Thesis (M.A.)--B.Y.U. Dept. of Church History and Doctrine. / Electronic thesis. Also available in print ed.

Thesis (M.A.)--Catholic Theological Union at Chicago, 2004. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 108-110).

Thesis (M.A.)--Catholic Theological Union at Chicago, 2004. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 108-110).

The Book of Leviticus has been described as the ‘first hygiene text’ based upon the observation that Leviticus contains a great deal of matter relating to two conditions. The first is צרעת translated in the Septuagint as λέπρα and confused in English translations with modern leprosy. The second, זוב was misused as a generic term for a whole spectrum of genital discharges. Apart from these, Leviticus contains nothing of a ‘medical’ nature. The question arises, as to whether these terms implied any sort of medical context or whether their only significance was as markers of ritual impurity to the priesthood. In Chapter 1 this question is developed and an hypothesis arrived at. A hermeneutic and methodology for the study are introduced and discussed. Chapter 2 is a review of the state of developing ‘medical practice’ in the Ancient Near East. Chapter 3 is concerned with the ideology of the levitical priesthood and their worldview in particular in respect of the establishment and operation of practice of ritual. Chapter 4 treats on the Levitical notion of impurity considered from both taxonomical and sociological standpoints and these approaches are discussed in the context of the present study. Chapters 5 and 6 each contain a detailed ‘medical exegesis’ of chapters 13 and 15 of Leviticus dealing with צרעת and .זוב Chapter 7 contains a similar treatment of the biblical notion of blemish and addresses the question of whether this was a mark of impurity like צרעת and .זוב In Chapter 8 embodies idea of contagion in the context of the ‘hygienic’ theme in Leviticus and the priests’ concern with what might imperil sacred objects. Chapter 9 employs context logometrical analysis in a detailed study of the word צרעת and whether there was, in Ancient Israel, any relationship, adverse or synergic between the activities of the priests in preserving purity, and early healthcare practice. Chapter 10 is a discussion of how צרעת has been seen from a theological perspective. While the exact nature of צרעת remains unknown, its biblical context — levitical and non levitical — is considered in relation to modern theories of the relationship of the impurity laws, sin and the wholeness↔ healthcare dynamic. Chapter 11 is a presentation of the conclusions that may be drawn from this study in respect of the wholeness↔ holiness paradigm posited in the hypothesis. It is concluded that there is no clear evidence to suggest that the priesthood saw צרעת and זוב in any terms commensurate with modern pathology and clinical medicine. Consequently it would be wrong to suppose, as many authors have, that in the levitical context, countermeasures to these conditions, though diagnostic, were hygienic in the modern, medical, — they were not, nor were they ever envisaged to be. That some of these measures subsequently found a significant place in preventive medicine appears to have been both fortuitous and fortunate.

From Preface: In this age of ecumenical discussion it has becone necessary for all Christian communions to examine afresh their traditional beliefs. This has frequently led to restatement and reformulation of such traditional beliefs. It has also driven us back to seek new light from the Biblical sources. It seemed that such a re-examination of the traditional doctrine of the priesthood of all believers was necessary so that those who claim to hold it know what they hold, and so that those who do not may know what it is that their fellow-Christians believe, and why. This was the first reason for this study.

Hispanic American Catholics are a growing immigrant population in the United States, with Hispanic cultures and Catholicism woven together in unique ways. This situation presents a window through which can be examined the dynamic between individualism and religiosity. Four logistic regression models were estimated utilizing data from the Pew Research Center 2013 Survey of U.S. Latinos, in order to investigate the correlates of Hispanic American Catholic support for women in the Catholic priesthood. Religious individualism (self-determination) was measured in two dimensions, while cultural individualism (acculturation) was measured in one dimension. The first three regression models test three hypotheses related to religious and cultural individualism, while the fourth model factors in all of the variables used. Findings generally supported the saliency of religious individualism over against the hierarchal dogma of the Catholic Church, but not the saliency of cultural individualism. However, findings also exposed the complexities inherent in both Catholic religiosity and acculturation among Hispanic American Catholics.

No description available.

No description available.

Joseph Smith organized a group called Seventies in the Mormon Church early in 1835. They are one of three primary groups in the Higher or Melchizedek Priesthood. They were said to be Elders with a special calling to preach the Gospel among the nations of the earth. Their calling was said to be apostolic because they were to assist the Twelve Apostles in preaching the Gospel and administering Church affairs under their direction. They were a general Church Quorum, and not considered a part of stake organization.The Seventies were established in their calling as missionaries in the time of Joseph Smith, and carried about their share or a little more, of the missionary work in the proportion to the other Priesthood groups. Under the auspices of Brigham Young, they became, for the most part, the missionary force of the Church. This was continued until after the turn of the century; at that time the policy changed and the Elders began to carry out most of the foreign missionary work of the Church. Seventies were asked to carry on missionary work in their home stakes and wards. Fundamentally, two reasons were given for the change in policy: First, the Seventies, being older men than most Elders, were hindered from accepting mission calls because of family and financial responsibilities. Second, making most missionaries Seventies had made their number too great in proportion to the other groups, and took too much leadership away from Elders quorums. However, these conditions existed for a long time before the change, and the Seventies were apparently able to fulfill their calling very well.

This thesis is an analysis of the use of combined concepts of covenant and priesthood in some late Second Temple period Jewish and Jewish-Christian texts. In this thesis I investigate 1 and 2 Maccabees, Dead Sea Scrolls, and Hebrews, to see the various ways in which these Second Temple compositions have articulated the combined concepts of covenant and priesthood on the basis of their treatment of various biblical and extra-biblical traditions. The elaborate articulations of the combined concepts of covenant and priesthood in these texts partly reflect the concern of the Second Temple Jewish authors: how significant the priestly institutions and priesthood were, not only in terms of cultic matters, but also in terms of political and identity concerns. By means of this study, I hope to demonstrate that the combined concept of covenant and priesthood is necessary for a better understanding of some Second Temple texts.