A introdução de 33 rainhas africanas (Apis mellifera scutellata) em 1956, com o objetivo de iniciar um programa de seleção e melhoramento genético no Brasil, e a posterior enxameação de algumas destas rainhas, deu inicio ao processo de Africanização, originando o poli-híbrido, denominado, Abelha africanizada. Este processo envolveu uma série de fatores biológicos e ambientais, cujas interações não são suficientemente claras. Os acasalamentos em abelhas melíferas ocorrem em sítios denominados como Áreas de Congregação de Zangões (ACZ), estes locais têm sido bem estudados em abelhas européias, porém, pouco pesquisados em abelhas africanizadas. Assim, é mister a necessidade de desenvolver novos estudos sobre o comportamento reprodutivo destas subespécies, que contribuíram para a rápida expansão das abelhas africanizadas nas Américas. Foram observados os comportamentos de vôos de 10 rainhas (Apis mellifera carnica e Apis mellifera africanizada) e de 126 e 146 zangões de cada raça, respectivamente. Observou-se 6 pontos, localizados no campus da USP de Ribeirão Preto, os quais poderiam ter uma maior concentração de zangões em vôo. Estes pontos foram analisados por meio de uma rainha fecundada presa a um balão preenchido com gás Helio e determinadas características ambientais. Todas as rainhas retornnaram ao núcleo com a marca de acasalamento e iniciaram o processo de postura. Os dados revelaram que não existem diferenças significativas (? = 0,05%) ao compararmos: A idade da rainha no seu primeiro vôo (T=123: P=0,185); a idade da rainha no vôo do acasalamento (t=1,721; P=0,104); o numero de vôos que cada rainha realizou (T=79,5; P=0,789); a duração do vôo de acasalamento (t=1,065; P=0,303); a temperatura no dia do vôo de acasalamento (t=0,263; P=0,796) e o horário do dia no qual ocorrem os vôos de acasalamento (t = 0,0; P=1,0). A atividade de vôo dos zangões carnicos nunca precedeu o horário as 14:15 e 14:30h para zangões carnicos e africanizados, respectivamente, confirmando que não existem diferenças significativas no período do dia em que estes realizam seus vôos (t = -3,11E-015; P = 1,000). Dos 6 pontos observados, somente um ponto não atraiu zangões à isca. Não foram encontrados diferenças significativas entre as diferentes ACZ (P = 0,109). Ao analisar a velocidade do vento (m/s), a analise de variância encontrou diferenças significativas entre as diferentes ACZ (P=<0,001), porém não influenciando a presença de zangões na isca. Dados coletados neste experimento revelaram que os zangões freqüentam estas áreas durante condições de vento superiores a 4 m/s, e em algumas ocasiões com ventos de 8.1 m/s. Também foi observado que os zangões realizam seus vôos de acasalamento em dias nublados e com pouca luminosidade. Não existiu uma preferência, pelos zangões, por determinadas ACZ, constatando-se que o ambiente oferece muitos espaços abertos típicos de ACZ, garantindo e facilitando o acasalamento destas abelhas. / The introduction of 33 African queens ( Apis mellifera scutellata ) in 1956 , aiming to start a program of selection and breeding in Brazil , and later some of these swarming queens , began the process of Africanization , yielding poly - hybrid called , \" Africanized Bee \" . This process involved a number of biological and environmental factors whose interactions are unclear. Mating in honeybees occur at sites referred to as Areas of Congregation Hornets ( ACZ ) , these sites have been well studied in European bees , but little researched in Africanized bees . Thus , it is essential the need to develop new studies on the reproductive behavior of these subspecies, which contributed to the rapid expansion of Africanized bees in the Americas . Behaviors Flight 10 queens ( Apis mellifera and Apis mellifera Africanized carnica ) and 126 and 146 Hornets each race respectively were observed . There was 6 points , located in the USP , Ribeirão Preto , which could have a higher concentration of drones in flight campus . These points were analyzed by means of a fertilized queen attached to a balloon filled with helium and certain environmental characteristics. All queens retornnaram the core branded mating and begun the process of laying. The data revealed no significant differences when comparing : The age of the queen on her first flight (T = 123 : P = 0.185 ) ( = 0.05 % ? ) ; the age of the queen in flight mating ( t = 1.721 , P = 0.104 ) ; the number of flights that each queen performed (T = 79.5 , P = 0.789 ) ; the flight duration of mating ( t = 1.065 , P = 0.303 ) ; the temperature on the mating flight ( t = 0.263 , P = 0.796 ) and time of day in which mating flights occur ( t = 0.0, P = 1.0 ) . Flight activity of CARNICOS Hornets never preceded the hours 14:15 and 14:30 for CARNICOS and Africanized drones, respectively , confirming that there are no significant differences in time of day in which they perform their flights ( t = -3.11 and -015 , P = 1.000) . 6 of the observed points , only one point not attracted to the bait Hornets . No significant differences were found between the different ACZ (P = 0.109 ) . By analyzing the wind speed ( m / s ) , analysis of variance found significant differences between the different ACZ ( P = < 0.001), but not influencing the presence of drones at the bait . Data collected in this experiment revealed that the Hornets frequent these areas during windy conditions exceeding 4 m / s , and on some occasions with winds of 8.1 m / s . It was also observed that the Hornets perform their mating flights on cloudy days and low light . There was a preference by the Hornets , by certain ACZ , noting that if the environment offers many open spaces typical of ACZ , ensuring and facilitating mating these bees.

Traditional patterns of leadership in the Church of England are changing. The demands of mission in post-Christendom, and renewed attention to the theology of social trinitarianism have focussed attention on the health of the local congregation as the place where the future of the church will be determined. Aware of the damage that disharmony can cause, the Diocese of Chelmsford has supported this research which examines how good relationships between lay and ordained leaders may be fostered, as a contribution to the equipping of congregations for mission. A process of facilitated conversations was held with lay and ordained leaders at the end of a ministerial vacancy, after an appointment had been made. These were analysed in the light of both theological and sociological perspectives on the nature of priesthood and of the local church, and of my own experience as a parish priest and training officer in the church. The process of facilitated conversations enabled differences of attitude and understanding to be articulated. Of particular note was a strong preference for, or reaction against, the use of familial language to describe the local congregation. These differences could be categorised as a contrast between the views held by those who had received no academic training in theology and those who had. A revised pattern of meetings is proposed in the light of these results and the feedback received. The conclusion is that relationships between the lay leaders and the newly appointed priest will benefit from facilitated conversations at the outset of this new period of ministry about the nature of the priestly role and the local church. A good relationship, marked by improved mutual understanding and respect between leaders, will better enable the parishes of the Diocese of Chelmsford to re-envision the missionary task.

The present questionnaire study examined attachment-religion connections among 175 believers from Christian congregations within the Læstadianism revival movement in Sweden and Finland. Results generally supported the study’s hypotheses, thus partly replicated, and extended previous research. Replicating previous research, reports of secure attachment predicted the adoption and transmission of Christian beliefs and values. Reports of relative insecure attachment was linked to aspects of religious changes and predicted religious changes occurring in a life-context of emotional turmoil. Results for emotional compensation were, however, not consistent with previous research. Reports of secure attachment predicted emotionally-based religiosity and insecure attachment did not predict the intensity/suddenness of the religious change. Extending previous research, reports of secure attachment predicted the adoption and transmission of the congregation's Christian standards and perceived religious support from one's congregation. Findings are discussed in the context of the Læstadian population of the study.

This study is concerned with how the black township church leadership mismanage their defunct members especially at times of funerals. In the absence of a pragmatic pastoral method of how to deal with defunct members when they die, the church has devised a church policy which adds to the already experienced pain and grief of mourners. The criteria in the policy stipulates that, if at the time of death, the member has become defunct with regard to: - Church attendance, - Dedicated giving ( tithing ), the person should be given a stoep funeral. The problem with this policy, is the manner in which it is communicated to mourners - cold and insensitive, loaded with arrogance and rigidity. Cases are not viewed on merit but mourners are being emotionally and spiritually destroyed by this practice. Stoep funerals have developed a negative stigma in the townships since everyone is aware of the punishment being meted out to the deceased. Because of their alleged dysfunctionality , defunct members gets treated like spiritual criminals by the leadership through the refusal of church funerals. Church funerals are reserved for those who are in good standing and who enjoy implacable status in the church in relation to the mentioned criteria. The priest is expected to conduct church funerals while the lay ministers are assigned to do stoep funerals. A stoep funeral is an embarrassment and it leaves mourners with feelings of rejection and shame, if not truamatization. The aim of this research is to assist the township church to journey with her defunct members in creating a model directed by scriptural truth from a perspective of African pastoral care. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / tm2015 / Practical Theology / PhD / Unrestricted

Thesis advisor: Richard R. Gaillardetz / The following dissertation argues that the relations of power operative in the investigation and silencing of Fr. Leonardo Boff, O.F.M. by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) can be adequately understood through the application of a model derived from the works of Michel Foucault. Drawing on the affirmation of the Second Vatican Council that the Catholic Church receives both charismatic and hierarchical gifts, the basis of this model is two elementary forms of power: charismatic power and pastoral power. The category of pastoral power includes, but goes beyond, the traditional ecclesiological concepts of office, law, hierarchy, or institution and includes all forms of ministries and modes of service set over the good of each and all members of the faithful. In order to accomplish this broader task, Foucault’s distinction between sovereignty, discipline, and governmentality are employed as three strategic logics of the Christian pastorate. Charismatic power is then understood as the free gifts of the Holy Spirit that uplift and perfect the talents of each member of the faithful in order to participate in the loving service of the church’s mission in dialogical relation to each respective strategy of pastoral power. In order to defend the claim that each of these strategic relations of power can be observed in the Boff case, this dissertation offers a historical review of the theological concepts entailed therein, genealogical analyses of the discursive and non-discursive practices carried out by both Boff and the CDF, and an explication of Foucault’s thought on power relations. This dissertation concludes with an interpretation of the Boff case that shows how the fundamental arguments of both parties are theologically sound, although with respect to different strategic logics. The conclusion also offers a preliminary outline for a generalized theology of power in the Catholic Church based on the lessons learned from this particular case study. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2018. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Theology.

CONGREGATION OF SCHOLASTIC SISTERS OF III. REGULATED MONASTIC ORDER OF ST. FRANCIS This diploma thesis is focused on the development of the Congregation from its establishment to the present. I deal with the phenomenon of devoted life, spiritual motives and social cause through the history. I also give an attention to the nineteenth century, which was a great period of social changes and to the origin of woman's monastic orders and congregations as an answer to the actual requirements. The aim of the core section of the thesis is to describe the history of Congregation of St. Francis's school sisters from its beginnings in Graz to the separate branch in Bohemia. I primarily focus on the life of Czech province and its significant personalities, especially sister Eliska Pretschnerová and her beatification process. The final part of the work deals with sister's activities in the present time. I reflect the causes of the declining number of members as well as other options of existence of the Congregation. Keywords Devoted life, congregation, sisters, church, service, educate

The study offers a practical theological examination of three congregational youth ministries located in three different multi-racial and multi-cultural contexts in the Northeastern region of the United States. In the first move of this study, I present findings from ethnographic research in the three congregational youth ministries and argue that each congregation displays a disconnect between their practices of evangelism and discipleship and young people’s questions about and experiences with race, racism, and racial identity. In the second move of this study, I argue that this disconnect is due to the pervasiveness of post-racialism in the church and society, understood as a collection of social practices that promote colorblindness as a virtue and perpetuate systemic racism as a habitus by fostering an aesthetic of forgetfulness regarding racial violence and oppression. In light of this, I suggest that a way forward in congregational youth ministries in multiracial and multicultural contexts requires a disruption of and resistance to post-racial aesthetics for the sake of meeting students’ needs. In the third move, I turn attention to Martin Luther King, Jr. to forge a way forward, as King is often taken to be a normative source for interracial congregations. However, while such interracial congregations tend to rely on a limited view of King that interprets him as an inspiration for embracing post-racialism, I argue that King’s theological praxis can be a critical resource for discerning how to resist post-racialism. In concluding the dissertation, I offer suggestions for how current practitioners can begin taking steps toward resisting post-racialism in their work with youth and young adults. / 2025-01-31T00:00:00Z

The title of this dissertation is “The early years of the Dutch Reformed Congregation of Utrecht and churchly Disruption” The decistion to associate with the Cape Reformed Church, was already taken at the foundation meeting of the congregation on 19 November 1854. This, however, was not as simple as meets the eye. The first inhabitans of course knew no other church than the Dutch Reformed Church. When crossing borders on their trek from the Cape Colony, they did not only take with them the Bible in the wagon box; they also remained members of the Dutch Reformed Church. From the diary of Erasmus Smit (the only person who accompanied the Great Trek as minister of religion), it is clear that he was a loyal supporter of the Dutch Reformed Church. He was very fond of following the tracks of the Dutch Reformed Church very closely, as far as the organisation and order of church affairs were concerned , not only regarding the organisation and order of church affairs, but also the devotion to the same confession of faith illustrates unity with the Cape Mother-church. The first years reflect a time of great turbulence on churchly as well as political terrain. This was a time during which the church was right in the midst of the battle for Liberalism. Fundamental truths, such as the virgin birth of Christ and other vital believes were under strong criticism and doubt. Therefore the importance of this subject is taken into serious discussion. The conflict around the confession is also adressed. This is the quia – viewpoint was accepted; the viewpoint that confession was accepted , “because it is in line with Scripture”. This viewpoint directly opposes the more liberal quatenus – vieupoint, which adheres to the articles of faith , “in as much as they agree with the Word of God.” These also were times of immense political conflict. The Boer Republics stood by the opinion that they also wanted to be free of the church living under British Colonial rule. These were all contributing factors to the final rift in church ranks. In such a turbulent world, the young Utrecht congregation had to find her way. The congregation was heavily blamed for her decision to stand by her choice of connecting to the Cape Dutch Reformed Church. The Reverant Frans Lion Cachet, first minister to the Utrecht Congregation, would play a leading role in this regard. His contribution is therefore discussed in detail. From the above - mentioned , the reasons for church division are clearly observed. Valuable lessons are learned on how to address similar divisions of the present and how they can be overcome. / Dissertation (MTh(Theol))--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Church History and Church Policy / unrestricted

In this essay I present the ecclesiology of the Salvation Army as it appears in Sweden today. One thesis that I examined is that the Salvation Army has changed its self-understanding from seeing itself as an Army from the beginning of the movement, to gradually understanding itself as a Church. The essay confirms this assumption and concludes that it is largely due to the challenges of ecumenical theology that developed with the publication of the BEM document in 1982, adopted by the World Council of Churches' Faith and Order Commission. Further, statistics show that 3 out of 4 new members of the Salvation Army in Sweden are what are Adherents, defined as a type of civilian membership, and not uniformed soldiers. The purpose of the essay has therefore been to explore what the change of membership, from soldiers to adherents, has meant for the ecclesiology of the movement. I have captured both of these assumptions, that the Army understands itself more and more as a church and that most new members are Adherents, when I have formulated the overarching research question: How does a growing proportion of Adherents play into the Salvation Army's gradually changing self-understanding from army to church? In the essay, I have used a qualitative research method which includes a hermeneutic approach where I interpret the changes and observe to understand its consequences for the ecclesiology that appears in the Salvation Army. The essay discusses the "army concept" which implies a “mission-oriented” ecclesiology and the "church concept" which implies a "community-oriented" ecclesiology. My source material consists of both written dogmatic material, observations of enrolling of both soldiers and adherents in Corps and interviews with new members. I note that the ecclesiological themes that appear in my materials are somewhat different. The written material has some army rhetoric, which means that in addition to a community-oriented ecclesiology one can also see a mission-oriented ecclesiology, while the observations and especially the interviews give a clearer picture of a communion-oriented ecclesiology where the congregation also appears as a sacramental communion. The likeness of ecclesiology between the Salvation Army to other free-churches in Sweden is so profound that I propose the idea of “free-church salvationists” in the army in Sweden. In the essay, I state that a probable further ecclesiological development may be that the more Adherents who become members, the more communion-oriented ecclesiology will implicitly appear in the Salvation Army in Sweden and at the same time the army rhetoric will gradually disappear. This means that the Salvation Army in Sweden may in the near future be described as "an army without soldiers".

The purpose of this study is to shed light on how the internal secularization of the Church ofSweden affects the congregations' work when it comes to fulfilling its mission. Where thecongregations may provide answers to the questions in their written planning of their tasks andfocus areas. Three internal secularization theories have been used in the analysis of the sourcematerial, which are ”classical secularization theory”, ”supply-side-theory” and a third theory whichcan be called the critical secularization theory.The first question in this study examines whether or not it is possible to see any regional differencesand similarities between the parishes The second question intend to investigate if there any topic orproblem that the congregations particularly highlights.. Based on the study of the source material,the third question aim to see if one theory of secularisation is more correct than the others when itcomes to describingthe development of the Church of Sweden today. The last question in this studywill try to place the parishes in one of Anneli Öljarstrand's two categories, these are the reluctantcongregation and the conformist one. These questions will be answered by using the contentanalysis method, where the analysis will be based on a coding scheme. The coding scheme containsfive categories that are based on the empirical material, the theory and the previous research.The answer to the questions has been that the congregations emphasize the importance of beinginclusive and open. And that there is a differnece between the parishest as well as similarities. Thestudy shows that the classical secularization theory are the theory that best fits the assembledcongregations. The answer to the last question is that there are congregations that fit in as bothconformist and reluctant.