Hebrew

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Open Access
Alternative revisions of the 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘝𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 (1901) and retranslations within the Tyndale–King James Version tradition
(AOSIS Publishing, 2022) Naudé, Jacobus A.; Miller-Naudé, Cynthia L.
In this essay, we demonstrate that in addition to the Revised Standard Version and its revisions as part of the linear emergence of the Tyndale–King James Version tradition in the 20th and 21st centuries, there are also alternative revisions and retranslations of the 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘑𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘝𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 (KJV) of 1611 as literal or word-for-word translations, which emerge as divergent branches. The revisions of the 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘝𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 (ASV) (1901) emerged in the following branches, namely the 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘉𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 (NASB) and its revisions, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘉𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 (AB) and its revisions, as well as 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘉𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦, Paraphrased and its retranslation, the 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 (NLT). Then there are revisions that emerged as alternatives to the 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘝𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 (1946–1952/1971) by reverting to the 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘑𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥 (Blayney) Edition (1769) as their incipient text rather than the ASV, namely 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘑𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘝𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 (MKJV) (and similar revisions), The 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘑𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘝𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 (NKJV) and the 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘊𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩 𝘉𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦. Finally, there are retranslations within the Tyndale–King James Version tradition, namely the 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘌𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘝𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 (CEV), and the 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘌𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘉𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 (CEB). The diversity reflects the search for individual identity to satisfy particular reader expectations in an age of digital-media interpretive culture featuring broad universal values. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Instead of viewing the revisions and retranslations within the Tyndale–King James Version tradition since the second half of the 20th century as new and independent, it is demonstrated that the various branches and their versions rather continue the emergence of the pre-20th century translation complex within this tradition to satisfy particular reader expectations.
Open Access
ANC’s step-aside rule through the eye of the missio politica as mandated by Missio Dei
(Pharos, 2022) Thinane, Jonas Sello
The broader practice of politics in the world, while detached from the religion, cannot be excluded from the mission of the Missio Dei. In fact, the question of mission and politics has prompted Professor Johannes Reimer to propose missio politica as a missiological framework that puts the mandate of mission and politics in one basket. Following this solid foundation, this paper will propose the use of missio politica as an important missiological framework to analyse the instrumentally useful politics in line with the ultimate goal of Missio Dei. In accordance with the tenets of both missio politica in the name of missio Dei, this paper will then consider the South African ANC's step-aside rule from a biblical perspective, arguing that the accounts of Samuel's leadership in 1 Samuel 8 and the story of Ananias with his wife in Acts 5:1-11 represent a somewhat biblical understanding of the step-aside rule. The ANC's step-aside rule only serves to relativize the need for a missio politica. This paper promises a better understanding of the relationship between mission and politics, such an understanding is a key to uncovering new ways to ensure a meaningful participation of all other sectors of society in achieving the goal of Missio Dei. Missio politica represent what has been missing in the missiological discourse. Therefore, this framework needs to be further explored in order to emphasize the mandate of politics in accordance with the Missio Dei.
Open Access
Conceptualisation of miss hominum as an expression of imago Dei: from missio Dei to missio hominum
(AOSIS, 2022) Thinane, Jonas
Academic data show little evidence that the concept of the missio hominum was ever explored beyond its context as developed by Nico Smith. There is little to no research that has conceptualised this phenomenon in light of imago Dei and the role it should play in fulfilling missio Dei’s mandate. It uses the relational nature of the Union of the Divine Trinity derived in imago Dei to conceptualise the idea of the missio hominum in the broader context of missio Dei. It aims to examine the role of missio hominum in fulfilling the objectives and scope of missio Dei. Missio Dei here means the mission of God, which uses human relationships as an instrument to achieve the eternal goal of missio Dei. Nico Smith’s account is used here to support the need for missio hominum within the broader understanding of missio Dei. This research is a first step towards a deeper understanding of the missio hominum in service to missio Christos and missio spiritus and the collective participation of missio ecclesiae towards the goal of missio Dei. The academic focus on missio hominum from Smith’s perspective is lacking or neglected by missiology scholars.
Open Access
Copular predication in Biblical Hebrew
(University of the Free State, 2015-07) Wilson, Daniel Joseph; Miller-Naudé, Cynthia L.; Naudé, Jacobus A.
English: This study provides an analysis of the different forms of copular predication in Biblical Hebrew (BH). BH uses two syntactic constructions to convey copular predication. One construction utilises a finite form of the BH copula היה and the other construction merely juxtaposes the subject and the predicate with no overt copula. This second form is known as the verbless clause (or nominal clause). The traditional explanation for the use of the BH copula rather than a verbless clause is to convey the tense, aspect, or mood of a situation by means of the verbal morphology. An overt copula is used to satisfy certain inflectional demands in a sentence. While this explanation is true in many examples, there are many examples of verbless clauses in the Hebrew Bible that are not ambiguous as to their tense, aspect or mood. The traditional explanation seems incomplete in accounting for the presence of an overt copula. Additionally, there are several forms of the copula that occupy different syntactic positions. What effect, if any, does the position of the copula have on the overall meaning of the sentence? To answer these questions I utilise an integrated theoretical approach which starts with the generative assumption that all statements of being are copular constructions whether or not they have an overt copula in the sentence. I challenge the traditional verbless/verbal clause distinction in BH syntax and adopt a categorisation of predicate types that is consistent with many linguistic studies of predication. I utilise a stratification of formal strategies of predication from cross-linguistic typology in order to explain the different forms of BH copular predication. I also adopt a view of the copula that is informed by network semantics. This dissertation examines each example of copular predication in Joshua through 2 Kings and categorises them according to a semantic taxonomy. Each of these forms has a unique syntactic markedness profile with respect to tense, aspect and mood. The critical contribution of this dissertation is that these syntactic profiles exist under a broader categorisation of +change-of-state and –change-of-state semantics and that there is a semantic network of nuances that these forms are capable of conveying. This is a challenge to the traditional definition of the copula which defines it as a semantically-empty constituent that merely has a structural role. Newer research on copular constructions suggests that there is a network of semantic nuances which a copula can convey in certain languages. The data revealed that one construction in both +change-of-state and –change-of-state categories can express several different semantic nuances. In this dissertation I demonstrate that the presence or absence of a finite form of היה is attributed to the syntactic profile and semantic network of each form of copular predication and each form is connected to its function. A. The zero copula strategy (the verbless/nominal clause) is the unmarked strategy and does not indicate change-of-state. B. Sentences in which a finite form of the verbal root היה is preceded by a constituent are marked for aspect (perfective or imperfective) and do not indicate change-of- state. C. Sentences with ויהי or והיה as well as any finite form of the root היה with an obligatory prepositional phrase with ל indicate change-of-state.
Open Access
A descriptive analysis of Septuagint Micah
(University of the Free State, 2015-07) Modugno, Steve Michael; Miller-Naudé, Cynthia L.; Naudé, Jacobus A.
English: This study combines the strengths of both Septuagint Studies and Translation Studies to describe Septuagint Micah. It employs rigorous text critical tools and methods to assess translation errors that resulted from the translator’s insufficient grammatical/lexical knowledge or from orthographical/phonological mistakes. At times, it concludes that the translator’s Hebrew Vorlage differed from the MT. An important advance in this study involves the use of the most recent advances in translation theory to determine purposeful, idiosyncratic shifts introduced by the translator. The theoretical framework for this study is the recognition that translations exist within a cultural and literary polysystem where the translator affects change in the polysystem and the polysystem exerts some control over translation norms. Based on this theoretical framework, Descriptive Translation Studies scholars have developed three primary translation models—comparative, process and causal. Of these, Chesterman’s causal model was chosen for this study because it incorporates the strengths of both comparative and process models. The causal model accounts for three important aspects of the translation: the preliminary norms (causal conditions), translated text and translation effects (target culture reception). The translated text provides the core material of investigation, in which every coupled-pair (i.e., the source text phrase and the translation of it) is analysed thoroughly to discern and describe translation shifts. Through categorising these shifts, translation tendencies and patterns emerged. These reflect the translator’s operational norms, which are either obligatory (linguistically constrained) or non-obligatory (translation choices). Among the most important non-obligatory operational norms involve the translator’s style, concern for message clarity, theology and ideology. His preferred style led him to provide lexical variation and smooth syntax. Because he valued clarity in the translated text, he employed techniques of explicitisation, concretisation (rarely metaphorisation), harmonisation and interpretation. He introduced changes that reflected his own theology. For instance, through several shifts from singular “evil” to plural “evil deeds” the translator suggests that the sins of the Israelites were numerous and great to have warranted the punishment they endured. Similarly, they alone were culpable for their sins and God was justified in punishing them. Other shifts seem to indicate that God did not save them because they did not turn to him in prayer and they did not fear him. Ideologically, shifts occurred primarily through the technique of historicising. The translator effectively distinguished the Israelites of the past (who had brought upon themselves the exile) from the diaspora Jews living in the 3rd or 2nd century B.C.E. Alexandria who were contemporaneous with the translator. However, through two other shifts the translator included the post-exilic Jewish diaspora in God’s threats of future judgment. The intent of this study was to describe LXX-Micah and reveal how its translator intervened in the text to infuse his own idiosyncratic theological perspective. The results seem to indicate that he truly was an agent of change.
Open Access
Emergence of the Tyndale–King James Version tradition in English Bible translation
(AOSIS Publishing, 2022) Naudé, Jacobus A.
In this essay, it is demonstrated that the inception of the English Bible tradition began with the oral–aural Bible in Old English translated from Latin incipient texts and emerged through a continuous tradition of revision and retranslation in interaction with contemporary social reality. Each subsequent translation achieved a more complex state by adapting to the emergence of incipient text knowledge (rediscovery of Hebrew and Greek texts), emergence of the (meaning-making) knowledge of the incipient languages (Latin, Hebrew and Greek), language change (Old, Middle and Modern English), mode of communication (hearing-dominant and text-dominant), style (literal or word-for-word) and products (oral-aural Bible, handwritten manuscript Bible and printed Bible). Historical sources indicate that there were translations of portions of the English Bible since 700 CE as handwritten manuscript Bibles in Old and Middle English and in print in Modern English – even before the retranslation associated with Tyndale (1526) and despite ecclesiastical opposition since 1408. This version and its revisions (1530–1531, 1534) are followed by subsequent revisions (Coverdale Bible, Matthew’s Bible, Great Bible, Geneva Bible and Bishop’s Bible). The next revision was the King James Version (1611), which replaced all its predecessors, and which was never replaced for the next four centuries – not even by its revisions. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Contrary to the fragmentation caused by ordering individual English Bibles either by period (e.g. 20th century) or according to their features (e.g. literal), it is demonstrated that the history of English Bible translation emerged rather as a translation complex, and its history must be understood in this way.
Open Access
God is sage: human cognition and metaphorical conceptualisation in Biblical Hebrew wisdom
(University of the Free State, 2016-01) Schmidt, Nicolaas Fryer; Nel, Philip J.
English: The theme focuses on how sages pictured THE DIVINE in the Biblical Hebrew text of Proverbs. The research problem questions the way in which Israelite-Jewish sages conceptualised God metaphorically by means of religious and cognitive experiences in the BIBLICAL HEBREW WISDOM of PROVERBS. The textual subsections of Proverbs are subjected to a paradigmatic cognitive-scientific research methodology, and studied according to a cognitive-linguistic approach as stipulated by the CONCEPTUAL METAPHOR THEORY of Lakoff and Johnson – God is inferentially derived as a primordial and providential Sage in the proverbial wisdom tradition. The central research statement and hypothesis states that ISRAELITE AND JEWISH SAGES conceptualised God metaphorically as a Sage by means of cognitive and religious experiences peculiar to the PROVERBIAL WISDOM TRADITION and distinctive of the priestly and prophetic theologies of the Hebrew Bible. The introduction is followed by an exposé on the research and reception history of the Divine according to Kuhn‟s paradigm theory. As a consequence of the second chapter, the third and fourth chapters focus on the paradigmatic cognitive-scientific methodology and Lakoff and Johnson‟s Conceptual Metaphor theory, to explain how the Divine is metaphorically delimited, analysed and portrayed. The conceptual analysis of metaphorical categories and linguistic extensions of the Biblical Hebrew concepts for “heart” (√לבב ), “wisdom” (√חכם ) and “God-fearing” (√ירא ) are discussed as expressions which schematically structure God in terms of mental and prototypical-experiential, -educational and -ethical domains. These phrases provide more abstract projections and gestalt experiences of the Divine personification in Proverbs. The fourth chapter distinguishes the cognitive and mental character of Conceptual Metaphor Theory from other linguistic theories that are more strongly focused on the grammatical, syntactical and pragmatic aspects of metaphors. Reasons are provided for why the Divine should instead be conceptualised metaphorically. A five-fold CONCEPTUAL METAPHOR MODEL is proposed, which introduces, investigates and conceptually identifies metaphors for the God YHWH in Proverbs‟ proverbial wisdom tradition, as well as implicates necessary consequences. In chapter five this conceptual metaphor model is comprehensively applied to the Biblical Hebrew text of Proverbs and the underlying textual subsections of the proverbial wisdom tradition: YHWH is conceptualised by sages and editors as a patriarchal Father and King prior to the Babylonian Exile (Proverbs 10-29), as a Teacher and especially as Lady Wisdom during the Exile (chapter 1-9), as a Mysterious Sage and Sceptical Scribe in the Persian times and Diaspora (Proverbs 30), and eventually as a feminine Teacher and Lady Virtue during the Hellenistic times (Proverbs 31). The cognitive-ideological interpretation of Proverbs indicates that the ancient Israelite and early Jewish YHWH served as the Main Deity in the Israelite Assembly, with LADY WISDOM as his Daughter and Wife – Wisdom was venerated as a Hebrew Goddess by students, in contrast to Lady Folly and the prominent cultic-priestly and charismatic-prophetic traditions, which drastically edited and canonically portrayed YHWH in absolute, monotheistic fashions by the end of the Exile in absolute monotheistic fashions. The inherent nature of Biblical Hebrew proverbial wisdom boils down to natural theology, as expressed by the theological phrase of fides quaerens intellectum, or “FAITH SEEKING UNDERSTANDING”. The conclusion questions the reliability and validity of the research design. A discussion of the investigative theme is followed by critical remarks pertaining to the Conceptual Metaphor Theory and Model, an evaluation of research paradigms, the ideological nature of human understandings of Scripture, as well as the Divine importance for the SOUTH AFRICAN academic, ecclesiastic and theological societies. Four possible research proposals are followed with a discussion of our human incapability of thinking and reasoning about “God” in ways that are not conceptual and not metaphorical. In conclusion, reference is made to the University of the Free State‟s recent brand changes, as well as the possible future consequences of this for both the public institution and the majority of believing South Africans.
Open Access
Missio Dei as the main project: project management model for mission of God
(Africajournals, 2021) Thinane, Jonas Sello
The emergence of the concept of Missio Dei (Mission of God) from the perspective of the International Missionary Council (IMC) arguably demonstrated that the role of the Triune God in his own mission was undeservedly marginalized for decades, if not centuries preceding 1952. Over the past decades there has been a sustained research activity conceptualizing Missio Dei, and at the same time renewing missiological interest in other Christian missions. However, to the author’s awareness, there has been very little or no effort to introduce or use known project models that can be utilized to show coherence or collaboration of missions towards the project of fulfilling the objective of Missio Dei. Through a desk-top literature review, this paper proposes the use of a project management model to properly conceptualize the location of Missio Dei as a main project that includes other network of missions as sub-projects within its framework. The Triune God is here identified as Project managers while human participants are seen as project stakeholders. Christian missions include Missio Christos, Missio Spiritus, Missio Hominum and Missio Ecclesiae as sub-projects. The proposed model will demonstrate the coordination and collaboration of missions in the broader context of Missio Dei and further assist with a proper understanding of roles that each mission is, or should play, in achieving the objective of Missio Dei. While efforts are being made here to propose a project management model for Missio Dei, further research is needed to determine whether this proposal will yield an in-depth understanding of Missio Dei as a missiological paradigm in conjunction with the role of other missions.
Open Access
Missio hominum as commissioned by missio dei
(AOSIS, 2022) Thinane, Jonas S.
The Christian image of God rightly goes back to the Bible as the only source of revelation. According to the creation account in the book of Genesis, God is primarily seen as the creator of heaven, Earth and humankind. Following this understanding, the International Mission Conference (IMC) in Willingen in 1952 expanded the scope of mission beyond the ecclesiastical sphere and anchored it in the doctrine of the Triadic God. In other words, the Willingen Conference correctly classified the Triadic God as the only source of mission in the world. However, the question remains as to what a person’s mandate is in relation to the missio Dei. Based on a literature review, this article introduces missio hominum as a framework that encompasses human participation in missio Dei. Selectively, the extraordinary personalities of Noah, Jesus Christ and the Apostle Paul in the Bible are examined in order to validate the framework of the missio hominum as derived from the missio Dei. By its very nature, this article warrants further exploration of human involvement in the work of the missio Dei, in order to consolidate the missio hominum as an important framework for aligning human efforts with the work and ultimate goal of the missio Dei. Contribution: The contribution of this article is to deepen the reflection on the relationship between the Triadic God and human beings on the one hand and human temporal participation in the eternal economy of the missio Dei on the other. In doing so, it provides missio scholars and theologians with new insights that encompass the human mission in relation to the missio Dei.
Open Access
Missio hominum as the compassionate response to socio-economic and vaccine challenges during COVID-19 in South Africa
(AOSIS, 2021) Thinane, Jonas S.
It is likely that the storm of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in South Africa will calm only when the country attains herd immunity. In South Africa, the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out plan will first prioritise key frontline forces, the elderly and those with comorbidities. Although there is some new academic insight on COVID-19 within the context of churches, not much has been written on the role that churches can play in partnership with government towards procuring vaccines for the poor people of South Africa. The contribution towards vaccine procurement by churches is juxtaposed with the proclamation of the year of the Lord’s favour in Luke 4:18–19 and the feeding of 5000 men (excluding women and children) in Matthew 14:13–21, Mark 6:30–44, John 6:1–14 and Luke 9:10–17. This is done against an environment where corruption in the procurement of personal protective equipment, unjust food parcel distribution and subverted relief packages occurred during the hard lockdown of 2020. This article makes use of both missio Dei and missio hominum as its missiological theory in conformity with calls for public health restoration during and after COVID-19. It employs a literature review to support missio Dei and missio hominum as compassion and fundraising for the poor in the face of COVID-19, as exemplified by Paul in 1 Corinthians 16:1–4 and Jesus in Mark 6:8 and Luke 8:1–3.
Open Access
Missio hominum for social justice in South Africa: From missio Dei to missio hominum
(AOSIS, 2021) Thinane, Jonas S.
Decades after the fall of apartheid, South Africa continues to face problems such as racism, heterosexism, sexism, ableism, xenophobia, and gender-based violence leading to feminicide, which undermines all efforts being made to achieve social justice. Every Christian mission begins or flows out from missio Dei and has a common endeavour to achieve its goal. This article examines missio hominum as the new fundamental paradigm from the perspective of Nico Smith. It believes that when Smith saw the need for missio hominum, social justice was thought of as a prerequisite for the accomplishment of missio Dei’s goal. It examines how he developed the missio hominum paradigm with the aim of advocating for social justice in South Africa. It perceives a potential and a fundamental element for social justice in this new paradigm. Significantly, missio hominum represents a fundamental theological paradigm by which human action is integrated or linked with divine action in order to achieve the goal of the missio Dei. It provides an overview of the literature relating to the featured works on Christian mission and social justice. To the best of the author’s knowledge, little or no work has been published on missio hominum as a missiological paradigm on the way to social justice.
Open Access
Missio hominum guided by an understanding of Ubuntu for missio Dei: Nico Smith's discovery
(AOSIS, 2021) Thinane, Jonas S.
Missio hominum as a theological framework within the discipline of missiology in understanding missio Dei still lacks proper exploration. Few attempts have been made by theologians in the past but in different disciplines other than missiology. The exception is the previous studies by Nico Smith who investigated and conceptualised the subject at great length. This article builds on Smith’s perspectives on missio hominum with the aim of providing an in-depth understanding of the subject in an African context. This shall be achieved by juxtaposing missio hominum with an African concept of Ubuntu through a literary analysis. Ubuntu is imperative in understanding the significance of human beings within the Christian mission in fulfilling the purpose of missio Dei. Contribution: This article makes two important contributions in the field of missiology – first, by illustrating through missio hominum that human beings are God’s partners in accomplishing his mission on earth, and second, by illustrating through Ubuntu that human beings should partner with one another for the same purpose.
Open Access
Missio hominum guided by an understanding of Ubuntu for missio Dei: Nico Smith’s discovery
(AOSIS, 2021) Thinane, Jonas S.
Missio hominum as a theological framework within the discipline of missiology in understanding missio Dei still lacks proper exploration. Few attempts have been made by theologians in the past but in different disciplines other than missiology. The exception is the previous studies by Nico Smith who investigated and conceptualised the subject at great length. This article builds on Smith’s perspectives on missio hominum with the aim of providing an in-depth understanding of the subject in an African context. This shall be achieved by juxtaposing missio hominum with an African concept of Ubuntu through a literary analysis. Ubuntu is imperative in understanding the significance of human beings within the Christian mission in fulfilling the purpose of missio Dei. Contribution: This article makes two important contributions in the field of missiology – first, by illustrating through missio hominum that human beings are God’s partners in accomplishing his mission on earth, and second, by illustrating through Ubuntu that human beings should partner with one another for the same purpose.
Open Access
Missio politica in missio Dei: integrating politics into God’s eternal mission
(AOSIS, 2022) Thinane, Jonas S.
The understanding of the missio Dei from the point of view of the International Missionary Conference in Willingen has rightly broadened the missiological horizon and promoted new approaches to God’s mission in the world. This conference abandoned the ecclesiological approach to mission and focused attention on God as the foundation or source of mission. Inherently, this new perspective opened the door for other human institutions, such as politics, to be seen as critical participants together with the churches in the missio Dei. Apart from the writings of Saayman and Reimer, not much scholarly work is carried out to further develop the framework of the missio politica as an important tool to enable an analysis of politics in accordance with total salvation as the ultimate goal of the missio Dei. Relying upon literary analysis, this contribution orients itself on such exclusive important works as a basis on which missio politica is strengthened as a missiological framework that examines politics in relation to the ultimate goal of the missio Dei.
Open Access
Misuse of Religious titles by self-proclaimed spiritual leaders: Prophets, apostles, and popes in South Africa
(Pharos, 2021) Thinane, Jonas Sello
In the world of religions, different religious officials are given different titles. Christianity as a religion in the world and in South Africa particularly, has been severely attacked by self-proclaimed spiritual leaders who perform false miracles and abuse titles that have been respected by traditional mainstream churches for decades. These self-appointed spiritual leaders make utilization of these titles either through self-propagating or by accepting them when utilized upon them by their followers. This paper argues that self-appointed spiritual leaders' mere use of these revered religious titles cannot be justified within Christianity's framework. This paper offers a closer look at the literature regarding the use of religious titles such as Prophet, Apostle, and Pope. These religious titles remain very respectable within the Christian religion and are used to honour the role played by both biblical and contemporary Christian leaders. This paper makes three arguments; First, the age of the prophets was washed away by God's written Word in the Holy Bible, so those given this title should be pressed to prove the truthfulness of their prophecies beyond doubt. Second, apostles were those who were eye and ear witnesses to the teachings and resurrection of Jesus. Contemporary apostles must be compelled to defend their apostleship, as is the case in 2 Corinthians 11.Lastly, the title of Pope is traditionally bestowed upon the Catholic Bishop of Rome, the head bishop of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, and other leaders of traditional ecclesial communities. In its entirety, this paper deals with the scientifically neglected aspect within the larger question of the regulation of religions in South Africa.
Open Access
Mysterium Deus in missio: the mysterious God in mission
(AOSIS, 2022) Thinane, Jonas S.
As in all other world religions, a deep sense of the mystery is also central to the Christian religion. The mere existence of God is accepted as something mysterious beyond human comprehension. While theological literature speaks extensively of the mysterious nature of the triune God, little or nothing is said of such mysterious nature of God in missiology in the context of the missio Dei, particularly from the perspective of the Willlingen’s International Missionary Conference (IMC) of 1952. The question underlying this article is: how does the perception of the mysterious God relate to the context of the missio Dei? In other words, how mysterious is God in his own mission (missio Dei)? At its core, this article is more about the mysterious God in the mission leading to the mystery of the missio Dei itself. Consequently, this article made use of a search in literature to conceptualise the mystery encompassing the inherent character of the triune God in his own mission (missio Dei). In other words, it underlines the mysterious triune God through his innate attributes, namely omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient, which are eternally at work in the missio Dei. It then concludes with the view that the understanding of the triune God as a mystery within the missio Dei economy may lead to different but comprehensive understandings of the missio Dei itself. Contribution: The content of this article will contribute immensely to a better understanding of the missio Dei and as such will subsequently be used by missiologists as a reference in their attempts to describe the character of God within the context of the missio Dei.
Open Access
Oath taking viewed biblically and perjury by South African politicians
(Pharos, 2022) Thinane, Jonas Sello
As it is the case with many other countries around the world, South Africa has a unique and strong tradition of religious devotion, encompassed by belief in God which is even expressed in the constitution’s preamble invoking the presence of God. To ensure that the judicial system carries out its duties responsibly and upholds the fair administration of justice, courts of law, judicial authority and commissions of inquiry discourage perjury by requiring witnesses or the accused to take an oath or certify that the content of their testimony is true and accurate. The recent lenient sentencing whereby the former Minister of Social Development, Ms Bathabile Dlamini was found guilty of perjury has certainly set a bad precedent and created the impression that anyone with more money can lie under oath and buy their way out of the transgression. The case of Ms Bathabile Dlamini is significant both from the perspective of the judicial system and perhaps more importantly from the perspective of the broader religious teachings in general and the Christian teachings in particular, as it points to a society that has lost its Christian ethics and is somewhat polluted by individuals, especially political figures who are conducting themselves as though they are not obliged to take the practice of oath seriously, thus inadvertently seriously questioning the religious doctrines of oaths and even the consequences of lying under oath. This paper will highlight the impact of perjury on both the religious and judicial integrity in a society like South Africa. It argues that the punishment of perjury should firstly, reflect differences in the seriousness of the offense that gave rise to the perjury and, secondly, take into account the public standing of the offender in relation to the extent of his or her influence on society. It then concludes with a plea that, on the one hand, the religious communities, especially Christianity, should strengthen their teachings about taking an oath. On the other hand, the courts must increase the punishment for perjurers, especially if these individuals hold public office.
Open Access
Religious perspectives on vaccination: Mandatory Covid-19 vaccine for SA churches
(Pharos, 2022) Thinane, Jonas Sello
In public health history, vaccinations have been seen as very helpful as they help protect societies from preventable diseases and save many lives around the world. Despite the fact that few religious groups oppose vaccination for a variety of reasons, almost all major religions in the world support vaccination as long as it complies with religious precepts for the preservation, protection, or well-being of livelihoods. However, during the surge of Covid-19 outbreak in South Africa and elsewhere, governments witnessed unprecedented hesitancy and opposition to the Covid-19 vaccination by the general public. Those who opposed the Covid-19 vaccine cited multiple concerns or reasons, ranging from possible side effects, adverse events, vaccine safety, vaccine effectiveness, conspiracy theories, and religious or cultural reasons. Based on a literature search, this paper attempts to discuss various religious views on the subject of vaccination in general and subsequently make use of such perspectives to support calls for a compulsory Covid-19 vaccination, especially for South African churches. This is a timely topic of central concern as it seeks to politely dispel religious misunderstandings and confusion that could arise as a result of debates on mandatory vaccines for Covid-19. Health and religion will be brought together to shape the ongoing discussions about the moral urgency of a mandatory Covid-19 vaccination in South Africa.
Open Access
Spatial cognition and the death metaphor in the Hebrew Bible
(University of the Free State, 2015-01) Lamprecht, Adriaan; Naudé, Jacobus. A.; Bergh, Luna
ENGLISH: This study introduces a cognitive semantic approach to Biblical Hebrew linguistics with important implications for Biblical Hebrew semantic study, Biblical Hebrew lexicography, Bible interpretation and translation, and Conceptual Metaphor theory. Traditionally, the semantics of spatial-motion verbs in Biblical Hebrew has been interpreted in accordance with comparative, historical-comparative and structural approaches towards language. Consequently, the meanings of these spatial-motion verbs appear incoherent and arbitrary. This apparent gap between the so-called ‘discovery procedures’ that the Biblical Hebrew linguist should in practice adopt when facing a corpus of data for analysis and the meaning of the spatial-motion verbs, is bridged by applying the cognitive semantic approach to the analyses of the spatial motion verbs dry (jrd) and hl[ (`lh) in the Hebrew Bible. This is done in order to support the hypothesis that these verbs carry non-metaphorical (literal) meanings and metaphorical meanings, and that the linguistic processing of DEATH as an abstract concept involves activation of spatial systems. The study has three main parts. The first part (Chapter 3) reflects on the ancient Israelites’ conceptualisation of space which attempts to employ spatial cognition to uncover conventional image schematic patterns, categorisations and FRAMES at the conceptual level in order to understand the spatial motion verbs dry (jrd) and hl[ (`lh) and their related encyclopaedic knowledge systems. The second part (Chapters 4-5) focuses on the mental processes and semantic structure encoded by the spatial motion verbs dry (jrd) and hl[ (ˊlh) in context of use. In the last instance (Chapter 6), the study explores the concept of DEATH within the context of its essential and relational motion and spatial expressions. The study finds that the knowledge structures used by the ancient Israelites include image schemas, a spatial frame of reference, cognitive map knowledge and a HEAVEN-EARTH-SHEOL frame. The analyses of the data show that far from being solely topological, the primitives of dry (jrd) and hl[ (ˊlh) are packed with derived meaning; and that by unpacking these meanings we can shed light on the ancient Israelites’ spatial experiences, ideological presuppositions, cultural beliefs and abstract reasoning. Furthermore, the analyses of the data show that the verbs dry (jrd) and hl[ (ˊlh) can shift meanings in different contexts of use. The shift from the literal to the metaphorical aspects of the lexical meaning of the verbs dry (jrd) and hl[ (ˊlh) involves image schemas, FRAMES and binary structures found in the linguistic system and the conceptual system. An important finding regarding the ancient Israelites’ conceptual system is that abstract concepts are systematically structured in terms of conceptual domains deriving from their experience involving properties like motion in horizontal and vertical elevation, containment, structures and the body. The verbs dry (jrd) and hl[ (ˊlh) are mainly used for the conceptualisation of changes in the following target domains: HIERARCHY, BEHAVIOUR, QUANTITY, TIME and STATES. A discussion of certain narratives (Judges 11:37; 2 Kings 2:2; 2 Kings 2:11) validates the claim that abstract conceptual domains such as DEATH are structured by metaphorical mappings from more concrete experiential domains such as motion and space. Lastly, this study extends the existing knowledge of conceptual metaphor. Specifically, it expands the knowledge concerning verbs conflating a bipolar conceptual component, that is, MOTION and PATH. This study reveals that dry (jrd) and hl[ (ˊlh)’s bipolar lexical concept MOTION DOWN/UP may split into two unipolar lexical concepts MOTION and DOWN/UP in which only one unipolar lexical concept, that is DOWN/UP, is used for metaphorical conceptual mapping. AFRIKAANS: Hierdie studie gebruik ‘n kognitief-semantiese benadering tot Bybel-Hebreeuse linguistiek wat belangrike implikasies inhou vir Bybel-Hebreeuse semantiese studie, Bybel-Hebreeuse leksikografie, Bybelinterpretasie- en vertaling en Konseptuele Metafoor-teorie. Die semantiek van ruimtelik-bewegingswerkwoorde in Bybel-Hebreeus is tradisioneel in navolging van vergelykende-, histories-vergelykende- en strukturele benaderings tot taal bestudeer. Die betekenis van hierdie ruimtelik-bewegingswerkwoorde vertoon gevolglik ŉ inkonsekwente en arbitrêre karakter. Hierdie herkenbare gaping tussen die sogenaamde ‘ontdekkings prosedures’ wat die Bybel-Hebreeuse taalwetenskaplike in praktyk moet aanwend wanneer hy/sy ‘n databasis bestudeer, en daarmee saam die betekenis van die ruimtelik-bewegingswerkwoorde bepaal, word oorbrug deur die kognitief-semantiese benadering in die bestudering van die ruimtelik-bewegingswerkwoorde dry (jrd) en hl[ (`lh) in die Hebreeuse Bybel aan te wend. Dit word gedoen om die hipotese, naamlik dat hierdie werkwoorde ‘n nie-metaforiese (letterlike) en ‘n metaforiese betekenis vertoon, en ook dat die taalkundige beskrywing van die DOOD as abstrakte konsep die aktivering van ruimtelike sisteme insluit, te ondersteun. Die studie word volgens drie hoofdele georden. Die eerste afdeling (Hoofstuk 3) gee aandag aan die antieke Israeliete se konseptualisering van ruimte en poog om ruimtelike kognisie te gebruik om konvensionele beeldskema patrone, kategorisering en RAAMWERKE op konseptuele vlak bloot te lê. Die doelwit hiervan is om die ruimtelike-bewegingswerkwoorde dry (jrd) en hl[ (`lh) en hul verwante ensiklopediese kennissisteme te verstaan. Die tweede afdeling (Hoofstukke 4-5) fokus op die kognitiewe prosesse en semantiese struktuur wat deur die ruimtelike-bewegingswerkwoorde dry (jrd) en hl[ (ˊlh) in konteks van gebruik blootgelê word. In die laaste afdeling (Hoofstuk 6) bestudeer hierdie studie die konsep DOOD in die konteks van die konsep se fundamentele en verbandhoudende bewegings- en ruimtelike uitdrukkings. Die studie bevind dat die kennisstrukture wat deur die antieke Israeliete gebruik is die volgende insluit: beeldskemas, ŉ ruimtelike verwysingsraamwerk, ŉ kognitiewe kaart kennis en ŉ HEMEL-AARDE-SHEOL raamwerk. Die bestudering van die data toon dat die basiese betekenis van dry (jrd) en hl[ (ˊlh) nie alleenlik topologies van aard is nie, maar dat die basiese betekenis ryk is aan afgeleide betekenis. Deur hierdie betekenismoontlikhede bloot te lê kan ŉ mens meer lig werp op die antieke Israeliete se ruimtelike waarnemings, ideologiese voorveronderstellings, kulturele idees en abstrakte denkepatrone. Verder, die bestudering van die data toon dat die werkwoorde dry (jrd) en hl[ (ˊlh) hul betekenisse in verskillende gebruiks-kontekste kan aanpas. Die verplasing vanaf die letterlike na die metaforiese aspekte van die leksikale betekenisse van die werkwoorde dry (jrd) en hl[ (ˊlh) sluit beeldskemas, RAAMWERKE en binêre strukture in wat in die linguistiese sisteem en die konseptuele sisteem gevind is. ‘n Belangrike bevinding ten opsigte van die antieke Israeliete se konseptuele sisteem is dat abstrakte konsepte sistematies gestruktureer is in terme van konseptuele domeine wat afleibaar is van hul belewenis van beweging in horisontale- en vertikale ruimte, beweging in houers, beweging van strukture en die beweging van die liggaam. Die werkwoorde dry (jrd) en hl[ (ˊlh) word hoofsaaklik gebruik vir die konseptualisering van verandering in die volgede domeine: HIËRARGIE, GEDRAG, KWANTITEIT, TYD en STATUS. ‘n Bespreking van sekere verhale (Rigters 11:37, 2 Konings 2:2, 2 Konings 2:11) bevestig die aanname dat abstrakte konseptuele domeine soos DOOD gestruktureer is deur metaforiese passings van konkrete belewenis-domeine soos beweging en ruimte. Laastens, die studie verbreed die bestaande kennis van konseptuele metafore. Meer spesifiek, die studie verbreed die kennis met betrekking tot werkwoorde wat ‘n bipolêre konseptuele komponent vertoon, naamlik BEWEGING en ROETE. Die studie toon dat dry (jrd) en hl[ (ˊlh) se bipolêre konseptuele komponent BEWEGING AF/OP kan verdeel in twee een-kantige leksikale konsepte BEWEGING en AF/OP waarin net een een-kantige leksikale konsep, naamlik AF/OP gebruik word vir metaforiese konseptuele passing.
Open Access
Syntactic patterns of πᾶς as a quantifier in New Testament Greek
(AOSIS, 2021) Miller-Naude, Cynthia L.; Naude, Jacobus A.
In linguistic terms, a quantifier is an item that appears with a noun to specify the number or amount of referents indicated by the noun. In English, various kinds of quantification are lexically differentiated—universal quantification (all), distributive quantification (each), and universal-distributive (every). In Greek, however, quantification is conveyed syntactically using primarily one lexical item, namely πᾶς. In this article, we examine the syntactic patterns of πᾶς as a quantifier from a linguistic point of view with attention to the determination of the noun (articular versus anarthrous), the number of the noun (singular versus plural) and the phrasal word order. We also examine the phenomenon of ‘floating’ quantification in which the quantifier moves to a new position in the noun phrase. Finally, we compare the patterns found in New Testament Greek with those of the quantifier כל in the Hebrew Bible in order to determine the extent and type of Semitic interference with respect to quantification in New Testament Greek grammar. Contribution: The syntactic patterns of πᾶς as a quantifier are identified and the semantic import of each pattern is described. The relationship of πᾶς to the quantifier כל in the Hebrew Bible shows evidence of Semitic interference in New Testament Greek grammar.