spirit and healing in africa - University of the Free State

e that new ideas or alternative constructions with regard to health arise, that fit within the
Reformed matrix and connect with African health ideas?
Reasons for exploration
The exploration of the relation between African health notions and Reformed motifs is thus an
open-ended venture, which takes as its starting point the perceived need for developing
articulations on God and health within the Reformed tradition in African. The main reason for
this exploratory undertaking is that the Reformed tradition faces the challenge of responding
meaningfully to existing constructions of healing. It has already been mentioned that mainstream
churches in Africa are struggling to address believers’ needs for health and healing in a way that
is relevant to their congregants. Since Reformed thought is always in development over matters
arising from the engagement between Reformed tradition and its cultural context, it is
appropriate to take into account existing thoughts and practices related to health. In other words,
it corresponds with the identity of Reformed church and theology to seek a connection with
existing health conceptualizations in the African context, and to respond to them.
There is a second reason for the exploration into the relation between African health notions and
Reformed motifs, in my opinion, because the Reformed tradition has the resources to respond
meaningfully to existing health constructions within the African context. One of these resources
is the focus on the person and the work of the Holy Spirit. It is a theme not yet fully developed,
but the expectation is that the potential of Reformed responses to healing can be uncovered by a
pneumatological approach, because pneumatological language refers to God in relation to
creation, and vice versa. It thus provides a framework for exploring articulations on God and
health.
Need for a matrix of Reformed pneumatology
In order to fulfill the potential of Reformed articulations on God’s Spirit and healing, there is one
dilemma that must first be addressed — the need for a matrix 33 of Reformed pneumatology in
order to explore new Reformed ways of speaking about God and healing. But what precisely
determines the Reformed identity, and is it possible to speak of a Reformed pneumatological
33. In this text the word matrix describes a kind of grid or structure that presents related data and particulars. In the
case of a Reformed pneumatological matrix, the aim is to identify a collection of features of Reformed
pneumatological thought. The positive side of a Reformed pneumatological matrix is that it increases the integration
of the features, so that the matrix can be used as an instrument for further exploration. The weakness of a Reformed
pneumatological matrix is the risk of simplification and reduction. This complex nature of a Reformed
pneumatological matrix will be addressed in Chapter 6.
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