A study of contemporary concepts of Jesus' human knowledge

The question of the knowledge of Jesus is one of the most vividly debated issues in Christology today. The dynamics of this debate is caused by the lack of dogmatic declarations, the modern discoveries of human sciences and critical approach to the concept of omniscience resulting from the beatific vision (visio beatifica) of Jesus, which for many centuries was adopted almost on a par with dogma. The article compares contemporary theories of Jesus' knowledge cross-sectional, points to theologians' mutual inspirations, and analyses the strengths and weaknesses of the most important concepts. The primary role in the article is played by the historical-critical method, which makes it possible to show and analyse the changes in the ideas of Jesus' knowledge, which gradually abandoned the attribution of omniscience to Him. The theologians of the Reformed Churches, who were the first to recognise the paradoxes of Christ's omniscience as part of kenotic considerations, had a particular share in these developments. They wondered why, if the Incarnate God renounces His divine attributes, He would not also relinquish omniscience. Their reflections and the progressive development of the human sciences were an inspiration for many Catholic theologians, who in the 20th century also gradually began to notice the limitations of Thomas Aquinas' theory ascribing omniscience to Jesus. They have developed new ideas drawing on recent anthropology, philosophy, psychology and the human sciences. The most interesting of the theories are the hypotheses based on the mystical experiences of Jesus, which, without undermining the dogmas of His fully human nature, try to explain how He was able to contact the Father and gain knowledge of His mission. The development of new theories of Christ's knowledge by Catholic theologians, on the one hand, made it possible to approximate positions on this issue with the theologians of the Reformed Churches. On the other hand, it paradoxically opens up prospects for dialogue with some defenders of the visio beatifica concept, who allow its reinterpretation through the category of mystical experience.

Az úrvacsorával való élés vörös fonala az ószövetségi páskától a mai gyakorlatig

Guidelines to the Eucharistic Practice from the Passover until Nowadays. The current writing is a summarizing paper on the second sacrament of the Reformed Church, which, according to our faith, was appointed by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper. This can be even seen in the Old Testament during the events of the Exodus, namely the Passover/Pesach, which is the predecessor of the Christian communion. After a short historical overview, I outline the various beliefs about this sacrament in different denominations, namely in the Roman Catholic, Lutheran, and the Reformed Churches. After introducing these ideas, I will approach this sacrament from a practical side, which is the liturgical perception. In this part, I introduce the liturgical viewpoints of some reformers as Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli and additionally I name those practices that should be kept in nowadays’ practice of faith. In the last chapter, I explain the eschatological meaning of communion, which is a predecessor of the Messianic Feast. Keywords: Eucharist, communion, Last Supper, sacrament, ecumenical dialogue

In the Pursuit of Degrowth. Reformed Churches’ Theological Critique of Capitalism

The article discusses the theological criticism of capitalism on the part of the Reformed Churches. The four main themes of criticism are: 1) immoderate accumulation of goods and capital and the commodification of man; 2) leading Third World countries to unpayable debt; 3) plundering of natural goods and environmental damage; 4) the trap of unrestrained growth. The idea of "degrowth" is proposed as an effective way out of these threats. This idea consists of moderation in the production of goods adapted in volume to real needs, respect for the environment by implementing the principles of sustainable development, and finally adopting the attitude of self-restraint as a necessary form of asceticism. "Degrowth" is therefore an idea that also brings together the ways to overcome the "economy of greed" and introduce the "economy of life".

Verspreiding van persoonlikheidstipes by predikante in die gereformeerde Kerke van Suid-Afrika – om risikogroepe vir diensverlating te identifiseer

Distribution of personality types among ministers in the Reformed Churches of South Africa – to identify groups at risk for leaving service. With the use of a personality assessment based on the Hippocratic personality module, the researcher established that there is a significant distribution of personality types among pastors in the Reformed Churches in South Africa (RCSA). The main focus was to establish whether high-risk groups groups, which may be predisposed to leave the ministry prematurely, exist. This study revealed significant results in a group of pastors posing as possibly at risk for leaving the ministry, as well as a group of pastors that will function optimally within the RCSA. To establish this risk factor, the concept of ‘goodness of fit’ was used. In this way, the information gathered was used to develop a norm group, making it possible to effectively compare the individual pastor’s personality within the larger scope of pastors in the RCSA. With the use of this norm group, the researcher was able to make conclusions that are specifically applicable to the pastors in the RCSA. It was established that the Phlegmatic personality type has the largest representation among ministers in the RCSA. This is significant due to the fact that ministers with this personality type are largely drawn to the ministry in the RCSA. On the other side of the spectrum, the Sanguine and Melancholic personality types have the lowest representations. This may represent a possible higher risk group for leaving the ministry.Contribution: The research presented in this artcle, therefore, focused on the degree to which some pastors in the RCSA’s personal tendencies influence their ministerial work and the likelihood of leaving the ministry.

Leadership functions and church decline in the Reformed Churches in South Africa: Considering Ephesians 4:11–16

Multiple studies from Ephesians 4:11–16 have been carried out that focused mostly on aspects of the believers’ priesthood. This article highlights the significance of adhering to the biblical instructions of God as a means to attain church growth. The church was instituted by God and as such he directs the process of church growth. Nevertheless, the ongoing membership decline in the World Protestant Churches globally and the Reformed Churches in South Africa (RCSA) locally is an indicator that the church is failing to meet the will and purpose of God with the church. In the World Protestant Churches and the RCSA, the decline trends are basically the same, and the loopholes are pointing at church leadership. This article seeks to describe the leadership failure to uphold the blueprint of church health according to Ephesians 4:11–16. These are the keys to real church revitalisation and growth. The exegesis of the problem verse (Eph 4:11) was carried out to indicate the various leadership gifts that are necessary for church growth to occur. The Bible and related literature are the sources of data. This article identifies how an omission of the gift-oriented tasks in a congregation leads to church decline.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: Within the context of the continued church decline within Western Christianity (Christendom), this article reflects on the historical, mostly ‘Practical theological’ focus on church growth by exegeting the source texts from a ‘missiological perspective’. This study is also very conscious of modernity’s onslaught on the evangelical church through the therapeutic and managerial revolutions, which functions with an attitude of anti-clericalism when focusing on church growth.

The Scientific Calling of the Church: Herman Bavinck's Exhortation for the Churches in Mainland China

Herman Bavinck (1854–1921) describes the twofold scientific calling of the Church. First, the Church needs to read the historic Reformed confessions contextually and distill the Reformed principles to meet its contemporary needs. Second, the Church should pursue a scientific ( wetenschappelijke) life, particularly in the university. Bavinck's twofold theological insight can be applied to the churches in mainland China. The first reminds Chinese Reformed churches of the necessity of composing a Sino-Reformed confession. The second insight exhorts churches to develop scientific life publicly. In this sense, the scientific calling of the church, which Bavinck envisaged more than a century before, can be fulfilled in the twenty-first-century mainland China. 1

Queer Families: Effect and Effectivity of a Reformed Theology

In light of the Protestant valorization of a liberal way of life and the related call for concretization of the individual, this study’s objectives are threefold: (1) in exposing the “queer” aspects of different family types and (2) the denominational concept of “reformation”—the latter being the more sensational of the two—(3) the homology of these two discoveries should be discussed. Does the connection between “queer and family” and “queer and reformed” make a queer understanding of reformed family possible? Furthermore, does an ethical perspective support or oppose such a pairing? A concretion should be added to this analysis using the example of marriage equality, a topic that has also been discussed in Reformed churches. This article argues that problems with justice are not created by queer families or marriage equality, but rather by restrictive models of family and marriage.

Towards the social doctrine of the Orthodox Church: The document ‘For the Life of the World’ of the Ecumenical Patriarchate (2020)

Amongst the recent documents released by the Greek Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, the one titled ‘For the Life of the World’, published before the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, touches upon an important section of the life of the Orthodox Church, namely, the social one. As a result of the fact that, so far, there is no official document of the aforementioned Church dedicated to this aspect, whilst the Reformed Churches and the Catholic one have already issued similar documents, I consider the existence of such an article, with all its minuses, important. Moreover, it can constitute a bridge and an invitation to dialogue with other Christian traditions or backgrounds. Being aware of this fact, I have decided to analyse this document in this article to emphasise its influence and its elements of novelty and to speak about both its utility and its weaknesses. As a result of the fact that the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has had an important contribution to its drafting, I will also try to present this aspect and to show how the ecological vision that he has, amongst other aspects, influenced its content.Contribution: Considering the importance of the recent document ‘For the Life of the World of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople’, I will try to analyse it and to present its social relevance and meaning.

Breed se verstaan van ’n bybelse pastorale model: ’n Verkennende, beskrywende perspektief

Breed’s understanding of a biblical pastoral model: An exploratory, descriptive perspective. This article was aimed at providing a perspective on Professor Gert Breed’s theoretical contribution to pastoral studies by exploring and describing his understanding of a biblical pastoral model. Breed’s model is the product of decades of research, practical experience as a minister in the Reformed Churches in South Africa and over a decade of theoretical knowledge and experience in training and tertiary academic education. Breed’s model currently forms the foundation of and framework for Reformed Churches in South Africa (RCSA) (Gereformeerde Kerke in Suid-Afrika [GKSA]) candidate students’ training in pastoral studies at the Theological School in Potchefstroom, as well as for equipping other prospective practitioners for pastoral ministry. Although Breed has been using this model with great success in his own ministry, as well as in tertiary training, a comprehensive perspective on his model had not yet been published.Contribution: The aim of this article was therefore to provide an explorative and descriptive perspective on the content of Breed’s understanding of a biblical pastoral model.