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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. / Practical Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology)

For many Christians the names ‘Constantine’ and Nicaea are not a familiar idea. In instances where they do recognize these names, they tend to be prejudiced towards the ‘pagan emperor’ and the ‘venerated council’ (Olson 1999:160). The importance of the First Nicene Council and the emperor’s role in the council may be seen as historical only. However, the events related to the development of the Nicene orthodoxy and the role the emperor played in the development of the relations between politics and religion are still influencing the lives of Christians today and therefore, these important events are in need of a review, this time from an African perspective. A probe into the imperial religious-political play may hold many significant answers in relation to contextualization, enculturation, dogmatic teaching, and the relationship between the church and state, amongst other things. In this dissertation document analysis is used in literature study to establish the significance of one of the interactive factors in the period leading to the first ecumenical council. Using a tri-categorical classification of the era, this study reviews the Jewish-Christian schism, Hellenism, and ultimately the role of imperial politics in the development of Christianity. The Jewish-Christian schism refers to the separation between Judaism and Christianity as the conceptive stage of the dynamics through which ecumenical orthodoxy was formed. Hellenism broadly refers to the integration of philosophy with Christianity. Finally, imperial politics was the political dynamic that contributed to the formation of ecumenical orthodoxy. This facilitated an investigation of the era between AD 70 and 325, enhancing a revisionist approach to Constantine, the Nicene Council and the orthodoxy that emerged post AD 325 – with an implied deduction of ecclesiastical polities which became an unconventional phenomenon. The study, engaging with primary sources and specialist scholarship on the era, derived and developed a revisionist approach on Constantinian influence upon Christianity. In the findings the ecclesiastical polity appeared as the significant influence in the shaping of ecumenical orthodoxy. The ecclesiastical polity itself being a factor of the very process of self-definition and contextualization. The significance of enculturation as established in the research implied cultural diversity as a major factor in the formation of religious orthodoxy, xix hence this implied the Jewish Christian schism as the departure point of enquiry. The research implied the development of social models as an interpretation and analysis of the hypothesis. The aforementioned social models had implications for Christian/religious eras even post the one at study. Therefore, making the hypothesis a tool of measuring the interaction of politics, socio-ethnic dynamics and religion in different eras. In principle the study enables a review of history as a factor of these three elements culture, religious syncretism and politics. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Church History)

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)

M.A. / 144 This dissertation is essential because it has indicated the reasons, which have caused the religious juxtaposition, then antagonism, between Constantinople and Rome from the patriarchate of Photios (867) to the days of Michael Keroularios (1054), as well as the consequences that have emanated from it, both at political and social level. It is a historical comparative study, which avoids the narrow limits of theological “misunderstandings” and the various dogmatic interpretations. It is placed within a social, political and cultural framework that has resulted from the particular cultural conditions as these have been formed in both parts of the Roman Empire.This particular study has followed the historical comparative method for the analysis of the religious juxtaposition between Constantinople and Rome. The sources were studied in their original Medieval Greek language according to the historical-critical and philological methodology. The study is completed by the comparison of two Schisms of the year 867 between patriarch Photios and Pope Nicholas I, and of the year 1054 between patriarch Michael Keroularios and Cardinal Umberto, and their consequences, especially from a Byzantine point of view.

The focus of this practical theological study is the analysis of the life and worship of the Perth Asian Christian Community in the New Life City Church, where we note fast maturation of Christians with a desire to complete the Great Commission. As participant observer using the qualitative method, I was able to identify how the NLCC is wall-less by interviewing different groups within the church and two Western sample groups. To accomplish this, Chapter two analyses the Western and Asian churches’ understanding of the concepts ‘church’ and ‘church growth’. The evaluations showed a difference in understanding. This prompted an inquiry in chapter three into their understanding of the Great Commission from the Western and Asian viewpoint against the Biblical understanding thereof. The intention of NLCC groups interviewed in Chapters four to eight was to detect what they perceived as helping them mature as Christians, considering many are first-generation Christians. The groups interviewed included founder members, first-generation Christians, youth group leaders, returned NLCC missionaries and the pastor. By Chapter nine it was established that the Asian Christian understood worship in a broader context. Chapter ten summarises the interpreted data of the groups interviewed and identifies stimulants for maturation of individual Christians in a post-Christian environment. The broader understanding of worship is discussed. These guidelines form the building blocks for a practical theological theory of church growth. / Practical Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology)

The focus of this practical theological study is the analysis of the life and worship of the Perth Asian Christian Community in the New Life City Church, where we note fast maturation of Christians with a desire to complete the Great Commission. As participant observer using the qualitative method, I was able to identify how the NLCC is wall-less by interviewing different groups within the church and two Western sample groups. To accomplish this, Chapter two analyses the Western and Asian churches’ understanding of the concepts ‘church’ and ‘church growth’. The evaluations showed a difference in understanding. This prompted an inquiry in chapter three into their understanding of the Great Commission from the Western and Asian viewpoint against the Biblical understanding thereof. The intention of NLCC groups interviewed in Chapters four to eight was to detect what they perceived as helping them mature as Christians, considering many are first-generation Christians. The groups interviewed included founder members, first-generation Christians, youth group leaders, returned NLCC missionaries and the pastor. By Chapter nine it was established that the Asian Christian understood worship in a broader context. Chapter ten summarises the interpreted data of the groups interviewed and identifies stimulants for maturation of individual Christians in a post-Christian environment. The broader understanding of worship is discussed. These guidelines form the building blocks for a practical theological theory of church growth. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology)