Die invloed van sondebesef op persoonlike ontwikkeling: ʼn Gevallestudie

Abstract The influence of the realisation of sin on personal development: A case study Sin has always been associated with the Judeo-Christian religious belief system and represents that which is unholy and which diametrically opposes all that is holy. Although the focus is rather on a positive relationship with God, and notwithstanding the salvation in Christ, sin is a reality for Christians. The particularly strong influence of society on religion and religious practice and on the interpretation of what sin entails, as well as the implication for children who have received a Christian education, is explored. The narrative of a person’s experience of religion in her childhood and adolescent years is analysed phenomenologically. It is argued that accepting the permanent state of sin and the realisation by Christians of their automatic tendency to sin may inhibit self-efficacy and confidence, both of which are necessary for the development of the ego strength of self-competence in children. Although not generalizable, the narrative confirms the literature, namely that the respondent’s understanding of her innate and lifelong condition of sinfulness and her inability to act without sin have had a decisive influence on her identity and behaviour and have led to confusion regarding her role as a Christian and as a woman. Key concepts: sin, society and sin, sin as social construct, child and sin, woman and sin Opsomming Sonde word altyd met die Judeo-Christelike geloofsiening verbind en verteenwoordig dit wat onheilig is en lynreg staan teenoor alles wat heilig is. Alhoewel die fokus eerder op ʼn positiewe verhouding met God is en nieteenstaande die redding in Christus, bly sonde ʼn werklikheid vir Christene. Die besondere sterk invloed wat die samelewing op godsdiensontwikkeling en -praktyk het en op die interpretasie van wat sonde behels, asook die implikasie wat dit vir kinders wat ʼn Christelike opvoeding ontvang het, word ondersoek. Die narratief van een persoon se ervaring van godsdiens in haar kinder- en adolessente jare word fenomenologies ontleed. Daar word geredeneer dat aanvaarding van die permanente toestand van sonde en die besef by Christene dat hulle outomaties tot sonde geneig is, onder meer self-effektiwiteit en selfvertroue wat nodig is vir die ontwikkeling van die egosterkte van bevoegdheid by kinders, kan inhibeer. Alhoewel nie veralgemeenbaar nie, bevestig die narratief die literatuur, naamlik dat die respondent se begrip van haar ingebore en lewenslange toestand van sondigheid en haar onbekwaamheid om enigiets goed vanuit haarself te doen, onder meer, ʼn bepalende invloed op haar identiteitsvorming en gedrag gehad het en wat uiteindelik tot verwarring betreffende haar rol as Christen en as vrou gelei het. Kernbegrippe: sonde, samelewing en sonde, sonde as sosiale konstruk, kind en sonde, vrou en sonde