Interreligieuse dialoog as model vir die intra-geloofsgesprek rondom seksuele oriëntasie

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:Dialogue between Christians of different sexual orientations is not taking place in thechurch. From a missiological perspective this lack of dialogue damages the unity of thechurch and therefore its credibility to the outside world. There is a diversity of opinionsand experiences in terms of sexual orientation in the church. Dialogue with each otherfrom an arrived and positioned attitude, where judgement and rejection dominates, doesnot model reconciliation and the experience of unity. This research aims to further theintra-faith dialogue regarding sexual orientation ecclesiologically in such a way that theunity of the body of Christ be embodied and the credibility of the church heightened.The interreligious experience of the dialogue process and the skills that have been learnedfrom it, are researched via an extensive literature study to establish if it can serve as ansource of experience from which a dialogue-skills model can be developed that furthersthe intra-faith dialogue regarding sexual orientation, with specific mentioning ofhomosexuality, ecclesiologically. A historical overview of the interreligious dialoguedevelopment in the ecumenical movement is given. This overview highlights the tensionthat has developed between the church's understanding and use of witnessing anddialogue in its contact with and reflection on other faiths. Historically, priority has beengiven to witnessing, because it is understood as being part of the essence of the Christianfaith. The role of witnessing in dialogue, however, is small, because dialogue does nothave a missiological intention, but a missiological dimension. In this research the tensionbetween dialogue and witnessing is handled via this distinction, without separating thetwo. This missiological dimension is understood to be concerned with the relevant,adequate, intelligible and credible communication of the triune God's communicationwith the Christian and the other of another faith. The research develops a model ofinterreligious dialogue-skills to make clear the procedure and polyhedral of this kind ofdialogue in conjuction with the big challenge and demand for skills required. The research then gives a working definition for the concept intra-faith dialogue,whereafter the intra-faith dialogue regarding sexual orientation, with specific mentioningof homosexuality is described and researched in two casestudies. The first casestudy isthe World Council of Churches's Padare occasion at their Harare Assembly inDecember I998 and it serves as an example of an ecumenical intra-faith dialogue onmacrolevel. The second casestudy is the Dutch Reformed Church's Western CapeSinodical Commission for Doctrinal and Actuality's Adhoc Studycommission which, viaa denominational intra-faith dialogue, developed guidelines for a Biblical foundedpastoral care for the homosexual neighbour. This casestudy serves as an example of anintra-faith dialogue on microlevel. Both casestudies are then evaluated via the use of thedeveloped dialogue-skills model. The results prove that the hipotheses that there is a lackof dialogue-skills and guidelines in these intra-faith dialogues, is correct. The researchoffers the dialogue-skills model as a praxismodel to further the intra-faith dialogueregarding sexual orientation ecclesiologically. The importance of a pastoral aptitude andattitude in this dialogueprocess and how pastoral care for a homosexual person ought tobe, are described as an example.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University