Local Church Research Articles

The Creative Tension between the Universal Church and the Local Church

The universal dimension of the Church does not always go hand in hand with the fact that it has to manifest itself in a local community, that is to say, a local Church presided by a bishop. History has witnessed that sometimes there were tensions between the two. The solutions offered are oftentimes one-sided. One may become either a staunch defender of universality or a radical proponent of the local Church. However, neither of these two positions are fruitful for the growth of the Church worldwide among the faithful: while holding one dimension, one can easily overlook the other. Ecclesiology might have to explore different approaches that can relate these positions, bearing in mind the needs of the local Church and the fatihful. What is needed in dealing with the tension is creativity. The tension may never be resolved without being creative in exploring new ways of constructing local theologies.

Besluitneming in die Gereformeerde Kerkverband

Decision-making in the Reformed Churches in South Africa The hypothesis for this article is that no complete certainty can exist on whether a resolution taken by a meeting of people is an authoritative expression of the will of God. The church [ekklésia] of Christ refers to the universal church of all times and places, as well as the local church (congregation). The general nature of collective decision-making involves the notions of representation and voting. The Reformation liberated churches from the overlordship of Rome, but also had the unintended consequence of the entrenchment of the liberal notions of individual sovereignty and self-sufficiency. The foundational Reformed confessional documents were formulated and adopted at gatherings convened and overseen by extra-clerical (state) institutions. It is likely that decision-making in the churches was directly influenced by the rationalism, humanism, and liberalism that has been influential since the 17th century. Contemporary participants in collective decision-making can find it difficult to distinguish between liberal-democratic processes and those of the church. Christ is the only head of his church and exegesis and hermeneutics are not exact sciences, it is, however, possible to deliberate on alternative Scriptural interpretations, but impossible to prove one to be correct and the other false. The inability of a major assembly of churches to resolve an exegetical question unanimously, attests to the human inability to know the will of God completely. Resolutions of major assemblies should be subject to unrestricted revision as the assemblies are not meetings of a church or of the church itself. Influential opinions among Reformed authors hover between independentism and collegialism, both having been influenced by liberal thinking.Contribution: A range of interdependent matters need to be clarified to resolve questions concerning representation in and decision-making by major assemblies. A list of such questions has been set out at the end of the article.

Spiritual Memory, Spatial Affects and Churchstateness in a Popular Uprising in Afro Colombia’s Pacific Littoral

ABSTRACT This article analyzes the leadership of the local Catholic Church in a forceful social movement of resistance against long-dated marginalization, inequality, and multi-faceted forms of violence in the main city-port in Colombia’s pacific littoral: Buenaventura’s Civic Strike process. Based on interviews conducted with religious and lay participants, it explores how spiritual memory, social space, and collective affects act as the enabling condition for this leadership, a condition that the interviewees characterize as a relation of trust between people and Church. The paper argues that this affect of trust implies complex intersections between social protest, Church and State that require, in turn, a different conceptualization of the social space. One that challenges secularism as an epistemology of the social by overcoming its distinctive clear-cut divisions between Church and State, and between State and civil society. The notion of “churchstateness,” proposed in recent literature, is hence tested as an alternative analytic.

Nota Ecclesiae. Katolickość w świetle włoskiej eklezjologii posoborowej

We can understand catholicity as a gift and task for the Church. In catholicity is written not only the diversity of charismas, spiritual and liturgical traditions, and ministries, but also the diversity of local Churches. It is obvious, that inculturation, catholicity, mission and ecumenism are interconnected. Catholicity is a feature of the Church that expresses the fullness, integrity, and whole life of Christ. It is the essential element of the communion, gathering all people, races and cultures in a community where the one Church of God is revealed and realized. The above issues were presented in the light of post-conciliar Italian ecclesiology.

Paul's Principles of Pastoral Care in Acts 20:17-38 and His Challenges to Pastoral Leaders

This article aims to analyze the pastoral service practices of Paul that are worthy of being imitated by the local church leaders today by focusing on the content of his farewell speech to the elders of the church in Ephesus based on Luke's record in Acts 20:17-38. The narrative hermeneutic method will analyze each statement related to his service actions. The results of the analysis show the pastoral service practices that are lived, taught, and need to be imitated by church leaders today in Indonesia. The study results show that the Apostle Paul presents the principles of pastoral service that are timeless and relevant to the context of local church service today. The fundamental principles he taught and the challenges pastoral leaders face today are: First, making the most of time. Pastoral leaders in the present era are challenged to maximize every opportunity in their service, especially amid many distractions and demands of the times. Second, he emphasizes the importance of humility in service. Today's leaders must be aware of the danger of arrogance and constantly realize their trustworthy source of strength. Third, Paul not only serves with enthusiasm but also with deep emotion. This challenges today's church leaders to engage emotionally, empathize with the congregation, and feel grief and joy with them. Fourth, he often faces threats and dangers in his service. Church leaders must be ready to face challenges, especially when voicing the truth of the Bible in an increasingly secular cultural context. Fifth, serving with teaching. He emphasizes the importance of correct and profound teaching. In the information age full of false teachings, pastoral leaders are challenged to continue to provide teaching based on the Bible and relevant to their congregation.

Navigating change and shaping missions: a study of Notre Dame College's educational aims within the Holy Cross congregation in Bangladesh

The Congregation of Holy Cross has been working on evangelisation and education in Bangladesh for more than 170 years. This paper examines and discusses the educational aims of highly reputed institution of Holy Cross Congregation, Notre Dame College (NDC). It also examines how NDC negotiated historical changes – internal and external – and how those changes shaped its educational missions. This study is based on the examination of written documents – primary and secondary – and fieldwork involving oral history interviews of Holy Cross personnel, both local and foreign, who are/were involved either in the teaching or administration with NDC. Eighteen participants were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. Data analysis involves a holistic examination of transcriptions, documents, and field notes. Key points from interviews, along with other data, are categorised thematically and chronologically. The paper argues that NDC had a distinctive aim as part of its elite education. It primarily aimed at developing and empowering the minority Catholic community in Bangladesh and developing and preparing clergies to establish a self-supporting and self-governing church in Bangladesh. Secondly, it aimed at the diffusion of the Christian spirit and morals to the elite youth of the country. The paper argues that as NDC went through significant changes to the political and educational shifts over the period, so did its educational aims. In addition, the paper argues that with regard to education policies and strategies, HC education at NDC had a different approach from that of education provided by the government. The paper illustrates how NDC has been seen as quite successful in its missions of raising native clergy and establishing a local church.

Ministering to Single Parents among Young Adults in Central Monrovia District, Liberia

It was unusual for single parents to exist in Africa. It’s a rapidly expanding family pattern these days. A few of the difficulties associated with being a single parent are insecurity about raising children on one’s own without assistance, poverty, loneliness, and resentment toward the missing spouse. It is regrettable that certain churches that are supposed to support this group of individuals also fall short of their obligations. Attention must be paid to the social stigma, financial difficulties, humiliation, and derision that lone parents endure. This study investigates how churches in Central Monrovia District, Liberia, provide support to young adults who are single parents. This was achieved through a qualitative study and the study concluded that local churches in the Central Monrovia District of Seventh-day Adventist do not seem to have intentional programs for ministering to single parents within their congregations. It concluded that there was a quest for love among the single parents and they all needed attention, care and wanted to be treated fairly and given equal opportunities to serve in their local churches.

Prostate cancer knowledge and barriers to screening among men at risk in northern Tanzania: A community-based study

BackgroundAlthough prostate cancer (Pca) screening plays important role in early diagnosis and reduction of mortality, Tanzanian men are relatively unscreened. We aimed to investigate Pca knowledge level and barriers to screening among at-risk men in northern Tanzania. MethodsThis community-based survey was conducted in northern Tanzania from May to September 2022, involving men age ≥40 years. Participants were invited by announcing in local churches, mosques, brochures, and social media groups. Participants attended a nearby health facility where survey questionnaires were administered. Knowledge level was measured on the Likert scale and scored as poor (<50 %) or good (≥50 %). ResultsA total of 6205 men with a mean age of 60.23 ± 10.98 years were enrolled in the study. Of these, 586 (9.5 %) had ever been screened for Pca. Overall, 1263 men (20.4 %) had good knowledge of Pca. Having health insurance, knowing at least 1 risk factor or symptoms of Pca, and hospital as the source of Pca information were significantly associated with ever being screened. The most common reasons for not being screened were a belief that they are healthy (n = 2983; 53.1 %), that Pca is not a serious disease (n = 3908; 69.6 %), and that digital rectal examination (DRE) as an embarrassing (n = 3634; 64.7 %) or harmful (n = 3047; 54.3 %) procedure. ConclusionHaving Pca knowledge, health insurance and hospital source of information were correlated with increased screening. False beliefs about DRE and the seriousness of Pca had negative effects on screening. Increasing community knowledge and universal health coverage would improve uptake of Pca screening.

Opioid Misuse Harm Reduction.

The misuse of opioids by the public is a major health issue. Prescription opioids and nonprescription opioids, such as heroin and opium, are misused in epidemic proportions. When opioids are used incorrectly or illegally, they can lead to drug dependence, addiction, morbidity, and mortality. This program is in collaboration with the Jolt Foundation that provides resources to prevent opioid overdose deaths. This program involves community education on the dangers of opioid use and training on the use of naloxone rescue procedures to prevent overdose deaths. A pretest-posttest design was employed to determine if participants gained knowledge regarding the naloxone administration procedures. The researcher presented 10 community naloxone trainings that included staff from 20 different social service agencies, two schools, and three local churches. Each agency received at least one naloxone kit. The outcomes were met and included educating 137 participants on the risk factors and signs and symptoms of opioid overdose and the proper procedure to administer naloxone. One hundred twenty-eight posttests were returned and showed that the objectives for the project were met. The overall mean score for the pretests was 65.00 ( n = 126) with a standard deviation of 19.01, and the overall mean for the posttests was 86.64 ( n = 128) with a standard deviation of 14.60. Community social service agency staff were successfully educated to respond appropriately to overdose situations in a group training setting as evidenced by significant posttest scores.

Reforma kalendarza w Cerkwi prawosławnej w Polsce w latach 1923-1925

The decision to reform the calendar in the Orthodox Church was made by Ecumenical Patriarch Gregory VII. The new style was to be introduced on March 10, 1924. The patriarch's resolution was met with mixed feelings, opening a period of stormy synodal discussions in local Orthodox Churches. In Poland, the calendar issue turned into a political problem due to the intervention of government authorities in the internal life of the Church. The Orthodox population treated the above decision as a violation of religious freedoms. The lack of reception of the synodal act of April 12, 1924 regarding the adoption of a new style by Orthodox believers in Poland forced the Holy Synod to change its position on this matter. At the meeting of August 16, 1924, the Orthodox episcopate decided to repeal the previous resolution on the mandatory use of the new style wherever the faithful required it. The issue of the reform of the Church calendar has proven that when making such decisions, the Polish government and the Church hierarchy must take into account the position of the faithful. As a result, the Orthodox Church remained in the old style throughout the country, with the exception of the capital city of Warsaw.

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION AS AN IMPETUS FOR COMFLICT MANAGEMENT IN A MULTI-STAFF PASTORAL MINISTRY

he paper titled “Effective Communication as an Impetus for Conflict Management in a Multi-staff Pastoral Setting” is descriptive research that explore the conflict management models, communication tools in Multi Pastoral setting. Knowing fully well that the work of ministry is enormous, there is therefore the need to engage more than one pastors in a local church to effectively facilitate ministerial assignments. Accomplishing this comes with several changes, conflict inclusive. Hence, the researcher interest in engaging meaningful communication to salvage conflict among members of pastoral staff. Thus, the paper clarifies the concepts, multi-pastoral Staff ministry, effective communication, and Conflict management. The work further probes into nature of conflict in multi-pastoral staff ministry and addresses the issue of managing conflict using effective communication principles. The research discovered that conflict among members of pastoral team can be managed when all pastoral team prepared to communicate well and clearly; they are ready to not only seek to be understood but to also understand, they are mindful of their tones as well as the basic content of the message; they consult with others whenever major decisions are to be taken, among others.

Worship Leader Training (Theory and Practice) for Lay Pastoral Servants at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, Tomohon

Lay Pastoral Ministers (PPA) are laity who are called and sent among the faithful and the community to carry out the pastoral care of the local Church. PPA in the Parish of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Tomohon, specifically ministers in the field of spirituality numbered approximately 153 people spread across 51 groups of people called spiritual areas. The Spiritual Area is a Church Base Community (KBG) consisting of 30-40 families whose number of people is around 90-125 people per KBG. Thus, PPA in the Parish of the Sacred Heart of Jesus serves approximately 4,229 people. One form of service is the Liturgical Apostolic in the form of the Worship of the Word which is held regularly and other Worship such as the Thanksgiving Service and the Worship of the Spirits which are held in due time. Facing the needs of worship services, both held regularly and at any time, PPA generally has difficulties when it comes to leading worship. In general, they still use the old Code of Worship because PPAs have not received socialization and training on the use of the new Code of Worship formulation. Departing from the above problems, through this Faith-Based Community Service activity, the service and team and also through collaboration with the Spiritual Field of the Pastoral Council at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Tomohon Parish, will organize training activities for PPA, especially about leading worship. With the implementation of this training, it is expected to have a good and effective impact on PPA and other participants and also provide knowledge and skills so that worship in each KBG can be carried out properly and the faith of the people will grow and develop..

Book Review: E. Öhlmann and J. Stork (Eds.), Religious Communities and Ecological Sustainability in Southern Africa and Beyond

This is a book review of Philipp Öhlmann &amp; Juliane Stork (Eds.), Religious Communities and Ecological Sustainability in Southern Africa and Beyond, Globethics Sustainability Series No. 1, Geneva: Globethics Publications, 2024, ISBN 978-2-88931-548-2. Following the great importance of the Southern African region for the debates on Sustainability and Climate change, the proposed book tackles many of the issues around the topic. Extracted from the 2020 expert consultations Religious Communities and Ecological Sustainability in Southern Africa (RCSD Berlin) and Water, Environment and Climate Action (WECARE), from one side, and the conference Churches in Southern Africa as Civil Society Actors for Ecological Sustainability (University of Pretoria), the volume presents a plethora of articles and contributions offering an extensive dive on issues such as the role of local churches and congregations in sustainable development, resources for scholars to analyze the best practice cases, inquiries on the future of the region, and more.

MAINTAINING WALKING THROUGH WALK ON!: A COMMUNITY-BASED WALKING PROGRAM FOR OLDER ADULTS

Abstract The NIA-funded LIFE study showed that a walking-based intervention prevents mobility disability, even in those with compromised walking ability. However, increases in activity were not maintained following cessation of the intervention, suggesting novel approaches and accessible opportunities are needed to provide continued support for this population to maintain increased walking. We previously reported high feasibility and acceptability from a pilot of a supervised, group-based, and fee-for-service walking program (Walk On!) for adults with mobility challenges. The program focuses on walking stamina, and takes place two days/week for 12 weeks. Walk On! was offered for a total of ten consecutive sessions from late 2017 until March 2020 at a local church. The majority of attendees were &amp;gt;75 years (71%), female (65%), and had low levels of physical function (usual gait speed=0.79±0.16; 31% used an assistive device). Of the 49 unique (first-time) attendees who registered for Walk On!, only 18 (37%) did not re-register for at least one subsequent session. Thus, 63% (n=31) registered for at least 2 sessions, 51% (n=25) for at least 3 sessions, 20 (41%) for at least 4 sessions, and 15 (31%) for at least 5 of the 10 sessions. Mean attendance at scheduled group walking days for all attendees was 77%±21% for all attendees and did not decrease substantially for those attending multiple sessions. The safe, social, and accessible community-based Walk On! program may be one approach to sustain walking for older adults with mobility challenges. Future research will focus on measuring individual characteristics associated with maintenance.

UN SECOL DE PREZENŢĂ A CREŞTINILOR DUPĂ EVANGHELIE ÎN CRAIOVA

Brethren in Romania dates back to the end of the 19th century, when the first Brethren Assemblies opened in Bucharest, initially in French. Since then it has spread nationwide, first to Muntenia and then to other historical regions. But the Great Union brought them all together under one national roof. Shortly before the First World War, Brethren made their presence felt in Oltenia, thus becoming chronologically the third region with assemblies (churches) that were later called Bretren. The first community was formed in the commune of Goicea Mare in Dolj county. From there they arrived in Craiova, where in 1924 they formed a community of believers. Over the course of a century, the Brethren community in Craiova has gone through different periods, from the years of establishment and development, to the construction of the first building, to the closure in the time of Antonescu, to the time of communist persecution with various problems, to the threat of demolition to the systematization and until today, when there are two local churches in the city. Their historical background is the story of some of the outcasts of the Bănia Fortress.

RECRUITING THE MINORITIZED: AFRICAN AMERICAN BEREAVED DEMENTIA CAREGIVERS

Abstract Central to this project was recruiting and learning from African American people, who are underrepresented in Bereaved Dementia Caregiver research. Initially this project was conceptualized with the intent of recruiting a wide range of people of African or Caribbean descent, given the geographic presence of large contingents of African Immigrants in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. In talking to our community partners prior to launch, we elected to restrict participation to those who identified as, or identified as serving, African Americans specifically. Our recruitment strategies were largely informed by deep community engagement built through academic, personal, and non-profit partnerships over several years. We also sought to synergize recruitment efforts for this project with another effort targeting augmentations of dementia friendliness in local African American churches. In discussing recruitment strategies we also sought to hear from those who may not be those traditionally heard from. For instance, to include younger individuals, we recruited contacts through our local Alzheimer’s Association chapter’s Young Champions group. Likewise, because churches are often a major source of African American participant recruitment, we contacted individuals at the Volunteers of America to recruit. Finally, we intentionally broke our recruitment plan into stages (recruiting a handful of individuals at a time) to ensure that participants could nominate those they thought might be most important to hear from within their own communities. This intellectual humility was essential to doing this work properly and maximizing the potential of our results to help African American Bereaved Dementia Caregivers.

“Hagiological Patronage” – a Theological Reflection on the Traces of Memory of Blessed Dorothy of Mątowy (in Poland)

The article presents the issue of holiness shown in the patronage of a medieval mystic and recluse living in Prussia (today's northern Poland). The study is included in the current reflection on the teaching of Francis on the universal call to holiness. The aim of the undertaken research is to define the relevance of the model of holiness presented by Blessed Dorota of Mątowy (1347-1394). The arguments are based on two sets of information: a map of Dorota's Polish places of worship and a work describing her life by Jan of Kwidzyn. Most signs of the cult of the recluse can be found in the following towns: Mątowy Wielkie, Kwidzyn, Elbląg, Gdańsk, Dorotowo, Koszalin. There are churches dedicated to Bl. Dorothy, and her images. In the liturgical calendar, the mystic is mentioned in the Archdiocese of Warmia and Gdańsk as well as in the Diocese of Elbląg and Koszalin-Kołobrzeg. The fame of her holiness developed immediately after her death. The beatification process was initiated several times and the cult was approved in 1976. The charism of Dorota is characterized by the love of God, penance, pilgrimage and steadfastness in faith. Spirituality developed according to this model and is close to the needs of Catholics living in dioceses where she is remembered. It is legitimate for these local churches to promote the Dorothean model of piety as appropriate to correlate the spiritual needs of contemporary Christians with the universal call to holiness.

Becoming Pastors: The Russian Orthodox Parish Clergy and Civil Society in the Last Decades of the Russian Empire

The American scholar Daniel Scarborough has written a monograph dedicated to the history of the Russian Orthodox clergy in the late imperial regime. This work both encapsulates recent developments in the historiography of the imperial Russian Orthodox Church and contributes fresh archival research, principally using documents held in repositories in Moscow and Tver. His main focus is the mutual aid networks in which the clergy participated. Created over the course of the nineteenth century, these mutual aid networks were initially aimed at distributing resources among poor members of the clerical estate: the development of these networks was facilitated by the freedom of association granted to the clergy by the imperial state. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Scarborough argues, these networks began to lose their estate focus, both supporting and including members of the laity: this was partially a response to the fact that the material position of the clergy was heavily dependent on the material condition of the laity and partially due to the fact that the clergy slowly began to lose their estate focus and transform into a profession focused on the spiritual and material wellbeing of the Orthodox flock. Scarborough emphasises several key moments (such as the famine of 1891–1892) and institutions (the seminary, for example) to demonstrate the extent to which clerical support networks included members of the laity and the forces that either facilitated or blocked this development. He concludes that while the clerical mutual aid networks did succeed, to some extent, in incorporating members of the laity, they were hampered by the imperial state’s attempts to strictly control the clergy and use them as cheap civil servants, police officials, and propagandists: equally, while sometimes supporting the expansion of clerical aid networks, the episcopate and the Synod was often concerned to ensure that the Church’s thinly-spread resources were mostly used to support the members and institutions of the clerical estate. All of this damaged the prestige of the clergy in the eyes of their parishioners and made them less willing to transfer scarce resources to clerical networks. Only with the all-Russia local church council of 1917–1918 did the Russian Orthodox Church fully incorporate the laity, a step which allowed the institution to survive Bolshevik rule.

“WE DON’T AGE ALONE; WE AGE AS A COMMUNITY”: BARRIERS AND ENABLERS OF AGING WELL IN BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN OLDER ADULTS

Abstract Eurocentric understandings of successful aging privilege optimal physical and cognitive health, absence of disease and disability, and active social engagement in later life. This marginalizes the experiences of diverse older adults who may live with chronic conditions but maintain a good quality of life, supported by factors such as spirituality, resilience, and close familial ties. Further, this approach is myopic because it fails to capture social determinants of health (SDOH) that influence the aging process over time. The Perceptions of Aging Well in Diverse Older Adults study is a 5-year series that seeks to identify: 1) micro-, meso- and macro-level factors that shape aging well in racial/ethnic minority older adults, and 2) strategies to support aging well in racial/ethnic minority older adults. This presentation highlights preliminary findings from a sub-study with Black/African American participants. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 community-dwelling Black/African American adults age 50+ (14 females, 9 males; mean age = 71.2 years). Thematic analysis of the interview data showed that neighborhood safety, food insecurity, pharmacy deserts, adverse childhood experiences, structural racism, and everyday micro-aggressions shaped perceptions of aging well in powerful ways. Strong kinship bonds and a desire to leave a legacy of resilience and empowerment for younger generations motivated participants to engage in prosocial activities such as volunteering in local church communities. These findings suggest that along with addressing key SDOH, fostering generativity through teaching and mentoring, creative arts, and taking on community leadership roles may enhance subjective well-being in Black/African American older adults.

Autocephaly of 1448 and relations between the Russian Church and Local Churches

Autocephaly of 1448 and relations between the Russian Church and Local Churches