Resilient Religion, Resilience and Heartbreaking Adversity

A resilience theory on religion needs to answer four questions. What defines the kind of adversity which is addressed in religion? What is characteristic for processes of resilience in religion? What defines resilient religion as outcome? Which logic of inference (epistemology) based on our beliefs and experiences about reality binds these three elements together? The book starts with mapping the field of resilience theory on religion by addressing all four questions. The need for thinking about Christian resilience and the God symbol is addressed, and the need to be "explicitly contextual" with regard to resilience in South Africa. Next three types practices of religious acting are related to experiences of resilience, namely preaching, narrating and discerning. In the last chapters the focus is on the way stories help to express feelings of experiences of crises, tragedy, and trauma. But also how stories can help heal the broken heart. Prof Chris A.M. Hermans is extraordinary professor in practical theology and missiology at the University of the Free State (South Africa). He is emeritus professor in pastoral theology at Radboud University (the Netherlands).and emeritus professor in empirical study of religion as Radboud University (the Netherlands). Prof. Kobus (W.J.) Schoeman is professor of practical theology at the University of the Free State (South Africa).