Text in German / The Study “The Growth of Pentecostal Churches in the USSR during the 20th Century” is a contribution to the research in the field of church development. The objective of this research is to investigate which missiological factors led the people in the Soviet Union to join the pentecostal churches. It should be noted that there is a wide gap in the area of international studies regarding the pentecostal movement in general.1 This can also be applied to the pentecostal movement in the USSR. So far, academic research has hardly given this area the necessary attention. For this reason the present dissertation tries to close this gap. Since this research not just follows a scientific-theoretical interest, the result should also be of use for future church development in Germany. The present historical and practical theological portrayal of the Russian pentecostal movement is based on extensive literary research. It should be given a wide as possible and yet critical review of the Russian, German and English literature. This study aims to open the difficult to access Russian literature to the German public. Moreover, the available literature is analyzed under a historical missiological aspect and practical theological conclusions are drawn from that / Practical theology / M.Th. (Practical theology)

This dissertation analyzes the nature and degree of attitudinal change that has taken place within a key sector of the Catholic Church, i.e, lay leaders, in the period between 1966 and 1987 in two different national contexts, Chile and the United States. It builds on an unfinished study by Ivan Vallier, who attempted to clarify the ambiguous position of the laity in the Church and in society, in implementing the reforms of Vatican II. The author interviewed 96 middle-class lay leaders, plus dozens of informants. The analysis examines continuity and change on three issues. Some key findings include: a significant change in concepts of Church and God, toward more intimate/maternal images that encompass an active social dimension; much greater salience and complexity of the 'democratization' issue, particularly concerning the role of women, in the American Church; and the continuing imperative of the socio-political issue for the Chileans and their demands for more, not less, political involvement by the hierarchy. The results reflect the persistent tensions between 'progressive' and 'conservative' models of change, and help to explain the continuing importance of religion in modern society.

Text in German / The Study “The Growth of Pentecostal Churches in the USSR during the 20th Century” is a contribution to the research in the field of church development. The objective of this research is to investigate which missiological factors led the people in the Soviet Union to join the pentecostal churches. It should be noted that there is a wide gap in the area of international studies regarding the pentecostal movement in general.1 This can also be applied to the pentecostal movement in the USSR. So far, academic research has hardly given this area the necessary attention. For this reason the present dissertation tries to close this gap. Since this research not just follows a scientific-theoretical interest, the result should also be of use for future church development in Germany. The present historical and practical theological portrayal of the Russian pentecostal movement is based on extensive literary research. It should be given a wide as possible and yet critical review of the Russian, German and English literature. This study aims to open the difficult to access Russian literature to the German public. Moreover, the available literature is analyzed under a historical missiological aspect and practical theological conclusions are drawn from that / Practical theology / M.Th. (Practical theology)

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This dissertation lays out some of the current attitudes and understandings in the Reformed Church in America in regards to the ministry of deliverance. The arguments laid out are supported by what is currently happening in deliverance ministry across the United States and in-depth interviews with Reformed Church in America pastors. Differences in how we understand the terminology involved in this ministry were also briefly looked at. Deliverance ministry within the Reformed church is hampered by issues of fear and uncertainty, lack of knowledge or understanding and issues of world view. Many RCA pastors are open to this ministry although very few have actually engaged in deliverance with a person. RCA pastors tend to lean more toward psychological answers than they do spiritual ones. / Thesis (M. Th. (Practical Theology))

This paper investigates the contours of the program of New Evangelisation of Europe (NEE) in the Roman-Catholic Church. While the roots lie with Vatican II and Paul VI.'s Evangelii Nuntiandi, the concept itself was developed by Pope John Paul II., the European Council of Bishops (CCEE) and the Bishops' Special Synod on Europe in 1991. The concept sees European culture as having been born out of Catholic Christianity. Postchristian Europe therefore is judged as having lost its (catholic) soul. This becomes evident in a reduction of humanness in the personal, cultural and spiritual realm. Therefore official Catholic teaching outlines NEE as personal spiritual renewal, catholic unity and cultural transformation. Source, norm and bearer of the NEE is the Roman-Catholic church. The author however thinks that genuine renewal springs from God's Word and Spirit (missio Dei), creating communities of faith, transforming both, church and culture in Europe. / Viele Jahrhunderte lang sahen die europaischen Kirchen ihren Kontinent und ihre Kultur als corpus Christianum. ,,Mission" galt nur den ,,Heiden" in Obersee. Diese Sicht geriet im Laufe des 20. Jahrhunderts ins Wanken. Imrner mehr Stimrnen fragten: ist nicht auch Europa ,,Missionfeld"? Inzwischen sind sich die meisten kirchlichen Traditionen in Europa einig, dal3 sie es mit einer ,,nachchristlichen" oder ,,neuheidnischen" Kultur zu tun haben, die emeut missionarisch mit dem Evangelium durchdrungen werden mu13. Die vorliegende Arbeit mochte die Konturen und Grundlinien des romisch-katholischen Programmes der Neuevangelisierung Europas (NEE) verstehen, darstellen und kritisch wurdigen. Die Arbeit besteht aus sechs Hauptteilen. Im ersten Teil werden grundlegende missiologische Aussagen des II. Vatikanischen Konzils und das Schreiben Papst Pauls VI. Evangelii Nuntiandi als Hintergrund und Wurzel fur das Konzept der NEE interpretiert. Im zweiten Teil stelle ich die Entwicklung der NEE im Denken Johannes Pauls II. seit 1979 dar, wahrend ich mich im dritten Teil auf die Interpretation der NEE auf den Symposien des Rates der Europaischen Bischofskonferenzen (CCEE) von 1982-1989 konzentriere. In verschiedenen Nuancen heben sich die Interpretationen der Bischfofe von den Gedanken Papst Johannes Pauls II. ab, ohne jedoch grundlegende Widerspriiche zu erzeugen. Im vierten T eil zeichne ich die Gedankengange zur NEE anhand der Abschlu13erklarung der Sondersynode der Bischofe fur Europa von 1991 nach. Die Synode stellt einen unspektakularen Hohepunkt, eine gewisse Zasur und eine ausgewogene Zusamrnenfassung der Entwicklung des Konzeptes dar. Eine systematische Zusamrnenfassung der Grundlinien der NEE bildet den funften Teil. Es wird deutlich, da13 die NEE die gesamte missionarische Existenz der romischkatholischen Kirche in Europa in all ihrer Vielfalt umfasst, um dem Ziel geistlicher, kirchlicher und kultureller Emeuerung im eschatologischen Horizont des Reiches Gottes naherzukommen. Im abschlie13enden Teil versuche ich das Konzept der Neuevangelisierung Europas anhand verschiedener missiologischer Modelle einzuordnen und aus evangelikaler Sicht kritisch zu wlirdigen. Die Starke des Konzeptes sehe ich im kulturbezogenen Ruf zur Urnkehr aus gottlosem und destruktivem Glauben, Denken und Handeln und der Verkiindigung der Hinkehr zu Jesus Christus, die sich in alle Bereiche der Kultur auswirkt und somit Europa mit neuer Hoffnung und Zukunft erfullen kann. Die Schwache des (offiziellen) Konzeptes sehe ich darin, da13 die romisch-katholische Kirche m.E. zur Norm fur die Emeuerung gemacht wird. Umfassende Emeuerung jedoch geht von Gottes Wort und Geist (missio Dei) aus, der Kirche und Kultur verandert und erneuert. / Christian Spirituality, Church History & Missiology / M.Th. (Missiology)

This thesis explores the neglected history of Australian Catholic social welfare, focusing on the period, 1920-85. Central to this study is a comparative analysis of diocesan welfare bureaux (Centacare), especially the Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide agencies. Starting with the origins of professional welfare at local levels, this thesis shows the growth in Catholic welfare services across Australia. The significant transition from voluntary to professional Catholic welfare in Australia is a key theme. Lay trained women inspired the transformation in the church???s welfare services. Prepared predominantly by their American training, these women devoted their lives to fostering social work in the Church and within the broader community. The women demonstrated vision and tenacity in introducing new policies and practices across the disparate and unco-ordinated Australian Catholic welfare sector. Their determination challenged the status quo, especially the church???s preference for institutionalisation of children, though they packaged their reforms with compassion and pragmatism. Trained social workers offered specialised guidance though such efforts were often not appreciated before the 1960s. New approaches to welfare and the co-ordination of services attracted varying degrees of resistance and opposition from traditional Catholic charity providers: religious orders and the voluntary-based St Vincent de Paul Society (SVdP). For much of the period under review diocesan bureaux experienced close scrutiny from their ordinaries (bishops), regular financial difficulties, and competition from other church-based charities for status and funding. Following the lead of lay women, clerics such as Bishop Algy Thomas, Monsignor Frank McCosker and Fr Peter Phibbs (Sydney); Bishop Eric Perkins (Melbourne), Frs Terry Holland and Luke Roberts (Adelaide), consolidated Catholic social welfare. For four decades an unprecedented Sydney-Melbourne partnership between McCosker and Perkins had a major impact on Catholic social policy, through peak bodies such as the National Catholic Welfare Committee and its successor the Australian Catholic Social Welfare Commission. The intersection between church and state is examined in terms of welfare policies and state aid for service delivery. Peak bodies secured state aid for the church???s welfare agencies, which, given insufficient church funding proved crucial by the mid 1980s.

This thesis explores the neglected history of Australian Catholic social welfare, focusing on the period, 1920-85. Central to this study is a comparative analysis of diocesan welfare bureaux (Centacare), especially the Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide agencies. Starting with the origins of professional welfare at local levels, this thesis shows the growth in Catholic welfare services across Australia. The significant transition from voluntary to professional Catholic welfare in Australia is a key theme. Lay trained women inspired the transformation in the church???s welfare services. Prepared predominantly by their American training, these women devoted their lives to fostering social work in the Church and within the broader community. The women demonstrated vision and tenacity in introducing new policies and practices across the disparate and unco-ordinated Australian Catholic welfare sector. Their determination challenged the status quo, especially the church???s preference for institutionalisation of children, though they packaged their reforms with compassion and pragmatism. Trained social workers offered specialised guidance though such efforts were often not appreciated before the 1960s. New approaches to welfare and the co-ordination of services attracted varying degrees of resistance and opposition from traditional Catholic charity providers: religious orders and the voluntary-based St Vincent de Paul Society (SVdP). For much of the period under review diocesan bureaux experienced close scrutiny from their ordinaries (bishops), regular financial difficulties, and competition from other church-based charities for status and funding. Following the lead of lay women, clerics such as Bishop Algy Thomas, Monsignor Frank McCosker and Fr Peter Phibbs (Sydney); Bishop Eric Perkins (Melbourne), Frs Terry Holland and Luke Roberts (Adelaide), consolidated Catholic social welfare. For four decades an unprecedented Sydney-Melbourne partnership between McCosker and Perkins had a major impact on Catholic social policy, through peak bodies such as the National Catholic Welfare Committee and its successor the Australian Catholic Social Welfare Commission. The intersection between church and state is examined in terms of welfare policies and state aid for service delivery. Peak bodies secured state aid for the church???s welfare agencies, which, given insufficient church funding proved crucial by the mid 1980s.

This thesis explores the neglected history of Australian Catholic social welfare, focusing on the period, 1920-85. Central to this study is a comparative analysis of diocesan welfare bureaux (Centacare), especially the Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide agencies. Starting with the origins of professional welfare at local levels, this thesis shows the growth in Catholic welfare services across Australia. The significant transition from voluntary to professional Catholic welfare in Australia is a key theme. Lay trained women inspired the transformation in the church???s welfare services. Prepared predominantly by their American training, these women devoted their lives to fostering social work in the Church and within the broader community. The women demonstrated vision and tenacity in introducing new policies and practices across the disparate and unco-ordinated Australian Catholic welfare sector. Their determination challenged the status quo, especially the church???s preference for institutionalisation of children, though they packaged their reforms with compassion and pragmatism. Trained social workers offered specialised guidance though such efforts were often not appreciated before the 1960s. New approaches to welfare and the co-ordination of services attracted varying degrees of resistance and opposition from traditional Catholic charity providers: religious orders and the voluntary-based St Vincent de Paul Society (SVdP). For much of the period under review diocesan bureaux experienced close scrutiny from their ordinaries (bishops), regular financial difficulties, and competition from other church-based charities for status and funding. Following the lead of lay women, clerics such as Bishop Algy Thomas, Monsignor Frank McCosker and Fr Peter Phibbs (Sydney); Bishop Eric Perkins (Melbourne), Frs Terry Holland and Luke Roberts (Adelaide), consolidated Catholic social welfare. For four decades an unprecedented Sydney-Melbourne partnership between McCosker and Perkins had a major impact on Catholic social policy, through peak bodies such as the National Catholic Welfare Committee and its successor the Australian Catholic Social Welfare Commission. The intersection between church and state is examined in terms of welfare policies and state aid for service delivery. Peak bodies secured state aid for the church???s welfare agencies, which, given insufficient church funding proved crucial by the mid 1980s.

This thesis explores the neglected history of Australian Catholic social welfare, focusing on the period, 1920-85. Central to this study is a comparative analysis of diocesan welfare bureaux (Centacare), especially the Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide agencies. Starting with the origins of professional welfare at local levels, this thesis shows the growth in Catholic welfare services across Australia. The significant transition from voluntary to professional Catholic welfare in Australia is a key theme. Lay trained women inspired the transformation in the church???s welfare services. Prepared predominantly by their American training, these women devoted their lives to fostering social work in the Church and within the broader community. The women demonstrated vision and tenacity in introducing new policies and practices across the disparate and unco-ordinated Australian Catholic welfare sector. Their determination challenged the status quo, especially the church???s preference for institutionalisation of children, though they packaged their reforms with compassion and pragmatism. Trained social workers offered specialised guidance though such efforts were often not appreciated before the 1960s. New approaches to welfare and the co-ordination of services attracted varying degrees of resistance and opposition from traditional Catholic charity providers: religious orders and the voluntary-based St Vincent de Paul Society (SVdP). For much of the period under review diocesan bureaux experienced close scrutiny from their ordinaries (bishops), regular financial difficulties, and competition from other church-based charities for status and funding. Following the lead of lay women, clerics such as Bishop Algy Thomas, Monsignor Frank McCosker and Fr Peter Phibbs (Sydney); Bishop Eric Perkins (Melbourne), Frs Terry Holland and Luke Roberts (Adelaide), consolidated Catholic social welfare. For four decades an unprecedented Sydney-Melbourne partnership between McCosker and Perkins had a major impact on Catholic social policy, through peak bodies such as the National Catholic Welfare Committee and its successor the Australian Catholic Social Welfare Commission. The intersection between church and state is examined in terms of welfare policies and state aid for service delivery. Peak bodies secured state aid for the church???s welfare agencies, which, given insufficient church funding proved crucial by the mid 1980s.