Slavery, Redemption, and Manumission as Structural Metaphors in Augustine’s Theology

Across his corpus, Augustine strikingly and recurrently deploys the three cognate metaphors of slavery to sin, redemption from sin, and slavery to God. I argue that Augustine’s use of these theological metaphors is thoroughly contoured by the legal and social strictures governing slavery and freedom in the later Roman empire. To develop this argument, I pay close attention to the economic and legal connotations of some key terms in Augustine’s lexicon of salvation—like manumissio, redemptio, and libertas—and seek to tease out the social, legal, and economic logic they encapsulate. As I show, the concept of dominium underwrites Augustine’s description of the prelapsarian ordo naturalis as a chain of hierarchical relationships: between God and man, soul and body, male and female. The notion that human beings are enslaved to sin, subject to the condicio servitutis from birth, evokes the situation of laboring tenants (coloni) bound to the land through their origo. Moreover, the bishop of Hippo’s descriptions of captivity to the devil and liberation through the interpellation (interpellatio) of God the Redeemer are informed by the contemporary reality of barbarian captivity and liberales causae, so richly described in Augustine’s Letter 10*. Finally, Augustine’s characterization of Christian service in terms of a state of simultaneous freedom and servitude implicitly draws upon the legal norms governing the relationship of freed captives to their redeemers, as well as the obligations of obsequium and gratia which freedmen owed to their former masters.

Wizjonerstwo historyczne w tekstach pisarzy innowierczych

This article reviews the creation and the roots of two historical legends about the trip of Ivan Smera to Alexandria and the privilege of Alexander Macedon to Slavs. The methodology of current research is based on the comparison of historical narratives. Two versions of the legend about the trip to the Orient were composed on the ground of old Kyivan chronicle which narrates the story about the choice of religion by Kyivan prince Volodimer in the last decades of the X th century when several ambassadors were sent to study the peculiarities of Judaism, Islam, Latin and Byzantine Christianity. During the second half of the XVI century, a new version of this tale was composed by Calvinists in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. It narrates the visit of a certain person (Jolash or Ivan Smera) who arrived at Alexandria in North Africa to investigate the customs of the local Christian community. Ivan Smera found that the customs and the rite of the local community reflect the ideals of simple Christian service, without icons and church decoration. The rite of this religious community responds to the customs and the service of Calvinism. Smera has reported about the customs of Alexandria’s Christians to Volodimer but the Kyivan price ignored the ambassador’s notes and accepted Christianity in the byzantine rite. The other legend, which circulated in East and Central Europe during the Renaissance, narrates about the privilege of Alexander Macedon that was inscribed by golden letters on the tables in Alexandria. This imagined document relates that Slavic tribes arrived from the lands of Illyria and Dalmatia under the rulership of chieftains Lech, Roxolan, and Czech. It seems that both legends are rooted in Alexandria because Arianism prevailed in this city during late antiquity and Calvinism leaders supposed to establish good relations with orthodox patriarchs of this city in the second half of the XVI century. Religious life in ancient Alexandria was treated by the authors of the legend about the trip to North Africa as an example of perfect Christianity.

Daud Meloncat-loncat dan Menari-nari: Aspek Teologis Bahasa Tubuh dalam Ibadah Kristiani

The use of expressive body languages, such as jumping and dancing, is often underestimated in Christian worship. Its existence is often labeled with the Charismatic church. This paper will discuss the use of dance and other expressive gestures in Christian worship based on the story of David jumping and dancing (2 Sam 6: 14-16). The method used in this paper is the study of literature. This study will analyze David's dance in the Old Testament and the essential meaning of Christian service. It may be concluded that David who jumped and danced could be used as a theological basis for body language in Christian Worship, as long as these expressive body languages are used responsibly with the faithful essential meaning of worship.AbstrakPenggunaan bahasa tubuh ekspresif, seperti meloncat-loncat dan menari-nari sering dipandang sebelah mata dalam ibadah Kristiani. Keberadaannya sering dilabelkan dengan gereja karismatik. Makalah ini akan membahas penggunaan tarian dan bahasa tubuh ekspresif lain dalam ibadah Kristiani berdasarkan kisah Daud yang meloncat-loncat dan menari-nari (2Sam 6:14-16). Metode yang digunakan adalah kajian literatur yang menganalisa tarian Daud dalam Perjanjian Lama dan esensi ibadah Kristiani. Berdasarkan studi literatur tersebut, dapat disimpulkan bahwa Daud yang meloncat-loncat dan menari-nari dapat digunakan sebagai dasar teologis bahasa tubuh di dalam ibadah Kristiani, dengan catatan bahwa hal ini dilakukan dengan penuh tanggung jawab dan memiliki esensi ibadah yang benar.

Makna Sosio-Teologis Melayani Menurut Roma 12:7

Christianity is inseparable from ministry either in a holistic mission or a church ministry. As one of the gifts given by God in believers who must be actualized to God and others through a special gift, namely the gift of serving. Using descriptive qualitative method, the writer analyzes and examines the meaning of the gift of service which is expected to increase understanding and can have an impact on God's servants. which the purpose of writing is to bring believers more active in serving through the gift of serving. By understanding Christian service in Romans 12: 7, it can be concluded that the gift of serving is a must for believers given to him by God. For that the servant is expected to be able and careful in understanding the theological review in Romans 12: 7, so that the servant realizes that the service entrusted is an honor given by God and is done with sincerity as the dedication of a believer who receives gifts based on the example of Jesus. Then interpret service in socio-theology, which makes the meaning of serving which must be actualized to God and others as part of being a blessing for the world. Kekristenan tidak lepas dari pelayanan baik secara misi holistik maupun pelayanan gereja. Sebagai salah satu dalam karunia yang diberikan oleh Tuhan dalam kepada orang percaya yang harus diaktualisasikan kepada Tuhan dan sesama lewat karunia khusus yaitu karunia melayani. Menggunakan metode kulaitatif deskriptif, penulis menganalisis dan mengkaji makna karunia melayani yang diharapkan dapat meningkatkan pemahaman dan dapat membawa dampak bagi para pelayan Tuhan. yang mana tujuan dalam penulisan ini untuk membawa orang percaya semakin giat dalam melayani lewat karunia melayani. Dengan memahami melayani menurut Kristen dalamRoma 12: 7, dapat disimpulkan bahwa Karunia melayani adalah sebuah keharusan bagi orang percaya yang kepadanya diberikan oleh Tuhan. Untuk itu pelayan diharapakan mampu dan cermat dalam memahami tinjauan teologis dalam Roma 12: 7, sehingga pelayan menyadari bahwa pelayanan yang dipercayakan adalah kehormatan yang diberikan Tuhan dan dikerjakan dengan kesungguhan sebagai dedikasi orang percaya yang menerima karunia yang didasari dari keteladanan Yesus. Lalu memaknai pelayanan dalam sosio-teologi, yang menjadikan makna melayani yang harus diaktualisasikan.

The Balance Between Corporate Identity And Corporate Image And Its Impact On Marketing Of Universities In Ghana

Universities are adopting different strategies to attract students, enhance satisfaction level and loyalty as well as branding in a competitive market. Although university corporate identity and image is becoming an increasingly important issue in the marketing of universities in Ghana, there is sometimes a mismatch between the university corporate identity and image which can lead to poor marketing performance. This has therefore necessitated this study which is, evaluating the balance between corporate identity and corporate image and its impact on marketing performance of universities in Ghana using Christian Service University College as the case study. The study was descriptive. Population was past and current students of the university. Five hundred and seventy five (575) persons were sampled using convenience sampling method. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze data. Findings revealed a balance between CSUC corporate identity and corporate image, as it has positively impacted on the university’s marketing performance in these challenging times for private universities in Ghana. This was based on the evidence that, majority of the responses attested to the fact that the university practiced its Christian values inbuilt in its brand , also the university does what it says it stands for. Respondents were happy with lecturers and the university graduates’ performances on the field. The study recommended that Universities must create a perfect fit between their corporate identity and corporate image since they impact on their marketing performance, and also all staff must be made to understand the relationship between the institution's corporate identity and corporate image and its impact on marketing performance of the institution.

I Second That Emotion: Modelling the Anxious Experiences of Thirteenth-Century Episcopal Office

The episcopacy in the High Middle Ages (c.1100–1300) can be understood through the idea of a shared emotional language, as seen in two treatises written to advise new bishops. In them, episcopal office was largely defined by the emotions it provoked: it was a cause for sorrow, a burden akin to back-breaking agricultural service. The ideas most associated with episcopal office were anxiety, labour and endurance. Ideas about Christian service as painful labour became particularly important in the twelfth century, alongside the development of the institutional authority of the Church. As episcopal power began to look more threatening and less humble, this emotional register provided one means of distinguishing episcopal power from secular lordly power: both were authorities, but bishops were distinguished by sorrowing over office and ‘enduring’, not enjoying it.

KEBANGKITAN STUDI TEOLOGI PATRISTIK: Doktrin Trinitas (Perikhoresis)

Teologi Patristik atau teologi bapa-bapa gereja muncul di masa-masa awal dalam sejarah perkembangan gereja. Namun demikian pemikiran teologi Patristik masih terus relevan berhadapan dengan persoalan-persoalan kehidupan sekarang ini. Teologi Patristik merupakan warisan berharga teologi Kristen yang tidak pernah membeku dan menjadi fosil di masa lalu, sebaliknya teologi Patristik mengalami kebangkitan dalam topik-topik kajiannya dan mempunyai daya dorong yang kuat untuk mendasari praksis transformasional pelayanan Kristen di masa sekarang ini. Kebangkitan studi teologi Patristik menunjukkan bahwa teologi Patristik memiliki ruang yang luas untuk diaplikasikan dalam berbagai isu kehidupan. Teologi Patristik setia terhadap kerygma rasul-rasul dan tujuannya agar kehidupan orang percaya memuliakan Allah dan berjuang melakukan praksis transformasional pelayanan Kristen. Doktrin Trinitas (perikhoresis), yang telah diformulasikan dalam teologi Patristik, merupakan salah satu doktrin yang begitu luas didiskusikan dan dikembangkan dalam wacana berteologi sekarang ini. Abstract: Patristic theology or theology of the Church Fathers emerged in the early days in the history of the development of the Church. However, the thought of Patristic theology continues to be relevant in dealing with the problems of life today. Patristic theology is a valuable legacy of Christian theology that has never been frozen and fossilized in the past, instead Patristic theology experienced a revival in its study topics and has a strong impetus to underpin the transformational praxis of Christian service in the present. The revival of the study of Patristic theology shows that Patristic theology has ample scope to be applied in various issues of life. Patristic theology is faithful to the apostolic faith and its purpose so that the lives of believers glorify God and strive to carry out transformational praxis of Christian service. The doctrine of the Trinity (perikhoresis), which has been formulated in Patristic theology, is one of the doctrines that is so widely discussed and developed in current theological discourse.

Deus ex Machina

Churches have a long tradition using technology to grow their audience and to connect worshippers. Technologies used in Christian service are not even perceived as such: consider architecture, the organ, and light. Yet, faith-based organizations have always been critical of new technologies. The authors used design science research methodologies to develop an artifact of the Eucharist of a Catholic service. “Instant Church” is an interactive machine that guides visitors through the service and creates an individualized wafer with a laser-engraved QR-code that points to a random Tweet with a hate message that invites a moment of thought. Over 700 visitors saw that exhibit. A qualitative evaluation showed a high positive acceptance by users under40 while older visitors had a negative perspective. The artifact proved to be a highly suitable tool to invite a critical discourse and at the same time serves as a learning tool about the service. Interactive intelligent solutions reach the generation of digital natives and enable the discourse on the relationship between technology and faith.