Pastorale perspektiewe op heraanpassing van weduwees na die dood van ʼn huweliksmaat vanuit ʼn Pentekostalistiese benadering

Abstract

This study investigates the readjustment of widows after the death of a spouse. It is done from a Pentecostal perspective, with the aim of developing an integrated framework for pastoral care. The research was conducted within Richard Osmer's (2008) four tasks of practical theology, namely the descriptive-empirical, interpretive, normative, and pragmatic tasks. The literature study examined several grief models, including task-oriented models (Lindemann, 1944; Worden, 2009), stage-oriented models (Bowlby, 1980; Kübler-Ross, 1952; Parkes, 1998), and integrated models (Klass et al., 1996; Rando, 1993; Stroebe & Schut, 1999). These models enabled a multidimensional understanding of grief and readjustment. Findings indicated that grief does not progress linearly but is a dynamic process of loss processing, meaning-making, and spiritual growth. The exegetical study of James 1:27 affirms the church's calling to protect widows and to express pastoral involvement in practical ways. The pragmatic analysis emphasised the mandate of the church as a channel of hope, healing, and communal support. The study concludes with an integrated pastoral framework that brings together theological, psychological, and community dimensions. Limitations include the fact that the study is purely theoretical and therefore lacks empirical data. Possibilities for further research include the influence of gender and age on readjustment, the role of faith practices in grief processing, and the study of complicated or traumatic grief. The study contributes to practical theology by offering a Biblically grounded framework for the care of widows within the Pentecostal tradition.