The DIPP as a resource for pastoral caregivers ministering to intergenerational agricultural households. A literature study
The research conducted within this thesis closely examines the unique challenges pastoral caregivers face in rural settlements. With limited resources and methods for addressing relational ethical challenges (trust, loyalty, justice, and exoneration), this investigation examines how the dialogical intergenerational pastoral process (DIPP) equips pastoral caregivers to understand and address these challenges. The research investigates intergenerational agricultural households (IAHs), a familial system prevalent in the rural settlement of Eendekuil. These families are integral to this settlement, as they provide most of the work for those staying there and ensure the town's sustainability. As with any familial system, different relational challenges impact the functioning of these systems and pose various challenges to the local reverend. Though Eendekuil is the starting point for the investigation, this research extends this context. The research engages in further reflection on pastoral caregivers dealing with similar relational ethical challenges. It seeks to find relevant theories on how best to equip them with a strategy for approaching these challenges. Furthermore, this thesis follows a literature research model aimed at engaging with literature that investigates the unique nature of intergenerational households and provides valuable insights into understanding these systems and thus approaching them more effectively when pastoral care and counselling are required. Grounded in Pastoral Theology, a sub-discipline of Practical Theology, the Dialogical Intergenerational Pastoral Process (DIPP) serves as the guiding lens for this thesis. By interpreting the relational ethical challenges (trust, loyalty, justice, and exoneration) through this lens, a deeper insight is gained on how to interpret and ultimately form a strategy of approach to address challenges in the field. Furthermore, the practical interpretive model of Richard Osmer has been employed to ensure that the research is conducted responsibly. As the four tasks of Osmer (descriptive-empirical, interpretive, normative, and pragmatic) are employed, research will expand from merely explaining the impact of relational ethics on IAHs to developing a strategy of approach that helps guide pastoral caregivers in responding to the challenge ethically. As the research progresses, theories on pastoral care and counselling will be employed to gain better insights into the implications it has on the emotional well-being of care-seekers. Consequently, it leads the reader down the path of discovering how pastoral caregivers can employ unique insights of the DIPP in a South African context. Developed uniquely for this context, the DIPP is relationally informed, which means that it closely examines the dynamics of individual, familial, and societal relationships and how they impact the reality of care-seekers. By using the DIPP as an interpretive lens, this thesis interprets the challenges faced as a relational phenomenon. By closely examining the dynamics of relational ethics and how they impact the relational reality of care-seekers, a process of discovery unfolds that includes the care-seeker as a valuable source of interpretation. Because a care-seeker's identity is formed by individual, familial, and societal relationships, understanding how they view and interpret these relationships is crucial. Furthermore, by understanding that relational ethical challenges stem from engaging with individual, familial, and societal relationships, this thesis will closely examine the interplay taking place within IAHs. Building on the insights of Martin Buber, Emmanuel Levinas, and Boszormenyi-Nagy, this thesis focuses on the reciprocal process of give and take between familial members, as well as interpreting how contextual pastoral care understands the unique nature of relational ethical challenges. It will be highlighted that by following the pastoral process designed to formulate a strategy for equipping pastoral caregivers to engage with these challenges responsibly and ethically, it forms the basis of caring and counselling for care-seekers in IAHs. The unique nature of this research is that it explicitly investigates white Afrikaans IAHs whose identity is firmly rooted in Christianity. It examines how a religious pastoral caregiver may engage in the pastoral process aimed at helping care-seekers to address their own challenges. Ultimately, this thesis examines various aspects of the DIPP (trust, loyalty, justice, and exoneration) to understand the complex nature of relational ethical challenges associated with IAHs and equip pastoral caregivers to address these challenges in rural settlements. By embarking on this journey of discovery, a discussion between literature and practice will be conducted to ensure that the ongoing debate of pastoral care and counselling stays open.
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations