Pub Date : 2024-07-10DOI: 10.17570/stj.2024.v10n2.1
G. Dames, M. K. Mazantsana
How can the problem of poverty be addressed by those concerned about the transformational development of the poor in South Africa? The church, as a community of faith and the bearer of the Christian witness cannot be left behind when responding to this question. This article reflects on a practical theological intervention where a church moved beyond its walls to help those in need. The active role played by the church in addressing this problem and the response of the community will be brought to light. However, this is a challenge that does not affect a local church only: research findings undergird the transformative engagement of the entire church community and calls for local social and political institutions to form a multipurpose partnership to deal with poverty in affected communities.
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Pub Date : 2024-07-10DOI: 10.17570/stj.2024.v10n1.4
I. Boaheng
The doctrine of atonement is central to the logic of the Christian faith. As a core part of Christian theology, the subject of atonement has received much scholarly attention since the emergence of the Christian church. Different scholars have interpreted Christ’s atoning sacrifice in different ways based on their socio-political milieu. One of such interpretations is Anselm’s satisfaction theory which considers the atonement as a supererogatory act that provided satisfaction for humankind’s disobedience of God. Like any other model of atonement, Anselm’s model has its strengths and limitations. The lack of literature on the contextual application of Anselm’s satisfaction theory to the Ghanaian context has prompted this study which appraises the theory and then discusses how it might address selected challenges facing the contemporary Ghanaian society. The methodology used for the first task comprised a synchronic historical review and conceptual analysis of existing literature on the satisfaction theory. Among other things, the study found that the satisfaction theory rightly considers God as the receiver of the atonement but fails to address pertinent issues regarding God’s redemptive and covenantal nature. This was followed by a comparative study between Anselm’s socioeconomic and political contexts and those of contemporary Ghana. Based on this, contextual applications of the theory were deduced for contemporary Ghana. The article contributes to the contemporary Christian discourse on the doctrine of soteriology and its relevance for the human society.
{"title":"theological appraisal of the satisfaction theory of atonement","authors":"I. Boaheng","doi":"10.17570/stj.2024.v10n1.4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17570/stj.2024.v10n1.4","url":null,"abstract":"The doctrine of atonement is central to the logic of the Christian faith. As a core part of Christian theology, the subject of atonement has received much scholarly attention since the emergence of the Christian church. Different scholars have interpreted Christ’s atoning sacrifice in different ways based on their socio-political milieu. One of such interpretations is Anselm’s satisfaction theory which considers the atonement as a supererogatory act that provided satisfaction for humankind’s disobedience of God. Like any other model of atonement, Anselm’s model has its strengths and limitations. The lack of literature on the contextual application of Anselm’s satisfaction theory to the Ghanaian context has prompted this study which appraises the theory and then discusses how it might address selected challenges facing the contemporary Ghanaian society. The methodology used for the first task comprised a synchronic historical review and conceptual analysis of existing literature on the satisfaction theory. Among other things, the study found that the satisfaction theory rightly considers God as the receiver of the atonement but fails to address pertinent issues regarding God’s redemptive and covenantal nature. This was followed by a comparative study between Anselm’s socioeconomic and political contexts and those of contemporary Ghana. Based on this, contextual applications of the theory were deduced for contemporary Ghana. The article contributes to the contemporary Christian discourse on the doctrine of soteriology and its relevance for the human society.","PeriodicalId":508967,"journal":{"name":"Stellenbosch Theological Journal","volume":"35 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141659077","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-07-10DOI: 10.17570/stj.2024.v10n1.m3
John Klaasen
Since 1960 immigration has been mainly intra-continental on the African continent. With more countries achieving independence and the decline of colonization, there has been a significant decrease of intra-continental migration. Compared to the rest of the continent, South Africa has a relatively low emigration rate. The rate of people emigrating to European countries from Africa is higher than those who emigrate within the African continent. The narrative church provides the space for migrants to exercise their agency. Challenging distorted and false identities is one way of exercising agency. Narrative church welcomes migrants as the Other that form identity of both those who participate in the Christian narrative and those who are connected with the narrative through distant ways such as dialogue, virtual or intellectual and practical engagements.
{"title":"Immigrants and narrative","authors":"John Klaasen","doi":"10.17570/stj.2024.v10n1.m3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17570/stj.2024.v10n1.m3","url":null,"abstract":"Since 1960 immigration has been mainly intra-continental on the African continent. With more countries achieving independence and the decline of colonization, there has been a significant decrease of intra-continental migration. Compared to the rest of the continent, South Africa has a relatively low emigration rate. The rate of people emigrating to European countries from Africa is higher than those who emigrate within the African continent. The narrative church provides the space for migrants to exercise their agency. Challenging distorted and false identities is one way of exercising agency. Narrative church welcomes migrants as the Other that form identity of both those who participate in the Christian narrative and those who are connected with the narrative through distant ways such as dialogue, virtual or intellectual and practical engagements.","PeriodicalId":508967,"journal":{"name":"Stellenbosch Theological Journal","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141661040","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-07-09DOI: 10.17570/stj.2024.v10n1.1
Chris Jones
This is a response to an article written by South African New Testament scholar, Peter Nagel. The article draws on the thoughts of another South African New Testament scholar Andries van Aarde and of German theologian Bernhard Lohse, on the history of the doctrine of the Trinity. Concluding observations include inquiring as to how the church will effectively address this type of study in its deliberations and decisions.
这是对南非新约学者彼得-纳格尔（Peter Nagel）所写文章的回应。文章借鉴了另一位南非新约学者安德里斯-范-阿尔德（Andries van Aarde）和德国神学家伯恩哈德-洛塞（Bernhard Lohse）关于三位一体教义历史的思想。文章的结论意见包括询问教会在审议和决策中将如何有效地处理这类研究。
{"title":"Reflections on Peter Nagel’s article","authors":"Chris Jones","doi":"10.17570/stj.2024.v10n1.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17570/stj.2024.v10n1.1","url":null,"abstract":"This is a response to an article written by South African New Testament scholar, Peter Nagel. The article draws on the thoughts of another South African New Testament scholar Andries van Aarde and of German theologian Bernhard Lohse, on the history of the doctrine of the Trinity. Concluding observations include inquiring as to how the church will effectively address this type of study in its deliberations and decisions. ","PeriodicalId":508967,"journal":{"name":"Stellenbosch Theological Journal","volume":"85 24","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141664354","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-07-09DOI: 10.17570/stj.2024.v10n2.5
Cas Wepener
The four movements of the “Lukan liturgy” on the road to Emmaus, specifically the gathering, word, table and sending, are used to develop route markers for a homiletical pedagogy of the road for Africa. An argument is advanced for a special kind of contact between lecturer and students that takes seriously a variety of epistemologies and ontologies; for prioritising listening to speaking; for a pedagogy that serves a postcolonial imagination; and lastly, for a teleological orientation that works with an anthropology of desire and preaching as a Christopraxis event.
{"title":"Paedagogia Homiletica Viatorum.","authors":"Cas Wepener","doi":"10.17570/stj.2024.v10n2.5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17570/stj.2024.v10n2.5","url":null,"abstract":"The four movements of the “Lukan liturgy” on the road to Emmaus, specifically the gathering, word, table and sending, are used to develop route markers for a homiletical pedagogy of the road for Africa. An argument is advanced for a special kind of contact between lecturer and students that takes seriously a variety of epistemologies and ontologies; for prioritising listening to speaking; for a pedagogy that serves a postcolonial imagination; and lastly, for a teleological orientation that works with an anthropology of desire and preaching as a Christopraxis event.","PeriodicalId":508967,"journal":{"name":"Stellenbosch Theological Journal","volume":"97 43","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141664140","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-07-09DOI: 10.17570/stj.2024.v10n1.6
Ockert Meyer
Responding to a letter that lamented the lack of aesthetics and erudition in the church’s liturgy and preaching, Bonhoeffer indicates that he thinks the simple language of the bible must be retained, but crucial for him is the “depths out of which it arises”. Expanding on what he means by the “depth”, Bonhoeffer points his questioner to the books of Bernanos and how they reflect something of what the daily and personal encounters of preachers with the crucified Christ looks like. What does this mean in the context of contemporary preaching and how does it help us to better understand and practise the art of preaching at a time and in a world that is home to diverse cultures and largely values very different and more popular aesthetic and cultural expressions? Which lessons can we learn from Bonhoeffer’s “preaching from the depth” for contemporary preaching?”
{"title":"Preaching from the depth","authors":"Ockert Meyer","doi":"10.17570/stj.2024.v10n1.6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17570/stj.2024.v10n1.6","url":null,"abstract":"Responding to a letter that lamented the lack of aesthetics and erudition in the church’s liturgy and preaching, Bonhoeffer indicates that he thinks the simple language of the bible must be retained, but crucial for him is the “depths out of which it arises”. Expanding on what he means by the “depth”, Bonhoeffer points his questioner to the books of Bernanos and how they reflect something of what the daily and personal encounters of preachers with the crucified Christ looks like. What does this mean in the context of contemporary preaching and how does it help us to better understand and practise the art of preaching at a time and in a world that is home to diverse cultures and largely values very different and more popular aesthetic and cultural expressions? Which lessons can we learn from Bonhoeffer’s “preaching from the depth” for contemporary preaching?”","PeriodicalId":508967,"journal":{"name":"Stellenbosch Theological Journal","volume":"13 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141665087","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-07-09DOI: 10.17570/stj.2024.v10n1.2
Stephen Phiri
This article addresses the question of whether a spiritual institution can be influenced by a secular ideology, which is conceived as ‘atheist’. Can a secular ideology influence and shape the nature and praxis of an institution which prides itself as having a predominant spiritual foundation. This article’s objective is not necessarily meant to provide an absolute doctrine but seeks to stimulate debate based on a reasonable connection of Socialist influence on the development of the Catholic Church’s praxis. This article argues that the Catholic Church’s praxis, which is explicitly embodied in the Catholic Social Teachings might have been influenced by a Marxist or Socialist/communist wave of the 19th Century. This article is guided by a literature-related historical enquiry method, which compares historical events in a bid to identify possible logical connections. Literature reveals that in as much as some Catholic related movements such as the Liberation Theology had an obvious connection with Marxism, the praxis of movements embodied in both the ‘Social Catholicism’ and ‘Catholic Action’ was shaped by the Church’s beliefs and contextual circumstances of its time. Literature further shows the Catholic Church neither subscribe to the Socialist revolutionary stance nor approve of its methodology, but it recognised the effects of these socialist movements toward the workers. Hence, the influence of these secular institutions cannot be totally dismissed, even though they did not shape its praxis.
{"title":"Karl Marx and the Catholic Church’s praxis","authors":"Stephen Phiri","doi":"10.17570/stj.2024.v10n1.2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17570/stj.2024.v10n1.2","url":null,"abstract":"This article addresses the question of whether a spiritual institution can be influenced by a secular ideology, which is conceived as ‘atheist’. Can a secular ideology influence and shape the nature and praxis of an institution which prides itself as having a predominant spiritual foundation. This article’s objective is not necessarily meant to provide an absolute doctrine but seeks to stimulate debate based on a reasonable connection of Socialist influence on the development of the Catholic Church’s praxis. This article argues that the Catholic Church’s praxis, which is explicitly embodied in the Catholic Social Teachings might have been influenced by a Marxist or Socialist/communist wave of the 19th Century. This article is guided by a literature-related historical enquiry method, which compares historical events in a bid to identify possible logical connections. Literature reveals that in as much as some Catholic related movements such as the Liberation Theology had an obvious connection with Marxism, the praxis of movements embodied in both the ‘Social Catholicism’ and ‘Catholic Action’ was shaped by the Church’s beliefs and contextual circumstances of its time. Literature further shows the Catholic Church neither subscribe to the Socialist revolutionary stance nor approve of its methodology, but it recognised the effects of these socialist movements toward the workers. Hence, the influence of these secular institutions cannot be totally dismissed, even though they did not shape its praxis.","PeriodicalId":508967,"journal":{"name":"Stellenbosch Theological Journal","volume":"65 25","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141663357","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-07-09DOI: 10.17570/stj.2024.v10n1.3
K. T. Resane
South Africa is a divided racially, religiously, economically, politically and digitally country. Gadgets become personal and humans gravitate towards them instead of towards each other where botho can be experienced. Technology has negative and positive impacts on the community. This article provides some practical steps from theological perspective for citizens to cross the digital divides. It is here recommended that botho be interpreted through communion ecclesiology lenses. To do this communion ecclesiology and botho will be elaborated, compared, and contrasted. Through the literature review and social media, these two tools are presented as a solution towards divided communities of faith. The findings are that the digital divides can be overcome through theological reflections, self-offering, and robust engagement with communities. The contribution made by this article is that communality cannot be bought. Becoming a spiritual community comes through self-denial and crossing the digital divides – being incarnationally present on the cutting edges of communities.
{"title":"From gadgets towards community","authors":"K. T. Resane","doi":"10.17570/stj.2024.v10n1.3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17570/stj.2024.v10n1.3","url":null,"abstract":"South Africa is a divided racially, religiously, economically, politically and digitally country. Gadgets become personal and humans gravitate towards them instead of towards each other where botho can be experienced. Technology has negative and positive impacts on the community. This article provides some practical steps from theological perspective for citizens to cross the digital divides. It is here recommended that botho be interpreted through communion ecclesiology lenses. To do this communion ecclesiology and botho will be elaborated, compared, and contrasted. Through the literature review and social media, these two tools are presented as a solution towards divided communities of faith. The findings are that the digital divides can be overcome through theological reflections, self-offering, and robust engagement with communities. The contribution made by this article is that communality cannot be bought. Becoming a spiritual community comes through self-denial and crossing the digital divides – being incarnationally present on the cutting edges of communities.","PeriodicalId":508967,"journal":{"name":"Stellenbosch Theological Journal","volume":"66 21","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141663337","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-07-09DOI: 10.17570/stj.2024.v10n1.7
Nkosinathi Lawrence Mbatha
Churches are currently successfully involved in community development and empowerment, providing health workers and agencies with support and helping meet tangible needs of the people. Four fundamental areas are undertaken in responding to the reformed critique of public health policies and practices in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), namely: public health policies and practices in light of Reformed theology, public health policies and practices in KZN, the role of religion and religious entities in contributing to health in communities and to investigate the possibilities of collaboration between church and state to improve the public health system in KZN. The article aims to establish a common framework of strengths, barriers, and make recommendations for positive church responses to public health issues in order to inform an improved collaborative strategy.
{"title":"reformed theology critique of public health policies and practices in KwaZulu-Natal","authors":"Nkosinathi Lawrence Mbatha","doi":"10.17570/stj.2024.v10n1.7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17570/stj.2024.v10n1.7","url":null,"abstract":"Churches are currently successfully involved in community development and empowerment, providing health workers and agencies with support and helping meet tangible needs of the people. Four fundamental areas are undertaken in responding to the reformed critique of public health policies and practices in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), namely: public health policies and practices in light of Reformed theology, public health policies and practices in KZN, the role of religion and religious entities in contributing to health in communities and to investigate the possibilities of collaboration between church and state to improve the public health system in KZN. The article aims to establish a common framework of strengths, barriers, and make recommendations for positive church responses to public health issues in order to inform an improved collaborative strategy.","PeriodicalId":508967,"journal":{"name":"Stellenbosch Theological Journal","volume":"103 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141666271","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-07-09DOI: 10.17570/stj.2024.v10n1.5
John De Gruchy
In a brief comment from prison Dietrich Bonhoeffer asks how anyone can be happy in a time of war. In response he writes about founding aesthetic existence anew in the church. This essay examines what he meant by this in our own “time of war”. First, by considering Kierkegaard’s rejection of aestheticism, his affirmation of “living poetically” and the “passion of possibility.” Secondly, by recounting Bonhoeffer’s own journey from his early humanist formation and travels abroad to his involvement in the Resistance and imprisonment. Thirdly, by examining what Bonhoeffer meant by the church as a “sphere of freedom”. Fourthly, I discuss the examples Bonhoeffer suggests for nurturing aesthetic existence in the church (art, formation, friendship, and play).I wonder whether … it is only from the concept of the church that we can regain the understanding of the sphere of freedom (art, education, friendship, play). This means that aesthetic existence (Kierkegaard) is not to be banished from the church’s sphere; rather, it is precisely within the church that it would be founded anew. I actually believe this, and from here we could recover our connection with the Middle Ages! Who in our time could, for example, light-heartedly make music, nurture friendship, play, and be happy? Certainly not the “ethical” person, but only the Christian (Dietrich Bonhoeffer).The startling nativity scene of “Christ under the Rubble”, displayed in the Lutheran Church in Bethlehem during Advent 2023 was an icon of solidarity with the Palestinian people during the war on Gaza. Irrespective of how we evaluate it as a “work of art”, it is testimony to God’s incarnational solidarity with the suffering people of the world and an example of the prophetic role of art. How to understand that role within church and society and its theological significance led me to write Christianity, Art and Transformation twenty years ago. In doing so, I became more aware of the remarkable role that art in its various forms played in the struggle against apartheid, much of it outside the church. While it was important to recall and reflect on the role of art in the anti-apartheid struggle, my focus in writing Christianity, Art and Transformation was on the potential role of art in the creation of a more just world global society. In doing so I discussed Bonhoeffer’s passing comment on aesthetic existence, quoted above, in a letter from prison to Eberhard and Renate Bethge, his close friend and niece. That discussion was developed further by Adrian Coates in his dissertation published as The Aesthetics of Discipleship, and in a later essay on Bonhoeffer’s understanding of “mature aesthetics.” In what follows I take that discussion further with specific reference to ecclesiology within an unjust global context defined by war, most notably but not only in the Sudan, Ukraine and Palestine.
{"title":"Christ under the rubble","authors":"John De Gruchy","doi":"10.17570/stj.2024.v10n1.5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17570/stj.2024.v10n1.5","url":null,"abstract":"In a brief comment from prison Dietrich Bonhoeffer asks how anyone can be happy in a time of war. In response he writes about founding aesthetic existence anew in the church. This essay examines what he meant by this in our own “time of war”. First, by considering Kierkegaard’s rejection of aestheticism, his affirmation of “living poetically” and the “passion of possibility.” Secondly, by recounting Bonhoeffer’s own journey from his early humanist formation and travels abroad to his involvement in the Resistance and imprisonment. Thirdly, by examining what Bonhoeffer meant by the church as a “sphere of freedom”. Fourthly, I discuss the examples Bonhoeffer suggests for nurturing aesthetic existence in the church (art, formation, friendship, and play).I wonder whether … it is only from the concept of the church that we can regain the understanding of the sphere of freedom (art, education, friendship, play). This means that aesthetic existence (Kierkegaard) is not to be banished from the church’s sphere; rather, it is precisely within the church that it would be founded anew. I actually believe this, and from here we could recover our connection with the Middle Ages! Who in our time could, for example, light-heartedly make music, nurture friendship, play, and be happy? Certainly not the “ethical” person, but only the Christian (Dietrich Bonhoeffer).The startling nativity scene of “Christ under the Rubble”, displayed in the Lutheran Church in Bethlehem during Advent 2023 was an icon of solidarity with the Palestinian people during the war on Gaza. Irrespective of how we evaluate it as a “work of art”, it is testimony to God’s incarnational solidarity with the suffering people of the world and an example of the prophetic role of art. How to understand that role within church and society and its theological significance led me to write Christianity, Art and Transformation twenty years ago. In doing so, I became more aware of the remarkable role that art in its various forms played in the struggle against apartheid, much of it outside the church. While it was important to recall and reflect on the role of art in the anti-apartheid struggle, my focus in writing Christianity, Art and Transformation was on the potential role of art in the creation of a more just world global society. In doing so I discussed Bonhoeffer’s passing comment on aesthetic existence, quoted above, in a letter from prison to Eberhard and Renate Bethge, his close friend and niece. That discussion was developed further by Adrian Coates in his dissertation published as The Aesthetics of Discipleship, and in a later essay on Bonhoeffer’s understanding of “mature aesthetics.” In what follows I take that discussion further with specific reference to ecclesiology within an unjust global context defined by war, most notably but not only in the Sudan, Ukraine and Palestine.","PeriodicalId":508967,"journal":{"name":"Stellenbosch Theological Journal","volume":"101 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141666164","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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