scholarly journals Verbum, Theologia et Ecclesia. Some hermeneutical reflections and methodological considerations towards an integrated interpretation of the Bible

2005 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 593-613
Author(s):  
B Weber

This article endeavours to evaluate an integrated understanding and interpretation of the Bible, which simultaneously takes cognisance of the “self-understanding” of the Bible, complies with academic standards, and is helpful to the church in its service to bring the Word of God to the (post)modern world.  Therefore a “3-circles-model” has been developed, tested in the classroom and is here presented for discussion and further refinement. In this model the task of biblical exegesis is, in accordance with the three dimensions found in the Bible itself, explained as interpretation of the literary, historical and theological dimensions of the text(s).  The three dimensions are hermeneutically  and methodologically investigated. Some final considerations are given to the integration of the three dimensions into the whole process of interpreting the Bible.

1995 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
W. D. Jonker

Throughout the ages, the role of theology was understood to be that of serving the church to become what it should be, to become true to its own identity. In the theology of the Reformation, the identity of the congregation was sought in its being created and sustained by the Word of God. Consequently, theology was intended to serve the preaching, teaching and pastoral care of the congregation. However, since the Enlightenment, theology as a university discipline has been deeply influenced by the presuppositions of the modern spirit and has mostly lost its close relationship with the church. Because of its resultant critical approach to the Bible it often destroyed the very fabric of the gospel by which the church should live. It often became an impediment on the way of the congregation to remain true to its spiritual identity. The author contends that the time has now come to see the presuppositions of the Enlightenment for what they are: relative and one-sided, the biased assumptions of a positivistic era which is rapidly drawing to its end. He is of the opinion that theology should not aspire to operate within the limits of the modern world view, but accept the challenge to operate on the basis of the faith of the congregation as interpretative community, and to read the Bible as the Book of the church with the presuppositions of the Christian faith.


2020 ◽  
pp. 199-212
Author(s):  
Łukasz Bucki

The word is a mighty ruler capable of performing miracles. Proclamation of God’s Word was and still is one of the most important tasks of the Church. The Word of God awakens and deepens faith. The preacher undertakes a responsible task collaborating with God himself. This responsibility goes beyond the limits of worldliness. Reading and studying the Bible is not sufficient. It is essen- tial to join talent and knowledge together with prayer. Therefore, prayer should be the foundation of priest’s spiritual life. Proper preparation and fruitful preaching is closely related to the spiritual life of the preacher of God’s Word. Immersed in prayer preacher is a credible witness of Christ and a living sign of God’s presence in the modern world. The preacher must be convinced of what he teaches. There is no shortage in the Church of those who are a model of preaching based on their prayer. The word of God they had proclaimed was a masterpiece. The Word that matured in prayer was like gold received from God to pass on to man.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 81
Author(s):  
K Katarina ◽  
I Putu Ayub Darmawan

This article discusses spiritual formation and God's Word in reformation. The formulation of the problem is the relationship between spiritual formation and God's Word in reformation. The author uses literature studies to collect information about spiritual formation and God's Word in reformation. Spirit for sola scriptura has produced a change in the life of the church at that moment. All teachings, church traditions, and practical actions which is conducted by church member must be tested under the Word of God. In the present context, church who facing various challenges related to moral life, teaching, and practical actions must return to the principles of word of God. To build a spiritual life, we must start from the Bible that is interpreted correctly, which then becomes a theological development, which then influences the concept of believer's thinking and practical actions. Artikel ini membahas tentang formasi rohani dan Firman Tuhan dalam reformasi. Rumusan masalah penelitian ini adalah bagaimana kaitan antara formasi rohani dan firman Tuhan dalam reformasi? Penulis menggunakan studi pustaka untuk menggali informasi tentang formasi rohani dan Firman Tuhan dalam reformasi. Semangat untuk sola scriptura menghasilkan perubahan dalam kehidupan gereja pada masa itu. Segala pengajaran, tradisi gereja, dan tindakan praktis yang dilakukan oleh setiap anggota gereja harus diuji di bawah Firman Tuhan. Dalam konteks masa kini, menghadapi berbagai tantangan gereja baik yang terkait dengan kehidupan moral maupun pengajaran dan tindakan praktis, gereja harus kembali pada prinsip Firman Tuhan. Untuk membangun kehidupan rohani maka harus dimulai dari Alkitab yang ditafsirkan secara benar yang kemudian menjadi sebuah bangunan teologi yang kemudian mempengaruhi konsep berpikir orang percaya dan tindakan praktis.


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-111
Author(s):  
Ferderika Pertiwi Ndiy ◽  
S Susanto

Church growth is an important study in church history. The Bible has important principles in church growth, therefore these principles need to be analyzed so that they can contribute to the study of church growth. The Acts of the Apostles is a book that has a history and principles of church growth, therefore the author conducted research on church growth based on Acts 2: 1-47. The author uses a qualitative approach to literature study to find the principles of church growth based on Acts 2: 1-47. The results showed that there were three principles for the growth of the early church. The first principle based on the fourth verse is to depend on the Holy Spirit, the second principle based on verses 14-36, 42 is to preach the Word of God, the third principle based on verses 42-46 is to live in fellowship. For the growth of the church today the church must depend on the power of the Holy Spirit, teaching based on the word of God, and the church lives in fellowship.


1949 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. A. Whitehouse ◽  
J. B. Souček

Volume III of the Dogmatik is concerned with creation, and the first part dealt with the act of creation, elucidating from a specifically Christian point of view the relation of creation and covenant. In this second part, it is the creature which is studied. For a theology bound to the Word of God, the questions at issue concern the nature of man, and the enquiry is controlled by the fact of God having become man. The material which is handled in this vast volume is a selection from man's varied attempts to speak about himself. The aim is to illuminate and to correct the speech of the contemporary Christian Church on this subject, and to do so by proper theological method and criteria. The resultant doctrine may not be very different from what is said in section I (A) of the Lambeth Report Part II, but one cannot help asking whether the statements made there have been reached by the searching discipline of dogmatic theology, practised with the seriousness found in Barth's work. His declared purpose is to seek “comprehensive clarifications in theology, and about theology itself”, which will give the Church strength to offer “clarifications in the broad field of politics”, a strength which is not strikingly obvious in the Lambeth conclusions about “The Church and the Modern World” and “The Christian Way of Life”.


2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dani�l J. Maritz ◽  
Henk G. Stoker

This article investigates the biblical motivation that is given for the secular idea of the so-called spiritual law of attraction to become part of Christian doctrine. In 2010 Pastor At Boshoff of the Christian Revival Church (CRC) preached two sermons on the law of attraction in which he claimed it as a powerful principle in the Word of God. According to him this biblical �law� provides human beings with physical manifestations of their thoughts and words. The idea to create one�s own favourable future through the law of attraction flows from a New Age worldview and is similar to the positive confession doctrine taught by popular Word of Faith teachers. Boshoff�s claim regarding the law of attraction cannot be deduced from the key Scripture passages he uses, which reflects an unfounded use of Scripture to promote this idea.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The article challenges the secular infiltration of the Law of Attraction in the church. This is important since the so-called Law of Attraction was preached by Pastor A. Boshoff of the CRC. Many of his listeners embrace his teaching although it reflects a poor exposition and application of Scripture.


2009 ◽  
Vol 41 (114) ◽  
pp. 165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johan Konings

Em outubro de 2008 transcorreu em Roma a XII Assembleia Geral Ordin ária do Sínodo dos Bispos, o qual é uma instituição permanente criada pelo Concílio Vaticano II para manter o diálogo dos pastores-bispos das Igrejas particulares. Nesta Assembleia, dedicada à Palavra de Deus na vida e na missão da Igreja, foi retomada praticamente a Constituição Dogmática Dei Verbum do Vaticano II. Depois de apresentar o tema da Palavra de Deus, traçamos um breve histórico focalizando os inícios da Tradição cristã e os tempos modernos desde Leão XIII até hoje. Em seguida descrevemos a XII Assembleia Geral, especialmente a Relatio post Disceptationem e as Propositiones. Concluímos com uma reflexão teológicopastoral sobre a Revelação e a leitura bíblica, e sugestões para a prática.ABSTRACT: In October of 2008 the XII Ordinary General Assembly of the Sinod of Bishops took place in Rome. The Sinod of Bishops is a permanent institution created by the II Vatican Council in order to maintain the dialogue of pastorsbishops of the particular Churches. This Assembly, dedicated to the Word of God in the life and in the mission of the Church, basically treated again the Dogmatic Constitution Dei Verbum of the II Vatican Council. After presenting the theme of the Word of God, we outline a brief history focusing on the beginnings of the Christian Tradition and the modern epoch since Leo XIII until today. Next we describe the XII General Assembly, especially the Relatio post Disceptationem and the Propostiones. We conclude with a theological-pastoral reflection on Revelation and the reading of the bible, and some practical suggestions. 


Author(s):  
Gerald O’Collins, SJ

Dealing with biblical inspiration within the scheme of the Word of God in its threefold form (as preached, written, and revealed), Karl Barth distinguished between divine revelation and the inspired Bible. He insisted that the revelation to prophets and apostles preceded proclamation and the writing of Scripture. He interpreted all the Scriptures as witness to Christ. While the human authors of the Bible ‘made full use of their human capacities’, the Holy Spirit is ‘the real author’ of what is written. Raymond Collins, in dialogue with Thomas Aquinas, Barth, and others, interpreted biblical inspiration in the light of the Second Vatican Council’s Constitution on Divine Revelation. He spoke of the Holy Spirit as the ‘principal, efficient cause’ (with the human authors as the ‘instrumental’ causes), rejected dictation views of inspiration, and examined the scope of biblical truth and the authority of the Bible for the Church.


2001 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Smit

Should the teaching and practice of theology be dictated by the church? In this article it is argued that the practice of theology as a science, based on the presupposition that the Bible is the word of God, is inherently part of the calling and responsibility of the church. Therefore, practising theology as a science rooted in faith should also be ecclesiastically subservient to theology in general, and should indicate the way for the training of ministers of the Word. In this article it is argued that practising theology as a science rooted in faith is not to be regarded as an old-fashioned approach as this way of practising theology can be related to one of the positive trends in post-modernism: the increasing need for expressed presuppositions. This view stands in opposition to the rationalistic approach of theology in which the Bible is seen as a collection of texts of historical origin. According to the rationalistic view point, the Bible represents a collection of texts which reflect narratives of people’s experiences and should be studied historically-critically. Thus the Bible becomes an object of rational analysis. Should the focus of theology (in contemporary postmodern times) move to the phenomenon of religions emphasizing rational analysis, churches will have to take the sole responsibility for the training of future ministers – even if the consequence implies that the involvement of universities in theological training be excluded.


1996 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 863-894 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Rex

ABSTRACTThe new political theology of obedience to the prince which was enthusiastically adopted by the Church of England in the 1530s was essentially founded upon Luther's new interpretation of the fourth commandment. It was mediated to an English audience by Tyndale, but his ideas were not officially adopted as early as some recent research has suggested. The founding of royal authority on the Decalogue, and thus on the ‘word of God’, was a particularly attractive feature of this doctrine, which became almost the defining feature of Henrician religion. Rival tendencies within the Church of England sought to exploit it in the pursuit of their particular agendas. Reformers strove to preserve its connections with the broader framework of Lutheran theology, with the emphasis on faith alone and the ‘word of God’, while conservatives strove to relocate it within an essentially monastic tradition of obedience, with an emphasis on good works, ceremonies, and charity. The most significant achievement was that of the Reformers, who established and played upon an equivocation between the royal supremacy and the ‘word of God’ in order to persuade the king to sanction the publication of the Bible in English as a formidable prop for his new-found dignity.


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