Summary: | Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. === ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Church‘s approach during the apartheid-era was mainly characterised by liberation-theology, as well as liberation preaching. However, the post-apartheid era, which is still being marred by social degradation, moral decline, a general increase in poverty, family violence, divorce and a sense of individualism, requires an increased focus on the sustainable eradication of poverty.
Furthermore, while Christian ethical reflection under apartheid was embodied through a series of violence and resistance movements aimed at breaking down the walls of apartheid, the Church must now shift the focus to a general sense of co-operation; to rebuild the social infrastructure, needed by the impoverished and marginalized. The underlying question of the undertaken study is: can the Church achieve this by starting with a theology of development, which will be a vehicle for socio - and economic reconstruction?
This study furthermore suggests that a theology of reconstruction is also a contextual theology. It addresses the specific or current situations plaguing communities by posting clear questions regarding the economy and development-programmes that have an effect on people‘s daily lives. It is also a back-tracking theology, in the sense that it attempts to rectify the pain and suffering brought on by our history. The Church, who must serve the message of hope, can also identify with this theology, because it is emphasizing dimensions like healing and recovery. In this study it is argued that what post-apartheid South Africa urgently needs, is a fundamental consensus regarding binding values, non-negotiable standards and morally accepted humane attitudes to one another. It is in fact in this regard that the purpose and possibilities of preaching come into question. In this context of poverty, unemployment, uncertainty, a sense of non-belonging, apathy and emotional depression, ethical preaching can, as an orientation-instrument, create a new sense of dignity and value for many. === AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Terwyl die kerk se benadering tydens die apartheidsera gekenmerk is deur bevrydingsteologie en prediking, vra die post-apartheid era, wat steeds gekenmerk word deur sosio-maatskaplike verval, morele verarming en veral toename in armoede, gesinsgeweld, egskeidings en 'n gees van individualisme, 'n verskerpte fokus op die volhoubare uitwissing van armoede.
Terwyl Christelike etiese refleksie onder apartheid gekenmerk was deur 'n modus van weerstand, gemik daarop om die mure van apartheid af te breek, moet die kerk in die post-apartheid era skuif na 'n modus van samewerking, om die mure van die sosiale infrastruktuur wat deur die armes en gemarginaliseerdes benodig word, op te bou. Die onderliggende navorsingsvraag van die voorgeneme studie is dan ook: kan die kerk dít doen deur te begin met 'n teologie van ontwikkeling, wat sosiale en ekonomiese rekonstruksie veronderstel?
Daar word ook in hierdie studie gepoog om aan te toon dat 'n teologie van rekonstruksie 'n kontekstuele teologie beteken. Dit spreek die spesifieke of huidige situasie van gemeenskappe aan deur, onder andere, duidelike vrae te stel oor die ekonomie en ontwikkelingsprogramme wat die lewens van mense elke dag beïnvloed. Dit is terselfdertyd 'n terugwerkende teologie, wat probeer om die oorsake van historiese pyn en lyding in die gemeenskap reg te stel. Die kerk, wat die boodskap van hoop moet verkondig, kan haarself tereg met hierdie teologie identifiseer, omdat dit onder andere dimensies soos heling en herstel beklemtoon. In hierdie studie word geargumenteer dat post-apartheid Suid-Afrika 'n fundamentele konsensus aangaande bindende waardes, ononderhandelbare standaarde en moreel aanvaarbare grondhoudings teenoor mekaar dringend benodig. Dit is juis in hierdie verband dat die rol van die prediking ter sprake kom. In 'n konteks van grootskaalse armoede, werkloosheid, onsekerheid en 'n gevoel van ongeborgenheid, apatie, onbetrokkenheid en depressie by baie, kan etiese prediking as 'n oriëntasiegebeurtenis 'n nuwe menswaardigheid by mense skep.
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