Muller, Willem H. B. (2013-03)
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of the study is to gain clarity on the conflict that occurs around the minister in the congregation. The following questions will be asked: Why did the conflict occur, what caused it and how was this conflict handled? If there was a better understanding of the cause of the conflict, it can be better managed in the future. The following research question is formulated: What were the biggest hurdles in the missional transformation process in the Dutch Reformed Congregation Op-die-Berg en how was this unlocked? The notion of members of what the essence of the essence and being of the church is and what they expect of the minister play a very important part in the changing context in which the congregation try to discover her missional vocation and actually live missionally. For the purpose of the study the work was done within the field of practical theology on the basis of Richard Osmer’s (2008) model of practical theology. He explored four questions that guided our interpretation and our response to the situation. The four questions are: What is going on? Why is this going on? What ought to be going on? How might we respond? Answering these questions is the four tasks of practical theological interpretation. These tasks are: The descriptive-empirical task; gathering information that help us discern patterns and dynamics in particular situations and contexts. The interpretive task; drawing on theories of the arts and sciences to have a better understanding of and explain why these patterns and dynamics are occurring. The normative task; using theological concepts to interpret particular situations and constructing ethical norms to guide our responses. The pragmatic task: determining strategies of action that will influence situations in ways that are desirable and entering into a reflective conversation. Together, these four tasks constitute the basic structure of practical theological interpretation. A metaphor to describe this process will be that of a spiral and not a circle. Chapters two to six is a discussion of these questions en tasks. The hermeneutical lens of the research is the question of the missio Dei and the role of the Trinitarian God in the transformation process. The research want to help members to answer the question: How might we respond? Thus, they will be able to understand the four questions of Osmer, but will also be able to live with spiritual discernment. The study describes a paradigm shift which the congregation experienced during the past twenty years. The influence of the Christendom paradigm as well as the influence of the business model of running an organization, in which most of the members operate, is challenged by the theology that developed from the missio Dei and the Trinity concepts. The study described the process in a rural community which changed its identity and culture. The influence of the ever-changing context was discussed. Postmodern society challenged the influence of patriarchy. The community and its relationships form the backdrop in the research. This study shows that transformation can’t happen if the minister is not willing to be transformed. The practice of faith-forming habits played an important role. Leadership had to lead through spiritual discernment. The changes that happened doesn’t happen because of a program, but is discovered on a journey of spiritual discernment.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van die studie is om helderheid te verkry oor die konflik wat in die gemeente rondom die persoon van die leraar ontstaan het. Wat het daartoe aanleiding gegee en hoe is dit ontlont? As die faktore wat daartoe aanleiding gegee het, beter verstaan kan word, kan dit ook in die toekoms beter hanteer word. Die volgende navorsingsvraag is geformuleer: Wat was die moeilikste hekkies in die missionale transformasieproses in die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Gemeente Op-die-Berg en hoe is dit ontsluit? Lidmate se kerkbegrip en die rolverwagting van die leraar speel ŉ wesentlike rol in ŉ veranderende konteks waarin die gemeente strewe om sy missie nie net te ontdek nie maar ook uit te leef. Dit is ŉ prakties teologiese studie aan die hand van Richard Osmer (2008) se model waarin vier vrae gevra word. Osmer het vier vrae ontwikkel wat ons interpretasie en reaksie op die situasie begelei. Die vier vrae is: Wat is aan die gebeur? Hoekom gebeur dit? Wat behoort te gebeur? Hoe behoort ons daarop te reageer? Om hierdie vier vrae te beantwoord, is die basis van prakties teologiese interpretasie. Die take wat voortvloei uit die vrae kan as volg beskryf word. Die deskriptief-empiriese taak: Hierdie taak behels die insameling van inligting sodat patrone en dinamika in gegewe situasies en kontekste geëvalueer kan word. Die interpretasie-taak: Die taak behels om deur middel van wetenskaplike metodes en teorieë beter te verstaan en te kan verduidelik waarom die spesifieke patrone en dinamika na vore kom. Die normatiewe taak is om met die hulp van teologiese konsepte die praktiese situasie te interpreteer. Etiese norme word daar gestel om die respons te begelei. Die pragmatiese taak ontwikkel strategieë wat die situasie positief sal beïnvloed en om oop reflekterende gesprek moontlik te maak. Die dinamiese interaksie en invloed van bogenoemde take op mekaar, ( vergelyk dit met die werking van ŉ spiraal in teestelling met die van ŉ sirkel), onderskei praktiese teologie van ander wetenskaplike navorsing. Veral die normatiewe en pragmatiese take is tot die wese van praktiese teologie. Die vier vrae en take word in hoofstuk twee tot ses bespreek. Die hermeneutiese lens van die navorsing, is die vraag na die missio Dei en die rol wat ŉ Trinitariese Godsbegrip in ŉ transformasieproses speel. Die studie wil lidmate help om die vraag te beantwoord: Hoe behoort ons te reageer op die situasie? Lidmate kry nie net in die studie ŉ verstaan van die vrae van Osmer nie, maar veral hoe om geloofonderskeidend in ŉ klein gemeente te lewe. Die studie beskryf die paradigmaskuif waardeur die gemeente van Op-die-Berg die afgelope twintig jaar beweeg het. Die invloed of houvas van die Christendom paradigma asook die uitwerking van die besigheidsmodel waarbinne meeste lidmate opereer, is uitgedaag deur ŉ nuwe verstaan van die missio Dei en die Triniteit. Die studie beskyf die proses en stryd wat ŉ klein plattelandse gemeente deurloop het tydens die skuif in identiteit en kultuur. Die invloed van die konteks word ook deeglik bespreek. Mens kan ook sê dat die postmoderne samelewing implikasies het vir patriargale sisteme. Die studie toon aan hoe sodanige verskuiwings baie van die predikant vra en dat dit net kan gebeur as die geestelike leiers van die gemeente leer om geloofonderskeidend te leef, veral deur die beoefening van geloofsgewoontes. Die gemeenskap en die onderlinge verhoudinge (koinonia) is die hele tyd op die spel. Die verandering wat gebeur het, is nie deur ŉ geïmplementeerde program bewerk nie, maar is op ŉ geloofsonderskeidende reis ontdek.
Please refer to this item in SUNScholar by using the following persistent URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/80030
Masters Degrees (Practical Theology and Missiology)155