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This article discusses various interpretations of the well-known crux interpretum , κατάθɛμα, in Didache 16.5, which allows that the faithful will be saved by an agent, ὑπ' αὐτοῦ τοῦ καταθέματος. The scholarly consensus is κατάθɛμα is a saving "curse" or an "accursed," although consensus breaks down on the question of what the exact referent is for the soteriological curse. I suggest, in the alternative, that κατάθɛμα in the phrase refers to an endowment, a metaphorical "deposit," as a morphologically motivated transparent derivation from the verb κατατίθημι. It is not a saving curse but a soteriological endowment embodied in the Didache follower. After examining the interpretations advanced to date, the only secular use of the word is investigated, and literature contemporary to the Didache is reviewed to determine if the concept of a salvational endowment is available in the cultural heritage. Salvation elsewhere in the Didache text is scrutinized to determine whether a soteriologically effective endowment would be in keeping with the overall rhetorical thrust of the text. The entire chapter is canvassed, and the proposed alternative interpretations are tested to see if they are plausible and compelling in the context of the chapter and the verse and to examine which interpretation of the crux is satisfying overall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is an exercise in gospel contextualization, not for a particular cultural group but for people working in the business sector. It applies 'root cause analysis', a well-known tool in business quality development, to answer the question of why Christ had to die. In this way, it offers both solid biblical interpretation and a creative approach to apologetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The topic of salvation in Christianity is one of the basic teachings mentioned both in the Bible and the tradition of the apostles; the works of the Church Fathers also addresses this topic. The fundamental principle in the doctrine of salvation among the Greek Fathers, in general, and Origen of Alexandria, in particular, is the Christ himself. According to Origen, the plan of salvation was planned by the Heavenly Father and implemented by his only Son. Through repentance and baptism, the Christian believer is placed on the path of spiritual growth. By reflecting on the Holy Book, which is the truth of the Logos or the Son, and by persevering in acquiring spiritual knowledge, with the help of the Holy Spirit, he attains the grace of salvation. The final spiritual order on the path of salvation was unification and annihilation in the Logos, which is the soul of the world. Union with the Logos, living in the manner of Christ and acquiring moral virtues constitute the Godliness which, in Origen's thought, is synonymous with salvation. Origen sees the mercy and love of the Heavenly Father as so vast and all-pervading that all creatures will eventually be redeemed. Perhaps the most important theory of Origen regarding salvation is the theory of “Universalism,” according to which even sinners and even devils will ultimately be saved. This theory that did not please the church and became one of the reasons for Origen's excommunication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article begins by looking at whether God will save all (universalism) or whether he requires a response on the part of man to effect that salvation. Tom Torrance's writing seems to suggest that both may be true. It is suggested that this paradox can be resolved, however, if, accepting the thesis in the scientific sphere by Robert Oppenheimer and in the theological sphere by John Macquarrie, we argue that both can be accepted as true and as complementary descriptions of salvation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent church teachings reaffirm popular piety’s significance, yet this common expression of prayer for numerous Catholics remains on the fringes of contemporary theology. Drawing from the Philippine context, the author considers how devotion to the Nazareno of Quiapo embodies a theology of salvation, where the prayer of the people in the grassroots reveals their yearning for wellbeing. Upholding the unity of contemplation and action, the author suggests that popular piety can transform into sacramental response to the prayer of suffering people when combined with actions that promote wellbeing as an “embodiment” of salvation in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contemporary interpreters of the mystical body movement in the early twentieth century often refer to works therein as mystical body "ecclesiologies" and tend to identify distinctions among them according to the author's language or nationality. In this article, I argue that the differences among mystical body theologies in that era are better understood according to theological locus—of "mystical body" as either an ecclesiological or a christological-soteriological concept. This framework best explains the paradoxical evaluations of the mystical body movement more broadly, and the encyclical Mystici Corporis Christi in particular, as simultaneously too vague and too juridical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explored the parallels between the Jewish Yom Kippur ritual as described in Leviticus 16:11-22 and the Effutu Aboakyer festival celebrated by the Effutu people of Ghana, West Africa. Drawing upon anthropological and sociological methodologies, the study conducted a close exegesis of Leviticus 16:11–22, elucidating its atoning rituals and practices. By situating these rituals within the cultural context of the Effutu community, the paper unveiled remarkable similarities between the Yom Kippur observance and the Aboakyer festival. The chosen methodology acknowledged Scripture's inherent sociocultural insights and engages with anthropological research to enrich understanding. The study argued that atonement in traditional festivals does not achieve salvation for humanity; only Jesus’ sacrifice saves. Ultimately, this exploration offers theological reflections that resonate with both African and biblical contexts, shedding light on the enduring relevance of ancient rituals in contemporary cultural frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines Southern religious pamphlet literature or narratives that have defined the Civil War era. It explains themes of the tracts that contributed to the Confederate war effort including significance of the religious devotion of soldiers, divine providence and role of God in the war's outcome, salvation and death, morale of soldiers and importance of their sacrifice. It explores the influence of religious pamphlets on enlisted men beyond the use of chaplains.

The individual is the conventional way religious change is figured when considering 'conversion'. This essay argues this is rooted in the soteriological focus of Christian evangelism and shifts what are typically taken to be the objects of change to view them as agents of change. As an example of this, the essay compares two ethnographic examples of Jehovah's Witnesses' evangelism: the ways that Witnesses preach with mobile literature carts; and the way three Witnesses 'preached' at an academic conference in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. In order to make sense of these examples, it is necessary to unpack the theopolitical context underlying the common suasive strategy, and doing so is revealing in both instances of different objects and agents of evangelism, allowing for a comparison that explores how causality and agency are distributed in Witness preaching work. This leads to a consideration of the ways Witnesses' public evangelism subtly preaches against the state as a process of 'vindicating the name of God'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyzes the spiritual truths encountered in the poem "Odyssey" by Homer from the perspectives of Saint Augustine and English anchoress Julian of Norwich. Topics discussed include political aspect of human existence and the connection of salvation to communion with God and participation in the divine life, real growth out of the inner tensions that exist in every person, and submission to God in a spirit of trust in his mercy as the spiritual accomplishment of the human person.

The article focuses on the transformative power of conversation in fostering humanity and faith in God. Topics include the obstacles to communication highlighted in the book of Job, the role of listening in offering consolation, and the spiritual dimension of conversation driven by charity, leading to experiences of salvation and trust in God's fidelity as seen through encounters in the New Testament.

Copyright of Biblica & Patristica Thoruniensia is the property of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article explores the nature of faith in a youth custody setting. Having outlined the context in which the research is based, I suggest that an instructional approach to Christian education – built upon a belief in a human predisposition to evil, an individualised soteriology, ecclesiocentric missiology and propensity for biblical literalism – is both familiar and attractive to children in custody. I then argue that such an approach can be both psychologically and spiritually damaging and that alternative pedagogical principles and praxis should be sought and embraced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the prophecy of Zephaniah, the fate of Judah and that of foreign nations in the purposes of God are intertwined, both in regard to judgement and salvation. Judah needs to learn from God's dealings with the nations. God's verdict and judgement on the nations (1.14–18; 2.4–15) are lessons for sinful Jerusalem, which is under the same threat (2.1–3; 3.1–8). Likewise, but more positively, and this is the focus of the present article, cultic unfaithfulness in contemporary Judah (1.4–6) is set in contrast to the prospect of future cultic devotion to Y hwh by the nations of the world (2.11b; 3.9–10). The prediction of God's favourable dealings with the nations of the world is a salutary lesson to the Judahites and should motivate them to reform the cult and faithfully serve Y hwh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A society is significantly shaped by the myths it perpetuates. These myths serve as lenses for how its people see and make sense of the world around them. Myths, particularly origin myths like Enuma Elish, offer a perspective on the world that legitimates the way a society structures itself and responds to crisis, as opposing forces threaten to undermine its conception of order. This essay proposes to read Psalm 46 against the backdrop of Israel's own origin myths which undergird and shape their own conceptions of order and in Psalm 46 are called to mind to bolster hope in the midst of crisis. This is argued on the basis of numerous literary parallels with the so-called 'Song of the Sea' in Exodus and the creation accounts in Genesis. In addition, parallels with First Isaiah suggest the likelihood of Sennacherib's siege of Jerusalem as the crisis to which the psalmist responds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schleiermacher's theological champions like Kevin Hector contend that his Christology is 'high' and is Chalcedonian in spirit. I offer a number of objections to this view, suggesting that Schleiermacher offers a distinctive, early modern account of Christ as a uniquely deified redeemer but not of Christ as the uncreated God. This raises some surprising questions for the dogmatic relation of Christology, soteriology and anthropology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the theological implications of divine justice and mercy in relation to human salvation, framed through the perspectives of Anselm and N.T. Wright. It posits that Anselm's concept of God as "that than which nothing greater can be thought" provides a basis for universal hope in salvation, contrasting with Wright's skepticism towards a universalist view.

In the sixty years since Vatican II, the principle of the hierarchy of truths has rarely been applied in the exercise of the magisterium or in weighing the faith shared between the Catholic Church and other Christian communions. Pope Francis has acknowledged that Catholics still have need for a "fitting sense of proportion" in the expression of faith. This paper examines the origins of the principal and its meaning in the elaboration of Unitatis redintegratio 11 and suggests that the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification opens the possibility for a renewed reception, one that takes seriously the soteriological horizon of the foundation of faith. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The temptation of prosperity and immediate success at any price, that which intrinsically contains a demonic influence, often always gives man the capacity to be autonomous, selfish, envious and unable to open up to people. Meditating on how to escape this temptation and aspiring to offer an adequate response, we’ve compiled the present book, in which we aim to navigate through the important chapters of Christian dogmatics including: hristology, pnevmatology, mariology, soteriology and eschatology, Thus, discovering four elements: the relationship of fragility with grace, the necessity of fragility awareness and its activation for salvation, the positive and negative risks of fragility awareness, and the future face of pnevmatized fragility. The work is conceived from the perspective of a theology of exception concept, for only existential exceptions can reveal the things that come thereafter, as well as the edges of the road leading to them. They tend to reveal what is usually not seen, while placing everything in crisis, under the divine judgment that is to be, and constitute the only space of a possible Christian esotericism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses the relationship between eschatological and present issues in Christian soteriological debates of the mid-twentieth century, particularly in post- colonial India. It focuses on the writings of Dhanjibhai Fakirbhai. As mystical views of Christian salvation can be criticized for their irrelevancy to secular society, Dhanjibhai presents a contrast to this in a type of mystical soteriology that breaks such critiques and complicates the usual categories of South Asian understandings. According to Dhanjibhai, "salvation" means to be in union with Jesus Christ, a spiritual faith-based relationship that extends into eternity but is also practically experienced in the world today. This article proceeds according to four key features of Dhanjibhai's writings that demonstrate the holistic effects of union with Christ in his soteriology. I argue that Dhanjibhai alleviates the perceived problems of mystical approaches by presenting a soteriology that envelopes personal, social, and even ecological ramifications of salvation within a contextual evangelical framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When undertaking the writing of Manuscript A, in obedience to Mother Agnes of Jesus --her sister Pauline-- Thèrése of the Child Jesus of the Holy Face will endeavor to tell the story of the path of love in her life, though it is not so much --or principally-- the path of love which she has travelled, but the path that love has travelled in her. Perhaps it was not her initial intention, but the grace received on the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity in 1895 --that is, the certainty of how much Jesus desires to be loved-- reorients her work as a writer in a liturgical as well as a historical context, in which the offering of oneself to divine justice is prevalent. At that moment, Thérèse decides to offer herself to love so as to "please Jesus", in response to the mercy that he has poured out by being present in every moment of her life. Her autobiography, in the light of her lived experience and the Offering to Merciful Love which she made, transmits to the reader three essential dimensions of the path that love has taken in the life of Thérèse of Lisieux: the priestly dimension, the subversive dimension and the narrative dimension. She will culminate her journey by embracing in the night the Paschal Mystery, which is the gift of salvation and life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on Martin Luther's overlooked theology regarding bodily healing and medicine within the context of his theological considerations of suffering. It explores Luther's views on the proper use of medicine, examining how his theological concerns, specifically his soteriological vision and criticism of idolatry, shaped his perspective on healing practices. It mentions investigation delves into Luther's commentaries on the Old Testament to elucidate his endorsement of resistance.

This article seeks to interrogate critically and problematize the silence on the suburb in urban theology: in the process the article seeks to illustrate the importance of the suburb through examining it considering the soteriology underpinning apartheid spatial planning and its persistent quasi-soteriological envisioning of the good life in the ongoing spatial imagination of the South African city. While this proposal does not present a fully developed contextual or public theology in response to the complex place of the suburb in the city, it highlights the persistence of this silence and illustrates key theological questions that could underpin such a focus in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We need a nonviolent soteriology that honors scriptural and theological traditions about enemy-love, suffering, sacrifice, and satisfaction and refuses to further harm victims of violence and oppression. Martin Luther King Jr.'s nonviolence and Bernard Lonergan's way of understanding Christ's satisfaction by analogy with the sacrament of reconciliation disclose one way suffering can be redemptive: When nonviolent activists "present their very bodies," they expose the violence latent in unjust situations. Similarly, when Christ presents his body, he exposes the violence at the heart of sin. Like Christ, activists "become sin" (1 Cor 5:21)—not because they take responsibility for the sin, but because sin becomes visible in the wounds it leaves on innocent bodies. Once visible, healing can begin. Further, both men argue for a proper unfolding of the extension of love to enemies, lest victims be further harmed and injustice ignored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Christians ancient and modern have puzzled over the violence in the book of Joshua. Origen of Alexandria interprets this text apocalyptically, to give readers a sense of their own personal moral struggle as participating in a cosmic effort. For Origen, the central act of apocalypse is the cross of Jesus Christ, conquering evil through nonviolence and making religious violence explicitly prohibited. This is a compelling exegesis still today, since by using the cross to reinterpret Joshua, Origen presents a middle path between endorsing the violence depicted and excising or ignoring it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the theological significance of the ascension of Jesus Christ and its implications for Christian belief and practice. It argues that the ascension is not just a separate event but is integral to the entire narrative of salvation, highlighting how it transforms and integrates the past, present, and future within the Christian faith.

In eighteenth-century Ireland, there were two competing historiographical traditions, fighting to tell their story of the Church of Ireland's doctrinal heritage, as outlined in its confession, the Thirty-Nine Articles, which were formulated in the sixteenth-century Church of England. Article XVII: Of Predestination and Election—the most controversial article—contained no reference to the "reprobate." Mainstream Anglican clergymen, who taught an Arminian soteriology, cited this omission as proof that the sixteenth-century framers had not intended Article XVII to be read in a Calvinist light. These "Caroline" historians also stressed the importance of the Laudian reforms of the 1630s, when the Irish Church's original, ultra-Calvinist confession, the 1615 Articles, were virtually (but not officially) rescinded in favor of the English Church's allegedly un-Calvinist confession, the Thirty-Nine Articles. There was, however, another, resolutely Protestant historiographical tradition, stressing the Irish Church's doctrinal links with the continental Reformation. Proponents of this tradition argued that the Thirty-Nine Articles needed to be read in the light of the 1615 Articles, which, they claimed, remained an authoritative confession in the Irish Church. This essay explores how contemporaries interpreted and reinterpreted the Thirty-Nine Articles, thereby illuminating the ways in which the historiography of the Reformation was shaped by politico-theological concerns in eighteenth-century Ireland. It displays the eighteenth century as a fundamental period of transition, in which a largely dormant historiographical tradition was revived in the Irish Church by a small but growing faction of evangelicals, who sought to write Calvinism back into the history of their denomination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theological writing is an art that is performed in community by persons of faith. In spite of the longevity of their tradition, the Amish have not inscribed their theology on paper. Until the mid-1990s, scholars in the field of Amish studies routinely noted Amish instruction about simplicity and humility, the logical conclusion being that the Amish lack a theology. This is the result of filtering the Amish through the lens of a modernity that values higher education, technical language, and theological tomes, turning this binary logic to reach the reverse conclusion that the Amish are a-theological because they don't attend seminary, don't write theological tomes, and don't use technical theological language. In 1993, John Oyer conceded that the Amish have a theology, at least an implicit one. However, he brought a strongly neo-Lutheran reading to the discussion, questioning whether the Amish can write a genuinely Christian (Protestant) theology because of their understanding of tradition and the way they correlate faith and works in soteriology. Since then, scholars have more frequently addressed theological subjects. However, the topics are often framed with an Evangelical Protestant slant, and the literature itself—the majority published by Johns Hopkins University Press—has chiefly followed the theory laid down by Donald B. Kraybill in The Amish Struggle with Modernity that the Amish lack a formal theology because they resist Weberian-style rationalization. I aim to move beyond these interpretive paradigms, suggesting diverse ways that the Amish can fruitfully engage (and be engaged by) the wider Christian tradition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Biblica & Patristica Thoruniensia is the property of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Jacques Ellul's analysis of biblical violence is resolutely Christocentric: all manifestations of violence must be seen in the perspective of the Revelation in Christ. There are no subtypes of violence, and all manifestations of violence are expressions of necessity. In turn, violence, which stands in stark contrast with language, leads to servitude and this circle can be broken only by the freedom brought by the violence of God's unconditional love. This love is both the ultimate spiritual violence, as it is a victory over the necessity of death, and the promise of universal salvation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Christian reaching the cross is an iconic scene in John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress (1678). Freed from his burden, Christian is assured of salvation by Jesus's atoning work and receives gifts from three shining ones. Opinion has been divided about who these shining ones are. This study sets out and assesses the arguments that have been given for seeing the shining ones as angels or as Trinity. A third way is proposed that sees the shining ones as church by exploiting the presumption of an allowable range of interpretation in handling the allegory. This has the advantage of refuting individualist readings of the Christian life, while affirming the church's gospel ministry of assuring Christians of their salvation by God's grace with biblical truth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The doctrine of the Trinity in its classic formulation is difficult to express and fully understand due to its dependence on classic metaphysics. This distances the experience of the three-part god from the life of the Christian community. This doctrine however, is key to understanding the paradox of the experience of Christian salvation and of faith. The Nicaean creed introduced a level of specificity in its language which requires a study at the source of metaphysics to refine its definition. Through this re-examination, distinct feminist theologies have emerged which attempt to de-Hellenise the language of Nicaea to construct a decolonial and plural language adapted to the age of globalisation. The proposals of many of these invite us to move away from the continuity-discontinuity theological tension, to create theological metaphors which incorporate the Trinitarian definition. One useful hermeneutic tool is the notion of perichoresis, which links the institutions of the Cappadocian fathers with the proposals of these authors. The dance, as a perichoresic metaphor, contains the Trinitarian name of God Communion which nourishes with its relational dynamic, and because of this, it can be used as an excellent route towards doctrinal convergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The English Catholic philosopher Sir Kenelm Digby (1603–1665) has enjoyed a recent spate of scholarly attention as a prodigious traveller, political figure, and man of diverse intellectual interests. This article contributes to this scholarship by assessing the commentary on salvation at the heart of Digby's philosophy of the soul and the historical contexts in which it was produced. It argues that Digby's thinking on the soul was a meditation on the worldly interactions a Catholic must undertake or avoid in order to achieve salvation. As such, our intellectual historical understanding of Digby is much improved when he is viewed as a scholar who constructed an identity as a thinker adept at advising others on the correct path to beatitude. This article also makes the broader argument for salvation as an important conceptual tool for early modern intellectual historians wishing to accurately map the complex relationship between theology, scholarly argument, and scholarly ambition in the seventeenth century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses the question of how the community of faith (the church, etc.) should respond to the world in crisis. It provides a spiritual perspective on this crisis rather than a full description of the problems and how to solve them. It draws upon the life and teaching of Jesus to discern how to respond to our troubled world, noting that Jesus too lived in a world in crisis. The article underlines that Jesus fully lived the "more excellent way" described by Paul in First Corinthians. The community of faith responds with a thoughtful faith, hope grounded in salvation history (i.e., the entrance of God into human affairs, from Abraham to the present), and unconditional love, following the example of Jesus. In these ways, the community of faith helps mitigate "a world in crisis" and empowers faithful followers to flourish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article gives an account of the discussions about the creed that took place at the Council of Nicaea in 325. It considers major problems regarding its origin and history and outlines the circumstances of its composition, its peculiar structure, and its purpose on the basis of the latest research. Finally, it discusses the legacy of Nicaea for today's theology. The theological development that began at Nicaea in 325 and culminated in the victory of the Neo‐Nicenes at Constantinople in 381 brought about a conceptual clarification that helped to establish a wide consensus regarding how the Christian God and God's saving work in Christ and in the Holy Spirit is described. This development continues to influence Christian theology after 1700 years, despite heavy criticism in recent decades, some of it justified. It is to be hoped that the anniversary of Nicaea is an encouragement to go beyond commemorating the golden age of patristics by developing new ways to communicate the significance of the incarnation, passion, and resurrection of Christ for our salvation to a wider public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Missio Dei has both total salvation and the attainment of the all-encompassing kingdom of God as central objectives, meriting the participation of all sectors of human society. However, as the resulting circumstances of several African developing countries can attest, the unsustainably disruptive nature of Governments of National Unity (GNUs) or coalition governments contradicts such unifying divine mandate. Using South Africa's coalition politics, where the likelihood of forming coalition governments depends on who is the "better devil", this paper draws on the literature to make a strong argument against the coalition government model. Accordingly, using the framework of missio politica to test the mandate of democratic politics in fulfilling the objectives of missio Dei, it is argued that coalition government models are usually at odds with missio Dei or the mandated objectives thereof. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An editorial is presented which raises questions about the relevance of Jesus and the need for salvation in contemporary society. It questions whether the message of salvation from eternal damnation is still valid and suggests alternative perspectives, such as the need for salvation from selfishness, and societal issues.It also explores the interpretation of the cross and the gospel, urging theologians to engage with these questions and seek a clearer understanding of the message of Jesus.

Despite the increased interest and research into the concept of vocation or calling, students are still prone to a reductionist understanding of vocation as primarily their job or career (Kleinhans, 2016; Moser & Fankhauser, 2018; Setran, 2011). Christian higher education institutions have a unique opportunity to help students navigate these potential pitfalls and think more deeply about both their vocation and their occupation. This article highlights shortcomings that result from overly identifying one's vocation with one's work and advocates for a mindset of vocational living, which is rooted in a more holistic perspective that recognizes vocation's broader connection to foundational Christian concepts such as humanity's creation in the image of God and the call to salvation in and discipleship to Christ (Pfeiffer, 2014; Shatzer, 2019; Waalkes, 2015). This article challenges leaders to ask probing questions and seek opportunities to align the organizational life and practices of the university with this concept of vocational living. Finally, this article also seeks to encourage further research into conceptual perceptions of vocation, as well as into institutional practices that equip students to respond to their calling throughout their lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article contrasts the accounts of mystery used to combat idolatry found in the theology of Karl Barth and in contemporary apophatic theology. It describes Barth's account of mystery as distinctly Protestant in its soteriological nature and basis in contrast to recent apophatic accounts of mystery based on the doctrine of creatio ex nihilo. These divergent theologies of mystery—as either light or darkness based on different dogmatic res —ultimately reveal contrasting commitments in the doctrine of God. For both, Jesus Christ is the light of God's gracious revelation. However, the movement in apophatic theology is from the light of Christ to the mystery of divine darkness, while in Barth's theology Jesus Christ is the luminous mystery of God that dispels the Deus absconditus. This article argues that idolatry is better counteracted by Barth's positive concept that mystery is grace and filled with content in Jesus Christ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to highlight St John's peculiar perspectives on the meaning and the consequences of Christ's sacrificial death for our apparently evil-dominated history and to bring a new light on the mystery of evil the Book of Revelation speaks about. My analysis begins with St John's Christocentric perspective on history, continues with the significance of its driving forces revealed in the vision of the seals and ends with an evaluation of the evil triad, which tries to stop the unfolding of the salvific work of God. Alongside Christ, Christians play an essential role in the conflict with these powers and, thus, in transforming the world according to God's plan. The outcome of this conflict does not depend on which side has more power, as one may conclude under the effect of the violent imagery of the book, but on the Lamb's blood's lasting effects, which enable each Christian to become a conqueror, sharing in his Lord's victory. Contribution: This article highlights some of the contributions of the Book of Revelation to a Christian theology of history and argues that the main point is the overwhelming value of Christ's blood and its reception for the much expected victory over evil. To transform the world, the victory won by Christ has to be actualised by each of his followers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article closely examines the content of an important passage in Maximos the Confessor's Ad Thalassium 42, in which we can identify a ternary soteriological structure (Adam-Christ-us) recurring in the work of the Byzantine theologian. The main focus of the article is to highlight and analyse the relationship that he evokes, but does not detail, between human nature and the exercise of will - in the case of Adam, as the protological and lapsarian exemplar of humanity; in the case of Christ, as its teleological and soteriological exemplar; and in the case of us, as natural descendants of the former and possible spiritual followers of the latter. Contribution: This article highlights a general soteriological structure and the circular dynamics between nature and will as the central anthropological mechanism of this structure, both of which are relevant to Maximos the Confessor's entire work in general and to his moral psychology, including his concept of the passions, in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]