Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Previous Archive
21 December 2020 | Story Eugene Seegers | Photo Sonia Small
Prof Fanie Snyman, retired Dean of the Faculty of Theology and Religion, is the first South African to publish a volume in the respected Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries series, which deals with the Bible books of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah.

Against the backdrop of the Faculty of Theology and Religion’s 40th anniversary, Prof Fanie Snyman, retired Dean and research associate, has recently published a commentary in the Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries series based in Cambridge, England, on the prophetic books Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah of the Old Testament. What makes his book special is that Prof Snyman is the first and for the foreseeable future the only South African Old Testament scholar to be commissioned to publish in this distinguished commentary series. This commentary series is widely read and consulted in the English-speaking scholarly communities of Africa, Australia, Great Britain, New Zealand, the USA, and many European countries.

In a virtual ‘sit-down’ with Prof Fanie, he explained how a research volume of this type is usually compiled: It starts with a verse-by-verse analysis of the Bible books, looking at the literary aspects of how the passage was written as well as considering its historical, social, and cultural background. This is done to obtain a better overall understanding of the text. Secondly, a volume of commentary is not merely regurgitating knowledge that has already been generated. Prof Fanie says that “it must deliver new, fresh perspectives on the current state of research on these books. What can I contribute to the understanding of these writings?” To accomplish this, he had to pore over stacks of research on these prophetic works to be as current as possible with modern research.

First contributor from Africa

Dr David Firth, the series editor, says: “Over the nearly sixty-year history of the Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, we have not previously had any contributors from Africa. That has now been put right with the release of Prof SD Snyman’s new volume on Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah. Prof Snyman has brought together his expertise on the prophetic literature of the Old Testament and theological awareness to present a fresh work on these often-neglected books. Through his careful attention to how these books functioned in their ancient setting and mastery of the secondary literature, he is also able to point to the enduring importance of each of these books for contemporary readers. As such, he has admirably fulfilled the brief for the series and produced a volume that will serve a new generation who come to these books.”

Prof Fanie affirms that the burning issues raised in each of these books regarding situations in ancient Israel often mimic comparable issues in our modern society. For example, he underscores how Nahum brings the misuse of political power to the fore, a current and topical point of contention. Prof Snyman says: “My aim was to create a vertical theological perspective of that historical situation against the backdrop of contemporary issues. I believe that these texts have a relevance for us and upon us today.”

Other international works

This book is the third one published internationally by Prof Snyman. In 2012, he published a book on the prophetic literature of the Old Testament together with a Dutch colleague in the USA. In 2015, he published a commentary on the book of Malachi in Europe. This book was awarded the UFS Book Prize for Distinguished Scholarship in 2017. 

News Archive

UFS will award four honorary doctorates during Winter Graduation ceremonies
2016-06-29

Four honorary doctorates and two Chancellor’s medals will be awarded at the University of the Free State’s Winter Graduation ceremonies.

Max du Preez, Prof Joel Samoff (both Humanities), Trevor Manuel, and Dr Reuel Jethro Khoza (both Economic and Management Sciences) will receive honorary doctorates during the morning ceremony of 30 June 2016. Antony Osler and Marguerite van der Merwe (née Osler) will receive Chancellor’s medals at the same ceremony. Prof Samoff, from Stanford University in the USA, will also be the guest speaker during the afternoon ceremony on 29 June 2016.

A total of 482 master’s and doctoral degrees

Description: 2016 06 20 Grad Pre Tags: 2016 06 20 Grad Pre
The University of the Free State will award

482 postgraduate qualifications at the
Winter
Graduation ceremonies.
Photo: Johan Roux

The Winter Graduation ceremonies will take place in the Callie Human Centre of the Bloemfontein Campus on 29 and 30 June 2016. On 29 June 2016, diplomas will be awarded in the School of Financial Planning Law, as well as diplomas and certificates for educational qualifications on the South Campus. On 30 June 2016, 53 doctorates and 429 master’s degrees will be awarded in the seven faculties.

Most of the doctorates (16) will be awarded in the Faculty of the Humanities, while most of the master’s degrees (204) will be awarded in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences.

Date: 29 June 2016
Time:
09:00: Diplomas: School of Financial Planning Law
14:30: Diplomas and certificates: Educational qualifications of the South Campus
Venue: Callie Human Centre, Bloemfontein Campus

Date: 30 June 2016
Time:
09:00: Master’s and doctoral degrees: All faculties, except Natural and Agricultural Sciences
14:30: Master’s and doctoral degrees: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
Venue: Callie Human Centre, Bloemfontein Campus

 

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept