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Nature as creation from an eco-hermeneutical perspective: From a ‘natural theology’ to a ‘theology of nature’
Open accessAbstract
For researchers who are interested in the relationship between theology and the natural sciences, 2009 is of special importance. It is now 500 years since Calvin was born and 450 years since his Institution of the Christian Religion was finally published. It is also 200 years since Darwin’s birth and 150 years since his On the Origin of Species appeared in print for the first time. Calvin and Darwin are representative of two separate lines which converge in a particular ‘transversal space’. Such insights are regenerating light on our search for scientific truth today. Neither the absolutisation of transcendent revelation, nor that of immanent knowledge of nature, provides an accountable understanding of reality. Against this background, the challenge for Systematic Theology today is to conceive of a ‘theology of nature’, which can be offered as a dialectical third option. An ‘ecohermeneutics’ offers a possibility of establishing such an option for theology. However, such an option will, on the one hand, have to deconstruct the reformed criticism of a natural theology and will, on the other hand, have to make serious work of an evolutionary epistemology.
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“This resonates with Hefner's belief that discernment is a prerequisite for humans to establish meaning in their lives (cf. Buitendag 2009:515).”
From Jesus: Divine relationality and suffering creation (2020) · cites this paper as Buitendag 2009:515
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“Consequently, there is no transcendent reality above, behind or in front of the observable, but rather a transcendent reality in the relationship that man has with nature.”
From Jesus: Divine relationality and suffering creation (2020) · cites this paper as Buitendag 2009:515
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“When interpreted correctly, nature therefore becomes Creation to the faithful.”
From Jesus: Divine relationality and suffering creation (2020) · cites this paper as Buitendag 2009:515
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Jesus: Divine relationality and suffering creation
Rabie-Boshoff, A. C., & Buitendag, J. (2020) · HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies · doi:10.4102/hts.v76i1.6128 · Cited by 21
Self-citation
Metadata
- Authors
- Buitendag, J.
- Affiliations
- University of Pretoria (ZA)
- Corresponding author
- Buitendag, Johan
- ORCID
- Buitendag, Johan
- Venue
- HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies
- Publisher
- AOSIS
- Published
- 2009-11-05
- Volume
- 65
- Issue
- 1
- ISSN
- 0259-9422 (ISSN-L)
- 2072-8050
- OpenAlex
- W1979099808
- Cited by
- 20
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2014: 4 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 2.17
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by
- Locations
- HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- UpSpace Institutional Repository (University of Pretoria) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Religious studies › Religion, Ecology, and Ethics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Karl Barth and Christian Theology
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History and Philosophy of Science › Evolution and Science Education
- Keywords
- theology of nature, natural theology, Reformed theology, John Calvin, Charles Darwin, evolutionary epistemology, systematic theology
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