Doctoral Degrees (Systematic Theology)

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Browsing Doctoral Degrees (Systematic Theology) by Advisor "Venter, Rian"

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    African women and spirituality: a study of narratives and agency
    (University of the Free State, 2024) Malowa, Rose Besnart; Venter, Rian; Meyer, Juanita
    The background to this thesis is the pervasive religiosity of women in Africa, as well as the social and academic turn to spirituality. Some scholarship on the spirituality of African Christian women has already been produced. This research explores a hiatus in the current knowledge, by focusing on the notions of ‘narrative’ and ‘agency’. The central research focus addresses the question as to whether narrating a spiritual journey could contribute to the empowerment and enhancement of women’s agency. In the Introduction, the notions of ‘agency’ and ‘narrative’ are explained with reference to applicable scholarship and these prove that there is substantial evidence for the current interest in these categories of interpretation in both the humanities and theology. Five secondary questions structure the layout of the research and explore specific dimensions of the research focus. In Chapter 1, the plight of women in Africa and, more specifically, in Zambia and in the church is discussed. The Chapter concludes that, despite commendable changes, patriarchy still deeply inhibits women’s agency. This justifies the approach of this study of the spirituality of women. Chapter 2 attends to the developments in spirituality as academic discipline over the past few decades and opens perspectives to approach this research, and to redress a weakness in much of the reflection on the spirituality of African women. Chapter 3 investigates the current state of scholarship on African womanist spirituality, with reference to general African and feminist spirituality, and to specific proposals by African female scholars. Significant emphases and motifs emerge, as well as the significant contribution by the Circle of Concerned Women Theologians. The quest for agency is pervasively present, but often in the form of referencing to related terms such as empowerment, liberation, identity, and autonomy from the same semantic domain. The discussion is not about the central role of story-telling. The explicit proposal of this thesis to approach African womanist spirituality from the combined and explicit perspective of agency and narrative is evidently a scholarly contribution. Chapter 4 makes another contribution, by selecting autoethnography as additional research methodology to literature study. This proves to be a most applicable approach to retrieve marginalised voices and to attend to the continued impact of culture on the life of African women. Chapter 5 is an application of this method, and presents the personal story of the researcher about her own spiritual journey, her struggle to assert her agency, the critical role of communality in the form of the Church Women Fellowship, and the importance of the Nsenga culture. The Conclusion to the study analyses the personal narrative and answers the central and secondary questions of the research. The research persuasively argues that there is an intricate connection between womanist spirituality, agency, and narrative. This makes a substantial contribution to the current study of African womanist spirituality. Finally, some suggestions are made on the further study of agency and narrative in spirituality, and on the role of constructive theology, especially trinitarian theology.
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    Die God-wêreld verhouding in die kontemporêre geloof-wetenskap dialoog: die bydrae van J. C. Polkinghorne
    (University of the Free State, 2010-11) Pieterse, André; Venter, Rian
    English: i. Since the Enlightenment scientific development has led to a world view that can be described in a mechanical way. In a modernistic world, processes in creation were described in a deterministic way, while causality moved God’s involvement in creation to deism. The uncovering of the quantum world and the insight that creation also displays a contingent character in different areas, brought about a new cosmology and made the question about divine action more relevant. The problem was that science could not understand and declare happenings in creation, solely from a physical point of view. In the post-modern world, reformed theology professes God as acting in both a transcendental and immanent way. A new cosmology required a reformulation of the traditional doctrine of Providence and testimony concerning divine agency. Polkinghorne, as a prominent scientist/theologian suggests that a Trinitarian God is acting in the cosmos and that both science and religion co-operate in a complementary way to display God’s divine action. This proposal could be promising for reformed theology. ii. The core question in this study is: can Polkinghorne’s understanding of how God acts in the world, contribute to the broadening of a traditional doctrine of Providence? To answer this question, there must be a clear understanding concerning the relationship between science and religion. iii. The question of how God acts and Polkinghorne’s eventual contribution is derived from these different models. The present debate necessitates a new relationship between science and religion, as traditional approaches failed to appreciate the unity in creation. iv. Polkinghorne’s proposal on how God acts, links with other more recent models, which focus on an inter-disciplinary approach. This approach benefits from the insight obtained from both the physical and human sciences. v. This broad review leads to Polkinghorne’s cosmological proposal. His epistemology is based on critical realism that utilizes the concept of dual- aspect monism in order to defend an anti-reductionistic perspective on reality. This metaphysical outlook enables him to revaluate the physical reality from a Trinitarian confession of eschatological hope. vi. Polkinghorne suggests a complementary relationship between science and religion, where both disciplines can function harmoniously. Theology as equal partner of science answers the meta questions that transcend scientific observation. vii. Polkinghorne professes a Trinitarian God that is personally involved in his creation, in such a way, that His temporal and kenotic nature comes to the fore. This transcendental/immanent act of God’s self-revelation, culminates in the incarnation of Jesus Christ as the Resurrected. viii. Acts of God are recognizable in a Natural Theology that respects the relationship with science. God acts holistically within an open cosmos that has been intelligently designed and is anthropically balanced. The conveyance of divine knowledge takes place within complex systems, like the chaos theory, which is an interaction between chance and necessity. This is recognizable to man that developed self-consciousness through a process of evolution and implies a process of continuous unfolding, from and towards complexity. Man is working in cooperation with God, who sometimes works under exceptional circumstances in extraordinary ways, of which the resurrection of Christ is a testimony. ix. A reformed understanding of Providence is traditionally divided into three different areas of divine action, namely upholding, governance and co-operation. The Trinitarian God maintains and governs the whole cosmos which culminates in the incarnation and resurrection of Christ. That is the strength of this approach. The primary focus is soteriological. The shortcoming on the other hand, is a limited cosmological focus and an under- estimation of scientific insights. These are two elements that necessitate this study. x. The methodological interaction of scientific hypotheses in Polkinghorne’s proposal is definitely strange to a traditional, reformed perspective. The central focus and starting point of his approach, namely a Trinitarian relationship that expresses itself in the resurrection of Jesus, agrees however with a traditional view. He offers a definite contribution towards the reformed doctrine. His contribution can be summarized as follows: xi. Firstly, a complementary relationship between science and religion affirms that divine action is acknowledged holistically as continuous cosmological events. xii. Secondly, through a new Natural theology, science, as conversation partner of theology, reveals God’s excellence in His continuing self-announcement in creation. xiii. Thirdly, dipolarity, as potential reformed theological construction, shows promise to base divine action on God’s faithfulness. xiv. Fourthly, God acts in a Trinitarian way through the interaction of chance and necessity in creation. A reformed understanding is challenged to harmonize a contingent reality with the confession of a faithful God taking care of his creation every moment. xv. Fifthly, panentheism does have a limited value within the reformed theology. It challenges a reformed approach to further reflect upon God’s immanent presence in the world. xvi. In conclusion: in the light of the quantum era the standpoint on Providence in the Articles of Faith needs to be reformulated.
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    "Imago dei in machina"?: a theological reflection on the ethics of man and machine in communion
    (University of the Free State, 2011) Staley, Kevin D.; Venter, Rian
    English: 1. The research project titled Imago Dei in machina?: A theological reflection on the ethics of man and machine in communion addresses the possibility of shared communion between humans and machines. It presents a theologically informed ethical and anthropological response to the problem of admitting solely artificially derived non-human entities into the community of human persons. The rapid progression by technology toward this end and the inadequate theological response to it necessitates a preemptive theological and ethical reflection. 2. In order to understand how the problem arose, the roots of the current trend to merge humans and machines, or to create a machine like a human, are traced through the last four centuries of modern history in the first chapter. Not only is the sophistication and power of technology steadily increasing, but as it has become more prevalent, biological human beings themselves have become the focus of technological advancements; from the attachment of prosthetics to the implantation of artificial organs and joints, machines are merging with people, and machines that resemble people are emerging. 3. The moral challenges presented by technology to-date beg for greater circumspection and responsibility in future design and use. Chapter two affirmed this truth through several contemporary examples and drew attention to the role one’s worldview holds in one’s perspective and subsequent treatment of humanity. Clearly most contemporary experts in the fields of AI and robotics have dismissed God from their considerations and look to technology to remedy human ills and satisfy human desires in both the present and future. The strong tendency to embrace promising technologies, even at the expense of our own humanity calls for a clearer understanding of humanity and a sound ethical response. 4. In chapter three a theologically sound ethical response is shown to be derived from the community of the triune God, and so is a person’s character and ability to respond wisely to ethical issues. A sound ethical response draws guidance from the recorded discourse between God and human persons in Scripture, from the annals of church history i.e. tradition, and from the interpretive community. All of these witnesses find their orientation and interpretation in the person of Christ. Although the written records and Christ do not attend to the specific matters being considered in this research they do provide images and paradigms that do provide sufficient guidance. 5. If humans are truly unique, then they require special moral consideration. In chapter four it was seen that a non-theological discussion, while identifying human faculties and functions that are different from other creatures, nonetheless typically terminate in unresolvable indecision in trying to find something truly unique. The appearance of a human-like machine could close the door on human uniqueness. When this ambivalence on uniqueness turns to equivalence the record shows that humans are typically treated as that to which they are equated. 6. In the last half of chapter four the portrait of humanity theologically derived reveals the real uniqueness of humanity. It is based solely in the relation of and inclusion by the triune God in their communion of persons. On the creaturely side this relation subsists in a persistent human embodiment, initially created by God, subsequently generated by biological procreation and regenerated in the resurrection. Any dislocation of that relation either by false conception or aberrant construction perverts that relationship and renders it even more vulnerable than it already is in its present estrangement from God. 7. There is moral significance to human uniqueness and this is especially clear in the profound moral implications centered on the concept of ‘persons’ in most societies. The efforts to insulate ‘person’ from a purely quantifiable i.e. functional ascription, by relational connectedness i.e. communion, appears to be the best move and one with theological warrant. The triune God (in communion) and His ways of relating are both necessary and sufficient to cast the concept of person, and only God holds the authority to esteem an entity a person by relating to it as such. 8. Remaining in the God-given creaturely relation to Him and others is crucial. The posthuman rejects God’s gift of persons-in-communion, and by an act of self-making severs that which enables them to be in fellowship with Him and creation, therefore missing the receipt of His salvific eschatological gift to creation. The desire to transcend the pain of human limitation is understandable, but it is in our suffering together that the bonds of communion are strengthened and the cords of character perfected. 9. Humanity seen in this unique relational light admits non-human members to its peril. The human community is precisely that, human, and any expansion by the inclusion of animals, robots, or posthumans as persons will jeopardize the integrity of the fabric of the human community. Humanity cannot simply be transformed (as the transhumanists suggest) in isolation from all else, rather all of creation must be set free together, and such liberation lies beyond the reach of any human being or collection of human beings and their technologies.
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    The spirituality of Black Hebrew Pentecostals: a study of two religious communities
    (University of the Free State, 2009-04) Sherron, Fred Gilbert; Venter, Rian
    English: The new interest in spirituality forms the background to this research. In step with prominent scholars in the field of spirituality the following working definition for spirituality has been adopted: “Spirituality is an experience in the presence of the Creator and the dynamic transforms us”. The spirituality of various religious traditions has been described. Black Hebrew Pentecostalism is one rich tradition that has been hidden from the view of scholars. This research is an attempt to address this issue. The research problem enquires whether there are unique features to this religious tradition and its corresponding spirituality. Two communities in New York (USA) have been selected for research purposes. Methodologically, literature and empirical research approaches have been employed. A specific contribution has been made to the discipline of spirituality by mapping a qualitative method for studying the spirituality of a religious tradition. In conversation with major scholars a unique set of constituent dimensions for spirituality has been identified; when used as questions during empirical research this could disclose the main feature of spirituality. In studying the two communities of Temple El Shaddai and Gideon Knights Freedom Church of Jesus Christ specific attention was given to the following issues: contextual background, distinctive spiritual features, normativity and authority, theological views, notions of transcendence, distinctive morality, the dynamics of the divine-human relationship and its impact on spirituality. To determine synthetically the profile of the spirituality of Black Hebrew Pentecostalism not only the research results of the two communities were compared, but two additional research strategies were employed: the study of related spiritualities (e.g. that of the Lemba communities, Pentecostalism, Traditional Africa and African-Americanism) and the use of various religious typologies. These help highlight the main and unique elements of Black Hebrew Pentecostal spirituality. The research has disclosed that this religious tradition has unique features that have resulted in a unique spirituality. Here are some of the main constituent elements: o Black Hebrew Pentecostalism integrated the perspectives of two religious traditions – Judaism and Christianity - to form a unique tradition of its own. The faith and concomitant spiritual practices are experienced as coherent. o A string focus on social identity accompanies this spirituality. Without social realities like racism this spirituality cannot be appreciated. o Identity markers like symbolism, ritual, theological conviction and ethical practice functions strongly to determine and maintain spiritual identity. o Normativity and authority which inevitably influence spirituality are located in both the leader of the community and the Bible. o Time-cycles function prominently especially concerning the honoring of the Sabbath and Old Testament Feasts. o Morality and strict moral codes are intimately intertwined with spiritual experiences. o The naming of the divine is exceptionally critical and is another outstanding characteristic of this spirituality. o Spiritual maturity can be defined in terms of power and this is related to the social identity of the tradition. o The spirituality integrates the life of followers and supports them to cope with existential challenges. This research has made contributions, not only to the general corpus of knowledge of this religious tradition, but also to the academic discipline of spirituality.