Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D. Th. (Christian Spirituality)

This dissertation investigates the relationship between the Holy Spirit, ethnic identity and the ‘other’ in Luke-Acts. I argue that the Spirit is the central figure in the formation of a new social identity that affirms, yet chastens and transcends ethnic identity. The investigation is informed methodologically by social identity theory (discussed in chapter 2), a branch of social psychology that examines the effects of group membership upon human identity and intergroup relations. Chapters 3 and 4 investigate the relationship between privileged social identity, the influence of the Spirit and the allocation of group resources to the ‘other’ in Luke 1-4. I conclude that there is an identifiable relationship between the presence of the Spirit and the extension of in-group benefits to the ‘other’. Chapters 5 through 8 enquire into the role of the Spirit in Acts 1-15. In chapters 5 and 6 I identify the Pentecost narrative as the initial clue to the place of ethnic identity within the Jesus movement and the role of the early community in the formation of an allocentrically oriented social identity. In chapters 7 and 8 attention is directed to the role of the Spirit in both the orchestration of intergroup contact and the identification of those rightly related to God. Luke’s use of ‘ethnic language’ alerts us to the precision with which he approaches this topic. I conclude that Luke is convinced of an inseparable relationship between the Spirit and human identity that robustly affirms ethnicity nested within one’s identity as a member of the Jesus group. The existence of this Spirit-formed identity allows for profound expressions of interethnic reconciliation in Luke-Acts. This conclusion grants a broader role to the Spirit in Luke-Acts than the current scholarly consensus which suggests that Luke views the Spirit as the Old Testament/Second Temple ‘Spirit of prophecy’.

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.

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 106-115) / The purpose of this study is to critically analyse selected scholarly views on the visionary experiences during Jesus’ baptism. Modern scholars have different opinions about the reports in the New Testament on Jesus’ baptismal visionary phenomena. Some scholars interpreted the events as Jesus’ actual seeing or vision and others accept it as literary creations by the authors, to make sense of the reports on seeing and hearing that are hard to understand. Reports like a Spirit descending in the form of a dove are extraordinary for most people and pose interpretive challenges. The two distinct trends identified in the study of visionary experiences are those who take the text on the visions literally and those who see them as literary creations. There is a new trend in biblical scholarship, which is comparative and invokes insights from cross-cultural research in order to understand the accounts of the visions as altered states of consciousness (ASC). These views are also presented, compared and evaluated selecting three major views from modern New Testament scholars. Among the scholars identified, who take the baptism visions literally, are Dunn, Meier, Marcus, Hurtado, Borg and Webb. The scholars selected, who consider the baptism visions as literary creations, are Sanders, Crossan, Miller and Strijdom. The scholars, who contributed to the new development in interpreting the texts on visionary experiences as ASC, are Pilch, Davies and DeMaris. Pilch uses the theoretical model of ASC and understands it differently from those used by Davies and DeMaris on which they base their interpretations. A scientific explanation of ASC is built from theories about how the brain and culture, together, create certain states of consciousness. All these views are analysed based on the scholarly interpretations from the three definitive trends in the visions research, comparing the caretaker versus critical at a meta-analysis level. / Biblical and Ancient Studies / M.A. (Biblical archaeology)

Urak Lawoi is the name of one of the sea nomadic tribes which lives along the shores of Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia. They are spread on many of the islands in the Andaman Sea archipelago and Ko Lanta is the main settlement. Urak Lawoi is regarded as the indigenous people of the island and they live there as a minority together with Muslims and Thai-Chinese.  The traditional religion and culture of Urak Lawoi is built upon the animistic belief of their ancestors. In the last 20 years Ko Lanta has experienced a tremendous process of change caused by increasing tourism. The conditions of the Urak Lawoi and their way of life have dramatically changed. The fact that this process brings consequences for the traditional culture and religion is obvious, but in what direction is it developing? To be able to interpret and expound the material from my field studies among Urak Lawoi on Ko Lanta in October-December 2009, I have done a literature search to investigate the animistic traditions and the syncretistic nature of belief in Thailand. I have also tried to find theories about the process of religious change and the forces working behind them. In this essay I am trying to do a theoretical analysis of the field study material using theories and parallel examples I have found in the literature.

In a manner similar to other countries on the African continent, Botswana has witnessed the explosive growth of new Pentecostal churches. These churches are most often distinguished by their recent origins, focus on the prosperity gospel and spiritual deliverance ministries. In this study, one specific church, Bible Life Ministries, in the capital city of Gaborone, was researched in an effort to understand its great appeal. I have proposed that their rapid growth is a result of their "promise of power" - spiritual power that provides individuals with temporal results such as health, wealth and control over one's environment. Faced with the rapid changes brought about by external forces such as urbanization and globalization, these churches are deliberately seeking to bridge western and Setswana culture in an effort to contextualize the gospel for contemporary Batswana. Of major missiological concern is whether or not the gospel message has been distorted in this process. / Church Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M.Th. (Missiology)

In many cultures and religions of the world the belief in transcendental realities, like God, the Devil and other benevolent and malevolent spirits are widespread. These realities are constructed in different ways, depending upon context. In light of the development Western industrial societies have undergone, it follows that the belief in transcendental realities may have given way to beliefs that are steeped more, in empiricism. However, understanding the belief in transcendental realities seems to be gaining renewed interest in various social science disciplines in light of the fact that claims of experiences of spirit possession are escalating. The implication this understanding has on the treatment a patient receives is likely to depend upon the training of the practitioner consulted. It follows that the experiences of patients who believe they are possessed by a spirit is as equally important to practitioners of psychology as it is to theologians. Psychologists would likely ascribe a spirit possession to a psychological experience; while theologians will attest to the presence of a spiritual illness. This project focussed on Free Church pastors in Germany and their perceptions of spirit possession and mental illness. To explore Free Church pastors understanding of spirit possession and mental illness is critical in light of the overlap of symptoms. Misdiagnosis may result in a client receiving treatment which may not be appropriate. Interviews with Free Church pastors were conducted. The results were analysed and 4 themes were identified. Based on these interviews conclusions could be drawn which ultimately made it clear that the German free church pastors’ theological training needs to be supplemented in the area of psychology and that the pastors are unable to cope in the area of ‘spirit possession or mental illness’ / Psychology / D.Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

Text in German with German and English summaries / Die Pneumatologie ist ein aktuelles und insbesondere für die ökumenische Theologie entscheidendes Thema geworden. Die „Geistvergessenheit“ tritt immer mehr in den Hintergrund und schafft dadurch freien Raum für den noch nicht abgeschlossenen Prozess der „Wiederentdeckung des Heiligen Geistes“. Für eine missionale und gesellschaftsrelevante Theologie steht dabei immer wieder die Frage einer Verhältnisbestimmung zwischen Gott-Kirche-Gesellschaft im Fokus. Aus der Perspektive der Pneumatologie fehlen aber noch weitgehend Untersuchungen. Diese Arbeit will daher einen Beitrag leisten zur Diskussion, a) wie in der Theologie von Jürgen Moltmann – und im Vergleich dazu in der pfingstlichen Theologie der Gegenwart – Geist-Kirche-Gesellschaft aufeinander bezogen werden und zu welchem Ziel, und b) worin die Stärken und Schwächen des jeweiligen Ansatzes liegen und welche Konsequenzen daraus gezogen werden können. Durch den Vergleich der Modelle dieser zwei führenden Impulsgeber entsteht eine gute Grundlage für die Diskussion, wie das Verhältnis oder allenfalls die Wechselwirkung zwischen Geist, Kirche und Gesellschaft formuliert werden könnte. / Pneumatology became an ongoing and relevant topic, especially for the ecumenical theology. „The oblivion of the Spirit“ recedes to a large extend into the background and thus makes space for the process that has not yet been fully completed, that is to say, the „rediscovery of the Holy Spirit“. For a missional and socially relevant theology, the focus is again and again on the question of defining the relationship between God, Church and Society. From a pneumatological point of view the investigations are greatly lacking. Therefore, this paper intends to contribute to the discussion of a) how in Jürgen Moltmann’s theology – and in comparison to it in the current Pentecostal theology – Spirit, Church and Society relate to each other and to what purpose; and b) what are the strengths and weaknesses of each approach and which consequences can be drawn from them. By comparing the models of these two leading initiators, there occurs a solid basis for a discussion of how to define the relationship, or at best, the interplay between Spirit, Church and Society. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Systematic Theology)

Systematic Theology / M. Th (Systematic Theology)

In the thesis a methodology of understanding and explicating Christian faith consistent with the mystery of the simultaneous close connection and radical difference of God, human beings and the physical-organic cosmos environment is been mapped out. The theanthropocosmic principle as an expression of the mystery functions as the heuristic key in opening up the notion of kenosis (and incarnation) of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit within the scope of the enduring interaction of . The Spirit in the kenotic sense of the word connects and differentiates the overall processes of being and becoming, here and there, now and then of the mystery of the `presences' of God, human beings and the natural cosmic world in being there (Dasein), being thus and thus (Sosein) and being dynamically actual (Aktsein). God acts in terms of the Spirit's operational kenotic presence within the margins of the creatureliness of people and the natural cosmic world as the kenotic clothing of God. A dynamic interpretation of the integral and differential character of being and becoming suggests that making sense of the dynamics of the formation of identities and identification is an ever ongoing endeavour. It implies a continuous process of negotiation whilst experiencing various continuums, remaining open-ended in an ever-increasing sense of wonder and mystery of "exitus a Deo-reditus in Deum". / Systematic Theology and theological Ethics / D. Th. (Systematic Theology)