Each year a new group of adolescents start the confirmation class and each year it is perceived that some of them do not have a strong faith identity. This is perceived during conversations about faith issues, including baptism. The researcher suspects that some parents and adolescents do not have a proper understanding of the meaning of baptism. This results in believers who cannot live according to the promises that baptism confirms in one’s life. Parents are supposed to be the primary people to teach this truth to their children. Thus, the question comes to mind whether parents are able to do this? Therefore, the decision was made to look to baptismal catechesis to see if what is presented to parents are indeed enough to equip them for this important task. This research problem is seen in chapter 1 where the research method is also developed.
Chapter 2 focuses on the purpose and value of catechesis in the lives of families as well as in congregations. Teaching is a very important part in faith formation. However, faith and Christian identity cannot only be taught. Believers should be guided to also experience faith in order that it can also be lived.
In the third chapter the focus is on baptism itself as well as the meaning thereof. Firstly, the decision is made for baptism as a sacrament, rather than an ordination. Thereafter the theological meaning of baptism is described shortly. This chapter also explores how baptism contributes to faith formation.
Chapter 4 explores practical ways in which parents can be obedient to their promises in terms of the covenant God made with their children. It is seen in this chapter that there are many difficulties that families are faced with each day.
In chapter 5 the focus is on the empirical study that was conducted in the Dutch Reformed congregation Nelspruit-Westergloed. The adolescents in the confirmation class of 2015 and their parents took part in this qualitative study. The results confirm the validity of the research problem. Therefore a few suggestions are made in chapter 6 on how families can be guided to live with a better understanding of the meaning of baptism.
Elke jaar wat ‘n nuwe groep adolessente die belydenisjaar begin, word daar waargeneem
dat sommige van hulle nie ‘n sterk gevestigde geloofsidentiteit het nie. Hierdie waarneming
word bevestig in onder andere gesprekke wat met hulle oor die doop gevoer word. Die
navorser vermoed dat baie ouers en adolessente ‘n beperkte verstaan van die doop het,
daarom leef hul nie vanuit die beloftes wat die doop in hul lewe waarborg nie. Ouers is
veronderstel om hul kinders hierdie waarheid te leer. Die vraag het dus ontstaan of ouers
toegerus is om hul kinders hierin te onderrig? Daar is besluit om na te vors of doopkategese,
wat veronderstel is om ouers toe te rus vir die taak, wel voldoende is hiervoor. Hierdie
probleemstelling word in hoofstuk 1 beskryf en ‘n metode word geformuleer oor hoe die
studie benader gaan word.
In hoofstuk 2 is gekyk na die doel en waarde van kategese in gesinne en gemeentes. Lering
is ‘n belangrike rol in mense se geloofsontwikkeling. Geloof, en daarmee dan ook ‘n
Christelike identiteit, kan nie slegs geleer word nie. Gelowiges behoort daarom begelei te
word om geloof ook te beleef en uiteindelik te leef.
In die derde hoofstuk word aandag gegee aan die doop self en die betekenis daarvan. ‘n
Uiteensetting word gegee van hoe die Gereformeerde tradisie na die doop kyk. Dit sluit
eerstens in dat gekies word om die doop as sakrament te sien, wat beteken God handel in
die doop. Verder word die teologiese betekenis van die doop kortliks beskryf. Hier word ook
aandag geskenk aan hoe die doop bydra tot identiteitsvorming by gelowiges.
In hoofstuk 4 word meer prakties gekyk na hoe ouers hul verbondsverantwoordelikhede
behoort na te kom ten einde hulle kinders in geloofsontwikkeling te begelei. Daar is heelwat
struikelblokke en uitdagings wat gesinne op hierdie pad beleef.
Die empiriese navorsing word in hoofstuk 5 weergegee. Die navorsing is kwalitatief gedoen
deur gesprekke wat met NG Nelspruit-Westergloed se belydenisgroep van 2015 en hul
ouers gevoer is. Die resultate bevestig die geldigheid van die navorsingsprobleem. Dit
beteken die kerk het ‘n ernstige taak op hande. In hoofstuk 6 word enkele suggesties
gemaak oor hoe gesinne begelei kan word om met ‘n sterker bewustheid vanuit die doop se
betekenis te leef.
