I have always felt personally challenged and invigorated by one line in Peter Brook's canonical text The Empty Stage: “if the need for a true contact with a sacred invisibility through the theatre still exists, then all possible vehicles must be re-examined" (Brook 54). This thesis will endeavour to suggest and explore heavenly theatre, one possible vehicle to find that sacred invisibility. I will argue that heavenly theatre encompasses Peter Brook's understanding of holy theatre, but is more specific and tied to the manifestation of deity in the form of the Holy Spirit as understood and defined within my personal religious beliefs in LDS theology (of or belonging to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). The blue print, foundation, or first consideration in creating this heavenly theatre is narrative, and I will show that practitioners searching for the sacred or holy in theatre have largely neglected discussing narrative as a core element of their endeavours. Specifically, I will examine pilgrimage narrative, a potential blue print for heavenly theatre, but one which is not prescriptive. I will engage with pilgrimage through the seminal writings on Christian pilgrimage by the anthropologist Victor Turner and his wife Edith Turner, and go on to explore how the pilgrimage narrative is deeply embedded in King Lear. I will then conclude that this pilgrimage narrative parallels in many respects the journey of Jesus Christ, and how this parallel lends itself to the creation of heavenly theatre. When interviewed, the Canadian director Robert LePage once said he believed the purpose of theatre was to put us, “in contact with the gods" (Delgado 143). I agree with him, and this thesis represents the very beginnings of my personal journey, or pilgrimage as it were, to understand a little more as to how that may be possible.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-03T12:18:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Capa.pdf: 17992 bytes, checksum: 3c71ef92a3a9b10e9f9ed1102745b9ee (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005-03-16 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / The proposal of the dissertation is an interchange between the New Cultural History and the Search for the Historical Jesus. The problems presented to the contemporary historiography by the Postmodernity, the question of subjectivity in the epistemological processes of historic construction and the recognition of the complexity of social actions, ask for a methodology that would find a way out of the dualism rationalism- irrationalism, the opposition between positivists approaches and the refusal to interpret historic objects. The project presents the Italian Microhistory as a solution to these Chimeras. Thus, the question for Jesus of Nazareth wont be initiated by theoretical schemes such as the permanent structures of the Mediterranean, the so called common Judaism , or the ethos of Lower Galilee but by the intensive, detailed observation of a significant microphenomenon of Jesus life, his symbolic demonstration at the Temple (Mk 11:15-19 and parallels). The microanalysis will skillfully multiply the symbolic action s causal relations and from them infer Jesus religious outlines and his relationship towards the Great Spiritual Center, Herod s Sanctuary. The variation between the macroscopic and microscopic observation scales will also be fundamental to the construction of plausible images of Jesus. Inferences on the cultural and religious context of Galilee will be experimented from Jesus micro-action the understanding that individuals are, in one way or another, representatives of whole historical periods and cultural layers won t be taken for granted. This project hypothesizes that Jesus demonstration at the Temple, far from being an attempt of purification, was the actualization of a mythic structure centered on Jeremiah 7 (a mitopraxis) guided by an archaic imaginary that pictures heaven as a temple. This imaginary was abundant in the literary images of apocalypticism and in the incipient mysticism that will lead to Hekhalot literature. As a final experiment, it will be proposed a connection between Jesus heaven-temple imaginary and his alleged visionary experiences of heavenly ascent. / A dissertação tem como proposta um intercâmbio entre a Nova História Cultural e a Pesquisa pelo Jesus Histórico. Os problemas colocados à historiografia atual pela pósmodernidade, a questão da subjetividade nos processos epistemológicos de construção histórica e a necessidade de reconhecimento da complexidade das ações sociais, pedem por uma metodologia que encontre uma saída à contraposição entre racionalismo e irracionalismo, entre o positivismo e a recusa em interpretar os objetos históricos. O projeto propõe a Micro- história italiana como tentativa de superar estas quimeras. A busca pelo Jesus de Nazaré funcionará assim não a partir de esquemas teóricos ge rais as estruturas permanentes do Mediterrâneo, o common judaism , ou o ethos da Baixa Galiléia mas pelo estudo fino, detalhado de um microfenômeno bastante representativo de Jesus, a sua demonstração simbólica no Templo narrada em Mc 11:15-19 e paralelos. A microanálise tratará de controlar a multiplicação da grande teia de relações causais da ação simbólica em Jerusalém e inferirá a partir delas que tipo de religioso foi Jesus e como se relacionou ao grande centro religioso do Santuário de Herodes. A variação entre as escalas microscópicas e macroscópicas de observação será também fundamental na construção das imagens plausíveis de Jesus. Inferências sobre o contexto cultural e religioso da Galiléia também serão experimentadas a partir da microação analisada o corolário de que os indivíduos são, de uma forma ou de outra, representativos de períodos históricos e de estratos culturais será levado bastante a sério. A hipótese do presente trabalho é a de que a demonstração de Jesus no Templo, longe de uma tentativa de purificação, fora a atualização de um estrutura mítica centrada em Jeremias 7 (uma mitopráxis) orientada pelo imaginário plurissecular do céu-templo, abundante nas imagens literárias da apocalíptica e no misticismo incipiente que culminará na literatura Hekhalot. Como experimento final, propor-se-á uma conexão entre supostas experiências visionárias de ascensão aos céus de Jesus de Nazaré e o seu imaginário do céu-templo.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-27T13:48:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ALEXANDRE DE SIQUEIRA CAMPOS COELHO.pdf: 2192441 bytes, checksum: 30931ddd49e5f9d65712b5e22d2884b0 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-08-28 / This dissertation is concerned with what the substantial content that the expression heavenly citizenship brings within itself. To accomplish this, the study starts from the historical reconstitution of the Sitz im Leben (life setting) that the apostle Paul s letter to the Christians in the church which he founded (and of which he was so attached to) in Philippi and then explains in what circumstances this letter was written, so to understand the reason Paul used the term citizenship capturing the attention of his readers. The study then details the biblical text in its original greek and does an exegesis of the passage inserted into its original language, where this study focuses its main research citizenship of heaven and from this definition defines the margins that bound the interpretation based on Pauline hermeneutics. In the last chapter, without taking into consideration the informality of various colloquial expressions that mark Philippians, this study presents the interpretive variations of 3:20, so one can have a possible interpretation of the meaning heavenly citizenship . Careful examination infers that the expression was not used in the sense that the common greek world (active political participation) our roman world (quality of the subject) would have used it. The specific term seeks to reinforce the community (and not the enemies of the cross) starting from the archetype of Christ and later becoming the center of the Christian faith. / Este trabalho tem o fito de trazer à tona o conteúdo substancial que a expressão cidadania do céu carrega consigo. Para tanto, a partir da reconstituição histórica do sitz im leben (ambiente vital) da carta do apóstolo Paulo aos cristãos da igreja que ele mesmo fundara (e a qual tanto se afeiçoou) em Filipos, perpassa o debate a respeito das circunstâncias em que essa carta foi escrita, para, então, entender o porquê de Paulo ter se utilizado do termo cidadania para captar a atenção dos seus destinatários. Em seguida, minuciando o texto bíblico no seu original grego, procede à exegese da perícope em que inserida a expressão em torno da qual gira a pesquisa cidadania do céu para, dele extrair as amarras (limites) que margearão a interpretação baseada na hermenêutica paulina. No último capítulo, sem deixar de levar em conta a informalidade e as várias expressões coloquiais que marcam Filipenses, apresenta-se as correntes interpretativas de 3,20, a fim de cotejá-las com o possível sentido do significado de cidadania do céu . Conclui-se que a referida expressão não foi utilizada no sentido que lhe era comum nos mundos grego (ativa participação política) ou romano (qualidade de súdito). Ela busca, isso sim, reforçar a identidade da comunidade (e não a dos inimigos da cruz) a partir do arquétipo de Cristo, tornando-se o centro da fé cristã.

This thesis proposes that integrated rituals of netherworld descent and heavenly ascent are represented in the Hebrew Bible as having been performed by Davidic royals – royal women, as well as male monarchs. In some instances (e.g. Psalms 2; 18; 24; 89:2-38; and 110) these rituals are represented idealistically, with Yahweh confirming the king’s ritual status and potency, through re-presented speech acts. In other instances, however, while an idealistic picture of monarchy continues to be upheld, it is subverted from within in varying ways (e.g. 2 Kgs 9:30-37; 11; Ps. 89:39-52; Isa. 14.4b-20; Jer. 13:18-20; Ezekiel 19). The differing portrayals of monarchy reflect the differing ways with which biblical texts are negotiating and interacting with ambiguous discourses embodying memories of monarchy. On the one hand, after the fall of monarchic Judah, ‘foreign’ monarchy (and especially trading monarchies, such as those of Phoenicia) were fetishised within biblical authors’ discourses of political and economic imperialism, and so Davidic monarchy became a signifier of an enchanting and mystifying ‘indigenous’ past. On the other hand, discourses concerning the past frequently referenced exile, and the collapse of monarchy. Some biblical representations of ritual netherworld descent and heavenly ascent acknowledge this latter, uncomfortable kind of remembering – even as they reify and reinforce these enchanting memories which they subvert. The remembered, cosmically liminal first temple and the remembered royal body become loci for these paradoxical, contradictory, and competing memories. This much is evident in mystifying royal cosmic liminality and heavenly ascent, access to divine knowledge, and mimesis of Yahweh; in cathartic myths of the subjugation of the forces of chaos and disorder, both cosmic and military; and in the subversion of the enchanting remembered Davidic cultic praxis of descent and ascent, through these motifs’ re-presentations in montages alongside rituals which connote displacement, destruction, profanation, desecration, subjugation and being forgotten. In these instances, the vulnerabilities inherent in cultural idealising of the Davidic monarchy’s potent cosmic liminality are brought into sharp relief.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-03T12:19:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Sebastiana maria Silva.pdf: 1536000 bytes, checksum: 2487c2d3e1207d1baf47cde8279add8a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-09-11 / Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo / The subject celestial journey , well familiar to the old mediterranean world, is based on the belief that the visionary can cross the boundary between humanity and divinity, a constant characteristic in apocalyptic literature. Old Jewish mysticism was seen as an important dimension of this tradition, that is the reason why the mystics used the term apocalypse to describe the revelation of their experiences. Paul s ascension to heaven, recounted in 2 Cor 12,1-10, is the only first hand account and the best evidence of ecstatic practice of celestial journey in first century Judaism. This text, one of great interest in the studies of New Testament, has been examined in thematic forms that extend from the recognition of the apostle as enjoyable to divinity - what granted him such a heroic achievement - to a punishment experience by the guardians of the celestial gates for finding in him no merit to approach the place of the presence of God. For long time, the studies that prevailed in the academy were those of the theological aspects of the passage, such as the spine in the flesh , the apostolic mission , Paul s opponents , among others. The language of the passage reveals important topics that were not considered together for a coherent interpretation of the text. The use of expressions from the Jewish mystical apocalyptic circle like "caught up", "Third Heaven", "hear unutterable words" and "a thorn for the flesh" by the apostle needs to be investigated for the comprehension of what Paul had in mind while using those terms. Another problem is the omission of the experimental approach described in the passage. The apostle reveals that he lived the experience recounted in 2 Cor 12,1-10. While he was telling the unknown status of his body during the rising, he highlights signs of the altered state of consciousness, an aspect that was not considered in the traditional analysis of the text. These problems are analyzed in this thesis take as instruments of the Religion History and the Neurotheology analysis. Models were built trying to demonstrate a correlation between brain activity and mystical experience. In this respect, we have to point out that the emergence of neurotheology, or spiritual neurology brings a progress to the area of religious experience. Some points of difficult interpretation in pauline text have been clarified under this perspective. The proposal of this study was to build a contextual frame to analyse the ecstatic experience of Paul. The study made it possible to infer that the interdisciplinary approach allows a more appropriate scenario to the understanding and interpretation of the text. / O tema viagem celestial , bem familiar ao mundo mediterrâneo antigo fundamenta-se na crença de que o visionário pode cruzar a fronteira entre a humanidade e a divindade, uma característica constante na literatura apocalíptica. O misticismo judaico antigo era visto como uma importante dimensão dessa tradição, razão pela qual os místicos usaram o termo apocalipse para descrever a revelação de suas experiências. A ascensão de Paulo ao céu, recontada em 2 Cor 12,1-10, é o único relato de primeira mão e a melhor evidência para a prática extática de viagem celestial no judaísmo do primeiro século. De grande interesse nos estudos do Novo Testamento o texto tem sido abordado em forma temática que se estende desde o reconhecimento do apóstolo como agradável à divindade o que lhe rendeu tal feito heróico a uma experiência de punição pelos guardiões dos portões celestiais por não ter sido encontrado nele mérito para aproximar-se do lugar da presença de Deus. Por muito tempo os estudos que predominavam na academia eram os de aspectos teológicos da passagem, tais como o espinho na carne , a missão apostólica , os oponentes de Paulo , entre outros. A linguagem da passagem revela pontos importantes não considerados de forma conjunta para uma interpretação coerente do texto. O uso por parte do apóstolo de expressões do círculo místico-apocalíptico judaico, tais como foi arrebatado , Terceiro Céu , ouviu palavras inefáveis e um espinho na carne precisa ser investigado para a compreensão do que Paulo tinha em mente ao utilizar tais terminologias. Outro problema é a omissão do enfoque experimental descrito na passagem. O apóstolo revela que vivenciou tal experiência recontada em 2 Cor 12,1-10. Ao relatar o desconhecimento do status do seu corpo durante a ascensão ele evidencia sinais do estado alterado de consciência, aspecto não considerado nas análises tradicionais do texto. Esses problemas que são abordados nesta tese tomam como instrumentos da análise a História da Religião e o da Neuroteologia. Modelos foram construídos tentando demonstrar uma correlação entre a atividade cerebral e a experiência mística. Há que se destacar, nesse sentido, que o surgimento da neuroteologia ou neurologia espiritual constitui-se em um avanço na área da experiência religiosa. Pontos de difícil interpretação no texto paulino foram elucidados dentro dessa perspectiva. A proposta deste trabalho, portanto, foi construir um quadro contextual em que a experiência extática de Paulo pudesse ser analisada. O estudo possibilitou inferir que a abordagem interdisciplinar permite alcançar um cenário mais apropriado para a compreensão e interpretação do referido texto.

Cette thèse porte sur la question de la figuration des signes du Zodiaque entre Antiquité et Moyen Âge et en particulier dans les églises entre le XIe et le XIIIe siècle. Le cœur de cette thèse est l’analyse d’un corpus de 260 occurrences des signes du Zodiaque et Occupations des mois, qu’ils soient associés ou non, au sein de la décoration ecclésiale entre le XIe siècle et la fin du XIIIe siècle. Cette période correspond à la « renaissance » et à l’essor de la figuration du Zodiaque dans un tel contexte. L’étude est organisée en trois parties. La première est consacrée à l’historiographie, à la présentation du corpus réuni, puis aux origines, réappropriations et transmissions de la tradition zodiacale entre Antiquité et Moyen Âge. La deuxième partie envisage la répartition du Zodiaque dans l’édifice ecclésial. Sa place dans le décor extérieur et en lien avec le thème de la Porta coeli est discutée avant de passer à sa place dans la structuration du décor intérieur. Du sol à la voûte en passant par les chapiteaux, piliers et arcs, la distribution des signes du Zodiaque dans l’espace ecclésial est analysée au regard des dynamiques liées aux notions de transitus et d’iter et à une certaine polarisation du lieu ecclésial. La troisième partie commence par aborder les enjeux de la figuration des signes zodiacaux dans leurs rapports dynamiques avec les Occupations des mois. Ensuite, la re-sémantisation chrétienne de chacun des signes du Zodiaque est observée grâce à une mise en série des occurrences du corpus. Enfin, l’ensemble se conclut par une approche synthétique mettant en lumière les articulations entre ciel et terre traduites par le biais des signes zodiacaux et leur pendant mensuel/terrestre. Leur insertion dans un contexte iconographique plus large lié à l’histoire chrétienne et selon une perspective eschatologique est considérée afin de montrer que les signes du Zodiaque sont comme des opérateurs entre terre et ciel, à la fois dans le lieu ecclésial tendu vers son modèle céleste et dans un contexte iconographique articulant charnel et spirituel, humain et divin. / This dissertation deals with the iconography of the Zodiac between Antiquity and Middle Age, in particular in churches between the XIth and the XIIIth century. The heart of the dissertation is the analysis of a corpus of 260 items. These items concern the figuration of the signs of the Zodiac and the Labors of the months, whether or not combinated, within ecclesial ornamentation between the XIth and the XIIIth century. This period corresponds to the “renaissance” and to the growth of the figuration of the Zodiac in this context. The study is divided into three parts. The first section deals with historiography and with the presentation of the corpus. Then, the origins, re-appropriations and transmissions of the zodiacal tradition between Antiquity and Middle Ages are discussed. The second section considers the distribution of the Zodiac in church. Its role in exterior ornamentation relating to the theme of the Porta coeli and its role in the structuring of intern ornamentation are observed. From the floor to the vault, through capitals, pillars and arches, distribution of the Zodiac in ecclesial space is analyzed in the light of the notions of transitus and iter and in the light of a certain focusing of the ecclesial place. The third section begins with the stakes of the figuration of the zodiacal signs and their dynamic relationship with the Labors of the months. Then, the “re-sémantisation” of each of the zodiacal signs is observed. Finally, the last chapter is an overall view of the connections between heavens and earth which find expression in signs of the Zodiac and the Labors of the months. Their place is considerated according to their iconographical context linked to Christian history and from an eschatological perspective. Signs of the Zodiac are like operators between heavens and earth, both in the ecclesial space tented towards its celestial model and in an iconographical context which connect caro and spiritus, the Human and the Divine.

No description available.

In the chapters of my thesis, I explore how "soft" consciousness-raising novels of the first, second and third-waves of feminism practice underground feminism by covertly exposing women's socio-political issues outside of the confines of feminist rhetoric. In moving away from the negative connotations of political language, the authors enable the education of female audiences otherwise out of reach. Working from and extending on various theorists, I construct a theoretical model for what I term underground feminism. Running on the principal of conducting feminist activism without using feminist rhetoric, underground feminism challenges the notion that "subtle" feminism means weak feminism. In illustrating how underground feminism works in novels and in physical activism, I hope to encourage the recognition of the political utility of women's writings that do not fit the strict archetypes of feminist authorship. Analyzing the effectiveness of covert feminist conversion narratives, I discuss one soft consciousness-raising novel for each wave. The novels - Sarah Grand's The Heavenly Twins (1893), Dorothy Bryant's Ella Price's Journal (1972), and Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones's Diary (1996) - accused by scholars of employing weak feminist politics, are investigated as feminist literature that disidentifies with the feminist label with the possibility of facilitating a wide spread conversion process in "would be" feminists. After analyzing how the novels place women's issues at the center of discourse by discussing female education, women's voice, and narrative control, I consider how the underground feminism implicit in the texts extends to activism outside of literature. I also end by arguing that these novels enable a more intricate conversation about women's issues in which the voices of both self-identified and non-identified feminists are recognized.

No description available.

Annotation: Málková, Eva. Church Music of Johann Sebastian Bach. Prague: Hussite Theological Faculty, Charles University, 2012. Thesis. The aim of this thesis is to introduce church music of Johann Sebastian Bach and its theological announcement. By looking up and appraising musical-theological elements at Bach's work this thesis brings near to the reader the theological, philosophical and mystic thinking of Bach. By pre-understanding and complexity of perception of Bach's church music is possible to see deep sense and aim of artist's work. In the first (theoretical) part I am engaged in systems of thinking that could Bach's church work influence. Then I am specifying the pieces that are supposed to be church music. In the second (practical) part I am looking for musical- theological elements that could Bach be influenced with. By researching of Bach's artistic style I am trying to find correlation of musical and theological contents and I am trying to point out that the message of Bach's church work is relevant.