Doctoral Degrees (Systematic Theology)
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Browsing Doctoral Degrees (Systematic Theology) by Author "Mosoeu, Emmanuel M."
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Item Open Access The uniqueness of Jesus of Nazareth and the future of the human race(University of the Free State, 2004) Mosoeu, Emmanuel M.; Strauss, S. A.English: This thesis addresses the fundamental problem of whether Jesus Christ can still be thought to be that very decisive, absolute and unsurpassable revelation of God. And you may rightly ask: If this is the case, then what has gone so drastically wrong about that which was taken for granted for so long in the Christian world? The truth of the matter is that today Christianity is remembered mostly by its systematic destruction of the other-me than by its perennial preaching of love of neighbour. Yet only yesterday Christianity seemed to make the whole world go round as “the only reliable religion” capable of answering adequately the very deep spiritual recesses of the human heart and human finitude in general. Today that privileged position has drastically changed. Christianity’s traditional bold claim of being a unique kairos moment in human affairs, in which God’s self-communication cannot be surpassed in anyway by any other religion, is seriously challenged. But lovers of this religion or this “New Way of Life”, with their immense faith; and in their hope against hope, refuse to throw in the towel no matter the cost. They are now doing their level best to save authentic Christianity from the systematic and rigorous onslaught, which opposes the Christ event as a “very specia l and absolute” theological locus classicus in human affairs. While these concerned, honest and committed Christians try to restore the healing face of the Christian faith, critics of religion (with their many faces), especially those of the Democratic Rule, give them sleepless and anxious nights. Indifference among the latter towards “who Jesus Christ is” is well pronounced; while confusion, divisions and scandals among the former about how Jesus Christ ought to be understood, are today well documented and are making headlines on regular intervals in the media and even within churches themselves. This research joins these lovers of Christianity by proposing an alternate route in answering the perennial double question: “Who do people say that I am?” and “Who do you say that I am?” (cf. Mk 8:27-30). This alternate route is built on God’s Promises to Abraham without whom the universal uniqueness of Jesus the Christ = the Messiah would be concealed, disfigured and seriously betrayed. God’s Promises to humanity through Abraham are the historical theological foundation of human salvation in all its mysterious beauty. And within this amazing mystery of God’s Plan of our salvation, Sarah, Hagar, Mary, and Khadija 1 , equally play a crucial role. In addressing this problem of Jesus’ uniqueness in the totality of human history, this thesis contrasts and juxtaposes three pillars of authentic revelation namely, the reality of our fallen human nature, the incarnation of the Christ = the awaited Messiah in Jesus of Nazareth, and Muhammad (p.b.u.h.), to date, as the last Witness (Prophet) of God’s revelation. These trinitarian pillars of our salvation are firstly pressed and shaken together, and are then put into a serious healing tension with each other for the enrichment of all peoples of the human race. The thesis argues strongly that the universal salvific truth lies in the fact that the theological watershed of human salvation has already been sealed irreversibly between God’s covenant with Abraham and God’s covenant with humanity at Pentecost; and that Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) is the last reliable Testament/Witness of this universal, historical truth. Constantinian Christianity, in its many faces, is here held responsible for corrupting this universal truth up to our own time. Byzantine, papal and colonial evangelism will go down in history as the most heretical and corruptive Christian traditions that have ever emanated from that Constantinian Christianity. This thesis concludes by calling all Christians of goodwill from Orthodox, Protestant and Roman catholic communities firstly to authentic acceptance of Kubler-Ross, and then repentance of John the Baptist in order to stop the further corrupting of Jesus’ name where it is still being used to mean anything, everything and nothing today and beyond. The sin of Supersessionism, the sin of Hagarism and the sin of ecclesiastical timocracy (idolatrous sin of seeking first the kingdom of the Church), are here exposed as heresies and setbacks in the universal enrichment of all peoples of the human race. These are sins that have systematically concealed, disfigured and seriously betrayed (like Judas) the true universal meaning of “who Jesus of Nazareth really is” concerning the salvation of every human being from primordia l time of the Fall to our generation of today and beyond.