Conspectus

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14194/2580

Aims, Scopes, and Values

Conspectus is the journal of the South African Theological Seminary. Like the Seminary, the values of the journal are encapsulated in the phrase, “Bible-based, Christ-centred, and Spirit- led.” Launching from an appreciation of interdisciplinary discourse, the journal publishes from across the broad spectrum of theological studies (Biblical Studies, Practical Theology, Systematic Theology, Studies in Church and Society), while establishing links with extra- theological disciplines where appropriate. Like the Seminary, Conspectus invites contributions from the broad spectrum of denominations while showcasing academic research from a broadly evangelical perspective. The journal seeks contributions from authors who subscribe to a high view of Scripture, as is consistent with evangelical tenets.1 Publishing articles that employ reader-centered methodologies for exegesis does not lie in Conspectus’s purview.2 Additionally, as SATS is based on the African continent, the journal foregrounds contributions from the Majority World. To be published in Conspectus an article must go beyond a summary of secondary sources and present the results of sound theological research valuable to the church, including scholars, pastors, students, missionaries, and/or other Christian practitioners. Conspectus is an open-source journal, catalogued under ATLA (American Theological Library Association), Logos Bible Software, Galaxy Software, Sabinet, the Directory of Open Access Journals, African Journals Online (AJOL), and the SATS website.3

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    Conspectus Special Edition 2023
    (South African Theological Seminary, 2023-09) Adams, Scott; Adeleye, Femi; Banda, Collium; Anita Cloet; Coetsee, Albert; Connoway, Izaak J. L.; Coon, George; Darko, Daniel; Du Toit, Philip; Gitau, Wanjiru; Godfrey Harold; Henry, Desmond; Kabongo, Luc; Kunhiyop, Samuel W.; Lioy, Dan T.; Malherbe, Johannes S.; Manomi, Dougara Ishaya; Manyika, Batanayi; Mburu, Elizabeth; Mouton, Elna; Kevin Muriithi Ndereba; Ntseno, Caswell; Linzay Rinquest; Sindo, Vuyani; Strange, Daniel; Urga, Abeneazer G.; van Deventer, Cornelia; Long-Westfall, Cynthia; Wilson, Alistair
    This Conspectus special edition is dedicated to papers presented at the launch of the ABS session. It presents four book reviews and the responses from the authors. The papers are as follows: • Misheck Nyirenda (United Bible Societies, Zambia) reviews the book Kony as Moses: Old Testament Texts and Motifs in the Early Years of the Lord’s Resistance Army, Uganda by Helen Nambalirwa Nkabala (Makerere University, Uganda). • Manyika, Batanayi (South African Theological Seminary [SATS], South Africa) reviews Against Principalities and Powers: Spiritual Beings in Relation to Communal Identity and the Moral Discourse of Ephesians by Darko, Daniel (Taylor University, IN). • YacoubaSanon(FacultédeThéologieEvangéliquedel'AllianceChrétienne [FATEAC], Cote d'Ivoire) reviews Reading Jeremiah in Africa: Biblical Essays in Sociopolitical Imagination by Bungishabaku Katho (Shalom University of Bunia, DRC). • Sofanit Abebe (Oak Hill College, UK) reviews Favor and Gratitude: Reading Galatians in Its Greco-Roman Context by Ferdinand Okorie (Catholic Theological Union, Chicago).
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    Conspectus Volume 30
    (South African Theological Seminary, 2020-10) Banda, Collium; Anita Cloete; Coetsee, Albert; Coon, George; Du Toit, Philip; Godfrey Harold; Henry, Desmond; Kabongo, Luc; Kunhiyop, Samuel W.; Lioy, Dan T.; Malherbe, Johannes S.; Manomi, Dougara Ishaya; Manyika, Batanayi; Mburu, Elizabeth; Mouton, Elna; Linzay Rinquest; Sindo, Vuyani; van Deventer, Cornelia; Ernst Wendland; Long-Westfall, Cynthia; Wilson, Alistair; Manyika, Batanayi
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    Conspectus Volume 31
    (South African Theological Seminary, 2021-04) Adeleye, Femi; Banda, Collium; Anita Cloete; Coetsee, Albert; Coon, George; Darko, Daniel; Du Toit, Philip; Godfrey Harold; Henry, Desmond; Kabongo, Luc; Kunhiyop, Samuel W.; Kwiyani, Harvey; Lioy, Dan T.; Malherbe, Johannes S.; Manomi, Dougara Ishaya; Manyika, Batanayi; Mburu, Elizabeth; Mouton, Elna; Ntseno, Caswell; Linzay Rinquest; Sindo, Vuyani; Strange, Daniel; van Deventer, Cornelia; Ernst Wendland; Long-Westfall, Cynthia; Wilson, Alistair; Manyika, Batanayi
    In “A Procedure for Analysis of Contemporary Reception of Biblical Texts in Ghana: A Methodological Consideration,” Clement Adjei-Brown reflects on reception theory, charismatic preachers, and Ghanaian traditional religions. His methodological article bridges the disciplines of Bible interpretation and contextual theology, charting a course for hermeneutical strategies that speak directly to African realities. Next is an essay entitled “The Concept of Cult Centralization in Deuteronomy and its Possible Implications for Today” by Miracle Ajah. Motivated by a vision of an inclusive society, Ajah reads Deuteronomy exegetically and historically, tracing the debate on cult centralization and its social implications in antiquity. From this discussion, he submits an appropriation of Deuteronomy that could address fiscal federalism and resource control in several African countries. Charles Owiredu enters the world of metaphor, analyzing the conceptualization of the “nose” in the Hebrew Bible. His paper “Metaphoric and Metonymic Conceptualization of the Nose in Hebrew and Twi” leverages Conceptual Metaphor Theory to explicate the use of the nose metaphor in human experiences and its codification in the Akuapem Twi Bible of 1964. Harvey Kwiyani and Joseph Ola’s paper entitled, “God in Oral African Theology: Exploring the Spoken theologies of Afua Kuma and Tope Alabi” brings orality and theology into crystal focus. Their approach documents the rich theological heritage of a couple of West African women, providing a credible counterpoint to Occidental theological refrains. The conceptualization of God and the formulation of African identity are featured in continuity with luminaries such as Mbiti and Bediako. In a rejoinder to the simplistic view that considers the Reformed tradition underdeveloped in its pneumatology, Alistair I. Wilson presents the doctrine of the Holy Spirit as an established tenet in Reformed theology. His paper, “The Holy Spirit in Relation to Mission and World Christianity: A Reformed Perspective” etches lines of continuity between pneumatology in the Reformed tradition and Christianity’s global reach. Wilson deconstructs preconceived pneumatological binaries and edifices, inviting us to a charitable interdenominational dialogue informed by nuance and commonality. Abraham Modisa Mkhondo Mzondi engages the sphere of leadership through an analysis of John L.M. Dube’s values. Mzondi’s approach is refreshingly novel in that it traces Dube’s leadership principles through ecclesial and political successors. At the heart of his articulation is a holistic view of reality captured in the phrase “a non-dichotomous perspective of Ubuntu.” Mzondi’s article, “John L.M. Dube’s leadership: Evaluating Frank Chikane, Kenneth Meshoe, and Mmusi Maimane as Leaders” is a theologically- informed interrogation of leadership for a South African context. Last, but not least, Paul Cookey of the Theological College of Northern Nigeria reviews Carmen Joy Imes’s 2019 monograph Bearing God’s Name: Why Sinai Still Matters, published by InterVarsity Press. I would like to thank the authors for their meaningful contributions and for choosing to publish with Conspectus. May these writings serve us with fresh theological insights and a deeper appreciation for God who is at work in Africa and beyond.
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    Conspectus Volume 37
    (South African Theological Seminary, 2024-05-01) Adams, Scott; Banda, Collium; Banda, Irene; Coetsee, Albert; Connoway, Izaak J. L.; Coon, George; Darko, Daniel; Du Toit, Philip; Gitau, Wanjiru; Henry, Desmond; Kabongo, Luc; Kasera, Basilius; Lioy, Dan T.; Manomi, Dougara Ishaya; Manyika, Batanayi; Mouton, Elna; Ndereba, Kevin Muriithi; Ntseno, Caswell; Sarma, Bitrus; Sindo, Vuyani; Strange, Daniel; Urga, Abeneazer G.; Long-Westfall, Cynthia; Wilson, Alistair; van Deventer, Cornelia; Ntseno, Caswell; Connoway, Izaak
    In his article, “The Use of Translational English in Theological Compositions for More Effective Communication: Some Basic Considerations,” Ernst R. Wendland highlights the communicative difficulties that arise when theological literature is presented to non-first-language readers. The author offers translational English, an original or re-composed text more readily rendered in a non-Western language, as a strategic tool to address some of these difficulties. The topic of orality is explored further by the article, “Oral Theology in the African Church: An Examination of the Divine Attributes in the Song Yehowa by Suzzy and Matt” by Isaac Boaheng. The author stresses the value of oral material in the theological shaping of churches in Africa by analyzing a significant song by the Ghanaian duo Suzzy and Matt. While acknowledging the beauty and utility of oral theologies, Boaheng argues that these should always be weighed against the Scriptures in order to faithfully serve their various contexts. In his article, “The Rationale for Augustine’s Development of the Doctrine of Predestination,” Dumisani Member Ngobeni surveys the translated works of Saint Augustine to assess his influence on the theological development of the doctrine of predestination. Ngobeni especially considers Augustine’s exegetical approach to Romans and the influence of the Pelagian controversy, arguing that these two factors significantly shaped his theological thought. Next is the article, “Reconciliation in South Africa: Recent Contributions and the Part African Pentecostalism Can Play,” written by Bambo Miti. The author stresses the need for the religious sector to play a leading role in the socio-political rebuilding of South Africa. Miti suggests that African Pentecostalism has much potential as a transformative agent in post-Apartheid South Africa. In his article, “Maintaining an Evangelical Faith in the Face of a Decadent Culture of Democracy,” Kelebogile Thomas Resane identifies the pressures of constitutionalism and the influence of secularism as significant driving forces in the creation of a decadent culture in which God has been unsettled from public spaces. In light of the challenges faced by evangelicals in this context, primarily in the areas of church governance and family, Resane proffers a re-emphasis on three key doctrines, namely, the doctrine of the Trinity, human depravity, and a high view of the Bible. In the last article, “Which Way to Shalom? A Theological Exploration of the Yoruba and Western Foundations for Ethics and Development,” Wole Adgebile employs a comparative technique to compare Yoruba and Western views on ethics and well-being. By using the biblical idea of shalom as a measure, Adegbile argues that the Yoruba idea of àlàáfíà (peace) aligns more closely with this concept than Western views of well-being. Finally, the volume concludes with three book reviews. Lewis R. Polzin reviews Robert Falconer’s book, Embodied Afterlife: The Hope of an Immediate Resurrection, Ali Mati reviews The Holy Spirit in African Christianity, edited by David K. Ngaruiya and Rodney L. Reed, and Desmond Henry reviews Matthew Burden’s Who We Were Meant to Be: Rediscovering Our Identity as God’s Royal Priesthood.