<p>This dissertation will examine the role of eros in Plato's middle dialogues -- the Phaedrus, Symposium and Republic -- and the various exercises or techniques found there for the correction and guidance of desire, leading to participation in what is, for Plato, the height of philosophy, the contemplative life. The training to which Socrates subjects his primary interlocutors in these three dialogues arises in conversation, and is a series of "spiritual exercises," in the words ofPierre Hadot, or therapies, drawing his partners in dialectic to a capacity to be arrested by philosophical beauty. Such drawing and the exercises for this -- the inducing of shame in those interlocutors who hold mistaken models of eros (Socrates' fIrst speech in the Phaedrus), meditation on accurate paradigms of philosophy (the allegory of the cave in the Republic) -- amount to a philosophical poetics, Plato's way of doing philosophy.</p> <p>A comparable training of desire appears in the ascetical theology of such Christian writers as John Cassian, pseudo-Dionysius and the author of The Cloud ofUnknowing. As with Plato's dialogues, the works of these thinkers are accounts of "turning the soul around" (Republic 518d, 521c), and are themselves training documents for those who subsequently read them. They are less concerned with the assertion of dogma than with the drawing of such readers into the practice of the higher forms of contemplative prayer. This dissertation sees a continuous tradition of erotics and soul craft extending from Plato to Christian writers in spirituality in late antiquity and beyond.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

<p>Broadly speaking, this thesis constitutes an examination of the history and development of the great Indian epic Mahābhārata, or the Great Story of the Descendents of Bharata. More specifically, this thesis attempts to shed light upon the origin of the Jaina <em>Mahābhārata</em> tradition and to elucidate its interactions with the Hindu Mahābhārata tradition over approximately two millennia. The discussion of these issues is focused upon one particular episode from the epic: the Marriage of Princess Draupadī to the five sons of King Pāṇḍu (i.e. the five pāṇḍavas). <br /><br />Whether the Jainas had their own ancient <em>Mahābhārata</em> tradition that developed independently and in parallel with the Hindu version or they simply appropriated the epic from the Hindus and self-consciously transformed it into a Jaina Mahābhārata has been a point of disagreement among scholars. It is concluded in this thesis that the Jainas did have an ancient and distinctive <em>Mahābhārata</em> tradition, though the tradition was rather modest and of limited importance to the early Jaina community. Over a period of approximately 1500- 2000 years, however, and under the influence of the popularity of the Hindu Mahābhārata, the Jaina <em>Mahābhārata</em> took on greater prominence in the Jaina community while at the same time becoming less distinctively Jaina and increasingly similar to the Hindu version.<br /><br />Finally, it is argued here that one particular short tale which is to be found in the oldest extant Hindu version of the Marriage of Draupadī was in fact originally a Jaina tale that was borrowed, adapted, and inserted into the Hindu <em>Mahābhārata</em> at a very early period (i.e. not later than 400 CE, and possibly much earlier).</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

<p>The purpose of this study is to examine how Hinduism is practised outside its Indian homeland. The focus of the study is the practice of Hinduism in Guyana and the transplantation of this Guyanese version into Canada. Using the postmodern anthropological concept of the "invention of tradition" as the underlying theoretical framework, the study demonstrates how Hindu immigrants in Guyana and their descendants have, over the past several decades, tried to reshape aspects of their traditional Hindu culture and religion to demonstrate in direct and symbolic ways a continuing sense of their Indian identity.</p> <p>The study examines this development as a two stage process: first, among East Indian immigrants in Guyana and secondly among their descendants who migrated to Canada and settled in and around Cambridge, Ontario. The study was based on field work carried out in a Guyanese Hindu temple, the Radha Krishna Temple at Cambridge. The analysis has revealed that the origin and development of this temple community is a response on the part of Guyanese Hindus living in Cambridge to their present situation as . immigrants in Canada. While the multi-ethnic Canadian environment requires them to define a specific sense of Hindu identity, their status as "strangers" or "aliens" in Canada calls for the development of a coping mechanism. As a result, they have formed a community based on a common Hindu religious affiIiation.</p> / Master of Arts (MA)

<p>An examination of sources of hope within the Old and New Testaments reveals that the OT focuses on land and the NT focuses on resurrection. This study traces out the development of both land and resurrection within biblical texts and important non-biblical Jewish texts.</p> <p>The idyllic traditions of the OT demonstrate the pivotal role of the Promised Land of Canaan. Texts that describe events before the exile have very little emphasis on resurrection.</p> <p>As Israel faced and experienced exile, they were forced to reflect on how that fit with beliefs in a Promised Land, including themes of judgment and restoration. It was during this exilic period that ideas about the afterlife began to increase.</p> <p>As Judaism developed in the so-called "intertestamental period," the land began to decrease in importance. It was during this formative stage of Judaism that resurrection beliefs began to thrive.</p> <p>By the time of the NT, the role of the land as a source of hope had decreased significantly, becoming an image for a spiritual inheritance. While land as hope had faded in the New Testament, the resurrection had risen in its place.</p> <p>By examining the OT, early Jewish literature, and the NT, a clear trajectory can be traced. As uncertainty in the secure possession of the land increased, a greater emphasis on the resurrection developed in Judaism, setting the stage for the land-Iess and resurrection-focused Christianity.</p> / Master of Arts (MA)

<p>This thesis examines the character of Tamar in Gen 38. By tracing her positive characterization throughout the passage, it is argued that she is the hero of the story. Despite her powerless status, Tamar courageously risks her life and honour for the good of the community, overcoming major social limitations and procuring the enviable position of matriarch of the tribe. After presenting Narrative Criticism, this methodology is applied to a detailed narrative analysis of Gen 38. Next, the characterization of Judah and Tamar and examined individually. Judah emerges in a rather negative light and serves to further highlight Tamar's positive characterization. Tamar's traits are presented one-by-one and it becomes evident that indeed, she achieves heroic status.</p> / Master of Arts (MA)

<p>This thesis has arisen out of the inner necessity of making a statement on Wilderness Camping. The writer who has done considerable small group camping in Central Ontario with boys from the City of Hamilton, has experienced a mood of optimism among Inner City youth especially in the area of Wilderness Camping. The writer feels that a Philosophy for Wilderness Camping with respect to Inner City Youth is in order, and this he has endeavoured to formulate. He expresses his gratitude to Professor Lois A. Tupper of McMaster Divinity College who has tirelessly prodded him to keep writing, for her guidance and suggestions and general helpfullness in the preparation of the thesis. The writer also expresses thanks to Professor Murray J.S. Ford for his help and patience as assistant supervisor and his care in correcting the manuscript. Without the encouragement of these two Faculty members, this thesis would not have been written. My thanks also to my patient wife, Bonnie, who has typed and criticized into the wee small hours of the morning.</p> / Bachelor of Divinity (BD)

<p>Taking a canonical approach to the text of the Old Testament, this thesis highlights the compassion of God by examining the social justice laws in the Torah. These laws governing Israel's behaviour toward its socially marginalized population show God's concern for, and involvement in, human affairs. Arising from these laws are the three themes of protection, provision, and inclusion, which summarize the advocacy of God on behalf of the socially marginalized. As a people redeemed by God out of a life of slavery, Israel experienced God's gracious advocacy first hand. As a people in covenant relationship with God, Israel would live before God and in accordance with his laws. Motivated by their gratefulness to God, Israel's obedience to these social justice laws would enable them to behave God-like in their behaviour toward the oppressed in their society, subsequently showing forth the compassion of God that protects, provides and includes.</p> / Master of Theological Studies (MTS)

<p>In this study, David Csinos explores the realms of children's spirituality and object relations theory in order to discover the effects of church environments on children's experiences with God. However, after conducting over thirty qualitative interviews with thirteen children, the author discovered that what had the greatest effect on the participants' experiences with God and their church environments was their dominant spiritual personality. He then outlines the four spiritual types-head, heart, mystic, and kingdom-and, based on the data collected from the thirteen children, discusses important characteristics of each personality. Finally, he offers churches and ministry leaders suggestions as to how to be inclusive of children of all spiritual personalities.</p> / Master of Theological Studies (MTS)

<p>There have been a number of attempts to evaluate Paul's letters with a variety of methodological approaches. This work attempts to view Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians in a new light by first applying epistolary theory to determine its letter divisions and is followed by an application of a linguistic theory to determine if the original unit divisions are supported by discourse analysis as well as provide a bottom-up interpretation to the letter, which is lacking in epistolary theory. My linguistic model is based on Halliday's systemic-functional linguistic model of language. Having been slightly adapted to evaluate a dead, non-English language, this model evaluates the hierarchy and co-text of language, followed by a tripartite field-tenor-mode register model and a discussion regarding the nature and implicature of cohesion and prominence in a text.</p> / Master of Arts (MA)

<p>In his letter to the Philippians, Paul seeks to equip the church with moral and intellectual abilities to exercise their knowledge of the gospel in the difficult circumstances in which they find themselves. He does this by providing Christ (Phil 2:5-11), as the paradigm for Christian behaviour and community life. Though Käsemann (1950) and Martin (1967) challenged the view that Christ acts as a moral example in this passage, this study argues that a paradigmatic reading of Phil 2:5-11 best suits the context of the passage and Paul's overarching purposes throughout the letter. Paul also provides three concrete examples of those who have learned to narrate their lives in Christ, namely, Timothy, Epaphroditus and himself. Paul uses these people as examples for the church to emulate. This study further argues that the metaphor of character best describe the theological ethics that Paul employs in this letter.</p> / Master of Divinity (M.Div)