Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Free Methodist Church – Zambia'

The problem with which this study is concerned is the perception of faculty members at Free Methodist colleges regarding the integration of faith and learning in the total environment of their institution. In order to study this problem, the entire population of faculty was studied at Greenville College, Greenville, IL.; Roberts Wesleyan College, Rochester, N.Y.; Seattle Pacific University, Seattle, WA.; and Spring Arbor College, Spring Arbor, MI. The purposes of this study are fourfold: (1) to identify and to validate statements which describe individual criteria which must exist if integration of faith and learning is occurring on Christian college campuses; (2) to use these criterion statements in evaluating the perception of faculty at Free Methodist colleges concerning integration of faith and learning at their institutions; (3) to study the effect of age on the perception of integration of faith and learning among faculty; (4) to study the effect of the undergraduate alma mater on the perception of integration of faith and learning among faculty. An instrument containing forty-seven statements of criteria for integration of faith and learning was developed for this study and given to the faculty at the four institutions. Content validity was established by using nine experts in the Delphi Technique. Criterion-related validity was established by means of a discrimination study of faculty at Wheaton College and Southern Methodist University. A significant difference was found at the .01 level. A reliability coefficient of .93 was established through a test for internal consistency. Instruments were sent to 298 faculty representing all full-time faculty at the four schools under examination. The response rate was 49.7% or 148. Based on the findings of three hypotheses which were tested, it can be concluded that (1) age makes a difference in the perception of integration of faith and learning, (2) the four institutions under study are different in their effectiveness of integrating faith and learning, and (3) the undergraduate alma mater has no impact on the perception of integration of faith and learning.

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This work aims to study the role of the Free Methodist Church in Brazil which is a Japanese evangelical church on the insertion process of nikkeis and their descendants in Brazilian society. The first part presents the History of immigration Japanese, In the second part, we analyse the church for immigrant people, In the last part, the Methodism and its beginning in England, United States of America, Japan and Brazil.¸Methodist Church in Brazil and its development among nikkeis and their descendants, followed by a comparison with the Brazilian Council, a branch of the church that deals with people which are not descendant of Japanese
Este trabalho visa estudar o papel da Igreja Metodista Livre no Brasil, uma Igreja evangélica japonesa, no processo de inserção dos nikkeis e seus descendentes na sociedade brasileira. A primeira parte do trabalho narra a História Imigração Japonesa, na segunda parte, analisaremos a igreja de imigrantes, Na terceira parte,analisaremos o Metodismo, seu início na Inglaterra, Estados Unidos da América, Japão e Brasil. Depois, analisaremos a Igreja Metodista Livre no Brasil e o seu desenvolvimento entre os nikkeis e seus descendentes, comparando com o Concílio Brasileiro, vertente da Igreja dedicada ao trabalho entre os não-descendentes de japoneses

This thesis examines five religious organisations which existed in the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, collectively known as the Maritime Region, between 1880 and 1920. Each of these denominations emphasised holiness theology, albeit in varying degrees. They include, in order of their establishment in the region, the Methodist Church, the Free Christian Baptist Conference, the Salvation Army, the Reformed Baptist Alliance of Canada and the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene. This study assesses these religious bodies in a number of ways. First, it examines their theological beliefs, comparing them with one another and tracing any changes which occurred in them between 1880 and 1920. Second, it considers the various associations which each of these denominations developed with the late nineteenth-century American holiness movement. The enquiry devotes particular attention to the response of each religious body to a spiritual encounter, known as ‘entire instantaneous sanctification’, popularised especially during the last quarter of the nineteenth century by the holiness movement in parts of Canada, Great Britain and the United States. Third, a review of the unique strengths and weaknesses of each of the five institutions offers an explanation for the numerical and financial growth of several of these groups early in the twentieth century, as well as the degeneration of others. Fourth, the study discloses much of the opposition which was directed towards Maritime holiness movement sympathisers, offering a number of explanations why some of these individuals left their traditional religious affiliations to join holiness bodies which they perceived to be true advocates of scriptural holiness. Fifth, it appraises the strong leadership which a number of individuals offered to the holiness cause in the Maritime region, taking into account the education, religious training, financial status, gender and ancestral origin of these men and women. Finally, a thorough statistical analysis of each constituency highlights the unique composition of each denomination’s membership. Taken together, these features inform the primary argument of the thesis, which is that significant transformations occurred in some of these religious bodies at the same time as large percentages of constituents became wealthier and more socially acceptable. These changes eventually facilitated the merger of the Methodist Church and the Free Christian Baptist Conference, the two oldest denominations, with national mainline religious bodies. This thesis contends that such unions may not have occurred had these groups not attained public recognition. Furthermore, in realising these achievements both of these denominations relinquished the more radical elements of their heritage, as well as much of the spiritual passion linked with it.

この研究は、三人の日本自由メスジスト教団指導者たち（柿原正次、河邊貞吉、土山鐵次）の宣教活動を辿り、一国家の市民であることと宗教共同体の一員であることとの接点を探求する。彼らはそれぞれ、日本人キリスト者が同胞へのキリスト教伝道者となり得ること、さらには同胞のみならずアメリカ人や中国人への伝道者にもなり得ることを証明しようとし、キリスト教を「西洋の」宗教ではなく、「日本の」宗教であると同時に国境を越えた宗教であると再定義を試みた。
Tracing the missionary activities of three Japanese Free Methodist leaders–Kakihara Masaji, Kawabe Teikichi, and Tsuchiyama Tetsuji–in three developing phases, this study explores these Japanese Free Methodists' attempts to make Christianity simultaneously "Japanese" and transnational, challenging assumptions that Christianity and Christian missionaries were "Western." It demonstrates how they skillfully navigated competing national and religious borders and how they shared their spiritual power with American and Chinese Christians. By pointing out the uncertain ground of national, cultural, and religious identity, this study suggests Christianity's possibilities and limitations as a way of bringing people together across boundaries of politics and nation.
博士(アメリカ研究)
Doctor of Philosophy in American Studies
同志社大学
Doshisha University

This study focusses on the missiological response of the Pamodzi Free Methodist Church to the plight of orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs), specifically girl children in the Kawama Township in the Republic of Zambia. The major question to answer was “How can the cultural and biblical heritage of hospitality help the church particularly the Pamodzi Free Methodist Church to respond to the problems of OVCs, particularly girl children as victims of urban problems?” The study discovered that forces such as poverty, HIV/AIDS, child abuse, family breakdown, cultural beliefs and practices as well as a lack of care from the extended family have contributed to the vulnerability of OVCs. It recommends that the members of God’s household should have a mandate to restore the dignity and identity of OVCs in a holistic manner by linking the biblical and traditional values of hospitality as well as to develop intervention measures in order to meet the felt needs of OVCs.
Christian Spirituality, Church History & Missiology
M. Th. (Missiology)

The environmental crisis and the poverty crisis, are among the major challenges the Church in Zambia is facing. In this work I argue that poverty and the ecological crises are interrelated. However, a major problem has been that many programmes carried on by the Churches or church-based organizations seem to focus on poverty alleviation not recognizing the linkage between poverty and the ecological crisis. For this reason, this study represents the situation of poverty in Zambia and indicates its links to the environmental crisis. The aim of this dissertation is to remind the Free Methodist Church in Zambia and the Church in Zambia in general, that as Christians we are mandated to respond to these social issues of poverty and ecological degradation. We have the theoretical and theological contributions necessary to address the above two challenges, if we are keen to transform and build up the community we are ministering to. What is needed is to put into practice our beliefs. I argue that unless adequate environmental awareness is carried out, and that Christians understand the relationship between poverty and the ecological crisis we will not manage to break the cycle of poverty in the community. The Church efforts to carry out environmental awareness based on biblical and theological foundation teachings are a unique contribution that Christians can offer to respond to the earth crisis as well as to contribute to poverty eradication.
Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004.

This dissertation is an assessment of the response of Ubunye Free Methodist Church (UFMC) of Pietermaritzburg to domestic violence in light of the mission of the church in the world as missio Dei. It was undertaken because of the suspicion that the response of this church deals with consequences of domestic violence, but leaves aside its origin and causes, thus providing an incomplete solution to deal with the complex problem. This suspicion was nurtured by my observation of what the church was doing and the knowledge of the theology of the missio Dei, one of the current understandings of the mission of the church in the world. With missio Dei, the church is understood as not having its mission as such but as participating in God’s mission. As the situation to which the church was responding relates to women’s oppression, the model of accomplishing God’s mission during oppression was drawn from the reaction of the prophets in the Old Testament and Jesus Christ in the New Testament to the injustice and the oppression in the community. With regard to this, prophets’ and Jesus’ approach displays four main elements: envisioning a just community, standing with the oppressed, caring for the oppressed, and challenging oppressive structures. Therefore, the question this study sought to answer was: to what extent does the response of UFMC to domestic violence embody the fullness of these elements taken as characterising missio Dei? Through empirical research, these four elements have been used as yardsticks to analyse the goal, strategies and activities comprised in the UFMC’s response. Finally, the study revealed that this response fulfils three conditions as follows: envisioning a just community, standing with the oppressed, and caring for the oppressed. It falls short in the area of challenging oppressive structures. From these results, some lessons have been drawn and have served as basis to suggest how this response can be improved so as to reflect the fullness of missio Dei.
Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.

The devastating consequences of the HIV and AIDS epidemic are endangering many lives and shaking weak economies of the Sub-Sahara Africa. The Church of Christ in Africa has decided to join hands with other players who are seeking appropriate responses to the epidemic. The Church has an important role of providing theological understanding upon which the response should be grounded. This study explores how the Free Methodist Church in the Democratic Republic of Congo could participate in the alleviation of suffering and loss due to the HIV epidemic in the region of Kivu. The eastern part of DRC, especially the Kivu region, has experienced a severe outbreak of HIV-related diseases as the aftermath of the six-year war (1996-2002) that has destroyed economic and medical infrastructures in the territory. The recent crisis is the result of rape, which was used as a cheap weapon of war and the impoverishment of the community due to political and economic instability in the area. This study therefore draws the attention of the Free Methodist Church to the urgent need of providing care to many poor people suffering from HIV-related diseases who are unable to access treatment or purchase medicines. It suggests that the doctrine of social holiness that has been the driving force behind the involvement of the Free Methodist Church in providing social services to poor community could be used as a theological framework for its intervention. The doctrine of social holiness is expressed in extending God's love and mercy to people who live in misery and marginalized, My argument is that, in the case of the Kivu region, the doctrine of social holiness could motivate the Free Methodist Church to meet the needs of those living with HIV and AIDS. As a matter of emergency the focus could be put on providing physical and spiritual care, and also care with justice. The doctrine of social holiness could be used to mobilize the community to provide care for the needy by sharing the theological insights about human sexuality, God's love, stewardship, acceptance of the other and restoring dignity to every person created in God's image. These theological themes could be integrated in formulating a theology of HIV that could become a tool in the hands of the Free Methodist church as it ministers to people living with HIV and AIDS in Kivu. This study advocates that, even though the response of the Free Methodist Church in responding to the HIV epidemic is still timid, there are enough potentialities in the doctrine of social holiness that could be re-examined and restated in order to meet the actual needs. The doctrine of social holiness requires that every believer who had received in his/her heart the love of God by faith may share this love with others, especially with the poor and marginalized. The misery and suffering of people living with HIV and AIDS in the Kivu region presents an opportunity to the Free Methodist Church in DRC to mobilize the community towards caring for the sick. The magnitude of the epidemic requires that the Free Methodist Church uses its theological foundation as a motivating factor in networking and lobbying other stakeholders in the region and externally so that those who are abandoned without care can find care and support.
Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007.

“The relationship between ministerial tenure and Identity development in local churches, in the Methodist Church of Southern Africa – Northern Free State and Lesotho District.” This thesis was born from my experience of two local churches I was serving simultaneously in Riebeeckstad and Odendaalsrus. After a year of being their minister I began to reflect on my experience in their midst especially because I had begun to recognize that they treated me, as their minister, very differently. Amongst other things I discovered that they had experienced vastly different clergy tenure over an extended period of time. The journey these reflections began, along with my passion for the local church, has led to this dissertation which investigates the relationship between clergy tenure and the development of Congregational identity in local churches. Strong and healthy local churches have a clearly defined and understood congregational identity that overcomes uncertainty, builds unity, provides guidelines and direction, and increases member participation, excitement and energy. This sense of knowing “who we are” and “why we are” generates great momentum and focus in the local church which translates into participation with the Triune God in making the Kingdom of God a reality. For this to happen, strong and capable leadership is required. But, more than that, building up a Local Church to participate in the work of God's Kingdom requires continuity in the leadership of the local church. Long-term clergy tenure over an extended period is a vital part of leading a local church into a fuller participation with the Triune God in making the Kingdom of God a reality. Sadly, the importance of long-term clergy tenure is not always recognized and the result is that not only the local church suffers, but ultimately, the work of the Kingdom of God struggles. As we consider this absolutely vital aspect of Building up the Local Church I hope that local church leaders are encouraged to think long-term and strive for continuity in clergy and lay leadership. It is my hope and prayer that greater numbers of my colleagues will recognize that their call to serve God and His Kingdom in pastoral leadership requires long-term tenure. Soli Deo Gloria. AFRIKAANS : “Die verhouding tussen die predikant se dienstermyn en die Identiteits ontwikkeling in plaaslike gemeentes in die Metodiste Kerk van Suidelike Afrika – Noordelike Vrystaat en Lesotho Distrik”. Hierdie verhandeling is gebore uit my ervaring van twee plaaslike gemeentes waar ek gedien het ter seldetyd in Riebeeckstad en Odendaalsrus. Na 'n jaar van bediening het ek begin nadink oor my ervaring by hierdie gemeentes deurdat hulle my as predikant, 'anders' behandel het. Onder andere het ek uitgevind dat hulle uiteenlopende ervarings gehad het van die dienstermyne van hul predikante oor 'n lang tydperk. Tesame met my voorliefde vir die plaaslike gemeente, het hierdie reistog begin waardeur ek die verhouding tussen die dienstermyn van die predikant en die ontwikkeling van Gemeentelike Identiteit in plaaslike gemeentes ondersoek het. Sterk en gesonde plaaslike gemeentes het 'n duidelik gedefineerde identiteit wat onder andere onsekerheid oorkom, eenheid bou, riglyne verskaf en rigting hou, ledetal verhoog; energie ontwikkel en entoesiasme bevorder. Hierdie kennis van “wie ons is” en “waarom ons bestaan” ontwikkel groot dryfkrag en fokus in the plaaslike gemeente wat vertolk word deur die meelewing saam met die Drie-Enige God in die werklikmaking van die Koninkryk van God. Sterk leierskap is nodig om hierdie ideaal 'n werklikheid te maak, maar selfs belangriker as dit, is die ononderbrokenheid van die dienstermyn van die leierskap van die plaaslike gemeente. 'n Verlengde dienstermyn is 'n kardinale aspek in die opbou van plaaslike gemeentes se volgehoue betrokkenheid om die Koninkryk van die Drie-Enige God 'n werklikheid te maak. Ongelukkig word die voordele van verlengde dienstermyn van 'n predikant misken en die plaaslike gemeente ly verlies, buiten dat die Koninkryk van God ook verlies ly. Terwyl ons nou die voordele van verlengede dienstermyn van die predikant bedink, hoop ek dat plaaslike gemeente-leiers aangemoedig sal word om dit te oorweeg om aaneenlopende dienstermyn van predikante en ander lidmaat leierskap te implementeer. Dit is my gebed en hoop dat 'n groot meerderheid van my kollegas sal besef dat verlengde termyn dienslewering vir God en Sy Konikryk 'n noodsaaklikheid is. Soli Deo Gloria Copyright
Dissertation (MA(Theol))--University of Pretoria, 2012.
Practical Theology
unrestricted

This dissertation develops an exit strategy for missions, drawing upon the experience of the Wesleyan Church in Africa. This is approached in four sections: a literature review, a summary of Wesleyan mission work in Africa, a model for mission work that has been developed within the Wesleyan Church, and applications of the model. The model proposes five stages through which the work of missions progresses: the development of converts, disciples, pastors, leaders and partners. The fourth chapter includes a discussion of related models: the Three Eras of Missions and the Two Types of Missions. At the completion of the 5 Stages of Missions the establishment of a mature national church, fully engaged in international missions and international church leadership, has been achieved. This dissertation concludes that final departure may not be necessary for all missionaries. However, complete handover of leadership is essential.
Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology
M.Th.

This study will explore and investigate the response of the Free Methodist Church of Southern Africa (FMCSA) to HIV and AIDS in the Southern KwaZulu-Natal region. It will also reflect on how the Wesleyan Healthcare Response (WHCR) can be used as an inspiration for this Church to fulfil its mission in engaging with HIV and AIDS from a gender-sensitive perspective. With reference to the knowledge that religions possess assets for addressing HIV and AIDS and gender inequality, the study argues that the FMCSA possess the necessary resource to address these interconnected challenges which it is not profitably employing currently. This resource is the theological and practical healthcare response developed by the founder of Methodism, John Wesley, during his lifetime. Using the missio Dei theory to explain the mission of the church in the world, and considering Jesus‘ healing ministry as patterns of the missio Dei‘s materialisation in times of health crises, the study suggests that the FMCSA as a Christian church is expected to respond to HIV and AIDS, a contemporary health crisis in South Africa. The study also hypothesises that Wesley‘s healthcare response is a legacy to the Free Methodists that the FMCSA can appropriate as an effective asset to fulfil missio Dei in time of HIV and AIDS and its gendered nature in the South African context. Therefore, the question responded to in this study is: how can the Wesleyan Healthcare Response inspire the FMCSA to respond to the HIV and AIDS pandemic from a gender-sensitive perspective? The following objectives were formulated in order to respond to this question: 1. to explore the discursive account of HIV and AIDS and its gendered nature in South Africa and the response of the FMCSA; 2. to critically reflect on WHCR as FMCSA‘s potential resource for missio Dei's fulfilment in time of HIV and AIDS; 3. to examine the attitude and concrete response to HIV and AIDS pandemic in the Free Methodist Southern KwaZulu-Natal (FMSKZN); 4. to assess the extent to which WHCR has been used as a resource for addressing HIV and AIDS by the Free Methodist Southern KwaZulu-Natal; 5. to suggest insights to make WHCR a resource to respond to HIV and AIDS within the Southern KwaZulu-Natal context. The data for the study was collected using empirical and non-empirical research methods. Therefore, in addition to the written sources, individual interviews with selected church leaders and caregivers and focus group discussions with ordinary adult and youth church members in five circuits of the FMSKZN were conducted. In examining the attitudes and concrete responses to HIV and AIDS in the FMSKZN, the study realised that this Church failed to learn from WHCR in order to fulfil missio Dei during this pandemic in terms of gender issues. It therefore postulates insights from WHCR that will help fill the gaps identified in the response of this Church to HIV and AIDS and its gendered nature.
Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.

This dissertation reflects on the growing social problem of housing in South Africa, and reviews the contribution that Christians should make to address the issue. One basic assumption is that the Church as God's agent has a role to play in issues affecting the wider society. Drawing on the social teaching and pastoral care in the Wesleyan tradition, the Ubunye Free Methodist Church in Pietermaritzburg is dedicated to offer housing services to the poor including survivors of domestic violence, through the Ubunye Cooperative Housing initiative. The dissertation builds on the vision of Wesley and in dialogue with Paulo Freire, argues that 'humanization' is the key goal of Christian social witness. This dissertation then explores to what extent the Ubunye Free Methodist Church promotes humanization and what humanization means in the practice and implementation of housing policy. The research has unveiled that residents' training and participation in the running of the Ubunye Cooperative Housing initiative are some of the key issues, which need more attention in an attempt to bring about change.
Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004.