SATS PhD COMPENDIUM A Collection of Doctoral Thesis Summaries Volume 1, 2020 Editor Dr Robert Falconer Proof Reader Lindsey Moyo © Copyright 2021 The South African Theological Seminary 37 Grosvenor Road Bryanston, Sandton, 2512 The views expressed in the summaries are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the beliefs of the South African Theological Seminary. Table of Contents Editorial Dr Robert Falconer i The Influence of Akan Traditional Religious Conceptions on the Reception of Hamartiology of First John by a Selection of Charismatic Preachers of Ghana Dr Clement Adjei-Brown Supervisor: Dr Annang Asumang 1 Oral Bible Storytelling as a Missional Instrument in Discipling Men in Kejom, North West Cameroon Dr Truus Babila-Boer Supervisor: Dr Victor Nakah 22 Jesus as Creator in the Miraculous Signs of the Fourth Gospel and the Influence of Isaiah’s Creation Theology Dr Gerard Bernard Supervisor: Prof Dan Lioy 48 A Critical Study of the Doctrine of Impartation in the Church of God Denomination Dr Billy Bewley Supervisor: Dr Callie Joubert 76 The Emergence of Ancient Israel: A Model of Coherence between Archaeology and the Bible Dr Jerry Keith Culbertson Supervisor: Dr Bill Domeris 105 Chiasmus as a Literary Device for Understanding Judges Dr Michael Evan Supervisor: Dr Pieter Labuschagne 127 Deriving Pedagogical Models for Theological Education from a Biblical Theology of the Acquisition, Transmission and Effects of the Knowledge of God Dr Simon John Gillham Supervisor: Dr Keith Ferdinando 151 Art and Polarity—Towards a Theology of Art, with Special Reference to Ezekiel’s Prophetic Sign-Acts Dr Magnus J Grossman Supervisor: Dr Johannes Malherbe 183 Incessancy of Religious Violence in Northern Nigeria 1980–2020: A Study on the Ministry to the Victims in ECWA Katsina District Church Council Dr Danjuma Danmallam Kaladdi Supervisor: Dr Vincent Atterbury 215 From Biblical Coherence to Systematic Theology: A Critical Reinterpretation of Covenant Theology Dr Paul Kyu Wook Kim Supervisor: Dr Myk Habets 246 From Ars Moriendi to Ars Transitus: Christian Perspectives on Advance Care Planning in the United States Dr James Kraft Supervisor: Dr Roger Tucker 269 A Strategy for Engaging Youth In Cross-Cultural, Tentmaking Ministry In The Evangelical Church Winning All, Nigeria Dr Dan Victor Luke Supervisor: Dr Richard Calenberg 294 Philemon: A Transformation of Social Orders Dr Batanayi I. Manyika Supervisor: Prof Dan Lioy 306 A Narrative-Rhetorical Analysis of John the Baptist’s Christological Contribution to the Christology of the Gospel According to John Dr Mzayifani H. Mzebetshana Supervisor: Dr Annang Asumang 344 Traditional Christian and Mormon views of God and Their Compatibility with the moral Theistic Argument: An Exercise in Ramified Natural Theology Dr Loren Pankratz Supervisors: Dr Rob Bowman & Prof Dan Lioy 367 Towards Re-Articulation of the Confessional Lutheran Doctrine of Church Fellowship with Application for the Contemporary Post-Denominational Ecclesial Milieu Dr Christopher J. Pluger Supervisors: Profs Ernst R. Wendland & Dan Lioy 394 The Life and Teaching of Ezekiel: A Prophetic Model for Pastoral Theology in the Thai Context Dr Soontorn Thanteeraphan Supervisor: Dr Bill Domeris 423 Human Trafficking and the Church: Towards a Biblical and Practical Christian Response Dr Marieke Venter Supervisor: Dr Willem Semmelink 438 A Phased-Hybrid Training Approach for Frontier Missionaries Dr Henry Vermont Supervisor: Dr Johannes Malherbe 461 Thèses Françaises Vers un Modèle Africain de Dialogue Inter-Religieux: cas de Vodun X з byoso et de l’Eglise des Assemblées de Dieu dans la région Maxi au Bénin Dr Augustin Ahoga Les Directeurs de Thèse: Drs Jesse Kipimo & Pieter Labuschagne 492 Vers une stratégie d'évangélisation spécifique auprès des groupes minoritaires de la société plurielle sécularisée des Antilles françaises : Un défi pour l’Église adventiste du septième jour et sa mission Dr Félix Jean-Claude Hélan Directeur de Thèse: Dr Edouard Kitoko-Nsiku 521 Implantation d’Eglises mahoraises sur un terrain d’Islam sous la laïcité française Dr Faly Rajaonarison Directeur de Thèse: Dr Pieter Labuschagne 561 SATS PhD Compendium | Volume 1, 2020 Editorial It is with great pride and joy that the South African Theological Seminary (SATS) presents you with our very first publication of the SATS PhD Compendium (volume 1, 2020). The Compendium is a collection of doctoral thesis summary articles written by all our English and French PhD Alumni. This truly is a celebration of all those who completed their PhD in 2019 and 2020, but it is also a wonderful milestone for SATS on our 25th anniversary. And so, we celebrate our journey from humble beginnings to today where we can publish 22 doctoral summaries. We are immensely grateful for God’s guiding hand in SATS’s doctoral program. I would like to personally thank all those who contributed to the publication, namely, Dr Cornelia van Deventer, who got the project started, Lindsey Moyo, who did the proofreading of the manuscript—along with others who proofread some of the articles in the earlier stages of the project— and Marno Kirstein, who did a superb job in typesetting the document. I also thank all our doctoral alumni of 2019 and 2020 who submitted their articles; together they have produced a magnificent publication. Lastly, I wish to thank Jesus for his faithfulness towards SATS and towards every student who has completed their PhD. Jesus, we are mindful that you never wrote a document for publication, or pursued a formal education, and yet i you taught us, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:25b; ESV). Help all of us to live that out in earnest in all we say and do. Dr Robert Falconer SATS Coordinator of MTh & PhD Programs June 2021 ii The Influence of Akan Traditional Religious Conceptions on the Reception of Hamartiology of First John by a Selection of Charismatic Preachers of Ghana Dr Clement Adjei-Brown Supervisor: Dr Annang Asumang Abstract The general Christian tradition in Ghana has historically attracted local and cultural views to itself that have enriched its universal nature and strengthened it to address different doctrines in different cultural and religious contexts. This has, however, led to misconceptions in the interpretation of some Christian doctrines, such as the doctrine of sin described in 1 John. This study employs a tailored method for reception analysis of 1 John’s hamartiology by a selection of Ghanaian charismatic preachers. It discovers that, both for better and for worse, Akan traditional religious concepts of sin influence the reception of the hamartiology of 1 John by charismatic preachers in Ghana. This finding is in itself not surprising. However, the precise manner and extent to which the influences flow have immense implications for the communication of 1 SATS PhD Compendium Volume 1, 2020 the gospel in Ghana. The reception-analytical method developed from the philosophical framework of reception theory enables the study to establish that Akan traditional religious concepts create a horizon of expectations for Akan charismatic preachers in Ghana that influence their reception of the doctrine of sin in 1 John. From the comparison between the doctrine of sin in 1 John and the horizon of expectations of charismatic preachers in Ghana, it is apparent that, to a large extent, they have succeeded in contextualizing the Christian message. In the process, however, traditional Akan cosmology, both for better and for worse, influences their reception of the doctrine of sin seen in 1 John. Keywords Reception, Akan traditional religion, horizon of expectations, uses and gratification, charismatic hamartiology, 1 John 1. Introduction Christian tradition in Ghana has attracted local and cultural views that have enriched its universal nature and strengthened it to address different doctrines of the Bible. This enrichment serves as the undercurrent for the stream of newer Pentecostal independent or charismatic churches. These churches possess intrinsic characteristics that are the product of cultural influences. This has sometimes led to a failure to adequately analyze, understand, and express some Christian doctrines, such as the doctrine of sin. Charismatic churches in Ghana may be classified as part of the neo-Pentecostal movement or the ‘third wave’ of the Pentecostal Christian tradition. The ‘first wave’ being Pentecostalism, and the ‘second wave’ the evangelical charismatic movement. A distinctive feature of charismatic 2 Clement Adjei-Brown, The Influence of Akan Traditional Religious Conceptions churches in Ghana is that they keenly appropriate electronic media in order to be accessible (Meyer 2004, 466). Live church services are streamed nationally and across the world through radio, television, and online platforms. For example, during the ‘Greater Works Conference’ of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) in 2018, the five- day conference was streamed on Facebook Live and on MyJoyOnline platforms. Daily devotional messages are also posted on WhatsApp platforms. Accordingly, charismatic churches are extremely influential in the national consciousness. Music is often given a prominent role in their liturgy. Hackett (1998, 263) puts forth that music is one of the most important means by which charismatic churches in Ghana have constructed their identity. Many commercial gospel music performers are deeply rooted in charismatic churches and their music ministries have become part of the charismatic church ‘brand’ (Carl 2015, 48). For example, gospel-music singer Gifty Osei was married to Prophet Prince Elisha Osei, a charismatic preacher and the head pastor of Blessed Generation Chapel International in Tema. Prophet Elisha Osei embodies the gifts of healing, teaching, and deliverance. The music videos of Florence Obinim, wife of Bishop Daniel Obinim of God’s Way International Ministries occupy much of the airtime on the church’s television channel, OB TV (Carl 2015, 48). Charismatic churches in Ghana have thus become very influential.