Nadia Marais teaches Systematic Theology at Stellenbosch University. She is an ordained minister of the Dutch Reformed Church of South Africa and a Mandela Rhodes Scholar.
‘Saving’ language is often employed in relation to animals—both in conservation campaigns and in ... more ‘Saving’ language is often employed in relation to animals—both in conservation campaigns and in animal theology—and therefore the question as to how we speak about animal redemption is arguably of both rhetorical and theological importance. This article considers the rhetorical and hermeneutical dynamics of ‘redemption talk’ in the work of two animal theologians, Andrew Linzey and David Clough. Although language alone may not save animals, cultivating life-giving theological grammars that make for the flourishing of all living beings is arguably a slow and deep and important work that has the capacity to go the distance. Rhetoric could herein become a partner to ethical and practical work that shares the concern for the safety of and care for animals, as well as a resource that could shape how the redemption of animals could be imagined publicly. In short, this article seeks to demonstrate that how we speak about animal salvation matters.
What does beauty have to do with justice, justification, and salvation? Can the world be saved by... more What does beauty have to do with justice, justification, and salvation? Can the world be saved by beauty? In this contribution, some theological and rhetorical convergences and differences between the discourse on human dignity and the discourse on human flourishing are explored. The role of beauty, in these discourses, is a pivotal concern – especially as often justice and human rights shape the theological discourse on human dignity. A key proposed argument in this analysis is that justice is to human dignity what beauty is to human flourishing, and that these shape or mould the theological language with which salvation – the good news of the gospel – is articulated. The argument concludes by proposing that both forensic language and aesthetic language are born from the fold of Christian soteriology, and that not only the more static, forensic language of human dignity is required to speak about salvation, but also the more pliable, artistic language of human dignity.
... by Nadia Marais December 2011 Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for ... more ... by Nadia Marais December 2011 Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Theology at the University of Stellenbosch Supervisor: Prof. DJ Smit Faculty of Theology Department Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology Page 2. Declaration ...
may vary slightly. First, instead of being a systematic exploration of theological truth, when sy... more may vary slightly. First, instead of being a systematic exploration of theological truth, when systematic theology is defined in such a way as described above, it is synonymous with biblical theology. Instead, some contemporary systematic theologians seek to use all available resources to ascertain the nature of God and God's relationship to the world, including philosophy, history, culture, etc. In sum, these theologians argue that systematic and biblical theology are two separate, though related, disciplines. ‘Critical discourse analysis’ (henceforth CDA) subsumes a variety of approaches towards the social analysis of discourse (Fairclough & Wodak 1997, Pêcheux M 1982, Wodak & Meyer 2001) which differ in theory, methodology, and the type of research issues to which they tend to give prominence. 1. Theoretical issues The term ‘discourse’ is used in various ways within the broad field of discourse analysis. Two are of particular relevance here. Consider for instance new manageme...
In Princeton theologian Van Huyssteen’s (2006) major interdisciplinary work, Alone in the World? ... more In Princeton theologian Van Huyssteen’s (2006) major interdisciplinary work, Alone in the World? Human Uniqueness in Science and Theology, human uniqueness is rhetorically coupled with human aloneness. A comparison with a contemporary theological anthropology, namely Yale theologian Kelsey’s (2009) Eccentric Existence: A Theological Anthropology, shows an alternative approach to the notion or concept of the imago Dei, namely a theological shift from viewing human beings as image(s) of God, to viewing human beings as images of Christ, or images of the image of God. This contribution responds to the invitation implied in Van Huyssteen’s book title – are we alone in the world? – by exploring some of the rhetorical implications of a Christological interpretation of the imago Dei. One such implication may imply a different answer to Van Huyssteen’s question – are we alone in the world?; not yes, but no. Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s idea of Christ’s promeity illustrates how the rhetorical dynami...
... by Nadia Marais December 2011 Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for ... more ... by Nadia Marais December 2011 Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Theology at the University of Stellenbosch Supervisor: Prof. DJ Smit Faculty of Theology Department Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology Page 2. Declaration ...
Friendship is not often associated with citizenship, politics or civil society – and yet this con... more Friendship is not often associated with citizenship, politics or civil society – and yet this contribution proposes that civic friendship(s) may be worth consideration as an expression of peacemaking and peacebuilding: the dynamic interplay between our ‘social’ and ‘individual’ selves working towards peace and countering violence. This theological consideration of friendship deals with the interaction between individuality and sociability in the work and thought of a theologian who was deeply interested in such interplay and which may therefore be helpful in theological reflection on friendship. This contribution draws on two theologians who were involved in higher education themselves – the German theologian Friedrich Schleiermacher, who served as rector of the Humboldt University of Berlin (1815–1816), and the South African theologian Russel Botman, who served as rector of Stellenbosch University (2007–2014) – from whom we may learn about (civic) friendship.
‘Saving’ language is often employed in relation to animals—both in conservation campaigns and in ... more ‘Saving’ language is often employed in relation to animals—both in conservation campaigns and in animal theology—and therefore the question as to how we speak about animal redemption is arguably of both rhetorical and theological importance. This article considers the rhetorical and hermeneutical dynamics of ‘redemption talk’ in the work of two animal theologians, Andrew Linzey and David Clough. Although language alone may not save animals, cultivating life-giving theological grammars that make for the flourishing of all living beings is arguably a slow and deep and important work that has the capacity to go the distance. Rhetoric could herein become a partner to ethical and practical work that shares the concern for the safety of and care for animals, as well as a resource that could shape how the redemption of animals could be imagined publicly. In short, this article seeks to demonstrate that how we speak about animal salvation matters.
What does beauty have to do with justice, justification, and salvation? Can the world be saved by... more What does beauty have to do with justice, justification, and salvation? Can the world be saved by beauty? In this contribution, some theological and rhetorical convergences and differences between the discourse on human dignity and the discourse on human flourishing are explored. The role of beauty, in these discourses, is a pivotal concern – especially as often justice and human rights shape the theological discourse on human dignity. A key proposed argument in this analysis is that justice is to human dignity what beauty is to human flourishing, and that these shape or mould the theological language with which salvation – the good news of the gospel – is articulated. The argument concludes by proposing that both forensic language and aesthetic language are born from the fold of Christian soteriology, and that not only the more static, forensic language of human dignity is required to speak about salvation, but also the more pliable, artistic language of human dignity.
... by Nadia Marais December 2011 Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for ... more ... by Nadia Marais December 2011 Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Theology at the University of Stellenbosch Supervisor: Prof. DJ Smit Faculty of Theology Department Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology Page 2. Declaration ...
may vary slightly. First, instead of being a systematic exploration of theological truth, when sy... more may vary slightly. First, instead of being a systematic exploration of theological truth, when systematic theology is defined in such a way as described above, it is synonymous with biblical theology. Instead, some contemporary systematic theologians seek to use all available resources to ascertain the nature of God and God's relationship to the world, including philosophy, history, culture, etc. In sum, these theologians argue that systematic and biblical theology are two separate, though related, disciplines. ‘Critical discourse analysis’ (henceforth CDA) subsumes a variety of approaches towards the social analysis of discourse (Fairclough & Wodak 1997, Pêcheux M 1982, Wodak & Meyer 2001) which differ in theory, methodology, and the type of research issues to which they tend to give prominence. 1. Theoretical issues The term ‘discourse’ is used in various ways within the broad field of discourse analysis. Two are of particular relevance here. Consider for instance new manageme...
In Princeton theologian Van Huyssteen’s (2006) major interdisciplinary work, Alone in the World? ... more In Princeton theologian Van Huyssteen’s (2006) major interdisciplinary work, Alone in the World? Human Uniqueness in Science and Theology, human uniqueness is rhetorically coupled with human aloneness. A comparison with a contemporary theological anthropology, namely Yale theologian Kelsey’s (2009) Eccentric Existence: A Theological Anthropology, shows an alternative approach to the notion or concept of the imago Dei, namely a theological shift from viewing human beings as image(s) of God, to viewing human beings as images of Christ, or images of the image of God. This contribution responds to the invitation implied in Van Huyssteen’s book title – are we alone in the world? – by exploring some of the rhetorical implications of a Christological interpretation of the imago Dei. One such implication may imply a different answer to Van Huyssteen’s question – are we alone in the world?; not yes, but no. Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s idea of Christ’s promeity illustrates how the rhetorical dynami...
... by Nadia Marais December 2011 Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for ... more ... by Nadia Marais December 2011 Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Theology at the University of Stellenbosch Supervisor: Prof. DJ Smit Faculty of Theology Department Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology Page 2. Declaration ...
Friendship is not often associated with citizenship, politics or civil society – and yet this con... more Friendship is not often associated with citizenship, politics or civil society – and yet this contribution proposes that civic friendship(s) may be worth consideration as an expression of peacemaking and peacebuilding: the dynamic interplay between our ‘social’ and ‘individual’ selves working towards peace and countering violence. This theological consideration of friendship deals with the interaction between individuality and sociability in the work and thought of a theologian who was deeply interested in such interplay and which may therefore be helpful in theological reflection on friendship. This contribution draws on two theologians who were involved in higher education themselves – the German theologian Friedrich Schleiermacher, who served as rector of the Humboldt University of Berlin (1815–1816), and the South African theologian Russel Botman, who served as rector of Stellenbosch University (2007–2014) – from whom we may learn about (civic) friendship.
Uploads