research in some of the parishes of Bohlabela circuit, the researcher states some implications for B.C. ELCSA and makes some suggestions which serve as a way forward for an effective healing ministry in B.C. ELCSA. The researcher argues that B.C ELCSA should adopt an inculturated healing ministry and also maintains that B.C ELCSA should use local elements like water, ash and salt and African methods of healing in its healing ministry. However, the researcher highlights some of the dangers of inculturation. The danger is to adopt some of the symbols or healing practices that are incompatible with the gospel, e.g healing practices like the use of animal sacrifice and symbols like blood. Such need to be 'contested, purified, transformed or rejected in the light of the Bible which members of this circuit (B.C. ELCSA) value as the Word of God. Above all, there is also a need for discernment. The researcher suggests that the two basic ways of discernment described by Bate (2001:32) be adopted by B.C ELCSA. They are the criterion of faith and the criterion of fruits. The research revealed that the most common means of healing in B.C. ELCSA includes prayer with the patients or for patients, and the use of the Word and the Sacraments, specifically Holy Communion.<br>Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2001.

This academic study provides a historical background to the unsung hero Dr. Manas Buthelezi. He is amongst many such heroes who contributed enormously to the liberation of South Africa. Buthelezi fought against apartheid by promoting human liberation and rights; just like other circle unrecognized of heroes who were interested in combating the agonies caused by the apartheid system. This academic study presents the work of Buthelezi in the South African political, socio-economic, cultural and ecumenical effort at combating the apartheid policies. The history of Buthelezi‟s contribution can be deliberated in relation to the South African political and socio-economic dimensions. Church history is an alternative engagement to the social struggles hence a church leader like Buthelezi had to participate in the public arena. Not really; the focus is more on issues within the current ELCSA. Broader historical evidence is considered on the theoretical writings in the field of church history. The analytical aim of the study develops how the struggles internal to the church and the understanding of struggle for liberation in South Africa. The study highlights the history of Lutheranism in South Africa as the background of creating an understanding of this research. The findings of the study are that although the Lutherans were fighting against apartheid system in South Africa they were divided on racial identify between the white and the black. This was also operational in the church in South Africa as well. The church in South Africa was theologically challenged around issues of struggle and liberation. The white community was part of the apartheid government aimed as its interests to benefit from the dominant values of racial connections. The dominant apartheid government oppressed the black community through racial discrimination. Study shows how Buthelezi and other theologians critiqued both the church and the state to resistant apartheid that was operational in the church and the society. The study investigates his contribution in this respect. It will be necessary to look at what happened historically in apartheid and Black Theology. The intention of this study is to investigate how Bishop Dr. Manas Buthelezi in South Africa was involved and committed in the struggle against apartheid. I would like to analyse and reflect on his contribution and writing during apartheid, as this has not yet been researched. Buthelezi served the Lutheran Church and the South African Council of Churches (SACC) as its president, from where he viewed apartheid ideology and practice as contradictory to the Word of God and human wholeness of life. One cannot research Buthelezi without considering his Church where I will explore the ordained ministry and the „lay‟ ministry. Questions on teaching, training and service offered by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (ELCSA) raise serious matters about its present and future. In the conclusion, I provide an analysis of the problems outlined and make recommendations which can be considered to be alternatives to challenges that face our South African context and that of the church. My recommendations are opened to everyone, to engage each other to furnish alternative solutions to the problems that face the church and the South African context.<br>Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology<br>M. Th. (Church History)

The constitution of ELCSA was adopted in the constitutional assembly held on 15 to 19 December 1975 at Rustenburg, Tlhabane. The constitution of South Africa was adopted on 08 May 1996 and amended on 11 October 1996 by the constitutional assembly. It is obvious from this situation that the ELCSA constitution was put together and adopted during the rule of the National Party in consideration of the constitution of South Africa at the time. This suggests that the bill of rights was not taken into account when the constitution of ELCSA was written. The church‘s top down management system of administration is questionable. The harmony of rights and the ELCSA constitution was tested. The labour relations requirements are not taken into consideration by the ELCSA constitution given the procedures followed to add in addressing employee disputes. The ELCSA constitution was critically evaluated for compliance. The areas of the South African Constitution that were not considered at the initial stage of the church constitution were identified during the study. It is imperative though that the Church should not find her self-making concessions on issues that are contrary to Christian beliefs and norms that form the basis of the faith. Dr Martin Luther’s two kingdoms provided some guidance when the church was under pressure regarding certain issues that are required by the law of the country. Particularly the church does not condone abortion. In this study it was established that some areas require the church to mobilise and challenge the state. The study is concluded by a discussion of areas that present conflict between the church and legal requirements, areas that the church is omitting to do and areas that the church has to take a stand on. This discussion included recommendations that the church has to consider ensuring that legislation is complied with and that there is no conflict with the church constitution.<br>Dissertation (MA(Theology) Church History)--University of Pretoria, 2008.<br>Church History and Church Policy<br>unrestricted

The spread of HIV/AIDS in South Africa has evoked many responses from the national government, Non-Governmental Organizations and the church. There are many reasons why the church should respond to this challenge of HIV/AIDS and join hands with the worldwide effort to provide care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS in our society. As the epidemic increases, many people in South Africa are falling sick, suffering physically, emotionally and spiritually and many are abandoned and desolate. Men, women, young people and children are dying; families and communities are severely affected socially and economically. This thesis examines the response of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (ELCSA) to AIDS and suggests a more adequate strategy to deal with HIV/AIDS. First, it examines the incidence and· impact of HIV/AIDS, noting the emotional, physical and socio-economic impact of HIV/AIDS. Secondly, this thesis develops a theological response to AIDS. The involvement of ELCSA is examined via research into six parishes in the Umgeni circuit of the South Eastern Diocese (Kwa-Zulu Natal). It argues that a seven-fold framework best describes the sort of strategy needed to fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS. This seven-fold framework includes the following: AIDS education, AIDS counseling, Livelihood support for people living with HIV/AIDS, Advocacy for the people living with HIV/AIDS,Pastoral and practical care for people living with HIV/AIDS, Helping the bereaved families during funeral arrangements and providing grief counseling, and Support systems for AIDS orphans.<br>Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2001.

HIV and AIDS have historically been associated with homosexuality and promiscuity (especially among blacks), evoking blame and stigma. The implication of sex in the spread of HIV and AIDS complicates matters as traditional ideas of pollution and contamination are evoked. These attitudes translate into a lack of support for people infected with and affected by HIV and AIDS. Moreover, such attitudes result in the stigmatisation of those people, leaving them with a poor self-image. Stigmatisation also leads to secrecy and non-disclosure of the disease allowing it to spread rapidly. This thesis deals with the issue of stigmatisation due to HIV and AIDS, looking specifically at the two congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (ELCSA) in KwaZulu-Natal province.<br>Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007.

The ELCT Southern Diocese is recognised by the ELCT as having made substantial and exciting strides in Theological Education by Extension (TEE). It has further acquired the reputation of having a strong philosophical commitment to the cause of the TEE programme and of having a conviction regarding the importance of TEE as a means of improving Christian education among its members as well as increasing the number of church workers. The TEE programme has been running since 1990 when the ELCT Southern Diocese embarked on the TEE philosophy transformation. TEE is considered capable of playing a major role in achieving TEE goals and aspirations. The year 1990, in particular, when the plan was launched, marks a concrete take-off point for the rapid improvement of adult Christian education especially for parish workers, on a kind of scale which had hitherto been unprecedented. This thesis is an attempt to document the spirit and substance of TEE development in the ELCT Southern Diocese. The scope of the different kinds of development that have taken place in TEE during this time is too wide to give a detailed and comprehensive treatment of the subject within the covers of a thesis of this size. An attempt is made to highlight the major features of TEE development in the Southern Diocese between 1990 and 1997. The thesis is supported by extensive reference to primary and secondary sources on TEE. Interviews with key informants from the various churches provide rich information. The thesis describes the TEE philosophy and policies behind the programme. The success story of the TEE programme is supported by a number of tables and the problems are given some possible solutions.<br>Thesis (M.Th.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1998.

This dissertation critically reflects the problem of divorce and remarriage within the North Eastern diocese of the Lutheran Church in Tanzania. A problem which has become rampant in the whole church. The situation became apparent to me as I was ministering in different parishes in the area of the research for five years. Divorcees are not accorded the full membership in the church because of their divorce status.Their failed marriages and criticism from church members makes them feel out of place in their own churches. They feel desperate, tending towards a sense of personal failure. The Shambala traditional customs whereby divorcees and/or remarried people are looked upon as outcasts make things even worse. Divorcees, makomanyumba 1., have no place in the Shambala Christian community. The goal of this dissertation therefore is to address divorcees' crisis through counselling. Many of these people are members of the church. I feel the church needs to face the biggest challenge to alleviate divorcees' crisis through counselling. I believe sincere pastoral care and counselling within the Lutheran Church in Tanzania will bring about healing, support, reconciliation and restoration of the hurt and deprived people, in this sense, the divorcees. Estardt (1997) believes that pastoral support is one of the services that persons committed to the church have the right to expect. He sees pastoral counselling as a relationship in which the minister assists the client in dealing with the difficulties, frustrations and tragedies of life. It is for this sense a new model of pastoral care and counselling is suggested for whole church. The model in which pastors in parishes are not the only solitary sources of counselling. The new model suggests that both trained and untrained laity is a good source for pastoral care and counselling. If these sources are fully utilised in parishes, a minister's counselling work might well be assisted, enhanced and improved by the parishioners. Referral counselling is also suggested in the new model.1.Makomanyumba - plural, divorcees. Komanyumba- singular, a divorcee.<br>Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004

This thesis is a theological and practical challenge to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Angola (IELA) on the issue of social development after the civil war, especially in the Cunene Province among the Ovawambo community. The thesis briefly examines the history of the Angolan civil war, and of the IELA. It notes the key development concerns facing the Ovawambo community. The focus of the thesis is centres on three themes namely: reconciliation and peace; reconstruction; and sustainable development strategies. The thesis argues that it is the responsibility of the IELA in the first place through its ministry of reconciliation to contribute to rebuilding the nation that has been destroyed by the civil war. In the second place it argues that since much of the social frame works have been changed due to civil war, a reconstruction approach is needed. In the last place, it argues that IELA should contribute fully to providing fruitful strategies for the sustainable development for the better life of the future generation.<br>Thesis (M.Th.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2003.

This thesis contends that the individualisation, privatisation and spiritualisation of the concept of salvation in the church in general and in The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia [ELCIN] in particular, where salvation is confined to the soul and its escape from this evil world into a blessed heaven at some future date after death, with the result that church members are reluctant to strive for the quality of the present life as believers, must be overcome. This study must be seen against the background of increasing secularism in Namibia. This encroachment constitutes a serious challenge to the Namibian Lutheran Churches of which ELCIN is the largest. The secularisation of a community renowned for its Christianity seems to indicate deficiencies in the core message of the church. The concept of salvation must be formulated in response to current deficiencies in the overall wellbeing of humanity and reality as a whole. Such a paradigm of salvation may be enriched by the holistic Pauline-Lutheran concept of salvation. The Lutheran message of salvation needs contextualisation and Africanisation in order to pick up valid concerns of the Owambo tradition for African Lutherans on this side of the grave. There is, therefore, an urgent need for theologians in ELCIN to revisit their concept of salvation and to redefine it in the light of the original Pauline-Lutheran concept of salvation on the one hand, and of the Owambo traditional concerns for human wellbeing on the other. This study recommends that ELCIN must integrate her message ofeschatological salvation with her practical services so that it becomes obvious to her members that the latter is, in fact, the consequence of the former and both are indispensable to shalom, that is comprehensive salvation. Such an integration will be her highest token of gratitude for the message of salvation which she received from the Finns albeit in the vessels of their own culture; the convincing sign of her theological maturity, and the best possible way to maintain her relevancy at all times.<br>Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1997.

The purpose of this thesis is to show through a chain of events how the Lutheran Mission societies in their quest to provide health care through biomedicine to indigenous people in Southern Africa ended up co-operating with the South African government in the implementation of the policy of apartheid. The question that this thesis will thus seek to answer is the following: If foreign missionaries were motivated to the extent that they left their homes in Europe and North America, why did they allow their hospitals to be subjected to government takeovers without offering much by the way of resistance? Biomedicine was not introduced to supplement the existing traditional health systems but to replace them. Black people had ways and means to attend to their sick through traditional health systems such as izinyanga, izangoma, and izanusi among the Zulu, and dingaka and didupe among the Sotho-Tswana. In Southern Africa, the missionaries saw suffering and great need, and worked as lay medical practitioners to alleviate health problems long before apartheid was formally introduced after the National Party came to power in 1948. Subsequently, they worked with trained medical missionary nurses and doctors. The Lutheran missionaries saw biomedicine as being not far-removed from advancing their mission work of converting the indigenous people to Christianity. In their provision of basic biomedicine from small structures, the Lutheran missionaries developed their health centres into hospitals by means of assistance from home societies before apartheid became the policy of the government. Financial assistance was also received from the South African government especially in the 1960s to combat the tuberculosis epidemic. However dedicated the missionaries were, they were condemned to see their influence gradually reduced because they were forced to rely on government subsidies in the running of the hospitals. In the 1970s, the apartheid government nationalized Lutheran and other mission hospitals. The hospitals were taken over and handed to the newly-established homelands and self-governing states to run. Under this new management, the mission hospitals’ quality of service was compromised. The question is: why did the Lutheran missions allow their hospitals to be nationalized? Overall, one can see that the Lutheran missions were influenced by race when they excluded black people from participating in the running of the mission hospitals, despite Blacks having taken over the running of the former mission churches since the 1960s. In Botswana, nationalization occurred differently. There was no total take-over of mission hospitals and the attendant exodus of white medical missionaries. From the time of independence in 1966, the Botswana government decided to work with mission societies in health care. The government formulated health policies and provided part of the financial needs of the hospitals, while the mission societies provided personnel and ran the hospitals. For example, the Bamalete Lutheran Hospital (BLH) in Ramotswa continues to be run by the Hermannsburg Mission Society. The national Lutheran Church played an important role in the hospital as the Church was part of the governing board. This thesis has attempted to show that, while the Lutheran missionaries were motivated to develop a health care system for the indigenous people through the introduction of biomedicine and the building of hospitals, they were so dependent on the assistance of the apartheid government, especially in the 1960s and the 1970s, that they could not see that their collaboration with the government in the nationalization of mission hospitals was in fact a collaboration with apartheid. Some individual mission doctors and nurses, especially in the Charles Johnson Memorial Hospital in Nquthu, resisted the nationalization programme, but not the Lutherans. These were paralysed in the face of the pseudo-nationalization programme of the apartheid regime. The interpretation of the Lutheran doctrine of the ‘Two Kingdoms’, which dissuades Christians from interfering in the sphere of secular governance, may have had bearing on their reluctance to challenge the apartheid regime to provide better health care.<br>Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2012.

The thesis aims at bringing to light the immense, yet ignored, contribution of women to the establishment of Christianity in Northern Cameroon. Northern Cameroon has a quite different historical development from the south of the country, with a significant difference being the presence of Islam in the north, which dates back to the beginning of the eleventh century. However, the situation of women in the church and society in Northern Cameroon today is no different from that experienced by women throughout centuries of male domination and, indeed, still experience in most of the traditions and cultures of the African continent. In highly patriarchal societies, like the African traditional societies of Northern Cameroon, in which Islam and Christianity have increasingly silenced and isolated women, it is very difficult to see clearly the contribution of women in social, economic and cultural domains. In Northern Cameroon, as elsewhere, women's contribution to the country's development, as well as their involvement in planting Christianity has not been, and still is not being, properly acknowledged. Everything achieved for the advancement of the well being of society, even if achieved by a woman, has been attributed to a man. Yet, as my interest in the historical development of Christianity in Northern Cameroon grew, I realised that women were at the forefront of bringing Christianity into the region, and remain the main contributors in its spread throughout the region, even though official records do not mention them as the main contributors. Hence, this oral history study has made it possible to bring to light the role of not only the women missionaries, but also the African women in a major area of public life, the church, when their contribution to it has been denied for years. Therefore, the thesis is based mostly on oral interviews since nothing is written about the work of women in the church in Northern Cameroon, apart from the reports by missionaries for their mission societies. Hence, the aim of this study has been to explore both the past and the present of Christianity in Northern Cameroon in order to make known to a wider public the extent of women 's contribution to social, cultural, and religious change. Thirty-five people were interviewed for this study in three different countries, Cameroon, Norway and South Africa. Twenty-seven interviewees were women, eight were men and interviews were conducted in French, Fulfulde (an African language spoken by most people in Northern Cameroon), and in English. Fifteen interviewees either served or were still serving as missionaries in Cameroon, the remaining twenty were non-missionary Cameroon nationals, except for one person from Madagascar. Most of the women who contributed to this study were involved in the women's movement in the Lutheran church in Cameroon. Apart from a group of regional leaders of the Women For Christ (WFC), who were interviewed together during their annual meeting in 1999 in Ngaoundere, all interviews took place individually, and interviews were conducted in the form of free conversation so as not to limit the informant by a question and answer format. Despite telling their stories to myself, a man, the women were enthusiastic and openly willing to relate their experiences as church members, as well as their thoughts about how they believed relations between men and women should be. An explanation for this attitude is that most of the women knew me as one of the very few Lutheran ministers in the church in Cameroon with a concern for the position of women in both church and society. The thesis concludes with proposals in favour of the women's full participation in the ministries of the church, which include the ordained ministry, and some suggestions on the necessary mutual collaboration between men and women in social, economic and political domains in Northern Cameroon.<br>Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2002.<br>Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

The thesis of this study is that both Pentecostal and non-Pentecostal churches can grow at a time when only the Pentecostal churches have grown. The stagnation that has occurred in many "mainline" churches need not be allowed to increase or continue. In Venda (Northern Province) both the Lutherans and the Pentecostals have enjoyed visible growth. Chapter I introduces the thesis, the choice of the study area, the objectives of the study, and the typology, methodology and relevance of the study. Chapter 2 looks at the history and socio-economic background of the Vhavenda. Chapter 3 describes traditional Vhavenda beliefs and rituals. The Vhavenda world-view is different from that of the West but closer to that of the East and the Bible. Chapter 4 concentrates on missionary Christianity in Venda and briefly discusses the missionary methods adopted by the Berlin Missionary Society. Chapter 5 discusses the coming of Pentecostalism to South Africa and Venda. Chapter 6 exaruines how the Lutherans and the Apostolic Faith Mission church conducted their mission during the "maturation of Apartheid" in Venda. Major events in the collision between apartheid and the Vhavenda are highlighted. Chapter 7 discusses the unfinished work of the church in Venda. Chapter. 8 examines the challenge for Christian mission in the . . twenty-first century<br>Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology<br>D. Th. (Missiology)

The thesis of this study is that both Pentecostal and non-Pentecostal churches can grow at a time when only the Pentecostal churches have grown. The stagnation that has occurred in many ''mainline" churches.need not be allowed to increase or continue. In Venda (Northern Province) both the Lutherans and the Pentecostals have enjoyed visible growth. Chapter 1 introduces the thesis, the choice of the study area, the objectives of the study, and the typology, methodology and relevance of the study. Chapter 2 looks at the history and socio-economic backgrowtd of the Vhavenda. Chapter 3 describes traditional Vhavenda beliefs and rituals. The Vhavenda world-view is different from that of the West but closer to that of the East and the Bible. Chapter 4 concentrates on missionary Christianity in Venda and briefly discusses the missionary methods adopted by the Berlin Missionary Society. Chapter 5 discusses the coming of Pentecostalism to South Africa and Venda. Chapter 6 examines how the Lutherans and the Apostolic Faith Mission church conducted their mission during the "maturation of Apartheid'' in Venda. Major events in the collision between apartheid and the Vhavenda are highlighted. Chapter 7 discusses the unfinished work of the church in Venda. Chapter 8 examines the challenge for Christian mission in the twenty-first century.<br>Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology<br>D.Th (Missiology)