Is Christianity in South Africa a label or a spiritual and ethical value system? : a study of Christian adherence in the city of Welkom / by Marjorie Froise. [print]

Wordprocessed copy.

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: The Status of Christianity Explored

Chapter 3: Christianity By Name But Not By Deed

Chapter 4: A Study of the City of Welkom

Chapter 5: Social Perspectives on Ethical Problems

Chapter 6: A Study of the Problem from an Ethical and Biblical Worldview

Chapter 7: Growth and Decline in the Church

Chapter 8: Conclusion

Addendum Welkom Research Project questionnaire

List of Figures

List of Tables

Thesis University of South Africa 2004.

Includes bibliographical references.

A problem that demands an answer South Africa's Christian status ; 'Christian' and 'Christendom' are not necessarily synonymouus Christianity is more than cultural change Christianity is more than spirituality Christian faith entails more than church affiliation or attendance The problem explored The macro-problem-why the disparity between religious and social indicators? ; Considering the micro-problem The wider implications of the research Contents of the chapters, sources of material used and data collection methods Census reports confirm a Christian status A study of the city of Welkom Welkom Research Project The objectives of the research Social perspectives on ethical problems A biblical perspective on ethical problems Growth and decline in the church Terminology Racial terms - Conclusion.

Introduction-South Africans regard themselves as Christian A statistical study of Christianity in South Africa from Census reports Black Christianity The 2001 Census report Church membership examined from data compiled in the South African Christian Handbooks Comparison between census statistics and denominational affiliation South Africa's Christian heritage Christianity in the early settlers Early missionary activity and its historical significance The role of Christianity in the history of the Coloured community The development of Afrikaner nationalism and the historical role of the Dutch Reformed Church Black political resistance Summary of the findings History also confirms a Christian status.

Introduction The nature and extent of the crime problem Crime statistics Other crimes People's perception of crime South African Police Service, crime and confidence levels The perpetrators Structural violence existed before independence Fraud and corruption Dealing with crime Rape and sexual violence Rape in children HawaiiV and AIDS The incidence of AIDS Ante-natal surveys Engagement with HawaiiV/AIDS Behavioural change Abortion Summary of findings The problem of crime Who is responsible for high crime levels? ; Rape and sexual violence HawaiiV and AIDS Abortion.

Introduction Choice of the City of Welkom for the research study Church participation in the project Historical background A demographic study of Welkom The people Employment Education Place of residence Religious affiliation in Welkom HawaiiV/AIDS in Welkom Understanding the value systems of the people Resondents' views on the quality of their lives Family is important Relationships with friends The importance of personal fulfilment Success and achievement Attitudes towards possessions Concern for others The influence of television in establishing values Does the church have a role to play in society? ; Views on ethical issues Crime Corruption Abortion Sexuality The role of the church in society Understanding religious beliefs: how people feel about their faith Religious affiliation Perspectives on the Christian faith ; 'Is the Christian faith unique?' ; 'Is the Christian faith relevant to the way you live today?' ; Church attendance Belief in the power of prayer Summary of findings Information on respondents Values are explored Religious beliefs.

Introduction The problem of poverty Development of the State's social welfare policy Poverty and inequality October Household Surveys Chronic poverty Poverty and unemployment Poverty and education The crime problem The link between poverty and crime Urbanisation and its effects Corruption Challenges facing the country Summary of findings Poverty Urbanisation pressures Poverty, unemployment The crime problem.

Introduction South Africa's 'rainbow' system The basis of an ethical system The role of culture in determining an ethical system The role of values in establishing an ethical culture A Christian ethic explored The church is largely nominal Historical factors that have led to nominalism An inadequate settler faith The planting of Christianity among indigenous people: the introduction of Western culture rather than a biblical worldview The spirit world is denied in a Western belief system Split-level Christianity The effects of nominalism in the church Worldviews in conflict A biblical worldview A call to return to ubuntu thinking Secularisation of society Secularisation of South Africa Humanism Postmodern thought What postmodernism means for society Postmodernism and the Christian faith Summary of findings.

Introduction Growth and decline in South African churches Data from the South African Christian Handbooks Increase in clergy and churches Increase in training Increase in workers in other countries Data from the Welkom Research Project Indicators of Christian faith Value systems Responses to ethical issues Factors influencing church growth and decline Criteria for growth There is a decisive link between training and church growth The church has a purpose or vision The church adapts to change The church meets social needs A study of three church groups The Methodist Church of Southern Africa Pentecostal and Charismatic churches African Independent Churches Summary of findings.

Introduction The research question South Africa at the macro-level South Africa's Christian status is confirmed Black Christianity History confirms a Christian status The breakdown of moral values Who is responsible for the high crime levels? ; Other moral issues Understanding the context The problem from an ethical and biblical worldview Prevailing worldview considered Considering the problem on a micro-level The Welkom Research Project South African Christian Handbooks Growth and decline in the church Final comments.

'South Africa is a Christian country' ; 'Our country is in moral decline' ; The growth of Christianity from 1911 to 2001 as shown in the census reports Religious affiliation by population group from Census reports Denominational trends as a percentage of the total population Numerical church affiliation in the Black population group in the 1996 and 2001 census reports Affiliation in the African Independent Churches from the 2001 Census report Religious affiliation in the White population group Data from the 2001 Census compared with SACH statistics Murders per 100,000 population Incidence of HawaiiV-positive women at ante-natal clinics from 1999-2003 Employment statistics (WRP) ; Religious affiliation by denominational group (Census 2001) ; Religious affiliation by age group (Census 2001) ; Comparison of religious affiliation between the 2001 Census and the WRP ; 'Life in South Africa has improved over the past five years' ; 'My family is important to me' ; Respondents' views on personal friendships ; 'The purpose of life is enjoyment and personal fulfillment' ; Denominational responses to 'I agree/disagree' that 'the purpose of life is enjoyment and personal fulfillment' ; 'To reach the top of my career and gain public recognition' ; 'You can tell a successful person by what he/she owns' ; 'You can tell a successful person by what he/she owns' by church group ; 'How I feel about the poor in South Africa' by age group Hours of television watched per day by age group ; 'If the unemployed resort to crime, they should not be punished' ; Views on crime compared with education ; 'Taking or giving bribes is Oklahoma in Africa' ; 'Christian medical staff should comply and perform abortions' ; 'Christian medical staff should be prepared to terminate pregnancies' by denomination ; 'It's Oklahoma to sleep together' ; 'Sex is for marriage only' by denominational affiliation ; 'What does the church need to do to be relevant?' ; Religious affiliation for Matjhabeng Religion affiliation by age Religious affiliation in the WRP ; 'South Africa is a Christian nation' ; 'All religions are the same' ; 'All religions are the same' by denomination ; 'The Bible is totally accurate in all its teachings' ; Indicators relating to those who stated that 'all religions are the same' ; 'Is the Christian faith relevenat to the way you live your life today?' ; Relevance of the Christian faith by denomination Church attendance Attendance at a church meeting by denomination Unemployed compared with level of schooling-WRP Dimensions of a culture Christianity and its relationship with other ideologies and cultures Syncretism in both traditional and Western worldviews Data from the Census reports compared with SACH statistics Growth in the number of churches and clergy from the 1996/7 and 1999/2000 editions of the SACH Students in Bible colleges seminaries and universities studying for ministry Training by theological persuasion Data from four editions of the SACH on workers in other countries Church attendance Responses to reading of the Scriptures and relevance of the Christian faith Responses to the uniqueness of the Christian faith Hours of TV watched compared with factors that influenced respondents' lives Values that are held in high regard Opinions on ethical issues MCSA as a percentage of total population from census reports.

2001 Census summary of main religious groups by population Reported crime statistics Quality of life by province Western and African worldviews encountered at the time of introduction of Christianity into South Africa Models of churches.

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