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Moving towards a transformative diaconia in the Christian Dependency Ministry of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa : a practical theological approach
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2024.
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867614138299056128 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Williams, Claudette |
| author2 | Bowers Du Toit, Nadine |
| author_browse | Bowers Du Toit, Nadine Williams, Claudette |
| author_facet | Bowers Du Toit, Nadine Williams, Claudette |
| author_sort | Williams, Claudette |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131972 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:47:16.314Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131972 Moving towards a transformative diaconia in the Christian Dependency Ministry of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa : a practical theological approach Williams, Claudette Bowers Du Toit, Nadine Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Practical Theology and Missiology. Church work with dysfunctional families Substance abuse -- Religious aspects -- Christianity Compulsive behavior -- Religious aspects -- Christianity UCTD Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. ENGLISH SUMMARY: South Africa finds itself in a crisis when it comes to substance dependency and, although rehabilitation centres are available, addicts from disadvantaged communities face numerous challenges. What compounds the problem is that, if an addict has attended a rehabilitation centre and been discharged, there is not always an aftercare group that they can attend. The study aims to make recommendations to the Christian Dependency Ministry (CDM), which is an organisation of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA), in order to facilitate more effective interventions with regards to this issue. It is important to note that the findings of the study reveal that URCSA, as a denomination, still largely functions in what may be termed charity mode. After a thorough examination of the terms diaconia and more especially, transformative diaconia, the researcher argues for a more constructive theological engagement based on the notion of transformative diaconia, which moves beyond mere charity as a theological framework for the church’s public engagement with societal issues such as substance abuse. The study also calls for the URCSA to view the CDM as an integral part of its ministry in context. The findings of the qualitative empirical research indicate that, while CDM branches could hold significant value in terms of the aftercare of substance abuse addicts, the CDM branches are not yet working as effectively as they could in order to make a sustainable difference. The research reveals that, while many challenges remain, there are also workable solutions. These solutions are mirrored in the recommendations made by the researcher, which are directed at the Executive Committees and members of the CDM branches, family members who have a relative who is addicted, local church councils, the General Synod of URCSA, and rehabilitation centres. There are many URCSA congregations spread throughout South Africa and Namibia. The researcher is, therefore, of the opinion that if each URCSA congregation has a CDM branch which functions effectively, the church and CDM would be optimally positioned to address the issues of substance abuse and related issues in many socio-economically marginalised local communities. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid-Afrika beleef 'n krisis wat middel-afhanklikheid betref en, hoewel rehabilitasiesentrums beskikbaar is, is daar steeds talle uitdagings vir verslaafdes in agtergeblewe gemeenskappe. Die probleem word vererger deur die feit dat daar vir ‘n verslaafde wat 'n rehabilitasiesentrum bygewoon het en ontslaan is, nie altyd 'n nasorggroep is wat hulle kan bywoon nie. Die studie het ten doel om aanbevelings te bied aan die Christian Dependency Ministry (CMD – Christelike Afhanklikheidsbediening), wat 'n organisasie van die Verenigende Gereformeerde Kerk in Suider-Afrika (VGKSA) is, sodat meer doeltreffende ingrypings met betrekking tot hierdie kwessie gemaak kan word. Dit is belangrik om daarop te let dat die bevindinge van die studie aan die lig bring dat VGKSA as denominasie steeds grootliks funksioneer in wat 'n barmhartigheidsmodus genoem kan word. Na 'n deeglike ondersoek van die terme diakonia en veral transformatiewe diakonia, argumenteer die navorser vir 'n meer konstruktiewe teologiese betrokkenheid gebaseer op die idee van transformerende diakonia, wat verder gaan as blote barmhartigeheid, as 'n teologiese raamwerk vir die kerk se openbare betrokkenheid by samelewingskwessies soos middelafhanklikheid. Daarbenewens vra die studie dat die VGKSA die CDM as 'n integrale deel van haar bediening in konteks beskou. Verder dui die bevindinge van die kwalitatiewe empiriese navorsing daarop dat, hoewel die CDM takke beduidende waarde het ten opsigte van die nasorg van middel-afhanklikes, die CDM takke nog nie so effektief as moontlik werk om 'n volhoubare verskil te maak nie. Die navorsing toon dat, hoewel daar nog baie uitdagings is, daar ook werkbare oplossings is. Hierdie oplossings word weerspieel in die aanbevelings van die navorser, wat gerig is op die bestuur en lede van die CDM takke, familielede van verslaafdes, die plaaslike kerkrade, die Algemene Sinode van die VGKSA en rehabilitasie-sentrums. Daar is baie VGKSA gemeentes versprei oor Suid-Afrika en Namibie en die navorser is van mening dat, indien elke VGKSA gemeente 'n CDM tak het wat effektief funksioneer, dit die kwessie van middel-afhanklikheid en verwante sosiale euwels in baie sosio-ekonomies gemarginaliseerde gemeenskappe kan aanspreek. Doctoral 2025-05-02T13:43:15Z 2025-05-02T13:43:15Z 2024-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131972 Stellenbosch University xix, 289 pages : illustrations, maps, includes annexures application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Church work with dysfunctional families Substance abuse -- Religious aspects -- Christianity Compulsive behavior -- Religious aspects -- Christianity UCTD Williams, Claudette Moving towards a transformative diaconia in the Christian Dependency Ministry of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa : a practical theological approach |
| title | Moving towards a transformative diaconia in the Christian Dependency Ministry of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa : a practical theological approach |
| title_full | Moving towards a transformative diaconia in the Christian Dependency Ministry of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa : a practical theological approach |
| title_fullStr | Moving towards a transformative diaconia in the Christian Dependency Ministry of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa : a practical theological approach |
| title_full_unstemmed | Moving towards a transformative diaconia in the Christian Dependency Ministry of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa : a practical theological approach |
| title_short | Moving towards a transformative diaconia in the Christian Dependency Ministry of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa : a practical theological approach |
| title_sort | moving towards a transformative diaconia in the christian dependency ministry of the uniting reformed church in southern africa a practical theological approach |
| topic | Church work with dysfunctional families Substance abuse -- Religious aspects -- Christianity Compulsive behavior -- Religious aspects -- Christianity UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131972 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT williamsclaudette movingtowardsatransformativediaconiainthechristiandependencyministryoftheunitingreformedchurchinsouthernafricaapracticaltheologicalapproach |