Women, the Vatican, and hope for the future : an ecumenical quagmire

CITATION: Le Bruyns, C. 2004. Women, the Vatican, and hope for the future : an ecumenical quagmire. Scriptura, 85:241-250, doi:10.7833/86-0-953.The original publication is available at https://scriptura.journals.ac.zaThe prevailing position against women’s ordination to the ministerial priesthood in the Roman Catholic Church presents itself as an ongoing ecumenical dilemma within and beyond its ecclesial borders. This paper provides an overview of the ‘official’ position of Rome in teaching and defending the church’s view against the ordination of women, even in the midst of great dissent among its members. Then it proceeds to lay a basic foundation for legitimately and respectfully offering an ecumenical contribution. Finally it considers several challenges that confront the ecumenical community in engaging an ecumenical response.https://scriptura.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/953Publisher's versio

Education and contemporary issues in South Africa: a look from the high education crisis

This article has as objective to present historical aspects, as much as a brief conceptualization of the contemporary socio-economic situation of South Africa. The theoretical reflection of this article articulates the participation of both authors in the youth movement “Fees Must Fall”. Based on that, it aims to debate about the contemporary issues on the field of High Education in South Africa. Like in Brazilian reality, since 2015 there has been a rise of a students’ movement demanding free education and a decolonial reform of the higher education curriculum, as much as gender and racial justice. The “Fees Must Fall” movement lead to, but also protested against, the militarization of the campi, imprisonment of students, depredation, arson and violence from the different sides. The so called High Education crisis in South Africa has made propitious a wide debate in society, as much as it has served as model for many student’s struggles in other contexts. This article will speak from the reality of the engagement with these students to debate about the political and economic situation in South Africa and its impact in the field of high education. Methodologically, the article sets up a bibliographical debate concerning the social and economic reasons for the contemporary crisis. The conclusion of it points to a list of some of the reasons for the crisis in high education in South Afric

Women, the Vatican, and hope for the future : an ecumenical process

CITATION: Le Bruyns, C. 2006. Women, the Vatican, and hope for the future : an ecumenical process. Scriptura, 91(0):56-62, doi:10.7833/91-0-1102.The original publication is available at http://scriptura.journals.ac.zaThe prevailing position against women's ordination to the ministerial priesthood in the Roman Catholic Church presents itself as an ongoing ecumenical dilemma within and beyond its ecclesial borders. This paper is critical of current attempts at defending or opposing the Vatican ban for different reasons as these do not contribute constructively to unlocking the deadlock. Instead, this paper recommends that the Vatican engages in a strategic process with its dissenters and the broader Christian communion as a point of departure towards a more promising way forward.https://scriptura.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/1102Publisher's versio

Industrial theology in South Africa : problems, priorities and prospects

CITATION: Le Bruyns, C. 2006. Industrial theology in South Africa : problems, priorities and prospects. Scriptura, 93(0):330-338, doi:10.7833/93-0-1373.The original publication is available at http://scriptura.journals.ac.zaThis paper discusses the nature and role of industrial theology in South Africa against the broader theme of the vocation of the theologian in South Africa after ten years of democracy and its implications for teaching theology. I reflect on the state of theological reflection in South Africa on issues pertaining to the world of work, and identify what I contend to be problems and priorities confronting industrial theologians in South Africa. Then I highlight some ways in which the world of work can be integrated into the activities of theological training and ministerial formation.https://scriptura.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/1373Publisher's versio

Human dignity and moral renewal

CITATION: Le Bruyns, C. 2007. Human dignity and moral renewal. Scriptura, 95(0):202-212, doi:10.7833/95-0-1396.The original publication is available at http://scriptura.journals.ac.zaThe pathway adopted by South Africa to give serious attention to the challenge of moral transformation as a public responsibility that is affirming of life is explored in this article.  In the first place, the historical journey on this moral road since it initiative by Nelson Mandela in the late nineties is summarised. In the second place, the resourcefulness of the churches and other faith communities for their moral import is probed. In the third place, attention to the possibility of an ethic of human solidarity for renewing the moral fibre of the nation, with special reference to insights from Karl Barth, is discussed. In the fourth and fifth places, the notion of transcendence as a potential cornerstone for affirming life and seeking moral renewal, drawing on insights from Paul Tillich and Reinhold Niebuhr, is proposed.https://scriptura.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/1396Publisher's versio

The rebirth of Kairos theology and its implications for public theology and citizenship in South Africa

This article explores the relationship between kairos theology and public theology, placing a particular emphasis on kairos aspects such as contextuality, criticality and change. The article draws from and reflects on the dialogue between South African and Palestinian kairos theologies, the more recent Kairos South Africa movement and the shackdwellers' movement Abahlali baseMjondolo in order to describe a public theology marked by responsibility and contextuality