LaCugna se relasionele verstaan van die Triniteit: ’n Teologiese begronding van die pastoraat

Abstract

LaCugna’s relational understanding of the Trinity: A theological embedding of the pastorate During the long history of the separation between theology and spirituality, the Trinity was regarded as an abstract theory with the result that the character of the pastorate to some extent developed correspondingly narrowly. In this article, it is indicated how a relational understanding of the Trinity could inform pastorate to a deeper theological grounding of the field. Catherine LaCugna’s valuable contribution to a relational understanding of the Trinity, points to the integral importance of the right relationship between God and humanity. The immanence of a triune God – God with us, with us and for us, a fusion between the divine and the human in oikonomia – is necessarily the healthy spiritual relational climate within which the church can practically and meaningfully operate; from confession to liturgical expressions in diakonia, koinonia and doxologia, and to ministry practices at all levels of pastoral care of the faith community.

Contribution: The implications of the findings are a radical far-reaching change of spiritual approach within the church, contributing to a deeper and more serious practical application of relational principles for church leadership, pastoral caregivers and church members. Christians are to become more vividly aware of their relational responsibility in Christ, deliberately and creatively working towards their noble goal and upward call of God.