This thesis is specially concerned with the section of the Church now called Mar Thoma Syrian Church; it has therefore to leave out of consideration the various groups which live apart from that section, once the occasions of separation have been noticed. Thus we shall see that the Syrian Church has a loose-knit unity until 1653; for the last fifty years that period under Roman Control. Then about half of the Christians became Jacobite in allegiance. The work of the Christian Missionary Society, missionaries in the nineteenth century, led the coversion of a few families to the Anglican faith and the formation of the Mar Thoma Syrian Church. We shall see more about this Church later on in this thesis.

Apoštol Pavel a římské zákony Apostle Paul and the Roman Law bc. Ladislava Říhová The thesis deals with problematics associated with the life and first of all with Apostle PaulVs Roman citizenship. The first chapter contains a brief description of PaulVs life which de facto makes the outline of the whole work. Special attention is being paid to PaulVs origin, his education and last but not least to his conversion to Christianity. Noticed is also PaulVs missionary activity and his end. In the second part of the first chapter there is discussed the view of the Scipture on the Roman citizenship of the Apostle, supplemented with a historical excursus about the history of Roman citizenship as such taking into special consideration the time of Paul's life i.e. the time of the Early Principate. Of course, the possibility of the Apostle's double citizenship is mentioned. From Paul's civil state follow necessarily his rights which form his further destiny. In particular there are concerned Paul's iudicial proceedings which are extensively discussed in the Acts of the Apostles. The second chapter therefore engages in the history and necessities of Roman iudicial proceedings and the appellate right of Roman citizens, which was used by Paul as Roman citizen, too. Whereas the second chapter of the work is...

This dissertation represents a prolegomena to a new approach to the study of the Greek New Testament, with ½ó¼o[varsigma] in Romans as a test case. Chapter 1 introduces the seemingly intractable interpretive debates concerning the Mosaic Law. Chapter 2 outlines an integrative model of understanding language--systemic-functional linguistics (SFL)--that forms the foundation of this study and the central pillar for the application of that theory--corpus linguistics using the annotation database of Opentext.org project. Chapter 3 develops a number of tools on the basis of SFL and corpus linguistics as supporting pillars for text analysis. Specifically, it provides a map on what to study in a text and how to do it. Chapter 4 illustrates the methods developed in chapter 3 and introduces the reader to the discourse of Romans through the Opening (Rom 1:1-7) and Thanksgiving (Rom 1:8-17) sections. Ultimately, a more comprehensive study building upon this initial attempt at a bottom-up analysis will be needed for a full discourse commentary on Romans. Chapter 5 explores the portrait of ½ó¼o[varsigma] from the angle of patterns of lexical repetition. Different passages on ½ó¼o[varsigma] are shown to be mutually interpretive. Chapters 6 and 7 examines the functional patterns of ½ó¼o[varsigma] as the head term of a word group (without a genitive qualifier) and as a modifier respectively. The common meaning component and reference patterns for ½ó¼o[varsigma] are uncovered in the process. Chapter 8 investigates the patterns of ½ó¼o[varsigma] as modified by a genitive. It was discovered that ½ó¼o[varsigma] has different reference patterns when modified. Chapter 9 is the overall summary. This work contends that while ½ó¼o[varsigma] most often refers to the Mosaic Law, the more general reference usage of the word as an entity that prescribes standards and as a controlling principle (in Romans 7-8) shed light on the meaning and function of the Mosaic Law and on the theme of control in Romans. / This item is only available to students and faculty of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. If you are not associated with SBTS, this dissertation may be purchased from <a href="http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb">http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb</a> or downloaded through ProQuest's Dissertation and Theses database if your institution subscribes to that service.

Religious conversion is an interesting phenomenon that crosses religious beliefs. This phenomenon intersects with many various disciplines, from medicine through the scientific disciplines such as anthropology, sociology, religious studies, psychology and theology. Religious conversion may on the one hand be a demonstration of deep spiritual experience and on the other, the result of strong pressure from others. We can get closer to the truth only through the authentic testimonies of the converts. This is why I have chosen the theme of the religious conversion in the context of "pure experience". We can see differences among conversions to various religions. But it is necessary to say, that I am interested in conversion to Christianity. But the Christianity of two thousand years ago is not the Christianity of today. The Apostle Paul joined a marginal movement at a time when such acceptance was punishable by death. Today, however, converts have joined millions of faithful around the whole world. And this is why religious conversion to Christianity is a lively phenomenon. In my thesis I would like to clarify the question: "What is religious conversion?" Is it a manifestation of the power of God, or is it a clearly human decision? Has the conversion some connection with the social environment, or is...

Thesis (D. Min.)--Erskine Theological Seminary, 2002. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 126-127).

Chapter 1 introduces the particular problem to be addressed and also the thesis of the dissertation as a potential answer to this problem. The three test case passages are briefly introduced as well as the rationale for their selection. Attention is then given to surveying the history of modern research by examining those scholars who maintain that Paul's use of the OT is either a generally non-contextually rooted approach or a contextually rooted approach, respectively. The closing section sets out the methodology of examination. Each of the next three chapters is given to the three hard cases of Paul's use of the OT. Paul's use of Isaiah 59:20-21 and 27:9 in Romans 11:26-27 is discussed in chapter 2 and demonstrated to be a contextually rooted use of the OT by arguing that Paul employs these passages with the same burden as their OT context, namely that one day all Israel will be saved. However, in Paul's modified form it also serves to reinforce the mystery concerning how that salvation will take place. Chapter 3 is a focused interaction with Paul's use of Psalm 68:18 in Ephesians 4:8. After discussing the inadequacies of the various approaches which seek to locate Paul's form of the text as employing an existing interpretive tradition, it is argued that Paul modified the wording of the quotation, not to disregard the OT context, but rather to summarize succinctly the entire psalm and use it to draw together several important themes in his letter. The quotation of Isaiah 25:8 and Hosea 13:14 in 1 Corinthians 15:54-55 is the subject of chapter 4. While Paul does again modify these texts, he builds upon their original contexts as a way of showing how Christ's resurrection has conquered death. The judgment prophesied in the OT context has been poured out on Christ, thereby clearing a path for resurrection life for his people. Chapter 5 concludes with a synthesis of Paul's hermeneutical method in these passages. Paul's use of the OT is contextually rooted, but also comes through the interpretive lens of the apostle in light of his place in redemptive history.

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Hasan Salah, a 13th-century exponent of the Isma'ili qiyamat doctrine, and Saint Paul the Apostle, the author of much of the New Testament, believed that during their lifetimes, a Messiah had come. The arrival of the Messiah triggered the end time; in this new time of sacredness, both authors believed that it was impossible---and even counterproductive---to gain salvation by following the traditional religious law. This thesis juxtaposes both authors' conceptions of the religious law, highlighting how each author reinterprets scripture to argue that the law simply cannot bring salvation in this new time. It then discusses how, in place of the law, both authors advocate a new, more individual soteriology structured around the Messianic figure. This thesis then discusses the seven shared structural features of both eschatologically based theologies, strengthening the corpus of evidence suggesting that Isma'ili thinkers often incorporate specifically Christian elements into their theology.

Thesis (D. Min.)--Erskine Theological Seminary, 2002. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 126-127).

O objetivo geral da pesquisa é identificar um referencial bíblico que descreva a existência de um método de Gestão de Pessoas (GP) no ministério de Paulo em Éfeso. Para atingir este alvo, foram estabelecidos os seguintes objetivos específicos: O que é GP? Qual o verdadeiro sentido, ou a interpretação correta de (At 19.1-10)? De acordo com a perícope delimitada e seu contexto, é possível identificar um processo de gestão e formação de líderes na estadia de Paulo em Éfeso? Estas perguntas e objetivos básicos harmonizam a pesquisa da seguinte forma: A primeira parte aborda: as etapas históricas e o processo evolutivo da GP; suas premissas conceituais, explicitando com detalhes o que ela é; seus objetivos principais no que se refere ao gerenciamento de pessoas; e os processos utilizados para sua efetivação no contexto das organizações. Dez argumentos sobre a relevância de uma GP na igreja finalizam esta primeira parte. Vale expor neste instante que o APÊNDICE I - (exegese histórico crítica de Atos 19.1-10) agregado a pesquisa tem como objetivo fundamentar as afirmações feitas no segundo capítulo e apontar um referencial bíblico da GP no ministério de Paulo. O método exegético histórico/crítico é um dos procedimentos mais utilizados para análises diacrônicas da bíblia e submete o texto selecionado a mais de quarenta estágios distintos, que por sua vez, possibilitam diferentes olhares e permitem uma interpretação literal, ampla e profunda da perícope delimitada. O segundo e último capítulo toma como base os elementos conceituais do primeiro capítulo e encadeia com o conteúdo da exegese de (At 19.1-10) e didaticamente constrói uma ponte entre as ações de Paulo em Éfeso e o processo de GP do século 21. Esta última parte finaliza com a identificação de três habilidades de Paulo no que se refere ao processo de agregar, aplicar e capacitar pessoas para o exercício do serviço cristão. Dentro desse prisma, o presente trabalho pretende fornecer reflexões e ferramentas que viabilizem a implantação da GP no contexto eclesiástico atual. Acredita-se que a mesma possa alinhar os interesses da igreja com os interesses de seus colaboradores e trazer uma interdependência maior entre ambos. / The purpose of this research paper is to identify a biblical model that describes the existence of a People Management (PM) method in Pauls ministry at Ephesus. To achieve this end, we established the following specific goals: What is PM? What is the real meaning or the correct interpretation of Acts 19.1-10? According to the text and its context, is it possible to identify a leadership management and training process during Pauls stay in Ephesus? These questions and basic objectives shape the research as follows: The first part addresses: the historic phases and progression of PM; its conceptual premises, explaining with details what they are; its main objectives in relation to people management; and the processes used to implement it in the context of organizations. Ten arguments supporting the relevance of PM in church end this first part. It would be good to point out that the APPENDIX I (historical critical exegesis of Acts 19.1-10) included in this research paper seeks to substantiate the affirmations made in the second chapter and point out the biblical model of PM in Pauls ministry. Historical critical exegesis is one of the most common procedures in diachronic analysis of the Bible, and submits the selected text to forty distinct stages, which in turn, permit different viewpoints and allow an exact, deep and wide interpretation of the selected text. The second and last chapters are based on the conceptual elements of the first chapter and link these with the exegesis (Acts 19.1-10) didactically building a bridge between Pauls actions in Ephesus and the process of 21st century PM. This last part ends with the identification of three of Pauls skills in the process of aggregating, applying and enabling people to exercise Christian service. Within this perspective, this work intends to provoke thought and provide tools to make PM implementation viable in the current ecclesiastical context. It is believed that PM can align the interests of the church with those of its collaborators and encourage greater interdependence between both.