From clericalism and passivity to conscious stewardship: towards responsible discipleship of the laity of the Catholic Church of Southern Africa.
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Date
2023
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Abstract
Jesus instructed His followers to love one another as He loved them. He said they
should not lord it over each other like the pagans do (cf. Matt.20:25) but to serve each
other as He served.
The church of the Acts of the Apostles is egalitarian. It is a community of disciples
(cf. Acts 2:42-47). It is the Body of Christ (cf. 1 Cor:12). The different functions of
different members are not intended to divide but to build unity.
By the end of the 1st century, this one Body of Christ had become divided into a
privileged, clerical elite and an inferior laity.
In 1156, Gratian’s decree said that there are two types of Christians, and in 1906
Pope Pius X said that all Christians are not equal.
The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) spoke of the Church in terms of the Old
Testament image of People of God and the Pauline image of the Body of Christ. It
says that the Church as Communion had its origin in the Holy Trinity, the ultimate
communion of love. The Church is an icon of the Trinity. In that Church, all are equal,
all are called to be holy, all share in the one priesthood of Christ, all are responsible
for the Church’s mission.
The Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) embarked on a variety
of pastoral programmes to ensure that the Vatican II model of Church would become
embedded in the life of the local Church in its thinking and practice. A study of the
archives indicated that these met with limited success.
This thesis proposes Stewardship as a way to live the Vatican II Community model of
Church. God Himself is the Steward of all creation. Man and woman were told to
care for this creation in His name (cf. Gen.2:15). As Son of God Jesus is the
Sacrament of God’s presence. He gives the Stewardship of God a human face. The
Church is the Sacrament of Christ, making Christ present for all time. The Church
does not have an option to choose or reject Stewardship. It flows from its nature.
Description
Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.