Stollen, kristalliseren of verdampen? De collectieve identiteit van christelijke geloofsgemeenschappen in een tijd van individuali-sering en pluralisering

• Main Author: H de Roest
• Format: Article
• Language: Afrikaans
• Published: AOSIS 2007-09-01
• Series: Verbum et Ecclesia
• Online Access: http://verbumetecclesia.org.za/index.php/VE/article/view/114
• ISSN: 1609-9982; 2074-7705

This article addresses the complex issue of the collective identity of Christian communities in a time of individualisation and pluralisation. The emphasis in the 1980� s was very much on organising, building and managing strategies; however, since then the religious �market�� has been offering a wide range of spiritual <br />�products�� to serve every need. Yet the core question remains: what is it that unites members of a particular faith community and encourages commitment and involvement in church matters?� Two opposite examples illustrate recent practices. The Saddleback congregation, in Mission� Viejo California is an evangelistic orientated church that aims to involve members completely. The Church is a support-system, an answer to questions, a base for talents to flourish, a circle for friendship, sharing and caring. At the other extreme is the Remonstrante Broederskap in the Netherlands with a complete liberal approach, a very low degree of organisation, leaving members free to �shop�. The mediating mechanism that holds everything and everyone together is a common creed.� Within a highly secularised and individualised society a fear exisists that faith and religion might disintegrate.� Yet that does not seem to be the case. Communication of a particular identity, the �spiritual inside�� of a faith community raises the possibility of renewed crystallisation of many varied forms of belief and worship, thus saving communities of faith from complete evaporation.