Abstract
Images of God in the context of loss grievingHuman beings express their experiences of God by means of language and images. Language not only represents or reflects experience, but also shapes it. The same holds true for religious language. Believers who experience loss, seek to find God and the role of God in their changed circumstances. During their experience of loss and grief, people can either image God in a negative or a positive way. This article investigates different imagery of God, such as the king-judge image, the family image, the friend image and the lover image. These images are explored in order to indicate their possible contribution towards nurturing hope within the context of loss grieving. The article does not express a preference for any one image of God, but rather emphasizes the importance of utilizing God images in such a way that God’s presence can be experienced as moments filled with hope. The article concludes that this is achieved when the God images which people hold on to in their time of need and suffering reflect God’s love and presence as mirrored by the cross and resurrection of Jesus.
Highlights
Human beings express their experiences of God by means of language and images
Godsbeelde in die konteks van die rouproses als vanzelf de vraag op wat God met dit alles te maken heeft” (Hallewas 1989:123)
Om die familie-metafoor uit te brei van God as vader na God as moeder en as ouer, het verreikende implikasies vir die rouproses, omdat mense midde-in verlies daardeur bemagtig kan word sodat hulle tevredenheid kan vind "[S]oos ’n kindjie wat by sy moeder tevredenheid gevind het" (Ps 131:2)
Summary
Mense soek dikwels na God se optrede of rol in ’n spesifieke gebeurtenis. Indien omstandighede beleef word as moeilik of onaangenaam, word God se rol soms gesien as dié van ’n regter wat oordeel en straf. Die versekering van God se koningskap en heerskappy bied aan mense die hoop om selfs midde-in verlies hoopvol te lewe en vas te hou aan die bevrydende sorg van God wat hooploses laat leef in die verwagtiging dat die koninkryk van die andersmagtige koning ook vir hulle bedoel is. Mense wat die reëls van hierdie koninkryk nakom, lewe nie in vrees nie, maar word bevry om hoopvol voor die Koning te lewe (Rom 13:3b-4; kyk Käsemann 1980:350-351). Die monargies-juridiese metafoor bied ruimte dat God, die Koning en Regter, deur die mede-ly-e van Jesus Christus se teenwoordigheid oor die stukkendheid van lyding en verlies kan triomfeer en regeer. Elkeen wat saam met Jesus Christus na singewing midde-in lyding soek, kan deur die teenwoordigheid van Jesus Christus ervaar dat hy of sy nie aan die noodlot uitgelewer is nie, maar met hoop kan lewe van ’n oorwinning oor die nood
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
