Browsing by Author "Domeris, William R."

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A Comparative Study of Syncretic Practices between the Zionist Churches of Eswatini and Baal Worship in Ancient Israel.
(South African Theological Seminary Johannesburg) Ward, Ashar Louise 1993; Curle, Neville; Domeris, William R.
Culture and tradition have an influence on how people practice their faith in God. Theology cannot be practiced in a vacuum; there are outside influences that affect how every person lives out their faith. Christianity in Eswatini is no exception. It has been heavily influenced by how it first came to the nation, the missionaries that have taught about faith, and Eswatini’s own history and culture. The Zionist Church in Eswatini represents the largest church body of the country. Yet, the Zionist churches are known for contextualising Christianity into Swati culture. However, where is the line between being culturally relevant and the syncretism of two religions? The Zionist churches in Eswatini have often been labelled as syncretic in practice. This research found that not all Zionist churches can be called syncretic, however many Zionist churches still do practice a syncretism of STR and Christianity. This syncretism is compared to that practiced by Ancient Israel. Israel went through cycles of practicing syncretism by engaging in cultural practices from the surrounding nations that were not compatible with worship of Yahweh. One repeated temptation for Ancient Israel specifically was the lure of Baal worship. Ancient Israel was used as a case study for this research project, specifically to identify the dangers of syncretism and its consequences. The consequences that Ancient Israel faced for abandoning Yahweh were disastrous. In studying both Israel and Zionism in Eswatini, it is clear that the syncretic practices are very similar. This has led to similar consequences too. Eswatini seems to be encountering consequences that were also promised to Israel, such as lack of fertility of land, animals, and humans.
A Critical Examination of the Role of the South African Evangelical Church in the African Renaissance
(South African Theological Seminary) Lockard, Anna-Marie; Domeris, William R.
This research examines the key role of the South African evangelical church in the African Renaissance movement. A paradigm for assessing this role was taken from the book of the Acts of the Apostles. The hermeneutics of a socio-rhetorical interpretation of chapters two through four was used to identify ways whereby the first century church engaged with its culture without losing its unique identity.The origins and objectives of the African Renaissance have been carefully considered, particularly within the South African context. A critical examination of the ideology of the movement was examined in order to determine the feasibility of the church engaging with the movement’s philosophy and objectives.Although several scholars maintain that the African Renaissance has objectives within the political, socio-economic, and cultural arenas, few scholars suggest the role of faith and the church in their goals.Therefore, this research presents biblical strategies whereby the South African evangelical church may engage with the African Renaissance as a bold and innovative witness.
A Multi-Disciplinary Study of Deuteronomy 23:12-14
(South African Theological Seminary Johannesburg, South Africa) Yamoah, James; Domeris, William R.; Asumang, Annang
Deuteronomy 23:12-14 is pregnant with interesting theological, moral, and socio-cultural concepts which require exploration. From the premise that the possession of and survival on the Promised Land required that Israel would engage in warfare, YHWH’s presence in their camp to engage in a war against His enemies, who were Israel’s enemies, had to be ensured. Such divine presence required the maintenance of holiness of their military camp,which called for the people having to bury their faces outside it, a practice argued to be motivated by other reasons as well.This multi-disciplinary study focuses not only on unearthing these concepts,but also determining the interconnections between themand integrating them meaning fully to show that the usual interpretation of the holiness laws from a dichotomous perspective needs revision. Based on the historical-grammatical model for exegesis, the contextual,literary and textual underpinnings of the pericope are analysed, bringing to bear its structural and rhetorical undertones. The analyses identify major concepts:ritual purity, hygiene, sanitation,‘place theology’, ‘name theology’, and ‘YHWH/holy war’, and produce a translation of the text that was interpreted for the original and other OT audiences. It is shown that the overall motivation for the pericope was not YHWH’s presence in the camp; rather the war that He would execute.On the strength of a proposed hermeneutical grid for the interpretation of OT laws in the NT context, the dissertation links the pericope to some NT passages. One major link is to Paul’s letters to the Corinthians,where he discusses purity of the temple (2 Cor 6:14-7:1). Ultimately, the undergirding concepts find allusions in the apocalyptic camp (19:11-21:27), where the prophecy of God’s final war is given.The analyses confirm the hypothesis that the pericope is not only undergirded by many concepts (or disciplines) which can be integrated meaningfully,but also helps in providing a general framework for the study of OT passages.Overall, not only are the findings presented in this dissertation relevant to contemporary Christians as they look forward to the fulfilment of the ‘camp’promises,but the larger society of today can also derive some benefits from the recommendations it makes.
An Investigation Into Pauline Church Leadership And Ministry Towards A Reduction Of The Clergy/Laity Gap In A West African Sahelian Context
(South African Theological Seminary) Ndiaye, Mamadou; Domeris, William R.
The post-apostolic Church fathers, facing deviating teachings and movements, reinforced the authority of Church leadership at the expense of non-leaders’ involvement in ministry. This is the root of a clergy/laity gap that was to deepen throughout the centuries. The Protestant Reformation was right in reasserting the priesthood of all. They questioned the clerical and hierarchical structure of Roman Church leadership and ministry. However, the Protestant movement, in wanting to correct the Roman Church order, engaged in a wrong track. The priesthood of all was dealt with in terms of authority rather than service. The results have been different forms of Church order,confined to a restructuring of Church leadership that do not reduce the clergy/laity gap. Furthermore, they do not reflect the sovereign uniqueness of Christ’s headship. This thesis set then to investigate Pauline Church leadership and ministry in search of a potential solution towards a reduction of the gap. It is structured into three main parts addressing the background of the issue, the investigation of Pauline Church leadership and ministry, and the contemporary significance of the study. The research shows that the nature of the Priesthood of all in Paul is diakonia(Eph 4:12), not authority. The “diakonia”of the body, the “pastoral task” and “participative christocracy” are the three paradigms that emerge from the exegetic study based on 1 Corinthians 12:27-31 and Ephesians 4:11-16, paying heed to New Testament related texts. The theological significance of the paradigms for a reduction of the clegy/laity gap has been applied to a West African Sahelian context, part of the Mandingo cluster. The application leans upon socio-cultural positive values that help implement Church leadership and ministry in ways potentially conducive to a reduction of the clergy/laity gap while safeguarding the christocratic nature of authority in the Church.
Biblical Hebrew Verbal System in Poetry: Examining the Constellation, Functions, and Semantics of Biblical Hebrew Finite Conjugations in Elements of the Psalms of Lament
(South African Theological Seminary Johannesburg) Banda, Maxwell Chiwoko 1992-; Domeris, William R.; Pelletier, Mathieu
The Biblical Hebrew verbal system in the poetry of Psalms poses a challenge for Bible translators and interpreters. This has resulted in variations and inconsistencies in the rendering of finite verbal conjugations in Bible translations and commentaries. Some scholars of the Hebrew Bible wonder whether the Biblical Hebrew verbal system in the book of Psalms follows any linguistic principles. This research investigates the constellation, functions, and semantics of the Biblical Hebrew finite conjugations in elements of the Psalms of Lament in an attempt to find linguistic principles that the writers of Psalms might have used in their selection of verbal conjugations. After introducing the research concept in the first chapter the researcher studies the characteristics of Biblical Hebrew poetry to understand the dichotomy between prose and poetic texts. The research goes further in studying different theories on the Biblical Hebrew verbal system. The textlinguistic theories of Alviero Niccacci and Robert E Longacre are singled out as promising because of their insistence on the importance of studying verbal conjugations in the text and not in isolation. The textlinguistic theory is blended with the genre analysis theory of Hermann Gunkel who proposes that the book of Psalms can be studied reasonably if only the Psalms are classified in their different genres.Upon studying the constituent parts of the Psalms of Lament under genre analysis the researcher examines how finite verbal conjugations are constellated indifferent genre-elements of the Psalms of Lament. The research discovers that some verbal forms dominate in specific genre-elements while other verbal conjugations dominate in other elements. The analysis of the findings reveals that the writers of the Psalms of Lament did not select Biblical Hebrew finite conjugations randomly but that they were guided by the genre principle whereby a specific verbal conjugation was selected in a specific element to fulfil a specific linguistic function. Therefore, this research proposes that a genre analysis approach gives new hopes in the future of studying Biblical Hebrew verbal conjugations in the poetic corpus.
Christian Creation Theories Rooted in the Genesis Account and Their Underlying Assumptions
(South African Theological Seminary Johannesburg, South Africa) Janse van Rensburg, Michael; Domeris, William R.
The objective of this study is to provide the reader with a holistic theological understanding of the current popular Christian creation theories. This was done through identifying, analysing, and comparing the key teachings of these theoriesagainst a biblical exegesisof Genesis 1:1 –2:3.Thisstudy reveals how each theory operatesfrom a defensive and subjective historical context in which the various proponents find justification for their specific perspectives. It further illustrates how specific theological principles form part of the meta-theoretical frameworks that support the different theories. From discussingthese frameworks it becomes clear how different opinions aboutthetheological principles of general-versus special revelation and physical-versus spiritual death result in tension between the various theories.Furthermore, this study argues that the creation account formed part of a literal-historical worldview in ancient Israelite society, but conservatively concludes that the current debate regarding the author intended historical timeframe and literary genre of the creation account in Genesis 1:1 –2:3 is inconclusive. Despite this conclusion, it indicates that modern day Christians can have a degree of certainty as to the theological intended meaning of the text.The study concludes with a discussion on some of the main assumptions of the different theories, illustrating how all of the theories face theological difficulties.
Conspectus Special Edition 2018
(South African Theological Seminary, 2018-12-01) Smith, Kevin G.; Manyika, Batanayi I.; Keener, Craig S.; Nel, Marius; Mzondi, Modisa; Banda, Collium; Kipimo, Jesse Fungwa; Falconer, Robert D.; Asumang, Annang; Pretorius, Mark; Atterbury, Vincent E.; Brodie, Robert; Domeris, William R.; Erdey, Zoltan L.; Jabini, Frank; Kunhiyop, Samuel W.; Lessing, Pelham; Lioy, Dan T.; Mahlangu, Elijah; Malherbe, Johannes S.; Maré, Leonard; Peppler, Christopher; Pretorius, Mark; Smith, Kevin G.; Song, Arthur; Woodbridge, Noel B.; Du Toit, Philip; Erdey, Zoltan L.
Conspectus Volume 1
(South African Theological Seminary, 2006-03) Asumang, Annang; Domeris, William R.; Smith, Kevin G.; Pretorius, Mark; Cooper, Bradley; Lioy, Dan T.; Atterbury, Vincent E.; Domeris, William R.; Jabini, Frank; Lioy, Dan T.; Mahlangu, Elijah; Peppler, Christopher; Song, Arthur; Woodbridge, Noel B.; Wyngaard, Peter; Smith, Kevin G.
Conspectus Volume 10
(South African Theological Seminary, 2010-09) Erdey, Zoltan L.; Lioy, Dan T.; Scarborough, Thomas O.; Smith, Kevin G.; Woodbridge, Noel; Atterbury, Vincent E.; Domeris, William R.; Jabini, Frank; Kunhiyop, Samuel W.; Lioy, Dan T.; Mahlangu, Elijah; Maré, Leonard; Peppler, Christopher; Pretorius, Mark; Smith, Kevin G.; Song, Arthur; Woodbridge, Noel B.; Wyngaard, Peter; Smith, Kevin G.; Erdey, Zoltan L.
Conspectus Volume 11
(South African Theological Seminary, 2011-03) Asumang, Annang; Brodie, Robert; Howell, Timothy D.; Lioy, Dan T.; Scarborough, Thomas O.; Peppler, Christopher; Smith, Kevin G.; Woodbridge, Noel; Atterbury, Vincent E.; Brodie, Robert; Domeris, William R.; Erdey, Zoltan L.; Jabini, Frank; Kunhiyop, Samuel W.; Lessing, Pelham; Lioy, Dan T.; Mahlangu, Elijah; Maré, Leonard; Peppler, Christopher; Pretorius, Mark; Smith, Kevin G.; Song, Arthur; Woodbridge, Noel B.; Wyngaard, Peter; Zoltan, Erdey L.; Smith, Kevin G.
Conspectus Volume 12
(South African Theological Seminary, 2011-09) Asumang, Annang; Aucamp, Andrew; Joubert, Callie; Lioy, Dan T.; O'Donoghue, Darrell; Pretorius, Mark; Smith, Kevin G.; van der Spuy, Mervin; Woodbridge, Noel; Barnes III, Roscoe; Erdey, Zoltan L.; Atterbury, Vincent E.; Brodie, Robert; Domeris, William R.; Erdey, Zoltan L.; Jabini, Frank; Kunhiyop, Samuel W.; Lessing, Pelham; Lioy, Dan T.; Mahlangu, Elijah; Maré, Leonard; Peppler, Christopher; Pretorius, Mark; Smith, Kevin G.; Song, Arthur; Woodbridge, Noel B.; Wyngaard, Peter; Zoltan, Erdey L.; Smith, Kevin G.
Conspectus Volume 13
(South African Theological Seminary, 2012-03) Asumang, Annang; Jabini, Frank; Morris, Russell A.; Lioy, Dan T.; Peppler, Christopher; Scarborough, Thomas; Smith, Kevin G.; Woods, David B.; Pretorius, Mark; Woodbridge, Noel; Atterbury, Vincent E.; Brodie, Robert; Domeris, William R.; Erdey, Zoltan L.; Jabini, Frank; Kunhiyop, Samuel W.; Lessing, Pelham; Lioy, Dan T.; Mahlangu, Elijah; Maré, Leonard; Peppler, Christopher; Pretorius, Mark; Smith, Kevin G.; Song, Arthur; Woodbridge, Noel B.; Wyngaard, Peter; Zoltan, Erdey L.; Smith, Kevin G.
Conspectus Volume 14
(South African Theological Seminary, 2012-09) Asumang, Annang; Brodie, Robert; Jabini, Frank; O'Connell, Jake H.; Pohlmann, Martin; Tucker, Tim; Woodbridge, Noel; Lioy, Dan T.; Atterbury, Vincent E.; Brodie, Robert; Domeris, William R.; Erdey, Zoltan L.; Jabini, Frank; Kunhiyop, Samuel W.; Lessing, Pelham; Lioy, Dan T.; Mahlangu, Elijah; Maré, Leonard; Peppler, Christopher; Pretorius, Mark; Smith, Kevin G.; Song, Arthur; Woodbridge, Noel B.; Wyngaard, Peter; Zoltan, Erdey L.; Smith, Kevin G.
Conspectus Volume 15
(South African Theological Seminary, 2013-03) Asumang, Annang; Aucamp, Andrew; Chan, Ken; Chua, Alton; Lessing, Pelham; Curle, Neville; Erdey, Zoltan L.; Smith, Kevin G.; Joubert, Callie; Lioy, Dan T.; Domeris, William R.; Atterbury, Vincent E.; Brodie, Robert; Domeris, William R.; Erdey, Zoltan L.; Jabini, Frank; Kunhiyop, Samuel W.; Lessing, Pelham; Lioy, Dan T.; Mahlangu, Elijah; Malherbe, Johannes S.; Maré, Leonard; Peppler, Christopher; Pretorius, Mark; Smith, Kevin G.; Song, Arthur; Woodbridge, Noel B.; Wyngaard, Peter; Zoltan, Erdey L.; Smith, Kevin G.
Conspectus Volume 16
(South African Theological Seminary, 2013-09) Lioy, Dan T.; Smith, Kevin G.; Woodbridge, Noel; Semmelink, Willem; Atterbury, Vincent E.; Brodie, Robert; Domeris, William R.; Erdey, Zoltan L.; Jabini, Frank; Kunhiyop, Samuel W.; Lessing, Pelham; Lioy, Dan T.; Mahlangu, Elijah; Maré, Leonard; Peppler, Christopher; Pretorius, Mark; Smith, Kevin G.; Song, Arthur; Woodbridge, Noel B.; Wyngaard, Peter; Zoltan, Erdey L.; Smith, Kevin G.
Conspectus Volume 17
(South African Theological Seminary, 2014-03) Asumang, Annang; Lioy, Dan T.; Woodbridge, Noel; Atterbury, Vincent E.; Brodie, Robert; Domeris, William R.; Erdey, Zoltan L.; Jabini, Frank; Kunhiyop, Samuel W.; Lessing, Pelham; Lioy, Dan T.; Mahlangu, Elijah; Malherbe, Johannes S.; Maré, Leonard; Peppler, Christopher; Pretorius, Mark; Smith, Kevin G.; Song, Arthur; Woodbridge, Noel B.; Wyngaard, Peter; Zoltan, Erdey L.; Smith, Kevin G.
Conspectus Volume 18
(South African Theological Seminary, 2014-09) Lioy, Dan T.; Makidon, Michael; Woodbridge, Noel; Semmelink, Willem; Woods, David B.; Durigan, Angela; Atterbury, Vincent E.; Brodie, Robert; Domeris, William R.; Erdey, Zoltan L.; Jabini, Frank; Kunhiyop, Samuel W.; Lessing, Pelham; Lioy, Dan T.; Mahlangu, Elijah; Malherbe, Johannes S.; Maré, Leonard; Peppler, Christopher; Pretorius, Mark; Smith, Kevin G.; Song, Arthur; Woodbridge, Noel B.; Wyngaard, Peter; Zoltan, Erdey L.; Smith, Kevin G.
Conspectus Volume 19
(South African Theological Seminary, 2015-03) Goosen, Hugh; Peppler, Christopher; Lioy, Dan T.; Makidon, Michael; Ndhlovu, Gabriel Boitshepo; Woods, David B.; Asumang, Annang; Atterbury, Vincent E.; Brodie, Robert; Domeris, William R.; Erdey, Zoltan L.; Jabini, Frank; Kunhiyop, Samuel W.; Lessing, Pelham; Lioy, Dan T.; Mahlangu, Elijah; Maré, Leonard; Peppler, Christopher; Pretorius, Mark; Smith, Kevin G.; Song, Arthur; Woodbridge, Noel B.; Wyngaard, Peter; Zoltan, Erdey L.; Smith, Kevin G.
Conspectus Volume 2
(South African Theological Seminary, 2006-09) Lioy, Dan T.; McElwain, Randall; Woodbridge, Noel; Peppler, Christopher; Pretorius, Mark; Smith, Kevin G.; Atterbury, Vincent E.; Domeris, William R.; Frank, Jabini; Lioy, Dan T.; Mahlangu, Elijah; Peppler, Christopher; Song, Arthur; Woodbridge, Noel B.; Wyngaard, Peter; Smith, Kevin G.
Conspectus Volume 20
(South African Theological Seminary, 2015-09) Curle, Neville; du Toit, Philip; Lioy, Dan T.; Williams, Andrew Ray; Atterbury, Vincent E.; Brodie, Robert; Domeris, William R.; Erdey, Zoltan L.; Jabini, Frank; Kunhiyop, Samuel W.; Lessing, Pelham; Lioy, Dan T.; Mahlangu, Elijah; Malherbe, Johannes S.; Maré, Leonard; Peppler, Christopher; Pretorius, Mark; Smith, Kevin G.; Song, Arthur; Woodbridge, Noel B.; Wyngaard, Peter; Zoltan, Erdey L.; Smith, Kevin G.