In this book, Professor Simuț demonstrates how Baur came to understand Christian theology as a Gnostic philosophy of religion under the influence of Bohme's unorthodox esoteric theosophy and Hegel's modern religious philosophy.

F. C. Baur's Synthesis of Böhme and Hegel: Redefining Christian Theology as a Gnostic Philosophy of Religion

Since its appearance nearly 35 years ago, Black's New Testament Commentary Series has been hailed by both scholars and pastors for its insightful interpretations and reliable commentary. Each book in the series includes: an insightful introduction to the important historical, literary, and theological issues; key terms and phrases from the translation highlighted in the commentary where they are discussed; explanations of special Greek or foreign terms; references to important primary and secondary literature; and a Scripture index.Paul's letter to the Galatians may be the boldest exposition of the gospel and one of the best examples that Paul's theology first and foremost emerged within the framework of a living community. Dunn's sensitivity to the letter's larger flow of thought and his adept hand at guiding us through the sometimes murky waters of Paul's thought combine to make this commentary refreshingly accessible and eminently serviceable. With a penetrating but never pedantic analysis, Dunn opens Paul's letter to the troubled believers in Galatia with a skill that comes only with knowing the subject exceedingly well.

The Epistle to the Galatians

Classical Rhetoric and Its Christian and Secular Tradition from Ancient to Modern times

David Castriota examines one of the most important monuments of early Roman Imperial art, the Ara Pacis Augustae, the sculptured marble altar built to celebrate the peace, prosperity, and stability initiated by the reign of Augustus in the later first century B.C. Castriota argues that the floral decoration of the altar enclosure was profoundly significant, operating as a visual counterpart to the technique of metonymy in language. It utilised an array of realistic plants and flowers as allusive elements associated with various gods and goddesses, which together symbolised the support and blessing of the Roman divinities for the Augustan regime. Supporting his argument with evidence from Greek and Roman literature and religion, Castriota shows that the planners of the Ara Pacis adapted and expanded a long tradition of symbolic floral decoration from Greek monumental arts. Throughout his work, Castriota demonstrates that the Roman absorption of Greek precedent enabled viewers to recognise the intended message of divine sponsorship. By examining the origins of the Ara Pacis within its broader historical setting, the author provides new insights into a crucial period that witnessed the emergence of a distinctly Roman Imperial art.

The Ara Pacis Augustae and the Imagery of Abundance in Later Greek and Early Roman Imperial Art

The FT at the UP celebrates its first century of existence in 2017. This chapter is an attempt to draw from the emerging approach in both the CCM and the CSC, asking whether it perhaps offers clues for transforming curricula as we enter our second century. The chapter seeks to offer a vision for doing theology collaboratively with communities, in liminal spaces, opening up a transdisciplinary approach to theological engagement. In its engagement with local and struggling contexts, subverting the conventional suburban classroom spaces and hierarchies of knowledge alike, it opens itself up for the ongoing transformation of both theology and the theological curriculum as well as for the transformation of local communities. It presents the possibility of doing theology at a public university in a way that could have direct and hopefully liberating and life-giving impact in a deeply unequal society, mediating multiple households of freedom.

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Transforming curricula into the next century: Doing theology collaboratively with local communities

After justifying the method applied, a brief characterisation of the rhetorical model of Hermogenes is presented. The prominence of harsh or severe styles in Hermogenes invites us to read Galatians, which is a strongly confrontational letter, through the eyes of Hermogenes. By applying severe language, Paul endeavours to bring his Galatian convertees to their senses and prevent them from succumbing to the pressures of the Judaisers. In scrutinising Galatians 1–4, it became clear that the model of Hermogenes can significantly aid our understanding of severe language in Galatians at a micro, as well as a macro level. The Hermogenic category of indignation, for example, provides the key towards solving the riddle of Galatians 4:12–20.

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Galatians and the περὶ ἰδεῶν λόγου of Hermogenes: A rhetoric of severity in Galatians 1–4

This article deals with the history of the Department of New Testament Studies at the University of Pretoria from 1938 to 2008. The focus falls on the permanent staff members and their contributions during this period. The article begins with a discussion of the life and career of Prof. E.P. Groenewald. It then proceeds to the more difficult time of cultural boycotts, with Profs A.B. du Toit and F. Botha as members of the Department at that time. Then the careers of Profs J.G. van der Watt and S.J. Joubert are discussed. The article concludes with a discussion of the contribution made by Prof. G.J. Steyn.

The Department of New Testament Studies (Dutch Reformed Church) 1938– 2008

The growing recognition that Judaism and Hellenism were not mutually exclusive suggests that Paul should be studied from a point beyond the Judaism/Hellenism divide. After attending to the apostle's own multiculturality, the relevance and implications of the ‘beyond’ position are assessed by means of an enquiry into Paul's use of charis and ecclesia. In both instances, intercultural convergence is indicated. However, the farewell to a dichotomous point of departure does not imply the denial of all distinctiveness. Studying the biblical documents from the ‘beyond’ position opens up new vistas and holds great promise for future NT research.

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Paulus Oecumenicus : interculturality in the shaping of Paul's theology

Van Unnik interpreted the biographical term άνατροϕή in Acts 22.3 as confirmation of the view that Paul spent the major part of his youth in Jerusalem. A linguistic, rhetorical and narratological enquiry shows that this interpretation cannot be sustained. Acts and the undisputed Pauline letters make it more probable that Paul went to Jerusalem in his adolescent years. The Tarsus–Jerusalem dichotomy should be superseded by the recognition that Paul was the meeting and integrating point of a variety of influences.

A Tale of Two Cities: ‘Tarsus or Jerusalem’ Revisited

Previous studies on legal references in Paul concentrated almost exclusively on matters of civil law. A study  of  five  important  passages  in Romans and an overview of the rest of Romans  indicate  that  this  letter contains an unusual number of forensic metaphors and  that  Paul,  in Romans, packaged his soteriology within a forensic setting. This  suggests that he deliberately created an implicature, inviting his readers to compare the iustitia Dei with the iustitia romana. Contrary to the latter, which was  expected  to function on the basis of equity and with which Paul’s addressees were all too well acquainted, the iustitia Dei proves to be astonishingly unconventional. This judge operates with grace. Ironical as it may seem, exactly by using  forensic  imagery, Paul completely delegalized the Christian message.

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Andrie Du Toit

Papers

Galatians and the περὶ ἰδεῶν λόγου of Hermogenes: A rhetoric of severity in Galatians 1–4

The Department of New Testament Studies (Dutch Reformed Church) 1938– 2008

Paulus Oecumenicus : interculturality in the shaping of Paul's theology

A Tale of Two Cities: ‘Tarsus or Jerusalem’ Revisited

Forensic metaphors in Romans and their soteriological significance