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This book is meant for academics in the fields of theology and ecclesial management, for business leaders and governmental authorities in the private and public domain. This collected work by mainly practical theologians reflects on the phenomenon of corruption in the liberal democracy of post-apartheid South Africa. Liberal democracy has considerable salience in the contemporary world. Not only is it the form that many of the world’s most powerful and influential nations approve of, but it is a political system that is being tried – and used – by many formerly developing countries. South Africa is described as predominantly Christian. In such a context corruption is not to be expected. However, it is strongly prevalent. It undermines the values of both democracy and Christianity. Not only does corruption promote a general lack of trust in institutions and leadership, but it stimulates a perpetual culture of corruption that invades all spheres of life. The research is based on a qualitative empirical study. Its aim is to stimulate discourse in theology and related disciplines. Data were collected by means of interviews with political, business, church, and labour union managers and leaders in South Africa’s Gauteng area, who have experienced corruption. This area is the hub of economic, executive political and public office activities in South Africa. Respondents were specifically asked how their experience of corruption was informed by their norms, which in turn were influenced by their religious convictions and cultural conventions. The book suggests strategies for redressing the current ‘culture of corruption’. Although the chapters represent different perspectives, the shared objective is to emphasise that corruption is unethical, to describe and explain why it is taking place and how the situation should appear. The explanation focuses on the negative consequence of corruption: it does not respect human dignity – the ‘otherness’ of others; it exacerbates poverty; it weakens religious values and norms; it is not conducive to social cohesion in the country. The authors also share the theological premise that God is present in this world. In the kingdom of God, believers are encouraged to participate in the ‘clean-up’ process which includes combating the phenomenon of corruption. This book roots theological research and reflection in the real life of both believers and non-believers who consider a ‘clean’ world without corruption as an absolute necessity for a country characterised by the ideals of liberal democracy. The book will stimulate on-going transdisciplinary research focusing on unethical lifestyles, and it will also encourage church leaders to engage with managers in other spheres of society, such as politics and economics in order to counter the evil of corrupt practices. The research outcomes are relevant not only in the South African context, but also globally.

Corruption --- Political corruption --- Ethics --- Christianity and politics --- Moral and ethical aspects. --- Religious aspects --- Christianity. --- Christianity --- Church and politics --- Politics and Christianity --- Politics and the church --- Political science --- Deontology --- Ethics, Primitive --- Ethology --- Moral philosophy --- Morality --- Morals --- Philosophy, Moral --- Science, Moral --- Philosophy --- Values --- Boss rule --- Corruption (in politics) --- Graft in politics --- Malversation --- Political scandals --- Politics, Practical --- Misconduct in office --- Corrupt practices --- Political aspects --- corruption --- democratic context --- christian leaders --- countering corruption --- pastoral directives --- Ezekiel --- God --- Jesus --- South Africa

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A bold new religious history of the late antique and medieval Middle East that places ordinary Christians at the center of the storyIn the second half of the first millennium CE, the Christian Middle East fractured irreparably into competing churches and Arabs conquered the region, setting in motion a process that would lead to its eventual conversion to Islam. Jack Tannous argues that key to understanding these dramatic religious transformations are ordinary religious believers, often called "the simple" in late antique and medieval sources. Largely agrarian and illiterate, these Christians outnumbered Muslims well into the era of the Crusades, and yet they have typically been invisible in our understanding of the Middle East's history.What did it mean for Christian communities to break apart over theological disagreements that most people could not understand? How does our view of the rise of Islam change if we take seriously the fact that Muslims remained a demographic minority for much of the Middle Ages? In addressing these and other questions, Tannous provides a sweeping reinterpretation of the religious history of the medieval Middle East.This provocative book draws on a wealth of Greek, Syriac, and Arabic sources to recast these conquered lands as largely Christian ones whose growing Muslim populations are properly understood as converting away from and in competition with the non-Muslim communities around them.

Middle East --- Moyen Orient --- Religion --- 28 <5-011> --- 28 <5-011> Christelijke kerken, secten. Kristelijke kerken--(algemeen)--Nabije-Oosten. Midden-Oosten --- 28 <5-011> Les diverses Eglises chretiennes:--general--Nabije-Oosten. Midden-Oosten --- Christelijke kerken, secten. Kristelijke kerken--(algemeen)--Nabije-Oosten. Midden-Oosten --- Les diverses Eglises chretiennes:--general--Nabije-Oosten. Midden-Oosten --- Christians-Middle East-History. --- Middle East-Church history. --- Middle East-Religion-History-To 1500. --- RELIGION / Christianity / History. --- Abbasid Baghdad. --- Arab Muslim immigrants. --- Arab conquerors. --- Arab conquests. --- Arab encampments. --- Arabic. --- Chalcedonians. --- Christian Middle East. --- Christian authorities. --- Christian beliefs. --- Christian communities. --- Christian community. --- Christian confession. --- Christian doctrines. --- Christian education. --- Christian history. --- Christian identity. --- Christian leaders. --- Christian literature. --- Christian message. --- Christian movements. --- Christian schools. --- Christian tradition. --- Christianity. --- Christians. --- Christian–Muslim interaction. --- Christian–Muslim relations. --- Church of the East. --- Eucharist. --- Islam. --- Islamic history. --- Islamic tradition. --- Jacob of Edessa. --- Jews. --- Miaphysite church. --- Miaphysite. --- Miaphysites. --- Middle Ages. --- Middle East. --- Middle Eastern Christian. --- Muhammad. --- Muslim habitation. --- Muslim rule. --- Muslim tradition. --- Muslims. --- Prophet. --- Qenneshre. --- Roman Middle East. --- Roman Syria. --- Roman state. --- Syria. --- Syriac language. --- basic education. --- canons. --- church leaders. --- clergy. --- community formation. --- confessional allegiance. --- confessional indifference. --- continuities. --- cultural institutions. --- debate. --- doctrinal difference. --- doctrinal theology. --- educational institutions. --- family connections. --- garrison cities. --- intercultural exchange. --- learned philosophers. --- literacy. --- material benefits. --- medieval Middle East. --- military upheaval. --- monasteries. --- non-Muslims. --- political discontinuity. --- political power. --- post-Chalcedonian. --- religious believers. --- religious claims. --- religious competition. --- religious conversion. --- religious difference. --- religious diversity. --- religious dynamics. --- religious framework. --- religious minority. --- religious motivation. --- religious questions. --- religious tradition. --- religious traditions. --- rival churches. --- sacraments. --- salaf. --- shared experiences. --- shared settings. --- simple Christians. --- simple Muslims. --- simple believer. --- simple believers. --- simple faith. --- simplicity. --- theological literacy. --- theological speculation. --- translations. --- violence.