Belief in prophetic inspiration and the possibility of discerning the future was a cornerstone of medieval conceptions of history and of God’s workings within that history. But prophecy’s significance for the Middle Ages is due as much to the multiplicity of its meanings as to its role as an engine of history. Prophetia was described in terms ranging from prediction and historiography to singing and teaching. This thesis examines the attempts of medieval thinkers to wrestle with these ambiguities. The nature and implications of prophetic inspiration were a crucial area of contention during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, as scholastic theologians, with their particular techniques and standards of rationality, attempted to make systematic sense of inspired speech and knowledge. These attempts reveal a great deal about medieval structures of knowledge, and about theological reflections on the Church’s place in history. The stakes were high: ‘prophecy’ not only was the subject of Old Testament exegesis, but also, in its various forms, was often the basis of authority for exegetes and theologians themselves, as well as for preachers, visionaries, saints, and even writers of secular works. Those who claimed the mantle of the prophet came just as easily from inside the institutional structures as from outside. Theologians began legitimating a moderate form of inspiration that justified their own work through ordinary activities such as teaching and preaching, while trying to keep at bay perceived threats from powerful assertions of prophetic authority, such as Islam, female visionaries, and schismatic and apocalyptic Franciscans. This study argues that, as theologians sought to determine the limits of prophetic privilege, and to shape prophecy for their own purposes, they actually opened space for claims of divine insight to proliferate in those ordinary activities, and in a way that went beyond their control.

This thesis shows that patristic interpretation of the Transfiguration had a sensitivity to visionary and ecstatic motifs within the synoptic Transfiguration narratives, and particularly Luke’s, which prompted a rich breadth of hermeneutic interaction with our texts. I offer the evidence of my survey of the reception history of the Transfiguration in the first 900 years of Christian history as a way of filling a number of gaps in knowledge in modern biblical scholarship concerning the Transfiguration narratives. This thesis begins, in Chapters 1, 2, and 3, with an appraisal of interpretation offered by modern biblical scholars, patrologists, and art historians. Critical comment often overlooks a series of ambiguities in the narratives, particularly the distinct characteristics of Luke’s version. These include the question of whether the disciples enter the overshadowing cloud, the presence of priestly or cultic imagery, visionary motifs frequently found in apocalyptic texts, such as the disciples’ drowsiness, and Peter’s confusion at not knowing what he said. Chapters 4-7 examine the earliest reception in 2 Peter, the Apocalypse of Peter, and the Acts of Peter, explore at some length Origen’s and Tertullian’s interpretation, and also look at Latin and Greek comment after Origen. I show many ancient writers to understand the disciples as experiencing ecstatic vision. Some also use cultic language appertaining to the Jerusalem Temple in their exegesis of the Transfiguration. They also employ the narrative to interpret other prophetic or visionary texts. Many of these distinguishing features of interpretation frequently stem from their attentiveness to the Lucan narrative. Chapter 8 examines the earliest artistic depictions of the Transfiguration from the sixth century onwards. This chapter indicates that many of the visionary and cultic themes we have outlined in previous chapters are frequently overlooked by art historians, and also that Luke’s narrative exercised a greater influence on representation of the Transfiguration than many people have imagined. This thesis concludes with a reconsideration of the visionary character of the Transfiguration narratives. Many of the ambiguities, overlooked details, and distinctive traits we pointed to in our opening chapters will be seen to have had much greater significance through many centuries of early hermeneutic tradition and artistic depiction than is the case in modern historical critical scholarship.

Subject to this study is the Neunfelsenbuch ('Book of the Nine Cliffs'), an account of a vision, which is assumed to have originated in Strasbourg after 1352. Initially written in the German vernacular, it was widely circulated in various German dialects and in Dutch and Latin translation. The text exists in two versions: a long version, which is thought to be the work of Rulman Merswin (1382), a citizen of Strasbourg and founder of the convent at the 'Gruner Worth' (1367); and a short version of unknown authorship. Previous scholars have considered the long version to be Merswin's reformulation of the shorter text, which was presumed - though not proven - to have been the original. By investigating the transmission and the textual history, this study aims to solve the questions of authorship and original form. It provides an overview of the entire transmission of both versions in prints and manuscripts, particularly focusing on the southern German short version. For the first time the short version is made available in a critical edition, as a basis for a systematic comparison with the long version. The comparison reveals that, in fact, the long version is the original and thus confirms Rulman Merswin as the true author. Written in 1352, the text not only belongs to the oldest works of the Tauler reception, but also stands at the beginning of the literary production at the 'Gruner Worth'. As a result, this text provides new insights into the spiritual development and the literary heritage of one of the most important centres of spiritual literature in the German vernacular of its time.

This thesis investigates the influences on Jerome's translation of the Psalter from the Hebrew (IH Psalter) that came from the three major socio-religious spheres with which Jerome was acquainted. It argues that the results offer insights into Jerome's conception of the nature of Hebrew text itself, of the relationship between it and the Christian faith, and of his role as translator. The thesis argues and demonstrates that the language of the IH Psalter reveals influences that derive from Jerome's classical background, from his contact with rabbinic scholars in Palestine, and, especially, from his adopted Christian faith. These influences are subtle, but their combined effect is considerable. Care is taken to demonstrate that Jerome was a competent translator, and that he deliberately intended the classical, Jewish or Christian nuances that are discussed. This is achieved, first, by comparing the IH Psalter with the Hebrew as an initial step, then with Jerome's translation of the Psalter from the Hexaplaric Septuagint, and with the various Greek versions where they are extant; and second, by evaluating the relationship between Jerome's translations and his exegetical material on the Psalter. The fact that Jerome is both translator and exegete of the Psalter allows clear insight into the impact of his understanding of the Psalms on his translation of them. The Conclusion argues that the issues can be focussed on and find their resolution in Jerome's conception of the nature and function of the Hebrew text. By imputing to Jerome a belief in the divine inspiration of the Hebrew text, and a belief that the Hebrew text properly understood and properly translated reveals Jesus Christ, the character of the IH Psalter can best be explained. Jerome's translations often exploited available linguistic space, but they rarely went beyond what hebraica veritas could reasonably signify.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-04-17T15:02:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 346139 bytes, checksum: 5ec16670206507339cdcfce1e772c141 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-02-18 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The object of this dissertation is the study of the ways of the youths' attendance in risk situation done by three institutions, a public one and laic and two confessionals, that are Non Government Organizations ONGs - of christian religious shape, being a catholic and other protestant. The general objective of this research was: to analyze the attendance forms for the recovery of the citizenship and youths' inclusion in situation of social and personal risk of three educational institutions, being a public one and laic and two religious, of João Pessoa/PB. This research universe was organized for ends of comparison, in the following way: Group I, referring the adolescents assisted by CFCMPS, that is the laic public institution, and Group II, that includes the youths assisted by Hope Farm and Youth Group, that they are the two religious institutions Catholic and Protestant, respectively. We verified that the attendance of CFCMPS, that belongs to laic and public shape, is fail, disengaged, and has serious problems of lack of physical maintenance and hygiene, and the results in terms of recovery of the citizenship and the youths' inclusion received by this center are null. By other side, the pedagogical work well-founded in christian religiosity of Hope Farm and Youth Group is based by the tripod of the spirituality, work and the youths' harmonious coexistence that is received by her. They are stimulated to they accept and wish your recovery through the religious practice, manual works and hard and rigid behaviorals rules, that are developed in organized environment and maintained by the own young people in recuperation, and, in agreement with the speeches of these young ones whose results are considered highly satisfactory. The authors that inspired this research were: Mircea Eliade (1991), Weber (2007), Gadotti (1984), Zaluar (1997) among others. / O objeto desta dissertação é o estudo das formas de atendimento dos jovens em situação de risco feitas por três instituições, uma pública laica e duas confessionais, que são Organizações Não Governamentais ONGs - de cunho religioso cristão, sendo uma católica e outra protestante. O objetivo geral desta pesquisa foi: Analisar as formas de atendimento para a recuperação da cidadania e inclusão de jovens em situação de risco social e pessoal de três instituições educacionais, sendo uma pública e laica e duas religiosas, de João Pessoa/PB. Este universo de pesquisa foi organizado para fins de comparação, da seguinte forma: Grupo I, referente aos adolescentes atendidos pelo CFCMPS, que é a instituição pública laica, e Grupo II, que engloba os jovens atendidos pela Fazenda Hope e Grupo Jovens, que são as duas instituições religiosas católica e protestante, respectivamente. Constatamos que o atendimento do CFCMPS, que é de cunho laico e público, é falho, descomprometido e tem sérios problemas de falta de manutenção física e de higiene, e os resultados em termos de recuperação da cidadania e inclusão dos jovens acolhidos por este centro são nulos. Por outro lado, o trabalho pedagógico apoiado na religiosidade cristã da Fazenda Hope e Grupo Jovens é fundamentado pelo tripé da espiritualidade, trabalho e convivência harmoniosa dos jovens acolhidos por ela. Eles são estimulados a aceitarem e desejarem sua recuperação através da prática religiosa, trabalhos braçais e regras comportamentais rígidas, que são desenvolvidas em ambientes organizados e mantidos pelos próprios recuperandos, e, de acordo com os discursos destes jovens os resultados são considerados altamente satisfatórios. Os autores que inspiraram esta pesquisa foram: Mircea Eliade (1991), Weber (2007), Gadotti (1984), Zaluar (1997) entre outros.

This thesis examines the spiritual lives of eighteenth-century English women through an analysis of their personal writings. It explores the manuscripts of religious women who practised their faith by writing letters, diaries, poetry, and other highly personal texts—texts that give unique access to the interior, spiritual lives of their authors. Concerned not only with the individual meaning of those writings but with their communal meanings, it argues that women’s informal writing, written within personal relationships, acted to undergird, guide, and indeed shape religious communities in vital and unexplored ways. Through an exploration of various significant personal relationships, both intra- and inter-generationally, this thesis demonstrates the multiple ways in which women were active in ‘writing religious communities’. The women discussed here belonged to communities that habitually communicated through personal writing. At the same time, their acts of writing were creative acts, powerful to build and shape religious communities: these women wrote religious community. A series of interweaving case studies guide my analysis and discussion. The thesis focuses on Catherine Talbot (1721–70), Anne Steele (1717–78), and Ann Bolton (1743–1822), and on their literary interactions with friends and family. Considered together, these subjects and sources allow comparison across denomination, for Talbot was Anglican, Steele Baptist, and Bolton Methodist. After an introductory chapter, Chapter Two focuses on spiritual friendship, showing how women used personal writings within peer relationships to think through religious ideas and encourage faith commitments. Chapter Three considers older women as spiritual elders, arguing that elderly women sometimes achieved honoured status in religious communities and were turned to for spiritual direction. Chapter Four explores the ways in which women offered religious instruction to spiritual children through the creative use of informal writings, including diaries and poetry. And Chapter Five considers women’s personal writings as spiritual legacy, as they were preserved by family and friends and continued to function in religious communities after the death of their authors.

The thesis examines young women’s livelihoods in Calabar, southeastern Nigeria. It discusses how young women aim to realise their believed ‘destinies of greatness’, reconciling aspirations of fortune with present insecurities. Pinpointing a time when the city’s universities were on indefinite strikes, the discussions depict young women’s industriousness as they ‘wait’ amid uncertainty. The thesis focuses explicitly on young women’s engagement with Pentecostalism, the religion encouraging action, timeliness, and knowledge of the self and God. Understanding how young women fashion Pentecostal subjectivities attuned with ideals of urban success, the chapters focus on various ‘sites’ in their lives: church ministries, the home, sewing shops, beauty pageants. The thesis argues that young women believe they can realise future fortune by constantly partaking in acts of self-preparation. However, as action is driven by the competing forces of fear and faith, the acts young women believe will fashion subjectivities conducive to urban success are always gambles. Illuminating the emic concept of ‘destiny’ – a classic concept in West African Anthropology, denoting personhood and lifecourse (Fortes 1987) – the thesis builds upon recent analyses of how action underpins concepts of hope (Miyazaki 2004), doubt (Pelkmans 2013), and fortune (da Col 2012; Graeber 2012). Illuminating action and futures, the discussion contributes to recent analyses of time, productivity and youth (Honwana 2012; Jeffrey 2010; Masquelier 2013a). By examining the often-ignored category of young women, the thesis develops an understanding of ‘feminine cultures of waiting’. The discussion of how Pentecostal subjectivities are fashioned, which draws different ‘sites’ of young women’s lives together, also furthers analyses of African youth by countering salient narratives of youth in violence (e.g. Vigh 2006). Focusing on young women’s livelihoods, the thesis contributes to an Anthropology of (Pentecostal) Christianity by illustrating how religious rhetoric and practice are carried out and negotiated outside formal church institutions.

As a neologism for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, the modern construct 'Abrahamic religions' is as ubiquitous as it is contested in the study of the monotheistic religions. Some have argued against the use of the concept on both historical and theological grounds. In particular, the concept is often interpreted as ecumenically motivated in the thought of Louis Massignon. This understanding arises from a parochial interpretation of its origins, in which Massignon's reflections on the subject over time, as well as its varied uses in recent times, have not been fully considered. This thesis calls for a more extensive historical analysis of its genealogy with the aim of discussing its intellectual and cultural backgrounds. In doing so, it seeks to shed light on how the interrelationships between the three religions had been historically examined prior to Massignon, and how the birth of the concept in his thought and its subsequent uses offer a richer understanding of the concept that goes beyond ecumenical significance. To this end, this thesis unpacks the concept by probing into its antecedents, examining its birth, and reflecting on its future. The first chapter aims to show the historical basis for considering a genus for the three religions, by surveying perspectives on Abraham in historia sacra, and thereafter, discussing works in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries that explore the connections between the three religions. The second and third chapters introduce Massignon and discuss his Abrahamic thought from both its socio-religious and intellectual perspectives. The main text examined here is his Les trois prières d'Abraham. The fourth chapter traces the different trajectories of the concept after Massignon and highlights its nuanced meanings as derived from these variegated uses. The fifth and concluding chapters explore the ways in which the concept can profit the study of religion.

This project explores the origins and spiritual impact of Black Super Shero Syndrome on Christian women. It proposes that Black women embrace creative communal contemplation to move from spiritual floundering to spiritual flourishing. Grounded in research on African American contemplative spirituality, Black women’s spirituality, and Ignatian spirituality, the project adapts the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius Loyola to create a Black Super Shero Sabbath Retreat that explores themes of healing, surrender, communion, community, rest, and sabbath to inspire and equip Black women to move from unhealthy Black Super Sheroes to Beloved Daughters of God. / 2026-07-24T00:00:00Z

The HIV/AIDS pandemic is a crisis for the South African government, society and Church. About sixty percent of the HIV population are in Sub Saharan Africa with women being three times more likely to be infected with HIV than their male counterparts. Governmental, societal and Church responses seem to have had little effect in reducing the pandemic as can be seen from the rising prevalence rates. Responses to the HIV/AIDS pandemic lack a gender focus. Some churches have not responded to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Other Church-based responses have been isolated and simplistic in that they have concentrated on one aspect of the HIV illness. The HIV/AIDS pandemic is a growing crisis to which the Church should respond. The hermeneutical point of departure in this thesis is to express a preferential option for the poor by standing in solidarity with a group of women living on the margins of society. To this end the perspectives of black people, who are materially poor, HIV positive and part of support groups are articulated in the study. The research project suggests that the preferential option for the poor has the potential to contribute to the personal and social transformation of society. Focussing on the deep-seated longing many desire for fullness of life, this thesis explores and describes a gendered Christian response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic that could contribute to the full humanity of people. Full humanity is understood as transformation to wholeness and incorporates unity with God, others, creation and within oneself. A multifaceted, integrated and gendered response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic is suggested by way of a model of full humanity. The South African context of HIV/AIDS, patriarchy and poverty pose a challenge to the way that Christians develop their spirituality. This thesis aims to explore and describe aspects of a fully human spirituality emerging from the South African situation. The study suggests that a clearly integrative and holistic approach that embodies the gender perspective is necessary for churches to adopt in responding to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D.Th.(Christian Spirituality)