This dissertation concentrates on those factors which form the doctrine of G-dly reward and punishment. In other words, the philosophical approach amongst Jewish thinkers from the Middle Ages to the above subject, which taken together give expression to the doctrine of reward and ptmishment, or at least to the possibility of determining such a doctrine. The definition of correct behaviour is not of interest for pwposes of this dissertation, nor is human judgement of behaviour, even according to a G-dly doctrine; only the A-lmighty's judgement and implementation thereof The following points are of note. Research into the specific approach of one individual philosopher is not the aim of this dissertation, but rather a collective crystallised viewpoint according to various different Jewish philosophers, in order to reach a harmonious formation of the desir~ goal. Hence the details are also important since they assist towards the goal. The views of the philsophers are of interest and not their source, viz. from whom these views were received or by whom the philosophers were influenced, as is usually the case in research. Nevertheless, this aspect is elaborated upon in the introduction to this dissertation, in the style of the customary academic research approach. An analytical comparison is made between the opinions of various authors, taking into account the finer points of their words, as well as between the differing opinions expressed by a single author in his various writings, and conclusions are drawn, the results of which are highly significant. Besides the fact that it is not within our power to adjudicate between the views of the great Jewish thinkers, this is even more true here, due to the metaphysical nature of the subject, which makes logical, rational-realistic judgement very difficult. Nevertheless, some criteria have been established for making such a decision. In summary, this dissertation is an attempt to research many diverse opinions in the treasury of Jewish thought from the Middle Ages, and to extract those opinions from which a complete system of the doctrine of reward and punishment can be built. / Religious Studies and Arabic / D.Litt et Phil. (Judaica)

In this research study, the correlation between culture and gospel is investigated by examining changes in the interpretation of the cross of Christ from Early Christianity up to present times, using the method of paradigmatic analysis designed by David J. Bosch. Following the concept of the Missio Dei within mission theology, this study aims to find a perspective on the event of the cross which is relevant for today's practice. With reference to the topics of cultural context, sin, sacrifice, vicariousness, cross and mission, this study shows that in every paradigm the diverse perspectives of the interpretation of Jesus' death were explicable and helpful within their relevant contexts. It can also be seen that in its objectives, message and practice, mission correlates with the respective motifs prevalent at the time. In conclusion, after determining the proper place of the results within the concept of Missio Dei in mission theology, the study examines the relevance of these results for the Missio Christi, in order to offer a contribution to the debate and a potential perspective for explaining the significance of Jesus' death in the current German-speaking cultural context. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

La problématique de la célébration des funérailles chrétiennes dans un contexte de double appartenance religieuse chez les Baoulés de Côte d’Ivoire permet d’axer la réflexion sur la théologie de l’inculturation de la foi. En reconsidérant par ailleurs le concept de la double appartenance, on peut soutenir que celui-ci devient une exigence de l’inculturation comprise comme une « dramadialogie ». Elle s’inscrit dans une logique de dialogue, entre le christianisme et les croyances religieuses baoulées, au cours duquel les éléments de la culture baoulée meurent à leurs non valeurs en vue d’une résurrection transfiguratrice. Mais en même temps, cette culture, en accueillant ce message, enrichit le patrimoine ecclésial. La réappropriation du discours théologique chrétien sur la mort et la ritualité funéraire, à partir d’un horizon de sens africain, est la particularité de cette construction théologique, qui est à situer également à l’intérieur de ce même champ sémantique du processus de l’inculturation vue comme une « dramadialogie ». On n’oubliera cependant pas de souligner que toute cette trajectoire de théologie thanatique inculturée, éclairée par l’actualité du mystère pascal doit s’ouvrir aussi à la catholicité pentecostale de l’Église. / The question of the celebration of Christian funerals in a context of dual religious affiliation among the Baoulés of Côte d'Ivoire obliges us to focus our reflection on the theology of the inculturation of faith. On reconsidering moreover the concept of dual affiliation, it can be argued that this notion becomes a requirement of inculturation understood as a "dramadialogy". It fits into a logic of dialogue between Christianity and Baoulé religious beliefs in the course of which the elements of the Baoulé culture die off to their non-values for a transfigurative resurrection. But at the same time, by welcoming this message, this culture enriches the heritage of the Church. The reappropriation of the Christian theological discourse on death and funeral rituals from a perspective of African sense is the peculiar feature of this theological construction which is also to be situated within the limits of this same semantic field of the process of inculturation seen as a "dramadialogy". We should not forget, however, to point out that this entire trajectory of inculturated thanatic theology, enlightened by the actuality of the paschal mystery, must also open up to the Pentecostal catholicity of the Church.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-29T14:27:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Ivanise Bombonatto.pdf: 1269045 bytes, checksum: 914fc8b8d8494a096ce4d0f81596b6f2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-10-29 / The aim of this research is to answer the following question: what is the meaning, the relevance and the reaching of knowing Jesus and its implications for the Christian existence, in the actual context, determined by deep and quick changes in all fields of knowledge and human activity. The answer to this question is given having as support the theologian Jon Sobrino s Christology. His Christological reflection arises from an engaged life with victims cry, it s at life s service, completely linked to the historical reality and it is developed in the perspective of knowing Jesus. The aim was to identify the original and renewed feelings in relation to knowing Jesus and the aspects directly related with this theme. Knowing Jesus is the fundamental idea of Jon Sobrino s Christology, not as historical, spiritual or moral basis, but, as Christological category, epistemological place, hermeneutical principle, totalizing reality, structuring of Christian life. Knowing Jesus is to reproduce the fundamental structure of your life: incarnation, mission, cross and resurrection; it is to be and to live as Jesus. Knowing Jesus is the only way to establish a correct relationship with Christ and to answer to the light of the spirit to the question: And you who say who I am? (Mc 8,29) / Esta pesquisa busca responder à seguinte questão: qual o significado, a relevância e a abrangência do seguimento de Jesus e suas implicações para a existência cristã, no contexto atual, marcado por profundas e rápidas transformações em todos os campos do saber e da atividade humana. A resposta a esta questão é dada tendo por base a cristologia do teólogo Jon Sobrino. Sua reflexão cristológica brota de uma vida comprometida com o clamor das vítimas, está a serviço da vida, profundamente vinculada à realidade histórica e se desenvolve na perspectiva do seguimento de Jesus. O objetivo foi identificar as intuições originais e inovadoras em relação ao seguimento de Jesus e os aspectos diretamente relacionados com este tema. O seguimento de Jesus é o eixo fundamental da cristologia de Jon Sobrino, não como dado histórico, espiritual ou moral, mas como categoria cristológica, lugar epistemológico, princípio hermenêutico, realidade totalizante, estruturadora da vida cristã. Seguir Jesus é reproduzir a estrutura fundamental de sua vida: encarnação, missão, cruz e ressurreição; é ser e viver como Jesus. O seguimento é o único caminho que leva a estabelecer uma correta relação com Cristo e a responder à luz do Espírito à pergunta: E vos quem dizeis que eu sou? (Mc 8,29)

This study reflects the belief systems of a nation living their lives as though in exile. It is also an 'echo' of their spiritual journey, stretching from the dawn of humanity until the time of Jesus Christ. It is the testimony of the people who lived in Phoenicia, Antioch, and the holy mountains and valleys of Lebanon. From the time of early Christianity they structured their beliefs according to the general admonition and teaching of the Scripture, and looked forward to the imminent 'return' of Christ. They lived in an atmosphere of preparation for the ready welcome of the 'heavenly Bridegroom'. The background to and the reasoning supporting this study and exposition, is that of understanding the history, spirituality, and the ritual deriving from the beliefs and thought systems of the Christians of the Maronite Catholic Church, and their understanding of the hereafter. It is an attempt to relate the many factors which comprise the 'life' and ritual, the biblical foundation, and the theological and eschatological views of the Maronite Church and its members. / Christin Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (with specialisation in Christian Spirituality)

The content of this dissertation delineates the crucial and incisive role of the Holy Spirit in terms of God's grand and majestic acts of creation, that is the creation of the multiversity of universes, redemption that is the cross, the exemplar of Christ in self­ denial, reconciliation and restoration, and his resurrection, that is self-empowerment, self-renewal and self-fulfillment observed within the context of God, being human and the physical organic environment as it interacts with the human acts of personal and social responsibility observed within the context of a five dimensional approach of self-actualization, self-denial, self-empowerment, self-renewal and self-fulfillment, ingested into ones identity, internalised and witnessed as meaningful daily praxis, seen through the prism of the cross and the resurrection. A didactic method has been followed to engender insights into and conviction regarding the relevance of the subject for our present day and a hortatory method to exhort to an obedient response and to urge an appropriate action. / Systematic Theology and Theological Ethics / M. Th. (Systematic Theology)

This dissertation concentrates on those factors which form the doctrine of G-dly reward and punishment. In other words, the philosophical approach amongst Jewish thinkers from the Middle Ages to the above subject, which taken together give expression to the doctrine of reward and ptmishment, or at least to the possibility of determining such a doctrine. The definition of correct behaviour is not of interest for pwposes of this dissertation, nor is human judgement of behaviour, even according to a G-dly doctrine; only the A-lmighty's judgement and implementation thereof The following points are of note. Research into the specific approach of one individual philosopher is not the aim of this dissertation, but rather a collective crystallised viewpoint according to various different Jewish philosophers, in order to reach a harmonious formation of the desir~ goal. Hence the details are also important since they assist towards the goal. The views of the philsophers are of interest and not their source, viz. from whom these views were received or by whom the philosophers were influenced, as is usually the case in research. Nevertheless, this aspect is elaborated upon in the introduction to this dissertation, in the style of the customary academic research approach. An analytical comparison is made between the opinions of various authors, taking into account the finer points of their words, as well as between the differing opinions expressed by a single author in his various writings, and conclusions are drawn, the results of which are highly significant. Besides the fact that it is not within our power to adjudicate between the views of the great Jewish thinkers, this is even more true here, due to the metaphysical nature of the subject, which makes logical, rational-realistic judgement very difficult. Nevertheless, some criteria have been established for making such a decision. In summary, this dissertation is an attempt to research many diverse opinions in the treasury of Jewish thought from the Middle Ages, and to extract those opinions from which a complete system of the doctrine of reward and punishment can be built. / Religious Studies and Arabic / D.Litt et Phil. (Judaica)

[pt] A presente dissertação trata do anúncio e práxis do Reino de Deus, com a finalidade de perceber os elementos escatológicos da temática, presentes no pensamento de Edward Schillebeeckx, contidos na obra Jesus, a história de um vivente, além de outras obras do autor e de outros autores em diálogo com ele. A metodologia adotada é a da revisão bibliográfica, e os pontos de relevância são o anúncio, a práxis do Reino, e a percepção dos elementos escatológicos destacados por Schillebeeckx. Jesus anunciou o Reino de Deus, por meio das bem-aventuranças, parábolas e a reinterpretação da Lei mosaica a favor dos pobres, trazendo de Deus a ajuda salvadora para a humanidade. Se as bem-aventuranças são o programa de vida do Reino, as parábolas são sua ilustração vital, e todas elas se referem ao próprio Jesus, que é, em pessoa, o Reino de Deus. Consequente do anúncio, a práxis do Reino em Jesus se verifica em suas atitudes de cura e libertação do mal, revelando a compaixão e misericórdia de Deus. O anúncio e práxis do Reino geram a comunidade de discípulos, que, após a morte e ressurreição de Jesus, na força do Espírito Santo, dá continuidade à sua missão na história. Com Jesus, o Profeta escatológico, o Reino de Deus se aproxima da humanidade e realiza já o que ainda há de ser plenamente experimentado no futuro escatológico de Deus. / [en] This dissertation deals with the proclamation and praxis of the God s Kingdom, in order to realize the eschatological elements of the theme, present in the thought of Edward Schillebeeckx, contained in the book Jesus, the story of a living, and other works by the author and other authors in dialogue with him. The methodology adopted is the literature review, and the points of relevance are the announcement, the praxis of the kingdom, and the perception of the eschatological elements highlighted by Schillebeeckx. Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom of God, through the Beatitudes, parables and the reinterpretation of the Mosaic Law for the poor people, bringing God s saving help for Humanity. If the beatitudes are the life program of the kingdom, the parables are a vital illustration, and they all refer to Jesus himself, who is, himself, the kingdom of God. Subsequent announcement, the praxis of the kingdom in Jesus is found in their attitude healing and deliverance from evil, revealing the compassion and mercy of God. The announcement and praxis of the kingdom generate a community of disciples who, after the death and resurrection of Jesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit, continues His mission in history. With Jesus, the eschatological prophet, God s Kingdom is approaching humanity and accomplishes what has yet to be fully experienced in the eschatological future of God.

Factual accounts of revenants – the risen dead – seized the medieval imagination in the early eleventh century, and were recorded by serious historians and ecclesiastics as true. They then began to appear in secular imaginative literature and art, growing progressively more elaborate and frightening throughout the Middle Ages whilst retaining many of the religious overtones expressed overtly in the ecclesiastic tales. By the early modern and modern period, the tales were removed from any overt religious context and were told as purely imaginative literature. The academic half of this thesis explores the influence on the tales of the Christian doctrine of resurrection and the cult of the body of Christ and of the saints, then traces the migration of those tales into imaginative literature from the Middle Ages to the present. It identifies key motifs from the medieval chronicles and imaginative literature that continue to appear in modern stories, and explores the extent to which Christian eschatology altered perceptions of the dead and why, in an increasingly secular context, fascination with such tales continued into modern literature, what part fear of death played throughout this period, and how that fear was expressed, first in an ecclesiastical context, then in imaginative literature through horror stories. The creative half of my thesis is a literary fiction novel updating a medieval revenant tale, the Legend of the Three Living and the Three Dead, to twenty-first century New England.

The thesis deals with the message of the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, which is crucial for Christianity and its relevant hermeneutical approach. In the first chapter we analyze the contemporary hermeneutical context of the message within the Hellenistic and Hebrew cultures. In the second chapter we present an analysis of pre-Pauline faith confessions, Paul's texts and synoptic Gospels focused on targeted formulating of the message for respective communities and their cultural background. The last chapter wants to present some contemporary relevant hermeneutical approaches to this message. One of them could be the so called mythmaking, which emphasizes the necessity of permanent updating of accepted opinions, messages and realities. We can observe the mythmaking process already with the New Testament authors and each and also our generation is expected to bring the message about the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth to future generations in a relevant way. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)