The Role of the Church in Fostering Resilience in the "Strawberry Generation" Through a Rhetorical Critique of Song of Songs 3:1–5

Antonio Felipe Ralendesang; Helen Gratia Masambe; Finarsi Lumentut

doi:10.69932/kardia.v4i2.71

Authors

Antonio Felipe Ralendesang Fakultas Teologi Universitas Kristen Indonesia Tomohon
Helen Gratia Masambe Fakultas Teologi, Universitas Kristen Indonesia Tomohon
Finarsi Lumentut Fakultas Teologi, Universitas Kristen Indonesia Tomohon

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.69932/kardia.v4i2.71

Keywords:

Strawberry Generation, Church, Song of Songs, Pastoral, Resilience

Abstract

Technological advancement and the convenience of modern life have paradoxically given rise to the "strawberry generation" phenomenon a young generation that appears potential and creative on the surface, yet fragile and quick to give up when facing pressure. This fragility stems from overprotective parenting, the dominance of digital validation, and insufficient exposure to failure, resulting in a generation that lacks resilience and struggles to interpret failure positively. This research aims to analyze Song of Songs 3:1–5 as a theological-pastoral resource for building resilience among the strawberry generation within church ministry. The method employed is qualitative, using Yehoshua Gitay's rhetorical criticism approach, which examines the text through three main pillars: inventio (rhetorical ideas employing Aristotle's modes of persuasion), dispositio (chiastic structure), and elocutio (style of language). The findings show that this pericope constructs a pattern of repeated failure culminating in transformative discovery, with five elements of resilience emerging from the text's structure: honesty about failure, courage to act beyond one's comfort zone, autonomy when external help is unavailable, embracing recovery that arrives beyond human control, and patience in honoring timing. These findings imply three pastoral roles for the church: becoming a space for reframing failure as part of the faith journey, cultivating steadfastness rooted in intrinsic longing for Christ, and becoming a community of authentic presence that counters the digital generation's virtual validation.

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