Thesis (D. Min.)--Abilene Christian University, 2005. / Includes abstract. "May 2005." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 83-85).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Abilene Christian University, 2005. / Includes abstract. "May 2005." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 83-85).

This dissertation traces the social-theological history of a German-Lutheran two-kingdoms concept---an often ambiguous social-ethical theory used by German-Lutheran theologians to interpret their social world and to define the relational boundaries for the church's existence in society. This study consists of three parts, each of which represents a fundamental rupture in the German social order: / Part one examines the formation of a two-kingdoms doctrine in the modern world. The opening chapter (chapter two) establishes Martin's Luther's use of a two-kingdoms hermeneutic as way to challenge late-medieval Catholic Church authority and to empower ("sacralize") the social sphere. Chapter three surveys the work of German-Lutheran theologians who found in Luther's two-kingdoms concept a model that corresponded to the modern public-private social structure. The intersection of Luther's concept and modern social theory enabled theologians to understand the social, economic, and political changes taking place in Germany and, wittingly or unwittingly, to validate the status quo. / Part two analyzes various applications and critiques of the two-kingdoms doctrine in Germany from 1919 to 1945. Chapter four focuses on the efforts of Emanuel Hirsch, Paul Althaus, Paul Tillich, and Karl Barth to construct a theology that addressed the crises of modernity: the loss of national identity, the failure of post-Enlightemnent rationalism, and the collapse of traditional political structures. Chapter five examines the work of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who developed a critical two-kingdoms perspective to (re)define the ethical relationship between the "church for others" and the "world come of age." / Part three considers the reception of the two-kingdoms doctrine in the East German church (1949--1990). The objective of chapter six is to illustrate the various ways in which theologians in the German Democratic Republic nuanced a two-kingdoms concept to make sense of the church's missionary task in socialism. This chapter also demonstrates the links between Bonhoeffer's ethic of responsibility and an East German theological ethic of critical solidarity---a social-ethical theory articulated by pastors and theologians such as Bishop Albrecht Schonherr and Heino Falcke. / This study concludes with a brief discussion of the two-kingdoms doctrine's capacity to protect and to resist the status quo.

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The area which today covers the Doric House, the Roman East Bath and the Byzantine East Church at the Karian sanctuary of Zeus at Labraunda in south-western Turkey, was by Swedish archaeologists called the P-building and the R-bath during the early 1950s. The excavations of this area in 1951 and 1953 were documented in three excavation diaries by archaeologist Inge Dahlén, written in Swedish. These diaries have, however, never been published. This thesis therefore focused to analyse Dahlén’s three excavation diaries in terms of three aspects. The first aspect was to understand the archaeological work and documentation methods at Labraunda during the 1951 and 1953 excavations and consequently, determine how the archaeology functioned in practice at the site in the early 1950s. The second aspect was to present in what ways Dahlén’s diaries could contribute to the current and future excavations at the East Bath at Labraunda. The last aspect was to study Dahlén’s own archaeological interpretations which occured in the diaries. In order to present all the three aspects, the analysis and discussion on the diaries were organised into four headings: archaeological work, archaeological finds, stratigraphy and documentation methods. Studying the diaries based on these headings showed that certain improvements occurred in the diaries from 1951 to 1953. Dahlén’s excavation diaries reveal a large amount of archaeological data regarding the progress of the excavations and the numerous discoveries from the excavated areas. They need, therefore, to be taken into consideration for a better understanding of both the early and the new excavations that are being conducted at the same area.

Anglican dioceses established by The Church Mission Society and other Western founded Christian denominations in East Africa were envisaged to grow and become self-governing, self-propagating and self-supporting. The first two goals(to be self governing and self-propagating) have more or less been achieved. The third goal (the pursuit of self-support) is at a critical stage, especially considering that resources, in terms of funding and personnel, are in decline. This research sought to document the factors that contribute to, or hinder, the role that lay people (business people in particular) can play in sustaining the ministry and mission of Anglican dioceses. The research methods chosen for data collection consisted of interactive fieldwork. In this, formal and informal interviews were conducted. The interviewees were selected mainly from Anglican dioceses, with their input being corroborated by Methodists, Evangelical Lutheran and Presbyterian Church leaders from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Interviews were conducted, first, with church leaders who were in office at the time when John Gatu declared a moratorium on Western missionaries in 1974. Next came interviews with leaders of the 1990s and 2000s. For each leader, a corroborative project was documented. A limited quantitative questionnaire was administered for triangulation purposes.The data were analysed to identify the themes and patterns that emerged. This phase was followed by an extensive literature review. The research methodology utilised the Praxis Cycle, developed by Cochrane, De Gruchy and Peterson (1990) in their book, In Word and Deed,which has its roots in the “see, judge, act” method of the Belgian Cardinal, Joseph Cardijn,founder of the Young Christian Workers movement. The analysis allowed me to examine the interplay between business and mission, using the seven-point Praxis Cycle, modified by JNJ Kritzinger (2008:771) to assess the spirituality of BAM and its contribution to Christian mission. Other movements of the Praxis Cycle are practical projects, theological reflection, contextual analysis, ecclesial analysis, agency and reflexivity. The literature review was analysed in terms of four primary dimensions: Business as Business (profit maximisation), Mission as Business(profit from philanthropy),Mission as Mission(philanthropy from profits), and Business as Mission (profit for the common good). The fourth dimension was explored as an overarching vision for churches seeking to grow towards financial sustainability. Also considered was how such sustainability could be implemented in the East African context. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D. Th. (Missiology)