<p> This project addresses the subtle pneumatological shifts in doctrine and in practice that have taken place in the Pentecostal Movement in North America over the past several decades and the relationship of these shifts to a decline in growth. </p><p> The biblical-theological literature review establishes a solid biblical-theological foundation for the importance of Spirit baptism as empowerment for the fulfillment of God's mission, the vital significance of initial evidence as a gateway to the increased manifestation of the <i>charismata</i> (1 Cor. 12:8-10), the critical role of the <i>charismata</i> in effective ministry and mission, and the importance of leaders creating a learning environment to equip believers to minister the gifts of the Spirit. The general literature review emphasizes the experienced presence of God and the baptism in the Holy Spirit as central to Pentecostal spirituality, the key role of the <i> charismata</i> in church growth, and the ramifications for the future in developing a Pentecostal model of ministry. </p><p> The School of the Spirit (SOS) uses sound teaching and activation exercises to provide believers the opportunity to exercise the gifts of the Spirit under the guidance of spiritual leaders. SOS helps believers to develop confidence in operating in the gifts as a natural part of a lifestyle that builds up the church and provides a powerful witness to the community as they proclaim the gospel with confirming signs and wonders. </p><p> In addition to the immediate benefit to the participants of the SOS, it also provides a curriculum for Pentecostal and charismatic pastors and spiritual leaders who desire to equip their congregations or groups to minister in the gifts of the Spirit.</p>

<p> The following study sought to explore transformative changes in self-esteem, self-perception of dance ability, and expressions of spirituality that may occur when adolescent girls not only participate in classical ballet classes, but also learn in a teaching model emphasizing compassion encouragement discipline technique. This study performed a pre and posttest using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), the dance subscale of Vispoel's Arts Self-Perception Inventory (ASPI), and MacDonald's short version of the Expressions of Spirituality Inventory (ESI) on 27 adolescent girls ages 14 through 19 randomly divided into 2 even groups, comparison and experimental, who participated in a 5-week classical ballet course. Both groups were taught by the researcher. The comparison group was taught in a traditional dance instructor style paying most attention to the execution of the participants' steps and dance combination performance rather than any internal changes. The experimental group received the researcher-developed Compassion Encouragement Discipline Technique. Results of the pre and posttests of each of the inventories were compared and analyzed via an analysis of variance and discussed to explore the efficacy of this pedagogical style. Quantitative results indicated no statistical significance on standardized assessments measuring their self-esteem, arts (dance) self-perception, or expressions of spirituality. However, researcher observed differences in the comparison and experimental group were noted and discussed. Because transpersonal psychology allows for emotional transformation, this study contributes to furthering transpersonal literature by acknowledging the potential impact of student/teacher rapport in the compassion and empowerment-based teaching of classical ballet to adolescent girls.</p>

Chronic pain is estimated to affect approximately 29% of the Canadian population and causes far-reaching lifestyle changes and difficulties that have personal, social, and economic impact. Managing pain is a complex task that recently has been recognized as requiring a multidisciplinary approach. Significant amounts of research have been conducted to understand the biological and cognitive bases of pain; and yet, spiritual aspects of chronic pain have received less attention. Despite this, spirituality remains an important coping strategy as reported by individuals managing chronic health conditions. Some interventions in use today have spiritual roots; however, western medical treatments of pain often do not recognize or utilize spirituality on a regular basis. Utilizing one such intervention, namely mindfulness meditation (MM), this study attempted to understand the role that MM plays in the management of chronic pain and the development of spirituality. This study measured self-reported pain, anxiety, depression, and spirituality in individuals engaged in an 8-week group process in which individuals were provided chronic pain related psycho-education either with MM or without. A repeated measures model was utilized to measure changes that occurred in reported pain experiences (using the McGill Pain Questionnaire) and in spirituality (using the Spiritual Assessment Scale ) to determine if changes could be associated with the teaching of MM. Differences in Affective pain ratings were observed and correlations between pain ratings and spirituality discussed. Reasons for the lack of significant findings, including sample size, power, and measures are discussed.

<p> This study conducts a close literary analysis of a variety of Talmudic-era prayers in order to develop a method of interpretation, called the "literary-intertext" method. Drawing on literary theory and the work of intertextuality in biblical and midrashic fields, this method offers a literary reading of prayer texts based on the juxtaposition with biblical intertexts. The method can be described as follows: </p><p> Step 1: Approach the liturgical text from a standpoint of exegesis, in which allusions abound and the surface rendering is never satisfactory. </p><p> Step 2: Using the tools of philology and academic inquiry, establish as many parallels to the liturgical text as one can to point more clearly to the identification of the intertexts. </p><p> Step 3: Identify the biblical intertext or intertexts at play in the line of prayer, and consider the surrounding biblical context. </p><p> Step 4: Identify the rabbinic interpretation(s) of the biblical intertext, giving additional layers of meaning to the text behind the prayer text. </p><p> Step 5: Offer an interpretation or set of interpretations that relate to the prayer. In the course of this study, we employ this method with the first blessing of the <i>amidah,</i> the blessings that constitute <i> havdalah,</i> and the texts of confession for Yom Kippur. In each case, the multiplicity of interpretations that emerges through the juxtaposition of the prayer text with the biblical intertext (and its rabbinic understanding) extends far beyond the original surface rendering. These interpretations are offered throughout the analysis.</p>

Spirituality and environmental friendliness (i.e., nature connectedness, environmental attitudes and behaviours) are inextricably linked. They share the common basis of transcendence (Grouzet, 2011; Grouzet et al., 2005). However, the relationship between the two lacks empirical support. The current study employed experimental and daily diary methods to investigate the influence of spirituality upon environmental friendliness. Spirituality was marginally, but not significantly, increased through guided daily reflection among religious participants and slightly decreased among non-religious participants. This, subsequently, led to greater sense of connection to nature, but no other changes in environmental friendliness. These findings provide preliminary evidence of the relation between spirituality and environmental friendliness. / Graduate / 0623 / 0451 / esl@uvic.ca

<p> In Tibetan Buddhism, the Goddess Tara represents the feminine nature of the divine. She is a popular Tibetan deity who has been embraced by many Western feminists because she is said to have rejected the belief extolling that one could not become enlightened in a female body. Vowing to always be reborn as a woman until she attained enlightenment as a Buddha, she is reputed to come swiftly and compassionately to our aid when called upon. She may be invoked through prayer, visualization, and mantra, of which there are several specifically ascribed to her many forms of manifestation. </p><p> Fear can cause suffering that may be an obstacle to achieving higher realizations that lead to enlightenment. As a meditational deity, Tara is especially efficacious in saving us from our fears. This dissertation explores the experience of contemporary Western people who invoked the blessings of the Goddess Tara through chanting her mantra to overcome a stated fear. Using a participatory research methodological approach, twelve coparticipants met at an urban Buddhist center on six occasions in order to meditate and chant Tara&rsquo;s mantra together. Over the three months of the study, the coparticipants created small home altars, attempted to chant alone, and journaled about the overall experience. </p><p> An examination of their fears (e.g., fear of having children, fear of failure, fear of expressing the self, fear of ending a relationship, fear of sexuality, and a fear of being open, etc.) revealed that many coparticipants exhibited a fear of love or connection to love. During this study, an exploration of their journals revealed that all of the coparticipants experienced a lessening of fear. According to Buddhist beliefs, chanting Tara&rsquo;s mantra supports the realization of love, like that first experienced with one&rsquo;s mother, and this, in turn, may develop one&rsquo;s compassion for all beings. This notion was supported by the experience of several coparticipants who commented on how Tara was manifesting in their lives and who began to recognize her presence. Ultimately, their experience was consistent with Buddhist beliefs in the efficacy of using mantra.</p>

<p> Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an organization that seeks to help its members achieve recovery from alcoholism through participation in the AA fellowship and adherence to a 12 step program. Reliance upon a Higher Power is a key tenet of AA, which could suggest a more externally-oriented locus of control. However, research has shown that a more internally-oriented locus of control is associated with longer sobriety. Abstinence self-efficacy and positive religious coping have also been associated with enhanced recovery from substance use disorders. The purpose of this study was to examine locus of control, abstinence self-efficacy, and spiritual coping style in a community sample of AA members. The relationship of locus of control and abstinence self-efficacy to length of sobriety was also examined. The participants were 76 subjects who were recruited from AA meetings in Northern California and the state of Washington. There were 43 females (57%) and 33 males (43%), with a mean age of 39.29 years, and a mean of 3.41 years of sobriety. Participants completed a research questionnaire regarding demographic data, AA involvement, addiction history, and religious and spiritual beliefs. They also completed the Drinking-Related Locus of Control Scale (DRIE), the Alcohol Abstinence Self-Efficacy Scale (AASE), and the Brief RCOPE, a measure of religious coping style. The results indicated that this sample endorsed a relatively internal locus of control, a fairly high level of abstinence self-efficacy, and a more positive than negative religious coping style. Support was found for several of the researcher's hypotheses: internal locus of control and positive religious coping were associated with higher abstinence self-efficacy; positive religious coping was associated with internal locus of control; and internal locus of control and higher levels of abstinence self-efficacy were associated with longer sobriety. Negative religious coping was not associated with lower abstinence self-efficacy, nor did it correlate with external locus of control. The results suggested that belief in a Higher Power and participation in AA were not incompatible with the constructs of internal locus of control and abstinence self-efficacy for this sample. Other findings, clinical implications, limitations, and suggestions for future research are also explored.</p>

The term, spirituality, as used in this study, refers to that part of our lives that has the deepest meaning, that which nurtures each of us and moves us toward wholeness. It is the basis for which we live out our lives, following our own truths with honesty and commitment. Hopefully, in the process of aging we mature spiritually, using experiences collected and processed over a lifetime and learning from them what is most important in leading a fulfilling life. For this study, a group of 10 women aged 60-87 years was examined, using in-depth interviews to determine those aspects of their lives that contributed to their spiritual growth and to see how they found meaning as they matured over their lifetimes. Furthermore, each woman was asked to discuss what gives her life the most meaning and purpose today. The women were selected for their apparent spiritual maturity, as observed by those who know them. The results of the study are organized around themes as they relate to different periods of the life span, starting with childhood and ending in elderhood. Early memories of the women were centered around family and friends, then expanded to include school, career, and in most cases marriage and children. Some have grandchildren. The family of origin was a critical beginning for each woman. Most recalled a happy and loving childhood, and those that did not, seem to have worked through those parts of their childhood relationships and experiences that have troubled them. Over their life spans, the women faced turning points or crises that caused them to grow in new ways, not only to survive, but to find new strength, courage, and meaning. As the women became older adults, their losses became more numerous. They have developed ways to grow spiritually despite these multiple losses and diminishments that continue into the present. Role models have played a meaningful part in each woman's life. Throughout childhood, adulthood, and old age, the women have looked to others who taught them various social and coping skills which contributed to the fullness in their lives. They developed such traits as loving others, caring for those in need, and helping friends and family. The role models fostered independence and development of strengths and guided the women to become who they are today. These women in turn serve as role models for others. The acceptance of death as a part of life lends a peacefulness in old age for the women. Their families and friends continue to play a key role in their everyday lives, along with faith and religious practices, God or a Supreme Being, prayer, meditation, reading, writing, learning new things, helping and listening to others, and service to community. Giving and receiving love is basic in their lives. The women also feel that love and helping others are essential components for a healthy humanity. The women are grateful for life's many gifts. Although old age brings hardships, losses, and diminishments, they find that life has been generous to them, and they continue to have hope for the future. Their spiritual strength continues to grow and expand, accompanied by a new sense of freedom that was not present in their younger years. Contrary to messages received from society, these women have found that there are benefits in growing old. / Graduation date: 1993

This thesis explores journeys of faith and survival in three Jewish graphic novels: A Contract with God by Will Eisner, The Rabbi's Cat by Joann Sfar, and We Are On Our Own by Miriam Katin. In each of these texts, the protagonists struggle with their faith and relationship with God, as they negotiate challenges as Jews living in largely unreceptive spaces. Along their journeys, the protagonists confront God in their own ways to try to make sense of the role that faith and Judaism plays in their lives. Drawing on basic principles of the relationship between Jew and God, as well as terms and concepts concerning the aesthetic construction of comics, this thesis probes into the nature of these journeys and the impact they have on the protagonists' physical and spiritual survival.

Thesis (D. Min.)--Nazarene Theological Seminary, 1989. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 93-94).