In The Beginning Was The Word : an Introduction To Cross-Cultural Theology : Lectures, Courses, Articles

This book contains Lecture transcripts, entire courses and articles the author has produced in the last 16 to 17 years in a highly cross-cultural setting by lecturing and designing a number of undergraduate and graduate courses addressing seminary students in Africa, Asia and the Caribbeans. Most of these texts are in English, and only four articles are in German. There is also a strong emphasis on Comparative Religion focusing on African Traditional Religion, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity. A comprehensive subject index concludes the material covered in this book. It can be used as a complementary textbook in high quality seminary courses at undergraduate and graduate level. cross-cultural;,Theology;,Lectures;,Courses;,Articles;,Bible,Exegesis;,Comparative,Religion cross-cultural,Theology,Lectures,Courses,Articles,Bible Exegesis,Comparative Religion In The Beginning Was The Word. An Introduction To Cross-Cultural Theology. Lectures, Courses, Articles 1 Contents 3 German Editorial 5 English Editorial 7 Editor’s Additional Note 8 1 OLD TESTAMENT EXEGESIS 9 Contents 10 1. The Need To Interpret the Bible 11 2. Interpreting the Old Testament in Translation 12 3. Literary Forms of the Old Testament 13 4. Literary Forms and Interpretation 16 5. Literary Forms and Inspiration 17 6. Why Preachers and Teachers Should Apply the Genres of the Old Testament 18 7. Identification Problems in OT Exegesis 20 8. The Components of Narrative, including Structural Level and Stylistic/RhetoricalDevices 27 9. Guidelines for Interpreting Narrative 28 10. The text of Gen. 32:22-32 (Jacob wrestles with God). 29 11. The Text of Gen. 32:22-32. 30 12. How History Functions 31 13. The Accuracy of Historical Narrative 31 14. The interpretation of 2 Sam. 12:1-14 33 15. How a Covenant Functions 35 16. How Law Functions 38 17. Exegesis of Old Testament Textual Portions 40 18. Interpreting Oracles of Salvation 51 19. Announcements of Judgment – Nahum 53 20. Announcements of Judgment –Amos 54 21. Apocalyptic 56 22. The Application of Apocalyptic Texts to Contemporary Realities 59 23. Some More Passages Exegeted 60 24. “Lament” 67 25. “Praise” 68 26. “Proverb” 70 27. “Non-Proverbial Wisdom” 71 28. Exegesis Of Textual Portions Again 74 2 NEW TESTAMENT EXEGESIS 91 Contents 92 1. General Rules to Hermeneutics 93 2. The Holy Spirit and Biblical Interpretation 94 3. Meaning and Literary Forms 95 4. Objections to the Reader as the Determiner of Meaning 97 5. The Role of the Author in Biblical Composition 99 6. Rules for Interpreting Prophecy 101 7. Rules for Interpreting Idioms and Hyperbole 101 8. Exegesis of New Testament Texts 102 9. Interpreting Parables 107 10. Introduction to the Interpretation of Narrative 120 11. Interpreting Narrative 125 12. The Occasion and Purpose of 1 Corinthians, Galatians, and Jude as revealed inthese texts: 1 Cor. 1:10-11; 7:1; Gal. 1:6-7; Jude 3-4 129 13. The Occasion and Purpose of Colossians 130 14 . The Occasion and Purpose of Philemon 130 15 . The Occasion and Purpose of Philippians 130 16. Exegesis and Application 1: Rev. 2:1-7 131 17. Exegesis and Application 2: Rev. 2:8-11 132 18. Exegesis and Application 3: Rev. 2:12-17 135 3 NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGICAL ISSUES 139 Contents 140 1. The Portrait of the Church 141 2. The Universality of the Gospel of Jesus Christ 143 3. The Message of the Gospel of John 144 4. Jesus as the Christ, Lord, and Son of God 147 5. The Gospels - NOTES 150 6. Jesus and Human Redemption 151 4 SELECTED TOPICS OFCHURCH HISTORY 155 Contents 156 1. The Church's Encounter with the Roman Empire 157 2. Pagan Reaction to Christian Expansion and the End Result 158 3. Manicheism 163 4. The Age of Diocletian (270-305) 167 5. Gnosticism 169 6. Challenges That Faced the Church in the Third Century 171 7. The Trinitarian Controversy 174 8. The Christological Controversy 177 5 ISSUES OF COMPARATIVE RELIGION 183 Contents 184 1. Values in African Traditional Religion as Related to Culture 185 2. Defining African Religion 188 3. Major Issues in the Study of African Traditional Religion 190 4. Contrasting Worldviews in Christianity and Animism 193 5. Sin and Salvation in Christianity and Animism 205 B / BUDDHISM AND CHRISTIANITY 209 Contents 210 1. The Vinaya Pittaka 211 2. The Sutra Pittaka 212 3. The Abhidhamma Pittaka 215 4. Theravada Buddhism: The Three Signs of Being 222 5. Theravada Buddhism: The Four Noble Truths 223 6. Theravada Buddhism: Karma and Rebirth 224 7. Theravada Buddhism: The Noble Eightfold Path 226 8. Theravada Buddhism: The Four Paths and the Goal 228 9. On Vroom’s Discussion of "No-self: Emptiness or Renewed Person?" 229 10. On Vroom’s Discussion of "A Force Field and God’s” 231 11. The Problem of Suffering 232 6 SPECIAL TOPICS 235 Contents 236 1. „Satan“ – Ideen und Vorstellungswelten im Spiegel derReligionen 237 2. Thelema – Von der Willensfreiheit des Menschen Versuch einer Deutung austheologischer und religionswissenschaftlicher Sicht 249 7 MINISTRY AND WORSHIP 261 Contents 262 1. Elders in the Israelite Community: Terminology and Position 263 2. The Nature of the Church and the Function of Leadership 268 3. Leadership and Organizational Theory 272 4. Group Discussion and Decision Making 276 5. Member Involvement 278 6. Motivating and Nurturing 283 7. Conflict Resolution 285 8. Small and Growing Churches 287 9. Environment, Personal Growth and Leadership Style 291 8 INTRODUCTION TO HOMILETICS 295 Contents 296 Homiletics - The Art and Power of Preaching God's Words 297 MODULE 1 298 MODULE 2 306 MODULE 3 312 Homiletics- Exams 315 Exam 1 315 Exam 2 317 Exam 3 319 9 ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY 321 Islam and Christianity 323 Contens 322 MODULE 1 324 MODULE 2 347 MODULE 3 361 Exams 401 Exam 1 401 Exam 2 404 Exam 3 406 10 INTRODUCTION TO BIBLICAL HEBREW 409 Contents 410 Biblical Hebrew 411 MODULE 1 412 MODULE 2 426 MODULE 3 434 MODULE 4 438 MODULE 5 443 Exams 447 Exam 1 447 Exam 2 449 Exam 3 452 11 INTRODUCTION TO BIBLICAL GREEK 455 Contents 456 Introduction 457 MODULE 1 457 MODULE 2 462 MODULE 3 479 MODULE 4 489 MODULE 5 492 Exams 499 Exam 1: 499 Exam 2 502 Exam 3 505 12 ARTICLES ON VARIOUS TOPICS 509 Contents 510 Überlegungen zu einer Christianisierung der Sprachen Afrikas 511 "Religion ist Opium fürs Volk“ - Fakten und Hintergründe􀀔 537 Index Sachregister 551 Terms in Non-Latin Scripts 601 The Book 614 The Author 614