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The writings of Walter Hilton, an Austin Canon, were widely disseminated during the late fourteenth century and" after. His ideas are therefore of importance in matters of late mediaeval spirituality, and an area of his beliefs, which is of considerable interest, concerns the type of religious experience which is available to lay people. In order to understand these beliefs, it is necessary to examine the history of the concepts of the active life, the contemplative life and the mixed life, because it is through the concept of the mixed life that much mediaeval thought on this subject is articulated. This study does not attempt a comprehensive examination of every writer who deals with these concepts, but makes a careful selection of those who are either representative of an attitude 0= a period, or who are important in their own right. S. Augustine of Hippo, S. Gregory the Great and S.Bernard of C1airvaux are major figures in this survey, as well as a number of other twelfth, thirteenth end fourteenth century writers.

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At present no scholar has provided an in-depth study into the dissemination of the Pater Noster outside the clerical sphere. This thesis provides a detailed consideration of the ways in which the Pater Noster was taught to the laity in medieval England. It explores the central position of the prayer in the lay curriculum, the constitutions which played a fundamental role in its teaching, and the methods by which it was disseminated. Clerical expositions of the prayer and its tabular and diagrammatic representations are examined to consider the material available to assist the clergy in their pedagogical role. The ways in which material associated with the Pater Noster was modified and delivered to a lay audience provides an important component in the holistic approach of this thesis. The thesis itself proposes that the prayer was widely known and recited, drawing on a variety of mediums in which it was presented to the laity. These include sermon material, which would have been delivered in the vernacular; the recitation of Paternosters, an earlier version of the conventional rosary; the performance of the Pater Noster plays in the northern locations of York, Beverley and Lincoln; and representations of the prayer in wall paintings.

John Ruze. / "May 27, 1953." / Bibliography: p. 84-85. / Army Signal Corps Contract DA36-039 sc-42607 Project 132B Dept. of the Army Project 3-99-10-022

This research has been conducted against the backdrop of the Second Vatican Council's "People of God" motif. The term "ecclesial" in the title embraces both lay faithful and clergy, although the lens through which their views are gauged is that of the deacon. The empirical findings of the research have been derived from fifty-three deacons of Southwark Province who completed narrative questionnaires about their collective six hundred years of experience in ordained ministry. The research methodology was mainly qualitative, using an adapted grounded theory approach to explore the themes which emerged from the respondents' own testimonies. These included discernment of their vocations, their formation programmes, what helped or hindered them in their early days of ministry and how they were received by their parish priests and their communities. As a theological consideration of the permanent diaconate, the project points to : * a richer scriptural interpretation of diakonia than a simplistic reading of Acts 6 * an understanding of the episcopate as the "fullness of order" from which are extended the two "arms" of the bishop's pastoral oversight - diaconate and presbyterate * a praxis which reflects the diaconate as a unique and full order The chief findings of the research are as follows: * Whilst formation for deacons has become theologically more robust over the past decade, there remain gaps in ongoing formation, both theologically and pastorally and an underdeveloped structure for the deacon to be properly supervised in his ministry. * The pastoral role of the deacon's wife remains unclear. Although, in the main, she is an animator of her husband's witness and compensates for his lack of time with the family, there is little evidence that the concept of "diaconal marriage", as a basis for joint ministry, is devloping. * The discipline of celibacy for widower deacons reflects a limited and sacerdotal understanding of what it means to be a sacred minister in Holy Orders. Although dispensations for remarriage are possible, these exceptional concessions may restrict the theological unfolding of the concept of diaconal marriage. * The continued exclusion of women from ordained ministry remains problematical for some. However, Pope Benedict's recent moto proprio "Omnium in Mentem" may signal future opportunities for a more diverse ordained diaconal ministry.