John of Damascus was an early eighth century theologian in the Jerusalem Patriarchate. His family supplied financial administrators in Syro-Palestine for most of the seventh century, who were involved in surrendering Damascus to the Arabs if not also to the Persians. They thrived in the sectarian environment under the Umayyads. Numerous Greek Lives paint John in legendary terms; however, these are late and unreliable. I deconstruct the Lives decoupling his timeline from Byzantine Iconoclasm, arguing that there is no evidence and good reason to think that he did not leave the Arab administration because of vexed piety, persecution or administrative language change. Rather, focusing on the chronicler's treatment of John's family, I argue that John left office for his own reasons. I propose that John was instrumental in a quid pro quo: cathedral for patriarchate negotiation. Consequently, the Arabs built the Damascus Mosque on the site of the cathedral church of St John the Baptist, and the (dyothelite) Chalcedonian party moved to Jerusalem, where they reestablished the Jerusalem Patriarchate. Thus, I argue the context of John's polemical works is Jerusalem and patriarchal policy. Further, I argue that John was commissioned to produce something like 'proto-school' texts in the context of debate in the Anastasis with internal Maronite and external West and East Syrian interlocutors. Then I look at one example of John's theological creativity to show how this context impinged on his theological program. John appropriates Maximus the Confessor's term perichoresis and reduces its scope to the Incarnation while moving it into the doctrine of God for the first time. I show that he does this for polemical reasons in order to contravene each of his interlocutors with a simple biblical rhetorical model providing Chalcedonian monks in debate with a simple formula against better educated foes. This thesis demonstrates that reading John out of context fails to appreciate his creative response to these local exigencies.

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In this thesis I argue that unconscious Christianity (unbewußtes Christentum), referred to by Dietrich Bonhoeffer in several of his later writings, is a significant idea in his late theology. There has as yet been no in-depth study of this theological concept as it appears in Bonhoeffer's work, and I therefore aim with this thesis to begin a new conversation in Bonhoeffer studies on this important topic. Bonhoeffer does not offer a definition of unconscious Christianity, but by analysing the ways in which he uses the term in his writing, I offer a constructed definition of unconscious Christianity as used by Bonhoeffer. The first three chapters of the thesis build towards this definition with a close analysis of each relevant text. By examining unconscious Christianity alongside other theological ideas in Bonhoeffer's prison writing, I show how an awareness and understanding of unconscious Christianity adds depth to readings of Bonhoeffer's late work. This thesis also clarifies the differences between unconscious Christianity and religionless Christianity, and shows how unconscious Christianity fits alongside the other, more widely-studied, concepts present in the later writings, such as the world come of age. This work demonstrates that there is movement within Bonhoeffer's thoughts on unconscious Christianity and points to Bonhoeffer's readiness to allow his personal circumstances to inform his theology. It also shows how unconscious Christianity represents a shift within Bonhoeffer's theology. This thesis also makes the subsidiary point that Bonhoeffer's prison fiction should be considered as theological writing. Through it Bonhoeffer addresses not only unconscious Christianity as discussed in this thesis, but many other issues that reoccur in his theological prison letters. I conclude by showing how an understanding of unconscious Christianity is beneficial not only for Bonhoeffer studies, but for contemporary theology more widely.

Facilitating improvement, here-and-now, in a person's psycho-spiritual functioning is an aspect of both practical theology and group psychotherapy. This improvement can only occur through human intermediary, as both practical theology and group psychotherapy recognise. The premise of this thesis is that people reveal their religious and existential concerns (i.e., one's deepest feelings about God, life, and existence) through their here-and-now interpersonal interactions. These existential and religious concerns can be successfully addressed within psychotherapy groups by adopting a nonlinear, psychotherapeutic approach which focuses on here-and-now interpersonal interactions. This here-and-now style of psychotherapy provides the pastor/therapist with a practical-theologically sound method by which to relate to another person on the deepest level, and it provides the means by which the pastor/therapist can identify, describe, and analyse another person's existential/religious issues. The following propositions are put forth: * * * * * * * Existential concerns are inevitably religious in nature but not always articulated in religious terms. These existential/religious concerns are the subject of both group therapy and practical theology. Practical theology is characterised by a Janus-like, self-reflective loop of theory to praxis. This loop is also seen in the here-and-now style of group psychotherapy. Group psychotherapy and practical theology deal with religious ideation: group therapy by examining interpersonal interactions; practical theology by examining the person-to-God relationship. Psychotherapy groups can be a "coming of God with human action as intermediary." Group psychotherapy and practical theology address genuine human need through the four pastoral functions. Group psychotherapy and practical theology adhere to the scientific method of constructing hypotheses based on deductions stemming from heightened awareness. Group psychotherapy has a practical theological function when it serves as a means of transitin~ through the theological stages of God the void, to God the enemy, to God the companion. Group psychotherapy fulfils a practical theological function by transforming human ways, i.e., opening one up to the influence of other people and the Christian God who works through those people as intermediaries. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology)

Text in Afrikaans / Die kategese-bediening van die tydelike kerkverband in die a1gemeen en die van die Ned. Geref. Kerk in die besonder, kan tegelyk 'n oorskatte en 'n onderskatte aangeleentheid wees. Hierdie kwessie kan, enersyds te doen he met 'n verskraalde visie op die mens se geloofsverhouding. as konkrete entiteit wat binne al die aspekte van die werklikheid funksioneer. Andersyds kan dit te make he met 'n ongenuanseerde onderskeiding tussen die tydelike kerkverband en alle ander samelewingsvorme. Wanneer geloofverskraal word tot enkele aspekte van die volle werklikheid, word kategese oorskat as 'n aparte bediening, naas ander bedieninge in die gemeente. Dit het gewoonlik 'n 66rbeldemtoning van die leer-aspek ten koste van die sogenaamde affektiewe en konatiewe aspekte van geloof tot gevolg. Dit veroorsaak noodwendig 'n oorbeklemtoonde skoolse benadering tot kategese. Wanneer die tydelike kerkverband kosmologies nie duidelik van die ander samelewingsvorme onderskei word nie, word kategese aan die anderkant weer maklik onderskat. Dan word tipiese kerldike kategetiese' werksaamhede, wat betrekking het op die hele werldikheid, vanuit 'n geloofsvisie, maklik verwar met opvoedingstake in die gesin en gemeenskap in 'n on-prinsipiele grensoorskryding. In 'n meer gebalanseerde visie op kategese, betoog die studie dat ons liewer oog behoort te lay daarvoor dat kategese een aspek van elke onderskeie kerklike bediening is. S6 verstaan, is kategese 'n onontbeerlike aspek [maar dan slegs 'n aspek) van die gemeente se uitreik-; barmhartigheids-; jeug-; erediens-; Bybelstudie-bedieninge. Die eiesoortigheid van die genoemde kategetiese faset van elk van die kerldike bedieninge verwys elke keer na die logies-analitiese kant van geloofsvonning. Laasgenoemde het betrekking op die moontlike verdieping van die mens se geloofsverhouding met God deurdat gelooftaangeleenthede duideliker omlyn en omslaywe word. En die beklemtoning van hierdie kategetiese aspek in elk van die bedieninge, is elke keer legitiem, afhangende van die konteks waarin die gemeente en die lidmate wat betrokke is, funksioneer. Hierdie teorie oor kategese stel die tydelike kerkverband voor die uitdaging om al die lid.mate [nie net kinders nie] in hulle volle geloofsverhouding met God, tot ontsluiting van hulle hele lewe, in geloofsgerigtheid op God, die Oorsprong van alle dinge te help betrek. Dit veronderstel tegelykertyd die bevryding van kerklike kategese om vernuwend en opbouend op die totale gemeente-bediening in te werk. Langs hierdie weg poog Praktiese Teologie om werklik nie net 'n teorie te wees nie. / The church's religious education ministry in general and that of the Dutch Refonned Church in particular, could be an issue that is, at the same time, overestimated and widerestimated. On the one hand this issue could entail an attenuated vision on man's faith as concrete entity functioning within all aspects of the reality. On the other hand it could entail an unclear distinction between the church as a temporary form of society and all other forms of society. When faith is diminished to single aspects of the full reality, catechesis is overestimated as a separate ministry, next to other ministries in the congregation. This usually leads to an overemphasis of the learning-aspect at the cost of the so-called affective and conative aspects of faith. This invariably leads to an overemphasized, school-like approach to catechesis. On the other hand, when the church cannot cosmologically be clearly distinguished from the other societal fonns, catechesis is easily underestimated. In such a case, typical ecclesiastical catechetic activities are, from a faith aspect point of view, easily confused with educational issues for example within the family and the community because no proper theoretical distinction is made between these different forms of society. In a more balanced vision of catechesis, the study argues that we should realize that catechesis forms but one aspect of each ecclesiastical ministry. Understood thus, catechesis is an indispensable aspect (but only an aspect) of the congregation's outreach, charity, youth, worship and Bible-study ministries. This distinctive character of the said cathecismic facet of each of the ecclesiastical ministries refers time and again to the logical-analytical side of faith fonnation. The latter concerns the possible enriching of man's total faith relationship with God as faith issues are outlined and defined more clearly. This theory on catechesis attempts to challenge the church as a temporary form of society to include catechesis in all forms of ecclesiastical ministry, thereby ministering to all congregation members, not only to the children. This, at the same time, implies the liberation of ecclesiastical catechesis, so that it can have a renewing and constructive effect on the entire congregational ministry. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology)

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1 Diplomová práce Tomáš Kábele: Cesta filozofie náboženství, potažmo filozofické teologie: R. Schaeffler - T. de Boer - C. Jež, Praha 2014 Keywords philosophy of theology, systematic theology, history of the Czech theology Abstract This thesis describes the path of philosophy of religion in the 20th century. Contemporary Authors Richard Schaefller and Theo de Boer gave new impulse to the philosophy of religion: a different view of God's characteristics (e.g. transcendence, perfection), emphasis on the experience of revelation and existential experience, finding inspiration in art and contemporary culture, thinking in a dialogical context - Personnel a positive perception of time and historicity, the newly rediscovered structure they will tell faith. In contrast, the philosophy of religion early 20th century based on reason and Aristotelian thought and refused to talk about the role of time in the region. As its representative serves to author of this work Cyril Weir's writings: Personal God and religion. The thesis assesses the work in the historical context, deals with the analysis of his book, while it compares with the current philosophy of religion. In the end the author evaluates the ideas that the results of his work can offer to the dogmatic theology.

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When reading the Bible in an independent way, i.e., not through the lenses of any official Church dogma, one is amazed by the many voices that come through to us. Add to this variety the literaiy finds from Nag Hammadi, as well as the Dead Sea Scrolls, then the question now confronting many spiritual pilgrims is how it came about that these obviously diverse theologies, represented in the socalled Old and New Testaments, were moulded into only one "orthodox" result. In what way and to what degree were the many Christian groups different and distinctive from one another, as well as from other Jewish groups? Furthermore, what was the influence of other religions, Judaism, the Mysteries, Gnostics and Philosophers on the development, variety of groups and ultimately 021 the consolidation of "orthodox" soteriology? / Systematic Theology and Theological Ethics / M.Th. (Systematic Theology)

Thesis (D. Th.)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Christian confessions are frequently seen as Christian documents that have nothing to do with the subject of politics. This study endeavours to investigate the relationship between Christian confessions and politics, looking particularly at how the relationship between them has been construed in the theology of Karl Barth, the Barmen Declaration and the Belhar Confession. It concludes that a relationship between confession and politics is unavoidable, yet this relationship is only best comprehended when one looks at it in a confessional manner. A ‘confessional manner’ of reading Karl Barth’s theology is explained. Issues such as the primacy of the Word of God, the church as the subject of theology, the public witness of Christ to the world, the political context in which this theology takes place, as well as the ethical implications which emanates from this theology characterises confessional theology. The usage of the concept “confession” is informed by Barth’s observation that as Christians we are obliged to speak about God, but we are human beings and therefore cannot speak about God in an manner that suggest that God is fully comprehensible. By confining itself not merely to his monumental work – the Church Dogmatics – but also to Barth’s preceding and succeeding works, this research is able to render a detailed illustration of how Barth viewed the relationship of confessions to politics. Chapter 1 establishes the confessional nature of his theology. This chapter traces the most influential people and events that shaped the confessional nature of Barth’s theology. These include Luther, Kant, the Blumhardts, as well as Calvin and the Reformed theology in particular. Chapter 2 investigates whether Barth was true to his 1925 understanding of what constituted a Reformed confession when he was confronted with the need to confess in 1934. The historicity of the Barmen Theological Declaration is explored to illustrate that Barth continued to view theology in a confessional manner. Chapter 3 deals with Barth’s Church Dogmatics, illustrating that Barth never wanted his work to be seen as a complete event, but preferred to see it as a process. It argues that contrary to the 1930s where Barth’s theology insisted on the essence of confessional theology, the entire Church Dogmatics (especially the parts that proceeds the era indicated) should be read as confessional theology. Chapter 4 deals with the Belhar Confession that was adopted in South African in 1986. Admitting that the Belhar Confession was influenced by the theology of Barth, the characteristics of confessional theology are also explored in this Confession. It is argued that many have failed to see the Belhar Confession’s call for embodiment, because they have interpreted this Confession without regard for the new church order. Finally, it is argued that the confessional nature of Belhar allows this Confession to contribute positively to the current democratic dispensation in South Africa. It is admitted that the Belhar Confession is a confession of its time and. It is also argued that a confessional theology can be a suitable theological alternative that can contribute to the current theological deliberations. Additionally a confessional theology can provide a platform of discussing ways in which theology and politics, which remain intertwined, can both exist side by side, without the one dictating to the other. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Christelike belydenisse word dikwels beskou as Christelike verklarings wat geen verband met die politiek het nie. Gevolglik is daar 'n neiging om hierdie dokumente bloot te sien as teologies maar nie polities nie. Hierdie navorsing bespreek dié siening, maar voer aan dat, hoewel hierdie dokumente nie as sodanig polities is nie, ons tog nie die politieke kontekste waaruit hulle voortspruit, kan ignoreer nie. Twee belydenisse word gebruik om hierdie punt te illustreer, naamlik die Barmen Teologiese Verklaring (1934) in Nazi-Duitsland, en die Belharbelydenis (1986) gedurende die apartheidsregering in Suid-Afrika. Die gevolgtrekking van hierdie studie is dat daar in die teologie van Karl Barth én die Belhar Belydenis 'n onvermydelike verhouding tussen die Christelike belydenis en politiek bestaan. Die woord ”belydenis” word hier in verband gebring met Barth se interpretasie van die opdrag om oor God te praat uit hoofde van ons Christelike oortuigings, en ons onvermoë om oor God te praat weens ons menslike feilbaarheid. Hiervolgens is belydende teologie gekant teen neigings om oor God te praat op 'n manier wat voorgee dat God in sy volheid aan ons bekend is. Vyf opsigtelike kenmerke in die teologie van Barth word ondersoek. Hierdie kenmerke illustreer die mate waartoe teologie en politiek aan mekaar verwant is, en dat politiek altyd in Barth se teologie geïmpliseer word. Die studie voer ook aan dat Barth se teologie relevant is omdat dit probeer om die Woord op 'n ander manier te interpreteer na aanleiding van die spesifieke konteks waarbinne daar oor God gepraat word. Die studie beweer verder dat Barth se hele teologie as belydende teologie gelees moet word. Die gevolgtrekking word gemaak dat belydende teologie verskil van “konfessionalisme” en altyd die beliggaming van dít wat bely word, impliseer. Deur hierdie kenmerke van belydende teologie in die teologie van Barth waar te neem, word daar besef dat sy teologie steeds ‘n deurslaggewende rol in ander teologiese kontekste speel. Om hierdie rede word daar aangevoer dat die Belharbelydenis grootliks deur die teologie van Barth beïnvloed is. Die debat oor die Belharbelydenis bring ook belangrike vrae oor die teologiese situasie in Suid-Afrika na vore. Ten slotte word daar aangevoer dat belydende teologie 'n nuttige teologie is wat teologie in die algemeen kan beskerm teen die kloue van “geteologiseerde politiek”. Hierdie teologie kan dus steeds 'n konstruktiewe bydrae tot die huidige teologiese debatte in 'n demokratiese Suid-Afrika lewer.