Volume 9
March 2010
Review of Anderson, An Emergent Theology
Judging by recent developments in evangelical bloggosphere, the emerging church conversation appears to be making some impact among young evangelicals of the United Kingdom, North America, Australia and New Zealand, and perhaps South Africa.
The presence of the shepherd
Interpreters have rightly put the immensely comforting power of Psalm 23 to its depiction of the personal care and attention that Yahweh, the Shepherd provides His people. It is also widely accepted that the movement and pilgrimage theme in the psalm adds to the effect of encouraging the weary, fearful or dispirited believer.
Those who are persecuted because of righteousness, are those who pursue righteousness
Standard renderings of the eighth beatitude, Matthew 5:10, such as the NIV’s ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven’, fail to convey the subtlety of Jesus’s point adequately. In Aramaic, that saying contains a pun based on the fact that the Hebrew/Aramaic word for ‘persecute’ also means ‘pursue’.
From zenith to zero
This journal article undertakes a historical-theological analysis of the demise of the kingdom of David and Solomon. Fresh insight into this investigation is obtained by making modified use of the five stages of decline appearing in Jim Collins’s study titled How the Mighty Fall.
Preaching Christ in a pluralistic world
Philip, a Hellenistic Jew, preached the gospel to the Samaritans who were despised by the Jews. The Samaritans were oppressed by evil spirits. They suffered from various kinds of diseases and were in the bondage of Simon the magus. The Samaritans lived in a pluralistic religious community.
Review of BibleWorks 8
The South African Theological Seminary (SATS) has students who come from a variety of backgrounds. They are studying for different purposes and ministries. Some students study for personal nrichment, others to become pastors. Some are already pastors, who want to equip themselves to be more effective in the ministry.
Revisiting Moltmann’s Theology of Hope
The most influential work by Jürgen Moltmann is his book, Theology of Hope, first published in English in 1967. Amid the optimism and turmoil of the 1960s, this book by a little-known German theologian burst upon the scene. Not only did Jürgen Moltmann’s Theology of Hope reintroduce the doctrine of Christian hope in academic theological discussion, but it also thrust its author to worldwide renown. Theology of Hope seized the attention of the public as well as theologians. It was even acclaimed in a front-page article in The New York Times: ‘God Is Dead Doctrine Losing Ground to “Theology of Hope”’, announced the headline. Clearly, Moltmann’s vision of hope connected with the spirit of the times.
A grammatical exposition of 2 Timothy 3:16-17
The most definitive biblical text on the nature, function, and purpose of scripture, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, contains several difficulties that have made it the subject of much scholarly debate. The purpose of this article is to examine the Greek text phrase by phrase, exploring the difficulties and evaluating possible solutions.
Ruth 1:1-5: an exegetical and expositional proposal
The book of Ruth makes for many excellent expositional, narrative sermons. The theology is rich, the story is compelling, the themes are significant, and the cultural mores are fascinating. Therefore, much is gained from an intense study through Ruth.
