The Spirituality of St. Antony of Egypt: Lessons for Contemporary African Pentecostalism

This study is an examination of the spirituality of St Antony of Egypt. It examines the historical, intellectual, and religious context of St Antony’s life and ministry, including his worldview and how these inform his spirituality. The study is a literary study and utilizes existing primary and secondary source materials on Antony’s life, including his seven extant letters which are assessed as to their credibility. The study explores St Antony’s understanding and use of scripture, prayer, and spiritual warfare. From these, the study draws lessons relevant for contemporary African Pentecostalism. Keywords: Spirituality, St. Antony of Egypt, African Pentecostalism

TELAAH TERHADAP BINDING AND LOOSING PRAYER: SEJAUH MANA OTORITAS ORANG PERCAYA DALAM PEPERANGAN ROHANI?

ABSTRACT This article discusses the problem about binding and loosing prayer or deliverance prayer in its popular term. For the proponent, this concept, binding and loosing prayer is considered the important part in spiritual warfare that had to be practiced every day. Whereas the group who refuse assume this kind of prayer is arisen more from experience than the thorough biblical exegesis. This article will discuss the controversy about this binding and loose prayer and then examine the biblical verses that use to be basic for this prayer for answer the main question, to what extent the authority that believer has in spiritual warfare. Abstrak Tulisan ini membahas problematika seputar doa mengikat dan melepaskan (binding and loosing prayer) atau yang juga populer dengan sebutan doa pelepasan. Bagi kalangan yang menganjurkannya, doa ini dianggap merupakan bagian penting dalam peperangan rohani yang harus dilakukan orang percaya setiap hari. Sedangkan bagi mereka yang menolaknya, doa ini lebih didasarkan pada pengalaman daripada penafsiran yang benar terhadap Alkitab. Tulisan ini akan membahas pro dan kontra tersebut kemudian menelaah ayat-ayat Alkitab yang biasanya dipakai untuk membenarkan praktik ini untuk kemudian menjawab pertanyaan utama: sejauh mana otoritas orang percaya dalam peperangan rohani.

ABOUT THE LITERARY SOURCES OF THE EPILOGUE OF THE «WAR AND PEACE» BY L.N. TOLSTOY

В статье рассматривается вопрос о месте и значении эпилога в составе идейно-художественного целого романа Л.Н. Толстого «Война и мир». Указывается на роль литературных источников, оказавших влияние на формирование толстовской концепции и обусловивших тесную связь эпилога с основной частью эпопеи. Особое внимание уделяется анализу параллелей, которые выявляются между образной системой и принципами характерологии Толстого с одной стороны и стилистическими и аксиологическими особенностями «Переписки» Ивана Грозного с Андреем Курбским. Данный памятник ранее не рассматривался как литературный источник творчества Толстого. В статье обосновывается мысль о том, что «Переписка», известная Толстому и упомянутая в эпилоге романа-эпопеи, своим нравственно-психологическим и философско-историческим содержанием была созвучна толстовским размышлениям. Писатель сознательно использовал эту параллель. В контексте «Войны и мира» указание на письма Ивана Грозного приобрело знаковую функцию, тесно связав «историческую» и «художественную» части книги. Воплощенная в «Переписке» Курбского и Грозного «духовная брань» органически вошла в подтекст «Войны и мира», что сближает Л.Н. Толстого с представителями литературы «духовного реализма». The article considers the question of the place and meaning of the epilogue as part of the ideological and artistic whole of L.N. Tolstoy’s novel «War and Peace». The role of literary sources that influenced the formation of Tolstoy’s concept and caused the close connection of the epilogue with the main part of the epic is indicated. Special attention is paid to the analysis of parallels that are revealed between Tolstoy’s figurative system and characterology principles, on the one hand, and the stylistic and axiological features of Ivan the Terrible’s «Correspondence» with Andrei Kurbsky. This monument has not been previously considered as a literary source of Tolstoy’s work. The article substantiates the idea that the «Correspondence», known to Tolstoy and mentioned in the epilogue of the epic novel, was consonant with Tolstoy’s reflections in its moral-psychological and philosophical-historical content. The writer deliberately used this parallel. In the context of the «War and Peace», the reference to the letters of Ivan the Terrible acquired a significant function, closely linking the «historical» and «artistic» parts of the book. The «spiritual warfare» embodied in the «Correspondence» of Kurbsky and Ivan the Terrible organically entered the subtext of the «War and Peace», which brings L.N. Tolstoy closer to the representatives of the literature of «spiritual realism».

Cursing the Curse:Nietzsche on the Machiavellianism of Pity: Reading The Antichrist 2-7 in Light of Ecce Homo

The specific focus of this paper is exegesis of the critique of pity in AC 2-7 by means of the autobiographical account in Ecce Homo of the destructive intrusion of pity on him in Wise/4. There he lists three cases of pity's intrusions: into his great destiny, into his solitude of recovering from wounding in (spiritual) warfare, and into his privileged right to a heavy guilt. As we trace these three cases back to their locations in the chapter where they are first introduced, it can be seen that all are cases of his evolution to Mehrleben, thus to make his critique of pity's intrusion the criticism that it vengefully sought to thwart his evolutionary development. He states that his experience from these cases gives him the right to make a generlization about pity. These cases then become the autobiographical foundation of his criticism of pity in AC 7 that it is hostile to life in thwarting evolutionary development. The more general aim of the paper is to fix the relationship of EH to AC as introduction as the relationship of autobiography as epistemology to the unmasking psychology of Christianity in AC, in this case and several other cases cited. This is to bring the relationship into line with what Nietzsche himself claims for it in his letter to Naumann of November 6, 1888 and to counter the view that the relationship is merely instrumental in EH serving to secure a good reception for AC and, accordingly, was a work of less importance to Nietzsche than was AC.

Rereading Psalm 121 in an African (Yoruba) context

This article is an attempt to reread Psalm 121 in an African context with reference to the culture of the Yoruba people of Nigeria. The study considers certain Eurocentric interpretation of the Book of Psalms which Africans maintained do not meet their social, physical and spiritual aspirations. An African interpretation of the Bible is an interpretation which adopts the African world view. In this study, Psalm 121 is interpreted in the light of help and protection which are the greatest needs of the African people. The study adopts the African Biblical Hermeneutics. The central focus of this approach is to provide a useful lens to reread biblical text in African context. It was discovered that as early as the third century Christian era, worshippers in the temple chanted, and sung on a regular basis from Psalms. The Psalms were popular in the fourth century with the rise of monasticism as monks chanted the psalms as daily prayer not only for personal guidance but also for spiritual warfare against demons. The ancient Israelites who were the original authors of the Psalter wrote from their experiences. Many biblical scholars and members of African indigenous churches in Nigeria, see the Psalter as divine and potent words. Psalm 121 can be used to invoke help and protection on those who desire them in the same way as words of incantation (ogede) are used among the Yoruba ethnic group of Nigeria. It is hoped that the Psalms and the entire Bible will be properly contextualized to address the challenges that Africans are currently facing.

Kajian Biblika Realita Peperangan Rohani Menurut Efesus 6:12

Abstrak Pada era modernisasi saat ini bannyak orang yang menganut paham rasionalisme sehingga banyak orang mengkesampingkan hal-hal yang bersifat rohani oleh sebab itu jurnal ini menguraikan akan realita peperangan rohani menurut efesus 6:12 agar para gerejaNya menyadari bahwa peperangan rohani itu bukanlah dongeng tapi bagian dari kehidupan kristen yang mesti dilakukan supaya tidak terjebak dalam tipu muslihat iblis dan mengalami kehidupan yang berkemenangan di dalam Tuhan Yesus. Metode yang digunakan dengan deskriptif kualitatif, pendekatannya melalui kajian biblika yaitu eksegesis (mengerti makna teks) dan analisa teks alkitab sesuai konteks yang ada. Kata Kunci: Realita, Peperangan, Rohani, Efesus 6:12. AbstractIn the current era of modernization, many people adhere to rationalism, so many people put aside spiritual things, therefore this journal describes the reality of spiritual warfare according to Ephesians 6:12 so that His churches realize that spiritual warfare is not a fairy tale but a part of life. Christians must do so they don't fall into the tricks of the devil and experience a victorious life in the Lord Jesus. The method used is descriptive qualitative, the approach is through biblical studies, namely exegesis (understanding the meaning of the text) and analysis of biblical texts according to the existing context. Keywords: Reality, War, Spiritual, Ephesians 6:12.

Mission and Principalities and Powers Reconsidered

This article examines the implications for public witness of the Pauline notion of principalities and powers with reference to Bosch, Newbigin, Bevans and Schroeder, Acolatse, Wink, Barth, and Moltmann. It critiques popular contemporary ideas of “spiritual warfare” in light of the relevant Pauline texts and theological arguments. It examines the theological idea that the source of evil lies in godlessness and how this idea illuminates the concept of principalities and powers for contemporary Christian practice. It argues that it is the mission of the church to publicly bear witness and to evangelize the principalities and powers in both personal and systemic forms while maintaining a humble but firm trust in the liberating work of Christ.

Turning to the Dark Side

Chapter 3 deals with the dark side of Spiritual Warfare by examining the noncanonical popular saints and witches whose supernatural powers some Mexicans seek out for illegal activities or for the kinds of transactions that they believe fall on the other side of the Manichaean divide between good and evil—a repost to contemporary challenges that both draws from and innovates from traditional popular religiosity. It is only natural that we include both here, since they regularly meet on the battlefield of spiritual contestation, as Pentecostal practices such as Spiritual Warfare resignify social problems, conflict, and often “traditional” cultural as literally demonic in origin.