Suchergebnisse

In this article Nel's argument that ministries (in the building up of the local congregation) need each other to facilitate the discovery and development of identity is tested. The role that the integration and coordination of ministries in a systems approach play in the discovery and development of a missional congregation's identity is investigated and research is done to see whether scholars agree with Nel's theory that all the ministries can facilitate identity finding and identity development. This empirical research (quantitative as well qualitative) was conducted among the ministers of the Highveld Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church. Hundred and thirty nine of the 144 ministers agreed to take part in the quantitative research, followed by partly structured interviews with 16 randomly selected ministers. During the empirical study (which formed part of PhD research) every attempt was made to obtain data in connection with the understanding ministers have regarding the building up, identity and missional being of a congregation as well as the integration and coordination of the ministries that are present in their congregations. Most of the ministers are aware of the fact that they need to develop their congregations as missional congregations, but the ministers do not always have the knowledge and experience to make the move. It was clear that not all the ministers understand the role that the ministries play in identity finding and identity development. Nel's theory has therefore been affirmed by the empirical research. The research has shown that some of the ministers seem to show a flawed understanding that identity is a relational reality. At the same time there exists quite possibly a defective understanding that a congregation's reason for existence originates in its identity, and it is clear that the role that the integration and coordination of the ministry play in the discovery and development of the identity are not fully understood. INTRADISCIPLINARY ANA/OR INTERDISCIPLINARY IMPLICATIONS : ...

Introduction :An invitation to a conversation /John W. de Gruchy --Section 1: On being human --Exploring contours of being human together /Bernard Lategan --Complexity and being human /Paul Cillers --Neurobiological foundations /Mark Solms--A Christian humanist perspective /John W. de Gruchy --Becoming more fully human /Denise Ackermann --Reflections --At this time and in this place /Bobby Godsell --Where I become you /Antjie Krog --Section 2: On humanism --Reflexive humanism /Wolfgang Huber --The spirit of Islamic humanism /Ebrahim Moosa --The 'dark sides' of humanism in South Africa /André du Toit --Science, technology and humanity /George Ellis --Critical issues for a new humanism /Drucilla Cornell,Kenneth Panfilio --New music for a new humanism /Hans Huyssen --Reflections --Indigenous humanism : manifestations of interconnectedness /Antjie Krog --Towards a new humanism in Africa /Njabulo Ndebele --Reflections --Relational humanism /Jan-Hendrik S. Hofmyer --Section 3: On human dignity and rights --Democracy as a community of life /Achille Mbembe --Enough is enough : recovering humane values /Neville Alexander --Humane justice and the challenges of locality /William Schweiker --Constitutional law and human dignity /Laurie Ackermann --Human complicities /Deborah Posel --An African theory of dignity /Thaddeus Metz --Reflections --A dignity enriched humanism /Russel Botman --Human rights in a more humane world /Mary Burton --To lead for humanity /Peter Willis --The conversation : a narrative of the second symposium /Stephen Martin.