scholarly journals ‘They worship in our churches’ – An opportunity for the church to intervene in order to diminish the corruption that is hindering service delivery in South Africa?

2013 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benito Khotseng ◽  
A. Roger Tucker
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Contextual Theology ◽  
Present System ◽  
Asset Based Community Development ◽  
Theological Study ◽  
Practical Theological ◽  
The Moment ◽  
Christian Congregations ◽  
The Church

This practical-theological study aims to develop a contextual theology in the areas of business and government that will aid a successful intervention by the church in diminishing the corrupt practices prevalent in South Africa. It seeks to prove that corruption is a major factor in causing the delays experienced in the implementation of service delivery, and that this is causing much anger and increasing disillusionment with the present system of democratic government. At the moment the church has a window of opportunity for this intervention to take place, since many of those responsible for supporting, organising and implementing service delivery, both in government and industry, worship regularly, as committed members, in local Christian congregations. A modified application of the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) approach using focus groups is suggested as both a tool for intervention and for further research.

scholarly journals The role of the church in the #FeesMustFall movement in South Africa: Practical Theological reflection

2018 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mookgo S. Kgatle
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Theological Reflection ◽  
Poor Students ◽  
Practical Theological ◽  
Number Of Publications ◽  
The Moment ◽  
The Many ◽  
The Church

In 2015 and 2016, South Africa experienced one of the unique student-led protests since the dawn of democracy that touched the world, the #FeesMustFall movement. Out of the many demands that the students made in the movement, one is outstanding, fee-free higher education. A large number of publications have been written on the movement from an economical and educational point of view. Most of these publications argue that a fee-free higher education for all students is not an affordable or sustainable option for South Africa at the moment. What is new in this article is a practical theological reflection on the movement in general and the demand for a fee-free higher education by students in particular. The article looks at the possibilities of fee-free higher education for the poor students in South Africa by exploring the roles of the church in the #FeesMustFall movement.

scholarly journals South Africa’s service-delivery crisis: From contextual understanding to diaconal response

2013 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ignatius Swart
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Social Analysis ◽  
Theological Interpretation ◽  
Delivery Problem ◽  
Full Circle ◽  
Contextual Understanding ◽  
Theological Perspective ◽  
Practical Theological

This article proceeded from the assumption that the theme of service delivery in present-day South Africa could well be qualified by the notion of ‘crisis’, to the extent that this qualification, from a theological perspective and on the basis of comparative social analysis, well recalls the statements in such critical and profound theological documents as The Kairos Document and Evangelical Witness in South Africa on the ‘crisis’ in the latter years of apartheid. The further recognition that the theme of service delivery constitutes an essentially new focus for practical-theological scholarship in South Africa led the author, who has a pertinent interest in the field of Christian diaconia, to thereupon go the full circle of practical-theological interpretation in developing such a focus. This was done by, firstly, attempting to develop a deeper contextual understanding of the problem of service delivery in the country on the basis of the prevailing debate on service delivery in South Africa, after which the ideas from conceptualisations of two different modes of diaconal practice within contexts of endemic poverty in the practical-theological literature were explored. The discussion concluded with a more pertinent consideration of the extent to which these two conceptualisations could be taken as providing direction in conceptualising a transformational diaconal response to the current service-delivery problem.

Reflections on the Church and HIV/AIDS

2005 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beverley Haddad
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Church Leaders ◽  
Contextual Theology ◽  
Hiv Positive ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Aids Pandemic ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
The Church ◽  
Care Support ◽  
Hiv Aids

The church in South Africa faces a new challenge—the HIV/AIDS pandemic, which claims the lives of people in its communities and congregations every day. Until recently, the church remained silent or, worse still, adopted a theology that contributed to the stigma and discrimination faced by those who are HIV-positive. Increasingly, this theology is being questioned, as church leaders take a more positive public stance on education, prevention, care, support, and lobbying for treatment. Yet a mainstream, contextual theology that acknowledges and supports people living with HIV/AIDS, offering them Christian hope and acceptance, still remains to be formulated for South Africa.

scholarly journals Liturgical guidelines for congregations to have a voice in the serious problem of economical inequality in South Africa

2013 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Barend J. De Klerk
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
The Body ◽  
Theological Method ◽  
Body Of Christ ◽  
Problem Statement ◽  
Local Congregation ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Practical Theological ◽  
The Church

It is part of the calling of the church to address issues of justice and peace, and to care for the poor and the marginalised in society, because the church is the body of Christ and therefore the heart and hands of Christ in this world. In this article, the problem statement is: ‘How can liturgical guidelines help churches to become involved in the economic inequality and the consequent poverty in our society?’ Richard Osmer articulates a practical theological method that is largely employed in this research. South Africa is the world’s most unequal nation. The South African economy grew steadily from 1992 to 2008, but the benefits were distributed unequally, such that income inequality actually worsened. It is necessary to get a truthful starting point for the church to address this need − and the best way will be to discover the identity of the church. The church’s identity is described in the liturgical sense in three phases of involvement in society, namely (1) the gathering and sending of the local congregation; (2) the liturgical responsibility with the ecumenical church; and (3) the possible cooperation with those who do not share the Christian faith.Deel van die kerk se roeping is om aangeleenthede soos geregtigheid en vrede aan te spreek, asook om vir armes en gemarginaliseerdes in die samelewing te sorg. Die kerk is immers die liggaam van Christus en daarom die hart en hande van Christus in die wêreld. Die probleemstelling van hierdie artikel is: ‘Hoe kan liturgiese riglyne kerke help om betrokke te raak by die ekonomiese ongelykhede en gevolglike armoede in die Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing?’ Richard Osmer bied ’n prakties-teologiese metode wat met vrug gebruik is in hierdie navorsing. Suid-Afrika is die wêreld se mees ekonomies-ongelyke nasie. Die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie het van 1992 tot 2008 stelselmatig gegroei, maar die voordele daarvan is sodanig versprei dat die ongelykheid in inkomste toegeneem het. Dit is nodig om ’n betroubare vertrekpunt vir die kerk te vind om hierdie probleem te hanteer – en die beste wyse is om by die identiteit van die kerk aansluiting te vind. Die identiteit van die kerk in die liturgiese sin word in drie fases van betrokkenheid in die samelewing beskryf: (1) die vergadering en uitstuur van die plaaslike gemeente; (2) die liturgiese verantwoordelikheid tesame met die ekumeniese kerk; en (3) die moontlike samewerking met hulle wat nie in die Christelike geloof deel nie.

scholarly journals A possible solution for corruption in South Africa with the church as initiator: A practical theological approach

2013 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda L. Du Plessis ◽  
Gert Breed
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Global Solution ◽  
Research Method ◽  
1 Corinthians ◽  
Transparency International ◽  
The Poor ◽  
The World ◽  
Practical Theological ◽  
The Church

According to Transparency International, Africa is the most corrupt region in the world. In South Africa, there is an annual ’loss’ of about R30 billion as a result of bribery and corruption. It would appear that it is exactly the poor and the vulnerable who suffer most under the scourge of corruption. The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of corruption on victim(s) and to evaluate it in an effort to formulate solutions as to how such individuals can be guided and supported in the suffering and hardship that they endure and that specifically emanate from corruption. In the research, an effort was made to move away from the trend of the fragmenting of aid and to present guidelines or suggestions that can lead to a global solution, where multi-disciplinary involvement can be facilitated. The researchers agree that the church can play a key role in this, and the solution was sought in the principles expounded in 1 Corinthians 12. The research method known as action research was investigated as a workable method to be used by the multi-disciplinary aid team in their struggle against corruption. In the final instance, the principles used by Touching Africa in their work were investigated so that these could also be used in the quest for a solution.

Leadership functions and church decline in the Reformed Churches in South Africa: Considering Ephesians 4:11–16

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ignatius W. Ferreira ◽  
Wilbert Chipenyu
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Church Growth ◽  
Church Decline ◽  
Protestant Churches ◽  
The Bible ◽  
The World ◽  
The Gift ◽  
Reformed Churches ◽  
Practical Theological ◽  
The Church

Multiple studies from Ephesians 4:11–16 have been carried out that focused mostly on aspects of the believers’ priesthood. This article highlights the significance of adhering to the biblical instructions of God as a means to attain church growth. The church was instituted by God and as such he directs the process of church growth. Nevertheless, the ongoing membership decline in the World Protestant Churches globally and the Reformed Churches in South Africa (RCSA) locally is an indicator that the church is failing to meet the will and purpose of God with the church. In the World Protestant Churches and the RCSA, the decline trends are basically the same, and the loopholes are pointing at church leadership. This article seeks to describe the leadership failure to uphold the blueprint of church health according to Ephesians 4:11–16. These are the keys to real church revitalisation and growth. The exegesis of the problem verse (Eph 4:11) was carried out to indicate the various leadership gifts that are necessary for church growth to occur. The Bible and related literature are the sources of data. This article identifies how an omission of the gift-oriented tasks in a congregation leads to church decline.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: Within the context of the continued church decline within Western Christianity (Christendom), this article reflects on the historical, mostly ‘Practical theological’ focus on church growth by exegeting the source texts from a ‘missiological perspective’. This study is also very conscious of modernity’s onslaught on the evangelical church through the therapeutic and managerial revolutions, which functions with an attitude of anti-clericalism when focusing on church growth.

scholarly journals Falsafah Fagogoru:Konstruksi Teologi Perdamaian- Kontekstual di Halmahera Tengah

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-121
Author(s):  
Hendry R Sipahelut
Keyword(s):  
Contextual Theology ◽  
Local Culture ◽  
Peace Studies ◽  
The People ◽  
Theological Study ◽  
Life Values ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Church ◽  
Key Questions

This paper will examine the Fagogoru philosophy as a contextual theological study of peace in Lelilef Sawai village and Lelilef Woebulen village, Weda Tengah District, Central Halmahera Regency. Central Halmahera Regency is located on the island of Halmahera which is the largest island in North Maluku. In order to be able to deepen the study further, there are three key questions in this study, namely: (1) How did Fagogoru's philosophy shape the life practices of the people of Lelilef Sawai village and Lelilef Woebulen village based on the Fagogoru philosophy? (2) What are the life values contained in Fagogoru's philosophy? (3) How to reconstruct contextual theology from Fagogoru's philosophy as an effort to build inter-religious harmony in Weda District, Central Halmahera?. It is hoped that this research can contribute ideas for developing peace studies, as well as developing studies on the relationship between religion and culture. In addition, it can also be a model for the community and the church in an effort to build and maintain harmony in the midst of the plurality of the people of Halmahera, North Maluku by making local culture the basis for peace.

scholarly journals Revisiting the role of woman pastors in the church in Tshwane

2011 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth C. Wagner-Ferreira
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Life Stories ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Theological Interpretation ◽  
Women Pastors ◽  
Practical Theological ◽  
The Church

The purpose of this article was to obtain feedback from women pastors in and around the Tshwane metropole in South Africa on their experiences of their role as pastors. The question at stake was: are woman pastors more often approached for counselling? Therefore, half structured interviews were conducted in order to explore their life stories. The four core tasks of practical theological interpretation, according to Richard Osmer, were used as the framework for this article.

scholarly journals Die regte en verantwoordelikhede van die homoseksuele persoon

2005 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Koos Vorster
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
The United States ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Homosexual Conduct ◽  
Ethical Approval ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Moment ◽  
Court Of Appeal ◽  
The Church

The rights and responsibilities of the homosexual person Homosexual conduct is at the moment a very contentious issue in Christian Ethics in South Africa. The arguments in favour of a Christian ethical approval of homosexual relations, that were entertained in the seventies and eigthies of the previous century in Europe and the United States, are now on the agenda of the Dutch Reformed Churches in South Africa. The issue of possible official marriages between homosexual partners is also under consideration due to a judgement of the Court of Appeal in South Africa that a prohibition on same-sex marriages should be regarded as unconstitutional. This article investigates the arguments of the proponents of homosexual marriages by evaluating the Scriptural testimonies regarding homosexual conduct, and by formulating ethical norms applicable to this theme. The conclusion is that Scripture forbids homosexual conduct because it is considered as “contra naturam”. Therefore, the government and the church cannot condone homosexual conduct as well as same-sex marriages, because these relations are against the Biblical and constitutional value of human dignity. However, in spite of this principle both government and the church have an obligation to treat homosexual people with justice and love and to reject any form of homophobia.

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