Master of Science / Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology / Christy D. Moran / Maintaining identities of being a Christian and a lesbian or gay has traditionally in mainstream society been considered to be an oxymoron. Yet upon review, a large number of homosexuals profess to be Christians and find strength in their faith. The purpose of this report is create a hypothesis that is developed as a result of a literature review and informal interviews on the identity development and synthesis that occurs for lesbians and gays in the areas of homosexual identity and spiritual identity. To accomplish this task a comparison was made between Anthony D’Augelli’s Model of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Development (1994) and Sharon Daloz Parks Spirituality Development Theory (1986, 2000). Within the confines of this report, key attention was paid to examining whether the developmental critical paths for each area can be visually constructed as parallel lines with independent critical paths occurring simultaneously, if there is only a one line with a singular critical path or if one critical path intersects the other and therefore certain development stage(s) of one model must be completed before the individual can progress in the other model. Findings revealed that in most cases individuals did not move simultaneously on the two developmental paths. Rather, it was necessary for most individuals to be high on either the spiritual identity development model or high on the homosexual identity development model in order to move forward on the other with the goal being to gain a reconciliation between the two identities.

In trying to understand ecological identity within adult environmental education, I embarked on an arts-informed exploration of my life history. I realized that everything I know about the environment grew from what I experienced as a child. My childhood experiences are most vivid in my memories of the natural world. I wanted to know more about the relationship between childhood experiences and ecological identity. Based on a personal transformation, and journey toward restoring awareness of the senses and how we know as human beings, I chose my life as the focus of this research. Had my childhood experiences influenced how I relate to the environment? How had they done that? What was it about those childhood experiences? This thesis is the culmination of my inquiry. It is my story and an offering to travel with me to my childhood and make sense of your own experiences in the natural world.

In trying to understand ecological identity within adult environmental education, I embarked on an arts-informed exploration of my life history. I realized that everything I know about the environment grew from what I experienced as a child. My childhood experiences are most vivid in my memories of the natural world. I wanted to know more about the relationship between childhood experiences and ecological identity. Based on a personal transformation, and journey toward restoring awareness of the senses and how we know as human beings, I chose my life as the focus of this research. Had my childhood experiences influenced how I relate to the environment? How had they done that? What was it about those childhood experiences? This thesis is the culmination of my inquiry. It is my story and an offering to travel with me to my childhood and make sense of your own experiences in the natural world.

Avant de devenir l’écrivain spirituel de renom que l’on sait, Thomas Merton (1915-1968) vécut un difficile chemin de conversion qu’il relate dans son autobiographie (The seven storey mountain). Si les études de son parcours de vie (1915-1941), ainsi que son passage en France (1925-1928) montrent leur richesse et leur complexité, c’est son récit autobiographique qui indique le mieux son chemin de conversion. Il en ressort sept expériences religieuses qui rendent compte du combat ayant construit son identité spirituelle, déjà bien affirmée avant son entrée à la Trappe de Gethsémani. Depuis sa première expérience vécue en France (en 1927 à l’âge de 12 ans), jusqu’à celle du Lundi Saint vécue en pleine guerre (en 1941 à l’âge de 26 ans), ces expériences se déroulent au long de trois étapes de construction de son identité spirituelle, soit depuis l’exil de la foi jusqu’à son abandon en Christ. D’une portée tant littéraire que théologique, ces expériences représentent la contribution qui manquait aux études mertoniennes / Before becoming the famous spiritual writer we know, Thomas Merton (1915-1968) had a chaotic way of conversion he encounters in his autobiography (The seven storey mountain). If the studies of his life course (1915-1941) and his stay in France (1925-1928) shows the richness and complexity of this journey, it is his autobiographical account which shows the best his way of conversion. Seven religious experiences come out of his struggle which built his spiritual identity that was already steady before his entry at the Trappist monastery of Gethsemani. Since his first experience that happened in France (1927, 12 years old) until the one that took place on Monday before Easter in war time (1941, 26 years old), these experiences occurred in three steps building his spiritual identity, that is to say from the faith exile to his moment of abandon into Christ. These experiences – as library as theological – show what was missing in the Mertonian studies

Chance events began with the Big Bang and influenced all subsequent evolutionary processes, including the genesis and evolution of biological life. The complex and versatile human brain has come to dominate the environment. Self-awareness generated the idea of spiritual identity and survival beyond death. The assumption of demi-god status gave sanctity and dignity to humans, a moral separation that justified the exploitation of other animals. But evolution has a common origin, fleshed out in the biological similarities of all mammals, including humans. Neurological and biochemical correlates suggest the omnipresence of consciousness and self-consciousness at levels that vary according to nervous system complexity. Accepting a more inclusive morality does not diminish the value of human life. It acknowledges their power to adapt to changing conditions. Human survival depends on change and human lives can only benefit from a more inclusive worldview that considers the welfare of all sentient beings and the sustainability of a shared environment. / Philosophy and Systematic Theology / M.A. (Philosophy)

Chance events began with the Big Bang and influenced all subsequent evolutionary processes, including the genesis and evolution of biological life. The complex and versatile human brain has come to dominate the environment. Self-awareness generated the idea of spiritual identity and survival beyond death. The assumption of demi-god status gave sanctity and dignity to humans, a moral separation that justified the exploitation of other animals. But evolution has a common origin, fleshed out in the biological similarities of all mammals, including humans. Neurological and biochemical correlates suggest the omnipresence of consciousness and self-consciousness at levels that vary according to nervous system complexity. Accepting a more inclusive morality does not diminish the value of human life. It acknowledges their power to adapt to changing conditions. Human survival depends on change and human lives can only benefit from a more inclusive worldview that considers the welfare of all sentient beings and the sustainability of a shared environment. / Philosophy and Systematic Theology / M.A. (Philosophy)

abstract: This dissertation delves into some EFL stakeholders' understanding of spiritual identities and power relations associated with these identities as performed in an undergraduate EFL teacher education program at a Christian university in Indonesia. This study is motivated by an ongoing debate over the place of spirituality, especially Christianity, in ELT. In this project, religions are considered to be windows through which one's spirituality is viewed and expressed. Spiritually associated relations of power indicate discrepancies due to positioning of one person committed to a spiritual view in relation to those having similar or different spiritual views. The purpose of exploring spiritually associated identities and power relations is to provide empirical evidence which supports the following arguments. The integration of spirituality in ELT, or lack thereof, can be problematic. More importantly, however, spirituality can be enriching for some EFL teachers and students alike, and be presented together with critical ELT. To explore the complexity of power relations associated with some EFL stakeholders' spiritual identities, I analyzed data from classroom observations, four focus group discussions from February to April 2014, and individual interviews with 23 teachers and students from February to September 2014. Findings showed that Christian and non-Christian English teachers had nuanced views regarding the place of prayer in ELT-related activities, professionalism in ELT, and ways of negotiating spiritually associated power relations in ELT contexts. Students participating in this study performed their spiritual identities in ways that can be perceived as problematic (e.g., by being very dogmatic or evangelical) or self-reflexive. Classroom observations helped me to see more clearly how Christian English teachers interacted with their students from different religious backgrounds. In one class, a stimulating dialogue seemed to emerge when a teacher accommodated both critical and religious views to be discussed. This project culminates in my theorization of the praxis of critical spiritual pedagogy in ELT. Central to this praxis are (a) raising the awareness of productive power and power relations associated with spiritual identities; (b) learning how to use defiant discourses in negotiating spiritually associated power relations; and (c) nurturing self-reflexivity critically and spiritually. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation English 2014

AFRIKAANS: In die tyd waarin ons leef is daar 'n wêreldwye oplewing in spiritualiteit. Mense raak al meer bewus van die feit dat hulle ook spirituele wesens is. Desnieteenstaande vind baie mense, veral Christene, dit moeilik om hul spiritualiteit uit te leef, aangesien tradisionele geestelike dissiplines nie noodwendig hul behoefte genoegsaam aanspreek nie. In hierdie studie is daar ondersoek ingestel na die gebruik van terapeutiese kuns as geestelike dissipline in die uitlewing van spirituele identiteit by die jong volwasse vrou. Terapeutiese kuns, wat as 'n hibried van tradisionele kunsterapie beskou kan word, het anders as kunsterapie 'n estetiese eindproduk ten doel nie, maar sou ook terapeuties van waarde kon wees. Die effek van 'n estetiese eindproduk op die skepper van die werk kan nie onderskat word nie. Estetika kan 'n belangrike element wees in die ervaring van God. Die estetiese aard van terapeutiese kuns staan daarom in diens van die uitlewing van spirituele identiteit. Dit is juis hierdie blootstelling aan skoonheid en ander estetiese ervarings wat 'n persoon se emosies kan transendeer en blootstel aan die groter, aangrypende realiteit van God. Die teologiese vertrekpunt waarvan hierdie navorsing uitgaan is gegrond in postfundamentele teologie met klem op bemagtigende, profeties-bevrydende, feministies-kontekstuele praktiese teologie. Die werkswyse wat die navorsing onderlê is die narratiewe benadering wat tuiskom binne sosiaal konstruksionisme. Daar word spesifiek gefokus op kwalitatiewe, feministiese, deelnemende navorsingsmetodologie. Die navorsing handel oor die verhaal van die Vyf Dogters van Eva, ek en vier mede-navorsers, wat deur die gebruik van terapeutiese kuns gesoek het na 'n manier om kuns in te span in die uitlewing van ons spirituele identiteit. Die waarde van hierdie navorsing is veral geleë in die feit dat dit gehandel het oor die werklike lewensverhale van vyf vroue en hul belewenis van terapeutiese kuns in die uitlewing van hul spiritualiteit. Die uitkoms van die navorsing is dus allesbehalwe 'n blote hipotese. Dit is "ervaarde werklikheid", wat hopelik ook vir ander van waarde sal kan wees. Alhoewel dit in hierdie studie duidelik word dat kuns en spirituele identiteit allesbehalwe onversoenbare terme is, bestaan daar steeds die persepsie in die kerk dat daar spanning tussen die kerk en kuns bestaan. Om hierdie rede word daar aandag gegee aan die verhaal van kuns in die kerk sedert die vroegste tyd, om sodoende te probeer verstaan waar hierdie spanning vandaan kom. Daar word ook gesoek na nuwe maniere om die verhouding tussen kuns en die kerk te beskou. Die veld van kunsterapie word ondersoek en daar word ondersoek ingestel na die treffende verband tussen kunsterapie en die narratiewe benadering. Daar word ook aandag gegee aan die vrou se unieke belewenis van haar spiritualiteit en geloofsontwikkeling, asook na spirituele identiteit, om sodoende verdere Iig te werp op die potensiele verhouding tussen kuns en geloof. Die belang van die ontwikkeling van 'n unieke simboolsisteem vir elke individu bestaande uit simbool, metafoor en ritueel in die beoefening van kuns as geloofsdissipline geniet ook aandag. ENGLISH: Recently there has been a worldwide revival in spirituality. People increasingly perceive themselves as spiritual beings. Yet lots of people, especially Christians, find it difficult to realise their spirituality. Traditional spiritual disciplines do not address this need sufficiently. In this research the use of therapeutic art as spiritual discipline in the realisation of spirituality in the young adult woman has been investigated. Therapeutic art, which can be seen as a hybrid of traditional art therapy, differs from art therapy in that it aims to achieve an aesthetic end product - yet it can be experienced as therapeutic. Although therapeutic art underlines the importance of aesthetics, it does not undermine the therapeutic process. The effect of an aesthetic end product on its creator can not be under estimated. Therapeutic art enhances the realisation of spiritual identity as its aesthetic quality serves as a means of experiencing God. It is this exposure to beauty and other aesthetic experiences that transcends an individual's emotions and exposes him/her to the greater, poignant reality of God. The theological basis of the research is grounded in postfoundational theology, focusing on empowering, prophetic-liberating, feministic-contextual practical theology. The research method is rooted in the narrative approach as found in social constructionism. Specific emphasis is placed on qualitative, feministic and participatory action research methodology. The research tells the story of the Five Daughters of Eve, myself and four co¬researchers, who use therapeutic art in search of the realisation of our spiritual identity. The research is not aimed at generalising outcomes. The outcome of the research is of specific value, due the fact that the true life stories of five women and their experience of therapeutic art in the realisation of their spirituality is highlighted. The outcome of the research is not only a hypothesis - it is based on 'experienced reality' that aims to serve as a contextual framework for others in search of the realisation of their spiritual identity. Research findings clearly support the fact that art and spiritual identity are not irreconcilable ideas. The relationship between the church and art are often perceived as strenuous. As point of departure, it is attempted to create an understanding for the narrative of the church and art. A common basis of understanding is required to fully comprehend the reason for this tension. As far as the relationship between the church and art is concerned, a search is undertaken towards new ways of understanding. The art therapy field is examined and used as basis for explanation. Research focuses on the connection between art therapy and the narrative approach. The unique experience of women's spirituality and faith development, as well as spiritual identity in relation to the potential relationship between art and faith are exposed. Inquiry is conducted in the importance of a unique system of symbols, consisting of symbol, metaphor and ritual in the pursuit of art as spiritual discipline. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Practical Theology / unrestricted

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This diploma thesis focuses on selected psychological aspects of Jewish identity, namely its content and meaning in contemporary Czech society. It reviews how the bearers of this identity understand and feel positive or negative aspects related to it in their lives. The theoretical part introduces the field of identity in psychology in general and subsequently focuses specifically on Jewish identity. The chosen theoretical model of identity, adjusted to the Czech environment, represents the basis for applied research of this identity. The empirical part is conducted as a qualitative study by means of interpretative phenomenological analysis of in-depth semi-structured interviews. The results mapping contemporary Jewish identity in Czech society should be utilised to raise awareness about this frequently overlooked topic and perhaps also further utilised by professionals who encounter Jewish identity in their work. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)