Public conversation is an important aspect of a day-to-day social life in African social world. Its scope also extends into the political realm, be being a critical dimension of democratisation in the continent. This dissertation aims at constructing the contours of an African theology of public conversation. It embarks on the analysis of the notion of ‘public' as understood within the constellations of African politics and African theology, with the aim of establishing the possibility of context-focused theological reflection on the role of public conversation in Africa. Taking a cue from the literature on the interactions between Jürgen Habermas and some theologians, it establishes the possibility of African theological reflection on communicative action and advance contextual sensitivity in theological constructions by bring cultural and local values that are of significance, without necessarily resorting into cultural nostalgia. To this end, the study turns to a detailed study of African palaver, a customary conflict-resolving mechanism, as a model of public conversation. Palaver stands as a paradigm of traditional consensual democracy, which is communally bound, narratively structured and enshrines anamnestic solidarity between the visible and invisible members of a community. It will be argued that the structured interplay between community, narrative and memory makes African palaver an effective tool of communicative action. In order to advance this argument, it will be demonstrated that palaver offers a site of argumentative reasoning, a kind of narrative rationality, conceived as alternative form of communicative rationality to the one suggested by Habermas. On a theological level, the study builds on Johannes Baptist Metz's memory-oriented narrative theology, as embodied by his idea of ‘dangerous memory' and advances the argument for a contextual theological categorisation of memory-oriented (anamnestic) solidarity. In the final analysis, the study provides a hypothetical ground for theological contextualisation on the basis of a symmetrical conversation between culture and theology.

Thesis (S.T.M.)--Yale University Divinity School, 1992. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 77-81).

Thesis (S.T.M.)--Yale University Divinity School, 1992. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 77-81).

Thesis (S.T.M.)--Yale University Divinity School, 1992. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 77-81).

This thesis examines the work of ordained clergymen, of all denominations, who were active photographers between 1839 and the beginning of World War One: its primary aim is to investigate the extent to which a relationship existed between the religious culture of the individual clergyman and the nature of his photographic activities. Ministers of 'the Black Art' makes a significant intervention in the study of the history of photography by addressing a major weakness in existing work. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, the research draws on a wide range of primary and secondary sources such as printed books, sermons, religious pamphlets, parish and missionary newsletters, manuscript diaries, correspondence, notebooks, biographies and works of church history, as well as visual materials including original glass plate negatives, paper prints and lantern slides held in archival collections, postcards, camera catalogues, photographic ephemera and photographically-illustrated books. Through close readings of both textual and visual sources, my thesis argues that factors such as religious denomination, theological opinion and cultural identity helped to influence not only the photographs taken by these clergymen, but also the way in which these photographs were created and used. Conversely, patterns also emerge that provide insights into how different clergymen integrated their photographic activities within their wider religious life and pastoral duties. The relationship between religious culture and photographic aesthetics explored in my thesis contributes to a number of key questions in Victorian Studies, including the tension between clergy and professional scientists as they struggled over claims to authority, participation in debates about rural traditions and church restoration, questions about moral truth and objectivity, as well as the distinctive experience and approaches of Roman Catholic clergy. The research thus demonstrates the range of applications of clerical photography and the extent to which religious factors were significant. Almost 200 clergymen-photographers have been identified during this research, and biographical data is provided in an appendix. Ministers of the Black Art aims at filling a gap in scholarship caused by the absence of any substantial interdisciplinary research connecting the fields of photohistory and religious studies. While a few individual clergymen-photographers have been the subject of academic research - perhaps excessively in the case of Charles Dodgson - no attempt has been made to analyse their activities comprehensively. This thesis is therefore unique in both its far-ranging scope and the fact that the researcher has a background rooted in both theological studies and the history of photography. Ecclesiastical historians are generally as unfamiliar with the technical and aesthetic aspects of photography as photohistorians are with theological nuances and the complex variations of Victorian religious beliefs and practices. This thesis attempts to bridge this gulf, making novel connections between hitherto disparate fields of study. By bringing these religious factors to the foreground, a more nuanced understanding of Victorian visual culture emerges; by taking an independent line away from both the canonical historiography of photography and more recent approaches that depict photography as a means of social control and surveillance, this research will stimulate further discussion about how photography operates on the boundaries between private and public, amateur and professional, material and spiritual.

In accordance with cultural and literary theology the purpose of the study is to research Leonardas Andriekus’ (1914-2003) personality, his cultural and literary activities. In this work there are used biographical, cultural theology, literary theology and correlation methods. Searching for an appropriate theoretical base it was chosen Lev Karsavin’s (1992) a theory of a personality, philosopher Maceina’s considerations and theoretical insights while analysing Christian universalism and theology of culture (1991, 1993), Joseph Ratzinger's (1999) concept of death and eschatology as well Paul Tillich’s (1995) theology of culture. In the study there has been examined the formation of Christian universalism and concept of a universal personality in Lithuania, a paradigm of theology of culture, concepts of the theologies of art and literature. Andriekus’ life since his birth till the magazine “Aidai “ was moved into Lithuania also has been analysed. There has been disclosed Andriekus’ personality formation and his determination to the priesthood, which later was leading him towards the cleric path. There also have been highlighted Andriekus’ cultural ties with compatriots. In the work there is also being analysed his relationship with Lithuanian artists, writers and other representatives of culture. There have been presented his activities as a leadership of Lithuanian Writers' Society. There has been analysed his relationship with the magazine “Aidai” where he was working... [to full text] / Tyrimo tikslas remiantis kultūros teologija ir literatūros teologija ištirti Leonardo Andriekaus (1914-2003) asmenybę, jo kultūrinę veiklą bei literatūrinę kūrybą. Darbe naudojamasi biografiniu, kultūros teologijos, literatūros teologijos ir koreliacijos metodais. Ieškant tinkamo teorinio pagrindo, buvo pasirinktos Levo Karsavino (1992) asmenybės teorija, filosofo Maceinos svarstymai bei teorinės įžvalgos analizuojant krikščioniškąjį universalizmą ir kultūros teologiją (1991; 1993), Josepho Ratzingerio (1999) mirties ir eschatologijos samprata bei Paulo Tillicho (1995) kultūros teologija. Tyrime išnagrinėtas krikščioniškojo universalizmo formavimasis ir universalios asmenybės samprata Lietuvoje; išanalizuota kultūros teologijos paradigma, meno teologijos ir literatūros teologijos samprata. Ištirtas Andriekaus gyvenimas nuo jo gimimo iki žurnalo „Aidai“ perkėlimo į Lietuvą. Atskleistas asmenybės susiformavimas ir apsisprendimas kunigystei, kuris vėliau vedė link dvasininko kelio. Išryškinti Andriekaus kultūriniai ryšiai su tėvynainiais. Analizuoti jo santykiai su lietuvių menininkais, rašytojais, kultūrinininkais. Pristatyta jo veikla vadovaujant Lietuvių rašytojų draugijai. Analizuoti jo santykiai su žurnalu „Aidai“, kuomet jis buvo bendradarbis ir vyr. redaktorius. Išnagrinėta Andriekaus publikuota ir nepublikuota poezija. Analizuotas universalus laikas per kairos ir chronos prizmę; sakralios erdvės, kur įvairūs Palestinos vietovardžiai siejami su Lietuvos vietovardžiais... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]

The dissertation aims to highlight Lactantius´s position among other authors of Christian antiquity and tries to analyze and assess Lactantius´s views pertaining to selected theological topics. First two chapters summarize available findings on Lactantius´s life and integrate his work into the context of early Christian literature. The following part of the dissertation discusses Lactantius´s apologetic method as well as his ideological points of departure and pays attention to his relation toward ancient culture. The focal point of the dissertation lies in the assessment of Lactantius´s views of selected theological issues, such as the teaching about a sole God, teaching about creation, Christology, soteriology, ecclesiology, eschatology, and anthropology. The dissertation espacially looks into overlapping of ancient and Christian world of ideas as they are mirrored in Lactantius´s theological considerations.

In my diploma thesis I deal with the problematic of people with hearing impairment. I introduce Deaf culture to Czech theological reflection and then concrete Christian communities in the Czech Republic, where deaf people gather. I analyze specifics of these communities, what is the role of the deaf people and using of sign language. I end up with theological reflection from the perspective of people with disabilities and then I introduce specifics of theology from the perspective of the Deaf. Keywords Hearing Impairment, Deaf culture, Deaf studies, Disability Theology, Deaf Christian Communities, Deaf Theology

[pt] O protestantismo brasileiro conheceu ao longo dos tempos alguns movimentos artísticos que foram relevantes e que influenciaram sua forma de ser e de entender sua fé em contato direto com a cultura. Um dos movimentos mais interessantes, embora pouco pesquisado, foi a iniciativa de jovens cristãos que a partir da década de 1970 começaram a usar o Rock and roll como uma linguagem para expressar sua fé e para comunicar a mensagem querigmática do Evangelho. Ao longo dos anos, temas diversos como conflitos internos do protestantismo, política e questões sociais se tornaram pauta das bandas que dialogavam com as juventudes através do rock. Há no rock feito por jovens cristãos no Brasil o impulso à evangelização e ao protesto profético, sem deixar de lado um embasamento bíblico e teológico, que pode passar despercebido por aqueles que não estão habituados à linguagem das guitarras, baixos e baterias, mas que tem falado às mentes e aos corações de várias gerações de jovens que podem entender a mensagem cristã a partir da sua própria linguagem característica. Há na poesia e na melodia um capricho para que a mensagem tenha conteúdo e forma, qualidade técnica e a medida exata que combine letra e música para que sua mensagem seja adequadamente transmitida. Esta pesquisa pretende afirmar a obra das bandas de rock gospel como eficiente elemento de evangelização, sobretudo dos jovens, explorando as perspectivas teológica e artística das canções das bandas de rock gospel a partir da Teologia da Cultura. / [en] Over time, Brazilian Protestantism has known some relevant artistic movements that have influenced its way of being and understanding its faith in direct contact with culture. One of the most interesting, though little-researched, movements was the initiative of young Christians who from the 1970s onwards began to use rock and roll as a language to express their faith and to communicate the kerygmatic message of the Gospel. Over the years, diverse themes such as internal conflicts of Protestantism, politics and social issues have become the agenda of bands that dialogue with youth through rock. There is in rock made by young Christians in Brazil the impulse to evangelization and prophetic protest, without leaving aside a biblical and theological basis, which can go unnoticed by those who are not used to the language of guitars, basses, and drums, but who have spoken to the minds and hearts of several generations of young people who can understand the Christian message in their own distinctive language. There is in poetry and melody a whim so that the message has content and form, technical quality and the exact measure that combines lyrics and music so that your message is properly transmitted. This research intends to affirm the work of gospel rock bands as an efficient element of evangelization, especially for young people, exploring the theological and artistic dimension of the songs of evangelical rock bands in the light of the Theology of Culture.

[pt] A cultura de consumo é um dos nomes dados à complexa e poderosa estrutura presente em tantas sociedades quantas tenham sido, de algum modo, envolvidas pelo sistema capitalista global. Nessas sociedades, o consumo recebe papel central. Tal cultura articula: o sistema de produção industrial, em sua multiplicação exponencial dos objetos; os mecanismos de persuasão, que, através das novas tecnologias e das mídias, exploram as dimensões da imaginação e incidem sobre a sociedade; e a relação entre o produto, o consumidor e a sociedade em geral. Devido aos diversos fatores envolvidos no consumo, este campo, antes estudado somente por empresários e pesquisadores do marketing, se tornou um objeto aberto para os olhares de outras áreas do saber, inclusive da teologia. O teólogo e filósofo teuto-americano Paul Tillich (1886-1965) é conhecido por construir uma teologia que visa superar a separação entre religião e cultura. Para ele, toda forma cultural possui uma profundidade religiosa, a partir da qual ela pode e deve ser abordada teologicamente. Sobre esse fundamento, Tillich fez análises teológicas de contextos políticos, sociais, econômicos e religiosos. Ao longo desses esforços, foram desenvolvidos importantes conceitos que extrapolam seus contextos específicos e se tornam profícuos para a análise teológica de outros contextos culturais. Diante disso, o presente trabalho busca fazer, a partir de uma perspectiva tillichiana, tanto uma crítica fundamental da cultura de consumo quanto críticas específicas ao seu envolvimento com os conceitos de ser humano, mundo, tempo e o eschaton. / [en] The culture of consumption is one of the names given to the complex and powerful structure situated in as many societies as those which has been involved in any way by the global capitalist system. In those societies consumption is made the central character. Such culture embraces the industrial production system, in its exponential multiplication of objects; mechanisms of persuasion that through the advance of technology and medias explore imagination dimensions and affect society; and the relationship between products, consumer and all society. Due to the number of factors involving culture of consumption the consumption phenomenon that was previously studied only by managers and marketing researchers but has become an object opened to the other areas of knowledge including theology. The German-American theologian and philosopher Paul Tillich (1886-1965) is known for constructing a theology that aims overcome the gap between religion and culture. In his opinion every culture form has a religious deepness from which it can and must be theologically approached. On this ground Tillich has analyzed political, social and economic contexts from theological point of view. Along these efforts he has developed many important concepts that extrapolate their specific contexts to become fruitful to the analyses of other culture situations. Therefore, the present work aims to show from a Tillichian perspective a fundamental critique to the culture of consumption as well as to its specific involvement with the concepts of human being, world, time and eschaton.