Doctoral Degrees (Practical Theology and Missiology)

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Browsing Doctoral Degrees (Practical Theology and Missiology) by browse.metadata.advisor "Claassens, L. Juliana M."

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    Equity and access for persons with disability in theological education, Ghana
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2016-11-22) Amenyedzi, Seyram Bridgitte; Simon, David Xolile; Claassens, L. Juliana M.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Practical Theology and Missiology.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Persons with disability in Ghana experience stigmatization, marginalization and exclusion from society; this accounts for their lack of participation in society, equitable access to the Christian life and theological education. By means of a qualitative approach, this study sought to investigate equity and access for persons with disability [blind persons, Deaf persons and persons with physical disability] in theological education in Ghana. The aim was to explore and realistically evaluate the cultural dimension of the stigmatization and exclusion they experience. In my endeavour to do so, a missiological approach to culture from a social constructionist perspective was employed to explore and to some extent realistically evaluate [context-mechanism-outcome (CMO) configurations] the social and theological factors that influence equal accessibility to theological education for persons with disability. The use of stigmatization and inculturation theology as a conceptual framework showed that the Ghanaian culture and traditional belief system has indeed influenced the interpretations and constructions of disability in the Ghanaian Christian context. The dialogue between the Ghanaian culture/traditional belief system and Christianity is a reflection of sociological-anthropological inculturation theology, which is an aspect of contextualization. The stigmatization and exclusion of persons with disability from theological education in Ghana was explored from a perspective that takes into account perceptions (worldview and meanings) of disability in the Ghanaian culture and also considers how these influence equal accessibility for persons with disability in theological education. Hence, contextualization is a relevant and appropriate way of making sense of the disability situation in Ghanaian Christianity and theological education. It was found that Ghanaian Christians construct disability as a curse and as being unacceptable in a similar manner as it is constructed in the Ghanaian culture itself. Consequently, constant pressure is exerted on persons with disability to be healed by means of exorcism, or through faith healing. However, if healing does not occur, the person is accused of lacking faith and the situation is compounded even further. It was therefore established that the churches and theological institutions need to realistically engage in dialogue from a disability theology and a theological hermeneutic of disability (Reynolds, 2008:34-35) perspective in order to integrate, include and embody persons with disability in their ministries and activities. The Ghanaian culture and Bible were thus proposed as two interventions, among others, for equal accessibility for persons with disability in theological education. Although the Ghanaian culture has negatively influenced stigmatization and the exclusion of persons with disability from society at large, and theological education in particular, I suggest that the same culture can also be viewed as an intervening resource. In the final chapter, I list a number of recommendations as ways forward to resolve/address this issue. In addition, I propose that Ghanaian churches and theological institutions as instruments involved in God’s mission have the task of ensuring equal accessibility for persons with disability in theological education. To conclude, from a missio Dei dimension, Ghanaian churches and theological institutions as instruments involved in the mission of God need to be all-inclusive in all their ministries and activities without any form of discrimination, stigmatization or exclusion. Hence, it is only when persons with disability are ensured equal access to churches and theological institutions in Ghana, that they can reflect their true involvement in the missio Dei.
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    Microfinance as a tool for socio-economic empowerment of rural women in Northern Malawi : a practical theological reflection
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2022-04-04) Chilongozi, Mwawi Nyirenda; Bowers-Du Toit, Nadine; Claassens, L. Juliana M.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Practical Theology and Missiology.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Poverty is a multifaceted, gendered global challenge that affects women significantly more than men. To alleviate poverty and achieve sustainable development, women in the Global South are engaging in microfinance. Microfinance is the provision of financial services to underprivileged people who cannot access credit from commercial banks and is proving to be a tool of socio-economic empowerment of women from rural areas. This study explores the ways in which the church can promote the microfinance model of savings and loans in a holistic and sustainable way. This study discusses poverty and the feminisation of poverty in the light of the gender and development (GAD) approach and explores the status of women in Malawi in terms of education, health, agriculture, the environment, politics, issues of gender-based violence and socio-economic empowerment. African women theologies and transnational feminism are the theoretical lenses used to explore the advancement of the socio-economic empowerment of rural women in the Global South in the context of economic globalisation. Identified as feminist liberation theologies that seek justice and liberation of all people, African women theologies, are used as the theological lens to analyse the socio-economic empowerment of women in order to explore how women can be liberated from the oppression caused by economic injustice. As a qualitative empirical study, this research explores the nature and impact of existing savings and loans groups run by rural women in the communities of Bwengu and Bolero in Northern Malawi. With a view to understanding the role of the church in microfinance with regards to rural women, clergy from the Henga and Nyika Presbyteries and church leaders of the CCAP Synod of Livingstonia and the Malawi Council of Churches were also included in the study. The findings from the empirical research indicate that microfinance is beneficial to individual women, their families and communities as the savings and loan model encourages women to save money from their resources. Through the savings and loan groups, it appears that women are empowered socio-economically and they become financially independent. The findings also indicate that women who are involved in savings and loan groups can now participate in decision making at household and community levels. Furthermore, women’s involvement in such groups assists in reducing incidents of gender-based violence at the household level because women are making a substantial contribution to the household income. The microfinance model of savings and loans is, therefore, deemed to be both holistic as it encourages women to save from what they have and to generate social capital and spiritual inspiration as they work together in solidarity through the groups. These findings call the church to engage with such models of economic development as they highlight the fact that the churches are aware of microfinance initiatives but the churches have not engaged in the initiatives. However, there is need for the churches to engage in such initiatives because they empower the communities. In order to promote holistic and sustainable microfinance, the church has to advocate for economic justice and build the capacities of its members concerning microfinance. The church should, therefore, seek to encourage all including men, women and youth to engage in microfinance so that the entire community is lifted and empowered socio-economically.
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    Preaching reconciliation : a study of the narratives in Genesis 37-50
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2017-03) Daniel, Nicodemus Pele; Cilliers, Johan; Claassens, L. Juliana M.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Practical Theology and Missiology.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis is a practical theology endeavour that evaluates the narrative preaching of Genesis 37-50 as a means of promoting reconciliation and social cohesion in a situation of religious and ethnic conflict in a context of the employment or mobilisation of religion and ethnic identity to the exclusion, marginalisation and, according to some, dehumanisation of others. The region specifically referred to is that of the Middle Belt Region of Nigeria, where religious and ethnic differences between people are being used to advance inequality and to dominate others. The study critically examines how actions such as the traditional African concept of ethnicity, the traditional African concept of land ownership and boundaries, manipulation by the elites of ethnicity and religion, religion fanaticism, and poverty and unemployment fuel ethnic and religious division, conflict and violence. In addition, the study examines how these phenomena may be engaged with through the technique of using narratives to create points of identification, narratives as imageries to shape imagination, and narratives as sermon illustrations. As such, the research argues that the narrative of Joseph and his brothers, found in Genesis 37-50, may be used to create a point of identification in preaching reconciliation and social cohesion, because the story depicts defamation of character, egocentrism, favouritism, dehumanisation, and pain and trauma as elements that fuel divisions, conflicts and violence. Furthermore, the study also considers the use of the narrative of Joseph and his brothers as imageries for shaping imagination in preaching reconciliation, because the story pictures changes of thought, changes in actions, forgiveness devoid of confession of evil done in the past, and building a common future as bases for coming together, staying together and walking together as ingredients of reconciliation. Therefore, the study proposes prophetic preaching, biographical preaching, pastoral preaching and economic preaching of the narrative of Joseph and his brothers as techniques for preaching reconciliation and social cohesion.