König is a contemporary and influential theologian and his views can not be ignored (Strauss, 2004:123). König (2002:13) regards himself as a reformed theologian, but his doctrine on providence differ from the classic reformed view. In some cases, König's theology is viewed as reformed (eg. his doctrine on justification) but not in all cases, as with the doctrine of providence (Strauss, 2004:139). According to König (2002:33) the classic Reformed understanding of providence is not comforting. Also, according to König, the classic reformed view of providence makes God an evil God who ordains evil, and then sits back and watches as it unfolds. König's (2002:237) solution for the problem of the classic reformed view is that God is not fully in control, but that He will be in control one day. This view of König is in conflict with the reformed confession which confess that God through his providential hand maintains and governs all things. In König's (2002: 226) doctrine of providence he shifts the omnipotence of the Father to the Son. This shift has great implications for different aspects of the reformed dogma, such as the doctrine of the Trinity, Covenant and Election. The conclusion is that König's doctrine of providence is not comforting in the light of the reformed confession, and that it only causes more confusion and distress. / Thesis (MA (Dogmatics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

König is a contemporary and influential theologian and his views can not be ignored (Strauss, 2004:123). König (2002:13) regards himself as a reformed theologian, but his doctrine on providence differ from the classic reformed view. In some cases, König's theology is viewed as reformed (eg. his doctrine on justification) but not in all cases, as with the doctrine of providence (Strauss, 2004:139). According to König (2002:33) the classic Reformed understanding of providence is not comforting. Also, according to König, the classic reformed view of providence makes God an evil God who ordains evil, and then sits back and watches as it unfolds. König's (2002:237) solution for the problem of the classic reformed view is that God is not fully in control, but that He will be in control one day. This view of König is in conflict with the reformed confession which confess that God through his providential hand maintains and governs all things. In König's (2002: 226) doctrine of providence he shifts the omnipotence of the Father to the Son. This shift has great implications for different aspects of the reformed dogma, such as the doctrine of the Trinity, Covenant and Election. The conclusion is that König's doctrine of providence is not comforting in the light of the reformed confession, and that it only causes more confusion and distress. / Thesis (MA (Dogmatics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

This thesis examines Charles Hartshorne's critique of classical theism, as it relates to the subject of divine power. My specific aim is to evaluate whether Hartshorne's critique applies to Thomas Aquinas' concept of divine power. Chapter One undertakes an exposition of Thomas' conception of the power of God and its implications for the human power of free choice. Chapter Two explores Hartshorne's critique of the classical concept of God, focusing on the negative implications he draws from the classical concept of omnipotence. In Chapter Three, I apply Hartshorne's critique of classical theism to Thomas' concept of divine power, in order to judge whether Hartshorne has an accurate understanding of the classical position and whether his critique reveals serious problems in Thomas' concept of divine power. My evaluation centres around Hartshorne's objections to Thomas' claim that God possesses purely actual power, and his insistence that God's omnipotence, as construed by Thomas, robs human beings of the power of free choice. Chapter Three also compares the similarities and differences between their approaches to the knowledge of God as determined by their basic metaphysical principles and their use of analogy. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

The problem of how one can reconcile the omnipotence and omniscience of God with human freedom has penetrated a good deal of philosophical and theological thought. On occasion it has even been reduced to a unsolvable problem unworthy of consideration. Saint Augustine, however, clearly did not think this was the case. Augustine defends human freedom as a good which must be preserved even if it does allow for the possibility of evil. David R. Griffin, on the other hand, maintains that men cannot exert their own will, when they are considered to be subject to the will of an omnipotent.God and that the occurence of evil in the world must ultimately be allowed by God. William L. Rowe also maintains that there is a problem in claiming that human beings are free, but this time, because of God's omniscience rather than His omnipotence. Rowe argues that since whatever God foreknows must necessarily happen and He knows that evil will happen, man's decision to sin is not one of freedom but of necessity. These are generally considered the two main arguments for opposing Augustine's Free Will Defense, and although Rowe eventually shows the inadequacies of the 'omniscience argument', his presentation of the traditional view is most valuable. It is the contention of this paper that neither divine omnipotence nor omniscience, when considered independently, present sufficient evidence to seriously jeopardize Augustine's position, and this, can only partially be achieved by combining these divine attributes and pitting them against the possibility of human freedom. This thesis is defended by a demonstration of the weaknesses of the independent arguments which are overcome, or at least strengthened, when combined. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

O trabalho examina a teoria psicanalítica de Sigmund Freud sobre o ser humano e sobre o religioso, utilizando como chaves hermenêuticas os conceitos de onipotência e desamparo. Segundo Freud, no processo de tornar-se humano, é necessário que, no transcorrer da vida, o sujeito abandone a onipotência envolvente de sua primeira infância e assuma, progressivamente, o desamparo como perspectiva do próprio devir. Dentro desse contexto, ele entende que o fenômeno religioso tem um papel de utilidade negativa. Na árdua tarefa de abandono do narcisismo, a religião, a serviço das ilusões e da própria neurose, é criada pela cultura, para sustentar a onipotência que a pessoa/civilização não consegue abandonar, a partir de um Deus pai todo poderoso, que é o anseio próprio do desejo infantil. O autor destaca o aspecto da relacionalidade de Deus, expresso no evento Jesus Cristo, como resposta teológica às críticas freudianas. Jesus é entendido, simultaneamente, como o Deus que se esvazia de poder, que assume o caminho da cruz, no mais profundo desamparo e, como o homem que retrata a autêntica humanidade, num desamparo amparado. / The academic work examines the ideas of Sigmund Freud's psychoanalysis of the human being and the religious, as hermeneutical keys using the concepts of omnipotence and helplessness. For the process of becoming human, it is necessary that, in the course of life, the subject leaves surrounding the omnipotence of his early childhood and assumes progressively helplessness as the vision of becoming itself. Within this context, Freud believes that the religious phenomenon has a negative utility role. In the arduous task of abandonment of narcissism, religion, in the service of the illusions and the neurosis, is created by culture, to support the omnipotence that the person / civilization can not let go, from one God the father all powerful, which is the child's own longing desire. The author highlights the relational ability aspect of God expressed in Jesus Christ event as theological response to the criticisms Freudian. Jesus is seen simultaneously as the God who empties himself of power, which takes the path of the cross, in the deepest distress, and as the man who portrays the authentic humanity, in a sustained helplessness.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / Em um contexto de vertiginoso desenvolvimento tecnolÃgico, cujas promessas de benefÃcios/facilidades levam a um culto do consumo fetichizado como produtor de subjetividades, questionamos nessa pesquisa o paradoxo entre esse acelerado desenvolvimento e a crescente escassez de tempo vivenciada pelos indivÃduos, aprisionando-o sempre mais em exaustivas atividades. Buscamos uma anÃlise da repercussÃo psicossocial da lÃgica do mercado, expressa na Publicidade, partindo do pressuposto de que o fetichismo da mercadoria (Marx) manifesta-se hoje duplamente: aliena nÃo apenas as relaÃÃes sociais de produÃÃo, mas a prÃpria subjetividade do consumidor por meio de âsuperprodutosâ. Estes agregam âsuperpoderesâ tais como potÃncia, elevada autoestima e capacidade de âtudo-poderâ e âtudo-fazerâ, em tempo recorde. Trata-se da veiculaÃÃo de estereÃtipos de âsuper-humanosâ, indivÃduos supostamente capazes de lidar com os desafios da modernidade tardia, quebrando barreiras temporais e espaciais, via novas tecnologias. Tais estereÃtipos publicitÃrios, por sua vez, sÃo acolhidos ante as promessas de saciarem as carÃncias humanas, instigando o narcisismo dos indivÃduos (SEVERIANO, 2007). Ou seja, vende-se a ideia de âsuperprodutosâ para manter o imaginÃrio narcÃsico de âsuper-humanosâ, naturalizando-se, desta forma, a velocidade do viver e a performance necessÃria à acumulaÃÃo do capital. Metodologicamente, esse estudo configura-se como uma investigaÃÃo teÃrica e empÃrica, tendo por eixo teÃrico metodolÃgico a Escola de Frankfurt, acrescida de estratÃgias metodolÃgicas, as quais incluem uma seleÃÃo e anÃlise de peÃas publicitÃrias. As publicidades coletadas fazem apelo à aceleraÃÃo do ritmo de vida atravÃs de produtos e serviÃos destinados a produzirem performances âsobre-humanasâ. Numa primeira coleta de peÃas publicitÃrias, tendo por base os conteÃdos mais proeminentes concernentes ao objeto de estudo, foi possÃvel construir as seguintes categorias-chave: OnipotÃncia; Juventude e Reconhecimento. A categoria de OnipotÃncia refere-se Ãs publicidades cujas promessas giram em torno do domÃnio da natureza, expressando potÃncia, via produtos. A categoria de Juventude trata do enaltecimento da ciÃncia como forma de dominar o tempo e as fases do ciclo da vida. Enquanto a categoria de Reconhecimento refere-se Ãs propagandas que supostamente promovem os vÃnculos interpessoais e sentimentos de pertenÃa, reconhecimento, diferenciaÃÃo, amizade, amor, etc. Neste sentido, as reflexÃes finais apontam que o tempo tem sido valorado no mercado como um raro objeto de consumo, agregado aos superprodutos, o que ocasiona uma aparente objetificaÃÃo do tempo o enfraquecimento de seu sentido real e de seu valor de uso. AlÃm disso, os indivÃduos tÃm se tornado receptÃculos das mais variadas demandas â inscritas nas categorias-chave â para tornarem-se âsuper-humanosâ, gerando intensa aceleraÃÃo do ritmo de suas vidas. Destaca-se ainda a proeminÃncia da categoria de OnipotÃncia, deixando evidente que a cultura contemporÃnea tem destituÃdo do lugar de direito as questÃes prÃprias da condiÃÃo humana (tais como fragilidade, imperfeiÃÃo, tristeza, finitude, etc.), para a constituiÃÃo das subjetividades. / In a context of rapid technological development, whose promises of benefits/facilities lead to a cult of fetishized consumption as a producer of subjectivities, we question in this paper the paradox between the accelerated development and the growing scarcity of time experienced by individuals, imprisoning him ever more in comprehensive activities. We seek an analysis of psychosocial impact of market logic, expressed in advertising, on the assumption that the commodity fetishism (Marx) manifests itself today twice: not only alienates the social relations of production, but the very subjectivity of the consumer through âsuper productsâ. These aggregate âsuper powersâ such as power, high self-esteem and ability to âall-powerâ and âall-doâ, in record time. It is a result of the dissemination of âsuperhumanâ stereotypes, individuals supposedly capable of dealing with the challenges of late modernity, breaking temporal and spatial barriers, via new technologies. Such advertising stereotypes, in turn, are welcomed to the promises of human needs satisfied, instigating the narcissism of individuals (SEVERIANO, 2007). Namely, it sells the idea of âsuper productsâ to keep the imagination of narcissistic âsuperhumanâ, naturalizing themselves in this way, the speed of the living and the performance necessary for the accumulation of capital. So, methodologically, this research appears as a theoretical and empirical investigation, theoretical and methodological axis by the Frankfurt School, plus methodological strategies, which include a selection of advertisements. The advertisements collected do appeal to the acceleration of the pace of life through products and services aimed to produce performances âsuperhumanâ. A first collection of advertisements, based on the most prominent content related to the object of study, it was possible to build the following key categories: Omnipotence; Youth and Recognition. The category of Omnipotence refers to advertisements whose promises revolve around the field of nature, expressing power, via products. The category of Youth comes to the uplifting of science as a way to dominate the time and phases of the cycle of life. While in the category of Recognition refers to advertisements that supposedly promote interpersonal relationships and feelings of belonging, recognition, differentiation, friendship, love, etc. In this sense, the final reflections suggest that the time has been valued in the market as a rare object of consumption, aggregate to superprodutos, which causes an apparent objectification of time the weakening of its real sense and its value in use. In addition, individuals have become receptacles of the most varied demands â entered in the key categories â to become "superhuman", generating intense acceleration of the pace of their lives. It also highlights the prominence of category of Omnipotence, leaving clear that contemporary culture has deprived of rightful place own questions of the human condition (such as weakness, imperfection, sadness, finiteness, etc.), for the incorporation of subjectivities.

Le phénomène de concentration du pouvoir entre les mains d'un groupe restreint de dirigeants, la rupture du lien entre le pouvoir décisionnel et le risque capitalistique, ont poussé le législateur à intervenir pour renforcer le contrôle des sociétés anonymes et ce, de manière à permettre un équilibre des forces et donc de faire contre poids au pouvoir de direction. L'exercice du contrôle par les actionnaires est assuré en premier lieu au sein de l'assemblée générale, en délibérant et en votant, dans ladite assemblée. Mais ce contrôle doit poser des règles impératives, dépassant les intérêts catégoriels, et visant la protection de l'intérêt social. Ainsi, le contrôle du bon fonctionnement de la société suppose que les actionnaires possèdent les moyens de contrôler la gestion de la société. Sur ce point, l'information va jouer un rôle très important car elle permet à tous les actionnaires de pouvoir bien exercer ce contrôle. Elle est donc un instrument privilégié de contrôle des dirigeants. Par ailleurs, le conseil d'administration exerce aussi un véritable rôle de contrôle de la direction pour éviter la concentration des pouvoirs; l'émergence du conseil d'administration comme organe de surveillance visant une meilleure séparation des pouvoirs entre la direction et son contrôle. Le législateur a cherché à renforcer le pouvoir de contrôle par un contrôleur légal, le Commissaire aux comptes. Ce contrôle consiste à contrôler la situation comptable et financière de la société. Le commissaire a un devoir de révélation des faits délictueux. Ce contrôle a pour but le bon fonctionnement de la société, et surtout de prévenir les différentes crises qui peuvent toucher la société. / The power concentration phenomenon which is between the hands of a restricted group of leaders, the breach of link between the decisional power and the capitalist risk, have prompted the legislature to intervene to strengthen the control of the public limited companies and to allow a balance of forces and thus to prevent the excessive power practiced by management. The exercise of control by shareholders is first made possible in the chore of the shareholder's general assembly, by deliberation and voting. Yet, this exercise must subject to mandatory rules, beyond the vested interests in order to protect the social interest. Thus, controlling the smooth functioning of company requires that shareholders have the means to control the management of the company. On this point, information will play a very important role because it will allow all shareholders to exercise such control. So, it is a privileged instrument of control of managers. In addition, the board of directors also has a real role in management control to avoid the concentration of power; the emergence of the board of directors as a surveillance organ for better separation of powers between management and control. The legislature has sought to strengthen the power of control by an auditor; the Legal Auditor. This control is to control the accounting and financial situation of the company. The Legal Auditor has a duty of disclosure of offenses. This control is for the advantage of the good functioning of the company, and especially to anticipate crises that can affect that company.

Lo scopo di questa ricerca è l’analisi del I libro delle Sententiae di Pietro Lombardo nel quadro della teologia trinitaria del XII secolo. Un riscoperto interesse, grazie agli studi di Colish e Rosemann, invita ad ipotizzarne una lettura interpretativa che, riconoscendo l’ingente sforzo dell’autore nella raccolta e sistemazione delle fonti latine e greche, intende rintracciare una certa sistematicità ed alcune novità nel genere e nelle questioni affrontate. Un approccio storico-filologico applica l’analisi testuale ai nodi tematici più importanti della dottrina lombardiana a partire da una preliminare riflessione sul metodo e sul linguaggio adottati, da cui si evince l’intento didattico-apologetico dell’autore. Nella dialettica auctoritas/inquisitio si vuole infatti ridurre il rischio di incorrere nell’errore e da qui in posizioni eretiche. Il Lombardo espone una teologia positiva che mantiene costante il riferimento all’essenza del Dio trinitario nella sua unità e trascendenza; l’analisi di proprietates e nomi divini, la questione della generazione divina, la pneumatologia ed il tema De potentia Dei vanno collocati all’interno del dibattito del tempo. In tale contesto, il confronto con la teologia di Pietro Abelardo risulta funzionale a comprendere la distanza e la novità che le Sententiae rappresentano, pur nella indubbia ricezione di aspetti metodologici ed in parte concettuali dal maestro palatino. / According to some recent studies, such as Colish’s and Rosemann’s, further investigation is likely to be needed in order to approach Peter Lombard’s Sentences. Hence this study aims at analysing the Sentences I within the Trinitarian theology of the XII century: the author’s systematic effort in collecting and ordering the main theological sources suggests new perspectives in the genre and in the themes. An historical-philological approach applies the textual analysis to the Lombardian work, after examining his theological method and language. In the dialectic between authority and investigation, the Master’s purpose turns out to be twofold: educational and apologetic, teaching scholars to avoid ‘errors’ and, consequently, heretical positions. So, within a ‘positive theology’, the main feature of Lombard’s collection is the transcendence and the supreme unity of God. On this base themes like the divine properties, the Son’s generation, the doctrine of the Holy Spirit and the divine omnipotence are investigated in the context of the medieval theological debates. For instance, the comparison between Peter Lombard and Peter Abelard on the Trinitarian topics highlights the Lombardian original account, in spite of his certain reception of some of the Abelardian methodological, and partly conceptual, issues.

Sexualité et maternité occupent un espace prépondérant dans l’oeuvre de Zola. Cet écrivain honni ou adulé du 19ème siècle semble avoir été très influencé par son entourage et son époque. Il était entouré de trois femmes qui l’ont beaucoup influencé à différentes étapes de sa vie : sa mère, sa femme et sa maîtresse. Mais on ne peut réduire cette influence à son milieu familial ! En effet, plusieurs littéraires ont forgé ses idées sur la maternité et la sexualité : Balzac, Michelet, Stendhal… A la lecture de ses écrits, nous constatons qu’il voit en la maternité un acte sacré. En revanche, l’avis de l’auteur naturaliste sur la sexualité est plus ambigu. En effet, il donne l’air de la dédaigner, d’avoir en horreur ceux qui ne jurent que par le vice. Mais paradoxalement, Zola fait de la sexualité un de ses thèmes de prédilection. Si bien qu’il se verra affublé de l’étiquette de pornographe. Zola a-t-il finalement horreur de la sexualité, comme il le prétend ? Ou est-il au contraire un obsédé sexuel ? / Maternity and sexuality are among the main themes of the work of Emile Zola. Despised as well as admired, this author of the nineteenth century seems to have been much influenced by his life experiences and his epoch. It seems that the fact that he has been living mainly among women Ŕ his mother, maternal grand-mother, wife and mistress Ŕ has greatly influenced his perceptions about maternity and sexuality. However, we should not obliterate that the fact that his readings of some authors have also contributed to his ideas about these two themes, mainly Balzac, Michelet and Stendhal. Zola has got a fixed idea about maternity : it’s a sacred act whose purity should be preserved. He firmly believes that a mother should make all sorts of sacrifices for her child, including her sexual life. It becomes however more difficult for us to determine how Zola perceives sexuality. He surely pretends to dislike any sexual activity but on the other hand, he writes profusely about sexuality in his work. Quite ambiguous… / Classics and World Languages / M. A. (French)

This study seeks to examine the precise way it may be said that God takes risks in creating and governing this world. In order to articulate this model of providence various texts of scripture are studied which have either been overlooked or interpreted differently in discussions of divine providence. These texts reveal a deity who enters into genuine give-and-take relations with creatures, a God who is genuinely responsive and who may be said to take risks in that God does not get everything he desires in these relationships. Furthermore, the traditional texts used to defend the no-risk view of providence are examined and shown that they do not, in fact, teach the idea that God is the cause of everything which happens in the world such that the divine will is never thwarted in the leas detail. The biblical teaching of God in reciprocal relations with his creatures is then discussed in theological and philosophical terms. The nature of God is here understood as loving, wise, faithful yet free, almighty, competent and resourceful. These ideas are explicated in light of the more traditional theological/philosophical understanding of God. Finally, some of the implications of this relational model of God are examined to see the ways in which it may be said that God takes risks and whose will may be thwarted. The crucial watershed in this regard is whether or not there is any conditionality in the godhead. The no-risk view denies, while the risk model affirms, that some aspects of God's will, knowledge, and actions are contingent. In order to grasp the differences between the two models the doctrines and practices involved in salvation, the problem of evil, prayer and guidance are examined to see what each model says about them. It is claimed that· .the relational or risk model is superior to the no-risk model both in terms of theoretical coherence and the practice of the Christian life. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / Th. D. (Sytematic Theology)