Balans en perspektief: kernmomente van korporatiewe aanbidding?

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Date
2007-11
Authors
Van Aswegen, Neille
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University of the Free State
Abstract
English: It is becoming increasingly evident that church members have totally different expectations of the 21st century church. The main complaint is that people experience the church as being irrelevant in their daily lives. There are three strong basic needs which are influenced by religious activities, namely a search for fellowship, meaning and endowment for life This research is about finding a balance between the rational and the emotional perceptions during corporate worship, so as to involve the total being. Worship should be a formative experience. The development should result from an encounter with God which would compel man to humility before and obedience to God. Spiritual development and edifying should take place primarily through preaching of the Gospel. The emphasis should be on God-centred, Biblical corporate worship. Worshipping God is the most important activity of the faithful. This study is directed by the hypothesis that the cognitive, emotive and the conative are all three aspects of one and the same person and which should be given expression to during corporate worship. One should never dominate the other. A specific anthropological approach has been chosen. To modern man, the covenant holds the rational belief that the Creator God is the same Person who, in an emotional manner, speaks to his heart. God can be experienced as present and real. God promises and also enables. Humanness is twofold: person of the Covenant and image of God. A person of the Covenant should not only worship but also offer. Chapter 3 refers to thought patterns and systems. In the Bible the thoughts of man emerge as the central source of renewal. When man starts to think differently, he also starts to do differently. Whole brain thinking must be applied to optimally experience God. This means the integration of analytical, imaginative structured and sensitive approaches resulting in the combination of the rational and emotive; the objective and the subjective. From this follows emotional intelligence. Chapter 4 presents an evaluation of the effect of post–modernism on corporate worship. Inclusive and holistic thinking takes place from different angles within the spiritual realm of thought. Exclusivity has become unacceptable. The perceptions of the post-modernism could contribute towards reaching man as an entity. The dangers involved can however not be ignored. In Chapter 5 the issue of emotion comes up for discussion. This cannot be separated from religion. The faithful shall love God with heart, mind, body and even all strength. Emotion is something with definite power and depth in every person. God as well as man has feelings and needs. Cardinal emotions, namely regret, joy and peace, are exposed. These emotions form the basis for meeting with and experiencing God during corporate worship. Extra-cultic emotion is not relevant here. Reflection is cast on the Biblical emotion which brings about life changes in the faithful during corporate worship. The concept “spirituality” is used to describe the depth-dimension of humanness. Jonker (1989:288) says: “ We could translate it as religious perception, religious experience, religious study and religious practice. In the reformed tradition, devoutness is perhaps the word which, in the past, was more generally used.” It is about God and His honour; worship and laudation of God. The church service should nourish spirituality and spirituality should be the hallmark of the church service. Spirituality is how man experiences God and thereafter lives for Him. Worshipping is the primary task of the church and the faithful. Personal religion and worship go hand in hand. Corporate worship is a meeting between God and His congregation and should be reflected in the quality of the relationship among the worshippers. If worshipping does not affect man, it is not yet worship. True worship is when man’s entire being, rational and emotional, is captured by the reality of God’s love and grace. The church service is the heart of the congregation. Over-emphasis of either the rational or the emotional leads to unilateralism and attenuation. Renewal of the divine service lies therein that, throughout, God is constantly sought (mentally) and experienced (emotionally). Renewal of the church service is however secondary to the personal renewal of the believer. The nature of the church service lies embedded in the covenant. The challenge is to constantly find creative ways of reminding the worshipper of the reality and presence of God. Conscious meetings with God should be sought and experienced. A healthy balance between the rational and the emotional is important. From this follows a balanced spirituality. The theocentric character of the church service and its liturgical dynamics may however never be exchanged for an anthropological “happening”; just as the service may not unfold in the form of a lecture or teaching. It is a great event; a soulstirring meeting between the God of the Covenant and the people of the Covenant. Balance and perspective are attainable when and if God is heard, seen and sensed during the service (most probably in this order). This is vital for religious growth and spiritual maturity. It will counteract subjectivism.
Afrikaans: Dit blyk almeer dat lidmate iets totaal anders verwag van die kerk in die 21 ste eeu. Die grootste klag is dat mense die kerk as irrelevant beleef vir hulle daaglikse lewe. Daar is drie sterk basiese behoeftes by die mens wat deur godsdienstige aktiwiteite geraak word, naamlik ‘n soeke na gemeemskap, betekenis en na bemagtiging vir die lewe. Hierdie navorsing handel daaroor om ‘n balans te vind tussen die rasionele en die emosionele belewenisse tydens korporatiewe aanbidding sodat die hele mens betrek sou wees daarby. Aanbidding moet ‘n vormende ondervinding wees. Die vorming moet voortspruit uit ‘n ontmoeting met God wat die mens noop tot nederigheid voor en gehoorsaamheid aan God. Die vorming en edifikasie moet primêr deur die Woordverkondiging plaasvind. Die aksent moet geplaas word op God-gesentreerde, Bybelse korporatiewe aanbidding. Aanbidding van God is die gelowige se belangrikste aktiwiteit. Hierdie studie word deur die hipotese gerig dat die kognitiewe, affektiewe sowel as die konatiewe drie aspekte is van een en dieselfde mens waaraan uiting gegee behoort te word tydens korporatiewe aanbidding. Die een mag egter nooit die ander oorheers nie. Daar is gekies vir ‘n bepaalde antropologiese uitgangspunt . Die verbondsgedagte hou vir die moderne mens in die rasionele besef dat die Skeppergod dieselfde Persoon is wat op emosionele wyse tot hierdie mens se hart spreek. God kan as teenwoordig en werklik ervaar word. God belowe en stel ook in staat. Menswees is tweeledig van aard: verbondsmens en beeld van God. ‘n Verbondsmens moet nie slegs “aanbid” nie, maar ook “aanbied”. Hoofstuk 3 verwys na denkpatrone en sisteme. In die Bybel kom die denke van die mens na vore as die sentrale vernuwingsbron. As die mens op ‘n nuwe manier begin dink, begin hy/sy ook nuut doen. Heelbreindenke moet toegepas word om God optimaal te ervaar. Dit kom neer op integrasie van analitiese, verbeeldingryke, gestruktureerde en sensitiewe benaderings. Hiervolgens word kombinasie bereik tussen die rasionele en emotiewe; objektiewe en subjektiewe. Emosionele intelligensie vloei hieruit voort. Hoofstuk 4 bied ‘n beoordeling van die uitwerking van die Postmodernisme op korporatiewe aanbidding. Van verskillende kante word binne die spirituele denkwêreld inklusief en holisties gedink. Eksklusiwiteit het onaanvaarbaar geword. Die insigte van die Postmodernisme kan daartoe bydra dat die mens as ‘n eenheidswese bereik word. Die gevare daarvan mag egter nie misgekyk word nie. In Hoofstuk 5 kom die saak van emosie aan die orde. Dit kan nie losgemaak word van godsdiens nie. Die gelowige moet God liefhê met die hele hart, verstand, liggaam en selfs alle krag. Emosie is iets met defintiewe krag en diepte by elke mens. God én mens beskik oor gevoelens en behoeftes. Kardinale emosies word uitgewys, naamlik berou, vreugde en vrede. Hierdie emosies vorm die onderbou vir ontmoeting met en belewenis van God tydens korporatiewe aanbidding. Buite-kultiese emosie is nie hier ter sprake nie. Refleksie word gewerp op die Bybelse emosies wat tydens korporatiewe aanbidding lewensveranderend inwerk op die gelowige. Die begrip “spiritualiteit” word gebruik om die diepte-dimensie van menswees te omskryf. Jonker (1989:288) sê: “ Ons sou dit kon weergee met geloofsbelewing, geloofservaring, geloofsbeoefening en geloofsp raktyk. In die gereformeerde tradisie is ‘vroomheid’ miskien dié woord wat in die verlede redelik algemeen gebruik is”. Dit gaan oor God en sy eer; aanbidding en lofprysing van God. Die erediens moet spiritualiteit voed en spiritualiteit moet die erediens stempel. Spiritualiteit is hoe die mens God beleef en daarna vir Hom leef. Aanbidding is die kerk en die gelowige se primêre taak. Persoonlike geloof en aanbidding loop hand aan hand. Korporatiewe aanbidding is ontmoeting tussen God en sy gemeente en moet gereflekteer word in die kwaliteit van verhoudinge tussen die aanbidders onderling. As aanbidding die mens nie verander nie is dit nog nie aanbidding nie. Aanbidding is wanneer ons hele wese, rasioneel en emosioneel , aangegryp word deur die realiteit van God se liefde en genade. Die erediens is die hart van die gemeente. Oorbeklemtoning van óf die rasionele óf die emosionele lei tot eensydigheid en verskraling. Die vernuwing van die erediens lê daarin dat God in elke moment en oomblik daarvan gesoek (denke) en beleef (emosie) word. Vernuwing van die erediens is egter sekondêr aan persoonlike vernuwing by die gelowige. Die wese van die erediens lê ingebed in die verbond. Die uitdaging vir die erediens is om te bly aandag gee aan kreatiewe maniere om die aanbidder te herinner aan die werklikheid en teenwoordigheid van God. Bewustelike ontmoeting met God moet gesoek en beleef word. Gesonde balans tussen die rasionele en die emosionele is belangrik. Hieruit vloei voort ‘n gebalanseerde spritualiteit. Die teosentriese karakter van die erediens en sy liturgiese dinamiek mag egter nooit vir ‘n antropologiese “happening” verruil word nie. Netso mag die erediens nie ontplooi in die vorm van ‘n lesing of onderrig nie. Dis ‘n grootse gebeurtenis; aangrypende ontmoeting tussen Verbondsgod en verbondsvolk. Balans en perspektief is haalbaar wanneer en as God gehoor, gesien en gevoel word in die erediens (bes moontlik in hierdie volgorde). Hierdie balans en perspektief is noodsaaklik vir geloofsgroei en volwasse-wording in die geloof. Dit sal subjektiwisme teenwerk.
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Keywords
Thesis (D.Th. (Practical Theology))--University of the Free State, 2007, Public worship -- South Africa, Reformed church -- Liturgy, Reformed Church -- Doctrines
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