Thesis--Hamburg. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 373-449).

My interest in Thomas Merton began two years ago in my last year of an M.A. program in Church History at the Wheaton Graduate school outside of Chicago. In particular, I was impressed with Merton's ability to carry on a dialogue with D.T. Suzuki, communicator of Rinzai Zen to the west, while retaining his commitment to Christianity. Hence I chose to work on an aspect of the Merton/Suzuki dialogue recorded in Zen and the Birds of Appetite. The impulse for such a study arose from my own questions regarding Christianity. Did Christianity alone contain the formula for truth or did Christianity contain one of many formulas to find ultimate reality or God? It became evident as I progressed in my research that the kingpin in Merton's dilemma between the Kerygma of Christianity and Zen consciousness was the epistemological question. The epistemological road of Zen Buddhism is that of experience. The epistemological road of Christianity equally emphasizes experience and rationality. Inasmuch as the experience of the reality of the Kerygma is a vital component of Christianity, and inasmuch as this sphere is often downplayed in a society which puts the scientific method on a pedastle, Merton correctly assimilates Zen Buddhist themes in order to inform that neglected aspect of Christianity. However, the irreconcilable difference between Zen Buddhism and Christianity is apparent. Christianity is not just an experiential, romantic feeling of unity with 'the one'. Conversely, Zen Buddhism refuses the imposition of content on its central thrust. I conclude that we are faced with a 'Mexican standoff’ between Christianity and Zen Buddhism inasmuch as in the quest for satori the Zen Buddhist will not include the Kerygma, nor will the Christian eliminate the Kerygma in his quest for the experience of ultimate reality or God. Thus a merger is impossible unless severe compromise is made on both sides. I maintain that while there is a wealth of gold to be discovered in Christianity and Zen Buddhism, it is impossible to equate them. Merton’s theory of the non-religious character of Zen which can shine through any system, enabled him to espouse the Zen-way to a Christian audience. I refute the claim that Zen is non-religious and rather maintain that allegiance to non-thought represents a definite epistemological stance. Also, the authoritative edge in Zen inspired by satori contains the same degree of dogmatism as the Christian allegiance to the deity of Christ. I understand Merton’s assimilation of Zen themes with his evolved Christian thought in the following manner: 1. Disgust with a technological society whose values carried over into the religious sphere. 2. His own poetic, paradoxical nature and obsession with ultimate reality. 3. His desire that Zen Buddhists learn about Christianity in a non-threatening way, and 4. His intuition that Christianity must be more than intellectual assent to dogma which does not: change one’s lifestyle, and his discovery in Zen of a preparatory mode for the breakthrough of truth. He wanted to integrate the heart with the head. I begin with a biographical report of Merton’s life and evolved religious thought. The second chapter focusses on representative thinkers in Merton’s thought beginning with Bernard of Clairvauxs Meister Eckhart and D.T. Suzuki. Finally the third chapter focusses on the dialogue between Suzuki and Merton. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

This study addresses the question of formative early Christian preaching and teaching. Unlike previous approaches, I eschew synthesis across a broad range and focus instead on the earliest extant Christian source: the letters of Paul. My method draws on ancient communication practices, primarily represented in ancient rhetoric, wherein communicators rely on knowledge they presume their interlocutors to possess. Passages are analyzed according to the type of appeal to Paul's initial teaching: (1) explicit reminders of previous teaching, (2) direct appeals to knowledge not explicitly linked to previous teaching, and (3) indirect appeals to knowledge about practices, beliefs, conventions, etc. The reconstruction focuses on 1 Thessalonians, 1 Corinthians and Romans. 1 Thessalonians and 1 Corinthians represent neophyte and well-established Pauline communities, respectively, while Romans is of interest because it represents non-Pauline believers. I proceed with a comparative analysis of 1 Thessalonians and 1 Corinthians. Chapter 4 lays out the rhetorical situation for these letters while chapters 5-7 investigate the three types of appeal respectively, each closing with a comparison of similar material in each letter. Chapter 8 summarizes and concludes this discussion, providing the basis for my subsequent analysis of Romans. Finally, I compare the picture from the Thessalonian and Corinthian communities with Paul's letter to the Romans (chapter 9). Topics he expects his Roman audience to know indicate points of expected congruence between Paul's own teaching and that of others. By contrast, topics that receive significant expansion in Romans suggest perceived potential for conflict. In this dissertation I identify consistent elements of early Christian instruction, ranging from Christology to apocalyptic cosmology, while also noting possible conflict. My approach places the reconstruction of early Christian teaching on firmer methodological footing than previous attempts have done and offers a rhetorically sensitive account of the teaching and how it was used.

[pt] Esta pesquisa centra-se no estudo do tema do Kerygma no mundo fragmentado. Busca-se desenvolver o tema a partir da visão do teólogo alemão Jurgen Moltmann. A referida pesquisa visa a interação entre a leitura do Kerygma em Moltmann e suas propostas pastorais às demandas do ser humano pós-moderno. O trabalho se desenvolve em três capítulos que buscam estruturar esta dissertação: no primeiro, descreve-se o declínio da modernidade e o consequente nascimento da pós-modernidade, bem como a configuração existencial do ser humano pós-moderno; no segundo, desenvolve-se a leitura teológica do Kerygma bíblico em Jurgen Moltmann e no terceiro, retomam-se os principais pontos das reflexões dos capítulos anteriores com objetivo de fornecer propostas pastorais kerygmáticas às demandas do ser humano hodierno. A leitura kerygmática do referido teólogo propõe um comparecimento pastoral veiculado através de uma linguagem existencial e relacional, uma cristologia do caminho, materializando ortodoxia em concreta proclamação de vida coerente à situação existencial do ser humano de nossa época. / [en] This research focuses on the study of the subject of the Kerygma in the fragmented world. We seek to develop the theme from the German theologian Jurgen Moltmann s view. This research aims at the interaction between the reading of the Kerygma in Moltmann and pastoral proposals demands of the post-modern human being. The work develops into three chapters that seek to structure this essay: in the first, describes the decline of modernity and the consequent birth of Postmodernity, as well as the human being s existential postmodern configuration; in the second, develops the theological reading of the Kerygma Bible in Jurgen Moltmann; in the third, resumed the main points of reflections of previous chapters in order to provide pastoral proposals Kerygmatics the demands of the human being today. The Kerygmatic reading of that theologian proposes a pastoral attendance broadcasted through an existential and relational language, a Christology of the way, materializing orthodoxy in life coherent proclamation concrete to the existential situation of human beings of our time.

The pastoral visitation practice of Continuing Witness Training (CWT) is theoretically intended to cooperate with God to lead individuals to Christian conversion, but reconciles fewer individuals to God than anticipated. This empirical theological study of Praxis 1 analyzed the visited individuals' (1) perception of care-concern by the visitors, (2) post-visit positive mood, (3) satisfaction with the visit, (4) sense of God's presence in the visit, and (5) decision to pray to establish a relationship with Jesus Christ. in association with (a) the amount of the CWT presentation given, (b) the length of the visit, and (c) prior religious involvement. Greater amounts of the CWT presentation given resulted in greater satisfaction and greater conversion prayer. Longer pastoral visits resulted in greater satisfaction among females and males, in greater conversion prayer in females, and in higher post-visit positive mood in males. Lower prior religious involvement resulted in greater amounts of the CWT model presentation being given to females, and in greater conversion prayer in males. Although 60% of Individuals visited reported no or minimal religious involvement, the complete CWT presentation was given to only 19%, and a substantial portion of CWT was given to an additional 17%. Among this 36% of those visited who received the CWT presentation, 55% decided to pray to establish a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This situational analysis identified four praxis problems: ( 1) inconsistent application of the CWT model with unchurched individuals, (2) dissatisfaction among 25% of individuals visited, (3) lack of sense of God's presence in the visit reported by 23% of individuals visited, and (4) 31% of those visited being outside the stated unchurched target population for CWT visits. These praxis problems and related findings in the descriplive theological research were addressed by formulating a revised practical theology upon which to base Praxis 2. This revised theology of evangelism incorporated a multi-modal model of pastoral role-fulfillment (inYolving ketygma, didache, and paraklesis) as an agogic situation of primary initiation of a person into the kingdom of God, by proposing multiple contacts within a pastoral theology of care and counseling. / Practical Theology / Th. D. (Practical Theology)

The pastoral visitation practice of Continuing Witness Training (CWT) is theoretically intended to cooperate with God to lead individuals to Christian conversion, but reconciles fewer individuals to God than anticipated. This empirical theological study of Praxis 1 analyzed the visited individuals' (1) perception of care-concern by the visitors, (2) post-visit positive mood, (3) satisfaction with the visit, (4) sense of God's presence in the visit, and (5) decision to pray to establish a relationship with Jesus Christ. in association with (a) the amount of the CWT presentation given, (b) the length of the visit, and (c) prior religious involvement. Greater amounts of the CWT presentation given resulted in greater satisfaction and greater conversion prayer. Longer pastoral visits resulted in greater satisfaction among females and males, in greater conversion prayer in females, and in higher post-visit positive mood in males. Lower prior religious involvement resulted in greater amounts of the CWT model presentation being given to females, and in greater conversion prayer in males. Although 60% of Individuals visited reported no or minimal religious involvement, the complete CWT presentation was given to only 19%, and a substantial portion of CWT was given to an additional 17%. Among this 36% of those visited who received the CWT presentation, 55% decided to pray to establish a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This situational analysis identified four praxis problems: ( 1) inconsistent application of the CWT model with unchurched individuals, (2) dissatisfaction among 25% of individuals visited, (3) lack of sense of God's presence in the visit reported by 23% of individuals visited, and (4) 31% of those visited being outside the stated unchurched target population for CWT visits. These praxis problems and related findings in the descriplive theological research were addressed by formulating a revised practical theology upon which to base Praxis 2. This revised theology of evangelism incorporated a multi-modal model of pastoral role-fulfillment (inYolving ketygma, didache, and paraklesis) as an agogic situation of primary initiation of a person into the kingdom of God, by proposing multiple contacts within a pastoral theology of care and counseling. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / Th. D. (Practical Theology)

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Science of Religion and Missiology / unrestricted

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-29T14:27:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Marcelo Froes de Matos.pdf: 675340 bytes, checksum: 15708035411d0f38b934170d25924827 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-10-25 / By the look of liturgical science, we try to provide subsidies on the relationship between the Paschal Mystery and the homily and its contribution to the community through the liturgy of the word. At which point the people of God mystagogical makes the experience of the mystery celebrated. Initially defended the hypothesis that the homiletic discourse must be based on the lecture announcement kerygmatic rooted in the Paschal Mystery of Christ. The scientific methodology was developed based on look biographical readings, texts, reflections and found that the homily is still an area of construction and reconstruction of the "ethos" and worldview. The speech by the priest during the homily is the door through which the laity mystagogical will lecture on the ad kerygmatic of experience in the mystery of Christ, a fact that is evident in the first chapter, which shows the epistemological categories that emerged in the research. Find that the Paschal Mystery has a tremendous power of persuasion through its symbols, rites, and especially in celebrations. In the second chapter, we in the homily of the kerygma ethics and pastoral practice: communication, language, aesthetics of oratory. In the third chapter demonstrate some aspects of the homily that lead to a perfect conversion and how the Word read and updated becomes theological foundation (not line) showing why the homily is made during the Liturgy of the Word and as a constituent part of liturgy of the Word, explaining that the Paschal Mystery celebrated in the Word and who celebrates is the keyword for the homiletic discourse is considered effective by the faithful that the legitimate faith / Pelo olhar da ciência litúrgica, buscaremos apresentar subsídios sobre a relação entre o Mistério Pascal e homilia e a sua contribuição à comunidade por meio da liturgia da Palavra. Momento este em que o povo de Deus faz a experiência mistagógica do mistério celebrado. Inicialmente defenderemos a hipótese de que o discurso homilético deve ter como base de preleção o anúncio querigmático enraizado no Mistério Pascal de Cristo. A metodologia científica foi desenvolvida com base em um olhar biográfico de leituras, textos, reflexões e constatamos que a homilia ainda é um espaço de construção e re-construção do ethos e visão de mundo. O discurso do padre durante a homilia é a porta mistagógica por onde os leigos farão a leitura pelo anúncio querigmático da vivência no Mistério de Cristo, fato que será evidenciado no primeiro capítulo, no qual demonstraremos as categorias epistemológicas que surgiram na pesquisa. Verificaremos que o Mistério Pascal exerce um enorme poder de persuasão por meio de seus símbolos, ritos e sobretudo nas celebrações. No segundo capítulo, conheceremos a homilia sob a ética do querigma e na ação pastoral prática: comunicação, linguagem, estética da oratória. No terceiro capítulo demonstraremos alguns aspectos da homilia que levam a uma perfeita conversão e como a Palavra lida e atualizada torna-se fundamento teológico (e não rubrica) mostrando o motivo pelo qual a homilia é feita durante a Liturgia da Palavra e como parte constitutiva da Liturgia da Palavra, esclarecendo que o Mistério Pascal na Palavra celebrada e de quem celebra é a palavra-chave para que o discurso homilético seja considerado eficaz por parte dos fiéis que o legitimam pela fé

Submitted by Biblioteca Central (biblioteca@unicap.br) on 2017-10-05T21:34:55Z No. of bitstreams: 1 jose_bartolomeu_felix_lima.pdf: 1250527 bytes, checksum: 62276da1894f08dc364eaf3121af4f09 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-10-05T21:34:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 jose_bartolomeu_felix_lima.pdf: 1250527 bytes, checksum: 62276da1894f08dc364eaf3121af4f09 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-07-05 / The following search has as object of analysis the theme: “References of the kerygma lucano at the Puebla’s document: Understanding of evangelization”. The object of this research is relevant because it is a part of the Christianity’s central nucleus. And also because it appears in the New Testament’s Theology. Mainly at the gospels and at the Apostles’ Acts that are texts of the gender historical-kerygmatic.In the first chapter I am going to reflect about the term kerygma using the evangelist Lucas’ Theology. The texts that reference the kerygmatic statement of the lucana narrative are going to be studied using the historical critic methodology. It helps to understand the meaning of the message contributing for an authentic understanding and interpretation of the theme. In the second chapter I am going to reflect about the understanding of evangelization by the perspective of Puebla’s III Latin-American Conference. In the third chapter I am going to identify and correlate the understanding of evangelization of the Puebla’s III Latin-American Conference and the characteristics of the lucana theology. / A presente pesquisa de mestrado tem como objetivo analisar o tema: “Referenciais do querigma lucano no documento de Puebla: compreensão de evangelização”. O objeto desta pesquisa, o querígma, tem a sua relevância por constituir o núcleo central do cristianismo e ter sido, por diferentes modos, trabalhado pela Teologia do Novo-Testamento, especialmente nos evangelhos e nos Atos dos Apóstolos que são composições que pertencem ao gênero literário histórico-querigmático. No primeiro capítulo, refletirei sobre o termo “querigma” a partir da teologia do evangelista Lucas. Os textos que referenciam o enunciado querigmático da narrativa lucana serão trabalhados seguindo a metodologia da crítica histórica, que auxilia na descoberta da identificação do sentido da mensagem, contribuindo para uma autêntica compreensão e interpretação atual do objeto de estudo. No segundo capítulo, irei refletir sobre a compreensão de evangelização a partir da perspectiva da III Conferencia Latino Americana de Puebla. No terceiro capítulo, irei identificar e correlacionar a compreensão de evangelização da III Conferência Latino-americana de Puebla com as características querigmáticas da teologia lucana.

The title of the thesis is "The Adult as a Catechesis Participant and Recipient". The first part of the thesis introduces the issue of adult catechesis. It describes the ways in which the Church has, since its beginning (in its original practice), strived to tackle this phenomenon and provides an overview of the most important magisterial documents related to this topic. It also outlines the current challenges faced by the Church. Subsequently, attention is given to the prerequisites which an adult as a recipient and co-worker in the catechetical process should meet. Besides considering the current scientific psychological view of general human maturity, the thesis deals with the dynamics of faith development and its maturation. Furthermore the thesis outlines the goals of adult catechesis as well as the subsequent work which is crucial to continuing education. Finally, the thesis outlines the pastoral-catechetical view of adults.