Although early predictions that an emerging 'cyberspace' could exist in separation from offline life have been largely discarded, anthropological studies of the internet have continued to find notions of 'virtual reality' relevant as individuals use these technologies to fulfil the "pledges they have already made" (Boellstorff, 2008; Miller & Slater, 2001: 19) about their own selfhood and their place in the world. There are parallels between this concept of 'virtual reality' and the on-going spiritual labour of Charismatic Christians in the UK, who seek in the context of a secularising nation to maintain a sense of presence in the “coming Kingdom” of God. The everyday production of this expanded spiritual context depends to a large extend on verbal genres that are highly gendered. For women, declarations of faith are often tied to domestic settings, personal narratives, and the unspoken testimony of daily life (e.g. Lawless, 1988; Griffith, 1997). The technologies of the internet, whose emerging genres challenge boundaries between personal and social, public and private, can cast a greater illumination on this inward-focused labour. This doctoral thesis is based on ethnographic research in four Charismatic Evangelical congregations and examination of the online practices of churchgoers. I have found that the use of the internet by Charismatic Christian women fits with wider religious preoccupations and patterns of ritual practice. Words posted through Facebook, blogs, Twitter, and other online platforms come to resemble in their form as well as their content Christian narratives of a life with meaning.

Objetivou-se com o presente trabalho investigar as relações existentes entre dois espaços de \"cura\": o serviço local de saúde e a instituição religiosa, representada pelas várias Igrejas Pentecostais. A investigação, de corte qualitativo, baseou-se em depoimentos colhidos de sujeitos que frequentavam simultaneamente estes dois espaços de \"cura\". Concluiu-se que os dois espaços são usados conjuntamente e percebidos como nítidamente distintos. Através da análise dos depoimentos foi possível estabelecer uma série de categorias distintivas que permitem especificar as particularidades e diferenças entre o espaço racionalcientífico e o espaço religioso, quando se trata de \"cura\". Concluiu-se também que os sistemas oficiais tem muito a aprender dos \"sistemas religiosos\", notadamente no que diz respeito ao caráter \"acolhedor\" destes últimos. / The objective of this work is to investigate the relationships between two \"cure\" spaces: the local health service and the religious institution represented here by several Pentecostal Churches. The qualitative section investigation was based on statements taken from people who attended the two \"cure\" spaces simultarieously. We concluded that the two spaces are used concurrently and understood as clearly distinct. Through the analysis of the statements it was possible to establish a series of different categories permitting to specifY peculiarities and dissimilarities between the -rational - scientific and the religious spaces when we refer to \"cure\". We have also concluded that the official systems have much to leam from \"religious systems\" especially when considering the \"welcoming\" character of the latter ones.

Objetivou-se com o presente trabalho investigar as relações existentes entre dois espaços de \"cura\": o serviço local de saúde e a instituição religiosa, representada pelas várias Igrejas Pentecostais. A investigação, de corte qualitativo, baseou-se em depoimentos colhidos de sujeitos que frequentavam simultaneamente estes dois espaços de \"cura\". Concluiu-se que os dois espaços são usados conjuntamente e percebidos como nitidamente distintos. Através da análise dos depoimentos foi possível estabelecer uma série de categorias distintivas que permitem especificar as particularidades e diferenças entre o espaço racional científico e o espaço religioso, quando se trata de \"cura\". Concluiu-se também que os sistemas oficiais tem muito a aprender dos \"sistemas religiosos\" notadamente no que diz respeito ao caráter \"acolhedor\" destes últimos. / The objective of this work is to investigate the relationships between two \"cure\" spaces: the local health service and the religious institution represented here by several Pentecostal Churches. The qualitative section investigation was bas.ed on statements taken from people who attended the two \"cure\" spaces simultarieously. We concluded that the two spaces are used concurrently and understood as clearly distinct. Through the analysis of the statements it was possible to establish a series of different categories permitting to specify peculiarities and dissimilarities bet\\veen the -rational - scientific and the religious spaces when we refer to cure\". We have also concluded that the official systems have much to leam from \"religious systems\" especially when considering the \"welcoming\" character o f the latter ones.

A presente investigação objetivou estudar as relações que se estabelecem entre Aids e religião a partir dos campos sanitário e religioso. Buscou discutir a presença do fator religioso na vivência de portadores do HIV, entendendo esta presença dentro do contexto da relação que historicamente tem se estabelecido entre saúde e religião, fortemente evidenciada nas últimas décadas, principalmente com a atuação das igrejas ou ramos pentecostais. Foi escolhida a metodologia de corte qualitativo e para a construção e análise dos discursos dos sujeitos envolvidos: portadores do HIV freqüentadores de igrejas pentecostais, profissionais de saúde que atendem portadores do HIV e religiosos pentecostais, utilizamos as figuras metodológicas que compõem a proposta do Discurso do Sujeito Coletivo (DSC). Na análise dos discursos fica evidente a busca da religião após o conhecimento do diagnóstico de HIV, onde a doença é ressignificada à luz do discurso religioso; discute-se a função que a religião tem exercido nestas situações, tanto no sentido do conforto e proteção ao indivíduo quanto à promessa de cura para este e outros males, ocupando um espaço de \"terapia religiosa\". Conclui-se pela identificação de uma relação marcada pela harmonia e pelo conflito entre Aids e religião, porém não se acredita, e portanto não se propõe, a superação deste conflito, mas a necessidade de aprofundar o conhecimento desta relação que é efetiva, visando uma convivência pautada pelo respeito as diferentes posturas próprias de uma sociedade pluralista. / This inquiry has been accomplished in order to study the relationships grounded between Aids and religion from the sanitary and religious fields. lt has discussed the presence of religion in people infected with mv. clarifying this presence within a context that historically has been established between health and religion and that has become strongly enhanced for the last decades, mainly due to the performance of churches and pentecostal branches. The methodology of qualitative cut has been chosen and methodological figures for building up and analysis o f speeches o f the individuais involved : people who are HIV positive and who are members ofPentecostal_Churches, professionals related to health, who care o f lllV positive and people from the Pentecostal Church itself that make up the proposition ofthe Collective Subject Discourse (DSC). lt becomes evident throughout this analysis the seeking of religion following the receiving of the results of the HIV diagnosis where the decease is given a new significance under the light of the religious discourse; it has been discussed the role o f religion in these situations either in terms o f providing comfort and protection to the individual or promise of cure for this or other decease, taking up a \"religious therapy\". Finally, the identification o f the existence o f a relationship enhanced by smoothness and by conflict between Aids and religion, however it is not believed, therefore not proposed the overcoming o f this conflict, nevertheless the necessity o f deepening the knowledge o f this relationship that is effective aiming a respectful coexistence with attitudes that are inherent to a pluralist society.

Applied research project (D. Min.)--School of Theology and Missions, Oral Roberts University, 2004. / Includes abstract. Translated from Korean. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 249-257).

Applied research project (D. Min.)--School of Theology and Missions, Oral Roberts University, 2004. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 184-191).

M. Tech. Drama / The issue of retention of membership in many Pentecostal Churches in Nigeria has been a matter of grave concern to both the Church hierarchy and the Christian community. The need to discover new ways of doing Church in order to retain members therefore cannot be over emphasised. Creativity in the way Church services are conducted is therefore essential. The use of theatrical and dramatic embellishments in the teaching of the stories of the Bible is expected to bring about sustainable growth in and, perhaps, enthusiasm for Christian worship. Therefore, it is imperative that enactments which make such messages and moments unforgettable at ecclesiastical gatherings should be explored. Many good intentioned and spiritually gifted pastors tend to lose members to more creative ones. With membership shrinking in some major denominations, many churches closing their doors, and others failing to attract younger members, a wake-up call is needed. The stories of the Bible are believed to have morals and spiritual messages that are easy to understand. Certainly the biblical message is as pertinent today as it was hundreds of years ago. This study seeks to support the assumption that theatre is one of the timely tools that can be used to proclaim the timeless truth of the scriptures. It is assumed that while participants may forget some things said in a verbalised sermon, the same sermon might be remembered if it is presented with the embellishments of scenery, music, dance, lighting, costume, dialogue and other forms bring.

That the HIV and AIDS epidemic is fuelled by structural injustices is not a new discovery. Several studies reveal the link between the HIV transmission and the spread of the epidemic and the structural inequalities created by human beings themselves in terms of economic and political structures sustained by the patriarchal socio-cultural and religious beliefs systems. In most African rural contexts, faith communities have the potential to alter the course of the epidemic given their moral authority in community and their direct connection with people. However, they are seldom theologically equipped to address the structural inequalities that fuel the spread of HIV and AIDS. This study critically analyses the specific factors driving the HIV and AIDS epidemic in Burundian context and the challenge that they pose to the Burundian Pentecostal churches‘ theology of mission. The study argues that Burundian Pentecostal churches are not responding the epidemic as they should because their responses are informed by a theological framework of mission that was elaborated in the early years of the 20th century and which was responding to theological and social questions quite different to the questions raised by the current HIV context. To overcome this theological irrelevancy that has led to a failure to respond to the political, socio-economic, and cultural factors that fuel the spread of HIV infection, the study suggests that there is a need to adopt a theological framework rooted in a holistic understanding of the mission of the church in the world as defined by the concept of missio Dei. The practical implication of this theological framework is that it challenges faith communities in general and Burundian Pentecostals in particular to become transforming agents not only interested in right relationships between God and humans but also committed to the transformation of political, economic, socio-cultural and religious structures that sustain unequal relationships between humans and between humanity and the rest of creation. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.

Abstract not available. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Durban-Westville, 2002.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Durban-Westville, 2002.