The Art Nouveau ecclesiastical architecture in Czech Republic (Bohemia) The diploma thesis focusses on Art Nouveau religious architecture in Bohemia. It deals with the cultural and art movements between 1890-1920 which íncludes the late Historicism, Art Nouveau, and Modernism. The first part of the diploma thesis presents the influences which affected the development of Art Nouveau religious architecture in Bohemia and its architects. It also introduces architectural elements that are typical for Art Nouveau religious architecture. The second part of the diploma thesis presents religious buildings in the particular regions of Bohemia and describes them subsequently in the catalogue that is arranged chronologically. Keywords Art Nouveau, religious architecture, the Catholic Church, the Evangelical Church, Bohemia, 19th and 20th century, 1890-1920

This diploma thesis deals with so called "transfer movement" in Mělník in 1921. The term "transfer movement" refers to a strong campaign which tried to persuade people to leave the Roman Catholic Church before the census of February 1921 in or der to the emancipation of our nation from the Church would have been expressed. The general principle of the movement was that the Rome had always been our enemy, that the reformation is the very essence of our national identity and that the Catholic Church had been an ally of the Habsburg dynasty. The thesis tries to explore the role of the leading groups of the "transfer movement" (especially Czechoslovak Church, Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren and Freethought) and of the press in Mělník as well as the reaction of the local catholic clergy. The core of the work is based mainly on primary sources (both archive and published). It was found that the transfer movement was rather successful. No violent clashes were reported. The local press played an important role and supported the transfer movement. Keywords: transfer movement, Mělník, Czechoslovak Church, Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren, Freethought, discourse analysis

Since independence, Burundi has lost over a million of its inhabitants to ethnic conflict. Political collaboration is divided along ethnic lines and this has destroyed the ethnic solidarity and good social relationships that characterized the pre-colonial period. Ideally, the mission of the Evangelical Church of Central Africa (ECCA) when faced with Burundi’s tragic and successive socio-ethnic wars should have been to promote peace, social justice, ethnic cohabitation, national reconciliation, respect for human rights, national reconstruction and to denounce all harm and discrimination against the human being. The ECCA has a sacred mission to announce the gospel to all humanity and to assist the people towards the positive socio-economic and political transformation of Burundi. This study will be of help to missiological scholars and to the church so that it may better carry out its prophetic mission according to God’s vision and with the purpose of positively transforming Burundian society. / Christian Spritituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

By conducting a case study of two diaconal institutions, Samariterhemmet in Uppsala/Sweden and the Evangelisches Diakoniewerk Schwäbisch Hall e.V. in Germany, the thesis compares the roles of church diaconal work within the Swedish and the German welfare system. These two systems are characterised by the different roles given to independent welfare organisations. The overarching research question is if and in which way the two diaconal institutions are effected by current changes within the field of welfare and how these changes challenge them to redefine their roles. The material analysed contains written documents, interviews with selected representatives and the results of participant observation in both institutions. As changes in the roles of independent welfare organisations were expected the results are unexpected. The two diaconal institutions show considerable persistence. Neither the orientation of their fields of work nor their own definitions of their roles within the welfare system have changed during the 1990s. In addition, the study reveals that both institutions regard themselves as a critical voice within the welfare system although their welfare engagement differs considerably. The German institution is a huge welfare provider while the Swedish institution conducts targeted initiatives. The analysis of four decisions within hospital work reveals that security of planning and freedom of action motivate the institutions to undertake responsibility for social services. The study points especially to the fields of education and research helping the institutions to maintain and to develop the diaconal profile. Altogether the results underline the need for more research on the meso-level of the third sector. This would contribute to a more nuanced discussion on the future role of independent welfare organisations within the Swedish and the German welfare system.

The thesis named "People with no religious affiliation as workers of diaconia - Current situation in Catholic and Protestant traditions" deals with stances of chosen Churches and diaconal organizations towards the employment of workers who are not members of any Church or not religiously defined. At the beginning the thesis deals with a definition of basic terms and their Biblical origins, then the thesis shortly describes important milestones in history of diaconia with closer look at the implementers. The main part of the thesis presents specific attitudes of the Roman Catholic Church, Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren and their diaconial organizations to cooperating with non denominational people and their employment. This part also presents these attitudes in the light of documents of Second Vatican Council. A chapter about spirituality and religiosity of the present time brings up a topic of the current situation in the field of employment of non denominational people in chosen church organization and fields which may appear problematic. Finally, the thesis concludes with opinions of current Czech and world theologians about what employment of non denominational people in Church organization might mean and where it might lead. There are also highlighted areas of discussion, especially these...

<p>The family is the first and oldest provider of social welfare in the West African country of Ghana. However, colonisation and urbanisation has changed that role and today additional providers of social welfare can be found; the government, religious organisations (churches etc), non-religious organisations and Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs).</p><p>This study will confirm the claim that the church takes on a role as a surrogate family and that it steps in where the government is not present, doing social work which is intended for the government. The study will also investigate what kind of social work the churches carry out (including what they put their focus on, which is dependent on their finance and location) and how these different projects are financed.</p><p>The study was conducted during a six week period in Accra, capital of Ghana. Representatives from three Christian congregations (Presbyterian Church of Ghana in Kaneshie, Global Evangelical Church in Kotobabi and International Central Gospel Church in Teshie) were interviewed, as was Dr. Ayidiya at the Department of Social Work, University of Ghana, in order to get background information on the present social welfare system in Ghana.</p>

The family is the first and oldest provider of social welfare in the West African country of Ghana. However, colonisation and urbanisation has changed that role and today additional providers of social welfare can be found; the government, religious organisations (churches etc), non-religious organisations and Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs). This study will confirm the claim that the church takes on a role as a surrogate family and that it steps in where the government is not present, doing social work which is intended for the government. The study will also investigate what kind of social work the churches carry out (including what they put their focus on, which is dependent on their finance and location) and how these different projects are financed. The study was conducted during a six week period in Accra, capital of Ghana. Representatives from three Christian congregations (Presbyterian Church of Ghana in Kaneshie, Global Evangelical Church in Kotobabi and International Central Gospel Church in Teshie) were interviewed, as was Dr. Ayidiya at the Department of Social Work, University of Ghana, in order to get background information on the present social welfare system in Ghana.

Since independence, Burundi has lost over a million of its inhabitants to ethnic conflict. Political collaboration is divided along ethnic lines and this has destroyed the ethnic solidarity and good social relationships that characterized the pre-colonial period. Ideally, the mission of the Evangelical Church of Central Africa (ECCA) when faced with Burundi’s tragic and successive socio-ethnic wars should have been to promote peace, social justice, ethnic cohabitation, national reconciliation, respect for human rights, national reconstruction and to denounce all harm and discrimination against the human being. The ECCA has a sacred mission to announce the gospel to all humanity and to assist the people towards the positive socio-economic and political transformation of Burundi. This study will be of help to missiological scholars and to the church so that it may better carry out its prophetic mission according to God’s vision and with the purpose of positively transforming Burundian society. / Christian Spritituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

The thesis "Evangelické sítě a disent" ("Evangelical social networks and dissent") is about interconnection between evangelical people and other people from dissent. There is over represented number of evangelical signatories in Charta 77. I want to show some factors, that could cause this fact. I want to explain the way of involving Protestants in the czech dissent by historical facts from published documents, theory of weak and strong ties ba M. Granovetter, theory of new social movements and testimonies. This testimonies were acquired for the purpose of this thesis. This testimonies would help to show some special phenomenas in the ties between evangelical people and people from dissent and underground. There is part in the thesis, which is dedicated to the degree of civic engagement of evangelical people and the causes of the high degree of civic engagement of evangelical people. And there is part about situation of evangelical parsons and evangelical church itself in the seventies and eighties of the twentieth century.

The aim of the dissertation is to find an answer to the question of whether the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren (ECCB) in the years 1968-1989 could be considered "free" in any way. This work describes the life of the ECCB in that period and the ways of the freedom und unfreedom the ECCB enjoyed and formed. Thereby, the research is based on the careful analysis of documents of church and state archives and the results of ten author-led biographical interviews with then active pastors. Combining these methods and sources, the dissertation offers an innovative view on the ECCB in the period and provides new, deeper, and more personal insights into the processes of the time. The first four chronological chapters describe the situation and development of the ECCB during the socio-political liberalisation during the Prague Spring and during the years after the Warsaw Pact troops' invasion of Czechoslovakia, when the so-called "normalisation" began. The fifth chapter presents the main strategies that the church developed in reaction to the restriction of its freedom. The sixth chapter presents the perspective of two ministers of the ECCB on their contacts with the representatives of the state authorities in the form of a case study. An insight in the internal life of the church and the forms of the church...