scholarly journals Systematic Theology – An experiential approach: Core assumptions of my ‘Invitation to Systematic Theology’

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Klaus Nürnberger
Keyword(s):  
World View ◽  
Modern Science ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Systematic Theology ◽  
Natural Evil ◽  
Word Of God ◽  
Self Disclosure ◽  
Modern Physics ◽  
In Christ ◽  
Intellectual Integrity

Nürnberger’s ‘Faith in Christ Today: Invitation to Systematic Theology’ is meant to serve the proclamation of the Word of God in modern times. Based on ‘experiential realism’, as used by science, it restricts itself to immanent reality, avoids the reification of idealised abstractions and biblical metaphors and follows an emergent-evolutionary hermeneutic. God’s self-disclosure manifests itself as (1) creative power in the cosmic process as explored by science, (2) benevolent intentionality as proclaimed on the basis of the Christ-event and (3) a motivating and transforming vision in the community of believers. Classical doctrines are reconceptualised in action terms, rather than ontological terms. Christology: The ministry, death and elevation of Jesus of Nazareth as God’s messianic representative manifest God’s redemptive intentionality. Trinity: The God manifest in Christ is identical with the God of Israel and the Creator of the universe and the divine Spirit transforming and empowering the community of believers. Eschatology: The thrust of God’s vision of comprehensive optimal well-being moves through time like a horizon opening up ever new vistas, challenges and opportunities.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The task of Systematic Theology is to offer as comprehensive and consistent a presentation of the Christian faith as possible under current circumstances. This involves the retrieval of the biblical message from its ancient conceptualisations and to repackage it in current world view assumptions. To reach a readership informed by modern science, technology, commerce and the consumer culture, Nürnberger’s Systematic Theology applies the approach of experiential realism as practised by the positive sciences: restricting its analyses to immanent reality and avoiding metaphysical constructs. It follows a consistent emergent-evolutionary hermeneutic and works on an interdisciplinary basis, using insights from modern physics, biology, neurology and sociology. God is conceptualised as the transcendent Source and Destiny of experienced reality. The core of the Christian message is God’s suffering, transforming acceptance of the unacceptable, which involves us in its dynamics. It is geared to transformation rather than perfection. It is applied to all aspects of reality, including, for example, entropy, death and natural evil and so on. In this way, the author hopes to help Christians to regain their intellectual integrity and the credibility of their message.

scholarly journals Die einde van die wêreld: Die uitdaging van die moderne natuurwetenskappe aan die tradisionele eskatologie

2012 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Klaus Nürnberger
Keyword(s):  
Modern Science ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Word Of God ◽  
Future Expectations ◽  
Literal Interpretation ◽  
The World ◽  
End Of The World ◽  
Heaven And Earth

The end of the world: The challenge of modern science to traditional eschatology. In biblical times the ‘Word of God’ indicated God’s creative and redemptive response to changing human predicaments and depravations. Redemptive events became traditions that were applied to new situations. Many biblical future expectations lost their relevance and plausibility already within canonical history. Modern science has rendered a literal interpretation of the most recent and radical biblical future expectations – resurrection and a ‘new heaven and earth’ – problematic. Apocalyptic deliberately employed enigmatic symbols and metaphors to indicate God’s miraculous intervention to change an evil world into a new and authentic reality. This motif can be reconceptualised as God’s vision for the comprehensive optimal well-being of humanity within the well-being of creation as a whole, which translates into God’s concern for any deficiency in well-being in any dimension of life. The emergence of the notion of resurrection to face judgement was rooted in concern about God’s justice (theodicy) rather than the longing for never-ending life. The resurrection of Jesus was deemed God’s affirmation of his messianic authority to proclaim and enact God’s redeeming love, thus its validity for all times and places – which opened up participation in the new life of Christ in fellowship with God for all people.

scholarly journals What hope is there – for Klaus?

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernst M. Conradie
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Review Article ◽  
Systematic Theology ◽  
Conceptual Clarification ◽  
Creative Power ◽  
Belief In God ◽  
God's Word ◽  
Triune God ◽  
Core Concepts ◽  
In Christ

This contribution engages with Klaus Nürnberger’s eschatology as expressed in his Invitation to Systematic Theology. It suggests that his notion of Christian hope has to be understood in terms of the triad of core concepts that he offers, namely creative power, benevolent intentionality and a vision of comprehensive optimal well-being. These are dialectically related as thesis, antithesis and synthesis. Moreover, this dialectic comes to expression in his understanding of faith in the Triune God, namely as belief in God against God, God as Saviour against God as Creator. Two questions regarding the vision of comprehensive optimal well-being are raised in conversation with Nürnberger: Firstly, is the content of Christian hope focused on optimal well-being itself, that God’s project will prevail, that the vision itself will prevail or that God will prevail. Can these be treated as rough synonyms? Secondly, what are the implications of the emphasis on God’s Word for Nürnberger’s eschatology? Does his emphasis on conceptual clarification not allow a form of idealism that undermines his own emphasis on the historical? If so, is there sufficient room for the consummation of all things as part of the narrative of God’s work?Intra- and interdisciplinary implications: This contribution is of an intradisciplinary nature and is located within the field of Christian systematic theology. It is a review article that engages critically with the position on eschatology adopted by Professor Klaus Nürnberger in his two-volume work Faith in Christ Today (2016).

Revolutionizing Mental Health with Social Media

2019 ◽  
pp. 259-284
Author(s):  
Munmun De Choudhury
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Linguistic Expression ◽  
Ethical Considerations ◽  
Self Disclosure ◽  
Vulnerable Communities ◽  
Tailored Interventions ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Social Media Platforms

Social media platforms have emerged as rich repositories of information relating to people’s activities, emotions, and linguistic expression. This chapter highlights how these data may be harnessed to reason about human mental and psychological well-being. It also discusses the emergent role of social media in providing a platform of self-disclosure and support to distressed and vulnerable communities. It reflects on how this new line of research bears potential for informing the design of timely and tailored interventions, provisions for improved personal and societal well-being assessment, privacy and ethical considerations, and the challenges and opportunities of the increasing ubiquity of social media.

scholarly journals Spirituality and Conflict in Healthcare: The History of the Canadian Baptists and Medical Mission in Orissa, 1900–1970

Histories ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 69-84
Author(s):  
Tiasa Basu Roy
Keyword(s):  
Religious Identity ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Word Of God ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Medical Mission ◽  
The People ◽  
Medical Facilities ◽  
History Of ◽  
Ganjam District ◽  
Positive Results

It was from the middle of the eighteenth century that discussions regarding the strategies taken up by the Protestant missionaries to propagate the Gospel generated the issue of healthcare and medical facilities among people in India. Medical mission, which hitherto was not considered, started to gain importance and reaped positive results in terms of curing individuals and its trustworthiness among tribes residing in the frontier regions. However, this developed a separatist religious identity among the population, which apparently did not appear lethal, but later culminated in the fragmentation and impeachment of solidarity among the adivais (tribal) and vengeance from the Hindu population. This article will show how the Canadian Baptist Mission, with its primary aim of spreading the Kingdom of God among the tribal Savaras in the Ganjam district of Orissa, undertook measures for serving health issues and provided medical facilities to both the caste Oriyas and the tribal Savaras. Although medical activities oriented towards philanthropy and physical well-being, medical mission was not limited to healing illness and caring for all, but also extended to spreading the word of God and influencing the people to embrace Christianity as well, which invited political troubles into the region.

scholarly journals Correlates of social media fatigue and academic performance decrement

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aqdas Malik ◽  
Amandeep Dhir ◽  
Puneet Kaur ◽  
Aditya Johri
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Academic Performance ◽  
Adult Students ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Online Behavior ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Self Disclosure ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Antecedents And Consequences

PurposeThe current study aims to investigate if different measures related to online psychosocial well-being and online behavior correlate with social media fatigue.Design/methodology/approachTo understand the antecedents and consequences of social media fatigue, the stressor-strain-outcome (SSO) framework is applied. The study consists of two cross-sectional surveys that were organized with young-adult students. Study A was conducted with 1,398 WhatsApp users (aged 19 to 27 years), while Study B was organized with 472 WhatsApp users (aged 18 to 23 years).FindingsIntensity of social media use was the strongest predictor of social media fatigue. Online social comparison and self-disclosure were also significant predictors of social media fatigue. The findings also suggest that social media fatigue further contributes to a decrease in academic performance.Originality/valueThis study builds upon the limited yet growing body of literature on a theme highly relevant for scholars, practitioners as well as social media users. The current study focuses on examining different causes of social media fatigue induced through the use of a highly popular mobile instant messaging app, WhatsApp. The SSO framework is applied to explore and establish empirical links between stressors and social media fatigue.

Life Review in Pastoral Counseling: Background and Efficacy for Use with the Terminally III

2003 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 281-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert G. LeFavi ◽  
Marcia H. Wessels
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Pastoral Counseling ◽  
Life Story ◽  
Terminally Ill ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Life Review ◽  
Systematic Theology ◽  
Spiritual Needs ◽  
Traumatic Death ◽  
Spiritual Assessment

Research continues to confirm that sharing one's life story through the process of life review enhances psychological well-being and increases life satisfaction. Although researchers have outlined techniques and activities that may be used in life review with older adults, little work has focused on the use of life review methods with terminally ill patients. Additionally, researchers have suggested that life review can take on the form of a spiritual assessment; and that such spiritually oriented life reviews may enhance a sense of meaning and foster reconciliation as one approaches dying. In this article, the authors provide a brief review of the research on and the practice of life review. Further, by merging concepts of life review with systematic theology, they offer a sample instrument—using the example of one faith framework—with which pastoral caregivers can better approach the spiritual needs of patients and facilitate a less traumatic death in the terminally ill.

scholarly journals Marital quality in alcohol dependance syndrome: a comparative study between first time and repeatedly hospitalised patients

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (12) ◽  
pp. 5301
Author(s):  
Kurian Jose ◽  
Christoday R. J. Khess. ◽  
N. A. Uvais
Keyword(s):  
Marital Quality ◽  
Well Being ◽  
International Classification Of Diseases ◽  
Sample Population ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Self Disclosure ◽  
Quality Scale ◽  
Hospitalised Patients ◽  
Classification Of Diseases ◽  
First Time

Background: Marital quality is considered as a significant part of social well-being. Poor marital quality adversely affects physical and mental health as well as the overall quality of life. Moreover, it can significantly affect the course of alcohol dependance syndrome. The aim this study was to compare the marital quality among patients with alcohol dependance syndrome who are admit-ted for the first time and patients with alcohol dependance syndrome (ADS) who are admitted for multiple times.Methods: The sample consisted of each 30 patients with alcohol dependance syndrome who are admitted for the first time and patients with alcohol dependance syndrome who are admitted for multiple times, diagnosed as per international classification of diseases-10 diagnostic criteria for research. The sample population was evaluated using Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire and The Marital Quality Scale. The data was analysed using SPSS-16.0.Results: The severity of alcohol dependance was found to be significantly higher in the repeatedly hospitalised group when compared to first time admitted patients with ADS (p<0.01). The repeatedly hospitalised patients are found to be having significantly poor Marital Quality in the domains of Understanding, Rejection, Satisfaction, Affection, Despair, Decision Making, Dominance, Self-Disclosure, Trust and Role Functioning, when compared to first time admitted patients (p<.001).Conclusions: How problem use of alcohol affect marital quality is not settled in research till date, though most of the studies suggest a negative correlation. There are contradictory hypotheses regarding the effects of alcohol use on marital quality. Our study showed that patients with severe degrees alcoholism and who are admitted repeatedly have poor marital quality when compared to patients with lesser severity of alcoholism and admitted for the first time in Indian context.

scholarly journals CONCEPTUAL FOUNDATIONS FOR IMPROVING THE ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TERRITORY POSITIONING

2021 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elina Boichenko ◽  
Liudmyla Kobyliatska
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Modern Science ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Intangible Asset ◽  
Social Nature ◽  
Clean Environment ◽  
Brand Promotion ◽  
Business Entities ◽  
The Cost

The article deals with the problems of positioning the Territory (Country, Region, United territorial communities). When positioning a territory, use only such characteristics that are important, for example, for business entities, investors, residents, or persons who are interested in this territory, and which they focus on when making their choice. It is proved that the results of positioning the territory can be considered the formation of economic, social, and attractive attractiveness of the territory. The essence of economic attractiveness as a set of results of financial and economic activity of the economic complex of the territory and its economic potential is considered. Social attractiveness is considered as a process of creating a qualitative state of the living conditions of society, and above all, increasing the level of its social well-being. Attractivity in the context of forming the attractiveness of the territory is considered as a symbiosis of appropriate household (comfortable) conditions for the life of the population and a clean environment, the existence of a favorable business environment that ensures the efficiency of business activities and creates the basis for meeting the various needs of society. The results of positioning a territory are considered as an intangible asset that has its value. The effectiveness of measures for positioning a territory (country, region, ah) can be determined using appropriate assessments of its effectiveness. In modern science, the concept of "efficiency" is considered an economic category that has independent qualitative and quantitative characteristics. Note that efficiency will be understood as the ratio between the results obtained and the costs (resources) for obtaining these results. When evaluating the effectiveness of territory positioning, we consider comparing the costs already incurred with the results of the positioning procedure. Thus, the importance of improving the assessment of the effectiveness of territory positioning is primarily due to the social nature of these costs. Estimating the cost-effectiveness of territory positioning is significantly complicated. This is because the results of this process (image creation, brand promotion, business reputation formation) are expressed not so much in monetary or value-form, but have an intangible effect. Difficulties in estimating the cost-effectiveness of territory positioning arise due to the uncertainty of the final result, which can only be predicted approximately. Thus, it is advisable to consider the results of positioning the territory as an intangible asset that has its value. The article offers an approach to assessing the effectiveness of territory positioning, which consists of using a system of indicators that combines economic, social, and attractive efficiency.

Longitudinal Relationships Among Fear of COVID-19, Smartphone Online Self-Disclosure, Happiness, and Psychological Well-being: Survey Study (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jörg Matthes ◽  
Kevin Koban ◽  
Ariadne Neureiter ◽  
Anja Stevic
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Health ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Attrition Rate ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Prevention Measures ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Self Disclosure ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Over Time

BACKGROUND Given that governmental prevention measures restricted most face-to-face communications, online self-disclosure via smartphones emerged as an alternative coping strategy that aimed at reducing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people’s psychological health. Prepandemic research demonstrated that online self-disclosure benefits people’s psychological health by establishing meaningful relationships, obtaining social support, and achieving self-acceptance, particularly in times of crisis. However, it is unclear whether these dynamics transition well to lockdown conditions where online self-disclosure must stand almost entirely on its own. Longitudinal investigations are needed to gain insights into the psychological functionalities of online self-disclosure during the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to determine the temporal associations between smartphone online self-disclosure (as a communicative behavior) and critical indicators of psychological health (including psychopathological, as well as hedonic and eudaimonic states) during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Austria. METHODS We conducted a representative 2-wave panel survey between late March/April 2020 and May 2020. A total of 416 participants completed both waves (43.1% attrition rate, given n=731 participants who completed the first wave). A partially metric measurement invariant overtime structural equation model was used to determine the temporal associations among online self-disclosure, fear of COVID-19, happiness, and psychological well-being. RESULTS The analysis revealed that fear of COVID-19 significantly predicted online self-disclosure over time (<i>b</i>=0.24, <i>P</i>=.003) and happiness over time (<i>b</i>=−0.14, <i>P</i>=.04), but not psychological well-being (<i>b</i>=0.03, <i>P</i>=.48), that is, stronger COVID-19 fears at T1 prompted more online self-disclosure and less happiness at T2. Online self-disclosure, on the other hand, significantly predicted happiness (<i>b</i>=0.09, <i>P</i>=.02), but neither fear of COVID-19 (<i>b</i>=−0.01, <i>P</i>=.57) nor psychological well-being (<i>b</i>=−0.01, <i>P</i>=.57) over time. Participants who engaged more strongly in online self-disclosure at T1 felt happier at T2, but they did not differ from less-disclosing participants concerning COVID-19 fears and psychological well-being at T2. Importantly, happiness and psychological well-being were significantly related over time (happiness T1 → psychological well-being T2: <i>b</i>=0.11, <i>P</i>&lt;.001; psychological well-being T1 → happiness T2: <i>b</i>=0.42, <i>P</i>&lt;.001). CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that online self-disclosure might play a pivotal role in coping with pandemic stressors. With restrictions on their options, individuals increasingly turn to their smartphones and social media to disclose their feelings, problems, and concerns during lockdown. While online self-disclosure might not alleviate fears or improve psychological well-being, our results demonstrate that it made people experience more happiness during this crisis. This psychological resource may help them withstand the severe psychological consequences of the COVID-19 crisis over longer timeframes.

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