HTS Volume 64, Number 1 (2008)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/11006

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Kerk, die huwelik en seks - 'n morele krisis?
(Reformed Theological College, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2008-03) Dreyer, T.F.J. (Theunis Frederik Jacobus), 1946-
Within Western societies the church is challenged by a new sexual "morality". Seemingly, the traditional theological answers do not address the challenge sufficiently. The incompetence of the church to change people's minds leads to a moral crisis. This article is an attempt to create awareness that the church has no choice but to review her traditional stance. This awareness will only surface once we are prepared to acknowledge that our traditional views were influenced by different contexts through the ages. Therefore it is necessary, in a postmodern context, to theologically reflect afresh within this context.
The "sanctity" of marriage - an archaeology of a socio-religious construct : mythological origins, forms and models
(Reformed Theological College, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2008-03) Dreyer, Yolanda
The aim of the article is to argue that the sexual difference between female and male should be regarded as soteriologically indifferent. Though a biological reality of being human, sexuality is profoundly influenced by social constructs and the institution of marriage itself is a social construct. In this article the biological and social aspects are taken into account in a theological approach which on the one hand is interested in the relationship between God and human beings, and on the other in the way in which the Bible elucidates sexuality and marriage. The article indicates that the idea of sexual intercourse between a man and a woman as being equal to God-given "holy matrimony" has mythological origins. It focuses on these origins and on the multifarious forms of marital arrangements and models.
Post-Reformation reformed sources and children
(Reformed Theological College, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2008-03) Neele, A.C.
This article suggests that the topic "children" received considerable attention in the post-Reformation era - the period of CA 1565-1725. In particular, the author argues that the post-Reformation Reformed sources attest of a significant interest in the education and parenting of children. This interest not only continued, but intensified during the sixteenth-century Protestant Reformation when much thought was given to the subject matter. This article attempts to appraise the aim of post-Reformation Reformed sources on the topic "children."
Sexuality and partnership : aspects of theological ethics in the field of marriage, unmarried and homosexual couples
(Reformed Theological College, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2008-03) Kortner, Ulrich H.J.
The attitudes towards sexuality in Western society are undergoing dramatic change. One of the main problems sexual ethics has to deal with today is the question whether the church should acknowledge unmarried long-term relationships. The debate about the acknowledgement of homosexuality as a form of human sexuality equal to heterosexuality is aiming towards the acknowledgement of the equal status of homosexual partnerships and heterosexual marriages as a final consequence. In addition to these issues the article also discusses the issue of the blessing of unmarried or homosexual couples. In light of such public blessings and their liturgical form, the article aims to discuss the question about the promise such blessings holds according to Christian ethics.
God our King
(Reformed Theological College, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2008-03) Muis, Jan
This article discusses whether the metaphor of "king" can still be used in Christian God-talk. Firstly, it is argued that the "king" metaphor for God is an indispensable key metaphor in both the Old and the New Testament. "King" has become a root metaphor in the canonical text of the Old Testament and Jesus' proclamation of the coming kingdom of God presupposes that God is king. Secondly, the Biblical meanings of the metaphor are explored. God's kingship implies his authority and power to fight the forces of evil, to liberate and lead his people and to control the events of history. Modified by Jesus Christ, God's kingship is universal, non-violent and in accordance with his love. Then, the use of the metaphor in contemporary God-talk is considered. Because "king" is the only metaphor that can give expression to God's ultimate highness and authority, it cannot be replaced by others. In the concluding section the "king" metaphor for God is conceptually explained in terms of the relationship, the agency and the power of God it implies.
Space, time and group identity in Jubilees 8-9
(Reformed Theological College, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2008-03) Venter, P.M. (Pieter Michiel), 1947-
Jubilees 8-9 is a rewriting of Genesis 10. It changed a depiction of Israel's identity in genealogical terms into one using spatial terms. This ideological construct was based on a Noah tradition and on Biblical texts describing the ideal borders of the land allotted to Israel. Using a triad of space, time and identity the author of Jubilees advanced his conviction of who the true Israel was. He emphasized the holiness of their land and demarcated the borders of the territory that God allotted them. Indexed by Sabinet Online
Apologie vir die Christelike lewenswyse en etiek
(Reformed Theological College, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2008-03) Van Wyk, I.W.C. (Ignatius William Charles)
Many young Afrikaners have turned their backs on the Calvinistic churches in South Africa. Many of them have difficulty with the Christian morality. Works of by "Boetman" and Koos Kombuis are analysed in order to get acquainted with present-day thinking of the critics of the Afrikaans churches. This article proposes a positive reception of the moral tradition of the Early Church. A short overview of the basic aspects of the ethics of the early church fathers and apologists is given. Whether the critics would embrace a morality of caring, remains an open question. The author is convinced that this morality is the better one. The critics are invited to rethink Christian morality and ethics.
Women, honor, and context in Mediterranean antiquity
(Reformed Theological College, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2008-03) Osiek, Carolyn
Much has been written about how the social structures of honor and shame affected women in Mediterranean antiquity. Sometimes "honor and shame" are taken out of context and used as absolute opposites, an oversimplification. Rather, honor and shame function as coordinates within a complex matrix of other societal factors. Chief among them are kinship, social hierarchy, economic control and effective social networking. Some contemporary studies from southern Europe help illuminate this pattern. The complexity and variation present in the social dynamics of these contemporary cultures indicate that the same kind of complexity and variation must have been present in ancient cultures too.
Eskatologie en koninkryk in die Markusevangelie
(Reformed Theological College, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2008-03) Van Eck, Ernest
This article investigates the concepts of eschatology and kingdom in Mark from a narratological point of view. Special attention is given to the narrator's use of story time and plotted time, the narrative function of Mark 13, and the Son of man sayings in the Gospel. The two most important conclusions reached are that Mark uses the Son of man sayings in a non titular way, and that the coming of the son of man (parousia) refers to Jesus' vindication by God at his resurrection. In Mark the kingdom is equated with Jesus' new household, a household that replaces the temple. The concepts of kingdom (new household), eschatology and son of man are thus so closely linked in Mark's narrative that eschatology is the kingdom and the kingdom is eschatology. A possible sociohistorical setting for Mark's community, in which the above understanding of the concepts of kingdom, eschatology and Son of man sayings would have made sense, is also postulated.
Postcolonial theory as a hermeneutical tool for Biblical reading
(Reformed Theological College, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2008-03) Rukundwa, L.S. (Lazare Sebitereko)
In this article, postcolonial theory is presented as a tool for Biblical interpretation, in an attempt to find colonial intentions (be they political, cultural or economic) that informed and influenced the writer's context. Although criticism has been levelled at the church and other religious institutions for having, consciously or unconsciously, facilitated colonial conquests and imperial establishment all over the world, postcolonial theory calls them to a constructive reading that enables readers to see the concerns of the universal mission of justice. Postcolonial theory, as a tool for Biblical interpretation, deals with the Bible as a "cultural product" in time and space. However, as part of socio-scientific method, postcolonial theory encounters some crucial translation problems such as ethnocentrism and anachronism. Nevertheless, whatever hermeneutical tool the reader uses, it must yield two important things from Scripture reading : discovering life and discovering faith.
"The Arabs" in the ecclesiastical historians of the 4th/5th centuries : effects on contemporary Christian-Muslim relations
(Reformed Theological College, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2008-03) Grafton, David D.
Historical inquiry into the origin and history of "the Arabs" has long been a part of Western Orientalist literature. However, Christian scholars from the 7th century onward sought to understand the rise of Islam from within a Biblical framework. This article looks at how the early church historians of the 4th and 5th centuries viewed "the Arabs" and passed on those images to their ecclesiastical descendents. It aims to argue that the pejorative image of "the Arabs" as uncultured pagan barbarians of late antiquity was extended to Muslims in the 7th century and transferred into the Latin derogatory term "the Saracen". This negative image has been perpetuated in Western Christian literature and continues to color Western Evangelical Christian and Dispensational images of "the Arabs". The article shows that such perceptions have as much to do with the cultural stereotypes disseminated from the ecclesiastical historians as they do with Biblical hermeneutics.
Justice with mercy : about a contemporary Palestinian theology
(Reformed Theological College, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2008-03) Jeppesen, Knud
Arab Christianity has a long history, longer than the history Christianity has in many European countries, a fact we seem to have forgotten in the west. According to Acts 2:11, some Arabs together with several other people of different nationalities were present when Peter gave his address to the crowd on the first Pentecost day after the ascension of Christ. Even if this piece of information is not historically true, there is no doubt that Christianity spread to the Arab world fairly early, probably in the beginning with some Judaeo-Christians, who moved to Arabia, and later on as a result of a mission to the gentiles. Already in antiquity the Bible was translated from the Greek Septuagint into Arabic.
History and theory of Scripture translations
(Reformed Theological College, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2008-03) Loba-Mkole, Jean-Claude
This article argues for the importance of Bible translations through its historical achievements and theoretical frames of reference. The missionary expansion of Christianity owes its very being to translations. The early Christian communities knew the Bible through the LXX translations while churches today still continue to use various translations. Translations shape Scripture interpretations, especially when a given interpretation depends on a particular translation. A particular interpretation can also influence a given translation. The article shows how translation theories have been developed to clarify and how the transaction source-target is culturally handled. The articles discuss some of these "theoretical frames", namely the functional equivalence, relevance, literary-functional equivalence and intercultural mediation. By means of a historical overview and a reflection on Bible translation theories the article aims to focus on the role of Africa in translation history.
Matthew, Paul and the origin and nature of the gentile mission : the great commission in Matthew 28:16-20 as an anti-Pauline tradition
(Reformed Theological College, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2008-03) Sim, David C.
The Great Commission at the conclusion of Matthew's Gospel is one of its key texts. In this tradition the risen Christ overturns the previous restriction of the mission to Israel alone and demands that the disciples evangelise all the nations. The gospel they were to proclaim included observance of the Torah by Jew and Gentile like. Matthew's account of the origin and nature of the Gentile mission differs from Paul's view as it is found in the epistle to the Galatians. Paul maintains that he had been commissioned by the resurrected Lord to evangelise the Gentiles and that the gospel he was to preach did not involve obedience to the Torah. The later and alternative version of Matthew can be understood as an attempt by the evangelist to undermine these claims by Paul. Such an interpretation is consistent with Matthew's anti-Pauline polemic that emerges elsewhere in the Gospel.
"Op die aarde net soos in die hemel" : Matteus se eskatologie as die koninkryk van die hemel wat reeds begin kom het
(Reformed Theological College, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2008-03) Van Aarde, A.G. (Andries G.)
ATKV/SA AKADEMIEPRYS BESTE ARTIKEL 2008. In the article time as both "imagined" and "experienced" is explained against the background of the first-century Mediterranean conceptualisation of time. This reading scenario is seen as over against a modern Eurocentric ethnocentric interpretation of the concept "apocalyptic-eschatology". The aim of the article is to argue that Matthew's narration of the demolition of the temple in Jerusalem concurs with his belief that the first followers of Jesus experienced the vision of the coming of the Son of man and that both these experiences are presented in Matthew as though Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection are incidents of the past. Matthew's eschatology centres on the view that the final consummation of time has already begun. The article explores the ethical appeal which is communicated through such an eschatological reading scenario. This appeal is summarised by Jesus' words "On earth as it is in heaven". The article consists of a conversation about core issues in mainstream interpretations of what Matthew's eschatology could be within the narrative's plot as it contextualised in formative Christianity and formative Judaism. The view assumed in this article is that the "time" and the experiences of Matthew's church and those of Jesus and his disciples are considered to be integrated within the history of Israel.
A place to share : some thoughts about the meaning of territory and boundaries in our thinking about God and humanity
(Reformed Theological College, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2008-03) Bons-Storm, Riet
This article proffers some thoughts in reply to the following question : how can we think about God in a theology that takes into account the concept of place in such a way that we are able to live together in a salvific way with others, sharing a place as equals? Concepts such as "territory" and "territoriality" are helpful, because they can be linked with "identity" and the need to feel safe. Boundaries and boundary markers such as walls play an important role in conflicts. The possibility of a "liminal space" at a boundary where eye-to-eye relationships may be possible helps to make "the other", the stranger, a human being with her / his own needs and vulnerability. Using the Israeli / Palestinian conflict as an example, images of God and their impact on the possibility of sharing the land are explored. Hagar, herself a stranger, experiences God's lifesaving attention and names God "God of seeing".
Om die horison te verken : op soek na 'n eietydse homiletiese hermeneutiek
(Reformed Theological College, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2008-03) Vos, C.J.A. (Casparus Johannes Adam), 1945-
In hierdie artikel word die hermeneutiese insigte van Paul Ricoeur vir die homiletiek ontsluit. Die hipotese is dat Ricoeur se hermeneutiek die homiletiek kan verryk. Die voorwaarde is egter dat Ricoeur se hermeneutiese grondlyne noukeurig gelees en krities geëvalueer moet word. ENGLISH: In this article, the author takes up the Ricoeurian idea of a dual hermeneutic. The article emphasizes the need for critical homiletics, not only to make the invaluable and necessary recourse to a "hermeneutics of suspicion" but also moves beyond it to a "hermeneutics of recollection" that is sympathetic to religion. The concept of a second naiveté is also considered in relation to the dialectic between the two hermeneutical extremes.
The contribution of the Netherdutch Reformed Church of Africa (NHKA) to theological training at the Transvaal University College
(Reformed Theological College, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2008) Van der Merwe, P.J.
The ideal of theological training of candidates for the ministry of the Dutch Reformed Church (NHK) found its first (formal) expression in 1884. Difficult ecclesiastical, social and economic circumstances (including the consequences of the First and Second Anglo-Boer Wars) prevented dreams and plans from being realised. The opening of a Pretoria division of the Transvaal University College (TUC) in 1908 created new opportunities, but it would take another eight years before planning for theological training at the TUC could start. The NHK and the Presbyterian Church were involved as denominational partners in this undertaking. This phase lasted from 1917 to 1933. These humble beginnings laid the foundation for the theological training of ministers at university level - a paradigm which is still applicable in South Africa today.
Being Biblical? Slavery, sexuality, and the inclusive community
(Reformed Theological College, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2008-03) Burridge, Richard A.,1955-
The use of the Bible in ethical debate has been central for the last two millennia. Current debates about sexuality, or the position of women in church leadership, are marked by both, or all, sides of the argument using Scripture. However, this has been true of many issues in the past. This is demonstrated in the debate about slavery two hundred years ago. Careful analysis of the use of Scripture in both the justification and critique of apartheid reveals how both sides quoted Scripture in its various modes, such as rules, principles, paradigms, and overall world-view. The biographical nature of the Gospels means that we must set Jesus' rigorous ethical teaching in the context of the narrative of his deeds, including his open and welcoming acceptance of all people. It was an inclusive community of interpretation which changed the debates about slavery and apartheid, and a similar inclusive community is needed today.
HTS Theological Studies and Verbum et Ecclesia - the journals of the Faculty of Theology at the University of Pretoria : historical overview and strategic planning
(Reformed Theological College, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, 2008) Human, Dirk J.; Van Aarde, A.G. (Andries G.)
This article celebrates the centenary of the University of Pretoria (UP) in 2008. The editors of Verbum et Ecclesia and HTS Theological Studies, the two theological journals associated with the Faculty of Theology at UP, reflect on the journals' historical roots, editorial focuses, distinctive features, subscription and language statistics and on their contribution to support the academic study of theology and related disciplines. The Faculty of Theology was founded in 1917 and celebrated its ninetieth birthday in 2007. The origin of its journals dates back to 1943. This article discusses the challenges that academic journals face in South Africa and undertakes strategic planning for the future. A concluding addendum, consisting of statistical diagrams with regard to the journals' profile during the last five years, illustrates the argument.

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