Papers by Maniraj Sukdaven
HTS teologiese studies, May 9, 2024
Contribution: The authors argue that premature conclusions made by outsiders led to there being n... more Contribution: The authors argue that premature conclusions made by outsiders led to there being no need for investigating the religious beliefs of the Khoikhoi society because it was assumed there were none or that they were superficially bound and/or limited to celestial bodies.
Theologia Viatorum, Jan 12, 2024
Contribution: As a result, the contribution to understanding the morality of the Bhagavad Gita re... more Contribution: As a result, the contribution to understanding the morality of the Bhagavad Gita rests on Sri Krishna's strong argument that an individual must set aside their own desires and aspire solely to perform actions that are aligned with the cosmic principle. This means that an individual has the moral obligation to perform those actions irrespective of whether they agree or disagree with the prescribed action. This article engages with the moral obligation and karmic actions, which seem to be at odds with each other, yet the moral obligation takes precedent.
Theologia Viatorum, Feb 22, 2022
Reimagining socioeconomic well-being through the integration of Arthashastra's economic treatise ... more Reimagining socioeconomic well-being through the integration of Arthashastra's economic treatise and Madhva's philosophical notion on social cohesion', Theologia Viatorum 46(1), a139.
The importance of recognising Zulu customs and values consistent with biblical principles in African missional approaches
Theological Studies/Teologiese Studies, Dec 4, 2018
Incarnation, as per definition in its simplistic form, wherein God assumes a human nature, is cen... more Incarnation, as per definition in its simplistic form, wherein God assumes a human nature, is central to the Christian doctrine of faith. The premise upon which the uniqueness of the Christian doctrine of incarnation, as opposed to other religious traditions, is embedded in and among other texts of the Christian Bible, and in the Gospel according to John 1:1-18. This article will articulate some of the philosophies in existence at that time which may allegedly have influenced and elicited a response from the writer of the Gospel according to John (GAJ). An attempt will be made to understand how some of these philosophies view incarnation in forms that may not necessarily reflect incarnation as is traditionally understood in Christianity which is primarily 'God becoming flesh'. Central to the understanding of Christian incarnation is the philosophical concept of logos which emanated in Greek philosophy. Finally, it should become apparent, that the understanding of 'incarnation' 1 , in some religious traditions, which will be explored, cannot claim the same uniqueness of the Christian tradition of 'God becoming flesh'.
Journal for the Study of Religion, 2018
This article provides a cursory overview of the life and thought of Professor Martin Prozesky, an... more This article provides a cursory overview of the life and thought of Professor Martin Prozesky, and his contributions to academia via his ethical and spiritual project. There were many people of various personalities that influenced his life, including the path he chose in academia. Some of these were scholars, such as the internationally acclaimed Professors Alister Hardy, John Hick, Lloyd Geering, Ninian Smart, Wilfred Cantwell Smith, feminist Professors Mary Daly, Ursula King and Rosemary Radford Ruether, and various process theologians. Others were spiritual leaders such as Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Mahatma Gandhi, the Chief Rabbi of the orthodox United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth (1991-2013), Jonathan Sacks, and the Dalai Lama. From his base in Theology and Religious Studies to his move to Ethics and Spirituality it could be established that there are five main contributions in Martin Prozesky's work which he had made to academia and of which cognizance should be taken. These are: (1) the religious philosophy of Friedrich Schleiermacher; (2) the development of a critical theology; (3) his values-based explanation of religion; (4) the debate about God; and (5) the need for a multi-cultural, even global, multidisciplinary approach to applied ethics with special attention to African ethics. These contributions among other works are discussed in this article. (The article was made possible through an interview with Prof. Prozesky that was recorded and transcribed.
Ned Geref teologiese Tydskrif, May 1, 2012
Within the primary and secondary Hindu scriptures, especially the Vedas, Epics and Puranas, many ... more Within the primary and secondary Hindu scriptures, especially the Vedas, Epics and Puranas, many gods are mentioned. At times a hierarchy of deities is distinguishable, and at other times these deities assume each others' names and functions. Then there are some deities that manifest themselves in other forms such as a bird, an animal, a human, or both animal and human. These manifestations are at times clearly construed as avataras. To determine the transformation (metamorphosis), progression and/or regression of Hindu deities from the Vedas through to the Puranas, the researcher applied the systematic literature review methodology. He argued that this evolution of Hindu deities is the result of changes in the specific needs of the community in their quest for immortality. Accompanying this metamorphosis of Hindu deities is the notion of avatara which gained significant prominence in the Bhagavad Gita and the Puranas, although there are indications that the notion of avatara can be read into the Vedas. Considering these complexities, the researcher defined the term avatara and traced the origins and evolution of these Hindu deities through the various Hindu scriptures. This study consolidated this process systematically, resulting in sufficient proof that there was a decline in certain Vedic deities, a rise to prominence of other 'unimportant' deities and the appearance of other deities not mentioned in the Vedas.
Theological Studies/Teologiese Studies, Nov 22, 2018
How to cite this article: Sukdaven, M., 2018, 'Exploring the possibility for African traditional ... more How to cite this article: Sukdaven, M., 2018, 'Exploring the possibility for African traditional religion to be included in a reimagined scriptural reasoning model', HTS Teologiese Studies/ Theological Studies 74(3), a5224.
Inclusive or exclusive? : a missiological analysis of congregations in the Reformed Church in Africa
... DC GROENEWALT (POSTHUMOUS) DR. SJEJ VAN VUUREN Page 2. 2 ... He opened up his library and hom... more ... DC GROENEWALT (POSTHUMOUS) DR. SJEJ VAN VUUREN Page 2. 2 ... He opened up his library and home to me. ♦ Dr Sarie van Vuuren, co-supervisor with whom I spent endless hours on the research data and from whom I learned much about data interpretation. ♦ Proff. ...
Journal for the Study of Religion, 2016
This article is based on a Timbuktu manuscript listed in a digital form on the Library of Congres... more This article is based on a Timbuktu manuscript listed in a digital form on the Library of Congress-Global Gateway. The authors of this article were involved in the translation and exegesis of the manuscript. Of significance, aside from the translation, is the exegetical analysis of the manuscript which was translated and written simultaneously in a poetic form so as to bring forth the intended beauty of the author of the manuscript. From the eighty-eight lines, eighty-three are dedicated to theosophical ethical thoughts as well as to the spiritual sarcasm of the author. The context addresses a reciprocal relationship between God and humanity and how humanity can experience the highest form of happiness in this world and the hereafter. Therefore this manuscript is not only a mystical text but also contributes to Islamic ethics. In the exegesis of the translated work, Qur'anic verses were incorporated to lend support to the text where necessary.
Stellenbosch Theological Journal
This article unveils the causes of incestuous rape in the Epworth community of Zimbabwe. It was p... more This article unveils the causes of incestuous rape in the Epworth community of Zimbabwe. It was premised on a feminist theoretical framework which was applied in light of the perspectives of African Christians, Shona indigenous religious people, and Shona culture. The research hopes to serve as a resource for victims of incestuous rape, scholars, religious leaders, community leaders, the government, those who sympathetically seek to support incestuous rape victims, and those who seek to become a voice of the voiceless to treat incestuous rape as a serious problem that needs serious attention. It addresses three major objectives: (1) to unveil how Epworth residents construe incestuous rape; (2) to expose the prevalence of incestuous rape cases in Epworth; and (3) to highlight the factors which lead to the occurrences of incestuous rape cases in Epworth. The study has established that the causes of incestuous rape in Epworth may vary, but most notably, are ascribed to some cultural an...
The importance of recognising Zulu customs and values consistent with biblical principles in African missional approaches
Baptist Union of Southern Africa, 2019
Journal for the Study of Religion
This article is based on a Timbuktu manuscript listed in a digital form on the Library of Congres... more This article is based on a Timbuktu manuscript listed in a digital form on the Library of Congress - Global Gateway. The authors of this article were involved in the translation and exegesis of the manuscript. Of significance, aside from the translation, is the exegetical analysis of the manuscript which was translated and written simultaneously in a poetic form so as to bring forth the intended beauty of the author of the manuscript. From the eighty-eight lines, eighty-three are dedicated to theosophical ethical thoughts as well as to the spiritual sarcasm of the author. The context addresses a reciprocal relationship between God and humanity and how humanity can experience the highest form of happiness in this world and the hereafter. Therefore this manuscript is not only a mystical text but also contributes to Islamic ethics. In the exegesis of the translated work, Qur'anic verses were incorporated to lend support to the text where necessary.
Pharos Journal of Theology, 2019
This article follows the one published in Verbum et Ecclesia (Sukdaven & Ahmed, 2017: 1-10) which... more This article follows the one published in Verbum et Ecclesia (Sukdaven & Ahmed, 2017: 1-10) which is associated with the Timbuktu Project at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. A translated edition of the manuscript 'Qissat Dhul Qurnain: The story of the "Two Horned King" known as Alexander the Great'1 makes reference to Gog and Magog (Sukdaven et al., 2015: 106-108). This article addresses two issues. Firstly, to place into context the current manuscript within a plethora of other renderings of Alexander the Great within other traditions commonly regarded as the 'Alexander Romance'. Much has been written about the Alexander Romance and this article attempts to summarise the different traditions of the Alexander Romance as a precursor to the article. Secondly, in as much as this manuscript addresses many themes, the article will focus only on the theme surrounding Gog and Magog in the different Alexander Romance stories pre and post Islamic traditions.
Theologia Viatorum, 2022
The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that has ravaged glocal societies of bot... more The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that has ravaged glocal societies of both developed and developing countries, has once again shown that there are some phenomena that are no respecters of societies. This is clearly observed in the most recent COVID-19 global statistics, where the most advanced country in the world has the greatest number of infections and deaths. Globally, there are 171.5 million COVID-19 cases, 153.7 million recoveries and 3.6 million deaths (worldmeters.info/coronavirus accessed 01 June 2021). Not only has COVID-19 devastated both developed and developing countries, but has also demonstrated the widening gulf between the rich and the poor. The Minority World were able to secure millions of vaccine doses for their citizens, while the Majority World had to wait in line. We have also witnessed an uprising recently (July 2021) in two of South African provinces of social dissolution where socio-economic and racial tension resulted in a number of...
Pharos Journal of Theology, 2019
Incarnation, as per definition in its simplistic form, wherein God assumes a human nature, is cen... more Incarnation, as per definition in its simplistic form, wherein God assumes a human nature, is central to the Christian doctrine of faith. The premise upon which the uniqueness of the Christian doctrine of incarnation, as opposed to other religious traditions, is embedded in and among other texts of the Christian Bible, and in the Gospel according to John 1:1-18. This article will articulate some of the philosophies in existence at that time which may allegedly have influenced and elicited a response from the writer of the Gospel according to John (GAJ). An attempt will be made to understand how some of these philosophies view incarnation in forms that may not necessarily reflect incarnation as is traditionally understood in Christianity which is primarily 'God becoming flesh'. Central to the understanding of Christian incarnation is the philosophical concept of logos which emanated in Greek philosophy. Finally, it should become apparent, that the understanding of 'incarn...
Theologia Viatorum, 2022
The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that has ravaged glocal societies of bot... more The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that has ravaged glocal societies of both developed and developing countries, has once again shown that there are some phenomena that are no respecters of societies. This is clearly observed in the most recent COVID-19 global statistics, where the most advanced country in the world has the greatest number of infections and deaths. Globally, there are 171.5 million COVID-19 cases, 153.7 million recoveries and 3.6 million deaths (worldmeters.info/coronavirus accessed 01 June 2021). Not only has COVID-19 devastated both developed and developing countries, but has also demonstrated the widening gulf between the rich and the poor. The Minority World were able to secure millions of vaccine doses for their citizens, while the Majority World had to wait in line. We have also witnessed an uprising recently (July 2021) in two of South African provinces of social dissolution where socio-economic and racial tension resulted in a number of deaths. It is within this context that this study aimed to examine how the integration of Arthashastra’s economic treatise and Madhva’s philosophical notion on social cohesion, can contribute to a just socio-economic society. Even though Arthashastra’s economic treatise and Madhva’s philosophical notion of social cohesion are common within Hinduism, and more specifically related to India, the global community will benefit from implementing the salient features from it for application in their contexts.
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Papers by Maniraj Sukdaven