Empirical research and congregational analysis: some methodological guidelines for the South African context

Empirical research is an inescapable part of responsible congregational analysis. The first question pertains to the value and contribution that empirical research has made to the process of congregational analysis. This article will briefly refer to such contributions. Such analysis can be approac...

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Main Authors: M. Nel, W. J. Schoeman
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of the Free State 2015-12-01
Series:Acta Theologica
Online Access:https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2728
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author M. Nel
W. J. Schoeman
author_facet M. Nel
W. J. Schoeman
author_sort M. Nel
collection DOAJ
description Empirical research is an inescapable part of responsible congregational analysis. The first question pertains to the value and contribution that empirical research has made to the process of congregational analysis. This article will briefly refer to such contributions. Such analysis can be approached from many different angles and in many different ways. The question remains: Which principles and guidelines should be taken into account when we do such an analysis? On top of all of this is the challenge to do it within the South African context. What should a congregational analysis which will help South African congregations look like? In the search for some methodological guidelines for congregational analysis for the South African context there will, firstly, be a discussion of a number of theological points of departure for a congregational analysis. Following on that will be the methodological guidelines for congregational analysis and, thirdly, guidelines for the South African context will be discussed. The argument in the article ends with a critical reflection of the markers discussed, and a look at the road ahead.
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spelling doaj-art-b4697fee2499490c86a06ca69164ba632025-02-11T09:54:00ZengUniversity of the Free StateActa Theologica1015-87582309-90892015-12-012210.38140/at.v0i22.2728Empirical research and congregational analysis: some methodological guidelines for the South African contextM. Nel0W. J. Schoeman1University of Pretoria, South AfricaUniversity of the Free State, South Africa Empirical research is an inescapable part of responsible congregational analysis. The first question pertains to the value and contribution that empirical research has made to the process of congregational analysis. This article will briefly refer to such contributions. Such analysis can be approached from many different angles and in many different ways. The question remains: Which principles and guidelines should be taken into account when we do such an analysis? On top of all of this is the challenge to do it within the South African context. What should a congregational analysis which will help South African congregations look like? In the search for some methodological guidelines for congregational analysis for the South African context there will, firstly, be a discussion of a number of theological points of departure for a congregational analysis. Following on that will be the methodological guidelines for congregational analysis and, thirdly, guidelines for the South African context will be discussed. The argument in the article ends with a critical reflection of the markers discussed, and a look at the road ahead. https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2728
spellingShingle M. Nel
W. J. Schoeman
Empirical research and congregational analysis: some methodological guidelines for the South African context
Acta Theologica
title Empirical research and congregational analysis: some methodological guidelines for the South African context
title_full Empirical research and congregational analysis: some methodological guidelines for the South African context
title_fullStr Empirical research and congregational analysis: some methodological guidelines for the South African context
title_full_unstemmed Empirical research and congregational analysis: some methodological guidelines for the South African context
title_short Empirical research and congregational analysis: some methodological guidelines for the South African context
title_sort empirical research and congregational analysis some methodological guidelines for the south african context
url https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2728
work_keys_str_mv AT mnel empiricalresearchandcongregationalanalysissomemethodologicalguidelinesforthesouthafricancontext
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