EDITORIAL

Editorial

The well-known and influential South African theologian John de Gruchy turned 80 in March 2019. In this edition of the Stellenbosch Theological Journal (STJ) we offer nine peer-reviewed essays that engage with his work and legacy. A special word of thanks to David Field and Stephen Martin, two of De Gruchy's former PhD-students at the University of Cape Town, for suggesting the idea to honour him in this way. Martin's article "Writing the Kingdom of God in South Africa" enters into conversation with the final chapter ("The Kingdom of God in South Africa") of De Gruchy's classic study The Church Struggle in South Africa (first published in 1979), whereas Field puts forward the question (with a play on the title of one of De Gruchy's lectures): "How can Europeans enter the Kingdom of God? A decolonial challenge to Western European political and public theologies in the age of migration."

A central focus in De Gruchy's work is that of Christian humanism, and we are privileged to include an article by Dwight Hopkins - the renowned theologian from the University of Chicago - on "Teaching being human in global comparison." The South African ecological theologian from the University of the Western Cape, Ernst Conradie, also enters into discussion with De Gruchy's Christian humanism, this time in the form of a letter that honours De Gruchy by putting forward some critical questions and concerns.

Included are essays by former students, colleagues and friends of De Gruchy that in various ways attest to the depth and impact of his life and work (see in this regard the essays by Mark Braverman, Dion Forster, Marthie Momberg, James Tengatenga and Gerald West). We are also grateful to include, again in the spirit of honouring John de Gruchy, a non-peer reviewed theological reflection by Jeanette Mathews (from Charles Sturt University, Canberra, Australia) entitled "Led through grief - Old Testament responses to crisis."

Next to these contributions we include in this December 2019 edition nineteen other peer-reviewed academic articles. Several of these articles discusses biblical texts and hermeneutics (see the articles by Malan and Meyer, Masenya, Michael, Nel, and Onishi). A number of articles, furthermore, enter into dialogue with African theologians such as John Mbiti (see Mbaya and Cezula), Denise Ackerman and Allan Boesak (Douglas), and Steve de Gruchy (Gathogo). It is also noticeable that several of the articles centres around themes of migration and border-crossing (see the articles by Magezi and Magezi, Msabah and Bowers du Toit, and Nell). Two of the articles, by Bertrand and Bosman respectively, was first read at an international Barth conference, held at Stellenbosch in October 2018 (our July 2019 edition of STJ contained several other articles from this conference). As in past editions, a number of articles engage with Reformed theologians and themes (see the articles by Mahokoto, Strauss and Zeze), whereas themes such as ubuntu (Banda), the spiritual well-being of farm workers (Freeks) and the church and digitalization (Potgieter) also receives attention.

In addition, we include three book reviews.

Robert Vosloo

Editor: STJ

Voorwoord

Die bekende en invloedryke Suid-Afrikaanse teoloog John de Gruchy het in Maart 2019 sy 80ste verjaarsdag gevier. In hierdie uitgawe van die Stellenbosch Teologiese Joernaal (STJ) plaas ons nege portuur-geëvalueerde artikels ter ere van sy lewe en werk. 'n Spesiale woord van dank aan David Field en Stephen Martin, twee van De Gruchy se doktorale studente aan die Universiteit van Kaapstad, by wie die idee ontstaan het om De Gruchy op dié wyse te vereer. Martin se artikel "Writing the Kingdom of God in South Africa" tree in gesprek met die laaste hoofstuk ("The Kingdom of God in South Africa") van De Gruchy se klassieke werk The Church Struggle in South Africa (1979), terwyl die titel van Field se bydrae die volgende vraag (in aansluiting by een van De Gruchy se lesings) aan die orde stel: "How can Europeans enter the kingdom of God? A decolonial challenge to Western European political and public theologies in the age of migration." 'n Kernfokus in De Gruchy se werk kan met die term "Christelike humanisme" omskryf word, en ons is bevoorreg om hier 'n artikel van Dwight Hopkins - die gevierde teoloog van die Universiteit van Chicago - in te sluit, met as titel "Teaching being human in global comparison." Die Suid-Afrikaanse eko-teoloog Ernst Conradie (van die Universiteit van Wes-Kaapland) tree ook met De Gruchy se Christelike humanisme in gesprek, en hy bring eer aan De Gruchy in die vorm van 'n brief wat 'n aantal kritiese vrae en uitdagings aan die orde stel.

Ingesluit in hierdie uitgawe is 'n aantal akademiese artikels van vorige studente, vriende en kollegas van De Gruchy wat met hul onderskeie foci op die diepte en impak van De Gruchy se lewe en werk dui (kyk in die verband na die artikels van Mark Braverman, Dion Forster, Marthie Momberg, James Tengatenga en Gerald West). Ons is ook dankbaar om, eweneens in die gees om De Gruchy se werk te huldig, 'n nie-portuurgeëvalueerde teologiese refleksie van Jeanette Mathews (van Charles Sturt Universiteit, Canberra, Australië) onder die titel "Led through grief - Old Testament responses to crisis" in te sluit.

Naas bogenoemde bydraes, bevat hierdie Desember 2019 uitgawe negentien ander portuur-geëvalueerde akademiese artikels. 'n Hele aantal artikels bespreek Bybelse tekste en hermeneutiek (Malan en Meyer, Masenya, Michael, Nel, en Onishi). Verder tree 'n aantal artikels in gesprek met Afrika teoloë soos John Mbiti (kyk na Mbaya and Cezula), Denise Ackerman en Allan Boesak (Douglas), en Steve de Gruchy (Gathogo). Dit val op dat heelwat artikels die temas van migrasie en grens-oorskryding aan die orde stel (Magezi en Magezi, Msabah enBowers du Toit, en Nell). Twee artikels, deur Bertrand en Bosman, is by 'n internasionale Barth-konferensie in Oktober 2018 op Stellenbosch gelewer (die STJ-uitgawe van Julie 2019 het reeds 'n aantal artikels van die konferensie gepubliseer). Soos in vorige uitgawes, kom gereformeerde teoloë en temas in 'n aantal artikels aan die orde (kyk na artikels van Mahokoto, Strauss, en Zeze), terwyl temas soos ubuntu (Banda), die geestelike welsyn van plaaswerkers (Freeks) en die kerk en digitalisering (Potgieter) ook aandag ontvang. 'n Drietal boekresensies is ook in hierdie uitgawe te vind.

Robert Vosloo

Redakteur: STJ