Text in German / Die wirtschaftspolitische Konzeption der Bundesrepublik Deutschland wird seit 1948 als „Soziale Marktwirtschaft“ bezeichnet. Es beruht auf den Prinzipien des Leistungswettbewerbs, geregelt durch staatliche Ordnungen und ergänzt durch einen sozialen Ausgleich. Die „Soziale Marktwirtschaft“ geht dabei einen Mittelweg zwischen einer liberalen laissezfaire Wirtschaftsordnung und einer staatlichen Planwirtschaft. Vorliegende Arbeit untersucht zum ersten Mal im Detail ein Vorläuferdokument der Sozialen Marktwirtschaft, die „Freiburger Denkschrift“ aus dem Jahr 1943. In dieser Nachkriegsordnung, eine Auftragsarbeit der „Bekennenden Kirche“, finden sich alle Grundprinzipien der später eingeführten Sozialen Marktwirtschaft, eingebettet in ein umfangreiches christliches Reformprogramm für den Wiederaufbau Deutschlands. Die Arbeit analysiert den Hintergrund der Verfasser und die Inhalte der Denkschrift. Konkret wird gezeigt, welche Überzeugungen der christlichen Ethik sich in den wirtschaftspolitischen Forderungen der Denkschrift niedergeschlagen haben. Außerdem wird die Denkschrift in den biographischen Kontext der Verfasser und die zeitgeschichtlichen theologischen Zusammenhänge eingeordnet, denn viele Thesen des Dokuments reflektieren Diskussionsprozesse der damaligen Zeit. Zudem kann gezeigt werden, dass in die Freiburger Denkschrift sowohl protestantische wie auch römisch-katholische Elemente Eingang gefunden haben. / Since 1948 the economic system of the Federal Republic of Germany is called “Social Market Economy”. It is based on the principles of competitive markets, ensured by governmental competition policy and supplemented by social insurance and public assistance. The “Social Market Economy” takes a middle road between a liberal laissez-faire economy and a a centrally planned economy. The current study examines for the first time in detail the document that preceded the “Social Market Economy,” the 1943 “Freiburg Memorandum”. In this work, commissioned by the Confessing Church of the Third Reich as a post-war system, all fundamental principles of the later “Social Market Economy” can be found embedded in a comprehensive Christian reform program for the reconstruction of Germany. This dissertation analyzes the background of the authors and the contents of the memorandum. We will show specifically which convictions of Christian ethics were incorporated into the economic-political requests of the document. In addition the memorandum will be connected to the biographical context of the authors and the theological context of their time, as many theses put forward in the document reflect discussions that were in progress at that time. Also, it can be shown that Protestant as well as Roman-Catholic elements found entrance into the “Freiburg Memorandum”. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / M.Th. (Theological Ethics)

[pt] A presente tese a presente tese se intitula Uma Igreja cristocêntrica, diaconal e koinônica: estudo teológico-pastoral sobre o metodismo na cidade do Rio de Janeiro; definindo como objeto material a práxis pastoral da Igreja Metodista, importante vertente eclesial do protestantismo histórico de missão, sediada na capital do Estado. Seu objetivo é superar a desarmonia que existe na práxis vigente, propondo uma nova práxis pastoral, contextualizada e sensível aos desafios sócio-religiosos no contexto carioca. Esta tese se fundamenta na concepção de uma possível experiência eclesial fundamentada na centralidade da pessoa de Jesus Cristo, consubstanciada na diaconia e comunhão. / [en] This thesis is titled A Christocentric, and diaconal koinônica Church: theological and pastoral study of Methodism in the city of Rio de Janeiro; defining as material object the pastoral praxis of the Methodist Church, an important church of the historical mission Protestantism, headquartered in the state capital. Your objective is to overcome the disharmony on current practice, proposing a new pastoral praxis contextualized and sensitive to the socio-religious context challenges in Rio. The hesis tramples the design of a possible ecclesial experience based on the centrality of the person of Jesus Christ, based on the diakonia and communion.

Text in German / Die wirtschaftspolitische Konzeption der Bundesrepublik Deutschland wird seit 1948 als „Soziale Marktwirtschaft“ bezeichnet. Es beruht auf den Prinzipien des Leistungswettbewerbs, geregelt durch staatliche Ordnungen und ergänzt durch einen sozialen Ausgleich. Die „Soziale Marktwirtschaft“ geht dabei einen Mittelweg zwischen einer liberalen laissezfaire Wirtschaftsordnung und einer staatlichen Planwirtschaft. Vorliegende Arbeit untersucht zum ersten Mal im Detail ein Vorläuferdokument der Sozialen Marktwirtschaft, die „Freiburger Denkschrift“ aus dem Jahr 1943. In dieser Nachkriegsordnung, eine Auftragsarbeit der „Bekennenden Kirche“, finden sich alle Grundprinzipien der später eingeführten Sozialen Marktwirtschaft, eingebettet in ein umfangreiches christliches Reformprogramm für den Wiederaufbau Deutschlands. Die Arbeit analysiert den Hintergrund der Verfasser und die Inhalte der Denkschrift. Konkret wird gezeigt, welche Überzeugungen der christlichen Ethik sich in den wirtschaftspolitischen Forderungen der Denkschrift niedergeschlagen haben. Außerdem wird die Denkschrift in den biographischen Kontext der Verfasser und die zeitgeschichtlichen theologischen Zusammenhänge eingeordnet, denn viele Thesen des Dokuments reflektieren Diskussionsprozesse der damaligen Zeit. Zudem kann gezeigt werden, dass in die Freiburger Denkschrift sowohl protestantische wie auch römisch-katholische Elemente Eingang gefunden haben. / Since 1948 the economic system of the Federal Republic of Germany is called “Social Market Economy”. It is based on the principles of competitive markets, ensured by governmental competition policy and supplemented by social insurance and public assistance. The “Social Market Economy” takes a middle road between a liberal laissez-faire economy and a a centrally planned economy. The current study examines for the first time in detail the document that preceded the “Social Market Economy,” the 1943 “Freiburg Memorandum”. In this work, commissioned by the Confessing Church of the Third Reich as a post-war system, all fundamental principles of the later “Social Market Economy” can be found embedded in a comprehensive Christian reform program for the reconstruction of Germany. This dissertation analyzes the background of the authors and the contents of the memorandum. We will show specifically which convictions of Christian ethics were incorporated into the economic-political requests of the document. In addition the memorandum will be connected to the biographical context of the authors and the theological context of their time, as many theses put forward in the document reflect discussions that were in progress at that time. Also, it can be shown that Protestant as well as Roman-Catholic elements found entrance into the “Freiburg Memorandum”. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Theological Ethics)

Principles of “transforming leadership” have been widely promoted since the publication of James McGregor Burns’ book Leadership, especially among Christian leaders. The purpose of this study is to examine the ethical foundations of his model and Bernard Bass’ “transformational leadership”. Imprecise use of the terms “transforming”, “charismatic”, and “transformational” leads to an adoption of methods without adequate understanding of the underlying value system. This literature review compares and evaluates the source texts within a framework of world view, intention, character and menschenbild, as well as the Christian ethical mandates of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Valuing the imago Dei in others has significant implications for a leader-follower relationship. Bonhoeffer’s mandates will help leaders reflect their position within their organisations and the wider society. Though the incentive for this research was leadership within the context of the Wycliffe Global Alliance, its findings will be relevant to Christian leadership in general, especially in intercultural contexts. / Philosophy and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Theological Ethics with specialisation in Christian leadership in context)

Hervé de Nédellec o.p. joua un rôle de premier plan dans la défense du patrimoine doctrinal de Thomas d’Aquin contre les effets des condamnations de la fin du XIIIe siècle et du début du XIVe siècle. Il a néanmoins défendu une position sur la distinction entre l’être et l’essence divergeant sensiblement de la distinction thomasienne, alors que cet élément se présente comme central à la pensée de l’illustre dominicain. Cette étude vérifie cette divergence et en rend compte, considérant le contexte historique et le rôle assumé par Hervé dans la défense de la pensée de son confrère. Allen (1958) caractérise la perspective hervéenne par son essentialisme et son approche sémantique, ainsi que par le rejet de la distinction réelle (Gilles de Rome et Thomas d’Aquin) et de la distinction intentionnelle (Henri de Gand). Il évoque par ailleurs l’influence de Godefroid de Fontaines, de Siger de Brabant et d’Averroès au regard de la distinction entre l’être et l’essence selon le mode de signifier retenue par Hervé. Ces observations se voient ici confirmées par l’exposé et la comparaison des principes ontologiques assumés par les différentes positions. Il est par le fait même rendu manifeste que Siger de Brabant, Godefroid de Fontaines, Hervé de Nédellec et encore Dietrich de Freiberg, tenants de la distinction sémantique, rejettent les positions adverses en raison de mêmes éléments qu’ils critiquent de celles-ci. La communauté doctrinale entre la distinction selon le mode de signifier et la théorie modiste ainsi que leur source commune dans le Commentaire à la Métaphysique d’Averroès sont par ailleurs mises au jour. Les modistes distinguent le signifié principal et les propriétés concernant (circa) le signifié principal. Dans la perspective sémantique, l’essence, l’étant et l’être sont conçus comme des propriétés concernant le signifié principal à la manière des propriétés circa de la grammaire spéculative. À l’instar des propriétés circa, « essence », « étant » et « être » diffèrent non parce qu’ils signifient différentes déterminations, mais au sens où ils signifient une même chose de différentes façons. L’analyse des objections soulevées par les tenants de la distinction sémantique et des éléments constitutifs de leur position fournit des outils nouveaux pour apprécier la distinction entre l’être et l’essence chez Thomas d’Aquin. Celle-ci se révèle procéder d’un cadre théorique inconciliable avec celui adopté par Hervé de Nédellec. Nous faisons ici valoir que cette liberté doctrinale d’Hervé de Nédellec s’explique par cela que la distinction entre l’être et l’essence n’était pas constitutive du fonds thomasien concerné par les ordonnances d’enseignement dominicaines de la fin du XIIIe siècle et du début du XIVe siècle, notamment puisqu’elle n’a pas été ciblée par les condamnations doctrinales ecclésiales ni par le correctoire de Guillaume de la Mare. / Hervaeus Natalis o.p. played a leading role in defending the doctrinal heritage of Thomas Aquinas against the effects of the condemnations of the end of the 13th and beginning of the 14th centuries. Nevertheless, he would have supported a position on the distinction between being and essence which is irreconcilable with the Thomasian distinction, even though this element is central to the thought of the illustrious Dominican. The present study verifies this discrepancy and give an account of it, considering the historical context and the role assumed by Hervaeus in the defence of the thought of his confrere. Allen (1958) characterizes the Hervean perspective by its essentialism and its semantic approach, as well as by the rejection of the real distinction (Giles of Rome and Aquinas) and the intentional distinction (Henri of Ghent). He also evokes the influence of Godfrey of Fontaines, Siger of Brabant and Averroes with regard to the distinction between being (esse) and essence according to the mode of signifying adopted by Hervaeus. These claims are here confirmed by the exposition and comparison of the ontological principles assumed by the different stances. By the same token, it is made clear that Siger of Brabant, Godefroid of Fontaines, Hervaeus Natalis and also Dietrich of Freiberg, the proponents of the semantic distinction, reject the opposing positions on the basis of the same elements that they criticize in them. The doctrinal community between the distinction according to the mode of signifying and the Modist theory, as well as their common source in the Commentary on the Metaphysics of Averroes are also brought to light. The Modists distinguish between the object signified and the properties concerning (circa) the object signified. In the semantic perspective, essence, ens and esse are conceived as properties concerning the object signified in the manner of the circa properties of speculative grammar. Like the circa properties, “essence”, “ens” and “esse” do not differ because they signify different determinations, but they differ in the sense that they signify the same thing in different ways. The analysis of the objections raised by the proponents of the semantic distinction and of the constitutive elements of their position provides new tools for appreciating the distinction between being (esse) and essence in Aquinas. It proves to proceed from a theoretical framework that is irreconcilable with that adopted by Hervaeus. We argue here that this doctrinal freedom of Hervaeus is explained by the fact that the distinction between being (esse) and essence was not constitutive of the Thomasian fund concerned by the Dominican teaching ordinances of the end of the 13th and beginning of the 14th centuries, especially since it was not targeted by the ecclesial doctrinal condemnations nor by the correctory of William de la Mare.

Geoffrey Hill’s The Orchards of Syon (2002) occupies a contradictory position in twenty-first century poetry in being a major religious work in a post-religious age. Contemporary secular and atheistic insistence on the fundamentally crafted and flawed nature of religious faith has led Hill not to the abandoning of religious vision, but to a theologically disciplined approach to syntax, grammar and etymology. This dissertation examines Hill’s claim to a poetics of agnostic faith that mediate his alienation from a cynical and debased Anglophone contemporaneity. The oxymoronic nature of a faith co-existent with existential loss is the primary focus. The semantic distinction between paradox and poetic oxymoron is examined, and the agonistic and aporetic dimensions of the oxymoron are considered as affording theological significance. Poetic oxymoron as site of both foolish babbling and Pentecostal exuberance is made explicit, as is Hill’s relation to the oxymoronic nature of beatitudinous expression and the Kenotic Hymn. Hill’s reading of and relation to other theologically engaged poets is outlined. Thomas Hardy’s tragic-comic vision, Gerard Manley Hopkins’ restrained rapture in ‘The Windhover’, and T. S. Eliot’s expression of kenotic dissolution in ‘Marina’ are read as precursors to Hill’s revisionary God-language. William Empson’s significant difficulties with aspects of Hopkins’ and Eliot’s poetics is appraised as evidence of an oxymoronic and theological dimension within poetic ambiguity. Hill’s imperative to embody and enact theological vision and responsibility is tested in a reading of The Orchards of Syon. Paul Ricoeur’s perception of the religious significance of atheism is provocation for my own creative practice, as is the performative theology implicit in both Graham Shaw’s hermeneutic approach, and Hill’s visionary philology. Creative process draws on Simone Weil’s notion of decreation, the kenotic paradigm as exemplified in the life and writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and the continuing secular vitality of the apostrophic lyric mode.

Thesis (MDiv (Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / The statement of the thesis focus on the relationship decrease of the authority of the leader, the expectation of the leadership and the theological training offered in student preparation. The researcher will attempt to answer the problems posed by the thesis statement through discourse with the 20th century theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I used Bonhoeffer as an example for the problems he encountered in Germany strokes with the problem in my problem statement. This is a problem regarding the authority of the leader, the expectations of the leader and the relationship that exist between the spirituality of the leader and his/her own leadership. The manner in which Bonhoeffer incorporated the spirituality in the theological training at the seminary at Finkenwalde, posits new ideas regarding the incorporation of spirituality into today’s theological training. The figure of Bonhoeffer is chosen because of his authoritarian position and also because he exemplified the ideology of the leader’s authority. The thesis will discuss four aspects regarding Bonhoeffer’s life and work. These aspects are discussed from a historical theological perspective. This will highlight the contribution made by Bonhoeffer with regards to the relationship that exists between leadership, spirituality and theological training. The thesis includes an article by Bonhoeffer regarding the leadership principle and the authority of the leader. The purpose is to acknowledge the need for leadership and influence that the social-political circumstances have on the leadership expectation. Secondly I will discuss the responsibilities that the leader has to his community as well as the limitations of the office. Lastly I will discuss the authority of the leader with regards to the authority of God Secondly I will discuss the political and congregational circumstances in Germany between 1933 and 1935 that led to the establishment of the seminary at Finkenwalde. I will also focus on the numerous challenges posed by the establishment of the seminary as a result of the limitations imposed by the German state and church. The purpose here will be to give an historical overview of the circumstances in 1930’s Germany. I will also focus on the manner in which Bonhoeffer lived out his leadership in the public debate and at the seminary at times when tremendous pressure was exerted by the state and German Evangelical Church. Thirdly I will focus on the theological manner in witch Bonhoeffer ordered his day at the Finkenwalde seminary. The purpose is to highlight the interaction that should occur between Christians within the Christian community. Here Bonhoeffer focus on what Christian community is about, and how the day together should be spent. Thereafter Bonhoeffer discuss how a day alone should be spent. Further on he discusses the service within Christian relationships and the role that repentance and communion played within a Christian community. The purpose is to communicate the manner in which Bonhoeffer understood spirituality and its function within the community. Thereafter it also shows how Bonhoeffer was involved in the presentation of spiritual activities at the seminary. Bonhoeffer suggested that spirituality should be the foundation on which theological training is based. Lastly I will focus on the manner in which Bonhoeffer was received by the Christian community as a theological educator. The purpose thereof is to focus on the impressions and perceptions regarding Bonhoeffer himself and the successes of his training, friendship and be-ing. This should not be regarded as critical in nature but rather as an ode to the man himself.

Zugl.: Bonn, Univ., Diss., 2006

Zugl.: Dortmund, Univ., Diss., 2007

The thesis "Mirroring of Motives of F. Nietzsche's Critique of Christianity in D. Bonhoeffer's Prison Theology" contemplates Bonhoeffer's thoughts on non-religious interpretation, that Bonhoeffer expands upon in his letters from prison, in the light of critique of Christianity that was expressed by Friedrich Nietzsche. Chapter I looks into the history of interpretation of Bonhoeffer's research and provides a brief overview of past and contemporary efforts to explain Bonhoeffer's approach to philosophy. Chapter II introduces basic principles and key topics of the critique of Christianity first in Nietzsche's work The Antichrist, followed by Bonhoeffer's Letters and Papers from Prison. Chapter III compares the most obvious motives in the thinking of Nietzsche and Bonhoeffer within the aforementioned scope. Selected themes in works of these two German thinkers overlap particularly in their philosophy of life, understanding of a man come of age, and their critiques of Christianity that is deflecting from this world towards the transcendent sphere of the world beyond (in German, it is expressed as a difference in the meaning of "Diesseits" and "Jenseits"). Bonhoeffer's thoughts on the preaching of Gospel to the man come of age who is free of false, religious misbeliefs, and who feels strong, capable,...