O objetivo geral da pesquisa é identificar um referencial bíblico que descreva a existência de um método de Gestão de Pessoas (GP) no ministério de Paulo em Éfeso. Para atingir este alvo, foram estabelecidos os seguintes objetivos específicos: O que é GP? Qual o verdadeiro sentido, ou a interpretação correta de (At 19.1-10)? De acordo com a perícope delimitada e seu contexto, é possível identificar um processo de gestão e formação de líderes na estadia de Paulo em Éfeso? Estas perguntas e objetivos básicos harmonizam a pesquisa da seguinte forma: A primeira parte aborda: as etapas históricas e o processo evolutivo da GP; suas premissas conceituais, explicitando com detalhes o que ela é; seus objetivos principais no que se refere ao gerenciamento de pessoas; e os processos utilizados para sua efetivação no contexto das organizações. Dez argumentos sobre a relevância de uma GP na igreja finalizam esta primeira parte. Vale expor neste instante que o APÊNDICE I - (exegese histórico crítica de Atos 19.1-10) agregado a pesquisa tem como objetivo fundamentar as afirmações feitas no segundo capítulo e apontar um referencial bíblico da GP no ministério de Paulo. O método exegético histórico/crítico é um dos procedimentos mais utilizados para análises diacrônicas da bíblia e submete o texto selecionado a mais de quarenta estágios distintos, que por sua vez, possibilitam diferentes olhares e permitem uma interpretação literal, ampla e profunda da perícope delimitada. O segundo e último capítulo toma como base os elementos conceituais do primeiro capítulo e encadeia com o conteúdo da exegese de (At 19.1-10) e didaticamente constrói uma ponte entre as ações de Paulo em Éfeso e o processo de GP do século 21. Esta última parte finaliza com a identificação de três habilidades de Paulo no que se refere ao processo de agregar, aplicar e capacitar pessoas para o exercício do serviço cristão. Dentro desse prisma, o presente trabalho pretende fornecer reflexões e ferramentas que viabilizem a implantação da GP no contexto eclesiástico atual. Acredita-se que a mesma possa alinhar os interesses da igreja com os interesses de seus colaboradores e trazer uma interdependência maior entre ambos. / The purpose of this research paper is to identify a biblical model that describes the existence of a People Management (PM) method in Pauls ministry at Ephesus. To achieve this end, we established the following specific goals: What is PM? What is the real meaning or the correct interpretation of Acts 19.1-10? According to the text and its context, is it possible to identify a leadership management and training process during Pauls stay in Ephesus? These questions and basic objectives shape the research as follows: The first part addresses: the historic phases and progression of PM; its conceptual premises, explaining with details what they are; its main objectives in relation to people management; and the processes used to implement it in the context of organizations. Ten arguments supporting the relevance of PM in church end this first part. It would be good to point out that the APPENDIX I (historical critical exegesis of Acts 19.1-10) included in this research paper seeks to substantiate the affirmations made in the second chapter and point out the biblical model of PM in Pauls ministry. Historical critical exegesis is one of the most common procedures in diachronic analysis of the Bible, and submits the selected text to forty distinct stages, which in turn, permit different viewpoints and allow an exact, deep and wide interpretation of the selected text. The second and last chapters are based on the conceptual elements of the first chapter and link these with the exegesis (Acts 19.1-10) didactically building a bridge between Pauls actions in Ephesus and the process of 21st century PM. This last part ends with the identification of three of Pauls skills in the process of aggregating, applying and enabling people to exercise Christian service. Within this perspective, this work intends to provoke thought and provide tools to make PM implementation viable in the current ecclesiastical context. It is believed that PM can align the interests of the church with those of its collaborators and encourage greater interdependence between both.

Les homélies de Jean Chrysostome (v. 349 – 407) sur la Deuxième épître aux Corinthiens fournissent un témoignage important sur la pratique de l’exégèse et de la prédication dans l’Antiquité. Sur le plan oratoire, elles sont marquées par de fortes interactions entre Jean et son auditoire et par ce que l’on peut nommer une rhétorique biblique : un discours où l’Écriture est omniprésente, dans le texte commenté comme dans les outils mobilisés dans le commentaire. Sur le plan exégétique, le prédicateur explique l’épître paulinienne de manière littérale, i.e. phrase par phrase ou mot par mot, attentif à la pédagogie de Paul. La notion de salut joue un rôle capital dans cette perspective, car elle guide l’interprétation des moindres variations du ton de l’apôtre ; celle d’amplification n’est pas moins importante, car elle rend compte des larges développements parénétiques qui constituent, à l’intérieur de chaque homélie, un moyen supplémentaire de faire comprendre le texte commenté. Sur le plan théologique, enfin, ce commentaire homilétique permet à Jean Chrysostome de faire écho à quelques thèmes pauliniens : la kénose du Christ, la place de l’Esprit saint dans la communauté chrétienne et l’action de grâce. Prise globalement, une telle pratique homilétique et exégétique pourrait être caractérisée comme une forme d’actualisation de l’Écriture. Toutefois, deux mots empruntés au langage chrysostomien semblent mieux correspondre à cette pratique : l’anamnèse et l’anaphore, qui font jouer la proximité entre l’acte de commenter l’Écriture et la célébration de l’Eucharistie. / The primary aim of this work is to read John Chrysostom’s homilies on Second Corinthians as an insight into the practice of exegesis and preaching in Antiquity. After reviewing the historical background of John’s homilies (chapter 1), I will deal with their rhetorical features, that is: the literary genre of the homiletical commentary (chapter 2), the interactions between John and his audience (chapter 3) and the “biblical rhetoric”, i.e. John’s overwhelming use of Scripture in both the commented text as his own commentary (chapter 4). Secondly, I will describe his exegetical skills, by reviewing the literal explanation of Paul’s wording (chapter 5), the overall understanding of the epistle (chapter 6) and the use of larges hortatory sections as an “amplification” of Pauline moral and spiritual themes (chapter 7). Lastly, I will approach John’s theology on the aspects of the doctrinal teaching of his homilies (chapter 8), his spiritual guidance (chapter 9) and the processes of retrieval and enactment involved in the preacher’s hermeneutics (chapter 10). The results of this work suggest that John’s exegetical practice can be described as a process of anamnesis (rememoration) and anaphora (elevation) of Paul’s text – an exegetical, but also liturgical and existential process.

Submitted by Filipe dos Santos (fsantos@pucsp.br) on 2018-10-23T11:04:49Z No. of bitstreams: 1 A narrativa de Deus - MARIA GORETTI DE OLIVEIRA - DEFINITIVO 2 (22 JULHO 18).pdf: 586810 bytes, checksum: 76bea7a8f5dda7ee1d6677e145c7a403 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-10-23T11:04:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 A narrativa de Deus - MARIA GORETTI DE OLIVEIRA - DEFINITIVO 2 (22 JULHO 18).pdf: 586810 bytes, checksum: 76bea7a8f5dda7ee1d6677e145c7a403 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-08-29 / This research aims to demonstrate the strength of narrative language in Theology and how Christianity salvation's message is transmitted through this literary genre. The study was conducted from the method of narrative analysis which considers the narrative strategies in order to reach the author's Theology. Therefore, the literary categories are identified with the purpose of presenting how the biblical narrative becomes Theology with the intention to express the communities' faith experience. For that purpose it is identifies how the narrator constructs the narrative and are analyzes the strategies used with the intention the provocating the construction of meaning while reading. The creation of the plot, the narrator, the characters, the time, the space and the narrative focus are literary components used to represent the theology of the author and his confession of faith. T his analysis Will demonstrate which theological contents comes up from the narrative at Acts 9:1-19a. The hypothesis defended that the practice of literary genre has a fundamental importance in Theology. The nature of this research is theoretical and bibliographical. Its itinerary was developed by readings, reflections and analysis. All of this was supported by a selected bibliography about the subject. It gathered publications about the narrative literary genre, and the narrative analysis. In addition, in this study, were chosen biblical commentaries about the text / Esta pesquisa pretende demonstrar a força da narrativa na teologia e como a mensagem de salvação do cristianismo é transmitida por meio desse gênero literário. O estudo é feito a partir do método de análise narrativa que leva em consideração as estratégias narrativas, a fim de se chegar à teologia do autor. Portanto, são identificadas as categorias literárias com a finalidade de apresentar como a narrativa bíblica se constitui como teologia com o propósito de expressar a experiência de fé das comunidades. Para isso, verifica-se como o narrador construiu a narração e analisam-se as estratégias usadas com o intuito de provocar a construção de sentido durante a leitura. A criação do enredo, o narrador, os personagens, o tempo, o espaço e o foco narrativo são componentes literários usados para representar a teologia do autor e a sua confissão de fé. A análise demonstra quais conteúdos teológicos emergem da narrativa de Atos 9,1-19a, defendendo a hipótese de que o uso desse gênero literário tem fundamental importância na teologia. A natureza desta pesquisa é de caráter teórico e bibliográfico. O itinerário será percorrido com o auxílio de leituras, reflexões e análises apoiadas na bibliografia levantada sobre o tema. Foram reunidas obras que tratam do genero literário narração e da análise narrativa, além de comentários bíblicos da perícope selecionada

Sempre s’havia pensat que el concepte religiós i el concepte esportiu pertanyien a dues esferes excloents de la vida de l’ésser humà, dos conceptes vitals contraposats: la vida de l’espiritualitat i la de l`ànima, en contraposició amb una concepció més corpòria de la vida. Per tant, l’atleta de l’esperit i l’atleta del cos no podien conviure plegats en el recorregut vital de les persones. L’aparició del cristianisme, com una escissió del judaisme, es va trobar fortament impregnada d’elements de la cultura clàssica helenística. Com a fil conductor de la tesi doctoral ens centrarem en el pensament de Pau de Tars, cap visible de la comunitat cristiana d’Antioquia. A les seves cartes pastorals va emprar un estil metafòric impregnat d’elements que provenien de la concepció esportivo-afonística que va caracteritzar la “paideia” grega, un mètode pedagògic que unia el desenvolupament de l’intel.lecte amb les pràctiques físico-esportives com a únic camí per a aconseguir la virtut. Creiem que l’herència clàssica al pensament de l’Apòstol quant a la seva concepció agonística de la vida pot incidir de manera positiva en el món del futbol formatiu. Aspectes com l’ascetisme, la negació dels ídols, la professió de fe paulina centrada en l’existència d’un únic Déu han estat alguns dels elements que hem pogut comparar amb el món del futbol contemporani. Les anomenades metàfores esportives paulines centraven un discurs on es feia una crida a la lluita, a l’esforç i a la cooperació que serien presents a la difícil vida dels primers cristians. Atenent a aquests supòsits, en el treball doctoral s’estableixen un seguit de principis axiològics derivats de l’essència del missatge epistolar de Pau i que poden ser utilitzats en la millora de la pedagogia esportiva del futbol fins al punt de poder establir un codi ètic, que pugui ser útil en el terreny de les escoles formatives i també com a eina vàlida per als educadors d’aquest esport. Els elements que van caracteritzar el “corpus paulinum” han estat comparats, en aquest treball, amb trets que es produeixen en el futbol actual. D’igual manera que l’Apòstol aconsellava les comunitats cristianes, podem extrapolar aquest missatge per tal d’aconseguir un esport més pur, on el “fair play” esdevingui un dels elements que el defineixin. En els darrers anys, el futbol ha assolit una dimensió extraordinària, fins al punt que podem afirmar que ha esdevingut un substitut de la religió. El naixement mateix del futbol ens traslladaria a l’àmbit d’allò religiós, perquè quan va aparèixer, durant l’època victoriana anglesa, pedagogs com ara Thomas Arnold van proposar un nou sistema educatiu recuperant aspectes de l’antic mètode clàssic d’educació. Així doncs, les pràctiques esportives (com a element complementari i necessari al curriculum escolar) van tornar a prendre volada després de romandre durant segles a l’oblit. En l’aparició del futbol, remarquem el paper de l’Església anglicana, que (de la mà del cardenal Newton) va potenciar el futbol com a element terapèutic per a la classe obrera industrial i també com a mecanisme d’evangelització. El discurs que abans era propi d’allò sagrat s’ha instal.lat actualment en el món profà, i més concretament en el món del futbol; d’aquesta manera, aspectes com ara la salvació, la resurrecció, els miracles i els precs han entrat a formar part del context esportiu. Considerant tots aquests supòsits, a la present tesi doctoral es realitza un acurat estudi comparatiu dels ritus i dels símbols característics del context religiós cristià i la seva relació amb el món del futbol contemporani. La religió com a fet cultural fa referència a un fet humà complex i específic, un conjunt de sistemes de creences, de pràctiques, de símbols i d’estructures socials, a través de les quals l’ésser humà viu la seva relació amb el món d’allò sagrat. En reemplaçar el fet religiós, el futbol contemporani ha assumit bona part d’aquestes pràctiques en un context profà. / El concepto religioso y el concepto deportivo siempre se había pensado que pertenecían a dos esferas excluyentes de la vida del ser humano, dos conceptos vitales contrapuestos. La vida de la espiritualidad y del alma en contraposición a la concepción más corpórea de la vida. Así pues, el atleta del espíritu y el atleta del cuerpo no podían convivir juntos en el recorrido vital de las personas. La aparición del cristianismo, como una escisión del judaísmo, estuvo fuertemente impregnada de elementos de la cultura clásica helena. Como hilo conductor de la tesis doctoral nos centraremos en el pensamiento de Pablo de Tarso. Cabeza visible de la comunidad cristiana de Antioquia. En sus cartas pastorales utilizó un estilo metafórico impregnado de elementos que provenían de la concepción deportivo-agonística que caracterizó la paideia griega. Un método pedagógico que unía el desarrollo del intelecto con las prácticas físico-deportivas como único camino para alcanzar la virtud. La herencia clásica en el pensamiento del Apóstol en cuanto a su concepción agonística de la vida creemos que puede incidir de manera positiva en el mundo del fútbol formativo. Aspectos como el ascetismo, la negación de los ídolos, la profesión de fe paulina centrada en la existencia de un sólo dios han sido algunos de los elementos que hemos podido comparar con el mundo del fútbol contemporáneo. Las llamadas metáforas deportivas paulinas centraban un discurso donde se apelaba a la lucha, al esfuerzo y a la cooperación que debían de estar presentes en la difícil vida de los primeros cristianos. Atendiendo a estos supuestos en el trabajo doctoral se establecen una serie de principios axiológicos derivados de la esencia del mensaje epistolar de Pablo y que pueden ser utilizados en la mejora de la pedagogía deportiva del fútbol hasta el punto de poder establecer un código ético, que pueda ser útil en el terreno de las escuelas formativas y también como herramienta válida para los educadores de este deporte.Los elementos que caracterizaron el corpus paulinum han sido comparados en el trabajo con rasgos que se producen en el fútbol actual. De la misma manera como el Apóstol aconsejaba a las comunidades cristianas podemos extrapolar dicho mensaje en aras a conseguir un deporte más puro donde el fair play se convierta en uno de los elementos que lo definan. El fútbol, ha alcanzado en los últimos tiempos una dimensión extraordinaria, hasta tal punto, que podemos afirmar que se ha convertido en un sustituto de la religión. El mismo nacimiento de este deporte nos trasladará al ámbito de lo religioso, pues su aparición durante la época victoriana inglesa, donde pedagogos como Thomas Arnold propusieron un nuevo sistema educativo retomando aspectos del antiguo método clásico de educación. Así pues, las prácticas deportivas como un elemento complementario y necesario en el currículo escolar volvieron a alcanzar una gran dimensión después de siglos en el olvido. En este nacimiento del fútbol destacamos el papel relevante de la iglesia anglicana, que de la mano del cardenal Newton potenciaron el fútbol como elemento terapéutico para la deprimida clase obrera industrial y también como un mecanismo de evangelización de la misma. El discurso propio de lo sagrado actualmente se ha instalado en el mundo profano, concretamente en el mundo del futbol, de esta manera aspectos como la salvación, la resurrección, los milagros y los rezos han entrado a formar parte del contexto deportivo. Atendiendo a estos supuestos en la tesis doctoral se hace un minucioso estudio comparativo de los ritos y símbolos característicos del contexto religioso cristiano y su relación con el mundo del fútbol contemporáneo. La religión como hecho cultural se caracteriza por partir del supuesto que el término designa un hecho humano complejo y específico, un conjunto de sistemas de creencias, de prácticas de símbolos y de estructuras sociales a través de las cuales el ser humano vive su relación con el mundo de lo sagrado. El fútbol contemporáneo ha sustituido al hecho religioso. Las prácticas del ser humano actual van dirigidas hacia el mundo de lo profano, hacia el mundo del fútbol. / The religious concept and sporty concept had always thought they belonged to two areas exclusive of human life, two conflicting vital concepts. The life of spirituality and the soul as opposed to the bodily conception of life. Thus the spirit of the athlete and the athlete's body could not live together in the life journey of the people. The emergence of Christianity as a splinter group of Judaism, was strongly imbued with elements of classical Hellenic culture. As the central theme of the doctoral thesis will focus on the thought of Paul of Tarsus. Visible head of the Christian community of Antioch. In his pastoral letters used a metaphorical style imbued with elements coming from the sports-agonistic conception that characterized the Greek paideia. A teaching method that linked the development of the intellect with physical and sports practices as the only way to attain virtue. The classical heritage in the Apostle's thought in terms of agonistic conception of life we can have a positive impact on the world of football training. Aspects such as asceticism, denial of idols, Paul's profession of faith centered on the existence of a single god have been some of the elements we have been able to compare with the world of modern football. Pauline calls focused sports metaphors a speech which appealed to the struggle, effort and cooperation that should be present in the hard life of early Christians. Based on these assumptions in the dissertation establishes a series of axiological principles derived from the essence of the message of Paul and letters that can be used in improving the teaching soccer sports so much to establish an ethical code that can be useful in the field of training schools and also as a valid tool for educators of this sport. The elements that characterized the Pauline corpus have been compared in working with features occurring in football today. In the same way as the Apostle advised the Christian community we can extrapolate the message in order to get a pure sport where fair play to become one of the elements that define it. Football has recently reached an extraordinary dimension to such an extent, we can say that it has become a substitute religion. The very birth of this sport will take us to the realm of religion, since its emergence in Victorian England, where teachers like Thomas Arnold proposed a new education system aspects of the former returning to the classical method of education. So, sports practices as complementary and necessary in the school curriculum again reached a large size after centuries of oblivion. In this birth of football highlight the important role of the Anglican Church, which the hand of Newton boosted Cardinal football as a therapy for the depressed industrial working class and also as a means of evangelization itself. The discourse of the sacred itself has now been installed in the secular world, particularly in the world of football, so things like salvation, resurrection, miracles and prayers have become part of the sporting context. Based on these assumptions in the doctoral thesis is a thorough comparative study of the rites and symbols of Christian religious context and its relationship to the world of contemporary football. Religion as a cultural phenomenon is characterized by the assumption that the term designates a specific complex human fact, a set of belief systems, symbols, practices and social structures through which human beings live their relationship with the sacred world. The contemporary football has replaced the religious fact. The current human practices are directed towards the world of the profane, to the world of football.

This dissertation is presented in two parts. It first identifies the shape and content of an ancient system of Christian thought predicated on the theology of the cross of Jesus Christ, and proposes the marks typifying its theologians. Over against the ensuing hermeneutic it next finds the project of twentieth century Swiss theologian Karl Barth to exhibit many of the defining characteristics of this system, and Barth himself to be fairly deemed a modern theologian of the cross. He crucially recovers, reshapes and reasserts the classical theologia crucis as a modern theological instrument, one answering enlightened theology’s self-glorifying accommodation to modernity with the living Word of the cross. The crucicentric system itself is found to comprise two major theological dimensions, epistemological and soteriological. Each of these comprises dialectically corresponding aspects connected with false and true creaturely glory. The cruciform Word (or theology) speaking through this system likewise moves in two directions. It declares negatively that any attempt by the creature to circumvent the cross so as to know about God directly, or to condition God's electing decision, is necessarily the attempt to know and act as God alone may know and act - an attempt therefore on the glory of God. It declares positively that in the crucified Christ God formally discloses the knowledge of God, and determines the creature for God. This knowledge and election are appropriated to the creature as, drawn into the cruciform environment, its attempt to glorify itself is negated and Christ's exalted humanity received in exchange. Thence it is lifted to participate in Christ's mind and in his glory, a process guided by the Holy Spirit and completed eschatologically. The database for this research includes selected primary materials in the Apostle Paul, Athanasius, a group of medieval mystical theologians, the reformer Martin Luther - particularly here his Heidelberg Disputation, and Karl Barth. It also pays attention to the recent secondary literature peripherally or more concertedly connecting itself to the theology of the cross, of whatever period. In this literature numerous suggestions for the content of the theology of the cross exist, a major methodological task in the current research being to bring these together systematically. To the extent that the inner structure of the system carrying the cruciform Word has not previously been made explicit, and Barth's crucicentric status not finally determined, in moving towards these achievements this dissertation breaks fresh ground. In the process a new test by which to decide the crucicentric status of any theological project is developed, and a further and crucicentric way of reading Barth proposed. / This dissertation identifies the shape, content, and marks of the theology of the cross, an ancient and still extant epistemological and soteriological system of Christian thought. Applying the resulting hermeneutic it then shows this system to be present with renewed vitality and future significance in the modern project of seminal Swiss theologian Karl Barth (1886-1968).

This dissertation is presented in two parts. It first identifies the shape and content of an ancient system of Christian thought predicated on the theology of the cross of Jesus Christ, and proposes the marks typifying its theologians. Over against the ensuing hermeneutic it next finds the project of twentieth century Swiss theologian Karl Barth to exhibit many of the defining characteristics of this system, and Barth himself to be fairly deemed a modern theologian of the cross. He crucially recovers, reshapes and reasserts the classical theologia crucis as a modern theological instrument, one answering enlightened theology���s self-glorifying accommodation to modernity with the living Word of the cross. The crucicentric system itself is found to comprise two major theological dimensions, epistemological and soteriological. Each of these comprises dialectically corresponding aspects connected with false and true creaturely glory. The cruciform Word (or theology) speaking through this system likewise moves in two directions. It declares negatively that any attempt by the creature to circumvent the cross so as to know about God directly, or to condition God's electing decision, is necessarily the attempt to know and act as God alone may know and act - an attempt therefore on the glory of God. It declares positively that in the crucified Christ God formally discloses the knowledge of God, and determines the creature for God. This knowledge and election are appropriated to the creature as, drawn into the cruciform environment, its attempt to glorify itself is negated and Christ's exalted humanity received in exchange. Thence it is lifted to participate in Christ's mind and in his glory, a process guided by the Holy Spirit and completed eschatologically. The database for this research includes selected primary materials in the Apostle Paul, Athanasius, a group of medieval mystical theologians, the reformer Martin Luther - particularly here his Heidelberg Disputation, and Karl Barth. It also pays attention to the recent secondary literature peripherally or more concertedly connecting itself to the theology of the cross, of whatever period. In this literature numerous suggestions for the content of the theology of the cross exist, a major methodological task in the current research being to bring these together systematically. To the extent that the inner structure of the system carrying the cruciform Word has not previously been made explicit, and Barth's crucicentric status not finally determined, in moving towards these achievements this dissertation breaks fresh ground. In the process a new test by which to decide the crucicentric status of any theological project is developed, and a further and crucicentric way of reading Barth proposed.

This dissertation is presented in two parts. It first identifies the shape and content of an ancient system of Christian thought predicated on the theology of the cross of Jesus Christ, and proposes the marks typifying its theologians. Over against the ensuing hermeneutic it next finds the project of twentieth century Swiss theologian Karl Barth to exhibit many of the defining characteristics of this system, and Barth himself to be fairly deemed a modern theologian of the cross. He crucially recovers, reshapes and reasserts the classical theologia crucis as a modern theological instrument, one answering enlightened theology’s self-glorifying accommodation to modernity with the living Word of the cross. The crucicentric system itself is found to comprise two major theological dimensions, epistemological and soteriological. Each of these comprises dialectically corresponding aspects connected with false and true creaturely glory. The cruciform Word (or theology) speaking through this system likewise moves in two directions. It declares negatively that any attempt by the creature to circumvent the cross so as to know about God directly, or to condition God's electing decision, is necessarily the attempt to know and act as God alone may know and act - an attempt therefore on the glory of God. It declares positively that in the crucified Christ God formally discloses the knowledge of God, and determines the creature for God. This knowledge and election are appropriated to the creature as, drawn into the cruciform environment, its attempt to glorify itself is negated and Christ's exalted humanity received in exchange. Thence it is lifted to participate in Christ's mind and in his glory, a process guided by the Holy Spirit and completed eschatologically. The database for this research includes selected primary materials in the Apostle Paul, Athanasius, a group of medieval mystical theologians, the reformer Martin Luther - particularly here his Heidelberg Disputation, and Karl Barth. It also pays attention to the recent secondary literature peripherally or more concertedly connecting itself to the theology of the cross, of whatever period. In this literature numerous suggestions for the content of the theology of the cross exist, a major methodological task in the current research being to bring these together systematically. To the extent that the inner structure of the system carrying the cruciform Word has not previously been made explicit, and Barth's crucicentric status not finally determined, in moving towards these achievements this dissertation breaks fresh ground. In the process a new test by which to decide the crucicentric status of any theological project is developed, and a further and crucicentric way of reading Barth proposed. / This dissertation identifies the shape, content, and marks of the theology of the cross, an ancient and still extant epistemological and soteriological system of Christian thought. Applying the resulting hermeneutic it then shows this system to be present with renewed vitality and future significance in the modern project of seminal Swiss theologian Karl Barth (1886-1968).

This dissertation is presented in two parts. It first identifies the shape and content of an ancient system of Christian thought predicated on the theology of the cross of Jesus Christ, and proposes the marks typifying its theologians. Over against the ensuing hermeneutic it next finds the project of twentieth century Swiss theologian Karl Barth to exhibit many of the defining characteristics of this system, and Barth himself to be fairly deemed a modern theologian of the cross. He crucially recovers, reshapes and reasserts the classical theologia crucis as a modern theological instrument, one answering enlightened theology’s self-glorifying accommodation to modernity with the living Word of the cross. The crucicentric system itself is found to comprise two major theological dimensions, epistemological and soteriological. Each of these comprises dialectically corresponding aspects connected with false and true creaturely glory. The cruciform Word (or theology) speaking through this system likewise moves in two directions. It declares negatively that any attempt by the creature to circumvent the cross so as to know about God directly, or to condition God's electing decision, is necessarily the attempt to know and act as God alone may know and act - an attempt therefore on the glory of God. It declares positively that in the crucified Christ God formally discloses the knowledge of God, and determines the creature for God. This knowledge and election are appropriated to the creature as, drawn into the cruciform environment, its attempt to glorify itself is negated and Christ's exalted humanity received in exchange. Thence it is lifted to participate in Christ's mind and in his glory, a process guided by the Holy Spirit and completed eschatologically. The database for this research includes selected primary materials in the Apostle Paul, Athanasius, a group of medieval mystical theologians, the reformer Martin Luther - particularly here his Heidelberg Disputation, and Karl Barth. It also pays attention to the recent secondary literature peripherally or more concertedly connecting itself to the theology of the cross, of whatever period. In this literature numerous suggestions for the content of the theology of the cross exist, a major methodological task in the current research being to bring these together systematically. To the extent that the inner structure of the system carrying the cruciform Word has not previously been made explicit, and Barth's crucicentric status not finally determined, in moving towards these achievements this dissertation breaks fresh ground. In the process a new test by which to decide the crucicentric status of any theological project is developed, and a further and crucicentric way of reading Barth proposed. / This dissertation identifies the shape, content, and marks of the theology of the cross, an ancient and still extant epistemological and soteriological system of Christian thought. Applying the resulting hermeneutic it then shows this system to be present with renewed vitality and future significance in the modern project of seminal Swiss theologian Karl Barth (1886-1968).

This dissertation is presented in two parts. It first identifies the shape and content of an ancient system of Christian thought predicated on the theology of the cross of Jesus Christ, and proposes the marks typifying its theologians. Over against the ensuing hermeneutic it next finds the project of twentieth century Swiss theologian Karl Barth to exhibit many of the defining characteristics of this system, and Barth himself to be fairly deemed a modern theologian of the cross. He crucially recovers, reshapes and reasserts the classical theologia crucis as a modern theological instrument, one answering enlightened theology’s self-glorifying accommodation to modernity with the living Word of the cross. The crucicentric system itself is found to comprise two major theological dimensions, epistemological and soteriological. Each of these comprises dialectically corresponding aspects connected with false and true creaturely glory. The cruciform Word (or theology) speaking through this system likewise moves in two directions. It declares negatively that any attempt by the creature to circumvent the cross so as to know about God directly, or to condition God's electing decision, is necessarily the attempt to know and act as God alone may know and act - an attempt therefore on the glory of God. It declares positively that in the crucified Christ God formally discloses the knowledge of God, and determines the creature for God. This knowledge and election are appropriated to the creature as, drawn into the cruciform environment, its attempt to glorify itself is negated and Christ's exalted humanity received in exchange. Thence it is lifted to participate in Christ's mind and in his glory, a process guided by the Holy Spirit and completed eschatologically. The database for this research includes selected primary materials in the Apostle Paul, Athanasius, a group of medieval mystical theologians, the reformer Martin Luther - particularly here his Heidelberg Disputation, and Karl Barth. It also pays attention to the recent secondary literature peripherally or more concertedly connecting itself to the theology of the cross, of whatever period. In this literature numerous suggestions for the content of the theology of the cross exist, a major methodological task in the current research being to bring these together systematically. To the extent that the inner structure of the system carrying the cruciform Word has not previously been made explicit, and Barth's crucicentric status not finally determined, in moving towards these achievements this dissertation breaks fresh ground. In the process a new test by which to decide the crucicentric status of any theological project is developed, and a further and crucicentric way of reading Barth proposed. / This dissertation identifies the shape, content, and marks of the theology of the cross, an ancient and still extant epistemological and soteriological system of Christian thought. Applying the resulting hermeneutic it then shows this system to be present with renewed vitality and future significance in the modern project of seminal Swiss theologian Karl Barth (1886-1968).