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D.Litt. et Phil. / The important problem encountered was to render a representative and reliable summary account of the vast subject of the meaning of life according to the entire Old and New Testaments in such a way that a proper synthesis thereof could be given within the sphere of one introductory chapter (Chapter 2). The major method implemented in the main part of the thesis was as follows. Firstly, all the passages/verses in which the Johannine terms for life and eternal life (Greek: rdytj and Mil ait'ovtog) occur in the Gospel of John and in 1 John, were exegeted within their respective immediate and broader contexts. Secondly, the most important nuances of the meaning and experience of eternal life according to the Johannine perspective, were defined, as they became apparent from such exegesis in each particular instance. This procedure was followed by a proper synthesis of the said definitions in order to gain a representative overall picture of the principal descriptions of the two relevant aspects. Eventually the practical applications and consequences for the praxis of the Christian church and the individual believer in our contemporary society flowing from the above-mentioned findings, were spelt out in a final chapter. The enriching results flowing from the implementation of the above-mentioned methods/procedure include the profound insights gained with regard to the depth and richness of the meaning of eternal life from the perspective of the two relevant aspects thereof, as well as the implications thereof for the proper, Scriptural ways in which the abundance of this life can be experienced by all Christians. Lastly, the challenging ways in which the contemporary church and the individual Christian can demonstrate this life in our modern society for the advancement of God's spiritual kingdom on earth, also became apparent. Amongst the most important characteristics of eternal life, as well as the appropriate consequences of its actualisation in and through God's children which came to the fore, are the following. Eternal life is a spiritual category/dimension of life. It is God's own, unique life. This life will be experienced fully when Christ returns.

Afrikaans: In teenstelling tot al die aandag wat in die navorsing op Esra-Nehemia aan historiese en literêre vraagstukke gewy is, het die teologiese inhoud van die boek weinig aandag gekry. Dieselfde geld vir die ideologiese inhoud van die boek - ten spyte daarvan dat die term toenemend in die Bybelwetenskappe gebruik word. Teen die agtergrond ondemeem hierdie proefskrif (a) om die begrippe teologie en ideologie op so 'n wyse te omskryf dat die verband en verskille tussen hierdie twee begrippe duidelik blyk (b) om die teologiese en ideologiese inhoud van Esra-Nehemia aan die hand van 'n literêre analise te beskryf (c) om die bruikbaarheid van Esra-Nehemia vir die Christelike kerk te beoordeel. Teologie kan kortliks omskryf word as 'n stel samehangende idees oor die persoon en werk van God in relasie tot mense. Ideologie, daarteenoor, verteenwoordig 'n stel samehangende idees oor die samelewing. Hoewel daar beslis 'n verband tussen hierdie twee begrippe bestaan, is daar ook wesenlike verskille. Dit gaan in die onderskeie gedagtekomplekse nie om dieselfde saak nie, en die bedoelings van teologie en ideologie verskil ook. Dit is die bedoeling van elke ideologie om die magsbelange van 'n bepaalde groep in die samelewing te bevorder. Teologie, daarteenoor, is eerder daarop afgestem om 'n verklaring te bied vir die wyse waarop God in die wêreld werksaam is en om die grondslag te Iê vir 'n wyse van godsdiensbeoefening wat in ooreenstemming is met die wil van God. Die beskrywings van Esra-Nehemia se teologie en ideologie wys nogtans uit dat daar in die boek 'n verweefdheid tussen godsdiens en politiek, tussen teologie en ideologie, bestaan. Dit is egter van kardinale belang om die prinsipieIe onderskeid tussen teologie en ideologie te handhaaf, aangesien dit verreikende gevolge vir die interpretasie en waardering van Bybelse tekste het. Trouens, slegs wanneer daar tussen teologie en ideologie onderskei word, kan Esra-Nehemia steeds vir die Christelike kerk bruikbaar wees. English: In contrast to all the attention devoted to historical and literary problems in the research on Ezra-Nehemiah, the theological contents of the book received scant attention. The same applies to the ideological contents of the book - in spite of the fact that the term is increasingly used in the Biblical sciences. Against this background this thesis sets out (a) to describe the concepts theology and ideology in such a way that the relation and differences between these two concepts become clear (b) to describe the theological and ideological contents of Ezra-Nehemiah by means of a literary analysis (c) to consider the continued value of Ezra-Nehemiah for the Christian church. Theology can be briefly described as a set of interconnected ideas about the person and work of God in relation to people. Ideology, on the other hand, represents a set of interconnected ideas about society. Although connections between these two concepts certainly exist, there are also substantial differences. These two distinct thought complexes do not share the same subject matter, and their intentions also differ. Every ideology aims to further the interests of a specific group of people within society. Theology, on the other hand, rather strives to provide an explanation for the way in which God acts in the world, and it aims to serve as a basis for a way of worshipping God in accordance with his will. Still, the descriptions of Ezra-Nehemiah's theology and ideology show that in this book religion and politics, or theology and ideology, are intertwined. It is, however, of the utmost importance to maintain the fundamental difference between theology and ideology, since it has far-reaching implications for the interpretation and evaluation of Biblical texts. In fact, only when the difference between theology and ideology is maintained, can Ezra-Nehemiah still be of value for the Christian church. / Thesis (DD (Old Testament ))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Old Testament Studies / unrestricted

Religious Studies and Arabic / D. Litt. et Phil. (Religious Studies)

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Politics, in modern society, has become intimately associated with poor governance, fraud and corruption, social decay, abuse of power, indifference to the plight of the poor, squandering of critical resources and self-enrichment. This situation has been further aggravated by the debate that religion and politics should be kept separate at all costs. The demand for social justice in marginalised communities has increased dramatically over the last few decades. The escalation of human conflict, poverty, social inequality and corrupt practices across the globe over recent years, demands a radical reassessment of how the human race engages politically, socially and economically with each other. Hebrew classical prophets such as Hosea, Amos, Isaiah and Micah have through their messages of condemnation, indictment, punishment and hope confronted the serious political and social challenges that prevailed during and subsequent to their time. They demonstrated immense bravery against the established order of the day as they proclaimed Yahweh’s gross displeasure and divine judgement for the manner in which those in power had treated the poor. Amos, in particular, has captivated scholars over many decades as they dissected every emotion, historical context, social structure, biblical tradition and literary convention in order to understand his message. This study is an attempt to re-evaluate the critical balance between politics and religion as demonstrated in the divine mandate provided to kings, centuries ago in the ancient Near East, to rule in a just and righteous manner. An examination of the role and function of the prophets, their relationship with the political and religious structures of the day as well as an exegetical study of selected Amos texts has been undertaken to determine how this social imbalance was addressed by the prophets. A general hypothesis is advanced to restore this intricate balance between modern politics and religion. The study further enables a theological re-evaluation of how this balance could possibly be pursued as a potential catalyst for its overall social restoration. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die politiek, in die hedendaagse samelewing, word nou geassosieer met swak regering, bedrog en korrupsie, sosiale verrotting, misbruik van mag, onverskilligheid teenoor die ellende van die armes, verkwisting van kritiese hulpbronne en selfverryking. Hierdie situasie word verder vererger as gevolg van ‘n debat wat daarop aandring dat die politiek en die godsdiens ten alle koste apart gehou moet word. Die aandrang vir sosiale geregtigheid in verarmde gemeenskappe het dramaties toegeneem oor die laaste dekades. Die progressiewe toename in menslike konflik, armoede, sosiale ongelykheid en omkopery wêreldwyd, die onlangse jare, vereis ‘n radikale herevaluering oor hoe die mensdom met mekaar oor die weg kom polities, sosiaal en ekonomies. Die Bybels-Hebreeuse profete soos Hosea, Amos, Jesaja en Miga het met hulle boodskappe van aanklag, straf en hoop die ernstige politieke en sosiale uitdagings wat gedurende hulle tyd geheers het gekonfronteer. Hulle het ongekende dapperheid gedemonstreer teen die destydse owerhede en so Jahwe se intense ontevredenheid en goddelike oordeel verwoord teenoor die swak behandeling van die armes. Amos, in die besonder, het geleerdes oor die dekades bekoor en elke emosie, historiese agtergrond, sosiale struktuur, tradisie en literêre konvensie is benut in ‘n poging om sy boodskap te verstaan. Hierdie studie is ‘n poging om die sensitiewe balans tussen die politiek en die godsdiens te her-evalueer in die lig van die beginsel van regverdige regering as goddelike mandaat wat reeds eeue gelede aan konings van die ou Nabye Ooste opgedra is. ‘n Ondersoek na die rol en funksie van die profete, hul verhouding met die politieke en godsdienstige strukture van hulle tyd, sowel as ‘n eksegetiese studie van geselekteerde Amos tekste word onderneem om te bepaal hoe hierdie sosiale onewewigtigheid hanteer is. ‘n Algemene hipotese word aan die hand gedoen om die ingewikkelde balans tussen die moderne politiek en godsdiens te herstel. Die studie kan verder van waarde wees deurdat dit ‘n teologiese herbesinning bied wat kan dien as ‘n moontlike katalisator vir algehele sosiale restorasie.

Recent scholarship has demonstrated that Matthew's gospel has significantly developed both sapiential and apocalyptic elements within its narrative. Little attention has been paid, however, to the question of how these two features of Matthew's gospel might relate to one another. It is this gap in scholarly literature that the present study is intended to fill, by means of a comparative study with two other texts of mixed genre: 1 Enoch and 4QInstruction. An examination of these texts demonstrates that each is marked by an inaugurated eschatology, within which the revealing of wisdom to an elect group, defined in distinction to the Jewish parent group, serves as the pivotal moment of inauguration. In addition, within 4QInstruction the idea is developed that possession of this revealed wisdom allows the remnant to live in fidelity to the will of the Creator and to the patterns built-in to the original creation. Thus, possession of revealed wisdom facilitates a recovery of creation. These findings provide lines of enquiry that may be brought to Matthew. Three sections of the gospel are examined (chapters 5-7; 11-12; 24-25). It is argued that Jesus is presented as an eschatological figure who reveals wisdom to an elect group. This wisdom cannot be reduced to great moral insight or interpretation of Torah, but is presented as prophetic revelation, happening in eschatological time. It remains the case, however, that Matthew presents it as wisdom and presents Jesus as a sage. More tentatively, it is suggested that creation provides the patterns for the ethical requirements of Jesus' wisdom, thus indicating that the idea of restored creation is also at work in Matthew. The fall of the temple may also be connected in Matthew's narrative to such a restoration, but again, the evidence for this is not clear.

Text in Afrikaans / The hypothesis debated here is that a critical reading process leads to a responsible use of the Bible. The metaphor of birth and growth is used autobiographically in order to illustrate the mastering of a critical reading process. Fundamentalism as condition before the birth indicates a pre-critical reading and understanding of the Bible. The transition to a critical reading and understanding contains certain psychological effects for the reader. In some instances it may even be called a painful birth process. The growing process progresses slowly. Concepts like inspiration, canon, Scriptural authority, the Bible as Word of God are once more scrutinised in the light of a critical reading process. Aspects that need to be settled with any critical reading are surveyed and may be seen as proposed directives for the mastering of the process: the strangeness of the world of the Bible, the evolution of the Bible, the Bible as literature and the critical Bible reader and objectivity. A critical reading process has certain implications for the traditional understanding of certain Bible themes. This, for example, is illustrated in view of the relation between the two testaments, prophecy, human thinking about God in the Bible and the liberating energy of justification through faith. New insights also establish the necessity for contact with believers within and outside the Christian tradition. With regard to the New Testament and the Jesus movement, a critical reading also leads to new insights. Historical Jesus research is handled and settled in earnest in an attempt to reflect new insights in the Christian tradition. In conclusion, the role of the church is surveyed through a critical reading process. A few personal contentions and conceptions of faith are presented as a survey of the growing process up till the present time. The Divine image of a critical reader is argued in the light of the knowledge of science and the provisional nature of human knowledge about God. That the baby is not thrown out with the bath-water, implies that a critical reader's faith in God need not be sacrificed. On the contrary, it can lead to an enriching spiritual experience. / Religious Studies & Arabic / D. Litt. et Phil. (Bybelkunde)

No abstract available / RELIGIOUS STUDIES & ARABIC / MA (ARABIC)

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