Refleksief-teologiese besinning oor kerklike onderrig aan adolessente

Abstract

Hierdie proefskrif is die resultaat van kwalitatiewe navorsing oor bestaande en veronderstelde teoriee en praktyke in die kerklike onderrig van die Ned. Geref. Kerk aan adolessente. 'n Teologies-refleksiewe benadering is gevolg waaruit die oortuiging na vore gekom het, dat antwoorde vir effektiewe kerklike onderrig gesoek moet word in die proses van vernuwing (agogie) wat binne elke geloofsgemeenskap plaasvind; 'n proses wat lei tot 'n bedieningsmodel wat uniek vir daardie geloofsgemeenskap is. Die vernuwingsproses sal veral in die sinode, kerkrade en gemeentes se verstaan en toepassing van kerklike onderrig moet plaasvind. Hierdie vernuwing sal uiteindelik binne die konteks van die plaaslike gemeente moet realiseer, maar dan as 'n vernuwing wat meer is as hoe die praktyk moet verander om by die teorie van die status quo aan te pas, dit sou net die status quo tot ideologie verhef. Netso min beteken vernuwing dat dit wat in praktyk werk tot norm verhef kan word, ongeag die veronderstelde teoriee of metodes daaragter, dit sou die gevaar loop van ongeoorloofde pragmatisme. Ook mag verandering en vernuwing nie met mekaar verwar word nie, want nie alle veranderinge wat aangebring word, het noodwendig enige vernuwing tot gevolg nie. In die vernuwingsproses gaan dit nie oor die greep wat die kerk op jongmense moet kry nie, maar om hulle die kans te gun om hul eie geloofsvisie in hul gemeente te ontdek; daarom vra dit 'n gedifferensieerde onderrig benadering, vanwee die differensiasie gedurende adolessensie; die kerk moet leer om die taal te praat wat in die daaglikse werklikheid van adolessente sin maak en hulle die ruimte gun om hul ervarings en vrae te kan leer verwoord in die taal van godsdiens. In die kerk se onderrig aan adolessente is geloofskommunikasie en geloofsbelewing soms belangriker as die deurgee van geloofskennis. Die ontwikkel ingsprosesse tydens adolessensie, hul geloofsvorming en die kerk- 1 ike onderrig wat hulle ontvang, bepaal grootliks hul uiteindelike geloofsvolwassenheid en spiritualiteit. Ten einde die kerk se verantwoordelikheid teenoor adolessente na te kom, sal kerklike onderrig binne die konteks van adolessensie verstaan moet word in terme van die kognitiewe, affektiewe en konatiewe ontwikkeling en behoeftes van adolessente, soos wat dit binne hul leef- en portuurgroepkonteks voorkom.

This thesis is the result of a qualitative research on theories and practices which are followed or assumed to be followed in the religious education of the Dutch Reformed Church. The research was done by means of a theological reflective approach. The study concludes that the solution for effective teaching by the church lies within the process of renewal (and change) within each congregation; a process that leads to a model of ministry that will be unique to that congregation. This process of renewal must take place in the understanding and practice of church education by the synod, church councils and congregations. Ultimately this takes place within the context of the local church. But then as a renewal that should be more than just another way to change the praxis to accommodate the status quo, for this would transform the status quo into an ideology. Renewal is likewise not a quest to sanctify that which seems to work, irrepective of the theories and methods which are implicated, this would lead to an illegal pragmatism. Nor should renewal be confused with change, for not all changes necessarily causes any renewal per se. An important aspect in this process of renewal, is not the grip that the church has on its youth, but the chance(s) they are given to discover their own religious convictions in their congregation; this needs a differentiated education approach because of the differentiation during adolescence; the church will have to learn to speak in a language which make sense in their daily reality and to give them the chance to express their own experiences and questions in the language of religion. This means that the church will have to understand their context of lifestyle and peergoup influences and accordingly address the cognitive, affective and conative aspects of religious education. In the church religious education to adolescents, communicating and experiencing religion is sometimes more important than the knowledge they should obtain. The developmental processes of adolescents, the shaping of their convictions of faith and the teaching of the church strongly influences their ultimate religious maturity and spirituality.