scholarly journals Głoszenie ewangelii nadziei w świetle adhortacji „Ecclesia in Europa”

2004 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 289
Author(s):  
Henryk Sławiński

The article deals with the preaching of hope, taking into consideration the apostolic exhortation of John Paul II, Ecclesia in Europa. The main reasons of the spiritual crisis in Europe and the loss of hope among it’s inhabitants might be seen in: living as if God does not exist, hedonism and consumerism. In consequence a man more fears the future then desires it. In this situation the Church is being urged to fulfil her joyful duty of preaching the gospel of hope, i.e. Jesus Christ the Lord. He is the hope for the whole world. He allows the discovery of the truth and gives the ultimate reason for life worth living. The church gives witness of its hope in Jesus Christ. The preaching of the Church is to be understood not only as the deliverance of some religious information, but as the power of God, because Christ is present in his word and in the Church’s preaching. From a pastoral perspective, preaching is to be considered the primary action of the church, whereas from the perspective of intentionality, the primary element of the church’s activity must be the celebration of the sacraments. The weakness of our preaching lays not in the lack of the orthodoxy, but in too weak an emphasis of the positive aspects of the proclamation of the gospel. The most extensive danger for preaching is the concentration on evil in the world and the fruitless abomination. Only the preaching born with hope may set the preacher and his listeners on fire. Preaching of hope has in itself something from the Holy Spirit, it is dynamic and shows that Jesus is present in his Church and in the history of human beings, although it may seem otherwise, that He is not present or asleep, leaving the boat of the Church to the power of the wrath of the waves.

Author(s):  
Wolf Krötke

This chapter presents Barth’s understanding of the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Jesus Christ. It demonstrates the way in which Barth’s pneumatology is anchored in his doctrine of the Trinity: the Holy Spirit is understood as the Spirit of the Father and of the Son, the One whose essence is love. But Barth can also speak of the Holy Spirit in such a way that it seems as if the Holy Spirit is identical to the work of the risen Jesus Christ and his ‘prophetic’ work. The reception of the pneumatology of Karl Barth thus confronts the task of relating these dimensions of Barth’s understanding of the Holy Spirit so that the Spirit’s distinct work is preserved. For Barth, this work consists in enabling human beings to respond in faith, with their human possibilities and their freedom, to God’s reconciliation in Jesus Christ. In this faith, the Holy Spirit incorporates human beings into the community of Jesus Christ—the community participates in the reconciling work of God in order to bear witness to God’s work to human beings, all of whom have been elected to ‘partnership’ with God. Barth also understood the ‘solidarity’ of the community with, and the advocacy of the community for, the non-believing world to be a nota ecclesiae (mark of the church). Further, to live from the Holy Spirit, according to Barth, is only possible in praying for the coming of the Holy Spirit.


1949 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 156-162
Author(s):  
Noel Smith

In the second volume of his Church Dogmatics (1.2) Barth has a long and valuable note in which he gives us a concise summary of the views that have been held from the Fathers to the Reformers on this question of the nature of the inspiration of the Scriptures. He deals first with the Pauline passages 1 Cor. 2.6–16, and 2 Cor. 3.4–18, insisting in his exegesis on the fact that, whilst Paul no doubt knew the theories of the Talmud and the Alexandrian-Jewish school about the divine-human origin of the Torah, his assertion of a special inspiration of the Scripture is always and only in connexion with his view of the present confirmation of God of the Scripture through the work of the Holy Spirit. Barth continues:According to 2 Cor. 3 everything depends for him (sc. Paul) on that; without this work of the Spirit the Scripture is and remains veiled, however great its glory and however it may have come about. This is the case in and through the veiling of the countenance of Moses (Ex. 34) which foreshadows the reading of Scripture to-day in the Synagogue: the divinely prescribed is there, the human beings reading it are there, but over their hearts is a veil; their thinking is hardened—the open book is for them in actual fact a closed book. Only their return to the Lord could remove the veil and open up to them the way into the Scripture (p. 571).


2001 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-143
Author(s):  
Frans Josef van Beeck

This essay offers an interpretation of the traditional catholic teaching that “Jesus Christ, conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, was born of the Virgin Mary”. The author reviews recent exegesis and theology, then revisits the tradition of the church, then discusses the contrast between the physiological “facts” involved in human conception as they were understood in the classical periods — and thus at the place and time of the composition of the infancy narratives — and the accepted modern, scientific account of the same “facts”. He argues that neither the New Testament nor the Church teaches that Jesus' virginal conception is a cosmological miracle: rather this is a conclusion of the data of the faith, not an article of faith in and of itself. This should guide our speech in ministry.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 116-128
Author(s):  
Marlon Butarbutar

Kristologi adalah merupakan pokok terpenting dalam ajaran iman Kristen. Kristologi juga bisa disebut sebagai pusat kekristenan itu sendiri, dengan itu kristologi adalah pusat dari ilmu theologia. Karenanya mempelajari Pribadi dan karya Kristus, berarti sedang berada pada pusat theologi Kristen. Yesus Kristuslah yang memberikan identitas kepada kekristenan, yang sekaligus membedakannya dari agama atau kepercayaan yang lain. Keistimewaan doktrin ini terletak dalam pribadi dan karya Yesus Kristus sebagai Tuhan yang menjadi finalitas jalan menuju kepada keselamatan yang kekal. Pemahaman yang benar terhadap doktrin kristologi tidak lepas dari pengetahuan yang sehat terhadap Alkitab, sebab Alkitablah satu-satunya sumber utama yang dengan jujur dan terbuka memberikan kesaksian mengenai pribadi Yesus sebagai juruselamat dunia. Memang realita historis tulisan-tulisan di dalam Alkitab itu ditulis oleh manusia, akan tetapi proses penulisannya diilhami oleh Allah melalui pimpinan Roh Kudus sehingga apa yang diucapkan atau ditulis sesuai dengan kehendak Tuhan (bnd. 2Tim 3:16). Alkitab secara keseluruhan dipercaya dengan akurat dalam mengambarkan Yesus Kristus. Akan tetapi dalam prosesnya banyak ditemukan bahwa kristologi yang dihasilkan bertentangan dengan Alkitab. Sejarah membuktikan bahwa gereja selalu berhadapan dengan pengajaran-pengajaran sesat yang menyerang gereja dari dalam. Dalam hal ini berbentuk ajaran-ajaran (doktrin) yang menyesatkan atau bidat-bidat yang menyelewengkan ajaran murni Alkitab. Bahaya ajaran-ajaran sesat ini tidak saja timbul pada abad-abad belakangan ini, melainkan sudah ada sejak gereja didirikan. Karenanya penulis hendak menguraikan kristologi yang akan menjadi dasar apologetika di era postmodern sekarang ini.   Christology is the most important point in the teachings of the Christian faith. Christology can also be called the center of Christianity itself, so that Christology is the center of theological science. Therefore studying the Person and work of Christ, means being at the center of Christian theology. It is Jesus Christ who gives identity to Christianity, which also distinguishes it from other religions or beliefs. The specialty of this doctrine lies in the person and work of Jesus Christ as Lord who becomes the finality of the path to eternal salvation. A correct understanding of the doctrine of Christology is inseparable from a healthy knowledge of the Bible, because the Bible is the only major source that honestly and openly testifies about the person of Jesus as the savior of the world. Indeed the historical reality of the writings in the Bible was written by humans, but the process of writing was inspired by God through the leadership of the Holy Spirit so that what was said or written was according to God's will (cf. 2Tim 3:16). The Bible as a whole is believed to be accurate in describing Jesus Christ. However, in the process it was found that the resulting christology was in conflict with the Bible. History proves that the church is always dealing with false teachings that attack the church from within. In this case the form of teachings (doctrines) are misleading or heretics who distort the pure teachings of the Bible. The danger of these heresies has not only arisen in recent centuries, but has existed since the church was founded. Therefore the author wants to elaborate on the Christology that will be the basis of apologetics in the current postmodern era.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 229-248
Author(s):  
Bolean Silalahi

The Contribution of Intercessory Prayer in the Growth of the Early Church according to the Book of the Acts provide a great role and influence for the growth and development of the Church. The Church as a Spiritual Organization craves healthy growth and development, both in quality and quantity. One of the most effective and efficient ways is to intercede, in addition to other methods of course. Nowadays, Intercessory prayer is receiving less serious attention in some churches. The growth and development of the Gospels according to what is written in the Book of Acts shows an event that resulted in major and prominent changes to be examined. There is a significant growth in the preaching of the Gospel both in terms of quality and quantity, many prayers delivered to God are fulfilled and accomplished. In the development of Mission and Gospel in this world it cannot be denied that there are certain individuals, even certain groups do not agree that the creation of a Church growth and development is caused by one of the supporting factors, namely Intercessory Prayer. Luke the writer of the Book of Acts reveals the extraordinary events experienced by Jesus's disciples. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit became the basis of everything that happened and the disciples obeyed the commandments. Behind these events there is a very important thing to remember, that they gather and pray, and even intercede for the fulfillment of God's promises for them and the world. Disciples are baptized, equipped, and even empowered by the Holy Spirit to carry out the Great Commission of Jesus Christ. There is no denying that this miraculous event in the Book of Acts has had a great impact until now. Because through this event many people became believers in Jesus Christ and accepted the Gospel in their lives. So that the Church is growing rapidly and extraordinary. Everything that happened during the Early Church was the key to the growth and development of the Church today. May Churches today increasingly realize that behind the Intercessory Prayer there is a real power that will be fulfilled by God for His people. Especially at this time of the Pandemic Covid-19, Intercessory Prayer is very urgent and important because the Churches needed the power of the Holy Spirit poured out for the Churches in this world.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fredy Simanjuntak ◽  
Alexander Djuang Papay

The history of the church notes that to this day the Protestant Church is a family whose history is most often divided. Nevertheless the development is quite significant in the present. The process of developing the church resulted in various streams in the church such as Lutheran, Calvinist, Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal, Charismatic, Evangelical, Adventist, until Jehovah's Witnesses, in the course of the Pentecostal & Charismatic flow so fertile in today's growth. The flow of Pentecostalism and Charismaticism, in its origin and method, has a unique and phenomenal history in Indonesia. The uniqueness of Indonesia's spiritual context is illustrated by rapid growth. The Pentecostal and Charismatic movements felt their influence in various churches around us. Phenomena such as the ability to speak in tongues, healing, and prophecy and aspects of emotional experience that are so prominent in this movement make the public wonder, is it true that all of this is the work of the Holy Spirit? The purpose of this paper is to provide an observation of facts, spiritual life background, the meaning of faith, and understanding of the role of the Holy Spirit adopted by followers of the Pentecost-Charismatic Movement in the context of the challenges of contextualization and syncretism in the relationship between Pentecostal-Charismatic and Christian spirituality in Indonesia. In light of the significant regional diversity in Indonesian religious thought and experience, the scope of this research is limited to the idea of contextualization also limited to its use in the missiological context.


Author(s):  
Peter White

Branding is a strategy designed by companies to help patrons or consumers quickly identify their products or organisations and give them a reason to choose their products or organisations over other competitors. In the Old Testament, God identified the Israelites as a unique brand. In the New Testament, Jesus Christ branded the church with the power of the Holy Spirit, miracles, signs and wonders. Reading the Acts of the Apostles, the church developed a brand of being Spirit-filled, communal-living and mission-minded. It was out of this that early believers in Antioch were called ‘Christians’. The name ‘Christian’ therefore became a brand name for believers and followers of Jesus Christ. In view of this, one would expect that the concept of branding would be a major tool for modern-day churches. Although there are several publications on branding from the perspective of marketing and management, there is no such academic research on missional branding, hence this research. This article contributes to the interdisciplinary discourse on branding, with specific reference to the missional branding of the Church of Pentecost.


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 144-167
Author(s):  
Sohmon Ranja Capah

The Holy Eucharist is the Great Mystery of Salvation. In the celebration of the Eucharist, God through Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit redeemed mankind. John Paul II calls the Eucharist a celebration of redemption because Jesus Christ, the High Priest, was present in a real and sacramental manner in the form of bread and wine which was changed into His Body and Blood. Jesus Christ is also present in the priests as in persona Christi. The Eucharist is a celebration of salvation because Jesus Christ sacrificed and became a spiritual meal for His people, the Church. In short, the Eucharist is the work of God Himself who calls His people to live and unite with Him. God is the main actor, owner and master of the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. Priests are alter Christiwho are chosen and ordained to serve the Eucharist. Priests act in the name of Christ not on themselves. They represent, work together and unite with Christ, the Author and the main Subject of the Eucharistic sacrifice, offering authentic sacrifices namely Christ Himself for the salvation of souls. So the priests were not justified in making the Holy Eucharist a narcissistic stage. They may not carry out self-assertive actions and try to attract the attention of the faithful to themselves.


Author(s):  
M.A. Higton

Martin Luther was an Augustinian monk who found the theology and penitential practices of his times inadequate for overcoming fears about his salvation. He turned first to a theology of humility, whereby confession of one’s own utter sinfulness is all that God asks, and then to a theology of justification by faith, in which human beings are seen as incapable of any turning towards God by their own efforts. Without preparation on the part of sinners, God turns to them and destroys their trust in themselves, producing within them trust in his promises made manifest in Jesus Christ. Regarding them in unity with Christ, God treats them as if they had Christ’s righteousness: he ‘justifies’ them. Faith is produced in the sinner by the Word of God concerning Jesus Christ in the Bible, and by the work of the Holy Spirit internally showing the sinner the true subject matter of the Bible. It is not shaped by philosophy, since faith’s perspective transcends and overcomes natural reason. Faith, through the working of God’s Holy Spirit within the believer, naturally produces good works, but justification is not dependent upon them – they are free expressions of faith in love. Nevertheless, secular government with its laws and coercion is still necessary in this world because there are so few true Christians. Luther’s theology brought him into conflict with the Church hierarchy and was instrumental in the instigation of the Reformation, in which the Protestant churches split from Rome.


2006 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Kommers

Revival within churches from traditional-reformed origin: on sincere longing and extreme embarrassment Within churches from reformed origin the debate about revival has become an actual issue. It seems that these churches are becoming smaller and smaller, and that there is a lack of missionary zeal. Many pastors seem to have lost the courage to go on. What is happening in the churches? One can learn something from the history of the church. What was God doing in the past? The Word of God was there and it seems that in those places where revivals broke out, the Word of God was preached faithfully, in the power of the Holy Spirit. From sermons of three revival preachers who worked from 1816 to 1880 in Wuppertal (Germany), one can learn how their sermons contributed to revival in those days.   The missionary-soul caring message struck the people in their hearts, and not only individuals, but also whole regions changed; change took place not only in doctrine and lifestyle, but also holiness occupied a central place in the people’s hearts. When praying for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, people will repent and turn to God and “times of refreshing may come from the Lord” (Acts 3:19).


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