scholarly journals Eros and Agape – a Critique of Anders Nygren

2021 ◽  
pp. 17-29
Author(s):  
Torstein Theodor Tollefsen
Keyword(s):  
New Testament ◽  
Human Activity ◽  
English Translation ◽  
Christian Tradition ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
The New Testament ◽  
Christian Understanding ◽  
New Religion ◽  
As If

Nygren’s book Eros och Agape was first published in Sweden in 1930/36. It was then published in English translation in 1953 under the title Agape and Eros. The author’s idea was to describe the development of the Christian concept of love through the centuries. Nygren argued that eros is the term for Platonic, self-centred love that strives for union with the divine realities, while agape, denoting the Christian concept of love, is the free, divine movement towards human beings. Agape is unselfish and is not motivated by any value in the recipient. This distinction drawn by Nygren has been so influential that it has been taken for granted in a lot of Christian contexts worldwide, even if one does not associate it with the name Nygren. In this paper his methodology and the distinction he draws are criticised. He finds in eros and agape two so-called “fundamental motifs” that, as he sees it, unfortunately merge in Christian tradition and thereby obscure the original Christian understanding of love that emerges in its purest form in St Paul and later in Luther. There are a lot of problems in Nygren’s book. He argues, for instance, that Christianity emerges from Judaism as a completely new religion, and separates the Old and the New Testament as if they had nothing in common. Agape as the divine gift to human beings excludes all human activity since God has freely and graciously chosen human persons as his slaves. In the present paper it is argued that Nygren’s methodology is unsound and that his conclusions are not even in agreement with the New Testament.

scholarly journals Von Harnack, Marcion en die Ou Testament

2003 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 124-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
J H Le Roux
Keyword(s):  
New Testament ◽  
Old Testament ◽  
Second Century ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
The New Testament

This article focusses on Adolf Von Harnack’s profound study of Marcion, a theologian of the second century. He was amongst other things fascinated by Marcion’s view of the Old Testament.  Marcion rejected  the  Old Testament because it depicted the creator-god as a mean figure who humiliated human beings. Jesus was in no way related to  this  god. He  came from the good God who is described in the New Testament. Marcion compiled his own Bible which had no Old Testa-ment and only a few books from the New Testament which he  purged from all Jewish or Old Testament influence. According to Marcion the newness of the Christ event made the Old Testament superflous. 

Reading tradition as pedagogy in Calvin and Augustine: the case of election

2019 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-45
Author(s):  
Michelle C. Sanchez
Keyword(s):  
New Testament ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Fundamental Interest ◽  
Christian Teaching ◽  
The New Testament ◽  
Doctrine Of Election ◽  
Theological Authority ◽  
Pedagogical Framework

AbstractIn colloquial English the word ‘tradition’ tends to be understood as a noun referring to a more-or-less static set of propositions, often used to define the identity of the particular group that accepts them. This article seeks to challenge this convention by defending an older, more fluid sense oftraditiothat is not only found in but formative of a variety of major Christian theological sources. The argument draws especially on Jean Calvin, his preferred theological authority Augustine and briefly the New Testament itself, showing that each demonstrates a fundamental interest in Christian teaching as participation in divine pedagogy. Using the doctrine of election as a case study, I argue that this pedagogical framework evidences a dynamic conception oftraditioastradere, or a discourse on how human beings faithfully participate in what is properly a divine giving-and-receiving. This conception of tradition as pedagogy is commended for both its theological and its critical merit.

scholarly journals MUST THEISTS BELIEVE IN A PERSONAL GOD?

Think ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 8 (23) ◽  
pp. 77-86
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Burns
Keyword(s):  
New Testament ◽  
Old Testament ◽  
Hebrew Bible ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Garden Of Eden ◽  
The New Testament ◽  
Genesis 3

The claim that God is a person or personal is, perhaps, one of the most fundamental claims which religious believers make about God. In Hinduism, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are represented in person-like form. In the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament God walks in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:8), experiences emotions (e.g. Isaiah 61:8), and converses with human beings (e.g. Job 38–41). In the New Testament, God communicates with his people, usually by means of angels or visions (e.g. Matthew 1:20–21), and retains the ability to speak audibly, as he does to Paul on the Damascus road (Acts 9:4–6). And, in the Qur'an, Allah is said to have a face and two hands (e.g. Qur'an 38:75), to see, and to sit on a throne (e.g. Qur'an 57:4). Many believers today would still claim that, among other things which God can do, he loves those who believe in him (e.g. Ephesians 5:29; I Peter 5:7; Qur'an 1:3) and responds to their prayers (e.g. Matthew 7:7–8; Mark 11:24; Qur'an 11:61).

scholarly journals An investigation into the socio-historical influences overcoming ethnicity in the early New Testament Church

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Humphreys Frackson Zgambo
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Identity ◽  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
New Testament ◽  
Early Church ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
The New Testament ◽  
In Christ ◽  
New Testament Church

Ethnicity, tribalism and xenophobia could be found inside and outside church walls. Ethnicity and racism are natural, learned and nurtured in human beings. However, ethnic identity and relations exist whether the ethnic groups are competing or not. The first challenge of the early church in the New Testament Church was to overcome ethnicity and hostile divisions between Jews, Gentiles and Samaritans. This study aims at exploring how socio-historical influences and nature of the message of the New Testament managed to overcome ethnicity and ethnic divisions in the early New Testament Church. The study will also reflect on how the contemporary church could manage ethnicity within its structures and redefine its position on what it means to be one in Christ within the diverse church.

scholarly journals Kategeet en spiritualiteit

2006 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
C.J.H. Venter
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
New Testament ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Theoretical Level ◽  
Relationship With God ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Theoretical Perspectives ◽  
The New Testament ◽  
In Christ ◽  
The Way

Catechist and spiritualityThis article argues that catechetical instruction pertains to more issues than only transferring knowledge. The catechist’s spirituality can also contribute towards effective and convincing cathechetical instruction. The issue of the catechist’s spirituality is scrutinized, as well as the foundation and source of his/her spirituality. For the purpose of this article spirituality is defined as the way in which human beings, as made new in Christ, experience the gospel and apply it to the practice of life, also in teaching the Bible to children in catechetical work. On basis-theoretical level, attention is given to the occurence of the concept “spirituality” in the New Testament and the characteristics required of a catechist in his/her relationship with God. Special attention is given to the issue of modelling, and identification with the catechist. On a meta-theoretical level the focus is directed to the catechist’s personality including emotional intelligence and the way in which it functions within the framework of his/her spirituality. In conclusion certain practice-theoretical perspectives on catechist and spirituality are stated.

scholarly journals The imago Dei Weltanschauung as narrative motif within the Corinthian correspondence

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacobus Kok ◽  
Walter P. Maqoma
Keyword(s):  
New Testament ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approach ◽  
Imago Dei ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Apostle Paul ◽  
Article Title ◽  
Original Intention ◽  
The New Testament ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Innate Ability

This article reflects on the doctrine of humanity to explore that God created humankind in his image and likeness, and this means that all human beings have an inherent capacity to know the difference between good and bad, and between right and wrong. Thus, all human beings have an innate ability to be ethical, as the God who created them is good, and so becomes the source of their ethics. This article title highlights the interrelationships between identity, ethics, and ethos. These three related analytical categories, within the New Testament, show the necessity for an interdisciplinary approach in treating questions of the origin of humanity. This article incorporates reflections in the studies of anthropology, philosophy, and theology and draws from the writings of Apostle Paul, in his Corinthian Correspondence, as he instructed them on how they ought to relate, and what would be their roles within the broader scope of God�s original intention for humanity. In this attempt, he made reference to the anthropological identity of the imago Dei, and he shows that the perfect expression of the imago Dei is Christ Jesus; thus, this is the image they ought to emulate. Therefore, this article investigates �The imago Dei weltanschauung as narrative motif within the Corinthian correspondence�.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This research gives the perspective of the presupposition of the imago Dei as presented in the New Testament as the framework of understanding ethics, as it appears within the formation of an anthropological horizon. In relation to accepting the message of the New Testament, this article shows how the imago Dei worldview underpins Pauline ethics and can serve as a framework of understanding an anthropological ethical paradigm.Keywords: Imago Dei; Corinthian; Paul

scholarly journals Charisma in Christian Tradition

EMPIRISMA ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lemwang Chuhwanglim
Keyword(s):  
Social Context ◽  
New Testament ◽  
Holy Spirit ◽  
Christian Tradition ◽  
Apostle Paul ◽  
Sports Culture ◽  
The New Testament ◽  
Christian Society

The term charisma had been used and continues to use by many people in different context. There is charisma in social, political, sports, culture and other modern leadership who have made many great impacts in winning people’s minds and hearts. This paper aims to analyze the meaning of Charisma in the Christian tradition and how it influences in society until today. In doing so the article aims to see both negative and positive aspects and influence of charisma in different Christian social context. Though the article may not give an absolute picture of the Christian tradition charisma being understood among other Christian denominations, it gives people to revisit the origin of the term Charisma and its evolution in the New Testament by the Apostle Paul. Hence, this article will analyze the meaning of Charisma in the Christian tradition and how it influences in Christian society until today and the authority of God being interpreted by charismatic group within and outside the Church.Keywords: Charisma, Holy Spirit, Grace

scholarly journals Judeo-Christianity as a Cultural-Religious Phenomenon in the Context of Early Christian Tradition and Modern Religion

2007 ◽  
pp. 38-52
Author(s):  
Pavlo Yuriyovych Pavlenko
Keyword(s):  
New Testament ◽  
Christian Tradition ◽  
Apostle Paul ◽  
Book Of Revelation ◽  
Early Christian ◽  
The New Testament ◽  
Hellenistic World

Even in the superficial reading of the New Testament, the fact that all the texts attributed to the Apostle Paul are too different not only in their creed, but also in their orientation to representatives of the Hellenistic world is striking. In contrast, the Gospels, the Epistles of James, Peter, John, Judas, and the Epistle to the Jews, and the Book of Revelation, are focused solely on the Jewish reader, have a clear, Jewish attitude. In one way or another, they constantly emphasize that Jesus of Nazareth is a Jewish Savior.

MURDER AND THE DEATH OF CHRIST

Think ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 9 (26) ◽  
pp. 103-107
Author(s):  
N.M.L. Nathan
Keyword(s):  
New Testament ◽  
Death Of Jesus ◽  
The New Testament ◽  
As If ◽  
Human Hands

Some people believe that God made it a condition for His forgiveness even of repentant sinners that Jesus died a sacrificial death at human hands. Often, in the New Testament, this doctrine of Objective Atonement seems to be implied, as when Jesus spoke of his blood as ‘shed for many for the remission of sins’ (Matth. 26:28), or when St Paul said that ‘Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures’ (1 Cor. 3:15). And for many centuries the doctrine was indeed accepted by most if not all Christian theologians. It seems in fact to be an essential part of Christianity, which adherents of that religion cannot reject without undermining the authority both of their scriptures and of a very long tradition. It looks then as if objections to the doctrine are objections to the Christian scheme itself. Here is one of them. As the Gospels present it Jesus was murdered, by one or more of Pilate, the Sanhedrin and the Jewish mob. Given Objective Atonement, God ordained the sacrificial death of Jesus, and so, as it seems, this murder. Murder requires freedom on the killer's part. And many have doubted that an action can be both free and ordained by God. Leave that aside. A good God would in any case not make it a condition for our forgiveness that someone acquired the guilt of murder.

scholarly journals Aspects of Gender Neutral Language in Selected English and Polish Translations of the New Testament

Open Theology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksander Gomola
Keyword(s):  
New Testament ◽  
English Translation ◽  
Synoptic Gospels ◽  
Language Usage ◽  
Evangelical Christians ◽  
Bible Translation ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Gender Neutral ◽  
The New Testament ◽  
Neutral Language

AbstractGender neutral language has been one of the most hotly debated issues in Bible translation in recent decades, especially in translations into English. The article presents some aspects of this problem expanding the perspective and comparing gender neutral language usage in modern translations of Scripture into English and Polish: the New International Version and the Paulist Bible and the Poznan Bible, with occasional references to other English and Polish translations. Renditions of selected New Testament terms such as anthrōpos, anēr, adelphos/adelphoi and huioi are examined, as well as English and Polish translations of diakoneo when it describes women accompanying Jesus in the synoptic gospels. Translations of “Junia/Junius” (Rom 16:7) are also compared as well as the issue of Phoebe the “deaconess” in Rom 16:1. The author concludes that solutions concerning gender neutral language in English and Polish translations of the Bible, sometimes similar, are not identical due to differences between these languages, due to different socio-linguistic norms characterizing Polish and English audiences respectively and due to the fact that the English translation is addressed to the evangelical Christians, while the Polish ones to the Catholics.

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