The purpose of this research is to explore how narrative practices can be meaningful in pastoral conversations with women living with breast cancer. A theoretical collaboration between narrative therapy, feminism and pastoral theology has been used in order to facilitate meaning-making, to give ‘voice’ to local knowledge, and to co-create a more holistic understanding of the experiences of illness narratives and breast cancer. The methodology of this research is ‘interdisciplinary’ and uses qualitative, co-participatory action research and reflexivity as its research design. Conversations with the co-researchers explore illness narratives, breast cancer, spirituality and faith, life-giving relationships, femininity and body image, socially constructed discourses and pivotal moments that enable alternative stories. Values of respect, curiosity and listening have been upheld in order to provide a safe place for the co-researchers to give voice to their stories and experiences of breast cancer in a way that supports the researcher position of ‘witness’. / Practical Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology, with specialisation in Pastoral Therapy)

In formal statements, the international organization Youth With A Mission (YWAM) clearly endorses female leaders. In YWAM Germany, however, women are underrepresented in leadership positions. This dissertation seeks to explain this dearth, especially in terms of the role played by Scripture. By means of interviews with leaders in YWAM Germany, possible answers were explored. Surprising for an evangelical organization, the interpretation of Scripture proved not to be a significant factor. Other factors that emerged are church background, the lack of female role models, lower self-confidence of women, and the role of incumbent leadership. The latter appeared to be the most crucial factor, since incumbent leaders, mostly men, select and appoint new leaders. It is likely that in this they are influenced by stereotypical conceptions of the leader as male and inclined to prefer those like themselves. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Theological Ethics)

The purpose of this research is to explore how narrative practices can be meaningful in pastoral conversations with women living with breast cancer. A theoretical collaboration between narrative therapy, feminism and pastoral theology has been used in order to facilitate meaning-making, to give ‘voice’ to local knowledge, and to co-create a more holistic understanding of the experiences of illness narratives and breast cancer. The methodology of this research is ‘interdisciplinary’ and uses qualitative, co-participatory action research and reflexivity as its research design. Conversations with the co-researchers explore illness narratives, breast cancer, spirituality and faith, life-giving relationships, femininity and body image, socially constructed discourses and pivotal moments that enable alternative stories. Values of respect, curiosity and listening have been upheld in order to provide a safe place for the co-researchers to give voice to their stories and experiences of breast cancer in a way that supports the researcher position of ‘witness’. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology, with specialisation in Pastoral Therapy)

This descriptive study investigates the link between religion, (institutional and private) identity (ethnic and personal) and the community (Portuguese and South African) in the context of religious and cultural pluralism. It analyses sixteen Portuguese women in Durban - nine Roman Catholics, five Protestants and two agnostic and it is executed within the framework of the theory of conditionalism or 'radical relationality', as expounded by J.S. Kruger. The religious practice, experience and identity of the participants are explored, and their social integration as well as famiIy and marital relationships (with special reference to submissiveness) are examined in the light of Catholic Feminist theology. The influence of their experiences on their religion and vice-versa, as well as the fluidity of their identities are analysed. The. results of the study highlight the paradoxical role of religion, as well as a decline in ethnic identity and Catholicism. / Religious Studies and Arabic / M. Th. (Religious Studies)

Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-01T18:12:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Janice.PDF: 1466550 bytes, checksum: 2e948cb45b1c773d6dc7dad5899db295 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-03-28 / The principal objective of this dissertation is to detect and analyse the construction of a new psicological, social and ethical religious identity of the female catholic university student in Recife. By means of her life style and conceptual representations, she evidences a confrontation between the Catholic Church´s magistery and the challenges she faces in today´s world. This academic work proposes to indicate the Catholic Church´s principal orientations about women elaborated since Vatican Council II, to identify problemas faced by women referring to corporality, sexuality and reproductive health and to confront the Church´s teachings with the living spirituality of the women as they face challenges in the modern world. Gender hermeneutics is used as the interpretative instrument of analysis of the Church´s magistery and the results of the reseach. A characterization of the two Institutions of Superior Education, the Catholic University of Pernambuco (CATÒLICA) and the Frassinetti College of Recife (FAFIRE), where the survey was conducted, has been elaborated, as well as the verification of the catholic female students´ construction of their new psychological, social and ethical-religious identity, and the day by day living of their feminine spirituality. The methodology of the research involves a field survey of 178 catholic women, from the two educational institutions, by means of a questionnaire with 31 closed questions. The conclusions are a result of quantitative and qualitative analyses, which will later be socialized with the educational institutions and other institutions and councils interested in this theme. The results of the research are the identification of the psycological, social, ethical, religious and cultural elements constituting the new identity of the female catholic university student in Recife as she faces contemporary challenges in her relation with the Catholic Church magistery. It is hoped that these results will contribute to a reflection about possible integrative educational and pastoral strategies to help catholic women live their new identity in this complex world. / A presente dissertação tem como objetivo geral detectar e analisar a construção de uma nova identidade psicossocial e ético-religiosa feminina, através da vivência e das representações que a universitária católica recifense faz sobre as orientações do magistério da Igreja Católica concernentes à mulher diante os desafios do mundo contemporâneo. O trabalho visa resgatar as principais orientações da Igreja sobre mulher depois do Concílio Vaticano II, levantar dados sobre a realidade da mulher brasileira nos campos de corporeidade, sexualidade e saúde reprodutiva e confrontar o magistério da Igreja com a espiritualidade vivenciada pela mulher ante os desafios que enfrenta hoje. A hermenêutica de gênero é usada como instrumento de interpretação na análise do magistério da Igreja e dos resultados da pesquisa. As duas instituições de ensino superior (IES) de orientação religiosa católica, a Universidade Católica de Pernambuco (CATÒLICA) e a Faculdade Frassinetti de Recife (FAFIRE), participantes da pesquisa de campo, colaboraram na verificação, junto às suas alunas católicas, da construção da sua identidade psicossocial e ético-religiosa e da vivência da sua espiritualidade feminina. Como parte da metodologia, foi realizada uma pesquisa de campo com a aplicação de um questionário fechado de 31 questões a uma amostra aleatória de um total de 178 universitárias, das duas IES. Houve análises quantitativa e qualitativa de dados, com a proposta de posterior transferência de resultados às IES e outras instituições/conselhos interessados no tema. Os resultados demonstram os elementos constitutivos da nova identidade da universitária católica recifense nos aspectos psicológico, social, ético-religioso e cultural no enfrentamento de desafios contemporâneos diante do Magistério da Igreja Católica podem contribuir para estimular a reflexão sobre possíveis estratégias integradoras da vivência da nova identidade psicossocial e ético-religiosa feminina na mesma.

Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

This study is designed to assess the causes and the effects of poverty and HIV/AIDS on women's spirituality. A case study of Mpererwe Township in Kampala, Uganda was chosen because this researcher has been staying in this township now for 7 years; and has seen most women experiencing difficulties in their daily lives. Poverty and HIV/AIDS among women of Mpererwe Township is a much-needed area of study because the majority of women's lives and their contribution to development have been hampered by economic, religious, political, social and cultural structures. However, all in all, the purpose of this social analysis was first, to identify the factors that render Mpererwe women to be vulnerable to ill situations that pave the way to poverty and HIV/AIDS conditions. Then thereafter, to suggest strategies that may transform the physical, political, religious, economic and social life of women in Mpererwe Township. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.

This thesis seeks to offer new perspectives on the role of women in African-American Christian denominations in the United States in the period between the Civil War and the turn of the twentieth century. It situates the changes in the roles available to black women in their churches in the context of ecclesiastical politics. By offering explanations of the growth of black denominations in the South after the Civil War and the political alignments in the leadership of the churches, it seeks to offer more powerful explanations of differences in the treatment of women in distict denominations. It explores the distinct worship practices of African-American Christianity and reflects on their relationship to denominational structure and character, and gender issues. Education was central to the participation of women in African-American Christianity in the late nineteenth century, so the thesis discusses the growth of black colleges under the auspices of the black churches. Finally it also explores the complex relationship between domestic ideology, the politics of respectability, and female participation in the black churches.

The main question that this dissertation seeks to answer is, “If the character of Vashti on the one hand and that of Esther on the other are re-read from a gender-sensitive perspective which possibilities can the reading offer for the liberation and reconstruction of affirming identities for the Mongo women in the DRC today?” The study undertaken here challenges the fact that Mongo women of the DRC remain attached to their roles as wives and mothers which is viewed as a hindrance to their self-definition. The two characters Esther and Vashti from the book of Esther are examined in light of the experiences of Mongo women using the bosadi (womanhood) approach to deconstruct and problematize oppressive ideologies in the biblical text as well as in the Mongo context. It is argued that Vashti and Esther are not opposite characters but should be viewed in the light of each other as complementary characters. Despite the positive examples that the two women offer, both characters also offer oppressive possibilities for modern DR Congolese women. Therefore, they do not fully represent ideal role models for Mongo women in their efforts to affirm their identities. / Old Testament and Ancient Near Eastern Studies / D.Th. (Old Testament)