Text in English / The central thesis of the present study, entitled Alms or legs? A contextual reading of Acts 3:1-10 in the light of an alternative theory of hwnan development, is that when read contextually, some biblical texts are capable of empowering individuals and small groups for social and structural transformation (Human Development). A contextual reading of the story of the crippled beggar at the Jerusalem temple entrance (Acts 3: 1- 10), within a context of begging and lack of initiative in a small community in the Eastern Cape provides a good example of such texts. The "horizons" of the text's author and the text's present reader are drawn together, in the creation of a "symbolic universe" for the context of underdevelopment. This serves as a vision, a positive alternative for the underdeveloped and non-developed communities. Following an introductory chapter in which the purpose and context of the study are outlined, and methodological problems introduced, the study proceeds, in the second chapter, with an outline of the contextual approach, undergirded by the "alternative theory" of development, namely, a people centered development (as opposed to the "economic growth" approach). This does not only result in a grid or categories against which to read the text, it also provides a broad framework within which subsequent discussions of the subjects of beggars (Chapter 3) and miracles (Chapter 4) respectively, take place. The topics of beggars and miracles, like "alms or legs", are used on the same semantic level, thus suggesting that if beggars constitute a problem, then miracles provide a solution. In communities of antiquity under investigation, no evidence is found to support almsgiving as the basis of Christian social action. On the one hand, Christians advocated charity, which was a reflection of deep friendship and oneness; on the other, miracles in the Christian context served in part, to integrate those on the margins into the community (or church) by transforming their physical and psychological conditions. This makes a developmental reading, which then follows in chapter 5, the main chapter of the study, possible. The conclusions of chapter 5, which amount to a vision for Human Development, lead to the concluding chapter (Chapter 6) in which a way forward for development in the post-apartheid South Africa is suggested. / New Testament / D. Th. (New Testament)

Text in English / The central thesis of the present study, entitled Alms or legs? A contextual reading of Acts 3:1-10 in the light of an alternative theory of hwnan development, is that when read contextually, some biblical texts are capable of empowering individuals and small groups for social and structural transformation (Human Development). A contextual reading of the story of the crippled beggar at the Jerusalem temple entrance (Acts 3: 1- 10), within a context of begging and lack of initiative in a small community in the Eastern Cape provides a good example of such texts. The "horizons" of the text's author and the text's present reader are drawn together, in the creation of a "symbolic universe" for the context of underdevelopment. This serves as a vision, a positive alternative for the underdeveloped and non-developed communities. Following an introductory chapter in which the purpose and context of the study are outlined, and methodological problems introduced, the study proceeds, in the second chapter, with an outline of the contextual approach, undergirded by the "alternative theory" of development, namely, a people centered development (as opposed to the "economic growth" approach). This does not only result in a grid or categories against which to read the text, it also provides a broad framework within which subsequent discussions of the subjects of beggars (Chapter 3) and miracles (Chapter 4) respectively, take place. The topics of beggars and miracles, like "alms or legs", are used on the same semantic level, thus suggesting that if beggars constitute a problem, then miracles provide a solution. In communities of antiquity under investigation, no evidence is found to support almsgiving as the basis of Christian social action. On the one hand, Christians advocated charity, which was a reflection of deep friendship and oneness; on the other, miracles in the Christian context served in part, to integrate those on the margins into the community (or church) by transforming their physical and psychological conditions. This makes a developmental reading, which then follows in chapter 5, the main chapter of the study, possible. The conclusions of chapter 5, which amount to a vision for Human Development, lead to the concluding chapter (Chapter 6) in which a way forward for development in the post-apartheid South Africa is suggested. / New Testament / D. Th. (New Testament)

This study analyses the social function of glossolalia in the narrative world of the book of Acts. In so doing, it addresses the lack of scholarship related to treating glossolalic references from social scientific perspectives. Particularly noted is the absence in the literature of adequate treatments of the Ephesian disciples pericope in Acts 18:24–19:7, which this study seeks to correct. Through application of Berger and Luckmann’s sociology of knowledge models, this study argues that reading Luke-Acts as the author’s legitimation of the Jesus movement’s social world is a valid, even preferred reading of the literature. Tracing the development of Luke’s legitimation conceptual machinery reveals the social conflict background that to a large degree motivated its writing and organized its content. The purity-related conflicts between circumcision loyalists and Jesus followers from the Gentile world that dominate the second half of Acts is of particular interest to this research. This study demonstrates how Luke uses glossolalia as a divinely initiated marker of Gentile purity status to legitimate new social boundaries that supersede circumcision. These new social boundaries, marked by glossolalia, represent an integral component of the Jesus movement’s revised purity map, relative to temple-centred Yahwism. The legitimation reading, including Luke’s construction and validation of the Jesus group’s symbolic universe and its conclusions regarding the social function of glossolalia, is applied to the Ephesian disciples pericope. This study argues that the events narrated in this passage represent a continuing social conflict between circumcision loyalists and Gentile converts. Luke narrates the events in Acts 18:24–19:7 in order to correct a deviant baptism teaching (John’s baptism) that was propagated with the intent, based on purity concerns and prejudice, to marginalize Gentiles from full social integration into the Jesus community. Demonstrating that glossolalia functions as a social boundary marker that supersedes circumcision and that this best informs our interpretation of the Ephesian disciples pericope fully integrates this narrative event into Luke’s literary programme. / New Testament / D. Th. (New Testament)

This study analyses the social function of glossolalia in the narrative world of the book of Acts. In so doing, it addresses the lack of scholarship related to treating glossolalic references from social scientific perspectives. Particularly noted is the absence in the literature of adequate treatments of the Ephesian disciples pericope in Acts 18:24–19:7, which this study seeks to correct. Through application of Berger and Luckmann’s sociology of knowledge models, this study argues that reading Luke-Acts as the author’s legitimation of the Jesus movement’s social world is a valid, even preferred reading of the literature. Tracing the development of Luke’s legitimation conceptual machinery reveals the social conflict background that to a large degree motivated its writing and organized its content. The purity-related conflicts between circumcision loyalists and Jesus followers from the Gentile world that dominate the second half of Acts is of particular interest to this research. This study demonstrates how Luke uses glossolalia as a divinely initiated marker of Gentile purity status to legitimate new social boundaries that supersede circumcision. These new social boundaries, marked by glossolalia, represent an integral component of the Jesus movement’s revised purity map, relative to temple-centred Yahwism. The legitimation reading, including Luke’s construction and validation of the Jesus group’s symbolic universe and its conclusions regarding the social function of glossolalia, is applied to the Ephesian disciples pericope. This study argues that the events narrated in this passage represent a continuing social conflict between circumcision loyalists and Gentile converts. Luke narrates the events in Acts 18:24–19:7 in order to correct a deviant baptism teaching (John’s baptism) that was propagated with the intent, based on purity concerns and prejudice, to marginalize Gentiles from full social integration into the Jesus community. Demonstrating that glossolalia functions as a social boundary marker that supersedes circumcision and that this best informs our interpretation of the Ephesian disciples pericope fully integrates this narrative event into Luke’s literary programme. / New Testament / D. Th. (New Testament)