In our time we, of course, face problems in Christian dogmatics within a different context from Calvin. let in the Reformed Churches we believe we would greatly impoverish ourselves if we departed from his locus or disregarded his seminal teaching. Thus, the underlying question of the thesis is: can Reformed theology go the same fundamental way as Calvin and yet go further, i.e., let Calvin's theology extend and make itself explicit in the face of our theological problems? We think so. We have chosen three areas in which to test this assertion, all of which are lively areas of discussion in modern theology: natural knowledge of God, history and ethics. In each of the respective chapters we try first to represent what Calvin said; then we suggest the problems these doctrines of Calvin present for modern (Reformed) theology. Finally, we let Calvin's doctrine of the Word extend and make explicit his statements in each of these areas; i.e., knowledge, history and ethics, in the face of the problems of today. In order to follow this procedure we set forth in the First Chapter the heart and norm for all of Calvin's theology, his doctrine of the Word, In sum, then, we let Calvin's doctrine of the Word clarify the Christological character of Calvin's doctrines of our knowledge of God, the Providence of God, the Law of God and the life of the Christian man in the face of contemporary theological discussion.

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)

According to Scripture God created human beings "in our image, after our likeness". The likeness used to be conceived in terms of the rational nature human beings possess. Modern thought has come to conceive of the likeness rather in terms of being person, who receives her identity in relationships from others and at the same time mediates the others´ identity to them. The author presents the historical development of the concept of person as well as selected contemporary approaches, which she evaluates in light of the personal life of the Triune God as it is witnessed in Scripture and incessantly communicated in the liturgy of the church. She also presents ways of conceiving of created personhood she has attained in this light. Created persons are created in order to receive divine self-communication and to be able to participate in it, which they can in dependence on the one, who is the true revelator of God, as participation in his revelatory activity. By accepting their dependence, they become capable of acting freely through themselves and fulfill the task entrusted to them by creation.

Le début du XXe siècle est marqué pour les Iraniens par un ensemble de réflexions et par de profonds changements dans leurs besoins et leurs attentes. Les sources de ces changements sont de deux ordres : le pétrole et la Constitution. Le pétrole en tant que richesse sortie de terre a été la cause de nombreux débats et mutations en Iran et au Moyen-Orient. La Constitution est considérée comme l’une des raisons de l’évolution de la pensée iranienne sur les questions de société et de liberté individuelle et collective. Elle a entraîné des réflexions et des transformations sur des sujets tels que la liberté, les valeurs nationales, les valeurs religieuses.Au milieu du XXe siècle, la ville de Téhéran, capitale de l’Iran, a connu des formes nouvelles avec des modifications dans la structure du pouvoir et des changements idéologiques dus à des volontés politiques. Quant aux conditions politiques et sociales, au cours de certaines périodes, le contrôle et l’exercice du pouvoir sur les espaces publics se sont rapidement radicalisés. Ces transformations se reflètent sur les espaces publics (culturels, éducatifs, religieux). Si l’État était favorable à la modernisation, des espaces modernes se formaient. Si l’État prônait l’expansion de la culture islamique, les espaces religieux devenaient prioritaires. Parmi les périodes importantes, citons celle de la Révolution islamique de 1978-1979 qui a cherché à nier les structures déjà formées et qui a souhaité créer une nouvelle forme de société. Les premières années après la révolution, puis les années de guerre entre l’Iran et l’Irak (1980-1988) constituent la période où les révolutionnaires se sont consacrés à réaliser « la Bible » de leur révolution. Cet ensemble de théorisations a influencé directement ou indirectement la structure de la société urbaine. Aujourd’hui, trois décennies après ces profonds bouleversements, après une période de « convalescence », on accorde moins d’importance à la Révolution islamique. Depuis, Nous avons été donc été témoins de grandes évolutions dans la structure du pouvoir ainsi que dans la gestion et le contrôle de l’espace.Afin d’étudier l’ensemble de ces transformations et le rôle de la population dans l’acceptation ou le refus de ces changements, nous avons étudié trois quartiers de Téhéran ayant différentes structures sociales, économiques et politiques. Le comportement, les valeurs et les besoins des habitants de chacun de ces quartiers se traduisent dans une dialectique entre ces habitants et le pouvoir. À l’échelle de la ville, nous nous intéressons aux espaces culturels publics et aux processus de leurs transformations au cours des années qui ont précédé et suivi la Révolution islamique. / The 20th century for Iranian people was involved with various changes and challenges in terms of needs and expectations. The changes in needs were rooted in two completely different sources: oil and Mashrote. The oil as a blessing gift from ground was the source of changes and challenges in Iran and Midealeast and the Mashrote was the initiation source of thinking transformation about society and individual and group freedom among Iranian population which was followed by the numerous movement and challenges such as freedom, national and religious values.In the length of 20th century, Tehran as the capital city of Iran along with every change in the structure of government as well as every Ideology changes has experienced new forms which were influenced by the commands and desires of authorities. Depended to social-political changes, the authority’s power exercising in some duration increased and in some cases decrease and the influences of this ideological movement gradually reflected in social and cultural spaces of society. In the case that government tended to modernization, the modern spaces were formed and if the government was following the Islamic culture, the religious spaces got more attention.One of the critical durations was Islamic Revelation of 1978 which was putting a lot of efforts to negate the past durations and trying to establish the new form of society. The first years of Islamic Republic which was followed by the war between Iran and Iraq were the years that revolutionaries was trying to uphold the Islamic revelation rules. All these direct and indirect rules had effects on social city. Now after three decades of huge changes, the revelation convalescence has passed and we are witness of changes and transformations in government structure as well as management and control of spaces.To assess the ensemble of changes and the people positions in acceptance or ignorance of these changes, three districts with different social, economic and political structures were selected where Beryânak- Haft Chenar, Nârmak, Shahrak-e Gharb the behavior, values and the needs of residence of each district will be considered as a dialectical between residences and authorities. In city scale, the cultural and public spaces and their changes trend before and after of Islamic revolution were investigated. / شروع قرن بیستم برای ایرانیان ، حامل چالش ها، تغییرات در زمینه نیازها و انتظارات بود، این تغییر خواسته هایدو سرچشمه کاملا متفاوت داشتند: نفت و مشروطه. نفت به عنوان نعمتی که از زمین می جوشید و سرچشمهتحولات و چالش های متفاوتی در ایران و خاورمیانه را در بر داشت، و مشروطیت که باعث تغییر و تحول در تفکرایرانیان نسبت به جامعه و آزادی های فردی و جمعی محسوب می شود، مشروطیتی که جنبش ها و چالش های بیشماری در پی داشت ، آزادی،ارزش های ملی یا ارزش های دینی .در طی سالهای قرن بیستم شهر تهران، پایتخت ایران ،با هر تغییر ساختار قدرت ، یعنی با هر تغییر ایده لوژی ، تحتتاثیر خواسته های دولتمردان ، فرمی جدیدی از اعمال فشار را تجربه کرده است. بسته به تغییر شرایط سیاسی اجتماعی در دوره هایی این کنترل و اعمال قدرت بر فضاهای عمومی رادیکال تر شده است و در بازه های زمانیکمتر. تاثیر تحولات ایدولوژیک بر فضاهای مرتبط با ساختار فرهنگی و جامعه بازتاب یافته است . اگر دولت بهدنبال مدرنیزاسیون بود، فضا های مدرن شکل می گرفتند و اگر به د نبال اشاعه فرهنگ اسلامی بود ، فضاهای مذهبیمورد توجه قرار گرفته اند.از دوره های حساس و قابل بحث ، انقلاب اسلامی سال 7531 بود که سعی در نفیساختارهای شکل گرفته در دوره های پیش از خود و در پی ایجاد فرم جدیدی از جامعه بود . اولین سالهای پس از حاکمشدن نظام جمهوری اسلامی و در پی آن جنگ مابین ایران و عراق بود ، که دهه اول پس از انقلاب را در بر می گیرد، مجموعه سالهایی بودند که انقلابیون در پی اجرای انجیل انقلابشان بودند. این مجموعه اعمال نظرها به طور مسقیم وغیر مستقیم بر کالبد و اجتماع شهری موثر بودند. در حال حاضر با گذشت بیش از سه دهه از این تحول عظیم ، دورهنقاهت پس از انقلاب اسلامی سپری شده است و در طی این سه دهه شاهد تغییر ، تحول و دگرگونی های در ساختارقدرت و نحوه اداره، مدیریت و کنترل فضای عمومی بوده ایم . برای بررسی مجموعه این تغییرات و جایگاه مردم،در رد یا قبول این تغییرات، سه محله با ساختار اجتماعی، اقتصادی و سیاسی متفاوت با نام های بریانک -هفتچنار، نارمک و شهرک غرب را انتخاب و بررسی نموده ایم . در طی این تحقیق در صدد تحلیل فرم فضا، نحوهتعریف فضای عمومی، ارزش ها و نیازهای ساکنین هر یک از این سه محله در مقیاس خرد پرداختیم .در مقیاس شهربه بررسی فضاهای فرهنگی عمومی و روند تغییراتشان در سالهای پیش از انقلاب اسلامی و پس از آن در مقیاسکلان پرداختیم. چراکه فضای عمومی را عرصه دیالکتیک میان ساکنین و قدرت می شناسیم، خواه در مقیاس محله،خواه در مقیاس یک شهر.

A obra de Ibn Arab (1165 d.C. /560 H.) é bastante extensa, compreendendo cerca de 400 títulos, dos quais Kitb fu½½ al-¬ikam (O livro dos engastes das sabedorias) destaca-se como um dos principais escritos no qual o autor apresenta sua concepção metafísica, de forma mais sistematizada, como sua teoria dos nomes divinos através dos quais a essência do real procede, manifestando todos os existentes, assim como trata, de maneira aprofundada, do significado dos profetas e das sabedorias por eles transmitidas, propondo uma conotação totalmente metafísica para o profético. A profecia assume, nessa obra, uma importância fundamental, ela é apresentada como a condição de possibilidade da existência determinada, assim como também a condição de possibilidade do conhecimento da essência do real, ou seja, a condição de possibilidade de conhecer a realidade primeira. É interessante notar ainda a riqueza e a complexidade discursiva, na qual vida e obra encontram-se implicadas nesse processo de existenciação, de modo que tanto o autor quanto sua obra recebem estatutos muito significativos e particulares referentes ao sistema metafísico apresentado. Servindo-se da filosofia, da teologia e da mística arabo-islâmicas, oferecendo, com isso, um pensamento, embora complexo, de alcance universal que reconhece todos os profetas do ciclo histórico e as diversas tradições reveladas, a hermenêutica de Ibn Arab evidencia-se em muito original, promovendo um diálogo criativo e conciliador entre diversas culturas, permanecendo, até os dias de hoje, profundamente rico, inovador e inspirador para as mais diversas culturas e domínios do pensamento. / The work of Ibn \'Arab (1165 AD / H. 560) is quite extensive, comprising about 400 titles, of which Kitb fu½½ al-¬ikam (The Book of the bezels of wisdom) stands out as one of the major writings in which the author presents his metaphysical conception in a more systematic way as his theory of divine names, by which the essence of real conceives, showing all as he deeply addresses, the meaning of the prophets and the wisdom transmitted by them, proposing an entirely metaphysical connotation for the prophetic. On this work, the prophecy itself assumes a fundamental importance. It is presented as the condition of possibility of determined existence, as well as the condition of possibility of knowledge of the essence of real, i.e.: the condition of possibility of knowing the first reality. It is quite interesting to notice the richness and discursive complexity, in which life and the paper are implied in this existence process, so that both the author and his work receive very significant and specific status relating to the metaphysical system presented. Making use of philosophy, theology and the Arab-Islamic mysticism, offering thereby a thought, though complex, universal reach that recognizes all the prophets of the historical cycle and several revealed traditions, the hermeneutic of Ibn \'Arab evidences itself as being very original, promoting a creative and conciliatory dialogue among several cultures and remaining until this day, deeply rich, innovative and inspiring for several cultures and thought domains.

Santo Agostinho e João Calvino são pensadores representativos de dois momentos históricos distintos da cristandade, e figuram entre aqueles que ajudaram a moldar, de forma determinante, os contornos da tradição cristã de pensamento a qual representavam. A despeito do lapso temporal que os separa, João Calvino foi muito influenciado pelo pensamento de Agostinho em virtude da presença marcante da teologia e espiritualidade agostinianas na atmosfera intelectual e religiosa do século XVI, sendo boa parte destes influxos, produto da apropriação direta de Calvino de aspectos do pensamento de Agostinho, por meio do contato in loco com suas obras. Estes influxos diretos e indiretos do pensamento de Agostinho sobre Calvino resultaram em muitos paralelos e similaridades teológico-filosóficos. Um dos temas comuns a estes dois pensadores cristãos foi o da centralidade da doutrina do conhecimento de Deus e do autoconhecimento. Na verdade, ambos definem a natureza do projeto sapiencial e beatífico humano em termos de aquisição deste duplo conhecimento. Portanto, a principal finalidade deste trabalho é apresentar a relevância que a doutrina da cognitio Dei et sui desempenha na proposta teológico-filosófica de ambos os pensadores, bem como estabelecer uma análise de suas fontes, natureza e características. Este trabalho visa demonstrar, também, que apesar de haver similaridades e paralelos estreitos entre Calvino e Agostinho no tocante aos aspectos gerais que envolvem a doutrina do conhecimento de Deus e do autoconhecimento, existem distinções incontornáveis naquilo que concerne aos meandros específicos desta matéria, como aquelas disjunções relacionadas à natureza e às características específicas da dinâmica interna deste duplo conhecimento. / St. Augustine and John Calvin are thinkers representing two different periods in the history of Christianity, remarkably appearing among those who helped to shape up the contours of the Christian tradition of thought they represented. Despite the time gap that set them apart, John Calvin was greatly influenced by the thought of Augustine due to the strong presence of Augustinian theology and spirituality in the intellectual and religious atmosphere of the sixteenth century. Most of these inputs were the product of Calvins direct assimilation of certain aspects from Augustine\'s thought through in loco contact with his works. Such direct and indirect inflows of Augustines thought on Calvin resulted in many theological and philosophical parallels and similarities. One theme common to both Christian thinkers was the centrality of the doctrines of the knowledge of God and self-knowledge. In fact, both Augustine and Calvin define the nature of the human sapiential and beatific project in terms of attaining this dual knowledge. In this context, the present study aims to present the relevant role the doctrine of cognitio Dei et sui plays in the theological and philosophical views of both thinkers, as well as to develop an analysis of its sources, nature and characteristics. In addition, this work demonstrates that although there are close parallels and similarities between Calvin and Augustine with regards to general issues surrounding the doctrines of knowledge of God and self-knowledge, there are compelling distinctions as far as the particulars of this subject are concerned; such as disjunctions related to the nature and specific features of the internal dynamics of this dual knowledge.

Cette thèse s’intéresse des relations interpersonnelles entre les sourds et les entendants, qui partagent de multiples frontières : spatiales, sociales, ou intersubjectives. L’incompatibilité communicationnelle entre eux envoie aux barrières relationnelles et interactionnelles, générant des rapports déséquilibrés entre la société dominante entendante et la minorité sourde. D’une part dans son espace social le sourd est confronté aux incapacités d’expression authentique freinant son affirmation identitaire et affectent son image sociale. D’autre part l’entendant est heurté à des blocages communicationnels qui rendent son parcours émotionnellement éprouvant. Questionnant cet éternel processus d’échec communicationnel, l’objectif de ce travail est de mieux réfléchir à un rapprochement possible des sujets sourds et entendants au-delà du partage des connaissances linguistiques, et cela par le biais de transformation de l’espace social en celui d’apprentissage. La recherche a été réalisée dans le cadre de l’éducation non formelle, en mettant en place une rencontre multiculturelle, qui a réuni en 2011 des jeunes sourds et entendants de 18 à 30 ans, provenant de France, d’Arménie, d’Allemagne et de Biélorussie. Utilisant des outils pédagogiques adaptés, les participants ont été invités à créer leurs propres modes de communication, essayant de dépasser les barrières linguistiques, mais aussi celles représentationnelles et personnelles pour surmonter les obstacles qui les différencient. La recherche a été focalisée particulièrement sur le parcours du sujet entendant. Les analyses ont permis de modéliser le parcours observé de l’entendant dans un espace d’apprentissage, avec une possible évolution du sens projetée vers une tri-dimension spatiale et temporelle, c’est-à-dire Eros (sensitif-affectif), Logos (socio-cognitif), et Muthos (ouverture vers une dynamique de questionnement. / The purpose of this thesis is to focus on interpersonal relationships between deaf and hearing people who share multiple borders - spatial, social and intersubjective. The communicative incompatibility leads to relational and interactional barriers, generating an unbalanced relationship between the dominant hearing society and deaf minority. From one side, a deaf person constantly faces a social space where they’re not able to express themselves authentically, which hinders their identity affirmation and affects their social image. From the other side the hearing person encounters communicational obstacles that make their emotional experience difficult.Questioning the abovementioned eternal communicative failure process, the objective of this research study is to think about a possible deaf and hearing rapprochement beyond of sharing of language skills through the transformation of social spaces into learning ones. The current study was conducted in the context of non-formal education, by establishing a multicultural meeting of among, young deaf and hearing people from 18 to 30 years in France, Armenia, Germany and Belarus in 2011. Developing appropriate pedagogical tools, participants have been invited to create their own forms of communication, trying to overcome language barriers, but also the representational and personal ones, in order to overcome relational distances. This study particularly focused on the hearing participant’s personal experience. The analyses lead the researcher to model the observed hearing participant’s experiences of the learning space, in a possible evolution of sense, projected along spatial and temporal tri-dimension – Eros (sensory -emotional) , Logos (socio- cognitive) and Muthos (openness to new self-questioning capacities) .

God is ontologically omni-present, yet he is spoken of as being present or even being absent. The presence and the absence of God are relational concepts. His presence generally shows his favor and is for the benefit of his people; and his absence indicates his disfavor. But sometimes his presence was for judgment too. The people of God are his people precisely because he is favorably present with them. God’s presence with his people bestows upon them a special position in relation to him, and a blessed future for them. God is Spirit, and his presence is not limited to visible forms. Many times God’s presence is simply indicated by divine speech. We have seen that God chose at times to reveal himself through theophanies, and these appearances related to humans in different ways. God’s presence in Exodus comes in various ways, and his presence has particular significance. Finally, God revealed himself in the person of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. For the Christian, Christ dwells with us and within us by his Spirit and through him we have access to the Father (Eph.1:18). The presence of God is redemptive. Israel was redeemed by the present God, Yahweh; and the Christian has been redeemed by the present God, the Lord Jesus Christ. As Evangelicals we believe that they are one and the same person, and the method of redemption is metaphorically equated in the New Testament. The Christian is empowered by the Holy Spirit and a new creation; two inseparable concepts that give us our identity. While Israel was redeemed as a nation, we are a redeemed people who are individually united in the Church of Jesus Christ; and in our local assemblies we are to maintain and reflect our unity by being a community. As Israel was a nation for the nations, so the Church is a community of witnesses to God’s righteousness and rule for the nations. Humans are to relate to God as Creator and as Redeemer, because they are accountable to him according to his creation and redemption (or re-creation) principles. Accountability is meaningful only in an ethical context. Man relates to God by acts of obedience to his creation and redemption principles. The chief duty of the Church is to make known the available person, purpose and power of God. God’s loving expression is his availability for a relationship with man. His self-revelation and gifts are for our benefit. His creation and creative intentions are for our benefit. His redemption and redemptive intentions are for our benefit. More so, we are accountable for the imperative to perpetuate God’s creation and redemption intentions. If they are expressions of love and intended to benefit, then they are ethical in nature. Our response to God and to creation at large must therefore also be ethical in nature. Our concern in this dissertation is to realize the socio-ethical significance of the Presence in redemption for the people of God, and in particular for the Evangelical Church. Having explored the Exodus texts from a synchronic approach, we have used the final canonical Exodus-narrative of Presence through socio-rhetorical exegesis and theological reflection to derive socio-ethical principles for our contemporary application. These principles are applied for specific contemporary contexts and questions in order to posit ethical social proposals, social responsibility, and social action. We are able to see how our Exodus pericopes were employed in the biblical Old and New Testaments. Their use in the Psalms, the Prophets and the New Testament reflected an authoritative theological interpretation of these Exodus texts for Evangelicals, merely because they are in the Bible. These Scriptural theological interpretations were a warrant for us to seek a theological interpretation of the canonical texts as the platform for socio-ethical interaction. Because we are so far removed temporarily, socio-ethical transfer from then to now was by no means cut-and-dried. Only through theological reflection are we able to derive socio-ethical principles for contemporary application, at least within an Evangelical Ecclesiology. Presence is applied theologically under the categories revelation, redemption and relationship. We are able to show how the principles of revelation, redemption and relationship related God and his people in ways that gave them a special identity as a community that must respond in a special and particular way to God and within itself. The people had to be monotheistic. Their response had monotheistic, ethical implications and social implications. Presence is also applied socially under the categories derived naturally from the Exodus narrative: <ul><li> Israel’s Self-Consciousness as a Community. </li><li> Yahweh’s Presence and the Community’s Redemption. </li><li> Yahweh’s Agent in the Redemption of the Community. </li><li> Counter Forces to the Creation of the Redeemed Community. </li><li> Covenant and Redemption Undergirds Social Identity. </li><li> The Socio-ethical Response of the Redeemed Community. </li><li> Redemption as Social Dialogue. </li><li> Covenant as Societal Establishment. </li><li> Covenant and Societal Conflict. </li><li> Covenant and Societal Self-conscientiousness. </li></ul> Each of these categories is discussed under the same sub-categories, namely, revelation, redemption and relationship. We are able to derive socio-ethical principles in this way; principles which could be applied in an Evangelical ecclesiology. Indeed, the Church is the best social context in which these principles are to be applied, and within that context we are able to derive socio-ethical proposals. The Church is posited as a multiplicity of microcosmic communities, all related to God through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. We are able to make social proposals for the kind of social responsibilities and actions required within the church community. These socio-ethical proposals must emanate from the social vision of the Church, which is theological and eschatological in nature. The Church, as an eschatological community, must serve as an example and vision for society at large, recognizing that society at large also has a different and more complex make-up, and that socio-ethical transfer of Christian principles is not simplistically cut-and-dried. We have to find creative ways to translate the biblical imperative in a contemporary social context. This, we will conclude is only possible because we are able to apply it from and in a narratological context. We can however not simply use the same categories of revelation, redemption and relationship in a socio-ethical application. Ethics in general and social ethics in particular needs to be considered according to categories that were naturally conducive to ethical discourse. But these categories are also to be integrated with the theological categories in such a way that does not strain the ethical discourse. Surprisingly, the ethical categories of God (theological), man (social/political) and land (economic) easily lends itself to be discussed with the sub-categories of revelation, redemption and relationship. In fact, while it is fairly easy to do so under the theological and social/political categories, it is not so easy to distinguish the sub-categories for discussion under economy. We are forced to blur the lines between revelation and redemption on the one hand, and between redemption and relationship on the other. We can obviously not make proposals dealing with every socio-ethical issue. This is not our intention. We are, however, able to provide a socio-ethical vision for the Church, and thus, to a limited extent, for society at large. Because of our socio-ethical vision, it has become necessary for us to sketch the Church as an eschatological people which is a blessing to the world by its functioning in particular roles; as example (salt and light), evangelist, prophetic voice, teacher, agent, facilitator, negotiator, and partner. As example the Church is meant to be a pattern for society. The Church, which founds its indicative and imperative values upon the biblical text, can be a blessed pattern to society. As evangelist, the Church alone has the message of redemption, and it needs to share it with society. The best way for society to change is through regeneration. Our first priority is to extend the Kingdom of God in this world through the message of Jesus Christ and then through our godly influence. As prophetic voice, the Church must make known God’s will and ways. It is mainly a voice that speaks to issues of social justice, social responsibility and social reconstruction. Aspects of oppression, exploitation and other injustices must be condemned, and proposals for redress and reconstruction must be made. The Church must entrench democratic values and be the voice that calls for integrity and accountability. As teacher, the Church’s first place of teaching must be on a theological plane. Theological awareness encourages moral and ethical awareness. In short, they can teach on a whole range of issues that encourages good relationship, both vertically and horizontally. The Church can train leaders of integrity. As agent, the Church can act in society on behalf of Government, business and other organizations who have projects that aim at Christian-likeminded outcomes. Conversely, they can also act as agent for the people and community interests. The Church must be the redemptive agent in society. As facilitators, the Church facilitates important co-operations; with Government, business and other organizations. The Church can facilitate socio-ethical debates, forums, workshops, economic pro-active and ecological and environmental projects. As negotiators and partners, the Church can act on behalf of the poor and the marginalized. The rich and the poor are to act according to the tenets of love and justice. The Church can help inculcate these tenets, and to teach tenets of good work-ethic. The Church must be a redeemed people with redemptive aims; all for the glory of their redeeming God. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Old Testament Studies / unrestricted

Ce mémoire porte sur la question de la forme de la philosophie chez Walter Benjamin et sur ce qui fait l’unité de son geste philosophique. Cette question de l’unité, voire de la cohérence, a toujours posé problème, tant à cause de l’hétérogénéité des écrits de Benjamin que des tendances apparemment contradictoires qui les habitent. Prenant acte, dans un premier chapitre, des principales difficultés qui se sont posées à leur réception, tendant à en isoler, voire à opposer les tendances les unes aux autres, nous proposons de rassembler celles-ci en deux axes : celui opposant théologie et matérialisme historique et celui opposant image et concept. Contre les lectures unilatérales et parfois divergentes, nous proposons une interprétation qui réunit dialectiquement les polarités qui dans leurs tensions fondent l’unité de cette pensée. Par là, nous faisons nôtre la définition donnée par Benjamin de la forme de l’histoire philosophique : « qui fait procéder des extrêmes éloignés […] la totalité esquissée par la possibilité d’un agencement significatif du tout. » Dans un deuxième chapitre, nous proposons de résoudre ces polarités à l’intérieur d’une théorie matérialiste de la révélation, conçue dans les années 1930 comme historiographie matérialiste. Dans un troisième chapitre, nous tirons d’un commentaire des écrits dits théologiques du jeune Benjamin les éléments de son esthétique, tendant à la formulation d’une esthétique matérialiste. Enfin, la dialectique de Benjamin, d’où procède son geste philosophique, peut être lue comme le croisement incongru entre deux piliers de la théologie – révélation et interdit des images – qui ensemble entraînent irrésistiblement la théologie vers une conception hérétique du matérialisme historique. / This master’s thesis deals with the question of the form of philosophy in Walter Benjamin’s thought and, more specifically, the unity of his philosophical gesture. This unity, or coherence, has always posed a problem, not only as a consequence of the heterogeneity of his writings but also because of their apparently contradictory tendencies. Taking note of the main difficulties that arose within the initial reception of Benjamin’s writings, which have tended to separate and oppose these tendencies, the first chapter proposes to reassemble them along two axes : one opposing theology and historical materialism, the other opposing image and concept. Against unilateral readings, the present thesis defends an interpretation of Benjamin’s writings that dialectically reunites the polarities which, in their various tensions, in fact give unity to his thought. In this way, new light is shed on the definition of the form of philosophical history given by Benjamin: “out of remote extremes … emerges the totality of such oppositions – a totality that is marked out by the possibility of their meaningful juxtaposition”. In the second chapter, the polarities outlined in the first chapter are resolved within a materialist theory of revelation, conceived in the 1930s as a materialist historiography. On the basis of a commentary on the so-called theological writings of the young Benjamin, the third chapter presents the elements of his aesthetics, which tend towards a materialist formulation. Finally, Benjamin’s dialectic, and so the core his philosophical gesture, is interpreted as the surprising result of two theological mainstays — revelation and the prohibition of images — which, together, irresistibly lead theology towards a heretical version of historical materialism.

English summary This dissertation focuses on the apocalyptic fiction of Thomas Pynchon and analyses various representations of the apocalypse as "revelation" or "unveiling of truth" in its various aspects and manifestations (i.e. paranoia, angels, etc.) in the novels V., The Crying of Lot 49 and Gravity's Rainbow. The theme of apocalypse as a revelation concerning the true nature of the world has a key role to play in the above mentioned novels as well as significance for Pynchon's protagonists. This is so despite the fact that such revelation is depicted as illusory and mostly unattainable, since these novels are all based on the premise that there is no ultimate truth, and therefore, there is nothing that can be revealed. Pynchon's characters get only a revelation of individual truth, and thus theirs is a private apocalypse. When analysing the role of the apocalypse in Western culture, it is also important to analyse the role of millenarian expectations as well as the supposed communication process between God and people, a process depicted as being mediated by angels. The interpretation of God's message can never be precise and perfect, since its meaning is distorted during the communication process. On the rhetorical level, this distortion is equal to metaphor, which in turn causes feelings of paranoia...