HTS : Theological Studies - Volume 66, Issue 1, January 2010

Western thought has influenced the way that religion is understood. Western philosophy supported the separation between the sacred and the profane. Modernism, focusing on human rationality, reduced religion to a set of correctly formulated dogmas and doctrines. Western thought, dominated by Christianity, created a hierarchical structure of world religions through a theology of religions. Can an African understanding of religion make a contribution to the understanding of what religion is? Such a question requires an African understanding of religion, as well as an understanding of African religion. From an African perspective, religion emphasises the human effort to systematise, in society, the continuation of a religious experience relevant to a specific context. Tradition, expressed in rituals and ethics, becomes the social expression of these religious experiences. African religion tends not to differentiate the transcendental from the earthly. African scholars do not present one unified understanding of religion. Some scholars would even argue that an African understanding is nothing more than an internalised form of Western perspectives. To characterise African Traditional Religion as a separate type of religion minimises the contribution that an African understanding can make to religion.

This article focuses, from a theological perspective, on both the ecological crisis and the politico-economic dealings in relation to water - especially with regard to the unsound ways in which governments deal with this resource. Texts are read from an anthropogenic perspective, as opposed to an anthropocentric one. Such a reading scenario calls for responses from theology with regard to the human position in creation. Humans are not a grand master plan of creation, but the completion and fulfilment of it, given an enormous sense of responsibility for the earth. The article argues that the human-earth relation should be understood from the point of responsibility based on solidarity, interdependency and stewardship. Theologians are challenged to embrace eco-ethics.

Worship and preaching in missional congregations - homiletic-liturgical perspectives on missionary congregational ministry

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In the context of changes in society, and the resulting paradigm shifts in theological thinking, this article explores the development of a missional ministry praxis for church services in the reformed theological tradition. This is done through a basic overview of recent theological developments in missional ecclesiology, homiletics and liturgy, and a case study of a congregation who shifted to missional ministry praxis by renewing its church services. Opportunities for further research are identified, and the conclusion is reached that churches who make the theological paradigm shift to missional ministry should inherently change the character and planning of their church services to reflect and enhance this shift.

The development of the human consciousness : Can a 'postmodern church' accommodate 'mythology'? Ken Wilber's contribution to pastoral care

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Postmodern theologians like Hal Taussig are not very optimistic about the future of Christianity. To them, the theistic (mythological) understanding of God is of little use in the postmodern world of the 21st century. Taussig prefers the grassroots Christianity, which has room for persons of all sexual orientations, and advocates ecological sensitivity. The question is : What do the followers of this spirituality teach their children about God? The solution is what Wilber calls 'the conveyer belt' and God's 'Kosmic address'. Everyone starts at square one, 'traditional' and grassroots Christians alike, and move along this conveyer belt. Along the way, there are seven stages and three perspectives, i.e. the first, second and third-person perspective, through which human consciousness could evolve. That means that any given person could have one of 21 different possible understandings and experiences of God. A questionnaire could assist pastors to determine at which stage or level of evolution an individual is, as well as the 'Kosmic address' that God has for that individual. Through spiritual exercises, pastors could then support the individual's further growth towards mature human consciousness.

This article analysed the different narratives implied in Philemon by utilising the narrative therapeutic approach, as developed by Epston and White (1990). A dominant narrative (the harsh treatment of slaves in the early Christian environment) and a challenging narrative (a more humane conduct of slaves) were clearly distinguished. The article showed Paul's attempt to bridge the gap between these two narratives by using certain pointers, possibly taken from mystery religions and Jesus' example. In conclusion, the narrative therapeutic approach proved to be a new and unique way of looking at Philemon's narrative world.

The inclusion of 'all nations' as the mission target in the Ultimate Commission of Matthew 28:19 somehow comes as a surprise. The Gentiles seem to have been excluded from Jesus' and his disciples' mission in two passages (10:5-6; 15:24). In an attempt to establish the target group of the great commandment, this article investigates the meaning of the phrase panta ta eqnh as used in 28:19 and subsequently the literary contexts of the commandment.

The development of the human consciousness : Ken Wilber's AQAL theory

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Kenneth Earl Wilber III, an integral philosopher, psychologist and mystic with an intelligence quotient of 160, was born on 31 January 1949 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in the United States of America, and is considered by some as one of the most important philosophers of the 21st century. He developed his integral philosophy over 30 years, which can be divided into five phases. The most important aspects of his philosophy for the purposes of this article are the AQAL integral map of reality, and the evolution of consciousness. AQAL stands for 'all quadrants, all levels, lines and stages'. Wilber divides reality into singular and plural interiors and exteriors; or art, morals and science. Also deriving ideas from Developmental Psychology, he sees the evolution of consciousness unfolding in seven stages : archaic, magic, mythic, rational, pluralistic, holistic and transpersonal. This theory could add value to pastoral care by enabling pastors to support believers' own spiritual growth in pursuit of the kingdom of heaven.