HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies ISSN: (Online) 2072-8050, (Print) 0259-9422 Page 1 of 14 Original Research Divine designation in the use of the Bible: The quest for an ‘all-powerful God’ (the omnipotence of God) in a pastoral ministry of human empowerment Author: In our exposure to weakness, vulnerability, loss, anguish and different forms of impairment, the 1 Daniel J. Louw following pastoral theological questions arises: What is meant by divine almightiness within the Affiliation: human need for spiritual strength, empowerment, encouragement and well-being? The epithet 1Department of Practical of almightiness (omnipotence, pantokratōr) gave birth to fictitious and speculative associations, Theology, Faculty of even fear and anxiety: The paralyzing fear of God Almighty – divine intoxicating and spiritual Theology, Stellenbosch pathology. Instead of a pantokratōr-definition of God, a paraklēsis-infinition of God is proposed. University, Stellenbosch, South Africa This paradigm shift is based on the hermeneutical insight, namely, that the El Shadday of Yahweh is based on the respect in Jewish hermeneutics to render God not as a personified substance, but Corresponding author: as an ‘operating verb’ – hjh. In the verbing of God, El Shadday points to encouragement, Daniel Louw empowerment and a kind of pity and comfort based on the passio Dei.
[email protected] Contribution: How one perceives the power of God, determines the practice of Christian Dates: Received: 13 Feb. 2020 devotion and spirituality. Therefore, the emphasis on the notion of ‘God Almighty’ (omnipotence Accepted: 10 Sept. 2020 of God) and its link to the notion of the ‘weakness of God’ as exposed in the basic outline for a Published: 09 Dec.