Department of Practical Theology and Missiology

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Browsing Department of Practical Theology and Missiology by Author "August, Karel Th."

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    Development as transformation : the local church in Lavender Hill as agent of change in a post-Carnegie II context
    (Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2005-12) Bowers, Nadine Francis; August, Karel Th.; Swart, Ignatius; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Practical Theology and Missiology
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of the study is to explore whether the local church is acting as an agent of change in addressing the socio-economic needs of an impoverished grassroots community. This study falls within the area of missiology as it takes as point of departure the need for the church to appropriate a missional framework for development. However, this study considers the church in relation to its context, it draws on related sub-fields of theology and various development and social sciences to compose a picture of the current challenges the church faces in engaging poverty. The study focuses on the community of Lavender Hill situated on the Cape Flats of the Western Cape. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of this study, both theoretical and methodological triangulation have been employed. Chapter 1 introduces the study and provides a theological conceptualisation. Chapter 2 argues for a framework of Development as Transformation and presents a distinctive motivation, goal and ecclesial identity, which has to be taken into account when the church 'does development'. It is concluded that, while this framework is distinctive, it does not replace existing development theory, but rather engages it as a dialogical conceptual framework. Chapters 3 to 5 present the Second Carnegie Inquiry into Poverty and Development in South Africa (1984) as a useful theoretical tool. This study allows for a comparative historical analysis, particularly as Carnegie II poses a challenge to the church regarding poverty. Despite the prominent role accorded the church by history, Carnegie inquiries, government and broader civil society, it is concluded that the church continues to face many of the same challenges in a post-Carnegie II context. Both Chapters 3 and 4 conclude that, among the key challenges identified, there is a need for the church to evidence holistic theology and sustainable action with regard to social responsibility. Action remains, for the most part, in a dominant charity mode. Partnership, in its various forms, is identified as a necessary and more sustainable strategy in a context of inequality. Chapters 5 and 6 focus more specifically on the context of Lavender Hill and utilise the theoretical frameworks in order to analyse data. Methodological triangulation is employed and various methods of data collection are therefore used. Chapter 5 discusses the interlinked dimensions of poverty in Lavender Hill with reference to both Carnegie II and recent scholarship. Chapter 6 utilises the theoretical frameworks to focus more specifically on whether the local church in Lavender Hill is acting as an agent of change. The involvement of the church is described and explored with reference to the challenges (both contextual and missional) presented in Chapters 1 to 5. Findings indicate that the local church faces many of the challenges identified by Chapters 3 and 4 and that theology in particular is closely linked to praxis. Particular attention is, therefore, given to the role played by theology in determining action, and Development as Transformation is applied as a framework which addresses a lack of holistic theology. Recommendations for action are proposed in order to guide the local church in areas such as Lavender Hill to become more meaningful role players in their communities.
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    (Gender) partnership as a transforming paradigm for development in the Church and society
    (AOSIS Publishing, 2012-04) Onwunta, Ester; August, Karel Th.
    This research article made the case for (gender) partnership as an integral part of effective people-centred participatory development theory. Over the years, development has been taught and practiced in different ways. In the contemporary African context, it is a term that is frequently used and even misused by many people and organisations that are involved in development programmes, which truncate rather than transform the people and communities they claim to develop. This article presented a brief survey of some definitions and views on development and argued for a holistic approach to development, one which is anchored on partnership as an essential element in God’s mission; that is, the missio Dei. It highlighted the reasons for, ideals of and obstacles to true partnership in development.
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    Mission and power in a time of social and political change : the Moravian mission field in South Africa between adherence and autonomy
    (Pieter de Waal Neethling Trust, 2003) August, Karel Th.
    In its mission policy of the 19th century the Moravian Church spelled out its mission aim as “the gradual development of independent self-sustaining congregations”, that would result in “independent ecclesiastical organisations taking the place of the preparatory missionary arrangements”. However noble these aims and objectives may be, all too often they are altered by the prevailing political and socio-economic conditions as well as the human factor of self-interest. In this article the author researches the period from the General Synod in 1869 till 1948 in the aftermath of World War II with a view of depicting the relationship between mission and power in the context of the Moravian mission field in South Africa. In such a context of mission and political power the disposition of mission board, missionary and indigenous church becomes an interesting missiological phenomenon. With regard to the mission policy, what dynamics would come loose between the polity and property management of the mission board and the aspirations of the indigenous church? How does ecclesiastical adherence manifest itself in times of political change with regard to self-interest of autonomy and property rights?
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    The quest for being public church : a study of the South African Moravian Church in historical and contemporary perspective
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2003-12) August, Karel Th.; Botman, H. Russel; Adonis, J. C.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Practical Theology & Missiology.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study falls within the area of Missional theology, which is a functional thoology. As such, it deals with the function (praxis) and mission of the Church in society. It seeks a better understanding of the functionality of the Church fundamental to the Missio Dei. Since Missional Theology is about the Church's serving function to the community, these functions, viz. mission, proclamation, fellowship, education, growth, habitual change and transformation, are brought to bear on the image of the Moravian Church. Because this study concerns the being and public witness of the Church, it adopted a qualitative approach linked to participatory action research. The research was done diachronically and phenomena were analysed over three periods in the formation of the MCSA: (a) The Missionary era (1737 - 1960), (b) the autonomous Church under apartheid (1960- 1994) and (c) challenges of the democratic dispensation for the United MCSA and its future role in the RSA (1994 and further). Drawing upon these resources, Chapters 3 - 5 examine (based on the epistemological framework designed in Chapter 2) the values, symbols and conceptions of the Moravian Ecclesiastical community in relation to its internal and external environment. It also examines its structures and polity in order to come to a critical understanding of its disposition as a faith community in its interaction with public life. Four presuppositions are established as core principles: The first core principle is that the Moravian Church in SA (MCSA), in its quest for being a public Church, had to act true to its calling as the divine proponent of the reconciled, transformed humanity. The MCSA also had to serve (prophetically and sacrificially) a "broken" society with a view to its transformation, which is essentially its missional quality. The second core principle is that the MCSA in its tendency towards being a public Church had to conform to the theological principles of a public Church. In Chapter 2, based on the three identified publics in which the Church (theology) operates, four relations are applied, i.e. the Church in relation to the State; the Church in relation to market economy; the Church and people's empowerment; and the Church and public values - the quality of human life. Subsequently these configurations of the Church are used to design an epistemological framework according to which the public role of the MCSA throughout its history was established. The third core principle is that the Church, given its context, had to act according to the challenges and needs of that context. The historical analysis of the MCSA helped to establish how it-contributed to the public discourse within those contexts. However, in order to establish how it could contribute in future, the MCSA was evaluated according to a reasonable, contemporary social contextual analysis . (in chapter 7), which was imperative. In Chapter 7, the fourth core principle is developed as the outcome of the investigation in the preceding chapters. In order to be an adequate public Church, the MCSA had to harness the potential of its members by training them, equipping them for justice ministl)', which would provide the Church with the much-neglected public ministry. Based on the historical findings, guidelines were designed to assist the church in training its minista-s and congregations for public witness. There is no simple shortcut formula for developing an effective congregational-based public (advocacy) ministry. It requires the congregation to be bold in its vision, committed to its mission, willing to give significant time, energy and resources, to be a risk taker, and to work in partnership with its larger community (macro environment). Most of all, it requires faith in the knowledge that God's righteousness and justice will prevail. The most practical advice is spiritual - to live the belief that justice is central to our calling as Christ's witness in the world - even in the public arena!
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    Where I become you (a response to Rein Brouwer)
    (Pieter de Waal Neethling Trust, 2011) August, Karel Th.
    I hereby wish to express my appreciation for the topic of your presentation for this symposium on Covert Violence and Human Dignity. Your topic ‘Where I become you’ – A practical theological reading of Antjie Krog’s concept of interconnectedness has really challenged me at a deep existential and moral level with regard to matters of citizenship, building a post-colonial society, gender, nation-building and human dignity.