A Christian spirituality of imperfection: Towards a pastoral theology of descent within the praxis of orthopathy

• Published in: Acta theologica Vol. 41; no. 2; pp. 70 - 95
• Main Author: Louw, D.J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bloemfontein University of the Free State 01-01-2021; University of the Free State Faculty of Theology
• Subjects: Christian spirituality of imperfection; Christianity; Ethics; Happiness; Orthopathy; Pilgrims; Spirituality; Theology; Theology of ascent; Theology of descent
• ISSN: 1015-8758; 2309-9089
• DOI: 10.18820/23099089/actat.v41i2.5

The endeavour towards perfectionism in a praxis pietatis is most of the time described and portrayed as the preferential “narrow way”, resulting in a kind of “theology of ascent” (the legalistic upgrading of human beings equipped with super, spiritual abilities). Rather than a spirituality of self-improvement, the article proposes a theology of descent (engaging with human suffering, weakness, brokenness, frailty, and imperfection), as well as a paradigm shift from orthodoxy to orthopathy. In a theology of descent, the following question emerges: How does the pastoral ministry address the painful realities of failure and existential imperfection as related to the limitations of suffering human beings? The author develops a Christian spirituality of imperfection, which implies the following spiritual movements of the human soul, namely from having to sharing; from possession to communion; from competition to compassion, from withdrawal to solidarity; from estrangement to engagement, and from hostility to hospitality. In this regard, Henri Nouwen’s notion of a “wounded healer” plays a decisive role.