spirit and healing in africa - University of the Free State

spirit and healing in africa - University of the Free State spirit and healing in africa - University of the Free State

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he emphasizes that the resurrection of Christ refers to the real divine involvement, turning Christ’s redemptive death and resurrection into a historical and effective reality for us (Kraan 1974:203;1984:84). This perspective of realizing eschatology 48 involves all aspects of life in a direct and decisive way (Kraan 1974:202,204; 1984:85). Since God’s salvation is real and effective in this world, physical healing has also become a matter of salvation. Kraan acknowledges the presence of disease in this reality, and interprets diseases as signs of the old order, which is chaos. That is how the old order aims to sabotage the full existence of the new order. Yet, God’s grace has overcome the old order, and the actuality of the new order calls for believers to reject and rebel against disease; it should not be accepted as if it is coming from God. Kraan’s theology is characterized by the full revelation of eschatological salvation. There is no tentative or provisional salvation, because Christ’s resurrection brought real and effective redemption in its fullest sense. With his understanding of realizing eschatology, Kraan differs from the Reformed majority that defends a discontinuity or at least a ‘discontinual continuity’ between creation and God’s ultimate reign, in which physicality can never reach perfection and the believer’s transformation is never completed. Kraan’s emphasis on the soteriological meaning of the resurrection for the present tense challenges Reformed thought, and poses the question of how the link between physicality and transformation can be expressed from a Reformed perspective. Within the Reformed tradition, the theme of embodied resurrection life in the tension between the ‘already’ and the ‘not-yet’ is still underdeveloped. Harmen de Vries (2011:20) affirms this in relation to Dutch theological discourse. Considering the theme of transformation and physicality, Reformed pneumatological thought does not offer satisfying options for articulating a link. This has to do, in my perspective, with both the power of the metaphor and the prioritizing of the soul over the body. The metaphorical approach is rightly to be seen as powerful and persuasive, since it recognizes the ‘is and is not’ aspect of discourse on God. One simply cannot theologize without using metaphors. Yet the downside of metaphorical language is the tendency to stop searching for non-metaphorical ways of verbalizing transformation and embodiment. Once metaphorical language is applied to the theme, it is difficult to invite literal language on the scene again. The other complication in 48. Kraan’s concept of ‘realizing eschatology’, as reference to the effective reality of God’s salvation in the present, differs from the concept of ‘realized eschatology’ used by the Protestant New Testament scholar CH Dodds (The Parables of the Kingdom, 1935; The Interpretation of the Fourth Gospel, 1953). Kraan’s understanding of the presence of the Kingdom is that it is real, but still advancing; the powers of the old order are still trying to undermine the new order. 230

Reformed thought on the theme of transformation and physicality is the priority of the spiritual over the physical. Even though the holistic dimension of human existence has been recognized in Reformed thought, transformation is considered to be starting at a spiritual level before the effects of the transformation transpire at the level of physicality and materiality. The experience of being blessed, for example, is first of all a spiritual matter before it trickles down and can be experienced in other areas of life (such as the body, relationship, or politics). The priority of the spirit over the body is probably inevitable if one understands the spirit as the main locus of faith and knowledge about God, but that does not dissolve the question whether there is a way to verbalize transformation, without metaphorical language determining the entire discourse. Acknowledging the fact that metaphors are indispensable to theological reflection, how could one make the move from generic, metaphorical language to particular language about one’s experience of God’s grace unto the body? If we believe, with Veenhof (2005:241) for example, that God’s salvation can be experienced in everyday life (including the body) through the Spirit, then we should also search for possibilities to verbalize these (faith) experiences of transformation, healing and exorcism, without these particular and personal verbalizations being deemed of less value or less true than generic metaphorical articulations. How could this be done, while maintaining the tension between metaphorical and literal language, and between generic and particular language? The challenge for Reformed theology is not to surrender all verbalizations of transformation to metaphorical language, and to search for ways of opening the discourse of transformation to particular and physical experiences of God’s grace in human life. 8.3 TRANSFORMATION, SPIRIT AND HEALING The previous section showed that the Reformed matrix understands salvation as a union with Christ, which entails holistic transformation through the Spirit of adoption. The metaphor of adoption implies that this adoption process creates tension in the lives of believers, because the whole person is reclaimed for God. It was also pointed out that the theme of transformation and adoption is complicated by the Reformed use of metaphorical language. Reformed perspectives on literal transformation are rare and underdeveloped. But where does the theme of healing fit in? In what sense does the redemptive work of the Spirit of adoption include healing? 8.3.1 Disorienting Spirit of God The metaphor of adoption indicates that the Spirit invites and includes creaturely life in divine life. Humans can become sons and daughters of the Father, and co-heirs with Christ through the embracing efficacies of the Holy Spirit. Being with Christ involves a decisive transition from one context of embodiment to another (Dunn 1998:410). It means an existential redirection in life: a moving away from a life that is not focused on God and that does not affirm life as a gift from 231

Reformed thought on <strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong>me <strong>of</strong> transformation <strong>and</strong> physicality is <strong>the</strong> priority <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>spirit</strong>ual<br />

over <strong>the</strong> physical. Even though <strong>the</strong> holistic dimension <strong>of</strong> human existence has been recognized <strong>in</strong><br />

Reformed thought, transformation is considered to be start<strong>in</strong>g at a <strong>spirit</strong>ual level before <strong>the</strong><br />

effects <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> transformation transpire at <strong>the</strong> level <strong>of</strong> physicality <strong>and</strong> materiality. The experience<br />

<strong>of</strong> be<strong>in</strong>g blessed, for example, is first <strong>of</strong> all a <strong>spirit</strong>ual matter before it trickles down <strong>and</strong> can be<br />

experienced <strong>in</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r areas <strong>of</strong> life (such as <strong>the</strong> body, relationship, or politics). The priority <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

<strong>spirit</strong> over <strong>the</strong> body is probably <strong>in</strong>evitable if one underst<strong>and</strong>s <strong>the</strong> <strong>spirit</strong> as <strong>the</strong> ma<strong>in</strong> locus <strong>of</strong> faith<br />

<strong>and</strong> knowledge about God, but that does not dissolve <strong>the</strong> question whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong>re is a way to<br />

verbalize transformation, without metaphorical language determ<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> entire discourse.<br />

Acknowledg<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> fact that metaphors are <strong>in</strong>dispensable to <strong>the</strong>ological reflection, how could<br />

one make <strong>the</strong> move from generic, metaphorical language to particular language about one’s<br />

experience <strong>of</strong> God’s grace unto <strong>the</strong> body? If we believe, with Veenh<strong>of</strong> (2005:241) for example,<br />

that God’s salvation can be experienced <strong>in</strong> everyday life (<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> body) through <strong>the</strong> Spirit,<br />

<strong>the</strong>n we should also search for possibilities to verbalize <strong>the</strong>se (faith) experiences <strong>of</strong><br />

transformation, <strong>heal<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>and</strong> exorcism, without <strong>the</strong>se particular <strong>and</strong> personal verbalizations be<strong>in</strong>g<br />

deemed <strong>of</strong> less value or less true than generic metaphorical articulations. How could this be<br />

done, while ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> tension between metaphorical <strong>and</strong> literal language, <strong>and</strong> between<br />

generic <strong>and</strong> particular language? The challenge for Reformed <strong>the</strong>ology is not to surrender all<br />

verbalizations <strong>of</strong> transformation to metaphorical language, <strong>and</strong> to search for ways <strong>of</strong> open<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong><br />

discourse <strong>of</strong> transformation to particular <strong>and</strong> physical experiences <strong>of</strong> God’s grace <strong>in</strong> human life.<br />

8.3 TRANSFORMATION, SPIRIT AND HEALING<br />

The previous section showed that <strong>the</strong> Reformed matrix underst<strong>and</strong>s salvation as a union with<br />

Christ, which entails holistic transformation through <strong>the</strong> Spirit <strong>of</strong> adoption. The metaphor <strong>of</strong><br />

adoption implies that this adoption process creates tension <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> lives <strong>of</strong> believers, because <strong>the</strong><br />

whole person is reclaimed for God. It was also po<strong>in</strong>ted out that <strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong>me <strong>of</strong> transformation <strong>and</strong><br />

adoption is complicated by <strong>the</strong> Reformed use <strong>of</strong> metaphorical language. Reformed perspectives<br />

on literal transformation are rare <strong>and</strong> underdeveloped. But where does <strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong>me <strong>of</strong> <strong>heal<strong>in</strong>g</strong> fit<br />

<strong>in</strong>? In what sense does <strong>the</strong> redemptive work <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Spirit <strong>of</strong> adoption <strong>in</strong>clude <strong>heal<strong>in</strong>g</strong>?<br />

8.3.1 Disorient<strong>in</strong>g Spirit <strong>of</strong> God<br />

The metaphor <strong>of</strong> adoption <strong>in</strong>dicates that <strong>the</strong> Spirit <strong>in</strong>vites <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>cludes creaturely life <strong>in</strong> div<strong>in</strong>e<br />

life. Humans can become sons <strong>and</strong> daughters <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Fa<strong>the</strong>r, <strong>and</strong> co-heirs with Christ through <strong>the</strong><br />

embrac<strong>in</strong>g efficacies <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Holy Spirit. Be<strong>in</strong>g with Christ <strong>in</strong>volves a decisive transition from one<br />

context <strong>of</strong> embodiment to ano<strong>the</strong>r (Dunn 1998:410). It means an existential redirection <strong>in</strong> life: a<br />

mov<strong>in</strong>g away from a life that is not focused on God <strong>and</strong> that does not affirm life as a gift from<br />

231

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