Beschreibung
Throughout his life, the apartheid activist, Nelson
Mandela (Madiba), maintained, ‘In the darkest moment there
is always hope. We must never give up’. Hope as a mode of
the courage to be (Paul Tillich), points to what the
Sociologist Peter Berger calls: signals of transcendence.
Wholeness in Hope Care explores the rich tradition of hope
in wisdom, philosophy and Christian theology. It connects
non-hope/un-hope (Gabriel Marcel: inespoir) to a theology of
compassion in soul care (cura animarum). Resurrection hope
(theologia resurrectionis) points to the healing of life
(cura vitae) and the preservation of land (cura terrae). In
order to describe the helping and healing dimension in
pastoral caregiving, the term ‘promissiotherapy’ has been
coined.
Daniel Johannes Louw was Dean of the faculty of theology at
the University of Stellenbosch (2001-2005), President of the
International Academy of Practical Theology (IAPT)
(2003-2005) and President of the International Council for
Pastoral Care and Counselling (ICPPC) (2011-2015).
