Original Research - Special Collection: Festschrift for Prof Stephan Joubert

@stephanjoubert: Tweeting the gospel aphoristically

Jan A. van den Berg
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies | Vol 77, No 4 | a6697 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v77i4.6697 | © 2021 Jan A. van den Berg | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 05 April 2021 | Published: 27 October 2021

About the author(s)

Jan A. van den Berg, Department of Practical and Missional Theology, Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa

Abstract

This contribution focusses on some of the digital theological expressions of Stephan Joubert from an auto-ethnographic angle. Orientating from a practical theology perspective, I have chosen the social media platform Twitter, and more specifically the @stephanjoubert domain, as source to chart some significant tweet expressions for the purpose of describing the character and value of an aphoristic theology. In order to do so, I have used some randomly selected tweets of Stephan Joubert, spanning the period 2020–2021, which express aspects of a relevant contemporary ecclesiology. Against the backdrop of the disastrous impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as some important dates on the Christian calendar (Easter and Christmas), I specifically emphasise the significance of the formulation of an aphoristic theology using amongst other markers of simplicity, contextuality and relevance.

Contribution: I conclude the reflection with some critical-evaluative remarks on the significance of aphoristic expressions for the development of a meaningful contemporary ecclesiology and theology.


Keywords

aphorism; practical theology; auto-ethnography; Twitter; tweets; @stephanjoubert

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