Practising healthy theology in the local church: Lamenting with those in pain and restoring hope
The loss of lament in the modern church has had serious consequences, including a lack of compassion for pain-bearers, the failure to challenge injustice, and essentially the loss of the church's mission: bringing hope into pain. This article suggests five ways to restore lament to the life of...
| Published in: | Stellenbosch theological journal |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Stellenbosch University
[2021]
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| In: |
Stellenbosch theological journal
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| RelBib Classification: | AE Psychology of religion RB Church office; congregation RG Pastoral care |
| Further subjects: | B
Injustice
B Worship B Lament B Liturgy B Compassion |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | The loss of lament in the modern church has had serious consequences, including a lack of compassion for pain-bearers, the failure to challenge injustice, and essentially the loss of the church's mission: bringing hope into pain. This article suggests five ways to restore lament to the life of a church, to facilitate a healthy, caring community. First, "hard texts" must be included in the preaching and teaching calendar; second, the church must learn to stand with pain-bearers in corporate lament; third, worship songs must include opportunity for sustained lament; fourth, biblical laments should be read regularly and used by individuals to compose their own laments; and fifth, lament rituals (for regular and special situations) must be built into the rhythm of church life. If such practices can be restored, those who carry pain will once again receive the gift of hope and communal bonds will be strengthened. |
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| ISSN: | 2413-9467 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Stellenbosch theological journal
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.17570/stj.2021.v7n1.a3 |