Thesis (Ph. D.)--Eberhard-Karls-Universität zu Tübingen. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 162-167).

Thesis (doctoral)--Universiteit van Amsterdam, 1941. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Doctoral)--Université de Strasbourg II, 1978. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 275-282).

The diploma thesis Anti-Monachism in the Bohemian Society in the Epoch of Enlightenment deals with reforms by Josef II., in particular with the abolishment of monasteries from view of the then documents appeared in support of the reforms in progress. The author selects some significant themes handled by the reform devotees. The main theme is the criterion of the men's nature. The related themes include: monks' asceticism, celibacy, monasteries as the quintessence of the baroque devoteness, and mendicant orders. In the context of their criticism, the authors of the texts in question refer to the epoch of early Christendom and to the emergence of the first monasteries. Therefore also the author of this diploma thesis pays attention to this historical period as well as to the contents of the anti-monarchistic texts. Key words: Anti-monarchismus - History of Christendom - Enlightenment - Men's Nature - Asceticism

The problem this study addresses is that the Christian church in the postmodern west is in a condition of zero growth and even decline. Conventional strategies intended to reverse this condition have tended to focus on improved implementation of traditional methodologies of church growth. Despite the application of such strategies the church continues to decline, indicating the urgent need for additional approaches. Practical theology suggests such an additional approach: greater engagement with the local community. Certain churches have been identified whose congregations, acting, it is believed, under the leadership of the Spirit, are engaging their immediate communities in a wide variety of ways often with the result that people touched by the church respond with a new or renewed interest in the Christian faith and in some instances join or rejoin the Christian family. The implication, and the hypothesis of the study, is that widespread application of the practices of such community-engaging congregations, called “holistic” congregations, might have a positive impact in terms of growth in the wider church community. To determine the validity of this implication a small-scale inductive, empirical, effect-to-cause study was undertaken. Combining qualitative and quantitative research methods intended to identify the ethos of those churches that meet the developed criteria of “holistic” churches, as compared to a second group of “non-holistic” churches, the study addresses the question: Is it possible to discover the ethos of holistic churches with a view to reproducing that ethos in other churches? Analysis of the data gathered during the study identifies a number of specific characteristics shared by the holistic churches. In addition to suggesting strategies that may profitably be investigated and implemented by churches that wish to become, or become more, holistic in terms of their outreach ministry, the results also advocate the further study of holism as a possible key feature to the future of the Church. / Thesis (PhD (Practical Theology))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Practical Theology / unrestricted

Den kristna kyrkan i väst befinner sig i en brytningstid. Från att ha haft en självklar plats och röst i samhället förlorar man mer och mer mark i ett postmodernt samhälle. Ideologen Stuart Murray analyserar detta skifte inom den neoanabaptistiska tankeströmningen, och detta arbete syftar till att studera hans tankar i ljuset av annan forskning. Ett urval av Murrays kyrkohistoriska, ecklesiologiska och missiologiska böcker har lästs och jämförts med andra författares texter. De tematiska områden som studerats är främst begreppen kristendom, efterkristendom och den västliga kyrkans ecklesiologiska och missiologiska utmaningar. Kristendomstiden präglar Europas kristenhet på många plan. Murray drar slutsatsen att kyrkan måste dekonstruera och rekonstruera sin lära och sin praxis för att vara trogen sitt ursprung och kunna möta det postmoderna samhällets utmaningar. Arbetet finner att Murrays tankar är användbara verktyg för kristna när de söker vägar ur dagens förtroendekris.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1973. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 309-330).

This study examines the criticism of Christianity expressed by Friedrich Nietzsche and Soren Kierkegaard, particularly in relation to the question of moral action. These author's work were both published in the 19th Century. To analyze their written works, a hermeneutic approach is assumed. The Concepts pf slave morality, nihilism, and the disticntion between Christendom and Christianity are emphasized in the previous research and are here used analytically to contrast the author's works. The results of the study reveals both clear similarities and differences between Nietzsche and Kierkegaard's thought. The main difference lies in their views on the Church as an institutional doctrine and the impact of western moral principles on divine and human reason. The main similaraity is the emphasis both authors place on the individual's free will. The analysis also highlights the problematic nature of prevailing principles and the Christian image of God in the author's works. The concept of free will is seen as most central to their arguments, partilcarly in relation to wheter mankind's deire for the Christian God is rational or not. In conclusion to the result, the study also discusses the implications pf the study for teaching about philosophy of religion in the classroom. Therefore, a discussion regarding didactics is held to suggest how this subject matter could be utilized in a teaching context, espacially to encourage critical thinking and reflection.

In this thesis the researcher has investigated which of the two concepts: believing before belonging or belonging before believing, is a more accountable perspective in regards to ministry in post-Christendom society. With the final stages of the modern period the power of hegemonic ideologies is coming to an end as people identify less with grand ideologies and more with subcultures related to technology and social and economic networks of different kinds. The post-Christendom phase has begun and is radically challenging Christendom notions of ministry. We have to assume that among post-Christians the familiarity with Christian concepts will fade as the decline of Christendom has meant that Christianity has been losing its status as a lingua franca, only to be understood in the long run, by those who are professing Christians. It is therefore important that the church will anticipate longer journeys towards faith and not move on to disciple new converts too quickly. Post- Christendom evangelization will consequently take longer, start further back and move more slowly. In the context of post-Christendom, knowledge of Christianity is rather limited and people need to come to an understanding of what Christianity entails. For those seekers, exploratory participation at first is safer than making a definite commitment. Postmodern society is also suspicious of institutions and eager to find whether Christian beliefs also work in practice and not only in theory. Therefore is belonging before believing very much necessary for seekers to test whether Christians live out in their communities what they claim to be true? / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D. Th. (Missiology)

The central aim of this thesis is to analyse the influence of Kierkegaard on Bonhoeffer. This relationship has been almost universally recognized. And yet this area has received no comprehensive study, limited within the secondary literature to footnotes, digressions, and the occasional paper. Furthermore, what little literature there is has been plagued by several stereotypes. First, discussion is often limited to Discipleship. Second, Kierkegaard has been identified as an individualist and acosmist who rejected the church, leading many to consider Bonhoeffer the ecumenist and ecclesiologist as selectively agreeing with Kierkegaard, but ultimately rejecting his overall stance. This thesis will argue that neither stereotype is true, and suggest (a), that Kierkegaard’s influence can be found throughout Bonhoeffer’s work, and (b) that although a more stereotypical perspective may be present in SC, by the end of his life Bonhoeffer had gained a far deeper understanding across the breadth of Kierkegaard’s work. The importance of this thesis is not simply to ‘plug the gap’ of scholarship in this area, but also to suggest the importance of analysing Kierkegaard and Bonhoeffer together. This will focus on three specific areas. First, alongside the influence of Kierkegaard on Bonhoeffer, it will argue for the importance of using Bonhoeffer as an interpretive tool for understanding Kierkegaard. This thesis will show how Bonhoeffer adopted and adapted Kierkegaard’s work to his own situation, forcing Kierkegaard to answer questions that were not present during his own life. In this way, we are led to compare Kierkegaard and Bonhoeffer as individuals, and not simply their static declarations. Secondly, against the tendency to consider Kierkegaard and Bonhoeffer’s final attacks on Christendom as unfortunate endings to otherwise profound careers, it will be suggested that these attacks stand as the fulfilment of their earlier thought. It will be argued that despite their different contexts, both Kierkegaard and Bonhoeffer were led to the same conclusions concerning Christendom. Thirdly, given Kierkegaard’s submission to indirect communication and his somewhat 'prophetic' proclamations concerning one who will come after him and reform, this thesis will ask whether Bonhoeffer stands as something of a fulfilment to Kierkegaard’s thought in the guise of a Kierkegaardian ‘reformer’.