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Interdependence, responsibility and partnership : a German perspective on the Northern Local Church in her international context

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dc.contributor.advisor Saayman, W. A. (Willem A.)
dc.contributor.advisor Moritzen, Niels-Peter
dc.contributor.author Schmidt, Jörg en
dc.date.accessioned 2015-01-23T04:24:12Z
dc.date.available 2015-01-23T04:24:12Z
dc.date.issued 1997-05 en
dc.identifier.citation Schmidt, Jörg (1997) Interdependence, responsibility and partnership : a German perspective on the Northern Local Church in her international context, University of South Africa, Pretoria, <http://hdl.handle.net/10500/17678> en
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/10500/17678
dc.description Text in English
dc.description.abstract This thesis is an attempt to investigate how local churches (re)define their international orientation in response to the shockwaves of globalisation and their interpretation of the signs of the times. The analysis is guided by the key dimensions of interdependence, responsibility, and partnership. The local church is expected to have reached an increasing awareness of interdependence in her international relationships by the emergence of the postmodern systemic paradigm as never before in the history of the ecumenical movement. Consequently, this results in a sense of responsibility developing directly from a prophetic reading and an interpretation of the signs of the times as well as in a receptivity to be fertilised by international impulses. The local church is perceived by both individual Christians and pastors as direct platform for international responsibility. The wounds of the world, the needy and the suffering are suggested as inviting primary responses of local churches in the North. International church partnerships are investigated as practical attempts to live out interdependent relationships, to translate the sense of responsibility into action, and to receive fertilisation from the partner churches. Qualitative case studies from Reformed, United (Lutheran/Reformed) and Free churches present a status analysis of churches regarding the points under discussion. The tendency is observed that pastors inc~easingly look for ways alternative to the old ecumenical structures, which are characterised by rich/poor and donor/recipient relationships, thus operating their churches with free initiative and association. Studies regularly narrow down topics to interdependence, postmodernism, development, development politics, church development services, international partnerships, ecumenical learning, etc. Often recommendations for action are made based on the one single area of research presented. In this study, however, it is argued that pastors and churches do not derive their decisions and programmes from considerations of one single area, but they consider all these areas together. en
dc.format.extent 1 online resource (viii, 276 leaves) en
dc.language.iso en
dc.subject Interdependence
dc.subject Responsibility
dc.subject Partnership
dc.subject Systemic postmodern paradigm
dc.subject Prophetic Mission
dc.subject Signs of the times
dc.subject Development
dc.subject Marshall Plan
dc.subject Globalisation
dc.subject Cross-fertilisation
dc.subject.ddc 254.50943 en
dc.subject.lcsh Church and the world en
dc.subject.lcsh Liberation theology en
dc.subject.lcsh Christian union en
dc.subject.lcsh Local church. en
dc.subject.lcsh Mission of the Church en
dc.title Interdependence, responsibility and partnership : a German perspective on the Northern Local Church in her international context en
dc.type Thesis
dc.description.department Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology
dc.description.degree D. Th. (Missiology) en


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