scholarly journals A politics of forgiveness? Engaging the ontological and the structural in the dialogical theology of John de Gruchy

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dion Forster
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Social Value ◽  
African Theology ◽  
Political Forgiveness ◽  
Structural Aspects

Forgiveness is a deeply contested theological notion in contemporary South African theology and society. The same could be said for South African theologies of reconciliation, of which forgiveness is considered to be a part. Some claim that these concepts have been weakened, abused, and corrupted. In particular, there are doubts whether forgiveness holds any theological or social value at present. John de Gruchy has devoted a great deal of time and effort to developing a theologically subtle, and politically robust, understanding of forgiveness that links justice and reconciliation. This article will consider how John de Gruchy’s dialogical theology, which takes account of both the ontological and the structural aspects of forgiveness, facilitates an understanding of political forgiveness that can address some of the critiques of this notion in contemporary South African theologies.

The questions for post-apartheid South African missiology in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution

2020 ◽  
Vol 76 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eugene Baron
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
20Th Century ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Postcolonial Studies ◽  
Black Theology ◽  
Late 20Th Century ◽  
African Theology ◽  
Fourth Industrial Revolution ◽  
Socratic Questioning ◽  
The World

South African missiology has seen a shift in its praxis since the late 20th century. David J. Bosch made a crucial contribution in this regard. The shift includes mission as a contextualised praxis and agency. In mission studies, agency has become necessary in postcolonial mission, primarily because of the loss of identity of the oppressed in colonised countries. Through contextual theologies of liberation, African theology, Black Theology of Liberation and postcolonial studies, theologians were able to reflect on the human dignity of the colonised. However, there are still significant efforts needed in this quest, and therefore, the praxis cycle used in missiology is useful to also assess effects on the oppressed and marginalised through the emerging context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). In the task of doing mission in the world differently, the questions that missiologists ask are important. The emergence of the 4IR aims to merge the biological with the technological and will bring more challenges to mission work in Africa. This will bring upon us the responsibility to reflect on the notion of human agency, the theologies espoused in such a time and missiologists’ contextual lenses and strategies employed. These should have to be carefully considered especially in a post-apartheid context. The researcher will, therefore, use the commonly used praxis cycle in missiological research to explore through a Socratic (questioning) approach what the implications will be for missiologists and mission agents in the quest of transforming church and the post-apartheid society.Contribution: Though there has emerged a few theological contributions from missiology, there has not been a missiological contribution on the 4IR. The author therefore uses one of the theological methods in the discipline to put on the table the imperative questions that those doing missiological research should pose in the context of the 4IR.

scholarly journals Paradigmas en progressie in die teologie: ’n Perspektief op die RGN-kongres van April 1988

1989 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
P. J. Van der Merwe
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Dimensional Reduction ◽  
Research Council ◽  
Human Sciences ◽  
The South ◽  
African Theology ◽  
Future Developments ◽  
The Press

Paradigms and progress in theology: A perspective on the HRSC conference of April 1988 The title refers to a conference believed to be the first interdisciplinary meeting on said theme in South Africa held under the auspices of the South African Human Sciences Research Council in Pretoria last year. Future developments in this field may prove it a major happening in South African theology and methodology yet. An anthology of selected papers read appeared from the press recently. This article contains a number of abstracts made from the book and brief discussions of papers thus abstracted. A basic hesitancy pertaining to the meaning and encompass of the concept ‘paradigm’ as well as a widespread uncertainty regarding theology’s accountability towards science are noted. Fears of dimensional reduction are expressed.

scholarly journals James Cone’s legacy in Africa: Confession as political praxis in the Kairos Document

2006 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 576-595 ◽  
Author(s):  
OU Kalu
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
South African ◽  
The United States ◽  
Global Perspective ◽  
Karl Barth ◽  
African Theology ◽  
Political Praxis ◽  
Scholarly Attention

This reflection sets out to achieve three goals: the key is to show the legacy of James Cone from a global perspective, specifically his contributions to the development of African  theology. The second  is the irony that Cone was influenced by Karl Barth’ s Barmen declaration in his response to the outrage against blacks in the United States in the violent late 1960s. This dimension has escaped scholarly attention. Thirdly, both Cone and the Barmen declaration influenced South  African theologians who scripted the Kairos Document. Each party contextualized the use of the strategy; but for all, confession served as a form of political praxis.

African Traditional Religions in Christian Mission and Christian Scholarship: Re-Opening a Debate That Never Started

1998 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Black Theology ◽  
The South ◽  
African Theology ◽  
Christian Mission ◽  
Traditional Religions ◽  
The World ◽  
African Black ◽  
African Traditional Religions

AbstractIn this essay I wish to argue that denial, outright dismissal, distortion and dismissive containment have been and continue to be aptly descriptive of the manner in which Christian mission and Christian scholarship have related to and dealt with African Traditional Religions (ATRs). This, I want to further suggest, has been as true of the South African situation as it has been true of the rest of the continent. Although most prevalent during the earliest periods of contact between Christianity and ATRs, the attitude which I am characterising as outright dismissal is by no means totally extinct today. This article seeks to re-open the question of the place ofATRs in the world of religions with particular reference to their relation to Christianity. This will be done by reference to three important 'voices': Okot p'Bitek, African theology and South African Black Theology.

scholarly journals THE FUTURE OF SOUTH AFRICAN THEOLOGY: SCANNING THE ROAD AHEAD

Scriptura ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 89 (0) ◽  
pp. 550 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neville Richardson
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
African Theology ◽  
The Road ◽  
The Future

scholarly journals Ecclesiology and theological education: A South African reformed perspective

1997 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 415-430 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.J. Wethmar
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Theological Education ◽  
The South ◽  
African Theology ◽  
Theology Education ◽  
The Church

Ecclesiology and theological education: A South African reformed perspective. The church is one of the primary contexts in which theology is done. In the South African theology education debate the implications which this context has for the nature of theological education has not yet been adequately described. This article therefore intends dealing with this issue. The well known four attributes of the church are used as indicators of the nature of theological education which results in confessionality, spirituality, ecumenicity and hermeneutics being identified as its main dimensions.

scholarly journals The Black Atlantic as reversal: A reappraisal of African and black theology

2017 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans Engdahl
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Black Church ◽  
The United States ◽  
Black Atlantic ◽  
Black Theology ◽  
African Theology ◽  
African Perspective ◽  
American Black ◽  
Paul Gilroy ◽  
Desmond Tutu

In this article, I will try to do three things. Firstly, pay attention to the notion of Black Atlantic as coined by Paul Gilroy, which in effect could signify a reversal of colonialism and slavery. Secondly, revisit the 1970s and the debate about the relevance of Black theology vis-à-vis African theology, using John Mbiti’s article ‘An African Views American Black Theology’ as entry point. Here, I will discuss contributions also made by Desmond Tutu and James Cone. Thirdly, starting with the premise that both theologies are relevant and soul mates today, which would (probably) be confirmed by all the above mentioned at this point in time, an assessment of current voices will be made, that is, Tinyiko Maluleke and Vuyani Vellem on black and African ecclesiologies from a South African perspective, and Lawrence Burnley on the fate of the Black Church in the United States.

Heading south, looking north

2002 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 74-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nick Shepherd
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
South African ◽  
Social Theory ◽  
Political Context ◽  
Social Value ◽  
Current Debate ◽  
Grand Narrative ◽  
The West ◽  
Theory Of Practice ◽  
African Perspective

AbstractArchaeology has to re-think the terms of its practice, because current debate tends to intervene at the level of theory, which leaves the discipline ungrounded in a theory of practice or a conception of the historical coming into being of archaeology as a discipline. From a South African perspective, its grand narrative is primarily concerned with the development of social theory in the West but it does not provide - it cannot provide – an account of the formation of the discipline as a social and signifying practice situated in a broader social and political context. Central to this re-thinking, I argue, are questions of social value, and the role played by archaeology in projects of restitution, social justice, memory and identity.

scholarly journals Oor paradigmas en progressie in die teologie

1991 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 276-291
Author(s):  
J. H. Le Roux
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
New Testament ◽  
Historical Understanding ◽  
African Theology ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Biblical Scholarship ◽  
The New Testament

On paradigms and progression in theology An important book. Paradigms and progress in theology, appeared in 1988. It contains contributions by some well-known South African scholars on paradigms and progress in theology. This book also reflects some important trends in South African theology. To illustrate this point the "paradigms" and "progress" in the study of the New Testament have been investigated. One of the main problems of South African Biblical scholarship concerns the historical understanding of the Bible. It has been approached from many angles and many answers have been proffered. The article concludes with a few guidelines for further theological discussion.

Theology amidst Wickedness: Is African Theology Equipped to Address Intractable Societal Issues?

2020 ◽  
Vol 85 (2) ◽  
pp. 212-225
Author(s):  
Teddy Chalwe Sakupapa
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Wicked Problems ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Theoretical Concept ◽  
African Theology ◽  
Societal Issues ◽  
Public Role ◽  
African Context ◽  
Role Of Religion

Abstract In light of scholarly debates on the wicked problems framework, this contribution offers an appraisal of the role of theology in an African context characterized by myriad wicked problems. I argue that within the (South) African context, the decolonization of theology is indispensable for doing theology that is self-consciously contextual and therefore responsive to societal issues. This is crucial not least because of the widely recognized public role of religion in Africa. Drawing on the analytical framework of decoloniality and the theoretical concept of wicked problems, I will argue that although the category of wicked problems emerged within the framework of the intellectual world of the Northern Hemisphere, its analytical capacity is no less significant for contemporary African theological discourse on decoloniality.

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