Zambian humanism, a socialist ideology, was developed by Kenneth Kaunda, independent Zambia‟s first president. It was made the national philosophy and ideology of Zambia in April 1967. The ideology was composed of a combination of many elements which did not always fit together into an organic whole. Among them include African traditions, socialism, radical Christianity, existential humanism and Kaunda‟s personal convictions. Kaunda‟s motivation for proposing this ideology appears to have been the desire to break free from the colonial past and to create a national identity centered on values which he considered true to the African heritage and to his Christian background. Zambian humanism, as an ideology applied to all spheres of public life during Kaunda‟s reign as president. Kaunda intended it to provide the moral basis for all human activity in the country, political, economic and social. In a sense the ideology was meant to be the social cement that held together and inspired the nation. The ideology failed in economic terms. As a country, Zambia experienced several economic difficulties beginning from the mid-1970s which humanism failed to adequately address. By the mid-1980s the country was worse off economically than it had been at the time of independence. The causes of this economic down-turn are complex and debatable. This dissertation critically examines Kaunda‟s ideology. It argues that while humanism might have failed at the level of implementation, especially in economic terms, the ideology as such played a significant role in the history of post-independence Zambia which should not be overlooked. To appreciate fully why Zambian humanism was introduced and adopted as the national ideology it is necessary to recall the social, economic and political background against which this was done. The experience of colonialism suffered by Kaunda and his contemporaries and the challenge of building a modern nation-state that had experienced the negative effects of colonialism are two key factors that should not be overlooked in understanding Zambian humanism. Zambian humanism, this thesis argues, is a postcolonial discourse whose aim was to break with the colonial past and to create an African identity. It was not a unique experiment as can be seen in fields such as philosophy and theology of the era. Nyerere‟s Ujamaa socialism is closely related, yet not identical with Zambian humanism. What Kaunda and his contemporaries set out to do in proposing a different worldview from the dominant Western worldview must be interpreted theologically to see how and if it accords with Classical Theology‟s understanding of the Christian God‟s interaction with human beings. Their intention was not only the deconstruction and rejection of the colonial and therefore dominant Western discourse, but also an attempt to construct an African discourse capable of giving meaning to African existence and society. Such an ambitious undertaking certainly calls for theological consideration. Two important areas emerge in the dissertation: the search for an authentic African identity and an alternative socio-economic organization of Zambian society. Christianity has been on the continent for more than a century now and most of Africa has been politically independent for about half a century. Have these facts made any real difference in the lives of Africans, both Christian and non-Christian? The political situation in which the Church in Africa finds itself today affects the nature and method of Christian theology. In the political arena, theology in Africa has the urgent task of challenging systems and ideologies which attack liberty and human dignity. This theis argues that theology has a relevant role to play in public discourse even today. But to do so effectively it must understand the past. Hence, the study of Zambian humanism, which played a significant role in Zambia‟s history, is an important area of theological study. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2009.

This study investigates nine youths' understanding of Olympic Ideals (Olympism) and their perceptions on whether these ideals have importance within the practice of sport. A qualitative case study is used in conjunction with a humanistic-critical theoretical framework to gather and analyse data. Using purposive sampling, nine students are selected from four schools in Christchurch, New Zealand to participate in one individual and one paired semi-structured interview. Currently there is a paucity of national and international research into youth's perceptions and understanding of Olympism through the practice of sport. The research that does exist tends to be quantitative in nature with a focus on Games knowledge, thus, this study provides a contribution to the current research domain regarding qualitative conversations about Olympism in youth sport.

Marcus Antonius Muretus, the sixteenth century French and Italian Humanist orator and professor, employed, in his orations and, to a lesser degree, in his epistles, a system of metrical prose rhythm (numerus) consistent with Ciceronian practice. Muretus did not, however, seek to employ accentual prose rhythms (cursus) characteristic of medieval prose; nevertheless, such rhythms arose naturally in his work as a byproduct of metrical prose rhythm. These findings, confirmed by statistical analysis, are congruent with the assumption that Humanist authors preferred Ciceronian stylistics to those associated with the “middle ages,” in accord with the tripartite Humanist narrative of history, in which the Humanists usher in a Renaissance of learning and elegance lost by preceding centuries.

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An important masterpiece by the Paduan sculptor Andrea Riccio, the Della Torre tomb monument broke with contemporary funerary monuments in both its form and content. Understanding what enabled this break with tradition is the central issue in the study of this monument—one that has not been sufficiently addressed in previous scholarship. Despite the lack of overt references to the Christian faith on the Della Torre monument, the narrative programme is concerned with two very important Christian concerns—the necessity of a life of virtue and the health and afterlife of the soul. I argue that the narrative on the tomb, influenced by contemporary funerary oratory and poetry, presents a model of virtue for the viewer. Moreover, I argue that Riccio has illustrated the presence of this exemplar by the very structure of the monument itself. This dissertation focuses on the artistic and intellectual community surrounding the creation of this monument and, in particular, on the reconciliation of this strictly all’antica monument with Christian thought in this period. Upon a thorough contextual examination, this unprecedented monument becomes less of an anomaly. It reflects the ideas of an important circle of humanists from both Padua and Verona, thus illustrating the breadth of their interests and their involvement in contemporary debates over religion, the nature and potential immortality of the soul, and the necessity of virtue. Analysing this monument within the context of humanist ideas prevalent among the individuals within the Della Torre circle, those who had, or likely had, a great influence on the significance of the monument’s narrative, gives this monument what has been long denied to it—a proper understanding of its Christian programme and didactic function. The fulfillment of this task, which promises to shed additional light on the adaptation of pagan elements to Christian purposes, is the overall aim of this work.

Aotearoa-New Zealand received Christianity as part of the colonial/missionary matrix of nineteenth century European expansion. Consequently the form and content of faith was largely shaped by factors distant both in geography and symbolic resonance. Christian theology maintains a cultural dissonance, particularly from an emergent Pakeha cultural indentity. The quest for contextualisation has become a familiar one in post-colonial societies, though not as vigorously pursued in Western nations as in other parts of the world. Only recently has attention been paid to the possibilities of local theologies in New Zealand. C.S. Song�s suggests �Perhaps a poet can tell us how we should go about theology�. In this he is pointing to the necessity of contextual theology using domestic cultural product as an important source for theological reflection, encapsulating as it does local history and experience. James K. Baxter, one of New Zealand�s finest poets, was also a Catholic and social critic. In the last years of his life particularly, the major part of his writing, both poetry and prose, was concerned with his vision of a Christian humanism which might make a practical difference in the immediate context. He established a community at the small settlement of Jerusalem beside the Whanganui River, where he sought to give tangible expression to a mixture of radical Christian acceptance and Maori spiritual values. This thesis examines Baxter�s contribution to the task of contextual theology. In particular, it draws on a great deal of unpublished prose material, until now largely unexamined, from the late period of his life. This, together with the wider body of his writings, is used to investigate his religious thought and movement within it. After an introductory and methodological chapter, the thesis examines Baxter�s categorisation of the fragmented and spiritually bereft nature of Pakeha existence. It then seeks to follow the major themes of his own powerfully articulated responses to this condition, in a series of chapters introduced with Maori terms; a cultural connection which was important to Baxter. The investigation uncovers a commitment to a Christian humanism that recognises the immanence of Christ, and a rather startling manifesto which parallels the approach of Liberation Theology in a distinctly New Zealand context. The survey of Baxter�s religious thought concludes with a critical reflection on his themes. A final chapter considers the contribution which Baxter makes toward the challenge of contextual theology. Considering the relationship between poetic reflection and theology, it stops short of classifying Baxter as a theologian. Rather the argument is advanced that he has provided vital raw material to the ongoing task of local theology; his role is one of �funding� contextual theology symbolically. Baxter is significant in the development of theology in Aotearoa-New Zealand, both for his contribution and his encouragement to further reflection.

Bibliography: leaves [274]-281 / vi, 281 leaves ; 31 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of English Language and Literature, 1992

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Tufts University, 2003. / Adviser: Linda Bamber. Submitted to the Dept. of English. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 246-251). Access restricted to members of the Tufts University community. Also available via the World Wide Web;

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thèse--Université de Paris. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 295-317) and index.