Masters Degrees (Practical Theology and Missiology)

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Browsing Masters Degrees (Practical Theology and Missiology) by Author "Botes, Liesel"

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    'n Ondersoek na die waarde van liggaamsteologie om 'n inklusiewe verstaan van seksualiteit te bevorder tydens adolessensie
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015-12) Botes, Liesel; Cloete, Anita Louisa; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Practical Theology and Missiology.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study examines the value that body theology can add to an inclusive understanding of sexuality in adolescence. Sexuality was understood differently throughout different periods in time, but even today there is still no real clarity on what is meant by the term sexuality. Sexuality is a difficult term to define and its meaning plays an important role in the way people treat each other. Throughout the different periods the church has largely been either silent about sexuality or considered it a sin. As a result the church would not necessarily be seen as a good resource for advice on sexual matters. Adolescents go through a dramatic period of developing on a physical, cognitive and moral level, which all occur simultaneously, but sexual development is the most prominent. Sexual development prepares adolescents on a physical level to reproduce and to enter into sexual relationships, but cognitive and moral development also takes place; these two processes are supportive for the adolescent to understand and process the sexual development. These developing processes, together with the context in which an adolescent is growing up, has an impact on the type of moral value system compiled by adolescents, which determines how they behave. As already mentioned, the church is not necessarily involved in these discussions, and therefore this study challenges the churches to become involved again by making use of body theology. The research question can be formulated as follows: What contribution can body theology make to promote an inclusive understanding of sexuality during adolescence? To answer the research question, the first objective is discussed in chapter 2, namely to give a historical overview to obtain an understanding of sexuality and see how the understanding of sexuality changed over the different periods, but also to see that there were certain times when the understanding of sexuality was the same. The second objective is discussed in chapter 3, where the focus is on a historical overview of the understanding of the body. This historical overview is discussed to understand that the body often stood in an ambiguous position and dualisms formed part of the understanding of the body, but it also affects a deeper understanding of life. In chapter 4, the third objective is discussed by examining the centrality of sexual development during adolescence to understand the important role that sexual development plays in the adolescent's life, but also to realise that it affects other aspects of life. The fourth objective is discussed in chapter 5, which contains the discussion of body theology to indicate how it can promote an inclusive understanding of sexuality. This chapter also discusses how body theology developed and the importance of the body in body theology. Chapter 6 includes conclusions and recommendations, such as that youth workers and church leaders need to recognise their own understanding of sexuality and the body, but that body theology can promote an inclusive understanding of sexuality if youth workers and church leaders are able to make a theological shift and use body theology as a theological lens.