Encountering God’s faithfulness in the process of loss

Abstract

The 21st century could be defined as the century of exponential loss. The search for a practical theological hermeneutical response to threatening and imminent scenarios of loss is called for. This article seeks to develop a hermeneutic of Divine encounter for humanity’s existential moments of psycho-physical and psycho-social loss. The principle thesis of this attempt is that loss can only be understood and encountered in and through faith in light of the Gospel. The meaning, process and implication of “loss” (Corr, Nabe & Corr 2000; Worden 1991) will firstly be addressed; the methodology of encountering as a pastoral being-function (Louw 2004; Kübler-Ross 1969) will secondly, be developed; and finally a description of the biblical and theological essence of God’s faithfulness in the reality of loss (Louw 2004; 2005; Berkhof 1985) will be outlined.