Theological Purposes Research Articles

Caputo’s Postmodern Understanding of Religion

The most important characteristic of the age in which we live is the prominence of pluralistic and local understandings. In modern thought, the importance of reaching universal, objective, and precise knowledge is known. In postmodern thought, on the other hand, almost the opposite situation is put forward, and religion finds its place among pluralistic and local understandings. Religion no longer has valid, inclusive, and generalizable claims for everyone. In the postmodern age, religion is referred to as something between things. John Caputo, who has a very important place in contemporary thought, develops his thoughts from a postmodern framework. However, Caputo develops a hermeneutic approach to avoid falling into relativism. In doing so, he is under the influence of Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, and Derrida. In particular, he develops an “event” theology based on Derrida’s concept of “religion without religion”. Combining this idea with hermeneutics, Caputo believes that life is always interpreted differently but that life still has a religious aspect. From this point of view, he puts forward an understanding of “weak theology”. Caputo’s “weak” theology rethinks various theological tropes and themes through a lens that significantly reshapes our understanding of the role and purpose of theology. In this paper, we address the concepts of weak theology and religion without religion and critically examine how religion and theology are situated within postmodern thought.

Reading Black Theology of Liberation in the African American Christian Experience of the 1900s–2000s

ABSTRACT Like other forms of theology, Black Theology emerges out of the critical thinking, reflection, and Christian practices of African American people. Theology is generally developed out of Christian people's experiences at different times. Since theology is not mentioned in the Bible, people would continue to formulate theologies using scripture to answer their theological questions. This article discusses African Americans’ questions, thinking, and reflection through their Christian experience and a few responses to Black Theology in the United States. Since the emergence of Black Theology, there have been questions and criticism raised by European theologians. This article reflects on a few of those questions to further examine the context and purpose of Black Theology.

Menjelajahi Fenomena Sosial Dalam Pendididkan dan Teologi: Tantangan dan Peluang

Social phenomena and contextual issues in education and theology will discuss various contemporary social phenomena that influence the education and theology system, giving rise to contextual issues that arise in current educational and theological practices, the impact of social phenomena and contextual issues in education and theology on the development of society and religion. As well as things that can respond effectively to existing social challenges and contextual issues. In compiling this article, the author used descriptive qualitative methods. The descriptive qualitative method is a research method that creates systematic, factual and accurate descriptions (words) and images regarding the facts being investigated. The author looks for supporting facts through previous research from journals or books in accordance with the problems raised based on the findings. findings, facts and literature that support finding solutions to existing problems. This concerns cultural and religious diversity, issues of morality in the digital era. And not only that, the impact of social phenomena and contextual issues will be discussed, including the contextual meaning and purpose of education and theology, the context that shapes educational and theological theories, how do we do education and theology in a context like this? That is, being a witness to society , building dialogue between religious communities, creating harmony. The social phenomena and contextual issues in education and theology are such that the challenges in these two fields are often interrelated. Education must be responsive to social change and consider contextual issues, while theology also needs to understand social dynamics to provide views that are relevant in the context of life. The synergy between education and theology can help shape a more inclusive society and a deeper understanding of human values.

Evil Re-Examined: Barthian Insights Post-Covid Pandemic

This paper delves into Karl Barth's unique interpretation of evil within the context of the 2019-2022 global COVID-19 pandemic, guided by Kenneth Surin's concept of 'practical theodicy.' Employing a critical analysis of Barth's theological works, with a particular focus on 'das Nichtige' (nothingness), it uncovers a fresh understanding of Barth's theological intentions concerning the problem of evil. Barth's theology highlights the inherent malevolence of evil and its ultimate defeat through Christ, providing a theological framework for addressing post-pandemic suffering challenges. This reinterpretation holds specific relevance for Indonesia's and global Christian community, offering a practical theological foundation for navigating the pandemic's aftermath. The research's implications extend to theology and ethics, offering a new perspective on how Christians can comprehend and respond to suffering in a post-pandemic world. Informed by 'practical theodicy,' Barth's theological insights prompt a reconsideration of our approach to evil and its implications for human existence. This paper reevaluates Karl Barth's theology of evil through a contemporary lens, presenting a novel interpretation that is particularly valuable to scholars and theologians seeking fresh viewpoints on the enduring issue of suffering. Moreover, it offers practical guidance for Indonesia's Christian community in addressing the challenges posed by the global pandemic.

THEOLOGICAL DEFINITION OF THE ECUMENICAL PARADIGM AND THE VALUE SPECTRUM OF INTERFAITH SOCIAL PRACTICES

Actual scientific researches and issues analysis. The theological intentions and practical initiatives of ecumenism of the Orthodox Church are the focus of Yu. Korniychuk's research attention [17, 18]. R. Protsyuk [19] analyzes the role of the social teaching of Orthodoxy in the formation of civil society in our country. Such domestic researchers as S. Kiyak, P. Yarotskyi, V. Yelenskyi, and O. Kiselyov were engaged in the analysis of the problems of ecumenism as a post-secular paradigm. The research objective. Given the lack of coverage of the issue of ecumenical efforts as a Christian response to the challenges of modern global society, there is a need for a critical and objective analysis of the ecumenical concept as a whole, as well as in the realm of social practices. The statement of basic materials. Ecumenism as a phenomenon originates in the Christian environment and its primary goal is to restore unity, first of all, between Christian denominations. An important component of ecumenical activity, which researchers single out, is the social dimension of ecumenism, the consequences of which are much easier to characterize in the social plane. It is worth noting that this dimension is important, given the fact that there are a large number of supporters of the ecumenical movement, who claim that the effectiveness of building ecumenical dialogue and achieving agreement in theological matters is largely determined by social unity, the development of cooperation in a social direction. The transfer of the emphasis of their ecumenical activity by Christian denominations to the sphere of social service, as a result of the confrontation with the difficulties that arose during the theological and dogmatic dialogue, created a favorable environment for the formation of a visible image of Christian unity, which is one of the main elements of the Church's mission in the world. §12 of the “Decree on Ecumenism” states that social cooperation should be aimed at: “proper appreciation of the dignity of the human person, nurturing the good of peace, applying evangelical principles in social life, developing the sciences and arts in the Christian spirit, (...) overcoming such tragedies today, such as hunger and natural disasters, illiteracy and the poor, lack of housing, unfair distribution of material goods.” Such cooperation will also contribute to better interdenominational knowledge of Christians and pave the way towards unity.

Философия события «Последнего Бога» М. Хайдеггера в контексте теологии «после Освенцима»

Theological components of the historical memory of the Holocaust are the most important constitutive elements of the socio-political and value-ideological forms of understanding the causes and nature of the unprecedented evil committed by Nazism and ways of further development of the human community. Frankly false concepts and analogies that directly affect the memory of generations about the Second World War and are authorized to exist in Western society require raising questions about the specifics of the connection between the existing forms of theological intentions of understanding the Holocaust and the philosophical discourse associated with them with the features of social-political construction narrative of historical memory of this event. The attempted interpretation of the texts by M. Heidegger, which contain intuitions about the ontological-theological essence of the coming historical catastrophe, aims to identify the specific features of the existing ‘Post-Auschwitz’ theology, which legitimize the value-worldview negative transformations in the self-consciousness of Western society. The main method of research is the hermeneutic-phenomenological method, according to which the meaning, directly assimilated from the actual side of the event, cannot be identical to the constitutive meaning, which appeals to the essence of the event that is not revealed through facticity. The constitutive meaning of the event in this study is based on a comparison of the Thinker’s onto-theological intuitions about the essence of an event that has not yet occurred with the circumstances of its actual implementation. The specificity of hermeneutic work in relation to the correlation of the onto-theological contours of the tragic unity of human’s and God’s being revealed in the philosophy of the event ‘The Last God’ by M. Heidegger is determined by the correlation of these contours as constitutive elements of meaning with the event of the Holocaust, linking the fate of the Jewish people with the fate of God. In contrast to similar hermeneutic intentions present in the theology of the ‘Death of God’, M. Heidegger’s philosophy emphasizes the effective nature of human existence, which performs an act of gifting its own essence, leading it to death. The result of this gift is an act of ontological transcendence of human nature and the assimilation of divine nature, carried out by ‘The Last God’. As a development of this concept, an assumption is made about the act of ontological restoration by a person of the existence of God before the event. The interpretation of the difference of divine essences is carried out in a Trinitarian context. The interpretation and development of the philosophy of the event of ‘The Last God’ by M. Heidegger, proposed in this article, are a priority form of development of theology, which aims at the categorical hermeneutic construction of the theodicy of the Holocaust event, determining the essence of the object of faith, as well as preventing value-worldview and socio-political insinuations associated with the transformation of the discourse of ‘guilt and forgiveness’ in Western society.

"Ascribe Power to God, Whose Majesty Is over Israel, and Whose Power Is in the Skies" (Ps 68:35): The Theological Intent of Pss 65-68 and Their Connections with the Prologue to the Psalter (Pss 1-2)

Psalms 65-68 constitute an editorially arranged and adapted cluster of psalms expressing universal praise and thanksgiving near the end of Book II of the Psalms. The article describes the theological purpose of the four psalms. There is a strong emphasis on God's presence in the temple in Zion as a source of blessing for his elected people, the cosmos he created and all humanity. Through his magnificent involvement in creation and the history of his people, his fame as creator, righteous judge, and supreme ruler of the world will spread to the ends of the earth. By linking the cluster through keywords with Pss 1-2, the editors demonstrated how God's benevolent and just involvement with his people would lead to his being universally recognised as the only God.

Is a Theological Synthesis Still Possible? The Paradigm of Objective Mariology

As a “doctrinal synthesis of the Christian faith” (St. John Paul II), the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Mother of God could serve as a focal point that brings together various theological concepts and approaches pertaining to salvation history. For that to happen, however, it is necessary to delve into and discover the richness of Mariology. Often regarded as a secondary discipline, as a context for other disciplines or even as a source of difficulties in ecumenical dialogue, Mariology nowadays needs a revival of its own. The call for constructing an “objective Mariology” presumes that the autonomy of theology as an academic discipline will be preserved and that theological reflection on the Virgin Mary will be objectivized in terms of both form and content. To meet these demands, one must strive to respect the supernatural purpose and sources of theology as such, and strengthen and develop biblical Mariology as well as the reflection of the Church Fathers. Furthermore, there is a need to draw from the rich legacy of the Franciscan school when reflecting on the unity of God’s plan of creation and Redemption in His eternal reasons. Finally, one must not accept a departure from the “hermeneutic of continuity” in the Catholic doctrine on the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, Immaculate and Assumed. The article sets out to describe the essence of the above assumptions and proposes specific conditions that would foster the development of an “objective Mariology”. In that respect, it is important to establish the First Person of the Holy Trinity as the starting point for any reflection on the plan of salvation—of which the Immaculate Conception is the ultimate origin and ultimate goal.

A Harvest of Lutheran Dogmatics: The Life and Work of Twelve Theologians 1960–2020 by Carl E. Braaten

Reviewed by: A Harvest of Lutheran Dogmatics: The Life and Work of Twelve Theologians 1960–2020 by Carl E. Braaten Gregory Walter A Harvest of Lutheran Dogmatics: The Life and Work of Twelve Theologians 1960–2020. By Carl E. Braaten. Delhi, New York: ALPB Books, 2021. 288 pp. Carl Braaten has written this book "for the sake of the next generation of dogmaticians" (276). In it, he offers theological biographies of twelve theologians and ethicists, dating from the 1960s to 2020: Robert W. Bertram, Edward H. Schroeder, Gerhard O. Forde, William H. Lazareth, Robert Benne, Paul R. Sponheim, Philip Hefner, Ted Peters, George A. Lindbeck, Robert W. Jenson, and Paul R. Hinlicky. Braaten concludes with a chapter about himself. He puts [End Page 240] Bertram and Schroeder together in a single chapter. A brief introduction and conclusion frame the work. Braaten revisits each theologian's life and work. Readers can learn much about each theologian, though in a way affected by Braaten's own relationship with each. Braaten identifies many of the important problems that still confront Lutherans in the United States: the nature and purpose of theology, the role of justification by faith alone in the church's work and life, and the mission of the church. Offering some evaluations of each theologian's contributions, Braaten mostly presents digests of their publications. Because so many other theologians, ethicists, and Lutheran scholars of consequence labored in this period, it is important to consider why Braaten chose these figures. He does not fully explicate his criteria for selection and the rationale he does offer is not exhausted by the figures he presents. So many more scholars are important for the development of the networks of Lutheran church and academic life in which these theologians flourished: historians, biblical scholars, ethicists, translators, and many others. By including Benne and Lazareth, Braaten expanded the book to include theological ethicists, leaving figures like Larry Rasmussen aside. Because Braaten includes Hinlicky and Peters, who are from another generation than most of those he includes, the absence of scholars like Mary Solberg, Vítor Westhelle, or Ronald Thiemann is noticeable. Dogmatics, as Braaten defines it, concerns the doctrines of the Christian faith and the task of handing them on. This act of tradition is always a translation undertaken for the "present situation" and for the "whole Christian church" (276–277). Braaten further specifies that the center of this faith is Jesus Christ, the revelation of the Triune God in the Bible, and the doctrine of justification by faith alone (277). He concludes, soberly, that Lutherans have no close or strong consensus on these important matters, the identity of God, or even the person and work of Jesus, ending the book by stating that the tasks now lie in the hands of others (282). Lutheran theologians in Braaten's and in subsequent generations differ in their education, audiences, and projects and because of those differences may not actively engage the theologians treated here. This [End Page 241] book should help Lutheran theologians now at work to recall part of their tradition and thereby stimulate their work by revisiting the work of these twelve consequential theologians. Gregory Walter St. Olaf College Northfield, Minnesota Copyright © 2023 Johns Hopkins University Press and Lutheran Quarterly, Inc.

Philosophy, Power, Evolution (Based on the Works of V.V. Bibikhin)

The article attempts to discover the semantic and historical connections between the concepts of philosophy, power and evolution on the basis of the works of V.V. Bibikhin. In the first part of the text, referring to his works “The Power of Russia” and “Searching for One's Own in Plato's “Alcibiades”, it is shown that philosophical power paradoxically turns out to be powerless. It is power over one's own thoughts first of all, and it is in this way that philosophy can influence political power. The second part of the work analyzes the book by V.V. Bibikhin “The Wood”, dedicated to the problem of living matter in ancient and modern biology, as well as the factors of evolution. The author of this book admits a metaphysical assumption about the influence of supernatural beings (gods, angels, demons) on the evolution of the human species. This idea is considered at the point of intersection of scientific, philosophical and theological intentions. In the third part of the text, an attempt is made to illustrate and combine the main ideas of the first and second parts on the example of the activities of Socrates, which turned out to be a non-trivial way of influencing the evolution of political power by the power of philosophical thought inspired by the divine presence (the voice of a demon).

A critical study of Pentecostal understanding of the baptism of the Holy Spirit in Acts

In faith and practice, Pentecostals put emphasis on practical issues as well as spiritual experience in their theological understanding and doctrinal teachings. The Pentecostals take their doctrine from certain empirical events. One of the spiritual experiences often underlined is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In interpreting the Book of Acts, Pentecostals tend to emphasise the theological character of the narratives and seldom their historical uniqueness. That is why Pentecostals stress the normative theological intent of the historical record for contemporary Christian experience. This article therefore examines critically Pentecostal paradigm of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, deriving examples from the Acts of the Apostles. It is concluded that the practice of the baptism of the Holy Spirit carried out by Christians today, arguably, has no biblical basis. This is because, there is nowhere the Bible commands people to seek baptism in the Holy Spirit. The observation is that, all the events or experiences of Christians baptised in the Holy Spirit in Acts are not necessarily universal normative for every Christian and for this reason, there is no need to be dogmatic.Contribution: This article challenges the practice of the baptism of the Holy Spirit in church today. This study supports the fact that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is not a universal experience for every Christians and there is no need to be dogmatised.

Challenges on the Way to the Revival of Icon Painting – on Certain Aspects of the Canonical Norms

The article presents results of the research undertaken within the framework of the project #PHD-21-403 financed by Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation of Georgia (SRNSFG). Revival of the modern Georgian icon painting started from the seventh decade of the 20th c. From the very beginning, national artistic form was a priority both in visual and musical ecclesiastic art; however, on the turn of the 20th to the 21st cc., general attitude towards national form proved to be quite critical. The problem emerged – which chanting and what icon painting is canonical for the Orthodox Church. Holy Synod of the Church of Georgia sanctioned Georgian polyphonic chanting. From the 17th c. onwards, canonical norms of the Georgian icon painting were influenced by the Church of Russia. Norms established there were obligatory for Georgian icon painting, as well as the norms of Russian church service. At present, widespread practice links norms of the canonical icon painting with the particular Russian and Byzantine style. Such an approach hinders development of the icon painting and, in its own turn, does not correspond to the world church law. As decreed by the Seventh Ecumenical Council, the main purpose of the icon painting is visualisation of the Gospel truth in such a way that the represented is perceptible, can serve as a model and should be venerated. Viewpoint of various famous icon painters concerning this issue coincides with that expressed in Georgia – development of modern icon painting requires establishment of the true criteria of the canonical norms; they should be linked with the theological purpose and not with any particular artistic style. This is the attitude of the Orthodox Church and the goal of the icon painting is striving for the modern ecclesiastical artistic language.

Theology for the Life of the World

AbstractThe purpose of theology is to discern, articulate, commend, and embody visions of flourishing life in light of the self‐revelation of God in the life, death, resurrection, exaltation, and coming‐in‐glory of Jesus Christ. This purpose of theology is timeless, but its articulation at this time has a particular shape to it. Aspects of this shape are sketched in light of a number of contemporary material and intellectual contexts. Material contexts include growing economic disparities, ecological crisis, displacement of peoples, and the social fact of pluralism. Intellectual contexts include the dominance of instrumental reason, of negation, and of whiteness.

The Grammar of Salvation: The Function of Trinitarian Theology in the Works of Karen Kilby and Robert Jenson

This study investigates the purpose of trinitarian theology in relation to theological knowledge, examining whether the doctrine of the Trinity is designed to serve an apophatic or cataphatic purpose. Through a comparative analysis of Karen Kilby and Robert Jenson, I argue that trinitarianism serves a hermeneutical and incorporative function in theology, encompassing both apophatic and cataphatic language, connecting our knowledge of God with God's revelation in the missions of the triune persons. Kilby and Jenson represent apophatic and cataphatic tendencies respectively, but their differences largely concern methodology. Regarding the purpose of trinitarian doctrine, they each hold that the dogma functions as an interpretive grammar for the Scriptures, so that by patterning our lives on the biblical narrative, human beings may be incorporated into Trinity itself. These hermeneutical and incorporative principles create room within Nicene trinitarianism to accommodate varying methods and theories of theological knowledge while preserving the doctrine's core functions.

Liberation Theology: A Pragmatist Perspective

Liberation Theology: A Pragmatist Perspective

Reading Readers Reading: A Brief Reply to my Interlocutors

Reading Readers Reading: A Brief Reply to my Interlocutors

In defence of Feser’s Plotinian argument for God’s existence

This paper investigates the prospects of a distinctively Plotinian argument for God’s existence. Specifically, this paper assesses Plotinus’ argument for the One/Good (Enneads; V.1,V.4), a principle rooted in Plato’s Republic (509b6‐9), as a philosophical motivation for an argument for God’s existence. While the appropriative task of using Plotinus’ argument for natural theological purposes is not original to this work, this project remains in its philosophical infancy. It is to this end that the Plotinian background from which the argument proceeds is articulated, and thereafter contextualised in Edward Feser’s Plotinian argument. This work defends Feser against two objections he does not consider, concluding that the appropriative strategy is successful and is a significant contribution to natural theology.

What Makes Genesis Different?

In contrast to those who read Genesis 1 through 11 as myth, the story of Genesis is historical narrative with a theological purpose (theo-history). The Hebrew theo-history of creation was undergirded by a worldview that did not converge with her neighbors but significantly diverged from the surrounding nations. While the literary style of Genesis has elements common to other ancient mythologies, the content itself is quite distinct. Unlike other ancient cosmologies, the Hebrew worldview perceived the people, places, and events of Genesis as historical and not merely religious symbols. The divergence of the Hebrew worldview from all ancient Near East (ANE) cultures is illustrated in three observations: (1) Genesis is monotheism not polytheism/panentheism, (2) Genesis is special revelation not cultic theology, and (3) Genesis is theo-history not myth or mytho-history. These three distinctives of Hebrew cosmology reflect a unique worldview shaped by divine revelation, and because Genesis was written in the genre of theo-history, Hebrew cosmology offers us a dependable foundation for knowing something true about our material origins, shaping ethical priorities, safeguarding the sacredness of human life, directing moral decision making, recognizing the significance of historical progress, and guiding scientific inquiry into the book of nature.

Mystical Emulations, Inverted Echoes

Mystical Emulations, Inverted Echoes

I. Howard Marshall’s Luke: Historian and Theologian

Abstract I. H. Marshall’s Luke: Historian and Theologian was a relatively short volume published in 1970. It was written primarily to respond to Hans Conzelmann’s book, Die Mitte der Zeit (‘The Middle of Time’), which claimed that the author of Luke-Acts redacted his sources to respond to the crisis provoked by the delay of the parousia in the church of his day. While Marshall’s work had a relatively narrow focus, it had a surprisingly significant impact, not only defending the historicity of Luke-Act but also introducing evangelical readers to redaction criticism and the theological purposes of the Evangelists. Fifty years after its original publication, we survey the book’s contents and reflect on its impact for evangelical scholarship and New Testament studies in general.