Andries van Aarde – a sideways glance : his theological and hermeneutical contribution to the South African scene

Abstract

This article pays tribute to Andries van Aarde’s theological and hermeneutical contribution. His research unfolds in three phases: a narrative reading of the text, a social scientific investigation of the context and an ‘ideal construct’ of the historical Jesus. Despite the theoretical nature of these inquiries, Van Aarde indicates convincingly their practical value for the church and society on the whole.