No abstract available / Biblical and Ancient studies / M. Th. (New Testament)

Pentecostalism, which developed its essential character during the classical period of 1901-1916, has many significant contributions to make to modern theology. Often viewed as a type of fundamentalism, it is actually a theological tradition in its own right that deserves consideration along with the other two major streams of protestantism, conservative evangelicalism and more liberal ecumenical-mainline thought. Although it emphasizes the experience of the Holy Spirit, pentecostalism is highly Christocentric as is evidenced by its foundational symbol of faith, the fourfold gospel of Jesus as savior, healer, baptizer, and coming king. This work examines how the pentecostal fourfold gospel, as a functional, from below Spirit Christology, anticipates and intersects with trends in twentieth century ecumenical theological thought. The result of the study is the articulation of a fuller, more holistic understanding of the work of Christ in salvation in the world today. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Systematic Theology)

[pt] O Evangelho segundo João desperta grande interesse pelas alusões, em preferência às citações, que faz do Antigo Testamento para anunciar a Boa Nova de Jesus, o Filho de Deus. Localizada na primeira unidade deste Evangelho, que aponta para a hora de Jesus, a perícope de Jo 3,1-12 é a primeira grande seção do diálogo com Nicodemos, um fariseu e um principal dentre os judeus, ali representando seus pares. O anúncio de um novo nascimento necessário de água e espírito, por obra do Espírito, para que se possa participar do escatológico Reino de Deus, é incompreendido por Nicodemos. A repreensão que lhe é dirigida evidencia que na base do anúncio está algum texto das Escrituras de Israel. A presente pesquisa encontrou texto próximo daquele em Ez 36,24-28, onde, ao disperso e desolado Israel, o Senhor promete purificação total e profunda renovação pela infusão do Seu espírito. A dissertação procedeu à análise exegética de Jo 3,1-12, situando-a em seu contexto amplo e imediato, à análise exegética de Ez 36,24-28 e à análise das relações intertextuais entre os dois, segundo os critérios de Markl. Os resultados apontaram significativas correspondências: em ambos se encontra o Senhor em diálogo com o Povo da Antiga Aliança, após o juízo sobre Jerusalém e o Templo, anunciando a salvação escatológica que se cumprirá para o Israel renovado, não necessariamente os descendentes na carne dos israelitas. Mas, o anúncio de João ultrapassa o de Ezequiel: os que recebem o Espírito Santo nascem como filhos de Deus. / [en] The Gospel according to John arouses great interest in the allusions of the Old Testament, in preference to the quotations, to announce the gospel of Jesus, the Son of God. Located in the first unit of this Gospel, which points to the hour of Jesus, Jn 3:1-12 is the first great section of the dialogue with Nicodemus, a Pharisee and a principal among the Jews, representing his peers there. The announcement of a necessary new birth of water and spirit, by the Spirit, to participate in the eschatological Kingdom of God, is misunderstood by Nicodemus. The rebuke directed to him shows that there s some text of Israel Scriptures at the base of the announcement. This research found a similar text in Eze 36:24-28, in which the Lord promisses, to the scattered and desolated Israel, total purification and deep renewal by the infusion of His spirit. The dissertation proceeded to the exegetical analysis of Jn 3:1-12, placing it in its broad and immediate context, to the exegetical analysis of Eze 36:24-28 and to the analysis of the intertextual relations between them, according to Markl s criteria. The results point to significant correspondences: in both the Lord is in dialogue with the People of the Old Covenant, after the judgment on Jerusalem and the Temple, announcing the eschatological salvation to be fulfilled for the renewed Israel, not necessarily descendants in the flesh of the israelites. But John s announcement goes beyond Ezekiel s: those who receive the Holy Spirit are born as children of God.

According to the research, emphatic "Greek text" tells about confidence of Nicodemus in possession of trustworthy criteria, which allow him to judge what might be from God and, hence, what might not be from God. Epistemological premise of Nicodemus is the starting point for the whole conversation in Jn 3:1-21. Analysis of the Jewish literary tradition that used dualistic couples of antonyms to denote "otherness" of the divine sphere 1ms shown that ontological difference (v. 6) makes it impossible for human ("flesh") to know the divine sphere ("spirit"). This results in the fact that manifestations of the divine sphere (effect) are falsely taken by human for the divine sphere itself (cause). In other words, just verification of the divine sphere manifestation without initiative act on behalf of God does not allow human neither to correctly value this sphere, nor to enter it. / New Testament / M. Th. (New Testament)

Through his personal spiritual growth process and Jesus’ teachings and life, Paul became acutely aware of the vast differences between Prophetic Judaism and the Mystical Traditions in relation to the Temple Cult and Temple-ism in general. Paul’s own “history of religion” centred on Abraham’s Covenant as the first and preferred, unmediated, spiritual and universal model, against Moses’ priestly mediated cultic system designed basically for Jews. Therefore, Paul follows Jesus teachings and mission to “rip the dividing curtain” of the Jerusalem Temple (Heb 6:19, 20); so that all nations can be reconciled to God (Eph 2:11-18). Jesus re-negotiated “a new and better covenant” of God’s mercy through repentance to all. Cultic “regulations” and Jewishness as being a special “religious”, covenantal “qualification” is now outdated and rather were now dangerous myths in Paul’s new religion. Paul knew that bridging concepts and new interpretations of metaphors will have to be part of the transition. God did not need a final special blood cultic sacrifice; to the contrary, only some people needed one so that they can make the mental transition from a cultic religion to a spiritual and personal religion.To Paul, God was the unknown Father and the Essence of all creation and Jesus-Christ was their leader and master or lord. In the mystical sense however, “Christ” represented the real Spiritual essence of mankind; the image of God in mankind. The core of Paul’s soteriology is his growth and participational aspects which constitutes the salvation process and are closely linked. The salvific process starts in the first phase with conversion from cultic Temple-ism and weaning from cultic and ethnic “laws” through the teaching of, and participation in, the spiritual growth process of the “physical” Jesus while the Spirit within us is awakening. The latter heralds the start of the “second” mature spiritual phase of the resurrected and vindicated Christ; sensitising our conscience as our moral identity and source of internal motivation from the real Self; one lives intuitively from loving-kindness; you honour this Gift in your earthly vessel with a fitting response to life. The behavioural element is central and an absolute necessity in the salvific process and he never views it as being secondary. Christianity will have to revise simplistic “faith” to salvation dogmas and broaden its functional scope by again honouring the second personal and authentic spiritual growth phase to be able to manifest a better Kingdom with the aid of Human Beings. / Systematic Theology and Theological Ethics / D.Th. (Systematic Theology)

In the wake of the 19th century, the protestant reformation in Europe that led to the formation of mainline reformation traditions began impacting and shaping ministry in Africa, through missionary activities. But the clarion call for Africa’s renaissance was also a wakeup call for the African church to move from being consumers of the ‘imported’ theology brewed from a European perspective and take some responsibility in producing her own theology, which can be viewed and understood with an African cultural lens. If Africa must achieve the much needed renaissance, the church certainly has an indispensable role to play. But how can there be a meaningful church praxis in African polities without a solid contextualized theological foundation? Therefore in this project, I justify the need for a biblio-centric African theology by making a case for the Cameroon Baptist Convention in the Republic of Cameroon. I argue that, to be able to solidify its foundation and enhance its Christian theological praxis in the society, a Cameroon Baptist Theological Treatise is needed in the Cameroon Baptist Convention. One that would contain well delineated and defended theological tenets required of an independent Christian denomination in Africa. Central to the development of this treatise is the development of a soteriology with a cognitive theological understanding of divine predestination. To develop a correct soteriology for this purpose, a process is required, one that would need to use sound theological principles to ensure a biblically accurate and theologically sound doctrine of soteriology as the point of departure. As an evangelical systematic theological research, I attempt in this project to deconstruct biblical and theological paradigms from scriptures and reformation traditions, which the Cameroon Baptist Convention leaders could use as tools in the process of delineating and defending their own tenets on soteriology in the proposed theological treatise. It begins by gathering data from reformation traditions and scriptures on predestination and moves on to construct theories that would not only help the Cameroon Baptist Convention leaders to develop a soteriology but also be fundamental to developing other relevant doctrines needed in the proposed Cameroon Baptist Theological Treatise. / Philosophy and Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Systematic Theology)

Die Johannese geskrifte (Evangelie en Briewe) word veralgemenend binne die Christendom gelees en die uniekheidsbeklemtoninge ten opsigte van Jesus as enige Verlosser word ook so verstaan. Hierdie hoofsaaklik sosiaal-wetenskaplike ondersoek was gefokus op Johannes se aansprake ten opsigte van Jesus en is gedoen om bewus te maak van die sosiaal-kulturele onderbou van die geskrifte. As sodanig is dit bedoe! om heuristies in te werk ten einde bestaande hermeneuse beter te dien sodat die boodskap van die Nuwe Testament effektiewer oorgedra kan word. Dit is ook gepoog om bevindinge uit die studie deur te trek na die gesekulariseerde samelewing en pluralistiese religieuse standpunt wat te Iande bestaan. Die teksgedeeltes wat eksegeties ondersoek is, bevat die aspekte van aanvaarding of verwerping van Jesus as die unieke Godsagent wat ewige /ewe meedeel. Dit het geblyk dat die begrip in Johannes nie net op oneindigheid in die hiemamaals dui nie, maar veral op kwaliteit in die hede. Johannes se postulaat is dat Jesus konstant hierdie lewe meedeel aan hulle wat in Hom glo. Die vraag na relevansie van 'n religie uit Judaistiese oorsprong in 'n AfroWesterse samelewing en kultuur is vanuit die aspekte van kulturele relatiwisme en relatiwiteit hanteer. Dit word aanvaar dat die ingrype van God deur Jesus Christus binne die Israelitiese volksmilieu en Mediterreense kultuur plaasgevind het, maar dat dit wat Johannes aan sy lesers herbevestig het, vir aile mense relevant is. Jesus is die unieke Godsagent wat ewige lewe meedeel, wat, as sodanig, nie menslike sterflikheid negeer nie, maar dit transendeer. / The social-scientific research for this treatise concentrated on John's assertion of Jesus' uniqueness. The selected Scripture portions for exegesis contain the aspects of receiving or rejecting Him as God's Agent who bestows eternal life. Eternal lifo in John does not so much denote never ending life, but rather excellent quality of life in the present. The relevancy of a religion from a Judaistic origin in an Afro-Western cultural society was treated on the aspects of cultural relativism and cultural relativity. The conclusion accedes to the fact that God's interaction with man in the person of Jesus Christ took place within an Israelite national milieu and Mediterranean culture, but what John reasserted is relevant for all time- the life that Jesus bestows does not negate mortality, but transcends it. / New Testament / M. Th. (Nuwe Testament)

The problem of universal oppression has caused Gutierrez, Cone and Moltmann to advocate that God is orchestrating an historical programme of liberation from socio-economic, racial and political suffering. They feel that God's liberating actions can be seen in the Abrahamic promise, the exodus and the Christ-event. Moltmann, especially, has emphasized both the trinitarian identification with human pain and the influence of the freedom of the future upon the suffering of the present. According to our theologians, Jesus Christ identified with us, and died the death of a substitutionary victim. Through the resurrection, Jesus Christ overcame the problem of suffering and death, and inaugurated the New Age. The cross and resurrection were the focal point of God's liberating activity. Liberation, or freedom, from sin and suffering is now possible, at least proleptically. We are to understand the atonement as having been liberative rather than forensic or legal, although judgement is not ignored. Both the perpetrators of injustice and their victims are called upon to identify with, and struggle for, freedom, with the help of the liberating Christ. We agree with our theologians that God has historically indicated his desire for justice and freedom. The magnitude of evil and suffering still existing, however, forces us to abandon the idea that God is progressively liberating history. Nevertheless, we affirm the idea that the Trinity has absorbed human suffering into its own story through the incarnate Son. Jesus identified with suffering in a four-fold way, namely: its existence, the judgement of it, the overcoming of it, and the need to oppose it. This comprehensive identification gives Christ the right to demand the doing of justice, because the greatest injustice in history has happened to him. The atonement was forensic, rendering all people accountable to Christ; but it was also liberative, validating the struggle against oppression. Furthermore, at his second coming, Christ will be vindicated in whatever judgement he will exact upon the perpetrators of injustice or oppression. For today the resurrection still gives hope and faith to those who suffer and to those who identify with them / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / Th.D. (Systematic Theology)

This dissertation considers the contextualising in African settings of three themes addressed in youth literature of the Baptist International Publications Services (IPS). It utilises a critical methodology developed from Kraft's (1979) ten principles of communication to analyse the efforts to contextualise the themes of salvation, the Christian family and witchcraft. Chapter one discusses contextualisation and presents a critical methodology based on Kraft's ( 1979) principles of communication. Chapter two is an historical background study of the International Publications Services. Chapters three, four and five use the critical methodology developed in chapter one to examine the themes of salvation, the Christian family and witchcraft respectively, as found in IPS youth literature. Chapter six is an analysis and conclusion of the study with suggestions for further research. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M.Th.

Because many Bemba Christians do not experience the guality of life through would follow conversion they are tempted to either settle for shallow, superficial religious'experience, or, during times of crisis, revert to traditional religious beliefs and practices they know are inconsistent with their theological understanding. In order to assist Christian communicators in their task of bringing the Bemba to authentic conversion and an experience of salvation that genuinely meets their needs, we have, in this study, tendered one strategy for reaching the Bemba heart. most comprehensive idea of order. Because the heart, or worldview, is where reality is known, vaiued · and ordered, it should be the focus of Christian communication that has as its purpose restoring people to comprehensive well-being, or restoration of peace with God, others, one's self and nature. To this end, we have gathered 2,686 Bemba proverbs. from approximately fifteen previously seven Bemba informants, provided conte:-..tually deterrt"$1ed translati_ons, meanings, usages and teachings, inter alia, and have attempted, by means of employing Hiebert's critical conte:-..tualisation method ( 1985: 188), to begin constructing a contextualised local theology of marriage which is the result of engaging in a dialogue between Bemba traditional values as expressed in their proverbial lore and related biblical values. The process of contextualisation is incomplete because it is our contention that it is the responsibility local Bemba theologians, not of foreign researchers, to construct a theology of marriage that is relevant t local Bemba needs. Thus, this study does not attempt to provide theological answers to marital needs; rather, it is offered to Christian communicators for exploratory use as a beach-head for constructing a bridge across which both Bemba and biblical worldview values might be mutually enriched. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M.Th. (Missiology)