Although the advent of the Kingdom of God in Jesus contains as an intrinsic quality the opportunity for repentance (μετάνοια) as often as required, the Church of the first five-hundred years shows serious difficulties with the opportunity of conversion after a relapse in sinning after baptism. The Church allowed only one chance of repentance. Requirement for the reconciliation were a public confession and the acceptance of severe penances, especially after committing the mortal sin of apostasy, fornication or murder. As severe as this paenitentia canonica appears, its entire conception especially in the eastern part of the Church, the Oriental Church, is a remedial one: sin represents an ailment of the soul, the one, who received the confession, is called upon to meet the confessing person as a spiritual physician or soul-friend. Penance does not mean punishment, but healing like a salutary remedy. Nevertheless the lack of privacy led to the unwanted practice of postponing repentance and even baptism on the deathbed. An alternative procedure of repentance arose from the sixth century onwards in the Irish Church as well as the Continental Church under the influence of Irish missionaries and the South-West-British and later the English Church (Insular Church). In treatises about repentance, called penitentials, ecclesiastical authorities of the sixth to the eight centuries wrote down regulations, how to deal with the different capital sins and minor trespasses committed by monks, clerics and laypeople. Church-representatives like Finnian, Columbanus, the anonymous author of the Ambrosianum, Cummean and Theodore developed a new conception of repentance that protected privacy and guaranteed a discrete, an affordable as well as a predictable penance, the paenitentia privata. They not only connected to the therapeutic aspect of repentance in the Oriental Church by adopting basic ideas of Basil of Caesarea and John Cassian, they also established an astonishing network in using their mutual interrelations. Here the earlier penitentials served as source for the later ones. But it is remarkable that the authors in no way appeared as simple copyists, but also as creative revisers, who took regard of the pastoral necessities of the entrusted flock. They appeared as engaged in the goal to improve their ecclesiastical as well as their civil life-circumstances to make it possible that the penitents of the different ecclesiastical estates could perform their conversion and become reconciled in a dignified way. The aim of the authors was to enable the confessors to do the healing dialogue qualitatively in a high standard; quantity was not their goal. The penitents should feel themselves healed, not punished.

This thesis provides an analysis of the unique nature of the community living in Lincoln Cathedral close in the late fifteenth century. The medieval cathedral close is an important unit of study which has been overlooked in existing historiography. This research draws attention to a hitherto neglected area. Testamentary evidence from inhabitants of the close is used, in conjunction with other sources, to analyse the individuals who constituted the close community, particularly their priorities and concerns prior to death. The first chapter outlines the structure of the cathedral hierarchy and analyses archaeological and architectural evidence for the nature of housing available to close inhabitants. The second chapter examines the identities of the close inhabitants and uses evidence of personal wealth extracted from testamentary bequests to delineate social status. The geographical origins and connections of a number of the close inhabitants are evaluated by identifying the locations to which testamentary bequests were made. Evidence for the education, careers and cultural interests of the close inhabitants are also explored. The third chapter surveys relationships within and without the close. It investigates case studies of testamentary legacies made to fellow close inhabitants, friends and family, as well as the executors chosen. The final chapter considers evidence for the different testamentary strategies employed in the pious, commemorative and charitable provision of the clergy, laywomen and laymen living in the close. It also explores the nature of local and communal pieties expressed by the community. The outcome of this study is to shed light on the character of the community inhabiting Lincoln Cathedral close c.1450-1500, which consisted of a high proportion of laypeople and clergy, mainly local to the city and diocese and largely from the lower ranks of society. As this study emphasises, a small proportion of higher clergy attended university and valued this education, with book ownership indicating in particular the scholarly interests of the close inhabitants. In addition to this, the specific housing arrangements meant that there was a high level of integration between the close inhabitants, whilst reinforcing social hierarchy there. Strong relationships also developed between the chapter clergy, whilst family relationships and friendships were more important for the laity. Lincoln Cathedral was a central concern of the close inhabitants' pious devotions, with different groups of testators adopting different approaches to commemoration and charity, reflecting their distinct roles within medieval urban society.

This study is concerned with the significance of Jungian and post-Jungian theory to the development of the contemporary Western Goddess Movement, which includes the various self-identified nature-based, Pagan, Goddess Feminism, Goddess Consciousness, Goddess Spirituality, Wicca, and Goddess-centred faith traditions that have seen a combined increase in Western adherents over the past five decades and share a common goal to claim Goddess as an active part of Western consciousness and faith traditions. The Western Goddess Movement has been strongly influenced by Jung’s thought, and by feminist revisions of Jungian Theory, sometimes interpreted idiosyncratically, but presented as a route to personal and spiritual transformation. The analysis examines ways in which women encounter Goddess through a process of Jungian Individuation and traces the development of Jungian and post-Jungian theories by identifying the key thinkers and central ideas that helped to shape the development of the Western Goddess Movement. It does so through a close reading and analysis of five biographical ‘rebirth’ memoirs published between 1981 and 1998: Christine Downing’s (1981) The Goddess: Mythological Images of the Feminine; Jean Shinoda Bolen’s (1994) Crossing to Avalon: A Woman’s Midlife Pilgrimage; Sue Monk Kidd’s (1996) The Dance of the Dissident Daughter: A Woman’s Journey from Christian Tradition to the Sacred Feminine; Margaret Starbird’s (1998) The Goddess in the Gospels: Reclaiming the Sacred Feminine; and Phyllis Curott’s (1998) Book of Shadows: A Modern Woman’s Journey into the Wisdom of Witchcraft and the Magic of the Goddess. These five memoirs reflect the diversity of the faith traditions in the Western Goddess Movement. The enquiry centres upon two parallel and complementary research threads: 1) critically examining the content of the memoirs in order to determine their contribution to the development of the Goddess Movement and 2) charting and sourcing the development of the major Jungian and post-Jungian theories championed in the memoirs in order to evaluate the significance of Jungian and post-Jungian thought in the Movement. The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of the original research question: what is the significance of Jungian and post-Jungian theory for the development of the Western Goddess Movement? Each memoir is subjected to critical review of its intended audiences, its achievements, its functions and strengths, and its theoretical frameworks. Research results offered more than the experiences of five Western women, it also provided evidence to analyse the significance of Jungian and post-Jungian theory to the development of the Western Goddess Movement. The findings demonstrate the vital contributions of the analytical psychology of Carl Jung, and post-Jungians M Esther Harding, Erich Neumann, Christine Downing, E.C. Whitmont, and Jean Shinoda Bolen; the additional contributions of Sue Monk Kidd, Margaret Starbird, and Phyllis Curott, and exhibit Jungian and post-Jungian pathways to Goddess. Through a variety of approaches to Jungian categories, these memoirs constitute a literature of Individuation for the Western Goddess Movement.

The SADC region has a high rate of children orphaned at an early age due to several factors which include the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The Zimbabwean orphan population is estimated at 1.6 million children (Ntakazo 2011:1). An increasing number of orphans in Zimbabwe are under the care of elderly grandparents, and some have to fend for themselves. The breakdown of the extended family support system has caused orphans to be especially vulnerable. Against this background this qualitative study examines, from a practical theological perspective, the emotional effects of having been orphaned at a very early age on people’s later lives. The context of the study is Zimbabwe. Through “the multiple case studies design” (Leedy & Ormrod 2010:137) data were collected by means of narrative interviewing from three categories of participants who had been orphaned before the age of five. Two participants of primary school age, two of secondary school age and two young adults on a tertiary education level were interviewed. The primary theoretical framework for processing and interpreting the data was derived from Erikson’s (1959) theory of psychosocial development, supplemented by Kohlberg’s theory of the stages of moral development (1981) and Fowler’s theory of the stages of faith (1981). This study, located in human developmental studies and practical theology, focuses on the emotional effects of early orphanhood at different stages of life and the role of the faith community in caring for such people. The study found that children orphaned before the age of five years experience intense psychological and emotional pain throughout the various developmental stages and that this pain is expressed in a variety of ways. The study concludes with an exploration of how Scripture and the faith community can be utilised as potential sources of healing. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2018. / Practical Theology / MA / Unrestricted

Current social norms support statistics that reflect the uneven distribution of economic resources within the United States. Local Catholic parishes, including its parishioners, have a responsibility to address the needs of the poor by participating in outreach to others. This is true within upper-income parishes where access to a variety of resources could provide support to those with far fewer resources. Church tradition provides the means for understanding why care for the poor is a priority and responsibility in the life of a parish. The belief of “imago Dei” forms a basis of establishing that human life has value due to the equal dignity that is present in all of humanity. Within this broad context, the Second Vatican Council maintained that the Church has a mission to be a sacrament of salvation that animates Jesus’ ministry of care for life in the world today. Subsequently, church members have a responsibility to be the animators for her mission by answering the call to create and form a community in which there exists mutual responsibility and kinship amongst all her members.

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Thesis (MTh (Practical Theology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this thesis is to encourage the renewal of Korean preacher‘s piety and spirituality within the Reformed tradition. Although a large number of studies have been carried out on Christian prayer, little is known about the connection between prayer and preaching in Reformed theology. In the Korean context, most preachers have been trained in the Pentecostal tradition. Therefore, the Reformed churches Korea have requested that instructions on prayer from notable theologians in history be introduced to preachers to help restore spiritual balance to the biblical preaching of Korean Reformed ministers. Reformed preachers should not follow the secular mind and worldly academic style; therefore, the study is concerned with recovering the biblical spirituality of the preacher and the congregation in Korean Christianity. It is argued that the Korean church needs to strive to rediscover and recover the Reformed church‘s long tradition of communication and prayer. The revival in the Korean church was not a Reformed theological revival because it was characterized by the Pentecostal movement and for a long time the Korean church has had a concept of traditional religious spirituality. For true revival to take place in the Reformed Church in Korea, the church needs to forge a new agenda that is rooted in and that emphasizes biblical prayer. To accomplish the aforementioned goal, it is suggested that the prayers of Jesus and an exposition of the Lord‘s Prayer in the Reformed theological traditions be given greater attention. Jesus emphasized the importance of the Lord's Prayer to his disciples and it stands as the capstone of Jesus' prayer life, which he shared with us. Accordingly, a preacher must pray enthusiastically and communicate with God continually. The spirituality of both the preacher and the congregation is crucial in modern churches. Therefore, our spiritual foundation must be organized on biblical, historical, theological research in a way that would encourage not only the preachers but also the congregation members to be enthusiastic in prayer before God. Today‘s theological discourse should be able to engage with classical (Reformed theological) literature or instructions on prayer, and the present investigation is an attempt to look back to those classical instructions as a most meaningful starting point to overcome the spiritual difficulties in Korean churches. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie tesis is om hernuwing van Koreaanse predikers se godsdienstigheid en spiritualiteit binne die Gereformeerde tradisie aan te moedig. Hoewel vele studies reeds onderneem is oor Christelike gebed, bly kennis oor die konneksie tussen gebed en prediking binne die Gereformeerde teologie, gebrekkig. In die Koreaanse konteks is die meeste predikers opgelei in die Pinkster-tradisie. Daarom het die Gereformeerde kerke in Korea 'n pleidooi gelewer dat opleiding in gebed deur gerekende teoloë, toegevoeg word in hul opleiding, om predikers te help om 'n geestelike balans te handhaaf in hul bybelse prediking. Gereformeerde predikers behoort nie die sekulêre gedagtegang en wêreldse akademiese styl aan te hang nie; hierdie studie is gemoeid met die herwinning van bybelse spiritualiteit van die prediker en die gemeente in die Koreaanse Christendom. Daar word geargumenteer dat die Koreaanse kerk moet streef om die Gereformeerde kerk se lang tradisie van kommunikasie en gebed te herontdek en herwin. Die oplewing in die Koreaanse kerk was nie 'n Gereformeerde teologiese oplewing nie maar is gekenmerk deur die Pinkster-beweging, wat vir 'n lang tyd die Koreaanse kerk se opvatting omtrent tradisionele religieuse spiritualiteit onderlê het. Die kerk benodig 'n nuwe agenda, gewortel in bybelse gebed vir ware herlewing om plaas te vind in die Gereformeerde kerk in Korea. Om hierdie doel te bereik, word dit voorgestel dat die gebede van Jesus en 'n uiteensetting van die Ons Vader-gebed in die Gereformeerde teologiese tradisies dieper bestudeer word. Jesus het die belang van die Ons Vader-gebed beklemtoon teenoor sy dissipels, en dit verteenwoordig 'n hoeksteen van sy gebedslewe, wat ook ons nalatenskap is. Vervolgens moet 'n prediker geesdriftig kan bid en voortdurend in kommunie kan tree met God. Die spiritualiteit van beide die prediker en die gemeente staan sentraal binne moderne kerke. Daarom moet ons spirituele fondasie onderleg word deur bybelse, historiese, teologiese navorsing op 'n manier wat beide predikers en gemeentes sal lei tot geesdriftige gebed teenoor God. Hedendaagse teologiese diskoerse moet in gesprek tree met klassieke (Gereformeerde teologiese) literatuur of gebedsopleiding, en die huidige studie bied 'n poging om terugskouend te besin oor die klassieke opleiding, as die mees beduidende vertrekpunt om spirituele vraagstukke in Koreaanse kerke op te los.

Thesis (MTh (Practical Theology and Missiology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Korean Protestant Church has witnessed some conflicting views regarding theological issues as well as important socio-political events between conservatism and liberalism from the early mission era up to recent times. This discord has obviously been reflected in their preaching. Specifically, their application in preaching has shown a tendency of practicing eisegesis on the text under the influence of social and political ideologies, and traditional religions. In its method of application, the Korean Protestant Church has made use of the imperative, indicative, and instructive styles. The purpose of this thesis is to suggest the use of various relevant applications, which take into account the biblical literary form to overcome eisegesis. This task would be accomplished by a balanced exegesis process through the historical-critical perspective. Chapter 1 of this thesis comprises the introduction, which deals with the research background, motivation, problems in research, hypothesis, delimitations of the research, and proposed outline of the study. Chapter 2 describes the characteristics and phenomena of preaching in each period through the historical overview of the Korean preaching. The history of Korean preaching can be divided into four different periods: firstly, the era of the early missionaries; secondly, the form of the sermon of the Korean Church under Japan’s rule; thirdly, the Korean sermon after the liberation and fourthly the sermon in the midst of a military dictatorship and the rapid growth of the Korean economy. Chapter 3 analyzes the causes of the characteristics and phenomena of the Korean preaching mentioned in Chapter 2. In brief, before the liberation, Korean preaching was strongly influenced by the fundamentalist theology of the early missionaries, the church leaders’ view on the Bible, and political circumstances under colonial rule (the problem of the Shinto shrine worship). After liberation, preaching in the Korean church has been influenced by the prevailing socio-political ideology (the perspective of a separation of the church and state), kibok sinang (belief in prayers for blessings) which was rooted in the traditional religions, and the rise of the Minjung theology which promoted the indigenization of theology. This chapter also examines how these causes influenced the application of preaching in the midst of a conflict between conservative and liberal churches. Chapter 4 deals with the purpose, necessity, principle, and method of application in preaching. Chapter 5 examines the sermonic approach considering the biblical literary form that was suggested by Thomas Long and how it plays a role in application of preaching as a solution to the problems of application that both the conservative and liberal church have. To illustrate this I have highlighted two examples, namely the method of application through imagination in poetry as a genre and the identification of characters in the narrative genre. In conclusion, chapter 6 summarizes the features of Korean preaching and suggests the benefit of application taking into account the literary form in the circumstances of Korean preaching. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Protestantse Kerk in Korea het, sedert die begin van sendingwerk tot mees onlangs, uiteenlopende gesigspunte sowel as belangrike sosio-politiese gebeure tussen konservatisme en liberalisme aanskou. Die onenigheid is begryplikerwyse in hul prediking gereflekteer. Veral hul aanwending in die prediking het 'n neiging tot eisegese van die teks onder die invloed van sosiale en politiese ideologieë en tradisionele godsdienste getoon. In sy wyse van aanwending het die Koreaanse Protestantse Kerk van die imperatiewe, indikatiewe en instruktiewe metodes gebruik gemaak. Die doel van hierdie tesis is om die gebruik van verskeie relevante aanwendings, wat die literêre vorm van die Bybel in ag neem ten einde eisegese te oorkom, voor te stel. Hierdie taak kan verrig word deur 'n gebalanseerde eksegese proses vanuit die histories-kritiese perspektief. Hoofstuk 1 van hierdie tesis bevat die inleiding wat fokus op die agtergrond van die navorsing, die motivering, navorsingsprobleme, hipotese, afbakening van die navorsing en die voorgestelde profiel van die studie. Hoofstuk 2 beskryf, deur middel van die historiese oorsig van Koreaanse prediking, die karaktertrekke en verskynsels van prediking gedurende elke periode. Die geskiedenis van Koreaanse prediking kan in vier verskillende periodes verdeel word: Eerstens, die era van die vroeë sendelinge; tweedens, die vorm van die preek in die Koreaanse Kerk tydens Japanese beheer; derdens, die preek in Korea na bevryding en vierdens, die preek te midde van militêre diktatorskap en die snelle groei van die Koreaanse ekonomie. Hoofstuk 3 analiseer die oorsake van die kenmerke en verskynsels van Koreaanse prediking soos vermeld in Hoofstuk 2. In kort, voor bevryding was Koreaanse prediking sterk beïnvloed deur die fundamentalistiese teologie van die vroeë sendelinge, die kerkleiers se beskouinge omtrent die Bybel en die politieke omstandighede gedurende die koloniale tydperk (die probleem van die Shinto heiligdom aanbidding). Na bevryding is prediking in die Koreaanse kerk beïnvloed deur die heersende sosio-politiese ideologie (die perspektief van 'n skeiding tussen kerk en staat), kibok sinang (geloof in gebede vir seëninge) wat gewortel was in die tradisionele godsdienste en die opkoms van die Minjung teologie wat die verinheemsing van teologie bevorder het. Hierdie hoofstuk ondersoek ook die invloed van dié oorsake op die aanwending van prediking te midde van 'n konflik tussen konserwatiewe en liberale kerke. Hoofstuk 4 fokus op die doel, noodsaaklikheid, beginsel en metode van aanwending in prediking. Hoofstuk 5 ondersoek die predikingsbenadering met inagneming van die literêre vorm van Bybel soos voorgestel deur Thomas Long en die rol wat dit vervul in die aanwending van prediking as 'n oplossing vir die probleme van aanwending wat deur beide die konserwatiewe en liberale kerk ondervind word. Ten einde hierdie aspek te illustreer het ek twee voorbeelde, naamlik die metode van aanwending deur verbeelding in poësie as genre en die identifikasie van karaktertrekke in die narratiewe genre uitgelig. Ter afsluiting, hoofstuk 6 vat die hoofeienskappe van Koreaanse prediking saam en stel die voordele van aanwending met inagneming van die literêre vorm in die omstandighede van prediking in Korea voor.

Aim: The aim of this thesis is to elaborate a theological understanding of health care at its most vulnerable point: the meaning and exercise of personhood itself. Personhood, as I develop the concept, is understood in relational terms. Through this exploration of the relational dimensions of the human person, I provide a conceptual framework in which health care is able to derive fresh vigour and inspiration. This approach accomplishes two things: it establishes a role for theological insights in the public discourse of health care; secondly, it demonstrates that theology is able to assist health care to better understand itself and renew itself. As an exercise in Practical Theology, the investigation is interdisciplinary in nature, drawing on insights from philosophy, health care and various dimensions of theology. Scope: Historically, the focus of theologically motivated contributions to health and medicine has been on ethical dilemmas that arise in clinical practice. In this thesis, however, the focus is on bringing theology and health care into dialogue in order to advance the conversation between the two disciplines. The thesis, therefore, has three elements that determine its scope. Firstly, advancing the place of the human person in health care theory and practice: hence, this thesis is an exercise in practical theology. Secondly, situating theology in a field of engagement with wider contemporary culture—especially the culture of health care—in a genuinely interdisciplinary manner. Thirdly, critiquing current theory and practice in health care, and reinvigorating the central meanings and values that inform and motivate health care. Conclusions: There are five substantial conclusions deriving from the research and argument of this thesis: Firstly, and the basis for other conclusions, the theology developed in the thesis argues that a relational model of the human person is indispensable to contemporary health care. Secondly, while relational personhood is not a panacea for all the dilemmas posed by modern health care, thinking about personhood in relational terms opens the possibility of a dialogical approach to ethical dilemmas in health care. Thirdly, relational personhood represents a fundamental shift in the discourse of health care and of theology. Fourthly, a focus on relationships inspires a priority for the vulnerable and gives rise to an ethic of responsibility. Fifthly, a practical theology of relational personhood can bring about a rapprochement between religious concerns and health care.As I note in the conclusion to the thesis: “These are not dramatic claims but they do have the capacity to transform both disciplines and to enable them to more adequately meet their own goals.”

This thesis presents an argument for the development of a catechumenate for the Church of Scotland. It does so first by drawing attention to the wide discrepancy between the assumptions of the secular culture and those of the church, specifically the Church of Scotland, with a view to understanding the substantial differences in the beliefs of those baptised and the beliefs of the church. It argues that the church has yet to come to terms with this discrepancy and consequently has weakened its distinctive baptismal witness. Secondly, the thesis considers in depth the development and reception of two major studies on the subject of baptism conducted by the Church of Scotland in the last sixty years. It indicates that both remain largely unknown quantities within the church and have subsequently failed to provide practical guidance to the church in its practice of baptism. This thesis considers the experience and practice of adult baptism in contemporary Scotland and concludes with an extended argument justifying the need for a fully developed catechumenate.