HTS Volume 59, Number 4 (2003)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/11838

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Vilifikasie : ’n nuwe kyk op die bedreiging in Kolossense
(Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2003) Boonzaaier, Jacobus
An overview of research reveals that the quest to identify the opponents in Colossians appears to be a dominant research theme. However, despite this fact, there is still no general consensus about the identity of the opponents, nor about the intensity of the threat they posed. The nett result is a situation where speculation about possible and probable opponents abounds. The article proposes an approach in terms of which the rather vague references to the opponents are to be understood as part of the rhetorical strategy of vilification, a well known strategy whereby an author trivialized the opponents of a viewpoint in order to emphasize his message. The article describes essential characteristics of vilifications and traces occurrences thereof in the letter. It concludes that a study of the letter can be conducted without the prerequisite study of the opponents and their ways. This provides the freedom to re-identify with the message of the text in a new and fresh way.
Gemeenskapsgerigte model vir die geloofsvorming van tieners in die verbondsgesin deur middel van simbole en rituele
(Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2003) De Wet, D.C. (Dirk Cornelis)
The covenantal family is the most important building system in the church and the society. Almost all families live in a community where interactions of faith take place. Teenagers leave the church because this community does not offer enough exciting activities for them to be part of a transformation process for a better life. For this reason we need an event-driven and a community-directed teenage and family ministry that accentuates processes, people and relations. Better relationships within the congregation and community needs better communication through symbols and rituals. This paradigm needs an exegesis of the Bible, the culture, the self and the community. Strengthening the inner life of churches and their relation with their immediate communities should be the first priority of church leaders.
Godsbeelde in die konteks van die rouproses
(Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2003) Smith, Willem Jacobus
Human beings express their experiences of God by means of language and images. Language not only represents or reflects experience, but also shapes it. The same holds true for religious language. Believers who experience loss, seek to find God and the role of God in their changed circumstances. During their experience of loss and grief, people can either image God in a negative or a positive way. This article investigates different imagery of God, such as the king-judge image, the family image, the friend image and the lover image. These images are explored in order to indicate their possible contribution towards nurturing hope within the context of loss grieving. The article does not express a preference for any one image of God, but rather emphasizes the importance of utilizing God images in such a way that God’s presence can be experienced as moments filled with hope. The article concludes that this is achieved when the God images which people hold on to in their time of need and suffering reflect God’s love and presence as mirrored by the cross and resurrection of Jesus.
Empowerment of Korean women from a postmodern Practical Theological perspective
(Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2003) Jeong, Eun Ok; Dreyer, Yolanda
The aim of the article is to discuss the situation of Korean women from political, social, cultural and religious perspectives in a postmodern context. Postmodernity implies a denial of the “absolute”, including “absolute power” of men over women. Heideggerian thinking rejects the modernistic privileged status of the Cartesian subject. In this article postmodern anti-foundational, anti-totalizing, and demystifying categories are used to critique patriarchy in Korean society and literature in order to analyze social movements and cultural-religious values in Korea. It discusses a representation of sexual difference and values by means of feminist literary criticism. The article consists of a reflection on the relationship between theory and praxis in feminist Practical Theology, Korean women’s experience, the epistemology of post-modernity, and the empowerment of Korean women.
Zoroastranisme en die ontstaan van apokaliptiese denke
(Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2003) Nel, Marius Johannes
Where and how did apocalyptic thought originate? Ancient cultures looked at the world as a changeless essence. A battle between good and evil, order and chaos is distinctive of the world. But the victory of good and order is guaranteed. At the turn of the second millennium BCE the proto-Indo-Iranians trekked from what today are the Steppes of Russia, through Caucasia to different destinations. The Vedic Indians established themselves in the rich Indus valley, while the other group settled in the east of what is the Iran of today. The Vedic Indians preserved the ancient doctrine of a changeless universe, while an Iranian prophet by the name of Zarathustra, often better known by the Greek version thereof, Zoroaster, started teaching that this world would come to an end. Zoroaster subscribed to the doctrine of a battle between good and evil but, for the first time in history formulated the belief that a final victory of good over evil would lead to a new earth and a new heaven.
Moral regeneration : seedbeds for civic virtue
(Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2003) Meiring, Piet (Pieter Gerhard Jacobus), 1941-
Taking his cue from a recent report by the US National Council on Civil Society, the author discusses a number of “seedbeds of civic virtue” that may play a role in the much needed moral regeneration of South African society. The “seedbeds” are (1) family, (2) the local community, (3) faith communities, (4) voluntary civil organizations, (5) arts and art institutions, (6) education, (7) business, labour and economic institu-tions, (8) the media, (9) government, (10) the nation. The “rainbow nation”, the author contends, has in recent times lost some of its colour, but if the different partners in the quest for moral regeneration take hands, the colours of the rainbow may return.
Wêreld as gelykenis : ’n trajek om die middelterm van die “teologie” te vind
(Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2003) Buitendag, Johan
In this article the different ways of bridging the gap between the concepts theos + logos in the word “theology” are investigated. This could either be done from above or from below. In order to conceive a workable definition of theology, both directions of departure are rather important. A meaningful way of doing so is to apply the concept of analogy. In the exposition of the article, this cue is followed from the classical Greek philosophers up to Barth with his unequivocal “no” to natural theology. The solution, however, is pursued along the line of the analogy of grace of Thomas Torrance. Against this backdrop, certain indispensable trends for our understanding of church in a postmodern society are designated, for example socio-cultural niches, identity-involvement dilemma, market orientation, public theology and service. Friedrich Mildenberger’s concept of basic God-talk (“einfache Gottesrede”) plays a decisive role in this enterprise.
Plek en funksie van ’n projek-bestuursmodel in ’n makrogemeente
(Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2003) Van den Berg, A.A. (Adreaan Albertus)
The article aims to provide in the need for a project management model for efficient and effective congregation management, following the shift from a modern to a postmodern culture. This model gives congregation members an overall picture of project management and facilitates an understanding of the project management process and its subprocesses. The article argues that project management upholds the congregation's nature, being, character, purpose and structure. It applies the Project Life Cycle of initiating, planning, executing, control-ling and adjourning. It discusses the tools and techniques applied in each of the phases, as well as potential problems. The project management process is put in the context of a project management system and of the congregation and its relevant functions.
Bestuurshulpmiddel vir doelmatige en doeltreffende kerkbestuur : ’n generiese perspektief vir ’n makro-gemeente
(Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2003) Van den Berg, A.A. (Adreaan Albertus)
This article examines the place and function of project management as a generic management tool in the church and the potential solution it has to offer in respect of congregation management and ministry. "Project" and "project management" are defined and contextualised within a church environment. The project management process is put in the context of a project management system and of the congregation and its relevant functions. Project management consists of five generic phases namely, project initiation, project planning, project execution, project control and project closure. The project manager is provided with an overall picture of the project management process, with specific reference to its compilation and workings. The discussion in the article includes the management of the human dimension of the project management process.
Invloed van Ernst Bloch op die politieke teologie van Johann Baptist Metz
(Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2003) Hofmeyr, H.M. (Henry Murray)
This article deals with the decisive influence that Ernst Bloch had on the young German Catholic theologian during the 1960s, as he grew progressively dissatisfied with the categories of Rahner’s anthro-pological or transcendental theology. It is argued that Bloch’s influence is to be understood more in terms of his modern Jewish Messianism than his Marxism. Through his intense friendship with Bloch, Metz rediscovered the Jewish traditions that have been suppressed in Catholic Christianity. He gained the courage to confront the certainties of his own theological tradition with his unreconciled experiences of non-identity. Bloch taught Metz to appropriate eschatology as belonging to the centre of Christianity, to relate transcendence and future, and to clarify the relationship between human praxis and future as transcendence. But such eschatology operates with a problematical concept of praxis.
Wêreld- en tydsbeskouing in antieke kulture
(Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2003) Nel, Marius Johannes
Three important cultures that dominated the Ancient Near East in the three millennia BCE are investigated to delineate their world views, as well as their views of time and eternity. The aim of the article is to describe the view of the world and time in ancient cultures. The Egyptian, Mesopotamian and Vedic Indian cultures and theologies largely have the same view of the world, namely that it is an ordered unity that would keep on existing as it is known for all ages and time to come. Among these cultures there is no expectation of a world that would be made perfect, or become immutable in its perfection. They did not fantasize about a world without chaos. Chaos is the one factor that exists through all ages alongside order. Chaos is known to human beings in their daily existence in the form of warfare, drought and floods, with resultant famine. These conditions were typical of those times in areas where, with the exception of the fertile valleys alongside rivers, desert conditions otherwise prevailed and are interpreted theologically in terms of a combat between order and chaos, or between gods and demons.
Kerkhervorming in Hongarye
(Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2003) Papp, Kalman Diederik
This article focuses on a description of the Reformation in Hungary. Research into the historical backgrounds of the South-African clerical family Papp (of which the progenitor, the Reverend Kálmán Papp, is the only Hungarian immigrant to date to have become a minister in the reformed churches of South Africa), provided the stimulus for the exploration of this topic. The article briefly describes the political and ecclesiastical circumstances in Hungary prior to the Reformation, the course thereof, with specific reference to the most prominent Hungarian reformers, the outcome of the Reformation, as well as the birth of the Reformed Church of Hungary. The influence of Heinrich Bullinger, whose Confessio Helvetica Posterior was accepted as an official article of faith of this church in 1567, is dealt with in more detail. The article concludes with a few cursory remarks on the effects of the ecclesiastical and political developments in Hungary on the church in the sixteenth century and also provides some statistical data with regard to the present situation.
Psalm 69:36c-37b : a reinterpretation of a deuteronomic-deuteronomistic formula?
(Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2003) Groenewald, Alphonso, 1969-
In Psalm 69:36c-37b reference is made to the deuteronomic-deuteronomistic formula “yrš ‘rs” (i e possession of the land). A reinterpretation of this formula in these verses is proposed. The promise regarding the possession of the land is not made to the whole of Israel, as is the case in Deuteronomistic literature, but, instead, possession of the land is promised only to the “offspring of the servants”, in other words “those who love his name”, the pious, the community of the “servants”. The aim of this article is to deal with the issue of the “possession of the land” in Psalm 69:36c-37b in more detail.
Berg en huis as primêre metafore in die Matteus-evangelie
(Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2003) Volschenk, G.J. (Gert Jacobus)
The aim of this article is to show that mountain and house are significant theological spaces of interest. The temptation of Jesus will be interpreted within the context of the mountain-motif in Matthew. The wilderness, temple and mountain are places of eschatological expectations. For this reason it was suitable as places for the temptation and calling of the Son/Son of God. We will also describe house as a primary metaphor and as a space of interest with theological significance. We conclude that mountain and house as primary metaphors have a significant topological-theological meaning in the Gospel of Matthew.
Fariseërs
(Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2003) Botha, Pieter J.J.
The article shows that conventional depictions of the historical Pharisees are problematic. The difficulties of portraying the “other” are briefly noted, but in the main, this discussion deals with the proper use of the sources for the purpose of studying the historical Pharisees. After all, the question “what do we know about the Pharisees” presupposes an answer to “how do we know what we know”. As with so many other aspects of first-century Judaism, questions, rather than answers abound.
Geregtigheid, huisorde en die jubilee in Matteus
(Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2003) Volschenk, G.J. (Gert Jacobus)
The aim of this article is to describe the relationship between justification, house-order and jubilee in Matthew. There is both a horizontal and a vertical dimension to justification, as well as it having multiple nuanced meaning possibilities. By means of a triangular model the article describes the interdependent and interrelational nature of the relationship between justification, house-order and jubilee. The triangular model is an interpretation framework to avoid the one dimensional and simplistic understanding of justification and jubilee. The article concludes with a broad understanding of the jubilee which confirms its multi-dimensional nature and God’s new beginning with humanity in Jesus Christ.
Tegnologie en sinvolle bestaan in Afrika
(Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2003) Van Niekerk, A.S. (Attie)
In dealing with the human capability to improve reality, there are both pessimistic and optimistic views. Pessimistic views include the ancient Greek tragedies and the second law of thermodynamics according to which the level of chaos, or enthropy, increases in any closed system. Optimistic views include the modern Western belief in progress through human control over nature, through technology. Optimistic views are found in some postmodern chaos theories. The Nedcor- Old Mutual Scenarios of 1992 presented an optimistic view. The scenarios advocated massive investment in socio-economic programmes in South Africa dealing with housing, electrification, education, job creation and containing HIV/AIDS. The actual results however are disappointing. A more realistic view is found in the Bible: The power of chaos, sin and death is never underestimated and thus one cannot be optimistic. But the Kingdom of God, which began with Jesus Christ, prevents us from becoming pessimistic, and gives us hope. Such an approach would lead to more meaningful results than either an optimistic or a pessimistic approach would achieve.
Addressing an angelomorphic christological myth in Hebrews?
(Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2003) Steyn, Gert Jacobus
In this article, the hypothesis of a possible angelomorphic christology, as addressed by the author of Hebrews, is investigated. It is argued that when Jesus was proclaimed as “Son of God”, he was probably identified by some of the early believers as an angel. Evidence of similar angelomorphic views held by certain groups in Jewish and early Christian apocalyptic circles at the time of the composition of Hebrews, is listed. The arguments in Hebrews 1 in particular are investigated against this background. It is concluded that, although no explicit polemic against a viewpoint of Jesus as an angel is found in the text, certain angelomorphic elements were applied to him.
Statistieke vertel ’n storie : ’n visie vir die Hervormde Kerk op pad na 2010
(Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2003) Dreyer, T.F.J. (Theunis Frederik Jacobus), 1946-
The aim of this article is to draw the outline of the “story” of the Hervormde Kerk by means of empirical research. Results drawn from statistics, both worldwide and local, combined with responses to a questionnaire survey within the Hervormde Kerk, point to certain characteristics and trends within the church. The article concludes with a vision for the church, on account of empirical and theological considerations.
A profile of the belief in Jesus and salvation among the Afrikaans speaking Christian youth
(Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2003) Pieterse, Hendrik J.C. (Hennie)
This article is based on the results of a large-scale empirical-theological research project on “Religion and Human Rights among South African Youth.” Using the extensive database of this project, the article focuses on the results on the images of Jesus and the belief in salvation of Grade 11 learners. The results present a profile of the pluralistic and diverse scale of nuances in the belief structures of Christian teenagers. The results of the English-speaking private school learners are placed alongside the results of the Afrikaans speaking public school learners in order to obtain a more prolific picture of the belief of the Afrikaans speaking youth. The effect their belief in salvation has on their views regarding human rights is also examined. The results challenge the preacher to think dialectically and hermeneutically in a new age and context.

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