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Towards A Renewed Theology Of Personal Agency: Origen’S Theological Vision And The Challenges Of Fatalism And Determinism, Bernard B. Poggi

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

In our own contemporary context, there seems to be nothing more important than for a person to be able to speak about their achievements as being specifically their own. Yet it seems that due to two trends found in theology and science, it is increasingly difficult to talk about individual agency. The first trend which undercuts human agency is found in theological fatalism.¹ We will look at the case of theological fatalism found in Islamic thought in the idea of qadar, the power of God by which everything is commanded.² The second trend comes to us on account …

“The Female Face” Of Hiv/Aids As An Ethical Challenge To The Catholic Church In Uganda: Lessons Of Catholic Social Teaching, Athanasius Kikoba

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

Since the emergence of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Uganda in the 1980s, it has become increasingly evident that the HIV/AIDS scourge disproportionately affects more women and girls than men and boys. Women and girls suffer a particular vulnerability due to this pandemic. There are social, economic, political, and cultural factors that precipitate and aggravate the spread of HIV/AIDS among women and girls in Uganda.

This dissertation contends that Catholic Social Teaching offers us one of the best and most comprehensive and integrative ways for addressing the HIV/AIDS scourge. We argue specifically for a rights-based solidarity as the most comprehensive and …

Eucharist As Fruit Of The Earth And The Environmental Degradation In The Niger Delta: Implication Of Louis Mariechauvet’S Tripartite Cycle Of Gift, Reception And Return Gift For An Ecological Conversion, Michael Edomobi

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

There is a heightened global consciousness now more than ever before on the protection of the environment. Of late is the encyclical letter Laudato si of Pope Francis on care for our common home. The Niger Delta region of Nigeria is the context of my research. This region is endowed with massive oil deposits, which have been extracted for decades by the government of Nigeria and by multinational oil companies, at the expense of the people of the region whose environment suffer degradation and their means of livelihood destroyed. This study juxtaposes Eucharist as fruit of the earth and the …

“Pilgrimage In Service Of Mission In The Context Of The Contemporary Korean Church”, Min-Hwi Kim

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

There is a saying that life is a pilgrimage. This journey is also echoed through Vatican II’s statement that "The pilgrim Church is missionary by her very nature, since it is from the mission of the Son and the mission of the Holy Spirit that she draws her origin, in accordance with the decree of God the Father."¹ As such, a pilgrimage is an expressive act of desire to engage spirituality on a practical level, and "a journey to a special or holy place as a way of making an impact on one’s life with the revelation of God …

Impact Evaluation Under The Banner Of The Cross: An Integrated Approach To The Evaluation Of Poverty Alleviation Programs, Stephen M. Pitts

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

This thesis proposes normative criteria of individual and social welfare to evaluate poverty alleviation programs. Since World War II, both governments and NGOs have implemented a variety of development projects to address the poverty of individuals and groups around the world. The emerging field of impact evaluation applies a methodology borrowed from clinical drug trials to measure the effect of these projects on the populations that they serve. Sixty years of the history of development reveal that despite the sophistication of the statistical techniques, the field cannot offer basic guidance on what outcomes to measure.

In response, this thesis develops …

Ruth: A Spiritual Role Model For The Religious Women Of Southwest China, Xiaoqiong Chen

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

Aware of the need to address the existing challenges of the religious women of southwest China, I find inspiration and guidance in the Book of Ruth. This thesis suggests that the main challenge to women‘s religious life in southwest China is the lack of foundational religious formation and a vital spirituality of religious life. It argues that the character of Ruth embodies the spiritual principles of solidarity, initiative, and integration, and can therefore provide the religious women of southwest China with a model of holistic spirituality which fosters a formational renewal of spiritual and communal life and confirms religious identity. …

A Pastoral Approach To The Topic Of Sexuality In Priestly Formation Programs In Parts Of Eastern Europe, Vitaliy Osmolovskyy

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

In this thesis, I explore a pastoral approach towards the topic of sexuality during priestly formation programs in parts of Eastern Europe, at the same time, identifying many elements that surround this particular topic in the different societies where the candidates were raised. In this world of rapid change, one in which life moves quickly and people often seek novelty, it is necessary to hold on to the fact that we are sexual beings, ones open to growth and maturity. Regardless of vocation, sexuality remains an essential component of who we are. This work engages relevant literature, ecclesial documents, some …

Dominican Prayer For Young Vietnamese Americans, Phuong Nguyen

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

Young Vietnamese Americans refer to those who were born in Vietnam but have been raised and educated in the United States (1.5 generation), and those who were born and reside in America (2 generation). Residing in the United States, they receive many opportunities which come from sociological, cultural and religious aspects. Nevertheless, they also face many challenges that come from those aspects as well. The challenges which the youth face may make them isolated from themsesleves, others and God. Dominican spirituality essential for members of the Dominican friars, nuns, sisters and professed laity, many of whom are older people. However, …

Embracing An Ecological Conversion: Addressing The Effects Of The Ecological Crisis On The Poor And The Earth Through The Sacrament Of Reconciliation, Emmanuel Oyediran Ogundipe

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

In the last two hundred years, the whole of creation has suffered a great deal of abuse, violation and destruction that is threatening the continued existence of creation. This plundering of the earth has resulted in various changes and disasters in the universe ranging from climate change, air and water pollution, deforestation, loss of biodiversity, decline in the quality of the human life, and massive migration. It is through creation that God first reveals himself to humanity. Any abuse or violation of creation is a sin against God. Therefore, humanity, appointed as careers or stewards, have engaged in the exploitation …

Virtue Ethics As Moral Formation For Ignatian Education In Chile, Juan Pablo Valenzuela

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

The Catholic Church in Chile is in a state of moral perplexity. On one side, the hierarchy of the Church, moral theologians, and teachers propose and teach a morality based on rules and principles that does not take account of the context of the country and creates a distance from the moral perspective of the majority of the Chilean people. On the other side, Catholic people are abandoning the Church, especially because of her approach to moral issues and her rule-based moral teachings. The problem of this moral perplexity lies in the deontological approach through which the Church proposes and …

On The Authority In The Church: Yves Congar’S Vision Of Collegiality In Evangelizing Secularity, Pius Youn

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

In the public sphere of contemporary Western society, its post-Enlightenment culture is secular at large. Encouraged by the principle of equality upon which the United States of America was founded, the current culture promotes a subjective and individual mindset, which demands that everyone, regardless of gender, race, or class, possess equal representation in all fields of duty. Against this individualistic egalitarianism, the Church can seem to lag behind the times because she operates from a different model than that of modern society. While most societies in the West espouse a democratic culture and representative participation at every level of governance, …

Towards A New, Praxis-Oriented Missiology: Rediscovering Paulo Freire's Concept Of Conscientização And Enhancing Christian Mission As Prophetic Dialogue, Rosalia Meza Moreno

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

The new and different frontiers and factors discussed in missiology are reshaping the meaning of mission. Christian mission today is searching for new directions to approach the postmodern, postcolonial, and ecumenical paradigms. I would like to argue that mission is not just a transmission of knowledge that keeps an established structure and culture alive (often justified and glorified by a specific ecclesiological model). Rather, mission aims at the process of embodying the content and praxis of the gospel. Mission can be understood as an invitation to initiate a transformative process of faith, which leads to personal and social transformation.

This …

Spiritual Conversation: An Important Tool For Discernment Of One’S Vocation In The Diverse Context Of India, Francis Joseph Fernandes

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

The Indian youth of today, including Christian youth, are deeply impacted by the values and culture of the modern world, a phenomenon which has adversely affected the Church of India in general and vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life in particular. Though at present, the Church in India is enjoying a springtime of vocations to the priestly and religious life, we cannot ignore the challenges posed by the present culture to the young people discerning their vocation and also to those who are in formation. This thesis argues that, given the gravity of today’s challenges to vocational promotion and …

The Contemplative-Prophetic Spirituality Of Thomas Merton: Its Relevance For The Consecrated Life In India, Fabian Jose

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

Consecrated life in the Catholic Church is a vital and healing presence in Indian society. Religious men and women make an integral contribution to the society through their institutions in the fields of education, spirituality, medical care, social services, and other charitable activities. In the present context of India, however, consecrated men and women can experience challenges of relevance and identity in their vocations. These concerns have their basis in the fundamental need for a renewal of religious life itself in India, one which is imbued with a Christ-centered spirituality and reflects the prophetic charism that marks apostolic religious life. …

Marriage As A Covenant: Towards An In Culturated Pastoral Approach On Marriage And Family In Mozambique Today, Virgílio Arimateia Domingos

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

It is striking that "Mozambican societies considered marriage to be one of the most important stages in an individual's life." ¹ Amoris Laetitia reminds us that "the desire to marry and form a family remains vibrant, especially among young people."² Yet, the percentage of marriage in the Church is declining as showed in Chapter One. The Bishops of Africa and Madagascar admitted that the multilayered challenges "destabilize the life of couples and families" because of inadequate pastoral approaches. ³ On the other hand, Amoris Laetitia recognizes, "In some countries, especially in various parts of Africa, secularism has not weakened …

Virtues/Pāramitās: St. Ignatius Of Loyola And Sāntideva As Companions On The Way Of Life, Tomislav Spiranec

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

This dissertation conducts a comparative study of the cultivation of the virtues in Catholic spiritual tradition and the perfections (pāramitās) in the Mahāyāna Buddhist traditions in view of the spiritual needs of contemporary Croatian young adults. The comparison is carried out through the exploration of two key texts: The Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola, a sixteenth-century Basque Catholic, and the founder of the Society of Jesus, and The Way of the Bodhisattva (Bodhicaryāvatāra) of Śāntideva, an eight-century Indian Mahāyāna monk.

The study links the central teachings of the Catholic faith to the daily life and identity of young Catholics …

Belief In A Secular Age: Charles Taylor, John Henry Newman, And The New Evangelization, David C. Paternostro

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

We are currently living in what has been dubbed “a secular age.” Religious affiliation has gone down, leading to a phenomenon in the West known as “the rise of the Nones.” At the same time, from the time of the Gospels, the Church understands herself to be charged by Jesus Christ with the obligation to “make disciples of all nations” (Mt. 28:19). Recent popes have likewise affirmed that we are obliged to go out and propose faith in Jesus to the world. Beginning with John Paul II, a “new evangelization” has been proposed, where the Church evangelizes and makes disciples …