Browsing by Subject "Salvation -- Christianity."
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Item Fidelity to God: perseverance in Hebrews in light of the reciprocity systems of the ancient Mediterranean world.(2006-07-25T21:04:38Z) Whitlark, Jason A.; Talbert, Charles H.; Religion.; Baylor University. Dept. of Religion.The primary focus of this dissertation is to demonstrate how Hebrews represents, in view of its historical and religious context, human fidelity to God. Reciprocity was one primary dynamic in the ancient Mediterranean world for establishing fidelity to a relationship and has been applied by some scholars, such as David deSilva, to Hebrews as the way to understand its strategy for creating perseverance. A major problem with the application of this dynamic is that a common optimistic anthropological assumption is associated with the various reciprocity systems in the ancient world, both Jewish and pagan. There was, however, a Middle Judaic stream that can be traced from the period of the exile which held to a pessimistic anthropology that crippled the success of reciprocity to secure fidelity. Thus, the solution to God’s people’s inability to remain faithful was an act of God that transformed the human condition and enabled faithfulness to the relationship. The argument of this dissertation is that Hebrews, with its emphasis upon the inauguration of the New Covenant by Jesus' high priestly ministry, belongs to this latter stream of thought in understanding how fidelity is secured between God and his people. Hebrews, thus, implicitly rejects the rationale of reciprocity for fidelity.Item The material in salvific discourse: a study of two Christian perspectives.(2008-04-15T17:44:46Z) Ngong, David Tonghou.; Harvey, Barry, 1954-; Religion.; Baylor University. Dept. of Religion.African theology and Christianity are deeply concerned with promoting human material well being, especially in the present deteriorating African contexts. Because of this concern African theology and Christianity have uncritically appropriated the African traditional religious worldview which promotes an immanent and anthropocentric view of the material realm. This immanent and anthropocentric vision, it is claimed, cannot adequately lead to improved material well being but only to greed and corruption because the material realm is viewed as the highest good or an end in itself. This view of the material realm is especially evident in the popular Neo-Pentecostal Christianity or the 'New' Christianity spreading throughout the continent, growing on the promise of improved material well being of its adherents. This project claims that rather than dismissing this New Christianity as inordinately materialistic, as some African theologians do, we should rather suggest a more helpful understanding of the material realm that may aid not only the adherents of the New Christianity but also the African and global church. In doing this the project locates this New Christianity within the context of African theology and Christianity, suggesting that this New Christianity is not new, as some claim, but rather intensifies the immanent and anthropocentric view of the material realm characteristic of African traditional religious cosmology. It then attempts to overcome this immanent and anthropocentric vision of the material realm by appropriating the Augustinian theocentric vision espoused by Radical Orthodoxy, especially as represented by its proponents such as John Milbank, Graham Ward, and Philip Blond. This theocentric vision does not see the material realm as an end in itself but rather as finding its end in God so that it is not loved for its own sake but for God’s sake. Here the material realm is seen as a means to the end of enjoying God. This vision relativises the material realm and thus makes it possible for material well being to be enhanced because what is sought is not material well being for its own sake but as a means of creaturely participation in transcendent and eternal divine life.