Changing environment requires not just creativity, but disruptive creativity. The traditional planning paradigm within business organizations heavily relies on long- and short-term forecasting in order to predict the future and plan accordingly. However, a large share of business development is now characterized by rapid changes, inconsistency and unpredictability. Taking that into account a key task for managers is to explore and innovate in chaotic conditions, but how can owner–managers, business leaders and the employees respond to such rapid changes without the (...) appropriate skillset and educational background? This study calls for the modernization of enterprise education systems in order to provide students and graduates with tools relevant to the changing requirements of the business environment. We argue that such needed mastery of unconventional innovative thinking and acting “as if” rather have a lot in common with art education concepts and theatrical skills. Using videography as an example, we illustrate how advances in digital technology can help incorporate such theatrical concepts into enterprise education. As a contribution we provide insights and falsifiable propositions toward a renewal and revitalization of enterprise education pedagogy. (shrink)

This chapter explores the role that non-textual narrations of biblical stories can play in Christian life and practice. Our case study is the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kabuga, Rwanda. The stations at the shrine tell the story of Jesus’s life and passion, incorporating images from the Catholic devotional tradition of Divine Mercy and elements evoking the Rwandan genocide. While many philosophical accounts of narratives presuppose that narratives are textual, material and visual art like the Kabuga shrine can also be (...) narrative, in that, like text, material and visual art can selectively represent multiple events and connections between them. We argue that material-visual narratives like the shrine can be effective in achieving commonly identified functions of narratives, such as focusing attention, immersing in a story, engaging the emotions, and fostering a common perspective on the world. We further argue that material-visual art is well-suited to narrating the Gospel in particular, for it can present the Gospel story alongside other stories (in this case, the story of the Rwandan genocide) and in so doing reframe these other stories in light of the Gospel. (shrink)

This article interprets the logos Christology in the fourth gospel within Ewe-Ghanaian cosmic setting. The article employs a combination of the exegetical and mother tongue biblical hermeneutics as its methodologies. The article compares the concept of the logos in John 1:1–5, 14 with a similar concept in Ewe cosmology with the aim of finding their points of convergence and divergence. The article also identifies linguistic and theological gaps in the Ewe rendition of John 1:1–5, 14 and proposes a new (...) translation that addresses it. A translation of the logos in Ewe cosmic perspective renders the term nyagbe, the intelligible word which dwells with the female pair of Sogbe-Lisa and manifests itself from the absolute state of existence [ logo ] to the embodied state [ logosu ]. When nyagbe journeyed from the eternal state of existence to the embodied state of existence, it manifests itself at five different levels of existence until it reaches the final state where humans exist. Although believed to be the epitome of all creation, human beings are at the same time described as being at the shore of ignorance and therefore must continually climb the ladder of knowledge in order to free themselves from it. It is for this reason that humans constantly petition the cosmic forces for their salvation. The article therefore, identifies a soteriological gap created in the Ewe soteriology and concludes that the only soteriological response to the Ewe cosmic cry for deliverance from the state of ignorance is the logos incarnate in John 1:14. Contribution: The article contributes to the academic knowledge on the logos Christology in the prologue of the fourth gospel (John 1:1–5, 14), specifically in the use of mother tongue in biblical hermeneutics in Africa. (shrink)

The article investigates the performative nature of asides that aim to define or specify something in the Fourth Gospel. Despite scholars exploring the prevalence and significance of asides in this Gospel, there has been limited attention given to studying or demonstrating the pragmatic and/or performative nature of these literary devices. The assertion is that asides are not mere literary embellishments, but carry a substantial performative role for the reader. This article seeks to address this gap in the study (...) of Johannine asides. Employing a speech act interpretive approach, the article examines the nature and potential effects (i.e., the illocutionary and perlocutionary force) of these specific asides on the reader in the Fourth Gospel. While there is a general consensus that asides are not events and therefore do not advance the plot of the story, this contribution contends that asides play a crucial role in guiding the reader towards embracing or acting on the implied author’s propositions as they engage with the narrative. The Fourth Gospel serves as an apt text to illustrate this literary phenomenon and is believed to be consistent with the Gospel’s purpose as stated in 20:31.Contribution: The article contributes to Johannine literary research by exploring and demonstrating how the implied author of the Fourth Gospel intentionally utilises various types of asides (in this case, asides that function to define or specify something) to invite the reader’s participation as they read the Gospel. (shrink)

In his Gospel, John reveals this key leadership principle: effective leaders harness the power of narrative to illuminate the metanarrative and connect people to it. John uses narrative techniques to make invisible spiritual realities visible and thus succeeds in connecting people to the metanarrative. John forges a link between people and the metanarrative by showing individuals how their own stories fit into the biblical metanarrative, fulfilling his purpose: ‘These are written that you may believe…’. The church is transmitted through (...) the ages by leaders who write. Because the metanarrative is a story and story is accessible to all audiences, the biblical metanarrative is not dependent on culture, time, or context; it transcends the ages, enabling John to lead and write from the present as well as for the future. Thus, John illuminates the metanarrative not only for the infant church but for all Christians to come. Christian leaders today also need to communicate so their people can see their place in the metanarrative of Scripture. (shrink)

Augustine’s use of the verses 1, 1 and 1, 14 from the Gospel of John in the first two books of On the Trinity. In books 1-2 of On the Trinity, Augustine uses recurrently two verses from the Gospel of John, namely 1, 1 (“In the beginning was the Word, and Word was with God, and the Word was God”) and 1, 14 (“And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us”) in order to highlight the fact (...) that Christ, in the form of a servant (forma servi) did not lose his divine form (forma Dei). (shrink)

The ‘model minority’, the phenomenon of some ‘minority’ communities (or some members within them) achieving social and economic advancement despite encountering the difficulties of assimilating into a mainstream society, is often described as a myth, especially as one of the central problematics in Asian American studies. Usually, the modern use of the word myth is pejorative: the model minority in this sense refers to a false empirical description of some minorities and should be quantitatively disaggregated and qualitatively debunked. In this (...) article, I want to explore the model minority as another kind of myth, in the classical sense of mythos, a story that underwrites action in the world, making sense of a society's activities and justifying the existence of its institutions. In this way, my method in this article takes after what Sam Rocha calls the ‘pre-qualitative work’ of ontological enquiry that must come prior to the acts of qualitative fieldwork. My theological move will be to show that the mythos of the model minority narrates what Rocha has called in Folk Phenomenology a ‘gospel of “schoolvation”’, a message directed at minorities that schools will be their salvation from social and economic ostracization from the mainstream. I will move in three parts, first describing what the myth is, second to outline the theological power of the mythology, and third to engage Gary Okihiro’s 2016 text Third World Studies on how the legacy of the Third World Liberation Front might be mobilized to overcome it. (shrink)

The biblical creation of woman in which she was taken from man’s rib is one of the passages that are misinterpreted to solidify the subjection and oppression of women with the two Cameroonian Churches, Presbyterian and Full Gospel Mission (FGM). This implies that the complementarity that existed in pre-colonial leadership was eroded as a result. This article will use the qualitative approach to unmask and analyse the practices of gender inequality within the Presbyterian and FGM of Cameroon and the (...) challenges that they are facing with gender equality issues between males and females. The sampling of 22 participants was used to formulate how the findings that will target to unveil the coordination, managerial and financial positions within these two churches are elected or chosen. The stereotypes that are involved in the elections of people who must hold these offices will be explained, discussed and analysed and even exposed in order to seek ways to avoid the manipulations of biblical texts in justifying the exclusion of females from leading church leading positions. This article argues that the misuse of misinterpretation or misrepresentation of scriptures cannot be condoned to justify the marginalisation of women from leadership within the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon (PCC) and the FGM. As much as women are working hard for the church, they should also be allowed to continue growing the church even from the managerial or leadership positions. Contribution: To work towards gender imbalances in the African context are not only unmasked and exposed, but some meaningful suggestions are made as to how this inhuman practice can be eliminated or even destroyed completely, with a case example of the two churches mentioned, the PCC and FGM in Cameroon. (shrink)

Thomas appears four times within the narrative framework of the Fourth Gospel. His presence in the Gospel introduces some of the strategic transitions within the macro-narrative structure. The following are some of the crucial moments that are introduced through the entry of Thomas: firstly, Thomas' character is brought to the foreground towards the end of Jesus' public ministry, where a transition is underway through Lazarus' death and raising to Jesus' death and resurrection ; secondly, he appears as a (...) significant interlocutor engaged in dialogue so that Jesus' identity as 'the way, the truth, and the life' may be revealed to the disciples during his private ministry ; thirdly, Thomas' character appears towards the climax of the Book of Glory as he is instrumental in revealing the identity of Jesus as 'Lord' and 'God' ; and fourthly, he appears as one of the seven disciples during the post-resurrection context in Galilee. The unique placement of Thomas communicates something significant about the character and his development within the narrative. (shrink)

This article explores the conceptual metaphor of intimacy as epistemic access in the Gospel of Philip, where erotic union functions as a sacramental pathway to divine knowledge. Drawing on cognitive linguistics and Gnostic theology, the study examines how metaphors of touch, fusion, and bodily presence encode a form of “wisdom through embodiment.” The Gospel of Philip frames holiness not as moral purity or ascetic withdrawal, but as a relational mode of knowing—one that privileges proximity, vulnerability, and shared essence. (...) The metaphorical structure of phrases such as “the bridal chamber” and “those who unite will receive light” suggests a mystical epistemology grounded in physicality and mutual recognition. By analysing these metaphors through the lens of Conceptual Metaphor Theory and sacramental phenomenology, the article argues that Gnostic holiness is not merely esoteric but deeply experiential. This reframing challenges dualistic readings of Gnostic texts and opens a dialogue between ancient mystical traditions and contemporary theories of embodied cognition. Ultimately, the study contributes to a broader understanding of how metaphors of intimacy can function as vehicles of theological insight, positioning erotic union as a site of wisdom and sanctification. (shrink)

This essay examines the influences of the mid-nineteenth century German theologian August Tholuck on the American Social Gospel, focusing on his connection with the Harvard theologian Francis Greenwood Peabody (1847–1936). Usually, the historiography of the Social Gospel locates it exclusively or almost exclusively in an American context, removing it from its trans-Atlantic dialogue in favor of a narrative of it as a wholly American fin-de-siècle phenomenon. Rather than emphasizing its relative newness or distance from European theology, however, members (...) of the Social Gospel relied on German theology as an authority that could justify their theological and social interventions. Through a ‘case study’ of Peabody and his mentor the German August Tholuck, this essay highlights the theological side of a movement usually discussed mainly in light of its sociological components and highlights a much older tradition of German ‘mediating theology’ that was crucial for how Peabody contributed to a Christian ‘social ethics’ located within the Social Gospel. (shrink)

Prayer, the central spirituality in the theological and ethical life of Christ’s disciples, has not yet received significant attention from Johannine scholars. Although some scholars emphasised and discussed prayer in the New Testament, Johannine scholars have failed to recognise the significance of prayer in the Fourth Gospel. Using narrative criticism the article aims to uncover the relationship between prayer and koinonia in the Fourth Gospel. The research on the theme of prayer and koinonia conducted in the Fourth (...) class='Hi'>Gospel has yielded the finding that prayer was a manifestation of abiding in Jesus. Koinonia was a form of prayer. Contribution: The article fills the lacuna in Johannine studies, more specifically, in the field of prayer and koinonia. The article, which is in line with the scope of HTS Theological Studies, and offers a new interpretation of prayer and koinonia in the Fourth Gospel. (shrink)

Matthean scholars have predominantly viewed Jesus’ healing ministry through the lens of ‘fulfillment of prophecy’, which connects his healings to David the shepherd and the fulfilment of the covenant, the restoration of the covenant people, and the establishment of the new covenant. This interpretation has largely emerged from an analysis of Jesus’ healing ministry as a singular event. However, it is necessary to revisit previous studies that have posited that the stories of Jesus’ healings were arranged in a larger context (...) and theological perspective, rather than as a disjointed list of individual events. In particular, the healing events in Matthew 8–9 appear to have been arranged with the intention of teaching discipleship, indicating that the healing stories in the Gospel of Matthew, while scattered, are part of a cohesive pattern of theological themes. These themes include the forgiveness of sins, compassion and mercy, healing through faith, and confession of Jesus as the Messiah. The author of Matthew employs this pattern to systematically present a theological perspective that acknowledges Jesus as divine and confesses him as the Messiah. Contribution: This study aimed to analyse the pattern of these theological themes as they appear in Jesus’ healing narrative. The repetition of these themes serves to establish Jesus’ divinity and reinforce the confession of him as the Messiah. Furthermore, the pattern of theological themes in the healing narrative suggests that it was constructed during a period of transition for the Matthean community, as they moved from Judaism to Christianity. The pattern highlights the community’s confession of Jesus as God and their efforts to solidify their faith. (shrink)

This article aims to argue that the Sayings Gospel Q has a unique message for the peasantry and poor of ancient society. The intention of this article is to uncover the intended message of three particular Q texts for the peasantry and poor, namely Q 7:24–28, Q 10:5–9 and Q 11:9–13.

According to John Toland, the only intelligible content of the Gospel is the commendation of mutual love as a social virtue. The chapter situates this claim in the context of Toland’s rhetorical use of the primitive Church as an authority for a pluralistic account of society, and tries to determine his stance on the question of the foundation of morality. In spite of his constant recourse to the vocabulary of natural law, there is little doubt that Toland does not (...) share Shaftesbury’s Stoic views and that he locates the foundation of morality, not in the providential organization of the universe and its acceptance by a self-cultivating individual, but in the interest of society. The moral teaching of the Gospel is somewhere between Epicureanism, the doctrine of utility, and the nineteenth-century idea of a religion of mankind. (shrink)

Music is considered an indispensable feature for almost all religions. Christianity emerges as one of the most important religious traditions in which music is involved in rituals and social life. Among the Christian sects, there are different practices in terms of using music. American Christianity was the scene of religious awakening in the 18th and 19th centuries. One of the most important reflections of this process took place in the field of music. American Christianity has given particular importance to music (...) in the experience of religious awakening since the 18th and 19th centuries. At the end of the 19th century, traditional Christian hymns have largely been altered or abandoned. Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran and Pentecostal churches have played a role in the transformation and spread of Christian music. This process has emerged as new genre hymns and later as Gospel music. There are some similar and seperated points among the new music genres. The musical instruments which they use, melody structures, the places they are performed, their improvisation or rules and their poetic features are among these points. With the introduction of these two genres and some local cultural factors, music genres have emerged as secular in style but which may have religious content. Regardless of whether it is secular or religious music, these genres have used religious terminology in their lyrics. At the same time, there are some similarities at the point of the musicians who perform these music. Blouse and Jazz are considered as the two most prominent and international examples. (shrink)

How should we think of development within an ideological format in which individual subjects are abstracted from the constraints and necessities of social policy and the political structure? Using this question as a spark, this article critically deconstructs the Pentecostal prosperity gospel in Africa. Two overlapping arguments are advanced. One is that, in atomising the individual, Pentecostal prosperity gospel discounts power relations and the political, effectively dislocating the individual believer from the social matrix within which his or her (...) agency is forged. Secondly, it is suggested that this attitude towards both the individual and the state puts Pentecostalism firmly within the orbit of neoliberalism. This article leverages this affinity for an understanding of how neoliberal ideas and conceptions of wealth, accumulation and self-actualisation are embedded and reproduced in Pentecostalism. It concludes that, because, on the one hand, it has no lever – historical or philosophical – on which it might be grounded, and on the other hand, since it has developed no cogent political economy to speak of, prosperity gospel, nay Pentecostal spirituality, offers no realistic path out of the African economic crisis. (shrink)

Este artigo tematiza o apóstolo Pedro como personagem no evangelho de Mateus. O objetivo é identificar as nuances e transformações do personagem Pedro no evangelho. Para tanto, tomo como ponto de partida a pertença do evangelho ao gênero literário biografia greco-romana, que apresenta Jesus Cristo como protagonista. Os demais personagens são desenvolvidos em relação com ele. O mesmo se dá com o apóstolo Pedro. O texto se desenvolve a partir da teoria narrativa, de modo particular a caracterização de personagens. Identifico, (...) a partir de Erich Auerbach e Robert Alter, as características de personagens bíblicos, tecendo comparações com teorias do personagem no romance moderno. A análise de textos do evangelho de Mateus que retratam o personagem Pedro leva à conclusão que suas principais características são a complexidade e a inversão. Elas produzem uma visão geral da involução do personagem na narrativa do evangelho de Mateus. Palavras-chave: Pedro. Evangelho de Mateus. Teoria narrativa. Complexidade. Inversão.This article focuses on the apostle Peter as a character in the Gospel of Matthew. It aims at identifying the nuances and changes of the character Peter in the Gospel. For this purpose, I take as a starting point that the gospel belongs to the literary genre of ancient Greco-Roman Biography, which presents Jesus Christ as the protagonist. The other characters are developed in relationship with him. The same is true with the Apostle Peter. The article unfolds from narrative theory, in particular the categorization of characters. I categorize, based on Erich Auerbach and Robert Alter, the features of biblical characters, developing comparisons with theories of the character in the modern novel. The analysis of the main texts from the Gospel of Matthew that portray the character Peter leads to the conclusion that its main features are complexity and inversion. They produce an overview of the involution of the character in the narrative of the Gospel of Matthew. Key words: Peter. Gospel of Matthew. Narrative theory. Complexity. Inversion. (shrink)

Through an argumentation analysis can one show how it is feasible to view a narrative religious text such as the Gospel of Matthew as a literary argument. The Gospel is not just good news but an elaborate argument for the standpoint that Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah. It is shown why an argumentation analysis needs to be supplemented with a pragmatic literary analysis in order to describe how the evangelist presents his story so as to (...) reach his argumentative objective. The analysis also shows why in the case of historical religious literary texts, certain demands are put on the analyst that are not normally present. (shrink)

Excerpt from The Gospel of Work Four Lectures on Christian Ethics These lectures, which were given to Extension Students in the Divinity School during the Cambridge Summer Meeting of 1902, are now printed in the form in which they were delivered. It seemed to me that it might be of interest to the audience, if attention were specially directed to the work of some Cambridge theologians; and illustrative quotations have been drawn chiefly, though not of course exclusively, from their (...) writings. In an appendix I have added three occasional sermons, which deal with points that are raised, but not discussed, in the lectures themselves. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works. (shrink)

Excerpt from The Gospel of Pain Were it not thus, 0 King of my salvation, Many would curse to thee and I for one, Fling thee thy bliss and snatch at thy damnation, Scorn and abhor the rising of the sun. Ring with the reckless shivering of laughter Wroth at the woe which thou hast seen so long, Question if any recompense hereafter Waits to atone the intolerable wrong. Is there not wrong too bitter for atoning? What are these (...) desperate and hideous years? Hast thou not heard thy whole creation groaning, Sighs of the bondsman, and a woman's tears? About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works. (shrink)

The canonical gospels are attempts to compose an inclusive and balanced presentation of the presence of God in Jesus and of the discipleship that presence evokes.

Sleep is consciousness naturally folded back to itself in the self-come-home-to-self, to find life nourished, renovated, and vitalized, all beyond objective management. Sleep can never be understood with direct conscious approach, but must be approached indirectly, implicatively, and alive coherently, as tried here. Sleep (A) is Spontaneity, (B) Self-Fullness, and so (C) sleep is life’s Gospel of Self-ing.

For eighteen centuries the Christian church believed that the fourth gospel was drawn up by the son of Zebedee, John, when the latter lived in Ephesus in his old age. As Clement of Alexandria suggests (II-III century) the beloved disciple wanted to emphasize the divine nature of the Son of which the synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke had marked the historical insertion and the human nature.

This is Volume IV in the Evangelical Commentary on the Bible. As one might expect, the authors avoid novelty—which does not detract from the value of their work. A lengthy introduction provides a lucid summary of contemporary scholarship on the influence, distinctive features, background, problems, and text of the Fourth Gospel. The authors incline to the view that the Gospel is at least the "witness" of the Apostle John though the actual writing may have been done by a (...) later "John the Presbyter or an unnamed disciple." Each page of the commentary has four divisions: 1) text, 2) exegesis, 3) exposition, 4) footnotes. The exposition is intended to relate John's message to contemporary life and is, therefore, a useful preaching aid.—D. J. B. (shrink)

A critical, spiritual discernment of Gospel genre, particularly that of Luke, reveals the heart of the matter as the life-story of Jesus vis-a-vis God and man.

Lesslie Newbigin’s book Foolishness to the Greeks: The Gospel and Western Culture opens with an interesting observation. On the one hand, the relationship between the gospel and culture is not a new subject. One thinks, for example, of the classic study of H. Richard Niebuhr who proposed five models of the relation of Christ to culture, and of work of Paul Tillich who struggled toward, what he called, a ‘theology of culture’ . However, the majority of work has (...) been done by scholars who have not had the missionary experience of communicating the gospel to a radically foreign culture. On the other hand, the last three decades have witnessed a spate of studies on the issue of gospel and culture within the discipline of missiology under the general rubric ‘contextualization studies.’1 Missionaries have become more aware of the western captivity of the gospel and have struggled fruitfully with the issues of gospel and culture, and gospel and cultures. Yet while “it has sought to explore the problems of contextualization in all the cultures of humankind from China to Peru, it has largely ignored the culture that is the most widespread, powerful, and persuasive among all contemporary cultures — namely . . . modern Western culture” . To put Newbigin’s observation another way, the missionary experience and tradition has gained penetrating insight into the issues of gospel and culture, and gospel and cultures but this tradition has not been appropriated in mainstream western scholarship to shed light on the subject of gospel and culture, and more particularly on the relationship between the gospel and western culture. To my way of thinking, this is a great loss because the missionary experience of cross-cultural witness offers important insight into the gospel-culture relation. (shrink)

The differences between the four canonical gospels are ultimately the expression of distinctive Christologics which represent the refraction of the significance of Jesus for the church.

The monuments of spirituality of our people were and still remain chronicles, gospels, other liturgical books, in particular the Psalms, the Apostles, the Servants who were rewritten in churches and monasteries.At the same time, it should be borne in mind that until now only a fraction of their total number has come to this day. Among them, the most famous are the Galician Gospel of 1144, the Christopilian Apostle of the XII century, the Buchach Gospel of the XIII (...) century. Until our time, the monuments of secular literature of Galicia-Volyn's Russia have not been preserved except for the "Tale of blindness of Vasylko", although it is difficult to doubt them in their existence. To Galician scripts, individual researchers include, in particular, the "Teaching of Ephraim Syrin" from the collection of the Public Library. Saltykov-Shchedrin in St. Petersburg. We can confidently speak about the spread of the wives' epic on these lands. (shrink)

In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:The Gospel of Mark: A Mahayana ReadingDonald G. LuckThe Gospel of Mark: A Mahayana Reading. By John P. Keenan. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1995.This is the latest effort of society member John Keenan to “pass over” (as John Dunne puts it) from one tradition to another in order to return to one’s point of departure with fresh perspective and heightened awareness. This book reflects impressive scholarship and (...) builds on the theological indebtedness to Madhyamika [End Page 210] and Yogacara thought that shaped Keenan’s earlier work, The Meaning of Christ: A Mahayana Theology, also published by Orbis. The noses of academic purists may be put out of joint by what some might construe as a blurring of boundaries between Buddhism and Christianity, but Keenan places himself right in the thick of current hermeneutical discussions to establish the fruitfulness of Mahayana perspective in interpreting the “charter document of the Christian Gospel” (p. 4). He finds methodological legitimization both in the arguments of narrative criticism and in the lines of connection he discerns between deconstruction and the Mahayana recognition of emptiness. And in so arguing, he finds himself able to account for forms of New Testament criticism such as those advanced by John Dominic Crossan and Werner Kelber that not only undermine forms of essentialism but also resort to conventional modes of thinking and discourse without justifying the latter.What is unwittingly going on, argues Keenan, is parallel to the Mahayana identification of emptiness (shunyata) with dependent co-arising (pratitya samutpada). Like deconstructionist hermenuetics, emptiness destablizes all fixed views by recognizing that ultimate truth is ineffable and silent. However, unlike deconstruction, emptiness avoids the vertigo of a text lost in the interplay of interpretations doubling back on themselves. “That is emptiness ineptly apprehended as itself an essentialist viewpoint that there are no viewpoints” (p. 7). Instead, Mahayana analysis connects recognition of the total otherness of ultimate meaning with the affirmation of worldly convention in its limitation. The result is a hermeneutic of nonabsolutizing suggestiveness shaped by upaya, which leads the reader to the possibility of enlightenment —or, in the case of Mark, disclosure.According to Keenan, this Mahayana recognition of the identity of emptiness and dependent co-arising not only has hermeneutical legitimation but also is the key for unlocking a fresh appreciation of Mark’s contents. Accounting for this is the fact that “the Marcan rhetoric of indirection and irony is the narrative analogue to the Madhyamika dialectical rhetoric employed in Nagarjuna’s Stanzas on the Middle” and the fact that “Mahayana eschews precisely those clarifying elements that Matthew and Luke have added to domesticate Mark’s story and discourse, preferring the opacity of ultimate meaning to the full explication of stated truths, opting for the emptying of all themes and ideas in order to reclaim them with an awakened mind” (p. 4).Keenan’s approach is coherent with Crossan’s observation that while mythos creates a universe of meaning, parable undermines established cosmoi. In this respect, Jesus not only speaks parable, he is parable. Utilizing the Mahayana identification of emptiness with dependent co-arising as a heuristic device and paying close attention to the Greek text, Keenan traces the simultaneously destablizing and restorative effect that Jesus has on his hearers—and that the evangelist potentially can have on his readers. Jesus’ “desert spirituality,” that is, his radically unconventional vision, undermines the expectations and securities of both hearer and reader. But it also reconnects those effected by the liberation he works “not to the ultimate glory of a false kingdom imagined by the disciples and the readers, but to the conventional realm of human living in which alone the kingdom may be established” (p. 73; italics added). Indeed, Jesus’ crucifixion makes clear that the transformation wrought [End Page 211] by the Gospel is an existential reappropriation of ordinary life in the face of ultimate mystery, not some supernatural deliverance within or from it. Appropriately, Mark ends with the women being confronted by both the jarring and ineffable mystery of Jesus’ empty tomb and the promise that he will see the disciples again in the familiar—and open-ended—context of life in Galilee.Keenan has done more... (shrink)

The explicit citations of the sacred Scriptures of Israel in the Gospel of John are plotted to culminate in Jesus' final word from the Cross. The words of Jesus are regularly presented as the fulfillment of Scripture, and his words are even read as Scripture. The Gospel of John is a presentation of Jesus as the continuation and perfection of Israel's sacred Scriptures.

In this article I propose to discuss some recent theological contributions to the problem of the historicity of the Gospels, and I wish to suggest that philosophical issues may ultimately be relevant to its solution.

In 1996 the Pope John Center (now the National Catholic Bioethics Center) offered a workshop for bishops to examine Pope John Paul II's landmark encyclical Evangelium vitae (The Gospel of Life). This collection of essays represents the proceedings of that workshop for scholars and students.

This collection of essays explores the legacy of Lesslie Newbigin's classic work, The Gospel in a Pluralist Society, critically analyzing the nature of Western pluralism and discussing the influence of Newbigin's work on the field of missiology. By looking backward, this volume advances a vision for Christian witness in the pluralistic world of the twenty-first century.

Християнство від часу вселенських соборів повчає, що заповідь Декалогу «не вбивай» не поширюється на ворогів Бога і держави. Незважаючи на це, проголошуваний євангельським Спасителем пацифізм сьогодні продовжує сповідувати більшість протестантських спільнот. Утім, реалії російсько-української війни поступово підводять вірян в Україні до висновку, що їхній традиційний пацифістський світогляд є неприйнятним в умовах військового захисту країни від агресора. Станом на сьогодні антипацифістські настрої у протестантських громадах лише посилюються, що, зрештою, цілком зможе підвести конфесії до ухвалення ідеї про справедливу війну на теологічному рівні.

This article is an attempt to explore the theme of ‘humanhood’ in the Fourth Gospel. The most important questions to be posed at the outset are the following: who is the model human presented in the gospel as per the Johannine community standards? How can a person acquire humanhood status according to the Johannine community? The divine and human interaction in the life and ministry of Jesus dynamically introduces the life ethics and mission aspects of the Johannine community. (...) According to the Johannine community standards, people can achieve ‘humanhood’ status exclusively in relation to Jesus. As the community of John emphasises humanhood in relation to Jesus, a person can overcome all sorts of human-made boundaries, including the sexual, racial and class-oriented boundaries through the mediation of Jesus. This further means that the all-inclusive mission of Jesus foregrounds a new criterion for ‘humanhood’ in the Johannine community context. The article concludes by stating that the Johannine understanding of humanhood can be considered as a paradigm in the contemporary global scenario. Contribution: This article contributes to the reader a wider hermeneutical framework and a new way forward in interpreting the gospel according to John by taking into consideration the humanhood aspects. As a theological and contextual interpretation of the Fourth Gospel, the article fits well within the scope of HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies. (shrink)

Proclaiming the gospel (Christian witnessing) in an interfaith environment is an increasingly critical concern for Christians in today’s globalised society. This article intends to explore a missiological and ecumenical approach to address the challenge of sharing the message of Christ in multi-religious contexts. Drawing on missiological and ecumenical perspectives, the article makes suggestions on how Christians can engage with members of other religions through respectful and authentic dialogue. Such an approach involves recognising the values and beliefs of other religions. (...) The words Christian witnessing, mission and evangelism were used interchangeably in the article in reference to proclaiming the gospel. Contribution: The article concludes that a missiological and ecumenical approach is vital for the effective proclamation of the gospel in an interfaith environment, creating opportunities for meaningful dialogue and fostering spiritual growth in both the Christian and non-Christian communities. It also makes a case for the integration of interfaith dialogue and encounters in the theological and ministerial formation curriculum for pastors and church workers. (shrink)

This chapter synthesizes critical historiography, consciousness studies, and metamodern philosophy to construct a robust framework for understanding the dynamics of cultural transformation and the perennial conflict between lived truth and institutional power, representing a critical intervention at the nexus of multiple contemporary crises: the epistemic war between scientific materialism and religious fundamentalism, the widespread collapse of trust in legacy institutions, and the search for viable post-postmodern frameworks of meaning. It argues that the figure of the "heretic" – reconceptualized as the (...) prophetic, consciousness-anchored truth-teller – is not a historical artifact but a fundamental, recursive function essential for societal health and ontological clarity. The analysis begins with a polemical deconstruction of the modern academic and technocratic paradigm, which systematically dismisses first-person consciousness as an epiphenomenon while privileging instrumental, materialist knowledge. This is not merely rhetorical but a precise diagnosis of the epistemic cage that renders modern discourse incapable of addressing core human questions. Against this backdrop, the text excavates a counter-tradition, tracing a lineage from the Hebrew prophets through the mystic Jesus (Yeshua) to the Gnostic and desert fathers. Core Theses and Their Contemporary Relevance: 1) Prophetic Consciousness as Social Reality-Testing: The work reframes biblical prophecy not as supernatural fortune-telling, but as a form of rigorous social and ecological diagnostics. Prophets like Amos are analyzed as systems theorists who identify the inevitable collapse that occurs when collective narratives ("royal consciousness") diverge from underlying reality (e.g., justice, ecological limits). This provides an ancient, yet urgently modern, template for understanding our current predicaments with climate denial, political polarization, and algorithmic filter bubbles—all failures of social reality-testing. 2) Yeshua as a Master of Ontological Subversion: Moving beyond the sterile dichotomy of "Jesus the Divine Christ" versus "Jesus the Apocalyptic Preacher," this text presents Yeshua as a master of recursive consciousness. His parables are analyzed not as moral fables but as "depth charges" designed to shatter conventional egoic thinking and activate direct perception (gnosis). Teachings like "render unto Caesar" and "go the second mile" are reinterpreted as sophisticated strategies of non-violent resistance and agency reclamation, offering a spiritual and philosophical foundation for modern activism that seeks to dismantle oppressive systems without replicating their logic. 3) The Inevitable Institutionalization and the Heretical Return to the Root: The text provides a powerful model for understanding the lifecycle of wisdom traditions. It demonstrates how the radical, consciousness-centric teachings of a founder (Yeshua, Buddha, etc.) are inevitably co-opted by institutions (the Church, orthodoxy) that prioritize dogma, hierarchy, and political power over transformative experience. The subsequent conflict—exemplified by the orthodox suppression of the Gnostics—is not a minor schism but the central drama of religious history. The text thus provides a crucial lens for analyzing any modern institution (including academia, tech, and wellness cultures) that claims to steward a tradition while potentially betraying its core. 4) "Radical" as Return to the Root (Radix): In a era obsessed with both "disruption" and "tradition," this work recalibrates the meaning of "radical." A true radical is defined not as an extremist, but as one who returns to the experiential, consciousness-based root of a tradition, bypassing centuries of institutional calcification. This offers a coherent path for those seeking authentic spiritual and intellectual depth without succumbing to either fundamentalist literalism or rootless, consumerist spirituality. 5) A Metamodern Synthesis of Myth and History: The work effectively navigates the postmodern deconstruction of religious myth (e.g., acknowledging the non-historicity of the Exodus or Patriarchs via Finkelstein, Dever, et al.) without collapsing into nihilistic relativism. Instead, it uses this deconstruction to clear space for a more profound, functional understanding of these narratives as maps of consciousness and catalysts for inner transformation. This positions the text as a leading example of metamodern thought – reconstructing meaning after deconstruction. It is also a survival guide for conscious agents navigating an age of epistemic chaos and institutional failure, arguing that the heretical impulse – the commitment to individual conscience and direct conscious apprehension over received dogma – is the very engine of cultural renewal. By providing a deep-historical framework for this impulse, the text equips the reader to identify and resist the "machine" of instrumentalized knowledge in its modern forms, while offering a positive vision of meaning rooted in the "kingdom within" – the recursive, unassailable ground of conscious awareness itself. This provides the conceptual architecture to understand why our systems are failing and points toward the recursive, consciousness-first principles required for their regeneration. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.25765.15843. (shrink)

Invited talk, 26 November 2024, University of Padua, Italy. Conference: Lektüre-Tagung - Der Begriff “Reich Gottes” als Leitgedanke der Religionsphilosophie in der kantischen und nach-kantischen Konstellation, 26-27 November 2024, University of Padua, Italy. Organisers: Giulia Bernard, Barbara Santini, Stefan Schick.

This article introduces South African churches to the reasons why elements of the late 19th and early 20th century Social Gospel movement encourages local churches to participate in their respective communities through social contribution. The article argues that the Social Gospellers understood Christian responsibility as an imperative of ‘participatio Jesu’ through social integration of living an ethos of oikoumenē. The history of the Social Gospel should be a relevant influence on mainline churches to understand the tension in the (...) decision to participate or withdraw from social contribution today. (shrink)

Summary In this paper, I argue that contemporary dogmatics shares a common interest in the representation of God and God’s acts in human language, be this in a more narrowly propositional way or a more broadly defined doxological or dramaturgical way. I argue for an alternative way of looking at the task of dogmatics in terms of the classical distinction between Law and Gospel. I argue that this view of the task of dogmatics makes us understand premodern dogmatics better (...) than from the perspective of dogmatics as oriented towards representation. Finally, I argue that this alternative can be a way of doing dogmatics nowadays in a fresh way. I illustrate these three points by reference to the doctrine of the Trinity, Christology and atonement. (shrink)