The Relationship Between Pastoral Care and Worship in the Context of HIV/AIDS

The relationship between Pastoral Care and Worship in the context of HIV/AIDS: A Study of the development and impact of the liturgical material ‘Worship and HIV/AIDS’ in selected parishes of the Diocese of Cape Town. Presented by: Revd Keith Leonard Griffiths Assignment presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Theology at Stellenbosch University Supervised by: Prof J Cilliers December 2006 Declaration: I, the undersigned, Keith Leonard Griffiths, hereby declare that the work contained in this assignment is my own original work, and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it at any university for a degree. Signed: ………………………………………………… Date: ……………………………………………….. ABSTRACT In September 2002, the Anglican Church of Southern Africa authorised a set of liturgical material for use in the church in an attempt to make congregations aware of the extent of the impact of HIV/AIDS on the church and the community in the nations in Southern Africa in which the CPSA is active. This research explores the relationship between Worship and Pastoral Care in the context of HIV/AIDS by examining the development of this liturgical material and offering a critique of it in the light of the impact it had on a number of parishes. A general review of published material found little with a specific focus on the relationship between Worship and Pastoral Care, and the search was extended to approach this relationship from a number of directions in an attempt to find factors that had a bearing on the hypothesis that the community at worship is the primary point of pastoral care. The hypothesis was examined from two directions. The first considered a biblical perspective. This approach considered the images of God presented in the Old Testament, a number of the healings of Jesus in the gospels, and Paul’s comments on the celebration of the Eucharist in 1 Corinthians 11 against the social background of meals shared within the community. The imperative that worship should be inclusive, with a particular emphasis on the poor and marginalized was established. The second direction considered a theological reflection on AIDS and established a number of criteria against which the liturgical material could be critiqued. An important section of this work considered the impact of prejudice and discrimination that has led to the stigmatisation of those living with HIV/AIDS and their reluctance to disclose their status and needs. This remains an important obstacle to the ability of the church to provide appropriate hospitality and care. Interviews were conducted with the Rectors and leaders of the Parish AIDS Task Teams in six parishes within the Diocese of Cape Town to look at the ways in which the material was used, and the impact that it had on the pastoral work of those congregations. The liturgical material is then examined in the light of the theological criteria established, and against the impact that it had on the pastoral work of the parishes. Particular issues recognised in this section were the use of inclusive language and the absence of any emphasis on Repentance and Confession. The importance to Worship and Pastoral Care of compassion, personal contact with persons living with AIDS, grace and hospitality are some of the conclusions made. Suggestions were made for further research and development in terms of stigmatisation, language and appropriate liturgical formation and training. OPSOMMING In September 2002 het die Anglikaanse Kerk in Suider Afrika ‘n stel liturgiese materiaal gemagtig vir gebruik in die kerk in ‘n poging om gemeentes bewus to maak van die gevolge van VIGS op die kerk en die gemeenskap in die lande waarin die Anglikaanse Kerk in Suider Afrika werk. Hierdie navorsing ondersoek die verhouding tussen Aanbidding en Pastorale Sorg in die konteks van VIGS deur die ontwikkeling van die liturgiese materiaal te ondersoek en ‘n kritiek voor te gee in die lig van die gebruik van die materiaal in verskeie parogies. Die algemene oorsig van die gepubliseerde materiaal het min gevind met ‘n spesifieke fokus op die verhouding tussen Aanbidding en Pastorale Sorg. Die ondersoek is toe uitgebrei om die verhouding te nader van verskeie rigtings in ‘n poging om faktore te vind wat ‘n houding het op die voorstel dat die gemeente by aanbidding die primêre punt van pastorale sorg is. Die onderstelling is ondersoek uit twee rigtings. Eerstens is dit genader uit ‘n bybelse perspektief. Hierdie benadering het die verskillende beelde van God soos dit in die Ou Testament voorkom, verskeie genesings van Jesus in die evangelies, en Paulus se kommentaar oor die viering van die nagmaal in 1 Korienthiërs 11 teenoor die agtergrond van die maaltye in die gemeenskap in aanmerking geneeem. Die imperatief van inklusiewe aanbidding, met ‘n besondere klem op die armes en ander wat dikwels oor die hoof gesien word, is hierdeur gevestig. Tweedens is VIGS teologies oorweeg en verskeie kriteria gevestig waarteen die liturgiese materiaal gemeet kon word. ‘n Belangrike deel van hierdie werk het die gevolge van vooroordeling en onderskeiding wat gelei het tot die bestempeling van mense wat met VIGS leef en hul huiwerigheid om hul status te openbaar, en dus hul nood te laat weet. Dit bly nog ‘n belangrike hindernis vir die kerk om die geskikte gasvryheid en sorg te kan verskaf. Onderhoude is met predikante and die lede leiers van die VIGS Spanne in ses parogies in die Bisdom van Kaapstad gehou om te sien hoe die materiaal gebruik is in eredienste, en die uitwerking daarvan in die pastorale sorg wat die gemeentes aangebied het. Die liturgiese materiaal is dan beoordeel in die lig van die teologiese maatstawe gevestig, en die uitwerking van die materiaal in die pastorele sorg van die gemeentes. Die gebruik van inklusiewe taal en die afwesigheid van spesifieke materiaal in verband met Skuldbelyding is besondere sake wat in hierdie deel erken was. Die belangrikheid vir Aanbidding en Pastorale Sorg van medelye, persoonlike kontak met persone wat met VIGS lewe, genade en gasvryheid is gevolgtrekkings wat gemaak is. Voorstelle vir verdere navorsing en ontwikkeling in terme van bestempeling, taal en passende liturgiese formasie en opleiding is gemaak. Index i INDEX Page Chapter 1 STATING THE PROBLEM Page 1 1.1 The global AIDS pandemic 1 1.2 HIV/AIDS in Southern Africa 2 1.2.1 Introductory comments 1.2.2 Statistical reality - UNAIDS 2005 figures 1.2.3 Socio-economic and cultural context 1.3 Future trends in HIV/AIDS in Southern Africa 4 1.4 The response of the church 4 1.5 Conclusion 5 Chapter 2 HYPOTHESIS AND METHODOLOGY Page 6 2.1 Hypothesis 6 2.1.1 Worship as the primary point of pastoral care 2.1.2 The broken link between Worship and Pastoral Care 2.1.3 Worship and Pastoral Care are both diminished by this break 2.1.4 Specific application of the hypothesis 2.2 Methodology 9 2.2.1 Literature Search 2.2.2 Consideration of biblical basis 2.2.3 Exploration of a theological response to HIV/AIDS 2.2.4 The development and use of AIDS Liturgies in the CPSA 2.2.5 Empirical research into the liturgies developed 2.2.6 A critique of the material developed Chapter 3 REVIEW OF LITERATURE Page 11 3.1 Introduction 11 3.2 The relationship between Worship and Pastoral Care 11 3.3 The link between Theology and Liturgy 13 3.4 The impact of stigmatisation on individuals and groups 14 3.5 Wholeness and healing in Africa 14 3.6 The pastoral response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic 15 3.7 Conclusion 16 Chapter 4 SCRIPTURAL BASIS Page 17 4.1 Introduction 17 4.2 Biblical images of the compassionate God 17 4.2.1 The God of Creation 4.2.2 The God of the Exodus 4.2.3 The God of the Covenant 4.2.4 The God of the Prophets 4.2.5 The Counter-images of God 4.2.6 Response to the Counter-images of God 4.2.7 Conclusion 4.3 The example of Jesus in worship 21 4.3.1 The man with the withered hand Mark 3: 1 – 6 4.3.2 The healing of the crippled woman Luke 13: 10 – 17 4.3.3 The man with dropsy Luke 14: 1 – 6 4.4 The healings of Jesus outside the synagogue 22 4.4.1 The healing of the woman with the haemorrhage Luke 8: 42b – 48 4.4.2 The healing of the lepers Luke 17: 11 – 19 Index ii 4.5 Paul on the Eucharist among Christians in Corinth 24 4.5.1 The social background to meals in Corinth 4.5.2 The Lord’s Supper against the Passover Tradition 4.5.3 The specific issues at Corinth 1 Cor 11: 17 – 34 4.6 Conclusions 28 Chapter 5 THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION ON AIDS Page 30 5.1 Introduction 30 5.2 The process of developing a theological response 31 5.2.1 Introduction 5.2.2 A task for the community 5.2.3 A pastoral response 5.2.4 A distinctively Christian response 5.3 Prejudice and discrimination 35 5.3.1 Introduction 5.3.2 The reality of stigma 5.3.3 The effect of stigmatization 5.3.4 Dealing with stigma 5.3.5 Jesus’ response to the stigmatized 5.4 Covenantal Justice – the option for the poor, women, widows and orphans 38 5.4.1 Rooted in a relationship with God 5.4.2 Shifting the focus from individual morality to covenantal justice 5.4.3 Gender inequality – a justice issue 5.4.4 Conclusion 5.5 Human Sexuality 42 5.5.1 AIDS is a sexually transmitted disease 5.5.2 The traditional teaching of the church 5.5.3 The gap between Church teaching and culture 5.5.4 Human sexuality – God’s good gift 5.5.5 Conclusion 5.6 Repentance and Confession of shortcomings in previous attitudes 46 5.6.1 Introduction 5.6.2 Specific issues of which the church must repent i Failures in teaching ii Failures in the initial response to HIV/AIDS iii Failure to locate concerns to local congregations iv The use of

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