The French Benedictine monk Henri Le Saux (Abhishiktananda) sought to establish an Indian Christian monasticism, emphasizing Hindu advaitic experience. He understood advaita as both nondual and non-monistic. Using phenomenology and comparative philosophy, this thesis explores his understanding and experience of advaita, comparing it to both traditional Hinduism and neo-Vedanta, as well as to Christianity and Zen Buddhism. Abhishiktananda's description of his experience is examined in relation to perception, thinking, action, ontology and theology. Special attention is given to comparing the views of the Hindu sages Ramana Maharshi and Gnanananda, both of whom influenced Abhishiktananda. Abhishiktananda believed that advaita must be directly experienced; this experience is beyond all words and concepts. He compares Christian apophatic mysticism and Hindu sannyasa. This thesis examines his distinction between experience and thought in relation to recent philosophical discussions. Abhishiktananda radically reinterprets Christianity. His affirmation of both nonduality and non-monism was influenced by Christian Trinitarianism, interpreted as an emanation of the Many from the One. Jesus' experience of Sonship with the Father is an advaitic experience that is equally available to everyone. Abhishiktananda believes that the early Upanishads report a similar experience. A monistic interpretation of advaita only developed later with the "dialectics" of Shankara's disciples. In non-monistic advaita, the world is not an illusion. Using ideas derived from tantra and Kashmir Saivism, Abhishiktananda interprets maya as the sakti or power of Shiva. He compares sakti to the Holy Spirit. Abhishiktananda distinguishes between a pure consciousness experience (nirvikalpa or kevala samadhi) and a return to the world of diversity in sahaja samadhi. Ramai:ia and Gnanananda make a similar distinction. Sahaja samadhi is the state of the jivanmukti, the one who is liberated while still in the body; it is an experience that is referred to in tantra and in Kashmir Saivism. Abhishikta:nanda never experienced nirvikalpa samadhi, but he did experience sahaja samiidhi. The appendix provides one possible synthesis of Abhishiktananda's understanding of advaita using the ideas of C.G. Jung. / Religious Studies and Arabic / Religious Studies and Arabic / D. Litt. et Phil. (Religious Studies)

This thesis is concerned with the hypothesis that an intellectual conversation between Christian and Hindu traditions on questions of aesthetic concern may not only prove mutually illuminating as such but also touch obliquely upon matters of religious and theological concern without exciting the defensive response often posed by more familiar strategies of inter-faith ‘dialogue'. It seeks to establish the existence of sufficient conditions for such a conversation within the respective traditions. The Introduction considers the relevant model of ‘conversation' distinguishing it from other forms of encounter between religious traditions. It proceeds by identifying three shared concerns: freedom and constraint, aesthetic experience and religious encounters, and the relationship between the material artwork and its significance. The first three chapters address them by examining various elements in Hindu traditions, including a detailed treatment of the Śilpaśāstras, a comprehensive consideration of the concept of rasa and its relation to religious experience, and an exploration of the role of the senses in scriptural traditions, the importance of Form and the value of the art object as a devotional aid. Finally it outlines the notion darśan, of seeing and being seen by a deity through a material image. The last three chapters address them by examining the work of Christian theologians including Dorothy Sayers on Art as Idea, exploring bequeathed traditions in iconography and the music of John Tavener, and expounding Tolkien's category of ‘sub-creation'. It considers the work of David Brown, Richard Viladesau, John Ruskin, Frank Burch Brown and Abraham Kuyper who span a putative spectrum of equating aesthetic and religious experience at one end and strictly demarcating between them at the other end. It explores the relationship of the physical art object with its spiritual significance in the work of Dorothy Sayers, John Carey, Rowan Williams, David Brown and Trevor Hart.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2000 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In South Africa and the rest of the world research is being conducted on the growth and decline of the Christian church and specific denominations. Most congregations keep record of their membership. These data are very useful. However national census data on religion, when available, bring a neutral dimension to the statistics. Census data in most cases provide the only reliable means of establishing religious affiliations of the population at a certain point in time or over a certain period. Since the 1911 national census respondents are being asked to state their religious affiliation. It is essential that the data of these censuses are available in a database. This basic data can then be used to make different combinations and do certain calculations. Different denominations can be combined into families to compare their percentage markets hare of the total population and of the Christian church. If all census data are made compatible with each other it is possible to establish trends over a longer period. When the Census '96 data was made available by Stats SA it was important to prepare the data so that it could be studied en compared with previous census data. This study attempts to do this. It seems that the biggest determining factor in the religious topography of South Africa is the religious shifts that happen amongst the Black population. The biggest percentage Christians belong to the mainline denominations while the Africa Independent Churches have the second most. To compare different denominations with one another over a longer period of time is a difficult task. Inconsistencies with which data are treated as well as the political instability in South Africa are two important factors that hamper the research. The fact that the question regarding religious affiliation was made optional since 1991 complicates the issue even further. The Christian church in South Africa grew from 1911 to 1980 and then started to decline. Membership of both the African Independent Churches and Pentecostal/Charismatic churches are growing. Since 1991 respondents who indicate that they have no religion are growing amongst all population groups. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Wereldwyd en spesifiek in Suid-Afrika word navorsing gedoen oor die groei- en kwyntendense van die kerk in die algemeen asook van verskillende denominasies. Meeste denominasies hou rekord van hulle eie lidmaatskap. Hierdie data is baie waardevol. Nasionale sensus data ten opsigte van geloof, aan die ander kant, bring 'n neutrale dimensie aan die statistiek. Sensus data verskaf dikwels die enigste betroubare inligting oor 'n bevolking se geloofsorientasie op 'n spesifieke stadium of oor 'n langer periode. In Suid-Afrika word sedert die 1911 sensus aan respondente gevra om, as deel van die vraelys, hulle geloofsaffiliasie te verskaf. Dit is dus essensieel dat hierdie data van die nasionale sensusse in 'n databasis beskikbaar sal wees. Die basiese data kan gebruik word om verskillende groeperings en berekenings te maak. Verskillende denominasies kan saam gegroepeer word en hulle persentasie markaandeel van die totale bevolking sowel as van die Christelike kerk kan met mekaar vergelyk word. Indien al die vorige sensusse se data op dieselfde manier verwerk word, kan vergelykings oor 'n langer termyn gemaak word ten einde tendense vas te stel. Toe die data van Sensus '96 beskikbaar word, moes dit verwerk word sodat dit enersyds opsigself bestudeer kan word en andersyds met vorige sensusse se data vergelyk kon word. Dit is wat hierdie studie poog om te doen: Om Sensus '96 se data ten opsigte van geloof te verwerk en te vergelyk met vorige nasionale sensusse se data. Dit blyk dat die grootste bepalende faktor in die godsdienstige topografie van Suid-Afrika die godsdienstige verskuiwinge van die Swart bevolking is. Die grootste persentasie Christene behoort aan die Gevestigde Kerke terwyl die Onafhanklike Afrika Kerke die tweede grootste aanhang geniet. Om verskillende denominasies met mekaar oor 'n langer peri ode te vergelyk, is geen rnaklike taak nie. Data wat nie konsekwent hanteer word nie en politieke onstabiliteit sedert die 1960's in Suid-Afrika is maar twee van die problerne. Die feit dat die vraag sedert 1991 opsioneel is, kornpliseer navorsing verder. Die Christelike Kerk het 'n periode van groei van 1911 tot 1980 beleef en daarna begin kwyn. Die lidmate van die Onafhanklike Afrika Kerke sowel as van die Pinkster/Charismatiese Kerke toon 'n stygende tendens. Sedert 1991 styg die respondente wat aangedui het dat hulle aan geen geloof behoort nie, onder al die bevolkingsgroepe.

Thesis (DLitt)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation looks at the reception of Gen. 1-3, one of the most controversial parts in the Hebrew Bible. How was it interpreted by the Nguni speaking communities (e.g. Xhosa, Zulu, siSwazi and siNdebele) taking into consideration their background, culture and religious belief system? The reception approach is followed in the research because of its emphasis on the role of the reader in understanding texts. Sources that are utilized are Nguni Bible translations, selected preached sermons (which the researcher attended himself), Nguni stories and folk tales and reviews undertaken among selected Nguni groups. A close-reading of the texts under discussion is undertaken in order to determine the basic content and issues of interpretation involved. The central concepts of cosmogony as contained in Gen. 1-2 are studied, as well as the story of the Garden of Eden and the concept of the “fall” in Gen. 3. The map of the Nguni language group is described and the culture and belief system of the Nguni speaking communities. Central concepts to this belief system are the worship of ancestors, marriage, circumcision, and among the Swazis the incwala (annual national feast) Legends and folk tales were used as sources for the Nguni belief system. It was determined that the Nguni speaking people worshipped one God in their traditional way, but always through their ancestors as a sign of respect. The role of the missionaries is analyzed by describing the history of the various missionary societies and their influence on the Nguni peoples. A very short discussion is devoted to preached sermons by Nguni pastors in the Seventh-day Adventist Church.Bible translations have always played a very important role among Nguni speakers (both Christians and non-believers). The need for translations using understandable contemporary terms is emphasized. This is the challenge to the Bible societies and Bible translators. Qualitative reviews were undertaken under selected Nguni speaking groups (Xhosa, Zulu, siSwati and siNdebele). Some of the results obtained from these reviews (full transcripts are included) are: (1) that there is a common understanding of the origin of the universe between the Hebrew Bible and the Nguni religious culture. (2) Serpent (Gen. 3): among the Zulus this concept is understood in terms of sexuality, but it can also be linked with the ancestors. (3) Both communities (Hebrew Bible and the Nguni) were tainted with the concept and ideology of patriarchalism. The crucial question in the research was: “what happens when a cosmogonic myth is transferred from one community to another?” In the case of Gen. 1-3 an ancient Hebrew text was transmitted to African cultures via missionaries and Bible translations. Nguni people react differently. Whereas some accept Gen. 1-3 (cosmogonies and the “fall”) as a detailed explanation of how creation and the “fall” came about, others reject it. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie proefskrif kyk na die resepsie van Gen. 1-3, een van die mees kontroversiële dele in die Hebreeuse Bybel. Hoe word dit geïnterpreteer deur die Ngunisprekende gemeenskappe (Xhosas, Zoeloes, Swazi’s en Ndebele-groepe), met inagneming van hulle agtergrond, kultuur en stelsel van godsdienstige oortuigings? Die resepsiebenadering word in hierdie navorsing gevolg weens die klem op die rol van die leser in hoe tekste verstaan word. Die bronne wat aangewend is, is Ngunibybelvertalings, geselekteerde preke (wat die navorser self bygewoon het), Ngunistories en -volksverhale, en onderhoude wat met geselekteerde Ngunigroepe gevoer is. 'n In-dieptestudie van die betrokke tekste is onderneem ten einde die basiese inhoud en interpretasiekwessies te bepaal. Die sentrale konsep van kosmogonie, soos vervat in Gen. 1- 2, is bestudeer, asook die storie oor die Tuin van Eden en die konsep van die “sondeval” in Gen. 3. Die kaart van die Ngunitaalgroep word beskryf, asook die kultuur en geloofstelsel van die Ngunisprekende gemeenskappe. Sleutelkonsepte in hierdie geloofstelsel is die aanbidding van voorvaders, die huwelik, besnydenis, en onder die Swazi’s, die incwala (jaarlikse nasionale fees). Legendes en volksverhale is gebruik as bronne vir die Ngunigeloofstelsel. Daar is vasgestel dat die Ngunisprekende mense altyd een God aanbid het op hulle tradisionele manier, maar altyd deur voorvaders as 'n teken van respek. Die rol van die sendelinge word ontleed deur die geskiedenis van die verskeie sendinggenootskappe te beskryf, asook hulle invloed op die Ngunimense. 'n Baie kort bespreking word gewy aan preke gelewer deur Ngunipastore in die Sewendedaagse Adventistekerk.Bybelvertalings het nog altyd 'n baie belangrike rol gespeel onder Ngunisprekers (beide Christene en nie-gelowiges). Die behoefte vir vertalings wat verstaanbare, kontemporêre terme gebruik, word beklemtoon. Dít is die uitdaging wat aan die bybelgenootskappe en bybelvertalers gestel word. Kwalitatiewe onderhoude is afgelê onder geselekteerde Ngunisprekende groepe (Xhosas, Zoeloes, Swazi’s en Ndebele-groepe). Resultate wat verkry is van hierdie evaluerings (waarvan volledige transkripsies voorsien word) sluit in: (1) dat daar 'n gemeenskaplike begrip is van die oorsprong van die heelal by die Hebreeuse Bybel en die Ngunigeloofskultuur; (2) dat die konsep van die slang (Gen. 3) onder die Zoeloes in terme van seksualiteit verstaan word, maar dat dit ook met die voorvaders in verband gebring kan word; en (3) dat beide gemeenskappe (Hebreeuse Bybel en die Nguni) tekens dra van die konsep en ideologie van patriargisme. Die kernvraag in die navorsing was: “Wat gebeur wanneer ’n kosmogoniese mite oorgedra word van een gemeenskap na 'n ander?”. In die geval van Gen. 1-3 is 'n ou Hebreeuse teks oorgedra na Afrikakulture via sendelinge en bybelvertalings. Ngunimense reageer verskillend. Waar sommige Gen. 1-3 aanvaar (kosmogonieë en die “sondeval”) as 'n gedetailleerde verduideliking van hoe die skepping en die “sondeval” plaasgevind het, word dit deur ander verwerp.

published_or_final_version / Comparative Asian Studies / Master / Master of Arts

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Urban Planning / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning

O trabalho visa a comparar duas obras escritas no mesmo período pensando nas diferentes posições adotadas pelos escritores em suas narrativas na tentativa de passar para o leitor suas impressões e reflexões sobre o mundo em que vivem. As duas obras, Angústia, de Graciliano Ramos, e O amanuense Belmiro, de Cyro dos Anjos, foram escritas em meados dos anos 30 e retratam a vida de funcionários públicos que moram em espaços urbanos; são intelectuais citadinos que vivem em uma mesma época, mas que reagem à vida de maneira muito diversa. Com essa comparação, espera-se encontrar os pontos divergentes (pois as obras podem ser consideradas antagônicas no que diz respeito à maneira de narrar), mas, sobretudo, os pontos convergentes, levando-se em consideração as problemáticas vividas em um determinado espaço (meio urbano pouco industrializado - próprio de centros urbanos de menor importância econômica) e tempo (a tumultuada e importante década de 30) por intermédio da figura do funcionário público, central nas duas obras / This work aims to compare two narrative books written in the same period and ponder over the different positions taken by the authors to reconstruct what was happening around them. The two works, Graciliano Ramos\' Angústia and Cyro dos Anjos\' O amanuense Belmiro were published in the mid-30\'s and depict the ways of life of two public officers who live in the city. Both of them are urban intellectuals living in the same time but reacting to life differently. This comparison expects to find out different ways to narrate mainly the same problems in similar spaces (semi-urban cities) and time (the complicated and important mid-30\'s in Brazil) through the configuration of a similar character in both works: the public official. Very common within the literature of that period, it is important to analyze this character from two points of view: its origin and its outcome. This work aims to analyze some of the relevants social aspects which inform the structure of the two books, especially unveiling the character of the public official based on a model announced by Mário de Andrade - the \"loser\" -, which shows the different ways to react to this failure, proving that maybe the two works are not as different as they seem

A cirurgia ainda é o principal método de tratamento do câncer do reto. Recentemente a quimio e radioterapia neo-adjuvantes têm sido preconizadas, com freqüência cada vez maior, com o intuito de reduzir os índices de recidiva e mortalidade. O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar, retrospectivamente a sobrevida e a recidiva tumoral de pacientes submetidos a quimioterapia adjuvante, com e sem quimio e radioterapia neoadjuvantes. Foram avaliados retrospectivamente 36 pacientes submetidos a ressecção anterior baixa por adenocarcinoma do reto. Subdivididos em três grupos: grupo I (N=11), submetidos exclusivamente a tratamento cirúrgico; grupo II (N=8), submetidos a tratamento cirúrgico, seguido de quimioterapia adjuvante; grupo III (N=17), submetidos a tratamento cirúrgico com quimio e radioterapia neo-adjuvantes. O período de seguimento foi de 36 meses. Seis pacientes (16,6%) apresentaram recidiva, sendo 1 paciente do grupo I, 3 pacientes do grupo II e 2 pacientes do grupo III. A sobrevida global foi de 88,9%, assim distribuída: grupo I, 80,0%; grupo II, 100,0% e grupo III, 87,5%. Não houve diferença significante nos índices de recidiva nem na sobrevida entre os grupos. Concluiu-se que na amostra estudada os métodos terapêuticos tiveram resposta equivalente, não tendo sido possível demonstrar a interferência da quimio e ou radioterapia nos índices de sobrevida ou recidiva / Surgery continues to be the principal method for treating cancer of the rectum. Recently, chemo and neo-adjuvant radiotherapy have been considered, with increasing frequency, with the intention of reducing the rates of recurrence and mortality. The objective of this study was to evaluate, retrospectively, survival and tumor recurrence in patients submitted to adjuvant chemotherapy, with and without neo-adjuvant chemo and radiotherapy. A retrospective evaluation of 36 patients submitted to lower anterior resection for adenocarcinoma of the rectum was conducted, subdivided into three groups: Group I (n=11), submitted exclusively to surgical treatment; Group II (n=8), submitted to surgical treatment followed by adjuvant chemotherapy; Group III (n=17), submitted to surgical treatment with chemo and neo-adjuvant radiotherapy. The time period was 36 months. Six patients (16.6%) presented recurrence: 1 patient from Group I, 3 patients from Group II and 2 patients from Group III. Overall survival was 88.9%, distributed in the following way: Group I, 80.0%; Group II, 100.0% and Group III, 87.5%. No significant differences in the rates of recurrence and survival were observed between the groups. It is therefore concluded that within the sample the therapeutic methods had similar response, not having been possible to demonstrate the interference of chemo and radiotherapy in the rates of survival or recurrence

A dissertação Vidas secas, do livro ao filme se propõe a fazer um estudo da estrutura e da questão narrativa das obras Vidas secas, livro de Graciliano Ramos e do filme homônimo de Nelson Pereira dos Santos, levando-se em consideração as diferenças entre os dois meios, os fenômenos decorrentes da adaptação, as circunstâncias de produção e a distância temporal entre as duas obras. A adaptação é mais uma questão de diálogo e admiração do que de diferenças fundamentais entre os autores. Mais do que ser apenas a adaptação de uma obra-prima da literatura nacional, a leitura cinematográfica que Nelson Pereira dos Santos fez de Vidas secas de Graciliano Ramos quis também ser uma intervenção na conjuntura política contemporânea, nesse caso como parte do debate então vigente sobre a reforma agrária e a estrutura social brasileira na década de 1960. O que pretendemos com esta dissertação é, valendo-se de diversos embasamentos teóricos ligados aos Estudos Comparados e à Literatura Comparada, chegar a uma leitura analítica focada na compreensão da construção das duas formas narrativas de Vidas secas: romance (livro / narrativa original / linguagem literária) e filme (produto final de uma releitura audiovisual / linguagem cinematográfica / The dissertation Barren Lives, from book to film aims to comparatively study the structure and the issue of narration in Graciliano Ramoss book Vidas secas and in Nelson Pereira dos Santos film Vidas secas, taking into consideration the differences between literature and film, the patterns created by the process of adaptation, the circumstances within which the two works were produced and the temporal lap between the two pieces. Adapting a book into film is, in our opinion, much more a matter of admiration and dialogue than of establishing differences between one piece of work and the other. More than an adaptation of one of the Brazilian contemporary literatures masterpieces into film, the cinematic reading of Vidas secas made by Nelson Pereira dos Santos also aimed to intervene in its contemporary Brazilian political life, especially in the debate concerning the land ownership and the Brazilian social structure in the 1960s. In this dissertation, our aim is to build up an analytical reading of these two works, based on some concepts from Comparative Studies and Comparative Literature, trying to better understand the two pieces different structures, the books original literary narrative and the films cinematic narrative, considering the latter a result of an audiovisual comprehension and re-creation of the first.