The Biblical Role of the Pastor's wife - South African Theological ...

CHAPTER 2
Situation Analysis: The Pastor’s Wife in the Local
Church
Chapter two will be devoted to displaying and analysing the empirical
research component of the study. After a brief ethnographic profile (identity
analysis) of the Somerset West town, the empirical research will be discussed
question by question. The questions asked and answers received from
pastors’ wives in one-on-one interviews from Somerset West churches will be
provided together with an analysis of responses. This will uncover the
situation as it is within Somerset West. Informal discussions with church
leaders and congregational members’ views will be incorporated into any
observations relevant to the study. I will answer some key questions to
discover the current role of pastors’ wives in the local churches.
2.1. A Brief History and Demographic Profile of Somerset West,
Western Cape, South Africa
2.1.1. The History of Somerset West
Indigenous people, named the Strandlopers (beachcombers), originally
inhabited Somerset West. This town is located in the False Bay coastal area,
at the base of the Helderberg Mountains. The Dutch East India Company
controlled the Cape in the late 1600’s, at the time the then appointed
governor, William Adrian van der Stel claimed most of the land. He created a
farm called Vergelegen where he lived until 1708 (www.swest.info, 2007).
Whilst the Cape was under British control, the farmers, working the
Vergelegen farms, requested permission to build a church. The new Governor
of the Cape, Lord Charles Somerset, granted their request. The church still
stands today and is still operational. This historical monument is located on
Church Street in the centre of town. Subsequent buildings were erected
around the church and a village was created which was named Somerset in
19