Abstract:
South Africa is characterised by various socio-economic and socio-political challenges
(fractures) not easily met (or healed). ‘Fractures’ refer to social, economic, religious, spatial,
ecological, environmental, and economic injustices and other issues. Within this context, the
church is confronted with her vocation. The unique vocation of a congregation is that the
members become a ‘new community’ (koinonia) in which they not only care for one another
but also develop relationships featuring care for, and mercy and solidarity (diakonia) with
the weak, poor, and marginalised in society. Several researchers prove that the current
South African youth could be classified as vulnerable and marginalised. Since the church
does not preach the gospel in a vacuum but in relation to specific human realities, the
theme of the youth and diaconate in the Afrikaans-speaking Reformed churches in South
Africa is examined in this study, based on Osmer’s Practical Theological Interpretation.
INTERDISCIPLINARY AND/OR INTRADISCIPLINARY IMPLICATIONS : The interdisciplinary nature of
this contribution is spread across the two fields of youth ministry and diaconate. The
sub-disciplines of both the youth in general, and youth ministry and youth work within the
academic discourse of the diaconate are studied, specifically in the Afrikaans-speaking
Reformed denomination.
