This thesis evaluates the contribution of Charles Chiniquy (1809-1899) to the religious life of French Canada in the latter half of the nineteenth century. Once a Roman Catholic priest, he converted to "Bible" Christianity and became a Presbyterian minister. The fluid intellectual context between the liberal "Rouge" and conservative "Bleu" elements in French Canadian society is briefly described to explain his conversion. Then, his anti-Catholic, invective - filled works from 1875 to 1900 are studied to discover his contributions to and his observations of the religious mentalities of late 19th-century North America. One finds the concepts of rhetorical repetition and expansion, a projection of moral misconduct, and a "paranoid" mindset fearful of conspiracies. / Cette thèse évalue la contribution de Charles Chiniquy (1809-1899) a la vie religieuse du Canada français dans la dernière moitie du 19e siècle. Prêtre catholique, il est devenu pasteur presbytérien par la voie d'une conversion au christianisme dit biblique. Le contexte intellectuel et fluide entre les éléments libéraux "rouges" et conservateurs "bleus" de la société canadienne-française est décrit rapidement pour expliquer sa conversion. Ensuite, ses livres anticatholiques et pleins d'invectives, de 1875 a 1900, sont étudiés pour découvrir ses apports et ses observations sur les mentalités religieuses de la fin du 19e siècle en Amérique du Nord. Nous trouvons les catégories d'amplification et de repetition rhétorique, de projection de mauvaise conduite morale, et d'un penchant intellectuel "paranoTaque" redoutant les conspirations. fr

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Chung Yi Cheung. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 114-121). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Why This Topic? --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- The Scope of This Thesis --- p.3 / Chapter 1.3 --- The Structure of this Thesis --- p.7 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Christianity and Nihilism --- p.9 / Chapter 2.1 --- The Death of God and Nihilism --- p.10 / Chapter 2.2 --- Nihilism and the Project of Revaluation --- p.21 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- The Project of Revaluation and the Method of Genealogy --- p.26 / Chapter 3.1 --- The Fulfillment of Revaluation --- p.27 / Chapter 3.2 --- The Method of Revaluation --- p.3 3 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Genealogy of Christianity --- p.44 / Chapter 4.1 --- The Morality of Good and Evil --- p.46 / Chapter 4.2 --- The Interpretation of Human Nature --- p.53 / Chapter 4.3 --- The Ascetic Ideal --- p.58 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Nietzsche's Criticism of Christianity --- p.65 / Chapter 5.1 --- The Slave and the Overman --- p.65 / Chapter 5.2 --- The Nihilistic Effects of Christianity --- p.68 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Evaluation of Nietzsche's Understanding and Criticism of Christianity --- p.85 / Chapter 6.1 --- Nietzsche's Understanding of Christianity --- p.85 / Chapter 6.2 --- Nietzsche's Criticism of Christianity --- p.98 / Chapter Chapter 7 --- Conclusion --- p.105 / Chapter 7.1 --- Dionysus versus the Crucified --- p.105 / Chapter 7.2 --- What Christian and Non-Christian Can Learn from Nietzsche --- p.109 / Chapter 7.3 --- Limitations of this Thesis --- p.112 / Bibliography --- p.114

The aim of this bachelor’s thesis is to examine parents’ and librarians’ views on censorship in children’s library. Similarities and differences between the opinion of librarians, and parents with children in the age of 0 to 12 years, have been examined. To analyse the result Jürgen Habermas’ theory of lifeworld and system has been used, together with research, mostly from USA, about censorship of children’s library. There is not much research available on censorship at children's libraries in Sweden, instead newspaper articles on controversial children's literature have been used in this paper to shed light upon the current Swedish views on censorship in children's libraries. Qualitative interviews with two librarians, working in the children’s library, and two parents, with children who visit the children's library regularly, were made. In summary, the research shows that there are actually not many differences in opinion of censorship in children’s library between the parents and librarians. A new question arises: why do we have a discussion in media about censorship of children’s library, when the respondents of this research think the controversial books should not be moved. And is it coincidental that all our respondents shared the same view on censorship of children's literature, or is it the common opinion among children's librarians and parents of younger children in Sweden?

John Cameron highly influenced the development of theology at the Huguenot Academy of Saumur and left an impact on French Reformed thought that continued to the end of the Seventeenth Century. Cameron had modified orthodox Calvinism by softening some of its harsher features in order to answer its opponents more effectively. Claude Pajon was convinced that certain flaws had emerged in the way other disciples of Cameron were interpreting his theology which threatened to undermine Cameron's carefully balanced system. Cameron had introduced the concept that the will always follows the understanding and that man is converted according to his nature through persuasion and reasons without any coercion. Man was understood as possessing natural ability to choose the good; however because of his own voluntary choice, he remains in the grip of a moral inability. He also taught the controversial concept of "hypothetical universalism" or that God wills the conversion of all men and provides the Word for their redemption which is an adequate remedy for man's sinful condition. In the end, however, only those granted a particular grace are actually of the elect and converted. Pajon vigorously opposed those who argued that there is a need for an immediate act of grace distinct from the action of the Word before man's mind could be illuminated. To argue that grace is universal and that the Word is an adequate remedy for sin and still to insist on an immediate grace of this nature was considered by Pajon to rob the concept of universalism of any validity, and to undermine the entire Cameronian apologetic. Pajon's solution was to propose a method of conversion known as mediate grace or congruism. The Spirit brings about conversion entirely by the secondary means of the Word and its attending circumstances and causes all these influences to converge in such a way and at such a time that the subject is inevitably but voluntarily persuaded and converted. It is essential to the very nature of man to be able to receive the Word of truth which brings deliverance to the soul without immediate grace. Furthermore, man's sin is of a moral nature; nothing physical is involved in it in any way. Therefore, the logical prescription should be a moral remedy for a moral malady. Pajon understood that his concept of grace represented Cameron's own position and was the most coherent interpretation of Cameronianism.

The aim of this master thesis is to examine how Swedish public libraries approaches purchasing potentially controversial and anti-democratic books. According to the The Swedish Library Act, libraries should work towards the development of the democratic society and act for the benefit of free speech. If that is the case, how do libraries approach non-democratic works, for example works that speculate in racism or even genocide? This have been a widely discussed topic in media the last couple of years, fuelled by two decisions by the Swedish Parliamentary Ombudsman (Justitieombudsmannen) that ruled that two public libraries acted wrongly in their decisions to deny purchase of a couple of controversial books that had been requested to be purchased by patrons. This study is based on five qualitative interviews of managers representing five different Swedish public libraries, supplemented by a review of the libraries steering documents. To summarize this study finds that there has been a shift over the last couple of years how public libraries approach potentially controversial books. In the past, it was more common for libraries to not carry any books considered anti-democratic or xenophobic. However, today it is very common for libraries to add these kinds of books to their collection. The only aspect a library can deny a purchase on is the “quality” of the work, not the values or opinions expressed in it. Because of the lack of a national definition of what exactly “quality” entails some libraries have worked out their own definition that they use when making decisions regarding media purchases. The representatives didn’t think that a national definition was needed and that and under the current configuration the libraries have more manoeuvrability and can apply their professional competence to a higher degree.

This thesis examines four tracts authored by three Christian Identity rhetors. The study argues that these rhetors employ elements of the narrative paradigm to spread their own brand of hate-based theology. This study employs a method of narrative criticism as outlined by Foss ( 1996) in examining Howard B. Rand's "Who Crucified Jesus?" and "The Verdict of Time"; Wesley A. Swift's "Who Crucified Christ?"; and Sheldon Emry's "Who Killed Christ?" Howard B. Rand was the leader of the Anglo-Saxon Federation of America during the 1930s, an organization which was the forerunner of the contemporary Christian Identity movement. Wesley A. Swift was a major leader of Christian Identity during the late 1940s through the 1960s.

Thesis (DLitt)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this dissertation I attempt to open up new perspectives on the literary qualities and the unity of Augustine's Confessions by reading the work in the light of the context within which it first functioned. Part 1, Prolegomena, consists of a survey of secondary literature (in chapter 1) that focuses on research on the literary characteristics of the work, followed by a theoretical exploration of the two aspects that constitute the focus of this study, the genre and the audience of the Confessions. Chapter 2.1 examines how the literary practices and generic conventions of late Antiquity should inform our reading of the work. This is achieved through a discussion of the implications of genre analysis in general (2.1.1), followed by an examination of the conventions of the ancient protreptic genre (2.1.2), a look at the parallels between the Confessions and three of its literary antecedents and between the Confessions and Augustine's Contra Academicos (2.1.3), and an evaluation of the perspectives offered on the unity of the work by this procedure (2.1.4). Chapter 2.2 starts with a discussion of the concept of intended audience (2.2.1) and proceeds to provide the background needed to follow the arguments on the specific segment of Augustine's audience that I consider here, the Manicheans (2.2.2). Part 2 of the dissertation consists of the analyses of selected passages but attempts at the same time to give an accurate account of how genre and intended audience are embodied in the text as a whole. In chapter 3 I show that Augustine's meditation on Ps 4 in the central section of the Confessions (9.4.8-11) is a protreptic that targets a Manichean audience (3.1) through Augustine's identification with this audience (3.2) and the prevalent use of Manichean terminology and categories (3.3). In chapter 4 I analyse in a more systematic way the expression of protreptic purpose through various devices throughout the Confessions: foreshadowing in the opening paragraph (4.1), the use of a shifting persona (4.2), allusion to Matt 7:7 (4.3), and the theme of the protreptic power of reading and listening (4.5). I evaluate how pervasive the expression of protreptic intent is (4.4) and end with an examination of the protreptic-paraenetic purpose of the first section of the allegorical exposition of the creation story in book 13 (4.6). Chapter 5 examines the degree to which the Manicheans are targeted by the text as a whole as an important segment of its intended audience. I examine the use of the theme of friendship to evoke Augustine's erstwhile Manichean friendships and the history of failed communication with this group (5.1), the role Augustine intends curiositas to play in coaxing the Manicheans into reading yet another attempt to convert them (5.2), and once again how pervasive the concerns with a Manichean audience is (5.3). I conclude this chapter, like the previous one, with an analysis of the last section of the allegory in book 13, where I discern towards the end an intensification of indications that Augustine is preoccupied with his Manichean audience (5.4). / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie proefskrif probeer om nuwe perspektief te bied op die literêre eienskappe en die eenheid van Augustinus se Confessiones deur die werk te lees in die lig van die konteks waarbinne dit aanvanklik gefunksioneer het. Deel 1, Prolegomena, is In oorsig oor die sekondêre literatuur (in hoofstuk 1) wat fokus op studies van die literêre tegnieke in die werk, gevolg deur In teoretiese verkenning van die twee aspekte wat die fokuspunt van die studie vorm, naamlik die genre en die gehoor van die Confessiones. Hoofstuk 2 ondersoek hoe literêre praktyke en genre-verwante konvensies van die laat Antieke die lees van die werk behoort te beïnvloed. Dit word gedoen aan die hand van In bespreking van die implikasies van genre-analise in die algemeen (2.1.1), gevolg deur In oorsig oor die konvensies van die antieke protreptiese genre (2.1.2), In bespreking van die paraIIele tussen die Confessiones en drie literêre voorlopers daarvan asook tussen die Confessiones en Augustinus se Contra Academicos (2.1.3) en In evaluering van die perspektiewe wat hierdie werkwyse bied op die eenheid van die werk (2.1.4). Hoofstuk 2.2 behels In bespreking van die konsep teikengehoor (2.2.1), gevolg deur In opsomming van die agtergrondinligting wat nodig is om die argumente oor die spesifieke segment van Augustinus se gehoor wat hier oorweeg word (die Manicheërs), te volg (2.2.2). Deel 2 van die proefskrif bestaan uit die analises van geselekteerde passasies maar probeer terselfdertyd om In getroue weergawe te bied van hoe genre en gehoor in die teks as geheel beliggaam word. Hoofstuk 3 toon dat Augustinus se oordenking van Ps 4 in die sentrale gedeelte van die Confessiones (9.4.8-11) In protreptiese werk gerig op In Manichese gehoor is (3.1). Augustinus vereenslewig hom met sy teikengehoor (3.2) en gebruik deurgaans Manichese terminologie en kategorieë (3.3). Hoofstuk 4 ondersoek hoe die protreptiese doelwit in die Confessiones uitgedruk word deur die gebruik van verskeie tegnieke: voorafskaduing in die aanvangsparagraaf (4.1), die gebruik van In verskuiwende persona (4.2), verwysing na Matt 7:7 (4.3) en die tema van die protreptiese uitwerking van lees en luister (4.5). Ek evalueer hoe verteenwoordigend ten opsigte van die geheel die uitdrukking van die protreptiese doelwit is (4.4) en sluit met In analise van die protrepties-paranetiese funksie van die eerste deel van die allegoriese interpretasie van die skeppingsverhaal in boek 13 (4.6). Hoofstuk 5 ondersoek die mate waarin die teks as geheel die Manicheërs as die teikengehoor van die werk aandui. Dit toon hoe Augustinus die tema van vriendskap gebruik om sy vroeëre Manichese vriendskappe op te roep en verwys na die geskiedenis van onsuksesvolle kommunikasie met hierdie groep (5.1); dit toon hoe curiositas 'n rol speel om die Manicheërs oor te haalom nog 'n poging om hulle te bekeer te lees (5.2) asook hoe verteenwoordigend ten opsigte van die geheel die bemoeienis met 'n Manichese gehoor is (5.3). Die hoofstuk sluit af, soos die vorige een, met 'n analise (nou van die tweede deel) van die allegorie in boek 13, met klem op die sterker wordende aanduidings dat Augustinus hier 'n Manichese gehoor in die oog het (5.4).

Literary scholars frequently analyze the allusions to Western Christianity apparent in Toni Morrison's novels, but these studies overlook the ways in which some of her novels are informed by a Caribbean presence. This study argues that Rastafari themes, symbols, and ideologies are recurrent in Toni Morrison's Tar Baby, Beloved, and Song of Solomon. Rastafari is a social movement primarily concerned with restoring the image of Africa to a holy place. A Rastafari analysis of these texts broadens the literary spectrum to suggest that these novels highlight Morrison's attempt to write about the multifaceted element of the black community, which remains deeply connected to its American, African, and Caribbean roots. / by Nicole Racquel Carr. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2010. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2010. Mode of access: World Wide Web.