Suchergebnisse

In the middle of the seventeenth century, Japan's emerging political leaders instituted a seclusion policy (Sakoku) that sealed the nation's borders. Both leaving and entering Japan were forbidden upon pain of death, and all sea-going vessels were destroyed. These extreme measures were taken to counteract the danger to Japan's unity, national polity, identity, and domestic peace posed by the evangelizing activity of Catholic missionaries. Japan's first contact with Christianity had come in 1549 with the arrival of Francis Xavier and two other Jesuits. They were joined by more missionaries, and for fifty years the Catholic mission enjoyed remarkable growth. The regional lords' (daimyo) favorable attitude toward the mission was undoubtedly due to the lure and promise of commercial gain through trade and increased military might by the acquisition of new weapons. However, that there was also authentic soul searching and real conversion became evident when persecution began. Unfortunately, this so-called "Christian century" coincided with the rise of Japan's three greatest power brokers: Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Ieyasu, each of whom shared the vision of a great, unified empire. The first two of them especially were attracted to the erudition of the priests and often entertained them royally. However, after a night of revelry on July 24, 1587, Hideyoshi suddenly denounced them publicly for their "deceitful propaganda of a devilish and subversive creed," thereby winning over some of the feudal aristocracy who posed a serious threat to the unity and safety of the empire. An Edict of Expulsion issued the following day began, "Ours is the Land of the Gods," that is, a sacred land. Although the edict was not immediately enforced, a number of churches were destroyed. Hideyoshi found the Christian doctrine of strict monotheism "unreasonable and wanton" because it endangered the relationship between Japan's sacred sovereign and her people.

Contains notes on the Irish parliament not in the second edition. ; Includes bibliographical references. ; Mode of access: Internet.

Just as Edward Tanjore Corwin was the principal historian of the Reformed Church in America (RCA) during the nineteenth century, Donald J. Bruggink is its principal historian in the twentieth century. Corwin made his contribution by producing four editions of the Manual of the Reformed Church in America, a mother lode of Reformed Church history, and A Digest of Constitutional and Synodical Legislation of the Reformed Church in America, an invaluable source on the work of the General Synod. Bruggink made his noteworthy contribution by founding and editing the Historical Series of the RCA and bringing forth thirty volumes between 1967 and 1999. The impact of Corwin's work can be readily attested to; we must now take note of the impact and success of Bruggink's prodigious labors as general editor of the series which have contributed so much to a better understanding of many segments of RCA history.

In honour of Mary-Anne Elizabeth Plaatjies-Van Huffel, this article is dedicated to her last endeavour, "to reflect on the road travelled" of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA). Plaatjies-Van Huffel became outspoken against the lack of internal unity in URCSA, especially after the retraction of her nomination as Actuarius at the URCSA Cape Synod elections in 2018. In this regard, the article focuses particularly on reconciliation in URCSA with a focus on the role of the church media as a medium for reconciliation. The paper will focus on the media reporting of the DRMC church newspaper, Die Ligdraer, between 1990 and 1994 on church unification between the DRCA and the DRMC as a case study to reflect on what role church media can play in the internal unification processes in URCSA. The author conducts a rhetorical analysis of the DRMC's newspaper, Die Ligdraer, and its role in the facilitation of unification between two churches (DRMC and DRCA), with different ethnic and cultural traditions that became reconciled and united in the context of political transition within the broader South African context.

The purpose of this paper is to develop an appropriate curriculum for pastoral formation for Nepali churches. Through the study of Sixty-seven years of historical development, and practices currently available for training pastors, a new strategy is being prepared to equip the pastoral leaders of Nepali Reformed Churches (NRC). Pastors will learn to adopt healthy and excellent ministry practices by learning and mentoring towards formation. The paper argues that pastors, since the beginning of the church in Nepal, have practiced leadership heavily influenced by the culture, politics, and religion around them. This has led to faulty ecclesiology, apparent in the churches. Church leaders need to reframe contextual frameworks for spirituality and leadership, shifting from traditional models of person and power-based to a more biblical model of shepherding that enables others. Intentional learning, practicing, and mentoring must become the backbone of pastoral training. The first part of the paper presents the historical church and the context of leadership development, as well as the ministry challenges of the NRC churches. The second part presents theological reflections by way of relevant literature reviews and biblical studies on the topics addressed. The third part of the paper presents the methodology of new ministry initiatives, including a sample manual on Mentoring for Pastoral Formation. To test these principles, the project ran two sets of training with pastors and church planters, and a group of seminary faculty in Nepal. Through an examination of Scripture and relevant resources, the project concludes that Jesus's model of shepherding leadership seeks to serve the community in practice. The project unearths the principle that transformational leadership formation is best achieved through mentoring.

Diskussion der Beziehungen zwischen Missionaren und Anthropologen vor dem Hintergrund der von den reformierten Kirchen Südafrikas verfolgten Politik in historischer Perspektive. Sendungsbewußtsein, eine gemeinsame Philosophie und häufig auch ähnliche akademische Ausbildung als verbindendes Element. Das beiden gemeinsame Charakteristikum ist ein deskriptiver, nicht problemorientierter Forschungsansatz aus rein weißer Sicht

In five parts; each with special t.-p. ; The confession of faith.--The larger catechism.--The shorter catechism.--The government, discipline, and worship.--The sum of saving knowledge. ; Mode of access: Internet.