Ecclesiology is the study of the church and has two focal points; the one is the historical and doctrinal perspective on the church, and the other is the church as situated in a local context in the sense of the local practices of actual congregations. The ecclesiology or, more correctly, the ecclesiologies of this volume mainly focuses on the second aspect, i.e., understanding the local congregation or parish as a community of believers. A congregation may firstly be described by posing a theological question: What is the local missional church or congregation all about? This question may be answered from different perspectives, but it remains essential to answer it from a theological perspective. The first five chapters in this book focus mainly on a theological understanding of the congregation. This is done from different disciplines within the study field of theology. Congregations are, secondly, social realities and should be described and analysed through an analytical or empirical lens, or, to answer the question attached to the first empirical-descriptive task of practical theology, “What is going on?”. The remaining chapters use a quantitative and qualitative lens and give an empirical analysis of the congregation. The intention is to critically reflect on the church and congregations’ ecclesiology from a theological and analytical perspective with an emphasis on the South African context. It wants to map markers for the development of contemporary ecclesiologies, and the different chapters are meant as mirrors to look in and reflect on the theological and contextual relevance of denominations and congregations in South Africa.
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UNIVERSITY OF THE FREE STATE THEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS
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CONTENTS
Editorial board ................................................................................................ xii List of contributing autors ............................................................................ xiii Introduction to te series –D.F. Tolmie ........................................................ xvii Introduction to Volume 4 –W.J. Schoeman.................................................... 1
PART 1 | THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ........................................................
Capter 1 –D. Praas, C.A.M. Hermans and M. SchererRathhe local curc and te quality narrative identity of ecclesiology in a Ricoeurian perspective ............................................................................ 1. ïntroductîon ............................................................................................................ 2. Pau Rîcoeur’s concept o îdentîty ............................................................................ 3. he narratîve îdentîty o a congregatîon .................................................................. 3.1 heoogîca concepts o eccesîa îdentîty ........................................................ 3.2 he îdentîty o a congregatîon în terms o te dîaectîc o perseverance and cange ..................................................................................................... 3.3 How can one reconstruct narratîve îdentîty? ................................................... 4. he quaîty o îdentîty ............................................................................................. 4.1 Feature ï: “Orîented towards an accompîsed îe” ........................................ 4.2 Feature ïï: “Rîc” ........................................................................................... 4.3 Feature ïïï: “Sared” ....................................................................................... 4.4 Feature ïV: “Adequate” ................................................................................... 5. Concusîon: Perspectîves or practîce-orîented researc înto te împrovement oquaîty.................................................................................................................Bîbîograpy ..................................................................................................................
Capter 3 –S. Jouberthe “Jesus walk” as a normative paradigm for te curc: hemissio Christiin Mark ............................................................................... 1. Frommîssîo Deîtomîssîo Crîstî.............................................................................. 2.Metanoîaas te boundary-crossîng ca o Jesus ....................................................... 3. he ca o Jesus as a ca to reatîona dîscîpesîp .................................................... 4. Part o te newamîîa Crîstî................................................................................. 5. New îdentîtîes and new roes or Jesus’ oowers ..................................................... 5.1 Cross-bearers Mark 8:34-38 ......................................................................... 5.2 Servants dîakonoî, Mark 9:33-37 ................................................................. 5.3 Saves douoî, Mark 10:42-45 ....................................................................... 6. Doîng “te Jesus wak” ............................................................................................ 7. Mark as a normatîve narratîve or wakîng în te ootsteps o Jesus ere and now ... Bîbîograpy ..................................................................................................................
Capter 4 –P. VersterEcclesiologies of congregations in informal settlements: An evaluation ................................................................................................. 1. ïntroductîon ............................................................................................................ 2. he caenges or communîtîes în înorma settements ......................................... 3. Eccesîoogîes în înorma settements ...................................................................... 4. he mîssîona curc as a possîbe common ground or înluence în communîtîes în înorma settements ....................................................................... 5. Presence o new îe în înorma settements ............................................................. 6. Concusîon .............................................................................................................. Bîbîograpy ..................................................................................................................
57 57 59 61 63 64 64 65 66 67 69 71
75 75 75 78
82 86 88 89
Capter 5 –W.J. SchoemanDeveloping contemporary ecclesiologies ....................................................... 93 1. ïntroductîon ............................................................................................................ 93 2. he study Ied o eccesîoogy .................................................................................. 95 3. One or dîferent eccesîoogîes? ................................................................................ 98 4. A ramework or deveopîng contemporary eccesîoogîes ........................................ 100 4.1 he essence o te congregatîon ...................................................................... 101 4.2 Congregatîona context .................................................................................. 102 4.3 Se-understandîng o te congregatîon .......................................................... 102 4.4 Spîrîtua and communa process o dîscernment ............................................. 103 5. Concusîon .............................................................................................................. 104 Bîbîograpy .................................................................................................................. 105
PART 2 | EMPIRICAL FRAMEWORK ............................................................ 107
Capter 6 –W.J. SchoemanAn empirical exploration of te missional ecclesiology of congregations in te Dutc Reformed Curc ............................................ 109 1. ïntroductîon ............................................................................................................ 109 2. Metodoogy o te researc .................................................................................... 110 3. he mîssîona orîentatîon o congregatîons ............................................................. 111 4. he possîbe împact o a mîssîona orîentatîon on congregatîona mînîstry .............. 112 4.1 he regîon o congregatîons ............................................................................ 113 4.2 he sîze o congregatîons ................................................................................ 114 4.3 he resources o congregatîons ....................................................................... 115 4.4 he growt o congregatîons .......................................................................... 117 5. An anaytîca relectîon on te înluence o a mîssîona orîentatîon on congregatîons ........................................................................................................... 118 6. Concusîon .............................................................................................................. 121 Bîbîograpy .................................................................................................................. 121
Capter 7 –I.A. Nell From maintenance to mission? Maintaining mission – towards an integrated approac ....................................................................................... 125 1. ïntroductîon ............................................................................................................ 125 2. Termînoogîca eucîdatîon ..................................................................................... 126 3. Beîng a mîssîona curc în te Sout Arîcan context ........................................... 127 4. Potentîa dangers ..................................................................................................... 128 4.1 A duaîstîc epîstemoogy ................................................................................ 128 4.2 A one-sîded înterpretatîon o te Trînîty ....................................................... 129 4.3 Amnesîa .......................................................................................................... 129 4.4 Dîferent types o beîng a curc ................................................................... 130 4.5 he “new tougt” în te mîssîona movement ............................................. 130 5. A more baanced approac ..................................................................................... 132 6. Concusîon .............................................................................................................. 137 Bîbîograpy .................................................................................................................. 138
Capter 8 –W.J. Schoemanhe Sout African Curc Life Survey 2014: An exploration of congregational ealt .................................................................................... 141 1. ïntroductîon ............................................................................................................ 141 2. he Natîona Curc Lîe Survey ............................................................................ 143
Capter 9 –A.R. TuckerAn investigation into te connection between fait convictions and community involvement in eigt congregations in te Joannesburg/ Tswane conurbation .................................................................................... 161 1. ïntroductîon ............................................................................................................ 161 2. My assumptîons concernîng te researc ................................................................. 162 2.1 he roe o Crîstîan congregatîons în communîty transormatîon ................ 162 2.2 he mîssîona aît-convîctîons tat transorm communîtîes .......................... 162 2.3 he greater te învovement o attenders în te communîty te greater te transormatîve potentîa ........................................................................... 163 3. Descrîptîve anaysîs o te empîrîca Indîngs o te survey ...................................... 164 4. Correatîona anaysîs o data rom te survey .......................................................... 166 4.1 ïntroductîon ................................................................................................... 166 4.2 Prîncîpes o înterpretatîon o correatîona anaysîs used în tîs capter ......... 167 5. Researc Indîngs ..................................................................................................... 168 5.1 he reatîonsîp between mîssîona convîctîons and mîssîona actîons ........... 168 5.2 he reatîonsîp between proessed growt în aît and worsîp .................... 170 5.3 Growt în aît as not ed to aît sarîng or mîssîona convîctîons ............. 172 5.4 Worsîp as deveoped a desîre to reac tose wo do not attend curc ...... 173 5.5 Reguar persona devotîon as been înîmîca to mîssîona aît convîctîons and actîons .................................................................................. 176 5.6 he ack o efectîveness o sma groups în deveopîng aît and mîssîona aît convîctîons ............................................................................. 177 5.7 he age actor ................................................................................................. 180 An înverse reatîonsîp between age and mîssîona aît convîctîons ............. 181 An înverse correatîon between age and te mîssîona actîon .......................... 181 A posîtîve correatîon between age and commîtment to prîvate devotîons .... 181
5.8 he sîze actor ................................................................................................. 182 Larger congregatîons ave experîenced greater growt în aît ....................... 183 Attenders în arger congregatîons ave experîenced greater înspîratîon .......... 183 6. Summary o concusîons ......................................................................................... 183 6.1 he majorîty o congregatîons ace te danger o îrreversîbe decîne .............. 183 6.2 Worsîp servîces ave been înluentîa în growîng te aît o attenders and în encouragîng communîty învovement ................................................. 184 6.3 Worsîp servîces ave been muc ess înluentîa în deveopîng mîssîona aît convîctîons ............................................................................................ 184 6.4 Commîtment to persona devotîons and sma groups ave produced no growt în aît nor mîssîona aît convîctîons .............................................. 184 7. Suggested înterventîons ........................................................................................... 185 7.1 ïntentîonay use te înluence o worsîp to deveop mîssîona aît convîctîons ..................................................................................................... 185 7.2 Transormîng sma groups and usîng persona devotîons ............................... 186 Bîbîograpy .................................................................................................................. 187
Capter 10 –M.T.S. Venter and W.J. SchoemanEcclesiology and congregational life: Congregations of te SDAC in te Free State ............................................................................................. 191 1. ïntroductîon ............................................................................................................ 191 2. Caracterîstîcs o te eccesîoogy o te SDAC – a teoretîca descrîptîon ........................................................................................... 192 2.1 Remnant eccesîoogy ..................................................................................... 192 2.2 Reevancy în te word ................................................................................... 193 2.3 Unîty o te curc ........................................................................................ 193 2.4 An escatoogîca outook ............................................................................... 194 2.5 ïmportance o evangeîsm ............................................................................... 195 3. he NCLS resuts o te SDAC congregatîons în te Free State – an empîrîca evauatîon ................................................................................................................ 195 3.1 A descrîptîon o attendees ............................................................................... 197 3.2 he vîtaîty o te SDAC congregatîons în te Free State ............................... 198 ïnterna core quaîtîes ..................................................................................... 198 ïnspîratîona core quaîtîes ............................................................................. 201 Outward core quaîtîes ................................................................................... 203 3.3 ïnlow ............................................................................................................. 206 4. A proIe o te SADC în te Free State ................................................................... 206 5. Concusîon .............................................................................................................. 208 Bîbîograpy .................................................................................................................. 209
Capter 11 –J.K. Pali and W.J. SchoemanMarkers for a contemporary ecclesiology: An African denominational perspective .................................................................................................... 211 1. ïntroductîon ............................................................................................................ 211 2. Metodoogy ........................................................................................................... 213 3. he eccesîoogy o te DRCA FS ............................................................................ 213 3.1 ïdentîty o te DRCA FS congregatîons ......................................................... 215 3.2 Mîssîon o te DRCA FS congregatîons ......................................................... 218 3.3 Mînîstry o te DRCA FS congregatîons ........................................................ 219 4. Markers o a contemporary Arîcan eccesîoogy ...................................................... 222 5. A crîtîca relectîon on te eccesîoogîca markers and te DRCA FS ...................... 230 Bîbîograpy .................................................................................................................. 232
Capter 12 –M. Maritz and W.J. Schoemanhe Ebenaeser congregation and community: Appreciating its istory to build a new identity ................................................................................... 237 1. ïntroductîon ............................................................................................................ 237 2. he împact o îstory on a communîty and congregatîon ....................................... 238 3. Apprecîatîve ïnquîry as a metodoogîca ramework ............................................... 239 4. he îstory o Ebenaeser – Indîngs rom te empîrîca researc ............................ 243 4.1 he roe o te and restîtutîon caîm .............................................................. 243 4.2 Leadersîp în te communîty ......................................................................... 244 4.3 Dîferences between te generatîons .............................................................. 244 4.4 Frîctîon în te communîty ............................................................................ 245 4.5 he roe o te URCSA congregatîon ............................................................ 246 5. Searcîng or a new îdentîty: Socîa capîta as a teoretîca ramework .................... 246 6. Congregatîons buîdîng a new îdentîty .................................................................... 249 6.1 Remembrance ................................................................................................ 250 6.2 he roe o te sacraments .............................................................................. 250 6.3 Forgîveness as a aît practîce ......................................................................... 251 6.4 he mînîstry o te congregatîon .................................................................... 251 6.5 he roe o congregatîona eadersîp .............................................................. 253 7. Concusîon: Fourîsîng communîtîes: A ca to te oca congregatîon ................... 254 Bîbîograpy .................................................................................................................. 255