The incomprehensibility of God: Reciprocal interdependence between mystery and knowledge
This research investigates the theological concept, ‘The incomprehensibility of God’, from a Johannine perspective. The primary objective is to discern the ‘incomprehensibility of God’ from a reciprocal interdependence between knowledge (understanding) and mystery. It explains how the endeavour to u...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | Afrikaans |
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AOSIS
2024-10-01
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| Series: | Verbum et Ecclesia |
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| Online Access: | https://verbumetecclesia.org.za/index.php/ve/article/view/3227 |
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| author | Dirk G. Van der Merwe |
| author_facet | Dirk G. Van der Merwe |
| author_sort | Dirk G. Van der Merwe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This research investigates the theological concept, ‘The incomprehensibility of God’, from a Johannine perspective. The primary objective is to discern the ‘incomprehensibility of God’ from a reciprocal interdependence between knowledge (understanding) and mystery. It explains how the endeavour to understand the divine, continuously prompts mystery. Humans can only know, communicate with, relate to and talk about God, in terms of human perspectives and conventions within the human idiom. Therefore, the modus operandi starts with an articulation of how this dualism (knowledge versus mystery) relates and should be interpreted. This is followed by a discourse analysis of the Johannine prologue to point out various semantic networks to facilitate dualistic reasoning in this research. Thereafter, the incomprehensibility of God is discerned from the following four perspectives: the ‘identity’, ‘articulation’, ‘activities’ and ‘involvement’ of God in God’s creation as formulated according to the Prologue of the Gospel of John. Finally, the investigation of and contemplation on the incomprehensibility of God becoming a spiritual, cognitive and discerning never-ending event.
Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The contribution of this research endeavours to point out that, when believers meditate about God, examine scripture, experience and worship God in everyday life, the proximity and tension between knowledge, experience and mystery about God will always be present, evident, experienced and will continue to evolve. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7ad27fcdf27944549ddaa3b4eac8ea0c |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1609-9982 2074-7705 |
| language | Afrikaans |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Verbum et Ecclesia |
| spelling | doaj-art-7ad27fcdf27944549ddaa3b4eac8ea0c2025-08-20T02:17:58ZafrAOSISVerbum et Ecclesia1609-99822074-77052024-10-01451e1e1210.4102/ve.v45i1.32271984The incomprehensibility of God: Reciprocal interdependence between mystery and knowledgeDirk G. Van der Merwe0The Unit for Reformational Theology and the Development of the South African Society, Faculty of Theology, North-West University, PotchefstroomThis research investigates the theological concept, ‘The incomprehensibility of God’, from a Johannine perspective. The primary objective is to discern the ‘incomprehensibility of God’ from a reciprocal interdependence between knowledge (understanding) and mystery. It explains how the endeavour to understand the divine, continuously prompts mystery. Humans can only know, communicate with, relate to and talk about God, in terms of human perspectives and conventions within the human idiom. Therefore, the modus operandi starts with an articulation of how this dualism (knowledge versus mystery) relates and should be interpreted. This is followed by a discourse analysis of the Johannine prologue to point out various semantic networks to facilitate dualistic reasoning in this research. Thereafter, the incomprehensibility of God is discerned from the following four perspectives: the ‘identity’, ‘articulation’, ‘activities’ and ‘involvement’ of God in God’s creation as formulated according to the Prologue of the Gospel of John. Finally, the investigation of and contemplation on the incomprehensibility of God becoming a spiritual, cognitive and discerning never-ending event. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The contribution of this research endeavours to point out that, when believers meditate about God, examine scripture, experience and worship God in everyday life, the proximity and tension between knowledge, experience and mystery about God will always be present, evident, experienced and will continue to evolve.https://verbumetecclesia.org.za/index.php/ve/article/view/3227incomprehensibility of godknowledgeableexperiencemysteryinterdependentnew enquiriesnever-ending-venture |
| spellingShingle | Dirk G. Van der Merwe The incomprehensibility of God: Reciprocal interdependence between mystery and knowledge Verbum et Ecclesia incomprehensibility of god knowledgeable experience mystery interdependent new enquiries never-ending-venture |
| title | The incomprehensibility of God: Reciprocal interdependence between mystery and knowledge |
| title_full | The incomprehensibility of God: Reciprocal interdependence between mystery and knowledge |
| title_fullStr | The incomprehensibility of God: Reciprocal interdependence between mystery and knowledge |
| title_full_unstemmed | The incomprehensibility of God: Reciprocal interdependence between mystery and knowledge |
| title_short | The incomprehensibility of God: Reciprocal interdependence between mystery and knowledge |
| title_sort | incomprehensibility of god reciprocal interdependence between mystery and knowledge |
| topic | incomprehensibility of god knowledgeable experience mystery interdependent new enquiries never-ending-venture |
| url | https://verbumetecclesia.org.za/index.php/ve/article/view/3227 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT dirkgvandermerwe theincomprehensibilityofgodreciprocalinterdependencebetweenmysteryandknowledge AT dirkgvandermerwe incomprehensibilityofgodreciprocalinterdependencebetweenmysteryandknowledge |