The Appalachian Preaching Missions (1955-1981) occurred annually in Northeast Tennessee, with their predecessor, the Bristol Preaching Mission, dating back to at least 1949. Local churches, primarily Protestant, organized and convened these annual ecumenical gatherings. Nationally known clergy and laypeople from various denominations spoke, with up to several thousand congregants attending each mission. These individuals provided sermons and speeches on spiritual, domestic, and international issues. Among the most consistently repeated sermon themes was Christianity’s spiritual conflict with atheistic communism. This work addresses the missions’ origins and how the speakers spoke on international Christian missions in decolonized or developing nations as threatened by communist regimes, anxieties of nuclear proliferation, and the need for ecumenical cooperation. This work demonstrates that the choice of subject matter and speakers at the missions reflected wider American anti-communism, an increased politicization of Christianity, and ecumenical coalition building.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to think anew about the involvement of the Christian churches in strategic development. The author undertook such an exercise in an abstract and general manner, not by undertaking specific case studies, but by applying various development and social sciences debates to come to a new understanding of the churches' meaningful participation in the broad area of development. The notion of the churches as 'idea' and 'value' institutions in the field of development was particularly developed. The study found its critical point of departure in the ecumenical theological debate on development over the last four decades. The first three chapters show how the charity-development juxtaposition in ecumenical development discourse problematises and frames the historical and actual participation of the churches in development. It is indicated that this discourse poses a critical theoretical and ideological challenge not only to the churches' socio-economic involvement through charity, but also to the mainstream secular development enterprise. It is concluded through the pragmatic debate in the broader ecumenical development discourse that an enduring divide exists between progressive theoretical thinking on the churches' participation in development and the actual development practices of the churches. It is concluded, akin to an historical charity involvement, that the churches have, generally speaking, been over-investing in project approaches to development at the cost of modes of engagement which highlight an idea- and value-centred development praxis. In chapters four to seven the argument is further developed through the conceptual framework of third and fourth generation development strategies. Through ideas on this conceptual framework, which were first formulated by David Korten in NGO and peoplecentred development debates, but which have also been extended to broader 'alternative' development and social sciences debates within the analytic framework of this study, the idea- and value-centred perspective in this study was further worked out and applied to the churches. It is concluded that the conceptual framework of third generation development strategies poses an appropriate (public) challenge to the churches to become involved in the policy-making, managerial and organisational processes of development. In contrast to a 'politics of limited space' which the third generation mode presents to the churches, it is maintained that the 'unlimited political space' of the fourth generation mode of development involvement is more appropriate to the churches. It is argued that the churches could most effectively and meaningfully participate in the new transnational social movement 'value' and 'idea' politics (e.g. peace, human rights, women, environment, democracy, people-centred development) prioritised in the fourth generation strategic perspective. This argument is further worked out in the final chapter through the proposal of four beacons of action that may guide the churches to become meaningful participants in fourth (and third) generation strategic development action, namely (i) the new social movements, (ii) the new communication solidarities, (iii) alternative development policy, and (iv) 'soft culture'. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van die studie was om opnuut te dink oor die strategiese betrokkenheid van die kerke in ontwikkeling. Die skrywer het sodanige oefening op 'n abstrakte en algemene wyse onderneem deur geen spesifieke gevalle studies te doen nie, maar deur verskeie ontwikkelings- en sosiaal wetenskaplike debatte toe te pas om tot 'n nuwe verstaan van die kerke se betekenisvolle deelname in die breë veld van ontwikkeling te kom. Die konsep van die kerke as 'idee' en 'waarde' instellings in die veld van ontwikkeling is spesifiek ontwikkel. Die studie het die ekumeniese teologiese debat oor ontwikkeling van die laaste vier dekades as kritiese vertrekpunt geneem. In die eerste drie hoofstukke word aangetoon hoe die barmhartigheid-ontwikkeling jukstaposisie in die ekumeniese ontwikkelingsdiskoers die historiese en teenswoordige deelname van die kerke in ontwikkeling problematiseer en bepaal. Daar word aangedui hoe hierdie diskoers nie slegs 'n kritiese teoretiese en ideologiese uitdaging aan die kerke se sosioekonomiese betrokkenheid deur middel van barmhartigheidswerk bied nie, maar ook aan die hoofstroom sekulêre ontwikkelingsonderneming. Aan die hand van die pragmatiese debat in die breër ekumeniese ontwikkelingsdiskoers word die gevolgtrekking gemaak dat daar 'n blywende skeiding bestaan tussen progressiewe teoretiese denke oor die kerke se deelname aan ontwikkeling en die teenswoordige ontwikkelingspraktyke van die kerke. Daar word gekonkludeer dat die kerke op 'n soortgelyke wyse as hulle historiese betrokkenheid deur middel van barmhartigheidswerk in die algemeen oorgeïnvesteer het in projek benaderings tot ontwikkeling ten koste van maniere van betrokkenheid wat 'n idee en waarde gesentreerde ontwikkelingspraktyk beklemtoon. In hoofstukke vier tot sewe word die argument verder ontwikkel aan die hand van die konseptuele raamwerk van derde en vierde generasie ontwikkelingstrategieë. Aan die hand van idees oor hierdie konseptuele raamwerk, wat eerstens deur David Korten in NRO en mensgesentreerde ontwikkelingsdebatte geformuleer is, maar binne die analitiese raamwerk van hierdie studie ook neerslag vind in wyer 'alternatiewe' ontwikkelings- en sosiaal wetenskaplike debatte, is die idee en waarde gesentreerde perspektief in die studie verder uitgewerk en toegepas op die kerke. Die gevolgtrekking word gemaak dat die konseptuele raamwerk van derde generasie ontwikkelingstrategieë 'n gepaste (publieke) uitdaging aan die kerke bied om betrokke te raak by die beleidmakende, bestuurs- en organisatoriese prosesse van ontwikkeling. Teenoor 'n 'politiek van beperkte ruimte' wat die derde generasie wyse van betrokkenheid vir die kerke verteenwoordig, word volgehou dat die 'onbeperkte politieke ruimte' van die vierde generasie wyse van betrokkenheid meer gepas is vir die kerke. Daar word geargumenteer dat die kerke op 'n mees effektiewe en betekenisvolle wyse sou kon deelneem aan die 'waarde' en 'idee' politiek (bv. vrede, mense regte, vroue, omgewing, demokrasie, mensgesentreede ontwikkeling) wat in die vierde generasie strategiese perspektief voorrang geniet. Hierdie argument word verder uitgewerk in die finale hoofstuk deur die voorstel van vier bakens van aksie wat as rigtingwyser kan dien vir die kerke se voorgenome betekenisvolle deelname in vierde (en derde) generasie strategiese ontwikkelingsaksie, naamlik (i) die nuwe sosiale bewegings, (ii) die nuwe kommunikasie solidariteite, (iii) alternatiewe ontwikkelingsbeleid en (iv) 'sagte kultuur'.

Ce travail propose une présentation de l’icône orthodoxe à partir de la notion d’« Évangile ». En analysant la portée détenue par l’Écriture Sainte en théologie occidentale, il a été possible de présenter l’Évangile comme la Bonne Nouvelle du salut réalisé par le Christ. L’Évangile se donne aux humains dans leur existence terrestre par diverses médiations prises du monde et qui deviennent porteuses de grâce dans leur corporéité même. L’icône est décrite comme porteuse d’Évangile en analogie avec le rôle et la place accordés à l’Écriture Sainte dans différentes traditions chrétiennes. L’icône et l’Écriture sont des formes de parole et peuvent être reconnues, dans la foi, comme des formes de la Parole de Dieu. Outre le fait d’être vecteurs de grâce, d’autres traits rapprochent l’icône et l’Écriture : la corporéité, une note de relativité, l’annonce correcte seulement dans un contexte ecclésial, le témoignage de l’événement de l’Incarnation auquel elles renvoient et dont elles dépendent. / This work provides an approach to the icon starting from the notion of « Gospel ». An analysis of the importance of the Holy Scripture in the western theology allows us to present the Gospel as the Good News of the salvation accomplished by Christ for the humankind. The Gospel is conveyed to the human being in his daily life through various means. These means are mediations taken from the creation and they become grace bearers through their very corporeity. Following an analogy with the role and the importance given to the Holy Scripture throughout different Christian traditions, the icon is described as a « Gospel bearer ». The icon and the Scripture are both a form of the word and they can both be recognized, through faith, as a form of the Word of God. Besides being vectors of grace, the icon and the Scripture share other common characteristics: the corporeity, some amount of relativity, the correct proclamation in the church only, and the witness of the event of the Incarnation.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-21T14:43:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 SiderleiNascimento.pdf: 1511048 bytes, checksum: 4e0d3a8cdb36ae16997bbbd3399459f3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-09-21 / The present study sought to understand the positioning of the Diocese of Ponta Grossa-PR before the changes provided by the Second Vatican Council, which discussed the integration of the Catholic Church to modernity, the appreciation of the particular churchand lay participation. In the city of Ponta Grossa-PR., Diocesan seat, there was the embodiment of the Pastoral Plan for the 1978/1979 biennium, aimed at the formation of Basic Ecclesial Communities, which undertook, with the evangelization liberating and transformative social structures. However, when oral narratives articulate individuals who experienced the historical period, in various social settings of the diocese, we measurethe constraints of the diocesan bishop with regard to the social movements of the church in relation to the participation of church members on issues of local politics , and the preferential option for the poor. From this discussion, we conclude that the materialization of this pastoral plan was effective, more as an instrument of legitimation of the power of the religious specialist, than to the Catholic church linked to social movements. / O presente trabalho buscou compreender o posicionamento da Diocese de Ponta Grossa-PR diante das transformações proporcionadas pelo Concílio Ecumênico Vaticano II, que discutiu a integração da igreja católica à modernidade, a valorização da igreja particular e a participação leiga. Na Cidade de Ponta Grossa-PR., sede diocesana, observou-se a materialização do Plano de Pastoral para o biênio de 1978/1979, que visava à formação de Comunidades Eclesiais de Base, as quais se comprometiam, com a evangelização libertadora e transformadora das estruturas sociais. Entretanto, ao se articular as narrativas orais de sujeitos históricos que vivenciaram o período, em diversos cenários sociais da diocese, aferimos as restrições do bispo diocesano em relação aos movimentos sociais da igreja, em relação à participação dos membros da igreja nos assuntos da política local, e na opção preferencial pelos pobres. De tal discussão, conclui-se que a materialização do referido plano de pastoral foi efetivada, mais como instrumento de legitimação do poder do especialista do campo religioso, do que para a igreja católica ligada aos movimentos sociais.

This thesis aims to show that the Columban Society made definable and significant contributions to the Australian Catholic missionary movement. The scope of the thesis is an analysis of the work of the Missionary Society of St Columban (Columban Society) in Australia from 1920-2000. Rather than the Society’s foundation in Ireland or its overseas missionary work, the focus is the activity of the Columban Society in Australia. The thesis argues that the Columban Society helped advance the understanding and practice of overseas mission within the Australian Catholic Church in four major ways. Firstly, by organising support for its own missionary venture in China and elsewhere, it helped foster mission mindedness among Australian Catholics and established structures for the ongoing resourcing of missionary activity. Secondly, it set up seminaries to train missionary priests and later opened its reformed tertiary level missionary formation programs to all church personnel in Australia. Thirdly, it helped mould Catholic opinion through its commentary on such international issues as Australian relations with Asian peoples. Finally, it contributed to the development and dissemination of new Catholic theological teaching, particularly in relation to social justice and indigenous churches, religious dialogue and the connections between faith and ecology. The Columban Society carved out a position for itself in Australia through negotiating with the local Catholic Church. Starting as a group of diocesan priests and, from 1920 onwards, tapping into the numerous Irish church personnel in Australia, the Society grew to become a missionary arm of the local church. It created a network of financial support and influence at the grass roots level in parishes and schools through a system of regular visits, collections and a monthly magazine. As the world and church changed, it added mission education programs that fed back to Australian Catholics ideas and experiences coming from the new indigenous churches. The distinctive contribution of the Columban Society to the Australian Catholic Missionary Movement lies in its close relationship with diocesan based parish Catholics and the teaching role it developed about missionary experiences of overseas churches within the context of international affairs. The Society has a significant placewithin the social history of Australia because of the direct influence it had on the opinions of the more than a quarter of the Australian population who identified as Catholics. The history of the Society is also a case study in the application of the reforms of the Second Ecumenical Vatican Council of the Catholic Church 1962-1965 and the consequent redefinition of orthodox belief and practice.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--University of Hong Kong, 1986.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / A presente dissertação é fruto de uma pesquisa sobre a história, teologia e prática de um organismo ecumênico, o Centro Ecumênico de Evangelização, Capacitação e Assessoria CECA. O CECA nasceu com entidade católico-romana e foi evoluindo de uma forma que se tornou ecumênica por causa de diversos fatores, especialmente eclesiásticos. Neste trabalho analisaremos a contribuição do CECA na difusão da Teologia da Libertação no Brasil e suas práticas a partir desse referencial teológico e as implicações da história da entidade com o próprio desenvolvimento da TL na América Latina. Concomitantemente foi se construindo uma proposta de ecumenismo no CECA que foi um aporte significativo para o movimento ecumênico no Brasil. Na memória dos trinta anos de história do CECA se resgatam personagens, práticas e uma proposta de evangelização comprometida com as transformações estruturais da sociedade, como mediações históricas do reino de Deus que têm na unidade dos cristãos como principal princípio para uma nova oikoumene segundo os desígnios de Deus, anunciados pelos profetas bíblicos e encarnados em Jesus Cristo. / The present dissertation is a research about History, Theology and Practice of an ecumenical organism The Ecumenical Center of Evangelization, Formation and Consultancy CECA. It was created as a Roman-Catholic entity and has been growing to become ecumenical because of many, namely ecclesiastic reasons. In this essay, I shall analyze the contribution of CECA toward the proliferation of Liberation Theology in Brazil and its practices based on this theological reference, as well as the interrelatedness between the history of this organization with the development of Liberation Theology in Latin America. Simultaneously, a new ecumenical proposal was being elaborated by CECA which has given significant support to the Ecumenical Movement in Brazil. From the thirty years of its history, many things are to been remembered: persons, practices and a proposal of evangelization engaged with structural transformations of society, as historic mediations of the kingdom of God with Christian unity as its main principle toward a new oikoumene, according to Gods purpose, announced by biblical prophets and embodied in Jesus Christ.

Centro Universitário Metodista IPA / Junta Nacional de Educação Teológica da Igreja Episcopal Anglicana do Brasil / O presente trabalho é resultado de uma pesquisa qualitativa na área de Religião e Educação, com foco em uma experiência construída por um segmento social e sua resposta à necessidade de intervenção como sujeito histórico no complexo contexto das relações sociais demarcadas pelas relações raciais no Brasil. Apresentar o Centro Ecumênico de Cultura Negra (CECUNE), Organização Não Governamental porto-alegrense, que tem atuado há vinte anos no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. A dissertação pretende destacar sua atuação no Movimento Negro e no Movimento Ecumênico; indicar suas ações educativas, como contribuições efetivas no processo contínuo e necessário de transformação da sociedade; bem como analisar alguns resultados de sua parceria com o Centro Universitário Metodista IPA, como um exemplo de ação educativa de inclusão de negras e negros carentes na universidade, propondo perspectivas que darão continuidade à pesquisa num posterior doutorado. / This present work is a result of qualitative research in the religion and education area, its focus is in an experience constructed by a social segment which answers to the necessity of an intervention as a historical subject in the context of the social relations demarcated by the racial relations in Brazil. This work presents the Centro Ecumênico de Cultura Negra (CECUNE), a non-governmental organization in the city of Porto Alegre, which has acted in the State of Rio Grande do Sul for twenty years. This dissertation seeks to point out its action in the Black Movement and the Ecumenical Movement, and its educative actions as effective contributions in the continuous and necessary process of transformation of the society. As well, this work analyzes some results of its partnership with the Centro Universitário Metodista IPA as an example of educative action for inclusion of black poor women and men in the university, proposing perspectives which will give continuity of this research at the doctoral level in the future.

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2016-05-16T11:09:52Z No. of bitstreams: 1 fabiohenriquedeabreu.pdf: 3240619 bytes, checksum: baea398dc8169638bf3cd3af07a0027b (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-06-27T21:24:02Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 fabiohenriquedeabreu.pdf: 3240619 bytes, checksum: baea398dc8169638bf3cd3af07a0027b (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-27T21:24:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 fabiohenriquedeabreu.pdf: 3240619 bytes, checksum: baea398dc8169638bf3cd3af07a0027b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-02-25 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / A presente pesquisa tem por objetivo analisar o movimento de renovação teológica que deu origem a uma consciência protestante ecumênica na América Latina e no Brasil. A partir da contextualização do desenvolvimento da reflexão teológica ecumênica latino-americana e brasileira, liderada por setores do protestantismo histórico de missão, este trabalho pretende analisar as razões que proporcionaram o nascimento de uma nova linguagem teológica protestante neste contexto. Esta linguagem teológico-ética, radicalmente moderna, histórica e secular, tornou-se responsável por impulsionar setores do protestantismo à afirmação de um projeto político-religioso alternativo, voltado para a tarefa de humanização da vida. As lutas pela humanização da vida eram entendidas, do ponto de vista teológico, como manifestações, configurações históricas da forma (Gestalt) da graça. Nesta tarefa analítica, especial atenção é dada à teologia ética de Richard Shaull. Esta linguagem teológica, construída a partir da contextualização das discussões em torno à temática da responsabilidade social promovidas pelo Conselho Mundial de Igrejas (CMI), deu lugar a uma nova forma de relacionamento entre religião e sociedade, fé e política. Foi a partir desta história ecumênica que surgiram organismos ecumênicos como o movimento Igreja e Sociedade na América Latina (ISAL), o Centro Ecumênico de Informação (CEI), e o Centro Ecumênico de Documentação e Informação (CEDI). Estes organismos foram uma consequência, em maior ou menor grau, direta desse movimento de renovação teológica. Neste sentido, eles são representantes de uma práxis ecumênica ampla, que se compromete com os desafios da sociedade e com a tarefa de construção democrática do Brasil. Esta pesquisa, ao resgatar a história do desdobramento do nascimento de uma consciência protestante crítica, constitui uma análise da práxis ecumênica brasileira e dos elementos teológicos que a fundamentam. / This research aims to examine the movement of theological renewal that gave rise to an ecumenical Protestant conscience in Latin America and Brazil. From the contextualization of Latin American and Brazilian ecumenical theological reflection development, led by sectors of the historical Protestantism of mission, this work aims to analyze the reasons that contributed to the birth of a new Protestant theological language in this context. This theological-ethical language, radically modern, historical and secular, became responsible for promoting sectors of the Protestantism to the affirmation of an alternative political-religious project, aimed at the task of the humanization of life. The struggles of the humanization of life were understood, from the theological point of view, as manifestations, historical configurations of the form (Gestalt) of grace. In this analytical task, particular attention is given to the ethical theology of Richard Shaull. This theological language, constructed from the contextualization of discussions around the theme of social responsibility, promoted by the World Council of Churches (WCC), has given place to a new form of relationship between religion and society, faith and politics. It was from this ecumenical history that ecumenical organizations like the movement of Church and Society in Latin America (ISAL), the Ecumenical Information Center (CEI), and the Ecumenical Center of Documentation and Information (CEDI) emerged. These organisms were a direct consequence, to a great or less extent, of this movement of theological renewal. In this sense they are representatives of a broad ecumenical praxis, which is committed to the challenges of society and with the task of the democratic construction in Brazil. This research, rescuing the unfolding history of the birth of a critical Protestant consciousness, is an analysis of the Brazilian ecumenical praxis and its theological elements in which it is based.

Les réalités dites charismatiques ont existé dès la Pentecôte et les premiers temps du christianisme. Dès les débuts, elles ont suscité enthousiasme, mépris ou rejet. En effet, elles manifestent des dons spirituels parfois extraordinaires dont l’authenticité reste à discerner. Sont-ils d’origine divine ou viennent-ils de charlatans et leaders séducteurs de foules ? Pour les étudier, il a paru essentiel de les inscrire dans l’histoire : d’une part celle de leur réception par les courants majoritaires de l’Eglise, celle de leur évolution propre (un courant naît et évolue sur plusieurs générations), celle de leurs filiations, en particulier entre les trois vagues charismatiques du XXème siècle. Le cœur de notre travail est de croiser ces réalités charismatiques avec le mouvement œcuménique, né en ce même XXème siècle. Contribuent-elles à un rapprochement inter ecclésial ou au contraire édifient-elles de nouveaux murs de séparation, entre ou à l’intérieur même de chaque Eglise dénominationnelle ou non ? Notre travail s’inscrit en théologie pratique : il part d’observations de terrains, récits, témoignages, entretiens, analysés, confrontés pour en dégager convergences et divergences, à interpréter dans une démarche pluridisciplinaire. Nos conclusions s’orientent vers des déplacements nouveaux, concrets, vécus et transdénominationnels plus qu’institutionnels. Ils conduisent à des redéfinitions de l’Eglise et de son unité. / The so called charismatic movements have existed since the day of Pentecost, and the beginning of Christianity. Since the very start, they gave rise to enthousiasm, contempt or rejection. It is true that they manifest spiritual gifts, which are sometimes very strange. The authenticity of which has to be confirmed. Do they come from God or from charlatan and crowd seducers? To study them, we thought il was essential to place them in their historical context: history of their reception by the main streams of the Church, history of their evolution through two or three generations, and history of their filiations, especially between the three pentecostal waves of the XXth century. The heart of our work is to cross those charismatic realities with the ecumenical movement, also born in the XXth century. Do they contribute to bringing Churches closer? Or, on the contrary, do they build new walls within Churches or between them? Our analysis looks at the question from the point of vue of practical theology: we first collected facts, testimonies and interviews. We studied them, looking for both converging and diverging results. We interpreted them through multi-disciplinary reasoning. Our conclusions move more in the direction of new displacements, which are concrete, real, and transdenominationnel rather than institutional. They result in the nead to redefine the Church and its unity.