Search

This contribution, a further development of the first author's recent thesis, investigates aspects of leadership in the Pentecostal tradition as it encourages discipleship. First contextualised broadly within unfolding post-secular sensitivities internationally and then contextualised specifically within the nature and history of Pentecostalism, the understanding of leadership and spiritual formation within the latter is then analysed. Leadership and spiritual formation within Pentecostalism are then developed towards an understanding of discipleship Hierdie bydrae, n verdere ontwikkeling van die eerste outeur se onlangse proefskrif, ondersoek aspekte van leierskap binne die Pentekostalistiese tradisie onderweg na die aanmoediging van dissipelskap. Eerstens breedweg gekontekstualiseer binne internasionaal ontluikende post-sekulêre sentimente en daarna meer spesifi ek gekontekstualiseer binne die eie-aard en geskiedenis van die Pentekostalisme, word die verstaan van leierskap en geestelike vorming binne hierdie groepering geanaliseer. Leierskap en geestelike vorming binne die Pentekostalisme word ontwikkel in die rigting van n dissipelskapsbegrip

In this article, an analysis is provided of the concept of implicit religion as it was employed in the work of Edward Bailey. The methodology of implicit religion will be characterised and illustrated, also comparatively with brief reference to somewhat related matters in theology and in the social sciences. In broadest scope here, the concept of implicit religion is placed within post-secular context.

Transformation is one of the key elements of the human spirituality phenomenon and is one of the foundational areas of study within the discipline of Christian Spirituality. Transformation entails the meaningful, deep changes within individuals as they are touched by the Holy and as they mature in their experience of and expression given to their faith. This article places that dynamism within the framework of the academic discipline of Biblical Spirituality, which is briefly described in the first part. After depicting the concept of transformation in some detail, its relationship with and its occurrence in the Bible are outlined. Transformasie is een van die sleutelelemente binne die menslike spiritualiteitsverskynsel en is een van die grondbeginsels van die studieveld binne die Christelike Spiritualiteitskunde. Transformasie behels betekenisvolle en diepgaande verandering in individue namate hulle deur die Heilige aangeraak word, groei in die belewenis van hulle geloof en hoe uitdrukking daaraan gegee word. Hierdie artikel plaas dié dinamiek binne die raamwerk van die akademiese dissipline van die Bybelse Spiritualiteit wat kortliks in die eerste gedeelte beskryf word. Nadat die transformasiekonsep in redelike besonderhede uiteengesit is, word die verwantskap daarvan aan, en die voorkoms daarvan in die Bybel omskryf.

After a recent paper exploring the newest developments related to the unfolding post-secular spirituality internationally, namely in the fields of Sociology, Law, Philosophy and Theology, this paper explores the recent developments on Musicology and Spirituality. Attention is also given to phenomenological aspects of religiosity and music, namely as they are related to the experiential cadences of humanity. Ancient as these phenomenological parallels between spirituality and music are, they are receiving attention anew at the dawn of the unfolding cultural phase known as the post-secular.

In this paper, two contributions are made. First, the aspect of faith impulses behind the text of Ps 1 are traced, also as an indication of this aspect being overlooked in recent research reviews on Psalter scholarship. Second, the seeming oversimplification of questions of theodicy in this Psalm is characterised here as not ignorance on the part of its author/s, but as taking a considered stance within a highly complex philosophical-theological debate within post-exilic Israel. Such a realisation however requires careful "listening" to the implied religious situation to which the text spoke, an exercise which is methodologically difficult, yet which is historically and theologically important.

Dedicated to Cornel du Toit, this article identifies two trends in theology which play a role in South Africa. The first trend is a possible move from or within the post-modernist cultural phase to a neo-essentialist or critical realist basic frame of understanding which suits theology as intellectual pursuit well. The second trend is in contextual theology, which - with the bibliological sciences as example - tends to move too far away from its central specialism to make meaningful contributions to the (South) African scene. By focussing on its strengths, however, theology can be a contextually valuable discussion partner in South Africa. It also fits in well with the current move from or within post-modernism, identified as the first trend, in which theology has just as valid a place as any of the other traditional academic fields.

Godsdienstige verwysings in berigte oor misdaad en ongelukke in die dagblad Beeld en die Sondagkoerant Rapport kom hier aan die orde, omdat sodanige verwysings soms prominent in opskrifte en beriggewing voorkom en dus (waarskynlik onbedoeld) ’n sekere blikpunt bied op gewone (veral Afrikaanse) mense se geloofsreaksies op die traumas wat met misdaad en ongelukke gepaard gaan. Hoewel sowel die aard van die negatiewe insidente as die dinamika van die joernalistieke proses hierdie godsdienstige inhoud kleur, speel hierdie faktore juis ’n rol in die vorming van openbare geloofsuitsprake. Dit bied ’n toegangspunt tot die ontleding en kritiese beoordeling van openbare spiritualiteit. Terselfdertyd gee dit insig in hoe die betrokke koerante godsdienstige verwysings hanteer, hoewel dit nie die hooffokus van hierdie artikel is nie. Die aard van die godsdienstige verwysings in die berigte is gekies volgens die metode van doelgerigte steekproeftrekking (“purposive sampling”/“judgemental sampling”). Dit word kwalitatief ontleed deur te let op die prominensie, omvang en gebruik van godsdienstige verwysings in die teks, aanhalings en opskrifte. Daardeur word vasgestel hoe die redaksies van hierdie koerante die verwysings “geraam” het. In die besonder word die misdaad- en ongelukbetrokkenes se gerapporteerde reaksies kortliks beskryf en ontleed. Vier hoofkategorieë verwysings kan onderskei word: verwysings na God as bewaarder; verwysings na slagoffers se geloof; verwysings na die hemel; en verwysings na ander geloofsreaksies op misdaad en ongelukke. Kritiese evaluering word deur hierdie studie op drie vlakke moontlik gemaak: die inhoud van die misdaad- en ongelukbetrokkenes se godsdienstige verwysings, soos gerapporteer; die “raming” daarvan in die beriggewing; en die rol van die pers binne die openbare godsdiensgesprek. A critical evaluation of religious references in crime and accident reporting in Beeld and Rapport In this article religious references in articles on crime and disasters in the Afrikaans daily newspaper Beeld and the Afrikaans Sunday paper Rapport are investigated, because at times such references occur prominently in the headings and the articles and thus provide a (probably unintentional) view on (mostly Afrikaans) faith reactions to such traumatic incidents. Even though the nature of these negative incidents and the dynamics of the journalistic process colour the religious content conveyed, it is precisely such factors involved in giving form to public expressions of faith which provide entry points for analysis and critical evaluation of public spirituality. At the same time they provide some insight into the treatment of religious references by these newspapers, although this is not the main focus of this article. The nature of the religious references in the articles, chosen by “purposive sampling” or “judgemental sampling”, is analysed qualitatively, namely by noting the prominence, scope and use of religious references in the text, quotations and headings. In this way it is possible to determine how editorial processes “frame” such references. The reported reactions of the victims of crime or disasters are also analysed. Four main categories of such references are indicated: references to God as protector; references to the faith of the victims; references to heaven; and reference to other faith reactions to crime and disaster. Critical evaluation on three levels is thus enabled by this study: the contents of the religious references by the victims of crime or disaster; the “framing” afforded this by the reporting; and the role of the press within public religious discourse. Eerste gepubliseer op www.litnet.co.za. LitNet Akademies is LitNet se afdeling vir geakkrediteerde akademiese navorsingsartikels.

In an involved argumentation that runs most influentially from Van Seters via Römer and Lohfink, the question of whether the "fathers" in the book of Deuteronomy had indeed initially referred to the patriarchal trio of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has been under discussion since the 1970s. In this article, the debate is taken into review in the light of the author's recently published position on the competition between tradents within post-exilic Israel as reflecting inner-Judean identity politics. His conclusion concurs with Römer's theory, that editorial insertion of the patriarchs' names next to the father references in Deuteronomy is probable.

This thesis reflects research undertaken over the past eight years about the way in which the Bible has been brought to bear on a number of frameworks within the South African socio-historical context. It is argued that it is not at all surprising that the Bible would become a part of the dialogues of the church; the Bible remains the source of the Christian identity of the churches in South Africa in a very particular way. Nor is it really unexpected that the Bible would be influential in discussions on broader societal issues in South Africa. With ± 80% of the South African populace subscribing to the Christian faith, and with the most prominent strands of Christianity found in South Africa making so much of the role of the Bible in their lives of faith, it would be perplexing if the Bible had indeed not been a major feature in these debates. The Bible spoke and speaks to church and country in South Africa. Put differently, as a phenomenological formulation: the Bible is brought to speech, that is, is brought to communication within the closer ecclesiological precincts as well as the broader socio-political environment of South Africa, precisely because of the particular religious configurations that characterise church and culture locally. The following is thus, albeit retroatively, posed as a general research question running centrally through all the research essays under review here: How was the Bible brought to communication within different spheres of the South African society? A total of nine scholarly publications are included, although in fact they represent seven research outputs. In two cases the research was first published as chapters in books, and was then re-published in article format. The most important conclusions reached, are: that the Old Testament is a vastly under-utilised source for communicating Christian spirituality, a state of affairs for which ten reasons can been indicated; that literal Bible translations are more effective in engaging Bible readers, because they invite active, interpretative participation by the intended receivers; that the use of the Bible for political purposes, even for opposing political causes, always reduces the Bible to a rhetorical tool, namely to substantiate views being propagated; that the present government's communication on religious matters has been rhetorically ambivalent: while continued funding for university programmes of - by name - Biblical Studies, has been questioned in Parliament and elsewhere, the churches (for whom the Bible is central to their identity and as a motivational force) are called upon to support government's social relief programmes; that the editorial and other comment columns of newspapers offer a substantial, yet vastly under-utilised resource for preachers in their attempts to deliver contextually relevant sermons; that deliberate consideration given to persuasive variables are of substantial importance to preachers; most important, though, for the long term effectiveness of the Gospel message, is the perceived integrity of the preacher; that both the Old and New Testaments offer substantial resources for the enhancement of communication and the building of relationships between different church denominations, with the caveat, though, that texts should not be misinterpreted, as has been the case, since this undermines the integrity of such processes. The ways in which the Bible has been used in these different societal spheres are, thus, varied, yet seldom satisfactory. By indicating the problems and perspectives that have come to light through these research projects, a contribution may be made towards a more mature society in which religion plays a constructive role, and is, as a corollary, respected for what it is in its own right. Thesis (Ph.D. (Communication Studies))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.