Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation aims to trace a Christian letter tradition, i.e. the pastoral letter type, during the first five centuries of this era. With this in mind I outlined the problem statements, goals, theoretical points of departure, research questions, hypotheses, methodologies and structures in Chapter I of the dissertation. I surveyed the history of modern studies on Greco-Roman epistolography in Chapter II. There I looked at how the study of Christian letters was related to Greco-Roman epistolography and what it contributed to the history of modern study on Greco-Roman epistolography. In the process I also focused on the study of the Christian letter tradition that flourished especially during the middle of the twentieth century. I pointed out some weaknesses in the preceding studies, such as limiting the analysis of letters to certain periods, failure to consider generic features and lack of attention to psychagogical intention. At the end of the chapter I concluded by pointing out what still remains to be done, such as considering a broader range of sources and periods, and paying more attention to how the pastoral letter continued to function during the first five centuries of our era. On the basis of the preceding survey I then focused in Chapter III on the generic features of Greco- Roman hortatory letters and their psychagogical functions to provide the background of a broader hortatory tradition for explaining the generic features and functions of the earliest Christian letters, i.e. the letters in the NT. From this research I concluded that Greco-Roman hortatory letters followed the pattern of common Greco-Roman letters in terms of structural and formal features. However, they not only focused on the guidance or education of the recipients in terms of function, but for effective persuasion the authors also employed various rhetorical devices which are often found in the other genres of hortatory works. In Chapter IV I analysed the letters in the NT in order to show that these letters resonate with the hortatory letters that were composed for psychagogy (viz. pastoral care). Firstly, I focused on the analysis of Paul’s first letter, i.e. 1 Thessalonians, to show that the author of the first Christian letter was as pastor above all concerned with pastoral care, and for effective pastoral care he borrowed from the Greco-Roman hortatory letter tradition. From this analysis I concluded that 1 Thessalonians can be located in the hortatory letter tradition, but has its own distinct character differing from common hortatory letters. These features must have resulted from Paul’s efforts to take care of his believers in the Christian faith. In the remainder of this chapter I analysed the rest of the letters in the NT, considering the outcome of the analysis of 1 Thessalonians together with the broader hortatory tradition. I found that the rest of the letters in the NT could be classed as hortatory letters for the purpose of psychagogy, i.e. pastoral letters, in terms of both their structural and formal features, and of their composition, purpose and function. In Chapter V I analysed a number of selected pastoral letters from early Christian authors. Firstly, I surveyed the history of Christian letters and their authors to provide a general background for this chapter. From these authors and their letters, I chose sixteen pastoral letters from fifteen Christian leaders based on stated criteria, and analysed them, considering both the earliest Christian pastoral letters (viz. the letters in the NT) and the broader Greco-Roman hortatory letter tradition. As a result of this analysis I found that these selected letters had features in common with the earliest Christian pastoral letters, especially in terms of their purpose and function, as well as distinctly Christian characteristics. I then compared the outcome of this analysis with selected letters from non-pastoral Christian letter types (viz. the festal or paschal letter type, the synodic letter type, the papal letter type and the “essay in letter form”). I found that, though the selected pastoral letters and nonpastoral letters had some literary features in common, such as structure and form, and employed rhetorical devices, they nevertheless differed in terms of purposes and function. In the last chapter, Chapter VI, I briefly summarised the entire dissertation / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie proefskrif het ten doel om die bestaan van ’n Christelike brieftradisie, nl. die pastorale brieftipe, in die eerste vyf eeue van hierdie era na te spoor. Vir hierdie doel het ek die probleem- en doelstellings, teoretiese uitgangspunte, navorsingsvraagstukke, hipoteses, metodologieë en strukture van die proefskrif in Hoofstuk I uiteengesit. In Hoofstuk II het ek ’n oorsig gegee van moderne studie oor die Grieks-Romeinse epistolografie. Ek het ook nagevors hoe die studie van Christelike briewe aansluiting vind by die Grieks-Romeinse epistolografie, en watter bydrae hierdie studie tot die ontwikkeling van moderne studie oor die Grieks-Romeinse epistolografie gemaak het. Bykomend hiertoe het ek gefokus op die studie van ’n Christelike brieftradisie wat veral gedurende die middel van die twintigste eeu gefloreer het, en het sekere leemtes in hierdie vooraafgaande studies uitgewys, nl. die feit dat die analise van briewe tot slegs sekere periodes beperk is, en die versuim om generiese eienskappe en pastorale oogmerke in aanmerking te neem. Daarna het ek aan die einde van die hoofstuk aangedui wat nog gedoen behoort te word, soos om ’n breër spektrum van bronne en tydperke te benut, en om aandag te gee aan volgehoue tendense in die teorie en praktyk van psigagogiese briewe gedurende die eerste vyf eeue van hierdie era. In die lig van bogenoemde oorsig het ek in Hoofstuk III gefokus op die generiese eienskappe van Grieks-Romeinse hortatiewe briewe en hulle psigagogiese funksies, om die agtergrond te skets waarteen die generiese eienskappe en funksies van die vroegste Christelike briewe, nl. die briewe in die NT, teen ’n breër hortatiewe tradisie bestudeer kan word. Na aanleiding van hierdie ondersoek het ek tot die slotsom gekom dat Grieks-Romeinse hortatiewe briewe die algemene patroon van Grieks-Romeinse lettere met betrekking tot strukturele en formele eienskappe gevolg het. Nietemin was die funksie daarvan nie net gemik op die voorligting of onderrig van die ontvangers nie, maar die skrywers het ook vir die doel van oorreding verskeie retoriese middels ingespan wat dikwels in ander genres van hortatiewe werke gebruik is. In Hoofstuk IV het ek die briewe in die NT ontleed om aan te toon dat hierdie briewe behoort tot die hortatiewe briewe wat opgestel is vir die doeleindes van psigagogie, d.w.s. pastorale sorg. Eerstens het ek gefokus op die analise van Paulus se eerste sendbrief, nl. 1 Tessalonisense, om uit te wys dat hierdie eerste Christelike skrywer as pastor boweal gemoeid was met pastorale sorg, en vir die doeleindes van effektiewe pasorale sorg deels gesteun het op die Grieks-Romeinse hortatiewe brieftradisie. Uit hierdie analise kon ek aflei at 1 Tessalonisense geskaar kan word by die hortatiewe brieftradisie, maar tog die eiesoortigheid behou waardeur dit verskil van algemene hortatiewe briewe. Hierdie eienskappe moes voortgespruit het uit Paulus se bemoeienis om te sorg vir sy volgelinge in die Christelike geloof. In die daaropvolgende deel van hierdie hoofstuk ontleed ek die ander sendbriewe in die NT teen die agtergrond van die resultate van die analise van 1 Tessalonisense asook die breër hortatiewe tradisie, en geraak tot die gevolgtrekking dat die ander sendbriewe in die NT ook geklassifiseer kan word as hortatiewe briewe vir psigagogie, d.w.s. pastorale briewe, beide wat hulle strukturele en formele eienskappe aanbetref, en die doel van hulle samestelling en funksie. In Hoofstuk V het ek probeer om ’n aantal geselekteerde pastorale briewe van vroeë Christelike skrywers te ontleed. Eerstens het ek die geskiedenis van Christelike briewe en hulle skrywers as algemene agtergrond vir hierdie hoofstuk uitgelig. Uit hierdie skrywers en hulle briewe het ek sestien pastorale briewe van vyftien Christelike skrywers, leiers van mede-Christene, gekies, gebaseer op bepaalde kriteria. Dié het ek geanaliseer teen die agtergrond van die vroegste Christelike pastorale briewe, nl. die briewe in die NT, asook die breër Grieks-Romeinse hortatiewe lettere tradisie. Deur hierdie analise kon ek vasstel dat hierde geselekteerde briewe behalwe hulle Christelike eienskappe ook ooreenkomste met die vroegste Christelike pastorale briewe toon, veral met betrekking tot hulle doel en funksie,. Daarna het ek die resultate van hierdie analise vergelyk met geselekteerde briewe van nie-pastorale Christelike brieftipes, nl. die feesbrief, die sinodale brief, die pouslike brief en die essay in briefformaat. Alhoewel die geselekteerde pastorale briewe en die nie-pastorale briewe ooreenkomste getoon het wat literêre eienskappe soos struktuur, formaat en retoriese gebruike aanbetref, verskil hulle van mekaar in terme van doel en funksie. In die laaste hoofstuk, Hoofstuk VI, word die proefskrif kortliks opgesom

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Purpose: In this essay a limited and specific selection of Swedish pastoral letters, has been used in order to describe and analyze various depictions (images) of Christ. Furthermore, the similarities as well as the differences between the depictions, will be noted. The theoretical perspective used in the analysis is one of high versus low Christology i.e. whether the emphasis is focused on Christ as divine, or Christ as human, and the possible tension between the two. Also, the ontological and functional aspect of the images will be elucidated. Method: The used method is hermeneutic. The analysis is text oriented and initially a descriptive analysis is used to describe the various depictions. References will be made to Jesus – God and Man, by Prof. Wolfhart Pannenberg, and the article “Christology” by Prof. Ola Sigurdson. In the analysis that follows a comparative method will be used to form a normative analysis with constructive summaries of each depiction of Christ.   Results and conclusions: The result of this study shows that a various number of depictions of Christ is to be found within the selected pastoral letters. In some the image of Christ is described in a substantial and obvious way, like the Compass or a Fellow human being. In contrast, there are depictions of Jesus as the Brother and the Guide. In others a symbolic image is to be found, like the Star, the Sign or Logos. There are also more traditional dogmatic depictions as the Savior. In all of them an ontological and a functional aspect can be found. The depictions of Christ also have in common that the emphasis is mainly on the humanity of Christ. In many of them a tension between the divinity and the humanity of Christ is obvious. The images are mediating openness and diversity, showing Jesus Christ as an inspiration, a beacon and someone to follow. They are all providing answers to the question of the title of this essay: Who do they say I am?

Fino ad oggi, la storiografia occupatasi dell'atteggiamento tenuto dai vescovi italiani nel corso del primo conflitto mondiale aveva affrontato il tema in base a un’ottica essenzialmente politica, volta a stabilire la maggiore o minore adesione dell'episcopato agli ideali patriottici e il suo grado di sostegno alla guerra. In questo studio, da una parte l'analisi del discorso pastorale pubblicamente prodotto dall'episcopato italiano sulla e nella Grande Guerra, dall'altra l'analisi del discorso indirizzato all'interno della gerarchia ecclesiastica sia verso il basso (sacerdoti-soldati e chierici combattenti) sia verso l'alto (S. Sede), consentono di evidenziare le reali categorie interpretative con cui l'evento-guerra venne compreso e giudicato dai vescovi. Il quadro che ne emerge appare variamente articolato: se la retorica patriottica non mancò di manifestarsi, il discorso dominante fu tuttavia rappresentato dalla lettura provvidenzialistica del conflitto, che, culminando nell'attribuzione di un significato salvifico alla morte per la patria in guerra, svolse una funzione decisiva nel legittimare la partecipazione dei fedeli ad essa. L'analisi della corrispondenza tra i vescovi e i chierici combattenti e tra i vescovi e la S. Sede mostra l'esistenza di sfumature e di altre sensibilità, certamente importanti da registrare, ma non sufficienti a mutare il profilo complessivo emerso dall'analisi del discorso pubblico. / Until today, the historiography concerning the attitude of Italian bishops during the First World War dealt with the subject from essentially a political perspective, focused on bishops' commitment to patriotic ideals and the level of support for the war. This research takes into account, on the one hand, the analysis of the pastoral discourse made publicly by the Italian bishops about and during the «Great War», and on the other hand, the analysis of the discourse inside of the church hierarchy addressed both downwards (to priest-soldiers and fighting seminarists) and upwards (to the Holy See). Thus, the actual explanatory categories by which the war-event was understood and judged by bishops are revealed. The picture that emerges is heterogeneous: beyond patriotic rhetoric, the most dominant finding is represented by providential reading of the conflict. By attaching a redemptive meaning to death from fighting for one's country, it proved to be a decisive factor in legitimising the participation of the faithful. The analysis of the correspondence between the bishops and fighting seminarists, and between the bishops and the Holy See demonstrates the existence of different tones and sensibilities. Although worth recording, they do not seem to change the overall picture that the public discourse displays.

In much of the historiography surrounding print culture and the book trade, the worldliness of print remains a point of common emphasis. Indeed, many influential studies either assume or actively present the history of print as part of a broader ‘secularization thesis’. Recently, however, historians have challenged these narratives, recognizing the central role of religious print as a driver of growth within the book trade and discussion within the nascent ‘public sphere’. Yet the scholarship into ‘religion and the book’ remains fragmentary, focused on individual genres or persons, with no unified monograph or standard reference work yet to emerge. This dissertation addresses some of the barriers to synopsis by investigating the long-term print output of the largest social and professional group engaged in evangelizing Christianity to the public: the clergy of the Church of England. By focusing on the clergy, this dissertation evades the usual narrow focus on genre. In the past, book-historical and bibliographic studies have relied heavily on a priori classification schemes to study the market for print. While sufficient in the context of relatively well-defined genre categories, such as printed sermons, the validity of these classification schemes breaks down at the wider level, for example, under the conceptual burden of defining the highly fluid and wide-ranging category of ‘religious works’. This dissertation begins to remedy such problems by modelling the print output of a large population of authors who had the strongest stake in evangelizing Christianity to the public through print. It utilizes the latest techniques in the field of digital humanities and bibliometrics to create a representative sample of the print output of the Anglican clergy over the ‘long’ eighteenth-century (here 1660-1800). Based on statistical trends, the thesis identifies a crucial period in the history of clerical print culture, the first four decades of the Hanoverian regime. The period is explored in detail through three subsequent case studies. By combining both traditional and digital methods, therefore, the dissertation explores clerical publishing as a phenomenon subject to evolution and change at both the macro and micro level. The first chapter provides an overarching statistical study of clerical publishing between 1660 and 1800. By combining data from two bibliographical datasets, The English Short-Title Catalogue (ESTC), and the prosopographical resource, The Clergy of the Church of England Database (CCED), I extract and analyse a dataset of clerical works consisting of almost 35,000 bibliographic records. The remaining chapters approach the thesis topic through primary research-based case studies using both print and manuscript sources. The case studies were selected from the period identified in the preceding statistical analysis as a crucial transitional moment in the history of clerical publishing culture, c.1714 to 1750. These case studies form chapters 2, 3, and 4, each of which explore a different aspect of a network of authors who worked under the direction of the bishop of London, Edmund Gibson (1723-1748), during the era of Whig hegemony under Sir Robert Walpole. Finally, an appendix outlines the methodology used in chapter 1 to extract the sample of clerical printed works from the ESTC. Overall, the thesis demonstrates the profound influence of the clergy on the development of English print in the hand-press period. It thus forms both a historiographic intervention against the secularization thesis still implicit in discussions of print culture and the book trade, as well as providing a cautionary critique of the revisionism which has shaped recent investigations into the Church of England.