Master thesis | Theology and Religious Studies (Master)
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While there are academic scholars who have been studying the perceptions of Muslims about Hinduism and Hindus (Ernst, 2003; Engineer, 2007), there are no academic works which specifically deal with...Show moreWhile there are academic scholars who have been studying the perceptions of Muslims about Hinduism and Hindus (Ernst, 2003; Engineer, 2007), there are no academic works which specifically deal with the perceptions of Hindu (mystical) scholars about Islam and Muslims. The purpose of this thesis is to introduce some Hindu scholars from the 19th and early 20th century, who have dealt with Islam and Muslims in their works. This thesis could be used as a framework to explore the Hindu perceptions of Islam and Muslims and therefore as an explanation for the complex relationship between Hindus and Muslims. The thesis will draw on the ideas of: Rammohun Roy (1772 – 1833), Dayananda Sarasvati (better known as Svami Dayananda, 1823/1824 – 1883), Vivekananda (1863 – 1902) and Thanwardas Lilaram Vaswani (better known as Sadhu Vaswani, 1879 – 1966) as sources of inspiration. Vaswani’s thought on Islam and Muslim will shed a new light on the relationship between Hindus and Muslims (for example when we take a look at his personal experiences with both religious communities in Sindh) in the late 19th and early 20th century. Furthermore, Vaswani must be seen as an ‘inclusivist’ Hindu (mystical) scholar who tried to unite Hindus and Muslims not only for a political purpose, but also on a spiritual level.Show less
Master thesis | Theology and Religious Studies (Master)
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This master thesis explores the factors that were crucial in the process that led to the separate category of ‘Hinduism’ in the world religions paradigm. Our present image of Hinduism as a world...Show moreThis master thesis explores the factors that were crucial in the process that led to the separate category of ‘Hinduism’ in the world religions paradigm. Our present image of Hinduism as a world religion is for a large part a continuation of nineteenth century ideas on Hinduism and religion in general. Due to nineteenth century scholarship and the agency of prominent Hindus, Hinduism as a world religion is presented as a book religion and belief system with the philosophy of Vedanta as its essential doctrinal substantiation. Vedanta is certainly an important and influential facet of Hinduism, but presenting the philosophy of Vedanta as Hinduism’s essence has created a one-dimensional image of Hinduism that does not do justice to the extreme versatility and complexity found in Hinduism. Next to that, emphasising belief and doctrine has led to an undervaluation of all those other aspects of Hinduism, such as rituals, materiality and social relations, all of which are important characteristics of Hinduism.Show less
Master thesis | Theology and Religious Studies (Master)
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In this master thesis I explore whether we can discover a link between the positions on nationalism and Nazism taken by Ṭāhā Ḥusayn and Sayyid Quṭb. In other words, does their particular...Show moreIn this master thesis I explore whether we can discover a link between the positions on nationalism and Nazism taken by Ṭāhā Ḥusayn and Sayyid Quṭb. In other words, does their particular redefinition of Egypt after independence from Britain lead them through a tunnel of love/hate, directly to the other end, i.e. a particular response to Nazism? Or is the path not necessarily as straight as we might think it to be?Show less
Master thesis | Theology and Religious Studies (Master)
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This MA-thesis deals with a highly fascinating topic in the domains of religious, literary, and cultural history. It is ambitious in its attempt to approach the topic of marriage and divorce in the...Show moreThis MA-thesis deals with a highly fascinating topic in the domains of religious, literary, and cultural history. It is ambitious in its attempt to approach the topic of marriage and divorce in the fin de siècle from the perspective of contemporary fiction in close alliance with religious and social dimensions of the issues. Given the fact that, as far as the topic of marriage and divorce goes, religion is quite understudied in literary research, this is an effort to bring these disciplines together in one thesis. Central to the thesis is the work of the prominent Dutch feminist Cecile de Jong van Beek en Donk who underwent a radical change from feminism to orthodox Catholicism. Whereas the first novel discussed in this thesis (Hilda van Suylenburg, 1897) has been the object of literary and feminist studies, the second novel (Bij de waskaarsen, 1929/30), stemming from the novelists’ Catholic phase of life, has been largely neglected up till today. To discuss these two interesting novels together is quite an original aspect of this thesis.Show less
Master thesis | Theology and Religious Studies (Master)
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The following paper (submitted as my master thesis for the course Theology and Religious Studies) analysizes the new religious movement Raelianism and its use of legitimation strategies and...Show moreThe following paper (submitted as my master thesis for the course Theology and Religious Studies) analysizes the new religious movement Raelianism and its use of legitimation strategies and veracity mechanisms to create a plausible, convincing and appealing narrative, mainly through the use of science fiction tropes.Show less
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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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
Master thesis | Theology and Religious Studies (Master)
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Years ago a fascinating story with a true ‘Indiana Jones’ feel to it sparked my interest. The story recounted of crystal skulls, brought to our planet by alien beings with the objective of aiding...Show moreYears ago a fascinating story with a true ‘Indiana Jones’ feel to it sparked my interest. The story recounted of crystal skulls, brought to our planet by alien beings with the objective of aiding us in our quest to save the world. Intrigued I aimed to learn as much as I could about this narrative and the movement that carried it. Several obstacles were encountered: There was no previous research or secondary literature about this story or its movement. There was little to no theory regarding the development of new mythology in modern religious movements (except for fiction based religions in which the story is the primary motivator of the movement) and no method has been developed to study new religions and their formative myths within the social environment. This thesis therefore pursues three objectives: a comprehensive analysis is made of the myth of crystal skulls. Based on this analysis, a preliminary theory on the emergence of new mythological stories is formed. A methodology is developed to study those religious stories and to make the results comparable. The results lead to the development of a proposal for a review of terrain: narrativism, a method of studying stories that differs from existing disciplines such as narratology and myth studies and aims to be an interdisciplinary approach to story-study with emphasis on the operation of the story within a community of believers. Not the technical structure of the story is leading, but the effect of the story his surroundings. One of the striking features in the story of the crystal skulls is its complexity: there seems to be different story elements, unrelated at first sight, that are rather haphazardly connected with each other to arrive at a new story. This is why, both in the title and in the further thesis, I speak of composite myths. To further understanding of this type of myths a distinction is made between 'intra mythical analysis' and' extra mythic analysis. Another concept that was developed during the analyses is ‘the oyster mechanism' that describes the way in which narrative layers are build up around a core story within the cultic environment. The basis for the theories on the origin of complex myths is the notion of ‘realms of realities’; clusters of views that naturally are felt to belong together in the human perception in spite of the fact that there are no objective criteria for it. Based on the crystal skull story a detailed example of these realms of reality is developed. This study is based almost entirely on written sources which are as noted previously, mainly primary in nature and consist of books as well as texts on websites. A minimum amount of field work is carried out during the first phase of the study. The theoretical foundation is largely based on the work of the French philosopher Paul Ricoeur and the developed methodology borrows elements from the work of the American philosopher Loyal Rue. The work of both authors is discussed in the thesis. The outcome of this thesis consists of the redemption of three promises made in the first chapter: 1) There is insight into the creation and operation of the crystal skull story and the conclusion is made that the crystal skull movement - despite its own statement not be either a movement or a religion- in fact does fall under the banner of new religious movements and should be studied as such studied. 2) A foundation has been laid out for the development of the theory on the emergence of new religious myths and a tool had been presented to map these emergences. 3) A methodology has been developed to make the study of myths objective and comparable.Show less
Master thesis | Theology and Religious Studies (Master)
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In this thesis, the use of the English language in a Dutch neo-Pentecostal congregation is explored. The use of English is connected to the church's desire to be 'modern', in relation to other ...Show moreIn this thesis, the use of the English language in a Dutch neo-Pentecostal congregation is explored. The use of English is connected to the church's desire to be 'modern', in relation to other 'traditional' churches. In addition, it enables a mediation of authority from global Pentecostal preachers, to local pastors in the NetherlandsShow less
Master thesis | Theology and Religious Studies (Master)
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In May 2013, when green activists heard that the trees at Gezi Park would be replaced by a shopping mall, a mosque and the Topcu Kislasi, they started occupying the Park. Due to the extreme force...Show moreIn May 2013, when green activists heard that the trees at Gezi Park would be replaced by a shopping mall, a mosque and the Topcu Kislasi, they started occupying the Park. Due to the extreme force of the police to dislodge these activists, a city awakened and something amazing happened. All colors of Istanbul came together!Show less
