Academic literature on the topic 'Diakonia'

AbstractThe survey is an attempt to identify and systematically reconstruct the main line of the discussions on diakonia within the ecumenical movement, using the paradigm-analysis model suggested by Thomas Kuhn and applied to the ecumenical movement by Konrad Raiser. The subheadings indicate the key words which mediate in the successive periods between the theological concepts of that time and the actual situation. During the 1980s it became obvious that the ongoing paradigm-shift calls for an innovative change of concepts.

Podczas obrad Soboru Watykańskiego II zagadnienie stałej oraz odnowionej formy posługi diakona powierzone zostało najwyższemu Prawodawcy oraz Konferencjom Biskupów. Diakonat stały może być przywrócony jako właściwy i trwały stopień hierarchiczny, jeśli kompetentne władze kościelne uznają za słuszne wybranie diakonów, również spośród mężczyzn żonatych, dla zapewnienia wiernym należytej opieki duszpasterskiej. Zadania diakonów stałych sprowadzają się do potrójnej posługi: Słowa, liturgii i miłosierdzia. Diakoni wszystkie powierzone im przez biskupa zadania wykonują w ścisłej łączności z prezbiterami. Jako przynależący do stanu duchownego, diakoni stali związani są obowiązkami i prawami określonym przez Kodeks Prawa Kanonicznego w kanonach 273-289. Święcenia raz przyjęte przez diakonów, nigdy nie tracą ważności, choć w niektórych przypadkach mogą oni utracić stan diakoński.

Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengungkap pelayanan diakonia GIA. Metode yang digunakan adalah metode kualitatif dengan pendekatan diakronik. Sampel peneltian adalah Departemen Pelayanan Diakonia Sinode GIA. Sumber utama terdiri buku-buku yang berisi dokumen-dokumen tentang pelayanan diakonia GIA seperti buku Laporan Persidangan Sinode GIA, buku Ulang Tahun Sinode, majalah, buletin, artikel, dan sebagainya. Sedangkan sumber penunjang diperoleh dari buku-buku yang berisi tentang diakonia. Pencarian terhadap sumber utama dilakukan di beberapa perpustakaan, antara lain: perpustakaan MPH Sinode GIA, perpustakaan STT Abdiel, dan juga perpustakaan pribadi penulis. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pelayanan Diakonia GIA sudah muncul sejak awal, yakni ketika gereja ini masih kecil dan usianyapun masih sangat muda. Sasaran diakonia GIA bukan hanya warga jemaat sendiri tetapi juga diluar jemaat bahkan non-Kristen; tidak hanya untuk individu-individu, melainkan juga untuk masyarakat luas, seperti korban perang dan korban bencana alam. Tidak hanya bersifat karitatif tetapi juga reformatif bahkan transformatif. Diakonia karitatif diwujudkan berupa pemberian bantuan kepada orang miskin, baik di internal gereja sendiri maupun diluar gereja; diakonia reformatif ditunjukkan melalui pelatihan-pelatihan dan pemberian modal, serta pendidikan; sedangkan diakonia transformatif memang lebih ke perubahan rohani.

Tulisan ini mengungkapkan pelayanan diakonia gereja. Berangkat dari kegelisahan penulis mengenai kemiskinan di Indonesia, terutama di Nusa Tenggara Timur. Penulis memokuskan di wilayah pelayanan jemaat Ora Et Labora Oesapa. Pendekatan yang dipakai penulis ada kualitatif deskriptif. Berdasarkan penelitian, penulis menemukan, Pertama, diakonia masih berfokus pada karitatif belum mengembangkan transformatis secara maksimal. Kedua, diakonia belum efektif karena belum menyentuh kebutuhan jemaat secara kontekstual. Ketiga, pelayan diakonia belum menemukan dengan baik cara mengatasi kemiskinan

Mission and diakonia are two things but unity which is integrated within a church body. A church not as a church if it doesn’t do mission and diakonia. Diakonia is a mission in action. To do diakonia it means to be ready to witness about God’s love. The existence of the church is to proclaim the Good News to the poor; to heal the sick and brokenhearted; freedom to the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free and to create serenity to the people in hardship, injustice, and the victim of violence, sex abuse and other difficult circumstances. Proclaiming of the church through diakonia services by using hands, feet, eyes, noses, mouths, ears, heart and all part of the church body. Preach the Gospel it’s not only from the pulpit but go in to amid of people in need and do diakonia services.

Pandemi Covid-19 berdampak pada banyak aspek kehidupan manusia, terutama aspek sosial ekonomi. Banyak tempat usaha tutup dan orang-orang kehilangan mata pencaharian atau pekerjaan, hal itu menyebabkan banyak orang kehilangan sumber penghasilan. Hal tersebut membuat masyarakat miskin semakin terpuruk dan muncullah kelompok miskin baru. Selama pandemi ini, umat Kristen dipanggil melakukan diakonia ke dalam dan keluar gereja. Penelitian bertujuan untuk mengetahui bagaimana diakonia (karitatif, reformatif, transformatif) gereja di masa pandemi dilakukan. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah penelitian kepustakaan. Selanjutnya, hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa saat ini gereja dituntut untuk melakukan diakonia ke dalam dan keluar komunitas imannya dengan memperhatikan kebutuhan yang paling urgen. Di masa pandemi ini dengan banyaknya persoalan ekonomi, gereja dituntut lebih peka dalam pelayanan diakonia kepada mereka yang membutuhkan sebagai wujud kasih kepada sesama dan ketaatan pada perintah Allah.

Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka vilken betydelse det kan ha för diakoner i Svenska kyrkan att vara vigd åt sitt uppdrag. Inom ramen för studien genomfördes nio kvalitativa forskningsintervjuer med diakoner från fem olika församlingar i Stockholms stift. Materialet bearbetades i hermeneutisk tradition och analyserades utifrån teorin om rollövergångar. Studien pekar på att vigningen innebär en identitet som medför en känsla av mening, kontroll och tillhörighet. Denna identitet genomsyrar inte bara diakonens sociala arbete utan diakonens hela liv. Vigningen kräver att diakonen lever ett integrerat liv, vilket innebär samstämmighet mellan vem man är på arbetet och vem man utanför arbetet, och för med sig förväntningar från olika håll som diakonen måste förhålla sig till. Studien pekar också på en ambivalens hos intervjupersonerna; samtidigt som diakonrollen genomsyrar diakonens hela liv måste diakonen sätta upp gränser av olika slag för att kunna kliva ur sitt arbete.
The aim of this study was to examine what significance it may have for deacons within the Church of Sweden to be consecrated to their mission. Within the framework of the study, nine qualitative research interviews were conducted with deacons from five different parishes in the Stockholm diocese. The material was processed in hermeneutical tradition and analysed based on the theory of role transitions. The study indicates that the ordination implies an identity that brings a sense of meaning, control and belonging. This identity permeates not only the deacon's social work but the deacon's entire life. The ordination requires that the deacon lives an integrated life, which means coherence between who one is at work and who one is off work, and brings with it expectations from different directions that the deacon must relate to. The study also indicates an ambivalence among the interviewees; while the role of the deacon permeates the deacon's entire life, the deacon must set boundaries of various kinds in order to be able to step out of her or his work.

I den här studien intervjuas 13 diakoner i Svenska kyrkan om profetisk diakoni och vadde behöver för att utföra den. Syftet med studien är att undersöka diakoners syn påprofetisk diakoni och dess dilemman, kostnader och utmaningar. Slutsatsen är att diakonerna är mycket positivt inställda till profetisk diakoni, men de harsällan tid att ägna sig åt den – kyrkans struktur och ledarskap komplicerar arbetet. Dessutom upplever diakonerna att deras vigningslöften om att arbeta profetiskt kan varamycket tunga att bära och svåra att leva efter, vilket kan utlösa moralisk stress. Diakonerna vill att diakonrollen uppgraderas och ges större frihet, samt att kyrkansledare gå före och visar vägen.

En artikelversion av uppsatsen publicerades i Svensk Kyrkotidning 9/2014, sid 271-273.

Syftet med denna studie är att ge kunskap om hur diakoner i Svenska kyrkan upplever att deras yrkesidentitet påverkas av spänningen mellan att vara yrkesutbildad socionom och att vara kallad till diakon av Gud och kyrkan. Studien baserades på åtta kvalitativa, semistrukturerade intervjuer med diakoner från åtta olika församlingar i Stockholms stift. Empirin har bearbetats genom tematisk analys och hermeneutisk meningstolkning och analyserats utifrån begrepp från två rollteorier. Studien visar att diakonerna kan förhålla sig till det sakrala och profana i sina yrkesidentiteter på tre olika sätt. För vissa diakoner är det sakrala och profana i yrkesidentiteten välintegrerat, dessa diakoner upplever inte några motstridigheter mellan det sekulära i att vara socionom och det religiösa i att vara kallad av Gud. För andra diakoner tar antingen det sakrala eller det profana över, exempelvis om de upplever att de inte har tillräckligt med kunskap i teologi och därför främst arbetar med socialt arbete och det profana. Det tredje förhållningssättet är att det kontinuerligt sker en förhandling mellan det sakrala och profana, detta tar sig till exempel uttryck i att diakonerna ibland får stöd och vägledning genom sitt kall, men ibland genom sin kunskap från socionomutbildningen. Gemensamt för diakonerna är att relationen mellan det sakrala och profana i diakonernas yrkesidentitet påverkas av kontextuella faktorer, som organisationen och det sekulära samhället.
The purpose of this study is to provide knowledge about how deacons in the Church of Sweden experience that their professional identity is affected by the tension between being a professional social worker and being called to be a deacon by God and the church. The study is based on eight qualitative, semi-structured interviews with deacons from eight different parishes in the diocese of Stockholm. The material was processed through thematic analysis and hermeneutic interpretation of meaning. It was later analyzed based on concepts from two role theories. The study shows that deacons can relate to the sacred and profane in their professional identities in three different ways. For some deacons, the sacred and profane in their professional identity is well integrated, these deacons do not experience any contradictions between the secular in being a social worker and the religious in being called by God. For other deacons, either the sacred or the profane take over, for example if they feel that they do not have enough knowledge in theology and therefore mainly work with social work and the profane. The third approach is that there is continuous negotiation between the sacred and the profane. An example of this is that deacons sometimes find support and guidance through their calling, and sometimes through their education in social work. The deacons have in common that the relationship between the sacred and the profane in their professional identity is influenced by contextual factors, such as the organization and the secular society.

Svenska kyrkans diakonala arbete grundar sig på Bibelns evangelietexter om Jesu eget liv och hans förhållningssätt gentemot sina medmänniskor. Diakoni handlar om att omsätta evangeliet i handling och i ord.     För diakonerna som yrkesgrupp finns inte några direkta riktlinjer, utöver diakonlöftena, att följa som det finns inom många andra yrkesområden. Inte heller har det kyrkliga diakonala arbetet i sin helhet några direkta fasta riktlinjer, utan mycket återstår att tolka och bedömas av de enskilda församlingarna. Detta är intressant med tanke på att diakonerna i Svenska kyrkan vigs till ett ämbete likt präster och biskopar och att dessa båda har ett tydligt ramverk, samt att de var och en också har sina egna förbehållna uppgifter som inte delas med andra. Diakonens arbete är främst förknippat med det karitativa området, men allt som ligger i diakonens ämbetsuppgifter kan och får delas med lekmännen till skillnad från Svenska kyrkans två andra ämbeten.     Utifrån ett emiskt perspektiv och genom kvalitativ forskningsintervju, med huvudsakligen diakoner försöker studien belysa hur det diakonala arbetet fungerar och lyfta fram de faktorer som sätter prägel på diakonin. Samtliga intervjupersoner är verksamma i ett och samma stift som ligger i södra delen av Sverige. Intervjupersonerna är valda utefter stads- och landsbygdsmiljö för att om möjligt få en större bredd på verksamheten.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2012.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The HIV and AIDS epidemic has affected the whole South African society, including the church. The dilemma of adequate reaction to the effects of HIV andAIDS on the pastoral responsibilities of the church is posing serious questions to the church in South Africa as it deals with the care of those affected by the epidemic. The HIV and AIDS epidemic is challenging the church to re-investigate its own traditional way of help and support and to realise that the Christian faith community needs to be part of the team-approach in the fight against HIV and AIDS.A holistic approach to healing will lead us to a new and different understanding of the diakonia of the church (nuwe en anderverstaan van diakonaat). This study will investigate how care can be administered in such a way that it becomes meaningful to both the infected, affected and those involved in administering care. It will require an ecclesiology that is informed, formulated and structured from the bottom-up rather than the traditional top-down approach. It will be what we can call a ―base-community‖ ecclesiology. This thesis will therefore, in the light of the challenges that the HIV and AIDSepidemic presents, put forward an ecclesiology formulated on the ground, a grassroots ecclesiology other than the official or traditional formal ecclesiology: an ecclesiology not only directed towards the members of the specific church (membership diakonia), but an ecclesiology focused on the broader community in which the church is located: a communal diakonia. This thesis argues that in light of the HIV and AIDSepidemic, this is a wake-up call for a new ecclesiology that will lead to the kind of diaconate described above. A bold new manner of ecclesiological being/structure is required: a new openness, frankness, boldness (parrhēsia) in dealing with HIV and AIDS. This parrhēsiawill come from the empowered members of the church as they become the caregivers in the community. Home-based care as it is practised at present runs the risk of a one-sided approach with its main focus on the physical wellbeing of the person. An ecclesiology of grassroots care and identity-formation is needed to fill this void. The research investigates how a theology of affirmation can be integrated into the system/practice of home-based care to become a meaningful part of the help or assistance given to the individual and his/her household. Furthermore, the study explores how pastoral care and counselling to the HIV positive person and his/her household can be enriched through the application of a paradigm of praxis to the least in society in home-based diakonia by applying a theology of affirmation, so as to affirm and restore dignity, give meaning to life and the process of death and ultimately provide answers to the quest for identity and affirmation through an ecclesiology of grassroots care. This study is also a call for a paradigm shift with regard to ecclesiology and diakonia in the South African church that may have a profound effect on the church in South Africa. This shift must happen in three areas: 1. The church must become actively involved in home-based care as part of its ministry and calling to the world amidst the HIV and AIDSepidemic. The church can no longer be a bystander or advisor, or at best a supporter of government and civil actions. Every congregation needs to become active within the community they serve through joint/combined and innovative ways with other churches in their areas in establishing an ecclesiology of grassroots care. 2. The diakonia of the church must change. Every member must realise their full potential of utilising their Holy Spirit gifts and fruit in order to serve/minister in the Kingdom of God. Diakonia can no longer be the responsibility of a few ordained or commissioned for the diaconate. The whole church must become active in service to their community and those living around the church. The church needs to break the chains of membership-diakonia and open the arms of Christian love to everyone in need, even those who hates us. 3. Perhaps the biggest challenge is the call to change our way of being church in South Africa: our ecclesiology. We must admit that we have come to love the church more than we love God and that we forgot that God so loved the world not the church! This realisation will make it possible to become open to the proposal of this thesis: that we become church from the bottom up, that we start to practice a grassroots ecclesiology.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die MIV en VIGS epidemie het ʼn invloed op die ganse Suid Afrikaanse samelewing, insluitend die kerk. Die dilema van voldoende reaksie op die gevolge van MIV en VIGS op die pastorale verantwoordelikheid van die kerk stel enstige vrae aan die kerk in haar versorging van diegene wat deur die epidemie geaffekteer word. Die MIV en VIGS epidemie daag die kerk uit tot ʼn herondersoek van tradisionele maniere van hulpverlening en ondersteuning asook tot ʼn gewaarwording dat die Christelike geloofsgemeenskap deel moet vorm van ʼn span verband in die stryd teen MIV en VIGS. ʼn Holistiese benadering tot genesing sal lei tot ʼn nuwe en ander verstaan van diakonaat. Hierdie studie is dus ʼn ondersoek na hoe sorg op so ʼn wyse bedien kan word dat dit betekenisvol vir beide die geinfekteerde, ge-affekteerde en diegene betrokke in die hulpverlening kan wees. So ʼn benadering vereis ʼn ekklesiologie wat belig, geformuleer en gestruktureer word vanaf grondvlak in plaas van die tradisionele bo-na-onder benadering. Ons kan so ʼn benadering ʼn basis-gemeenskap (―base-community‖) ekklesiologie noem. Hierdie tesis sal dus, in die lig van die uitdagings wat die MIV en VIGS epidemie stel, ʼn ekklesiologie geformuleer op grondvlak (―a grassroots ecclesiology‖) anders as die amptelike of tradisioneel formele ekklesiologie aanbied: ʼn ekklesiologie wat nie slegs gerig is op lidmate van ʼn spesifieke kerk (lidmaatskap-diakonia) nie, maar ʼn ekklesiologie gefokus op die breë gemeenskap waarin die gemeente haarself bevind: ʼn gemeenskaps-diakonia. Die argument in die tesis is dat die MIV en VIGS epidemie ʼn wekroep is tot ʼn nuwe ekklesiologie wat mag lei tot die soort diakonia hierbo beskryf. ʼn Brawe, nuwe manier van ekklesiologie word dus vereis: ʼn nuwe openheid, waaragtigheid, moedigheid (parrhēsia) in die wyse waarop ons met MIV en VIGS omgaan. Hierdie parrhēsia sal tot stand kom deur die bemagtigde lede van die kerk soos wat hulle versorgers van die gemeenskap word. Tuisversorging soos wat dit tans bedryf word, loop die risiko van ʼn eensydige benadering wat hoofsaaklik konsentreer/fokus op die fisieke gesondheid van die persoon. Ons benodig n voetsoolvlak-ekklesiologie wat gerig is op identiteits-formering en –bevestiging om hierdie gaping te vul. Die navorsing ondersoek dus hoe ʼn teologie van bevestiging (theology of affirmation) geintegreer kan word in die sisteem of bedryf van tuisversorging om sodoende ʼn beduidende deel van die hulpverlening of bystand aan die individu en sy/haar huishouding uit te maak. Verder ondersoek die navorsing hoe pastorale sorg en berading aan die MIV en VIGS positiewe persoon en sy/haar huishouding verryk kan word deur die toepassing van ʼn paradigma van praksis (diakonia) aan die minste in die samelewing deur tuisversorging en die toepassing van ʼn teologie van bevestiging, sodat menswaardigheid opnuut bevestig of/en herstel kan word; die lewe en die proses van sterwe en dood betekenisvol kan wees, en daar uiteindelik antwoorde gevind kan word in die soeke na identiteits-bevestiging deur ʼn diakonia vanuit n ekklesiologie op voetsoolvlak. Die navorsing is ook ʼn oproep tot ʼn paradigma-skuif met betrekking tot ekklesiologie en diakonia in die Suid Afrikaanse kerk wat verreikende gevolge vir die kerk in Suid Afrika inhou. Hierdie skuif moet in drie areas plaasvind: 1. Die kerk moet aktief betrokke word in tuisversorging as deel van haar bediening en roeping in die wêreld temidde van die MIV en VIGS epidemie. Die kerk kan nie langer voortgaan om toeskouer of raadgewer, of ten beste ʼn ondersteuner van staats- en siviele aksies te wees nie. Elke gemeente moet aktief binne haar gemeenskap dien deur gesamentlike en innoverende aksies ten opsigte van versorging en hulpverlening met ander kerke in die selfde area/gebied sodat ʼn grondvlak ekklesiologie tot stand gebring word. 2. Die diakonia van die kerk moet verander. Elke lid moet sy/haar potensiaal besef en die gawes en vrug van die Heilige Gees aanwend in diens van die Koninkryk. Diakonia mag nie langer die verantwoordelikheid van ʼn paar bevestigdes of gekommandeerdes vir diakonie wees nie. Die hele kerk moet diensbaar word in die gemeenskap en diegene wat rondom die kerk bly. Die kerk moet dus die kettings van lidmaat-diakonia breek en hul arms van Christelike liefde oopmaak vir elke persoon in nood, selfs diegene wat ons haat. 3. Miskien is die grootste uitdaging die oproep om die wyse waarop ons kerk bedryf in Suid Afrika te verander: ons ekklesiologie. Ons sal moet erken dat ons die kerk meer lief het as vir God en dat ons vergeet het dat God die wêreld liefhet en nie net die kerk nie! Hierdie gewaarwording sal dit moontlik maak om onsself ontvanklik te kan maak vir die voorstel van die tesis: dat ons kerk word van die grond-af-op in plaas van kerk van-bo-af—dat ons begin om ʼn voetsoolvlak ekklesiologie in werking te stel.

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The goal of this dissertation is to research the various notions of diakonia practiced by women in some passages of the Synoptic Gospels and in the book of Acts of the Apostles. The service, or the diakonia, of Jesus, was not directed only to the weak, the sick and the poor. In his earthly life, Jesus demonstrated in various ways as he understood and preached love and help to the next not figuratively, but in the most literal and real sense. It is in this sense that the diakonia must be understood as a collective notion for many types of activites, services and actions, and this must has a specific purpose of restoring, release and promote equality. Within the context of diakonia practiced by Jesus women were not excluded, and this research seeks to demonstrate that there is reciprocity in the practice of diakonia, of Jesus for women and women for Jesus. Through qualitative analysis we pretend by feminist hermeneutics prove two hypothesis: 1) that women mentioned in Lc 8,1-3, 10,38-42 served Jesus (diakonoun autó) and this service is not restricted to the domestic service. 2) At 9,36-43 has example of diakonia and not charitable practice In the case of conceptualization of diakonia some patterns concepts played an important role in the initial study of the word, in this way, some basic information will be useful to help us in the study of the meaning of diakonia practiced by women.
Essa dissertação tem como objetivo pesquisar as várias noções de diakonia praticada por mulheres em algumas passagens dos Evangelhos Sinóticos e no livro dos Atos dos Apóstolos. O serviço, ou a diakonia, de Jesus, não se dirigiu apenas aos fracos, doentes e pobres. Em sua vida terrena, Jesus demonstrou de várias formas como ele entendeu e pregou o amor e o auxílio ao próximo não em sentido figurativo, mas no sentido mais literal e real. É nesse sentido que a diakonia deve ser compreendida como uma noção coletiva para muitos tipos de atividades, serviços e ações e que possuem o fim específico de restaurar, libertar e promover igualdade. Dentro do contexto da diakonia praticada por Jesus as mulheres não foram excluídas e no decorrer da pesquisa procura-se demonstrar que houve reciprocidade na prática da diakonia, de Jesus para as mulheres e destas para Jesus. Por meio da análise qualitativa busca-se através da hermenêutica feminista comprovar duas hipóteses: 1) de que as mulheres mencionadas em Lc 8,1-3, 10,38- 42 serviram a Jesus (diakonoun autó) e este serviço não é restringido ao serviço doméstico. 2) que em At 9,36-43 tem-se exemplo da prática da diakonia e não exercício da caridade. No caso da conceituação da diakonia alguns conceitos padrões desempenharam um papel importante no estudo inicial de palavra, desta forma, algumas informações básicas serão úteis para nos ajudar no estudo do significado da diakonia praticada por mulheres.

En studie av förståelser av diakoni och diakonat i tre nya storpastorat i Svenska kyrkan genom analys av styrdokument för diakoni. Tre diakoniförståelser lever samtidigt i de tre undersökta pastoraten, diakoni som omsorg, röstbärare och välfärdsaktör. Stora pastorat innebär möjligheter för diakonalt nytänkande genom att organisera diakoni på nya sätt, med specialiserade roller som ges ansvar för att driva utvecklingsarbete. De tre undersökta pastoraten vill i första hand utveckla en samarbetsroll gentemot välfärdssamhället. Pastoraten vill utveckla diakoni som professionell praktik genom gemensamma riktlinjer, metodutveckling och kvalitetssäkring av det diakonala arbetet. En tendens i materialet är att det gemenskapande diakonala arbetet i framtiden i högre grad kommer bäras av ideella medarbetare. Den liturgiska gestaltningen av diakoni har inte i något av pastoraten behandlats som en del av strategin för diakoni vilket innebär att möjligheter till en djupare förankring av diakoni som teologisk praktik inte tas tillvara. Avgränsningar och prioriteringar av pastoratens diakonala verksamhetsfält har inte lyfts till den strategiska nivån trots att omfattande arbete föreslås läggas till. Innebörden av detta är att pastoratsgemensamma mål kan bli svåra att realisera eller att de i förlängningen riskerar att utmatta en redan ansträngd diakoni.

Many Christians, including Christian leaders, are spiritually blind. They do not understand the purpose and implication of Jesus' Coming for each of His followers. So often Christians seek self-interest and their own honour and are not in the least concerned about their fellow believers and fellow man. They do not live up to God's purpose with them. The main research problem of this study is: "What is the implication of the ? of Jesus in word and deed proclamation in the Gospel of Mark?" The main objective of this study is to determine what the implication is of the ? of Jesus in word- and deed proclamation in the Gospel of Mark. The specific question posed. in Chapter 2 is the following: "What research has been done with reference to the implication of the ? of Jesus in word and deed proclamation in the Gospel of Mark?" Research has shown that the disciples are portrayed negatively in the Gospel of Mark. Researchers offer different explanations for this negative portrayal of the disciples. There is concensus among researchers that this specific portrayal of the disciples should be explained from the angle of Christology and discipleship. This study examines the negative portrayal of the disciples focusing on the ? of Jesus and the discipleship of His followers. The intention is to propose an answer to the calling of each follower in the missionary church. Research has further shown that discipleship is not limited to the twelve disciples only, but includes all followers of Jesus. The specific question posed in Chapter 3 is the following: "What is the relevance of the socio-historic and literary context of the Gospel of Mark for this study regarding the implication of the ? of Jesus in word and deed proclamation in the Gospel of Mark?" The socio-historic context indicates that the adressees of the Gospel of Mark probably suffered persecution. The relevance of the socio-historic context can be read from the fact that the author of the Gospel of Mark encourages the adressees in their unique situation(s) en guides them on their response as followers. This corresponds with Jesus' discipleship calling to bear one's own cross. From the literary context it becomes clear that the central discipleship section in Mark 8:27-10:52 forms a structural unit in the Gospel of Mark. Christology and discipleship are central themes in Mark 8:27- 10:52. These two themes are directly related to the implication of the ? of Jesus in word- and deed proclamation in the Gospel of Mark?" The literary context also shows that the Gospel of Mark is a dramatic, apocalyptic, eschatologic narrative that is also a biography. As a biography of Jesus, the Gospel of Mark focuses on Jesus as Subject who serves, but also on his disciples who must deny themselves and serve God. The specific question posed in Chapter 4 is the following: "What is the relevance of the revelation-historic context of the "Son of man" enunciations in Mark 8:27-10:52 for the implication of the ? of Jesus in word and deed proclamation in the Gospel of Mark? In Chapter 4 it is shown that the "Son of man" enunciations should be understood within the revelation-historical relation between the Old and the New Testament. Jesus proclaims Himself, amongst other titles in the Gospel of Mark as the Son of man. The Son of man is a glorious and kingly figure (cf Dan 7:13 & 14), .but also a humble figure who suffers (cf Isaiah Jes 40-55; Sagaria; the Psalms). It is further more important to realize that there is a relationship between the Messiah and His servants in the Old Testament and the Son of man and his followers in the Gospel of Mark. The specific question, posed in Chapter 5 is the following: "What is the implication of the ? of Jesus in word and deed proclamation in the Gospel of Mark?" It is shown from Mark 8:27-9:1 that the ? of Jesus has redemptive, discipleship, as well as judgemental implication. Following Jesus means to serve Him as believer and saved person. Following Jesus is to serve Jesus and God with the same attitude as Jesus served His Father and people. It is shown from Mark 9:30-37 that humble and loving service is necessary between leaders and all followers. This service should be specifically aimed at the least ones in the community of faith. Humble service towards one another and the least ones is not degraded. It is extremely important work because it is at the same time service towards Jesus and God. At the feet of the least in church and society we receive the most humble Servant and our Supreme God, the most important of all. It is shown from Mark 10:32-45 that selfish behaviour and pride among leaders must be replaced with a humble attitude and submission to God, fellow believers and fellow man." This discipleship has its origin in the reconciliatory work of Jesus. It is shown from Mark 10:46-52 that Jesus sent people to the outsiders and sufferers along the road to call them to Him. His aim is to save them that they may join and serve Him and others. In Chapter 6 this study reaches its conclusion. God had according to the Gospel of Mark a specific purpose with the ? of Jesus in word and deed proclamation. Through His word proclamation Jesus reveals the will of His Father who sent Him to earth. This message of the Kingdom of God is a message of hope. Through His deed proclamation Jesus brings salvation to many people. The life of Jesus was a life of humble, sacrificing and loving service. His service makes their service possible. He calls all His followers to serve God until! He comes again. Every believer is a follower of Jesus and part of the missionary church as fishers of men. Each believer is sent out in the world with the sacrificing love of Jesus to serve God, fellow believers, his fellow man especially the least ones and those who suffer. Leaders and followers should live according to the same principle: Follow Jesus by serving God and your fellow man. Every follower is a servant not only at the feet of the least ones and those who suffer, but also at the feet of the greatest Servant and our Supreme God.
Thesis (Ph.D. (New Testament))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010