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Yes / From the early Medieval period, Christian monasteries were wealthy and powerful, and played a central role in both religious and political life. Those who entered the monasteries did so at the age of 7-8 years and were drawn from a wide range of social strata. From that point, they were subject to the dietary rules imposed by the rules of each monastic order. In order to assess the origins and diet of 10 monks who lived in the monastery of San Millán de la Cogolla Yuso (La Rioja, Spain) during the 17th – 18th century, collagen from small sections of human dentine (representing the childhood diet) and from ribs (an average of the last 5 - 10 years of adult diet) was measured to establish lifetime variations in the isotope ratios of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N). Bulk collagen δ13C (overall mean= -18.2‰ +/-0.4) and δ15N (overall mean= 12.6‰ +/-0.8) values from the ribs suggest 2 adult cohorts: one with a diet based on C3 plants and a high intake of protein from meat or dairy products and some marine resources and a second cohort with some C4 plant consumption alongside meat and dairy. Data from the dentine sections revealed different dietary patterns during the period of tooth formation among the monks, suggesting that 4 of them entered the monastery after consuming lower status diets during childhood. / This paper was written with the support of a PhD grant (BES-2015-075176) from the project CoChange (HAR2014-51830-P) lead by Prof. Pablo Arias.

This social anthropological thesis reports on fieldwork in a coenobitic Orthodox monastery on Mount Athos. In Part I the thesis is concerned with metanoia - repentance from sins. Penthos, mourning, is a personal condition of extreme sobriety in which both laughter and anger are avoided, and repentance must be expressed in word and posture if ever anger is shown. But tacitly, there can be a competitive element in seeking pardon. If a monk weeps, this is seen as a gift - charisma - from God, and this is most likely to be conferred on senior and notably devout monks. Part II is concerned with the transition from the newcomer status through to three higher degrees of spiritual maturity. This progress is marked both by transitional rituals, such as tonsure, and the formal donning of robes which signify higher stages. The insights of Van Gennep are helpftil in appreciating the general transition from the secular to a more spiritual condition, and in appreciating particular rituals. But the condition of spiritual vulnerability is not captured by either a particular rite, or practices in a particular place. The fuller understanding of passage requires Seremetakis' wider and more flexible approach, expressed in the concept of "ritualization". She directs our attention away from the specificity of any particular rite, to the wider context of fragmented social experiences, and understandings which are precipitates of an unstable flow of ordinary social events. Part ifi deals with the problems presented by parastaseis - representations - or, more simply, memories of secular life. Monks should have utterly renounced their secular affections to their consanguineal kin. Nor should they be proud of their previous communities of origin, or educational attainments. In principle, the value of humility - tapeinosis - should reign. But here is a further context for inequality to occur. For the minority of monks who have been previously married, no matter how they struggle to obliterate memories of their attachments to wives or children - are deemed to be in an inherently inferior condition to those whose purity has never been compromised by sexual congress, or procreative pride. The thesis concludes with the observation that Turner's concept of an inherently egalitarian communitas is not supported by the monastery. Rather, Dumont's proposal that in all religious value commitments, there are inevitably implicit rank differences, fmds support. Just as the monks in their own eyes are spiritually superior to the laity, so within the community of monks, the nevermarried are ranked in their own eyes above the pandremenoi, the "married" monks. In a substantial Appendix, the monastic naming system is examined within the framework of suggestions from Levi-Strauss, and against the contrast medium of previous Greek ethnography.

The building activities of the Durham monks in the two centuries before the Dissolution are analysed using the evidence of the surviving remains, early depictions of works since destroyed, and the extensive contemporary archives. Besides the cathedral-priory itself, the buildings of the monastery's six northern cells (Coldingham, Holy Island, Fame Island, Finchale, Jarrow, and Monkwearmouth), and those of the thirty appropriated churches north of Humber still surviving, are also considered. The analysis examines the date, cost, and stylistic context of the building works, providing a comprehensive assessment of the priory’s architectural output. The existence of long-term variations in the selectivity and quantity of information about building in the priory's financial documents is demonstrated; an understanding of these is deemed indispensable in assessing the evidential value of the documents in interpreting changes in the material record. The pattern of building activity is related to the economic background and other claims on the priory's resources. Particular attention is paid to the years c. 1350-75, the only period of across-the-board renewal, when the chronology of works and distribution of common stylistic features suggest a co-ordinated building policy, probably reflecting the supervision of a single master mason, John Lewyn. The priory's treatment of its appropriated churches, and its interaction with parishioners in maintaining and altering these, is also evaluated. The role of episcopal and secular patrons m determining the frequent use of high- status masons from outside Durham as consultants is contrasted with the generally more limited calibre of masons employed on the monks' own initiative. It is argued that the priory’s employment of masons can only be understood in the context of this pattern of patronage and of the underlying pattern of building activity. The career of the best-known, Lewyn, is singled out for detailed reassessment.

Thesis (M.A.)--Catholic Theological Union at Chicago, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 97-100).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1995. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 213-226).

Thesis (M.A.)--Catholic Theological Union at Chicago, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 97-100).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

In the context of the contemporary rebirth of interest in contemplative prayer in the Christian tradition, many people, e.g., Laurence Freeman (1995), Eileen O'Hea (1990), Bede Griffiths (1991), have begun to examine the writings of John Main. / This thesis presents John Main's understanding of Christian Meditation, in particular, his recovery from the Desert monks of the 4th century, of the practice of 'pure prayer' (silent meditation using a prayer word or mantra). Main recovered the use of a mantra as a way of meditation within the tradition of the Christian church. / The thesis also discusses some aspects of the Christian life and themes which are relevant to his teaching and finally, articulates some implications for contemporary religious/spirituality education. Comparisons are made between Main's pedagogical approach and that of several other contemporary Christian educators.

Thesis (M.A. (Human Rights))--Mahidol University, 2007. / LICL has E-Thesis 0023 ; please contact computer services.