Baptist pastors in the early years of the twenty-first century find themselves in a challenging yet exciting
period of South African history. Much has changed in the socio-political and religious contexts, yet
Baptist pastors are still prone to operate according to earlier models of leadership and ecclesiology,
with the result that they find themselves in situations of heightened conflict. Their position with respect
to the laity, with whom they share a common priesthood of believers, is also an ambiguous one.
After orientating the reader to the nature of the problem and various starting issues (chapter 1), this
practical-theological thesis seeks to explore the nature of the changes in the socio-political milieu
(chapter 2), as well as in the religious context (chapter 3). Baptist pastors are affected by a range of
expectations that emerge from a particular view of the Bible and from the wider church community, as
well as from the media and their own experience of pastors. Chapters 4 and 5 seek to understand these
expectations, especially as these expectations have combined to produce role conflict and role
ambiguity. In such a situation it is more understandable that ministry can lack a pastoral centre and an
unclear identity. Pastors have adopted a stance in the midst of such competing demands on their role
identity and chapter 6 attempts to make their position clearer through empirical analysis, before
embarking – in chapters 7 and 8 – on a description of a new model of pastoral ministry that is founded
on the theatrical notion of the antagonist. Several implications for future ministry are explored in chapter
9, as we look forward to a revised praxis.
The pastor as spiritual antagonist is approached from the vantage-point of the world of drama, since
this angle, in its metaphorical richness, is seminal for a new understanding of the provocative role of the
pastor in a world that is steadily devaluing spiritual leadership. The spiritual antagonist is described in
terms of his/her character and ministry actions as one who is profoundly spiritual in his awe of God and
in his determination to live reflectively. At the same time the spiritual antagonist is one who has an
imaginative grasp on the communicative possibilities of being with people, and alongside people,
intensely and for the purpose of provoking decision and faith. Whatever conflict is generated by such a
stance is deliberately incorporated for educational and transformational purposes. Whatever is
modelled – in the mode of the spiritual antagonist – by ordained pastors / elders becomes facilitatory for
fellow believers in the congregation to fashion a similar identity. Thus an old division in Baptist
ecclesiology is healed. / Practival Theology / (D. Th. (Practical Theology))
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:unisa/oai:uir.unisa.ac.za:10500/3107 |
| Date | 11 1900 |
| Creators | Simms, Ian Melville |
| Contributors | Hestenes, M.E. (Dr.) |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 1 online resource (viii, 238 leaves) |
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