“How does one develop an appropriate urban Christian Spirituality?” is the question this study asks. First, I develop a rigorous, yet open, theoretical framework with which to describe Christian Spirituality’s complexity: a description focused primarily on constraining the markers of Biblical Spirituality and City Spirituality. Within the limits placed on the complex system of Christian Spirituality, I begin exploring various, mostly minor, tropes of urban biblical spiritualities in the “Old” and “New” Testament. From these analyses, I evince the implications of these biblical spirituality tropes for the current city theater, and also construe a set of questions evaluating the appropriateness of mitigating urban communities. The study culminates in an imagined ideal mitigating urban community named an ekklesiastes: a wisdom teaching technology of urban meaning, complexity, and resistance. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Christian Spirituality)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / Federação Luterana Mundial / Esta tese analisa o Paradoxo Absoluto sob a perspectiva do tornar-se cristão. Desenvolve-se o argumento de que o processo de tornar-se cristão acontece sob juízo e graça no encontro com o Paradoxo Absoluto. Na primeira parte é tecida uma articulação paradoxal entre antropologia e cristologia. No primeiro capítulo é analisada a possibilidade do pecado original recorrendo-se ao conceito de angústia. A reflexão é antropológica e se ocupa em investigar a constituição do ser humano tendo em mente a pergunta por como o pecado é possível, e não em afirmar a realidade efetiva do pecado. No segundo capítulo é desenvolvido o entendimento do paradoxo cristológico em Kierkegaard e argumentado que o encontro do indivíduo com o paradoxo acontece sob juízo e graça. Este argumento desempenha papel central na tese tanto para o entendimento da concepção de paradoxo em Kierkegaard como para a compreensão do significado de tornar-se cristão. Na segunda parte da tese o tema da relação paradoxal entre juízo e graça é analisado sob novas nuances. No terceiro capítulo o entendimento antropológico de Kierkegaard é aprofundado a partir de sua compreensão de self. Em decorrência, são analisados os conceitos de desespero e pecado, bem como o conceito de fé enquanto cura para o pecado. A partir desse desenvolvimento é argumentado que se tornar um self é um processo que acontece sob juízo e graça. No quarto capítulo Cristo é apresentado enquanto simultaneamente modelo e redentor e é enfatizada a importância do discipulado cristão enquanto seguir a Cristo. Desenvolvendo o tema do discipulado é tecida uma reflexão sobre o amor cristão destacando o dever de amar o próximo e a manifestação do amor em obras. A categoria da edificação é então trabalhada enquanto modo do amor. Finalmente, é retomado o conceito de paradoxo demonstrando-se que o discipulado cristão acontece continuamente sob juízo e graça. Nas reflexões finais alguns conceitos importantes da tese são relacionados a questões do nosso próprio contexto teológico. / The thesis analyzes the Absolute Paradox under the perspective of becoming a Christian. The argument is developed, that the process of becoming a Christian happens under judgment and grace, when encountering the Absolute Paradox. In the first part, a paradoxical articulation between Anthropology and Christology is elaborated. In the first chapter the possibility of original sin is analyzed making use of the concept of anxiety. This reflection is mainly anthropological and aims to investigate the constitution of the human being, keeping in mind the question of how sin is possible, and not in stating the actuality of sin. In the second chapter, the understanding of the christological Paradox is developed according to Kierkegaard and it is argued that the encounter of the individual with the Paradox happens under judgment and grace. This argument has a central role in the thesis, in understanding the concept of Paradox in Kierkegaard, as well as in the comprehension of the significance of becoming a Christian. In the second part of the thesis the relation between judgment and grace is analyzed under new nuances. In the third chapter the anthropological understanding of Kierkegaard is deepened, taking his understanding of the self as basis. From this concept the categories of despair and sin, as well as faith as cure to sin, are analyzed. Up from this development I argue that to become a self is a process that happens under judgment and grace. In the fourth chapter Christ is presented as simultaneously prototype and redeemer, and the importance of Christian discipleship is stressed as following Christ. Developing the notion of discipleship, it is elaborated a reflection on Christian love, stressing the commandment of loving ones neighbor and the manifestation of love in works. The category of edification is developed as a way of love. Finally I turn back to the concept of paradox arguing that Christian discipleship happens continually under judgment and grace. In my final reflections some important concepts of the thesis are related to questions of our own theological context.

Today’s world in the new Millennium is a far cry from church and home life for young people (18-30) fifty years ago, where quantum change on top of change, and disconnectedness in family structures, have all contributed in various ways to an exodus of young people from mainline churches throughout the world. To counteract this ongoing trend, significant effort has been applied by mainline churches throughout the world, and South Africa in particular, to grow young people in the “Faith”, all of which has resulted in young people continuing to exodus the church after confirmation or graduating from high school. However, the bottom line challenge being faced is not simply one sided with young people exiting the church - for so called ‘better’ activities, but that the church has also not found an effective strategy for engaging with non-churched young people (those who have never been to a church) and those who used to actively participate, but have now abandoned the church and its ministry. Parents of today’s young people to a great extent have failed to understand and recognize that it is impossible for their children to accept the ‘faith and truth’ if they don’t role model and practice it in their homes. Similarly, if they don’t help their children to see and understand how faith is applied and has meaning in their everyday lives, then the current status quo between children, family and church will continue to grow exponentially. The church, and more particularly parents, need to understand and listen to the young people’s postmodern views and how it has reshaped their lives, in comparison to the preceding generations. By adopting the conclusions and broad practical recommendations from this research, churches may be able to reach out more effectively to parents, children and young people, to help them discover a life changing relationship – in their walk with Jesus Christ / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Church history)

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[pt] A presente pesquisa é um diálogo entre a Teologia Pastoral e a Psicologia Positiva, temas que se correlacionam e, ao mesmo tempo, nos desafiam dado que nos propomos a fazer uma reflexão interdisciplinar. É uma urgência na Igreja o processo de iniciação à vida cristã que conduza a pessoa ao encontro pessoal e comunitário a Jesus Cristo, isso só é possível por intermédio de uma consistente experiência de fé vivenciada a partir de um itinerário catequético que orienta todo o agir do iniciante, potencializando, assim, a resiliência frente às adversidades do cotidiano. Pretendemos refletir, a partir de um estudo de campo, sobre os aspectos teológicos-pastorais da catequese com adultos e analisar a importância de todo o seu itinerário como promotora de resiliência. O processo da iniciação à vida cristã não se esgota na preparação aos sacramentos, mas é caminho para o seguimento e adesão a Jesus Cristo, deve ser feito e refeito, tanto quando for necessário, com a meta de inserir a pessoa na comunidade cristã. Neste estudo, a resiliência é entendida como capacidade para superar situações adversas e a experiência de fé vivenciada em todo o itinerário é considerada uma alavanca, algo a mais que uma pessoa possui para ser resiliente. É uma pesquisa qualitativa, de caráter exploratório, com orientação analítico-hermenêutica, mediante a técnica do grupo focal com questões abertas. Os sujeitos são os adultos que participam da catequese na paróquia Nossa Senhora dos Navegantes, em Diadema. O estudo teológico- -pastoral dos dados coletados seguiu a técnica de análise de Bardin. Seguindo os relatos dos participantes, todo o processo da iniciação à vida cristã é o caminho ordinário, coerente e consistente para ajudar uma pessoa a iniciar e aprofundar a experiência de fé que lhe dá a capacidade para desenvolver-se bem, para continuar projetando-se apesar dos acontecimentos desestabilizadores e das condições de vida difíceis. O itinerário catequético que conduz o adulto ao seguimento de Jesus Cristo e o insere na comunidade cristã é capaz também de ajudá-lo a superar, aprender ou mesmo ser transformado com a adversidade que é inevitável à vida. / [en] This research presents is a dialogue between Pastoral Theology and Positive Psychology, themes that are correlated and, at the same time, challenge us as we propose to make an interdisciplinary reflection. It is an urgency in the Church, the process of initiation into the Christian life that leads one to a personal and com-munal encounter with Christ. This is possible only through a consistent experience of faith experienced from a catechetical itinerary that guides all action of the be-ginner, therefore strengthening resilience to the adversities of daily life. By the purpose to reflect, from a field survey, on the theological-pastoral aspects of adult catechesis and to analyze the importance of all of its itinerary as a promoter of resilience. The process of initiation into the Christian life is not depleted in the preparation for the sacraments, but it is a path for following and adhering to Christ, and it must be made and redone, whenever necessary, with the goal of in-serting the person into the Christian community. In this survey, resilience is understood as ability to overcome adverse situations and the experience of faith experienced throughout the journey is considered a lever, something more than a person possesses to be resilient. It is a qualitative research, of exploratory charac-ter, with analytical-hermeneutical orientation, through the focus group technique with open questions. The subjects are adults who participate in catechesis in the Parish of Nossa Senhora dos Navegantes, in Diadema. The theological-pastoral study of the data collected followed the technique of Bardin s analysis. By the participants accounts, the whole process of initiation into the Christian life is the ordinary and consistent way of helping a person initiate and deepen the experience of faith that gives him the ability to develop well, to continue projecting himself despite destabilizing events and difficult living conditions. The catechetical itiner-ary that leads the adult to the follow-up of Jesus Christ and inserts him into the Christian community is also capable of helping him overcome, learn or even be transformed with the adversity that is inevitable to life.

[pt] A realidade atual exige dos educadores da fé novos passos em busca de uma renovação catequética, que requer anunciadores convertidos e bem preparados. A Iniciação à Vida Cristã com inspiração catecumenal se apresenta como uma boa proposta para a transmissão da fé no mundo atual. Os presbíteros, enquanto colaboradores do ministério Episcopal, são os primeiros educadores da fé de uma comunidade, sobretudo pela missão que desempenham. A presente pesquisa tem como objeto material a dimensão catequética na formação dos futuros presbíteros. Do ponto de vista formal, nosso objetivo será analisar como tem sido realizado a formação catequética dos seminaristas, principalmente na perspectiva do paradigma da Iniciação à Vida Cristã e a partir da reflexão do Magistério da Igreja, nos documentos publicados a partir do Concílio Vaticano II sobre a formação presbiteral. Assim, o escopo do presente trabalho visa explicitar a importância da catequese no processo formativo dos candidatos ao ministério presbiteral, tendo em vista o desenvolvimento da missão dos futuros presbíteros. Para tanto, abordaremos a realidade na qual o contexto da formação presbiteral se realiza, considerando os desafios que interpelam a missão dos futuros presbíteros, no intuito de estabelecermos uma nova configuração para sua atuação diante do paradigma da catequese a serviço da Iniciação à Vida Cristã: formadora de discípulos missionários em comunidade. / [en] Today s reality demands that educators of the faith take new steps in search of catechetical renewal, which requires converted and well-prepared proclaimers. Initiation into Christian Life with catechumenal inspiration is a good proposal for transmitting the faith in today s world. Priests, as collaborators in the Episcopal ministry, are the first educators of the faith in a community, above all because of the mission they carry out. The material object of this research is the catechetical dimension in the formation of future priests. From a formal point of view, our objective will be to analyze how the catechetical formation of seminarians has been carried out, mainly from the perspective of the paradigm of Initiation into Christian Life and from the reflection of the Magisterium of the Church, in the documents published since the Second Vatican Council on priestly formation. Thus, the scope of this work is to explain the importance of catechesis in the formation process of candidates for priestly ministry, with a view to developing the mission of future priests. To this end, we will address the reality in which the context of priestly formation takes place, considering the challenges that challenge the mission of future priests, in order to establish a new configuration for their performance in the face of the paradigm of catechesis at the service of Initiation into Christian Life: forming missionary disciples in community.

The content of this dissertation delineates the crucial and incisive role of the Holy Spirit in terms of God's grand and majestic acts of creation, that is the creation of the multiversity of universes, redemption that is the cross, the exemplar of Christ in self­ denial, reconciliation and restoration, and his resurrection, that is self-empowerment, self-renewal and self-fulfillment observed within the context of God, being human and the physical organic environment as it interacts with the human acts of personal and social responsibility observed within the context of a five dimensional approach of self-actualization, self-denial, self-empowerment, self-renewal and self-fulfillment, ingested into ones identity, internalised and witnessed as meaningful daily praxis, seen through the prism of the cross and the resurrection. A didactic method has been followed to engender insights into and conviction regarding the relevance of the subject for our present day and a hortatory method to exhort to an obedient response and to urge an appropriate action. / Systematic Theology and Theological Ethics / M. Th. (Systematic Theology)

This study is an exploration into female discipleship. Its primary aim is to compare and contrast Mark's portrayal of male and female followers of Jesus respectively, while its secondary aim is to establish what lessons there may be for the social status of Christian women in the kingdom of Swaziland. These ends will be pursued by looking at Mark's portrayal of male disciples and the contrast he draws between them and the female followers of Jesus. This study then concludes that Mark has a more positive view of female followers than he has of male disciples, and this may stem from the conduct of male disciples he has observed in the Church of his time. / New Testament / M.TH. (New Testament)

The Russian Evangelical Soteriology as a phenomenon was evaluated in the dissertation. The original Russian Evangelical confessions of faith and some other historical documents of the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries are used to present the following hypothesis. The historic fluidity of Soteriology of Russian Evangelica1s may only be understood in the light of their consistent adherence to the principles of Sola Scriptura and the Priesthood of all believers. We come to conclusion that the existence of Russian Evangelical Soteriology is not a question to be discussed, but a clear historical fact. We show that it has its past and present, a well-defended subject of study with clear presuppositions, rather developed vision, and it is unique as a phenomenon. The major principles of this theology strictly devoted to the Scripture and a flexible formulation of doctrines. We strongly insist that it is impossible without being eclectic combine the Evangelical Soteriology of Scripture with the Orthodox Soteriology of Tradition. The additional result of the study is the attempt to evaluate the possibility for a reconstruction of Russian Evangelical Soteriology as a part of a self-identification process. / Systematic Theology and Theological Ethics / M. Th. (Systematic Theology)

German text / Die vorliegende Arbeit schlägt eine Brücke über den Graben zwischen dem normativ-ethischen Anspruch an die Lebenslänglichkeit einer Ehe und Gottes gnädigem Handeln gegenüber dem scheiternden Menschen. Anhand des Umgangs der Kirchen und Glaubensgemeinschaften mit Ehescheidung und Wiederheirat wird dieser Graben aufgezeigt. Es ergibt sich, dass die bestehende Spannung jeweils durch die einseitige Betonung von Norm oder Gnade aufgelöst wird. Die Grundlage für die Diskussion bilden das massgebende Eheverständnis sowie die Bestimmung des Verhältnisses zwischen theologischer Ethik und dem Konzept der Gnade als Handlungsprinzip Gottes. Darum werden in dieser Forschungsarbeit zuerst die theologiegeschichtlich gewachsenen Eheverständnisse und die unterschiedlichen Normen- und Gnadenverständnisse der römisch katholischen Kirche, der evangelischen Kirchen und der evangelikalen Gemeinschaften in Bezug auf den Umgang mit Scheidung und Wiederheirat untersucht. Aufgrund der herausgearbeiteten Übereinstimmungen und Unterschiede wird anschliessend anhand eines von der Vergebung ausgehenden Denkansatzes der Graben zwischen normativer Ethik und dem Konzept der Gnade überbrückt, die Spannung aber nicht aufgehoben. Daraus werden mögliche Auswirkungen im Umgang mit Scheidung und Wiederheirat für die Kirchen und Gemeinschaften abgeleitet. / The present thesis bridges the gap between the normative-ethical standard of lifelong marriage on the one hand and God’s grace for men‘s failures on the other hand. Considering the practices of churches and communities with regard to divorce and remarriage, this gap is demonstrated. It is found that the associated tension is eliminated by an unilateral choice of either the normative aspect or the principle of grace. The basis for the discussion is provided by the relevant understanding of marriage and the determination of the relationship between theological ethics and grace as the principle of God's action towards mankind. Therefore, this thesis investigates the evolution of the theological understanding of marriage during history and the different understandings of norms and grace in the Catholic Church, the Protestant Church and the Evangelical Free Communities with regard to their handling of divorce and remarriage. Considering the resulting similarities and differences, I propose – building on the fact of God’s forgiveness – how to bridge the gap between normative ethics and the concept of grace without eliminating the obvious tension. Finally, possible consequences for how to handle divorce and remarriage by churches and communities are drawn. / Philosophy & Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Theological Ethics)