scholarly journals On becoming the hands and feet of Christ in an AIDS-ridden community in Swaziland – A story of hope

2006 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 1095-1109 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Van Wyngaard
Keyword(s):  
Present Finding ◽  
Social Involvement ◽  
Christian Church ◽  
Aids Pandemic ◽  
The Social ◽  
Hands And Feet ◽  
The Church ◽  
The Way ◽  
Hiv Aids

In terms of the social involvement of the Christian church within the community, it would not be an overstatement to say that never before in history has there been a greater challenge facing the church than the present, finding a way to bring hope to those suffering due to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Yet, in spite of the enormity of this pandemic, it is possible to make a huge difference in people’ s lives, making use of a few willing people and a fairly conservative budget. In this article the author attempts to describe the way in which a very small congregation, where the average weekly attendance at church services is seldom more than fifty people and where nearly all members live close to or under the breadline, started making a noticeable difference in their community. Motivated by God’ s love for them, they decided to share this love in a practical way with all those in the community suffering due to HIV/AIDS and other serious illnesses. This is a story of hope, not only for those who receive help, but even more so, for those who want to give help.

scholarly journals An Afro-Christian ministry to people living with HIV/Aids in South Africa

2005 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matsobane J. Manala
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
World View ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Raising Awareness ◽  
Aids Pandemic ◽  
Persons Living With Hiv ◽  
Pain And Suffering ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
The Church ◽  
Hiv Aids

The HIV/Aids pandemic is cause for great frustration to the developing countries in their attempts to improve the quality of life of their citizens. HIV/Aids in South Africa demands a specific approach to the Christian ministry in which the African world-view is acknowledged. In order for the church to play a relevant and meaningful role in combating the HIV/Aids pandemic, it is necessary that the church should be informed of the existential situation of persons living with HIV/Aids. This information is vital for raising awareness and engendering sensitivity among Christians. In the context of such awareness of and sensitivity to human pain and suffering, the community of the faithful should be moved to heed Christ’s call to show neighbourly love. The possible role of the church in caring for those who are already infected with HIV is defined.

scholarly journals Aspects of the Christian Missionary in Nationalist China: Mrs. Jiang Jieshi and the Missions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincenza Cinzia Capristo
Keyword(s):  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Religious Community ◽  
Social Community ◽  
Strong Point ◽  
Potential Development ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Family ◽  
The Church ◽  
Family Dimension ◽  
The Way

The present essay, beginning with Catholic press and various authors known in the sector of Missiology, underlines a connection between Song Meiling and Mission in general, particularly the Catholic ones. This work aims at adding a further piece to complete the already well-known Song Meiling’s career, after her marriage to Chiang Kai-shek. Further on, it will be clearly underlined the way she managed to established relationships with representatives of Missions, both Catholic and Protestant, thanks to the reform movement “New Life”, which brought Chinese people closer to Christian values. All this was possible by starting from the family dimension, thus enhancing the link between civil and religious society. Song Meiling’s strong point was the way she promoted social inclusion of the religious confessions, especially of the Catholic Missions, through solidarity initiatives, considering the religious community on the same level as the social community. This was a factor of potential development for the Church in China.

East Germany's New Kulturkampf

Worldview ◽  
1972 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. 43-46
Author(s):  
Eleutherius
Keyword(s):  
Soviet Union ◽  
Party Member ◽  
Christian Church ◽  
Party Leadership ◽  
The Soviet Union ◽  
The Social ◽  
Crown Prince ◽  
The Church

In 1970 I was told by a ranking SED (Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschland) party member: “If you think Walter Ulbricht has been a severe taskmaster, wait until he steps down and his crown prince, Erich Honecker, takes the party leadership. Ulbricht at first tried to imitate the Soviet Union slavishly, but he finally came to see that Germany is not the Soviet Union, that the DDR would have to develop its own brand of socialism. Honecker is much more subservient to Moscow than Ulbricht and much more blind to the social and political importance of the Christian Church.” In the mid-fifties, Ulbricht learned that persecuting the Church did not pay political, social or economic dividends.

Reflections on the Church and HIV/AIDS

2005 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beverley Haddad
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Church Leaders ◽  
Contextual Theology ◽  
Hiv Positive ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Aids Pandemic ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
The Church ◽  
Care Support ◽  
Hiv Aids

The church in South Africa faces a new challenge—the HIV/AIDS pandemic, which claims the lives of people in its communities and congregations every day. Until recently, the church remained silent or, worse still, adopted a theology that contributed to the stigma and discrimination faced by those who are HIV-positive. Increasingly, this theology is being questioned, as church leaders take a more positive public stance on education, prevention, care, support, and lobbying for treatment. Yet a mainstream, contextual theology that acknowledges and supports people living with HIV/AIDS, offering them Christian hope and acceptance, still remains to be formulated for South Africa.

‘Sexuality in the Church: Toward a sociology of the Bible’

2003 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 8-15
Author(s):  
John Brewer
Keyword(s):  
Church Of England ◽  
Current Debate ◽  
Christian Church ◽  
The Bible ◽  
The Social ◽  
Sex And Sexuality ◽  
Way Of Thinking ◽  
The Church ◽  
Social Behaviours

Sexuality is an obsession of the Christian Church. It is one of the social behaviours that it has tried most to control amongst its flock and yet the Christian Church has failed to prevent the encroachment of modern attitudes towards sex and sexuality into the Church as an institution. The furore over the proposed appointment of an openly gay bishop in the Church of England is but the latest expression of this tension. However, this paper argues that this debate needs to be placed in a much broader context, namely, the hermeneutical problem of the authority of the Bible, which is itself only one part of a wider sociology of the Bible. The current debate on sexuality in the Church highlights the need for sociology to begin to apply its way of thinking to the Bible.

scholarly journals Política social y autogobierno en el núcleo de la conspiración carlista antirrepublicana

2020 ◽  
pp. 133-164
Author(s):  
Manuel Martorell
Keyword(s):  
Civil War ◽  
Social Policy ◽  
Armed Force ◽  
Social Crisis ◽  
Political Expression ◽  
First Semester ◽  
Spanish Regions ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Church ◽  
The Way

RESUMEN El presente trabajo busca mejorar el conocimiento sobre la forma de pensar de quienes impulsaron en Navarra la organización del Requeté, la fuerza armada con la que el carlismo participó en la Guerra Civil de 1936. Para ello se realiza una detallada lectura del semanario a.e.t., que, durante el primer semestre de 1934, fue su órgano de expresión política. Tras su lectura, se puede concluir que, entre sus motivaciones, estaban, principalmente, la defensa de la religión, pero también la política social de la Iglesia para resolver la grave crisis social de España y hacer frente a una amenaza revolucionaria, además de exigir la «reintegración foral plena» para las distintas regiones españolas. LABURPENA Lan honek, Nafarroan Requeté erakundea bultzatu zuten pertsonen pentsamendu moduari buruzko ezagutza hobetzea du helburu, karlismoak 1936ko Gerra Zibilean parte hartzeko erabili zuen indar armatua. Horretarako, a.e.t. astekariaren irakurketa zehatza burutzen da, zeinak 1934ko lehengo seihilekoan, haien adierazpen politikoaren organo zentrala izan zen. Bere irakurketaren ondoren, ondoriozta daiteke, haien motibazio printzipalen artean, erlijioaren defentsa, Elizak Espainako krisi sozial larriari aurre egiteko gizarte politika burutzea eta mehatxu iraultzaileari erantzun bat bilatzea zeudela, Espainako eskualdeen foru berreskuratzea exijitzeaz gain. ABSTRACT The present work seeks to improve the knowledge about the way of thinking of those who promoted the organization of Requeté in Navarra, the armed force with which Carlism participated in the Civil War of 1936. For this, a detailed reading of the weekly a.e.t. is carried out, which, during the first semester of 1934, was its organ of political expression. After its reading, it can be concluded that, among its motivations, there were, mainly, the defense of religion but also the social policy of the Church to solve the serious social crisis of Spain and to face a revolutionary threat, in addition to demanding the «Full foral reintegration» for the different Spanish regions.

scholarly journals Towards a Theology of HIV/AIDS

2006 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 265-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Van Wyngaard
Keyword(s):  
Aids Pandemic ◽  
Ideal Situation ◽  
Aids Crisis ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Church ◽  
Hiv Aids

In a world which is slowly but surely being devastated by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, the church needs to get involved in the fight against this disease. In many places the church has conveniently denied that HIV/AIDS has anything to do with them. In this paper the author argues for the necessity of thinking theologically about the reality of HIV/AIDS, indicating that HIV/AIDS is not merely a matter of “sinners” becoming infected with a virus, but that certain circumstances are conducive towards the spreading of HIV/AIDS which need to be addressed if an impact is to be made on the spreading of the virus. Although many non-religious organisations are fighting this disease, the church is in an ideal situation to assist these bodies as it is already grounded within communities and already have integrity amongst a  large part of the population. However, to achieve this goal the churches must be transformed in the face of the HIV/AIDS crisis, in order that they themselves may become a force for transformation – bringing healing, hope, and accompaniment to all infected with and affected by HIV/AIDS.

Missiological Challenges in the HIV/AIDS Era

2005 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-66
Author(s):  
Esther Mombo
Keyword(s):  
Prosperity Gospel ◽  
Aids Pandemic ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
The Dead ◽  
Funeral Services ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Church ◽  
Causes Of Poverty ◽  
Hiv Aids

In the context of HIV/AIDS and traditional rites of widow-inheritance, the church is challenged to offer more than just funeral services for the dead. The missiological challenges and opportunities today include: rethinking the relationship between gospel and culture in the era of HIV/AIDS; developing a theology and spirituality to cope with the growth of a countervailing “prosperity gospel”; ameliorating the root causes of poverty that lie at the heart of the HIV/AIDS pandemic; and engaging in vigorous public moral advocacy on behalf of those most vulnerable in society.

scholarly journals Karl Barth’s definition of church in politics and culture: Growth points for the church in South Africa

2007 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wessel Bentley
Keyword(s):  
Church And State ◽  
The State ◽  
Karl Barth ◽  
The Social ◽  
Religious Question ◽  
Relationship History ◽  
Culture Growth ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Church ◽  
The Way

The article describes briefly Karl Barth’s views on church, its role in politics and how it relates to culture. This is done by identifying the way in which the church participates in the social realm through its relationship with the State. The historic religious question asks whether there is a natural mutual-determining relationship between church and State. The church may ask whether faith and politics should mix, while a secular state may question the authority which the church claims to speak from. To a large extent culture determ-ines the bias in this relationship. History has shown that church-State dynamics is not an either/or relationship, whereby either the authority of the church or the authority of the State should function as the ruling norm. Karl Barth describes the dynamics of this relationship very well, within the context of culture, in the way his faith engages with the political status quo. Once the relationship is better understood, Barth’s definition of the church will prove to be more effective in its evangelical voice, speaking to those who guide its citizens through political power. “Fürchtet Gott, ehret den König!” (1 Pt 2:17)

scholarly journals Analisis kritis konstruktif praksis teologi publik Gereja Masehi Injili Halmahera di era otonomi daerah

Kurios ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 315
Author(s):  
Julianus Mojau
Keyword(s):  
Social Services ◽  
Public Theology ◽  
Body Of Christ ◽  
Christian Church ◽  
Regional Autonomy ◽  
Library Research ◽  
The Social ◽  
Theological Discourse ◽  
Liberal Economy ◽  
The Church

This paper highlights the praxis of public theology that resulted from the decisions of the Synod of the Evangelical Christian Church in Halmahera (GMIH Synod) in the context of the era of regional autonomy during the 2002-2017 ministry period. By using qualitative research methods through library research, this analysis examines theological discourse and living church praxis as stated in the decisions of the GMIH Synod. Starting from the analysis of the social function of the Church emphasized by Ricardo F. Nanuru and the praxis of inter-religious advocate public theology by Felix Wilfred, this study found that: (a) GMIH ecclesiastical documents have seeded the praxis of interreligious public theology in the form of a series of pastoral recommendations and information on the Church's social services; (b this interreligious public theology advocacy practice needs to have an adequate theological basis and a measurable translation into the practice of living in the GMIH church. This theologically measured programmatic integration helps GMIH demonstrate its ecclesiastical identity as a social-humanist-ecological body of Christ that has an impact on Halmahera's public sphere in the era of regional autonomy which is being overshadowed by the neo-liberal economy and the extractive and exploitive mining economy.  AbstrakTulisan ini menyoroti praxis teologi publik hasil keputusan-keputusan persidangan Sinode Gereja Masehi Injili di Halmahera (Sinode GMIH) dalam konteks otonomi daerah selama periode pelayanan 2002-2017. Dengan meng-gunakan metode penelitian kualitatif melalui jenis penelitian kepustakaan, analisis ini mengkaji wacana teologis dan praxis hidup seperti tertuang dalam keputusan-keputusan Sidang Sinode GMIH. Bertolak dari analisis fungsi sosial Gereja yang ditekankan oleh Ricardo F. Nanuru dan praxis teologi publik advo-katif intereligius Felix Wilfred kajian ini menghasilkan: (a) dokumen-dokumen gerejawi GMIH telah membenihkan praxis teologi publik intereligius dalam bentuk serangkaian anjuran pastoral dan informasi pelayanan sosial Gereja; (b) praxis advokasi teologi publik interreligious ini perlu mendapat pendasaran teo-logis yang memadai dan penerjemahannya yang terukur dalam praktik hidup menggereja GMIH. Pengintegrasian programatis terukur secara teologis ini membantu GMIH meragakan identitas eklesialnya sebagai tubuh sosial-huma-nis-ekologis Kristus yang berdampak dalam ruang publik Halmahera di era otonomi daerah yang sedang dibayang-bayangi oleh ekonomi neo-liberal dan ekonomi pertambangan ekstraktif dan eksploitatif.

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