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Diaconate and youth in Afrikaans-speaking Reformed congregations in South Africa. South Africa is characterised by various socio-economic and socio-political challenges (fractures) not easily met (or healed). ‘Fractures’ refer to social, economic, religious, spatial, ecological, environmental, and economic injustices and other issues. Within this context, the church is confronted with her vocation. The unique vocation of a congregation is that the members become a ‘new community’ (koinonia) in which they not only care for one another but also develop relationships featuring care for, and mercy and solidarity (diakonia) with the weak, poor, and marginalised in society. Several researchers prove that the current South African youth could be classified as vulnerable and marginalised. Since the church does not preach the gospel in a vacuum but in relation to specific human realities, the theme of the youth and diaconate in the Afrikaans-speaking Reformed churches in South Africa is examined in this study, based on Osmer’s Practical Theological Interpretation. Interdisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The interdisciplinary nature of this contribution is spread across the two fields of youth ministry and diaconate. The sub-disciplines of both the youth in general, and youth ministry and youth work within the academic discourse of the diaconate are studied, specifically in the Afrikaans-speaking Reformed denomination.

Résumé : Cette contribution interroge le bilan de formation aux métiers du numérique de Lisungi Fablab de Kinshasa. Le succès récolté par le Lisungi Fablab installé à Kinshasa en 2018 nous a amené à questionner les pratiques de formation mobilisées et les résultats obtenus en lien avec les attentes des 70 apprenants dans un contexte des défis numériques et éducationnels. Une méthodologie mixte combinant l’approche qualitative et quantitative a permis d’analyser les pratiques de formation, l’environnement matériel d’apprentissage et le niveau d’adéquation entre les pratiques et les attentes des apprenants. Les premiers résultats mettent en lumière des nouvelles formes d’apprentissage, des nouvelles trajectoires professionnelles susceptibles d'alimenter la cartographie des métiers du numérique en RDC.

Church order and pastoral care as in article 51 of the church order of the Dutch Reformed Church. The Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) finds its historical roots in the Reformed Church in the Netherlands of the 16th and 17th century. The so-called individual or family-oriented visitation of members by office bearers in congregations in reformed churches dates to the Reformer John Calvin (1509–1564). In recent copies of the church order of the DRC this visitation of members, the elderly, the sick and people in need, as well as the involvement of presbyteries in the weddings and funerals of members, is taken up in an article under the heading ‘Pastoral care’. According to the General Synod of the DRC, who is responsible for the church order, pastoral care and visitation by office bearers of church members are core factors in the work or service of the church. Unlike other reformed churches with a link to the reformed Netherlands, the DRC does not limit visitation and pastoral care to the ministers and elders but sees it as an important duty of all office bearers. The implication is that pastoral care should be determined by the Word of God. Using the Word in this regard by all offices in all situations of need requires a pastoral approach. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article stems from a church and church order of pastoral care in the church. The Church order does not regulate the content of, for example, home visits, sick visits, or marriage counseling, but provides orderly channels through which these matters can flow into the church. Linked to understanding the content or nature of pastoral care, Church Polity, Pastorate and Dogmatics (church concept) can come in handy.

The City of Kinshasa in the Novels of In Koli Jean Bofane. Through his novels, Congo Inc. and Mathématiques congolaises, In Koli Jean Bofane becomes the author of the city of Kinshasa. With its vast and diverse geography, the Congolese capital offers itself to being read like an open book. In her study, using the theoretical lens of Bertrand Westphal’s geocriticism, Urs explores Bofane’s fictional representation of the Congolese capital, in which she identifies three spaces of refuge. Acquiring both critical and political overtones, these spaces serve as a mise en abyme that can illustrate the functioning of literature. Refuge spaces are also living elements in the city, so necessary for the suffering characters. Article history: Received 20 May 2022; Revised 26 August 2022; Accepted 31 August 2022; Available online 20 September 2022; Available print 30 September 2022. REZUMAT. Orașul Kinshasa în romanele lui In Jean Koli Bofane. Prin romanele sale, Congo Inc. și Mathématiques congolaises, In Koli Jean Bofane devine autorul orașului Kinshasa. Astfel, prin corpul său vast și divers, capitala congoleză poate să fie citită ca o carte deschisă. În cele două romane, spațiul reprezintă atât un element revelator pentru cititor, cât și o poartă de intrare în universul congolez. Pentru a valorifica datele, în această lucrare am folosit instrumentarul metodologic din Geocritica lui Bertrand Westphal care poate reprezenta baza oricărui studiu actual despre spațiu, apoi am explorat universul literar al capitalei congoleze. În interiorul vieții scrise, am identificat trei spații de refugiu care reprezintă mise en abyme a funcționării literaturii care preiau atât valori critice, cât și politice. Spațiile de refugiu, atât de necesare personajelor suferinde, sunt, de asemenea, elemente vii ale orașului Kinshasa. Cuvinte-cheie: Africa, RDC, Republica Democrată Congo, Kinshasa, oraș literar, oraș african, geocritică

The church order of the Dutch Reformed Church 1962 and synods: The church order of Dordrecht adapted to our day? After the completion of their concept of the first church order for the whole Dutch Reformed Church (DRC), an order which was accepted by the first general synod of the DRC in 1962, one of the members of the drawing committee, J.D. Vorster, declared that this concept was a modern example of the church order of the Synod of Dordrecht in 1619 in the Netherlands: an order for modern times. The DRC all along associated with this synod in its acceptance of the Three Formulas of Unity as confessions of faith, and now wanted to extend this to its church order. An investigation into the articles or ruling of the DRC church order of 1962 on the existence and functioning of synods in the DRC shows that it was not totally in line with that of Dordtrecht. Apart from some issues on the agenda of the synods that constituted the general synod, as well as some points for the agenda of the general synod, the church order of the DRC took its own direction. In determining the delegation and agendas of synods, the church order of the DRC followed principles foreign to a reformed church polity. A reformation of these structures in our day will benefit the whole DRC: from the congregations to major assemblies. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article concentrates on church polity and the development of a church order in a reformed way – especially on the theme of assemblies in church. It also needs and stimulates the knowledge of general history and church history for a reformed church in South Africa which has ties with the reformed churches in the Netherlands.

Especially since the late 20th century, former ‘Western’ cults such as the Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons and Branhamites, became a real threat to churches in the greater Kolwezi, the rest of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and several other places in Africa. Because these cultic groups question some of the most basic teachings of Christianity, including who God is and whether salvation occurs through Jesus Christ alone, it is crucial for Christian churches confronted with them, to respond apologetically in an effective way. To be able to do it, it is important to understand why these groups made such inroads and proselytes from Christian churches. In the article such background is given and a way forward through Christian apologetics and a missionary strategy is discussed.

An ongoing armed conflict in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo continues to impoverish and dehumanise women. Sexual violence meted on women has negative consequences that affect whole communities. Churches nationally and in the region have not done enough to respond to the challenge of armed conflict in general and the nefariousness of sexual violence towards women in particular. By utilising the sustainable livelihoods framework, churches in the region can be re-positioned for a constructive advocacy response to armed conflict(s) and sexual violence(s), particularly in solidarity with the women.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This study is made feasible through extensive intradisciplinary and interdisciplinary research. The subject matter demands on the investigator the necessity to make use of the knowledge from across the socio-scientific spectrum to understand the ongoing conflict and its impact on the local people. The study entrenches an advocacy role on regional churches as a means to lend a voice to the vulnerable women, who are impoverished and dehumanised by and within the context of an armed conflict.

Civil war and ethnic violence are major problems in Central Africa and have caused the death and displacement of millions of people over the years. The aim of this study was to investigate the perceptions of religious leaders, lecturers and students in theology at various tertiary institutions in Central Africa with regard to civil war in the region. A structured questionnaire was used to investigate participants� perceptions about and attitudes towards civil war. The questionnaire was completed by 1 364 participants who originated or lived in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda. The results of the study illustrated the severe effect that civil wars had on the participants or their families and further indicated that Rwandans, Tutsis and males were more inclined toward justifying wars and seeing them as solutions for problems. The role of the Church in countering these perceptions is discussed.

In this essay, aspects of the work of theologian W.D. (Willie) Jonker are reframed to complement current debates about �public theology� in South Africa. The introduction points out that Jonker worked during a crucial period in South Africa�s history and that his theology is intrinsically linked to the church struggle between 1955 and 1994. The second part reframes Jonker�s theology as a public theology from within the church by referring to his understanding of preaching, confessions and public witness. The last part attempts to move beyond Jonker in appropriating some of his ideas for a public theology in South Africa today.

Baptists in South Africa have developed along lines similar to other denominations of their day (e.g. the Dutch Reformed Church). However, there are six distinct waves of development within Baptist history in South Africa (including an emerging wave) that showcase the growth, development, digressions, limitations and transformation that has taken place in the Baptist denomination in South Africa. These waves are a tremendous help to the Baptist Union of Southern Africa (BUSA) as they seek to be faithful witnesses in the 21st century and beyond. It has become clear: If BUSA is to succeed within the emerging wave of mission and development, it will need a new, updated map to guide them where many have not been before � or BUSA could simply fade into irrelevance in South Africa, impacting other movements and denominations in turn.

Reviews of: Alicja Wrzesińska, Afrykańska młodzież i jej dzisiejszy świat. Ze studiów nad przemianami społeczno-kulturowymi w Zairze (African young and their contemporary world. From the studies of socio-cultural transformations in Zaire). Warsaw: Institute of Oriental Studies of the University of Warsaw, 1994, 369 pp. Holger Preiβler, Heidi Stein (eds), Annäherung an das Fremde. XXVI. Deutscher Orientalistentag vom 25. bis 29.9.1995 in Leipzig, „Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenländischen Gesellschaft”, Supplement XI, Stuttgart, Franz Steiner Verlag, 1998, 638 pp. Bello S. Y. Al-Hassan, Reduplication in the Chadic Languages. A Study of Form and Function (European University Studies, Series XXI - Linguistics, Vol. 191), Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang, 1998, 249 pp. Ines Fiedler, Catherine Griefenow-Mewis, Brigitte Reineke (eds), Afrikanische Sprachen im Brennpunkt der Forschung, Linguistische Beiträge zum 12. Afrikanistentag, Berlin 3. - 6. Oktober 1996, Köln: Rüdiger Köppe Verlag, 1998, 340 pp.

Nowadays, more than ever, China plays a major role in economic activities in Africa. China competes aggressively with the West for control of the continent's strategic mineral resources. The great red actor considers that the imposition of Western democratic values on Africa is one of the main causes of political instability and economic stagnation, which is why he has chosen to adopt a different attitude which is has proven to be prolific in the context of globalization. The cooperation of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with China is currently considered by the Congolese people as a safety valve, an insurance against risks. Essentially, the DRC tops the list of China's strategic partners in Africa, and the DRC aims to attract China to help build infrastructure. This cooperation bears the signature of Joseph Kabila (president of the country from 2001 to 2018), his speech being a central point of this research. While the two countries boast of an exemplary model of win-win cooperation, this article aims to explore whether it is really a win-win collaboration or rather China is trying to invent a new order using a cosmetized neocolonialism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The glaring lack of employment opportunities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has led to the conclusion of special employment contracts, including domestic work contracts. Today, there is a rapid development of labour contracts in Congolese society for domestic purposes. While it is true that the Congolese Constitution and various international legal instruments ratified by the DRC provide all workers, including domestic workers, with general protection, Congolese labour legislation hardly takes account of this development in the labour market. Many domestic workers in the DRC are still subject to countless abuses by their employers. As employment has become a very scarce commodity in the DRC, these workers sometimes have no alternative but to cope with all these abuses. In order to take special account of this rapid evolution of the Congolese employment market and to ensure that the workers concerned are specifically protected, this study recommends that the DRC ratify Convention No. 189 of the International Labour Organisation on domestic workers. However, such ratification would contribute effectively to the reduction of the countless abuses to which people working under a domestic labour contract continue. to fall victim, only if it is accompanied by appropriate implementation measures at the domestic level and if the competent labour administration effectively ensures their respect.

Worship services display the spiritual stand of the Dutch Reformed Church. In theological and clerical circles, it is accepted that the content of church services in Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) congregations shows its spiritual state as a church, or the basic convictions of its Christian faith. From their General Synod as the broadest assembly in this church, stipulations of the DRC Church Order, as well as other resolutions about church services, are accepted to be implemented by congregations. From personal experiences during visits to congregations, the author came to the conclusion that there are tendencies in these church services that are no longer in accordance with its church order and the viewpoints of its General Synod, regarding church services. These tendencies lead to a derailing of the biblical lines of church services. It also indicates a lack of loyalty in this regard, by ministers of the DRC. What it boils down to, is that church services indicate the spiritual stand of the DRC. Contribution: This article shows that church services show the spiritual approach and practice of churches. It states a principle for Reformed churches, and its critique on the Dutch Reformed Church aims at a reformation. The article stresses that the integration of the confessions of a church, as well as the understanding of the church, reflects in the services.

This paper examines the role of mother tongues in the teaching of English as a foreign language at the University of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The purpose of the study is to determine the perfect mother tongue of students and to evaluate the efficacy of translanguaging methods in the teaching of English as foreign language. The research used three types of data, including quantitative, qualitative, and test data, as well as a survey conducted among 250 students at the Faculty of Arts. The results of the study suggest that translanguaging methods should be adopted to meet the needs of the country, particularly when English is combined with one of the local languages or French, in order to improve the understanding of students and their academic performance, particularly for those Congolese Learners of English who are not exposed to English often. The main problem in this study is that the learners at the University are learning English as an academic subject and a medium of instruction that they do not understand very well. However, the concept of’mother tongue’ (MT) is very important in learning other languages including a foreign language. This is especially true for students who live in a multilingual environment like DRC who have to follow and understand certain subjects taught in English. Most of them do not have their own unique and same mother tongue. For example, there are situations where a person speaks two basic languages, one is Congolese and the other is a second language. For example, someone who has been extensively exposed to a non-Congolese language like French since birth in addition to their Congolese language.

Churches hold different views regarding the office of deacon and role of deacons in the church. Churches also use different terms for their social ministries. This lack of a common language regarding the church’s diaconal ministry often creates confusion in the ecumenical discourse on the diaconate of the church. This article explores the hypothesis that the conceptualisation of a church’s diaconal ministry is influenced by a specific frame of reference, be it a historical perspective, a specific theology or tradition. In this case study of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) it is shown how a specific historical and theological understanding of diaconal ministry determines not only this church’s preference for the term ‘service of compassion’ but also its diaconal praxis. The article concludes with a suggestion to the DRC to consider the use of the concept diakonia in contemplation of more active participation in ecumenical disourses regarding the diaconate of the church. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The article describes how a specific historical and theological understanding of diaconal ministry determines not only the DRC’s preference for the term ‘service of compassion’ but also its diaconal praxis. The suggestion to more actively participate in developing a common understanding of diakonia ecumenically has implications for the DRC’s ecclesiology, as well as its missional and social ministries.

It is sometimes argued that the Great Trek of 1835-1840 removed its participants from the Cape Colony, under British control, thereby also taking them out of the congregations of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) based in the Cape. The argument further goes that the church which accompanied the Great Trek was a church independent of the DRC. In this article, documents and arguments show that the church on the Great Trek was indeed the DRC. This is shown by the name used for the church in transit, by the religious customs of the members of this church, and by the relationships of individuals with DRC congregations in the colony. Congregations outside the Transvaal, which were founded by the Trekkers, had no problems to become part of the DRC Synod of the Cape. Before they left the Cape Colony, some Trekkers were members of congregations of this selfsame DRC Synod. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Congolese hydrocarbons sector is one of the key areas of the national economy and constitutes one of the main resources for financing the state budget. However, the uncontrolled exploitation of hydrocarbons can have consequences on the environment as a whole, which is a natural resource essential to human life and to terrestrial and marine biodiversity. To this end, the first principle of the Stockholm Declaration adopted by the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment states that “Man has a fundamental right to freedom, equality and adequate conditions of life, in an environment of a quality that permits a life of dignity and well-being. He has a solemn duty to protect and improve the environment for present and future generations”. From the above, the protection of the environment is part of the international commitments of States to promote, in particular, sustainable development. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), on the other hand, the lack of an adequate policy on hydrocarbon exploitation and environmental protection has enormous repercussions and unfortunate consequences on the entire Congolese population despite the absolute poverty that the latter is already experiencing. This paper awaits the implementation of adequate proposals to enable policy makers to know where to start in order to ensure sound hydrocarbon governance and sustainable environmental protection in the DRC. It is also a question of demonstrating that sound governance of hydrocarbons and environmental protection requires, in particular, the participation and efforts of everyone: first of all a political will, then a strong involvement of the public authorities, of the companies which invest in the hydrocarbons sector, and a change in the mentalities of the citizens for the integral and sustainable development of the DRC in line with its hydrocarbon potential.

In 1985 when storm clouds were gathering over South Africa, and a state of emergency was declared, a group of members of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) Family, clergy as well as laity, founded an organisation, Reforum. The two-fold aim of Reforum was to provide a prophetic witness against apartheid, calling the DRC to take leave of its theology of apartheid, and, secondly, to work towards the reunification of the DRC Family. The article researches the original Reforum documents, minutes, reports, conference material and letters, that hitherto laid untouched in the DRC Archive, in Pretoria. The programme of Reforum, especially the national and regional conferences held by the organisation over the 7 years of its existence, is discussed. The initial negative reaction of the DRC officials and synods, as well as the critique from some in the Dutch Reformed Mission Church and the DRC in Africa that Reforum was not radical enough in its approach, are recorded. The summation, at the end, is that Reforum did play a significant role, albeit humble and short lived, in the annals of the DRC’s apartheid saga. Relevance: The DRC’s apartheid saga, the story of a church that had over many years lived with apartheid and even provided a theological argument for separate development, eventually came to the point where the DRC not only repented of its past, but declared apartheid and the theology of apartheid a sin and a heresy, continues to fascinate historians, including church historians. For South African Christians, clergy as well as laity, it helps explain their often troubled past, as well as present. The often neglected story of Reforum and the role and contribution of the organisation in this process needs to be recorded. Original research: the author provides original qualitative research, using material that had lain untouched in the DRC Archive for three decades. This may be considered to be a preliminary study. The archival material merits more and deeper attention. It may well provide material for post graduate research. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The research is of value for the study of South African general history, South African church history, ecumenical studies, and practical theology.

Some church historians are of the opinion that the Cottesloe Consultation of 1960 rejected apartheid and, by doing so, paved the way for the General Synods of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) of 1986 and 1990 with their documents, ‘Church and Society’, to do the same. This article investigates this statement. In its final declaration, Cottesloe made room for representatives of the DRC who believed that a policy of differentiation in South Africa can achieve justice. However, Cottesloe and these representatives also critised some aspects of the implementation of apartheid in South Africa in 1960. According to delegates of the DRC, they wanted to warn the supporters of apartheid: there is a danger that apartheid will not reach its goals. ‘Church and Society’ (1986 and 1990) rejected the concrete policy of the apartheid of its time as a whole. It defined the practical apartheid it rejects. In 1982, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches suspended the DRC as a member because of its theological and moral justification of apartheid. It also declared a status confessionis as the level on which it rejects this theological justification. The documents, ‘Church and Society’, were not acceptable to the Alliance as a token that the DRC rejects apartheid unconditionally and completely. The General Assembly of the Alliance of 1997 defined the apartheid, which it rejects. After the General Synod of the DRC of 1998 accepted this definition, the DRC was accepted again as a full member of the Alliance.

This study examines the legal foundations and the theological issue of gender equality in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and proposes the adoption of an ethical approach towards the amelioration of this pertinent issue of human concern. Arguably, the achievement of gender equality in the DRC remains a myth, an objective to be realised, and a world of opportunity to be utilised. The argument pursued here is that the persistence of gender inequality has far-reaching consequences for all spheres of society. Therefore, it is crucial for women and men to be more proactive and work together towards the attainment of gender equality. This begins with the acquisition of adequate training for women in various fields. Thus, armed with the requisite knowledge and courage, women will be able to fully participate and effectively contribute to the advancement of society and the church in the same way as their male counterparts.

This article can be broken down into two parts, perhaps somewhat unequally as far as its orientation is concerned. In the first part, the author takes the reader on a kind of exploration of the history of moral education, a subject which, at first glance and from the perspective of the years he spent studying educational historiography, appears to be rather undeveloped terrain. Since the piece is related to the awarding of the Comenius Medal, Comenius himself already provides a good starting point for this round of studies. As in the case of Herbart, another classic within the canon of educational history, Comenius held the opinion that morality plays a key role in upbringing of young people, which became increasingly scintillating in appearance from the Enlightenment onwards. For in a well-regulated society, it was by means of upbringing and education that individual freedom could be created. However, in the course of the 20th century and to the shame of humanity, people were forced to witness how the idea that people and society could be shaped by social engineering could equally give rise to a lack of freedom, as the aberrations of Nazism, fascism and ultimately Marxism-Leninism unequivocally demonstrated. So can such "reversals" of modern-day thought ultimately teach us any overall lessons about the content, manner and results with which moral curricula are imposed? Or must we first set out to identify the "abnormal" cases that society first branded as such and only subsequently extract those lessons? In other words, can extraordinary situations and events teach us something about the everyday reality of moral education as manifested in the so-called "civilising offensive" that took place from the end of the 18th century onwards? As far as the Low Countries are concerned, the author is, for that matter, setting foot on familiar ground. By utilising previous research on Belgium, Flanders and the (Belgian) Congo, the second part of the article wastes no time in examining what moral education meant in more specific terms in the 20th century. In that regard, the focus not only lies on contextualising the insights and questions raised by the first part, as a "tour d'horizon", but equally on analysing them in greater depth. After all, the author's years of research already provide three interesting points of reference: 1) the strong continuity of the patronising perspective; 2) the problematic nature of thinking about educational innovations and didactic innovations in binary terms, such as "old" and "new", and 3) the lack of a straightforward link between parenting and educational goals on the one hand and their results and effects (including and especially in the long term) on the other. Which leads inevitably to the conclusion that education, important as it is, must not be overestimated. Nor should history for that matter. Perhaps both are nothing more than an opportunity to partake of a meaningful encounter that may be effective, but whose outcome one can never be sure of. Which in turn does not take away from the fact that we must still place our hopes on it. For hope is probably the most positive thing that human beings carry within them, just as Comenius himself proved in his lifetime, by the way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Church order and ecumenism: The Dutch Reformed Church in 1962–2015. The church order accepted by the first General Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC), the church order or DRC-CO of 1962, showed a preference for ecumenism with reformed churches. However, the term ‘correspondence’ with which it described the closest possible ties with a reformed church, was not explicit in the details of these ties. When the DRC broke its ties with the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands in 1976, the former could not explain in practical detail what had happened. The Netherlands church was the last church abroad with which the DRC had close ties. After this, the DRC were questioned more and more and became isolated from other churches outside South Africa because of, as it was called, its theological and moral support of apartheid. Changes within the DRC itself and in South Africa on apartheid in the years 1986–1994 also changed all this. The DRC was again accepted in church circles and became engaged in more ecumenical ties on a multi- as well as bilateral level than ever before. Intradisciplinary/interdisciplinary implications: This article is of a church-political nature, which helps the church in formulating a church order. It combines church history with church polity and uses it for an ecumenical purpose. Ecumenics concentrates on the relations between churches as a theological discipline. The history of the ecumenics of the Dutch Reformed Church, however, is also connected to its history as a church in the history of South Africa as a country.

After Stuttgart (Germany) and Lubumbashi (Democratic Republic of Congo - DRC) meetings, another round of conference was organized by the Robert Bosch Foundation, in collaboration with the African Law Association (Germany), in Nairobi (Kenya), from 11 to 14 February 2016. Participants were now invited to identify and discuss matters relating to ‘requirements for an independent and effective judiciary’. Discussions focused on six coun- tries of the African Great Lakes Region (Burundi, DRC, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Tan- zania) and Germany. Professor Hartmut Hamann coordinated the conference which was at- tended by some twenty young lawyers and professionals in all: seven from Germany (judges and public prosecutors who welcomed their African colleagues in Stuttgart in Octo- ber 2014), five from the DRC, three from Rwanda, two from Burundi (advocates, judges, prosecutors or/and university assistant lecturers), and three young lawyers graduated at the Tanzanian-German Centre for Eastern African Legal Studies (respectively from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania).Their exchange was nourished by participation of two experienced judges of the East African Court of Justice, two other practicing jurists in Kenya, including one university lecturer, and Professor Matthiesen Kalala Ilunga from the University of Lubumbashi (DRC).The current report summarizes the content and the outcomes of this conference. Part one sets out the activities accomplished during the conference (1), while part two elaborates on its materials, which include participants’ conclusions and recommendations (2).

In February 2016 seven German judges and public prosecutors of the judiciary of Baden- Württemberg and Rheinland-Pfalz had the great opportunity of a ten-day-visit to either Rwanda or the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and a joint conference on “Require- ments for an Independent and Effective Judiciary” in Nairobi, Kenya. The whole visit was part of an exchange programme between young lawyers from Central and East Africa and the judiciary of Baden-Württemberg and Rheinland-Pfalz. From 5 to 18 October 2014 sev- en African lawyers (prosecutors, advocates and a judge) from Burundi, Rwanda and the DRC had already come to Stuttgart, Germany.1 The exchange programme was organized and coordinated by Professor Hartmut Hamann of the African Law Association and the Robert Bosch Foundation in cooperation with the competent Ministries of State and Justice of Baden-Württemberg and Rheinland-Pfalz.2 During the first part of the visit, four mem- bers of the German delegation went to Lubumbashi, DRC, while the other three members travelled to Kigali, Rwanda. The second part of the visit brought the German participants, their African exchange partners and other young lawyers from Central and East Africa to- gether in a conference in Nairobi, Kenya.

This work is an attempt to analyze factors of semiotic spaces asymmetry and dissymmetry for the host and the acquired linguacultures in the current polylinguism situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A psycho- and sociolinguistic experiment, as well as the data obtained through a direct questionnaire carried out during the primary study of the mechanisms behind the linguistic barrier experienced by Congolese students from three universities (UNIKIN, UPC and Bel Campus) trying to use English, allows identifying not only the dominant use areas for the native and international languages in the DRC, yet also the respondents’ attitude to the need of knowing foreign languages. In order to create a representative sample, a survey was conducted among each group of students selected randomly, while the sample concerned only three schools (Humanities, Economics and Medicine) within the universities mentioned above. The sociolinguistic analysis conducted therein, served as the basis for detecting the key factors behind semiotic systems conflict in the parallel usage of the competing language systems pairs (local vs. English/French): 1) gender, 2) age, 3) status. The language-and-culture barrier in case of a parallel employment of the host and the invasive language can be eliminated while learning a foreign language relying on a familiar language system. This approach, though, is not accepted by the majority of the respondents (over 90% of males and about 85% of females), whereas preference was towards semiosis models of the international language system (French or English). The intersection of semiotic spaces and a free switch between the language systems serving them was to be observed in the groups aged 18-24 (about 40%) mainly at the University of Kinshasa, and only among a small number of the respondents falling within the age group of 25-35 (12%) at the two other universities. This fact points at the reliably objective factors promoting the creation of a convergent semiotic space in the capital-city university and within the region taken as a whole.

This article engages with the Missional Framework Document of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) from the perspectives of solidarity with the poor and justice for South African society. The democratic South Africa continues to face significant socio-economic problems and an increasingly dissatisfied population. In the light of this, the article presents an introductory conversation with the Missional Framework Document in order to ask whether it offers an adequate response to South Africa�s current contextual challenges. The lens through which this article will engage the Framework Document is the theological paradigm of justice, specifically the theory of justice presented by Nicholas Wolterstorff as well as some important contributions from contemporary South African scholars who advocate for a theology from the margins of society. It is contended that the DRC remains a predominantly white middle-class church. This social, economic and political location has an impact on the missional theology of the church as expressed in the Framework Document. Hence, we engage with the Missional Theology of the DRC by means of a paradigm that operates from the �underside� or the economic, political and social �margins� of South African society. We argue that any missional theology aimed at furthering God�s Kingdom in South Africa at present must develop in community with the marginalised majority of the nation. The critical engagement with the Framework Document will be done by sketching a theological landscape where current contextual realities are brought into relief against a kairos moment on which the efficacy of this church�s mission, indeed its public work and witness, is being called into question.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This interdisciplinary study in Systematic Theology and Ethics engages the missional theology found in the Missional Framework Document of the Dutch Reformed Church. Methodologically, the research advocates for a contextual engagement with the missional theology proposed by this important document. The outcome of this contextual theological consideration is an invitation for the Church to consider the ethics of justice as an important aspect of their approach to faithful Christian mission in the South African social, economic and political context.

The ecclesiastical authority of the assemblies in church as in the church order of the Dutch Reformed Church The point in discussion in this article is Article 20.1 of the church order of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC). In accept- ing the first version of this church order, the first general synod of the DRC in 1962 used the church order of 1959 of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (RCN) as an example. The exact wording of Article 20.1 happened to be part of the latter. Article 20.1 gives an indication of the authority of assemblies because this is nowhere else attended to in the church order of the DRC. It explains that the authority of church governing bodies like assemblies comes from Christ. He as the actual Head of the church lends authority to these assemblies, without abdicating his position as the Head of his church. He remains the Source and Owner of ecclesiastical authority. This means that ecclesiastical authority is founded and based on the Word of God by which it sumultaneously is limited. In exercising it’s authority, an assembly is also bound to do it in accordance with the character of the church. To speak of authority in the church is not in conflict with the character of the church as a community of believers connected by love.

The question in the heading is dealt with in the article by splitting it up in three sub-questions: 1. Does the South African society has need for what the DRC can offer? 2. Does the DRC still have the room and opportunity to play a constructive role in our society? and 3. Are the DRC and its members willing and prepared to play such a constructive role in our society? The article arrives at the conclusion that there is indeed need in the South African society for the type of service that the DRC and its high percentage of well-educated, creative and affluent members can provide. Although the opportunity for providing such service has been restricted as a result of the loss of influence on the government and the separation of church and state in the new political dispensation, considerable scope still remains. There is unfortunately an unwillingness among many members to utilise the remaining opportunities for playing a constructive public role, on account of their negative assessment of developments in the new political dispensation and a resulting inward directed spirituality. The DRC would only be able to realise its full potential for playing such a role if a change of heart takes place and the inward directed spirituality is replaced with an outward directed spirituality based on the belief in the centrality of the Kingdom of God in the ministry of the church.

Musiek en sang binne die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk (NG Kerk) is in ’n proses van radikale verandering. Binne ’n ‘global village’ kan die ses strominge van kerkmusiek soos Paul Basden (2004) dit beskryf het, van groot waarde wees om die huidige prosesse in die NG Kerk te identifiseer en te beskryf. Hierdie prosesse word dikwels oorvereenvoudig deur die gebruik van die term ‘blended worship’. ’n Dieper kyk na die bedoeling en betekenis van die term ‘blended worship’ wys dat die term in baie gevalle nie vir die huidige situasie of prosesse in die NG Kerk geskik is nie. Die huidige situasie veronderstel nie net die gebruik van nuwe vorms van musiek naas die oue nie, maar in baie gemeentes impliseer dit ’n wegbeweeg van die oue na die nuwe. Die uitdaging bly steeds om binne hierdie situasie getrou aan die Woord van God te bly, maar ook om effektief na die behoefte van die mense van ons tyd te handel. Landscape of congregational singing in the Dutch Reformed Church at the beginning of the 21th century: Preliminary exploration. Music and singing in the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) is in a process of radical change. Within a global village, the six views of worship as identified by Paul Basden (2004) could be of great value in understanding die processes and streams within the music of the DRC. Variations and combinations of these views (streams) could be observed within the present-day liturgical singing within the DRC. This process is often oversimplified by using the term blended worship; a closer look at blended worship illustrates that the term blended worshipin its original intention does not fit the current situation or process. The current situation does not only imply new forms of music combined with the old forms, it often implies a move away from the old in the direction of the new. Within this process the challenge of the DRC will be to stay faithful to the Word of God as well as contemporary society.

In this research, important policy decisions by the 2013 General Synod of the Dutch ReformedChurch on the missional nature of the church were investigated in dialogue with the newmission affirmation of the World Council of Churches Together towards life: Mission andevangelism in changing landscapes (2013). The research concluded that the new policy documentof the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa (DRC) shows convergence with TTL and thatthe DRC finds itself within the current ecumenical discourse on church and mission. The DRCdoes have a comprehensive missional ecclesiology, understanding the church as missionalby its very nature. Church polity is informed by a missional understanding of being church.The DRC shows good governance in the sense that it has embarked on a process to revisethe church order in the light of the policy decisions and in the sense of the foundation laidby revising a number of important articles of the church order. The research also found thata missional approach affirms life in its fullness and allows and participates in the flourishingof creation. The deduction was that good governance in society entails a society where justiceis practised, sustainable lifestyles propagated and respect for the earth practised. The DRC,with its missional understanding of being church, can benefit in its discernment processesand prophetic witness by using an appropriate hermeneutical key in its participation in goodgovernance � to discern where life in its fullness is affirmed. The research found that the DRCfinds itself, together with a broader ecumenical community, on a journey towards life. It doeshave an appropriate basis for good governance in church and society.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The research calls for a change inthe traditional discourse on the role of denominations and brings together insights fromecumenical studies and missional ecclesiology that might assist the reformulation of churchpolity.

The author chooses to write a social mission history of the DRC in order to relate important mission events properly to the developing political economy in South Africa. He chooses to follow the nethodology describe especially by Grundlingh and Hobsbawm. He sees mission history and church history as interchangeable, and views Christian history as an important rubric of general human history. He analyses the period 1934-1961 in this article, and starts with the DRC mission policy established in 1935. The author points out a close entwinement of mission policy and political culture, in that �the solution of the native question� formed the central pivot in both mission and political policy. He� analyses� events around the publication of the Tomlinson Report to illustrate the� link between mission policy and political culture (segregation/apartheid). There were also voices of protest against these developments, especially from people with missionary involvement. The author is convinced that there are various important areas for further research (which explains why he subtitled his article: �A reconnaisance in terms of social mission history�). Some of these areas are the relationship between mission and financial ability and the DRC�s late involvement in urban mission. The author concludes with an ambivalent evaluation of DRC mission from a social� historical perspective, but stresses that much more research is needed before any conclusive evaluation can be attempted.

This article focuses on some expressions popularly used and disseminated in different areas where we find social activities in DRC. These expressions known as catchphrases » are found written and displayed in various languages such as Kiswahili, French, English, Lingala, Mashi etc depending on the social activity, the area and the intellectual level of authors. They are mainly used by taxi-and lorry drivers shop and drugstore holders, shoes, telephones and watches repairers, etc. In short, those who basically operate in exhibiting and socio-economic activities in order to convey specific messages directed towards all categories of society. They are mostly painted or written on cars, lorries shops, drugstores, etc to reflect and exhibit the emotional and psychological feelings of users. They are meant to sensitize and the people to understand and meditate upon some realities of social life, ie problems, difficulties, worries, joy, sadness, happiness and the behaviour encountered in various areas of active life. They tend to demonstrate that active life is full of ups and downs, traumatizing, intriguing and confronted to a considerable number of realities and situations. Obviously, they usually aim at teaching virtues and wisdom, arouse meditation, provide counsels, advise carefulness, advocate courage and resilience, denounce violence, operate correction and preach justice in society. They operate like proverbs which hide some truth in them and require deep consideration on their perception

South Africa in the year 2000: What moral guidance can the Dutch Reformed Church provide? An attempt is made in the article to answer the question: What moral guidance can the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) provide in the present South African society? Attention is given, first of all, to the room left for the DRC to provide such guidance in the new South Africa. The suitable nature and range of this moral guidance are discussed. Recommendations are also made about the style of the moral guidance and a suitable strategy for motivating the members of the DRC to fulfil their moral responsibility in society.

The Dutch Reformed Church and the transition to a new South Africa The comprehensive transformation of the South African society that followed the transfer of political power to a new government in 1994 has had significant consequences for the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) and its members. In the article an analysis is given of these consequences. Attention is also given to the reaction of members of the DRC to the transformation of the society. An attempt is made to formulate a responsible approach to the new South Africa by the DRC and his members. The need for the DRC to inspire his members to be true to their Christian calling, to equip them to serve effectively and to find new and effective ways to witness publicly in the new South Africa, is stressed.

In a never-ending humanitarian crisis, Central Africa is host to the largest community of internally displaced persons (IDPs). In early November, thousands of new IDPs, including a high number of children, found shelter in overcrowded and unsanitary camps in Goma and Lubero, in the North Kivu provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) fleeing violence in the area, caused by the intensifying fighting between the Congolese armed forces and non-state armed group M23. It is for this reason of permanent insecurity in the area that I argue that the adoption of a specific binding legal instrument could ease the management of the IDPs in the region. The adoption of such an instrument would find one of its foundations in the concept of “solidarity”.

Met die 450e herdenking van die Heidelbergse Kategismus (HK) as vertrekpunt word in twee artikels gepoog om lig te werp op die plek, die rol en die interpretasie van die opstanding van Jesus Christus uit veral Sondag 17 en 22, spesifiek in die konteks van twee besondere eras in die Nederduitse Gereformeerde (NG) Kerk. Na ’n kort bespreking van die Heidelbergse Kategismus , word in hierdie eerste artikel uitgebreid gekyk na die resepsie van die betrokke HK-geloofsartikels in die era van Andrew Murray, spesifiek teen die agtergrond van die negentiende-eeuse liberale teologie in Nederland. In ’n tweede artikel word soortgelyk gekyk na die resepsie van die betrokke HK-geloofsartikels in die NG Kerk na 2000, veral teen die agtergrond van die herverskyning van die liberale teologie in die vorm van die Jesus Seminaar, die Nuwe Hervorming en die aanhangers daarvan se standpunte binne die NG Kerk. Sowel die negentiende-eeuse liberale stryd in die NG Kerk as die stryd rondom die opstanding in die NG Kerk van die eerste dekade van die een-en-twintigste eeu, soos in die tweede artikel duidelik sal blyk, was gekenmerk deur kontekstueelbepaalde uniekhede. Die gemene deler is dat albei deel was van tye van teologiese vrysinnigheid. In die lig van hierdie bespreking, ook ten opsigte van die negentiende eeu, sal tot die gevolgtrekking gekom word dat die NG Kerk, wat sy identiteit as gereformeerde kerk betref, tans waarskynlik in ’n kritieke geloofs- en toekomskrisis verkeer wat kommerwekkende gevolge vir sy Skrifverstaan en getuienis as belydenis en belydende kerk van Jesus Christus en sy toekoms inhou. Alleen ’n duidelike visie, verantwoordelike leierskap en die herontdekking van die kruis en die opstanding as ononderhandelbare heilsgebeure, wat ook deur die HK gehandhaaf word, sal die NG Kerk kan red van ’n snelwentelende afwaartse spiraal. Slegs die pasgenoemde faktore kan ’n herstellende, positiewe en dinamiese oplossing vir hierdie proses bied wat sigself tans in die NG Kerk afspeel. With the 450th celebrations of the origin of the Heidelberg Catechism (HC) in mind, the main aim of two articles is to focus on the place, role and interpretation of the doctrine of the resurrection in this Catechism, within two very specific and critical eras in the history of the Dutch Reformed Church; (DRC) in South Africa. After a brief introduction to the Heidelberg Catechism, the aim in this first article is to focus extensively on the reception of the HC in the time of Andrew Murray during the nineteenth century, and specifically against the background of the then liberal theology in both the Netherlands and South Africa. In the second article I look at the reception of the same HC articles of faith in the DRC since 2000, against the background of the reappearance of the nineteenth century liberal theology in the form of the Jesus Seminar, the New Reformation and those sympathetic to the latter in the DR Church. It will become clear that both these nineteenth and twenty-first century developments had their own unique contexts. What they had in common was a specific theological liberal-mindedness. In view of this discussion about the nineteenth century developments, it will be concluded that the DR Church as a reformed church is currently not only caught up in an identity crisis but even in a survival crisis of no small proportions. This also has serious implications for its use of Scriptures and its confessional character. Only a strong vision, able leadership from all parties within the church and a rediscovery of the redeeming power of the cross and of the resurrection as basic doctrinal tenets, also upheld by the HC, can save the DR Church from an ever moving downward spiral. Only these factors can provide a remedial, positive and dynamic solution to this process in the DR Church.

Met die 450e herdenking van die Heidelbergse Kategismus as vertrekpunt, word met die huidige en die vorige artikel gepoog om lig te werp op die plek, die rol en die interpretasie van die opstanding van Jesus Christus in veral Sondag 17 en 22, spesifiek in die konteks van twee besondere eras in die Nederduitse Gereformeerde (NG) Kerk. In die vorige artikel is allereers ’n bespreking gevoer oor die Heidelbergse Kategismus (HK). Daar is gekyk na die resepsie van die betrokke HK-geloofsartikels in die era van Andrew Murray, spesifiek teen die agtergrond van die negentiende-eeuse liberale teologie in Nederland. In die huidige artikel word soortgelyk gekyk na die resepsie van die betrokke HK-geloofsartikels in die NG Kerk na 2000, teen die agtergrond van die herverskyning van die negentiende-eeuse liberale teologie in die vorm van die Jesus Seminaar, die Nuwe Hervorming en ondersteuners daarvan binne die NG Kerk. Sowel die negentiende-eeuse liberale stryd in die NG Kerk asook die stryd oor die opstanding in die NG Kerk van die eerste dekade van die een-en-twintigste eeu, soos verder in hierdie artikel sal blyk, was gekenmerk deur kontekstueelbepaalde uniekhede. Die gemene deler was dat albei deel was van tye van teologiese vrysinnigheid. In die lig van hierdie bespreking word tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat die NG Kerk tans, betreffende haar identiteit as gereformeerde kerk waarskynlik in ’n kritieke geloofs- en toekomskrisis verkeer. Dit impliseer kommerwekkende gevolge vir haar Skrifverstaan en getuienis as belydenis en belydende kerk van Jesus Christus en haar toekoms. Alleen duidelike visie, verantwoordelike leierskap en ’n herontdekking van die verlossingskrag van Christus se kruis en opstanding sal herstellende, positiewe en dinamiese oplossings kan bied om sodoende die NG Kerk te red van ’n snelwentelende afwaartse spiraal. With the 450th celebrations of the origin of the Heidelberg Catechism (HC) in mind, the main aim of this and the previous article is to focus on the place, role and interpretation of the doctrine of the resurrection in HC (Sunday 17 and 22), within two very specific and critical eras in the history of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) in South Africa. The first article focused on the reception of the HC in the time of Andrew Murray during the nineteenth century, and specifically against the background of the then liberal theology in both the Netherlands and South Africa. In this current article I look at the reception of the same HC articles (Sunday 17 and 22) in the DRC after 2000, against the background of the reappearance of the nineteenth century liberal theology in the Netherlands, and specifically with reference to the Jesus Seminar, the New Reformation and those sympathetic to the latter in the DRC. Both these nineteenth- and twenty-first-century developments had their own unique contexts but what they had in common were a specific theological liberal mindset. In view of this discussion it is concluded that the DRC as a reformed church is not only caught up in an identity crisis, but even in a survival crisis of no small proportions. This also has serious implications for its use of Scripture and its confessional character. Only strong vision, able leadership and a rediscovery of the redeeming power of the cross and resurrection of Christ will be able to provide a remedial, positive, and dynamic solution, saving the DRC from an ever downward spiral.

Can� we� accept� the� Confession� of Belhar� (1986)� as� a� new� doctrinal confession? The possibility exists that the Dutch Refonned Church� (DRC)� could stop the process of� church� unity� in� its� own family� due� to� its� refusal� to� accept The Confession 1986 (Confession of� Belhar) as afourth refonned confession.� In this� article� the� question� of� acceptance� is� examined from four perspectives and� it� is� concluded� that� it should be� accepted� if� the DRC wants� to� gain credibility.� First� the� nature,� characteristics� and� history� of confessions oblige the Church� in difficult situations� to adopt new confessions.� Secondly the history of� the DRC and its family makes� it� imperative� to� overcome� the gulf between� believers from� the� same� tradition� through� the� "language� of confession".� Thirdly� the main� contents of� the� confession� is biblically sound while absolutism� of� different kinds� is� avoided.� Lastly� it� is� argued� that� the confession� satisfies� the� requirement� for� both� contextual� relevance� and universal applicability.

The church and its congregations are an important part of society. The aim of this article was to provide a description of the involvement of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) in a changing society. A short description of the changes in the South African society over the last 15�20 years was provided. The role and response of churches was then considered, and lastly, there was a more in-depth discussion on the involvement of the DRC, its leadership and its congregations in society. The argument of this article was that there is a movement towards less involvement in society by the DRC. The involvement of congregations is mostly on the level of welfare projects within an evangelist approach. It was argued that the challenge for congregations is to build partnerships of trust within their communities for the purpose of sustainable people development.

Local congregations as facilitators of collective grieving. Since 1990 South Africa has been characterised by far-reaching change in all spheres of society. A recent PhD dissertation completed at the University of Pretoria described the loss members of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) experience because of the rapid change. Experiences of loss are common enough to be described as collective experiences of a community. Resulting grief processes are long standing and unresolved. Grieving is the normal human response to loss, but many DRC members (and probably the denomination and the whole Afrikaans community), got stuck because of unresolved grief dynamics. The main contribution of this article is to argue that local communities of faith can serve its members and the community by accepting the task to initiate and guide collective grief processes. Intentional grief is seen as a ministry of hope, resulting in a new and more appropriate identity.

South Africa finds itself in a transition period on its way to a non-racial democracy and an integrated society. This is in contrast to a past charac­terized by apartheid. In this transition period, many South Africans and members of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) struggle with questions and uncertainties concerning a future dispensation for the country and the church issues that need to be addressed. The question is whether the DRC, and specifically the minister, can play an active role in the transition to an integrated South Africa by, for instance, facilitating acceptance, un­derstanding, peace and reconciliation among church members of all races within the congregation and wider contexts. It is probable that ministers have questions concerning their own role, as well as the role that church members expect of them to play during this transition period.

Abstract: In this article a comparative analysis of Duramazwi ReChiShona (DRC) and Duramazwi Guru ReChiShona (DGC) is made. Both DRC and DGC are monolingual Shona dictionaries compiled by a team of researchers under the African Languages Lexical (ALLEX) Project, now the African Languages Research Institute (ALRI). During the compilation process, DRC was known as the General Shona Dictionary and DGC as the Advanced Shona Dictionary. A simple analysis of these titles shows that the dictionaries are similar in some ways and also different in others. The writer tries to show the ways in which DGC is regarded as a more advanced dictionary when compared to DRC. Although the argument of the article is mainly built on those differences which make DGC the more advanced, attention is also paid to the similarities between the dictionaries.Keywords: ALLEX PROJECT, ALRI, DURAMAZWI RECHISHONA, DURAMAZWI GURU RECHISHONA, DICTIONARY, SHONA, HEADWORD, SENSE, MONOLINGUAL DICTIONARY, CORPUS, IDIOM, PROVERB, PITHY SAYINGOpsomming: 'n Gevorderde woordeboek? Ooreenkomste en verskille tussen Duramazwi ReChiShona en Duramazwi Guru ReChiShona. In hierdie artikel word 'n vergelykende ontleding van Duramazwi ReChiShona (DRC) en Duramazwi Guru ReChiShona (DGC) gemaak. Sowel die DRC en DGC is eentalige Sjonawoordeboeke, saamgestel deur ?n span navorsers by die African Languages Lexical (ALLEX) Project, tans die African Languages Research Institute (ALRI). Gedurende die samestellingsproses was DRC bekend as die Algemene Sjonawoordeboek en DGC as die Gevorderde Sjonawoordeboek. 'n Eenvoudige ontleding van hierdie titels toon dat die woordeboeke op sommige maniere eenders en op ander ook verskillend is. Die skrywer probeer die maniere aantoon waarop DGC beskou word as 'n meer gevorderde woordeboek wanneer dit met DRC vergelyk word. Alhoewel die argument van die artikel hoofsaaklik gebou is op daardie verskille wat DGC die gevorderdste maak, word ook aandag gegee aan die ooreenkomste tussen die woordeboeke.Sleutelwoorde: ALLEX PROJECT, ALRI, DURAMAZWI RECHISHONA, DURAMAZWI GURU RECHISHONA, WOORDEBOEK, SJONA, TREFWOORD, BETEKENIS, EENTALIGE WOORDEBOEK, KORPUS, IDIOOM, SPREEKWOORD, PITTIGE GESEGDE

The paper investigated religious and social transformations within a specific religious tradition in South Africa. After clarifying the charged concept of �transformation�, the authors showed that transformation is about more than changed systems and structures, for, on a deeper level, it is also about the change in relationships and attitudes between the different cultural groups in South Africa. The argument was supported by making use of data from the SA reconciliation barometer 2010 and the 2009 Transformation audit. In the next part of the paper, the authors took a closer look at the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) as a case in point. The basic question they asked was how do these social transformations affect the religious transformations within the DRC and vice versa? By making use of Mary Douglas�s concept of �the enclave� it was proposed that a new enclave developed in the DRC after 1994, the characteristics of which were investigated in the remainder of the paper.

Deliverance and divine healing, as well as the crucial historical aspect of the mission’s early proselytising and development in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), constitute the major characteristics of Pentecostalism. As they form a historical aspect of the mission’s development, it is not surprising that its preservation has not only remained at the core of the church’s ethos, but also continues to increase exponentially. This article investigated some praxis, specifically in the churches founded by the Congo Evangelistic Mission (CEM): the ransom and the fire, the laying of hands and anointing oil, successively as deliverance and divine healing practices. The purpose was to establish the extent to which these churches founded by CEM can move away from these practices and find in Christ the better life they seek. It is to critically reflect on the deliverance and divine healing practices in the church and how the applicability of these practices affects people’s lives, including members and non-members. The qualitative method was utilised for the study. Data was collected through in-depth (semi-structured) interviews and direct observation in the churches founded by the CEM. The findings of this study show that the emergence of these traditionalist practices in the churches founded by the CEM would inadvertently lead to a disregard for in-depth biblical and theological knowledge and eventually result in the further diminishment of the essence of the Christian faith. This study has two implications: (1) the spread of doctrinal abuses is largely due to ignorance and neglect of the church’s doctrines, particularly pneumatology (Pentecostal doctrine), even though the teaching of this doctrine has provided the Pentecostal theological context for the mission’s foundation since its inception. (2) The divisions within the CEM churches have become more frequent and thereby making it difficult for many pastors to lead their members, especially those with charismatic gifts (prophets, Balombi). Contribution: Focusing specifically on charismatic gifts, this article establishes theological guidelines that would revive the Church’s missiological impulse. The guidelines for dealing with these practices will better equip Pentecostal church members to practice the charismatic gifts in light of the New Testament perspectives.