Navigating Civic Agency and Civic Space Amid Authoritarian Realities in Myanmar: Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Concept of Divine Mandate as Public Theology
In recent years, civic space has been deteriorating in many countries in Southeast Asia, and there is an urgent need for a more proactive and mindful civic agency to foster a humane society. Drawing inspiration from Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s concept of divine mandate, this paper proposes a public theolo...
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Religions |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/1/96 |
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| author | Lap Yan Kung |
| author_facet | Lap Yan Kung |
| author_sort | Lap Yan Kung |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In recent years, civic space has been deteriorating in many countries in Southeast Asia, and there is an urgent need for a more proactive and mindful civic agency to foster a humane society. Drawing inspiration from Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s concept of divine mandate, this paper proposes a public theology within an authoritarian regime, namely Myanmar. It explores divine mandates as essential for protecting civic space, advocates for Christian discipleship as a means of civic agency, and sparks moments of possibility by recognizing the hidden God in times of suffering. This paper highlights that an ethic of responsibility towards others lies at the core of divine mandate. It encompasses being an agent of direction, memory, linguistic self-consciousness and transformation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ab3e2c93d0cc4f47a97119cef87f5290 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj-art-ab3e2c93d0cc4f47a97119cef87f52902025-01-24T13:47:36ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442025-01-011619610.3390/rel16010096Navigating Civic Agency and Civic Space Amid Authoritarian Realities in Myanmar: Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Concept of Divine Mandate as Public TheologyLap Yan Kung0Divinity School of Chung Chi College, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR 999077, ChinaIn recent years, civic space has been deteriorating in many countries in Southeast Asia, and there is an urgent need for a more proactive and mindful civic agency to foster a humane society. Drawing inspiration from Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s concept of divine mandate, this paper proposes a public theology within an authoritarian regime, namely Myanmar. It explores divine mandates as essential for protecting civic space, advocates for Christian discipleship as a means of civic agency, and sparks moments of possibility by recognizing the hidden God in times of suffering. This paper highlights that an ethic of responsibility towards others lies at the core of divine mandate. It encompasses being an agent of direction, memory, linguistic self-consciousness and transformation.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/1/96authoritarianismdivine mandateDietrich BonhoefferMyanmarpublic theology |
| spellingShingle | Lap Yan Kung Navigating Civic Agency and Civic Space Amid Authoritarian Realities in Myanmar: Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Concept of Divine Mandate as Public Theology Religions authoritarianism divine mandate Dietrich Bonhoeffer Myanmar public theology |
| title | Navigating Civic Agency and Civic Space Amid Authoritarian Realities in Myanmar: Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Concept of Divine Mandate as Public Theology |
| title_full | Navigating Civic Agency and Civic Space Amid Authoritarian Realities in Myanmar: Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Concept of Divine Mandate as Public Theology |
| title_fullStr | Navigating Civic Agency and Civic Space Amid Authoritarian Realities in Myanmar: Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Concept of Divine Mandate as Public Theology |
| title_full_unstemmed | Navigating Civic Agency and Civic Space Amid Authoritarian Realities in Myanmar: Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Concept of Divine Mandate as Public Theology |
| title_short | Navigating Civic Agency and Civic Space Amid Authoritarian Realities in Myanmar: Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Concept of Divine Mandate as Public Theology |
| title_sort | navigating civic agency and civic space amid authoritarian realities in myanmar dietrich bonhoeffer s concept of divine mandate as public theology |
| topic | authoritarianism divine mandate Dietrich Bonhoeffer Myanmar public theology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/1/96 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lapyankung navigatingcivicagencyandcivicspaceamidauthoritarianrealitiesinmyanmardietrichbonhoeffersconceptofdivinemandateaspublictheology |