Thesis (Th. M.)--Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, 1998. / Vita. Bound with 2 copies of leaf 10; numbering and text undisturbed. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 167-171).

Diss. : Philosophische Fakultät : Saarbrücken : 1986. - Bibliogr. p. 451-476. -

Abstract of thesis--Catholic University of America. / Description based on print version record. Bibliography: p. 32-34.

Zugl.: Erfurt, Univ., Diss., 2005.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 257-267).

This thesis examines the development of the cult of the Dioscuri in Rome from the mid-Republic to the end of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. This was a period of great political and social upheaval and of religious change. Through a detailed examination of the cult of the Dioscuri, I trace how the cult developed and adapted in conjunction with religious, political and cultural changes within Roman society. I furthermore examine how the cult changed and explore the reasons why those changes occurred at that time and in that place. Chapter One surveys the two temples of Castor and Pollux in Rome, focusing in particular on their temple in the Roman Forum. Using archaeological and literary evidence, I argue that this temple was a central stage for many of the pivotal events and speeches of the late Republic. Chapter Two examines the epiphanies of the Dioscuri, most commonly associated with battles and their aftermath, although later appearing to commemorate the deaths of prominent individuals such as Julius Caesar and Drusus the Elder. I examine how the epiphanic tradition of the Dioscuri changed over time and ask why it was these gods in particular who rode to aid Rome. Chapter Three turns to exploring the relationships Castor and Pollux were said to possess with groups in Roman society, in particular horsemen, boxers and sailors. I examine how these relationships were formed and publicised and how they benefitted both the mortals and the gods. Chapter Four explores how a different aspect of the Dioscuri became prominent in the imperial period: their fraternal harmony. Castor and Pollux were linked to and compared with pairs of potential imperial successors. I explore the purposes of this comparison and how apt it was for the different pairings. Throughout this thesis, I examine some of the most prominent aspects of the cult of the Dioscuri in Rome within the wider context of history, culture and politics, arguing that the cult was a fully integrated part of Roman society as a whole.

Univ., Diss.--Hamburg, 2004.

Engagement with religion has recently become an important issue to development theoreticians, donors and practitioners. It is recognised that religion plays a key role in shaping moral frameworks and social identities, but little attention is paid to how this is played out in everyday life: the focus remains on ‘faith communities’ and ‘faith-based organisations’ as unified bodies. This thesis uses ethnographic methods to examine how members of two churches in rural Ghana are influenced by and engage with religion. Rather than viewing religion simply as (potentially) instrumental to development, it seeks to approach it in its own right. It challenges the rigidity of categories such as ‘physical/spiritual’ and ‘religious/non-religious’, and the notion of ‘faith communities’ as discrete, unified entities with coherent religious cosmologies. Insights from witchcraft studies and medical anthropology indicate that spiritual discourses are drawn on to negotiate hybrid and continuously changing modernities, and people tend to act pragmatically, combining and moving between discourses rather than fully espousing a particular ideology. Residents of the village studied appear to inhabit a world of different but interconnecting powers, which they are both, to some extent, subject to and able to marshal. These include God, secondary deities, juju, witchcraft, family authorities, traditional leaders, biomedicine and churches. Relationships with both spirits and humans are ambivalent and each of these powers can bring both blessings and harm. Religious experience is fluid, eclectic and pragmatic as people continually enter and exit groups and marshal different powers simultaneously to protect themselves from harm and procure blessings. Approaches by the development world seeking to engage with religion and to take seriously local people’s interests and viewpoints should thus be wary of oversimplification according to traditional Western social science categories, and be underpinned by an understanding of how religious discourses are interpreted and enacted in people’s everyday lives.

Thesis (Ph. D. in Religion)--Vanderbilt University, May 2007. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Univ. College, Diss.--London, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 282 - 307) and index. Understanding religious identity in fourth century Antioch -- Imperial society, religion and literary culture in fourth century Antioch -- Constructed and strategic religious identities and allegiances -- Chrysostom and the construction of religious identities -- Libanius and the strategic use of religious allegiance -- Religious identities and other forms of social identification -- Religious identity and other social identities in Chrysostom -- Religious allegiance and other social identities in Libanius -- Religious identities and social organization -- Chrysostom and social structure among Christians in Antioch -- Libanius, religious allegiance, and social structure -- Assessing the impact of constructions of identity -- Religious identity, religious practice and personal religious power -- Conclusion.