scholarly journals The �Jezebel spirit�: A scholarly inquiry

2009 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Trudie Stark ◽  
Hans J.M. Van Deventer
Keyword(s):  
Old Testament ◽  
Biblical Interpretation ◽  
Biblical Text ◽  
Northern Kingdom ◽  
The Church ◽  
Scholarly Inquiry

Queen Jezebel is rightly recognised as one of the powerful women in the Old Testament. In the biblical text she is introduced as a �foreign� queen and wife to Ahab, the 8th century king of the northern kingdom, Israel. This article examines some of the interpretations of this character in the church over the centuries. The focus falls on the latest development in this regard whereby, in some circles, the biblical character is linked to the existence of a �Jezebel spirit� within the contemporary church. On the basis of a narratological reading of the Jezebel texts it is indicated that such an interpretation is unfounded and fails to take cognisance of developments in biblical interpretation related to literary understandings of the text.

The Vulnerability of the Word

2019 ◽  
pp. 236-290
Author(s):  
Jens Zimmermann
Keyword(s):  
Old Testament ◽  
Biblical Interpretation ◽  
Biblical Text ◽  
Middle Portion ◽  
Theological Interpretation ◽  
Christian Humanism ◽  
The Bible ◽  
The Church ◽  
Biblical Concepts

Chapter 7 demonstrates the importance of biblical interpretation to Bonhoeffer’s Christian humanism. Beginning with the Barthian inspiration for a theological reading of scripture as the book of the church, Bonhoeffer develops a biblical hermeneutic for transformative, humanist reading of the Bible that incorporates historical critical tools in seeking out God’s address in concrete life situations. After describing Bonhoeffer’s incarnational approach to the biblical text, and his criticism of verbal inspiration, the middle portion of this chapter describes Bonhoeffer’s theological interpretation of the Old Testament, pointing out striking parallels to patristic interpretation, including the Bible’s sacramental role for Christformation. The same sacramental ontology that governs his general hermeneutics and ethics also help explain Bonhoeffer’s often misunderstood notions of non-religious interpretation of biblical concepts, non-religious Christianity, and a world come of age. The remainder of the chapter clarifies the meaning and humanist implications of these ideas, showing their congruence with Bonhoeffer’s increasing appreciation of the Old Testament’s importance for a this-worldly Christianity that celebrates God’s presence in the midst of life.

scholarly journals Praktik Kenabian dalam Konteks Sejarah Sosial Budaya Israel dan Timur Tengah

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-63
Author(s):  
Elkana Chrisna Wijaya
Keyword(s):  
Old Testament ◽  
Spiritual Practices ◽  
Christian Spirituality ◽  
Biblical Text ◽  
Christian Organizations ◽  
Role Of Women ◽  
The Church

The thing that cannot be denied in this research is that the involvement of women in the practice of Christian spirituality in the present is greatly influenced by understanding and understanding of situations and contexts in the biblical text. The existence of the role of women both in the church and in certain Christian organizations continues to be a long-standing debate and has not received satisfactory results. That is why in this study, the author examines and analyzes the existence and influence of women in the biblical period, especially in the context of the Old Testament, in connection with the spiritual practices of women at that time. Abstrak: Hal yang tidak dapat dipungkiri dalam penelitian ini adalah bahwa keterlibatan kaum wanita dalam praktek kerohanian Kristen di masa kini, sangat dipengaruhi oleh pemahaman dan pengertian terhadap situasi dan konteks dalam teks Alkitab. Keberadaan peranan wanita baik di gereja maupun di organisasi Kristen tertentu, terus menjadi perdebatan yang berkepanjangan dan belum mendapatkan hasil yang memuaskan. Itulah sebabnya dalam penelitian ini, penulis mengkaji dan menganalisis keberadaan dan pengaruh kaum wanita di masa Alkitab, khususnya dalam konteks Perjanjian Lama, sehubungan dengan praktik kerohanian kaum wanita pada masa tersebut.

scholarly journals Sacred Covenant and Huguenot Ideology of Resistance: The Biblical Image of the Contractual Monarchy in Vindiciae, Contra Tyrannos

Religions ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 589
Author(s):  
Andrei Constantin Sălăvăstru
Keyword(s):  
Old Testament ◽  
Biblical Text ◽  
The Bible ◽  
The People ◽  
The Reformation ◽  
Political Works ◽  
The Church ◽  
Constitutional Monarchy

The Bible had been a fundamental source of legitimacy for the French monarchy, with biblical imagery wielded as a powerful propaganda weapon in the ideological warfare which the kings of France often had to wage. All Christian monarchies tried to build around themselves a sacral aura, but the French kings had soon set themselves apart: they were the “most Christian”, anointed with holy oil brought from heaven, endowed with the power of healing, and the eldest sons of the Church. Biblical text was called upon to support this image of the monarchy, as the kings of France were depicted as following in the footsteps of the virtuous kings of the Old Testament and possessing the necessary biblical virtues. However, the Bible could prove a double-edged sword which could be turned against the monarchy, as the ideological battles unleashed by the Reformation were to prove. In search for a justification for their resistance against the French Crown, in particular after 1572, the Huguenots polemicists looked to the Bible in order to find examples of limited monarchies and overthrown tyrants. In putting forward the template of a proto-constitutional monarchy, one of the notions advanced by the Huguenots was the Biblical covenant between God, kings and the people, which imposed limits and obligations on the kings. This paper aims to examine the occurrence of this image in Vindiciae, contra tyrannos (1579), one of the most important Huguenot political works advocating resistance against tyrannical kings, and the role it played in the construction of the Huguenot theory of resistance.

scholarly journals The Old Testament in the First Discourse on Martyrs

Scrinium ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-24
Author(s):  
Hector Ricardo Francisco
Keyword(s):  
Old Testament ◽  
Biblical Text ◽  
The Church

Abstract The aim of this paper is to analyze the use of Biblical Testimonia in the First Discourse of the Holy Martyrs of the Land of Orient (BHO 706). It will be argued that the main purpose of the author was not only to promote the cult of their relics but also to demonstrate that the persecution was part of God’s plan for the Church. As long as Christ, the Apostles and the Prophets were Models for those suffering persecution, the Biblical text was the testimony of the truth of Christian Martyrdom. Moreover, by stressing the continuity between the Heroes of both Testaments and the Martyrs, the author was engaged in a controversy against Marcionism.

scholarly journals Song of Songs and the charism of Mother Theresa of Calcutta (Cant 1:5-2:17)

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 106-122
Author(s):  
Krzysztof Bardski
Keyword(s):  
Spiritual Formation ◽  
Biblical Interpretation ◽  
Song Of Songs ◽  
Biblical Text ◽  
Modern Times ◽  
Critical Editions ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Living Tradition ◽  
Allegorical Interpretation ◽  
The Church

The ancient Christian tradition considered the allegorical interpretation of the Bible as an important mean of spiritual formation in the life of the Church. This approach to the Biblical text has been neglected in modern times due to the use of historical-critical methods in the Biblical exegesis. However, it seems that the intuitions of the Fathers of the Church may still be inspiring, especially for certain spiritual actualizations of the Scripture. In some contexts of the life of the Church, e.g. spiritual retreats, the symbolical and allegorical reading of the Bible can be still fruitful, especially in connection with new spiritualties emerging in modern times. Even more, the access to critical editions of patristic works and the semiotic approach to the Biblical text make possible new understandings that may enrich the living tradition of Biblical interpretation.

scholarly journals The Ecclesiology of Israel’s Scriptures

2018 ◽  
pp. 32-54
Author(s):  
R. W. L. Moberly
Keyword(s):  
Old Testament ◽  
Biblical Text ◽  
People Of God ◽  
Hebrew Scriptures ◽  
The People ◽  
The Church

This chapter begins by exploring the dilemma: How can there be an ecclesiology of the Hebrew Scriptures in the absence of a church? We might say that the theological account of ‘the people of God’ in the Old Testament informed and shaped the Christian sense of ‘the people of God’ in the New. Or we could go further and affirm that there was indeed a church in or of Israel. The chapter then reviews Christian attempts to provide (a) a synthesis of historical and theological interpretations of the Old Testament (Hanson and Goldingay) and (b) canonical approaches (Childs, Lindbeck, and Radner). The remainder of the chapter offers a reading of selected Old Testament passages, seeking to bring together Israel and the church according to the three themes: vocation and assurance; warning and challenge; failure and hope. These readings of the biblical text are followed by reflections on their theological and ecclesiological implications.

scholarly journals The World of the Bible: Indispensable Context in the Study of the Old Testament

Kairos ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 135-150
Author(s):  
Monika Bajić
Keyword(s):  
Old Testament ◽  
Near East ◽  
Ancient Near East ◽  
Biblical Text ◽  
Scriptural Interpretation ◽  
The Bible ◽  
God's Word ◽  
The World ◽  
Original Message ◽  
The Church

The Bible was not originally written for the modern reader, but the testimony of the Church is that it continues to speak God’s word to readers/hearers today. However, many modern Bible readers come across texts that need further explanation because the biblical authors did not offer clarification of their writings. They assumed the readers of their time were familiar with the background and could understand the reported events without further explanation. To achieve a “legit” interpretation of Old Testament texts, we first need to understand Scripture correctly, meaning that the biblical text must be read in its narrower and broader context. Only within a context does it become clear what the author meant to say. The main argument of this article is to exhibit that the Bible can only be fully understood against the backdrop of the Ancient Near East (ANE). The broader context consists of the knowledge of surrounding nations during Bible times (i.e., Hebrew Bible). By examining ANE texts and archeological findings we achieve a more complete and enriched comprehension of a given scriptural text or passage. This article exhibits through some concrete examples how archeological findings, inscriptions, and Ancient Near East texts can aid in understanding the broader context of the Old Testament world. In return, the wider context of the Bible world can enlighten or clarify a difficult, incomprehensible, or ambiguous biblical text and henceforth scriptural interpretation become more accurate and closer to the original message and meaning.

The Servant Lord: A Word of Caution Regarding themunus triplexin Karl Barth's Theology and the Church Today

2012 ◽  
Vol 65 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam J. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Old Testament ◽  
Jesus Christ ◽  
Biblical Interpretation ◽  
Formal Structure ◽  
Material Content ◽  
The Church ◽  
Traditional Doctrine

AbstractContemporary theology exhibits a lively interest in using the traditional doctrine of themunus triplex(the threefold mediatorial office of Christ as prophet, priest and king) to unify our understanding of the person and work of Jesus Christ and ground it in the Old Testament witness. This article explores Karl Barth's contribution to this trend and draws from it a set of reflections for the church today. Scholarly consensus suggests that Barth offers an exceptionally robust development of themunus triplexin shaping the formal structure and material content of his doctrine of reconciliation. In this article I contend that his use of this concept is actually quite superficial in nature. As scholars are wont to point out, Barth incorporates themunus triplexinto eye-catching summary statements throughoutCDIV – but these statements are more ambiguous than they might at first seem. A closer examination of the details of his account of the work of Christ, and particularly his hamartiology, demonstrates that themunus triplexdoes not substantially inform his treatment of these subjects, and that his own unique christological concerns provide the determining influence. While Barth was eager to align his position with that of Reformed orthodoxy, focusing on themunus triplexultimately distracts the reader from his primary concerns. Much the same is true for the church today – when used as a sufficient interpretative device for offering an account of the person and work of Jesus Christ, themunus triplexsuffers the fate of many an artificial schema for biblical interpretation, distracting us from the breadth and depth of the biblical witness by offering an overly tidy, artificially organised account of the material. Nevertheless, when modestly employed, it remains a significant though limited conceptual device for understanding Christ's person and work, which the church should employ in several ways so as to integrate the Old and New Testaments in its proclamation of the Gospel.

REREADING TEXTS OF MUSIC AND DANCE IN THE HEBREW BIBLE: THE SPIRITUALITY OF MUSIC AND DANCE IN ZIMBABWE

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-98
Author(s):  
Temba T. Rugwiji
Keyword(s):  
Hebrew Bible ◽  
Land Reform ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Musical Instruments ◽  
World Music ◽  
Human Existence ◽  
Biblical Text ◽  
Ancient Israel ◽  
Formed Part ◽  
The Church

The Hebrew Bible depicts that music and dance formed part of worship and reverence of Yahweh in which various musical instruments were played during ancient biblical times. In the modern post-biblical world, music and dance characterise every context of human existence either in moments of love, joy, celebration, victory, sorrow or reverence. In Zimbabwe, music — which is usually accompanied by dance — serves various purposes such as solidarity towards or remonstration against the land reform, despondency against corruption, celebration, giving hope to the sick, worship as in the church or appeasing the dead by those who are culturally-entrenched. Two fundamental questions need to be answered in this article: 1) What was the significance of music and dance in ancient Israel? 2) What is the significance of music and dance in Zimbabwe? In response to the above questions, this essay engages into dialogue the following three contestations. First, texts of music, musical instruments and dance in the Hebrew Bible are discussed in view of their spiritual significance in ancient Israel. Second, this study analyses music and dance from a faith perspective because it appears for the majority of Gospel musicians the biblical text plays a critical role in composing their songs. Third, this article examines music and dance in view of the spirituality which derives from various genres by Zimbabwean musicians in general. In its entirety, this article attempts to show that the Zimbabwean society draws some spirituality from music and dance when devastated by political, cultural or socio-economic crises.

TEOLOGIA E PÓS-MODERNIDADE: APONTAMENTOS PARA UM DISCURSO TEOLÓGICO RELEVANTE

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (23) ◽  
pp. 051
Author(s):  
Adriano Sousa Lima ◽  
Jaziel Guerreiro Martins
Keyword(s):  
Religious Experience ◽  
Current Literature ◽  
Biblical Interpretation ◽  
Social Environments ◽  
Religion And Theology ◽  
Christian Religion ◽  
Theological Discourse ◽  
New Challenges ◽  
The Church

O artigo reflete sobre o tema “Teologia e pós-modernidade: apontamentos para o discurso teológico relevante”. Tendo como objetivo discutir se a teologia pode sobreviver como discurso, como logos e quais seriam as suas chances, bem como alguns dos caminhos que ela poderia trilhar, o artigo enfrenta questões fundamentais para o debate religioso, no sentido amplo, e teológico, no sentido específico. Trata-se da busca de respostas para indagações antigas, mas sempre relevantes: a religião cristã e a teologia são pertinentes na pós-modernidade? Quais seriam os novos desafios para a teologia nesse contexto? Quais seriam os rumos da teologia na época pós-moderna? Para responder tais questionamentos, os autores analisam a literatura mais relevante e atual sobre o tema, visando contribuir no âmbito acadêmico, eclesial e social. Ao final, os autores destacam que para sobreviver num tempo pós-moderno, é fundamental que a teologia se lance à tarefa de decifrar as implicações da pós-modernidade para ela e para a igreja. A teologia precisará ainda desconstruir os paradigmas modernos da interpretação do texto bíblico, a fim de responder com mais consistência os questionamentos teológicos da pós-modernidade. Assim, os autores concluem que a pós-modernidade não é um mal a ser combatido, mas um período a ser discernido e ao mesmo tempo, enriquecedor e propositivo para a experiência religiosa e para o discurso teológico relevante.Palavras-chave: Teologia; Pós-Modernidade; Religião; Experiência. THEOLOGY AND POSTMODERNITY: NOTES FOR A RELEVANT THEOLOGICAL DISCOURSEAbstractThe article adresses the topic “Theology and post-modernity: notes for a relevant theological discourse”. It discusses if Theology may thrive as a discourse, as a logos and what are its chances, such as some ways that Theology may walk. This present research deals religious debate fundamental issues in broader and strict senses. So, it is about the search for answers to ancient, but always relevant questions: are Christian religion and Theology pertinent in post-modernity? Which are the new challenges for Theology in this context? Which are the possible paths for Theology in contemporary times? In order to answer these interrogations, the text analyses the most relevant and current literature on the topic, aiming to contribute in academic, ecclesial, and social environments. Finally, so that it may survive in post-modernity, it is paramount for Theology to engage the task of deciphering the implications of postmodernity for Theology itself and for the Church. Theology will need to deconstruct modern paradigms of biblical interpretation, so that it may consistently respond to postmodern theological issues. This way, postmodernity is not and evil to fight against, but a period that has to be discerned with wisdom and responsibility. It is an enriching propositional time concerning to religious experience and relevant theological speech.Keywords: Theology; Postmodernity; Religion; Experience.

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