Mee, Richard (2012-03)
contexts of the communities that they are a part of. The problem is that pastoral theology has been predominantly linked to individual psychology rather than to theory that facilitates a specifically Christian care for whole communities.
This study asks how pastors can engage with the concrete realities of their communities, caring for real
and practical needs, within the context of the specifically Christian focus of the Gospel. The chief goal is
to make a clear contribution to the way in which Community Pastoral Care is thought about and carried
out. This is a contribution that encourages engagement with the needs of the communities together with
the Gospel. This requires a methodology that involves interdisciplinary understanding, calling for a hermeneutical
study. The study engages firstly with Systems Theory, gaining an understanding of the way in which communities and groups function and change. Linked to this is the study of Communicative Action and Social Constructionism, these contribute understanding of the way in which communication functions within the community system. Thirdly, a study of Community Psychology, including Social Capital,
emphasises the importance of focusing on the relationships within the community. Community care
in this context is predominantly care for relationships and communication within the community. This
includes the understanding that problems form within the relationships that make up the community,
rather than individuals within the community. It also places the focus of care on building strengths rather
than fixing pathologies. The specif cally Christian character of Community Pastoral Care is given through a study on sin/evil,
the gospel and revelation. Th is introduces the action and communication of a faithful God. Community
Pastoral Care is seen to incorporate the revelation of the Kingdom of God and its blessings, as well as the possibility of a direct relationship with Him that transforms the life of the community and individuals. Semi-structured interviews, with a small selection of pastors, give an empirical aspect to the study. This
helps to ground the study in the actual experiences of pastors, giving a chance for their experience to add to and engage the theory study. The first two theory chapters suggest that the key to community care is developing positive relationships
between the parts of the system. With the introduction of a relationship with a faithful God, the understanding of care expands. Revelation of His Kingdom, and the changed relationships that it brings, transforms the earlier Communicative Action into both an expression of and a communication of a
faithful God and the promise of His Kingdom. What is concluded is that Community Pastoral Care is primarily the revelation of God to the community. This is carried out through relationship with the congregation including, and guided by, the ministry of
the pastor. This is a Pastoral Care that is less about technique and more about mutual relationships of
trust and open, positive communication with God, the congregation and the community.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Predikante en gemeentes moet die trou en sorg van God kommunikeer binne die werklike lewens
kontekste van die gemeenskape waarvan hulle deel is. Die probleem is dat pastorale teologie grootendeels
verbind is aan individuele sielkunde eerder as teorie wat ‘n spesifi eke Christelike sorg vir hele gemeenskape
Hierdie studie vra hoe predikante kan betrokke raak by die konkrete realiteite van hulle gemeenskape en
soedoende werklike behoeft es praktiese kan aanspreek binne die raamwerk van die spesifi ek Christelike
fokus van die evangelie. Die hoefdoel is om ‘n duidelike bydrae te maak aan die teorie en praktyk van
Dit vra ‘n metodologie wat interdisiplinêr en hermeneuties van aard is. Hierdie studie gebruik eers Sisteem
Teorie om te analiseer hoe groepe funksioneer en verander. In verband hiermee word die studies van
Kommunikatiewe Aksie en Sosiale Konstruksie gebruik om te verstaan hoe kommunikasie funksioneer
binne die gemeenskapsisteem. Derdens, word die lens van Gemeenskapssielkunde, veral die konsep
van Sosiale Kapitaal, gebruik om die belang van verhoudings binne die gemeenskap te beklemtoon.
Gemeenskapsorg in hierdie konteks is hoofsaaklik die sorg van verhoudings en kommunikasie binne die
gemeenskap. Daaruit word daar geargumenteer dat probleme in die verhoudings binne die gemeenskap
ontstaan eerder as in die individuë wat die gemeenskap vorm. Dit plaas die fokus van sorg op die uitbou
van dít wat werk eerder as op die herstel van patologieë.
Die besonder Christelike karakter van Gemeenskapspastoraat word uitgelig deur ‘n studie van sonde/
kwaad, die evangelie en openbaring. Dit stel die aksie en kommunikasie van ‘n getroue God voor.
Gemeenskapspastoraat sluit in die openbaring van die konninkryk van God en die seëninge daarvan,
sowel as die moontlikheid van ‘n direkte verhouding met Hom wat die lewe van die gemeenskap en die
Gedeeltelik-gestruktureerde onderhoude, met ‘n klein steekproef van predikante, het ‘n empiriese
komponent aan die studie verleën. Dit help om die studie in die werklike ervaring van predikante te
fundeer sodat hulle ervaringe in verband met die teorie gebring kan word.
Die eerste twee hoofstukke stel voor dat die sleutel tot gemeenskapssorg is om positiewe verhoudinge te
bou tussen die verskillende dele van die sisteem. Met die introduksie van ‘n verhouding met ‘n getroue God,
word die verstaan van sorg uitgebrei. Die openbaring van sy Konninkryk, en die veranderde verhoudinge
wat dit bring, omskep die vroeër kommunikatiewe aksie na ‘n uitdrukking van en kommunikasie van ‘n
getroue God en die beloft e van sy Konninkryk. Die gevolgtrekking word gemaak dat Gemeenskapspastoraat primêr die openbaring van God tot die
gemeenskap is. Dit word uitgedra deur die verhouding tussen God en die gemeente, insluitend en gelei
deur die bediening van die predikant. Dit is dan ‘n soort pastoraat wat minder oor tegniek en meer oor
getroue verhoudings en oop, positiewe kommunikasie met God, die gemeente en die gemeenskap gaan.
Please refer to this item in SUNScholar by using the following persistent URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/19916