Jack Barentsen | Evangelische Theologische Faculteit, Leuven (original) (raw)

Books by Jack Barentsen

Barentsen, Jack, Gottlieb Blokland, Maarten Hertoghs, Frank Kamps, Kris Medart, and Petra Laaglan... more Barentsen, Jack, Gottlieb Blokland, Maarten Hertoghs, Frank Kamps, Kris Medart, and Petra Laagland Winder. Zoektocht Naar Hoop Voor de Stad: 100 Jaar Evangelische Stadsgemeenten in Belgische Grote Steden. Vol. 22. Leuvense Cahiers Voor Praktische Theologie. Antwerpen: Halewijn, 2019.

Barentsen, Jack. Emerging Leadership in the Pauline Mission: A Social Identity Perspective on Local Leadership Development in Corinth and Ephesus. Vol. 168. Princeton Theological Monograph Series. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2011., 2011

Where did Paul find leaders for his new churches? How did he instruct and develop them? What proc... more Where did Paul find leaders for his new churches? How did he instruct and develop them? What processes took place to stabilize the churches and institute their new leadership? This book carves a fresh trail in leadership studies by looking at leadership development from a group-dynamic, social identity perspective. Paul engages the cultural leadership patterns of his key local leaders, publicly affirming, correcting, and improving those patterns to conform to a Christlike pattern of sacrificial service. Paul's own life and ministry offer a motivational and authoritative model for his followers, because he embodies the leadership style he teaches. As a practical theologian avant la lettre, Paul contextualizes key theological themes to strengthen community and leadership formation, and equips his church leaders as entrepreneurs of Christian identity. A careful comparison of the Corinthian and Ephesian churches demonstrates a similar overall pattern of development. This study engages Pauline scholarship on church office in depth and offers alternative readings of five Pauline epistles, generating new insights to enrich dogmatic and practical theological reflection. In a society where many churches reflect on their missional calling, such input from the NT for contemporary Christian leadership formation is direly needed.

Articles by Jack Barentsen

Barentsen, Jack. “Inbedding van theologische opleidingen in kerk en maatschappij.” Handelingen 48, no. 1: 25 – 31, 2021

Barentsen, Jack. “Embodiment, Identity Formation and Missional Leadership: Roots of Theory and Practice in Theological Education.” Acta Theologica Supplement 31: Integrating theory and praxis in theological education: 160 – 178., 2021

The relationship between theory and practice refracts differently in my journey in practical theo... more The relationship between theory and practice refracts
differently in my journey in practical theology, during which
I moved from deductive to inductive approaches, and
from New Testament studies to practical ecclesiology and
religious leadership. This article offers a conceptual analysis
of the theory/practice relationship through the lens of three
major concepts that have marked my academic journey.
Embodiment focuses on our bodies as the empirical
and spiritual locus of human experience and knowledge.
Practices and theories emerge in our bodily engagements
with the world and one another. Identity formation is the
focus of learning processes that shape selves to create
personal, social and religious identities that enable us
to engage our social and religious worlds. Missional leadership is intent on discerning divine involvement in embodied faith practices in neighbourhoods, communities and contexts. The argument culminates in an agenda for theological education for the next decade.

Barentsen, Jack. ‘Pastoral Leadership as Dance: How Embodiment, Practice and Identity Shape Communities and Their Leadership’. Practical Theology 12, no. 2: 312–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/1756073X.2019.1591796\. , 2019

Barentsen, Jack. ‘Review of Duerksen & Dyrness, Seeking Church: Emerging Witnesses to the Kingdom (IVP Academic, 2019)’. European Journal of Theology 29, no. 2: 289–92., 2020

Barentsen, Jack. "Altruism and Inclusive Leadership: A Social Identity Perspective." In Increasing Diversity: Loss of Control or Adaptive Identity Construction, edited by J. Barentsen, V. Kessler, and S. v. d. Heuvel. Christian Perspec on Leadership and Social Ethics 5, 69-85. Leuven: Peeters, 2018., 2014

Barentsen, Jack. “Pastoral Leadership as Dance: How Embodiment, Practice and Identity Shape Communities and Their Leadership.” Practical Theology 12, no. 2 (2019): 312–22., 2019

‘Dance’ aptly describes the complex nature of spiritual leadership within faith communities, alth... more ‘Dance’ aptly describes the complex nature of spiritual leadership
within faith communities, although it is rarely used. Three
scenarios describe the embodied leadership of a priest, a preacher
and a pastor as they literally stand in front of their congregations.
The scenarios demonstrate the importance of bodily position, how
bodily performance accords with the community’s beliefs and
embodies the community’s authority; and how virtuosity
generates a sense of belonging as leader and followers participate
in their common vision of God’s presence. A mutuality arises in
the congregation’s complex interactions, so that leaders and
followers shape and are shaped by the religious identity of the
congregation as they seek to remain faithful and relevant amidst
many competing influences. The practice of pastoral leadership is
a dance as leaders navigate a complex landscape of various
constituencies (dance partners), cultural values, civic priorities,
and, most supremely, various visions of divine transformation.

Barentsen, Jack. “The Social Construction of Paul’s Apostolic Leadership in Corinth.” HTS / Hervormde Theologische Studies (Ignatius van Wyk Dedication) 74, no. 4 (2018)., 2018

In a climate of institutional change and loss of authority, it is urgently needed to rethink the ... more In a climate of institutional change and loss of authority, it is urgently needed to rethink the legitimacy of religious authority. This article offers a case study of Paul’s authority claims in Corinth, using French & Raven’s theory of social power, to offer new insights into the construction of religious leadership.

Barensten, Jack. “The Social Construction of Paul’s Apostolic Leadership in Corinth.” HTS / Hervormde Theologische Studies (Ignatius van Wyk Dedication) 74, no. 4 (2018).

Barentsen, Jack. “Ambt En Leiderschap in Praktisch-Theologisch En Oecumenisch Perspectief.” Handelingen: Tijdschrift Voor Praktische Theologie En Religiewetenschap 2018, no. 1 (2018): 65–75.

Barentsen, Jack. “Church Leadership as Adaptive Identity Construction in a Changing Social Context.” Journal of Religious Leadership 15, no. 2 (2015): 49–80.

In the Western world, organizations and their forms of leadership are changing dramatically. Chur... more In the Western world, organizations and their forms of leadership are changing dramatically. Churches are no exception to this trend. Pastoral leadership has shifted from people management to organizational management and now to identity management. The social identity theory of leadership provides a helpful lens through which to examine the challenges and tensions of these new forms of pastoral leadership. This article examines congregational identity-building strategies of the apostle Paul and a number of interviewed pastoral leaders in the United States and Europe. It also traces the relationship between the socio-religious identity of the community and the pastor's leader identity. The article explores innovative ways to form community and identity, and demonstrates how the identity-shaping dimension of pastoral leadership is particularly relevant in today's Western, postmodern society.

Barentsen, Jack. “Paulus En Korinte: Missionair Leiderschap Voor Een Emerging Church.” Soteria 29, no. 1 (2012): 61–71.

Barentsen, Jack. "Paulus En Korinte: Missionair Leiderschap Voor Een Emerging Church." Soteria 29... more Barentsen, Jack. "Paulus En Korinte: Missionair Leiderschap Voor Een Emerging Church." Soteria 29, no. 1 (2012): 61-71.

Barentsen, Jack. "Interdisciplinary Approaches to Early Christian Identity, a Review Article (Hol... more Barentsen, Jack. "Interdisciplinary Approaches to Early Christian Identity, a Review Article (Holmberg, Ed., Exploring Early Christian Identity (WUNT 1:226) and Holmberg & Winnenge, Eds., Identity Formation in the New Testament (WUNT 1:227))." Biblische Zeitschrift 54, no. 2 (2010): 245-52.

Geestkracht

Barentsen, Jack. "Paulus Als Charismatische Leider. Sociale Spanning Rond De Claims, Aanvechting ... more Barentsen, Jack. "Paulus Als Charismatische Leider. Sociale Spanning Rond De Claims, Aanvechting En Legitimatie Van Paulus Als Apostel." Geestkracht: Bulletin voor charismatische theologie 74, no. Najaar 2014 (2014): 25-34.

Inleiding 'Het ambt draagt niet meer de persoon, maar de persoon draagt het ambt.' Deze vaak gehoorde uitspraak typeert de veranderingen in kerkelijk leiderschap in veel kerken vandaag. Het gezag van de geestelijke leider, en de legitieme uitoefening van leiderschap lijken nog maar weinig te maken te hebben met kerkelijke en institutionele kaders. Indien de leider vanuit eigen geloofservaring, verkondiging en raadgeving het respect van de gemeenteleden verkrijgt, ontvangt hij veel ruimte om geestelijk gezag uit te oefenen. Echter, als een kerkelijke leider gemeenteleden wil overhalen tot volgzaamheid met een beroep op zijn roeping en aanstelling, en wellicht ook op basis van gemeentestructuren of statuten, dan roept dit al gauw weerstand op als te autoritair. Men wil immers eerst persoonlijk overtuigd worden van de noodzaak en juistheid van een bepaalde actie voordat men gehoor geeft aan de leider. De leider leidt op basis van persoonlijk moreel en geestelijk gezag, d.w.z. een leider moet vooral een charismatisch leider zijn. De apostel Paulus verkeerde in een vergelijkbare onstabiele situatie. Hij reisde rond en begon overal nieuwe geloofsgemeenschappen. Deze gemeenschappen leken weliswaar op synagogen of verenigingen 1 , terwijl het leiderschap ook wel herkenbare vormen aannam 2 , maar de jonge leeftijd van de Paulinische gemeenschappen en de manier waarop het evangelie contrasteerde met de omliggende cultuur veroorzaakten veel onzekerheid over Paulus' leiderschap. In dit prille begin kon Paulus zich niet beroepen op bestaande structuren, noch op formele aanstellingen, en moest hij op andere wijze zijn gezag beargumenteren en legitimeren 3. Paulus wordt daardoor wel vaker als charismatisch leider gezien, iemand die het toch maar voor elkaar kreeg dat er binnen 15 jaar in toonaangevende steden zoals Antiochië, Efeze, Korinte en Rome, stabiele geloofsgemeenschappen ontstonden die hem erkenden als apostel van Christus en leraar van de volken. Is het terecht om Paulus als charismatisch leider te zien? Spreekt Paulus zelf over zijn leiderschap als een charisma of als charismatisch? Hoe kunnen moderne theorieën over charismatisch leiderschap ons helpen om de leiderschapsontwikkeling van Paulus te traceren? Welke lessen mogen we voor vandaag leren over leiderschap in tijden van verandering en afbrokkelende institutionele kaders? Om deze vragen te kunnen beantwoorden, onderzoeken we eerst hoe Paulus zelf spreekt over charisma en leiderschap. Vervolgens kijken we naar moderne theorieën over charismatisch leiderschap en overwegen we of met nieuwtestamentische gegevens valt te onderbouwen dat Paulus een charismatisch leider was. Al deze gegevens tezamen schetsen een plaatje van de leiderschapsontwikkeling van Paulus, hoe zijn status als toonaangevend, apostolisch en wellicht

Barentsen, Jack. “Paulus En Korinte: Missionair Leiderschap Voor Een Emerging Church.” Soteria 29, no. 1 (2012): 61–71., 2012

Geestkracht: Bulletin voor charismatische theologie, 2014

Barentsen, Jack. “Redemption Has a Price: A Case Study of Jewish Influence on Greek Words from a Cognitive Semantic Perspective.” Analecta Bruxellensia 10 (2005): 70–88.

Barentsen, Jack. “Stephanas as Model Leader: A Social Identity Perspective on Community and Leadership (Mis)Formation in Corinth.” Journal of Biblical Perspectives on Leadership 4 (2011): 3–14., 2011

This paper studies Paul’s recommendation of Stephanas as leader against the background of communi... more This paper studies Paul’s recommendation of Stephanas as leader against the background of community formation in Corinth. The divisions in the Corinthian church are shown to be a cultural response to the development of subgroups which expressed loyalty to different Jewish teachers. This resulted in intragroup competition, heightened social tensions, and a communication breakdown between subgroups and their leaders. Social identity theory helps to interpret these events as conflicting norms and values from cross-cutting social identities; the divisions can be understood as benevolent attempts to maintain Christian distinctiveness and social cohesion for these subgroups according to Corinthian cultural patterns. Paul, however, re-envisions the subgroups as nested social identities in an overarching Christian social identity with its focal point in Christ crucified. Thus, he reorients their search for honor towards the glory of the gospel which is shameful to outsiders and their search for social cohesion towards mutual respect and service. To implement his proposed changes in beliefs, norms, and values, Paul sends a letter, sends Timothy, and plans a personal visit. However, his key for long-term effectiveness is Stephanas, recommended as worthy of imitation in the new Christian leadership style needed for the expanding community.

Barentsen, Jack. “The Validity of Human Language: A Vehicle for Divine Truth.” Grace Theological Journal 9, no. 1 (1988): 21–43., 1988

Barentsen, Jack. "The Validity of Human Language: A Vehicle for Divine Truth." Grace Theological ... more Barentsen, Jack. "The Validity of Human Language: A Vehicle for Divine Truth." Grace Theological Journal 9, no. 1 (1988): 21-43.

Doubts have arisen about the adequacy of human language to convey inerrant truth from God to man. These doubts are rooted in an empirical epistemology, as elaborated by Hume, Kant, Heidegger and others. Many theologians adopted such an empirical view and found themselves unable to defend a biblical view of divine, inerrant revelation. Barth was slightly more successful, but in the end he failed. The problem is the empirical epistemology that first analyzes man's relationship with creation. Biblically, the starting point should be an analysis of man's relationship with his Creator. When approached this way, creation (especially the creation of man in God's image) and the incarnation show that God and man possess an adequate, shared communication system that enables God to communicate intelligibly and inerrantly with man. Furthermore, the Bible's insistence on written revelation shows that inerrant divine communication carries the same authority whether written or spoken.

Barentsen, Jack. “Interdisciplinary Approaches to Early Christian Identity, A Review Article (Holmberg, Ed., Exploring Early Christian Identity (WUNT 1:226) and Holmberg & Winnenge, Eds., Identity Formation in the New Testament (WUNT 1:227)).” Biblische Zeitschrift 54, no. 2 (2010): 245–52., 2010

Barentsen, Jack, Gottlieb Blokland, Maarten Hertoghs, Frank Kamps, Kris Medart, and Petra Laaglan... more Barentsen, Jack, Gottlieb Blokland, Maarten Hertoghs, Frank Kamps, Kris Medart, and Petra Laagland Winder. Zoektocht Naar Hoop Voor de Stad: 100 Jaar Evangelische Stadsgemeenten in Belgische Grote Steden. Vol. 22. Leuvense Cahiers Voor Praktische Theologie. Antwerpen: Halewijn, 2019.

Barentsen, Jack. Emerging Leadership in the Pauline Mission: A Social Identity Perspective on Local Leadership Development in Corinth and Ephesus. Vol. 168. Princeton Theological Monograph Series. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2011., 2011

Where did Paul find leaders for his new churches? How did he instruct and develop them? What proc... more Where did Paul find leaders for his new churches? How did he instruct and develop them? What processes took place to stabilize the churches and institute their new leadership? This book carves a fresh trail in leadership studies by looking at leadership development from a group-dynamic, social identity perspective. Paul engages the cultural leadership patterns of his key local leaders, publicly affirming, correcting, and improving those patterns to conform to a Christlike pattern of sacrificial service. Paul's own life and ministry offer a motivational and authoritative model for his followers, because he embodies the leadership style he teaches. As a practical theologian avant la lettre, Paul contextualizes key theological themes to strengthen community and leadership formation, and equips his church leaders as entrepreneurs of Christian identity. A careful comparison of the Corinthian and Ephesian churches demonstrates a similar overall pattern of development. This study engages Pauline scholarship on church office in depth and offers alternative readings of five Pauline epistles, generating new insights to enrich dogmatic and practical theological reflection. In a society where many churches reflect on their missional calling, such input from the NT for contemporary Christian leadership formation is direly needed.

Barentsen, Jack. “Inbedding van theologische opleidingen in kerk en maatschappij.” Handelingen 48, no. 1: 25 – 31, 2021

Barentsen, Jack. “Embodiment, Identity Formation and Missional Leadership: Roots of Theory and Practice in Theological Education.” Acta Theologica Supplement 31: Integrating theory and praxis in theological education: 160 – 178., 2021

The relationship between theory and practice refracts differently in my journey in practical theo... more The relationship between theory and practice refracts
differently in my journey in practical theology, during which
I moved from deductive to inductive approaches, and
from New Testament studies to practical ecclesiology and
religious leadership. This article offers a conceptual analysis
of the theory/practice relationship through the lens of three
major concepts that have marked my academic journey.
Embodiment focuses on our bodies as the empirical
and spiritual locus of human experience and knowledge.
Practices and theories emerge in our bodily engagements
with the world and one another. Identity formation is the
focus of learning processes that shape selves to create
personal, social and religious identities that enable us
to engage our social and religious worlds. Missional leadership is intent on discerning divine involvement in embodied faith practices in neighbourhoods, communities and contexts. The argument culminates in an agenda for theological education for the next decade.

Barentsen, Jack. ‘Pastoral Leadership as Dance: How Embodiment, Practice and Identity Shape Communities and Their Leadership’. Practical Theology 12, no. 2: 312–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/1756073X.2019.1591796\. , 2019

Barentsen, Jack. ‘Review of Duerksen & Dyrness, Seeking Church: Emerging Witnesses to the Kingdom (IVP Academic, 2019)’. European Journal of Theology 29, no. 2: 289–92., 2020

Barentsen, Jack. "Altruism and Inclusive Leadership: A Social Identity Perspective." In Increasing Diversity: Loss of Control or Adaptive Identity Construction, edited by J. Barentsen, V. Kessler, and S. v. d. Heuvel. Christian Perspec on Leadership and Social Ethics 5, 69-85. Leuven: Peeters, 2018., 2014

Barentsen, Jack. “Pastoral Leadership as Dance: How Embodiment, Practice and Identity Shape Communities and Their Leadership.” Practical Theology 12, no. 2 (2019): 312–22., 2019

‘Dance’ aptly describes the complex nature of spiritual leadership within faith communities, alth... more ‘Dance’ aptly describes the complex nature of spiritual leadership
within faith communities, although it is rarely used. Three
scenarios describe the embodied leadership of a priest, a preacher
and a pastor as they literally stand in front of their congregations.
The scenarios demonstrate the importance of bodily position, how
bodily performance accords with the community’s beliefs and
embodies the community’s authority; and how virtuosity
generates a sense of belonging as leader and followers participate
in their common vision of God’s presence. A mutuality arises in
the congregation’s complex interactions, so that leaders and
followers shape and are shaped by the religious identity of the
congregation as they seek to remain faithful and relevant amidst
many competing influences. The practice of pastoral leadership is
a dance as leaders navigate a complex landscape of various
constituencies (dance partners), cultural values, civic priorities,
and, most supremely, various visions of divine transformation.

Barentsen, Jack. “The Social Construction of Paul’s Apostolic Leadership in Corinth.” HTS / Hervormde Theologische Studies (Ignatius van Wyk Dedication) 74, no. 4 (2018)., 2018

In a climate of institutional change and loss of authority, it is urgently needed to rethink the ... more In a climate of institutional change and loss of authority, it is urgently needed to rethink the legitimacy of religious authority. This article offers a case study of Paul’s authority claims in Corinth, using French & Raven’s theory of social power, to offer new insights into the construction of religious leadership.

Barensten, Jack. “The Social Construction of Paul’s Apostolic Leadership in Corinth.” HTS / Hervormde Theologische Studies (Ignatius van Wyk Dedication) 74, no. 4 (2018).

Barentsen, Jack. “Ambt En Leiderschap in Praktisch-Theologisch En Oecumenisch Perspectief.” Handelingen: Tijdschrift Voor Praktische Theologie En Religiewetenschap 2018, no. 1 (2018): 65–75.

Barentsen, Jack. “Church Leadership as Adaptive Identity Construction in a Changing Social Context.” Journal of Religious Leadership 15, no. 2 (2015): 49–80.

In the Western world, organizations and their forms of leadership are changing dramatically. Chur... more In the Western world, organizations and their forms of leadership are changing dramatically. Churches are no exception to this trend. Pastoral leadership has shifted from people management to organizational management and now to identity management. The social identity theory of leadership provides a helpful lens through which to examine the challenges and tensions of these new forms of pastoral leadership. This article examines congregational identity-building strategies of the apostle Paul and a number of interviewed pastoral leaders in the United States and Europe. It also traces the relationship between the socio-religious identity of the community and the pastor's leader identity. The article explores innovative ways to form community and identity, and demonstrates how the identity-shaping dimension of pastoral leadership is particularly relevant in today's Western, postmodern society.

Barentsen, Jack. “Paulus En Korinte: Missionair Leiderschap Voor Een Emerging Church.” Soteria 29, no. 1 (2012): 61–71.

Barentsen, Jack. "Paulus En Korinte: Missionair Leiderschap Voor Een Emerging Church." Soteria 29... more Barentsen, Jack. "Paulus En Korinte: Missionair Leiderschap Voor Een Emerging Church." Soteria 29, no. 1 (2012): 61-71.

Barentsen, Jack. "Interdisciplinary Approaches to Early Christian Identity, a Review Article (Hol... more Barentsen, Jack. "Interdisciplinary Approaches to Early Christian Identity, a Review Article (Holmberg, Ed., Exploring Early Christian Identity (WUNT 1:226) and Holmberg & Winnenge, Eds., Identity Formation in the New Testament (WUNT 1:227))." Biblische Zeitschrift 54, no. 2 (2010): 245-52.

Geestkracht

Barentsen, Jack. "Paulus Als Charismatische Leider. Sociale Spanning Rond De Claims, Aanvechting ... more Barentsen, Jack. "Paulus Als Charismatische Leider. Sociale Spanning Rond De Claims, Aanvechting En Legitimatie Van Paulus Als Apostel." Geestkracht: Bulletin voor charismatische theologie 74, no. Najaar 2014 (2014): 25-34.

Inleiding 'Het ambt draagt niet meer de persoon, maar de persoon draagt het ambt.' Deze vaak gehoorde uitspraak typeert de veranderingen in kerkelijk leiderschap in veel kerken vandaag. Het gezag van de geestelijke leider, en de legitieme uitoefening van leiderschap lijken nog maar weinig te maken te hebben met kerkelijke en institutionele kaders. Indien de leider vanuit eigen geloofservaring, verkondiging en raadgeving het respect van de gemeenteleden verkrijgt, ontvangt hij veel ruimte om geestelijk gezag uit te oefenen. Echter, als een kerkelijke leider gemeenteleden wil overhalen tot volgzaamheid met een beroep op zijn roeping en aanstelling, en wellicht ook op basis van gemeentestructuren of statuten, dan roept dit al gauw weerstand op als te autoritair. Men wil immers eerst persoonlijk overtuigd worden van de noodzaak en juistheid van een bepaalde actie voordat men gehoor geeft aan de leider. De leider leidt op basis van persoonlijk moreel en geestelijk gezag, d.w.z. een leider moet vooral een charismatisch leider zijn. De apostel Paulus verkeerde in een vergelijkbare onstabiele situatie. Hij reisde rond en begon overal nieuwe geloofsgemeenschappen. Deze gemeenschappen leken weliswaar op synagogen of verenigingen 1 , terwijl het leiderschap ook wel herkenbare vormen aannam 2 , maar de jonge leeftijd van de Paulinische gemeenschappen en de manier waarop het evangelie contrasteerde met de omliggende cultuur veroorzaakten veel onzekerheid over Paulus' leiderschap. In dit prille begin kon Paulus zich niet beroepen op bestaande structuren, noch op formele aanstellingen, en moest hij op andere wijze zijn gezag beargumenteren en legitimeren 3. Paulus wordt daardoor wel vaker als charismatisch leider gezien, iemand die het toch maar voor elkaar kreeg dat er binnen 15 jaar in toonaangevende steden zoals Antiochië, Efeze, Korinte en Rome, stabiele geloofsgemeenschappen ontstonden die hem erkenden als apostel van Christus en leraar van de volken. Is het terecht om Paulus als charismatisch leider te zien? Spreekt Paulus zelf over zijn leiderschap als een charisma of als charismatisch? Hoe kunnen moderne theorieën over charismatisch leiderschap ons helpen om de leiderschapsontwikkeling van Paulus te traceren? Welke lessen mogen we voor vandaag leren over leiderschap in tijden van verandering en afbrokkelende institutionele kaders? Om deze vragen te kunnen beantwoorden, onderzoeken we eerst hoe Paulus zelf spreekt over charisma en leiderschap. Vervolgens kijken we naar moderne theorieën over charismatisch leiderschap en overwegen we of met nieuwtestamentische gegevens valt te onderbouwen dat Paulus een charismatisch leider was. Al deze gegevens tezamen schetsen een plaatje van de leiderschapsontwikkeling van Paulus, hoe zijn status als toonaangevend, apostolisch en wellicht

Barentsen, Jack. “Paulus En Korinte: Missionair Leiderschap Voor Een Emerging Church.” Soteria 29, no. 1 (2012): 61–71., 2012

Geestkracht: Bulletin voor charismatische theologie, 2014

Barentsen, Jack. “Redemption Has a Price: A Case Study of Jewish Influence on Greek Words from a Cognitive Semantic Perspective.” Analecta Bruxellensia 10 (2005): 70–88.

Barentsen, Jack. “Stephanas as Model Leader: A Social Identity Perspective on Community and Leadership (Mis)Formation in Corinth.” Journal of Biblical Perspectives on Leadership 4 (2011): 3–14., 2011

This paper studies Paul’s recommendation of Stephanas as leader against the background of communi... more This paper studies Paul’s recommendation of Stephanas as leader against the background of community formation in Corinth. The divisions in the Corinthian church are shown to be a cultural response to the development of subgroups which expressed loyalty to different Jewish teachers. This resulted in intragroup competition, heightened social tensions, and a communication breakdown between subgroups and their leaders. Social identity theory helps to interpret these events as conflicting norms and values from cross-cutting social identities; the divisions can be understood as benevolent attempts to maintain Christian distinctiveness and social cohesion for these subgroups according to Corinthian cultural patterns. Paul, however, re-envisions the subgroups as nested social identities in an overarching Christian social identity with its focal point in Christ crucified. Thus, he reorients their search for honor towards the glory of the gospel which is shameful to outsiders and their search for social cohesion towards mutual respect and service. To implement his proposed changes in beliefs, norms, and values, Paul sends a letter, sends Timothy, and plans a personal visit. However, his key for long-term effectiveness is Stephanas, recommended as worthy of imitation in the new Christian leadership style needed for the expanding community.

Barentsen, Jack. “The Validity of Human Language: A Vehicle for Divine Truth.” Grace Theological Journal 9, no. 1 (1988): 21–43., 1988

Barentsen, Jack. "The Validity of Human Language: A Vehicle for Divine Truth." Grace Theological ... more Barentsen, Jack. "The Validity of Human Language: A Vehicle for Divine Truth." Grace Theological Journal 9, no. 1 (1988): 21-43.

Doubts have arisen about the adequacy of human language to convey inerrant truth from God to man. These doubts are rooted in an empirical epistemology, as elaborated by Hume, Kant, Heidegger and others. Many theologians adopted such an empirical view and found themselves unable to defend a biblical view of divine, inerrant revelation. Barth was slightly more successful, but in the end he failed. The problem is the empirical epistemology that first analyzes man's relationship with creation. Biblically, the starting point should be an analysis of man's relationship with his Creator. When approached this way, creation (especially the creation of man in God's image) and the incarnation show that God and man possess an adequate, shared communication system that enables God to communicate intelligibly and inerrantly with man. Furthermore, the Bible's insistence on written revelation shows that inerrant divine communication carries the same authority whether written or spoken.

Barentsen, Jack. “Interdisciplinary Approaches to Early Christian Identity, A Review Article (Holmberg, Ed., Exploring Early Christian Identity (WUNT 1:226) and Holmberg & Winnenge, Eds., Identity Formation in the New Testament (WUNT 1:227)).” Biblische Zeitschrift 54, no. 2 (2010): 245–52., 2010

Barentsen, Jack. “Restoration and Its Blessings: A Theological Analysis of Psalms 51 and 32.” Grace Theological Journal 5, no. 2 (1984): 247–69.

Psalms 51 and 32 {Ps 32} arose out of the same historical circumstances but reflect a different t... more Psalms 51 and 32 {Ps 32} arose out of the same historical circumstances but reflect a different time of composition. Both psalms, however, are highly structured, this is indicated by various features such as parallelism and chiasm, repetition of key terminology, and important structural markers. These point to a twofold division in each psalm. The second division of each psalm contains the main thrust in the flow of thought, so that renewal and praise (Psalm 51) and teaching sinners God's ways (Psalm 32) are the prominent ideas. This essay uses structural analysis as a tool for contextual analysis of the two psalms. John Callow's A Semantic Structure Analysis of Second Thessalonians serves as the model for the work undertaken here. The advantage of structural analysis is its assumption that human thought is organized; thus, an analysis of the structure of biblical texts should prove very helpful as a tool for biblical theology (see appendix). * * * Introduction Methodology The task of combining exegesis and theology is one of the most difficult but also one of the most fruitful challenges in biblical studies. It requires the interpreter to make the detailed observations resulting from exegesis yield theological conclusions, while avoiding the proof-texting method typical of some systematic theologies. I have therefore endeavored in this study to avoid details which would distract from the goal of contributing to a biblical theology of sin and[Vol. 5, Page 248] GTJ 5:2 (Fall 84) p. 248 man, while elaborating on those details which support my reconstruction of the flow of thought in the psalms. In order to avoid unnecessary detail, a method of contextual analysis as developed by associates of Wycliffe Bible Translators will be used. Accordingly, the structure of the psalms is analyzed first. The results of this analysis are presented in an overview chart which indicates the relationships between the various constituents (that is, divisions, subdivisions, etc.) of the psalms. After the structural analysis, the flow of thought of the psalms is surveyed in order to arrive at an understanding of the meaning. However, since it exceeds the boundaries of this study to delineate all the evidence for a proper understanding of the psalms, only evidence relevant to the biblical theological argument will be adduced. The results of this analysis of meaning are synthesized in a thematic outline. This outline contains constituent titles, which identify the number of verses concerned, the type of unit these verses represent (division, section, paragraph cluster, paragraph, etc.; these units do not necessarily conform to the more technical use in Callow's Second Thessalonians, but rather serve here as convenient labels for the hierarchy of constituents), and the role this constituent plays in the flow of thought of the psalms, indicated by the term " role. " The outline also describes the contents of each constituent, the " constituent theme. " These themes differ from common phrase outlines in that they represent both in form and wording the content of the verses; that is, the themes will consist of full sentences of a grammatical structure analogous to the verses represented. This will in turn provide the appropriate basis for a theological analysis of the psalms.

Barentsen, Jack. “The Charismatization of Pastoral Leadership: The Case of the Apostle Paul.” In Off the Beaten Path: A Festschrift in Honor of Gie Vleugels , edited by Jacobus Kok, Martin Webber, Jeremy Otten, and Mark Paridaens, 48:209 – 23. Münster: LIT Verlag, 2021

With charismatic Christianity on the rise, a fresh study of charismatic leadership is necessary t... more With charismatic Christianity on the rise, a fresh study of charismatic leadership is necessary to investigate the dialectic between charisma as gift and charisma as status over the course of Paul's leadership career (and possibly in the generations after him). First, Paul's language of charisma (χάρισμα) and grace (χάρις) is traced in relation to leadership terminology and structures. Paul might have seen his own apostolic leadership as a charism, but the language of modern day 'charismatic leadership' comes from late 19th and early 20th century theological developments in Germany, which proposed that early charismatic function was gradually replaced by institutional structures over the course of several generations, which-it is argued-is evidenced in the development from the uncontested to the contested Pauline epistles. However, new research in contemporary charismatic leadership, combined with new insights into the early structuring of apostolic churches suggest that the rise in Paul's apostolic status from the uncontested to the contested epistles may plausibly reflect a development during Paul's lifetime, where believers in Ephesus and certainly Timothy himself witnessed Paul's success in reestablishing his apostolic leadership in Corinth. Hence, an alternative historical reconstruction, that Paul's leadership as founder and apostle became a publicly acknowledged status already during his lifetime, gains plausibility since it does justice to recent scholarly insights in leadership theory and in sociological analysis of early church structuration. The essay closes with some implications for contemporary pastoral leadership.

Barentsen, Jack. “Identity Leadership for Human Flourishing in the 4IR World.” In The 4th Industrial Revolution from an Ethical Perspective , edited by Timo Plutschinski, 45 – 62. Amersfoort: Sallux | ECPM Foundation, 2021

Barentsen, Jack. ‘The Spirit, Artificial Intelligence and Human Bodies: Machine-Human Interaction... more Barentsen, Jack. ‘The Spirit, Artificial Intelligence and Human Bodies: Machine-Human Interaction within the Context of Divine-Human Interaction’. In Being Human in a Technological Age, edited by Steven van den Heuvel, 7:121–40. Christian Perspectives on Leadership and Social Ethics. Leuven: Peeters, 2020.

Barentsen, Jack. ‘The Religious Leader as Social Entrepreneur?’ In Servant Leadership, Social Ent... more Barentsen, Jack. ‘The Religious Leader as Social Entrepreneur?’ In Servant Leadership, Social Entrepreneurship and the Will to Serve: Spiritual Foundations and Business Applications, edited by Steven C. van den Heuvel and Luk Bouckaert, 235–53. Palgrave Studies in Sustainable Business in Association with Future Earth. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan, 2019. https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9783030299354.

Barentsen, Jack. ‘The Pastor as Entrepreneur? An Investigation of the Use and Value of “Entrepre... more Barentsen, Jack. ‘The Pastor as Entrepreneur? An Investigation of the Use and Value of “Entrepreneur” as Metaphor for Pastoral Leadership’. In Metaphors for Leading - Leading by Metaphors, edited by Stefan Jung, Volker Kessler, Louise Kretzschmar, and Elke Meier, 6:75–88. Management – Ethik – Organisation. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2019.

Barentsen, Jack. ‘Embodied Realism as Interpretive Framework for Spirituality, Discernment and Leadership’. In Leadership, Spirituality and Discernment in a VUCA World, edited by J. Kok and Steven C. van den Heuvel, 119–38. Heidelberg: Springer Business and Economics, 2019

Barentsen, Jack. ‘Leading Oneself in a VUCA World: Lessons from the Field of Religious Leadership’. In Chaos Is a Gift: Leading Oneself in Uncertain and Complex Environments, edited by Ebben van Zyl, Andrew H. Campbell, and Liezel Lues, 211–24. Randburg, SA: KR Publishing, 2020

The aspects of self-leadership discussed in this chapter include close listening to context, will... more The aspects of self-leadership discussed in this chapter include close listening to context, willingness to adapt one's leadership role, emotional regulation and self control, safe spaces for dialogue, honesty and transparency, optimism and resilience, sensitivity to social identity, and bridge-building skills. These skills are evident in the three case studies presented, where religious leaders adapted to changing and uncertain environments, where the significance of religious identity is rather ambiguous, and when it can at times generate very volatile situations. The case studies present how several religious leaders in very different contexts created innovative forms of religious communities that became strongly locally rooted while being shaped by conservative theological understandings. Each leader demonstrated a willingness to first listen to their constituencies in their context, to reshape their leader identity for fruitful collaboration, and to honestly engage in open dialogue to discover. The analysis of how they engaged their VUCA context pointed out that deep personal change, sensitivity to social, civic and religious identities at group and intergroup levels, and rootedness in personal spirituality, were demonstrably important aspects of their self-leadership-which merits further investigation and theoretical development.

Barentsen, Jack. ‘Van Opwekkingsbeweging Naar Gevestigde Kerk: Mijmeringen Bij Een Baptistenverhaal’. Baptistica Reeks 15, terug naar de toekomst (2020): 117–24., 2020

Barentsen, Jack, and Annemarie Foppen. ‘Post-Christendom Context in Nederland En België’. In Religieus Leiderschap in Post-Christelijk Nederland, edited by A. J. G. van der Borght and Leon van den Broeke, 17–36. Utrecht: KokBoekencentrum, 2020., 2020

Barentsen, Jack, and Annemarie Foppen. ‘Leiderschap, Hermeneutiek En Groepsidentiteit in Een Maatschappij Zonder Grenzen’. In Religieus Leiderschap in Post-Christelijk Nederland, edited by A. J. G. van der Borght and Leon van den Broeke, 167–98. Utrecht: KokBoekencentrum, 2020. , 2020

Barentsen, Jack. “The Religious Leader as Social Entrepreneur?” In The Will to Serve: Inspiring Models of Servant Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship, edited by Steven C. van den Heuvel and Luk Bouckaert. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2019., 2019

This chapter reviews empirical research by Volland and Ziemer on religious entrepreneurs, and pre... more This chapter reviews empirical research by Volland and Ziemer on religious entrepreneurs, and presents some results of a survey conducted among religious leaders about their self-perceptions of innovation and entrepreneurship. These studies document that the language and values of entrepreneurship permeate the work and identity of religious entrepreneurs, often implicitly.

Barentsen, Jack. “The Pastor as Entrepreneur? An Investigation of the Use and Value of ‘Entrepreneur’ as Metaphor for Pastoral Leadership.” In Metaphors for Leading - Leading by Metaphors, edited by Stefan Jung e.a., 6:75–88. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2019., 2019

This chapter investigates how religious leaders in traditional and new types of ministry portray ... more This chapter investigates how religious leaders in traditional and new types of ministry portray their own leadership in terms of innovation, and through the metaphor of “entrepreneurship”. By means of qualitative field research, consisting of interviews and a survey, this chapter inquires into the potential and limitations that the metaphor of entrepreneurship offers for establishing and legitimating innovative forms of religious ministry and leadership.

Barentsen, Jack. “Embodied Realism as Interpretive Framework for Spirituality, Discernment and Leadership.” In Leadership, Spirituality and Discernment in a VUCA World, edited by J. Kok and Steven C. van den Heuvel, 119–38. Heidelberg: Springer Business and Economics, 2019., 2019

There appear to be two ways of knowing, the one driven by scientific evidence, the other by pract... more There appear to be two ways of knowing, the one driven by scientific evidence, the other by practice and intuition. The concept of embodiment brings these two ways together. Embodiment is now widely studied, as in the disciplines of nursing (Benner), cultural psychology (Voestermans and Verheggen), and cognitive psychology (Lakoff and Johnson). These developments point to the philosophical perspective of "embodied realism," as initially outlined by Merleau-Ponty and Dooyeweerd. Our human system of knowing is directed and limited by the way our bodies enable us to interface with the world we inhabit. It requires dialogue to transcend our individuality, without arriving at universals, as research on cognitive bias by Kahneman has demonstrated. The centrality of embodiment, then, implies that spirituality is not in opposition to material concerns, but rather that embodiment is foundational for spirituality, as evident in religious ritual practices as well as in the Christian confession of the Incarnation. Moreover, spiritual discernment takes shape, not as a disembodied practice of meditation to access the divine, but as embodied seeing, listening and feeling in a collective effort to understand God's call in the middle of one's rapidly changing world. Finally, leadership can be seen as the embodied performance of providing a safe holding environment amidst liminality in order to enable people to cope, to be transformed and to develop a new sense of personal and social identity.

Barentsen, Jack. "Stereotyping and Institutionalization as Indications of Leadership Maintenance ... more Barentsen, Jack. "Stereotyping and Institutionalization as Indications of Leadership Maintenance in the Pastoral Epistles: 1 Timothy as a Test Case." In Handbook on Social Identity and the New Testament, edited by J. Brian Tucker and A. Baker Coleman, 389-406. London: T & T Clark, 2014.

Barentsen, Jack. "Destabilisatie Van Opkomend Leiderschap. Wisselwerking Tussen Cultuur En Aposto... more Barentsen, Jack. "Destabilisatie Van Opkomend Leiderschap. Wisselwerking Tussen Cultuur En Apostolisch Gezag Bij Leiderschapspatronen Te Korinte." In Gezag in Beweging: Kerkelijk Leiderschap Tussen Tekst En Context, edited by Pieter Boersema, Jan Hoek, Mart-Jan Paul and Maria Verhoeff, 193-210. Heerenveen: Protestantse Pers, 2008.

Destabilisatie van opkomend leiderschap: Wisselwerking tussen cultuur en apostolisch gezag bij leiderschapspatronen te Korinte Barentsen, Jack. "Destabilisatie van opkomend leiderschap. Wisselwerking tussen cultuur en apostolisch gezag bij leiderschapspatronen te Korinte." In Gezag in beweging. Kerkelijk leiderschap tussen tekst en context, edited De studie van opkomend leiderschap is boeiend, zeker als we voor de term 'opkomend' het Engelse 'emerging' substitueren. Alles wat met 'emerging' te maken heeft, lijkt een spannende dynamiek in zich te bergen. Hoe ziet dit 'emerging' leiderschap eruit? Onze nieuwsgierigheid wordt geprikkeld. Als we echter spreken over opkomend leiderschap in de vroege kerk, lijkt dit sentiment juist tegengesteld. Hoe meer opkomend leiderschap zichtbaar wordt in de vroege kerk en hoe meer er over titels en structuren wordt geschreven, hoe groter de argwaan van vele bijbelwetenschappers dat hier iets niet pluis is. Men vermoedt dat het oorspronkelijke spontane functioneren van de gemeente, ieder naar eigen gave, dreigde te verstikken; het intieme contact met God zou alledaags zijn geworden en de enthousiaste ervaring van de Heilige Geest bekoeld, waardoor men continuïteit moest zoeken in structuren en ambten. Vanuit deze optiek is opkomend leiderschap een omen van neergang in de gemeente. Immers, men verstaat de Geest niet meer direct, maar moet het hebben van de leiders, liefst zelfs van officieel aangestelde leiders. Zo heeft men 1 en 2 Korintiërs vaak gelezen als een reflectie van de spontane, charismatische gemeenschap dichtbij de oorsprong, terwijl latere brieven zoals Efeziërs of 1 Timoteüs worden geïnterpreteerd als indicatie van de zich ontwikkelende hiërarchie met steeds minder ruimte voor charismatische leiding. Dit wordt niet gezien als een natuurlijk groeiproces maar als verlies van de werking van de Geest. De socio-historische studies van Chow and Clarke hebben echter duidelijk aangetoond dat dit geen houdbare hypothese is voor de situatie in Korinte.[1] Goed beschouwd blijken deze twee brieven van Paulus juist al bij uitstek over leiderschap te gaan, en dan met name over de interactie tussen lokaal en apostolisch gezag enerzijds, en culturele leiderschapsstructuren anderzijds. Er blijkt wel degelijk een vorm van georganiseerd leiderschap in de gemeente aanwezig, al benoemt Paulus de titels en structuren waarschijnlijk niet om geen extra aandacht te vestigen op de status van leiders in de gemeenschap omdat daar een kernprobleem lag. Een dynamiek die tot nog toe weinig is bestudeerd is de relatie tussen Paulus als apostel en grondlegger van de gemeente en het lokale leiderschap te Korinte. Paulus verdedigt zijn eigen leiderschap met diverse argumenten terwijl hij tegelijk het lokale leiderschap ondersteunt. Hij ervaart geen tegenspraak tussen het aanbevelen van deze lokale leiders en zijn eigen forse inmenging in de situatie. In overeenstemming met het thema 'leiderschap in context: eigenheid of conformiteit' stellen we ons tot doel inzicht te krijgen in Paulus' waardering van het lokale leiderschap van de gemeente te Korinte: enerzijds aanvaardt hij bepaalde culturele leiderschapsstructuren, maar anderzijds corrigeert hij bepaalde culturele normen voor de invulling van hun leiderschap. Bij de bestudering van de dynamiek tussen Paulus en de lokale groep leidinggevenden in de gemeente gaan we als volgt te werk. Allereerst brengen we de lokale groep leidinggevenden in kaart en bestuderen we hun invloed in de gemeente te Korinte (§ 2). Vervolgens bespreken we de mate waarin leiderschapskwesties gemoeid waren bij de problemen die speelden te Korinte. In deze bijdrage beperken we onszelf tot een studie van 1 Korintiërs 1-6. Met betrekking tot hfst. 1-4 stellen we ons de vraag welke rol de groep leidinggevenden speelde in de problematiek van de partijschappen (§ 3). Met betrekking tot hfst. 5-6 is de vraag in welke verhouding de leidinggevenden stonden ten opzichte van het morele gedrag in de gemeente (§ 4). Het thema 'leiderschap in context' richt onze aandacht vooral op sociale en culturele patronen te Korinte, waardoor een socio-historische benadering zich aanbeveelt. In deze bijdrage is daarom vooral oog voor aspecten in de tekst die verwijzen naar achterliggende sociale en culturele verschijnselen. Het zal gaandeweg duidelijk worden dat deze benadering de Korintische problematieken realistisch situeert, hoewel theologische aspecten ook zullen worden aangestipt waar van toepassing voor het thema van leiderschapspatronen.

Barentsen, Jack. "Changements dans les structures d’autorité de l’Église – comment les interpréte... more Barentsen, Jack. "Changements dans les structures d’autorité de l’Église – comment les interpréter ?" In Autorité et pouvoir dans l’agir pastoral, edited by A. Join-Lambert, A. Liégeois, and C. Chevalier. Théologies pratiques, 267-78. Namur: Lumen Vitae, 2016.

Barentsen, Jack. "Identiteitsvormend, verbindend en gezaghebbend voorgangerschap." In Grensganger... more Barentsen, Jack. "Identiteitsvormend, verbindend en gezaghebbend voorgangerschap." In Grensgangers: Pendelen tussen geloof en cultuur, edited by R. Erwich, 231-48. Utrecht: Kok, 2016.

Het beroep van voorganger verkeert in zwaar weer. Veel kerken kampen met krimpscenario's en hun voorgangers worden niet zelden met 'sterfhuisconstructies' geconfronteerd. Voorbij zijn de tijden waarin men met goede prediking en pastoraat de kudde wel kon behoeden en bewaren, ook voor een vitale toekomst. Kerken verkeren ook in de maatschappelijke marge; hun sociale en politieke invloed van weleer is vervlogen. In plaats daarvan worden kerken geplaagd door schandalen, die er waarschijnlijk altijd wel waren, maar die nu door intensieve en kritische media aandacht breed uitgemeten worden in de landelijke pers. Verder is het respect voor maatschappelijke instituties en hun vertegenwoordigers, zoals politici, hulpverlenend personeel en politie, enorm gezakt (of in ieder geval veranderd), zodat ook voorgangers nauwelijks nog gezag hebben binnen hun geloofsgemeenschap. Wat blijft er dan over van de beroepstrots van de voorganger? Wie wil nog theoloog worden van een afkalvende organisatie waar ondanks alle missionaire inspanningen weinig groei wordt gerealiseerd? Is dat niet als een TV verkoper die nog steeds zwart-wit televisies verkoopt? Of een gids van oude stadskathedralen die indrukwekkende geschiedenisverhalen kan vertellen, die soms zelfs onze emoties diep weet te raken, maar die verder ver van ons dagelijkse leven afstaat? Het verschil tussen een predikant en een pastoraal werker was ooit duidelijk: de eerste was academisch gevormd, de tweede had beroepsonderwijs gevolgd.

Barentsen, Jack. "Spirituality and Innovation: New Faces of Leadership?". In Leadership, Spiritua... more Barentsen, Jack. "Spirituality and Innovation: New Faces of Leadership?". In Leadership, Spirituality and Innovation, edited by Jack Barentsen and Patrick Nullens. Christian Perspectives on Leadership and Social Ethics, 3-11. Leuven: Peeters, 2014.

Barentsen, Jack. "A Call to Faithfulness: The Ambivalence of Spirituality as a Source of Innovati... more Barentsen, Jack. "A Call to Faithfulness: The Ambivalence of Spirituality as a Source of Innovation." In Leadership, Spirituality and Innovation, edited by Jack Barentsen and Patrick Nullens. Christian Perspectives on Leadership and Social Ethics, 119-43. Leuven: Peeters, 2014.

An appropriate way to introduce the theme for this chapter is a brief reflection on the 2010 film " The Prince of Persia: the Sands of Time. " 1 Rated average and by some as superficial, it features prince Dastan in a heroic effort to save the ancient Persian kingdom from the clutches of his evil uncle Nizan. Both Dastan and Nizan strive to obtain a magical dagger, that will give great powers, but which is protected by the armies of the beautiful princess Tamina. In spite of Nizan's betrayal and intrigue, Dastan secures the dagger, restores justice in the kingdom, and returns the dagger to Tamina's care. And, of course, he wins her heart. He fulfilled his mission to save the kingdom, to save the world.

Barentsen, Jack. "Pre-Pauline Leadership and Pauline Constitution in the Roman Church: An Alterna... more Barentsen, Jack. "Pre-Pauline Leadership and Pauline Constitution in the Roman Church: An Alternative Interpretation of Romans 12 and 16." In The Letter to the Romans, edited by Udo Schnelle. Bibliotheca Ephemeridum Theologicarum Lovaniensium, 589-610. Leuven: Peeters, 2009.

Barentsen, Jack. "The Law and Gospel Debate: A Contribution from a Structural Analysis of Romans ... more Barentsen, Jack. "The Law and Gospel Debate: A Contribution from a Structural Analysis of Romans and Galatians." Th.M. thesis, Grace Theological Seminary, 1985.

Ba Thesis, Princeton University '81, 1981

Barentsen, Jack. "Developing an Exegetically Defensible Definition of 'Old Man'." M.Div. Thesis, ... more Barentsen, Jack. "Developing an Exegetically Defensible Definition of 'Old Man'." M.Div. Thesis, Grace Theological Seminary, 1984.

Barentsen, Jack. "Developing Leadership Patterns in Pauline Communities at Corinth and Ephesus: A... more Barentsen, Jack. "Developing Leadership Patterns in Pauline Communities at Corinth and Ephesus: A Social Identity Perspective." Ph.D. Dissertation, Evangelische Theologische Faculteit, 2010.

Barentsen, Jack. “Review of de Roest, Collaborative Practical Theology: Engaging Practitioners in Research on Christian Practices (Leiden, Brill, 2020).” European Journal of Theology 30, no. 2 (2021): 385 – 87., 2021

Barentsen, Jack. “Review of Cartledge et al., Megachurches and Social Engagement: Public Theology in Practice (Leiden: Brill, 2019).” Practical Theology 14, no. 3 (2021): 283 – 85., 2021

Barentsen, Jack. “Review of Kollontai, Yore, and Kim, Eds. The Role of Religion in Peacebuilding:... more Barentsen, Jack. “Review of Kollontai, Yore, and Kim, Eds. The Role of Religion in Peacebuilding: Crossing the Boundaries of Prejudice and Distrust (London: Jessica Kingsley, 2018).” Practical Theology 11, no. 4 (2018): 365–67.

Barentsen, Jack. “Review of Latini, The Church and the Crisis of Community: A Practical Theology of Small Group Ministry.” Practical Theology 6, no. 2 (2013): 248–50., 2013

Barentsen, Jack. “Review of Haslam, Reicher and Platow, The New Psychology of Leadership.” Practical Theology 6, no. 2 supplement (2013): 256–58., 2012

Barentsen, Jack. "Review of MacDougall, More Than Communion: Imagining an Eschatological Ecclesiology (London: Bloomsbury, 2015)." Journal of Theological Studies 67, no. 2 (2016)., 2016

Barentsen, Jack. "Review of Merkle, Beyond Our Lights and Shadows: Charism and Institution in the Church (London: Bloomsbury, 2016)." Journal of Theological Studies 69, no. 1 (2018).

Barentsen, Jack. "Recensie van Lim, Metaphors and Social Identity Formation in Paul's letters to the Corinthians (Eugene: Pickwick, 2017)." Soteria 35, no. 1 (2018): 67-68.

Barentsen, Jack. "Review of Torry, Managing Religion: The Management of Christian Religious and Faith-Based Organizations (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2014)." Evangelical Review of Theology 42, no. 1 (2018): 85-87.

Barentsen, Jack. "Review of Iyadurai, Transformative Religious Experience: A Phenomenological Understanding of Religious Conversion (Eugene: Pickwick, 2015)." Evangelical Review of Theology 42, no. 1 (2018): 83-85.

Barentsen, Jack. "Review of McAdams, The Art and Science of Personality Development (New York: Guilford, 2015)." Evangelical Review of Theology 41, no. 4 (2017): 377-79.

Barentsen, Jack. "Recensie van Rutledge, The Crucifixion: Understanding the Death of Jesus Christ (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2015)." Nederlands Theologisch Tijdschrift 71, no. 3 (2017): 301-02.

Barentsen, Jack. "Review of McKeown, Haji and Ferguson, Understanding Peace and Conflict Through Social Identity Theory: Contemporary Global Perspectives (New York: Springer, 2016)." Practical Theology 10, no. 3 (2017): 321–22.

Barentsen, Jack. "Recensie van Vanhoozer en Strachan, The Pastor as Public Theologian: Reclaiming a Lost Vision (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2015)." Nederlands Theologisch Tijdschrift 71, no. 1 (2017): 111-12.

Dekker is geen fan van de gemeenteopbouwbeweging, en hij speelt hier de rol van provocateur. Hij ... more Dekker is geen fan van de gemeenteopbouwbeweging, en hij speelt hier de rol van provocateur. Hij biedt geen geordend pleidooi voor of tegen een bepaalde manier van kerkopbouw, maar een verzameling essays om gemeenteopbouwactivisme te provoceren. Wat betekent geloven in een cultuur van kerkafbraak? Wie is de God wiens kerk we zonodig moeten bouwen (of sluiten)? Hij wil het kerkelijk afbraakproces, zoals bijv. van " het stervende departement theologie " in Utrecht, denkend en gelovend begeleiden: een provocatie aan de gemeentegroeibeweging. Maar hij gaat niet ver genoeg. Dekker wil de verkondiging over geloof en God weer inhoud geven tegenover een cultuur waar God al zo lang is vergeten dat zijn afwezigheid niet eens meer wordt gevoeld en waar spiritualiteit veelal niet verder komt dan horizontale zelfontdekking. Met pakkende stijl en soms vlammende retoriek (die in een samenvatting al gauw onderkoeld overkomt) presenteert Dekker diverse aspecten van geloven. Geloven betekent het onmogelijke verwachten. God vraagt Abraham zijn zoon Isaak te offeren, en zet daarmee zijn openbaring en beloftes op losse schroeven. Bij kerkverlating is het niet anders: God neemt ons hier ook alles af, tegen alle beloftes in om zijn kerk te bouwen. Wij hebben nog geen zicht op een verlossend woord, dus kunnen we met Abraham slechts blijven geloven in het onmogelijke. Door onvervulde hoop dreigen we verwachtingsloos te raken en ons neer te leggen bij Gods afwezigheid, zoals Zacharias maar niet kan geloven dat God zijn zwijgen doorbreekt en met stomheid wordt geslagen. Is ook de kerk niet met stomheid geslagen, verlegen en teleurgesteld over Gods zwijgen? Durft zij nog geloven in Gods beloften? Zelfs in de kerk waar je God moet kunnen vinden, blijkt Hij vaak afwezig achter een façade van drukte en activiteit. Bij zijn intocht in Jeruzalem is Jezus op zoek naar God, maar vindt Hij een tempelplein vol kooplui. De zweep moet erdoor! En is de kerk ook niet toe aan een tempelreiniging? Laten we bidden, het uit handen geven, leren verwachten wat je niet hebt, maar laten we vooral niet zelf tempelreinigertje spelen. Verder herinnert Dekker ons eraan dat God zijn schoonheid en macht verbergt in wat lelijk en zwak is. De schat van het evangelie zit in aarden vaten. Zowel de schat (de gekruisigde Christus) als de verpakking (de kerk) is aanstootgevend en roept spotternij op. Daarom moet de kerk, net als de

Leiders mogen dan effectief zijn, het is glashelder vandaag dat ze daarmee nog niet geloofwaardig... more Leiders mogen dan effectief zijn, het is glashelder vandaag dat ze daarmee nog niet geloofwaardig zijn. Van Saane is ambitieus: ze helikoptert over het immense veld van leiderschapstudies om tot een alomvattend leiderschapsinstrument te komen, waarmee vooral de religieus leider zich kan testen en een ontwikkelingsplan kan uitstippelen. Danig onder de indruk van de gekozen aanpak, die eens niet één aspect van leiderschap uitvergroot, vraag ik mezelf dus af, " ben ik wel geloofwaardig? " Na een inspirerende definitie van leiderschap volgt een duizelingwekkend minioverzicht van wetenschappelijke theorieën, wat uitmondt in 5 eigenschappen van de leider (emotioneel stabiel, zelfvertrouwen, authenticiteit, flexibiliteit, altruïsme) en 7 vaardigheden (relationeel, conflicthantering, teamwerk, overtuigen, empowerment, veranderen, relevante kennis). Ook de relatie met de volgers en de dynamiek van de groep komen in deze eerste 30 blz. langs. Voor religieus leiderschap blijken ook diverse theorieën relevant, zodat bovenstaande lijstje wordt aangevuld met roeping, charisma, spiritualiteit, creativiteit, gevoeligheid t.o.v. volgers, en werken met vrijwilligers. Bovendien zijn groepen in te delen naar cultuur, ontwikkelingsdilemma en levensfase. v. Saane erkent de overweldigende veelheid aan theorieën en vormt ze om tot een leiderschapstest op haar website. Even kijken of ik geloofwaardig ben. Mijn profiel ziet er mooi uit, totdat ik op een bepaalde groepssituatie klik. Plots verschijnen dan allerlei balkjes als 'aandachtspunten.' Werk aan mijn winkel, dus. Als toegift (?)volgt nog een hoofdstuk over spiritualiteit, waarin de leider wordt uitgedaagd om volgers te inspireren vanuit moraal, mystiek, motivatie en metaforen en om hen als gehele persoon (gedachten, gevoelens, gedrag) te motiveren. Dit boek is duidelijk geen hapklare verzameling tips voor leiders, maar biedt een verdiepend overzicht waarmee de complexiteit van leiderschap duidelijk wordt. Maar toch is er een praktische test. Het theologische perspectief komt amper aan bod, maar van Saane schrijft als godsdienstpsycholoog. Aanbevelenswaardig voor hen die eens wat dieper willen afsteken in hun zoektocht naar geloofwaardig leiderschap.

In dit prachtig uitgevoerde boekje wordt de lezer ingewijd in de leefwereld van hulpverlening aan... more In dit prachtig uitgevoerde boekje wordt de lezer ingewijd in de leefwereld van hulpverlening aan kanslozen in onze samenleving. Praktijkverhalen van zes Urban Mission werkers uit zes Nederlandse steden bieden een inspirerend binnenperspectief op situaties, die niet slechts achteraf theorie illustreren, maar die uitgangspunt bieden voor theoretiseren en samen leren. Dit praktijkonderzoek laat zien hoe mensen aan de rafelrand, die de zeggenschap over hun leven zijn kwijt geraakt, deze weer terug vinden. De kloof tussen wereld A van macht en instituties, en wereld B van achterstelling en uitsluiting veroorzaakt diep wantrouwen. De werkers slaan een brug door een veilige plek te scheppen waar geduldige gemeenschappelijkheid heerst: ieder kan delen wat hij wil als hij daar aan toe is. In zo'n sfeer ontstaan momenten waarin ook de hulpverlener kwetsbaar en onzeker blijkt. Zo'n wederzijdse kwetsbaarheid biedt ruimte voor een gelovige duiding waarin 'kanslozen' weer zeggenschap verkrijgen, terwijl de werker wederzijds respect waarborgt. Hierbij ontstaat een tijdelijke vorm van geloofsgemeenschap met eigen spiritualiteit en rituelen, in contrast met klassieke en duurzamere vormen van (kerkelijke) gemeenschap die de huidige doelgroep vaak niet bereiken. Juist deze tijdelijke gemeenschapsvormen zijn van (plaatselijk) politiek belang, omdat ze de doelgroep hernieuwde kracht geven. Empowerment is hier niet hulpverlenen aan maar mét achtergestelden en kanslozen. In het begin was ik kritisch over een vage christelijke boodschap. Daar blijf ik nog steeds mee zitten, maar daarin herken ik de verlegenheid van de werkers, want het gaar hierbij om kerkelijke structuren uit wereld A waarvan de mensen uit wereld B zijn vervreemd. Maar ben ik zo verblind door mijn wereld A als ik hoop op iets meer evangelie in deze context en niet slechts een spirituele beleving waar ieder naar eigen goeddunken aan bijdraagt? Die vragen uit een mij vreemde wereld houden me voorlopig nog wel even bezig!

Church leadership is changing. Traditional models face competition from staff-led churches and bu... more Church leadership is changing. Traditional models face competition from staff-led churches and business models of leadership, while the emerging church presents newer challenges. Benjamin L. Merkle, NT professor at Malaysia Baptist Theological Seminary, steps into this debate with a practical handbook to equip and guide church boards to move to a plurality of elders within a congregational form of church government. This book benefits from Merkle's dissertation on the identification of 'elder' with 'overseer' and covers much territory besides. The book's setup is unique. Rather than the usual extended argument for a particular form of church leadership, Merkle works his way through the issues by addressing 40 key questions that assist church leaders in their actual leadership practice. Many sensitive issues are involved, and Merkle succeeds admirably in presenting the arguments for and against certain positions with clarity, respect and balance. Each question is a small chapter which introduces the issue, explains relevant scripture passages and identifies practical implications. A summary and " reflection questions " close each chapter. The questions are grouped into sections. The first section deals with church government generally. Episcopalianism, Presbyterianism and Congregationalism are reviewed, with close attention to the exegesis of Acts 15 which turns out not to support an extended church hierarchy as some claim. The offices of apostle and prophet are considered foundational, while the offices of elders/overseers and deacons are for the church today – with the pastor as one of the elders. Merkle concludes that congregationalism is the biblical pattern for church government, but deals with the passages that require obedience to church leaders in a later section. The next section discusses the office of elders and represents the major portion of the book with 27 questions in 4 subsections. Merkle draws on his dissertation to discuss the identity of 'elder' and 'overseer' as well as their historical origin. Although cultural parallels with the Jewish synagogue or Greek associations are observed, Merkle correctly believes that the Christian office of elder is not simply copied from such patterns. However, his conclusion that this office is " almost entirely new " (p. 74) overstates the case. The available evidence suggests rather that the first Christians adapted patterns of leadership by applying Christian norms and values, and that they did not invent a completely new system. This subsection closes with chapter on the role and authority of an elder. The next subsection discusses the qualifications of elders as listed in 1 Tim. 3 and Tit. 1. Each item is briefly reviewed, but the delicate issue of female elders is treated separately in 3 consecutive questions. Merkle first presents the arguments in favor of female elders, which often use Gal. 3:28 about the equality of believers as the hermeneutical key to unlock other difficult passages. He believes, however, that women should not be elders and reviews the arguments about spiritual gifts, female authority over men, and Paul's argument from creation (1 Tim. 2:11-12, 1 Cor. 11:7-9, 14:34-35). Throughout, Merkle clearly and with sensitivity upholds " male headship in marriage and the family " (p. 156). Up to this point, the book is mostly exegetical and theological, but it would not be complete without addressing the more practical concerns of church leaders. Is a plurality of elders indeed the standard, and how many elders should each church have? What is the relationship between the elders and staff members, and are all elders equal in authority? Why do so few churches have a plurality of elders, and how could a church transition towards that ideal? Moreover, the selection process for elders, the length of a term, their ordination, financial compensation and even discipline all receive their due share of attention.

Barentsen, Jack. ‘Veranderen En de Generaties (Veranderingen in de Gemeente, Deel 7)’. VErbindinG. Nieuwsblad van de Vrije Evangelische Gemeenten (VEG), 2019. , 2019

Barentsen, Jack. ‘Veranderen Als Evangelie-Opdracht (Veranderingen in de Gemeente, Deel 6)’. VErbindinG. Nieuwsblad van de Vrije Evangelische Gemeenten (VEG), 2019. , 2019

Barentsen, Jack. ‘Leiderschap Als Veelvoud van Geestesgaven’. Inspirare 2019, no. 4 (2019): 39–48., 2019

Barentsen, Jack. ‘De Nieuwe Dominee: Niet Meer Opleiden Voor de Kathedraal’. CW Opinie, 11 January 2019. , 2019

Barentsen, Jack. 'Mensen hebben rituelen nodig'. GroeiMagazine, 2020, 2020

Barentsen, Jack. ‘Gefeliciteerd! 100 Jaar Kerk-Zijn in de Stad!’ VErbindinG. Nieuwsblad van de Vrije Evangelische Gemeenten (VEG), 40, no. 1 (2020):16-17. , 2020

Barentsen, Jack. ‘Niet Het Ambt Versterken, Maar Meer Leiders Aanstellen’. Nederlands Dagblad, 7 February 2020, sec. Opinie. https://www.nd.nl/opinie/opinie/952734/niet-het-ambt-versterken-maar-meer-leiders-aanstellen#. , 2020

Barentsen, Jack. ‘De Kerk Is Veelzijdig En Gezond’. Nederlands Dagblad, 1 August 2020, sec. Opinie. , 2020

Barentsen, Jack. “Veranderen En de Generaties (Veranderingen in de Gemeente, Deel 7).” VErbindinG... more Barentsen, Jack. “Veranderen En de Generaties (Veranderingen in de Gemeente, Deel 7).” VErbindinG. Nieuwsblad van de Vrije Evangelische Gemeenten (VEG), 2019.

Barentsen, Jack. “Veranderen Als Evangelie-Opdracht (Veranderingen in de Gemeente, Deel 6).” VErb... more Barentsen, Jack. “Veranderen Als Evangelie-Opdracht (Veranderingen in de Gemeente, Deel 6).” VErbindinG. Nieuwsblad van de Vrije Evangelische Gemeenten (VEG), 2019.

Barentsen, Jack. "De nieuwe dominee: Niet meer opleiden voor de kathedraal." CW Opinie 67:1, 11 j... more Barentsen, Jack. "De nieuwe dominee: Niet meer opleiden voor de kathedraal." CW Opinie 67:1, 11 januari 2019, 13-15.

Barentsen, Jack. “‘Schreeuwen Uit de Diepte’: Kanttekeningen Voor Kerkopbouw over Lijden in de Li... more Barentsen, Jack. “‘Schreeuwen Uit de Diepte’: Kanttekeningen Voor Kerkopbouw over Lijden in de Liturgie.” Bulletin Voor Het Werkverband van Kerkelijk Opbouwwerk, no. 98 (2018): 25–28.

Barentsen, Jack. "Tranen in de eredienst." GroeiMagazine2018, 30-35.

Barentsen, Jack. "De kerk als broedplaats voor ver-ander-ing." VErbindinG. Nieuwsblad van de Vrije Evangelische Gemeenten (VEG) 38, no. 1 (2018): 18-19.

Barentsen, Jack. "Hoe ons godsbeeld ons kan veranderen." VErbindinG. Nieuwsblad van de Vrije Evangelische Gemeenten (VEG) 37, no. 4 (2017): 26-27.

Barentsen, Jack and Katie Vlaardingerbroek. "Nieuwe christenen in opmars: Het Graceland Onderzoek." In Beeldenstorm: Over de kunst van geloven, edited by K. Vlaardingerbroek, 6-9. Hilversum: Uitgeverij Plateau, 2017.

Barentsen, Jack. "Altijd hetzelfde, altijd anders." VErbindinG. Nieuwsblad van de Vrije Evangelische Gemeenten (VEG) 37, no. 3 (2017): 18-19.

Barentsen, Jack. "Omgaan met verschil: Uitdaging voor gemeenteleiders (Bijbels Leiderschap, deel 5)." VErbindinG. Nieuwsblad van de Vrije Evangelische Gemeenten (VEG) 37, no. 2 (2017): 16-17.

Barentsen, Jack. "Leiderschap door de Geest." VErbindinG. Nieuwsblad van de Vrije Evangelische Gemeenten (VEG) 36, no. 4 (2016): 4-5.

Barentsen, Jack, Volker Kessler, and Elke Meier, eds. Christian Leadership in a Changing World: P... more Barentsen, Jack, Volker Kessler, and Elke Meier, eds. Christian Leadership in a Changing World: Perspectives from Africa and Europe. Vol. 3. Christian Perspectives on Leadership and Social Ethics. Leuven: Peeters, 2016.

Barentsen, Jack, Volker Kessler, and Steven van den Heuvel, eds. Increasing Diversity: Loss of Co... more Barentsen, Jack, Volker Kessler, and Steven van den Heuvel, eds. Increasing Diversity: Loss of Control or Adaptive Identity Construction. Vol. 5. Christian Perspectives on Leadership and Social Ethics. Leuven: Peeters, 2018.

Barentsen, Jack, Steven C. van den Heuvel, Peirong Lin, Patrick Nullens, and Jack Barentsen, eds.... more Barentsen, Jack, Steven C. van den Heuvel, Peirong Lin, Patrick Nullens, and Jack Barentsen, eds. The End of Leadership? Leadership and Authority at Crossroads. Vol. 4. Christian Perspectives on Leadership and Social Ethics. Leuven: Peeters, 2017

Nullens, Patrick, and Jack Barentsen. Leadership, Spirituality and Innovation. Vol. 1. Christian Perspectives on Leadership and Social Ethics. Leuven: Peeters, 2014., 2014

In a world of managerial discourse, measurement and control, leaders and workers alike cry out fo... more In a world of managerial discourse, measurement and control, leaders and workers alike cry out for inspiration and innovation in a way that respects their humanity. Spirituality as the search for meaning and a healthy work/life balance is therefore no longer an esoteric phenomenon but part of mainstream leadership. In this volume, two business leaders share how they have seen the need for spiritual leadership develop at their places of work. A psychologist and a philosopher explain what spirituality is, and how it works in the practice of business leadership. Three theologians frame spirituality by demonstrating the benefits of Ignatian spirituality, by comparing spiritual leadership with Christ’s offices as king, prophet and priest, and by reflecting on the human tendency to glorify the leader and how destructive tendencies can be avoided in spiritual leadership. This maiden volume of the series “Christian Perspectives on Leadership and Social Ethics,” is published by the Institute of Leadership and Ethics, of the Evangelische Theologische Faculteit in Leuven (Belgium) and serves leaders to face increasing pressure for innovation in today’s fast changing world.

Pouvoir et religion ont donné dans l’histoire des mélanges douteux et parfois douloureux. Il sera... more Pouvoir et religion ont donné dans l’histoire des mélanges douteux et parfois douloureux. Il serait naïf de ne pas se confronter à cette relation ambivalente hier comme aujourd’hui. Plus subtilement, la crise de l’autorité et des autorités renforce l’urgence d’une réflexion approfondie et fondée dans des expériences concrètes. En christianisme, les formes d’organisation ecclésiale et l’articulation des autorités entre elles ont évolué au long de l’histoire, influencées aussi par les contextes sociopolitiques. La pluralité des modèles qui en résulte est aujourd’hui interrogée au vu de l’effacement de la référence à la transcendance et de la privatisation du religieux dans les sociétés sécularisées. La crise des appartenances questionne également les Églises dans leur gestion de l’autorité et du pouvoir.
Cet ouvrage collectif, écrit par des théologiens pour la plupart membres de la Société Internationale de Théologie Pratique, aborde l’autorité et le pouvoir dans l’agir pastoral selon un triple questionnement : d’abord méthodologique, sur la théologie pratique elle-même et ses propres critères de validation scientifique ; puis fondamental, sur ce qui fait autorité en christianisme, notamment la Bible, le droit canon, la liturgie, les ministères, etc. ; enfin pratique, par des études de cas dans les Églises protestantes, catholique et orthodoxe. Ce livre pourra éclairer la réflexion et les pratiques ecclésiales confrontées aujourd’hui à de multiples questionnements.

Les trois codirecteurs de cet ouvrage sont engagés dans le domaine de la théologie pratique en Belgique. Arnaud Join-Lambert est professeur à l’Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve. Axel Liégeois est professeur à la KU Leuven (Université catholique néerlandophone de Louvain) et conseiller éthique chez les Frères de la Charité à Gand. Catherine Chevalier est docteure en théologie et formatrice au Centre universitaire de théologie pratique de l’Université catholique de Louvain.

Barentsen, Jack. "The US Elections: Outrage or Reconciliation, a Matter of Identity Leadership." Blog: The Evangelical Focus, Nov 11 2016.

Barentsen, Jack. "Reconciling the Leadership Crisis." Blog: The Evangelical Focus, July 27 2016.

Barentsen, Jack. "Every Leader Listens!" Blog: The Evangelical Focus, February 1 2016.

Yes. All leaders listen. The question is: What do they listen to?

Barentsen, Jack. ‘Review of Pete Ward, Liquid Ecclesiology: The Gospel and The Church (Leiden, Brill, 2017)’. European Journal of Theology 29, no. 1 (2020): 100–101. , 2020

Barentsen, Jack. ‘Review of Pete Ward, Introducing Practical Theology: Mission, Ministry, and the Life of the Church (Grand Rapids, Baker, 2017)’. European Journal of Theology 29, no. 1 (2020): 99–100. , 2020

Barentsen, Jack. 'Review of Roberts and Sims, Leading by Story: Rethinking Church Leadership (SCM, 2017)’. Practical Theology, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1080/1756073X.2020.1845949\. , 2020

Gorgias Press eBooks, Dec 30, 2023

Amsterdam University Press eBooks, 2023

Routledge eBooks, Feb 27, 2023

The Journal of Theological Studies, Sep 3, 2011

Amsterdam University Press eBooks, Jul 31, 2023

Amsterdam University Press eBooks, Jul 31, 2023

Abstract Inclusive and exclusive practices are part of innovation and changes in religious organi... more Abstract Inclusive and exclusive practices are part of innovation and changes in religious organizations like churches. In this contribution two cases of change in leadership roles related to gender balance are analysed and discussed. The dynamics of inclusion and exclusion are explored and interpreted through the lens of a social identity approach and related to the change in authority. Data show that the shift in Bible interpretation on female leadership, as well as the practice of including women in a previously male domain, affected the perception of the church’s social and religious identity. In some cases this resulted in leaving the church due to the authority shift, which can be perceived as a form of apostasy

Amsterdam University Press eBooks, Jul 31, 2023

Abstract Inclusive and exclusive practices are part of innovation and changes in religious org... more Abstract
Inclusive and exclusive practices are part of innovation and changes in
religious organizations like churches. In this contribution two cases of
change in leadership roles related to gender balance are analysed and
discussed. The dynamics of inclusion and exclusion are explored and
interpreted through the lens of a social identity approach and related to
the change in authority. Data show that the shift in Bible interpretation
on female leadership, as well as the practice of including women in a
previously male domain, affected the perception of the church’s social
and religious identity. In some cases this resulted in leaving the church
due to the authority shift, which can be perceived as a form of apostasy

Fittingness and Environmental Ethics

Peeters Publishers eBooks, Oct 1, 2022

Servant Leadership, Social Entrepreneurship and the Will to Serve, 2019

Social entrepreneurs are part of the so-called “third sector” as agents of social change. This se... more Social entrepreneurs are part of the so-called “third sector” as agents of social change. This sector strains under many global changes, so social entrepreneurs must offer a compelling social vision to mobilize people and resources for social change. Religious entrepreneurs are not usually considered as social entrepreneurs. Rather, religion is primarily considered as one of the motivations of social entrepreneurs for their social vision. The current interest in spirituality, business and entrepreneurship has not yet changed this conception. Yet, many religious pioneers are driven by a compelling vision that is as much religious as it is social, qualifying them as both religious and social entrepreneurs. So how do these religious entrepreneurs engage the needs of their civic community for the common good? This chapter reviews empirical research by Volland and Ziemer on religious entrepreneurs, and presents some results of a survey conducted among religious leaders about their self-perceptions of innovation and entrepreneurship. These studies document that the language and values of entrepreneurship permeate the work and identity of religious entrepreneurs, often implicitly. Moreover, their entrepreneurship has a significant social and civic component, which is documented by several case studies drawn from a burgeoning literature on the topic as well as from several qualitative sociological research projects. Although religions are often popularly perceived as polarizing, they contain many resources for bridge-building social capital and for peacebuilding, and many religious leaders use them to that effect. Therefore, at least some religious entrepreneurs function equally as social entrepreneurs. Thus, they can be appropriately studied within the field of social entrepreneurship, while courses of theological education may be expected to prepare their students for religious as well as social engagement.

Handelingen: Tijdschrift voor Praktische Theologie en Religiewetenschap

Sinds de publicatie van Practical Theology: An Introduction van Richard Osmer in 2008 beleeft het... more Sinds de publicatie van Practical Theology: An Introduction van Richard Osmer in 2008 beleeft het genre van inleidingen praktische theologie een ware hausse. Toen Collaborative Practical Theology van Henk de Roest verscheen, liep ik dan ook niet direct over van enthousiasme, behalve dan dat een collega praktisch-theoloog van Nederlandse bodem dit had gepubliceerd, en nog wel bij Brill in de goede serie Theology in Practice. Echter, De Roest slaagt er overtuigend in een nieuwe weg te wijzen voor wat hij ‘een ernstige tekortkoming’ in de uitoefening van praktische theologie noemt, namelijk ‘om academische praktisch-theologen, professionele praktijkbeoefenaars, alledaagse gelovigen, adviseurs en studenten bij onderzoek te betrekken’ (blz. 129, mijn vertaling). Ik wil graag een reactie geven op wat dit boek kan betekenen voor opleidingen theologie.

T&T Clark Handbook to Social Identity in the New Testament

Barentsen, Jack. "Stereotyping and Institutionalization as Indications of Leadership Mai... more Barentsen, Jack. "Stereotyping and Institutionalization as Indications of Leadership Maintenance in the Pastoral Epistles: 1 Timothy as a Test Case." In Handbook on Social Identity and the New Testament, edited by J. Brian Tucker and A. Baker Coleman, 389-406. London: T & T Clark, 2014.

Analecta Bruxellensia, 2005

Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, 2009