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Why paradigms?
Another use of the word paradigm is in the sense of « worldview ». The example, in social science, where the term is used to describe the set of experiences, beliefs and values that affect the way an individual perceives reality and responds to that perception. Social scientists have adopted the Kuhnian phrase « paradigm shift » to denote a change in how a given society goes about organising and understanding reality. A « dominant paradigm » refers to the values, or a system of thought, in a society where it is most standard and widely held at a given time. Dominant paradigms are shaped both by the community’s cultural background and by the context of the historical moment. The following are conditions that facilitate a system of thought to become an accepted dominant paradigm (Handa 1986) (Hutchin 2013:124)). In answering the question “Why Paradigms?” we need to explore the concepts in the above quotation. First, the concept of “worldview”. The use of words determines the “effect, perception and response” by creating the need to be introspective. The general understanding of worldview stems from one’s situation and experience that influences our perception and how we react to that perception. Here we see the direct place for intervention, which is indicated in our Pastoral Cycle as “Insertion”. This is an individual, society or community’s involvement in dealing with their situation, context, community, church and country in attempting to deal with reconciliation, reconstruction and development as a relevant and practical paradigm.
The above quotation states that social scientist’s use of “paradigm shift” ushers in changes in how we deal with our situations and contexts. Professor David Bosch’s subtitle for “Transforming Missions” is “Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Missions”. This is very intentional and deliberate on the part of Professor David Bosch to state and restate his definite intention and insistence to utilise paradigms in the academic, theoretical and practical fields of missiology. The researcher believes that the understanding, application and creating of an actual mobility is a response to paradigm shifts. There needs to be movement. In reality the intentional spelling out, practising and living out the required “paradigm shift”, is vital and crucial for a transforming society and community. This presents deep and challenging questions. Do South Africans and the church understand the implications of a paradigm shift? Are South Africans willing to make that paradigm shift? Will South Africans resist the paradigm shift? What will hinder the process in making that paradigm shift? These questions are entangled with race, ethnicity, culture, tradition, language, religion, faith, history, education and mind sets. This entanglement determines the positions South Africans would take up in their journey of life, faith and belief. It determines where one would make the point of Insertion. The definition in the quotation above suggests that there are dominant paradigms which are shaped by one’s upbringing, background and history. South Africans have been through the experiences of many dominant paradigms. The apartheid policy was one example of domination. It allowed one group of people to be dominant over the others. So, this situation would create both dominant paradigms and weak subjective paradigms. This created a divide, separation, distance, distrust, suspicion, enmity, tensions, polarisation and negative relationships. The people of the weak subjective paradigm experienced struggle within themselves. The researcher would deal with these aspects more intensely in the next chapter on identity.
The validity for the use of the types of or Conceptual Paradigms
Some caution is thrown to the wind by David Jablonsky in his publication “Paradigm Lost – Transitions and the Search for a new World Order”. The title of this publication poses the need for a commitment to what one does in dealing with the concept of paradigm being the key to facilitate a process of change. In the case of this document and research project, reconciliation, reconstruction and development. This research project could so easily lose the intention and reason for what compels it to an outcome or process for change. The act of losing a notion is often affected by fear, being personal and the threats of giving up what the research has proposed. This is entrenched in subjective comfort zones and the denial of facing reality. All of these reasons present a deep concern or need for self-preservation, protecting one’s ethnicity and dealing with one’s identity. The research project must realise that these threats are real and valid. South African history and transformation has left South Africans with scars that cry out for individuality and the security of the individual rather than community. This could be understood as current fears.
Also, in the title of Jablonsky’s publication is the need to search for a new World Order. Perhaps, the need is to search for a new South African Order that will enable and equip South Africans as Christians that intentionally journey towards reconciliation, reconstruction and development. There are certainly many efforts with evidence of goodwill, relationships, friendships and building a sense of community. In this document’s introduction it alluded to some reasons for South Africans having a distorted sense of reconciliation based on the wrongs, evil, destruction and breakdown of respect for authority. Is South Africa losing the important paradigm for missiology to effectively deal with reconciliation, reconstruction and development for a post-1994 South Africa? The challenge for change is to search for a new World Order that will impact South Africa and bring the desired outcome for its Christian and missiological contribution to a context and community of need.
The South African perspective for Identity
The South African population is uniquely diverse. The fact that South Africa has eleven official languages substantiates this diversity. These eleven official languages of South Africa are: Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. In a country of approximately 55 million people, this intimates a commitment to recognise identities and accommodate almost all the major groupings. The new democracy since 1994 brought with it the recognition of all minority groupings within the South African context. Not only were languages taken into consideration, but the whole spectrum of the South African people, their challenges, difficulties, problems, disadvantages, setbacks, situations and conditions.
The researcher proposes to take just one example to reflect on. A very noticeable feature was the attention given to differently-abled people. This was especially noted in the employment of people where opportunities and sometimes preferences were given to people who fell into categories as mentioned above. This awareness through government legislation brought with it the social, physical and recreational concerns for all people in South Africa. The researcher having been born and grown up in South Africa did not notice these very vital and important facets of life in the past. Indeed, this was and is the dawn of a new era. It brought people into the arena of life and living, which were grossly neglected or only enjoyed by a section of the population prior to 1994.
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1 Introduction
1.1 Is South Africa a Country of Reconciled People or People in a Reconciled Country?
1.2 Aim
1.3 Hypothesis
1.4 Methodology
1.5 Layout
1.6 A Summarised view of the Questionnaires Utilised in Gathering Information
2 Approach and Methodology
CHAPTER TWO Insertion: Understanding Paradigms
2.1 Preamble
2.2 Introduction
2.3 The Definition of Paradigms
2.4 Why Paradigms?
2.5 The Validity for the Use of the Types of or Conceptual Paradigms
2.6 Paradigm Shifts In Christian Witness
2.7 Paradigms in transition and for Transformation
CHAPTER THREE: INSERTION: IDENTITY
3 Introduction
3.1 The Definition
3.2 The South African Perspective for Identity
3.3 The Identity of the Church in South Africa
3.4 Conclusion
CHAPTER FOUR: THE CHRISTIAN FAITH IN THE CONTEXT OF SOUTH AFRICA
4 Introduction
4.1 The Faith Factor
4.2 Faith and Mission / Missiology
4.3 The Theological Basis for Faith in Mission
4.4 Understanding Faith as a Missional Paradigm
4.5 Conclusion
CHAPTER FIVE: A SOCIAL ANALYSIS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN CONTEXT
5 Introduction
5.1 A Case Study of Discernment in the Christian Church
5.2 The Social Analysis of the South African Context.
5.3 Conclusion
CHAPTER SIX: THE CRIME FACTOR AS PART OF THE SOCIAL ANALYSIS OF SOUTH AFRICA
6 Introduction
6.1 Reflections of Life in a Semi- Ghetto
6.2 Understanding Crime in South Africa
6.3 Is a Deviant Lifestyle an Acceptable Way of Living?
6.4 Socially Patterned Defect
6.5 Reflection on Crime in South Africa
6.6 Media Articles on Crime in South Africa
6.7 Conclusion
CHAPTER SEVEN: ANALYSIS OF THE CHURCH AND ITS MINISTRY
7 Introduction
7.1 Origins of the Church
7.2 Origins of the Church in South Africa
7.3 The Church in South Africa Prior 1994
7.4 The African Initiated / Independent Churches
7.5 The Dichotomy of the South African Church
7.6 The Church in South Africa Post-1994
7.7 Conclusion 161
CHAPTER EIGHT: THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION ON THE MISSIONAL
8 Introduction
8.1 The General Understanding of Reconciliation
8.2 Reconciliation as A Paradigm for Missiology
8.3 The Biblical Understanding of Reconciliation
8.4 Five Biblically Guided Steps that Helps the Process of Reconciliation
8.5 The Biblical View of Reconciliation
8.6 The Christian Understanding of Reconciliation
8.7 Reconciliation and Healing as a Paradigm for Mission
8.8 Conclusion 188
CHAPTER NINE: SPIRITUAL FORMATION AND EMPOWERMENT: A MUCH NEEDED IMPETUS FOR THE PARADIGMS OF RECONCILIATION, RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE POST 1994 SOUTH AFRICA
9 Preamble
9.1 Introduction
9.2 Spiritually Seeking Theology
9.3 The Laudium Declaration as a Statement of Intent for the Evangelical and Spiritual Approach to the Challenges in the Post-1994 South African Context
9.4 The Convictions that Emanate from The Laudium Declaration
9.5 The Role of Prayer i
9.6 The Role of Spiritual Warfare in the Trenches of The Missional Call
9.7 Holy Spirit Formation and Empowerment for The Missional Call
9.8 Understanding Reality as Part of Spirituality
9.9 Reconciliation as Spirituality
9.10 Conclusion
CHAPTER TEN: PASTORAL PLANNING AND PRAXIS
10.1 Introduction
10.2 The Reality of ‘Otherness’
10.3 From Communion to Community
10.4 Community of Forgiveness
10.5 Communities for Pastoral Planning and Praxis Needed in a Post-1994 South Africa
10.6 . Healing as Part of the Missional Approach to Dealing with the Paradigms of Reconciliation, Reconstruction and Development in the Pastoral Planning and Praxis of the Post-1994 South African Context
10.7 The Role Wounds play in the Healing Process
10.8 The Missional Approach to Serving Society and the Nation
10.9 Conclusion
CHAPTER ELEVEN: REFLECTING ON THE SOUTH AFRICAN RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME AND ECONOMICS
11 The Six Basic Principles of the RDP
11.1 The Role of Economics in the Reconciliation, Reconstruction and Development Process
11.2 Conclusion
CHAPTER 12 CONCLUSION
12.1 Introduction
12.2 Translatability of the Gospel Message – To Meet the Need for Change
12.3 Concluding Remarks
12.4 Faith-Based Reconciliation – Eight Core Values
