JournalTOCs

In die Skriflig / In Luce Verbi
Number of Followers: 3

This is an Open Access Journal

Open Access journal
ISSN (Print) 1018-6441 - ISSN (Online) 2305-0853
Published by AOSIS Publishing

[32 journals]

Table of Content Vol. 57, No. 1 (2023)
- Authors: Editorial Office
  First page: 3
  PubDate: 2024-06-25
  DOI: 10.4102/ids.v57i1.3053
  Issue No: Vol. 58, No. 1 (2024)
Transhumanism as a positional good, economic inequality, and a response
from Christian ethics
- Authors: Manitza Kotzé
  First page: 7
  Abstract: Ethical responses to transhumanism, even from secular points of departure, often use religious language in debating the merits of discussion, and phrases such as ‘playing God’ or ‘hubris’ are not rare. Having Christian ethics and theology as one of the respondents to the ethical and moral issues that are raised by biotechnological developments such as transhumanism, is therefore perhaps easier than in other ethical concerns. In this contribution, the discourse on transhumanism will be approached by defining it in economic terms as a positional good. The focus will further be on the notion of economic inequality, and why it should matter in an ethical discussion on transhumanism, particularly from the perspective of Christian ethics. In making this case, the notion of solidarity will especially be drawn on as articulated in liberation theology as a theological resource. Social community is part and parcel of the Christian moral imperative and, as such, within the context of the discussion on economic inequality and transhumanism, the theological theme of solidarity forms an integral part of responding.Contribution: This article aims to contribute to the Christian ethical discussion on transhumanism by including an economic definition of transhumanism and situating the discussion within the field of liberation theology. The contribution also lies in centring the ethical issues around the theological theme of human solidarity and social community as a Christian moral imperative.
  PubDate: 2024-07-12
  DOI: 10.4102/ids.v58i1.3072
  Issue No: Vol. 58, No. 1 (2024)
With regard to persons: Divine election of the poor in James and Paul
- Authors: Pieter Dirk Dekker
  First page: 7
  Abstract: Traditionally, Reformed accounts of divine election presuppose that God elects without regard to persons. As a result, they cannot fully accommodate the biblical motif of God’s choice for the poor. In response, this article has tentatively, and in continued conversation with its contemporary Reformed theological context, advanced a biblical-theological argument that God, in a way, elects with regard to persons. Drawing on James 2:5, 1 Corinthians 1:27–29, and Romans 9–11, it has suggested that God indeed elects the poor and otherwise marginalised. In doing so, it has highlighted the way in which, according to these texts, this election of the marginal is an expression of divine wisdom. This has located the notion of divine election, in general, and of God’s election of the poor, in particular, firmly in the heart of a Christian understanding of God and in opposition to the so-called ‘wisdom of this world’. As such, this article has challenged both theologians who want to maintain an unamended Reformed account of divine election and advocates of prosperity gospels who consider wealth a definitive marker of election.Contribution: This article contributes to the ongoing debate concerning divine election within the Reformed tradition. It also contributes to scholarly reflection on several New Testament texts, that is, James 2:5, 1 Corinthians 1:27–29, and Romans 9–11, and in so doing, secondarily adds to reflection on divine wisdom as an attribute of God.
  PubDate: 2024-06-24
  DOI: 10.4102/ids.v58i1.3073
  Issue No: Vol. 58, No. 1 (2024)
Bullinger’s expression – praedicatio verbi Dei est verbum Dei, within
his view of Scripture
- Authors: Morné Diedericks
  First page: 7
  Abstract: The Reformers’ debates with, among others, the Catholics and Anabaptists on the authority of Scripture offered a valuable response to modern attacks on the authority of Scripture. While the Reformers confessed Sola Scriptura [Scripture alone] against the Catholics, Bullinger’s well-known statement, praedicatio verbi Dei est verbum Dei, could be seen as a confession against the Anabaptists, as well as some of today’s Christian movements that prioritised the personal interpretation of Scripture. Where personal interpretation of Scripture had become the primary principle for Scriptural interpretation in some of today’s Christian communities, Heinrich Bullinger relegated it to the background. For Bullinger, the inner working of the Holy Spirit during the external proclamation of the Word of God in worship within the covenant community was the starting point for Scriptural interpretation.Contribution: The thesis of this article is that within the Reformers’ view of Scripture, as exemplified by the insights of Heinrich Bullinger, the personal reading of the Bible by each member of the covenant community was understood within the context of communal interpretation and covenant theology. Emphasising the significance of communal worship and the guiding presence of the Holy Spirit, this perspective underscored the transformative nature of Scriptural interpretation within the covenant community, rejecting the notion of personal interpretation as the sole authority. It was within the context of Bullinger’s covenant theology that the well-known expression praedicatio verbi Dei est verbum Dei [the preaching of the Word of God is the Word of God], had to be understood.
  PubDate: 2024-06-10
  DOI: 10.4102/ids.v58i1.3079
  Issue No: Vol. 58, No. 1 (2024)
Reviewing doxological motivation for church missional music from a
reformational perspective
- Authors: Takalani A. Muswubi
  First page: 8
  Abstract: This article reviews the doxological motivation of and for the church’s mission from a reformational perspective. The researcher learned that there is a human tendency to position oneself, or other beings or things, in the centre of God’s story and mission. Human religions and philosophy in ancient times claimed that behind the visible reality, there is an invisible world of either fate or ideals, which determined how people lived, and how they viewed and practised music. It is learned from missiological debates that the goal and the motive of the church’s missional music are often misunderstood and it led to a disarray, not only of the goal and motive of the church’s music, but also of the effective and efficient missional fellowship with God and with each other through music. With an overarching theme of formation (creation), deformation (humanity’s fall into sin) and reformation (redemption and hope), this article is set to discuss three aspects of doxological motivation of and for the church’s missional music, before the concluding remarks. In short, firstly the starting point: its formation; secondly, the critical point: its deformation (misdirection); thirdly, the ultimate point: its reformation and consummation.Contribution: This article adds value (a voice) in finding ways and means for the effective and efficient missional worship of God through church music. In that regard, understanding the doxological motivation behind the church’s missional music and its relevance in the missional worship of God is important. This attempt not only helps in handling misconceptions regarding the human tendency to position themselves, other beings, or things in the centre of God’s story, worship and mission, but helps also in restoring the proper doxology at the centre of worshipping God through music.
  PubDate: 2024-06-10
  DOI: 10.4102/ids.v58i1.3074
  Issue No: Vol. 58, No. 1 (2024)
Missional precepts of the jubilee as an incentive to address poverty in
South Africa and beyond
- Authors: Takalani A. Muswubi
  First page: 9
  Abstract: This article uncovers and articulates the missional precepts of the jubilee as an incentive in addressing poverty in South Africa and beyond. The jubilee is instituted as a special incentive not only of God’s liberation (deliverance and salvation) but also for God’s consecration (reconciliation and restoration). At the heart (centre) of jubilee is the gospel call that God fulfilled through Jesus Christ and his ministry. The main question is: what is an incentive of and for addressing poverty in South Africa and beyond' This article is set to discuss three main aspects of the jubilee as an incentive to address poverty in South Africa and beyond. Firstly, the basic point is the nature of the jubilee, which is defined in its inception; secondly, the critical point is the significance of the jubilee, which is distinguished in its conception in Israel’s history; and thirdly as the ultimate point, the role of the jubilee, which is discerned in its reception in and outside the church, especially in addressing poverty in South Africa and beyond.Contribution: This article seeks to contribute to the ongoing debate regarding the nature (inception), the significance (conception), and the role (reception) of the jubilee. Without the scriptural basis, the missional precepts of the jubilee as an incentive to address poverty is confused, conflicted, and contested that the poor and the needy are robbed of the missional precepts of the jubilee in addressing poverty in South Africa and beyond.
  PubDate: 2024-07-08
  DOI: 10.4102/ids.v58i1.3082
  Issue No: Vol. 58, No. 1 (2024)
LaCugna se relasionele verstaan van die Triniteit: ’n Teologiese
begronding van die pastoraat
- Authors: Annelle Barnard
  First page: 9
  Abstract: LaCugna’s relational understanding of the Trinity: A theological embedding of the pastorate During the long history of the separation between theology and spirituality, the Trinity was regarded as an abstract theory with the result that the character of the pastorate to some extent developed correspondingly narrowly. In this article, it is indicated how a relational understanding of the Trinity could inform pastorate to a deeper theological grounding of the field. Catherine LaCugna’s valuable contribution to a relational understanding of the Trinity, points to the integral importance of the right relationship between God and humanity. The immanence of a triune God – God with us, with us and for us, a fusion between the divine and the human in oikonomia – is necessarily the healthy spiritual relational climate within which the church can practically and meaningfully operate; from confession to liturgical expressions in diakonia, koinonia and doxologia, and to ministry practices at all levels of pastoral care of the faith community.Contribution: The implications of the findings are a radical far-reaching change of spiritual approach within the church, contributing to a deeper and more serious practical application of relational principles for church leadership, pastoral caregivers and church members. Christians are to become more vividly aware of their relational responsibility in Christ, deliberately and creatively working towards their noble goal and upward call of God.
  PubDate: 2024-06-06
  DOI: 10.4102/ids.v58i1.3022
  Issue No: Vol. 58, No. 1 (2024)
The fruits of a text-generated persuasion-interpretation of 1 Corinthians
12:31b–13:3
- Authors: Elizabeth M. Cornelius, Tsholofelo J. Kukuni
  First page: 9
  Abstract: This article interprets the persuasion of Paul’s communication to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 12:31b–13:3 from a text-generated persuasion-interpretation (TGPI) rhetorical perspective. Text-generated persuasion-interpretation is not based on ancient Greco-Roman rhetoric and differs from ancient rhetorical analyses. Ancient Greco-Roman rhetorical analyses reimpose rhetorical categories on the text, analysing it within the confines of those rhetorical categories that merely mention rhetorical stylistic devices and techniques that the author uses to persuade the audience. Instead, this rhetorical approach is done by reconstructing the rhetorical strategy from the text itself, in other words, how Paul used rhetorical arguments and rhetorical techniques when persuading the Corinthians to pursue unity and order, by eulogising the excellencies of love. Paul’s persuasive strategy from 1 Corinthians 12:31b–13:3 was constructed and analysed. The descriptive analysis of the author’s persuasive intent was constructed from the text itself, proving that the means the author uses to persuade the readers can be based on the text alone. The author’s dominant rhetorical strategy was defined from the text, by determining his primary rhetorical objective in the particular section. This article showed that Paul employed various rhetorical devices to enhance his persuasion. The first is the argument based on disillusionment. The second are rhetorical techniques such as explicit contrasting, conspicuous words and metaphors, binary, hyperbole, parallelism, repetition, rhythm, and antithesis to persuade the Corinthians to desire ‘the far more supreme way’ as the exclusive stimulus for practising spiritual gifts.Contribution: This article offers something new in the sense that the rhetorical method of interpretation, called a text-generated persuasion-interpretation, is applied to 1 Corinthians 12:31b–13:3 for the first time. With a renewed interest in rhetorical interpretation of the texts, this methodology allows for its improvement with further research, as it has the potential to incorporate multidisciplinary approaches to the text. Furthermore, this article demonstrates that the dominant rhetorical objective of the text and the persuasion of the author can be derived from the text without relying on ancient rhetoric. Finally, the article shows that new rhetorical insights, such as new rhetorical techniques used to enhance the author’s persuasion, can still be discovered, as they have been discovered in this study.
  PubDate: 2024-06-06
  DOI: 10.4102/ids.v58i1.3078
  Issue No: Vol. 58, No. 1 (2024)
Geslachtsgemeenschap zonder huwelijk als een multidimensionale zonde
- Authors: Benno A. Zuiddam
  First page: 10
  Abstract: Bruce Malina’s views on sexuality continue to exercise a major influence on contemporary Biblical scholarship. His position was that the Bible in general, and the Torah specifically, approve of sexual intercourse without marriage, as long as it is a voluntary act and the parties are not engaged to or married to someone other and it is not a commercial act. An analysis of the primary sources, as well as the Rabbinic commentaries and the tradition of the Western Church, shows that this view fails to do justice to semantic use of ‘fornication’ [תוּנְז] in the Thora, as well as to related incidences of πορνεία in the Septuagint and the New Testament. This article argues, on the basis of a text-oriented philological reading of the ancient texts, that these condemn sexual intercourse without an established marriage as a multidimensional sin. Both historical Rabbinic and Apostolic traditions claim a continued validity for this moral evaluation.Contribution: This article seeks to understand the source-orientated nature of the historical evaluation of sexual intercourse outside marriage in the Jewish and Christian tradition. The results of this enquiry show that a text-oriented approach within the context of tradition allows no room for sexual intercourse without marriage but condemns this as a multidimensional sin. The implication of this is that liberal opinions such as those of Malina are fundamentally not an exegesis of the text in historical context, but a form of meaning assignment. The influence of the philosophy of existentialism and postmodernism on Biblical studies in this development requires further research.
  PubDate: 2024-07-15
  DOI: 10.4102/ids.v58i1.3042
  Issue No: Vol. 58, No. 1 (2024)
The missiological implications of Jesus’s final departure from the
Temple for Western Christendom
- Authors: Ignatius W. Ferreira
  First page: 10
  Abstract: This article analyses the final departure of Jesus Christ from the Temple in Jerusalem during his last days on earth, signifying a critical juncture in God’s interaction and engagement with his chosen people and consequently establishing the foundation for the spread of Christianity. By examining this event and contextualising it within the framework of God’s prior actions concerning the Temple, this article aims to clarify the underlying rationale for this transformation in his relationship with his chosen people. Using a missiological perspective, the study extracts fundamental biblical principles that may serve as criteria for evaluating modern Christendom and the Western Church’s current existential crisis, which urgently highlights its failure to fulfil God’s mission in today’s dynamic world. Through understanding the factors that contributed to this historical shift in God’s engagement, valuable insights can be gained to urge the Western Church to promptly reassess its contemporary missiological disposition.Contribution: The article contributes significantly to the journal’s mission of advancing Reformed Theology by examining Jesus Christ’s final departure from the Temple, identifying it as a pivotal event in God’s interaction with his people and the foundation for Christianity’s dissemination. Additionally, it offers a missiological viewpoint to assess present challenges confronting the Western Church, prompting a re-evaluation of its mission strategy within contemporary contexts, thereby enriching the discourse on Reformed Theology and its relevance in today’s world.
  PubDate: 2024-06-28
  DOI: 10.4102/ids.v58i1.3084
  Issue No: Vol. 58, No. 1 (2024)

HOME > Browse the 73 Subjects covered by JournalTOCs
Subject	Total Journals