Thesis (S.T.L.)--Catholic University of America, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 163-170).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Covenant Theological Seminary, 2005. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 105-109).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Covenant Theological Seminary, 2005. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 105-109).

Thesis (S.T.L.)--Catholic University of America, 1987. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 130-141).

The inclusion of representational imagery in a sacred context is extremely rare in the history of Islamic art. This dissertation examines the evolution of the Ottoman En'am-i Serif, a group of manuscripts dating from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries, in which sacred text was illuminated by sacred art. In the early period, the content of these prayer books consisted of entire chapters of the Qur'an and various prayers. In the seventeenth century, calligraphic images known as hilye were added, consisting of textual descriptions of the Prophet Muhammad's physical and moral characteristics. In the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, representational images of the Prophet's mantle, hand, footprint, sandal, sword, and other relics were included for the sake of their baraka, the Divine grace that emanates from God and passes to ordinary people through the prophets and saints, or the objects that they touch. That Ottoman Islam was heavily influenced by Sufism is apparent in the En'am-i Serif. Its calligraphers and patrons were members or affiliates of the various Sufi orders, and they were also frequently highly placed members of the ruling class. At the same time that the Ottomans were defending themselves against the rise of European nationalism, Islam came under attack from within as the Wahhabi movement challenged the Ottoman sultan's role as protector of the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. It is not surprising that Sufi calligraphers chose this precise moment to transform a simple book containing Qur'anic text and prayers into an elaborate manuscript combining sacred text with images of sacred places and objects. In addition to reinforcing the spiritual aspects of Islam that had come under attack from the fundamentalist movement, the artists of the En'am-i Serif also made a strong political statement by choosing to present these images in such a way as to highlight the Ottomans' role as the rightful inheritors of the caliphate and protectors of Islam. / Graduate

No description available.

This dissertation is an historical and theological analysis of the Sinner's Prayer. Chapter 1 introduces the topic, provides an example of the Sinner's Prayer, and proposes the importance of this study. The methodology and limitations of the study are also discussed. Chapter 2 traces the history of evangelism from New Testament times. Significant movements and persons are discussed as they have importance for the development of a theology and methodology of evangelism that lead the way to the introduction of the Sinner's Prayer. Gospel tracts receive attention because they are representative of the popular approaches to evangelism. The case presented is that the Sinner's Prayer originated in the early twentieth century as a result of efforts to simplify and reproduce methods in evangelism. Billy Graham is given primary credit for popularizing the prayer. Chapter 3 provides a theological analysis of the Sinner's Prayer. The doctrine of prayer is discussed. Biblical soteriology receives significant attention. Theological objections that have been raised regarding the Sinner's Prayer are also discussed. Theological correctives are offered to those who will continue to use the prayer as a tool in evangelism. Chapter 4 discusses the use of methods in evangelism, noting limitations, dangers, and ethical considerations. This chapter stresses the need for reform in the way the Sinner's Prayer is typically used. This work contends that the Sinner's Prayer is of recent origin. It reflects the theological and methodological shift in evangelism that occurred during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Theologically, most versions of the Sinner's Prayer fail to reflect the biblical directives for salvation. In the manner in which it is typically use, the prayer has become a barrier to effective evangelism. If evangelists will continue to make use of the prayer, reform is critical.

Thesis (S.T.L.)--Catholic University of America, 2008. / Description based on Microfiche version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 146-148).

Thesis (S.T.L.)--Catholic University of America, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 146-148).

Liturgical creativity and reform has been a hallmark of Reconstructionist Judaism since its inception in America in the mid 1930s. All facets of Reconstructionist liturgy are molded to reflect and convey the movement's Jewish ideology. As such, much insight is gained by analyzing the full texts of the Reconstructionist prayerbooks, including translations, editors' notes, interpretive versions, supplementary readings, commentary, rubrics and layout. / The first Reconstructionist liturgies (1941--1963) were edited primarily by the movement's founder, Mordecai M. Kaplan, and were fashioned to mirror his understanding of modern belief, moral sense and aesthetic taste. Kaplan believed that only a text edited with these values in mind would succeed in returning American Jews to synagogue life. Sixty percent of Kaplan's Sabbath Prayer Book was devoted to supplementary readings, which strove to foster a positive view of the world and to motivate the quest for personal and collective salvation. For Kaplan, ethical living and a sense of the world's essential goodness constituted the essence of religious faith and life, and he believed that this was not sufficiently articulated in traditional prayer. / The inauguration of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in 1968 led to the transference of movement leadership from Kaplan's followers to a younger generation born after World War Two. This generational shift necessitated and facilitated the creation of the new Reconstructionist prayerbook series, Kol Haneshamah (1989--). While Reconstructionist liturgy continues to forward a fundamentally Kaplanian theology, it is less committed than was Kaplan to the position that all creedal formulations whose literal truth is rejected be excised from the text. Kol Haneshamah testifies to the movement's current openness to mystic paths of spiritual awakening and communing with the divine, and to its greater interest in cultivating and exploring the affective realm of human consciousness. Inclusivity, ecological responsibility, lay empowerment, and the creation of non-sexist terminology for addressing God and humanity have become primary Reconstructionist concerns. An examination of Reform, Conservative and Jewish Renewal liturgy indicates that, while many of the developments evident in contemporary Reconstructionist liturgy are mirrored in other branches of American non-Orthodox Judaism, Reconstructionist prayer remains a unique rite.