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Transformational leadership is a theory of leadership that has gained profound interest among scholars for decades. Compared to transactional leadership that emphasizes reward and punishment, transformational leadership style has focused more on the inner development of the followers. A leader with transformational leadership style would seek to stimulate his or her followers intellectually, so the transformation of the organization would start with the change of perception of the people. This article argues further that a Christian perspective could enrich the prominent theory of transformational leadership by placing Christ as the center of inspiration and God’s transformative power as the primary motivation to contribute toward the broader society. A Christian transformational leadership emphasizes God as the source of transformation and perceive the ability of the Christian leader to transforms the people as a horizontal expression of God’s transformative power experienced by the Christian leader. In other words, inner transformation leads toward the transformation of the world outside.

The main premise that guides the focus of this article is that the mission of the church and corresponding tasks of theology as well as the mission of the university and its corresponding framework must be determined by societal expectations and prominent social processes. Following on from this, the present investigation seeks to understand the interplay of two salient topoi of modern society: the implication of the digitisation of human interactions, and the political and anthropological dimensions of community dynamics. The contemplations in this article should be analysed within the context of digitally mediated relationships as a profound transformation of the public space. The underlying pillars of this investigation are Michel de Certeau’s anthropology of the everyday and Roberto Esposito’s philosophy of community. Finally, the presented findings offer a theological application in the form of guidance for theologians bridging the gap between ecclesial and academic spheres as well as guidance for understanding current social dynamics through ecclesial and academic contexts., Die Hauptvoraussetzung für den Fokus des Artikels ist, dass sowohl für den Auftrag der Kirche und die entsprechenden Vorgaben an die Theologie als auch für den Auftrag der Universität und ihre Rahmenbedingungen die gesellschaftlichen Erwartungen bzw. die wichtigsten gesellschaftlichen Prozesse maßgebend sein müssen. In diesem Sinne beabsichtigt der folgende Artikel, sich auf die Kombination zweier herausragender Topoi der zeitgenössischen Gesellschaft zu konzentrieren: die Bedeutung der Digitalisierung von menschlichen Beziehungen und die Gemeinschaftsdynamiken in ihrer politischen und anthropologischen Dimension. Es wird vorgeschlagen, die Artikulation dieser Lektüre im Kontext digital vermittelter Beziehungen zu analysieren, im Sinne einer tiefgreifenden Transformation des öffentlichen Raums. Dazu werden die Anthropologie des Alltäglichen von Michel de Certeau und die Philosophie der Gemeinschaft von Roberto Esposito als inspirierende Modelle übernommen. Schließlich wird eine mögliche theologische Lektüre dieser Artikulation vorgeschlagen, als Leitfaden für die Arbeit der Theologie zwischen kirchlichem und universitärem Raum, zugleich als Beitrag der Theologie aus dem kirchlichen und universitären Kontext zum Verständnis und zur Artikulation zeitgenössischer sozialer Dynamik., Limina, 6, 1 p. 113-132

O campo de estudos em Teologia e Literatura está consolidado no contexto brasileiro. A proposta do grupo teopatodiceia visa situar este diálogo da teologia como pergunta pelo sentido de Deus na busca de sentido humana e oferta de uma racionalidade crítica a um sistema de crença tendo a literatura como interlocutora privilegiada, mas também outras formas de narrativas e expressões artísticas da condição humana. Nesse sentido, o elemento antropológico visa não somente o diálogo com a antropologia literária mas considera também, desde um projeto de arqueologia do saber teológico, a produção de subjetividades implicadas (pathos) nos saberes em diálogo e nos modelos epistemológicos que melhor favorecem a elaboração de uma teologia pública, plural e contrahegemônica a fim de discernir modos de se responsabilizar por uma agenda pública desde uma sensibilidade ética (diké) comum aos dilemas contemporâneos. A literatura ocupa um papel importante de heterologia no diálogo com a teologia. Como uma abordagem interdisciplinar, o projeto arqueológico se nutre dos percursos teóricos de autores como Antonio Manzatto, Paul Ricoeur, Michel Foucault, Michel de Certeau e David Tracy. Numa crítica à autorreferencialidade teológica, a via dialógica, interdisciplinar e intercultural da perspectiva teológica do grupo se aloca no conjunto das ciências humanas., The field of Theology and Literature is well established in the Brazilian context. The proposal of the research group teopatodiceia (theopathodicy) is to situate the dialogue of theology as a question for the meaning of God within human seeking of meaning; and to offer a critical rationality for a system of beliefs having literature as a privileged interlocutor, as well as other forms of narratives and artistic expressions of the human condition. Thus, the anthropological element aims, not only a dialogue with a literary anthropology, but, within the project of an archaeology of knowledge, it considers the productions of subjectivities implicated (pathos) in the different knowledges in dialogue and in the epistemological models that better favor the elaboration of a plural and counter hegemonical public theology to discern modes of becoming responsible for a public agenda based on an ethical sensibility (dike) common to contemporary dilemma. Literature occupies a significant role as an heterology in the dialogue with theology. As an interdisciplinary approach, the archaeological project draws from the theoretical background of authors such as Antonio Manzatto, Paul Ricoeur, Michel Foucault, Michel de Certeau, and David Tracy. In a critique to theology’s self-referentiality the dialogical, interdisciplinary, and intercultural theological perspective of the group is grounded in the whole of human sciences.

South African politics has taken a different turn since the dawn of the democratic era in 1994. After 28 years of democracy, there has been some populists’ and constitutionalists’ tension in democratic South Africa. The Mandela and Mbeki presidencies are marked for constitutionalism, while the Zuma tenure of nine years is marked as the era of populism. The constitutional republic already experiences the tension between the politics of the populists and of the constitutionalists. This article aims to identify and analyse the concepts of populism and constitutionalism and invites public theology to dialogue with these political ideologies in order to bring harmonious coexistence in democratic South Africa. Through the literature study and latest press release statements, incidents and concepts were discovered to give definitions and the analyses of populism, constitutionalism, and public theology. Public theology is chosen against political theology, due to the emphasis of dialogue as a manner of making theological statements. It is realised that populists are full of charisma, and they use this to charm the masses, offering them promises of prosperity and peace, while in fact they regard themselves as the masses, as they are the sole representatives of the people. They carry the agenda of entitlement. On the other hand, the research finds that constitutionalists apply rationality to constitutional dictates in order to govern for democratic stability in society. They would like to see the state where the rule of law guarantees citizens’ safety and security and economic prosperity. By reading this article one finds that this research emphasises that public theology through its dialogical nature, prophetic calling, anthropological centricity, engaging methodology, is inherently missional in the politically chaotic world. As a discipline, public theology is intradisciplinary, therefore engages other theological fields, including natural and social disciplines in order to reinforce its missional character. The conclusion is that public theology should be at the forefront, inviting politicians from different spectrums and convictions to the table of dialogue. Dialogue paves the way towards understanding, synergy, and trust. Theo-political interactions are crucial towards justice formation, which builds societal harmony and peaceful coexistence. Political tensions in South Africa offer public theology a golden opportunity to assert itself in civil affairs, and makes its voice audible in the marketplace.Contribution: The interdisciplinary approach in this article contributes towards the importance of a relationship between the political studies and theology. Legal studies, history, and current affairs enrich the theological role in public affairs. Populism and constitutionalism are political ideologies in tension, and public theology through dialogue, contributes towards peaceful life in a democratic state.

The task of education is to present Christ in a new way for every generation in its culture. Pete Ward compiled a theological education guide for church renewal using a Liquid Ecclesiology approach as a combination of empirical and theological methods. It is called the empirical method because it is based on a concrete church experience. One such experience is church in the context of a multicultural society. In the multicultural theological education guide, there are five elements, namely contemplation, reflexivity, construction, and expanding fragments and editing expressions. Through a dialogue between the concept of multiculural theological education with the experience in the GPIB church, a new church is presented, namely a friendly, humble, and keep on learning to the world where the church is living. Abstrak. Tugas pendidikan adalah menghadirkan Kristus dengan cara baru bagi setiap generasi di dalam kebudayaannya. Pete Ward menyusun panduan pendidikan teologi untuk pembaruan gereja dengan memakai pendekatan Liquid Ecclesiology sebagai kombinasi antara metode empiris dan teologis. Disebut metode empiris karena berbasiskan pada pengalaman menggereja yang konkret. Salah satu pengalaman itu adalah gereja di konteks masyarakat multikultural. Di dalam panduan pendidikan teologi multikultural itu terdapat lima elemen, yaitu kontemplasi ( contemplation ), refleksi/perenungan ( reflexivity ), konstruksi ( construction ) dan menyusun proposal dan memeriksa tindakan ( expanding the fragments and editing expression ). Melalui dialog antara konsep pendidikan teologi multikulural dengan pengalaman menggereja GPIB dihadirkan gereja yang baru, yaitu wajah ramah, rendah hati dan terus belajar pada dunia di mana gereja hadir.

This article aimed to read local theological folklore for a society. Folklore is arranged to reconcile differences, especially religion, in a pluralistic society. The method used in this study is a qualitative method by conducting empirical research on the appreciation of folklore saka mene nusa of the West Seram community. The result was that when folklore is appreciated and used as material for local theology, it will result in a moral transformation that reaches non-Christian communities. That means theology does not only build relationships with God, but also solidarity with others.Abstrak. Tujuan penulisan artikel ini adalah untuk mengusulkan folklore sebagai teologi lokal bagi suatu masyarakat. Folklore diyakini dapat mendamaikan perbedaan, khususnya agama, dalam masyarakat yang majemuk. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode kualitatif dengan melakukan penelitian empiris terhadap penghayatan folklore saka mene nusa masyarakat Seram Bagian Barat. Hasilnya adalah ketika folklore tersebut dihargai dan dijadikan bahan baku teologi lokal, maka hal itu akan menghasilkan transformasi moral yang menjangkau juga komunitas di non-Kristen. Itu artinya teologi tidak hanya membangun relasi kepada Tuhan, namun juga solider dengan sesama.

Diskusi bersama mahasiswa KKN IAKN Manado 6 Maret 2021, soal makna Keramahan/Kesanggrahan di tengah Pandemi. Substansi berasal dari penelitian Teologi Keramahan, khususnya 5 moments of Anatheism dari Richard Kearney, dan dikaitkan dengan Pra-Paskah.

This article presents four historical milestones that show the style and relevance of the journal Razón y Fe throughout its long history. En el presente artículo se recogen cuatro hitos históricos que muestran el estilo y la relevancia de la revista Razón y Fe a lo largo de su dilatada historia.

The German sociologist, Max Weber, argued that politics has to be taken as a vocation just like other fields of academic and professional engagements. He did this by reconsidering his earlier view on ethics of conviction, which he thought does not hold sufficient promise to address the political atmosphere of his day. To consolidate this proposal, Weber proposed an ethic of responsibility which, for him, carries some great promise to advance politics as a vocation. In this article, however, I engage with these thoughts and proposals by Weber in order to deduce some lessons on how politics could be considered as vocation. This was thought to carry some promise in the African context of political engagement in reducing misappropriation, mismanagement, and wastefulness of both human and material resources. This article concludes that taking politics as a vocation would enhance the placement of value on human lives over things as it is the case in the African context. Contribution: This contribution would ensure that individuals intending to take politics as a vocation have a different view of politics other than amassing wealth, but to render service to humanity.

Interreligiöse Initiativen sind in der Lage, über eigenständige und spezielle Aushandlungsprozesse enge Beziehungsgewebe zu entwickeln. Mit Lachen, Geselligkeit, Alltagskommunikation, dem Verhandeln religiöser Inhalte u.a. stellen sie kommunikative Verbindungen her. Die Autorin untersucht diese Prozesse mit Rückgriff auf Hannah Arendt, Jürgen Habermas und Hubert Knoblauch. Sie argumentiert dafür, dass sich die etablierten Bindungen unter dem Begriff der politischen Freundschaft als neues Paradigma interreligiöser Interaktionen fassen lassen, und diskutiert dies im Kontext von Public Theology.

Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Campinas – PUC Campinas A presente pesquisa consiste na exploração da tradição e teologia pública do Neocalvinismo. Com vistas a dar clareza sobre seus autores e conceitos, a pesquisa primeiramente apresenta um panorama de alguns dos principais autores da tradição, a saber, Abraham Kuyper, Herman Bavinck e Herman Dooyeweerd. Junto dos autores, também são apresentados alguns dos seus fundamentos teológicos e filosóficos: o conceito de soberania de Deus, graça comum, antítese espiritual e cosmovisão calvinista. Em seguida, como vetor principal do estudo, são apresentados os contornos do que constitui uma teologia pública neocalvinista. Para isso, são utilizados os neocalvinistas contemporâneos que continuaram a desenvolver as ideias fundamentais da tradição, com o objetivo de direcionar a atenção para temas como: pensamento antirrevolucionário, pobreza, luta de classes, soberania das esferas e teologia do pluralismo neocalvinista. Desse modo, tendo como base a descrição da tradição e da teologia pública neocalvinista, são feitas duas análises comparativas, uma de base empírica (documental) e outra de base conceitual (bibliográfica). A primeira trata de comparar a teologia pública neocalvinista com os atores e atuação da Frente Parlamentar Evangélica no Brasil, no formato de um estudo de caso. A segunda compara a teologia pública neocalvinista com as teologias do domínio (Teologia dos 7 Montes e o Teonomismo Reconstrucionista), com vistas a verificar as semelhanças e contrastes. Por sua vez, as comparações são especialmente importantes para a contribuição da pesquisa com o campo das Ciências da Religião e Teologia no Brasil, fornecendo novos resultados para os estudos em teologia pública. No que tange à metodologia, trata-se de uma pesquisa exploratória, de abordagem qualitativa, com levantamento de dados bibliográficos e documentais, e que se utiliza das duas estratégias metodológicas de comparação: o estudo de caso e a análise conceitual comparativa. Dessa forma, a pesquisa objetiva auxiliar tanto na compreensão acerca do Neocalvinismo quanto nas reflexões sobre a teologia pública contemporânea, em especial no contexto brasileiro. The present research consists of an exploration of the tradition and public theology of Neo-Calvinism. Towards the clarification about its authors and concepts, the research first presents an overview of some of the main authors of the tradition, namely Abraham Kuyper, Herman Bavinck, and Herman Dooyeweerd. Along with the authors, some of their theological and philosophical foundations are also presented: the concept of God's sovereignty, common grace, spiritual antithesis, and the Calvinist worldview. Thereafter, as the main strand of the study, the contours of what constitutes a neoCalvinist public theology are presented. For this, contemporary neo-Calvinists who have continued to develop the fundamental ideas of the tradition are brought in for the purpose of directing the attention to subjects such as: anti-revolutionary thinking, poverty, class struggle, spheres of sovereignty and the neo-Calvinist theology of pluralism. In this way, based on the description of the neo-Calvinist tradition and public theology, two comparative analyses are performed, one empirical (documentary) and the other conceptual (bibliographical). The first one compares the neo-Calvinist public theology with the actors and performance of the Brazilian Evangelical Parliamentary Front, in the format of a case study. The second compares Neo-Calvinist public theology with the dominion theologies (7 Mountains Theology and Reconstructionist Theonomism), in order to verify the similarities and contrasts. These comparisons are especially important for the contribution of the research on the field of the Sciences of Religion and Theology in Brazil, providing new results for studies in public theology. In terms of methodology, this is an exploratory research, of qualitative approach, with a survey of bibliographic and documentary data, and makes use of the two methodological strategies of comparison: the case study and the comparative conceptual analysis. In this way, the research aims to help both the understanding of Neo-Calvinism and reflections on contemporary public theology, especially in the Brazilian context.

The article is dedicated to the intellectual history of the early twentieth centuryof the Kyiv Theological Academy. In the years of the First Russian Revolution (1905-1907) in the Kyiv Theological Academy was formed a liberal party of professors. They were advocating the idea of a reform of theological education system. In particular, the reformers called for the democratization of the inner life of the theological academies, for the academies autonomy in relation to the power of the bishops, and for the election of higher administrative positions in the academies. In addition, liberal professors tried to find new ways of Orthodox theology developing. They advocated the approximation of theology to the needs of the present, for overcoming the closeness and scholasticity of academic theology. One of the brightest representatives of this ideological course was the professor of the Kyiv Theological Academy Vasiliy Ekzemplyarskiy (1875-1933). In teaching moral theology, he tried to discuss with the students the actual social problems.In his publications in the 1905-1912, one can see the seeds of what is now called “public theology”. In particular, his program articles were dedicated to the problem of the morality of international politics and the problem of the death penalty. A wide resonance was caused by his article devoted to the comparison of the social doctrine of St. John Chrysostom and Leo Tolstoy. The views expressed in this article caused the discontent of the church leadership. In particular, Ekzemplyarskiy here severely condemned the “official” theology, which, in his opinion, tried to justify the non-Christian actions of the state through biblical arguments. As a result, in 1912, Ekzemplyarskii was dismissed from the Academy and was able to return to teaching only after the February Revolution, 1917. In connection with further revolutionary upheavals, the ideas of professor Ekzemplyarskiy, unfortunately, did not develop. Nevertheless, the legacy of Vasiliy Ekzemplyarskiy was an important prologue to the formation of domestic “public theology”.

This contribution in the field of public theology explores two questions: (1) Could South Africa be regarded as a traumatised society, presenting with acute symptoms of post-traumatic disorder and (2) what would be an appropriate theological response to a traumatised society? These questions became even more acute with the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic during 2020. Historical events and current statistical data relevant to the first question are presented, which could indicate that South Africa might indeed be regarded as a highly traumatised society. The second question is discussed from the perspective of reformed theology. This limits the research focus, based on the assumption that all theology and all churches respond in a particular way to traumatic events and the effects of individual and collective trauma.

This article argues for a rediscovery of a theology of work in South Africa that is based on the Protestant notion of calling and vocation. Such a view has the primary intention of emphasising obedience and faithfulness to God rather than self-fulfilment or achievement as the intentions of work. Such an approach can empower and equip the church and individual Christians for effective and faithful living in all spheres of life – both private and public. The article shows that the influences of theological dualism, an unbalanced view of the clergy as primary agents of ministry and mission, and a structures-centred view of ministry and mission detracted from the importance of the church’s ministry in numerous spheres of society. A consequence of this was the introduction of a subtle dualism between faith and work. In response to this, the article considers how the church could become an agent of mission and transformation in the world of work. The conclusion of this article is that the South African church could benefit from revisiting and rediscovering a theology of work that is based on the Protestant emphasis of calling and vocation in the public sphere. Contribution: While this article engages the traditional protestant theological notions of calling and vocation, it argues that reconsidering these notions in relation to the contemporary world of work can renew a theology of work and ministry for South African churches to serve their members in achieving God’s will in society.

This article is firstly an investigation of traditional Christian thought about the world with the purpose of establishing whether Christianity’s three main confessions (Eastern Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism and mainline Protestantism) share similar concerns about the current situation of nature. Secondly, the investigation is followed by a comparison between the common features of these three confessional theologies and similar patterns of thought in the secular world, with the intention of finding ecological issues that are common not only to the three confessional theologies but also to secular philosophies. Thirdly, the initial investigation of Christianity’s three main confessional theologies, followed by the comparison between these confessional theologies and secular philosophies of nature, is completed by the concrete proposal that, in order for contemporary ecological issues to be met with viable solutions, a common public attitude about nature, which goes beyond confessional theologies and secular philosophies, needs to be pursued globally in an ecodomic (constructive and edifying) manner. Contribution: Despite the numerous theories about concrete ways to improve the current state of nature, this article is an attempt to go a step beyond the established theological and philosophical perspectives on the world towards a constructive public attitude which is meant to be characterised by the real possibility of immediate action.

Leadership inadequacy in Nigeria has contributed to the rise in corruption, which has undermined human dignity through insufficient provision of basic human needs. This happens because the leadership venerates self-interest to such an extent that enhancing human wellbeing is not considered important. To save Nigerians from this dilemma, this article calls for a new leadership ethics called ‘responsible leadership’, whose precepts protect and enhance human dignity and enforce adherence to the rule of law to curb the spread of corruption. This was carried out by surveying the present system of governance with its failures and how it has contributed to human dignity violations. It was found that poor leadership was responsible for the continuous spread of corruption and exposure of human dignity to violations through porous and inadequate provisions of basic human needs. However, this study concluded that new leadership ethics, which are inclusive and integrative, would appreciate and recognise the intrinsic worth of every human being, take its people from their present position to where they should be, and would reduce violation of human dignity purported through corruption. Contribution: The article argued for a new ethos of leadership that is responsible in nature, encompassing, and intentionally people-centred, which takes people from where they are to where they ought to be. It fits into the scope of the journal by way of inter-connecting different topics to produce a unifying idea.

The novel coronavirus – officially named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), causing a disease (Covid-19) which has flu-like symptoms – seems to be responsible for the current global lockdown or maybe one can even refer to it as a global event. Neither the virus nor the disease that it causes is truly novel, as the virus is part of the SARS virus family and therefore known, and likewise the symptoms of the disease (Covid-19) are also well known, even flu-like, and therefore also not novel. Yet, what is truly novel about the virus or the disease it causes is its effect, not specifically referring to the health effect, but its global socio-economic and political effect. It is for the first time in the history of humanity that such drastic global lockdown measures have been taken and that governments have taken the conscious decisions to ‘lay lame’ (cripple) their economies. Such a radical decision is truly novel. Besides the economic ‘lockdown’, there are numerous socio-economic repercussions; for example, in a single day, millions (3.3. million) of citizens in the United States file for unemployment, and similarly in many other countries. Covid-19 is a challenge to the economies of the world, to society at large, to the poor and vulnerable in particular, and to individuals who are ‘locked safely’ in their homes. Religious institutions, which traditionally provide collective meaning, can no longer gather in public places, and offer communal solace. Covid-19 maybe challenges what being human means, or at least, what one has come to believe concerning the meaning of being human. In this article, this question of being human in the time of Covid-19 will be explored.

In view of current political and social challenges, the border between church and state, which was defined in the 19th century, should be reflected in a critical way. As a proposal, one could attempt to re-define this relationship by using the concept of civil society. The political sciences see the church as a part of civil society. The magisterium of the Catholic church and big parts of theology, however, never use this term. In order to better serve its mission, the church with its material and immaterial resources should begin to understand itself as a part of civil society. This requires the church to be transformed into a “public church” and theology into “public theology”, a transformation which will not only help to build a more just society, but will also help the church to fulfil its own mission., Angesichts der gegenwärtigen politischen und sozialen Herausforderungen, muss die Grenze zwischen Kirche und Staat, die im 19. Jahrhundert bestimmt wurde, neu definiert werden. Der Versuch einer neuen Definition dieses Verhältnisses könnte an das Phänomen der Zivilgesellschaft anknüpfen. Die Politikwissenschaft sieht die Kirche als ein Teil der Zivilgesellschaft. Das Magisterium der katholischen Kirche dagegen verwendet diesen Begriff nie. Um ihrer Mission besser zu entsprechen, sollte sich die Kirche mit ihren materiellen und immateriellen Ressourcen als einen Teil der Zivilgesellschaft verstehen. Das würde verlangen, dass die Kirche zu einer „öffentlichen Kirche“ und Theologie zur „öffentlichen Theologie“ werden. Diese Wandlung würde nicht nur beim Aufbau einer gerechteren Gesellschaft helfen, sondern auch zur Erfüllung der eigenen kirchlichen Mission beitragen.

Forgiveness is a deeply contested theological notion in contemporary South African theology and society. The same could be said for South African theologies of reconciliation, of which forgiveness is considered to be a part. Some claim that these concepts have been weakened, abused, and corrupted. In particular, there are doubts whether forgiveness holds any theological or social value at present. John de Gruchy has devoted a great deal of time and effort to developing a theologically subtle, and politically robust, understanding of forgiveness that links justice and reconciliation. This article will consider how John de Gruchy’s dialogical theology, which takes account of both the ontological and the structural aspects of forgiveness, facilitates an understanding of political forgiveness that can address some of the critiques of this notion in contemporary South African theologies.

African communities face various challenges that require different sectors' interventions to be effectively addressed. Churches as key community structures in Africa along with people experience these life challenges. The situation prompts churches to continually re-examine their role in communities to develop relevant responses that are deeply rooted in Christian approaches and heritage. Pastoral care as a community frontline ministry is expected to intervene practically to address people's holistic needs. However, the questions that emerge are the following: how can pastoral care practically be performed in a manner that it performs a public community caring role? How can public pastoral care be practically implemented? What models can be employed in providing public pastoral care? This article considers how pastoral care can be practically performed at the intersection of public theology and community development. Pastoral care performed at this intersection is termed public pastoral care. The article discusses and notes the 'murky' terrain and 'apparent confusion' on the notion of public pastoral care. Furthermore, it employs a church and community mobilisation process (CCMP) case study to progress beyond theoretical discussion to examine how public pastoral care can be operationalised in real-life situations. In doing so, it discerns the possibilities and challenges of positioning pastoral care to address public issues.

This study seeks to probe Nico Koopman’s Christological approach through the lens of the theological framework spelled out in the Kairos Document (1985), and in particular its understandings of church theology and prophetic theology, critically re-appropriated in the current socioeconomic context of South Africa. Four essential aspects of Koopman’s Christological perspective are examined: (1) the Reformed view of the lordship of Christ as the basis for the public vocation of theology; (2) Trinitarian and Christological foundations of human dignity; (3) Jesus as the epitome of divine and human vulnerability, and (4) the organic connection between the threefold office of Christ and the public calling of the church. In conclusion, I argue that Koopman’s Christ, albeit displaying an African veneer, upon scrutiny, appears to be unfamiliar with and unconcerned about the problems faced by most South Africans today, and thereby fails to constructively engage with African (especially black African) contexts of our day. This is due to four major factors, namely (a) Koopman’s choices regarding theological references; (b) his cursory and un-nuanced treatment of African theological notions; (c) his a-pathetic mode of theologising; and (d) his inability (or lack of willingness) to engage with structural (especially macro-economic) issues. I further suggest that my conclusions concerning Koopman’s “global Reformed Christ” may be (at least tentatively) extrapolated into a number of approaches developed by South African theologians under the umbrella of “public theology”. I also point to some promising (prophetically-loaded) insights coming from the chosen public theologians, including Koopman himself, as a way of illustrating the tension between civic spirit and public anger, inherent in this mode of theologising.

In the wide-ranging and multifaceted discourses of public theologies within very different and pluralistic contexts, the strongest contemporary emphasis falls on their integrity and relevance in relating to their respective contexts and socio-political movements within those much globalised contexts. This emphasis is questioned, arguing that a more fundamental and critical question is at stake. Against the background of a short overview of different stories (self-understandings) of public theology, the critical question is put forward, namely whether the emphasis should fall on the public square after all, but much rather on the ‘publicness’ of rationality that precedes the different contexts (squares!). The focus is therefore on the publicness of rationality in pursuit of the old well-known but ever challenging question, namely ‘will the real public theology please stand up’. It is argued that the integrity and relevance that ‘public theologies’ strive for, are to be firstly sought and found in their models of rationality – as the ‘stuff’ of embodiment as sites of struggle and survival that they are woven from – and secondly contextually articulated and explicated in engagement and conversation with the very pluralism they hope to address in a constructive-realistic manner.

Five hundred years after the Reformation, it is tempting to celebrate this influential and significant event. The Reformation, however, as an incident which also tore apart the Church, should be commemorated, but not celebrated. What can be commended, however, is the courage shown by those involved in the Reformation, especially as seen in the figure of Martin Luther. In this contribution, I will examine the courageous voices of the Reformers, who confronted the status quo of their day in order to also draw some guidelines for a similarly courageous and prophetic theology in the present day. The concept of community and Holy Communion will especially be stressed in this regard.

The Dutch Reformed Church (Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk) is in transition because of the influences of the more recent South African epochs of democratisation, Africanisation and globalisation. The histories of these epochs extend over more than 20 years and have had a significant influence on the church. The Dutch Reformed (DR) Church changed institutionally because its place and influence within society changed considerably as a result of political and social transformation since 1994. The ongoing process of Africanisation that accompanies these transformations brings certain reactions to the bosom of the church via the experiences of its members. Most are Afrikaners being more inclined to westernised social frames of reference. Ironically, these people are more susceptible to the effects of globalisation, especially secularisation, which transposes the religious set-up of the DR Church into an open and individuated system. These developments pose major challenges to the DR Church in the sense that it has to reconsider how it approaches society, what it can contribute to the ecumenical church, why it is necessary to reflect on its denominational identity and what its academic, theological endeavours in these regards entail.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article has an interdisciplinary scope because the multiplicity of the present-day calls for interdisciplinary academic reflection. For the purpose of this article, Church Historiography helps to systemise recent ecclesiastical developments within the DR Church. To clarify the influences of these developments on the DR Church, sociological premises are incorporated to describe them within a broader social context. References to the conducted empirical study serve to explain respondents� (members of the DR Church) social and religious constructs regarding these ecclesiastical and sociological phenomena.

Public theology has become an important mode of theological engagement in secular and pluralistic contexts yet there is debate as to the character of this engagement. This article argues that an analysis of the nascent public theology developed by John Wesley can contribute to the development of a prophetic public theology. This nascent prophetic public theology is best demonstrated in his booklet Thoughts upon Slavery. Wesley’s argument is critically analysed in the context of eighteenth century Britain. On the basis of this analysis eight propositions for a prophetic public theology are developed.

The basic argument of this work is that Martin Luther King’s public ministry is best understood as an act of public theology in which he sought to re-imagine American democracy on the basis of a Christian theology of love. Embedded in this thesis are three distinct but related—and also contested—claims. First, this is a claim about the source of King’s public ministry—that it was fundamentally an expression of an encounter between King's Christian theological tradition and his American democratic moment. Secondly, this is a claim about scope of King’s public ministry—that in it, King sought to re-imagine not merely an aspect of American democratic life—race, economics, or military policy—but the whole. Thirdly, it is claim about the substance of King’s public ministry—that when Martin Luther King, Jr. set out to theologically re-imagine American democracy, he did so specifically and unwaveringly in terms of an unapologetically Christian theology of love.

With the democratization process in Brazil, legal guarantees were obtained for political mobilizations and organizations. At the societal level, the emergence of new social actors helped expand the boundaries of the political and consolidate a politically influential public sphere. Although communication between the public sphere and the political system occurs under many limitations, new experiences at the local level such as the Participatory Budget enable a clearer link between society and state. In theoretical terms, this means a complement to a discursive conception of the public sphere as developed by Jurgen Habermas, as a deliberative function is assigned to it. In this paper, after considering the social and theoretical context of reception and rereading of the concept of public sphere in sociological studies in Brazil, we engage the question about a public theology that can be developed in a dialogue with Habermas’s theory. Resorting to the criticism of South African theologians James Cochrane and Tinyiko Maluleke against public theologies that based on Habermas reject the democratic potential of liberation theologies, we affirm that criticism and resistance are constitutive elements of democratic dialogue. This affirmation is not inconsistent with the political theory of Habermas; rather, his theory allows to identify the relevance of a public theology precisely in its connection with spheres of life in which the suffering caused by the social problems to be denounced and discussed in the public sphere are more directly perceived. Besides the link between lifeworld and public sphere, as well as between public sphere and political system, other themes of Habermas’s political theory regarded in this article as relevant to be considered in discussions of public theology are the creative potential of language and the presence of religion in the public sphere.

Citizenship has become the key concept for democracy in Brazil after transition. Often referred to, it denotes rather a conceptual field than a clear-cut definition. Following the central insights of Liberation Theology, seeking to adapt to the current democratic situation and the need for a focus on citizenship, this article argues for such focus within the framework of a public theology. First, it offers a theoretical, conceptual reflection, followed by a presentation of the contributions to citizenship by three major and representative Brazilian churches, the Roman Catholic Church, the Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil and the Assemblies of God. Finally, it presents, briefly, five elements of a theology of citizenship based on central assets of Lutheran theology that are able to respond to current challenges of Brazilian democracy and society.

After almost two decades of democratic rule in South Africa, patterns of withdrawal and uncertainty about the complexities involved in defining the contents, rationality and impact of the public role of the church in society seem to be prevalent. As unabated levels of corruption and its sustained threat to sustainable development point out, a long-awaited reckoning should take place – at least in the circles of South African churches from reformed origin – regarding its rich tradition of critical and transformational prophetic involvement in the public space. In this article, the author places different models for the public role of the church in the field of tension that is generated when the private and public spheres meet each other. The author anticipates different configurations that will probably form in this field of tension in the cases of respectively the Two Kingdoms Model , the Neo-Calvinist Approach and the Communicative Rationality Approach . Die rol van profetiese prediking in publieke teologie: Die implikasies vir die hantering van korrupsie in ‘n konteks van volhoubare ontwikkeling. Na bykans twee dekades van demokratiese regering in Suid-Afrika blyk dit dat patrone van onttrekking en onsekerheid oor wat die inhoud, rasionaliteit en impak van die publieke rol van die kerk in die samelewing presies behels, steeds voortduur. In ‘n situasie waaruit dit blyk dat daar geen werklike teenvoeter is vir die hoe vlakke van korrupsie asook vir die bedreiging wat dit vir volhoubare ontwikkeling inhou nie, is dit hoog tyd dat die kerk, ten minste in die geval van die Suid-Afrikaanse kerke van reformatoriese oorsprong, diep oor sy profetiese rol in die samelewing moet besin. Hierdie kerke kom uit ‘n ryke tradisie van kritiese en transformerende betrokkenheid in die publieke sfeer. In hierdie artikel plaas die outeur verskillende modelle vir die publieke rol van die kerk in die spanningsveld wat gegenereer word wanneer die private en publieke sfere mekaar ontmoet. Die outeur antisipeer verskillende konfigurasies wat waarskynlik na vore sal tree in hierdie spanningsveld in die gevalle van onderskeidelik die Twee Koninkryke Model , die Neo-Calvinistiese Benadering en die Kommunikatiewe Rasionaliteit Benadering .

The article dealt with the moral and political problem of international food justice in which the deep contradiction between the present situation of malnourishment and starvation in large parts of the global population on the one hand and the biblical notion of the preferential option for the poor on the other hand was described. This ecumenically widely accepted notion was clarified in several aspects. How deeply this is rooted in the history of Christian social thought was shown by Martin Luther�s writings on the economy which have remained relatively unknown in the churches and in the scholarly world. The article then presented three models of Christian economic ethic: the technical economic model, the utopian economic model and the public theological economic model. On the basis of the public theological model seven challenges for international food justice were presented. The basis for these challenges is an understanding of globalisation which guarantees just participation for everyone and deals with nature in an ecologically sustainable way. The interests of small farmers are the basis for judging the activities of big agro-corporations. Public theology is the background for an active involvement of the churches as agents of a global civil society to promote international food justice.

The aim of this article is to contribute to the academic discussion on the inter-linguistic translation of the Christian message in the public sphere. There seems to be consensus amongst academic public theologians and social philosophers such as Habermas about the importance of translating religious language in the public sphere. Views differ, however, on the manner of translation. Five key aspects of Ricoeur’s paradigm of translation are discussed and offered as a framework for the academic discussion in public theology on the translation of the Christian message in the public sphere. It is argued that notions such as the tension between faithfulness and betrayal, the illusion of the perfect translation, striving for equivalence of meaning, the importance of the desire to translate, the work of translation and linguistic hospitality offer insight in the complexity of the translation task as well as its ethical nature.

The complex and problematic role of religion in the public sphere in modern, democratic societies raises many questions for a public theology. The aim of this article is to contribute to the ongoing debate about the task and methods of public theology by asking what we can learn from the ideas of Jürgen Habermas. Habermas was a leading participant in the thinking process on the secularisation thesis in Western societies. His view was that religion will eventually disappear from the public scene due to the rationalisation of society. In recent years he seems to have changed this view in the light of new developments in the world. He now maintains that religion has something important to offer in the public sphere. Religion could thus participate in this public discussion, provided that it satisfies strict conditions. We argue that public theology can learn from Habermas’s recent ideas regarding religion in the public sphere: attention should be paid to the cognitive potential of religion, especially regarding the importance of the lifeworld and the role of religion in social solidarity with the needy and vulnerable; hermeneutical self-reflection is important; a distinction should be made between the role of religion in faith communities and in public life; we have to accept that we live in a secular state; and we have to learn the possibilities and impossibilities of translating from religious vocabulary into a secular vocabulary in order to be able to participate in the discussions in the public sphere.

The role of prophetic witness of the churches in the public discourse of modern civil societies is analysed on the basis of three public memorandums of the German Protestant churches on economic questions and their impact on the public. Among the ten systematic conclusions which are drawn from this case study is the importance of the specific context for the role of prophetic statements. The article tries to show how prophetic witness is a necessary element of a public theology, which is not based on fundamental criticism, but develops both critical and constructive perspectives for politics and society. If such public theology is liberation theology for a democratic society it is the task of the church to get involved in the public debate in a ‘bilingual’ way, that is, on the basis of its biblical-theological sources but at the same time with the ability to engage in the secular language of pluralistic societies.

David Korten proposes a Fourth Generation approach (1990) to development that is value driven and sees social movements take centre stage in promoting a more just global society. Theologian Ignatius Swart (2006) has argued that Korten’s approach holds significant value for civil society role players such as the church, whose value-driven agenda may serve to resist common values expressed by the powerful in society. Recently, the EXPOSED 2013 campaign has emerged as such a Christian social movement, seeking to mobilise up to 100 million Christians globally to take action against corruption. Using social media and church networks at all levels it aims to petition the G20 for more open tax regimes and greater transparency in international money flows to combat bribery and tax avoidance. This article documents and critically analyses the EXPOSED 2013 campaign through the lens of Korten’s Fourth Generation in dialogue with Swart’s faith-based analysis of Korten’s work.