This article investigates and reflects on the religious and spiritual aspects inherent in the narratives of adolescent male orphans, affected by HIV and AIDS, poverty and fatherlessness, and more specifically on aspects which tell us about how these boys understand and experience the presence of God within their specific situations. In coming to such an understanding, this article focuses specifically on the various names attributed to God by the coresearchers and investigates the prominence through social construction behind these names and how it influences the coresearchers’ experience of God amidst their unique circumstances. With the use of the perspectives of a post-foundational notion of practical theology and narrative therapy and research, these names and their accompanied significance are deconstructed. The aim of the deconstruction process is to unveil dominant discourses that both inform the use of specific references to God and assist the coresearchers in finding meaning in the use of these names. The larger study employed research methods from the qualitative and case study research design, and included interdisciplinary work based on the post-foundational notion of transversality. Disciplines included in the dialogue were pastoral therapy, critical psychology and social work. This article’s reflections can be useful in all the above-mentioned disciplines and gives insight into understanding the significance behind the phenomenon of naming a deity in one’s personal and public language, and the influence such spiritual affirmations have in the psychosocial sphere of the holistic persona.
This a rticle originates from the broader study titled,
Seven participants were selected according to non-probability sampling methods, and open-ended interviews and focus group discussions were conducted. At the commencement of the research all the boys, except one, were double orphans and all of them lived in conditions of extreme poverty and were registered with two non-governmental organisations (NGOs) as ‘orphaned and vulnerable’. Five of the boys resided in a safe house of the relevant NGO. At the commencement of the study, the boys were between the ages of 15 and 18 years. Three of the boys’ narratives were selected and used per illustration in this article.
All of the boys (who are now young men) are from an African ethnic background. All of the boys are religious (confessed Christians) but do not necessarily ascribe to a specific denomination. While in the care of the NGO, they regularly attended the services of a local Dutch Reformed Church. None of the boys were particularly interested in traditional African religious practices at the time, but at the same time none of the boys denied belief in any of these practices. This might be due to the fact that they were brought up by other caregivers, from different cultural and religious backgrounds than their families, after the death of their parents. As a result they were not continuously exposed to traditional African religious practices. Nevertheless, they were in contact with other family members and friends who did participate in traditional African religious practices, indicating perhaps that they must have been influenced, culturally and religiously, if not directly, surely indirectly.
Throughout this article the boys are referred to as coresearchers. This is significant because as coresearchers, they are validated and privileged as experienced, expert participants who are essentially ‘… collaborators in the process of gathering and interpreting data’ (Boylorn
The primary aim of this article is to investigate and reflect on the religious and spiritual aspects inherent in the narratives of the coresearchers and more specifically on aspects which tells us about how these boys understand and experience the presence of God, within their specific situations. In coming to such an understanding, this article focuses specifically on the various names attributed to God by the coresearchers and investigates the prominence through social construction behind these names and how it influences the coresearchers’ experience of God amidst their unique circumstances. With the use of the perspectives of a post-foundational notion of practical theology and narrative therapy and research, these names and their accompanied significance are deconstructed. The aim of the deconstruction process is to unveil dominant discourses that both inform the use of specific references to God and assist the coresearchers in finding meaning in the use of these names.
This article makes extensive use of the concept of deconstruction; therefore a description of the concept is warranted. The first instance of this concept is brought to our attention by the philosopher, Jacques Derrida, who describes it in its essence as a method of reading text
Therefore, this article’s reflections is useful especially for pastoral caregivers as it gives insight into understanding the significance behind the phenomenon of personal naming a deity in one’s personal and public language, and the influence such spiritual affirmations have in the psycho-social sphere of the holistic persona. Through the deconstruction process, awareness is created of how the naming of God is influenced by sociocultural and biblical tradition. The inherent value of this for pastoral caregivers and for people consulting a pastoral caregiver lies in understanding the construction of meaning inherent in these practices of naming God and the power of these constructions in enabling or disabling relationship and healing. As will be seen in the next section, the name used to address God says much about the nature of one’s understanding of God. When confronted with life’s challenges, hurt and cruelty, one is confronted with existential questions, which more than often relates to the perception of God’s nature and character. Hence, one’s perception of God plays an important role in finding healing after the experience of trauma; an issue faced most often by pastoral counsellors and ministers. People are faced with questions related to ‘Who is God?’ and ‘Who am I to God that God will allow me to hurt in such a way?’. One can either be held captive by one’s perception of God, or liberated by being empowered to actively construct an image of and a subsequent relationship with God, which will lead to existential actualisation. Therefore, this article shows the powerful influence of such constructions and its role in permitting positive, constructive and liberating relation.
13 Then Moses said to God, ‘If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, “The God of your fathers has sent me to you,” and they ask me, “What is his name? “what shall I say to them?’
14 God said to Moses, ‘I am who I am’. And he said, ‘Say this to the people of Israel, “I am has sent me to you.“’ (Exodus 3: 13–15 [ESV])
Exodus 3:13–15 is one of the very first instances found in the Bible in understanding the name of God. What is interesting though are the semantics inherent in the name that God gives to Moses. God says: ‘I am who I am’; a word unpronounceable and incomprehensible to the Hebrews of the day (cf. Young
Exodus 3 shows us then that the names we use to refer to God reveal our subjective understanding of who God is, how God relates to the world, and thereby how we relate to God. Names are signs that people give to one another, that shape relationships, that serve as mediums of communication, which in turn creates possibilities of communion between each other, as a body of believers; and communion with God, as the one who enables communion (cf. Young
Language is the only medium whereby people can represent the Word of God to the world, precisely because what we say about God, and what we
Therefore, in probing the reasons behind the specific names that the coresearchers chose to call God – albeit not consciously – we discover
In this section, specific references to God were extracted from the narratives of the coresearchers
The image of God as Father came up repeatedly during narration and is perhaps the primary way that these coresearchers refer to God.
Protection seems to be one of the primary qualities associated with God as Father. Molimi states that he experiences God as a Father because God looks after him and loves him. He emphasises his trust in God by saying: ‘[
Molimi furthermore referred to the guidance that he receives from God, as God is his Father. He was the only coresearcher who attributed guidance to the image of Father. He states that God guides him in ’… every way I take‘. He furthermore states that in life
For Manqoba, God as Father indicates more than just protection and love, but also that God as Father will discipline as a father does when needed. God as Father loves, protects and guides, but also disciplines as he sees fits. This is a powerful image, as this child in his wisdom understands the difference between discipline and punishment, indicating several distinctive characteristics of God as Father: (1) God as Father is wise and able to discern when the right time is to discipline and (2) A father disciplines out of
Closely related to the discourses of God as Father, but also attached to other images of God, are God’s unfailing love for them as their father and that God will provide, because that is what a father does.
In our understanding of the historical biblical use of the name ‘Father’ for God, we first turn to the cultural norms of Judaism in the Hebrew Bible. In the Hebrew Bible, the name ‘Father’ is documented in its direct use, referring to YHWH, only twice: once in Isaiah 64:8 and once in Deuteronomy 32:6 (cf. Byrne
These two references in the Hebrew Bible indicate a personal relationship with the covenantal God, and his people. This covenant created an indestructible link between God, the Father, and his people, his children. Nothing can break the bond of the covenant (cf. Byrne
Likewise, the idea of the unbreakable covenant is extended in the New Testament. Here Jesus reminded the early Christians, that because of God’s unbreakable covenant, his relation to us as our father is also an unbreakable one (cf. Byrne
In these passages the words ‘children’, ‘sons of God’ and ‘adoption’ emphasise how people became heirs to the kingdom of their Father, through the covenantal promise established in the Old Testament and extended through baptism in the New Testament. In essence these passages indicate that believers became co-owners of God’s kingdom, along with Jesus (Grassi
Although some scholars disagree about the use of ‘Abba’ (in English translated as ‘daddy’), Byrne (
… an older, wiser figure who guides and offers comfort to the ‘son’ and, due to the assurance of their bond […] the father will always look after the son and the son will always hold the father in a position of respect. (Byrne
Kombo (
The fact that some tribes refer to God as Father during their prayers indicates that they do not only see him as the Creator of the world but also stand in a personal relationship with him, whereby they may communicate with God as Father – as children who turn to their father in the time of need. Smith (
Through the narratives of the coresearchers, various discourses of God as King came to the foreground. In referring to God as King, they tended to call God, ‘Lord’, indicating his kingship. Manqoba states, ’I pray to my Lord God for protection, strength and hope so that this storm can just pass by’. Molimi included the following phrases in a poem that he has written, ‘Lord Almighty help me once again’, and ’I thank the Lord for what he has done in my life’.
Similarly most of the coresearchers made mention of God’s almighty power in various ways, especially in determining the course of one’s life. Here the idea of God’s providence is prevalent, and their awareness that they live and breathe under God’s providence. Manqoba states that he does not trust in fallible family structures, nor in the lack of responsibility of his father; rather he waits patiently upon the Lord to show him the way as he believes that God has a plan for him, but ‘… it’s a bit tough right now, but I know I will get through it’. Manqoba also often made mention of the victory that he found in God. He says that for him life has been hard, but he believes in the victory that God has given him to overcome the worst, and that this victory will be the theme of his life. He knows that his victory will be in God.
The themes of deliverance and redemption are often made in reference to God the Lord. Molimi stated that sometimes, ’I forget to thank the Lord for giving me strength and helping me to win against this storm‘. Kgotoso sees God as his protector who gives him strength to overcome his problems. He states that God is aware of one’s limits and abilities and that God has always rescued him, even when he thought that there was ‘no way out’. Similarly, Molimi states that he irrevocably believes that:
God will help me face my Goliath because he will never leave me nor forsake me. I pray to my Lord God for protection, strength and hope so that this storm can just pass by.
The idea of obedience also runs concurrent with the idea of God as King and Lord. One of the coresearchers stated that one ‘… should obey and trust in God because we should seek him first and everything shall be given on to you’. Many of the coresearchers made it very clear that God expects them to obey him and his laws, because he is God, our Lord, who reigns over all. Molimi stated that he feels guilty because he trusts in God, but he does not always obey him.
In turn the theme of obedience seems to run concurrently with the image of God as Judge. The coresearchers’ narratives conveyed the idea that of one does not obey God, one will be punished, or that God will withhold his blessings. Nevertheless, most of the coresearchers seem to perceive God as an almighty and just God, Who will punish sinful acts as he sees fit. In discussing the narrative
A few of the coresearchers voiced the idea of God ‘testing’ his children. These tests seem to be aimed at determining a believer’s trust and faith in God. Molimi said, ’God has tested me because he took my parents to see if I am strong enough to conquer death‘. He believes that God has tested him by taking his mother away and now God expects him to trust in him and obey his commands. Likewise, some perceive God as testing people so that he can see how strong one is, ‘… not only physically but spiritually too’ (Manqoba) and so that people can grow spiritually. It is not clear what they judge the fairness of these tests to be, seeing that these statements reveal a sense of ambivalence in their image of God as a fair and just God. It does however seem that they distinguish between punishment from God and God testing his child. Ambivalently, they never voiced any form of resentment towards God for testing their faith in this way, but instead they took their sadness and grief to God.
The word ‘Lord’ is defined as a title used by a man of high rank in the nobility, or who has been given the title ‘lord’ as an honour (Lea & Duncan
When looking at the New Testament use of the name ‘Lord’, it generally refers to the Greek word ‘Kurios’ translated into ‘Master’. Hemphill (
If we understand that the names of God, such as Lord, God Almighty, refer to God’s lordship and sovereignty over the world, we can deduce that these names can be equated with his kingship. Although he is less often referred to as God, the King; naming him Lord, God, is implying that he is King – the master, the owner of all things (cf. Hemphill
When turning to the cultural context, we see that Israel, from the beginning of its existence as a nation, was a religious and moral community, ruled by God the Lord, YHWH. They were a theocratic nation – they had a bond with YHWH and swore allegiance to him (cf. Byrne
Furthermore, YHWH ruled by the Law that he established and gave to his nation. He administered justice ‘… in his name (Ex 22.28) and by his leadership of and his siding with Israel in its battles (Ex 14.14; 15.3; Nm 21.14; 1 Sm 18.17; 25.28)’ (Byrne
Inherent in the notion of kingship, as seen by the fact that YHWH ruled by the law that he himself established (Byrne
Where the righteousness of God indicates God’s personal righteousness, his justice indicates his
Thus God is often viewed, or imagined as the Lord, the King and the Judge of all. What is striking however – and this can be seen in the narratives of the coresearchers – is that God’s kingship is closely connected with the attribute of redeemer and deliverer. Therefore in seeing that the Lord YHWH is their King, the Israelites also acknowledged that he is their King, because he will deliver them. Byrne (
Just as the ancient Jews thought of God as their King, many people who adhere to traditional African religions believe that God has power and control over all things – he is the Lord of life and death (cf. Smith,
In general, people who adhere to traditional African religions fear God and God’s punishment if they break his Law (Smith
Because God is seen as Ultimate Dispenser, Ruler and Judge, he is often associated with justice, retribution and punishment. As ultimate Judge, he has the right to ‘… give to each person his own portion, punishes those who commit wrong, and intervenes in human affairs‘ (cf. Mbiti
At the same time, God is seen as merciful and kind and he will exercise his will justly and fairly. God is always right and cannot ever do wrong (cf. Kombo
Contained in the narratives of the coresearchers is the need for God’s guidance, through the embodiment of God as Shepherd. Some of the discourses associated with the other names of God seem to also apply to God as Shepherd.
Most of the coresearchers stated that they turn to God in times of need. They equate many of the Shepherd attributes to that which applies to God, such us saying that a Shepherd saves and protects his sheep when in danger, who looks for his sheep when they get lost, and who loves his sheep no matter what.
In sharing his story with the group, Molimi said that when he lived on the streets, God found him, saved him, reconciled him with his brother and showed him the ‘right way’. He has faith that God will never leave nor forsake him, ‘Give your best and God will do the rest’. Kgotoso supports this idea by saying that he puts all of his trust in God because God has been faithful to him in assisting him through his ‘storms’. As a result of experiencing God’s enduring love faithfulness and protection, he sees God as a Shepherd; he said, ‘I was never naked or starving’.
When the coresearchers refer to guidance, they specifically point out that God shows one unto the right path or gives one direction, especially when one is ‘lost’. Here the parable of the lost sheep comes to mind. The nature of God’s guidance as shepherd seems to refer specifically to God inspiring them to be stronger (emotionally and cognitively), to have a better self-esteem and higher self-efficacy. Guidance also includes an aspect of teaching: God teaching them to follow in his ways: ‘He guides me and makes me live a right life’ (Manqoba); and another: ‘he guides me in every way I take’ (Molimi).
One also notices a sense of collective existence and comradeship in the name of God that appeal to the coresearchers. Manqoba said that he believes that God is on
One common denominator in the stories of the coresearchers is the sense of hope. This sense of hope seems to be founded on the idea that God will not abandon them – they might not escape all hardships and struggles, but they will endure through it with God by their side. In God as Shepherd, they find a promise, a promise of his presence; a promise that God will never forsake them and a promise that never again, will they be orphaned. This promise fills them with hope for the future; it provides them with a reason to continue with life even though the road might be rocky. In God as Shepherd they believe that he will never forsake his flock.
The word ‘shepherd’ occurs quite frequently in scripture and is sometimes replaced by the word ‘pastor’. Generally, this word is used to represent the type of relationship that a
McFague (
The redescription of God through Psalm 23 reveals God as a caring and loving Shepherd who is involved with three main activities: (1) provision, (2) guidance and (3) protection. One immediately becomes aware that these qualities are shared with the name of God the Father and God the King. The experience of God as Shepherd seem to strongly relate to the covenantal promise as understood in the Old Testament.
People who adhere to traditional African religions often refer to God as their ‘Pastor’, which conveys two inherent actions: (1) that of shepherding and (2) that of teaching. According to some, God assists people in times of need, but also teaches them in the ‘… various arts of living’ (Mbiti
Not once in the narratives of the coresearchers did they ever refer to the person of Jesus. The researcher found this peculiar and set about in searching for underlying discourses that could inform her understanding of this gap in their spiritual narratives. It soon became clear that although direct mention of Jesus is never made, the different attributes associated with the specific names of God could be linked with the attributes of God, proclaimed through the personhood of Jesus. One such attribute, consistently found through all the names of God, is God’s unfailing love for them. God’s love seems to be the framework for looking at God’s actions and thereby understanding God. It seems as if God’s love is perceived as the motivation behind his interaction with his children. The coresearchers stated unanimously that Gods’ love makes them stronger and gives them hope in facing the various challenges posed by life. Another coresearcher reiterates this by saying that God has
From this it is concluded that the coresearchers’ interaction with the Gospels enhanced their religious language and influenced the way that they
… Jesus’ humanity is not thinkable as different from his vision with God. Jesus of Nazareth cannot be understood apart from god, apart from his God, who is also the God of Moses and the prophets. (p. 224)
Although the doctrine of God is not the primary theme of the New Testament, the central aim of Jesus’ preaching was to reveal the character of God and what that character
Although the New Testament is reserved in its use of language that refers to God, it is clear that the authority of the narratives told by Jesus rests on the authority of God; the God whose Kingdom Jesus proclaims (cf. Hurtado
In support of the coresearchers who extracted their images of God from the personhood of Jesus, Braaten (
On the idea of God as Mother, it should be stated that although the New Testament never refers to God in female or maternal instances, Jesus nevertheless often described the Father–God relationship in terms, not common of the culture of the day (cf. Bulkeley
This is significant because although the coresearchers commonly refer to God as their Father, many of the qualities they associate with the name, also corresponds to qualities that are traditionally seen as maternal
Perhaps the question should rather be, ‘Is the concept of “father” more significant and meaningful to them, in their lived context, than the concept of “mother”?’ At first glance, it would seem to be so indeed, as many of them stated that they have found a Father in God, in the absence of their own biological father. With further enquiry, however, the qualities they attribute to God as Father seems to be the primary reason
It is clear from the narratives of the coresearchers and the names they use to subsequently refer to God that their understanding of God originated from multiple sources and resulted from cross-contextual, cross-cultural, cross-religious and interdenominational interaction, with people and text.
It became evident that the name ‘Father’ for God is a popular way to refer to God, and subsequently, to think about God, for both the coresearchers and our ancient forefathers. Perhaps the image of God as father provides the coresearchers with the same sense of stability and constancy as for the ancient Jews, as God was the Father for Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and will be forever a reliable and trustworthy father to them. It would seem that the coresearchers find solace in the promise contained in the name of the Father, a promise of protection, provision and guidance – a promise evident from reading the narratives in the Bible. Furthermore, as for the people of both the Old Testament and the New Testament, the coresearchers seem to also feel ‘adopted’ through the bond of the covenant, sealed by the commitment of the baptismal rite. They have found a home in God, a place to belong, where they will always be loved, be sheltered, be clothed and fed and be protected from the storms outside. They trust God ultimately to care for them as a father cares for his children.
It does not seem as if the coresearchers’ experience and perception of God as father is strongly linked with the traditional African religious perception of God as father. Although believers pray to a personal Father–God and turn to the Father for guidance (which the coresearchers also do), it seems as if their perception of God as Father is more closely linked with the idea that God created everything and therefore he has fathered the creation. The consequence of this perception is that God created and then retreated, only to be contacted in extreme cases.
The coresearchers’ understanding of the Father–God is much more closely related to the biblical understanding of the promise contained in the covenant and in baptism; that God has accepted us as his children, and therefore we share in his Kingdom as heirs. He will therefore protect us and provide for us as a father does and we can call upon him on a
At the same time they have the understanding that they as children must obey God, and if they do not, God will discipline as he sees fit. They seem to understand this kind of discipline as originating from God’s unfailing love for them. This model of God as Father is evident throughout the stories contained in the Bible.
The second name for God that strongly relates with the model of father is the idea that God is our Shepherd. The narratives of the coresearchers conveyed the idea that they approach God as Shepherd when they seek solace and when they have a need for guidance and direction. As seen from McFague (
An idea shared by the images of Father and Shepherd is the idea of God as a shelter. God becomes a safe haven for hiding from the storms outside – when hurt, when abandoned and when lost, one can
Finally, we have seen that God is often viewed as the Victor, the Ruler, the King and the Lord, who, in his capacity of his lordship, will judge as he sees fit. Similarly, we have seen that the idea of God as King is prevalent in both the biblical literature, as well as in the African religion. The coresearchers conveyed their awe and respect for God as the almighty God who have created, who beholds and who at the end will judge our fate. This seems to bring comfort that in a sense God will judge over the injustice they experience here on earth. Similarly, however, we see the idea that God will also punish them if they disobey him, or that he will withdraw his favour and presence. This idea is found consistently in the literature explaining the beliefs of traditional African religion and coincides with the beliefs of the coresearchers. This belief, however, does not adequately explain why the coresearchers think that God tests them by taking their loved ones away. Further research into this idea will be done and discussed in a follow-up article.
Additionally, the coresearchers seem to find solace in the embodiment of God as King, that God rules over all, and therefore knows more and sees more than we do. As a Kingly Father, he knows what is best for his children.
The references contained in the narratives of the coresearchers give some insight into their ‘pictures’ of God, and how these pictures influence their relationship with God. These three ‘pictures’ seem to not function in a linear fashion, where they are separated by the boundaries of the characteristics entailed in each name for God. Rather they seem to be complimentary – the one image feeds into the next. Isaiah 40:10–11 gives a good example of this:
10 Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.
11 He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.
Bulkeley (
It is therefore clear that the pictures we have of God, motivate the specific names we choose to represent our relations with God and tell us something about our understanding of and relationship with God. McFague (
We conclude that much of the coresearchers’ manner in which they refer to God might have been the result of religious pedagogical instruction, founded in the text of both the Old Testament and the New Testament, and also from oral narratives carried over from traditional African beliefs and culture. It seems if these teachings and the sharing of narratives and beliefs with significant others, combined in a unique way with the coresearchers’ personal experience of God, to produce their unique understanding of God. It also makes us aware of the profound influence of the Gospels in relaying subtle, but dynamic images of God, which acts as ‘roadmaps’ to understanding the character and the will of God. Also, these stories raised our awareness that religion can never be applied outside the context of culture. The combination of these influences resulted in a special and personal relationship with the one they call their Father, their Shepherd and their King.
In the use of different names for God, Byrne (
The author declares that she has no financial or personal relationships which may have inappropriately influenced her in writing this article.
Postfoundationalism is described by van Huyssteen (
Three coresearchers will be identified as Molimi (meaning ‘farmer’), Manqoba (meaning ‘victory’) and Kgotoso (meaning ‘peace’).
Text in this sense can be any person, event, institution etc.
Interviews conducted at a weekend breakaway, from 26–28 February
The narrative of David was used as analogue to bridge the gap between the story of the Bible and the story of the co-researchers. Refer to the article regarding the use of metaphors and analogues in narrative research: Loubser and Muller (
Take note that these qualities are not exclusively maternal, but also not exclusively paternal.