No description available.

Text in Afrikaans / Die eerste hoofstuk omskryf die begrip ngano, daarna volg 'n uiteensetting hoe die Venda mondelinge tradisie in die verlede gefunksioneer het en word die huidige aard en posisie van die verskynsel in die lewe van die gemeenskap gedefinieer. Veranderende sosio-ekonomiese en politieke kragte het die tradisionele lewenswyse van die Venda-mense in so 'n mate versteur dat die mondelinge tradisie en die stem van die storieverteller nie meer hoog waardeer word deur die moderne geslag nie. Die teoretiese uitgangspunt van hierdie tesis aanvaar dat religie 'n radikaal integrerend funksie het wat chaos in sinvolle patrone inkorporeer. Dialekties verbind aan die eerste beginsel van religie is die inherente drang van die mens se gees om alle gegewe limiete te transendeer. Vanuit hierdie fokus kan ngano as religieuse artikulasies interpreteer word wat chaos in sinvolle patrone uitdruk, en waarin oak opstand teen bestaande orde en tradisionele aannames uitgespreek word. In bree trekke skets die tweede hoofstuk die historiese agtergrond van die Venda-mense vanaf 800 nC tot en met die resente politieke veranderinge van 1994 in die Noordelike Provinsie. Die tweede deel van die hoofstuk bied 'n uiteensetting van hul religio-filosofiese agtergrond en tesame met die geskiedkundige gebeure dien dit as interpretatiewe konteks vir hierdie oeroue verhale wat van die een geslag na die ander oorgelewer is. In die volgende nege hoofstukke verskyn vyftig volksverhale wat in agt verskillende areas in Venda gedokumenteer is. Elke verhaal is vooraf voorsien van 'n opsomming van die inhoud van die verhaal asook 'n interpretasie van die verhaal deur die verteller self of verduidelikings van haar helpers. Die oorspronklike Venda-teks word gegee in die presiese woorde van die verteller met daarby die Afrikaanse vertaling. 'n Terna wat hehaaldelik voorkom is die opstand van die magteloses (die kind, die vrou of niksseggende persoon) teen magtiges (die koning, die man, dominerende familielede of tradisionele strukture). Ander gewilde temas is die ellende van hongersnood, die aanwending en voorkoms van toorkragte en bonatuurlike transformasies. Ten slotte is daar drie Sankambe-verhale waarin die fantastiese avonture van hasie, die aartbedrieer, wat op grand van blote vernuf oorleef, humoristies vertel word. Ofskoon daar duidelike artikulasies van verset en kritiek teen die tradisionele orde en teen magtiges is, waag ngano dit selde buite die tradisioneel religieus-filosofiese grense. / The first chapter outlines the concept ngano, thereafter the function of the Venda oral tradition in the past is described and the present nature and position of the phenomenon in community living is defined. Changing socio-economic and political forces disturbed traditional Venda life-style to such an extent that the oral tradition and the voice of the storyteller are not highly regarded by the modern generation. The theoretical point of departure of this thesis accepts the radical integrative function of religion ordering chaos into meaningful patterns. Dialectically tied to this first principle of religion is the inherent urgency of the human spirit to transcend all given limits. Viewed thus, ngano can be interpreted as religious utterances in which chaos is expressed in meaningful patterns and where resistance is articulated against existing order and traditional assumptions. Chapter two sketches the historical background of the Venda people from 800 AD up to recent political changes of 1994 in the Northern Province. The second part of this chapter presents an exposition of their religio-philosophic background which, together with the historical events provide an interpretative context for these ancient stories handed down from one generation to the next. Fifty folk tales (ngano) appear in the following nine chapters documented in eight different areas in Venda. Every narrative is introduced by a summary of the content of the story together with an interpretation by narrator and assistants. The Venda text is given first adhering as closely as possible to the original words of the narrator. Every line is followed by an Afrikaans translation. A recurring theme in ngano is the powerless (child, wife or insignificant person) resisting the powerful (king, husband/man, dominating family members or unyielding traditional structures). Other popular themes are the misery of famine, application and occurrence of witchcraft and supernatural transformations. Lastly three Sankambe-stories are documented in which the fantastic antics of the hare, the trickster in Venda folk tales who survives by sheer cunning, are humorously narrated. Although there are distinct expressions of resistance and criticism against the existing order and dominating powers, ngano seldom ventures beyond traditional religious and philosophic boundaries. / Religious Studies & Arabic / D. Litt et Phil. (Religious Studies)

The study deals with the RWCT pedagogical program - Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking and its application in the lessons of Religious Education. The theoretical part seeks to examene possibilities of critical thinking in the Religion, looks at the development of Religious Education and the Catechism and analyses the RWCT program in the context of currently on-going schoul reform. The practical part is dedicated to the structure of concrete Religious Education lessons based on the RWCT model.

Text in Afrikaans / Die eerste hoofstuk omskryf die begrip ngano, daarna volg 'n uiteensetting hoe die Venda mondelinge tradisie in die verlede gefunksioneer het en word die huidige aard en posisie van die verskynsel in die lewe van die gemeenskap gedefinieer. Veranderende sosio-ekonomiese en politieke kragte het die tradisionele lewenswyse van die Venda-mense in so 'n mate versteur dat die mondelinge tradisie en die stem van die storieverteller nie meer hoog waardeer word deur die moderne geslag nie. Die teoretiese uitgangspunt van hierdie tesis aanvaar dat religie 'n radikaal integrerend funksie het wat chaos in sinvolle patrone inkorporeer. Dialekties verbind aan die eerste beginsel van religie is die inherente drang van die mens se gees om alle gegewe limiete te transendeer. Vanuit hierdie fokus kan ngano as religieuse artikulasies interpreteer word wat chaos in sinvolle patrone uitdruk, en waarin oak opstand teen bestaande orde en tradisionele aannames uitgespreek word. In bree trekke skets die tweede hoofstuk die historiese agtergrond van die Venda-mense vanaf 800 nC tot en met die resente politieke veranderinge van 1994 in die Noordelike Provinsie. Die tweede deel van die hoofstuk bied 'n uiteensetting van hul religio-filosofiese agtergrond en tesame met die geskiedkundige gebeure dien dit as interpretatiewe konteks vir hierdie oeroue verhale wat van die een geslag na die ander oorgelewer is. In die volgende nege hoofstukke verskyn vyftig volksverhale wat in agt verskillende areas in Venda gedokumenteer is. Elke verhaal is vooraf voorsien van 'n opsomming van die inhoud van die verhaal asook 'n interpretasie van die verhaal deur die verteller self of verduidelikings van haar helpers. Die oorspronklike Venda-teks word gegee in die presiese woorde van die verteller met daarby die Afrikaanse vertaling. 'n Terna wat hehaaldelik voorkom is die opstand van die magteloses (die kind, die vrou of niksseggende persoon) teen magtiges (die koning, die man, dominerende familielede of tradisionele strukture). Ander gewilde temas is die ellende van hongersnood, die aanwending en voorkoms van toorkragte en bonatuurlike transformasies. Ten slotte is daar drie Sankambe-verhale waarin die fantastiese avonture van hasie, die aartbedrieer, wat op grand van blote vernuf oorleef, humoristies vertel word. Ofskoon daar duidelike artikulasies van verset en kritiek teen die tradisionele orde en teen magtiges is, waag ngano dit selde buite die tradisioneel religieus-filosofiese grense. / The first chapter outlines the concept ngano, thereafter the function of the Venda oral tradition in the past is described and the present nature and position of the phenomenon in community living is defined. Changing socio-economic and political forces disturbed traditional Venda life-style to such an extent that the oral tradition and the voice of the storyteller are not highly regarded by the modern generation. The theoretical point of departure of this thesis accepts the radical integrative function of religion ordering chaos into meaningful patterns. Dialectically tied to this first principle of religion is the inherent urgency of the human spirit to transcend all given limits. Viewed thus, ngano can be interpreted as religious utterances in which chaos is expressed in meaningful patterns and where resistance is articulated against existing order and traditional assumptions. Chapter two sketches the historical background of the Venda people from 800 AD up to recent political changes of 1994 in the Northern Province. The second part of this chapter presents an exposition of their religio-philosophic background which, together with the historical events provide an interpretative context for these ancient stories handed down from one generation to the next. Fifty folk tales (ngano) appear in the following nine chapters documented in eight different areas in Venda. Every narrative is introduced by a summary of the content of the story together with an interpretation by narrator and assistants. The Venda text is given first adhering as closely as possible to the original words of the narrator. Every line is followed by an Afrikaans translation. A recurring theme in ngano is the powerless (child, wife or insignificant person) resisting the powerful (king, husband/man, dominating family members or unyielding traditional structures). Other popular themes are the misery of famine, application and occurrence of witchcraft and supernatural transformations. Lastly three Sankambe-stories are documented in which the fantastic antics of the hare, the trickster in Venda folk tales who survives by sheer cunning, are humorously narrated. Although there are distinct expressions of resistance and criticism against the existing order and dominating powers, ngano seldom ventures beyond traditional religious and philosophic boundaries. / Religious Studies and Arabic / D. Litt et Phil. (Religious Studies)

This MA thesis will discuss the reception of common, non-scholarly polytheists (pagans) to the persecution of Christians from the early empire until the Great Persecution (303-313, 322-324). Though modern scholars have addressed this issue and asserted that there was a change in attitude, many have not developed this into anything more than a passing statement. When chronologically analyzing the Christian acts, passions, letters, and speeches recounting the deaths of martyrs deemed historically authentic, and accounting for the literary and biblical topoi, we can demonstrate that the position of non-Christians changed. The methodology of this thesis will chronologically assess the martyr acts, passions, speeches, and letters which are historically accurate after literary and biblical topoi are addressed. These sources are available in the appendix. Throughout this analysis, we will see two currents. The primary current will seek to discern the change in pagan reception of anti-Christian persecution, while the second current will draw attention to the Roman concept of religio and superstitio, both important in understanding civic religion which upheld the pax deorum and defined loyalty to the Roman order through material sacrifices and closely connected to one's citizenship. Religio commonly denoted proper ritual practices, while superstitio defined irregular forms of worship which may endanger the state. As we will see, Christians were feared and persecuted because it was believed that their cult would anger the gods and disrupt the cosmological order. The analysis will begin with a discussion centered on the "accusatory" approach to the Christian church during the first two centuries when the Roman state relied on provincial delatores (denounces) to legislate against the cult. During the first two centuries persecution was mostly provincial, sporadic and was not centrally-directed. We will see that provincial mobs were the most violent during the first two centuries. During the third century the actions of the imperial authority changed and began following an "inquisitorial" approach with the accession of Emperors Decius and Valerian, the former enacting an edict of universal sacrifices while the latter undertook the first Empire-wide initiative to crush the Christian community. It is during the third century that the attitude of non-elite pagans may have begun to change. This will be suggested when discussing the martyrdom of Pionius. When discussing the fourth century Great Persecution under the Diocletianic tetrarchy, it will be suggested that the pagan populace may have begun to look upon the small Christian community sympathetically. The thesis will conclude with the victory of Constantine over Licinius and the slow but steady rise of Christianity to prominence, becoming the official religio of the empire with traditional paganism relegated to the status of a superstitio.

Die Studie beschäftigt sich mit dem Amt des Jupiterpriesters (flamen dialis) in der römischen Republik und im frühen Prinzipat. Die Studie analysiert anhand einiger Fallbeispiele (insbesondere dem des C. Valerius Flaccus) die Stellung des Jupiterpriesters innerhalb des sakralen (sacrum) und politischen (publicum) Gefüges der römischen Republik. Die gängige Forschungsmeinung zu diesem Amt ist, dass das Amt des Jupiterpriesters für seinen Inhaber eine politische Sackgasse darstellte, da dieser aufgrund der religiösen Vorschriften des Priesteramtes weitgehend an der Übernahme politischer Verantwortung gehindert war. Somit wird das Amt als unattraktiv für junge nobiles bewertet. Diese Überlegung verwirft die Studie und zeigt auf, dass das Amt zumindest für einen Teil der nobiles eine attraktive Karriereoption dargestellt hat und dass die religiösen Vorschriften die Wahrnehmung politischer Verantwortung nicht in dem Maße behindert haben, wie es oftmals dargestellt wird. Aus diesen Überlegungen leitet die Studie eine grundlegende Kritik an einer gängigen Quellenperzeption ab, die das Konsulat zugleich als Ziel und Mindestanforderung der Karriere eines jungen nobilis ansieht.:I. Einleitung 1-26 1. Religio civilis und sacerdotes publici. Eine thematische Einführung zum Verhältnis von Religion und Politik in Rom 2-15 2. Der flamen Dialis 16-26 2.1. Sakralvorschriften 16-21 2.2. Flamen Dialis – politisches Abstellgleis und Leitfossil der römischen Religion? 22-26 II. Fallstudien 27-97 1. Zur Überlieferungssituation 27-34 2. Flamines Diales von der Mitte des 3. Jhs. bis 209 v. Chr. 35-47 2.1. Die Amtsinhaber 35-38 2.2. Religio in Katastrophenzeiten 38-47 3. Flamines Diales von 209 bis 170 v. Chr. 48-74 3.1. Priesterämter als Instrumente der Verhaltensregulierung in Rom? 48-49 3.1.1. Formen sozialer Kontrolle in Rom 50-55 3.1.2. Die normative Kraft des Vorbildlichen 55-59 3.2. Der politische Werdegang des flamen Dialis C. Valerius Flaccus 60-66 3.2.1. Flamen Dialis und Senatssitz 60-61 3.2.2. Aedilität und Praetur – Eid und Immobilität 61-63 3.2.3. Die „Kaltstellung eines patrizischen Junkers“? 63-66 3.3. Konkurrenz und Konsens 67-72 3.3.1.Familienstrategien 67-69 3.3.2.Die Sicherung der prospektiven Familientradition 69-72 3.4. P. Cornelius Scipio 73-74 4. Flamines Diales in der späten Republik 75-91 4.1. L. Cornelius Merula 76-77 4.2. C. Iulius Caesar 77-91 4.2.1. Caesars Herkunft und Status in den 80er Jahren v. Chr. 79-81 4.2.2. Caesar als flamen Dialis – ein Katastrophenszenario 81-82 4.2.3. Flamen Dialis inauguratus? 82-86 4.2.4. Sullas Rückkehr und die Amtsenthebung 87-91 5. Der flamen Dialis im frühen Prinzipat 92-97 5.1. Überlegungen zu den Ursachen der Vakanz und zur Datierung der Inauguration des Ser. Cornelius Maluginensis 92-95 5.2. Ser. Cornelius Lentulus Maluginensis und Ser. Cornelius Ser.f. Lentulus Maluginensis 95-97 III. Die gesellschaftliche Stellung des Jupiterpriesters 98-106 1. Sacrum und publicum – konkurrierende Ordnungsmuster? 98-103 1.1. Durfte der Jupiterpriester politisch tätig werden? 98-99 1.2. Die Götter können nicht umziehen 100-101 1.3. Kultbedingungen und gesellschaftlicher Wandel – oder: Wie flexibel ist römisches „Sakralrecht“? 101-103 2. Die Bedeutung des Jupiterpriesteramtes für die römische Führungsschicht 103-106 IV. Abbildungen i-iii V. Literatur iv-xxxii

No abstract available / Religious Studies / M.A. (Religious Studies)

L'obligation de célibat imposée aux ecclésiastiques catholiques fait l'objet de discussions depuis le début de l'église chrétienne, mais au cours du XVIIIe siècle, elle est de plus en plus considéré d'un point de vue politique plutôt que théologique. Le but de cette thèse est de reconstruire la naissance, le développement et la diffusion en Europe de la nouvelle perspective - laïque et séculière - d'envisager l'interdiction au clergé de se marier, née de la «crise de la conscience européenne" et sous l'impulsion des Lumières radicales. Grâce à l'analyse et l'étude de la littérature philosophique et politique européenne, cette thèse reconstruit le débat sur le célibat ecclésiastique dès la fin du XVIIe siècle et jusqu'à la Révolution française, lorsque la laïcisation du mariage permit aux ecclésiastiques, hommes et femmes, de se marier. Cette approche a permis de rendre compte de la complexité d'une question qui sous-tend le problème des rapports entre l'état et l'église, et de l'articulation des différentes positions critiques et orientations idéologiques : de la critique des Lumières radicales à la critique modérée, de l'approche d'observateurs ecclésiastiques intérieurs - clercs et experts en droit canon - qui proposent des prudentes réformes du célibat, à la fermeture complète des conservateurs. Les accusations portées par les révolutionnaires à la chasteté et au célibat, la question de «mariage des prêtres» et la plupart des critiques qui recouvrent encore le célibat ecclésiastique ont leurs racines dans le débat du XVIIIe siècle et dans l'émancipation du regard critique avec lequel les Lumières radicales ont prirent à considérer l'église et ses règles. / Mandatory clerical celibacy for all clergy within catholic countries has been discussed since the beginning of the Christian church. During the eighteenth century, it was increasingly taken into consideration from a political rather than strictly theological point of view. The purpose of this thesis is to reconstruct the creation, development and dissemination in Europe of a new way - secular and lay – of considering the obligation of the clergy to be unmarried that arose from the "crisis of the European conscience" and developed thanks to radical Enlightenment.Through the analysis and study of philosophical and political literature, this thesis reconstructs the debate on clerical celibacy which arose within the European Republic of Letters from the late seventeenth century up until the French Revolution, when the secularization of marriage allowed secular and regular clergy, women and men to get married. This approach has made it possible to account for the complexity of a debate that underlies the problem of the relationship between church and state and the articulation of the different ideological positions: from radical to moderate criticism; from the approach of observers inside the church – clerics or experts in canon law - who proposed cautious reforms to the complete refusal of the conservatives.The accusations levelled against chastity and celibacy by revolutionaries, the issue concerning "married priests" and many criticisms that still invest ecclesiastical celibacy have their roots in the eighteenth-century debate and the secular emancipation of the critical perspective from which radical Enlightenment started to consider the church and its rules.

No abstract available / Religious Studies / M.A. (Religious Studies)

This thesis examines Charles V's inability to take decisive military action against the Protestant threat in Germany before 1546. It treats modern historiography on Charles V in Germany. The thesis offers a new theory concerning religious motivation for the delay. Charles was a man of deep and devoted faith in the Catholic Church and consequently, was unable to accept the possibility that any individual would doubt or abandon that persuasion without calculated intention or gross error. Charles was influenced by the Humanistic cries for reform in his age. As a result, Charles, a strong advocate for reform, declined military action before a meaningful outlet to address reforms and air grievances could be convened. But Charles was influenced by tradition, particularly the universality of faith and political unity of Christendom that could save the Church from the heretic and the Turk. Charles also felt himself personally responsible to avoid all conflicts that might endanger unity by creating a schism within Christendom. The evidence will be drawn both from the emperor's own words and deeds derived from primary source material and personal correspondence of Charles V between himself and those persons most likely have intimate knowledge of Charles's own thoughts. These include his personal advisors, Gattinara and Granvelle, and family members: Philip, his son, Mary, his sister, and Ferdinand, his brother. The unpublicized and private correspondence is less likely to be tainted by rhetoric and propaganda than are public declarations and correspondence. Instances not covered by these will be based on an interpretation of Charles's deeds. This thesis will therefore establish Charles's decisions regarding the Protestants in the context of his own convictions.