Doctoral Colloquium – Tuesday, September 3rd

Go back to overview page Doctoral Colloquium 2024

< Go back to Monday, September 2nd | Go to Wednesday, September 4th >

Abstracts

Student Presentations

J. Hartmann (RM): Transnational ecclesial identity formation among Christian converts from Islam (mock defense)

For the first time since the emergence of Islam in the 7th century AD, Muslims in many countries are turning to the Christian faith in large numbers. Many of these new converts in Muslim-majority regions are in search for an ecclesial identity. A recent development is the formation of the transnational church network ‘Communio Messianica’ (CM), connecting several million converts from Islam in about 80 countries. In this missiological research project, CM was examined using qualitative empirical research methods.

The research objective was to gain a better understanding of how ecclesial group identity of Christian converts from Islam is being formed on a transnational level, looking at the discourses among the members of the International Leadership Council of CM. The research data comprised written CM sources, interviews with CM leaders and with external experts, and field notes. The collected data was analyzed using theoretical coding (Grounded Theory) and discourse analysis. The findings were interpreted from an interdisciplinary perspective, using three complementary frameworks: the sociological theory of collective identity, the ecclesiological framework of Muslim insider ecclesiology, and the missiological frame of World Christianity classifications.

M. Kang (HT): John a Lasco and the Zurich Reformation: A Comparative Study on the Prophecy

This study explores the theological relationship between John a Lasco (Jan Łaski) and the Zurich Reformation, with a particular focus on the institution and practice of the prophecy service. As a prominent Reformed reformer in the 16th century, a Lasco’s interactions with key figures of the Zurich Reformation, such as Huldrych Zwingli and Heinrich Bullinger, influenced his ecclesiastical practices, especially during his tenure as superintendent of the Strangers’ Church in London. This study critically examines the development and implementation of the prophecy service in Zurich under Zwingli and Bullinger, highlighting its dual role as both an educational instrument for biblical exegesis and a component of the public ministry of the Word. The study then conducts a comparative analysis of the prophecy practices in Zurich and the Strangers’ Church in London, underscoring the influence of Zurich’s theological framework on a Lasco’s work while also identifying significant differences. In contrast to the Zurich model, which increasingly restricted congregational participation in biblical interpretation, a Lasco’s approach in London fostered active congregational participation, reflecting his commitment to a church polity that emphasized congregational participation in doctrinal matters.

This paper argues that while a Lasco was profoundly influenced by the Zurich Reformation, his distinctive contextual application of its principles, particularly in the prophecy service, demonstrates the adaptability of Reformed theology across diverse ecclesiastical contexts. The study contributes to a nuanced understanding of a Lasco’s role within the broader Reformation movement, positioning him as a reformer who embraced and innovated upon Zurich’s legacy.

E. Moerdyk (NT): Defining Participation in Christ in Light of Modern Systemic Functional Linguistics

While extensive recent work has been done on defining the complex concept of participation in Christ (PIC), especially focusing on the lexeme ‘έν Χριστώ,’ consensus still proves elusive. This has been attributed by Theresa Morgan, Barbara Beyer, and Michael Wolter to a lack of sound linguistic method. I concur that such method is key for further studies, but these 3 scholars have not taken full advantage of breakthroughs in modern linguistics. This presentation provides a brief survey of recent work on defining PIC and proposes using SFL (building on Stanley Porter’s recent work) to seek a coherent definition of the concept of PIC that is systemic and functional. Defining the concept by working through the layers of meaning proposed by Porter’s version of SFL in a single letter (Philippians) could test this definition’s accuracy and functionality.

D. Vassen (ST): Exploring Diverse Theological Appropriations of Roy Bhaskar’s Critical Realism

Chapter 5 of my dissertation explores how Bhaskar’s philosophy has already been appropriated for theology and theological method. The discussion prepares the next chapter, which aims to show how an appropriation of Roy Bhaskar’s critical realist philosophy contributes to the discussion about critical realism and its potential for developing a theological method within evangelical theology.

My presentation will give you an overview of the content, the different approaches I have researched, and the overall results of Chapter 5.

S. van der Wielen (OT): How the Definition of Genre determines the Interpretation of the Book of Numbers

More than any other biblical book is the book of Numbers characterized by a mixture of genres, which is generally perceived as unapparent. There is no consensus on the overarching structure of the book and its textual units are mostly interpreted as isolated products of complex redactional processes. However, it also appears that scholarly studies of the book of Numbers do not define the phenomenon of genre, and as a result, the criteria for the text’s perceived (in)coherence and (in)cohesion are grounded implicitly.

My project aims at describing the rationale of Numbers’ overarching structure through a literary reading, with promising results so far. This paper analyses scholarly approaches to the book and argues for the interpretive potential of a literary definition of form, genre, context and coherency standards, and presents a model that is suitable to interpret diverse literary forms at different textual levels. This subject is foundational to Biblical studies and determines the interpretation of the book of Numbers.