HTS Volume 66, Number 1 (2010)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/49254

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Now showing 1 - 20 of 37

Roman domestic art and early Christian traditions
(OpenJournals Publishing, 2010-11) Van Henten, Jan W.
David Balch is well-known for his research into early Christian house churches and families. This innovative book is a collection of revised essays, which have been published separately elsewhere. It focuses on the interconnections between Roman domestic art and early Christian traditions. The main evidence comprises the frescoes and mosaics found in Italian domus (houses) and insulae (apartment buildings), including the rich findings at the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, which were destroyed by the grand eruption of the Vesuvius in 79 AD.
Transformation in theology
(OpenJournals Publishing, 2010-11) Beyers, Jaco
The book attempts to provide a responsible answer to the question of how the creed on the life, death and resurrection of Christ can still be confessed today, be believed, affirmed and be relevant for the church. The possibility of confessing the human and divine nature of Christ today is investigated. Does it still make sense for the church to confess these issues?
Buddhist mysticism and philosophy
(OpenJournals Publishing, 2010-11) Ferreira, Ignatius (Naas) Wilhelm
The contemplative traditions of all the mayor religions have struggled with the relationship between the true Self and the ego-self and with the interior and exterior of Reality. Most wisdom teachings, at one stage or the other, have rejected the ego, thoughts or personality as a case of mistaken identity and the ‘world’ as an illusion. The True Self is the one who witnesses or observes everything and who cannot be identified with the observed.
The doctrine of the Trinity in the early church
(OpenJournals Publishing, 2010-11) Muis, Jan
In this rich work Franz Dünzl, Professor of Early Church History and Patristics at the University of Würzburg, gives an illuminating description of the theological, ecclesial and political developments that resulted in the formulation of the doctrine of the Trinity at the Council of Constantinople in 381. The book is elegantly written, offers a clear picture of the overall development of the discussions and at the same time does full justice to the intricate details of this ‘impenetrable theological jungle’ (p. 133).
Q & A worshipping
(OpenJournals Publishing, 2010-11) Van der Merwe, Christo
In the preface to his wonderful book, Ted Loder explains how he started what he describes as, taking a Sunday and replacing the sermon with an opportunity for people to ask questions to which he would respond spontaneously. That was the beginning of devoting two worship occasions a year to a format he called experiments of ‘question and answer’ (Q & A) sermons. However, he immediately repudiates himself by saying that this departure was wrong on two counts. They were not sermons and his responses were not answers – at least in the sense of being complete or conclusive. The answers he presented rather expressed his theological education and thinking, as well as his experience as Christian and as pastor.
Faithfulness and the interpretation of identity in the New Testament
(OpenJournals Publishing, 2010-11) Schutte, P.J.W. (Philippus Jacobus Wilhelmus)
Who were the addressees of the Letter to the Hebrews in the Christian New Testament? This is the question Matthew Marohl attempts to answer in his publication, in the Princeton Theological Monograph Series, titled Faithfulness and the purpose of Hebrews. Marohl teaches the New Testament scripture at the Augusta College. In this book, he uses a sociological tool, namely the categories of social identity theory, to assist him in finding the answer. He argues that the addressees arranged the world into two groups: ‘us’ and ‘them.’ They (the addressees) understood their group, the ‘us,’ to be the ‘faithful’ ones. They understood ‘them’ (a symbolic out-group of ‘all others’) to be the ‘unfaithful’ ones. Faithfulness, then, is the primary identity descriptor for the addressees and plays an essential role throughout the text.
An African American perspective on the New Testament commentary
(OpenJournals Publishing, 2010-11) Van Wyk, I.W.C. (Ignatius William Charles)
This New Testament commentary is the product of African American theologians. A variety of scholars have produced explanations of every book of the New Testament, with explanations varying in length of 20–30 pages. Short comments or explanations are offered on every pericope of the New Testament. Amongst the authors are Brian Blount (editor), president of the Union Theological Seminary, Richmond; Cain Felder, professor of New Testament, Howard University, Washington; Clarice Martin, professor of Philosophy of Religion, Colgate University and Emerson Powery, professor of New Testament, Lee University, Cleveland.
Agnostic investigations
(OpenJournals Publishing, 2010-11) Van Wyk, G.M.J. (Gafie)
The copy of ‘The Agnostic Inquirer’ I received for review is neatly printed and bound in soft cover (with a strong, yet flexible back). It comes with a foreword by William J. Abraham, as well as an index of names. The text is well-written and a pleasure to read. If you are looking for a quick and easy ‘proof’ for revelation or the existence of God, this book will not provide the answers you are looking for. If you are, however, prepared to read well-argued analytical philosophy and are prepared to apply your mind as you are reading, thus entering into your own ‘dialogue’ with the authors, then this text offers a very fulfilling reading or intellectual experience.
Issues of faith and war
(OpenJournals Publishing, 2010-11) Smith, Willem Jacobus
Former military officers, Marsha Hansen (former US Naval officer) and Peter Huchthausen (retired Captain in the US Navy), the writers of Finding God in the shadows: Stories from the battlefield of life, take the reader on a profound journey of faith, leading to humble encounters with the divine. War undoubtedly always casts a dark and sinister shadow over all human planning and expectations, but the stories this book tells, stories of largely unknown men and women serving in the military, become gems in the hand of the reader. The stories of these men and women reflect the hope God’s people find in Him, even in the most terrifying moments of pain and horror.
Unpacking ancient Israel
(OpenJournals Publishing, 2010-11) Spangenberg, I.J.J. (Izak J.J.)
The book’s title reminded me of the title of William Dever’s book, What did the Biblical writers know and when did they know it? What archaeology can tell us about the reality of ancient Israel (2001). Before reading it, I could not but wonder whether Grabbe’s book is meant to be an improvement on what Dever has written. Why the similarity as far as the title is concerned? However, after reading the book, I realised that this book should not be judged by its title alone! Grabbe not only reflects on what Dever has written but on what a large number of other scholars have recently published on the history of Israel.
Eredienshandleiding
(OpenJournals Publishing, 2010-11) cas.wepener@up.ac.za; Wepener, Cas
‘n Liturgis wat nooit die geleentheid kry om te kan meewerk aan ‘n eredienshandleiding nie, is soos ‘n opgeleide soldaat wat nooit die geleentheid kry om te veg nie. Die skryf, samestelling en redigering van ‘n eredienshandleiding vra vir die praktiese toepassing van ‘n liturgis se vaardighede. Volgens Flip Theron wys ‘n teoloog se beskouing en hantering van die sakramente by uitstek sy of haar teologie. Dieselfde geld vir ‘n erediendienshandleiding, want ‘n eredienshandling bied nie net riglyne vir viering aan nie, dit is ook die vertoonvenster van ‘n kerk se teologie. Om ‘n ou spreuk aan te haal, ‘soos ons bid, so glo ons ook’.
To forgive is powerful
(OpenJournals Publishing, 2010-11) Van der Schaaf, Tiny
Dit boek van Briggs is gebaseerd op de film The power of forgiveness van Martin Doblmeier. De interviews, praktijkvoorbeelden en casystudies uit de film zijn door Briggs verwerkt in een boek met achtergrondinformatie.
Theology and the Gospel of John
(OpenJournals Publishing, 2010-11) Van der Merwe, D.G. (Dirk Gysbert)
The Gospel of John and Christian Theology is a significant volume which features a collection of essays on numerous topics ranging from the historical assessment of the Fourth Gospel, through to high-octane theological questions. It is edited by the prolific Richard Bauckham and Carl Mosser. This collection of essays was originally presented at the first St. Andrews Conference on Scripture and Theology in 2003 on the very same topic, namely: The Gospel of John and Christian Theology.
Studying the judgement sayings in Q
(OpenJournals Publishing, 2010-11) Kloppenborg, John S., 1951-
Eschatology, the Sayings Gospel Q and the historical Jesus have made for a confusing mixture. Most of the recent specialist studies of the composition and thought of the Sayings Gospel, regardless of what they conclude about Q’s eschatology, have quite self-consciously been about Q and not the historical Jesus. Yet for reasons that remain obscure, many of those who use Q studies or wish to detract from Q studies conclude that they really are about Jesus, thus concluding, rather bizarrely, that the stratigraphic studies of Q that stress the sapiential genre of its formative elements are in fact covert claims that the historical Jesus is ‘merely’ a sage. I say ‘bizarre’, as they would not, presumably, confuse Mark’s portrait of Jesus with the historical Jesus.
Hope and depression
(OpenJournals Publishing, 2010-11) Bothma, Gerhardus
In this book Jeanne Els puts her skills as freelance journalist to good use in which she tells her story of her struggle with depression, whilst simultaneously imparting valuable information on the nature and impact of this often misunderstood illness. It is well written and presented from cover to end.
Messianic figures in Biblical literature
(OpenJournals Publishing, 2010-11) Cromhout, Markus
This investigation deals with a very important topic, namely, the question of the divinity of the messiah. The authors argue that the divinity of Jesus was not some later development and something unique to Christianity, but had its roots in the changing and fluid Jewish conceptions of the messiah around the turn of the era. Specifically, the idea had its roots in Judaism in the royal ideology of ancient Judah. Ideas about the king or messiah being God’s son were variously repudiated (the Deuteronomist and prophets) or developed in the Hellenistic period where hopes for deliverance often focused on heavenly and supernatural mediator figures.
Ministry in today’s context
(OpenJournals Publishing, 2015-11) Van der Merwe, Christo
The author is Associate Professor of Youth, Culture and Mission at Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa. With this publication he gives a voice to a Lutheran contribution to the wider emerging church conversation. Curious about the world in which we live and informed by the emerging church conversation, he asks: ‘What does it mean to be church as we live – not as we think or remember or long for, but as we live God’s mission today?’ He directly and explicitly deals with Christians’ concerns about being church in a totally different world than the one we used to know.
Who exactly was Bonhoeffer?
(OpenJournals Publishing, 2010-11) Van Wyk, I.W.C. (Ignatius William Charles)
That Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906–1945) was an exceptional person and theologian, I always knew. During my studies in Bonn (1981–1983) this man was often discussed in our student residence (das Adolf Clarenbach Haus). Many of us wrote papers on his work and Bonhoeffer’s friend, Eberhard Betghe was even invited to address us. That he was considered to be a Protestant saint, over and above the prominent place he holds in the German Evangelical Church, I did not know.
Religion in the public sphere : what can public theology learn from Habermas’s latest work?
(OpenJournals Publishing, 2010-10) Dreyer, Jaco S.; Pieterse, Hendrik J.C. (Hennie)
The complex and problematic role of religion in the public sphere in modern, democratic societies raises many questions for a public theology. The aim of this article is to contribute to the ongoing debate about the task and methods of public theology by asking what we can learn from the ideas of Jürgen Habermas. Habermas was a leading participant in the thinking process on the secularisation thesis in Western societies. His view was that religion will eventually disappear from the public scene due to the rationalisation of society. In recent years he seems to have changed this view in the light of new developments in the world. He now maintains that religion has something important to offer in the public sphere. Religion could thus participate in this public discussion, provided that it satisfies strict conditions. We argue that public theology can learn from Habermas’s recent ideas regarding religion in the public sphere: attention should be paid to the cognitive potential of religion, especially regarding the importance of the lifeworld and the role of religion in social solidarity with the needy and vulnerable; hermeneutical self-reflection is important; a distinction should be made between the role of religion in faith communities and in public life; we have to accept that we live in a secular state; and we have to learn the possibilities and impossibilities of translating from religious vocabulary into a secular vocabulary in order to be able to participate in the discussions in the public sphere.
A psychological perspective on the source and function of religion
(OpenJournals Publishing, 2010-11) Van der Merwe, Karen
This article explored psychological perspectives on the following: the reasons for humans’ religiousness, the influence of religion on people’s perspective on life and the importance of understanding the impact of religion on the lives of people. Theories, including psychoanalytical and evolutionary answers regarding the origin of human’s penchant to be religious were discussed. Subsequently, the focus was on the dominant influence of religious notions in people’s worldview, providing meaning and powerfully influencing their cognitions, emotions and behaviour. Finally, the importance of nurturing spiritual (faith) development was discussed.

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