This thesis is focused on a particular chapter in the history of the Christian study of Hinduism. Perspectives and attitudes from the mid-twentieth century will be studied as seen in the Christian Society for the Study of Hinduism (CSSH, 1940-1956), the first organization or society ever to focus on the Christian encounter with Hinduism, and the first forty issues of its quarterly publication, The Pilgrim (1941-1952).1 The CSSH made no attempt to spell out what it meant by "Hinduism," nor what particular variety of "Christianity" was brought to the study. The non-reflective use of these terms is not surprising for that time but demands examination in this thesis, which focuses on the Christian understanding of Hinduism that is discernable in the work of the society. The meaning of "Hinduism" has become a hotly contested issue, as has the role of Christians in developing that term and its various shades of meaning. This thesis does not attempt to resolve all the questions and controversies surrounding the study of Hinduism, but does intend to contribute to the ongoing engagement between Christians and Hindus by highlighting an impressive (and neglected) chapter in the history of that interreligious / Religious Studies & Arabic / D. Litt. et Phil (Religious Studies)

Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-15T19:48:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Raimundo Monteiro Montenegro Neto.pdf: 581777 bytes, checksum: 809511339f05b79a3bd158efd3c97f53 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-08-19 / Raymond Lully, a citizen of the thirteenth century, developed a missions theory which he put into practice, in here called Lullyany Missiology. His theory was based on a vast philosophic, literary and apologetic work sympathetic to the Christianization of the world. According to Lully, the people would be reached by the argumentation and demonstration of the superiority of the Catholic Christian faith above all others religions. Lullyany Missiology focused primarily on the conversion from other religions people to Christianity, especially Muslims. It also included the restoration of Christianity through educating the people in their own values. During the days of Lully, there were many great conflicts between Christians and Muslims; much like the today s Christian Missions to the Muslims continue to provide challenges. The lack of true dialog and objective debate of ideas that has a mutual respect, audition and knowledge still marks the relationship between the followers of Christ and Mohammad. Lullyany Missiology sought to win the resistance through dialog and appreciation on the ambit and limitations of her days. It is presented here as an historic paradigm relevant to the realization of contemporary Christian Missions to the Muslims. The knowledge of that distant medieval scenery is necessary for the understanding of polemics and criticism to the Lullyany Missiology, as is the acknowledgement of the vanguard nature in the pursuit to demonstrate the next research. / Raimundo Lúlio, um cidadão catalão do séc. XIII, desenvolveu um projeto teóricoprático de missões (missiologia luliana) baseado em um vasto trabalho filosófico, literário e apologético em prol da cristianização do mundo a ser alcançada por intermédio da argumentação e demonstração racional da superioridade da fé cristã católica sobre as demais religiões. A missiologia luliana implicava primordialmente a conversão dos adeptos de outras religiões ao cristianismo, especialmente os muçulmanos, mas também incluía a restauração da cristandade através da educação nos seus próprios valores. As tensões entre cristãos e muçulmanos eram grandes nos dias de Lúlio e ainda hoje as missões cristãs aos islâmicos continua sendo um grande desafio. A falta de um diálogo franco e de um debate objetivo de idéias que tenham mútuos respeito, audição e conhecimento ainda têm marcado a relação entre os seguidores de Cristo e os de Maomé. A missiologia luliana buscou, no âmbito dos limites dos seus dias, vencer estas resistências através do diálogo e da alteridade e é aqui apresentada como um paradigma histórico relevante para a realização contemporânea de missões cristãs aos muçulmanos. O reconhecimento daquele distante cenário medieval é necessário para o devido entendimento das polêmicas e críticas à missiologia luliana, assim como para o reconhecimento da sua natureza vanguardista, como se busca demonstrar nesta pesquisa.

In this thesis, I explore the psychological and experiential aspects of the shift from a supernatural theistic worldview (specifically born-again Christianity) to aphilosophically naturalistic and atheistic worldview in the context of the religiouslandscape in the U.S. I posit that certain features of this transition, which is known as "deconversion,” can be thought of as potentially analogous, both psychologically and subjectively, to the experience of another's death as an objective environmental change. I provide anthropological and psychological evidence that believers often experience the God of born-again Christianity as an independently existing and active agent in the world. The similarities between human relationships and God relationships provide the foundation for the claim that loss of these relationships potentially constitute similar experiences, respectively. Both shifts (deconversion and death) share a number of similarities. For example, they both feature a reduction in the number of entities that are believed perceived as having minds (i.e., theory of mind determinations). Also, both shifts require a re-understanding of purpose and meaning in the world (i.e., teleological reasoning). I explore each of these shifts in detail. Finally, I show that the interpretation of the deconversion experience as analogous to the experience of death has implications for the public dialogue between Christians and atheists.

The present study aims to reveal the credit practice in Galata region in seventeenth century, through dealing with the credit relations between religious groups and the position of women in economic relations as the main themes. Galata was one of the most important international trade ports in seventeenth century for not only the Otoman Empire but also the Mediterranean region. While it was expected that the credit organization in Galata should be different than the ones of priorly studied cities of Anatoli, Kayseri and Bursa, as a result of the combination of multinational structure of the region and its important trade port characteristics, it is seen that Galata was similar to the other cities with regard to the credit organization. Paralel to the results of other studies, it is observed that money exchange between religious groups was intensive and both Muslim and non-Muslim women were actively involved in economic life, by analyzing court records that belonged to the seventeenth century. The existance of credit relations without heed to religious or gender differences proved the existance of trust feeling between the groups. Like the previous studies about the practice of credit and credit organization in other Ottoman cities, this thesis attempts to help to understand the socio- economic structure of the Otoman society.

The question of who is participating in today’s debate around theologies of other religions is important. Religious difference and the many ways of dealing with it are issues in political, social and theological initiatives. The reality of religious plurality in daily life leaves some Christians wondering about the best way to relate to non-Christian neighbors. In light of this, a series of questions emerges about who is shaping conversations with people of other faiths and what priorities they reflect. A Lutheran voice is lacking in this debate. Despite this, there has been a wide response from other Christian traditions. In some cases denominations have raised questions of religious pluralism as a theological issue, while elsewhere individual theologians have contributed to the debate. The project that follows will examine such contributions from three ecclesial traditions (Roman Catholic, Evangelical and Protestant) and individual theologians in order to chart some common concerns in the theology of religions debate. In an effort to highlight a tradition-constituted approach to the other, connections will also be made between individuals’ positions and their ecclesial traditions. This thesis will also propose a distinctively Lutheran theology of religions first by using the works of Martin Luther to introduce the Lutheran history of engagement with non-Christians. Then, Lutheran statements and resources, partnerships and institutions will be examined to discover the ways in which the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America engages non-Christians. Finally, this project will propose crucial elements for a specifically Lutheran theology of religions. These elements will be put in conversation with individual Lutheran theologians who have made contributions to the debate. Ultimately a theology of kinship will emerge. Using distinctively Lutheran themes, this theology recognizes a connection between all people and calls Lutherans to live in kinship with the religious other.

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This thesis is focused on a particular chapter in the history of the Christian study of Hinduism. Perspectives and attitudes from the mid-twentieth century will be studied as seen in the Christian Society for the Study of Hinduism (CSSH, 1940-1956), the first organization or society ever to focus on the Christian encounter with Hinduism, and the first forty issues of its quarterly publication, The Pilgrim (1941-1952).1 The CSSH made no attempt to spell out what it meant by "Hinduism," nor what particular variety of "Christianity" was brought to the study. The non-reflective use of these terms is not surprising for that time but demands examination in this thesis, which focuses on the Christian understanding of Hinduism that is discernable in the work of the society. The meaning of "Hinduism" has become a hotly contested issue, as has the role of Christians in developing that term and its various shades of meaning. This thesis does not attempt to resolve all the questions and controversies surrounding the study of Hinduism, but does intend to contribute to the ongoing engagement between Christians and Hindus by highlighting an impressive (and neglected) chapter in the history of that interreligious / Religious Studies and Arabic / D. Litt. et Phil (Religious Studies)

[pt] A espiritualidade cristã envolve uma dimensão de perspectiva experiencial pessoal e comunitária com Cristo. Nessa dissertação propomos que ela deve ser vista como caminho para uma vivência dialogal e prática, o que representa entender tal espiritualidade como necessariamente aberta ao diálogo inter-religioso, como reflexo de um Deus que se fez de todos e para todos. Para tal, partimos primeiramente de algumas conceituações, definições e correlações entre a espiritualidade cristã e a religiosidade; abordando também a percepção bíblica imprescindível para descrever esse cristão, como traço dessa espiritualidade que não se porta indiferente principalmente aos mais necessitados, sendo a verdadeira religião declarada por Tiago (1,27). A base de nossa pesquisa bibliográfica será o traço do Deus humanizado de Castillo e sua chamada espiritualidade para insatisfeitos, como também na marca do pontificado do Papa Francisco até aqui, através tanto de seus discursos, homilias e documentos oficiais que abordam e anunciam essa espiritualidade do cuidado, do acolhimento e da busca pelos mais frágeis e desprezados. Nesse caminho, fomos inclusive atingidos pela crise mundial da Covid 19 e confrontados a provar como, em meio à tamanha catástrofe, nos foi ofertada a possibilidade de reflexão e pertinência, de uma espiritualidade cristã que dialogue respondendo perguntas atuais; sendo curadora, acolhedora, eficaz e inspiradora ao outro, transformando-o em próximo, sem a necessidade de perda ou anulação de sua identidade. / [en] Christian spirituality involves a dimension of personal and communitarian experience with Christ. In this dissertation, we propose that this spirituality should be seen as a path to a dialogical and practical experience, which necessarily means understanding it as open to inter-religious dialogue as a reflection of a God who made Himself one of us all for all of us. To achieve this, we first adopt some conceptualizations, definitions and correlations between Christian spirituality and religiosity; also addressing the essential biblical insight to describe this Christian as a characteristic of this spirituality that isn t indifferent, especially towards the most needy, consistent with the true religion declared by James 1:27. The foundation of our research will be the humanized God as presented by Castillo and his so-called spirituality for the dissatisfied, as well as the impact to-date of Pope Francis s pontificate through his speeches, homilies and official documents that address and announce this spirituality of care, acceptance and the search for the most fragile and despised. Along the way, we were impacted by the global Covid-19 crisis and were faced with proving how, in the midst of such a catastrophe, we were offered the possibility of reflection and relevance, of a Christian spirituality that dialogues by answering current questions; being curative, welcoming, effective and inspiring to others, transforming them into neighbors, without the need to lose or annul their identity.

This working paper is part of a larger research project on emerging visualities and imaginaries of living together in plurality and on equal terms. Against the background of growing majoritarianism in India and the normalization of violence against religious minorities and marginalized communities, the search for new visual forms and aesthetic means to counter increasing divisiveness and conflict has acquired exceptional urgency. It is a search pursued by many and in multiple directions, occasionally even in the realm of marketing and advertising which is the focus of this article. The larger project considers documentaries, fictional films and transmedia interventions in order to understand how different actors seek to create new visualities that are markedly different from earlier form(at)s used to visually mediate the normative project of political secularism for many decades, but nevertheless draw on the idea that secularity is a mode of living together and socially interacting in plural societies.

Interreligious peacebuilding is one of the oldest methods used in peacebuilding around the world, as religion is often one key factor in war and used both to fuel conflicts or to promote peace and co-existence. However, the use of interreligious dialogue in post-conflict societies is still not fully understood and researcher has still not encapsulated its different components. The purpose of this study was therefore to provide understanding of the use of interreligious dia-logue in a highly sectarian societies as contemporary Lebanon is. Therefore, to explore and contribute to this research field, I conducted semi-structured interviewees with a local peace-building organisation in Lebanon. The findings were analysis with an analytical framework, based on intergroup contact theory and research methods on religious dialogue. This study il-lustrated the challenges and opportunities Lebanese peacebuilders face when conducting dia-logues in a very religiously divided society. The findings presented that the affective and cog-nitive effects from interreligious dialogue do varies between individuals depending on their own view on being a majority or minority religion and their own prejudice against other beliefs. Therefore, this paper contributes to new insight on the effects of contact theories relevance in sectarian societies and could be utilised to enhance the peacebuilding efforts in Lebanon.