The author of the Gospel of John recorded the seven miracle accounts in his book and named them distinctively as shmei/on (‘sign’), while in the Synoptics the miracles are usually called du,namij (‘mighty deed’). This particular term signifies that the miracles of Jesus in this Gospel are significant occasions which carry associative theological messages. Thus Johannine research has always had a great deal of interest in this specific field. The important interpretative point to note is that the individual sign does not exist on its own but reciprocates the influence to the associated discourses on the revelatory mentions of Jesus and/or operates together with other signs in the specific features of its macro context. Thus the delivery of the message is maximised. As a result of the comprehensive analysis of the whole signs, it is clear that the author of this Gospel elaborately arranges seven signs, and thus draws his theological messages most efficiently. The main concern of shmei/a in this Gospel is to expose the Christological portraits of Jesus and some related theological themes. The divine identities of Jesus that are exposed by the signs are, for example, ‘the eschatological bridegroom,’ ‘the provider of eternal life,’ ‘the bringer of the eschatological salvation,’ and ‘the Messiah/Christ/King.’ Some related theological themes that are conveyed through the signs are, for example, ‘the replacement of the Jewish tradition,’ ‘the significance of a faith in Jesus,’ ‘glorification of Jesus,’ ‘unbelief,’ and ‘the discipleship.’ It is thus clear that the Johannine signs are written so that people may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing people may have Life in His name (cf. 20:31). / Dissertation (MTh.)--University of Pretoria, 2005. / New Testament Studies / unrestricted

Text in Afrikaans This research paper has been prepared against a background of an apparent lack of symbols and rituals in Reformed services of worship. Chapter 1 deals with the importance of symbols and rituals in light of the demands of changing times. It has furthermore been suggested that the Dutch Reformed Church (“DRC”) has a particular problem with the use of symbols and rituals during the Easter Season. The central hypothesis has been formulated as follows: “In the Reformed liturgy it is necessary that the use of liturgical symbols and rituals be adapted to be presented in a way, meaningful and relevant in the world of churchgoers.” Chapter 2 describes the Practical Theological grounds on which the study is based. It has been demonstrated that Practical Theology is a theological science in its own right. The use of liturgy as a communications medium in the proclamation of the gospel allows liturgical symbols and rituals to claim their rightful place. The formulation of liturgical practice must also be determined by and within the background of the local religious community. The outcome of the study of relevant literature is set out in Chapter 3. The Reformed liturgical tradition, when adapted to the demands of changing times, allows for the use of liturgical symbols and rituals during the Easter Season in a concrete form. Liturgy, including all verbal and non verbal liturgical actions, finds its place as a communicative medium in evangelical services. The communications media of the 21st century serve as strong carriers for the formation of liturgy. The traditional Reformed liturgy is enriched by an amalgamated liturgy that is the result of a unique process based on the similar use of symbols and rituals by the various traditional religious groupings. Ritualism is the term used to describe liturgical acts. Symbols and rituals are used as the communication tools to translate the relevance of liturgy into modern life. The Easter Season, with its inherent Christian content, is an ideal opportunity for the use of ritualism. The liturgical symbols and rituals used during Easter must be based on sound Biblical and theological grounds and must be focused on God and the religious requirements of mankind. The maximum use of modern multimedia is necessary out of respect for the experience of the worshipper. The experiences and the senses of man, however, must be accessed under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. As the church is essentially outwardly directed, the <ib>missio Dei</ib> must play its rightful role in the formation of the liturgy. At the end of Chapter 3, a theological theory is put forward suggesting a new and unique proposal on the possible use of symbols and rituals in the Easter Season. Based on a questionnaire, in which the needs and attitudes of worshippers were tested empirically, Chapter 4 indicates that in general their needs are adequately catered for by the current liturgical practices of the Easter Season. However it has also been established that the people do not have a great need for physical symbolism and neither are they keen to become involved in the preparation for or delivery of worship services. Chapter 5 sets out the insights gained from the study of literature and the empirical investigation. It is indicated that the Reformed liturgy, enriched by other media, still has the ability to bring the message of the relevant Christian events of Easter into the world of the worshipper in a meaningful way. Ekserp Hierdie navorsing is gedoen teen die agtergrond van ‘n oënskynlike armoede aan simbole en rituele wat in die Gereformeerde erediens bestaan. In Hoofstuk 1 is die belangrikheid van simbole en rituele in die lig van die eise van veranderende tye, aangetoon. Daar is ook uitgewys dat daar in die NG Kerk ‘n probleem bestaan wat die gebruik van liturgiese simbole en rituele in die Paassiklus betref. Die sentrale hipotese is soos volg geformuleer: “In die Gereformeerde liturgie is dit noodsaaklik dat die gebruik van liturgiese simbole en rituele gedurende die Paassiklus aangepas word om die toepaslike Christusgebeure singewend te verkonkretiseer in die wêreld van erediensgangers”. In Hoofstuk 2 is die Prakties-teologiese vertrekpunte vir die studie beskryf. Daar is uitgewys dat Praktiese Teologie ‘n teologiese wetenskap is. Die liturgie as kommunikatiewe handeling in diens van die evangelie, bied die ruimte waarbinne liturgiese simbole en rituele tot hul reg kom. Die konteks waarin die plaaslike geloofsgemeenskap haarself bevind speel ‘n medebepalende rol in liturgievorming. Hoofstuk 3 dien as resultaat van die literatuurstudie. Die gebruik van liturgiese simbole en rituele in die Paassiklus kry konkreet gestalte in die Gereformeerde liturgiese tradisie met inagneming van die eise van veranderende tye. Liturgie vind plaas as kommunikatiewe handelinge in diens van die evangelie en sluit alle verbale en nieverbale liturgiese handelinge in. Een-en-twintigste eeuse kommunikasiemiddele dien as struktuurdraers vir liturgievorming. Verder verryk konvergensieliturgie die tradisionele Gereformeerde liturgie. Die term ‘samevoegingsliturgie’ is geskep as ‘n unieke proses waarvolgens liturgieë uit verskillende tradisiestrome ‘n sinergerende gebruik van simbole en rituele teweeg bring. Die term ritualiteit word gebruik as aanduiding van die liturgiese handelinge. Simbole en rituele dien as kommunikasiedraers wat mense in kontak met die werklikhede van die lewe bring. Die Paassiklus, met gepaardgaande Christusinhoude, vorm ‘n geskikte medium waarbinne ritualiteit gestalte kry. Liturgiese simbole en rituele in die Paassiklus moet Bybels teologies verantwoord wees. Dit moet gefokus wees op God en antropologies gerig wees. Omdat die ervaring van erediensgangers ernstig geneem word, moet die moderne multimedia maksimaal en konkreet ontgin word. Onder die leiding van die Heilige Gees moet erns gemaak word met die ervaring en sintuie van die mens. Omdat die kerk in wese ook gerig is na ‘buite’, moet die <bi>missio Dei in liturgievorming ‘n regmatige rol speel. Aan die einde van Hoofstuk 3 word ‘n teologiese teorie vir die gebruik van simbole en rituele in die Paassiklus beskryf en aangebied as ‘n besondere bydrae tot ‘n nuwe verstelde praktykteorie. In Hoofstuk 4 is die behoeftes en houdings van erediensgangers met behulp van ‘n vraelys empiries getoets en is bepaal dat daar oorwegend tevredenheid heers oor die bestaande liturgiese praktyke gedurende die Paassiklus. Daar is egter ook vasgestel dat mense nie groot behoefte het aan liggaamlikheid nie en nie begerig is om mee te werk aan die voorbereiding en aanbieding van eredienste nie. In Hoofstuk 5 is die insigte verkry uit die literatuurstudie en die empiriese ondersoek, beskryf. Verskeie verdere navorsingsmoontlikhede is uitgewys en daar is aangetoon dat die Gereformeerde liturgie, met verryking deur ander media, steeds oor die drakrag beskik om die toepaslike Christusgebeure in die Paassiklus singewend te verkonkretiseer in die wêreld van erdiensgangers. / Thesis (DD (PracticalTheology))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Practical Theology / unrestricted

This thesis focussed on the matter of Judean ethnic identity in the first century CE. At first we pointed out that New Testament scholarship lacks an overall interpretive framework to understand Judean identity. There is not an appreciation of what informed the entire process of Judean ethnic identity formation in the first century, or at any period for that matter. This lack of interpretive framework is acute in scholarship on the historical Jesus, where the issue of Judeanness is most strongly debated. We investigated the reconstructions of John P Meier and John D Crossan, and attempted to identify what content, be it explicitly or implicitly, or by omission, do they assign to Jesus’ Judean identity. But as yet, we were not in a position to say just what kind of Judean Jesus was. We then proceeded by developing a Socio-Cultural Model of Judean Ethnicity. At first Sanders’ notion of covenantal nomism was explored and redefined to function primarily as an ethnic descriptor. We combined the notion of covenantal nomism with Berger and Luckmann’s theories on the sociology of knowledge, and saw that covenantal nomism could function as the Judean construction of reality. It is a convenient way to define the Judean “symbolic universe”. Dunn’s “four pillars of Second Temple Judeanism” was then reviewed, which looked at the importance of the Temple, God, Election and the Torah. The “new perspective” on Paul as developed by Dunn also proved useful, as he brought attention to the importance of traditional customs (e g circumcision and food laws), and how it served as “badges” for Judean identity. The approaches of Sanders and Dunn, however, lacked the insights of ethnicity theory. Ethnicity theory has identified two primary alternatives when it comes to ethnicity formation: constructionism and primordialism. We looked at the attempt of Jones to integrate the various approaches by her incorporation of the concept of the habitus. An overview of Duling’s Socio-Cultural Model of Ethnicity followed, which lists all the relevant cultural features and which emphasises the predominant constructionist approach. We integrated all of the above into our own proposed model, which we termed covenantal nomism. It is a pictorial representation of the Judean symbolic universe, which as an ethnic identity, was proposed to be essentiall primordialist. The model was then given appropriate content, by investigating what would have been typical of first century Judean ethnic identity. It was also demonstrated that their existed a fundamental continuity between Judea and Galilee, as Galileans were ethnic Judeans themselves and they lived on the ancestral land of Israel. Attention was then focussed on the matter of ethnic identity in Q. We investigated the stratification of Kloppenborg and suggested that the third stratum which refers to the Torah properly belongs to the polemical and apologetic strategy of the main redaction. After analysing the two stratums it was concluded that Q points to a community whose Judean ethnic identity was in (re)construction. Apart from the cultural features of name and land, all cultural features demonstrated strong elements of discontinuity with traditional covenantal nomism. The Q people were given an eschatological Judean identity based on their commitment to Jesus and the requirements of the kingdom/reign of God. / Thesis (PhD (New Testament Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / New Testament Studies / unrestricted

In this dissertation the healing acts of Jesus in John are investigated against the ancient Mediterranean socio-religious and cultural background in which it realized. All sickness and healing realities realize within a particular socio-cultural context and may differ significantly within different cultures. For example, less than one hundred years ago depression was not diagnosed as an illness and there existed no therapeutic processes for the disease. When one investigates ancient healing narratives which tell of sickness realities almost 2000 years ago, before the dawn of the Western Bio-Medical research system and modernism, one must remember that the sickness realities of that time will differ to a great extent from the modern project‘s sickness realities and its constructs. The researcher must in other words be very sensitive about anachronistic misinterpretations and ethnocentrism - that is, a reductionistic view of sickness (and other) realities through your own worldview. For this reason the term sickness is used as an umbrella term, and a distinction is made between the curing of a disease and the healing of an illness. The word group curing and disease are words that are used in the Western Bio-Medical world, and are also deeply imbedded within the modernistic philosophical worldview. On the other hand the word group healing of an illness is more inclusive in the sense that it is sensitive to sickness realities as experienced and constructed in ancient Mediterranean societies. In the first century ancient Mediterranean temple oriented Judaism for example, a particular disease (like skin disease), unlike today, also had negative socio-religious implications for the afflicted person which sometimes resulted in marginalization and status deconstruction. Turning to John‘s healing narratives it should also be taken into account that his healing acts are presented as σημετα that is, signs which illustrate that Jesus is the Son of God, the source of life (cf. John 20:30-31; 10:32; 6:14). The question to be answered is, in what way does John present the healing narratives in order to illustrate that Jesus is the true source of Life (cf. John 1:4). The thesis is thus developed that John presents sickness realities that closely represent ¯"death”, crisis, disorientation, brokenness and loss of life possibilities within the ancient Mediterranean symbolic universe. John then presents Jesus as the divine transformation Agent, who restores and recreates life possibilities after a transformational interaction with the sick person. It is also argued that John‘s understanding of healing is not to be limited to the traditional Western Biomedical paradigm revolving around the curing of disease but also includes a view of Jesus‘ role as healer and restorer of spiritual brokenness, a tradition which originated in the Old Testament. The narrative regarding the discussion between Jesus and the Samaritan woman is used as an example of a situation in which Jesus offers someone the gift of life and spiritual restoration or healing which resulted in the representation of reality. Lastly it will be argued why the resurrection could be understood as a Johannine σημετον and also be interpreted as the culminating healing act in John‘s Gospel, illustrating that Jesus is the true source of life in abundance (cf. John 1:4; 10:10). / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / New Testament Studies / PhD / Unrestricted

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2016-01-25T13:28:14Z No. of bitstreams: 1 marcelolopes.pdf: 1610733 bytes, checksum: 5534313bdc624040940d8a18ca0a8231 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-01-25T19:33:14Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 marcelolopes.pdf: 1610733 bytes, checksum: 5534313bdc624040940d8a18ca0a8231 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-01-25T19:33:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 marcelolopes.pdf: 1610733 bytes, checksum: 5534313bdc624040940d8a18ca0a8231 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-02-26 / A cura divina é um dos três importantes componentes da tríplice crença e prática pentecostal, juntamente com a glossolalia e o exorcismo. No Brasil, pelo que se sabe, a primeira onda ou pentecostalismo clássico não deu muita ênfase à cura divina, pelo que foi a partir da segunda onda ou deuteropentecostalismo, com a inserção da Igreja do Evangelho Quadrangular no campo religioso brasileiro na década de 1950, que esse carisma ganhou notoriedade pública e centralidade cúltica. Com o surgimento do neopentecostalismo ou pentecostalismo autônomo na década de 1970, a cura divina, já inserida na teologia da prosperidade, alcançou outro patamar, sobretudo com a fundação da Igreja Mundial do Poder de Deus, cuja especialidade é a taumaturgia. Assim, a presente dissertação objetiva investigar o fenômeno da cura divina circunscrito à Igreja do Evangelho Quadrangular e à Igreja Mundial do Poder de Deus. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida a partir da revisão bibliográfica, da observação participante e de entrevistas semiestruturadas com fiéis de ambas as igrejas. Tomando como base os dados obtidos com tais procedimentos metodológicos, procuramos analisar e discutir a dimensão mítica e ritual da cura divina nestes nichos religiosos. Finalmente, partindo de uma perspectiva comparativa, a presente dissertação analisa alguns aspectos, especialmente os aspectos mítico e ritual, que envolvem a cura divina numa perspectiva diacrônica que culmina no tempo presente, lançando luz sobre este fenômeno religioso que constitui o objeto de pesquisa deste trabalho. / Divine healing is one of the three major components of the triple Pentecostal belief and practice, along with glossolalia and exorcism. In Brazil, for what we know, the first wave or classical Pentecostalism did not give much emphasis on divine healing, so it was from the second wave or deuteropentecostalism, with the insertion of the Church of the Foursquare Gospel in the Brazilian religious field in the 1950s, this charisma gained public notoriety and cultic centrality. With the emergence of neopentecostalism or as autonomous pentecostalism in the 1970s, divine healing, already inserted into the theology of prosperity, achieved another level, especially with the founding of the World Church of the Power of God, whose specialty is the thaumaturgy. Thus, this study intends to investigate the phenomenon of divine healing circumscribed to the Church of the Foursquare Gospel and the World Church of the Power of God. The research is developed from the literature review, participant observation and semi-structured interviews with the faithful of both churches. Taking the data obtained with such methodological procedures as a basis, we try to analyze and discuss the mythic and ritual dimension of divine healing in these religious niches. Finally, from a comparative perspective, this dissertation examines some aspects, especially the mythic and ritual aspects, that involve divine healing in a diachronic perspective that culminates in the present time, shedding light on this religious phenomenon that is the research object of this work.

Globalization has facilitated the growth of “market-friendly” religions throughout the world, but especially in developing societies in the global South. A popular belief among these movements is prosperity belief. Prosperity belief has several characteristics which make it compatible with liberal individualism, the dominant value in a globalized society. At the same time, its compatibility with this value may be limited, extending only to economic liberalism, but not to liberal attitudes on social issues. Data from the Pew Forum on Religious and Public Life’s 2006 survey Spirit and Power: Survey of Pentecostals in Guatemala is used to conduct a quantitative analysis regarding the economic and social attitudes of prosperity belief adherents in Guatemala in order to examine the potential, as well as the limits, of this belief’s compatibility with liberal individualism. Results suggest that support for liberal individualism is bifurcated. On one hand there is some support for the positive influence of prosperity belief on economic liberalism in regards to matters of free trade, but on the other hand, prosperity belief adherents continue to maintain conservative attitudes in regards to social issues. As prosperity belief and liberal individualism continue to grow along global capitalism, these findings have implications for the future of market-friendly religions and for the societies of the global South.

Cette thèse se propose d’étudier les relations entre l’Organisation Internationale du Travail (OIT), créée en 1919 par le traité de Versailles, et les milieux chrétiens, c’est-à-dire les chrétiens organisés en Eglises, syndicats, et associations, depuis la fondation de l’OIT jusqu’au voyage de Paul VI à Genève pour son cinquantenaire, en 1969. Alors que l’OIT est, dès sa création, soumise à des influences sociales-démocrates, incarnées notamment par la personnalité du premier directeur, le socialiste français Albert Thomas, des relations sont nouées très tôt avec les syndicats chrétiens, puis avec l’ensemble des groupes se réclamant de la doctrine sociale de l’Eglise, du Saint-Siège et du christianisme social. Albert Thomas demande lui-même la nomination d’un prêtre au sein du Bureau International du Travail, le secrétariat de l’OIT, obtenue en 1926. Un fonctionnaire est également nommé pour les relations avec les milieux protestants. Il s’agit de mettre en évidence dans quelle mesure la collaboration des milieux chrétiens a pu constituer un intérêt et un appui pour l’OIT, dans les missions que celle-ci s’est vu confier à sa naissance – établissement d’une législation internationale du travail, recension d’informations sur les conditions de travail dans le monde – et après 1945 – notamment la coopération technique - et dans son développement et sa pérennité par delà la dissolution de la SDN. Il convient aussi de voir quelles ont été les conséquences pour les milieux chrétiens de l’inclusion dans le système international créé par l’OIT, tant en termes de diffusion de leurs idées que par la confrontation qui s’y produit avec les doctrines sociales-démocrates, communistes et, dans une moindre mesure, fascistes. / This thesis aims to study the relationship between the International Labour Organization, created in 1919 by the Treaty of Versailles, and Christian “milieus”. In other words, the relationship between the ILO and all the Christian churches, trade unions and associations, from the birth of the ILO to Pope Paul VI’s trip to Geneva on the occasion of the ILO’s fiftieth anniversary in 1969. Since its creation, the ILO has been heavily influenced by socialist trade unions and parties, beginning with Albert Thomas, the first Director-General, who was himself a French socialist. However, since 1921, relationships have also been established with Christian trade unions and other Christian groups which had previously been involved before 1914 in the first attempts to set up international labour standards. An official position was created in 1926 at the International Labour Office when Albert Thomas requested that a Jesuit priest be appointed as “counselor in religious matters”. From 1927 to 1940, the ILO also had a Protestant counselor in charge of the relations with Protestant churches and organizations. The objective of my research is to show, on the one hand, that ILO had an interest in a strong relationship with Christian churches and organizations in order to promote its own objectives – objectives such as establishing internationally binding labour standards, collecting information on labour around the world and, mainly after 1945, developing technical cooperation programmes. The aim here is to analyze the extent to which this relationship played a role in the ILO’s development and survival after the end of the League of Nations. Conversely, my research also intends to highlight how Christian organizations were impacted as a result of their participation in activities of international organizations such as the ILO. There are two aspects which are important to explore: first, the role the ILO played in supporting the dissemination of Christian ideas; and secondly, the ideological confrontation with socialist, communist and – to a lesser extent – fascist ideas and their supporters.

This diploma thesis is concerning the ethical aspect of Saint Luke's Gospel. The focus is on Jesus, who is shown as an example of ethical life and the basis of his moral teaching. These teachings are penance, correct property usage, loving fellowman, disciples, prayer and reversing the fate in connection to the welfare of poor people. This thesis also looks at God's kingdom and the ethical ramification which it yields. The moral teaching of Jesus is the subject matter of Evangelism and therefore Luke shows Jesus as a preacher on a Great Journey. The second part of this work is dedicated to the analysis of The Sermon on the Plain and parables about the Good Samaritan which graphically illustrate moral command and its practical application in life. The selected texts have been analyzed in the framework of individual versus in relationship to the whole teaching in which they are placed (in context to the whole work). This diploma thesis is based upon descriptive methods and analysis of text.

This diploma thesis attempts to outline the image of Judas in a long-lasting tradition and follows the references of this character in canonical and non-canonical reports. It is an extension of the author's bachelor's thesis, which was dedicated to the analysis of biblical and Gnostic texts concerning the figure of Judas. For this reason, the author does not deal with a detailed analysis of these texts in this work and directly refers the reader to it (the work is available for inspection in the Repository of Final Theses of Charles University). The first chapters are devoted to reports from the Gospels and Paul's works, which the author serves primarily as a springboard for the introduction of various conceptions of the person of Judas, and which became the basis for the development of a tradition in the following centuries. In addition to canonical messages, the author encounters motives from non-canonical and apocryphal texts related to Judas, which have influenced the tradition of perception of one of Jesus' disciples to a similar extent. One of the subchapters is also devoted to the text of the Book of the Cock, which is not available in Czech, and to not very well-known topics that have not been very successful in the official church tradition. In the following chapters, the author identifies...

The essay draws on Angela Standhartingers article ”Frauen in Mahlgemeinschaften. Diskurs und Wirklichkeit einer antiken, frühjüdischen und frühchristlichen Mahlpraxis” which examines the representation of women in the ancient tradition of symposia. This thesis studies how Luke and Paul represent women at The Last Supper τὸ πάσχα and the Lord’s Supper κυριακὸν δεῖπνον, and therefore focusses on the pericopes Luke 22:7-30 as well as 1 Cor. 11. Even though these biblical texts are written by men from an androcentric perspective, they show spaces - gaps which are opposed to what the texts seem to convey. Thus, it is possible to break through the patriarchal discourse to render women visible in the texts.   I argue that Luke and Paul represent women in their roles and positions both out of their personal experiences and social ideology. Yet, reflecting on a Christan social order, there can be noticed an earthly approach, relating to the cultural order, in Luke 22:7-30 in distinction from a cosmic approach in 1 Cor. 11.