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Although there are a lot of popular books available on the subject of hope I still believe that there is a need for another study on the phenomenon of hope. Especially where proper exegesis and a multidiscipline approach are taken into account. In this study I’ve researched the effect of a society in transition on hope. I suspect that the changes since 1994 have a significant influence on the attitude, thought and behaviour of the Afrikaner especially. To come to such a conclusion the study take theories of change in Sociology into account. Some information were gathered from papers. The reason for that is the influence papers have on the spirit of society, and in this case its influence on people’s hope. Unfortunately one of the conclusions is that a lack of hope can very well be one of the consequences of the changes in society since 1994. The contemporary study is followed by a study on hope in Paul’s letter to the Romans. The background of the author, the congregation and the theology of the letter were taken in consideration. In most of the cases I’ve used the verses in the letter where the word hope was used. Surprisingly there is quite a comparison between the letter of Romans and society today as far as the reasons that causes hopelessness. Therefore Romans can be of great value to give hope in a disorientated society. Until now we know that there is a lack of hope in society, and that Romans give us reason to hope, but what is the person looking like that we want to communicate with? The study on post modernity show us how this “new” paradigm looks like. Post modernity is very different to modernism. The latest paradigm is universal and no one and nothing can escape it. Social sciences, the arts, economy, science itself and the theology were largely influenced by post modernity. With its larger emphasis on spirituality it creates wonderful opportunities for preaching. On the other side though, one should also keep its threats in mind, especially the proneness to relativism and New Age. In the last chapter I use all the information and conclusions of the previous chapters to get to a homiletic strategy for a postmodern context. The most important part of this chapter is to conclude that confession is a suitable hermeneutical and homiletical tool for preaching in post modernity. There is no need to prove confession, it is about something that is believed. The Bible therefore is still as relevant as ever. Communication strategies are included to guide the preacher in the most effective way when preaching in a postmodern context. The chapter ends with certain specific homiletic contents from the Roman letter that can be used today. We can know for certain that hopelessness is part of our society today. However we’ve got the promise of Romans 15:13 that God stays our God of hope. Our tasks are to posision us homiletically, hermeneutically and strategically in such a way that we give our faith the best possible chance. / Dissertation (MTh (Practical Theology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Practical Theology / MTh (Practical Theology) / unrestricted

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Uppsatsen undersöker, ur några olika perspektiv, distinktionen mellan Andens och köttets sinnelag i Rom 8. Ordet för sinnelag (φρόνημα), dess betydelse och Paulus användning av det studeras. För att belysa distinktionen mellan de olika sinnelagen så studeras Paulus text utifrån ett vid tiden vanligt filosofiskt sammanhang – det stoiska. Därtill tittar en receptionshistorisk undersökning på några utvalda tolkare av texten, för att se hur den har förståtts i kristen tradition. Uppsatsens kommer fram till, att distinktionen visar på utpräglat olika förhållningssätt till så väl Guds verk i världen som till medmänniskor. Något som får påverka hur man agerar.

Despite the fact that the majority of scholars agree that Paul’s letter to the Romans was written to address the Judean-Gentile ethnic divide in Rome, there is still a continued failure to follow through with the avenues that this position opens up for the study of Romans. Traditionally, Paul’s letter to the Romans has been read as a theological tractate, a reading that assumes an ideational or theological interpretation of the letter to the exclusion of Paul’s ethnic rhetoric present in the letter and how it might have related and even addressed the tangible relations between real-world Judeans and Gentiles in first century antiquity. This study investigates just that: how might Paul’s ethnic rhetoric have addressed the Judean- Gentile ethnic divide in Rome. After the introduction, the study reviews the current state of scholarship with regard to Paul and ethnicity in Romans. This then is followed by an elaborate socio-historical exploration of Judean-Gentile ethnicities and relations in ancient antiquity and the specific Roman context into which Paul’s letter was addressed. The impact of those relations to the origins of the early Christian movement in Rome and significant points of coherence between the socio-historical context and Paul’s letter are also established. Having established the socio-historical context, Paul’s ethnic rhetoric in Romans 1-4 is probed for how it might have addressed the Judean-Gentile ethnic divide and realised unity among them. / MA (New Testament), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

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