scholarly journals The foundation, value and meaning of baptism in the New Testament

2003 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonanda Groenewald
Keyword(s):  
Social Context ◽  
New Testament ◽  
Social World ◽  
Cultural Symbols ◽  
Cultural Symbol ◽  
Textual Evidence ◽  
Christian Religion ◽  
Historical Reason ◽  
The Social ◽  
The New Testament

In the symbolical and social world of the first Christians, baptism functioned as a “cultural symbol”. Ensuing from Gerd Theissen’s (1999) work, A theory of primitive Christian religion, the paper explains the opinion that religion, defined as a system of cultural symbols, consists of sacred mythical narratives conveying ritual values which can be internalized through participation. Theoretically argued, there is a historical reason why a specific symbol/rite fits the social context. Behind the contextualized rite lies an idea which communicates values and provides meaning. From the textual evidence in the New Testament, this article demonstrates the historical foundation, the value and meaning of being baptized.

scholarly journals Inleiding tot die sosiaal-wetenskaplike kritiese eksegese van Nuwe-Testamentiese tekste: Die metodologiese aanloop in die navorsingsgeskiedenis

2007 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andries G. Van Aarde
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
New Testament ◽  
Social Background ◽  
Social World ◽  
First Century ◽  
Cultural Environment ◽  
The Third ◽  
The Social ◽  
The New Testament ◽  
Social Scientific

Introducing the social-scientific critical exegesis of New Testament texts: Methodological initiators in the research history The article is the first of a series of three that aim to introduce social-scientific exegesis of New Testament texts. Aspects of the social background of these writings are analyzed in light of the perspectives which underlie the dynamics of first-century Mediterranean social world. The article shows that social-scientific criticism of the New Testament represents an exegetical approach by means of which the rhetoric of texts is interpreted in light of their cultural environment and the social interaction that determines this context and semeiotic codes. The first article focuses on the initiators in the field of historical-critical exegesis who paved the way to social scientific criticism and explain key facets of the “new” exegetical approach. The second article explains some models and methods of social-scientific criticism. The third article discusses some advantages of social scientific criticism and poses a critique of the approach by reflecting on the positivism that could underlie the epistemology behind some interpretation models used in social scientific criticism. It concludes with an emphasis on cultural criticism as a hermeneutical challenge.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document