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Ecclesiology is the study of the church and has two focal points; the one is the historical and doctrinal perspective on the church, and the other is the church as situated in a local context in the sense of the local practices of actual congregations. The ecclesiology or, more correctly, the ecclesiologies of this volume mainly focuses on the second aspect, i.e., understanding the local congregation or parish as a community of believers. A congregation may firstly be described by posing a theological question: What is the local missional church or congregation all about? This question may be answered from different perspectives, but it remains essential to answer it from a theological perspective. The first five chapters in this book focus mainly on a theological understanding of the congregation. This is done from different disciplines within the study field of theology. Congregations are, secondly, social realities and should be described and analysed through an analytical or empirical lens, or, to answer the question attached to the first empirical-descriptive task of practical theology, “What is going on?”. The remaining chapters use a quantitative and qualitative lens and give an empirical analysis of the congregation. The intention is to critically reflect on the church and congregations’ ecclesiology from a theological and analytical perspective with an emphasis on the South African context. It wants to map markers for the development of contemporary ecclesiologies, and the different chapters are meant as mirrors to look in and reflect on the theological and contextual relevance of denominations and congregations in South Africa.

Knowledge transmission and generation belong to the core mission of the public university. In democratic South Africa, the transformation of these processes and practices in higher education has become an urgent and contested task. The Faculty of Theology at the University of the Free State has already done some original work on the implications of these for theology. One area of investigation that has not yet received due attention concerns the role of theological disciplines, and especially the relation between academic disciplines and societal dynamics. This research project addresses the challenge and this volume reflects the intellectual endeavour of lectures, research fellows and a post-graduate student associated with the faculty. Each theological discipline has its own history and has already experienced reconstruction, both globally and in South Africa. Some of these genealogical developments and re-envisioning are mapped by the contributions in this volume. The critical questions addressed are: what are the contours of the (post)apartheid condition and what are the implications for responsible disciplinary practices in theology? The chapters convey an impression of the vitality of theology at the University of the Free State and in South Africa and give expression to fundamental shifts that have taken place in theological disciplines, and also of future tasks. This research project aims to stimulate reflection on responsible and innovative disciplinary practices of theology in South Africa, which, we envisage, will contribute to social justice and human flourishing. -Rian Venter, University of the Free State

The book proposes a radical transformation of existing church and training models in South African Reformed ecclesial circles. It takes the theological discussion, especially in ecclesiology, to the next level and argues for new ways to express belief in ecclesial practice. The book provides a provocative strategic vision which takes the ecclesial challenges of the twenty-first century seriously. The book will benefit not only theologians in the academy but also church leaders. Firstly, a situational analysis which focuses on the circumstances and social standing of mainstream churches in the twenty-first century, is done. Current difficulties and obstacles are identified. These can be contributed mainly to the secularisation and post-Christian tendencies of the era subsequent to the two world wars. Secondly, the responsible renewal of and much needed amendments to the structures of South African Protestant faith communities in a postmodern, postliberal, postcolonial context are proposed. The authority of scripture and the creeds of these churches are foundational for sensible renewal. The book dialogues with the relevant existing literature as it develops its ‘missional’ approach to being church in the world today. The investigation is thorough, the argumentation sound and the book makes an original and thought-provoking contribution to the field. The contribution includes biblical perspectives on ecclesial communities, a historical overview of the growth and decline of mainstream churches, insights with regard to the available empirical data, and strategies for the future. The work attests to sound methodology and a strong theoretical foundation. Literature from various parts of the world is utilised, which provides both breadth and depth to the work. The author displays an impressive ability to integrate findings from various fields and disciplines., In die boek word voorgestel dat bestaande kerklike- en opleidingsmodelle in die Suid-Afrikaanse Hervormde ekklesiastiese kringe, ‘n ingrypende transformasie behoort te ondergaan. Dit neem die teologiese debat, veral in die ekklesiologie, tot die volgende vlak, en bepleit nuwe maniere om aan die geloof in kerklike praktyk, uiting te gee. Die boek verskaf ‘n uitdagende strategiese visie wat die kerklike uitdagings van die een-en-twintigste eeu ernstig opneem. Die boek sal nie net vir teoloë in die akademie tot voordeel wees nie, maar ook vir kerkleiers. Eerstens is daar ‘n situasie-ontleding gedoen wat op die omstandighede en die sosiale status van hoofstroomkerke in die een-en-twintigste eeu, gekonsentreer het. Huidige probleme en struikelblokke is geïdentifiseer. Dit kan hoofsaaklik toegeskryf word aan die sekularisasie en na-Christelike tendense van die tydperk na die twee wêreldoorloë. Tweedens word voorgestel dat die vernuwing van en die broodnodige wysigings aan die strukture van die Suid-Afrikaanse Protestantse geloofgemeenskape in ‘n postmoderne, postliberale en postkoloniale verband, op ‘n verantwoordelike manier gedoen word. Die gesag van die Skrif en die geloofsbelydenisse van hierdie kerke is die grondslag vir ‘n sinvolle hernuwing. In die boek word gesprek gevoer met die tersaaklike, bestaande literatuur soos wat dit sy missionale benadering om vandag kerk in die wêreld te wees, ontwikkel. Die ondersoek is deeglik, die bewysvoering is betroubaar en die boek lewer ‘n oorspronklike en gedagteprikkelende bydrae op dié gebied. Die bydrae sluit in Bybelse perspektiewe en dié van kerklike gemeenskappe, ‘n historiese oorsig van die ontwikkeling en agteruitgang van die hoofstroomkerke, insigte met betrekking tot die beskikbare empiriese gegewens en strategieë vir die toekoms. Die werk getuig van ‘n deeglike metodologie en ’n sterk teoretiese grondslag. Literatuur van verskeie dele van die wêreld is gebruik, wat breedte en diepte aan die werk verleen. Die outeur vertoon ‘n indrukwekkende vermoë deur die bevindinge van talryke gebiede te integreer.