Theological reflection, assurance and the doctrine of God
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Date
Authors
Masango, Maake J.S.
White, John D.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AOSIS Open Journals
Abstract
This article focuses on the anxiety about whether God loves one or not. In the author’s
nearly 30-year ministry, this pastoral difficulty continues to perplex and afflict. While
the presenting problem is what in theological parlance is ‘a lack of assurance’, a side
difficulty is the poor and incorrect doctrine of God often associated with this. A Baylor
University Study in 2006 characterises the kind of God that different groups of Americans
believe in. While the phrase ‘a lack of assurance’ is a part of dogmatic parlance, and has
fallen out of use, the feeling of not belonging to God can be overwhelming for people. This
feeling may be overwhelming. This makes it a pastoral issue. This article suggests a
pastoral response to this issue and a proposal for a clarification in the nature and character
of God using the therapeutic theology of 19th-century Scottish minister-theologian John
McLeod Campbell.
Description
This research is part of the
project, ‘Pastoral Care and
Trauma Counselling’, directed
by Prof. Dr Maake Masango,
Department of Practical
Theology, Faculty of Theology,
University of Pretoria.
HTS 75th Anniversary Maake Masango Dedication.
HTS 75th Anniversary Maake Masango Dedication.
Keywords
Assurance, God, Theological reflection, Parrhesia, Frame of reference, Reframing, Election
Sustainable Development Goals
Citation
White, J.D. & Masango, M.J.,
2019, ‘Theological reflection,
assurance and the doctrine
of God’, HTS Teologiese
Studies/Theological Studies
75(4), a5360. https://DOI.org/10.4102/hts.v75i4.5360.