Browsing Research Articles (Religion & Theology) by Issue Date
Now showing items 1-9 of 9
-
Conradie, Ernst (University of Kwazulu-Natal School of Theology, 2000)[more][less]
Abstract: On the background of the current sense of despair concerning the environmental crisis, this article follows the basic intuition that a Christian environmental praxis can only be empowered on the basis of an adequate understanding of Christian hope. Christian eschatology has traditionally responded to three distinct aspects of the human predicament - human self-enclosure, and finitude in both time and space; instigated by an unacceptable present reality, it articulates the conviction of an upcoming transformation into what it ought to be. Investigating the theme of hope in some major ecclesial documents and literature that explicitly addresses the topic written during the struggle, it is argued that the strength of the eschatology developed during that period consists in its return to the prophetic roots of Christian hope. Its concentration on the anthropological aspect of the liberation from the predicament from human sin makes it necessary to rediscover the impact of eschatology on the salvation of creation and the theocentric aspect of hope. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10566/409 Files in this item: 1
ConradieEschatology2000.pdf (1.633Mb) -
Conradie, Ernst (Wiley-Blackwell, 2005)[more][less]
Abstract: This essay builds on the conference on “Mission in the 21th century: New models and strategies in a world of diversity” held in Livingstone, Zambia from 25 March to 1 April 2004. It offers some background to the tension between mission as “evangelism” and as “development” which was addressed at this conference. It then describes some of the insights emerging from this conference, with specific reference to the description of mission as “crying and struggling with others to live today with dignity.” It provides some perspectives on this description on the basis of an exegesis of the second half of the Lord's prayer. The conclusion to the essay suggests that further reflection is required on the relationship between soteriology and missiology. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10566/385 Files in this item: 1
ConradieLordsPrayer2005.pdf (171.6Kb) -
Conradie, Ernst (University of Kwazulu-Natal School of Theology, 2005)[more][less]
Abstract: This essay defends the significance of the Christian doctrine of sin with reference to the many contemporary manifestations of evil, including the problems of environmental devastation, environmental injustuce and rampant consmerism. It offers a survey of various attempts towards an ecological reformulation of the doctrine of sin. It argues that theological circumspection is required in order not to confuse and conflate the problems of natural suffering and human finitude with the human roots of evil. It argues that theological attention on the relationship between nature and grace should not inhibit a primary theological focus on the tension between sin and grace. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10566/408 Files in this item: 1
ConradieEcologicalReformulation2005.pdf (1.701Mb) -
Conradie, Ernst (Stellenbosch University, 2008)[more][less]
Abstract: This essay reconstructs the way in which Douglas John Hall tells the story of God's work. The argument of this essay is that Hall's entire theology could be described as an exposition of the famous formula in John 3:16, "for God so loved the world". His emphasis on a theology of the cross is explored with reference to the doctrines of creation, humanity, providence, redemption, the church and the eschatological consummation. It is argued that Hall's strength (his Christological focus on a theology of the cross) is also his weakness, given his underdeveloped pneumatology. It would therefore be important to further investigate Hall's understanding of the filioque problem. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10566/513 Files in this item: 1
ConradieDouglasJohnHall2008.pdf (146.5Kb) -
Conradie, Ernst (Stellenbosch University, 2008)[more][less]
Abstract: This essay is an abbreviated version of an inaugural lecture, read on 24 October 2007 at the University of the Western Cape. It investigates the role of cosmological narratives that help people to understand where they come from, who they are, how they can cope with the demands of life and with evil, and where they are going to. It focuses on one such a narrative, namely the Christian story of God’s work of creation, evolution, the emergence of human beings and human culture, the distortions resulting from human sin, God’s providence, redemption, the formation of the church, its ministries and missions and the consummation of all things. These themes have traditionally been captured under the notion of ‘God’s economy’. This term is derived from the Greek word oikos which is understood in the Christian tradition as ‘the whole household of God’. In contemporary ecumenical theology this term provides a clue as to how the moral of this story may be understood to address ecological degradation, economic injustices and ecumenical fellowship. The argument of the essay is that a retrieval of the underlying narrative structure of the story of God’s work can help to avoid the ways in which one ‘chapter’ of the story tends to be subsumed under another. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10566/362 Files in this item: 1
ConradieGodsWork2008.pdf (194.6Kb) -
Conradie, Ernst (Stellenbosch University, 2008)[more][less]
Abstract: This essay reconstructs the way in which Jürgen Moltmann tells the story of God’s work. This is done on the basis of a review essay by Douglas Farrow who identifies a neo-Platonic structure in Moltmann’s systematic contributions to theology. The argument of this essay is that Moltmann fails to distinguish adequately between creation and fall. This has significant implications for his understanding of salvation, church and eschatological consummation. In this way theology becomes preoccupied with the doctrine of providence and thus with the theodicy problem. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10566/384 Files in this item: 1
ConradieMoltmann2008.pdf (136.6Kb) -
Conradie, Ernst (Stellenbosch University, 2010)[more][less]
Abstract: This contribution explores the significance but also the immense complexities of Christian discourse on confessing guilt within the context of climate change. It draws especially on South African discourse on confessing guilt in the context of apartheid. The argument of the essay is twofold: Christians with an enduring large carbon footprint may wish to confess their guilt in this regard, but typically find it difficult to live from God’s liberating forgiveness and are therefore prone to rather desperate efforts to save the world themselves. By contrast, Christians with a small carbon footprint may opt for alternative understanding of salvation, namely in terms of redemption from the looming threat of climate change. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10566/456 Files in this item: 1
ConradieConfessingGuilt2010.pdf (126.6Kb) -
Conradie, Ernst (Stellenbosch University, 2011)[more][less]
Abstract: This article first offers a brief overview of the history of what is understood under "natural theology". The contrast between the Barthian critique against natural theology and the dangers of repudiating natural theology as stressed within the context of contemporary discourse on science and theology is highlighted. In response, the author offers a constructive proposal in which the hermeneutic necessity of natural theology is affirmed. This follows from a notion of that which is "natural" which includes human constructs (also ideas). In this sense all theology is by definition natural theology. However, the Barthian critique against natural theology may still be appropriate as a selection of those signs that can express the inexpressible with relative adequacy URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10566/389 Files in this item: 1
ConradieTheology2011.pdf (59.24Kb) -
Conradie, Ernst (Stellenbosch University, 2011)[more][less]
Abstract: This contribution explores John Calvin's position on natural theology. The point of departure is not so much the much discussed notions of a sensus divinitatis or of the semen religionis, but the role played by the human senses in coming to knowledge of God in the first place. How can God's presence be recognised? How can human language (that which is natural), from below, express the inexpressible? How is it possible to speak of God in the first place? This article suggests that Calvin's remarkably sophisticated understanding of signification is the clue to respond to these questions. His position is discussed on the basis of the reading strategy of catena and commentary. The author finally offers some concluding observations on the relationship between signifier, signified and referent in human language about God. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10566/388 Files in this item: 1
ConradieNaturalTheology2011.pdf (59.27Kb)
Now showing items 1-9 of 9