Vergelykende studie na die kerklike diens van genesing

Abstract

Die kerklike diens van genesing bet deur die geskiedenis uitgestaan as een van die aktiwiteite van die kerk van Jesus Christus wat vanwee verskillende redes voortdurend in die brandpunt was. Die afgelope dekades is gekenmerk deur die toename van gelowiges uit verskillende denominasies en groepe wat by die nadenke oor en beoefening van die diens van genesing in die kerk betrokke geraak bet. Die toename bet meegebring dat die kerklike diens van genesing op verskillende wyses (praktyke) beoefen is en dat verskillende redes as regverdiging daarvoor aangebied is. Onderliggend hieraan le bepaalde teoriee waarvan die beoefenaars soms bewus was, en soms nie. Die huidige navorsing ondersoek die teoriee en praxes van verskillende genesingsbedienings binne 'n bepaalde akademiese en kerklike raamwerk. In die verband is 'n vergelykende studie deur middel van 'n kwalitatiewe ondersoek na die werk van twee uiteenlopende instansies gedoen, naamlik die London Healing Mission ( wat onder toesig van die Anglikaanse kerk funksioneer en daarom 'n vaste tradisie bet), en die Vineyard Christian Fellowship van Boise, in die VSA, wat 'n jong gemeente is, en by die sogenaamde 'Third Wave' beweging inpas. Die teoriee en praktyk van elke bediening word in die studie ge!dentifiseer en met mekaar vergelyk. Uit hierdie vergelyking word verskillende gevolgtrekkings gemaak, onder andere oor die bestaansreg van die kerklike diens van genesing en die formaat wat dit behoort aan te neem. Sekere opmerkinge word op grond van die navorsingsresultate gemaak wat in die Pinkster, Charismatiese en Gerefonneerde kerke asook vir die kerk in die algemeen, van waarde kan wees. Die navorsingsresultate word gebruik om 'n bedieningsmodel vir die genesingsbediening in die kerk te ontwerp. Die ondersoek word afgesluit met aanbevelings met die oog op moontlike toekomstige navorsing.

Throughout history the healing ministry has been one of the outstanding activities of the church of Jesus Christ which remained continuously and for various reasons the focal point of attention. The past decades were characterized by an escalation of believers from different denominations and groups who became involved in the meditation and practicing of the healing ministry in the church. This escalation has resulted in the healing ministry being practiced in multiple ways and various reasons being given as justification for doing so. This was done in the presence of underlying theories of which the practitioners were either consciously or subconsciously aware or unaware of. The present research explores the theories and practices of the healing ministry within a particular academic and ecclesiastical context. A comparative study was undertaken by means of a qualitative investigation covering the work of two divergent institutions namely: The London Healing Mission (which is supervised by the Anglican Church and therefore has a specific tradition) and the Vineyard Christian Fellowship, Boise, USA, which is a 'new' congregation and fits in with the so called Third Wave movement. The theories and practices of both these ministries are identified and compared with one another. Various conclusions are reached through this comparison, referring amongst others to the healing ministry's right of existence and the format in which it should be practiced. Remarks that are being·made with regard to the results of the research should be of value to the Pentecostal, Charismatic and Reformed churches in particular, but to the Church in general as well. These results are also used to design a ministering model for the healing ministry. The study concludes with certain recommendations for possible future research.