Thesis (M. A.)--University of Canterbury, 2008. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 157-162). Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.A.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 1999. / Bibliography: leaves 180-192.

Astrology is a belief system that has existed for almost 2,500 years. This enduring form of belief has not been effectively studied by scholars and thus we know little about why beliefs commonly stigmatized as superstitions continue to appeal to people today. My research, based on fieldwork and interviews with astrologers in the Portland, Oregon area, demonstrates that the longevity of this belief system may be attributed to its ability to provide meaning and purpose to people. Throughout history, astrology has been adapted to and has evolved within the cultures in which it exists, and its latest adaptation reveals a close connection to the New Age movement. Astrological worldviews, which assume a correlation between predictable celestial cycles and human activity, are rooted in a premise of fatalism, but this analysis reveals a nuanced view of fate that often is empowering rather than limiting.

DOLEŽAL Rafael: A theological view of healing in Christianity and selected spiritual streams of the 20th century, Praha: Teologická fakulta Univerzity Karlovy, 2012. The subject of the diploma thesis consists in study of healing, which is seen from a position of fundamental theology. Attention is paid especially to those claiming to be classified as miraculous ones. A theologically seized recovery is then compared with the concept of healing in selected spiritual streams of the 20th century, belonging to the group New Age. This diploma thesis analyzes the characteristics of miraculous healing, and examines their significance for religion. Keywords: fundamental theology, miracle, healing, New Age, holistic health

Denna undersökning är utformad för att ta reda på var människor stöter på New Age samt hur det skiljer sig mellan de olika åldersgrupperna. Undersökningen ska även försöka besvara vilka perspektiv det finns på New Age, vad som är vardagligt och vad som är avvikande samt hur integrerad New Age är i populärkulturen. För att genomföra denna undersökning användes blandad metodik av både kvantitativ och kvalitativ metodik. Inom den kvantitativa delen användes en enkät med fyra olika målgrupper (<19, 19–30, 31–60 och > 60 år). Inom varje målgrupp genomfördes 25 enkäter.Den kvalitativa delen bestod av fyra semistrukturerade intervjuer med en person från vardera ålderskategorin

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The Rainbow Family of Living Light is an intentional society devoted to achieving world peace through spiritual healing. A loose association of spiritual seekers that explicitly rejects all forms of leadership and imposed authority, it represents an interesting example of an anarchist and communal society. Rainbow Family events regularly draw thousands of people. These take place all over the world. While some participants may question the label, it can be described as one of the biggest and most geographically diverse New Age groups on the planet. As such, it is a very important factor in shaping the entire present day New Age movement. I conducted fieldwork with the Rainbow Family between the autumns of 1998 and 2002, traveling with the nomadic group throughout the United States. The Rainbow Family rejects any sort of official membership, accepting anyone who attends its events as an equal participant. Spending extended periods of time in the field, I became immersed in this alternative society. The distinction between ethnographic researcher and informants was highly problematic under such circumstances. This made me acutely aware of the issues surrounding fieldwork and anthropological authority. My own work began to seem quite similar to the spiritual seeking of other participants. As such, I began to consider the commonalities between anthropology and the spirituality encountered within the Rainbow Family. The spiritual discourses produced by Rainbow Family participants are uniquely eclectic and ludic in tone. In a setting explicitly championing individual freedom rather than coercion, there is no sense of spiritual orthodoxy. The ways in which spiritual discourses are treated by the Rainbow Family display interesting attitudes towards truth, authority, and reality. These attitudes are reminiscent of epistemological orientations within postmodernist anthropology. Rainbow Family participants find noteworthy solutions to the apparent ontological dilemmas postmodernism presents. It is my hope that looking at the Rainbow Family of Living Light will suggest a viable way for anthropology to productively deal with its current crisis of identity.

<p>Private religion is a faith that isn’t practiced in an organised religious community. Many people do not want to accept a religious concept that is already defined. To choose a conception of faith based upon personal preferences fits some modern man better. The purpose of this thesis is to examine if it’s possible to create a personal religion and how such a process looks. The function of Internet for people’s religiosity is also examined. Three informants have been interviewed by e-mail. The common denominator is the faith in reincarnation. The result shows that there are some central points in common in their faith. They are critical of the traditional religion. The faith is chosen and is adapted to the personal needs. The individual is in the centre. There is a strong belief in the human being and her ability to influence her own life. Religious authorities are not important. Neither are religious ceremonies significant, the informants have instead created their own rites. A part of the thesis contains a study of religious forum on the Internet which shows that Internet can function as a traditional religious community. People can acquaint themselves with other people’s stories, ask questions and have there own thoughts virtually confirmed.</p> / <p>Privatreligion är en tro som inte utövas i organiserad religiös gemenskap. Många drar sig för att köpa ett religiöst koncept som någon annan redan definierat. Att välja trosföreställning baserat på egna preferenser passar en del moderna människor bättre. Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka om det går att skapa en egen religion och hur en sådan process ser ut. Även Internets funktion för människors religiositet undersöks. Tre informanter har intervjuats via mejl. Den gemensamma nämnaren är tron på reinkarnation. Resultatet visar att det finns några centrala beröringspunkter i deras tro. De är kritiska till den traditionella religionen. Tron väljs och anpassas till de egna behoven. Individen är i centrum. Det finns en stark tilltro till människan och hennes möjlighet att påverka sitt liv. Religiösa auktoriteter är inte viktiga. Inte heller religiösa ceremonier är betydelsefulla, utan informanterna har utvecklat personliga riter. En del av uppsatsen består av en studie av religiösa forum på Internet vilken visar att Internet kan fungera som en traditionell religiös gemenskap. Personer kan ta del av andras berättelser, ställa frågor och få sina egen tankar bekräftade virtuellt.</p>

Private religion is a faith that isn’t practiced in an organised religious community. Many people do not want to accept a religious concept that is already defined. To choose a conception of faith based upon personal preferences fits some modern man better. The purpose of this thesis is to examine if it’s possible to create a personal religion and how such a process looks. The function of Internet for people’s religiosity is also examined. Three informants have been interviewed by e-mail. The common denominator is the faith in reincarnation. The result shows that there are some central points in common in their faith. They are critical of the traditional religion. The faith is chosen and is adapted to the personal needs. The individual is in the centre. There is a strong belief in the human being and her ability to influence her own life. Religious authorities are not important. Neither are religious ceremonies significant, the informants have instead created their own rites. A part of the thesis contains a study of religious forum on the Internet which shows that Internet can function as a traditional religious community. People can acquaint themselves with other people’s stories, ask questions and have there own thoughts virtually confirmed. / Privatreligion är en tro som inte utövas i organiserad religiös gemenskap. Många drar sig för att köpa ett religiöst koncept som någon annan redan definierat. Att välja trosföreställning baserat på egna preferenser passar en del moderna människor bättre. Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka om det går att skapa en egen religion och hur en sådan process ser ut. Även Internets funktion för människors religiositet undersöks. Tre informanter har intervjuats via mejl. Den gemensamma nämnaren är tron på reinkarnation. Resultatet visar att det finns några centrala beröringspunkter i deras tro. De är kritiska till den traditionella religionen. Tron väljs och anpassas till de egna behoven. Individen är i centrum. Det finns en stark tilltro till människan och hennes möjlighet att påverka sitt liv. Religiösa auktoriteter är inte viktiga. Inte heller religiösa ceremonier är betydelsefulla, utan informanterna har utvecklat personliga riter. En del av uppsatsen består av en studie av religiösa forum på Internet vilken visar att Internet kan fungera som en traditionell religiös gemenskap. Personer kan ta del av andras berättelser, ställa frågor och få sina egen tankar bekräftade virtuellt.

Svarbią vietą asmenybės ugdymo procese užima orumas. Reformacijos sensualistinėje J.A. Komenskio pedagogikoje orumas siejamas su dievotumu ir veikimu tam tikroje socialinėje-kultūrinėje erdvėje. Šiuolaikinės visuomenės socialinių ir kultūrinių vertybių transformacija keičia orumo dimensijas. Darbo tikslas atskleisti J.A. Komenskio orumo ugdymo procesą ir orumo transformacijas šiuolaikinėje visuomenėje. Siekiant minėto tikslo keliami uždaviniai: atskleisti orumo sampratą teologiniame, filosofiniame ir edukologiniame kontekste; aptarti J.A. Komenskio orumo ugdymo koncepciją ; išryškinti orumo transformacijos ypatumus šiuolaikinėje visuomenėje; apibūdinti šiuolaikinio jaunimo požiūrį į orumą. Tyrimo metodologijai pasitelkta krikščioniška personalistinė filosofija, atskleidžianti žmogaus buvimo būdus bei tarpusavio ryšius; vertybių filosofijos teiginiai, išryškinantys metafizinį gėrio pradmenį, kuris įtvirtina žmogaus vientisumo bei nuolatinio tapsmo idėją ir integralaus ugdymo būtinumą. Kiekybiniame tyrime dalyvavo 60 Romos katalikų ir evangelikų reformatų bei nekonfesiniai 16-18 metų jaunuoliai. Tyrimo hipotezė, kad šiuolaikinės visuomenės socialinių ir kultūrinių vertybių transformacija keičia orumo dimensijas pasitvirtino. Teorinis tyrimas parodė, kad modernioje epochoje orumo dimensiją transformuoja utilitarus individualizmas, sekuliarizacija ir moderni religija (New Age). Empirinis tyrimas atskleidė, kad krikščioniškų konfesijų respondentai transcendentinę orumo... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Dignity plays a major role in the process of personality’s upbringing and edification. The sensualistic pedagogy of the Reformation outlined by J. A. Comenius relates dignity to godliness and action (operation) in a certain social-cultural area. The transformation of modern society’s social and cultural values impacts and changes the dimensions of personal dignity. The aim of this paper is to show the process of the upbringing of person’s dignity according to J. A. Comenius as well as disclose the transformations of dignity in today’s society. The aim is achieved in several ways: by revealing the concept of dignity in different contexts – such as theological, philosophical and educological; by reviewing the concept of the upbringing of dignity introduced by J. A. Comenius; by emphasizing the peculiarities of dignity transformations in today’s society; by defining the attitude of today’s youth concerning the issue of dignity. The methodology of the research has been based on Christian personalistic philosophy that outlines the ways of persons being and interpersonal relationships; the statements of the philosophy of values that emphasize the metaphysic principle of the good that lays firm foundation for personality’s wholeness, the idea of constant becoming (transformation), and the necessity of integral upbringing. The quantitative research was conducted by polling 60 Roman Catholics, Evangelical Reformers and non-confessional young people, aged 16-18. The hypothesis of the... [to full text]