Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Kerak'

Archaeological studies of ethnicity and identity have gained increasing momentum in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. This thesis is a critical examination of differing approaches to the interpretation of material culture in the detection of sociocultural identities. Theorisation in this field has often occurred in lieu of developing practical frameworks of analysis that are applicable to the material record. The lack of clarity arising from recurrent use of subjective concepts such as „ethnic identity‟ and „archaeological subject‟ without adequately defining these terms further hinders such studies. Instead, transparency and holism are paramount in considering archaeological identities due to the influential nature of the contexts in which the researcher and research subject are situated. This approach is particularly pertinent in the study of Khirbet Kerak Ware, a handmade and highly burnished red/ black ceramic occurring in a core morphological range in the Early Bronze III Southern Levant. Khirbet Kerak Ware differs in typology, decoration and manufacturing technique from other Southern Levantine pottery and does not demonstrate ceramic development in this region, indicating its foreign nature. Accordingly, trade, diffusion and migration have been proposed as possible mechanisms for the dissemination of Khirbet Kerak Ware. In particular, strong parallels have been noted between Khirbet Kerak Ware and the Kura-Araxes cultural complex of Anatolia and the Transcaucasus. This thesis provides insight into the Khirbet Kerak Ware phenomenon by investigating its origins and role within Southern Levantine society in a situational approach that aims to overcome many of the shortcomings of previous studies into archaeological ethnicity.

This archaeobotanical analysis was carried out as part of the Khirbet Faris project: a multi- disciplinary archaeological study of a rural village on the Kerak plateau with a chronology dating from the Bronze Age to Ottoman period. It has contributed to the debate surrounding settlement, economic continuity and change and the influence of Islamic expansion on agricultural practices in this environmentally and politically marginal location. An ethnoarchaeological analysis, FIBS (Functional Interpretation of Botanical studies), was carried out to aid the interpretation of crop management practices from archaeobotanical remains. Results of the analysis have indicated general continuity in agricultural activity from the Byzantine to early Ottoman periods: Free threshing wheats, barley, pulses, fig, olive and vine were all cultivated throughout this period. The samples were rich and of mixed origin, and typically dominated by cereal grain and chaff (mostly cleaned barley and wheat grain and chaff). Settled farmers seem to have adopted a mixed economy, utilising a range of crops together with animal herds. Crop residues were used to feed herds and the dung used as fuel, to varying degrees across the site, throughout the Islamic period. Contrary to Watson's (1983) belief that free-threshing wheats were introduced at the time of Islamic expansion, as part of a wider agricultural revolution, these crops seem to have been cultivated from at least the Byzantine period. Signs of agricultural change appear from the 13th century A. D. New, `exotic' crops: cotton, sorghum, watermelon, pistachio and citrus fruit. Analogy with FIBS evidence suggests irrigation may have been introduced at this time. These `introductions' appear first in the mid-Islamic period, not at the advent of Islamic expansion as Watson describes, perhaps due to the marginal location of Kerak. It is questionable whether these `exotic' crops were cultivated or imported as they are present at a low frequency in the samples. Irrigation evidence comes from the weeds of winter cereal crops so there is no direct evidence for the irrigation of `exotic' summer crops. It is, therefore, uncertain to what extent these introductions affected the local landscape and economy. The success of the FIBS analysis in aiding interpretation of the archaeobotanical assemblage, in terms of crop management practices, is encouraging for future archaeobotanical research.

This study focuses on the environmental impact assessment of trace elements concentrations in spent shale, which is the main residual besides gas and steam from the utilization of oil shale. The study area El-Lajjun covers 28 km2, located in the centre of Jordan approximately 110 km south of Amman. It belongs mainly to the Wadi Mujib catchment and is considered to be one of the most important catchments in Jordan. The Wadi El-Lajjun catchment area (370 km2) consists of two main aquifer systems: The intermediate aquifer (Amman Wadi As Sir Aquifer or B2/A7) and the deep sandstone aquifer (Kurnub/Ram Group Aquifer). The B2/A7 aquifer (Upper Cretaceous) is considered as the main source of fresh water in Jordan. El-Lajjun oil shale was deposited in a sedimentary basin and comprises massive beds of brown-black, kerogen-rich, bituminous chalky marl. The oil shale was deposited in shallow marine environment. It is by definition a sedimentary rock containing organic material in the rock matrix. The shale oil extraction is an industrial process to decompose oil shale and to convert the kerogen into shale oil by hydrogenation, pyrolysis or by a thermal dissolution. Several classifications of extraction technologies are known; the classification with respect to the location where the extraction takes place distinguishes between off-site, on-site, and in situ. The oil shale utilization may have serious repercussions on the surrounding environment if these issues are not investigated and evaluated carefully. Ten representative oil shale rock samples with a total weight about 20 kg were collected from different localities of oil shale exposures in the study area. A standardized laboratory Fischer Assay test was performed with the samples to determine oil shale characteristics and to obtain spent shale, which was used in this study for further investigations. Sequential extraction was used to evaluate the changes in the mobility and distribution of the trace elements: Ti, V Cr, Co, Zn, As Zr, Cd, Pb and U. Column leaching experiments were performed to simulate the leaching behavior of the above elements from oil shale and spent shale to evaluate the possible influence on the groundwater in the study area. The concentrations in the leachate were below the maximum contaminant levels of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for drinking water and the Jordanian standards for drinking water. An immobilization method by using Kaolin was applied to reduce the mobilization and bioavailability of the trace elements fraction that are contained in the spent shale. Immobilization was evaluated as a function of liquid-solid ratio (solid-liquid partitioning) and as a function of pH. A comparison between the results obtained from column leaching experiments and the results that were obtained from immobilization for the oil shale and spent shale samples indicated that the immobilization reduced the mobility of the trace element except for Ti, V, and Cr. However, even the concentrations of these elements were lower than the maximum acceptable limits of the Jordanian Standard Specifications for waste water. The catchment of the study area (Wadi El-Lajjun catchment) is ungauged. Therefore, the soil conservation service (SCS) runoff curve number method was used for predicting direct runoff from rainfall. The results obtained showed that the infiltration of water is very small (approximately 0.6 cm/year) and rarely can´t reach the groundwater through the oil shale beds. Thus, a contamination of groundwater is unlikely under normal conditions. DRASTIC was used to assess groundwater vulnerability for the B2/A7 aquifer with respect to pollution by oil shale utilization. The aquifer vulnerability map shows that the area is divided into three zones: low (risk index 10-100; intermediate (risk index 101–140) and high groundwater vulnerability (risk index 141-200). The high risk areas are small and mainly located in the northeastern corner of the El-Lajjun graben, where the hydraulic conductivity is relatively high and rocks are highly fractured and faulted. The water table of the deep sandstone aquifer (Kurnub/Ram group) in the El-Lajjun area is relatively deep. At least two geological formations above the Kurnub aquifer are aquitards and protect the deep aquifer. However, the area is highly fractured and thus there is a certain possibility for contact with surface pollutants. Finally, further research with respect to trace elements including REE elements and isotopes in the intermediate and deep sandstone aquifers are highly recommended. Isotopic signatures will be very helpful to investigate to which extend hydraulic connections between the aquifers exist. Further and in particular mineralogical studies on the spent shale and the possibilities for industrial utilization are recommended because huge quantities of spent shale are expected. Because most oil shale extraction technologies especially the power generation require considerable amounts of water detailed studies on water supply for the oil shale treatment have to be performed.

Sleep scoring is a diagnosis tool used for medical research. Using electroencefalography (EEG) a researcher observes the electrical activity in the brain and classifies the EEG into different stages. The goal of this project is to develop a tool for automatic classification of sleep data from rodents, one of the most common test subjects in modern medical research. EEG data from AstraZeneca is used to train a neural network, developed with Keras. Some augmentation of the data is done to increase the accuracy. The data is classified into different sleep stages with 91% accuracy.

Sleep scoring is a diagnosis tool used for medical research. Using electroencefalography (EEG) a researcher observes the electrical activity in the brain and classifies the EEG into different stages. The goal of this project is to develop a tool for automatic classification of sleep data from rodents, one of the most common test subjects in modern medical research. EEG data from AstraZeneca is used to train a neural network, developed with Keras. Some augmentation of the data is done to increase the accuracy. The data is classified into different sleep stages with 91% accuracy.
Sömnklassifiering är ett verktyg för att diagnostistera sömn. Det används vid medicinsk forskning. Genom elektroencefalografi (EEG) observerar en forskare den elektriska aktiviteten i hjärnan och klassifierar sen EEG:n i olika stadier, i detta fall vaken, REM och NREM. Projektets mål är att utveckla ett verktyg för automatisk klassifiering av sömndata från råttor, ett av de vanligaste försöksdjuren i modern medicinsk forskning. EEG-data från Astra Zeneca används för att träna ett neural nätverk som utvecklats i Keras. Viss augmentering av datan görs för att öka träffsäkerheten. Datan klassifieras i de tre stadierna med 91% träffsäkerhet.

Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2002
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this study is to determine if the current church order (section 67, 1998) of the Dutch Reformed Church meet the needs of the changing multireligious society in South Africa. Education has always been an instrument to guide and teach people. The Bible is clear about the important role of teaching and education of young people. It is therefore imperative for the Church to have clear guidelines about its role in providing Christian education and religious studies in schools. From the earliest days the Reformed Churches have been involved in education and had described the relationship between the Church and Education in its church orders. The comparatives research is reflected in this study. The implications of the constitutional principles dealing with "Freedom of Religion" within a multi-religious society are explored. A model for religious education is recommended. Within the constitutional provision for "freedom of association" parents have the right to choose in which religion their children be educated. It is suggested that the State should only provide the infrastructure for the education, whereas the different religious communities should have the freedom to determine the content of religious studies. No religious community should have preference/advantage over the other. There are four main roleplayers in the education arena, namely the State as infrastructure provider, the teachers as facilitators of the educational process, the Church as the proclaimer of the Word, and the parents as the primary decisionmakers and educators. In accordance with the new Constitution each roleplayer should have the freedom to express their unique input in the educational process. For the Dutch Reformed Church the ultimate authority lies in the Word of God. Therefore the implications of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights must be tested in the light of the Word of God. If there is not sufficient opportunity to proclaim the Word of God in public. schools, the Church will be obliged to assist their members to establish independent Christian schools. In the light of the changing multi-cultured and relious society, suggestions for the reformulation of church order section 67, 1998, are made.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie fokus op die vraag of die huidige Kerkordelike bewoording wat die verhouding tussen Kerk en Onderwys beskryf (Kerkorde artikel 67, 1998) aan die vereistes van die tyd voldoen. Die onderwys was nog altyd 'n instrument waarmee menselewens grootliks beinvloed is. 'n Kerk wat nie daarmee rekening hou nie, bewys 'n onguns aan die samelewing, en aan die Koninkryk van God. Daar word heelwat in die Skrif gepraat oor die verantwoordelikheid van opvoeding en onderwys teenoor jongmense. 'n Kerkordelike vergestalting van Skriftuurlike konfessionele en teologiese uitgangspunte aangaande die jeug se opvoeding kan 'n bate wees in die debat oor die verhouding tussen die Kerk en Onderwys. Vir die Kerk as draer van die Woord, bepaalde waardes, etos en norme is dit belangrik om 'n spesifieke kerkorde artikel te he wat riglyne vir godsdiensonderrig en Christelike onderwys in skole bied. In die studie word aangetoon dat die Gereformeerde kerke van die vroegste tye af sterk uitsprake oor die onderwys gemaak het, en dit ook kerkordelik verwoord het. Die grondwetlike beginsel van "Vryheid van Godsdiens" binne 'n multigodsdienstige samelewing soos Suid-Afrika word ook ondersoek. Die slotsom waartoe gekom word, is dat daar in 'n diverse samelewing soos Suid-Afrika 'n veelkantige model van godsdiensonderrig ingestel behoort te word. Die grondwet maak voorsiening vir religieuse studies, maar ook vir die dogmatiese bestudering en beoefening van godsdiens in staatsondersteunde opvoedingsinstansies. Binne die "reg van vrye assosiasie" kan ouers self kies in watter godsdiens sy kind onderrig mag ontvang. Die staat behoort alleenlik die ruimte/geleentheid in staatskole te skep vir sy burgers om in vryheid godsdiens te mag beoefen. Die inhoud en wyse van aanbieding behoort aan die verskillende godsdienstige gemeenskappe oorgelaat te word. Omdat dit die Kerk se taak is om die Woord te verkondig, behoort die kerk te bepaal wat die kurrikulum van godsdiensonderrig is, en watter dogmas/waarheid verkondig moet word. In 'n sekere sin is dit 'n terugkeer na die ou gereformeerde tradisie van die sestiende eeu toe die kategetiese dogmatiese beginsels van die kerk in dagskole geleer is. Die verskil h§ egter daarin dat een godsdiens nie vandag bevoordeel word bo die ander nie, maar dat daar ruimte gemaak word vir aile godsdienste onder die "Vryheid van Godsdiens" beginsel in die grandwet van Suid-Afrika. Die rol van die Staat as ruimte-skepper vir die onderwys, die opvoedkundiges as die fasiliteerders van die onderwysgebeure, die kerk as Woordverkondiger en die ouers as prirnere opvoeders en besluitnemers lewer elkeen In unieke bydrae om die leerder op te voed in sy totale menswees. Die interpretasie van "Vryheid van Godsdiens" in die grondwet mag nie daartoe lei dat bogenoemde vier rolspelers se bydrae op enige manier aan bande gele word nie, maar moet juis aan hulle oorgelaat word. Die insette van elke ralspeler in die onderwysgebeure moet erken en gerespekteer word. Die uitdaging Ie in die hantering en bestuur van In diverse samelewing in een gemeenskaplike opvoedings- of skoolstelsel. As elkeen se rol en bydrae gesamentlik en afsonderlik helder qedefineer word, kan dit net tot voordeel van die religieuse ontwikkeling van die leerders wees. Die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk buig aileen onder die gesag van Jesus Christus as die Hoof van die Kerk en Koninkryk. Die Bybel is deurslaggewend in sy lewens- en wereldsbeskouinq. Daaram behoort die implikasies van die "Grandwet van Suid-Afrika" en die "Handves van Menseregte" altyd getoets en geweeg te word in die lig van die Woord. Indien dit sou blyk dat daar nie voldoende ruimte vir Christelike opvoeding en onderwys by staatskole bestaan nie, sal dit die kerk noodsaak om sy lidmate by te staan om eie "Christelike skole" op te rig. Op hierdie wyse bly die Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk getrau aan sy tradisie om In belydende standpunt jeens opvoeding en onderwys te handhaaf. Riglyne word gegee vir die daarstelling van In moontlike hergeformuleerde kerkorde. Sodoende word die kerk en skool se verhouding binne die multireligieuse samelewing nuut beskryf in die lig van die Woord.

Magister Artium (Psychology) - MA(Psych)
The aim of the present study was to determine whether church involvement can be conceptualized as a function of both organizational and personal factors. For the purposes of this study the psychosocial climate of the church served as an organizational factor while religious attitudes served as personal factors. A further aim of the study was to determine to what extent the church can be seen as a support system that serves as a buffer against stressors. Subjects consisted of 214 congregation members of 10 different churches that were spread out over the areas of Bellville-South, Kuilsriver and Belhar in the Cape Peninsula. Subjects completed five questionnaires: the Church climate scale (CCS), the Involvement in the church scale (ICS), the Survey of religious attitudes (SRA), a psychological well-being questionaire (RIF) and a biographical questionnaire. The relationship between the different variables were determined by means of product moment correlations, stepwise multiple regression and Chi-square analyses. The analysis of the significance of the differences between more involved and less involved church members was performed by means of Rotelling's T2 statistic. It was found that, according to the psychometric measures applied: the dimensions of the psychosocial climate of the church plays a limited role in the prediction of church insignificance as a predictor of church involvement in the final multiple regression analysis which involved all independent variables simultaneously. Orthodox religious beliefs had a positive relationship with church involvement, while inner religious conflicts had a negative relationship with church involvement. there was no relationship between church involvement and psychological well-being. orthodoxy, income, normative clarity and educational qualifications were the only significant predictors of church involvement. more involved and less involved members differed significantly and the difference between the two groups can be attributed to orthodoxy of religious beliefs. Although the results of the main investigation did not fully confirm the researcher's expectations, the intercorrelations between the different variables produced a number of interesting findings. The Church climate scale produced the following significant correlations with the other variables: ( i) "Normative clarity" correlated negatively with the experience of inner religious conflicts as well as the experience of anxiety, depression and global psychological well-being. It however correlated positively with educational qualifications. Chi-square analyses further showed that married persons, received a high level church. compared to unmarried per the persons, of "normative clarity" within "Sense of community" correlated positively with the level of religious orthodoxy and negatively with the experience of anxiety. (iii)"Social concern correlated positively with the level of religious orthodoxy as well as with sex (men percieved a higher level of social concern within the church than women) . (iv) "Openness to change" correlated positively with the level of religious orthodoxy as well as with sex (men percieved a higher level of social concern within the church than women)

In the Dutch Reformed Church (NGK), as well as in other reformed churches, confirmation is an important mile stone in every person's life: It is when young people (or new members) can make a public (re) commitment to God. In this study, the researcher proposes a new way of thinking about confirmation as a liturgical transitional ritual (rite of passage). The research questions in the study are: o During which transitional life phase will confirmation be best suitable and meaningful? o What liturgical praxis theory and key points can be given to help a liturgist to make sense and present this liturgical ritual as transitional ritual? These research questions are approached by studying the question from different probes in the various chapters: a liturgical probe, a psychological and anthropological probe, a transitional (rites of passage) ritual probe, as well as an anthropological theological probe on faith formation. The researcher proposes a liturgy practice theory with key points to keep in mind when planning the liturgical ritual confirmation. In addition, she suggested that confirmation takes place during the transition phase to emerging adulthood. However, the reader will conclude from the different probes and summary of the study that there are more: more transitions, more life phases and more transitional rites and commitments that we can do in the DRC (as well as other reformed churches).
Dissertation (MTh)--University of Pretoria, 2018.
Die Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns
Practical Theology
MTh
Unrestricted

The focus of this study is on women's socialization in terms of their position in society and the church, and their roles in the marriage relationship. A brief historical overview is given of how the understanding of marriage and sexuality has developed, with a specific focus on marriage and marital roles in the Afrikaans cultural context and religious communities. The influence of the understanding of women’s place and role in marraige on the self-understanding of women, is demonstrated. Changes in the understanding of marriage and marital roles in contemporary postmodern context are explored. The changing context has caused a crisis in the modern institutional church, which has lost touch with the context in which people work and live. The crisis with regard to the institution of marriage specifically in the context of the Netherdutch Reformed Church of Africa is investigated by means of the 2008 work of Theuns Dreyer, “Die kerk , die huwelik en seks – ‘n morele krisis?” (The church, marriage and sex – a moral crisis?). He demonstrates how cultural traditions often influence the interpretation of biblical passages regarding marriage. Classical pastoral care models are examined for their transformative potential for women’s lives. Rosemary Radford Ruether ‘s eco-feminist family ethics is presented as an alternative to the ethics of hegemonic patriarchal heteronormative monogamous marriage. Because of the fact that patriarchal heteronormative ideology and theology determined (and often still determines) women's place and role in society and in marriage, the phenomena of patriarchy and hegemony are investigated. The place and role of women in biblical cultures are examined from a social-scientific perspective in order to determine the extent to which their lives were influenced by patriarchal hegemony. Finally it is demonstrated that the way in which this kind of power is exercised had and has a negative influence on the self-worth and self-esteem of women. This is one of the reasons why marriage can become a negative experience for women. Life story research was utilised in order to listen to the experiences of six women. Within life story research, the stories of people's lives are reopened, re-evaluated and retold. The social context of the person's life is important for understanding her experience. By means of life story research it becomes evident how the narrator understands her position within the social context. This study focused on women's understanding of marriage, the roles that are prescribed to them and the impact it has on their understanding of marriage and family relationships. The transformative pastoral model of Elaine Graham is applied to the results of the life story research. This demonstrates how practice can be transformed in order to correspond better with the purpose of the faith community, namely an authentic life before God for all people - including women and others who are marginalized on the basis of race, class, gender, age, sexual orientation, or any other such category.
Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2012.
Practical Theology
unrestricted

Die Evangeliese Lutherse Kerk se Kuns- en Handwerksentrum by Rorke's Drift wat op die grens van Natal en KwaZulu geleë is, is 'n unieke onderneming wat as opleidingsentrum en gemeenskapsprojek met hulle Afrika-geinspireerde handwerk bekendheid in Suid-Afrika en in die buiteland verwerf het. Die behoefte na die stigting van 'n sentrum in Suid-Afrika om plaaslike Afrika-kuns te bevorder het grootliks ontstaan as gevolg van die Swartman se veranderde omstandighede. 'n Jong Sweedse egpaar, Peder en Ulla Gowenius, is deur die Sweedse Komitee vir die Bevordering van Afrika-kuns en -handwerk in 1961 gewerf om in Suid-Afrika te kom werk. Die algemene oogmerke van die sentrum wat in 1962 op die geskiedkundige terrein van Rorke's Drift gevestig is, was om die artistieke erfenis van Afrika te bevorder en die Swartman se trots in hierdie erfenis te voed. Werksgeleenthede is geskep, afsetgebiede vir die handwerk is gevind en die lewensgehalte van die omgewing is verhef. Die handwerksentrum waar weefwerk, pottebakkery en gedrukte tekstiel deur Zoeloemense geproduseer word, vorm die spil waarom Rorke's Drift draai. Afrika-kuns reageer op sosiale en politieke omwentelinge wat plaasvind. Nuwe tipes kunstenaars vervul nuwe funksies en gee uitdrukking aan nuwe idees. Hedendaagse Afrika-kuns word vinnig ryker en meer veelsoortig. Die Rorke's Drift-sentrum wat daarna streef om 'n unieke erfenis relevant te hou, is 'n lofwaardige projek waarvan die vrugte ook deel van ons erfenis vorm.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church Art and Crafts Centre at Rorke's Drift which is situated on the border of Natal and Kwazulu, is a unique venture which has won a name for itself as a training centre and as a community project with African inspired crafts. The need for the establishment of a centre in South Africa to promote local African art was largely due to the Black man's changing circumstances. A young Swedish couple, Peder and Ulla Gowenius, were recruited by the Swedish Committee for the Advancement of African arts and crafts in 1961 to work in South Africa. The general objectives of the centre which was founded on the historical battle field of Rorke's Drift in 1962, were to nurture the artistic heritage of Africa and to stimulate the Black man's pride in this heritage. Opportunities for employment were created, outlets for crafts were found and the quality of life was improved. The crafts centre where weaving, pottery and printed textiles are produced, forms the pin of Rorke's Drift. African art reacts to social and political upheavals. A new breed of artist plays new roles and voices new ideas. Contemporary African art is becoming rich and varied. The centre at Rorke's Drift which is aspiring to keep a unique heritage relevant, is a commendable project. The fruits of their labour also form part of our heritage.
Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 1988.
Visual Arts
MA
Unrestricted

This study concluded that the Three Forms of Unity does not give the same meaning to the word “church” all the way through, since the word is used to describe both the visible and invisible sides of the church. When these different uses of the word “church” are left out of consideration in discussions concerning the church and only one of the two sides of the church is emphasised, it leads to the large degree of confusion and indistiction which these days is experienced in ecclesiastical debates. Before there can be any meaningful progress in these discussions, it is therefore necessary to establish which view of the Bible as well as concept of the church, is being taken as starting point of the discussion. Reformed academics have already done many studies concerning the Biblical usage of the word “church”. This study has taken the research a step further and shown that the use of the word “church” in the Three Forms of Unity agrees with the Biblical usage of the word. The Bible and the Three Forms of Unity mean, with the word “church”, both sides of the church of Christ. This church is on the one side invisible, seeing that is spans time and place and in doing so is the sum total of all the elect. On the other side, this church is made visible in a defined place and time and bears the stamp of its own time and culture in which it took its shape. Confusion arises when it is assumed that whatever the Bible and confessions state as indicative of the invisible church is necessarily indicative of the church`s visible side also. This is particularly valid, for example, in the doctrine concerning the attributes and characteristics of the church. This study has brought the old truths about the church from the Bible and confessions freshly to the fore in a time when very little attention is being paid to them. Yet it is precisely these truths concerning the concept of the church that can bring progress in ecclesiastical discussion. It was further demonstrated that the concept of the church held by the Afrikaans Protestant Churches stands on solid Biblical and confessional grounds.
Dissertation (MA (Research in Practical Theology))--University of Pretoria, 2007.
Practical Theology
MA
unrestricted

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study determines whether media reporting has any influence on members’ image formation processes of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC). The aim of this study was (a) to determine respondents’ attitudes towards the Church, (b) to determine respondents’ image of the Church, (c) to establish whether media reporting has any influence on members’ image formation of the DRC, and (d) to define such influence, if any. This study is based on the Integrated Communication Model for Image Formation and Projection (the IFP model) as theoretical foundation. The IFP model suggests that certain document design aspects, such as content, style, structure and graphics, may influence a company or organisation’s image. Following on the IFP model this study determined the effect that rhetorical content devices in media reports have on DRC members’ image of the Church. The rhetorical devices that were analysed are direct criticism, contrast, laden words, implication phenomena, sarcasm and insinuation. The study investigated how these rhetorical devices are employed to have a harmful effect on the image of the DRC. A total of 127 respondents, all of them DRC members, were selected from four congregations in the Boland region. The congregations are situated in Worcester (rural), Malmesbury (semi-rural), Paarl (semi-urban) and Durbanville (urban). Gender and age were incorporated as independent variables of this study. Members’ attitude and image with regard to the DRC and media reporting were determined by means of a questionnaire survey as primary methodology, while the possible influence of media reporting was established through a text analysis (rhetorical discourse analysis, or RDA) – another primary methodology. Professor Martin Kidd from Stellenbosch University’s Centre for Statistical Consultation prepared the statistical processing of the survey responses. The results are depicted by means of histograms and other statistical methods. The results show that members’ attitudes towards, and image of, the Church are less positive than what the Church may have hoped for: Members generally have a cautiously positive image of the Church. In addition, results indicate that media reporting does indeed influence the image formation processes of the DRC; that this influence is negative, and that it contributes to a less positive image of the Church.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie bepaal of mediaberiggewing enige invloed op die beeldvormingsprosesse van individue van die Nederduitse Gereformeerde (NG) Kerk het. Die doel van die ondersoek was (a) om respondente se houding teenoor die Kerk te bepaal, (b) om respondente se beeld van die NG Kerk te bepaal, (c) om vas te stel of mediaberiggewing enige invloed op lidmate se beeldvormingsprosesse van die NG Kerk het, en (d) om sodanige invloed, indien enige, te omskryf. Die Geïntegreerde Kommunikasiemodel vir Beeldvorming en -projeksie, oftewel die IFPmodel (“Integrated Communication Model for Image Formation and Projection”), is die teoretiese model waarbinne die studie uitgevoer sal word. Die IFP-model beweer dat sekere dokumentontwerpaspekte, soos inhoud, styl, struktuur en grafika, ʼn instansie se beeld kan beïnvloed. Na aanleiding hiervan het dié studie dus die uitwerking van inhoudelike retoriese meganismes in mediaberigte op NG Kerk-lidmate se beeld van die Kerk bepaal. Die retoriese meganismes wat ontleed is, is direkte kritiek, kontras, gelade woorde, implikasieverskynsels, sarkasme en insinuasie. Daar is ondersoek ingestel na hoe hierdie retoriese meganismes aangewend word om die beeld van die NG Kerk negatief te beïnvloed. Altesaam 127 respondente, almal NG Kerk-lidmate, is uit vier gemeentes in die Bolandomgewing gekies. Die gemeentes is geleë in Worcester (platteland), Malmesbury (semiplatteland), in die Paarl (semistad) en Durbanville (stad). Geslag en ouderdom is as onafhanklike veranderlikes in aanmerking geneem. Lidmate se houding en beeld ten opsigte van die NG Kerk en mediaberiggewing is deur middel van ʼn vraelysondersoek as primêre metodologie bepaal, terwyl die moontlike invloed van die mediaberigte met behulp van ʼn teksanalise (retoriese diskoersanalise, of RDA) – nóg ʼn primêre metodologie – ontleed is. Prof Martin Kidd van die Universiteit Stellenbosch se Sentrum vir Statistiese Konsultasie het die vraelysantwoorde statisties verwerk. Die uitslag word met histogramme en ander statistiese metodes uitgebeeld. Die resultate toon dat lidmate se houding jeens, en beeld van, die Kerk minder positief is as wat die Kerk dalk hoop: Lidmate het in die algemeen ʼn versigtig positiewe beeld van die Kerk. Resultate suggereer voorts dat mediaberiggewing wél die beeldvormingsprosesse van die NG Kerk beïnvloed; dat sodanige invloed negatief is, en dat dit gevolglik tot ʼn minder positiewe beeld van die Kerk onder lidmate bydra.

In the forestry industry tree trunks are currently classified manually. The object of this thesis is to answer whether it is possible to automate this using modern computer hardware and image-classification of tree-trunks using machine learning algorithms. The report concludes, based on results from controlled experiments that it is possible to achieve an accuracy above 90% across the genuses Birch, Pine and Spruce with a classification-time per tree shorter than 500 milli seconds. The report further compares these results against previous research and concludes that better results are probable.

Apartheid had long been an everyday practice in South Africa when the NG Kerk threw its weight behind it during the third decade of the twentieth century. However, it did not take long before the church began playing a leading role in this respect. During the fourth and fifth decades many decisions and publications underscored the church's conviction that the policy of separate development was based on Scripture. The South African Government and the National Party Government, in particular, were certain of the co-operation of the NG Kerk not only in the establishment of this policy but also in the extension thereof to cover all the facets of social, economical and political life. Although the NG Kerk, on many occasions, reiterated that the policy should be implemented with justice and compassion, it was always clear that apartheid as a policy that was based on colour could only result in discrimination against, and injustice to, people of colour. This resulted in growing resistance by blacks, coloureds and Indians since the beginning of the century. The resistance increased rapidly after the National Party took over the government of the country in 1948 and proceeded to intensify this policy by applying it to all levels of the political and societal life. On March 21 1960 thousands of blacks marched to the police station in Sharpeville to protest against the pass laws. This resulted in the police killing 69 blacks and wounding 180 in a panic reaction which caused not only a worldwide wave of indignation and protest but also increased racial tension in South Africa. The World Council of Churches in conjunction with the local member churches immediately arranged the Cottesloe Conference to discuss possible solutions to the racial problems. The proposals of this conference which was held in December 1960 met with strong opposition from Government and were eventually completely smothered by the Church leadership. The proposals were unacceptable because they smacked too much of criticism of apartheid. Notwithstanding the strong political and ecclesiastical rejection of Cottesloe, a group of church leaders nevertheless decided to establish the publication Pro Veritate, and soon afterwards the Christian Institute of Southern Africa was founded in an effort to give scriptural witness in South Africa. Pro Veritate, which later served as the mouthpiece of the Christian Institute (CI) and the CI itself, were - since their inception - seen as contentious issues by both the NG Kerk and Government because of the challenge to apartheid. The church immediately instituted strong measures to suppress Pro Veritate and the Christian Institute initiatives. This was applauded from the political side, particularly in the Transvaal, where certain Afrikaans newspapers gave their full support to it. Decisions were taken by the Southern Transvaal Synod to discourage ministers from contributing to Pro Veri tate and to prevent them from becoming members of the CI. The CI leaders, in particular, had to be silenced. After the General Synod finally rejected the Christian Institute, a long and heart-rending history of church persecution of Naude as leader and Engelbrecht as theologian of the CI followed. It all took place within the boundaries of the Parkhurst parish, of which the Naude and Engelbrecht families were members. Parkhurst parish was part of the circuit of Johannesburg. Strong pressure was exerted on the church council of Parkhurst and the circuit of Johannesburg to censure these members in order to silence them. Disciplinary measures had to be employed to get rid of these voices against the policy of separateness. The church leadership played a prominent role in these efforts. In the intensity with which the campaign was waged in and through the circuit of Johannesburg and the Parkhurst parish, it became evident - as nowhere else - how strong the NG Kerk felt about apartheid. When eventually the Government investigated and banned the CI and confined Dr Naude to his home, the church silently acclaimed what was being done. After all, the NG Kerk had from the very beginning not differed from the Government with regard to the CI. The biblical protest of the CI against apartheid was, of necessity, also a protest against the close ties of the NG Kerk with the Government and National Party. With time, however, the CI also moved into a process of politicisation. Black power and black political aspirations became the major driving forces behind the CI. In the middle seventies it became increasingly clear that a strong relationship had developed between the CI and the African National Congress (ANC). The history of the CI ended in immense irony. This organisation which took its stand on Scripture and courageously warned against the support by the church of a political party and structural violence in serving apartheid, ended in close co-operation with the ANC as a political party which committed itself to the armed struggle to overthrow the Government. There was also the irony that in their struggle against the ali gnment of the NG Kerk wi th the political theology to the right, the CI and its director aligned themselves to a South African version of the theology of liberation - a political theology to the left in which the Gospel of Jesus Christ is struck in the heart. And just as the NG Kerk in its political alignment remained silent about the violence of apartheid - so the CI eventually became silent about the violence of the political party in its struggle against apartheid.

Thesis (MTh (Practical Theology and Missiology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: “First, the church isn’t ours; it’s God’s. And second, it isn’t ours; it’s us” (McLaren 2000:7). Wat ook al van die Kerk gesê word, hoe ons as Kerk funksioneer en leef – dit moet altyd gedoen word met hierdie woorde van McLaren in gedagte. Die gesindheid waarmee ons na mekaar kyk en met mekaar verskil is juis dit wat vertel van ons volwassenheid in Christus. “Die kriterium waarmee julle oordeel, sal ook vir julle self gebruik word” (Matteus 7:2)1. Gelowiges vanuit verskillende kerklike agtergronde, met verskillende dogmatiese tradisies en oortuigings, aanbid en dien die Here saam in 'n geloofsgemeenskap sonder enige teologiese spanning. Terwyl daar ruimte gebied word vir verskeie denkrigtings en elkeen se eie pad met God gebied word, gaan dit vir elke gelowige om 'n verhouding met God deur Jesus Christus en die leiding van die Heilige Gees. Verder gaan dit oor verhoudings tussen medegelowiges en 'n missionale praksis2 in die gemeenskap. Volgens Barna verlaat miljoene gelowiges die denominasies en tradisionele gemeentes (2005:11) omdat hulle gefrustreerd geraak het met die beheer binne die onbuigbare mensgemaakte strukture, sisteme en tradisies. Die bedanking van 'n paar honderd gelowiges vanuit die hoofstroom denominasies, net in George alleen, waaronder daar 'n hele aantal voltydse werkers, kerkraadslede en aktiewe lidmate is, maak dit nodig dat die tradisionele manier van kerkwees heroorweeg word. Die Kerk 24/7-beweging wat ontstaan het rondom predikante met Pinkster en Gereformeerde agtergronde, bied 'n geloofsgemeenskap vir dié wat saam met Barna se miljoene, die denominasies verlaat het. Die Beweging besef dat dit deel is van 'n postmoderne omgewing waarin die Kerk besig is om te verander. Hierdie beweging is deel van die Ontluikende Kerk as fenomeen en nie as 'n organisasie wat deur sekere “emergants” of enige iemand anders gelei word nie. Hierdie studie beskryf die Ontluikende Kerk soos veral deur die oë van Barna, Gibbs & Bolger, en McLaren gesien. Dit omskryf ook die ondervindinge en betrokkenheid van veral drie predikante, Breedt, Badenhorst en Potgieter wat saam met ander gelowiges op soek is na God se wil vir die Kerk in 'n postmoderne omgewing. Gedurende die bestaan van drie en 'n half jaar het nog agt ander predikante en voltydse werkers vanuit die Charismatiese, Pinkster en Gereformeerde agtergronde betrokke geraak en is deel van die vorming van die huidige bedieningspraktyk van die Kerk 24/7-beweging. Die antwoorde van die respondente werp meer lig op die redes waarom die betrokke gelowiges hul denominasies en gemeentes verlaat het om hulle saam met ander wat dieselfde oortuigings deel, te “fellowship” en die Here dan so te dien. Hierdie kwalitatiewe studie is die navorser se bydrae om die siening en belewenis van die postmoderne Christen se kerklike ervarings binne sy leefwêreld te beskryf. Die ontstaan van die Kerk 24/7-beweging is volgens die navorser 'n antwoord op die behoefte van talle gelowiges om die Here buite die tradisionele kerkstrukture en sisteme te dien.
ABSTRACT: “First, the church isn’t ours; it’s God’s. And second, it isn’t ours; it’s us” (McLaren 2000:7). Whatever is said about the Church, how we function as the Body of Christ and how we approach the future, must always be done with McLaren’s quote in mind. The attitude with which we differ from each other, will always point to our maturity in Christ. “For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you” (Matthew 7:2). Believers from different spiritual backgrounds and convictions fellowship together in a faith community without any theological tension. While the focus is on a relationship with God through the Holy Spirit, each person is allowed to minister as he or she feels led by the Holy Spirit. What is very important, is the relationship amongst fellow believers and a missional praxis within the community. According to Barna, millions of believers leave the denominations and traditional congregations because of the control within the human-made systems and structures. In George alone a few hundred believers, of which quite a number were full-time workers, left the mainstream denominations in the past four years. This definitely calls for a reconsidering of the traditional way of doing church. The Church 24/7 movement, which was started by pastors from Pentecostal and Reformed backgrounds, offers a faith community to those who left their congregations just as Barna’s millions. The Movement realizes that it finds itself in a postmodern environment where the church is constantly changing. The Church 24/7 movement forms part of the Emerging Church as phenomenon and is not an organization led by the emergants like Brian McLaren or any other leader. This study describes the Emerging Church as chiefly seen through the eyes of Barna, Gibbs & Bolger and McLaren. It also emphasizes the experiences and involvement of Breedt, Badenhorst and Potgieter who started the Movement together with fellow believers. During the past three and a half years, eight other Ministers and full-time workers from the Charismatic, Pentecostal and Reformed backgrounds became part of the exciting development of this ministry which day by day unfolds through the Holy Spirit’s inspiration. The answers given by the respondents help us to understand why believers left their traditional congregations to spontaneously get involved with this new way of thinking about God’s Church. This qualitative study is the contribution of the researcher to describe the experience and perception the postmodern Christian have of church life within this world. According to the researcher the rise of the Church 24/7 movement is an answer to the believers who long to serve God without the traditional church structures and systems.

In order to develop a stable strain of Bacillus megaterium for Keratinase production, the Keratinase gene (KerA) of Bacillus lichiniformis ATCC 53757 and SPlipA gene from plasmid pHIS1525.SPlipA (Bacillus megaterium origin) were PCR amplified and constructed to give a gene cassette called SPK . Then the gene cassette SPK was cloned into the Integration vector, pMUTIN-GFP+ 6192bps and transformed in Bacillus megaterium ATCC 14945. The chromosomal integration was created using homologous single crossing over mechanism. The strong natural promoter from the chromosomal locus of the SPK not only produced the increased extracellular enzyme, but also functions as a non inducible promoter which does not require any inducer for the production of the enzyme in the new integrant strain. The integrant strain was subjected to feather degradation test and found that it could totally digest the feather meal in complete seven days, resulting in a rich fermentation broth.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: As minister in the congregation over the past fourteen years, the researcher is affected by mainly two popular trends in the spirituality of the church. On the one hand there is a trend where the observed expression of faith is characterised by an overriding emphasis on personal salvation. This spirituality allows the believer, especially in times of transition, an easy escape from the difficult and threatening context to a place where he/she, with particular emphasis on individual faith experiences, remain engaged in spiritual matters. The researcher calls it a spirituality of escapism. On the other hand, there is a trend where faith is declared and practiced from a rational perspective. This spirituality grabs, also especially in times of awkward transition, back to pure rational statement and traditionalism where believers find their security. The researcher calls it a spirituality of reductionism. Both escapism and reductionism are, according to the researcher, expressions of a dualistic spirituality which is not unique to the church or to the Dutch Reformed Church, but lies deep in the heart of the church in the Western world. These congregations are primarily busy with their own agendas and they are alienated from the community and society. The involvement with the need in the community and creation in both cases are not directly linked to the expression of faith. The researcher found the core of the reason for this deep-rooted dualism and individualism in the faith expression of the church in the way in which she understands the concept of salvation. The researcher takes his point of departure in the belief that there is a direct connection between the congregation's context, her understanding of salvation and her spirituality. The researcher found the reformed view of salvation especially helpful to offer a theological framework for an integrated spirituality, as is particularly found in missional theology. The researcher follows the four tasks of practical theological research of Richard Osmer (2008) in his endeavour to provide guidance to the congregation towards a more integrated spirituality.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: As leraar in die gemeente oor die afgelope veertien jaar is die navorser getref deur veral twee populêre tendense in die spiritualiteit van die gemeente. Enersyds is daar ’n tendens waargeneem waar die uitleef van geloof deur ’n oorheersende klem op persoonlike verlossing gekenmerk word. Hierdie spiritualiteit laat die gelowige, veral in tye van oorgang, maklik uit die moeilike en bedreigende konteks ontsnap na ’n plek waar hy/sy, veral met die klem op individuele geloofsbelewing, met geestelike sake besig bly. Die navorser noem dit ’n spiritualiteit van ontsnapping. Andersyds is daar ’n tendens waar geloof vanuit ’n rasionele raamwerk verklaar en uitgeleef word. Hierdie spiritualiteit gryp, eweneens in tye van ongemaklike oorgang, terug na suiwer rasionele verklaring en tradisionalisme vanwaar gelowiges hulle sekuriteit vind. Die navorser noem dit ’n spiritualiteit van reduksionisme. Beide ontsnapping en reduksionisme is, volgens die navorser, uitdrukkings van ’n dualistiese spiritualiteit wat nie uniek aan die gemeente of aan die NG Kerk is nie, maar diep in die wese van die kerk in die Westerse wêreld lê. Ten diepste is sulke gemeentes besig met hulle eie agendas en is hulle van die gemeenskap en samelewing vervreemd. Die betrokkenheid by die nood in die gemeenskap en die skepping is in albei gevalle nie direk met die uitleef van geloof verbind nie. Die navorser vind die kern van die rede vir hierdie diepgesetelde dualisme en individualisme in die geloofsbelewing van die kerk by die wyse waarop die konsep van verlossing verstaan word. Die navorser neem sy vertrekpunt by die oortuiging dat daar ’n direkte verband tussen die gemeente se konteks, haar verstaan van verlossing en haar spiritualiteit is. Die navorser vind die gereformeerde siening van verlossing behulpsaam om ’n teologiese raamwerk te bied vir ’n geïntegreerde spiritualiteit, soos dit veral in missionêre teologie beslag vind. Die navorser volg die vier take van prakties teologiese navorsing van Richard Osmer ten einde die gemeente op weg na ’n meer geïntegreerde spiritualiteit te begelei.

Versoening en navorsing oor versoening in Suid-Afrika is geen nuutjie nie. Die vraag ontstaan dus of dit na vyf-en-twintig jaar na demokrasie in Suid-Afrika nie tyd geword het om aan te beweeg nie? Ek, as navorser, voer aan dat dit júis nou die tyd is, ke nako, om na ‘n kwarteeu van demokrasie ‘n kritiese bestekopname van die versoenings- en transformasieproses in Suid-Afrika te maak. Die navorsing speel hoofsaaklik in twee sfere af wat geensins van mekaar geskei kan word nie, naamlik die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks en die kerklike konteks, met spesifieke verwysing na die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk (NG Kerk). In hierdie studie, het ek ‘n verkennende tog onderneem om sodoende die tipiese merkers waarmee die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks van kerk en samelewing oor die laaste vyf-en-twintig jaar uitgebeeld is, te verwoord. Daar is drie voorveronderstellings waarop hierdie studie gegrond is. Eerstens, ‘n diepe bewussyn van die steeds getraumatiseerde konteks waarbinne Suid-Afrikaners vir hulleself ‘n lewe moet maak, ‘n konteks wat steeds gekenmerk word deur rassespanning- en konflik. Tweedens, die vaardigheid van self-refleksie oor die nalentskap van die verlede, bedoelende die Apartheidsera, en Suid-Afrikaners se konkrete betrokkenheid in die hede en toekoms. Derdens, die formatiewe rol van die erediens en liturgie, waartydens die liturgie van die erediens en die liturgie van die lewe daadwerklik aan mekaar verbind word. Op grond van die bogenoemde voorveronderstellings rakende die formatiewe aard van die liturgie, word die sentrale navorsingsvraag van hierdie studie as volg geformuleer: Hoe kan die liturgie soos gevier binne die NG Kerk formatief meewerk om versoening in die harte van gelowiges te bevorder sodat dit sal impakteer op die huidige en toekomstige Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing? Die sentrale navorsingsvraag is ondersoek deur middel van ‘n interdissiplinêre literatuurstudie wat onderneem is. Vervolgens is die vraag ook verder ondersoek deur middel van empiriese navorsing, waartydens ek deur semigestruktureerde indiepteonderhoude gesprekke gevoer het met medenavorsers oor die betrokke tema. Die volgende aspekte is deur die loop van die studie onder die loep geneem: • Teoretiese en metodologiese begronding van die studie – in hierdie deel van die navorsing word daar op ‘n kontekstuele beskrywing en toepassing van die teorieë gefokus, modelle en metodes wat die teoretiese en metodologiese begronding vorm ten opsigte van ‘n ondersoek van liturgie en versoening in die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk: ‘n Liturgies-rituele benadering. • Suid-Afrika: Verlede, hede, toekoms – hier het ek ‘n verkenningstog van die Suid-Afrikaanse landskap onderneem, deur die lens van die South African Reconciliation Barometer, asook ‘n kerklike en teologiese lens om sodoende vas te stel presies hoe die landskap van versoening in Suid-Afrika in vyf-en-twintig jaar se tyd verander het en tog ook dieselfde gebly het. • Die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk: Viering van die erediens - ‘n kritiese bespreking van James K.A. Smith (2016, 2013, 2009) se Homo Liturgicus dien as ‘n moontlike vertrekpunt vir ‘n teologie en praktyk van die erediens soos dit gevier word in die NG Kerk, met die spesifieke fokus tot die bevordering van versoening binne die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks. • Empiriese navorsing – wat ‘n gedetailleerde bespreking van die navorsingsmetodologie insluit, asook die analise en interpretasie van die gegenereerde data. Die gevolgtrekking van die navorsing vind dan neerslag in ‘n praxisteorie wat dien as ‘n vertrekpunt vir ‘n liturgiese teologie in wording van versoening in die NG Kerk waardeur versoening in die Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing bevorder word.
English: Reconciliation and research regarding reconciliation in South Africa is not new. However, the question, regarding the necessity of continuing research on this topic, arises. After twenty-five years of democracy in South Africa, is it not time to move on? In this research, I hope to emphasize that the timing is nów just perfect, as it is necessary for a critical survey regarding the reconciliation and transformation process in South Africa. The research took place in two main spheres which cannot be separated from one another, namely the South African context and the church context, with specific reference to the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC). In this study, I undertook an exploratory quest to articulate the typical markers with which the South African context of church and society over the last twenty-five years, is portrayed. This study is grounded in the following three preconceptions. Firstly, consciousness of the still traumatised context within which South Africans must carve out a life for themselves, a context that is still characterised by racial tension and conflict. Secondly, the skill of self-reflection on the legacy of the past, meaning the era of Apartheid, and the concrete involvement of South Africans in the present and future. Thirdly, the formative role of the worship service and liturgy, during which the liturgy of the worship service and the liturgy of life are consciously connected to each other. Based on the above-mentioned preconceptions regarding the formative nature of the liturgy, the central research question of this study can be formulated as follows: How can the liturgy as it is celebrated within the DR Church formatively contribute to promote reconciliation in the hearts of believers so that it can impact on the current and future South African society? The central research question was investigated utulising an interdisciplinary literature study. Subsequently, the research question is also further investigated through means of empirical research during which I conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with fellow researchers on the theme. The following aspects were scrutinised in the study: • Theoretical and methodological foundation of the study – in this part of the research, focus was placed on a contextual description and application of the theories, models and methods which form the theoretical and methodological foundation with regards to an investigation of liturgy and reconciliation in the Dutch Reformed Church: a Liturgical-ritual approach. • South Africa: past, present and future – in this section I undertook an exploration of the South African landscape through the lens of the South African Reconciliation Barometer, as well as a church and theological lens in order to determine exactly how the landscape of reconciliation in South Africa over the past twenty-five years has changed but also remained the same. • The Dutch Reformed Church: Celebration of the worship service – a critical discussion of the Homo Liturgicus of James K.A. Smith (2016, 2013, 2009) served as a possible departure point for a theology and praxis for the worship service as it is celebrated in the DR Church, with specific focus on the promotion of reconciliation within the South African context. • Empirical research – which included a detailed discussion of the research methodology, as well as the analysis and interpretation of the generated data. The conclusion of the research is then grounded in a praxis theory as stepping stone for a liturgical theology in the DR Church that promotes reconciliation in the South African society.
Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2019.
Practical Theology
PhD
Unrestricted

Дипломна робота: 54 с., 1 рис., 3 табл., 2 додатки, 12 джерел. В роботі розглядається розробка та аналіз існуючих систем smart reply за допомогою алгоритмів машинного навчання. Об’єкт дослідження – агреговані анонімізовані повідомлення з чату користувачів Африканського маркетплейсу. Предмет дослідження – методи машинного, глибинного навчання та ембедингу: W2V, NLP, кластеризація, LSTM, RNN. Мета роботи – створити продукт, проаналізувати алгоритми необхідні для його створення. Метод дослідження – розгляд та аналіз методів машинного та глибокого машинного навчання. Проведений аналіз отриманих результатів, виконано порівняльний аналіз розглянутих методів машинного навчання. Шляхи подальшого розвитку предмету дослідження – збільшити кількість вхідних даних.
Diploma work: 54 p., 1 fig., 3 tabl., 2 appendixes, 12 sources. The theme: «Smart reply technology for e-commerce product using deep learning technology». The paper considers the development and analysis of existing systems of smart reply using machine learning algorithms. The object of study – aggregated anonymous messages from the African Marketplace user chat. Subject of research - methods of machine and deep learning, embedding: W2V, NLP, clustering, LSTM, RNN. Purpose - create a product, analyze the algorithms needed to create it. The method of research - review and analysis of machine and machine learning methods. An analysis of the obtained results was carried out. The comparative analysis of the considered methods of machine learning is carried out. The further development of the research subject – to increase the amount of input data.

Thesis (MTh)(Practical Theology and Missiology)--University of Stellenbosch, 1997
ENGLISH ABSTRACT:The church is commissioned to make disciples by baptising them and teaching them what the Head of the church, Jesus Christ, taught his disciples. One of the accents in recent literature is that faith development (making disciples) is also a socialising process. The church is one of the socialising agents and plays a special role in the faith development of each individual member, and especially in the faith development of the child. According to developmental psychology a special developmental task of the pre-school years is socialization. These years are very important for socialising in general, and therefore for faith development as a socialising process. How successful is the socialising process when the pre-schoolers comprise a very small part of a congregation? The Dutch Reformed Church Stellenbosch- Sentraal has an aging congregation; pre-schoolers comprise a mere 3% of its members. If they do not experience that they belong to the congregation and if there are insufficient opportunities for them to take part in congregational activities the necessary faith development (in so far as it'comprises socialization) is impaired.The body of the church should communicate to pre-schoolers that they form part of the body. In our era of electronic communication it may happen that communication between congregation and pre-schooler is unsuccessful when the congregation do not communicate purposefully and in the language and in the range of perception of the pre-schooler of this era. The question is therefore posed: How effectively does the Dutch Reformed Church Stellenbosch- Sentraal communicate to its pre-schoolers that they are part of the body of this church? In order to answer this question one should study the results of the communication process of the pre-schoolers. One should look at the cognitive contents already established in the pre-schoolers, but this alone can be misleading. The author holds the opinion that pre-schoolers form perceptions about the congregation in the process of communication. Their perceptions form a positive or negative filter through which all further communication is sent. If the pre-schoolers have positive perceptions of this congregation, it will be conducive to further faith development. The problem is therefore posed: Do the perceptions of the pre-schoolers of the Dutch Reformed Church Stellenbosch-Sentraal on the congregation show that they associate themselves positively with the congregation? An answer to this question will enable the local church to evaluate whether it understands its role as socialising agent in faith development. This may lead to adjustments in its ministry. For the Christian church in general the processes taking place and being described in one specific congregation may lead to reflection and evaluating of similar processes taking place within every Christian church. Such reflection is even more necessary in our secularised pluralistic world, a world in which the Christian church wishes to maintain the uniqueness and necessity of the Biblical salvation message. With the aim of discovering and describing their perceptions, all pre-schoolers in the congregation born between 01-01-1989 and 31-12-1990 were selected and methods were designed to reveal and describe their perceptions about the congregation. Their perceptions were revealed and described through kinetic drawings (interpreted by more than one person), the design of a projective measuring instrument with pictures and reporting (conversations). At the same time the attitude of the congregation towards these pre-schoolers were gauged by means of participant observation and in a random opinion poll. Conclusions Although the researcher had (thanks to the research!) very good relations with most of the pre-schoolers and they probably were inclined to give answers which they would regard as having a positive influence on that relationship, their answers during conversations with them point to positive perceptions of aspects of the congregation of which they are part. Their good relationship with the researcher is one of these positive aspects. It does not however necessarily follow that positive perceptions are in the majority. There are negative perceptions as well. Some positive remarks made by the pre-schoolers were cancelled in part by remarks by their parents indicating that they objected to going to some of the meetings of the church. They used some surprising concepts about the congregation. In so far as faith development contains a knowledge component (faith = knowledge + trust) it can be accepted that the concepts that they use at the moment will form an important basis for further faith development. Perceptions, unlike concepts, suggest something about the relationship between subject (child) and object (congregation). The concepts do not necessarily point to the existence of positive perceptions about the congregation. However, the researcher found that the cognitive basis was supported by a moderately positive affective component. It seems that there are several elements of enjoymenU pleasantness in • the socialising (fellowship) of the smaller primary gatherings such as family prayers and get-togethers of a few families, • the service aspect of outreaches to small children in squatter camps at secondary meetings such as "kinderkrans", the weekly children's meeting (empathy, compassion, missions) • and the festive elements such as singing, lighting of candles, and going to the pulpit in family services as tertiary meetings. Whether these positive experiences resonate sufficiently in the words, deeds and attitudes of other (adult) members of the church remains to be seen. The research has shown that the congregation is making adaptations in order to heighten the effectiveness of its communication and that the pre-schoolers point to these elements as pleasant congregational experiences. The research also showed that pre-school children need symbols to express their identification with the congregation. The church council should therefore stress representative symbol communication and rituals in a building without important symbols such as a tower and bells, and where the neighbouring church building is rich in symbols. However, effective communication within a congregation is not only about visible symbols and rituals, but are about communication which is born in the heart of a loving Father God. In union with Jesus Christ, his Son and Head of the body of the church, members are involved in a great communication process of which the content may be typified as gospel (good news). In order to talk about effective communication, the congregation should listen to and search for the vision of God, and they should expect the Creator Spirit to grant the congregation gifts that can be used in the new communication era in order to further the evangelical dialogue between God and the pre-school child (amongst others) and between the congregation and the pre-school child. Should the congregation not grasp that each member is there for the sake of others, the congregation is in danger of breaking up in generational or other groupings, not grasping the benefits from inter-generational gatherings where each group can contribute towards the faith development of other groups. When harmony, reconciliation and supplementation are pursued in a pluriform way in the worship and service programmes of the congregation, the pre-schooler should not be absent. When the pre-schooler forms part of this kind of worship, he finds his own meaning. The congregation is the setting where this glorification of God is realised in the temporal. If this research contributes towards empowering the congregation to incorporate the pre-school children of the congregation in congregational activities in honour of God, to glorify Him, then this research may be regarded as the practice of successful practical theology.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING:Die gemeente het die opdrag om dissipels te maak deur hulle te doop en alles te leer wat die Hoof van die gemeente, Jesus Christus, sy volgelinge beveel het. Een van die beklemtonings in die meer resente Iiteratuur is dat geloofsvorming (om dissipels te maak) o.a. 'n sosialiseringsproses is. Die gemeente is een van die besondere sosialiseringsagente en speel 'n spesiale ral in die vorming van die geloof van elke indiwiduele lidmaat, en in besonder die geloofsvorming van die kind. In die kleuterjare is sosialisering volgens die ontwikkelingsielkunde "n spesiale ontwikkelingstaak. Die kleuterjare is dus besonder belangrik vir sosialisering in die algemeen, maar dan ook vir geloofsvorming as 'n sosialiseringsproses. Hoe geslaagd is hierdie sosialiseringsproses wanneer die kleuters 'n baie klein persentasie van 'n gemeente uitmaak? Die Ned. Geref. Kerk Stellenbosch- Sentraal is 'n verouderende gemeente waarvan slegs 3% van sy lidmate voorskools is. Sonder die ervaring dat hulle aan die gemeente behoort, en sonder genoeg geleentheid tot deelname aan die aktiwiteite van die gemeente, word die nodige geloofsvorming (in soverre dit sosialisering is), benadeel. Die gemeenteliggaam behoort aan die kleuters te kommunikeer dat hulle deel is van die gemeente. In die nuwe elektroniese kommunikasie-era mag dit egter gebeur dat die kommunikasie tussen gemeente en kleuter nie staag nie, omdat die gemeente nie doelgerig, in die taal en belewingswereld van die kleuter van hierdie era kommunikeer nie. Die vraag word dus gestel: Hoe effektief kommunikeer die Ned. Geref. Kerk Stellenbosch-Sentraal aan sy kleuters dat hulle deel van die gemeenteliggaam is? Om hierdie vraag te beantwoord, kan 'n mens probeer kyk na resultate van die kommunikasieproses by die kleuters. 'n Mens sou kon kyk na die kognitiewe inhoude wat reeds by die kleuters gevestig het, maar dit aileen kan misleidend wees. Die navorser is van oordeel dat die kleuters in die kommunikasieproses persepsies oor die gemeente vorm. Hierdie persepsies vorm 'n positiewe of negatiewe filter waardeur aile verdere kommunikasie gestuur word. Indien die kleuters dus positiewe persepsies van die gemeente het, kan dit bevorderlik wees vir verdere geloofsvorming. Daarom lui die probleemstelling: Dui die persepsies wat die kleuters van die Ned. Geref. Kerk Stellenbosch-Sentraal oor die gemeente het daarop dat hulle hulleself positief met die gemeente verbind? 'n Antwoord op hierdie vraag kan die plaaslike gemeente help om te evalueer of hy sy rol as sosialiseringsagent in die geloofsvorming verstaan. Dit kan lei tot aanpassings in die bedieningspraktyk. Vir die Christelike kerk in die algemeen kan die prosesse wat in een gemeente gebeur en beskryf word, lei tot besinning en evaluering van dieselfde prosesse wat binne elke Christelike gemeente plaasvind. Hierdie besinning is des te meer noodsaaklik in 'n gesekulariseerde pluralistiese wereld, waarbinne die Christelike Kerk die uniekheid en noodsaaklikheid van die Bybelse verlossingsboodskap wil handhaaf. Met 'n eksplorerend-beskrywend doel voor oe is all die kleuters wat aan die gemeente behoort en wat tussen 01-01-1989 en 31-12-1990 gebore is, geselekteer en metodes ontwerp om hulle persepsies oor die gemeente aan die Iig te bring en te beskryf. Deur kinetiese tekeninge (wat deur meer as een persoon ge'interpreteer is), die ontwerp van 'n projektiewe meetinstrument met prente, en selfrapportering (gesprekke) is die persepsies van die kleuters ontbloot en beskryf. Terselfdertyd is die houding van die gemeente teenoor hierdie kleuters gepeil deur middel van deelnemende waarneming en in 'n steekproef-meningsopname. Gevolgtrekkings: Alhoewel die navorser (danksy die navorsing!) op baie goeie voet met die meeste kleuters geplaas is en kleuters in gesprekke waarskynlik ook antwoorde gegee het wat hulle as bevorderlik vir die verhouding tussen hulle en die navorser kon beskou, wil dit tog voorkom asof die kleuters aangename persepsies oor aspekte van die gemeenteliggaam het. Die positiewe verhouding met die navorser op sigself is een so 'n positiewe aspek. Dit beteken egter nie noodwendig dat daar 'n oorwig van aangename persepsies is nie. Daar is ook negatiewe persepsies. Positiewe opmerkings deur kleuters oor aktiwiteite word gedeeltelik uitgekanselleer deur opmerkings van kleuterouers wat aandui dat hulle protesteer teen sekere soort byeenkomste. Die kleuters het In aantal verrassende konsepte rondom die gemeente gebruik. In soverre geloofsvorming ook 'n kenniskomponent het (geloof = kennis + vertroue), kan daar aanvaar word dat die begrippe wat die kleuters tans hanteer 'n belangrike onderbou vorm vir verdere geloofsvorming. Persepsies, anders as konsepte, suggereer egter iets van die verhouding tussen die subjek (kleuter) en die objek (gemeente). Die konsepte dui dus nie sonder meer die bestaan van positiewe persepsies oor die gemeente aan nie. Die navorser het egter ook waargeneem dat die kognitiewe onderbou ondersteun word deur 'n redelik positiewe affektiewe komponent. Daar is genoeg aanduiding dat daar heelwat elemente van genieting/aangenaamheid is in • die sosialisering ('fellowship') by veral die kleiner primere byeenkomste soos by huisgodsdiens en wanneer 'n paar gesinne bymekaar kom, • die diensgerigtheid en uitreike na kleuters van die nabygelee plakkers-area by die sekondere groeperings soos die kinderkrans (empatie, barmhartigheid, sending), • en die vieringselemente soos die sang, aansteek van kerse, beweging na die liturgiese ruimte by die gesinsdienste as tersiere byeenkomste. Of hierdie aangename ervarings genoegsaam resoneer in die woorde, dade en houdings van ander (volwasse) lidmate, bly 'n ope vraag. Die navorsing het aangetoon dat die gemeente aanpassings maak om die effektiwiteit van die kommunikasie te verhoog en dat die kleuters juis na hierdie vernuwende elemente verwys as aangename gemeente-ervarings. Die navorsing het egter ook aangetoon dat kleuters visuele simbole nodig het om uitdrukking te gee aan hulle gemeente-identiteit. Die kerkraad behoort erns te maak met die representatiewe simboolkommunikasie en rituele in 'n kerkgebou waar belangrike simbole soos die toring en klokke ontbreek, en waar die buurgemeente se kerkgebou besonder ryk is aan simbole. Effektiewe kommunikasie binne gemeenteverband het egter nie net te doen met uiterlike simbole en rituele nie, maar met 'n kommunikasiegebeure wat ontspring in die hart van die Iiefdevolle Vadergod. In verbondenheid aan Jesus, sy Seun, die Hoof van die gemeenteliggaam, is die gemeentelede betrek by 'n groot kommunikasieproses waarvan die inhoud as evangelie (goeie nuus) getipeer word. Om dus te praat van effektiewe kommunikasie sal daar meer geluister en gesoek moet word na die visie van God, en meer verwag moet word dat die kreatiewe Skeppergees sy gemeente sal begenadig met gawes wat in die nuwe kommunikasie-era gebruik kan word om die evangeliese dialoog tussen God en kleuter (onder andere), asook gemeente en kleuter te bevorder. Indien die gemeente nie verstaan dat elke lid daar is ter wille van die ander nie, kan die gemeente in generasiegroepe of ander groepe opbreek sonder dat hulle verstaan dat die gemeente baat by intergeneratiewe byeenkomste waarbinne elke groep 'n bydrae lewer tot die geloofsvorming van die ander. Wanneer daar egter op pluriforme wyse (baie style, vorme, smake) in die aanbidding en diensgerigtheid saam harmonie, versoening en aanvulling gesoek word mag die kleuter se plek nie leeg wees nie. Wanneer die kleuter in hierdie aanbidding deel kry, vind hy ook sy eie sin. Die gemeente is by uitstek die ruimte waarbinne hierdie verheerliking in die tydelike bedeling realiseer. In soverre hierdie navorsing 'n bydrae kon lewer om die gemeenteruimte te help vul met die sinvolle inskakeling van die gemeentekleuters wat God saam verheerlik, in soverre was die navorsing die beoefening van geslaagde praktiese teologie.

Sekularisasie het as samelewingsverskynsel ’n onafskeidbare deel van die hedendaagse lewensfilosofie geword. Kenmerkend hiervan is dat religieuse diskoerse en –instellings se invloed binne die moderne samelewing merkbaar verminder het. In Suid-Afrika, soos elders, hou die liberale demokrasie die openbare terrein leeg van godsdiens deurdat samelewingsinstellings van religieuse instellings se invloed geskei word. So word die reikwydte van geïnstitusionaliseerde godsdiens in Suid-Afrika ingeperk. Hierdie strukturele sekularisasie verander ook die NG Kerk se plek binne die sosiale opset van Suid-Afrika. Samelopend met strukturele sekularisasie vind die sekularisering van die sosiale kultuur ook plaas. Die omvang hiervan hang af van die sosiale betekenissisteme wat die persepsies van mense beïnvloed. Westerse Individualisme wat in die populêre humanistiese mensbeskouing gewortel is, bied as betekenissisteem die ideale teelaarde vir sekularisasie. Hierdie betekenissisteem se prioriteite van persoonlike vryheid, privaatheid, selfstandigheid, vryheid van keuse en die strewe na persoonlike welvaart is ook merkbaar in die NG Kerk-lidmate se lewe. Dit is in die verwesenliking van hierdie prioriteite dat die moderne mens menslike sekuriteit vind wat die ‘noodsaaklikheid’ van godsdiens in gedrang bring. Die siening dat die moderne mens vry is van kerklike dogmas as reël vir lewe en denke word deur hierdie betekenissisteem aangehelp. Sodoende verval religie in die samelewing en word die deur vir sosiale pluralisme waarin diverse kulturele- en lewensbeskouings erken en gelykgestel word, geopen. Dit veroorsaak dat die NG Kerk se invloed ten opsigte van die vestiging van godsdienstige waardes in die huidige pluralistiese samelewing van Suid-Afrika verminder en daarom het die kerk se godsdienstige beginsels min effek op openbare opinies. Daar is ook ’n toenemende ongeërgdheid teenoor die offisiële kerk omdat die moderne mens skynbaar al minder daarin ’n bron van persoonlike identiteit vind. So lei sekularisasie tot ’n geloofwaardigheidskrisis omtrent bekende religieuse betekenissisteme. Sekularisasie laat egter nie religie as verskynsel geheel en al verdwyn nie, maar omvorm wel die bekende en tradisionele vorme van godsdienstigheid. As gevolg van sekularisasie word godsdiens toenemend verskuif na die private sfere van die samelewing, soos die gesin of die moderne individu as sulks. Die betekenis van godsdiens word beperk tot die private sfeer en persoonlike psige. Die sin van godsdiens in die private ruimte hang af van die individu se soeke na vervulling en persoonlike sekuriteit. Godsdiens in hierdie sfere word ook al hoe minder geaffekteer deur die disintegrasie van die verhouding tussen religieuse instellings en ander sosiale instellings. Hoewel die offisiële NG Kerk steeds van belang geag word, staan lidmate se persoonlike religie egter al meer los van die kollektiewe geloofspraktyk. Die fokus op die partikuliere eerder as die kommunale verhoog die voorkoms van godsdienstige pluralisme wat ook die NG Kerk as godsdienstige instelling omvorm. Dit lei daartoe dat die verbreiding van ’n veelvoud van geloofsoortuigings en –praktyke ook in die NG Kerk merkbaar word. Die NG Kerk se gereformeerde identiteit kom as gevolg van hierdie omvorming onder druk. Die sekulariserende krag van godsdienstige privatisering en gevolglike individualisering omvorm die bekende religieuse konstrukte en praktyke van die NG Kerk.
English: The phenomenon, secularisation, has become an inseparable part of the modern life philosophy. It is characterised by the diminishing influence of religious discourses and – institutions on modern society. In South Africa, as elsewhere, liberal democracy keeps the public domain clear of religion by separating civil institutions from the influence of religious institutions. In this way the influence of institutionalised religion in South Africa is repressed. This structural secularisation has changed the previously dominant position of the Dutch Reformed Church within the social setup of South Africa. Conjunctive to structural secularisation modern day social culture is also being secularised. The extend to which social secularisation influences people’s lives depends on the type of social meaning system that has been internalised in the individual through the process of socialisation. Western Individualism, rooted in popular humanism, has not only become a dominant social meaning system in South Africa, but is also best linked to the process of social secularisation. The priorities of this meaning system are well known and play a significant role in the lives of the DR Church’s congregants as well: personal freedom, privacy, emancipation of the self, freedom of choice and to strive for personal affluence. In the actualisation of these priorities the modern individual finds existential security that compromises the ‘necessity’ for religion as such. The view that the modern individual is liberated from ecclesiastical doctrine as regulatory for personal life and reason typifies Western Individualism. As a result religion declines in society. Consequently social pluralism, characterised by the toleration and equalisation of diverse cultural and philosophical ideations, emerges in society. Therefore, the DR Church’s influence on public opinion and its ability to establish religious values in broader society, have declined considerably within the present day pluralistic society of South Africa. Indifference to the official church is growing for the apparent reason that modern day people find lesser personal identity therein. This working of social secularisation leads to a legitimacy crisis concerning established religious meaning systems. Ironically religion as phenomenon doesn’t disappear altogether because of the secularisation of society. Secularisation actually transposes well-known, traditional forms of collective religion. Religion is sidelined to the private spheres of society, such as the nucleus family or the modern individual itself. The meaning of religion is relevant only to that sphere and the personal psyche. The relevance of religion in these private spheres depends on its ability to fulfil the individual’s need for personal wellbeing and security. Religion in the private sphere is less affected by the disintegration of the relationship between religious institutions and other social institutions. Although members still consider the official DR Church as important, their personal religiosities are becoming more detached from the church’s collective doctrine and practices. The focus of congregants on particular rather than communal religious experiences increases religious pluralism within the DR Church that transforms it institutionally. Within the church different personal beliefs and practices of religious nature proliferate. This situation challenges the reformed identity of the DR Church. The secularising effect of religious privatisation and individuation transposes the familiar religious constructs and practices of the DR Church.
Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2014.
lk2014
Church History and Church Policy
PhD
Unrestricted

Christocentric preaching in the AP Church – a practical theological study, is a dissertation wherein Christocentric preaching from the patriarchal narratives by AP Church preachers, is being investigated to determine to what extend it complies with the basic principles of Christocentric preaching. This research found that the preaching from the patriarchal narratives by participating preachers of the AP Church, does not truly answer to the basic principles of Christocentric preaching. A clearly defined Christocentric approach which set out the basic principles for responsible Christocentric preaching, would improve the Christocentricity of Old Testament preaching, more specifically the patriarchal narratives, in the AP Church. A modified version of Osmers’ practical-theological model was utilized as method of research. It entails hermeneutical and normative, empirical and interpretative, as well as strategic aspects. The following goals are set for the study: Hermeneutical and normative i) To determine perspectives from Scripture for the research concept Christocentric preaching regarding passages from Genesis 12-50. Empirical and interpretative ii) To determine to what extend sermons in the AP Church based on passages from Genesis 12-50, are truly Christocentric. iii) To determine to what extend preachers of the AP Church consciously make use of a base theory regarding Christocentric preaching when preaching on passages from Genesis 12-50. Strategically To provide effective, yet Biblical guidelines for Christocentric preaching on passages from Genesis 12-50. In order to reach the above mentioned goals, the following aspects are discussed in the course of the study: Perspectives from Scripture for the research concept Christocentric preaching are determined by, among others, illuminating the unique nature and specific characteristics of the Hebrew narrative. The focus on the hermeneutical challenge offers perspectives on decisive considerations when handling Scripture, an exegetical method conducive to Christocentric preaching, as well as perspectives on a meaningful transition to Christ from the Old Testament text. The focus on the homiletic challenge indicates expository preaching as the most appropriate vehicle for responsible Christocentric preaching. From the hermeneutical and normative perspectives, a certain criteria is derived which served as a guideline for the evaluation of sixteen sermons and devotions by AP Church preachers in order to determine their Christocentricity. Flowing from this, six themes are determined on the basis of which unstructured interviews with five preachers of the AP Church are conducted. These analyses and interviews show the absence of a clearly formulated base theory regarding Christocentric preaching at participating AP Church preachers. Christocentric preaching in the AP Church – a practical theological study offers guidelines for responsible Christocentric preaching from the patriarchal narratives by concentrating on certain points of departure in respect of the Old Testament, key hermeneutical aspects, a meaningful transition from the Old Testament to Christ as well as important homiletic aspects.
Thesis (MTh (Homiletics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Thesis (MDiv (Practical Theology and Missiology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007.
In the postmodern times people’s world changed a lot. A lot of sociological and ecclesiological paradigm shifts took place. These shifts weren’t limited to one area. Globalisation caused these shifts to take place the world over. During modernism the emphasis was mainly on knowledge and the cognitive aspect of man. Now the emphasis shifted to experience. The media provides in this need. Television, films and the internet are focused on giving an experience. The question is what influence these changes have on the church and what people want from the church. The answer is simple. People want an experience of God. The Dutch Reformed Church’s (DRC) emphasis on a rational understanding of God which crystalises in the preaching of the Word which takes a central role in the worship service, does not provide in people’s needs anymore and is out of touch with the experiences of everyday. The hypothesis is as follows: a rediscovery of the essence of reformed liturgy as continuing reforming liturgy has the potential to find a way between the extremes of set traditionalism and irresponsible experimenting where people of our generation can come home and find liturgical guidance for life.