Verbum et Ecclesia Volume 30 Issue 1 (2009)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/10861

Verbum et Ecclesia is fulltext available on Open Journals Publishing.

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Augustinus en de Joden : een inleidend overzicht
(OpenJournals Publishing, 2009) Van Oort, Johannes (Hans)
The article explores how Augustine of Hippo (354-430) deals with the Jews and Judaism. First it investigates the occurrence and meaning of the word “Iudaeus” in Augustine’s works. It turns out that Augustine, unlike many a predecessor, does not make a sharp distinction between “Hebrew”, “Israelite”, and “Jew”. Mainly on the basis of The City of God the role of the Jews in history is discussed. According to Augustine, all true believers (even those living before the time of Jesus) are “Christ believers” and are considered to belong to Christ’s body, the Church. The diaspora of the Jews is evaluated both negatively and positively: negatively as a consequence of “their putting Christ to death”; positively since through the dispersion of the Jews their Scriptures have been dispersed as well and so provide “testimony to the truth taught by the Church”. The so-called “mark of Cain” can not be interpreted as a predominantly positive sign: it provides protection indeed, but this divine protection is, once again, “for the benefit of the Church”. Contrary to some current opinion, it is stressed that Augustine knew contemporary Jews in Roman North Africa quite well.
Stryd oor die opstanding aan die Teologiese Fakulteit by UP. 'n Gesprek met Prof Julian Müller
(Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2009) Van Niekerk, A.S. (Attie)
In recent years some of the lecturers at the Faculty of Theology at the University of Pretoria were confronted with the question whether they believed in the historical and physical resurrection of Jesus. This article focuses on a book on the resurrection in which one of these lecturers, professor Julian Müller of Practical Theology, responds to this question. He refuses to answer with a simple "yes", because he feels the question originates from a fundamentalist and modernistic theology, in which the aim is to take control of the truth. He offers a postmodern interpretation. In this article an effort is made, from the viewpoint of Missiology, to understand his views as he wishes them to be understood, and to respond to it. In Missiology, through the theological rediscovery of Biblical eschatology, the physical and historical resurrection of Jesus has become of central importance again, also in a postmodern paradigm. In conclusion, an effort is made to understand the role of our Faculty of Theology within our Southern African context.
Some notes on writing a commentary : Isaiah 1-12
(Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2009) Groenewald, Alphonso, 1969-
I was requested by the editors of the "Historical Commentary on the Old Testament" (HCOT) to contribute two volumes on Isaiah in this series. This present article, however, focuses only on volume I: Isaiah 1-12. The aim of this article can be summarised in six points. Some introductory remarks are made with regard to the genre of commentary writing. Secondly, the viewpoint of the HCOT series is outlined ; in other words its methodological and epistemological viewpoint. Thirdly, recent developments in the study of the book of Isaiah are discussed. Fourthly, my own objectives and hypothesis with regard to this project are outlined. Fifthly, a short overview of Isaiah 1-12 on a synchronic level is given. Sixthly, my research methodology is defined as a "diachronically reflected synchronic" reading of the Isaianic text. In the last section some concluding remarks are made.
Persoonlikheidstyle as ekklesiologiese sleutel
(Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2009) Steyn, C.S.
Personality types can be understood as a key in the ecclesiological positioning of members of the church. The aim of this article is to emphasise the possibilities for the church of addressing members of different personality types as well as utilising them in order to build a bridge to the world. Personality types are not only a key in understanding members but also in engaging and utilising them in the church's orientation to and task towards the world. To be a church of character in these times is a challenge in which personality types can be of help. In this article Gerben Heitink's ecclesiological matrix is combined with the sixteen distinct MBTI® personality types to form a dynamic perspective as to how specific types can be addressed and utilised in order to be a church of character.
Narrative-critical approach as hermeneutical framework for a creative dialogue between biblical sources and secular extra-biblical sources : the Lord of the Rings as an entry into the book of Revelation
(Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2009) Meylahn, R.
This essay is motivated by the challenge that biblical texts have very often lost their affective power to address and transform the lives of readers today, because they are either not read at all or they are not fully understood as the world of the text is too far removed from the world of the reader. There are however wonderful contemporary texts that do affect readers' lives and the question arose if the contemporary texts cannot be read together with the biblical texts, to bring them "to life" again? A hermeneutical approach needed to be found that could create the necessary space for non-biblical literary texts to be used to interpret and elucidate biblical texts. The narrative approach provides this space for the two texts to enter into creative dialogue, given that the two texts coincide sufficiently in the significance for the two implied authors, the reference of the texts and in the situation of the implied readers.
Opstanding van Jesus as kulminerende genesings-handeling in Johannes
(Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2009) Kok, Jacobus (Kobus)
John views the death and resurrection of Jesus as an inseparable unity (cf 10:17-18). In this article it is then argued that the resurrection of Jesus in John could be understood as a Johannine σημεία (cf 2:18-22), as well as the culminating healing act in John. It also serves as the most important σημεία against which the other σημεία and the rest of the Gospel should be understood. In the resurrection as the culminating healing act, John's Jesus restores his own brokenness (and death) and proves that He is the source of life (cf 1:4; 11:25), also by bringing healing and restoration to the spiritually blind (cf 9:40-41; 12:40). This article is a result of the writer's PhD thesis.
Wisdom and ethics - the contribution of sapiential ethics for Old Testament ethics
(Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2009) Baumann, Gerlinde, 1962-
Old Testament sapiential literature is often described as "ethical literature", however, when concepts on Old Testament ethics are formulated, this literature is often overlooked. Furthermore, there are almost no monographs on the ethics of Old Testament wisdom. Could this perhaps be due to not only the claim that Old Testament wisdom thinking lacks divine revelation or reference to other Old Testament traditions (cf Nel 2002 : 435), but also to the opinion that there are no "ethics", but only "ethos" in this kind of literature? This article tries to show that "ethics" by definition can be found in Old Testament wisdom literature. Two recent German articles are introduced to the reader : Kaiser (1997) and Zimmermann (2002) reflect on the implicit and explicit ethics of Old Testament wisdom. These articles and other observations underscore the fact that the sapiential literature of the Old Testament contribute significantly to Old Testament ethics - and therein continues the efforts of authors like Nel (2002).
Karl Barth’s understanding of mission : the Church in relationship
(Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2009) Bentley, Wessel
As the Church is moving towards its 21st century of existence, it is confronted by challenges it has never known before. This changing world demands self-reflection within the Church. It has to consider its place, identity and function, thereby giving rise to the exploration of its mission. In this article, the ecclesiology of Karl Barth is explored. By considering Barth's understanding of the Church's relationship with different parties such as God, other religions, those outside the Christian faith, the State and its own inner dynamics, the Church will be reminded of its missionary function in the world.

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