Semanturol: The Sower

This present publication comprises the second part of Volume 1 of Sem?n?torul (The Sower): The Emanuel Journal of Ministry and Biblical Research. It incorporates the Proceedings of the Bi-Annual International Theological Conference of the Department of Theology held in Emanuel University, Oradea, November 2016. The title of the Conference was: "Aspects of Missiological and Theological Thought: Challenges in the Twenty-First Century." The papers presented here include those given in person at the Conference by various colleagues of the Emanuel Faculty; others via a Skype call or by invitation.

The International Conference held by the Department of Theology was made possible through the commitment of members of the Emanuel faculty, the collaboration of Emanuel University Press, the Emanuel "Ethics and Society" Research Centre, and the contribution of distinguished colleagues from the Irish Baptist College, UK and the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky.

The second journal includes a range of papers on "Aspects" of both Missiological and Theological thought. The Journal opens with a paper on modern definitions of mission and a focus on Paul as a missionary apostle, his motivation, strategy and the mission churches he founded in Ephesus and Crete. The paper on the Eucharist in Romanian perspective, reminds us that the celebration of the Lord's Supper is memorial in character, bringing blessing through comprehending the risen Christ by faith, but also providing an opportunity for a visible act of proclamation of the Lord's death.

Other papers included focus upon Andrew Fuller, Secretary of the Baptist Missionary Society in 1792, whose theological perspective made such an impact on missionary thinking in the nineteenth century; Rodger Williams, his life and ministry, until his work on Rhode Island and on Alexander Carson in his use of the theme of the atonement as an apologetic tool. The essence of Carson's argument is that the uniqueness of the Gospel with its focus on the atonement, could never have been worked out by the human mind demonstrates the truth of God's existence.

There are further papers on Melchizedek, with a particular emphasis of his relation to the pre-existent Christ and on the doxologies of 1 Timothy, setting out Paul's various reasons for including them in his letter, not forgetting how they would challenge the heretical teachings in Ephesus and particularly provide the believers with a true understanding of the only true God, which would deeply influence their lives and lead them to witness and truly worship him. Again, the paper on the centrifugal and centripetal aspects of mission presents us with a challenge for reaching this generation.

It is hoped that the Proceedings Papers published here which include both Missiological and Theo-logical thought will be particularly a challenge to all who read them. Of course, it should be under-stood that the sources highlighted and the views presented in these papers remain those of the contributors themselves.

Emanuel University continues to be a strong witness as a conservative university in all of Europe. It should be understood that the sources highlighted and the views presented in these papers remain those of the contributors themselves.

Hamilton Moore, Editor.

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