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Item Open Access African traditional bereavement rituals amongst Methodist Church members in Mamelodi, Pretoria(University of the Free State, 2019) Mokhutso, Jacob; Ntombana, Luvuyo; Mokhoathi, JoelThis study examined the significance, understanding, and meaning of African traditional bereavement rituals amongst Methodist Church members, particularly the Methodist Church based in Mamelodi, Pretoria, Gauteng province. This study specifically focuses on the meaning of some of the African bereavement rituals, particularly the dual practice of both the Christian and more African-related (ancestral veneration-related) rituals during bereavement. These factors are explored within the Methodist Church doctrine and theology, as well as African spirituality and philosophy. Qualitative research methodology was used, which included one-on-one and group interviews, as well as observations and case studies. This study has found that not all Methodist Church members practise African bereavement rituals. However, those who do practise different African bereavement rituals do so due to a number of reasons. Amongst other reasons, some practise these rituals as influenced by their upbringing, while others practise them due to the pressure of family elders and extended family members. Others practise these rituals due to the fact that it is the norm and common practice in their family and community.Item Open Access Die invloed van pop-musiek op die skoolgaande Afrikaanssprekende jeug soos vasgestel by 'n groep senior leerlinge aan ses hoërskole van die Witwatersrand - 'n evaluering in Bybelkundige perspektief(University of the Free State, 1979-11) Steyn, Andries Adriaan; Lombard, J. C.Afrikaans: Die onmiskenbare en veelbesproke absolute feit van die tema van hierdie verhandeling staan vir ons by voorbaat vas, soos ook sal blyk uit die volgende hoofstukke. In hierdie verhandeling sal uiteraard duidelik onderskei moet word tussen die verskillende tipes pop-musiek, om nie in simplistiese veralgemening te verval nie. Al die onderskeie tipes word egter nie bespreek nie, maar net daardie uitinge van pop-musiek wat op die oomblik baie relevant is en populariteit onder die jeug geniet. Die tema van die verhandeling dui op 'n christelik-prinsipiële beoordeling van pop-musiek. Ons wil beklemtoon dat 'n beoordeling daarvan mank kan gaan aan diepgang indien daar aprioristiese en oppervlakkige afwysings is van alles wat in die breë as popmusiek bestempel word. Daarom trag ons om so objektief as moontlik 'n regverdige beeld van pop-musiek te gee al kom talle kritiese uitsprake uiteraard na vore. Om die literêre navorsing by die praktyk te laat aansluit, en om te bepaal of die hipotese aanvaar of verwerp moet word, is daar besluit om 'n vraelys oor pop-musiek saam te stel en aan ses prominente Afrikaanse hoërskole aan die Witwatersrand vir beantwoording te stuur. Dié ses hoërskole is gekies omdat hulle binne en rondom Johannesburg gesentreerd is en die proefgroep 'n verteenwoordigende deel uitmaak van Afrikaanse leerlinge in hierdie gebied wat in die brandpunt staan vanwaar pop-musiek veral konsentreer op die jeug van alle bevolkingsgroepe. Nadat skriftelike magtiging van die Transvaalse Onderwysdepartement verkry is vir die uitstuur van genoemde vraelyste na die betrokke skole, is vier van die hoofde van hierdie skole persoonlik genader om hul samewerking in dié verband te verkry, terwyl die ander twee telefonies bereik 15. Volledige instruksies is by alle vraelyste ingesluit, sodat die proefbeamptes ten volle op hoogte was van hoe vraelyste beantwoord moes word. 'n Totaal van 310 vraelyste is uitgestuur en 'n buitengewone terugvoering van een honderd persent is terug ontvang. Hierdie sukses kan toegeskryf word aan die persoonlike belangstelling van die betrokkenes by die onderwerp, en ook moontlik aan die persoonlike toesig van die verantwoordelike toesighouers wat die instruksies deeglik bestudeer en deurgevoer het. Die nodige bedankingsbriewe is na terugontvangs van die vraelyste aan die hoofde van dié betrokke hoërskole gestuur. Die vrae in die vraelyste is opgestel op so 'n wyse dat informasie oor die volgende aspekte verkry kon word: 1. Trefkrag en invloed van pop-musiek. 2. Eienaarskap van musiekdraende items en geldelike uitgawes daaraan verbonde. 3. Luistergewoontes. 4. Menings en houdings oor suggestiwiteit en dwelmmiddelverheerliking. 5. Waarde-oordele oor Christelike pop-musiek. 6. Pop-feeste en disko's. Dit was belangrik om die vrae nie noodwendig so op te stel dat die vrae die respondente in 'n sekere rigting "lei" nie maar om slegs basiese informasie te verkry. By die ondersoek is die vrae wat met mekaar verband hou, gegroepeer om sodoende die nodige afleidings te kon voltrek. 'n Hipotese is soos volg geformuleer: "Pop-musiek het nie 'n merkwaardige invloed·op die Christelike Afrikaner-jeug van albei geslagte tussen die ouderdomme 17 en 20 jaar nie". Dis 'n hipotese waarvan ons oortuig was nie op grond van vae intuisie nie, maar van die ondervinding met pop-musiek voor hierdie ondersoek begin het. Dit is heel interessant dat die meer gedetailleerde ondersoek hierdie hipotese bevestig, eerstens wat betref gesaghebbende uitsprake en tweedens op grond van die empiriese ondersoek. Daarmee is die negatiewe opset en invloed van pop-musiek egter nie in die minste gerelativeer nie. Die logiese gang en opset van die verhandeling sal hoofsaaklik soos volg daar uitsien: 1. Inleiding, doelstelling en hipotese. 2. Literatuurstudie. 3. Die ondersoek. 4. Kritiek, bespreking en aanbevelings.Item Open Access The moral formation, pastoral leadership and contemporary Pentecostal/Charismatic Churches in Soweto(University of the Free State, 2016-09) Jentile, Thembelani; Ntombana, Luvuyo; Venter, R.This study is a comprehensive investigation into moral formation of leaders among the Newer Pentecostal-Charismatic Churches (NPC). The NPCs are traditionally known to emphasise the importance of a transformed life (being ‘born again’) that results in moral integrity. However, contradiction arises when the leaders of Pentecostal-Charismatic Churches are associated with serious occurrences related to stories of immoral leadership. Lack of accountability, abuse of power and resources, followers being fed snakes, ordered to eat grass and consume petrol prompted the call for the regulation of religion and the investigation into religious abuse. The study employed the exploratory phenomenological approach which includes open-ended questionnaires. Informants were youth pastors/leaders of various NPC around Soweto in Gauteng Province. The study was drawn to issues around the “calling into ministry”, “Mentorship or assistance”, “Theological versus other studies”, and “involvement or lack of involvement in both the general and the Christian community”. The findings of the study suggest that there is no specific and purpose-driven way of grooming and developing leaders within most of the Charismatic and Pentecostal churches. Moral formation was not being intentionally pursued, and that has a direct impact on the gap between what the young ministers believe ought to be (belief) and what they are expected to be doing (action). Consequently, young ministers venture into the world of ministry raw, with no theological/ pastoral education and with no proper guidance.Item Open Access Moet wees: Religion spirituality and the formation of youth identities : the case of the Assemblies of God in East London(University of the Free State, 2016-02) Mokhoathi, Joel; Ntombana, LuvuyoThe present study considers the role of religion and spirituality on the formation of youth identities by focusing on the Pentecostal/Charismatic churches, particularly the Assemblies of God, at East London, in the Eastern Cape. It looks at the conceptualisation of religion, particularly Christianity, by young ‘born-again’ Christians; explores the role of spirituality in the construction of youth identities; and examines the impact of both religion and spirituality in the decision-making, life style, and roles of young people in the society. These factors are explored within the South African socio-religious context, where the larger population of the country claims to be Christian. The study used Nicholas Bhekinkosi Bhengu, with his ‘Back to God Crusade’ as a point of reference to the conceptualisation of spirituality, and identity formation in the Assemblies of God.Item Open Access Die verhouding "Ekklesia" tot die "Koninkryk van God": 'n hermeneutiese studie in die lig van Openbaring 1-3(University of the Free State, 2007-05) Wahl, Willem Petrus; Riekert, S. J. P. K.The purpose of this study is to do research on the relation between the terms Kingdom of God and Ecclesia, within the problem field of Biblical hermeneutics. The focus is on Revelation 1-3 as it encompasses the main idea of this study, namely that the Kingdom of God is the axel around which the existence of the Ecclesia (church) revolves. A study on the historical background indicates that the Church in Revelations has gone through an era of prosecution and that it will happen again. Victory is encompassed in the reality of a religious experience of the Kingdom that has to function in and through the Church. Revelations is an apocalyptic writing (document) with prophetic-eschatological alignment (direction). A text-critical study of Revelation 1:6 reveals that the correct use of the word basilei,a (basileia: kingdom) symbolizes selective seclusion and sovereignty with God. The Greek word basilei,a (basileia: kingdom) has a functional/abstract meaning (the fact that God reigns) but also a geographical meaning. The study of the different eschatological interpretation models contributes to consequent-eschatological dialectics; the Church experiences the reality of a religious experience now already, but also realizes that the eschatological Kingdom of God has not come yet. The coming of the Kingdom of God has two principal moments, namely the first and the second coming of Christ. The Ecclesia is essentially the communion of the faithful. A Bipolar unit model, the invisible unity of the Church, as symbolized metaphorically in the people of God and the body of Christ, is combined with the visibility of the institutional Church through the emergence of the mystical unity character of the Church through the institutional Church. Aspects concerning the mystical unity of the Church are the togetherness, the predestination, the unity in diversity and the principalship of Christ. In Revelations is, and replace the Church, the people of Israel. The relationship between the Ecclesia and the Kingdom of God will be studied alongside two symbolic images, namely the Biblical chandelier symbol and the rotation symbol. The rotation symbol refers to two powers acting between the Kingdom of God and the Ecclesia. In view of the fact that the Church is being challenged by the devil to become secular, the Church exercises a centrifugal power on the Kingdom. The Kingdom however, exercises a centrifugal power on the Church through God being actively involved in His Church. The seven chandeliers (Revelations 1:20) of the chandelier symbol refer to the seven congregations in Revelations 2-3. Two characteristics, namely the septet and the seclusion, as well as the chandelier function (providing light) link the chandelier symbol of Revelations to the sacredness of the Old Testament. The septet in the chandelier symbol point to the perfection of God, the active involvement of God and the complete representation of the universal Church of all times. The second characteristic of the chandelier symbol, namely the seclusion, not only points to the religious circle of unity where in the congregations exist (with Christ as the binding factor), but also to the various milieus the Church can find herself in. The function of the Church is to be the light for the world. The Church does not have light in herself, but carries the light of God by being an earthly representative of the eschatological Kingdom of God. In the world, the Church is exposed to an opposing evil power that attempts to move the Church away from God, externally (by means of affliction and prosecution) and internally (by means of religious slumber and deceitful doctrine). The Church may not become of this world, but must embody the Kingdom of God by means of pure doctrine that influences the life of the Church, and leads to an inner reality and passion for the Kingdom of God through the Holy Ghost. In the Kingdom of God the Church triumphs with Christ over the darkness.