European Journal of Theology and Philosophy

Kant’s Reliance on Reason Rejects the Essence of Sympathy and Empathy in Any Moral Choice

2024-10-16T05:08:18+02:00

Kant is noted to have pioneered the deontological position when he argued in defence of reason and duty in moral decision-making. Kant’s use of reason in moral decision-making has made him an ethical rationalist. As moral agents, our theories must be based on rational cognition. This can be said to have dominated Western philosophy since the time of Plato. During Plato’s time, the tradition believed that one must know the object and possess the cognitive principles of practical reason. This must be exercised by the will or rational capacity guided by the categorical imperative. It is only when this is accomplished that it can be said that an action is morally worthy or morally permissible. This paper argues that Kant’s reliance on reason rejects the essence of sympathy and empathy in any moral decision-making endeavour. To act justly there is the need to employ reason so that such action could be attractive as well.

Revitalizing Lay Theological Education in Africa: Development, Challenges and Hopes

2024-10-10T02:11:40+02:00

The legacy of the Second Vatican Council, of which the Churches in Africa and in the United States form a part, is a story of accomplishment, communion, co-responsibility and synodality. It affirms the need for proper education, formation and preparation for those who exercise a ministry, including the lay faithful, who have the right and duty to acquire knowledge of Christian teaching and theology. This paper discusses the development, challenges and hopes for lay theological education in the Church in Africa as a family, with a particular focus on Nigeria as a case study. It revitalizes the need to develop and strengthen existing lay theological structures to ensure adequate and qualified personnel for the mission of the Church in Africa and beyond. Theological appeals and proposals are finally and newly presented for possible areas of mutual collaboration and solidarity between the Church in Africa and the Church in America.

A Study of Salvation based on 1 Peter 3:18-22 among Batak Toba Christians, North Sumatra

2024-08-20T22:36:11+02:00

Salvation is a very broad subject and very important to understand properly in the Bible. Salvation in Jesus Christ can be responded to by believing in Christ and His work. The understanding of salvation is now understood in universalism, and not a few people or groups have also turned to syncretism. The emergence of many teachers, pastors, and theologians had a great impact on providing different understandings among Christians. Each tribe has a belief in their ancestors, which later becomes a culture or custom. Initially, every Batak culture or custom was inseparable from magical elements. Any rituals or traditional ceremonies performed by certain groups or people are believed to keep them away from danger so that they are fine. But in reality, not a few of them experience the opposite. The initial motivation for getting blessings and safety turns out to be the tribulation or wretchedness that befalls their lives. The purpose of this research is to find out the magnitude of the confirmation of salvation in Jesus Christ. The most dominant dimension determines the confirmation of salvation, and the most dominant background category determines the confirmation of salvation based on 1 Peter 3:18-22 among Batak Toba Christians in Sumatra North. The method used is a quantitative approach using explanatory and confirmatory surveys. Research Results: Confirmation level about salvation based on 1 Peter 3:18-22 is in the high category. The most dominant dimension determining Confirmation about salvation is Preaching the Gospel by Jesus Christ (D3). The dominant background category determining confirmation of safety is age.

Obiajulu’s Children and the Wicked Sons of Eli (1 Sam 2:11–17)

2024-08-15T16:44:26+02:00

The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas (1 Sam 2:11-36), served along with their father as priests at Shiloh in the tabernacle, where the ark of the covenant was housed (11am 1:3). While in service, Eli’s children became sons of worthlessness (bənȇ-bəliyyaʿal), dishonest, wicked and corrupt, as well as refused to know the Lord (lō’ yāḏə‘û ՚eṯ-ʾădōnāi) and his teachings. They were unrighteous, greedy, intimidating, immoral, and abusive to women at the entrance of the temple (vv. 12-22). Eli did little to correct them, leading to God’s punishment. Some scholars have examined this narrative with Western historical models, lacking African stories, cultures, customs, and experiences, where there are similar incidences of children’s misbehaviors and challenges of their upbringing in the African context. Using an African Biblical Hermeneutical approach with illustrative stories from Zain E. Asher’s memoir, “Where the Children Take Us: How One Family Achieved the Unimaginable,” this work contextually examines 1 Sam 2:11-17, within the theological contexts of the Books of Samuel and Deuteronomistic History (Josh–2 Kings). It compares Obiajulu’s disciplined and trained children (Obinze, Chiwetel, Zain, Kandibe) and the obedient boy, Samuel (vv. 18-22), with the consequences of the blasphemies and corruption of Eli’s children (vv. 11-17). It proposes lessons that no matter how we perform our duties in the church, schools and families, sadness may still come if we neglect to train our children responsibly in righteousness, integrity, hard work, and in the fear of the Lord.

Biblical Study: The Proper Name of יהוה(Yahweh) that his People Forgot Based on Jeremia 23:23–24

2024-05-31T22:13:19+02:00

This research aims to open the insight of Christian believers and leaders in Indonesia regarding (YAHWEH), the name of the Biblical God or Elohim, whom Christianity has forgotten in Indonesia. Whereas הוהי(YAHWEH) is the Omnipresent God of the Covenant. He is present not only in the New Testament but also in the Old Testament. The fact of His omnipresence is written in the Old Testament Scriptures through several of His self-revelations, which are the same or similar to the self-revelation uttered by YESHUA HaMashiakh. This study was conducted based on Jeremiah 23:23–24, which contains an incident where YAHWEH as the proper name of the God of Israel/Judah, was forgotten by the people of Israel/Judah because of the actions of their prophets at that time who planned to make YAHWEH’s people forget the name of YAHWEH through their leadership. Their dreams lie, just as their ancestors forgot the Name of YAHWEH because of Baal. The text of Jeremiah 23:23–32 was deliberately chosen and used as primary data by researchers because the cases contained in it are similar to what is a reality in the life of faith of Indonesian Christians today. It is hoped that the selection of the text of Jeremiah 23:23–24 is truly relevant to obtain findings that will be very useful for transforming the worship of a truly Biblical God. In this qualitative literature study, the methods used by researchers are exegesis, interpretation, and comparison both with primary data from Jeremiah 23:23–32 and with several secondary data in the form of literature and texts considered parallel. It is hoped that the research results and their implications can be implemented in the faith life of Christians in Indonesia who still use the Name of Allah so that in the future it is hoped that the Bible will truly contain the name YAHWEH. YAHWEH is no longer replaced by the title LORD or the name ALLAH. Also, the terms Elohim (~yhla) in the Old Testament and Theos (Qeoj) in the original New Testament are no longer translated as the Name of God.