VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Genetics and Insurance: A Question of Justice

This thesis examines whether the results of genetic testing should be used by life, disability, and additional health insurance companies to determine risk. The ethical issues relevant in a Canadian context are dealt with. Insurers argue that they risk significant loss as a result of possible adverse selection by consumers. This thesis argues that genetic testing exacerbates ethical problems already present in risk- and experience-rated systems of insurance. A model of insurance is defended which balances liberal, free-market ideals with communitarian ideals. Types of insurance that can be considered basic goods are distinguished from those which are actually non-necessary goods. In this thesis a constructive ethic is developed to help deal with this issue. Principles on which to model the insurance industry are proposed. The thesis argues that private insurers should be prohibited from using both traditional medical information and genetic information for underwriting unless that information seems to indicate inevitable future disease. Should the adjusted premium become unaffordable (as with early-onset inevitable disease), a subsidized government program should cover such basic insurance.
Image as Authority in the Writings of John Chrysostom

There is an ongoing debate regarding Chrysostom's understanding of image. Certain modern scholars such as Elizabeth Clark insist that Chrysostom viewed the male alone to be in God's image. Others, such as Valarie Karras, insist that Chrysostom always believed that woman was created in the image of God. This investigation supports the second point of view, as Chrysostom's views on woman are examined by taking into account the era in question: pre-lapsarian, post-lapsarian, Christian or Escatological. Chrysostom's interpretation of Galatians 3:28, 1 Corinthians 11:3–16, and Ephesians 5:21–33 express his views of man and woman in the post-lapsarian and Christian eras. In the post-lapsarian era, Chrysostom viewed the image as being “amputated” with woman now being subject to her husband. Whereas the authority given to both man and woman to rule is natural , the authority of the husband over his wife is elective , and not innate to the human condition. The image of the authority established a relationship of master/steward between God and his creature; Chrysostom believed that for all who are baptized in Christ a new image established a relationship of father/child. In the Christian era (which co-exists with the post-lapsarian era) baptized children of God are given full authority and power to become what they are originally called to be: like God, and eternally with him in the eschatological era. All Christians are again equal in status before God; however, the husband remaining head of his wife is called to image Christ who is the head of the Church. However, the Christian marriage can only be beneficial if the persons involved live as virgins do, without cares for worldly things. As it is difficult for Christian marriages to refrain from such cares, virginity was seen as the better state for a Christian. Chrysostom saw the celibates of the church as having greater authority over their own person. Whereas all baptized Christians are equal in the sight of God the Father having become coheirs with Christ for the Kingdom that is to come, virgins have the power to more easily foretaste that Kingdom in the present.
The Post-Mortem Vindication of Jesus in the Sayings Gospel Q

The Sayings Gospel Q, which is conspicuously silent on the issues of Jesus' death and resurrection, nonetheless shows evidence of a knowledge of Jesus' death and of a strategy for accounting for Jesus' vindication. The dissertation argues that Q thinks of Jesus' end as an assumption, a bodily removal from earth to heaven, as happened to figures such as Enoch and Elijah in Jewish tradition. Q 13:34–35, the Jerusalem Lament (Matt 23:37–39 par. Luke 13:34–35), is the central text examined. In this saying, Jesus predicts that “You will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is the Coming One in the name of the Lord’” (Q 13:35b). The language of “not seeing” or disappearance was a consistent feature in Hellenistic assumption narratives, and in Jewish tradition a special eschatological function was typically accorded to those taken away by God in this way. The connection between assumption and eschatological function is seen in Q not only in the reference to the “Coming One” in Q 13:35 (a citation of Ps 118:26), but also in the redactional connections made by Q between materials dealing with an absent master and a suddenly returning Son of man (Q 12:39–40, 12:42b–46; Q 17 passim and Q 19). Since Q apparently knows about Jesus' death; yet contains no hint of resurrection theology, the possibility arises that assumption, not resurrection, was how the Q people understood Jesus' vindication by God after his death. The thesis evaluates scholarship on related issues, the death of Jesus in Q and the possibility of an “Easter faith” in Q (Chapter One), and discusses the most significant contributions to the understanding of the Jerusalem Lament as a piece of Q material (Chapter Two). Chapter Three surveys assumption theology in Greco-Roman, Jewish, and early Christian sources. Chapter Four discusses in detail the presence of assumption theology in Q 13:34–35, and Chapter Five investigates the implications of the central thesis for Q as a whole. Finally, other early Christian texts which might betray a similar perspective on Jesus' post-mortem vindication are discussed (Chapter Six).
Karl Rahner's Trinitarian Theology: Is it Modalist?

This thesis seeks to defend Karl Rahner's trinitarian theology from Jurgen Moltmann's charge that it is modalist. A prolegomenon identifies some of the more recent concerns of trinitarian theology which, while not explicit in Rahner's work, are clear in Moltmann's. Part One attempts to identify the major features of Rahner's trinitarian theology--how it is developed in light of his theology of grace, his aim at recapturing the focus of the Greek Fathers. A general evaluation of Rahner's trinitarian theology is included. Part Two examines the substance of Moltmann's charge, situating it within the fuller context of his doctrine of God. The thesis concludes that Moltmann's charge is overstated and that certain aspects of Rahner's theology--especially the place of God the Father's monarchia--indeed have a place in trinitarian discourse today.
The Relation of Confirmation to Baptism: A Mid-Twentieth Century Debate in the Church of England

The subject of this dissertation is the debate in the 1940s and 50s in the Church of England about the relation of confirmation to baptism. The principal writings that formed the debate are by Dom Gregory Dix, a liturgical scholar and theologian, G. W. H. Lampe, a systematic theologian, and L. S. Thornton, a biblical exegete using typology to explain his theology. The debate was held within a context of a number of official Church of England committees that reported during the time. Chapter One describes the historical background from the break-up of a unified initiation rite through the Reformation until the 19th century renewal of interest in confirmation in the Church of England that produced some writings that were to influence the debate. The various committees surrounding the debate are examined as well as the theological comments their reports aroused. The next three chapters deal respectively with the writings of the three principals and include critical appraisals. Dix held that Christian initiation was not complete until the Holy Spirit had been given in confirmation. He relied on early liturgical material. Lampe maintained that the seal of the Spirit is an inward sign given in baptism and that it is full Christian initiation. Thornton replied specifically to Lampe's book. He challenged Lampe's biblical interpretation and gave his own view of a two stage initiation. Thornton made extensive use of typology in his biblical exegesis. Chapter Five is a short link with Lampe's reply to Thornton's challenge and it then closes the context with the last of the Church of England committee reports that surrounded the debate. The last chapter looks at how the participants in the debate saw possible changes in the Church of England initiation rites to accord with the theology they proposed. It is my view that but for the climate in the 1950s where radical changes in the Book of Common Prayer were not possible, the participants in the debate might have agreed on a theological definition of Christian initiation such as is contained in Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry of the World Council of Churches, and on a rite based on that theology.
Gordon D. Kaufman's Theory of Theological Language

Gordon D. Kaufman has proposed a theological method based on the claim that language is an imaginative construction. His central thesis, that language is the medium and form for all of our thoughts, results in a theological method which focuses on the orientation of its user, connecting the speaker to the physical and social world. Kaufman's analysis of religious language is based on his view of language in general. He sees religious language as an external codification of internal mental states. In the process of expressing experience, however, language also generates that experience, by being the medium which orders and organizes it. Theology, then, is the unification of the system of religious meaning. Religious language is defined as a world-view (a way of looking at the world) and a world-picture (a constructed system modelling the world). The task of theology is to construct an adequate map of the world (judged by pragmatic means) by which the speaker can navigate through this confusing reality. The imagination, however, is also receptive, and creates linguistic images for a variety of purposes, such as representation, orientation, and evocation. The analysis of religious language is as much a task of judging linguistic images (their quality as well as their function), as it is the construction of those images and their interconnections. Although thought is set in the medium of language, this does not imply that language determines thought. That religious language is constructed does not mean that it can be judged only on pragmatic grounds. While the effects of religious language are important to analyze, it is also important to reflect upon what sorts of thoughts are generated by that language, in an attempt to address the ultimate mystery in which we live. Kaufman's view of language, that it is an artificial construction agreed upon by a community, can result in conclusions other than the relativist ones which he proposes. If language is a convention, then it is a tradition of interpretation, or, more radically, a narrative world in which speakers live, modified by intra-linguistic rules particular to the community which holds those conventions.
Stay with the One crucified, theology and ecclesiology represented in the statements of Canadian diocesan social justice commissions

Many dioceses across Canada instituted Social Justice or Social Action Commissions and offices in the 1970s and early 1980s. This paper examines the public statements and briefs of commission in five selected dioceses; Charlottetown, Edmonton, Regina, St. John's and Victoria. The documents are reviewed as representative of an emerging theological praxis and understanding of political action. This self-revelation permits an understanding of the ecclesiology represented through the documents, found both in the similarities and differences in the different regions of Canada. The emergent vision of being Church is called Justice Spirituality and its unique characteristics are described on the basis of the work of the justice commissions. This theology, although embedded in the Church, informs it and challenges it to living out the gospel imperative to create the kingdom. Finally, the commissions and offices were to have an inevitable clash with the hierarchy that gave the work its mandate.
The religious synthesis of Choe Je-U as a nineteenth century theological paradigm for Korean Minjung theology

The purpose of this thesis is to identify the spiritual roots of Minjung theology in Donghak, the name of the new teaching founded by Choe Je-U (1824-1864) in 1860 C.E. The focus of our attention here will be on the importance of the context of minjung in theological discussion. I suggest that, due to that neglect, there are some Korean cultural contextual issues that have not been effectively addressed by Minjung theology. As Christianity became one of the most powerful forces in Korean society, en route to its growth and expansion there has come, in less than a century, the near eradication of some of the indigenous cultural traditions, many of which were not necessarily in conflict with the Christian faith. It is clear that the Christian mission brought with it not only a spiritual vision but also competing cultural claims. The second problem has to do with the way the Church has treated other religions. I am not going to make any simplistic assertions concerning the root cause of these social clashes. Identifying the problems will suffice for my purpose here. My thesis is that Donghak, the religious movement founded by Choe Je-U, is a nineteenth century spiritual paradigm for Minjung theology, Conversely, Minjung theology is a twentieth century spiritual heir of Donghak. Although this point has been mentioned by many, both Minjung theologians and others alike, it has not been clear how it is so. This thesis, therefore, is also an attempt to illustrate this particular point. My thesis statement can be amplified as follows: (1) In order to avoid missionary cultural imperialism, as shown in the "problems" described above, theology must begin with the local and move to the general or universal, and not vice versa; (2) Choe Je-U provides an instructive Korean example of indigenous theology which begins with local "praxis," grounded broadly in the Korean religious synthesis and especially in what I call the "shaman ethos," and this approach is taken up later by Minjung theology; (3) The method implemented by Choe Je-U, and utilized by Minjung theology is corroborated by other liberation theologies, i.e., what is primarily normative in theology is what reflects the experience of the oppressed and contributes to their liberation. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
Are seekers welcome?, the spiritual needs of baby boomer women

Based on personal interviews with eleven baby boomer women who are affiliated with the Knox-Sutton and Virginia congregations of The United Church of Canada, this study reports and reflects on their spiritual longings, and attempts to describe the place of the church in their lives. These women lead busy lives that are affected by the insistent messages of our consumer culture. Their husbands are not likely to be involved in the church, and do not look to the church as a place to find friends. The women believe in God, and sometimes pray, but question traditional church doctrine. At the same time, they appreciate church rituals, especially holiday rituals, and want their children to be exposed to the church's stories and values. The church can support these women in their spiritual pilgrimage with non-judgmental acceptance and with opportunities to share their faith stories with one another.
The suffering God in the theologies of Choan-Seng Song and Jürgen Moltmann, an Asian perspective

This dissertation explores the concept of the suffering God in the work of two theologians: God portrayed as ‘the crucified God’ in the theology of Jürgen Moltmann, and ‘the compassionate God’ in the theology of Choan-Seng Song. Among the contemporary theologians who deal with the concept of the suffering God, Song and Moltmann are particularly important in terms of their distinctive works on the suffering God and the question of its relationship to the problem of creaturely suffering. This thesis argues, as do Song and Moltmann in their works, that the suffering of God should be central to the Christian conception of God. The primary aim of this study is to make the following points: (1) God's response to suffering is the most important consideration in determining our own response. (2) Compassion (suffering-with) is a way of interpreting God's relationship to the world. (3) The concept of divine compassion (suffering-love) is not only at the core of our Christian faith but also the most productive and critical language for the future, for it cannot be uttered without human beings hearing the challenge to solidarity and hope. (4) The compassionate God approach provides us with pastoral, practical resources in our ministry. Chapter One examines the historical development of the doctrine of divine (im)passibility, surveys the paradoxical approach to a suffering God, explores the global context regarding the suffering God as a backdrop and a framework for a clear understanding of the contemporary rediscovery of a suffering God. Chapter Two and Three present Moltmann's theology of ‘the Crucified God’ and Song's theology of ‘the Compassionate God’ respectively. Chapter Four, by examining and comparing the concepts of the suffering God in the work of Moltmann and Song in terms of the commonalities and divergences in their approaches, points out how these similar, contemporary, but different theologies reflect and grow out of their differing (Asian and European) contexts of suffering, and critically reflects upon how these theologies complement each other. This chapter also examines how the theological responses of Song and Moltmann are reflective of women's concrete experiences of suffering. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
A Light for Revelation to the Gentiles: Preaching the Old Testament in the United Church of Canada

This is a thesis about the preaching of the Old Testament in The United Church of Canada. In the course of this thesis the topic is explored through the researcher's experience and theology and the theological tradition of the church, both the Christian church generally and The United Church of Canada specifically. A particular research methodology is used in order to explore the experience of a preacher and parishioners in an action in ministry. The resulting data is thoroughly analyzed and then the thesis concludes by drawing all of these things together into some statements about future implications and possibilities. After a discussion of the title of the thesis, its scriptural structure and the terminology to be used, the thesis begins with the researcher's experience that the Old Testament is not being preached very regularly in the United Church. What then follows is her own experience, context and theology around why, in her perception, this is a problem for the church. The thesis discusses the history of what the Christian church has said about the Old Testament in order to discover whether this lack of preaching is a problem in the perception of the church. Some very specific work is done around the place of the Old Testament in The United Church of Canada, detailing the official documents which are both historical and current in the denomination. The design and implementation of the action in ministry which is to further explore this topic, is based on the question, “What is the experience of a suburban United Church preacher and his parishioners when the Old Testament lectionary texts (year A) are preached during Epiphany?” In terms of the research methodology employed in the process of the action in ministry, qualitative research is the general category with phenomenology chosen as the specific methodology which best suits the context and characteristics of the project. The thesis details the action in ministry, both in terms of what was intended and what actually happened. The data which emerges from the action in ministry is then analyzed in-depth according to five main themes. Each of the five chapters of the thesis draws some conclusions according to the subject matter of the chapter and the final and concluding chapter brings all of these together in a way which both summarizes what has been said and points to some general and very specific future directions for the preaching of the Old Testament in The United Church of Canada.
Dialogue at the Boundaries: An Exploration of the Native Apology (1986) and its Relationship to an Understanding of Mission within The United Church of Canada

“Dialogue at the Boundaries” explores the meaning and implications of the Native Apology offered in 1986 by the General Council of The United Church of Canada. The Apology addressed the troubling history of Native missions in Canada. In particular, this study suggests, the focus of the Apology was directed towards the failure of the Church to acknowledge the validity of traditional Native Spirituality. The Apology therefore opened the Church to the welcoming of Traditional Spirituality, the other, into its life and work. Acknowledging the validity of Traditional Spirituality, this study argues, raises significant challenges to the usual understanding and practice of mission within the Church. It also has important implications for the practice of dialogue and what has been called the interfaith question. Through in-depth interviews, and an examination of a traditional Native form of dialogue called the Talking Circle, the contributions and teachings of Native people to an understanding of mission as mutual transformation is named. The Native experience of “two path” spirituality is furthermore pointed to as offering a new approach to understanding the nature of pluralism. Finally the concept of Whole World Ecumenism, lifted up within a recent document on mission for the United Church entitled “Mending the World,” is offered as a new paradigm of mission. The experience and learnings, from the Apology and the Talking Circle are used to deepen reflection on this paradigm.