Die gereformeerde pastor in die Eeu van Egtheid
Date
2024-03
Authors
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Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Dit blyk of verskeie pastors in ’n laatmoderne samelewing in ’n identiteitskrisis gedompel is. Die oorsaak van hierdie identiteitskrisis is wyd en uiteenlopend. Dit wil egter voorkom of die vernaamste rede vir hierdie identiteitskrisis, die kwynende relevansie van pastors is. Dit was egter nie altyd die geval nie. Histories gesien, was pastors vir die grootste deel van die Westerse geskiedenis, ’n beroep wat outomaties aanvaar was as dié met ’n hoë status en invloed. Hierdie het egter mettertyd verander met verskeie pastors wat vandag op die rand van die samelewing funksioneer en wat dikwels as irrelevant bestempel word.
Hierdie hedendaagse identiteitskrisis noop pastors om verskillende identiteite aan te neem en op verskeie maniere te streef na relevansie om sodoende weer ’n betekenisvolle plek in die samelewing te herwin. Verskeie pastors slaag in hierdie poging tot relevansie deur “in te koop” in die tydsgees van die laatmoderne wêreld. Dit kom egter teen ‘n prys. Die filosoof Charles Taylor noem hierdie laatmoderne Westerse samelewing, die Eeu van Egtheid (“Age of Authenticity”). Die Eeu van Egtheid behels ’n wêreld waar elke mens sy/haar eie manier moet vind om hul menslikheid te verwesenlik sonder eksterne invloede. In die Eeu van Egtheid is geloof slegs een opsie tussen verskeie ander gelyke mededingers om betekenis en diepte tot jou lewe te voeg. Sommige “relevante” pastors gebruik die Eeu van Egtheid tot hulle voordeel om geloof as die beste opsie tussen ander te verkoop maar daardeur word geloof verarm en as ’n persoonlike hulpmiddel aangebied teen die spoed van die immanente raam. Op hierdie wyse word goddelike aksie na die agtergrond verskuif. Pastors wat hierdie “in koop” in die Eeu van Egtheid teenstaan deur te poog om hulle roeping op ’n geloofwaardige en verantwoordelike manier in die Eeu van Egtheid uit te leef, word egter in ’n identiteitskrisis gedompel. Hierdie studie argumenteer dat relevansie net ’n simptoom van die ware krisis is. Die ware krisis wat pastors vandag in die gesig staar is dié van goddelike aksie, eerder as relevansie. Die idee dat daar ’n persoonlike God is wat in die kosmos werk en optree het ondeursigtig, of ten minste aanvegbaar geword in ’n laatmoderne samelewing. Die skynbare afwesigheid van goddelike aksie skep die gunstige ideaal om God te reduseer tot ’n persoonlike hulpmiddel en te verkoop, ten einde relevant te wees as pastor.
Deur ’n pastor se eie ervarings en wroegings in die Eeu van Egtheid, asook die werk van Taylor en Praktiese teoloog, Andrew Root, poog hierdie studie om ’n alternatief vir die “in-koop” in die Eeu van Egtheid ter tafel te lê wat pastors kan opneem ten einde goddelike aksie weer ernstig te neem in ’n laatmoderne samelewing. Die voorgestelde alternatief is die “afwagtende pastor” wat goddelike aksie ernstig neem deur ’n posisie van aktiewe wag in te neem. Hierdie wag behels ‘n “aktiewe wag” vir die Gans Andere God om Godself te openbaar in verskeie situasies en ruimtes, onder andere: lyding, gebed, eredienste en verhoudings.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: It appears that several pastors in a late-modern society are immersed in an identity crisis. The cause of this identity crisis is broad and diverse. However, it seems that the main reason for this crisis is the diminishing relevance of pastors in a late-modern society. This has not always been the case. Historically, pastors were, for the most part of Western history, a profession automatically accepted with high status and influence. However, over time, this has changed, with many pastors today operating on the fringes of society and often being labelled as irrelevant. The contemporary identity crisis of relevance compels pastors to adopt various identities and strive for relevance in different ways to regain a meaningful place in society. Some pastors succeed in this quest for relevance by “buying into” the spirit of the late-modern world. Philosopher Charles Taylor refers to this late-modern Western world as the “Age of Authenticity.” The Age of Authenticity entails a world where each person must find their own way to realize their humanity without external influences. In the Age of Authenticity, faith is just one option among several equal contenders to add meaning and depth to one’s life. Some “relevant” pastors use the Age of Authenticity to their advantage to sell faith as the best option among others, but in doing so, faith becomes impoverished and presented as a personal tool in the immanent frame. Pastors who resist this “buying into” the Age of Authenticity by living out their vocation in a credible and responsible manner face an identity crisis. This study argues that relevance is only a symptom of the true crisis. The real crisis pastors face today is that of divine action, rather than relevance. The idea that there is a personal God working in the cosmos has become opaque or at least questionable in late-modern society. The apparent absence of divine action leads to the appealing notion of relegating God to a personal “tool”, used to maintain relevance as a pastor. Through a pastor’s own experiences and struggles in the Age of Authenticity, as well as the work of Taylor and Practical theologian Andrew Root, this study attempts to present an alternative to “buying into” the Age of Authenticity that pastors can embrace to take divine action seriously in a late-modern society. The proposed alternative is the “waiting pastor” who takes divine action seriously by adopting a position of active waiting. This waiting involves actively waiting for the Wholly Other God to reveal Himself in various situations and spaces, including suffering, prayer, worship, and relationships.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: It appears that several pastors in a late-modern society are immersed in an identity crisis. The cause of this identity crisis is broad and diverse. However, it seems that the main reason for this crisis is the diminishing relevance of pastors in a late-modern society. This has not always been the case. Historically, pastors were, for the most part of Western history, a profession automatically accepted with high status and influence. However, over time, this has changed, with many pastors today operating on the fringes of society and often being labelled as irrelevant. The contemporary identity crisis of relevance compels pastors to adopt various identities and strive for relevance in different ways to regain a meaningful place in society. Some pastors succeed in this quest for relevance by “buying into” the spirit of the late-modern world. Philosopher Charles Taylor refers to this late-modern Western world as the “Age of Authenticity.” The Age of Authenticity entails a world where each person must find their own way to realize their humanity without external influences. In the Age of Authenticity, faith is just one option among several equal contenders to add meaning and depth to one’s life. Some “relevant” pastors use the Age of Authenticity to their advantage to sell faith as the best option among others, but in doing so, faith becomes impoverished and presented as a personal tool in the immanent frame. Pastors who resist this “buying into” the Age of Authenticity by living out their vocation in a credible and responsible manner face an identity crisis. This study argues that relevance is only a symptom of the true crisis. The real crisis pastors face today is that of divine action, rather than relevance. The idea that there is a personal God working in the cosmos has become opaque or at least questionable in late-modern society. The apparent absence of divine action leads to the appealing notion of relegating God to a personal “tool”, used to maintain relevance as a pastor. Through a pastor’s own experiences and struggles in the Age of Authenticity, as well as the work of Taylor and Practical theologian Andrew Root, this study attempts to present an alternative to “buying into” the Age of Authenticity that pastors can embrace to take divine action seriously in a late-modern society. The proposed alternative is the “waiting pastor” who takes divine action seriously by adopting a position of active waiting. This waiting involves actively waiting for the Wholly Other God to reveal Himself in various situations and spaces, including suffering, prayer, worship, and relationships.
Description
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2024.