Abstract:
The process of ecclesiastical discipline evokes feelings of guilt and shame. Whilst literary study
suggested this to be the case, the empirical research confirmed it. It is clear that the three-fold
process was a traumatic and shocking experience for ministers. Most upsetting was the way
that the process was handled. It was done in a non-professional way and without brotherly
or sisterly love. The process triggered guilt and shame emotions in a number of ways, not
least by the lack of support and guidance. Respondents indicated that they had positive and
negative experiences of guilt and shame during the discipline process. Most respondents took
action to amend their mistakes, and thereby used the guilt feeling functionally, whilst the use of
defence mechanisms showed that they did not manage and process the feelings of shame. It is
unsettling to realise that the Dutch Reformed Church fails her ministers in time of need. Only a
few parishioners and ministers from other denominations provided some sort of comfort during
the discipline process. The church gave no support and guidance in the processing of the feelings
of guilt and shame. The church lacked in every aspect, even to show a basic understanding of the
trauma, and none of the church councils offered any basic or interventive help. To remedy the
situation, it is proposed that the church should take its task as caregiver during the ecclesiastical
discipline of ministers very serious and give guidance in an official and professional way.
Description:
The article is based on
the author’s doctoral
thesis ‘Pastoral guidance
of ministers of the Dutch
Reformed Church during
ecclesiastical discipline.’
Prof. C.J.A. Vos was the
supervisor and Prof. H.J.C.
Pieterse the co-supervisor.
The study was undertaken in
the Department of Practical
Theology, University of
Pretoria and finalised in
October 2011. The degree
Philosophia Doctor was
awarded. The study focus
on the pastoral guidance
of ministers of the Dutch
Reformed Church and their
experience of guilt and shame
feelings during the process of
ecclesiastical discipline. This
article describes the results
of the empirical research,
the thematic analysis and
suggestions for a better praxis.
