Christ Research Articles

Missional precepts of the jubilee as an incentive to address poverty in South Africa and beyond

This article uncovers and articulates the missional precepts of the jubilee as an incentive in addressing poverty in South Africa and beyond. The jubilee is instituted as a special incentive not only of God’s liberation (deliverance and salvation) but also for God’s consecration (reconciliation and restoration). At the heart (centre) of jubilee is the gospel call that God fulfilled through Jesus Christ and his ministry. The main question is: what is an incentive of and for addressing poverty in South Africa and beyond? This article is set to discuss three main aspects of the jubilee as an incentive to address poverty in South Africa and beyond. Firstly, the basic point is the nature of the jubilee, which is defined in its inception; secondly, the critical point is the significance of the jubilee, which is distinguished in its conception in Israel’s history; and thirdly as the ultimate point, the role of the jubilee, which is discerned in its reception in and outside the church, especially in addressing poverty in South Africa and beyond.Contribution: This article seeks to contribute to the ongoing debate regarding the nature (inception), the significance (conception), and the role (reception) of the jubilee. Without the scriptural basis, the missional precepts of the jubilee as an incentive to address poverty is confused, conflicted, and contested that the poor and the needy are robbed of the missional precepts of the jubilee in addressing poverty in South Africa and beyond.

Understanding the Christian Sacrament of Baptism: Perspectives of Some New Testament Personalities

Baptism is a sacrament that Christ established before His ascension. It symbolizes His death and resurrection, representing the unity of the baptized person with Christ and their acceptance into the body of Christ. This paper explores baptism in the New Testament (NT) by focusing on some specific personalities. The study shows that water baptism, as an outward act, serves as a reminder and symbol of God’s redeeming work through Jesus Christ for the salvation of humanity. Consequently, baptism unites us with Christ and invites us to be part of the Christian community. The study concludes that baptism is not an optional extra, but a command from our Lord Jesus Christ to all generations of believers, regardless of denomination, tribe, race, culture, or ethnicity. The study uses published textbooks, electronic books, and journal articles as secondary sources to examine baptism in the NT.

SAINT FAUSTINA KOWALSKA – LONELINESS IN GOD

ABSTRACT: Aim: The purpose of the article is to present the life of Saint Sister Faustina Kowalska with particular attention on her loneliness in God. Methods: Analysis of dozen available biographies of Saint Faustina Kowalska and the „Diary” written by her. Results: Sister Faustina was gifted by God with many extraordinary graces, she experienced revelations, ecstasies, the gift of bilocation, great suffering, reading in human souls, mystical engagements and weddings. She was basically very lonely throughout her life, but it didn't bother her because God was always with her. This simple girl, who had only completed three grades of primary school, completely surrendered herself to God's will and, despite many problems she encountered on her way, fulfilled every task given to her by the Lord Jesus. Outside, Sister Faustina's life was very ordinary, every day was basically the same. She was a gardener, a cook, and in the last year of her life, as much as her health allowed, she served as a porter. Everything she did was dedicated completely to the Lord Jesus. Conclusion: The most important task of Saint Sister Faustina Kowalska was to convey the message of Mercy to the Church and the world, which is a reminder of the biblical truth about God's merciful love for every person, a call to entrust one's life to Him and actively love one's neighbors. It was the Savior who gave her the "vessels" thanks to which we can draw the graces of Divine Mercy. Sister Faustina is the author of the famous „Diary”, a bestseller translated into over 30 languages. By getting to know her notes, we see what a strong bond she had with the Lord Jesus. Today Saint Sister Faustina is one of the most popular saints of our time. Pilgrims from all continents make pilgrimages to her relics located in the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki. Originality: The article is the quintessence and at the same time a pleasant presentation of the life of Saint Faustina Kowalska, resulting from the review and analysis of several available studies and biographies of her life. Keywords: Helena Kowalska, Sister Faustina, Secretary of Merciful Jesus, Apostle of Divine Mercy, Prophet of our times, Great Mystic, Mistress of spiritual life, Feast of Divine Mercy, Chaplet, Hour of Mercy.

Perspektif Iman Remaja akan Keselamatan tentang Pacaran dan Pernikahan Beda Agama

Many teenagers say that love can be blind and that love can be carried out by men and women of different religions because of the wrong understanding which states that it is just a momentary pleasure and only satisfies a man's lust without following the current rules or norms of decency. The aim of the current research is to prioritize Soteriology as a spiritual provision for teenagers to face changes in their attitudes and face the wider social circle of all teenagers who are entering the transition period from childhood to adulthood, which includes all growth and development in relationships because of this the church and family are present. to teach the truth about the realities of life. Qualitative literature study methods are used to obtain accurate data related to this scientific work, the sources are the Bible, books and other articles related to the title discussed. The research results show the doctrine of soteriology and the role of the church as a teaching "agent" in teaching the Word of God because Soterology is the certainty of salvation in the Lord Jesus and is the basis for Christian teenagers to face changes in growth and development including dating up to marriage and refusing to date up to interfaith marriages . The conclusion of this research states that the church and family play a full role in being responsible for the future of teenagers so that they do not choose the wrong boyfriend or girlfriend as their lifelong companion and the church and family advise against choosing a boyfriend who has a different belief, let alone until marriage.

The Question of Continuity and Discontinuity in 2 Peter 3

The return of the Lord Jesus is presented in 2 Pet 3:5—13 as ushering in a new created order in which ungodliness and wickedness have no abode. What fate does 2 Peter 3 envision for this current creation? 2 Peter 3 has become the locus classicus for arguing that at the return of Jesus, the creation will be annihilated and replaced. Edward Adams has recently argued that 2 Peter makes use of Stoic cosmology to describe the conflagration of the world. Is that a fair reading? Rather than turning exclusively to Hellenistic concepts and language to prosecute his argument, Peter deploys a biblical eschatology and seeks to connect God’s works in creation and redemption. A high Christology that establishes Jesus as God’s anointed King, the typological model of the Noahic Flood in 3:5–7, and Isaiah’s eschatological vision provide 2 Peter 3 with a theophanic picture in vv. 10–13 in which the earth is exposed for God’s judgment. This comes to the fore when vv. 10–13 are read in the light of vv. 5–7. Within Peter’s picture, there is continuity and discontinuity between this world and the next.

양자물리학의 개념들을 통한 ‘육신의 부활’의 유비적 이해

Christianity is a religion that believes and professes that Jesus Christ is the one who saves us. However, there is one event that we must understand in order to explain this important concept of salvation: the event of Jesus’ resurrection. Unfortunately, we are in an ambiguous situation where we don’t know much about the event of Jesus’ resurrection and the ‘bodily resurrection’ that he promised us. Therefore, in this age of natural sciences, it is timely proper to borrow their languages and concepts to try to analogically understand the event of Jesus’ resurrection and our bodily resurrection. Therefore, this paper attempts to understand analogically both the characteristics of the resurrected body of Jesus Christ and the meaning of our bodily resurrection through the ‘language and concepts of quantum physics’. In doing so, it is emphasized that a broad understanding of quantum physics can be of great help in understanding the event of Jesus’ resurrection. It also proposes that our bodily resurrection may be fully understood if it is accepted as an ‘event having a quantum body’ like Jesus Christ, that is to say, as a ‘transition event from a classical body to a quantum one’.

Study Theological Approach on Abortion Actions based on Psalm 139:13 and the Responsibility of Today’s Church Leaders

The church is a community united by the Lord Jesus Christ, empowered to be witnesses, agents, and examples. However, reality shows that the church often tends to be closed off and does not consistently practice God's love and justice, whether towards its congregation, among church organizations, or towards the surrounding environment, particularly concerning the issue of abortion among teenagers and young people. This study aims to analyse abortion in light of Psalm 139:13 and outline contemporary church leaders' responsibilities. The methodology employed is qualitative, using a literature-based approach (library research) grounded in hermeneutical study. Hermeneutics universally refers to the theoretical and methodological process of understanding the meanings of signs and symbols used in verbal or non-verbal communication. The approach used is the grammatical-historical study approach. The results of this research indicate that abortion of unwanted foetuses is inconsistent with biblical teachings; therefore, contemporary church leaders have a responsibility to nurture the morality of youth to help them avoid engaging in premarital sex, which could lead to abortion.

JESUS CHRIST AS EXEMPLAR OF PEACE AND PEACEBUILDING

The idea of peace in a human society contradicts God’s original intention about the peace He bestowed man at the time of creation. Man was created and placed in the Garden of Eden where he enjoyed all things including peace of mind and fellowship with His Maker but these became severed because man sinned against God. Jesus was believed to be God’s incarnate, the ultimate sacrifice for man’s redemption and the model for an ideal godly person whom God had initially created man to be. Peace in the real sense cannot be achieved in a chaotic atmosphere especially where strive, envy, jealousy, hatred and selfishness exist which cannot be found in Jesus Christ. Hence, the aim of this paper is to consider the personality of Jesus Christ as an exemplar of peace and peace building. Therefore, the methods adopted in this study are historical and descriptive. It was discovered that during Jesus’ earthly ministry, He lived a life worthy of great emulation as He stood in the middle of the society of His days carrying out His assignments in the face of haters yet displayed a grandiose attitude of peace and peace-building to His audience. The study recommended that the society should live a Christ life-pattern pursuing peace with all men as richly found in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.

조직신학적 관점에서 보는 부활 - 개신교 현대 조직신학자 바르트, 판넨베르크, 몰트만을 중심으로

Today people are very interested in death. However, this interest is an expression of concerns about what kind of life to live now. Also, this interest is an expression of the desire for life after death. In Christian theology, discussions about death or life after death are related to the theological locus of resurrection. This paper focuses on representative systematic theologians who have discussed the resurrection of Jesus Christ: Karl Barth(1886-1968), Wolfhart Pannenberg(1928-2014), and Juergen Moltmann(1926-present). It attempts to take a closer look at how each of them deal with resurrection within each own theological system. Barth, Pannenberg, and Moltmann all acknowledge the possibility of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. They accept both the empty tomb event and the appearance event of the resurrected Jesus Christ as recorded in the Bible and assert the possibility of resurrection. For all of them, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is not fiction, a lie, imagination, or fantasy at all. However, the perspectives from which they approach the resurrection of Jesus Christ are different, and those perspectives are closely related to each own respective theological methodology. Due to differences in theological methodology, the degree to which each person understands the reality, historicity, and factuality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ appears to be different. There are many other detailed topics related to resurrection, but this paper focuses on the possibility of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Although they discussed more about the meaning of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, it is not discussed in this paper due to space limitations. Lastly, this paper looks at some implications of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and briefly address what a life to hope for resurrection is like.

Divine presence in Human world: The place of the Communicatio Idiomatum in Lundensian theology

AbstractThe classic concept of the communicatio idiomatum, “communication of attributes,” is as indispensable as it is central to Lutheran theology. The councils of Nicaea (325 CE) and Chalcedon (451 CE) affirmed that Jesus Christ is one person with two natures: human and divine. The divine attributes and the human attributes communicate with one another while remaining distinct. “In, with, and under” the historical Jesus with his human attributes, Lutherans exclaim, the eternal Christ with his divine attributes is present. Martin Luther (1483–1546) adds a comparable role for the communicatio idiomatum within soteriology. The attributes of Christ communicate with the human attributes of the person of faith. Theologians have tried to find answers about how Christ's divine and human natures exist in the person of Christ for forgiveness of our sin. Lundensian theology argues that God abandoned Himself to the death on the cross through Christ spontaneously. Its emphasis offers innovation while remaining within classic orthodox parameters.

The Martyrial Face of The Salvadorean Church from The Theological Biographies of Óscar Romero and Ignacio Ellacuría

The purpose of this study is to present the relationship established between liberation and martyrdom in the Salvadorean Church. The angle of analysis is the theological biographies of Óscar Romero and Ignacio Ellacuría, both martyrs of El Salvador. The method of theological biography, in this case, allows theology not only to verify the announcement of the Kingdom as proposed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but also discovers a new contribution in the way of interpreting these nuclei of Christian revelation. Liberation and martyrdom are fundamental realities for liberation theology, and they endow it with a specific direction and pathos. Their commitment and denunciation of social injustice constitute a prophetic dimension that serves as a model for an entire local church and in particular for the ordained ministry. I am going to present my work with the formulation of three questions: the link between liberation and martyrdom (2), martyrs and the ordained ministry today (3), the problem of the Universal Church for a reception of the martyrs of justice (4), and some open conclusions.

Pengaruh Alkitab terhadap Natal dan Implikasi Realitas Bisnis di Indonesia

Christians believe that Christmas is a season to glorify the birth of Jesus Christ. However, the Christmas celebration is an issue intertwined with business realities. Researchers argue that the influence of the Bible intersects with Christmas. Nevertheless, some people use Christmas as a field to implement businesses that seek huge profits for personal satisfaction, thus creating social problems on the other side. This research aimed to analyze the Bible’s influence at Christmas and its implications for business realities in Indonesia. This research used a qualitative research method based on a literature review from a sociology of religion perspective. Researchers used scientific articles, proceedings, and books related to the research variables. This research showed that the Bible does influence Christmas. However, the Christmas atmosphere has implications for business realities that give rise to the spirit of capitalism. In this case, the social problems that occur are pressure and suffering. In essence, Christians reconstruct and rethink the nature and meaning of Jesus Christ’s birth in the Bible. Researchers provide scientific solutions, namely the actualization of celebrating Christmas humanistically in Indonesia.

THE EXERCISE OF TEACHING POWER AND ITS CANONICAL BASES

Since the participation of the two constituent elements of the Church, clergy and laity, in the administration of her teaching power, through acts of preaching, spreading, defending the Christian faith, formulating the truths of faith, etc., has both a scriptural and a canonical basis, in the pages of this canonical study we have examined both texts, to which we have given the necessary doctrinal clarifications. In order to show the canonical basis for the exercise of this teaching power, I have referred to the text of some canons (apostolic, ecumenical and local), which I have explained taking into account the canonical doctrine of the Eastern Church, which also confirms that the power of the Church comes from its Founder, that is, from our Lord Jesus Christ, and has been transmitted through His Holy Apostles and their successors, that is, through the bishops of the Ecumenical Orthodox Church (Universal/Catholic). According to this canonical doctrine, only the bishops of the Church are the "de jure" administrators of this power. Priests and laity can and do carry out acts of administration of ecclesiastical power, including teaching power, but only with the approval of the local hierarch, and within the limits of the power they have received through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism or through the Holy Sacrament of Ordination, as both the texts of the holy canons and the commentaries of some reputed canonists of ecumenical Orthodoxy show

Mental disorders and violence

In this article, we aim to identify and show the roots and tragic consequences of violence, along with individual’s hidden pathological particularities. Upon mere observation, violence represents the brutal destruction of the normality of human existence, regardless of the linguistic connotation society had assigned to it at a certain time: war, holocaust, ethnic cleansing, terrorism, special military operation, murder, rape, beating, lapidation and flagellation (elsewhere), conflict, harassment, intimidation. Nevertheless, we must acknowledge that this form of extreme human manifestation embounds within the ontic vital force, present since the emergence of life and which, in order to preserve itself, tends to destroy life. Etymologically, the linguistic root of the term designating this form of extreme human manifestation is derived, like that of the ontic vital force, from an Indo-European root that designates life: bios-biázomai, vio-vis. Unquestionably, the text of the Bible describes, the state of extreme violence that reigns on earth; however, we will discover in the biblical text that, through Jesus Christ, one may attain the reality of the eschatological ideal, of a time when life will unfold in the absence of violence (cf Is. 11:6-9; Ap. 21:4). This new, religious perspective of a spiritual plane of the perfection of creation, forcibly introduced in the immanence of creation, and which we identify as utopian, entitles us to include the perspective of religious confessional propaganda violence into our analysis along the hidden pathological manifestations of violence. In this paper we shall focus on the following points: understanding the term violence in biblical, social and religious context; religious confessional propaganda violence; life dynamics and violence in society; the medical perspective.

Relevansi Nilai-Nilai Etika Kristiani Dalam Kehidupan Masyarakat Global

This article deals with our plural and global society of today which impede the validity of ethical values. In this sense, the values of Christian ethics are needed to approach contemporary social issue. We must respond to the current situation of humanity by using library resources and observations of ethical issue in our society and how they can develop their normative effects under the conditions of freedom, plurality, demographic and digital change, as well as the complex economic and financial systems and, last but not least, under the fragile approval of the institutions of international politics. The argument then moves to the meta-theory of Christian ethics, namely the revelation of God as it is expressed in the ‘book of nature’, the written word, and the incarnate Word, Jesus Christ. The article concludes that as long as the values of Christian ethics remains faithful to this meta-theory, understands the modern macro-ethical questions and maintains a deep social focus, it will remain relevant in a plural and global society.

Wolfhart Pannenberg’s Theological Method and Metaphysics

After the rise of logical positivism, even in the realm of theology, there was a trend to give up on accepting the actions of God in history as objective acts and to create an atmosphere of separating faith and reason. Wolfhart Pannenberg’s work presents a compelling integration of theology with the rational and empirical rigors of the scientific age. Through a comprehensive theological method, he aimed to establish a dialogue between faith and scientific inquiry, challenging the exclusivity of logical positivism by proposing a theological metaphysics grounded in the concept of retroactive ontology. Pannenberg’s approach is distinguished by its systematic application of hermeneutics, considering the totality of history as the context for divine revelation, and positioning the resurrection of Jesus Christ as a pivotal event that embodies God’s influence on the world. His innovative ontology, which enables one to consider divine action as objective, seeks to validate theology as a science, engaging with natural sciences to foster a mutual enrichment between faith and reason. Pannenberg’s methodological rigor and metaphysical framework offer a robust foundation for a theology that is both intellectually defensible and deeply rooted in Christian faith, advocating for a theology of nature that reconciles the divine with the empirical world.

The Missional Power of the Christ-Hymn

Discussions of Philippians 2:6–11 consider whether it is intended kerygmatically or ethically. Kerygmatic proponents consider that Paul inserted an early hymn to narrate the story of Christ’s coming and his exaltation to encourage the worship of Christ. Ethical readers argue that the hymn aims to shape readers’ ethical posture. Others argue that both ideas are in play. This essay argues that the passage has kerygmatic power. It declares the story of Christ’s coming, self-emptying and humbling, incarnation, death, exaltation, and cosmic lordship. However, it also presents Christ as the ultimate ethical paradigm. It argues, however, that the “ethical” reading is reductionistic unless explained in the direction of social relationships (socioethically) and mission (missioethically). The passage’s missional power is then clarified. First, the broader context in the first century is missional and evangelistic. Second, the “fabric” of the letter urges engagement in gospel proclamation. Third, the movement of the passage is missional, and it succinctly proclaims the gospel of Christ. Fourth, the purpose of Christ’s exaltation is universal submission supposing the proclamation of his lordship. Finally, the hymn climaxes with worship, the end goal of all missions. As such, the hymn should be read through a missional and evangelistic lens as it invites readers to participate in God’s goal of universal submission to Jesus Christ as Lord.

Kebangkitan Orang Mati (Daniel 12:1-4)

In the Christian context, the resurrection of the dead is based on the resurrection of Jesus Christ after the crucifixion, which forms the basis of the Christian faith that all people will experience resurrection at the end of time to face the final judgment. In the Old Testament, death is understood as the separation between body and spirit. After we die, our bodies will decompose and become soil again while the spirit will leave our bodies for the afterlife, also known as Sheol. There is also a belief in the resurrection of the dead, which is the physical return of the body from the dead. This belief is reflected in books such as Daniel and Isaiah, which state that at the end of time, God will raise the dead to eternal life or eternal punishment. This concept of resurrection affirms the belief in divine justice and restoration, where each person will receive reward or punishment according to their deeds. In Christian theology, the resurrection of the dead provides hope for eternal life as well as complete redemption, and simultaneously reminds the faithful of the importance of living righteously and faithfully to God's teachings.

The truth about man and for man. Practical implications of John Paul II’s encyclical “Fides et ratio”

Twenty-five years ago, John Paul II’s encyclical Fides et ratio was published, where the question of truth occupies a central place. The task of the Church is to transmit to people the truth revealed by Jesus Christ, which discloses the mystery of God and man, is accessible in faith, and appeals to the intellect to accept it. In these times, dominated by a pragmatic approach to reality, a question arises about the practical, existential meaning of the truth proclaimed by the Church. The content analysis of the papal teaching in “Fides et ratio” leads to the conclusion that the truth cannot be reduced to a set of ideas that enrich human cognition. Therefore, the ecclesial ‘diakonia’ of truth serves human life because it helps man use his freedom properly and leads him to the fullness of humanity. The truth allows man to protect himself from relativism and religious egalitarianism threats. The communication of truth should consider people’s needs to perceive it as a precious gift from God, not as a yoke.

Varieties of Revelation, Varieties of Truth—A Comparative Ontological Study of Revelation through Music and Sciences

Accounts of revelation and contemporary views of these are based on beliefs and historical citations. These accounts shall not be limited to the understanding and interpreting of historical and other events within writings but must present the possibility of an objective analysis of the nature of revelation as a phenomenon, an object of our sensory and mental conscious experiences. This paper approaches the act or phenomenon of revelation regardless of the revealer and its nature. Can we abstract the revealer and the revealed from revelation and have an ontological account of revelation solely focusing on the occurrence itself? The central part of the discussion is based on the object/property pair as ontological categories through which the means are analyzed. A comparative method is used where Scripture, musical writings, and mathematical/physical formulae (as potential means of revelation) are scrutinized. As a result, without any need to determine the revealer, revelation can be based on and described through pure properties (not tropes) in human experience, intellect, and understanding. The possibility of revelation beyond Scripture and Jesus Christ—following a type of liberal and general theory of revelation—presents itself in arts and sciences. The “true” of a musical work, when found and experienced during musical performances and scientific truths represented by the formulae, which describe the world and a meta domain, can be derived from the chains of signs and symbols as it is through Scripture. Human cognitive faculties present a universal natural limit to our direct experiencing of the transcendent, of the supernatural. A new dualist conception of logos as a metaphysical category marks the domain bridging the non-transcendent with the transcendent.