Martin, Karine. / Thesis Ph.D. Chinese University of Hong Kong 2015. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 219-239). / Abstracts also in Chinese. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on 15, September, 2016). / Martin, Karine.

This thesis is an examination of the Cistercian abbey of Coupar Angus, c.1164-c.1560, and its place within Scottish society. The subject of medieval monasticism in Scotland has received limited scholarly attention and Coupar itself has been almost completely overlooked, despite the fact that the abbey possesses one of the best sets of surviving sources of any Scottish religious house. Moreover, in recent years, long-held assumptions about the Cistercian Order have been challenged and the validity of Order-wide generalisations disputed. Historians have therefore highlighted the importance of dedicated studies of individual houses and the need to incorporate the experience of abbeys on the European ‘periphery’ into the overall narrative. This thesis considers the history of Coupar in terms of three broadly thematic areas. The first chapter focuses on the nature of the abbey’s landholding and prosecution of resources, as well as the monks’ burghal presence and involvement in trade. The second investigates the ways in which the house interacted with wider society outside of its role as landowner, particularly within the context of lay piety, patronage and its intercessory function. The final chapter is concerned with a more strictly ecclesiastical setting and is divided into two parts. The first considers the abbey within the configuration of the Scottish secular church with regards to parishes, churches and chapels. The second investigates the strength of Cistercian networks, both domestic and international. Through the exploration of these varied aspects, this study demonstrates that while Coupar maintained a strong sense of Cistercian identity and a European outlook, it was also highly enmeshed in and profoundly influenced by its immediate environment. The nature of Coupar’s experience was shaped by its locality, just as the abbey, in turn, had a reciprocal impact on its surroundings. Coupar was both a Cistercian house and a distinctively Scottish abbey.

The dissertation is a study of the origins, development and contemporary manifestations of Christian retreats. It traces origins from the Biblical record until current retreats. Christian retreat is a period of withdrawal from usual activities to experience encounter with God through Christian prayer. Jesus' pattern of engagement in ministry and withdrawal is a vital basis for retreat. Other Biblical descriptions of retreat are studied. There is an examination of retreat experiences in Church history with a particular focus on monasticism, as a major expression of retreat life, and Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the modern retreat movement. Varieties of subsequent retreat types in the spiritualities of different traditions from the Protestant Reformation onwards are considered. The spectrum of study includes Protestant, Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Pentecostal spiritualities. The study culminates in focusing on current Ignatian and other retreats in their many forms. This includes private devotions to lengthy periods of retreat. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M.Th. (Christian Spirituality)

The late antique figure of the female monk has been commented upon within the spheres of socio-history, theology, and literary analysis, but no comprehensive study has focused on the contemporary historical and gendered context. This thesis therefore reexamines female transvestite monk hagiographies, revealing that the female protagonists are portrayed as possessing a holy womanhood regardless of having layers of masculinity applied to them. Three layers of masculinity, namely outward, social, and inward, are identified in the characterizations of the female monks. Each masculine layer is scrutinized separately to explore its purpose in the plot structures and to show plausible motivations for the utilization of transvestite figures in religious literature. The use of an intertextual method reveals gendered intertexts, or literary motifs, in the hagiographies which serve as familiar ideological vehicles carrying the intended inspirational, instructional, and theological messages of the writers. Through the removal of these holy women’s masculine layers, this thesis reveals that outward and social masculinity are superficial and heavily relied upon as a means of concealment, but inward masculinity, considered akin to genuine expressions of self in these literary characters, is essentially non-existent. Hagiographers had no intention of transforming their religious protagonists into anything but determined, holy women who are forced to act drastically to sustain ascetic dreams begun while mothers, wives, daughters, and sisters. Masculinities and intertexts located in these Vitae contextualize praise for a holy womanhood within acceptable gendered language, which seems to support a belief in the spiritual potential of women. In comprehending the intertexts’ function in these legends, this thesis highlights the potential for complex irony to develop around the figure of a female transvestite, which supplies religious tales with intrigue and interest, the ability to instruct or chastise mixed audiences, and the potential to portray the reversal inherent in the human drama of salvation.

In the ninth century, the community of St Filibert, which was established on the island of Noirmoutier in the late-seventh century, relocated five times reportedly due to pressures caused by the invasions of the Northmen. The community produced texts during the period of relocations which emphasised the agency of the Northmen and whose testimony has been readily accepted in most subsequent historical analysis. The twofold aim of this thesis is to re-examine the body of literature produced by the community in order first to measure the narrative it provides against the paradigm of flight from the Northmen, and second to understand the nature of the texts themselves. It will argue that rather than being a community in flight, the Filibertines were involved in some of the most important concerns in the ninth-century kingdoms of Louis the Pious and Charles the Bald. They were not only at the centre of successive royal patronage circles, but they developed the cult of their patron, St Filibert, through the process of relocation in both architectural and devotional spheres. Moreover, their economic activity, which had always been a concern of theirs since the late-seventh century, developed through the use of salt-pans and vineyards as well as through the donation of exemptions from taxation on the transit of goods. Overall this thesis proposes that the ninth century was, for the community of St Filibert, a period largely dominated by growth on a number of levels and argues that the texts that put flight from the Northmen at their heart were written as a method of defining an identity for a community in flux.

<p>What do Buddhist monks really know about Buddhism? How do they imagine their religion, and more importantly, how does their understanding of their tradition differ from the one found in our typical introduction to Buddhism textbooks? In order to address these fundamental questions, this dissertation concentrates on the educational programs and curricular canons of Korean Buddhism. It aims to find out which part of their enormous canonical and non-canonical literature do Korean Buddhist professionals choose to focus on as the required curriculum in their training (and what do they leave out), why is it chosen and by whom, and how does this specific education shape their understanding of their own religion and their roles within it. It tracks down the 20th-century invention of the so-called `traditional' Korean monastic curriculum and delineates the current 21st-century curricular reforms and the heated debates surrounding them. Ultimately, it illustrates how instead of Buddhist academics learning from the Buddhists about Buddhism, it is actually often the Buddhists in their monasteries who end up simulating the educational agendas of Buddhist studies.</p><p> Research for this work involved diverse methodologies. Multiple-sited ethnographic fieldwork in monasteries was supplemented by archival digging in the Chogye Order's headquarters in Seoul and textual analysis of historical records, Buddhist media reports, and online blogs. I have visited the current official 17 monastic seminaries in Korea, as well as many of the new specialized monastic graduate institutes and lay schools, interviewed teachers and students on site, and inspected classrooms and schedules. During winter 2013-4 I have conducted a full-scale participant observation attending the Buddhist lay school of Hwagyesa, during which I engaged some of my classmates with in-depth interviews, and distributed a written attitude survey among the class.</p> / Dissertation

A presente pesquisa tem como objetivo compreender o papel político dos abades no reino franco ao longo do governo de Carlos, o calvo, a partir das cartas escritas por Lupo de Ferrières durante mais de trinta anos. A escolha desse personagem e dessa fonte se justifica, primeiro, pela sua unicidade e pela importância que esse conjunto de cartas tem na historiografia. Nenhum historiador que aborde o período pode ignorar um texto tão rico em detalhes. Segundo, Lupo esteve envolvido nas principais questões do seu período: participou de batalhas na Aquitânia, negociou com os Bretões, serviu como representante real em Roma, envolveu-se no debate da predestinação em torno de Godescalco, foi autor de hagiografias e compilações jurídicas, além de ter se tornado uma referência no seu tempo em questões como gramática e astronomia. Diferentemente dos documentos prescritivos, como capitulários, concílios e regras monásticas, que constroem uma imagem do que era esperado dos abades, a leitura do epistolário de Lupo permitiu analisar suas ações concretas, assim como a imagem que ele quis deixar por meio de suas cartas. Essa abordagem não poderia ser feita sem antes analisar o contexto de produção e envio desses textos, como também os problemas em torno da escrita e seleção dos documentos que fazem parte dessa coleção. Afinal, o próprio fato de escrever uma carta era um ato político e para seu envio era necessário dispender muitos recursos. Dessa forma, a partir da análise conjunta da cultura epistolográfica e da cultura política do reino de Carlos, o calvo, pretende-se contribuir para uma melhor compreensão do papel do abade naquele período. / The aim of this research is to understand the political role of abbots in the Frankish kingdom during the reign of Charles, the Bald, through the analysis of letters written by Loup of Ferrières for more than thirty years. Loup and his letters were chosen for two main reasons. First, his epistolary is unique and really important in the development of historiography. This source cant be ignored by historians. Second, along his life, Loup was involved in the main problems of the period: he participated of battles in Aquitaine, negotiated with the British, went to Rome as a royal representative, wrote letters to Hincmar to discuss the ideas of Godschalk about predestination, was the author of hagiographies and juridical compilations and also became a famous scholar. Differently from the prescriptive sources like capitularies, councils and monastic rules that make an image of what was expected from an abbot, the analysis of Loup epistolary allows us not only to observe his real actions but also the image he wanted to leave for the future. This study couldt be done without studying the context of the production of these letters as well as how they were sent and the problems of writing and selecting these documents to be part of a collection. After all, writing letters was a political act and it envolved many resources to be sent. Therefore, analyzing the epistolographical and political culture of the reign of Charles, the Bald, we intend to contribute to a better comprehension of the role of the abbot in this period.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-25T19:20:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Alvimar Eustaquio Barcelos Fagundes.pdf: 1117897 bytes, checksum: 2e07c8aaeb2bd0050bc8af8e7f30ad6b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-05-19 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Dorotheus of Gaza is a sixth century Christian monk whose understanding of the monachism is firmly grounded on the tradition passed on to him by the fathers of the desert. His reflections upon some of the ascetic practices such as the anachoret, renouncements, the constant examination of the heart, the meditation upon evil and death, besides spiritual guidance, can all be closely linked to some philosophical stoic exercises. Some stoic notions are set very far from the fundamental Christian dogmas and, yet, we can see some sort of continuity among Portico philosophers and the Christian monks / Doroteu de Gaza é um monge cristão do século VI que tem uma compreensão do monaquismo profundamente arraigada na tradição que recebera dos padres do deserto. Sua reflexões sobre algumas práticas ascéticas tais como a anacorese, renúncias, o constante exame do coração, a meditação sobre os males e a morte, e também a direção espiritual podem ser aproximadas de alguns exercícios filosóficos estoicos. Algumas noções estoicas estão muito distantes de dogmas fundamentais para o cristianismo mas, ainda sim, podemos ver uma certa continuidade entre os filósofos do Pórtico e os monges cristãos

La thèse étudie les sources de la pensée de dom Guéranger, le célèbre abbé de Solesmes, sa formation initiale et ses motivations quand il restaure le monachisme bénédictin en France au début du XIXe siècle. Les travaux sur la liturgie qui l’ont rendu célèbre font partie d’un ensemble : le jeune Prosper Guéranger appartient à cette génération de clercs dits « ultramontains » qui entre en résistance contre l’État français qui entend annexer l’Église gallicane. Membre actif du cercle mennaisien avec ses amis Montalembert et Lacordaire, Guéranger propose le monachisme bénédictin comme moyen de renouveau spirituel de l’Église : la fondation de l’abbaye de Solesmes est un projet politique qui doit permettre la régénération de l’Église et même de la société tout entière. Ce courant a des ramifications en Europe et spécialement en Angleterre avec le mouvement d’Oxford : Newman et Guéranger puisent aux mêmes sources dans les mêmes années pour relever des défis similaires. Le projet monastique de Guéranger s’apparente par certains aspects aux utopies d’inspiration romantique qui fleurissent à la même époque mais c’est surtout le centralisme romain revendiqué et la dimension eschatologique de la vie monastique, manifestée dans la liturgie, qui en fait un moyen de résistance spirituelle. Guéranger appartient à un mouvement général qui explore les sources de l’Antiquité chrétienne afin de permettre à l’Église de retrouver son identité fondamentale et les moyens de sa mission. / The thesis investigates the sources of the thinking of the famous abbot of Solesmes, analyzing his initial training and motivation when he restores Benedictine monasticism in France in the early nineteenth century. His liturgical work that made him famous is part of a whole: the young Prosper Guéranger belongs to that generation of clerics called "ultramontane" who resists the French State attempt to annex the Gallican Church. As an active member of the Mennaisian circle with his friends Montalembert and Lacordaire, Guéranger presents Benedictine monasticism as a means of spiritual renewal for the Church: the foundation of Solesmes abbey is a political project which should enable the regeneration of the Church and even of society as a whole. This current has branches in Europe and especially in England with the Oxford Movement: Newman and Guéranger draw on the same sources in the same years for similar challenges. Guéranger’s monastic project is similar in some respects to some utopias of romantic inspiration that bloom at the same time but it’s especially the Roman centralism and claimed eschatological dimension of monastic life, manifested in the liturgy, which makes Solesmes a means of spiritual resistance. Guéranger belongs to a general movement that explores the sources of Christian antiquity in order to allow the Church to regain its fundamental identity and the means of its mission.

A presente pesquisa tem como objetivo compreender o papel político dos abades no reino franco ao longo do governo de Carlos, o calvo, a partir das cartas escritas por Lupo de Ferrières durante mais de trinta anos. A escolha desse personagem e dessa fonte se justifica, primeiro, pela sua unicidade e pela importância que esse conjunto de cartas tem na historiografia. Nenhum historiador que aborde o período pode ignorar um texto tão rico em detalhes. Segundo, Lupo esteve envolvido nas principais questões do seu período: participou de batalhas na Aquitânia, negociou com os Bretões, serviu como representante real em Roma, envolveu-se no debate da predestinação em torno de Godescalco, foi autor de hagiografias e compilações jurídicas, além de ter se tornado uma referência no seu tempo em questões como gramática e astronomia. Diferentemente dos documentos prescritivos, como capitulários, concílios e regras monásticas, que constroem uma imagem do que era esperado dos abades, a leitura do epistolário de Lupo permitiu analisar suas ações concretas, assim como a imagem que ele quis deixar por meio de suas cartas. Essa abordagem não poderia ser feita sem antes analisar o contexto de produção e envio desses textos, como também os problemas em torno da escrita e seleção dos documentos que fazem parte dessa coleção. Afinal, o próprio fato de escrever uma carta era um ato político e para seu envio era necessário dispender muitos recursos. Dessa forma, a partir da análise conjunta da cultura epistolográfica e da cultura política do reino de Carlos, o calvo, pretende-se contribuir para uma melhor compreensão do papel do abade naquele período. / The aim of this research is to understand the political role of abbots in the Frankish kingdom during the reign of Charles, the Bald, through the analysis of letters written by Loup of Ferrières for more than thirty years. Loup and his letters were chosen for two main reasons. First, his epistolary is unique and really important in the development of historiography. This source cant be ignored by historians. Second, along his life, Loup was involved in the main problems of the period: he participated of battles in Aquitaine, negotiated with the British, went to Rome as a royal representative, wrote letters to Hincmar to discuss the ideas of Godschalk about predestination, was the author of hagiographies and juridical compilations and also became a famous scholar. Differently from the prescriptive sources like capitularies, councils and monastic rules that make an image of what was expected from an abbot, the analysis of Loup epistolary allows us not only to observe his real actions but also the image he wanted to leave for the future. This study couldt be done without studying the context of the production of these letters as well as how they were sent and the problems of writing and selecting these documents to be part of a collection. After all, writing letters was a political act and it envolved many resources to be sent. Therefore, analyzing the epistolographical and political culture of the reign of Charles, the Bald, we intend to contribute to a better comprehension of the role of the abbot in this period.