Wessel Wessels - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Wessel Wessels
Acta Theologica, 2017
Preaching can rightly be called "foolishness", an out dated form of communication and a feeble fo... more Preaching can rightly be called "foolishness", an out dated form of communication and a feeble form of art. In democratic South Africa, preaching is certainly not assigned a place among the ranks of professions conveying "development". Allan Boesak, however, has not been swayed by the excommunication of preaching since the dawn of democracy. In this article, I will contemplate Boesak's fascination with preaching "Truth to power". Boesak, as a son of liberation and Black theology, is known for aspiring to a new world through the biblical witness. In essence, preaching the biblical truths to power. Therefore, when academics contemplate the state of preaching and express concern with regards to how power operates in our society and faith communities, Boesak certainly has a contribution to make. I briefly examine how power operates in the South African society. Boesak's publications and sermons are contemplated in the hope of uncovering his fascination with preaching truth to power. I conclude with some thoughts on how Boesak preaches truth to power for both the dismal state of preaching and how power operates in South Africa. Recently, prominent voices in homiletical circles have made it clear that the state of preaching in South Africa is detrimental. Cilliers (2010:71) is
The theological backdrop to the cover image 'De gelovige, die door de Geest gedreven wordt, gelij... more The theological backdrop to the cover image 'De gelovige, die door de Geest gedreven wordt, gelijkt op een zeilboot, die dat wat hem voortbeweegt niet zelf schept maar krijgt. Maar wanneer die zeilboot zich een motorboot zou dromen en menen dat hij het zelf doet, dan verdwaalt hij in de leugen....Blijven in dit beeld kunnen we nu zeggen, dat veel levens, die zwaar in het water liggen, een zeil omhoog houden, dat niet groter is dan een zakdoek.' 'The believer, who is driven by the Spirit, resembles a sailboat, who does not and cannot create what moves him but gets/receives it. But if that sailboat dreamed of being a motorboat and thought he was doing it himself, that boat got lost in a lie.... Staying in this image, we can now say that many lives, which are heavy in the water, hold up a sail that is no bigger than a handkerchief.'-(Bavinck,
Acta Theologica, 2022
This article critically reflects on the trend of current empirical homiletic research. The propen... more This article critically reflects on the trend of current empirical homiletic research. The propensity to privilege grounded theory without thorough theological critique becomes prominent in the interpretation of digital sermons during the national COVID-19 lockdown. The main argument of this article is concerned with the relationship between practice and academia, the prominence of thematic preaching, and the lack of alternative centres of thought. Finally, as an alternative future direction for homiletic research, the article proposes the post-colonial idea of a lived experience of struggle, along with the appreciation for critical engagement with the practice of preaching from the position of the homiletic academia.
Acta Theologica, Nov 30, 2020
In recent South African homiletics, two major themes have experienced overwhelming attention: pro... more In recent South African homiletics, two major themes have experienced overwhelming attention: prophetic preaching and aesthetics. Prophetic preaching endeavours to seek social, political, and economic justice. Aesthetic homiletics considers beauty for preaching. In this article, I grapple with the convergences and divergences of justice and beauty in South African homiletics. With the hope of opening new avenues for future endeavours, I also reflect on both prophetic preaching and aesthetic homiletics from a post-colonial perspective. 2016. The stolen Bible: From tool of imperialism to African icon. Boston, MA: Brill.
Stellenbosch Theological Journal
Within South African homiletic thought, prophetic preaching has predominately been understood as ... more Within South African homiletic thought, prophetic preaching has predominately been understood as preaching steeped in Black Theology of Liberation (BTL). Historically homiletics in South Africa showcased both a rejection of BTL as a merely political ideology and promoted BTL as paramount for prophetic preaching in the democratic context. The former relented, whilst the latter is still dominant. However, there has been no research on the implications of prophetic preaching regarding the proposed outcomes of such preaching, which has a relatively broad scope, including poverty relief, development, admonishment of corruption, and the Lordship of Christ in the public sphere. In this article, I will reflect on prophetic preaching as preaching BTL from a postcolonial, psychological, and ethical perspective, locating four potential consequences of prophetic preaching: a colonial identity paradigm, resentment, misrepresentation of the vital flaws of society, and the relenting of personal re...
This article endeavours a preliminary dialogue with theologies which seriously and explicitly con... more This article endeavours a preliminary dialogue with theologies which seriously and explicitly contemplate the decolonial turn. As decolonial and postcolonial become important concepts for framing the context, questions must be asked with regards to the meaning(s), grounds for theologising and undercurrents of the conversations on these subjects. There is no doubt that the current theological direction which seriously consider decolonial and postcolonial thought will influence the future of theology. However, the framing, interpretation, and contextual framing of decolonial and postcolonial thought cannot go without serious interrogation from a wide variety of voices for the future of theology in South Africa. In this sense, this article hopes for endeavours of contemplating the framing of theological discourse within the concepts of decolonial and postcolonial.
Acta Theologica
This article critically reflects on the trend of current empirical homiletic research. The propen... more This article critically reflects on the trend of current empirical homiletic research. The propensity to privilege grounded theory without thorough theological critique becomes prominent in the interpretation of digital sermons during the national COVID-19 lockdown. The main argument of this article is concerned with the relationship between practice and academia, the prominence of thematic preaching, and the lack of alternative centres of thought. Finally, as an alternative future direction for homiletic research, the article proposes the post-colonial idea of a lived experience of struggle, along with the appreciation for critical engagement with the practice of preaching from the position of the homiletic academia.
HTS Religion & Society Series, 2021
HTS Religion & Society Series, 2021
Acta Theologica, 2017
Preaching can rightly be called "foolishness", an out dated form of communication and a feeble fo... more Preaching can rightly be called "foolishness", an out dated form of communication and a feeble form of art. In democratic South Africa, preaching is certainly not assigned a place among the ranks of professions conveying "development". Allan Boesak, however, has not been swayed by the excommunication of preaching since the dawn of democracy. In this article, I will contemplate Boesak's fascination with preaching "Truth to power". Boesak, as a son of liberation and Black theology, is known for aspiring to a new world through the biblical witness. In essence, preaching the biblical truths to power. Therefore, when academics contemplate the state of preaching and express concern with regards to how power operates in our society and faith communities, Boesak certainly has a contribution to make. I briefly examine how power operates in the South African society. Boesak's publications and sermons are contemplated in the hope of uncovering his fascination with preaching truth to power. I conclude with some thoughts on how Boesak preaches truth to power for both the dismal state of preaching and how power operates in South Africa. Recently, prominent voices in homiletical circles have made it clear that the state of preaching in South Africa is detrimental. Cilliers (2010:71) is
The theological backdrop to the cover image 'De gelovige, die door de Geest gedreven wordt, gelij... more The theological backdrop to the cover image 'De gelovige, die door de Geest gedreven wordt, gelijkt op een zeilboot, die dat wat hem voortbeweegt niet zelf schept maar krijgt. Maar wanneer die zeilboot zich een motorboot zou dromen en menen dat hij het zelf doet, dan verdwaalt hij in de leugen....Blijven in dit beeld kunnen we nu zeggen, dat veel levens, die zwaar in het water liggen, een zeil omhoog houden, dat niet groter is dan een zakdoek.' 'The believer, who is driven by the Spirit, resembles a sailboat, who does not and cannot create what moves him but gets/receives it. But if that sailboat dreamed of being a motorboat and thought he was doing it himself, that boat got lost in a lie.... Staying in this image, we can now say that many lives, which are heavy in the water, hold up a sail that is no bigger than a handkerchief.'-(Bavinck,
Acta Theologica, 2022
This article critically reflects on the trend of current empirical homiletic research. The propen... more This article critically reflects on the trend of current empirical homiletic research. The propensity to privilege grounded theory without thorough theological critique becomes prominent in the interpretation of digital sermons during the national COVID-19 lockdown. The main argument of this article is concerned with the relationship between practice and academia, the prominence of thematic preaching, and the lack of alternative centres of thought. Finally, as an alternative future direction for homiletic research, the article proposes the post-colonial idea of a lived experience of struggle, along with the appreciation for critical engagement with the practice of preaching from the position of the homiletic academia.
Acta Theologica, Nov 30, 2020
In recent South African homiletics, two major themes have experienced overwhelming attention: pro... more In recent South African homiletics, two major themes have experienced overwhelming attention: prophetic preaching and aesthetics. Prophetic preaching endeavours to seek social, political, and economic justice. Aesthetic homiletics considers beauty for preaching. In this article, I grapple with the convergences and divergences of justice and beauty in South African homiletics. With the hope of opening new avenues for future endeavours, I also reflect on both prophetic preaching and aesthetic homiletics from a post-colonial perspective. 2016. The stolen Bible: From tool of imperialism to African icon. Boston, MA: Brill.
Stellenbosch Theological Journal
Within South African homiletic thought, prophetic preaching has predominately been understood as ... more Within South African homiletic thought, prophetic preaching has predominately been understood as preaching steeped in Black Theology of Liberation (BTL). Historically homiletics in South Africa showcased both a rejection of BTL as a merely political ideology and promoted BTL as paramount for prophetic preaching in the democratic context. The former relented, whilst the latter is still dominant. However, there has been no research on the implications of prophetic preaching regarding the proposed outcomes of such preaching, which has a relatively broad scope, including poverty relief, development, admonishment of corruption, and the Lordship of Christ in the public sphere. In this article, I will reflect on prophetic preaching as preaching BTL from a postcolonial, psychological, and ethical perspective, locating four potential consequences of prophetic preaching: a colonial identity paradigm, resentment, misrepresentation of the vital flaws of society, and the relenting of personal re...
This article endeavours a preliminary dialogue with theologies which seriously and explicitly con... more This article endeavours a preliminary dialogue with theologies which seriously and explicitly contemplate the decolonial turn. As decolonial and postcolonial become important concepts for framing the context, questions must be asked with regards to the meaning(s), grounds for theologising and undercurrents of the conversations on these subjects. There is no doubt that the current theological direction which seriously consider decolonial and postcolonial thought will influence the future of theology. However, the framing, interpretation, and contextual framing of decolonial and postcolonial thought cannot go without serious interrogation from a wide variety of voices for the future of theology in South Africa. In this sense, this article hopes for endeavours of contemplating the framing of theological discourse within the concepts of decolonial and postcolonial.
Acta Theologica
This article critically reflects on the trend of current empirical homiletic research. The propen... more This article critically reflects on the trend of current empirical homiletic research. The propensity to privilege grounded theory without thorough theological critique becomes prominent in the interpretation of digital sermons during the national COVID-19 lockdown. The main argument of this article is concerned with the relationship between practice and academia, the prominence of thematic preaching, and the lack of alternative centres of thought. Finally, as an alternative future direction for homiletic research, the article proposes the post-colonial idea of a lived experience of struggle, along with the appreciation for critical engagement with the practice of preaching from the position of the homiletic academia.
HTS Religion & Society Series, 2021
HTS Religion & Society Series, 2021