Divine-human Relationship Research Articles

The ordinary and the mystical? Exploring the intersections of Spirituality and Public Theology

This article starts from the premise that the ordinary is the mystical. It does so by delving into the dynamic relationship between Spirituality and Public Theology against the backdrop of Christianity’s societal roles. It explores how Christian theology extends beyond private faith to address broad societal issues. Through a critical examination of Public Theology’s distinct contributions to contemporary discussions, the article emphasises the necessity of engaging Spirituality – with its focus on the divine-human relationship into this discourse.Contribution: This synthesis aims to enrich our comprehension of Christianity’s impact on public life, advocating for a faith that actively contributes to societal transformation across diverse contexts.

Approaching Saint Bernard’s Sermons on the “Song of Songs” through the Book of Odes (Shijing): A Confluence of Medieval Theology and Chinese Culture

This paper aims to decode medieval theology from the vantage point of ancient Chinese poetry, employing a cross-textual methodology that encourages a fusion of horizons. It highlights Saint Bernard’s profound and influential theological exegesis of the “Song of Songs”, particularly his comparison of the divine–human relationship to the conjugal bond. The present study posits that readers from Chinese culture can gain access to Saint Bernard’s mystical theology through the sentiment of love, as portrayed in the Book of Odes (Shijing). Initially addressing love as a core human sentiment, this study progresses by juxtaposing the representations of love in the Book of Odes with those in the “Song of Songs”. This comparative analysis culminates in an exploration of Saint Bernard’s theological perspectives, illuminated through these analogous depictions of love. The results affirm that engaging with Saint Bernard’s discourse on love via the Book of Odes is not only feasible but also instrumental in dispelling widespread misconceptions.

Introducing Old Testament Theology: Creation, Covenant, and Prophecy in the Divine–Human Relationship by W. H. Bellinger Jr. (review)

Introducing Old Testament Theology: Creation, Covenant, and Prophecy in the Divine–Human Relationship by W. H. Bellinger Jr. (review)

Investigating Politeness in the Prayers of Prophets: A Quranic Discourse Perspective

In religious contexts, prayers are essential communication between humanity and the divine. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the concept of politeness in the context of the Qur'anic prayers delivered by the Prophets. By adopting a Qur'anic discourse perspective, the study uncovered the underlying patterns and linguistic devices used in expressing reverence and humility before God. It also aimed to identify the communication strategies used in the prayers to determine how these principles were manifested. There was an argument that the communication strategy employed by the prophets implicitly manifested their humility and politeness, a fundamental attribute of the messengers of God. To address this, the politeness maxims proposed by Leech and insights into strategies in interpersonal communication developed by Brown and Levinson served as an analytical framework for examining politeness discourse strategies within prayer utterances. In addition, pragmatic identity and contextual methods were employed to understand the context of these utterances. The results showed several politeness maxims observed in the Qur'anic prayers of the prophets, including the maxims of tact, approval, and modesty. It also revealed the wisdom evident in their language and behavior. The Prophets utilized two strategies in their pursuit of politeness: the 'on-record' strategy, characterized by direct and explicit expressions and the 'off-record' strategy, involving indirect and subtle expressions. This study contributed to a deeper understanding of politeness's linguistic and cultural implications in religious communication. It also provided insight into the divine-human relationship portrayed in the Qur'an.

Perichoresis and Projection: A Response to Kilby’s Trinitarian Minimalism

Abstract The use of perichoresis by Miroslav Volf (1998) and others spring from significant themes within the Scriptures, most notably from Christ’s prayer that reveals the entire divine-human relationship as filial in nature based on a mutuality of how they relate: ‘I pray . . . that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; in order that they may be one in us’ (John 17:21). This predicates mutuality, not in the divine ‘transcendence into the substance of being,’ but on the shared character of relationality, perichoresis, experienced within the immanent Trinity and progressively reflected within human social relations. Karen Kilby concludes otherwise that any consideration of perichoresis outside of expressing the mystery of relations within the immanent Trinity is problematic, ultimately only mirroring human social relations. This essay argues that accurate reflections of perichoresis are increasingly observable within social relations and emerging within various disciplines of thought that then bring greater coherence and meaning to the Scriptures, theology, and the faith community. Using a perichoretic ontology, this essay will provide significant meaning to Matthew 12:32 (otherwise considered meaningless) and other passages. If a perichoretic ontology subsequently transforms our understanding of Christ’s redemptive action in the world and promises to resolve many historically persistent theological anomalies, the notion of perichoresis must rise within the theological project.

Participation “In the Heavenlies” in Christ: Deification in Ephesians

Paul’s expression “in the heavenlies” provides an intriguing showcase of the power dynamics of the divine–human relationship (e.g., 1:3, 20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12). While scholars have identified the theme of union with Christ as an interpretive key for understanding believers’ position in the heavenlies, few have provided adequate attention to “in the heavenlies” according to the significance of theosis. I argue that a patristic idea of theosis offers an interpretive lens in understanding believers’ lives in the heavenlies. Thus, this study aims to situate the discussion on the heavenlies vis-à-vis the conversation around theosis in the New Testament.

Luke 10–24 by Barbara E. Reid, OP and Shelly Matthews

Reviewed by: Luke 10–24 by Barbara E. Reid, OP and Shelly Matthews Sheila Klassen-Wiebe barbara e. reid, op, and shelly matthews, Luke 10–24 (Wisdom Commentary 43B; Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2021). Pp. x + 373. $49.95. The second volume on the Gospel of Luke, by Barbara E. Reid and Shelly Matthews, is a welcome addition to the Wisdom Commentary series. Since it begins immediately with Luke 10:1, readers will benefit from having the first volume at hand, not only to read the valuable Introduction but also to access the many references to the first volume. Like other commentaries in the series, this one aims to "offer detailed feminist interpretation" of the biblical text. R. and M. focus on gender inequities, but they are attentive to the intersection of patriarchy with oppression based on race, class, sexuality, physical ability, religious difference, and so on. For example, they reflect on how the story of the woman freed from a crippling spirit might perpetuate a "victim theology" when read through the lens of disability studies (13:10–27). They decry the use of the master–slave metaphor to characterize the divine–human relationship, and they resist drawing out moral teachings from parables built on "slave logic" (e.g., 12:35–48; 17:7–10). The co-authors of this commentary utilize a range of methodologies and exegetical tools in their interpretation of the text. Gender analysis is employed to interrogate passages in which demons "penetrate" vulnerable wo/men and virile men wage war against Satan (pp. 347–48, 375–77). Understanding cultural values of honor and shame illumines the countercultural nature of the friend at midnight, who "shamelessly" disregards social norms to provide hospitality (pp. 370–72). R. and M. also weigh in on historical questions; for example, they argue that it is "historically implausible" that Jewish leaders would have handed Jesus over to Rome on the charge of blasphemy (pp. 593–94), and they note the historical reference to Archelaus in the parable of the pounds (p. 509). Throughout the commentary, they rely heavily on redaction criticism and the conviction that Luke deliberately modified Mark's Gospel. This shapes their conclusions on some key issues. In volume 1, R. and M. identify two perspectives they prioritize in their study of the Gospel: Luke's portrayal of women and his attitude toward Jews who do not accept Jesus as the Messiah. Although Luke's Gospel is often viewed as the "friendliest" toward women, R. and M. challenge this perception. For example, the commentary dispels the myth that [End Page 361] women had no power in Judaism or Greco-Roman society by citing evidence of their participation in synagogues and symposia, but Luke includes no meal scenes where women participate in table talk (p. 433). Luke 22 and 23 reveal Luke's tendency to privilege "the twelve male apostles while rewriting traditions concerning women's agency in the direction of subordination and silence" (p. 558). By making the parable in 18:1–8 about persistent prayer, "Luke tries to tame the image of an unconventional widow who intrudes in traditionally male spaces" (p. 490). Although Luke's anti-Jewish proclivities are evident throughout the Gospel, they are particularly strong in the passion narrative. Jesus's lament in 19:41–44 "embodies the theology that Jerusalem deserved its destruction … because it rejected Jesus as messiah" (p. 520). Repeatedly in the passion narrative Luke shifts blame for Jesus's death from Rome to "the Jews" and fails to critique imperial power, even embracing an "elite ideology of just crucifixion" (pp. 613–14). Despite their overall negative conclusions regarding Luke's stance on women and Judaism, R. and M. not only employ a hermeneutics of suspicion but also search for what is liberative. For example, the anti-family sayings in 12:49–53 challenge traditional patriarchal households as the norm even as they fail to disrupt assumptions about slavery (pp. 405–6). The teachings on service and humility in 22:24–27 can perpetuate systemic injustice for those without power, but they may also "serve as resources in struggles toward justice" when read "as a call to renounce power and engage in solidarity...

Martin Buber's Dialogical History: Theopolitics as a Critique of the History of Human Power

This essay explores the relationship between Buber's philosophy of history and his political theory, known also as theopolitics. Buber's first book on theopolitics, Kingship of God (1932), implemented the principle of dialogue as a critique of leadership. Dialogue reconciles the paradox of authoritarian theocracy and absolute freedom of anarchy: it unites the interhuman relationship (religious anarchy) and the divine-human relationship (direct theocracy). Without dialogue, anarchy would become chaotic and theocracy would actually mean the tyranny of the priests (hierocracy). But Buber's theopolitics also revealed a particular understanding of history. As this essay demonstrates, Buber held a notion of dialogical history (contrary to Hegelian dialectic history), which ultimately functioned as a critique of the history of victory and power. Dialogical history criticizes not only secular but also any kind of religious or sacred history claiming to authorize human power by divine justification. Dialogical history, therefore, should be seen as "counter-history," not only because it is based on a rehabilitation of myth (Hasidic tales and biblical myths) but also because it is engaged in an alternate philosophy of history, whose fulfillment is vouchsafed neither by the necessary unfolding of a spirit, nor by "great" historical deeds, but by everyday human agency and responsibility alone.

Old Testament Theology

Old Testament Theology Fred W. Guyette, Thomas Hieke, Christopher T. Begg, Martin Nitsche, and Richard A. Taylor 988. [OT Theology] W. H. Bellinger, Jr., Introducing Old Testament Theology: Creation, Covenant, and Prophecy in the Divine-Human Relationship (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2022). Pp. xv + 200. $24.99. ISBN 9781540961471. "The comprehensive designs of Walther Eichrodt and Gerhard von Rad are now found wanting and we must now find a new shape for Old Testament Theology," so wrote Walter Brueggemann in a 1985 CBQ article entitled "A Shape for Old Testament Theology." [End Page 357] B. believes that we can discern such a "shape," which he summarizes this way: Divine revelation and human response, as expressed in creation, covenant, and prophecy. Each of these three theological elements suggests a portrayal of God and invites a human response to God. Where, then, is the best place to begin our search for this pattern? Answer: Let's begin with the Psalms and the theme of deliverance: "They cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress" (Ps 107:6). This leads into a second affirmation: God blesses. "May the Lord, maker of heaven and earth, bless you from Zion" (Ps 134:3). B.'s third theme for an OT Theology is: God speaks, which finds expression in the words of Ps 24:3: "Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? Those who have clean hands and pure hearts." A theology of creation and blessing is implied in Genesis 1 and 2. God's act of delivering Israel from bondage leads to covenant-making in the Book of Exodus. And after we have forsaken God's ways, he calls us back to obedience through the words of the prophets. After our abject moral failures, who better than the prophet Hosea to offer us a better paradigm for renewing our faithfulness and loyalty to God? See also B.'s essay "Portraits of Faith: The Scope of Theology in the Psalms," An Introduction to Wisdom Literature and the Psalms (Mercer University Press, 2000) 111-28.—F.W.G. 989. [OT and NT Perspectives on Death and Resurrection] Paul Deselaers and Robert Vorholt, Tod und Auferstehung: Perspektiven des Alten und Neuen Testaments (Neue Echter Bibel – Themen 13; Würzburg: Echter, 2020). Pp. 160. Paper €16.90. ISBN 978-3-429-05535-6. The series aims at an interdisciplinary dialogue of Hebrew Bible/OT and NT studies. The topic "death and resurrection" is an important field of biblical theology. D. presents the many faces of death in the Hebrew Bible/OT and the biblical "yes" to life despite inevitable death. He treats the Primeval History (Genesis 1–9) as well as the literary struggle about the fate of the dead in narrative and poetic texts ("dying at a ripe old age, grown old after a full life; and being gathered to one's people"; Sheol; suicide and wishing to die; murder; illness; etc.). He also addresses the discussion about death in wisdom literature. Finally, D. examines the Psalms and other OT materials which occasionally hint at a salvation from death or to a hope for resurrection. V. presents the NT's message about the resurrection of Jesus in the Gospels. A brief section summarizes major findings and brings both parts of the Christian Bible into dialogue with each other.—T.H. 990. [Typology] James M. Hamilton, Jr. Typology – Understanding the Bible's Promise-Shaped Patterns: How Old Testament Expectations Are Fulfilled in Christ (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Academic, 2022). Pp. xxiii + 405. $29.99. ISBN 978-0310534402. As Basil of Caesarea says in his treatise On the Holy Spirit, "Typology points out what is to be expected." Following Basil's lead, H. explores several of the "promise-shaped patterns" found in the OT. The children of Israel were liberated from political bondage in the Exodus, while the "New Exodus" points toward a deeper spiritual reality: an exodus from sin. What God promised in the OT comes to fruition in the NT. Consider the difference Paul describes in Romans between the Old Adam and New Adam. The offices of Prophet, Priest, and King—these were...

Божественные атемпорально-темпоральные отношения: нет ли у открытого теизма варианта получше?

Open theists argue that God’s relationship to time, as conceived in classical theism, is erroneous. They explicate that it is contradictory for an atemporal being to act in a temporal universe, including experiencing its temporal successions. Contrary to the atemporalists, redemptive history has shown that God interacts with humans in time. This relational nature of God nullifies the classical notion of God as timelessly eternal. Therefore, it lacks a philosophical and theological basis. Because God is in time, He does not know all future contingencies and, therefore, changes. This study examines open theism’s appropriation of the A and B theories of time to the divine-human relationship. The study argues that divine temporality does not solve the tension of divine-human relationships, especially in relation to the future. Further, historical divine temporality does not negate the fact of divine atemporality. It mainly stems from God’s choice to create temporal creatures and His relationship with them. Furthermore, if it is not logically and metaphysically contradictory for an omnipresent being to act in space, then it follows that an atemporal being can act in time. Whether time is understood from the metric or psychological point of view, it does not transcend God, and therefore, the limitation it places on human creatures with respect to the future does not apply to God. Lastly, although a few philosophers reject the notion of eternity as timelessly eternal, the doctrine has a philosophical and theological basis in the Scripture.

The Repose of the Spirits: A Sufi Commentary on the Divine Names (By A?mad Sam??n?, [Translator: William C. Chittick)

Reviewed by: The Repose of the Spirits: A Sufi Commentary on the Divine Names by William C. Chittick John Zaleski (bio) The Repose of the Spirits: A Sufi Commentary on the Divine Names William C. Chittick Albany: State University of New York Press, 2019. 708 Pages. William Chittick has brought to an English-speaking audience, in an attractive and fluid translation, an extensive medieval commentary on the divine names and divine love. The Repose of the Spirits (Rawḥ al-arwāḥ), written by Aḥmad Samʿānī (d. 1094/1140), is structured as an exposition of 102 names of God derived from the Qur’an, from Hū (“He”) to al-Ṣabūr (“the Patient”). It represents the earliest Persian example of this genre, numerous Arabic versions of which have been studied by Daniel Gimaret.1 Like the authors of these Arabic commentaries, Samʿānī typically begins his discussion of each divine name by providing a brief definition and by marshalling relevant Qur’anic passages. Yet unlike many of the Arabic commentators, Samʿānī is little concerned with unraveling the etymology of God’s names and unbothered by the theological problem of how creatures can name their transcendent creator. It is, rather, the spiritual significance of God’s names and what they say about the divine-human relationship that interests Samʿānī and has drawn the attention of his translator. The central theme of Samʿānī’s discussion is the mutual love of God and his friends. His discourse is allusive. He speaks in stories, mixes metaphors and images, and switches easily between Persian and Arabic (which constitutes roughly ten percent of the work and is indicated in the translation by being placed in italic font). To illustrate Samʿānī’s approach, the second divine name is Allāh itself, which Samʿānī defines as denoting him who has the power to “innovate and devise” (p. 4). Yet by the end of the chapter, Samʿānī has turned his focus to the love that God devises in the human heart: “Know that in reality, even if God were to send union’s tent and proximity’s dome into hell, the friends of the Garden of the Beginningless, who became drunk on the song of the nightingales of the unseen attraction, would make hellfire into their eyes’ collyrium” (p. 6). Chittick’s translation captures with an appealing rhythm this rush of Sufi technical terms (union, proximity) and imagery (intoxication, the song of the nightingale). The sense that emerges from these images is that of the all-enduring love for the Beloved that animates God’s friends. In many cases, it is easy enough to follow Samʿānī as he draws the strand of a given divine name through the chapter and intertwines it with the central [End Page 102] thread of God’s love. For example, in chapter 82 on the name al-Tawwāb (“the Ever-Turning”), the focus of Samʿānī’s remarks is repentance (tawba), that is, the turning of the human to God, and the prior turning of God to the human that enables this repentance. This mutual conversion, Samʿānī indicates, is the fruit of God’s love; the Qur’anic He turned toward them so that they would turn (Q 9:118) points toward He loves them and they love Him (Q 5:54). In other chapters, however, there does not appear to be a clear connection between the ideas and images invoked by Samʿānī and the meaning of the divine name that launches the chapter. In these cases, as Chittick notes, the discussion of God’s names serves merely as a “pretext for delving into the mysteries of the divine love that permeates the universe” (p. lxi). The primary significance of this work thus lies not in being the earliest Persian commentary on the divine names, but in providing an extended reflection in beautiful prose on the love of God, well before that of the more famous “lovers” of the Persian tradition, such as Rūmī (d. 672/1273) and Ḥāfeẓ (d. 792/1390). In spite of its significance, as well as its survival in several manuscript libraries, Samʿānī’s Repose of the Spirits...

Conceptualizing divine trust

AbstractDoes God trust human persons? Very little in philosophy of religion has been written about God's trust, which seems striking for two joint considerations. First, many of the Abrahamic faith traditions posit that union and close personal relationship with God is the telos of human life. Second, trust seems to be an essential element in ideal, close relationships between persons. While there is much in the faith literature that emphasizes the role of trust on the human side of the divine–human relationship, there is very little on divine trust. To fill this lacuna, this article addresses the conceptual issue of how divine trust could be understood within the Abrahamic faith traditions (particularly in Christianity and Judaism). I begin by examining whether an account of divine trust can be developed alongside divine attributes like divine foreknowledge. After identifying some plausible conditions of trust within the philosophical literature, I present a couple of trust scenarios as a means of demonstrating that divine trust is not only conceptually plausible (i.e. compatible with divine foreknowledge), but that divine trust is best construed as a particular trust type – therapeutic trust. That is, I argue that divine trust aims at inspiring humanity's trustworthiness.

Theologizing in Black: On Africana Theological Ethics and Anthropology

Theologizing in Black: On Africana Theological Ethics and Anthropology

Repentance and the Return to God: Tawba in Early Sufism by Atif Khalil

Reviewed by: Repentance and the Return to God: Tawba in Early Sufism by Atif Khalil Ali Hassan Zaidi (bio) Repentance and the Return to God: Tawba in Early Sufism. By Atif Khalil. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2018. Pp. xi + 260. Paperback $32.95, ISBN 978-1-34384-6912-6. Is translation of a particular concept from one religious-linguistic tradition into another possible? If so, how much precision and nuance is possible in translation? Even if the problem of translating between religious-linguistic traditions is removed, we are still confronted with the question of how a particular concept is understood differently across vast stretches of time and space within a particular tradition. Atif Khalil's Repentance and the Return to God: Tawba in Early Sufism addresses these fundamental questions in a particularly salient manner. Khalil's object of analysis is the commonplace human experience of contrition, repentance and atonement and the consequences of transgression. More specifically, he examines the concept of tawba in the Islamic, and especially early Sufi¸ tradition and the way in which the term "repentance" is an inadequate translation to capture the full range of meanings of "tawba", though in the final analysis "repentance" does capture the essence of it. The notion of tawba is so commonplace that scholars of Islam have perhaps taken it for granted such that, according to Khalil (p. 2), prior to his book no book-length academic treatment of it has been published. Whereas the notion of repentance is commonplace, especially in the Abrahamic religions, Khalil's analysis is anything but commonplace. The book is divided into two parts. Part I (Chs. 1-2) provides a lexical and semantic analysis of tawba as used in the Quran. Part II (Chs. 3-7) delves into how the early Sufis from the late-7th c. to the 11th c. CE approached tawba as a practical and necessary component of a spiritual path. Through an internal analysis of Quranic references to tawba, Part I provides a detailed and meticulous lexical and semantic survey of how tawba connects the human being to God and vice versa. Readers familiar with the work of the Japanese Islamicist and philosopher of language Toshihiko Izutsu (d. 1993) will find Khalil's application of Izutsu's method insightful for Sufism's conceptualization of the Divine-human relationship. Khalil convincingly demonstrates that when the Quran instructs human beings to engage in tawba it is not only referring to [End Page 1] feelings of contrition and remorse, as the term "repentance" denotes. Instead, the Quran is instructing human beings to turn to God and to turn away from the sinning act. But that is not all. Khalil's analysis really comes into its own when he points out that the Quran uses the same root (t-w-b) and its cognates of the word for tawba to refer to God as turning to human beings. Khalil argues that clearly God's tawba refers not to His repentance, for God is without sin, but to His always already turning toward the human being (i.e. God as al-tawwab, The One Who Turns [to human beings]). The interplay between Divine tawba and human tawba leads to a mutual relation between the Divine and human beings. Thus, it is possible to speak about Divine and human tawba in the Quran, but not to Divine and human repentance, for repentance as remorse, contrition and acts of expiation apply only to the human being. In this sense, repentance is an inadequate translation of the Quranic notion of tawba since repentance is restricted to a one-sided act by the sinful human being. By contrast, the dual usage of the same root of tawba leads later Sufi writers and theoreticians to emphasize the co-creation of human destiny: human beings partake as cocreators in Divine activity. In a particularly salient passage, Khalil eloquently describes this dialectical relationship as depicted in different verses in the Quran in which God and the human being jointly partake of a process of turning and re/turning to one another: "God turns to the human being in tawba, after he falls, through an act of mercy; the human being responds...

Dialogue or Narrative? Exploring Tensions between Interpretations of Genesis 38

We examine dialectical tensions between “dialogue” and “narrative” as these discourses supplant one another as the fundamental discourse of intelligibility, through juxtaposing two interpretations of Genesis 38 rooted in changing interpretative paradigms. Is dialogue properly understood as a narrative genre, or is narrative the content about which people are in dialogue? Is the divine–human relationship a narrative drama or is it a dialogue between a god and human beings? We work within parameters laid out by the philosophical hermeneutics of Gadamer (primarily representing dialogue) and Ricoeur (primarily representing narrative). On the one hand, a feminist approach can develop Tamar as a courageous hero in impossible circumstances, strategizing to overturn Judah’s patriarchal naïveté. On the other hand, Judah seems to be able to be read as a tragic hero, seeking to save Tamar. These readings challenge one another, where either Tamar’s or Judah’s autonomy is undermined. By putting these interpretations into dialogue, our aim is to show that neither dialogue nor narrative succeeds the other with finality, and that we can achieve a fragile integration of the two (dialogue and narrative) despite their propensity toward polarization.

Cruciform Scripture: Cross, Participation, and Mission.

Cruciform Scripture: Cross, Participation, and Mission.

Defending Shame: Its Formative Power in Paul’s Letters

Defending Shame: Its Formative Power in Paul’s Letters

Rethinking violence through the narrative of Genesis 4:1–16

Genesis 4:1–16 is a well-known narrative following the ejection of Adam and Eve from the garden. It is an essential aspect of Genesis’ theological unity that consists of a combination of stories that show separation within family and state. The narrative is rich in alternating developmental plot and served as a significant pointer to the divine-human relationship. Obviously, at a time and in settings in which it has become increasingly painful to look at life, as individuals and communities witness the collapse of the pillars of social life, this article identified values and principles, and offered perspectives for dealing with the sequence of violence in order to create possibilities for communal solidarity. In view of the fact that the narrative is rich in its developmental plot, this article exegetically highlighted the textual sub-units in the narrative and theologically attempted to rethink violence from the perspectives of the perpetrator and the victim in God’s creation. The theological datum of the article is that violence in the narrative of Genesis 4:1–16 is an offshoot of perceived divine arbitrariness in which the perpetrator is unable to acknowledge divine prerogative. Consequently, the failure of people to manage their dissatisfaction and to control their impulses in the face of incomprehensible divine arbitrariness, hides the inevitability of violent conflict in daily human experiences.Contribution: The article drew theological and moral implications that will challenge contemporary readers of the Cain-Abel narrative, who are faced with the most profound existential issues of human relationship and thus struggle with violent behaviours of individuals and groups, to embrace its instructive potential for faith and life.

Characters and Characterization in the Book of Samuel

Characters and Characterization in the Book of Samuel

Paul and the Language of Faith

Gupta argues that πίστις has three meanings in Paul’s corpus: (1) believing as faith (πίστις as “belief”)—a perceptive (cognitive) kind of faith that is divinely enabled, activating a belief in the unseen, (2) obeying faith (πίστις as “faithfulness”)—based on a covenantal human-divine relationship that expects reciprocal loyalty (it is an active form of “doing faith” that is based on mutual love), and (3) trusting faith (πίστις as “trust”)—incorporates the cognitive aspects (thinking correctly about God) and active (behavioral/practical) nature of the word (the covenantal commitment of obedience). In terms of methodology, Gupta uses a semantic-domain approach to word meanings, cultural linguistics, and contextual analysis.In ch. 2, Gupta provides a synopsis of how the apostolic fathers, early and medieval Christians, the Reformers (Luther and Calvin), and modern scholars understood the language of faith.In ch. 3, Gupta discusses how πίστις is viewed in ancient non-Jewish and Jewish literature, highlighting the polyvalent use of πίστις depending on the context (e.g., “opinion,” “faithfulness,” “trust,” and “belief”), although the majority of uses emphasize relational fidelity.In ch. 4, Gupta highlights faith language in the Jesus tradition—the Synoptic Gospels and John. The predominant focus is on the three categories of πίστις in Matthew, namely, seeking, trusting, and loyal faith.In ch. 5, Gupta argues that faith language (πίστις) in 1 Thessalonians (e.g., 3:8; 5:8) and Philippians (e.g., 1:25, 27, 28‒29; 2:17) means “faithfulness”: loyalty, fidelity, commitment, and allegiance to Jesus Christ. Using military metaphors, Paul exhorts these churches to remain committed to the gospel despite persecution. A holistic commitment to Christ is demonstrated through loyal, loving obedience to him; it is central to leadership, ethos, and mission in the community. Paul’s faith language is similar to what is found in the book of Revelation (e.g., Rev 2:10, 13, 19, 23‒25).In chs. 6‒7, Gupta posits that Paul stresses an epistemological meaning of πίστις in 1 and 2 Corinthians. True faith is based on God’s faithfulness/loyalty and the human embracing of the gospel of Jesus Christ (his death and resurrection). In contrast to the Greco-Roman desire for honor in worldly wisdom, Paul argues for a humble faith that believes in the wisdom of the cross. Such a “faith,” based on the unbelievable, uncertain, unseen, and requiring a deep reliance on the invisible God (e.g., 1 Cor 1:9, 21; 2:4‒5; 3:5; 15:14‒19; 2 Cor 4:1–5:10; 6:16; 12:9; 13:2, 13), is risky.In ch. 8, Gupta surmises that πίστις in Galatians can be understood as covenantal pistism. In Galatians, Paul separates “faith” (πίστις) and “law” (νόμος), requiring a covenantal commitment and obedience to Jesus Christ. Rather than being opposing terms, they convey the necessity of both human and divine agency (human faith response and divine grace). Thus, Gupta argues for covenantal pistism; the faithful/obedient “way of life” of the Pauline congregation, while God in and through Christ (“in Christ”) becomes the center of this human-divine relationship. Thus, πίστις summarizes the unmediated covenantal Christ-relation (e.g., 1:23; 2:16, 20; 3:8‒9, 12).In ch. 9, Gupta discusses Paul’s faith language in Rom 1:16‒17. Gupta analyzes Hab 2:4 with Rom 1:16‒17 and argues that Paul encourages the church to maintain an unqualified trust in God. Thus, πίστις language stresses a whole-life reliance on God’s faithfulness, while requiring human fidelity, namely, obedient, trusting faith. Despite the circumstances the church faces, Paul beckons them to trust God as their source of life.In ch. 10, Gupta briefly addresses the meaning of πίστις Χριστοῦ in Paul’s corpus. In Gupta’s estimation, πίστις Χριστοῦ refers to the grace of God initiated by Christ’s faithfulness while believers participate in this Christ-relation by faith. Thus, both sides of the divine-human relationship are in view.Finally, Gupta reiterates his view that πίστις in Paul’s corpus can move along a spectrum of meanings depending on context. He reviews the three categories of faith language in Paul: believing faith, trusting faith, and faithful/loyal faith. Both divine and human agency are necessary in the faith language of Paul’s corpus.Gupta provides a compelling study of faith language in Paul. One might argue that a more extensive treatment of πίστις in Paul’s corpus would be beneficial and that faith as allegiance/fidelity appears to be the book’s overarching theme, yet he deals with the Pauline contexts carefully and with expertise.