scholarly journals From Holy workers to profiteers in Luke 20:9-16: the waning values of Christian leadership in Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 20-39
Author(s):  
Isiorhovoja Osbert Uyovwieyovwe

The paper examines the biblical underpinnings of virtues that should characterised Christian leadership as stewards. The gradual disappearance of these qualities is evidenced in the cheap exchange of the cherished tradition on the altar of mammon. This phenomenon has had its toll on some religious leaders, who unknowingly have goofed from being holy workers to profiteers in God’s vineyard. The paper adopts expository approach and critical interpretation of the texts. It discovers that while some leaders have remained faithful as God’s servants, others have indulge in the habit of making merchandise of the gospel; bearing ulterior motive as holy profiteers looking for every opportunity to maximise personal gains with caution thrown to the wind. This attitude has not only brought shame and disrespect but disrepute to their persons. Consequently, we have leaders who are depraved indulging in all kinds of vices with unworthy behaviours, such as commercialisation of the gospel, half-baked doctrines and falsification geared towards self-enrichment and woeful threefold manifestation of lust towards wine, women and wealth. The paper therefore concludes by calling on religious leaders to borrow leaf from the life of Prophet Amos who adopted a total denunciation of social evil, rebuking those in political offices sternly without compromise as well as Apostle Paul who set aside all other benefits for the sake of knowing Him, who laboured diligently and earned fame with self-contentment. To shun all forms of undue entanglement with worldly affairs, to seek the face of God and play the prophetic and intercessory roles on behalf of the people which is the primary assignment of holy workers thereby restoring the dignity of leadership and the beauty of the vocation. Keywords: Holyworker, profiteer, mammon, contentment, virtues

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 307
Author(s):  
Mutakallim .

Experts and religious leaders have tried everything in order to create an intimate and harmonious relationship between religious people in this famous, very pluralistic country of Indonesia. Through writings both books, magazines, journals and even through seminars and pulpits of sermons always suggest the importance of cooperation and dialogue between religious groups. Although it seems, their suggestions have not had such an exciting effect. To gain success for the realization of the noble goal of lasting peace and brotherhood among people who in reality have different religions and faiths, it is necessary to have the courage to invite them to make changes in the field of education, especially through a diversity-based curriculum. Because, through a curriculum like this, it is possible to be able to dismantle the theology of each religion which has tended to be displayed exclusively and dogmatically. A theology which usually only claims that only religion can build worldly welfare and usher in humans in God's heaven. The doors and rooms of heaven are only one that cannot be opened and entered except with the religion that he embraces. Even though such aology, we must admit, is something that is very worrying and can disturb the harmony of the people of religions in the present pluralistic era. An era in which all societies with all their elements are required to be interdependent and collect their fate together in order to create lasting peace. Here lies the challenge for religion (including Islam) to re-define itself in the midst of other religions. Or by borrowing the language John Lyden, an expert on religions, is "what should I think about other religions than one’s own? What should a Muslim think about non-Muslims. Is it still as an enemy or as a friend. Of course there is still the presumption of one religion with another as an enemy. It must be thrown away. Isn't in fact all of us as brothers and friends? Islam through the Qur'an and its Hadith teaches tolerant attitudes. In addition, the importance of reforming the PAI curriculum by presenting the face of tolerant Islam can be explained from the point of view of perennial philosophy, essentialism and progressiveness. In the view of perennialism the curriculum is "construct" which is built to transfer what has happened in the past to the next generation to be preserved, continued or developed. While in the philosophical perspective of progressivism, the position of the curriculum is to build a future life in which the past, present, and various plans for the development and development of the nation are used as the basis for developing future life. From this it is possible to teach the principles of humanist, democratic and equitable Islamic teachings to students. A principle of Islamic teachings that is very relevant to enter the future of the world which is characterized by the existence of cultural and religious diversity.


Author(s):  
Clyde E. Fant ◽  
Mitchell G. Reddish

One of the cities visited by the Apostle Paul during his travels, Derbe has almost vanished today. A few inscriptions, coins, and literary references and an unexcavated mound bear scant testimony to a city that was one of the early recipients of the preaching of Paul and Barnabas. The ancient city of Derbe was located southeast of Iconium (modern Konya) in the ancient region of south-central Asia Minor known as Lycaonia. Several sites have been proposed for the precise location of Derbe, most of them located near the modern town of Karaman. The location that has the strongest claim to being the authentic site of Derbe is the tumulus (mound) Kerti Höyük, which is situated approximately 15 miles northeast of Karaman (ancient Laranda) and near the village of Aşïran (Ekinözü). On the side of this mound in 1956, Michael Ballance discovered a white limestone block approximately 41 inches high, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches thick. The stone block is inscribed with a dedication by the council and the people of Derbe honoring Emperor Antoninus Pius. In the inscription, which has been dated to 157 B.C.E., the city was likely referred to as Claudioderbe, a special title given to the city during the time of Emperor Claudius. (Part of the face of the stone immediately preceding the word Derbe is broken off. The name Claudioderbe appears on 2nd-century-C.E. coins from Derbe.) Another inscription mentioning Derbe, this one from a tombstone from the 4th–5thcentury C.E., was discovered in the nearby village of Suduraǧi. This inscription, surrounded by five engraved concentric circles, mentions “the most God-loving Michael, bishop of Derbe.” Michael Ballance says he was shown this inscribed marble slab in 1958 and was told by the villagers of Suduraǧi that the inscription was found nearby at Devri Şehri, about 2.5 miles southeast of Kerti Höyük. Bastiaan van Elderen reported seeing the slab in 1962 and said that the people of Suduraǧi were adamant that the inscription came from Kerti Höyük.


Liquidity ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 110-118
Author(s):  
Iwan Subandi ◽  
Fathurrahman Djamil

Health is the basic right for everybody, therefore every citizen is entitled to get the health care. In enforcing the regulation for Jaringan Kesehatan Nasional (National Health Supports), it is heavily influenced by the foreign interests. Economically, this program does not reduce the people’s burdens, on the contrary, it will increase them. This means the health supports in which should place the government as the guarantor of the public health, but the people themselves that should pay for the health care. In the realization of the health support the are elements against the Syariah principles. Indonesian Muslim Religious Leaders (MUI) only say that the BPJS Kesehatan (Sosial Support Institution for Health) does not conform with the syariah. The society is asked to register and continue the participation in the program of Social Supports Institution for Health. The best solution is to enforce the mechanism which is in accordance with the syariah principles. The establishment of BPJS based on syariah has to be carried out in cooperation from the elements of Social Supports Institution (BPJS), Indonesian Muslim Religious (MUI), Financial Institution Authorities, National Social Supports Council, Ministry of Health, and Ministry of Finance. Accordingly, the Social Supports Institution for Helath (BPJS Kesehatan) based on syariah principles could be obtained and could became the solution of the polemics in the society.


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-103
Author(s):  
Lina Aniqoh

This paper seeks to elaborate on the textual interpretation of Q.S Muhammad verse 4 and Q.S at Taubah verse 5. These two verses are often employed by the extremist Muslim groups to legitimize their destructive acts carried out on groups considered as being infidels and as such lawfully killed. The interpretation was conducted using the double movement hermeneutics methodology offered by Fazlur Rahman. After reinterpretation, the two verses contain moral values, namely the war ordered by God must be reactive, fulfill the ethics of "violence" and be the last solution. Broadly speaking, the warfare commanded in the Qur'an aims to establish a benefit for humanity on the face of the earth by eliminating every crime that exists. These two verses in the contemporary socio-historical context in Indonesia can be implemented as a basis for combating the issue of hoaxes and destructive acts of extremist Muslim groups. Because both are crimes and have negative implications for the people good and even able to threaten the unity of mankind.


Trictrac ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petru Adrian Danciu

Starting from the cry of the seraphim in Isaiahʹ s prophecy, this article aims to follow the rhythm of the sacred harmony, transcending the symbols of the angelic world and of the divine names, to get to the face to face meeting between man and God, just as the seraphim, reflecting their existence, stand face to face. The finality of the sacred harmony is that, during the search for God inside the human being, He reveals Himself, which is the reason for the affirmation of “I Am that I Am.” Through its hypnotic cyclicality, the profane temporality has its own musicality. Its purpose is to incubate the unsuspected potencies of the beings “caught” in the material world. Due to the fact that it belongs to the aeonic time, the divine music will exceed in harmony the mechanical musicality of profane time, dilating and temporarily cancelling it. Isaiah is witness to such revelation offering access to the heavenly concert. He is witness to divine harmonies produced by two divine singers, whose musical history is presented in our article. The seraphim accompanied the chosen people after their exodus from Egypt. The cultic use of the trumpet is related to the characteristics and behaviour of the seraphim. The seraphic music does not belong to the Creator, but its lyrics speak about the presence of the Creator in two realities, a spiritual and a material one. Only the transcendence of the divine names that are sung/cried affirms a unique reality: God. The chant-cry is a divine invocation with a double aim. On the one hand, the angels and the people affirm God’s presence and call His name and, on the other, the Creator affirms His presence through the angels or in man, the one who is His image and His likeness. The divine music does not only create, it is also a means of communion, implementing the relation of man to God and, thus, God’s connection with man. It is a relation in which both filiation and paternity disappear inside the harmony of the mutual recognition produced by music, a reality much older than Adam’s language.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
abdul muiz amir

This study aims to find a power relation as a discourse played by the clerics as the Prophet's heir in the contestation of political event in the (the elections) of 2019 in Indonesia. The method used is qualitative based on the critical teory paradigm. Data gathered through literary studies were later analyzed based on Michel Foucault's genealogy-structuralism based on historical archival data. The findings show that, (1) The involvement of scholars in the Pemilu-Pilpres 2019 was triggered by a religious issue that has been through online social media against the anti-Islamic political system, pro communism and liberalism. Consequently create two strongholds from the scholars, namely the pro stronghold of the issue pioneered by the GNPF-Ulama, and the fortress that dismissed the issue as part of the political intrigue pioneered by Ormas NU; (2) genealogically the role of scholars from time to time underwent transformation. At first the Ulama played his role as well as Umara, then shifted also agent of control to bring the dynamization between the issue of religion and state, to transform into motivator and mediator in the face of various issues Practical politic event, especially at Pemilu-Pilpres 2019. Discussion of the role of Ulama in the end resulted in a reduction of the role of Ulama as the heir of the prophet, from the agent Uswatun Hasanah and Rahmatan lil-' ālamīn as a people, now shifted into an agent that can trigger the division of the people.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 27-37
Author(s):  
Dwi Putri Agustini

The present phenomenon has clearly brought a change and the influence of the development of traditional music in Palembang society, if this is not carefully addressed, it will experience a shift, alienation and even lose its supporters. The rejung pesirah music group is one of the music groups that still maintains traditional arts in the people of Palembang. This study examines how the adaptation strategy of the rejung pesirah music group in dealing with changes and developments in Palembang society. For this reason, the approach used is cultural anthropology with qualitative case study research methods in Palembang. Data collection is done through observation, interviews and document studies that use triangulation techniques as the validation of the data, while for data analysis through content analysis and interactive models. The results showed that the adaptation strategy undertaken by the rejung pesirah music group was an act and creative ability and had a positive mindset, understanding in responding to changes and needs as an impulse to develop in the face of environmental change and development through learning processes and cultural modification, which resulted a creativity that is the creation of songs, musical arrangements, and musical instruments in the rejung pesirah music group.


Author(s):  
Jaime Kucinskas

From the halls of the Ivy League to the C-suite at Fortune 500 companies, this book reveals the people behind the mindfulness movement, and the engine they built to propel mindfulness into public consciousness. Based on over a hundred interviews with meditating scientists, religious leaders, educators, businesspeople, and investors, this book shows how this highly accomplished, affluent group has popularized meditation as a tool for health, happiness, and social reform over the past forty years. Rather than working through temples or using social movement tactics like protest to improve society, they mobilized by building elite networks advocating the benefits of meditation across professions. They built momentum by drawing in successful, affluent people and their prestigious institutions, including Ivy League and flagship research universities, and Fortune 100 companies like Google and General Mills. To broaden meditation’s appeal, they made manifold adaptations along the way. In the end, does mindfulness really make our society better? Or has mindfulness lost its authenticity? This book reveals how elite movements can spread, and how powerful spiritual and self-help movements can transform individuals in their wake. Yet, spreading the dharma came with unintended consequences. With their focus on individual transformation, the mindful elite have fallen short of the movement’s lofty ambitions to bring about broader structural and institutional change. Ultimately, this idealistic myopia unintentionally came to reinforce some of the problems it originally aspired to solve.


2020 ◽  
pp. 030981682098238
Author(s):  
Miloš Šumonja

The news is old – neoliberalism is dead for good, but this time, even Financial Times knows it. Obituaries claim that it had died from the coronavirus, as the state, not the markets, have had to save both the people and the economy. The argument of the article is that these academic and media interpretations of ‘emergency Keynesianism’ misidentify neoliberalism with its anti-statist rhetoric. For neoliberalism is, and has always been, about ‘the free market and the strong state’. In fact, rather than waning in the face of the coronavirus crisis, neoliberal states around the world are using the ongoing ‘war against the virus’ to strengthen their right-hand grip on the conditions of the working classes.


Author(s):  
Idi Warsah ◽  
Amelia Avisa ◽  
Anrial Anrial

This study aimed at finding out a depiction of the communication pattern among religious people in the Sindang Jaya community, Rejang Lebong Regency, Bengkulu Province. This study used a qualitative approach, and the data collection techniques were observation and interviews. After the data were collected, the analysis was carried out with the stages of reduction, presentation, and drawing conclusion. This study drew the conclusion that First, the pattern of communication set by the people of Sindang Jaya Village was based on mutual respect among religions. Second, there were three forms of tolerance given by the people of Sindang Jaya Village, namely cooperation, religious freedom, and appreciation for the religious activities of other religions. Third, the strategy carried out to avoid conflicts was that both religious leaders, village officials, and the community in general always became fair, respected each other, had kinship relations, discussed every problem, helped each other, and cooperated with one another.


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