The preacher in the dialectic between vulnerability and authority
Date
2016-12-06
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die moontlike, waardevolle byvoeging van die navorsing is om die belangrikheid van ʼn prediker se welstand en karakter te erken; asook die effek wat dit op haar/sy preek het. Dit is ʼn poging om die volgende skuiwe binne prediking te maak: Om te preek vanaf ʼn plek van skaamte na vrymoedigheid en vryheid. Individualisme na gemeenskap te verskuiwe. Die ruimte van gedurende jaag na ʼn ruimte van dissipline om stil te kan staan en te sien in die stilte. Om te preek vanaf ʼn titel na prediking vanaf jou karakter. Om die fokus te verskuiwe vanaf die prediker na God.
Die volgende vraag word gevra: Watse resultate sal ʼn homiletiese ondersoek hê, wanneer daar gekyk word na die prediker in dialoog tussen kwesbaarheid en outoriteit? Die volgende bekommernisse het opgeduik:
Die gebrek aan duidelike definisies vir terme soos kwesbaarheid en outoriteit lei tot skaamte en onseker predikers. ʼn Spanning tussen die twee terme lei tot ongesonde druk wat predikers op hulself plaas. Om outoriteit as prediker te hê binne ons moderne konteks is nie meer so gegewe nie, weens verskeie blootstelling soos byvoorbeeld die internet. Dit laat die prediker binne ʼn meer kwesbare spasie as van te vore.
Om te sien hoeveel gebrekke daar is rondom geestelike dissiplines en volwassenheid binne ʼn narsistiese en individualistiese kultuur is nog ʼn bekommernis. Die beperking rondom ons beeld van God het ook ʼn effek op die prediker se preek en laat hom of haar weereens kwesbaar. Waar lê ʼn prediker se outoriteit binne al die uitdagings?
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The possible, valuable contribution of this research is the acknowledgement of the importance of a preacher’s character and wellbeing and the effect it has on his or her sermon. It is an attempt to move our preaching from: A place of shame to courage and freedom; Individualism to community. Being rushed to creating a space where one can see in the silence. Preaching from a title to preaching from within. From trying to be the Saviour to leading them to the One who saves and gave us our titles. Asking the question, “Which results will a homiletically investigation have when one looks at the Preacher in the Dialectic between Vulnerability and Authority?” the following concerns were raised. A lack of clear definitions and misinterpretations for words like authority and vulnerability leads to shame and insecure preachers. A tension between these two terms leads to unhealthy pressure that preachers put on themselves. A few more concerns are how difficult task it is to really preach from within and not primarily from a title. As well as the realisation that having authority as a preacher is not necessarily a given anymore within a context where people are exposed to so many different opinions, especially through the internet. This leaves us with preachers that find themselves in a more vulnerable space than before. To see how much lacking there is in areas of spiritual discipline and maturity within a narcissistic and individualistic culture is another concern and the effect which a limited image/perception of God has on preaching. This leaves a preacher yet again vulnerable. How can a preacher gain authority within these challenges?
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The possible, valuable contribution of this research is the acknowledgement of the importance of a preacher’s character and wellbeing and the effect it has on his or her sermon. It is an attempt to move our preaching from: A place of shame to courage and freedom; Individualism to community. Being rushed to creating a space where one can see in the silence. Preaching from a title to preaching from within. From trying to be the Saviour to leading them to the One who saves and gave us our titles. Asking the question, “Which results will a homiletically investigation have when one looks at the Preacher in the Dialectic between Vulnerability and Authority?” the following concerns were raised. A lack of clear definitions and misinterpretations for words like authority and vulnerability leads to shame and insecure preachers. A tension between these two terms leads to unhealthy pressure that preachers put on themselves. A few more concerns are how difficult task it is to really preach from within and not primarily from a title. As well as the realisation that having authority as a preacher is not necessarily a given anymore within a context where people are exposed to so many different opinions, especially through the internet. This leaves us with preachers that find themselves in a more vulnerable space than before. To see how much lacking there is in areas of spiritual discipline and maturity within a narcissistic and individualistic culture is another concern and the effect which a limited image/perception of God has on preaching. This leaves a preacher yet again vulnerable. How can a preacher gain authority within these challenges?
Description
Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2016.
Keywords
Preaching, Dialectic, UCTD