Thesis (D. Min.)--New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, 2004. / Includes abstract and vita. "November 2004." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 156-164).

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Die verhoudings tussen Christene en Moslems word dikwels vertroebel deur wantroue, misverstand en kultuurverskille. Hierdie studie behandel gebed as 'n moontlike brug van begrip tussen Moslems en Christene. Die motivering vir die studie le egter dieper as die soeke na goeie wedersydse verhoudings. Dit vloei voort uit deelname aan die "God se sending" in die wereld. Hoofstuk 2 gee 'n noukeurige beskrywing van Moslemgebed (salat), deur te kyk na die oproep tot gebed, voorneme, wassing, gebedshoudings, asook die plek en rigting van gebed. Hoofstuk 3 bevat 'n Christelike interpretasie van Moslemgebed. Di t bestudeer die aanroep ("In die naam van God"), die Moslem-geloofsbelydenis en salat as ritueel. Hoofstuk 4 tref 'n vergelyking tussen die eerste Soerah (Al-Fatihah) en die "Onse Vader". Beide verskille en ooreenkomste word aangetoon. Hoofstuk 5 trek dan 'n paar missiologiese konklusies, met die klem op gebedshoudings en die verhouding tussen dialoog en getuienis. / Relations between Christians and Muslims have often been strained due to mistrust, misunderstanding and cultural differences. This study focuses on prayer as a possible bridge to mutual understanding between Muslims and Christians. However, the motivation for this study goes deeper than a search for good neighbourliness. It stems from participating in the ''mission of God" in society. Chapter 2 gives a detailed description of Muslim prayer (salat), looking at the call to prayer, intention, ablution, prayer postures, the place and the direction of salat. Chapter 3 contains a Christian interpretation of Muslim prayer. It examines the invocation ("In the name of God"), the Islamic Creed, and salat as ritual. Chapter 4 draws a comparison between the opening Surah (Al-Fatihah) and the Lord's Prayer. Both the common and distinguishing features are highlighted. Chapter 5 draws some missiological implications, focusing on prayer postures and the relationship between dialogue and witness. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Die verhoudings tussen Christene en Moslems word dikwels vertroebel deur wantroue, misverstand en kultuurverskille. Hierdie studie behandel gebed as 'n moontlike brug van begrip tussen Moslems en Christene. Die motivering vir die studie le egter dieper as die soeke na goeie wedersydse verhoudings. Dit vloei voort uit deelname aan die "God se sending" in die wereld. Hoofstuk 2 gee 'n noukeurige beskrywing van Moslemgebed (salat), deur te kyk na die oproep tot gebed, voorneme, wassing, gebedshoudings, asook die plek en rigting van gebed. Hoofstuk 3 bevat 'n Christelike interpretasie van Moslemgebed. Di t bestudeer die aanroep ("In die naam van God"), die Moslem-geloofsbelydenis en salat as ritueel. Hoofstuk 4 tref 'n vergelyking tussen die eerste Soerah (Al-Fatihah) en die "Onse Vader". Beide verskille en ooreenkomste word aangetoon. Hoofstuk 5 trek dan 'n paar missiologiese konklusies, met die klem op gebedshoudings en die verhouding tussen dialoog en getuienis. / Relations between Christians and Muslims have often been strained due to mistrust, misunderstanding and cultural differences. This study focuses on prayer as a possible bridge to mutual understanding between Muslims and Christians. However, the motivation for this study goes deeper than a search for good neighbourliness. It stems from participating in the ''mission of God" in society. Chapter 2 gives a detailed description of Muslim prayer (salat), looking at the call to prayer, intention, ablution, prayer postures, the place and the direction of salat. Chapter 3 contains a Christian interpretation of Muslim prayer. It examines the invocation ("In the name of God"), the Islamic Creed, and salat as ritual. Chapter 4 draws a comparison between the opening Surah (Al-Fatihah) and the Lord's Prayer. Both the common and distinguishing features are highlighted. Chapter 5 draws some missiological implications, focusing on prayer postures and the relationship between dialogue and witness. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

The purpose with my essay is to investigate Church of Sweden’s prayer web page during September 2011 and September 2014. The purpose is to find out if there are any differences or similarities during the year 2011 and the year 2014, in the month of September, by examining literature and prayer that people have sent to prayer site. The Church of Sweden belongs to Lutheran belief.2 On the church of Sweden prayer site there is a digital web page where visitors can send a prayer or light a candle. It is possible to do it individually or in a group. At the prayer site you can read people`s prayers. The Essay investigates what people pray for and what types of prayers that are published on the digital prayer site. My hypothesis is that there should be small differences between year 2011 and year 2014 since there are only three years between 2011 and 2014. My questions are: When comparing September 2011 and September 2014, are there any differences concerning the way the web page visitors choose to address God? Are there any changes concerning the content of the prayers when comparing September 2011 and September 2014? The conclusion is that the difference between year 2011 and year 2014 is that year 2014 was more politically oriented than the year 2011 because in the year 2014 there was a general election. Some prayers wished for a good government. Year 2011 there were more prayers submitted than the year 2014. In the church of Sweden digital prayer site you can find the differences which occur and also which the similarities are. The method which is used is quantitative method since the essay method contains statistics. I also apply comparative method because I am going to compare the year 2011 with the year 2014. When I was preparing for the essay I used qualitative method as preparation. No other person has specifically written an essay about the prayers on the Church of Sweden’s prayer site in September year 2011 and 2014.

The key objective of this research is to explore Matthew Fox’s mystical immanence, as developed in his panentheistic Creation-centred theology. Focussing on the key theme in his thought, the relationship between prayer and social justice, this thesis provides what is essentially an auteur critique. That is to say, his theology is excavated by means of biographical analysis, exploring his principal formative influences. In Chapter One the thesis seeks to identify and chronicle his spiritual odyssey, from his home environment via his seminary training within the Dominican Order to his acceptance into the Episcopal priesthood in 1994. Chapter Two focuses on the main influences on Fox’s thought, particularly: Marie-Dominique Chenu, who transformed Catholic thought in the twentieth century; Jewish spirituality, as developed by Martin Buber, Abraham Heschel, and Otto Rank; and Robert Bly, the American poet, author, activist and leader of the Mythopoetic Men’s Movement. Turning specifically to the principal developments in his theology, the third chapter, analyses Fox’s mysticism. His consistent use of the term ‘Creation’ is an indication of the cosmic orientation of this thinking, while his ‘creation spirituality’ is undergirded by his embrace of Thomas Aquinas, the Rhineland mystics and his rejection of Augustine. This chapter also evaluates the diverse scholarly critiques which have attempted to classify his work as New Age, pantheist, and monist. The fourth chapter turns to his complex understanding of the historical Jesus and his quest for the ‘Cosmic Christ’ in the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament and the Church Fathers. The thesis concludes with an examination of, firstly, Fox’s understanding of ‘Wisdom’, focussing on the ‘sophiological problem’ within the Russian religious consciousness and, secondly, his interpretation of liberation theology and social justice, as developed in his theology of work, Gaia, and eco-feminism.

Jonathan Edwards has been described as the "theologian of the will," the "theologian of the heart," and the "theologian of revival." This dissertation seeks to prove that Edwards should rightly be called the "theologian of prayer." Chapter 1 defines the parameters of this study and argues for the importance of Edwards's contribution to this area of practical theology. Chapter 2 examines the nature of God the Father, asking and answering three questions regarding prayer: Who is God? Does God answer prayer? and, What about unanswered prayer? Chapters 3, 5, and 7 examine Edwards's life and consider the role prayer played during three stressful times: his first pastorate, the First Great Awakening, and his dismissal from the church in Northampton. Chapter 4 considers the role of Christ in prayer. The answer to two questions provides the outline for Edwards's Christology: Who is Jesus? and, What is Jesus doing? Chapter 6 addresses the person and work of the Holy Spirit as it applies to prayer. Again, three questions drive the study: Who is the Holy Spirit? What does the Holy Spirit do? and, What does the Holy Spirit have to do with prayer? Chapter 8 looks at the nature of man and the role of faith in prayer. The questions that undergird this chapter are: What did man have in the creation? What did man lose in the Fall? and, What can man have again in the recreation? Chapter 9 summarizes Edwards's arguments and provides a brief exhortation to application. This dissertation contends that Edwards believed that an accurate theology of prayer requires a right understanding of God and man, of the Trinity and man's needs, of divine grace and human faith. Ultimately, Edwards's theology of prayer begins and ends with God. In all of his Trinitarian glory, God is the source and the summa of all grace. In saving fallen men through faith, he resumes communion with them that they might glorify and enjoy him forever, that they might seek him and savor him. / This item is only available to students and faculty of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. If you are not associated with SBTS, this dissertation may be purchased from <a href="http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb">http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb</a> or downloaded through ProQuest's Dissertation and Theses database if your institution subscribes to that service.

This study retrieves the long-abandoned thought of an early twentieth-century Jesuit theologian, Maurice de la Taille (I872-t933), reassessing his theory of eucharistic sacrifice in light of his theology of grace and contemplation. His major work, the three volume Mysterium Fidei (L921), provides an integrated account of sacrifice, one which responsively embraces the multiple and often controversial aspects of the topic of sacrifice. De la Taille rejects a supercessionist treatment of Hebrew ritual sacrifice; he incorporates a sophisticated theory of sacrifice as sign and gift; and he allows the fullness of theological tradition-scripture, the Fathers (East and West), Thomistic thought, conciliar and papal teaching, and the witness of liturgical prayer and mystical theology to inform his theory of Christian sacrifice. In surprising ways, de la Taille's magisterial work on eucharistic sacrifice forestalls the post-Vatican II liberal anxieties about sacrifice. He decidedly challenges the formidable heritage of sixteenth and seventeenth century immolation-focused eucharistic theology by providing a patristically-rich theology of sacrifice, one that stands rooted in a spirituality of prayer and ascetic practice which cannot be segregated from the ecclesial oblation of Christ's sacrifice. With his focus on the affect and desire of the offerer of sacrifice, de la Taille anticipates the 'subjective turn' that emerged in mid-twentieth century eucharistic theology, and in a way that revitalizes the critical role of ecclesial ritual sacrifice in the transformation of that desire. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2008. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Theology.

Fourth-century Cappadocia was a pivotal time and place for the Christian church. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the development of the daily office of prayer within that context. The comparative methodology of Anton Baumstark is examined in some detail, as is the proposal by Paul Bradshaw that liturgical scholars should adopt the hermeneutics of suspicion. Based on the latter, a methodology for the analysis of texts is derived from the socio-rhetorical exegesis of Vernon K. Robbins. The idea, formerly current, that the daily office derived from synagogue wor-ship, is examined in the light of modern scholarship and shown to be falla-cious. Other influences from Judaism and paganism are, however, found but these are seen to be at a fundamental level. A major movement in fourth-century Christianity was the development of mo-nasticism in which the Cappadocian Fathers, particularly Basil of Caesarea, played an important part. The out-dated belief that monasticism originated in the Egyptian desert, from where Basil adopted it, is examined in the light of re-cent scholarship and rejected. Instead, existing Anatolian monastic practice, and the influence of Basil’s sister Macrina must be acknowledged, with the consequence that the daily office of Cappadocian monastics is seen to have developed from domestic prayer. Two major texts from Basil are examined. His so called ‘Longer Rule’ provides a scheme of daily prayer times which has had major influence. His letter num-ber 207 has been seen as a description of an all-night vigil for a Cathedral congregation, but in-depth analysis shows that this is a monastic dawn service. Evening prayer, and in particular the lamp-lighting hymn known as Phōs Hilaron, is considered. Two distinct Christian lamp-lighting ceremonies are identified. Various proposed origins are examined with the conclusion that in the case of the Phōs Hilaron, a domestic origin is most likely. Finally, particular aspects of the Cappadocian Fathers’ theology of worship are examined, demonstrating a strong eschatological theme.

This thesis is based upon ethnographic fieldwork on the process of becoming married in Cairo. It focuses specifically upon the experiences of Cairene Muslims, and centres on the profound sense of anxiety and uncertainty which so frequently surrounds the marriage-making process. This thesis is an attempt to make sense of the salience of these emotions, against a backdrop of economic and political instability, a broader interest in modesty and decorum, and public concern about an alleged ‘marriage crisis’. It also explores the various ways in which prospective affines seek to manage the pervasive sense of anxiety and uncertainty associated with the production of marriage in Cairo. To this end, the thesis examines the ways in which phenomena, ranging from assessments about the ‘suitability’ of a given conjugal home to the perceived outcome of a particular form of petitionary prayer, enter into decisions about whom to marry and come to affect confidence in a given choice. The thesis thus presents a complex picture of the agency of prospective affines, and pays particular attention to the relationship between agency and knowledge.

Dance consciously or unconsciously can by its very creative process from idea or feeling through to performance work and beyond, form a catalyst for healing. This paper provides a written record of a practical, phenomenological, qualitative, dance and healing research project. The researcher’s ideas coalesce from three schools of thought. They are health sciences, dance art and faith. Body sciences and homeopathic theory inform the practice of exploratory contemporary dance improvisation. Wholistic and ethical methods of research practice are applied to the study of a range of dance and health concerns / Master of Arts (Hons) (Contemporary Arts)