This comparative qualitative research aimed to explore critical thinking in teachers’ accounts and curriculum documents of religious education in two different sectors in Scottish Education: non-denominational and Roman Catholic. While previous research examined critical thinking in different curriculum areas and there are empirical studies on religious education from different perspectives, there was a lack of research on critical thinking in religious education particularly in the Scottish context. What makes exploring critical thinking in religious education particularly interesting is the complex relationship between faith and reason, and the importance attached to personal beliefs within the subject, unlike in other curriculum areas. My research consists of three different studies to answer the research questions. In the first study, I designed a framework of critical thinking drawing on analysis and synthesis of critical thinking definitions and frameworks dominant in the literature. Having investigated the most-cited taxonomies and frameworks of thinking skills and critical thinking such as those presented by Bloom, Ennis, Halpern and Paul, I designed a hierarchical framework of critical thinking. This conceptual framework covers lower level thinking skills, higher level (cognitive and meta-cognitive) thinking skills and dispositions. In the second study I used this framework to analyse and compare the explicit and implicit incorporation of critical thinking and its elements in RE curriculum documents in the two education sectors. The purpose was to identify different types of critical thinking in these documents. The third study focused on teachers’ understanding of critical thinking in religious education by conducting semi-structured interviews with RE teachers in secondary schools in Scotland: 5 in 5 non-denominational schools and 4 in 3 Roman Catholic schools. Analysis of curriculum documents and teachers’ interviews based on the framework of critical thinking revealed the workability and originality of this designed framework. One of the key findings of this study is that although the elements of critical thinking evident in RE curriculum documents of both sectors and the terminology used in them is the same, different approaches to religion and truth results in different approaches to critical thinking being implicit in those documents: critical thinking within religion, critical thinking between religions and critical thinking concerning religion. Moreover the study shows the vagueness of all RE curriculum documents in defining the term critical thinking and its development, and the lack of comprehensive knowledge amongst teachers of critical thinking integrated in these documents. Another finding of this research is that although there is some similarity in RE teachers’ explicit approaches to critical thinking, teachers have individual perceptions of critical thinking which does not seem to be influenced by the sector in which they worked. I suggest that this is due to their different personal and social backgrounds shaping their understanding, combined with the absence of clear definition of critical thinking in RE curriculum documents. Regarding the intertwined relation between critical thinking and religious education, the study suggests that it would be beneficial to include a clear definition of critical thinking and the methods by which it can be developed in curriculum documents.

The purpose of this thesis is to re-evaluate the evidence of Marian images in Rome in late antiquity. It argues that centuries of misreading the iconography of Paleo-Christian art has produced unreliable evidence of an early Marian cult in the Roman Church. Surviving examples of images previously identified as Mary are compared with other forms of representation and personification alongside goddess images from around the Roman world. The conflicts present within the emergent Roman Church and the influence they may have had on the developing artistic traditions are re-considered, with particular emphasis on the iconography of the ‘Adoration of the Magi’. Powerful female figures such as martyr saints and widows are presented as more popular models of early Christian womanhood. In particular virgin martyrs, the eroticisation of whose cult with its sado-masochistic tendencies, catered for a Roman society still deeply influenced by its appetite for violent games and sports. The thesis also examines images identified as Mary, but much more probably originally intended as ecclesia and explores the role of Christ as the bridegroom to ecclesia, the martyrs and the consecrated virgins. It goes on to argue that the growing issue of anti-Judaism in the emergent Roman Church had a particular effect on how Mary was perceived by church leaders.

The aim was to design a roman catholic church in the housing estate Brno-Nový Lískovec with a capacity of 200 seated and social center. Site for church is a rocky hill between high rise prefabricated houses, this hill is sloping from north, where main road and bus stop is located, to south and it drops by about 8 meters. Since this is a proposal in housing estate which lacks quality public space, creating public space was a priority. The proposal uses existing building on site for social center and adds new church building creating public church square. Public space is opening to the south towards view between houses on neighbouring hills. Main church space is arranged in semi-circular plan enclosed with circular presbytery. The main elevated space is enclosed by sacristy, adoration chapel, baptismal chapel and facilities. On the right side of the main entrance to the church is tower.

This project, utilizing small groups that draw on group theory (Marianne Schneider Corey & Gerald Corey) and attachment theory (John Bowlby), will begin to close the gap between the Orthodox model of the Home Church and the experience of many Orthodox-Catholic marriages, often living out a kind of familial-religious schism. In response to the challenges of intercultural/interdenominational marriage, resources are presented for couples and families to thrive. A focused curriculum has been developed in conjunction with a support group. It is anticipated that this project will be a launching point for future replicated ministries that attend to Greek Orthodox-Catholic couples.

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This study is designed primarily to show the important influences which shaped John Henry Newman's religious beliefs and his ultimate conversion to the Roman Catholic Church.

本文研究的主要目的有二：其一，天主教與教育的關係如何？其二，天主教會為何興辦大學？天主教大學的使命及特徵為何？天主教大學的教學方法、教學內容有何特別之處？而探討的範圍，則集中在梵蒂岡第二屆大公會議以後發展的情形。 研究發現，教會傳福音就是一種廣義的教育，天主教會自古即興辦學校，大學產生於中古世紀後期，教會對其誕生前之孕育、誕生後之保護、引導、設立，幫助極大，而大學對教會教義之闡揚，亦貢獻良多。 本研究所得結果如下： 一、天主教會與教育之關係：天主教會自古迄今，藉著學校教育不停從事濟世救人的服務事業，透過愛對人生尊嚴及完整人格教育之宗旨，普遍辦各類各級學校培育人才。 二、天主教大學之本質與政府和教會之關係：天主教大學之本質尊重與維護大學的本質同時，也必須遵造教會福傳使命的領導。 三、天主教大學在天主教會內的地位：天主教大學雖然完全配合當地政府的教育制度，但也在各天主教大學設立梵蒂岡教育部之督導室而被指導。大學章程及主要政策必須由教廷教育部核准。 四、天主教大學之目的及使命：天主教大學工作所追求的目標為：(一)知識的整合(二)信仰與理性的對話(三)倫理道德的關注(四)神學方面的展望。天主教大學的使命為：(一)為教會與社會服務(二)牧靈職務(三)文化的交談(四)福傳工作 五、天主教大學教學方法的特徵：(一)注重神學，神學的研究即為神學的科學化的研究。(二)倫理道德的關注方面，則認為大學的階段為不斷追求人生意義及價值觀。 六、宗教與學術，信仰與理性的衝突方面：自創辦大學以來天主教為維護學術自由不曾間斷，教會和大學的目標互補而不相衝突。 天主教大學教育於世界文化貢獻至偉，其所本理念所採政策，因有基督愛與宗教使命作基礎，適應力特強，於學校所在地國家、社會、人民之利益，於教會本身之發展，於全人類之幸福前途軍有積極價值。 / The purpose of this study is to answer the following questions: First, what is the relationship between the Roman Catholic Church and the Education? Second, why does the Roman Catholic Church has established the universities? Third, what are the missions and the charcateristics of the Roman Catholic Universities? Finally, in terms of the methods and the contents of the teaching and learning, what kind of things make the Roman Catholic Universities so different from the other universities? The results of this study are: The Church's evangelization work, in a sense, is one kind of education. The universities came out during the late Medieval Ages, and their reformation and thereafter development got much aids from the Church, and Church's doctrines got reasonable reorganization and advancement from them. I.The relationship between the Roman Catholic Church and the Education: The Roman Catholic has been undertaking services that helps people, the society and establishing schools of all levels to cultivate people with the aim of love toward human dignity and holistic education. II.The relationship between the nature of the Roman Catholic Universities and the government: The nature of the Roman Catholic Universities is to respect and maintain the nature of the universities; at the same time, these universities try to follow the guiding of the church in the mission of evangelization. III.The Status of the Roman Catholic Universities in the Roman Catholic Church: The Roman Catholic Universities cooperate with the educational systems of the local governments, but they are supervised by the Education Department of the Vatican. IV.The purposes and missions of the Roman Catholic Universities: The overall purposes of establishing the Roman Catholic Universities are :(1)The integration of knowledge;(2)the dialogues between religion and rationality;(3)the concern of ethics and morality; and (4)the vision of theology. The mission of the Roman Catholic Universities are :(1)The services for the church are the society;(2)the pastoral ministries;(3)the dialogue other cultures; and (4)the evangilical works. V.The characteristics of the methods of teaching and learning of the Roman Catholic Universities are the emphasis of the theology and the concerns of ethic and morality. VI.The conflicts between the religions and the academy, between faith and rationality: The Roman Catholic Church never cease defending the academic freedom since the setting-up of the Catholic universities. The aims of the Roman Catholic Church and Catholic Universities are complementary and not conflictiong. Historical facts testify that it's true the Roman Catholic University Education has made much advantage to the world. Its capacity has filled with religious charity and mission work, so its adjustment ability is such strong that the host country, community and people, even the local church's own development can get much help from it.

Missiology is about God's call and his sending forth of people to do his will. His call is always linked to his purpose. Thus, the primary purpose of God is salvation. And his salvation is all embracing. Similarly, the Church is the sacrament of salvation and is mandated to proclaim faith and salvation to all. Hence, the mission of God (missio Dei) takes place in the Church, and is implanted by the Church in the world (missiones Ecclesiae). The mission which Jesus gives to the Church is made possible by his own mission (missio Christi), and thus has its foundation in God. The history of the Catholic Diocese of Bethlehem begins with the German Missionaries of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans). Importantly, for the Spiritans, the growth of the diocese depended upon the training of the lay people to teach catechism, to lead Priestless Sunday services and gradually by the training of the local clergy as well. The present situation in the Catholic Diocese of Bethlehem is the seemingly shallow understanding of faith and mission, and also the dwindling number of Catholics. This is clearly evident in the number of baptisms in the baptismal register and the head counts on Sundays. Nevertheless, the diocese is still called to preach the Good News to the poor and the oppressed. This thesis assesses the efforts of the pioneers (German Missionaries) as well as the current situation in the Catholic Diocese of Bethlehem, and recommends a paradigm shift for the future. / PhD (Missiology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015