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1
Tilak, Shrinivas 1939. "Religion and aging in Indian tradition : a textual study." Thesis, McGill University, 1988. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=75680.
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The purpose of the present study is to recover from selected Hindu and Buddhist texts ideas and images of aging and illumine their historical, semantic and metaphysical dimensions. The results of this endeavor indicate that as cultural adaptive systems, both religion and gerontology share a common concern in seeking to provide aging with purpose and meaning. Further, the internal logic and semantics expressing this relationship in the texts examined are governed by the formal and literary modes of simile, metaphor and myth. The analysis of such age-sensitive concepts as jara (aging), asrama (stages of life), kala (time), parinama (change), karma (determinate actions), kama (desire), and vaja (rejuvenatory and revitalizing force) suggest that the bond between the traditional Indian values of life and gerontology is particularly close and mutual.
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Waller, Henry. "Spirituality and aging." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 2005. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/2885.
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Explores the beneficial effects and values that spirituality and religion present when addressing the elder population aged 60 and over. Also, examines the potential implications of integrating spirituality as a treatment model approach into direct social work practice and recommends possible changes for social work curriculum. Quantitative data was obtained through a convenience sampling to obtain a true representation of the population of residents in regions of San Bernardino County, California. Qualitative data was obtained through the use of open-ended questions that provided for greater validity, understanding and interpretation of spirituality and how external forces affect this population. Results indicate that elders 60 years and older with spiritual/religious values are better equipped to face the challenges of late life and report higher levels of satisfaction compared to elders that do not share the same ideals.
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Armstrong, Dorothy Sheilah. "Psychological well-being and spirituality: Constituents of successful aging." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 1999. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/1801.
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Reddy, Mike Megrove. "Communication in Christian groups from movements to organisations." Thesis, University of Zululand, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10530/456.
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A dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of D. Litt. In Communication Science University of Zululand, 2004.This dissertation reports the results of a study made of the forms of communication employed by Judaeo-Christian religious groups when they saw themselves as movements, compared to when they had become organisations. Beginning with ancient Israel, the study documents how forms of communication become elaborated during the organisational phase of groups' existence. The forms of communication used in Christian religious groups are documented from the rime of the eady Christian Church, through the Reformation period, through the 17* century to present-day Christian groups. The dissertation also reports as a case study an empirical analysis of the forms of communication used by the Cell Church and churches with cell groups, both of which are inter-denominational and host regular informal gatherings. It is found that these gatherings display the onset phase characteristics of Christian movements. From a theoretical point of view the research reported here provides evidence in support for the following Christian Religious Communications Hypothesis: Christian religious groups will use a limited number offorms of communication when they perceive themselves as movements and they will expand their forms of communication, as they become organisations, which forms special instance of Klopper (2003)'s general Theory of the Optimisation of Human Communication: Humans optimise a variety of forms of communication within a culture, to ensure immediate direct personal survival and to maintain their culture as a fongterm indirect survival strategy. By confirming the validity of the Christian Religious Communications Hypothesis, the research findings also provide indirect validation for Klopper's general Theory of the Optimisation of Human Communication.
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Venter, Johannes Machiel. "How the Christian church can help in building business ethics." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1012905.
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Research suggests that there is a relationship between religion and business ethics. When looking at the South African society and the statistics that says that 80 percent of the population is Christian but on the other hand we are confronted within this country with increasing incidents of corruption in private companies as well as in public services. Why would that be the case? This study seeks to understand if Christianity or the local church really makes an impact on the lives of its members. The research starts of by looking at behaviour in general and what constitute to good ethical decision-making. In the study on Christian ethics it becomes clear that there is a strong appeal in the Bible on ethical behaviour. The Bible goes as far as to claim that, when in a relationship with the Lord, the followers will show His character in the way they live at home and the way they behave and make ethical decisions at the workplace. This study used focus groups to research the role of the local church in changing behaviour. The study finds that Christianity per se does not change the behaviour of church members. The church members‘ definition of the church largely determines the impact the church will have on their lives. In the study on the Christian ethics it was clear that ethics were seen as something that was formed in communities and not by rules or regulations. It was not a case of people telling others what to do and what not. It was more a case of mentors that helped others to live differently in community with others. The study finds that when the local church is build on relationships and if there is a strong sense of community, the church has a huge impact on the lives of its members. This suggests that the local church should be more focused on strong and intimate relationships and not so much on the church as organisation or institute. This is also important for the businesses that will employ these members because they will make better ethical decisions.
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Kasmed, Fa-eeza. "The identity alignment of Christian beliefs and homosexual orientation in adult women." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/17658.
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The homosexual orientation has been controversial in many countries around the world, with religion often used as the foundation for critique against this orientation. The prevalence of discrimination, and the expectation of rejection, often results in homosexual individuals concealing their sexual identity. In the process homosexual individuals may deny, hide, or even discarded their authentic selves. However, some individuals reach a point of comfort with both these constructs of their identity, a position that supports the authentic self. The aim of this study is to explore and describe the process of how individuals who identify as both Christian and homosexual align these parts into their identity, to reach a place of comfort. The study further seeks to generate insight that can be used to assist individuals in similar positions of identity conflict. The study uses qualitative methodology, more specifically an exploratory- descriptive design. The sample is identified through non-probability purposive sampling, and data collected through semi- structured interviews. The data is analysed using an interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) framework. Thematic analysis identified major themes of denial, conflict, anger, bargaining, deconstruction, and self- acceptance. These themes followed a non- linear and interactive process, and present participants reaching a place of comfort with their Christian beliefs and homosexual orientation; which is discussed through the interpretative lens of social constructionism and queer theory.
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Van, den Berg Ruan. "An examination of Christian values and correlated concepts in small business practices in South Africa." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021094.
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The purpose of this research project was to establish in what way Christian entrepreneurs, in this case owner-managers of small and medium-sized enterprises, drew on their Christian faith – as an identity-creating construct – in the day-to-day running of their businesses. Religion was identified as one of the significant contributing elements that form part of individuals’ underlying values that are used to make numerous value-based decisions. Because SME owner-managers that adhere to the Christian faith constitute a fairly large segment of society in the Western World, a study of this nature can be regarded as a worthwhile undertaking that provides valuable insights related to how and to what extent this particular group of economic actors merge religious convictions with business operations. The research was set up in such a way that SME owner-managers in South Africa, who were self-proclaimed Christians and broadly defined as members of the Protestant tradition, constituted the sample participants. The methodology regarded as most suitable was a qualitative, grounded-theory approach whereby interviews were conducted along the lines of a semi-structured interview schedule. An openended exploratory strategy was adopted that allowed respondents to convey their thoughts and ideas pertaining to the research phenomenon from their personal perspectives. A number of conceptual and linguistic frames offered by the respondents – that gave language to the way they rationalised their faith in the context of managing their businesses – were recorded. A total of sixteen major themes and an additional eight sub-themes emerged from the data. The themes recorded and analysed were: faith, grace, calling, stewardship, kingdom, holiness, discipleship, discernment, love, relationship, anointing, inseparable dimensions of life, the Christian life journey, money, cultural perspectives and biblical principles, including the centrality of the Bible, integrity and honesty, sowing and reaping, humility, forgiveness, power of the tongue, importance of prayer and the centrality of Christ. The research findings revealed that a correct understanding of the Christian identity as well as a correct application thereof is crucial in successfully incorporating Christian ideals in the market. Full integration of the Christian identity plus an internalisation of God’s purposes and principles create an inner sense of direction that is less focused on external moral guidelines and codes of conduct – the phrase living from the inside out’ seems appropriately fitting to describe a group of economic actors who pursue their business careers with a sense of calling coupled with a belief that their commercial whereabouts are distinctively linked to a transcendent objective. In addition, general business administration guidelines, where the issue of religious affiliation per se is of no particular consequence, allow for the integration of the value concepts uncovered through the study by way of the corporate governance framework as contained in the King III report – particularly with reference to business practice interventions related to the formulation and implementation of core organisational values and moral codes.
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Brown, Robert Bruce. "Holy war as an instrument of theocratic and social ideology in Judaic, Christian, and Islamic history." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 1997. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/1428.
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Schaefer, Robyn 1951. "Rock of ages cleft for me : an analysis of journeys in Christian feminism." Monash University, School of Humanities, Communications and Social Sciences, 2004. http://arrow.monash.edu.au/hdl/1959.1/5350.
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Wong, Kam-fai John, and 黃錦暉. "Nationalism and the anti-Christian movement in the 1920s." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1991. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B3195019X.
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Hearn, Emily K. "Overhearing : Hindu & Christian perspectives on artistry." Thesis, University of St Andrews, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/6500.
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This thesis is concerned with the hypothesis that an intellectual conversation between Christian and Hindu traditions on questions of aesthetic concern may not only prove mutually illuminating as such but also touch obliquely upon matters of religious and theological concern without exciting the defensive response often posed by more familiar strategies of inter-faith ‘dialogue'. It seeks to establish the existence of sufficient conditions for such a conversation within the respective traditions. The Introduction considers the relevant model of ‘conversation' distinguishing it from other forms of encounter between religious traditions. It proceeds by identifying three shared concerns: freedom and constraint, aesthetic experience and religious encounters, and the relationship between the material artwork and its significance. The first three chapters address them by examining various elements in Hindu traditions, including a detailed treatment of the Śilpaśāstras, a comprehensive consideration of the concept of rasa and its relation to religious experience, and an exploration of the role of the senses in scriptural traditions, the importance of Form and the value of the art object as a devotional aid. Finally it outlines the notion darśan, of seeing and being seen by a deity through a material image. The last three chapters address them by examining the work of Christian theologians including Dorothy Sayers on Art as Idea, exploring bequeathed traditions in iconography and the music of John Tavener, and expounding Tolkien's category of ‘sub-creation'. It considers the work of David Brown, Richard Viladesau, John Ruskin, Frank Burch Brown and Abraham Kuyper who span a putative spectrum of equating aesthetic and religious experience at one end and strictly demarcating between them at the other end. It explores the relationship of the physical art object with its spiritual significance in the work of Dorothy Sayers, John Carey, Rowan Williams, David Brown and Trevor Hart.
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Yuen, Chee-Wai John. "Singapore's success culture and its challenges to Christian men in building strong families." Thesis, Pretoria : [s.n.], 2002. http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-10242005-120316/.
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Flannagan, Matthew, and n/a. "Is historic Christian opposition to feticide intellectually defensible in the 21st century?" University of Otago. Department of Theology and Religious Studies, 2006. http://adt.otago.ac.nz./public/adt-NZDU20070208.095157.
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In this work, I argue that the Alexandiran position on feticide found in Hellenistic Judaism and appropriated by patristic, medieval and reformed theologians is defensible in the 21st Century. I formulate an argument from the Alexandrian position as it appears in several representative Christian traditions. This argument contends that that: [1] killing a human being without justification violates the law of God, [2] a formed conceptus (i.e. a fetus) is a human being and [3] that in the case of feticide (at least in the majority of cases) no justification is forthcoming.
In developing my case, I argue that the objections raised against the premises of this argument by contemporary philosphers are unsound. I defend the intellectual acceptability of belief in and appeals to the existence of a divine law, the notion that a formed fetus is a human being and the claim that feticide lacks any justification in the vast majority of cases.
In addition, I examine and critique theologians who claim the Alexandrian position is motivated by misogyny and those who claim it appropriates a translation error found in the Septuagint.
I conclude that the traditional position is defensible and that contemporary dismissals of it are unconvincing.
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Wicker, Dana Abernathy. "Effects of Counselor Christian Values and Client Age and Religious Maturity on the Client's Perceptions of the Counselor." Thesis, University of North Texas, 1994. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc278114/.
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This study extended research on the influence of counselor Christian values on the client's perceptions of the counselor by adding consensus values to the description of the counselor and examining the effects of age and religious maturity of the client. Subjects consisted of two samples, one of 250 undergraduate students (younger group) and the other of adults of at least thirty-five years of age (older group). There were equal number of males and females in each group. Subjects read one of five descriptions of a counselor, which varied according to the religious values of the counselor, and then rated the counselor. The following instruments were used to rate the counselor: Counselor Rating Form, Confidence in Counselor's Helpfulness Scale, Willingness to Meet the Counselor Scale and the Similarity of Values and Opinions Scale. The religiosity of the subjects was measured with the Religious Orientation Scale, the Christian Orthodoxy Scale and the Religious Status Inventory. The major premise of the study that the Christian values of the counselor influence the client's perceptions of the counselor as the client increases in age and religious maturity was partially supported. A significant counselor Christian value by age interaction was obtained in which the older subjects were less willing to see the apostate counselor and Christian counselor who was not willing to discuss religion than the other counselors. Whereas a significant counselor Christian value by religious maturity interaction was obtained, it was the less religiously mature subjects who differentiated between counselor Christian values. Main effects for counselor Christian values, religious maturity, and sex were found. Several interactions were also obtained.
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Liu, Wenting, and 刘雯婷. "The Christian dimension of the origin of constitutionalism: St. Augestine, Thomas Aquinas, RichardHooker and John Locke." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2012. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B4786977X.
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In 2011, many countries experienced great travail in the process of constituting a new order. Of different religious backgrounds, these countries have been seeking to establish a constitutional order to assure greater liberty and higher estimation of human rights. However, the idea of constitutionalism is a legal concept that has its origins in Christianity. For states of non-Christian backgrounds to embrace constitutionalism, more than simple transplantation is needed. This research looks at the Christian legal tradition that incubated the idea of constitutionalism. It aims to provide a timely reference for the non-Christian countries to communicate with their local legal traditions when constructing the constitutional order during this current period of political change.
The research demonstrates an incubation process in which Christianity has played a major part in generating constitutionalism. It traces the constitutional thinking of St. Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Richard Hooker and John Locke, and presents how their legal thoughts were intertwined together with the Christian faith. The research shows the interlocking relationships among the four thinkers, with each of them establishing their constitutional ideas on those of the one before him. St. Augustine formed the embryo of the process. He introduced the idea of two cities, which established a concept of higher justice above all human authorities. He also redefined the concept of people in order to explain the relations among God, people and the state. Thomas Aquinas applied the higher justice concept to medieval order and developed a mixed constitutional polity supported by bible verses. He defined law with rationality, which is God’s command. Richard Hooker amended Aquinas’ general theory of law and grounded the popular sovereignty on reasonable men exercising their consent. John Locke finally rendered the sovereignty to independent individuals; thence, individual human rights must be guarded against any interventions from public authority. The protection of individuals is the paramount value that identifies constitutionalism. Therefore, the author argues that Christianity is one of the major dimensions that enabled the birth of constitutionalism.published_or_final_version
Law
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Master of Philosophy
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Arnette, Jeffrey S. "Christian maturity, epistemic style, and marital satisfaction." Virtual Press, 1996. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1073731.
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This study was designed to investigate two hypotheses. The first was to determine if either an individual's epistemic style or Christian maturity were capable of predicting marital satisfaction among couples where at least one spouse was a church attender. The second was to determine if a matching score between spouses on epistemic style and Christian maturity would be able to predict marital satisfaction among couples where at least one spouse was a church attender. The Global Distress Scale (GDS) of the Marital Satisfaction Inventory was used as the dependent variable. The Psycho-Epistemological Profile (PEP) was used to measure epistemic style while the Shepherd Scale was used to measure Christian maturity.Fifty-two couples where at least one spouse was a church attender ultimately participated in the study. These couples were obtained by randomly contacting churches and soliciting the assistance of church representatives to help elicit participation. Ultimately seven of the churches contacted in this manner participated in the study.The results indicate that only the metaphorical epistemic style was a moderate predictor of marital satisfaction accounting for approximately 4% of the variance. Neither the matching score on epistemic style nor on Christian maturity were able to predict marital satisfaction.Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services
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WONG, Yuk Ha. "Spirituality and ageing : a qualitative study of religiosity of Chinese older persons in Hong Kong." Digital Commons @ Lingnan University, 2010. https://commons.ln.edu.hk/soc_etd/1.
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The life expectancy of Chinese people in Hong Kong is increasing and is amongst the longest in the world. However, many people, especially older persons may experience chronic ill-health and, less detectable, many may also be experiencing alienation, loneliness, meaninglessness and fear of death. Spirituality and spiritual care, which focus on the healing of the soul and quest for meaning, are important to many people as they age and face the prospect of death, and therefore they may have existential anxieties. A holistic healthcare approach, which views humans as bio-psycho-social-spiritual beings, stresses the importance of spirituality to people’s health and the well-being. However, there is a lack of consensus on the definition/conceptualisation of spirituality in the social gerontology literature. Further, many concepts such as spirituality and religiosity (one important channel of spiritual experiences) may be unclear or ambiguous. Relatively few international studies focus on ageing, spirituality and religiosity in gerontology and very few have been conducted in Hong Kong. This study therefore investigates the concept of spirituality in Hong Kong, in a Chinese context, and explores spiritual experiences and histories among older persons. It attempts to examine how religiosity may inspire spirituality.
This research was based on triangulation of various data sources including a wide review of the academic and professional literature, interviews with key informants (social work, academic and religious experts), and the collection and analysis of qualitative data. The qualitative data are drawn from three focus group discussions involving three categories, the San Jiao triad, Christianity, and a non-religious group, with a total of sixteen participants; and three individual interviews. The focus group respondents were recruited from a Christian church and a Buddhist elderly home.
This research yielded a number of findings. The focus group discussions corroborate suggestions in the literature that spirituality is interpreted differently by individuals, and it does not only apply to religious persons but to every individual. Spirituality can be related to religion, selfless service, the quality of personhood and the universe; For older persons, a “fractured” relationship with their family and others is often a core factor causing spiritual distress that the individual is unable to invest life with meaning; and religiosity (belief in a god, prayer, reciting religious scriptures, etc.) may inspire different dimensions of spirituality among older persons. The main conclusions drawn from this research were that spirituality is important to older persons regardless of their religious affiliations; it could cater to spiritual needs and experiences among older persons who can help to address spiritual distress throughout the spiritual history. Further, spiritual assessment is central to addressing spiritual needs and spiritual tasks associated with ageing, hence contributing to the need for spiritual care and spiritual narrative to older persons. This dissertation recommends that the World Health Organization’s (WHO) definition of health should emphasize the spiritual dimension. Finally, the dissertation highlights the spiritual concerns in elderly services and recommends caregivers recognize spirituality and provide spiritual care to older persons.
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Jones, Elizabeth B. "Pixilated stained glass : a fantasy theme analysis of online and face-to-face Christian community." Virtual Press, 2007. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1371202.
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This thesis investigates how two Christian communities — differentiated primarily by their medium of communication — characterize and cast Christian community. The method of fantasy theme analysis was used to explore this thesis's central research question; namely, are content differences present in the ways in which face-to-face and digital communication systems characterize and cast the Christian sense of community? After an analysis of St. Pixels Church of the Internet (digital communication) and St. Luke's United Methodist Church (face-to-face communication) it was found that the online community demonstrated a rhetorical vision of koinonia, while the face-to-face community demonstrated a rhetorical vision of ekklesia.Department of Telecommunications
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Penninga, Mark, and University of Lethbridge Faculty of Arts and Science. "A Judeo-Christian account of human dignity in Canadian law and public policy." Thesis, Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Arts and Science, 2008, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10133/671.
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Understanding human dignity is integral to protecting human rights. An examination
of Canada‘s Supreme Court decisions and Canadian public policy debates reveals that human
dignity is being defined synonymously with individual autonomy and equality. This narrow
understanding has serious implications for people who are not able to assert their autonomy.
To understand the philosophical ideas behind these decisions, this thesis examines classical,
modern, and postmodern accounts of human dignity and concludes that they fall short in
providing an objective grounding for dignity that is truly human. It then looks to the Judeo-
Christian account of human dignity to provide a transcendent foundation for human dignity.
With this account, persons are rational and physical, relational, inviolable, and teleological –
a hopeful contrast to the prevailing contemporary accounts. This thesis then defends the place
of this religious perspective in our secular country.vi, 182 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm.
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Boshoff, Leslie Ian. "The role of belief systems in entrepreneurship : a Christian perspective." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1271.
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The world needs entrepreneurs now more than ever; fresh thinkers, who spot opportunities and apply their talents to overcome obstacles to make their ideas happen. Entrepreneurs need to reframe the recession as an area of business opportunity for all. They must unleash their innovative ideas around the world and inspire solutions that will tackle issues ranging from poverty, unemployment and climatic change. It is the fundamental precept of the Christian faith that God calls not only ministers and other spiritual workers, but everyone to specific roles in his kingdom. Christian Entrepreneurs must realise that their calling to establish and lead business organisations that are designed to achieve results in the secular world. Christian Entrepreneur Organisations differ from secular businesses because they do business while being led by the Holy Spirit. Christian Entrepreneurship is the return of unfulfilled business leaders to the sense of "calling" enjoyed by fellow laity in the U.S.A. and Western Europe prior to the 20th Century. The goal is to develop a business that blends business excellence and entrepreneurship with Christian Biblical and theological perspectives. This exploratory study investigated the role of the Christian faith in Entrepreneurship and in Entrepreneurial businesses. The study identified some of the Christian business practices and introduced the reader to the different approaches this group of entrepreneurs have to that of the secular business equivalent.
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Basourakos, John. "Theatre in the evolution of moral values among adolescents." Thesis, McGill University, 1990. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=59824.
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Theatre has a special place in religious education for it is an ideal medium to experience transcendent moral truths. Relying on Gabriel Moran's theory of transcendence, as well as Daniel Maguire's understanding of the moral, this thesis will demonstrate that the aesthetic experience of a play is a transcendent experience. Through such an experience, adolescent students may intuit insights about what befits persons as moral persons in all their complexity and wonder. The plays chosen for concentration in this thesis are not to be considered exhaustive but only as sound examples of the treatment of the evolution of transcendent values within the adolescent phenomenon.
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Scharper, Stephen B. "The Role of the Human in Christian Ecological Literature." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1997. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/ftp02/NQ37021.pdf.
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Van, Reyk William George Anthony. "Christian ideals of manliness during the period of the evangelical revival, c.1730-c.1840." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2008. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.670039.
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Beers, Stephen Thomas. "Faith development of Christian college students engaged in a one-month study abroad mission trip." Virtual Press, 1999. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1137501.
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Little research has been conducted to show the relationship between short-term study abroad/mission experiences and the faith development of those who engage in them. Christian colleges and universities utilize these experiences to help develop their students' faith. This research analyzed the relationship between a Christian college student's experience in a one-month study abroad/mission experience and his or her faith development and maturity.The research was conducted with 171 students from a Christian university, including 72 students (study group) who spent one month in the university's study abroad/mission program and 99 students (control group) who took classes on campus during the same time period. The development of the student's faith was measured by three instruments: 1) a six question qualitative survey given to the study group; 2) the Faith Maturity Scale (FMS) published by the Search Institute; and 3) Growth in Mature Faith Index (GMFI) published by the Search Institute.The quantitative data analysis indicated no significant differences between pre- and post-scores for the FMS and GMFI; but the research did find changes that were significant on some of the question items between the two groups, such as the SAM participants becoming more accepting of people with different religious beliefs. Inflated research alpha levels (for multiple testing) were of concern for the researcher, as was the ceiling effect (pre-trip levels above the highest national levels for any age group) with the Christian college student population. Qualitative data indicated that the Study Abroad Mission Students developed in their relationship with God and their service to others.School of Continuing Education and Public Service
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Van, Horn M. ""Within my heart?" : the Enlightenment epistemic reversal and the subjective justification of religious belief." Thesis, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, 2000. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.683303.
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Cook, Brendan. "Pursuing eudaimonia : re-approaching the Greek philosophical foundations of the Christian apophatic tradition." Thesis, University of Liverpool, 2012. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.722138.
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Brannan, David. "Violence, terrorism and the role of theology : repentant and rebellious Christian identity." Thesis, St Andrews, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/342.
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Lee, Christopher. "The significance of Christian hope in cancer care : an exploration of the theme of hope in patients with cancer at a major cancer centre." Thesis, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, 2014. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.683009.
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Humphrey, Meredith. "Corporeal theology and the politics of pregnancy : abortion and the pregnant body in eastern Christian thought." Thesis, McGill University, 2007. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=112399.
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This thesis examines the theology of pregnancy within the Eastern Orthodox Church. In particular, it explores the understanding of the pregnant body as an image of the church, as well as the Orthodox view of biological pregnancy. Drawing upon some patristic sources, as well as the writings of contemporary Orthodox theologians including John Zizioulas, John Breck and Vigen Guroian, it reveals that, though the Orthodox Church opposes abortion, this opposition cannot be grounded in an appeal to the idea of the "rights of the foetus." This is because an emphasis upon the individual's "rights" undermines much of the Eastern Church's understanding of personhood. Rather, the Orthodox Church's opposition to abortion is grounded in a eucharistic approach to justice, and in its positive theology of pregnancy, wherein particular pregnancies within the church are contextualized by the pregnancy of Mary the mother of Christ, and therefore stand as an icon of the larger church body.
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Sakuba, Xolani Sherlock-Lee. "The relationsthip between sin and evil in African Christian theology." Thesis, University of the Western Cape, 2004. http://etd.uwc.ac.za/index.php?module=etd&action=viewtitle&id=init_9071_1177918844.
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Classic Christian theology regards evil as the product of sin, the emphasis in traditional African religion and culture is on human sin as the result of evil forces. This thesis investigated the way in which African Christian theologians understand the relationship between sin and evil. The question, which was addressed was, does sin lead to evil or evil lead to sin.
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Lauck, Amanda Marie. "Religiosity and Attitudes Toward Aging." Miami University / OhioLINK, 2008. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1220301763.
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Kappeler, Warren. "Communication habits for the pilgrim Church : Vatican teaching on media and social communication." Thesis, McGill University, 2006. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=102834.
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This study examines the communication habits of the pilgrim Church with focus upon Vatican documents on mass media and social communication. Attention is given to the historical context of Vatican Councils I and II. As the Church engaged modernity, it shifted ecclesial organization from closed to become open. This study documents the importance of sociology, especially communication theory and cybernetics for Catholicism today.It is argued that the pivotal event in the Roman Catholic Church's self-exploration for self-awareness and realization was the Second Vatican Council. At that Council, the Church re-examined itself and its own identity to come to grips with the modern world. The teachings of the Council were concerned mainly with the pastoral dimension of the Church and its self-realization. Reflexivity is an important theme of this study as it speaks about understanding the very identity of the modern Church. It is explained that the process of communication within the Roman Catholic Church is itself linked to this insight of reflexivity.
The first chapter shows that behind the pilgrim Church lies an emerging vision of the threefold offices of priest, prophet, and king. The history behind the Roman Catholic Church's transition from the First to the Second Vatican Council is provided. John Henry Cardinal Newman influenced nineteenth-century Catholic theology with his own study of the threefold office. In chapter four we return to the threefold office and examine the contribution of John Paul II. It includes an analysis of how the politics of the magisterium shapes Catholic social teaching. Chapter two examines the text and context of the Second Vatican Council's pastoral decree "Inter Mirifica". Chapter three provides a documented history of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Social Communication and its teachings. Chapter five develops major tenets of a critical analysis of the communication of the post-Vatican II Church: attention is given to the discursive aspects of religious authority, argumentation, bureaucratization, and market culture. Chapter six takes a step towards examining the pragmatics of contemporary Vatican teaching.
This study concludes that there are three basic sociological and theological aspects of the pilgrim Church. These include a ritual approach to communication, the generational experience of Catholics and their respective attitudes toward Church teaching, and the important link in the faith's praxis between reflexivity and forming habits of communication.
33
Shapiro, Ivor. "The ethics of homicide : a contextual critique of the sanctity-of-life principle with particular reference to abortion and revolutionary violence." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 1987. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15879.
Full textAbstract:
Bibliography: pages 299-306.Society never absolutely prohibits homicide: there are "grey areas" in which it is sometimes tolerated or even encouraged. Moral discussion of each area is usually carried on in isolation from the others, and perhaps for this reason, frequently ignores or underestimates the complexities of the morality of killing. This thesis attempts to identify a general method for analysing such issues, so that they can enrich one another. A contemporary theological survey indicates that there should be a balance in Christian ethical method between the polar values of obedience in respect of general standards, and freedom to exercise individual responsibility. This implies recognising a place for intuitions, and specifying a way in which these can be subjected to criticism. In contrast, the Sanctity-of-Life Principle seeks to impose a universal prohibition on the killing of "innocent" human beings. While the Principle provides a useful general guideline, it is deficient as a moral norm - partly because of fatal difficulties associated with the concept of innocence. The method adopted in this thesis is that suggested by Philip Wagaman: methodological presumptions are identified and then tested in a utilitarian way. For the ethics of homicide, I propose a primary presumption favouring the preservation of life, and various secondary and linguistic presumptions. The contextual framework of the thesis is limited to two specific issues - abortion and revolutionary violence.
34
Martin, Kimberly Bartels. "A descriptive view of the portrayal of Jewish and Christian lifestyles in award-winning children's books from 1960 to 1990 using content analysis." Virtual Press, 1990. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/722242.
Full textAbstract:
The extent to which Jewish and Christian lifestyle actions were portrayed in 62 children's books of accepted literary worth was studied. The researcher read the Newbery award book and one Newbery honor book for each year in search of actions that Jewish and Christians active in their faiths deemed important. The sample consisted of the Newbery award book and one Newbery honor book for each year from 1960 to 1990. A content analysis of 13 action categories found that the five most common actions were (1) compassionate/ charitable deeds, (2) telling others about God, (3) prayer, (4) worship attendance and (5) reading the Bible. No significant change in the frequency of the 13 actions was found over time. However, the researcher found that Jewish and Christian lifestyles were portrayed only nominally in the Newbery books. The sample distribution shows that 65 percent of the sampled books contained fewer than the mean of 4.9 actions per 100 pages. Only six books contained strong Jewish or Christian characters - that is, main characters whose faith in God was portrayed as playing an important role in everyday life. Jewish characters of any kind (prominent or obscure) were found in only three books. Of the eight books that contained more than 10 actions per 100 pages, only one was about people in a contemporary setting: The Great Gillv Hopkins (1979). Actions were recorded regardless of which character committed them. In four books, characters' actions seemed inconsistent with the rest of the character's portrayed lifestyle. Some books contained a large number of actions contrary to Judeo-Christian lifestyles, with portrayals of hate and cruelty far outweighing portrayals of Jewish or Christian lifestyle actions. The most extreme of these wereThe Tombs of Atuan (1972) and The Witches of Worm (1973). Other studies have asserted that multicultural literature should be preferred because children need positive exposure to all cultures. This study concludes that portrayal of the cultures of committed Jews and Christians has not been common of the Newbery books since at least 1960.Department of Journalism
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Tomas, Catherine. "The actively abjected : a hermeneutics of empowerment in Christian mysticism." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2015. https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:465e2a96-6c14-40be-882e-3d716854cc92.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis is concerned broadly with purported mystics and how the Roman Catholic Church conceives of them theologically, and treats them in practicality. In exploring the dynamics of power at work when an individual claims to have dialogue with God, I identify a very particular process that occurs, namely active abjection, and illustrate this using examples taken from the writings of various purported mystics. I argue that there is a collection of people - the actively abjected - who occupy a very specific role within the Roman Catholic Church, and that this role has not been recognized. I go on to suggest a way in which they can be understood and respected for the role they play. To do this, I draw upon particular philosophical models of understanding from Hannah Arendt and Julia Kristeva. I aspire to encourage a deeper and more complicated understanding of the nature of institutionalized oppression, and to offer a reconstructive model for how those who encounter potentially problematic individuals within communities might work and interact with them in a non-oppressive manner. This thesis is a work of Catholic theology in that it offers a theological and philosophical argument for the recognition of a particular role certain individuals play in maintaining the structure and definition of the Catholic Church. But it is also intended as a work of political philosophy. Both Arendt and Kristeva, whose writing I use as a lens to examine a particular phenomenon found in religious communities are theorists in the tradition of political philosophy and my intention is to expand the application of their models.
36
Marti, Peter (Theologian). "Zusammenspiel von Wohlbefinden und Lebenssinn in der Entwicklung zum Alter : eine praktish-theologische Studie." Thesis, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/8629.
Full textAbstract:
German textGutes Altern gelingt selbst bei den zumeist günstigen äusseren Voraussetzungen in der Schweiz nicht allen Menschen. Die Frage stellt sich, unter welchen Bedingungen sowohl echtes Wohlbefinden im Alltag als auch Lebenssinn und -perspektive erreicht und erhalten werden können. Gelingt dies bekennenden Christen besser als nicht religiösen Menschen? Im Hinblick auf diese Fragestellung untersuchte die vorliegende Arbeit die bisherige gerontologische Forschung hauptsächlich in der Schweiz. Es wurde versucht, die Begriffe Wohlbefinden, Lebenssinn in Verbindung mit Religionsgerontologie anhand einzelner Exponenten zu definieren und das Zusammenspiel der Faktoren aufzuzeigen. In einer qualitativen empirischen Studie wurden gemäss der Grounded Theory zwölf Personen zwischen 50 und 80 Jahren (drittes Alter) mit zehn verschiedenen religiös/spirituellen Hintergründen mit Hilfe eines halbstrukturierten Leitfadens interviewt. Die Hauptthemen waren Wohlbefinden, Lebenssinn, Glaube/Spiritualität und Sterben/Tod. Der Zusammenhang zwischen alltäglichem Wohlbefinden und Lebenssinn bzw. -perspektive erwies sich als stark. Menschen mit einer persönlichen Gottesbeziehung schienen über mehr Ressourcen zu verfügen, nicht nur, um die eigene Endlichkeit zu akzeptieren oder schwierige Ereignisse im Leben zu meistern, sondern auch, um ihren letzten Lebenssinn in Gott zu erkennen, also ausserhalb von sich selbst. So waren sie besser befähigt, in ihrem Lebenslauf Erreichtes wieder abzugeben. Dieser Lebensstil benötigt Einübung, er kann jedoch auch gezielt gefördert werden. Aufgrund der Erkenntnisse konnten eine Reihe von Aufgaben formuliert werden, die den älteren Menschen Anweisung geben, wie sie diesen Lebensstil konkret in ihrem Alltag umsetzen könnten. Zudem scheint christliche Gemeinde ein geeigneter Rahmen darzustellen, wenn sie für das dritte Alter interdisziplinäre Lernangebote aus den Bereichen Medizin, Psychologie, Soziologie und Theologie wie auch die Möglichkeit persönlicher Seelsorge bereitstellt. Der ältere Mensch wird dadurch frei, sich generativ für andere einzusetzen und für sie da zu sein, innerhalb der christlichen Gemeinde oder auch ausserhalb als Teil der Gesellschaft. Somit wird dem neutestamentlichen Gebot der Nächstenliebe nachgekommen, Solidarität anderen gegenüber wird gelebt. Stärkeres Sinnempfinden und höheres Wohlbefinden sind geschenkte Nebenprodukte, die zu einem erfüllten Leben beitragen.
In Switzerland ageing is not necessarily unproblematic, even in the most favorable conditions. The question to answer is on what conditions in everday life a high level of wellbeing as well as meaning and perspective of life can be attained and preserved. Do professing Christians succeed better than non-religious people? The present study examined the results of current gerontological resarch in this respect, primarily in Switzerland. It attempted to define the terms of wellbeing, meaning of life in connection with religious gerontology with specific criteria and to show up the interaction of their several components. In a qualitative empirical study, according to the Grounded Theory, twelve persons between fifty and eighty years of age with ten different religious/spiritual backgrounds were interviewed with the aid of a semistructured interview guide. The main topics were wellbeing, meaning of life, faith/spirituality and dying/death. The relationship between everyday wellbeing and meaning of life and life perspective proved to be strong. People with a personal relationship with God seemed to have more resources to accept not only their own mortality or to cope with negative events in life, but to recognize their ultimate meaning of life to be in God, which is outside themselves. In consequence they were better able to let go any of their own achievements. This lifestyle requires practise and promotion. On account of the results a number of tasks were formulated to guide the older people in their daily life in practicing this lifestyle. The Christian community seems to be a suitable framework to provide interdisciplinary learning opportunities for the third age in the fields of medicine, psychology, sociology and theology as well as the opportunity of personal counseling. In this way, the never-ending process of maturation of individual elderly people should be encouraged. They are free, according to their talents, to get themselves involved with other people, to have time for them, that is within the Christian community or outside, in society. Thus, the New Testament commandment to love one another can be complied with, and solidarity with others will truly be fact. A stronger sense of meaning and a higher grade of wellbeing will be welcome by-products, which will contribute to a fulfilled life.
Practical Theology
D. Th. (Practical Theology)
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"Metaphor of light as a Christian identity marker." 2011. http://library.cuhk.edu.hk/record=b5894783.
Full textAbstract:
Lee, Ka Keung Caramon."December 2010."
Thesis (M.Div.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 78-89).
Abstracts in English and Chinese.
Chapter Chapter 1: --- Identity and Metaphors --- p.2
Chapter 1.1) --- Introduction --- p.2
Chapter 1.2) --- Aspects of Identity --- p.3
Chapter 1.3) --- Construction of Social Identity as Revealed on Texts --- p.6
Chapter 1.4) --- Functions of Metaphors --- p.10
Chapter 1.5) --- Light as an Ancient Metaphor --- p.13
Chapter 1.6) --- Outline of the Thesis --- p.14
Chapter Chapter 2: --- The Metaphor of Light in the Gospel of John --- p.18
Chapter 2.1) --- Introduction --- p.18
Chapter 2.2) --- Johannine Symbolism --- p.19
Chapter 2.3) --- Old Testament Sources of the Johannine Light --- p.19
Chapter 2.4) --- Anti-Language in the Gospel of John --- p.21
Chapter 2.5) --- Exegesis of Johannine Light Passages --- p.22
Chapter 2.6) --- Self-understanding of the Johannine Community and Unity of the Enemy --- p.29
Chapter 2.7) --- Parting of the Ways? --- p.31
Chapter Chapter 3: --- Metaphor of Light in the Writings of Pseudo-Dionysius --- p.33
Chapter 3.1) --- Introduction --- p.33
Chapter 3.2) --- Historical Context --- p.34
Chapter 3.3) --- Opponents of Pseudo-Dionysius --- p.36
Chapter 3.4) --- Light and Darkness . --- p.38
Chapter 3.5) --- Unknowability of God --- p.40
Chapter 3.6) --- The Dionysian Hierarchies --- p.42
Chapter 3.7) --- The Celestial (Angelic) Hierarchy --- p.43
Chapter 3.8) --- The Ecclesiastical Hierarchy --- p.44
Chapter 3.9) --- The Relationship between the Two Hierarchies --- p.45
Chapter Chapter 4: --- The Metaphor of Light in the Writings of Symeon the New Theologian --- p.49
Chapter 4.1) --- Introduction : --- p.49
Chapter 4.2) --- Introducing Symeon the New Theologian --- p.49
Chapter 4.3) --- Conflicts Faced by Symeon --- p.53
Chapter 4.4) --- Key Theological Elements of Symeon --- p.56
Chapter 4.5) --- Establishment of Christian Identity as an Individual --- p.59
Chapter 4.6) --- Establishment of Christian Identity as a Community --- p.66
Chapter Chapter 5: --- Conclusion --- p.71
Chapter 5.1) --- "Relationship Between John, Pseudo-Dionysius, and Symeon the New Theologian" --- p.72
Chapter 5.2) --- Major Findings --- p.74
Chapter 5.3) --- Future Works --- p.76
Bibliography --- p.78
38
"Spiritual care for the aged and positive aging." 2012. http://library.cuhk.edu.hk/record=b5894877.
Full textAbstract:
Man Suk Kwan.Thesis (M.Div.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012.
Includes bibliographical references.
Abstracts in English and Chinese.
Abstract --- p.2
Acknowledgements --- p.4
Chapter I. --- Introduction --- p.7
Chapter A. --- A Unique Human Quality --- p.7
Chapter B. --- An Empirical Interest Aroused --- p.8
Chapter C. --- Empirical Insights into the Need of Elderly Spiritual Care --- p.9
Chapter 1. --- Views from a Journal of an Elderly Care Home in Hong Kong --- p.9
Chapter 2. --- An Authentic Experience of a Social Worker in the Hong Kong Elderly Service --- p.11
Chapter D. --- Research Question and Research Method --- p.12
Chapter II. --- Aging and Spirituality --- p.13
Chapter A. --- What is Aging? --- p.14
Chapter 1. --- Physical Changes in Aging --- p.15
Chapter 2. --- Loss and Decline in Aging --- p.16
Chapter 3. --- Despair in Aging --- p.17
Chapter B. --- What is Spirituality? --- p.20
Chapter III. --- Melvin A. Kimble's Spiritual Care Model in Aging --- p.23
Chapter A. --- The Three Stages of Gerontology --- p.23
Chapter B. --- Melvin Kimble Points to Viktor Frankl --- p.24
Chapter 1. --- Meaning and Spirituality in Logotherapy --- p.24
Chapter 2. --- Crisis of Meaning --- p.26
Chapter C. --- A Spiritual Exercise Approach --- p.28
Chapter IV. --- Elizabeth MacKinlay丨s Spiritual Care Model in Aging --- p.29
Chapter A. --- Considering the Psychosocial and Spiritual Dimensions of Life from a Developmental View --- p.29
Chapter B. --- Spirituality in Frail Elders --- p.31
Chapter C. --- Spirituality in Elders with Mental Health Problems --- p.33
Chapter 1. --- A Model of Spiritual Tasks of Aging --- p.33
Chapter 2. --- Spirituality in Elders with Dementia --- p.34
Chapter V. --- Issues in Positive Aging --- p.38
Chapter A. --- Changing Attitudes towards Growing Old --- p.38
Chapter B. --- Normal Aging --- p.41
Chapter C. --- Successful Aging --- p.42
Chapter D. --- Positive Aging --- p.45
Chapter 1. --- Background for Positive Aging --- p.45
Chapter 2. --- Characteristics of Positive Aging --- p.49
Chapter E. --- Distinction between Positive Aging and Successful Aging --- p.55
Chapter F. --- Erikson's Life Span Model of Aging and Positive Aging --- p.56
Chapter VI. --- Interaction between Positive Aging and Perspectives of Kimble and MacKinlay --- p.62
Chapter A. --- """Peace and Joy versus Despair"" Enriched by ""Wisdom versus Despair""" --- p.62
Chapter B. --- Meaning of Life Enriched by Quality of Life --- p.64
Chapter VII. --- Application of Positive Aging and Spiritual Care to Real Life Examples --- p.66
Chapter A. --- Facilitating Spiritual Growth in Aging --- p.66
Chapter B. --- Elders with Dementia --- p.66
Chapter C. --- Living a Positive Life --- p.68
Chapter D. --- Crucial Importance of a Lifestyle Choice --- p.69
Chapter E. --- Searching for Meaning in Life --- p.70
Chapter F. --- Finding Joy and Hope in Hobbies --- p.71
Chapter VIII. --- Conclusion --- p.72
Chapter A. --- Limitations --- p.72
Chapter B. --- Reflections --- p.73
References --- p.76
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Garrison, Jennifer Rose. "Marriage, sexuality, and Christian parental instruction: a descriptive analysis of perspectives and practices." Diss., 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10392/5179.
Full textAbstract:
ABSTRACT
MARRIAGE, SEXUALITY, AND CHRISTIAN PARENTAL
INSTRUCTION: A DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS OF
PERSPECTIVES AND PRACTICES
Jennifer Rose Garrison, Ph.D.
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2016
Chair: Dr. Hal K. Pettegrew
The purpose of this study was to describe the perspectives among Christian parents toward marriage and sexuality, to describe the resources and practices utilized by these parents in teaching their children about marriage and sexuality, and to describe to what extent, if any, these parents’ perspectives and teaching practices are influenced by the local church. 28 semi-structured interviews were conducted with Christian parents having at least one child in the range of kindergarten to sixth grade.
Chapter 1 offers a detailed description of the research problem and the purpose of the research. Though traditional forms of marriage and sexuality have long been building blocks of society, current American culture now presents many alternative choices to both marriage and sexuality.
Chapter 2 provides an overview of the precedent literature concerning marriage, sexuality, and Christian parental instruction, as well as key cultural trends related to marriage and sexuality, and a review of twelve parental help texts addressing both issues.
Chapter 3 presents the research methodology of this study. The qualitative research design consisted of the following steps. First, access was obtained to churches who attended CentriKid Camp on the campus of Campbellsville University during summer 2014. Second, children’s ministry group leaders from attending churches were invited to participate in the study. Personal contact information was gathered from each volunteer. Third, an interview protocol was created, validated through an expert panel, and approved by the Ethics Committee of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Fourth, a pilot study was conducted. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and coded. Fifth, 28 interviewees were purposefully selected based upon the highest number of volunteers from participating churches. Sixth, a Dissertation Participation Form was gathered from each participant. Seventh, 28 interviews were conducted, transcribed, and coded. Types of coding applied to the research included In Vivo and values coding. Eighth, content analysis was completed on the gathered data. Finally, findings were evaluated and conclusions were drawn.
Chapter 4 provides an analysis of the research findings. These findings describe the values expressed by Christian parents in regard to the research questions.
Chapter 5 presents conclusions drawn from the research.
KEYWORDS: Bible, biblical discipleship, biblical teaching, biblical worldview, Christian parenting, church discipleship, church equipping, church influence, cohabitation, comfort measures, culture, discipleship, divorce, gender confusion, homosexuality, life experience, life stage, marriage, marriage education, mass media, mentoring, parental controls, parental instruction, parental responsibility, parental struggle, parental teaching, parental training, parenting, parents, pastor, perspectives, pornography, public school, sexual ethics, sexual morality, sexuality, sexuality education, teaching methods, teaching practices, teaching resources, textual resources, values.
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Davis, Michael Larry. "Intentional Practice of Shared Leadership in the Marketplace by Christian Leaders: A Multi-case Study." Diss., 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10392/4856.
Full textAbstract:
INTENTIONAL PRACTICE OF SHARED LEADERSHIP
IN THE MARKETPLACE BY CHRISTIAN LEADERS:
A MULTI-CASE STUDY
Michael Larry Davis, Ed.D.
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2014
Chair: Michael S. Wilder
In light of the biblical roots of shared leadership it is difficult to understand the
lack of research related to the practice of shared leadership by Christian business leaders
in the marketplace. Although research of shared leadership has been robust since its
emergence in the last quarter-century, little or no research of shared leadership by
Christian leaders existed before this study. Designed as a qualitative multiple case study,
this thesis explores the practice of shared leadership in three cases for the express purpose
of discovering best practices for shared leadership in the marketplace by Christian
leaders. Although the enterprises studied are not necessarily described as Christian
companies, all clearly understand their existence as a tool for living out the Gospel in the
world.
I isolated ten established best practices of shared leadership through the
literature review. Through case observation, personal interviews, and document
collection, the established best practices were validated for each site. Additionally, five
unique best practices for shared leadership by Christian marketplace leaders were
identified. Christian marketplace leaders who practice shared leadership:
1. Seek to enrich the lives of all stakeholders as a primary purpose of the enterprise by
providing good paying jobs for employees, exceptional service to customers, and a
fair profit for owners and stockholders.
2. Encourage stakeholders to embrace biblical discipleship practices in leadership by
honoring God in their work and by treating others as they wish to be treated.
3. Seek to support corporate as well as biblical values by articulating a biblical view of
work.
4. Leverage the value of people for the common good of employees, customers, and
other stakeholders.
5. Expect stakeholders to embrace and live out biblical virtues.
Chapter 1 introduces the research problem, its theological foundation, and
practical significance. It also defines the research question while plotting the study's
limitations. Chapter 2 examines the precedent literature and recounts the history of shared
leadership as it emerged from antecedent forms of leadership. Chapter 3 presents the
research design, defines the population, establishes the selection criteria, and outlines the
instrumentation. Chapter 4 analyzes the findings, while chapter 5 presents my
conclusions. The study's ultimate aim is to enrich the literature base by acknowledging
the biblical foundations of shared leadership and the natural inclination of Christian
business leaders to practice shared leadership as a result of their Christian faith.
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Theobald, David Nathanael. "Humor and truth: Towards a Christian theology of laughter." Thesis, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10392/438.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis explores the relationship between theology and laughter. It adopts the Superiority theory, confirmed through biblical and theological analyses. Chapter 1 discusses recent theologies of humor and outlines the occasion for the present one.
Chapter 2 begins with an historical review of the church's attitude towards laughter and discusses humor's relationship to major areas of theology.
Chapter 3 traces the development of the Superiority Theory and contends that much of our laughter is the ridiculing of a butt. Laughter performs a didactic function when it enforces a moral perspective by mocking deviants. Chapter 4 combs Scripture to confirm the theory.
Chapter 5 observes that because of competing perspectives, laughter must have an eschatological dimension. It concludes that Heaven will contain the sounds of joy and triumph, defeat and derision.
Chapter 6 discusses the implications for a postmodern context and makes application by affirming the role of humor in preaching.This item is only available to students and faculty of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. If you are not associated with SBTS, this dissertation may be purchased from http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb or downloaded through ProQuest's Dissertation and Theses database if your institution subscribes to that service.
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Brooks, Jr William James. "The divine design of Christian suffering : mortification, maturation, and glorification." Diss., 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10392/5183.
Full textAbstract:
Chapter 1 introduces the dissertation’s thesis and highlights its methodology. This dissertation argues that the divine design for suffering in Christ-followers is to decrease self-rule through mortification, increase God’s rule through engendering spiritual maturity, with both of these functions serving the ultimate purpose of God glorifying himself in the individual lives of his covenant people. This chapter also sets the argument within the contemporary context of biblical counseling.
Chapter 2 explores the first major element of the thesis, that God designs suffering to decrease self-rule in his covenant people through mortification. This theme is traced through the lamenting psalmists, the Suffering King’s attack on self-rule via the cross, and Jesus’ imperative to self-denial.
Chapter 3 argues the second major element of the thesis, that God designs suffering to increase his rule in his covenant people by engendering the blessings consistent with spiritual maturity. This thought is developed by examining the spiritual maturity suffering produced in the lamenting psalmists and Jesus. Six New Testament passages are examined which indicate suffering is instrumental in engendering spiritual maturity in the Christ-follower.
Chapter 4 demonstrates the third major thesis element that suffering that the ultimate purpose of suffering in Christ-followers is to glorify God. This conclusion is reached by examining the lamenting psalmists glorification of God, Jesus glorifying the Father in his sufferings, Christ-followers’ glorification of Christ through suffering, and how God glorifies himself when suffering ceases.
Chapter 5 defends the dissertation thesis against the challenges forwarded by open theism. The main arguments focus on open theism’s contention that no divine design for suffering exists and suffering is purposeless. The last section critiques the implications open theistic beliefs has on trusting God, Christ and the gospel, prayer, and eternal hope.
Chapter 6 proposes that the cognitions, affections, and volitions of the heart are each mortified of their unchristlikenesses, conformed to Christlikeness, both for the glory of God through suffering. The last section is directed to biblical counselors to give indicators of self-rule in sufferers and to suggest how they may minister to all the suffering heart’s functions.
Chapter 7 concludes the dissertation by giving a summary of its arguments, suggestions for further research, and some concluding thoughts.
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"A Christian critique of the spirituality of free market: from the perspectives of 'freedom' and 'market spirituality'." 2010. http://library.cuhk.edu.hk/record=b5894333.
Full textAbstract:
Ip Hon Ho.Thesis (M.Div.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2010.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 80-82).
Abstracts in English and Chinese.
Chapter 1. --- Introduction --- p.3
Chapter 2. --- Different beliefs of the free market --- p.5
Chapter 2.1 --- Market' as invisible hand guided by self-interest --- p.6
Chapter 2.2 --- Market as a platform to promote prosperity of life and freedom --- p.7
Chapter 2.3 --- Market as a place of competition --- p.8
Chapter 2.4 --- Market as a self-regulating system --- p.9
Chapter 2.5 --- Private Property right as the necessary condition for free market economy --- p.9
Chapter 3. --- Review of contemporary Christian critiques of market --- p.10
Chapter 3.1 --- Michael Novak: defense of classic liberal economy --- p.11
Chapter 3.1.1 --- The concept of liberty --- p.11
Chapter 3.1.2 --- The 'co-creation' role of man --- p.12
Chapter 3.1.3. --- The tripartite system and the sinful nature of man in a free market economy --- p.13
Chapter 3.2 --- Rebecca M. Blank: Criticism on Market from an economist and a theologian --- p.14
Chapter 3.2.1 --- The model of competitive market --- p.14
Chapter 3.2.2. --- Conflicting values between beliefs in competitive market with Christian values --- p.15
Chapter 3.3 --- Paul Tillich's critique on free market --- p.19
Chapter 3.3.1. --- The religious relevance of Capitalism and Free market --- p.20
Chapter 3.3.2 --- Tillich model of criticism --- p.21
Chapter 3.3.3 --- Depending Conditions for capitalism: Technical reasons --- p.22
Chapter 3.3.4 --- Criticism of the Spirit of Capitalism and Free market --- p.23
Chapter 3.3.5 --- Criticism of the form of capitalism --- p.26
Chapter 3.3.6 --- The big machine --- p.27
Chapter 3.4 --- The insufficiencies of the above Christian Critique --- p.30
Chapter 3.4.1 --- Michael Novak: --- p.31
Chapter 3.4.2 --- Rebecca Blank --- p.32
Chapter 3.4.3 --- Paul Tillich --- p.32
Chapter 4. --- The discussion on the freedom in free market --- p.33
Chapter 4.1 --- Economic Compulsion --- p.34
Chapter 4.1.1 --- Economic reason: Monopolistic power --- p.35
Chapter 4.1.2 --- Political Reason: Political Economy --- p.37
Chapter 4.1.3 --- Short Summary --- p.39
Chapter 4.2 --- Slavery Characteristics of free market --- p.40
Chapter 4.3 --- Basic Characteristics of a slavery system --- p.40
Chapter 4.3.1 --- Backgrounds of Slavery system in Greco Roman Empire --- p.41
Chapter 4.3.2 --- Structure of the working relationship: Dehumanized structure --- p.42
Chapter 4.3.3 --- Social status: Alienation --- p.43
Chapter 4.3.4 --- Incentive system: Another form of Economic Compulsion --- p.44
Chapter 4.3.5 --- Short summary --- p.47
Chapter 4.4 --- Slavery characteristics of the free market --- p.47
Chapter 4.4.1 --- Working relationship: dehumanized structure --- p.48
Chapter 4.4.2 --- Social status: Alienation --- p.50
Chapter 4.4.3 --- Incentive system: Another form of Economic Compulsion --- p.51
Chapter 4.4.4 --- Short Summary --- p.54
Chapter 5. --- The critique of the spirituality of market by the concept of 'market spirituality' --- p.54
Chapter 5.1 --- The ground of understanding spirituality --- p.55
Chapter 5.2 --- Basic Characteristics of spirituality --- p.57
Chapter 5.2.1 --- First-order and second-order experiences of Spirituality --- p.57
Chapter 5.2.2 --- The trainable quality of Spirituality: Ascetical and Mystical aspect --- p.58
Chapter 5.2.3 --- The unintentional ascetical aspect of spirituality --- p.59
Chapter 5.3 --- The understanding and basic assumptions of Market Spirituality --- p.62
Chapter 5.4 --- The Formation of spirituality in our daily routine --- p.64
Chapter 5.4.1 --- Pathway of knowing in free market --- p.66
Chapter 5.4.2 --- Pathway of acting in free market --- p.67
Chapter 5.4.3 --- Pathway of relating to others in free market --- p.69
Chapter 5.5 --- Common examples of market spirituality --- p.69
Chapter 5.5.1 --- Believing in the self-regulatory mechanism --- p.69
Chapter 5.5.2 --- Competitive spirituality --- p.70
Chapter 5.5.3 --- Detachment relationship --- p.72
Chapter 5.5.4 --- Consumerism --- p.73
Chapter 5.5.5 --- Commodification --- p.74
Chapter 5.5.6 --- Short summary --- p.75
Chapter 5.6 --- Theological reflections on market spirituality --- p.76
Chapter 5.6.1 --- The penetration of the market spirituality into our church and individual life --- p.76
Chapter 5.6.2. --- Contrast with the Christian Spirituality --- p.77
Chapter 6. --- Conclusion --- p.79
Bibliography --- p.80
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Ebben, Leslie. "The experience of unforgiveness of extramarital infidelity within a Christian context." Thesis, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10210/9987.
Full textAbstract:
M.A. (Clinical Psychology)This qualitative phenomenological study explores the experience of unforgiveness of extramarital infidelity within a Christian context. Both unforgiveness and infidelity are topics in the field of psychological research that remain relatively unexplored. Descriptions of the above-mentioned experience were sourced from three participants. In order to extrapolate the essence of their subjective experiences, semi-structured interviews comprised of openended questions were compiled. These interviews were then transcribed and analysed from an interpretive phenomenological analysis. The analysis process resulted in the emergence of themes representing the phenomenon in question. Themes found in this study included those of a difficult emotional experience, loss and grieving, the process of moving from unforgiveness towards forgiveness, and finally, personal growth and spiritual progression. The repercussions experienced by the pressure to forgive also formed an integral part of the study. This research significantly contributes to the field of research in the manner in which it is focused on the relatively unexplored topic of unforgiveness and infidelity. Attention to the topic of forgiveness has the potential to considerably influence how social scientists and psychologist view unforgiveness within psychotherapy as well as within the field of research.
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Badgett, Jonathan P. "Christian Self-Knowledge: A Christological Framework for Undermining Dissociation through Reconciliation." Diss., 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10392/5614.
Full textAbstract:
Self-knowledge unavoidably implicates and, in the end, it must presume correspondence. How, indeed, can a self even be posited in the absence of a corresponding other? While the triunity of God reveals a dialectic of unity and correspondence, the human self has ever struggled, within traditions as seemingly diverse as ancient Hellenism and the sundry schools of modern philosophy and psychology, against the presumption that “autonomous self” might not be fatally contradictory. On the other hand, with the lens of orthodox Christology properly affixed, God, self, and others may finally be seen as they truly are. Christ is the revealer of mysteries, the reconciler of God and humanity, and the One in whom all the treasures of (self-)knowledge and wisdom are found. Christian self-knowledge, then, presumes the believer’s ethical correspondence—to God-in-Christ and, through Christ, with fellow believers by means of faith expressing itself in love. When sought in Christian caregiving contexts, this Christ-mediated knowledge of self, over time, counters and undermines the countertherapeutic expression of dissociation and its ethical corollary, self-deception.
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Frost, William John. "A critical analysis of Sallie McFague's body of God model as a resource for a Christian ecological theology." Thesis, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/1288.
Full textAbstract:
The purpose of this study is to determine whether or not Sallie McFague's body of God model is an adequate resource for a Christian ecological theology. The study endeavours to evaluate, test and revise this particular theological model. It is located on the abstract and hypothetical level and is thus a non-empirical analysis of McFague's thought. The researcher analysed the body of God model by using theological and philosophical resources. Current literature on ecological theology was studied in order to formulate thirteen criteria for an adequate Christian theology. These criteria were used throughout the study to test the theology that accompanies McFague's model. The study analysed three key areas of McFague's thought: cosmology, anthropology and theology. It was found the body of God model tends towards reductionism, because it does not appear to endorse a coherent complexity hierarchy. This reductionism was apparent in the three key areas of McFague's thought. However, it was found the body of God model functions as a transformative metaphor that takes into account the social reality that affects the health of planet earth. Its strength is a clear orientation towards ethics that takes Jesus' praxis as its departure point. The researcher provides suggestions on how the body of God model may overcome reductionism. After consideration of the three key areas of McFague's thought, the researcher concluded that the body of God model is an adequate resource for a Christian ecological theology. It is suggested that this theological model is applicable to the South African context in three areas: the socio-economic reality and its impact on the natural environment, the land ownership and the issue of racism.Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, [2006]
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Sephamola, Joseph Mopeli. "Christian mysticism in relation to Catholic teaching on the issue of gender." Thesis, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/8236.
Full textAbstract:
Mysticism is a broad concept in a diversity of traditions. Our study focuses on Christian mysticism in the Catholic Church tradition). This concept is shortly a special relationship with God that translates into observable behaviours that impact on the other people. Mysticism itself is for everyone regardless of their perceived spiritual connectedness with God. In other words everyone can be a mystic. However, in the Catholic Church it would seem that the decision regarding who is a mystic is done by the leadership of the Church which comprises of all-male clergy. As a result, those who have been considered mystics in the Catholic Church were predominantly male with significantly few women.
Mysticism cannot but be seen through the lens of gender. Gender equality in the Catholic Church or lack of, is then a yardstick through which mysticism should be scrutinized. This analysis should be done by studying the Catholic Church’s teaching on gender from the past eras to the present. An attempt should be made to look at the esteemed doctors of the church who have influenced the Church’s attitudes towards women. Not only should these attitudes be explored, but also their influence on the discipline of the Church or the way the Catholic Church carries its mandate in as far as gender is concerned. The Church’s mandate includes but not necessarily limited to its laws (canons). The mandate is also found in its declarations which are found in the Church’s documents. These will be analysed to arrive at a conclusion whether the Catholic Church has established gender equality in its teachings and practices. The analysis should also compare the teaching on gender and its translation into observable, real formal equality and substantive equality when it comes to gender. Formal Equality means the same formal legal rights and status while Substantive Equality means the same material and effects between men and women in the Catholic Church.
Gender equality then or lack of, will be used in exploring the subject of mysticism in the Catholic Church. This study will attempt to explore how gender equality in mysticism can impact on the Church’s endeavour to establish gender equality so that there is authenticity in its teaching and practice. That alignment is necessary to bring to life the scriptural dimension of the Church.Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2012.
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Mphambo, Nondumiso. "The perceived impact of Christian beliefs in coping with depression." Thesis, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/8079.
Full textAbstract:
The association between the experience of depression and the use of religious coping methods has been widely researched in recent studies. However there is a dire need in this area of research in South Africa. Further most of the previous studies have been quantitative in nature limiting the subjective aspect of the depressive experience.
The current study was undertaken to explore the perceived impact of religious beliefs on the individual's coping with depression. The sample used was a convenience sample of Christians from various denominations with a history of depression or a current diagnosis of depression. A semi-structured interview was conducted to collect the data from volunteers who agreed to participate, and a thematic analysis method was used to analyze the data.
The findings of the research revealed that the use of religious coping methods can have both beneficial and detrimental effects on the individual's experience of depression. Conversely it was found that depression can also have both positive and negative impact on the individual's faith. Furthermore this study has highlighted the importance of the individual's appraisal of their depressive experience which in turn influences the form of religious coping methods (either positive or negative) that would be used.Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.
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Collaros, Debbie. "A proposed curriculum for a certificate course in lay Christian counselling." Thesis, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10210/9110.
Full textAbstract:
M.A. (Psychology)Professional counsellors are overloaded with many cases and are in dire need of lay assistance. Specifically, pastors are overburdened with the number of counselees seeking their help, and they require lay members of the church to be equipped to counsel on a paraprofessional level. If executed effectively, this lay counselling will act as a filter by letting only those cases needing professional intervention to pass through to the pastor or mental health practitioner. The benefits to be obtained from the Biblical ministry of lay counselling are numerous, the most notable being that chances of burnout are lessened in professionals who now need only focus their attention and energies on. cases specifically requiring their expertise. However, as is the case with all ministries, there are potential dangers and pitfalls. These can be minimised by proper equipping. It is the knowledgeable, Spirit-filled and welltrained lay counsellor thatis at least risk. Acquiring the practical skills of effective counselling initially involves being formally taught and practising these within a learning environment. This dissertation proposes such a curriculum for the equipping of lay Christian counsellors on both the theoretical and practical levels. Though it is not the first of its kind in the United States, it does reflect a relatively new field in this country and much research must go into developing and modifying curricula for the South African context with its cultures and specific needs. This poses an exciting challenge to the pastors and mental health professionals of this country, who In addition to the actual clientele, will be the onesto benefit. In this dissertation, the domain of the research is introduced by discussions on Christian and lay Christian counselling. Definitions, general assumptions, Biblical basis and uniqueness are presented as well as why lay Christian counselling is a vital aspect of a caring church Some of the common goals that this field shares with secular counselling have been stated, as well as its unique goals. The selection of potential lay Christian counsellors has been discussed, offering some of the desirable therapeutic and ethical qualities of such counsellors...
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Gerritsma, Sara L. "From Paradox to Possibility: Gauging the Unique Contribution of Christian Voices to the Public Discussion of Ecological Crisis." Thesis, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10756/288491.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis argues that western societies are caught in a paradox: Individuals and groups are increasingly concerned about the harmful effects humanity is having on the earth's health, while at the same time environmental degradation increases and societies are doing relatively little to stop environmentally harmful actions. Chapter 1 explores the deeper roots of our current situation, arguing that westerners are caught up in a harmful ideology that prioritizes economic growth and material prosperity at all costs, which means that steps to protect the environment will not be undertaken if these steps will have negative (or even neutral) impacts on economic growth. Suggesting a theocentric (God-centered) alternative to this harmful ideology, chapter 2 defends the expression of openly religious perspectives in the public political discussions of environmental crises but also emphasizes the responsibility of all participants to dialogue in a respectful, civil manner and to be open to truths coming from marginal perspectives. Finally, chapter 3 gives a number of concrete suggestions for public policies that can address the roots of ecological degradation and engage citizens who are ready and willing to take steps to reduce their environmental footprint.