Theses and Dissertations (New Testament Studies)

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Economic justice in Luke 19:1-10 : a post-apartheid imperial critical reading with reference to the land question in South Africa
(University of Pretoria, 2023-11-17) Van Eck, Ernest; Streett, Alan; patson_motuku@yahoo.com; Motuku, Kenosi Patson
The primary thesis of this study is that Zacchaeus’ words in Luke 19:1-10 micronarrative are a radical futuristic resolve responding to Luke’s radical message of ‘good news to the poor’ and ‘wealth renunciation’. Met squarely with the Saviour, Zacchaeus repents of his economically fraudulent ways, and reconciles himself with his estranged community by performing economic restitution and wealth divestiture to the victims of his unjust economic practices. This penitential commitment by Zacchaeus is radical when analysed within the imperial values of Roman-Palestine specifically, and the Graeco-Roman world generally. In a world where the ruling elites amassed wealth through oppression, tyranny, and exploitation of the poor, Zacchaeus’ heed Luke’s radical message of ‘care and concern’ for the poor, and restores illegitimate wealth stolen from the poor. The study deduces that Luke’s economic message is radical and counter-cultural to the dominant values of the Roman-Palestinian world of the Lukan text, and the Graeco-Roman social-world of its readers. Luke’s economic message is viewed as representing God’s economy in contradistinction to the unjust Graeco-Roman economy, with Zacchaeus understood as epitomising the radical response required in heeding Luke’s radical call. Thus, Luke challenges the Palestinian-Roman native collaborators like Zacchaeus who benefits economically by colluding with Roman oppressors in extracting wealth from the poor agrarian peasants, and the Graeco-Roman elites who amasses wealth through heavy taxation, and expropriation of land through oppressive systems and institutions designed to benefit the elites. This radical economic message of Luke, and the attendant radical response by Zacchaeus, is viewed as a necessary paradigm required in bringing about justice and genuine reconciliation between Blacks and Whites in post-apartheid South Africa. The thesis argues that the CODESA negotiations, the TRC nation-building efforts, and the post-apartheid economic policy trajectory have not been effective in addressing the colonial apartheid economic and spatial injustices, which informs the poor race-relations between Blacks and Whites in South Africa today. A ‘Zacchaeus moment’ is thus proposed as a probable theological paradigm in addressing economic inequality and the land question in post-apartheid South Africa today. Thus, the prophetic role of theology is signified by this study.
Family and kinship in the early Christian church and the modern Seventh-day Adventist Church : a comparison in ecclesiology
(University of Pretoria, 2023-09-15) Van Eck, Ernest; hendrikdwinnaar@gmail.com; De Winnaar, Hendrik
This study aims to identify the comparisons and contrasts that might exist between the kinship and familial ecclesiology of the first-century Christian church and the ecclesiology of the SDA church. It further aims to highlight the benefits of developing a familial ecclesiology in the SDA church. The last aim of this study is to positively contribute to the development of a biblical familial approach to the doctrine and practice of ecclesiology in the SDA church by making specific recommendations. The aim of this study is not to bring complete reform to SDA ecclesiology, but rather to inform and sensitise the SDA community with regards to the familial experience of the early Christian believers.
Children are made holy through marriage : shaping Christian households in 1 Corinthians 7:12-16
(University of Pretoria, 2023-09-25) Dube, Zorodzai; u17396469@tuks.co.za; Nkambule, Benedict Lindokuhle
This study applies social identity complexity theory as the theoretical framework in reading 1 Corinthians 7:12-16. This dissertation focuses on how Paul uses holiness language in 1 Corinthians 7:12-16 as a rhetorical device to advocate for unity and peace in the complex households with various social groups and identities including believers married to unbelievers. Holiness, with no moral implications, in this passage is thus a social identity marker inclusive of the unbelievers and subsequently the children from these marriages.
Israel, die Nationen und die Gemeinde in der Offenbarung des Johannes
(University of Pretoria, 2023) Stenschke, Christoph; u23969777@tuks.co.za; Proelss, Silvia
The study examines how Israel and the Christ-following community are related to each other in the Book of Revelation. It differs from traditional approaches which propose that, according to Revelation, the church is the “new Israel”. In contrast, this thesis argues that the distinction between ethnic Israel and the nations is upheld and still relevant. A spiritual interpretation of “Israel” in the key passage Rev 7:4 provides the basis for traditional approaches. This interpretation, however, must be questioned with regard to the application of ethnic terminology in Revelation and the adequacy of such a spiritualization as a means for displaying the relationship between Israel and the Christ-following community. The examination of the Jew-Gentile relationship in the tradition-historical background (the Old Testament and Second Temple literature) shows that becoming a Jewish proselyte was not a prerequisite for having a relationship with YHWH nor was the term “Israel” applied for referring to a Gentile nation. Further key passages are Rev 2:9 and 3:9 where a “synagogue of Satan” is mentioned. These passages need not be read as judging Jewish people for not accepting Jesus as the Messiah. There are other interpretative options; Rev 2,9; 3,9 could also indicate a conflict with judaizing Gentile believers in the Messiah. A close reading of key texts based on an abiding distinction between Israel and the nations leads to coherent results. The thesis presents a reading for the visionary part of Revelation that centers upon the restoration of Israel and its universal implications. The 144.000 in Rev 7 and 14 are interpreted as ethnic Israelites. The woman in Rev 12 and the bride (Rev 19 and 21) are understood as metaphors for Israel. Although the letters to the seven churches (Rev 2 and 3) indicate that there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles regarding the potential eschatological blessing for the individuals, the visionary part with its universal perspective provides a picture according to which Israelite particularism plays out on a national and functional level in the unfolding of eschatological blessing. The final vision (Rev 21 and 22) displays the eschaton as shaped by interdependence and mutual blessing between the nations and the New Jerusalem. The consequences of choosing a different framework become clear regarding the question how Israel and the Christ-following community are related to each other. The relationship that comes to the fore in the salvation-historical perspective of Revelation is not one between Israel and the church, but one between Israel and the Gentile believers in the Messiah.
Social networks in early christianity according to Luke-Acts
(University of Pretoria, 2023) Stenschke, Christoph; u21829927@tuks.co.za; Dörpinghaus, Jens
This study explores the narrative portrayal of the early Christian network in Luke-Acts by utilizing Social Network Analysis (SNA) and critical spatiality. Understanding social interactions and networks and how they influence society are important issues in this quest. Most studies by historians and biblical scholars have only focused on understanding how the New Testament constructs networks and identity using exegetical methods. In this work we have developed suitable methods for a mathematical computational social network analysis using exegetical methods. First, we provide a detailed methodological discussion that highlights the overlap between narrative criticism and SNA. Combining both in a second step, we present a SNA based on exegetical observations on Luke-Acts. This includes a detailed analysis with multiple methods like distance measures, structural analyses, community detection, and other methods from the social sciences. Transferring these results back to the domain of biblical texts, we provide a detailed analysis of Luke’s portrayal of community and social cohesion. This also includes research on a network construction which combines both Luke’s Gospel and Acts, the mission co-workers in Acts, different locations and spatiality, and detailed studies of several major and minor actors. By using these methods, we were able to demonstrate that methods from the humanities, in particular social network analyses, can bring fresh perspectives to our understanding of Luke-Acts. While the Gospel of Luke focuses on the connection between theological and christological motifs with social aspects in thirdspace (according to the categories of critical spaciality), and in particular describes the ‘in’ and ‘out’ in the inclusive network of Jesus-followers, Acts is more concerned with the firstspace and secondspace spread of the network and in particular how the network developed and displays the previously introduced motifs. Further analysis indicates that Luke’s primary focus is on the inclusion of every single person. In this, his inclusion of women stands out, but, however, his interest goes even further: He opens the perspective to all people. Thus, the opposite is also important: The SNA of Luke’s Gospel does not allow any conclusions that Luke in his composition intended that one particular group should play a special role in the community. The network is built around Jesus being the centre of Luke’s narrative and heological intentions. Luke’s primary narrative interest in composing interpersonal relationship is the idea of participation in a community. Acts describes a stable, redundant but expanding network. It refers to strong interactions between people who belong to several communities, which is a key to understanding the network. The results of this SNA emphasize that Paul was a person deeply embedded within the early Christian network. In particular, Luke does not omit co-workers, but highlights collaboration in mission not only with Paul, but also for Barnabas, Peter and John. All these actors use different strategies to collaborate with co-workers. Our approach also has the added benefit that it integrates an analysis of the methodological overlap between SNA, literary approaches and narrative criticism. However, more research needs to be done to evaluate how digital methods can contribute to our understanding of biblical texts.
Papyrus 72 and the Bodmer Miscellaneous Codex : a study of the dynamics of early Christian identity formation
(University of Pretoria, 2023) Kok, Jacobus (Kobus); nycholasldo@gmail.com; Oliveira, Nycholas Lawrence David
Early Christian manuscripts like P72 and the Bodmer Miscellaneous Codex (BMC) offer a window into the dynamics of early Christian identity formation. Recent scholarship argues that the scribe of P72 was also the collector of the BMC. This allows these manuscripts to be studied together as a creation of a single person in the early 4th century. Through the utilization of social-scientific and text-critical methodologies, and with reference to social identity theory, the present study will aim to explicate the socio-historical context of these manuscripts in conjunction with their known textual features in an attempt to more fully appreciate the dynamic process of social identity and boundary formation in some early Christians. My thesis can be stated as follows: The selection of texts in the codex, as well as the marginal notes and textual emendations in 1 Peter, are indicative of a process of social identity formation, specifically an emerging orthodox Christian identity that is seeking positive distinctiveness and striving to reinforce the boundaries between an ingroup and various other outgroups.
Die “ander” : Lukaanse Jesus en Lévinas
(University of Pretoria, 2023) Van Eck, Ernest; Meylahn, Johann-Albrecht; anel.ferreira@gmail.com; Becker-Ferreira, Anel
Emmanuel Levinas’s philosophy of the “other” is investigated and brought into conversation with how Jesus regarded his “other” through a Lukan perspective of Jesus. The main focus of Levinas's philosophical works is the primacy of an ethical relationship of the "self" towards the "other". Using the social scientific method, Jesus’ attitude and actions towards his “other” in the Gospel of Luke are considered. Jesus proposes new values to include “otherness” in the kingdom of God. In the new kingdom of God, boundaries and advantages created by ethnicity, gender, status, and age are nullified. A comparison between Jesus’s actions from the Gospel of Luke and Levinas's philosophy of the “other” is explored. A proposal towards what South Africans can learn about otherness, equality, and diversity and an approach to embracing outsiders is made.
A beauty that beckons. The glory of Christ and its perception in 2 Corinthians 2:14-4:6
(University of Pretoria, 2023) Stenschke, Christoph; intelianz@gmail.com; Lanz, Elias Johannes
This study is an analysis of the glory of Christ and its perception in Paul's apology of his apostolic ministry in 2 Corinthians 2:14-4:6. The exegetical focus within the passage lies on the three verses that address the spiritual transformation of believers through their encounter with God: 2 Corinthians 3:3, 3:18 and 4:6. The study also presents a survey of spiritual perception and appearance in the Corinthian correspondence, a hitherto neglected perspective. The survey concludes that Paul desires the Corinthians to grow in spiritual perception and warns them of judgement by appearance only. In 2 Corinthians Paul is concerned with his relationship to the Corinthians. In light of accusations made against his person and ministry, he intends to correct the Corinthians' misperceptions. He explains that, contrary to appearance, his ministry does have glory. The study concludes that Paul uses the perception of the glory of Christ to explain the paradoxical nature of his ministry. The glory of his ministry is like the glory of Christ: it is unassuming and therefore not appreciated by everyone. But those who see Christ’s glory are transformed by the Spirit. They accept the paradoxical self-revelation of God in the suffering servant and Messiah, Jesus Christ. In analogy, they also accept Paul and his ministry. A further conclusion is that Paul includes the Corinthians in his ministry as co-witnesses to the gospel and the glory of Christ. Their transformation into the image of Christ means that they (should) reflect Christ’s glory. The transformation of believers is initiated by and results in the perception of the glory of Christ.
Das Neue Testament und die Suche nach einer nachhaltigen, gerechten Wirtschaftsordnung
(University of Pretoria, 2022) Stenschke, Christoph; Van Eck, Ernest; samuelfalk@gmx.de; Falk, Samuel
Under the heading "sustainability development", new ways out of the crisis of the capitalist, global economic system and a future-oriented, just and sustainable economy and society are being sought. The most recent symptoms of this crisis are the financial and banking crisis in 2007-08, the euro crisis between 2009-11, since 2020 the corona pandemic and climate change, which is growing vehemently. The rising inequality of wealth distribution and global poverty are also signs of an inherently sick system. Although the current discourse on sustainability is not entirely without references to the writings of the New Testament, the elaboration of an overall New Testament perspective or several perspectives on individual writings has been lacking up to now. This work closes this gap by introducing a Christian-spiritual perspective grounded in the New Testament into the current sustainability discourse and thus making an important contribution to the search for a just and sustainable economic order. To this end, the diverse statements of the New Testament on economic references and on the consequences of economic action are examined and bundled into central statements. Six thematic focal points (so-called paradigms) can be identified in the writings of the New Testament on money and economics: the first two paradigms (1) "Danger of wealth" and (2) "Economics in the context of eschatological reservation" deal critically with economics and property. This is followed by (3) "Use of money" and (4) "Option for the poor", two paradigms that see money and possessions as an impulse for action. The two paradigms (5) "Securing basic needs" and (6) "Community of goods, consumption and life", which describe ideals of dealing with money and possessions and a call for imitation, form the conclusion. In the interpretation of biblical passages exemplary for the statement of the respective paradigm and in the dialogue with two relevant, global voices (the Agenda 2030 of the United Nations as a political voice and the encyclical Laudato Si of Pope Francis as an ecclesiastical voice), the great opportunity of a Christian spiritual perspective founded in the New Testament for the current sustainability discourse becomes visible.
The concept of community in the Johannine gospel
(University of Pretoria, 2023) Van Eck, Ernest; Van Rensburg, Hanre Janse; kelly.godibert@gmail.com; Gharbin, Godibert Kelly
Scholars characterise the Akan community concept preponderantly as communalistic. Consequently, they discuss Akan maxims that demonstrate their strong emphasis on collectivism. However, some proverbs reveal a tension between communalism and individualism and expose the struggle to incarnate their cultural values. John presents a similar situation where the Bethesda community, for instance, failed to incarnate their cultural values. Thus, this study explored the community concept in John for the proposed remedy and the implications for Akan believers. This study employed Loba-Mkole’s intercultural reading for the dialogue between the two cultures. Therefore, it applied Ossom-Batsa’s communicative approach (a three-step frame of interpretation) as the theoretical framework. Thus, the study adopted narrative criticism by Daniel Marguerat and Bourquin to examine the community concept in John in Chapters 2 and 3 to discover the call of action (step 1). Further, it analysed Akan maxims as the substratum of the Akan community ideations (step 2). It then engaged both concepts using intercultural reading (step 3). From the intercultural exegesis, the study establishes that the remedy for sociocultural maladies is a believing community that fulfils its mission of replicating the community of God. It entails abiding in the Vine and bearing fruits: mission as going and living. The study recommends further research on the Akan culture, focusing on the materialistic elements. It also proposes that Akan Christians consider the concept of the church as a ‘community of God’ in John. Finally, it advocates that love should be the undergirding principle of communalism, not mutual benefits.
Social justice in employment and remuneration of workers in Cameroon in the light of the parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Mt 20:1-15) : An African Biblical Interpretation
(University of Pretoria, 2020) Van Eck, Ernest; Ntem, Godlove Sevidzem
The concern for social justice in employment and remuneration of workers is crucial in Africa because the continent has a lot of natural resources and avenues for employment, but the rate of youth unemployment and low remuneration for those who are privileged to find a job has made the question of social justice to become imperative. Agrarian communities in the Mediterranean world of the New Testament were also confronted by the question of social justice as portrayed in the parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Mt 20:1-15). The thesis indicates that many scholars who have dealt with the contemporary and disturbing issue of social justice, using the parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Mt 20:1-15), are Westerners and American scholars and therefore have dealt with questions and spiritual problems that relates to West and America. In response to these readings of the parable, this study is a quest for a biblical theology of social justice in employment and remuneration for Africa and by an African in the light of Matthew 20:1-15 from a Cameroonian perspective using an African biblical interpretation. The history of interpretation of the parable revealed that many interpreters who have worked on the parable have considered the action of a vineyard owner who paid all his workers the same amount despite the fact that they were employed at different hours of the day as an act of extreme generosity of a very unusual employer. This study adds a further dimension to the aspect of generosity in that the owner took cognisance of the condition of the unemployed and paid them according to need and not merit which is a higher dimension of social justice. Like in the society Jesus describes, Africans live in communities of unfair distribution of resources and this creates an imbalanced society between the privileged and the less-privileged. Therefore, social justice is highly perverted in Africa. From an empirical point of view, the policy of employment of workers and payment in the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon (PCC) is well constituted. However, some pitfalls are observed at the level of some employments and appointments done from perspectives of regional balancing rather than merit. This is a replica of what the Cameroon government is doing to silence opposition to the central administration. As an exegetical work, brief explorations are made of other current exegetical methods before deciding on the social scientific and African biblical interpretation methods which are the main methods that are used to read Matthew 20:1-15. The reading of the parable is examined from Jesus’ perspective, and not from Matthew the narrator where possible editing might have been effected. While the popular reading of this parable has in many cases been allegorical, the work deals with the parable as an earthly story with an earthly meaning to show that parables are not necessarily fictive stories, but realistic ones. One of the conclusions of the study is that a large percentage of the twenty-first century African societies are agrarian. Despite the fact that most of the economic potentials of Africa come from agriculture, the continent is still suffering from food shortages because many African leaders have not been fair to their citizens. Endemic corrupt regimes have taken away the treasure of Africa, and allowed their people to suffer. African elites act as bosses instead of being servants to the people. The study of the parable authenticates that the Patron vineyard owner does the hiring of workers himself and he pays the late workers out of need and the early workers out of a fair wage. An African biblical interpretation of the parable concludes that if this parable was told in an African setting, the vineyard owner would have been someone like an African chief (Fon), a title holder, an African elder or an elite of good standing who shows solidarity with various members of his community. The behaviour of various characters would have coincided with many values of the African context.
Jesus and Legion: A socio-political perspective on demon possession and exorcism in Mark 5:1-20 and in African Pentecostal Churches
(University of Pretoria, 2020) Dube, Zorodzai; j.t.mwani28@gmail.com; Mwani, Joshua Tepillah
No abstract available
Displacing power from the dance floor : a postcolonial gendered reading of Mark 6:14-29
(University of Pretoria, 2020) Van Eck, Ernest; lethabomelissa@gmail.com; Molopyane, Lethabo Melissa
The study rereads the narrative of Mark 6:14-29 from Homi Bhabha’s postcolonial theory of mimicry and ambivalence. Unlike other interpretations that focus on the death of John the Baptist by Herod, the focal point of this study is the daughter who danced during Herod’s banquet. By taking account of the female body that is culturally represented as the inferior gender, and the use of status to determine power, the text is interpreted through the lenses of gender theory and the social-scientific model of honour and shame. By observing the unequal power structures and the suppression of female bodies, the study indicates that the daughter, through her dance, gained agency, reconstructed her identity, and displaced power on a dance floor. Instead of being a sexual male gaze, she became a negotiator to Herod.
Early Catholicism and the United Methodist Church in Zimbabwe
(University of Pretoria, 2020) Van Eck, Ernest; Mashero, Edward
This study has been an analysis of the impact of Early Catholicism to the United Methodist Church. The study has employed the following exegetical approaches; social scientific criticism, historical criticism and theological comparative method. It has also used data collection methods which include the designed questionnaire and unstructured interviews. The features of Early Catholicism were elaborated namely; the fading of the Parousia hope or imminent expectation, increasing institutionalization, crystallization of faith into set forms, the preservation of apostolic traditions, formulated creeds and confessions, established worship patterns, normative Christian ethics and distinctive collection of writings. The organizational structure of the United Methodist Church was delineated. The historical background of the church was provided. The constitution of the church was outlined with the following features; general articles, organizational structure, episcopal supervision, the judiciary and the amendments of the constitution. The theological heritages of the church are highlighted namely; basic Christian affirmation, distinctive Wesleyan emphasis, justification and perfection, mission, service and nurturing. The articles of religion of the United Methodist were also elaborated namely; faith in the Holy Trinity, sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for salvation, the original sin and free will, justification of men, the sacraments, sanctification, Holy Spirit and perfection. The doctrinal standards or methods of doing theology namely; scripture, tradition, experience and reason are elaborated. Wesley believed that the living of core of the Christian faith was reviewed in scripture, illuminated by tradition, vivified in personal experience and confirmed by reason. The study also explores the mission and ministry of the church which encompasses the ministry of all Christians, servant leadership, servant ministry, call to inclusiveness, the fulfilment of ministry and methods of organizing a new church. The United Methodist is a well organized church with social principles namely; the natural world, the social creed, the nurturing, social, economic and world communities. The duties and responsibilities of pastors, bishops and district superintendents are well defined and summarised in the fourfold ministry of sacrament, word, service and order. The study also provides the administrative committees and boards of the United Methodist Church. The liturgical calendar is also elaborated namely; advent, Christmastide, epiphany, lent, Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday and other special Sundays. Two sacraments of the United Methodist Church are stressed, Holy Communion and baptism. The study also provides rules and regulations that deal with church property. All tittles are held in trust, the emphasis is on compliance with the law, and church’s financial books should be audited. The church has its own ways of dealing with disputes, trails and appeals through the judicial council. An evaluation of the impact of Early Catholicism to the life and ministry of the United Methodist Church in Zimbabwe is provided. It was observed that the United Methodist Church adopted many features from Early Catholicism which includes its organizational structure, creeds and confessions, worship patterns and crystallization of faith into set forms. Finally, recommendations were made focusing ways to improve the organizational structure of the United Methodist Church.
Talking back to power' : deviance in Luke 18:1-8 and women in Zimbabwe
(University of Pretoria, 2019) Dube, Zorodzai; u15394672@tuks.co.za; Matarirano, Clement
This study is a contextual reading of the parable of the persistent widow found in Luke 18:1-8 from the perspective of the concerns of widows in Zimbabwe. Given the everyday usage and mirror reading of the Bible in Zimbabwe, the study assumes that the parable of the persistent widow can be read as realistic narratives regarding concerns of widows in Antioch (where I shall argue for the location of Luke) but also as a parable that provides discursive material to address contextual concerns of widows in Zimbabwe. Every day, court cases, electronic, print media and social media are full of stories concerning widows whose lives drastically change due to property being taken away after the death of their spouses. Several such stories exist but some are not publicized. The succession and inheritance laws in Zimbabwe meant to address such challenges have failed the widows because of the mutilation of culture by greedy people. Related to this is the challenge that culture does not give priority to writing of ‘Will’ and talking about death. Consequently, Culture has become the default source of authority used by relatives to dispossess widows of their properties (Odoyoye 2001:85). This study contextualizes the parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18:1-8 and read it from the perspective and as analogue to think-about issues facing widows after the death of their partners and using the findings from the discussions about the parable to fight for the concerns of widows in Zimbabwe. Located within the broader framework of honor and shame, the parable of the persistent widow provides comparative experiences regarding gender, class and place of widows within the domestic space. As theoretical perspective, deviance theory understood within the ambit of honour and shame cultural context is used to explain the widow’s behavior of travelling alone and then talking to a male judge during queer times of the day. From the surface, the actions of the widow which looks shameful within culture of honour and shame is used to think-with issues facing widows in Zimbabwe.
Social identity complexity and conflict-resolution in Luke and Zimbabwe
(University of Pretoria, 2019) Dube, Zorodzai; marevesa.tobias@tuks.co.za; Marevesa, Tobias
This study uses social identity complexity theory to investigate complexity of identity in Luke with focus on Luke 15 to determine how Luke solved social conflict. The discussion from Luke is used as analogical or comparative discussion to solve complexity of identity in Zimbabwe that has led to political violence and economic stagnation and the conflict-resolution in Acts 15 and the Global Political Agreement in Zimbabwe. It is the purpose of this research to identify the overlap and complexity identities within the early Christianities especially in Luke’s community and to make a possible reconstruction of new identity formation within the context of Zimbabwe using kerygmatic strategies of conflict-resolution of the first century church in Acts 15. The social identity complexity as a theoretical framework of this research helped to shed light on the conflict in Luke’s community and to analyse data. Acts 15 has been taken as a case study to give some insights in the conflict in the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15) on how social identity complexity helped in bringing in reconciliation to characters such as Peter and Paul. The factors that provoked conflict in the first century church of the Jerusalem Council has been explored. The research argues that there are kerygmatic strategies of conflict-resolution of the first century church in Acts 15, which can be read alongside the Zimbabwean political situation. The study establishes that there is need to bring warring parties on the negotiating table where issues pertaining to careful debate, willingness to compromise, respect for others, and giving up one’s interest are emphasised whenever there is a political or social impasse.
The new perspective critique of Luther : a response
(University of Pretoria, 2018) Van Eck, Ernest; barteriksson@gmail.com; Eriksson, Bart Anders
The New Perspective is a modern movement in New Testament scholarship which challenges Protestant interpretations of Paul’s writings. However, since the New Perspective refers to schools of thought present in other time periods and since it also repeats some ideas regarding Pauline interpretation found in the early church period or the Middle Ages it needs first to be viewed within the overall context of Christian interpretation of Paul throughout the ages. It used to be the case, state New Perspective scholars, that Protestants assumed that Paul was to Judaism as Luther was to Medieval Catholicism. Both men supposedly reacted against legalistic religions and championed grace-based faiths. However, now that E. P. Sanders in Paul and Palestinian Judaism, has demonstrated that Judaism is not a legalistic but a grace-based faith, New Perspectivists claim that Paul’s and Luther’s theologies and experiences were thus not parallel. Hence, supposedly Luther misunderstood Paul. Additionally, building on the work of Schweitzer, Wrede and others New Perspectivists challenge Protestant understandings of “justification.” In New Perspective thought, Paul uses the term “justification” primarily to describe how people, particularly Gentiles, join the church Christians without following Jewish ritual laws. “Justification,” then, does not describe how people “stay in” the covenant and receive salvation, as Protestants think. However, this study maintains that while New Perspectivists have some knowledge of Paul and Judaism, they are much less knowledgeable regarding Luther, Medieval Catholicism, and Luther’s reaction to it. Greater scrutiny of these latter areas reveals large difficulties with New Perspective arguments. In addition, a review of relevant passages from Paul’s letters demonstrates that Protestants have not misunderstood Paul’s use of the term “justification.” Many Pauline passages show that when Paul discusses justification he is also thinking about “staying in,” not just “getting in” the covenant. Furthermore, many scholars have now challenged Sanders’ interpretations of first-century Judaism. While Sanders has no doubt done a tremendous service to New Testament scholarship by demonstrating that there is more grace in Judaism than F. Weber, Bultmann, F. C. Baur and others had presumed, some scholars now state that Sanders has overstated the elements of grace in some facets of first-century Judaism. In addition, many scholars now agree that first-century Judaism was a diverse movement and cannot be accurately depicted by general descriptions. Sanders’ understanding of a “common Judaism,” present up until 70 AD have now been challenged. All of this, however, effects our interpretation of Paul. If first-century Judaism was diverse, then one would expect that Paul, in responding to Judaism would respond to both legalistic and grace-based interpretations of the Torah covenant. When examining Paul’s letters one sees that this is exactly what Paul does. His critique of Judaism is more multi-facetted than many people have understood. Although the New Perspective critique of Luther is not accurate and although most of its other key ideas can be challenged, the New Perspective has not been a wasted effort.
Exploring Jesus’ social interactions in mark’s gospel for good leadership practice in Ghana
(University of Pretoria, 2019) Dube, Zorodzai; kwesiaddojnr@gmail.com; Addo jnr, John Kwesi
This study explored Jesus’ social interactions in Mark’s Gospel for good leadership practice in Ghana. It employed Ghanaian traditional models of leadership, which hold that leadership is interaction. Jesus is situated in his macro socio-cultural context in the study, and his leadership model is re-described using social interactionism as an entry point. The study thus analysed how leadership is conveyed through interaction by observing Jesus’ interaction as performed in Mark’s Gospel. Social interactionism analytical tools from Goffman and Mead made it plausible to re-imagine and observe Jesus. Tools like Ritual making, Frame making, Characterisation, Encounter processing, Stage making and Role-taking informed by Ghanaian traditional notion of leadership were used to analyse the four selected passages (Mark 6:30-44; 7:1-23; 7:24-30; 10:35-45). The analysis addressed and affirmed both the main hypothesis that ‘if leadership is interaction, how did Jesus interact?’ And the subsidiary hypothesis that ‘if Jesus’ social interactions convey leadership principles, how do the underlying nuances in his social interaction contribute to leadership understanding?’ The study consists of six chapters. Chapter one is the introduction, which sets out the study and reviews literature on Jesus’ leadership. It notes two gaps. First, a gap in the knowledge about the social interaction of Jesus, which could be drawn towards understanding his leadership principles. Second, a gap in filtering Jesus’ leadership through the Akan cultural lens for relevant leadership practises for the African context. With these in mind, the Ghanaian (African) traditional notion of leadership and African leadership challenges were discussed. Chapter two delineates the social interactionalism as the theoretical perspective for the study. Six analytical tools, stated earlier, were delineated from Goffman’s Interactional Order and Presentation of Self, and Mead’s Mind, Self and Society to re-imagine Jesus in the Gospel of Mark. Chapter three deals with the historical, literary and the socio-cultural settings of Mark. It establishes Jesus in his macro socio-cultural context. Chapter four analyses the four selected passages through the analytical tools of social interactionalism informed by Ghanaian (African) traditional notion of leadership. Chapter five outlines the leadership principles gleaned from interactions in the four passages as analysed in the previous chapter. Chapter six, focuses on the implication of the Jesus-performed leadership principles on leadership in Ghana (Africa). The study establishes that the reception of Jesus as the Son of God and Son of man are not mere Christological titles but more significantly, leadership categories. From the Ghanaian traditional notions of leadership, the study finds Jesus as reflecting the distinguished leadership categories of ’nyimpa’ and ‘opanyin’. In addition, over 104 Jesus-performed Interactional leadership principles gleaned from his interactions form the foundation for his Social Interactional Leadership model. These principles challenge the leadership being practiced in Ghana today. The study concludes that Jesus consciously fashioned his interactions to achieve his vision and mission and modelled his leadership to his associates (disciples), followers (crowd) and even his opponents. The study postulates that these principles when applied to Ghanaian (African) leadership will result in social transformation, and leaders will become reformers and builders.
New Perspectives on the Bowl Plagues in Revelation 16
(University of Pretoria, 2019) Steyn, Gert Jacobus; Paul Decock; rudolfschar@gmail.com; Rudolph Scharneck
No abstract
The relationship between apostasy in Judges and lack of kingship in light of Deuteronomy
(University of Pretoria, 2018) Human, Dirk J.; u18392581@tuks.co.za; Pietersen, Christo Doniwen
No abstract

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