Discipleship Transforming the World: A Coptic Orthodox Perspective

Discipleship is the core of Christianity, based on the work of the Holy Spirit, in fulfilment of the Lord's command. True discipleship is capable of transforming the world, so that in the end all kingdoms and reign shall be to the Lord and his Christ. Therefore, discipleship is linked with evangelism, missionary, teaching, and social work. With the emerging hostile trends all over the world, faith is endangered. So it is important to remind ourselves of the aim of Christianity for humanity, for which so great a price was paid by our Lord (his precious blood) to bring the world into the knowledge of the truth. We have the privilege and honour to bear the precious name and to declare it to the whole world, even if we suffer for that. Even though this means that we have to bear his cross, to face the challenges, and to resist the powers of evil in the world. The church is aware of its mission, to reveal to the world Christ the lover of humanity, and for this end to serve them – to warn, teach, and guide them – through our behaviour, our acts, and our words. Copts are keen on serving their communities and everywhere they go, are always ready to teach others about the cause of our hope, that they also may enjoy the fruit and the deserts of the blood of Christ. This article honestly records the experience of the Coptic Orthodox Church regarding discipleship in practice throughout its history up to the present day.     

此岸与彼岸:文学人类学视域中的文学与信仰

文学是人类特有的精神现象,以文学人类学的眼光站在文学之外重新审视文学,将文学当作人类存在的一种方式且放在与人类另一种独有的精神现象--信仰的关系中考察,将会发现文学和信仰在神话中就开始结下不解之缘:文学使生存于此岸的人类在达至于彼岸的过程中可以亲切地感受到信仰之光的照耀,文学也因此具有了内外两重意义并成为人们可以苦心经营的一种信仰.在这个信仰危机的时代,文学还有助于感性的方式重新唤回人们对信仰的执著和对意义的追求.文学和信仰因共同的超越性品质而成为人类生存的不可或缺的精神家园.     

Transforming Discipleship: Missiological Reflections

Although not explicitly tied, the terms “transforming” and “discipleship” relate directly to and fruitfully qualify each other in the most important recent documents in contemporary missiology. Together they frame a profoundly rooted and deeply relevant notion of discipleship that ties the personal commitment of Christians to the larger Christian communion, work for justice, and the very fabric of our evolving universe.     

Restorative Utopias: The Settlers and the Bible

The attitude to the Bible is a seismograph for scrutinizing the attitude of Zionism, in general, and that of the settlers, in particular, to their ideological and political worldview. To where in the Bible are the settlers returning? To the Land of Canaan, to the land of the Patriarchs, or perhaps to the Kingdom of David? And what is the meaning of this return? It is not only the land that is basic to this question, but the relationship of the Land of Israel to the people of Israel. In this article, we will mainly address the radical theological facets of the settler movement, not the proponents of Greater Israel. Our article will focus on the replication of settler theology from the first stage of Gush Emunim (The Bloc of the Faithful) and the act of settlement, which in the opinion of the settlers is in accord with the continuation and completion of the Zionist project, to a more metaphysical phase, in which the centrality of the act of settlement gives way to Hassidic or kabbalistic thinking. The models which we present make possible a fresh look at the utopian thinking and radical theology that are nourished by the settler movement and reflect a new, non-homogeneous stage.     

Systemic Evil and Christian Discipleship

Although the churches have focused much of their attention on the individual's encounter with evil, it is urgent and essential that this focus be expanded to consider communal systemic evil. Rediscovering this emphasis in ancient sources – biblical and Indigenous – we begin to see that engagement with systemic evils like racism and colonialism is a central aspect of Christian discipleship. There is a preliminary and important anticipation and realization of this rediscovery in The Arusha Call to Discipleship document of the World Council of Churches. In an age that is beset by the deadly intersection of multiple forms of systemic evil, it is urgent that discipleship confront the principalities and powers that corrupt and destroy life.     

The Brest Bible: trinitarian and Christological issues

Abstract

The following article considers the theology of the Brest Bible translation. Some of the older researchers advanced the thesis that the translation and accompanying remarks implied concepts that undermine traditional trinitarian theology and Christology, leading to the claim that this Bible is sub-Reformed in character and conceivably antitrinitarian. This article aims to demonstrate that such an assertion is not supported by convincing evidence. It analyses both the main text of the Brest Bible and its marginal comments in terms of their theological character. It comes to the conclusion that both the trinitarian theology and Christology of the Brest Bible do not step outside Christian orthodox doctrine.     

Discipleship with the Marginalized at the Centre

Evangelization increasingly references marginalization. But how are we to think about it? This article draws on a theological understanding of marginality in relation to discipleship and then on interviews with Christian leaders who have worked with the marginalized to underscore the crucial yet elusive character of marginality for personal and ecclesial discipleship.     

Confusion of Tongues: Christian Discipleship and the Problem of Patriotism

This article addresses the dynamics of faith manifested in Christian discipleship and patriotism. Exploration of the dynamics of faith, whether in Christian or patriotic discipleship, involves identifying the nature of the object of devotion and concomitant expectations of one’s relationship vis-à-vis the object. From this exploration, various contradictions between Christian and patriotic discipleship are identified. To resolve cognitive dissonance or smooth over contradictions, Christian patriots employ several psychosocial strategies, namely, merger, weak dissociation, rationalization, and denial.

Discipleship Training Of Children and Youth

Today, we all face an infinite number of faith choices, especially youth. This makes confirmation ministry as discipleship training most important in our churches. This article explores the confirmation ministry of Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Depew, NY, and critically analyzes the methodology—4 turnings, 6 disciplines, and 19 assets—behind the ministry. This methodology has been developed from researchers such as Jean Piaget, James Fowler, Duffy Robins, and researchers at the Search Institute.     

The Bible, the Empire and the Other

Book reviewed in this article:
R. S. Sugirtharajah, The Bible in the Third World: Precolonial, Colonial and Postcolonial Encounters