Record Details

Virtuous suffering and the predicament of being handicapped. Towards a theology of the ‘disabled God puffing in a wheelchair’

In die Skriflig

 
 
Field Value
 
Title Virtuous suffering and the predicament of being handicapped. Towards a theology of the ‘disabled God puffing in a wheelchair’
 
Creator Louw, Daniel J.
 
Subject — —
Description The reality of disablement, being handicapped and physical disfigurement, opens up anew the theological debate regarding God-images in human suffering. It is argued that the Hellenistic understanding of the power of God, God as a pantokrator [Almighty], presupposes the immutability of an apathetic God. In terms of the logic of a cause-effect paradigm, God becomes the deterministic principle behind human suffering. With reference to a theologia crucis [theology of the Cross], the paradigm of theopaschitic theology proposes a pathetic understanding of God. Weakness and vulnerability (astheneia) describes an authentic identification of God with human suffering. Forsakenness (derelictio) reframes power as compassionate weakness or vulnerability and divine disability. The disabled God is, in terms of the New Testament a connection between divine compassion and human predicament (ta splanchna), the passionate God. Bowel categories make it possible to speak of the ‘puffing God in the wheelchair’. A theology of the cross should be supplemented by a theology of ability (theologia resurrectionis). The resurrection introduces the spiritual ability parrhesia − the transformation of the weakness of suffering into the fortigenitics of hope.Lyding tussen lot en deug binne die dilemma van gestremdheid. Die onwikkeling van ’n teologie van die ‘gestremde God, hygend in ’n rolstoel’. Die gegewendheid en realiteit van verskillende vorme van gestremdheid onderstreep menslike weerloosheid en magteloosheid. Vir gelowiges wat worstel met die vraag na sin in lyding, roep dit onder andere die vraag op na die verband tussen lyding en die almag en krag van God. Die basiese argument is dat die Hellenistiese konsep en paradigma van die mag van God, God as pantokrator, die starre onbeweeglikheid van ’n apatiese God voorveronderstel. Met behulp van die oorsaak-gevolg skema van denke, word God, in terme van die menslike logika, ’n deterministiese kousaliteitsbeginsel en verklaringsmeganisme. Met behulp van ’n teopasgitiese hermeneutiek binne die raamwerk van ’n kruisteologie, word aandag gegee aan die opsie van ’n lydende en meelydende God (die passie van God). Die swakheid en weerloosheid van God (astheneia) beskryf die egtheid en integriteit van God in terme van ’n wesenlike identifikasie met die lyding van mense. Verlatenheid (derelictio) transformeer die populêre, dogmatiese siening van almags-determinisme in die sensitiewe paradigma van weerlose medelye. ’n Teologie van die ‘gestremde God’ word ontwikkel in die lig van die teologiese implikasies van ta splanchna op ’n eksistensiële Godsverstaan. ’n Tipe erbarmingsteologie (‘binnegoed’ of dermteologie) word ontwikkel wat help om die metafoor van ’n ‘ gestremde God, hygend in ’n rolstoel’ pastoraal te verstaan. Met die oog op die omvattende verstaan van hoop, moet ’n kruisteologie aangevul word met ’n opstandingsteologie. Die uitwerking van troos op mense met gestremdheid is parrhēsia: die moed om te lewe.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor University of Stellenbosch
Date 2014-04-23
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — —
Format text/html application/octet-stream text/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/ids.v48i1.1692
 
Source In die Skriflig/In Luce Verbi; Vol 48, No 1 (2014); 10 pages 2305-0853 1018-6441
 
Language eng
 
Relation
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://indieskriflig.org.za/index.php/skriflig/article/view/1692/2447 https://indieskriflig.org.za/index.php/skriflig/article/view/1692/2448 https://indieskriflig.org.za/index.php/skriflig/article/view/1692/2449 https://indieskriflig.org.za/index.php/skriflig/article/view/1692/2412
 
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Rights Copyright (c) 2014 Daniel J. Louw https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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