Abstract
This article addresses the ultimate question regarding meaning and the closely related problem of identity from a reformational vantage point. Although the human being’s central or religious identity can be distinguished from his various functional identities, the importance of personality integration (consonance between these two dimensions of identity) is stressed. The central identity of the Christian is rooted in Christ, a point of departure which means reconciliation with God and provides the basis for reconciliation with himself with his neighbour and with creation as a whole, thus eliminating in principle the alienation that has characterised each of these relations since the fall. A person’s religious orientation towards the true Origin functions as a necessary condition for his awareness of creation as meaningful, i.e. its dependence on its Creator. In identity development the historical principles of continuity, differentiation and integration are important. Reference is made to various aspects of identity, like self-image, -knowledge and -trust, as well as to the importance of Scriptural revelation of creation, fall and redemption for a true view on the human self and on a person’s functional identities. It is pointed out that differing answers to the question of meaning are implicitly present in scientific theories. A person's ultimate commitment may thus not be isolated from his scientific endeavours.
Highlights
This article addresses the ultimate question regarding meaning and the closely related problem o f identity fro m a reform ational vantage point
D ie im plisiete beantw oording van die sinvraag geskied naam lik deur benede-norm atiew e fasette soos die biotiese en die psigiese te verhef tot oorsprongsidee van w aaruit m enslike funksionering ontspruit
Dit is in die e e rste plek nodig om te b e k le m to ondat dit nóg die taak van enige vakw etenskap soos die Psigologie, nóg die taak van die Filosofie as totaliteitsw etenskap is om die vraag na die sin van die werklikheid vir die m ens te beantw oord
Summary
V ir m ense van allerlei oortuigings is dit van belang om ’n antw oord te kry op die vraag na sin. E n dit is iets a n d ers as om te leef v anuit ’n burgerlike m oraal, vanuit die lew ensinstelling van die gearriveerde mens w at hom self so geborge voel in tydelike sekuriteite dat hy geen las m e e r het van grensvrae soos: ‘W ie is e k w erklik?’ en: ‘W at is die sin van alles?’ nie. Soos dié van Rogers, A llport, Maslow en F ra n k l, kom d ie m e n slik h e id van d ie m ens in ’n g ro te r m a te to t sy re g as by die determ inistiese benaderings, m aar die oorbeklem toning van vryheid in personalistiese teo rieë roep om ’n geïntegreerde m ensbeeld, w aarin die m ens se natuurlike stru k tu re[2] wat onder norm atiew e leiding staan, verreken word. D it sal geskied onderhew ig aan Skrifperspektiew e en in aansluiting by denkers binne die reform atoriese tradisie
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