spirit and healing in africa - University of the Free State

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God on the basis of God’s Word. The basic link between Reformed churches is their mutual understanding of the Holy Scripture. The Reformed confessions witness to the Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit, as the only means to come to knowledge about God. The implication of this understanding is that “the significance of the confession in the Reformed church consists in its essential nonsignificance, its obvious relativity, humanity, multiplicity, mutability, and transitoriness” (Barth 2005:38), while the meaning of Reformed confessions is also found in the fact that they are still a witness, nothing more and nothing less. On the basis of this perspective, the Reformed confessions as theological and ecclesial documents can be considered to be valuable voices in the quest for a Reformed pneumatological matrix. In this chapter, particular attention goes to the meaning of the Holy Spirit in the Heidelberg Catechism. The Heidelberg Catechism (1563) together with the Belgic Confession (1561) and the Canons of Dordt (1618-1619) form the doctrinal standards of the Reformed tradition, in alliance with the Word of God. These Protestant creeds were identified as the three formulas of unity at the first synod in Dordrecht in the seventeenth century. These confessions are particular and faithful expressions of how the Christian message is perceived from a Reformed perspective. One of the reasons for this thesis’ particular attention to the Heidelberg Catechism is that the focus of this research does not allow for an extensive investigation into the role of the Holy Spirit in the various Reformed confessions and catechisms. Instead, I would like to refer to the research of Yuzo Adhinarta (2010). The Heidelberg Catechism is the best known among all Reformed confessional writings on the basis of its dogmatic and pedagogical usefulness (Barth 2005:14). Furthermore, it is a confessional document in which the work of the Holy Spirit is addressed extensively, even though its pneumatology is not articulated explicitly. The Heidelberg Catechism is saturated with references to the work of the Holy Spirit: “the Holy Spirit of God permeates question after question of the Heidelberg Catechism so much so, that we can say there is no doctrine in our Catechism from which the Holy Spirit is absent” (Hyde 2006:237) 39 . Although the person and the work of the Spirit are only mentioned explicitly in question/answer 53 (‘what do you believe concerning the Holy Spirit?’), the theme of the Spirit carries great weight in the Heidelberg Catechism. This is revealed by the macrostructure of the confessions (Hyde 2006:212, who also refers to Barth 1964:25). The triad guilt, grace, gratitude — the basic 39. In the discussion of the person and the work of the Holy Spirit in the Heidelberg Catechism, I follow the basic structure of Hyde’s treatment of reference to the Holy Spirit in the Heidelberg Catechism. 194
pattern of the confession — is clearly associated with the work of the Spirit. For the Spirit is the One who is intimately involved in the process of the believer’s realization of his or her corruption, the believer’s regeneration, and the believer’s gratitude and desire to live according to God’s will. This movement, which in essence shows who God is and who the human being is, is the heart of Reformed confession, and cannot be understood when separated from the work of the Holy Spirit. Without the work of the Spirit, who gives new life to the believer (question/answer 8) through the Spirit’s gift of faith (question/answer 21), the human being is nothing but corrupt and inclined to all evil (question/answer 3-11). The Holy Spirit, who is God together with the Father and the Son (question/answer 24-64), gives faith and reveals God’s grace to the believer through Word and sacraments (question/answer 65-82). Subsequently, the work of the Spirit is to be related to the ongoing renewal of the believer who wants to perform God’s will out of his or her thankfulness to God (question/answer 86-129). The Heidelberg Catechism confesses the deity of the person of the Spirit. In question/answer 24 (about the structure of the Apostle’s Creed) and in question/answer 25 (about the doctrine of the Holy Trinity) it is clearly articulated that the Holy Spirit, with the Father and the Son, is one God. Just as, in the Apostle’s Creed, the Father is associated with creation and the Son with our redemption, so is the Spirit related to the believer’s sanctification. This is how God has revealed Himself in his Word, namely as three distinct Persons who are the one, true, eternal God. With question/answer 53, the Heidelberg Catechism denounces those heresies which deny the divine nature of the Holy Spirit by confirming that the Spirit is eternal God with the Father and the Son. In addition to confessing the deity of the Holy Spirit, the Heidelberg Catechism relates the Holy Spirit to the person of Jesus Christ. The Heidelberg Catechism shows that there is a very close relationship between the work of Christ and the work of the Spirit: the Spirit is seen as the anointing one and Jesus as the anointed (Hyde 2006:215). The work of Christ cannot be separated from the Spirit, and vice versa. This idea, also reflected in Calvin’s theology, appears several times in the Heidelberg Catechism: in Jesus’ incarnation, his ministry, his ascension, and his present work in our times. The Heidelberg Catechism refers to the meaning of the Spirit when the incarnation is addressed in question/answer 35: ‘what do you confess when you say: He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary?’. The emphasis is on the work of the Spirit (Luke 1:35), through whom Jesus took upon Himself true human nature from flesh and blood. In question/answer 36 it is confessed that through the involvement of the Spirit, Jesus remained without sin and became our Mediator by covering our sins with his righteousness. Besides the meaning of the Spirit in 195
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SPIRIT AND HEALING IN AFRICA: A REF
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS It feels like this
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I would like to believe that my chi
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TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 11 1
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PART II. EXPLORING A REFORMED PNEUM
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INTRODUCTION 1. Research background
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and her status? Does the Bible not
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traditional healing, the HIV/AIDS c
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This thesis centralizes the proper,
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subject of health within the variou
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7. Research outline This research c
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and materiality. The answers to thi
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physical affliction, and it points
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1.2 MEANING OF SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVIS
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trust) that can influence health an
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1.3.2 Discourse When one follows th
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still resists a clear definition an
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the study of African healing starte
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industrialized world” (Helman 200
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produced, that a certain gesture re
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influence in Southern Africa. The a
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collective experiences, codes of th
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However, despite many attempts to a
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impact on African indigenous cultur
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Suffering as a relational matter
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situation in which one is actively
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particular rituals are subject to c
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Ngoma’s ability to recreate socie
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2.4 BORDERS OF AFRICAN TRADITIONAL
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carefully balance their practices a
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connection with the human beings wh
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ancestors and other spirits is impo
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a network of vessels through which
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healing, because relationships are
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esistance. Without denying that mis
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century it turned out that the medi
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scientific insights. The rigid Enli
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determined the course of missionary
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exclusive and divergent therapy, th
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merely regarded as the mirror of th
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esearch starts (as it is in convent
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a given society), but it should be
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eliefs and deeds were reproduced th
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missionary discourse focuses not on
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The notion of transformation result
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3.5.3 Transformation without superi
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The transformation of biomedicine i
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people make sense of health and ill
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ut should have narratives and perso
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these, but all of them include, imp
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Epidemiological constructions of AI
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investigating sexual activities wit
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within a specific society. The ackn
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This section aims at exploring some
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assessment and prevention. However,
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which Jesus directly turns towards
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include the dismissal of the assume
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4.4.2 Quality of social life From a
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The church now acknowledges that it
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ehavior, has mainly determined the
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CHAPTER 5. CHURCH-BASED HEALING DIS
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independent Pentecostal Churches, t
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deficiencies in medical healthcare
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that the human covenant partner nee
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approach towards the cause of disea
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Besides the argument that Jesus him
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malevolent forces or demons, who ha
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of benevolent spiritual forces in o
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5.3.3 Power of the Holy Spirit With
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for Jesus’ holistic approach to t
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prophet-healer is seen as someone w
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Page 145 and 146: church-based healing would be depri
Page 147 and 148: who have to deal with a changing st
Page 149 and 150: manifests itself, but it is definit
Page 151 and 152: PART II. EXPLORING A REFORMED PNEUM
Page 153 and 154: matrix? What are the essential elem
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Page 157 and 158: 6.2 REFORMED PNEUMATOLOGIES The fol
Page 159 and 160: Another feature of Calvin’s pneum
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Page 171 and 172: whether the Christological focus in
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Page 179 and 180: The significance of Van Ruler’s a
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Page 187 and 188: The focus in Welker’s pneumatolog
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Page 191 and 192: (becoming whole) and integrated thr
Page 193: eorientation of Christian theology.
Page 197 and 198: salvation). Questions/answers 65-82
Page 199 and 200: (Shults 2008:271-287). The understa
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Page 209 and 210: Hollingsworth 2008). The broad conc
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Page 221 and 222: CHAPTER 8. THE SPIRIT AND TRANSFORM
Page 223 and 224: system of the Christian church (…
Page 225 and 226: 8.2.3 Spirit of adoption James Dunn
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Page 229 and 230: Metaphorical language about transfo
Page 231 and 232: Reformed thought on the theme of tr
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Page 239 and 240: CHAPTER 9. THE SPIRIT AND QUALITY O
Page 241 and 242: physical abilities, social circumst
Page 243 and 244: The clear distinction between the C
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Conradie 54 shows, based on Van Rul
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could say that people’s bodies ma
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9.3.1 Vulnerability, creation and S
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in the cosmos, Polkinghorne (2006:1
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ody, and thus his or her vulnerabil
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the Holy Spirit. Moreover, this foc
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The acceptance of her vulnerability
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CHAPTER 10. THE SPIRIT AND POWER Th
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oom for creation and for the embodi
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Migliore (2008) has the same opinio
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10.2 POWER AND THE HOLY SPIRIT Chri
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which the Spirit of God brings new
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life through this discontinuity:
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interpersonal relations. Everyone s
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God’s power is revealed through h
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The journey consists of two main st
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are a constructive part of it. In a
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transformation can be defined as he
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provided the basis for a re-visioni
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iomedical constructions of health,
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Attanasi, K 2008. Getting in Step w
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— 1997. Theology of the Old Testa
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— 2001. ‘Naming the Spirit: Tow
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Paper for use in HIV and AIDS Progr
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Hamilton, NQ 1957. The Holy Spirit
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— 2007. The Next Christendom. The
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Kraan, KJ 3 1974. ‘Opdat U genezi
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— Luther’s Works. 1957-1986. 55
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Müller-Fahrenholz, G 2000. The Kin
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Pilch, JJ 2000. Healing in the New
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Rohleder, P & Gibson, K 2006. ‘We
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— 2011. Trends and Directions in
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Twesigye, EK 1987. Common Ground: C
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— 1961b. ‘Structuurverschillen
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Warfield, BB 1946, ‘Introductory
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Wisse, M 2004. Towards a Truly Rela
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SUMMARY This study is an exploratio
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OPSOMMING Hierdie studie is ‘n ve
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