Theological Interpretation Research Articles

Cinie Louw

As part of a growing scholarly interest in the history of women in the field of linguistics the life of Cinie Louw (1872–1935), a missionary in Mashonaland, is revisited. The focus is her groundbreaking work in the fields of linguistics, Bible translation and theological interpretation. Her contribution is revisited outside of the normative evaluation of women’s work in the early 20th century and therefore not just as an extension of that of her male counterparts and husband.

The Biblical Discourse of Disability and Implications for Religious Communities in Uganda: A Hermeneutical Review

This hermeneutical review of biblical discourse of disability seeks to promote inclusive religious participation. Although the Bible is a religious book among Ugandans, there is limited discussion on how it can enhance social and religious participation of persons with disabilities. The review revealed that disability representation, human dignity and essence, divine human integrity and social empowerment dominate biblical discussion of disability. So, the article asserts that disability interpretation and representation shapes the construction of social identities and enhances inclusive participation for persons with disability. Therefore, an African disability hermeneutics is recommended to transform religious teachings and theological interpretations of disability.

The transcendent call from aesthetic experiences

In this article, I discuss theological aesthetics in light of various descriptions of experiences of transcendence that art can provide for human beings. The American author Patti Smith describes, e.g. how works of art “call her” so that she must respond with art productions of her own. This looks similar to what German sociologist Hartmut Rosa calls “resonance”. He describes art as one of the places where an experience of vertical resonance can take place. Smith’s experiences also correspond to the description of the basic experience of transcendence of human beings as they are interpreted by the Danish philosopher Dorthe Jørgensen. However, she reduces these experiences to be immanent in nature because they are objectless. I suggest that systematic theology can contribute with a distinct theological interpretation of aesthetic experiences through a three-fold argument. First, to combine beauty and infinity in the being of God. Second, to reinterpret the notion of the incarnation as God’s continuous presence in the world. And third, by combining natural theology’s point that creation speaks of God with a reinterpretation of the artefacts that humans can create. As such, this paper proposes how systematic theology can contribute to the interpretation of aesthetic experiences of transcendence.

“Negasi dan Harmoni Pesimisme:” Studi Eksposisi Pengkhotbah 1:12-18 dan Manfaat Hikmat Amsal

One of the wisdom literature books that is frequently quoted, though often interpreted out of context, is the book of Ecclesiastes, which remains relevant to the life of believers. However, there are still differences in interpretation and limitations in historical cultural analysis, as well as varying approaches to textual focus and accountability in understanding life. This article aims to bridge the contradictory aspects of the vanity of wisdom in Ecclesiastes 1:12-18 and its harmony with the benefits of wisdom in the book of Proverbs. The methodology used in this research is wisdom literature hermeneutics, which includes an in-depth textual analysis and historical analysis of the text of Ecclesiastes 1:12-18. This approach provides a bridging understanding that allows for recognizing the contradictions (negation) and harmony in the books of Ecclesiastes and Proverbs, as well as their theological and practical implications for readers. Despite the variety of interpretations, integrating these elements offers a comprehensive view of wisdom and provides a critical reflection both scientifically and practically for real-life application through a relevant, proportional, and balanced theological interpretation in understanding hebel and hokmah. Thus, the awareness of the limitations of human wisdom should be oriented towards complete dependence on the fear of the Lord.

Reconciliation as practice of universality

A new concept of reconciliation practices is developed by using the liberal theory of justice by John Rawls. In this perspective, reconciliation appears as a prerequisite of justice, denoting and rearraging the limits of any given community of justice. By drawing on examples in the fields of the restitution of looted art, the inclusion of handicapped people, religions in urban contexts and environmental ethics, practices of reconciliation are shown to be ambigous and incomplete in time, extent, depth and unconditionality. This observation leads to a theological interpretation of reconciliation as an eschatological concept that is proposed to interpret current major issues of justice and reconciliation.

Timeless tenet, temporal tenant

This article delves into how Twelver Shia Islam responds to technological challenges, particularly focusing on radical life extension (RLE) within the trans-humanism paradigm. While there is a consensus among religions regarding spiritual and mental enhancement, body enhancement, including RLE, poses ethical and theological questions. After a brief introduction to the concepts of human existence, life, and death, I explore Shia rational reasoning, delving into the notions of the ‘rational impossible’ and ‘normal impossible’ in the context of RLE. Additionally, I investigate the relationship between RLE and the belief in Mahdism, which centers around the idea that the last Imam, al-Mahdi, lives in occultation and will eventually reappear as the promised savior. I also seek to understand the legitimacy of using technology to achieve longevity from the perspective of Shia Islam. Additionally, in the final section of the study, I present the viewpoints of four prominent Shia Mujtahids, obtained through email correspondence and Istefta. This Q&A section reveals multifaceted perspectives within the Shia community regarding RLE. Notably, the traditional group, referring to the intra-religious teachings, adopts a more open approach to the RLE issue, challenging prevailing stereotypes. This research emphasizes that, from the perspective of Shia Islam, a very long life is neither deemed impossible nor irrational. However, ethical considerations and potential side effects must be carefully weighed when implementing RLE technologies. Researchers and scientists bear the responsibility of using technology fairly and ethically, and avoiding any actions that may worsen various kinds of inequalities. Continuous exploration and dialogue are essential to gain a comprehensive understanding of the topic from the perspective of Shia Islam, as theological interpretations may evolve with scientific progress.

Meaning beyond symbols! : A theological interpretation of the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe’s logo

Meaning beyond symbols! : A theological interpretation of the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe’s logo

Distributed Normativity in Theology: On the Relevance of Empirical Research Approaches to Systematic Theology

Abstract Empirical research methods have traditionally been absent from and are still foreigners to systematic theology. However, the turn toward practices in academic studies of religion and theology implies that empirical research methodologies cannot be deemed irrelevant to systematic theology. This article explores Hanna Reichel’s theory of theology as design, focusing on the understanding of theology as practice and the potential implications regarding the relevance of empirical methods to systematic theology. Bringing Reichel’s concept of theology as design into dialogue with Geir Afdal’s concept of distributed normativity, this article makes the case that the question of the affordances of a theological interpretation is not only an imperative theological one but also an empirical one, calling for empirical research methods.

Konstitusionalitas Pembatasan Hak Mantan Narapidana untuk Menjadi Notaris

This article aimsto discussthe juridical analysis of the provisions which state that former convicts cannot become notaries. The type of method used is normative juridical with a statutory approach, conceptual approach and historical approach. Legal material sources consist of primary and secondary legal materials, analysis techniques using grammatical and theological interpretation. The provisions of Law Number 2 of 2014 in Article 3 letter h which states that the condition for becoming a notary isto never be subject to imprisonment for a minimum of five years or more is unclear and unfair. Limiting the length of sanctions regardless of the type of criminal act is not appropriate, there should be certain types of criminal acts related to the notary profession or the code of ethics that is the reference. In several regulations there are criminal offenses that carry a sentence of less than five years, however the criminal offenses committed are closely related to the professionalism that a notary must possess. This provision also does not provide a sense of justice because someone who has served his sentence means that he has received sanctions for the actions he has committed and has the right to get a decent job as regulated in Article 27 and Article 28 of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia.

Engaging Karl Barth's Theology with Nurcholis Madjid and Ibn Taymiyya

This study presents a pioneering dialogue between Karl Barth’s Christian theology and Islamic theological perspectives in the Indonesian context, focusing specifically on the concept of universal salvation. The primary interlocutors are Nurcholish Madjid, interpreting Ibn Taymiyya, and Karl Barth’s theology. Barth’s universalism envisions an inclusive future for humanity, elaborated in Barth’s exposition of the theme “Jesus is Victor,” suggesting a universal reprieve from divine eschatological judgment. Correspondingly, Madjid’s interpretation of Islamic theology proposes a universally hopeful future, recognizing the broad spectrum of divine revelation across various religious traditions, thereby fostering a sense of shared hope among diverse religious followers. Ibn Taymiyya, often misconceived as a figurehead for radical elements, is depicted in this essay as advocating a form of universalism where divine mercy ultimately triumphs over retribution. This article contends that this mutual anticipation of universal salvation can pave the way for meaningful Christian-Islamic interactions in the Indonesian milieu, contributing significantly to interfaith dialogue and understanding.

Are Metaphors Getting Lost? – The Usefulness of Linguistic-Poetic Analysis of Old Testament Poetic Texts for Theological Interpretation

This paper presents an interdisciplinary experiment. The core of the experiment is to examine the Hebrew poetic text of the Old Testament through a textual analysis of its textuality prior to theological interpretation and to ask why and which linguistic-literary solutions, i.e. poetic procedures, are used in the construction of meaning. On this basis, a research design can be created that asks how linguistic-poetic analysis can help in the exegesis of Old Testament poetic texts (or of any other textual genre). Poetics is about the production of meaning: all of our verbal utterances are made with some kind of poetics or speech strategy in mind – our communications are not formulated randomly. The linguistic analysis proposed here examines not only whether a word or phrase in a particular poetic text of the Hebrew Bible is written correctly or not but also the poetic role of that phrase, word, sentence, and grammatical or other structure in the larger textual unit (i.e. the poem) under study. Keywords: linguistic-poetic analysis, Walter Brueggemann, Robert Alter, trial metaphor, laboratory translation, metaphor, conceptual metaphor, background metaphor, context, Leningrad Codex, massoretes

The legal boundaries of coexistence: reframing liberty of conscience as a tool of toleration in the French Wars of Religion

Abstract In histories of the Wars of Religion and narratives of rights and the rise of the state, ‘freedom of conscience’ is often treated as self-evident. However, this article demonstrates its contested meaning through French Protestant and Catholic reactions to liberty of conscience as granted by the monarchy in 1563, when its particular use as the legal framework for the toleration of Calvinists can be identified. As a malleable tool of toleration, this politicized liberty of conscience protected conscience in households, but separated it from the exercise of religion, a formula for pacification repeated in the 1598 Edict of Nantes. Not only did this usage conflict with theological interpretations of conscience, but it disrupted notions of French citizenship and reinforced royal power by framing heresy as sedition. Far from freeing individual consciences, this article concludes that royal liberty of conscience constrained the actions of Catholics and Protestants while enforcing their coexistence.

(Un)likely Allies: Public Theology and Theological Interpretation in Conversation

Abstract Theological interpretation of Scripture and public theology have so far said very little to one another. To a certain extent, this is understandable, as the two are involved in separate projects with differing priorities and questions. However, a mutually beneficial dialogue is possible. Public theology has yet to devote significant attention to the role of Scripture in public engagement and theological interpretation provides a framework better suited than historical criticism for allowing the Bible to speak to current situations. In return, public theology can help theological interpretation to clarify the public nature of the ecclesial community through the development of a public ecclesiology in order to better hear the voice of God in Scripture through a more holistic theological reading, one with a thicker defense against ecclesial tendencies toward authoritarianism and privatism. In establishing the possibility of a mutually beneficial relationship, this article provides a rationale for the relationship between public theology and theological interpretation to begin outright.

Lamb and Lion, Eyes and Horns: Spirit Christology in the Apocalypse of John

Abstract What contribution may the Apocalypse of John make to Spirit Christology? This article focuses on Rev 5:5–6, progressively unveiling these verses’ promise for the project of Spirit Christology through the examination of seven theses. The aim of this exercise is mutual enrichment: Spirit Christology gains an expanded biblical basis beyond its traditional concentration on the New Testament gospels, while the theological interpretation of the Apocalypse of John benefits from a Spirit-christological reading heretofore lacking in major works on the theological interpretation of Revelation.

A search for modern theological interpretation of anthropogenesis and original sin

Konfrontacja teologicznych zagadnień stworzenia człowieka i jego upadku z empiryczną wizją antropogenezy i pradziejów ludzkości jest źródłem poważnych trudności. Aby na nie odpowiedzieć, podjęto badania nad możliwością sformułowania integralnej narracji protologicznej w zakresie kluczowych problemów antropologii teologicznej. W niniejszym tekście syntetycznie zaprezentowano częściowe wyniki tych badań. Interdyscyplinarna analiza danych teologicznych i z nauk szczegółowych, takich jak paleoantropologia i archeologia pradziejowa, umożliwiła zaproponowanie narracji teologiczno-empirycznej, w której podstawowe postulaty chrześcijańskiej antropologii teologicznej przedstawione zostały w sposób niesprzeczny ze stanowiskiem nauk empirycznych.

Gott und der Welt gefallen: Zu einem Axiom courtoiser Ethik in der europäischen Höflichkeitsliteratur des Mittelalters und der Frühen Neuzeit

Abstract This article traces the motif of “pleasing God and the world” through three centuries, from Thomasin von Zerklaere’s Welscher Gast (1215/1216) to texts from the fourteenth-century Habsburg court (Peter Suchenwirt, treatise Von der Ordnung der Fürsten) and Baldesar Castiglione’s Libro del Cortegiano (1518/1528). I argue that the notion of courteous, “polite” behavior remains fundamentally linked throughout the medieval and early modern periods to the desire to synthesize social and religious claims. While in Thomasin and Castiglione the idea of “pleasing God and the world” is based on an essentially neo-Platonic aesthetic, the Habsburg court and its texts display a pious theological interpretation of the motif with a move toward Passion mysticism.

A Pentecostal Perspective on Theological Implications of the Verbal Inspiration of Scripture

The doctrine of the inspiration of the Bible is commonly affirmed in the Pentecostal tradition. For the most part, Pentecostal statements regarding Scripture have parroted the views Evangelicalism that focus attention on infallibility and inerrancy. This article suggests that a Pentecostal theology of inspiration is needed that takes into account Pentecostalism’s epistemology, theology of the Holy Spirit, and understanding of prophecy. Utilizing a method that integrates theological interpretation and grammatical exegesis, this study suggests six theological maxims that can be inferred from a Pentecostal perspective on the doctrine of inspiration. These six points are offered as starting points for discussion and for the development of a robust theology of inspiration.

Pengharapan Akan Kedatang Yesus Kembali Di Dunia Ini

The hope in the return of Jesus Christ is a central concept in Christian theology that has been a source of comfort, strength, and motivation for Christians for centuries. This concept refers to the belief that Jesus Christ, as the son of God, will return to this world to complete his plan of salvation and begin a new era marked by justice, peace, and eternity. This abstract provides a brief overview of the hope in Jesus' return, including its theological foundations in the Bible, various theological interpretations, and its practical implications for personal life and the Christian community. Through understanding this hope, Christians are given a call to live in faithfulness, obedience, and constant preparation, and to share the message of salvation with my world. The hope of the return of Jesus Christ is not only the focus of worship and spiritual reflection, but also the driving force for just social action and comprehensive love in a world filled with suffering and need.

The relational love in the dialogue between Lutheran theology and Chinese traditional religions

AbstractThe concept of love occupies a central position not only in the Lutheran–Augustinian theology of justification and sanctification, but also in some traditional Chinese religions such as Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. For the Finnish interpretation of Luther's theology, a range of pivotal concepts such as two kinds of love, union (participation), gift, favor, unifying power, as well as the real‐ontic presence in faith act a fundamental role in addressing the doctrine of justification and divinization. As a new research approach, the formulation of unio cum Christo in Spiritu sancto develops Tuomo Mannermaa's interpretation of in ipsa fide Christus adest thus opening a new dialogue with the relational creativity of love in Chinese Tao‐Qi framework. While the ontological presuppositions of these two religious traditions are different, the relational love can be explored as a new conceptual model for deepening the theoretical communications between Lutheran theology and Chinese faith traditions.

Kristologi Eskatologis: Kerajaan Seribu Tahun Dalam Pemikiran Teologi Kristen

This article discusses the concept of Eschatological Christology, especially in the context of Christian theological thought, with a focus on the idea of the Millennial Kingdom. The author explores the theological interpretations of the future found in Christian scripture, particularly in relation to Christ's return and His thousand-year reign. The discussion includes various different theological perspectives, so this article summarizes views about the millennial kingdom (millennium kingdom) using qualitative methods, namely by using existing literature data.