How can one describe the pluralisation of the religious realm, which is of such significance for processes of social change? How can it be done from an international perspective? The book sharpens the idea of religious pluralisation by elucidating it against the backdrop of specific religious phenomena and practices. Concepts and interpretations of religious praxis are correlated here in a way that has proven most fruitful in the field of Practical Theology. We take a closer look at twelve highly relevant topics that are formative for the practical-theological discourses in South Africa and Germany: poverty and wealth, education, transitional rites and passages, health, religious community formation and the future of the Church, beginning and end of life, transformation of the media, migration and interculturality, populism and radicalisation in religion and knowledge, processing of the past, communal living. Each topic will be introduced by one scholar from a certain country and commented on by another. The conversational procedure contributes to a contextual theology that understands theology essentially as dialogue. In all contributions pluralisation is the overarching topic. It shall be developed as a conception and theory respectively, both of which are not self-evident their theoretical implications must be explicitly unfolded.

Die psalmboek is ’n eeue oue bron van vertroosting. Dit verwoord ons vrese, onsekerhede, vreugde en hoop. Dit spreek tot ons met troos en verwagting en afwagting. Die psalms is hartswoorde wat uit die dankbare of gekwelde hart van mense na God opstyg.

Daar is verwondering oor die skoonheid van die skepping en die vaste patrone daarin. Daar is ook psalms wat deurdronge is van ervarings van krisis en nood. Dis ’n roepe uit ons hart na God. Daar is psalms waarin die lofliedere, dankbaarheid en hernude verwondering oor God se genade en voorsiening opklink. In Die tint van ons toekoms ondersoek Johan Cilliers die psalms as wegwysers na oordenkings oor verwonding, verwondering en verwagting met die hoop dat dit die leser op ’n nuwe weg sal plaas, ’n nuwe toekoms tegemoet.

In die psalms praat en bid, sug en sing mense hul hart voor God uit. Maar God praat daarin ook sy hart teenoor ons uit. In ’n sin is dit ’n gesprek van hart tot hart. Dis God wat ons uit die skadu’s van lyding en leed, verwonding en dood uitlei en ons toekoms algaande versadig met lig.

Although the act of preaching may take on various forms, the author takes a look at preaching as being an event in space and time. Aesthetical-theological concepts such as space and time are innovatively combined with the sensory experiences, like preaching as hearing and as seeing. This is an inspiring aesthetic combination of academic reflection, artworks and sermons.

As for its title, the publication deals incisively and imaginatively with the phenomenon of the living in the homiletic dynamic: the living voice of God, of the word, of the congregation, and, finally, of the preacher. From various theoretical and practical viewpoints the author critically examines the state and future of preaching and deals boldly with contentious issues such as the validity of legalistic and moralistic preaching. He develops a communicative model which he explains in a surprising manner using works of art. Four sermon examples serve to demonstrate his approach to the matter. The living voice of the gospel is an title for all students of theology and a challenging inspiration for preachers.

En soos die titel aandui, neem die publikasie indringend en verbeeldingryk as tema die lewende in die homiletiese dinamika: die lewende stem van God, van die woord, van die gemeente en uiteindelik van die prediker. Die skrywer doen vanuit verskillende teoretiese en praktiese gesigspunte 'n kritiese ondersoek na die toestand en toekoms van die prediking, en hy pak met oortuiging omstrede kwessies soos die geldigheid van wettiese en moralistiese prediking aan. Hy ontwikkel 'n kommunikatiewe model wat hy op verrassende wyse aan die hand van kunswerke verduidelik. Vier voorbeeldpreke demonstreer sy benadering tot die saak. Die lewende stem van die evangelie is 'n gesaghebbende title vir alle studente van die teologie en 'n aansporende handleiding vir predikers.