INTRODUCTION

 

Editorial

 

 

M. Laubscher

Department Practical and Missional Theology, University of the Free State. E-mail: laubscherm@ufs.ac.za; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4240-1991

 

 

The general rule of thumb practised over the years at Acta Theologica is that our usual semi-annual editions do not require an additional editorial. However, this edition may still be seasonal, but I think it may exceed the most typical expectations. In this bumper edition at the end of the academic year, several unique highlights require a brief editorial word or two.

First, we are very thankful and deeply appreciative for the first two articles in this edition that acknowledge colleague Prof. Rian Venter's immense contribution over the years. Although we had to respect and obey his wishes of not preparing a festschrift to honour his life and work, contributions such as these, and other forthcoming publications elsewhere, show a glimpse of his impact on colleagues in various fields and institutions. His retirement is a massive loss to us, and this will become clear once he is no longer here. As a longstanding member on our editorial board, loved and respected by many, he will be sorely missed. We wish him many productive years in exploring those new creative ideas he is so fond of probing and musing about in the company of others.

Secondly, it was with great sadness that we began the new academic year after the passing of Desmond Tutu on 26 December 2021. This "loss" of the "fearless conscious" (see Antjie Krog's poem in this edition) is not only ours, but the world's. His witness throughout his life was immense - read: colourful and contested - and will probably be so even more in years to come. Therefore, we are extremely thankful for those colleagues who accepted our invitation, submitted their contributions in time, and passed the intensive peer-review process, in order to continue the discussion in terms of living "after" Desmond Tutu in South Africa, but also globally at present.

Thirdly, those who often read Acta Theologica will notice that the interview at the beginning of the issue differs from the usual format. Although this implied more work and risks in what the interview boils down to, it also helps us dig deeper into a particular (timely) area of interest. I hope that readers will And this change refreshing. My sincere appreciation to Prof. Klippies Kritzinger who responded so graciously in sharing his life and work with us. To my mind, this interview, which we also translated into English, sets the tone for much of what follows in this edition.

Fourthly, given the fact that we do not often get the opportunity to share in more detail the vision and philosophy regarding the inner workings (between the lines and behind the pages/scenes) with an edition such as this, I think that it may be timely and wise to share that, at Acta Theologica, we believe that quality beats quantity. We not only seek and use peer reviewers of high quality, but also publish only A- or B- graded articles that show clear indications of a potential high impact in their respective fields. In short, the remaining thirteen articles (covering a wide spectrum of possible avenues within theology) are also of extremely high quality, as they also scored an A or a B grade during our double-blind peer-review process. We are extremely thankful to the authors who associate with, and contribute to excellent scholarship.

Fifthly, getting such an edition timeously published requires an immense team effort. To my right hand, colleague and executive editor, Dr Lyzette Hoffman, and to the left, our editorial secretary, Dr Hanneke Meyer, who is also retiring at the end of the year, I owe a sincere word of thanks for their hard work and endless dedication throughout the year. I cannot imagine my first year as editor-in-chief without them. As a core editorial team, we would not be able to do what we did without the support and hard work of our subeditors and editorial board. As we all belong to the same faculty, I know how many other responsibilities you have, and still Acta Theologica has your commitment, and most often your attention. Thank you.

Six, a special word of thanks to all the reviewers who did this endless selfless job in service of academia throughout the year. It does not take much to know that, without these experts in their respective fields, we cannot operate as a journal, nor claim excellence and quality in what we publish. Therefore, we have decided to publish all the names of the reviewers (with their respective affiliation) at the back of the December issue from this year onwards. We owe you a great deal, and the least we can provide is some recognition for serving us (in the broadest sense) so selflessly.

Lastly, at the beginning of the year, we deliberately pondered over how we can get our advisory board more involved in the growth of Acta Theologica. A specific member is now, with each edition (including the Supplementa), invited to write a critical review on the holistic quality of the publication as such. I believe that such a living collaborative working relationship is beneficial not only to both parties, but also to all who love to study theology. Briefly, I am extremely thankful and excited about what we have in this edition, although I know that the best is yet to come. Enjoy!

 

 

Date received: 16 November 2022
Date published: 14 December 2022