Skuldbesef by die Nederduitse Gereformeerde kerklidmaat in die gevangenis: 'n teologiese perspektief

Abstract

English: While guilt with or without admittance has such far reaching implications in the lives of church members, it necessitates ecclesiastical management. The nature of the church member's sense of guilt should first of all be established. This task of the church may never be dealt with in a simplistic way, but with Scripture as the norm and acknowledgement of the social science's input. In this research perspective was gained from the way Scripture deals with guilt. In the Old Testament guilt's deepest sense is found in a personal appreciation of sin with guilt as the result of violated relationships resulting from the inner will's rebellion against God. In dealing with the guilt of mankind, God initiated the cult of sacrifice, in which the concept "ex opere operatum" was excluded. This finds its culmination in the "Ebed Jahwe" who gave himself as sacrifice. To enable the forgiveness of guilt to be realized, an inner awareness was needed. The awareness had to lead to humiliation, repentance and the confession of guilt. In the coming of Christ it was clearly illustrated in the Great Command that guilt is not the breaking of rules, but the breaking of the relationship between God and mankind through men's rebellion against Him. Christ came to redeem man from his sin through His complete and final sacrifice - something mankind could not achieve by himself. In dealing with guilt, the understanding of justification, especially as it was ministered by the apostle Paul, does not only bring comfort in the light of the final judgement, but illustrates what forgiveness of sin implies. The New Testament as well declares that the sinner can only experience forgiveness via humiliation, repentance and the confession of guilt. Due to the frequent complexity of the personality of the church member in prison, the knowledge and help of the other social sciences are needed in order to reach the peoples' inner being. Psychologically it is important that the pastor should grasp the power of the forces that have an impact on the understanding of the dynamics of guilt by church members in prison. In a juridical sense the pastor should be aware of the fact that the church member in prison will view his/her guilt and Gods forgiveness in a juridical sense. Although confession as been practised by the Roman Catholic Church, is not acceptable to the Dutch Reformed Church, the evangelical confession as described by Edward Thurneysen, is applicable. The specific value of the evangelical confession lies in the fact that although the church member may acknowledge that his guilt has been forgiven, the uncovering discussion may help to offload the remaining baggage of guilt and lead the church member to a fuller acceptance of God's forgiveness. In an attempt to determine the realization of guilt by the church members in prison, a qualitative empirical research, viz. an ethnographic point of view, was used. It proved to be useful to understand the "Umwelt" of the church members. Interviews with 15 respondents were held, using questions based on the literature studies. In analysing these interviews the grounded theory of Strauss and Corbin was used. The conclusion of this research was that the understanding of quilt by the respondents was lacking depth. The outcome was used to formulate certain recommendations to the Dutch Reformed Church, which emphasize the importance for the Church to take greater care of its members in prison.

Afrikaans: Omdat skuld, met of sonder die erkenning daarvan, ingrypende gevolge in die lewe van die kerklidmaat in die gevangenis het, is dit belangrik dat dit deur die kerk hanteer moet word. As vertrekpunt is die vastelling van die aard van die lidmaat se skuldbesef belangrik. Hierdie pastoraat mag nooit op 'n simplistiese wyse plaasvind nie, maar moet gefundeerd met die Skrif as norm asook met kennis van die geesteswetenskappe hanteer word. Vir die navorsing was 'n perspektiefstelling en die hantering van skuld vanuit die Skrif die vertrekpunt. Die dieptelyn wat in die Ou Testament rondom die begrip 'skuld' gevind word, getuig van 'n personalistiese sondewaardering met skuld as die neerslag van geskonde verhoudings wat voortkom uit die opstand van die innerlike wil teen God. Vir die hantering van die sondeskuld van die mens het God die offergebruik daargestel, waar die gedagte van 'n 'ex opere operatum' werking uitgesluit was. Die hoogtepunt word gevind in die lydende kneg wat homself as 'n skuldoffer gegee het. Vir die realisering van skuldvergifnis was 'n innerlike bewuswording van sonde wat skuld meebring nodig. Hierdie bewuswording moes uitmond in verootmoediging, berou en skuldbelydenis. Met Christus se koms word dit in die sentrale gebod verwoord dat sondeskuld nie in 'n verbreking van reëls geleë is nie maar in die verbreking van 'n verhouding deur die mens se opstand teen God. Vanweë die mens se onvermoë is dit Christus wat gekom het as die volmaakte en finale offer om die mens van sy sonde en skuld te verlos. Vir die hantering van skuld is die begrip 'regverdigmaking, veral soos deur Paulus gebruik, nie alleen 'n troos met die oog op die finale oordeel nie, maar word dit gesien as dit wat dui op die vergifnis van sonde. Ook in die Nuwe Testament geld dit dat die sondaarmens via die weg van verootmoediging, berou en skuldbelydenis tot skuldontdaning moes kom. Vanweë die dikwels voorkomende komplekse persoonsbeeld van die lidmaat in die gevangenis, is die hulp en kennis van die ander geesteswetenskappe nodig om hierdie mense in die diepte te bereik. Psigologies is dit belangrik dat die pastor iets sal begryp van die kragte wat 'n rol speel in die skulddinamiek by lidmate. Juridies is dit nodig dat die pastor bedag sal wees dat die lidmaat sy skuld en God se vergifnis suiwer vanuit 'n juridiese raamwerk mag beoordeel. Hoewel die bieg soos dit deur die Rooms-Katolieke kerk beoefen word nie deur die Nederdutse Gereformeerde Kerk aanvaar word nie, is bevind dat die evangeliese bieg soos Eduard Thurneysen dit uitspel, toepassingswaarde het. Dit het 'n bepaalde waarde om die lidmaat, hoewel hy verklaar dat sy skuld vergewe is, deur 'n oopdekkende gesprek te help om oorgeblewe 'skuldbagasie' voor God neer te lê en God se vergifnis in die diepte toe te eien. Om die aard van die skuldbesef van lidmate te kon bepaal, is in die empiriese studie van die kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetode gebruik gemaak wat 'n etnografiese hanteringswyse ingesluit het, wat bruikbaar was om die lidmaat in sy 'Umwelt' te bereik. Vyftien onderhoude is met respondente gevoer aan die hand van vrae wat op die literatuurstudie gegrond is, Vir die analise van hierdie onderhoude is van die 'grounded theory' van Strauss en Corbin gebruik gemaak. Uit hierdie navorsing is tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat die skuldbesef van lidmate wat as respondente aan onderhoude deelgeneem het, nie van 'n diepgang getuig het nie. Aan die hand van bevindinge is bepaalde aanbevelings aan die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk gemaak wat die noodsaaklikheid van die kerk se bemoeienis met sy lidmate in die gevangenis uitspel.