The administrative functioning of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in South Africa and the disillusionment and alienation of its members : a catalyst for change

• Main Authors: Plaatjes, Calvin William, Hendriks, H. J.
• Other Authors: University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Practical Theology and Missiology
• Format: Others
• Language: en_ZA
• Published: Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch 2011
• Subjects: Church; Administrative authority; Leadership; Power; Transition; Dissertations > Practical Theology and Missiology; Theses > Practical Theology and Missiology; Seventh-Day Adventists > South Africa > Government
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/15500

Thesis (DTh)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. === ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation addresses the functioning of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in South Africa and the disillusionment and alienation of its members. Its aim is to uncover what the key factors are in the administrative functioning that has contributed to the disillusionment and alienation of the rank and file from the administration of the church. It gives particular attention to five aspects of administration: administrative authority, leadership, power, transition, and organizational structures. The objectives of the study are multifaceted. It wants to sensitize and make the Conference and Union administrations aware of the issues that separate them from the rank and file in the church, and how that the present challenges can be solved on a broad consultative basis. Furthermore, the study wants to make recommendations as to how broader representation can be established. Importantly, the study wishes to help the SDA Church administration to maintain a healthy balance between the church as institution and the church as organism. The study is basically exploratory as it seeks to explore the social phenomenon between the administrative functioning and the grassroots of the church for the reason of gaining insight as well as to explain the reason for its existence. It is also hermeneutical in nature as it seeks to establish a proper understanding of the interrelatedness between the administrative functioning and the laity in the church. Empirical enquiry is an important aspect of the study as it employs structured interviews with church boards and survey questionnaires to pastors in order to establish quantitative and qualitative aspects of the study. The study made use of a practical-theological methodology. The methodology is a hermeneutical sensitive and correlational dialogue that brings different theological parameters into dialogue with the realities of practice of ministry and the world. Chapter one introduces the study. It outlines the various dimensions of the study. Chapters two and three are historical. It deals with the present reality and the identity of the church using literary sources. Chapter five deals with the empirical research and gives a description of the views of ministers and the church boards concerning the five aspects of administration of the church, which has been researched. Chapters four and six deals with the theoretical-theological aspects of the study. Chapter four deals with the tension that exists between the church as institution and the church as organism. Chapter six is a theological evaluation that seeks the will of God or His guidance in terms of the problem which the church faces. Chapter six describes the way forward by making recommendations and gives some strategies that can be used to realize the goals of the study and the church. === AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie verhandeling ondersoek die denominasionele etos en die administratiewe strukture van die Sewendedag Adventistekerk in Suid-Afrika. Die studie toon aan dat daar ontnugtering en vervreemding by die gewone lede van die kerk ten opsigte van die administratiewe strukture bestaan. Dit gee aandag aan vyf aspekte van administrasie: administratiewe gesag, leierskap, mag, oorgang en organisatoriese strukture. Die doelstellings van die studie is veelvoudig. Dit poog om die Konferensies en die Unie-administrasies sensitief te maak van die strydpunte wat hulle verwyder van die gewone mense in die kerk. Dit stel voor dat die huidige uitdagings opgelos kan word deur middel van 'n bree konsultatiewe proses. Verder maak die studie aanbevelings oor hoe wyer verteenwoordiging in administratiewe strukture bereik kan word. Die studie wil die SDA-kerk administrasie van hulp wees om 'n gesonde balans te handhaaf tussen die kerk as organisasie en die kerk as organisme. Die studie is verkennend en hermeneuties van aard. Dit wou vasstel wat die mening van die werkers (predikante) en kerkrade is oor die administratiewe strukture en leierskap in die kerk. Ten einde dit vas te stel is 'n omvattende empiriese ondersoek gedoen deur gestruktureerde onderhoude met kerkrade oor die hele land te voer en deur vraelyste aan 'n verteenwoordigende steekproef predikante te stuur. Die navorsing het gebruik gemaak van 'n prakties-teologiese metodologie. Die metodologie is 'n hermeneuties sensitiewe en korrelatiewe dialoog wat verskillende teologiese parameters in dialoog met die realiteite van die bedieningspraktyk en wereld bring. Hoofstuk een is inleidend en gee 'n oorsig oor die navorsingsontwerp. Hoofstukke twee en drie is histories. Dit behandel die huidige realiteit en die identiteit van die kerk deur gebruik te maak van literere bronne. Hoofstuk vyf handel oor die empiriese ondersoek en gee 'n beskrywing van die menings van predikante en kerkrade oor die vyf aspekte van die administrasie van die kerk wat ondersoek is. Hoofstukke vier en ses handel oar die teoreties-teologiese aspekte van die studie. Vier bespreek die spanning wat altyd bestaan tussen die kerk as organisasie en die kerk as organisme. Ses is 'n teologiese evaluering wat soek na die wil of leiding van God in terme van die probleem waarmee die kerk worstel. Die laaste hoofstuk maak voorstelle oor die pad vorentoe en stel strategiee voor wat gebruik kan word om doelstellings te bereik.