The Church as an Agent of Community Development in Bulgaria

2008 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 214-219
Author(s):  
PLAMEN SIVOV
Keyword(s):  
Community Development ◽  
The Church

Justice Seeking is Joy Seeking: The Formation of Faith-Informed, Community-Focused, Critical Consciousness in Adolescents

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
David Anderson Hooker ◽  
Elizabeth W. Corrie ◽  
Itihari Toure
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Community Development ◽  
Critical Consciousness ◽  
Good Life ◽  
The Good Life ◽  
Intentional Community ◽  
Game Of Life ◽  
Critical Junctures ◽  
Generational Identity ◽  
The Church

Abstract Seeking justice, understanding what makes for peace and pursuing it, these are integral aspects of the pursuit of the Good Life. In this chapter three youth and community development experts make the case that 1) a vital aspect of development is empowering adolescents with a faith-informed, community-focused, critical consciousness; 2) young people are formed in community and joy cannot be fully experienced except communally and in the pursuit of JustPeace; and 3) the church has opportunities to intervene at critical junctures in youth formation to help them see the importance of pursuing communal JustPeace for their own ability to live the Good Life. In support of these claims, a framework of radical Identity is postulated and two practices—the Eight Bowls of Life Ceremony for generational identity marking and the Game of Life, part of a three-week intentional community of the Youth Theological Initiative (yti) – are presented. Each practice contributes to formation of justice-seeking identities in adolescents as integral aspects of preparation for the life-long pursuit of God’s joy, God’s good life, and even God’s salvation.

scholarly journals Violence as development? A challenge to the church

2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Landman
Keyword(s):  
Community Development ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
The State ◽  
African Women ◽  
Local Leadership ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Prophetic Voice ◽  
The Church

Dullstroom-Emnotweni was the site of protests against the lack of service delivery by local government in 2009. The local leadership of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa was confronted with challenges when its members got involved in acts of violence both from the side of the community and from the side of the police. Viewing itself as an asset to the community and an agent in its development towards health and wellbeing, the church was challenged by the situation in its prophetic capacity as well as in its relationship with the �state�. In an attempt to negotiate answers to the church�s relationship with the �state� in situations of violence, the uprising in Dullstroom-Emnotweni is used as a case study, and Calvin�s notion of the church as a world-transforming agent, the views of African women theologians on nonviolence, the practical piety of local religiousness, and the memory of systems of governance as �evil� are used as intertexts to define the church�s position vis-�-vis violence as an option for development. A position of caution is taken, a position in which the church retains both its political distance and its prophetic voice, remains true to its calling as an asset to community development, and condones violence cautiously when development is at stake.

scholarly journals The Role of Christian Religious Organisations in Community Development Programmes in Cross River State, Nigeria

2015 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aniefiok S. Ukommi ◽  
Udensi, Lawrence Okoronkwo ◽  
Otu A. Ekpenyong
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Community Development ◽  
Social Order ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Sustainable Livelihood ◽  
Cross River ◽  
Cross River State ◽  
The Church

This paper investigated rural-urban differentials in the role of Christian religious organisations in Community Development Programmes (CDPs) in Cross River State. Adopting the survey method, 150 churches were selected from 6 Local government Areas, comprising 3 urban and 3 rural communities across the 3 senatorial districts of Cross River State. Questionnaire was used to generate primary data, and descriptive statistics was employed for data analysis. Using the exchange theory as the basic framework for analysis, the study found that more rural than urban churches do not have autonomy, thus could serve as a hindrance to initiating and implementing CDPs in the study area. Result also shows that membership taxonomy of the church could hinder the goal of CDPs in terms of members’ financing and participation in CDPs in the area. The church has the capacity to promote sustainable livelihood, guaranty social order, spur development, enhance the social functioning of individuals, serve as agent of change, and bring about increased organized commitment and participation in community development activities. It is recommended that the local church should see community development programmes as part and parcel of their ministry.

scholarly journals Hope And The Environment: A Perspective From The Majority World

ANVIL ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-70
Author(s):  
Archbishop Thabo Makgoba
Keyword(s):  
Community Development ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Environmental Concerns ◽  
Anglican Church ◽  
Majority World ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Building Community ◽  
Environmental Work ◽  
The Church ◽  
World Perspective

Abstract This paper considers hope and environment from a majority world perspective. It begins by surveying moves within the Anglican Church to become more environmentally aware, and to integrate environmental concerns into theology and practice. This process began at the Lambeth Conference in 1968 and eventually led to the inclusion of an environmental strand within the Anglican Communion’s ‘Five Marks of Mission’. The fifth Mark is ‘To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth.’ In the 2008 Lambeth Conference a whole section was devoted to the environment. There follow accounts of environmental work in the Province of Southern Africa. In Niassa Diocese, in northern Mozambique, the mission department has been using Umoja (from the Swahili word for having a common mind) in congregational and community development. It demonstrates holistic mission by deepening faith, building community, and helping with practical challenges. Now the bigger question facing Southern Africa and the majority world is climate change. In South Africa apartheid used to dominate everything and this led to unity in the Church, but after apartheid the country is not faced by one overarching problem, but many. The theology of Charles Mathewes is explored in an attempt to find an adequate Christian response and bring hope to this new context. This then leads on to action in both small practical ways, and in bringing about more fundamental change. Finally, we are reminded that we should not always speak about problems, but also to present a positive vision.

The status of the Church in Africa

2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (2) ◽  
pp. 182-199
Author(s):  
Daniel Atuahene
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Community Development ◽  
Political Leadership ◽  
African Identity ◽  
Traditional Religions ◽  
The Status ◽  
Economic State ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Christian Population ◽  
The Church

The Church in Africa is currently experiencing a surge in numerical growth, consequently making Christianity the leading religion in the continent. Just before the twentieth century, Africa was known to be a heartland of voodooist, witchcraft, and traditional religions. The continent is now emerging as the “center of gravity of Christianity.” Research predicts Africa to have the largest majority of Christian population by 2060, with four in ten Christians living in the region. Despite tremendous growth, however, the Church in Africa still lacks the influence and impact one would expect it to have. Poverty and hunger are still rampant, especially in the Sub-Saharan area, where children are malnourished and deprived. Although the cornerstone of Christianity is love, one would expect that the growth of the Church would affect the socio-economic state of Africa. Sadly, the current statistics show otherwise. Notable, too, is the contribution of missionaries to the global missionary effort, which is only 6%. Amid numerical growth, the African Church still faces major challenges, including but not limited to persecutions in certain regions by some governments and extremist groups, the lack of “African identity,” and low enthusiasm to participate in political leadership and community development.

Changes and Developments of the Latin Patriarchate and the Melkite Catholic Church in the Post-Great War Lands of Palestine and Transjordan

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 239-280
Author(s):  
Paolo Maggiolini
Keyword(s):  
Community Development ◽  
Catholic Church ◽  
Community Organizations ◽  
Religious Community ◽  
Holy Land ◽  
World War ◽  
Complex Process ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Church ◽  
National Local

Abstract Reconsidering the relationship between the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Melkite Catholic Church, the paper aims to analyze the changes and developments of the Catholic Church’s presence in post-World War I Palestine and Transjordan. It specifically examines how the dialectic and debate on the issue of Arabization and Latin-Melkite competition during the Mandate period went beyond the traditional inter-Church rivalry, epitomizing the progression of a complex process of reconfiguring the Catholic ecclesiastical and missionary presence in the Holy Land in efforts to amalgamate and harmonize its “national-local” and “transnational” scopes and characters. The paper will specifically look at the local Catholic dimension and its religious hierarchies to understand the logic behind their positioning in regard to such issues. This perspective makes it possible to reveal how local religious Catholic leaderships (of both the Latin Patriarchate and Melkite Catholic Church) sought to interpret and promote the reconfiguration of their respective Church and religious community organizations and structures in these two lands during the Mandate. The intra-Catholic perspective will help us understand how intra-denominational as well as inter-denominational competition acted as tools for missionary, ecclesiastical and community development as well as a catalyst of change, anticipating most of the issues that still characterize the complex position and condition of the Church in this territory.

scholarly journals Leveraging social capital of the church for development: A case study of a farming community in Wellington

2019 ◽  
Vol 75 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacques W. Beukes
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Community Development ◽  
Change Agent ◽  
Social Capital Theory ◽  
Capital Theory ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
Farming Community ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Church

This article explores how a farming community in Wellington (Bovlei) moved from dependence towards an empowered community through non-profit organisations’ (NPOs) transformative community development initiatives, undertaken together with the church’s social capital. This example serves as the backdrop to explore critical viewpoints by various scholars who are critical about how the church engages in an unequal and unjust society. The critical questions that remain are the following; who is the church?, what is the church’s role as a change agent? and how should churches leverage social capital for development? Although various definitions have been given in conceptualising the church and its role in society, through this article, the author engages with the social capital theory in understanding how the transformation came about in this community by describing the churches’ involvement through a case study.

scholarly journals Strategi dan Model Pembinaan Rohani untuk Pendewasaan Iman Jemaat

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-169
Author(s):  
Purim Marbun
Keyword(s):  
Community Development ◽  
Spiritual Formation ◽  
Research Method ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Effective Coaching ◽  
God's Word ◽  
Depth Study ◽  
Effective Community ◽  
The Church

This research is base on the problem of  the pastor’s inability the church to implement an effective community development program. Moreover, if this judged based on implementation of the chuch’s vision and mision, many churches are not accurate incarrying out spiritual formation properly. Another problem is the lack of time the congregation participates in a coaching program implemented in the church will affect the congregation’s lack of knowledge and understanding of God’s word, this will affect the spiritual quality of the congregation. The research method used in this paper is a descriptive qualitative study of literature by examining various literatures relating to subject matter discussed. Through in-depth study and analysis, it is hoped that the pastors will provide concrete steps in planning and conducting effective coaching of church members. The result of this reseach to provide strategic steps and models of spiritual formation that are accurate and measurable and are able to increase the understanding of God’s word and make the spiritually mature as measured by changes in behaviour. Penelitian ini dilatarbelakangi masalah ketidakmampuan pendeta atau gembala dalam menyelenggarakan program pembinaan warga jemaat secara efektif. Apalagi jika hal ini dinilai berdasarkan implementasi visi dan misi gereja, banyak gereja tidak akurat melaksanakan pembinaan iman dengan baik. Masalah lain minimnya waktu jemaat mengikuti program pembinaan yang dilaksanakan di gereja akan berpengaruh pada rendahnya pengetahuan dan pemahaman jemaat akan firman Tuhan, hal ini akan mempengaruhi kualitas kerohanian jemaat. Metode penelitian yang digunakan dalam tulisan ini studi kualitatif deskriptif kepustakaan dengan menelaah berbagai literatur yang berkaitan dengan pokok masalah yang dibahas. Melalui kajian dan analisis yang mendalam diharapkan memberikan langkah-langkah konkrit bagi pendeta dalam merencanakan dan melakukan pembinaan warga gereja dengan efektif. Hasil penelitian ini memberikan langkah-langkah stategis dan model pembinaan rohani yang akurat dan terukur serta mampu meningkatkan pemahaman firman Tuhan serta menjadikan jemaat dewasa rohani yang diukur dari perubahan perilaku.

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