Prediking in 'n konteks van die toenemende marginalisasie van die man

[摘要] In the past, white men in South‐Africa benefited from the structures in society. These benefitsled to certain stereotypical images of manhood, and raised specific expectations that men needto comply with. In the meantime, the situation in South‐Africa changed in such a way that whitemen do not benefit from the structures of society in the way they did in the past. All men arenot affected in similar way by these changes. Certain men are affected in such a way that theyexperience crises, because they cannot comply with the expectations associated with earlierways of thinking about what it is to be a man, and because they cannot compensate for theirvulnerability. The issue about men's vulnerability is aggravated by the fact that many white men were emotionally wounded during their compulsory national military service. The preaching event needs to place the crises that are experienced by many white men, in thelight of the gospel. That will mean that preaching needs to make a contribution in order to help the men who are experiencing crises, to discover who they really are. They need to discover that they are vulnerable people through whom God is working in a particular way, not whenthey have power, but while they are experiencing their vulnerability. The destructive effectsthat certain structures in society and the desire for success have on people, need to be pointedout in the light of biblical witness. The important role that women fulfil with regard toemotional support to men, also need to be pointed out in the light of biblical witness. Withregard to the last‐mentioned, it is not the intention to stereotype women by enforcing a certain role on them, but rather to focus the attention on an important reality. Preaching's contribution concerning all the aspects mentioned so far, ought not to occur in a prescriptive manner. It should rather proclaim God's work in such a way that hearers can come to a better understanding of what God wants to do through them, or is already doing through them, in order to have an effect on their way of doing and being. South‐African preaching, however, is full of moralisms. Moralistic preaching does not proclaim God's work so that hearers can act by the virtue of that, but set requirements hearers must comply with in order to produce certain results. This type of preaching has the potential to aggravate the situation for men who are experiencing crises. To prevent the last‐mentioned possibility, preachers must have clarity about who and what the congregation is and what the function of the Biblical textought to be.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University