The thesis investigates the interpretation of some of the most problematic passages of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, i.e. passages involving the concept or practice of herem. The texts under consideration contain prima facie divine commands to commit genocide as well as descriptions of genocidal military campaigns commended by God. The thesis presents and analyses the solutions that Christian interpreters through the ages have proposed to the concomitant moral and hermeneutical challenges. A number of ways in which they have been used to justify violence and war are also addressed. For the patristic and early medieval eras the thesis aims to be as comprehensive as possible in identifying and analysing the various interpretative options, while for later periods the focus lies on new developments. In addition to offering the most comprehensive presentation of the Wirkungsgeschichte of herem texts to date, the thesis offers an analysis and critical evaluation of the theologico-hermeneutical assumptions underlying each of the several approaches, and their exegetical and practical consequences. The resulting analytical taxonomy and hermeneutical map is an original contribution to the history of exegesis and the study of the interplay between religion and violence. The cognitive dissonance herem texts cause for pious readers is introduced as an inconsistent set of five propositions: (1) God is good; (2) the bible is true; (3) genocide is atrocious; (4) according to the bible, God commanded and commended genocide; (5) a good being, let alone the supremely good Being, would never command or commend an atrocity. If proposition (4) is assumed, at least one of the deeply-held beliefs expressed in the other four must be modified or given up. The introduction is followed by four diachronic chapters in which the various exegetical approaches are set out: pre-critical (from the OT to the Apostolic Fathers), dissenting (Marcion and other ancient critics), figurative (from Origen to high medieval times), divine-command-ethics,(from Augustine to Calvin) and violent (from Ambrose to Puritan North America). A concluding chapter presents near contemporary re-iterations and variations of the historic approaches.

Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited / Due to their unique expertise, military officers have always held a special position within Western society. Yet, while individuals who have demonstrated knowledge of warfare and prowess in battle have long been held in high regard by society and the members of their profession, it is those who have also demonstrated the ideals of citizenship and chivalry who serve as the icons for thoughtful military officers. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the evolution of the citizen-officer ideal- through a close study of historical and literary case studies. By establishing a common theme or values among completely separate exemplars of this ideal, a continuum joining Odysseus, Cincinnatus, Beowulf, and Gawain to Washington, Chamberlain, and Marshall might eventually be carried forward to the present and the modern military officer. Specific focus is given to the roles that classical notions of citizenship and the Code of Chivalry have played in shaping the ethos of the American officer. / Lieutenant, United States Navy

Stereotype Threat wird definiert als ein Gefühl der Bedrohung, das Personen in einer Situation erleben, in der sie befürchten, aufgrund eines negativen Stereotyps über ihre Gruppe beurteilt zu werden bzw. durch ihr Verhalten das Stereotyp unbeabsichtigterweise zu bestätigen. Der Begriff geht auf Claude M. Steele und Joshua Aronson zurück. Stereotype Threat kann als ein situatives Dilemma bezeichnet werden, das bei Mitgliedern stigmatisierter Gruppen in Testsituationen kurzfristig zu signifikanten Leistungseinbußen führen kann. Es kann auch bei anderen Wahlentscheidungen auftreten. Empirisch gesicherte Befunde für die längerfristigen Auswirkungen liegen bisher kaum vor. Auch die auslösenden Bedingungen sind nicht abschließend geklärt.

Submitted by admin tede (tede@pucgoias.edu.br) on 2016-09-08T19:46:37Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DOUGLAS OLIVEIRA DOS SANTOS.pdf: 2100172 bytes, checksum: a1c86dc714849f689d29018fbb28c466 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-09-08T19:46:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DOUGLAS OLIVEIRA DOS SANTOS.pdf: 2100172 bytes, checksum: a1c86dc714849f689d29018fbb28c466 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-12 / In the interpretation of sacred literature, we realized that the hermeneutical Christian principles always interpret the Old Testament from its current conception of monotheism. Here, we analyze the construction of this monotheistic concept in an attempt to understand how these interpretive principles have guided the understanding of Deuteronomy and Joshua 6.4 24.15 with this monotheistic perspective. To perform this analysis, we must understand the current imagery in various processes of construction of the Western Sacred, studying these texts in the Hebrew Bible, in the monolátrica construction process and checking the Hellenistic influences in the formation of the Septuagint. That way, you can see the influences that permeate translations and interpretative methods of fundamentalist Orthodox perspective and current, and rehearse questions and critical-constructive reflections. / Na interpretação da literatura sagrada, percebemos que os princípios hermenêuticos cristãos sempre interpretam os textos do Antigo Testamento a partir da sua concepção atual de monoteísmo. Aqui, analisamos a construção desse conceito monoteísta, na tentativa de entender como esses princípios interpretativos passaram a nortear a compreensão de Deuteronômio 6,4 e Josué 24,15 com essa perspectiva monoteísta. Para realizar essa análise, foi preciso compreender o imaginário vigente em vários processos da construção do Sagrado ocidental, estudando esses textos na Bíblia Hebraica, no processo da construção monolátrica e na verificação das influências do Helenismo no processo de formação da Septuaginta. Dessa forma, é possível perceber as influências que permeiam as traduções e os métodos interpretativos de perspectiva fundamentalista e ortodoxa atuais, e ensaiar questionamentos e reflexões crítico-construtivos.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-25T19:20:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 MARIA DA GLORIA HAZAN.pdf: 1460234 bytes, checksum: f11c0da5ec46677110e30765d75e7d64 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-06-26 / Nosso trabalho procurou pesquisar o conceito de consciência religiosa proposto por Abraham Joshua Heschel (1907 - 1972), em Deus em Busca do Homem, livro no qual o autor entende o pensamento religiioso como fonte de conhecimento e examina os diversos aspectos que objetivam o retorno à Religião. O livro é composto de três grandes temas: Deus, Revelação e Resposta. Esta pesquisa focalizou o primeiro tema que aborda a relação entre o desenvolvimento da consciência religiosa, Deus e o mundo. Nossa pesquisa foi guiada pela hipótese de que, em Heschel, há a possibilidade noética, ou seja, de conhecimento pela pela via da consciência religiosa. A relação da consciência religiosa e Deus se dá na abertura da consciência judaica ao Deus Abraâmico, que não se restringe ao povo judaico, mas que tem, na voz do Profeta, uma abrangência universal. Este conceito, para o autor, passa a existir na discussão da relação entre Deus e a condição humana, que se caracteriza pelas seguintes categorias: sublime, maravilhoso, temor, glória, mistério entre outras. Para Heschel, a consciência religiosa acontece no evento, isto é, no encontro do humano com a história sagrada, que trancende o tempo, supera a linha divisória do passado e do presente e se atualiza pela consciência do inefável. A religião e a consciência religiosa se dão no encontro da pergunta de Deus com a resposta do homem. Na consciência religiosa, abre-se o caminho para a fé e o caminho de fé. O caminho para Deus é um caminho de Deus. Se Deus não fizer a pergunta, todas as nossas indagações serão vãs. Procuramos apontar a categoria do inefável, legitimando sua aplicação à filosofia da religião judaica, como um parâmetro eficiente para o pensar situacional-filosófico a respeito do homem em sua relação com o outro, com o mundo e com Deus. Com base nesse pressuposto, podemos concluir que só há possibilidade de uma relação ética onde se encontra a consciência do inefável. Consciência de alteridade esta que possibilita o amor, ou seja, realmente ser capaz de olhar para o outro em toda sua singularidade e necessidade

This study utilizes correspondence, memoirs, and secondary sources to explore the lives and careers of six Continental Navy captains?Esek Hopkins, Joshua Barney, John Paul Jones, Hector McNeill, Lambert Wickes, and John Barry?and reveal the motivational factors of patriotism, a desire for fame and professional advancement, and financial stability which underlay their decisions to seek commissions in the Continental Navy, and influenced their conduct while in the service. Additionally, it suggests that prewar interactions in an "Atlantic World" context influenced the ideological and personal motivations that formed the foundations for service in the Continental Navy. All three motivations played a role in each captain's career and affected their conduct in relation to their understandings of duty, but the degree to which they influenced the captains varied. Although the promise of a steady income helped motivate initial service, financial considerations played a larger role throughout Barney's and Barry's careers than they did for other captains. The desire for fame and personal prestige also affected the conduct and service of all six men, though Jones and Hopkins provide more concrete examples of its influence. Finally, experiences interacting with West Indies and Atlantic trade networks before the war likely influenced the captains' development of revolutionary principles, and their dedication to the United States. In addition to patriotism, Jones professed a devotion to universal principles of liberty and rights, and McNeill perceived the Revolution as an attempt to establish God's Kingdom of the Just. The degree to which each captain succeeded in achieving his goals, and the affect his Continental service had on employment after the Revolution, also varied significantly. Hopkins failed as the navy's commander-in-chief, but his performance did not negatively impact his social and political standing in his native Rhode Island. Unlike McNeill, Captains Barry, Barney and Jones also utilized their networks of friends and acquaintances well, helping them find prestigious and stable employment in other seagoing capacities after the war. Wickes died in 1777, but his brief service also suggests he would have achieved success had he survived.

Thesis (Ph. D. in Religion)--Vanderbilt University, May 2009. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Montana, 2004. / Typescript. Additional information available on author's web site. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 138-142).

Climate change and exotic plant invasions are significant anthropogenic threats to desert community structure and resilience . In the Mojave Desert, the invasive grass red brome (Bromusrubens L) is increasing fire frequency and extent in response to climatic factors. The resilience of this ecosystem will be affected by how plant and animal communities respond to fire. To better understand these dynamics, we studied the environmental factors underlying changes in invasive grass fire regimes in the Mojave Desert and its structural and functional effects on plant and animal communities. Following fire, reestablishment of native vegetation can be preempted by repeated burning associated with the abundant exotic grass red brome. Red brome density is correlated with various climate and landscape variables, but to establish causality, we experimentally assessed germination and growth of red brome. Red brome responded positively to fall precipitation, finer-textured soils, fertile-islands soils, and soils from burned landscapes. Red brome germination is maximized in wet fall periods when adequate water and optimal temperatures overlap . To evaluate landscape responses of pre- and post-fire plant communities and the potential for repeated burning we analyzed vegetation greenness (NDVI) data from 1985-2011 in response to temperature and precipitation. Landscape analysis indicated that the dominance of exotic grasses increases on post-fire landscapes. Following wet fall and winter seasons, high red brome productivity increases fire potential. Without mitigation, the establishment of an invasive-plant-driven fire regime is likely and may drive state transitions from arid shrublands to arid annual grasslands. Potential revegetation of post-fire landscapes will depend at least in part upon the physiological response of surviving vegetation to post-fire landscapes. Plant physiological responses to post-fire landscapes were generally neutral or positive, suggesting that revegetation of post-fire landscapes is not precluded by resource loss associated with fire and may even be enhanced by post-fire conditions. This will likely translate to increased reproductive potential of surviving plants. Alterations to small mammal populations will likely play a role in the reestablishment of vegetation (both native and exotics) as small mammals have strong top-down effects in arid ecosystems. Diversity and species richness responded negatively to burned landscapes as Merriam's kangaroo rat (Dipodomys merriami) increased in abundance while other species practically disappeared from burned landscapes. Merriam's kangaroo rat affects propagule sources through direct consumption, and seed dispersal. Increases in abundance and dominance of Merriam's kangaroo rat will likely alter plant recruitment.

Composed exclusively in the last decade, Joshua Rist's works have received significant performances by numerous high-profile ensembles including prominent high school, collegiate, and community choirs. Although conductors continue to program his works with increased frequency, minimal scholarly work is published about this music and its composer. The quality of Rist's body of work coupled with a scarcity of scholarly research provides opportunity for further study. Closer examination of Rist's works could provide a framework for conductors who perform his music. This study provides background and bibliographic information on the composer. It contains a review of choral works by Rist highlighting critical elements within each work that provide a framework for future performances of his works. This dissertation identifies stylistic characteristics that define Rist's compositional style. Additionally, it highlights the evolution of Rist's artistic growth and development.