The study looked at the religious implications of declaring Zambia a Christian nation. The conclusion arrived at was that Zambia is not a Christian nation because of the following reasons: • A nation cannot be Christian by proclamation, but by the life styles of individuals who call themselves Christians. • Zambia's constitution guarantees freedom for all religions found in Zambia. Individuals have a freedom to have or adopt a religion or belief of their own choice without being coerced by any means. • The declaration had no theological backing. The scriptures used in the declaration were out of context. • The declaration was po1itical as opposed to being religious. The supporters ofthe declaration argued that President Chiluba was appointed by God and whoever disagreed with him, disagreed with God. • Zambian Christianity is diverse in the sense that there are different denominations with different doctrines and emphasis. / Religious Studies and Arabic / M.A. (Religious Studies)

No description available.

Esta pesquisa traz reflexões educacionais e teológicas desenvolvidas em uma escola agrícola do interior da Bahia. A presença das religiões na EMARC de Valença é o foco do trabalho. Naturalmente o assunto não se esgota aqui devido a sua complexidade e por trabalhar duas categorias importantes: educação e religião. Entretanto, fica nossa contribuição para o estado da arte, como um germe, uma provocação para outros estudos sobre a temática. Ao tempo em que executamos o referido, as discussões sobre a exibição de símbolos religiosos em espaços públicos vêm ocupando a mídia, a justiça e as academias brasileiras, sendo objeto de encontro, mesa redonda e congresso específico sobre a questão da laicidade do Estado, religião civil e teologia. Esses aspectos foram abordados durante a pesquisa. O relatório de pesquisa foi construído em três capítulos intitulados: 1. Conhecendo o povo, o local e a escola, 2. Apple: uma análise crítica da educação e 3. Religião, Estado e educação. No primeiro capítulo, foi caracterizado o objeto de pesquisa, suas idiossincrasias e história do povo que habita a região. O segundo capítulo foi dedicado a abordar os teóricos que sustentam o trabalho. No terceiro e último capítulo, apresentamos os resultados da pesquisa e as análises subjacentes a eles. / This research presentes educational and theological reflections developed in an rural school on the countryside of Bahia state. The presence of religions in the EMARC of Valença is the focus of this study. Naturally, the issue is not being exhausted here due to its complexity and two important categories: education and religion. However, here is our contribution towards the state of the art, like a seed, a provocation for other studies on the issue. As we carry out this study, the discussion on the exhibition of religious symbols in public spaces is occupying the media, the courts and Brazilian universities, being a subject for meetings, roundtables and specific congresses on the question of the secularity of the State, civil religion and theology. These aspects were dealt with during the present research. The research report was constructed in three chapters, under the following titles: (1) Getting to Know the People, the place and the school; (2) Apple: a critical analysis of education, and (3) Religion, State and Education. In the first chapter was characterized the object of research, its idiosyncrasies and the history of the people who live in the region. The second chapter was devoted to deal with the theoretical underpinning the work. In the third and last one, we present results and analyses underlying them.

A liberdade religiosa é direito fundamental da pessoa humana, de dignidade constitucional, conforme preceitua a lei maior de nosso país. Compreende o direito de escolher ou de aderir a uma crença ou religião. Por outro lado, o Estado Brasileiro, que é laico, também por expressa determinação constitucional, tem o dever de garantir o livre exercício desse direito. Acontece que, em algumas situações, verdades sustentadas pelas Igrejas e, consequentemente, por seus seguidores, entram em rota de colisão com outros direitos fundamentais da pessoa humana, tais como a vida, a cidadania e a dignidade da pessoa humana. Os casos mais conhecidos são aqueles que envolvem a interrupção da gravidez para fetos anencefálicos e eutanásia/ortotanásia. O trabalho analisa o comportamento do Judiciário diante dessas situações, a influência das convicções religiosas do magistrado, as pressões exercidas pelas Igrejas e pelos movimentos sociais de promoção e defesa dos direitos humanos, bem como, ao final, constrói um discurso racional que permite uma relação dialógica, mais equilibrada entre a ciência (jurídica) e a religião

Based on a review of the academic literature, evangelical public theology often lacks a systematic, theologically grounded social ethic concerning religious liberty. The resulting impasse is one where religious liberty lacks distinctly evangelical contours. Modern and contemporary religious liberty discussions have been ceded, almost exclusively, to political and legal philosophy. At the same time, religious liberty is a foundational principle for evangelical public theology because it addresses issues of how evangelicals enter the public square as a religious people. Additionally, a doctrine of religious liberty is vital for establishing the relationship between the church and state in society. Theological warrant is needed to establish a doctrine of religious liberty on evangelical grounds, and, correspondingly, the lack of consensus or framework around religious liberty jeopardizes the possibility of developing a truly evangelical understanding of religious liberty for public theology. This dissertation seeks to remedy this gap in evangelical public theology and social ethics by grounding religious liberty in the biblical categories of eschatology, anthropology, and soteriology. Chapter one examines the literature surrounding evangelical proposals around religious liberty. Chapters 2 through 4 offer a constructive proposal for religious liberty oriented around the themes of the kingdom of God (eschatology), the image of God (anthropology), and the mission of God (soteriology). Chapter 5 concludes by offering concern that secular ideologies lack sufficient explanatory power to extend a principled account of religious liberty.

This study investigates the liturgical attire of the Church of England from the seventeenth through the nineteenth century, by studying the major Anglican vestments, observing modifications and omissions in the garments and their uses, and researching the reasons for any changes. Using the various Anglican Prayer Books and the monarchial time periods as a guide, the progressive usages and styles of English liturgical attire are traced chronologically within the political, social and religious environments of each era. By examining extant originals in England, artistic representations, and ancient documentation, this thesis presents the religious symbolism, as well as the artistic and historical importance, of vestments within the Church of England from its foundation to the twentieth century.

No description available.

Scholars have sorely neglected the subject of religion in British Columbia during the interwar years. This thesis will address this gap through a study of the relationship between Protestantism and society in the province's major urban centers, Vancouver and Victoria. I will approach the issue through a new window into the role of churches in British Columbia - the church taxation debates of the 1920's. This work begins with a review of the literature that sets the historical context of the church tax issue and reveals gaps in our knowledge of the role of religion in British Columbia. Primary source material is derived largely from newspapers, magazines, and archival material including private correspondences, City Council documents, pamphlets, and booklets. The church taxation issue illustrates the agenda of British Columbia's urban churches in a rapidly changing and secularizing society. In order to remain relevant, they were forced to consider their purpose and persuade society to agree. Exemptionists employed different strategies to convince the public of their indispensability. In Victoria, churches clung to tradition, while in Vancouver churches responded by redefining the relationship between church and state. Victoria's churches wanted the role of churches to remain unchanged while Vancouver churches sought to harmonize the churches' agenda with that of the state. In both cities, the exemptionists won their cases. However, their victories did not permanently define or secure the future role of churches. / Arts, Faculty of / Classical, Near Eastern and Religious Studies, Department of / Graduate

D.Litt. et Phil. / This thesis has looked at the mission of the Church in South Africa against the historical background of both the South African peoples and the Johannine community in the light of the function and meaning of the Paraclete in John 13:31-16:33 In Chapter 1 the problem, purpose, importance, relevance, methodology, organisation, delimitations and the definitions of mission, church and the Paraclete were discussed. Chapter 2 looked at the history of the situation of the Church in South Africa between 15th and the 18th centuries and the role the Church played in the struggle against apartheid. Chapter 3 dealt with the history of the situation of the Johannine church in the early and later part of the first century. Chapter 4 gave a framework of the theological background of the synoptics. In Matthew themes such as christology, law, eschatology, kingdom, miracles and disciples were considered. In Mark, christology and faith and in Luke, christology, soteriology, eschatology and prayer were discussed. Chapter 5 looked at a selection of the theological themes in the Gospel of John: christology, signs and works, disciples, eschatology, eternal life, soteriology, belief, unbelief and hate. In 1 John themes such as christiology, eternal life, morality and brotherly love were dealt with. Chapter 6 looked at the background in the synoptics concerning the Spirit. In Matthew the Holy Spirit was mentioned with reference to the Spirit and Jesus, the Spirit and disciples, the Spirit as vital force and the relationship between the Spirit in Matthew and the Paraclete in John. In Mark the Spirit was discussed under the following headings: Jesus and Spirit, pneuma as the power of God, and the relationship between the Spirit in Mark and the Paraclete in John. In Luke the Spirit was discussed in connection with Jesus in his conception, baptism and temptation. Chapter 7 looked at the pneumatology in the Gospel of John and in the First Epistle of John. In John the "Book of Signs" and the "Book of Glory" were examined. A special reference to the functions of the Paraclete as teaching, reminding, witnessing, guiding and glorifying Christ and their relationship to the mission of the Church in South Africa was discussed. In chapter 8 the concept of the Church in Matthew, Mark and in Luke-Acts was explored along the mission of the Church in those sections of scripture. Chapter 9 looked at the ecclesiastical terminology in John's gospel and in the Epistles. In John terminologies such as disciples, sheep and shepherd, and vine imagery were explored. In 1 John ecclesiastical expressions such as the "children of God" and those "born of God" were looked at. Chapter 10 explored the missionary perspectives of Matthew, Mark and Luke- Acts and related the mission of the Church in South Africa to that of Matthew, Mark and Luke-Acts. Chapter 11 discussed the concept of mission in the Gospel of John. The mission of the "sent one", the disciples' mission, the mission of the believers and the mission of the Paraclete were explored. This chapter concluded by viii relating the mission of the Church in South Africa to that of the Gospel of John. Chapter 12 focused on the mission of the Church in South Africa today in relation to the function and the meaning of the Paraclete with reference to the Paraclete passages in John 13:31-16:33. This chapter identified issues the Church in South Africa needs to address as part of her mission. In conclusion this thesis suggested that just as the Paraclete influenced the situation in the Johannine community, the Church as the instrument of the Spirit should guide and influence the situation in South Africa today. The appendices in this thesis are intended to clarify and enrich the contents of the script. They can also be used as a resource by other researchers and it is that they will benefit many students who are researching on this field. An extensive bibliography of about seventy pages has been compiled. Not all sources have been quoted in the study; such sources are meant to be used as a resource by researchers on the subjects of Paraclete, mission and church.

With the collapse of the Visigothic kingdom, the judges of Catalonia and southern France worked to keep the region’s traditional judicial system operable. Drawing on records of judicial proceedings and church dedications from the ninth century to the end of the eleventh, this dissertation explores how judges devised a liturgically-influenced court strategy to invigorate rulings. They transformed churches into courtrooms. In these spaces, changed by merit of the consecration rite, community awe for the power infused within sacred space could be utilized to achieve consensus around the legitimacy of dispute outcomes. At the height of a tribunal, judges brought litigants and witnesses to altars, believed to be thresholds of Heaven, and compelled them to authenticate their testimony before God and his saints. Thus, officials supplemented human means of enforcement with the supernatural powers permeating sanctuaries. This strategy constitutes a hybridization of codified law and the belief in churches as real sacred spaces, a conception that emerged from the Carolingian liturgical reforms of the ninth century. In practice, it provided courts with a means to enact the mandates from the Visigothic Code and to foster stability. The result was a flexible synthesis of law, liturgy, and sacred space that was in many cases capable of harnessing spiritual and community pressure in legal proceedings.