Spiritual preferences and the experience of worship services in the Dutch Reformed Church
Membership of mainstream churches is declining all over the world. This article focuses on
the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) in South Africa. It investigates whether a reason for the
decline in this specific Reformed ecclesial tradition could be the predominantly rational
understanding of God rather than that of a personal spiritual experience. The popularity of
charismatic and Pentecostal churches in the context could be attributed to their emphasis on
subjective experience, which is also characteristic of postmodern culture. People attend
worship services with the expectation of having their spiritual needs met. People’s spiritual
and emotional needs evolve as their lifeworld changes. In the modern era, the emphasis was
on rational knowledge. In this era people resonated with the rational approach of the
mainstream churches. The influence of the postmodern era is visible in the emphasis on
subjective experience. This paradigm shift influences how people experience and practice
religion. They tend to search for congregations that address their need for a fulfilling spiritual
experience. Many prefer worship services where they have a personal, emotional experience
of God. Every person has unique spiritual needs and experiences God in unique ways. Therefore
people exercise their faith in different ways. Spirituality plays an important role in people’s
lives.
A qualitative approach was used to gain insight into people’s experiences. The empirical
part of the study was based on responses from volunteers who participated by completing
spirituality questionnaires and took part in semi-structured interviews. The aim was to ascertain
whether the DRC is experienced to be exclusive regarding spiritual preferences and, if so,
whether this could be a contributing factor when it comes to the decline in membership of the
Church.
In 1980 Urban T Holmes wrote a handbook on spirituality, titled A history of Christian
spirituality. Holmes’ valuable contribution is a typology of spiritual preferences, specifically
focused on prayer. In 1995 Corinne Ware used this typology and expanded it. She specifically
focused on the way people responded to worship patterns. She explained differences in
spirituality and spiritual preferences by distinguishing between four groups. She called the
spirituality preferences “spirituality types” and named them “head”, “heart”, “mystic” and
“hand”. Ware developed a questionnaire to determine a person’s “spirituality type”. This
investigation utilised Corinne Ware’s spiritual typology to gain insight into people’s experiences
of worship services in the DRC. The results contribute to a better understanding of members’
spiritual needs with regard to worship services in order for these experiences to contribute to their spiritual growth. The question is how the Dutch Reformed Church can remain true to its
Reformed tradition while taking a more holistic and inclusive approach to spirituality, specifically
with regard to worship.
Daar is ’n wêreldwye tendens van afname in lidmaatgetalle van hoofstroomkerke. Hierdie
artikel fokus op die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk (NGK) in Suid-Afrika. Dit ondersoek
of die hoofsaaklik rasionele verstaan van God eerder as ’n persoonlike spirituele ervaring ’n
rede vir die afname in die spesifieke Gereformeerde kerklike tradisie kan wees. Die gewildheid
van charismatiese en pinksterkerke in die konteks kan toegeskryf word aan hulle klem op
subjektiewe ervaring, wat ook kenmerkend is van die postmoderne kultuur. Mense woon
eredienste by met die verwagting dat hulle spirituele behoeftes bevredig sal word. Mense se
spirituele en emosionele behoeftes verander saam met hulle leefwêreld. In die moderne era
was die klem op rasionele kennis terwyl die klem in ’n postmoderne era meer op subjektiewe
ervaring is. Hierdie paradigmaskuif beïnvloed die wyse waarop mense godsdiens ervaar en
beoefen. Die ondersoek maak gebruik van Corinne Ware se spirituele tipologie om insig te
verkry in mense se ervaring van eredienste in die NG Kerk. Die resultate dra by tot ’n beter
verstaan van lidmate se spirituele behoeftes met betrekking tot eredienste om by te dra tot
hulle geestelike groei. Die vraag is hoe die NG Kerk getrou kan bly aan die gereformeerde
tradisie terwyl ’n meer holistiese en inklusiewe benadering gevolg word, spesifiek wat
eredienste betref.
