Afrikaans: Die Bybel bestaan vir alle Christene uit twee dele: Die Ou Testament en die Nuwe Testament, maar die verhouding tussen die twee dele skep 'n probleem vir die kommunikatiewe praxis van die Christelike geloof. Sommige sien die Nuwe Testament as 'n dokument aangaande en 'n getuienis oor Jesus Christus - die Hoeksteen van die Christelike kerk, terwyl die Ou Testament pre-Christelik, Judees-Israelities van aard is en slegs die dade van God in die geskiedenis weergee. Diesulkes sien in die Ou Testament slegs 'n voorafskaduwing van die ware Bybelse boodskap wat deur Jesus Christus, die gekruisigde en opgestane Heer, geleef en geproklameer is. Aan die ander kant van die spektrum is daar diegene wat die Nuwe Testament weer slegs as 'n appendiks tot die werklike Bybel beskou. Wil ons werklik weet wie die God van die Bybel is, hoe Hy in die geskiedenis betrokke is en hoe ons as Christene behoort te lewe, dan moet die Ou Testament gelees word. Bo en behalwe hierdie twee ekstremistiese interpretasiemodelle van die verhouding Ou Testament/Nuwe Testament, bestaan daar nog vele andere ook soos die kategoriee van tipologie, belofte-en-vervulling en allegorie. Nog andere kies weer 'n bepaalde Mitte of tema soos die verbond, heils-geskiedenis of die ontwykende teenwoordigheid van God en poog daardeur om die Bybel as 'n geheel te sien. Sulke temas kan wel daartoe bydra dat Christene iets van die totale boodskap van die twee Testamente verstaan, maar geen enkele tema kan reg laat geskied aan die diversiteit van getuienis aangaande die ware en enigste God wat voortdurend nuut tot sy skepping spreek nie. 'n Ander aspek wat melding verdien, is die werklikheid dat niemand hierdie twee Testamente waarlik objektief benader nie. Onbewustelik lees elkeen dit met sy/haar eie voorveronderstellinge - die apriori van hul eie geloofstradisie. Daarom moet daar 'n hermeneuties-kommunikatiewe benadering vir Christene (wat maar geneig is om Christus in die teks van die Ou Testament op te spoor) ontwikkel word wat as 'n paradigma kan funksioneer waarbinne die boodskap en betekenis van die Ou Testament (sonder Christus onderliggend aan die teks) gestalte kan vind in praktykmodelle vir die kommunikatiewe praxis van die Christelike geloof. Wat hierdie ondersoek betref is daar maar slegs een benadering wat daartoe in staat is om beide Testamente as gelykwaardige gesaghebbende Woord van God te verstaan en dit is 'n teosentriese benadering op beide Testamente. Die benadering sal die kommunikatiewe praxis daartoe in staat stel om die Ou Testament toe te laat om sy eie boodskap te kommunikeer sonder om Christus op 'n gedwonge wyse in die teks in te lees in 'n poging om dit meer Christelik te maak. Ten einde só 'n teosentriese benadering ('n hermeneuties-teologiese teorie) tot beide Testamente te ontwikkel, het hierdie ondersoek die metodologie van 'n prakties-teologiese handelingsteorie (Heitink 1993) wat op drie basiese perspektiewe gebaseer is, verkies (hoofstuk 1): a) 'n Hermeneutiese perspektief (hoofstukke 2 en 3): Die ontwikkeling van 'n hermeneuties-teologiese teorie as 'n basisteorie vir die kommunikatiewe praxis ten einde die boodskap van die Ou Testament in die drie onderskeie handelingsvelde van die Praktiese Teologie, naamlik mens en religie, kerk en geloof en godsdiens en samelewing te kommunikeer (Heitink 1993:234). b) 'n Strategiese perspektief (hoofstuk 4): Die daarstelling van 'n verstelde praktykteorie met die oog op verandering in die hermeneutiese raamwerk vir die kommunikatiewe praxis van die bemiddeling van die boodskap van die Ou Testament gemodelleer op 'n teosentriese benadering vir die interpretasie van die verhouding Ou TestamentlNuwe Testament. c) 'n Empiriese perspektief (hoofstuk 5): Die skep van praktykmodelle met die Ou Testament as teks na aanleiding van hermeneuties-teologiese perspektiewe soos dit ontwikkel is in die hermeneutiese en strategiese teoriee van die studies. Die praktykmodelle wat op hierdie wyse geskep is, is daarop gerig om die boodskap van die Ou Testament in die drie onderskeie handelingsvelde van die Praktiese Teologie, mens en religie, kerk en geloof, godsdiens en samelewing te kommunikeer (Heitink 1993:234). Die studie se hipoteses wat ten slotte as bewese stellinge aanvaar is, lees só (hoofstuk 6): i) 'n Teosentriese benadering tot die verhouding Ou Testament/Nuwe Testament as "n prakties-teologiese model plaas die twee Testamente op gelyke vlak as die gesaghebbende Woord van God. ii) 'n Teosentriese benadering tot die. verhouding Ou Testament/Nuwe Testament as 'n prakties-teologiese model verhoed die praktyk van 'twee-preke-in-een-preek' in "n poging om die boodskap van die Ou Testament in die kommunikatiewe praxis van die drie onderskeie handelingsvelde van die Praktiese Teologie toepaslik te maak. iii) 'n Teosentriese benadering tot die verhouding Ou Testament/Nuwe Testament as 'n prakties-teologiese model is by uitstek daartoe in staat om die boodskap van die Ou Testament in die praxis van die geloofsgemeenskap en die moderne samelewing te kommunikeer sonder om Christus op "n gedwonge wyse in die Ou Testament in te lees. English: For all Christians the Bible consists of two parts: The Old and New Testament. The relationship, however, between these two parts is a hermeneutic¬ theological problem which confronts the communicative praxis of the Christian faith. Some regard the New Testament as testimony to Jesus Christ whilst the Old Testament is pre-Christian, Jewish-Israelite Scripture and only foreshadowing the real biblical message proclaimed and lived by Jesus Christ. Other see the New Testament only as an appendix to the real Bible - the Old Testament. Between these two extreme ways of interpreting the relationship, there are many other ways of doing it like the categories of typological, promise and fulfilment, allegorical and thematic interpretation. All such ways of interpretation can assist the Christian to understand something of the total message of the two Testaments, but no one can ensure that justices to be done to the diversity of testimonies regarding the one and only God. Another aspect which needs to be mentioned is the fact that nobody truly approaches the Testaments completely objectively. Unwittingly everyone reads it with his/her own presuppositions - the apriori of their own tradition of faith. Therefore it is necessary to develop a hermeneutic-theological theory for Christians which can serve as a paradigm within which the texts of the Old as well as that of the New Testament may regard as equal authoritative Word of God. As far as this study is concerned, there is but one approach only which can achieve this and that is a theocentric approach to both Testaments. In order to develop such a theocentric approach (a hermeneutic-theological theory) for both Testaments, this study prefers the methodology of a practical¬theological theory of praxis (Heitink 1993) which is based upon three basic perspectives (chapter 1): a) A hermeneutic perspective (chapters 2 and 3): The development of a hermeneutic-theological theory as meta theory for the communicative praxis in order to present the Old Testament in the three distinctive praxis of Practical Theology, namely human and religion, church and faith and evangelism and society (Heitink 1993:234). b) A strategical perspective (chapter 4): The presenting of a changed practical theory modelled on a theocentric approach for interpreting the relationship Old Testament/New Testament with a view to change the hermeneutic framework of the communicative praxis. c) An empirical perspective (chapter 5): The development of empirical models with the Old Testament as text according to the hermeneutic-theological perspectives as developed in the hermeneutic and strategical theories of this study. The empirical models are intended to communicate the message of the Old Testament in the three distinctive praxis of Practical Theology, namely human and religion, church and faith and evangelism and society (Heitink1993:234). The hypotheses of the study which were in the end considered as proved propositions read as follows (chapter 6): i) A theocentric approach to the relationship Old Testament/NewTestament as a practical-theological model is capable of treating both Testaments as equal authoritative Word of God. ii) A theocentric approach to the relationship Old Testament/NewTestament as a practical-theological model prevents the practice of "two-sermons-in-one -sermon" in an attempt to make the message of the Old Testament appropriate in the communicative praxis of the three distinctive praxis of Practical Theology. iii) A theocentric approach to the relationship Old Testament/New Testament as a practical-theological model is especially capable of communicating the message of the Old Testament in the communicative praxis of the Christian community and the modern society without reading by force Christ into the Old Testament. / Thesis (DD (Practical Theology))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Practical Theology / unrestricted

No description available.

No description available.

Thesis (MPhil (Old and New Testament))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / This paper attempts an exploration and description of a hermeneutic of learned helplessness. Drawing on insights from both psychology and theology, it problematises the interaction that an individual believer can develop with the Bible and living a life of faith. Attempts to account for this situation involve biblical interpretation, the church and the pastoral care context. The body of the paper consists of four chapters, describing the four pillars supporting a hermeneutic of learned helplessness. The first chapter highlights certain of the difficulties that develop when the authority of the Bible is abused. The second chapter looks at the vocation of the pastor, and notes how lack of accountability and limited self-awareness can result in inadequate and harmful biblical interpretation. The third chapter highlights the negative effects of the neglect of emotion on individual faith and interaction with the biblical text, referring specifically to women. Finally, the fourth chapter identifies the tendency to regard morality as expressed primarily through behaviour, and to use the Bible as a book of rules. The combination of these four factors generates an environment in which a hermeneutic of learned helplessness can quickly develop in a Christian believer. This paper is an attempt to more clearly define my observations following work in the context of pastoral care and counselling. It is hoped that by clarifying the nature of the problem, this will prove to be the first step toward finding possible solutions.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Korean society has experienced more severe changes in the last 50 years than in the last 500 years. The pulpit has also faced the challenges created by the socio-cultural revolution following the collapse of Korean traditional values, while authoritative and hierarchical cultures are rapidly changing as a result of westernization and political transformation. This situation has led to an acute crisis in the relationship between the hearer and the preacher in Korean services, where the Korean Presbyterian preachers still pursue an authoritarian style of preaching based on hierarchical, logical or proposition-centred preaching and argumentcentred preaching. Since the 1990s Korean Presbyterian homileticians have accepted narrative preaching as an alternative to the traditional manner. However, this narrative preaching aggravates the problematic relationship - extending the gap, falling into theological relationalism, and neglecting the identity of Jesus Christ - between the preacher and the hearer. The preaching should propose the face-to-face relationship, a participatory role in the preaching process, and interactive persuasion. In order to overcome both authoritarianism and subjectivism in the authority of preaching, this research studies the theology and homiletics of three homileticians, namely Rose, McClure and Campbell, who propose the functional community as an alternative, suggesting face-to-face relationships, fostering the congregation to participate in the whole process of preaching, and support to interpret the truth being the task of the whole community. Afterward, preaching is defined to explore the blending of the four elements (God, Bible, preacher and audience) to create a living voice, so that the four elements of preaching are reassessed and re-interpreted in terms of the “Spirit-guided community authority” in the Korean Presbyterian homiletics. Hence, Korean Presbyterian preaching, lastly, needs to consider the purpose of the preaching as “building up the functional community” homiletically, applying the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers into homiletics theologically, turning from rhetoric to theo-rhetoric, and exercising the way of power that Jesus Christ practised. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Koreaanse samelewing het in die afgelope 50 jaar deur meer drastiese veranderinge gegaan as in die afgelope 500 jaar. Die preekstoel is ook uitgedaag deur die sosio-kulturele revolusie wat deur die ineenstorting van Koreaanse tradisionele waardes veroorsaak is, terwyl outoritêre en hiërargiese kulture vinnig verander vanwëe verwestering en politieke transformasie. Hierdie omstandighede het ‘n ernstige krisis veroorsaak in die verhouding tussen die luisteraar en die prediker in Koreaanse dienste, waar predikers steeds ‘n outoritêre preekstyl handhaaf wat op ‘n hiërargiese, logiese of proposisie-gesentreerde prediking gebaseer word en argument-gesentreerde prediking. In hierdie sin het Koreaanse homiletici narratiewe prediking sedert die 1990s aanvaar as ‘n alternatief tot die tradisionele manier. Dit vererger egter die problematiese verhouding – verleng die gaping, verval in teologiese relasionalisme en verwaarloos die identiteit van Jesus Christus – tussen die prediker en die luisteraar. Die prediking behoort ‘n aangesig-totaangesig verhouding, ‘n deelnemende rol in die predikingsproses en interaktiewe oorreding voor te stel. Om beide outoritarisme en subjektivisme in die outoriteit van prediking te oorkom, bestudeer hierdie navorsing die teologie en homilitiek van drie homiletici, naamlik Rose, McClure en Campbell,wat die outoriteit op die funksionele gemeenskap as ‘n alternatief plaas. Hulle stel voor aangesig-tot-aangesig verhoudings, die bevordering van die gemeenskap om in die hele proses van prediking deel te neem, en ondersteuning om die waarheid te interpreteer as die taak van die hele gemeenskap. Hierna word prediking gedefinieer deur die vermenging van die vier elemente (God, Bybel, prediker en gehoor) te ondersoek om ‘n lewende stem te skep, sodat die vier elemente van prediking herbesin en herinterpreteer word in terme van die “Gees-geleide gemeenskapsoutoriteit” in Koreaanse homiletiek. Dus behoort Koreaanse prediking laastens die doel van die prediking homileties te heroorweeg as die “opbou van die funksionele gemeenskap”, die leer van die priesterdom van alle gelowiges teologies toegepas in homiletiek, van retoriek te verander na teo-retoriek en

Thesis (DTh (Old and New Testament))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / The interaction between scholarly and non-scholarly readings of Genesis 11:1-9 in the South African context refers to the transformation in biblical hermeneutics from the world of the text to the world of the reader and the post-colonial critique of Western essentialist scholarly modes of reading the Bible. This study explored three essentialist modes of scholarly reading from the South African context that perpetuated imperialism and colonialism: Anglocentric -, Afrikaner - and Anti-colonial modes of reading. Non-scholarly readings of Bible Study Groups, African mythology and artworks of Azaria Mbatha view the text as subject. Non-scholarly readings, from the margin of the South African context, informed by a holistic and interconnected cultural discourse, deconstruct essentialism and constructs responsible readings of the Bible. These readings deconstruct centralistic essentialist discourses and construct a liminal space for new creative and responsible readings of the Bible in the South African context that stimulates healing. The ubuntu reading of Genesis 11:1-9 by Desmond Tutu reflects this. His reading incorporates the African connected reading praxis of non-scholarly readings, from the margin of the 'South' African context, and makes use of scholarly discourse. Tutu's mode of reading leans on Western humanism and ecclesiology that does not follow a critical-holistic cultural discourse. The African Independent Church developed as a reaction to Western ecclesial structures. In the African Independent Church the concept, Moya or Spirit functions as a reading matrix that deconstructs the discriminatory and exclusive forces of essentialist disconnection. The study proposes that a Moya reading is an open-critical and inclusive theological-ethical concept. The interpretative thrust is decolonial, deconstructing essentialism and creating a liminal space, for new responsible readings of Genesis 11:1-9. A Moya reading is holistic and connects people to the land, a perspective that is foreign to essentialist scholarly readings of Genesis 11:1-9. This study contributes to the hermeneutical debate in South Africa, Africa and the global context by emphasising the importance of a continued interaction between scholarly and non-scholarly readings of the Bible from the margin.

African encounter with the Bible is different from their encounter with Christianity. This thesis looks at different stages of African reception and appropriation of the Bible in African prophecy. The appropriation of the Bible by Africans is important to look at because it allows them to use their own thought pattern in order to understand the Word of God. Isaiah Shembe (1870-1935) is one of the AlC's prophets who sought to revitalize his Zulu community after the dispossession of their cultural identity in the name of Christianity. He did .. this through his different hermeneutical interpretation of imibhalo eNgcwele (Holy Scriptures) and through his maintenance and revival of social customs. When missionaries came with the Bible in Africa there also came with them colonialists and it is evident that the two went together. Africans did not only see the Bible as a tool for western colonialism but also as a book of numinous powers. However, it was not long before Africans realized that there was nothing wrong about the "Book" because when they could read it for themselves they realized that the Book portrays a life that is similar to theirs. The researcher sought to separate the Bible from Christianity in order to understand different stages of the reception of the Bible in Africa. This thesis, then looks at the appropriation of the Bible in African prophecy. It argues that in African prophecy the Bible is used to renew African society. This is done by examining and contrasting the material of two Zulu prophets Isaiah Shembe and George Khambule. These two prophets who emerge in the time of the destruction of the Zulu society have a religious experience that sought to restore and renew Zulu community. This is seen in the way they interpreted and enacted the promise of the New Jerusalem in the Book of Revelation among their communities. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006. / Draper, Jonathan A.

The cross-cultural transmission of the Christian faith sustains its growth and expansion. Indeed the reception of the Christian faith is from one cultural framework to another different cultural framework. However, this largely depends on the translation and the interpretation of the Bible, which has certainly been in agreement to the way the recipient cultures conceive reality. From the time Christianity came into existence, the introduction of biblical concepts on which Christianity stands in terms agreeable to the way the recipients conceive reality continues to offer a clear understanding of the same. Indeed, this has been from the perspective of the primal worldview. However, this was not the case in Africa, where the primal worldview was demonised, degraded and anathematised by the missionary enterprises. This indeed denied the Africa converts a chance to engage with the Bible in ways they would call their own, for they conceive reality in terms shaped by their primal worldview. This study has the Glkilyfi primal worldview as its particular reference, to whom the missionaries transmitted the biblical knowledge selectively with the hermeneutical method they used. Now there is indisputable evidence that Christianity is growing fast in places where people conceive reality from the perspective of the primal worldview. To sustain and maintain this growth, the Bible ought to be interpreted and translated from the perspective of the primal worldview. This is necessary because the growth of Christianity depends on the right understanding of biblical concepts. Yet they are incomprehensible unless they receive an interpretation that is compatible to the way people conceive reality. In that case, there is need to investigate whether the former methods of interpreting and translating the Bible have adequately communicated the Gospel to African Christians. It is also necessary to investigate whether there is need for a hermeneutical method shaped by the primal worldview. This study contends that the former hermeneutical methods have not adequately communicated the complete Gospel to the African Christians. In that case, there is need for a hermeneutical method shaped by the primal worldview. Evidence that leads to the quest of a hermeneutical method generated by the primal worldview is from the history of the expansion of Christianity and from the phenomenology of religion. The primal worldview has tools on which hermeneutics can depend on, hence gaining valid operating principles. On the other hand, there is evidence from the Scripture that the interpretation of the new from the perspective of the old is possible. In that case, the old facilitates and enables the understanding of the new. The Epistle to the Hebrews is a perfect example, showing that the interpretation and translation of Scripture from the perspective of the primal worldview are possible. This will safeguard spirituality and the spiritual view of life, which hermeneutics need, and which the former hermeneutical methods seem to have jettisoned. However, the former hermeneutical methods are not all useless in the hermeneutical discourse. The hermeneutical method generated by the primal worldview can use them as servants but not as masters. Besides, the hermeneutical method generated by the primal worldview ought to have a future and significance, without which it can sink to oblivion. Two complementary aspects guarantee its future and significance. Firstly, it is its engagement with the ordinary readers of the Bible in their context. Secondly, it is in the use of the mother tongue, so that hermeneutics can be appreciable to both the ordinary and trained readers of the Bible. This is the hermeneutical method, which African Christianity must turn to with urgency to ascertain its growth. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2000.

This thesis is an investigation into the discrepancies that exist in textual interpretations within Pentacostalism, in view of the ongoing search for a viable hermeneutic model unique to Pentecostalism. Since its birth, the modern Pentecostal movement has been influenced by many other theological traditions, especially Covenant theology and Dispensationalism. Nevertheless, from this research it becomes clear that Pentecostalists themselves have contributed to the discrepancies by failing to distinguish between biblical passages related to national Israel and those related to the church. It is factual that cultural differences and theological backgrounds influence the interpretations ascribed to Scripture. Yet, this research found that scriptural interpretive discrepancies exist amongst Pentecostalists belonging to the same cultural group and same denomination. This study presents a new perspective on biblical interpretation for Pentecostalism, namely the Mediatorial View, which when consistently applied to all tectual interpretations, most certainly will reduce the number of discrepancies that exist. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Systematic Theology)

The Evangelical Reformed Church is celebrating its sixtieth anniversary. This study investigates this church's unique view of Scripture and places it within the broader context of a Reformed approach. To this end, a literary study is conducted, whereby the Evangelical Reformed conviction is compared to that of Calvin and Barth, as put forward in their Institutions and Church Dogmatics, respectively. This procedure allows for a collation of the Evangelical Reformed stance and the Reformed view. Since the belief regarding Scripture has an effect on many aspects of the traditional reformed dogma, several bibliological facets are singled out, namely, revelation, authority, inspiration, and the inception of the canon. By way of illustration, these details are considered with specific reference to the Reformed doctrine of Predestination. The goal of this exercise is to evaluate the application of the bibliological dogma in the formulation of theology. / Systematic Theology & Theological Ethics / M.Th