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When reading the Bible in an independent way, i.e., not through the lenses of any official Church dogma, one is amazed by the many voices that come through to us. Add to this variety the literaiy finds from Nag Hammadi, as well as the Dead Sea Scrolls, then the question now confronting many spiritual pilgrims is how it came about that these obviously diverse theologies, represented in the socalled Old and New Testaments, were moulded into only one "orthodox" result. In what way and to what degree were the many Christian groups different and distinctive from one another, as well as from other Jewish groups? Furthermore, what was the influence of other religions, Judaism, the Mysteries, Gnostics and Philosophers on the development, variety of groups and ultimately 021 the consolidation of "orthodox" soteriology? / Systematic Theology and Theological Ethics / M.Th. (Systematic Theology)

The Reformed exegete and theologian Peter Martyr Vermigli (1499--1562) was an unoriginal, but consistent thinker. Theological insights were not packaged separately from each other, but consistently linked together. In all his thought he sought to steer the middle course between theological extremes in taking what was good and rejecting what was bad from each. Typical of this tendency to steer the middle course are his insights into the outward instruments of divine grace. According to Vermigli such instruments---the human nature of Christ, the audible words of Scripture and the visible words of the Sacraments---should not be over-carnalized, nor over-spiritualized. Although God could work immediately (i.e. without instruments), he has chosen to work through these instruments for salvation. Hence, the inward spiritual power and the outward instrument must not be divorced from each other. The Spirit of God does not normally work without the outward instrument, nor can the outward instrument effect grace without the Spirit's power. / Modern scholarship has done much to define the sources of Vermigli's thought, but more needs to be said. The more Vermigli is studied, the more it is necessary to qualify characterizations of him. He is not a thinker who is easily pigeon-holed into a certain theological school or movement. As a well-educated biblical and humanistic scholar, Vermigli took independent and well-reasoned positions on the whole variety of theological questions current in his day. As such, this study attempts to view the inter-connected nature of Vermigli's thought so as to gain a better view of the whole of his thought.

No description available.

When reading the Bible in an independent way, i.e., not through the lenses of any official Church dogma, one is amazed by the many voices that come through to us. Add to this variety the literaiy finds from Nag Hammadi, as well as the Dead Sea Scrolls, then the question now confronting many spiritual pilgrims is how it came about that these obviously diverse theologies, represented in the socalled Old and New Testaments, were moulded into only one "orthodox" result. In what way and to what degree were the many Christian groups different and distinctive from one another, as well as from other Jewish groups? Furthermore, what was the influence of other religions, Judaism, the Mysteries, Gnostics and Philosophers on the development, variety of groups and ultimately 021 the consolidation of "orthodox" soteriology? / Systematic Theology and Theological Ethics / M.Th. (Systematic Theology)

No description available.

No description available.

The upsurge of religious movements and independent churches in the Global South is bringing a new twist to world economic development not anticipated by many theologians and social scientists. With a syncretic soteriology geared toward the liberation of the whole person, religious movements and independent churches of the south are preaching to their adherents, mostly the poor and the marginalized, a message of faith in an omnipotent and compassionate God who is concerned for their weal and woes and who offers them an assured and holistic salvation. By placing their faith in God, the poor and marginalized people are discovering their true selves and are saved/liberated. This assured salvation (certitudo salutis), which is a total liberation of the physical and spiritual world, becomes, in turn, the motivational energy for capital development. The Zion Christian Church (ZCC) soteriological predicament stands at this juncture. Through processes of syncretization and purification, ZCC has managed to deconstruct the European/North American and African Traditional Religions soteriologies to construct a pure soteriology that is relevant to the socio context of its adherents. ZCC deconstructs these soteriologies by broadening, for example, the classic Christian soteriogical theory of Christus Victor in her notion of sin, death and the devil and the African traditional soteriological notion of uBuntu and spirit-power. The purity, or holistic salvation, generated out of these processes serves as grounds for identity and economic empowerment of its adherents. With a holistic salvation that centers on healing, personal integrity and spiritual power, ZCC members have been able to achieve considerable success in the labour market by becoming an army of potential employees. They have also distinguished themselves in their work ethic, where they are seen as hardworking, disciplined, obedient and sober. Empowering its adherents economically through a religious soteriology, the ZCC has become an example of a trend that is shaping the Global South and is reviving the interest of social scientists and theologians to further investigate the impact of religious and theological formulations on the economic conduct of individuals. / Theology / D. Th. (Theological Ethics)

Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2002 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation examines the relationship of ontology and soteriology - the classic problem of nature and grace. Paul Tillich and Arnold van Ruler have been chosen as the best representatives of the classical tradition of the reformation. It is seen that although there is a significant formal difference between the theologies of these two theologians, there is a material identity. The combination of these two perspectives, Tillich's philosophical theology with Van Ruler's more traditional Calvinistic theology, helps to shed more light on the subject. The first subject to be considered is the ontological background for understanding reality as a whole. This is discussed as the trinitarian-predestinarian-eschatological framework of ontology. Everything finds its possibility in the trinitarian being of God, its reality in the eternal decrees and its purpose in the eschatological will of God. Creation has become (morally, not ontologically) separated from God in the fall and therefore salvation is needed. Christology is a function of soteriology and is to be understood in terms of substitution. This salvation, gained in Christ, is expressed in us by the outpoured Holy Spirit according to the eschatological will of God. Pneumatology is to be related to, and distinguished from christology. We are not replaced by the Spirit, but taken into a relationship with God. This is to be understood in terms of the struggle of the Spirit with the flesh. The presence of the Spirit is kerygmatic, paradoxical, anticipatory and miraculous. There is an ambiguous and fragmentary realization of salvation in the Spirit. Proto logically and eschatologically there is an identity between culture (i.e. creation and history) and the kingdom of God. But in time and space there is a duality (not a dualism). This finds expression in the duality of church and state. The state is the kernel of culture and the church is the representative of the kingdom. The state is essentially the servant of God, and insofar as it orders life it is serving God. But it is separated from God and needs the church to call it back to its proper function. Where there is the duality of church and state in a nation, there is a theocratic situation. This leads to the Bible. That is a state where the Word is proclaimed and the state, because of its essential relationship to God, can understand this proclamation. In a theocracy there is a partial union of creation and salvation. Theocracy is a Spiritual reality. It is kerygmatic and paradoxical. It is not an ideal or an ethical system imposed on life. It has a conservative character as it stands in opposition to the demonic. As the document of God's struggle with the religious nationalism oflsrael, the Old Testament provides the paradigm for a theocracy. In this sense a christianized state is an incidental repetition - mutatis mutandis - of the nation ofIsrael. Eschatologically, the particularity of salvation is completely done away with. The incarnation and the outpouring are undone. Then there is only the triune God and the naked existence of creation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie proefskrif word ondersoek ingestel na die relasie tussen ontologie en soteriologie (respektiewelik: natuur en genade) met behulp van Paul Tillich en Arnold van Ruler as verteenwoordigers van die klassieke Reformatoriese tradisie. Dit blyk dat ten spyte van fonnele verskille tussen die teologiee van hierdie twee teolce, daar materieel groot ooreenstemming bestaan. 'n Kombinasie van Tillich se filosofiese teologie met Van Ruler se meer tradisioneel Calvinistiese benadering, werk verhelderend ten opsigte van die betrokke problematiek. Eers word die ontologiese agtergrond van die werklikheid as sodanig ondersoek. Dit word bestempel as die trinitaries-predestiaans-eskatologiese raamwerk van die ontologie. Die moontlikheid van alle bestaan rus in die trinitariese wese, die werklikheid daarvan in die ewige raad, en die doel daarvan in die eskatologiese wil van God. Die skepping het as gevolg van die val (moreel, nie ontologies nie) verwyder geraak van God en gevolglik is redding noodsaaklik. Christologie is 'n funksie van soteriologie en moet verstaan word in terme van plaasbekleding. Hierdie heil wat Christus bewerk het, kom tot gestalte in ons deur die uitstorting van die Heilige Gees in ooreenstemming met die eskatologiese wil van God. Pneumatologie staan in relasie tot christologie, maar moet terselfdertyd onderskei word van laasgenoemde. Ons word nie deur die Gees vervang nie, maar opgeneem in 'n verhouding met God. Dit moet verstaan word in terme van die stryd van die Gees teen die vlees. Die teenwoordigheid van die Gees is kerugmaties, paradoksaal, antisiperend en wonderbaar. Daar is 'n dubbelsinnige en fragmentariese realisering van die heil in die Gees. Hoewel protologies en eskatologies 'n identiteit bestaan tussen kultuur (d w s skepping en geskiedenis) en die koninkryk van God, vorm dit binne ruimte en tyd 'n dualiteit (nie dualisme nie). Dit kom tot uitdrukking in die dualiteit van kerk en staat. Die staat is die kern van die kultuur en die kerk die verteenwoordiger van die koninkryk. In wese is die staat die dienskneg van God en in soverre dit die lewe orden, staan dit in diens van God. Dit is egter vervreem van God en het die kerk nodig om dit terug te roep tot sy eintlike funksie. Waar daar 'n dualiteit bestaan van kerk en staat in 'n nasie, vind ons 'n teokratiese situasie. Dit is 'n staat met die Bybel, waar die Woord verkondig word en die staat a g v sy wesenlike verbouding tot God, die verkondiging kan verstaan. 'n Teokrasie is 'n Geestelike realiteit waarin daar reeds 'n gedeeltelike vereniging van skepping en heil plaasvind. Dit is kerugmaties en paradoksaal. Dit is nie 'n ideaal of 'n etiese sisteem wat die lewe opgele word nie. Dit het 'n konserverende karakter wat staan in opposisie tot die demoniese. Synde die dokument van God se worsteling met die religieuse nasionalisme van Israel, bied die Ou Testament die paradigma vir 'n teokrasie. In hierdie sin is die gekerstende staat 'n insidentele herhaling - mutatis mutandis - van Israel as nasie. Eskatologies verdwyn die besonderheid van die verlossing. Die inkamasie en die uitstorting van die Gees word ongedaan gemaak. Dan is daar aileen maar die drie-enige God en die naakte eksistensie.

The purpose of this thesis is to delineate the theological shifts that occurred in Wesley's post-Aldersgate soteriology. To realize this purpose, three distinct soteriological shifts in his thought will be examined. These shifts involve changes in how he understood the following: the conditions of redemption, the state of humanity and the scope of salvation. Through an examination of these shifts, three distinct phases (early, middle and late) were detected. In the early phase there appears to be a distinct Reformed bias; fallen human beings are totally depraved and can be redeemed only through explicit faith in Christ's atonement. In the two subsequent phases, an increasing emphasis is given to Arminian distinctives. Particular emphasis is given to the Arminian understanding of prevenient grace. In the middle phase, the Reformed and Arminian elements appear to co-exist within the same soteriological framework--reconciled through a tenuous and at times tortuous dialectic. This dialectic seems to crumble in the late phase. The Reformed elements are quietly dismissed; the Arminian elements dominate.