Hierdie artikel ondersoek of die vraag na die telos (doel) van die openbaring van Christus se wederkoms in die Nuwe Testament as ’n dogmatiese kwessie beskou moet word. Vorige navorsing deur Van Rhyn (2017) het die telos vanuit ’n eksegeties-openbaringshistoriese perspektief behandel. Hierdie studie fokus egter op die teologie van Adrio König, veral soos in The eclipse of Christ in eschatology (1989) uiteengesit, om vas te stel of sy teologiese raamwerk ’n dogmatiese uitleg van die vraag ondersteun. König se Christosentriese eskatologie, wat hy as ’n “teleologiese Christologie” beskryf, beeld Christus uit as die eschatos en telos van die geskiedenis. Sy verwoording van die drie wyses van Christus se koms (vir ons, in ons, met ons) integreer die wederkoms met God se verbondsmatige verlossingsdoelwitte.
Die artikel kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat König se teologie, wat hy self as teleologies of doelgedrewe tipeer, duidelik impliseer dat God se telos met die openbaring van die wederkoms sake soos vermaning, vertroosting, hoop, waarskuwing en verbondsvervulling op die oog het. Hierdie teloi funksioneer sowel kerugmaties as pastoraal ten opsigte van gelowiges en ongelowiges. Die studie bevestig dat die openbaring van Christus se wederkoms nie bloot informatief is nie: Dit is diep teologies van aard, en daarom vorm dit ’n geldige onderwerp van dogmatiese besinning.
Abstract
This article explores whether the question regarding the telos (goal) of the revelation of Christ’s second coming in the New Testament should be regarded as a dogmatic issue. Previous research by Van Rhyn (2017) addressed the telos from an exegetical-revelatory historical perspective. This study, however, engages the theology of Adrio König, especially as presented in The eclipse of Christ in eschatology (1989), to determine whether his theological framework supports a dogmatic interpretation of the question. König’s Christocentric eschatology, described as “teleological Christology”, frames Christ as the eschatos and telos of history. His articulation of the three modes of Christ’s coming (for us, in us, with us) integrates the second coming into God’s covenantal and redemptive purpose.
The article concludes that König’s theology, which he himself denotes as teleological or purpose-driven, clearly implies that the revelation of the second coming serves divine purposes such as exhortation, comfort, hope, warning and covenantal fulfilment. These purposes function both kerugmatically and pastorally for believers and unbelievers. The study affirms that the revelation of Christ’s return is not merely informational but profoundly theological, and thus a valid subject of dogmatic reflection.
https://doi.org/10.19108/KOERS.90.1.2631
Kalite sürecinde yürütülen faaliyetlerin iyileştirilmeye açık yönlerinin tespit edilebilmesi için paydaş görüşlerine başvurulması kaçınılmazdır. Eğitim- öğretim faaliyetlerinin temel öznesi konumunda olan öğrenci görüşleri sürekli iyileştirmede en önemli veri kaynaklarından biridir. Eğitim programlarının temel taşı olan derslerin planlamadan çıktılarına kadar tüm süreçlerinde öğrenci görüşlerine başvurulması önerilmektedir. Literatür incelendiğinde derslerin niteliğinin değerlendirilmesine yönelik öğrenci görüşlerine başvurulduğu çalışmaların oldukça sınırlı sayıda olduğu görülmüştür. Planlamadan ölçme değerlendirme aşamasına kadar tüm süreçlerde etkili bir ders nasıl tasarlamalıdır, temel problemi üzerine kurgulanan bu çalışma bir ölçek geliştirmesi çalışmasıdır. Öğrenci görüşlerini dikkate alarak tasarlanan bir ders planının dersin niteliğini artıracağı düşüncesinden hareketle bu çalışmada eğitim öğretim faaliyetlerinin niteliğini artırmaya çalışan ve kalite ve akreditasyon sürecini yürüten kurumlar için geçerliği ve güvenirliği sağlanmış ve dersin tüm boyutlarını ölçen bir veri toplama aracı geliştirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Nicel araştırma yöntemiyle gerçekleştirilen bu çalışma, tarama yolu ile durum tespiti yapmak amacıyla 2022 yılında Hitit Üniversitesindeki 636 öğrenci ile yürütülmüştür. Açımlayıcı faktör analizi neticesinde ölçeğin 24 maddeden oluşan dört faktörlü bir yapıda olduğu belirlenmiştir. Doğrulayıcı faktör analizi neticesinde uyum indekslerinin kabul edilebilir düzeyde olduğu saptanmıştır. Ölçeğin tümü için iç tutarlık (Cronbach’nın Alfa) katsayısı 0,94; faktörleri için ise sırasıyla 0,93, 0,91, 0,86 ve 0,93 olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Bu netice, ölçeği oluşturan maddeler arasında yüksek düzeyde bir iç tutarlılığının bulunduğunu ve ölçeğin aralarında güçlü ilişki olan maddelerden oluştuğunu göstermektedir. Korelasyon analizinde ölçekteki bütün faktörler arasında pozitif ve anlamlı bir ilişki olduğu belirlenmiştir. Tüm bu analizlerin sonucunda “Ders Değerlendirme Ölçeği (DDÖ)”nin yükseköğretim programlarında yürütülen bir dersin niteliğini belirlemeyi sağlayan geçerli ve güvenilir bir ölçme aracı olduğu söylenebilir.
Cierpienie, w różnym wymiarze i różnym czasie, dotyka każdego z nas, wystawiając na próbę ludzkie poczucie jego sensu. Bez Boga nie sposób zrozumieć wartości tego doświadczenia, stąd jednym z zadań Kościoła jest docieranie z posługą do osób chorych poprzez przygotowanie wiernych do właściwego rozumienia i przeżywania cierpienia, mając za wzór Chrystusa. Zadanie to powinno być podejmowane m.in. podczas nauczania religii i katechizacji. W artykule wskazano zapisy dotyczące problematyki cierpienia obecne w dokumentach programujących nauczanie religii i w wybranych poradnikach metodycznych, a także sformułowano wnioski i postulaty dotyczące treści, które powinni przekazywać katecheci. Celem autora jest próba odpowiedzi na pytanie, na ile lekcja religii jest w stanie pomóc katechizowanym w zrozumieniu problematyki cierpienia?
The world today is marked by the development of the times, where technology continues to develop rapidly. These conditions can hurt human life, where people begin to leave religious teachings and are not centered on God. So humans can experience a spiritual decline. If the church or Christian educators do not anticipate it, it is feared that Christians will not have the right basic theology. The purpose of writing is to find the theological basis in Christian religious education centered in the Old Testament. This journal was written with a qualitative descriptive method through library research. The conclusion in this paper is: in the Old Testament theological principles in forming the basis of Christian religious education, as well as figures of faith who hold fast to God, are examples of life today. Christian families and educators have a responsibility to teach a Christian faith centered on the truth of God's word. Christian religious education can be qualified when Christians praise God and become witnesses of Christ during this world.
In different countries around the world, universities and research have better or worse public reputations. I am based in England, in which universities and research currently have a peculiarly poor reputation. What is peculiar is that the university system and the people within it are regarded very highly elsewhere in the world. It is just at home that there is a reputational problem. (The English situation is – happily – not entirely replicated in other parts of the UK.) Government ministers have complained, saying, for example, ‘I think people in this country have had enough of experts’ (Deacon 2016). One of the complaints is that the preparation of teachers should be less influenced by the ‘experts’ from universities, especially those dealing in ‘theory’ rather than treating joining the teaching profession as a simple matter of completing an apprenticeship in practical skills. A number of universities are considering withdrawing from teacher training in the light of a forthcoming review of the contracts, and a narrowing of the curriculum, for such work (Speck 2021). Given these challenges, a number of educational researchers in England have themselves either focused on narrow government-inspired work, or, in contrast, on research unconnected with what happens in schools. Happily, religious education research in England seems to have maintained a continuing interest in the vital, personal, experiences of students and teachers in classrooms and also on the philosophies and theories underpinning school-based education. The same is true of religious education research around the globe, notwithstanding the various different pressures on research in every country. (Pressures currently include the tragic consequences of the covid-19 pandemic, now affecting much of the Global South far worse than the Global North.) So this issue of the BJRE tries to represent some of the variety of concerns within the field from the personal through the pedagogic, the policy-related, and the philosophical, in a way that also, we hope, shows the need for the range itself. There are articles addressing the personal experiences of teachers and students of the subject, along with work on pedagogic practices, local and national policy debates, and the complex philosophical principles underlying religious education research and practice. Research – and the universities which host and support so much of the research – has its place at every level of theory, policy, practice, and human experience. The same could be said of religious and nonreligious ways of life. They are not ‘merely’ sets of ideas (although they also include sets of ideas) or merely sets of ritual practices (although these may also be vital): they are rich and complex sets of personal experiences, practices, policies, cultures, philosophies, and more. In the first article, Elmarie Costandius and Neeske Alexander explore how the personal religious beliefs of students of visual communication design in South Africa were lived out in their community interaction activities. There had been no plans to incorporate religious positions into the programme, and yet students’ beliefs seem to have significantly affected their community practices. This is a complex study, taking account of the role of Christianity within the apartheid period, and the potential for Christian ‘helping’ to continue contributing to colonial attitudes and practices. Bruner noted that ’pedagogy is never innocent’ (Bruner 1996, 63); the same can be said of ‘helping’, as described in this article, and of all our educational activities whether as students or as teachers. The authors suggest we must go ‘beyond religion to negotiate ethics’, and although others might contest what ‘beyond’ means in this context, we must certainly avoid simply relying on a single religious viewpoint in an ethically and religiously plural world. Other ways of negotiating in difficult circumstances were researched in the article by Tara Malone, Barbara O’Toole and Aiveen Mullally. Their work also focused on an increasingly pluralist context in which a dominant religion has lost BRITISH JOURNAL OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION 2021, VOL. 43, NO. 4, 361–363 https://doi.org/10.1080/01416200.2021.1938423
According to M. Fforde, the era of postmodernity is characterized by a form of cultural collapse as it reveals many phenomena indicating that human in contemporary society is directed towards “desocialization.” This process represents an overall cultural shift as well as a change in the models of human. These are the main factors of the cultural crisis (Kuna, 2006). This paper is dedicated to an analysis of the issue of religion as social capital in conditions of increasing societal risks. We work with an hypothesis that socio-pathological phenomena are rather determined by cultural and secularization factors. Original Article 52 Clinical Social Work and Health Intervention Clinical Social Work and Health Intervention Vol. 11 No. 4 2020 Theoretical view: Context of a postmodern world The Authors in the paper: Suicide and Society: The Sociological Approach (2019) presented social context of the second demographic transition which has brought profound changes in value orientations and moral attitudes of today’s society. In the microspace of an individual it has become increasingly difficult to create one’s own identity; answer fundamental existential questions; or create a meaningful horizontal and vertical world of relationships and a coherent support system. Instead of an individual’s identity being formed in the process of primary and secondary socialization, it is often deformed, having been influenced by de-socialization of family, school or peer environments. Mesospace of community life has also suffered consequences caused by the lost community (Gemeinschaft) and modernization processes of the industrial and post-industrial society. Fforde describes the concrete manifestations of desocialization in his book Desocialisation: The crisis of Post Modernity using the example of the British society. However, it is important to emphasize that British society is already subject to globalization and universalization in the European socio-cultural space. In concrete terms, desocialization involves a conflict between anthropologies. The facts that man is anchored in transcendence, and that a negation of transcendence in his life has condemned him to a life of emptiness and absolute vanity, are not taken into consideration. Fforde speaks about the false anthropologies that do not recognize the soul within man but accept a model of „material matrix“ to describe man. It means that the model of man as created by God, who infuses a soul to him, or what corresponds to a so-called „spiritual“ model, is constantly denied. The material matrix acts against the community by supporting a lifestyle of selfish individualism and thus weakens the relations between people. The breakdown of ties between people is clearly demonstrated by cultural breakdown: the decay of good manners in politic life; the increase in people living alone; the low electoral turnouts; the high levels of crime and violence; and family crisis (Fforde, 2010)1. As some authors comment, „(...) the negative evolutionary influences of the Western European culture will now be exported, among other countries, to Slovakia as well. There follows his (M. Fforde ́s) argument. The contemporary Western culture is characterized by the expansion of phenomena such as secularization and dechristianization as well as by the dominance of the materialistic view of man. These views have not only replaced Christian understanding of man but they also represent the natural matrix and have a tendency to create convincing but deformed opinions about who we are by choosing one aspect of our self and enhancing it to the level of the superior truth concerning who we are and what we do. The introduced material matrix stimulates selfish individualism; the breakdown of community; consequently, people find themselves in the state of loneliness and isolation. Therefore the material matrix is the main cause of this state − desocialization. This evolution is very negative since desocialization is closely connected with lack of happiness and with mental unease on a large scale. One of its practical consequences will be an increase in the number of people suffering from various psychological problems. These contribute to lower quality of life. However, paradoxically, this problem is not solved by elimination of its roots but by prescribing some anti-depressants. This is only one of the examples of how people try to escape their suffering by recourse to varied therapies which make their illness even worse.“ M. Fforde believes that Western materialism will lead to an export of desocialization to Central Europe. He sees this as a serious threat. He also claims that Slovakia is now in the process of rising exposure to the dynamics of Western culture. The process of globalization and European Union membership contribute significantly to this situation. He also speaks about the risks in the admiration and the uncritical approach adopted by the post-communist countries to the penetration of western culture as demonstrated by an almost automatic adoption of Western lifestyle and values. He adds that after the devastating effects of Communism, Slovakia has to 1 Matthew Fforde, Western Materialism and the Exportation of Desocialization, 23-25. Original Articles 53 Clinical Social Work and Health Intervention Vol. 11 No. 4 2020 face further challenges concerning Christianity and society2. Slovakia was involved with materialistic and anti-Christian ideologies until 1989, and in the same year, it was brought face to face with the Western form of consumer materialism and laicism. However, both forms have a common basis – the reproductive interpretation of man – a rejection of transcendence that is antihuman. According to M. Fula, from the ideological point of view, Slovakia does not face a completely new challenge because it already experienced a fight for man ́s soul during the Communist regime. It can profit from this fight when dealing with the penetration of Western materialism3. It must be emphasized, however, that while Slovakia is involved in the cultural crisis of Western countries, its dynamics are qualitatively and quantitatively different. Consequently, the origins of the crisis under scrutiny are identical in the whole Europe. The issue of desocialization is a general problem extending over all social, ethic, political and religious domains. The spread of desocialization cannot be stopped, but our aim is to outline some characteristics of the phenomenon to help people become immune to it. Desocialization of society must be primarily dealt with within the scope of religion and Christianization – the spreading of Christianity4. In the context of the above facts, it is clear that the egoistic emphasizing of the individual's importance has become a prevailing lifestyle. Too much importance is attached to economic wealth, powerful positions, social prestige and delights. These determinants are closely connected with a searching for individual benefits which logically contradict the existence of the authentic collectiveness. We live in a modern, rushed and over-technological era where the decisive factors of man’s success are to be the best, the first and the only, all at the same time. We want success at any price. However we do not bother about the consequences of this „track.“ We proceed in the community with no regard for other people; without respect for generally accepted rules, social conventions and especially fundamental ethic and moral rules. Thus we exclude ourselves from society as such and do not want to perceive its seriousness. We put ourselves on its periphery, its boundary and so we contribute to desocialization of the present time. One of today's major issues is the question of whether post-modern Europe is undergoing a serious social crisis. This issue is illustrated by undesirable facts such as overconsumption; decay of family; individualistic materialism; relativism of values; loss of interest in public matters. There is another connected question: Are these facts the consequence or the cause of the universal decline of Christian religiosity in Europe, as well as in Slovakia? This thesis is dealt with in detail by M. Babic who adopted a critical approach focusing on the essay written by above mentioned M. Fforde. On the one hand, his article is an analysis of all the phenomena concerning the decline of postmodern society. On the other, as a cultural historian, he tries to point out multiple similarities between the civilizations of the past and the present. Desocialization is therefore closely connected with secularization processes, as well as with the progression of secularization and a materialistic view of man according to the models and theories of postmodern anthropologies. These trends are demonstrated by the retreat of the individual, with his misguided and often materialistic goals, from the real community to his own egoistic and over-individualistic world. In concrete terms, this corresponds to the relativistic understanding of truth; the consumerist approach to love; the instability of alternative forms of collective life; the escape from social responsibility in political parties and other organizations; the decay of family; the increase in the number of singles; the spreading of mistrust among citizens; the state of depression; the prevalent violence; the high levels of crime (Tomko, 2006). 2 Matthew Fforde, Western Materialism and the Exportation of Desocialization, 257, 264. 3 Milan Fula, The anthropological stimuli to solve the crisis of the West, In Slovakia, materialism and desocia -
ÖzBu makale, Din Kültürü ve Ahlak Bilgisi öğretmenlerinin, kavram öğretimi faaliyetlerinde tercih ettikleri yöntemlerin neler olduğu sorusu ekseninde kurgulanmıştır. Çalışmanın amacı Din kültürü ve ahlak bilgisi öğretmenleri tarafından kavram öğretimi sürecinde tercih edilen yöntemlerin neliğini ve niteliğini betimsel bir bakış açısıyla ortaya koymaktır. Bu amaçla nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden durum desenli çalışma tercih edilmiş; çalışma grubu, amaçlı örnekleme yöntemlerinden maksimum çeşitlilik örneklemesi ile belirlenen 20 DKAB öğretmeninden oluşmuştur. Çalışmada öğretmenlerin görüşlerine odaklanıldığı için veri toplama aracı olarak yarı yapılandırılmış mülakat tekniği kullanılmıştır. Verilerin analizi için, çalışmanın problematiği bağlamında önceden belirlenen tema ve başlıklara göre kodlanmasını öngören betimsel analiz yöntemi tercih edilmiştir. Çalışmanın sonucunda, öğretmenlerin kavram öğretimi sürecinde, tanımdan hareket ederek tümdengelimi, bunun yanı sıra öğrenciler ile birlikte tanıma ulaşma çabaları olarak tümevarımı, ayrıca hikâye ve oyun gibi destekleyici yöntemleri tercih ettikleri görülmüştür. Ayrıca, öğretmenlerin kavram öğretimi sürecini zenginleştirmeye ve sürecin niteliğini artırmaya yönelik girişimleri yanında, kavram öğretimi yöntem ve tekniklerine yönelik bilgi ve becerilerinin yeterli düzeyde olmadığı tespit edilmiştir.
BackgroundDelay to start antiretroviral therapy (ART) and nonadherence compromise the health and wellbeing of people living with HIV (PLWH), raise the cost of care and increase risk of transmission to sexual partners. To date, interventions to improve adherence to ART have had limited success, perhaps because they have failed to systematically elicit and address both perceptual and practical barriers to adherence. The primary aim of this study is to determine the efficacy of the Supporting UPtake and Adherence (SUPA) intervention.MethodsThis study comprises 2 phases. Phase 1 is an observational cohort study, in which PLWH who are ART naïve and recommended to take ART by their clinician complete a questionnaire assessing their beliefs about ART over 12 months. Phase 2 is a randomised controlled trial (RCT) nested within the observational cohort study to investigate the effectiveness of the SUPA intervention on adherence to ART. PLWH at risk of nonadherence (based on their beliefs about ART) will be recruited and randomised 1:1 to the intervention (SUPA intervention + usual care) and control (usual care) arms. The SUPA intervention involves 4 tailored treatment support sessions delivered by a Research Nurse utilising a collaborative Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Motivational Interviewing (MI) approach. Sessions are tailored to individual needs and preferences based on the individual patient’s perceptions and practical barriers to ART. An animation series and intervention manual have been developed to communicate a rationale for the personal necessity for ART and illustrate concerns and potential solutions. The primary outcome is adherence to ART measured using Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS). Three hundred seventy-two patients will be sufficient to detect a 15% difference in adherence with 80% power and an alpha of 0.05. Costs will be compared between intervention and control groups. Costs will be combined with the primary outcome in cost-effectiveness analyses. Quality adjusted life-years (QALYs) will also be estimated over the follow-up period and used in the analyses.DiscussionThe findings will enable patients, healthcare providers and policy makers to make informed decisions about the value of the SUPA intervention.Trial registrationThe trial was retrospectively registered 21/02/2014, ISRCTN35514212.
How can we make theological sense of the resilience of the fear of witchcraft among indigenous Zimbabwean Christians? From the perspective of the transcendence and immanence of God, this article analyses the resilience of the fear of witchcraft among African Christians in Zimbabwe. The article uses results of a case study conducted in Zimbabwe in a congregation belonging to the Churches of Christ in Zimbabwe (COCZ) in the city of Bulawayo. Using focus group discussions and in-depth interviews, the study affirms that many African Christians struggle to overcome the fear of witchcraft in their lives. Witchcraft is feared because it is primarily viewed as an evil power that destroys life. The article analyses the awareness of witchcraft, the experiences of witchcraft and the responses to witchcraft among Zimbabwean Christians. The article proposes that African Christians be grounded on the transcendence and immanence of God as a way of overcoming the enduring fear of witchcraft.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: A meaningful response to the fear of witchcraft in Africa requires a multidisciplinary approach including phenomenology of religion, Christian doctrines and practical theology and pastoral care. The immanence and transcendency of God in a context of fear of witchcraft must be unpacked in the light of insights from phenomenology of religion, African traditional religions, discipleship and pastoral care.
The mission of the Church is evangelisation and not acquisition of capital. It is good if the
Church has sufficient financial means necessary to fulfil its mission. The Catholic Church
has the inherent right, independently of any secular power, to acquire, retain, administer
and alienate temporal goods, in pursuit of its proper objectives (can. 1254 of the Code of
Canon Law). In order to fulfil its mission in the world, the Church needs to be supported by
appropriate material goods and the freedom to administer them. The Code of Canon Law
of 1983 introduced a new regulation regarding ecclesiastical property, so as to make sure
that the Church could better suit the concept of a “poor Church” that, being in the need of
economic resources to achieve its goals, focuses on the instrumental task of such resources:
so that the faithful fulfilled their duty in the form of helping in maintaining the Church and
its works as part of their fundamental rights and obligations related to the temporal goods;
so that spiritual goal of ecclesiastical offices was emphasised and the revenues received
were justly distributed. The Polish Episcopal Conference on 25 August 2015 approved
the Instruction on the Administration of Ecclesiastical Temporal Goods. In the present
article four points will be discussed: The right of the Church to the acquisition, holding
and alienating of temporal goods; the Instruction of the Polish Episcopal Conference on
the acquisition of temporal goods; the Instruction of the Polish Episcopal Conference
on the administration of temporal goods and contracts; the Remuneration for priests.
The author performs an analysis of „theological places” („loci theologici”), as the basis on
which leisure theology can be developed. These are: time theology (a linear concept of time,
which means that time is a gift to man, if properly used), freedom theology (freedom not
as a discharge from obligations but as the possibility to do good), new creation theology
(renewal made by the redemptive work of Christ), joy theology (joy of gifts of nature,
community with other person, being granted God’s grace), feast theology (time given
to a man in order that he could turn to supernatural matters). The author develops ‘rest
theology’ extensively as one of the fundamental forms of spending free time. He searches
for sources in numerous biblical texts, where this term has been used. Furthermore, he
interprets, among others, how to understand God’s rest after he created the world, and
how his repose becomes an example to follow for a human being. Moreover, the author
explains what the final repose is to be for a person, and how man, living on earth, anticipates
an eschatological rest.
The problem discussed in this article concerns the relationship between hope and action
styles in adolescents. An action style is a way in which man perceives and responds to the
outside world, and it may be aimed at securing oneself or interacting with the surroundings.
The main aim of this analysis was to find out if, and to what degree, the level of hope
is connected with action styles. The following hypotheses are proposed: H – 1. There is
a relationship between hope and an action style. H- 2. Persons with different types of hope
are characterised by different styles of action. H – 3. Persons with a high level of hope have
a cooperation -oriented style. H – 4. Persons with a low level of hope are often characterised
by a style aimed at protecting themselves. 149 persons aged 17 – 18 participated in the
study. The following methods were used: the
Basic Hope Inventory (BHI-12) –
compiled
by Trzebiński and M. Zięba, the
Hope for Success Questionnaire (KNS)
– adaptation of
C. R. Snyder’s questionnaire made by M. Łaguna, J. Trzebiński and M. Zięba, as well as
the
Action Styles Questionnaire
by
Z. Uchnast
.
The results obtained have allowed the
researchers to form the opinion that hope helps individuals function better in the world.
The way in which a person perceives the world and their own capabilities translates into
the style of action which they choose. A person who is full of hope seeks self -actualisation
as well as cooperation with others.
Abstract
This article investigates how Christian living and international management practice can be integrated. We argue that dualistic and reductionist conceptions of the relationship of faith and work can be observed in international management theory, and in some Christian-theological approaches to business ethics. Similarly, a separation between faith and work is adopted by certain management practitioners. However, such dualistic and reductionist conceptions are inadequate in the light of actual practice of international management. A case study revealed that international management theory and practitioners can be critiqued because of a lack of consideration of the connection between faith and management practice. A re-thinking of international management practice without the artificial separation of faith and practice is needed. This requires the development of a non-dualistic approach to Christian living and a combination of conceptual and empirical research to explore actual practice in international management contexts.
Opsomming
Hierdie artikel ondersoek die moontlikheid hoe ‘n Christelike lewenswyse en internasionale bestuurspraktyk geïntegreer kan word. Ons redeneer dat dualistiese en onderwerpende opvattinge oor die verhouding tussen geloof en werk in internasionale bestuursteorie en in sommige Christelike Teologiese benaderinge tot sake-etiek waargeneem kan word. Net so word ‘n skeiding tussen geloof en werk deur sekere bestuurspraktisyns ingeneem. Sulke dualistiese en onderwerpende opvattinge is egter onvoldoende in die lig van die werklike beoefening van internasionale bestuur. ‘n Gevallestudie het geopenbaar dat internasionale bestuursteorie en praktisyns gekritiseer kan word vanweë ‘n gebrek aan die inagneming van die verbintenis tussen geloof en die bestuurspraktyk. ‘n Heroorweging van internasionale bestuurspraktyk sonder die kunsmatige skeiding van geloof en beoefening is noodsaaklik. Dit vereis die ontwikkeling van ‘n nie-dualistiese benadering tot die Christelike lewenstyl en ‘n kombinasie van konsepsuele en empiriese navorsing om die feitelike praktyk in internasionale bestuurskontekste te ondersoek.
https://doi.org/10.19108/KOERS.80.1.2206
It is not often one comes across a book that contains so much useful and enlightening information and wisdom. In Vandals at the Gates of Medicine, Dr. Miguel Faria has captured the essence of our nation's problem — collectivism. As he so forcefully points out, we have, as a people, abandoned the principles that made this a great nation, a nation of free and virtuous people. His writing style is lucid and makes a complex and often difficult topic enjoyable to read and easy to understand. I have learned a great deal reading this wonderful book. Unlike many pure historians, Dr. Faria brings together a multitude of disciplines — ethics, philosophy, mythology, religion, political science, and law — into a synthesis that is vital to understanding the pernicious nature of collectivism. Within these disciplines, he weaves his vast practical experience as a neurosurgeon. I compare Dr. Faria's writing style to one of my favorite authors, Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn, as one of a handful of people who is able to do what Dr. Faria has done, that is, present history as it should be presented as a total and all-encompassing study of mankind, or as Ludwig von Mises puts it — human action. In the section on Ancient Rome, Faria demonstrates to us the importance of having a thorough knowledge of law, history, and politics. He reminds us that our government is undergoing a “metamorphosis from a constitutional republic — based on a foundation of individual self-reliance and private philanthropy — to a socialist democracy of an ever increasing, omnipotent government authority and an amoral, amorphous, statist, and exuberant bureaucracy.” Faria emphasizes the importance of the rule of law in a constitutional republic by giving us historical examples provided by the Roman republics and shows us the devastating results of ignoring these first principles. One of the chief tools of collectivists of all types (socialists, communists, fascists, etc.) is to utilize class envy to attain the goals of authoritarian government. Frederic Bastiat calls this “legal plunder.” Dr. Faria demonstrates for us that this was true in Ancient Rome as well. Likewise, he demonstrates the virtues that built the foundation of a free republic — the rule of law, family structure, justice, courage, and temperance. Vandals at the Gates of Medicine is scattered with valuable quotes and aphorisms. For example, Faria provides us with this from John Philpot Curran — “the condition upon which God has given liberty to man is eternal vigilance; which condition if he breaks, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime and the punishment of his guilt.” I was particularly pleased to read Dr. Faria's emphasis on medical care as an individual contract between a patient and his or her doctor, and not a collective endeavor to be monitored and ruled upon by bureaucrats and government functionaries. Through historical analysis, Faria demonstrates for us the legacy of medical care from ancient Islam and Greek and Roman medicine, which emphasized this contract. It was a contract based on moral principles. Again, Faria lets the ancients teach us the first principles. He says that Erasistratus, the renowned anatomist and physiologist, said, “it is better to be a good man devoid of learning than to be a perfect practitioner of bad moral conduct, and an untrustworthy man… good morals compensate for what is missing in art, while bad morals can corrupt and confound even perfect art.” This is, of course, also the message of Christ to man. And I was especially intrigued by Faria's ability to condense his thoughts into a sentence that would take others pages to express. For example, he captures the true essence of the government flunky when he says (that for), “the statist bureaucrats and technocrats… their prime motivation is simply camouflaged self-interest masquerading as altruism.” Faria paints for us a true portrait of socialized medicine and not the modern art of the liberal-left that distorts and portrays a false image of bliss and magic. His realistic painting demonstrates shortages, substandard care, endless rationing, and the “ultimate outright denial of care and government-sanctioned euthanasia.” All of which have historical precedent. In Vandals at the Gates of Medicine, Faria explains why physicians have been bludgeoned into a state of shock and submission, reminiscent of that experienced by POWs in Vietnam, who faced insurmountable odds against a ruthless enemy. Most physicians, as he points out, have given up. They just want to survive until they can retire. They see little hope in continuing the struggle. But history teaches us that it is only through persistence and vigilance that others have defeated a better-armed and more massive enemy. There are less ominous sides to the book that I found particularly interesting. For example, Faria demonstrates the enormous contribution that Christianity has made to Western civilization. As the prime preserver of ancient knowledge and often the only source of medical charity during devastating epidemics, the Christian church played a major role in preserving the wisdom that brought about individual freedom. I also enjoyed the section on the medical giants from antiquity to the Renaissance. By presenting to us these eloquent stories, Faria brings to life the importance of free inquiry that is, the milieu necessary for the creative spirit. Collectivism, such as managed care providers, is the antithesis of this creative free spirit and shall destroy medical progress by regimenting ideas. Faria reminds us that under such a system ideas are the property of the state. Regimented thought destroys progress. Finally, in his epilogue, Faria informs us that at least half of all medical care costs can be contained by living healthier lifestyles. So what will it take to save us from a similar destruction that visited our ancestors under collectivism? Faria tells us, “it will take truly Renaissance physicians of the highest order and courage to surmount the titanic hurdles in their path and repel the Vandal hordes massing for the final onslaught, eager to breach the gates, to pillage and plunder the traditional practice of medicine, and sap its substance. Unless physicians act now, the gates will surely fall.” Truly prophetic words!