Communal discernment in the early church
This article investigates the often-neglected communal dimension of discernment by focusing on the way in which the early church responded to the controversy about the circumcision for gentiles in Acts 15. It analyses how discernment takes place mostly in times of ambiguity and crisis in which a fa...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of the Free State
2013-06-01
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| Series: | Acta Theologica |
| Online Access: | https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2576 |
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| _version_ | 1823858773414903808 |
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| author | Pieter G. R. de Villiers |
| author_facet | Pieter G. R. de Villiers |
| author_sort | Pieter G. R. de Villiers |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
This article investigates the often-neglected communal dimension of discernment by focusing on the way in which the early church responded to the controversy about the circumcision for gentiles in Acts 15. It analyses how discernment takes place mostly in times of ambiguity and crisis in which a faith community is challenged to seek the divine will. The article then investigates the way in which discernment takes place: it is first and foremost a communal matter which brings together all parties in order to participate in intense debate and weighing of possibilities. Before examining the awareness that discernment is about a contemplative gaze, the article analyses the way in which wisdom of community leaders and wisdom of the past play a role in discerning the right way.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6a36243d28f14161bb1ade924d2af647 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1015-8758 2309-9089 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2013-06-01 |
| publisher | University of the Free State |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Acta Theologica |
| spelling | doaj-art-6a36243d28f14161bb1ade924d2af6472025-02-11T09:58:54ZengUniversity of the Free StateActa Theologica1015-87582309-90892013-06-011710.38140/at.v0i17.2576Communal discernment in the early churchPieter G. R. de Villiers0University of the Free State, South Africa This article investigates the often-neglected communal dimension of discernment by focusing on the way in which the early church responded to the controversy about the circumcision for gentiles in Acts 15. It analyses how discernment takes place mostly in times of ambiguity and crisis in which a faith community is challenged to seek the divine will. The article then investigates the way in which discernment takes place: it is first and foremost a communal matter which brings together all parties in order to participate in intense debate and weighing of possibilities. Before examining the awareness that discernment is about a contemplative gaze, the article analyses the way in which wisdom of community leaders and wisdom of the past play a role in discerning the right way. https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2576 |
| spellingShingle | Pieter G. R. de Villiers Communal discernment in the early church Acta Theologica |
| title | Communal discernment in the early church |
| title_full | Communal discernment in the early church |
| title_fullStr | Communal discernment in the early church |
| title_full_unstemmed | Communal discernment in the early church |
| title_short | Communal discernment in the early church |
| title_sort | communal discernment in the early church |
| url | https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2576 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT pietergrdevilliers communaldiscernmentintheearlychurch |