This article explores the theological question, “If man had not sinned, would Christ still be incarnate?”, by comparing the thought of John Duns Scotus and Francis Turretin. It first traces the influence and reinterpretation of Scotus’ Christological ontology within Reformed orthodoxy, highlighting scholarly debates over his legacy. For Scotus, incarnation was about Christ serving as the ontological foundation and ultimate mediator between God and creation. By contrast, Turretin appropriates epistemological distinctions from Scotus but reframes them through the lens of covenant theology. For Turretin, the incarnation is necessitated by the fall, and Christ’s role as mediator is soteriological, focused on restoring the covenantal bond. Through a comparative analysis of ontology, epistemology, and Christology, this article demonstrates a theological shift from Scotus’ Christcentred ontology to Turretin’s covenantal ontology. It concludes that, for Turretin, the incarnation is a redemptive response to human sin, marking Christ’s fundamental office as mediator between creator and creature.
Reaching and discipling non-church-affiliated emerging adults in a post-COVID-19 Alberton, Johannesburg, South Africa, requires a multifaceted approach. This article employs Osmer’s practical theological reflection approach to develop a strategy, using data collected from selected fifteen churches. Interviews with ministry leaders and a survey among emerging adults determine the potential to reach non-church-affiliated emerging adults. Sources were consulted to identify factors to increase this potential, namely: involvement, discipleship, relationship, sound doctrine, leadership, excellence, a missional focus, and an online presence. Scripture and theological tradition reveal an understanding of the universal church, missio Dei, decentralised leadership, and discipleship to develop a strategy for discipling emerging adults. The strategy proposes that the local church should set a standard of doctrine, excellence, and focus, while emerging adult leaders are trained to disciple others, thus increasing their involvement in church and influence among their peers. Further research remains to be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the strategy.
This article develops a theological-ethical framework for the Anthropocene, by bringing Philip Hefner’s concept of the created co-creator into dialogue with Donna Haraway’s post-humanist ethics of making kin. It proposes co-creating kinship as a model for understanding humanbeings as relational agents embedded in ecological and evolutionary life. While Hefner grounds human vocation in divine co-creation, Haraway decentres human agency and emphasises multispecies responsibility. Their dialogue yields a planetary theological ethic shaped by relationality, conditioned freedom, socio-ecological justice, and eschatological hope. In this way, the article reimagines Christian anthropology as a call to humility, care, and shared flourishing within a damaged world. It offers a constructive vision for theology that is ecologically attentive, ethically responsible, and responsive to the challenges of planetary life.
As South Africa and the global community confront the changing dynamics of cannabis decriminalisation and legalisation, this article examines the intricate nexus between Cannabis sativa and religious belief and practice. With evolving societal perspectives and legal paradigms, the overview probes into the historical underpinnings of and its chemical structure, criminalisation, medicinal uses, industrial applications, and its connections to various religions. The article illuminates the ancient origins of Cannabis sativa, its cultural diffusion, and introduction to Southern Africa. It discusses the complexities in assessing the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) effects, due to legal constraints. The article explores the plant's historical medicinal uses from ancient China to contemporary health applications. It scrutinises the criminalisation of cannabis, questioning the constitutional adherence of existing legal frameworks. It thus explores the use of cannabis within the larger ambits and debates on legislation, health ethics, and religious freedoms. Finally, the article suggests future research directions, particularly investigating the interplay of religious beliefs and attitudes toward cannabis through a comprehensive questionnaire.
African and Christian spiritualities have, over the years, posed a challenge to themselves and Africans. In some instances, they have disagreed with the doctrines and theologies of churches such as Christian churches, which often become too over-prescriptive by dictating how things should be done, and African indigenous churches, which have a rich history within the African context. At the centre of this challenge is the understanding of, and the approach to ancestry that is embedded in African spirituality and worship. This, in turn, is embedded in Christianity. To understand why such challenges and conflicts exist, one must understand the parallel existence of the two spiritualities. This article uses ancestry and worship to investigate these challenges and conflicts of African and Christian spiritualities. In order to understand such challenges and conflicts, relevant literature on African and Christian spiritualities is consulted, with the aim of examining different authors and different comments and standpoints of various churches on the subject. This article concludes, by making recommendations that will seek to synchronise African and Christian spiritualities for harmonious co-existence.
The book Introducing analytic theology by Weston, P. (London: SCM, 2025), pp. 182, ISBN 978-0-33-406366-7, is reviewed.
The article examines current approaches to children’s ministry in the Church of the Province of Uganda, focusing on the Diocese of Kampala. Uganda has a predominantly young population, with 56.7 per cent below the age of 19 years (UBoS 2021), yet the church invests limited resources in children’s ministry. Both clergy and volunteers often lack formal training for effective spiritual nurture. The article aims to explore how children’s ministry within the church can be strengthened. It draws on documentary analysis and qualitative data from in-depth interviews with 28 respondents. Findings reveal significant challenges, including inadequate funding, a shortage of trained personnel, the marginalisation of children’s programmes, and a lack of standardised ministry practices. These limitations hinder the church’s capacity to provide holistic spiritual formation for children. The article highlights the need for intentional investment, structured training, standardisation, and strategic prioritisation to enhance effectiveness and sustainability.
This article explores how masculinities are performed, contested, and reproduced in public and domestic spaces in Lusaka. Drawing on five months of ethnographic fieldwork across bus stations, taverns, tuck shops, and churches, it examines the intersections of gender performance, economic precarity, and lived Christianity. Using Judith Butler's theory of gender performativity, Raewyn Connell's hierarchical masculinities, and the male dominance-male fragility cycle, the article argues that the pursuit of unattainable hegemonic ideals produces chronic anxiety that reinforces domination rather than moderating it. Ian Nell's theo-dramatic framework is applied to identify the actors, scripts, and plotlines shaping everyday urban life. The analysis demonstrates that masculinity is spatially specific: bus stations reward competitive hustle, churches cultivate responsible patriarchy, and taverns valorise rugged dominance. Although public support for gender equality is increasingly visible, patriarchal practices persist privately. The article concludes that transforming masculinities requires engaging embodied everyday practices alongside public theology.
The book Mind-food for thoughtful souls (Gansbaai: Naledi, 2025, pp. 221, , ISBN: 978-1-0672345-2-2G) by M.H. Prozesky, is reviewed.
The book Christian faith and Namibian liberation: An ethnographic biography of Salatiel Ailonga ( 2025 Suffolk: James Currey, 2025), pp. 224, ISBN 9781847013613), by C. Williams, is reviewed.
The book Unhiding women in the Parables: A study guide for groups and individuals, (2026 Wipf and Stock Publishers. paperback isbn: 979-8-3852-6688-3 hardcover isbn: 979-8-3852-6689-0. ebook isbn: 979-8-3852-6690-6) by C.D. du Toit, is reviewed.
This article aims to map the development of context over the past two decades. The journey starts with an introduction to the field of Congregational Studies as a subdiscipline within Practical Theology, which is also part of the study of General Ecclesiology, while congregations are local communities of faith situated in historical and social contexts. The mission of the congregation is to serve the coming of the kingdom of the triune God. Vital congregations are called into the coming of the kingdom of the Triune God. The Church Life Survey, as an empirical instrument, provides significant answers to assist in the journey towards the fulfilment of the congregation's calling. Collaborative research and the continuous development of a practical, missional theological ecclesiology should be important markers for mapping the road ahead.
Moral hypocrisy refers to the phenomenon of people professing moral ideals and displaying an understanding of moral ideals but not translating them into moral actions. This serves as a reminder that moral understanding does not automatically translate into moral action, which begs the question: What conceptual and theological tools are at the disposal of Christian communities to help adherents translate values into concrete moral actions? This article argues that moral understanding alone does not evoke action. Actions require willpower, sound motives, and self-efficacy beliefs. This reality calls for a type of moral formation that ties morality to “who I am as a person”. The article avers that moral identity functions as a selfregulatory mechanism that guides moral emotions and judgments. In presenting a methodological approach to Christian moral formation, the article argues for a line of thinking that addresses both the objective and subjectively experienced components of Christian moral identity.
Bible translation into indigenous languages has a wider social impact beyond its religious significance for Christian communities. This article discusses how traditional written Bible translation projects can impact the social situation of their contexts in terms of literacy and education and the preservation of cultural identity. In some instances, Bible translation endeavours to even work toward preserving languages themselves. Oral Bible translation will be considered a viable methodology for Bible translation that can have a wide social impact beyond its religious significance. Indeed, in predominantly oral contexts, oral Bible translation can empower communities in ways that traditional written Bible translations cannot. Oral Bible translation will be shown to empower communities, by preserving cultural identity through the presentation of examples from a Mozambican oral Bible translation project that preserves knowledge of the traditional numbering system of the indigenous language in its translation. By demonstrating how oral Bible translation can contribute to language preservation and community empowerment, this article also offers valuable insights for stakeholders engaged in language planning and minority language advocacy.
The translational situation involved in oral Bible translation and performance is complex. Oral features may be translated using Peirce's semiotics as iconic (the sign bears a relationship of similarity to the signified), indexical (the sign bears a relationship of causality to the signified), and symbolic (the sign bears a conventional relationship to the signified). By using complexity theory, the practical are explored. An oral translation of Lamentations 1 into Sesotho, based on an analysis of the oral features of a contemporary Sesotho lament, illustrates the theoretical issues.
B. Cleaver responds to the review of her book: Oral Bible translation and Biblical performance in Southern Siberia: A design for a performance-based oral Bible translation in the Southern Altai language.
The Institute for Bible Translation (IBT) in Russia has recently started ten new oral Bible translation (OBT) projects in Dagestan, Russia, among minority language communities. There are no Christians or churches among these language communities. IBT helps these communities preserve their minority languages that are slowly becoming extinct, due to their assimilation with the Russian language and community. This article examines how these OBT projects began, how they are proceeding, the use of machine translation in these projects, and the challenges that both IBT and the communities are facing. Through interviews with the Muslim translators and communities, the author shows how these OBT projects are contributing to the preservation of both the language and culture of these communities. Finally, the author draws some conclusions for other OBT teams working within Muslim contexts.
Bible translation into indigenous languages has a wider social impact beyond its religious significance for Christian communities. This article discusses how traditional written Bible translation projects can impact the social situation of their contexts in terms of literacy and education and the preservation of cultural identity. In some instances, Bible translation endeavours to even work toward preserving languages themselves. Oral Bible translation will be considered a viable methodology for Bible translation that can have a wide social impact beyond its religious significance. Indeed, in predominantly oral contexts, oral Bible translation can empower communities in ways that traditional written Bible translations cannot. Oral Bible translation will be shown to empower communities, by preserving cultural identity through the presentation of examples from a Mozambican oral Bible translation project that preserves knowledge of the traditional numbering system of the indigenous language in its translation. By demonstrating how oral Bible translation can contribute to language preservation and community empowerment, this article also offers valuable insights for stakeholders engaged in language planning and minority language advocacy.
Can biblical poetry be rendered into a poetic style that suits the culture of the target language, using its oral strategies? Many translations of biblical poetry are produced without considering the poetic system of the intended audience. This article proposes that translating biblical poetry into the language’s poetic style would enhance orality and resonate more deeply with the target audience. It explores the implications of oral versus written traditions in biblical performance, performance and translation theory, and the similarities and differences between the source and target contexts in translating the psalms into Rigwe, a language of central Nigeria. It further gives practical examples of the translation of Psalm 103. The goal is to maintain the poetic power of the incipient text in the subsequent product, enriched with the target community’s traditional means of expressing similar or near-similar genres for performance.
Traditionally, the quality of a Bible translation is measured by the criteria of accuracy, clarity, naturalness, and acceptability to determine whether it is equivalent, that is, faithful, to the incipient text. This article describes the development of an instrument to assess the quality of oral Bible translations and their performances that differ from their incipient texts in form, function, and purpose. This instrument not only makes the assessment of nonequivalent translations a reality, but also makes the criteria explicit and tangible. Based on a complexity approach to translation, this total quality management (TQM) instrument can assess all textual and translation principles incorporated at different levels of language, thus making the assessment comprehensive and complete.
