Gods shalom wordt wereldwijd - Voorwoord bij Martin Koornstra

Het was tijdens mijn werk als journalist in India en Afrika, vijfentwintig jaar geleden, dat er iets scheurde in mijn binnenste, als een spier die scheurt en nooit meer helemaal heelt. De getraumatiseerde weeskinderen in dat uitzichtloze vluchtelingenkamp in Sudan. Het bloed op de muren van de kerken in Rwanda. De lege ogen van de moslimmeisjes in Kashmir, die verkracht waren door Indiase soldaten. Onze wereld is zo intens geschonden en vol hemeltergend onrecht. Wie dat binnenlaat, raakt verwond.

In deze blog kun je het voorwoord lezen dat ik schreef bij het nieuwste boek van Martin Koornstra: Groeien in koninkrijk denken.

Bidden om de heelheid van Gods koninkrijk - Voorwoord bij Alexander Venter

De Zuid-Afrikaanse Vineyard-theoloog Alexander Venter schreef een uitstekend boek over gebedsministry en de bediening van genezing, dat inmiddels een klassieker is: Doing Healing. Ik gebruik dit boek bij het theologisch onderwijs aan de TU Kampen en het Evangelisch College. En ik maakte er dankbaar gebruik van bij het schrijven van de nieuwe ministrycursus.

Doing Healing is (i.s.m. New Wine) nu ook vertaald in het Nederlands: Groeien in heelheid - gebedsministry en het Koninkrijk van God. Een absolute aanrader voor wie verdieping wil bij de nieuwe ministrycursus.

In deze blog kun je het voorwoord lezen dat ik schreef.

Wat is de kern van de theologie van New Wine en Vineyard?

Wat is nou de systematisch-theologische kern van de theologie van het Koninkrijk, zoals die ontstond en ontwikkeld werd binnen de internationale bewegingen van Vineyard en New Wine (en inmiddels veel breder omarmd wordt)?

Ik duid deze theologie graag aan als “enacted, inaugurated eschatology”. Deze drie begrippen vragen om uitleg. Daarom een korte blog (ook opgenomen in Module 3 van de Ministrycursus).

Nieuw: Onderwijsmodules Kingdom Theology van New Wine en Vineyard i.s.m. de CHE

Voor het eerst in Nederland wordt het mogelijk om op bachelorniveau theologisch onderwijs te volgen vanuit de charismatische vernieuwing van New Wine en Vineyard. In samenwerking met de Christelijke Hogeschool Ede (CHE) bieden we vanaf studiejaar 2018-2019 twee onderwijsmodules aan over de theologie van het Koninkrijk.

De colleges maken deel uit van het minor-programma voor studenten theologie aan de CHE, maar staan ook open voor anderen, zoals predikanten, missionair pioniers en kerkelijk werkers.
Een mooie kans om stevig invulling te geven aan je studieverlof!

Naar een "Reeds/Nog niet 2.0"?

Kunnen we nog wel uit de voeten met het bekende "reeds" en "nog niet"-schema dat we kennen binnen de theologie van het Koninkrijk? Helpt het ons nog wel?

Die vraag komt terecht op, onder meer door de gesprekken rond de There is More-conferenties van het Evangelisch Werkverband. Er is - zoveel is duidelijk - werk aan de winkel.

Om te beginnen: een nieuwe blogserie.

Hoe blijft het vuur branden? Theologische kanttekeningen bij de Post-Toronto-beweging

In mijn eerste artikel naar aanleiding van de There is More-conferentie (september 2016) ging ik niet inhoudelijk in op de onderliggende theologie van Randy Clark. Het ging mij om de weging van charismatische conferenties los van de theologie die eraan wordt verbonden.

In dit artikel doe ik dat wel. Ik stip vier punten aan die wat mij betreft problematisch zijn in de theologie van wat ik de ‘Post-Toronto-beweging’ noem.

Dit zijn vier punten waarop de theologie van o.a. Randy Clark en Bill Johnson zich verwijdert van de theologie van Vineyard en New Wine.

Dit artikel vormt de basis van de lezing die ik op uitnodiging van Hans Maat hield op de There is More-theologendag van het Evangelisch Werkverband, op 30 januari (2017).

Genezing in de tussentijd van het Koninkrijk

Welke plek hebben genezingen in het Koninkrijk dat in Jezus is begonnen? En wat betekent dit voor ons vandaag? Een aanzet voor een theologisch kader voor een genezingsbediening in de gemeente.

Ik stip drie dingen aan: de aard van Gods heil, de “timing” ervan en onze rol in de aanzegging ervan.

Dit artikel schreef ik voor een themanummer rond genezing & gebed van het kerkelijk magazine Onderweg. 

LifeStream Europe - What does this name refer to theologically?

The name LifeStream resonates with 'live streaming': broadcasting on the internet, showing what you do realtime. As Christians we are called to ‘stream’ the new life we have in Jesus, witnessing to God's Kingdom. But what does the name refer to theologically?

LifeStream Europe: Vision and Core Values & Theology

New Wine in Europe enters a new season under a new name: LifeStream Europe - internationals living out God's Kingdom. 

During 2015-2016 I was part of the interim-leadership team that guided this transition. Together with Francis Noordanus, I wrote a new Vision statement, and I added a few paragraphs on our Core Values & Theology: How does LifeStream Europe understand the Kingdom of God?

LifeStream Europe launches: international Christians living out the Kingdom of God

“There is such an increasing number of international Christians arriving in Europe, often bringing in a confident faith and a richness of gifting,” Francis Noordanus (Trinity Anglican Church Eindhoven) says. “We believe God is at work in these migrations, creating exciting new opportunities for mission in Europe. What we want to see, is international Christians engaging with this movement of the Spirit, living out the Kingdom of God within their international communities and witnessing to the life we have in Jesus Christ.”

This summer, LifeStream Europe (formerly known as New Wine in Europe) is launched.

“Being in Christ” and the renewal of Reformed theology Or: How Pentecostal theologian Frank D. Macchia could help advance the endeavour of Hans Burger

In his dissertation Being in Christ (2009) Reformed theologian Hans Burger does a commendable effort to renew Reformed theology through retrieving the concept of participation in Christ, in order to warrant the relational and transformative dynamics of the gospel.

It is doubtful, however, whether his systematic-theological proposal offers the dogmatic innovations that seem to be needed to fully achieve his goals. Further steps could be taken. 

In his compelling study Baptized in the Spirit (2006), Pentecostal theologian Frank D. Macchia suggests five dogmatic moves that might be helpful to further advance Burger’s endeavour.

What does it mean to be “charismatic Reformed”?

Over the last 17 years or so, I’ve been referring to myself as being “charismatic Reformed” – rooted in the theological tradition of John Calvin and charismatic in my experiences.

Lately, many people are asking me what “charismatic Reformed” stands for. What does “Reformed” mean for me, and how is my theology “charismatic”?

I’ll try to put some thoughts down in this blog. This is my no means a theological paper, or a church vision document – merely some thoughts that might be helpful. Of course, not everyone who considers themselves to be charismatic Reformed necessarily agrees with all things I’ll be suggesting – this is just me.

Experiencing the Indwelling Spirit: Enhancing Pannenberg with Pentecostal theology

The systematic theology of Wolfhart Pannenberg proves very helpful for constructing a systematic-theological framework for the charismatic renewal of “inaugurated Kingdom theology” (as it surfaces within New Wine). But Pannenberg fails to do justice to present experiences of Christ, due to a deficient pneumatology. What happens if we infuse Pannenberg's theology with insights from Pentecostal theology? Well, that's exactly what Frank D. Macchia has been doing in "Baptized in the Spirit: A Global Pentecostal Theology".

“Spirit baptism is a baptism into the love of God that sanctifies, renews, and empowers until Spirit baptism turns all of creation into the final dwelling place of God. Along the way, Pentecostals will be justified in calling Christians to a Spirit baptism as a fresh experience of power for witness with charismatic signs following.”

The Baptism of Jesus: Authority and Power (3): Power

If Jesus already was the Son of God, why did he need to receive the Spirit? Even Jesus could do the works of the Kingdom only through the Spirit. And though he had already received all the spiritual gifts and powers, they only became actual and active when the Spirit descended on him at the Jordan, Kuyper argues. Bring fully human like us, he was thus enabled by the Spirit to do the "mighty works" of the Kingdom.
But if Jesus did these "mighty works" being fully human, enabled by the Spirit, what would that imply for our proclamation of the Kingdom, as we "share in the anointing of Christ"? Could we, indeed, share in his ministry of "mighty works" too? The systematics of Kuyper, Moltmann and Pannenberg would allow for that interpretation.

The Baptism of Jesus: Authority and Power (2): Authority

For a Biblical understanding of Jesus' baptism in terms of authority and power, we need to maintain a trinitarian perspective, Abraham Kuyper, Karl Barth, Jurgen Moltmann and Wolfhart Pannenberg argue. In a rather progressive move, Abraham Kuyper emphasized the distinct role of the Spirit. Even though Jesus had authority already before his baptism, he needed the baptism with the Spirit to do the works of the Kingdom. His "mighty works" did not flow from his divinity, Jesus was fully human like us.

Last week we set the scene: We'll have to understand Jesus' baptism from the perspective of the coming of the Kingdom of God, for this is how Jesus himself understood the beginning of his public ministry. This week, we'll explore the notion of "authority" that comes with it.

The Baptism of Jesus: Authority and Power (1): Messianic Expectations

In the charismatic renewal it is often argued that Christians should minister healing and deliverance to others like Jesus ministered to people, in the same “authority” and “power”. But didn't Jesus have authority and power to heal and deliver because he was divine? In a short series I'll explore the significance of the baptism of Jesus in terms of "authority" and "power". How did Protestant theologians Abraham Kuyper, Karl Barth, Jurgen Moltmann and Wolfhart Pannenberg understand the baptism of Jesus?

In this first pasrt, we'll set the scene: The Jewish expectation of the coming of the Kingdom of God proves important for a proper understanding of Jesus' baptism.
Check also:
- Part 2 (on authority)
- Part 3 (on Power).

Salvation & the Trinity (3): Problems with the proposals of Moltmann and Pannenberg

The proposals of Moltmann and Pannenberg to reconceive the Trinity in "social" or "relational" terms have been influential, and they seem promising for our quest for a systematic-theological framework for the charismatic renewal of New Wine. But their proposals have met with profound criticism too - at which points are their proposals problematic for a New Wine theology? A concise overview in five clusters.

[Part 14 in a series on New Wine and systematic theology, drawn from my research master thesis Life to the Full. From Creation to Re-Creation, VU University 2014]

Salvation & the Trinity (2): Welcomed into the Divine Embrace - Reconceiving Salvation

The doctrine of the Trinity should be reconceived in terms of the divine perichoresis, Moltmann and Pannenberg argued (see previous post on salvation & the Trinity): The triune God, who created the universe and human being in his image (imago Trinitatis), is characterized by mutual self-giving love - each Person of the Trinity loves, adores and glorifies the others, giving himself to the others, constituting the identity of the others.
This must also lead then to reconceiving our understanding of salvation, they argue. Salvation is to be understood as being welcomed into the trinitarian perichoresis, the “divine embrace of love.” Let's unfold this statement.

[Part 13 in a series on New Wine and systematic theology, drawn from my research master thesis Life to the Full. From Creation to Re-Creation, VU University 2014]

Salvation & the Trinity (1): The Divine Dance of Love - Reconceiving the Trinity

Reformed theology has argued that all theology begins with the doctrine of God and God's self-revelation. How then is the proposed concept of salvation as wholeness (coming with the Kingdom of God) related to the doctrine of God? Both Moltmann and Pannenberg assert that salvation as wholeness flows from the trinitarian inner being of God, introducing the metaphor of the divine "perichoresis" in modern theology.
In four blogs on salvation & the Trinity, I'll explore how a "perichoretic" trinitarian theology allows for a fuller understanding of the distinct role of the Holy Spirit, shedding new light on charismatic experiences.

[Part 12 in a series on New Wine and systematic theology, drawn from my research master thesis Life to the Full. From Creation to Re-Creation, VU University 2014]

Salvation & Eschatology (4): Evangelicals and the Kingdom of God

The theme of the Kingdom of God has been widely picked up within Evangelical (and Reformed) theology. But this hasn't led to a revision of the Evangelical understanding of salvation, as Moltmann and Pannenberg argued it must.
Why has the Evangelical movement picked up the Kingdom-theme so swiftly? And why does it hesisate to revise its soteriology accordingly?
What might be the mistake in Evangelical thinking here?

[Part 11 in a series on New Wine and systematic theology, drawn from my research master thesis Life to the Full. From Creation to Re-Creation, VU University 2014]