Contemporary Christian Research Articles

THE EFFICACY OF PAN AFRICA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY TRANSFORMATIVE SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM ON THE TEACHER’S MORAL AND SOCIAL LIFE

Nearly every civilization has faced a plethora of moral issues since the introduction of contemporary innovations, including violence, drug misuse, nepotism, thievery, corruption, immorality, and sexual abuse. The old institutions that formerly taught social cohesion, morality, and the meaning of life have been eroded and are no longer helpful. This study argues that Sunday school, which Robert Raikes founded in the eighteenth century, remains essential for teaching morality to the next generation. It examines how Pan Africa Christian University's training program aligns with Sunday school teachers’ understanding of contemporary Christianity, at Christ Is The Answer Ministries in Kapsabet, Nandi County. The study employed a convergent parallel mixed-method research design. The target population was 135 participants, including trained teachers, church leaders and parents with children in Sunday school. The study findings indicated a statistically positive and significant relationship between the Transformational Leadership Training Program and Teachers’ moral life at (r=0.519**; p<0.05). The study findings also revealed a statistically significant relationship between the Transformational Leadership Training Program and Teachers’ social lifestyle at (r=0.509**; p<0.05). The study findings confirmed that the said church leaders’ training program effectively equips and trains Sunday school teachers to nurture children holistically.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0087/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Misi Kontemporer: Utilitas Teknologi Dalam Misi Kristen Masa Kini

This research aims to describe the importance of using or exploiting technology in carrying out the mission of today's church. Contemporary Christian mission cannot be accomplished by itself, even ignoring the importance of technology in it. Based on an investigation using the library research method, this research found that the role of technology in today's Christian Mission is vital and cannot be ignored. However, the use of technology in the context of Christian Missions must also pay attention to Christian ethical principles and consider the consequences of unethical use of technology. With the right strategy and adequate development of technological skills, technology can be an effective tool to assist Christian Missions in sharing the message of God's truth and love.

Women and Christianity in Southwestern Nigeria from 19th to mid-20th Century: Implication for Contemporary Churches in Nigeria

Women have played significant roles in the development of Christianity in Nigeria, but with little attention given to their roles in historical accounts. Therefore, this research focuses on the roles of women found scattered in some documented history of Christianity in Southwest, Nigeria from 19th century till mid- twentieth century when missionaries came from America and Europe to Nigeria to establish Mainline Churches and in addition assesses their activities in the African Indigenous Churches (AICs) in Nigeria. The paper leaned on Dorcas Akintunde’s assertion that the official history of churches and Christian ministries in Nigeria takes a very little account of the role of women. She observed that the history of Christianity till the mid-twentieth century when Aladura churches (Praying Churches) were founded was basically patriarchal. Having explained these endeavours, the research also makes some recommendations for women activities in contemporary Christianity in Nigeria. The research uses qualitative approach with primary and secondary sources from In-depth Interview (IDI), participant observations and bibliographical and archival search. Women were found out to have served as missionaries, acted in men’s absence, and deployed their professional expertise on the mission fields, founded churches and were actively involved in pulpit ministry. Hence, their roles contributed significantly to the growth of Christianity in southwest Nigeria.

Creating the Contemporary Christian Theatre: An X-Ray of Sight & Sound Theatres

The proliferation of media technologies has redefined theatre performance in contemporary times. This modification which includes mixed-media and mediatization; interactive media; social media; aesthetic communication and spectacle have resulted in a high level of change. As audiences visit the theatre with an increased level of aesthetic taste and newer lens to view performance, theatre directors and designers struggle to find newer methods to tell the dramatic story and create performances to meet the high demand. Sadly, for Christian theatres, especially in Nigeria, the handful of theatre directors and designers actually embracing these new developments have barely scratched the surface of the ongoing renaissance in theatre performance. And this is due to a dearth of documentation on the modus operandi necessary for the creation of these contemporary Christian theatre performances. Sight & Sound Theatres (USA), is a faith-based Christian Theatre in the league of Broadway Theatre with several biblical stories presented on sophisticated stages. This paper engages Ole Thyssen’s ‘Aesthetic Communication theory’ as theoretical framework. It is a descriptive study which engages a content analysis of Sight & Sound’s performance of “Joseph”, and documents the technical details of creating contemporary Christian performances with the example of “Joseph”. Observably, Sight & Sound Theatres prioritizes the inclusion of media and technical elements into performance to enhance performance quality and ensure effective communication of the dramatic story. Hence, by documenting these elements, Sight & Sound Theatres provide a template for the creation of performance in contemporary times, indeed, Christian theatrical productions around the globe.

Sex and Sanctity in the Apocryphal Acts of Andrew : A Christian Bedtrick and Its Biblical Bedrock

Abstract: In the apocryphal Acts of Andrew , a familiar double plot of sex and mistaken identity features Maximilla, a recently converted wife, tricking her pagan husband, Aegeates, into bedding her masked maid in order to retain the purity of her own bed. In resorting to this stratagem of sexual deception, the heroine of this tale behaves in a manner that contemporary Christians would (and did) find scandalous and unacceptable. This article investigates how this unique, sanctified bedtrick mobilizes different traditions (both Greco-Roman and biblical), subverts the predominant model of the Christian wife, and constructs a peculiar, alternative ideal. The Christian bedtrick evokes mythical and novelistic patterns but presents its instigator as paradoxically chaste—the opposite of her depraved analogues in myth and novel. The text also evokes biblical bedtricks, but only to challenge the emphasis on survival through procreation at all cost that underpins most of the bedtricks in Genesis. The article argues, finally, that the bridal switch between Rachel and Leah in Genesis 29 provides the closest biblical parallel for Maximilla's strategy. The striking apocryphal bedtrick also bears intriguing similarities to two texts that clearly hark back to the bridal switch of Genesis 29: an ancient Jewish "novel" (Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 12.154–236) and an exegetical vignette from rabbinic midrash ( Lamentations Rabbah proem 24) that employ "holy" bedtricks in the interests of individual or collective salvation.

An Nzema Mother-Tongue Commentary on the Matthean Beatitudes

One of the major challenges facing contemporary Ghanaian Christianity is ineffective discipleship. Consequently, Christianity has little influence on the moral life of its adherents. No wonder Ghana has a high Christian population, yet corruption and wickedness abound in its societies. The priorities of many contemporary Christians have shifted from the pursuit of the kingdom of God and its righteousness to the accumulation of material wealth, the pursuit of upward social mobility and the fixation on earthly gratification, among others. To avert the situation, there is the need for the church to teach biblical principles that will raise disciples of resilient faith for this and generations to come. By drawing out some principles from the Matthean Beatitudes (Matt 5:3-12) as a paradigm for contemporary Christian discipleship, the article sought to contribute to the church’s efforts in dealing with discipleship challenges of current times and beyond. The main argument of this study was that the Christian disciple is called to be different from worldly people in both ethical behaviour and piety. This call to be set apart involves a call to recognise the reality of God’s kingdom; a call to be alongside the poor and sinners; and a call to participate in God’s kingdom community. Keywords: Beatitudes, Christianity, Discipleship, Nzema.

Tradition as ‘Formative Environment’: Congar and Christian Formation

AbstractAlthough the theology of Tradition of the Dominican Yves Congar was highly influential in drafting the Dogmatic Constitution Dei Verbum at the Second Vatican Council, postconciliar debates neglected some of the most original aspects of this theology. This article proposes a retrieval of the notion of Tradition as ‘milieu éducatif’, advanced by the theologian in Tradition and Traditions, as a valuable resource for contemporary discussions on Christian formation. It intends to highlight how Congar connected the theological realities of revelation and its transmission by the Church with the concrete practice of Christian life. This notion is, then, put in conversation with contemporary Christian thinkers who have reflected on the practical aspects of Christian formation, chiefly James K.A. Smith. This dialogue aims to show the relevance of Congar’s notion to current discussions. While the theology of Tradition exposed by the French Dominican can be completed and specified by current proposals, it can also offer a new theological depth to those proposals.

Being with the Army: a ‘Nazareth’ model for Army chaplaincy

ABSTRACT This article explores the complexity of contemporary Christian chaplaincy within the British Army, where Christian (with other faiths and representatives of secular philosophies) serve an ostensibly secular institution. and sometimes conflicted context, especially focused on the concept of ‘being with’, central to the thought of the scholar and priest Samuel Wells. Outlining the history of Chaplaincy within the British Army, showing how the Department has changed to serve a changing Army, it then outlines some of the contemporary challenges. Looking at how the role is worked out within the contemporary British Army, there remains an important incarnational role for the Chaplain to ‘be with’ the Army and it’s people.

Forgive as the Lord Forgave You

How we envision God’s forgiveness shapes our thinking about human forgiveness as well. Whereas some contemporary Christians such as Miroslav Volf struggle to square victims’ demands with a God who forgives and keeps no record of wrongs, many early Christians expected God to fastidiously punish or reward every deed. In contrast to both extremes, I revisit recent philosophical work on purgatory, which emphasizes sanctification over satisfaction. This approach reveals how God’s forgiveness is consonant with restorative justice. By considering an alternate vision of God’s justice, we can thereby reimagine how our forgiveness too is compatible with—and in fact necessitates—the work of moral repair.

Critiquing the Presence of Outsiders, Women of Questionable Pasts in Jesus’ Genealogy: Lessons for Contemporary Christianity

The book of Mathew has an unusual beginning and a casual reading shows a monotonous account of people “begoting” another and this itself, is somewhat boring and repetitive. Asides this repetitiveness, a striking feature of this account is the mention of four women and a fifth, Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba and Mary. Extant literature on the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew have largely focused on it from the perspective of his role as the messiah, his ancestry and lineage, and in comparison with the Lukan genealogy, with scant attention paid to the presence of women, especially from a critical point of view. This study, therefore critiqued the unusual mention of women in a chronicle of men given the patriarchal setting of the history. The aim of this research was to answer the following research questions: who are these women and why were they mentioned in an historical account that was predominantly masculine? What purpose did they serve in the Mathean genealogy? These questions were answered critically with the view of drawing lessons for contemporary Christians, especially as they concern women. The study used philosophical methods of contextualism and the verification principle. The study revealed that the inclusion of Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba and Mary in the genealogy of Christ was not accidental but purposeful, especially in a history that looked down on women. More so, many lessons could be drawn from the lives of these women by contemporary women, Christians generally and the society at large and the major one is that no one should be written off.

Рене Жирар среди теологов

This essay explores the influence of René Girard on the study of religion, and in particular the disciplines of theology. Some commentators have described Girard as a theologian; however, it is more accurate to see his work as “theologically-inflected anthropology.” The implications of this are explained with reference to Girard’s first two books, and a later text, I See Satan Fall Like Lightning. Two factors are important in assessing Girard’s significance for theology: firstly, his conversion, both intellectual and spiritual, at the beginning of his career, and secondly, his collaboration with the Swiss Jesuit theologian, Raymund Schwager. Girard’s contribution becomes evident, as the link between his theological anthropology (or “anthropophany”) and the doctrine of salvation (soteriology) comes into view. The essay concludes with an overview of Girard’s reception by theologians, both sympathetic and critical, and some examples of how mimetic theory is being applied to issues of contemporary Christian living.

The Age of Cain

This essay critically examines the concept of the Anthropocene, a term referring to a proposed new geological epoch—the age of the human. I begin by foregrounding how the project of Western extractive colonialism has exercised significant influence in structuring the political ecology of the planet within this new era. Considering this influence, I maintain that the era is better understood as the age of “Man”—the fictive idealized human form that stands at the ideological heart of the (neo)colonial project. In order to locate the figure of Man within the Christian imagination, I construct an analogy between the figures of Man and Cain, so that, through this analogy, the Anthropocene can be identified as the age of Cain. The essay concludes by considering the implications of this interpretation of the Anthropocene for contemporary Christian faith.

Perspectives on the Challenges of Christianity and African Traditional Religion throughout the Ages to Contemporary Times

The explosion of knowledge and education, the extension of communication to all corners of the globe and the mixing of disparate cultures and religious groups are just a few of the elements which challenge us in our efforts to grasp the spiritual dimensions of the reality in which we live and to present a relevant view of Jesus’ gospel to a morally and spiritually distracted world. Contemporary Christianity is the constant modification of New Testament religion to attract the unregenerate and carnal Christians, please the flesh, and be relatively acceptable to the world. According to Awolalu, J.O, Dopamu P.A [1], “the introduction of the foreign religions brought many challenges to the growth and expansion of African religion. In fact, some early missionaries predicted an extinction of the religion". African Culture is dynamic, and it cannot die as being canvassed in some quarters because it is a living institution.
 Christianity and African Traditional Religion (ATR) are two prominent belief systems that have coexisted and interacted in various ways throughout the history of Africa. While both hold significant cultural and spiritual significance for African communities, they also face unique challenges that impact their practice and relevance in contemporary African societies. This paper will explore and discuss different perspectives on the challenges faced by Christianity and African Traditional Religion in Africa, highlighting key issues that arise from their coexistence and interactions.

Exploring dynamics, challenges, and synergies in contemporary christian communities

Exploring dynamics, challenges, and synergies in contemporary christian communities

The Complicated Pop-cultural Legacy of Figura Christi. Mythologization of the Christ Narrative in the Context of Current Christian Philosophy

Reflecting on the many challenges facing Christianity as a religion, and particularly Christian philosophy as a way of thinking in modern, strange and unfamiliar times, one encounters time and again the grim realization that many of such challenges are simplyprovided by the current culture, the cultural sphere. Without idealizing Europe’s Christocentric culture and remembering that it was not homogeneous, we must recognize that it once existed, it was the ruling cultural norm. Today, such norms are indeed very different and vary greatly depending on the geographic region we have in mind and change from decade to decade. After the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, modernity and the postmodern era, we observe that what governs our cultural world today is pluralism more than anything else. But there are still some traces of Christocentrism in our culture and in what it has become during this period, namely popular culture. Among other aspects, research has focused on the analysis of one idea – that of the Christ-figure, which has come a long way from theology to culture to pop culture over the centuries. In this article, I will try to show why this complicated legacy can be seen, at least in part, as a challenge to Christianity in light of contemporary Christian philosophy.
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 Received: 14/03/2023. Reviewed: 16/04/2023. Accepted: 30/04/2023.

The Dialectic of Christian Politics

This article suggests that the problem of Christianity’s involvement in the world of politics may be described as taking the form of a dialectic of Christian politics. This means that while the transcendent essence of Christianity is apolitical, the presence of the Christian message in the immanent world always brings with it political consequences and makes Christendom a part of political life. The dialectic is presented with reference to the thought of two key contemporary Christian thinkers: Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) and Jacques Maritain (1882-1973). Both recognized the dialectical tension inherent in Christianity, but each found a different solution to this problem: whereas Kierkegaard denies Christianity any possibility of political involvement, Maritain concludes that such involvement is necessary for proper Christian existence in the world. The goal of this article is to uncover, on the basis of their considerations, a third, positive solution to the dialectic of Christian politics—a model that would demonstrate how the elements of the Christian ideal (transcendence) could be transferred to the temporal world (immanence), morally improving the latter without becoming falsified in it.

Examples of conceptualisation of morality in emerging Christianity

Against the background of current interdisciplinary discussions in philosophical and theological ethics and discourses on morality, this interdisciplinary essay explored the conceptualisation of morality in emerging Christianity. It illustrated how the early Sayings Source Q and the Gospel according to Mark recollect Jesus of Nazareth’s reception of the Jewish Torah. Then it sketched how Paul’s understanding of God’s and Christ’s compassion serves as guide to integrate basic notions from Hellenistic ethic in his moral exhortation.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: Taking cognisance of modern discussions on ethics and morality, the essay placed Early Christian morality within the context of the Law (Jewish Studies) and highlighted Christian reception of virtues in the Graeco-Roman world as studied by ancient philosophy. In conceptualising morality, emerging Christianity borrowed cardinal moral guidelines from its social environment. This foundational procedure studied by the History of the Early Church (within its Jewish and Graeco-Roman context) can serve as a model for Systematic Theology and Ethics to guide contemporary Christianity in their adaptation of moral principles from their cultural environment.

“Hagiological Patronage” – a Theological Reflection on the Traces of Memory of Blessed Dorothy of Mątowy (in Poland)

The article presents the issue of holiness shown in the patronage of a medieval mystic and recluse living in Prussia (today's northern Poland). The study is included in the current reflection on the teaching of Francis on the universal call to holiness. The aim of the undertaken research is to define the relevance of the model of holiness presented by Blessed Dorota of Mątowy (1347-1394). The arguments are based on two sets of information: a map of Dorota's Polish places of worship and a work describing her life by Jan of Kwidzyn. Most signs of the cult of the recluse can be found in the following towns: Mątowy Wielkie, Kwidzyn, Elbląg, Gdańsk, Dorotowo, Koszalin. There are churches dedicated to Bl. Dorothy, and her images. In the liturgical calendar, the mystic is mentioned in the Archdiocese of Warmia and Gdańsk as well as in the Diocese of Elbląg and Koszalin-Kołobrzeg. The fame of her holiness developed immediately after her death. The beatification process was initiated several times and the cult was approved in 1976. The charism of Dorota is characterized by the love of God, penance, pilgrimage and steadfastness in faith. Spirituality developed according to this model and is close to the needs of Catholics living in dioceses where she is remembered. It is legitimate for these local churches to promote the Dorothean model of piety as appropriate to correlate the spiritual needs of contemporary Christians with the universal call to holiness.

A Critical Response to ‘Race, Caste and Christian Ethics: A Decolonial Proposal’

The colonial period of Christian expansion was plagued by practices and systems that exploited non-European indigenous populations for the endgame interests of enriching the treasuries of European imperial powers and promoting Eurocentrism. Anderson Jeremiah has written an important paper that explains how the concepts of race and the caste system in South Asia functioned in the context of colonial Christian expansion, and argues that postcolonial Christian actors should prioritise intentionally replacing dehumanising forms of missional activity with the four ethically decolonising paradigms of radical resistance, solidarity, hospitality, and joy in service of promoting racial justice in future global society. My response focuses on Jeremiah's ethical paradigm of hospitality, and engages with the challenge of applying this paradigm. In order for this hospitality paradigm to be applied in ways that lead to optimal missional outcomes, it must answer several questions, especially those linked to the existence of contesting hospitality-focussed frameworks and sociocultural attitudes endorsed by contemporary Christian agents and communities whose norms of hospitality appear radically different.

A Critical Analysis of Selected Issues in the Book of Daniel: Implications for Contemporary Christianity

The book of Daniel is one of the frequently-quoted books when it comes to issues regarding resilience in one’s faith. The setting of the book and the events surrounding Daniel’s life in Babylon have many lessons for contemporary Christians. The purpose of this article was to bring out certain features and issues in the book of Daniel to present to readers relevant aspects of the context within which the book was written and to consequently equip them to successfully interpret and apply the message of Prophet Daniel. The paper is a literature-based research that gathered data from books and commentaries on Daniel and analyzed them critically to make meaning of the biblical book. One of the key findings was that God sovereignly guards his people and makes them have victory over evil. This study aimed at arousing interest in biblical scholarship on prophetic literature, especially the Book of Daniel. The paper encouraged contemporary believers to be resilient in their faith as they live in a world full of evil deeds. In times of difficult circumstances, Daniel persisted in not hesitating or giving up his faith to follow the patterns of the evil world; rather, he placed God above all things, and succeeded in his endeavours. Keywords: Daniel, God, Christianity, Old Testament