ORIGINAL RESEARCH

 

Onderweg na 'n Christelike samelewings-beskouing: Bybelse grondslae en historiese ontwikkeling

 

Towards a Christian perspective on social life: Biblical foundations and historical development

 

 

B.J. van der Walt

Skool vir Filosofie, Potchefstroomkampus. Noordwes-Universiteit. Potchefstroom. E-pos: hannah@intekom.co.za

 

 

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OPSOMMING

Hierdie artikel is soos volg saamgestel: Die inleiding stel die praktiese vraag waarom Christene so min invloed op die huidige samelewing uitoefen. 'n Gedeeltelike antwoord op hierdie aktuele vraag is dat weinig Christene oor 'n denkraamwerk of samelewingsbeskouing beskik wat huile kan inspireer om betrokke te raak en dit op die regte manier te doen. In die tweede afdeling blyk uit 'n vlugtige verkenning van die moontlike oplossings vir hierdie leemte, dat 'n reformatoriese samelewings-filosofie van hulp kan wees. Die Christelike teologie en Christelike filosofie behoort in die uitbou van hierdie belangrike saak van 'n Christelike lewensvisie en perspektief op die samelewing mekaar wedersyds te ondersteun. Die bedoeling met die derde afdeling is om aan te toon dat so 'n samelewingsvisie stewig in God se Woord begrond kan word. Die laaste gedeelte bied in die lig van die onbekendheid van hierdie samelewingsbe-skouing by baie mense 'n kort historiese oorsig oor die ontstaan en ontwikkeling daarvan oor 'n tydperk van meer as 'n eeu.

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ABSTRACT

This article is structured in the following way: The introduction asks the practical question why Christianity has such a small impact on contemporary society. This topical question is partly answered by indicating that most Christians lack a worldviewish framework or social philosophy to inspire them to get involved outside their churches and do so correctly. In the second section a brief explanation of the possible solutions to this problem indicates that the reformational social philosophy may offer some help. Christian theology and Christian philosophy should mutually assist each other in this important endeavour to shape a Christian worldview, including a perspective on social life. The third section indicates how such a philosophy for social life can be firmly based on God's Word. In light of the fact that this social philosphy is not well-known, the last part of the article provides a brief historical survey of how this kind of societal philosophy originated and developed over the course of more than a century.

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