Books by Robert Falconer
Stockbrigde Books, 2023
For many Christians, one of the most important aspects of their faith is the sure and certain kno... more For many Christians, one of the most important aspects of their faith is the sure and certain knowledge that they will be reborn after death, resurrected to live on forever, free from suffering and pain. Most of us imagine that this is a distant future event. We have conflicting information about heaven being an eternal disembodied spiritual state or a temporal disembodied state, where one waits for the general resurrection. But what if there was an alternative?
This book, Embodied Afterlife: The Hope of an Immediate Resurrection, explores the possibility of another option, in chapters that examine:
- The resurrection of Christ
- The problem of an intermediate state in heaven
- Near-death experiences (NDE’s)
- The makeup of the body, soul, and spirit
- Concepts of time in the afterlife
- Hope for the future
- And more…
The idea that there is the possibility of an immediate resurrection provides a promising alternative to the traditional beliefs and concept of the afterlife held by most Christians.
Embodied Afterlife is intended to shape that thinking and bring that expectation into sharper focus so that we may all follow in Jesus’s footsteps in resurrected life as he has conquered death, with the knowledge that the physical resurrection we seek is not in some distant future but immediate.
Langham Global Library, 2023
Purchase the book here: https://amzn.to/43cwZpp
Papers by Robert Falconer
Ecclesiology in Africa (ASET), 2024
Most contemporary church buildings in Africa don’t have a distinctly “Christian aesthetic” and ne... more Most contemporary church buildings in Africa don’t have a distinctly “Christian aesthetic” and neither do many have a meaningful African expression. There is no shortage of African church architecture by way of simple wattle and daub/concrete churches, shack churches, traditional churches from the colonial era, marquee tent churches, shopfront churches and megachurches. Traditionally, church architecture has been employed as a visual expression of a church’s theology and cultural heritage. Similarly, ecclesiology may articulate into architecture. This chapter explores African vernacular in the built environment for African church architecture that provides a tactile expression of ecclesiology and theology. The methodology employed for this research project is Architectonic Theology, designed by me, an architect and theologian, for systematic theology. The chapter begins by exploring current contemporary architecture in Africa, namely the work of the celebrated African architect, Diébédo Francis Kéré, followed by a study on African vernacular architecture and the various church building typologies on the continent. Any theological study needs to be grounded in the biblical text, constructing a foundation for further study, and so here biblical-design principles are extrapolated from the construction motifs of Solomon’s temple in 1 Kings 5–8. This provides motifs relevant to church architecture in Africa offering a hybrid solution for the following discussion that develops a synthesis between African vernacular and church architecture. Finally, I explore “form and aesthetics” for contemporary African vernacular church architecture, and offer helpful design principles, providing tactile expression for the praxis and theology of the African church.
Africa is an exciting and diverse continent. It's a world where the physical and the spiritual co... more Africa is an exciting and diverse continent. It's a world where the physical and the spiritual come together. This is especially notable when one explores the traditional African belief of ancestors among many other beliefs. Ancestral belief is a significant part of countless African communities, and even among some African Christians. It is my hope when comparing the characteristics of the African ancestors with that of our Lord Jesus Christ, we will come to find that while some of Jesus's characteristics are relatable, they are ultimately incomparable, fulfilling all positive notions of African ancestors. More than that, Jesus, the God-Man, comes and offers us and our communities hope and redemption. In this article we will begin by seeking to understand ancestral belief, after which we will identify some characteristics from the ancestors and see how those of Jesus Christ compare, thus developing a Christology relatable
Qeios, 2023
The recent emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) to generate digital images from descriptive ... more The recent emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) to generate digital images from descriptive text prompts has taken the creative world by storm, with AI art generators like DALL-E 2, MidJourney, NightCafé, and others. Notwithstanding ethical considerations, the complex relationship between AI art, humanity, aesthetics, and the Divine demands a theological response. Dietrich von Hildebrand (1889-1977) was a leading German Roman Catholic philosopher. His literary work focused on ethics, metaphysics, epistemology, philosophical anthropology, social philosophy, and aesthetics. It is his theological reflection on aesthetics that will provide us with wisdom and guidance as we navigate, evaluate, and critique AI-generated art. This paper begins by exploring the essence of AI-generated art and how it works. Von Hildebrand and his literary work are introduced, which brings us to an exposition of his philosophical theology on aesthetics, outlining his most significant and pertinent points. In turn, this provides us with a theological apparatus to evaluate AI-generated art.
African Theological Journal for Church and Society, 2023
Transhumanism (h+) is a social and philosophical movement that looks to enhance human cognitive a... more Transhumanism (h+) is a social and philosophical movement that looks to enhance human cognitive and physiological conditions by developing technology to improve human health and extend human life, leading up to a digital version of eternal life on a virtual platform. Considerable research from neuroscience, technology, the sciences, philosophy, and ethics has been ploughed into Transhumanism and related fields. Although there are some Christian voices from the west, like Fazale Rana and John Lennox, there are few Christian voices from Africa addressing the Transhumanist concern. The traditional African philosophy of holism together with a theological-biblical response may help us identify the dangers of this movement. The research findings provide a framework for constructing a teleological ethic for an emerging Transhumanist context in Africa. The paper employs a modified Architectonic Theology as its research methodology which includes the following: (1) Exploring the Transhumanist project, both historical and present. (2) Exploring the traditional African philosophy of holism in relationship to Transhumanism, (3) exploring Christian theology in response to Transhumanism, and (4) constructing a teleological ethic for Transhumanism given African holism and the theological-biblical response. The significance of this paper empowers African Christianity with a theological-biblical response to the emerging Transhumanist project that is not only contextual to African thought but relevant for all. Furthermore, it gives Africa a critical voice in a global movement.
Pharos Journal of Theology
This article contends that truth is trinitarian and that theology ought to treat epistemology exi... more This article contends that truth is trinitarian and that theology ought to treat epistemology existentially. To demonstrate this, a brief historical study is conducted on the development of the concept of truth and how different approaches revolve around the definitions of truth as ἀλήθεια, veritas, and ת מֶ .אֱ Even though these words translate the same in English, historically each one discloses different angles of truth. By emphasizing one of the definitions in detriment of others, it is argued that truth has been fragmented in distinct concepts apparently opposed. While ἀλήθεια emphasizes the Greek concept of truth, veritas highlights the Latin, and ת מֶ אֱ the Hebrew. The concepts are representatively demonstrated in the thoughts of Plato, Tertullian, Augustine, Descartes, Kant, and Kierkegaard. Accordingly, this article argues for the need to develop an epistemology that is not trichotomic with the concepts of truth dissociated in different spheres of knowledge, but rather, as an inseparable single trinitarian truth. It is argued that there is a need to recover the meaning of truth from the Hebrew ת מֶ ,אֱ as an important concept that exposes truth as trinitarian, merging the concepts of ἀλήθεια and veritas under human existential reality. The study proposes that the epistemology of the Christian philosopher, Søren Kierkegaard, is helpful for this understanding, especially concerning his concept of appropriation of truth. To exemplify the argument, Abraham's test of sacrificing Isaac is analyzed. The trinitarian orientation of truth as proposed in this article provides a theological posture, framing truth as incarnational where "the righteous will live by the truth" (Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38). Finally, this article also presents some implications for contemporary theology and the church, proposing that trinitarian epistemology is a theological antidote to current relativism. It also encourages the church to approach truth with a more comprehensive attitude, recognizing that every truth is God's truth. Moreover, it invites the church to inoculate the anti-intellectualist mood present in some evangelical circles, approaching truth doxologically.
Neotestamentica, 2021
In this article, it is argued that magical realism, a contemporary literary genre, may be used to... more In this article, it is argued that magical realism, a contemporary literary genre, may be used to understand Jesus turning water into wine (John 2:1-11) and the feeding of the five thousand (John 6:1-15) as a catalyst for interpreting John 6:26-58 as sacramental realism. I employ New Testament narrative criticism to highlight the rhetoric, setting, character, point of view and plot of John 2:1-11 and 6:1-15. Narrative criticism opens a window into magical realism to analyse the two key Johannine pericopes which undergird Jesus's eucharistic discourse (John 6:26-58). After defining magical realism as a literary genre, the study demonstrates that the "magical" or miraculous change of water into wine and the feeding of the five thousand in John's Gospel may be overlayed onto a magical realism framework. The study then examines another kind of realism, sacramental realism, for John 6:26-58. This, I demonstrate, was triggered by the preceding miracles examined in this article. Although one should not read modern genres into an ancient text, there are, nevertheless, significant characteristics of this genre already embedded in John's Gospel. These Johannine passages point to Jesus's eucharistic discourse in John 6:26-58 as sacramental reality.
The South African Baptist Journal of Theology (Special Issue – Theology in Context) , 2021
The public and enchanted realms are violent. Christ's incarnation is an exquisite event whereby H... more The public and enchanted realms are violent. Christ's incarnation is an exquisite event whereby He invades as incarnational light into the darkness, overpowering violent cosmic realities. The Philosopher, Charles Taylor, in his magnum opus, "A Secular Age" (2008) explains how western society became secular and thus disenchanted. While violence is experienced by all humanity, most Africans experience violence in a binary cosmology. These African concepts not only help Christians worldwide to once again appreciate material and enchanted realities but also to discover the purpose for which God was incarnated. This paper explores the incarnation of Christ into public and enchanted violence, inaugurating a reconfiguration of cosmic reality (Col 1:15-20). We talk often enough about theology in or for Africa, but this study takes another approach, offering an African Philosophical-Theology from Africa for the world, notably in the section on binary cosmology. Africa with its unique paradox of hope and despair, together with its cosmology, provides a pertinent and powerful voice, which may offer the world vibrant and innovative perspectives. The paper begins by exploring violence in enchanted and secular worldviews. It then highlights Christ's incarnation into a violent cosmic milieu with historic contributions from the African patristic, Athanasius (AD 296-298-373), together with contemporary voices. The New Testament often describes this coming of Christ in relationship to public and enchanted violence. The following biblical motifs from John's first letter are explored, namely: (1) Light and Darkness, (2) Sin Bearer, (3) Christus Victor, and (4) Reconciliation and Reconfiguration. From here, a binary cosmology of public and enchanted realities from an African perspective is explored, dialoguing with both Western and African theologians and philosophers. The apex of the paper offers a hope-filled reality of the future inaugurated by Christ's coming and overpowering public and enchanted realities.
African Theological Journal for Church and Society, 2021
There has been much dispute about the millennial reign of Christ, yet Jesus spoke as if the kingd... more There has been much dispute about the millennial reign of Christ, yet Jesus spoke as if the kingdom of God was among his listeners and thus also among us, rather than in the distant future. If the kingdom reign of Christ is now in our world, what implications then should this have on missions? We examine the background and approach to missions in the various eschatological perspectives, namely, (1) postmillennialism, (2) premillennialism, and (3) amillennialism to discover how each of these views approaches the call to missions. A study of Luke 17:20–21 reveals the present reality of Christ’s kingdom. This paper has three methodological steps, the first is an exploration of history and historical theology for three of the primary eschatological views, the second is a biblical study from Luke 17:20–21, and the third makes a proposal for the objective for missions, grounded in the findings of this research project, namely that mission has an eschatological focus, and more specifically that the amillennial view forms one of the best foundations to proclaim the kingdom of God, which is imperative for a full-bodied praxis for missions.
Conspectus, 2020
The ground-breaking Afrofuturist film Black Panther from Marvel Studios celebrates African cultur... more The ground-breaking Afrofuturist film Black Panther from Marvel Studios celebrates African culture. I propose that if the Marvel Cinematic Universe, an American media franchise, can decolonize superhero motion pictures, one might hope the same concerning Western theology, including the Kuyperian tradition, despite the prejudiced views on race by its progenitor. The Black Panther, I argue, offers a dramatic portrait for decolonizing the Kuyperian tradition, not just for African saints, but for all believers. To begin, I explore the Black Panther’s backdrop and the film’s cultural significance. Next, the decolonization of the Kuyperian tradition is discussed. Considering the Black Panther as a paradigm, the paper explores how the Kuyperian tradition might be decolonized and woven together with rich African wisdom contributing towards a colorful and textured theology for the global church.
Langham Global Library, 2019
This chapter presents an eschatological vision of Africa’s environmental renewal in the “new heav... more This chapter presents an eschatological vision of Africa’s environmental renewal in the “new heavens and new earth,” or renewed creation, and how such an eschatology ought to inspire us to care for our environment, with a special focus on an African ecological ethic. The research offers an alternative to the popular Platonic-escapist eschatology that is so common in American and African Christianity. One may contend that the current ecological crisis in Africa is a result in part of the church’s poor eschatology that fails to promote an environmental biblical theology. Both the theological and biblical sections of this chapter argue, not for the annihilation of creation, but rather for its renewal. If creation is to be renewed, then a vision of Africa’s eschatologicalenvironmental renewal is required. This, in turn, requires an active response from Christians in Africa to an African ecological ethic.
Pharos Journal of Theology, 2019
This paper argues for a 're-envisioneering' of Systematic Theology. Rather than systems, I propos... more This paper argues for a 're-envisioneering' of Systematic Theology. Rather than systems, I propose applying architectural design principles to engage with categories of Systematic Theology and Biblical motifs. It is hoped that such a theology may respond creatively to the challenging public concerns and environs. The objective was to develop an Architectonic Theology that offers a theology that is both functional and aesthetic. This article thus models Architectonic Theology by developing five steps in two parts. The first part is an exploration of context, that is, the context of the current environment, and historical theology. The second part is the theological construction and is made up of three steps. The first seeks to build a Biblical foundation in exegetical analysis which extrapolates the Biblical motifs from the Biblical text. The second step constructs 'order and space' by developing a dialectic synthesis. The last step aims to construct 'form and aesthetics' in what may be a public (or other) theology which responds to the issues explored in step 1, the context of the current environment. Architectonic Theology takes Chicago's architectural sculpture, the Cloud Gate, as its visual cue and mascot.
Conspectus, 2019
The 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation occurred in 2017. That is the same year that ... more The 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation occurred in 2017. That is the same year that a collaborative effort between Robert Kolb and Carl R Trueman was published by Baker. The title of the authors’ work is Between Wittenberg and Geneva. The subtitle provides a clearer indication of the publication’s focus, namely, Lutheran and Reformed theology in Conversation. Kolb and Trueman are neither the first nor the last specialists to compare Lutheran and Reformed approaches to the classical theological loci. That said, their publication represents a fresh and irenic contribution to the ongoing dialogue between these two confessional traditions. Both theologians, in their respective ways, seek to ground their statements about hermeneutics, the law / gospel dialectic, and the Son’s person and work (among other topics) to the teachings found in the Word. Along the way, both authors, likewise, highlight salient pastoral convictions that arise from their deliberations. An examination of each chapter within the book surfaces the shared historical and theological legacy between the Lutheran and Reformed communions. Also, while being appropriately self-critical of their own faith traditions, both authors delineate what they regard as the key differences between the two confessional groups. Moreover, as the dialogue unfolds between Kolb and Trueman, readers discover areas of agreement and disagreement between the Lutheran and Reformed camps and Roman Catholicism (on the one hand) and nonconfessional Protestant groups (on the other hand). Doing so helps to elucidate the major areas of theological differentiation among all these ecclesial communions. What follows is a chapter-by-chapter distillation of the information appearing in the treatise. It is interspersed with supplementary observations of varying depth and detail made by both of us—Dan Lioy (who brings a Lutheran perspective) and Robert Falconer (who brings a Reformed perspective). Our intent in doing so is to promote further conversation within the SATS community about doctrinal issues of shared interest.
Conspectus, 2019
The argument for the coexistence of gratuitous evil and the doctrine of the sovereignty of God is... more The argument for the coexistence of gratuitous evil and the doctrine of the sovereignty of God is ardent amongst scholars. This article seeks to examine Bruce Little’s Creation Order theodicy and its claim that gratuitous evil exists concurrently with the sovereignty of God. Upon exploring prominent greater good theodicies and enumerating both their strengths and weaknesses, Little’s justification for his Creation Order theodicy is posited, followed by the content of the theodicy. The Creation Order theodicy is then evaluated against prominent greater good theodicies and contemporary theodical viewpoints. Lastly, the Creation Order theodicy is evaluated as a valid explanation for the concurrence of gratuitous evil and the sovereignty of God. This article contends that Little’s Creation Order theodicy does offer a valid argument for the existence of gratuitous evil concurrent with the doctrine of the sovereignty of God. Further, the Creation Order theodicy addresses many of the questions which plague theodicy and it does so in a manner which is biblically consistent. The Creation Order theodicy, with its associated gratuitous evil, offers a compelling answer to those who are experiencing evil or ministering to those experiencing evil.
Langham Global Library, 2019
This paper explores the benefits of liturgical ritual in Christian educational institutions. As e... more This paper explores the benefits of liturgical ritual in Christian educational institutions. As evangelicals, we all too often neglect liturgy and ritual at the expense of what may well be a fruitful and liberating experience, especially for education. To begin, I argue, along with James K. A. Smith and Peter Leithart, that we are liturgical creatures and that all of us participate in secular liturgies. I highlight the formation of the students’ desires and the development of habit. It will be proposed that the university (or school) is a liturgical space. At a very fundamental level, the university is already a place of liturgy and ritual. After observing features of the already existing liturgical fabric of an educational institution, suggestions are offered in the way of further possibilities for experiencing education as liturgy, namely, habits and practices, and baptism as reformation and reshaping. This leads on to the necessity for such an educational liturgy, its beauty, as well as its benefits. I propose how purposeful liturgy in education may facilitate innovation and creativity, and, more importantly, how it leads the student towards devotion to Christ. Educational Liturgy is about formation, over and above information.
Conspectus Special Issue, 2018
It is argued in this paper that the Holy Spirit is an agent of an inaugurated eschatology, the ti... more It is argued in this paper that the Holy Spirit is an agent of an inaugurated eschatology, the tight tension of the kingdom today and the kingdom to come. The Holy Spirit comes offering much more than the charismata, he comes as the eschatological Spirit bringing gifts of change and renewal for an eschatological reality (of which the charismata are a part). Such a reality finds its home primarily in the eschatological community, the church. Pentecostalisation has enjoyed considerable influence in Africa, a continent that is traditionally enchanted. Consequently, Africa is giving way to the emergence of an enchanted Christian society where traditional worldviews and a new form of Christianity synthesise. The effects are significant, sometimes laudable and encouraging, but at times troubling, especially when we consider pentecostalism’s elevation of capitalism, the growing theology of prosperity, and syncretism with African Traditional Religion (ATR). This article explores a theology of the coming Spirit of the resurrected Christ as an agent of inaugurated eschatology whose function is to shape and sanctify the ethos of such a Christian society. The renewal of the Spirit’s work in this re-envisioned enchanted community is to work in and through his people in the spirit of koinonia and social transformation, freeing Africans from misplaced desires and religious demands, bringing peace, working with them in nurturing the disenfranchised, and caring for his creation. It is argued that through the coming of the Holy Spirit, the enchanting of Africa will flourish.
Conspectus, 2018
Testimony, scholarship, and pastoral-devotion form a triad to this journal article on stuttering ... more Testimony, scholarship, and pastoral-devotion form a triad to this journal article on stuttering and its relationship to the beauty of Christ, for the theologian who stutters. The paper begins with some of the personal struggles of stuttering highlighted in a personal testimony. Stuttering can be described as disfluency of speech, characterised by frequent stoppages in the flow of speech, usually with a repetition of sounds, syllables, or even one-syllable words. Along with the vocal impediment, certain emotional characteristics may be evident, such as anxiousness, shyness, timidity, and lack of assertiveness. While this may not always be the case, it is usually the general perception of others. According to research, those who do stutter are often regarded as having undesirable personality characteristics, which may intensify the problem. Aside from the general facts about stuttering, which we explore, the issues of the cause and cure of stuttering are of interest. While little is known about the direct cause of stuttering, recent research does indicate that it may be neurological, and therefore there is yet no cure. However, studies on the cause of stuttering in light of the neurological sciences indicate that a cure may be available in the not-too-distant future. The paper also offers an exegetical study on Moses, focusing on his speech defect, and how YHWH had created Moses and knew intimately the limits of his abilities. Nevertheless, YHWH promised Moses that he would be with him as he spoke. Even Moses’ stutter was not an obstacle for the all-powerful Lord. The exegetical study from the New Testament examines the Apostle Paul and his willingness to put aside his intelligence and shrewdness for the sake of allowing the Holy Spirit’s wisdom and strength to work through him, thus being a vessel for the beauty of Christ evident in the Acts of the Apostles and Paul’s letters. Drawing from the earlier sections of the paper, the final discussion offers a pastoral-devotional approach, exploring stuttering in relation to the beauty of Christ, with a special focus on the stuttering theologian. The paper argues that stuttering may become an inconspicuous crucible for the beauty of Christ, and in so doing, becomes something beautiful, being overshadowed and transformed by the beauty of the divine.
Conspectus, 2017
This paper aims to demonstrate the relationship between Luther’s atonement theology and the work ... more This paper aims to demonstrate the relationship between Luther’s atonement theology and the work of recent theologians who have in one way or another fostered and development his theology on the cross of Christ. I argue that Luther’s theology has shaped much of recent atonement theology. His theology was grounded in the earlier theological traditions as well as in scripture, and yet it was informed by specific spiritual, historical, theological and sacramental contexts. Some theologians have identified the Christus Victor motif as Luther’s theology of atonement, without consideration for the other themes. Others, on the other hand, have focused on satisfactio or/and penal substitution as Luther’s major theme, neglecting the Christus Victor motif altogether. However, it is argued that the development of Luther’s atonement theology is far more variegated and inclusive of the various themes. Luther made the cross the very centre of his theology, evident in his 1518 Heidelberg Disputation. But his theology of atonement is really more fully articulated in his commentary on Galatians 3:13 and in both his small and large catechisms. It is then demonstrated how in some recent theologians’ work, the themes of atonement have become far more varied and composite than they have since Luther. It is not unreasonable to view Luther as a significant influence on recent atonement theology. Beginning with Gustaf Aulén, the discussion explores ways in which Luther’s atonement theology has shaped today’s theology on the cross of Christ.
Conspectus, 2017
Church architecture is commonly a tactile expression of theology, revealing to us who we are, wha... more Church architecture is commonly a tactile expression of theology, revealing to us who we are, what we believe and how we practise Christianity. While the content of the Gospel message is significantly more important than church architecture , we nevertheless ought to work towards an architecture that creatively and meaningfully expresses Biblical Christianity, its faith, theology and praxis. In this paper I argue that most contemporary mega church architecture is unfortunately an expression of consumer-capitalist ideology, and fails to contrast itself as 'other', by aligning itself with secular architectural typologies. These generally govern the form, space and aesthetics of the contemporary mega church. It is argued that contrary to good architectural design theory, the mega church building all too often is a form that does not follow function, but is rather a manifestation of consumerism and capitalism. And while this manifestation of ideology is arguably noble, because of its apparent evangelistic objective, I demonstrate that this is problematic on several accounts, ultimately offering an inversion of authentic Christian community. The paper then endeavours to offer counter-cultural ideologies from Scripture that are often in contrast to the ideologies of the mega church and its Christianity. Some of these Biblical ideologies and other ideas are then developed into features that might inform any church architecture. It is hoped that further reflection on this topic would encourage a Biblical theology and spirituality that leads to world-class church design.
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Books by Robert Falconer
This book, Embodied Afterlife: The Hope of an Immediate Resurrection, explores the possibility of another option, in chapters that examine:
- The resurrection of Christ
- The problem of an intermediate state in heaven
- Near-death experiences (NDE’s)
- The makeup of the body, soul, and spirit
- Concepts of time in the afterlife
- Hope for the future
- And more…
The idea that there is the possibility of an immediate resurrection provides a promising alternative to the traditional beliefs and concept of the afterlife held by most Christians.
Embodied Afterlife is intended to shape that thinking and bring that expectation into sharper focus so that we may all follow in Jesus’s footsteps in resurrected life as he has conquered death, with the knowledge that the physical resurrection we seek is not in some distant future but immediate.
Papers by Robert Falconer
This book, Embodied Afterlife: The Hope of an Immediate Resurrection, explores the possibility of another option, in chapters that examine:
- The resurrection of Christ
- The problem of an intermediate state in heaven
- Near-death experiences (NDE’s)
- The makeup of the body, soul, and spirit
- Concepts of time in the afterlife
- Hope for the future
- And more…
The idea that there is the possibility of an immediate resurrection provides a promising alternative to the traditional beliefs and concept of the afterlife held by most Christians.
Embodied Afterlife is intended to shape that thinking and bring that expectation into sharper focus so that we may all follow in Jesus’s footsteps in resurrected life as he has conquered death, with the knowledge that the physical resurrection we seek is not in some distant future but immediate.
The research begins with a study of the interplay between atonement theology and socio-historical contexts and the influences that helped develop the theological concepts of atonement. Here the notable presence of atonement synthesis is highlighted throughout Church history. Atonement synthesis in biblical narrative is then examined. It is argued that a theology of penal substitution without Christus Victor, or vice versa, is inadequate, as both the Church’s theology and biblical narrative present them as harmonious and complementary.
The implications of atonement synthesis are then explored in light of African metaphysics, in which the atonement best finds its expression among Africans. An overview of African philosophy and spirituality and a study of African atonement prepare the way for exploring the implications of atonement synthesis in African socio-cosmology, socio-disharmony, socio-ontology as well as socio-renewal and cosmic harmony. These implications demonstrate that Christ’s atonement is more than capable in dealing with African metaphysic realities. This dissertation suggests that atonement synthesis ultimately offers the African liberty and hope. It fulfils a profound need in African philosophy and spirituality which, without Christ’s penal substitution and Christ as Victor, there would be no hope of redemption.
The research opens with exploring the historical views regarding the unity and argument of John 10 in the introduction. Following this is an examination of the literary components that make up the overall literary structure of John’s Gospel and how chapter 10 fits into its literary flow. This provides a foundation for a study of the semantic relations and the micro-level markers of cohesion and shift together with the macro-level markers of cohesion discussing discourse features in John 10. The objective is to discover what the discourse features reveal about the unity and argument of the chapter.
The analysis suggests that John did not adhere to the strict rules of narrative when writing his Gospel, but that he sought to implement a certain Christian view using particular facts that where available to him. Therefore John was free to form his narrative on a purposeful artistic arrangement which is unified and coherent.