Browsing by Author "Lategan, Bernard C."

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    Bybelkunde vir bybelonderrig
    (Stellenbosch University, Faculty of Theology, 2020) Lategan, Bernard C.
    The paper analyses the dilemma of religious instruction in schools and the factors which contribute to the present unsatisfactory situation. The question is asked whether the expectations concerning religious instruction are realistic and the various reactions to this problem are discussed. Finally, the significance of the new awareness that biblical interpretation must be situated in the broader context of life itself, is examined and the paper is concluded with some suggestions of what this may imply for religious instruction in the South African situation.
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    The challenge of contextuality
    (Stellenbosch University, Faculty of Theology, 1991) Lategan, Bernard C.
    Why the wide-spread interest in contextuality, also and especially in dealing with biblical material? Is this the latest fad every self-respecting exegete is supposed to master in order to impress his or her peers? Is it merely a short term interest, without any lasting theological or hermeneutical significance? The concept of contextuality certainly can be pursued for the wrong reasons. It could therefore be helpful to place this specific interest against a wider backdrop. As this has been done in more detail elsewhere (cf Lategan 1993), only a very brief outline is offered here to show how contextuality forms part of a much wider and longer development in the interpretation of biblical material.
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    "Ek is ..." : oor die problematiek van enkelvoudige en meervoudige identiteit
    (LitNet, 2014-08) Lategan, Bernard C.
    Enkelvoudige identiteitsvorming vervul ’n noodsaaklike funksie in die individuele ontwikkeling en sosiale interaksie van mense. Hierdie soort identiteitsvorming gaan egter met inherente beperkinge gepaard wat dit as identiteitsmodel ongeskik – selfs gevaarlik – maak in ingewikkelde situasies. Hierdie beperkinge het te doen met sowel die soort denkmodel wat ten grondslag daarvan lê as die denkstrategieë wat in die proses gebruik word. Gevolglik word die moontlikhede van ’n meervoudige identiteit as alternatief ondersoek. Die kenmerke van so ’n identiteit word bespreek en die voordele daarvan toegelig aan die hand van plaaslike en internasionale voorbeelde. Ten slotte word geskikte strategieë om meervoudige identiteitsvorming te bevorder, oorweeg.
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    Extending the materialist/post-materialist distinction : some remarks on the classification of values from a South African perspective
    (Stellenbosch University, Faculty of Theology, 2000) Lategan, Bernard C.
    See full text for abstract.
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    Imagination and transformation : Ricoeur and the role of imagination
    (Stellenbosch University, Faculty of Theology, 1996) Lategan, Bernard C.
    The article examines the facilitating role of imagination in the process of transformation.  Firstly, the suspicion that imagination is merely a license for subjectivity is addressed, before the phenomenological roots of imagination and its radical redefinition by Husserl are retraced.  This serves as background for the main part of the article, which consists of a discussion of the substantial contribution of Ricoeur.  In a final section, the role of the imagination is illustrated by a brief analysis of the figure of Abraham in Galatians and the parable of the labourers in the vineyard.
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    In praise of strangeness : exploring the hermeneutical potential of an unlikely source
    (Pieter de Waal Neethling Trust, 2018) Lategan, Bernard C.
    In a field already investigated extensively, the article focuses on a particular aspect, namely on the nature of the interaction between the self and the other. The leading question is: What is the hermeneutical potential of the other and the stranger in relation to the self? The following dimensions are examined: the direction of flow of the interaction, the power relations involved in the process, the claim of the other on the self and the existential dimensions of strangeness.The first section examines various approaches to the other in a number of disciplines: anthropology and ethnology, art and art history, religion, philosophy, communication theory, and pedagogy. Several common traits are evident: The flow of action is pre-dominantly from the self to the other; the power relationship is unequal, skewed in favour of the self; the other is rarely perceived in his or her own right but is compared with the self who serves as norm; and strangeness is seen as inherently problematic and accompanied by negative connotations. There is consequently a constant attempt to scale down differences and to domesticate the other by various means.An alternative approach aims at reversing the normal power relationship and releasing the potential of change for the self in the encounter with the other. This requires a conscious decision to change the direction of action – from the other to the self and not vice versa. Furthermore, to break the binary hold of subject on object, the decentring of the subject is necessary. This requires the recognition of the “incompleteness” of human existence (Nyamnjoh) which opens the self for new possibilities. Acceptance of the radical openness of systems (in this case the “system” of human relationships) is the key to release the “excess” of potential available to the self in the encounter with the other and with what is strange and alien.In this context, the strategies of liberating and of enrichment through the other becomes important. Even when considering the dark side of strangeness, these strategies still apply and illustrate more clearly the existential necessity of strangeness. The potential of the other and of strangeness for liberating and enriching the self remains undervalued.
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    "Incompleteness" and the quest for multiple identities in South Africa
    (GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies, Institute of African Affairs, 2015) Lategan, Bernard C.
    The article explores the contours of multiple identities in contrast to singular identities in situations of social complexity and cultural diversity. Nyamnjoh’s concepts of “incompleteness” and “frontier Africans” imply an alternative approach to identity formation. Although the formation of one’s own, singular identity is a necessary stage in the development of each individual, it has specific limitations. This is especially true in situations of complexity and diversity and where the achievement of social cohesion is an important goal. With reference to existing theories of identity formation, an alternative framework is proposed that is more appropriate for the dynamic, open-ended nature of identity and better suited to encourage the enrichment of identity. The role of imagination, a strategy for crossing borders (with reference to Clingman’s concept of a “grammar of identity”), the search for commonality, and the effect of historical memory are discussed. Enriched and multiple identities are not achieved by replacement or exchange, but by widening (existing) singular identities into a more inclusive and diverse understanding of the self.
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    Institute vir gevorderde navorsing : elitistiese luuksheid of bakermat van die wetenskap?
    (LitNet, 2019) Lategan, Bernard C.
    Institute vir gevorderde navorsing (IGN’s) is lank reeds deel van die akademiese toneel. Tog is hierdie instellings betreklik onbekend en word hulle dikwels met agterdog bejeën en gesien as eksklusiewe klubs wat net vir ’n paar uitverkorenes toeganklik is. Die artikel bied ’n kritiese oorsig oor die herkoms van die idee, die hoofdoelstellings en eiesoortige werkwyse, die verhouding met die res van die navorsingswêreld, die kenmerkende etos, en die potensiële bydrae wat hierdie soort van instelling kan lewer. Vir hierdie doel word geput uit die geskiedenis en ervaring van IGN’s in verskeie wêrelddele, maar in besonder van die Stellenbosse Instituut vir Gevorderde Navorsing (STIAS, na aanleiding van die Engelse naam, Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study). Die eerste gedeelte bied ’n oorsig oor die ontstaansgeskiedenis vanaf die eerste instituut wat in 1930 in Princeton gestig is tot op hede, waar tientalle IGN’s in feitlik elke land bestaan. Vervolgens word die simbiotiese verhouding tussen universiteite en IGN’s bespreek. Die mees suksesvolle institute word gedra deur ’n paar kernwaardes wat mekaar onderling versterk. Dit word gekenmerk deur die klem op die vryheid van wetenskaplike ondersoek, die drang na grensoorskryding, die aanvaarding van onvolledigheid, die strewe na inklusiwiteit (wat onder andere elitistiese en uitsluitende neigings teenwerk) en ’n fokus op die uiteindelike bydrae tot die algemene welsyn. Uit hierdie waardes het ’n bepaalde etos ontwikkel wat met voorbeelde uit die praktyk geïllustreer word. Ten slotte word geargumenteer dat ten spyte van gevalle waar die edele doelstellings versaak word, die mees suksesvolle IGN’s ’n belangrike bydrae lewer tot die bevordering van die wetenskap en tot die nimmereindigende soektog na nuwe insigte en kennis.
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    Introducing a research project on contextual hermeneutics
    (Stellenbosch University, Faculty of Theology, 1990) Lategan, Bernard C.
    Because of the variety of discourses in progress in the South African context and because of the plurality of hermeneutical approaches to biblical texts, there is an urgent need for systematic research on basic aspects of a contextual hermeneutics. Some of the priorities in this regard are discussed and details are given of a research project initiated by the Centre for Contextual Hermeneutics to address these issues.
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    Kan gister beter word? In gesprek met Jörn Rüsen oor die verwerking van 'n troebel verlede
    (LitNet, 2016-07-17) Lategan, Bernard C.
    Die artikel ontleed ’n minder bekende opstel van die kultuurhistorikus Jörn Rüsen waarin hy voorstelle maak oor hoe ’n negatiewe verlede verwerk kan word sodat hierdie verlede uiteindelik “beter” word. Die onlangse opvlamming van protes teen figure soos Cecil Rhodes en Jan van Riebeeck is slegs die jongste voorbeelde van hoe die verlede gemoedere in die hede steeds in beweging kan bring. Dit illustreer terselfdertyd die toekomspotensiaal van herinnering. Rüsen ondersoek die aard van herinnering na aanleiding van ’n gesprek tussen twee karakters uit die bekende Peanuts-strokiesprent. Terwyl Linus meen dat dit verkeerd is om jou oor môre te bekommer, en eerder net aan vandag te dink, is Charlie Brown se antwoord dat dit sou beteken dat ons die handdoek ingooi wat die verlede betref: “Ek hoop nog steeds dat gister beter kan word.” Aan die hand van Charlie se antwoord ondersoek Rüsen die aard van herinnering, met name die toekomsgerigte geneigdheid daarvan om vas te stel hoe gister “beter” kan word. Volgens hom is hierdie gerigtheid toe te skryf aan die feit dat ons voortdurend soek om sin te maak van die verlede en dat dit ons motiveer om in die toekoms op ’n bepaalde wyse op te tree. Rüsen se groot verdienste is dat hy hierdie toekomspotensiaal van herinnering as uitgangspunt neem. Die probleem is egter eerstens dat hy van ’n toekomsverwagting uitgaan wat te beperkend vir sy doel is en tweedens dat hy die toekomspotensiaal van herinnering nie konsekwent ontgin nie. Op voetspoor van Droysen (1977) en Von Ranke (1975) gee hy voorkeur aan ’n teleologiese opvatting van die geskiedenis, naamlik dat alle gebeure uiteindelik op ’n bepaalde doel afstuur. So ’n opvatting laat egter ruimte vir sogenaamde meesterverhale om die verstaan van gebeure te oorheers en vir ideologieë om wortel te skiet. ’n Utopiese geskiednisbeskouing is nie veel beter nie, omdat dit ’n ontkoppeling van die verlede veronderstel en nie duidelik maak hoe laasgenoemde vrugbaar vir die toekoms aangewend kan word nie. Apokaliptiese voorstellings is ook nie bruikbaar nie, omdat die fokus van die toekoms na die hede verskuif en die vernietiging van laasgenoemde die voorwaarde word vir die aanbreek van die einde. ’n Eskatologiese geskiedenisbeskouing is waarskynlik die mees bruikbare vir die “beter word” van die verlede omdat dit van die kontinuïteit tussen hede en toekoms uitgaan en ’n spanning tussen beide veronderstel wat toekomsgerigte optrede stimuleer. Ten slotte is ’n meer konsekwente ontginning van die toekomspotensiaal van herinnering nodig voordat werklik verby ’n negatiewe verlede beweeg kan word. Dit beteken dat in elke spesifieke geval die moontlike toekoms van ’n herinnering – ook en veral van ’n negatiewe herinnering – intensief bedink moet word. Hierdie toekoms kan sowel negatiewe (“nooit weer nie!”) as positiewe vorme aanneem – byvoorbeeld in die verbintenis tot beter keuses en meer konstruktiewe optrede in die toekoms. Hiervoor is dit egter nodig dat die blikrigting – anders as die engel in die skildery van Paul Klee – van die verlede na die toekoms gewend sal word.
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    Looking towards the future : some concluding remarks
    (Department of Old and New Testament, Stellenbosch University, 2003) Lategan, Bernard C.
    It is a temptation – which I shall resist – to comment on each of the very diverse and stimulating contributions to this volume of Scripura. I therefore apologise beforehand for not doing justice to the individual authors and to the full spectrum of their views. In stead, I shall try to highlight from a very personal perspective some aspects that may be of special significance for the future.
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    Moontlikheid en werklikheid. Waarom kan Suid-Afrika (nog) nie die droom van ’n inklusiewe samelewing verwesenlik nie?
    (LitNet, 2022) Lategan, Bernard C.
    Die artikel fokus op die vraag waarom Suid-Afrika na bykans drie dekades van ’n inklusiewe politieke bestel skynbaar nog nie daarin kon slaag om die ideaal van ’n inklusiewe samelewing te verwesenlik nie. Verskillende faktore dra hiertoe by. Een faktor wat nie voldoende in aanmerking geneem word nie, is oorgelewerde denkpatrone wat die nuwe bestel in sy nuwe formaat steeds kniehalter. Wat onderskat word, is die vertrekpunt van hierdie denke, die kontoere wat dit volg en veral die rigting of oriëntasie waarin dit plaasvind. Om hierdie probleem te illustreer, word insigte uit Mahmood Mamdani se onlangse boek, Neither settler nor native, as uitgangspunt geneem. Mamdani (self ’n sterk voorstander van dekolonialisering) beweer dat die dekolonialiseringsprojek in vele opsigte misluk het omdat die nuwe bewindhebbers die denkwyses, sosiale kategorieë en burgerskapsmodelle van die koloniale era oorgeneem en steeds gehandhaaf het. Aan die hand van voorbeelde soos die “makmaak” van die Amerikaanse Weste, die opkoms van die Nazi-ideologie in Duitsland, die skynbaar onoorbrugbare kloof tussen Israeliet en Palestyn in die huidige staat Israel en die verdeling tussen Noord- en Suid-Soedan maak hy duidelik hoe die (koloniale) verlede steeds die (gedekolonialiseerde) hede beïnvloed. Suid-Afrika is volgens Mamdani die een uitsondering, waar die bestaande orde op radikale wyse vervang is deur ’n inklusiewe politieke bestel waarin alle burgers in teorie dieselfde regte het. Die ironie is egter dat formele inklusiwiteit nog nie in dieselfde mate tot sosiale inklusiwiteit gelei het nie. Waarom word die moontlikheid wat die Grondwet bied, nie ’n werklikheid nie? Die insigte van Eberhard Jüngel oor die verhouding tussen moontlikheid en werklikheid bied ’n sleutel om hierdie dilemma te ontknoop. Anders as Aristoteles, wat die werklikheid as van “meer waarde” as die moontlikheid ag, dring Jüngel daarop aan dat die prioriteit aan die moontlikheid gegee word. As die bestaande werklikheid die norm is, kan ons alleen herhaal wat reeds werklikheid was. As die moontlikheid die voorrang het, open dit geleenthede om ’n nuwe werklikheid tot stand te bring. Hiervoor is verbeelding nodig – nie as ontvlugting uit die werklikheid nie, maar as die energie wat “intensie” (Husserl) loslaat om – vry van die hede – ’n alternatiewe toekoms te bedink en strategieë te ontwikkel om vanuit hierdie visie terug te dink na die hede. Hierdie moontlike toekoms word werklikheid deur elke dag op te tree in terme en volgens die waardes van die nuwe visie.
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    Nuwere ontwikkelinge op die gebied van die geskiedskrywing : 'n geleentheid vir herbesinningna 350 jaar van gereformeerdheid?
    (Department of Old and New Testament, Stellenbosch University, 2002) Lategan, Bernard C.
    This contribution is interested in the question: How do we remember 350 years of reformed history in South Africa? Recent developments in historiography have made it clear that the writing of history is not a reconstruction of the past, but a construct. It is in essence an act of sense-making. Against this background, two aspects of the work of church historians in the Afrikaans reformed tradition stand out: The lack of context in the presentation and the one-dimensional perspective on reformed history. The possible reasons for this type of historiography are discussed. It also raises the question what represents the true spirit of the reformed tradition. In conclusion, a call for the re-assessment of the history of the past 350 is made
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    Om sin te maak. Pleidooi vir 'n gesprek tussen organisasiekunde en hermeneutiek
    (LitNet, 2019) Lategan, Bernard C.
    Die artikel vestig die aandag op ’n belangrike nuwe ondersoek in organisasiekunde, naamlik die doktorale navorsing van Christiaan Maasdorp soos onder meer vervat in sy proefskrif getitel “Narrativity and organisation: an investigation in sensemaking theory” (Universiteit Stellenbosch 2018). In die eerste gedeelte van die artikel word Maasdorp se kritiek op Karl Weick se teorie van “sensemaking” in organisasies bespreek. In die tweede gedeelte word Maasdorp se voorstel ontleed om leemtes in hierdie teorie met insigte uit Ricoeur se hermeneutiese filosofie te verbeter en te versterk. Dit gaan hierby veral om Ricoeur se opvatting van narratiewe identiteit wat volgens Maasdorp ’n stewiger basis en ’n meer geskikte raamwerk bied vir wat Weick wil bereik. In die slotgedeelte word aspekte van Ricoeur se benadering wat Maasdorp nie voldoende benut nie, aan die orde gestel. Dit raak veral die verandering en vernuwing in en van organisasies wat in Ricoeur se begrip van die herbeskrywing van die werklikheid opgesluit lê. Maasdorp het ’n gesprek begin wat verder voortgesit behoort te word.
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    Oor die veelduidigheid van tekste
    (LitNet Academic, 2011-03) Lategan, Bernard C.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: On the plurality of religious texts - Plurality in the interpretation of texts is not a new phenomenon. However, recent developments have made this phenomenon more prominent. With the focus on religious, and more specifically biblical, texts the article analyses plurality from a linguistic, literary theoretical, historiographic and philosophical perspective. It concludes that plurality in interpretation is an inescapable given in the present context with both positive and negative dimensions. In a final section some constructive approaches to plurality are briefly discussed.
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    Preparing and keeping the mind-set in tact : reasons and forms of a theology of the status quo
    (Department of Old and New Testament, Stellenbosch University, 2001) Lategan, Bernard C.
    No abstract available.
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    Quo vadis New Testament studies?
    (Stellenbosch University, Faculty of Theology, 2009) Lategan, Bernard C.
    The present reflection on the state of New Testament scholarship takes place against the background of a strong resurgence of religion on a global scale. This does not imply that New Testament studies can continue as usual. A critical re-examination is needed to ensure that the discipline continues to play a meaningful role in the future. Rather than undertaking a comprehensive review, certain distinctive topics are highlighted: the importance of the original languages, the alternative as point of departure, a historical consciousness, an inclusive approach and an ethics of the deed. The article is concluded with some suggestions for restructuring the curriculum of theological training and for deepening the concept of human dignity.
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    Ricoeur in South Africa : some remarks on his impact beyond philosophy
    (Pieter de Waal Neethling Trust, 2018) Lategan, Bernard C.
    The work of Paul Ricoeur is of much wider significance than just for the field of philosophy. This contribution discusses the impact of his ideas on developments in South Africa in three areas beyond philosophy: discourse analysis, concepts of selfhood, and the role of memory in social transformation. His dynamic understanding of communication helped to liberate discourse analysis in South Africa from an a-historical approach by focusing on the role of the reader, the context of reception and the transformative power of the text. His innovative work on the relationship between the self and the other has the potential to lead to a more inclusive understanding of being human together and to an enriched and expanded concept of identity. His extensive work on memory, history and forgetting can provide the basis to unlock the future potential of memory and for a memory liberated from being defined and held ransom by the past.
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    Romans 13: 1-7 : a review of post-1989 readings
    (Stellenbosch University' Faculty of Theology, 2012) Lategan, Bernard C.
    Romans 13:1-7 has remained a challenge for interpreters throughout the history of the New Testament. A previous study investigated the actual readings of the passage during the political transition in South Africa. The present article is a follow-up study and examines readings in the post-1989 period. Political events and the rise of empire studies deeply influenced the reading of the passage. Certain types of reading continue, but there is also a marked increase of ‘realistic’ or ‘pragmatic’ readings. The article concludes with some future perspectives.
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    Styles of theological dialogue
    (Stellenbosch University, Faculty of Theology, 1996) Lategan, Bernard C.
    The meeting of context, also in theological discourse, inevitably results in the development of some form of dialogue.  Theological discourse is characterized by a series of variables, related to different aspects of such a dialogue.  The article explores one subset of variables, namely the style or mode of theological discourse and discusses their relationship with other aspect of such a dialogue.  A proposal is made for an interactive, constructive mode of theological discourse in the public arena.