Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Bible, 1 John'

This is a textual study of seventeen Family 1 manuscripts in the Gospel of John: Gregory-Aland 1, 22, 118, 131, 205abs, 205, 209, 565, 872, 884, 1192, 1210, 1278, 1582, 2193, 2372, and 2713. Part 1 contains an analysis of a full collation of these manuscripts in John and concludes with a family stemma that expresses the relationships between the manuscripts and how they connect to the non-extant Family 1 archetype. Part 2 contains a reconstructed Family 1 text with critical apparatus for John. The results of this thesis confirm that 1 and 1582 are leading Family 1 manuscripts in John, but demonstrate that a new subgroup exists, represented by 565, 884 and 2193, that rivals the textual witness of 1 and 1582. This subgroup descends from the Family 1 archetype through a different intermediate ancestor to that shared by 1 and 1582. The discovery of this subgroup has broadened the textual contours of Family 1, leading to many new readings, both text and marginal, that should be considered Family 1 readings. The reconstructed text is based on the witness of this wider textual group and is offered as a replacement to Kirsopp Lake’s 1902 text of John.

This thesis claims that the rhetorical design of John's Gospel encourages an 'ideal' reader to construct a particular characterisation of the Jews in light of the OT citations in John 1:19-12:15. This claim builds upon the work of earlier scholars who noted that the OT citations in 1:19-12:15 were prefaced by a distinct 'formula' (...) which indicated a correlative rhetorical function of those citations - namely, that the content of the citations witnessed to Jesus in his public ministry before the Jews. In most of the OT citations found in 1:19-12:15, the Jews constitute the direct narrative audience (1:23; 6:31, 45; 10:34), or they are otherwise present in the scene (e.g. 2:17; 7:37-39; 12:15). The OT citations in John 1:19-12:15 aim to bring the Jews to faith in Jesus, and also the ideal reader of the narrative. The contention of this thesis is that, ironically, the Jews do not come to faith through the citations, but rather, become increasingly obdurate towards Jesus. The ideal reader succeeds in coming to faith in Jesus through a process of 'othering' the Jews by constructing them as negative characters in the context of the OT citations. It is argued that in the task of character construction, the reader relies upon direct and indirect means of character definition, as articulated in the narratological theory of Ewen/Rimmon-Kenan. It is shown that while direct means of character definition are relatively sparse in the pericopae under analysis, there is much indirect character presentation for the reader to construct a portrait of the Jews. This includes the response of the Jews to the content of the OT citations, indicated by their speech and actions.;However, the Jews are not only characterised by their response, but also by another aspect of what I have categorised as 'indirect presentation', namely, the ways in which the broader, allusive contexts of the OT citations function to characterise the Jews 'intertextually' particularly by signifying the OT 'glory' motif. This thesis therefore utilises aspects of intertextuality theory to argue that the reader interprets the Jews in view of the Gospel's 'retelling' of the biblical story. The function of the OT citations in John 1:19-12:15 and the presentation of the Jews within this context are primarily rhetorical and ideological, rather than being motivated only by historical contingencies or by Christological reflection.

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the meaning and function of an apparently paradoxical statement encountered in the first letter of John. The method chosen for this investigation is an exegetical study of two passages namely 1Jn 1:6-10 and 3:6-10, which are supposed to be in juxtaposition. The argument, reduced to its bare minimum, will move as follows. Firstly, the first chapter sets the context for this study by addressing the issue of sin and its parameters in contemporary Jewish literature. Jewish writers of the time were much occupied with such themes as sin, sinfulness and sinlessness, need of cleansing, forgiveness, the reward of the righteous and punishment of the wicked. The Jewish world of thought of the time provides us with the ideological framework in which John is to be better understood. We are to witness the coexistence of apparently contradictory modes of thought concerning eschatology and by extension anthropology; for instance, statements supporting the exercise of free will on man's part and God's predestination or references to the idea of demonic powers being accountable for sin and man's own responsibility for sin, 'like those of a railway, run side by side, crisscross, or overlap in various ways', even in the same piece of work. Bearing in mind the result of the study of this background, chapter two undertakes an examination of the history of the community whose products the Fourth Gospel and the Epistles were. According to our findings, the Johannine community never became a sect alienated from the rest of Christianity, in spite of the presence of sectarian traits such as perfectionist ideas and ethical rigorism, the exaggeration of which led finally to an inner schism. Next, chapter three investigates the identity of those in combat to 1John, the so-called opponents of John, concluding that having being former members of the Johannine community, they misinterpreted the Johannine tradition conveyed by the Fourth Gospel, drawing radical conclusions about their sinlessness/perfection from its realised eschatology.

This submission for a PhD by Published Work contains a selection of my published work from the period 2002-2012. The submission demonstrates my contribution in the field of practical theology to the quest to find a critical space in the dialectic between tradition and experience. The motor of my work has been the varied character of my context, and the discovery within that context of critical spaces to reflect upon its diversity. The publications are divided into three groups. The first outlines and explores the features of this foundational dialectic, with particular emphases on feminist theology and on the Bible. The second discusses and disseminates my pioneering work in developing the Professional Doctorate in Practical Theology, through a pedagogy in which this dialectic is illuminated. The work on the Professional Doctorate programme, which began in 2003 with the first student intake in 2006, constitutes the professional and practical context in which the majority of the publications submitted have been written. The third group of publications identifies the contribution which my research on John Ruskin’s interpretation of the Bible makes to our understanding of Ruskin and to the discipline of practical theology. The work on Ruskin includes the discovery and discussion of unpublished lectionary annotations and diary material, and analysis of these, both in order to demonstrate the ongoing significance of the Bible to Ruskin, and to understand and categorise Ruskin's biblical interpretation. Ruskin offers an analogue to the contemporary dialectic between experience and text/tradition/Bible. Through this exploration an innovative argument is made for the use of an historical figure in the work of practical theology. Conceptualising the pedagogical philosophy and practice of the Professional Doctorate is inextricably entwined with the research on Ruskin, and together they have given shape and form to the finding of a critical space.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
Este trabalho pretende ser um estudo sobre a mulher na comunidade do discípulo amado e sua dinâmica evangelizadora, a partir de João 4,1-43, tendo em conta os aspectos sociais, políticas económicas e religiosas. O primeiro capítulo procura trazer à tona a situação da mulher dentro do contexto do Mediterrâneo entre os anos 63 a. C. e 135 d. C. É o período de muitas transformações em todos os aspectos da vida humana. A importância desse período é que a mulher que o trabalho prende reflectir situa-se nesse período histórico e nesse contexto geográfico. No segundo capítulo, trato do quarto evangelho como produto da comunidade do discípulo amado. Nesse capítulo, procuro resgatar a história e a trajetória da comunidade, seus conflitos, suas lutas e suas conquistas. Nessa história, tento sublinhar a participação da mulher no movimento de Jesus e no movimento cristão missionário. O terceiro capítulo faz uma reflexão sobre o que se diz a respeito das mulheres que aparecem no quarto evangelho. Constata-se que o evangelho dá relevância a acção das mulheres. No quarto capítulo, faz-se um estudo hermenêutico teológico do texto de Jo 4,1-43 e não um estudo exegético. Dá-se ênfase ao encontro entre Jesus e a samaritana e as consequências do mesmo.
The following work is a study of The Woman in the Community of the Beloved Disciple and her Dynamic Evangelizing Role from John 4, 1-43, taking into account the relevant cultural, socio-political, and religious issues of the times. The first chapter attempts to highlight the conditions of women in the context of the Mediterranean between 63 B.C. and 135 A.D. This was a period of great changes in every respect of human life. The relevance of this period is the fact that the woman on which this work focuses is situated in that historical period and that geographic area. In the second chapter, I deal with the fourth Gospel as a product of the community of the beloved disciple. Here, I attempt to uncover the history and the community trajectory, its conflicts, its struggles, and its victories. Within this context, I try to highlight the woman's participation in the Jesus' movement as well as the Christian missionary movement. The third chapter is a reflection of what is said about the women who appear in the fourth Gospel. It is obvious that the Gospel gives relevance to the role of women. The fourth chapter focuses on the hermeneutic theological study of John 4, 1-43 but it is not an exegetic study. Here, the emphasis is on the encounter between Jesus and the samaritan and its consequences. This text contains female hermeneutic liberation and poses questions about women and their socio-political, economic, and religious role in our times.

This study explores the relationship between Christianity and autochthonous (indigenous, pre-Christian) worldviews and practices amongst the Aandonga of Owamboland, Northern Namibia. Using participant contributions from a series of Contextual Bible Study (CBS) sessions (with groups of men, women, and children), and supplemented by ethnographic contextualisation, it challenges the oft-contended notion that Christian worldviews and practices have erased the significance of African Traditional Religion for Ndonga (or wider Owambo) communities. The enduring significance of autochthonous worldviews and practices is explored using responses to six biblical texts, each of which relates to at least one of three themes: bodies, spirits, and landscapes. The study examines feasting bodies (The Parable of the Wedding Banquet), bleeding bodies (The Haemorrhaging Woman), and possessed bodies (Legion). It considers possession spirits (Legion), natural spirits (the so-called ‘Nature Miracles’), and ancestor spirits (Resurrection appearances). Perspectives on landscapes are highlighted particularly in relation to aspects of the natural environment (the ‘Nature Miracles’) and the locations explored by an itinerant demoniac (Legion). Responses to the texts engender, inter alia, discussions of contemporary perspectives on diviner-healers (oonganga), witchcraft (uulodhi), the homestead (egumbo), burial grounds (omayendo, oompampa), spirits (iiluli, oompwidhuli), ancestors (aathithi), material agency (for example, apotropaic amulets), and the ‘traditional’ wedding (ohango). Having analysed the ways in which autochthonous worldviews informed participants’ interpretations of the particular texts considered (Matthew 22:1-14 & Luke 14:7-11; Mark 5:21-43; Luke 8:26-39; Mark 4:35-41 & 6:45-52; Luke 24), each set of interpretations is brought into conversation with professional biblical scholarship. The study therefore highlights the ways in which these grassroots, ‘contextual’ interpretations might nuance New Testament interpretations returned by the Academy, particularly by highlighting the highly contextual nature of the latter.

Thesis (MDiv (Practical Theology and Missiology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007.
The post-Apartheid South African community is still recognized by dualisms between white and black, rich and poor, public and private, men and women. In this study specific focus has been placed on John 4 which tells the story about the conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman with the aim to create a lens through which we can address and breach modern dualism. The focus of the study is the symbolic use of water in the text where it is literary-theologically broken up in order for John to use Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman, to firstly indicate and secondly expose gender, social, political and cultural boundaries in the Ancient-Near East.

By focussing on literary translation dynamics, and on how the current vernacular Bibles (specifically John 1:1-18 in Southern and Northern Sotho) encourage certain and not other understandings of the Bible (popular theology), this project attempts to achieve three related goals: (a) to reintegrate me as a Mosotho Biblical Studies student into the world and discourse of my people, (b) to bridge the gulf between the world of the Basotho believers and the academic world which has produced copious resources for the study of the Bible, and (c) to explore the implications of, or to assess the value of, the availability of the Bible in the vernacular for the Church and the academy in South Africa. The first goal is rather subjective and difficult to quantify. The second is critical in a complex plural society like South Africa. The third cannot be dealt with conclusively, perhaps the use of this project lies in pointing out various possibilities in this arena. The overarching bias (hypothesis) is that conscious critical work with the Bible in the vernacular is enriching in more ways than one.
Thesis (M.Th.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2000.

D.Litt. et Phil.
The important problem encountered was to render a representative and reliable summary account of the vast subject of the meaning of life according to the entire Old and New Testaments in such a way that a proper synthesis thereof could be given within the sphere of one introductory chapter (Chapter 2). The major method implemented in the main part of the thesis was as follows. Firstly, all the passages/verses in which the Johannine terms for life and eternal life (Greek: rdytj and Mil ait'ovtog) occur in the Gospel of John and in 1 John, were exegeted within their respective immediate and broader contexts. Secondly, the most important nuances of the meaning and experience of eternal life according to the Johannine perspective, were defined, as they became apparent from such exegesis in each particular instance. This procedure was followed by a proper synthesis of the said definitions in order to gain a representative overall picture of the principal descriptions of the two relevant aspects. Eventually the practical applications and consequences for the praxis of the Christian church and the individual believer in our contemporary society flowing from the above-mentioned findings, were spelt out in a final chapter. The enriching results flowing from the implementation of the above-mentioned methods/procedure include the profound insights gained with regard to the depth and richness of the meaning of eternal life from the perspective of the two relevant aspects thereof, as well as the implications thereof for the proper, Scriptural ways in which the abundance of this life can be experienced by all Christians. Lastly, the challenging ways in which the contemporary church and the individual Christian can demonstrate this life in our modern society for the advancement of God's spiritual kingdom on earth, also became apparent. Amongst the most important characteristics of eternal life, as well as the appropriate consequences of its actualisation in and through God's children which came to the fore, are the following. Eternal life is a spiritual category/dimension of life. It is God's own, unique life. This life will be experienced fully when Christ returns.

The motivation of my research is the massive problem of physical and sexual abuse of women and children we experience in South Africa. This is unacceptable for a society like ours where the rights of every citizen are entrenched in the constitution. Therefore, I have focused on the metaphor of the family in the Fourth Gospel, and how they are employed at micro-, meso- or macro-level. J.G. van der Watt’s book, Family of the King. Dynamics of Metaphor in the Gospel of John (2000) forms the basis of my study. He has pointed out that the metaphor of the family is the constitutive and most essential imagery in the Gospel. The story of the Samaritan woman in John 4 fits somehow into the family history of the father and the son. The questions I am concerned with are: 'How does Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman in John 4 fit into the network of imagery of the family in John's Gospel? What other imageries related to the imagery of the family, are also functioning in the story of the Samaritan woman and what significance does this encounter have in relation with the rest of the Gospel? In chapter 1 the research premise is worked out. Elements featuring in this chapter are: the problem statement, general and specific objectives, aim of the study, motivation and methodology. Literary criticism, social-scientific criticism, rhetorical criticism and theological criticism together are used into an integrated and approach to interpret this pericope. When they are used interactively, a rich and responsible approach is available for dealing with belief, action and life in the world today. In Chapter 2 the social-historical background of the Jewish and Roman family is discussed. Aspects like the meaning of family, family functions in the Jewish household and family and community solidarity were taking into consideration. The important role of cleanness and uncleanness in the Jewish family and the way they considered Samaritans as ‘menstuants from the cradle’ are underlined. Because John 4 is about the encounter between Jesus and a Samaritan woman, the origin of the Samaritans; their beliefs and traditions; and divorce in their community are important. The Samaritan education system; cleanness and uncleanness in their community and the place of a woman in the Samaritan family were also included in the discussion. At the end of this particular section the similarities and differences of the Jewish and Roman families were compared to be able to reconstruct and to obtain as much information as possible of the context of the Samaritan family. Chapter 3 contains the discussion of the meaning and function of metaphors in general and specific in the Gospel of John. In this study I have looked at the definition of a metaphor, types of metaphors and imagery in the Fourth Gospel. John emphasizes in his gospel the divinity of Jesus and his relationship with God. The author is using human relational images to portray this relationship as well as Jesus, the divine’s relationship to the world and to other people. In the words of Van den Heever: ‘The metaphors in John are all embedded in contexts made up by other metaphorical expressions: descent/ascent, living in you/you in me, partaking of Me as food, walking in the light, etcetera. It means that the connoted micro-level metaphors must be understood macro-metaphorically.’ (1992:94). This forms the basis of the discussion of the metaphor of the family in John 4. Chapter 4 is the focal point of the research and contains a detailed exegesis of John 4:1-42 in order to explain the functioning of the metaphor of the family on micro-level. The other metaphors that are linked with the metaphor of the family are also discussed, e.g. the metaphor of water and the significance of water in the Fourth Gospel as well as the metaphors of light and life. Because a family is about relationships, the family metaphors in John’s Gospel are about various relationships. It is in the first place about Jesus’ relationship with his Father, with the disciples and with the believers. In John 4 two other family relationships are portrayed: the Samaritan family and the Jewish family and they are in conflict with each other. Therefore, Jesus invites the Samaritan woman into a new family, namely the family of the Father. In this family she will have a special place and function. Other aspects of the Samaritan woman's relationships are also explored, e.g. her relationship with men, with the disciples and with men in the village. Jesus as a human being was also part of a family. The Gospel writers hesitated to say too much about it, but eventually we do know something about his family relationships. In the last chapter of my research families in South Africa are discussed. How the Fourth Gospel and particularly the story of the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman can help to build families in South Africa that respects women; a society that gives women their rightful places in that society.
Dr. S.J. Nortje-Meyer

This study is an attempt to read the Prologue of the Gospel of John using the type of Rhetorical Analysis based on Semitic logic. This Semitic approach shows the chiastic construction of the Prologue demonstrating its centre to be anthropocentric rather than theocentric. Furthermore this Semitic logic makes it possible to identify the central term (pisteu,ousin) in the Prologue and also demonstrates the strategic placing of that term. Modern and post-modern literary approaches are employed to discover what the implied reader knows about the Prologue. The rationale in all this is that the more one engages with the implied reader, the more one gets to know about the text. The construction of the implied reader takes into account the worldview prominent in the first century CE biblical world. The aspects which deal with a retrospective reading of the text make it possible to enter into the Jewish biblical and socio-cultural matrix which has generated themes touched on by the Prologue. The aspects dealing with the prospective reading of the text demonstrate how the Prologue prepares the real reader to engage with the remainder of the Gospel of John. The research in Intertextuality has made it abundantly clear that in reading the Prologue the real reader actually engages with a multiplicity of texts and circumstances to such an extent that s/he is not merely reading Jn 1:1-18 but a vast network of information and codes known to the implied reader. The interpretations produced by such an engagement are both creative and original. For example, the association of the centre piece of the Prologue with the promise God made to Abraham is no mere inferential leap – it derives from literal and thematic intertextual engagements with the two testaments which comprise the Christian Bible. Some epistemological problems have surfaced with respect to the interactionism and relational dynamics associated with the reading process and these are pointed out in the thesis. It must be noted that far from hampering the work, these epistemological issues have actually pointed out new directions for further research. In this regard the General Conclusion to the thesis is relevant. Key terms: Johannine Prologue; the Gospel of John; Exegesis/Exegetical Method; Rhetorical Analysis; Semitic thinking; Intertextuality; Reader Response Criticism; Implied reader; Real reader; Jesus Christ; Moses; Jewish culture; John the Baptist; Qumran community; o` lo,goj; Incarnation; Wisdom traditions; Exodus; Glory of God.
Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2012.

Family life plays an integral part in our society. In the South African context we live in a society where there seems to be a break down in society. This is prevalent in our schools where we see so many children come from single parent homes. The father figure is absent. It is only when we encounter a personal relationship with Christ that we discover how the family unit is stabilized. In the light of this, the whole research is based on the metaphor of the family in the Fourth Gospel, and how it is employed at micro-, meso- or macro-level in the gospel. JG van der Watt's book, Family of the king. Dynamics of metaphor in the Gospel according to John (2000) forms the basis of this research. He points out that the metaphor of the family is the most essential imagery in the gospel. The footwashing pericope in John 13:1-20 fits into the family metaphor as Jesus calls those closest to him, namely his disciples in a warm friendly environment to inform them of his impending hour and what impact it will have on them. Chapter 1 centers around the research premise. Elements featuring in this chapter are: the introduction, problem statement, aim of research, methodology and further development of the study. The significance of why Jesus washed the feet of the disciples and the setting he uses in drawing his disciples aside. Furthermore, in the light of the metaphor of the family he draws their attention to the hour at hand. Various interpretations are then employed on micro-, meso- and macro-level from a narratological point of view. In Chapter 2 the function of the family in Jewish and Graeco-Roman cultures are discussed. Aspects such as the patron-client relationship and how this filters through to the family are taken in consideration. Family responsibility and how each member of the family has a role to play in ensuring the cohesion of the family life. The hierarchy of this function and this responsibility stems from the father right down to the slaves. This is important in the footwashing pericope, because Jesus breaks with conventional norms to take the place of a slave in washing the feet of the disciples. Purposes for footwashing are discussed and why it is significant in John 13. Chapter 3 contains the discussion of the meaning and function of the metaphors in general and specific in the Gospel of John. In this chapter the following are considered: theoretical considerations of a metaphor, definitions and nature of a metaphor, types of metaphors and how they function as well as the imagery of the family metaphor. John emphasizes in this gospel the divinity of Jesus and his relationship with God. He used household entities centered around a meal to portray, not only Jesus' relationship on a personal level with his disciples, but also on a divine level or spiritual level in their identification with Christ, in him washing the feet of the disciples. Furthermore, the chapter focuses on the aspects of family members' responsibility in the household as well as the care and love the members show towards each other. Chapter 4 is the focal point of the research and contains a detailed exegesis of John 13:1-20 to explain the function of the family on macro- and meso-level. The metaphor that links with the metaphor of the family, such as the metaphor of water and the significance of water in the Fourth Gospel as well as the metaphor of bread, life and the hour, are also discussed. In the final chapter of my research the focus is on the implications the text has for our society. In the footwashing pericope, the example Jesus sets in washing his disciples feet, is one of service. By identifying with Jesus Christ on a personal level we are called upon to be in his service and to serve one another. More importantly is our acceptance of Christ as our personal Lord and Savior. We are also called upon to exercise the love of God in our hearts to those around us.
Dr. S.J. Nortjie-Meyer

According to the research, emphatic "Greek text" tells about confidence of Nicodemus in possession of trustworthy criteria, which allow him to judge what might be from God and, hence, what might not be from God. Epistemological premise of Nicodemus is the starting point for the whole conversation in Jn 3:1-21. Analysis of the Jewish literary tradition that used dualistic couples of antonyms to denote "otherness" of the divine sphere 1ms shown that ontological difference (v. 6) makes it impossible for human ("flesh") to know the divine sphere ("spirit"). This results in the fact that manifestations of the divine sphere (effect) are falsely taken by human for the divine sphere itself (cause). In other words, just verification of the divine sphere manifestation without initiative act on behalf of God does not allow human neither to correctly value this sphere, nor to enter it.
New Testament
M. Th. (New Testament)

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 254-281)
Using a text-immanent multi-dimensional methodology that combines impulses from both synchronic and diachronic reading of a text, this study focuses on understanding the spirituality embedded in ‘seeing him as he is’ in 1 John 3:2. Discourse analysis has provided the structure of the entire research by identifying the different semantic networks that enhance better understanding and dynamic interaction between text and reader.it has also helped in determining the argument and rhetoric of the Elder, assisting in constructing the bigger picture by means of semantic networks that create coherent mind maps and also relating what has been read with what is still to be read. The environs of the pericope under investigation have been used as a backdrop in order to arrive at an understanding of this envisaged eschatological phenomenon. These environs include the window provided by Judaism through the Old Testament, Hellenistic and Palestinian Judaism, extra-biblical literature, the Graeco-Roman world, mystery religions, philosophies, and the New Testament. These environs have pointed to the use of intermediaries in the visio-Dei. While ‘seeing him as he is’ in 1 John 3:2 involves both the Father and the Son, this eschatological expectation is weaved into a matrix of discourse that the Elder used to cushion the adherents in view of the pending apostasy. The adherents’ status as ‘children of God’ is the axis from which the Elder builds his entire discourse. They will experience love (1 Jn 4:16), his purity (1 Jn 3:3), his righteousness (1 Jn 2:1), his truth (1 Jn 5:20), and his glory (Jn 17:24). Although the adherents were already experiencing all these, it would be experienced completely after the Parousia, when they ‘see him as he is’. This study contributes towards a Johannine understanding of perceiving the divine, and reveals the climactic involvement of the Son in both the past and future perceptions including ‘seeing him as he is’ in 1 John 3:2. This study has identified the object of the Visio-Dei as Christ. It is He through whom believers will see the Father.
Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology
D. Phil. (Christian Spirituality)

What is the real meaning of life and death; the absence and presence of Jesus at Bethany? These fundamental biblical questions, which constitute the theological concern ofthe Lazarus story, not only tortured the Johannine Community, the Community of Eternal Life but they still challenge each believer who goes through the same experience today. Could sickness, suffering and death be a way of glory and life? The present study is concerned with these very harsh issues through a contextual exegesis of John 11:1-44 based on the Tri-Polar Exegetical model of Draper, Grenholm and Patte. Considering the disastrous consequences caused by sickness and death, divisions, distress, fear, weakness of faith, especially in the context of crisis of values in Congo-Brazzaville, this work stands as a help. The study would like to be an appeal, a challenge for each believer in order to overcome and make the reality of death part of his/her life, as well as the fear this phenomenon generates. In other words, the findings of the exegesis of the Lazarus story challenge each C-hristian in Congo-Brazzaville to a true meta-noia which allows one to give a human response of high quality to God's initiative, God's presence and action which are revealed in "the signs of the times." In this process, the Church could help believers by referring to African values as a precious treasure of African wisdom and proverbs as dynamic elements of the language capable to strengthen faith and hope, thanks to their rhetorical dimension.
Thesis (M.Th.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2002.

Chronological Bible storying generally assumes a universality of the story teller's theological perspective in selecting and shaping Bible stories interculturally. This paper argues against this approach and proposes a method of crafting contextualized Bible stories which resonate with the worldview of a receptor culture. The influence of the theological and cultural presuppositions of the story teller is reduced through the utilization of the receptor culture's worldview assumptions - those values and beliefs through which the impact of scripture is experienced. The empirical research consisted of observing the responses of Sindhi Muslim men to a reading of John 13:1-10 and then interviewing them to generate cultural expressions which revealed a relationship between their culture and the scripture passage. Analysis of the data disclosed themes which have scriptural referents and can be used as the basis for selecting and crafting Bible stories that resonate with worldview assumptions.
Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology
M. Th. (Missiology)

Using the methodological approach of Socio-rhetorical Analysis, this study focuses on understanding the phrase in 1 John 3:8, “the works of the devil,” from the standpoint of the original audience. A comprehensive investigation of this phrase contributes toward theological discourse about the Johannine understanding of the devil/evil and cosmic conflict. By juxtaposing the results of a number of temporarily bounded studies, the meaning of the phrase, “the works of the devil,” is seen in its historical, cultural, and literary context. The literary context of the phrase under investigation involves two pericopes at the center of 1 John: 3:4-10, and 3:11-18, where the author’s cosmic eschatological theology is presented in a chiastic climax. Inner texture analysis of these pericopes reveals complex rhetorical transitions that focus attention on the destruction of the works of the devil. Repetitive-progressive texture charts and discourse analysis of these pericopes uncover the key terms and relationships of these terms, contributing toward an understanding of the meaning of the phrase, “the works of the devil.” Scribal inter-texture analysis compares the use of these terms in other biblical and extra-biblical literature, including an original analysis of 1QS 4:15-25. In short, the works of the devil, according to 1 John and the Gospel of John, supplemented by historical evidence of ancient culture and writings, would have been seen by early Johannine believers as equated with that which leads to death. Examples show that this could be physical death, as in the example of Cain, or of disease, or spiritual death, as in the example of idols which represent unbelief, evil work, false approaches to God, and disobedience to God’s commands. While the devil’s works can be summarized as bringing death—both physical (disease and deformity, social chaos, mental chaos) and spiritual (unbelief, hatred),the Son of God appeared to give life (1 John 4:9). The appearing of the Son of God is seen to result in works and characteristics that are the opposite of those associated with the sin of the devil, thus nullifying or destroying them.
Christian Spirituality Church History and Missiology
D. Litt et Phil. (Biblical Studies)

Summaries in German and English
Text in German
Ziel der Forschungsarbeitet ist es, zu zeigen, dass die johanneische Weinstockrede das alttestamentlich und frühjüdisch geprägte Weinstockmotiv aufgreift und weiter entfaltet. So finden sich in Joh 15:1-8 die Beziehungsebene zwischen Gott und seinen Nachfolgern, die ethische Konnotation, der Gerichtsgedanke, der messianisch-eschatologische Aspekt und der Gedanke von Fruchtbarkeit und Fülle wieder. Es wird deutlich, dass sich in Jesus erfüllt hat, worauf die alttestamentlichen und frühjüdischen Schriften durch die Verwendung des Weinstockmotivs abgezielt haben: Er ist der angekündigte Messias, dessen Kommen Fülle mit sich bringt. Dies hat sich bereits durch Jesu erstes Zeichen, die Verwandlung von Wasser zu Wein (Joh 2:1-11), angedeutet. Neu ist der Gedanke, dass Jesus seine Nachfolger in sein Wirken mit einbezieht. Sie partizipieren an seiner messianischen Fülle und produzieren den Überfluss in Abhängigkeit von Jesus auch selbst mit. Voraussetzung dafür ist, dass die Jünger ihre enge Beziehung zu Jesus durch Gebet und das Einhalten seines Wortes aufrechterhalten und sich an seinem Vorbild orientieren.
The purpose of this thesis is to show that the Johannine vine speech takes up and further develops the vine motif of the Old Testament and early Jewish history. In John 15:1-8 we find emphasis on the relationship between God and his disciples, the ethical connotation, the warning of judgement, the messianic-eschatological aspect and the concepts of fruitfulness and fullness. I will show in this thesis, that the the Old Testament and early Jewish writings that use the vine motif are fulfilled in Jesus Christ: He is the announced Messiah, whose coming will bring fullness. This is already implied in Jesus’s first miracle, turning water into wine (John 2:1-11). What is new is that Jesus includes his disciples in his ministry. They participate in his messianic abundance and in dependence on Jesus they themselves produce abundance. The prerequisite for this abundant fruitfulness is a close relationship with Jesus through prayer, abiding in his word, and following his example.
New Testament
M. Th. (New Testament)

The present thesis explores the Spirituality of following Jesus according to the Fourth Gospel by investigating the whole profile of the term akoloutheo. In particular, this thesis probes what theological implications are communicated by the association of akoloutheo with correlated motifs in the pericopes where it is employed in spiritual connotation. The texts investigated are: John 1:35-51; 8:12; 10:1-42; 12:26; 13:36-14:3; 21:1-19. Each text communicates the particular and manifold aspects of the Spirituality of following Jesus. Yet, the most distinctive aspects of the Johannine Spirituality of following Jesus imparted throughout almost all the research texts can be summarized by “directional” and “relational.” The life of following Jesus is a journey toward a destination to which Jesus leads his followers, that is, into a relationship with the Father by being with Jesus where he is, and by being with him where he goes and will be in glory. It is ultimately participating in the Son’s communion with the Father. Jesus, who was with the Father and in the bosom of the Father, came down (descended) to bring his followers to the Father, and ascends to the Father taking them with him, so they may be with him where he is with the Father in love and glory.
Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology
D.Th. (Christian Spirituality)

In this dissertation, the affinities between the Prologue of the Fourth Gospel and the Maronite Prayer of the Faithful especially the use of light metaphor are examined and new hypothetic proposals are suggested: the former has influenced the latter; both of them might have shared the same milieu or have been influenced by an existent Antiochene liturgical hymn. These proposals are discussed according to reflections on the Fourth Gospel, the Antiochene Syriac Maronite Church, the light metaphor, the work done on the Prologue from a socio-rhetorical perspective and the study conducted on the first English edition of the Maronite Prayer of the Faithful.
New Testament
M.Th. (New Testament)