Abstract:
Against the background of a brief historical overview of Johan Heyns’s dynamic personality, his theological passion and writings, this article concentrates on his approach to the question: what is theology, and how is it to be undertaken as a scientific activity? The answer of Heyns to these questions is given from his writings in the years (1966-70) that he taught at the Faculty of Theology at the University of
Stellenbosch. Two images that he employs for his understanding of contemporarary theological reflection as re-interpretative credibility are discussed, namely double storey home and palace. Two points of criticism are raised against his understanding, namely his unproblematic emphasis on the concept of revelation, and his unacceptable down-play of experience to revelation.
