Living wounds (anfechtungen) or blacksmithing of the human soul? The pastoral art of marvellous exchange (mirifica commutatio) in spiritual well-being
Many of the unexpected, undeserved forms of suffering and the constant exposure to human brokenness infiltrate schemata of interpretation and frameworks of meaninggiving, causing guilt, doubt, torment, and anguish – a kind of paralysis of the human soul; the hopelessness of désespoir (the nausea of...
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| Language: | English |
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University of the Free State
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Acta Theologica |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/6479 |
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| author | D.J. Louw |
| author_facet | D.J. Louw |
| author_sort | D.J. Louw |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Many of the unexpected, undeserved forms of suffering and the constant exposure to human brokenness infiltrate schemata of interpretation and frameworks of meaninggiving, causing guilt, doubt, torment, and anguish – a kind of paralysis of the human soul; the hopelessness of désespoir (the nausea of unhope). Instead of blacksmithing spiritual pathology (spiritual victimisation by means of punishment and self-blame), an approach of living wounds is proposed, namely to embrace them within the process of reaching out to the wounds of the other. Within the framework of Christian theology, the healing dimension of a theologia crucis is researched. In this regard, the notion of mirifica commutatio (marvellous exchange) in Martin Luther’s understanding of a
“suffering God” is discussed as an illustration of what thehealing of externalisation in pastoral caregiving entails. Thus, the emphasis on divine substitution in a pastoral approach of “double switching”, while facing the factuality of the irreversibility of Anfechtungen (spiritual dread and anguish) and human imperfection.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-76caf56da7b64f17b93760280d1718b4 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1015-8758 2309-9089 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | University of the Free State |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Acta Theologica |
| spelling | doaj-art-76caf56da7b64f17b93760280d1718b42025-02-11T09:34:10ZengUniversity of the Free StateActa Theologica1015-87582309-90892022-06-0142110.38140/at.v42i1.6479Living wounds (anfechtungen) or blacksmithing of the human soul? The pastoral art of marvellous exchange (mirifica commutatio) in spiritual well-beingD.J. Louw0University of the Free State Many of the unexpected, undeserved forms of suffering and the constant exposure to human brokenness infiltrate schemata of interpretation and frameworks of meaninggiving, causing guilt, doubt, torment, and anguish – a kind of paralysis of the human soul; the hopelessness of désespoir (the nausea of unhope). Instead of blacksmithing spiritual pathology (spiritual victimisation by means of punishment and self-blame), an approach of living wounds is proposed, namely to embrace them within the process of reaching out to the wounds of the other. Within the framework of Christian theology, the healing dimension of a theologia crucis is researched. In this regard, the notion of mirifica commutatio (marvellous exchange) in Martin Luther’s understanding of a “suffering God” is discussed as an illustration of what thehealing of externalisation in pastoral caregiving entails. Thus, the emphasis on divine substitution in a pastoral approach of “double switching”, while facing the factuality of the irreversibility of Anfechtungen (spiritual dread and anguish) and human imperfection. https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/6479AnfechtungenDelicious despairDouble switching in caregivingLiving wounds |
| spellingShingle | D.J. Louw Living wounds (anfechtungen) or blacksmithing of the human soul? The pastoral art of marvellous exchange (mirifica commutatio) in spiritual well-being Acta Theologica Anfechtungen Delicious despair Double switching in caregiving Living wounds |
| title | Living wounds (anfechtungen) or blacksmithing of the human soul? The pastoral art of marvellous exchange (mirifica commutatio) in spiritual well-being |
| title_full | Living wounds (anfechtungen) or blacksmithing of the human soul? The pastoral art of marvellous exchange (mirifica commutatio) in spiritual well-being |
| title_fullStr | Living wounds (anfechtungen) or blacksmithing of the human soul? The pastoral art of marvellous exchange (mirifica commutatio) in spiritual well-being |
| title_full_unstemmed | Living wounds (anfechtungen) or blacksmithing of the human soul? The pastoral art of marvellous exchange (mirifica commutatio) in spiritual well-being |
| title_short | Living wounds (anfechtungen) or blacksmithing of the human soul? The pastoral art of marvellous exchange (mirifica commutatio) in spiritual well-being |
| title_sort | living wounds anfechtungen or blacksmithing of the human soul the pastoral art of marvellous exchange mirifica commutatio in spiritual well being |
| topic | Anfechtungen Delicious despair Double switching in caregiving Living wounds |
| url | https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/6479 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT djlouw livingwoundsanfechtungenorblacksmithingofthehumansoulthepastoralartofmarvellousexchangemirificacommutatioinspiritualwellbeing |