The aim of this research is to construct a biblical theology of social justice drawn specifically from the book of Amos. This is done on the basis of rhetorical analysis. The use of rhetorical analysis is considered to correspond with the genre of the selected texts analyzed (Am 2:6-8; 5:1-17; and 8:4-6), which are mostly rhetorical and relates to the issue of social justice in nature. The rhetorical criticism used in this research combines both diachronic and synchronic approaches, and consists of several steps such as dividing the rhetorical units, finding rhetorical situations, drawing rhetorical inventions, describing rhetorical dispositions and identifying rhetorical techniques. The analysis shows that the prophet Amos used a wide variety of literary devices to persuade his audience, the people of Israel, such as chiasm, rhetorical entrapment, oracle against the nations (OAN), N + 1 formula, inclusion and progression, woe oracle, dirge or lament, wordplay, hymn, wisdom techniques, imagery, sevenfold structure, cause-effect form of speech and “quoting what the accused have said.” These primary devices are utilized in the context or in the imagery of a courtroom. In this connection, Amos used the epideictic, judicial and deliberative rhetoric in order to bring his audience to the “divine court” for the religious and social sins that they have committed. These rhetorical devices function as a means of exposing a theological intention of the utterances of Amos, which is establishing justice in the land of Israel. The message of social justice is mainly based on the covenantal relationship between YHWH and his people, as seen in traditions of creation and redemption in the Old Testament, particularly in the Torah (the codes of law) and the former prophetic writings. The covenant calls for God’s people to love YHWH and to act socially just toward other fellow human beings. As a concept, this research proposes a triangular relational model. YHWH, as the theological angle must be independent, and his people, either the powerful (the political angle) or the powerless (the social angle), are dependent on him. Meanwhile, the powerful and the powerless are interdependent with each other. Keeping a balanced relationship among the angles means manifesting the ideal state of social justice in the land. This research shows that the covenant was broken by the Israelites when the powerful disobeyed YHWH and did social injustices toward other human beings. The powerful became independent both toward YHWH and the powerless. As a result, YHWH took responsibility and action to keep his covenant, and called his rebellious people back into repentance and obedience. In other words, justice must be maintained in the land of Israel. Such a divine decision was carried out in the context of the day of Lord (DOL), a day of either judgment or salvation. The option of death and life are offered to be chosen by the powerful. However, God’s people deliberately choose death, and, consequently, their end is near. YHWH himself definitely will defeat and exile them by using the mighty army of Assyria. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Old Testament Studies / unrestricted

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-03T16:15:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 VolneiAlmeida.pdf: 693595 bytes, checksum: 297eb1438887407b5a07b52ddd8e96f8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-09-30 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / One of the policies most used by the municipal public power to guarantee educational services to children 0-3 years and increasing the number of vacancies in kindergartens has been the adoption of partnerships through agreements with private institutions. Many questions emerge from this public policy, for example, the relationship between the secular state and the religiosity of many of these institutions. This study arose from the need to provide greater transparency and broaden the debate on the agreements between the municipal government and aid agencies, especially regarding the conflict between the public and the private, between the secular and the religious. This study aimed to investigate public-private partnerships and the possible impacts on the secular state and the right to education. The research problem posed was what the CME Paper 12/2011 revealed about the secular state and the religiosity of partner institutions in the care of early childhood education in São Bernardo do Campo. There was the assumption that the representation of a convening authority to the Municipal Board of Education on spiritual education express a possible religious education projection in public kindergarten. The theoretical discussion involved as authors FISCHMANN (2009), ARELARO (2008), SARMENTO (2006), ADRIÃO (2009), OLIVEIRA (2005) and ideas that dealt with the deformations of public and private interests, the supply of places following daycare, religious instruction in public schools. The methodology used was to analyze literature and documents. The literature shows a historical subordination of public early childhood education to private welfare and disputes over implementation of religious education in public basic education. The documents analyzed revealed that there may be some degree of involvement of the secular state when it formalizes partnerships with charities of religious origin, especially when evaluating the shortcomings and trends of management and supervision of agreements made by the government. It is believed that this study opens the doors to investigate policies and practices that are facing or stimulating religious education in public schools and covenanted day cares. / Uma das políticas mais utilizadas pelo poder publico municipal para garantir o atendimento educacional às crianças de 0 a 3 anos e a ampliação do número de vagas em creches, tem sido a adoção de parcerias por meio de convênios com instituições privadas. Muitas questões emergem desta política pública como, por exemplo, a relação entre a laicidade do Estado e a religiosidade de grande parte destas instituições. Este estudo surgiu da necessidade de se dar maior transparência e ampliar o debate sobre os convênios entre o poder público municipal e entidades assistenciais, principalmente, no que tange o embate entre o público e o privado, entre o laico e o religioso. Este trabalho teve como objetivo investigar as parcerias público-privadas e os possíveis impactos sobre a laicidade do Estado e o direito à Educação. O problema de pesquisa posto foi o que o Parecer CME 12/2011 revela sobre a laicidade do Estado e a religiosidade das instituições conveniadas no atendimento a educação infantil do município de São Bernardo do Campo? Havia a hipótese de que a representação de uma entidade conveniada ao Conselho Municipal de Educação sobre educação espiritual expressasse uma possível projeção de ensino religioso na educação infantil pública. A discussão teórica envolveu autores como FISCHMANN (2009), ARELARO (2008), SARMENTO (2006), ADRIÂO (2009), OLIVEIRA (2005) e ideias que tratavam das deformações dos interesses públicos e privados, da oferta de vagas no seguimento de creche, do ensino religioso em escola pública. A metodologia empregada foi analise bibliográfica e documental. A literatura aponta uma histórica subordinação da educação infantil pública à assistência social privada e as disputas pela implantação do ensino religioso na educação básica pública. Os documentos analisados revelaram que é possível haver certo grau de comprometimento da laicidade do Estado quando se formaliza parcerias com entidades assistenciais de origem religiosa, principalmente, quando se avalia as deficiências e tendências de gestão e supervisão dos convênios realizados pelo poder público. Acredita-se que este estudo abre portas para novas investigações sobre políticas e práticas que enfrentam ou estimulam o ensino religioso em escolas públicas e creches conveniadas.