Schmidt, Vernon  <br/><br/>
Towards a strategy for achieving a biblicallyfaithful understanding of and response to Luke 4:18-19 at two congregations of the Nederduitse Gerformeerde Kerk in South Africa 

 - Johannesburg, South Africa  South African Theological Seminary   December 2018 
 - 159 pages  PDF  A4  Abstract, TOC 
<br/><br/> The Gospel of Luke comprises many statements that should impact the church in understanding God’s mission emanating from before creation. One of these is Jesus’ mission statement found in Luke 4:18-19. In this passage Jesus’ mission is comprehensively, yet succinctly, defined. This text sparked many questions in my mind  as  to  why  South  Africa  and  many  other  countries  seem  to  be  in  a depressive  spiritual  and  social malaise.  Surely there  is God’s remedy in  Christ? But seemingly this is not clearly understood by many church-going people today. These thoughts and concerns led to this study to seek a fresh understanding of the  meaning  and  an  appropriate  response  to Luke  4:18-19,  especially  with reference to two church congregations. This study, firstly, reports on afield research project at these two local churches that was conducted to gauge their understanding of, and response to, Luke 4:18-19. Then,  secondly,  the  study  presents  different  perspectives  on  this  Lukan passage: exegetical, biblical theology, historical theology, and non-theology. The results of these two parts of the study are then correlated, taking into account the contexts  of  the  two  congregations,  to  produce  an  operative  theology  regarding Luke   4:18-19   for them.   The   operative   theology   provides   the   normative understanding  of  Luke  4:18-19  and  the  relevant  practical  response,  and  is defended based on the churches’ beliefs and the transformation vision implied in Luke  4:18-19. Then,  thirdly,  the  study  presents a  strategy  developed  to  help these  two  churches to  successfully  achieve  the proposed operative  theology regarding Luke 4:18-19. 
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<br/><br/> The Gospel of Luke comprises many statements that should impact the church in understanding God’s mission emanating from before creation. One of these is Jesus’ mission statement found in Luke 4:18-19. In this passage Jesus’ mission is comprehensively, yet succinctly, defined. This text sparked many questions in my mind  as  to  why  South  Africa  and  many  other  countries  seem  to  be  in  a depressive  spiritual  and  social malaise.  Surely there  is God’s remedy in  Christ? But seemingly this is not clearly understood by many church-going people today. These thoughts and concerns led to this study to seek a fresh understanding of the  meaning  and  an  appropriate  response  to Luke  4:18-19,  especially  with reference to two church congregations. This study, firstly, reports on afield research project at these two local churches that was conducted to gauge their understanding of, and response to, Luke 4:18-19. Then,  secondly,  the  study  presents  different  perspectives  on  this  Lukan passage: exegetical, biblical theology, historical theology, and non-theology. The results of these two parts of the study are then correlated, taking into account the contexts  of  the  two  congregations,  to  produce  an  operative  theology  regarding Luke   4:18-19   for them.   The   operative   theology   provides   the   normative understanding  of  Luke  4:18-19  and  the  relevant  practical  response,  and  is defended based on the churches’ beliefs and the transformation vision implied in Luke  4:18-19. Then,  thirdly,  the  study  presents a  strategy  developed  to  help these  two  churches to  successfully  achieve  the proposed operative  theology regarding Luke 4:18-19.