Building community in the church between “insiders” and “outsiders”

Abstract

In many churches, a group of people with a particular identity may often feel like "outsiders" and battle to fit into the community; yet "insiders" rarely recognise their difficulties. One such group in South Africa are refugees, particularly those coming from francophone Africa. This empirical study attempts to waken South African members of a local church to the heavy concerns carried by fellow Christians who have had to flee their homelands. The study intends to not only highlight refugees, but also any group within a church that may feel "excluded". The aim is to show that a more supportive community can be fostered through an application of principles from many disciplines (studies relating to community-building, lament, empathy, and rituals). It is hoped that other churches can benefit from this example, thus promoting unity and incorporating the "excluded", and enabling the establishment of healthier communities. 1. introduCtion This interdisciplinary study draws on the biblical concept of church members caring for one another, without showing preference for one group over another. It is based on principles such as "In Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek … [but] all are one in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:28) and "You are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God" (Eph. 2:19). The notion of drawing on various disciplines such as, for instance, theology, psychology, and ethics is a growing phenomenon in current research. For example, theology may engage with

Practising healthy theology in the local church

“…As Rah (2015:44,47) notes, a public dimension to lament brings a depth of honesty not only before God but also before each other. And if the community stands together with those in pain, significant healing can result (Dickie 2020). Indeed, having one's pain acknowledged by others is an important aspect of overcoming trauma and has been shown to lead to the emergence of hope (Herman 1992:155).…”

Practising healthy theology in the local church

“…As Rah (2015:44,47) notes, a public dimension to lament brings a depth of honesty not only before God but also before each other. And if the community stands together with those in pain, signi cant healing can result (Dickie 2020). Indeed, having one's pain acknowledged by others is an important aspect of overcoming trauma and has been shown to lead to the emergence of hope (Herman 1992:155).…”