Afrikaans speaking believers have been experiencing a degree of disillusionment due to changes in the South African political landscape. This has caused spiritual instability that again caused people to want to escape to beter opportunities elsewhere, reduced church attendance and social isolation. This disillusionment is due to the fact that Afrikaans speaking believers hold to a cultural, social and self empowering type of hope that looks to the advantages of positive circumstances. A great void exists in research dealing with the hope and spirituality of Afrikaans speaking believers who experience such a disillusionment, and that resulted in this study. An empirical study revealed that the Afrikaans community struggles to deal completely with the new South African community. They feel the pressure of limited or no work opportunities due to affirmative action, uncertainty regarding their role in the new South Africa and the breaking down of Afrikaans as a historically respected language and culture. Materialism, a false trust in political and world leaders, negative media reporting, as well as people immigrating for beter opportunities, were singled out as contributors to the breaking down of hope, a hope that takes on the form of cultural entitlement and social self empowerment. A literary study showed that true Christian hope must be distinguished from wishful thinking, the outcome of social, political or economical self empowerment or emotional optimism, but rather that it is grounded in the faith knowledge of Jesus Christ as Redeemer. The church as the family of God provides hope in a space where the past and the future comes together in an active walk of faith that follows the life of Jesus Christ in serving and caring for others. Preaching must be the carrier of hope and the reminder that the promises of God will be realized up and until the coming of Jesus Christ in glory. Perspectives from Scripture confirmed that hope is not just a human thought of wishful thinking, an emotional state of mind or optimism. True Christian hope is an inner faith conviction and trust in the promises of God for salvation, provision and grace, even in the midst of poor or bad circumstances, caused by sin. This Christian hope is initiated and developed through a knowledge of the Word of God, that finds fulfillment in Jesus Christ. True Christian hope is an inner spiritual conviction through faith in Jesus Christ, a practical lifestyle of love in accordance with God’s will and a living expectation for the coming of Jesus Christ. Practical-theoretical guidelines and study work were developed where Afrikaans speaking believers, experiencing a degree of disillusionment due to a changing South Africa, can be pastorally guided to a true Christian hope. / MA (Pastoral Studies), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Afrikaans speaking believers have been experiencing a degree of disillusionment due to changes in the South African political landscape. This has caused spiritual instability that again caused people to want to escape to beter opportunities elsewhere, reduced church attendance and social isolation. This disillusionment is due to the fact that Afrikaans speaking believers hold to a cultural, social and self empowering type of hope that looks to the advantages of positive circumstances. A great void exists in research dealing with the hope and spirituality of Afrikaans speaking believers who experience such a disillusionment, and that resulted in this study. An empirical study revealed that the Afrikaans community struggles to deal completely with the new South African community. They feel the pressure of limited or no work opportunities due to affirmative action, uncertainty regarding their role in the new South Africa and the breaking down of Afrikaans as a historically respected language and culture. Materialism, a false trust in political and world leaders, negative media reporting, as well as people immigrating for beter opportunities, were singled out as contributors to the breaking down of hope, a hope that takes on the form of cultural entitlement and social self empowerment. A literary study showed that true Christian hope must be distinguished from wishful thinking, the outcome of social, political or economical self empowerment or emotional optimism, but rather that it is grounded in the faith knowledge of Jesus Christ as Redeemer. The church as the family of God provides hope in a space where the past and the future comes together in an active walk of faith that follows the life of Jesus Christ in serving and caring for others. Preaching must be the carrier of hope and the reminder that the promises of God will be realized up and until the coming of Jesus Christ in glory. Perspectives from Scripture confirmed that hope is not just a human thought of wishful thinking, an emotional state of mind or optimism. True Christian hope is an inner faith conviction and trust in the promises of God for salvation, provision and grace, even in the midst of poor or bad circumstances, caused by sin. This Christian hope is initiated and developed through a knowledge of the Word of God, that finds fulfillment in Jesus Christ. True Christian hope is an inner spiritual conviction through faith in Jesus Christ, a practical lifestyle of love in accordance with God’s will and a living expectation for the coming of Jesus Christ. Practical-theoretical guidelines and study work were developed where Afrikaans speaking believers, experiencing a degree of disillusionment due to a changing South Africa, can be pastorally guided to a true Christian hope. / MA (Pastoral Studies), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

This dissertation is a detailed analysis of the Epistle to the Colossians. The author uses rhetorical critical methods and recognizes that the New Testament epistles are greatly influenced by oratory. Also, the author demonstrates how rhetorical techniques assist Paul to express his thought that the central idea of Christianity—the divine nature and saving work of Christ — has unavoidable ethical implications. In the first chapter of his letter Paul cites Christological hymn; he uses Christological theme during the whole epistle; the apostle concludes his admonition with the Household code, in which social roles of the member of oikos are interpreted in relation to Christ. According to Paul's teaching in Colossians, the power of Christ has universal scope and, consequently, all aspects of human life, including everyday, societal relationships, must be brought into submission to Christ. / New Testament / M. Th. (New Testament)

The present thesis examines probably the ultimate focal point in the history of the Christian South Caucasian Cultures – the Caucasian Schism that occurred in the early seventh century – a major scandal that ended the ecclesiastical communion between the Georgian and Armenian Churches and gave impetus to the rise of the so-called national Churches. The schism became the central point of reference in both medieval and modern Caucasian historiographies. Modern scholarship has advanced different claims concerning the nature, reasons and results of the Schism, in many cases arguing that almost all aspects of the respective cultures have been affected by the Schism. As for medieval Armenian historical narratives, they made a good conceptual use of the schism, presenting the schism as a major interpretive schema for the explanation of all aspects of their relations with their northern neighbours. Contrary to such view, I argue that our knowledge of the reasons behind the schism and theological controversies that preceded, accompanied or followed the Schism in the sixth century is in most cases determined by the conceptual framework created in the Middle Ages together with the changes in political state of affairs in the Caucasus. In the period between the tenth to thirteenth centuries, when all major South Caucasian powers were struggling for the unification of the Caucasus under their aegis, the remembrance of the schism became particularly important. The remembrance and indeed forgetting of the Caucasian unity and separation became a rhetorical tool in medieval Armeno-Georgian debates. Therefore instead of taking the Schism at face value, I propose to abandon the traditional liminalist perception of the history of unity and separation in the Caucasus, and adopt a more rewarding approach, that is to say to try to understand when, why and by whom were the crucial events of the Late Antique Caucasian history conceptualized and adapted for contemporary ideological needs.

Denna uppsats undersöker hur den kristologi som kommer till uttryck i Elisabeth Ohlson Wallins fotoutställning Ecce Homo kan förstås i relation till det kristologiska projekt som artikulerats av Marcella Althaus-Reid. Undersökningen sker i två steg där Althaus-Reids kristologi först rekonstrueras utifrån de texter i hennes författarskap som tydligt behandlar ämnet, varefter en serie bildanalyser görs av fem fotografier ur Ecce Homo. Studien visar att både Althaus-Reids texter och Ecce Homo innehåller inte en utan flera olika kristologier. De kristologier som uttrycks i Ecce Homo visar sig på många sätt överensstämma med Althaus- Reids kristologiska strävanden, samtidigt som Ohlson Wallins och Althaus-Reids projekt skiljer sig åt på väsentliga punkter, framförallt vad gäller bredd och metodologiska/tematiska ingångar. Medan Althaus-Reids kristologi förstås som intersektionell och alltså som berörande flera olika maktordningar visar sig Ecce Homo framförallt tematisera icke- heterosexuell erfarenhet i relation till Kristus.

The argument of this paper is that certain salient passages in the New Testament concerning Christology, as it was defined in the Nicene creed in A.D. 325, reflect such orthodoxy better in the Textus Receptus Greek texts and the English translations made from them than do the Alexandrian texts. Arian theology, which was condemned as heretical at Nicea, is examined. Patristic quotations, historical texts, and arguments of the scholars are cited and traced, along with a comparison of Christological verses.

The central aim of this thesis is to analyse the influence of Kierkegaard on Bonhoeffer. This relationship has been almost universally recognized. And yet this area has received no comprehensive study, limited within the secondary literature to footnotes, digressions, and the occasional paper. Furthermore, what little literature there is has been plagued by several stereotypes. First, discussion is often limited to Discipleship. Second, Kierkegaard has been identified as an individualist and acosmist who rejected the church, leading many to consider Bonhoeffer the ecumenist and ecclesiologist as selectively agreeing with Kierkegaard, but ultimately rejecting his overall stance. This thesis will argue that neither stereotype is true, and suggest (a), that Kierkegaard’s influence can be found throughout Bonhoeffer’s work, and (b) that although a more stereotypical perspective may be present in SC, by the end of his life Bonhoeffer had gained a far deeper understanding across the breadth of Kierkegaard’s work. The importance of this thesis is not simply to ‘plug the gap’ of scholarship in this area, but also to suggest the importance of analysing Kierkegaard and Bonhoeffer together. This will focus on three specific areas. First, alongside the influence of Kierkegaard on Bonhoeffer, it will argue for the importance of using Bonhoeffer as an interpretive tool for understanding Kierkegaard. This thesis will show how Bonhoeffer adopted and adapted Kierkegaard’s work to his own situation, forcing Kierkegaard to answer questions that were not present during his own life. In this way, we are led to compare Kierkegaard and Bonhoeffer as individuals, and not simply their static declarations. Secondly, against the tendency to consider Kierkegaard and Bonhoeffer’s final attacks on Christendom as unfortunate endings to otherwise profound careers, it will be suggested that these attacks stand as the fulfilment of their earlier thought. It will be argued that despite their different contexts, both Kierkegaard and Bonhoeffer were led to the same conclusions concerning Christendom. Thirdly, given Kierkegaard’s submission to indirect communication and his somewhat 'prophetic' proclamations concerning one who will come after him and reform, this thesis will ask whether Bonhoeffer stands as something of a fulfilment to Kierkegaard’s thought in the guise of a Kierkegaardian ‘reformer’.

Si la théologie lucanienne de la résurrection a largement été étudiée dans le livre des Actes des Apôtres, Jésus n’a jamais été considéré comme personnage principal, à l’inverse des apôtres, de l’Esprit saint ou même de Dieu. Pourtant, le premier verset des Actes laisse entendre que Jésus va continuer de faire et d’enseigner ce qu’il avait commencé dans l’évangile, même si, peu de temps après l’ouverture du récit, il quitte la scène. Pour chercher à comprendre ce paradoxe, une analyse approfondie de la mise en récit du personnage Jésus dans les Actes était nécessaire. Le premier chapitre de cette thèse introduit le sujet, l’état de la question et deux approches méthodologiques empruntées aux experts de la caractérisation narrative. Au chapitre deux, après avoir introduit la difficulté d’identification du personnage qui se trouve derrière le titre Seigneur des Actes, le cadre épistémologique d’Elizabeth Struthers Malbon permet d’observer le comment en classant toutes les péricopes qui participent à la rhétorique de la caractérisation christologique en cinq catégories : (1) la christologie représentée qui montre ce que Jésus fait, (2) la christologie détournée qui permet d’entendre ce que Jésus dit en réponse aux autres personnages, (3) la christologie projetée qui laisse entendre ce que les autres personnages ou le narrateur disent à Jésus et à son sujet, (4) la christologie réfléchie qui montre ce que les autres personnages font en reflétant ce que Jésus a dit et (5) la christologie reflétée qui montre ce que les autres personnages font en reflétant ce que Jésus a fait. Ensuite, avec le chapitre trois, l’approche de John Darr donne à comprendre le pourquoi de la caractérisation par l’observation de quatre activités cognitives du lecteur : (1) l’anticipation et la rétrospection, (2) la recherche de cohérence, (3) l’identification et/ou l’implication et (4) la défamiliarisation. Enfin, au chapitre quatre, les résultats des deux méthodes sont comparés pour proposer une solution au cas de l’ouverture paradoxale des Actes. D’abord les différentes observations de la thèse montrent que le personnage Jésus n’est pas si absent du récit; puis la rhétorique narrative de la caractérisation conduit le lecteur à comprendre que c’est essentiellement au travers des personnages du récit que Jésus est présent en actes et en paroles. / Though Luke’s theology of resurrection is widely studied in the Book of Acts, Jesus is never seen as its main character, unlike the apostles, the Holy Spirit or God. However, the first verse of Acts suggests that the Jesus character will continue to do and teach what he began in the Gospel, even if soon after the opening, he leaves the scene. To resolve this paradox, a thorough analysis of Jesus characterization in Acts is needed. The first chapter of this dissertation introduces the subject, what has already been said, and two narrative scholars’ methodologies selected for this study. In chapter two, the difficult identification of the Lord of Acts is discussed. Then, the epistemological framework of Elizabeth Struthers Malbon is considered. It shows how characterization works, by ranking all episodes involving Jesus in five groups : (1) enacted Christology : what Jesus does; (2) deflected Christology : what Jesus says in response to other characters; (3) projected Christology : what other characters and the narrator say to and about Jesus; (4) mirroring Christology : what other characters do that mirrors what Jesus says and (5) reflected Christology : what other characters do that mirrors what Jesus does. Chapter three discusses the method of John Darr which helps us to understand the why by observing four cognitive activities of the reader: (1) anticipation and retrospection; (2) consistency-building; (3) identification and (4) defamiliarization. In the conclusion in chapter four, the results of the two systems are compared to resolve the case of the paradoxical opening of Acts. The main conclusion of the different observations of this thesis shows that Jesus is not so absent from the story. Thus the narrative rhetoric of characterization leads the reader to understand that Jesus is mainly present through the characters of the story in acts and words.

[pt] A teologia do Espírito Santo em Víctor Codina, tecida na linha da complementação cristológica e eclesiológica pós-conciliar, relaciona o Espírito Santo e a Igreja em perspectiva histórico-crítica no processo salvífico que une Jesus à Igreja. O autor escuta e reflete teologicamente a partir da realidade existencial latino-americana e projeta consequências pastorais, frente ao silêncio da teologia moderna. O objeto dessa reflexão teológica é tratado como luz que permite contemplar objetivamente a realidade sociocultural, teológica, eclesial e cósmica. Elementos históricos e teológicos essenciais situam a pneumatologia codiniana no horizonte da matriz teológica libertadora, cuja fecundidade suscita nova experiência espiritual nascida da solidariedade compartilhada com os crucificados da história, que vivem nas sombras da morte em expansão. Os pobres, descobertos como lugar teológico especial, conferem caráter profético à sua pneumatologia. A benevolência Divina revela os mistérios do Reino aos pobres, tornando-os portadores de valores humanos, religiosos e culturais, alternativos à modernidade. O Espírito manifesta-se onde há comunhão, justiça, compaixão e solidariedade. A salvação espiritual passa necessariamente pela libertação histórica. Perspectivas emergem no horizonte cultural e da razão simbólica, revelando algo do Mistério inefável. Um fio misterioso tece e entretece a trama histórica, conduzindo-a ao horizonte escatológico. A insuficiência pneumatológica remete a Igreja ao passado e o modelo eclesial jurídico-sacramental esgota-se. A absoluta confiança dos pobres em Deus é a razão última do debate teológico libertador. Ser cristão, mais que seguir uma doutrina, é deixar-se alcançar pelo dinamismo do Espírito, passando da ética à mística do seguimento de Jesus Cristo. / [en] The theology of the Holy Spirit in Victor Codina, woven in the row of the Christological complementation and the post-Conciliar eclesiology, relates the Holy Spirit and the Church in historic perspective in the process saving joining criticism of Jesus to the Church. The author listens and reflects theologically from existential reality Latin American pastoral consequences, and designs against the silence of modern theology. The object of this theological reflection is treated as light that allows contemplate sociocultural reality objectively, cosmic and ecclesial theological. Theological and historical elements are essential on the horizon of the array codiniana pneumatology theological liberating, whose fertility gives rise to new spiritual experience, born of shared solidarity with the crucified of history, who live in the shadows of death in expansion. The poor, discovered as a theological place special prophetic character, give his pneumatology. Divine grace reveals the mysteries of God to the poor, making them carriers of human values, cultural and religious, alternative modernity. The spirit manifests itself where there is Fellowship, justice, compassion and solidarity. The spiritual salvation necessarily passes by historic liberation. Emerging Perspectives on cultural horizon and symbolic reason, revealing something of the ineffable Mystery. A mysterious thread weaves the historic plot, leading it to the eschatological horizon. Insufficient pneumatology posts the Church to the past and the legal-sacramental ecclesial model, exhausted. The absolute confidence of the poor in God is the ultimate reason of liberating theological debate. Being a Christian, more than follow a doctrine, is allowed to reach by the dynamism of the spirit, passing from ethics to mystique of following Jesus Christ.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-27T13:48:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DANILO DOURADO GUERRA.pdf: 1520191 bytes, checksum: 86cf08302abd0aa679e4d7e45374e3d4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-02-04 / This research aims to investigate the Kingdom of God and the world under the bias of the Johannine community from Jo 18:36 exegesis. The objective is to demonstrate that, from the discourse of Jesus on his kingdom, recorded in John 18:36, the Johannine community is a heterotopic construction both in relation to incipient rabbinic Judaism as to the Roman Empire in first century. For thus, the study was divided into three chapters. The first chapter is an introduction to the Fourth Gospel, with emphasis on the Johannine community history and its Christology. The second chapter is an exploratory journey to the cosmos and the basileia from John 18:36. In the third chapter, the heterotopic aspects of the Johannine community are analyzed in relation to the world, based on the theoretical framework of Foucault. In this way, it can be shown that the Kingdom of God promotes heterotopias over time and societies, making it clear, the achievement of a critical space in relation to its world in the Johannine community, that is, a space of decisions and resignifications, capable of breaking socio-religious paradigms and change existing power relations. / Esta pesquisa se propõe a investigar o Reino de Deus e o mundo sob o viés da comunidade joanina a partir da exegese de Jo 18,36. Objetiva-se demonstrar que, a partir do discurso de Jesus sobre o seu Reino, registrado em Jo 18,36, a comunidade joanina é uma construção heterotópica tanto em relação ao incipiente judaísmo rabínico quanto ao Império Romano do século I. Para tanto, o estudo foi dividido em três capítulos. O primeiro capítulo é uma introdução ao Quarto Evangelho, com ênfase na história da comunidade joanina e sua cristologia. O segundo é uma jornada onde explora-se o cosmos e a basileia a partir de Jo 18,36. No terceiro, os aspectos heterotópicos da comunidade joanina são analisados em relação ao mundo, com base no referencial teórico de Foucault. Nesse percurso, é possível demonstrar que o Reino de Deus promove heterotopias ao longo dos tempos e das sociedades, explicitando, na comunidade joanina, a concretização de um espaço crítico em relação ao seu mundo, ou seja, um espaço de decisões e ressignificações, capaz de romper com paradigmas sócio-religiosos e alterar as relações de poder existentes.