Orthodox Christianity represents the oldest Christian tradition. However, the tragic schism between the Christian East and West has resulted in a lost cognizance of the East by the West (Chrysostomos, 2007). Ultimately, this loss, for the West, involves the loss of part of its own Christian heritage. As attempts at rapprochement are made, on the ecclesiastical, cultural, and international levels, it is important that the West begin to develop an understanding of human psychology from an Orthodox perspective, i.e., a psychology consistent with the cosmology and soteriology of Orthodoxy. Orthodox Christian Psychotherapy bridges the divide between mystical, neptic, and hesychastic teachings and the methods and goals of modern Western psychotherapy. It is the meeting of the transcendent and the secular, and of spirituality and psychotherapy, as they impact all those in need of inner healing from spiritual, behavioral, and / or psychological disorders and pathologies (St. John Climacus, 1979; Romanides, 2007). This study in practical theology concretizes the above by examining the intensity of depressive symptomatology and comorbid anxiety before and after a twelve-week treatment plan using Orthodox Christian neptic-psychotherapeutic interventions and techniques. The results represent yet another step in disentangling the mystery of the relationship between spirituality, psychological treatment, and mental health. The findings, which confirm the efficacy of Orthodox Christian Psychotherapy, offer insight into the ways in which neptic-psychotherapeutic interventions may be applied at the pastoral and clinical level and utilized to treat and / or prevent depressive symptomatology and comorbid anxiety, and possibly other spiritual, behavioral, developmental, and / or psychological disorders and pathologies, in both the Orthodox and general populations. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology)

This work was undertaken with a view to developing a textbook for United States secondary schools on the subject of death and dying through a religious lens. The purpose of this work is to provide high school teens with the means of coping with loss and a foundation for crafting their own meaning of life and death. Taking a close look at death attitudes among young people in the United States, as well as high school faculty and staff for the purpose of determining whether or not death education can be provided for public high school students, the work starts from the premise that said death education, using a religious model, should be provided for teenagers because the religious model provides the necessary elements of idea, ritual, and community, so necessary for building a world-view. Research was conducted in the form of survey and historical review to determine the efficacy of the proposed course of study. Upon analysis of the available information on death education history and course offering, as well as analysis of the survey results, the conclusion was reached that the provision of death education in the nation‟s public high schools would go a long way to reducing death anxiety amongst United States teenagers, and also give the adolescents a model for creating their own sense of meaning for all of life that includes death. / Religious Studies and Arabic / D. Litt. et Phil. (Religious Studies)

A presente pesquisa tem como objetivo analisar histórias de vida de pessoas que saíram do mundo do crime através de uma relação cultural e espiritual com a Igreja Assembleia de Deus, no bairro do Cavaleiro, Jaboatão dos Guararapes, nos últimos dez anos., estaremos aqui analisando o discurso e o método utilizando na Assembléia de Deus no processo de ressocialização de pessoas oriundas do mundo da criminalidade, concatenando com os testemunhos produzidos pelos ressocializados.estudando as condições do sentido desses discursos entre indivíduos que se converteram, depois de uma vida no mundo do crime. Interessa-nos, particularmente nessa analise, estudar as marcas da memória e das lembranças desses indivíduos, que narram sobre a sua conversão e a transformações ocorridas nas suas vidas / This research aims to analyze the life stories of people who took the crime world through a cultural and spiritual relationship with the Church Assembly of God, in the neighborhood of Knight, Jaboatao dos Guararapes, in the last ten years. We are here analyzing speech and the method using the Assembly of God in the process of resocialization of people from the world of crime, concatenating with the testimony produced by resocializing studying conditions of sense these discourses between individuals who converted after a life of crime in the world . We are interested in, particularly in this analysis, consider the brands of memory and memories of these individuals, which tell about their conversion and transformations in their lives. Keywords: Assembly of God; resocialization; transformations

Submitted by Biblioteca Central (biblioteca@unicap.br) on 2017-11-22T18:54:35Z No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertacao_moises_germano_andrade.pdf: 1072678 bytes, checksum: f085716ff54cd020e3316c3c6e51b9bb (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-11-22T18:54:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertacao_moises_germano_andrade.pdf: 1072678 bytes, checksum: f085716ff54cd020e3316c3c6e51b9bb (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-06-22 / This research aims to analyze the life stories of people who took the crime world through a cultural and spiritual relationship with the Church Assembly of God, in the neighborhood of Knight, Jaboatao dos Guararapes, in the last ten years. We are here analyzing speech and the method using the Assembly of God in the process of resocialization of people from the world of crime, concatenating with the testimony produced by resocializing studying conditions of sense these discourses between individuals who converted after a life of crime in the world . We are interested in, particularly in this analysis, consider the brands of memory and memories of these individuals, which tell about their conversion and transformations in their lives. / A presente pesquisa tem como objetivo analisar histórias de vida de pessoas que saíram do mundo do crime através de uma relação cultural e espiritual com a Igreja Assembleia de Deus, no bairro do Cavaleiro, Jaboatão dos Guararapes, nos últimos dez anos., estaremos aqui analisando o discurso e o método utilizando na Assembléia de Deus no processo de ressocialização de pessoas oriundas do mundo da criminalidade, concatenando com os testemunhos produzidos pelos ressocializados.estudando as condições do sentido desses discursos entre indivíduos que se converteram, depois de uma vida no mundo do crime. Interessa-nos, particularmente nessa analise, estudar as marcas da memória e das lembranças desses indivíduos, que narram sobre a sua conversão e a transformações ocorridas nas suas vidas.

Text in German / This study analyses, mainly within the scope of the stage theories of Fritz Oser/Paul Gmünder and James W. Fowler, the development of religiosity during adolescence. After an introduction into the social and scientific significance of religiosity, the developmental and functional theories of religiosity are explored. The study then shows, by examining multiple perspectives on the scientific controversy, to what extent the stage theories of Oser/Gmünder and Fowler effectively open up the field of religious development for pastoral and religious educational practice. This clarification of the stages of religious development has many consequences for pastoral care and religious education. Some of the proposed applications either complement or modify significantly the stage theories of Oser/Gmünder and Fowler. Altogether the study provides a critical view of the cognitive-structural theory itself, its empirical reliability and range of applicability, as well as its theological suitability. / Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology)

The notion of identity has always been central to the human person's understanding of self. The question "who am I?" is fundamental to human being. Answers to this question have come from a wide range of academic disciplines. Philosophers, theologians, scientists, sociologists and anthropologists have all sought to offer some insight. The question of individual identity has traditionally been answered from two broad perspectives. The objectivist approach has sought to answer the question through empirical observation - you are a mammal, you are a homo-sapien, you are male, you are African etc. The subjectivist approach has sought to answer the question through phenomenological exploration - I understand myself to be sentient, I remember my past, I feel love etc. A recent development in the field of computer science has however shown a shortcoming in both of these approaches. Ray Kurzweil, a theorist in strong artificial intelligence, suggests the possibility of an interesting identity crisis. He suggests that if a machine could be programmed and built to accurately and effectively emulate a person's conscious experience of being `self' it could lead to a crisis of identity. In an instance where the machine and the person it is emulating cannot be either objectively distinguished (i.e., both display the same characteristics of the person in question), or subjectively distinguish themselves (i.e., both believe themselves to be the `person in question' since both have an experience of being that person. This experience could be based on memory, emotion, understanding and other subjective realities) how is the true identity of the individual validated? What approach can be employed in order to distinguish which of the two truly is the `person in question' and which is the `emulation of that person'? This research investigates this problem and presents a suggested solution to it. The research begins with an investigation of the claims of strong artificial intelligence and discusses Ray Kurzweil's hypothetical identity crisis. It also discusses various approaches to consciousness and identity, showing both their value and shortfall within the scope of this identity conundrum. In laying the groundwork for the solution offered in this thesis, the integrative theory of Ken Wilber is presented as a model that draws on the strengths of the objectivist and subjectivist approaches to consciousness, yet also emphasises the need for an approach which is not only based on individual data (i.e., the objectivist - you are, or subjectivist - I am). Rather, it requires an intersubjective knowing of self in relation to others. The outcome of this research project is an African Theological approach to self-validating consciousness in strong artificial intelligence. This takes the form of an African Theology of relational ontology. The contribution falls within the ambit of Christian anthropology and Trinitarian theology - stressing the Christian belief that true identity is both shaped by, and discovered in, relationship with others. The clearest expression of this reality is to be found in the African saying Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu (A person is a person through other persons). / Systematic Theology / D. Th.

The notion of identity has always been central to the human person's understanding of self. The question "who am I?" is fundamental to human being. Answers to this question have come from a wide range of academic disciplines. Philosophers, theologians, scientists, sociologists and anthropologists have all sought to offer some insight. The question of individual identity has traditionally been answered from two broad perspectives. The objectivist approach has sought to answer the question through empirical observation - you are a mammal, you are a homo-sapien, you are male, you are African etc. The subjectivist approach has sought to answer the question through phenomenological exploration - I understand myself to be sentient, I remember my past, I feel love etc. A recent development in the field of computer science has however shown a shortcoming in both of these approaches. Ray Kurzweil, a theorist in strong artificial intelligence, suggests the possibility of an interesting identity crisis. He suggests that if a machine could be programmed and built to accurately and effectively emulate a person's conscious experience of being `self' it could lead to a crisis of identity. In an instance where the machine and the person it is emulating cannot be either objectively distinguished (i.e., both display the same characteristics of the person in question), or subjectively distinguish themselves (i.e., both believe themselves to be the `person in question' since both have an experience of being that person. This experience could be based on memory, emotion, understanding and other subjective realities) how is the true identity of the individual validated? What approach can be employed in order to distinguish which of the two truly is the `person in question' and which is the `emulation of that person'? This research investigates this problem and presents a suggested solution to it. The research begins with an investigation of the claims of strong artificial intelligence and discusses Ray Kurzweil's hypothetical identity crisis. It also discusses various approaches to consciousness and identity, showing both their value and shortfall within the scope of this identity conundrum. In laying the groundwork for the solution offered in this thesis, the integrative theory of Ken Wilber is presented as a model that draws on the strengths of the objectivist and subjectivist approaches to consciousness, yet also emphasises the need for an approach which is not only based on individual data (i.e., the objectivist - you are, or subjectivist - I am). Rather, it requires an intersubjective knowing of self in relation to others. The outcome of this research project is an African Theological approach to self-validating consciousness in strong artificial intelligence. This takes the form of an African Theology of relational ontology. The contribution falls within the ambit of Christian anthropology and Trinitarian theology - stressing the Christian belief that true identity is both shaped by, and discovered in, relationship with others. The clearest expression of this reality is to be found in the African saying Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu (A person is a person through other persons). / Systematic Theology / D. Th.

In hierdie verhandeling reflekteer ek oor my godsdiensdiskoers en die invloed daarvan op my lewe, beide as persoon en as terapeut. My werk vind 'n nis in die wyse waarop dit die 'stil, onsigbare mensa' benader wie se stories gevorm is deur diskoerse van die modemistiese samelewing. In my navorsing kry ek te doen met problema wat in die algemeen met die praktyke van marginalisering geassosieer word. Die narratiewe gesprekvoering met 'medeskrywers' aan my storie en interaksie met hulle verskillende horisonne kristalliseer in 'n bevrydende en veelvlakkige insig. Hierdie kennis stel my in staat om nuwe keuses te maak en 'n alternatiewe storie vir myself te formuleer. Die studie illustreer dus nie net hoe narratiewe terapie die 'stil, onsigbare' produkte van 'n paternalistiese samelewing kan bemagtig nie. Dit wys ook op die waarde van die oopstelling van die terapeut se eie verhaal vir sy/haar vorming as terapeut. / In this dissertation I reflect on my religious discourse, its influence on my life and how it affects me, both as a person and a therapist. It addresses a niche in its approach to the 'silent, invisible people' whose stories are authored by the discourses of a modernistic society. My research stumbles on all kinds of problems that are generally associated with the practices of marginalisation. Acting as both client and therapist, I enter into numerous interactive conversational sessions with 'co-authors' of my story, afJ with different contexts and horizons. This process crystallises in a liberating and multi-faceted truth. The newly gained knowledge enables me to make new choices and formulate tor myself an alternative story. This study illustrates not only how narrative practices may empower the 'silent, invisible' products of a patemalistic society. It also shows how therapists may benefit from the deconstruction of their own story in both a personal and professional way. / Practical Theology / M. Th. (Pastoral Theology)

Text in Afrikaans / I wanted to investigate the way people experienced confessional pastoral therapy by conducting a qualitative research study. The role of the pastor were examined as well as the effect of discourses of power and ethics in pastoral counseling. I interviewed clients who were counseled by pastors of the AFM Church (Apostolic Faith Mission). The research supposes that knowledge and power discourses have a major influence in pastoral counseling which is often not accounted for. I wanted to see how clients experienced the effects of these discourses of power and ethics. I furthermore wanted to see how these power discourses could result in clients feeling subordinate to the pastor and his knowledge and the effect that these feelings might have on them. The purpose of this study was not to generalize the experiences of the participants, but rather to set a contextual background of the experiences of power in confessional pastoral counseling. / Practical Theology / M. Th. (Pastorale Terapie)

The aim of this study is to determine the influence of personality type as described by Jungian personality theory on marriage problems and to determine the usability of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to solve problems in the understanding and appreciating of individual personality differences. The research depicts the importance of self-awareness to maintain significant relationships. Self-awareness is conceptualised as an integral part of personality psychology. Accurate personality assessment is described as a means to gain accurate self-awareness. A literature study is done on personality theories to discover what role they play in marriage counselling. The question - where does the personality theory of Jung fit into personality psychology and marriage counselling - is answered. The Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator® as an application of Jungian personality theory and an assessment technique to gain accurate self-awareness is discussed. A literature study of different marriage counselling approaches is presented and the focus of these approaches is discussed. None of these approaches used personality theory explicitly. A marriage counselling approach is developed which integrates the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. The approach has five pillars: 1. Developing mutual trust 2. Recognizing and accepting individual differences 3. Giving and receiving feedback 4. Solving problems 5. Letting go of the past The research presents case studies, which confirm that the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator does help individuals and couples to become self-aware and develop awareness of the differences between their personality types. This self-awareness helps to rebuild marital relationships. / Practical Theology / DTH (PRACTICAL THEOLOGY)