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Interpreting Material Cooperation As A Function Of Moral Development To Guide Ministry Formation, Steven Squires

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While not exactly back room political bargaining, the traditional use of cooperation has been by moral theologians attempting to define the level of cooperation for a particular situation. This chosen definition, in turn, may help focus the range of appropriate actions in response to the situation's circumstances. In this customary usage, an organization's associates (employees) may assist the implementation of relevant responses to a cooperation analysis, whether the issue is clinical or organizational in nature. They have not been integral to the decision-making process - until now. Cooperation has been the proverbial candle under the bushel (Matthew 5:15). This paper …

Theological And Ecological Foundations For Youth Ministry In Relation To The Archdiocese Of Mbarara, Uganda - East Africa, Leo Tinkatumire

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is titled: Theological and Ecological Foundations for Youth Ministry in Relation to the Archdiocese of Mbarara, Uganda - East Africa. The Archdiocese of Mbarara, located in the traditional kingdom of Nkore in southwestern Uganda, is undergoing societal shift. Due to the pervading influences of Western civilization and technology, the conservative and often static culture of native tribal communities with their adherence to informal education, traditional customs and worship and a predominantly agrarian economy, is undergoing steady but dramatic transformation. Amidst this process of transition, the Church is struggling with the immediate need to adjust the message and methods …

The Liturgical Theology Of Aidan Kavanagh, Osb: Synthesis And Critique, Michelle Gilgannon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the liturgical theology of the late Aidan Kavanagh, OSB. His particular approach to liturgy helped to shape the implementation of the liturgical changes instituted by the Second Vatican Council. His early published works were instrumental in explaining the goals of these liturgical changes, while his later works offered a not-so-subtle critique of how the changes had begun to impact the American Church. Fr. Kavanagh based the importance of liturgy on several unique and potentially controversial subjects. To Fr. Kavanagh, liturgical theology is theologia prima and the foundation of all other secondary theology. Participation in the liturgy and …

The Contribution Of Foundational New Testament Theological Themes To The Meaning Of Basic Bioethics Principles, R. Dennis Macaleer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Beauchamp and Childress' Principles of Biomedical Ethics is a well accepted approach to contemporary bioethics. Those principles are based on what Beauchamp and Childress call the common morality. This dissertation employs New Testament theological themes to enhance the meaning of contemporary principles of bioethics. Beginning with the incarnation in the New Testament, the invitation-response hermeneutic is developed as a hermeneutic to use in studying the New Testament. The primary New Testament text for this study is the twin commands from Jesus to love God and love one's neighbor. Three theological themes are developed from this study and these three themes …

Homosexuality And The Formation Of Conscience: An Examination Of Traditional Catholic Anthropological, Theological, And Ethical Evaluations In Light Of Contemporary Moral Markers, John Slovikovski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The question of homosexuality remains a daunting task to be addressed by the Church as well as theological ethicists. Lively, and often biased opinions have been presented in the last two centuries; however, use of traditional sources, such a Scripture, Natural Law, empirical data, and Tradition result in a doubt of fact, which, according to the established tradition of the Catholicism, requires the Church to follow the safest course of action, i.e., upholding the traditional heterosexual norm. Given that some individuals experience an irreversible homosexual orientation coupled by a lack of a vocation to a celibate lifestyle, which in turn …

Primacy Of Conscience: A Pastoral Theological Construction Of Agency For Catholic Moral Decision-Making, Donald Augustine Rickard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A significant pastoral problem for some Catholics flows from the dissonance they experience when attempting to integrate certain Church teachings with the leading of their conscience as they make moral decisions. All Catholics do not accept every established moral answer or position provided by the Church and integrating those differences between the Church teaching and one's conscience can be difficult--a difficulty affecting parishioner, priest, and Church. This problem is, in part, rooted in and reinforced by the fact that there are two theological strands in the Church's tradition regarding morality. One strand suggests that the moral response is to obey …

Human Development As Integral Development: The Social Teaching Of The Church In An African Context, Joseph Kariuki Kamau

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It has been commonly held that the main cause of underdevelopment is the lack of capital. This dissertation is based on the observation that underdevelopment still persists in Kenya despite billions of dollars in foreign aid from Western Europe and North America. The main focus of this dissertation is an attempt to understand an effective remedial action to such an economic situation of underdevelopment. The dissertation seeks to find the remedy for underdevelopment by the methodological means of demonstrating how a holistic understanding of human development entails integral development in Kenya.

The thesis and the overview of this dissertation are …

Sacrament Of Deification: The Eucharistic Vision Of Alexander Schmemann In Light Of The Doctrine Of Theosis, Janet Puppo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study posits that the Eastern Christian doctrine of theosis, or deification, informs, enhances and illuminates Eucharistic understanding. It argues that the Eucharistic vision of Orthodox priest and theologian, Father Alexander Schmemann, offers the most cogent evidence in support of the intrinsic link between the Eucharist and the doctrine of theosis. Based on Schmemann's observations that a Eucharistic crisis exists in the Church as a result of liturgical indifference and secularism, this study seeks to retrieve the patristic vision of the Eucharist that synthesized the world, the Church and the Kingdom of God in an interdependent and harmonic balance. The …

A Faith-Based Program Evaluation: Moral Development Of Seminary Students At The Louisiana State Penitentiary, Bruce Sabin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to conduct an outcomes-based program evaluation for the Louisiana State Penitentiary (Angola) campus of the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. The study included one primary research question, with two subquestions. The primary research question asked to what extent students in the program developed moral judgment consistent with program goals of rehabilitating students and preparing them for effective ministry. The first subquestion asked whether statistically significant differences existed in the moral reasoning of students of different class years. The second subquestion asked whether statistically significant differences existed in the moral reasoning of students of different …

Post-Conciliar Models Of Sin And Reconciliation: Towards A Contemporary Paradigm, James Cross

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The central proposal of this dissertation is that now, in the wake of the Second Vatican Council (1962-5), official Roman Catholic teaching on sin and sacramental reconciliation is not, but ought to be, based upon a contemporary paradigm of sin and reconciliation--i.e. a paradigm which is concordant with, and adequate in light of, the teachings and goals of this Council. According to the author, an existing "liturgical-narrational" model of sin and reconciliation ought to be elevated to the status of such a paradigm or supermodel.

The author arrives at this conclusion after examining two critical post-Conciliar documents--the revised Rite of …

A Study Of The Principle Of Subsidiarity In Catholic Social Thought: Implications For Social Justice And Civil Society In Nigeria, Simeon Iber

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examined the centrality of the principle of subsidiarity in Catholic social teaching, in bringing about social and moral reconstruction of society and in particular the Nigerian social context. The origin of this principle has been traced to the natural human inclination to build a healthy relationship between the individual and society, such that, the society will provide generous help and support to individuals to help themselves. Subsidiarity is a way of organizing individuals and social groups in community to help each other in pursuing their interests with common goals, the ultimate purpose being to assist one another and …

Don't Put Your Shoes On The Bed: A Moral Analysis Of To Kill A Mockingbird., Mitziann Stiltner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Harper Lee wrote a remarkable novel which provides a great deal of moral insight for its readers; through a use of history, moral instruction, and character development, Lee establishes a foundation for how people in an often intolerant world should live peacefully together. Moreover, she reminds the reader that regardless of socioeconomic status or race everyone deserves to be treated with respect and kindness. In establishing this moral analysis one must consider the historical source of Tom Robinson’s trial, the Scottsboro Trial; the Finch children’s consistent and exemplified instruction from their widowed father, Atticus, their housekeeper, Calpurina, and other close …

Christian Family As Church? Inquiry, Analysis, And Pastoral Implications, Ennio Pasquale Mastroianni

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to determine in what sense the Christian family can be called Church: not at all, analogically, and/or univocally. Integral to the dissertation is that the hierarchical magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church has developed significantly the ecclesial nature of the Christian family during the past three decades. During the Second Vatican Council the council fathers developed a seed text in which they use the term "domestic Church" to connote this ecclesial dimension of Christian marriage and the family which derives from it.

The core of this study is two-fold: first, to determine the meaning, …

The Union Of Mythology And Theology In Sor Juana's El Divino Narciso, Sharice Ann Long

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Study Of The Calvinist And New Humanist Philosophies As The Basis Of Faulkner's Light In August, Kay Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.