Theology Research Articles

Philosophy of divinity caitanya mahaprabhu thinking and its relevance in the spirit of religious moderation

Background: This research aims to examine in depth the philosophy of divinity in the thoughts of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and explore its relevance in developing the spirit of religious moderation in the contemporary era. Caitanya Mahaprabhu, a spiritual figure and philosopher from the 15th century, offered a strong philosophical foundation for overcoming polarization and promoting peaceful coexistence. Concepts such as ananya bhakti (unconditional devotion), prema (divine love), and rasa (spiritual feeling) in Caitanya's thought are highly relevant in building constructive interfaith dialogue and promoting mutual understanding. Method: The research method used in this research is a qualitative method. Meanwhile, the data collection method used by researchers in this research is literature study. This research uses hermeneutic theory as a theoretical basis. In the context of this research, hermeneutics is used to interpret written texts collected through literature study, with the aim of understanding the meaning contained therein. The data analysis method in this research was carried out through thematic analysis. This method allows researchers to explore the meanings contained in the data systematically and transparently. Findings: The research results show that the divine philosophy in the thoughts of Caitanya Mahaprabhu has significant relevance to the spirit of religious moderation, especially in the current context of globalization and religious diversity. Caitanya Mahaprabhu, with his teachings which emphasize bhakti (devotion) and universal love, offers a framework of thought that can be used to create harmonious inter-religious dialogue and cooperation. Conclusion: The findings of this research confirm that Caitanya Mahaprabhu's divine philosophy offers deep and relevant insights to support the spirit of religious moderation in the modern era. Novelty/Originality in this Study: Implementing the concepts of bhakti (devotion), universal love (prema), and humility in various aspects of social and religious life can help create a more harmonious society. So Caitanya's philosophy has a significant contribution in building a more peaceful and civilized world, making it relevant to the spirit of religious moderation today.

Otoritas Alkitab: Tinjauan Teologi Sistematis Pemikiran Luther Menjawab Skeptisisme Teologi Kontemporer Tentang Alkitab Sebagai Firman Allah

The purpose of writing this article is to explore Martin Luther's view of the Bible as the authoritative Word of God as a critical answer to the doubts of contemporary groups. This article refers to the results of Luther's thoughts in documents and systematic theology classroom notes. The meaning of what and how the Bible is for Luther is the most fundamental thing that is intertwined with history, travel, and church growth. By using library research methods, the author finds Luther's critical thoughts regarding the Bible his criticism of the Roman Catholic Church, to the doubts of contemporary groups regarding the Bible which is understood as God's Word in all centuries throughout life.

The Death of God as a Turn to Radical Theology: Then and Now

This article begins with a short reconstruction of the long-forgotten Death of God movement and its development of the concept of a Radical Theology during the 1960s in the United States of America and in Western Germany (The “Death of God” as a Signature of Secular Culture). In my view, protestant theology and the church have thus far failed to discuss Nietzsche’s proclamation of the “Death of God” as a genuine signature of modernity in a constructive way. In refusing the debate, they did not see the theological potential of the diagnostic and ambiguous metaphor “Death of God” as a “tremendous event still on its way”. With regard to a current perspective on Radical Theology (The Rise of Religious Fundamentalism and the Renaissance of Radical Theology), the intention is a creative and radical interpretation of this heretical concept as a step towards a modern religiosity after (the Death of) God which includes a new awareness of the finitude of human life and of its limitations. The theological symbol of the “Death of God” in my concept of “Heretical Religiosity” leads to a new approach to the theology of wisdom as symbolized in the Hebrew Bible by the book of Ecclesiastes (Heretical Religiosity: Radical Theology and Wisdom Literature in the Hebrew Bible).

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.

Beyond the Sacrificial Fantasy: Body, Law, and Desire

Abstract From its origins, the Christian religious imaginary has been inhabited by the sacrificial fantasy, which finds its most radical symbol in the crucified body. According to the principle of imitatio Jesu, believers have always been called to consider pain as an experience to be lived and shared with Christ, to be offered to him as a gift of self to the Other. Already the masters of suspicion condemned this ascetic-religious cult of sacrifice and showed its dehumanizing and superegoic side, characterized by the violence of abuse, authoritarianism, submission, and above all the denial of life. However, this beneficial and liberating critique has removed the donative and not merely alienating aspect not of the sacrificial body, but of the symbolic sacrifice. Starting from a close dialogue between systematic theology and (Lacanian) psychoanalysis, this contribution aims to question both the sacrificial (religious) fantasy in its alienating character and the equally superegoic drive of the imperative of unlimited enjoyment as a reaction to any kind of symbolic limitation. Against this background, an attempt will be made to think of a form of sacrifice that follows the logic of the gift (of the body), without being subjected to a logic of alienating exchange.

Decoloniality in Theology Today: The Quest to Liberate United Theological College’s Curriculum from Foreign God Talk

United Theological College is one of the oldest and largest ecumenical institutions in Southern Africa. The institution brings together six Protestant churches in Zimbabwe. For years, the institution produced competent theologians. Unfortunately, these theologians drunk from some foreign theological calabashes whose contents are divorced from the Zimbabwean realities. The College had been clinging to the Western, far distant, and neighbouring African theologies and theologians for its curriculum forgetting to scratch where Zimbabweans are itching. This collection of different theologies into one combination was an attempt by the College to equip students with diversified theologies from different sociopolitical, economic, and religious environments, ignoring that the context is divorced from Zimbabwe’s milieu. This paper sought to invoke the institution’s continual addressing of contextual theological issues using borrowed theological epistemologies. Using a decolonial framework and qualitative research methodology, the paper challenged the institution to decolonise its curriculum by liberating it from armchair theories of foreign God talk. Structurally, the paper discussed the theoretical framework, methodology, and identity of the College and proceeded to present the curriculum of the institution and the findings from the interviews with special reference to four modules. The paper stressed that the perpetual pontification of foreign theological themes by the institution will continue to create theologians whose heads and the body are separated. The conclusion challenged the College to decolonise its curriculum and advocate for a theology that speaks with the language and idioms of the Zimbabwean milieu regardless of the challenges associated with the move. This paper contributes significantly to scholarship as it challenges United Theological College to use relevant resources to do theology. Keywords: Decoloniality, Theology, Liberate, United Theological College, Curriculum, God Talk

The role of theology in a university curriculum

In this article, I reflect on the role that the teaching of Christian theology would play in the curricula of those universities that understand themselves as places of Christian-inspired culture. I begin with a brief historical overview of the presence of theology in the context of university studies, recalling the views outlined in their respective epochs by Immanuel Kant, John Henry Newman, and Karl Rahner. Following Benedict XVI's call to expand the boundaries of rationality, I also consider how such an expansion should include theology as well as other sources of knowledge. I then suggest what characteristics theology should have when it is taught in the context of a public university campus. It happens, for instance, that some ‘Catholic’ and Christian-inspired universities decide to include some theological programs. In such a public context, Christian theology is called to explore the relationship between the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the God of philosophers and scientists, to highlight the ultimate questions raised by the sciences and by philosophical thought in general, and to relate them to the content of Revelation. For theology, this means having sufficient knowledge of the other sciences, and being aware that the Word of God also has something to say about the physical universe and the whole of human history, as they are studied by contemporary scientific culture. In this respect, fundamental theology seems to have a more appropriate method than dogmatic or moral theology, at least for initiating interdisciplinary dialogue in a university context. Finally, I suggest that in order to preserve and promote the Christian identity of a Catholic university, whether legally or de facto Catholic, it is not enough to teach theology or even to have a theology department, nor is it enough to offer activities of spiritual formation. Since Christian inspiration and identity are inherent in academic life and culture, in order to preserve and nourish them, we also need the theology taught in these institutions to have a clear scientific status and a good academic level.

Franz Rosenzweig’s Account of Revelation in Light of Its Protestant Background

AbstractIn the subsection “Grammar of Eros (The Language of Love)” in section 2 of book 2 of The Star of Redemption, the beating heart of the work, Franz Rosenzweig offers a peculiar portrait of the event of revelation. What is presented is a dramatization of the encounter between the loving God and the beloved human soul, a developing scene consisting of a series of utterances and experiences, many of which appear unwarranted. Why does Rosenzweig present revelation in this manner? This article seeks to explain the seemingly arbitrary twists and turns in the dramatized “plot” through which Rosenzweig depicts revelation by demonstrating that it follows in its main features the prevalent Protestant understanding of revelation as encompassing not only divine self-disclosure but also the discovery of sin, confession, forgiveness of sin, reconciliation, attainment of selfhood, and redemption, and is framed according to the directives of the Lutheran foundational principle of “at once a sinner and justified (Simul Justus et Peccator). In so doing, it exhibits Rosenzweig’s deep embeddedness in the Protestant theological discourse of his time and shows that The Star should be understood in light of the contemporary Protestant theology.

조직신학적 관점에서 보는 부활 - 개신교 현대 조직신학자 바르트, 판넨베르크, 몰트만을 중심으로

Today people are very interested in death. However, this interest is an expression of concerns about what kind of life to live now. Also, this interest is an expression of the desire for life after death. In Christian theology, discussions about death or life after death are related to the theological locus of resurrection. This paper focuses on representative systematic theologians who have discussed the resurrection of Jesus Christ: Karl Barth(1886-1968), Wolfhart Pannenberg(1928-2014), and Juergen Moltmann(1926-present). It attempts to take a closer look at how each of them deal with resurrection within each own theological system. Barth, Pannenberg, and Moltmann all acknowledge the possibility of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. They accept both the empty tomb event and the appearance event of the resurrected Jesus Christ as recorded in the Bible and assert the possibility of resurrection. For all of them, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is not fiction, a lie, imagination, or fantasy at all. However, the perspectives from which they approach the resurrection of Jesus Christ are different, and those perspectives are closely related to each own respective theological methodology. Due to differences in theological methodology, the degree to which each person understands the reality, historicity, and factuality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ appears to be different. There are many other detailed topics related to resurrection, but this paper focuses on the possibility of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Although they discussed more about the meaning of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, it is not discussed in this paper due to space limitations. Lastly, this paper looks at some implications of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and briefly address what a life to hope for resurrection is like.

The Cultural Heritage of Transylvanian Calvinists at the Establishment of the Library. The Development of the Book Collection of the Protestant Theological Institute of Cluj

The study examines the intellectual heritage of Transylvanian Calvinism, analysing the formation of the library collection of the Protestant Theological Institute in Cluj. As the sole documentation institution for Hungarian Protestant pastoral training in Transylvania, it represents a unique cultural legacy. The library served as an essential component of Calvinist ministerial and theological education in Transylvania. The creation of the collection was influenced by financial constraints, and its growth was determined by the annual budget, community support, and donations. The library reflected a demand for modernization and played a crucial role in elevating the cultural literacy of the Transylvanian society. The study highlights the organizational structure of the library, the leadership roles of Szász Domokos and Pokoly József, and the library’s societal responsibility in preserving and disseminating knowledge. Keywords: Transylvania, Cluj, 19th century, Calvinist church history, school history, pastoral training, library history, library foundation (1895), library development, acquisitions, donations, Domokos Szász, József Pokoly

SELF-DESTRUCTION THROUGH GREED: “THE QUEEN OF SPADES” AND “ALI BABA AND FORTY THIEVES”

Greed, a cardinal sin originating from early Christianity, is a notable recurring theme in literature and is universally prevalent throughout civilizations, literary works, and theological systems. It is widely held that people who exhibit greed defy God's command and face punishment, but those who sincerely abide by His commands receive blessings. The works The Queen of Spades by Alexandr Pushkin and The Tale of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves in The Thousand and One Nights, belong to separate literary traditions. However, both stories depict antagonistic individuals who ultimately meet their own end as a result of their greedy behaviour. In these literary works, there are two different sets of characters, the rewarded and the punished. Within these literary pieces, the initial set of characters experiences significant consequences for their actions, whilst the subsequent group is duly compensated. These works demonstrate that specific topics surpass the limitations of time and culture, regardless of the differences between the eras and communities in which they originated. Accordingly, this study aims to reveal how greed turns into a way of self-destruction in these two works, which belong to completely different periods and geographies, through textual analysis.

Holiness: A Biblical, Historical, and Systematic Theology

Holiness: A Biblical, Historical, and Systematic Theology

Analytical Theology Applied: John Wesley’s Early Logic of Faith

ABSTRACT The rise of analytic theology can be a useful tool for bringing precision to theological systems of the past. Wesleyan theology stands to benefit from these trends. This article addresses the development of Wesley’s understanding of faith in the years 1725 and 1730—a formative intellectual time in his life—using analytical theology as a method applied to his correspondence with his mother Susanna and other texts. This article argues that while his theology of faith continued to develop into the later view of trust, the early influence of Fiddes and others (which shaped Wesley’s Aristotelian thinking about knowledge as simple apprehension, judgement, and discourse) would remain an important feature of his theological and epistemological thinking.

Eschatological naturalism and ecological responsibility: Troubling some assumptions

Abstract The connection between ecological responsibility and differing conceptions of Christian eschatology is widely observed. It is often assumed that the necessary response to Christian environmental inaction is affirmation of a strongly this-worldly vision of new creation (so, influentially, N. T. Wright). However, recent systematic theology has seen retrieval of elements of eschatology that foreground discontinuity and transcendence (e.g. Hans Boersma). Moreover, there are exegetical challenges to continuationist claims (e.g. Markus Bockmuehl and Edward Adams) and doctrinal reactions to ‘eschatological naturalism’ (Katherine Sonderegger and Michael Allen). Where does this leave the connection between ecological witness and the content of Christian hope? Doubtless, continuationist accounts have some salutary emphases, but on exegetical, doctrinal and moral grounds I seek to disentangle the assumed compact of particular construals of this-worldly continuity and ethical commitment. Finally, drawing on James Cone's meditations upon black spiritual traditions, I explore how discontinuous interpretations of the life to come themselves need not undermine responsible action.

A Priestly Christology: A Biblical-Theological Investigation of Christ’s Priesthood

The concept of Christ’s Priesthood has been the subject of comprehensive research work in recent times. Despite several attempts to investigate the doctrine of Christ’s Priesthood waves a theological enigma. Thus, the study delved into the concept of Christology as denoted in the Scripture. This scholarly analysis focused on the qualities, which are linked to atonement and mediation. Christian theology has various viewpoints, but the primary model connects the sacrifice of Christ to His role as intercessor. The ontological model was a theological framework that stresses Christ’s priesthood on His personality and activities. The sacramental priesthood model denotes a correlation between Christ’s sacrificial act and His intercession in a heavenly realm, with distinct aspects following a predetermined sequence. The functional priesthood model is based on classical Protestant theology which portrays that the sacrifice of Christ and mediation are intrinsically interconnected with His being. The study employed a biblical-theological approach that sought to address the prevailing debates concerning Christ’s Priesthood. Thus, the study injects relevant sources to formulate and build the Christological concept. The research paper opined a holistic understanding of the nature of Christ and His transformative power to redeem humanity through the unction of the Holy Spirit. It is crystal clear that Christ sacrificed Himself to atone for all humankind’s sins. More importantly, the paper contributes to the current exploration of Priestly Christology, thus fostering a deeper understanding of Christ’s Priesthood and its significance to contemporary biblical theological discussion. It also helps to lay bare the salvific value of ecclesiology. This paper is recommended for biblical-theological historical students to advance and improve their studies. Keywords: Priestly Christology, Biblical-Theological, Evaluation, Christ’s Priesthood

Get God or get out: barriers the nonreligious face in Alcoholics Anonymous

ABSTRACT Background Substance use disorders represent a significant public health issue, with prevalence rates steadily increasing. Mutual help support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) have long played a crucial role in supporting individuals seeking recovery. However, AA has long been criticized for its religious/spiritual orientation, which may pose challenges for the growing number of nonreligious individuals. This study examines the experiences of nonreligious individuals in AA. Methods Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 51 nonreligious AA members. Results There were five substantial barriers the nonreligius faced in AA: (1) The belief that being nonreligious was a liability and that AA was religious; (2) The religious undertone and “God talk” in meetings; (3) Prayers in meetings; (4) The Big Book; and (5) Discrimination. Conclusion The nonreligious experience substantial barriers in AA; thus, there is a need for greater inclusivity and understanding within AA to better support nonreligious individuals seeking recovery.

The necessity of an empirical study to determine if church congregations function as a family

Scripture’s reference to believers as the ‘family of God’ may indicate that believers should mutually care for one another like members of a caring family do, and not merely that members are part of a ‘spiritual’ family. From this perspective, the article investigated the extent of mutual care within congregations. The increasing need for pastoral care, within and outside church congregations, reveals the need for mutual care between members. The necessity for empirical studies within church congregations were revealed by the differences in the intensity of the answers by the participants. Without knowledge about the experiences of church members, leaders of church congregations may overlook potential needs of their members. A quantitative empirical study was done through an anonymous online survey with church members, pastoral counsellors, and pastors and ministers from various denominations who completed the survey, according to their experiences within their individual church congregation. The concepts of fellowship (koinōnia), service (diakonia), care, and family were used in the survey to determine the experiences of mutual care between members of the church congregation. The deficiency of mutual care between members of the congregation may motivate leaders to intentionally develop relationships through fellowship (koinōnia) to foster mutual care between members, and intentionally develop members to serve (diakonia) one another and their community.Contribution: This article contributes to an interdisciplinary discussion between pastoral theology, practical theology, and systematic theology from a Reformed perspective with a focus on the practical participation of members of the church congregation in pastoral care as the ‘family of God’.

“A Conscience Rightly Informed”: Puritan Casuistry and the Theological Justifications for Religious Establishment

Abstract In the early modern debates over religious liberty and toleration, religious dissenters often raised the issue of an individual’s conscience as a primary support for disestablishment. Dissenters like Roger Williams contended that establishmentarian policies persecuted tender consciences. God, according to dissenters, had not granted authority over the conscience to civil rulers; thus, religious establishment was both theologically specious as well as politically perilous. Much attention has been given to how religious dissenters discussed the human conscience and its place within the civil society. This essay, however, focuses on how magisterial Protestants developed their theological system of religious establishment in concert with their own understanding of the human conscience. Proponents of establishment utilized their own theology of the conscience as grounds for religious establishment, and this essay seeks to understand how they reconciled their soteriological convictions and their conception of the human conscience with their belief in the magistrate’s authority in matters of doctrine and religion.

Justin Martyr’s Problem with Platonism: Heresy and Anthropology in Dialogue 4 and the Syntagma

Abstract In Dialogue 4, Justin changes his mind on two specific tenets of Platonic philosophy: the idea that the soul can see God, and the doctrine of transmigration. The Platonic anthropology rejected by Justin happens to be foundational to the theological systems of his Christian demiurgical opponents: Simon and Helen, Basilides, and Carpocrates (who are likely discussed and refuted in Justin’s now-lost Syntagma Against all the Heresies). In this paper, I argue that this is not coincidental, and that Justin’s problem with Platonic anthropology is bound up with his broader heresiological concerns. By rejecting these two doctrines, Justin was able to define Christianity on his own terms while effectively undermining the teachings of his religious rivals. This further explains the specificity of Justin’s problem with Platonism, which should not be read as a wholesale rejection of Platonic philosophy.

The Inertia of All Flesh

This article builds on Eric Santner’s reflections on The Weight of All Flesh and in particular his interpretation of the king’s two bodies (Royal Remains). Within the context of Protestant theology, the theopolitical consequences of the democratization of the political body described by Santner are of particular interest. In this respect, I argue for two theses: first, this process of democratization finds its parallel in the Protestant critique of the representational function of the church – and perhaps even a crucial precondition. Second, in terms of a theological critique of ideology, this observation allows us insights into some accompanying symptoms of this process. From a theological perspective the weight of all flesh can then be precisely analyzed as the inertia of the flesh – and of all flesh at that.