Challenges of divorcees in the Reformed Churches of South Africa within the Vhembe District: towards Afro-sensed approach to pastoral care and counselling
Author(s)
Mulovhedzi, Takalani PeterKeywords
DivorceDivorcees
Pastoral Care
Pastoral Counselling
Support
261.835980968257
Divorce -- Religious aspects
Divorced women -- South Africa --Limpopo
Divorced people -- South Africa -- Limpopo
Single women --South Africa -- Limpopo
Displaced homemakers --South Africa -- Limpopo
Divorced mothers -- South Africa -- Limpopo
Church work with divorced people -- South Africa -- Limpopo
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http://hdl.handle.net/11602/666Abstract
PHD (African Studies)Center for African Studies
The challenges facing divorcees when it comes to pastoral care and counselling are among the
 toughest to face members of the Reformed Churches South Africa (RCSA) in the Vhembe District
 today. There are many people in South Africa who are experiencing the pain of being divorced.
 The RCSA in the Vhembe District are also faced with this challenge and it affects their doctrines
 and their practical ministries. These challenges also affect the pastors of the RCSA.
 The aim of this research is to investigate the challenges that divorcees face regarding pastoral care
 and counselling in the RCSA in the Vhembe District, Limpopo, South Africa in order to develop
 an approach to pastoral care and counselling to support divorcees so that they may learn to cope
 with their challenges. Caring and counselling for the divorcees is the primary mission of the church.
 The study utilised a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive, and contextual design to obtain data
 from the participants within the RCSA in the Vhembe District. A sample of 30 participants
 (divorcees) from the RCSA in the Vhembe District was used. Data were collected on an individual
 basis by means of unstructured interviews. The qualitative data were collected and analysed using
 the six steps of open coding proposed by Tesch in an effort to understand personal experiences of
 divorcees.
 The research used Graham Redding’s approach to establish trustworthiness. The study adhered to
 four criteria to assess the value of the findings of qualitative research, namely credibility, applicability,
 consistency, and conformability. The ethical considerations were taken into account.
 The findings of this study show that divorcees experience many challenges, and that Reformed
 pastors are not equipped and not doing enough to address those challenges. This research helps to
 enhance the quality of pastoral care and counselling to the divorcees within the RCSA in the
 Vhembe District. The findings and recommendations of the study are useful in guiding all
 Reformed pastors in providing pastoral care and counselling to divorcees.
Date
2017-04-05Type
ThesisIdentifier
oai:univendspace.univen.ac.za:11602/666http://hdl.handle.net/11602/666
Copyright/License
University of VendaCollections
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