Kairos : Evangelical Journal of Theology

Danielle Treweek. The Meaning of Singleness: Retrieving an Eschatological Vision for the Contemporary Church

Perry L. Stepp, PhD — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0200

Book review

Joshua Iyadurai. Social Research Methods: For Students and Scholars of Theology and Religious Studies

Mr. sc. Julijana Mladenovska-Tešija — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0200

Book review

The Role and the (Lack of) Need for Silence in Worship

Judita Paljević-Kraljik — Tue, 21 May 2024 00:00:00 +0200

The author of this article explores whether there should be a space for silence in the worship of God in believers’ lives, church services and the part of the service in which God is praised with songs. To carry out the study, the author compared worship services of two churches in Zagreb – the Evangelical Pentecostal Church “Rock of Salvation” and the Church of Christ (on Kušlanova Street). The author analyzed the presence and role of silence, considering the non-use of musical instruments in the Church of Christ and concluded that the “empty” space in the church service between individual smaller parts is used in various ways. The author presented different definitions of silence or quietness, which nowadays for many no longer means absolute silence, by putting in dialogue the interviews with the pastors of the mentioned churches – Ratko Medan and Mislav Ilić – and the reflections of theologians and experts in the field of Christian services. The same problem is also put against the backdrop of modern times that are both unfamiliar and uncomfortable with silence.

Christology in John’s Gospel as a Trigger for Discipleship

dr. sc. Ervin Budiselić — Tue, 21 May 2024 00:00:00 +0200

This article discusses the relationship between Christology and discipleship. It argues that Christology is the driving force, or trigger, behind becoming a disciple of Jesus and can also be used to revitalize existing disciples. The first part of the article examines the use of the term mathētēs, asking the question, “Who is directly or indirectly called a disciple of Jesus?” The second part explores concepts related to discipleship, which provides a basis for the third part of the article, which delves into why someone becomes a disciple of Jesus, i.e., questions of motivation. Since the topic is extensive, this section will only focus on the parts of the Gospel that contain explicit Christological titles and where the response to Jesus is positive. Since, in the Gospel of John, Christology is the means of initiating discipleship, the fourth part analyzes whether the main message of the gospel is centered on Christology or soteriology and how different messages impact discipleship. It also states that Christology triggers discipleship and plays a crucial role in motivating believers to commitment, zeal, sanctification, and sacrificial service within the Church today.

Christians Facing the Challenges of Artificial Intelligence

dr. sc. Stanko Jambrek — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0200

The development of artificial intelligence technology is, on the one hand, the fulfillment of God’s task given to humanity (Genesis 1 and 2), and on the other hand, in humans’ desire to be like God, it is a rebellion against God (Genesis 3:5). Therefore, Christians face numerous challenges in their relationship with artificial intelligence systems. These challenges can be categorized into two fundamental groups. The first group includes challenges where Christians have and will have the choice of responsible use of AI systems, while the second group consists of AI systems controlled by powerful corporations or by AI systems themselves. The text provides a brief introduction and overview of the levels of artificial intelligence development (ANI, AGI, and ASI) and the relationship of Christians towards them. The central part of the discussion is dedicated to the spiritual evaluation of AI systems and tools. Regarding artificial intelligence, the most important task of the church today and tomorrow is to train and educate believers in AI literacy and biblical-spiritual literacy. The final section of this article brings an evaluation of the development and application of AI concerning goals that oppose God, such as creating eternal life and god-like machines.

T4T Discipleship Model

Josip Debeljuh — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0200

In recent years many discipleship models emerged on the Christian global scene. One discipleship model that has garnered attention in theological seminaries, mission organizations, and churches is the T4T discipleship model (Training for Trainers). The T4T discipleship model is a part of Church Planting Movements (CPMs) and Disciple Making Movements (DMMs). This article provides information about the T4T discipleship model - what it is, what it does, and how is it applied. Further, this article considers its strengths and weaknesses regarding the use of it in the Croatian context. This article concludes that the T4T discipleship model is not suitable for use in local churches in Croatia unless there are substantial adaptations to its teaching and practices.

Suffering as Qualification for Ministry

Nathan Maroney — Tue, 21 May 2024 00:00:00 +0200

The realities of Christ and the Gospel were for Paul powerful interpretive tools. In his letters, Paul uses these realities as lenses to interpret his suffering. This article examines elements of Paul’s thought where suffering is interpreted as positive for ministry. First, in Ephesians and Philemon, we discuss the term “Prisoner for Christ,” and the ways Paul sees this as a title of honor that qualifies him with authority. Second, in the Corinthians correspondence, we examine the way Paul connects apostleship and suffering, listing his sufferings as qualifications. Third, in 2 Corinthians 1, we look at how Paul sees suffering as contributing to empathy in ministry. Finally, we trace echoes of similar thoughts elsewhere in the New Testament.