Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology'

Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2000.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Nineteenth century Presbyterian witness in South Africa provides us with a wonderful testimony of close work relationships between ministers that served independent colonial congregations and missionaries in native mission stations. However, these relationships remained good as long as these two streams of Presbyterianism were kept separate. Attempts to form one Church failed resulting to the formation of the Presbyterian Church in South Africa, a coming together of some mission and colonial congregations, in 1897. The majority of mission congregations stayed out of this union and formed themselves into the Bantu Presbyterian Church in 1923. From the beginning of the twentieth century the Ecumenical Movement posed a challenge to the world church, condemning her inability to live as the Body of Christ and as God's one big family. South Africa witnessed a deeper polarization of society through the rise of divisive nationalist ideas among Africans and Europeans. Churches did not escape this wave of thought. They also could not ignore the challenge by the World Council of Churches. Unity talks started just after 1923 and took a serious turn in 1959 under the heat of South Africa's racist policies. In the same year a Committee on Union Negotiations was appointed by both Churches. It had become very clear that a divided witness was a mockery of Presbyterian witness as well as of Christian witness in general. This was evident in continued conflict in areas where work overlapped. Africans in both Churches did not understand why there were two Presbyterian Churches. They changed Churches as it suited them sometimes to avoid disciplinary action. Whilst there was a desire to have the two Churches unite problems relating to,: 1. the laws of the land, the legal policy of the Government, that of separate development and an un-Christ-like attitude of Whites towards blacks weighed heavily in the minds of most people. 2. a distorted Christian understanding of the members of both Churches as the Body of Christ due to lack of theological reflection, 3. suspicion and mistrust of each other 4. and an inadequate or total lack of information on unity negotiations with decisions only at the top with very little or no input from most congregations derailed all attempts on union. There were genuine fears on both sides. Blacks had learnt never to trust white people. These negotiations came to an end in 1973 with the Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa voting in favour and the Bantu Presbyterian Church against. In 1994 another attempt was made. This time the laws of .the land had changed, Both Churches had come to accept the need to come together. Past hurts were addressed and this led to the formation of the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa on the 26th September 1999. It is still not too late. We can still help make this union have real meaning to most people at grass root level. We must help people develop trust, create a strong theological base and mobilize them around a better understanding of the church.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Negentiende eeuse Presbiteriaanse getuienis in Suid-Afrika verskaf aan ons 'n wonderlike getuienis van noue werksverhoudings tussen predikante, wat onafhanklike van koloniale gemeentes gedien het, en sendelinge wat die inheemse bevolking vanuit sendingstasies bedien het. Hierdie verhouding het goed gewerk solank as wat die twee Presbiteriaanse strome apart gehou is. Pogings om een kerk te vorm het misluk en aanleiding gegee tot die stigting van die Presbiteriaanse Kerk van Suid-Afrika deur die samevoeging van 'n aantal sendingstasies en koloniale gemeentes in 1897. Die meerderheid sendinggemeentes het egter buite hierdie kerkeenheid gebly en hulleself gedurende 1923 georganiseer as die "Bantu Presbyterian Chuch". Sedert die begin van die twintigste eeu het die Ekumeniese Beweging 'n uitdaging aan die Wereldkerk gerig deur haar onverrnoe tot uitlewing van "die liggaam van Christus" en "God se groot familie" te veroordeel. Suid-Afrika is verder gepolariseer deur die opkoms van verdelende nasionalistiese idees tussen die Swart en Wit gedeeltes van die bevolking. Die Kerke het nie ontsnap aan hierdie kennisgolf nie en hulle kon ook nie die uitdaging van die Wereldraad van Kerke ignoreer nie. Versoeningsgesprekke het net na 1923 begin en In ernstige wending in 1959 geneem veral as gevolg van Suid-Afrika se toenemende rassistiese beleidsrigtings. In dieselfde jaar is In Komitee van Eenheidsonderhandeling deur beide Kerke aangestel. Dit was duidelik dat die verdeelde geestelike uitlewing In bespotting van beide Presbiteriaanse sowel as Christelike getuienis gemaak het. Daar was volgehoue konflik binne areas waar werk oorvleuel het en Swartmense het nie verstaan waarom daar twee Presbiteriaanse Kerke was nie. Hulle het dan ook na willekeur van Kerk verander ten einde dissiplinere stappe te voorkom. Alhoewel daar 'n begeerte vir die vereniging van die twee kerke was is dit ernstig belemmer deur o.a.: 1. Die wette van die land, die regsbeleid van die Regering, afsonderlike ontwikkeling en In on-christelike houding van Blankes teenoor Swartes. 2. 'n Verwronge begrip van die Kerk (as Liggaam van Christus) onder gemeentelede, hoofsaaklik as gevolg van 'n gebrek aan teologiese refleksie. 3. Agterdog en wantroue en 4. 'n onvoldoende of selfs totale gebrek aan inligting oor eenheidsonderhandelings. Besluite is slegs in die topstruktuur geneem en daar was weinig of geen insette van die afsonderlike gemeentes nie. Bogenoemde faktore het aile pogings tot eenheid ontspoor, daar was werklike vrese aan beide kante en Swartes het 'n totale wantroue in Blankes ontwikkel. Die onderhandeling het in 1973 tot 'n einde gekom toe die Presbiteriaanse Kerk van Suidelike Afrika ten gunste van en die "Bantu Presbyterian Church" teen eenwording gestem het. 'n Verdere poging tot eenwording is in 1994 aangewend. Teen hierdie tyd was die landswette reeds gewysig en beide Kerke het die onderlinge behoefte aan mekaar besef. Verskille van die verled~ is aangespreek en die "United Presbyterian Church in South Africa" is op 26 September 1999 gestig. Hierdie eenwording was nie te laat nie en dit kan werklike betekenis vir mense op grondvlak he. Mense moet egter gehelp word om vertroue te ontwikkel, In sterk teologiese basis moet ontwikkel word en hulle moet gemobiliseer word tot 'n beter begrip van die kerk.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study is motivated by challenges arising from decades’ long debates, conversations and tensions regarding church unity within the ecumenical movement and also amongst the Reformed churches locally and globally. This study seeks to investigate the role that church unity can play in relation to social contexts. This study argues that there is no adequate ecclesiology without ethics, and – theologically speaking – no adequate ethics without ecclesiology. Church unity can play a significant role in society, especially with regard to socio-ethical issues regarding peace, reconciliation and justice. Furthermore, regarding the visible unity of the church, this study proposes a meaningful and purposeful unity and ecumenism as the church’s contribution through witness and service in the world. Church unity is not just about abstractly fulfilling the dream of being one, holy church, but rather about claiming and seeking a unity that has significance for social contexts. Put differently: koinonia and martyria, communion and witness, community and confession, the body of Christ and the embodiment of justice are tightly interwoven. This study will focus on ecclesiology and its relation to ethics as articulated in the discourse of the World Council of Churches (WCC) project on Ecclesiology and Ethics, as well as on the discourse on (church) unity, reconciliation and justice around the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa’s (URCSA’s) Belhar Confession. This study will explore the tensions between the Faith and Order commission (which focuses on Ecclesiology) and the Life and Work commission (which focuses on Ethics) and also how the tensions between ecclesiology and ethics were dealt with. As means of healing these divisions, this study will discuss the Church and World study document of the WCC which affirmed that the unity of the church cannot be disconnected from its witness and service in the world; the Santiago conference on Koinonia in Faith, Life, and Witness, where the notion of koinonia played a fundamental role in bringing ecclesiology and ethics together; and, in addition, the three WCC consultations under the themes: Costly Unity (Rønde), Costly Commitment (Tantur) and Costly Obedience (Johannesburg), where the interrelations between ecclesiology and ethics were further explored. Key theological notions that played a role in the attempt to bridge the gap between ecclesiology and ethics will also be indicated. A comparable debate on the call for church unity took place and continues to take place in the South African context, especially amongst the Dutch Reformed family of churches. The reality of divisions in South African context will be explored. The Belhar Confession articulates the relationship between ecclesiology and ethics very clearly with its focus on unity, reconciliation and justice. Belhar affirms that there is no reconciliation without justice, and no justice without reconciliation; these concepts are inextricably interwoven. For a meaning and purposeful church unity, so this dissertation argues, you need both reconciliation and justice. Both the Ecclesiology and Ethics debate of the WCC and the Belhar Confession debate regarding (church) unity, reconciliation and justice affirm that ecclesiology and ethics belong tightly together. This study investigates, enhances, and ultimately affirms this claim.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die beweegrede vir hierdie studie is gegrond in die uitdagings van dekade-lange debate, gesprekke en spanninge rakende kerkeenheid binne die ekumeniese beweging sowel as binne die plaaslike en internasionale Gereformeerde kerke. Die studie worstel met die betekenisvolle rol wat kerkeenheid kan speel in verhouding tot ons sosiale kontekste. Dit betoog dat daar geen voldoende ekklesiologie sonder etiek is nie en – teologies gesproke – geen voldoende etiek sonder ekklesiologie. Kerkeenheid kan ‘n belangrike rol in ons gemeenskappe speel, veral ten opsigte van sosio-etiese kwessies rondom vrede, versoening en geregtigheid. Verder, rakende die sigbare eenheid van die kerk, stel hierdie studie ‘n betekenisvolle en doelgerigte eenheid en ekumenisme voor waardeur die kerk haar bydrae kan lewer deur middel van getuienis en diens in hierdie wêreld. Kerkeenheid is juis nie om afgetrokke uitvoering te gee aan die droom van een, heilige kerk nie, maar dit gaan eerder oor die aanspraak en soeke na ‘n eenheid wat betekenisvol is vir sosiale kontekste. Anders gestel: koinonia en martyria, gemeenskap en getuienis, kerk en belydenis, die liggaam van Christus en die beliggaming van geregtigheid is ten nouste verbonde. Die navorsing sal fokus op ekklesiologie en die verhouding daarvan tot die etiek, soos uiteengesit in die gesprek van die Wêreld Raad van Kerke (WRK) se projek rakende Ekklesiologie en Etiek. Daarmee saam ook die gesprekke rondom (kerk) eenheid, versoening en geregtigheid (etiek) binne die Verenigende Gereformeerde Kerk in Suider Afrika (VGKSA) se Belhar belydenis. The navorsing stel ondersoek in na die spanning tussen die “Faith and Order” kommissie (wat fokus op Ekklesiologie) en die “Life and Work” kommissie (wat fokus op Etiek). Dit stel ook ondersoek in na hoe die spanning hanteer was tussen ekklesiologie en etiek. In ‘n poging om die verdeeldheid te heel bespreek hierdie navorsing die “Church and World” se dokument van die WRK. Hierdie dokument bevestig dat die eenheid van die kerk nie losgemaak kan word van getuienis en diens in die wêreld nie. Voorbeelde hiervan is geillustreer tydens die Santiago konferensie wat gehandel het oor Koinonia in Faith, Life, and Witness en wat duidelik gewys het dat koinonia ‘n fundamentele rol speel om etiek en ekklesiologie saam te bring.. Die drie WRK konsultasies - onder die temas Costly Unity (Rønde), Costly Commitment (Tantur) and Costly Obedience (Johannesburg) – het die verband tussen ekklesiologie en etiek verder ondersoek. Sleutel teologiese terme wat ‘n rol gespeel het in hierdie poging om die gaping tussen ekklesiologie en etiek te oorbrug, sal ook aangedui word. ‘n Vergelykbare debat oor die rol van kerkeenheid het plaasgevind in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks, veral binne die Nederduitse Gereformeerde familie van kerke. Hierdie debate gaan steeds voort. Die realiteite van skeiding in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks sal ondersoek word. Die Belhar belydenis verwoord duidelik die verhouding tussen ekklesiologie en etiek, met die fokus op eenheid, versoening en geregtigheid. Die Belhar belydenis – so argumenteer hierdie studie – bevestig dat daar geen versoening is sonder geregtigheid nie, en ook geen geregtigheid sonder versoening nie. Hierdie konsepte is ten nouste en onskeibaar verweef. Hierdie navorsing argumenteer dat beide versoening en geregtigheid nodig is vir ‘n betekenisvolle kerkeenheid. Beide die Ekklesiologie en Etiek debat van die WRK sowel as die Belhar belydenis wat aan (kerk)eenheid, versoening en geregtigheid aandag gee, bevestig dat ekklesiologie en etiek bymekaar hoort. Hierdie studie ondersoek, versterk en bevestig hierdie aanspraak.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study describes and analyses the problem of termination of pregnancy, with special attention to its prevalence in Kenya, where more than seven hundred abortions are performed daily on girls between fifteen and seventeen years of age. Although pregnancy termination is illegal in Kenya, its practice goes on in the rural villages, in homes, in urban streets and in private clinics. The research focuses on the ethical quest for human dignity in the context of the church’s response to the challenge of termination of pregnancy. It examines the perceptions and attitudes of various cadres of Christians, such as church ministers, doctors and lawyers, towards the problem. The study has been mainly through literature review of books, journals, magazines and newspapers, as well as through structured interviews and focus group discussions in Kisumu County of Kenya. Various viewpoints have been discussed and analysed with regard to the problem. The research proposes Martin Benjamin’s ethical theory of compromise as the most suitable means by which the church in Kenya can approach the challenge of termination of pregnancy. The theory finds support from Norman Geisler’s theory of graded absolutism as well as from a biblical analysis. Through the compromise theory, the research proposes that the church should lead in public advocacy for legalising pregnancy termination within the first six weeks of pregnancy in order to deal with pregnancies arising out of rape and incest. Findings from structured interviews and focused group discussions support the current legal framework that prohibits pregnancy termination, but reveal a desire for change in the way the church deals with members who get unplanned pregnancies and those who terminate the same. The research suggests, in addition, that the church’s role should emphasize counselling, teaching and pastoral care, rather than ex-communication and public rebuke. The church should avoid activism which seeks to keep abortion illegal at the expense of numerous Kenyans who do not necessarily submit to the church’s position. Within the church, and among those whom the church seeks to convert, the researcher upholds the church’s teaching of chastity and abstinence as the most effective preventive measures against abortion. The thesis proposes these measures as the means to ensuring human dignity within the church in relation to the ethical challenge of termination of pregnancy.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie beskryf en ontleed die probleem van die beëindiging van swangerskap, met spesiale aandag aan die voorkoms daarvan in Kenia, waar meer as sewe-honderd aborsies daagliks uitgevoer word op meisies tussen vyftien en sewentien jaar oud. Hoewel swangerskap-beëindiging onwettig is in Kenia, vind dit steeds plaas in die plattelandse dorpies, in huise, in stedelike strate en in private klinieke. Die navorsing fokus op die etiese strewe na menswaardigheid in die lig van die kerk se reaksie op die uitdaging van die beëindiging van swangerskap. Dit ondersoek die persepsies en houdings van verskillende kaders van Christene, soos predikante, dokters en prokureurs, ten opsigte van die probleem. Die studie is hoofsaaklik gedoen deur ‘n literatuuroorsig van boeke, artikels, koerante en tydskrifte, sowel as deur middel van gestruktureerde onderhoude en fokus-groep besprekings in die distrik van Kisumu, Kenia. Verskillende standpunte word bespreek en ontleed met betrekking tot die probleem. Die navorsing stel Martin Benjamin se etiese teorie van kompromie voor as die mees geskikte manier waarop die kerk in Kenia die uitdaging van die beëindiging van swangerskap kan benader. Die teorie word ondersteun deur Norman Geisler se teorie van gegradeerde absolutisme sowel as deur 'n Bybelse analise. Deur die kompromie-teorie stel die navorsing voor dat die kerk leiding moet neem in openbare voorspraak vir die wettiging van swangerskap-beëindiging binne die eerste ses weke van swangerskappe wat voortspruit uit verkragting en bloedskande. Bevindinge van gestruktureerde onderhoude en gefokusde groepbesprekings ondersteun die huidige regsraamwerk wat swangerskap-beëindiging verbied, maar openbaar 'n begeerte vir 'n verandering in die manier waarop die kerk optree teenoor lede wat onbepland swanger raak en diegene wat aborsies kry. Die navorsing dui verder daarop dat die kerk se rol eerder moet fokus op berading, onderrig en pastorale sorg, as op ekskommunikasie en openbare teregwysing. Die kerk moet aktivisme vermy wat poog om aborsie onwettig te hou ten koste van die talle Keniane wat hulle nie noodwendig aan die kerk onderwerp nie. Binne die kerk, en onder diegene wat die kerk wil bekeer, ondersteun die navorser die kerk se lering van kuisheid en onthouding as die mees doeltreffende voorkomende maatreëls teen aborsie. Die tesis stel hierdie maatreëls voor as middele om menswaardigheid, met betrekking tot die etiese uitdaging van die beëindiging van swangerskap, binne die kerk te verseker.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The goal of this thesis is to present a historical-theological inquiry regarding secular humanism in Malawi. Some Christians have tried to respond, but there has been no detailed historical-theological response from the Church or theologians, nor has there been any critical investigation into the philosophy and underlying assumptions of secular humanism (understood as a specific movement and a broader intellectual current). (SHOULD BE REMOVED) The study is both historical and theological in perspective. It is historical, in that secular humanism is dealt with from a historical dimension, whereby its development over centuries is traced and lessons are learnt on how to respond to this movement in Malawi today. This study is also theological, in that it explores whether Christian humanism can engage constructively with concerns raised by secular humanists. It describes secular humanism on the level of its underlying assumptions, which are laid bare and their possible weaknesses exposed. The researcher holds that a critique of the assumptions is of greater merit than that which ends only on the level of specific arguments. Such a method of critiquing is borrowed from Klaus Nürnberger, who in his book Richard Dawkins’ God Delusion: A Repentant Refutation, critiqued Dawkins on the level of assumptions as well as Alister and Joanna McGrath who, in their book The Dawkins Delusion? Atheist Fundamentalism and the Denial of the Divine, challenged Dawkins at representative points, leaving it to readers to judge the overall reliability of his evidence and position. This is not to throw away specific arguments for it is through such arguments that we discern assumptions. This study is a critical engagement with the assumptions of secular humanism in Malawi, with the goal of responding to the challenges posed by their critique of religiosity. The study seeks to offer a constructive and adequate way of engaging Secular humanists and at the same time, explores whether Christian humanism is ideal in engaging concerns raised by secular humanists. The Christian humanist John W. de Gruchy is studied. He drew from John Calvin and Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the study also shows how he made use of their insights.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie tesis is om ‘n histories-teologiese ondersoek aangaande Sekulêre humanisme in Malawi in te stel. Sommige Christene het probeer reageer, maar tot dusver was daar nog nie ‘n georganiseerde en sistematiese histories-teologiese reaksie van die Kerk of teoloë nie, daar was ook nog nie enige kritiese ondersoek na die filosofie en onderliggende aannames van Sekulêre humanisme (hier verstaan as ‘n spesifieke beweging en ‘n breër intellektuele stroming). (SHOULD BE REMOVED) Hierdie studie is sowel histories as teologies in perspektief. Dit is histories, in dat Sekulêre humanisme vanuit ‘n historiese dimensie benader word, waardeur die ontwikkeling oor eeue heen gevolg word en lesse geleer word oor hoe om te reageer op hierdie beweging tans in Malawi. Die studie is ook teologies, in die sin dat dit van die aanname uitgaan dat Christelike humanisme konstruktief met die vraagstelling wat Sekulêre humaniste op die tafel plaas, kan omgaan. Dit beskryf Sekulêre humanisme op die vlak van die onderliggende aannames, wat uitgelig word en waarvan die moontlike swakhede ontbloot word. Die navorser voer aan dat ‘n kritiek van die aannames van groter meriete is as een wat eindig op die vlak van spesifieke argumente. Hierdie metode van kritisering word geleen van Klaus Nurnberger, wat is sy boek Richard Dawkins’ God Delusion: A Repentant Refutation, Dawkins kritiseer op die vlak van aannames, asook Alister en Joanna McGrath, wat in hulle boek The Dawkins Delusion? Atheist Fundamentalism and the Denial of the Divine, Dawkins op verteenwoordigende punte uitdaag, wat dit aan die lesers oorlaat om die oorhoofse geloofwaardigheid van sy bewyse en standpunt te bepaal. Dit is nie om spesifieke argumente weg te gooi nie, aangesien dit deur sulke argumente is wat ons aannames onderskei. Die studie is ‘n kritiese omgaan met die aannames en filosofie van Sekulêre humanisme in Malawi, met die doel om te reageer op die uitdagings wat deur hulle kritiek van godsdiens gebied word. Hierdie studie poog om op ’n konstruktiewe manier met Sekulêre humaniste om te gaan en bied terselfdertyd Christelike humanisme aan as die ideaal in die omgaan met die vraagstellings wat Sekulêre humaniste opper. Die Christelike humanis John W. de Gruchy is ‘n voorbeeld van hoe ‘n Christelike humanitiese veldtog uitgevoer kan word. Hy bou op Johannes Calvyn en Dietrich Bonhoeffer en die studie dui ook aan hoe hy van hulle insigte gebruik maak.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2012.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this research project is to explore whether there are convincing, contemporary theological traditions within Christianity for conceptualising a socially responsible hope for our current times that can be envisioned, embodied and enacted in our world. It uses a theological-ethical framework of hope as social vision, virtue and practice to unpack the shape of hope systematically. It draws on diverse theologians such as Jürgen Moltmann, Albert Nolan, Walter Brueggemann and Flora Keshgegian as well as the Catholic philosopher Josef Pieper to offer multi-denominational and country perspectives on the topic that point towards the social practice of this hope as a central part of the mission of the church in our world today. This project examines a range of theological arguments for a world transforming Christian hope with concrete this-worldly social implications that is not just about ‘pie in the sky when we die’. It looks for a hope that can balance the demands of an active human responsibility alongside faith in a divine presence that is capable of being incarnated into how we see, are and act as humans in the midst of actual life as it is and not just as an abstract doctrine of belief for another world. It seeks for an ecumenically endorsed hope that can enable us to be active contributors to the wider human projects of social transformation clearly needed at the start of the 21st century enabling us to interpret Christian mission as hope in action within our world.
AFIKAANSE OPSOMMING: "Geen opsomming"

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this study, I will be concerned with the viability of a tragic theology that is at the same time able to cohere with the standards of a classically orthodox Christian theology. My study will focus on a particular figure, namely Rowan Williams who, I will argue, exemplifies a blending together of these two concerns. However, as we shall see in this study, ‘tragic theology’ is by no means an uncontroversial affair since some argue that it implies heterodox conclusions in relation to God, creation, sin, etc. My aim is to counteract this claim that a classically orthodox theology cannot coexist with a tragic perspective. I will make the claim that tragic theology aims to emphasise the reality of contingency, conflict and suffering in relation to human life as seriously as possible, without effacing the difficulty it proposes to thought and the limits of human action, while at the same time holding onto the conviction that these beliefs can exist comfortably with an orthodox theological perspective. Through my study of Williams, which will largely follow a genealogical approach, I aim to show that Williams is able to emphasise this difficulty of tragedy, while at the same time believing in the fundamental goodness of creation, the possibility of transformation, hope and healing, as understood within a incarnationally-centred understanding of ‘the redemption of time’. Systematically speaking, I will attempt to arrange Williams’ understanding of tragedy according to four motifs which recur throughout his oeuvre, namely contingency, contemplation, compassion, and non-closure, all of which can be understood within the context of a classical Christian theology of God, salvation, and creaturely finitude.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ek sal in hierdie studie ondersoek instel na die lewensvatbaarheid van 'n tragiese teologie wat terselfdertyd met die kriteria vir ‘n klassieke, ortodokse Christelike teologie belyn is. My studie fokus op 'n bepaalde figuur, te wete Rowan Williams, wat, – so argumenteer ek – hierdie twee aspekte op eksemplariese wyse aan die orde stel. Soos uit hierdie studies al blyk, is die begrip ‘tragiese teologie‘ geensins 'n onomstrede saak nie, aangesien sommige juis argumenteer dat dit afwykende beskouinge aangaande God, die skepping, die sonde, ensovoorts, impliseer. My doel in hierdie studie is om die standpunt uit te daag dat 'n klassieke, ortodokse teologie noodwendig teenoor `n tragiese perspektief gestel moet word. Ek wil juis argumenteer dat 'n tragiese teologie daarna streef om die werklikheid van kontingensie, konflik en lyding ernstig te neem, sonder om in die proses die uitdagings wat dit vir die proses van nadenke en vir die grense van menslike handeling inhou, op te hef. Terselfdertyd word die oortuiging gehuldig dat `n tragiese teologie‘ gemaklik met `n klassieke, ortodoksie teologiese persektief saamval. In die bestudering van Williams se werk, wat grootliks 'n genealogiese benadering volg, wys ek uit hoe Williams hierdie komplekse aspek van tragedie verreken, terwyl hy terselfdertyd aan die fundamentele goedheid van die skepping, asook aan die moontlikheid van transformasie, hoop en heling, vashou. Hierdie oortuiginge word binne die kader van `n inkarnasie-gesentreerde verstaan van die ‘verlossing van die tyd‘ geplaas. Sistematies beskou, sal ek poog om Williams se verstaan van tragedie volgens vier motiewe wat deurlopend in sy werk voorkom, te bespreek. Hierdie vier motiewe is onderskeidelik die motiewe van kontingensie, kontemplasie, medelye en nie-sluiting (of voortdurende openheid). Daar word geargumenteer dat al hierdie begrippe binne die konteks van `n klassieke Christelike teologiese raamwerk aangaande God, redding en eindigheid geplaas kan word.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2012.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this thesis, we seek to highlight the possible implications, challenges and opportunities postmodernism has for evangelical ecclesiology. Informed by the ongoing conversation between the emerging church movement and mainstream evangelicals, we seek to determine how we account for our being and becoming the ecclesial people of God in Christ by the Spirit in the light of emerging postmodern realities. Taking postmodernism as an ally of post-colonialism and seeing negritude as its antecedent, we also seek to highlight the implications and opportunities these paradigms may have for our understanding of evangelical ecclesiology in our post-colonial, multi-ethnic African contexts. Perhaps these paradigms may enable a nuanced understanding of the theological motifs that inform our understanding of being the ecclesial community of God and enable an innovative space for articulating Afro-centric evangelical ecclesial expressions that are biblically faithful, theologically coherent, contextually relevant and socio-economically informed.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: "Geen opsomming"

Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2002
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: How can believers live meaningful in our postmodern, disordered world? The thesis of this study is that the German theologian, Michael Weiker's exciting understanding of pluralism can assist people to get along in a new way in our complex world. This study is in essence a project that aims to assist people to orientate themselves within a world in which they are confronted on a daily basis with a variety of ethical choices, a plurality of lifestyles and values, as well as conflicting claims of the truth in a variety of cultures and religions. This study's point of departure is that Welker's understanding of pluralism can be expressed comprehensively by means of the law-gospel relationship in his work. Welker's understanding of law and gospel is presented as a midway between the clashing mono-hierarchical, dualistic and relativistic views of how theology, the church, believers as well as people outside the church, should orientate themselves within our pluralistic world. For Welker, pluralism is not something that should threaten people, but rather a fragile social phenomenon that should be loved and cherished by humankind. According to Welker, Christianity can contribute to this because the Christian canon, dogmas and church carry a pluralistic form as such. Chapter 1 demonstrates Weiker's definition of, as well as his positive attitude towards pluralism. According to Welker, pluralism must be structured. It signifies a fine balance between the associative and systemic dimensions of experience. The relationship between law and gospel in both the Biblical traditions and post modern cultures holds the key for him to the correct structuring of pluralism in the academic world, in modern societies as well as between cultures which are always threatened by either the mono-hierarchical or relativistic forms of pluralism. Chapter 2 indicates that according to Welker the law means that creation is constituted by associative, interdependent structural patterns, which promote and maintain life as such. Welker's understanding of the law means that, together with other postmodern theories, theology confirms the pluralistic nature of the world. The law balances the associative and systemic dimensions of pluralism by pluralising in judicial -, mercy - and cultural laws. The pluralism of the law in the Old Testament can help our modern world to structure the public sphere of society in such a way that justice and truth can be achieved in order to establish a collective future for all mankind. In Chapter 3 it becomes clear that sin can render the good law of God powerless and that all forms of pluralism are not necessarily good. For Welker, knowledge of creation (the law) means finite knowledge. Sin means for Welker the abolition and isolation of the associative character and interdependency of the differential spheres of creation. According to Welker, the absolutising of either the associative or the systemic dimensions of pluralism renders the law of God, as in Biblical traditions, powerless in modern societies. This in turn leads to chaotic relativism or to oppressing, totalitarian systemic forms of pluralism. The reality of sin means that it becomes impossible for theology to legitimise all postmodern theories, uncritically. The question remains, how is it possible to distinguish between good and bad forms of pluralism? Chapter 4 argues that Welker's understanding of the gospel can assist us with this problematic issue. The gospel, with the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ at its centre, signifies for Welker the revelation of the power of sin on the one hand, whilst on the other hand it reveals the freedom of the gospel. The cross of Christ exposes for Welker how the differential structural patterns of creation can degenerate in societies, whilst faith in the risen One signifies the revelation of the structural relations which is given in Christ. Christ's resurrection therefore means hope for creation. Welker argues that the Spirit maintains the associative and systemic dimensions of pluralism in creation. This is done by realising the intentions of the law, namely justice, mercy and complete knowledge of God in the public sphere of societies without uplifting the natural, social and cultural differentiation that exists between people and groups of people. The chaotic individualism and the mono-hierarchical degeneration of functional systems in our society lead to a feeling of powerlessness in modern societies. Opposed to this, the Spirit creates an alternative public community of holy ones that has not grown out of traditional, moral or political consensus. This community, associative and systemic, congregational and ecumenical, as body of the crucified and risen One, realises the kingdom of God universally under a variety of finite, particular circumstances in creation. Chapter 5 evaluates the practical results of Welker's law-gospel distinction. Pluralism can, according to Welker, easily be damaged within our mass- and functional societies. As alternative, people should learn to cherish and love pluralism. The benefit of Welker's law-gospel distinction is that it generates criteria, which can assist to distinguish between good and bad forms of pluralism. His drawing together of the associative and systemic dimensions of pluralism helps us to see that modern societies will gain nothing in falling back on personal and interpersonal experiences and reality constructions. People must rather accept the challenge to live complex, creative and interdisciplinary lives.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hoe kan gelowiges betekenisvol in ons komplekse, postmoderne, deurmekaar wereld leef? Die tese van die studie is dat die Duitse teoloog, Michael Welker, se opwindende verstaan van pluralisme, mense kan help om op In nuwe wyse in ons komplekse wereld oor die weg te kom. Die studie is ten diepste dus In lewensorienterende projek wat mense wil help om hulself te orienteer binne In wereld waar hul daagliks gekonfronteer word met In verskeidenheid van etiese keuses, In pluraliteit van lewensstyle en lewenswaardes en botsende waarheidsaansprake van verskillende kulture en godsdienste. Die studie werk met die vertrekpunt dat Welker se verstaan van pluralisme omvattend uitgedruk word deur die wet-evangelie verhouding in sy denke. Welker se verstaan van wet en evangelie word in die studie aangebied as middeweg tussen die botsende rnonohierarqiese, dualistiese en relatiwistiese standpunte van hoe die teologie, kerk, gelowiges, maar ook mense buite die kerk, hulself binne ons pluralistiese ieefwereld moet orienteer. Pluralisme is vir Welker nie iets wat mense bedreig nie, maar In brose samelewingsverskynsel wat mense moet liefhe en koester. Die Christendom kan volgens hom hiertoe In bydrae maak omdat die christelike kanon, leerstukke, en kerk as sodanig In pluralistiese gestalte dra. In hoofstuk 1 word aangetoon hoekom Welker so positief is oor pluralisme en hoe hy dit definieer. Pluralisme moet volgens Welker gestruktureer word en beteken vir hom In fyn balans tussen die assosiatiewe en sistemiese dimensies van ervaring. Die verhouding tussen wet en evangelie in die Bybelse tradisies en postmoderne kulture hou vir hom die sleutel tot die regte strukturering van pluralisme in die akademie, in moderne samelewings en tussen verskillende kulture wat altyd deur monohierarpiese 6f relatiwistiese vorme van pluralisme bedreig word. In hoofstuk 2 word aangetoon dat die wet vir Welker beteken dat die skepping uit assosiatiewe, interafhanklike strukturele patrone opgebou is wat lewe as sodanig bevorder en in stand hou. Welker se verstaan van die wet beteken dat die teologie saam met ander postmoderne teoriee die pluralistiese aard van die wereld bevestig. Die wet in die Ou- Testament balanseer vir Welker die assosiatiewe en sistemiese dimensies van pluralisme deur in geregtigheids-, barmhartigheids- en kultiese kodes te pluraliseer. Die pluralistiese struktuur van die wet kan moderne samelewings begelei om pluralisme so te struktureer dat die soeke na geregtigheid en waarheid realiseer word. In hoofstuk 3 word dit duidelik dat die sonde die goeie wet van God magteloos kan maak en dat aile vorme van pluralisme nie noodwendig goed is nie. Kennis van die wet of skeppingskennis beteken vir Welker eindigheidskennis. Sonde beteken vir hom die opheffing en isolering van die assosiatiewe, interafhanklikheid van die differensiele sfere van die skepping. Volgens Welker word die wet van God, net soos in die Bybelse tradisies, ook in moderne samelewings magteloos gemaak deur die verabsolutering van 6f die assosiatiewe of sistemiese dimensies van pluralisme wat aanleiding gee tot chaotiese relatiwisme of onderdrukkende, totalitere sistemiese vorme van pluralisme. Die sonde beteken dat dit vir die teologie onmoontlik is om postmoderne teoriee, wat onkrities is teenoor die pluralismes van ons samelewings, sondermeer te legitimeer. Die vraag is hoe dit moontlik is om in die strukturering van ons pluralistiese wereld tussen goeie en slegte vorms van pluralisme te onderskei? In hoofstuk 4 word aangevoer dat Welker se verstaan van die evangelie ons hiermee kan help. Die evangelie, met die kruisiging en opstanding van Jesus Christus as middelpunt, beteken vir Welker enersyds die openbaring van die mag van die sonde, en andersyds die onthulling van die vryheid van die evangelie. Die kruis van Christus is vir Welker die openbaring van hoe die differensiele strukturele patrone van die skepping in samelewings kan verword, terwyl geloof in die Opgestane Een die onthulling van die strukturele relasies wat in Christus gegee is, beteken. Christus se opstanding beteken dus hoop vir die skepping. Die Gees hou volgens Welker die assosiatiewe en sistemiese dimensies van pluralisme in die skepping in stand deur op In pluralistiese wyse die intensies van die wet, naamlik geregtigheid, barmhartigheid en volkome Godskennis in die publieke sfeer van samelewings, te realiseer sonder om die natuurlike, sosiale en kulturele differensiasie tussen mense, groepe en groepe mense op te hef. Teenoor chaotiese individualisme en die rnonohierarqiese verwording van funksionele sisteme wat aanleiding gee tot die ervaring van magteloosheid in moderne samelewings, skep die Gees volgens Welker, In alternatiewe publieke sfeer wat nie uit tradisionele morele of politieke konsensus groei nie. 'n Gemeenskap van heiliges, wat as liggaam van die gekruisigde en opgestane Een, assosiatief en sistemies, gemeentelik en ekumenies, die koninkryk van God, universeel onder In veelheid van eindige, partikuliere omstandighede in die skepping, realiseer. In hoofstuk 5 word die resultate van Welker se wet-evangelie onderskeid geevalueer. Volgens Welker kan pluralisme maklik skade Iy binne ons rnassa- en funksionele samelewings en daarom het mense die opdrag om pluralisme lief te he en te koester. Die winspunte van Welker se wet-evangelie onderskeid is dat dit kriteria genereer wat help om tussen goeie en slegte vorme van pluralisme te onderskei. Welker se byeenhou van die assosiatiewe en sistemiese dimensies van pluralisme help ons om veral in te sien dat dit moderne mense nie veel gaan baat om terug te val op persoonlike en interpersoonlike ervarings en werklikheidskonstruksies nie, maar dat mense die uitdaging moet aanvaar om kompleks, kreatief en interdissipliner te leer leef.

Thesis (DTh (Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology))—University of Stellenbosch, 2008.
This study offers an overview, interpretation and critical evaluation of the theology of the Lutheran American theologian Robert Jenson. The first aim is to give an outline of his theology in such a way that the importance of the relation between God and time in his thought will become clear in this process. This study will therefore focus on specific themes in his theology and the implications for the current theological debate on time, eternity, history and God. The title was also the title of Jenson’s own early study of the work of Karl Barth, Alpha and Omega. Jenson’s theology is ecumenical by driven from the beginning to the end. He tries to formulate a theology for the one united church of the future. In his theology he thus focuses on early writers, the church fathers and on ecumenical confessions such as Nicea. He wants to get clarity why the church differs on certain points and investigates where it all started. He then brings his theology in connection with current Orthodox theologians, as well as with the Western theologians of different church traditions and tries to build on the common factors between them. His theology has an ecumenical aim, but it is first and foremost a theology written in reaction to postmodernism and especially the nihilism of his Western and primarily North-American cultural context. To find answers to these (ecumenical and nihilistic) questions, Jenson focuses on mainly three themes that will be discussed in this study: (1) the relation between time, eternity and Trinity, (2) the trinitarian identity and character of God, and (3) the importance of the narrative nature of theology. Jenson appropriates much of Karl Barth’s thought on the Trinity and on the Trinity’s relation to time and eternity but he draws much more radical implications and consequences. He therefore differs from Barth on these issues at critical points. Jenson stands in the tradition of eschatological and trinitarian theologians of the previous century and he builds his theology around these foci in order to serve his ecumenical aim. Finally the critical question is also asked whether and to what extent Jenson succeeds in his aim. It looks at the specific contributions Jenson made and which questions still remain unanswered regarding this key question for Christian faith, thought and life.

Thesis (MDiv (Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007.
The statement of the thesis focus on the relationship decrease of the authority of the leader, the expectation of the leadership and the theological training offered in student preparation. The researcher will attempt to answer the problems posed by the thesis statement through discourse with the 20th century theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I used Bonhoeffer as an example for the problems he encountered in Germany strokes with the problem in my problem statement. This is a problem regarding the authority of the leader, the expectations of the leader and the relationship that exist between the spirituality of the leader and his/her own leadership. The manner in which Bonhoeffer incorporated the spirituality in the theological training at the seminary at Finkenwalde, posits new ideas regarding the incorporation of spirituality into today’s theological training. The figure of Bonhoeffer is chosen because of his authoritarian position and also because he exemplified the ideology of the leader’s authority. The thesis will discuss four aspects regarding Bonhoeffer’s life and work. These aspects are discussed from a historical theological perspective. This will highlight the contribution made by Bonhoeffer with regards to the relationship that exists between leadership, spirituality and theological training. The thesis includes an article by Bonhoeffer regarding the leadership principle and the authority of the leader. The purpose is to acknowledge the need for leadership and influence that the social-political circumstances have on the leadership expectation. Secondly I will discuss the responsibilities that the leader has to his community as well as the limitations of the office. Lastly I will discuss the authority of the leader with regards to the authority of God Secondly I will discuss the political and congregational circumstances in Germany between 1933 and 1935 that led to the establishment of the seminary at Finkenwalde. I will also focus on the numerous challenges posed by the establishment of the seminary as a result of the limitations imposed by the German state and church. The purpose here will be to give an historical overview of the circumstances in 1930’s Germany. I will also focus on the manner in which Bonhoeffer lived out his leadership in the public debate and at the seminary at times when tremendous pressure was exerted by the state and German Evangelical Church. Thirdly I will focus on the theological manner in witch Bonhoeffer ordered his day at the Finkenwalde seminary. The purpose is to highlight the interaction that should occur between Christians within the Christian community. Here Bonhoeffer focus on what Christian community is about, and how the day together should be spent. Thereafter Bonhoeffer discuss how a day alone should be spent. Further on he discusses the service within Christian relationships and the role that repentance and communion played within a Christian community. The purpose is to communicate the manner in which Bonhoeffer understood spirituality and its function within the community. Thereafter it also shows how Bonhoeffer was involved in the presentation of spiritual activities at the seminary. Bonhoeffer suggested that spirituality should be the foundation on which theological training is based. Lastly I will focus on the manner in which Bonhoeffer was received by the Christian community as a theological educator. The purpose thereof is to focus on the impressions and perceptions regarding Bonhoeffer himself and the successes of his training, friendship and be-ing. This should not be regarded as critical in nature but rather as an ode to the man himself.

Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2000
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In seeking to evaluate a Christian ethic in the modern and postmodern world, we should first search for the ethical principles of modernism and of postmodernism. Thereafter, we should attempt to find a common ethical principle in both modernism and postmodernisrn. In this way we can establish whether or not modern and postmodern ethics approximate to Christian ethics. Modern ethics originated from and were established on the concept of 'the self or selfcentrism as defined in this thesis. More exactly, modern ethics were grounded on the basis of the 'reason' of the autonomous self. In this way modern ethics can be characterized by universal laws or universal norms. They served oppressive political norms. In modern times the rational ethics, therefore, correlated with the langauge of totalization and colonization. This modern ethical paradigm was criticized by postmodernists. Postmodernists deconstructed modernist universal norms which were constituted on the concept of 'the self. They discovered 'the other'. Thus the postmodern ethics were developed on the concept of 'the other'. Postmodern ethics are expressed in uncertainty and can be characterized as 'rninimalistic morality'. Even though modern ethics and postmodern ethics were established on different concepts, they have a common principle. We recognized that the this-worldly self-life centrism is a common principle of modern ethics and postmodern ethics. We established this in chapter 2. In Chapter 3 we studied the Christian ethics in the Bible. Christians must follow Christ. Christians must become the image of Christ. The Holy Spirit transforms us into the image of Christ. Therefore, Christ is the origin and model of Christian ethics. But we also investigated the reason why so many believers fail to live Christ-like life. We discovered that the this-worldly life centrism always hinders believers from becoming Christ-like people. We suggested that life-giving love is the core ethical principle in the Bible. In Chapter 4 we applied Biblical Christian ethics to the modern and postmodern world. We found that Christian ethics could not match up with modern and postmodern ethical principles in certain respects. Christian ethics are different from modern and postmodern ethics. From this application we proposed that Christian ethics are not expressed in either modern rationalism or postmodern deconstruction. We disclosed the reason why modern rational ethics and ethics of deconstruction cannot comprehend Christ-like ethics. Modern and postmodern ethics were not established on the model of Christ. Modern and postmodern ethics did not emphasize the life-giving love which Jesus portrayed. In this thesis, therefore, the conclusion is that Christian ethics must be Christ-centric ethics. The Christ-centric ethic that can counter postmodern life comes true in life-giving love. Countering modern rational ethics which are based on the concept of 'the self' or selfcentrism we, Christians, must emphasize suffering and self-giving by loving 'the other', for example: women, the isolated, and so on. Countering postmodern ethics of deconstruction based on the concept of 'the other', 'the other' must strive to become a Christ-like person rather than pursue his/her own perfect self-realization and liberation.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ten einde Christelike etiek in die moderne en postmoderne we reid te evalueer, moet ons eerstens soek vir 'n etiese beginsel ten opsigte van modernisme en postmodernisme, asook 'n gemeenskaplike etiese beginsel van sowel modernisme as postmodernisme. Slegs daarna kan ons klaarheid he of moderne en postmoderne etiek inpas in die Christelike etiek. Moderne etiek het ontstaan uit en is gebaseer op die konsep van 'die self of selfgesentreerdheid, soos na verwys is in hierdie tesis. Om meer presies te wees, moderne etiek het ontwikkel op die grondslag van die 'rede' van die outonome self. Dus kan die moderne etiek op die wyse uitdrukking vind in universele wette of norme. Dit het onderdrukkende politieke stelsels bedien. In moderne tye het die rasionele etiek dus ooreengestem met die taal van kolonialisme en 'n totalitere benadering. Hierdie moderne etiese paradigma is deur die postmoderniste gekritiseer. Postmoderniste het die universele norme gebaseer op die konsep van 'die self deur moderniste, afgetakel. Hulle het 'die ander' ontdek. Die postmoderne etiek is dus ontwikkel op die konsep van 'die ander '. Postmoderne etiek word uitgedruk in onsekerheid en kan gekarakteriseer word as 'geminimaliseerde moraliteit'. Alhoewel moderne etiek en postmoderne etiek op verskillende konsepte gevestig is, het hulle tog 'n gemeenskaplike beginsel. Ons het die gerigtheid op hierdie-wereldse selfgesentreerdheid herken as eie aan beide moderne etiek en postmoderne etiek. Ons het dit in hoofstuk 2 ondersoek. In hoofstuk 3 het ons Christelike etiek in die Bybel bestudeer. Christene moet navolgers van Christus wees. Christene moet Christusgelykvormig word. Die Heilige Gees herskep ons tot die beeld van Christus. Daarom is Christus die oorsprong en die model van Christelike etiek. Ons het ook die rede ondersoek waarom die dissipels Christus nie kon navolg nie. Ons het ontdek dat die hierdie-wereld lewensgesentreerdheid gelowiges altyd verhinder om Christusgelykvormige mense te word. Ons stel voor dat lewegewende liefde die kern etiese beginsel in die Bybel is. In hoofstuk 4 het ons Christelike etiek soos ons dit in die Bybel bestudeer het, toegepas op die moderne en postmoderne wereld. Ons het bevind dat die Christelike etiek op sekere punte nie in lyn gebring kan word met moderne en postmoderne etiek nie. Christelike etiek verskil van moderne en postmoderne etiek. Voortvloeiend uit hierdie toepassing het ons voorgestel dat die Christelike etiek nie kon ontstaan het vanuit die moderne rasionalisme en postmoderne dekonstruksie nie. Ons het die rede blootgele waarom moderne rasionele etiek en dekonstruktiewe etiek nie Christusgelykvormige etiek kan omvat nie. Moderne en postmoderne etiek is nie gevestig op die model van Christus nie. Moderne en postmoderne etiek is nie beklemtoon in die lewegewende liefde wat Jesus gedemonstreer het nie. Die gevolgtrekking in hierdie tesis is dus dat Christelike etiek Christus-sentriese etiek moet wees - Christus-sentriese etiek wat die postmoderne lewensuitkyk kan weerle deur 'n openbaring van lewegewende liefde. Om moderne rasionele etiek gebaseer op die konsep van' die self of selfgesentreerdheid te weerle, moet ons as Christene die klem laat val op lyding en om onsself te gee deur ander lief te he, byvoorbeeld: vroue, die gel soleerdes en ander. Ten einde postmoderne etiek se dekonstruksie gebaseer op 'die ander' te weerle, moet dit 'die ander' se mikpunt wees om Christusgelykvormig te word eerder as om sy volkome selfrealisering en bevryding na te streef.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis has its title: ‘A Church Historical Enquiry Regarding Growth of Membership in the Church of Central Africa, Presbyterian-Harare Synod (1912-2012). As the denomination celebrated hundred years of existence in Zimbabwe in June 2012, this thesis focuses on the aspect of the growth of membership in the church in question. In order to study this growth of membership in the named denomination, one should take note of the fact that the Church of Central Africa, Presbyterian-Harare Synod is in many ways the resultant of migrant labour in Malawi, Mozambique and North- Eastern Zambia to the mining industries and farms in Zimbabwe. One should also put into consideration the fact that the C.C.A.P in Malawi originated from the Free Church of Scotland as well as the Established Church of Scotland through Dr David Livingstone in 1875. In order to understand this growth of membership, the thesis also attends to the leadership of the Church of Central Africa, Presbyterian-Harare Synod. This leadership includes the pioneer missionaries, ministers and evangelists. Also linked to the growth of membership in the C.C.A.P-Harare Synod is the development of congregations. This study therefore, explores on the establishment of congregations in chronological order. In this thesis the term “membership” is used mostly in its more official sense. It involves the full communicant members as clearly stipulated on Article 6 of the Constitution of C.C.A.P-Harare Synod as well as those receiving instructions in the catechumen class (the confirmed members).The Women’s Fellowship and the Men’s Fellowship as well as the Youth Groups are also involved in this membership. The research reveals various factors affecting the growth of membership in this denomination. The Synod identified the following as possible factors: -Retrenchments, -Deaths, -Unreliable Statistics, -Lack of Revival Meetings and -Lack of Vision by the Synod. In addition to these, the researcher included the Synod’s confinement to towns, mines and farms; the language barrier and inter-racial marriages and the socio-economic hardships as contributing factors affecting the growth of membership. In conclusion, the research reveals that the membership is neither growing drastically nor dwindling but is more or less stable, leading to the questions regarding the lack thereof. As a result, the following suggestions are put forward to help improve the growth of membership in --the Church of Central Africa, Presbyterian-Harare Synod: -The use of Shona and Ndebele alongside Chewa in the Church, -The Resumption of the much needed Evangelists Training Programmes, -Proper Statistics by Congregations and -Intensification of Evangelism Programmes.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis se titel is ’n kerkhistoriese ondersoek aangaande die groei in lidmaatskap in die Kerk van Sentraal-Afrika, Presbiteriaans - Harare sinode (1912-2012). Aangesien dié denominasie hule 100ste bestaansjaar in Junie 2012 gevier het, sal hierdie tesis fokus op die aspek van groei ten opsigte van lidmaatskap in die kerk Om die groei in lidmaatskap te ondersoek, moet `n mens kennis neem dat die Kerk van Sentraal-Afrika, Presbiteriaans - Harare sinode as gevolg van die instroom van buitelandse arbeid vanaf Malawi, Mosambiek en Noord-oos Zambië na die myne en plase in Zimbabwe ontstaan het. `n Mens moet ook in die feit in ag neem dat Kerk van Sentraal-Afrika, Presbiteriaans - Harare sinode sy oorsprong aan die gevolg van die werk van Dr David Livingstone te danke het. Om die groei in lidmaatskap te verstaan, fokus hierdie navorsing ook op die kwessie van leierskap in die Kerk van Sentraal-Afrika, Presbiteriaans - Harare sinode. Die leierskapsprofiel sluit die aanvanklike sendingwerkers, predikers en evangeliste in. Die ontwikkeling van gemeentes sal ook ondersoek word. Die vesting van gemeentes word op ‘n kronologiese wyse aan die orde gestel. Die navorsing onderstreep dat verskeie faktore ‘n beduidende rol speel in die groei van lidmaatskap (of die gebrek daaraan) in die bogenoemde kerk gespeel het. Die faktore sluit in: -Persone wat hulle werk verloor het -Sterftes -Onbetroubare statistieke -Tekort aan `n evangelisiewerk -‘n tekort van visie binne die sinode. Bykomend word aangetoon hoe taalverskille, gemengede huwelike en sosio-ekonomiese uitdagings ook bydraende faktore is wat die groei in lidmaatskap affekteer. Ten slotte, wys die navorser vanuit `n ondersoek na die kerkrekords dat die lidmaatskap egter nie drasties afgeneem of gegroei het nie. Dit lei na die volgende aanbevelings/voorstelle vir die Kerk van Sentraal-Afrika, Presbiteriaans - Harare sinode: -Die gebruik van Shona en Ndebele saam met Chewa in die Kerk, -Die bevordering van die nodige Evangelisasie opleidingsprogramme, -Die noodsaaklikheid van betroubare statistieke deur gemeentes en -Die intensifisering van evangelisasie programme.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: As backdrop and context for this study, injustices present in South Africa are briefly discussed, as well as the impact of such injustices on the people of the country. The focus then turns to the work of Nicholas Wolterstorff in order to see what type of light Wolterstorff’s perspectives on justice can shed on the quest for justice in contemporary societies, and what type of role the Christian faith can play within such justice discourses. An attempt is made to address this question by describing Wolterstorff's central ideas and perspectives on justice as clearly as possible. This is not an exhaustive critique on his thought and therefore it focuses mainly on understanding Wolterstorff’s own literature regarding justice. His approach to justice can be seen as a theological challenge that incorporates both history and philosophy. Wolterstorff’s central notions will become the focus throughout the second and third chapters. This includes his thorough theological account for the conception of justice as inherent rights as oppose to a right order. It also includes Wolterstorff’s examination of Biblical and theological perspectives on justice to support and strengthen his own account. Human worth is found to be the crucial grounding for his account of justice as inherent rights, and thus human dignity is also brought into the picture. Furthermore, the interrelatedness of love and justice is central to his thinking and will be explored thoroughly, especially as he addresses other notions in which love and justice oppose one another. Finally, the focus will turn to how Wolterstorff brings a component of care into his understanding of love and justice and how every person is called to care for the other. In the last chapter, chapter 4, the focus will turn to how all this ultimately then contributes to the questions raised, in other words how the key elements of Wolterstorff’s work can be understood, as well as the role of Christian faith within Wolterstorff’s understanding of justice, which includes the importance of justice discourse, how discourse leads to action, and ultimately loving one’s neighbour with love as care.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: As agtergrond vir hierdie studie word daar gekyk na die vorme van ongeregtigheid wat gevind kan word in Suid Afrika en die impak wat dit het op die mense van die land. Die fokus val dan op die werk van Nicholas Wolterstorff. Daar word gekyk hoe sy perspektiewe van geregtigheid lig kan skyn op die optog vir geregtigheid in kontemporêre gemeenskappe, spesifiek met betrekking tot die rol van Christelike geloof in sulke diskoerse. Hierdie vrae word aangespreuk deur te om Wolterstorff se sentrale idees en perspektiewe van geregtigheid so duidelik moontlik te beskryf. Hier word nie ekstensief kritiek gelewer op Wolterstorff se werk en denke nie en dus word daar gefokus op die relevansie van sy eie werke met betrekking tot geregtigheid. Sy benadering tot geregtigheid kan beskryf word as ‘n teologiese uitdaging wat wel ook geskiedenis en filosofie inkorporeer. Wolterstorff se kern temas word dus die focus van die tweede en derde hoofstukke. Dit sluit in sy deeglike teologiese verstaan van die konsep van geregtigheid as inherente regte in plaas van as regs-orde. Dit sluit ook in Wolterstorff se ondersoek van Bybelse en teologiese perspektiewe van geregtigheid om sy eie verstaan daarvan te ondersteun en versterk. Menslike waarde word gesien as die noodsaaklike element waarin sy teorie van geregtigheid gegrond word, en dus word menswaardigheid ook in die prentjie in gebring. Daar word verder deeglik gekyk na die interaflike verhouding tussen geregtigheid en liefde wat sentraal is in Wolterstorff se denke, spesifiek deur te kyk hoe hy idees aanspreek waarin die twee konsepte mekaar teenstaan. Laastens word daar gefokus op hoe Wolterstorff ‘n omgee-komponent inbring by hierdie verhouding tussen geregtigheid en liefde, sowel as hoe elke persoon geroep is om vir die ander om te gee op hierdie manier. In die laaste hoofstuk, hoofstuk vier, word die fokus dan geplaas op hoe bogenoemde kan bydra tot die vraagstelling van die studie, in ander woorde, hoe die kern elemente van Wolterstorff se werk duidelik verstaan kan word, asook die rol van Christen geloof binne Wolterstorff se verstaan van geregtigheid.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Through the eyes of the Catholic Church, one usually looks at Montanism as a second-century heretical sect. This prevailed orthodox view has devalued the Catholic Tertullian as a schismatic when he had accepted Montanism as his theological verification. The recent scholarship, however, has challenged that Tertullian’s transition to Montanism had not necessarily resulted from his theological conclusion. Rather this suggests that Tertullian, from the very beginning, was much more sympathetic to the new prophets than to the Catholic priests; the Montanist Tertullian had always taken precedence over the Catholic Tertullian. Given this new perspective, the thesis is developed as follows; Chapter 1, the topic and title are introduced with four critical research questions; (1) Why were the original Montanists condemned? (2) Why did Tertullian become a Montanist? (3) Why does Montanism exclude the present day Pentecostalism as Neo- Montanism? (4) Why does Montanism include the present day Pentecostalism as Neo- Montanism? Here particular interest is Tertullian’s intermediate position; as a point of contact, Tertullian stands not only between the Montanists and the Catholics, but also between the original Montanists and the present day Pentecostals as Neo-Montanism. Chapter 2 seeks to find an answer to the first research question of “Why were the original Montanists condemned?” Then, the researcher focuses on the root cause of the original condemnation of Montanism in three aspects. (1) Montanism was condemned as the victim of the institutionalization of the church, (2) Montanism was condemned as the pagan inspiration including controversial manifestations, such as ecstatic prophecy (and speaking in tongues), fanatical millenarianism, and strict puritanism, and (3) Montanism was condemned as the power struggle between the urban and rural church leadership. The point is that these three reasons are interrelated as a whole and, not as a separate entity. Yet, the conflict in the church regarding church government had taken the lead in the original condemnation of Montanism. The victory of urban church leadership had justified the victimization of the Montanists, the representative of the rural leadership. Chapter 3, the thesis has dealt with the second question; “Why did Tertullian become a Montanist?” The researcher acknowledges of the uneasy connection between the apologist Tertullian and the Montanist Tertullian. Yet, if Montanism was accused of its political conflict, not of its theological deviances, the relationship of Tertullian with Montanism needs to be reconsidered. Then, the researcher tries to vindicate Tertullian’s position through two methodological approaches. First, the researcher reconstructs the new image of Tertullian as the lay leader born into Montanism by deconstructing the conventional portrayal of Tertullian; (1) as the son of an officer of the Roman army, (2) as the professional Jurist, (3) as the Catholic priest at Carthage, and (4) as the schismatic. Second, the researcher also takes into account of Tertullian’s identity in the concept of the transitional correlation. By applying Tertullian’s transitional period as the Pagan-Catholic-Montanist to the concentric circles of concern, the previous view of Tertullian can be transformed into the new formula of Pagan as caterpillar- Catholic as cocoon-Montanist as butterfly. This three-fold structure then opens the way for a newborn image of Tertullian. Chapter 4 is dealing with the relationship between Montanism, the Montanist Tertullian, and the present-day Pentecostalism in order to answer the final question; “Why does Montanism include/exclude the present-day Pentecostalism as Neo-Montanism?” Tertullian’s Montanism, like a hinge, closely interconnects the present-day Pentecostalism to the original Montanism in historical, theological and ecclesiological sense of the word. First, the first generation of Pentecostals, regardless of whether they are the proponents of the Azusa Street or Topeka revival, they find their historical identity in the first generation of the apostolic church and this includes the second-century Montanists and the Montanist Tertullian. Second, from the theological point of view, the Montanist distinctive theological fashions, such as ecstatic prophecy, speaking in tongues, and the impending eschatological hope, has clearly re-echoed in the diadem of the current Pentecostal theology.. Third, the original Montanists and the present-day Pentecostals are both ecclesiologically the strong advocates of the pneumatological theocracy. For both, the priority is to return to the apostolic primitive church.. So, the current Pentecostals is convinced that they trace their root from the second-century spirit-filled Montanists. Chapter 5 summarizes the relationship between Montanism, the Montanist Tertullian, and the present day Pentecostalism by answering to the following four research questions; (1) “Why were the original Montanists condemned?” The answer is the ecclesiastical power struggle between the urban and rural leadership made the Montanist crisis a highly politically charged affair rather than a theologically controversial issue. (2) “Why did Tertullian become a Montanist?” The answer is Tertullian, as natural born Montanist, is determined to be a self-sacrificing mediator in order to bring reconciliation between the two rivals, namely, the city-priest and the countryside prophets. (3) “Why does Montanism include/exclude the present-day Pentecostalism as Neo- Montanism?” The answer is Montanism is the antecedent of the present-day Pentecostalism.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In die oë van die Rooms Katolieke Kerk is Montanisme niks anders nie as ʼn tweede-eeuse ketterse sekte. Hierdie ortodokse seining het die Katolieke Tertullianus as skismatikus gedevalueer, in besonders toe hy Montanisme as sy teologiese standpuntname aanvaar het. Deesdae is geleerdes van mening dat Tertullianus se oorgang na Montanisme is nie noodwendig die gevolg van sy teologiese stellingname nie. Dit suggereer eerder dat Tertullianus van die begin af, meer simpatiekgesind teenoor die nuwe profete as teenoor die Katolieke priesters was. Dit blyk dat die Montanus Tertullianus altyd voorkeur bo die Katolieke Tertullianus gekry het. Gegewe hierdie perspektief, het die tesis soos volg ontwikkel: Hoofstuk 1, die onderwerp en titel word ingelei met vier kritiese navorsing vrae; (1) Hoekom was die oorspronklike Montanisme veroordeel? (2) Hoekom het Tertullianus 'n Montanus geword? (3) Hoekom sluit Montanisme die hedendaagse Pentekostalisme Neo -Montanisme uit? (4) Hoekom sluit Montanisme die hedendaagse Pentekostalisme Neo-Montanisme in? Hier is veral van belang Tertullianus se intermediêre posisie as 'n punt van kontak. Tertullianus staan nie net tussen die Montanisme en die Katolieke nie, maar staan ook tussen die oorspronklike Montanisme en die hedendaagse Pentekostalisme as Neo-Montanisme. Hoofstuk 2 beoog om 'n antwoord op die eerste navorsingsvraag te vind: “Hoekom is die oorspronklike Montanisme veroordeel?" Die navorser het vervolgens drie aspekte wat betrekking het op die oorsaak van die oorspronklike veroordeling van Montanisme gefokus. (1) Montanisme was veroordeel as die slagoffer van die institusionalisering van die kerk, (2) die Montanisme was veroordeel as ʼn heidense inspirasie, byvoorbeeld die omstrede manifestasies: soos in ekstase, profesie (spreek in tale), fanatiese millennialisme, en streng Puritanisme, en (3) Montanisme was veroordeel as die stryd tussen leierskap in die stedelike en plattelandse kerk. Hierdie drie redes is interafhanklik van mekaar as 'n geheel en is dus nie 'n aparte entiteit nie. Die oorwinning van die stedelike kerk leierskap die veroordeling van die Montanisme, wat die landelike leierskap verteenwoordig het, geregverdig. Hoofstuk 3 handel oor die tweede vraag, "Hoekom het Tertullianus ʼn Montanus geword?" Die navorser erken die ongemaklike verband tussen die apologeet Tertullianus en die Montanus Tertullianus. Tog, as Montanisme daarvan beskuldig word van politieke konflik en nie van teologiese afwykings nie, dan behoort die verhouding van Tertullianus met Montanisme in heroorweging geneem te word. Die navorser het Tertullianus se posisie deur middel van twee metodologiese benaderings probeer verdedig. Eerstens, het die navorser die nuwe beeld van Tertullianus gerekonstrueer as leke leier wat in die tydperk van Montanisme gebore deur die konvensionele uitbeelding van Tertullianus te dekonstrueer; (1) as die seun van die Romeinse offisier, (2) as die professionele regsgeleerde, (3) as die Katolieke priester van Kartago, en (4) as die skismatikus. Tweedens, die navorser het ook Tertullianus se identiteit insake die konsep van die oorgang korrelasie in ag geneem. Deur Tertullianus se oorgang as die Heiden – Katolieke – Montanus in konsentriese sirkels aan te dui, kan die vorige siening van Tertullianus omskep word in die nuwe formule van die ruspe Katoliek – kokon – Montanus na vlinder. Hierdie drieledige struktuur baan die weg vir 'n nuwe beeld van Tertullianus. Hoofstuk 4 hanteer die verhouding tussen die Montanisme, die Montanus Tertullianus en die hedendaagse Pentekostalisme om sodoende die laaste twee vrae te beantwoord: "Hoekom is Montanisme in/uit gesluit in die hedendaagse Pentekostalisme as Neo-Montanisme?" Tertullianus se Montanisme, soos 'n skarnier, verbind die hedendaagse Pentekostalisme aan die oorspronklike Montanisme in historiese, teologiese en ekklesiologiese sin van die woord met mekaar. Eerstens, die eerste generasie van Pentekostalisme, ongeag of hulle voorstanders van die Azusa Straat herlewing of die Topeka herlewing is, vind hulle hul historiese identiteit in die eerste generasie van die apostoliese kerk en dit sluit in die tweede-eeuse Montanisme asook die Montanus Tertullianus. Tweedens, uit ʼn teologiese vertrekpunt, die Montanus se eiesoortige teologiese modes: soos in ekstase, profesie, spreek in tale, en die eskatologiese hoop, eggo duidelik die hedendaagse Pinkster teologie. Derdens, die oorspronklike montanisme en hedendaagse Pentekostalisme is beide ekklesiologies sterk voorstanders van die Pneumatologiese teokrasie. Vir beide van hulle is dit die prioriteit om na die primitiewe apostoliese kerk terug te keer. So, is die hedendaagse Pentekostalisme is daarvan oortuig dat hul, hul ontstaan kan terugspoor van die tweede-eeuse geesvervulde Montaniste. Hoofstuk 5 som die verhouding tussen die Montanisme, die Montanus Tertullianus en die hedendaagse Pentekostalisme op en beantwoord die volgende vier navorsingsvrae; (1) Hoekom was die oorspronklike Montaniste veroordeel? Die antwoord lê daarin opgesluit dat die kerklike magstryd tussen die stedelike en landelike leierskap het Montanisme ʼn hoogs polities gelaaide aangeleentheid gemaak eerder as 'n teologies omstrede kwessie. (2) Hoekom het Tertullianus 'n Montanus geword? Tertullianus, as gebore Montanus, was vasbeslote om 'n selfopofferende bemiddelaar te wees om sodoende versoening te bring tussen die twee opponerende groepe, naamlik, die stedelike – priester en die plattelandse profete. (3) Hoekom sluit Montanisme die hedendaagse Pentekostalisme Neo -Montanisme uit? (4) Hoekom sluit Montanisme die hedendaagse Pentekostalisme Neo -Montanisme in? Montanisme is die voorloper van die hedendaagse Pentekostalisme.

Thesis (DTh (Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology))—University of Stellenbosch, 2009.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study is a critical investigation of a theological basis for believers and the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian in Malawi to support a culture of human dignity and human rights, and specifically in the light of the classic Reformed doctrine of atonement, as reflected in the works of Calvin and Barth and also the Westminster Confession. It is argued in this study that the very essence of public recognition and consistent implementation of human rights is far reaching when understood in the light of the Reformed view of the atonement. In fact, in important and influential studies on human rights in ecumenical Reformed circles, the support for human rights is normally based on other doctrines. This study, however, argues that Jesus’ earthly life, sayings or parables in the Gospel narrative are all integral to the atonement process according to classical Reformed understanding, and are of great importance and relevance as a transformative power for the renewed life of the Reformed Christians in Malawi. It is argued that such a transformative power is capable of leading Reformed Christians in Malawi to a different view concerning their reception and building of a human rights culture in Malawi. Other Reformed Christian responses to human rights do provide an excellent overview of the liberating power of Christ’s cross and resurrection, and how believers may understand and affirm their vocation in light of this. However, the claim of this dissertation is that a fuller and more faithful understanding of the atonement will assist Reformed Christians in Malawi to see more clearly the importance of a culture of human rights specifically for the more faithful practice of their own Reformed faith and piety. For that reason, the research study has two research questions. The main research question investigates the relationship between the classic Reformed doctrine of atonement and human rights. The secondary question inquires about the implications of the classic Reformed doctrine of atonement for the promotion of human rights in Malawi. Hence, the research study comprises of five chapters. Chapter 1 introduces the problem being research, whilst Chapter 2 argues for a more faithful understanding of the Reformed view of the atonement. Chapter 3 provides the necessary background for the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian and its involvement in political change, and its response to the introduction of human rights and freedoms in Malawi. Chapter 4 discusses human rights in Malawi, in light of the Reformed doctrine of the atonement. The last Chapter (Chapter 5) summarizes and makes conclusions.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie is ‘n kritiese ondesoek van ‘n teologiese basis vir gelowiges en die Church of Central Africa Presbyterian in Malawi om ‘n kultuur van menswaardigheid en mensregte te ondersteun, spesifiek in die lig van die klassieke gereformeerde leerdtelling van versoening soos dit uitgebeeld word in die werke van Calvyn en Barth asook die Westminster Belydenis. Daar word in die studie geredeneer dat die wese van publieke erkenning vir en konsekwente toepassing van menseregte ver-reikend is wanneer dit verstaan word volgens die gereformeerde siening van versoening. Inderwaarheid is die steun vir menseregte in belangrike en invloedryke studies oor menseregte in ekumeniese gereformeerde kringe gewoonlik gebaseer op ander leerstellings. Hierde studie redeneer egter dat Jesus se aardse lewe, gesegdes en gelykenisse in die evangelies ‘n integrale deel van die klassieke gereformeerde verstaan van die versoeningsproses is, en uiters belangrik en relevant is as transformatiewe mag tot die hernude lewe van gereformeerde Christene in Malawi. Daar word geredeneer dat sodanige transformatiewe mag in staat is om gereformeerde Christene in Malawi te lei tot ‘n ander standpunt wat hul ontvanklikheid vir en vestiging van ‘n menseregte-kultuur in Malawi betref. Ander gereformeerde Christelike reaksies op menseregte bied ‘n uitstekende oorsig van die bevrydende mag van Christus se kruisiging en opstanding, en hoe gelowiges in die lig hiervan hul roeping kan verstaan en bevestig. Hierde dissertasie beweer egter dat ‘n voller, meer getroue verstaan van versoening gereformeerde Christene in Malawi sal help om die belang van ‘n menseeregte-kultuur duideliker te sien, juis vir ‘n meer getroue beoefening van hul eie geloof en piëteit. Die navorsingstudie fokus dus op twee navorsingsvrae. Die hoof-navorsingsvraag ondersoek die verhouding tussen die klassieke gereformeerde leerstelling van versoening en menseregte. Die sekondêre vraag kyk na die implikasies van die klassieke gereformeerde leerstelling oor versoening vir die vestiging van menseregte in Malawi. Die navorsingstudie bestaan uit vyf hoofstukke. Hoofstuk 1 stele die navorsingsvraag wat andersoek word, terwyl Hoofstuk 2 argumenteer vir ‘n meer getroue verstaan van die gereformeerde siening van versoening. Hoofstuk 3 gee agtergrond-inligting oor die Church of Central Africa Presbyterian, die kerk se betrokkenheid by politieke verandering en reaksie op die instel van menseregte en –vryhede in Malawi. Hoofstuk 4 bespreek menseregte in Malawi in die lig lig van die gereformeerde leerstelling oor versoening. Die laaste hoofstuk (Hoofstuk 5) som op en bereik ‘n slotsom.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study is undertaken in the wake of an increase in publications on the work of the Holy Spirit, on the one hand, and Analphabetisierung, an inability to think and talk about the Spirit on the other. The study endeavours to find a theologically-responsible way of reflecting on the Spirit by specifically focussing on the German systematic theologian Michael Welker’s theology of the Spirit and by offering an in-depth analysis of this theology. Chapter I shows that the relationship between the Spirit and the Word functions as the foundation of Welker’s theology of the Spirit. At the same time the relationship between Spirit and Word serves as vital background to Welker’s theology as this realistic theology best typifies Welker’s methodology. In Chapter II, Welker’s use of the concept of “Selbstlosigkeit” serves a key to understanding his theology of the Spirit: it is argued that the Spirit is selfless. The chapter offers a detailed description and analysis of Welker’s views on the relationship between the Spirit and Chirst. In Chapter III the theologically-significant concepts “sozial”, “soziale Sphäre”, and “öffentlich” are used to further explain Welker’s theology of the Spirit. It is the Spirit who establishes a social sphere in the world, which Welker also describes as the “public person” of the Spirit. Chapter IV investigates the unique nature of this selfless and social Spirit. While the interconnectedness between the Spirit and the Son and the Spirit and the Creator has been analysed in the previous chapters, this focus shifts to what Welker attributes to the Holy Spirit in particular. The Spirit is reflected upon in light of the confession of the church of all ages to show that the self in the sphere of the Spirit becomes known by social sensitivity and self- and social criticism. In conclusion the study indicates how Welker intentionally develops his theological frame of thought on the Spirit in the light of the relationship between the respective theological frames of thought of Schleiermacher and Barth.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Dié studie word onderneem in die gees van ‘n opbloei in die werke oor die Heilige Gees aan die een kant, en ‘n Analphabetisierung, ‘n gebrekkige vermoë om oor die Gees te dink en praat aan die ander kant, op soek na maniere om wél teologies verantwoordelik oor die Gees na te dink. Die studie fokus spesifiek op die Duitse sistematiese teoloog Michael Welker se Teologie van die Gees en wil die struktuur van dié Teologie ondersoek en in diepte ontleed. In hoofstuk I word getoon dat die verhouding tussen die Gees en die Woord as die saadbed van Welker se Teologie van die Gees gesien kan word. Hierdie agtergrond is onontbeerlik om Welker se teologie te verstaan, omdat hierdie realistiese teologie as beste tipering van sy metodologie dien. In hoofstuk II word die begrip van “Selbstlosigkeit” gebruik om hierdie Teologie van die Heilige Gees te ondersoek. Die Gees, volgens Welker, só word geargumenteer, is selfloos. In die hoofstuk word die verhouding tussen die Gees en Christus in diepte bestudeer. In hoofstuk III word die gelaaide begrippe, “sozial”, “soziale Sphäre”, en “öffentlich” gebruik om die struktuur van sy Teologie van die Heilige Gees verder te beskryf. Die Gees vestig ‘n sosiale sfeer in die wêreld, wat Welker ook beskryf as die “publieke persoon” van die Gees. In hoofstuk IV word die besondere aard van hierdie selflose en sosiale Gees dan ondersoek. Waar die interkonneksie tussen die Gees en die Seun en die Gees en die Skepper ontleed is, word in hierdie hoofstuk gefokus op dit wat Welker in besonder aan die Heilige Gees toeskryf. In die hoofstuk word die Gees in die lig van die belydenis van die kerk van alle tye en streke ondersoek, en word dit duidelik dat die self in die sfeer van die Gees geken word aan self-kritiek, sosiale sensitiwiteit, en sosiale kritiek. Ten slotte word aangedui dat en hoe Welker sy denkraamwerk oor die Gees doelbewus ontwikkel in die lig van die verhouding tussen die denkraamwerke van Schleiermacher en Barth.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2012.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: What are the predominant characteristics of the Refugee churches established in Europe in the mid‐sixteenth century? They are, undoubtedly, those of disputation and argument, dissension and fraction. But there are exceptions, the most notable of which is the English church in Geneva, which was formed in the autumn of 1555 and whose life officially ended when the last English exiles left Geneva in the spring of 1560. The origins of the church lay in the conflicts that had arisen over liturgy in the English church at Frankfurt and these conflicts continued later in Elizabethan England when the Marian exiles, many of them from Geneva, endeavoured to impose their vision of a truly Reformed church on the church of their homeland. For a short period – between the time spent at Frankfurt and the return to England – the English exiles in Geneva were a peaceable community at home with their maker and each other and created there a church that was broad rather than narrow in sympathy. The absence of conflict appears to have enlarged understanding and tolerance of others rather than narrowed it. This had much to do with the liturgy of the church which was one centered on prayer. It was also a liturgy that emphasized practicality, participation and community. The order of the church reflected its liturgy with, in a limited sense, a democratic rather than an authoritarian flavour. The failure of the Marian exiles to impose their view of a truly reformed church on the Elizabethan Church of England reminds us of the alternative approach to ecclesiological arrangements adopted in the Netherlands. While the Dutch Reformed church became the officially established public church of the Netherlands, it was nevertheless accepted, from inception, that only a minority of the population would become communicating members, a situation which has more flavour of the twentieth century than the sixteenth. But the ecclesiological arrangements in the Netherlands were unique and it is sad to record that the effect of the refugee churches was to harden confessional differences between Protestants of the Reformed and Lutheran traditions, making unity between them increasingly unlikely.

Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2005
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In his analysis of conflict resolution in the church sector, Professor Coertzsen (1998:69) points out that disputes occur also within the churches. While some of the disputes are purely doctrinal, others fall into the category of civil disputes. Professor Rik Torfs in an article (1998:27) observes that the Catholic Church is increasingly becoming a site of civil dispute. These include delict claims. Examples of these are: financial loss as a result of unfair suspension or dismissal from a clerical position; financial loss or loss of reputation resulting from unfair dismissal from a religious congregation; damage to a child or adult arising from being sexually abused by a priest or religious or lay person. When delictual disputes occur, state courts have civil jurisdiction over them. At the same time, the South African Arbitration Act 42 of 1965 allows the parties to a delictual dispute to arbitrate their case as an alternative to civil litigation. This trend is gaining currency in the post-apartheid South Africa. In principle, therefore, church members may refer their delictual disputes for arbitration, instead of entering into civil litigation. Church members, thus, have the choice to have their case arbitrated, and church leaders need to make it clear to members that they also have the right to bring their case to the state courts. This study highlights the need for the churches to have an office of contlict resolution. The office may then advise church members who have a delictual dispute on the options available to them. The office may have a list of lawyers (Christian lawyers) who are willing and able to arbitrate on matters referred to them by other Christians. When the parties decide to have their delictual case arbitrated by lawyers, the determination as to whether a person is legally liable for damage repair requires a legal framework. Unlike the situation in civil litigation, the parties who opt for arbitration have the freedom to decide on the legal framework that the arbitrator should use in determining liability. Catholic Church members who are parties to a dispute may, for example, jointly agree that the arbitrator employ the internal law of the Catholic Church, namely the canon law framework. This study envisages a situation where the parties have jointly agreed to the employment of canon law for the arbitration of their case. When the disputants and the arbitrators engage in discussion and decide on whether to use canon law, they need to ask themselves the following questions: (I) What principles and rules of law has canon law established for the determination of the issue at dispute? (2) How do the standards of justice in canon law differ from those in secular law? What provisions invoked by the arbitrators would result in gross injustice to the claimant? (3) If the provisions of canon law would result in gross injustice to the claimant, the church members who are parties to a dispute may choose to rectify and supersede the limitation inherent in canon law. The question arises: to what provisions in secular law are the arbitrators and Church members able to resort to compensate for the limitations of canon law? (4) How do the standards of justice in canon law differ from Biblical standards? To what biblical messages might the arbitrators and the church members resort to overcome the limitations in canon law? While recognising the value of the fourth question, this study limits itself to the first three. It is hoped that future studies will address the fourth question. The present study attempts to answer the first three questions by means of a critical comparative analysis of the framework that canon law has established for determining the various possible issues at dispute. In the study it is argued that the employment by an arbitrator of some of the provisions in canon law would result in gross injustice. The disputants need to take note of these before they mandate the arbitrator to apply canon law in their case.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In sy analise van kontlikoplossing in die kerk, wys professor Coertzen (1998:69) daarop dat geskilpunte ook binne kerke plaasvind. Terwyl sommige hiervan suiwer leerstellig is, ressorteer ander onder die kategorie van siviele dispute. In 'n artikel verwys Professor Rik Torfs (1998:27) daarna dat die Katolieke Kerk toenemend 'n plek van siviele dispuut word. Hieronder word onregmatige eise ingesluit . Voorbeelde hiervan sluit in: finansiele verlies as gevolg van onregverdige skorsing of afdanking van 'n geestelike pos; finansiele verlies of verlies aan reputasie wat spruit uit onregverdige ontslag van 'n godsdienstige gemeente; skade aan 'n kind of volwassene wat spruit uit seksuele mishandeling deur 'n priester, 'n godsdienstige of leke persoon. Wanneer onregmatige dispute plaasvind, het staatshowe siviele jurisdiksie daaroor. Terselfdertyd laat die Suid-Afrikaanse Arbitrasie Wet 42 van 1965 toe dat partye tot 'n onregmatige dispuut hul saak kan laat arbitreer as 'n alternatief tot siviele litigasie. In Suid- Afrika het hierdie neiging toegeneem in die postapartheid era. Ous, in prinsiep, mag kerklidmate hul onregmatige dispute verwys vir arbitrasie, in plaas daarvan om hul te wend tot siviele litigasie. Ous het kerklidmate die keuse om hul sake te laat arbitreer, en kerk leiers moet dit aan lidmate duidelik stel dat hulle ook die reg het om hul sake na die staaathowe te neern. Hierdie studie bring die noodsaaklikheid na yore die vir kerke om 'n kantoor te he vir kontlikbeslegting. Die kantoor mag dan kerklidmate wat 'n onregmatige dispuut het adviseer aangaande die alternatiewe wat vir hulle beskikbaar is. Die kantoor mag 'n lys hou van Christel ike prokureurs wat gewillig en bevoeg is om te arbitreer 001' sake wat deur ander Christene na hulle verwys word. Wanneer die partye besluit om hul onregmatige saak deur prokureurs te laat arbitreer, het die vasstelling of 'n persoon wetlik aanspreeklik is vir reparasie van skade 'n wetlike raamwerk. Anders as in die geval van siviele litigasie, het die partye wat besluit op arbitrasie die keuse om te besluit watter wetlike raamwerk die arbiter rnoet gebruik om aanspreeklikheid vas te stel. Lidmate van die Katolieke Kerk, wat partye tot 'n dispuut is, mag, by voorbeeld, gesamentlik besluit dat die arbiter die interne reg van die Katolieke Kerk gebruik, naamlik die kanonieke regsraamwerk. Hierdie studie beoog 'n situasie waar die partye gesamentlik besluit het om die kanonieke reg vir die arbitrasie van hul saak te gebruik. Wanneer die disputante en die arbiters in gesprek tree en besluit of die kanonieke reg gebruik sal word, moet hulle hulself die volgende vrae afvra: (I) Watter prinsiepe en reels van die reg het die kanonieke reg ingestel om die saak van dispuut wat ter sprake is, te bepaal? (2) Hoe verskil die standaarde van die reg in kanonieke reg van die in burgeri ike reg? Watter voorsienings ingestel deur die arbiters sou uitvloei in erge onreg aan die eiser? (3) As die voorsienings van die kanonieke reg sou lei tot erge onreg aan die eiser, mag die kerklidmate, wat partye tot die dispuut is, kies om in die kanonieke reg die beperkings reg te stel en te vervang. Die vraag ontstaan: na watter voorsienings in die kerklike reg kan die arbiters en kerklidmate verwys om te vergoed vir die beperkinge van die kanonieke reg? (4) Hoe verskil die standaarde van die reg in kanonieke reg van die bybelse standaarde? Na watter bybelse boodskappe mag die arbiters en die kerklidmate verwys om die beperkinge in die kanonieke reg te oorkom? Terwyl die waarde van die vierde vraag erken word, word hierdie studie beperk tot die eerste drie. Daar word gehoop dat toekomstige studies die vierde vraag sal aanspreek. Die huidige studie poog om die eerste drie vrae te beantwoord deur middel van 'n krities-vergelykende analise van die raamwerk wat die kanonieke reg ingestel het 0111 verskeie rnoontlike sake van dispuut vas te stel. In hierdie studie word aangevoer dat die indiensneming deur 'n arbiter van sommige van die voorsienings van kanonieke reg sou kon lei tot erge onreg. Die disputante moet kennis neem hiervan voordat hulle die arbiter die mandaat gee om die kanonieke reg in hul geval toe te pas.

Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation concerns the implications of the doctrine of the Trinity and the debate about women in ministry. The first chapter serves as introduction to the debate regarding men and women in the church as well as introduction to the doctrine of the Trinity. In the former, anthropology and ecclesiology very rarely get awarded equal discussion. More important, they are both influenced by the doctrine of God but little attention is given to these influences. The recent renaissance in trinitarian theology gives new opportunities in this regard. It is not without danger of projection, but we can do this because humankind is created in the image of God. Because the image of God firstly says something about God, chapter 2 deals with the doctrine of God in terms of the Trinity. The question is whether a relational understanding provides a justified vision on the doctrine of the Trinity. There are four topics discussed: (1) the One and Three, (2) the economic and immanent Trinity, (3) subordination, (4) language. Chapter 3 is about the traditional rational interpretation of the imago Dei who has been dominant throughout history. This is based upon the Deo uno understanding and has to do with (1) substance (2) carnality (3) the fall (4) masculinity. Due to the Reformation there was more attention for the Christological interpretation. It points to a more relational aspect but it could easily still be interpreted in a rational and an individualistic manner. The pneumatology is mostly ignored. Chapter 4 argues that speaking of imago Trinitatis instead of imago Dei deserves preference. The imago Trinitatis points to the importance of relationships, with God, neighbour and nature. After exploring definitions, there can be stated that masculinity and femininity together point to relationality. Regarding the issue of subordination, from a trinitarian mindset the relationship between men and women should be understood as a relationship of mutual submission. In chapter 5, firstly the understanding of imago Dei is discussed regarding ecclesiology and the ministry. The unity of the church and the Christological representation has been dominant throughout history. It could cause the exclusion of the Holy Spirit and women from the ministry. If the Church is seen rather as imago Trinitatis, the relationship between God and human, individual and community is expressed. For the ministry the starting point must be in the ministry of all believers. From a relational point of view the ordained ministry points to a different relationship with the congregation. The thematic of subordinance plays a large role in the question about whether women should be allowed into the ordained ministries, but mutual submission must be the central point. This is also seen in the use of feminine language in ecclesiology which points to an intimate relationship between God and the church. Only when men and women work together in the ordained ministry they represent the imago Trinitatis. Chapter 6 provides an overview of the study, drawes conclusions and gives practical recommendations.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie dissertasie gaan oor die implikasies van die godsleer vir die debat oor vroue in die amp. Die eerste hoofstuk dien as ’n inleiding op al twee onderwerpe. In die debat oor mans en vroue in die kerk is daar min aandag vir hoe die antropologie en ekklesiologie beïnvloed word deur die godsleer. Die onlangse renaissanse in trinitariese teologie gee nuwe moontlikhede om te kyk watter implikasies die godsleer het vir die antropologie en ekklesiologie. Al is daar die gevaar van projeksie, die verbinding tussen die onderwerpe kan gemaak word omdat die mens geskep is na die beeld van God. Omdat die beeld van God eerste iets sê oor God, word die dogma van die Triniteit bespreek in hoofstuk 2. Die vraag is of relasionaliteit help om ’n verantwoorde verstaan van die dogma te gee. Vier onderwerpe word behandel: 1. Die verhouding tussen die Deo uno en die Deo trino. 2. Die verhouding tussen die ekonomiese en immanente Triniteit. 3. Subordinasie in die Godheid. 4. Trinitariese taalgebruik. Hoofdstuk drie gaan oor die dominante rasionele interpretasie van die imago Dei. Dit is gebaseer op die Deo uno en het te make met substansie, liggaamlikheid, die sondeval en manlikheid. Deur die Reformasie het meer aandag gekom vir die Christologie en daardeur vir relasionaliteit, maar die pneumatologie kry min aandag en dit bly primêr gerig op die rasionele, die individu en die manlike geslag. Hoofdstuk vier argumenteer dat dit beter is om van imago Trinitatis as van imago Dei te praat, omdat die verhouding met die Triniteit en mense onderling sentraal staan. Manlik en vroulik is deel van die beeld van God en wys op die belang van verhoudings. Vanuit ’n trinitariese oogpunt moet subordinasie verstaan word vanuit wederkerige onderdanigheid. Hoofdstuk vyf bespreek eerstens die tradisionele imago Dei verstaan vir die ekklesiologie en geordineerde bediening. In die geskiedenis en tans speel eenheid en Christologiese representasie ’n dominante rol. Dit kan maak dat die Heilige Gees geen aandag kry nie asook dat vroue uitgesluit word van die geordineerde bediening. As die kerk egter gesien word as imago Trinitatis staan die verhouding tussen God en mens, individu en gemeenskap sentraal. Vanuit ’n relasionele oogpunt is die geordineerde bediening ’n ander verhouding met die gemeente. Subordinasie moet verwerp word op grond van geslag, en wederkerige onderdanigheid moet vanuit trinitariese perspektief verkies word. Dit is ook sigbaar in die vroulike ekklesiologiese terminologie. Dit wys op die intieme verhouding tussen God en die kerk. Manne én vroue verteenwoordig die bruid. Net wanneer hulle saamwerk in die geordineerde bediening verteenwoordig hulle die imago Trinitatis. Hoofdstuk 6 gee ’n oorsig van die ondersoek en maak verskillende gevolgtrekkings asook aanbevelings.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: With the development and continued developing of medical technology, treatments become available without the time to reflect ethically on them. Given how fast things change in medical technology, it is important to constantly reflect anew. Ethical reflection, however, seems to be lagging far behind bio-technological developments. Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) and Human Genetic Manipulation (GM) is fast becoming an everyday reality and must therefore be reflected upon. Few Christian bioethical studies have been done on the impact that this could have on the larger populace, especially the local population in South Africa, where only a small percentage would be able to access these possible treatments. This study is motivated by the quest of ethicists in general and Christian ethicists in particular, to respond adequately and appropriately to the challenges posed by bio-technological developments. The study will outline and discuss the various Christian perspectives on PGD and GM. It will be shown that most Christian responses to bio-technological matters are done from within the framework of the doctrine of creation. In response, this study will then discuss a trinitarian perspective on the confession of God as creator and investigate whether this perspective might advance and enrich, and even amend, the quests of Christians to formulate ethical responses to the challenges posed by PGD and GM. I have made the decision to focus, for the most part, only on the work of one theologian, and will therefore be applying the trinitarian doctrine of creation as found in the work of Jürgen Moltmann to the development of a Christian bioethical perspective. Seeing that Christian ethics in general is concerned with human dignity, social justice and wellbeing, as well as moral upliftment, the ethical implications of this type of medical technology in the South African context, with its uneven distribution of wealth and access to medical care, must also be addressed from the perspective of this study. In this regard, the concept of human beings created imago Dei (in the image of God), with inherent human dignity, is of particular importance.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Met die ontwikkeling en voortdurende ontwikkeling van mediese tegnologie word behandelinge beskikbaar sonder dat daar tyd is om eties daaroor te reflekteer. Gegewe hoe vinnig dinge verander in mediese tegnologie is dit belangrik om voortdurend nuut te reflekteer. Pre-implantasie Genetiese Diagnose (PGD) en Menslike Genetiese Manipulasie (GM) is vinnig beter om ‘n alledaagse realiteit te word en daarom moet daar daaroor reflekteer word. Daar is min Christelike bio-etiese studies gedoen oor die impak wat dit op die groter samelewing kan hê, veral in die plaaslike bevolking van Suid-Afrika, waar slegs ‘n klein persentasie toegang tot hierdie moontlike behandelinge sal hê. Hierdie studie word gemotiveer deur die poging van etici in die algemeen en Christelike etici spesifiek, om behoorlik en toepaslik te reageer op die uitdagings wat bio-tegnologiese ontwikkelinge bied. Die studie sal die verskillende Christelike perspektiewe op PGD en GM uiteensit en bespreek. Daar sal aangedui word dat die meeste Christelike antwoorde op die bio-tegnologiese kwessies gedoen word binne die raamwerk van die skeppingsleer. In reaksie hierop sal hierdie studie dan 'n trinitariese perspektief op die belydenis van God as Skepper bespreek en ondersoek of hierdie perspektief die poging om ‘n Christelike etiese antword te formuleer op die uitdagings wat PGD en GM bied kan bevorder en verryk, en moontlik selfs wysig. Ek het die besluit geneem om hoofsaaklik net op die werk van een teoloog te fokus, en sal dus die trinitariese skeppingsleer soos gevind in die werk van Jürgen Moltmann toepas tot die ontwikkeling van 'n Christelike bio-etiese perspektief. Aangesien die Christelike etiek in die algemeen gemoeid is met menswaardigheid, maatskaplike geregtigheid en welstand, asook morele opheffing, moet die etiese implikasies van hierdie tipe mediese tegnologie in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks, met sy ongelyke verspreiding van rykdom en toegang tot mediese sorg, ook aangespreek. In hierdie verband is die konsep van die mens geskep Imago Dei (na die beeld van God), met inherente menswaardigheid, van besondere belang.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation is an attempt to show the centrality of prayer in the Christian life, in faith and obedience, according to Karl Barth. It is argued that the Christian life was not the focus of Barth’s theology. The focus of his theology was the divine reality upon which the Christian life is grounded and in which it continually finds its own reality. In its correspondence to and dependence upon God’s reality, God’s Word and work, the Christian life is for Barth both faith and obedience, and at the core of faith and obedience, it is prayer. The inseparable relationship between faith, obedience and prayer, is not due to the nature of humanity, the Christian, or even the Christian life as such, but due to the divine reality which gives faith, obedience and prayer its reality. Faith and obedience are inseparably related. Both are equally impossible for humanity by its own power and capacity. It is only by the grace of God in Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, that humanity is justified and sanctified, thus turning its unbelief into faith and its disobedience into obedience. The unity of faith and obedience lies therein that they both form part of the one event of the reconciliation between God and humanity, which is accomplished in Jesus Christ. Both form part of the Self-revelation of this reconciliation by God’s Word. The reconciliation between God and humanity, revealed by the Word of God, does not depend on faith and obedience, but is effective by its own power and grace, which brings both faith and obedience simultaneously into existence. The reality of faith and obedience is a hidden reality, a divine reality, an eschatological reality, which is not externally observable, but can only be believed in faith, to which we are moving in obedience, and which we ask for in prayer. Faith and prayer are also inseparably related. Faith, knowledge of God, is a personal response to God’s gracious and miraculous Self-revelation, which humanity cannot produce by its own power. And therefore faith is to pray. Faith is always praying, for God’s Self-revelation never becomes the possession of the believer, but is always given anew, thus necessitating faith to always ask anew for God’s Self-revelation. Faith knows God in personal response, knows God in asking always anew, and therefore knows God in prayer. Faith only has knowledge of God by talking to God, by responding in prayer to God’s prior Self-revelation to faith, and by asking for God to reveal God-self always anew. Obedience and prayer are also inseparably related. Both obedience and prayer exist in the freedom of being bound unconditionally to God’s action and Word. Freedom is not freedom from obligation, but the freedom of living within the claim of God’s lordship over our lives. The freedom of obedience is the freedom to act in reaction to the action of God. It is the liberation from pondering over different possibilities, and the freedom for living in the one and only path laid before it, the path of obedience. The freedom of prayer is the freedom to respond in correspondence to the Word of God, by which it is addressed and claimed. It is the liberation from all other voices and claims, and the freedom to give witness to the one and only voice which claims its life in totality. Faith, prayer and obedience are inseparably related. All three form part of the one Christian life lived under the Lord, who is Lord over the whole of creation, and who is Lord over the whole of the Christian life. In faith, obedience and prayer the Christian lives in correspondence to God’s lordship over the world, the church and the individual. Becoming a Christian, means believing in Jesus Christ. It means continually looking away from oneself, to Jesus Christ, who justifies humanity despite its unbelief, despite its pride, despite its faith in itself. Faith discards trust in itself, and trusts Jesus Christ completely. Being a Christian, means obeying Jesus Christ. It means to surrender to Jesus Christ as the only Lord whom one is to obey in life and in death. As Jesus Christ sanctifies disobedient and slothful humanity, obedience is the freedom to rise and follow Jesus. Acting as a Christian, means praying with Jesus Christ. It means to ask in the Name of Jesus Christ, in the power and presence of Jesus Christ, in the grace and lordship of Jesus Christ, that we will be able to believe what we cannot believe by our own power, and that we will be able to obey what we cannot obey by our own power.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie proefskrif is ‘n poging om aan te dui dat gebed in die hart staan van die Christelike lewe, in beide geloof en gehoorsaamheid, volgens die teologie van Karl Barth. In hierdie studie word aangevoer dat die Christelike lewe nie die fokus van Barth se teologie was nie. Die fokus van sy teologie was die Goddelike werklikheid waarop die Christelike lewe gegrond is en vanwaar dit voortdurend ‘n eie werklikheid ontvang. In ooreenstemming met en in afhanklikheid van God se werklikheid, God se Woord en werk, is die Christelike lewe volgens Barth gelyktydig geloof en gehoorsaamheid, en in die kern van geloof en gehoorsaamheid, staan gebed. Die onskeibare verhouding tussen geloof, gehoorsaamheid en gebed, is nie vanweë die aard van die mens, die Christen, of selfs die Christelike lewe in sigself nie, maar vanweë die Goddelike realiteit wat aan geloof, gehoorsaamheid en gebed hul werklikheid skenk. Geloof en gehoorsaamheid staan in ‘n onskeibare verband tot mekaar. Beide is ewe onmoontlik vir mense in hul eie krag and vermoë. Dit is net deur die genade van God in Jesus Christus, deur die krag van die Heilige Gees, dat die mensdom geregverdig en geheilig word, waardeur ongeloof in geloof, en ongehoorsaamheid in gehoorsaamheid verander word. Die eenheid van geloof en gehoorsaamheid lê daarin dat beide deel uitmaak van die een gebeurtenis van versoening tussen God en mens, wat in Jesus Christus plaasvind. Beide maak deel uit van die Self-openbaring van hierdie versoening deur God se Woord. Die versoening tussen God en mens, wat die Woord van God openbaar, is nie afhanklik van geloof en gehoorsaamheid nie, maar is effektief in eie krag, deur genade, en dit bring beide geloof en gehoorsaamheid tot stand. Die werklikheid van geloof en gehoorsaamheid is ‘n verborge werklikheid, ‘n Goddelike werklikheid, ‘n eskatologiese werklikheid, wat nie van buite waarneembaar is nie, maar wat slegs in geloof geglo kan word, waarnatoe ons beweeg in gehoorsaamheid, en waarvoor ons vra in gebed. Geloof en gebed staan ook in ‘n onskeibare verband tot mekaar. Geloof, kennis van God, is ‘n persoonlike antwoord op God se genadige en wonderbaarlike Self-openbaring, wat die mens nie in eie krag kan skep nie. En daarom is geloof om te bid. Geloof bid voortdurend, want God se Self-openbaring raak nooit die besitting van die gelowige nie, maar word altyd opnuut gegee, wat dit noodsaaklik maak vir geloof om altyd opnuut te vra vir God se Self-openbaring. Geloof ken God deur ‘n persoonlike antwoord, deur altyd opnuut te vra, en daarom ken geloof vir God in gebed. Geloof het slegs kennis van God deur met God te praat, deur in gebed te antwoord op Gods voorafgaande Self-openbaring aan geloof, en deur vir God te vra om Godself altyd opnuut te openbaar. Gehoorsaamheid en gebed staan ook in ‘n onskeibare verband tot mekaar. Beide gehoorsaamheid en gebed bestaan in die vryheid om onvoorwaardelik gebonde te wees aan God se Woord en werk. Vryheid is nie vryheid van verpligtinge nie, maar die vryheid om te leef binne die aanspraak van God se heerskappy oor ons lewens. Die vryheid van gehoorsaamheid is die vryheid om aktief op te tree in reaksie op die aksie van God. Dit is om bevry te word van bepeinsing oor verskillende moontlikhede, en die vryheid om te leef vir die een en enigste pad wat voor sigself lê, die pad van gehoorsaamheid. Die vryheid van gebed is die vryheid om te antwoord in ooreenstemming met die Woord van God, waardeur die mens aangespreek word en in beslag geneem word. Dit is die bevryding van alle ander stemme en aansprake, en die vryheid om te getuig van die een en enigste stem wat die lewe in totaliteit in beslag neem. Geloof, gehoorsaamheid en gebed is in ‘n onskeibare verband tot mekaar. Al drie maak deel uit van die een Christelike lewe wat geleef word onder die Heer, wat Heer is oor die hele skepping en ook oor die Christelike lewe. In geloof, gehoorsaamheid en gebed leef die Christen in ooreenstemming met God se heerskappy oor die wêreld, die kerk en die individu. Om ‘n Christen te word, beteken om te glo. Dit beteken om voortdurend weg te kyk van sigself, na Jesus Christus, wat die mensdom regverdig ten spyte van hul ongeloof, ten spyte van hul trots, ten spyte van hul geloof in hulself. Geloof vertrou nie op sigself nie, maar vertrou Jesus Christus volledig. Om ‘n Christen te wees, beteken om Jesus Christus te gehoorsaam. Dit beteken om sigself oor te gee aan Jesus Christus as die enigste Heer wat gehoorsaam moet word in lewe en in sterwe. Jesus Christus heilig die ongehoorsame en trae mensdom, wat aan die mens die vryheid gee om op te staan en Jesus te volg in gehoorsaamheid. Om op te tree as ‘n Christen, beteken om te bid saam met Jesus Christus. Dit beteken om in die Naam van Jesus Christus, in die krag en teenwoordigheid van Jesus Christus, in die genade en heerskappy van Jesus Christus, te vra dat ons in staat sal wees om te glo wat ons nie self kan glo nie, en dat ons in staat sal wees om te gehoorsaam wat ons nie self kan gehoorsaam nie.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Is the demonic personal or impersonal? The question is rarely treated in depth. This thesis initially delves into the demonological offerings of a pair of twentieth century theologians, Karl Barth and Merrill Unger, in order to discern their particular positions upon the subject. Personhood itself is a divisive issue between the two theologians. Barth’s perspective on personhood is not intrinsically linked to the physical nature. Persons are who they are because of their relationship with the divine. In reference to the demonic, Unger briefly assesses personhood by inseparably correlating it with ontological reality. Their disagreement continues into the definition of “demon.” Barth prefers to see the demonic as uncreated yet derived from God as a byproduct of His creative decree, and Unger opts for a famous classical construction that they are created beings who rebelled against their Maker. Yet, Barth and Unger are both found to not only adhere to personal language concerning the demonic but also to posit demons as personal beings. According to Barth and Unger, demons are real, personal, and malevolent. This unusual unity, even with their distinct theological backgrounds, can only be properly understood as the result of their mutual profession to reflect the biblical material. Considering the dated nature of Barth and Unger’s writings, recent biblical scholarship is examined in order to determine whether or not their attestation of a demonic personhood is borne out by current studies. While a few exceptions are noted, the majority of scholars indicate that the biblical material portrays personal intermediary players besides God and humanity, with the category of “demon” becoming progressively prevalent as one chronologically journeys through the divine revelation. Spurning a Bultmann-inspired demythologization, Barth and Unger simply attempt to reflect the biblical material. But how does Barth and Unger’s idea of demonic personhood hold up in light of the multicultural context? As the globe hurriedly shrinks during our technologically connected age, the boundaries between cultures have fallen, resulting in numerous contexts which contain two or more cultures sharing the same space. How can Christianity navigate such turbulent times, except by emphasizing the centrality of the God’s Word! It coheres God’s people, while convicting and transforming every contacted culture. In the multicultural context, specifically through the Western and African worldviews, Barth and Unger’s personhood of the demonic speaks admonition and affirmation to the Christian masses. Unhealthy superstition is challenged,and dismissive skepticism is chastised. Caution is upheld, and the openness of the African worldview is vindicated. Thus, in light of the multicultural context, a biblical personhood of the demonic realm is plausible, and as a revelation-centric position, it surpasses current ethnocentric expressions of the topic. As we turned toward constructing some conclusions, Barth and Unger’s strengths and weaknesses were assessed. Karl Barth claims that conveying the biblical testimony is his first concern, but on the subject of the demonic, he entertains a confusing philosophy which unpredictably maintains personhood. Merrill Unger paints with broad brush strokes, failing to discuss or respond to the progressive way in which the demonic is unveiled throughout the biblical text. One of the strengths of Barth’s demonological presentation, which includes demonic personhood, is that he highlights the activity of the demonic before the ontology of the demonic. Though interacting with scholars and theologians, Unger’s clear emphasis and strength is on recapitulating the biblical text, linking nearly every point to numerous texts. Finally, if we accept the reality of a personal demonic, our response to the demonic should reflect it. Theologically, it should spur us onward toward a truly personal view of redemption. Practically, it means that we should critically analyze and carefully consider the constructive works of counselors, pastors, and deliverance practitioners that we may cautiously adapt our ecclesiological practices to reflect biblical realities.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Is die demoniese persoonlik of onpersoonlik? Die vraag word selde in diepte behandel. Hierdie tesis beskou aanvanklik die demonologiese aanbiedinge van twee twintigste-eeuse teoloë, Karl Barth en Merril Unger, om hulle spesifieke standpunte oor die onderwerp te onderskei. Persoonskap self is 'n verdelende kwessie tussen die twee teoloë. Barth se perspektief op persoonskap is nie intrinsiek aan hulle fisiese aard gekoppel nie. Persone is wie hulle is weens hul verhouding met die goddelike. Met verwysing na die demoniese evalueer Unger kortliks persoonskap deur dit onlosmaaklik met die ontologiese werklikheid te korreleer. Hul meningsverskil strek tot in hul definisie van die "demoon". Barth verkies om die demoniese as ongeskape, tog afgelei van God as 'n byproduk van Sy skeppingsverordening te sien, en Unger verkies 'n bekende klassieke voorstel dat hulle geskape wesens is wat in opstand gekom het teen hulle Maker. Tog word daar gevind dat Barth en Unger beide nie persoonlike taal betreffende die demoniese aanhang nie, maar demone ook as persoonlike wesens poneer. Volgens Barth en Unger is demone werklik, persoonlik en kwaadwillig. Hierdie ongewone eensgesindheid, selfs met hul verskillende teologiese agtergronde, kan slegs behoorlik verstaan word as die gevolg van hul gedeelde aanspraak dat hulle die Bybelse stof weerspieël. Die verouderde aard van Barth en Unger se geskrifte in ag geneem, word onlangse Bybelwetenskap ondersoek om te bepaal of hulle bevestiging van 'n demoniese persoonskap deur huidige studies beaam word. Hoewel 'n paar uitsonderings waargeneem word, dui die meerderheid geleerdes daarop dat die Bybelse stof persoonlike tussengangers buiten God en die mensdom uitbeeld, met die kategorie van die "demoon" wat toenemend voorkom soos wat 'n mens chronologies deur die goddelike openbaring reis. In veragting van 'n Bultmann-geïnspireerde ontmitologisering probeer Barth en Unger eenvoudig die Bybelse stof weerspieël. Maar hoe hou Barth en Unger se idee van demoniese persoonskap stand in die lig van die multikulturele konteks? Soos die wêreld haastig krimp tydens ons tegnologies-verbinde tydperk, het die grense tussen kulture verval, wat gelei het tot verskeie kontekste waarin twee of meer kulture dieselfde ruimte deel. Hoe kan die Christendom sulke onstuimige tye navigeer, behalwe deur die sentraliteit van Gods Woord te benadruk! Dit verenig God se volk, onderwyl dit elke kultuur waarmee ons in verbinding tree oortuig en transformeer. In die multikulturele konteks, veral deur die Westerse en Afrika se wêreldbeelde, spreek Barth en Unger se persoonlikheid van die demoniese van vermaning en bekragtiging aan die Christenmassas. Ongesonde bygeloof word uitgedaag, en afwysende skeptisisme word gekasty. Omsigtigheid word gehandhaaf, en die oopheid van Afrika se wêreldbeskouing word geregverdig. Dus, in die lig van die multikulturele konteks, is 'n Bybelse persoonskap van 'n persoonlike demoniese realm geloofwaardig, en as openbaringsgesentreerde standpunt oortref dit huidige etnosentriese uitdrukkings van die onderwerp. Soos wat ons 'n paar gevolgtrekkings begin maak het, is Barth en Unger se sterk- en swakpunte geassesseer. Karl Barth beweer dat die oordra van die Bybelse getuienis sy eerste belang is, maar betreffende die onderwerp van die demoniese koester hy 'n verwarrende filosofie wat onvoorspelbaar persoonskap handhaaf. Merrill Unger verf met breë kwashale, en versuim om die progressiewe wyse waarop die demoniese dwarsdeur die Bybelse teks ontsluier word te bespreek of daarop te reageer. Een van die sterk punte van Barth se demonologiese voorstelling, wat demoniese persoonskap insluit, is dat hy die aktiwiteit van die demoniese bó die ontologie beklemtoon. Hoewel hy in gesprek is met geleerdes en teoloë, lê Unger se duidelike klem en krag in sy samevatting van die Bybelse teks, met die koppeling van byna elke punt aan talle tekste. Laastens, as ons die werklikheid van 'n persoonlike demoniese aanvaar, moet ons reaksie daarop dit weerspieël. Teologies moet dit ons aanspoor om verder in die rigting van 'n waarlik persoonlike siening van verlossing. Prakties beteken dit dat ons die konstruktiewe werke van verlossingspraktisyns, pastore, en raadgewers krities moet ontleed en versigtig moet oorweeg sodat ons versigtig ons ekklesiologiese praktyke kan aanpas om Bybelse werklikhede te weerspieël.

This thesis is the result of a concern over ‘being church’ in a multicultural setting, in accordance with the aphorism ‘Lex orandi, lex credendi, lex (con)vivendi’ (cf. Smit 2004). The urban setting of the City of Centurion, in Gauteng Province, The Republic of South Africa, displays a diversity of cultures, languages and individuals in relation with one another. South Africans, as a nation, are still learning to live together (lex (con)vivendi), in unity and inclusivity, some two decades after the birth of democracy in a post-Apartheid context. This context cannot be overlooked, neither can the multicultural context of urban South Africa. Therefore, the research question of this thesis is: how does the form and content of prayer impact the ways in which people connect with God and other people? In the first chapter, the research problem was stated. The second chapter described theory relevant to the research project as well as the research methodology. In the third chapter, the qualitative research data was described. Chapter four involved drawing on theories from various arts and sciences to interpret the empirical data. The fifth chapter considered theological concepts that would aid in developing ethical norms and learning from ‘good practice’. The sixth, and final chapter, formed a pragmatic response by means of suggesting a new theory for praxis. The suggested theory for praxis involves the liturgical inculturation process of continual critical-reciprocal interactions between liturgy and culture, with the inclusion of focussing on the concepts of unity and inclusivity. This should then aid the worshippers’ unity and inclusivity in ‘being church’, in living together — with one another (lex (con)vivendi) in a multicultural setting. Key terms: Liturgy; Liturgical inculturation; Culture; Prayer; Ritual; Ritualisation; Inclusivity; Unity; Practical Theology; Ecclesiology.
Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2018.
Practical Theology
PhD
Unrestricted

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Beyers Naudé has long been revered as one of South Africa‘s most influential church and civil leaders. He has been acclaimed both nationally and internationally as a symbol of hope. Recent developments at Stellenbosch University, with regards to the HOPE Project and the Beyers Naudé Centre for Public Theology, have given rise to renewed academic interest into the life and witness of Beyers Naudé, and specifically the concept of hope. The focus of this study is the contribution of Beyers Naudé to Christians‘ advocacy of hope in public life. A theological historical reading of his public speeches from 1960 to 1990 is conducted in an analysis of his advocacy of hope. A heuristic framework is used in order to investigate the nature and method in which Beyers Naudé employed the concept of hope in his public addresses. This framework is constucted by drawing on the concepts of hope, public theology and historiography, resulting in what I have termed a 'historically hopeful citizenship‘. A chapter is dedicated to a biographical overview of Naudé‘s life and witness in order to understand the influences in his life and to work with hermeneutical sensibility in analysing his addresses. Furthermore, this study is concerned with exploring the possible contours of hope in Naudé‘s addresses and finally asking whether an understanding of the nature and use of these notions of hope could contribute historical and conceptual knowledge about the church‘s public witness and whether this can have implications for the field of public theology.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Beyers Naudé word al vir baie jare as een van Suid-Afrika se mees invloedryke kerk- en samelewingsleiers geag. Hy is al op nasionale, sowel as internasionale vlak beskou as 'n simbool van hoop. Onlangse ontwikkelinge aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch, met betrekking tot die HOOP Projek sowel as die Beyers Naudé Sentrum vir Publieke Teologie, dra by tot hernude akademiese belangstelling in die lewe en werk van Naudé, sowel as in die konsep van hoop. Sy bydraes was veral beduidend in die publieke lewe gewees. Die fokus van hierdie studie is dus Beyers Naudé se bydrae tot Christene se voorspraak van hoop in die publieke lewe. 'n Historiese, teologiese ondersoek word ingestel op die publieke toesprake van Naudé van 1960 tot 1990. Hiervoor word 'n heuristiese raamwerk gebruik om die metode en aard van Naudé se voorspraak van die konsep van hoop in sy publieke toesprake te bestudeer. Dié raamwerk maak gebruik van die konsepte van hoop, publieke teologie, en historiografie en loop uit op 'n burgerskap ingebed in historiese hoop. ‘n Biografiese oorsig word gegee van Naudé se lewe en werk om die verskillende invloede in sy lewe uit te lig en sodat hermeneutiese verantwoordelikheid en verantwoordbaarheid verseker word. Hierdie studie werp verder lig op die kontoere van hoop in die toesprake en ondersoek die moontlikheid dat ‘n verstaan van die aard en gebruik van dié opvattings van hoop sal kan bydra tot historiese en konseptuele kennis van die kerk se publieke getuienis en of dit implikasies inhou vir die studieveld van publieke teologie.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study is to investigate if American Orthodox theologian David Bentley Hart's use of the classical Thomistic principle of the analogia entis (in his monograph The Beauty of the Infinite: The Aesthetics of Christian Truth), can be deemed to be a valid, responsible and beneficial manner of affirming a continuity between the beauty of God and the beauty of creation, and opposing the seemingly problematic worldview of dualism. After reviewing a selection of works in the field of theological aesthetics, this study is conducted both as a historical analysis and a systematic exposition on the analogia entis, by critically examining the use (and critique) of analogy and the analogy of being in Greek (Aristotle), Scholastic (Thomas Aquinas) and 20th century thought (Erich Przywara, Karl Barth and Hans Urs von Balthasar), before inspecting and ultimately affirming David Bentley Hart’s own use thereof (in regards to the beauty of God and the beauty of creation).
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie is om ondersoek in te stel of die Amerikaanse Ortodokse teoloog David Bentley Hart se gebruik van die klassieke Thomistiese beginsel van die analogia entis (in sy monografie The Beauty of the Infinite: The Aesthetics of Christian Truth) as geldige, verantwoordelike en voordelige wyse geag kan work om 'n kontinuïteit tussen die skoonheid van God en die skoonheid van die skepping te bevestig, en sodoende die oënskynlike problematiese wêreldbeskouing van dualisme aan te spreek. Na die beskouing van 'n reeks werke in die veld van teologiese estetika, fokus hierdie studie op beide die historiese analise en die sistematiese uiteensetting van die analogia entis, deur die gebruik (en ook kritiek) van analogie en die synsanalogie in Griekse (Aristoteles), Skolastiese (Thomas Aquinas) en 20ste eeuse denke (Erich Przywara, Karl Barth en Hans Urs von Balthasar) onder die loep te neem, waarna David Bentley Hart se eie gebruik daarvan (in terme van die skoonheid van God en die skoonheid van die skepping) ondersoek en uiteindelik bevestig word.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Yale Center for Faith and Culture has held seven Consultations on God and Human Flourishing, 2007 to 2013, where it was affirmed that human relation to God is reason enough for human flourishing. The seven consultations indicate a growing conversation on God and human flourishing in theology. With this is mind the three female theologians are considered and argued to be important as participants in a conversation on God and human flourishing. The three female theologians are Serene Jones, a feminist theologian, Ellen Charry a systematic-pastoral theologian, and Jennifer Herdt, a virtue ethicist. Serene Jones is presented in the thesis as the first voice to engage theologically with the notions of happiness and human flourishing from a feminist critical position. Serene Jones argues, by means of feminist theory, that gendered constructions of women’s nature are present in readings of doctrine and Scripture. The way in which happiness and human flourishing is understood to characterise the lives of women is consequently challenged and critiqued. Due to the oppressive logic inherent in gender insensitive readings of doctrine and Scripture, Serene Jones opts for a re-reading where the agency of women is affirmed. The doctrines of justification and sanctification are re-formulated by Serene Jones as justifying and sanctifying grace. Grace is described by Serene Jones as an envelope that enfolds the substance of women, presenting women with a redemptive narrative that they are able to identify with. Serene Jones’ contribution lies in her affirmation of the graced agency of women. Ellen Charry, a female theologian who is concerned with the salutary effect of knowledge on an individual represents the second voice. Ellen Charry understands the dichotomy between goodness and pleasure established by modernity to be false. In the notion of asherism Ellen Charry seeks to bridge the gap by asserting that obedience to God’s commandments evokes both goodness and pleasure. Pleasure is described as the enjoyment of God and creation. Ellen Charry goes further by affirming that God enjoys creation when creation flourishes. A mutual enjoyment between God and creation takes place which brings about a happy disposition. Happiness accordingly is a way of life established through a particular knowledge of God attained when one obeys God’s norm for living. In addition, happiness is not just marked by an excellent life but also by the enjoyment of both God and creation. Ellen Charry contributes to the conversation by affirming that happiness is established when humans and God flourish. Jennifer Herdt, a virtue ethicist, starts with the secularisation of moral thought present since the sixteenth century. The secularisation of moral thought caused morality to be separated from its religious moorings. A shift in emphasis occurred, moving from the person doing the action to the action itself. With this shift in emphasis the possibility of virtue to bring humans into relation with God through grace was negated. The result was a recapitulated Augustinian anxiety of acquired virtue. Jennifer Herdt seeks to negate the Augustinian anxiety by returning the emphasis to the agent of the action. Jennifer Herdt delineates an account of mimetic performance, where she argues that by imitating a divine exemplar through virtue, grace progressively brings one into relation with God. Virtue is a means by which an individual partakes in and is formed by a liturgy. As virtue is practiced the agent participates in God, an act denoting happiness. Jennifer Herdt’s account of human happiness takes into consideration how virtue assimilates an agent to Christ. From the three female perspectives, happiness and human flourishing is understood to pertain to one’s relation to God, a perspective which resonates with the God and Human Flourishing Consultations. In light of the female theological contributions, the suggestion that each female theological voice may be important for a diverse conversation on God and human flourishing as well as future initiatives for God and Human Flourishing is warranted.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die “Yale Center for Faith and Culture” het sewe konsultasies gehad, 2007 tot 2013, oor “God and Human Flourishing” waar daar beklemtoon is dat die menslike verhouding tot God genoegsame rede is vir menslike florering. Die sewe konsultasies weerspieël ʼn toenemende gesprek oor God en menslike florering in teologie. Dié toenemende gesprek het daartoe gelei dat drie vroulike stemme geidentifiseer word en geargumenteer word dat hulle belangrike deelnemers in ʼn gesprek rondom God en menlike florering is. Die drie vroulike stemme is Serene Jones, ʼn feministiese teoloog, Ellen Charry, ʼn sistematies-pastorale teoloog, en Jennifer Herdt, ʼn deugde etikus. Serene Jones word in die tesis eerste aangebied om teologies, vanuit ʼn feministies kritiese oogpunt, in gesprek te tree met die konsepte van geluk en menslike florering. Serene Jones argumenteer, deur middel van feministiese teorie, dat geslagskonstruksies van vrouens se natuur teenwoordig is in die lees van die Bybel en leerstellings. Die konsepte van geluk en florering, wat beskrywende woorde is, moet daarom ook krities gelees word en by tye uitgedaag word. Weens die geslags onsensitiewe lees van die Bybel en leerstellinge, onderneem Serene Jones om die leerstellings van regverdiging en heiligmaking te heroorweeg, met die klem op vrouens se agentskap. Die leerstelllings van regverdiging en heiligmaking word heroorweeg en benoem as geregverdigde en geheiligde genade. Genade word deur Serene Jones beskryf as ʼn koevert wat die wese van vrouens omvou. Vrouens word hiermee van ʼn verlossingsnarratief voorsien waarmee hulle kan identifiseer. Serene Jones se bydrae lê dus in haar prioriteit teenoor vrouens se genadigde agentskap. Ellen Charry, ʼn vroue teoloog wat besorg is oor die pastorale effek van kennis, verteenwoordig die tweede stem. Ellen Charry is krities oor die tweedeling van goedheid en genot wat deur die modernisme ingestel is en beskou dit as vals. Deur die konsep van asherisme probeer Ellen Charry die tweedeling oorbrug deur te argumenteer dat gehoorsaamheid aan God se gebooie beide goedheid en genot meebring. Sy beskryf genot as die wedersydse plesier wat mense beleef wanneer hulle God geniet deur gehoorsaam te wees aan God. Ellen Charry gaan verder deur te verduidelik dat God ook die mensdom geniet wanneer die mensdom floreer en God daardeur floreer. Die wedersydse florering van beide skepping en God bring ʼn gelukkige disposisie mee. Geluk word vervolgens beskryf as ʼn manier van leef, gebaseer op die uitlewing van die kennis wat deur God se gebooie geopenbaar word. Ellen Charry dra by tot die gesprek van geluk en florering deur die wedersydse genot wat mens en God beleef as kardinaal te beskou vir die verstaan van geluk. Jennifer Herdt, ʼn deugde etikus en die derde vroulike stem, begin met die verwêreldliking van moraliteit wat sedert die sestiende eeu teenwoordig is. Die verwêreldliking van morele nadenke het moraliteit en godsdiens van mekaar geskei. Die skeiding van moraliteit en godsdiens het tot gevolg gehad dat die klem verskuif is van die agent na handeling self. Met dié verskuiwing is die rol van genade om die agent geleidelik in gemeenskap met God te bring ondermyn. Die resultaat was die herhaling van die Augustiniese angs oor verkrygde deugde. Jennifer Herdt probeer die Augustiniese angs vermy deur die klem weer op die agent te laat val. Die konsep van nabootsende uitvoerings word deur Jennifer Herdt gebruik om te beskryf hoe die individu wat deugde beoefen, deur die nabootsing van Christus, toenemend in verhouding met God gebring word deur middel van genade. Deugde is ʼn wyse waarop ʼn persoon deelneem aan en gevorm word deur ʼn bepaalde liturgie. Wanneer die persoon deugde beoefen, word daar deelgeneem aan God deur Christus, ʼn daad wat geluk vergestalt. Jennifer Herdt se weergawe van menslike geluk neem in ag hoe ʼn persoon geassimileer word tot God deur deugde te beoefen. Deur die drie vroulike stemme se bydrae word daar verstaan dat geluk en die florering van mense verband hou met hulle verhouding tot God, ʼn perspektief wat resoneer met die “God and Human Flourishing Consultations.” In die lig van die onderskeie vroulik teologiese bydrae, is die voorstel dat elke stem belangrik is vir ʼn gediversifiseerde gesprek oor God en menslike florering so wel as toekomstige initiatiewe waar daar besin word oor God en menslike florering geregverdig.

Thesis (DTh (Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology)--Stellenbosch University, 2008.
Family violence, commonly known as domestic violence, is becoming a serious social problem – not only in the Western Cape but in the whole country. Most women are still victims of family violence caused by their spouses. Although family violence is a serious violation of human rights, it does not seem to be recognized as such in the Church and within some African communities. Family violence results in women experiencing serious physical, economic as well as health and psychological problems. Despite the fact that governments worldwide (including the South African government) have committed themselves through legislation, to addressing the abuse of women, most women are still experiencing family violence. Most women choose to be silent about their experiences of family violence and for various reasons, prefer to remain in such relationships. The reasons for their silence vary from one to another. This study is essentially a theological-ethical assessment. The aim of the study was to explore what could be the churches’ response and contribution in combating family violence in African communities in the Western Cape.

Thesis (DTh (Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology))—Stellenbosch University, 2008.
This study concerns the relationship between mysticism and social action (widely understood, as including political and economic action), or as it was formulated for centuries in the Christian tradition: the relationship between action and contemplation. Chapter 1 differentiates between different forms of Christian spirituality. Also, the reason for this study is stated: the apparent search amongst certain contemporary Reformed Christians for a more contemplative spirituality, while preserving the socially and politically involved character of Reformed spirituality. Chapter 2 investigates the origins and evelopment of contemplation (or “mysticism”, as it is commonly called today). Taking into account the history of the meaning of the term “mysticism”, a contemporary definition is sought that would address the changes, distortions and misconceptions that have developed over the centuries. A major focus in Chapter 2 is the relationship between action and contemplation/mysticism. This issue is reviewed with reference to its history, from patristic times until approximately the time of the Counter-reformation. The extent to which distortions regarding this issue have occurred, as well as possible subsequent corrections of these, are also examined in this chapter. In Chapter 3, a short overview is given of the recent revaluation and incorporation of mysticism alongside a commitment to social action in the theology of a number of prominent “mystical-political” Roman-Catholic theologians of the 20th century. The focus then shifts to the revaluation of mysticism and the reformulation of mystical-prophetic theology in the theological project of the 20th-century North American theologian David Tracy. Of especial importance is his use of the Ricoeurian methodology of “suspicion and retrieval” to retrieve and incorporate the Christian mystical tradition into his own theology, as this forms the ethodological basis for the next chapter. Chapter 4 takes the form of an “exercise of suspicion and retrieval” with a view to find and retrieve possible mystical elements in the Reformed tradition via an investigation into the history, way of life and spirituality of the Roman Catholic contemplative monastic order of the Carthusians – specifically their tradition of manibus praedicare and the manifestations thereof. Chapter 5 focuses on the theology and spirituality of the Dutch theologian K.H. (Kornelis) Miskotte as an example of a Reformed theologian in whose theology elements of both contemplation/mysticism and social action are present. Contrary to the views of many researchers into Miskotte’s theology (as well as Miskotte himself) it is concluded that: In light of the recent, sometimes retrieved, views of mysticism by present-day scholars of mysticism – as well as those of the mystical-political theologians, especially David Tracy – Miskotte’s spirituality can indeed be seen as a form of mystical-political spirituality. This is true despite some profound differences between the mystical-prophetic theologians and Tracy on the one hand and Miskotte on the other – differences that, however, stamp Miskotte’s mystical-political spirituality as authentically Reformed.

Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2003
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this research is neither to compare the theologies of Augustine and Calvin, nor to establish a theory that reveals Augustine's influence on Calvin's theology. This research, rather, endeavours to set up a bridge between two types of study on Calvin, namely studies on Calvin's use of Augustine and of Augustine's influence on Calvin's writings. In other words, our main purpose is to suggest a basic tool (or information) for further studies. Three related questions are asked: I. What comprises Augustine's uniqueness in Calvin's writings? 2. Who is Calvin's Augustine? 3. What is the relevance of this study to current research on Calvin? In Chapter 2, a brief history of earlier research regarding discussion on Calvin and Augustine from the beginning of the zo" century is presented. Then critical conversations follow. These conversations concerning our theme involve three important scholars, namely L Smits, R J Mooi and J M J Lange van Ravenswaay. Finally, a need for a converging method which has the possibility of overcoming some methodological problems that arise in studies on Calvin and Augustine is expressed. In the third chapter, the use that Calvin makes of Augustine in his own works from the first period of his writing career to the last, fifth, period is thoroughly studied (1532- 1565). Chapter 4 deals with data analyses. In between the analysis of static data and the analysis of dynamic data, Smits's study of Augustinian citations in Calvin's writings is dealt with critically to provide a basic understanding of Augustinian citations. Finally, the answers to the three related questions that are suggested in the introduction are pursued: What comprises Augustine's uniqueness in Calvin's writings? Who is Calvin's Augustine? And what is the relevance of this study to current research on Calvin. The answers will function as a bridge between the two related studies of Calvin's use of Augustine and Augustine's influence on Calvin.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie navorsing is nie om die teologie van Augustinus en die van Calvyn te vergelyk nie en ook nie om 'n teorie daar te stel wat die invloed wat Augustinus op Calvyn se teologie uitgeoefen het, sal ontbloot nie. Die navorsing poog eerder om 'n brug op te rig tussen twee soorte studies oor Calvyn, naamlik studies oor Calvyn se gebruik van Augustinus en oor Augustinus se invloed op die skryfwerk van Calvyn. Ons hoof doel is met ander woorde om 'n basiese werktuig (of inligting) vir verdere studie voor te stel. Drie fundamentele vrae word gevra: I. Waarin Ie die uniekheid van Augustinus in Calvin se geskrifte? 2. Wie is Calvyn se Augustinus? 3. Op hoe 'n manier is hierdie studie relevant ten opsigte van huidige navorsing oor Calvyn? In Hoofstuk 2 word 'n kort geskiedenis van vroeer navorsmg aangaande bespreking oor Calvyn en Augustinus, vanaf die begin van die 20ste eeu, aangebied. Dan volg kritiese gesprekke. Hierdie gesprekke ten opsigte van ons tema betrek drie belangrike geleerdes, naamlik L Smits, R J Mooi en J M J Lange van Ravenswaay. Aan die einde word 'n behoefte uitgespreek vir 'n samevloeiende metode wat moontlik sommige metodologiese probleme wat in die bestudering van Calvyn en Augustinus na yore kom, sal oorbrug. In die derde hoofstuk word Calvyn se gebruikmaking van Augustinus in sy eie werk vanaf die eerste tydperk van sy skryfloopbaan tot die laaste, vyfde, deeglik bestudeer (1532-1565). Hoofstuk 4 behandel data-analise. Tussen die analise van statiese data en die analise van dinamiese data word Smits se studie van Augustiniaanse aanhalings in Calvyn se geskrifte krities behandel om 'n basiese begrip van Augustiniaanse aanhalings te verskaf. Uiteindelik word die antwoorde op die drie verwante vrae wat in die inleiding voorgestel word, nagespeur: I. Waarin Ie die uniekheid van Augustinus in Calvin se geskrifte? 2. Wie is Calvyn se Augustinus? 3. Op hoe 'n manier is hierdie studie relevant ten opsigte van huidige navorsing oor Calvyn? Die antwoorde sal as 'n brug tussen die twee verwante studies oor Calvyn se gebruikmaking van Augustinus en Augustinus se invloed op Calvyn dien.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this study, the researcher studied the Belhar Confession of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA), which gained shape following the social injustices that resulted from the policy of apartheid. The researcher argues that the Belhar Confession, especially Article 4 of the said confession, forces URCSA to establish a Theology of Development within their structures. While URCSA‟s role (Dutch Reformed Mission Church and the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa pre-1994) during the apartheid era was that of resistance, the church‟s role in a post-apartheid South African context was supposed to change to reconstruction and assistance. But was this the case? The researcher compared the South African socio-economic context before and after apartheid, and judged whether or not the ANC‟s “better life for all” campaign of 1994 made a significant difference in the post-apartheid South Africa. Did the new constitution make a difference in terms of the socio-economic situation of the country? Did the ANC campaign honour their word and did it result in a better life for all? Although the researcher argued that certain areas did change and differences were achieved, the researcher is convinced that poverty in South Africa is still a real problem – in the country and the rest of the world. Based upon this judgment, the researcher is of the opinion that given the current socio-economic situation of the country, the Belhar Confession is now more than ever relevant and exactly therefore should be the basis and motivation for the church to serve and be involved in the fight against poverty in South Africa. This motivation for the church to be involved is also justified according to the Bible. Through this justification and Biblical cry the church is challenged to not only rely on welfare projects in their role as poverty combaters. Here the researcher uses the generation theories of David Korten as support to make it clear that although welfare projects (generation one/two modes of engagement) address the immediate needs of the poor, they do not however address the root of the real poverty problem. The researcher also proposed a third/fourth generation mode of involvement from the church to combat poverty through systemic and asset-based systems and influence policies at various levels of government to address the poverty problem. Yet, even a third/fourth generation approach would not be sufficient on its own. The researcher suggests that the church should simultaneously implement generations 1 to 4 modes of engagement in order to be able to play an active role. Nonetheless, the intriguing questions are, is the church not already doing all of this? What role does Badisa play in all of this? Don‟t local churches, presumably, hide behind Badisa as an answer in their own involvement in the fight against poverty? Even if the church is involved in various modes of engagement, is it Belhar Confession driven? The researcher is convinced that the church is forced to stay involved in the fight against poverty at all levels. The Belhar Confession is an ecclesial theological response to the poverty and injustice context of South Africa because of the theological content of the confession as well as the context in which it originated. The confession originated in a context of racial segregation, religious apartheid and the theological justification of apartheid as well as large scale socio-political and socio-economical wrongdoing. Currently, there is still widespread poverty and socio-economic injustice in South Africa that make the Confession of Belhar relevant. Therefore, URCSA cannot help but to be involved because a church that belongs to God and confesses a confession like Belhar is called to stand where God stands, amongst the poor. This means that the church must witness and act against injustice and against all the powerful who selfishly seek only their own interests.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie studie bestudeer die navorser die Verenigende Gereformeerde Kerk in Suider-Afrika (VGKSA) se Belydenis van Belhar, wat beslag gekry het na aanleiding van die sosiale ongeregtighede wat die gevolg van die beleid van apartheid was. Die navorser argumenteer dat die Belydenis van Belhar, maar veral Artikel 4 van die genoemde belydenis, die VGKSA noop om ‟n Teologie van Ontwikkeling in die betrokke kerk te vestig. Waar die VGKSA in die apartheidsera (toe die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Sendingkerk en Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk in Afrika, onderskeidelik) se rol tydens die apartheidsera dié van weerstand was, moes die kerk se rol in ‟n post-apartheid Suid-Afrikaanse konteks na een van rekonstruksie en bystand verander. Is dit egter die geval? Die navorser vergelyk die Suid-Afrikaanse sosio-ekonomiese konteks voor en na die apartheidsbestel en oordeel of daar na aanleiding van die ANC se “better life for all” veldtog van 1994 ʼn wesenlike verskil in post-apartheid Suid-Afrika is. Het die nuwe grondwet ʼn verskil gemaak in terme van die sosio-ekonomiese situasie van die land? Het die ANC-veldtog hulle woord gestand gedoen en ʼn beter lewe vir almal tot gevolg gehad? Alhoewel daar op sekere gebiede veranderinge en verskille bewerkstellig is, is die navorser oortuig dat armoede in Suid-Afrika steeds ʼn wesenlike probleem in die land, maar selfs ook in die wêreld is. Op grond hiervan oordeel die navorser dat, gegewe die huidige sosio-ekonomiese situasie van die land, die Belydenis van Belhar stééds relevant is en dit juis as grondslag en as beweegrede vir die kerk moet dien vir daadwerklike betrokkenheid in die stryd teen armoede in Suid-Afrika. Hierdie motivering word ook Bybels geregverdig en die kerk word uitgedaag om nie net op welsynsprojekte staat te maak in hulle rol as armoedebestryders nie. Hier gebruik die navorser die generasieteorieë van David Korten ter ondersteuning en maak dit duidelik dat alhoewel welsynsprojekte (generasie een/twee modusse van betrokkenheid) die onmiddellike nood van armes aanspreek, dit nie die wortel van die kwaad aanspreek nie. Die navorser hou wel voor dat die kerk na die derde/vierde generasie modusse van betrokkenheid moet beweeg wat sistemiese en bategerigte stelsels vir die verligting van armoede tot gevolg het en beleide op verskeie regeringsvlakke moet aanspreek. Tog kan dit ook nie alleen gebeur nie. Die navorser stel voor dat die kerk tegelykertyd op generasie 1 tot 4 modusse van betrokkenheid moet fokus om sodoende ʼn daadwerklike rol te kan speel. Die vrae is egter: Doen die kerk dit nie reeds nie? Watter rol speel Badisa hierin? Skuil plaaslike gemeentes nie dalk agter Badisa as antwoord in hulle eie betrokkenheid tot die stryd teen armoede nie? Die navorser is oortuig dat die kerk, in alle gestaltes waarin sy haar bevind, genoodsaak word om betrokke te bly in die stryd teen armoede op alle vlakke. Die Belydenis van Belhar is ‟n kerklik-teologiese respons op die armoede en ongeregtigheidsituasie in Suid-Afrika vanweë die teologiese inhoud van die belydenis sowel as die konteks waarin dit ontstaan het. Die belydenis het sy ontstaan gehad in ‟n konteks van rassesegregasie, kerklike apartheid en die teologiese regverdiging van die apartheidsbeleid asook grootskaalse sosio-politieke/ekonomiese ongeregtigheid. Vandag heers daar steeds grootskaalse armoede en sosio-ekonomiese ongeregtigheid in Suid-Afrika wat die belydenis steeds relevant maak. Daarom kan die VGKSA nie anders nie, want ‟n kerk wat hierdie belydenis bely en ‟n kerk wat aan God behoort, is geroep om te staan waar God staan, saam met die armes. Dit hou in dat die kerk sal getuig teen onreg en teen alle magtiges wat uit selfsug slegs hulle eie belange sou soek al word ander daardeur benadeel.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2005
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Introduction: The reasons explained for writing a history of the Igreja Reformada em Mocambique, the point of departure, defining the dates chosen as parameters, the method of presenting this history and about the title. Part One: Establishing the ORC Mission in Portuguese East Africa: 1908 -1922 OpeningtheMissioninthePEA: 1902-1909, Expansion: 1909-1915, Problems and closure of missions: 1915 - 1922, Evaluation Part Two: Seventy years of Exile: 1922 - 1992 A: Fifty years wlthout formal leadership in congregations: 1922 -1971 Efforts to re-open: 1922 - 1933, Dark ages - trans-border ministry: 1933 - 1962, Changing Climate and Leadership of the Elders: 1962 - 1972, The beginnings of the fRM in GazaJMaputo: 1971 B: Twenty years of painful progress: 1972 - 1992 Short time of grace: 1972 - 1975, Political change and Tribulation: 1975 - 1982, 2.1 Encouraging events: 1977 -1982: Mphatso Synod, Moderator visits, Maputo Visits, Overview of Ecclesiastical Development New fields: 1983 - 1991: Zambesia: 1983 -, Exterior Support and First Missionary, 1986, Adjusting to the climate: 1986 - 1990, First Teams, New congregations: Beira, Tete, Ulongue Medical Co-operation IAcris New Dawn: More Missionaries, Bibles Part Three: Rapid expansion, consolidation and healing: 1992- Expansion and New Frontiers: 1992 -1996 Synod of 1992, Tete congregation, teams, Peace - starting with reconstruction, Maize Seed 1993 -1995: Expanding Orderly (chronological development) Ecclesiastical Development: Tete (Ulongue Church) & Zambesia Province. Work in the South, Synodical Meetings and Ecumenism, Dreams coming true: Hefsiba, Other Ministries, Support. New Frontiers: 1995 -1996 Yao Outreach, Makua Outreach, Youth Team, Two Synods (reasons and formation of Joint Com). Epilogue: Conclusion on main objectives, the IRM as Reformed Church and the uniqueness of its history.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Inleiding: Redes vir die skrywe van 'n geskiedenis vir die Igreja Reformada em Mocarnbique, die vertrekpunt vir so 'n skrywe, verduideliking vir keuse van datums wat dien as tydperk grense, die metode van aanbieding en oor die titel. Deel Een: Vestiging van die NGK Sending in Portugees Oos Afrika: 1908 -1922 Opening van die Sending in die POA: 1902 -1909, Uitbreiding: 1909 - 1915, Probleme en sluiting van Sending stasies: 1915 - 1922, Evaluering Deel Twee: Seventig Jaar in 8allingskap: ]922 - 1992 A: Vyftig Jaar sonder Formele Leierskap in Gemeentes: 1922 -1971 Pogings om te heropen: 1922 - 1933, Donker Eeue - trans-grens bedieninge: 1933 - 1962, Veranderinge en Leierskap van die Ouderlinge: 1962 - 1972, Die begin van die IRM in GazaJMaputo: 1971 B: Twintig Jaar vall MoeiLike Vooruitgang: 1972 - 1992 Kort tyd van genade: 1972 - 1975, Politieke Verandering en Vervolging: 1975 - 1982, Bemoedigende Gebeure, 1977 -1982: Mphatso Sinode, Besoeke deur Moderator, Maputo Besoeke, Oorsig van Ekklesiologiese Ontwikkeling Nuwe Velde tussen 1983 - 1991: Zambesia: 1983 -; Buitelandse Hulp en die Eerste Sendeling na 1975; Aanpassing by die Landsomstandighede: 1986 - 19901; Eerste Spanne; Nuwe Gemeentes: Beira, Tete, Vila Ulongue Mediese Samewerking IAcris Nuwe Tydperk: Meer Sendelinge , Bybels Deel Drie: Vinnige Vooruitgang, Konsolidasie en Heling, 1992- Voorultgang en Nuwe Grense: 1992 -1996 Sinode van 1992, Tete gemeente, Spanne, Vrede - Begin van herkonstruksie, Mielie Saad. 1993 -1995 - Ekklesiologiese Ontwikkeling: Tete (Ulongue Kerk en Binneland); Zambesia Provinsie, Werk in die Suide, Sinodale Byeenkomkste en Ekumene, Drome Bewaarheid: Hefsiba, Ander Bedieninge, Ondersteuning Nuwe Grense: 1995 -1996 Yao Uitreik, Makua Uitreik, Jeug span '95, Twee Sinodes (redes en vorming van die "Joint Com"). Epiloog: Konklusie n.a.v. hoof doelstellings, die IRM as Gereformeerd Kerk en die uniekheid van haar geskiedenis

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2011.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study is ‘n research proposal for a possible D.Th degree. The research objective is to explore critically the thought and teachings of Nicholas Wolterstorff, a leading Christian philosopher, that there is an inseparable and fundamental link between the celebration of the Sunday liturgy, the concept of justice we believe in, and human rights. I start by discussing how Wolterstorff writes, lives and defends this thought as a conviction of faith and as a philosophical paradigm. The contents of it can be summarised as follows: the holiness of the believer as an imitation of the holiness of God, is not a mere spiritual trait, it has also social implications; holiness presupposes justice; human rights is based upon the Biblical truths of the equal status of all human beings, mankind as the image of God, and the universal love command. The kingdom of God is established through law and justice. This was already confessed by the early church fathers. Love and justice cannot be separated. The worship of God and man’s responsibility towards one another is grounded in the covenant. Protestantism is a world-formative religion. Worship in the presence of injustices, is not worship; it is false religion. The limitation imposed by the liberal state that its citizens cannot use religious reasons in public for the furthering of justice is then discussed. Religion should be allowed and the State should be impartial in its handling of all religions. Therefore Christians need an adequate cognitive framework for moral judgment. This must also be included in the curriculum of students at Tertiary Institutions. To equip the students for their role in life, the staff must teach and model justice, love, forgiveness, prayer and human rights. Students and the youth in church must also be brought face to face with those who suffer because of injustices, lack of love and economic marginalisation. I then go on to motivate the reasons for undertaking this research. The motivation includes a description of the immorality, injustices and human rights violations in and outside South Africa. Then I discuss the opinions of various theologians across the world of whether worship and faith can contribute to the conversion, healing and change of people and institutions. The last chapter is a tentative illustration of the value of this research for the Church, the academy and the broader society. This value is estimated within the interdependence of transformative constitutionalism (juridical) and discipleship as transformation (theological). I conclude with a few closing remarks.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie is ‘n navorsingsvoorstel vir ‘n voorgenome D.Th graad. Die doelstelling is ‘n kritiese ondersoek van Nicholas Wolterstorff, ‘n leidende christelike filosoof, se denke en lering dat daar ‘n onskeidbare en fundamentele verband is tussen die viering van die Sondag liturgie, die geregtigheidskonsep waarin ons glo, en menseregte. Ek begin met ‘n bespreking van hoe Wolterstorff hierdie denke skryf, leef en verdedig as ‘n geloofsoortuiging en as ‘n filosofiese paradigma. Die inhoud daarvan kom kortliks hierop neer: die heiligheid van die gelowige as nabootsing van God se heiligheid is nie net ‘n geestelike eienskap nie, dit het ook sosiale implikasies; heiligheid veronderstel geregtigheid; menseregte is gebaseer op die Bybelse waarhede dat alle mense gelyk in status is as beeld van God, en die universele liefdesgebod. God se koninkryk word gevestig ook deur reg en geregtigheid; hierdie insigte was al so bely deur die vroeë kerkvaders; liefde en geregtigheid sluit mekaar nie uit nie. Die mens se aanbidding van God en sy pligte teenoor ander, is gegrond in die verbond. Protestantisme is ‘n wêreld-transformerende godsdiens. Aanbidding in die erediens terwyl ons ongeregtigheid pleeg of toelaat, is nie aanbidding nie; dit is valse godsdiens. Die beperking deur ‘n liberale staat dat godsdienstige redes nie in publieke debatvoering aangewend mag word vir die bevordering van geregtigheid nie, word bespreek. Godsdiens moet toegelaat word en die Staat moet onpartydig wees in sy behandeling van alle godsdienste. Daarom moet christene beskik oor ‘n toereikende kognitiewe raamwerk vir morele oordeelvorming. Hierdie vereiste van ‘n kognitiewe raamwerk moet ook ingesluit word in die kurrikulum van studente aan Tersiêre Inrigtings. Om hierdie studente toe te rus vir hulle rol in die samelewing moet die dosente deur onderrig en modellering die volgende by hulle inskerp: geregtigheid, liefde, vergifnis, gebed, menseregte. Studente moet in kontak gebring word met die mense wat ly as gevolg van ongeregtigheid, liefdeloosheid en ekonomiese marginalisering. Daarna word gemotiveer waarom hierdie studie onderneem word. Hierdie motivering sluit in ‘n illustrasie van die omvang van immoraliteit, ongeregtighede en skending van menseregte in en buite Suid-Afrika. Ek beweeg dan na ‘n uiteensetting van verskeie teoloë se menings of aanbidding en geloof kan bydra tot bekering, heling en verandering van mense en instellings. Die laaste hoofstuk is ‘n tentatiewe voorstelling van hierdie navorsing se waarde vir die Kerk, die akademie en die breë samelewing. Hierdie waarde word geskat binne die interafhanklikheid van transformerende konstitusionalisme (juridies) en dissipelskap as transformasie (teologies). Ek konkludeer met ‘n paar slotopmerkings.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study is a historical investigation of the role of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN) regarding social development with special attention to education as an agency of social change. ELCIN is the largest Lutheran church in Namibia, which was born out of the Finnish missionary activities after their arrival in the former Ovamboland in 1870. The Finnish missionaries became the first missionaries to do mission work in Ovamboland. This qualifies them to be regarded as pioneers of social development and of the transformation of society through education among the Ovambo people. ELCIN’s humble beginnings started as a mission field and developed into mission congregations; thereafter as a mission church and finally as independent church in 1954. The study shows that since its inception ELCIN has been committed to serve her members holistically (spiritually and socially). The focus of this study is to contribute to the understanding of the role ELCIN played to bring about development through education. The study therefore attempts to answer questions regarding the role the Finnish missionaries played in education and should be understood within the broader context of the history of ELCIN, for example, what arrangements were made and what developments took place during the indigenization process. Further, the study points out the educational challenges ELCIN encountered during the time of social development through education. In answering these questions, the study demonstrates how ELCIN played a decisive role in social development in Ovamboland, especially by way of education and training. The study refers to both informal (Christian) and formal (general or inclusive secular) education and the role each of these forms of education played in social change. The study also reflects on the engagement between ELCIN and the context resulting from the South African mandate in Namibia (then South West Africa). Finally, it is recommended that, in light of the positive contribution made by ELCIN to the social development of its members and communities by way of education in the past, it should continue this role in an independent Namibia. This could be done by way of intensifying Christian education among its members in order to educate and inspire people to remain faithful to their Christian values. In this way, ELCIN will continue to play a meaningful role in the life of communities and their members.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie navorsingstudie is ‘n historiese ondersoek na die rol van die Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN) ten opsigte van sosiale ontwikkeling met spesiale verwysing na opvoeding as ‘n agent vir sosiale verandering. ELCIN is een van die grootste Lutherse kerke in Namibië, wat ontstaan het uit die aktiwiteite van die Finse sendelinge na hulle aankoms in die eertydse Ovamboland in 1870. Die Finse sendelinge was die eerste sendelinge wat sendingwerk in Ovamboland onderneem het. As gevolg hiervan word hulle beskou as pioniers van sosiale ontwikkeling en transformasie in die gemeenskap deur die opvoeding van die mense van Ovamboland. ELCIN het sy nederige ontstaan gehad as ‘n sendingveld en het ontwikkel tot sendinggemeentes; daarna tot ‘n sendingkerk en uiteindelik in 1954 tot ‘n onafhanklike kerk. Die studie dui aan dat ELCIN sedert sy ontstaan toegewyd was aan die taak om sy lede op ‘n holistiese vlak (geestelik en sosiaal) te ontwikkel. Die fokus van hierdie studie is om ‘n bydrae te lewer tot ‘n dieper begrip van die rol wat ELCIN gespeel het ten opsigte van hierdie ontwikkeling. Die studie het dus gepoog om vrae te beantwoord oor die rol wat die Finse sendelinge in opvoeding gespeel het en behoort verstaan te word binne die breër konteks van die geskiendenis van ELCIN. Watter reëlings is getref en watter ontwikkelings het plaasgevind gedurende die inheemswordingsproses? Die studie dui verder op die opvoedkundige uitdagings wat ELCIN gedurende die tyd van sosiale ontwikkeling deur opvoeding ondervind het. Ter beantwoording van hierdie vrae word deur die studie aangedui hoe ELCIN ‘n deurslaggewende rol in die sosiale ontwikkeling van Ovamboland gespeel het, veral deur middel van opvoeding en opleiding. Die studie verwys na beide informele (Christelike) en formele (algemene of inklusiewe) opvoeding en na die rol wat elk van hierdie vorms van opvoeding gespeel het ten opsigte van sosiale verandering. Die studie kyk ook eers na die verhouding tussen ELCIN en die Suid‐Afrikaanse regering gedurende Namibië (die destydse Suidwes‐Afrika) se jare as mandaatgebied en daarna word aanbevelings gemaak. In die lig van die positiewe bydrae wat ELCIN in die verlede gemaak het tot sosiale ontwikkeling, word aanbeveel dat hierdie bydrae in ‘n onafhanklike Namibië voortgesit word. Dit behoort te geskied deur ‘n intensifisering van Christelike onderwys onder lede ten einde die mense op te voed en te inspireer om getrou te bly aan hulle Christelike waardes. Op hierdie wyse sal ELCIN voortgaan om ‘n betekensivolle rol in die lewe van die gemeenskappe en hul lede te speel.

Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2012.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Due to the consciousness of religious pluralism and the need for peace amongst the religious communities of the world, the researcher considered, and herewith presents, the arguments for and against each of three traditional theological models for evaluating the relation between Christianity and other religions. Although this theological debate about the truth and salvific value of non- Christian views of life is important, and although the three approaches discussed each brings out important aspects that have to be considered in this debate, they were found to be limited in an important respect, namely, that they do not suggest practical strategic solutions for how Christians should relate to people who hold beliefs that differ from their own. With reference to the notion of an “ethic of embrace,” drawing on a number of New Testament texts as interpreted by theologians like Hans Küng, Miroslav Volf, Harold Nethland, Sam Storms, and Robert H. Stein, to name but a few, a strong case could be made for the necessity of such an ethic as a guideline for how the churches should interact with those who do not share their faith. It could be concluded that each of the three theoretical models, Particularism, Inclusivism and Pluralism, needs to be reconsidered from the perspective of an ethic of embrace. The researcher therefore inquired into the extent to which each of the theoretical models can be reconciled, and can indeed support and undergird, an ethic of embrace. Since, at least at face value, Particularism seems to raise most questions in this regard, it received particular attention. It was concluded that, also when applied in the context of the Particularist model, the ethics of embrace is the missing link that can help influence religiously motivated conflicts in a positive way. This allows for a more peaceable praxis as it not only addresses religious conflict in the world, but can also enable the Particularistic model to foster peace among religions and therefore, indirectly, peace among the nations of the world. The themes of reconciliation, tolerance, forgiveness and hospitality, which are interconnected with an ethic of embrace form an important part of chapter 5, with its focus on the truth and salvific significance of Jesus Christ reflected in his life as portrayed by Biblical witnesses. It is argued that He is not only the truth, or the one who spoke about the truth and his salvific significance, which is of central importance to the Particularistic model, but was able to demonstrate its practical application through the life He lived among humans. He demonstrated practically how the neighbour can be embraced in accordance with a particular understanding of the will of God.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis ondersoek die potensiaal van ’n etiek van omhelsing (“embrace”) aangesien drie tradisionele modelle in die teologie van die godsdienste, naamlik Partikularisme, Inklusivisme en Pluralisme, nie voldoende is om vrede tussen die verskillende gelowe van die wêreld te bevorder nie. Argumente ten gunste van en teen elke model, sowel as hulle sterk en swak punte, word behandel om duidelik aan te toon dat nie een van die drie modelle genoegsame praktiese strategiese metodes oplewer nie. Nadenke oor die waarheidsgehalte en moontlike verlossingskrag van nie-Christelike godsdienste, en oor Christene se wyse van interaksie met mense van ander gelowe, verskaf opsigself nie die nodige vrugbare praktiese riglyne nie. Met betrekking tot die idee van ’n etiek van omhelsing, het verskeie teoloë, waaronder Hans Küng, Miroslav Volf, Harold Nethland, Sam Storms, en Robert H. Stein, om net ’n paar te noem, sterk konstruktiewe argumente ontwikkel wat die idee van ’n etiek van omhelsing ondersteun en bevorder in verband met Christene se verhouding met mense van ander gelowe. Hierdie studie argumenteer ten slotte dat die drie teologiese modelle wat ondersoek is ’n etiek moet heroorweeg van ’n verhouding van omhelsing teenoor mense van ander gelowe, indien hulle tot vrede tussen mense van verskillende gelowe wil bydra. Die navorser ondersoek ook tot watter mate die drie modelle met ’n etiek van omhelsing versoen kan word. Aangesien Partikularisme skynbaar meer vrae in hierdie verband oproep, word dit veral deurdink. Die navorser kom dan tot die gevolgtrekking dat die etiek van omhelsing, in die konteks van Partikularisme, dalk die verlore skakel is wat, ook vir die Partikulariste, geweld onder die verskillende gelowe kan teenwerk. Dit kan moontlik nie slegs vreedsame verhoudings tussen die verskillende gelowe teweegbring nie, maar ook daartoe bydra dat Partikularisme in die teologiese debat tot geloofsvrede kan bydrae. Versoening, vergifnis, gasvryheid en toleransie is temas wat in verband met ’n etiek van omhelsing ter sprake kom, en vorm belangrike aspekte van hoofstuk 5, aangesien dit nie net in abstrakte sin die waarheidsgehalte en verlossingskrag van Christus sterk beklemtoon nie, maar ook die wyse waarop dit in sy lewe, soos die Bybelse getuies dit narratief skets, in ’n praktyk van omhelsing van die medemens gestalte gevind het.

Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2002
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: JOHN CALVIN is said to have played a significant role not only in the shaping of Western Christianity, but also in the shaping of Western culture. An adequate appreciation of his thought therefore remains of ongoing significance. In the history of Calvin scholarship, varied interpretations of him have been presented, though in the recent past there has been a growing disinclination towards presenting a coherent exposition of his thought. In the context of these disintegrative proposals, a counter-argument is presented for the viability and desirability of a comprehensive construal of Calvin's thought along historical-theological lines. The argument primarily takes shape by locating Calvin within the sixteenth century intellectual milieu, and particularly by means of uncovering the epistemological consciousness of the Reformation period in reaction to the Renaissance revival of scepticism. The nature of human knowledge, particularly of God, was at the forefront of the sixteenth-century intellectual debate. Calvin, reformer and humanist, was particularly sensitive to this climate, as is illustrated by the Institutia which took the form of a discourse on knowing. However, the theme of knowing God on the basis of Scriptural revelation alone is prevalent in all his work, as an investigation into his neglected writings confirms. It also emerges that the kind of knowledge that Calvin advanced was experimental in nature and Trinitarian in foundation. Experientia and certitude disclosed the dynamic and proof of knowing God on an economic-Trinitarian and soteriological basis. This aspect of Calvin's thought has been overlooked in spite of its relevance to the contemporary post-Kantian crisis of knowing. Having sketched the epistemological background, Calvin's Trinitarian doctrina is examined. A historical-theological orientation to the doctrine provides the framework for appreciating Calvin's axiomatic exposition of the Trinity in the history of doctrinal formulation. Calvin's Trinitarian doctrina is unpacked by means of a historical review in relation to his Trinitarian debates, and by means of its definitive exposition in the 1559 Institutio. Through these, it becomes apparent that he displayed a hitherto mostly unrecognised theological acumen in assimilating Western (Augustinian) and Eastern (Cappadocian) aspects of Trinitarian doctrine due to his exegetical priority. What emerges is a Trinitarian doctrine that affirms God's Triunuy and translates into God's Person-al knowability. This thesis is confirmed by a discussion of Calvin's Trinitarian explication of the Christian life, and is shown to complement the previously highlighted emphasis on knowing. Recovering Calvin's Trinitarian doctrina is therefore of great consequence to post-Enlightenment and contemporary theological debates on God and the Trinity. It naturally follows that both Trinity and certitude were woven into the fabric of Calvin's God-centred hermeneutics. All of his exegetical labour, from Commentary to Instiuaio to Preaching, was focused on hearing the voice of the Triune God speaking in the Word under the sure guidance of the Holy Spirit. The final presentation of a comprehensive interpretation of Calvin is viewed in the light of the transmission of Reformed theology. Knowing the Triune God has the power to confirm and rejuvenate Calvin's theological vision amongst those who view him as their progenitor.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: DIT IS al van Calvyn gese dat hy 'n beduidende rol gespeel het, nie aileen met bettekking tot die vorming van die Westerse Christendom nie, maar ook wat betref die hele Westerse kultuur. 'n Toereikende evaluering van sy denke is dus steeds van belang. Binne die omvang van Calvyn navorsing is daar alreeds 'n verskeidenheid van interpretasies van Calvyn aangebied, hoewel daar 'n toenemende teensin teen die voorlegging van 'n samehangende uiteensetting van Calvyn in die onlangse verlede na vore gekom het. In die konteks van hierdie laasgenoemde standpunte word 'n teenargument aangebied vir die uitvoerbaarheid en ook die wenslikheid van 'n omvattende uitlegging van Calvyn se denke, in ooreenstemming met 'n histories-teologiese grondslag. Calvyn word binne die sestiende-eeuse intellektuele mileu geplaas deur die epis temologiese denke van die Reformasie as reaksie teen die Renaissance oplewing van skeptisisme bloot te Ie. Die aard van menslike kennis, veral die mens se kennis van God, was op die voorpunt van die sestiende-eeuse intellektuele debat, en Calvyn as, hervormer en humanis was baie bewus van hierdie debat. Dit blyk o.m. duidelik uit die lnstitutio wat die vorm van 'n diskoers oor kennis tentoonstel. Die tema van Godskennis, vanuit 'n Skriftuurlike openbaring as enigste grondslag, tree na vore rue net in die Instiuaio nie, maar in al sy werke. Dit blyk ook uit 'n ondersoek van selfs sy minder bekende werke. Uit die ondersoek kom dit ook na vore dat die tipe kennis wat Calvyn bevorder het, eksperimenteel en Triniter van aard was. Experientia en sekerheid word die bevestiging van Godskennis op 'n ekonomies-Trinitere en soteriologiese basis. Hierdie aspek van Calvyn se denke is misken ten spyte van die belangrikheid daarvan vir die post- Kantiese kennis-krisis. Nadat die epistemologiese agtergrond geskets is, word Calvyn se Triniteitsleer [doctrina} ontleed. 'n Histories-teologiese grondslag vir hierdie leers telling verskaf die raamwerk waarbinne Calvyn se unieke uiteensetting van die Drie-Eenheid in die historiese verloop van dogmatiese formulering waardeer kan word. Calvyn se Triniteitsleer (doctrina) word uiteengesit na aanleiding van sy Triniteits-debatvoering, en na aanleiding van die bepalende uitleg daarvan in die 1559 Insiiuaio. Op hierdie wyse word dit duidelik dat Calvyn as gevolg van sy eksegetiese prioriteit 'n tot op hede grootliks onvermelde insig getoon het in die vereniging van die Westerse (Augustiniese) en Oosterse (Kappadosiese) Triniteits-leerstellinge. Wat aan die lig kom is 'n Triniteits-leerstelling wat God se Drie-Eenbaarheid bevestig, en wat voortvloei in 'n weergawe van God se Persoon-like kenbaarheid. Hierdie tesis word gestaaf deur 'n naspeuring van Calvyn se Triniteits-uiteensetting van die Christelike lewe. Daar word ook aangetoon hoe hierdie standpunte die voorvermelde nadruk op kennis bevestig. Die herontdekking van Calvyn se Triniteitsleer (doctTina) is dus van groot belang vir die post-Verligting en konternporere teologiese debatte oor God en die Drie-Eenheid. Beide Drie-Eenbeid en seeerbeid is ten nouste verweef met Calvyn se God-gesentreerde hermeneutiek. Die somtotaal van sy eksegetiese werk, van Kommentaar na Institutio na Prediking, was daarop gefokus om die stem van die Drie-Enige God onder leiding van die Heilige Gees te hoor. Die poging tot 'n omvattende interpretasie van Calvyn word uiteindelik in die lig van die voortgang van Gereformeerde Teologie beskou. "Om die Drie-enige God te ken" is dus 'n integrerende motief wat Calvyn se teologie bevestig en ook sy werk besonder aktueel maak vir die hedendaagse teologiese debat.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2012.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation has been motivated by the prevailing trends of violence in Nigeria and the detrimental effects on human dignity as understood from a theological perspective. The call for peace building by the Decade to Overcome Violence (DOV) programme of the World Council of Churches (WCC) is an important attempt to address the issue of violence which should be taken seriously by the Christian church in Nigeria in its own efforts to address this problem. The increasing deteriorating relations and persistent inter-religious, socio-economic, political and cultural violent strife constitute primary contributing factors that threaten peace in Nigeria. For a long time, this concern has necessitated careful, honest and sincere revisiting. This research which is based on the DOV is motivated by the framework of the global human community which has been marked by numerous structures of violence, injustice, oppression and discrimination causing suffering to millions of men, women and children. Violence, whether physical, structural, psychological or in other forms, is shown to be a denial and abuse of life. Affirming human dignity, the basic rights of people and their integrity, shows that justice is vital to lasting peace and that the denial of the dignity of others serves as motivation for and usually also constitutes the first casualty of any form of violence. Violence, therefore, reaches beyond physical harm to the violation of the personhood of the other. Victims of violence referred to in this study are mostly the innocent and the powerless whose dignity is being violated by religious, social, economic and political structures. Nigerian history testifies to such denials of human dignity through the deplorable and persistent violence in the country. Furthermore, the world is responding to this situation, and similar situations elsewhere, with growing concern and determination. Since 2001, the World Council of Churches has been addressing violence in many different ways. It has generated significant alliances and measures to prevent violence and educate people on peacemaking, by declaring 2001-2010, the Decade to Overcome Violence. Through the DOV, the WCC has declared prevention of violence a public and organisational priority, thus, requesting all member states to establish violence prevention programmes within their ministries. One of the questions posed at the onset of the programme is whether it is possible to eradicate violence completely and establish world peace within a decade. However, the initiative does not actually claim that it would overcome all forms of violence. At the end of the Decade, violence might still be witnessed, but by participating in this global movement for peace, the churches would have become sensitised to situations of violence within and around them and would have been sufficiently motivated to participate in the task of healing the brokenness around them. The desire and aspiration to overcome the spirit, logic and practice of violence in a Christian and ecumenical spirit, however, is rooted in the gift and promise that Christ made to his disciples: “My peace I give you”, and “blessed are the peacemakers…” (Matthew 5:9). Against this background, engaging Hans Küng’s work becomes consequential, since a number of key implications for the Nigerian church and society have emerged in the attempt to consider Küng’s Christology of peace as a framework. Küng’s work is employed as the basic framework of this research as he provides us with a Christology of active non-violence and an ideology of peace. He presents us with a historical Jesus who demonstrated peace building and reconciliation in his ministry. Therefore, if the Christian tradition wants to contribute to peace in the contemporary world, then it needs to rediscover the radical non-violence of its founder and take seriously his disclosure of God. For Küng, peace can only have its root in the world (and that includes Nigeria), if it is established through radical humanism, transcendence, love and obedience.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die motivering vir hierdie tesis het ontstaan in die heersende tendens van geweld in Nigerië en die nadelige impak wat dit het op menswaardigheid, soos verstaan vanuit `n teologiese perspektief. Die oproep vir vrede deur die Dekade om Geweld te Oorkom (DGO) programme van die Wêreldraad van Kerke (WVK) is `n belangrike stap in die poging om die kwessie van geweld aan te spreek. Dit moet ernstig opgeneem word deur die Christelike Kerk in Nigerië en deel vorm van die kerk se pogings om hierdie probleem aan te spreek. Die toenemend verslegtende verhoudings en volgehoue inter-religieuse, sosio-ekonomiese, politiese en kulturele geweldadige worstelinge vorm deel uit van die bydraende faktore wat vrede in Nigerië bedreig. Hierdie bekommernis is al vir `n geruime tyd een wat versigtige, eerlike en opregte aandag nodig het. Hierdie navorsing is gebaseer op die DGO en is geinspireer deur die raamwerk van die globale menslike gemeenskap wat gekenmerk word deur verskeie strukture van geweld, onreg, onderdrukking en diskriminasie – wat lei tot die lyding van miljoene mans vroue en kinders. Geweld, of dit nou fisies, struktureel, sielkundig of in ander vorme gepleeg word, kan gereken word as `n miskenning en mishandeling van lewe. Deur menswaardigheid te bevestig, die basiese regte van mense en hulle integriteit, word daar gewys dat geregtigheid van kardinale belang is om volhoubare vrede te vestig. Die ontneming van hierdie waardigheid gewoonlik as `n motivering en eerste stap in die ontstaan van enige vorm van geweld beskou. Geweld strek daarom verder as fisiese skade en sluit ook in die skending van die menslikheid van ander. Slagoffers van geweld in hierdie studie is meestal die onskuldiges en magteloses wie se waardigheid aangetas is deur religieuse, sosiale, ekonomiese en politieke strukture. Nigeriese geskiedenis wys dat hierdie ontneming van menswaardigheid uit in die betreurenswaardige en aanhoudende geweld in die land. Die wêreld reageer op hierdie situasie, en soortgelyke situasies in ander lande, met groeiende bekommernis en vasberadenheid. Die Wêreldraad van Kerke het sedert 2001 geweld op verskeie maniere aangespreek. Dit het betekenisvolle alliansies en maatstawwe in plek gesit om geweld te voorkom en om mense op te lei in die sluit van vrede, onder meer deur 2001 – 2010 as die Dekade om Geweld te Oorkom te verklaar. Deur die DGO het die Wêreldraad van Kerke die voorkoming van geweld as `n openbare en organisatoriese prioriteit verklaar, en daardeur alle lidstate versoek om voorkomingsprogramme vir geweld binne hulle bedienings in plek te stel. Een van die vrae wat aan die begin van die programme gevra word, is of dit moontlik is om binne `n dekade geweld geheel en al uit te wis en wêreldvrede te vestig, alhoewel die inisiatief nie aanspraak maak daarop dat dit alle vorme van geweld sal oorkom nie. Aan die einde van die dekade mag daar moontlik steeds’ geweld voorkom, maar deur deelname aan hierdie globale beweging vir vrede, word kerke gesensitiseer oor situasies van geweld binne en rondom hulle en word hulle genoegsaam gemotiveer om deel te neem aan die taak om die gebrokenes rondom hulle te genees. Die begeerte en aspirasies om die gees, logika en praktyk van geweld te oorkom in `n Christelike en ekumeniese gees, is gegrond op die gawe en belofte wat Christus aan sy dissipels gemaak het: “My vrede gee ek vir julle” en “geseend is die vredemakers....” (Matteus 5:9). Die bestudering van Hans Küng se werk, veral sy Christologie van vrede, is gevolglik belangrik, aangesien dit `n aantal sleutel implikasies inhou vir die Nigeriese kerk en samelewing en `n raamwerk bied vir vrede. Küng se werk word aangebied as die basiese raamwerk vir hierdie navorsing, aangesien hy `n Christologie bied van aktiewe nie-geweldadigheid en `n ideologie van vrede. Hy bied `n historiese Jesus aan wat vredemaking en versoening in sy bediening gedemonstreer het. Daarom, as die Christelike tradisie iets wil bydra tot die bereiking van vrede in die kontemporêre wêreld, dan moet dit die radikale nie-geweldadigheid van sy stigter herbesoek en sy openbarings van God ernstig opneem. Volgens Küng kan vrede slegs in die wêreld bewerkstellig word (en dit sluit Nigerie in) as dit gevestig word deur radikale humanisme, voortreflikheid, liefde en gehoorsaamheid.

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.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2004
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This assignment is an ethical evaluation of the Second King Report on Corporate Governance. I focus on the relationships between the shareowners, the management and all stakeholders other than shareowners. The instrument used to assess the report is the concept of Integrative Economic Ethics shaped by Peter Ulrich. The Second King Report argues that a company should meet besides its economic needs as well as social and environmental objectives. Therefore, the company has to take responsibility for creating 'sustainable' value in all these three areas. Stakeholders have to be approached inclusively and pro-actively. These are new primary business imperatives due to the increasing social power of companies. However, the report is based upon a one dimensional approach in which the economic bottom line is decisive, and social and environmental interests are only considered if they serve the sustainability of business success. Likewise the inclusive stakeholder approach is a shortcoming, because stakeholder interests are not regarded as legitimate claims within a moral discourse in which all those citizens partake that are affected or involved by the company's activities. Not legitimacy but the stakeholders' relevance for the 'shareowner value' is the determining argument. Conflicting moral claims are not solved by good reasons, but are decided on a priori in favour of the company's overriding goal, which is to make profit. Profit orientation of a company, however, is not an empirical 'fact' but a normative choice, which is for or against specific interest groups and as such has to be legitimised in a moral discourse. Since the report does not subordinate profit orientation under the primacy of ethics, its whole corporate ethical concept is shaped by 'functionalism' even to the extent, that 'ethics' itself is viewed as an economic 'factor'. Yet, this contradicts the controversial and un-objective nature of ethics. In conclusion the report's entire argument is based upon pure strategic economic grounds and, thus, cannot be considered as ethical at all. Shifting the social and environmental corporate responsibility to the market system is based upon unfounded belief in the 'metaphysics of the market'. This, however, does not lie in the enlightened self-interest of a corporate citizen, as the market is merely ruled by power and counter-power - which is only beneficial for those specific societal groups with the sufficient monetary power to stay competitive. On the contrary, the equality of all citizens in a deliberative democracy must be safeguarded. The liberal idea of a just and well-ordered society implies the understanding of the company as a corporate citizen. As such its corporate ethics has to entail not only securing a company's integrity through business principles, but also a socio-political co-responsibility which obliges the company to shape the framework of market competition to enable life-conducive value creation. The general public of free and mature citizens is the locus where all claims, including corporate ones, have to be morally justified.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie werkstuk evalueer die tweede King Report on Corporate Governance for South Africa, wat op die verhouding tussen die aandeelhouers (shareowners), die bestuur (management), en aIle deelhebbers (stakeholders) buiten die aandeelhouers fokus. Die Integrative Economic Ethics-konsep, ontwikkel deur Peter Ulrich, is die instrument wat gebruik is om die verslag te beoordeel. Die tweede King-verslag vereis dat 'n maatskappy nie aIleen aan sy ekonomiese behoeftes voldoen nie, maar ook dat hy sy sosiale en omgewingsmikpunte haal. Daarom moet die maatskappy verantwoordelikheid neem om volhoubare waarde in elk van hierdie drie areas te skep. Deelhebbers moet inklusief en proaktief genader word. Hierdie is nuwe prirnere sake-imperatiewe, as gevolg van die toenemende sosiale mag van maatskappye. Die verslag is egter op 'n eendimensionele benadering gegrond, naamlik dat ekonomiese kwessies beslissend is (economic bottom line) en sosiale en omgewingsbelange slegs in ag geneem word wanneer hulle volhoubare sakesukses bevorder. Die 'inklusiewe deelhebber benadering' (inclusives stakeholder approach) skiet eweneens te kort, aangesien deelhebbers se belange nie erken word as regmatige eise binne 'n morele diskoers waaraan alle burgers deelneem wat geraak word deur, of betrokke is by, die maatskappy se aktiwiteite nie. Die deurslaggewende argument is nie regmatigheid nie, maar eerder die relevansie van die deelhebber se waarde vir die aandeelhouer. Strydige morele eise word nie deur goeie redenasie opgelos nie - daar word eerder a priori ten gunste van die maatskappy se oorheersende doel besluit, wat is om wins te maak. Winsorientasie van 'n maatskappy is egter nie 'n empiriese feit nie, maar 'n normatiewe keuse, wat vir of teen gegewe belangegroepe is, en as sodanig in 'n morele diskoers geregverdig moet word. Aangesien die verslag nie bereid is om winsorientasie ondergeskik aan etiese voorrang te stel nie, word die hele korporatiewe etiese konsep gevorm deur "funksionalisrne", selfs tot die mate dat etiek self as 'n ekonomiese faktor gesien word. Tog is dit strydig met die kontroversiele en nieobjektiewe aard van etiek. Ten slotte is die verslag se hele argument gebaseer op 'n suiwer strategies-ekonomiese grondslag, en kan dit dus glad nie as eties beskou word rue. Die keuse om sosiaal- en orngewingsgerigte korporatiewe verantwoordelikheid na die markstelsel te oor te skuif, is gebaseer op 'n ongegronde geloof in die "rnetafisika van die mark" (metaphysics of the market). Dit is egter nie in die ingeligte selfbelang van 'n korporatiewe burger nie, siende dat die mark deur mag en teen mag regeer word - wat slegs voordelig is vir die spesifieke groepe in die gemeenskap wat genoegsame rnonitere mag het om te kompeteer. In teenstelling daarmee, moet die gelykheid van alle burgers in 'n oorleggende demokrasie beskerm word. Die liberale konsep van 'n juiste en goedgeordende gemeenskap impliseer 'n begrip van 'n maatskappy as 'n korporatiewe burger. Korporatiewe etiek as sulks moet nie alleen 'n maatskappy se integriteit deur maatskappybeginsels verseker nie, maar ook 'n sosio-politiese medeverantwoordelikheid meebring, wat die maatskappy verplig om die raamwerk van markmededinging te vorm om sodoende lewensbevorderlike waardeskepping moontlik te maak. Die algemene publiek van vrye en volwasse burgers is die lokus waar alle eise, insluitend korporatiewe eise, moreel geregverdig moet word.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Although Bonhoeffer is hailed by some as a type of Protestant saint, there is certainly also a plea for the realisation of the paradox in his story; Bonhoeffer consciously associated himself with a plot against the life of another man. What lead this young theologian, known for pacifistic ideals and full of promise, to participate in such a violent plot? How did Bonhoeffer, and the scholars who studied his life and work, justify his decision? How should we, as theologians and Christians in the twenty-first century, attempt to understand Bonhoeffer’s resistance and its relevance for us today? According to Bonhoeffer himself: “Christianity stands or falls with its revolutionary protest against violence, arbitrariness and pride of power and with its apologia for the weak. I feel that Christianity is rather doing too little in showing these points than too much. Christianity has adjusted itself to the worship of power. It should give much more offence, more shock to the world, than it is doing. Christianity should take a much more definite stand for the weak than to consider the potential moral right of the strong.” (Bonhoeffer, DBWE Vol 13, 2007:403) By outlining the life of Bonhoeffer and selectively focusing on his resistance with both theological and sociological lenses, aided by his own writings, as well as the work of Bethge, Mataxas, Schlingensiepen, Rogers and an array of other authors, this thesis attempts to move towards understanding this remarkable man’s steadfast struggle to not sit passively in the midst of the reign of the Third Reich in Germany and be blinded to the inhumane treatment of fellow Germans, regardless of their race or religion.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Alhoewel Bonhoeffer deur sommige as ‘n soort Protestante heilige beskou word, is daar verseker ook ‘n pleidooi vir die besef van die teenstrydigheid in sy verhaal; Bonhoeffer het homself bewustelik geassosieer met ‘n komplot om die lewe van ‘n ander man te beeïndig. Wat het aanleiding gegee dat hierdie jong teoloog, bekend vir sy pasifistiese ideale en potensiaal, in so ‘n geweldadige komplot betrokke geraak het? Hoe het Bonhoeffer, en die geleerdes wat sy lewe en werk bestudeer het, sy besluit regverdig? Hoe sou ons, as teoloë en Christene in die een-en-twintigste eeu, Bonhoeffer se verset en die relevansie daarvan vir ons lewe vandag verstaan? Bonhoeffer sê self: “Die Christendom staan of val met die revolusionêre protes teen geweld, willekeur en magstrots, en met sy voorspraak vir die swakkes. Ek voel dat die Christendom eerder te min as te veel doen om hierdie aspekte te weerspieël. Die Christendom het tot die aanbidding van mag aangepas. Dit moet baie meer aanstoot gee, die wêreld meer skok, as wat dit tans doen. Die Christendom moet ‘n baie meer defnitiewe standpunt vir die swakkes inneem, eerder as om die potensiële morele reg van die sterkes te beskerm.” (Bonhoeffer, DBWE Vol 13, 2007:403) Deur Bonhoeffer se lewe uit te lê en selektief, met beide teologiese en sosiologiese lense, op sy verset te fokus, bygestaan deur sy eie geskrifte, asook die werk van Bethge, Mataxas, Schlingensiepen, Rogers en ‘n verskeidenheid ander outeurs, poog hierdie tesis om tot ‘n verstaan te kom van hierdie merkwaardige man se standvastige stryd om nie slegs passief tydens die strikbewind van die Derde Ryk te bly nie, maar ook om nie blind vir die onmenslike behandeling van mede-Duitsers nie, ongeag hulle ras of godsdiens, te wees nie.

Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2004
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research investigates the problem: do contemporary African Christologies reflect the portrayal of the personhood and the significance of the Cross of Christ in the New Testament? It explores the Christo logical views of African theologians in Black Theology, African Theology and African Women's Theology, and the fundamental presuppositions of these forms of Christologies rather than providing a detailed treatment of the individual Christo logical views of these theologians. The research argues that the methodological assumptions of African theologians, specifically, their hermeneutical starting point and convictions, deeply influence their Christological thoughts and constructions. Therefore, this research examines contemporary African hermeneutical methods, particularly searching for their congruence with the original and characteristic Protestant hermeneutical conviction of Sola Scriptura. As a comparative study, this research deliberately compares these contemporary and representative African Christologies with Paul's view of Jesus Christ and the significance of his Cross, thereby inquiring specifically after the role of Christian Soteriology in these African Christo logical approaches and comparing them with Paul. The research argues that, looking at dominant contemporary African Christologies from the perspective of Pauline Protology and Soteriology, they do not always fully reflect the New Testament portrayal of the personhood and the Cross of Christ in the New Testament. For future work on African Christologies, the research concludes and suggests that African Christologies be critically evaluated based on their congruence with the Protestant hermeneutical principle of Sola Scriptura.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie stel ondersoek in na die vraag: Hoe reflekteer hedendaagse Afrika- Christologiee die persoonskap en betekenis van die Kruis van Christus soos voorgestel in die Nuwe Testament? Dit bestudeer die Christologiese sienings van Afrika-teoloe in Swart Teologie, Afrika Teologie en Afrika Vroue- Teologie. Die klem val op die grondliggende voorveronderstellings van hierdie Christologiee eerder as op 'n gedetailleerde hantering van die onderskeie Christologiese sieninge van hierdie teoloe. Die navorsing voer aan dat die metodologiese aannames van Afrika-teoloe, spesifiek in hul hermeneutiese vertrekpunt en oortuigings, 'n diepgaande invloed uitoefen op hul Christologiese denke en konstruksies. Derhalwe bestudeer hierdie navorsing hedendaagse hermeneutiese metodes in Afrika, in besonder wat betref hulle ooreenkoms met die oorspronklike en kenmerkende Protestantse hermeneutiese oortuiging van Sola Scriptura. As 'n vergelykende studie word hierdie hedendaagse en verteenwoordigende Afrika- Christologiee gemeet teen Paulus se sieninge van Jesus Christus en die betekenis van die Kruis. Die ondersoek gaan dus veral in op die rol van Christelike soteriologie in hierdie Afrika-Christologiese benaderings, en vergelyk dit dan met Paulus. Die navorsing voer aan dat dominante hedendaagse Afrika-Christologiee, bestudeer vanuit die oogpunt van Christelike soteriologie, nie altyd die Nuwe Testamentiese voorstelling van die persoonskap en die Kruis van Christus voldoende reflekteer nie. Dit blyk veral uit 'n ondersoek van die Briewe van Paulus. Ter afsluiting doen die studie aan die hand dat toekomstige werk oor Afrika- Christologiee krities geevalueer word ooreenkomstig hul ooreenstemming met die Protestantste hermeneutiese beginsel van Sola Scriptura.

Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2005
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study considers the doctrine of the forensic imputation of Christ's righteousness in both the Great Awakening and the Korean revivals through the six revivalists from the view of the Reformation doctrine oiforensic justification: Jonathan Edwards, Timothy Dwight, Sun-Ju Kil, Ik-Doo Kim, Yong-Do Lee, and Sung-Bong Lee. The key question is whether they maintain the Reformation doctrine of the forensic imputation of Christ's righteousness, affirming the sola fide-sola gratia language of the Reformers such as Martin Luther and John Calvin. The prime concern facing the six revivalists is the question of the status of humanity and the necessity of Christ's righteousness for forensic justification. It is of the utmost importance to see that justification by faith alone is fully embedded in the understanding of union with Christ. Jonathan Edwards stood firmly against any attempt to shrink God's free grace down to the size of human works in justification, following closely the Reformation doctrine of the forensic imputation of Christ's righteousness. Edwards elucidated Adamic and Christologicalforensic union in terms of divine constitution. He firmly held that through union with Christ Christ's alien righteousness is legally transferred or reckoned to the believers. Timothy Dwight, standing in a quite different tradition, rejected Edwards's notion of justification that justification is an absolute unmerited gift of God, apart from human works. Dwight affirmed neither prevenient grace nor justification in the Reformation terms of solajide, sola gratia, sola scriptura, solus Christus, sola Deo Gloria, a iustitia aliena (an alien righteousness), and a iustitia extra nos (a righteousness apart from us). By stressing the power of the human will, Sun-Ju Kil clearly thought that justification is exclusively an act of human beings. Kil's view of the act of faith alone made all the difference in imputation, connecting the wicked to the righteousness of Christ. Ik-Doo Kim also departed from the Reformation doctrine ofJorensic justification in failing to present the implications of Christ's imputed righteousness. Kim's doctrine of the power of prayer determined his view of justification. Kim's notion of repentance centered on the act of faith through prayer, which made Luther's solajide a human work or accomplishment in the imputation of Christ's righteousness. Yong-Do Lee placed his understanding of the justification of the wicked within the setting of the principle of oneness with Christ, with which he laid the foundation for the double exchange of life in his theology. Lee did not recognize a necessary connection between justification and the free grace of the sovereign God. Although Sung-Bong Lee found considerable depth in the imputation of Christ's righteousness in comparison with the three Korean revivalists, he failed effectively to distinguish between justification and sanctification. Lee's decisive proposal of union with Christ cannot be identified as the Reformation doctrine offorensic imputation. This study suggested that the five revivalists except Jonathan Edwards were unwilling to favor the Reformation doctrine offorensic justification regarding original sin, alien righteousness, union with Christ, and the forensic imputation of Christ's righteousness to the wicked.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie studie word die forensiese siening van die leer van die regverdiging tydens die Amerikaanse Great Awakening en die Koreaanse revivals, in die teologie van Jonathan Edwards en Timothy Dwight enersyds, en Sun-Jul Kil, Ik-Doo Kim, Young- Do Lee en Sung-Bong Lee andersyds, ondersoek. 'n Kemkwessie is die vraag of hierdie opwekkingspredikers en teoloe getrou bly aan die Reformatoriese leer van die toerekening van Christus se geregtigheid soos dit tot uitdrukking kom in die aksent op solajide - sola gratia by Maartin Luther en Johannes Calvyn. Sentraal is die vraag na die staat van die mens en die noodsaaklikheid van Christus se geregtigheid vir forensiese regverdiging. Dit is van die grootste belang om te verstaan dat regverdiging deur die geloof aileen, onlosmaaklik verbonde is met die verstaan van ons eenheid met Christus. In aansluiting by die Reformatoriese leer van die forensiese toerekening van Christus se geregtigheid, verset Jonathan Edwards hom teen enige poging om deur goeie werke God se vrye genade te kompromiteer. Edwards verstaan Adamitiese en Christologiese forensiese eenheid in terme van goddelike konstitusie. Hy hou vas aan die oortuiging dat op grond van die gelowiges se eenheid met Christus, laasgenoemde se geregtigheid juridies oorgedra en toegereken word aan eersgenoemde. Timothy Dwight staan binne 'n heeltemal ander tradisie en verwerp Edward se opvatting van regverdiging as 'n totaal onverdiende gawe van God onafhanklik van menslike werke. Dwight onderskryf nog die leer van die voorafgaande genade, nog die Reformatoriese leer van die regverdiging in terme van sola jide, sola gratia, sola scriptura, solus Christus, soli Deo Gloria. Ook aanvaar hy nie die iustitia aliena (vreemde geregtigheid) en die iustitia extra nos ('n geregtigheid buite ons) me. As gevolg van sy aksent op die krag van die menslike wil is dit duidelik dat Sun-Ju-Kil regverdiging eksklusiefverstaan as 'n menslike daad. Sy siening van die daad van geloof aIleen maak 'n groot verskil deurdat die goddelose daardeur verbind word met Christus se geregtigheid. Doo-Kim wyk ook afvan die Reformatoriese leer van forensiese regverdiging aangesien hy nie daarin slaag om die implikasies van Christus se toegerekende geregtigheid uit te spel nie. Sy leer van die krag van gebed bepaal sy siening van die regverdiging. Sy opvatting van berou word gedra deur sy aksent op geloof-deur-gebed waardeur die sola fide soos geleer deur Luther, verander word in 'n menslike prestasie wat die imputasie van Christus se geregtigheid tot gevolg het. Yong-Do Lee verstaan die regverdiging van die goddelose binnne die beginsel van ons eenheid met Christus wat as basis dien vir die "dubbele ruil" in sy teologie. Hy sien nie 'n noodsaaklike relasie tussen regverdiging en die soewereine, vrye genade van God nie. Hoewel Sung-Bong Lee in vergelyking met die ander drie, heelwat diepte vind in die toerekening van Christus se geregtigheid, slaag hy nie daarin om duidelik te onderskei tussen regverdiging en heiliging nie. Sy deurslaggewende voorstel ten opsigte van die gelowiges se eenheid met Christus, kan nie vereenselwig word met die Reformatoriese leer van forensiese imputasie nie. Die gevolgtrekking van hierdie studie is dat, met die uitsondering van Jonathan Edwards, hierdie opwekkingspredikers en teoloe onwillig was om die Reformatoriese leer van die forensiese regverdiging met betrekking tot erfsonde, eenheid met Christus, en die forensiese toerekening van Christus se geregtigheid aan die sondaars, te onderskryf.

Thesis (DTh (Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005.
The purpose of this dissertation is to trace the development of Malawi’s Nkhoma Synod of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) from a mission church in 1962 to a mature church today. In so doing, it asks, “How has Nkhoma Synod developed its self-understanding of being a church?”

Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2000
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The fundamental perspective of this study is that faith cannot be separated from either tradition or empirical experience. The relationship between theology, as the critical justification of faith, and sociology, as the empirical study of society and religion, is discussed in this perspective. Chapter 1 presents an overview of tradition as a theological problem. The conclusion is that the reformational sola-scriptura-confession is not antithetical to a positive evaluation of tradition, but that reformed theology has often had problems with really taking the historical aspect of tradition seriously. In Chapter 2 it is argued that a dialogue between theology and sociology is both necessary and fruitful. Chapter 3 discusses the philosophy of science, in order to give a perspective on the foundations for dialogue. This discussion also facilitates the choice of sociological partners for discussion. Weber and Berger, as sociologists who take theological themes seriously, are chosen as partners for discussion. Chapter 4 presents a critical evaluation of Weber's sociology. It is argued that his approach to religion is reductionistic, but that it poses questions that should be taken seriously. Among these the question of the influence of the social context on tradition and the problem of routinization of tradition stand out. These problems also surface in the sociology of Berger, as Chapter 5 points out. Berger differs from Weber in that he is a Christian who practices theology. Yet his perspective on religion remains reductionistic. His view that religion is to a great extent determined by the social context finds itself in tension with his view that faith is a fee choice of the individual. This problem is never satisfactorily adressed in Berger's work. The final chapter attempts to give a basic perspective within which theology can both remain true to itself and take sociology seriously. It is argued that thisperspective is found in the viewpoint that humans are neither the passive objects of social determination, nor the active constructors of society. Humans receive the empirical world as a gift, but this reception should be understood as an activity. The conclusion is that tradition is ambivalent. On the one hand it is a necessary tool for ordering experience, but on the other hand it can distort experience. Therefore there is a tension between tradition and experience. Faith should not be tied exclusbely to either tradition or experience, but stands within the tension between the two. Theso/a-scriptura-confession expresses the conviction that faith lives within this tension through the Word of God alone.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie gaan uit van die standpunt dat geloof in die spanningsveld van tradisie en empirie staan. Dit impliseer dat geloof nie losgemaak kan word van 'n positiewe waardering vir tradisie nie, maar dat geloof ook nie teenoor empiriese waarneming gestel kan word nie. Hierdie standpunt word belig deur die verhouding tussen teologie, as kritiese geloofsverantwoording, en sosiologie, as 'n empiriese dissipline wat ook die godsdiens vertolk, te bestudeer. Hoofstuk 1 bespreek die kerklike tradisie. Daar word gewys op die waarde sowel as die ambivalensie van tradisie. Die reformatorieseso/a scriptura word aan die orde gestel om aan te dui dat dit moontlik is om hierdie belydenis te versoen met 'n waardering vir die tradisie, hoewel die Skrif as kritiese norm teenoor tradisie gehandhaaf word. Verder word aangetoon dat die gereformeerde benadering tot tradisie nie sonder probleme is nie en dat veral die historiese aard van die geloofstradisie nie altyd in die gereformeerde teologie verdiskonteer word nie. In Hoofstuk 2 word die keuse vir 'n dialogiese benadering tot die verhouding tussen teologie en sosiologie gemotiveer. Hoofstuk 3 stel die wetenskapsfilosofie aan die orde, ten einde die gespreksbasis sowel as die keuse vir gespreksgenoteduidelik te maak. Die keuse vir gespreksgenote val op Weber en Berger as sosiolce wat beide erns gemaak het met teologiese temas. Die sosiologie van Max Weber word in Hoofstuk 4 bespreek. In die evaluering van sy godsdienssosiologie word aangedui dat Weber se perspektief op die godsdiens reduksionisties is, maar dat dit die teologie voor ernstige vrae stel, waaronder die invloed van die sosiale konteks op die geloofstradisie en die probleem van roetinisering van die tradisie uitstaan. Hierdie vrae kom ook na vore uit die sosiologie van Peter Berger. Berger verskil van Weber daarin dat hy 'n Christen is en self teologie beoefen. Tog bly sy perspektief op die godsdiens reduksionisties en staan sy siening oor die beinvloedinq van die godsdiens deur die sosiale konteks in spanning met sy verstaan van die geloof as 'n vrye keuse van die individu. Hierdie spanning word nie bevredigend opgelos nie. Die slothoofstuk soek na 'n perspektief waarbinne die teologie erns kan maak met die sosiologie, maar ook getrou kan bly aan sy eie aard as geloofsverantwoording. Hierdie perspektief word gevind in die uitgangspunt dat die mens n6g as 'n passiewe objek van sosiale be"lnvloeding, n6g as 'n aktiewe subjek van sosiale konstruering verstaan kan word. In die geloof ontvang die mens sy ervarinqswereld, maar hy is aktief betrokke by daardie ontvangs. Die slotsom is dat tradisie ambivalent is. Aan die een kant maak dit gerigte ervaring vir die mens moontlik. Aan die ander kant kan tradisie die mens se uitsig op die werklikheid belemmer. Daarom staan tradisie altyd in spanning met empiriese ervaring. Geloof staan nie net in die tradisie nie en ook nie net in die ervaring nie, maar in die spanningsveld van tradisie en empirie. Die sola-scriptura-belydenis verwoord die oortuiging dat geloof in hierdie spanningsveld leef uit die Woord van God aileen.

Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2002
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The problem investigated in this thesis entails ordinance articles of the Dutch Reformed Church (1998) pertaining to the relevance of offices in the church in the modern world, and more specifically the office of the minister of the Gospel. During the past 30 years several authors doubted and questioned the authenticity of these offices as far as relevance, origin and content are concerned. Questions concerning the offices and especially the office of the minister of the Gospel, are posed because the Dutch Reformed Church ordinance is, allegedly, not based on the Scriptures and the ordinance also is accused of not providing explicit answers to these problems. The literature review clearly reveals that this questioning of the offices and more specifically the office of the minister of the Gospel, is not new in overseas literature.This tendency is also lately encountered in South Africa. The literature review also reveals that these questions are mainly driven by the authority crisis and ideologies such as pragmatism, functionalism, secularism, and post-modernism that leads to secularisation and democratisation. This fact emphasises the urgent need for the Church offices to be accounted for and investigated afresh in order to measure (test) its relation to the Biblical principles as found in the Scriptures, in the articles of faith and as they are formulated in the Dutch Reformed Church Ordinance. A large part of the study is dedicated to the investigation of the principles underlying the Church Ordinance and in chapter two an account is also given of the Scripture readings that are relevant to and justify the institution of the church offices according to the New and Old Testament. The ordinance articles pertaining to church offices, are analysed and evaluated in historical context to establish validity and to account for the natural historical development of the ordinance articles. The articles of faith to which the Dutch Reformed Church subscribes, are also scrutunized for evidence of basic Biblical principles in order to determine the extent to which these articles of faith support and are reflected in the rulings contained in the Church Ordinance. A critical, analytical, theological and historical investigation of the ordinance articles and the articles of faith reveals that they abundantly account for Christian principles and that the Dutch Reformed Church ordinance is based solidly on the Scriptures. in accepting and declaring that Jesus Christ is the Lord and Master of his church on earth, that He instituted and still maintains the church offices as instruments through which he, himself rules. Attention is also given to the need for reformulation of redundant or ambiguous articles on the order in the church regarding the clergymen preaching the Word of God.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die navorsingsprobleem van hierdie proefskrif is die vraag na die Skrifmatige, belydenismatige en historiese agtergronde van daardie artikels in die Kerl