Prayer and being church in postapartheid, multicultural South Africa

The research presented in this article was conducted as a continuing concern over ‘being church’ in a multicultural urban setting in postapartheid South Africa. It has been nearly 30 years since the end of apartheid and South Africans are still learning to live together in unity, as the pioneers of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Verbum et ecclesia Vol. 40; no. 1; pp. 1 - 8
Main Authors: Scott, Hilton R., Wepener, Cas, Van Wyk, Tanya
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Pretoria AOSIS 2019
African Online Scientific Information Systems (Pty) Ltd t/a AOSIS
AOSIS (Pty) Ltd
Subjects:
Being church
Church
Communication
Exclusivity
Inclusivity
Liturgical inculturation
Liturgical rituals
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism & pluralism
Ontology
Otherness
Prayer
Qualitative research
Religion
Religious aspects
Rites & ceremonies
Social aspects
Studies
Theology
South Africa
Grand Rapids Michigan
ISSN:1609-9982, 2074-7705
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:The research presented in this article was conducted as a continuing concern over ‘being church’ in a multicultural urban setting in postapartheid South Africa. It has been nearly 30 years since the end of apartheid and South Africans are still learning to live together in unity, as the pioneers of democracy envisaged. In this contribution, it is suggested that in this context, prayer could be utilised as an instrument for church-praxis. This is done by taking an interdisciplinary approach, namely, integrating theories from the fields of practical theology and systematic theology with regard to liturgical studies and ecclesiology, and using them to interpret empirical data and to build on the process of liturgical inculturation. The concept of ‘koinonia’ is explored by reflecting on the relationship between inclusivity and exclusivity and integrating it with contemporary praxis theory from liturgical studies. This is aimed at promoting a manner of ‘being church’ that reflects Dirk Smit’s aphorism, of lex orandi, lex credendi, lex (con)vivendi, that is, as we pray, so we believe, and so we live (together). Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The research presented in this article was conducted as a continuing concern over ‘being church’ in a multicultural, urban setting in postapartheid South Africa. This is done by taking an interdisciplinary approach, integrating theories from the fields of practical theology and systematic theology with regard to liturgical studies and ecclesiology.
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ISSN:1609-9982
2074-7705
DOI:10.4102/ve.v40i1.1964