Thesis (M.T.S.)--Catholic Theological Union, 1987. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 51-53).

Thesis (M.A.)--Catholic Theological Union, 1987. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 144-147).

Thesis (Th. M.)--Dallas Theological Seminary, 1984. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 105-106).

Thesis (Th. M.)--Grace Theological Seminary, 1985. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 105-113).

Thesis (M. Div.)--Grace Theological Seminary, 1985. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 50-54).

This thesis aims to show how Hauerwas's ecclesiology, especially its critique of Constantinianism and liberal politics, offers a biblically defensible and christianly faithful way of being a church for the churches of the developed world, including Japan. The first part (Ch. 1-5) outlines a definition of the term Constantinianism as well as Hauerwas's counter-Constantinian theology. It clarifies one of the most frequently used terms by Stanley Hauerwas, Constantinianism, and sets out his counter-Constantinian ecclesiology (Ch. 1-4). Chapter five defends his position from one of its central critics and of the most ardent and robust Constantinian proponents, Peter Leithart, by showing how the kind of theology that pursues power and control in the world must do so by bypassing Jesus' servanthood as revealed in his death on the cross, and how this elision clouds the eyes of Christians and entices the church to renounce her obedience and faithfulness to her Lord for securing a safe haven for her in this world. The second half of the dissertation (Ch. 6-9) deploys these theological considerations in order to analyze Japanese Christianity and suggest that there are strong cultural trajectories named basso ostinato by Maruyama Masao that render Japanese churches especially vulnerable to Constantinian temptation. The concise Christian history narrated in Ch. 7-9 substantiates the relevancy of Maruyama's analysis and reveals how the Japanese church was turned into a docile servant of the Empire of Japan with merging the Lordship of Jesus Christ with that of tennō, the kingdom of God with the tennō's empire. I conclude that Hauerwas's warnings about Constantinianism remain pertinent today in reminding the Japanese church, along with all the churches of the developed world, that the business of the church is the creation of a new people who live out the politics of Jesus.

The purpose of this thesis is to explore the available evidence concerning Eliot's theological beliefs--particularly as that evidence is found in his plays--in an attempt to define with as much accuracy as possible the understanding of Eliot's theology which provides the most adequate understanding of and enjoyment of Eliot's writings.

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Bibliography: pages 168-181. / Since 1945 the emphasis on rights has been an ever-increasing phenomenon while the influence of the church plays an ever-diminishing role in today's society. The irony of the situation is that rights have their source in religion. It is Locke who is credited with having put the question of rights into the mainstream of political thinking and it was Locke's faith in God that enabled him to put forward the political doctrine that will be considered in this thesis. The theme of this study is the reconciliation of traditional Christianity with humanist political theory's emphasis on rights in Locke's Political Philosophy which I have termed Theopolity. It traces Locke's thoughts, starting with his view on the creation of man which ultimately gives rise to natural and human rights. These rights, when violated by Government, legitimately result in revolution. Locke has three areas of thought, which when combined, give rise to his political doctrine. These areas are Epistemology, Theology, and Politics. He believed that after creation man was in the State of Nature. This state of Nature was controlled by the law of Nature which gave rise to, and preserved, Natural Rights. To ensure the protection of these Rights the individual entered into a Social Contract and so created a political society. Once society had been established, a Government was formed to ensure the protection of the individual by means of civil laws. These laws extended Natural Rights and these extended rights are known as Human Rights. This study concludes that John Locke's political thought is the most cogent political doctrine that can be adopted by rational individuals who share a strong sense of justice and morality in a Democratic Christian Society. It shows that Locke's pursuit of truth led to his basic, common-sense politics which was the embodiment of the true state of man in a society where the individual's God-given rights are respected.

No description available.