Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Dysfunctional exclusion between Christians and Muslims in Northern Nigeria in general, and Gombe State in particular, is understood to be a trigger of religious crises in Northern Nigeria. History has shown that Northern Nigeria has been experiencing religious crises from 1980 to the present. The crises have grossly affected the relationship between these two religious groups, despite the fact that they all live in the same community and in some cases in the same family. The reoccurrence of religious crises has created fear and suspicion of one another between the adherents of the two religions, thus giving more ground to the practice of dysfunctional exclusion. In 1999, the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) formed a forum, called the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), for the purpose of tackling the problems of dysfunctional exclusion and religious crises between Christians and Muslims. Dialogue is one of the most relied approaches adopted by NIREC in addressing the challenges. Unfortunately the application of dialogue among the Christians and Muslims in Gombe state has not been effective as the problem of dysfunctional exclusion persist. This calls for reconsideration of the application of dialogue or to consider an alternative approach which will effectively deal with the dysfunctional exclusion among the two religious adherents in Gombe state. As a contribution to the fight against dysfunctional exclusion, I suggests a co-pathic approach. The research question is can co-pathy effectively contribute in addressing the challenge of dysfunctional exclusion within Christian/Muslim relationships? This will be answered with a focus on the outlined goals of the research following the methodology of Richard Osmer (2008) – the four tasks of practical theology. First, the descriptive-empirical task; this task answers the question what is going on? It examines the practice of dysfunctional exclusion among the Christians and Muslims. Second, the interpretive task, which answers the question why is this going on? This will discuss the concept of co-pathy, and its relevant application to the Christian/Muslim relationship. Third, the normative task; this task answers the question what ought to be going on? It explores a co-pathic theological foundation for interreligious understanding. And lastly, the pragmatic task answers the question how might we respond? This presents, in the concluding chapter, the contribution of the research to the fight against dysfunctional exclusion. The research will create an awareness of a pluralistic religious society and the need for interreligious understanding and consciousness. Co-pathy will be used as a point of convergence between Muslims and Christians and will stand at the centre of their relationships, as both religions recognise and value the virtue of co-pathy. This will motivate the life of togetherness in passion, thus paving the way for the recognition of each other‘s religion with regard, tolerating religious practices, and considering one another as members of the same community without religious segregation. The research is significant, as the issue of dysfunctional exclusion dehumanises and triggers religious crises, which have claimed many lives in the northern states of Nigeria. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Wanfunksionele uitsluiting onder Christene en Moslems in Noord-Nigerië in die algemeen, en in Gombe Staat spesifiek, gee aanleiding tot godsdienstige krisisse in Noord-Nigerië. Die geskiedenis toon dat Noord-Nigerië sedert 1980 godsdienstige krisisse ervaar. Hierdie krisisse het 'n groot effek op die verhouding tussen hierdie twee godsdienstige groepe, ten spyte daarvan dat hulle almal in dieselfde gemeenskap, en soms in dieselfde gesin, woon. Die herhaling van godsdienstige krisisse het gelei tot vrees en agterdog tussen die navolgers van die twee godsdienste, wat nog meer gronde gee vir die praktyk van wanfunksionele uitsluiting. In 1999 het die Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) en die Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) 'n forum gevorm met die naam Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) om probleme met betrekking tot wanfunksionele uitsluiting en godsdienstige krisisse tussen Christene en Moslems te hanteer. Dialoog is die benadering wat die meeste deur NIREC gebruik word om die uitdagings aan te spreek. Ongelukkig was die toepassing van dialoog tussen Christene en Moslems in Gombe Staat nie effektief nie, aangesien die probleem van wanfunksionele uitsluiting voortduur. Dit vereis dus 'n heroorweging van die toepassing van dialoog, of om 'n alternatiewe benadering te oorweeg wat doeltreffend met die wanfunksionele uitsluiting onder die twee godsdienstige groeperinge in Gombe Staat sal kan handel. As 'n bydrae tot die stryd teen wanfunksionele uitsluiting, stel ek 'n ko-patiese (copathic) benadering voor. My navorsingsvraag is kan ko-patie doeltreffend bydra tot die aanspreek van die uitdaging van wanfunksionele uitsluiting in Christen/Moslemverhoudings. Dit sal beantwoord word deur te fokus op die doelwitte van die navorsing volgens die metodologie van Richard Osmer (2008) – die vier take van praktiese teologie. Eerstens, die beskrywende-empiriese taak; dit antwoord die vraag, wat gaan aan? Dit ondersoek die praktyk van wanfunksionele uitsluiting onder Christene en Moslems. Tweede, die verklarende taak, wat die vraag beantwoord – hoekom gaan dit aan? Hier sal ek die konsep van ko-patie en die relevante toepassing daarvan op die Christen/Moslem-verhouding bespreek. Derdens, die normatiewe taak; hierdie taak antwoord die vraag, wat behoort aan te gaan? Dit verken 'n ko-patiese teologiese fondament vir intergodsdienstige verstandhouding. En laastens, die pragmatiese taak, wat die vraag, hoe kan ons reageer? beantwoord. In die finale hoofstuk stel ek die bydrae van hierdie navorsing voor in die stryd teen wanfunksionele uitsluiting. Hierdie navorsing sal bewussyn skep van 'n pluralistiese godsdienstige samelewing en die behoefte aan intergodsdienstige begrip en bewussyn. Ko-patie sal gebruik word as 'n punt van konvergensie tussen Moslems en Christene en sentraal in hulle verhoudings staan, aangesien beide godsdienste die deug van ko-patie erken en waarde daaraan heg. Dit sal die lewe van samesyn in passie motiveer en dus die weg berei vir die erkenning van mekaar se godsdiens met agting, die verdra van godsdienstige praktyke en 'n beskouing van mekaar as lede van dieselfde gemeenskap sonder godsdienstige afsondering. Die navorsing is betekenisvol omdat die kwessie van wanfunksionele uitsluiting mense ontmens en godsdienstige krisisse veroorsaak, wat al baie lewens in die noordelike state van Nigerië geëis het.

No description available.

No description available.

Palestine is known as the birthplace of Christianity. However the Christian population of this land is relatively insignificant today, despite the continuing institutional legacy that the 19th century Western missionary focus on the region created. Palestinian Christians are often forced to employ politically astute as well as theologically radical means in their efforts to appear relevant within an increasingly Islamist-oriented society. My thesis focuses on two ecumenical Christian organisations within Palestine, the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Centre in Jerusalem (headed by the Anglican cleric Naim Stifan Ateek) and Dar Annadwa Addawliyya (the International Centre of Bethlehem-ICB, directed by the Lutheran theologian Mitri Raheb). Based on my field work (consisting of an in-depth familiarisation with the two organisations in Palestine and interviews with their directors, office-staff and supporters worldwide, as well as data analyses based on an extensive literature review), I argue that the grassroots-oriented educational, humanitarian, cultural and contextual theological approach favoured by the ICB in Bethlehem is more relevant to the Palestinian situation, than the more sectarian and Western-oriented approach of the Sabeel Centre. These two groups are analysed primarily according to their theological-political approaches. One, (Sabeel), has sought to develop a critical Christian response to the Palestine-Israel conflict using the politico-theological tool of liberation theology, albeit with a strongly ecumenical Western-oriented focus, while the other (ICB), insists that its theological orientation draws primarily from the Levantine Christian (and in their particular case, the Palestinian Lutheran) context in which Christians in Israel-Palestine are placed. Raheb of the ICB has tried to develop a contextual theology that seeks to root the political and cultural development of the Palestinian people within their own Eastern Christian context and in light of their peculiarly restricted life under an Israeli occupation regime of over 40 years. In the process, I argue that the ICB has sought to be much more situationally relevant to the needs of the Palestinian people in the West Bank, given the employment, socio-cultural and humanitarian-health opportunities opened up by the practical-institution building efforts of this organisation in Bethlehem.

The increasingly politicized presence of Muslim communities in Britain today is raising issues not only for society in general but for other faith communities as well. Among these the Evangelical constituency, including the members of various Christian diasporas, is struggling to find a coherent response which is true to its Bible-based, activist roots. This thesis discusses the relationship of religion to the theoretical notion of the public sphere. Specifically it hypothesizes an Evangelical micro public sphere as the framework for an empirical exploration of the responses of British Evangelicals to Muslims since the events of 11th September 2001. It describes the formation, composition and discourse of this sphere drawing on data gathered from books, articles, lectures and interviews with key participants. The data reveal a marked tension, indeed a polarization, amongst Evangelicals, with an increasingly sharp disagreement between ‘confrontationalists’ and ‘conciliators’. A detailed analysis of the interaction of this sphere with Muslims, the national media and church leaders follows, leading to a concluding discussion of the future trajectory of the British Evangelical movement. Whilst it is still too early to say whether Evangelicalism will be strengthened or weakened, its encounter with Islam is likely to be an increasingly significant factor in British public life for the foreseeable future.

Today we live in a world of heightened religious awareness and sensitivity. The events of September 11, 2001 sent a shock wave throughout American society and in some cases ignited a religious spark in those shocked by the attacks. The result has been a distinct and clearly visible fragmentation of the United States along religious and ideological boundaries. The United States Military is not immune to stress caused by these divides. There have been claims of anti-Muslim sentiment within select units of the U.S. Army; accusations that some leaders at the U.S. Air Force Academy were using their positions to promote their faith and discriminate against minority faiths, and allegations that the U.S. Navy is prohibiting chaplains from practicing their faith. In this thesis, I examine these and other cases along with the religious diversity trends since 2001 to demonstrate that the potential for continued and increased religious conflict in the military is high. I will further argue that the solution to avoiding these conflicts is through training and education provided at the initial stages of enlisted training and at the commissioning source for officers.

The primary problem in this study was to develop a comprehensive long-range plan for Arkansas Baptists to use as a guide in meeting their needs in the field of Christian higher education. These needs were viewed in two ways: 1. Need as related to the purposes and philosophy of Christian higher education of Southern Baptists; 2. Need as related to the number of persons to be served.

Recent sex role research suggested that androgynous subjects demonstrated better adjustment than sex-typed subjects. Fundamentalist religious belief, however, has strongly supported sex role differentiation. This study hypothesized that the effect of appropriate sex role typing or androgyny on self-esteem would depend on religious belief. Although this hypothesis was not supported, a main effect on sex roles for females was obtained; androgynous females had a higher self-esteem level than feminine females. In addition, males in this study had a higher self-esteem level than females.

The third crusade could be likened to a chess game, taking place between the English King Richard I and the Muslim Sultan Saladin. The game that eventually ended in stalemate because neither Richard nor Saladin were able to gain an advantage over his opponent, which would lead to the final turn. The attitudes of both men were very different and this is obviously reflected in their ruling and military capabilities. The question which therefore arises is, how were Richard I and Saladin linked? The answer is simple. The King of England and the Muslim Sultan were on a larger scale linked with a right to the Holy Land and in the narrow scale to Jerusalem. If we try to understand Saladin and Richard we must focus on the period in which they lived, the situation in the Holy Land and minds of Christians and Muslims. This goal is also subject to the methodology of the work, descriptive method with contextual analysis and structure of the thesis were chosen.

Ce travail consacré à la communauté ruthène des XVIe-XVIIe siècles s'intéresse à la vie religieuse des chrétiens orientaux de Pologne-Lituanie au moment de la division de la métropole de Kiev entre les obédiences romaine et constantinopolitaine. A partir de l'exemple de la Lituanie occidentale (voïvodes de Vilnius et de Trakai), qui correspondait à une zone frontière entre les structures ecclésiastiques des rites grec et latin, il propose de saisir les enjeux et les conséquences locales des conflits et des négociations, qui émanèrent du schisme survenu après l'Union de Brest de 1595/1596. Grâce à des sources variées (documentation judiciaire, registres fiscaux, visites pastorales, correspondances, archives romaines, traités de controverse etc), l'enquête vise à replacer les fidèles de rite oriental dans l'espace géographique et les structures sociales de ce territoire pluriconfessionnel. A une échelle plus petite, l'étude fait ressortir également la place de la Lituanie dans les bouleversements généraux de l'Eglise ruthène de cette période afin de comprendre les disparités avec les religions méridionales de la métropole, plus réticents à reconnaître l'obédience pontificale. La « régionalisation » de l'histoire de l'Union de Brest amène enfin à évaluer la réception des réformes religieuses par les laïcs et de dégager les processus en jeu dans la constitution des appartenances confessionnelles sur les frontières du christianisme latin de l'époque post-tridentine. / This study on the Ruthenian community of the 16th and 17th centuries analyses the religious life of Eastern Christians of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, at the moment of the division of the Kievan metropolinate between Roman and Constantinopolitan obediences. With the example of western Lithuania (Vilnius and Trakai voivodships), which corresponded to a border area between the ecclesiastical structures of Greek and Latin rites, it proposes to explain the issues and consequences of local conflicts and negotiations, associated to the schism occurred after the Union of Brest in 1595/1596. Through a variety of sources (court archives, tax records, pastoral visits, correspondences, Roman archives, controversial treatises etc), the survey aims to situate the faithful of the Eastern rite within geographic space and social structures of this multiconfessional territory. On a smaller scale, the work also highlights the rôle of Lithuania in the general upheavals of the Ruthenian Church of this period in order to understand the differences with the soutern parts of the metropolitan diocese which was more reluctant to recognize the authority of the Pope. This « regionalization » of the history of the Union of Brest finally tries to measure the impact of religious reforms on laity and ti identify different process involved in the formation of confessional identities on the borders of Latin Christianity of the post-Tridentine era.