The interpretive question of normativity is a challenge that confronts the reader of the biblical text, particularly as it relates to the book of Acts. The task of reading the biblical text in a way that allows it to speak its message and that enables it to make the transition from the first-century into the twenty-first century is often anything but straightforward and as such requires a responsible approach to reading on the part of the interpreter. Based upon the challenges directly associated with reading the book of Acts, with special attention paid to the contribution of sociological criticism, four principles for reading that are characterized by cultural analysis, narrative structure, theological impact and personal faith have been developed in order to assist the reader in considering essential elements related to the quest for normativity. By holding these principles in balance, the reader will be given the opportunity to construct a meaningful foundation for interpretation that may be followed by application of five guidelines for normativity identified as a subset of the proposed principles. Analyses of Acts 2:42-47 and Acts 4:32-35 demonstrate the application of the principles for responsible reading and the guidelines for normativity by considering normative versus non-normative practices of the early church in the context of the community of goods. Evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the principles for responsible reading identify the positive contribution of this thesis as well as areas that require further study and development. / Thesis / Master of Theological Studies (MTS)

There are a large number of character speeches in Acts. Scholars have used various means and methods to contribute to a feasible and plausible answer regarding the functions of speeches in Acts. Unfortunately, the studies have often been focused on the authenticity of the speeches: were they Luke's creation or simply his compilation? This dissertation presents another set of tools for scholars to revisit Luke's speeches in Acts in order to add insight into their questions, and also to broaden the realm of this narrow focus. In particular, I will implement and demonstrate how to use modern linguistics, namely discourse analysis based on Halliday's Systemic Functional Linguistics. The present study ventures to apply this linguistic insight by focusing on two speeches in the Acts of the Apostles, Acts 2:14-36 and 17:22-31. If scholars wish to study the speeches of Acts further, or any New Testament speeches, hopefully this dissertation will provide a helpful approach to meet their needs. Thus, analyzing and comparing the author's functionally linguistic choices in these two speeches with regards to similarities and differences will describe his specific use of these speeches. The most notable contribution of the dissertation will be found in implementing a new approach to the study of speeches in Acts. I also hope such a due recognition of the language will motivate and inspire further linguistic explorations into various areas, which remain perplexed by other approaches.

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Text in Afrikaans / Die kerk maak nie meer 'n impak op die samelewing van ons tyd nie. Beide statistiek en die landsomstandighede bewys onteenseglik hierdie stelling. Die situasie in Suid-Afrika is so benard dat die kerk nie onbetrokke kan bly nie. Die kerk is egter self kragteloos en kwynend. Die rede waarom die kerk nie 'n impak maak op mense nie, is <lat die kerk sy roeping verloor het. 'n Kerk wat sy roeping verloor het, het ook sy identiteit verloor. Die roeping van die kerk word bespreek aan die hand van die Matteus-evangelie. Gehoorsaarnheid t.o.v. haar roeping vra dat die kerk 'n manier vind om gesekulariseerde mense te evangeliseer en assimileer. 'n Historiese blik op die kerk wys uit dat ons tans op die drumpel van die grootste transformasie staan wat die kerk die afgelope 1600 jaar beleef het. Ons geslag is geroep om die kerk van die volgende paradigma gestalte te laat kry. Aan die hand van die sosioloog, Parsons, word uitgewys dat die huidige struktuur van die kerk waardevorming teewerk. 'n Meer effektiewe inrigting word deur die teorie uitgewys. Die identiteit van die kerk en verhoudinge in die kerk meet baie ernstiger opgeneem word. Die tyd van die kerk as instituut is verby. Die kerk sal maksimum impak op mense buite die kerk he wanneer die kerugma, leiturgia, koinonia en diakonia gebalanseerd funksioneer. Drie prosesse moet op die missionere front van die geloofsgemeenskap in sinvolle samehang funksioneer ten einde gesekulariseerde mense te bereik. Dit is diens aan die gemeenskap, 'n dialoog-geleentheid, en 'n duidelik omlynde proses waardeur gewillige buitestaanders deel word van die huisgesin van die geloof en Koninkrykswaardes gevestig word. Die sentrale stelling van hierdie studie is dat 'n geloofsgemeenskap wat gesond en gebalanseerd funksioneer 'n positiewe transformerende invloed op mense uitoefen, wat ook na hulle waardes deurwerk. / The Church no longer has any significant impact on society. An analysis of the Church morally and statistically confirms this. The situation in South Africa is so critical, that the Church cannot afford to remain detached and uninvolved. An explanation for this lack of impact, is that the Church has lost its identity. Its loss of a sense of call and purpose is argued from the Gospel of Matthew. In order to rediscover its call, the Church must find a way to evangelise and assimilate secular people. A historical analysis reveals that the Church is on the brink of the greatest transformation in 1600 years. Our generation is called upon to shape the new Church paradigm. The present structure of the institutional Church nullifies the attempt to instil its moral values. Parson's sociological theory confirms this and proposes a more effective paradigm, where the identity of the Church and the importance of relationships are underscored. It is only when the Church balances kerugma, leiturgia, koinonia and diakonia that she effectively impacts on secular men and women. Three processes need to be held in tension in this evangelical endeavour of the faith community. These include ministry to the commtinity; an interactional dialogue; and a process of assimilation and value formation, culminating in a sense of belonging to the household of faith. The central thesis holds that a balanced and healthy community of faith, effects a positive transforming influence and leads to a change of values. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / D.Th. (Practical Theology)

Pentecostalism has, in recent times, undeniably contributed towards the growth of the church as a whole. Public worship services inherently submit and contribute towards the meeting between man and God as well as fellowship between the people who form part of said service. Public services in honor of God speak to the purposes of God and man’s fundamental desire to meet with our Creator. Consequently, research into this phenomenon proves vital in determining and even extending the role of the Pentecostal ideology in correlation to the longevity of honorary public services. Chapters 2 through 4 shed light on some of the key concepts that clarifies the dynamic nature of these events, throughout the service wherein the radiant power of God touches the human heart in some astounding ways. Exegetic studies have been undertaken into 2 Chronicles 5-7 which examines these instances of divine meeting in the Old Testament while the second chapter of Acts deals with the event from a New Testament perspective. In addition to this, 1 Corinthians 11-14 was utilized to highlight the role of the Holy Ghost as the instigator for divine meeting. Specific issues addressed by the research include service preparation and the role of music and its contribution to ambience preceding a meeting between man and God. Moreover, a keen focus on the sermon and the delivery thereof as well as its progression leading up to the conclusion and summary in closing and prayer, are all dealt with as part of this study. This dynamic, in essence, becomes visible through the statement issued by the life of each disciple as a living testament to this consuming and changing event. Honorary public services fit the bill as an event to promote divine meeting. Chapter 5 delves into some of the auxiliary sciences i.e. sociology, communication science, psychology and the field of antropology. The principles in chapters 2 through 4 are affirmed by these aspects of science and provide perspective on the practical applications thereof. All these factors in relation to practice have also been scrutinized through empirical research. This research clearly places divine meeting as a central to and inseparable from perceiver experience. Chapter 7 provides practical guidelines to alternative approaches in practicum. The study proposes a model whereby certain aspects can be examined from a Pentecostal point of view in order to tailor services as a dais for divine meeting. Most importantly it should be evident in the life of the participant that they have truly encounter God. This meeting is the prime objective and at the heart of public service. It serves and should always serve as a doorway to Christian life. / PhD (Liturgics), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

In 2001, President Gordon B. Hinckley, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter–day Saints announced in an opening statement at General Conference, "The vision of Joel has been fulfilled wherein he declared," he then quoted the KJV of Joel 2:28–32. Throughout the remaining six and a half years of his life, he provided no commentary on the fulfillment of this passage. Fulfillment of the passage is also referenced in the standard works for The LDS Church in Joseph Smith—History (JS—H 1:41) and in the New Testament (Acts 2:17–21). An array of publications before and after President Hinckley's statement, comment on the fulfillment of Joel 2:28–32. This thesis is not another voice commenting on the fulfillment of Joel's ancient message. However, in the many statements made on the fulfillment of Joel 2:28–32 a gap exists, in that, no study has been conducted looking specifically at the perceptions and all of the statements of Joseph Smith on the fulfillment of this passage. This thesis seeks to fill that gap. In this thesis I contend that Joseph Smith did not believe that Joel 2:28–32 had ever been fulfilled prior to his lifetime, and that Joseph utilized the prophecy and its fulfillment as a form of motivation for his followers to preach, gather, and build up Zion. Chapter one summarizes some of the history of Christianity's view of fulfillment of Joel 2:28–32. Because Joseph Smith was not raised in a vacuum, chapter two unfolds the Christian commentary on Joel's prophecy found in Bibles produced in the antebellum era that Joseph Smith lived in. Chapter three elucidates the beliefs about the fulfillment of Joel's prophecy which two contemporary Christians had—Alexander Campbell and William Miller—to show how distinct Joseph Smith's teachings and beliefs were in his time–period. Chapter four provides every documented statement Joseph Smith made on Joel's prophecy, and every primary allusion that points back to Joel 2:28–32. It provides analysis to show what connections Joseph did and did not make with fulfillment of Joel 2:28–32 and shows that Joel 2:28–32 was one of the several primary scriptural texts for the restoration. Chapter five demonstrates that other early leaders within Joseph's church also saw the fulfillment of Joel taking place in their day and as a part of their experiences. This thesis shows that Joseph Smith did not consider the fulfillment of Joel on a single occasion, as many of his predecessors and contemporaries had, but through publications and sermons he produced a more thorough structure of belief's regarding its place in the world and especially his church than any other up–start evangelical Christian leader in the antebellum era. He produced a number of revelations, which quote the unique language of Joel. He also pointed people to the ongoing fulfillment of the passage multiple times between 1830 and 1839, showing that he did not believe that fulfillment would come in a specific singular event.

Pentecostalism has, in recent times, undeniably contributed towards the growth of the church as a whole. Public worship services inherently submit and contribute towards the meeting between man and God as well as fellowship between the people who form part of said service. Public services in honor of God speak to the purposes of God and man’s fundamental desire to meet with our Creator. Consequently, research into this phenomenon proves vital in determining and even extending the role of the Pentecostal ideology in correlation to the longevity of honorary public services. Chapters 2 through 4 shed light on some of the key concepts that clarifies the dynamic nature of these events, throughout the service wherein the radiant power of God touches the human heart in some astounding ways. Exegetic studies have been undertaken into 2 Chronicles 5-7 which examines these instances of divine meeting in the Old Testament while the second chapter of Acts deals with the event from a New Testament perspective. In addition to this, 1 Corinthians 11-14 was utilized to highlight the role of the Holy Ghost as the instigator for divine meeting. Specific issues addressed by the research include service preparation and the role of music and its contribution to ambience preceding a meeting between man and God. Moreover, a keen focus on the sermon and the delivery thereof as well as its progression leading up to the conclusion and summary in closing and prayer, are all dealt with as part of this study. This dynamic, in essence, becomes visible through the statement issued by the life of each disciple as a living testament to this consuming and changing event. Honorary public services fit the bill as an event to promote divine meeting. Chapter 5 delves into some of the auxiliary sciences i.e. sociology, communication science, psychology and the field of antropology. The principles in chapters 2 through 4 are affirmed by these aspects of science and provide perspective on the practical applications thereof. All these factors in relation to practice have also been scrutinized through empirical research. This research clearly places divine meeting as a central to and inseparable from perceiver experience. Chapter 7 provides practical guidelines to alternative approaches in practicum. The study proposes a model whereby certain aspects can be examined from a Pentecostal point of view in order to tailor services as a dais for divine meeting. Most importantly it should be evident in the life of the participant that they have truly encounter God. This meeting is the prime objective and at the heart of public service. It serves and should always serve as a doorway to Christian life. / PhD (Liturgics), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Text in Afrikaans / Die kerk maak nie meer 'n impak op die samelewing van ons tyd nie. Beide statistiek en die landsomstandighede bewys onteenseglik hierdie stelling. Die situasie in Suid-Afrika is so benard dat die kerk nie onbetrokke kan bly nie. Die kerk is egter self kragteloos en kwynend. Die rede waarom die kerk nie 'n impak maak op mense nie, is <lat die kerk sy roeping verloor het. 'n Kerk wat sy roeping verloor het, het ook sy identiteit verloor. Die roeping van die kerk word bespreek aan die hand van die Matteus-evangelie. Gehoorsaarnheid t.o.v. haar roeping vra dat die kerk 'n manier vind om gesekulariseerde mense te evangeliseer en assimileer. 'n Historiese blik op die kerk wys uit dat ons tans op die drumpel van die grootste transformasie staan wat die kerk die afgelope 1600 jaar beleef het. Ons geslag is geroep om die kerk van die volgende paradigma gestalte te laat kry. Aan die hand van die sosioloog, Parsons, word uitgewys dat die huidige struktuur van die kerk waardevorming teewerk. 'n Meer effektiewe inrigting word deur die teorie uitgewys. Die identiteit van die kerk en verhoudinge in die kerk meet baie ernstiger opgeneem word. Die tyd van die kerk as instituut is verby. Die kerk sal maksimum impak op mense buite die kerk he wanneer die kerugma, leiturgia, koinonia en diakonia gebalanseerd funksioneer. Drie prosesse moet op die missionere front van die geloofsgemeenskap in sinvolle samehang funksioneer ten einde gesekulariseerde mense te bereik. Dit is diens aan die gemeenskap, 'n dialoog-geleentheid, en 'n duidelik omlynde proses waardeur gewillige buitestaanders deel word van die huisgesin van die geloof en Koninkrykswaardes gevestig word. Die sentrale stelling van hierdie studie is dat 'n geloofsgemeenskap wat gesond en gebalanseerd funksioneer 'n positiewe transformerende invloed op mense uitoefen, wat ook na hulle waardes deurwerk. / The Church no longer has any significant impact on society. An analysis of the Church morally and statistically confirms this. The situation in South Africa is so critical, that the Church cannot afford to remain detached and uninvolved. An explanation for this lack of impact, is that the Church has lost its identity. Its loss of a sense of call and purpose is argued from the Gospel of Matthew. In order to rediscover its call, the Church must find a way to evangelise and assimilate secular people. A historical analysis reveals that the Church is on the brink of the greatest transformation in 1600 years. Our generation is called upon to shape the new Church paradigm. The present structure of the institutional Church nullifies the attempt to instil its moral values. Parson's sociological theory confirms this and proposes a more effective paradigm, where the identity of the Church and the importance of relationships are underscored. It is only when the Church balances kerugma, leiturgia, koinonia and diakonia that she effectively impacts on secular men and women. Three processes need to be held in tension in this evangelical endeavour of the faith community. These include ministry to the commtinity; an interactional dialogue; and a process of assimilation and value formation, culminating in a sense of belonging to the household of faith. The central thesis holds that a balanced and healthy community of faith, effects a positive transforming influence and leads to a change of values. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D.Th. (Practical Theology)

Jésus de Nazareth accordait beaucoup d’importance à la commensalité, au point de faire du repas en commun le contexte particulier du double geste sur le pain et le vin accompli à la dernière Cène. Après avoir été réitéré dans son contexte d’origine par plusieurs générations de chrétiens, le rappel de la Cène s’est ensuite complètement dissocié du contexte d’un repas. Le terme koinwnia utilisé au verset 2,42 du livre des Actes des apôtres désigne-t-il ce repas communautaire autour duquel se déroulaient les rassemblements chrétiens? Grâce à une analyse structurelle réalisée en entonnoir sur les chapitres 2 à 5 du livre des Actes, le présent mémoire met en relief l’importance des repas communautaires dans la vie de la communauté primitive, tout en montrant que le terme koinwnia a un sens plus étendu que le seul repas en commun, mais tout aussi concret et actif que les trois autres éléments énumérés au verset 2,42. / Jesus of Nazareth used to place much importance on commensality, so much that he wished the common meal to be the particular environment for both actions on bread and wine Jesus did during the Last Supper. For several generations, the memorial of Jesus Last Supper kept on being celebrated in its original context by Christians. But it was later separated from the communal meal. Does the word koinwnia in Acts 2:42 denote those communal meals during which Christian gatherings were held? The importance of common meals in the early community will be highlighted here through a funnel-type structural analysis of Acts 2-5. But it will be shown also that the meaning of koinwnia is more extended than the common meal alone, and just as concrete and active as the three other elements listed in verse 2:42.

Le récit de la Pentecôte (Actes des Apôtres 2) présente au lecteur un élément particulier qui se retrouve rarement dans le canon biblique : les « langues comme de feu ». Seuls les passages d’Isaïe 5,24 et Actes 2,3 utilisent cette expression; pourtant, leurs contextes diffèrent largement. Nous trouvons certains commentaires rabbiniques et fragments de rouleaux de la Mer Morte qui emploient cette même expression, et la littérature gréco-romaine utilise une image similaire où un feu divin se pose sur la tête de certains personnages. Puisque la fonction de cet élément diffère d’un ouvrage littéraire à un autre, comment devons-nous interpréter les langues de feu dans le récit de la Pentecôte? Les commentaires bibliques qui examinent cet élément proposent différentes hypothèses sur la symbolique des langues de feu. Afin de répondre à cette problématique, nous commencerons notre étude avec une présentation sur l’état de la question et des approches synchroniques utilisées. Nous présenterons ensuite l’analyse structurelle du récit de la Pentecôte afin de percevoir la place que notre expression occupe dans cette péricope. Au chapitre trois, nous ferons une analyse grammaticale de notre segment afin de voir la fonction grammaticale de l’expression, et présenter une recension des ouvrages hébraïques et gréco-romains qui utilisent cette expression ou une image similaire. Enfin, l’analyse philologique des termes γλῶσσα et πῦρ sera élaborée et comparée à l’utilisation retrouvée dans le livre des Actes des Apôtres. Subséquemment, nous serons en mesure de porter un regard critique sur quelques interprétations proposées afin de percevoir que la mise en réseau structurel du membre γλῶσσαι ὡσεὶ πυρός, avec les termes répétitifs et synonymiques du récit, nous orientent à percevoir l’accomplissement de la promesse du Saint-Esprit, qui à son tour habilite le croyant à réaliser la mission donnée : la proclamation du message christologique à toutes les ethnies. / The Pentecost Account (Acts of Apostles 2) introduces the reader to a particular item that is rarely found in the biblical canon: the tongues as of fire. Only passages of Isaiah 5:24 and Acts 2.3 use this term, yet their contexts differ widely. We find some rabbinic commentaries and fragments of the Dead Sea scrolls that use this same expression. Greco-Roman literature uses a similar image where a divine fire is set on the head of certain characters. Since the function of this element varies from one text to the other, how are we to interpret the tongues of fire in Pentecost account? Biblical commentaries focused on this element propose different hypothesis as to the symbolism of the tongues of fire. To address this issue, we are going to conduct a presentation on the state of the question, a grammatical analysis, a review of Hebrew texts and Greco-Roman stories that use this expression or a similar image, a philological analysis of the terms γλῶσσα and πῦρ, followed by a structural analysis to perceive the place that our expression holds in the Pentecost account. Subsequently, we will be able to take a critical look at previous synchronic interpretations, and propose that the expression γλῶσσαι ὡσεὶ πυρός works in its structural framework along with its repetitive and synonymous terms in order to guide us to see the fulfillment of the promise of Holy Spirit, which in turn empowers the believer to carry out the mission given: the proclamation of the Christological message to all ethnic groups.