God’s Sovereignty and Human Freedom in the Old Testament

Karl Barth’s ethics is a kind of ethics of God’s command. Its main premise is that the Word of God through Revelation and Jesus Christ is God's command to man regarding the path of freedom. K. Barth emphasizes the “infinite qualitative difference” between God and man, but at the same time, emphasizes the “humanity of God” in Jesus Christ, through whom man is able to achieve such freedom. Human freedom is not a choice of life alternative, but a choice of gratitude and submission to God. For K. Barth, human freedom means being in the sovereign freedom of God. God is not only the source of human freedom, but at the same time the object and goal of man. The natural freedom of man, which was lost due to sin, distances man from God and from himself. That is why K. Barth made human freedom dependent on faith in God and following Jesus Christ: a person cannot have natural freedom and spirituality without the divine Spirit. Christian faith is a response to God’s judgment. A free man is a creation and partner of God, and is responsible to God for his freedom. Such responsibility should be expressed in love for God and neighbor, and acquire the traits of humanity, the humanity that Jesus Christ had. Man receives true freedom only through grace, from the free human God in Jesus Christ. K. Barthes rejects the modernist tendency to reduce God to an instrument of human self-realization, on the contrary, the absolute action of God in obtaining human freedom is recognized.

Book Review| April 01 1981 To Set At Liberty: Christian Faith and Human Freedom To Set At Liberty: Christian Faith and Human Freedom, Delwin Brown. Benjamin A. Reist Benjamin A. Reist Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Process Studies (1981) 11 (1): 46–49. https://doi.org/10.2307/44798141 Cite Icon Cite Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Permissions Search Site Citation Benjamin A. Reist; To Set At Liberty: Christian Faith and Human Freedom. Process Studies 1 January 1981; 11 (1): 46–49. doi: https://doi.org/10.2307/44798141 Download citation file: Zotero Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All Scholarly Publishing CollectiveUniversity of Illinois PressProcess Studies Search Advanced Search The text of this article is only available as a PDF. © Copyright 1981 Process Studies1981 Article PDF first page preview Close Modal You do not currently have access to this content.

Points of departure for a theology of the New Testament: Oscar Cullmann and Leonhard Goppelt Both Cullmann and Goppelt offer alternative positions to an existential approach to New Testament theology. After a consideration of Oscar Cullmann’s position in the history of New Testament theology, special attention is given to his concept of salvation history, as well as a critical evaluation of this concept. Goppelt associates himself with the hermeneutical point of departure of Cullmann and Von Rad. Salvation history is, however, filled with new content through reflection on the earthly Jesus. Goppelt’s starting point for a theology of the New Testament is not found in a general easier ‘kerygma’, but in the unfolding of Jesus’ words and deeds.

Theology of the New Testament, Volume One: The Ministry of Jesus in its Theological Significance. By Leonhard Goppelt (Trans., by John E. Alsup, edit, by Jürgen Roloff). Grand Rapids, W. B. Eerdmans; London, S.P.C.K., 1982. Pp. xxvi + 292. £12.50. - Volume 36 Issue 3

Human freedom and the Christian faith. In this article, it is examined whether there is room for human freedom in a Christian perspective. Augustine’s and Luther’s views are illuminating in order to clarify this matter. The way they deal with the idea of predestination is an important issue. According to Augustine, man is, to a certain degree, able to grasp the way in which God governs man; this idea is not present in Luther’s thoughts. Their notions of ‘freedom’ differ considerably as well; here, too, Augustine has more confidence in human reason than Luther does. However, it is difficult for both Luther and Augustine to defend a notion of human freedom and at the same time maintain God’s foreknowledge. Still, even irrespective of that, human freedom is something which cannot easily be demonstrated. For both Christians and non-believers, the issue of human freedom remains an unresolved problem.*This article has been retracted at the request of the Editor-in-Chief.Reason: ‘The article has been retracted to straighten the academic record. It has come to light that this article has significant overlap with an article that had already appeared in Informción Filosófica, Volume 1 (2004), num. 2, pp. 251–265, entitled ‘De onverenigbaarheid van menselijke vrijheid met het christelijk geloof’. Apologies are offered to readers of the journal that this was not detected during the submission process’.The full-text of the original article (2004) is here: https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/handle/1887/17816

The Hebrew Bible preserves evidence of a variety of overlapping but distinct moral systems. This essay examines the usefulness and limitations of Moral Foundations Theory (MFT) for providing categories by means of which these different moral systems may be compared. Building upon the categories established by MFT, this essay compares the moral systems of Deuteronomy and Ezekiel. In addition, it goes beyond the concerns of MFT to examine how moral agency is configured differently in these two texts in relation to the different »moral recipes« that they construct.

Wolter rightly dismisses equation of the real with the but misunderstanding persists, together with its polemical antithesis to the of first made current by D.F. Strauss in title The of Faith and Jesus of History . Wolter's argument is reinforced in this chapter by some criticism of phrase historical Jesus. Wolter sees that the real can no more be identified with Kahler's Christ or believer's faith-images than with historian's constructions. Social and political history are important for theology, but Wolter's writing about Jesus, good history though it is, may best be classified as New Testament theology, a branch of theology. The connection between Jesus and early Christian belief is at heart of New Testament theology. This discipline combines criticism and theological reflection, and makes relationship of its conclusions to post-resurrection faith a central concern. Keywords: biblical Christ; Christian faith; Jesus; theology; Martin Kahler; Michael Wolter; New Testament theology; post-resurrection faith; real Jesus

This article highlights seemingly conflicting presentations of the Spirit’s guidance of Paul’s journeys in Acts 16.6-10 and 21.1-14, noting in particular the difficulties posed by the disciples’ instruction ‘through the Spirit’ not to go to Jerusalem in 21.4b. In contrast to past treatments, I suggest that it is possible to hold together Luke’s portrayal of 21.4b as an inspired instruction and as a positive reading of Paul’s journey to Jerusalem. The study is informed by comparisons to the treatment of the traditional themes of determinism and human freedom in two other first-century texts: Valerius Maximus’s Memorable Doings and Sayings and Josephus’s Jewish War. Although very different texts from each other, Valerius’s popular register and Josephus’s Jewish Hellenistic setting enable each to illuminate aspects of Luke’s presentation. I conclude that the tensions in the Lukan Paul’s discernment of his journey to Jerusalem stem not only from Luke’s focus on a divine plan, but his particular interest in underscoring the importance of human response, with significant implications for the way the plan unfolds across Acts.

This article explores the authority of creation from a biblical perspective, focusing on the phenomenon of gender engineering as an ethical and theological challenge in the modern era. The study is grounded in the Christian belief that the human body is a creation of God, endowed with sacred value, divine dignity, and spiritual purpose. Employing an interdisciplinary approach, this research integrates insights from theology, medical science, and sociology. Its aim is to provide profound theological reflections on bodily modification in light of Christian values and to formulate an ethical framework to help Christians navigate these complex developments. The findings reveal that gender engineering creates a paradox between human freedom and divine authority. Extensive bodily modifications may be seen as violations of the sanctity of the body and the sovereignty of God. Within Christian thought, the human body is not merely a physical entity but a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, thus requiring deep respect for its dignity. This study offers a significant contribution by presenting a biblically grounded ethical guide to help Christians understand and respond to the moral challenges posed by advances in modern medical technology.

Horst Dietrich Preuss, Old Testament TheologyRolf P. Knierim, The Task of Old Testament Theology: Essays, Substance, Method and CasesDaniel Patte, Ethics of Biblical Interpretation: A Re‐evaluationBrian D. Ingraffia, Postmodern Theory and Biblical Theology: Vanquishing God's ShadowJohn Barclay and John Sweet (Eds), Early Christian Thought in its Jewish ContextStephen T. Davis, Daniel Kendall and Gerald O'Collins (Eds), The Resurrection: An Interdisciplinary Symposium on the Resurrection of JesusMaureen A. Tilley, Donatist Martyr Stories: The Church in Conflict in Roman North AfricaMaureen A. Tilley, The Bible in Christian North Africa: The Donatist WorldL. G. Patterson, Methodius of Olympus: Divine Sovereignty, Human Freedom and Life in ChristJ. H. D. Scourfield, Consoling Heliodorus: A Commentary on Jerome, Letter 60C. Moreschini and D. A. Sykes (Eds), St Gregory of Nazianzus: Poemata ArcanaPeter O'Dwyer, Towards a History of Irish SpiritualityUinseann Ó Maid'n, The Celtic Monk: Rules and Writings of Early Irish MonksDáibhíÓ Cróinín, Early Medieval Ireland 400–1200Gerhard Ladner, God, Cosmos, Humankind: The World of Early Christian SymbolismKevin Trainor, Relics, Ritual and Representation in Buddhism: Rematerializing the Sri Lankan Theravãda TraditionSteven F. Ostrow, Art and Spirituality in Counter‐Reformation Rome: The Sistine and Pauline Chapels in S. Maria MaggioreDavid Morgan, Visual Piety: A History and Theory of Popular Religious ImagesColleen McDannell, Material Christianity: Religion and Popular Culture in AmericaSarah Coakley (Ed), Religion and the BodyPaul F. Bradshaw and Lawrence A. Hoffman (Eds), Life Cycles in Jewish and Christian WorshipGordon P. Jeanes, The Day Has Come! Easter and Baptism in Zeno of VeronaJohn Macquarrie, A Guide to the SacramentsMegan McKenna, Rites of Justice: The Sacraments and Liturgy as Ethical ImperativesDouglas J. Davies, Death, Ritual and Belief

Abdi dalem is the way of life for some Javanese people in Yogyakarta. They did to get inner peace and happiness in their life more than to seek wealth or social status. They lives in three tradisional wisdom: ngabekti, submission, and obedience as part of the tradition of worshiping in Ngayogyakarta Palace.The three pearls of wisdom are manifestations of the concept of “practice” (laku) as a form of obedience in Javanese philosophy. First, they believe that human beings live in two cosmos: the macro-cosmos (jagad-ageng) and the micro-cosmos (jagad-alit). Hence, the universe control all about life, and human beings depend on them that can determine their’s salvation.So they try to manage and maintain a close relationship in unity with the universe so that humans receive prosperity and salvation. Second, the world has limited by the presence of the dying, but they believe there is life after death. So that the “practice” leads man to be united with the Creator. Third, the “practice” is understood as an effort to looking for inner peace and become a “blessing” for herself and her family.For this reason, the question to be answered in this research is: how Abdi Dalem reflects on the practice of obedience in order to be a turning point to understanding the obedience of Jesus Christ to God.Obedience was based on human freedom, like Christ who emptied himself to obey his Father. So the practice of obedience contains the elements of kenosis in the practice of self-emptiness, self-control, and humility. The practice of obedience is also based on human freedom which is directed towards prosperity and salvation. The obedience will bring “blessings” to him, his family, and the society in which he was. Finally, perfect obedience requires a foundation: faith in Christ who has revealed himself, suffered, died, and then rose to bring redemption to mankind.

Luke/Acts and the End of History investigates how understandings of history in diverse texts of the Graeco-Roman period illuminate Lukan eschatology. In addition to Luke/Acts, it considers ten comparison texts as detailed case studies throughout the monograph: Polybius's Histories , Diodorus Siculus's Library of History , Virgil's Aeneid , Valerius Maximus's Memorable Doings and Sayings , Tacitus’s Histories , 2 Maccabees, the Qumran War Scroll, Josephus's Jewish War , 4 Ezra, and 2 Baruch. The study makes a contribution both in its method and in the questions it asks. By placing Luke/Acts alongside a broad range of texts from Luke's wider cultural setting, it overcomes two methodological shortfalls frequently evident in recent research: limiting comparisons of key themes to texts of similar genre, and separating non-Jewish from Jewish parallels. Further, by posing fresh questions designed to reveal writers' underlying conceptions of history—such as beliefs about the shape and end of history or divine and human agency in history—this monograph challenges the enduring tendency to underestimate the centrality of eschatology for Luke's account. Influential post-war scholarship reflected powerful concerns about "salvation history" arising from its particular historical setting, and criticised Luke for focusing on history instead of eschatology due to the parousia’s delay. Though some elements of this thesis have been challenged, Luke continues to be associated with concerns about the delayed parousia, affecting contemporary interpretation. By contrast, this study suggests that viewing Luke/Acts within a broader range of texts from Luke's literary context highlights his underlying teleological conception of history. It demonstrates not only that Luke retains a sense of eschatological urgency seen in other New Testament texts, but a structuring of history more akin to the literature of late Second Temple Judaism than the non-Jewish Graeco-Roman historiographies with which Luke/Acts is more commonly compared. The results clarify not only Lukan eschatology, but related concerns or effects of his eschatology, such as Luke’s politics and approach to suffering. This monograph thereby offers an important corrective to readings of Luke/Acts based on established exegetical habits, and will help to inform interpretation for scholars and students of Luke/Acts as well as classicists and theologians interested in these key questions.

Previous articleNext article No AccessReview ArticlesIs There Any Way from Athens to Jerusalem? Foundations of Christian Faith: An Introduction to the Idea of Christianity. Karl Rahner , W. V. Dych Gordon D. KaufmanGordon D. Kaufman Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by The Journal of Religion Volume 59, Number 3Jul., 1979 Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/486709 Views: 2Total views on this site Copyright 1979 The University of ChicagoPDF download Crossref reports no articles citing this article.

In this wide-ranging overview of biblical literature, Israel Knohl argues that the Hebrew Bible does not present a consistent or monolithic viewpoint concerning ancient Israel's or Judaism's understanding of God, itself, and the world in which it lived. Rather, Knohl contends that the Bible presents a pluralism of viewpoints that to a great degree anticipates the pluralistic outlook of Rabbinic Judaism. This will hardly come as a surprising thesis to anyone familiar with modern biblical and theological scholarship. Indeed, it takes up the classic question of unity and diversity within the Hebrew Bible that might be illustrated by Gerhard von Rad's well-known Old Testament Theology. Von Rad recognized the diversity of traditions that informed the various writings and viewpoints now gathered in the Bible while simultaneously trying to systematize them into a general concept of Heilsgeschichte, that is, “salvation history” or “sacred history.” Such Heilsgeschichte moved inexorably to what von Rad believed would be the ultimate culmination of human history. Knohl's contribution comes not in relation to the model of pluralism in the Bible per se, but in relation to his argument that so much of the priestly literature that engages in pluralistic debate with other biblical works is rooted in the monarchic period of ancient Israel's (or Judah's) history. In this respect, Knohl's own work—although original in its own right—owes much to an earlier model advocated by Yehezkel Kaufmann, one of the founding fathers of modern Israeli biblical scholarship.

David Friedrich Strauss died on 8 February 1874. HisLeben Jesuof 1835 was said by Albert Schweitzer to be ‘no mere destroyer of untenable solutions, but also the prophet of a coming advance in knowledge’, namely eschatology. The claims that it ‘has a different significance for modern theology from that which it had for his contemporaries’ and that it ‘marked out the ground which is now occupied by modern critical study’ appear even more true in the light of subsequent history of religions and form-critical research than Schweitzer himself realized. But as well as marking an epoch in the historical critical study of the New Testament, this book, and with it the fate of its author, remains a symbol of something else: the tension between historical research and the formation of a systematic or doctrinal theological position. Ecclesiastical authorities have in the meantime learned to live with theological pluralism and become more tolerant, but the problem itself has not disappeared. The investigation and development of Strauss' generally unappreciated contribution is perhaps an appropriate centenary celebration.