Churches in the mirror - Developing contemporary ecclesiologies Theological Explorations, Volume 4 -

Kobus Schoeman

Description

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.

Sujets

• Littérature Sud-Africaine
• Littérature sud-africaine
• Church
• Theology
• Spiritual
• Congregation
• Dutch Reformed Church
• Ecclesiology
• Missio dei
• Espiritual

Informations

• Publié par: UJ Press
• Date de parution: 01 janvier 2020
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781928424710
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

UNIVERSITY OF THE FREE STATE THEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS

CHURCHES IN THE MIRROR Developing contemporary ecclesiologies

VOLUME 4

W.J. Schoeman EDITOR

CHURCHES IN THE MIRROR Developing contemporary ecclesiologies

W.J. Schoeman EDITOR

Curces în te mîrror – Deveopîng contemporary eccesîoogîes

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CONTENTS

Editorial board ................................................................................................ xii List of contributing autors ............................................................................ xiii Introduction to te series –D.F. Tolmie ........................................................ xvii Introduction to Volume 4 –W.J. Schoeman.................................................... 1

PART 1 | THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ........................................................

Capter 1 –D. Praas, C.A.M. Hermans and M. SchererRath he local curc and te 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 heoogîca concepts o eccesîa îdentîty ........................................................ 3.2 he îdentîty o a congregatîon în terms o te dîaectîc o perseverance and cange ..................................................................................................... 3.3 How can one reconstruct narratîve îdentîty? ................................................... 4. he quaîty o îdentîty ............................................................................................. 4.1 Feature ï: “Orîented towards an accompîsed îe” ........................................ 4.2 Feature ïï: “Rîc” ........................................................................................... 4.3 Feature ïïï: “Sared” ....................................................................................... 4.4 Feature ïV: “Adequate” ................................................................................... 5. Concusîon: Perspectîves or practîce-orîented researc înto te împrovement oquaîty................................................................................................................. Bîbîograpy ..................................................................................................................

Capter 2 –M. Laubscher Missional ecclesiology “after Bart”? ............................................................. 1. ïntroductîon ........................................................................................................... 2. he state o te Sout Arîcan dîscourse on mîssîona eccesîoogy .......................... 3. Bart’s mîssîona eccesîoogy? .................................................................................. 4. ïn concusîon: Our mîssîona eccesîoogy “ater Bart”? ....................................... Bîbîograpy ..................................................................................................................

7

9 9 11 15 15

18 20 22 23 27 29 30

32 33

37 37 37 44 52 53

Capter 3 –S. Joubert he “Jesus walk” as a normative paradigm for te curc: hemissio Christiin Mark ............................................................................... 1. Frommîssîo Deîtomîssîo Crîstî.............................................................................. 2.Metanoîaas te boundary-crossîng ca o Jesus ....................................................... 3. he ca o Jesus as a ca to reatîona dîscîpesîp .................................................... 4. Part o te newamîîa Crîstî................................................................................. 5. New îdentîtîes and new roes or Jesus’ oowers ..................................................... 5.1 Cross-bearers Mark 8:34-38 ......................................................................... 5.2 Servants dîakonoî, Mark 9:33-37 ................................................................. 5.3 Saves douoî, Mark 10:42-45 ....................................................................... 6. Doîng “te Jesus wak” ............................................................................................ 7. Mark as a normatîve narratîve or wakîng în te ootsteps o Jesus ere and now ... Bîbîograpy ..................................................................................................................

Capter 4 –P. Verster Ecclesiologies of congregations in informal settlements: An evaluation ................................................................................................. 1. ïntroductîon ............................................................................................................ 2. he caenges or communîtîes în înorma settements ......................................... 3. Eccesîoogîes în înorma settements ...................................................................... 4. he mîssîona curc as a possîbe common ground or înluence în communîtîes în înorma settements ....................................................................... 5. Presence o new îe în înorma settements ............................................................. 6. Concusîon .............................................................................................................. Bîbîograpy ..................................................................................................................

57 57 59 61 63 64 64 65 66 67 69 71

75 75 75 78

82 86 88 89

Capter 5 –W.J. Schoeman Developing contemporary ecclesiologies ....................................................... 93 1. ïntroductîon ............................................................................................................ 93 2. he study Ied o eccesîoogy .................................................................................. 95 3. One or dîferent eccesîoogîes? ................................................................................ 98 4. A ramework or deveopîng contemporary eccesîoogîes ........................................ 100 4.1 he essence o te congregatîon ...................................................................... 101 4.2 Congregatîona context .................................................................................. 102 4.3 Se-understandîng o te congregatîon .......................................................... 102 4.4 Spîrîtua and communa process o dîscernment ............................................. 103 5. Concusîon .............................................................................................................. 104 Bîbîograpy .................................................................................................................. 105

PART 2 | EMPIRICAL FRAMEWORK ............................................................ 107

Capter 6 –W.J. Schoeman An empirical exploration of te missional ecclesiology of congregations in te Dutc Reformed Curc ............................................ 109 1. ïntroductîon ............................................................................................................ 109 2. Metodoogy o te researc .................................................................................... 110 3. he mîssîona orîentatîon o congregatîons ............................................................. 111 4. he possîbe 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 anaytîca relectîon on te înluence o a mîssîona orîentatîon on congregatîons ........................................................................................................... 118 6. Concusîon .............................................................................................................. 121 Bîbîograpy .................................................................................................................. 121

Capter 7 –I.A. Nell From maintenance to mission? Maintaining mission – towards an integrated approac ....................................................................................... 125 1. ïntroductîon ............................................................................................................ 125 2. Termînoogîca eucîdatîon ..................................................................................... 126 3. Beîng a mîssîona curc în te Sout Arîcan context ........................................... 127 4. Potentîa dangers ..................................................................................................... 128 4.1 A duaîstîc epîstemoogy ................................................................................ 128 4.2 A one-sîded înterpretatîon o te Trînîty ....................................................... 129 4.3 Amnesîa .......................................................................................................... 129 4.4 Dîferent types o beîng a curc ................................................................... 130 4.5 he “new tougt” în te mîssîona movement ............................................. 130 5. A more baanced approac ..................................................................................... 132 6. Concusîon .............................................................................................................. 137 Bîbîograpy .................................................................................................................. 138

Capter 8 –W.J. Schoeman he Sout African Curc Life Survey 2014: An exploration of congregational ealt .................................................................................... 141 1. ïntroductîon ............................................................................................................ 141 2. he Natîona Curc Lîe Survey ............................................................................ 143

3. Metodoogy ........................................................................................................... 144 4. A demograpîca descrîptîon o te partîcîpants ...................................................... 145 5. he core quaîtîes o congregatîona îe ................................................................... 147 5.1 ïnterna core quaîtîes ..................................................................................... 148 5.2 ïnspîratîona core quaîtîes .............................................................................. 149 5.3 Outward core quaîtîes ................................................................................... 151 6. Attendance measures and cange ............................................................................. 152 7. Report to te congregatîon and denomînatîons ...................................................... 154 8. Concusîon – caenges or congregatîona researc ................................................ 156 Bîbîograpy .................................................................................................................. 158

Capter 9 –A.R. Tucker An investigation into te connection between fait convictions and community involvement in eigt congregations in te Joannesburg/ Tswane conurbation .................................................................................... 161 1. ïntroductîon ............................................................................................................ 161 2. My assumptîons concernîng te researc ................................................................. 162 2.1 he roe o Crîstîan congregatîons în communîty transormatîon ................ 162 2.2 he mîssîona aît-convîctîons tat transorm communîtîes .......................... 162 2.3 he greater te învovement o attenders în te communîty te greater te transormatîve potentîa ........................................................................... 163 3. Descrîptîve anaysîs o te empîrîca Indîngs o te survey ...................................... 164 4. Correatîona anaysîs o data rom te survey .......................................................... 166 4.1 ïntroductîon ................................................................................................... 166 4.2 Prîncîpes o înterpretatîon o correatîona anaysîs used în tîs capter ......... 167 5. Researc Indîngs ..................................................................................................... 168 5.1 he reatîonsîp between mîssîona convîctîons and mîssîona actîons ........... 168 5.2 he reatîonsîp between proessed growt în aît and worsîp .................... 170 5.3 Growt în aît as not ed to aît sarîng or mîssîona convîctîons ............. 172 5.4 Worsîp as deveoped a desîre to reac tose wo do not attend curc ...... 173 5.5 Reguar persona devotîon as been înîmîca to mîssîona aît convîctîons and actîons .................................................................................. 176 5.6 he ack o efectîveness o sma groups în deveopîng aît and mîssîona aît convîctîons ............................................................................. 177 5.7 he age actor ................................................................................................. 180 An înverse reatîonsîp between age and mîssîona aît convîctîons ............. 181 An înverse correatîon between age and te mîssîona actîon .......................... 181 A posîtîve correatîon 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 concusîons ......................................................................................... 183 6.1 he majorîty o congregatîons ace te danger o îrreversîbe decîne .............. 183 6.2 Worsîp servîces ave been înluentîa în growîng te aît o attenders and în encouragîng communîty învovement ................................................. 184 6.3 Worsîp servîces ave been muc ess înluentîa în deveopîng 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 ïntentîonay use te înluence o worsîp to deveop mîssîona aît convîctîons ..................................................................................................... 185 7.2 Transormîng sma groups and usîng persona devotîons ............................... 186 Bîbîograpy .................................................................................................................. 187

Capter 10 –M.T.S. Venter and W.J. Schoeman Ecclesiology and congregational life: Congregations of te SDAC in te Free State ............................................................................................. 191 1. ïntroductîon ............................................................................................................ 191 2. Caracterîstîcs o te eccesîoogy o te SDAC – a teoretîca descrîptîon ........................................................................................... 192 2.1 Remnant eccesîoogy ..................................................................................... 192 2.2 Reevancy în te word ................................................................................... 193 2.3 Unîty o te curc ........................................................................................ 193 2.4 An escatoogîca outook ............................................................................... 194 2.5 ïmportance o evangeîsm ............................................................................... 195 3. he NCLS resuts o te SDAC congregatîons în te Free State – an empîrîca evauatîon ................................................................................................................ 195 3.1 A descrîptîon o attendees ............................................................................... 197 3.2 he vîtaîty o te SDAC congregatîons în te Free State ............................... 198 ïnterna core quaîtîes ..................................................................................... 198 ïnspîratîona core quaîtîes ............................................................................. 201 Outward core quaîtîes ................................................................................... 203 3.3 ïnlow ............................................................................................................. 206 4. A proIe o te SADC în te Free State ................................................................... 206 5. Concusîon .............................................................................................................. 208 Bîbîograpy .................................................................................................................. 209

Capter 11 –J.K. Pali and W.J. Schoeman Markers for a contemporary ecclesiology: An African denominational perspective .................................................................................................... 211 1. ïntroductîon ............................................................................................................ 211 2. Metodoogy ........................................................................................................... 213 3. he eccesîoogy o te DRCA FS ............................................................................ 213 3.1 ïdentîty o te DRCA FS congregatîons ......................................................... 215 3.2 Mîssîon o te DRCA FS congregatîons ......................................................... 218 3.3 Mînîstry o te DRCA FS congregatîons ........................................................ 219 4. Markers o a contemporary Arîcan eccesîoogy ...................................................... 222 5. A crîtîca relectîon on te eccesîoogîca markers and te DRCA FS ...................... 230 Bîbîograpy .................................................................................................................. 232

Capter 12 –M. Maritz and W.J. Schoeman he Ebenaeser 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 metodoogîca ramework ............................................... 239 4. he îstory o Ebenaeser – Indîngs rom te empîrîca researc ............................ 243 4.1 he roe o te and restîtutîon caîm .............................................................. 243 4.2 Leadersîp în te communîty ......................................................................... 244 4.3 Dîferences between te generatîons .............................................................. 244 4.4 Frîctîon în te communîty ............................................................................ 245 4.5 he roe o te URCSA congregatîon ............................................................ 246 5. Searcîng or a new îdentîty: Socîa capîta as a teoretîca ramework .................... 246 6. Congregatîons buîdîng a new îdentîty .................................................................... 249 6.1 Remembrance ................................................................................................ 250 6.2 he roe o te sacraments .............................................................................. 250 6.3 Forgîveness as a aît practîce ......................................................................... 251 6.4 he mînîstry o te congregatîon .................................................................... 251 6.5 he roe o congregatîona eadersîp .............................................................. 253 7. Concusîon: Fourîsîng communîtîes: A ca to te oca congregatîon ................... 254 Bîbîograpy .................................................................................................................. 255