NTT Journal for Theology and the Study of Religion - Volume 46, Issue 4, 1992

This article charts the latest insights in the study of Greek (1) myth, (2) ritual, and (3) the relation between myth and ritual; each paragraph, though, starts with a short historical survey. Although the main aim of this contribution is introductory, it also takes issue with a very recent proposal for a new definition of myth and ritual and with sociobiological interpretations of the relation between myth and ritual.

In this article the ideas of anagārika Dharmapāla, the leading so-called Buddhist modernist in Sri Lanka at the turn of the century, are discussed and placed in their historical perspective of the modernizing movements within Sri Lankan Theravāda Buddhism. A special interest is given to the puritan ideals in Dharmapāla’s publications and campaigns. These may be considered a result of his discourse with Western, esp. Christian values and with the glorified ideal past of Sri Lankan Buddhist civilization. Thereby Dharmapāla’s influence on present day religious, social and political developments in Sri Lanka becomes evident.

Letters of halakhic content offer valuable socio-historical information. The polemical Qumran letter (4QMMT) both affirms halakha hitherto known to be Sadducean and testifies to Pharisaic control over Temple procedures. The practical instruction making up most of 1 Corinthians appears to be based on a specific halakhic tradition, to be identified as Apostolic halakha. The Babylonian Talmud evinces the importance for the Babylonian academies of letters from Palestine transmitting the exact formulation of halakhic traditions. In concluding, various settings for halakhic letters are enumerated, naturally integrating early Christian data.

After having provided stipulative definitions of the concepts of ‘apologetics’ and ‘postmodernism’ the author argues that some recent work of Lesslie Newbigin, especially in his somewhat ignored The Gospel in a Pluralist Society, can adequately be characterized as ‘postmodern apologetics’. It is indicated how Newbigin adopts the current postmodern critique of modernity in the realms of epistemology, theory of language, and social philosophy and ethics, and how he transforms this critique into a reaffirmation of the plausibility of the Christian story. Finally, Newbigins project is briefly evaluated by testing in how far he resists the dual temptations of repristinating and revising classical theology.

The article sketches briefly the history of the Dutch psychology of religion. The early reception was influenced strongly by denominational doctrine and mentality. Although there was enough attention, psychology of religion could not attain an independent position. After World War II, there was a growing interest in psychological training for pastoral theologians which led to the appointment of a – in comparison with other European countries – rather high number of psychologists by theological departments. Some background information on this establishment is presented.