This study examines the rendering of 2 Thessalonians 2:15 in the Smith–Van Dyck Arabic Bible, produced by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM) in nineteenth-century Greater Syria. Employing Critical Discourse Analysis alongside historical and exegetical approaches, it investigates the theological significance of translating paradoseis as al-taʿālīm [teachings] rather than the more literal Arabic equivalent al-taqālīd [traditions]. While paradosis in Pauline theology denotes the authoritative apostolic tradition received from Christ and transmitted to the churches, and most major Protestant Bible translations retain the rendering ‘traditions’, the study argues that the Smith–Van Dyck translators’ lexical preference reflects an interpretive choice historically consistent with the Protestant understanding that apostolic tradition is normatively preserved in Scripture. Rather than characterising the Smith–Van Dyck Bible as a wholly Protestant translation, the article demonstrates how a single translation decision may embody theological concerns shaped by missionary objectives and interconfessional debate. It argues that the theological significance of a translation emerges not from lexical equivalence alone but from the interaction between language, historical context and religious discourse. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This study contributes to biblical studies, church history and mission studies by demonstrating how a single translation decision reflects theological interpretation within its historical context. By integrating biblical exegesis, translation studies, Critical Discourse Analysis and Middle Eastern history, it shows that translation choices in sacred texts are historically situated interpretive acts shaped by theological commitments and missionary contexts, while encouraging further interdisciplinary research on Bible translation, doctrinal interpretation and religious identity.
Despite Pentecostalism’s egalitarian claim rooted in Acts 2:17–18, that the Holy Spirit is poured out on ‘all flesh’, its traditions uphold patriarchal structures that subordinate women and perpetuate male domination. This article seeks to interrogate this disjunction by re-examining the Lukan Pentecost narratives. Here, Pentecost is not treated as a single, isolated event; rather, this article conceptualises these narratives as an interconnected network of Holy Spirit moments across the entirety of Luke–Acts. Utilising a dual methodological approach that synthesises feminist biblical interpretation with reader-response frameworks, the paper re-evaluates the text to position Pentecost events as subversive. Viewed through these critical lenses, they offer insights that resist patriarchal containment and challenge hierarchies even within Luke–Acts itself. By uncovering these liberatory impulses in the portrayal of the Spirit, an analytical critique of current Pentecostal structures is established. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: In conclusion, this analysis compels Pentecostal communities to actively engage in dismantling entrenched gender inequalities and embrace an inclusive and Spirit-centred framework.
Given the Roman court procedures and the interaction between Jewish and Roman powers, the trial of Jesus before Pilate in Mark 15:1–15 presents challenges for both historical and theological interpretation. Central to the discussion is the narrative’s potential intent to shift culpability from Roman officials to Jewish leaders, raising questions about historical reliability and ideological motives. This study employs a historical-critical approach to analyse the trial of Jesus before Pilate within the socio-political context of 1st-century Roman-occupied Judea. This study examines Roman legal practices, Jewish historiographical traditions and intertextual scriptural references to assess the plausibility of the events. Special focus is placed on Pilate’s portrayal, the custom of releasing a prisoner and Jesus as the ‘King of the Jews’. This paper offers a historically grounded interpretation that highlights the narrative’s theological articulation of Jesus’ identity and its response to early Christian socio-political tensions, providing insights into perceptions of power, authority and identity in the Gospel of Mark. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This study examines the socio-political dynamics of 1st-century Judea, with a focus on the interactions between Romans and Jews during Jesus’ trial. It examines Roman legal practices and Jewish traditions to assess the historical plausibility of Mark’s narrative. The study also highlights the theological implications of Jesus being referred to as ‘King of the Jews’ and Pilate’s role. It offers a nuanced perspective on early Christian identity, addressing the complex interplay of political tensions and power structures.
Jesus established a New Covenant which we commemorate regularly at the Holy Communion. This New Covenant can only be fully appreciated in the context of the Old Testament (OT). This article explores the links between the New Covenant and the relevant covenants in the OT: the Noahic Covenant, the Abrahamic Covenant, the Sinai Covenant (including the Priestly Covenant), the Davidic Covenant and the prophecies of a New Covenant. Different tables illustrate the contents, the partners, the obligations and the signs of the individual covenants. The article discusses the connections between the different covenants to develop a comprehensive history of the covenants throughout the Bible. It begins in Genesis and concludes in the Book of Revelation. Particular focus is given to the so-called ‘covenant formula’. It is argued that, while the New Covenant annuls the Sinai Covenant, the Abrahamic and Davidic Covenants live on it. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article illustrates that the life and work of Jesus cannot be understood without reference to his Jewish heritage. It therefore becomes clear that de-Judaising the Bible is simply impossible.
Relying on the temple-cleansing narrative, Alana asserted that the humility ascribed to Jesus by the European missionaries does not conform to his portrait in the NT narratives. In view of this action of Jesus, in the Nigerian context, he would be described as a hooligan. Applying historical-critical exegesis and the descriptive method, the article examined the narrative with a view to assessing Jesus’ character in response to Alana’s thesis. The study found, that in a way, Alana’s view resonated with the traditional interpretation of the story, which considers it as a historical event. The liberal approach, however, considers the narrative as historically inauthentic, relying on the writers’ wrong view of the temple’s size at the time of Jesus, by which Jesus’ supposed action would have gone unnoticed. Moreover, the Markan and Johannine versions of the narrative are variants of an older tradition of kings acceding to office and purifying the cult, a tradition that was older than the evangelists and Jesus himself. That the story is historically inauthentic implies that all interpretations relating it to Jesus’ character constitute a misrepresentation of his personality, just as they are inconsistent with his Christology and widely attested humility. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article is a study in Christology. It argues that the temple-cleansing narrative is historically improbable, and therefore, all interpretations relating it to Jesus’ character are a misrepresentation of his personality.
Recent debates about free will, especially in the neurosciences, have been central to the debate about what it is to be human. Two recent publications, one by Robert Sapolsky and the other by Kevin Mitchell, not only represent distinct views on free will and moral accountability, but they depart from different images of human beings and divergent framings of the puzzle. For Sapolsky, there is no free will and moral accountability because human beings are just biological machines, subject to the deterministic laws of nature that control all physical objects. Based on an evolutionary argument, Mitchell develops an image of living organisms as complex systems that display agency. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This free will debate not only results in distinct images of being human but also departs from divergent images of what a human being is.
This article discusses the challenges traditional healing practitioners face in contemporary society due to the conflict with Western healthcare systems. In African countries, traditional healing does not get the same recognition as Western healthcare and biomedicine, while a large number of indigenous people across the globe rely on traditional healing. The research presented in this article was conducted in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, between 2013 and 2021. The study employed a qualitative method for data collection, in the form of individual interviews, focus groups, and participant observation, to ensure data validity. The key finding of the study is that the traditional healing system is not adequately recognised in South Africa, whereas most people in the country rely on traditional healing. The article demonstrates that traditional healing plays a significant role in the healthcare system, evident during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The article further highlights the challenges traditional healing systems face and how they are overcome by drawing on indigenous knowledge systems and ancestral wisdom. It further recommends equal recognition of this healthcare system and suggests collaboration and monitoring of this sector, as is the case with the Western healthcare system. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The article emphasises the importance of indigenous knowledge, promoting responsible practices, and addressing regulatory frameworks to bring change in traditional healing. The goal is to achieve a balanced approach that respects both the indigenous knowledge healthcare system and modern healthcare systems.
The Church in Africa is amazingly well endowed and can accomplish integral mission both at home and away on reverse mission to former motherlands that launched missionary initiatives. As the world struggles with religious syncretism, political polarisation, wars, natural disasters, pandemics and economic recession, the Church in Africa is expected to engage in both local and reverse mission and facilitate transformation; however, its activities are limited mainly by socio-economic constraints. Though much has been published about integral mission, reverse mission and faith-based sustainable development, practical and lived models of sustainability are lacking. This study fills that gap by reviewing the feasibility of the business as mission (BAM) concept. It undertakes a qualitative literature review and draws lessons from the Assemblies of God churches. This study finds BAM a bittersweet concept that has actionable, resourceful and transformative benefits and faces hard challenges regarding church ownership, theological differences, volunteerism, negative impressions and divided attention. It concludes that BAM has benefits and drawbacks; hence, it is a necessary challenge that the Church in and beyond Africa should consider adopting. Interdisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article interfaces Ecclesiology with Missiology and Business for holistic Sustainability.
This article explores the economic history of ancient Israel through the lens of the Hebrew Bible and Southern Levantine archaeology, with a focus on human rights, democracy, socio-economic justice and ethical behaviour. It investigates how the Covenant Code (CC) (Ex 21–23) and archaeological evidence from the 8th century BCE illuminate economic structures and moral concerns in the Kingdom of Judah and its neighbours. The article first discusses the dating of the CC and key archaeological finds from the period. It then examines material culture to reconstruct economic life in Judah and surrounding city-states. Special attention is given to legal texts addressing slavery, coerced labour, property violations, land use and the treatment of the poor and foreigners – especially in the context of the Sabbatical Year and festival laws. By analysing the intersection of biblical law and archaeological data, the study highlights how ancient discourses on justice and ethics were embedded in real socio-economic conditions. Ultimately, the article demonstrates a symbiotic relationship between biblical legal traditions and archaeological insights, offering a multidisciplinary approach to understanding economic justice and ethical conduct in the ancient Southern Levant. Contribution: This article demonstrates interdisciplinary engagement between biblical studies, archaeology, social theory and economic history, thereby underscoring its relevance across multiple academic fields. It integrates textual analysis with material culture to bridge the gap between ancient legal traditions and socio-economic realities. By doing so, it fosters dialogue between humanities and social sciences, contributing to contemporary discussions on justice, ethics and human rights in historical contexts.
In the context of the religious life of the Israelites during the prophetic ministry of Isaiah, worship practices appeared ritually magnificent yet lacked moral depth and social justice. Isaiah 1:10–20 presents a sharp prophetic critique of outward forms of worship that are detached from ethical responsibility towards others. This study aims to exegetically examine the theological critique of the prophet Isaiah against religiosity that is not accompanied by the practice of justice, and to explore its implications for the understanding of religious ethics. Employing a qualitative method through literature review and biblical text analysis, this study emphasizes the urgency of integrating worship and justice within the faith experience of the community. The findings reveal that authentic worship, according to Isaiah, requires active participation in the pursuit of social justice as a concrete expression of obedience to God. In today’s context, this message affirms that religious practice cannot be separated from a commitment to acts of love and advocacy for the oppressed. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This research enriches the fields of biblical theology, Christian ethics and liturgy by highlighting the importance of the integration of worship and social justice. Furthermore, from an interdisciplinary perspective, this study opens a dialogue between theology and the social sciences, such as the sociology of religion and cultural anthropology, by positioning the faith community as an agent of justice in addressing issues of poverty, injustice and the dynamics of multicultural societies.
In conversation with Cornel du Toit about an awakened universe in discourses about panpsychism. This article employs panpsychism as its primary methodological framework. Consciousness has often been regarded as inferior regarding criticism and dismissal in the philosophy of science. Drawing on Pieter Crafferd’s influential work, The fabric(ation) of consciousness: A neuro-ecological perspective, this article adopts a pragmatic approach with a partially Cavendish’s narrative to illustrate the importance of consciousness. In this regard, panpsychism is presented as a valuable methodological perspective. Intra/interdisciplinary implications: Flamboyant, theatrical, and ambitious – Margaret Cavendish was one of the 17th century’s most remarkable figures. She challenged the male-dominated spheres of politics, science, philosophy, and literature. Her highly controversial work, The blazing world (republished in 1966), is an original work that combines utopian fiction with early feminist thought. It tells the story of a woman who is shipwrecked and transported to the blazing world, where she becomes empress and uses her authority to establish a society free from war, religious division, and unjust gender discrimination. The volume also includes The contract, a romance in which love and law function harmoniously together, and Assault and consequent chastity, which explores the power and freedom a woman may attain while assuming the guise of a man.
What is often discussed about the Apostle Paul is his thoughts, vocabulary and literary style. His physical appearance and illness are left out, and some even consider them too speculative and useless. In our opinion, discussing his physical appearance and illness is also important to understanding his theology, especially regarding his view of God based on his past traumatic experiences. We create the idea of his traumatic experiences related to his physical appearance and illness through the theory of ‘compensation’ developed by Alfred Adler. The concept of ‘compensation’ appears in many parts of Paul’s letters. What causes him to interpret these negative experiences differently is his knowing of God (Phlp 3:8) – which we call personal nostalgia about God. What made him know God even more was the idea of poiesis explicitly mentioned by Christ Jesus on the road to Damascus (Ac 9:3–6). Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This study examines the factors that led to an improvement in Apostle Paul’s life satisfaction regarding his past, marked by psychological difficulties, considering Alfred Adler’s concept of compensation – difficulties stemming from his physical appearance and illness. This study draws upon the disciplines of biblical hermeneutics and psychology – specifically, the concept of nostalgia and Adler’s concept of compensation.
The reinterment of deceased kin on ancestral grounds is a time-honoured custom in numerous African cultures, imposing considerable financial and logistical challenges on mourning families. This practice, grounded in beliefs regarding belonging, territory and ancestral rights, faces growing opposition from younger urban and diaspora African Christians who assert, ‘bury me anywhere I die’, demonstrating their confidence in bodily resurrection, though not without peril. This article presents a practical-theological analysis that synthesises biblical exegesis, systematic theology and empirical pastoral observation to explore the conflict between traditional burial practices and Christian resurrection beliefs. This study contends, through exegetical analysis of significant Old and New Testament passages, theological reflection and pastoral engagement in the African context, that Scripture does not consider the location of graves essential to resurrection or eternal status, viewing burial sites solely as tools for honouring the deceased. The faith in resurrection reinterprets death, the corporeal form and the afterlife, emancipating African Christians from culturally imposed duties that often contradict gospel principles. The article additionally suggests pastoral and liturgical resources to assist churches in addressing this tension in culturally sensitive and theologically sound manners. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The article offers a distinctive contribution to African practical theology by critically examining biblical exegesis, systematic theology and pastoral analysis of a specific cross-cultural pastoral issue: the theological significance of burial location in Christian resurrection doctrine. It engages with the emerging literature on African Christian eschatology, contextualisation and funeral ministry, advancing these discussions in a way that can yield tangible pastoral effects.
Reason: The article, ‘A religious discourse on water and environmental conservation issues: An interfaith approach’, by Mufid et al. (2023), published online on 21 September 2023, has been retracted by the Editor-in-Chief and the Publisher, due to unreliable findings.
From the creation of humankind, Yahweh was involved with his people and continuously built a relationship with them. As an indication of how serious he was, Yahweh entered into a multi-covenant process with his people. Whereas some covenants were (seemingly) bloodless, others were ratified by blood. Four of these covenants that Yahweh established with his people during the Old Testament times are discussed in this article, being part of a compendium of covenants that Yahweh made with his people. It is then suggested that all these covenants in fact formed part of one comprehensive covenant that Yahweh has established with his people. The continuation of that broad or complete covenant in the New Testament is Jesus, who shed his blood for his followers on the cross. Jesus’ blood acted as the sign of the consecutive (’new’) covenant, symbolised by the cup that he shared with his disciples at the Last Supper that we are still sharing with each other at the Holy Communion today. He himself then became the sacrifice whose blood was shed to seal the covenant. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This is an historical and Bible-based article utilising canonical criticism as methodology, linking with Philosophy and Practical Theology. It involves both the Old Testament and the New Testament. By drawing a line of continuity between the two Testaments, it becomes clear that Yahweh’s first covenant with his people continued in a consecutive ‘new’ covenant with Jesus as the main focus.
Adherence to Ubuntu, which anchors on interconnectedness, interdependence, conviviality and sacrosanctity of life, can make a significant and positive contribution to environmental justice. As Ubuntu is about belonging, ‘I belong therefore I am’, human beings [abantu] would have a sense of belonging to, interdependence and interconnectedness with the environment and, therefore, do everything to conserve nature. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: It would be enforced by a sense of knowing and appreciating that human beings cannot survive without the rest of creation, whereas the rest of nature can survive without humans. So, human should stop behaving as if everything is about them and co-exist harmoniously with the rest of creation.
For many years, Christian missions have focused on the redemption of humans while neglecting the environment that sustains them. The salvation story has always been centred on Christ’s sacrifice for humankind. Other creations were conceived as immaterial to God’s mission of love and care on Earth. Christian domains witnessed an explosive development and advancement that put other creations at risk. The environment and the ecosystem bore the brunt of those developmental activities, which led to global ecological crises. By the mid-20th century, Christians were awakened to the guilt of exploring the Earth without caring much for it, which led to the development of ecotheology as a strategy to promote a theological understanding of holistic missions to all of creation. Through ecotheology, the knowledge of Christian missions shifted from anthropocentric praxis to the integration of missions with ecology. This article draws on the literature to explore the historical background of integrating missions with ecology, its biblical basis, and its influence on ecological preservation. The findings show that, with a shift in theological understanding of God and His mission as inclusive of all creation, Christian missions have highlighted the need for humans to care for the Earth as part of God’s redemptive plan for all creation. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article serves as an eye-opener, prompting people to rethink how they have been treating their environment (ecosystem) and to make necessary amendments.
This article examines the role of the storm god in two major Northwest Semitic religious traditions: Baal in the Ugaritic texts and Yahweh in the Hebrew Bible. Using a comparative historical-literary approach, the study analyses mythological narratives, storm imagery, divine warfare, kingship ideology, cultic practices, and theological development preserved in both textual and archaeological sources. The Ugaritic Baal Cycle portrays Baal as a storm deity associated with rain, fertility, kingship, and cosmic order within a polytheistic pantheon. Similarly, several biblical texts depict Yahweh through storm-theophany imagery involving thunder, lightning, mountains, clouds, and victories over chaotic waters. The study demonstrates that early Yahwistic traditions emerged within the broader religious environment of the ancient Levant and preserved important continuities with Northwest Semitic storm god traditions. At the same time, a significant theological transformation occurred as Yahweh gradually came to be understood as the exclusive and universal God of Israel. Archaeological discoveries, including inscriptions from Kuntillet ‘Ajrud and Khirbet el-Qom, further indicate the diversity of early Yahwistic practices prior to the development of centralised monotheism. The article argues that biblical authors adapted and reinterpreted older West Semitic religious imagery within new covenantal, historical, and monotheistic frameworks. Comparative analysis of Baal and Yahweh, therefore, provides important insight into the religious, literary, and theological development of ancient Israelite religion and the emergence of biblical monotheism. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article contributes to biblical studies and ancient Near Eastern studies by showing that Yahwistic storm god imagery preserves important continuities with Ugaritic Baal traditions while being reinterpreted within emerging monotheistic theology. By combining comparative textual analysis with archaeological and historical approaches, the study also contributes to interdisciplinary discussions concerning religious development, cultural continuity, and identity formation in the ancient Near East.
This research was motivated by the dynamics of the Komering community, which is currently undergoing cultural transformation alongside rapid developments in digital technology that have the potential to shift local social values and spirituality. The purpose of this study was to analyse 1 Corinthians 9:19–23 through a contextual exegetical approach in order to formulate an inclusive theological framework relevant to the Komering community. The method employed is an exegetical method within a qualitative research framework, integrating historical–sociological analysis of the text with contextual theological study. The findings indicate that the principle of the Apostle Paul ‘becoming all things to all people’ provides a theological foundation for adaptive and dialogical ministry that respects local culture without compromising the core of faith. The discussion emphasises the importance of applying the incarnational principle in the church’s mission in the digital era, including the use of technological media as a means of inclusive proclamation. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: Intradisciplinarily, this study enriches understanding within biblical studies and practical theology, particularly in applying contextual exegesis to issues of culture and church ministry. Interdisciplinarily, it opens avenues for collaboration among theology, cultural anthropology and digital communication studies to develop more comprehensive approaches to understanding and responding to social, cultural and technological changes in modern society.
Systematic ecclesiology has predominantly drawn on positive New Testament images to construct its doctrine of the church, yet it lacks adequate categories for interpreting structural ecclesial failure: patterned and persistent communal dysfunction that cannot be reduced to individual moral failure or temporary deviation from an ideal. The Synoptic parables of communal failure remain largely underused as ecclesiological data. This study reads Matthew 22:1–14 at the intersection of Matthean parable scholarship and constructive systematic ecclesiology, using close analysis of the Greek text in dialogue with major commentaries, the history of interpretation, and theological reflection informed by Bonhoeffer’s distinction between ultimate and penultimate realities. The analysis identifies three movements of ecclesial failure: the failure of desire, in which the invited community escalates from indifference to violence; the illusion of replacement, in which a new community reproduces the structural conditions of the first; and failure within the replacement itself, in which membership proves insufficient for authentic participation. These movements support the development of a ‘penultimate ecclesiology’: an account of the church as a community whose structural imperfection is theologically anticipated rather than aberrant. This framework normalises failure without celebrating it, rejects the myth of the fresh start, and reframes the church’s relationship to its own crises by locating ecclesial life within the provisional space before God’s final act. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This research bridges New Testament studies and systematic theology by challenging ecclesiology to incorporate the Synoptic parables as constructive resources. It also engages the sociology of institutions as a partner for understanding ecclesial failure beyond purely theological categories.
