Koers (E-Journal)
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Sex as an expression of hospitality - Theological investigation amongst some Africans
Full text linkBesides the fact that sexual relationships have been understood and misunderstood in different ways, the possibility of sexual abuse remains a big issue amongst African South Africans. It has been sexual relationships, amongst other factors that have been widely used to dominate one gender by the other. Sometimes because of their defencelessness women are perceived to enjoy the kind of sexual abuse they are subjected to. It is from attitude that some people, particularly men, come to the conclusion that sexual intercourse is another form of hospitality that can be offered to women. This kind of thinking has been fuelled by the traditional rejection of singlehood or widowhood and other related situations. It is for this reason that polygamy, levirate marriage and cohabitation have crept into the minds of some men. This paper will attempt to unveil how the thinking of sexual intercourse as hospitality has encouraged the domination and abuse of women in the African context. The study will also unveil how the gift of sex has been misunderstood and misinterpreted in order to subject women to sexual violence and harassmenthttps://doi.org/10.19108/KOERS.81.2.224
Defining integrated learning: perspectives from alumni of The Christian University in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
Full text linkThis article examines the various perspectives of alumni from the Christian Bilingual University of the Congo (UCBC) on the topic of integrated learning. In this article, both an understanding and a definition of the concept of integrated learning are achieved, by analysing data obtained from the twelve alumni. The tool used was semi-structured interviews. Five themes emerged as part of the definition of the concept. Firstly, integrated learning is a holistic education. Secondly, it is described as a complete education because it deals with all aspects of learners’ lives. Thirdly, integrated learning emphasises theory and practice and, fourthly, it prepares learners to be people of significance in their nation. Fifthly and lastly, it is a learner-centred process focused on building the inner person. These perspectives on integrated learning are judged to be important for Christian universities and higher education practitioners who are all invited to design ways of holistically involving learners in learning.https://doi.org/10.19108/KOERS.81.2.225
Christian philosophy of education in South Africa: the cultural-historical activity theory to the rescue?
Full text linkParents’ choice of schools for their children has become particularly problematic in the current circumstances because of the fact that most schools have become secular and hence cannot support Christian parents in their task of educating children in line with the former’s baptismal vow. In addition to this, Philosophy of Education has all but disappeared from teacher education curricula. These circumstances have not, however, detracted from Christian parents’, teachers’, caregivers’ and other educators’ need for a Christian Philosophy of Education. This article offers such a Philosophy of Education in the form of Biblical perspectives regarding the main facets of education couched in cultural-historical activity theory. This approach circumvents objections against a mere “grab bag” of Biblical perspectives about education as well as against yet another master theory or grand narrative about Christian education.https://doi.org/10.19108/KOERS.81.2.226
What are statues good for? Winning the battle or losing the battleground?
Full text linkIn South Africa the practice of toppling statues is as old as the practice of erecting them. The most recent episode in this history began in 2015 with the Rhodes Must Fall campaign at the University of Cape Town, from where it rapidly spread to sites throughout South Africa. Confronted with the fact that 97% of South Africa\u27s 3500 declared heritage sites related to white values and experiences at the end of the apartheid era and that there has been little progress towards crafting a more representative heritage landscape, one cannot dispute the Rhodes Must Fall assertion that South African statues anachronistically honour the leading figures of South Africa\u27s colonial and apartheid past. Observing that public debate around the statues was rapidly polarised into two camps, those who would defend the statues and those who would destroy them, this paper argues that neither option sufficiently addresses the multiple meanings of statues. By examining the changing public history discourses of the 20th century we propose a third approach grounded in post humanist arguments about the limitation of critique and the promise of care as an ethical, affective and practical pursuit. We argue that this post humanist approach to the question of what to do with statues in South Africa is capable of transforming them from fetishised objects of offence or of heritage into into points around which new publics can gather and through which the historical ontology of contemporary power dynamics can be accessed, interrogated and acted upon. https://doi.org/10.19108/KOERS.81.3.227
A History of the Reformational Movement in Britain. II: The Post-World-War II Years to the end of the Twentieth Century
Full text linkAbstractThis paper looks at the development of neo-Calvinism in Britain during the period after World War II (WWII). Though the term neo-Calvinism is broad, the focus here will be on the Reformational strand associated with the approach of Kuyper, Dooyeweerd and Vollenhoven.Keywords: neo-Calvinism, Reformational philosophy, Dooyeweerd, IARFA, Christian Studies Unit, WYSOCS, BritainOpsommingHierdie artikel kyk na die ontwikkeling van neo-Calvinisme in Brittanje gedurende die tydperk ná die Tweede Wêreldoorlog. Alhoewel die term neo-Calvinisme breed is, is die fokus hier op die Reformatoriese Strand wat saamhang met die benadering van Kuyper, Dooyeweerd en Vollenhoven.Sleutelwoorde: neo-Calvinisme, Reformatories filosofie, Dooyeweerd, IARFA, Christian Studies Unit, WYSOCS, Brittanjehttps://doi.org/10.19108/KOERS.81.1.225
The Marikana Massacre, labour and capitalism: Towards a Ricoeurian alternative
Full text linkThe purpose of this article is to critically discuss the tragedy that occurred between 11 and 16 August 2012 at the Lonmin Mine in Marikana, South Africa. Although the events leading up to the Marikana massacre were complex and not one single factor was responsible for the tragedy we will focus on the philosophical and anthropological aspect that may have influenced the breakdown of engagement between the management of Lonmin and workers. It will be argued that this breakdown may have been the result of reductionist anthropological trends that arise in capitalism. These trends selectively utilize modern economic principles to advance the profit motive of business and dehumanises workers. This dehumanisation is clear in the view of workers by the Lonmin management and breakdown of communication. In order to provide an alternative anthropology the philosophy of Paul Ricoeur with special reference to his work Fallible man (1986) is explored and applied as an alternative anthropology for the reductionist trends related to labour that sporadically arise in capitalism. This offers a balanced view that incorporates the aim of responsible business to make profit with that of a sustainable labour market.Keywords: Marikana massacre, economic philosophy, anthropology, Paul Ricoeur, respecthttps://doi.org/10.19108/KOERS.81.3.226
Enabling Liminary Prophetic Witness to Xenophobia in South Africa: A Missiological Spirit Response
No full textAbstract Missiological Spirit as multidisciplinary approach gives particular attention to how interaction with anthropology, sociology, theology and ritual studies can transform the Church in South Africa through reconceptualising some of the key Christian doctrines in the light of liminality theory. Through the case study of 2015 xenophobic attacks in South Africa that exemplifies the affinity between public speech and public violence, the article shows how Missiological Spirit framework can inspire and empower South African Christians to respond adequately to the plague of xenophobia through consciousness raising as means to prophetically resist violence entrenched in public speeches.Keywords: Public Speech, Missiological Spirit, South Africa, Xenophobia, liminality, Kingdom of God, EucharistOpsommingDie Missiologiese Gees is ‘n multidissiplinêre benadering tot die ekklesiologie wat gegrond is die begrip dat alles menslike kennis, insluitende sekulêre disciplines, ‘n mate van verlossende moontlikheid in hou, omdat die Gees vandie waarheid aktief betrokke is in elke dimensie van die menslike gees. In hierdie artikel veral kruis die gegewe met antropologie, teologie en studies van ritueel om aan te dui hoe hierdie dissiplines in interaksie kan tree om die Kerk in Suid-Afrika te transformer deur ‘n herkonseptualisering van sekere sleuteldoktrines van die Christendom in die lig van die teorie van liminaliteit. Deur ‘n gevallestudie van die 2015 xenofobiese aanvalle in Suid-Afrika wat die affiniteit van openbare redevoering en openbare geweld uitspel, toon die artikel aan hoe ‘n Missiologiese Geesraamwerk Suid-Afrikaanse Christene kan inspirer en versterk om toepaslik te reageer op die plaag van xenofobie deur bewusmaking as profetiese teenvoeter teen geweld.Sleutelwoorde: Openbare redevoering, Missiologiese Gees, Suid-Afrika, xenofobie, liminaliteit, God se koninkryk, Eucharisthttps://doi.org/10.19108/KOERS.81.1.221
Classroom management for optimal learning in a context of shared instructional leadership
No full textAbstractA growing body of scholarship links classroom management to effective teaching and learning. This article looks at the ‘what’ of classroom management that contributes to optimal learning. A qualitative investigation was undertaken based on individual interviews conducted at three primary schools in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Northwest Province. The findings show that functional arrangements in the classroom brought about by rules of conduct democratically determined engender an environment of consideration. The development of a caring environment and the fostering of a philosophy of respect create a sense of belonging that motivates learning engagement. Teachers who strive to be subject experts and who arrange classroom space and activities in such a way to involve all pupils in active participation contribute to self-realisation. A main limitation to classroom management is the lack of providing sufficiently for the learning needs of gifted pupils. The findings contribute to the discourse on classroom management for the sake of optimal learning.Key concepts: shared instructional leadership, functional arrangements, caring environment, philosophy of respect, sense of belonging, professional conductOpsomming‘n Groterwordende getal kundiges koppel klaskamerbestuur aan effektiewe onderrig en leer. Hierdie artikel kyk na die ‘wat’ van klaskamerbestuur wat tot optimale leer bydra. ‘n Kwalitatiewe ondersoek gebaseer op individuele onderhoudvoering is by drie laerskole in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal en die Noord-Wes provinsie onderneem. Die bevindings dui daarop dat funksionele reëlings in die klaskamer, wat deur gedragsreëls wat demokraties bepaal is teweeggebring word, ’n konsidererende omgewing tot gevolg het. Die ontwikkeling van ’n omgewing van omgee en die kweek van ’n filosofie van repek lei tot die skep van ’n gevoel van behoort wat leerbetrokkenheid aanmoedig. Onderwysers wat daarna streef om vakspesialiste te wees en wat klaskamerruimte en aktiwiteite op sodanige wyse reël dat alle leerlinge aktief betrokke is, dra tot selfverwesenliking by. ‘n Belangrike leemte met klaskamerbestuur is die in gebreke bly om genoegsaam in die leerbehoeftes van begaafde leerlinge te voorsien. Die bevindings dra by tot die diskoers oor klaskamerbestuur ter wille van optimale leer.Kernbegrippe: gedeelde onderrigleierskap, funksionele reëlings, omgewing van omgee, filosofie van respek, gevoel van behoort, professionele gedraghttps://doi.org/10.19108/KOERS.81.1.225
Editorial: KOERS Volume 81, No 3, 2016
Full text linkComing soon https://doi.org/10.19108/KOERS.81.3.227
Editorial: KOERS Volume 80, No 3, 2015
Full text linkEditorial: KOERS Volume 80, No 3, 2015Editorial: KOERS Volume 80, No 3, 2015https://doi.org/10.19108/KOERS.80.3.223