Metafore vir die ontmoeting tussen God en mens en ’n ‘swerwende’ teoloog se soekend-wandelende reis

Abstract

Metaphors for the encounter between God and humanity and a roaming theologian’s reflective journey. This article maps the theology of Christo van der Merwe as a mobilising theology which aided the Netherdutch Reformed Church in Africa (NRCA) in discerning its character, role and purpose. The core of Van der Merwe’s theology consists of a journey with God as encountered in the narratives about Jesus and the Spirit told in the Christian Bible. The article shows that the mobilising core of his theology is due to an ‘interoperational relationship’ between ‘knowing and believing’. In the article, the metaphor ‘roaming’ is used to illustrate this biographical journey as contextual theology which equips pastors with ministerial skills to take care of people who are haunted by trauma.

Keywords

• Theological metaphors
• roaming theology
• Christo van der Merwe
• ministerial pilgrimage
• missional congregations