This goal of this thesis is to examine the connection between piety and the city-state according to the Socrates of Plato’s dialogues. This thesis first sets out to understand Socrates’ piety. Then, through consideration of Socrates’ discussion of piety in the city-state in the Euthyphro, the Apology, the Symposium, and the Republic, this thesis sets out to outline Socrates’ understanding of the role piety ought to play in the just city-state. Based on my reading of these dialogues, I argue that piety is, for Plato’s Socrates, a necessary component of the just city-state.

Thesis advisor: Margaret E. Guider / Thesis advisor: Franklin T. Harkins / The call to holiness manifested in the relationship between God and humankind contemporarily expresses the virtue of pietas, often translated as piety. The spiritual depth of this virtue reflects a Franciscan approach to holiness that emphasizes relational obligations epitomized by the Trinitarian relationship. With numerous challenges and difficulties in life, I argue that the steadfast character of holiness animates recent solemnly professed Capuchin friars in their baptismal call to holiness strengthened in their consecration to God. Chapter I provides an entry point to pietas using the theology of St. Bonaventure in the Legenda Maior. I trace the develop of pietas from its ancient roots as a defining virtue for the Roman people of the Empire and its Christian appropriation by Augustine. I then discuss some key features of Bonaventure’s theology that informs his understanding of pietas as a particularly relational virtue consistent with his Franciscan identity. Chapter II begins with a survey of the Franciscan hermeneutical disputes in its history over the Rule of Saint Francis. This contextualizes the discussion of the call to holiness as an invitation for humanity to participate in the Divine nature through Baptism and the grace to share in the relationship (and thus accompanying duties) of God, the Father and the Son through the Holy Spirit. The tendency to prioritize such duties has caused hierarchical divisions that respectively seek to advance communal evangelical proclamation while upholding fidelity to the revealed Truth of God. Consecrated life deepens this responsibility, especially with the expectations set by great witnesses that invigorates others to partake in the mission. Chapter III acknowledges the difficulties of communal discernment by offering a case study of an unanticipated moment of reconciliation through pietas between two prominent 20th century friars. This sets a framework to conclude the thesis with theological reflections for recent solemnly professed Capuchin friars to practice the virtue of pietas in the modern western world. / Thesis (STL) — Boston College, 2023. / Submitted to: Boston College. School of Theology and Ministry. / Discipline: Sacred Theology.

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Thesis advisor: Robert C. Bartlett / This thesis seeks to explain why Aristotle considers piety a necessary component of the best regime that he presents in book 7 of the Politics. It argues that Aristotle includes piety in the best regime because the pious belief in divine providence, that is, divine reward for virtuous human beings and punishment for vicious human beings, provides an essential justification for moral virtue that enables the best regime to habituate its citizens in the practice of moral virtue without compelling them to deny their natural longing for happiness. Only this pious conception of divine providence enables the citizens of the best regime to be happy as they cope with the demands of moral virtue and citizenship. / Thesis (MA) — Boston College, 2019. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Political Science.

Mass rural-urban migration and population aging are occurring simultaneously at a rapid speed in contemporary China. Tens of millions of rural young laborers have been migrating to urban areas to meet the demand for cheap labor, whereas large numbers of elderly parents (the Chinese baby boomers) are left behind in the impoverished villages. Consequently, adult children are becoming more and more unavailable to fulfill their elder care responsibilities. This study took a systematic look at how the increasing rural-urban migration shaped the elder care practices in rural Chinese families and how rural elders respond and adapt to this social transformation. Using data from a rural household survey conducted by Renming University in 2004 in three in-land migrant-exporting provinces, this study explored three aspects of elder-care dynamics in China: 1. The patterns of financial care for rural elders whose adult children had migrated to urban areas. 2. Rural elders’ perceptions of filial piety at this time of social change. 3. Rural elders’ self-evaluation of life satisfaction at this historical period of time. The theoretical model of Political Economy of Aging (PEA) and criticism of classic modernization theory were used to guide the generation of hypotheses and analyses of statistical data. Findings from this study revealed that financial care by migrated children was mainly based on an exchange-based model; rural elders who took care of grandchildren received more financial support. With the continued provision of financial care and emotional care, rural elders continued to hold relatively positive evaluation of their migrated children’s filial piety, even though physical care was absent. Thus, the author argued that within the context of rural-urban migration, filial piety was not undergoing decline or erosion; rather, its meanings and significance have been broadened by their elderly parents to adapt to dramatic social changes currently underway in China. Finally this study found that the exchange-based pattern of financial care and the continuation of filial piety had a positive impact on rural elders’ life satisfaction. This study contributes to the knowledge body of elder care in China and provides insightful policy suggestions for the Chinese government.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Windsor, 1995. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/ftp04/MQ30912.pdf.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 183-205). Also available in print.

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Thesis (M.A.)--Guo li Taiwan da xue. / Reproduced from ms. copy. Bibliography: p. 205-214.

<p>Many aspects of medieval Western Indian temple art have been subject to scholarly attention. One type of temple-image which has been identified, but heretofore unstudied, is the stone portrait. I have gathered evidence of more than 200 images of historical lay people and ascetics, extant and/or from about 60 inscriptions. Some of the images are Hindu, but most are Jain.</p> <p>In this thesis, I undertake the first comprehensive study of the 'Western Indian portrait', emphasizing Jain examples. My approaches to the portraits are straightforward. First, I divide my study into analyses of images portraying the laity, and images portraying monks. Second, I consider 1) the religiosity and 2) the historical contexts behind certain lay and monastic portraits.</p> <p>The evidence of Jain monks' portraits is most significant. Notably, one-third of monks' portraits were donated by other monks. On the one hand, evidence indicates that certain monks donated portraits of their brethren to generate good karma for the portrait-subjects, in order to secure heavenly rebirth for those subjects. On the other hand, evidence indicates that certain portraits donated by monks represent the alleged divinity of the portrait-subjects, asserted in order to foster a cult of the dead for material and political gain (over monks from rival lineages).</p> <p>Thus, my research has uncovered some unexpected facets of Jain monasticism. It is commonly believed that Jainism is unswervingly dedicated to world-renunciation and the most severe austerities for the attainment of liberation from the cycle of rebirth. My research is significant in that it reveals a much different picture, one in which some monks shared the laity's concern for the acquisition of good karma in order to attain the felicity of heaven, and one in which certain monks involved themselves in very worldly political affairs.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)