Evangelicalism’s identity crisis: The meaning and application of qōdhesh and hágios for Christian holiness and distinctiveness in a post-Christian South Africa

Verbum et Ecclesia

 
 
Field Value
 
Title Evangelicalism’s identity crisis: The meaning and application of qōdhesh and hágios for Christian holiness and distinctiveness in a post-Christian South Africa
 
Creator Christian, Antonio Soal, Alexander D.
 
Subject Theology qōdhesh; hágios; holiness; distinctiveness; sanctification; evangelicalism; radical obedience
Description South African evangelicalism finds itself in the midst of an identity crisis. In many sections of evangelicalism, there seems to be a pervasive worldliness which has resulted in a lack of holiness and distinctiveness amongst many professing Christians. In short, the line between holiness and worldliness has been blurred, compelling evangelicals to recapture the doctrine and praxis of personal holiness. To address the problem of the lack of holiness and distinctiveness amongst evangelicals, this article employed qualitative research in the form of a literature review. It explored the meanings of qōdhesh and hágios and applied them to Leviticus 11:1–47 and 1 John 2:15–17, respectively. Furthermore, these two passages were applied to the contemporary context to see how holiness and distinctiveness may be expressed by evangelicals in the 21st century. The article suggests that holiness and distinctiveness is the proper response to God’s holiness and God’s graciousness. It also suggests that holiness and distinctiveness demand radical obedience to God’s Word, resulting in a radical separation from all forms of worldliness, including desires, attitudes and behaviours.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article explores the meanings of qōdhesh and hágios and their implications for personal ethics. It shows the intradisciplinary relationship between biblical hermeneutics and practical theology and implies an interdisciplinary relationship between philosophy, sociology, anthropology and theology.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor
Date 2022-06-22
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — Literary Analysis
Format text/html application/epub+zip text/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/ve.v43i1.2491
 
Source Verbum et Ecclesia; Vol 43, No 1 (2022); 7 pages 2074-7705 1609-9982
 
Language eng
 
Relation
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://verbumetecclesia.org.za/index.php/ve/article/view/2491/5742 https://verbumetecclesia.org.za/index.php/ve/article/view/2491/5743 https://verbumetecclesia.org.za/index.php/ve/article/view/2491/5744 https://verbumetecclesia.org.za/index.php/ve/article/view/2491/5745
 
Coverage South Africa Present All
Rights Copyright (c) 2022 Antonio Christian, Alexander D. Soal https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
ADVERTISEMENT