Conspectus : The Journal of the South African Theological Seminary

Fleming Rutledge is an Episcopal priest, being one of the first women to be ordained to the priesthood of the Episcopal Church in 1977, and is recognized in North America and Britain as a preacher, lecturer, and teacher of other preachers. She attended the General Theological Seminary and received her Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in New York. Rutledge was assistant and later senior associate at Grace Church in New York City for 14 years, and served as interim rector of St. John’s Church in Salisbury, Connecticut. Furthermore, she has twice been a resident Fellow at the Centre of Theological Inquiry at Princeton, a resident at Wycliffe College in the University of Toronto School of Theology, and was also a visiting scholar at the American Academy in Rome (Amazon 2017:online).

First-century hospitality customs can provide a window through which ancient social identity is observed. When these symbols are analysed against the backdrop of implied eschatology in Philemon, there emerges a composite picture that interweaves theological discourse with first-century cultural norms. Using social-scientific criticism, this paper remaps Philemon’s socio-cultural world, centred on the theme of hospitality. Paul’s rhetorical use of this cultural norm in relation to implied eschatology in the apostolic Parousia, is explicated within Philemon’s and Onesimus’ identity struggles. The implicit change of status for Onesimus, and the honour garnered, forms a departure point for Southern Africa as implications of what was exclusively reserved for social equals are appropriated in a context gripped by chronic social disparity. In this appropriation, unjust legacies are evaluated with an aim of reimagining a context built on equity and justice.

Hearing the voice of God is for many Christians part of their everyday life and undoubtedly biblical. But what exactly do they mean by ‘hearing God’s voice’ and how do they distinguish between God’s voice, their own thoughts or feelings and other voices? To assess whether certain ways in which some claim to be ‘hearing God’s voice’ are scriptural, this paper presents the results of three studies conducted by researchers who have investigated the phenomenon. It then focuses on some of the things Christians are being taught about God’s voice, which are nothing less than confusing and often unbiblical. The third section comprises a response to two widely accepted claims. The first is that God’s voice is a ‘still small voice’ in a Christian’s spirit, or that God’s voice is the voice of Jesus referred to in John 10. The second claim allows for mistakes and inaccuracies when hearing ‘God’s voice’ through prophecy. The paper concludes that Christian leaders should have reason to be greatly concerned about the beliefs of some of their followers. It then offers some suggestions about how spiritual deception can be minimised.