Theology and Religious Studies (Theses)

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An investigation of the concept of Divine Freedom within the philosophical Theology of St Thomas Aquinas
(2024-10-18) O'Gorman, Michael
This dissertation will investigate the concept of Divine Freedom within the philosophical Theology of St Thomas Aquinas by analysing in detail the arguments that St Thomas Aquinas makes in order to establish that God enjoys divine freedom – the ability for God to make choices, determinations, and decisions and so on, unconstrained by any sort of deterministic influences. To properly analyse these arguments, the thesis first establishes and then considers Aquinas’s more general account of the divine, starting with how it might first be known, and progressing to encompass what claims about God Aquinas felt able to make. After this, the thesis will consider Aquinas’s account of the will in light of his conception of God and of knowledge claims concerning God. It will then continue with a rigorous comparison of the divine and human wills, and how Aquinas considers the concept of ‘freedom’ as applying to each. Finally, the thesis will conclude with an analysis of one of the most striking and exhaustive critiques of Aquinas’s own conception of divine freedom by one Norman Kretzmann. It will be found through careful examination of Aquinas’s understanding of divine freedom in light of Norman Kretzmann’s critique that Aquinas’s arguments for that same divine freedom were ultimately lacking. Mainly, they will be found to be insufficient with respect to God’s lacking a suitable motive for choosing to will creation into being if one considers the divine will as free from the divine goodness in the sense that Aquinas does. Thus, the thesis will ultimately be forced to conclude that Aquinas’s conception of divine freedom cannot surmount a critique concerning divine motive.
The content of the Christian Religious Studies syllabus in Nigerian secondary schools: a historical perspective on indigenous pastoral theology
(2024-09-24) Odia, Cyril Aigbadon
Christian Religious Studies in Nigeria is almost entirely based on the study of the Bible. This is as a result of the historical foundation of formal education in Africa, and the contribution of missionaries. Though strongly influenced by political and economic factors, African theology has developed from a strong scriptural standpoint. The different approaches to pastoral theology on the continent need more clarity on what the future holds for young people of faith. This research provides that clarity and specifically identifies the present situation of Indigenous pastoral theology (IPT) in Nigeria. The pedagogical option and method used for teaching Christian Religious Education provide an opportunity to understand why there is a lot of emphasis on Christology in secondary schools. Through formal education and a systematic study of academic materials, one can develop a hypothesis for an African theology of Education (ATE) as a sustainable way of contributing to the growth of pastoral theology from a local level.
An evaluation of the compatibility of mindfulness and ethos in the Irish Catholic primary school
(2023-09-25) Carroll, Thomas
Mindfulness has exploded in popularity across several elements of society, including healthcare, education and commerce. This growth in the practice is supported by an increasing body of research on the benefits of mindfulness for physical and mental wellbeing. However, no significant research on this concept has been conducted in relation to Catholic education, and the implications mindfulness practice may have on the characteristic spirit of Catholic schools. Within this context, this study aims to evaluate the compatibility of mindfulness and ethos in Irish Catholic primary schools. It first maps out the conditions of religious belief and experience in the contemporary European context, drawing on the work of Charles Taylor, Lieven Boeve, Michael Paul Gallagher, Tomáš Halík and Grace Davie. It then investigates the Buddhist origins of mindfulness and how it evolved into a contemporary and popular Western phenomenon through the processes of Buddhist modernism. This includes delineating the different meanings attached to mindfulness and exploring the three distinctive strands of mindfulness operative today, and how this has interacted with Irish education. Following this, several criteria for a Catholic educational vision are developed through an analysis of key post-Conciliar documents on Catholic education and the framework for the distinctiveness of Catholic education offered by Thomas Groome. These evaluative criteria are applied to find that the Irish Catholic primary school has in mindfulness a resource that is potentially invaluable in supporting and vivifying the patterns of belief, conduct and practice that embody this vision of life, which is Catholic ethos. This compatibility with Catholic ethos is demonstrated in the contribution of mindfulness to holistic education, as preparation for prayer and as a contemplative activity, as praeparatio evangelica and in fostering an other-oriented outlook which is committed to the common good. The study contributes to contemporary research into mindfulness in Catholic education both nationally and internationally, enhancing clarity on how and when mindfulness is compatible with Catholic ethos. The recommendations are of interest to patrons, educational practitioners and professional developers in Irish Catholic education.
Walking back to Earth: the enduring appeal of ancient pilgrimage as portal to the sacred for the contemporary seeker
(2022-05-16) King, Judith
This thesis offers a perspective on pilgrimage, from the vantage point of the pilgrim’s reflection on their embodied experience and an analysis of that experience from theological and psychological hermeneutics, in particular. In the experience of performing the pilgrimage, in the givenness of its intense physical requirements, the pilgrim is drawn into a deeply holistic sense of their own embodiment-in-the-world. This experience of embodiment, the thesis argues, is both inherently satisfying and satiates a deep incarnational longing in the pilgrim. The particularity, vulnerability and delight and earthiness of being human is made whole and holy in the teaching of Incarnation and when the pilgrim drops into their own earthy embodiment at the behest of their pilgrimage journey, I argue that many re-connect with this fundamental truth of being human. Pilgrims re-discover that there is something holy and wholesome about their very being and in turn they see their fellow pilgrims with the reverence that living such truth begets. Along ancient pathways and encircling ancient stones and prayer-beds, pilgrims walk, eat, fast, rest, pray, reflect, and exchange life-stories. They do so in places and patterns that were held sacred by their foremothers and forefathers and, in that movement, they both honour a religious tradition and make it new. It is a sacred witness in a time of contesting truths and a veritable eschewal of the sacred, in much of the signature cultural discourse and the social and political decision-making of our times. Contemporary pilgrimage, in an era of postmodernity, reveals a hunger for congregating differently -as pilgrim church- if you will, and hence the thesis argues thepilgrim journey is being re-found in our time as an essentially religious quest.
How do children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) enrolled in special ASD classes in mainstream primary schools make sense of themselves and their educational experiences? Child, parent and teacher insights?
(2022-03-30) Ryan, Eibhlín
Aims: School is a site of critical importance in the construction of sense of self. A corpus of qualitative literature indicates that adolescent students with ASD attending mainstream schools often construe themselves as “different” to typically-developing peers in a negative sense. However, the voice of younger children and those enrolled in special ASD educational provision is largely absent from this qualitative research base. The current study explores how children with ASD, aged eight to twelve years, enrolled in special ASD classes in Irish primary schools, make sense of themselves and their school experiences. Design & Methodology: An exploratory multiple-case study design was adopted involving five child-parent-teacher triads, with the individual child defined as the “case” or unit of analysis. Interviews with children were mediated via an accessible “Talking Mat” pictorial communication technique and semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents and teachers. Results: Adopting an experiential approach which foregrounds personal meaning for participants, data was analysed using a multi-perspectival interpretative phenomenological analysis [IPA] (Larkin et al., 2019). Patterns of convergence and divergence were identified in cross-case synthesis. Master themes related to the child’s lived school experience include complex friendship dynamics, a supportive learning environment and navigating the learning process. Master themes related to the child’s sense of self include pockets of positive self appraisal, a questioning versus an unquestioning self and the impact of inclusive practice. Conclusions: The research addresses an identified gap in the literature by privileging the voice of the primary school-aged child with ASD attending special class provision and eliciting focal perspectives of key adults in the child’s world. In doing so, the research builds an empirical knowledge base about lived experiences within an expanding model of partial inclusion in Ireland- the special ASD class in the mainstream school. Based on the research findings, implications are presented for educational policy and practice and future research directions.
A socio-rhetorical interpretation of Paul’s theology of Christian suffering of 1 Corinthians
(2021-04-07) Mortell, Philip
This dissertation is a socio-rhetorical investigation of Paul’s theology of Christian suffering in 1 Corinthians. Paul’s undisputed Letters offer seven lists of his suffering (see 1 Cor 4:9-13; 2 Cor 4:8-9; 6:4-5, 8-10; 11:23-29; Rom 8:35; Phil 4:12) and on numerous other occasions in his Letters he mentions that he has suffered, is suffering or anticipates suffering (e.g. 1 Cor 9:24-27; 15:31). The question arises as to how Paul understood his suffering. Paul’s theology of suffering begins with a loving God, who is always seeking a relationship with creation. However, his people often reject it, alienating themselves from him in a sinful world. The coming of Christ is the returning point. Through Christ’s sacrificial service of others (1 Cor 4:9-13, 16; 6:12-20; 9:19-27; 11:1; 15:31) humanity is offered a new relationship/union that is ontological, spousal, spiritual and participatory (1 Cor 6:12-20). By appropriating Jewish Passover remembrance theology, Paul holds that followers of Christ may enter this union through the symbolic remembrance theology and rituals of the Eucharist (1 Cor 11:17-34). This new union is a participation in Christ’s life, mission, death, resurrection and exaltation. Living out this union, working towards creation’s salvation (1 Cor 9:19-27) is a mission of sacrificial, suffering service: in 1 Corinthians Paul speaks of suffering always in mission-related contexts (1 Cor 4:9-13; 9:19-27; 15:31). As a ‘life-giving spirit’ (1 Cor 15:45-49), Paul is gifted by the Spirit for his mission (1 Cor 12:1—14:40). Paul/each believer, in union with Christ and empowered by the Spirit, reconciles others with God: they are God’s “workers,” “builders,” “partners,” (1 Cor 3:9, 10; 9:23). Their sacrificial mission is an expression of God’s love at work (1 Cor 13:8— 14:1): they are sacraments of God’s love. Paul and believers are continuing God’s salvific mission that is guaranteed success (1 Cor 15:58). Ultimately, the believer’s suffering (redefined as the selfless, sacrificial service of others in the promotion of God’s Plan) has positive, salvific meaning and value: the believer participates in God’s plan to “save others” (1 Cor 9:19-23).
"Do you see this woman" (Luke 7:44). The multi-faceted witness of women in Luke's gospel
(2021-04-07) Mortell, Marian
The open question that is posed in this research, seeks to ascertain what the women exemplify as they interact with Jesus in the Lukan Gospel. How does Jesus engage them and what aspects of discipleship and response do they model? Furthermore, what do their reactions reveal of Jesus and how do they anticipate his ministry? By doing a comparison and contrast with the men what more can be learned? The methodology focuses on characterisation and, in particular, on reader response with the implied reader of the first century. It involves a detailed exegesis of all pericopes where women encounter Jesus in his adult ministry, an analysis of the female character in her interaction with Jesus and the other characters, a synkrisis of the male-female pairings (usually in juxtaposed pericopes) and finally a summary based on the cumulative reading of the female characters and their relationship with Jesus. The diversity and complexity of individual women, who appear in only one pericope each, demonstrate a variety of interactions with Jesus and many aspects of discipleship. Alongside the singular characters, a group of Galilean women form a continuous link from Jesus’ earliest ministry through to the empty tomb. This culminates in their witness to the resurrection. The sequential reading and synkrises show that there is a complementarity between the responses of the men and women with different emphases at different times. Luke’s aim, in establishing the synkrises, is not to show competition between men and women but to help elucidate what it means to follow Jesus, irrespective of gender. This inclusive discipleship is demonstrated in Jesus’ extension of his fictive kindred to include all who “hear the word of God and do it” (8:19-21; 11:27-28). The response of Jesus to the women further elucidates his ministry, and frequently, anticipates that ministry in particular in relation to the Paschal mystery.
'Further up and further in': Biblical themes and imagery in C.S. Lewis The chronicles of Narnia
(Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick, 2013) Hannan, James
Clive Staples Lewis is one of the most popular and renowned authors and lay theologians of the twentieth century. Lewis is best known for The Chronicles of Narnia series, which has sold more than 100 million copies worldwide. As a committed Anglican who was well versed in the Bible, Lewis wrote extensively on the subject of Christianity. Lewis’ thoughts on the subject were not confined to just his academic writings; his fictional work which also includes The Screwtape Letters and The Space Trilogy has biblical allusions permeating the narratives. This dissertation comprehensively explores biblical themes in The Chronicles of Narnia. I have identified the allusions throughout the Narnian heptalogy and have catalogued and analyzed them within the overarching themes of Christology, Creationism, the Trinity and Eschatology. This literary study has been enhanced by researching authorial intention in that I have also corroborated Lewis’ theological stance as expressed within his academic writings. In light of the patterns discerned in Lewis’ use of the Bible, I conclude that Lewis uses a Christocentric reading of both Old and New Testaments and that he follows a Christian reading of the canonical biblical metanarrative. Although biblical allusion is pervasive, the primary reason for it is to fill out the figure of Aslan and establish him as the Christ figure in Narnia.
The role of Christian faith in the lives of a cohort of Catholic primary school principals in the Republic of Ireland
(2021-02-19) Campbell, Máire
Principals, as ‘gatekeepers’ in Catholic primary schools (CPSs), are at the nexus of change in relation to faith and culture. These changes include a political impetus for a more diverse patronage system for primary schools, new admission policies and changes to Religious Education. The Church also acknowledges the more diverse, plural and secular nature of Irish society and the need for change. Within this context, this study aims to discover the role of Christian faith in the lives of a cohort of CPS principals. This hermeneutic phenomenological research study involved interviewing eighteen principals in order to gather descriptions and interpretations of their lived experiences. It found that faith is an integral part of most of the principals’ lives; sixteen are believers and two are agnostic. The believers embody their faith in their heads as beliefs and theological understanding, in their hearts as spiritual and religious practices and in their hands as moral outlooks and behaviour. Their experiences of nature, birth, death and suffering are intertwined with their faith. The Catholic school subculture and their Catholic upbringing were found to have influenced their faith but the Church scandals have affected them and most do not talk about their faith today. Most perceive principalship as a vocation even though there is ambiguity around the word. For most, faith influences their principalship, how they cope with challenges and conflict and their leadership styles. While they all uphold the Catholic school ethos, the believers actively promote the Catholic ethos. Ten principals prefer to work for Catholic school patrons and eight are willing to change patron. Moreover, the principals all seem to be immersed in the mystery of God as they wonder about Him and want to have faith. The study contributes to the conversation about the way forward for the CPS sector and the recommendations are of interest to policy makers, patrons, professional developers and practitioners within the sector.
'Further up and further in': Biblical themes and imagery in C.S. Lewis' The chronicles of Narnia
(Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick, 2013) Hannan, James
Clive Staples Lewis is one of the most popular and renowned authors and lay theologians of the twentieth century. Lewis is best known for The Chronicles of Narnia series, which has sold more than 100 million copies worldwide. As a committed Anglican who was well versed in the Bible, Lewis wrote extensively on the subject of Christianity. Lewis’ thoughts on the subject were not confined to just his academic writings; his fictional work which also includes The Screwtape Letters and The Space Trilogy has biblical allusions permeating the narratives. This dissertation comprehensively explores biblical themes in The Chronicles of Narnia. I have identified the allusions throughout the Narnian heptalogy and have catalogued and analyzed them within the overarching themes of Christology, Creationism, the Trinity and Eschatology. This literary study has been enhanced by researching authorial intention in that I have also corroborated Lewis’ theological stance as expressed within his academic writings. In light of the patterns discerned in Lewis’ use of the Bible, I conclude that Lewis uses a Christocentric reading of both Old and New Testaments and that he follows a Christian reading of the canonical biblical metanarrative. Although biblical allusion is pervasive, the primary reason for it is to fill out the figure of Aslan and establish him as the Christ figure in Narnia.
'Mercy and righteousness have met': literary structure as key to the centrality of mercy in Romans
(Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick, 2013) Brien, Mary T.
The aim in presenting this dissertation is to establish the thesis that one fundamental literary structure identifiable in Romans provides a clue to a satisfactory reading of the Letter. By ‘satisfactory reading’ I mean a reading which respects all of the data while making sense of the totality of Paul’s message to Roman Christians. I discover that message to be what Paul says it is in Rom 1:1: “The Gospel of God” – The Revelation of God’s Good News for the world. This, in turn, is nothing less than God’s magnificent and merciful plan of salvation for all, Jew and Gentile alike. It includes the stunning revelation of God as being both righteous and merciful. Chapters 9-11 present this truth within a rather surprising, yet thoroughly biblical, context. The methodology used is described in detail in Chapter Three. In summary, it involves exercises in text delimitation, leading to the identification of literary panels/ dyads/triads. A fundamental and leading literary structure may be identified in Romans, firstly by a careful study of both Prologue and Epilogue. Both are shown to consist of two distinct but complementary ‘panels’ which function dialogically and complementarily. A similar pattern of ‘panels in dialogue’ is then detected to be a feature found elsewhere in Romans. Sample texts from the beginning, middle and end of the Letter are found to bear this out (1:1-15; 1:16-3:20; 8:1-39; 12:1-13:14, 13:15-16:27). Eventually, that structure is shown to be pervasive throughout, with one notable exception corresponding to a climactic phase in the Letter (Rom 9-11). The outcome is quite illuminating: A ten-fold literary structure can be discovered, using the tools of contemporary delimitation criticism. This ten-fold structure consists of nine dyads (‘panels’ in dialogue) and one important variant, which is crucial. This variant corresponds with the climax of Paul’s argumentation and the heart of his Gospel for Christians in Rome. If structure is a pointer to meaning in any literary work, as I believe it is, this fundamental structure in Romans provides an important signpost. It is not the only important structure in the Letter, but it is a basic and pervasive one which deserves attention. The thesis presented here is that this underlying structure opens the door to a fresh reading of Romans – a reading which respects both the integrity of the entire sixteen-chapter text and the rich complexity of Paul’s thought.
Seeing ourselves in stained glass - a comparative study of nineteenth and twentieth-century Irish stained glass.
(Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick, 2014) Hayes, Myra
The aims of this thesis are to examine how biblical themes in the stained glass in 20th century Irish churches reflect re-emerging Catholic identity. In order to do this it focuses on two Roman Catholic buildings – Loughrea Cathedral built in 1903, with stained glass produced from 1903 to 1957 by An Túr Gloine, and the Honan Chapel built in the Hiberno-Romanesque style in 1916 and decorated by An Túr Gloine and Harry Clarke. A detailed iconographical study of the windows is undertaken. It looks for indicators of particularly Roman Catholic iconography within a biblical context. It also surveys recent scholarship indicating the connection between French and Irish Catholicism of the period, examining how the re-emerging stature of the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland drew inspiration from the French Catholic Revival (1905-1944). It explores the centrality of Catholicism and its imagery to the identity of the new state following political independence. Ricoeur’s theory on identity is consulted in order to make conclusions. Finally, it makes comparisons between 20th century Roman Catholic iconography and the biblical iconography of the Church of Ireland of the late 19th century, by examining the stained glass windows in St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral, Cork. The conclusions it makes are that early twentieth century Irish stained glass reflected Irish Catholic identity which was re-emerging following Catholic emancipation. It offers a new perspective on how Irish Roman Catholics restructured and fostered an identity which was projected to the outside world at the beginning of the twentieth century.
An evaluation of Hans Urs von Balthasar’s critique of Karl Rahner’s theology of the cross
(Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick, 2014) Carroll, Thomas
This work offers examines the theology of the cross found in Karl Rahner’s writings, with particular regard to Hans Urs von Balthasar’s critique of this area of Rahner’s work . This work maintains that Karl Rahner does have a coherent theology of the cross, albeit that it differs from that of Balthasar’s. This work draws in particular from scholars in the English language. Chapter 1 outlines what is meant by a “theology of the cross”. This is achieved by briefly exploring the approaches to the cross offered by five major theologians. Following on from this, certain key criteria are outlined to determine in the context of the debate between Balthasar and Rahner, what can be deemed necessary to constitute a theology of the cross. Chapter 2 investigates the context of the criticism aimed at Rahner regarding his theology of the cross and serves to evaluate the critique offered by Balthasar. The next two chapters are an examination of where the cross is situated in Rahner’s theology. A central contention of this work is that Rahner’s theology of the cross is both explicitly expressed and implicitly implied in his work, and are both influenced by Ignatian spirituality. Chapter 3 presents the explicit, more thematic theology of the cross found in Rahner’s work, with particular emphasis on Rahner’s text; Spiritual Exercises. Chapter 4 offers the implicit but significant role the cross plays in Rahner’s theology; particularly in his theology of death, theology of Eucharist and mediations on the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Finally, Chapter 5 applies the criteria outlined in the first chapter to evaluate our findings from Chapters 3 and 4. It is demonstrated that Rahner is not lacking a theology of the cross as Balthasar would claim.
The presence of Christ in the Eucharist: a strange neglect of the Resurrection?
(Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick, 2015) Kennedy, David
Eminent theologians, Gerald O’Collins, Anthony J. Kelly and Luis M. Bermejo claim that a strange neglect of Jesus’ resurrection persists in contemporary theologies of the Eucharist. All three suggest that this deficiency emerges from, and is most evident in, theologies of the Eucharist which are shaped by the insights of classical Christology. This thesis will demonstrate that the narrowness and rigidity of such Christology with regard to the Eucharist, finds its clearest expression in the neo-scholastic manualist tradition. To show how traditional theologians failed to engage with Jesus’ resurrection Joseph Pohle’s dogmatic treatise on the Eucharist first published in 1917, is presented herein. However, while such traditional discourse on the Eucharist prevailed in the seminaries in the early twentieth century, a clear shift soon began to emerge, whereby sacramental theologians on mainland Europe broke away from the narrow approach of neo-scholastic reflection by rediscovering the centrality of the Paschal Mystery to theologies of the Eucharist. This thesis suggests that the break with the neo-scholastic manualist tradition and its treatment of the Eucharist, finds its origins in the writings of the Benedictine liturgist, Dom Odo Casel, whose treatise on the mystery of Christian Worship was published in 1932. After being refined and modified by Louis Bouyer in his dynamic theology of the Word of God and Edward Schillebeeckx in his treatise on sacramental encounter, the acceptance of the insights raised by Casel in his mystical theology reached its climax in the liturgical renewal of the Second Vatican Council (1962-65). However, with the Council’s revitalised appreciation of the Paschal Mystery, one must ask whether the claim of O’Collins, Kelly and Bermejo is justly founded or whether it holds weight only in respect of the manualist tradition. From this standpoint, the theologies of Jean-Luc Marion, Louis-Marie Chauvet and Herbert McCabe with regard to the Eucharist are observed in order to establish whether an appreciation of the resurrection has flourished in post-conciliar theologies or whether its neglect has persisted. By examining these theologians’ reflection on the Eucharist, it becomes apparent that an obvious neglect of the resurrection has unquestionably persisted, especially with regard to the transformative dimension of the Eucharist. This thesis argues that by engaging in a more comprehensive manner with Jesus’ resurrection, in particular, the appearance narratives, the dynamic of our encounters with the risen Christ in the Eucharistic celebration is enriched. The appearance narratives present a well-spring of symbolic language which enables us to better understand humankind’s revelatory encounters with the glorified, transfigured Christ now in His-Spirit filled existence. Thus, by engaging with Jesus’ resurrection in this more comprehensive manner, the response of those in the Gospel narratives – the disciples who experienced the risen Christ – this thesis brings the dynamism of the entire Eucharistic action to the fore.
The specificity of Christian theosony: towards a theology of listening
(Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick, 2003) Ní Riain, Nóirín
The burden of this thesis is to show that of all the existential prevenient sites where nature prepares for the event of revelation, the human ear is the most sensitive and theologically attuned. The foundation stone of this work is that the encounter with the incarnate Word of God through the Holy Spirit takes place primarily, although not excepting other media, through the human sense of hearing, listening and its associate silence. The second hypothesis proposed here is that such acts of listening to the Spirit of God are undervalued, unexplored and unappreciated in Western Christianity. That sound preceded sight is a fact of the Christian narrative yet the Christian tradition has made little effort to develop a methodology to explore such an aural concept of God’s self-disclosure. Without overestimating the intention of this thesis, it would be fair to say that the present writer has identified a lacuna in theology. It is her modest intention to propose and sketch one possible methodology in order to begin to address this absence. At the outset, I wish to underline three elements of our proposed methodology: Firstly, defining an aural ontology requires the coining of a new word: theosony. Secondly, four branches of learning are harnessed to sketch the groundwork towards a theory of auditory Christianity: theology, philosophy, biology and linguistics. Thirdly, a taxonomy of divine/human encounter through the medium of sound will be set out. God provides both the faculty of hearing and the content of what is heard as prevenient grace. Such aural grace is ubiquitous and indiscriminate, it precedes all human experience in and of the world. ‘Theo’ in theosony evokes this graced Christian experience. Theosony itself is treated at three levels: Cosmic Theosony relates to all sounds which are non-human, mundane and pre-conceptual; Kerygmatic Theosony deals with sounds that communicate, carry a message or a meaning; Silent Theosony treats of the intimate salvatory presence of God that is silent, aphonic and solitary. As in human silence, the realm of God’s silence is a positive ground or horizon of sound; theosonic silence is, in this sense, the horizon of God. Many insights from contemporary philosophy have been used to develop this aural ontology. For the most part, this work could be described as a phenomenology of hearing as the basis for human interconnectedness including our relationship with God. It describes the human ear as the heart of human being: the membrane which allows access to all that is beyond ourselves and, therefore, one of the most privileged inlets to God.
The bishop’s role of pastoral governance: its interpretation and reception by the Magisterium since Vatican II
(Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick, 2015) Gadie, Paul G.
This thesis will assess the interpretation and reception of the bishop’s role of pastoral governance by the Magisterium since the Second Vatican Council (1962-65). Historically, this episcopal role had been increasingly restricted from the Council of Trent (1545-63) to the First Vatican Council (1869-70). Due to Vatican I’s premature end only papal governance was legislated for. Subsequently, the increasing dominance of the Roman School of Theology and of Ultramontanism located the exercise of Church governance in the Pope and the Roman Curia. While the bishop exercised a small measure of governance within his diocese, he was portrayed as the local Church manager of the universal Church. Vatican II defined a new and more expanded role of episcopal governance, expressed in a pastoral mode. Vatican II described episcopal governance of the local Church, but also of the universal Church, shared with and always under the leadership of the Pope. Using a hermeneutical approach suggested by Ormond Rush, three key Vatican II documents will be analysed to reveal the process of authorship and their understanding of episcopal governance. Rush’s hermeneutics will also help to analyse the reception of episcopal pastoral governance after the Council. The expanded pastor governance role of bishops was supported in post conciliar magisterial documents. By the 1980s, however, an increasingly restrictive view of episcopal governance can be identified in magisterial texts authored by the Roman Curia and supported by the papacies of John Paul II and Benedict XVI. These restrictions reversed earlier conciliar reception, identified especially when considering liturgical translation of Latin prayers into local languages. A final chapter considers proposals, which support a wider expression of episcopal governance. This chapter also considers the fresh impetus offered by Pope Francis to retrieving the potential of the Council, especially episcopal pastoral governance exercised in a pastoral key.

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