Either relational contact with God is seen to be existentially attainable or God will become increasingly irrelevant to contemporary society. For Church identity and effectiveness as she serves the world, it is vital that God's initiating power can be seen to impact on this world. As response to fourteen symptoms the Church faces as 'crises,' an inclusive hermeneutic seeks fresh categories for a foundational spirituality capable of catalysing reform and transformation. This comprehensive foundational hermeneutic hypothesised is grounded on three foundational categories of experience, relationality and spiritual intuition. Any reception of such transcendence has to occur subjectively ‘in experience.’ Evasive as it is, experience is posited as a foundational category that needs to be rehabilitated through fundamental philosophy and theology, as well as interdisciplinary explorations. It will be shown that the challenges facing the contemporary Church are rooted in lost experience of transcendence. However the entry point experience provides is never to become narcissistically selfreferential but aims to establish a reciprocal relationship in faith. As an overarching category, dynamic relationality will need to be socially transformative. The deep 'God-person' relational mode, as it synthesises both human capacities and spiritual faculties, is experienced interiorly and as such is called spiritual intuition. It is argued that the notion of, and capacity for, intuition has been widely ignored and eroded. It is demonstrated that a 'reasonable intuition' is a more synthetic faculty 'naturally' open to illumination and infusion by the Spirit than an excessive traditional Church reliance on the workings of reason-intellect. Here the witness of the life of St Francis of Assisi allows simpler and accessible entry into the categories of affective experience and spiritual intuition under overarching relationality. Francis as model, when compared to other Saints, substantiates the three foundational categories. The conclusion chapter tests the foundational theory as it is applied to the fourteen challenges the Church faces. The results of this study, and its applications, offer a promising, fruitful humble metaphysic as 'solution' for the ‘Church in the world’ much in line with Pope Francis' recent approaches. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D. Th. (Christian Spirituality)

Le ciel est omniprésent dans les œuvres des philosophes romains au Ier siècle avant et au Ier siècle après Jésus-Christ. Il apparaît tout à la fois chez l’épicurien Lucrèce, le néo-académicien Cicéron et les stoïciens Manilius et Sénèque. Cette thèse postule qu’il existe, au-delà des divergences entre les penseurs, un regard porté sur le ciel propre à la philosophie romaine. Le ciel, plus qu’un objet sensible, est une représentation. Les Latins sont les héritiers d’une longue tradition du regard : en levant les yeux, ils contemplent tout à la fois le ciel des astrologi grecs et chaldéens, celui des physiciens et celui des poètes. La pensée romaine confronte, de manière originale, l’ensemble de ces regards : la philosophie du ciel s’enrichit d’une dimension astronomique et d’une dimension métaphorique. Les Latins ont toutefois une position ambiguë par rapport à l’astronomie : à l’exception de Manilius, ils se méfient de cette discipline, trop en deçà de la philosophie. Ils ne peuvent pourtant se résoudre à la passer sous silence. En revanche, le regard métaphorique est intégré au projet philosophique. L’étude physique du ciel vise certes à le désacraliser, mais la fascination des auteurs pour le firmament les conduit fréquemment à en faire un lieu à part. Par sa beauté et par son mystère, il devient un symbole des aspirations humaines : il représente l’idéal de vertu et pourrait même révéler des secrets habituellement réservés au sage. Tout en se gardant de céder à la superstition, les Latins savent contempler avec émotion : leur philosophie du ciel est une philosophie de l’enthousiasme. / The sky is omnipresent in the works of Roman philosophers of the 1st Century B.C. and the 1st Century A.D. It is present in the works of the Epicurian Lucretius, those of the neoacademician Cicero, and those of the Stoics Manilius and Seneca. This dissertation argues that there exists, beyond the differences between these thinkers as individuals, a unique gaze upon the sky that is proper to Roman philosophy. The sky is more than just an observable object; it is a representation. The Latins are the inheritors of a long tradition of the gaze: by raising their eyes skyward, they are simultaneously contemplating the sky of the Greek and Chaldean astrologi, that of the physicians, and that of the poets. Roman thought brings together all of these gazes in an original way: the philosophy of the sky is informed and enriched by both an astronomical dimension and by a metaphoric dimension. Nonetheless, the Latins have an ambiguous position with respect to astronomy: with the exception of Manilius, they are wary of this discipline, which is too far philosophy’s inferior. And yet, they cannot bear not to discuss it. Indeed, the metaphoric gaze becomes an integral part of philosophy’s project. The physical study of the sky certainly intends to desacralize it, but the authors’ fascination for the firmament frequently leads them to make it out to be a place apart. By virtue of its beauty and mystery, it becomes a symbol of human aspirations: it represents the ideal of virtue and could even reveal secrets usually reserved for the sage. Although careful not to yield to superstition, the Latins know how to contemplate with emotion: their philosophy of the sky is a philosophy of enthusiasm.

Cette étude se propose de dégager les liens étroits qui unissent la production picturale des anciens Pays-Bas des XVe et XVIe siècles avec la mystique de Ruysbroeck l’Admirable et la pensée de la Dévotion moderne (devotio moderna). À partir d’un corpus comprenant des oeuvres de Jan van Eyck, Rogier van der Weyden, Petrus Christus, Hans Memling, Hugo van der Goes, le Maître à la vue de Sainte-Gudule, le Maître de 1499, le Maître d’Alkmaar, Jérôme Bosch ou encore Gérard David et Jan Mostaert, l’analyse fait apparaître que peinture et écrits se répondent et se subliment mutuellement. Dans une première partie, nous observerons la façon dont les peintres ont décliné la progression dynamique des différentes visions (active, intérieure et contemplative) et traité le phénomène de désimagination. Puis, dans un deuxième temps, notre étude mettra en lumière que l’image soutient grâce à différents procédés (mnémotechnique, participatif, etc.) les pratiques spirituelles et méditatives des fidèles. Enfin dans la dernière phase de notre analyse, nous nous intéresserons aux mises en images d’une idée clé définie par Ruysbroeck l’Admirable, et adaptée par les auteurs de la Dévotion moderne : dat ghemeine leven (la vie commune). / This study intends to investigate and clarify the links between the Early Netherlandish pictorial tradition (15th and 16th centuries) and mystical literature as exemplified by Ruysbroeck the Admirable and the authors associated with the Modern Devotion (devotio moderna). Focusing on a corpus of works by Jan van Eyck, Rogier van der Weyden, Petrus Christus, Hans Memling, Hugo van der Goes, the Master of the View of St Gudule, the Master of 1499, the Master of Alkmaar, Hieronymus Bosch, Gerard David and Jan Mostaert, this analysis brings to light that painting and writing enrich each other’s meaning. In the first part, we shall observe the ways in which the painters captured the dynamic progression of the various types of vision (active, internal and contemplative) as well as the ways in which they addressed the phenomenon of disimagination. The second part of this study will highlight the fact that the image supports the spiritual and meditative practices of the faithful through various processes and techniques (mnemonic, participative etc.). The third part of the analysis will focus on the visual treatment of a key idea defined by Ruysbroeck the Admirable, and adapted by the authors of the Modern Devotion: dat ghemeine leven (the common life).

This study sets out to determine whether Teresa of Ávila's spirituality, especially her treatise, The Interior Castle, can still provide an appropriate guide for the journey to God in the world of the 21st century. This remarkable book offers a particularly unique contribution to Christian literature. To accomplish this goal, a study of the nature of Christian Spirituality is undertaken, followed by a brief history of Christian spirituality. This provides a backdrop for an examination of the historical setting against which the Interior Castle was written. The study then explores the seven mansions of the Interior Castle to gain an understanding of the journey to God and examines some of the most important and recurring themes in the book. The stages and forms of prayer which are central to the Interior Castle are discussed and the mystical experiences of the 'dark night of the spirit' and union with God are analysed. Lastly, the findings are evaluated to ascertain whether Teresa's writings are still relevant in this contemporary era for those embarking upon the journey towards God. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Christian Spirituality)

Text in Afrikaans / In this qualitative research study the landscape of the age-old tradition of contemplative spirituality within the context of the reformed tradition was investigated. An empirical study was done to determine the pastoral needs and experiences of Afrikaans speaking believers from the reformed tradition, involved in contemplative spirituality. Questionnaires and qualitative interviews were used for this purpose. The research path has been further shaped by social construction theory as a postmodern approach. This study was born out of my own discovery of the healing qualities of contemplative spirituality and secondly due to the growing demand among Afrikaans speaking reformed believers for exposure to the disciplines of contemplative spirituality. Little research is available on this topic and is it the hope of this research to open new conversations about contemplative spirituality in the Afrikaans reformed tradition. / Practical Theology / M. Th. (Praktiese Teologie)

This dissertation suggests the Song of Songs as a biblical paradigm for Christian spiritual direction based on the poem’s human dynamics, theological poetics and mystical aesthetic. The Song of Songs is paradigmatic as a journey from a state of self-neglect (depletion), through dynamic encounters of love (transformation), to living who I am in union with the divine I AM (deification). Identifying the human beloved as archetypal seeker and positing transformation in love as the raison-d’être for spiritual direction, the research delineates important implications for spiritual praxis, namely: the human subject (locus); human yearning (focus); the human search (journey); dynamics of human transformation and spiritual maturation (process); aspects of life-integration and union with God (purpose); and becoming a living sacrament in the world (epiphany). With its experiential-existential approach, The Canticle of Spiritual Direction serves as an interdisciplinary and intercultural resource on the Song of Songs, Christian spiritual direction, and Christian mysticism. / Christian Spirituality, Church History & Missiology / M. Th. (Christian Spirituality)

The aim of this thesis is to show that Emily Dickinson was not concerned with the publication of her poems and she herself decided to withdraw from the outside world, a decisive event which contributed to the original production of her almost eighteen hundred poems and over eleven hundred letters. Emily Dickinson withdrew into her untouched private world – which here is called “the bubble” – and developed the contemplation process based on the approach of apprehending perceptions which resulted in the instant captions that have enchanted readers. Since her withdrawal was as a result of her own free choice and own writing and living conventions, she was able to be the craftsperson that enjoyed living and writing. Her perception of nature by taking instant captions of the observable natural objects is perfected by the process of contemplation developed in some of her poems. The theoretical and methodological basis of the study comes from the analysis of the complete edition of poems edited by Thomas H. Johnson, the letters edited by Mabel Loomis Todd, and the concept of Nature by Hans Georg Schenk. For the analyses of different issues related to Dickinson’s verses, withdrawal, and apprehension of perceptions, the works of the biographer Richard Benson Sewall and critics such as Albert Gelpi, Barton Levi Armand, Karl Keller, Sharon Cameron, among others, were consulted. This study aims to demonstrate that Emily Dickinson was not concerned with publication and her withdrawal within her bubble was a positive event for her life and poetry. Such conclusion might contribute to enlighten the knowledge about the life and work of such an amazing personage of American Literature and American society as Emily Dickinson has been so far.

In this study the author investigates the nature of compassion, ways of developing compassion within ourselves, and ways of bringing compassion into schools. The author sees an imbalance and disconnection in the current Ontario public school system, between education of the mind (to have) and education of the heart (to be). This is demonstrated in the heightening violence in schools, because violence in schools means that students do not feel connected to and are not happy in their schools. To accomplish this purpose, the author explores the different ways we can connect—within ourselves, with classroom subjects, with students in the school, and with the community at large—through life stories of four holistic educators, including herself. Three have taught in Buddhist, Waldorf, and Montessori schools, which all foster compassion not only through empathy, caring, and love, but also through emotional and moral components of heart education, such as intuition, creativity, imagination, joy (Miller, 2006), and moral education (Noddings, 1992). The enquiry uses qualitative research and narrative method that includes portraiture and arts-based enquiry. The findings in the participants’ narratives reveal that compassion comprises spirituality, empathy, and caring. We can develop compassion through contemplation in an awareness of interconnection between the I and the Other. In conclusion, we can foster compassion in schools if we use holistic education’s basic principles of balance, inclusion, and connection (Miller, 1981, 1993, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2006, 2007, 2010), and if we bring in different ways of fostering compassion that the author has explored through four holistic teachers’ narratives in this study. By nurturing and connecting to students’ hearts, rather than forcing knowledge into their heads, it is possible to create schools where students are happy and feel connected to their learning.

In this study the author investigates the nature of compassion, ways of developing compassion within ourselves, and ways of bringing compassion into schools. The author sees an imbalance and disconnection in the current Ontario public school system, between education of the mind (to have) and education of the heart (to be). This is demonstrated in the heightening violence in schools, because violence in schools means that students do not feel connected to and are not happy in their schools. To accomplish this purpose, the author explores the different ways we can connect—within ourselves, with classroom subjects, with students in the school, and with the community at large—through life stories of four holistic educators, including herself. Three have taught in Buddhist, Waldorf, and Montessori schools, which all foster compassion not only through empathy, caring, and love, but also through emotional and moral components of heart education, such as intuition, creativity, imagination, joy (Miller, 2006), and moral education (Noddings, 1992). The enquiry uses qualitative research and narrative method that includes portraiture and arts-based enquiry. The findings in the participants’ narratives reveal that compassion comprises spirituality, empathy, and caring. We can develop compassion through contemplation in an awareness of interconnection between the I and the Other. In conclusion, we can foster compassion in schools if we use holistic education’s basic principles of balance, inclusion, and connection (Miller, 1981, 1993, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2006, 2007, 2010), and if we bring in different ways of fostering compassion that the author has explored through four holistic teachers’ narratives in this study. By nurturing and connecting to students’ hearts, rather than forcing knowledge into their heads, it is possible to create schools where students are happy and feel connected to their learning.

Cette thèse cherche à connaître le bonheur tel que Bobin conçoit et projette dans son œuvre. Pour ce but, l'approche bachelardienne nous a servi à définir dans l'œuvre de Bobin un élément symbolique pour le bonheur : la flamme. Pour traiter la question du temps et sa complexité, très liée à notre question principale, les réflexions de Bachelard, de Bergson et de la physique moderne sur le temps sont prises en référence ainsi que la " logique du contradictoire " (de Lupasco). Les images plus attachées à l'intellect sont analysées suivant les travaux d'Henry Corbin et définies comme " images-corps-réalités ". Elles témoignent d'un regard mystique chez Bobin. Une tendance vers la géopoétique pour acquérir l'Unité du monde s'ajoute aussi à ce regard. Et une langue d'" anima/animus " et un processus de la production du sens, " hélice du sens ", interviennent pour traduire l'intransmissible en fragments. Cela rend l'écriture de Bobin " fragmentaire ", ce que nous avons désigné comme un nouveau genre : " poésie-prose " mystique.