Theological Point Research Articles

The Responsibilities of Theology to Business (or the Responsibilities of the Butcher, the Baker, and the Imagemaker)

IntroductionThe title of this talk presupposes some important definitions. The conference title, “The Responsibilities of Theology”, struck me firstly as rather odd, but also as strikingly familiar. Many is the time I have seen the heading “The Responsibilities of Business”. In this light, such terminology implies that there is some kind of corporate (in its original sense) identity under the heading “theology” or “business”, to which some kind of responsibility can be ascribed. Lots of ink has been spilt over whether one can say in any meaningful way that the business corporation “acts” and can therefore “have responsibilities”, and this title seems to invite the same kind of approach to the “enterprise of theology”.I’ve taken a particular line on these questions, which is apparent in the thesis below. To take a particular line in order to get somewhere is the kind of thing that a business person would do. Results are important to businesspeople—an important point for theology to take on board—but the drawback in this is that to focus on results also tends to narrow down the discussion. In order to “get somewhere” I am going to do the same thing, which will inevitably leave some avenues of possible discussion left untouched.

Luther versus Melanchthon? Zur Frage der Einheit der Wittenberger Reformation in der Rechtfertigungslehre

During the last decade the new Finnish Luther research established by T. Mannermaa has revived the old thesis by K.Holl and his school that Melanchthon spoiled Luther's doctrine of justification by faith by an imputative understanding of justification. According to this view, Luther's teaching on justification through the presence of Christ was superseded by Melanchthon's one-sided forensic doctrine of justification, which also appeared in the Formula of Concord. In this paper important texts by Melanchthon on the doctrine of justification are compared with statements by Luther made at about the same time in order to find out whether the two Wittenberg reformers really held different opinions on this central point of Reformation theology. The analysis makes clear that both, Luther and Melanchthon, saw forensic and effective justification not as alternatives but as a unity. It is true that up until the Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians Luther mostly understands the presence of God in man as the presence of Christ and that on the whole Luther emphasizes this point more than Melanchthon, who in this context usually speaks of the Holy Ghost. This does not, however, constitute a substantial difference. While in the octavo edition of the Latin Apology and in the German Editio princeps of the Confessio Augustana, which appeared in the fall of 1531, Melanchthon stresses the forensic aspect of the doctrine of justification, this is much less pronounced in the German Confessio Augustana Variata of 1533. In Melanchthon's Loci of 1535ff iustus effici and iustus reputari do no longer play a decisive role. Melanchthon interprets justification above all as the forgiveness of sins, as reconciliation and as a gift of the Holy Ghost. During these years Luther also stressed the complete forensic justification as opposed to the gradual and partial effective justification of the believer. Moreover, since 1532 Luther adjudicated priority to the justifying forgiveness of sins

The Responsibilities of Theology to Business (or the Responsibilities of the Butcher, the Baker, and the Imagemaker)

The title of this talk presupposes some important definitions. The conference title, “The Responsibilities of Theology”, struck me firstly as rather odd, but also as strikingly familiar. Many is the time I have seen the heading “The Responsibilities of Business”. In this light, such terminology implies that there is some kind of corporate (in its original sense) identity under the heading “theology” or “business”, to which some kind of responsibility can be ascribed. Lots of ink has been spilt over whether one can say in any meaningful way that the business corporation “acts” and can therefore “have responsibilities”, and this title seems to invite the same kind of approach to the “enterprise of theology”.’ I’ve taken a particular line on these questions, which is apparent in the thesis below. To take a particular line in order to get somewhere is the kind of thing that a business person would do. Results are important to businesspeople-an important point for theology to take on boarcbut the drawback in this is that to focus on results also tends to narrow down the discussion. In order to “get somewhed’ I am going to do the same thing, which will inevitably leave some avenues of possible discussion left untouched.

Acerca de la ontopsicología

Este enfoque surgido desde al teología tiene interés, porque ilustra como cambian los puntos de vista del pensamiento religioso sobre una misma actividad humana concreta. Esto sin tener que alterar un ápice los elementos esenciales de las soluciones dadas tradicionalmente a las cuestiones del alma, del espíritu y de sus relaciones con la divinidad.En los últimos años se han injertado una serie de vástagos teológicos en la Psicología, entre ellos encontramos la "Nueva Ontopsicología", un intento de la teología de ganar un espacio válido entre las "nuevas psicologías". Esta sola pretensión merece el examen de algunos de los puntos de vista, elementos relevantes de la Teología, como contribuciones a la psicología. Nada resulta más interesante para la Teología que el buscar nuevos ámbitos donde ejercer su influencia en el quehacer de las diferentes formas del actuar del hombre, las cuales aparecen como empíricas o inductivas.La psicología ha sido una de las últimas disciplinas científicas en alcanzar una "madurez" metodológica, hecho que permitió liberarla de los pensadores reflexivos y, abrirla plenamente al amplio espacio de la búsqueda de conocimientos. Este retardo histórico ejemplifica muy bien la observación de Bernal (1961), quien hizo notar que la mayor dificultad de la ciencia no está en obtener conocimientos, sino en vencer los prejuicios, los cuales dificultan su desarrollo.

Imagination and nonliterality : a case study of superhuman entities in religion

In the present work we would like to emphasize the aspect of imagination as an element of great relevance in the production of metaphorical processes. With the experientialism upheld by the cognitive approach, people's imaginative ability is established as one of the main arguments to face any lexical analysis from a cognitive perspective. A double focus can be appreciated in the religious vocabulary: On one hand, the experience that the members of a linguistic community live directly and personally and on the other hand, a virtual creation of such an experience, a sort of "imagined experience". In it, imagination would be characterized by the ability to transfer certain conceptualizations and ideas to human domains; conceptualizations and ideas which, from a theological point of view, are neither present nor located in such domains. This focus centers on a series of religious lexemes of a superhuman nature, angel and devil.

Geschichte der Zukunft des Verkehrs: Verkehrskonzepte von der Fruhen Neuzeit bis zum 21. Jahrhundert

Reviewed by: Geschichte der Zukunft des Verkehrs: Verkehrskonzepte von der Frühen Neuzeit bis zum 21. Jahrhundert* Rudi Hartmann (bio) Geschichte der Zukunft des Verkehrs: Verkehrskonzepte von der Frühen Neuzeit bis zum 21. Jahrhundert. Edited by Hans-Liudger Dienel and Helmuth Trischler. Frankfurt and New York: Campus, 1997. Pp. 348; illustrations, figures, notes. DM 48. Mobility and modernity are closely associated concepts that have carried positive meanings and messages for a long time. In recent years this has changed. The public seems to have lost faith in new plans and visions of heightened mobility as environmental and social costs of transportation projects have increased. Can a retrospective review of past futuristic layouts and visions of transportation systems help to bring traffic and transportation planning into balance again? This is the question a group of historians of technology posed while reviewing important chapters in the history of traffic and transportation planning in western societies. The results of this international symposium, held at the Deutsches Museum in Munich in 1995, are now available in book form. [End Page 429] Geschichte der Zukunft des Verkehrs (Futuristic visions of mobility, traffic and transportation from the beginning of the modern era to the twenty-first century: A history) attempts to cover visionary thinking over four centuries. It dwells largely on the conceptualization of future transportation systems in this century, however. The volume contains sixteen articles, including an introduction by editors Hans-Liudger Dienel and Helmuth Trischler, both from prominent research institutions in Germany. Their thoughtful essay, as well as Wolfgang Behringer’s contribution about the very beginnings of modern traffic scheduling, set the tone for the volume, which is organized along several distinct themes. The first section aims to reconstruct the changing mental maps of mobility in the modern era: traffic participation, needs, and desires as they evolved in our minds. This section is interdisciplinary in nature. Two contributions shed light on the newly discovered “joy of traveling,” from a psychological and a theological point of view respectively. The suddenly and tremendously increased traffic participation in the early railroad period—at least based on initial predictions from the late coach period—is the subject matter of a philosophical discourse on agency, technological creation, and occurrance. The most elaborate essay in this section examines mobility within an envisioned “city of villages,” another dream of eased traffic participation in the modern era. Here, authors Gert Wolfgang Heinze and Heinrich Kill offer a highly interesting close-up look at the busy and complex intersection of two academic fields, transportation technology and regional planning, which have been “driving” for solutions. A second section focuses on failed transportation visions. It includes an analysis of the failed Zeppelin interlude and of misconceived models of aviation between 1920 and 1950. Two more sections contrast public transportation systems and individual traffic desires. The first includes analyses of the original idea of a high-speed railway network in Germany and a comparison of East and West German public transportation efforts and ideologies. In the latter, two contributions focus on the vision of a “people’s car” (Volkswagen) in Germany and a new highway system in the United States. The fifth and last section takes a critical look at current visions of traffic participation and transportation planning for the twenty-first century. All the articles except three are in German, and the volume is largely concerned with European themes. The contributors do not merely deal with innovations and innovators in the transportation technology field but rather make an effort to elucidate the social and political changes and the values in which such futuristic visions are grounded. This makes the volume an ambitious and exciting enterprise. Can the analysis of past visions make us truly understand how a long lasting traffic and transportation infrastructure once came about? Can current visionaries learn from old mistakes? It is this perspective that gives the volume a unique touch and quality. By reviewing some of the chapters, the student in the history of [End Page 430] technology might get more than a glimpse of what really went wrong and of what was intended in the very beginning. Geschichte der Zukunft des Verkehrs is a remarkable, well-organized book that...

‘But Do Not Use The Rotted Names’: Theological Adequacy and Homosexuality

The Christian evaluation of homosexuality is based primarily on a model which can view homosexuality only as aberrational. From a Christian theological point of view this model articulates an inadequate vision of the dignity of human being. In its deliberations on the process of church, Vatican Council II implicitly developed a relational‐progressive model for understanding the salvific engagement of the complete gift of Godlife and creation. This model, in turn, provides a new basis for understanding human dignity and evaluating homosexuality. Viewed from this perspective homosexuality is able to be considered a sacramental embodiment of Godlife.

Sendingwetenskap vir die derde millennium - Deel 1

Missiology for the third millennium Not only missions, but also the study of the Science of Mission, Missiology, continually finds itself under close scrutiny. Reacting to the many questions in this regard, the author reflects on three main themes: 1) What place - if any - should be awarded to Missiology within a Theological curriculum?; 2) What constitutes Missiology's unique nature and content?; 3) Which are the challenges facing missiologists on the eve of the Third Millennium? Referring to the last theme, five specific issues to be published as Part Il of the article in a next edition of this magazine, are tabled: Missiology's theological point of departure, its relationship with the church, its context (in this case, Africa), the quest for a relevant agenda, and the methods it chooses to apply.

Die stil van my verlange na God: Oor Johann Wilhelm Herrmann se verstaan van die ervaring van God (Deel II)

Quenching my thirst for God: On Johann Wilhelm Herrmann’s understanding of the experience of God (Part II) This article, which is divided into two parts, focusses on the concept of the “experience of God” as understood by the German systematic theologian Wilhelm Herrmann (1846 - 1922) of Marburg in his “Der Verkehr des Christen mit Gott” (1886). The first part of the article which was published in the previous edition, explained the historical and theological context of Herrmann’s “Der Verkehr...” as well as the theological frontiers over-against which he responded in his understanding of the experience of God, characterized as a “searchfind-experience”. This second part elaborates on this “search-find-experience” by humans of God as understood by Herrmann, and indicates the influence it had on Herrmann’s two greatest pupils, namely Karl Barth and Rudolf Bultmann. It is argued that Herrmann’s understanding of the experience of God makes up the kernel of their theological vantage points, and in this respect, is critically evaluated.

Genesis 1-11:26 (review)

Hebrew Studies 38 (1997) 108 Reviews notable characters of the Hebrew Bible. One can easily redefme his analysis according to the perspectives of one's own community. Paul L. Schrieber Concordia Seminary St. Louis, MO 63105 GENESIS 1-11:26. By Kenneth A. Matthews. The New American Commentary. pp. 528. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1996. Cloth. Kenneth Matthews' commentary is a work of considerable dedication and industry. It has also succeeded well in fulfilling the aims of the series in which it appears. Its editors have chosen the NIV as the standard text for the series and in their preface state that the authors who write in it all "affinn the divine inspiration, inerrancy, complete truthfulness, and full authority of the Bible." While readers who do not fully share these presuppositions but are committed to the historical-critical method might feel that these aims leave the commentator wrestling with the text with one hand tied behind his back, it must be admitted that Matthews has wrestled manfully and has succeeded in producing an interesting, often infonnative, and sometimes challenging commentary. A lengthy introduction (91 pages) deals with literary structure, Genesis and Canon, the theology of Genesis, history of interpretation, the relationship of these chapters to other ancient literatures, and creation in contemporary interpretation. The many footnotes to this wide-ranging discussion provide evidence, amply illustrated throughout the commentary also, of Matthews' broad knowledge of the secondary literature. Although it is impossible to summarize such a discussion, its flavor might be indicated by a single quotation. In discussing Pentateuchal Criticism, Matthews concludes (p. 81) "that Moses...should be the Genesis compiler agrees with what we know of this early period," a conclusion that is perhaps decisive for almost everything that follows. The commentary divides Genesis 1-11 into six sections: I:1-2:3; 2:44 :26; 5:1-6:8; 6:9-9:29; 10:1-11:9; and 11:10-26. In each case, following a discussion of introductory matters relating to that section, especially structure, the NIV text is set out, often just a few verses at a time, and comment follows each segment of text. In keeping with the emphases of the series, Matthews makes many expository and theological points, and it is a Hebrew Studies 38 (1997) 109 Reviews weakness of layout that a clearer distinction is not made between exegesis and exposition. Although good indices are supplied, especially of scholars and scripture cited, one misses the bibliography lists and well organized textual discussion that have been valuable features of many recent commentaries . It is not that textual problems are entirely ignored, but they are given less priority than they have received in some other commentaries and. together with the somewhat more frequent discussions of vocabulary and grammar. they are scattered throughout the commentary. Citations in footnotes are not entirely consistent. and the lack of bibliographies means that one often has to check backwards and forwards between index and footnotes several times to discover full publication details of some references . Occasionally, adverse comment is passed on the NIV translation; for example. on page 371. we are told regarding Gen 7:1 that "'Found' is a metaphorical translation of... 'saw'... which obscures the contrast to 6:5 and 6:12." Discussion of works such as Atrahasis and the Enuma EUsh as well as Ugaritic literature tends to distance Genesis from the ancient Near Eastern materials rather than to point out any light comparative mythology may shed upon Genesis. Despite that, it is still surprising to discover. in his discussion of Gen 1:6-7, that Matthews accepts the rather loose NIV translation of l1'P' as "expanse," which he understands as the atmosphere, with the "waters above" defined as "atmospheric waters or clouds" (p. 150). Even if the exposition is driven by a particular theological commitment, one can only wonder at Matthews' judgment that 6:7b "underscores God's sorrow at what his special creation (imago Dei) has become. God is not capricious as are the deities that make up the pantheon of pagan invention. His irrevocable action against humanity is the just deserts for so debased a people" (p. 345). More disturbing still is the equanimity with...

The Influence of Humanism on Post-Reformation Catholic Preachers in France*

Prior to the reformation, most sermons given in France were structured according to the “modern method” of division and subdivision, which proceeded in rather artificial fashion from theme to protheme, then to the elaboration of theological points and exempla. Those who deviated from this form, such as Jean Vitrier, were lavishly praised by humanists such as Erasmus, but were often sufficiently heterodox in other respects to attract the attention of the Paris Faculty of Theology. In the first decade after the outbreak of the Reformation in France, the modern method persisted, but by the 1530s it had been replaced almost completely by a much freer and more expressive rendering of theological and Biblical material. This was accompanied by an equally major change in the language of printing: by the mid-sixteenth century, almost all popular sermons were printed in French, whereas their earlier counterparts had been printed exclusively in Latin.

"Scandle is Heaued Sunne"

Thus the author of the early thirteenth-century Ancrene Wisse describes scandal — anything done or said so as to incite others to sin — as a capital fault. His contemporary, Thomas of Chobham, concludes his Summa Confessorum with a section on the sin of scandal — a great sin, he says, which few confess. As an example of the gravity of scandal, Thomas cites a hypothetical fornicating priest, who sins twice: once in the act and again in scandalizing his parishioners, who might be tempted to follow his example. Thomas’s work was intended for the use of priests hearing confession; clearly, clergy of all ranks would have been expected to be familiar with the church’s doctrine on all important points of theology, including scandal. How was this particular teaching interpreted on the practical level, and what were its implications for the relationships of ordinary men and women? This paper will look at both the theory and the practice of scandal as sin, in an effort to see how it functioned in medieval England. It will draw upon some cases of wife abuse in bishops’ registers from around 1300 to see the way in which this important form of scandal, real or threatened, worked to control behaviour — in this case particularly within marriage.

The Rhetoric of Comprehension in the Gospel of Matthew

To date, narrative critics have only begun to address the familiar question of what the theology – or better, the ‘theological point of view’ – of the respective canonical Gospels is. To remind ourselves, the theological point of view of a Gospel is the peculiar understanding of faith and life that governs its narrative world. Typically, the implied authors of the Gospels do not ‘tell’ their readers or hearers what their theological points of view are; instead, they ‘show’ their readers what they are through their respective descriptions of the settings, characters, and events found within their Gospels.

Prospects for a Common Morality.

This volume centres on debates about how far moral judgements bind across traditions and epochs. Nowadays such debates appear especially volatile, both in popular culture and intellectual discourse: although there is increasing agreement that the moral and political criteria invoked in human rights documents possess cross-cultural force, many modern and postmodern developments erode confidence in moral appeals that go beyond a local consensus or apply outside a particular community. Often the point of departure for discussion is the Enlightenment paradigm of a common morality, in which it is assumed that certain unchanging beliefs adhere to the structure of human reason. Whereas some thinkers continue to defend this paradigm, others modify it in diverse ways without abandoning entirely the attempt to address a universal audience, and still others jettison virtually all of its distinguishing features. Exhibiting a range of positions Western participants take in these debates, this volume seeks to advance the substance of the debates themselves without prejudging the outcome. Rival assessments of the Enlightenment paradigm are offered from various philosophical and theological points of view.

Chaucer’s Lollard Joke: History and the Textual Unconscious

Chaucer’s Lollard Joke: History and the Textual Unconscious

The Political Theology of the Disruption Theologians

The purpose of this article is to identify the main points in the political theology of those who led the Church of Scotland in the era of the Disruption. This involves, in particular, a discussion of the responsibility of the state towards Christianity, of the limits of statepower in matters of religion and of the theology of toleration. The article also illustrates the application of this political theology to some of the public questions of the 19th century, notably Catholic emancipation, slavery, Sunday observance and national education. The treatment draws mainly on primary 19th century material, but concludes by relating some of the fundamental concerns of the Disruption theologians to the questions raised by more recent theorists such as Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Vices and the Self

I am interested in those vices which appear on lists of ‘deadly sins’, not from any theological point of view but because of the insight revealed in their selection as being ‘death to the soul’, which I understand as ‘corruptive of the self’. ‘Corruption’ is here to be taken in a literal sense as ‘destruction or dissolution of the constitution of a thing which makes that thing what it is’ (OED). Such corruption is to be found in the structure of the will. Aquinas thought that vice consists in desire gone wrong because uncontrolled by reason. Perhaps what follows can be seen as an interpretation and filling out of this view.

Left and Right in the Bible from a Neuropsychological Perspective

Although in several neuropsychological works dealing with hemispheric specializations a few passages of the Bible referring to the left and the right have been mentioned now and then, a systematical study with a neuropsychological approach to this topic was still a missing link. By using concordance texts from the Bible books of the Hebrew Canon (Old Testament, OT) and from the New Testament (NT), all the verses containing any reference to the left and the right (OT = 151, NT = 49 verses) have been identified and classified into 10 groups: (1) references to space, (2) symmetric sayings, (3) the right hand is the favorite hand, (4) right eye preference, (5) God′s right hand, (6) the right side is more prestigious, (7) the right side in liturgy, (8) left band preference, (9) fatal left-hand shots, and (10) on the left side. Some statistical considerations have been put forward and a neuropsychological, anthropological approach has been suggested for the purpose of interpreting the most interesting verses. According to the author of the present paper, it would be worthwhile commenting on some texts of ancient and modern literature not only from a linguistic, historical, religious and theological point of view, but also by means of a neuropsychological approach.

Geskiedskrywing

Writing history History itself can be experienced as a frightening subject for students. The intention of this article is to help students who come face to face with the reality of studying history from a theological point of view to understand and know some of the basics of history and the methods of writing history.

Metodes in die Christelike etiek

Methods in Christian ethics The basic question in Christian ethics is not primarily ‘What should I do?’ The basic question is rather ‘How should I know what I should do?’ This article describes two methods, namely, the inductive and the deductive methods as existing answers to the ‘how’ question. Due to criticism on these methods a symbiotic method is proposed as an alternative answer. The theological point of departure is that God and man exist symbiotic, that is co-existent to each other. The conclusion reached from this point of departure, is that the relationship between God and man, Scripture and the situation is of reflective nature and should therefore be accepted as being part of the method used in Christian ethics.