Masters Theses

Permanent URI for this collection

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13057/7

Browse

Now showing 1 - 16 of 16

Brigid: Bridge between Worlds. A Feminist Examination of the Significance of Brigid (an Irish Saint and Goddess) in Comtemporary Australian Women's Spiriuality.
(2009-05-08) Connelly, Catherine
This thesis explores the significance of Brigid as Irish Saint and pagan Goddess, examining the influence on comtemporary Australian women's spiriuality. In this context, a number of metaphors are explored, the most generative of these revealing Brigid as both a threshold figure and catalyst for liberation. The threshold analogy is further develoged, positioning Brigid as a nexus of potential dialogue between contemporary Chrisianity and neo-paganism. Using a feminist methodology, what emerges is an understanding of the depth and diversity of Brigid veneration and its role in the spiritualities of Australian women today.
The Contemplative Heart: A Contemplative Spirituality for Daily Life
(2005) Morris, Christopher
The thesis explores the recent growth in interest in the contemplative dimension of Christianity. The term Contemplative Spirituality will be used to encapsulate this growing movement. The central notion of contemplative spirituality is that the living of a contemplative life is available to all Christians living in any state of life. This is a significant change from the past, when a contemplative life was considered the reserve of those living a contemplative lifestyle, usually in a monastery. The thesis examines first the contemporary context in which contemplative spirituality has emerged, a context characterised by a spiritual search emphasising personal experience and choice. It argues that the growing interest and new expression of the Christian contemplative tradition has emerged within this context and has also been influenced by it. Some dimensions of contemplative spirituality are explored, and theological foundations developed. The thesis then suggests contemplative practice as the heart of contemplative spirituality, the most central being the intention to live life with a receptive and attentive attitude to God’s presence in daily life. It then examines a number of contemplative practices before exploring meditation and the spiritual journey in detail. The thesis concludes by arguing that the living of the contemplative life in the world requires significant support to ensure it continues to grow, and it suggests a number of these supports.
Emancipatory education: Pipe dream or possibility? A critical and contemporary re-imagining of Paulo Freire’s dialogical pedagogy for Catholic educators, informed by Parker Palmer’s epistemic ontology.
(2022) Leydon, Thomas
The thesis argues that authentically emancipatory pedagogy, in a twenty-first century context of what Pope Francis calls the “omnipresent technocratic paradigm”, invites a re-imagining of Paulo Freire’s idealism. Critically examining Freire’s pedagogy in retrospect, it applies his spirit of critical dialogue to the times. Via fresh insights from Catholic Social Teaching, we engage Parker Palmer’s educational spirituality for this purpose. Palmer re-integrates the “knowing and “being” essential for contemporary educators yearning to “re-humanise” the vocation.
EMBRACING THE MYSTERY WITHIN: Explorations in the Art of Spiritual Direction
(2014-11) Farrugia, Victor
The author has explored the dynamic encounters which happen in Spiritual Direction, as a place of Mystery. In the narratives, autoethnography helped explore the encounters between the director and the directee, within themselves and the presence of the Divine. Research literature was engaged in order to enlighten and challenge these data and thus help clarify the author's conclusions.
Ignatian spirituality and its potential contribution to Jesuit formation in the context of Vietnam
(2016-02) Nguyen, Dinh Khai
There is a two-fold goal of this thesis. Firstly, there is a desire for a deeper understanding of Ignatian Spirituality. Secondly, there is a quite urgent need for the Jesuits in Vietnam: normalise their existence in Vietnam society; their number has been increased so quickly.
Personal and Ecclesial Worship. The Place and Purpose of Popular Piety and Devotions in the Life of the Human Person and of the Cathlic Church
(2011-05-12) Cartwright, David M.
Forms of worship or devotion outside the Eucharistic Liturgy of the Catholic Church exist and their context and purpose is sometimes misunderstood. These forms of worship take on different expressions depending upon person, culture, place and time. Such forms of worship are open to adaptation and change depending upon their context and the need and purpose they perform. It will be the purpose of this paper to place these forms of worship, popularly called piety or devotions, into a proper context in relation to the Eucharistic Liturgy of the Catholic Church and examine their proper place and purpose in the life of the human person and in the ecclesial setting of the Church.
Recovering Obedience in the Spiritual Path
(2019) Fowler, Ruth
The thesis proposes that there is a need to recover the place of obedience in the western Catholic/Christian spiritual path, where obedience is an experience of love, learned in relationship and leading to becoming one's unique creation in Christ. The practice of contemplation and the recovery of a spiritual elder tradition such as is practised in eastern Orthodox Christianity are central to this.
Seeking Vision: Revelation in Contemporary Theology
(2010) Dungan, Lynette
This thesis explores revelation in the contemporary vistas of twentieth and twenty first century theology through the trope of seeking vision. Revelation is deemed to be unfolding within the dynamic interplay of both particular views and wider global, ecological and technological influences. The influence of postmodernity is also considered, inviting observation of the minority view, and the ‘other’ as pertinent vantage points. This thesis uses metaphors of sight and blindness, light and glory as indicative of horizons and limits for revelation. The views of theologians and scholars like Avery Dulles, Mary C. Grey, Hans Urs von Balthasar, Vladimir Lossky, John M. Hull, Jean Luc Marion and Wesley Wildman, are explored to convey diversity in the ways revelation can be described. The thesis concludes by inviting the reader to pay attention and to continue to seek vision as God is revealed now, and into the future.
Shemah as Relational Spirituality
(2009) Cheong, Geoffrey W.
There is currently no abstract available for this item.
Spirituality in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
(2011-05-12) Power, Philippa M.
My purpose is to explore the future for its spirituality. I will analyse specific futuristic predictions and debates about artificial intelligence (AI), centring on Ray Kurzweil’s concept of evolutionary technology culminating in The Singularity, a predicted time when human, but largely artificial intelligence, will dominate life as we know it. Kurzweil’s technological milieu of AI, enhanced humans and spiritual machines will be considered for its philosophical roots, its significance to consciousness and free will and its fit with theological notions of eschata. I suggest that the evolution of scientific knowledge has coincided with more tolerant, compassionate and productive spirituality in which forgiveness becomes imperative and conclude that there is much to be learnt about the human condition and spirituality from progress in artificial intelligence.
The Development of a Relational Masculine Spirituality in the Context of Current South Korean Unemployment Issues
(2018) Kim, Chongdae
Middle adult Korean males, formed in a rigid culture, are faced with difficulty of relationship due to massive dismissal. This thesis analyses their consciousness culturally and psychologically and discusses a mature spirituality for them to develop relationships with their own self, others and the Ultimate Being. This thesis also recommends a model of servant leadership for them.
The Development of an Art Retreat that Will Assist Retreatants to Describe and More Fully Understand the Experience of Spiritual Direction through "Art Creation"
(2009-05-08) Bentley, Peter
The thesis surveys the development and design of a three-day art retreat, and explores how art creation can contribute to the processes of active reflection within the experience of spiritual direction. The thesis identifies key principles that govern the successful design of the art retreat for this purpose.
The Embodied Experience of Grace and Maternal Embrace
(2009-05-08) Wright Howie, Joan
This thesis employs the metaphor of maternal embrace to present a theological paradigm for the spiritual direction practice of encountering God’s grace through embodied and lived experience. The metaphor and nature of divine maternal embrace is articulated through the three motifs of nurturing, enabling and enduring.
The Hidden Stream: The Contemplative Tradition in the Spirituality of The Salvation Army.
(2009-05-08) Faragher, Christine
While Salvationist spirituality is typically perceived in terms of evangelism and social activism, this thesis argues that the Contemplative Tradition is an equally important element of Salvation Army spirituality. Further, it demonstrates that this aspect of Salvationist spirituality has had a significant impact on the Army’s ministry of Spiritual Direction.
The Singing Heart: An Analysis of the Morning and Evening Songs of Paul Gerhardt as Exercises in Evangelical Piety.
(2014-02-24) Prenzler, Matthias
Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676) was a German Lutheran pastor, and writer of spiritual songs. Gerhardt was strongly influenced by a devotional movement, often referred to as the Neue Frömmigkeit, that was evident within German Lutheranism during the first half of the seventeenth century. The influences of this piety movement are clearly evident in Gerhardt’s songs, especially his three morning and two evening songs that are known today. These five songs can be considered sung devotional meditations with meditational devices woven into their texts that naturally lead those who are singing to meditate upon the scriptures. Many of these devices are able to be examined and explored through textual analysis. This study seeks firstly to examine the background to Gerhardt’s morning and evening songs; and secondly, to engage in the analysis of selected song texts in order to investigate how they may indeed be considered exercises in evangelical piety.
What is Julian of Norwich's Contribution to Contemporary Christian Spirituality?
(2011-05-12) Dillon, Michael J.
Julian of Norwich’s text 'Revelations of Divine or Showings' has become a very popular text within Christian spirituality today and a great literary text. Julian’s text opens our eyes to the second person of the Trinity in her perceptive insights and powerful use of metaphorical language. The first section of this thesis highlights the rich Christian tradition that Julian’s text has developed from including earlier Christian writers such as Saint Anselm of Canterbury and Saint Bernard of Clairvaux as well as the period of history within fourteenth century Norwich that would have influenced the writing of her text. The Suffering Christ forms Section Two after the introduction whereby the significant themes that relate to the suffering of Christ will be explained in detail. The key motifs deal with the three wounds of contrition, compassion and a longing for God as part of Julian’s and our spiritual journey in life. In addition the important aspects that emerge from Julian’s fourth, eighth, ninth and tenth and thirteenth revelations in terms of her vision of the bleeding body of Christ on the cross, include the precious blood of Christ, the crucifix as a journey through love and salvation, the open side of Christ’s body as a movement into the Church and the spiritual thirst of Christ from the cross. Section Three draws us to an understanding of Christ within the Holy Trinity and the image of God. How does God view the sinner? The compassionate, merciful and tender image of God indicates the face of God that Julian desires for all of us to know and understand. Closely following this section the great account of the Parable of the Lord and Servant provides Julian with the answer as to how God looks upon the sinner. In the next part of section three, Christ as the Holy Mother Church restores our human nature and as the Mother of Mercy and Grace, spiritually sustains us through his body and blood within the Eucharist. Christ our Mother of Grace cares and nurtures us in our mortal life and our eternal life. The Holy Spirit completes the union within the Holy Trinity. Section Four indicates how within Julian’s fifteenth and sixteenth revelations, the glorious indwelling of Christ within our soul shines for us today for our faith in this life and the next. The final section indicates the contribution Julian’s text has today for our contemporary Christian spirituality

Browse

Browsing Masters Theses by Subject "D - Spirituality and Spiritual Direction"

Results Per Page

Sort Options