This dissertation makes an attempt to scientifically investigate Erich Sauer's theology of salvation history for the first time. Sauer grew up in a vital missionary context in the setting of the Open Brethren fellowship and the Alliance Bible School in Berlin. He studied history, philology and theology at the Humboldt University in Berlin, with the goal of promoting missions. Because of an acute eye ailment he was forced to discontinue his studies. He was invited to Wiedenest, where he found his life's work in the Bible School, which had moved in 1919. Here he worked for almost forty years as a teacher and a writer and travelling unceasingly to preach, lecture and hold biblical seminars on the topic of salvation history and missions. His theology, which is indebted to the theory of revelation history, was influenced by federal theology, theology of salvation history and the scientific, exegetic theology of German theological positivism. Sauer derives the authority of Scripture from history and develops a complex, salvation historical model, which is characterised by the classic structure of protology, soteriology and eschatology. His pre-millennial character is not dispensationally restricted, but has, rather, its own independent formation, that allows for the universal dimensions of God's completion act, without supporting a universal redemption theory. Through the high rating that he gives the position of the ecclesia in salvation history, Sauer has achieved a programmatic missions concept, which sees a missions-oriented church within every local church. With this paradigmatic theory, Sauer contributed to a revival of missions in German Brethren congregations, in conjunction with his professional colleague Schrupp. / Christian Spirituality, Church Hist and Missiology / D.Th.

[pt] Esta pesquisa procura apresentar os elementos básicos da qual se compõe uma Teologia Fundamental latino-americana. Tal teologia tenciona explicitar os desafios específicos da Revelação de Deus em seu contexto, marcado pela opressão e exclusão, mas também por uma teologia que busca a libertação. No presente trabalho serão investigados a Teologia Fundamental, enquanto disciplina teológica que procura justificar a automanifestação de Deus na história; o conceito de Revelação, como conteúdo daquela teologia, compreendido a partir dos desafios da Modernidade e das intuições do Concílio Vaticano II; e a Teologia da Libertação latino-americana, enquanto perspectiva que compreende a revelação a partir do excluídos. Através de uma inter-relação entre as questões abordadas, a pesquisa buscará apontar as principais características de uma Teologia Fundamental em perspectiva latino-americana: primeiro, em relação ao papel dos pobres, seja enquanto lugar social, lugar hermenêutico ou lugar teológico; segundo, em relação às particularidades de uma Teologia Fundamental latino-americana, na qual destaca-se o reconhecimento de que Deus se manifesta também na história presente, a centralidade da opção preferencial pelos pobres, a necessidade do método ver, julgar e agir, a singularidade da identidade eclesial libertadora, bem como a relevância de um fazer teológico dialogal, crítico, plural e transdisciplinar, e a constituição de um modelo de Teologia Fundamental latino-americano centrado na libertação. Uma Teologia Fundamental latino-americana é, portanto, uma reflexão sobre a historicização do Reinado de Deus nos excluídos, e tal revelação só pode ser percebida e descrita com eles, a partir deles e neles, tendo em vista sua libertação. / [en] This research aims to present elements that make up a Latin American Fundamental Theology. Such theology intends to explain the challenges of the Revelation of God in its context, marked not only by oppression and exclusion but also by a theology that pursues liberation. Fundamental Theology is investigated further as a discipline that seeks to justify the self-manifestation of God in history; the concept of Revelation, conceived from the challenges of Modernity and the intuitions of the Second Vatican Council; and Latin American Liberation Theology, as a perspective that understands Revelation from the point of view of the excluded. Through an interrelationship among the issues addressed, the research will seek to point out the main characteristics of a Fundamental Theology from a Latin American perspective: first, concerning the role of the poor, whether as a social place, hermeneutic place, or theological place; second, regarding the particularities of a Latin American Fundamental Theology, in which the recognition that God is present in history, the centrality of the preferential option for the poor, the need for the See, Judge, and Act Methodology, the uniqueness of the liberating ecclesial identity, along with the relevance of dialogical, critical, plural and transdisciplinary theological practice, and the constitution of a Latin American model of Fundamental Theology focused on liberation. A Latin American Fundamental Theology is, therefore, a reflection on the historicization of the Reign of God through excluded that can be recognized and described with them, from them, and in them, aiming for their liberation.

In the history of exegesis 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 and 1 Timothy 2:11-15 have functioned as the heavy artillery against women in the ministries. From the 4th century BC, when the Church really started to develop from a dynamic underground movement of believers to a state Church organised in the image of the Roman Empire and so became the Catholic Church, women were more and more suppressed under the influence of deeply rooted Hellenistic anthropological ideas that were read into these passages. Only in the second half of the Twentieth Century, under the influence of changes in society after the sexual and feminist revolutions, changes set in that sparked the discussion about the role of women in the Church. This discussion is still continuing – in the Reformed tradition at least. These two passages, however, seem to oppose an overwhelming number of biblical themes and data that at least bring a strong nuance to the picture the two passages seem to portray. The creation of man and woman in the image of God and the protection for women against the arbitrariness of men clearly picture an original and principal equality of men and women. In the circle of disciples around Jesus Christ this becomes even more manifest. This attitude is also visible in the earliest churches. Paul expresses this in Galatians 3:28: In Christ there is no … male nor female. The passages that seem to limit the rights of women in the Church do not actually oppose this picture, but show that for the sake of the proclamation of the gospel not everything is (immediately) allowed. This dissertation attempted to interpret these two passages with the help of the grammatical-historic method. In 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 Paul personally intervenes in the apparent chaotic meetings of the cosmopolitan and charismatic congregation. He requires from different categories of participants – among them the married women that have a Christian husband – to not burden the fellowship with – in the case of the aforementioned women – their (otherwise rightful) participation in the discussion of the prophetic message during the worship service. In 1 Timothy 2:11-15 he gives his friend and student Timothy, the young pastor and teacher of the congregation in Ephesus, tools to call upon the members of the congregation not to start a revolution but to conquer the world for Christ by living an exemplary life. The context of this directive is a heresy that was particularly influencing some women that developed a prominent and domineering attitude in the Church. None of these directives or instructions of Paul talk about special ministries in the Church. It is all about attitude. For the sake of the steady progress of the gospel this attitude is to be determined by discipline and humbleness. However, the form this discipline and humbleness have largely depends on the context of the believers. / MTh (New Testament), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

In the history of exegesis 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 and 1 Timothy 2:11-15 have functioned as the heavy artillery against women in the ministries. From the 4th century BC, when the Church really started to develop from a dynamic underground movement of believers to a state Church organised in the image of the Roman Empire and so became the Catholic Church, women were more and more suppressed under the influence of deeply rooted Hellenistic anthropological ideas that were read into these passages. Only in the second half of the Twentieth Century, under the influence of changes in society after the sexual and feminist revolutions, changes set in that sparked the discussion about the role of women in the Church. This discussion is still continuing – in the Reformed tradition at least. These two passages, however, seem to oppose an overwhelming number of biblical themes and data that at least bring a strong nuance to the picture the two passages seem to portray. The creation of man and woman in the image of God and the protection for women against the arbitrariness of men clearly picture an original and principal equality of men and women. In the circle of disciples around Jesus Christ this becomes even more manifest. This attitude is also visible in the earliest churches. Paul expresses this in Galatians 3:28: In Christ there is no … male nor female. The passages that seem to limit the rights of women in the Church do not actually oppose this picture, but show that for the sake of the proclamation of the gospel not everything is (immediately) allowed. This dissertation attempted to interpret these two passages with the help of the grammatical-historic method. In 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 Paul personally intervenes in the apparent chaotic meetings of the cosmopolitan and charismatic congregation. He requires from different categories of participants – among them the married women that have a Christian husband – to not burden the fellowship with – in the case of the aforementioned women – their (otherwise rightful) participation in the discussion of the prophetic message during the worship service. In 1 Timothy 2:11-15 he gives his friend and student Timothy, the young pastor and teacher of the congregation in Ephesus, tools to call upon the members of the congregation not to start a revolution but to conquer the world for Christ by living an exemplary life. The context of this directive is a heresy that was particularly influencing some women that developed a prominent and domineering attitude in the Church. None of these directives or instructions of Paul talk about special ministries in the Church. It is all about attitude. For the sake of the steady progress of the gospel this attitude is to be determined by discipline and humbleness. However, the form this discipline and humbleness have largely depends on the context of the believers. / MTh (New Testament), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

A dynamic interpretation of the Prayer of St. Benedict provides a methodology for understanding and explicating Christian faith consistent with enduring elements in the theological tradition and meaningful to the contemporary milieu. Within the overarching structure of the Prayer as a meta-paradigm, are three subsidiary paradigms that describe characteristics of approaches to faith. The structure, content, and intention of the Prayer reveal these to be experiential, critical, and transcendental. Wisdom is asserted as integrating and orienting the discussion, which is a constructed on a Personalist foundation and is a postcritical reflection on faith. Faith is grounded in the affirmations and assumptions of faith, discerned in the enfolding appeals, and the supplications, a basis for an expository discourse on the dimensions of faith. / Systematic Theology & Theological Ethics / M. Th. (Systematic Theology)

Anyone familiar with the Rastafari movement and its connection with the Bible is struck by the prevalence of I-locution found in them both. Because the phenomenon is important in the canonical Testaments, more so the New, this study seeks to investigate its significance in certain epistolary pieces (Romans 7 :14-25 ; 15 :14-33), the bio-Narratives and the Apocalypse, in their historical and cultural milieu. The next stage of the investigation then compares the findings of the aforementioned New Testament books with corresponding statements of the Rasta community to determine their relevance for the ongoing Anglophone theological discussion. In this connection, the following questions are addressed: (1) what are the inter-textual link(s) and function(s) of the `I' statements in Romans? (2) How do they relate to similar dominical sayings? And (3) can any parallel be established between the language of Rastafari and these? In sum, the study seeks to bring into critical dialogue the permutative `I' of the NT with the self-understanding of Rastafari. / NEW TESTAMENT / DTH (NEW TESTAMENT)

Text in Afrikaans / Hierdie navorsing belig en evalueer die ontwikkeling van die belangrikste wereldbeskouinge binne die Westerse kultuur deur op noodsaaklike interaksies tussen die filosofie, religie, wetenskap en geskiedenis te konsentreer. 'n Samehangende weergawe van die veranderende werklikheid is slegs moontlik wanneer die mens op historiese gebied goed onderle is. In die antieke wereld het Vorrne en Idees tydlose waarde gehad. Begrippe as skeppinge van die mens is as uitdrukkinge van die meer fundamentele idees of diepste werklikheid beskou. Hierdie Idees het die outentieke werklikheid en hoe die mens behoort te !ewe onverborge gemaak. 'n Fundamentele epogale verandering ('n Kopernikaanse omwenteling) in die perspektief en beeld van die modeme wereldbeskouing het met Descartes ingetree en sou by Kant 'n hoogtepunt bereik. Met die agteruitgang van die Christendom het die wetenskap meteens sy aanspraak op 'n nugtere benadering van die konkrete werklikheid versterk en as die bevryder van die mensdom na vore getree. Die mens is op radikale wyse uit die middelpunt van die Totale Werklikheid (Syn) verplaas. Hierdie verplasing is deur Darwin se relativisme versterk, soda! die wereld sonder geestelike doel en sin gelaat is. Die postmodeme intellektuele era toon 'n besondere kompleksiteit, besluiteloosheid en gebrek aan konsensus oor die wese van die werklikheid en die ongeslotenheid daarvan. Dit bied egter ongeewenaarde moontlikhede en perspektiewe sodat sake van die dag deurskou kan word en probleme opgelos kan word. Eietydse geskiedenis toon 'n universele neiging tot destruksie, maar ook 'n strewe na politieke, sosiale en fi!osofiese hemuwing. Dit wil voorkom of dit die regte tydstip is vir 'n metamorfose ('n periagoge') van fundamentele beginsels en simbole. Die Westerse denke behoort met die grondslae van sy bestaan of die Totale Werklikheid (Syn) te skakel om 'n groter eenheid te verkry en menslike ontheemding te transendeer. Die besinnende ofmetaparadigmatiese benadering kan 'n balans tussen berekende en besinnende denke bring en openheid vir 'n outentieke postmoderne denkmodel skep. Vertroue en geloof is nodig om die drumpel na die mees basiese werklikbeidstruktuur oor te steek. / This research elucidates and evaluates the development of the major worldviews of the Western culture by focusing on the crucial sphere of interaction between philosophy, religion, science and history. A coherent account of the changing conception of reality seems to be possible only to the extent to which one is historically informed. In the ancient world Forms and Ideas were timeless. Conceptual abstractions as creations of the human mind were expressions of the more fundamental ideas or deepest reality. These ideas unveiled authentic reality and how one should conduct life. A fundamental epochal shift (a Copernican revolution) in the perspective and fundamental metaphor of the entire modem worldview began with Descartes and culminated in Kant. Christianity was undermined and science suddenly stood forth as mankind's liberation appealing to common sense and concrete reality. The radical displacement of the human being from the centre of Total Reality (Being) was reinforced by Darwin's relativism of the human being, leading to a world devoid of spiritual purpose and intrinsic meaning. The postmodern intellectual era is profoundly complex, without consensus of the nature of reality, it is open-ended, but blessed with an unprecedented wealth of perspectives to engage the issues confronting it and to solve problems. Contemporary history reflects a universal mood of destruction but also a longing for political, social and philosophical renewal. It seems to be the right moment for a metamorphosis (a periagoge') of fundamental principles and symbols. The deepest passion of the Western mind should be to reunite with the ground of its being, to reconnect with Total Reality (Being), embrace a larger unity and transcend human alienation. The reflective or metaparadigmatic approach seems to create a balance between calculative and reflective thinking and create the necessary openness for an authentic postmodern model of thought. A threshold needs to be crossed demanding trust and faith to bring about the most basic structure of reality. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Filosofie van Opvoedkunde)

Assignment (M. Div.)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This assignment deals with the question of whether and how it is possible to preach about texts on the last judgment in the New Testament under the premise of a merciful God. This question will be approached from a hermeneutical angle. Therefore the researcher will, after some introductory comments, deal with two different texts about the last judgment (Luk 16:19-31 and Rev 20:11-15) and investigate them exegetically. This will form a large part of the assignment. After the exegesis, a homiletical as well as a systematical reflection will be done on these specific biblical texts. Each of these chapters will conclude with a draft of a sermon on the texts, showing what a possible sermon on these texts may look like. In the last chapter, the researcher will summarize the approaches she used on her way from the biblical texts to the sermons. A general outline of different approaches depicting how a sermon on the last judgment in the New Testament can be done is followed. The researcher will come to the conclusion that it is possible to preach about the last judgment in the New Testament under the premise of a merciful God. She shows this in dealing with the biblical texts in exegetical and contextual, rhetorical and historical, theological and homiletical ways. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie werkstuk handel oor die vraag of en inderdaad hoe dit moontlik is om te preek oor tekste wat handel oor die laaste oordeel in die Nuwe Testament vanuit die veronderstelling van ‘n genadige God. Hierdie vraag sal benader word vanuit ‘n hermeneutiese hoek. In hierdie verband sal die navorser, na ‘n paar inleidende opmerkings, handel met twee verskillende tekste oor die laaste oordeel nl. Luk 16:19-31 and Openbaring 20:11-15. Hierdie tekste sal eksegeties ondersoek word en dit sal ‘n groot deel uitmaak van hierdie werkstuk. Na die eksegese sal ‘n homiletiese sowel as ‘n sistematiese refleksie gedoen word oor hierdie spesifieke Bybeltekste. Elk van hierdie hoofstukke sal afgesluit word met ‘n preekontwerp van die teks wat sal dien as voorstel hoe ‘n moontlike preek oor die betrokke teks sal kan lyk. Binne die laaste hoofstuk sal die navorser ‘n opsomming maak van al die benaderings deur haar gebruik op haar weg vanaf die Bybelse tekste na die preke. ‘n Algemene raamwerk van die verskillende benaderings wat voorstel hoe ‘n preek oor die laaste oordeel in die Nuwe Testament gedoen kan word sal hierop volg. Die navorser sal dan tot die gevolgtrekking kom dat dit wel moontlik is om oor die laaste oordeel in die Nuwe Testament te preek vanuit die veronderstelling van ‘n genadige God. Dit dui sy aan deur op ‘n eksegetiese en kontekstuele, ‘n retoriese en historiese, en op ‘n teologiese en homiletiese wyse te handel met die Bybeltekste.

La théologie catholique affirme que Jésus, médiateur par excellence, est la Révélation plénière de Dieu à son peuple. Cependant, il y a eu au fil des siècles des révélations dites «privées», dont certaines ont été reconnues par l’autorité de l’Église. Le cas des révélations privées non reconnues a toujours été générateur de malentendus et de conflits froids et parfois ouverts entre l’autorité de l’Église et certains fidèles. En contexte africain, où le christianisme se greffe sur la culture traditionnelle, cette question de révélations privées est importante car elle imprègne la religion ancestrale. Dans notre contexte où le Christianisme semble avoir le vent en poupe, on se demande quelque rapport y a-t-il entre foi et expérience individuelle de révélation privée; la révélation privée est-elle un couronnement d’une vie de foi bien menée sous le regard du Seigneur et des hommes? Comment Dieu se manifeste-t-il aux hommes et comment en rendre compte sans faire face à l’adversité? Avec l’étude de l’expérience de Paul en 2Co 12, 1-10, il y a lieu de revenir sur la théologie catholique au sujet de la Révélation en rapport avec les révélations pour voir comment elle s’est articulée, à partir de la Bible, au fil des temps, en fonction des cultures et des réalités sans cesse nouvelles. À la base de cette théologie, on peut trouver en bonne position l’influence herméneutique de l’expérience mystique de Paul. Une révélation privée comme celle qu’il vit, fait toujours face à des doutes ou des attitudes sceptiques parfois tenaces pour se préciser après coup et fonder en raison son apport par rapport au Christ et à la vie ecclésiale. Si le jugement de l’Église est important pour son insertion dans la vie des communautés, toutefois, il faut dire qu’il n’est pas déterminant. Tout se joue entre Dieu et la personne certes, mais la qualité des fruits de ce jeu spirituel étant garante de la crédibilité de la révélation. Dieu, qui sait toujours communiquer avec son peuple sous des formes variées, en est capable en tout temps et selon le mode qu’il se donne. Pour mieux parler de l’expérience de Paul en 2Co 12,1-10, les démarches historico-critique et narrative ont été d’une utilité complémentaire en vue d’authentifier dans la péricope ce qu’il convient d’appeler : la mystique de Paul. Le témoignage spirituel de Paul peut servir de paradigme pour les personnes et d’éclairage pour l’Église dans le discernement des phénomènes de révélation privée aujourd’hui. Paul vit une relation forte avec le Dieu de Jésus Christ, il la fait vivre à ses communautés; quoiqu’il advienne, il n’hésite pas à en rendre compte et à la communauté, et à Pierre et aux autres. Sa vie intensément mystique, ne le soustrait pas de la démarche ecclésiale pour défendre ses révélations. / The catholic theology professes Jesus Christ as Mediator per excellence between God and his people. He is the Revelation of revelations that could never be surpassed, but along the centuries, there were many private revelations a few of which were confirmed by the Church and others not. The cases of mystical or private experience of God that are never taken into consideration by the authorities bring many troubles and divisions in the community of the catholic faithful. This situation is also common in some of the communities in Cameroon. This work is a biblical survey on Paul’s experience of God (in 2Cor 12,1-10) for the purpose of enlightening the phenomenon of private revelation. Although Paul is boasting for the excellence of his revelations and defends himself as one of the most important apostles of Christ, he doesn’t forget the need of the confirmation by those who have been chosen before him (Ga 1-2). The testimony of Paul could be a framework to look over and enable us to testify all the cases of visions or revelations that someone claims to have received directly from God. The whole Church could also update her judgement on some cases of mystical life that appear among Christians. To preserve and keep on fulfilling the will of her Founder, the Church has not only to be careful, but to be opened at such phenomenon as Peter and the others apostles did towards Paul. The beneficiaries of private revelations or visions have to humble themselves and face all the adversities in the spirit of Paul, who takes these as signs of God’s power revealed in his weaknesses.

[pt] Educar à fé, para fé ou na fé através do ensino religioso, constitui, na hora presente, grande desafio para a comunidade eclesial. Na sociedade tradicional, marcada pelo contexto de cristandade, o ensino religioso escolar dá continuidade ao ambiente familiar e cultural. Contudo, no ambiente secularizado e pluralista, a comunidade eclesial se vê desafiada a repensar a natureza deste ensino na perspectiva da escola para todos. Para fazer face ao novo ambiente, o modelo tradicional se reformula, e dois novos modelos se colocam lado a lado: o ensino religioso centrado na educação da religiosidade e o ensino religioso focado no estudo do fato religioso. Ora, estes dois modelos têm encontrado fortes resistências na perspectiva do modelo anterior. Educar na fé, para os representantes deste modelo, só é possível única e exclusivamente desde um contato explícito com a revelação judaico-cristã. No entanto, a plenitude da revelação de Jesus Cristo atinge qualitativamente todas as culturas e toda realidade. Assim, as demais tradições religiosas são lugares onde se condensa a revelação de Deus. Logo, o terceiro modelo tem sua relevância. O cristão acostumou a ver a realidade com o olhar dualista da fé e da razão e a classificar a revelação em natural e sobrenatural. Na realidade, a experiência religiosa demonstra que há uma união radicalíssima entre Deus e o ser humano, entre Deus e a realidade, antes de qualquer construção conceitual. Portanto, não se pode negar a validade dos outros modelos para o processo de educação da fé. Se a realidade dos alunos não permite, sem mais, o anúncio explícito, é de grande valia o ensino religioso como preâmbulo à fé cristã. / [fr] Éduquer la croyance, pour elle même ou dans la foi à travers l enseignement religieux, c est, au présent, le grand défi pour la communauté ecclésiastique. Dans la société traditionnelle, marquée pour le contexte de la chrétienté, l enseignement religieux scolaire donne la continuité de l ambience familier et culturel. Cependant, dans l ambient secularisé et pluraliste, la communauté ecclésiastique se voit defiée à repenser la nature de cet enseignement dans la perspective d école pour tous. Alors, pour faire joue au nouveau ambient, le modèle traditionnel se refaire, et deux nouveaux modèles se mettent côte à côte: l enseignement religieux centré dans l éducation de la religiosité et l enseignement religieux sur l étudie du fait religieux. Donc, ces deux modèles ont rencontré beaucoup de résistence dans la perspective du modèle antérieur. Éduquer dans la croyance, pour les représentants de ce modèle, n est que possible exclusivement depuis un contact précis avec la révélation Judaïque-Chrétien. Toutefois, la plenitude de la révélation de Jesus Christ touche qualitativement tous les cultures et la réalité. De cette façon, les autres traditions religieuses sont où se condense la révélation de Dieu. Donc, le troixième modèle a sa propre importance. Le chrétien a habitué à voir la réalité avec les yeux dualiste de la foi, de la raison et à classer la révélation en naturel et surnaturel. Selon la réalité, cette essai religieuse exprime qu`il y a une union radicaliste entre Dieu et l être humain, entre Dieu et la réalité avant quelque construction du concept. Par conséquent, on ne peut pas nier la validité du seconde modèle pour le procès d éducation de la foi.Si la réalité des élèves ne permet pas, sens plus l annonce clair, c est très important l enseignement religieux comme avant-propos de la foi chrétienne.