Text in German / The society in developed countries is ever aging. Consequently, the proportion of the population living in retirement homes increases steadily. A central focus of pastoral counselling in retirement homes is the proclamation of the Gospel. However, many of their residents are affected by dementia. As the course of their disease progresses, their mental capacity decreases. This creates special tension for the counselling of residents of retirement homes. It moves in the tension field between counselling as proclamation of the word (Thurneysen) and focusing on dialogue as propagated by the pastoral care movement. Thus, the question arises of how the biblical message can be proclaimed to the affected people. This present research paper points out various approaches of dealing with people affected by dementia. Among these are activating approaches, such as occupational therapy, drawing or music therapy, reality orientation training, “warme zorg” (warm care) and security therapy. All of these approaches are related to the surroundings. Furthermore, approaches will be examined which influence the interaction with affected people: such as validation, person-centered care according to Tom Kitwood (2008), psychotherapy and maieutic listening. Finally, therapies will be considered which relate to the person and biography of people with dementia – such as reminiscence therapy, memory training and biography work. Moreover, the paper specifically investigates which particular features apply to small bible study groups in retirement homes. Eventually, it displays how affected people can be reached by hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting and sensing. In order to be able to stimulate the sense of hearing, one can include, for example, poems or sounds. The sense of vision is stimulated by pictures or symbols. Various flavors or foods appeal to the sense of smell. Skins and other objects activate the sense of touch. The findings gained from literature will be compared to praxis. For this purpose, various episodes will be documented using the empirical method of participating observation. All observations have been carried out in the Emil-Sräga Haus in Singen (Germany) where the author of this paper works as male nurse and counselor. / Practical theology / M.Th. (Practical theology)

This thesis is a comparative study of the concept and role of the law in the theologies of Rosemary Radford Ruether and Gustaf Wingren. The analysis of their theologies shows that Wingren uses the law as a formal theological category and Ruether does not. The absence of the law in Ruether's theology has implication for theological ethics. For Wingren the law has two uses. The first use, the so called political use, is that which compels and coerces ethical behavior in the human. The first use of the law is used to insure that all humans receive the fullness of life that God intends for all of creation. The second use of the law, the so called spiritual use, accuses the human when he/she does not meet the demands of the law. When the conscience is accused the human is prepared to hear the gospel. For Wingren, the gospel is what gives the human a new will to live by freeing the human from the burden and condemnation of the law. The law and the gospel serve each other but have distinct functions. The law demands ethical behavior and the gospel gives salvation. According to Wingren, the source of ethical behavior is located in the doctrine of creation not in the doctrine of the revelation of God through Jesus Christ; thus preserving the notion that the gift of grace is not earned by good works but is given freely. For Ruether, appropriate ethical behavior is revealed to humans through paradigmatic individuals who denounce systems of oppression and announce God's intent for creation, namely, liberation. Jesus is one such paradigmatic individual who both denounces oppression and announces the kingdom of God. Jesus both demands justice in relationships and offers liberation. The gospel message of Jesus, in effect, collapses the law and the gospel into one entity. The follower of Jesus hears that salvation is dependent upon appropriate ethical behavior thereby nullifying the notion that grace is an unearned gift. The thesis concludes with a constructive statement which develops a feminist theology based on Wingren's concept of the law / Biblical and Ancient Studies / D. Th. (Systematic Theology)

Summaries in German and English / German text / In dieser Forschungsarbeit wird qualitativ das missionarische Engagement der sansibarischen Christen den einheimischen muslimischen Sansibaris gegenüber auf förderliche und hinderliche Faktoren untersucht. Das Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, diese Faktoren aufzuzeigen und dadurch ein Bewusstsein für die Problematik der fehlenden Ganzheitlichkeit zu schaffen, damit hier gegengesteuert werden kann. Dazu wird zunächst der ethnologische und religionsgeschichtliche Hintergrund über Sansibar vorgestellt. Danach wird die geschichtliche Entwicklung und das heutige Bild der sansibarischen Gemeinden und Kirchen skizziert, um anschließend anhand des empirischtheologischen Praxiszyklus die Planung, die Durchführung und die Ergebnisse qualitativer Interviews mit jeweils drei Pastoren und leitenden Mitarbeiterinnen sansibarischer Gemeinden und Kirchen darzustellen. Mit Hilfe der Grounded Theory lassen sich zwei Tendenzen von kaum bis bedingt gelebter ganzheitlicher Missionspraxis der Gemeinden und Kirchen und ihr jenseitsorientiertes Evangeliumsverständnis als Ursache dessen identifizieren. Abschließend wird der Ist-Zustand der Missionspraxis der Gemeinden und Kirchen beschrieben, indem basierend auf den Forschungsergebnissen Thesen formuliert werden. / This research work qualitatively examines the beneficial and hindering factors of the missionary commitment of the Zanzibari Christians to the native population. The aim is to describe these factors and to create an awareness for the lack of holistic mission so that countermeasures can be taken. Firstly, background information about Zanzibar is presented. Next, the historical development and current church landscape are described. Based on the empirical-theological practice cycle, the planning and execution as well as the results of qualitative interviews carried out with six church workers are then presented. Furthermore, based on the Grounded Theory, two tendencies of their mission practice ranging from negligible to minimal are identified, caused by a kingdom-come orientation concerning the understanding of the Gospel. Last but not least, based on the research results, the actual state of the mission practice of the Zanzibari churches is presented in three theses. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology)

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)

The present thesis explores the Spirituality of following Jesus according to the Fourth Gospel by investigating the whole profile of the term akoloutheo. In particular, this thesis probes what theological implications are communicated by the association of akoloutheo with correlated motifs in the pericopes where it is employed in spiritual connotation. The texts investigated are: John 1:35-51; 8:12; 10:1-42; 12:26; 13:36-14:3; 21:1-19. Each text communicates the particular and manifold aspects of the Spirituality of following Jesus. Yet, the most distinctive aspects of the Johannine Spirituality of following Jesus imparted throughout almost all the research texts can be summarized by “directional” and “relational.” The life of following Jesus is a journey toward a destination to which Jesus leads his followers, that is, into a relationship with the Father by being with Jesus where he is, and by being with him where he goes and will be in glory. It is ultimately participating in the Son’s communion with the Father. Jesus, who was with the Father and in the bosom of the Father, came down (descended) to bring his followers to the Father, and ascends to the Father taking them with him, so they may be with him where he is with the Father in love and glory. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D.Th. (Christian Spirituality)

Cette thèse porte sur l’usage du terme σήμερον (« aujourd’hui ») en Luc-Actes (vingt-deux occurrences), dans la correspondance paulinienne (Romains 11.8 ; 2 Corinthiens 3.14, 15) et dans l’épître aux Hébreux (1.5 ; 3.7, 13, 15 ; 4.7 [à deux reprises] ; 5.5 ; 13.8). Elle accorde une importance particulière à la possibilité de l’influence de l’ « aujourd’hui » du Deutéronome dans le Nouveau Testament. Deux hypothèses principales sont au cœur de cette étude. D’une part, celle de la thématisation, dans le Deutéronome comme dans les trois corpus néotestamentaires envisagés, du mot « aujourd’hui » : dans chaque cas, ce terme acquiert le statut de thème théologique à part entière. En effet, ses divers emplois démontrent un travail de réflexion sur « l’aujourd’hui ». D’autre part, celle d’une influence deutéronomique commune : les trois écrivains néotestamentaires sont conscients des attaches théologiques de l’aujourd’hui deutéronomique. Ils transposent volontairement et diversement ce motif vétérotestamentaire à la lumière de l’événement Jésus-Christ. En fin d’enquête, on constate que l’aujourd’hui lucanien, l’aujourd’hui paulinien et l’aujourd’hui de l’épître aux Hébreux, tout en conservant des accents qui leur sont propres, contribuent tous à mettre en valeur les mêmes concepts théologiques clés, parmi lesquels figurent l’accomplissement de l’Écriture, l’eschatologie en cours de réalisation, l’avènement du salut, l’annonce de la bonne nouvelle et la proclamation de la parole de Dieu. / This dissertation examines the use of the term σήμερον (“today”) in Luke-Acts (22 occurrences), the Pauline letters (Romans 11:8; 2 Corinthians 3:14, 15) and the Epistle to the Hebrews (1:5; 3:7, 13, 15; 4:7 [twice]); 5:5; 13:8). It gives special attention to the possible influence of the Deuteronomic “today” in the New Testament. Two main hypotheses are at the heart of this study. First, the word “today,” in Deuteronomy as well as the three New Testament corpora under consideration, becomes a theological theme of its own. In effect, it is argued that its various occurrences reveal the presence of reflective work on “the today.” Second, in the minds of the three New Testament authors who give attention to this motif, there seems to be an awareness of certain theological associations that are bound up with the Deuteronomic “today.” In diverse manners, they intentionally transpose this Old Testament motif in the light of the Christ event. By the end of this investigation, it becomes apparent that Luke’s today, Paul’s today and the today of the Epistle to the Hebrews, while each possessing unique characteristics, all contribute to emphasize the same key theological concepts, such as the fulfillment of Scripture, an inaugurated and progressively realized eschatology, the coming of salvation, the heralding of the good news and the proclaiming of God’s Word.

The characterization of the Markan disciples has been and continues to be the object of much scholarly reflection and speculation. For many, the Markan author's presentation of Jesus' disciples holds a key, if not the key, to unlocking the purpose and function of the gospel as a whole. Commentators differ as to whether the Markan disciples ultimately serve a pedagogical or polemical function, yet they are generally agreed that the disciples in Mark come off rather badly, especially when compared to their literary counterparts in Matthew, Luke, and John. This narrative-critical study considers the characterization of the Markan disciples within the Sea Crossing movement (Mark 4:1-8:30). While commentators have, on the whole, interpreted the disciples' negative characterization in this movement in terms of lack of faith and/or incomprehension, neither of these, nor a combination of the two, fully accounts for the severity of language leveled against the disciples by the narrator (6:52) and Jesus (8:17-18). Taking as its starting point an argument by Jeffrey B. Gibson (1986) that the harshness of Jesus' rebuke in Mark 8:14-21 is occasioned not by the disciples' lack of faith or incomprehension but by their active resistance to his Gentile mission, this investigation uncovers additional examples of the disciples' resistance to Gentile mission, offering a better account of their negative portrayal within the Sea Crossing movement and helping explain many of their other failures. In short, this study argues that in Mark 4:1-8:26, the disciples are characterized as resistant to Jesus' Gentile mission and to their participation in that mission, the chief consequence being that they are rendered incapable of recognizing Jesus' vocational identity as Israel's Messiah (Thesis A). This leads to a secondary thesis, namely, that in Mark 8:27-30, Peter's recognition of Jesus' messianic identity indicates that the disciples have finally come to accept Jesus' Gentile mission and their participation in it (Thesis B). Chapter One: Introduction: offers a selective review of scholarly treatments of the Markan disciples, which shows that few scholars attribute resistance, let alone purposeful resistance, to the disciples. Chapter Two: The Rhetoric of Repetition: introduces the methodological tools, concepts, and perspectives employed in the study. It includes a section on narrative criticism, which focuses upon the story-as-discoursed and the implied author and reader, and a section on Construction Grammar, a branch of cognitive linguistics founded by Charles Fillmore and further developed by Paul Danove, which focuses upon semantic and narrative frames and case frame analysis. Chapter Three: The Sea Crossing Movement, Mark 4:1-8:30: addresses the question of Markan structure and argues that Mark 4:1-8:30 comprises a single, unified, narrative movement, whose action and plot is oriented to the Sea of Galilee and whose most distinctive feature is the network of sea crossings that transport Jesus and his disciples back and forth between Jewish and Gentile geopolitical spaces. Following William Freedman, Chapter Four: The Literary Motif: introduces two criteria (frequency and avoidability) for determining objectively what constitutes a literary motif and provides the methodological basis and starting point for the analyses performed in chapters five and six. Chapter Five: The Sea Crossing Motif: establishes and then carries out a lengthy narrative analysis of the Sea Crossing motif, which is oriented around Mark's use of ‎θάλασσα (thalassa) and πλοῖον (ploion), and Chapter Six: The Loaves Motif: does the same for The Loaves motif, oriented around Mark's use of ἄρτος (artos). Finally, Chapter Seven: The Narrative Logic of the Disciples (In)comprehension: draws together all narrative, linguistic, and exegetical insights of the previous chapters and offers a single coherent reading of the Sea Crossing movement that establishes Theses A and B.

In Chapter 1 different phases of the application of exegetical methods with regard to texts in the New Testament were identified. Each phase provided a different perspective in response to questions about the contextuality of the New Testament. From the overview it became clear that the investigation of the historical background had received some attention, but it had not been as effectively utilized in the hermeneutical process as it could be, and had not been taken seriously enough. In Chapter 2, the place and function of the historical context or background of the New Testament in historical criticism, literary criticism and social scientific methods of exegesis were evaluated. Historical criticism often focuses on the different parts (forms) of the text, but does not consider the text as a whole to the degree required. Literary criticism focuses on the text as a whole. The Gospels are regarded as narrative texts. Narratology foregrounds the spatial aspects or topology of the Gospels. Socio-historical research on the world of the text, contributes to the study of the background of the New Testament. To enhance the progress already made, historical criticism and literary criticism can be supplemented by applying selected social scientific models. The use of such models makes it possible for socio-historical data to be systematized in a holistic interpretive framework. The use of social scientific models can bridge the historical distance between the text and its readers to avoid fallacies based on anachronism and ethnocentrism. A social scientific approach provides a holistic frame of reference for the interpretation of Biblical texts. However the approach may not pay enough attention to the topological or spacial aspects of the Gospel of Matthew. The model of advanced agrarian society and the pre-industrial city have not yet been applied effectively to the Gospel of Matthew. The current study fills this gap. In the study the model in terms of which an advanced agrarian society can be descibed, is used as a broad frame of reference within which the place and function of the Biblical jubilee can be studied. This diachronic overview of the research on the Biblical jubilee (Chapter 3) shows that no such study has as yet been undertaken with regard to the Biblical jubilee. Ancient economy developed from a simplistic agrarian society to an advanced agrarian society. The Roman Empire was the result of a long evolutionary process. Land was the primary economic resource in a self-sufficient society. The aim of the current research was to show that the socio-economic background of the first century forms the context within which the land and jubilee can be understood. The socio-economic background can be interpreted within a holistic perspective of first-century Mediterranean society. The social scientific model of advanced agrarian society includes four factors (family institutions, pre-industrial city, land tenancy and social stratification) that all influenced the land and economy of the first-century Mediterranean world. In Chapter 6, homomorphic models were used to simplify important and representative aspects of complex social structures, behaviour and relations. These models were used for the study of the political, economic and social systems of an empire or government. The current study used the social scientific model of advanced agrarian society as frame of reference for the interpretation of the place and function of the Biblical jubilee in the Gospel of Matthew. / Dissertation (DD(New Testament Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2001. / New Testament Studies / unrestricted

Thomas Johann Bauer und Ulrich B. Schmid haben sich mit meinen Thesen zum marcionitischen Evangelium1 auseinandergesetzt und dabei den textkritischen Teil der Argumentation kritisiert. Beide haben vermerkt, dass die von ihnen besprochenen Aspekte nur ein Teil einer umfassenderen Argumentation sind, die sie (in unterschiedlicher Ausführlichkeit) auch fair und zutreffend referieren. Sie stellen daher weder die grundlegende These der Priorität des für Marcions Schriftensammlung bezeugten Evangeliums (im Folgenden: marcionitisches Evangelium bzw. Mcn) vor dem kanonischen Lukas noch die daraus abgeleiteten Konsequenzen zur Überlieferungsgeschichte der Evangelien in Frage, sondern konzentrieren sich auf die Folgerungen, die ich daraus für die Geschichte des neutestamentlichen Textes ziehe. Ich begrüße diese Auseinandersetzung ganz ausdrücklich und bin beiden Kritikern für ihre genaue und gewiss mühevolle Lektüre dankbar. Ich finde es auch völlig in Ordnung, dass diese Auseinandersetzung nicht am Zentrum der Theorie einsetzt, sondern an ihren losen Enden, nämlich bei den Konsequenzen für die Textkritik: Dieses Feld der neutestamentlichen und patristischen Forschung verdient sehr viel mehr Aufmerksamkeit, als ihm üblicherweise zuteil wird.

Bibliography: pages 360-378 / In this study, the researcher investigates an HIV and AIDS prevention programme known as Education for Life (EFLP) run by the Roman Catholic Church (RCC). The programme seeks to encourage behaviour changes as a viable approach for the prevention of HIV and AIDS through education. EFLP is faith-based and run by the RCC as one of the programmes in RCC pastoral mission activities to mitigating the HIV and AIDS epidemic. EFLP aims at preventing HIV and AIDs through creating awareness of human values in the context of the gospel, facts about HIV and AIDs and promoting behaviour change, particularly among the youth. The programme is youth-led, peer-driven and peer support based. The researcher examines EFLP in Sterkspruit Parish from 2003 to 2013 to assess whether EFLP was effective in bringing about preventative sexual behaviour, as a result of participants in the programme changing attitudes and values and acquiring life skills. RCC and many Christian churches promote behavioural intervention abstinence, fidelity within marriage, counselling and delaying sexual debut and partner reduction. Behavioural change programmes have, however, not been without controversies. A qualitative research method was followed to investigate the impact of EFLP. Data were obtained and tape-recorded during one-on-one interviews of 25 youth participants. The researcher employed the theory of reasoned action to examine the data. Analysis of data revealed that the mission of the church could be achieved through social transformation in the lives of the youth, especially behavioural change concerning HIV and AIDS. It also showed that a single preventative approach should not be taken to the exclusion of others in the prevention of HIV and AIDs. The study recommends combining different approaches, including promoting behavioural change / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / Ph. D. (Missiology)