L’objectif de ce travail est de réévaluer la figure du Christ dans la pensée de Maître Eckhart (1260-1328), en particulier dans sa prédication en langue allemande. Si l’héritage apophatique duquel se réclame Eckhart fait du « fond sans fond » de la déité l’horizon ultime de sa pensée, il semble néanmoins que sa prédication allemande s’articule sur une christologie solide qui met en abyme la situation du prédicateur elle-même : de même que le Christ est le Verbe de Dieu incarné, le prédicateur incarne la parole en invitant ses auditeurs à se rendre attentifs au Verbe éternel qui à tout moment mais en aucun temps se dit en eux. La première partie de la thèse pose le cadre historique et conceptuel dans lequel se situe la pensée christologique d’Eckhart et sa prédication. La seconde se centre sur cinq sermons allemands mettant en scène un épisode des Évangiles et en propose à chaque fois un commentaire suivi sur le mode de la lectura Eckhardi déjà initiée par un certain nombre de commentateurs. Sont ainsi analysés le Sermon 1 sur les marchands du temple (Mt, 21, 12-13), les Sermons 18, 19 et 43 sur la résurrection du fils de la veuve de Naïm (Lc 7, 11-17) et le Sermon 55 sur Marie-Madeleine au tombeau (Jn, 20, 11-18). Il s’agit ainsi de réévaluer la christologie « d’en bas » à travers les analyses qu’Eckhart livre du Christ des Évangiles contre la tendance privilégiée par la plupart des commentateurs ayant écrit sur la christologie d’Eckhart qui tendent nettement à privilégier la christologie « d’en haut » (théologie du Verbe et place de la personne du Fils dans la Trinité). / The objective of this work is to revalue the figure of Christ in Meister Eckhart’s (1260-1328) thought, particularly in his German language preaching. For the apophatic heritage which Eckhart claims to adher to, the “ground without ground” of the deity seems to be the ultimate horizon. Nevertheless, his German preaching articulates with a strong Christology which is a mise en abyme of the situation of the preacher himself: in the same way as Christ is God’s Word incarnate, the preacher incarnates the word suggesting his listeners that they should pay attention to the eternal Word Who constantly but in no time says Himself in them. The first part of the thesis draws the historical and conceptual frame in which is situated Eckhart’s Christological thought as well as his preaching. The second part’s purpose is to comment paragraph by paragraph (following the Lectura Eckhardi tradition in Meister Eckhart studies) on five German preachings which stage an episode of the Gospels. The Preaching 1 concerning the moneychangers in the temple (Mt 21, 12-13), the Preachings 18, 42 and 43 concerning the resurrection of Naïm widow’s son (Lk 7, 11-17) and the Preaching 55 concerning Mary Magdalene at the tomb (Jn 20, 11-18) are thus analyzed. What is at stake is also to revalue the “christology from below” through what Eckhart says of the Gospels Christ against the tendency of most commentators who have written on Eckhart’s christology to have a positive bias for the “christology from above” (theology of the Word, place of the person of the Son in the Trinity).

Thesis advisor: Douglas Finn / Cyril of Alexandria (d. 444CE) is most famous for his contributions to Christology, and especially for his role in the Christological controversy that dominated the latter half of his episcopate. Despite a welcome expansion in Cyrilline studies, especially in the last few decades, anthropology remains an under-represented object of scholarly inquiry. Cyril wrote no single work focused on anthropology; nevertheless, the human story permeates his writings. The underlying assumption of the dissertation is that Christology necessarily incorporates anthropology, given the fundamental assertion that the Son of God became a human being. Through close reading of several of Cyril’s Christological works (Commentary on John, his twenty-nine extant Festal Letters, On the Unity of Christ, and Doctrinal Questions and Answers) several themes and patterns emerge, such that it is possible to connect the pieces and discover a coherent anthropology. I argue that Cyril’s anthropology offers a complete account of the human story, from God’s purpose for humanity in creation, through fall, redemption, and judgment, and finally in the attainment of humanity’s telos in the enjoyment of eternal, familial union with God in heaven. This account is best understood generally in terms of divine giving and human receiving, and specifically according to a paradigm of revelation and imitation. In short, the Incarnation is the divine gift that reveals human nature and purpose, while human reception of that gift lies in both active and passive imitation of Christ. What emerges, therefore, is a distinctly Christological anthropology. Cyril’s account possesses several key features that together represent a significant contribution to anthropology: the Imago Dei is a divine gift extrinsic to our nature, which accounts for how it can be lost in the Fall and regained in Christ; the presence and activity of the Holy Spirit in humanity and individual believers are marked by a pledge and fulfillment dynamic; human freedom is respected by God such that even participation in the divine life is never imposed upon humanity but depends upon positive consent; the differentiation between human nature as a general category and human beings as particular individuals allows for the work of Christ to be beneficial to all, yet imposed upon none; and finally, the ascension of Christ represents the definitive revelation of God’s purpose for humanity, even as it inaugurates the consummation of the human telos. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2018. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Theology.

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Thesis advisor: Thomas H. Groome / What does it mean to "be church"? How can we foster a sense of collective faith identity through religious education? What resources can we draw upon in this endeavor? I propose that the authentic early Irish Church offers insights that add to the field of religious education by suggesting that religious educators focus on forming persons in faith to be Christians both within a community of believers and in the world. Doing so not only enriches the individual, but also invigorates the Church and allows it to reclaim its voice in the twenty-first century public square. This thesis suggests an approach to religious education rooted in the example of the early Irish tradition yet pertinent to the contemporary desire for faith, spirituality and community. The faith of the early Irish centered upon the triad of Christ the King, covenant, and community. Together these three Christian principles foster holistic lives where faith and life become inseparable, what I term abiding faith. My approach to this task is threefold: 1. To survey the original texts and practices, and catechetical efforts of Early Christian Ireland (5th - 10th centuries) in an effort to recover an authentic understanding of the Early Irish Church. 2. To place the prominent Early Irish Christian understandings of a) Jesus Christ, b) covenantal relationship, and c) community of believers, into conversation with modern theology. 3. To bring the Irish recovery into conversation with the field of contemporary religious education. Chapter 1 contextualizes the research by sketching the historical setting of pre-Christian Ireland through the arrival of Christianity with Palladius in the early fifth century. Chapter 2 continues the historical survey concentrating on the Christianization process, pedagogical practices and the subsequent transformation of Irish society. Chapter 3 turns to the content of the evangelization of Ireland first examining the Irish use of the heretics Pelagius and Theodore of Mospsuestia. I demonstrate that their influence in Ireland was primarily exegetical and that Irish use of their texts did not render the Irish Church heterodox. Secondly, I focus on the texts produce by the Irish Christians with an eye towards their christological and ecclesiological motifs. Chapter 4 engages the wisdom of the early Irish Church, their emphasis on Christ the King, covenant, and community with modern theological understandings. Here, I liberate these understandings from unnecessary tangential concepts that are detrimental to forming persons for an integrated, life-giving, abiding faith. I then take these recovered Christian foci into a conversation with contemporary religious education text. Chapter 5 demonstrates the viability for religious education for abiding faith through the shared Christian praxis approach of Thomas Groome. I offer a description of shared Christian praxis followed by a discussion of its use in both the formal educational setting and the liturgy. Chapter 6 offers, as the title states, some concluding thoughts on the development of the work as a whole. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2009. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry.

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The aim in this thesis is to determine whether African ancestor Christology, a contextual attempt to explicate the identity of Jesus within African theology, adequately correlates with and captures the identity of Jesus presented in the exordium of Hebrews 1:1-4. Ancestor Christology utilises the pre-existing notion of the traditional African ancestors as a frame of reference. Consequently, understanding the place and function of the ancestors is essential to this research. This research undertakes a critical and analytical review of ancestor Christology presented in the works of some of the proponents of the concept including Pobee (1979), Nyamiti (1984), Bujo (1992), Bediako (1980, 2004) and Nyende (2005), among others. Using a combination of historical-grammatical exegesis and theological interpretation, this dissertation undertakes an investigation of Hebrews 1:1-4 to evaluate ancestor Christology. 12:1 is examined to determine the place and function of the ancestors in Hebrews. Though this research noted the value of the ancestor Christology concept as a worthwhile attempt towards contextual Christology in Africa, the research argues that the concept is counterproductive because the failure of the concept to capture important aspects of Jesus‘ identity outlined in the exordium translates to presenting Him inadequately. This applies especially to his identity as the summation and perfection of mediation, whose scope of mediation is salvific and redemptive and whose mediation is without an end as signified by his linkage in Hebrews to the king-priest Melchizedek. Furthermore, conceptualising Jesus using ancestor categories has the potential of exasperating the perennial problem of belief in both Jesus and the ancestors as mediators between God and men. / MA (New Testament), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The aim in this thesis is to determine whether African ancestor Christology, a contextual attempt to explicate the identity of Jesus within African theology, adequately correlates with and captures the identity of Jesus presented in the exordium of Hebrews 1:1-4. Ancestor Christology utilises the pre-existing notion of the traditional African ancestors as a frame of reference. Consequently, understanding the place and function of the ancestors is essential to this research. This research undertakes a critical and analytical review of ancestor Christology presented in the works of some of the proponents of the concept including Pobee (1979), Nyamiti (1984), Bujo (1992), Bediako (1980, 2004) and Nyende (2005), among others. Using a combination of historical-grammatical exegesis and theological interpretation, this dissertation undertakes an investigation of Hebrews 1:1-4 to evaluate ancestor Christology. 12:1 is examined to determine the place and function of the ancestors in Hebrews. Though this research noted the value of the ancestor Christology concept as a worthwhile attempt towards contextual Christology in Africa, the research argues that the concept is counterproductive because the failure of the concept to capture important aspects of Jesus‘ identity outlined in the exordium translates to presenting Him inadequately. This applies especially to his identity as the summation and perfection of mediation, whose scope of mediation is salvific and redemptive and whose mediation is without an end as signified by his linkage in Hebrews to the king-priest Melchizedek. Furthermore, conceptualising Jesus using ancestor categories has the potential of exasperating the perennial problem of belief in both Jesus and the ancestors as mediators between God and men. / MA (New Testament), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The following study seeks to investigate the impeccability of Christ from a historical/theological position. Two camps emerge on either side of the debate: Those who hold to the posse non peccare view which is to say, ability not to sin, otherwise known as the peccability view and those who hold to the non posse peccare view which is to say inability to sin, otherwise known as the impeccability view. While both camps affirm the sinless perfection of Christ they oppose each other in whether as fully human He could have sinned if He wanted to. It boils down to a case of ‘could have but did not’ or ‘did not because He could not have’. It is the view of this thesis that the non posse peccare view squares with both historical and biblical theology. We argue in chapter two by surveying Church councils up to the present time pertinent to this theme to prove that the history of this issue matters in that it establishes the relationship between Christology and history and by inference a major impact upon many outcomes in Church history. Our aim was to prove that this historical error goes a long way in distorting the gospel message. In chapter three we survey and evaluate the position from a peccability viewpoint while, at the same time, entering and notarising our points of departure. We have there highlighted the arguments peccability theologians utilise to defend their view and have criticised such from our Dispensational theology. In chapter four we then assess and acknowledge the argument for impeccability by proving the necessity of it for the exoneration of His Person and gospel. In the summit of chapter five we have surveyed the field of Scripture to have the final say on this issue and concluded in favour of impeccability. / MA (Dogmatics), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The following study seeks to investigate the impeccability of Christ from a historical/theological position. Two camps emerge on either side of the debate: Those who hold to the posse non peccare view which is to say, ability not to sin, otherwise known as the peccability view and those who hold to the non posse peccare view which is to say inability to sin, otherwise known as the impeccability view. While both camps affirm the sinless perfection of Christ they oppose each other in whether as fully human He could have sinned if He wanted to. It boils down to a case of ‘could have but did not’ or ‘did not because He could not have’. It is the view of this thesis that the non posse peccare view squares with both historical and biblical theology. We argue in chapter two by surveying Church councils up to the present time pertinent to this theme to prove that the history of this issue matters in that it establishes the relationship between Christology and history and by inference a major impact upon many outcomes in Church history. Our aim was to prove that this historical error goes a long way in distorting the gospel message. In chapter three we survey and evaluate the position from a peccability viewpoint while, at the same time, entering and notarising our points of departure. We have there highlighted the arguments peccability theologians utilise to defend their view and have criticised such from our Dispensational theology. In chapter four we then assess and acknowledge the argument for impeccability by proving the necessity of it for the exoneration of His Person and gospel. In the summit of chapter five we have surveyed the field of Scripture to have the final say on this issue and concluded in favour of impeccability. / MA (Dogmatics), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015