My primary argument in this thesis is that creation theologies significantly influenced early developments in the doctrine of the Trinity, especially in Augustine of Hippo’s theology. Thus this is a work of historical theology, but I conclude with proposals for how Augustine’s theologies of creation and the Trinity can be read fruitfully with modern theology. I critically analyse developments in trinitarian theologies in light of ideas that were held about creation. These include the doctrine of creation ‘out of nothing’ and ideas about other creative acts (e.g., forming or fashioning things). Irenaeus and other early theologians posited roles for God (the Father), the Word / Son, the Spirit, or Wisdom in creative acts without working out formal views on economic trinitarian acts. During the fourth century trinitarian controversies, creation ‘out of nothing’ and ideas about ‘modes of origin’ influenced thinking on consubstantiality and relations within the Trinity. Basil of Caesarea and others also presented ideas about trinitarian acts of creation and the Trinity in hexaemeral works. I will argue that in Augustine’s views of trinitarian acts of creation, he attributes roles to God (the Father), the Word / Son, and the Spirit. In his mature theology, he attributes the giving of formless existence, differentiated existence, and perfected existence to the three Persons respectively, while depicting shared roles. He also attributes to the Spirit the giving of the capability of ‘dynamic abiding’ to creatures, which gives them agency in continuing their existence. Augustine’s theologies of creation and the Trinity were significantly influenced by his exegesis of Gen. 1, John 1. 1-3, Wisdom, and other scriptures, and his ideas resonate with the hexaemeral works of Basil and Philo of Alexandria. I argue that scholars should examine these sources and Augustine’s own hexaemeral commentaries to gain a deeper understanding of his trinitarian theology.

This study investigates the understanding of heresy and the heretic according to John of Damascus. For him, a heretic was any Christian who, by wilful choice, departs from the one orthodox tradition by adopting a personal opinion on the common faith which he intends to institute as sole truth. Our research is divided into two parts and aims to apply John of Damascus' understanding of the recurring identity of the Christian heretic and his behaviour. By using historical-theological, interdisciplinary and diachronical approaches, our research demonstrates that this Church Father, who is the `seal of the patristic era,' remains a relevant authority for our comprehension of heresy and the heretic. Through two case studies, namely, the Dutch Reformed Churches and Apartheid, and Kimbanguism, our study specifies, on the one hand how a distorted Christian confession contributed to the rise of Apartheid, with its attendant sense of a theocracy, predestination, election, supremacy, divine love and justice. Kimbanguism, on the other hand, represents a heresy against its will. It is an example of Christian leaders who abused their power to apply cultural elements that resulted in a dramatic misinterpretation of the Christian dogma of the Trinity. Finally, our study intends to apply the notions of wilful choice, obstinacy and fanaticism, libertine exegesis, personal opinion and orthodox tradition or common faith, to portray a heretic by using an interdisciplinary approach: theologically as a libertine-exegete, psychologically as a dogmatic and fanatic person, and sociologically as a negative cultural reformer. Thus, our analysis is both historical and theological, and clearly and substantially elucidates the heretical mind in modern times. Consequently, our inquiry may be summed up as follows. Firstly, heresy habitually comes from an existing text, doctrine or discipline; secondly, it concerns people who are originally Christians; thirdly, it demonstrates that a heretic may be a fervent and an educated Christian, a layman or a church leader, who, on the basis of wilful choice, interprets Biblical texts freely, with his personal exegesis and hermeneutics, and ultimately incorrectly. From this exegesis and hermeneutics he deduces and sustains a new doctrine that he defends with obstinacy and fanaticism. / Christian Spirituality, Church History & Missiology / D. Div. (Church History)

Michael Servetus (1508 - 1553) and Emanuel Swedenborg (1688 - 1772) are both considered heretics. They share many concepts about the nature of God, especially their rejection of orthodox Nicene and Chalcedonian theology. This thesis explores their respective theologies relating to the Trinity and Christology, with speculation of what sources they may have had in common. While attention is paid to Ignatius, Irenaeus and Tertullian, particular attention is paid to Tertullian, whose work Adversus Praxean lays the foundation of Servetus' ideas and has much in common with Swedenborg's theology. In light of their similarity to Tertullian, the question is asked if Servetus and Swedenborg would have been called heretics prior to Nicaea. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D.Th. (Church History)

This thesis employs a historical approach to practical theology in an effort to discover resources from past practices for critical reflection upon a current methodology with the intent of producing a revised practice. The following research question is pursued: How can the practices of patristic preachers enhance the current efforts of redemptive-historical preachers to preach faithfully the New Testament quotations of the Old Testament? Chapter One reviews literature from five major redemptive-historical theologians: Geerhardus Vos, Edmund Clowney, Sidney Greidanus, Bryan Chapell, and Graeme Goldsworthy. Five of the major shared characteristics of these authors are considered in light of their various contributions. Chapters Two, Three, and Four examine various patristic homilies, outlining practical considerations for a contemporary model of preaching. Chapter Two examines two early homilies, 2 Clement and Quis Dives Salvetur, noting the influence of the synagogue. Chapters Three and Four respectively examine the preaching of Origen and Chrysostom. Chapter Five outlines some major characteristics of patristic preaching discovered through a comparison of the findings of chapters Two through Four. Chapter Six provides a model for preaching New Testament quotations of the Old Testament that is consistent with the theological convictions of redemptive-historical homileticians and informed by the insights gained from reflection upon the practices of patristic preachers. This model makes an original contribution to knowledge by advancing the discussion of redemptive-historical preaching both through the application of the redemptive-historical approach to the New Testament quotations of the Old Testament and through the consideration of the relationship between redemptive-historical practices and patristic practices. / Practical Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology)

This thesis has two aims. Firstly, in order to answer the question, ‘In what sense do people see Mary as a type of the Church?’, this thesis will set up original typological models of the relationship between Mary and the Church (chapter 1). It will then demonstrate how and why an eschatological element came to be present in these models (chapter 2).It will be a contention of this thesis that looking at the Mario-ecclesial discussions set out in chapters 3 and 4 through these typological models will allow a greater depth of analysis. The models allow one to discern differences between and nuances in various views of the relationship between Mary and the Church that would be impossible to discern if one were using just the language of ‘type’. Secondly the thesis will show how each Mario-ecclesial discussion has been affected by the socio-political context of the time. Specifically, the thesis will analyse the Mario-ecclesial discussions of the patristic, medieval and modern periods in the light of the typological models. In chapter 1, the patristic Mario-ecclesiologies of Irenaeus and Ambrose will be considered. In chapter 2, Bernard of Clairvaux will be used to analyse the eschatological nature of the Mario-ecclesiology in the medieval period. In chapter 3, the contrasting Mario-ecclesiologies of the Second Vatican Council and Hans Urs von Balthasar will be compared. In chapter 4, it will be suggested that John Paul’s model of the Mario-ecclesial relationship was based on his eschatological vision for the Church and the role that Mary plays in that future which is both imminent and already realised. This thesis will demonstrate that by using the typological models in these periods a greater depth of analysis can be achieved. This will be particularly true of the complex and nuanced discussions on Mary in the Roman Catholic Church in the twentieth century. This analysis will culminate in the particular Mariology of John Paul II.

My thesis offers a comparison of the Minor Prophets commentaries of Theodore of Mopsuestia and Cyril of Alexandria, isolating the role each assigns (1) the Twelve Prophets in their ministry to Old Testament Israel and (2) the texts of the Twelve as Christian scripture. While the two produce radically different commentaries in terms of quantity and detail of christological interpretation, the source of their divergence cannot be reduced to Cyril's admitting messianic prophecy whereas Theodore does not. Rather, I argue that Theodore does acknowledge christological prophecies, as distinct from both retrospective accommodation and typology. Further, a careful reading of Cyril's Commentary on the Twelve limits the prospective christological revelation he ascribes to the prophets and reveals the positive role he grants the Mosaic law prior to Christ's advent. My thesis secondly explores the Christian significance both Theodore and Cyril assign to Israel's exile and restoration, the pivotal event to which the Twelve bear witness. I here argue that Theodore's reading of the Twelve Prophets, while not attempting to be christocentric, is nevertheless self-consciously Christian. Cyril, unsurprisingly, offers a robust Christian reading of the Twelve, yet this too must be expanded by his focus on the church and concern to equip the church through the ethical paideusis provided by the plain sense of the prophetic text. Revised descriptions of each interpreter lead to the claim that the label “christocentric” obscures more than it clarifies and polarizes no less than earlier accounts of Antiochene/Alexandrian exegesis. I advocate rather for an approach that takes seriously Theodore's positive account of the unity and telos of the divine economy and the full range of Cyril's interpretation, in order to move beyond a zero-sum assessment and offer instead a positive account that appreciates the strengths of each Christian reading of the Twelve.

Cette thèse montre que, dans les Sermones in Matthaeum, les interprétations scripturaires développées par Augustin d’Hippone ont fait l’objet d’un choix, que justifie une adaptation pastorale au double contexte historique et liturgique de la prédication. Établi à partir du classement thématique des Mauristes, le « corpus » regroupe des sermons prêchés en différents lieux, entre 393 et 430 ; il se prête donc à une évaluation de ces adaptations.Le chapitre 1 propose une synthèse critique des données contextuelles (historiques, géographiques, sociologiques et liturgiques) concernant ces sermons, comme autant de pierres d’attente à d’éventuelles adaptations ; le chapitre 2 montre que leur texte biblique, souvent vieux latin, a parfois un substrat africain. Les chapitres 3 à 6 analysent l’exégèse d’une vingtaine de sermons choisis pour leur dimension réflexive afin de questionner, de manière inductive, les motifs des adaptations exégétiques. Les études comparent les interprétations du texte commenté à celles présentes dans les autres œuvres augustiniennes et dans la tradition patristique, et intègrent une approche rhétorique. Homilétique, cette exégèse se situe, comme les sermons qui la développent, à l’intersection entre Parole de Dieu (chapitres 3 et 4) et réponses des hommes (chapitres 5 et 6). Elle assume la situation historique dans laquelle elle est élaborée pour, en s’insérant dans la dynamique de la liturgie dont elle reçoit la matière du commentaire et la finalité qui l’oriente, faire en sorte que la res qu’elle transmet de façon quasi sacramentelle par les uerba du prédicateur, fructifie chez les auditeurs.Cette thèse comprend aussi une bibliographie et quatre annexes : un fichier signalétique sur les Sermones in Matthaeum et son résumé, les relevés des occurrences augustiniennes des citations étudiées et la liste des lectures liturgiques de l’Évangile de Matthieu. / This doctoral thesis shows that in Sermones in Matthaeum the biblical interpretations developed by Augustine of Hippo were selected in order to comply with a pastoral adaptation to the double historical and liturgical preaching context. Established on the basis of the Maurists’ thematic classification, the corpus contains sermons preached in different places between 393 and 430; it is therefore suitable for evaluating these adaptations. Chapter 1 gives a critical survey of the contextual data (historical, geographical, sociological and liturgical) concerning these sermons, to be taken as potential, adaptable building blocks; chapter 2 shows that the biblical text, often in Old Latin forms, has an African substrate. Chapter 3 to 6 analyse the exegesis of about twenty sermons selected for their reflexive dimension, in order to inductively question the reasons for the exegetical adaptations. The analyses compare the interpretations of the commented text with those present in other Augustinian works and in the Patristic tradition, and integrate a rhetorical approach. Like the sermons which develop it, this homiletic exegesis lies at the intersection of God’s Word (chapter 3 and 4) and men’s answers (chapter 5 and 6). It assumes the historic context in which it is developed and penetrates the dynamic of the liturgy from which it gets the subject of its comment and the aim of its orientation, so that the res which it conveys in a quasi sacramental way through the uerba of the preacher bears fruit within the listeners. This doctoral thesis also includes a bibliography and four annexes: an identification file about the Sermones in Matthaeum and its summary, a summary table of Augustinian occurrences to be found in the analysed quotations and the list of the liturgical readings from Matthew’s Gospel.

This thesis employs a historical approach to practical theology in an effort to discover resources from past practices for critical reflection upon a current methodology with the intent of producing a revised practice. The following research question is pursued: How can the practices of patristic preachers enhance the current efforts of redemptive-historical preachers to preach faithfully the New Testament quotations of the Old Testament? Chapter One reviews literature from five major redemptive-historical theologians: Geerhardus Vos, Edmund Clowney, Sidney Greidanus, Bryan Chapell, and Graeme Goldsworthy. Five of the major shared characteristics of these authors are considered in light of their various contributions. Chapters Two, Three, and Four examine various patristic homilies, outlining practical considerations for a contemporary model of preaching. Chapter Two examines two early homilies, 2 Clement and Quis Dives Salvetur, noting the influence of the synagogue. Chapters Three and Four respectively examine the preaching of Origen and Chrysostom. Chapter Five outlines some major characteristics of patristic preaching discovered through a comparison of the findings of chapters Two through Four. Chapter Six provides a model for preaching New Testament quotations of the Old Testament that is consistent with the theological convictions of redemptive-historical homileticians and informed by the insights gained from reflection upon the practices of patristic preachers. This model makes an original contribution to knowledge by advancing the discussion of redemptive-historical preaching both through the application of the redemptive-historical approach to the New Testament quotations of the Old Testament and through the consideration of the relationship between redemptive-historical practices and patristic practices. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology)

The orans, although a gesture with a long ‘pagan’ past, was easily adopted by Christians for its symbolic meanings of prayer and piety and quickly attained a number of other more nuanced meanings as it was refined and reused. By restricting the scope of this thesis to the orans in the Christian catacombs of Rome, it becomes possible to approach the figure from a multi-directional perspective, not merely concerned with what the gesture meant to the Christian, but with its literary and material pedigrees, its transition to Christian art, and its cultural significance. To this end, chapter one examines ‘pagan’ precursors of the Christian orans through an examination of coins, sculptures, inscriptions, and reliefs, as well as by looking at the two figures whose appearance most influences that of the orans – the goddess Pietas, and the Artemisia-Adorans funerary portrait type. Chapter two addresses the importance of the orans in the Christian literary community, and examines not only the actual usage of prayer with raised hands by the Christian faithful, but also examines the aesthetic and theological reasons for the popularity of the gesture – the parallel between the spread arms of the orans and the posture of the crucified Christ. Finally, chapter three presents a spatial-thematic analysis of the usage of the orans in the Roman Christian catacombs, using a corpus of 158 orantes. This chapter enables the reader to draw conclusions about the veracity of the academic theories presented in the previous chapters, as it compares the usage of the orans against its scholarly interpretation.

This study investigates the understanding of heresy and the heretic according to John of Damascus. For him, a heretic was any Christian who, by wilful choice, departs from the one orthodox tradition by adopting a personal opinion on the common faith which he intends to institute as sole truth. Our research is divided into two parts and aims to apply John of Damascus' understanding of the recurring identity of the Christian heretic and his behaviour. By using historical-theological, interdisciplinary and diachronical approaches, our research demonstrates that this Church Father, who is the `seal of the patristic era,' remains a relevant authority for our comprehension of heresy and the heretic. Through two case studies, namely, the Dutch Reformed Churches and Apartheid, and Kimbanguism, our study specifies, on the one hand how a distorted Christian confession contributed to the rise of Apartheid, with its attendant sense of a theocracy, predestination, election, supremacy, divine love and justice. Kimbanguism, on the other hand, represents a heresy against its will. It is an example of Christian leaders who abused their power to apply cultural elements that resulted in a dramatic misinterpretation of the Christian dogma of the Trinity. Finally, our study intends to apply the notions of wilful choice, obstinacy and fanaticism, libertine exegesis, personal opinion and orthodox tradition or common faith, to portray a heretic by using an interdisciplinary approach: theologically as a libertine-exegete, psychologically as a dogmatic and fanatic person, and sociologically as a negative cultural reformer. Thus, our analysis is both historical and theological, and clearly and substantially elucidates the heretical mind in modern times. Consequently, our inquiry may be summed up as follows. Firstly, heresy habitually comes from an existing text, doctrine or discipline; secondly, it concerns people who are originally Christians; thirdly, it demonstrates that a heretic may be a fervent and an educated Christian, a layman or a church leader, who, on the basis of wilful choice, interprets Biblical texts freely, with his personal exegesis and hermeneutics, and ultimately incorrectly. From this exegesis and hermeneutics he deduces and sustains a new doctrine that he defends with obstinacy and fanaticism. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D. Div. (Church History)