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Pastoral perspectives on lived pain in maternal bereavement
Thesis (PhD)--university of Pretoria, 2026.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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University of Pretoria
2026
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| _version_ | 1867613726727733248 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author2 | Masango, Maake J.S |
| author_browse | Masango, Maake J.S |
| author_facet | Masango, Maake J.S |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | © 2024 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. |
| description | Thesis (PhD)--university of Pretoria, 2026. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/110332 |
| institution | University of Pretoria (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:40:44.121Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | University of Pretoria |
| publisherStr | University of Pretoria |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| spelling | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/110332 Pastoral perspectives on lived pain in maternal bereavement Masango, Maake J.S thato_tsautse@hotmail.com Tsautse, Thato Abegail UCTD Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Maternal bereavement Hermeneutic phenomenology Anglican church Pastoral theology Grief Thesis (PhD)--university of Pretoria, 2026. This study explored the lived experiences of maternal bereavement within the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, focusing on the Dioceses of Pretoria, Natal, and Eswatini. Using a hermeneutic phenomenological methodology, the research sought to uncover how bereaved mothers interpreted and lived through their grief, and how their experiences resonated with theological traditions and cultural frameworks. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews and written narratives and were analysed manually through iterative cycles of coding, use of the hermeneutic circle, and thematic reflection. Rigour was ensured through member-checking, reflexive journaling, and triangulation across diverse data sources. The findings revealed five central themes: the silence of the Church and pastoral neglect; the inadequacy of existing liturgical and ritual responses to maternal bereavement; the embodied and existential dimensions of grief, aligning with Heideggerian concepts of uncanniness, a disassembled world, and being-with; theological tensions involving faith, doubt, and divine providence; and the mediating role of cultural practices and community solidarity. Across the three dioceses, similarities emerged in mothers’ accounts of isolation and unmet pastoral needs, while contextual differences, such as geography, leadership styles, and local cultural practices which shaped bereavement experiences and coping strategies. Pastoral theological reflection highlighted the urgent need for the Church to re-imagine maternal bereavement care by extending support beyond the funeral, fostering communal and embodied practices of remembrance, and integrating Christological compassion with liturgical reform. The study concluded that maternal bereavement was both deeply disruptive and potentially transformative: a space where memory, lament, and resilience converged. A holistic pastoral response must therefore draw on interdisciplinary insights to accompany bereaved mothers with sensitivity, authenticity, and sustained care. Practical Theology PhD (Theology) Unrestricted Faculty of Theology and Religion SDG-16: Peace, justice and strong institutions 2026-06-01T09:38:50Z 2026-06-01T09:38:50Z 2026-05 2026-06 Thesis * M2026 http://hdl.handle.net/2263/110332 en © 2024 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria |
| spellingShingle | UCTD Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Maternal bereavement Hermeneutic phenomenology Anglican church Pastoral theology Grief Pastoral perspectives on lived pain in maternal bereavement |
| title | Pastoral perspectives on lived pain in maternal bereavement |
| title_full | Pastoral perspectives on lived pain in maternal bereavement |
| title_fullStr | Pastoral perspectives on lived pain in maternal bereavement |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pastoral perspectives on lived pain in maternal bereavement |
| title_short | Pastoral perspectives on lived pain in maternal bereavement |
| title_sort | pastoral perspectives on lived pain in maternal bereavement |
| topic | UCTD Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Maternal bereavement Hermeneutic phenomenology Anglican church Pastoral theology Grief |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/2263/110332 |