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In this thesis I endeavor to discover and show the Unitarian and Patristic theological influences on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's long narrative poem Evangeline, with special focus on the poem's theological teachings concerning deification and descriptions of the spiritual experience of shining with divine light. In chapter one, I explore the theological climate of early nineteenth-century New England, focusing on the Unitarian and Transcendental movements and Longfellow's familiarity with both. In chapter two, I present an overview of the critical literature concerning the religious elements of Evangeline, beginning with reviews by Longfellow's contemporaries and ending with recent scholarship that calls for a new investigation of Unitarian influences on Evangeline. In chapters three and four, I look back to those Church Fathers who articulated the doctrines of deification and divine light in the second through fourth centuries. Through looking at the presence of the Church Fathers in Longfellow's writings, especially in the unexplored “Christian Fathers” manuscript lectures from the early 1830s, I show how the Patristic writers proved interesting and inspiring to Longfellow in the years leading up to the publication of Evangeline. Finally, in chapters five and six, I investigate in depth the religious elements of Evangeline, giving special attention to the keynote passages of 2.1 and 2.5, which include, respectively, theological teaching concerning deification and a description of the spiritual experience of shining with divine light. I conclude that though in 2.1 Longfellow articulates theological teachings that possess strong affinities with Unitarian doctrine, in 2.5 Longfellow concludes the poem with a characteristically Patristic vision of the deified heroine shining with divine light.

La présente thèse, intitulée «L’incarnation du Verbe de Dieu comme œuvre du salut chez Athanase d’Alexandrie» met en évidence un sujet qui a une connotation très forte pour l’histoire du christianisme et des pensées religieuses en général, à savoir l’action salvatrice du Fils de Dieu en faveur de l’homme, avec toutes les conséquences qui en résultent. Athanase a une conception assez originale sur la nature de l’homme, qu’il conçoit comme un être corruptible, issu du néant, mais destiné pourtant à une vie éternelle par la participation de Dieu, celui qui possède la vraie vie et qui lui communique cette vie si celui-ci reste en communion avec Dieu. Pour qu’il puisse réaliser cette relation très personnelle, Dieu l’a créé selon son image, le Logos-même et l’a doté de l’esprit, l’esprit qui lui permettait d’élever toujours sa pensée vers le monde intelligible et de voir Dieu selon l’image duquel il a été fait. A cause de son insouciance et de la tromperie du démon l’homme n’a pas réussi à garder la pureté de son esprit, pureté qui lui garantissait la contemplation de l’Image, s’est retourné par le péché vers les choses sensibles et a commencé à se contempler lui-même. Ainsi la séparation de Dieu, sa source de vie, renvoie l’homme à sa condition initiale de créature sortie du néant. Mais Dieu, dans son amour infini, n’a pas voulu laisser l’homme dans cet état déplorable et a envoyé dans le monde son propre Verbe pour qu’en sa qualité d’Image de Dieu, il renouvelle l’homme fait selon l’image et qu’en assumant une humanité réelle, il le libère du péché et de la mort par sa mort et sa résurrection. Pourtant l’œuvre salvatrice accomplie par l’incarnation du Verbe ne se limite pas seulement à une restauration de l’homme dans son état initial, mais suppose quelque chose de plus, à savoir une union si étroite de l’humanité et de la divinité dans la personne du Christ, de telle sorte que la nature humaine-même est rendue perméable à la divinité. Cette œuvre réalisée dans la personne du Christ se prolonge dans tous les hommes, grâce à leur parenté et incorporation en Christ. C’est ainsi que l’auteur conclut par sa célèbre phrase: «Dieu s’est fait homme pour que l’homme soit fait dieu», un dieu non par nature, mais par grâce. / This thesis, entitled “The incarnation of the Word of God as work of salvation in Athanasius of Alexandria” emphasizes a topic that has very strong connotations in the history of Christianity and religious thoughts in general, namely the liberating action of the Son of God for man, with all the consequences that will result. Athanasius’ thinking of human nature is, in some degree, original. For him, the human being is a corruptible one, as originated in nothingness, but destined to an eternal life through the participation of God, who possesses the true life and who communicates it to him, if he remains in communion with God. To achieve this personal relationship, God created him after his image, the Logos himself, and endowed him with spirit, which enabled him to raise always his thought to the intelligible world and to see God in whose image he was made. Because of his recklessness and deceit of the devil, man failed to keep the purity of his spirit, purity that ensured his contemplation of the Image, he turned through sin to sensible things and began to contemplate himself. Thus, the separation from God, the source of his life, makes the man returning to his original condition as creature out of nothing. But God in his infinite love would not leave man in this deplorable state and sent into the world his own Word to renew, as Image of God, the man made after this Image and, by assuming a true humanity, deliver him from sin and death by his death and his resurrection. Yet the saving work accomplished by the incarnation of the Word is not limited only to a restoration of man to his original condition, but requires something more, namely a union so close of humanity and divinity in the person of Christ, so that the human nature itself is made permeable to the deity. This work accomplished in the Christ’ person extends to all men, through their similarity and their incorporation into Christ. Thus the author concludes by his famous phrase: “God became man so that man is made god”, a god, not by nature but by grace.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Mo., 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [262]-280).

This research has attempted to discover the ethos and characteristics of the anointing with the Spirit of the Charismatic movements with the reformed assessment. It has been studied how the exegetical interpretation and Scriptural theology of the anointing with the Spirit relate to the systematic reformed theology. This study has indicated the key notion of this research, “the anointing with the Spirit” in Ancient Near Eastern Literature and in Scripture. The biblical foundation of the Reformed tradition on the notion of this research has been investigated and Christian reflection on the anointing with the Spirit has historically been investigated. The church’s dogmata of the anointing with the Spirit examined throughout the history of the church as well as whether the anointing with the Spirit in the Charismatic movement was implicated in the Reformed tradition. Whether the Reformed tradition disallowed all supernatural phenomena has also been examined, and what their concept is of the anointing with the Spirit. The debates between charismatic and reformed perspectives on the theological characteristics of the anointing with the Spirit have been compared. Essential to the argument is the nature and characteristics of the Charismatic movement in relation to the anointing with the Spirit, in which the unique experiences of the Spirit and their response to the world is demonstrated. The explored issues are systematically recapitulated and evaluated to be resolved. Four systematic spheres are examined with different hermeneutical approaches: the biblical and theological pneumatology; soteriology, in which the anointing with the Spirit is to be applied; promulgated eschatology that entails the characteristics of the missio Spiritus and the extent of the establishment of God’s kingdom in connection with the anointing with the Spirit, and finally mandated ecclesiology that requires responsibilities and commitments of those who are endowed with the charismata of the Spirit in the sphere of all contemporary areas. The anointing with the Spirit is related to soteriological aspect, authentic repentance is preconditioned to be gifted the charismata of the Spirit (Acts 2:38-40). Unlikely the pneumatological concept of the Charismatic movements, it is not only a means to achieve the God’s redemptive task, but also a resolution to prepare a residence for the God the Spirit in the hearts of the believers. Consequently sanctification should be the centred-ethos in the manifestation and application of the charismata of the Spirit in the Charismatic movements. The Charismatic believe that the anointing with the Spirit is the presence of God. However, the sanctifying characteristics, which come through God’s presence, are scarcely demonstrated in the life of the Charismatic believers. In the eschatological perspective, this research unveils the anointing with Spirit, poured upon the body of the Anointed One, is for eschatological completion, confirming the godly guarantee of his physical presence of the Anointed One by indwelling of his Spirit in and among their eschatological sanctuary. Simultaneously the anointing with the Spirit is perceived as a reality to encounter the upcoming dreadful judgment day of the Lord which will occur to the world. Justification and sanctification are essential requirements to face those days. Then the anointing with the Spirit in the Charismatic movement is by no means operated only for the present prosperity gospel. Eschatological imminence should be the foundational theology for both the Reformed and the Charismatic traditions. In assessment and evaluation of the Charismatic movements, this research analyses the cohorts of the Charismatic have ostensibly collapsed into a predicament over the intuitive characteristics due to the deficiency of its confirmation with the authority of Scripture in the process of charismatic manifestations of the Spirit. Some Charismatics blunder into a deception since they incline to shape their ethos on emotional and sensational experience, rather than to formulate these experiences in response to the authentic truth of Scripture. In this regards, this research indicates the Charismatics is to revise their dogmata according to Scripture. If spirituality is correlated to the knowledge of God through his Spirit, then the experience of genuine spirituality must be joined to what is meant by the truth of the Spirit. Nevertheless in search for the charismatic anointing with the Spirit, this study does not disregard the essential function of both inspirational intuition and rational conception to form their theology and beliefs on Scriptural foundation. The Reformed contends that they should eliminate the insecure and instinctive category of procedures and solemnly rely on the adequacy and exclusivity of Scriptural authority. The Charismatics believe that such knowledge is not seriously dissimilar to the imperfect nature of contemporary causes. However, both perspectives require some consideration. The instruction of the essence either repeats Scripture either Scriptural or is invalid. Finally this investigation illustrates some contributions of the Charismatic movement that entails the revitalized crucial function of the charismata with manifestations of the Spirit for individual edification, energetic communal worship, and influential evangelism and particularly the contextualization in communication with other society and community in evangelism in the areas of the missio Spiritus, eschatology, and experience. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Dogmatics and Christian Ethics / unrestricted

This thesis is a comparative analysis of the doctrine of deification in sacramental worship as taught (and practiced) by the Eastern Orthodox and Latter-day Saint (Mormon) churches. The doctrine that man may become like God—known as deification, divinization, or theosis—is a central teaching in the Orthodox and Mormon traditions. Both faiths believe that man may become like God. However, because of doctrinal presuppositions and disagreements regarding the natures of God and man, Orthodox and Mormon teachings of deification do not mean the same thing. This thesis will outline several key distinctions between their respective doctrines. And yet, despite doctrinal disagreements, this thesis will also illustrate how Orthodoxy and Mormonism share several notable similarities regarding the function of sacramental worship in the process of theosis. Mormonism and Orthodoxy both believe that men and women may achieve theosis only as they interact with God. Through the combined initiatives of the Father, his son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, humankind may receive the attributes of divinity and participate in the process of deification. The means whereby humanity may interact with God are through sacramental participation. This thesis will illustrate how institutional rituals and personal worship practices foster man's divine interaction and ultimate deification. Furthermore, Orthodox and Mormon rituals are deeply rooted in the doctrine of deification—each ritual contributing to man's divine transformation. As such, those rituals reflect numerous thematic variations and emphatic differences of their respective traditions. This should not discourage the reader from comparing Orthodox sacraments with Mormon sacraments; rather, as one studies the similarities and differences in the Orthodox and Mormon sacraments, he or she will begin to see how deification is so intricately woven into the worship practices of these two faiths.

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Text in Afrikaans with summaries in Afrikaans and English / Opsomming In hierdie verhandeling word die ontologie van Eriugena in oënskou geneem, met spesifieke verwysing na sy negatiewe ontologie, oftewel sy opvatting van nie-syn. Ter inleiding word daar na die Latynse en Griekse agtergrond van sy ontologie verwys. Dit word opgevolg deur `n bespreking van die verskillende wyses van syn en nie-syn waarvan Eriugena in die Periphyseon gebruik maak. Klem word geplaas op sy negatiewe ontologie, wat meer gevorderd is as enigiets in die Westerse denke tot heelwat na sy leeftyd. Die historiese konteks van Eriugena se lewe en denke word geskets, met inbegrip van die invloede wat op hom ingewerk het en sy eie nawerking. Sy viervoudige verdeling van die werklikheid word vervolgens bespreek, met aanduiding hoedat die ganse werklikheid gesien kan word as `n wisselwerking tussen syn en nie-syn. `n Dinamiese ontologie word dus deur Eriugena voorgehou, eerder as die statiese ontologie wat kenmerkend van veel Judaïsties-Christelike denke is. Summary In this dissertation the ontology of Eriugena is reviewed, with specific reference to his negative ontology, in other words his concept of non-being. By way of introduction the Latin and Greek background of his ontology is pointed out. It is followed by a discussion of the various modes of being and non-being that Eriugena employs in the Periphyseon. Emphasis is placed on his negative ontology, which is more advanced than anything in Western thought until much later than his time. The historical context of Eriugena's life and thought is sketched, including the influences acting on him and the influence he exerted on others. His fourfold division of reality is then discussed, indicating how the whole of reality can be viewed as an interaction between being and non-being. Eriugena thus postulates a dynamic ontology, rather than the static ontology that is characteristic of much of Judaistic-Christian thought. / Religious Studies and Arabic / M.A. (Religious Studies)

This study offers an ecumenical exploration of human transformation through the examination of this topic in the thought of Karl Barth (1888-1968), a Swiss Reformed theologian; Joseph Ratzinger (b. 1927), a Roman Catholic theologian; and John Zizioulas (b. 1931), a Greek Orthodox theologian. Describing and understanding human transformation stands as a crucial task for theology because no one is simply born a Christian—in order to be a Christian one must become a Christian. The first chapter introduces this topic, the three theologians (highlighting their commonalities), and the three questions that guide the analysis of each theologian and the thesis as a whole: What is the goal of human transformation? What is the basis of human transformation? How are humans transformed? Chapters 2, 3, and 4 treat the topic of human transformation in the theology of Barth, Ratzinger, and Zizioulas, respectively. All three understand the goal of human transformation to be the prayer of the children of God, and locate its basis in God’s reconciling act in Jesus Christ—an act itself based in the primordial divine decision to be God pro nobis. Even within this broad agreement, however, differences are evident, especially with regard to eschatology. Consideration of how this transformation occurs reveals significant differences concerning the agency of Jesus Christ in relation to the Holy Spirit and the church. The final chapter explores 1) the convergences and divergences between Barth, Ratzinger, and Zizioulas regarding human transformation; 2) the contributions of this study to the interpretation of Barth, Ratzinger, and Zizioulas; and 3) the relationship between human transformation and participation in God. Throughout, attention is given to the relationship between Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the church, the eschaton, and the triunity of God and human transformation. All three accounts of human transformation point beyond the transition between sinful and redeemed humanity to a dynamic anthropology in which the constant asking, receiving, thanking, and asking again is the very “ontological location” of the eschatological life of humanity: our being is in becoming.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-29T14:27:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Pedro Savelli.pdf: 1178771 bytes, checksum: e340079926a5e9d29ae08f90eefddb56 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-11-17 / Deification: in the ecstatic love of God we are deified to be in communion with His life and nature. The Perspective of the Deification opens three paths for the human being to be conscious of taking part of the divine nature: a) through the way of Life. We only exist by virtue of the kindness of God. Out of nothing, He calls everything to the light: the work of the Creation expresses the Will of God, everything belongs to Him and from Him receives the natural deification; b) through the way of Revelation. The people from Israel knew how to interpret its own history as a singular election of God, whose objective is to be the light to the nations: deification by the obedience to the listening of the Word of God. c) Through the way of Grace: Reincarnation and Glorification of the Christ-Sacrament. Father God, in the mystery of His donation to the humanity, invites us to participate in His divine nature, transformed by the Son in the strength of the Hole Spirit: covering us of Christ by the Baptism and feeding us from Him by the Eucharist: sacramental deification. In Christ, Head, the Church is Sacrament. It updates the deifying Grace through the Spirit, celebrating the liturgy, particularly, the Eucharist: it is in the latter that we find ourselves / Deificação: no amor extático de Deus somos deificados para estarmos em comunhão com a Sua vida e natureza. A Perspectiva da Deificação abre três caminhos para o humano tomar consciência de participar da natureza divina: a) pelo caminho da Vida. Existimos somente pela bondade de Deus. Ele do nada, chama tudo à luz: a obra da Criação expressa a Vontade de Deus, tudo pertence a Ele e Dele recebe a deificação natural; b) pelo caminho da Revelação: o Povo de Israel soube interpretar a própria história como uma eleição particular de Deus, cuja finalidade é ser luz às nações: deificação pela obediência à escuta da Palavra de Deus. c) Pelo caminho da Graça: Encarnação e Glorificação de Cristo-Sacramento. Deus Pai, no mistério de sua doação à humanidade, convida-nos a participar de Sua natureza divina, transformados pelo Filho na força do Espírito Santo: revestindo-nos de Cristo pelo Batismo e alimentando-nos Dele pela Eucaristia: deificação sacramental. Em Cristo, Cabeça, a Igreja é Sacramento. Ela atualiza pelo Espírito a Graça deificante, celebrando a liturgia, em particular a Eucaristia: é neste último caminho que nos encontramos