Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology

Mimesis - Imitatio in the Authentic Letters of the Apostle Paul The first part of the thesis provides the reader with a concise overview of different semantic levels of the term mimesis as found in the ancient literature written in the Greek language. Furthermore, the author focuses her attention on the use of the concept of mimesis in the Old Testament, and the New Testament writings other than Paul's authentic letters. Such a survey prepares the ground for a detailed study of the concept of mimesis in the authentic letters written by the Apostle Paul. The idea of mimesis is present in Paul's authentic letters in five explicit passages (1 Tess 1:6-7; 1 Tess 2:14; 1 Cor 4:16; 1 Cor 11:1 a Phil 3:17). Each of the passages is studied within the whole context of the respective letter, written for a group living its own particular situation. The thesis compares different exegetical solutions from several researchers. Some of the researchers understand Paul's appeal to imitation as a call to be obedient to his teaching. Other experts are more inclined to understand this imitation as an authentic representation of the Cross in the life of Jesus' followers. The thesis tries to prove that the mystery of Christ's kenosis, expressed in a very significant way in the Christological hymn contained in the Letter to the...

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Text in German / Die vorliegende Untersuchung beschäftigt sich mit inkarnatorischer Verkündigung, indem sie danach fragt, wie die christliche Botschaft heutzutage ganzheitlich präsentiert werden kann. Sie soll sowohl die Bevölkerung als auch Kirchen und Gemeinschaften eines urbanen Kontextes erreichen und dazu ermutigen, die Wirklichkeit der Guten Nachricht zu leben. Die Untersuchung definiert, wie ein inkarnatorisches Verständnis von Predigt als Ausdruck der kenotischen Partizipation, der kerygmatischen Leiterschaft und der sozialen Dimension aussieht und wie dieses in der mikro-, meso- und makrosozialen Ebene umgesetzt werden kann. Basierend auf dem Anspruch des Neuen Testaments, dass das Reich Gottes im Messias nahe herbeigekommen ist, dienen die Literaturstudie (deduktiv) und die qualitativen Experteninterviews (induktiv) der Erörterung des Untersuchungsgegenstandes. In einem mehrsprachigen Umfeld, in welchem die christliche Gemeinschaft fragmentiert und multikulturell existiert, kann der besprochene Ansatz zur Dialogfähigkeit, wechselseitigen Wertschätzung und vertieften Konzilianz beitragen. Ein inkarnatorisches Verständnis christlicher Verkündigung vermag Widerständen unterschiedlicher Art zu trotzen. Sowohl innerkirchlich als auch nach aussen gerichtet, kann ein gemeinsames Zeugnis der Gemeinschaften und Kirchen vor Ort wachsen. Die Sprach- und Handlungsfähigkeit einer auf Sammlung und Sendung ausgerichteten Ekklesiologie wird gefördert. / The presented research deals with incarnational preaching by asking how the Christian message can be presented nowadays so that both the population as well as churches and communities of an urban setting can be reached and encouraged to live and experience the Kingdom of God. The study defines what a incarnational understanding of preaching as an expression of kenotic participation, kerygmatic leadership and the social dimension looks like, and how this can be implemented in the micro-, meso- and macro social level. Based on the New Testament’s claim that in the Messiah the Kingdom of God is at hand, literature study (deductive) and expert interviews (inductive) will discuss the object of study. In a multilingual environment with a fragmented and multicultural Christian community, the discussed approach can contribute to dialog ability, mutual respect and reconciliation. An incarnational view of Christian preaching is able to defy various kinds of opposition. As a result a common witness of communities and local churches can grow – directed both within and outside the church. The ability to act and speak of a gathering- and missionoriented ecclesiology is promoted. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

[pt] Além das definições que do homem fazem as diversas disciplinas da ciência, se descobre que, antes de tudo, o ser humano é um homo symbolicus e homo festivus ou ludens. Na esfera celebrativa religiosa, o homem festeja mediante uma anamneses os momentos significativos do passado, em um kairós, que não é cronológico, os acontecimentos do presente e em uma perspectiva escatológica os desejos e anelos do futuro. Estas celebrações, por sua carga subjetiva e em alguns casos de mistério, são impossíveis de realizar sem o recurso aos símbolos. Assim surgem no mundo do cristianismo os sacramentos. Este trabalho de dissertação tem como finalidade apontar a importância de articular o vivido cotidianamente com o celebrado sacramentalmente e, no caso do cristianismo, a exigência à referência da pessoa de Jesus de Nazareth e ao projeto do reino por parte de quem celebra os sacramentos. A partir desta exigência evangélica, se descobre a crise sacramental experimentada na América Latina e que trato de expor neste trabalho. Referenciados pelo Concilio Vaticano II, especificamente pelos documentos da constituição dogmática Lumen Gentium sobre a igreja, a constituição Sacrosanctum Concilium sobre a sagrada liturgia, e a constituição pastoral Gaudium et spes sobre a igreja e o mundo de hoje, apresento a importância de resgatar a dimensão da graça salvífica de Deus para com os homens manifestada nos sacramentos e celebrados liturgicamente na assembleia. Este trabalho se subscreve no âmbito da antropologia sacramental assim como da teologia dos sacramentos reunindo elementos de eclesiologia e liturgia apresentando aos sacramentos como o lugar mistérico desde onde se revela e celebra a graça do desígnio divino de salvação de Deus para com a humanidade. / [en] In addition to the definitions of man do the various disciplines of science, we find that, above all, the human being is a homo festivus, symbolicus or ludens. In the religious sphere of celebration, the man celebrated by anamnesis the significant moments of the past; a kairos, that is not chronological, the events of the present and, in an eschatological perspective, the wishes and desires of the future. These celebrations, by their subjective and sometimes mysterious cargo, are impossible to achieve without the use of symbols. So arise in the world of Christianity the sacraments. This dissertation work aims to point the importance of articulating the lived daily with the celebrated sacramentally and in the case of Christianity, the requirement for the reference person of Jesus of Nazareth and the project of the kingdom by those who celebrate sacraments. From this gospel demand, experienced sacramental crisis in Latin America is found and I try to show in this paper. Referenced by Vatican II, specifically documents the dogmatic constitution Lumen Gentium on the church, the constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium on the sacred liturgy, and pastoral constitution Gaudium et Spes on the church and the world today, I present the importance of rescuing the size of the saving grace of God to men manifested in the sacraments and celebrated liturgically in the assembly. This work is signed in the field of sacramental anthropology and theology of the sacraments gathering elements ecclesiology and liturgy featuring the sacraments as the oracular place where he reveals and celebrates the grace of the divine plan of salvation of God for humanity. / [es] Amén de las definiciones que del hombre hacen las diversas disciplinas de la ciencia, descubrimos que, ante todo, el ser humano es un homo symbolicus y homo festivus o ludens. En la esfera celebrativa religiosa, el hombre festeja mediante una anamnesis los momentos significativos del pasado, en un kairós que no es cronológico, los acontecimientos del presente y en una perspectiva escatológica los deseos y anhelos del futuro. Estas celebraciones, por su carga subjetiva y en algunos casos de misterio, son imposibles de realizar sin el recurso a los símbolos. Así surgen en el mundo del cristianismo los sacramentos. Este trabajo de disertación tiene como finalidad apuntar la importancia de articular lo vivido cotidianamente con lo celebrado sacramentalmente y, en el caso del cristianismo, la exigencia a la referencia de la persona de Jesús de Nazaret y al proyecto del reino por parte de quienes celebran los sacramentos. A partir de esta exigencia evangélica, se descubre la crisis sacramental experimentada en América Latina y que trato de exponer en este trabajo Referenciados por el Concilio Vaticano II, específicamente por los documentos de la constitución dogmática Lumen Gentium sobre la iglesia, la constitución Sacrosanctum Concilium sobre la sagrada liturgia, y la constitución pastoral Gaudium et spes sobre la iglesia y el mundo de hoy, presento la importancia de rescatar la dimensión de la gracia salvífica de Dios para con los hombres manifestada en los sacramentos y celebrados litúrgicamente en la asamblea. Este trabajo se suscribe en el ámbito de la antropología sacramental así como de la teología de los sacramentos reuniendo elementos de eclesiología y liturgia presentando a los sacramentos como el lugar mistérico desde donde se revela y celebra la gracia del designio divino de salvación de Dios para con la humanidad.

Relational theology became a major voice in the theological conversations of the twentieth century and now in the twenty-first century it is poised to become the major influence in doctrine of God discussions. Relational theology argues for a model of God that emphasizes a dynamic interaction between God and the cosmos. Reformulating the divine nature contra Classical theism, Relational theology instead includes images of God as sympathetic, mutable, limited in power and knowledge, creative, and as a risk-taker. The assertion is that such images or metaphors for the divine are necessary rightly to understand and discuss God's relationality with the world. This thesis argues that given the relational nature of God the metaphor of faith should be added to the list of God's attributes. The thesis begins by discussing issues of methodology then reviewing Relational theology in the forms of process and open theism as contrasted with Classical theism. This is followed by explorations of various depictions of faith as found in the Old Testament and New Testament. Faith is also examined theologically and philosophically as including the elements of belief, trust, hope, and risk. It is then argued that faith has a decidedly relational nature in that faith most properly takes place between persons. The crux of the thesis is the development of a theology of divine faith. Because humans are free, God is limited, and creation has a purpose, the argument is made that God relates to the world through faith. A case for God's faith is developed exegetically and logically through explorations of the concepts of divine belief, trust, hope, risk, and doubt, concluding that faith is a necessary inclusion for Relational theology. Finally, two primary Church doctrines, creation and christology, are explored through a theology of divine faith. God demonstrates divine faith in bestowing an evolving creation with both freedom and a purpose. God has faith in the creation to produce persons who can freely share faith and love with God. The fully kenotic coming of Jesus Christ demonstrates the Father's faith in the Son, the second person of the triune God. The coming and death of Christ also reveals God's faith that the cross will be efficacious in reconciling those who have abused their God-given freedoms. / Sysytematic Theology & Theological Ethics / D. Th. (Systematic Theology)

Relational theology became a major voice in the theological conversations of the twentieth century and now in the twenty-first century it is poised to become the major influence in doctrine of God discussions. Relational theology argues for a model of God that emphasizes a dynamic interaction between God and the cosmos. Reformulating the divine nature contra Classical theism, Relational theology instead includes images of God as sympathetic, mutable, limited in power and knowledge, creative, and as a risk-taker. The assertion is that such images or metaphors for the divine are necessary rightly to understand and discuss God's relationality with the world. This thesis argues that given the relational nature of God the metaphor of faith should be added to the list of God's attributes. The thesis begins by discussing issues of methodology then reviewing Relational theology in the forms of process and open theism as contrasted with Classical theism. This is followed by explorations of various depictions of faith as found in the Old Testament and New Testament. Faith is also examined theologically and philosophically as including the elements of belief, trust, hope, and risk. It is then argued that faith has a decidedly relational nature in that faith most properly takes place between persons. The crux of the thesis is the development of a theology of divine faith. Because humans are free, God is limited, and creation has a purpose, the argument is made that God relates to the world through faith. A case for God's faith is developed exegetically and logically through explorations of the concepts of divine belief, trust, hope, risk, and doubt, concluding that faith is a necessary inclusion for Relational theology. Finally, two primary Church doctrines, creation and christology, are explored through a theology of divine faith. God demonstrates divine faith in bestowing an evolving creation with both freedom and a purpose. God has faith in the creation to produce persons who can freely share faith and love with God. The fully kenotic coming of Jesus Christ demonstrates the Father's faith in the Son, the second person of the triune God. The coming and death of Christ also reveals God's faith that the cross will be efficacious in reconciling those who have abused their God-given freedoms. / Sysytematic Theology and Theological Ethics / D. Th. (Systematic Theology)

[pt] O sofrimento e o mal levantam uma série de questões sempre recorrentes. Tratando-se de homens e mulheres no contexto da mentalidade moderna, surge a indagação: como harmonizar a afirmação de um Deus Todo-Poderoso com a realidade do sofrimento e do mal, salvaguardando a autonomia do ser humano e do mundo? Através de três teólogos contemporâneos, Andrés Torres Queiruga, Jürgen Moltmann e Jon Sobrino, buscamos responder a esse questionamento, enfatizando a contribuição de cada um dos autores estudados, percebendo as lacunas e debruçando-nos sobre as críticas para completar, enriquecer e aprofundar suas reflexões. Nosso estudo parte de uma questão pastoral, refletida de forma teológico- sistemática, em vista de uma práxis cristã coerente para erradicar, amenizar e/ou integrar o sofrimento e o mal. / [en] Suffering and evil always raise a series of recurring questions. In dealing with man and woman, in the context of modern mentality, there arises an inquiry: how can we harmonize the affirmation of an All-Mighty God with the reality of suffering and evil, safeguarding the autonomy of the human being and the world? In dialogue with three contemporary theologians, Andrés Torres Queiruga, Jürgen Moltmann and Jon Sobrino, we try to deal with this questioning, emphasizing their contributions, detecting lacunas, and discerning the critiques in order to complement, enrich and deepen their considerations. Our study departs from a pastoral question, analyzed in a systematic-theological way, in order to establish a coherent Christian praxis which seeks to erradicate, ease and/or integrate the suffering and evil.

In the thesis a methodology of understanding and explicating Christian faith consistent with the mystery of the simultaneous close connection and radical difference of God, human beings and the physical-organic cosmos environment is been mapped out. The theanthropocosmic principle as an expression of the mystery functions as the heuristic key in opening up the notion of kenosis (and incarnation) of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit within the scope of the enduring interaction of . The Spirit in the kenotic sense of the word connects and differentiates the overall processes of being and becoming, here and there, now and then of the mystery of the `presences' of God, human beings and the natural cosmic world in being there (Dasein), being thus and thus (Sosein) and being dynamically actual (Aktsein). God acts in terms of the Spirit's operational kenotic presence within the margins of the creatureliness of people and the natural cosmic world as the kenotic clothing of God. A dynamic interpretation of the integral and differential character of being and becoming suggests that making sense of the dynamics of the formation of identities and identification is an ever ongoing endeavour. It implies a continuous process of negotiation whilst experiencing various continuums, remaining open-ended in an ever-increasing sense of wonder and mystery of "exitus a Deo-reditus in Deum". / Systematic Theology and theological Ethics / D. Th. (Systematic Theology)