ORIGINAL RESEARCH

 

A qualitative investigation into the so-called ministry of deliverance

 

'n Kwalitatiewe ondersoek na die sogenaamde bediening van bevryding

 

 

J. Janse van Rensburg

Faculty of Theology, University of the Free State, BLOEMFONTEIN. E-mail: jjvanr@yebo.co.za

 

 

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ABSTRACT

Since the publication of the book "The occult debate" (Janse van Rensburg, 1999) it has become clear that epistemological views on occultism within the reformed tradition have drastically diverged. During the General Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church in 2007, the report of the Algemene Taakspan vir Leer en Aktuele Sake (ATLAS) on a ministry of deliverance denied the existence of the devil and claimed that it would be unscientific to embark on an empirical research in this regard, because of the impossibility to verify information gathered in this manner. However, it is the hypothesis of this article that qualitative information could assist in attaining a clearer understanding of the need for a ministry of deliverance. In this article the methodology of the qualitative research is explained and the narratives of participants are revealed. Thereafter the responses of the participants are evaluated.

Key concepts: ministry of deliverance, occultism, participatory action research, pastoral care, terminology

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OPSOMMING

Sedert die publikasie van die boek "The occult debate" (Janse van Rensburg, 1999) is dit duidelik dat daar uiteenlopende beskouings oor okkultisme in gereformeerde kringe bestaan. Gedurende die Algemene Sinode van die NG Kerk in 2007 het die verslag van die Algemene Taakspan vir Leer en Aktuele Sake (ATLAS) beweer dat die duiwel as persoon nie bestaan nie en dat daar geen ruimte vir 'n bediening van bevryding is nie. Daar is verder beweer dat enige kwalitatiewe navorsing hieroor onbetroubaar en dus onwetenskaplik sou wees. Dit is egter die hipotese van hierdie artikel dat kwalitatiewe navorsing 'n betekenisvolle bydrae kan lewer om meer lig op 'n bediening van bevryding te werp. In hierdie artikel word die metode van kwalitatiewe navorsing wat gebruik word, beskryf en die narratiewe van deelnemers word aan die orde gestel. Laastens word die response van deelnemers geëvalueer.

Kernbegrippe: bediening van bevryding deelnemende aksienavorsing, okkultisme, pastorale sorg, terminologie

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