{"title":"Church and war in the theology of Karl Barth","authors":"A. Rasmusson","doi":"10.5952/54-0-361","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5952/54-0-361","url":null,"abstract":"The issues around church and war followed Karl barth during his whole career. His most extensive and systematic discussions of war are found in the Church Dogmatics. Here he questions the naturalne ...","PeriodicalId":18902,"journal":{"name":"Nederduitse Gereformeerde Teologiese Tydskrif","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-12-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"77046390","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Geneem en gelees: oor Dirkie Smit as hermeneutiese teoloog","authors":"D. Veldsman","doi":"10.5952/54-0-366","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5952/54-0-366","url":null,"abstract":"Met spesifieke toespitsing op die werk Neem, lees! (2006) van die sistematiese teoloog Dirkie smit van die Fakulteit Teologie, Stellenbosch, word krities gevra na sy benadering tot en verstaan van die plek van hermeneutiek in teologiese besinning. Op grond van ‘n uiteensetting van sy diepgaande hermeneutiese verstaan, word sy benadering beskrywe as ‘n ekumenies-ekklesiologiese rasionaliteitsmodel. Ten opsigte van hierdie model word die vraag gestel “waarheen?” dit ons hermeneuties neem. Hierdie “waarheen?” word aangedui en krities bespreek met as kernpunt van kritiek die volledige ignorering van die eietydse teologie-wetenskap debat wat op geen wyse vormgewend neerslag vind in Smit se hermeneutiese model nie.","PeriodicalId":18902,"journal":{"name":"Nederduitse Gereformeerde Teologiese Tydskrif","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-12-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81664287","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Theology for the twenty-first century - going beyond Barth?","authors":"C. Lombard","doi":"10.5952/54-0-357","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5952/54-0-357","url":null,"abstract":"Dirkie Smit is honoured in this contribution as a theologian\u0000 who has persistently and ingeniously held together two poles in Reformed theology:\u0000 Karl Barth’s emphasis on Christology: God’s salvation and free grace as incarnated\u0000 in Christ, and Van Ruler’s emphasis on pneumatology: the appropriation, application\u0000 and working out of God’s grace in humanity, nature and history, through the\u0000 indwelling power of God’s Spirit. The article, based on cryptic notes in which Van\u0000 Ruler offered “Critical comments on Barth’s theology” (1965), provides an English\u0000 translation of this unique text with explanatory footnotes. It is suggested that Van\u0000 Ruler’s sixteen pertinent questions to Barth, almost fifty years ago, once again\u0000 deserve our careful attention and that our task remains to keep in balance the work\u0000 of the Creator, the Saviour and the Spirit, which persists in working on the\u0000 pneumatological question of how we as human beings are incorporated into God’s\u0000 ongoing, sanctifying work in nature and history.","PeriodicalId":18902,"journal":{"name":"Nederduitse Gereformeerde Teologiese Tydskrif","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-12-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83182496","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Reformed theology and politics","authors":"Bram van de Beek","doi":"10.5952/54-0-363","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5952/54-0-363","url":null,"abstract":"The Reformed tradition has always been involved in political issues. In terms of this perspective the views of two major Reformed theologians, John Calvin and Karl Barth, are compared with opinions in early Christianity regarding the relation between Christians and politics. Theologians in the early patristic period kept their distance from politics. Calvin pleaded for sober involvement, while Barth eagerly calls for a prophetic participation in the public sphere. These differences may be interpreted as a natural development related to historical changes: from a persecuted community to the corpus christianum, and subsequently to the challenge of a perverse political ideology, and the call for a response in a new situation its defeat. From this perspective all three positions are understandable. However, being true to the Reformed call ad fontes one must conclude that Barth’s theology is totally different from both that of early Christianity and the New Testament. This calls for a reconsideration of positions regarding the relation of church and politics.","PeriodicalId":18902,"journal":{"name":"Nederduitse Gereformeerde Teologiese Tydskrif","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-12-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83697002","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"\"What is a woman that You are mindful of her?\" Aspects of irony and honour in Luke 7:36-50","authors":"E. Mouton","doi":"10.5952/54-0-358","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5952/54-0-358","url":null,"abstract":"Unlike the other three gospel writers, Luke places the account\u0000 of a woman anointing Jesus outside the passion narrative, in the context of Jesus’\u0000 ministry in Galilee. The article explores rhetorical mechanisms through which the\u0000 narrator of Luke 7:36-50 presents the story of Jesus’ anointing by a woman publicly\u0000 known as “a sinner”, while eating with a Pharisee named Simon. The passage is firstly\u0000 situated within the broad literary context of Luke’s gospel. A brief analysis of the\u0000 narrative focuses secondly on Jesus’ identity and authority as “a friend of\u0000 sinners”. The essay finally investigates aspects of irony and honour in the passage,\u0000 with particular reference to the reversal of roles—both of the Pharisee and the\u0000 woman.","PeriodicalId":18902,"journal":{"name":"Nederduitse Gereformeerde Teologiese Tydskrif","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-12-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74481153","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Rhetorical appeal and the uncertainty of hope","authors":"D. Lawrie","doi":"10.5952/54-0-356","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5952/54-0-356","url":null,"abstract":"The article examines an article that Dirk Smit wrote about rhetoric and theology against the background of other of his articles, particularly about the Confession of Belhar. It argues that Smit’s article is “judiciously sceptical” about rhetoric because he is committed not only to faith, but also to the uncertainty of hope. This commitment is, it is argued, compatible with rhetoric, but only with a certain type of rhetoric. Such a hopeful rhetoric, which does not accept the closure of tragedy, reaches out to others across tragic divisions as the Confession of Belhar did. The final section examines how Smit’s article is itself a rhetorical act and tries to identify the particular appeal he makes on readers.","PeriodicalId":18902,"journal":{"name":"Nederduitse Gereformeerde Teologiese Tydskrif","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"77329958","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Galatians 2:15-21 and the Belhar Confession (1986) in dialogue","authors":"Daniël Cloete","doi":"10.5952/54-0-346","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5952/54-0-346","url":null,"abstract":"Tis article brings Gal 2:15-21 into dialogue with the Confession of belhar (1986). It starts off with the issue of the formation of confessions in Early Christianity and asks whether there could be a confession basic to or in the making in the Galatians passage. The Confession of belhar (1986) is structured around three concepts, namely, unity, reconciliation and justice within the South African context of the church's disunity with all its social consequences. Galatians reflects a critical and decisive period in the history of the Early Christianity as it struggles with the issue of justification. In this pericope Paul focuses on Justification by faith, but supports it with other concepts like grace, equality/unity and freedom. While these sets of concepts do not correspond with one another, they both reflect a crucial period of transformation in the history of the church.","PeriodicalId":18902,"journal":{"name":"Nederduitse Gereformeerde Teologiese Tydskrif","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90282982","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"“Real presence” and sacramental praxis – Reformed reflections on the Eucharist","authors":"J. Gruchy","doi":"10.5952/54-0-348","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5952/54-0-348","url":null,"abstract":"As the subtitle indicates, this essay focuses on a Reformed understanding of the Eucharist or Sacrament of Holy Communion. After a brief introduction indicating why this topic is important today, the essay engages a number of key themes. First amongst these is the historical character of the sacrament which needs to be kept in tension with what Calvin referred to as its mystery. The second is the distinctly Reformed understanding of the relationship between Word, Spirit and Sacrament, and its implications for Eucharistic practice within reformed congregations. The third is the meaning and significance of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. This goes to the heart of the essay, for how this is understood is crucial for a proper Eucharistic theology and praxis. The essay argues that Calvin’s understanding of the real presence has generally been lost within Reformed circles and needs to be recovered if the Sacrament is to be restored to its rightful place.","PeriodicalId":18902,"journal":{"name":"Nederduitse Gereformeerde Teologiese Tydskrif","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"85487352","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The church we could be – What churches can learn from Calvin’s congregational theology","authors":"C. Burger","doi":"10.5952/54-0-345","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5952/54-0-345","url":null,"abstract":"This article deals with Calvin’s understanding of congregations, their vital role in the unfolding of the Kingdom, and their ministry and structures. It argues, firstly, that not enough attention is given to Calvin’s congregational ecclesiology. Thinking about the life and the role of the congregation in Geneva was a central issue in the life and theology of John Calvin. He was not in the first place a professional theologian or teacher, but was the pastor of Geneva. His whole theology should be seen within its rootedness in his pastoral commitment and responsibilities. It further argues that Calvin’s acceptance of the call to Geneva probably had to do with his deep conviction that Christianity is not just a philosophy but that it can and should be practiced in life. This belief that the Gospel of Jesus Christ must and can be embodied in the lives of Christian communities (and through them in the world) was a basic tenet of Calvin’s theology. In the rest of the article attention is given to the way Calvin tried to accomplish this goal. It deals with his strong focus on God and the Gospel in the life of the congregation, on the ongoing ministry of the Ascended Christ through the Holy Spirit, on his understanding of our human ministry in obedience to Christ, and on the reformation and building of the congregation according to the word of God. The last paragraph calls attention to Calvin’s deep commitment to the unity of the church as a vital mark of the church of Jesus Christ.","PeriodicalId":18902,"journal":{"name":"Nederduitse Gereformeerde Teologiese Tydskrif","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"79715096","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Talking hope – Dirkie Smit and public theology","authors":"C. Landman","doi":"10.5952/54-0-354","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5952/54-0-354","url":null,"abstract":"Dirkie Smit creating dialogical space between Habermas’ criticism of rationality and the criticism of experience required by the South African context of poverty and gender bias is explored. The contribution of Smit’s public voice is argued in terms of a criticism of survival which is as yet unsuccessfully lodged from the “private” spaces of the geographically marginalised, that is, believers living in rural “townships” who do not have access to public spheres or theology. It is concluded that Smit’s contextualisation of Habermas’ call for a critical rationality in the public sphere finds a legitimate place in him “talking hope”, albeit rationally limited, to people who are still oppressed by illiteracy and genderised behaviour. It is proposed that Smit expands the criticism of rationality which he holds in common with Habermas, to a prophetic and public voice that is based on a criticism of experience and survival in which the voices and needs of the voiceless will be heard and contra-cultured.","PeriodicalId":18902,"journal":{"name":"Nederduitse Gereformeerde Teologiese Tydskrif","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"79994260","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}