When two elephants fight, it is the grass that is trampled: A practical theological elucidation of the predatory attitude of hate speech

This study addresses a topic that is often neglected by faith communities, like the proverbial expression ‘an elephant in the room’, namely, hate speech. A community of believers could easily be guilty of practices of hate speech by keeping themselves silent or not being mindful in the way they talk about people. What is more is that the saying ‘when two elephants fight, it is the grass that is trampled’ represents something of the dynamics around this issue in reminding people of the harmful consequences of hate speech for people in close proximity to people who are guilty of hate speech. This article argues that a greater awareness of the intrinsic aspects involved in hate speech is needed before one could even mention the issue of combating it. The predatory attitude that underlies hate speech is examined from a practical theological vantage point. The functioning of attitudes, inner speech, attributes and silence are elucidated. The research question therefore asks whether the silence of faith communities on the predatory nature of hate speech in the public sphere contributes to the fact that people are unaware of their own attributional biases. These biases consequently gather momentum and are voiced as hate speech. This research offers analytical perspectives from the viewpoint of ethics, social psychology and communication sciences to indicate the value of speaking truth in love. Perspectives on the concept of boldness, speaking truth in love and the attitude of like-mindedness with Christ are also offered. After this hermeneutical consideration, the article concludes with practical theological perspectives on how hate speech could be addressed

Participation in Christ’s body and his blood during celebration of Holy Communion as illuminated by the meaningful lenses of cognition and recognition

In this article, the author focusses on the importance and possible value of the concepts of cognition and recognition for reflection on what should actually happen during celebration of Holy Communion. The point of departure is that celebration, in essence, means that it should be a meaningful experience. The meaningfulness consists of the intriguing fact that participants are participating in Christ’s body and in his blood while celebrating Holy Communion. In celebrating Holy Communion, people are engaging in a ritual that involves interaction with a variety of symbols. The author offers perspectives based on a qualitative empirical study in which people expressed their views on what they actually experience when celebrating the sacrament of Holy Communion. The article adheres to Browning’s methodological insights. He describes research activity as ranging from description, to systemising (exploring practical wisdom and understanding), to strategising (practising strategic practical theology). The research problem is as follows: ‘Could cognisance of the lenses of cognition and recognition of the deeper message of Holy Communion enrich the conscious appropriation of salvation while celebrating the sacrament of Holy Communion?’ The research problem is addressed from the vantage point of understanding sacraments from a Reformed perspective. The concepts of cognition and recognition are highlighted in a brief historical description of what a sacrament is, taking into account the insights from social psychology regarding the essence of the concepts of cognition and recognition. The author further elaborates on the functioning of the concepts of cognition (phronesis) and recognition (anamnesis). In the last section of the article, the author utilises a hermeneutical interaction between descriptive and systemising perspectives to formulate strategies for how people’s experiences of participation in Holy Communion can be enriched through the meaningful lenses of cognition and recognition

Resensie die reis gaan inwaarts- Die kuns van sterwe in kreatiewe werke van Karel Schoeman

WEPENER, C. (Bloemfontein: SUN MeDIA, 2017). 233 pp., Prys: R325 (druk), R260 (digitaal), ISBN 978-1-928355-14-4 (druk), ISBN 978-1-928355-15-1 (digitaal

Participation in Christ’s body and his blood during celebration of Holy Communion as illuminated by the meaningful lenses of cognition and recognition

In this article, the author focusses on the importance and possible value of the concepts of cognition and recognition for reflection on what should actually happen during celebration of Holy Communion. The point of departure is that celebration, in essence, means that it should be a meaningful experience. The meaningfulness consists of the intriguing fact that participants are participating in Christ’s body and in his blood while celebrating Holy Communion. In celebrating Holy Communion, people are engaging in a ritual that involves interaction with a variety of symbols. The author offers perspectives based on a qualitative empirical study in which people expressed their views on what they actually experience when celebrating the sacrament of Holy Communion. The article adheres to Browning’s methodological insights. He describes research activity as ranging from description, to systemising (exploring practical wisdom and understanding), to strategising (practising strategic practical theology). The research problem is as follows: ‘Could cognisance of the lenses of cognition and recognition of the deeper message of Holy Communion enrich the conscious appropriation of salvation while celebrating the sacrament of Holy Communion?’ The research problem is addressed from the vantage point of understanding sacraments from a Reformed perspective. The concepts of cognition and recognition are highlighted in a brief historical description of what a sacrament is, taking into account the insights from social psychology regarding the essence of the concepts of cognition and recognition. The author further elaborates on the functioning of the concepts of cognition (phronesis) and recognition (anamnesis). In the last section of the article, the author utilises a hermeneutical interaction between descriptive and systemising perspectives to formulate strategies for how people’s experiences of participation in Holy Communion can be enriched through the meaningful lenses of cognition and recognition

When two elephants fight, it is the grass that is trampled: A practical theological elucidation of the predatory attitude of hate speech

This study addresses a topic that is often neglected by faith communities, like the proverbial expression ‘an elephant in the room’, namely, hate speech. A community of believers could easily be guilty of practices of hate speech by keeping themselves silent or not being mindful in the way they talk about people. What is more is that the saying ‘when two elephants fight, it is the grass that is trampled’ represents something of the dynamics around this issue in reminding people of the harmful consequences of hate speech for people in close proximity to people who are guilty of hate speech. This article argues that a greater awareness of the intrinsic aspects involved in hate speech is needed before one could even mention the issue of combating it. The predatory attitude that underlies hate speech is examined from a practical theological vantage point. The functioning of attitudes, inner speech, attributes and silence are elucidated. The research question therefore asks whether the silence of faith communities on the predatory nature of hate speech in the public sphere contributes to the fact that people are unaware of their own attributional biases. These biases consequently gather momentum and are voiced as hate speech. This research offers analytical perspectives from the viewpoint of ethics, social psychology and communication sciences to indicate the value of speaking truth in love. Perspectives on the concept of boldness, speaking truth in love and the attitude of like-mindedness with Christ are also offered. After this hermeneutical consideration, the article concludes with practical theological perspectives on how hate speech could be addressed

Mission moves

This scholarly book is the final result of a team-research project, done by ten Practical Theologians from three denominations in the Reformed tradition in South Africa. The authors posed the following research problem and-question: What would be the relationship (if any) between preaching (and the liturgy of which it is a part) and the development of missional congregations? And secondly, what kind of preaching and preacher would best serve (even facilitate) such a process of missional congregational development in preaching and worship

Mission moves

This scholarly book is the final result of a team-research project, done by ten Practical Theologians from three denominations in the Reformed tradition in South Africa. The authors posed the following research problem and-question: What would be the relationship (if any) between preaching (and the liturgy of which it is a part) and the development of missional congregations? And secondly, what kind of preaching and preacher would best serve (even facilitate) such a process of missional congregational development in preaching and worship

’n Prakties-teologiese besinning oor die versteuring van die luisteraksie deur persepsies en die rol van preekgesprekke as dialogisering

Uit die kerklike praksis blyk dat prediking wat dikwels goed bedoel word en op biddende wyse gelewer word, voor die hindernis van persepsies stuit wat dan verlammend op die luisteraksie inwerk. Tussen die blote hoor van en ’n diepgaande luister na die prediking bestaan ’n groot verskil. In die lig hiervan word die volgende navorsingsvraag vir hierdie navorsing geformuleer: In hoe ’n mate begelei predikers hulle hoorders op ’n dialogiserende manier in die kuns om werklik te kan luister, sodat dít wat gesê en bedoel is die hoorders se persepsies kan beïnvloed? Ten einde hierdie navorsingsvraag te beantwoord, word die probleemveld vanuit verskillende prakties-teologiese invalshoeke verken. Metateoretiese perspektiewe vanuit die veld van die Sosiale Psigologie en Kommunikasiekunde word ook gebruik om daardeur insig oor die vorming van en die selektiewe aard van persepsies te verkry. In die ondersoek na normatiewe gesigspunte word die dialogiserende prediking en argumentasie vanuit Handelinge 17 en 19 verken. Die navorser kom tot die konklusie dat persepsies oor die prediker en die prediking verlammend kan inwerk en selfs daartoe aanleiding kan gee dat hoorders die kerk verlaat. Verder is ook bevind dat dialoog voor die preeklewering, die dialogiese gerigtheid van die prediking as deel van die liturgie van die gemeente, asook die preekgesprekke na afloop van die prediking, daartoe kan meewerk dat verkeerde persepsies reggestel word. Hierdeur word die gemeente ’n pratende gemeenskap wat van diepgaande kommunikasie leef. From the ecclesiastical praxis it seems that preaching faces hindrances caused by negative perceptions, regardless of the good intentions of preachers and the interdependence between prayer and preaching. There is a vast difference between hearing sermons and listening to sermons. In the light of this problematic praxis, the following research question has been formulated: To what extent do preachers equip their listeners in a dialogue situation to listen profoundly with the object to influence the perceptions of listeners about the preacher and the preaching? In order to address this research question, the problem is investigated by taking into account the present practical theological vantage points concerning this field. This research field is further explored by trying to get a grasp on metatheoretical perspectives from the fields of Social Psychology and Communication Sciences. The author tries to investigate the difficult process of forming perceptions as well as the selective nature of perceptions. In an investigation into normative vantage points, perspectives from Acts 17 and 19 are explored with regard to the role of dialogue in Paul’s preaching. The researcher comes to the conclusion that negative perceptions are indeed endangering the ecclesiastical praxis and can even cause listeners to leave the church. Preachers should utilise dialogue in preparing their sermons; focusing on the dialogic nature of preaching in the context of the liturgy. In addition, preachers should endeavour to stimulate feedback after delivering of their sermons in order to rectify fallacious perceptions. Congregations should become communities nurtured by profound communication