| Editorial |
Winter can be a tough time for many people. The church can play an important role in the lives of the poor. A research project on the poor is brought under international attention where the church’s role in poverty is highlighted. During a winter week the identity of the church was discussed. International exposure ensures high quality training at the UFS Faculty of Theology. Students are also exposed to various experiences to equip them for the wonderful and sometimes overwhelming task of being a pastor. When was the last sermon you heard from Song of Songs? Dr Fischer provides a new way of thinking and preaching from this book of Scripture. International collaboration with other Theological institutions gives new meaning to the concept “being part of the one body of Christ”. Where nature retreats in winter to keep only the absolute essential, it can inspire us to also retreat and rethink what is the pastor/church/believer that I must (now) be.
God bless.
Lyzette Hoffman
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| The church we must (now) be |
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| From the left: Rev Martin Laubscher, DRC Heuwelkruin, involved in CPD accreditation and the keynote speakers at the winter week: Dr Coenie Burger, Proff Yolanda Dreyer and Danie Veldsman. |
Shepherd, Centre for the assisting of spiritual leaders, presented a very successful winter week entitled: “The church we must (now) be”. Dr Coenie Burger showed that on the one hand Calvin saw the church as relatively unimportant in relation to God, the gospel and the kingdom. On the other hand the church is also a necessary tool in the hand of God. Part of Calvin’s heritage is the fact that reformed churches played a key role in ecumenical movements in the 20th century. Proff Danie Veldsman and Yolanda Dreyer from the University of Pretoria were the two other keynote speakers. Prof Veldsman discussed a different viewpoint on the relationship “revelation – experience”: re-evaluating experience as subjective correlate for revelation. Prof Dreyer sketched the context in which the church must survive. Several parallel sessions conducted by lecturers from the Faculty of Theology, were also presented on various topics. From a workshop on preaching from the letter of Jude, to lectures on reaching out to authorities and theology and films. “Pastors who attended this week earned 30 CPD-credits,” said dr Gerhard Botha, director of Shepherd.
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| The role of the church in poverty |
Prof Pieter Verster, Department of Missiology, UFS, delivered a paper at the 7th international conference on “New directions in the Humanities”. The conference was held in Beijing, China. In research in informal settlements near Bloemfontein South Africa Prof Verster and others established that the church can play a definite role in inspiring people to be proud of themselves and engage in activities to better their situations. The church should enhance positive family life, give people hope and help the poor to start with their own activities to obtain a better livelihood. When absolute poverty reigns the church can be the first to enter into the lives of the people and supply them with basic needs. This is however only a part time solution as the church must inspire people to get out of the circle of poverty by getting involved in their own future. |
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| The theological hub of Song of Songs |
| Why does the book Song of Songs qualify to be part of the canon? Which hermeneutical key may be used in studying this book? Questions like these were asked at the recent discussion group for Biblical sciences. Dr Stefan Fischer from the University of Vienna, Austria opened the discussion. He gave a short survey over the history of interpretation of Song of Songs. In early Judaism as well as in the church an allegorical interpretation of the relationship between God and Israel or the church is the dominant interpretation. In an individualistic – selective approach Song of Songs is used as a "stone quarry". Short quotations are used as wisdom teaching. In the 20th and 21st centuries Song of Songs is understood as an anthology – a collection of poems but some find an overall structure. According to Dr Fischer the Theological hub of Song of Songs is found in its structural centre 4:16-5:1. The unification of the male and the female is at the centre of Song of Songs. It is supported by a third voice which cannot be assigned to another figure who appears within Song of Songs. In a theological interpretation this external voice could be the voice of God. It is the setup of paradise. Song of Songs points back to the paradisiac love. Where there is love there is paradise supported by God. |
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| International partnerships |
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Prof Francois Tolmie (Dean: Faculty of Theology, UFS) observes Dr DT Banda (principal: Justo Mwale) and mr William Sakala (chair: Justo Mwale) signing the agreement between the UFS and JMTUC.
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Partnerships are made in Africa. Justo Mwale Theological University College (JMTUC) in Lusaka, Zambia and the Faculty of Theology from the University of the Free State (UFS) signed an agreement. Prof Francois Tolmie from the UFS came to Lusaka to sign a memorandum of understanding on behalf of the university. At this occasion he spoke about the UFS being in the process of targeting tertiary institutes in Europe, USA and Africa for future collaboration. At the same time Justo Mwale was looking for an associate to help realise a longstanding dream: to present a masters’ degree in theology to students and pastors from that area. This degree must be tailored to the Zambian context and surrounding area. Furthermore the degree must have accreditation status to provide access to further doctoral studies. In signing this agreement both institutions’ dreams were realised. This also led to the Zambian government acknowledging Justo Mwale as a “University college”.
The Faculty of Theology at the University of the Free State (UFS) will establish a Jonathan Edwards Centre for Southern Africa, affiliated with the Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale University in New Haven in the United States of America.
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| International scholars lecture at the Faculty |
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| In the back are the M TH-students, all pastors in congregations except one who is a businessman. In the front are the lecturers from left: proff Fanie Snyman (UFS), Celia Kourie (Unisa), Francois Tolmie (UFS), Cees Waaijman (Nehterlands), Jos Huls (Netherlands), Pieter de Villiers (UFS) and Rian Venter (UFS). |
Students of the MTh-program in Biblical spirituality recently had the privilege to receive lectures from international scholars. A seminar on Spiritual hermeneutics, organized by the Departments Old and New Testament of the University of the Free State (UFS) was held at Menuah, Bloemfontein. Proff Jos Huls and Cees Waaijman, from the Titus Brandsma Institute for Biblical Spirituality at the Radboud University in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, made a special visit from the Netherlands to present this seminar. Prof Pieter de Villiers, also a presenter during the seminar, is extraordinary professor in Biblical Spirituality at the Faculty of Theology of the UFS. Themes included amongst others the revelation of the mysterious, transformation through the embracing of suffering, the Old and New Testament in Christian spirituality and Bible-perception in groups. Pastors from different parts of the country attended this seminar as part of their Masters’ degree in Theology. They described the seminar as both academically and spiritually enriching.
Undergraduate student also received an international visitor. Prof Arrie Leder, senior professor in Old Testament studies at Calvin Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids USA, presented lectures on the Pentateuch and the prophets. The same lectures given to his students in the USA, was presented here.
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| Theology students do and experience |
Theological students must, among other things, be able to study, preach, plan outreaches and build hot air balloons.... It is also a new skill acquired by lecturers from the Faculty of Theology. Sola Gratia, the UFS association for theology students, organised a special morning for these activities. Marike Els, vice-chair of Sola Gratia divided students and personnel in groups and explained how to turn crinkle paper into hot air balloons. Is was a good exercise in teambuilding and a lesson in faith. Four colourful balloons were successfully launched.
Theology students under the leadership of Prof Pieter Verster also visited Durban on a missionary tour. They experienced work done by “Doctors for life”, visited Hindu temples and mosques and met members of the Reformed Church in Africa.
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