While scholarship often focuses on how early modern Italians used images in their devotions, particularly in the post-Tridentine era, little attention has been placed upon how laypeople engaged with devotional text during times of prayer and in their everyday lives. Studies of early modern devotional texts have explored their literary content, investigated their censorship by the Church, or concentrated upon an elite readership. This thesis, instead, investigates how ordinary devotees interacted with holy words in their material form, which I have termed ‘material prayers’. Since this thesis developed under the aegis of the interdisciplinary research project, Domestic Devotions: The Place of Piety in the Italian Renaissance Home, 1400-1600, it focuses primarily on engagement with these material prayers in domestic spaces. Using an interdisciplinary approach drawing from material culture studies, literary history, social and cultural history, and art history, it brings together objects, images and archival sources to illuminate how devotees from across the socio-economic and literacy spectrums accessed and employed devotional text in their prayers and daily life. From holy words, Biblical excerpts, and prayers to textual symbols like the Sacred Monogram of the Name of Jesus, this thesis explores how and why these material prayers were employed for spiritual, apotropaic and intercessory purposes. It analyses material prayers not only in traditional textual formats (printed books and manuscripts), but also those that were printed on single-sheets of paper, inscribed on jewellery, or etched into the structure of the home. To convey how devotees engaged with and relied upon these material prayers, it considers a variety of inscribed objects, including those sanctioned by the Church as well as those which might be questioned or deemed ‘superstitious’ by ecclesiastical authorities. Sermons, Inquisition trial records, and other archival documents have been consulted to further illuminate the material evidence. The first part of the thesis, ‘On the Body’, considers the how devotees came into personal contact with texts by wearing prayers on their bodies. It examines a range of objects including prayers with protective properties, known as brevi, that were meant to be sealed in a pouch and worn around the neck, and more luxurious items of physical adornment inscribed with devotional and apotropaic text, such as necklaces and rings. The second part of the thesis enters the home to explore how the spaces people inhabited and the objects that populated their homes were decorated with material prayers. ‘In the Home’ begins with texts inscribed over the entryways of early modern Italian homes, and then considers how devotees decorated their walls with holy words and how the objects of devotion and household life were imbued with religious significance through the addition of pious inscriptions. By analysing these personal objects and the textual domestic sphere, this thesis argues that these material prayers cut across socio-economic classes, genders, and ages to embody quotidian moments of domestic devotion as well as moments of fear, anxiety and change.

This thesis is a study of nineteenth and twentieth century faith theology and praxis, seeking to determine a balanced, healthy faith that is both sound in theology and effective in practice, Part 1 presents a history and sources of Faith Teaching and Practices. It first looks historically at the roots of later faith teaching and practice by presenting a sampling of teachings on faith from early church fathers, reformers, mystics, and Pietists. These form the foundation for the movements of faith in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries-the classic faith teaching, followed by the modern faith movement and leaders. Part 2 deals with the foundational issues of faith teaching and practice: the relationship of faith to the supernatural, the concept of the inheritance of the believer and the practice of claiming the promises of God, the nature of faith, and the authority of the believer and its inferences for faith praxis. Part 3 investigates seven major theological issues of faith teaching and practice: faith as a law and force, the object and source of faith, the relationship of faith and the will of God, distinguishing between a logos and a rhema word of God, the concepts of revelation and sense knowledge, the doctrine of healing in the atonement, the question of evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Part 4 examines major practical issues of faith teaching and practice about which controversy swirls: positive mental attitude and positive confession; issues of discernment in acting upon impressions, voices, revelations, and "words from the Lord;" questions of faith regarding sickness and healing, death, doctors and medicine; the relationships between sickness, suffering, healing, and sanctification; and prosperity. Part 5 reflects upon these issues and comes to final conclusions regarding: the role of hermeneutics in determining faith theology and praxis, how to handle unanswered prayers and apparent failures of faith, the seeming paradox and tension between claiming one's inheritance and dying to self, a summary of practical conclusions for exercise of healthy faith, and final conclusions and recommendations on developing a sound theology and practice of faith for the twenty-first century. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D.Th. (Practical Theology)

In this dissertation, the affinities between the Prologue of the Fourth Gospel and the Maronite Prayer of the Faithful especially the use of light metaphor are examined and new hypothetic proposals are suggested: the former has influenced the latter; both of them might have shared the same milieu or have been influenced by an existent Antiochene liturgical hymn. These proposals are discussed according to reflections on the Fourth Gospel, the Antiochene Syriac Maronite Church, the light metaphor, the work done on the Prologue from a socio-rhetorical perspective and the study conducted on the first English edition of the Maronite Prayer of the Faithful. / New Testament / M.Th. (New Testament)

The purpose of this research is to explore possible ways of making the Eucharistic celebration more meaningful to Catholics in Mutare diocese, Zimbabwe. The reason for this concern is that the Eucharist is the `source and summit' of the Christian life. Since inculturation is a possible means of achieving this aim of a meaningful celebration, it was found necessary in this study to examine how the Eucharist has been taught and inculturated in the Catholic Church over the years. From this It was discovered that inculturation was absent in the writings and catechesis of early Church authors and Fathers during the periods reviewed. Although an observation was made that it was indirectly implied in the Eucharistic prayers of the early Christians, it was only after a new `understanding of culture' emerged, following Vatican II, that permission was given by Rome to use local languages at Eucharistic celebrations. In the course of this study, efforts were made to determine the elements that constitute Eucharistic inculturation in Mutare diocese. These include: symbolic gestures, local languages, proverbs, enthronement, local staple food, invocation of ancestors, and others. In an empirical study to find out the extent of inculturation that has taken place in Mutare diocese, questionnaires were sent to sixteen out of twenty-four parishes in the diocese. Oral interviews were also conducted for this purpose. After analyzing the responses from respondents and those interviewed, it was discovered that some areas of inculturation have been realized, though not fully. Two outstanding areas which have not yet been realized were found to be the use of local staple food and the invocation of ancestors. The conclusion was that inculturation is not fully implemented in Mutare diocese and this impacts negatively on the celebration of the Eucharist. Eucharistic inculturation is an achievable goal in Mutare diocese, however, provided there is intensive catechesis which takes into account Shona-rich cultural values, aided by active involvement of small Christian Communities and the support of the hierarchy. / Systematic Theology and Theological Ethics / M. Th. (Systematic Theology)

The human trait of entitlement, although currently very topical, has only recently come under serious scrutiny by behavioural psychologists (Campbell, Bonacci, Shelton, Exline & Bushman 2004:30). This study examines the modifying effects of these psychological elements on the spiritual aspects of disease and healing. Other modifiers are the personal spiritual beliefs or dogmas of the clergy within the paradigm of a particular denomination, and the beliefs and expectations of the adherents. Two Christian denominations were chosen for the study: The Methodist Church of Southern Africa, in particular the home church of the writer, The Bedfordview Methodist Church, and Afmin, an organisation that trains and equips students, mainly African, for Christian ministry. Structured face to face interviews were conducted with pastors and church leaders, interviews with medical professionals were conducted and a wide ranging review of relevant literature undertaken. It was found that while the trait of entitlement was a constant in human nature, there were modifying factors. These included the personal beliefs of pastors and youth leaders, often founded on personal experience instead of denominational dogma. The influence of Pentecostal / Charismatic teaching was very evident. It was also found that the church, in a drive to become increasingly relevant to current norms and social trends, tended to have a rather confused understanding of biblical healing and the role of God in disease and suffering. While the inevitability of death, suffering and disease cannot be denied, the role of the church is complex and controversial. Unrealistic expectations, based on teaching that encourages a sense of entitlement can lead to great challenges regarding faith in both the clergy and adherents. / Christian Spirituality, Church History & Missiology / D. Th. (Christian Spirituality)

The human trait of entitlement, although currently very topical, has only recently come under serious scrutiny by behavioural psychologists (Campbell, Bonacci, Shelton, Exline & Bushman 2004:30). This study examines the modifying effects of these psychological elements on the spiritual aspects of disease and healing. Other modifiers are the personal spiritual beliefs or dogmas of the clergy within the paradigm of a particular denomination, and the beliefs and expectations of the adherents. Two Christian denominations were chosen for the study: The Methodist Church of Southern Africa, in particular the home church of the writer, The Bedfordview Methodist Church, and Afmin, an organisation that trains and equips students, mainly African, for Christian ministry. Structured face to face interviews were conducted with pastors and church leaders, interviews with medical professionals were conducted and a wide ranging review of relevant literature undertaken. It was found that while the trait of entitlement was a constant in human nature, there were modifying factors. These included the personal beliefs of pastors and youth leaders, often founded on personal experience instead of denominational dogma. The influence of Pentecostal / Charismatic teaching was very evident. It was also found that the church, in a drive to become increasingly relevant to current norms and social trends, tended to have a rather confused understanding of biblical healing and the role of God in disease and suffering. While the inevitability of death, suffering and disease cannot be denied, the role of the church is complex and controversial. Unrealistic expectations, based on teaching that encourages a sense of entitlement can lead to great challenges regarding faith in both the clergy and adherents. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D. Th. (Christian Spirituality)

[pt] O presente trabalho defende a tese de que, nas distintas Moradas da Obra do Castelo Interior de Teresa, é possível visualizar e nominar fases do desenvolvimento humano e espiritual (diferentes graus de amor), nas quais a pessoa se encontra. Mostra a mística teresiana como alternativa para se compreender o amor de Deus e a espontânea resposta a essa gratuidade divina, experenciada e vivida, pela pessoa, na fé e na sua intensidade. As fases de desenvolvimento humano e espiritual assinalam o desabrochar da maturidade no amor que se plenifica na transcendência de si, na entrega dedicada ao serviço dos irmãos e irmãs e à sociedade em geral, gerando conversão e transformação da mesma, anúncio e continuidade dos valores propostos por Jesus Cristo. / [en] The present work defends the thesis that the different moradas of the book of the Interior Castle of Teresa of Ávila, can visualize different phases of development human and spiritual (or different degrees of love), in which a person finds himself. And at the same time, these phases can be nominated. The thesis proposes a Teresian mystic as an alternative for understanding the love of God by the person and the consequent response to this love, experienced and lived in its intensity. The development of the phases marks the way to maturity in love that deepens the transcendence of self in service to our brothers and sisters, to society in general, generating conversion and transformation of it, the announcement and the continuity of the values proposed by Jesus Christ.

The Caveat For many reasons, names have had to be concealed within this document. The events depicted are real and the discussions true. This is an attempt to legitimize the informal, seemingly mundane and sometimes personal: the author’s experiences bringing a folly to the physical, while trespassing into a new world: Islam. This thesis documents a series of interventions at different scales within that world. There is a book, the chair, and the city of Makkah. The events themselves are superimposed onto the traditional language, or professional conventions, used to justify them. Here, they are relegated to the margins of each page. This is akin to how some of the first books were produced, by students in the confines of dark cloisters or hot desert temples, struggling to maintain historical integrity while fighting the natural tendencies of youth. Their master’s voices always looking over the gutter from the opposite page. The sketches for a new Makkah and a monumental demonstration in Canada unfold in parallel to a body of formal research. Together, as seemingly independently as they are, they paint the portrait of an Islam, while building a personality between the lines. That being said: there isn’t a correct way to read it.

This paper explores the possibility and relevance of theological study of backward time travel and its consequences. An examination of current research on backward time travel reveals a number of interdisciplinary topics which are not handled within physics. Some of these topics, mainly concerning free will and determination, are of interest to philosophers, whereas topics such as meaning and responsibility are left aside.   In theology, there is a general dismissal of the idea of backward time travel. This study claims that this negative stance may be the result of taking science and its methods too seriously. The result of the study is that the interdisciplinary questions connected to backward time travel makes the subject very relevant for theological reflection. Thought experiments on backward time travel can provide valuable insights on how we deal with our lives, our world, time, and God today. / Denna explorativa studie utforskar möjligheten och relevansen av teologiska studier av tidsresor till det förflutna och deras konsekvenser. En undersökning av det aktuella forskningsläget visar på förekomsten av interdisciplinära frågeställningar som inte hanteras inom fysiken. Vissa frågor, framförallt knutna till den fria viljan och determinism, intresserar filosofer, medan andra områden som mening och ansvar inte behandlas vidare. Teologer ställer sig generellt negativa till tanken på resor till det förflutna. Denna studie hävdar att denna negativa inställning kan vara resultatet av en alltför stark respekt för vetenskapens fynd och metoder.  Resultatet av studien är att de interdisciplinära frågeställningar som är kopplade till tidsresor till det förflutna gör ämnet högst lämpligt för teologisk begrundan. Tankeexperiment kring ämnet kan ge värdefulla insikter om hur vi hanterar våra liv, vår värld, tiden och Gud idag.

The Caveat For many reasons, names have had to be concealed within this document. The events depicted are real and the discussions true. This is an attempt to legitimize the informal, seemingly mundane and sometimes personal: the author’s experiences bringing a folly to the physical, while trespassing into a new world: Islam. This thesis documents a series of interventions at different scales within that world. There is a book, the chair, and the city of Makkah. The events themselves are superimposed onto the traditional language, or professional conventions, used to justify them. Here, they are relegated to the margins of each page. This is akin to how some of the first books were produced, by students in the confines of dark cloisters or hot desert temples, struggling to maintain historical integrity while fighting the natural tendencies of youth. Their master’s voices always looking over the gutter from the opposite page. The sketches for a new Makkah and a monumental demonstration in Canada unfold in parallel to a body of formal research. Together, as seemingly independently as they are, they paint the portrait of an Islam, while building a personality between the lines. That being said: there isn’t a correct way to read it.