Preaching reconciliation : a study of the narratives in Genesis 37-50

Date
2017-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis is a practical theology endeavour that evaluates the narrative preaching of Genesis 37-50 as a means of promoting reconciliation and social cohesion in a situation of religious and ethnic conflict in a context of the employment or mobilisation of religion and ethnic identity to the exclusion, marginalisation and, according to some, dehumanisation of others. The region specifically referred to is that of the Middle Belt Region of Nigeria, where religious and ethnic differences between people are being used to advance inequality and to dominate others. The study critically examines how actions such as the traditional African concept of ethnicity, the traditional African concept of land ownership and boundaries, manipulation by the elites of ethnicity and religion, religion fanaticism, and poverty and unemployment fuel ethnic and religious division, conflict and violence. In addition, the study examines how these phenomena may be engaged with through the technique of using narratives to create points of identification, narratives as imageries to shape imagination, and narratives as sermon illustrations. As such, the research argues that the narrative of Joseph and his brothers, found in Genesis 37-50, may be used to create a point of identification in preaching reconciliation and social cohesion, because the story depicts defamation of character, egocentrism, favouritism, dehumanisation, and pain and trauma as elements that fuel divisions, conflicts and violence. Furthermore, the study also considers the use of the narrative of Joseph and his brothers as imageries for shaping imagination in preaching reconciliation, because the story pictures changes of thought, changes in actions, forgiveness devoid of confession of evil done in the past, and building a common future as bases for coming together, staying together and walking together as ingredients of reconciliation. Therefore, the study proposes prophetic preaching, biographical preaching, pastoral preaching and economic preaching of the narrative of Joseph and his brothers as techniques for preaching reconciliation and social cohesion.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis behels ’n poging in praktiese teologie om die narratiewe prediking van Genesis 37-50 te evalueer om sodoende versoening en maatskaplike samehorigheid te bevorder in ’n situasie waar daar godsdienstige en etniese konflik is in ’n konteks van die gebruik of mobilisering van godsdienstige en etniese identiteit tot die uitsluiting, marginalisering en, volgens sommige, die verontmensliking van ander. Die streek waarna daar spesifiek verwys word, is die Middel-Belt Streek van Nigerië, waar godsdienstige en etniese verskille tussen mense gebruik word om ongelykheid te bevorder en ander te domineer. Die studie ondersoek krities hoe aksies soos die tradisionele Afrika-konsep van grondbesit en grense, die manipulering van etnisiteit en godsdiens deur die elite, godsdienstige fanatisme, en armoede en werkloosheid etniese en godsdienstige skeiding, konflik en geweld aanstook. Daarbenewens ondersoek die studie ook hoe daar met hierdie verskynsels betrokke geraak kan word deur die gebruik van verhale om punte van identifikasie te skep, die gebruik van verhale as beelde om die verbeelding te vorm en verhale as illustrasies in preke. As sulks argumenteer hierdie navorsing dat die verhaal van Josef en sy broers, soos in Genesis 37-50, gebruik kan word om ’n identifikasiepunt te skep in die preek van versoening en maatskaplike samehorigheid omdat die storie naamskending, egosentrisme, begunstiging, ontmensliking en pyn en trauma gebruik as aspekte wat skeiding, konflik en geweld aanstook. Verder oorweeg die studie ook die gebruik van die verhaal van Josef en sy broers as beelde om die verbeelding te vorm in die prediking van versoening, omdat die storie beelde verskaf van verandering in die denke, verandering in aksie, vergifnis sonder belydenis van kwaad wat in die verlede gedoen is, en die bou van ’n gedeelde toekoms as basisse vir die saamkom, saambly en saamstap as bestanddele van versoening. Die studie stel dus profetiese prediking, biografiese prediking, pastorale prediking en ekonomiese prediking van die verhaal van Josef en sy broers voor as tegnieke vir die prediking van versoening en maatskaplike samehorigheid.
Description
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2017.
Keywords
Reconciliation -- Religious aspects -- Christianity, Preaching, Bible. Genesis, XXXVII-L -- Criticism, interpretation, etc., UCTD
Citation