The reign of God as under-emphasised dimension in Christian mission: striving to a transforming, postmodern paradigm

Text in Afrikaans with summaries in Afrikaans and EnglishDie uitgangspunt van die navorsing is dat die Godsryk die samevatting van die volledige evangelie behels; en as die primêre taak van die Christene, veral in die sending is, om dit na te jaag onder leiding van die Here wat dit finaal in die wêreld oprig. Deur die eeue heen het die kerk dié taak as prioriteit onderbeklemtoon omdat die Christene hoofsaaklik geestelike redding vir die hemel beklemtoon het. Die gevolg was dat die Christene nie met die evangelie die transformasie van die samelewing, kultuur, politiek en ekonomie nagejaag het nie. Om dit te probeer regstel, word in die studie gestreef na ‘n postmoderne, geestelik-kwantum paradigma waarin die transformasie van die samelewing verbind word met die geestelike redding van die mens in ‘n non-kontradiktoriese holisme sodat God se wil op die aarde soos in die hemel geskied. In die eerste plek moet die Godsryk nagejaag word. Die vonk wat die Christene daartoe sal aanspoor, is die lewe en voorbeeld van Jesus Christus, wat as verworpeling deur sy samelewing gedoem was omdat sy voorgeslag uit ‘n aantal slegte vroue bestaan het; Hy het tog saam met sy Vader Koning van die Godsryk geword. As onwelkome Messias het hy na die uitvaagsels van die samelewing gedraai om vir hulle die weg na die Godsryk aan te toon. Christus het uiteindelik vir die skuld én die skande van die mens gesterwe en oorwin. Die Christene moet gevolglik die oog op Jesus hou om sy voorbeeld tot vernuwing van die samelewing na te volg. Die paradigmatiese verskuiwing van modernism na die postmoderne plaas die klem terug op geloof as basis van die sin van die lewe teenoor die objektiewe rasionaliteit. Modernisme het die openbaringsgeloof as minderwaardig teenoor die rede beskou. Die postmoderne sending is ‘n subjektiewe verhoudingsbenadering tot die lewe wat omgee vir die armes en noodlydendes. Dit inspireer die mens om vir die hervorming van die samelewing deur die koms van die Godsryk te werk en politieke en ekonomies strukture te skep tot ‘n mededeelsame en versorgende gemeenskap. Die klimaks van die evangelie was die opstanding van Christus waarna hy die meeste van die veertig dae voor sy hemelvaart die Godsryk aan sy dissipels verduidelik het. Sy opstanding was ook ‘n teken van die geestelike toepassing van die postmoderne paradigma van die kwantum wetenskap waar sy liggaam dood én lewendig geword het. Dié paradigma het ook die ongeldigheid van die evolusie dogma beteken. Daar is in die navorsing gepoog om die triomf van die omvattende Godsryk vir die noodlydende én die verlore mens deur die postmoderne sending, geestelik én materieel aan te toon.The approach of the research is that the reign of God comprises the complete gospel and it is the primary task of the Christians, especially in mission, to pursue it as primary task under the guidance of the Lord who erects it finally in the world. Throughout the ages the church under-emphasised this priority, as the Christians emphasised mainly salvation for heaven. The result was that the Christians did not use the gospel to transform society, culture, politics and the economy. To try to correct this approach the study strived towards a postmodern, spiritual quantum paradigm where the transformation of society is combined with the spiritual salvation of people in a non-contradictory holism, so that the will of God could be done on earth as in heaven; as a priority the reign of God is to be pursued. The spark that would inspire Christians to do this is the life and example of Jesus Christ. He was rejected and condemned by his society as his ancestors comprised a number of evil women; despite this He became King together with his Father of his reign. As an unwelcome Messiah he turned to the rejected of his society and showed them the way to the reign of God. Eventually Christ died for the guilt and shame of humanity and conquered death. Consequently, Christians have to keep their eyes on Jesus to follow his example of renewing society. The paradigmatic change from modernism to the postmodern puts the emphasis back on trust and faith as the basis of the meaning of life over against reason. Modernism perceived revelation as inferior to reason as it seeks objective truth outside ourselves. Postmodern mission is a subjective relational approach to life, caring about the poor and suffering. It inspires people to work for the transformation of society realising that it is encouraged by the reign of God. The aim would be the erection of political and economic structures towards caring and sharing regarding the poor and suffering. The climax of the gospel was the resurrection of Christ after which he explained the reign of God to his disciples for most of the 40 days before departing to heaven. His resurrection was also a sign of the spiritual application of the postmodern paradigm of the quantum science where his body was dead and alive. This paradigm also meant the invalidity of the dogma of evolution. The research tried to show the triumph of the comprehensive reign of God for the suffering and the lost people by way of postmodern mission, spiritually and materially.Christian Spirituality, Church History and MissiologyD. Th. (Missiology