Sentiment en die lied van die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk: 'n inhoudsanalitiese perspektief

Abstract

English: This study investigates viewpoints over the last few decades regarding the hymn of the Dutch Reformed Church by way of a document analysis. Primarily the aim is to determine the most important needs concerning the churchhymn in order for these to be reflected on within the context of the reformed church-song ideal. A method had to be considered which could analise such an emotionally loaded subject objectively and scientifically. In this regard the technique of content analysis is ideally suited, since the latter offers the advantages of a structured approach and objectivity characteristic of quantitative research methods, while, at the same time, involving a certain extent of qualitative thought. As a prefix to the document analysis, Chapters 2 and 3 investigate the international position of the church-hymn and the historical development of the Dutch Reformed hymn respectively. From this it is clear that, within the reformed tradition, emphasis has been primarily on the proclaiming function of the church-hymn. In this regard, the urge for renewal and the striving towards more relevancy of secular culture in the church, presents real problems. Concerning the local situation, it is evident that historically, there has always been conflict around the church-hymn within the DRC. Not only was there resistance from the beginning against the official churchhymn, but several church members specifically long for a simpler experience-orientated spiritual song. The data-analysis in Chapter 4 indicates that the given tendency definitely applies regarding the polemics under investigation. The duality within the church-singing has to do particularly with two clashing types of devoutness inside the DRC. The polemic shows that those against the official church-hymn are particularly burdened by the "unsingability" of the melodies, as well as the fact that these hymns are foreign to the 20th-century person. An analysis of those involved in the polemics brings to light that, during all the eras under investigation, there is a notable lack of involvement from experts in the field of hymnology. Also evident is the largely subjective comments regarding the chuch-hymn which, in the majority of cases, rely on sentiment rather than expertise. As for the most important recommendations resulting from the study, it is proposed that any future decision-making on the church-hymn should take into account the already referred to dualism regarding devoutness types. From this, it further follows that the tradition of more than one hymnal should be abandoned and that consideration should be given to a single comprehensive hymnal. It is further recommended that decision-making processes should be preceded by scientific investigations and that musicaltechnical as well as stylistic issues be handled by experts. It is however especially the last recommendation that concerns itself with retaining the true reformed nature of the DRC, which constitutes the recommendation that the thesibili ty of an ecclesiastical identification with present-day secular culture should be seriously contemplated.

Afrikaans: Hierdie studie ondersoek standpunte rondom die kerklied van die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk oor die laaste aantal dekades deur middel van 'n dokument-analise. Die oogmerk hiervan is primêr om die vernaamste behoeftes ten opsigte van die kerklied te bepaal, sodat laasgenoemde binne die konteks van die gereformeerde kerksang-ideaal oordink kan word. 'n Metode moes oorweeg word wat 'n dergelike emosioneelgelade onderwerp op 'n objektief-wetenskaplike wyse kon ontleed. Die tegniek van inhoudsanalise is in hierdie opsig by uitstek geskik, aangesien laasgenoemde die voordele van 'n gestruktureerde benadering en objektiwiteit eie aan kwantitatiewe navorsingsmetodes bied, dog terselfdertyd 'n mate van kwalitatiewe denke behels. As aanloop tot die dokument-analise ondersoek Hoofstukke 2 en 3 onderskeidelik die internasionale stand van die kerklied, en die historiese ontwikkeling van die NGkerklied. Hieruitblyk datdaar binne die gereformeerde opset tradisioneel primêr klem gelê is op die verkondigende funksie van die kerklied. Die aandrang om vernuwing en die strewe om die eietydse sekulêre kultuur binne die kerk relevant te maak, lewer juis in hierdie opsig reële probleme. Wat die plaaslike situasie betref, is dit duidelik dat daar histories binne die NGK nog altyd konflik rondom die kerklied aanwesig was. Nie alleen was daar van meet af aan weerstand teen die amptelike kerklied nie, maar verlang heelwat lidmate spesifiek 'n meer eenvoudige, ervaringsgerigte geestelike lied. Die data-analise in Hoofstuk 4 beslis ook geld ten opsigte toon dat gemelde tendens van die polemiek onder bestudering. Die gespletenheid in die kerksang het veral te make met twee botsende vroomheidstipes binne die NGK. Die polemiek toon dat diegene wat gekant is teen die amptelike kerklied, veral beswaard is oor die "onsingbaarheid" van die melodieë, asook die feit dat hierdie liedere wêreldvreemd aandoen vir die 20ste-eeuse mens. In Analise van diegene wat by die polemiek betrokke was, bring aan die lig dat daar tydens al die tydvakke wat ondersoek is, In opvallende gebrek is aan betrokkenheid van deskundiges op die gebied van die himnologie. Ook is bevind dat die uitsprake insake die kerklied tot In groot mate subjektief is, en in In groot meerderheid van gevalle op sentiment berus, eerder as op ware kundigheid. As vernaamste aanbevelings vanuit die studie word daar voorgehou dat daar by toekomstige besluitneming rondom die kerklied rekening gehou word met bogenoemde gespletenheid ten opsigte van vroomheidstipes. Hieruit vloei voort dat die tradisie van meer as een sangbundel agtergelaat word, en dat gedagte geskenk word aan één omvattende sangbundel. Voorts word aanbeveel dat besluitnemingsprosesse deur wetenskaplike ondersoeke voorafgegaan word en dat musikaaltegniese asook stilistiese kwessies deur deskundiges hanteer word. Dit is egter veral die laaste aanbeveling wat te make het met die behoud van die eie gereformeerde aard van die NGK, en waarbyaanbeveel word dat daar ernstig besin word oor die wenslikheid van In kerklike identifisering met die hedendaagse sekulêre kultuur.