Master thesis | Theology and Religious Studies (Master)
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This thesis aims to address the epistemological problematic of ‘immediate revelation’, as a form of divine-human encounter, set against the liberal religious landscape of nineteenth-century America...Show moreThis thesis aims to address the epistemological problematic of ‘immediate revelation’, as a form of divine-human encounter, set against the liberal religious landscape of nineteenth-century America. My point of entry is the interpretation of the theological writings of eighteenth-century polymath Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772) by Octavius Brooks Frothingham (1822-1895), with a special focus on influences by Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) and Henry James Sr (1811-1882). Ultimately, this thesis is situated in the broader perspective of the field of Western esotericism.Show less
Master thesis | Theology and Religious Studies (Master)
open access
Comparing the effects of rehabilitation for drug and alcohol addiction from both religion-based and non-religion-based rehabilitation programs, specifically concerning relapse rates. The focus...Show moreComparing the effects of rehabilitation for drug and alcohol addiction from both religion-based and non-religion-based rehabilitation programs, specifically concerning relapse rates. The focus of religion-based programs will be Christian and all programs will be from the United States of America. Surrounding this is the “war on drugs” culture President Nixon waged in the 1970s and which has not been won yet; if anything, it has worsened in the last few decades. Concurrently, the laws regarding drug abuse have become harsher. The relationship between religion and health is fundamental to the discussion, and five specific relationships as defined by Hood, Hill, and Spilka will be applied to three selected studies. Hood et al’s relationships portray the core concepts of “self-control,” “coping,” and “emotion regulation” which are needed to deal with addiction and which rehabilitation is designed to provide tools to help with. The studies will cover a spectrum of religious rehabilitation, non-religious rehabilitation, and the “grey area” between. Pertinent questions for analysing these studies will be outlined and the results and their implications will be compared before ideas for further research are given.Show less
Master thesis | Theology and Religious Studies (Master)
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In this thesis social-anthropological theory about pilgrimage is applied to a case of pilgrimage in antiquity, as described in the Hieroi Logoi of Aelius Aristides, a autobiographical series of six...Show moreIn this thesis social-anthropological theory about pilgrimage is applied to a case of pilgrimage in antiquity, as described in the Hieroi Logoi of Aelius Aristides, a autobiographical series of six books. It aims to show how the theory can help understand pilgrimage in antiquity better, in this case from the viewpoint of landscape, movement and narrative. By studying the text through close reading, conclusions were formulated about the influence of the illness on Aristides' pilgrimages and about the usefulness of the theories used.Show less
Master thesis | Theology and Religious Studies (Master)
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This qualitative and comparative research looks at the similarities and differences in the conversion processes of converts to Islam and converts to Christianity, and if the similarities in the...Show moreThis qualitative and comparative research looks at the similarities and differences in the conversion processes of converts to Islam and converts to Christianity, and if the similarities in the conversion processes are either more attributable to the religious tradition or the gender of the converts.Show less
Master thesis | Theology and Religious Studies (Master)
open access
Desiderius Erasmus is known for his famous and influential works. In the 16th century he became one of the greatest humanists in Northern Europe. His publication of the revised version of the New...Show moreDesiderius Erasmus is known for his famous and influential works. In the 16th century he became one of the greatest humanists in Northern Europe. His publication of the revised version of the New Testament in Greek in 1516 meant a revolutionary breakthrough in the field of theology. During the age of Renaissance humanist intellectuals shared thoughts and influenced each other in many ways. The aim of this thesis is to contribute to the general understanding of scholasticism and humanism as its successor and to demonstrate some of the most distinguished charges against Erasmus. The Dutch scholar was able to make friends and also enemies with his sometimes revolutionary thoughts. Four important figures form the points of discussion: Alberto Pio III, Diego López de Zúñiga, Noël Beda and Julius Caesar Scaliger. By looking at these reactions and relating them to each other, one gets a clear picture of the various accents within the controversies.Show less
Master thesis | Theology and Religious Studies (Master)
open access
This thesis aims to document how the development of faith can be seen in the literary work of a person, who moved from belief and participation in a certain religion to skepticism and...Show moreThis thesis aims to document how the development of faith can be seen in the literary work of a person, who moved from belief and participation in a certain religion to skepticism and excommunication. In what follows the focus will be on Brian Evenson, author of Horror and Science Fiction, who was an active member of the Church of Latter Day Saints until he asked for his excommunication in 2000 in order to pursuit his art. Evenson’s literary output ranges over a time when he was faithful, holding a church office as a lay bishop and working for the Mormon Brigham Young University until the present day where he is very critical towards specific aspects of the LDS church and of the concept of religion in general. Brian Evenson has published 15 works of fiction in the genre of Horror and Science Fiction, thereby providing a big body of work to concider. The work of Evenson will be divided into three different parts, to better track his development; the writing published before his decision to leave the LDS church, the book that was written alongside Evenson’s choice to be excommunicated and everything written thereafter. In the pursuit of the question, how Evenson’s position to his religion and faith is displayed in all his writing a very particular focus is placed. His conflict with the church and his struggle with faith can be traced through specific reoccurring topoi in his stories and the themes, which dominate his writing. Further Evenson has repeatedly discussed how his personal life influences his writing in interviews, essays and epilogs of his books; thereby allowing to draw a connection between his religious development and writing.Show less
Master thesis | Theology and Religious Studies (Master)
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In recent years the discipline of sociology put the topic of religion back on its research agenda. Among them was Ulrich Beck who introduced his theory of modern religion in the work 'A God of One...Show moreIn recent years the discipline of sociology put the topic of religion back on its research agenda. Among them was Ulrich Beck who introduced his theory of modern religion in the work 'A God of One's Own' (2010). This thesis critically discusses this work and adds further theoretical reflection, partly with the help of other scholarly research. An embedding of the work in Beck's general theory of modernity is included as well. The research question of the thesis concentrates on two of Beck’s characterized forms of modern individual religion: ‘post-modern religiosity’ and ‘cosmopolitan religiosity’. In regard to ‘post-modern religiosity’ it is argued that Beck’s depiction of self-directedness, relativism and incoherency is based on a view that flattens out the characteristics of ‘spirituality’. It is argued that this is the result of Beck's broad brush theorizing, of normative intentions and of a Protestant bias. Informed by the theoretical notion of 'lived religion' it is showed with the help of Woodhead's and Heelas's works that aspects of Beck's depiction of spirituality must be nuanced. The critique in particular aims at the asserted incoherence by showing that the there is nevertheless an underlying belief-structure at work. Furthermore Heelas's arguments are included on how spirituality relates to Simmel's notion of ‘life’ and how this informs Enlightenment values and ethics. In continuing the argument, with new theoretical possibilities at hand, Lynch's work on 'progressive spirituality' is involved in the discussion. This form of spirituality exemplifies the public, political, relational sides and agendas of (particular expressions of) spirituality. A comparison between 'progressive spirituality' and 'cosmopolitan religiosity' is drawn to conclude that they show strong similarities. Lynch's research thus shows that some forms of 'post-modern' religiosity are much more indebted to 'religious cosmopolitanism' than Beck presents, and that 'progressive spirituality' provides an answer to Beck's desired form of modern religiosity.Show less
Master thesis | Theology and Religious Studies (Master)
closed access
Dit onderzoek gaat in op hoe de Hersteld Hervormde Kerk (HHK) tot stand kwam (of: voortging) vanuit de Nederlandse Hervormde Kerk (NHK), en waarom mensen er toen voor kozen (en nu nog steeds voor...Show moreDit onderzoek gaat in op hoe de Hersteld Hervormde Kerk (HHK) tot stand kwam (of: voortging) vanuit de Nederlandse Hervormde Kerk (NHK), en waarom mensen er toen voor kozen (en nu nog steeds voor kiezen) om een andere koers te varen dan de 'mainstream' hervormden, die opgingen in de Protestantse Kerk in Nederland (PKN). Als 'case-study' wordt er in het tweede deel van deze thesis speciaal ingegaan op de Hersteld Hervormde Gemeente (HHG) van Katwijk aan Zee. Uit de resultaten van een enquête die is afgenomen in het kader van dit onderzoek blijkt dat men over het algemeen voornamelijk om theologische redenen lid wordt en blijft van de HHG Katwijk. Dit komt overeen met de redenen waarom de HHK in de eerste plaats tot stand kwam.Show less
