Abstract
The article focuses on abusive practices in the faith community. It indicates that abusive behaviour is more often than not unintentional and is ostensibly driven by a zeal for God and the church. The article explores this anomaly by examining the phenomenon of abuse in the faith community from a social constructionist, psychological, sociological and theological perspective. Pastoral ministry is challenged to foster self-reflexivity and awareness, as well as to revisit current (outdated) beliefs and practices, to test their suitability for the postmodern context in which the church is to tell and live her story.
Highlights
This article investigates abusive practices in the church and the possibility that these practices are based on social constructions of the world, religion, Scripture, and church life and action in general
The argument put forth is that practices and experiences of abuse are often rooted in socially constructed ‘absolute truths’ which people stubbornly hold with regard to the world, religion and church
Self-reflexivity and a deconstruction and reconstruction of current selves, community and practice are promoted and encouraged. Such an extensive reflection on social constructionism leaves one with a feeling that the one issue that seems to dominate the discussions has to do with reality or the way things are
Summary
This article investigates abusive practices in the church and the possibility that these practices are based on social constructions of the world, religion, Scripture, and church life and action in general. Gergen’s social constructionist thought outlined in the previous paragraphs creates awareness and demonstrates that what we often perceive as truth, reality, objective and ‘out there’ only to be studied, learned and applied to our lives, was constructed (shaped, built, formed) by humans in relationship agreeing, by negotiation, talk, and using language, finding their expression in dominant narratives (stories), made up of dominant discourses.
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