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The influence of Wangtta on God-images of Koren children : a pastoral assessment

Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2003 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The need for this research arose from the phenomenon of Wangtta which has recently
become a widespread form of anti-social behavior. It causes tremendous stress to
Korean children, especially affecting primary school children who are emotionally
very vulnerable and who still are in the process of forming their self-image and
worldview.
The dissertation is an attempt to investigate the social and cultural phenomenon of
Wangtta in order to provide some help to parents, teachers and pastoral care takers
concerned with meeting the needs of children who are victims of Wangtta.
Wangtta is an extreme form of violent peer pressure which includes physical and
verbal assaults. It takes the form of peer group tyranny. Individuals vent their anger,
frustration, and feeling of defeatedness on victims among their own peers. Their aim
is total excommunication of an individual from the group. In this way they achieve a
distorted sense of superiority. Wangtta seems to be the outcome of confused identity
and devastated spirituality resulting from the impact of clash between conflicting
cultures, worldviews and spirituality. The phenomenon of Wangtta should there be
assessed against the background of Shananism, Confusionism and Buddhism. Thus
the reason for cultural and systemic approach. Empirical research, using
questionnaires, showed the self-image of Korean children to be extremely weak and
fragile due to existing cultural processes of change and transformation. The basic
hypothesis is that in terms of a theological anthropology, self-images and God-images
are interrelated to each other and to such a degree that they greatly affect the person's
ability to cope with severe crises in life.
In order to help children to establish a healthy self-image, pastoral care should focus
on the refraiming of God-images. The establishment of appropriate God-images will
not only promote more constructive and purposeful coping mechanisms by children,
but will also change their attitude to life. The God-images of children have to be
represented, redirected and reframed according to a worldview determined by
Christian spirituality. The outcome of this dissertation is that pastoral care to the phenomenon of Wangtta
implies a God-image determined by a theopaschitic stance in pastoral theology: l.e.
the notion of a suffering God.
The dissertation opts for the notion: God as a Soul Friend and a Partner for life.
Pastoral care to the phenomenon of Wangtta therefore implies a God-image which can
foster hope and grant forgiveness.
The dissertation stresses the importance of the cross-cultural and spiritual dimension
of pastoral care within the postrnodem culture of the Korean society. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In die lig van radikale sosio-ekonomiese en kulturele verskuiwings gedurende die
laaste gedeelte van die twintigste eeu, was die Koreaanse samelewing onderworpe aan
ingrypende transformasieprosesse. Die impak hiervan het aanleiding gegee tot 'n
unieke anti-sosiale gedragspatroon onder veral kinders, genoemd: Wangtta.
Vanwee uitermate stres en 'n gevoel van onbehae onder Koreaanse kinders, fokus die
navorsing op laerskoolkinders wat op emosionele vlak uiters weerloos en ontwrig is.
Die navorsing fokus op die slagoffers van Wangtta ten einde pastorale hulpverleners
en ouers in staat te stel om sulke kinders te versorg en te beraad. Wangtta word
beskryf as 'n ekstreme vorm van sosiale geweld en groepsdruk. Vanwee verhoogde
fisieke en verbale geweld verkeer die slagoffers van Wangtta onder buitengewone
emosionele druk. Wangtta word beskryf as 'n unieke Koreaanse gestalte van
groepsdruk en sosiale geweld as gevolg van die wisselwerkende verband tussen
postrnodernisme en die religieuse tradisies soos Confusionisme, Shamanisme en
Boedisme binne die Koreaanse kultuursituasie. Die verskuiwing van 'n mono-,
hierargiese kultuur na 'n gesekulariseerde postmodeme en globale kultuur het 'n
geweldige impak op gesinstrukture gehad. Binne 'n kultuur waar skaamte 'n groot
rol speel,. is Wangtta beskryf as 'n psigo-sosiale reaksiefenomeen wat impakteer op
die selfbeeld van kinders en hul spiritualiteit. Met behulp van 'n empiriese ondersoek
is die uiters brose selfbeeld van Koreaanse kinders beskryf.
Die basiese hipotese van die navorsing is dat binne die raamwerk van 'n teologiese
antropologie, daar 'n direkte wisselwerkende verband tussen selfbeeld en Godsbeeld
bestaan. 'n Dergelike lnteraksie bepaal deurslaggewend kinders se geloof [spirituele
identiteit] en hul hantering van lewenskrisisse. Die basiese argument van die
proefskrif is dat 'n toepaslike Godskonsep en 'n rekonstruksie van Godsvoorstellinge
in die pastorale beradingsproses, kinders kan help om meer konstruktief en doelgerig
binne sosiale transforrnasieprosesse op te tree.
Op pastoraal-teologiese vlak bevind die proefskrif dat 'n wegbeweeg van 'n outoritere
en outokraties-hierargiese Godsbegrip na 'n meer patosvolle Godsbegrip, kan bydra
tot die heling van persoonlike identiteit. Die proefskrif sluit aan by die teopasgitiese paradigma, naamlik die konsep van God se weerloosheid, God se Vriendskap en Sy
identifikasie met ons lyding. God as Vriend en Lewensbondgenoot, Lewenspartner
kan slagoffers van Wangtta help tot 'n nuwe toekomsgerigte en hoopvolle
lewensorientasie, Die pathoskomponent in kinders se Godsbeeld, kan daartoe bydra
dat die konsepte van genade, vergifnis en versoening opnuut nuwe betekenis kry in 'n
pastorale krisisberading aan beide die slagoffers en die oortreders [skuldiges] van
Wangtta. Die beskrywing an die fenomeen Wangtta beklemtoon die belangrikheid
van kruis-kulturele pastorale berading binne die Koreaanse konteks met 'n
herformulering van die spiritualiteitsdimensie in die lig van 'n pastorale Godkonseprekonstruksie.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/53771
Date04 1900
CreatorsShim, Young Hee Kim
ContributorsLouw, Daniel J., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Practical Theology & Missiology.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
Format275 pages
RightsStellenbosch University

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