Browsing by Author "Samaila, Kurginam Nahor"

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    Ripples of power : towards a Christian theology of power with a view to inter-religious converstation
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2017-12-01) Samaila, Kurginam Nahor; Forster, Dion Angus; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept of Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Divine power is a religious belief which ascribes apparently inexplicable acts of wonder to God, affirming God’s authority, might, and abilities. It is a conviction which often relates to God’s sovereign activities in creation and human lives. Typically, the theme is associated with God’s attributes in that it describes God as omnipotent, almighty, and all-powerful. This belief is deeply entrenched not only in the Christian tradition, but also in other religious traditions. This project engages understandings of divine power, primarily in the Christian tradition. In order to understand this motif, the study engages in conversation with the theology of the two important scholars who have written on the subject of God’s power. It explores this subject by examining each of the scholar’s standpoints. Each of them approaches the subject from a different perspective arguing how they believe it should be understood. The Presbyterian systematic theologian, Daniel Migliore, argues that God’s power is understood as triune power which is defined, and described, by the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, and which is demonstrated by his love. Divine power is centred in love and not in domination or coercion. The second scholar, Hans-Ruedi Weber, comes from an ecumenical theological position. He approaches divine power from the perspective of biblical theology. Weber approaches the question of power from what he calls ‘faith trajectories’. These faith trajectories or traditions include: God’s liberating acts (the Exodus tradition or Mosaic Faith); God’s royal rule (the Royal tradition); God’s empowering wisdom (the Wisdom Tradition); God’s holy presence, (the Cultic tradition); God’s vindication of the poor (the anawim tradition); and God’ renewing judgement (the Apocalyptic tradition). Each of these trajectories offers a distinctive understanding of God’s power. Towards the end of this thesis Weber’s interpretation of power, and Migliore’s approach are brought into conversation by highlighting places where they share similar interpretations and so complement each other, and where they differ. These faith trajectories serve to offer some additional material to Migliore’s interpretation of God’s power. In addition to investigating what God’s divine power means, the study also proposes that this theological theme could be an avenue for engaging in inter-religious discussion, particularly in Nigeria. It is proposed that such an approach could deepen and enrich the conversations of the different religious traditions with one another in a deeply divided country by understanding and accommodating religious similarity and the appreciation of distinctive religious and theological beliefs.