[pt] A presente pesquisa, intitulada A mística como presença de Deus na obra de Fulton Sheen, busca refletir sobre a vida e a obra do bispo americano, filósofo e teólogo, Fulton Sheen (1895-1979), à luz de sua reflexão sobre a mística cristã. Partindo de uma crítica filosófica à religião moderna e ao eclipse de Deus na atualidade, o autor questiona a ausência de Deus e propõe uma releitura do evento Cristo, no mistério de sua encarnação-morte-ressurreição, para fundamentar a definitiva presença de Deus no mundo e na história. A presença de Cristo, segundo Fulton Sheen, tem seu prolongamento no Corpo Místico de Cristo, a Igreja. Assim, a presença histórica do Ser de Cristo, por meio da Igreja, possibilita uma verdadeira experiência mística, não de êxtases, mas de um encontro amoroso, humanizador e deificante. / [en] The present research, entitled Mysticism as the presence of God in the work of Fulton Sheen, seeks to reflect on the life and work of the American bishop, philosopher and theologian, Fulton Sheen (1895-1979), in the light of his reflection on mysticism Christian. Starting from a philosophical critique of modern religion and the current eclipse of God, the author questions the absence of God and proposes a reinterpretation of the Christ event, in the mystery of his incarnation-death-resurrection, to substantiate the definitive presence of God in the world and in history. The presence of Christ, according to Fulton Sheen, has its extension in the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church. Thus, the historical presence of the Being of Christ, through the Church, makes possible a true mystical experience, not of ecstasy, but of a loving, humanizing and deifying encounter.

This study examines the eschatology of issues related to African folk religion. It argues about the eschatological understanding of time with regard to the afterlife, ancestors and the afterlife, Christ the eschaton and the incarnation of Christ as redeeming of the ancestors. Such a model of local theology can result from a comprehensive reflection based on the Scriptures. As such, this study suggests some principles and praxis that appropriately address mission in the African context. This study also intends to challenge the church in Africa in particular, and cross-cultural workers in general, to redefine their missions and themselves in the face of theological issues, as well as social problems, which occur at all levels of African society. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / Thesis (D. Th. (Missiology))

In using the doctrine of the Incarnation as a lens to approach the devotional poetry of seventeenth-century Britain, ‘“And the Word was made flesh”: The Problem of the Incarnation in Seventeenth-Century Devotional Poetry' finds this central doctrine of Christianity to be a destabilising force in the religious controversies of the day. The fact that Roman Catholics, the Church of England, and Puritans all hold to the same belief in the Incarnation means that there is a central point of orthodoxy which allows poets from differing sects of Christianity to write devotional verse that is equally relevant for all churches. This creates a situation in which the more the writer focuses on the incarnate Jesus, the less ecclesiastically distinct their writings become and the more aware the reader is of how difficult it is to categorise poets by the sects of the day. The introduction historicises the doctrine of the Incarnation in Early Modern Europe through presenting statements of belief for the doctrine from reformers such as Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Huldryk Zwingli in addition to the Roman Catholic decrees of the Council of Trent and the Church of England's ‘39 Articles'. Additionally, there is a further focus on the Church of England provided through considering the writings of Richard Hooker and Lancelot Andrewes amongst others. In the ensuing chapters, the devotional poetry of John Donne, Aemilia Lanyer, George Herbert, Robert Herrick, and Richard Crashaw is discussed in regards to its use of the Incarnation and incarnational imagery in orthodox though diverse manners. Their use of words to appropriate the Word, and their embrace of the flesh as they approach the divine shows the elastic and problematic nature of a religion founded upon God becoming human and the mystery that the Church allows it to remain.

God is revealed through Scripture and the Incarnation as desiring to establish loving relationships with others beyond the Trinity. In the beginning he did so by creating human beings, and making himself, his desires, and his ways known to them. He chose to do so through particular actions and encounters in history which involved various forms of embodied manifestation, and led up to the supreme manifestation: the enfleshing of Jesus. Following on from the acts of Jesus which perfectly manifested God and his ways to the world in the flesh, human creatures created in the image of God and united to Christ are also called and gifted by God to manifest God's presence, activity, and ways in this world by using their bodies to live faithfully and responsively to the leading of the Spirit. In order to investigate and demonstrate these claims, Part I of the thesis examines a selection of precedent-setting events chronicled in the Old Testament in which God manifested his presence and ways to people in a variety of circumstances. Part II is concerned with a theological examination of God's manifestations and the roles people can and should play in these manifestations. It begins by engaging with reflections on the subject from the early church fathers Irenaeus, Athanasius, and Augustine; and, in keeping with the Reformed approach taken in the thesis generally, this is followed by in-depth treatments of Reformer John Calvin and Reformed theologian Karl Barth on the revelation, manifestation, and proclamation of God by people in this world. Having substantiated the claim that how people live is significant and of concern to God as it can impinge upon his ongoing desire to make himself and his ways known, Part III is designed to provide a fuller understanding of some of the meaning and significance conveyed by bodily expressions in human interactions with an eye towards seeking ways to live more faithfully to God. It identifies the theatre, particularly improvisational theatre, as a laboratory for understanding human living, and so explores the insights of theatre practitioners into everyday living; while also considering the work of philosophers of language and sociologists who do the same. Through this spotlight on the theatricality of life the case is made for attempting to live responsively, in keeping with improvisational actors, in ways that are faithful to God and which can serve to aid those united to Christ as they seek to make God known to others.

Li, Chit Ning. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 208-218). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese.

This thesis explores ways in which T. S. Eliot, when he wrote his most autobiographical poetic work<em> Four Quartets</em>, might have been influenced by Thoreaus famously autobiographical prose work <em>Walden</em>, written nearly a century earlier<em>.</em> Much evidence suggests that Eliot knew of the earlier writer and his work. Not only did Eliot assign <em>Walden</em> as suggested reading in a course he taught, but as time went on Eliot also admitted that he was influenced by the New England literary tradition. Reading <em>Four Quartets</em> in light of <em>Walden</em> and its context not only helps a reader understand the connections between the two works, it also gives a reader a better understanding of <em>Four Quartets</em>' fundamental meanings. Although Eliot in <em>Four Quartets</em> adds another layer of his spiritual goals beyond those expressed in <em>Walden</em>, he expresses his religio-philosophical quest for Incarnational "still point[s] of the turning world" (<em>Burnt Norton</em> 62) using autobiographical aspects and poetic tropes that are in many ways strikingly similar to the expressions also present in <em>Walden</em>. </p> <p>The chapters of this thesis unfold these concepts. My Introduction highlights some of the key connections. Chapter One sets the stage for the discussion of the Incarnation by explaining how <em>Four Quartets</em>' spiritual round-trip journey from England to America is grounded in real world places and experiences. This chapter also explains how this guardedly autobiographical re-collection of an almost-real journey includes a response to Eliots personal history and to his literary ancestors, including Thoreau<em>.</em> In Chapter Two, I unpack the similarities and differences between many of the religio-philosophical questions asked in the two works, focusing in on Eliots and Thoreau's complex handlings of such themes as simplicity versus complexity, Incarnation, stillness versus activity, and the difficulty of achieving spiritual goals. Finally, these religio-philosophical questions are incarnated in very similar poetic devices and tropes within both works; in Chapter Three, I describe the most important of these. The "still point of the turning world" (Eliot, <em>Burnt Norton</em> 62) and the "mathematical point" (Thoreau, <em>Walden</em> 1.100) are rich metaphors that form the heart of this chapter.</p>

This thesis explores ways in which T. S. Eliot, when he wrote his most autobiographical poetic work<em> Four Quartets</em>, might have been influenced by Thoreaus famously autobiographical prose work <em>Walden</em>, written nearly a century earlier<em>.</em> Much evidence suggests that Eliot knew of the earlier writer and his work. Not only did Eliot assign <em>Walden</em> as suggested reading in a course he taught, but as time went on Eliot also admitted that he was influenced by the New England literary tradition. Reading <em>Four Quartets</em> in light of <em>Walden</em> and its context not only helps a reader understand the connections between the two works, it also gives a reader a better understanding of <em>Four Quartets</em>' fundamental meanings. Although Eliot in <em>Four Quartets</em> adds another layer of his spiritual goals beyond those expressed in <em>Walden</em>, he expresses his religio-philosophical quest for Incarnational "still point[s] of the turning world" (<em>Burnt Norton</em> 62) using autobiographical aspects and poetic tropes that are in many ways strikingly similar to the expressions also present in <em>Walden</em>. </p> <p>The chapters of this thesis unfold these concepts. My Introduction highlights some of the key connections. Chapter One sets the stage for the discussion of the Incarnation by explaining how <em>Four Quartets</em>' spiritual round-trip journey from England to America is grounded in real world places and experiences. This chapter also explains how this guardedly autobiographical re-collection of an almost-real journey includes a response to Eliots personal history and to his literary ancestors, including Thoreau<em>.</em> In Chapter Two, I unpack the similarities and differences between many of the religio-philosophical questions asked in the two works, focusing in on Eliots and Thoreau's complex handlings of such themes as simplicity versus complexity, Incarnation, stillness versus activity, and the difficulty of achieving spiritual goals. Finally, these religio-philosophical questions are incarnated in very similar poetic devices and tropes within both works; in Chapter Three, I describe the most important of these. The "still point of the turning world" (Eliot, <em>Burnt Norton</em> 62) and the "mathematical point" (Thoreau, <em>Walden</em> 1.100) are rich metaphors that form the heart of this chapter.</p>

Zugl.: Regensburg, Univ., Diss., 2007.

Αντικείμενο της διδακτορικής αυτής διατριβής είναι το πρόβλημα περί της ελεύθερης βούλησης του ανθρώπου, σε σχέση με την παρουσία της θείας προνοίας στη ζωή του όπως διατυπώνεται από τον Μάξιμο τον Ομολογητή (580-662), οπότε αναγκαίως εισήχθη στη συζήτηση και το μεταφυσικό στοιχείο με τις γενικές οντολογικές προκείμενες που το διέπουν και τις ειδικές κοσμολογικές που το ακολουθούν. Τα κύρια σημεία που επιχειρούμε να αναδείξουμε, ως ερευνητικά προς εξειδίκευση ζητήματα, με συνοπτικό τρόπο είναι τα εξής: α΄. Ο άνθρωπος έχει τις προϋποθέσεις να φέρει στο προσκήνιο με ποιοτικούς όρους την ύπαρξή του υπό την οπτική του προσώπου, κατ’ αναλογίαν με τα Πρόσωπα της τριαδικής θεότητας, να πραγματοποιήσει δηλαδή τη ζωή ως αγάπη, δηλαδή ως ελευθερία και όχι ως φυσική αναγκαιότητα. β΄. Ο Θεός ελεύθερα δημιουργεί τον κόσμο και ανάγει το είναι στην ελευθερία, θέτοντας νέα δεδομένα στην οιονεί λογοκεντρική αναγκαιότητα που κατά περιπτώσεις παρουσιάζεται στην αρχαία ελληνική διανόηση της κλασικής περιόδου, παρά το ότι δεν πρέπει να μάς διαφεύγει ότι ο Δημιουργός στον πλατωνικό Τίμαιον διέπεται από προκεχωρημένο βαθμό ελεύθερων προσωπικών επιλογών. Γίνεται λόγος από τον Αθηναίο φιλόσοφο για ένα θείο πρόσωπο που βούλεται, βουλεύεται και κινείται με αισθητικά κριτήρια, τα οποία δεν υποτάσσονται σε αναγκαιότητες. Σημειωτέον μάλιστα ότι και ο νεοπλατωνικός Πρόκλος (412 - 485) επιμένει έτι περαιτέρω στις εν λόγω καταστάσεις. Η χριστιανική θεώρηση όμως της δημιουργίας διευρύνει σε μέγιστο βαθμό το βουλητικό και το βουλευτικό περιεχόμενο της θείας ενέργειας. Το κεφαλαιώδες μάλιστα μυστήριο της ενσάρκου οικονομίας και ενανθρωπήσεως του θείου Λόγου, δηλώνει ακριβώς τη μεταμόρφωση του αιτιατού υπό τους όρους του αιτίου του. γ΄. Ο άνθρωπος διαθέτει φύσει – οντολογικά – ελευθερία βουλήσεως, και έτσι ενισχύεται εξ ορισμού το δικαίωμα της προσωπικής ελευθερίας του και διασφαλίζεται το αυτεξούσιό του, ανεξάρτητα από το πώς θα το κατανοήσει και θα το προβάλει. δ΄. Η ανθρώπινη φύση φθάνει στην πληρότητά της ή στο καθ’ ομοίωσιν, διά της ελευθερίας του προσώπου, εφ’ όσον το ίδιο χρησιμοποίησε το αυτεξούσιον του προς την πραγμάτωση του αγαθού. Πρόκειται για μία ρήτρα που κινείται στον άξονα μιας απόλυτης συμμετρίας, καθότι η μία έννοια (αγαθόν) θέτει δι’ αμέσου συνεπαγωγής και την παρουσία της δεύτερης (ελευθερία) ή και αντιστρόφως. Τέλος, προκειμένου να αναδείξουμε ευρύτερα την σχέση ελευθερίας –αναγκαιότητας, επιχειρήσαμε σε ορισμένες περιπτώσεις να την εντοπίσουμε, στις γενικές διατυπώσεις της, και στον χώρο του Νεοπλατωνισμού, και ιδιαίτερα στον Πρόκλο, ο οποίος έχει επεξεργασθεί συστηματικά το ζήτημα στα σχόλιά του στους Πλατωνικούς διαλόγους Αλκιβιάδης Α’, κυρίως, Πολιτεία και Τίμαιος, στα οποία μάλιστα αναπτύσσει μία γενικευμένη ανθρωπολογία. Μέσα από τις εν λόγω αναφορές, άλλοτε ρητά και άλλοτε υπόρρητα, επιχειρήσαμε να διατυπώσουμε εκτιμήσεις για το φιλοσοφικό βάθος του στοχασμού του Μαξίμου, ο οποίος κινείται κυρίως στον θεολογικό άξονα έρευνας. Σε ορισμένα, επίσης, σημεία εξετάσαμε και τις σχέσεις του με την ηθική του Αριστοτέλη, κυρίως ως προς την έννοια της προαίρεσης. Τέλος οι αναφορές μας στους Στωικούς κυρίως είχαν ως βάση τις ανθρωπολογικές –ηθικές κατηγορίες του «ἐφ’ ἡμῖν» και του «οὐκ ἐφ ἡμῖν». / The subject of this doctoral dissertation is the problem of human free will in relation to the presence of divine providence in human life as is formulated by Maximus the Confessor. In this discussion the metaphysical element was necessarily introduced, together with the general ontological premises pertaining to it and the particular cosmological premises following it. The main points we attempt to illuminate, as particular research topics, are concisely the following: (a) A human being has the presuppositions to bring to the fore his existence in qualitative terms under the perspective of the person, in a way analogous to the Persons of the triadic God, so as to realize life as love, i.e. freedom, and not as a natural necessity. (b) God freely creates the world and reduces being to freedom, thus imposing a new frame to the virtually rationalistic necessity which in certain cases appears in the ancient Greek thought of the classical period, even though it should not escape our notice that the Demiurge in the Platonic Timaeus enjoys freedom of personal choice to a greater degree. The Athenian philosopher discusses a deity who wills, deliberates and moves by means of application of aesthetic criteria, which are not subject to necessities. It should be noted that the Neoplatonist Proclus (412-485) insists further on these conditions. However, the Christian consideration of creation enhances to a maximum degree the presence of will and deliberation in the divine energy. The mystery of the incarnated economy and of the human form of the divine Word, which is of utmost importance, exactly declares the transformation of the effect in terms of its own cause. (c) The human being by nature - ontologically -possesses freedom of will, and thus by definition the right of personal freedom is reinforced and secured, independently of the way it will be comprehended and projected, (d) Human nature reaches its completion or the likeness to God by means of the freedom of person, since the latter itself used its free will for the realization of the Good. This is a clause which moves within the frame of an absolute symmetry, even though the first concept (Good) directly entails as well the presence of the second (Freedom) and vice versa. Finally, in order to show the wider relation between freedom and necessity, we attempted to identify its general formulations in certain cases in the field of Neoplatonism, as well, and particularly in Proclus, who systematically dealt with this topic in his commentaries on the Platonic dialogues Alcibiades I, mainly, Republic and Timaeus, where he develops a generalized anthropology. Throughout these references, either clearly or indirectly, we attempted to formulate evaluations as to the philosophical depth of the thought of Maximus, who mainly moves within the frame of theological research. In certain cases we also examined his relation with Aristotelian ethics, mainly concerning the concept of choice. Finally, our references to the Stoics were mainly based on the anthropological - moral categories of that which is in our power (ἐφ’ ἡμῖν) and that which is not (οὐκ ἐφ’ ἡμῖν).

This thesis reveals the considerable influence of contemplation (sometimes referred to as mysticism) on Anglo-Saxon literature, manifested through the arrangement of narratives according to the theological concepts of apophasis and kenosis. This is demonstrated through a lengthy contextual discussion of the place of contemplation in Anglo-Saxon spirituality, and close analysis of four poems and a prose text. Although English mysticism is commonly thought to start in the High Middle Ages, this thesis will suggest that this terminus post quem should instead be resituated to the Anglo-Saxon period. The first chapter seeks to reveal the centrality of contemplation to Anglo-Saxon spirituality through analysing a range of diverse material, to evidence the monastic reader borne from this culture capable of reading and composing the texts that make up the rest of the thesis in the manner suggested. The thesis places chronologically diverse Anglo-Saxon texts in a contemplative context, with close reference to theology, phenomenology, and narrative structure, to suggest that our interpretation of them should be revised to apprehend the contemplative scheme that they advocate: to cleanse the reader of sin through inspiring penitence and kenosis (humility and emptying of one's will) and direct the mind intellectually beyond the words, images and knowledge of the terrestrial sphere (apophasis), so as to prepare them for the potential coming of God's grace in the form of a vision. This reading is supported by the close taxonomical resemblance of each text's narrative structure. The thesis thus suggests that contemplation was central to Anglo-Saxon spirituality, producing an elite contemplative audience for whom certain texts were designed as preparative apparatus.