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This thesis categorises some characteristic features in the 20th century Lutheran theology, in order to create a picture of the Lutheran theology and Lutheran pre-understanding of life which leave its marks on Selma Lagerlöf as well as on other contemporary expressions of faith and worldviews. Four Lutheran figures of thought are examined as undercurrents in the discourse of the writings of Selma Lagerlöf. They are a) The understanding of Word and Faith, which includes the understanding of justification by faith. b) Faith in God as Creator and in his providence. c) The doctrine of vocatio and God's two regiments. d) The theology of the Cross that emphasises the descent of God and God's taking part in the human life. This investigation has shown that the epic of Lagerlöf can be read in terms of Lutheran theology. The religious roots of Selma Lagerlöf are often described as ”a nothing” - a traditional background, a friendly non-doctrinal piety, and so forth. But this inconspicuous and unconscious religious background has a content, namely the Lutheran faith in the culture and society in which she grew up. Some of the great novels such as The story of Gösta Berlings saga, Jerusalem and The wonderful adventures of Nils and some stories, sagas and legends are investigated. The study shows how the Lutheran understanding of life is expressed in these texts and their interpretation of the reality.

In our time we, of course, face problems in Christian dogmatics within a different context from Calvin. let in the Reformed Churches we believe we would greatly impoverish ourselves if we departed from his locus or disregarded his seminal teaching. Thus, the underlying question of the thesis is: can Reformed theology go the same fundamental way as Calvin and yet go further, i.e., let Calvin's theology extend and make itself explicit in the face of our theological problems? We think so. We have chosen three areas in which to test this assertion, all of which are lively areas of discussion in modern theology: natural knowledge of God, history and ethics. In each of the respective chapters we try first to represent what Calvin said; then we suggest the problems these doctrines of Calvin present for modern (Reformed) theology. Finally, we let Calvin's doctrine of the Word extend and make explicit his statements in each of these areas; i.e., knowledge, history and ethics, in the face of the problems of today. In order to follow this procedure we set forth in the First Chapter the heart and norm for all of Calvin's theology, his doctrine of the Word, In sum, then, we let Calvin's doctrine of the Word clarify the Christological character of Calvin's doctrines of our knowledge of God, the Providence of God, the Law of God and the life of the Christian man in the face of contemporary theological discussion.

[pt] A presente pesquisa sobre a escuta na experiência litúrgico-cristã é um diálogo entre a ciência teológica e outras áreas das ciências humanas, perfazendo um caminho interdisciplinar. O texto foi construído a partir do binômio Palavrarito e intuído com base na celebração do culto cristão. A questão levantada como hipótese para este trabalho é: se a Escritura tem seu primado no culto cristão, por que se constatam tantos obstáculos em escutá-la e compreendê-la nas celebrações litúrgicas? E quais são as consequências disso para o processo de iniciação e amadurecimento dos cristãos, no que se refere à experiência de fé e, por conseguinte, ao seu testemunho? Indagações e inquietações como estas marcaram profundamente o percurso desta pesquisa de reflexão teológico-litúrgica e pastoral. O cenário apresentado a partir das questões elencadas revela como a Igreja do século anterior se viu provocada pelos movimentos de renovação bíblica e litúrgica, os quais desaguaram no Concílio Ecumênico Vaticano II e, particularmente, nas constituições Sacrosanctum Concilium e Dei Verbum, marcadamente por propostas teológico-pastorais. Nelas percebemos como os Padres conciliares viram a urgência de considerar a excelência da escuta e da resposta da Escritura na liturgia e na vida cristã. Portanto, a Igreja, provocada a educar-se à escuta, é incentivada a um permanente e constante processo de conversão pastoral, pois esse novo cenário requer dela novos métodos. Um deles é o processo de iniciação à Escritura e à liturgia, em vista do itinerário à vida cristã. Esse caminho tão urgente e necessário para a Igreja hoje potencializa a via possível para a pessoa chegar ao encontro pessoal e comunitário com Jesus Cristo. Esse encontro é vivenciado mediante uma consistente experiência de fé conduzida pelo itinerário catequético, o qual orienta e conduz o iniciante a testemunhar Cristo no seu cotidiano. Assim, a pesquisa parte da fundamentação antropológica e bíblica da escuta, com o objetivo de preparar o alicerce para a compreensão da escuta litúrgica da Escritura, à luz da Sacrosanctum Concilium, para depois trabalhar as perspectivas pastorais em vista de uma renovada expressão da escuta litúrgica da Escritura. / [en] The present research on listening in the liturgical-Christian experience is a dialogue between theological science and other areas of the human sciences, making an interdisciplinary path. The text was constructed from the binomial Spirit-Word and intituded on the basis of the celebration of Christian worship. The question raised as a hypothesis for this work is: if Scripture has its primacy in Christian worship, why are there so many obstacles in listening to it and understanding it in liturgical celebrations? And what are the consequences of this for the process of initiation and maturation of Christians, with regard to the experience of faith and, therefore, their witness? Questions and concerns such as these have deeply marked the course of this research of theological-liturgical and pastoral reflection. The scenario presented from the questions listed reveals how the Church of the previous century was provoked by the movements of biblical and liturgical renewal, which came at the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council and, particularly, in the constitutions Sacrosanctum Concilium and Dei Verbum, marked by theological-pastoral proposals. In them we perceive how the Council Fathers saw the urgency of considering the excellence of listening and the response of Scripture in the liturgy and in Christian life. Therefore, the Church, provoked to educate oneself to listen, is encouraged to a permanent and constant process of pastoral conversion, because this new scenario requires new methods from her. One of them is the process of initiation into Scripture and the liturgy, in view of the journey to Christian life. This urgent and necessary path for the Church today enhances the possible way for the person to reach a personal and community encounter with Jesus Christ. This encounter is experienced through a consistent experience of faith conducted by the catechetical itinerary, which guides and leads the beginner to witness to Christ in his daily life. Thus, the research is based on the anthropological and biblical foundation of listening, with the aim of laying the foundation for the understanding of the liturgical listening of Scripture, in the light of the Sacrosanctum Concilium, and then working on pastoral perspectives in view of a renewed expression of the liturgical listening of Scripture.

[pt] A revalorização da Sagrada Escritura na celebração litúrgica foi uma das grandes conquistas no tocante à reforma dos ritos promovida pelo Concílio Vaticano II. A partir desse evento, tanto o Magistério como a reflexão teológica amadureceram essa temática, inclusive rumando para uma perspectiva da Palavra de Deus sob a ótica da sua sacramentalidade nas ações litúrgicas. A presente tese, então, inicia-se com esta abordagem suscitada pelas intuições da Constituição Sacrosanctum Concilium. Em vista de aprofundar o tema da sacramentalidade da Palavra, o estudo em questão recorre à teologia patrística, mais precisamente, a de Ambrósio de Milão, com enfoque nas suas duas renomadas obras mistagógicas: De Sacramentis e De Mysteriis. Nelas, há o recurso à tipologia bíblica, cuja finalidade é conduzir os neófitos à experiência do mysterium. O método tipológico de Ambrósio procura demonstrar aos recém-batizados que a palavra eficaz de Deus, manifestada na história salvífica, continua realizando sua missão de resgatar a humanidade. À luz das instruções pós-batismais de Ambrósio, a pesquisa buscou encontrar elementos teológico-pastorais em relação à sacramentalidade da Palavra de Deus nas celebrações litúrgicas. A pregação mistagógica de Ambrósio, com efeito, se revela profundamente atual e se apresenta hoje como fonte de inspiração para que as nossas comunidades – ainda em processo de recepção das propostas do Concílio – façam a experiência litúrgico-assembleal das Escrituras. A contribuição ambrosiana, nesse sentido, tem a potência de fazer com que os cristãos descubram a eficácia salvífica da Palavra proclamada nas celebrações da Igreja e se tornem capazes de responder a essa mesma Palavra no culto e na vida. / [en] The revaluation of Holy Scripture in the liturgical celebration was one of the great achievements regarding the reform of the rites promoted by the Second Vatican Council. From this event, both the Magisterium and theological reflection have matured this theme, including moving towards a perspective of the Word of God from the viewpoint of his sacramentality in liturgical actions. The present thesis then begins with this approach raised by the intuitions of the Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium. In order to deepen the theme of the sacramentality of the Word, the study in question uses patristic theology, more precisely, that of Ambrose of Milan, focusing on its two renowned mystagogical works: De Sacramentis and De Mysteriis. In them, there is the use of biblical typology, whose purpose is to lead the neophytes to the mysterium experience. Ambrose s typological method seeks to demonstrate to newly baptized that God s effective word manifested in saving history continues to fulfill its mission of redeeming humanity. In light of Ambrose s post-baptismal instructions, the research sought to find theological-pastoral elements in relation to the sacramentality of the Word of God in liturgical celebrations. Ambrose s mystagogical preaching, in fact, is profoundly current and is today a source of inspiration for our communities – still in the process of receiving the Council s proposals – to make the liturgicalassembly experience of Scripture. The ambrosian contribution, in this sense, has the power to make christians discover the salvific efficacy of the Word proclaimed in the celebrations of the Church and to be able to respond to that same Word in worship and life.

Text in German with summaries in German and English / Zusammenfassung Die vorliegende empirische Forschungsstudie hat es sich zur Aufgabe gestellt, das Predigtverstandnis der baptistischen und mennonitischen Aussiedlerfreikirchen im heutigen Deutschland darzustellen. Da es keine von diesen Freikirchen veroffentlichten Dokumente zur Predigtlehre gibt, musste hier empirisch geforscht werden. Hierbei kamen anerkannte empirische Methoden zur Anwendung, die eine moglichst grosse Objektivitat bzgl. der Sammlung und der Analyse von Umfrage-Daten gewahrleisten sollen, damit die Ergebnisse des Weiteren ein moglichst reprasentatives Bild der Gesamtsituation der genannten Freikirchen bzgl. ihres Predigtverstandnisses in den Gottesdiensten darzustellen vermogen. Die Ergebnisse mehrerer zyklisch-triangularer Umfragen bzgl. des Predigtverstandnisses genannter Gemeinden werden dann diskutiert unter Berucksichtigung des prominentesten deutschen evangelikalen Predigtansatzes. Da diese Forschungsarbeit jedoch nicht einfach nur einem wissenschaftlich-theoretischen Interesse dienen soll, sollen ihre Ergebnisse auch fur die zukunftige Gemeindearbeit von Nutzen sein. Abstract The present empiric research study aims to present the current concept of preaching in the Russian-German Baptist and Mennonite Free Evangelical Churches in Germany. As these churches have not published documents concerning their preaching concept, this study has to be based on empiric research. For this purpose acknowledged empirical methods were applied which vouch for as much objectivity as possible in the collection and analysis of data. The subsequent aim was that the results thereof represent as much as possible an accurate picture of the current situation of these Free Churches with regard to their understanding of preaching in their services. The conclusions to various cyclic-triangular questionnaires regarding the understanding of preaching in these churches are then discussed against the background of a German evangelical homiletic concept. Since this study does not just serve a theoretical research interest, its conclusions are thought to be of use for future work within these churches. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M.Th. (Missiology)

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Text in German with summaries in German and English / Zusammenfassung Die vorliegende empirische Forschungsstudie hat es sich zur Aufgabe gestellt, das Predigtverstandnis der baptistischen und mennonitischen Aussiedlerfreikirchen im heutigen Deutschland darzustellen. Da es keine von diesen Freikirchen veroffentlichten Dokumente zur Predigtlehre gibt, musste hier empirisch geforscht werden. Hierbei kamen anerkannte empirische Methoden zur Anwendung, die eine moglichst grosse Objektivitat bzgl. der Sammlung und der Analyse von Umfrage-Daten gewahrleisten sollen, damit die Ergebnisse des Weiteren ein moglichst reprasentatives Bild der Gesamtsituation der genannten Freikirchen bzgl. ihres Predigtverstandnisses in den Gottesdiensten darzustellen vermogen. Die Ergebnisse mehrerer zyklisch-triangularer Umfragen bzgl. des Predigtverstandnisses genannter Gemeinden werden dann diskutiert unter Berucksichtigung des prominentesten deutschen evangelikalen Predigtansatzes. Da diese Forschungsarbeit jedoch nicht einfach nur einem wissenschaftlich-theoretischen Interesse dienen soll, sollen ihre Ergebnisse auch fur die zukunftige Gemeindearbeit von Nutzen sein. Abstract The present empiric research study aims to present the current concept of preaching in the Russian-German Baptist and Mennonite Free Evangelical Churches in Germany. As these churches have not published documents concerning their preaching concept, this study has to be based on empiric research. For this purpose acknowledged empirical methods were applied which vouch for as much objectivity as possible in the collection and analysis of data. The subsequent aim was that the results thereof represent as much as possible an accurate picture of the current situation of these Free Churches with regard to their understanding of preaching in their services. The conclusions to various cyclic-triangular questionnaires regarding the understanding of preaching in these churches are then discussed against the background of a German evangelical homiletic concept. Since this study does not just serve a theoretical research interest, its conclusions are thought to be of use for future work within these churches. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M.Th. (Missiology)

The question I address is: how might a theology of authority be conceived in the light of questions raised by what is termed 'post-modernity'? Is it possible to articulate a theology of authority coming to the church community 'from God' that avoids an oppressive and alienating heteronomy? The thesis explores the question of authority as of vital importance in the sociological dimension of religion, calling for legitimisation (in light of claims made for itself) and as obligatory in the theological sphere. For this reason the project involves two methodologies (theological and sociological/ethnographic). While this investigation is relevant to all sections of the Christian church, particular attention is paid to Baptist churches in the UK, since they hold a concept in their tradition that I suggest is valuable in answering the question of the thesis, namely that of covenant. Within the Christian tradition there is an inner 'problematic' relating the personal authority of Christ to the forms of institution (church) and text (scripture). I explore this with a brief survey of theological authority as found in the fourfold foundation of scripture, tradition, reason and experience. From this is developed a brief theological and Christological reflection on divine authority and covenant theology as found in Karl Barth and his response to the 'inner problematic'. Within contemporary culture I view authority through the lens of so-called 'postmodernism', identifying four challenges to the notion of 'external authority' (all of which exemplify a move from the external to internal, and objective to subjective approaches to authority). This is further explored by means of qualitative research with one-to-one interviews conducted in a Baptist church in York. This data is reflected upon by means of ethnography and 'judicious narratives', especially in dialogue with material from Guest ('congregational study'), Heelas and Woodhead ('subjectivised-self') and Healy ('theodramatic horizon' and 'practical-prophetic ecclesiology'), providing an intersection between the language of theology and sociology. The concept of church as covenant community is explored in Baptist and (more briefly) Anglican traditions, leading to a constructive proposal that both the inner-church 'problematic' and the 'postmodern' challenge to authority might begin to be resolved with the notion of covenant. It is within this context of relationship, human and divine, that the authoritative and revelatory Word of God, the story that is Christ, is found in community and praxis. Here is a 'triangulating' relationship between authority, story and covenant revealing divine authority in a non-coercive way and relevant to contemporary culture.