The Lucan gospel alone makes mention of the census of Quirinius in relation to the birth of Jesus (2:2). This temporal marker has consequently been used to date the birth of Jesus, but not without problems. The census reference, when understood in relation to its historical referent, causes chronological incongruity and faulty technical details within the Lucan narrative. In contrast to the many attempts which seek to maintain the historical integrity of the Lucan gospel by reconciling temporal incongruity, I contend that the census is a constituent element of the narrative. As such, the key to understanding the census reference lies in appreciating its narrative function rather than its unlikely referential function. This thesis involves a narrative-critical analysis of Luke 1-3. After an examination of the state of the Quirinius question in chapter one, I investigate three ways in which the census of Quirinius interacts with the other elements of the narrative in Luke 1-3. In the second chapter the census is discussed as a part of the setting of the narrative. Through temporal analysis I demonstrate that the census is an integral part of the Lucan temporal framework. The third chapter focuses on plot in Luke 1-3, and shows how the census contributes to its overall development. Lastly, I explore the narrative processes of characterization which contrast the respective roles of Jesus and John. The census assists in distinguishing Jesus as the primary agent of God. The analysis of these three aspects of the narrative illustrates that the census of Quirinius is an essential component, skilfully interwoven with the other elements of the narrative. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

This paper aims to analyze how the Bible stories are transformed for children to understand the stories in the Children ́s Bibles. Moreover, I have analyzed how the narrator is telling the story in the Children ́s Bibles with focus on focalization. The Bible stories that will be analyzed is “The Creation”, “Cain and Abel” and “Birth of Jesus”. This paper will also address which child vision who is represented in Barnens bästa bibel, Barnens bibel and Bibel för barn. The theory of child vision is taken from Bonnie J Miller-McLemores book Let the Children Come: Reimagining Childhood from a Christian Perspective. Previous research on this aim shows that there has not been a lot of research written down. Therefore, this paper can contribute material for further studies. Martin Luther was the first person to create a bible for children and for people who couldn ́t read. In Sweden, there are only a few people who have done research in this field, and the bishop Sören Dalevi is one of them. In one of his articles, he concludes that certain characters in the children ́s Bibles are reflected differently from what they do in the Bible. To obtain answers to the aim of this paper, a structuralist narrative text analytical method and a comparative method have been used. It shows that Bible texts have received small changes. The authors of the Children ́s Bibles have adapted the Biblical text, so that it is easier for children to understand. In all stories in the Children ́s Bibles, one or more focalizations are included. Also, the three different child vision, premodern, modern, and postmodern, are also represented in any of Barnens bästa bibel, Bibel för barn and Barnens bibel.

In the year 2000 the birthday of Jesus of Nazareth two millennia ago is celebrated. If Jesus was seen as merely a historical figure, the significance of his life would be no different from that of people like Socrates or Alexander the Great. In Greco-Roman culture Alexander the Great, among other heroic figures and emperors, was regarded as son of God. However, since the first century followers of Jesus have worshipped Jesus as God’s son. This study asks questions as to the importance of Jesus within Hellenistic-Semitic and Greco-Roman contexts and his continued importance today. The first aspect is studied from a social-cultural perspective and the second from the angle of both the (Christian) believing community and the (secularized) university. Chapter one deals methodologically with the fact that, as in the case of Socrates, Jesus did not himself put to pen either the message of his words and deeds or the interpretation of his birth and death. Jesus’ vision should therefore be deciphered from what others said about him. Identifying a research gap with regard to existing Jesus research, chapter two will specifically aim at showing that today a new interdisciplinary frame of reference has come into being in the social sciences within which historical Jesus research is carried out. In chapter three it is argued that the starting point of the quest for the historical Jesus could be the nativity stories, despite all their mythological elements. Yet, in taking such a step, one should be aware of historiographical pitfalls when one studies the process of the “historization” of myth. In chapter four, entitled the “Joseph trajectory”, it is demonstrated that Joseph, the father of Jesus, should probably be seen as a legendary figure. With the help of cross-cultural anthropology and cultural psychology chapter five explains an ideal-typical situation of someone in first-century Herodian Palestine who bore the stigma of being fatherless, but who trusted God as Father. In chapter six the tradition about Jesus’ relationship towards “fatherless” children and “patriarchless” women is studied. Chapter seven shows that the “myth of the absent father” was very well known in antiquity. Ovid’s story of Perseus (who was conceived virginally) is retold. The intention is to show why the second-century philosopher Celsus thought that the Christians unjustifiably mirrored this Greek hero, son of Zeus, in their depiction of Jesus. Other examples within Greek-Roman literature are the myths surrounding among others Hercules and Asclepios. In explaining Hercules’ adoption as son of Zeus (which implies his deification), the Greek writer Diodorus Siculus tells the story of an empty tomb and an ascension to heaven. The Roman writer Seneca also tells the story of Hercules’ divine conception and his adoption as child of Zeus. In the New Testament Paul (Seneca’s contemporary) is particularly known for the notion “adoption to become God’s child”. This notion is explained in the light of the parallels found in Seneca’s tragedies about Hercules, his satire on the emperor Claudius and the references by Diodorus Siculus and in the Carmina Priapea to the notion of “adoption” and miraculous conceptions of god-like human figures. Chapter eight focuses on the origins of the church and the development of the dogma of the “two natures” of Jesus as both human and divine. In the last chapter the continued importance of the historical Jesus today is discussed. One of the most urgent social problems of our time is that millions of children are growing up fatherless. This study is about the historical Jesus who filled the emptiness caused by his fatherlessness with his trust in God as his Father. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Ancient Languages / unrestricted

The thesis deals with the Czech Christmas spiritual music, wants to point out and pick up her beauty, popularity and popularity across the public and in the circles of the Church and in the wider public. The method is the research the available literature and handouts for this topic, which is evident in the Division of the individual chapters. The introduction will include music and history of music. In the next part we will spend Christmas spiritual music, we close its emergence, history, Christian context, familiar carols and songs and their lyrics with a spiritual focus, some of the selected authors and their works both from the past and from the present. We also in our surroundings, to learn more about the Christmas music of our neighbors, or some European countries. In the next part of the main chapters refer to the positive influence of the Christmas music on the evangelization of pastoration and also on Ecumenism - attitude to Christmas music in some churches, and on its place in the broader public. The conclusion should answer the question of why is Christmas music and in particular the Czech Christmas music so much popular and popular among both artists and in the Christian churches and the public, with an interference fit and why it appears almost as a phenomenon. Keywords Christmas,...