Christians in South Africa: The statistical picture

Christians in South Africa; The statistical pictureGovernment censuses since 1960 indicate that the religious picture was already largely fixed by the 1950s. Already at that stage some 3 out of 4 South Africans identified themselves as ‘Christians’. Since then this percentage grew steadily, mainly because of ongoing growth in the christianising of the black population. The high percentage of people who didn’t supply any religious information during the 1991 census makes recent analysis difficult. However, two trends seem clear: (a) the movement towards African Independent Churches (AICs) is continuing, and(b) a significant number joins the newer Apostolic/Charismatic churches. Another reality is the presence of Christian nominality, which is not refiected in the census figures, but can be as high as 75%

“The Christian in society”: Reading Barth’s Tambach lecture (1919) in its German context

This article analyses Karl Barth’s 1919 Tambach lecture on “The Christian in society” in the context of post World War I Europe. After describing Barth’s early life and his move away from liberal theology, the five sections of the Tambach lecture are analysed. Barth’s early dialectical theology focussed on: Neither secularising Christ nor clericalising society; Entering God’s movement in society; Saying Yes to the world as creation (regnum naturae); Saying No to evil in society (regnum gratiae); respecting God’s reign as beyond our attempts (regnum gloriae)

Tambach remixed: “Christians in South African society”

This article flows from the previous one, which analysed Karl Barth’s Tambach lecture in its original German context. It uses the musical metaphor of “remixing” to describe the recontextualising of Barth’s Tambach approach in contemporary South African society. After recontextualising the theological foundations of the Tambach lecture, Barth’s three viewpoints (regnum naturae, regnum gratiae, regnum gloriae) are recontextualised for South Africa, addressing the issue of poverty as an example

Faith to faith : missiology as encounterology

This article responds to a book edited by Prof PGJ Meiring in 1996 on the religions of South Africa. It appreciates the integration between the fields of Religious Studies and Theology of Religions in the book, but suggests that a missiological approach should explore the inter-religious encounter, rather than merely what others believe or what we believe about the possibility of their being saved. An approach of “encounterology” requires: a) a holistic and reflexive process that considers seven different dimensions of the encounter; b) a dialogical approach in which a Christian enters into a journey of mutual witness with a follower of another faith. The article uses a seven-point praxis cycle to indicate what such an encounterology could look likeChristian Spirituality Church History and MissiologyResearch Institute for Theology and Religio

Prevention of wound sepsis in amputations by peri-operative antibiotic cover with an amoxycillin-clavulanic acid combination

In a series of 44 patients with lower limb ischaemia requiring amputation for major limb sepsis, the performance of a new antibiotic combination with Blactamase- inhibiting properties, amoxycillin plus . clavulanic acid (A-CA) (Augmentin; Beecham), was compared with that of penicillin in the prevention of wound infection. The sepsis rate of ·12,9% in the group of patients receiving peri-operative A-CA was significantly lower than the 76,9% in the penicillin control group (x2 = 14,48; P<O,OO1).lt is concluded that there is a need for peri-operative antibiotic cover in this situation and that A-CA appears to be highly effective. No statistical difference was found as regards development of sepsis in wounds closed primarily or left open while under A-CA cover

Name, name, name ... ’n blik op die name van die Onafhanklike Swart Kerke

In the South African population censuses of the past the thousands of African Independent Churches were all classified and tabled together in one category. Since 1980 only one, the Zion Christian Church, has been identified separately. Previous statistics did not make it possible to know which of these churches were the larger ones, where they were based and which groups were growing as these statistics were very general. This article gives the reasoning behind the proposal made to the Central Statistical Services to enumerate some of these churches separately, and to classify the more or less 4 500 churches into a number of categories on the basis of their stated names

The application of analytical procedures in the audit process : a South African perspective

The application of analytical procedures has become an integral part of the audit process. It has the ability to increase audit quality and is an effective and efficient manner of gathering audit evidence. Indications are that the application of these procedures will increase in audits of the future. Numerous studies have been conducted in various countries to determine the auditor’s application of analytical procedures in the audit process. However, little is known about how auditors in South Africa apply analytical procedures as part of their audit process. The objective of this study was to investigate the application of analytical procedures in the audit process by South African auditors. A qualitative research approach was selected, utilising three units of analysis, and data was collected through interviews with senior audit managers at large audit firms in South Africa. The fi ndings of the study revealed that auditors in South Africa do perceive that analytical procedures add value to the audit and that their use enhances audit efficiency and effectiveness. Auditors in South Africa apply analytical procedures in all phases of the audit process. Factors were identified that have an effect on the use of analytical procedures: the business risk methodology; accelerating advancements in technology, and the growing use of non-financial information to assess the reasonableness of financial data.http://www.unisa.ac.za/default.asp?Cmd=ViewContent&ContentID=22335am2017Auditin