There is a great diversity of initiatives furthering unity among christians. Probably the most important ones are those of the World Council of Churches (WCC), the Roman Catholic Church as such and the Lausanne Movement of the Evangelicals. The "Runde Tisch" (=Round Table) brings together Austrian christians from all parts of the christian scenario as a new initiative towards unity. To find out, which of these initiatives is the most efficient, from a mission-strategical standpoint, this thesis develops the New Testament findings on the question of unity. Then, the 4 models are presented to finally be compared, to find out, where each one has its strengths and weaknesses. The Round Table Austria with its great width of christians involved, its theological profoundness and its leadership structure with proportional engagement of members from all present parts of the christian body is indeed quite close to the New Testament picture of unity. / Initiativen, die die Einheit unter Christen fördern gibt es sehr viele. Mit zu den wichtigsten zählen die des Weltkirchenrates (WCC), die Römisch-katholische Kirche als solche und die Lausanner Bewegung der Evangelikalen. Der Runde Tisch bringt in Österreich Christen aus allen Richtungen der Christenheit in eine neue Einheitsinitiative zusammen. Um nun herauszufinden, welche dieser Initiativen missionsstrategisch effizient ist, entfaltet diese Arbeit zunächst den neutestamentlichen Befund zur Frage der Einheit unter Christen. Dann werden die vier Modelle dargestellt und abschließend mit dem Ziel verglichen, herauszuarbeiten, wo die Stärken und Schwächen eines jeden Ansatzes liegen. Hierbei dient als Maßstab der Befund der neutestamentlichen Analyse. Der Runde Tisch Österreich liegt mit seinem breiten Spektrum an vertretenen Christen, seiner theologischen Tiefe und richtungsparitätischen Leitungsstruktur sehr nahe bei den neutestamentlichen Vorgaben zur Einheit unter Christen. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

This study examines archival materials, pertinent literary sources, and fifteen interviews (listed in the PREFACE) in order to understand the impact on the Africa Evangelical Church (AEC) by its founding body, the South Africa General Mission/ Africa Evangelical Fellowship (AEF). It also explores the possible contributions that both the Mission and the Church could make to their continued growth as they move together into the 21st century. CHAPTER 1 places the AEF within the historical context of the past two hundred years and clearly identifies it as an interdenominational faith mission. AEF's history is developed in CHAPTER 2 and the Mission is measured against Klaus Fiedler's "historical typology" of the Protestant missionary movement. While primarily typical when compared to other missions of the same type in the same period, the Mission falls below average in other areas. Since the years being discussed fall within the apartheid era, CHAPTER 3 portrays the political positioning of AEF missionaries. The biblical bases and pragmatic stances for such positioning are considered before the chapter ends with a general biblical evaluation of AEF' s position. Having discussed the Mission at length, CHAPTER 4 moves into the circumstances surrounding the beginnings and eventual autonomy of the Africa Evangelical Church (AEC). Its ministry relationships with the Mission, as well as its established constitution, are studied before the chapter concludes with a comparison of the AEF and AEC. Since they are more similar than dissimilar, the AEF's influence on the AEC is umnistakably clear. The political events which heavily impacted the context in which both the AEF and AEC ministered are briefly presented in CHAPTER 5. Four different documents, which record the theological reflections of evangelicals in terms of the apartheid's injustices, are mentioned along with the lack of both AEF and AEC response to them. Following the outlining of changes in political stance, CHAPTER 6 delves into possible contributions which both the Mission and the Church could make, separately and jointly, to move more proactively toward relevant change in South Africa. Neither wish to dwell on the past. Both intend to keep "God First" and always to "Go Forward." / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D.Th. (Missiology)

The thesis explores the theology of Dorothy L. Sayers and shows a connection between her and the post critical theology.

Le mariage, l’un des sacrements orthodoxes, préfigure l’Église qui accueille, nourrit et véhicule la communion de foi de ses fidèles. La foi est don de Dieu et réponse de celui qui la reçoit, trait d’union entre grâce divine et liberté humaine. Mais, l’unité de foi implique aussi l’unité sacramentelle, surtout dans le mariage. Dans ce sens, les mariages mixtes peuvent engendrer des problèmes conceptuels, juridiques et sociologiques. Pourtant, ils sont toujours célébrés. Cette thèse pose un certain nombre de questions. Faut-il mettre en garde les couples mixtes ? Sont-ils moins bien considérés que les « vrais » couples orthodoxes ? Les diverses positions orthodoxes liées aux mariages mixtes sont-elles vraiment conformes à l’esprit de l’Église universelle / Mysticum corpus Christi ? Pour l’Église orthodoxe, le mariage mixte est « incomplet » car il ne porte aucune unité de foi et n’est pas scellé par l’eucharistie, même s’il a les mêmes effets juridiques que le mariage ecclésial. Cette pratique ne risque-t-elle pas de porter atteinte à la liberté humaine ou de pousser certains fidèles à s’engager, malgré eux, dans une double appartenance confessionnelle ? C’est entre autres à ces questions que cette thèse tente de répondre. L’Église orthodoxe doit, à notre avis, s’interroger sur certains aspects pragmatiques des mariages mixtes. L’hétérogénéité du couple n’a au final pas grande importance par rapport à la miséricorde divine et l’amour des conjoints. Nous pensons que les couples mixtes sont parfois capables de réaliser leur unité dans le Christ, en instaurant un véritable dialogue œcuménique, basé sur l´expérience antiochienne de l’économie : oikonomia. / The marriage is one of the orthodox sacraments; being so, it prefigures the church that welcomes, nourishes and conveys the faith communion of its supporters. The faith is a grant from God and an answer to the one that receives it, and a link between divine grace and human liberty. But, the unity of faith also implies the sacramental unity, especially in the marriage. In this sense, the mixed marriages can generate conceptual, legal and sociological problems. Yet, they continue to be celebrated. This thesis asks some questions. Is it necessary to put in guard the mixed couples? Are they less well considered than the "true" orthodox couples? The distinct orthodox positions relative to the mixed marriages are really in conformity with the spirit of the universal church / Mysterious body of the Christ? The Orthodox Church considers the mixed marriage as "incomplete" because it doesn't concern a unity of faith and the Eucharist does not seal it. Yet, it carries the same legal effects that the ecclesiastic marriage. Doesn't this practice risk to undermine the human liberty or to push some supporters to enter, without wanting, into a double confessional adherence? This is one of those questions that this thesis tempts to answer. The Orthodox Church has, in our view, to reconsider some pragmatic aspects of mixed marriages.The heterogeneity of the couple doesn't have big importance compared to the God's mercy and love between spouses. Therefore, we think that the mixed couples are sometimes capable to achieve their unity in Christ, while instituting between them a real ecumenical dialogue, based on the Antiochian experience of economy: oikonomia

9 Summary The SSPX is a society of Roman Catholic priests, who aren't organized in any religious order, however, it's organization is similar to many religious orders. As its mission the SSPX consider the defense of a catholic priesthood, the Tridentine Mass and the true doctrine of the Church against danger, which supposedly affected the Church after the Second Vatican Council. The SSPX was established in 1970 and its center became Ecône Seminary in Switzerland. Hereafter, a wider informal group of Catholics, who were unsatisfied with an evolution of the Church, formed around the Society. The members of this group attended masses, celebrated by SSPX priests. This group had united more after a breakup between the SSPX and superiors of the Catholic church, which was caused by an illicit ordinations of a priests and following excommunication of a founder, archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, and his nearest fellows in 1988. From that point, these believers are forming to some kind of congregations similar to parishes, but which are unofficial and improvised. These activities, as well as a sacraments celebrated by SSPX priests, are unacceptable in a catholic canon law system (however, these sacraments are valid, if they were already celebrated!). The ethos of this society is conservative - both in a relation to...

The SSPX is a community of non-monastic priests with a structure similar to that of many religious orders. It was founded in 1970 by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Its pro- gram is to defend traditional Catholic values against the danger supposedly represented by the reforms initiated by the Second Vatican Council. A wider community of Catholics disagreeing with developments in the Church was formed around the SSPX. Following the breakup of the SSPX with the leadership of the Church in 1988, this community gained strength and a character of a certain denomination. The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) carried out a lot of changes, many of which have not yet been fully implemented. They concern the liturgy, pastoral care, interpretation of Scripture, and theology studies, among other issues. The common denominator of the con- ciliar reforms was to make the proclamation of Christ more comprehensible to modern man and make many things in the church consistent with the spirit of the Gospel and early Chris- tian tradition. The most significant shifts, initiated by the council, were the new approaches to ecumenism, to principle of religious freedom and to interfaith dialogue. Many circles in the Church, however, considered these changes as grinding the truths of faith; these Cath- olics began to be...

Située dans les Côtes d’Armor, Boquen est en 1965 une abbaye cistercienne de la commune observance. En 1976, les Petites Sœurs de Bethléem s’y installent avec un objectif précis : y rétablir une vie monastique après la décennie mouvementée que vient de vivre Boquen. L’abbaye s’était en effet métamorphosée en un haut lieu de la contestation catholique en France, voire en symbole de cette contestation.Cette étude se propose d’analyser, sur un mode chronologique, les éléments qui ont concouru à transformer cette petite abbaye en caisse de résonance des attentes de milliers de chrétiens. Elle met ainsi en lumière l’importance du contexte socioreligieux des sixties et des seventies dans l’évolution de Boquen mais aussi le rôle majeur joué par Bernard Besret, le très charismatique prieur de Boquen puis leader de la Communion. Celui-ci a initié un projet communautaire original, la Communion de Boquen, qui allie monachisme, œcuménisme et esprit des sixties. Le 20 août 1969, Bernard Besret prononce une conférence retentissante qui entraine sa destitution. Dès lors, la sanction draine vers l’abbaye toute l’aile contestataire chrétienne qui va de la gauche à l’extrême gauche. A l’automne 1970, Boquen a pris le leadership des chrétiens en recherche. Les deux années qui suivent confirment son succès. Mais qu’est-ce que Boquen ? En 1973, le déclin s’amorce. Il est aggravé par le départ de Bernard Besret en octobre 1974. A l’automne 1976, cette expérience utopique dans les murs de Boquen s’achève avec l’expulsion de la Communion et de la communauté des résidents qui s’y était établie. / Boquen, located in “ Côtes d’Armor”, is in 1965 a Cistercian abbey of the common observance. In 1976, the Little Sisters of Bethleem settle there with the precise purpose of re-establishing monastic life after the agitated decade that has just come to an end at Boquen. For the abbey had indeed been turned into a prominent place of the catholic protest in France, if not its very symbol. This study proposes an analysis, in a chronological mode, of the elements that have contributed to the transforming of this small abbey into a sounding board for the expectations of thousands of Christians. It thus brings to light the importance played by the socio-religious context of the sixties and seventies upon the evolution of Boquen, and also the major role played by Bernard Besret, the very charismatic Prior of Boquen and later leader of the “Communion”. He initiated an original community project, the Communion of Boquen, which combined monasticism, ecumenism and spirit of the sixties. On August 20th 1969 Bernard Besret gives a resounding conference which brings about his dismissal. From that day, that sanction attracts to the abbey all the christian anti-establishment wing, ranging from left to far left. By the autumn of 1970 Boquen has taken the leadership of the Christians in spiritual quest. The next two years confirm its success. But what is Boquen? In 1973, it starts declining. Things get worse with Bernard Besret’s departure in October 1974. By the autumn of 1976, that utopic experiment within the walls of Boquen comes to an end with the expulsion of the Communion and of the community of residents who had settled there.

A number of articles in books and newspapers have been written on the life and work of Nicholas Bhengu, in the past four decades. However, to date no focused academic research had been devoted to his life, his mission, his message and his influence in South Africa as well as beyond the borders of South Africa. The different chapters in the thesis focus on Bhengu’s life, his call to ministry and the role he played in South Africa, in rest of Africa, and beyond the borders of our continent. Although Bhengu did not overtly address political issues by supporting either the liberation movements nor the Nationalist Government, the impact of his work was felt by both to the extent that liberation movements such as ANC criticised him for not lending his public support to the struggle they waged against apartheid. On the other hand, the South African government also tried to co-opt him as an ally of their socio-political ideology. The government disappointed by Bhengu’s lack of support for its political programme, became suspicious of his intentions and set the Special Branch of the South African Police to monitor his movements, teaching and preaching. Bhengu ministered during a tumultuous period in the history of South Africa which called for people as well as the faith communities to take sides for or against the system of apartheid. Bhengu’s teaching and preaching had a great impact on the social and political psyche of the people in South Africa. Through his Back to God Crusade he, with great effectiveness, called people to return to God. Thousands devoted their lives to God. Wherever Bhengu conducted his crusades, crime went down significantly, with criminals turning in their weapons of trade and returning stolen goods to the police. He also performed spectacular healings and miracles. Apart from his evangelistic campaigns, Bhengu planted churches, established a formidable women’s ministry that to this day continues to raise millions of Rand to fund the Back to God Crusade. The Youth Ministry provides bursaries for young people to study in any field of their choice. Bhengu’s goal for providing these bursaries was to empower a new generation to contribute to the development of their country. He also established self-governing, self-supporting and self-propagating churches, at a time when Black Churches were dependent on handouts from missionary sending agencies. The study finally evaluates the contribution and lasting legacy of Bhengu: his example, his missionary endeavours, his preaching and church planting efforts, his socio-political involvement, and his leadership. The strategies that he employed to building a cohesive and successful movement – the Back to God/Assemblies of God Movement – receive special attention. The impact of the movement is still felt in South Africa and the neighbouring countries, Swaziland, Namibia, Lesotho, Botswana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, twenty five years after his death. There is every reason to consider Nicholas Bhengu to be the Billy Graham of Africa. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Science of Religion and Missiology / unrestricted

Lo studio ricostruisce i sette anni di presidenza di Carlo Maria Martini al Consiglio delle Conferenze episcopali d’Europa (CCEE) dal 1986 al 1993, attraverso la documentazione conservata presso l’archivio Martini, depositato all’Archivio diocesano di Milano, e l’Archivio del CCEE, conservato a San Gallo. La ricerca mette in luce alcuni argomenti: la consistenza del dialogo ecumenico in Europa; il tema della collegialità all’interno della Chiesa cattolica; la discussione sul significato di “nuova evangelizzazione” europea; l’unificazione dell’Europa e la ripresa dei rapporti tra vescovi cattolici occidentali e orientali. La ricerca dunque si focalizza su questi quattro temi nel tentativo di inserirli nell’ampia cornice del dibattito cattolico tra anni Ottanta e Novanta. / The research focuses on the presidency of Carlo Maria Martini of the Council of Bishops’ Conferences of Europe (CCEE) from 1986 to 1993. The documents are stored in the diocesan archive of Milan, and in the CCEE’s archive in St. Gallen. The research highlights four topics. The first one is the ecumenical dialogue in Europe in the 80s. The second one is the collegiality in the catholic church during the John Paul II’s pontificate. The Third one is the debate on the significance of “new evangelization” for the Catholic Church. The fourth one is the role of the Catholic Church in the unification process of Europe after the collapse of the soviet system after 1989.

Matouš Holeka's dissertation examines various interpretation methods of the Scriptures by theologians in the Roman-Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant traditions. These interpretation methods can be most clearly identified in the relationship between the Scriptures and tradition, in historical-critical methodology, and in political-cultural readings of the biblical texts. In this dissertation, these themes are shown as representing different ways of common critical reading of the sacred texts. As well as the historical-critical approach, there are also pre-critical and ideological readings. The dissertation starts by looking at this diversity in documents of the World Council of Churches. It shows that the differences in understanding the Scriptures are no longer connected primarily to the specific views of the respective traditions, but rather that similarities or differences in readings across churches. Christians within these traditions refer to their own sources: in the case of the Roman-Catholics to Church documents, in the case of the Orthodox to the Church Fathers and as far as Protestants are concerned, to the Confessions. However, their reception in each of these traditions only confirms the diversity of readings. This is also true for the theological interpretation of the Scriptures, which...