SVOBODA, Boris: The Priestly Blessing. [Master thesis] / Boris Svoboda. - Charles University in Prague. Hussite Theological Faculty; - Supervisor: Doc. Mgr. Jiří Beneš, Th.D. - Degree: Master. - Prague: HTF UK, 2014. 65 p. This thesis deals with the exposition of the textual unit of The Aaronic Blessing from The Book of Numbers, chapter 6, verses 22-27. Its aim is to characterize theological meaning of the textual unit and also to provide insight into the meaning of the phenomenon of blessing in The Old Testament. Reach of this theological reflexion surpasses the scope of Old Testament judaism and provides an impulses also for the christian theology, for usage and developing of blessing in its context. Results of the exegesis can present knowledge about understanding of blessing not only in its original context, but also in the understanding of contemporary society. Blessing gives strong impulses for personal lives, but it is also connected with the issues of whole society and with approaching the goal of peace and the status of world, in which will of God is implemented. KEYWORDS: priest, priestly, blessing, benediction, Aaron, Aaronic, Israel, Old Testament, Numbers, peace, grace Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

Two Rooms, by Lee Blessings, was selected for performance at the University of New Orleans during the fall of 2015. I studied and portrayed the role of Lainie Wells as my thesis project. The purpose of my thesis was to research a character physically, psychologically, and emotionally as an actress and create a character through the eyes of Lainie Wells. The following is a brief breakdown of the structure of my written thesis: biography of Lee Blessing, hostage families and their mental state as it relates to the Iranian hostage crisis, mass media effects on Syria, The Hunt for Bin Laden, the rehearsal process, and a scored script including all actions and objectives; a review of my work, my own conclusions based on my process and character arc, photographs of my performance, a professional headshot along with my resume to highlight the significance to my work as an artist.

Celebration of the Lord's Supper with children. Theological assumptions and current practice in Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren. Summary This thesis researches the presence and participation of children at the Lord's Supper. The main aim of the thesis was to research whether also today it is possible to find understanding for the reception of children around the Lord's Table in Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren. First of all it was the issue, whether the participation of children at the Lord's Supper is sufficiently accepted in the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren. The first part is focused on the historical and theological background of the Lord's Supper, on the practice in the Old Testament and Apostolic times. This chapter deals with the question: What is the Lord's Supper and what is its meaning? The second part is devoted to the issue of children and their participation in the Lord's Supper. It focuses on the period from the Early Church through the Middle Ages to the Czech and World Reformation. Different views of churches in the Czech Republic are described in the third part of the thesis. I focus here mainly on their current practice. The fourth part together with the annex contains questionnaire survey, statistical and practical data. This chapter contains the hypothesis and their...

In the rich diversity of forms of the Christian Church, there are different perspectives on how believers ought to live holy lives and how their sanctification should progress. As such, the piety and sanctification of Christians entail every facet of our lives and the possibility of misunderstanding is ever present, because humans are fallible and at risk to "work" with the Bible in their own fashion. A wrong understanding of sin inevitably leads to error as regards piety. Pietism or mutations /forms thereof may therefore stifle, rather than promote real piety coram Deo, in the Christian faith community and in conducting our everyday lives. The aim of the study is, therefore, to advance genuine piety with Christian believers. The doctrine of successive works of grace and the style or approach in which proponents of the doctrine treat Scripture, were critically examined in the first section of the basis-theory. A hermeneutical position from the reformed perspective was stated. The sovereignty of God and the acknowledged authority of Scripture are both the centre and periphery of the reformed perspective, and from a grammatical-historical paradigm augmented by historical-cultural information, the construct of sin in the understanding of the first New Testament audience was examined. The juxtaposed construct of piety, as the logical opposite of sin, was correspondingly explored. The doctrine of so-called successive works of grace was reviewed analytically in the second phase of the basis-theory and the conclusion was stated that this doctrine is a form of pietism. The usage of Scripture and the terminology utilized by pietistic groupings to establish their doctrine was evaluated from a grammatical-historical point of departure. The aim of the study was to render pastoral assistance to someone who was, or is involved with the successive works of grace variation of pietism. For this reason, the meta-theoretical facet of the study did not focus on an academic study of sources to explain the phenomenon of pietism, but instead believers' experience of the successive works of grace form of pietism was investigated by means of a narrative empirical study. This investigation took place within the margins of the religious experience of three groups of participants in a church that embraces the particular doctrine. The three categories were believers that advocate the doctrine of successive works of grace, believers that abandoned the same and those that disagree with such a doctrine. From the basis-theory and the interpretation of the empirical results, an uncomplicated hermeneutical counselling strategy was put together with due emphasis on the correct understanding of Scriptural information on the topics of sin and piety/sanctification. The aim of the strategy is to educate believers from a Scriptural position and perspective on the indicative-imperative aspects of reconciliation and sanctification in Christ. The perfection of what Jesus has done and our reciprocal faith response is stated and conveyed in the strategy. A model consisting of a number of counselling sessions are suggested to guide believers not to adopt the particular belief or, otherwise, to provide a pastoral, remedial support to assist believers in finding liberation from the doctrine of successive works of grace. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Pastoral)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

In the rich diversity of forms of the Christian Church, there are different perspectives on how believers ought to live holy lives and how their sanctification should progress. As such, the piety and sanctification of Christians entail every facet of our lives and the possibility of misunderstanding is ever present, because humans are fallible and at risk to "work" with the Bible in their own fashion. A wrong understanding of sin inevitably leads to error as regards piety. Pietism or mutations /forms thereof may therefore stifle, rather than promote real piety coram Deo, in the Christian faith community and in conducting our everyday lives. The aim of the study is, therefore, to advance genuine piety with Christian believers. The doctrine of successive works of grace and the style or approach in which proponents of the doctrine treat Scripture, were critically examined in the first section of the basis-theory. A hermeneutical position from the reformed perspective was stated. The sovereignty of God and the acknowledged authority of Scripture are both the centre and periphery of the reformed perspective, and from a grammatical-historical paradigm augmented by historical-cultural information, the construct of sin in the understanding of the first New Testament audience was examined. The juxtaposed construct of piety, as the logical opposite of sin, was correspondingly explored. The doctrine of so-called successive works of grace was reviewed analytically in the second phase of the basis-theory and the conclusion was stated that this doctrine is a form of pietism. The usage of Scripture and the terminology utilized by pietistic groupings to establish their doctrine was evaluated from a grammatical-historical point of departure. The aim of the study was to render pastoral assistance to someone who was, or is involved with the successive works of grace variation of pietism. For this reason, the meta-theoretical facet of the study did not focus on an academic study of sources to explain the phenomenon of pietism, but instead believers' experience of the successive works of grace form of pietism was investigated by means of a narrative empirical study. This investigation took place within the margins of the religious experience of three groups of participants in a church that embraces the particular doctrine. The three categories were believers that advocate the doctrine of successive works of grace, believers that abandoned the same and those that disagree with such a doctrine. From the basis-theory and the interpretation of the empirical results, an uncomplicated hermeneutical counselling strategy was put together with due emphasis on the correct understanding of Scriptural information on the topics of sin and piety/sanctification. The aim of the strategy is to educate believers from a Scriptural position and perspective on the indicative-imperative aspects of reconciliation and sanctification in Christ. The perfection of what Jesus has done and our reciprocal faith response is stated and conveyed in the strategy. A model consisting of a number of counselling sessions are suggested to guide believers not to adopt the particular belief or, otherwise, to provide a pastoral, remedial support to assist believers in finding liberation from the doctrine of successive works of grace. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Pastoral)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

Thesis (doctoral)--Stockholm University, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 197-205) and index.

Thesis (doctoral)--Stockholm University, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 197-205) and index.

The present work intends to investigate the concept of blessing in the Old Testament, especially in the Pentateuch. The first part analyzes the general characteristics of the term to bless / blessing in the Hebrew Bible and looks at the etymology, the semantic field, the formulas, the gestures, rites and words of blessing. As blessing is the continuous and permanent activity of God in history, the chapter finishes with the concept of history in the ancient world. The second chapter makes an incursion into the characteristics of the ancient biblical society in the two big periods of pre-state Israel and Israel as a state. It studies the nomadic pre-history and the pre-state sedentary Israel paying particular attention to the social organization in families, clans and tribes. In the state period, it gives attention to the Deuteronomic reform and its consequences in the social and religious life of Israel. The third chapter presents the exegesis of selected texts. In the primeval history it looks at blessing in creation, and in the patriarchal history it searches for the strokes of blessing in the family and state context. It also deals with the priestly blessing in Numbers 6,22-27 with special attention to the cult, and with selected texts from Deuteronomy that connect blessing with covenant and endow it with conditionality. The last chapter presents a reflection about family religion and state religion in Israel, and studies the characteristics of blessing in both fields that interrelate not always without tensions- and articulate between them. / El presente trabajo pretende investigar el concepto de bendición en el Antiguo Testamento, especialmente en el Pentateuco. La primera parte analiza las características generales del término bendecir / bendición en la Biblia Hebrea y hace un recorrido por la etimología, el campo semántico, las fórmulas, gestos, ritos y palabras de bendición. Como la bendición es la actividad continua y permanente de Dios en la historia, el primer capítulo termina viendo el concepto de historia en el mundo antiguo. El segundo capítulo hace una incursión en las características de la sociedad bíblica antigua en los dos grandes períodos del Israel pre estatal y estatal. Estudia la prehistoria nómade y el Israel sedentario pre estatal dando particular atención a la organización social en familias, clanes y tribus. En el período estatal la atención se detiene particularmente en la reforma deuteronómica y sus implicancias en la vida social y religiosa de Israel. El tercer capítulo presenta la exégesis de textos elegidos. En la historia primordial mira la bendición en la creación, y en la historia de los patriarcas busca los trazos de la bendición en contexto familiar y estatal. Aborda también la bendición sacerdotal de Números 6,22-27 con especial referencia al culto, y textos escogidos del Deuteronomio que conectan la bendición con la alianza y la dotan de condicionalidad. El último capítulo es una reflexión teológica sobre la religión familiar y la religión estatal en Israel y estudia las características de la bendición en estos ámbitos que se interrelacionan no siempre sin tensiones- y se articulan entre sí.

The global pandemic of Covid-19 led to a crisis of not only fatal impact but financially. The stock market experienced one of its biggest market crashes ever and the young investors of our generation experienced something that they could never imagine. Their financial situation and investments suddenly changed and many of them did not know how to act or behave during this difficult period. This paper is based on qualitative research where ten different young investors have been interviewed to determine if they have matured and how their behavior has changed financially. The two research questions for the paper are: Is Covid-19 a blessing in disguise forcing young investors to mature, increasing their financial literacy, and thus change their investment behavior? and how has the Covid-19 pandemic affected young investors decision making on the stock market? The study and research questions were determined using three theories which are the efficient market hypothesis, behavioral finance, and the stages of change model. All three models were used to see how an individual behave during a financial crisis. The efficient market hypothesis basically argues that all relevant information matches the prices of stocks at any given time. Behavioral finance examines how an individual behave in a financial setting such as investment behaviors. Herding behavior and overconfidence are two cognitive biases within behavioral finance that was easily seen in the individuals for this study. The stages of change model states that an individual go through five different stages when a change of behavior is needed. This model could be applied on any individual, but a change of investments behavior should not go through so many stages as the model has so it had some limitations on the individuals in the study. The results and findings of the paper states that young investors have learned a valuable lesson from the Covid-19 pandemic increasing their financial literacy and creating more sustainable strategies for future investments.

In the late 19th century, an English entrepreneur arrived on the B.C. frontier eager to learn the whereabouts of coal seams in the area. In exchange for this knowledge he courted and promised to marry an "Indian Princess." After receiving the information, he jilted the woman and submitted the first coal syndicate application for the Elk Valley. Indigenous people cast a curse on William Fernie, on the region and its residents. They would suffer from fires, floods and famine. This narrative forms the backbone of my dissertation. It is deeply ingrained in expressions of local identity, tied to personal histories and ideas of social justice. Ktunaxa traditionalists officially lifted the curse in a public ceremony in Fernie in 1964. I trace how participants speak about this event and the legend across generations and within shifting ideological contexts. Cursing is an important theme throughout this work. It implies the power that stories have to carry and construct meanings about who people are. My dissertation is an ethnography of ideas about human difference generated and transmitted through time and through narratives. Fernie, B.C. is currently transforming from a predominantly working-class resource-based town to an internationally recognized destination ski resort. I trace images, legends and theories as powerful narrative resources in the contexts of colonialism, war, immigration, labour strife, natural disaster, treaty-making and development for tourism. Folklore, mass media, scholarly theories and political discourses propagate narratives about human difference shaping the ways that people are imagined. Although rephrased and sometimes disguised, fundamental forms of race, gender, class, nationality, religion, age, locality and sexual preference remain intact. In Part I, I look at ideas of difference perpetuated in hegemonic discourses during three overlapping time periods. More contemporary taxonomies of difference appear in Part II. Ideas are transmitted across generations, they are evident in public performances and in narratives of place and space. Through participants' accounts I examine intersections between personal expressions and official narratives.