The Meaning and Impact of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Concept of "an adult person"and "a non-religious interpretation" on Czech Post-War Christian Theology, Ecclesiology and a Christian Preaching. In this diploma thesis I deal with a debate held in religious studies in the Czech region on a meaning and impact of Dietrich Bomhoeffer's concepts of "an adult person" and "a non-religious interpetation". For a deeper understanding of concepts itself the thesis presents context of Bonhoeffer's life and work. This part discusses what he intended to say by using his concepts although he wasn't able to finishe them. The aim of my thesis is to answer two religious studies questions related to Dietrich Bonhoeffer'concepts with respect to Czech region only. The first query is: Became a human being in a religious field mature (Is he grown up of religion)? A situation of Czech society provides unique conditions of secularisation for a verification of Bonhoeffer's theses. To prove them I will examine only Czech sociologists, religious scientists and psychologists of religion. I will examine the second research problem (What does Bonhoeffer's claim for non-religious interpretations mean for Czech Christian religious tradition?) within the writings of Chech non-catholic theologians. Their own contributions to...

A critical survey of early Church history, the works of the Church Fathers and several councils of the Church reveals a consistent call for unity. Heresies, politic intrigue and struggles for governance have aggravated attempts to remain in the union. The insistence on unity and the persistence of the Church to unify reveals an ontological reality. While our knowledge of the Church can be given in epistemological terms, looking at the Church to discover its essence, what it means to be church, opens a different way of encountering the Church and, eventually, understanding the nature of the Church to be one. The transformations in the early Church as it spread to new cultures, the impact on the Church at the founding of “New Rome” by the Emperor Constantine, the changes brought about when Constantinople fell to the Ottomans in 1453 and the resulting birth of the Renaissance in the West with the beginning of the autocephaly Church in Russia and subsequent reunions, are especially rich in manifestations of unification among dissidence. This paper will focus on these particular moments. The concept of looking at the essence of the Church exposes us to an understanding of what the Church is as a universal presence. Stating that the Church has no physical dimension, that it is a unique congregation abiding solely by an actual historic document or defined only by written doctrines does not show us its full essence. Likewise, seeing the Church as defined by how it differs from another, exists in objection to another church or how it avoids affiliation with others, reveals a body that does not have a unifying essence and is lifeless. Looking closer at its essence as it is revealed over time, shows us a living Church that has repeatedly manifested unification as its particularly unique identity. This paper is a reflective look of the Church through the ages which presents to us a look into the essence of the Church. Primary and secondary sources are critically examined with an emphasis on ontological manifestations. The moments in history that are presented in this paper are especially revealing of the unifying nature of the Church in various settings. This paper has limitations though. While the deliberate historic selections may give extraneous interpretations, it is intended to reveal previously under-estimated treasures, and this topic will require being given greater context in any expanded study. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D. Th. (Church History)

博士(神学) / Doctor of Theology / 同志社大学 / Doshisha University

[pt] Wolfhart Pannenberg é considerado um dos mais importantes teólogos do século XX. Nesta dissertação estudamos como Pannenberg viu a Igreja no contexto da dádiva do Espírito e como sinal escatológico do reino de Deus. O percurso que realizamos para o estudo foi: apresentar primeiro um resumo da vida e da obra de Pannenberg; depois, os elementos gerais de sua teologia, a explicação do autor sobre a necessidade da teologia sistemática na sociedade secularista moderna e algumas observações sobre o lugar da eclesiologia. Por fim, debruçamo-nos sobre o objeto principal desta dissertação, ou seja, os dois tópicos acima indicados, que estão no início do terceiro volume da obra Teologia Sistemática. Nesses dois tópicos observamos que, para Pannenberg, a Igreja está diretamente relacionada com o Espírito Santo, já que a Igreja só é sinal do reinado vindouro de Deus porque recebe a atuação do Espírito como dádiva escatológica. Vimos que a Igreja se diferencia do reino de Deus, porque ela é apenas sinal e por isso é antecipação e não o próprio reino de Deus. Para Pannenberg, a Igreja é o corpo de Jesus Cristo e assim é representação do mistério da salvação. Concluímos também que o pensamento teológico de Pannenberg colaborou para o diálogo da Igreja com a sociedade moderna e é um pensamento que ainda tem muito a contribuir na atualidade. Por isso, o estudo da sua eclesiologia é relevante para a realização de uma pastoral conexa à realidade concreta dos seres humanos. / [en] Wolfhart Pannenberg is considered one of the most important theologians of the twentieth century. In this dissertation, we analyze how Pannenberg saw the Church in the context of the godsend of the Spirit and as an eschatological sign of the kingdom of God. The process we used for the study was: first to present a summary of Pannenberg s life and work; then discuss the general elements of his theology, the author s explanation for the need of systematic theology in modern secular society as well as including some remarks about the role of ecclesiology. Finally, we focus on the main object of this dissertation – the two topics indicated above which are included at the beginning of the third volume of Systematic Theology. On these two topics, we stress that, per Pannenberg, the Church is directly related to the Holy Spirit, since the Church is only a sign of the forthcoming reign of God because it receives the action of the Spirit as an eschatological godsend. We also discuss that the Church differs from the kingdom of God, because it is only a sign and therefore an anticipation of it instead of being the kingdom of God itself. According to Pannenberg, the Church is the body of Jesus Christ and, thus, it is the representation of the mystery of salvation. We also conclude that Pannenberg s theological thinking has contributed to the Church s dialogue with modern society and it is a piece that still has much to contribute today. For this reason, the study of his ecclesiology is relevant to the implementation of pastoral work that is relevant to the concrete reality of human beings.

Den här uppsatsen diskuterar John Howard Yoders teologiskt motiverade sexuella våld, med hjälp av queerteologen Marcella Althaus-Reid och den feministiska teologen Mary Daly, och även andra teologiska perspektiv. Särskilt fokus läggs på hur en teologi för syndarens upprättelse och försoning riskerar att osynliggöra skadade och sårbara personer, hur en idealiserad bild av församlingen riskerar att skada den personliga omdömesförmågan, och hur ett profetiskt motiverat gränsöverskridande riskerar att legitimera våld. / This thesis aims to discuss the theologically motivated sexual violence of John Howard Yoder, in the light of the writings of queer theologian Marcella Althaus-Reid and also feminist theologian Mary Daly, and others. Attention is put on how the hurt persons might be left out of a theology for redemption of the sinner, how an idealized view of the congregation risk hurting the personal capacity for judgement, and on how a prophetic calling to cross boundaries might end up protecting transgressive violence.

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Text in Afrikaans / The URCSA's synod of Northern Transvaal consists of 128 congregations of which 48 are at present without a minister. Of the 48 congregations, 23 are small rural congregations. This does not include the numerous ward churches of large rural congregations that are in essence also small congregations. The URCSA has two historical legacies; namely, material poverty and the Presbyterian form of church governance known as the tipple office-bearers' doctrine (manus triplex) with a built-in hierarchy that affords pastors a prominent leadership role in congregations. The assumption can thus be made that each congregation should have a church council and pastor. As small rural congregations cannot afford the expense of their own minister, they therefore have to cope without one. Against this background one must understand the importance of elders in small rural congregations of the URCSA where the role of pastor is assumed and performed by elders, yet without any official training. This compels the church to probe alternative ways to become a pastor. The former DRMC and DRCA subscribed to an ecclesiastical practise whereby proven church leaders could be admitted as pastors on the grounds of their unique spiritual gifts. This practise has been accepted by the general synod of the URCSA. It is clear from this empirical study that the top leadership of the URCSA should adapt this accepted practise to accommodate the situation of the rural congregations. The possible synthesis of the apprentice, in-service-training, and tent-making models as general models for ministerial training amongst Protestants in the past, could pave the way for an adapted Pauline tent-maker model that will lead to the admittance of proven local church leaders as pastors in the URCSA's rural ward churches and small congregations. The prevailing situation of the rural church necessitates this mode of ministry as a supplementary alternative to the existing training of ministers. As it addresses a critical situation, it does not stand in opposition to the full-time ministry or the thorough theological training of especially the younger people. What does emerge from the context of the rural church, is the need for both modes of ministry. / Practical Theology / D.Th.

Baptists regard ecclesiology as the field where they provide a unique contribution to Christian theology and practice. Yet, the Baptist Principles that summarize the distinctive beliefs of Baptists have not much to say about the position and role of the Baptist pastor. Instead, they emphasize the equality of all church members and their individual rights to participate and decide in church matters. This thesis investigates the theology of ministry from contemporary Baptist sources in South African and German contexts. The author takes from his own experience of ministry in both countries, but researches literature also from a wider range of backgrounds. The first part provides a discussion of Baptist ecclesiology with a view to the topic of ministry. The Baptist Principles are scrutinized with specific focus on the Principles of the priesthood of all believers and of congregational church government. They allow for a variety of interpretations, but on the whole limit the position of the pastor rather than positively describing it. The same is true for the German Baptists' creedal document Rechenschaft vom Glauben. The author of this thesis sees his particular contribution to the topic in providing a positive characterization of the Baptist pastor. He does so in the second part where he presents four pairs of marks of the pastor. "Called and Gifted" describes the divine origin of ministry. Both marks are not exclusive to pastors, but also have a general meaning that includes all church members. "Ordained and Trained" is summarized as a secondary category, which shows the human institutions and prerequisites for ministry. "Leader and Servant" is a seeming contradiction in terms, but has become idiomatic as a combined term to describe the Christian way of leadership, as proclaimed by Jesus. "Preacher and Shepherd" are both synonyms for the pastor. They emphasize different aspects of ministry, but can also be interpreted as contrasting in focus. In his conclusion, the author relates the marks of the pastor to the Baptist Principles. From there, he formulates challenges for the understanding of pastors in Baptist churches in Germany and in South Africa. / Systematic Theology / D. Th.(Systematic Theology)

Chapter 1 describes practical theology as a communicative operational science and stresses how important it is that a hermeneutical and narrative approach compliments it. It is shown that pastoral work must be launched from the church community. The premise is that the Enlightenment paradigm causes a reductionistic, individualistic and denominational approach to pastoral work. A holistic, comprehensive and ecologically orientated approach is proposed. Chapter 2 discusses the need for an ecosystemic approach as a metaparadigrn for practical theology in terms of the move away from the Newtonian view of science and the post-modem critiques of a technocratic society. This is supported by developments in systemic family therapy, constructionism and community psychology. Chapter 3 describes an interrelated ecclesiology as a base theory for practical theology and pastoral work with reference to the church's interrelation with society and the need to include an anthropology as part of an ecclesiology. This interrelationship implies that the serving (diakonia) and caring (koinonia) functions of the church should converge, forming a diaconal pastorate. In chapter 4 the secularised modem world-vie\v and the traditional African world-view, both functioning in South Africa, are employed to shed light upon the importance of the concept community for the church's pastoral work. The term community is broadened to include the idea of networking, emphasisingg that community is more than geographical proximity. Chapter 5 is a quantitative investigation. by means of a questionnaire, of the views (ecosystemic/non-ecosystemic) of pastoral workers regarding the church and of pastoral work. Chapter 6 discusses the implications of a community pastoral work approach. Pastoral work has a serving-caring role, but should also function prophetically, to conscientise. sensitise and empower people. The church as a healing community must become the springboard from which pastoral actions can face the challenge of AIDS (chapter 7). This will require the church to shift its paradigm from the reductionist, individualist approach, presently prevalent in society and church pastoral actions, to an all-encompassing. holistic one. / Practical Theology / Th.D. (Practical Theology)

Women have been abused from the beginning of time and it would appear that a patriarchal system has facilitated this abuse. Churches, in general, and Seventh-Day Adventists, in particular, have been silent on the issue of Abuse. It is my thesis that a predominantly confessional Seventh-Day Adventist's view and use of Scripture are foundational to this silence on human rights issues. Adventist eschatology is predominantly apocalyptic in nature, focussing on end-time events, thus, the present is viewed secondary. Human rights issues are marginalised with the focus on evangelism. Thus, relationships are secondary and abused women have not been accommodated within the Seventh-Day Adventist framework of worship and caring. / M.Th. (Practical Theology)