The diakonia of Practical Theology to the alienated in South Africa in the light of 1 Peter

Abstract

This article investigates the role that Practical Theology can play in addressing the problem of alienation amongst the people of South Africa. The investigation is conducted from the viewpoint of the biblical concept of diakonia (service work). This concept as well as the content of Practical Theology as it is found in the first letter of Peter is investigated with the purpose of elucidating the diakonia of Practical Theology with regard to alienation. Four questions are answered in the article:• What may some of the reasons why people in South Africa experience alienation be?• What significance do the results of the most recent research into the diakon word group have for the diakonia of Practical Theology? • What insight can be gained from 1 Peter into the diakonia of Practical Theology for people who may be experiencing alienation in South Africa? • What should the diakonia of Practical Theology in the light of 1 Peter be for people who experience alienation? Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications:This article addresses the issue of alienation. This is an issue that also falls within the research field of sociology and psychology. This article wants to make a contribution from a biblical perspective using the exegesis of a New Testament letter (1 Pt) with the focus on 1 Peter 4:10 and the use of the diakon word group in the letter. The article thus also operates on the research field of New Testament Theology. The results of the exegesis are used to give guidelines for the diakonia of Practical Theology in South Africa. The article challenges the way some research in Practical Theology is done, not using the Bible as reference point, thus making the distinction between Practical Theology and sciences like sociology and psychology indistinct.

Reconstructing communities and individuals after conflict and violence: An avant-garde quest for a forgiveness process that includes koinonia and diakonia

“…The psychological and moral effect of conflict, violence, trauma and suffering can lead to long-term negative effects despite communities' and individuals' defence mechanisms. Breed (2014a:2) emphasises that conflict and violence alienate and frustrate people, and frequently leads to more victimisation and conflict in communities and society. People who suffered the impact of conflict and violence can often succumb to a culture of selfdefence, retaliation and violence due to the post-traumatic effects (cf.…”

“…Breed (2014a:3) emphasises that the diakonoi, as the community of faith (koinonia), 'perform their diakonia for the benefit of other people, but the service to other people is primarily a service to God with the purpose of glorifying God'. Breed (2014a) link the diakonoi to Jesus Christ who was sent as the representative of the kingdom of God with a specific commission:…”

“…The role of forgiveness in community building is about communities and individuals' moral formation for the wider society's public prosperity. Breed (2014a) emphasises the instruction of 1 Peter 4: 7-11 to the believers to offer each other a living space through kindness, hospitality, mutual love (which included forgiveness) and willingness to be of service through diakonia:…”

The diakonia of the elder according to 1 Peter

“…1.This research is done from the viewpoint on the meaning of the daikon word group as represented by die results of Breed (2012;2013;2014a;, 2014b), Breed and Breed (2010), and Collins (2014). The most basic resolution of this research is that the daikon word group does not always represent humble service but mostly the work of an envoy.…”

<i>Ubuntu</i>, <i>koinonia</i> and <i>diakonia</i>, a way to reconciliation in South Africa?

“…Jesus Christ reigns through the diakonia of God's children; through their diakonia his kingdom comes on earth as in heaven. Christ's promise is that God will honour the one that serves Him (Arndt, Danker & Bauer 2000;Breed 2012aBreed , 2012bBreed , 2013Breed , 2014aBreed , 2014bBreed & Breed 2010;Collins 1990Collins , 1992Collins , 1995Collins , 2002aCollins , 2002bCollins , 2005Collins , 2010Collins , 2012Du Plessis & Breed 2013, Gooder 2006Hentschel 2007;Latvus 2008Latvus , 2010). 4…”