Koers (E-Journal)
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Kenosis and the nature of the Persons in the Trinity
Get PDFPhilippians 2:7 describes the kenosis of Christ, that is Christ’s free choice to limit himself for the sake of human salvation. Although the idea of Christ’s kenosis as an explanation of the incarnation has generated considerable controversy and has largely been rejected in its original form, it is clear that in this process Christ did humble himself. This view is consistent with some contemporary perspectives on God’s self-limitation; in particular as this view provides a justification for human freedom of choice. As kenosis implies a freely chosen action of God, and not an inherent and temporary limitation, kenosis is consistent with an affirmation of God’s sovereignty. This view is particularly true if Christ’s kenosis is seen as a limitation of action and not of his attributes. Such an idea does not present problems concerning the doctrine of the Trinity, specifically regarding the relation between the economic and the immanent nature of the Trinity. The Trinitarian doctrine, on the contrary, indeed complements this idea – specifically the concept of perichoresis (the interrelatedness among the Persons of the Triniy and the relation between the two natures of Christ)
How \u27postmodern\u27 is \u27postmodernism\u27?
Get PDFThis article sets out to question the claim that “postmodernism” is merely a development of the second half of the 20th century. What is unique about contemporary postmodernism is the way in which it has combined intellectual developments that emerged during the past five hundred years in a special manner. Therefore the supposed relatively recent origin of postmodernity it is not only misleading but also historically unsound. This is shown by going back to the pre- Enlightenment roots of both “modernity” and “postmodernity” – and it is done by accounting for the emergence and historical sources of modern irrationalism, historicism and the so-called “linguistic turn”
’n Beknopte regshistoriese oorsig van die vereistes vir die totstandkoming van ’n regsgeldige huwelik
Get PDFA concise legal-historical overview of the requirements for establishing a legally valid marriage Within the Reformational tradition it is commonly accepted that marriage does not only have a typical and unique character, but that it also reflects the relationship between Christ and his church. This article focuses on the legal requirements for the solemnisation of a marriage in contemporary South African law against the legalhistorical background to the issue. In view of the fact that the formalities for solemnisation are aimed at legal certainty and the prevention of clandestine marriages, the conclusion is reached that the church may prescribe requirements for the establishment of a marriage within the parameters of its own dogma and for its own internal purposes. It is argued that the church should apply this perspective regarding members of a congregation who are involved in a long-standing relationship, but for reasons of their own, prefer not to enter into a legally recognised marriage
A cosmopolitan politics of loyalty
Get PDFWhile focusing on the thought of Charles Taylor the question whether the politics of loyalty can be part of a transcendental structure for society is discussed in this article. Classical patriotism, for instance, involves loyalty to public institutions and laws to enhance self-rule. In the twentieth century, however, classical patriotism became fused with nationalism (i.e. loyalty to culture), resulting in many instances in human suffering. Part of the explanation for this derailment is to be found in the Taylorian concept of the hypertrophy of autonomous freedom. The argument developed in this article links up with trends in liberalism and Taylor’s own reasoning that hypertrophy can be curbed within a transcendental structure for society (i.e. a cosmopolitan politics of loyalty). However, in the liberalist trends (and also in Taylor’s thought) tension exists between such a structure and the perception that loyalty politics is a mere particularism. As alternative I propose engagement between the cosmopolitan perspective and the various loyalties, with the latter a transcendental principle that needs to be applied in collaboration with other principles
Clusters, roots and hierarchies of metaphors in Scripture and the quest for Christian scholarship
Get PDFThis article explores how the confessional thrust of Scriptural and root metaphors relates to the Christian scholar’s quest and how choices for hermeneutical keys to Scripture relate to metaphorical keys chosen as means of access to reality. With respect to Biblical interpretation it is argued that the text of Scripture itself provides the theologian or reader with leads concerning the kind of metaphorical access that functions as its hermeneutical key. I argue that there are clusters or hierarchies of metaphors, central and root metaphors, that regulate the interpretation of Scriptural texts and that a redemptive historical reading of Scripture as a confessional text guides the meaning of such clusters and hierarchies of metaphors. I argue that root metaphors in Scripture set the certitudinal parameters for the metaphors chosen and utilised in the disciplines. Regarding reality I argue that the recognition of the multidimensionality of reality and the plurivocity of meaning and signification on which we rely in both literal and metaphorical language use and reference assumes the existence of non-linguistic and preconceptual bases that guide the recognition of similarities, differences and analogies in reality. They in turn are pointers to a design plan for reality which one could call a God-given order of creation. Metaphorical meaning appeals to and presupposes such an ordered and categorised world to which language and texts refer and which provides limits and boundaries to the multiplicity of deferrals of meaning that intertextual relationships seem to imply. In disciplines concerned metaphorical models play a hermeneutical role in the understanding and interpretation of reality. In these metaphorical models, control beliefs steer, guide and condition the access of the discipline to reality. For Christian scholars the ultimate presuppositions embedded in control beliefs need to comport with the thrust of Scripture and its root metaphors. Scholars are at work in God’s creation and their metaphorical approximations of the structures of this creation are guided by the contours of created reality. These approximations in turn are influenced and constrained by what they attribute ultimacy to in the process of attempting to understand this reality. Stable God-given order provides the conditions and parameters for the common differentiation of contexts within which the interpretation of God’s Word in creation is to take place
\u27Eat it again for the first time\u27: Identity in a world of change
Get PDFOur everyday experience is well acquainted with the reality of constancy (identity) and change. Persistence over time – continuity – is normally accompanied by an awareness of change – discontinuity. Although the temptation is immediately to enter into logicalmathematical problems, this article wants to highlight first of all the underlying ontological issues and distinctions required to gain a better understanding of the familiar term “identity”. In order to achieve this goal the idea of identity is related to the nature of an entity and its properties. Plato’s account of identity and change paved the way for an enduring philosophical wrestling with this problem. A static logic of identity may rule out change (Von Kibèd), but on the basis of Galileo and Einstein the original insight of Plato, namely that change can only be established on the basis of constancy, acquires a new natural scientific meaning. Acknowledging the more-than-functional and multifunctional nature of the identity of an entity helps to avoid any attempt that wants to explain the nature of entities exhaustively in terms of one aspect only. It also supports the distinction between conceptual knowledge and concept-transcending knowledge. In the final analysis the human awareness of the identity of entities amidst change explores the foundational interconnectedness between the kinematic and the physical aspects in the context of concept-transcending knowledge
Learner discipline: An Australian perspective
Get PDFAustralian schools by and large are safe schools. Nonetheless discipline problems do exist – including bullying behaviour. For this kind of problem schools should have management policies in place. As traditional behaviour-management practices – including corporal punishment – are largely prohibited in Australian schools, contemporary practices centre on management through supportive school programmes, including appropriate curricula and school-support structures. This article supports the belief that measures such as the exclusion of misbehaving learners should be treated with caution. Measures such as this might not reflect accepted international principles and practices and should only be exercised in the most extreme circumstances. The article also supports the view that it is part of the school’s role to ensure that all learners are aware of the reality that while they have rights, they also have corresponding responsibilities. This awareness is more likely to be achieved in a supportive school culture where each learner is recognised as having unique qualities that can mature and grow in an appropriate learning environment
